Hypprodome and the Theater whereon the people stood when the Emperours vsed to run their horses and make their Princely shewes on solemne dayes which is now altogether decayed There is a great Columne in that same place in the which all those things memorable that haue béene done in this Hyppodrome are superficially carued Upon the West corner of the Citie there is a strong Fortresse fortified with seuen great Towers and well furnished with munition called by Turkes Iadileke In this Presoun are Bashaws and Subbashaws imprisoned and also great men of Christians if any offence be committed Their place of exchange is called Bezastan wherein all sorts of commodities are to bee sold as Sattins Silkes Ueluets Cloth of Siluer and Gold and the most exquisitly wrought handkerchiffes that can be found in the world with other infinite commodities the relation of which would be tedious I haue séene men and women as vsually sold here in markets as horses and other beasts are with vs. The most part of which are Hungarians Transiluanians and Bohemians captiues and of other places besides which they ouercome Whom if no compassionable Christian will buy or or relieue then must they either turne Turke or bee addicted to perpetuall slauery In Constantinople there haue happened many fearefull fires which often haue consumed to ashes the most part of the rarest monuments there and the beauty of infinite palaces as Zonoras the Constantinopolitan Historiographer in his Histories mentioneth And now lately in the yeare 1607. October 14. there were burned aboue 3000 houses of which I saw a number of ruines as yet vnrepaired It is subiect also to diuers earthquakes which haue often subuerted the Towers Houses Churches and walles of the Citie to the ground Especially in the yeare 1509. in the reigne of Baiazeth the ninth Emperour of the Turkes in which time more then 13000 persons were all smothered and dead and laid vp in heapes vnburied And commonly euery third yeare the pestilence is excéeding great in that Citie and after such an odious manner that those who are infected before they dy haue the halfe of their one side rot and fall away so that you may easily discerne the whole intrailes of their bodies It is not licentiated that any Christian should enter in a Turkish Moskée without the conduct of a Ianisary the tryall whereof I had when I viewed S. Sophia Perah is ouer against Constantinople called of old Cornubizantium but by the Turkes Galata It is the place at which Christian ships touch and where the Embassadours of Christendome lie From thence I went to the blacke sea but commonly called Mare Euxinum where I saw Pompeis pillar of marble standing néere to the shore vpon a rocky Iland and not farre from hence is a Lanthorne higher then any stéeple whereon there is a pan full of liquor that burneth euery night to giue warning vnto ships how néere they come to shore It is not much vnlike these Lanthornes of Lighorne and Genua The water of this sea is neuer a whit blacker then other seas but it is called black in respect of the dangerous euents in darke and tempestuous nights which happen there and because of the rockes and sands which lie a great way from the maine shore vpon which many vessels are cast away The blacke sea is not farre from Galata for I both went and returned in one day The Turkes haue no bels in their Churches neither the vse of a clocke nor numbring of houres but they haue high round Stéeples for they contrafact and contradict all the formes of Christians when they goe to pray they are called together by the voyce of crying men who go vp on the bartizings of their Stéeples shouting and crying with a shrill voyce La illa Eillala Mahomet Rezul alla that is God is a great God and Mahomet is his Prophet or otherwise there is but one God In Constantinople and many other places of Turky I haue séene thrée Sabboth dayes together in one wéeke the Friday for the Turkes the Saturday for Iewes and the Sunday for the Christians but the Turkes Sabboth is worst kept of all for they will not spare to doe any labour vpon their holy day They haue méetings at their publicke prayers euery day fiue seuerall times the first is before the rising of the Sunne the second is a little before mid-day the third is at three of the clock afternoone the fourth is at Sun-setting Summer and Winter Fifthly the last houre of praier is alwaies two or thrée houres within night Many of them will watch till that time and not sléepe and others sléeping will awake at the voyce of the Crier and go to Church In signe of reuerence and in a superstitious deuotion before they goe into their Mosquées they wash themselues in a Lauatoire beginning at the priuy members next their mouthes faces féet and handes And entring they incline their heads downeward to the earth and falling on their knées doe kisse the ground thrée times Then the Talasumany which is the chiefe Priest mounteth vpon a high stone where he maketh many Orations to Mahomet and the rest to assist him continne a long time shaking their heads as though they were out of all naturall vnderstanding repeating oft this word Haylamo Haylamo and after that will sigh grieuously saying Houpek And sometimes will abruptly sing the Psalmes of Dauid in the Arabick tongue but to no sense nor verity of the Scriptures And at their deuotion they will not tolerate any women in their company lest they should withdraw their mindes and affection from their present zeale The Church-men are called Hadach Casseis or Daruises who weare on their heads gréene Shashes to make distinction betwéene them and others for they are accounted to bee of Mahomets kindred They hold all madde men in great reuerence as Prophets or Saints and if they intend any farre iourney priuate purposes or otherwise before they goe to battell they come to craue counsell of these Santones to know if they shall prosper or not in their attempts And whatsoeuer answere these Bedleem Prophets giue it is holden to be so credible as if an Oracle had spoken it The Turkish Priests are for the most part Moores whom they account to bee a base people in respect of themselues calling them Totseks All Turkes doe detest the colour of blacke and thinke those that weare it shall neuer enter into Paradice But the colour of greatest request among them is greene wherewith if any Christian shall be apparrelled hee shall bee sure of Bastinadoes and other punishments Neither may hee vse the name of their Prophet Mahomet in his mouth vnder the paine of a cruell censure to bee inflicted vpon him whom they so much adore and honour This Mahomet was borne Anno Dom. 591. in Itraripia a beggarly village in Arabia whose father was Abdallas an Ismalite and his mother Cadiges a Iew both different in religion and also of diuers
which haue not that generositie of minde to temper felicitie to bee glutted with the superfluous fruits of doubtfull prosperity Neither haue they a patient resolution to withstand aduersity nor hope to expect the better alteration of time But by an infused malice in their wicked spirits when they are any way calamited will with importunate compulsion cause the poore slauish subiected Christians surrender all they haue the halfe or so forth sometimes with strokes menacings and sometimes death it selfe which plainely doth demonstrate their excessiue cruelty and the poore Christians ineuitable misery I haue often heard Turkes brawle one with another most vilely but I neuer saw or heard that they either in priuate or publique quarrels durst strike one another neither dare they for feare of seuere punishment imposed to such quarrellers But they will iniure and strike Christians who dare not say it is amisse nor strike againe It is a common thing with them to kill their seruants for a very small offence and when they haue done throw them like dogs in a ditch And oftentimes if not so will lay them downe on their backes hoysing vp their heeles bind their feete together and fasten them to a post and with a cudgell giue them thrée or foure hundred blowes on the soales of their féete whereupon peraduenture some euer go lame after Their seruants are bought and sold like bruite beasts in markets neither can these miserable drudges euer recouer liberty except they buy themselues free either by one meane or other Their wiues are not farre from the like seruitude for the men by the Alcoran are admitted to marry as many women as they will or their ability can keep And if it shal happen that any one of these women I meane either wife or concubine prostituteth her selfe to another besides her husband then may he by authority bind her hands and feet hang a stone about her neeke and cast her into a riuer which by them is vsually done in the night But when those Infidels please to abuse poore Christian women against their husbands will they little regard the transgression of the Christian Law who as well defloure their daughters as their wiues yet the deuoute Mahometans neuer meddle with them accompting themselues damned to copulate as they think with the off-spring of dogs The Turkes generally when they commit any copulation with Christians or their owne Sex they wash themselus in a South-running fountaine before the Sun-rising thinking thereby to wash