And now by the way I recall the aforesayd Turke, the maister of the Mule that carried my provision, and on whom in the journey I had bestowed the most part of my Tobacco: When I had no more to give him, and he suspecting the contrary, was councelled by his associats to beate me soundly, and dismount my Victuals and Water [V. 229.]from the Mules backe, till I propined him with the rest, which intention being by me understood; I forthwith run to the Caravan and complained: whereupon my friend was bravely belaboured with a cudgell, and my better safety procured: Thus was his former shew of love quickly expelled, and an inward grudge suddenly conceived, for it was the smoake, and not my selfe he respected.

The next morning, when the hopefull Aurore, had fore-showne the burning birth of glassie Thetis, and that Orient majesty arising to overcirculate the earth, then marcht we along in our way, and before mid-day pitched our haire-cloth Tents round about Jacobs Well.Jacobs Well, neare the decayed City of Sychar in Samaria: This Province of Samaria, is now for the most part quite destroyed and overwhelmed with mountaines of sand: we found this auncient Well so wondrous deepe, that scarcely all our ropes could sinke our bucket in the water: The taste whereof was wondrous cold & sweet, & for Jacobs sake the whole number of us, drunke more of it, then neede [V. 230.]required: The fiery face of Phœbus declining to the West, we marched through a part of the fields of Basan, of which Og was last King, a man of such a large proportion, that his bed being made of iron, was nine Cubits long, and foure broad: and all that afternoone, wee had exceeding pleasant travailing; and at night we incamped by Lydda on the fields: Lydda is not above ten miles from the ruinous Towne of Cæsarea by the sea side, and is now called by the Turkes and Moores Alferron, being a Village only of sixteene Moorish Houses. Heere Peter healed the man sicke of the palsie.

The Sea-port Townes of the Holy Land.The Townes scituated by the Sea side in Phœnicia, Palestine, and Judea, are these: Sydon, which standeth in the Borders of Zebulon, and Nephtalim, or Phœnicia, beeing a goodly City, and well peopled; and is governed by the Emeere or Prince of the Drusians: who beeing the off spring of the Christians, which under the Conduct of Godfrey Duke of Bulloine, discended into these parts, do still maintayne their liberty against the Turkes: The Signior whereof being threatned by the Great Turke, fled to Cosmus Duke of Florence, Anno 1612. leaving his two Sonnes behind him, the eldest to keepe Sydon, and the younger to remaine in a strong Fortresse, on the west end of mount Libanus: The elder brother foorthwith yeelded to the great Turke, the signory of his Lands, but the younger would never do it, and so retayneth absolutely the Countrey of Libanus to this day, making himselfe thereupon, a mountainous Monarchicke Prince. Tyrus, which is miserably brought to ruine: Acre or Acon, that hath yet some indifferent trade of Merchandize, called formerly Ptolomeis: Caipha, called commonly Castello Pellegrino, which hath nothing but the remnants of an auncient Abbay: Cesarea, who reserveth but onely the [V. 231.]memory of ruines, for there is no Hospitality in it, except it be to savage Moores: Joppa or Japhta, is a Sea-port of small Barkes, but the decaied Towne, contayneth not one dwelling House, save onely a high Tower, which defendeth the Port from Cursares: Here Jonah tooke ship to flye from God: Here Peter raised Tabitha or Dorcas, from Death to life: and where he lodging at the House of Simon the Tanner, was in a vision taught the conversion of the Gentiles. And Baruti famous for so many Christian armies that have besieged it, is now composed of eight hundred fire houses: Lying North-east of Sydon under mount Libanus, formerly called Julia Fœlix, nigh unto which (as fabulous stories report) S. George delivered the Kings Daughter, by killing the Dragon. It is also thought to be within Canaan, standing in the Frontier of Phœnicia, and is the best inhabited place of all the holy Land, Sydon and Jerusalem excepted.

Saturday morning before the breach of day, setting forward from Lydda, through the curling playnes of fat-fac’d Palestine, scarcely were wee well advanced in A dreadfull conflict.our way, till wee were beset with more then three hundred Arabs, who sent us from shrubby heights an unexpected shoure of Arrowes, to the great annoyance of all our Company: For if it had not beene, that our Souldiers shot off their Gunnes on a sudden, and stood manly also to it, with their Bowes and Arrowes for our defence, we had then miserably, in the midst of their ravenous fury perished. But the nature of the Arabs is not unlike to the Jackals: For when any of them heare the shot of a Harquebuse, they presently turne backe with such speed, as if the fiendes of the infernall Court were broken loose at their heeles.

