for it, for they believe that God is better pleased with that which they give freely, than that which is begged of them. Wherefore they have very few or no beggars in their towns, which beg alms as they do in our country. During my stay at Tripoli, I did at the request of the Conful, live in his Fundique, who entertained me very honourably, that I might give attendance; and if any of the Merchants or Seamen fhould happen to be fick, I might use my best endeavour to cure them. So I did in the space of three months cure only in our Fundique, above forty men of all forts of diftempers, viz. malignant fevers, violent gripings of the guts, &c. which generally befell them that were lately arrived, and were not yet acquainted with the air and diet of the country. There happened in these days, a miferable cruel cafe, that fome (among whom were five Italians and one Frenchman) did arrive at Tripoli, which made themselves foon ready to go from thence farther to Aleppo, with their merchandizes to fell there. Upon the road they left their caravan too far behind them, and met with some horsemen which spoke to them, and defired them that they would halt at the command of their mafter the Sub-Bafhaw, and difmount, and go into the next camp (which I found very defolate and ruined when I went by formerly) to stay there until he came to them, which would not be long, for he had something to fay to them; the Merchants obeyed them readily, fearing that if they should not, they would be punished feverely by the Sub-Bashaw for their disobedience. After they were gone into the camp, the murderers immediately fell upon them, fhooting and striking at them, until they killed them all at last, then they buried them in the ground, mounted their horfes and rode away. After these murderers thought they were very fecure, one of thefe rogues, which were faid to be Arabians, met one of the Mockeri, or Carriers, of the fame caravan, he knew the horse immediately, and perceiving it to be bloody, his heart gave him that it was not right, wherefore he made hafte up to him, and thrust his bended bayonet into his fide, and took him prifoner, and carried him to Aleppo, where he was, as I did hear afterwards, having confeffed the fact when he was upon the torture, executed

for

for it. They did alfo feek for the reft, but did apprenend none of them in the time of my ftaying. The Sultan elfe taketh great care to keep the roads fafe and free from highwaymen, that trading may go on without hindrance. Yet fometimes there are fome of the great ones, and men of note, that put others upon it for gain's fake, so that one must be very careful in these countries. It is not long ago when we had news, that not far off the Chriftians had taken fome ships from the Turks and carried them off, and alfo formerly in the beginning of July of the last year, they lost some more, and as, I am informed, among them were four great ones, three fly-boats, and two other that were taken by fix gallies of the Chriftians, which made the Turks mightily discontented; wherefore the Emperor fends out many gallies into several places, chiefly to Rhodes, to crofs the feas up and down to keep them clear from pirates, and to hinder them from making incurfions or descents upon him. These come fometimes into this port, but our Merchants and the Masters of our ships do not care for their arrival, for they are forced to present them with cloths, woollen cloaths, money, &c. if they will remain in favour with them.

СНАР.

CHA P. XII.

Of the large and high mount of Libanus, it's inbabitants and strange plants that are found

there.

W

HEN I flaid with the Conful at Tripoli, and had not a few of his in cure in his Fundique, fome others of other nations did sometimes between whiles defire my affistance and advice, and among the reft an eminent Patriarch of the Maronites, which reckon themselves to be Chriftians, and are called fo from the heretick Mare to this day. This did live in the mount of Libanus, and was carried down, although he had a whole day's journey to Tripoli, and was afflicted with that painful diftemper the gout very feverely, to be cured by me. After fome days, when he was pretty well recovered again, fo that he intended to return home; he spoke to fome of us in our Fundique, that we would be pleafed to conduct him up the hill home again; which was agreed unto very readily, confidering that this mountain is the most famous in all the country of Syria, whereof the holy Scripture maketh feveral times mention, fpeaking of it's great heighth and famous rivers (of which fordan is one), of it's fweet fmelling plants, and pleafantly tafted fruits; and also because there is a great many ftrange plants to be found. So we rode along with the Patriarch (who had no little reafon to be afraid of the Turks clandeftine affault) with all poffible diligence, and came immediately from the town upon the heights of the promontories of the mount Libanus, which were very fruitful at the top, and had many pleasant plain fields, which extended themselves for three leagues to the high mount, so that this was a very pleafant road, where we faw fometimes on