away their sins But now to returne to the Turkes Their custome and manner of mariage is this If a man affecteth a yong maid he buyeth her of her parents and giueth a good summe of mony for her and after she is bought he enrolles her name in the Cadies booke witnessing she is his bound wife bought of her father Loe this is all the forme of their Marriage This being done the father of the woman sendeth houshold-stuffe home with the Bride which is carryed through the streets on Mulets or Camels backes the two new married folkes marching before are conueyed with Musicke their owne acquaintance and friends vnto his house The Turkes in generall whensoeuer they loath or dislike their wiues vse to sell them in Markets or otherwise bestow them on their men-slaues And although their affection were neuer so great toward them yet they neuer eate together for commonly the women stand and serue their husbands at meate and after that they eat apart by themselues secretly without admission of any mankinde in their company if they be aboue foureteene yeares of age They go seldome abroad vnlesse it be each Thurseday at night when they go to the Graues to mourne for the dead alwaies couering their faces very modestly with white or black maskes which are neuer vncouered till they returne to their houses Many other ceremonies they haue which would be too prolixe for me to recite And notwithstanding of all this exernall grauity amongst these hirelings yet there are in Constantinople aboue 40000 brothel-houses Turqueski t s Libertines in any of which if a Christian especially Franckes be apprehended he must either turne Turke or laue all his life But the women by a policy apply a counterpoyson to this seuerity for they accustomably come to the Chambers of their Benefactors and Well-willers or other places appointed secretly where so they learne either a French Syncopa or an Italian Bergemasko The Lent of the Turks is called Byrham which continueth the space of a month once in the yeare in all which time from the Sunne rising to his setting they neither eate nor drinke And at their prayers especially in this fasting they vse often to reiterate these words Hue hue hue that is He he he alone is God or There is but one onely supreme Power which they do in deriston of Christians who as they say adore three Gods They haue also this sinister opinion that at the day of iudgement when Mahomet shall appeare there shall be three displayed Banners vnder the which all good people shall be conducted in Paradise The one of MOSES vnder the which the children of Israel shall be The second of IESVS vnder which Christians shall bee The third of Mahomet vnder the which shall be the Arabs Turkes Moores and Musilmans All which they thinke shall be eleuated to seuerall honours And they in promotion shall bee discerned from the rest by chambers made of replendant light which God will giue them wherein they shall haue banquetings feastings dancing and the best melody can bee deuised They hold also this as a confident Article of their Beleefe that there are seuen Paradises in heauen the pauements whereof are laid with gold siluer pearles pretious stones and garnished with stately buildings and pleasant gardens wherein are all sorts of fruit and Princely Palaces through the which run riuers of milke hony and wine The first Paradice they call it Genete Alcholde the second Alfirduzy the third Anthinak the fourth Reduasch the fift Azelem the sixt Alcodush that is holy and the seuenth Almega that is the greatest And that in the midst of this last Paradise there is a stately tree called Tubah the leafe of which is partly of gold and partly of siluer whose boughes extend round about the walles of this seuenth Paradise whereon the name of Mahomet is written neere to the name of God in these words Alla illa he allah Mahomet Rezul allah The which words are in such reuerence amongst the Turks that a Christian should happen vnaduisedly to repeate them hee is adiudged to a most cruell death or compulsed to renounce his Christian Religion As concerning their opinion of Hell they hold it to be deepe Gulfe betwixt two Mountaines from the mouth whereof are Dragons that continually throw fire being large eight leagues and hath a darke entry where the horrible fiends meete the perplexed sinners conuoying them till they come to a Bridge that is so narrow as the edge of
onely relate them as I was informed There are seuen sorts of Nations different in Religion and language who continually enduring life remaine within this Church hauing incloystred lodgings ioyning to the walles thereof Their victuals are brought daily to them by their familiars receiuing the same at a great hole in the Church doore for the Turkes seldome open the entry vnlesse it be when Pilgrimes come for this purpose each family haue a Bell fastned at their lodging with a string reaching from thence to the Church doore the end wherof hangeth outwardly by the which commodity each furnisher ringing the Bell giueth warning to his friends to come receiue their necessaries The number of those who are tied to this austere life are about 350 persons being Italians Greekes Armenians Aethiopians Iacobines a sort of circumcised Christians Nestorians and Chelfaines of Mesopotamia The day before the resurrection about the houre of Mid-night the whole Sects and sorts of Christians Orientall that were come thither in Pilgrimage and dwelt at Ierusalem conuened together which were about the number of 6000 men women and children for being separated by the Patriarkes in two companies they compassed the Chappell of the holy Graue nine times holding in their hands burning Candles made in the beginning pittifull and lamentable regréetings but in the ending there were touking of Kettle-drummes sounding of horne-trumpets and other instruments dauncing leaping and running about the sepulchre with an intolerable tumult as if they were all mad or distracted of their wits Thus is the prograce of their procession performed in meere simplicitie wanting ciuilitie and gouernment But the Turks haue a care of that for in the midst of all this hurly-burly they run amongst them with long roddes correcting their mis-behauiour with cruell strokes Thus are the slauish people euen at the height of their ceremonious deuotion strangely abused Here the Guardiano offered for ten péeces of gold although my duébe 30 Chickens said he to make me knight of the holy Graue or of the Order of Ierusalem which I refused knowing the condition of that detestable Oath I behooued to haue sworne but I saw two other Pilgrimes receiue that Order of Knight-hood The manner whereof is thus First they binde themselues with a solemne vow to pray enduring life for the Pope King of Spaine and Duke of Venice from whom the Friers receiue their maintenance and also in speciall for the French King by whose meanes they obtaine liberty of the great Turke to frequent these monumentall places Secondly they are sworne enemies to all Protestants and others who will not acknowledge the superiority of the Roman Church Thirdly they must pay yearely some stipend to the order of the Franciscans These attestations ended the Frier putteth a gilded spurre on his right héele causing the yong made knight to stoop down on his knées and lay his hands on the holy Graue after this he taketh a broad sword from vnder his gowne being priuately carried for feare of the Turks which is as he said the sword wherwith victorious Godfrey conquered Ierusalem giueth this new vpstart Caualiero nine blowes vpon his right shoulder Loe here the fashion of this Papisticall Knight-hood which I forsooke After our Guardiano had ended his superstitious rites and ceremonies vpon Easter day wee returned to the Monasterie hauing stayed thrée dayes within that Church Aprill the two and twentie on Munday morning the Padre viccario and the aforesaid Iohn Baptista accompanying vs we rode abrode in the hilly Countrey of Iudea In this dayes iourney the places of any note wee saw were these First where the Daughters of Ierusalem came forth to méete Saul crying Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his his ten thousand Next the valley of Trebin where Dauid slew the great Goliah Thirdly Bezura where Absalom kild his brother Ammon for Thamars sake whereof nothing but the name is onely reserued Fourthly the Castle of Emaus in which our Sauiour was knowne after his resurrection by the two Disciples in breaking of bread Fifthly the valley of Gibeon where the Sun stood at the voyce of Ioshua from his naturall course Ioshua 10 12. Sixthly the Toombe of Samuel ouer the which Moores haue a Moskee erected Seuenthly the Toombes of the valiant Captaine Iudas Macchabeus and his children whereupon are now onely the ruines of an old Chappell And last of all the buriall place of the Noble Family of the Kings and Quéenes of Israel or Ierusalem The entry whereof was so straight that on our backes we behoued to slide downe aboue ten paces vnder the ground with light Candles in our hands In that spacious place wee saw 24 Chambers hewen out of a marble rocke Each roome hath a hanging stone doore of a great thicknesse so artificially done by the skilfull Art of Masons that the rarest spirit of 10000 cannot