with fresh and sweet water The City is now ruinated but as for pleasure and delight it was inferior to no other It is scituated upon the side of a Hill the eighth part of a mile from whence a man may behold the ruines of a great Temple whereupon as men say Christ sate when he asked water of the Samaritan woman But these are uncertainties not to say fallacies JVDEA Judaea far excelleth any part of the residue of Palestine and at this day enjoyeth its ancient fertility The tribe of Juda so named it and in it as in the rest of Palestina were very many worthy Cities whereof Jerusalem was the chief seat of their Princes Jerusalem the possession of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles the original place of our faith and the glory of the Christian world By the Barbarians at this day it is called Godz or Chutz It standeth on an eminent place as whereunto a man must always ascend Saint Jeroms opinion was that it stood not only in the heart of Judeaa but in the very center of the world as having Asia on the East Europe on the West upon the South Lybia and Africa and upon the North Scythia Armenia Persia with theresidue of the Pontique Nations What the glory hereof hath been may be conjectured out of Tacitus who reporteth that in the beginning of the Siege it contained two hundred thousand souls At this day it numbereth not above five thousand inhabitants although many Pilgrims daily resort thither in a good conscience and for devotion sake It was once strongly and fairly walled but now weakly and therein it sheweth nothing so famous as the Sepulchre of our Saviour Christ whose Temple incircleth the whole Mount of Calvary scituated upon a plain plot of ground high round and open at the top The Sepulchre of Christ from whence it receiveth light but the Sepulchre it self is covered with an archt Chappel cut out of the main Marble and left unto the custody of the Latin Christians Whosoever is desirous to see this Sepulchre must pay nine Crowns to the Turk so that this tribute is yearly worth unto him a very considerable revenue One hundred and eight foot distant from this Tomb is the Mount called the Mount Calvary whereon our Saviour Christ was crucified by the treacherous Jews In this place are many other religious Reliques And the pilgrims which come thither are alwayes lodged according to his own profession the Latines with the Franciscans without the City by Mount Sion the Graecians are lodged with the Caloirean Greeks dwelling within the City by the Sepulchre And so every other Nation Abessines Georgians Armenians Nestorians and Maronites who all have their proper peculiar Chappels Those Franciscans which follow the Latin Church and are for the most part Italians were wont to create the Knights of the Sepulchre and to give testimonial unto Pilgrims of their being there Without this City is the valley of Jebosophat and therein the Tombs of the blessed Lady and Saint Anne The territory adjoyning is exceeding fruitful in Vines Apples Almonds Figs and Oyl the mountains are no less stored with trees wild beasts and spiceries Besides Jerusalem here standeth Bethlem now destroyed and shewing nothing worth looking on save a great and stately Monastery of the Franciscans within which is the place where Christ was born Rama is now likewise ruinated the Arches and Cisterns which are now remaining by the witness of Bellonius his own eye are greater then those of Alexandria but not so thick Gaza is now a Turkish Sanjackship the soyl about fertile and the inhabitants Graecians Turks and Arabians IDVMEA In holy writ this Region is called Edom Idumea and by other Authors Nabathea Toward the Sea and Judea the soil is fertile but toward Arabia desert and barren Some say its inexpugnable for its desarts and want of water yet is it stored therewith but hidden and known to none but the Natives Of old they were a turbulent unquiet and seditious people and so at this day they are like to their villanous and roguish Neighbours the Arabians For further satisfaction of the Reader be he pleased to refer himself to Doctor Fullers Holy Land or Sir Walter Raleigh who have amply discoursed on this Subject by whose copious pleasant stile and luxurious description the Ruines and present indigence and penury of this once flourishing and abundant Region are onely to be alleviated And so we pass forward AEGYPT is best to be known as to its bounds by its threefold definition and division Egypt First Egypt properly so called extends it self North upon the Mediterranean Sea and part of Idumea to Lybia or Marmarica Secondly Lybia or Marmarica lying betwixt Egypt properly so called and Cyrene or Pentapolis so called for the five cheif Cities thereof thirteen hundred miles long and two hundred broad reaches from Lybia to the greater Syrty where it is bounded with the Kingdom of Tunis in Africa The kingdoms of Tunis and Algier which Kingdom with the other of Algier by the Ottoman Family 's intermedling with the quarrelling Princes thereof though Mahumetans also came at length to acknowledge no other Master but themselves the last