[Sidenote: Cur mare mortuum dicatur.] Primo quidem quòd non viuidè currit, sed est quasi lacus.
Secundò quod amara est eius aqua, et foetidum reddit odorem. Tertio quòd propter eius amaritudinem terra adiacens littori nil viride profert.
Quartò (prout dicitur) si cadat in ea bestia, vel aliud quid viuens, vix poterit plenè mori siue submergi in octo diebus, nec nutrit in se pisces aut quid simile.
Littora quoque sua variant quam sæpè colorem, et sine vlla agitatione ventorum eijcit in quibusdam locis se aqua, extra proprios terminos. Per huiusmodi aquam dicitur Deus pro indicibili vitio Pentapolim submersisse, Sodomam, Gomorram, Adamam, Seboim, et Segor.
Quidam vocant hoc mare lacum Asphaltidis, alij fluuium Dæmonum, aut flumen Putre. Quod autem olim propheta interpretans dixit, montes Gilboe, nec ros nec pluuia veniat super vos, magis spiritualitèr quàm literalitèr videtur intelligendum. [Sidenote: Nota.] Nam ibi crescunt altissimi cedri, et arbores poma ferentes, ad capitis quantitatem humani, ex quibus valdè saporosus fit potus.
Mare istud mortuum determinat fines terræ promissionis, et Arabiæ. Ideoque vltra ipsum mare condidit quondam, vnus successorum Godfridi de Bollion forte et spectabile castrum, ponens illic copiosam Christianorum militiam ad terram promissionis custodiendum. Nunc verò, temporis, est Soldani, et appellatur Caruth, id est mons Regalis. Sub hoc monte est villa dicta Sobal: habitat in illis partibus magna Christianorum multitudo.
CAPVT. 19.
De Nazareth, et Samaria.
Nazareth in prouincia Galileæ in qua nutritus, et de qua cognominatus est Dominus vniuersorum, distans ab Hierosolymis ad tres circiter dietas, erat quondam ciuitas, quæ nunc est dispersa, et rara domorum, quod vix villæ sibi competit nomen: et in loco Annunciationis, vbi Angelus ad Mariam dixit, Aue gratia plena, Dominus tecum, habebatur olim bona Ecclesia, pro qua paruum Saraceni restituerunt habitaculum, in colligendas peregrinorum offerendas.
A Nazareth redeundo per terrain Galileæ, transitur per Ramathaym Sophim, vbi nascebatur fidelis Samuel propheta Domini, et per Sylo, vbi locus orationis erat antequam in Ierusalem: et per Sichem magnæ vbertatis vallem, itur in prouinciam Samariæ, vbi habetur et bona ciuitas nunc dicta Neapolts, distans, à sancta vrbe spacio solius dietæ, ac per fontem Iacob, super quem Iesus fatigatus ab itinere colloquebatur Samaritonæ, vbi et apparet ruina destructæ Ecciesiæ quondam illic habitæ. Et est ibi villa adhuc vocata Sychem, et in eo est mausoleum Ioseph patriarchæ filij Iacob: ad cuius ossa visitanda sub deuotione non minus peregrini Iudæi adueniunt, quàm Christiani.
[Sidenote: Samaria nunc Sebaste.] Hinc satis propè est mons Garizin cum vetusto templo orationis Samaritanorum: ex tunc intratur Samaria quæ modò appellatur Sebaste, et est illius principalis ciuitas pronunciæ. In qua fuit primum terræ mandatum corpus beati Ioannis Baptistæ inter sacra corpora Helizæi, et Abdiæ Prophetarum, vt quorum assimilibatur virtutibus in vita, corporibus iungeretur in sepultura. Hæc quoque distat ab Hierosolymis: fortassis a dietas.
[Sidenote: Nota.] Habetur et alius puteus aut fons intra illa montana, quem plerique similiter fontem Iacob appellant, cuius aqua secundum quatuor anni tempora variatur à suo colore, vt sit quandòque clara, quandòque turbida, nunc viridis, et nunc rubra. [Sidenote: Ogerus Dux Danus.] Certum est autem tempore Apostolorum cum Samaria recepisset verbum Dei, illos fuisse conuersos, et baptizatos, in nomine Domini Iesu, et tamen postea per quendam Caliphorum peruersos, Ogerus dux Danorum per Templariorum virtutem rursum subiugauit Christianitati: sicque post plures euentus, et variationes, illi qui nunc sunt Samaritæ, finxerunt sibi hæresim propriam, et ritum ab omnibus nationibus singularem.
[Sidenote: Tegumenti capitis differentia.] Fatentur autem se credere in Deum, qui cuncta creauit: recipiuntque pentateucum scripturæ, cum Psalterio Dauidis, acerrimè contendentes, se solos dilectissimos Dei filios qui etiam pro nobili differentia inuoluunt capita linteo rubeo, Saraceni autem albo, Indi croceo, et Christiani ibi manentes Indico, hoc est, æreo, seu hiacynthino.
Porrò à Nazareth quatuor leucis, est ciuitas olim dicta Naym, in 2. milario Thahor montis contra Meridiem iuxta Endor. Ieronimus. Ante cuius portam resuscitauit Christus defunctum filium vnicum matris suæ, præsentibus duabus turmis hominum copiosorum. Hinc quoque ad leucas duas, est ciuitas Israel, vbi olim morabatur pessima regina Iezabel, quam Dei iudicio equorum vngulis conculcatam, canes ferè vsque ad caluariam comederunt.
CAPVT. 20.
De territorio Gallileæ, et Samariæ, et de villa Sardenay.
Item à Nazareth ad leucæ dimidum, monstrantur in rupe vestigia pedum, quæ dicuntur esse Domini nostri Iesu Christi vbi de manibus Iudæorum, ipsum de alta rupe præcipitare volentium desiluit in istam. De quo saltu quidam intelligunt illud scriptum Euangelicum, Iesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat.
Ad quatuor autem leucas de Nazareth, est Cana Galileæ, vbi Christus ad vrbanas matris preces, mutauit vndam in vinum optimum.
[Sidenote: Mons Thabor.] Ad distantiam quatuor leucarum à Nazareth, venitur in Thabor, montem spectabilem, vbi transfigurabatur Christus, coram quibusdam suis Apostolis, apparentibus ibidem, Mose, et Helia, prophetis, vocéque dilapsa à magnifica Patris gloria, et videbatur Petro bonum ibi esse: quondam in hoc monte habebatur ciuitas, cum pluribus Ecclesijs; quarum nunc sola restant vestigia, excepto quod ille locus transfigurationis est inhabitatus, qui est Schola Dei nominatus. [Sidenote: Obserueretur.] Notandum. Thabor est in medio Galileæ, campus mira iucunditate sublimis, distans à Diotesaria 3. milliaribus contra Orientem.
Item de Nazareth in tres leucas est villa, seu castrum Zaffara, de quo recolo me supradixisse capite 4. Et inde venitur in Mare Galileæ, quod quamuis dicatur mare, est lacus aquæ dulcis longus.
[Sidenote: Mare Tyberiadis.] Vltra centum 60. forsitan stadia est lacus, bonorum piscium ferax et vber, qui etiam in alio loco sui vocatur mare Tyberiadis, et in alia mare Genezareth, varians sibi nomen, secundum ciuitas, et terras, propinquas. Circa hoc mare Christus frequentèr, et libentèr ambulasse videtur: hic vocauit ad sui discipulatum, Petrum, et Andream, Iacobum, et Ioannem: hic super vndam siccis ambulabat vestigijs, et præcipitem Petrum filium tentantem, verbo increpationis releuat ne mergatur, hic denique rediuiuus à morte repleuit discipulorum rete magnis piscibus 153.
Item in ciuitate Tiberiade, quæ est propè hoc mare habetur in veneratione mensa illius coenæ, quam in Emaus castello Christus cænauit, cum ab oculis commensalium euanuit. Hic de propè monstratur mons ille fertilis, mons ille pinguis, in quo de paucis panibus, et de paucioribus piscibus iussu Christi fuerunt saturati, quinque millia hominum.
Ad initium autem prædicti maris iuxta villam Capernaum habetur fortius castrum totius terræ promissionis, in quo dicitur nata fuisse sancta Anna mater virginis Mariæ.
[Sidenote: Damascus.] Prædictis itaque Christi vestigijs, et terræ sanctæ locis à peregrino cum deuotione cordis et reuerentia debita visitatis, si desiderat reuerti, posit illud facere per Damascum; quæ est ciuitas longa, nobilis, et grandis, ac plena omnium rerum mercimonijs, cum tamen distat à portu maris tribus plenè dietis, per quod spacium itineris, cuncta traijciuntur à suis equis, Dromedarijs, et Camelis: et putatur à plerisque narrantibus fundata in loco vbi Cain protoplaustorum filius Abel fratrem suum occidit.
A Damasco de propinquo est mons Seyr, ciuitas grandis firmata duplicibus muris ac populosa nimis, in qua sunt multi in arte Physica famosi professi. Item à Damasco haud remotè distat castrum satis munitum, et firmum, quod Derces est nominatum. Habent autem in illis, et vlterioribus partibus hunc vsum: si quando castrum ab hostibus fuerit sic obsessum, quòd Dominus eius non possit emittere nuncium amico suo remotè moranti, recipit columbam olim in castro, vel domo amici natam, vel educatam, quam hic sibi per certam prouisionem allatam detinuit incaueatam, et scriptas quas vult literas alligans collo columbæ, dimittit liberam volare, quæ protinus festinat ad focum propriæ natiuitatis. Sicque videtur cognosci in illo castro quid agatur in isto.
