The city lieth on the height of the mountains, as the 125th Pfalm teftifieth. It is not to be feen, until you come over the bare and rough mountains intercepting the profpect of it on this fide.

Juft before it without on the top of mount Gihon, are to be seen still some antiquities of the town Helia, which Adrian the Emperor built after the defolation of Jerufalem, and called it after his own name Helia. This was first taken by Cofroë, King of Perfia, in the time of the Emperor Heraclius who did overcome him again, and afterwards by Homar the third King of the Saracens, who demolish'd it; afterwards it was more contracted, and somewhat built again in it's old place. In these days it is, as well as all that country, under the dominion of the Turkish Emperor.

Before it we difmounted, for no outlandish man hath permiffion to ride into their towns, and went under the gate Hebron, to ftay there for the Father Guardian, to whom we had by one of our carriers given notice of our arrival, and alfo defired him to get us license from the Sangiack to come in. In the mean time fome Mendicant Friars came out of the monaftry, and received us very kindly. Soon after the Ermin came alfo riding with his clerk, and ask'd us from whence we came, how many there were of us, and what our names were. And after they had written it down, and every one had paid him his due, to have fafe conduct to see the holy places, the Ermin promised it us, and put his right hand upon his head, which is the fashion in these countries, and bended forwards to let us know that we might confide in his promise. Then they let us pafs, and the Friars conducted us in, towards the left hand, through some small streets or lanes into the monaftry, which is behind on the town-wall towards the west.

This although it is not large and fpacious, yet is it very handsome and strong built; we went into lodge there as all Pilgrims do that come there, where Father Jeremy of Brixen, a brother of the order of the Minorites of St Francis, a Guardian of the holy mount Zion, who had been prefident of this monaftry of Jerufalem, and of the other of Bethlehem for eighteen years together, received us very kindly. There are but very

few

few Monks in it, and they are of all forts of nations, as Italians, Spaniards, French, and Germans, yet of the laft named I found not one when I arrived there. Thefe lead the Pilgrims about, together with an interpreter or Trufchemant, that understands the Arabian and Turkish language, and fhew them the holy places as well within as without the city. But before we went out the Father Guardian admonith'd us, that we must have a care, and not go to the graves of the heathens, which are almoft throughout Turkey without the towns near to the highways; for if one or more fhould, before he was aware of it, which may eafily happen, go to them, the Turks would be very much offended at it, partly because they take any one that is not circumcifed to be unclean, and fo they fear that they might make them alfo unclean; partly because they are very jealous of their wives, wherefore they permit them not eafily to walk or appear in the open ftreet, except they have a mind to go into the bath or bagnio, or to vifit the graves of their deceased parents or relations; and where women are prefent, every one had beft to come away, to avoid danger.

After he had faid this he went on, faying, That if any fhould be among us, that were come over the sea, hither, that could not bring very good proof, that they did appear before his Holiness the Pope at Rome, and were there abfolved by him, that such were in his Holiness's excommunication, and therefore could not be admitted to fee thofe holy places, much lefs obtain the indulgences, which in former ages had been left with them, out of great kindness of the Popes, to be diftributed among the Pilgrims, wherefore he defired, that every one might fhew him their certificates. All thefe points he used to propound to every one that cometh there, in courfe, as I had heard before of fe veral that had been there formerly; that they were very glad to fee Pilgrims arrive, and that they used to fhew the holy places to them alfo that bring no recommendation from his Holiness the Pope, hoping that they will recompenfe them at their departure. Wherefore I did not much mind this excommunication, but let that remain in it's ancient credit; but my comrades,

rades, two whereof were Priests that used to say mass, were very much astonish'd at it, and full of trouble, that they fhould be under his Holiness's excommunication before they were aware of it; wherefore they began to excuse themselves, and faid, That they did not know any thing of it, neither had they had any opportunity in their travels to come to Rome; but although this had been omitted before their arrival, yet they would certainly do it as they went back. Notwithstanding all this the Guardian feem'd to be very earnest, and made fhew as if he could not abfolve them; yet at laft, after he had long enough kept them in this fear, he hegan to declare, that he had alfo received full power from his Holinefs, and the whole Roman Catholic church, to abfolve all those that did not bring any certificates. And fo at laft abfolved us in the cloifters of his monaftry in Latin with these words: I abfolve you of all your fins in the name of the Fatber, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft. And with this he concluded his fpeech.