know how these doores haue béene made so to moue as they do being afirme rocke both below and aboue and the doores haue neither yron nor timber worke about them but by cunning are made so to turne and in that same place where they grew they are squared yea and so exquisitely done that the most curious Carpenter cannot ioyne a péece of boord so neatly as these stone doores ioyne with the Rocke In each of these roomes are two Sepulchres wherein I saw the bones of some of these dead Princes Tuesday the tenth day of my being at Ierusalem we issued forth of the Citie early with our aforesaid Guides riding Westward The first remarkeable thing wee saw was the place as they say where the Crosse grew whereon Christ suffered being reserued by Greekes who haue a Couent builded ouer it That Crosse is said to haue béene of foure sundry kindes of wood and not of one Trée for they shewed vs but one hole wherein it grew and so they hold it to haue béene all of one péece of Oliue trée but this I suspend leauing it to be searched by the pregnancy of riper iudgements then mine About fiue miles further we arriued at a village on the mountaine of Iudea where wee saw a dis-inhabited house in which Elizabeth the mother of S. Iohn Baptist dwelt when Mary came vp from Galile to salute her and néere to this we beheld as they say the Sanctuary wherein Zacharias was stricken dumbe till Elizabeth was deliuered Two miles further on a rocky mountaine we arriued at a caue wherein say they S. Iohn did his penance till he was 19 yeares of age after which time he went downe to dwell at Iordan It is a pretty fine place hewen out of a rock to the which we mounted by 12 steps hauing a window cut through of a great thicknesse of firme stone whence we had the faire prospect of a fruitfull valley and from the mouth of this delectable Grotto gushed forth a most delicious fountaine Returning thence wee passed ouer an excéeding high Mountaine from whence we saw the most part of Iudea and to the
way as we returned our Dragoman shewed vs on the banke of Nylus where a Crocodile was killed by the ingenious policie of a Venetian Marchant being licentiated by the Soldan The match whereof for bignesse and length was neuer seene in that riuer whose body was 22 foote and in compasse of the shoulders 8 foot This cruell beast had deuoured aboue 46 men and women besides other creatures and in his belly were found more then 60 rings of gold and siluer which the miserable bodies had worne in their noses through their cheeks and vnder lips for such is the custome of the people to weare their iewels And if the baser sort cannot attaine to such like then they counterfeit their betters with rings of brasse and lead wearing also on their armes and ankles broade bands of Iron continually The garden wherein the onely and true Balsamo groweth is inclosed with a high wall and daily guarded by Turkes who hardly will suffer any Christian to enter within much lesse the Iewes for not long agoe they were the cause that almost this Balme was brought to confusion The tree it selfe is but of three foot height which keepeth euermore the coloor greene hauing a broad thrée poynted leafe and twice in the yeare it being incised yeeldeth a red water which is the naturall Balsamo Not farre hence there is a place caled Mommeis lying in a sandy desart where are innumerable Caues cut forth of a rock wherunto the corps of the most men in Cayro are carried and interred which dead bodies remaine alwayes vnputrified neither yeeld they any stinking smell Grand Cayro is an admirable great Citie and larger of bounds then Constantinople but not so populous neither so wel builded It was of old caled Memphis was the furthest place that Vlysses in his trauels visited so well memorized by Homer yet a voyage now of no such estimation as that Princely Poet accounted it for his trauels are not comparable to some of these dayes wherein we liue It is situate in a pleasant plaine and in the heart of Aegypt being distant from Nylus about an English mile It was called Cayro Babylonia for there are two Babylons one in Assyria which by the Turks is called Bagdat and the other is this which ioyneth with Cayro nouo The circuit of new Cayre is about 22 miles not speaking of Cayre de Babylon Medin Boulak the great Towne of Caraffar being as Sub-vrbs of many smals maketh vp a little world the length whereof in all is thought to be 28 miles of bredth 14. The principal gates are these Babeh Mamstek which is toward the Wildernesse of the red sea Bebzavillah toward Nylus and Babell Eutuch toward the fields The stréetes are narrow being all of them almost couered and the foundation of their buildings is raised vpon two Stages height to kéepe the people from the parching heate The Bazar or exchange beginneth at the gate of Mamstek and endeth at a place called Babesh At the corners of chiefe places there are horses to be hired that for a small matter a man may ride where so he will to view this spacious spred Citie and change as many horses as he listeth hauing the maisters which owe them to conuoy them There is a great commerce here with all Nations vnder the heauens For by their concurring thither it is wonderfully peopled with infinite numbers Such a multitude and the extreme heate is the cause why the pest is euermore in it insomuch that at some certaine times 10000 persons haue dyed thereof in one day In this Towne you shall euer finde all these sorts of Christians Italians French Greekes Almaines Georgians Aethiopians Iacobines Armenians Syrians Nestorians Amaronites Nicolaitans Abessenes Nubians Slauonians Gofties Ragusans and some captiue Hungarians the number of which is euer thought to bee beyond an hundred thousand people besides all other sorts of Infidels as Turkes blacke and white Moores Musilmans Persians Tartars Indians Iewes Arabians Barbarres and Sarazens From the Castle wherein the Soldan habitateth which is builded on a pretty hill you haue the prospect of the whole Citie the Gardens and Uillages bordering on Nylus and of the most part of the plaine and fertile places of Egypt Aegypt bordereth with Aethiopia and the Desarts of Libia on the South on the North with the sea Medirerrene the chiefest ports whereof are Alexandria and Damietta Toward the Occident with the great lake of Bouchiarah and a dangerous Wildernesse confining therewith so full of wilde and venemous beasts which maketh the West part vnaccessable On the East with a part of the red Sea and desarts of Arabia through which the people of Israel passed In all the land of Egypt which is a great kingdome there is no Well or Fountaine saue onely the riuer Nylus neither doe the inhabitants know what raine is because they neuer sée any This floud irriguateth all the low Plaines of the land once in the yeare which inundation beginneth vsually in Iuly and continueth to the end of August which furnisheth with water all the Inhabiters There is a dry Pond called Machash in the midst whereof standeth a Pillar of eightéene brasses height being equall with the profundity of the ditch whereby they know his increasing and if in the yeare following they shall haue plenty or scarsity of things For when the water beginneth to flow aboue the ordinary course it falleth downe incontinently in this place where it ariseth euery day vpon the pillar sometimes a spanne a foote or two foote At the time of his inunding there are certaine people appointed to watch the limites of his growth For when the water wareth to fiftéene brasses it is a signe that the next yeare shall bee fertile If if amounteth but to twelue that yeare shall be indifferent and it surpasse not nine brasses it presageth a great dearth and famine and if it shall happen to flow to the top all the countrey of Egypt is in danger to bee destroyed From Nylus are many ditches drawne along to the scattered villages in the plaines the water whereof entring in these narrow channels the people haue cisternes made of purpose wherein they receiue it and conserue the same till the next inundation At which time also they make great feastings and rare solemnities dauncing eating drinking singing tâ—uking of drummes sounding of trumpets and other oftentations of ioy There are infinite venemous creatures bred in this riuer as Crococodiles Scorpions vgly mis-shapen wormes and other monstrous things which annoy oft the inhabitants and also those who traâ—â—ck on the water This famous floud beginneth vnder the Equinoctiall line in Aethiopia whence it bringeth the full growth downe into Egypt and in a place of the Aethiopian Alpes called Catadupa the fall and roaring of this Nyle maketh the people deafe who dwell néere thereunto The common opinion is that Prester Iehan may impede the course of Nyle to runne through Egypt which bréedeth the cause wherefore the great Turke payeth