King of Tunis named Mahomet put in by Don John of Austria whose succour he craved being subdued by the Turks and carried Prisoner to Constantinople in the reign of Selymus the second about which time the Kingdom of Algier in length 300 miles but in breadth not considerable was likewise reduced upon the same score by the famous Barbarossa Not to mention here some of the Isles of Barbary which are subject to the Grand Seignior as Zerby infamous for the loss of fifteen thousand Christians by slaughter at the taking and afterwards by famine at the surprize and retaking of it by Pial Bassa in 1559. I am constrained to mention these parts of Africk here for want of convenient reduction in this brief Compendium to their proper place Aegypt was vassalled to the Mamalukes who seized it from the Eastern Emperors some three hundred years before Selimus the second that ambitious and martial Sultan wrested it from them in the fields of Aleppo and extinguished the name and Empire as aforesaid when Cyrene followed the same fortune and submitted to the Turkish yoke In this Province we must remarque Tripolis assigned by Charls the fifth to the Knights of John of Jerusalem in lieu of Rhodes but wrested from them by Sinan Bassa in 1577. since which it is become a Den of Pirates as was mentioned before in the Syrian Tripolis In Egypt passing over Pelusium and the famous Damiata we will confine our view to Grand Cairo once called Memphis the Metropolis of Aegypt which of all antient Cities hath lost little or nothing by the injury of time Grand Cairo described at large Grand Cairo was wrested from the Mamalukes and their Sultan Tomembeus by Selimus the first in the year of the Incarnation 1517. after four bloody
impregnable Fortresses the Turk possess as is Famagusta in Cyprus It is now inhabited by Turks and Jews which were banisht out of Spain As to the story of Anatolia it chiefly depends upon the two Empires of Constantinople and Trabezond and the Kingdom of Caramania subdued by Bajazet the second since which time every parcel thereof became united to the Ottoman Dominions It was once the most flourishing part of the world but hath lost since some few Centuries no less then 4000 Cities partly by earth-quakes which are frequent here and partly by the sloath and natural laziness of the Turks who busie themselves in nothing but their lust and luxury so that little Trade is stirring here But their Horse bread here retain their native excellency and are reputed the best the European Horse-men are like so esteemed And in these two consist the chief power and strength of the Turk So that we have seen under the Empire of the Turk is comprehended the better part of the antient three-fold division of the earth which we will recapitulate and repeat for the Readers memory The sum of the Turkish dominions He holdeth in Europe the whole Sea coast which from the borders of Epidaurus stretches it self to the mouth of Tanais whatsoever lyeth between Buda and Constantinople and from the Euxine Sea to the banks of Savus is his In that perambulation is contained the greater part of Hungary all Bosnia Servia Bulgaria Macedon Epire Greece Pelloponese Thrace and the Archipelago with the Islands He holdeth in Asia and Africk all that is between Velez de la Gomera and Alexandria in Egypt between Bugia and Guargula between Alexandria and the City Siene and from the City Suez as far as Swachen The hugeness of this territory may be imagined by the circuit of some of the parcels Palus Meotis wholly his spreadeth it self a thousand miles into the land two thousand and seven hundred miles do hardly incompass the Euxine Sea The coast of the Miditerranean Sea as much as is subject to him containeth in circuit eight thousand miles Egypt wholly his is esteemed three thousand and two hundred miles so far from Derbent upon the Caspian Sea to Aden upon the Red Sea and from Balsara upon the Persian Gulf to Tremessen in Barbary is accounted little less then four thousand miles In the Sea he is Lord of the most noble Islands of Ciprus Eubea Rhodes Samos Chio Lesbos and many other in the Archipelago of which before CHAP. IV. Of their Militia THeir Infantry consists of two sorts First such as are levyed upon particular Cities more or less according to the nature of the Expedition The Infantry and proportionable to their abilities from whence many Christians are frequently sent both Turks and Christians well cloathed and armed and exercised a moneth before they march without the Cities where they are raised The second the Janizaries who make 50000. which are Christian Children taken from the Northern parts of Europe and entred into the Grand Seigniors books and bred in the Seraglio and other places as common servants till twenty two years old and then are mustered and disciplined for service but now Turks are listed among them very frequently these are the flower of the Army and are never disbanded but when old are put into Garrison The horse consist of the Spahioglans Their Cavalry whose just number is 32000. and are the constant guard of the Emperors person