[Sidenote: Villa Sardenay.] Cæterum peregrinus à Damasco reuertendo, in quinque leucis venit Sardenay, quæ est villa in alta rupe, cum multis Ecclesijs religiosorum Monachorum, et sanctarum monialium fidei Christianæ. In quarum vna coram maiori altari in tabula lignea erat olim imago beatissimæ virginis Mariæ non sculpta sed depicta in plano spacio. Ex hoc reditur per valles Bokar fertiles et pro pascendis pecorum gregibus exuberantes: et intratur in montana vbi copiositas est fontium qui effluunt impetu de Libano. Ibique decurrit fluuius Sabbatayr, sic dictus quod diebus Sabbatis euidentèr rapidius transit, quàm alijs sex diebus.
Peruenitur hinc ad satis altum montem, propè Tripolim ciuitatem, in qua ad præsens plures Christiani Catholicæ fidei habitant iugo infidelium nimis oppressi. [Sidenote: Sur, vel Tyrus.] Ex hoc loco sibi deliberet peregrinus, quem sibi maris portum accipiat ad repatriandum, videlicet Beruth, an Sur vel Tyrum.
Postremò sciendum, quod terra promissionis in totali longitudine sui à Dan qui est sub Libano vsque ad Berseba in Austrum continet circiter centum, et 80. leucas Lombardicas, et ab Hierico in totali latitudine circiter 60. Notandum, Dan est viculus in quarto à Pennea de Miliario euntibus, contra Septentrionem: vsque hodiè sic vocatur terminus Iudeæ, contra Septentrionem est etiam et fons Ior, de quo et Iordanis fluuius erumpens alterum sortitus nomen Ior. Termini Iudeæ terræ à Bersabe incipiunt vsque ad Dan, qui vsque Peneaden terminatur, Ieronimus.
CAPVT. 21.
De secta detestabili Saracenorum et eorum fide.
[Sidenote: Diligentia Mandevillu.] Iam restat vt de secta Saracenorum aliquid scribam vel compendiosè, secundum quòd cum ijs frequentèr, colloquendo audiui, et liber Mahometi, quem Alcaron, vel Mesahaf, vel Harmè vocant, ijs præcipit, sicut illum sæpè inspexi, et studiosè perlegi.
[Sidenote: Fides Saracenorum.] Credunt itaque Saraceni in Deum creatorem coeli et terræ, qui fecit omnia in ijs contenta, et sine quo nihil est factum. Et expectant diem nouissimum iudicij, in quo mali cum corpore et anima descensuri sunt in infernum perpetuò cruciandi, et boni equidem cum anima et corpore intraturi Paradisum foelicitatis æternæ. Et hæc quidem fides poenè inest omnium mortalium nationibus, lingua et ratione vtentibus. Verumtamen de qualitate Paradisi est magna diuersitas inter credentes.
Nam et Saraceni et Pagani, et omnes sectæ præter Iudæos et baptizatos Christianos sentiunt bonorum Paradisum fore terrestrem illum de quo fuit expulsus Adam propter inobedientiam protoplaustus: qui (vt putant) fluit, vel tunct fluet pluribus riuis lactis et mellis, et vbi in domibus et mansionibus nobiliter iuxta meritum vniuscuiusque ædificatur auro, et argento et gemmis, perfruentur omnibus corporalibus delicijs, in oblectatione animæ æternaliter sine fine. Ille ergò qui fide sanctæ Trinitatis carent, et Christum qui est vera lux ignorant, in tenebris ambulant. Iudæi vero et omnes baptizati rectè sentiunt Paradisum coelestem et spiritualem, vbi quilibet secundum meritum Diuinitati vnietur, per cognitionem, et amorem. Attamen Iudæi quod contra Scripturas suas sanctæ Trinitati contradicunt, et Christo obloquuntur, qui est vera via, nesciunt quo vadunt. De baptizatis autem, qui firmiter fidem Catholicam in humilitate cordis sub Ecclesiæ præceptis seruauerunt, hi soli filij sunt lucis, et in via veniendi ad coelestem Paradisum quem Christus verbo prædicauit, et ad quem corpore et anima, videntibus discipulis, de facto conscendit.
Credunt etiam Saraceni, omnia esse vera, quæ Deus ore prophetarum est locutus, sed in diuersitate, quia nesciunt specificari, imo specificanti contradicerent defacili, vel negarent. Inter omnes prophetas ponunt quatuor excellentiores, quorum supremum et excellentissimum fatentur Iesum Mariæ Virginis filium, quem et asserunt, sermonem, vel loquelam, vel spiritum Dei, et pronunciatorem sententiarum Dei, in iudicio generali futuro, et missum à Deo ad Christianos docendos.
Secundo loco Abrahamum dicunt fuisse verum Dei cultorem, et amicum.
Tertium dant Mosi locum tanquam prolocutori Dei Misso specialiter, ad instruendos Iudæos.
Quartum volant esse Mahomet, sanctum, et verum Dei nuncium ad seipsos missum, cum lege diuina in dicto libro plene contenta. Tenent itaque indubitate, quod beata Maria Iesum peperit, et concepit virgo manens intacta, ac libentèr loqui audiunt de incarnatione in ipsa facta per annunciationem Gabrielis Archangeli. Nam et Alcharon eorum dicit, ad salutationem Angeli virginem expauisse, quod tunc erat in partibus Galileæ incantator, Turquis nomine, qui per susceptam sibi formam Angeli plures virgines deflorauerat, et beatam Virginem conuenisse Angelum, an esset Turquis. Refert quoque eam peperisse sub palma Arbore, vbi habebatur præsepe bouis, et asinæ, et illic præ confusione puerperij, et verecundia ac dolore, fuisse in proximo desperatam, et infantulum in consolationem matris dixisse, mater ne timeas, Deus in te effudit secreta ad saluationem Mundi. Hæc et his similia multa ibi scribuntur figmenta, et isti plura inter se narrando componunt, quæ hoc loco ventilanda non sunt.
Et dicit liber Iesum sanctissimum omnium Prophetarum fuisse veracem in dictis et factis, benignum, pium, iustum, et ab omni vitio penitus alienum: Sanctum quoque Ioannem Euangelistam post prædictos Prophetas fuisse alijs Sanctiorem, cuius et Euangelium fatentur esse plenum salutari, ac veraci doctrina, et ipsum Sanctum Ioannem illuminasse cæcos, leprosos mundasse, suscitasse mortuos, et in coelum volasse viuentem. Erat enim (prout dicit) plus quàm Propheta, et absque omni peccato, contradicente eodem de seipso, si dixerimus quòd peccatum non habemus, veritas in nobis non est: vnde et si quando Sarraceni tenent scriptum Euangelij Sancti Ioannis, aut illud beati Lucæ, missus est Angelus Gabriel, eleuant ambabus manibus pro reuerentia super caput et super oculos id ponentes, et osculantur quàm sæpè cum summa deuotione. Nonnulli etiam eorum in Græco, aut Latino literati consueuerunt cum deuotione cordis id lectitare.
Idem liber dicit Iudæos perfidos fuisse, quod Iesu eis primùm misso a Deo, et multa miracula facienti credere noluerunt, quodque per ipsum tota gens Iudæorum fuit dignè decepta, et meritò illusa hoc modo. Iesus in hora dum Iudas eum pro signo traditionis osculabatur, posuit per Metamorphosin figuram suam, in ipsum Iudam, sícque Iudæi in ambiguo lumine nocturni temporis, pro Iesu Iudam capientes, ligantes, trahentes, deridentes, in fine crucifixerunt, putantes se omnia facere Iesu, qui protinus capto et ligato Iuda, viuus ascendit in cæelum, descensurus iterum viuus ad iudicium in die finali.
Et addit, Iudæos falsissimè vsque hodie nos Christianos suo mendacio decipere, quo dícunt se Iesu crucifixisse quem non tetegerunt. Hinc errorem tenent Sarraceni obstinati: et quoddam argumentum inire conantur. Nam si Deus (aiunt) permisisset Iesum, innocentem, et iustum ita miserabiliter occidi, censuram suæ summæ iustitiæ minuisset. [Sidenote: Conuersio Saracenorum non desperanda.] Sed cùm ipsi, vt supradictum est, in tenebris ambulant, idcircò ignorantes Dei iustitiam, statuere volunt iustitiam, imo iniustitiam quam fabricant in corde suo, quia nos de cruce Christi scriptum nouimus, benedictum est lignum per quod fit iustitia. Isti tamen quod in aliquibus appropinquant veræ fidei, multi quandoque eorum inuenti sunt conuersi, et plures adhuc de facili conuerterentur, si haberunt prædicatores, sincerè eis verbum tractantes, quippe cùm iam fateantur legum Mahometi quandoque defecturam, sicut nunc perijt lex Iudæorum, et legem Christianorum vsque in finem seculi permansuram.
CAPVT 22.
De vita, et nomine Mahometi.
Promisi in superioribus aliquid narrare de vita Mahometi legislatoris Sarracenorum, prout vidi in scriptis, vel audiui in partibus illis. Itaque Macho, siue Machon, vtrum in secunda syllaba scribatur N, litera, vel non idem refert: et si tertia syllaba addatur, et dicatur Machomet, vel etiam quarta, Machometus, nihil differt, quòd semper idem nomen representat. Ipsi tamen illum sæpiùs nominant Machon. Putatur autem istum Mahomet habuisse generationis ortum de Ismael Abrahæ filio naturali de concubina Agar, vnde et vsque hodie quidam Sarracenorum dicuntur Ismaelitæ, alij Agarení: sed et quidam Moabitæ, et Ammonitæ, à duobus Loth filijs Moab et Amon, genitis per incestum de proprijs filiabus.