duobus Flent Pisae amissum dum contemplantur honorem Geuua habet portum mercesque domosque superbas Excellit studijs foecunda Bononia cunctis Commendant Parmam lac casâ—us atque butirum Iâ—alicos versus prefert Papia Latinis Non caret hospitijs perpulchra Placentia caris Mantua guadet aquis ortu decorata Maronis Est Mediolanum iucundum nobile magnum Taurinum exornant virtus pietasque fidesque Hauing passed Torine I kept my way through Piemont or Pede montano and came ouer the stéepe and snowy mountaine of Mount Cola di Tenda after that I had two daies iourney amongst the Rocky and intricating hils of Liguria in which Hanibal had so much ado to conduct his Army to Italy From thence I continued my voyage to Barselona in Spaine where I gaue ouer my purpose in going to Madrile and returned through a part of the Kingdome of Nauarre Crossing the Pirenei Mountaines I visited Langadocke and Gascony and kéeping my way to Burdeux and the inuincible Rochell I arriued at Paris from whence I first began my voyage and there also ended my painefull Pilgrimage Six yeares was I forth of Scotland two yeares whereof I was cleere out of Christendome The computation of the miles I trauelled from Paris till my returne thither againe amounteth to thirteene thousand eight hundred fourscore and odde miles Semper sit DEO laus FINIS Monuments of Antiquitie Famous Authours The brasen Image of S. Peter Superstition of Papists Foure Roman Pilgrimes Damnable illusions of Loretta A false Assertion A Simoniacall Vision A Papisticall dream'd of Oration The shamefull opinions of the Papists concerning Loretta Foure times transported A confirmation by the Popes Borne at S. Andrew in Scotland A battell A true comparison of the Iewes and the Iesuites Pola The kindnesse of a Dalmatian The Iles Tremiti A Monster borne in Lesina Ragusa Corfu Two strong Castles in the I le Corfu A preparation to fight The assault of a Turkish Galley Zante The battell betweene the Christians and Turkes at Lepanto Although Arcadia in former times was pleasant yet it is now for the most part wast and disinhabited Lacedemon in Sparta Athens Kinde Athenians A Priest killed in a Brothell-house lying with a whoore A description of Candie The old and famous Citie of Lanerke A happy deliuerance from Theeues Foure strong Citie Minos Saturne Candie Milo Parir Nicaria Greekes taken captiues Icarus Shipwracke The Toombe of Homer Sio The pride of Greekish Whores The Iles of Orknay and Zetland The Orkadians are kind to strangers bouÌ„tifull in Table-cheere and carowsing of healthes and their women are generally faire kind and well complexionate Salonica Pernassus Thebes The Toombes of Troians A description of Troy Sestos and Abydos Colchis The first building of Constantinople Bizantium ruined by Seuerus the Emperour The death of Constantine the Emperour Presoun Lanthorne Superstition The birth of Mahomet The dissimulation of the false Prophet Mahomet Mahomet Sergius a Thalmudist a Iew the three treacherous companions and maine pillars of a damnable Alcoran Illusions of Mahomet Cruelty of Turkes toward their seruants They also punish malefactors three manner of wayes according to the hainousnesse of the offence most seuerely which I haue heere omitted to relate The marriage of Turkes Seuen Paradises The opinion Turkes haue of Hell The beginning of the Turkes His coÌ„cubines conuene once a day and are ranked in a Hall which he doth suruey after his owne pleasure making a signe to her whom hee affecteth who goeth presently with him to his adulterate cabine of lasciuious leachery Smyrna Ephesus Nixa Rhodes The great Colosse Tharsus a decayed Citty in Cilicia where Saint Paul was borne in the chiefest seat of that Countrey Cyprus An enterprise of the Florentines About 400 Greekes were slughtered by the Turkes in the yeare 1607 Tripoly Cedars Coliers religious Greekes This Tree hath seuerall vertues bearing but one Apple at once Diuisions Aleppo The abuses of Infidels A new intended voyage Niniuy Mesopotamia The reposing of the Turkes Damascus Fruites The wickednesse of Arabs Arabia Petrea Deceitfull dealing A Description of the Holy Land Speeches of the Patriarke The villany of Armenians A strange conspiracy The desolation of Tyrus Caffar tribute The courtesie of Turkes The extortion of the Arabian King Sychar of old the chiefest Citie in Samaria is now altogether ruinated A massacre of Armenian pilgrimes Monastery of Friars Antiquity of Ierusalem The oft conquering of Ierusalem The ignoraÌ„ce of Pilgrimes who can not speake Italian The Abisines are borne naturally blacke and these silly religious men of them that stay at Ierusalem weare on their heads flot round caps of a blackish colour on their bodies linnen clothes Inuasions of Arabs A true description of Sodom and Gomorha Iordans water is of a whitish colour Luke 3.22 A comparison betwixt Iordan and Tybris whose colour and growth are both alike and their courses agreeable thereunto The danger of the Author being left alone vpon the bankes of Iordan A rate kind of Apples The mountain in the wildernesse wherupon Christ fasted 40 dayes A plaine description of the Holy Graue The life of religious Christians An order of Knight-hood Emaus or Nicopoli A Turkish Church Abraham Isaac and Iacob were interred at Hebron Bethleem Acaldema The Idoll Moloch Mount Oliuet The Crownes of the two Kingdomes and the great Armes of Ierusalem are to bee seene ingrauen on his right arme The death of ten Pilgrimes Arabs The nature of Nylus Alexandria
is celebrated in these verses Extollit Paduam iuris studium medicinae Verona humanae dat singula commoda vitae Exhaurit loculos Ferrarea ferrea plenos I commend the deuotion of Venice and Genua beyond all the other Cities in Italy For the Venetians haue banished the Iesuites out of their Territories and Ilands And the Genueses haue abandoned the society of Iewes and exposed them from their iurisdiction The Iewes and the Iesuites are brethren in blasphemies for the Iewes are naturally subtill hatefull auaritious and aboue all the greatest calumniators of Christs name And the ambitious Iesuites are Flatterers Bloudy-gospellers treasonable Tale-tellers and the onely railers vpon the sincere life of good Christians Wherefore I end with this verdict the Iew and the Iesuite is a Pultrone and a Parasite A Description of the Adriaticall and Ionean Ilands how they haue beene first named and now gouerned of Istria Dalmatia Slauonia Epire Peloponnesus and Athens of a Monster borne in Lesina and what dangers befell him in his voyage to Creta AFter 24 dayes attendance and expecting for passage I imbarked in a Carmoesalo being bound to Zara Noua in Dalmatia Scarcely had we lost the sight of Venice but wee incountred with a deadly storme at Seroco è Leuante The maister had no compasse to direct his course neither was hee expert in Nauigation because they vse commonly either on the South or North sides of the Gulfe to hoyse vp sailes at night and against breake of day they haue full sight of land taking their directions from the topped hilles of the maine continent The tempest increasing and the windes contrary wee were constrained to seeke vp for the Port of Parenzo in Istria Istria was first called Giapidia according to Pliny Cato affirmeth that it was Istria of one Isiro but by the moderne writers l'ultima regione di Italia By Ptolomeus it is said to be of length 120 miles and 40 large That part which bordereth with the sea belongeth to the Venetians but the rest within land holdes of the Emperour and the Archduke of Austria The countrey it selfe aboundeth in Cornes Wines and all manner of fruits necessary for humane life Néere to this hauen wherein we lay expecting roome windes I saw the ruines of old Iustinopoli so called of Iustinian the Emperour who builded it vpon an Iland of a miles length three acres broad And to passe betwixt the Citie and the firme land there were seuen bridges made It was anciently strong but now altogether decayed The principall Cities in Istria at this day are these Parenzo Humago Pola Rouigno The winds fauouring vs we weighed anchors and sailed by the Iles Brioni so much estéemed for the fine stones they produce called Istriennes which serue to beautifie the Uenetian Palaces About mid-day I saw Mount di Caldaro on the foot of which the ancient Citie of Pola is situated hauing a harbour wherein small shippes may lie True it is this Port is not much frequented in respect of a contagious Lake neere to it which infecteth the aire with a filthy exhalation I saw hard by this place the ruines of the Castell Di Oriando the Arke triumphant and the reliques of a great Amphitheater This Pola was called by Pliny Iulia pietas and it standeth on the South-east part of Istria Continuing our course wee passed the perilous gulfe of Carnaro and sailed close by the I le Sangego called formerly Illirides This I le is of circuit foure score and of length thirty miles Our fresh water waxing scant and the windes falling out contrary to our expectation we sought in to Valdogosta in the I le of Osero which is a safe hauen for ships and Gallies This Osero was first named Asphorus and then Absirtites of a captaine Absertus who came from Colchos accompanied with many people to bring backe Medeas to his father Acetus Whose purpose being frustrated staied still and inhabited this land as witnesseth Apollonius Rhodius A fit opportunity obtained vpon the eight day we arriued in the roade of Zara in Dalmatia for there the Carmoesalo stayed and I was exposed to séeke passage for Ragusa By the way I recall the great kindnesse of that Dalmatian Master for offering my condition I found him more then courteous and