at home and abroad and the Timariots who hold lands by serving the Sultan in his Wars and according to the value of their Timar or Farm sending three four or six horses but not all for service their total number with the Tartar whose aid of 60000. horse is alwayes to be in a readiness may be 300000. of which number the Kingdom of Algier affords 40000. that of Tunis 30000. Tripoli 10000. we may not reckon proportinably so with the other Provinces because horse are here in abundance When a War is proclaimed and a general Rendezvous appointed the several Bassa's and Governours of Provinces draw their forces together summoning the Timariots to do their service aforesaid but many of them with some Janizaries and Voluntiers have leave to march before to the said Rendezvous When these Bashaws begin their march publick proclamation is made to hang all such Janizaries as shall be found behind those Forces upon their march when they are rendezvoused and upon the Expedition the Bashaws do not go all in company but setting forth about an hour one after another The Turks disdipline in marching draw out their Troops without confusion not in any strict order of Rank and File as near no enemy Yet though there is not the discipline of posture their Officers commands are in all other things carefully obeyed 't is a wonder to see such a multitude as commonly they march with so clear of confusion violence want sickness or any other disorder there being alwayes plenty of good Bisket Rice and Mutton carried with the Army The Bashaws and great Commanders have with them three or fourscore Camels besides six or seven score Carts to carry the Baggage when the General takes horse he hath five or six Coaches covered with cloath of Gold or rich Tapestry to carry his wives some have with them twelve or sixteen the least ten who when they enter the Coach there are men placed on both sides holding up a row of Tapestry to cover them from being seen by the people although they were musted after the Turkish manner that nothing but their eyes appeared The Turks Sodomy Besides these women each Bashaw hath as many or rather more pathick Boys which they use for Sodomy whom they prefer as the greater satisfaction before their Wives which are used mostly to dress their meat to wash and for to honest their unnatural lust The Boys are generally of fourteen ten or nine years old and are usually clad in velvet or scarlet with gilt Scymetars and bravely mounted with sumptuons furniture and each of them a Souldier is appointed who walks by his bridle for his safety When the Prime Visier departs upon any expedition out of Constantinople he wears in his Turbant a long broach Feather which none but the Grand Signior usually wears besides himself upon this only occasion He is accompanied on his way with all the Grandees of the Court who present him with Gifts as doth the Sultan himself in vests and such like commodities to bestow upon merit or other occasions for his Magnificence Their Military musick The martial musick they have is none of the best but will serve sufficiently to confound the senses and deafen the ears to any other clamour being a kind of horse Kettle Drum which with some brass dishes and wind Instruments carried by fellows on Horse-back ride a little before every great Commander and noise along the journey The great rendezvous when he marcheth against Christendom is always appointed in that fatal playn
moves Yeomen foot-men clear the ways and here and there make heaps of stone or piles of wood for ease and direction of the passage so as even in darkness of the night they can hardly erre The Army moveth at midnight and till mid-day following marcheth The King rides between two Bassa's talking with him before whom marcheth some of the order of Janizaries on horse-back bearing lighted Candles in time of night Certain Captains follow them with iron Clubs round pointed who keep off men from sight of the King a good large distance amongst these are numbers of the King's Guard and amongst them a Chariot of Women and Boys fitted for the use of the Turk and his Nobility These great Men go some before some follow these Captains with great multitudes of Souldiers horse and foot and all conditions some for stipend some for plunder but all men Their carriages of Beasts Then follow a multitude of Camels Mules Horse and sometime Elephants laden with Victuals Pavilions and all necessaries for military uses and where the Turk pitcheth his Tent there every one according to his condition as in a City sets up his habitation Booths for Taylors Bakers Butchers Sutlers and all sorts of Victuallers some sell dainty flesh and fowls and when fresh meat cannot be had then what is brought upon their Beasts they expose to sale bisket dry meats cheese curds and milk All Turks are generally most patient in suffering hunger thirst and cold They seldom lodge in Towns but field it in their Tents neer water-springs Rivers or Meadows taking more care of their cattel then themselves content with little and course diet curds mingled with water bread with milk sometimes