In that momentary conflict, on our side there were [V. 232.]killed nine Women, five men, and about thirty persons deadly wounded, which to our worthy Armenian Captayne, and to the rest of our Heathnish Conductors bred no small griefe: the mourning noyse among the multitude, beeing also wondrous pittifull. Till bright day came, we stayed still in that same place, (expecting the dangerous mutability of our austiere fortune: and at our departure thence, wee buried the slayne people in deep graves, whereby Jackals should not open up their graves, to eate their Corpes: For such is the nature of these cruel beasts, that they onely love to live on mans flesh: these ravenous beasts (as is thought) are ingendred of a Foxe and a Wolfe.

Proceeding in our journey, we entred about two of the clocke in the afternoone, in the hilly Countrey of Judea, having two of their courses to Jerusalem, which is about twenty English miles: The Towne of Rhama.leaving Rhama on our right hand, which contayneth some two hundred dwelling houses of one story high, and ten miles distant from Joppa, from which it lyeth in the way to Jerusalem: Here remayneth the Dragoman, a Christian, who receiveth and conveyeth the Pilgrimes to Jerusalem, which land at Joppa, each Pilgrime paying seaven Chickens of gold, is furnished with an Asse to ride on, all the way tributes, at going, and comming being discharged by their Conductor, to whom they resigne this tributary money.

Rhama is a Towne inhabited by Christians, Arabs, and Moores: not blacke Moores, as the Affricans be, but they are called Mori, which are a kinde of Egyptians, and not naturally blacke, but Sunne-burnt, with the parching heate. The whole Territory of Canaan, is inhabited with these Moores, some Turkes, civill Arabs, and a few [V. 233.]Christians and scattered Jewes. The Arabians are for the most part Theeves and Robbers, the Moores cruell, and uncivill, hating Christians to the Death: the Turkes are the ill best of all the three, yet all sworne enemies to Christ. But when they know how to make any gayne by strangers: O what a dissimulate ostentation shall appeare in these detestable Villaines, whose outsides onely they seeme to affect: but intirely the insides of their purses: & that is their ayme, and forcible end: wherefore they both toyle with all, and Conduct strangers through many perils, as eminent to themselves, as accessary unto our inevitable destinies: Time discussing all, and mony over-mastering time; for Coyne is the thing they must have, though necessity sometimes may not spare it.

About foure of the clocke before night, wee arrived at Beersheba.Berah, called of olde Beersheba, being eleaven miles distant from Jerusalem. Having a little reposed there, giving our Camels, Mules, and Asses some provender, but could get nothing for our selves, from these despightfull Moores, (for what wee carried with us, was all spent) except a little Water: wee imbraced our Mountaynous way, as cheerefully as wee could, for wee were exceeding faint, and travailed that day above forty three miles; whereby wee might arrive at Jerusalem before the Gates were shut, sustaining great drouth, burning heate, pinching hunger, and not a few other the like inconveniences.

And now about halfe way betweene Berah and Jerusalem, I, and two Armenians, advancing our way a flight shot before the Company. Wee I say, unhappily rancountred with foure Moorish fellowes, driving before them sixe Asses loaden with Rootes, and shrubs of Wood to burne: who seeing us, as they thought alone, layd [V. 234.]hands upon us, robbed us of our pocket monies: whereat A grievous danger.I resisting, one of them pulled foorth a broad knife, and holding me by the Beard, thought to have cut my throate, if it had not beene for one of his fellowes, who swiftly stayed him.

Well, they leave us, and following their Beasts, our Souldiers instantly appeared unto us; whereupon wee shouting, the Moores fled to the Rocks, and our foot Souldiers following, apprehended two of the chiefest, and brought them to the Captaine: One of which had my money, which I presently received backe againe, but mine associates money, was with them that escaped: the Captaine and Janisaries, meane while carried the two Moores along with them, thinking to execute them at Jerusalem. But their friends and neighbours following fast on Horse-backe, and on foote, relieved them from the Caravan, restoring backe againe the two Armenians money. Whereat all the Moores were exceeding glad, and wee nowayes discontented: for if they had not bin redeemed, certainly their friends and followers, who were thicke flocking together, would have cut us all off, before wee could have attain’d to Jerusalem.