would haue no more but the halfe of that which was his bargaine at Venice Besides this hee also entertained mee three dayes with a most bountifull and kinde acceptance My solitary trauelling he oft bewailed wishing me to desist and neuer attempt such a voyage but I giuing him absolute and constant answeres appeased his imagined sorrow The affable dealing of this stranger made me remember the kindnesse of my aforesaid Countrey-man M. Arthur whose externall shew for that time wee trauelled sociably together gaue me the déepe measure of his internall affection for as man oweth no lesse to his natiue Countrey then what his breath and bloud are worth so I for many weighty considerations and especially for that high respect indeuoured my selfe to the vtmost of my power to attempt this fastidious wandring whereby I might manifest to my natiues that zeale I bore in vndertaking such dangers as it were for that neuer-conquered kingdomes sake leauing him to bee the last witnesse of that innated duety which I did owe vnto my deerest Nation whether I returned or died in my atchieuements I also recall our discontented parting at Venice ingendred diuers languishing conceits which I stroue to mitigate by odde deuised merriments yet notwithstanding could not well expell his melancholy for often at our encontrings before into Italy and France I haue heard him sigh in a most melancholious humour which as I did coniecture was for some loue-sicke passion or some such like male-contentment that had enforced him in pilgrimage two times to crosse the snowy Alpes Zara is the Capitall Citie of Dalmatia called of old Iadara The inhabitants are gouerned by a Camarlingo in the behalfe of Venice the walles whereof are strongly rampired with earth surpassing the toppes of the stone-worke and fortified also with high Bulwarkes and planted Canons on eleuated rampires of earth which are aboue forty cubits higher then the walles and bulwars standing in the foure seuerall corners of the Citie There lie continually in it a great garrison of Soldiers to defend the Towne and Citizens who are maintained by the Duke of Venice for he is Seignior thereof They haue endured many inuasions of the Turkes especially in the yeare 1570 when for the space of fouretéene Moneths they were daily molested and besieged but the victory fell euer to the Christians If the Turkes could winne this place they might easily command the Adriaticall Seas in regard of that faire hauen which is there to receiue Shippes and Gallies which maketh the Venetians not a little fearefull Yet they licentiate the neighbouring Infidels to traffique with them but when they enter the gates they must deliuer their Weapons to the Corporall of the squadron company
the Turkes retired till morning and then were mindefull to giue vs the new rancounter of a second Alarme But as it pleased him who neuer faileth his to send downe an vnresistable tempest about the breake of day we escaped their furious designes and were enforced to seeke into the bay of Largostolo in Cephalonia both because of the violent weather and also for that a great leake was stricken into our ship In this fight there were of vs killed three Italians two Greekes and two Iewes with eleuen others deadly wounded and I also hurt in the right Arme with a small shot But what harme was done by vs amongst the Infidels wee were not assured thereof saue onely this we shot away their middle Mast and the hinder part of the Puppe For the Greekes are not expert Gunners neither could our Harquebusadoes much annoy them in respect they neuer boorded But howsoeuer it was being all disbarked on shore we gaue thankes to the Lord for our vnexpected safety and buried the dead Christians in a Greekish Church-yard and the Iewes were interred by the Sea-side This Bay of Lorgostolo is two miles in length being inuironed with two little Mountaines vpon the one of these two standeth a strong Fortresse which defendeth the passage of the narrow Gulfe It was here that the Christian Gallies assembled in the yeare 1571 when they came to abate the rage of the great Turkes Armado which at that time lay in Peterasso in the firme land of Greece and had made conquest the yeare before of noble Cyprus from the Venetians This I le of Cephalonia was formerly called Ithaca and greatly renowmed because it was the heretable Kingdome of the worthy Vlysses who excelled all other Greekes in eloquence and subtlety of wit Secondly by Strabo it was named Dulichi And thirdly by ancient Authours Cephalonia of Cephalo who was Captaine of the Army of Cleobas Anfrittion The which Anfrittion hauing conquered the Iland gaue it in a gift to Cephalo The Land it selfe is full of Mountaines yet excéeding fertile yeelding Maluasie Muskadine Vino Leatico Raisins Oliues Figges Hony Sweet-water Pine Molbery Date and Chypre-trees and all others forts of fruits in aboundance The commodity of which redounds yearely to the Veneians for they are Signiors thereof Leauing this weather-beaten Carmoesalo laid vp to a full Sea I tooke purpose to trauell through the Iland In the first daies iourney I past by many fine Uillages and pleasant fields especially the vale Alessandro where the Greekes told me their Ancestors were vanquished in battell by the Macedonian Conquerour They also shewed me on the top of Mount Gargasso the ruines of that Temple which had beene of old dedicate to Iupiter And vpon the second day I hired two Fisher-men in a little Boat to carry mee ouer to Zante being twenty fiue miles distant The I le of Zante was called Zachinthus because so was called the son of Dardanus who raigned there And by some Hyria It hath a Citie of a great length bordering along the Sea side and on the top of a Hill aboue the Towne standeth a large and strong Fortresse not vnlike to the Castle of Milaine wherein the Prouiditore dwelleth who gouerneth the Iland This Citie is subiect yearely to fearefull Earth-quakes especially in the months of October and Nouember which oftentimes subuert their houses bringing harme and domage to them This I le produceth good store of Raisin de Corinth commonly called Currance Oliues Pomgranates Cytrones Orenges Lemmons Granadiers and Mellones The Ilanders are Greekes a kind of subtile people and great dissemblers but the Signiory thereof belongeth to Venice And if it were not for that great prouision of Corne which is daily transported from the firme Land of Greece to them the Inhabitants in a short time would famish Bidding farewell to Zante I embarked in a Frigato going to Peterasso in Morca which of old was called Peloponnesus And by the way in the Gulfe Lepanto which diuideth Etolia and Morca The chiefest Citie in Etolia is called Lepanto from thence Westward by the Sea-side is Delphos famous for the Oracle of Apollo wee sayled by the Iles Echinidi but by the Moderne Writers Curzolari where the Christians obtained the victorie against the Turkes for there did they fight after this manner In the yeare 1571 and the sixth of October Iohn Duke of Austria Generall for the Spanish Gallies Marco Antonio Colonna for Pope Pio Quinto and Sebastiano Venieco for the Uenetian Army conuened altogether in Largostolo at Cephalonia hauing of all 208 Gallies sixe Galleasses and fiue and twenty Frigotes After a most resolute deliberation these thrée Generals went with a valiant courage to encounter with the Turkish Armado on the Sunday morning the seuenth of October who in the end through the helpe of Christ obtained a glorious victorie In that fight there was taken and drowned 180. of Turkish Gallies and there escaped about the number of sixe hundred and fifty Shippes Gallies Galeots and other Uessels There was fiftéene thousand Turkes killed and foure thousand taken prisoners and twelue thousand Christians deliuered from their slauish bondage In all the Christians loosed but eleuen Gallies and fiue thousand slaine At their returne to Largostolo after this victorious battell the thrée Generals diuided innumerable spoyles to their well-deseruing Captaines and worthy Souldiers After my arriuall in Peterasso the Metropolitan of Peloponnesus I left the turmoyling dangers of the intricated Iles of the Ionean and Adriaticall Seas and aduised to trauaile in the firme Land of Greece with a Carauan of Greekes that was bound for Athens But before hee admitted mee into his company hee was wonderfull inquisitiue for what cause I trauelled alone and of what Nation I was To whom I soberly excused and discouered my selfe with modest answeares Which pacified his curiosity but not his auaritious minde for vnder a pretended protection he had of mee he extorted the most part of my money from my purse without any regard of conscience In the first second and third daies iournying wee had faire way hard lodging but good cheere and kinde entertaiment for our money But on the fourth day when we entred in the Hilly and barren Country of Arcadia where for a daies iourney we had no village but saw aboundance of Cattell without keepers In this Desart way I beheld many singular Monuments and ruinous Castles whose names I knew not because I had an ignorant guide But this I remember amongst these Rockes my belly was pinched and wearied was my body with the climing of fastidious Mountaines which bred no small griefe to my breast Yet notwithstanding of my distresse the remembrance of those sweete seasoned Songs of Arcadian Shepeheards which pregnant Poets haue so well penned did recreate my fatigated corps with many sugred suppositions These sterile bounds being past wee entred in the Easterne plaine of Morea called aunciently Sparta where that sometimes famous Citie of Lacedemon flourished but now