bisket master and servant eat together They keep deep silence in the night they neglect stirring after fugitives for fear of raising clamours which are forbid upon great mulcts and punishments but when they go to rest or rise to march all with an unanimous noise cry out Allah Allah Allahu that is O God thrice repeated Of justice exercised in War There is so much severity in military Discipline that no Souldier dares unjustly seize on any thing of anothers for if he do he dies without mercy They have amongst them certain Guardians Defenders of all Passengers from Souldiers violence with boys of eight or ten years old carrying bread eggs fruit and Oats and such like things to sell These Guardians are bound to free and preserve all Orchards Gardens Closes they pass by so far that they themselves dare not touch an Apple Pear or Grape or any such like thing without the owners license otherwise they lose their heads When I was present in the Turkish Army in an Expedition against the Persian I saw a great Commanders head with Horse and Servants all three cut off because that horse had been found grazing in another mans pasture unsatisfied for Celebration of a Turkish Victory When a Conquest is declared the Cities straight throw themselves into all delights and joyings At entrance of night for good auspice of the solemnity Torches Wax-candles Lamps Fire-brands Fire-works and all things that give light are every where disposed of throughout the City with Carpets costly Hangings Tapestry and Silken Silver and Gold Vestments their houses all are covered but especially that way by which the Emperor entreth The chiefest Triumph is made in Constantinople his constant residence unless occasioned by War into some other Region And he is bound by Law at every three years end to undertake some Expedition into Christian Territories for advancing or defending his own Kingdom I verily believe and do confess for those days he celebrates for Victory no mortal eye nay not the Moon or Sun did ere behold a spectacle more glorious and resplendent for order number silence richness state and magnificence in all kinds It is impossible for onely man to be exalted to a loftier degree of sublimation then this Pagan when triumphful Of their Hunting and Hawking No Nation under the Sun delights so much in Hunting as doth the Turkish they 'l follow game through rocky steepy craggy mountains and that on horse-back taking diversity of Beasts but if any chance to be killed or suffocated by Dogs or chase they never eat thereof nor any Christian that lives in those Regions and if they kill wild Boars they give them to the next inhabiting Christians Musselmen being forbidden to feed on Hogs flesh The Turk hath multitudes of Faulkoners above thousands in constant wages through his Empire Their Hawks both long and short wing'd very hardy The like charge he 's at for all sorts of Dogs nothing can move in the Air or stir on Land that shall not be encountered and seized on These charges with the Souldiery Officers Seraglio's and Court-attendances are in a manner infinite and yet supplied more by casualities then Revenues constant for he commands all mens fortunes at his pleasure is the general heir of all that by nature die or violence Of Artificers and Husbandmen The Country people with their Servants plow their Lands and pay the Tenths of all encrease unto the King Artificers maintain themselves by Trades who live in idleness consume in hunger They eagerly pursue all sorts of Merchandizings travelling the lesser Asia Arabia Egypt States of the Venetians They have their baths in every City where in solemn manner they wash themselves When they make water they wash that part and the like when they ease their bodies The like is done by Women who have handmaids following them with vessels filled with water when they bath they anoint themselves with such an unguent that within the space of half an hour rots off all hair from parts anointed Men and Women do the same not suffering hair to increase and this is done twice or thrice each month especially when they frequent the Church otherwise as violaters of sacred places they are burnt with fire They have divers sorts of Artificers Taylors Shoo-makers Gold and Silver-Smiths and for all sorts of Metals Painters Carpenters Stone-cutters but not of such wits and exquisite inventions as in our parts They have one Judge as well of Christians as Turks Of Justice among Citizens but alwayes chosen from amongst the Musselmen to administer equal right to all men If any kill another he suffereth death If he steal or violently taketh from another he is hanged as it happened to a Janizary who drunk milk of a poor Woman's brought to sell and paid not for it and accused before the Judge denied the fact whereupon being stretched up by cords at his feet and about his middle he forthwith vomited the milk and was immediately by the Judge commanded to be strangled this happened in my presence at Damasco when I travelled from Armenia to Jerusalem If any commit adultery the Man is cast into strict prison yet after divers months may be redeemed The Woman is carried about the streets riding on an Ass beaten naked with