CHAP

CHA P. III.

A plain defcription of the city of Jerufalem, as it was to be feen in our time; and of the adjacent

countries.

T

HE glorious and kingly city of Jerufalem (which formerly the Saracens called Kurzitadon, but now is named Chutz by the inhabitants) is ftill fituated in the old place, in the middle of Judea on the high mountains, and as the head is extolled above the reft; which may be concluded, partly becaufe from thence you may fee all the country as from a center, partly alfo because the springs rife here, and fo run down, as from a higher place, every way and to every part thereof; as the holy Prophet Ezekiel doth testify in his fourteenth chapter, where he faith; That at that time fresh streams fhall flow from Jerufalem, half thereof to the fea toward the east, aud the other half towards the fartheft fea. There are alfo many other places of Scripture that testify

**

*

Though Jerufalem might be fituate in the highest part of Judea, yet are not the following places of the Scripture a fufficient proof of it. For because it was the capital, and fupreme town, in regard of greatness, multitude of people, ftrength, jurifdiction, and other privileges, though it's fite was not higher than that of other towns, yet might people well enough be faid to go up thither, it being highest in respect of dignity, though not of place. So we make no fcruple to fay in common fpeech, that whofoever travels up to London, goes up thither; and whofoever travels from thence, goes down into the country, let his habitation be never so much higher fituate than London. Yet was Jerufalem fituate on a hill, which is enough to verify all thofe expreffions, though that hill were not the highest in Judea,

teftify the high fituation of Jerufalem, as in the eighth chapter of the Acts, verfe 26. where the angel of the Lord fpake unto Phillip, saying, Arife and go towards the fouth, unto the way that goeth down from Jerufalem unto Gaza, &c. And in the tenth chapter of St Mark, and the thirty-fecond verfe, And they were in the way going up to Jerufalem. And the tenth chapter of St Luke, verfe 30. A certain man went down from Jerufalem to Jericho. And verfe 31. And by chance there came down a certain prieft that way, &c.

The fituation of Jericho, together with the great plains thereabout, through which the river Jordan runs from the north towards the fouth, together with the Dead-fea, where formerly Sodom and Gomorrah ftood, you fee from the town, over a barren hill below, fo plainly, that one would think we might go thither with ease in three hours, and yet it would require a whole day's journey. Beyond the river that feparateth Arabia from Judea, lie the high hills Abarim and Nebo, over-against Jericho, whence Mofes, (as is faid, Deutronomy the 32d and 34th chapters) had a full profpect of the land of Canaan, promised to Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob; one may see them thence fo plainly, as alfo the mount Seir, which toucheth them beyond the Dead-fea in the land of the Moabites and Ammonites, that one would also think they were very near.

They bring yearly a vaft quantity of fheep to Jerufalem from off the mountains, which feeding upon the fragant, delicate and hearty herbs that grow there, have meat that taftes very pleasantly, the tails thereof are very fat, above half a fpan thick, and one and a half broad and long. The Levetical Priest (as we read in Leviticus the ninth chapter, and other places) used to burn this together with all the fat of the entrails, and the two kidneys for a fin-offerring.

There are alfo goats, with hanging ears almost two foot long. And therefore some Arabians, called Balduini, keep in the defarts, that have no certain abode, but lie continually in the fields, and go from country to country in great numbers, wherefoever they find good. pafture for their beafts and camels. I have met with

many