were erected in a commemoration of their admirable fidelitie in loue But now they are commonly called the Castles of Gallipoly yea or rather the strength of Constantinople betwéene which no ship may enter without knowledge of the Captaines And at their returne they must stay thrée dayes before they are permitted to goe through Betwixt the Castles and Constantinople is about fortie leagues Here I left the two Frenchmen with a Greeke Barbour and imbarked for Constantinople in a Turkish Frigato The first place of any note I saw within these narrow Seas was the auncient Citty of Gallipolis the second seate of Thracia which was first builded by Caius Caligula and sometimes hath béene inhabited by the Gaules It was the first Towne in Europe that the Turkes conquered As we sailed betwéene Thracia and Bithinia a learned Grecian that was in my company shewed mee Colchis whence Iason with the assistance of the Argonautes and the aid of Medeas skill did fetch the golden fléece This Sea Hellespont tooke the name of Helles and of the Countrey Pontus ioyning to the same Sea wherein are these thrée Countries Armenia Colchis and Cappadocia After wee had fetcht vp the famous Citie of Calcedon in Bithinia on our right hand I beheld on our left hand the prospect of that little world the great Citie of Constantinople which indéed yeeldeth such an outward splendor to the amazed beholder of goodly Churches stately Towers gallant Stéeples and other such things whereof now the world make so great account that the whole earth cannot equall it Beholding these delectable obiects wee entred in the Channell of Bosphorus which diuideth Perah from Constantinople And arriuing at Tapanau where all the munition of the great Turke lieth I bade farewell to my company and went to a lodging to refresh my selfe till morning A briefe Description of the renowned Citty of Constantinople together with the customes manners and religion of the Turkes their first beginning and the birth of MAHOMET and what opinion the Mahometanes haue of Heauen and Hell COnstantinople is the Metropolitan of Thracia so called of Constantine the Emperour who first enlarged the same It was called of old Bizantium but now by the Turkes Stambolda which signifieth in their language a large Citty It was also called Ethuse and by the Greekes Stymbolis This Citty according to ancient Authors was first sounded by the Lacedemonians who were conducted from Lacedemon by one Pausanias about the yeare of the world 3294 which after their consultation with Apollo where they should settle their abode and dwelling place they came to Bithinia and builded a Cittie which was called Calcedon But the commodity of fishing falling out contrary to their expectation in respect the fishes were afraid of the white bankes of the Citty the Captaine Pausanias left that place and builded Bizantium in Thracia which first was by him intituled Ligos By Pliny Iustine and Strabo it was surnamed Vrbs Illustrissima because it is repleat with all the blessings earth can giue to man yea and in the most fertile soile of Europe Zonaras reporteth that the Athenians in an ambitious and insatiable desire of Soueraigntie wonno it from the Lacedemonians they thus being vanquished suborned Seuerus the Romane Emperour to besiege the same but the Cittie Bizantium being strongly fortified with walles the Romans could not take it in vntill extreame famine constrained them to yeeld after thrée yeares siege And Seuerus to satisfie his cruelty put all to the sword that were within and razed the walles giuing it in possession to the neighbouring Perinthians This Citie thus remained in calamitie till Constantine resigning the Citie of Rome and a great part of Italy to the Popish inheritance of the Roman Bishops reedified the same and translated his Imperiall seate in the East and reduced all the Empire of Greece to an vnite tranquility with immortall reputation which the Parthians and Persians had so miserably disquieted But these disorders at length reformed by the seuere administration of iustice for the which and other worthy respects the said Constantine sonne of S. Helen and Emperour of Rome which after the Popes vsurped was surnamed the Great He first in his plantation called this Citie New Rome but when hee beheld the flourishing and multiplying of all things in it and because of the commodious situation thereof he called it Constantinopolis after his owne name This Emperour liued there many prosperous yeares in a most happy estate Likewise many of his successors did vntill such time that Mahomet the second of that name and Emherour of the Turkes liuing in a discontented humor to behold the great and glorious dominions of Christians especially this famous Citie that so flourished in his eyes by moment all circumstances collected his cruell intentions to the full height of ambition whereby hee might abolish the very name of Christianity and also puft vp with a presumptuous desire to enlarge his Empire went with a maruellous power both by Sea and Land vnto this magnificent mansion The issue wherof was such that after diuers batteries and assaults the irreligious Infidels broke downe the walles and entred the Citle where they made a wonderfull massacre of poore afflicted Christians without sparing any of the Romane kinde either male or female In the mercilesse fury of these infernall Impes the Emperour Constantine was killed whose head being cut off was carried vpon the poynt of a Launce through all the Citie and Campe of the Turkes to the great disgrace and ignominy of Christianitie His Empresse Daughters and other Ladies were put to death after a strange forme of new deuised torments By this ouerthrow of Constantinople this Mahomet tooke twelue kingdomes and two hundred Cities from the Christians which is a lamentable losse of such an illustrious Empire Thus was that Imperiall Citie lost in the yeare 1453. May 29. when it had remained vnder the gouernment of Christians 1198 yeares It is now the chiefe abode of the great Turke Sultan Acomet the 15 Grand Can of the line of Ottoman liuing at this day who is about 23 yeares of age a man more giuen to venery then martiality which giueth presently a greater aduantage to the Persians in their instant warres The forme or situation of this Citie is like vnto a triangle the South part whereof and the East part are inuironed with Hellespontus and Bosphorus Thraicus and the North part adioyning to the firme land It is in compasse about the Walles estéemed to be 18 miles in one of these triangled points standeth the Palace of the great Turke called Seralia and the Forrest wherein he hunteth which is two miles in length The speciall obiect of antiquity I saw within this Citie was the incomparable Church of S. Sophia whose ornaments and hallowed vessels were innumerable in the time of Iustinian the Emperour who first builded it but now conuerted to a Mosque and consecrate to Mahomet after a Diabolicall manner I saw also the famous
a rasour whereupon those who haue not committed hainous offences may passe ouer to hell but those who haue done buggery as the most part of them do and homicide shall fall headlong from it to the profoundest pit in Hell where they shall sometimes burne in fire and sometimes be cast into hote boyling water to be refreshed And for the greater punishment of the wicked say they God hath planted a trie in Hell named Saiaratash or Roozo Saytanah that is the head of the Deuill vpon the fruit of which the damned continually feed Mahomet in one of the chapters of his Alcoran calleth this trie The trie of Malediction They also thinke the tormented soules may one day bee saued prouiding they doe indure the scorching flames of Hell patiently Thus as briefly as I could haue I laid open the opinion of the Turkes concerning their Hell and Heauen before the eyes of these who peraduenture haue neuer beene acquainted with such a Ghostly Discourse The originall of the Turkes is said to haue béene in Scythia from whence they came to Arabia Petrea and giuing battell oft to the Sarazens in the end subdued them and so they multiplyed and mightily increased the apparence of their further increasing is very euident except God of his mercy towards vs preuent their bloud-sucking threatnings with the vengeance of his iust iudgements The Sarazens are descended of Esau who after he had lost the blessing went and inhabited in Arabia Petrea and his posterity striuing to make a cléere distinction betweene them the Ismalites and Iewes called themselues as come of Sara Sarazens and not of Hagar the handmaid of Abraham of whom came the Ismaelites neither of the race of Iacob of whom came the Iewes But now the Sarazens being ioyned with the Turkes their Conquerours haue both lost their name and the right of their descent The puissance of the great Turke is