will govern as they please What the Revenue of this Prince is it is hard to say his subjects have little money and live most upon the bartery of their Cattel But besides what he hath in lands or Customs and the 5500 Ducats yearly from the Turk he hath the tenth of all the spoyls which are got in the Wars and a Checkine for every Captive for some two or three whosoever taketh them according unto their estates As them by the Turk who doth sometime espouse his quarrels by whose assistance they have brought the Moscovites to some extremities CHAP. XII The Character of Tamerlane the Great THis renowned Prince the glory of his age for warlike atchievements was born at Samarcand the chief City of the Zagalaian Tartars his Father was called Zain-Cham or Og Prince of those people who spending his time in peace contenting himself to live upon the profit of his flocks of Sheep and Herds of Cattel which then and also now are the principal Revenues of the Tartar Kings and Princes gave occasion to some ignorant of the manner and custom of those northern Nations and Countries to reckon them all for Shepherds and Herdsmen and so have reported this great Prince to be a Shepherd or Herdsmans Son measuring his Nobility by the rudeness of his people and not by the honour of his Family and heroical vertues such as hardly to be paralleled in that or former ages Scarce had he attained to 15. years of age when his Father dyed leaving unto him the Government of his Kingdom and for his counsel in the same he commended to him two of his most trusty and faithful Servants viz. Odmard Aly whom he dearly loved whilst they lived being much ruled by their directions and greatly honoured the remembrance of them being dead as persons from whom he had received his rudiments for his future Government He was a man of greater strength then stature and of far greater courage then strength to which his policy being added made him a most renowned and fortunate Warior In his eyes sate such a rare Majesty as a man could hardly endure to behold them without closing his own from whence darted such radiant beams that many in talking with him were stricken dumb which occasioned him many times with a beseeming modesty to forbear looking too earnestly on those that talked or discoursed with him He was somewhat narrow in the shoulders otherwayes well limbed his visage was amiable and of an excellent proportion but little hair on his chin the hair of his head long and curled quite contrary to the manner of the Tartars who shave and cover their heads whereas he contrariwise did wear it long in obedience to his Mother as he gave it out who commanded him so to wear it in token of his discent she pretending to come of the race of Sampson which caused him to be the more respected of his men of War they believing that in those hairs there was some rare vertue or rather fatal destiny an ancient practise of many eminent Commanders to fill the heads of their Souldiers with some strange opinion conceived of them thereby to receive the greater honour as if in them were something more then ordinary men Thus Numa Pompilius feigned to have received his Laws from the Goddess Egeria and Mahomet the Impostor bewitched the people with a Pigeon which he had taught to feed at his ear whom he perswaded to be the holy Ghost which brought him Revelations out of Heaven That he was of a valiant courage from his youth his actions do declare not dreading any danger when occasion did require it having fortune alwayes attending on him as his hand-maid His first endeavours were crowned with admirable success viz. against the Muscovites who having spoyled a City which had put it self under his protection and also entered into his Country he thereupon met them with an Army gave them battel and slew of them five and twenty thousand foot-men and between fifteen and sixteen thousand horse-men with the loss of scarce eight thousand horse-men and four thousand foot-men of his own yet was he far from exulting in this victory that beholding so many thousand dead bodies on the ground he fell on weeping at the condition of such as commanded over great Armies applauding a quiet course of life for the most happy and accounting the other most unhappy which by the destruction of their own kind sought to purchase to themselves vain glory He was by nature a great chastiser of proud and insolent persons yet withal so just that he would not be moved to undertake any thing â—ashly or unadvisedly but would first understand the truth of the same witness the time when the Mahometan Princes of Asia oppressed by Bajazet sued unto him for aid to whom he gave this answer I can hardly believe said he that so great and religious a Prince as Bajazet would without just and sufficient cause offer such violence as you may complain of especially unto you his neighbour Princes and of the same Religion with himself nevertheless I will send an Ambassador to him to understand more of him his proceedings till then I shall