[Sidenote: Tempus Natiuitatis Mahometi.] Hic verò Machon, circa annum incarnationis Domini sexcentissimum natus, in Arabia pauper erat gratis pascens camelos, et interdum sequens Mercatores in Aegyptum fordellos illorum proprio collo deferens pro mercede. Et quoniam tunc temporis tota Aegyptus erat Christianæ fidei, didicit aliquid de fide nostra, quod diuertere solebat ad cellulam Heremitæ commorantis in deserto. [Sidenote: Fabulæ Saracenorum.] Et quodammodo fabulantur Sarraceni, quod illo quandoque ingrediente cellulam, cellulæ ostium mutatum in ianuam valdè patentem, velut ante palatium, et gloriantur hoc primum miraculum. Qui ex tunc conquerendo sibi pecunias, et discendo seculi actus diues est effectus, et prudens ab omnibus reputatus, in tantum, vt postmodum in terræ gubernatorem Corrozæn, (quæ est vna prouinciarum regni Arabiæ) assumeretur, ac de inde defuncto principe Codige per coniugium illius relictæ in eiusdem prouinciæ principem eleuaretur. Erat autem satis formosus, et valens, et vltra modum in verbis et factis maturus, et principalis, et satis diligebatur à suis, magis tamen metuebatur, et erat epilepticus, nemine tamen sciente. Sed tandem ab vxore comperto contristabatur, se tali morbido nuptam, qui versutus fefellit, et consolabatur moestam figmento mendacij excogitati, dicens sanctum Dei Archangelum Gabrielem ad colloquendum et inspirandum sibi, quædam arcana et diuina interdum venire, et pro virtute aut claritate veniente se subito cadere et iacere ad intendendum inspirationem.
[Sidenote: Incrementum authoritatis Mahometi.] Post hoc autem, mortuo etiam Rege Arabiæ, tanta egit per simulationem sanctitatis, per donorum effusionem, et copiam promissionum, quod electus est et assumptus, in totias Arabiæ Regem.
[Sidenote: Tempus promulgationis Alcharani.] Confirmato igitur Mahometo in regnationis suæ maiestate suprema, transactis à conceptione Domini nostri Iesu Christi annis solaribus 612. in die Iouis feria quinta Hebdomadæ promulgauit præfatum detestandæ legis suæ librum, plenum perfidiæ et erroris, et à subditis tempore vitæ suæ seruari coegit, qui et vsque hodie in tanto æuo, et tot populis non sine iusto Dei iudicio colitur et seruatur, quamuis miserabile, et miserandum videtur, quod tot animæ in illo perduntur. Erat quoque tempore regni eius et alius Heremita in deserto Arabiæ, quem etiam quasi pro deuotione frequentare solebat, ducens secum aliquos de principibus et famlia. Super quo plures eorum attediati tractabant occidere Heremitan. [Sidenote: Occasio vina, interdicendi Sarracenis.] Accedit tandem vna noctium, vt rex Heremitam et seipsum inebriaret, et inter loquendum ambo consopiti dormirent. Et ecce habita occasione comites gladio de latere Regis clam extracto Heremitam interfecerunt, iterum clam condentes cruentum gladium in vagina: ac ille euigilans virum videns occisum, magno furore succensus imposuit familiæ factum, volens omnes per iustitiam condemnari ad mortem. Cumque coram iudicibus et sapientibus ageretur, hi omnes pari concordia, simili voce, et vno ore testabantur tam diuisim quam coniunctim, Regem in ebrietate sua hominem occidisse, quamuis fortassis esset facti oblitus. Et in plenariam rei probationem, dixerunt ipsum reposuisse mucronem in loculo nudum intersum, sed calido cruore madentem. Quo ita inuento, ac tantis rex obrutus testificationibus nimiùm erubuit, plenè obmutuit, et confusus recessit. Et ob hoc omnibus diebus suis vina bibere renunciauit: et in lege sua à cunctis bibi vetuit, ac vniuersis bibentibus, colentibus, et vendentibus maledixit. Cuius maledictio couertatur in caput eius, et in verticem ipsius iniquitas eius descendat, cum de vino scriptum constet, quòd Deum et homines lætificet. [Sidenote: Potus Sarracenorum.] Igitur de eo Sarraceni in sua superstitione deuoti vinum non bibunt, quanquam plures eorum quòd timent in publico non verentur in secreto.
Est autem communis potus eorum dulcis, delectabilis, et nutritiuus de
Casaniel confectus, de qua et Saccarum fieri solet.
[Sidenote: Alias Mecca.] Mahometus iste post mortem suam pessimam (mors enim peccatorum pessima) conditus fuit honorificè in capsa, ditissimo auro, et argento, et saxis perornata in vna ciuitate regni sui Arabiæ, vbi et pro sancto, et vero Dei nuncio incepit deuotè coli à suis per annos ducentos sexaginta, atque ex tunc circa annum Domini nongentissimum cum veneratione multa cadauer eius translatum est, in digniorem ciuitatem dictam Merchuel Iachrib, vbi iam longe lateque pro maximo sanctorum, à cordibus à diabolica fraude deceptis colitur, requiritur et adoratur.
[Sidenote: Oregus a Templarijs proditus.] In ipsius translatione ipsa ciuitas restaurabatur, et firmabatur multò honorificentiùs, et fortiùs destructione sua, quæ per Carolum magnum Regem Franciæ antea fuit plenè annihilata, dum Ogerus dux Danorum præfatus in ea tenebatur captiuus, quem Templarij ad filios Brehir Regis Sarracenorum cum traditione vendiderant, eò quòd ipse Ogerus dictum Brehir in proelio occiderat, iuxta Lugdunum Franciæ ciuitatem. Et si quando nationis alterius quis ad legem conuertitur Sarracenorum, dum a flamine eorum recipiendus est, dicit et facit eum Dei nuncium, et repetit sic: Lællech ella alla Mahomet zoyzel alla heth: quod valet tantum: Non est Deus nisi vnus, et Mahomet fuit eius nuncius.
CAPVT. 23.
De colloquio Authoris cum Soldano.
Finaliter Sarraceni ponunt Iudæos malos, eò quod legem Dei violauerunt sibi missam, et commissam per Mosem. Et à simili probant Christianos malos, quod non seruant legem Euangelij Christi, quam seruandam susceperint. [Sidenote: Error eorum qui putant vnumquemque in sua religione posse beari.] Inest enim ijs falsa persuasio ita vt putent vnumquemque in ea qua natus est secta posse beari, si susceptam seruauerit illibatè: ideoque probant ab opposito se esse bonos, quia, sicut dicunt, obseruant scripta legis præcepta et ceremonias sancti libri sui à Deo sibi transmissi per beatum nuncium suum Mahomet. Vnde et ego non tacebo quid mihi contigit.
Dominus Soldanus quodam die in castro, expulsis omnibus de camera sua, me solùm retinuit secum tanquam pro secreto habendo colloquio. [Sidenote: Colloquium Soldani cum Mandeuillo.] Consuetum enim est ijs eijcere omnes tempore secretorum: qui diligenter à me interrogauit qualis esset gubernatio vitæ in terra nostra, breuiter respondebam, bona, per Dei gratiam, qui recepto hoc verbo dixit ita non esse. [Sidenote: Reprehensio Sacerdotum.] Sacerdotes (inquit) vestri, qui seipsos exhibere deberent alijs in exemplum, in malis iacent actibus, parùm curant de Templi seruitio: habitu et studijs se conformant mundo: se inebriant vino, continentiam infringentes, cum fraude negotiantes, ac praua principibus consilia ingerentes. [Sidenote: Reprehensio vulgi iustissima.] Communis quoque populus, dum festus diebus intendere deberent deuotioni in templo, currit in hortis, in spectaculis, in tabernis vsque ad crapulam, et ebrietatem, et pinguia manducans et bibens, ac in bestiarum morem, luxuriam prauam exercens. [Sidenote: Vestimentorum varietas reprehensa.] In vsura, dolo, rapina, furto, detractione, mendacio et periurio viuunt plures eorum euidenter, ac si qui talia non agant, vt fatui reputantur, et pro nimia cordis superbia nesciunt ad libitum excogitare, qualiter se velint habere, mutando sibi indumenta, nunc longa, nunc curta nimis, quandoque ampla, quandoque stricta vltra modum, vt in his singulis appareant derisi potiùs quam vestiti: pileos quoque, calceos, caligas, corrigias sibi fabricante exquisitas, cùm etiam è contra deberent secundùm Christi sui doctrinam simplices, Deo deuoti, humiles, veraces, inuicem diligentes, inuicem concordantes, et inluriam de facili remittentes. Scimus etiam eos propter peccata sua perdidisse hanc terram optimam quam tenemus, nec timemus eam amittere, quamdiu se taliter gubernant. Attamen non dubitamus, quin in futurum per meliorem vitæ conuersatíonem merebuntur de nostris eam manibus recuperare.
Ad hoc ego vltra confusus et stupefactus, nequiui inuenire responsum; verebar enim obloqui veritati, quamuis ab Infidelis ore prolatæ, et vultu præ rubore demisso percunctatus sum, Domine, salua reuerentia, qualiter potestis ita plenè hoc noscere? De hominibus (ait) meis interdum mitto ad modum Mercatorum per terras, et regiones Christianorum, cum Balsamo, gemmis, sericis, ac aromatibus, ac per illos singula exploro, tam de statu Imperatoris, ac Pontificum, Principum, ac Sacerdotum, quàm Prælatorum, nec non æquora, prouincias, ac distinctiones earum.
Igitur peracta collocutione nostra satis producta, egressos principes in cameram reuocauit, ex quibus quatuor de maioribus iuxta nos aduocans, fecit eos expressè ac debitè, per singulas diuisiones in lingua Gallicana destinguere per partes, et singuarum nomina partium, omnem regionem terræ Angliæ, ac alias Christianorum terras multas, acsi inter nostros fuissent nati, vel multo tempore conuersati.
Nam et ipsum Soldanum audiui cum ijs bene et directè loquentem idioma Francorum. Itaque in omnibus his mente consternatus obmutui, cogitans, et dolens de peccatis singulis, rem taliter se habere.