one

one fide delicate vineyards, then on the other, fruitful fields fowed with barley, white Indian millet, &c. After this we came to pleasant woods, where fweet finging birds let themselves be heard, and recreated us; fometimes we saw some hares and fome deer, so that we could not but fancy that we went through thick and dark woods. When we came out of them, and were very near unto the mountain, there lay fome small villages before it, and we went to one of them, and very near unto it, in a green fhady place, we fat down, and refreshed our selves with fome victuals, which we had taken along with us before we began to go up the mountain.

The Patriarch was very merry with us, and prefented us with fome Venice bottles of his wine, whereof we drank a good deal, for it was fo pleasant that I must confess that I never in all my life drank any like it. Soon after we broke up again, with an intention to reach his monaftery that night, called Our Lady's, which lieth on the middle of the mountain as we travelled towards the top thereof; in the beginning we came into a narrow and rough valley, which had on both fides very steep walls, wherewith it was inclofed of a vaft height, chiefly at our left hand, and yet towards the top, there were several caves within them, wherein Chriftians live, whereof we faw a great many that appeared so near to the edges as they went about, that we that travelled underneath, had much to do to keep us from being giddy. In that place (where from the height one may plainly fee the whole neighbourhood to the very feas, as if it was a Specula, fuch as the ancients used to have) is always a strong watch kept by the inhabitants of these mountains (because they are not under the jurifdiction of the Turks, as others are, nor in any league with them) to hinder the Turks from making incurfions upon them. When we went farther, and got over fome little hills, we came out of this narrow place into wide meadows, paftures, corn fields, and to fome fruitful vineyards; then again into narrow and deep rocky roads where we had enough to do to climb over; and afterwards again into pleasant groves, by delightful rivulets that arofe from fprings that made fo fweet a

noife, that those mountains are therefore admired and commended, chiefly by King Solomon in the 4th chapter of his Song, verfe 15. in comparison, where he mentioneth the streams from Lebanon, which make Damafcus one of the most pleasant and delicious places in the world.

On this mount grow here and there, befides ordinary trees and bushes, thick fhrubby vines, Zizipha alba & ratila, Poplars, two kinds of Dwarf-cedars with pointed and obtufe leaves, Eupatorium Mefuæ, Abfinthium Ponticum, Eleagni Math. by the inhabitants called Seifefun; and wild horn beams, a peculiar fort of willows, Phyllireas, Styrax-trees, the fragant Gum whereof is to be found in apothecaries fhops; but chiefly, and in the greatest number were the Maple-trees, which are large, big, high, and expand themfelves very much with their branches. After we had refted ourselves, and were a little refreshed underneath thefe, our labour bagan again, to climb up these high and steep steps. When we were thus a climbing, fome country people, that we faw up fo high before, came out of their caves down to us, with mugs full of wine, which they prefented first to their mafter the Patriarch that was on horseback, receiving him with a great deal of reverence (bowing themselves down to his feet) and loving kindness, and afterwards they did detain us alfo, and prefented each of us with a mug of wine to bid us welcome, which I and the reft received very willingly, but having pretty well heated myself with going, I at that time loved fpring water with bread dipt in it very well, I only tafted a little of it. After we were got up thefe stairs, a great many more came running to prefent their master with chickens, pullets and other poultry, which his man took and carried up with them. Then the ways were pretty good and much straighter, so that we went on apace, until at length we came to the monaftery, which we could not fee before we came juft upon it. Juft before it without is a moft incomparable copious fpring, that floweth with delicate water, which is worthy to be often visited.

This