not resolve any thing and therefore until such time you must rest your selves content Accordingly he sent an Ambassador unto him with many rich gifts and presents courteously requesting him the rather for his sake to deal kindly with those Mahometan Princes but Bajazet being a Prince of a proud spirit rejected his message with great scorn willing the Ambassador to bid his Master to meddle with his own matters and to prescribe Laws to his own Subjects adding thereunto many other words full of great dispight and disdain calling him the Husband of a Whore if he met him not in the field So that Tamerlane could do no less in justice and honour then war against him and having overthrown him to punish his haughtiness he shackled him in fetters of gold and so shut him up in an iron Cage made like a grate in such sort as that he might be seen on every side carrying him up and down with him as he passed thorough Asia which though some may construe as an action of cruelty yet he himself said That he did not use that rigour against him as King but rather did punish him as a proud ambitious Tyrant polluted with the blood of his own Brother But as he was dreadful and terrible to his enemies so none were more kind or courteous to his friends the service of his servant he never forgot neither left the same long unreawarded being therefore so mindful that he needed not by them or others on their behalf to be put in remembrance thereof having for that purpose a Catalogue always by him both of their names and good deserts which every day he did peruse like another Titus Vespatian saying he had lost that day wherein he had not done some good yet never bestowing his preferment on such as were undeserving or
ambitiously sought after the same deeming them altogether unworthy but upon such whose modesty and desert he took special notice of that they were worthy of such favours so tempering the severity of his commands with the greatness of his bounty that it is dubious whether he were of his Nobility or men of War for the one more feared or for the other beloved both the great staies of Princes States fear keeping the obstinate in obedience and love the dutiful in devotion Although by Religion he was a Mahometan yet would he dislike no man for his Religion whatsoever so that he did worship but one onely God creator of Heaven and Earth and all that therein is he himself beleiving that God was one in essence and in himself immutable without change or diversity and yet for the manifesting of his omnipotency and power he created in the world sundry kinds of people differing both in nature manners and conditions yet all framed to the Image of himself so in like manner was he contented of his Subjects to be diversly served according to the diversity of their natures and manners so they worshipped no strange Gods which was the cause that he permitted the exercise of all Religions in those Countries subject to his obedience were they not meer Atheists or Idolaters His Army though very great was like unto a well governed City in passing thorough any Country with his Souldiers he took such order that none of the people whereby he passed were by them any thing injured insomuch that if a Souldier had but taken an Apple or other thing of like value from any man he died therefore so severe were his commands It is reported that one of his Souldiers having taken a little milk from a Country woman and she complaining thereof he commanded the said Souldier to be presently killed and his stomach to be ript where the milk being found he satisfied the woman and so sent her away who doubtless else had died for her false accusation had it not so appeared This severity with some other of the like nature was very conducible to the preservation of his Army which was so great that it was thought almost impossible to have found sufficient victuals for the releif thereof but by his severe punishment of disorders both Artificers and Merchants from far Countries resorted with their Commodities and Merchandise to his Camp without fear from every place for which they received present mony and so in safety again departed Those Cities that yeilded to him he favourably received but the other that refused to submit themselves to his obedience he used with all extremity He used often to say that a small number well conducted did many times carry away the victory from the confused multitude He rather sought to maintain his Army upon the spoile of his enemy though with some hazard then upon his Friends and Allies and when he sent out any part of his vast Army for the taking of any place he would command them on pain of his displeasure so to behave themselves that at his comming he might either finde the City taken or the Gates shut against him which they seldom failed for to do for he had his men at so great command that no danger unto them was more dreadful then his displeasure nor did he punish any thing so severely as cowardise insomuch that if in his disport of Hunting the wild Beast any one did for fear give way either to a Bear or Lyon and slew him not