admirable yet the most part of his Kingdomes in Asia are not well inhabited neither populous but these parts which border with Christians are strongly fortified with Castles People and Munition If Christian Princes could concord and consult together it were a easie thing in one yeare to subdue the Turkes and roote out their very names from the earth yea moreouer I am certified that there are more Christians euen slaues and subiects to the great Turke which doe inhabite his Dominions then might ouerthrow and conquer these Infidels if they had worthy Captaines Gouernours and furniture of Armes without the helpe of any Christian of Christendome Amongst the Turkes there is no Gentility nor Nobility but are all as ignoble and inferiour members to one maine body the great Turke lineally descended from the house of Ottoman whose magnificence puissance and power is such that the most eloquent tongue cannot sufficiently declare his thousands of Ianisaries Shouses and others daily attending him his hundreds besides his Quéene of Concubines hourly maintained by him his Armies Bashaws Garrisons and forces here and there dispersed amongst his dominions would bee impossible for me briefly to relate The inhumane policy of the Turkes to auoyd ciuill dissention is such that the seed of Ottoman al except one of them are strangled to death wherefore as Augustus Cesar said of Herod in the like case It is better to bee the great Turkes dogge then his sonne His daughters or sisters are not so vsed but are giuen in marriage to any Bashaw whom so they affect yet with this condition the King saith to his daughter or sister I giue thée this man to be at all times thy slaue and if he offend thée in any case or bee disobedient to thy will here I giue thée a dagger to cut off his head which alwayes they weare by their sides for the same purpose The Persians differ much from the Turkes in nobility humanity and actiuity and especially in poynts of religion who by contention thinke each other accursed and notwithstanding both factions are vnder the Mahometanicall Law Neither are the sonnes of the Persian Kings so barbarously handled as theirs for all the brethren one excepted are onely made blinde wanting their eyes and are alwayes afterward gallantly maintained like Princes And it hath oftentimes fallen out that some of these Kings dying without procreate heires there haue of these blinde sonnes succéeded to the Empire who haue restored againe the séed of that royall family A Description of his Trauels into Asia Maior Cyprus and the Carpathian Iles the reason why he was disappoynted of his purpose being so neere Babylon of the beauty of Damascus of the nature of Arabians and of his returne to Ierusalem DEparting from Constantinople I came to Cenchrea being 300 miles distant where S. Paul cut his haire after his vow was performed Act. 18.18 From thence I went to Smyrna in Carmania a famous Kingdome in Asia the lesser This Citty was one of the seuen Churches mentioned Reuel 2.8 It is a goodly place hauing a faire hauen for shippes they haue great Trafficke with all Nations especially for the fine Silke Cotten-wooll and Dimmetie brought to it by the Country Peasants which strangers buy from them Truely neere vnto this Citie I saw such a long continuing Plaine abounding in Corne Wines all sorts of fruitfull Herbage and so infinitely peopled that me thought Nature séemed with the peoples industry to contend the one by propagating creatures the other by admirable agriculture Thiatyra now called Tiria one also of the seuen Churches is not farre hence From this Citie I embarked in a Turkish Carmoesalo bound for Rhodes In our sayling along the coast of Asia Minor the first place of any note I saw was the ruinous Citie of Ephesus yet somewhat inhabited and pleasantly adorned with Gardens faire Fields and gréene Woods of Oliue trées which on the sea doe yeeld a delectable prospect It was one of the seuen Churches Reuel 2.1 Ouer-against this Citie is the I le of Lango anciently called Coos wherein the great Hippocrates was borne and Apelles the most excellent Painter It is both fertile and populous and of circuit about foure score miles There is a kind of Serpent said to be in it so friendly vnto the inhabitants that when the men are sleeping vnder the shadow of trees they come crawling and will linke or claspe themselues about their neckes and bodies without doing any harme neither when they awake are the beasts afraide And néere to Lango is the Ile Nixa of old Strangoli and by some Dionisa and Naxus an Iland both fruitfull and delightfull As we failed by the West part of the I le a Greeke passenger shewed me the place where as hee said Ariadne was deceiued of Theseus which is not farre from the irriguate plaine of Darmille Continuing our nauigation I saw a little Ile called Ephdosh where the Turkes told me that all the Ilanders were naturally good swimmers paying no more tribute to their great Lord the Turke saue onely once in the yeare there
water The confusion of this multitude was not onely grieuous in regard of the extreme heate prouiding of victuals at poore Uillages and scarcity of water to fill our bottles made of boare skinnes but also amongst narrow and stony passages thronging we oft fell one ouer another in great heapes in danger to be smothered yea and oftentimes we that were Christians had our bodies well beaten by our conducting Turkes At our accustomed dismounting to recreate our selues and refresh the beasts I would often fetch a walke to stretch my legs that were stifled with a scumbling beast wherewith the Turkes were mightily discontented and in derision would laugh and mucke me For they cannot abide a man to walke in turnes or stand to eate their vsage being such that when they come from the Horse backe presently sit downe on the ground folding their feete vnder them when they repose dine and sup So do also their Artizans and all Turkes in the world sit alwaies crosse-legged wrongfully abusing the commendable consuetudo of the industrious Taylors In their houses they haue no bed to lie on nor chaires to sit on nor Tables to eate on but a bench made of Boords along the house side of a foote height from the floore spread ouer with a Carpet whereon they vsually sit eating drinking sléeping resting and doing of manuall exercises all in one place They neuer vncloth themselues when they go to rest neither haue they any bed-cloathes saue onely a couerlet aboue them I haue seene hundreds of them after this manner lie ranked like durty swine in a beastly stie or loathsome Iades in a filthy stable Upon the ninth day leauing Cotafa behind vs on the Mountaines wee entred in a pleasant plaine of thrée leagues in length adorned with many Uillages Gardens and Riuers and arriuing at Damascus we were all lodged some in Chambers wanting beds and others without on hard stones in a great Cane called Heramnen where we stayed one day Damascus is the capitall Citie of Syria called by Turkes Shamma and is scituated on a faire plaine and beautified with many Riuers on each side especially Pharpar and Abdenah excellent Orchards and all other naturall obiects of elegancie That for situation Artizens all manner of commodities and variety of fruits in all the Asiaticall Prouinces it is not paralelled By Turkes it is called the Garden of Turkie Some hold this Citie was built by Eleazar the seruant of Abraham others say it is the place where Cain slew Abel But howsoeuer I perswade thee it is a pleasant and gallant Citie well walled and fortified with a strong Castle the most part of the stréetes are couered so that the Citizens are preserued in Summer from the heate and in Winter from the raine The like commodity but not after that forme hath Padua in Lumbardie Their Bazar or market place is also couered so are commonly all the Bazars in Turkie The best Carobiers Adams Apples and Grenadiers that grow on the earth is heere Néere vnto the Bazar there is a Moskie called Gemmah wherein is as my guide said the Sepulchre of Ananias and the Fountaine where he baptized Paul In another street I saw the house of Ananias which is but a hollow Cellar vnder the ground and where the Disciples let Paul downe through the wall in a basket In the stréete where they sell their Viano my Interpretor shewed mee a great gate of fine mettall which he said was one of the dores of the Temple of Salomon and was transported thence by the Tartarians who conquered Ierusalem about three hundred and eighty yeares age I saw such aboundance of Rose-water here in barrels to bee sold as beere or wine is rife with vs. For the custodie of the aforesaid Castle and neighbouring Countries there are two thousand Ianisaries appointed insomuch that the Bashaw of Damascus is the greatest in authority of all the other Bashaws in Asia for vnder his commandement in behalfe of the great Turke hee detaineth Syria Phoenicia Samacia Galilee Ierusalem and all Palestina euen to the Desarts of Arabia The meanes of the preseruation of so great a state is onely by an induced confidence vpon the power and force of those Ianisaries who as well haue their pay in time of tranquility as warres to defend these Countries from the incursions of the wiloe Arabs which euermore annoy the Turkes and