Nunc piè igitur (rogo) consideremus, et corde attendamus, quantæ sit confusionis, et qualis opprobrij, dum Christiani nominis inimici nobis nostra exprobrant crimina. [Sidenote: Insignis Mandeuilli peroratio.] Et student quilibet in melius emendare, quatenus (Deo propitio) possit in breui tempore, hæc, de qua loquimur, terra Deo delecta, hæc sacrosancta terra, hæc filijs Dei promissa, nobis Dei adoptiuis restitui: vel certè, quod magis exorandum est, ipsi Sarraceni ad fidem Catholicam, et Christianam obedientiam, Ecclesiæ filijs aggregari, vt simul omnes per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum consubstantialem Dei filium perueniamus ad coelestem Paradisum.
Explicit prima pars huius operis.
The English Version.
Betheleem is a litylle cytee, long and narwe and well walled, and in eche syde enclosed with gode dyches; and it was wont to ben cleped Effrata; as Holy Writt seythe, Ecce audivimus cum in Effrata; that is to seye, Lo, we herde him in Effrata. And toward the est ende of the cytee, is a fulle fair chirche and a gracyouse; and it hathe many toures, pynacles and corneres, fulle stronge and curiously made: and with in that chirche ben 44 pyleres of marble, grete and faire. And betwene the cytee and the chirche in the felde floridus; that is to seyne, the feld florisched: for als moche as a fayre mayden was blamed with wrong, and sclaundred, that sche hadde don fornycacioun; for whiche cause sche was demed to the dethe, and to be brent in that place, to the whiche sche was ladd. And as the fyre began to brenne about hire, sche made hire preyeres to oure Lord, that als wissely as sche was not gylty of that synne, that he wold helpe hire, and make it to be knowen to alle men, of his mercyfulle grace. And whan sche hadde thus seyd, sche entred in to the fuyer: and anon was the fuyr quenched and oute: and the brondes that weren brennynge, becomen rede roseres; and the brondes that weren not kyndled, becomen white roseres, fulle of roses. And theise weren the first roseres and roses, both white and rede, that evere ony man saughe. And thus was this mayden saved be the grace of God. And therfore is that feld clept the feld of God florysscht: for it was fulle of roses. Also besyde the queer of the chirche, at the right syde, as men comen dounward 16 greces, [Footnote: Steps.] is the place where oure Lord was born, that is fulle welle dyghte of marble, and fulle richely peynted with gold, sylver, azure, and other coloures. And 3 paas besyde, is the crybbe of the ox and the asse. And besyde that, is the place where the sterre fell, that ladde the 3 kynges, Jaspar, Melchior and Balthazar: but men of Grece clepen hem thus, Galgalathe, Malgalathe and Saraphie: and the Jewes clepen in this manere, in Ebrew, Appelius, Amerrius and Damasus. Theise 3 kynges offreden to oure Lord, gold, ensence and myrre: and thei metten to gedre, thorghe myracle of God; for thei metten to gedre in a cytee in Ynde, that Men clepen Cassak, that is 53 journeyes fro Betheleem; and thei weren at Betheleem the 13 day. And that was the 4 day aftre that thei hadden seyn the sterre, whan they metten in that cytee: and thus thei weren in 9 dayes, fro that cytee at Betheleem; and that was gret myracle. Also undre the cloystre of the chirche, be 18 degrees, at the righte syde, is the charnelle of the innocentes, where here bones lyzn. And before the place where oure Lord was born, is the tombe of Seynt Jerome, that was a preest and a cardynalle, that translatede the Bible and the psaultere from Ebrew in to Latyn: and witheoute the mynstre; is the chayere that he satt in, whan he translated it. And faste besyde that chirche, a 60 fedme, [Footnote: Fathom.] is a chirche of Seynt Nicholas, where oure Lady rested hire, aftre sche was lyghted of oure Lord. And for as meche as sche had to meche mylk in hire pappes, that greved hire, sche mylked hem on the rede stones of marble; so that the traces may zit be sene in the stones alle whyte. And zee schulle undrestonde, that alle that duellen in Betheleem ben Cristene men. And there ben fayre vynes about the cytee, and gret plentee of wyn, that the Cristene men han don let make. But the Sarazines ne tylen not no vynes, ne thei drynken no wyn. For here bokes of here lawe, that Makomete betoke hem, whiche thei clepen here Alkaron, and sume clepen it Mesaphe; and in another langage it is cleped Harme; and the same boke forbedethe hem to drinke wyn. For in that boke, Machomete cursed alle tho that drynken wyn, and alle hem that sellen it. For sum men seye, that he sloughe ones an heremyte in his dronkenesse, that he loved ful wel: and therefore he cursed wyn, and hem that drynken it. But his curs be turned in to his owne hed; as Holy Wrytt seythe; Et in verticem ipsius iniquitas ejus descendet; that is for to seye, Hi wykkednesse schalle turne and falle in his owne heed. And also the Sarazines bryngen forthe no pigges, nor thei eten no swynes flessche: for thei seye, it is brother to man, and it was forboden be the olde lawe: and thei holden hem alle accursed that eten there of. Also in the lond of Palestyne and in the lond of Egypt, thei eten but lytille or non of flessche of veel or of beef; but he be so old, that he may no more travayle for elde; for it is forbode: and for because the have but fewe of hem, therfore thei norisschen hem, for to ere here londes. In this cytee of Betheleem was David the kyng born: and he hadde 60 wyfes; and the firste wyf hihte Michol: and also he hadde 300 lemmannes.
An fro Betheleem unto Jerusalem nys but 2 myle. And in the weye to Jerusalem, half a myle fro Betheleem is a chirche, where the aungel seyde to the scheppardes, of the birthe of Crist. And in that weye is the tombe of Rachelle, that was Josephes modre, the patriarke; and sche dyede anon, aftre that sche was delyvered of hire sone Beniamyn; and there sche was buryed of Jacob hire husbonde: and he leet setten 12 grete stones on here, in tokene that sche had born 12 children. [Footnote: Rachel had only two children, but twelve grandchildren.] In the same weye, half myle fro Jerusalem, appered the sterre to the 3 kynges. In that weye also ben manye chirches of Cristen men, be the whiche men gon towardes the cytee of Jerusalem.
Of the Pilgrimages in Jerusalem and of the Holy Places thereaboute.
[Sidenote: Cap. VII.] After for to speke of Jerusalem, the holy cytee, zee schulle undirstonde, that it stont fulle faire betwene hilles: and there ben no ryveres ne welles; but watre comethe be condyte from Ebron. And zee schulle undirstonde, that Jerusalem of olde tyme, unto the tyme of Melchisedeche, was cleped Jebus; and aftre it was clept Salem, unto the tyme of Kyng David, that putte theise 2 names to gidere, and cleped it Jebusalem; and aftre that Kyng Salomon cleped it Jerosoloyme: and aftre that, men cleped it Jerusalem; and so it is cleped zit. And aboute Jerusalem is the kyngdom of Surrye: and there besyde is the lond of Palestyne: and besyde it is Ascolone: and besyde that is the lond of Maritaine. But Jerusalem is in the lond of Judee; and it is clept Jude, for that Judas Machabeus was kyng of that contree; and it marchethe estward to the kyngdom of Arabye; on the southe syde, to the lond of Egipt; and on the west syde, to the grete see; on the north syde, towarde the kyngdom of Surrye, and to the See of Cypre. In Jerusalem was wont to be a patriark, and erchebysshoppes and bisshoppes abouten in the contree. Abouten Jerusalem ben theise cytees: Ebron, at 7 myle; Jerico, at 6 myle; Bersabee, at 8 myle; Ascalon, at 17 myle; Jaff, at 16 myle; Ramatha, at 3 myle; and Betheleem, at 2 myle. And a 2 myle trom Betheleem, toward the sowthe, is the chirche of Seynt Karitot, that was abbot there; for whom thei maden meche Doel [Footnote: Mourning.] amonges the monkes, whan he scholde dye; and zit thei ben in moornynge, in the wise that thei maden here lamentacioun for him the firste tyme: and it is fulle gret pytee to beholde.
This contree and lond of Jerusalem hathe ben in many dyverse naciounes hondes: and often therfore hathe the contree suffred meche tribulacioun, for the synne of the people, that duellen there. For that contree hathe ben in the hondes of alle nacyouns: that is to seyne, of Jewes, of Chananees, Assiryenes, Perses, Medoynes, Macedoynes, of Grekes, Romaynes, of Cristene men, of Sarazines, Barbaryenes, Turkes, Tartaryenes, and of manye othere dyverse nacyouns. For God wole not, that it be longe in the hondes of trytoures ne of synneres, be thei Cristene or othere. And now have the hethene men holden that lond in here hondes 40 zeere and more: but thei schulle not holde it longe, zif God wole.
