Ioppa and Silicia to the Streights betweene Spain and Mauritania Into this Sea Ionas was cast when the Whale deuoured him In like manner the Red sea and all others that are ocean seas are called Tharsis as appeareth in the 72 Psalme where it is said The Kings of Tharsis and of the Isles shall bring Presents Here the Kings whose Empires extend themselues alongst the sea coast are vnderstood But the city Tharsis the countrey of the Apostle Paul is not a kingdome neither euer had a King much lesse many Kings So Solomon sent his shippes by Tharsin that is by sea towards the Southeast into the Red sea and Eastern Ocean that they might bring gold pretious stones and sweet gummes from Arabia But the ships could not saile by the Red sea vnto the town of Tharsis vnlesse they would haue sailed ouer the land which is vnpossible because Tharsis lieth into the land from the Red sea as all Cosmographers agree So also the Psalmist saith Thou breakest with thy strong windes the ships of Tharsis that is of the sea beside many such like speeches From whence S. Ierom concludes that Tharsis may better signifie the sea than the city Tharsis Of the Euxine sea THe Euxine Ocean is that great and troublesome sea which beginning not farre from Constantinople runneth from Bosphorus and Thrace towards the East and North containing to the Longitude eight hundred miles but to the Latitude two hundred and eighty Towards the South it toucheth vpon Asia the lesse towards the East vpon Calcos towards the West Thracia and Valachia but towards the North it is ioyned to the poole of Maeotides This sea in times past was called Pontus Axenus that is the inhospitable country because as Strabo lib. 1. of his Cosmography saith The inhabitants neere about the sea-shore did vsually sacrifice those strangers they got or else cast their bodies vnto dogs to he deuoured making drinking cups of their skuls But after when the Ionians had built certain townes vpon the sea coast and had restrained the incursions of certaine Scythian theeues which vsually preyed vpon Merchants that resorted thither at the command of Pontus their King who had obtained a large and spatious kingdom in that country they called it Pontus Euxinus which is as much to say as the hospitable country Ovid testifieth almost the same concerning the originall of the name of this sea after this manner Frigida me cohibent Euxini littora Ponti Dictus ab antiquis Axinus ille fuit The chilly shores of th' Euxine sea constraines me to abide In antient time call'd Axinus as it along did glide Of Ninus or Nineveh NInus or Nineveh was a city of Assyria where the Emperours of that country vsed to keep their courts It was first built by Ninus that great Emperour of the first Monarchy 300 yeares after the floud and 2000 before Christ about the time when the Patriarch Abraham was borne It continued in great glory for the space almost of 1500 yeares and was distant from Ierusalem toward the Northeast 684 miles vpon the East side ioyning to the riuer Tygris on the North to the Caspian sea It takes the name from the beauty of it being deriued of Navah which signifieth A comely place spatious and pleasant There are many that are of opinion that in many things it exceeded Babylon as for the sumptuousnesse of the buildings the strength of the Walls and the extent The walls were so thicke that three Chariots might haue met vpon them without any danger and beautified with an hundred and fifty towers Ionas being sent of God to this city was three daies going through it that is as Luther expounds it through euery street of it in which time he conuerted a hundred and twenty thousand to repentance Arbaces who was also called Arphaxad was then Emperor This Arbaces Iustine lib. 2. calleth Arbactus he was a Captaine of the Medes who perceiuing the effeminat disposition of Sardanapalus the then Emperour taking aduantage of the times and this mans weaknesse conspired with some of his companions to vsurp vpon his gouernment and that he might make them hate and loath his loosenesse brought them into a room where the might see him sitting amongst his harlots tyred in womans apparell and carding wooll This sight greatly displeasing them and before being encouraged by Arbactus they seised vpon the city and besieged Sardanapalus in his palace But to preuent the miserie of a shameful death after he had gathered all his riches together he set fire on his palace where he his companions and treasure perished This fire continued 15 daies and hapned 823 yeares before Christ about which time Arbactus succeeded Sardanapalus began to reign and continued his gouernment 28 yeres But the Medes held not the Assyrian Empire long for Phul Belochus who at this time reigned in Babylon and his successour Tiglath Philasser are called Kings of Assyria betweene whom there hapned many great Warres 2 Kings 15.26 From whence may be gathered That after the death of Arbactus these Emperours dwelt in Niniveh and succeeded in the Empire Thus was this city greatly defaced with continuall euills the Lord before hand giuing them many admonitions and gentle corrections if it had bin in them to haue conceiued it to winne them to repentance but they continued still in their sins therefore according to their former prophecies Cyaxares King of the Medes besieging this towne tooke it and destroyed it euen vnto the ground as Eusebius saith This desolation hapned 13 yeares before the destruction of Ierusalem in