also Strangers and can not possibly bee brought to a quiet and well-formed manner of liuing but are continuall spoylers of these parts of the Turks Dominions That mischiefe daily increaseth rather then any way diminisheth They taking example from the beastly Turkes adde by these patternes more wickednesse to the badnesse of their owne dispositions So that euery one of these Sauages according to his power dealeth with all men vnciuily and cruelly euen like a wildernesse full of wilde beasts liuing all vpon rapine wanting all sense of humanity more then an outward shew of appearance Whereby combining themselues in strength together doe tyrannize ouer all euen from the red Sea to Babylon Thus they in that violent humour inuading also these of Affricke hath caused Grand Cayro to be furnished with fiftéene thousand Ianisaries which defend the frontiers of Egypt and Gozan Leauing all the Turkes at Damascus saue onely our Ianisaries and Soldiers within the space of two houres after our departure from thence trauelling in our way to Ierusalem the whole company of the Armenians fell on the ground kissing it and making many sincere demonstrations of vnwonted deuotion At the which I being amazed stood gazing asking my Trouchman what newes who replyed saying it was the place where Saint Paul was conuerted which they had and all Christians should haue in great regard Three daies were wee betwixt Damascus and the East part of Galile which is the beginning of Canaan in two of which thrée wee encountred with Marishes and Quagmires being a great hinderance to vs This barren and marish Countrey is a part of Arabia Petrea comming in with a point betweene Galile and Syria It is vndoubtedly a most théeuish way for as we trauelled in the night there were many of vs forced to carry burning Lights in our hands and our soldiers had their harquebuzes redy to discharge al to affray the bloud-thirsty Arabians who in holes caues and bushes lie obscured waiting for the aduantage vpon trauellers Truely with much difficulty and greater danger passed we these Petrean iournies Here I remarked a singular qualitie and rare perfection in the carefull conduction of our Captaine who would when he came to any dangerous place giue the watch-word of S. Iohanne meaning as much thereby that none should speake or whisper after that warning vnder the paine of a Harquebusado And no more wee durst vnlesse hee had stretcht out his hand making vs a figne when occasion serued of liberty lest by tumultuous noyse in the night our enemies should haue the fore-knowledge of our comming and knowing also
length lying South and North the North end bordering with the sea neere to Acre called anciently Ptolomais and the South end ioyning with the borders of Samaria Leauing Samaria on our left hand we entred into a faire plaine adorned with fruitful trees and all other ornaments that pleasant fields affoord but no village we saw Marching thus about the declining of the Sun from the Meridian we came in sight of two hundred pauillions all pitched in rankes yéelding the prospect of a little Cittie by a brooke side of water which being perceiued the Captaine began to censure what they might be and immediatly there came riding towards vs sixe naked fellowes well mounted on Arabian geldings who demanded what we were and whither wee were bound and if there were any Frankes of Christendome in our company To whom the Ianisaries replied wee were purposed to Ierusalem and that there was but one Franke with them vpon the which they presently sought me demanding Caffar Caffar and caused me perforce to pay seuen Chickens of gold for my head because say they our King is now resident in these Tents he must pay therefore so much the more extraordinary They returning backe to their Prince with the malediction of a Pilgrimes purse and we marching on our way that day we trauelled aboue 34 miles and pitched at a village called Adoash where we found good hearbes to eate and aboundance of water to drink and also to fill our emptied bottles As we lay downe to sléepe after a hungry supper on the hard ground and our guard watching vs that same King of the Arabians came a little before mid-night with 24 well horsed Runagates and naked Courtiers being armed with bowes and arrowes and halfe-pikes pointed at both ends with hard stéele and asked for the Carauan who presently awoke and went to salute him laying his hand on his breast bowed his head very low which is the vsuall courtesie amongst the Infidels and Christians in these parts for they neuer vncouer their heads to any man and after some short parly they sate all downe on the grasse The Carauan presented his rude-like Maiesty with water bread hearbs figs garlike and such things as he had As they were thus merry at this poore banquet the awfull King tooke the oath of our Conductor if there were any mo Frankes there then I and he hauing sworne the truth the King by a malignant informer incontinently caused me to be brought before him and staring mee in the face asked my Interpreter where were my companions who replyed I had none Then said he tell that dog hee must acknowledge me with fiue péeces of gold more otherwise making a signe to his owne throate I shall cut off his head The which I being informed and knowing that by no condition there was resistance against such a scelerate Prince gaue it to him presently with a halfe smiling countenance which hee remarking told the rest it seemed that I gaue it with a good heart and to recompence my outward behauiour he drunke a great draught of water to me thinking thereby he had done mee more honour then all the chickens of gold I gaue him now and in the morning would do him profite Truely this was one of the greatest tributes I paied for one daies iourney that I had in all my voyage in Asia There are two Kings in Arabia the one who liueth on Euphrates the Desarts of Mesopotamia sometimes in Arabia Felix and in some parts of Siria And the other which was the King to whom I paid this money wandereth with his Tribes Tents and Bestial one while in Arabia Petrea and Deserta and sometimes in the Holy Land as he findeth good Pastorage and fresh fountaines These two Kings are mortall enemies and if by accident they meete they fight most cruelly bringing dammage rapine and destruction to themselues and their followers for it is a difficult thing in them to dominate their inordinate passions being vntamed Sauages and mis-regarders of ciuility who continually contend to corroborate the malignity of their dispositions with bloudy and inhumane enterprises The next morning leauing Iacobs Well and the Town of Sychar on our left hand wee marched through a part of the fields of Basan and had excéeding pleasant trauelling and at night we pitched by Lydda on the fields Lydda is not aboue ten miles from Cesarea The Townes situated by the Sea side in Palestina are these Sydon which standeth on the borders of Zebulon and Nephtalim or Phoenicia being a goodly Citie and well peopled Tyrus which is miserably brought to ruine Acre that hath yet some indifferent Trade of Merchandize Caipha called commonly Castello pellegrino which hath nothing but the remnants of an ancient Abbay Cesarea who reserueth but onely the memory for there is no hospitality in it except it be to wilde beasts Ioppa or Iaphta is a sea-port of small Barkes but the decayed Towne containeth not one dwelling house saue onely a high Towre which defendeth the port from Cursares And Baruti is also thought to bée within Canaan but that I suspend as not hauing had the certainety thereof These are all the Hauens in the Holy Land Aprill the thirtéenth before the breach of day setting forward scarcely were we well aduanced in our way till we were beset with more then three hundred Arabs who sent vs an vnexpected shoare of arrowes to the great anoyance of all our company for if it had not béene that our souldiers shot of their Guns on a sudden surely wee had then miserably perished But the nature of the Arabs is not vnlike to the Iackals for when any of them heare the shot of a Harquebuse they run backe with such spéed as if the fiends of the infernall Court were broken loose vpon them In that momentany conflict on our side there were killed nine women fiue men and about thirty persons deadly wounded which to our worthy Captaine bred no small griefe Till bright day came wee stayed still in that same place and buried the slaine people in deep graues rolling aboue them heauy stones whereby Iackals should not open their graues to eate the corps for such is the nature of these cruell beasts that they onely loue to liue on mans flesh These rauenous beasts as is thought are ingendred of a Fox and a Wolfe Procéeding in our iourney in the Hilly Country of Iudea we entred leauing Rhama on our right hand 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 kind of Egyptians and not naturally blacke but sun-burnt with the parching heat The whole Territory of Canaan is inhabited with these Moores some Turkes ciuill Arabs and a few Christians and scattered Iewes The Arabians are for the most part Theeues and Robbers the Moores cruell and vnciuill hating Christians to the death The Turkes are the best of all the thrée yet all sworne enemies to Christ.