And zee schulle undirstond, that whan men comen to Jerusalem, here first pilgrymage is to the Chirche of the Holy Sepulcre, where oure Lord was buryed, that is with oute the cytee, on the northe syde: but it is now enclosed in, with the toun walle. And there is a fulle fayr chirche, alle rownd, and open above, and covered with leed. And on the west syde is a fair tour and an highe, for belles, strongly made. And in the myddes of the chirche is a tabernacle, as it were a lytylle hows, made with a low lytylle dore: and that tabernacle is made in manere of half a compass, righte curiousely and richely made, of gold and azure and othere riche coloures, fulle nobelyche made. And in the righte syde of that tabernacle is the sepulcre of oure Lord. And the tabernacle is 8 fote longe, and 5 fote wyde, and 11 fote in heighte. And it is not longe sithen the sepulcre was alle open, that men myghte kisse it and touche it. But for pilgrymes that comen thidre, peyned hem to breke the ston in peces or in poudre, therfore the Soudan hathe do make a walle aboute the sepulcre, that no man may towche it. But in the left syde of the walle of the tabernacle is well the heighte of a man, a gret ston to the quantytee of a mannes hed, that was of the holy sepulcre: and that ston kissen the pilgrymes, that comen thidre. In that tabernacle ben no wyndowes: but it is alle made lighte with lampes, that hangen before the sepulcre. And there is a lampe, that hongethe before the sepulcre, that brennethe lighte: and on the Gode Fryday it gothe out be him self; and lyghtith azen be him self at that oure, that oure Lorde roos fro dethe to lyve. Also within the chirche, at the righte syde, besyde the queer of the chirche, is the Mount of Calvarye, where oure Lord was don on the Cros: and it is a roche of white colour, and a lytille medled with red: and the Cros was set in a morteys, in the same roche: and on that roche dropped the woundes of our Lord, whan he was payned on the Crosse; and that is cleped Golgatha. And men gon up to that Golgotha be degrees: and in the place of that morteys was Adames hed founden, aftre Noes flode; in tokene that the synnes of Adam scholde ben boughte in that same place. And upon that roche made Abraham sacrifice to oure Lord. And there is an awtere: and before that awtere lyzn Godefray de Boleyne and Bawdewyn, and othere Cristene kynges of Jerusalem; And there nyghe, where our Lord was crucyfied, is this written in Greek, [Greek: Ho Theos Basileus hæmon pro aionon eirgasato aotærian en meso tæs gæs.] that is to seyne, in Latyn, Deus Rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem, in medio terræ; that is to seye, Gode oure Kyng, before the worldes, hathe wroughte hele in myddis of the erthe. And also on that roche, where the Cros was sett, is writen with in the roche theise, wordes; [Greek: Ho eideis esti basis tæs pisteos holæs tou kosmou touton.] that is to seyne in Latyn, Quod vides, est fundamentum totius Fidei hujus Mundi; that is to seyne, That thou seest, is ground of alle the feythe of this world. And zee schulle undirstonde, that whan oure Lord was don upon the Cros, he was 33 zere and 3 moneths of elde. And the prophecye of David seythe thus: Quadraginta annis proximus fui generationi huic; that is to seye, fourty zeer was I neighebore to this kynrede. And thus scholde it seme, that the prophecyes ne were not trewe: but thei ben bothe trewe: for in old tyme men maden a zeer of 10 moneths; of the whiche Marche was the firste, and Decembre was the laste. But Gayus, that was Emperour of Rome, putten theise 2 monethes there to, Janyver and Feverer; and ordeyned the zeer of 12 monethes; that is to seye, 365 dayes, with oute lepe zeer, aftre the propre cours of the sonne. And therfore, aftre cowntynge of 10 monethes of the zeer, de dyede in the 40 zeer; as the prophete seyde; and aftre the zeer of 12 monethes, he was of age 33 zeer and 3 monethes. Also with in the Mount Calvarie, on the right side, is an awtere, where the piler lyzthe, that oure Lord Jesu was bounden to, whan he was scourged. And there besyde ben 4 pileres of ston, that alle weys droppen watre: and sum men seyn, that thei wepen for our Lordes dethe. And nyghe that awtier is a place undre erthe, 42 degrees of depnesse, where the holy croys was founden, be the wytt of Seynte Elyne, undir a roche, where the Jewes had hidde it. And that was the verray croys assayed: for thei founden 3 crosses; on of oure Lord, and 2 of the 2 theves: and Seynte Elyne preved hem on a ded body, that aros from dethe to lyve, whan it was leyed on it that oure Lord dyed on. And there by in the walle is the place where the 4 nayles of oure Lord weren hidd: for he had 2 in his hondes, and 2 in his feet: and of on of theise, the Emperour of Costantynoble made a brydille to his hors, to bere him in bataylle: and thorghe vertue there of, he overcam his enemyes, and wan alle the lond of Asye the lesse; that is to seye, Turkye, Ermonye the lasse and the more; and from Surrye to Jerusalem, from Arabye to Persie, from Mesopotayme to the kyngdom of Halappee, from Egypt the highe and the lowe, and all the othere kyngdomes, unto the Depe of Ethiope, and into Ynde the lesse, that then was Cristene. And there were in that tyme many gode holy men and holy heremytes; of whom the book of fadres lyfes spekethe: and thei ben now in Paynemes and Sarazines honds. But whan God alle myghty wole, righte als the londes weren lost thorghe synne of Cristene men, so schulle thei ben wonnen azen be Cristen men thorghe help of God. And in myddes of that chirche is a compas, in the whiche Joseph of Aramathie leyde the body of oure Lord, whan he had taken him down of the cross: and there he wassched the woundes of oure Lord: and that compas, seye men, is the myddes of the world. And in the Chirche of the Sepulchre, on the north syde, is the place where oure Lord was put in presoun; (for he was in presoun in many places) and there is a partye of the Cheyne that he was bounden with: and there he appered first to Marie Magdaleyne, whan he was rysen; and sche wende, that he had ben a gardener. In the chirche of Seynt Sepulchre was wont to ben chanouns of the ordre of Seynt Augustyn, and hadden a priour; but the patriark was here sovereygne. And withe oute the dores of the chirche, on the right syde, as men gon upward 18 Greces, seyde oure Lord to his moder, Mulier, ecce filius tuus; that is to seye, Woman, lo thi Sone. And aftre that, he seyde to John his disciple, Ecce mater tua; that is to seyne, Lo, behold thi modir: And these wordes he seyde on the cros. And on theise Greces wente oure Lord, whan he bare the crosse on his schuldir. And undir this grees is a chapelle; and in that chapelle syngen prestes, yndyenes; that is to seye, prestes of ynde; noght aftir oure lawe, but aftir here: and alle wey thei maken here sacrement of the awtier, seyenge, Pater noster, and othere preyeres there with: with the which preyeres, thei seye the wordes, that the sacrement is made of. For thei ne knowe not the addiciouns, that many Popes han made; but thei synge with gode devocioun. And there nere, is the place where that oure Lord rested him, whan he was wery, for berynge of the Cros. And zee schulle undirstonde, that before the Chirche of the Sepulcre, is the cytee more feble than in ony othere partie, for the grete playn that is betwene the chirche and the cytee. And toward the est syde, with oute the walles of the cytee, is the Vale of Josaphathe, that touchethe to the walles, as thoughe it were a large dyche. And anen that Vale of Josaphathe, out of the cytee, is the Chirche of Seynt Stevene, where he was stoned to dethe. And there beside, is the gildene zate, that may not ben opened; be the whiche zate, oure Lord entrede on Palmesonday, upon an asse; and the zate opened azenst him, whan he wolde go unto the temple: and zit apperen the steppes of the asses feet, in 3 places of the degrees, that ben of fulle harde ston. And before the chirche of Seynt Sepulcre, toward the southe, a 200 paas, is the gret hospitalle of Seynt John; of the whiche the hospitleres hadde here foundacioun. And with inne the palays of the seke men of that hospitalle ben 124 pileres of ston: and in the walles of the hows, with oute the nombre aboveseyd, there ben 54 pileres, that beren up the hows. And fro that hospitalle, to go toward the est, is a fulle fayr chirche, that is clept Nostre Dame la Graund. And than is there another chirche right nyghe, that is clept Nostre Dame la Latytne. And there weren Marie Cleophee and Marie Magdaleyne, and teren here heer, whan oure Lord was peyned in the cros.
Of the Temple of oure Lord. Of the Crueltee of Kyng Heroud. Of the Mount
Syon. Of Probatica Piscina. And of Natatorium Siloe.