the 11 yeare of Sadyattis King of the Lyddians who was grandfather to Croesus An. mundi 3349 before Christ 619. After this destruction it lay a long time desolat but at length some part of it was restored though with much trouble then when it was at the best estate constrained to suffer many changes and at length vtterly destroied by Tamerlane the Great the second time An. mun 3390. After this the inhabitants of that countrey vpon the East side of the riuer Tygris began the third time to build it But whether this third restoring of this City was at the command of some Prince that had the gouernment of the Country thereabouts or because of the scituation or for priuat profit it is not set down neuerthelesse it is again repaired standing on the borders of Armenia beautified with goodly buildings with faire and spatious streets compassed about as other cities of the East are with walls and ditches sufficiently strengthned to oppose the Enemy But in respect of the former Niniveh it seemes a small village It hath a bridge built of ships lying vpon the East side of it ouer the riuer Tygris and vpon that side of the Riuer there stand many faire gardens and orchards and the land there also is very fertil and pleasant But vpon the West of Tygris the soile is nothing so fruitfull At this day it is called by the name of Mossel so that although
Abraham was buried the place where Cain killed Abel the Well where Adam and Eva wept seuen years for the death of their son with many such like fables which are to no purpose seeing they are not warrantable by Scripture Some bows shoot Eastward from this place is the field of Damascus where the red earth lieth whereof they feigne man to be made It is naturally tough may be wrought like wax or pitch There is also that is white of the same kind and this is conueyed to many places by the Saracens and sold at deare rates They vse it either for the teering of Sepulchres or to mingle with salves and vnguents Of Gerar. GErar is the vttermost towne in the land of Canaan and lieth between the desarts of Sur and Cades Gen. 20. Here King Abimelech kept his court at such time as Abraham came thither here Isaac was born Gen. 21. It takes the name from Gor which signifies a Pilgrim or Traueller and did well agree with the condition of the antient patriarchs that somtime liued there because for the most part they were like Pilgrimes and wayfaring men Gen. 47. It lay six miles from Hebron Southwest and from Ierusalem 30 vpon the territories of the tribe of Iuda Of Beerazaba BEerazaba is a towne scituated vpon the vtmost bounds of the Holy land forty miles from Ierusalem Southwestward and is deriued from Berr and Shebuah and signifieth the Wel of couenant for Abraham hauing digged a Wel neere to this place Abimelech King of Gerar entred into league with him and his posteritie Isaac also renued this league in this place as appears Gen. 21. It is now called Gallim or Giblin by the Iewes In S. Hieromes time it was a great towne Of Moriah VPon this Mount Abraham would haue offered his son Isaac and stood not far from Salem or mount Sion where Melchisedech dwelt They were so neere that Melchisedech vpon the tower of Sion might easily see the Angell that spake with Abraham when he renewed the couenant with him concerning his seed and posteritie and is deriued from Mor or Marar which signifies bitter Myrrh because as Gregorius saith the Church is euer subiect to affliction For all they that will serue God and liue religiously must suffer persecution Mat. 16. 2 Tim. 3. and Iarr which signifies to feare How Abraham may be typically apprehended ABraham signifies The father of a multitude from Ab pater a Father Ram excelsus Mighty and Hamon multitudinis Of a multitude Not in regard of the Iewes only but all those that in succeeding times shall be ingraffed into the Church and partake of euerlasting life through the mediation of Christ Iesus the promised seed Gal. 3. Ephes 1. Acts 3. and is a Type and figure of God the Father for as that Abraham was the father of many yet had but only one son so although God be the father of all nations yet had but one only son Iesus Christ begotten of his owne essence from before the beginning of the world And as Abraham so loued God that for his sake he would not haue spared his only son so God so loued Abraham and the World that hee gaue his only begotten son to die for the saluation of their soules The Trauels of Lot LOt trauelled with Abraham from Vr in Chaldaea to Haran in Mesopotamia which is 336 miles Gen. 12. 2 From Haran they trauelled to Sichem in the land of Canaan being 400 miles 3 From Sichem they trauelled through Morae to the hil lying between Bethel and Hay which is 24 miles 4 From the hill between Bethel and Hay they went into Egypt which is 240 miles Gen. 13. 5 From Egypt they went into the land of Canaan to the hil lying between Bethel and Hay where Abraham had dwelt before which is 240 miles Gen. 13. 6 From the hil between Bethel and Hay Lot separated himselfe from Abraham and went to the towne of Sodom Eastward which is 28 miles Gen. 13. 7 In the town of Sodom Lot was taken prisoner hee and all his houshold and led away to the town of Dan which is 32 miles Gen. 14. 