was sure therefore to die himself and to turn his back upon the enemy was no less dangerous then to run upon his own death That he was free from covetousness and that ambition with which many Princes are infected may appear by this That after his many conâ—â—ests in the lesser Asia and the overthrow of Bajazet the Empire of Constantinople being profered to him by the Emperors Ambassadors he returned this answer That he was not come from so far Country for the enlargement of his Dominions already large enough but rather to win Honour and thereby make his name famous to all posterity That he come as his friend and Ally and that his upright meaning therein was in greatest cause that God from above had beheld his power and thereby bruised the head of the fiercest enemy of mankind that was under Heaven That unto his courage he had alwayes faith joyned such as should never suffer him to make so great a breach in his reputation as that it should be reported of him that in the colour of a friend he came to invade the Realm of his Ally That he desires no more but that the service he had done for the Greek Emperor might for ever be ingraven in the memory of his posterity to the end they might for ever wish well unto him and his successors by remembring the good he had done them That long might the noble Emperor live happily to govern his Estate and that before his return he would so well consider for the establishing of the same as that he should not lightly fall again into the like jepordy alwayes assuring himself of his good will and favour towards him Having thus purchased an everlasting renown by his many victories and restored several Princes that had fled unto him for refuge to their ancient inheritances after he had long time wasted Phrygia Caria Lydia with the most part of the lesser Asia and conquered all Syria Judea Egypt and Persia with divers other great Kingdoms and Provinces he returned home beautifying his Regal City of Samorcand with the spoyls of a great part of the world before by him wasted where he for a long space reigned in great peace and glory Afterwards hearing of the rising again of the Turkish Kingdom under the Ottoman Princes he resolved for a second expedition but in the midst of his preparations he was prevented by death dying of an Ague the 27 of January in the year of our Lord 1402. whose death was ushered by a terrible blazing Star portending as it were to the world the death of so eminent a Prince who while he lived made such a bustle therein The Character of Scanderbeg Prince of Epirus THis famous and renowned Champion was son to John Castriot who reigned in Epirus in the time of Amurath the fixth King of the Turks about the year of our Lord 1422. His father not being able to withstand the growing fortunes of that ambitious Tyrant delivered him with his three brothers as hostages to obtain peace whom the perfidious Amurath promised to entreat well and honourably but upon the death of their Father poysoned three of them only this George Castriot for so was his name whom the Tyrant entirely loved escaped death For his excellent feature and pregnant wit he was by the Turks named Scanderbeg or Lord Alexander and in his youth shewed many tokens what a rare Scholar he would prove in the School of Mars He was of a very noble generous
adjoyning Northward to Phenicia famous to our acquaintance for Laodicea as is mentioned in the Revelations of St. John Antioch the place where Christians were first so called Antioch but now hath no name it self either Turkish or Christian to be called by being sunk into most obscure and ignote Rubbish It was finally lost from the Christians in 1381. when it came to Saladine the Victorious Sultan of Egypt and Damascus Thirdly Comagena bordering upon Euphrates towards the East with which it is wetered Aleppo in it Aleppo scituated in the midst betwixt Tripolis Beritus and Alexandretta the three prime ports of Turkey and on the further side it adjoyns to the Persian Territories it hath been of long time a factory of the English Nation governed by a Consul who maintain thence correspondence with the East Indies several goods coming over land upon Camels The English are here well beloved and our Tutelar or National Saint George whose Sepulchre is feigned here is had in great veneration It over-looks by its scituation upon a Hill six Villages to be seen no where else in these depopulated uncultivated places of this Empire and is governed by a Bashaw which Dignity hath of late years been troublesome to the Turkish State as was mentioned in the following Treatise It was taken in by Selymus the first of which more presently Fourthly Palmyrene a Country never conquered in the Holy-Land expedition as the other parts were Fifthly Coelosyria bounded on the West with Palestine whither we are next to pass and on the South-East with Arabia Deserta and on the North with Palmyrene remarquable for the famous City of Damascus Damascus and the Imperial and regal Seat of many Kings who have been celebrated as well in Divine as humane writ A most fruitful delightful place