[Sidenote: Cap. VIII.] And fro the chirche of the sepulcre, toward the est, at 160 paas, is Templum Domini. It is right a feir hows, and it is alle round, and highe, and covered with leed, and it is well paved with white marble: but the Sarazine wole not suffre no Cristene manne Jewes to come there in; for thei seyn, that none so foule synfulle men scholde not come in so holy place: but I cam in there, and in othere places, where I wolde; for I hadde lettres of the Soudan, with his grete seel; and comounly other men han but his signett. In the whiche lettres he comanded of his, specyalle grace, to all his subgettes, to lete me seen alle the places, and to enforme me pleynly alle the mysteries of every place, and to condyte me fro cytee to cytee, zif it were nede, and buxomly to resceyve me and my companye, and for to obeye to alle my requestes resonable, zif thei weren not gretly azen the royalle power, and dignytee of the Soudan or of his lawe. And to othere, that asken him grace, suche as han served him, he ne zevethe not but his signet; the whiche thei make to be born before hem, hangynge on a spere; and the folk of the contree don gret worschipe and reverence to his signett or his seel, and knelen there to, as lowly as wee don to Corpus Domini. And zit men don fulle grettere reverence to his lettres. For the admyralle and alle othere lordes, that thei ben schewed to, before or thei resceyve hem, thei knelen doun, and than thei take hem, and putten hem on here hedes, and aftre thei kissen hem, and than thei reden hem, knelynge with gret reverence, and than thei offren hem to do alle, that the berere askethe. And in this Templum Domini weren somtyme chanouns reguleres: and thei hadden an abbot, to whom thei weren obedient. And in this temple was Charlemayn, when that the aungelle broughte him the prepuce of oure Lord Jesu Crist, of his circumcisioun: and aftre Kyng Charles leet bryngen it to Parys, in to his chapelle: and aftre that to Chartres. And zee schulle undirstonde, that this is not the temple that Salomon made: for that temple dured not, bat 1102 zeer. For Tytus, Vespasianes sone, Emperour of Rome, had leyd sege aboute Jerusalem, for to discomfyte the Jewes: for thei putten oure Lord to dethe, with outen leve of the Emperour. And whan he hadde wonnen the cytee, he brente the temple and beet it down, and alle the cytee, and toke the Jewes, and dide hem to Dethe, 1100000: and the othere he putte in presoun, and solde hem to servage, 30 for o peny: for thei seyde, thei boughte Jesu for 30 penyes: and he made of hem bettre cheep, whan he zaf 30 for o peny. And aftre that tyme, Julianas Apostate, that was Emperour, zaf leve to the Jewes to make the Temple of Jerusalem: for he hated Cristene men; and zit he was cristned, but he forsoke his law, and becam a renegate. And whan the Jewes hadden made the temple, com an erthe quakeng, and cast it doun (as God wolde) and destroyed alle that thei had made. And aftre that, Adryan, that was Emperour of Rome, and of the lynage of Troye, made Jerusalem azen, and the temple, in the same manere, as Salomon made it. And he wolde not suffre no Jewes to dwelle there, but only Cristene men. For alle thoughe is were so, that hee was not cristned, zet he lovede Cristene men, more than ony other nacioun, saf his owne. This Emperour leet enclose the Chirche of Seynt Sepulcre, and walle it, within the cytee, that before was with oute the cytee, long tyme beforn. And he wolde have chaunged the name of Jerusalem, and have cleped it Elya: but that name lasted not longe. Also zee schulle undirstonde, that the Sarazines don moche reverence to that temple; and thei seyn, that that place is right holy. And whan thei gon in, thei gon barefote, and knelen many tymes. And whanne my felowes and I seyghe that, whan we comen in, wee diden of oure shoon, and camen in barefote, and thoughten that we scholden don as moche worschipe and reverence there to, as ony of the mysbeleevynge men sholde, and as gret compunction in herte to have. This temple is 64 cubytes of wydenesse, and als manye in lengthe; and of heighte it is 120 cubites: and it is with inne, alle aboute, made with pyleres of marble: and in the myddel place of the temple ben manye highe stages, of 14 degrees of heighte, made with gode pyleres alle aboute: and this place the Jewes callen Sancta Sanctorum; that is to seye, holy of halewes. And in that place comethe no man, saf only here prelate, that makethe here sacrifice. And the folk stonden alle aboute, in diverse stages, aftre thei ben of dignytee or of worschipe; so that thei alle may see the sacrifice. And in that temple ben 4 entrees; and the zates ben of cypresse, wel made and curiousely dight. And with in the est zate, oure Lorde seyde, Here is Jerusalem. And in the northsyde of that temple with in the zate, there is a welle; but it rennethe noght; of the whiche Holy Writt spekethe, and seythe, Vidi aquam egredientem de Templo; that is to seyne, I saughe watre come out of the Temple. And on that other syde of the Temple there is a roche, that men clepen Moriache: but aftre it was clept Bethel; where the arke of God, with relykes of Jewes, weren wont to ben put. That arke or hucche, with the relikes, Tytus ledde with hym to Rome, whan he had scomfyted alle the Jewes. In that arke weren the 10 commandementes, and of Arones zerde, and of Moyses zerde, with the whiche he made the Rede See departen, as it had ben a walle, on the righte syde and on the left syde, whils that the peple of Israel passeden the see drye foot: and with that zerde he smoot the roche; and the watre cam out of it: and with that zerde he dide manye wondres. And there in was a vessel of gold, fulle of manna, and clothinges and ournements and the tabernacle of Aaron, and a tabernacle square of gold, with 12 precyous stones, and a boyst of jasper grene, with 4 figures, and 8 names of oure Lord, and 7 candelstykes of gold, and 12 pottes of gold, and 4 censeres of gold, and an awtier of gold, and 4 lyouns of gold, upon the whiche thei bare cherubyn of gold, l2 spannes long, and the cercle of swannes of Hevene, with a tabernacle of gold, and a table of sylver, and 2 trompes of silver, and 7 barly loves, and alle the othere relikes, that weren before the birthe of oure Lord Jesu Crist. And upon that roche, was Jacob slepynge, when he saughe the aungeles gon up and doun, by a laddre, and he seyd, Vere locus isse sanctus est, et ego ignorabam; that is to seyne, Forsothe this place is holy, and I wiste it nought. And there an aungel helde Jacob stille, and turned his name, and cleped him Israel. And in that same place, David saughe the aungelle, that smot the folk with a swerd, and put it up blody in the schethe. And in that same roche, was Seynt Symeon, whan he resceyved oure Lord into the Temple. And in this roche he sette him, whan the Jewes wolde a stoned him; and a sterre cam doun, and zaf him light. And upon that roche, prechede our Lord often tyme to the peple; and out of that seyd temple, oure Lord drof the byggeres and the selleres. And upon that roche, oure Lord sette him, whan the Jewes wolde have stoned him; and the roche cleef in two, and in that clevynge was oure Lord hidd; and there cam doun a sterre, and zaf lighte and served him with claretee; and upon that roche, satt oure lady, and lerned hire sawtere; and there our Lord forzaf the womman hire sinnes, that was founden in Avowtrie: and there was oure Lord circumcyded: and there the aungelle schewede tydynges to Zacharie of the birthe of Seynt Baptyst his sone; and there offred first Melchisedeche bred and wyn to oure Lord, in tokene of the sacrement that was to comene; and there felle David preyeng to oure Lord, and to the aungelle, that smot the peple, that he wolde have mercy on him and on the peple; and oure Lorde herde his preyere; and therefore wolde he make the temple in that place: but oure Lord forbade him, be an aungelle, for he had don tresoun, whan he leet sle Urie the worthi knyght, for to have Bersabee his wyf; and therfore all the purveyance, that he hadde ordeyned to make the temple with, he toke it Salomon his sone; and he made it. And he preyed oure Lord, that alle tho that preyeden to him, in that place, with gode herte, that he wolde heren here preyere and graunten it hem, zif thei asked it rightefullyche: and oure Lord graunted it him: and therfore Salomon cleped that temple, the Temple of Conseille and of Help of God. And with oute the zate of that temple is an awtiere, where Jewes werein wont to offren dowves and turtles. And betwene the temple and that awtiere was Zacharie slayn. And upon the pynacle of that temple was oure Lord brought, for to ben tempted of the enemye, the feend. And on the heighte of that pynacle, the Jewes setten Seynt Jame, and casted him down to the erthe, that first was Bisschopp of Jerusalem. And at the entree of that temple, toward the west, is the zate that is clept Porta speciosa. And nyghe besyde that temple, upon the right syde, is a chirche covered with leed, that is clept Salomones Scole. And fro that temple, towardes the southe, right nyghe, is the Temple of Salomon, that is righte fair and wel pollisscht. And in that temple duellen the knyghtes of the temple, that weren wont to be clept templeres: and that was the foundacionn of here ordre; so that there duelleden knyghtes; and in Templo Domini, chanouns reguleres. Fro that temple toward the est, a 120 paas, in the cornere of the cytee, is the bathe of oure Lord: and in that bathe was wont to come watre fro paradys, and zit it droppethe. And there besyde, is oure ladyes bed. And faste by, is the temple of Seynt Symeon: and with oute the cloyster of the temple, toward the northe, is a fulle faire chirche of Seynte Anne, oure ladyes modre: and there was oure lady conceyved. And before that chirche, is a gret tree, that began to growe the same nyght. And undre that chirche, in goenge doun be 22 degrees, lythe Joachym, oure ladyes fader, in a faire tombe of ston: and there besyde, lay somtyme Seynt Anne his wyf; but Seynt Helyne leet translate hire to Costantynople. And in that chirche is a welle, in manere of a cisterne, that is clept Probatica Piscina, that hathe 5 entrees. Into that welle, aungeles weren wont to come from Hevene, and bathen hem with inne: and, what man that first bathed him, aftre the mevynge of the watre, was made hool, of what maner sykenes that he hadde: and there oure Lord heled a man of the palasye, that laye 38 zeer: and oure Lord seyde to him, Tolle Grabatum tuum & ambula: that is to seye, Take thi bed, and go. And there besyde, was Pylates hows. And faste by, is Kyng Heroudes hows, that leet sle the innocentes. This Heroude was over moche cursed and cruelle: for first he leet sle his wif, that he lovede righte welle; and for the passynge love, that he hadde to hire, whan he saughe hire ded, he felle in a rage, and oute of his wytt, a gret while; and sithen he cam azen to his wytt: and aftre he leet sle his two sones, that he hadde of that wyf: and aftre that, he leet sle another of his wyfes, and a sone, that he hadde with hire: and aftre that, he leet sle his owne modre: and he wolde have slayn his brother also, but he dyede sodeynly. And aftre he fell into seknesse, and whan he felte, that he scholde dye, he sente aftre his sustre, and aftre alle the lordes of his lond; and whan thei were comen; he leet commande hem to prisoun, and than he seyde to his sustre, he wiste wel, that men of the contree wolde make no sorwe for his dethe; and therefore be made his sustre swere, that sche scholde lete smyte of alle the heds of the lordes, whan he were ded; and than scholde alle the lond make sorwe for his dethe, and else nought: and thus he made his testement. But his sustre fulfilled not his wille: for als sone as he was ded, sche delyvered alle the lordes out of presoun, and lete hem gon, eche lord to his owne; and tolde hem alle the purpos of hire brothers ordynance: and so was this cursed kyng never made sorwe for, as he supposed for to have ben. And zee schulle undirstonde, that in that tyme there weren 3 Heroudes, of gret name and loos for here crueltee. This Heroude, of whiche I have spoken offe, was Heroude Ascalonite: and he that leet beheden seynt John the Baptist, was Heroude Antypa: and he that leet smyte of Seynt James hed, was Heroude Agrippa; and he putte Seynt Peter in presoun.