At last wee beheld the prospect of Jerusalem, which was not onely a contentment to my weary body, but also beeing ravished with a kinde of unwonted rejoycing, the A joyfull harmony.teares gushed from my eyes for too much joy. In this time the Armenians began to sing in their owne fashion, Psalmes to praise the Lord: and I also sung the 103 Psalme all the way, till we arrived neere the wals of the Citty, where wee ceased from our singing, for feare of the Turkes.

The Sunne being passed to his nightly Repose, before our arrivall, wee found the Gates locked, and the Keyes carried up to the Bashaw in the Castle; which bred a [V. 235.]common sorrow in the Company, being all both hungry, and weary: yet the Caravan intreated earnestly the Turkes within, to give us over the Wals, some victuals for our money, shewing heavily the necessity wee had thereof, but they would not, neyther durst attempt such a thing. In this time the Guardian of the Monastery of Cordeleirs, who remayneth there to receive Travailers of Christendome, who having got newes of our late arrivall, came and demanded of the Caravan, if any Frankes of Europe were in his Society, and he sayd, onely one. Then the Guardian called mee, and asked of what Nation I was of, and when I told him, hee seemed to be exceeding glad: yet very sorrowfull for our misfortune.

A deare nights Supper.Hee having knowne my distresse, returned, and sent two Friers to me with Bread, Wine, and Fishes, which they let over the Wall (as they thought in a secret place) but they were espied, and on the morrow the Guardiano payed to the Subbashaw or Sanzacke a great fine, being a hundred Piasters, thirty pounds sterling: otherwise both hee and I had beene beheaded: which I confesse, was a deare bought supper to the Gray Frier; and no lesse almost to me, being both in danger of my Life for starving, and then for receiving of food, therefore suspected for a Traytor: For the Turkes alleadged, he had taken in munition from me, and the other Christians, to betray the Citty: this they doe oft, for a lesser faulte then that was, onely to get Bribes and mony from the Grey Friers, which daily stand in feare of their lives.

Anno 1612. upon Palme-Sunday in the morning, wee entred into Jerusalem, and at the Gate wee were particularly searched, to the effect wee carried in no Furniture [V. 236.]of Armes, nor Powder with us, and the poore Armenians (notwithstanding they are slaves to Turkes,) behoved to render their weapons to the Keepers, such is the feare they have of Christians. And my name was written up in the Clarkes Booke at the Port, that my tribute for the Gate, and my seeing of the Sepulcher, might bee payed at one time together, before my finall departure thence.

The Gates of the City are of iron outwardly, and above each Gate are brazen Ordonance planted, for their defence.

A foolish ceremony.Having taken my leave of the Caravan, and the Company, who went to lodge with their owne Patriarke, I was met and received with the Guardian, and twelve Friers upon the streetes, each of them carrying in their hands a burning waxe Candle, and one for mee also: who received mee joyfully, and singing all the way to their Monastery Te Deum Laudamus, they mightily rejoyced, that a Christian had come from such a far Countrey as Scotia, to visite Jerusalem.

Where being arrived, they forthwith brought me to a Roome, and there the Guardian washed my right foote with water, and his Viccar my left: and done, they kissed my feete, so did also all the twelve Friers that stood by: But when they knew afterward that I was no Popish Catholicke, it sore repented them of their Labour. I found here ten Frankes newly come the neerest way from Venice hither, sixe of them were Germanes, noble Gentlemen, and they also good Protestants, who were wonderfull glad to heare me tell the Guardian flatly in his face, I was no Romane Catholicke, nor never thought to be: The other foure Frankes were Frenchmen, two of them Parisians old men, the other two of Provance, all foure [V. 237.]being Papists: with nine other Commercing Frankes, also that dwelt in Syria and Cyprus, most of them beeing Venetians, who were all glad of me, shewing themselves so kinde, so carefull, so loving, and so honourable in all respects, that they were as kind Gentle-men, as ever I met withall, especially the Germaines: Such is the love of strangers, when they meete in Forraine and remote places. They had also in high respect the adventures of my halfe yeares travaile, East, and beyond Jerusalem: troubling me all the while wee were together, to show them the rare Discourses of my long two yeares survey of Turkey, but especially of my furthest sights in the East of Asia: And were alwayes in admiration that I had no fellow Pilgrime, in my long Peregrination.