even to surfeit being stored with wine to superfluity for which reason as is excellently observed the vile Impostor Mahomet would not be perswaded to come to it lest being inescated with its pleasure he should forget the business he came about but his Successors were not so abstemious it being the seat of one of his Caliphs while Babylon or Badgat was re-edified Here are many ingenuous workmen in most Arts and hence come our Damask Satins and Linnens wrought with curious Branches It is now the Seat of one of the principal Turkish Bashaws and who is had in great estimation and beloved by the Grand Signior It was held in modern times by the Mamalukes who piece-meal recovered Syria from the Tartars who under Tamberlane terribly sacked this City but in the year 1516. when the victorious Selymus the first discomfited Campson Gaurus the Egyptian Sultan in the fields of Aleppo this City fearing the Spoyl and ruine thereof then very opulent by trade set open their Gates as did all the other Cities by their example By means whereof the Turks became Lords of all this Country without any more blows as they were next year of Egypt also by their victory over Tomombeius in whom perished the Name and Empire of the Mamalukes In our way to Palestine on the Holy Land we must pass over Mount Hermon a ledge of Hills Mount Hermon which beginning Eastward run directly South by which Palestine is bounded on the East and parted from Coelosyria and Arabia Deserta on the West with the Mediterranean Sea and some part of Phaenicia On the North it is divided with the Hill Anti-Libanus from Syria and on the South with part of Arabia Patraea a most fertile Land even to admiration flowing with milk and Honey as it is elegantly expressed in the eight of Deuteronomy by its former division it was cantoned into six Provinces 1. Berea 2. Iturea 3. Galilee 4. Samaria 5. Judea and 6. Idumea but made one Province of the Roman Empire as it is now of the Turkish the chief Cities were Coesaria Samaria and Jerusalem of which a little must needs bespoken For to speak nothing of ancient times in the 73. year after Christ Jerusalem was taken and destroyed by Titus with the slaughter and captivity of infinite thousands In the year 136. it was restored by Aelius Adrianus new-named Aelia and given in possession to the Jews In the time of Constantine and Helena his Mother it fell into the hands of the Christians and so continued until the dayes of our Henry the fourth at which time it was again taken by the Sultan of the Sarazens and the Christians clean banishment In the year 1097. in a general Council for the delivery of the Holy-Land Holyland the Crossed Knights were instituted throughout Christendom and Godfrey of Bulloygne chosen General of three hundred thousand footmen and one hundred thousand horse These Knights did many famous acts recovered the Land instituted a Monarchy and though sometime with loss continued some defence thereof until the year of our Lord 1517. and then was it overcome by the Turkish Armies of the aforesaid victorious Selymus who at this day retain it in miserable servitude under a certain Tribute or imposition upon such Christians as are permitted to live here There are now therefore two or more Monasteries or Religious Houses where Fryars do abide and make a good commodity of shewing the Sepulchre of Christ and other Monuments unto such Christian Pilgrims as do use superstitiously to go in Pilgrimage to the Holy Land And so it resteth peopled with men of divers Nations and Sects as Saracens Arabians Turks Hebrews and Christians whereof some follow the Latine Church some the Greek as the Graecians Syrians Armenians Georgians Nestorians Jasâ—bites Nubians Marodits Abessines Indians and Egyptians every one having their peculiar Bishops whom they obey But to particularize a little further GALILIE upon the North is invironed with the steep hills of Libanus and Antilibanus upon the West with Phenicia upon the East with Coelosyria and upon the South with Samaria and Arabia the desart The soil is most fruitful yielding all sorts of Trees and divided by Jordan upon whose banks stand very many Towns and Villages and so well watered either with mountain Torrents or Springs that no part thereof lyeth unmanured The Country is the more famous for that in it standeth amongst the rude mountains the small Villages of Nazareth Nazareth the place of our Lords conception And at this day there is a small Chappel archt and built under ground whereinto a man must descend by stairs Here some say the Angel appeared unto Mary and foretold her that she should conceive and bring forth our Lord. The Inhabitants are Arabians short and thick men rudely apparelled and weaponed with Bows Swords and Daggers In this Region likewise standeth the Mount Thabor whose North part is inaccessible and whereon our Lord was transfigured according to the blessed Evangelist SAMARIA lyeth in a most delicate plot of Palestine Samaria but in bigness not comparable to Judea or Galilie The soil is partly mountainous partly champian pleasant fruitful and very well watered