Also furthermore, in the cytee, is the Chirche of Seynt Savyour; and there is the left arm of John Crisostom, and the more partye of the hed of Seynt Stevene. And on that other syde of the strete, toward the southe, as men gon to Mount Syon, is a chirche of Seynt James, where he was beheded. And fro that chirche, a 120 paas, is the Mount Syon: and there is a faire chirche of oure Lady, where sche dwelled; and there sche dyed. And there was wont to ben an abbot of Chanouns Reguleres. And fro thens, was sche born of the apostles, onto the Vale of Josaphathe. And there is the ston, that the aungelle broughte to oure Lady, fro the Mount of Synay; and it is of that colour, that the roche is of Seynt Kateryne. And there besyde, is the zate, where thorghe oure Ladye wente, whan sche was with childe, whan sche wente to Betheleem. Also at the entree of the Mount Syon, is a chapelle; and in that chapelle is the ston gret and large, with the whiche the sepulcre was covered with, whan Josephe of Aramathie had put oure Lord thereinne: the whiche ston the 3 Maries sawen turnen upward, whan thei comen to the sepulcre, the day of his resurrexioun; and there founden an aungelle, that tolde hem of oure Lordes uprysynge from dethe to lyve. And there also is a ston, in a walle, besyde the zate, of the pyleer, that oure Lord was scourged ate: and there was Annes hows, that was Bishop of the Jewes, in that ryme. And there was oure Lord examyned in the nyght, and scourged and smytten and vylently entreted. And in that same place, Seynt Peter forsoke oure Lord thries, or the cok creew. And there is a party of the table, that he made his souper onne, whan be made his maundee, with his discyples; whan he zaf hem his flesche and his blode, in forme of bred and wyn. And undre that chapelle, 32 degrees, is the place, where oure Lord wossche his disciples feet and zit is the vesselle, where the watre was. And there besyde that same vesselle, was Seynt Stevene buryed. And there is the awtier, where oure Lady herde the aungelles synge messe. And there appered first oure Lord to his disciples, after his resurrexioun, the zates enclosed, and seyde to hem, Pax vobis: that is to seye, Pees to zou. And on that mount, appered Crist to Seynt Thomas the apostle, and bade him assaye his woundes; and there beleeved he first, and seyde, Dominus meus et Deus meus; that is to seye, my Lord and my God. In the same chirche, besyde the awteer, weren alle the aposteles on Whytsonday, whan the Holy Gost descended on hem, in lyknesse of fuyr. And there made oure Lord his pask, [Footnote: Pascal feast] with his disciples. And there slept Seynt John the Evaungeliste, upon the breeste of oure Lord Jesu Crist, and saughe slepynge many hevenly prevytees.
Mount Syon is with inne the cytee; and it is a lytille hiere than the other syde of the cytee: and the cytee is strongere on that syde, than on that other syde. For at the foot of the Mount Syon, is a faire castelle and a strong, that the Soudan leet make. In the Mount Syon weren buryed Kyng David and Kyng Salomon, and many othere kynges, Jewes of Jerusalem. And there is the place, where the Jewes wolden han cast up the body of oure Lady, whan the apostles beren the body to ben buryed, in the Vale of Josaphathe. And there is the place, where Seynt Petir wepte fulle tenderly, aftre that he hadde forsaken oure Lord. And a stones cast fro that chapelle, is another chapelle, where oure Lord was jugged: for that tyme, was there Cayphases hows. From that chapelle, to go toward the est, at 140 paas, is a deep cave undre the roche, that is clept the Galylee of oure Lord; where Seynt Petre hidde him, whanne he had forsaken oure Lord. Item, betwene the Mount Syon and the Temple of Salomon, is the place, where oure Lord reysed the mayden, in hire fadres hows. Undre the Mount Syon, toward the Vale of Josaphathe, is a welle, that is clept Natatorium Siloe; and there was oure Lord wasshen, aftre his bapteme: and there made oure Lord the blynd man to see. And there was y buryed Ysaye the prophete. Also streghte from Natatorie Siloe, is an ymage of ston, and of olde auncyen werk, that Absalon leet make: and because there of, men clepen it the head of Absalon. And faste by, is zit the tree of eldre, that Judas henge him self upon, for despeyr that he hadde, whan he solde and betrayed oure Lord. And there besyde, was the synagoge, where the bysshoppes of Jewes and the pharyses camen to gidere, and helden here conseille. And there caste Judas the 30 pens before hem, and seyde, that he hadde synned, betrayenge oure Lord. And there nyghe was the hows of the apostles Philippe and Jacob Alphei. And on that other syde of Mount Syon, toward the southe, bezonde the Vale, a stones cast, is Acheldamache; that is to seye, the Feld of Blood; that was bought for the 30 pens, that oure Lord was sold fore. And in that feld ben many tombes of Cristene men: for there ben manye pilgrymes graven. And there ben many oratories, chapelles and heremytages, where heremytes weren wont to duelle. And toward the est, an 100 pas, is the charnelle of the hospitalle of seynt John, where men weren wont to putte the bones of dede men.
Also fro Jerusalem, toward the west, is a fair chirche, where the tree of the cros grew. And 2 myle fro thens, is a faire chirche; where oure lady mette with Elizabethe, whan thei weren bothe with childe; and seynt John stered in his modres wombe, and made reverence to his Creatour, that he saughe not. And undre the awtier of that chirche, is the place where seynt John was born. And fro that chirche, is a myle to the castelle of Emaux; and there also oure Lord schewed him to 2 of his disciples, aftre His resurrexion. Also on that other syde, 200 pas fro Jerusalem, is a chirche, where was wont to be the cave of the lioun: and undre that chirche, at 30 degrees of depnesse, weren entered 12000 martires, in the tyme of Kyng Cosdroc, that the lyoun mette with alle in a nyghte, be the wille of God. Also fro Jerusalem 2 myle, is the Mount Joye, a fulle fair place and a delicyous: and there lythe Samuel the prophete in a faire tombe: and men clepen it Mount Joye; for it zevethe joye to pilgrymes hertes, be cause that there men seen first Jerusalem. Also betwene Jerusalem and the Mount of Olyvete, is the Vale of Josaphathe, undre the walles of the cytee, as I have seyd before: and in the myddes of the vale, is a lytille ryvere, that men clepen Torrens Cedron; and aboven it, over thwart, lay a tre, (that the cros was made offe) that men zeden over onne: and faste by it is a litylle pytt in the erthe, where the foot of the pileer is zit entered; and there was oure Lord first scourged: for he was scourged and vileynsly entreted in many places. Also in the myddel place of the vale of Josaphathe, is the chirche of oure lady: and it is of 43 degrees, undre the erthe, unto the sepulchre oure lady. And oure lady was of age, when sche dyed, 72 zeer. And beside the sepulchre of oure lady, is an awtier, where oure Lord forzaf seynt Petir all his synnes. And fro thens, toward the west, undre an awtere, is a welle, that comethe out of the ryvere of Paradys. And witethe wel, that that chirche is fulle lowe in the erthe; and sum is alle with inne the erthe. But I suppose wel, that it was not so founded: but for because that Jerusalem hathe often tyme ben destroyed, and the walles abated and beten doun and tombled in to the vale, and that thei han ben so filled azen, and the ground enhaunced; and for that skylle, is the chirche so lowe with in the erthe: and natheles men seyn there comounly, that the erthe hathe so ben cloven, sythe the tyme, that oure Lady was there buryed: and zit men seyn there, that it wexethe and growethe every day, with outen dowte. In that chirche were wont to ben blake monkes, that hadden hire abbot. And besyde that chirche, is a chapelle, besyde the roche, that highte Gethesamany: and there was oure Lord kyssed of Judas; and there was he taken of the Jewes; and there laft oure Lord his disciples, whan he wente to preye before his passioun, whan he preyed and seyde, Pater, si fieri potest, transeat a me calix iste; that is to seye, Fadre, zif it may be, do lete this chalys go fro me. And whan he cam azen to his disciples, he fond hem slepynge. And in the roche, with inne the chapelle, zit apperen the fyngres of oure Lordes hond, whan he putte hem in the roche, whan the Jewes wolden have taken him. And fro thens a stones cast, toward the southe, is anothere chapelle, where oure Lord swette droppes of blood. And there righte nyghe, is the tombe of Kyng Josaphathe; of whom the vale berethe the name. This Josaphathe was kyng of that contree, and was converted by an heremyte, that was a worthi man, and dide moche gode. And fro thens a bowe drawghte, towards the south, is the chirche, where Seynt James and Zacharie the prophete weren buryed. And above the vale, is the Mount of Olyvete: and it is cleped so, for the plentee of olyves, that growen there. That mount is more highe than the cytee of Jerusalem is: and therfore may men, upon that mount, see manye of the stretes of the cytee. And between that mount and the cytee, is not but the vale of Josaphathe, that is not fulle large. And fro that mount, steighe oure Lord Jesu Crist to Hevene, upon ascencioun day: and zit there schewethe the schapp of his left foot, in the ston. And there is a chirche, where was wont to be an abbot and chanouns reguleres. And a lytylle thens, 28 pas, is a chapelle, and there in is the ston, on the whiche oure Lord sat, whan he prechede the 8 blessynges, and seyde thus: Beati pauperes spiritu: and there he taughte his disciples the Pater noster; and wrote with his finger in a ston. And there nyghe is a chirche of Seynte Marie Egipcyane; and there sche lythe in a tombe. And fro then toward the est, a 3 bow schote, is Bethfagee; to the whiche oure Lord sente Seynt Peter and Seynt James, for to feche the asse, upon Palme Sonday, and rode upon that asse to Jerusalem. And in comynge doun fro the Mount of Olyvete, toward the est, is a castelle, that is cleped Bethanye: and there dwelte Symon leprous, and there herberwed oure Lord; and aftre, he was baptized of the Apostles, and was clept Julian, and was made bisschoppe: and this is the same Julyan, that men clepe to for gede herberghgage; for oure Lord herberwed with him, in his hows. And in that hous, oure Lord forzaf Marie Magdaleyne hire synnes; there sche whassched his feet with hire teres, and wyped hem with hire heer. And there served seynt Martha, oure Lord. There oure Lord reysed Lazar fro dethe to lyve, that was ded 4 dayes and stank, that was brother to Marie Magdaleyne and to Martha. And there duelte also Marie Cleophe. That castelle is wel a myle long fro Jerusalem. Also in comynge doun fro the Mount of Olyvete, is the place where oure Lord wepte upon Jerusalem. And there besyde is the place, where oure lady appered to seynt Thomas the Apostle, aftre hire assumptioun, and zaf him hire Gyrdylle. And right nyghe is the ston, where oure Lord often tyme sat upon, whan he prechede: and upon that same schalle he sytte, at the day of doom; righte as him self seyde.
Also aftre the Mount of Olyvete, is the Mount of Galilee: there assembleden the apostles, whan Marie Magdaleyne cam, and tolde hem of Cristes uprisynge. And there, betwene the Mount Olyvete and the Mount Galilee, is a chirche, where the aungel seyde to our lady, of hire dethe. Also fro Bethanye to Jerico, was somtyme a litylle Cytee: but it is now alle destroyed; and now is there but a litylle village. That cytee tok Josue, be myracle of God and commandement of the aungel, and destroyed it and cursed it, and alle hem that bylled it azen. Of that citee was Zacheus the dwerf, that clomb up in to the Sycomour Tre, for to see oure Lord; be cause he was so litille, he myghte not seen Him for the peple. And of that cytee was Raab the comoun womman, that ascaped allone, with hem of hire lynage; and sche often tyme refressched and fed the messageres of Israel, and kepte hem from many grete periles of dethe: and therfore sche hadde gode reward; as Holy Writt seythe: Qui accipit prophetam in nomine meo, mercedem prophetæ accipiet; that is to seye, He that takethe a prophete in my name, he schalle take mede of the prophete: and so had sche; for sche prophecyed to the messageres, seyenge, Novi quod Dominus tradet vobis Terram hanc; that is to seye, I wot wel, that oure Lord schal betake zou this Lond: and so he dide. And after Salomon, Naasones sone, wedded hire; and fro that tyme was sche a worthi womman, and served God wel. Also from Betanye gon men to flom [Footnote: River,—Latin, flumen.] Jordan, by a mountayne, and thorghe desert; and it is nyghe a day jorneye fro Bethanye, toward the est, to a gret hille, where oure Lord fasted 40 dayes. Upon that hille, the enemy of helle bare our Lord, and tempted him, and seyde; Dic ut lapides isti panes fiant; that is to seye, Sey, that theise stones be made loves. In that place, upon the hille, was wont to ben a faire chirche; but it is alle destroyed, so that there is now but an hermytage, that a maner of Cristene men holden, that ben cleped Georgyenes: for Seynt George converted hem. Upon that hille duelte Abraham a gret while: and therfore men clepen it, Abrahames gardyn. And betwene the hille and this gardyn rennethe a lytille broke of watre, that was wont to ben byttre; but be the blessyng of Helisee the prophete, it becam swete and gode to drynke. And at the foot of this hille, toward the playn, is a grete welle, that entrethe in to flom Jordan. Fro that hille to Jerico, that I spak of before, is but a myle, in goynge toward flom Jordan. Also as men gon to Jerico, sat the blynde man, cryenge, Jesu, fili David, miserere mei; that is to seye, Jesu, Davides sone, have mercy on me: and anon he hadde his sighte. Also 2 myle fro Jerico is flom Jordan: and an half myle more nyghe, is a faire chirche of Seynt John the Baptist; where he baptised oure Lord: and there besyde, is the hous of Jeremye the prophete.
Of the dede See; and of the Flom Jordan. Of the Hed of Seynt John the
Baptist; and of the Usages of the Samaritanes.
[Sidenote: Cap. IX.] And fro Jerico, a 3 myle, is the dede See. Aboute that See growethe moche alom and of alkatram. [Footnote: Brimstone.] Betwene Jerico and that see is the lond of Dengadde; and there was wont to growe the bawme; but men make drawe the braunches there of, and beren hem to ben graffed at Babiloyne; and zit men clepen hem vynes of Gaddy. At a cost of that see, as men gon from Arabe, is the mount of the Moabytes; where there is a cave, that men clepen Karua. Upon that hille, ladde Balak the sone of Booz, Balaam the prest, for to curse the peple of Israel. That dede See departethe the lond of Ynde and of Arabye; and that see lastethe from Soara unto Arabye. The watre of that see is fulle bytter and salt: and ziff the erthe were made moyst and weet with that watre, it wolde nevere bere fruyt. And the erthe and the lond chaungeth often his colour. And it castethe out of the watre a thing that men clepen aspalt; also gret peces, as the gretnesse of an hors, every day, and on alle sydes. And fro Jerusalem to that see, is 200 furlonges. That see is in lengthe 580 furlonges, and in brede 150 furlonges: and it is clept the dede see, for it rennethe nought. but is evere unmevable. And nouther manne, best, ne no thing that berethe lif in him, ne may not dyen in that see: and that hathe ben proved manye tymes, be men that han disserved to ben dede, that han ben cast there inne, and left there inne 3 dayes or 4, and thei ne myghte never dye ther inne: for it resceyvethe no thing with inne him, that berethe lif. And no man may drynken of the watre, for bytternesse. And zif a man caste iren there in, it wole flete aboven. And zif men caste a fedre there in, it wole synke to the botme: and theise ben thinges azenst kynde. And also the cytees there weren lost, be cause of synne. And there besyden growen trees, that beren fulle faire apples, and faire of colour to beholde; but whoso brekethe hem or cuttethe hem in two, he schalle fynde with in hem coles and cyndres; in tokene that, be wratthe of God, the cytees and the lond weren brente and sonken into helle. Sum men clepen that see, Lake Dalfetidee; summe, the Flom of Develes; and summe, the flom that is ever stynkynge. And in to that see sonken the 5 cytees, be wratthe of God; that is to seyne, Sodom, Gomorre, Aldama, Seboym and Segor, for the abhomynable synne of sodomye, that regned in hem. But Segor, be the preyer of Lothe, was saved and kept a gret while: for it was sett upon an hille; and zit schewethe therof sum party, above the watre: and men may see the walles, when it is fayr wedre and cleer. In that cytee Lothe dwelte, a lytylle while; and there was he made dronken of his doughtres, and lay with hem, and engendred of hem Moab and Amon. And the cause whi his doughtres made him dronken, and for to ly by him, was this; because thei sawghe no man aboute hem, but only here fadre: and therfore thei trowed, that God had destroyed alle the world, as he hadde don the cytees; as he hadde don before, be Noes flood. And therfore thei wolde lye with here fadre, for to have issue, and for to replenysschen the world azen with peple, to restore the world azen be hem: for thei trowed, that ther had ben no mo men in alle the world. And zif here fadre had not ben dronken, he hadde not y leye with hem. And the hille aboven Segor, men cleped it thanne Edom: and aftre men cleped it Seyr, and aftre Ydumea. Also at the righte syde of that dede See, dwellethe zit the wife of Lothe, in lyknesse of a salt ston; fur that schee loked behinde hire, whan the cytees sonken into helle. This Lothe was Araammes sone, that was brother to Abraham. And Sarra Abrahames wife, and Melcha Nachors wif, weren sustren to the seyd Lothe. And the same Sarra was of elde 90 zeer, when Ysaac hire sone was goten on hire. And Abraham hadde another sone Ysmael, that he gat upon Agar his chambrere. And when Ysaac his sone was 8 dayes olde, Abraham his fadre leet him ben circumcyded, and Ysmael with him, that was 14 zeer old: wherfore the Jewes, that comen of Ysaacces lyne, ben circumcyded the 8 day; and the Sarrazines, that comen of Ysmaeles lyne, ben circumcyded whan thei ben 14 zeer of age.
And zee schulle undirstonde, that with in the dede See rennethe the Flom Jordan, and there it dyethe; for it rennethe no furthermore: and that is a place, that is a myle fro the Chirche of seynt John the Baptist, toward the West, a lytille benethe the place, where that christene men bathen hem comounly. And a myle from Flom Jordan, is the Ryvere of Jabothe, the whiche Jacob passed over, whan he cam fro Mesopotayme. This Flom Jordan is no great ryvere; but it is plenteous of gode fissche; and it cometh out of the hille of Lyban be 2 welles, that ben cleped Jor and Dan: and of tho 2 Welles hath it the name. And it passethe be a lake, that is clept Maron; and aftre it passethe by the See of Tyberye, and passethe undre the hilles of Gelboe: and there is a full faire vale, bothe on that o syde and on that other of the same ryvere. And men gon the hilles of Lyban, alle in lengthe, onto the desert of Pharan. And tho hilles departen the kyngdom of Surrye and the contree of Phenesie. And upon tho hilles growen trees of cedre, that ben fulle hye, and thei beren longe apples, and als grete as a mannes heved. And also this Flom Jordan departeth the lond of Galilee, and the lond of Ydumye and the lond of Betron: and that rennethe undre erthe a grete weye, unto a fayre playn and a gret, that is clept Meldan, in Sarmoyz; that is to seye, feyre or markett in here langage; be cause that there is often feyres in that pleyn. And there becomethe the watre gret and large. And that playn is the tombe of Job. And in that Flom Jordan above-seyd, was oure Lorde baptized of seynt John; and the voys of God the Fadre was herd seyenge. Hic est Filius meus dilectus, &c.; that is to seye, This is my beloved sone, in the whiche I am well plesed; herethe hym. And the Holy Gost alyghte upon hym, in lyknesse of a colver: and so at his baptizynge, was alle the hool trynytee. And thorghe that Flom passeden the children of Israel, alle drye feet: and thei putten stones there in the myddel place, in tokene of the myracle, that the watre withdrowghe him so. Also in that Flom Jordan, Naaman of Syrie bathed him; that was fulle riche, but he was meselle: [Footnote: Leprous.] and there anon he toke his hele. Abouten the Flom Jordan ben manye chirches, where that manye cristene men dwelleden. And nyghe therto is the cytee of Hay, that Josue assayled and toke. Also beyonde the Flom Jordan, is the Vale of Mambre; and that is a fulle fair vale. Also upon the hille, that I spak of before, where oure Lord fasted 40 dayes, a 2 myle long from Galilee, is a faire hille and an highe; where the enemye, the fend, bare oure Lord, the thridde tyme, to tempte him, and schewede him alle the regiouns of the world, and seyde, Hic omnia tibi dabo, si cadens adoraveris me; that is to seyne, All this schalle I zeve the, zif thou falle and worschipe me.