8 And when Abraham had deliuered him out of the hands of his enemies pursued them he returned with him from Dan to Hobam in Phoenicia lying on the left side of Damascus being 80 miles 9 From Phoenicia Abraham came again with Lot to Sodom which is 160 miles 10 Lastly when the Lord had determined to raine fire and brimstone on Sodom Lot according to his commandement went thence to Zoar a little town neere adioyning where being drunk with Wine hee committed incest with both his daughters but after comming to the knowledge of his offence he was so sore afflicted in his conscience that with extreme grief he died Luther saith that Abraham tooke him to Hebron with him to comfort him and that there he died Hebron is 36 miles from Sodom So all the trauels of the Patriarch Lot were 1652 miles The Description of the Townes and places where he trauelled And first of Sodom THe cities that were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen were foure in number that is Sodom Gomorah Adama and Zeboim lying 24 miles from Ierusalem South-eastward where now the dead sea runs The fift was the city Bela called also Zoar which was spared for Lots sake distant from Sodom two miles This Lot accounted but a little City but there are that say it was a very spatious and princely place neere to which his wife for her disobedience was turned into a pillar of salt and not far off he committed incest with his two daughters And although Luther be of opinion that that also within a while after was burnt yet this cannot bee certainly prooued especially because it remaineth euen to this day scituated both in the antient place and called by the antient name vnlesse some new City hath beene lately built in the same place and is now called after that name which I cannot thinke to be true Sodamah signifieth a Mysterie Gomorah a Faggot of Thornes Adamah Red earth Zeboim Fertile and Pleasant Zoar The burning of Baela for in antient times it was called Baela It is the receiued opinion that the country wherein these fiue rich and opulent cities stood was called Pentapolis Of the Lake or dead Sea called Asphaltides IN the very same place where these Cities were burnt and destroyed there is at this day to be seene a Lake about 36 miles long and in some places six in others eight and 12 miles ouer It boileth with pitch and brimstone and in some places passeth by the name of the salt sea and in others the dead sea because of the noisome and venomous aire that riseth out of it insomuch as the very birds that fly ouer it fall down dead and if a beast doe but drink of it mixt with water it makes him incurably sick It is of a wonderfull nature for whatsoeuer heauy thing you fling into it will not sinke
vp of water for the riuer Kison begins at the foot of this mountain and diuides it self into diuers parts vntill it commeth to the hill Hermon and then it runs into two principal streams the one passeth toward the East into the sea of Galilee the other to the West towards Carmel and so into the Mediterranian sea There be some that are of opinion that neither raine nor dew falls vpon this hil because when Saul was slain Dauid cursed these mountains saying Let neither rain nor dew fal vpon you ô yee mountaines of Gilboa because the strong men of Israel were slaine there 2 Sam. 1. But this was but a figuratiue speech wherby Dauid would expresse the greatnesse of his sorrow for Borchardus the Monke speaking of this mountain saith That as he was ascending vpon it there was such a violent showre fell that he was wet through his clothes and the waters in great aboundance ran into the vallies And in the yeare of our Lord 1283 sleeping vpon this hill on the Eve of All Saints there was a great dew fell vpon his clothes onely some parts of it were very stony and barren as are many other mountains in that country Of Endor THis was a town in the tribe of Manasses neere the riuer Kison Ios 17. where Saul asked counsell of a witch 1 Sam. 28. It seemes to take the name from a fountaine of durance for Dor signifies he hath made sure It is distant from Ierusalem 44 miles toward the North. In S. Ieroms time this was but a smal village Of Bethsan THis was a city in the Tribe of Manasses betweene Bethulia and the sea of Galile some 44 miles from Ierusalem toward the North Iosh 17. It taketh the name from a Church-yard or a place of rest for Beth signifieth a house and Iaschan he hath slept Here Saul killed himselfe and the Philistines cut off his head and set it vpon the wall of this citie Afterward about S. Ieroms time Ptolomie called this Scythopolis You may reade in the second booke of the Macchabes how it was the towne of the Scythians for the Scythians which dwelt some 800 miles from Ierusalem towards the North came with a great army into the Holy land and by force woon this citie and dwelt there of whom it was called the Scythian towne Ioseph in lib. 2. de Bell. Iud. cap. 18. remembreth a strange accident that hapned neere this towne for the Iewes besieging it there were of their own nation that dwelt within the city who that they might make a priuate gaine took wages of the Scythians to oppose their brethren and countreymen by which meanes the Scythians got the better But after a while the Scythians considering that the number of the Iewes were great and fearing some sudden insurrection or innouation gaue them warning to depart and leaue the towne they though with great griefe as being prest with a two-fold necessity their owne wants and the hatred of their kindred did so relying meerely vpon the courtesie of strangers But about some two dayes after in the night time the inhabitants of Scythopolis breaking out of the citie vnawarres fell vpon them and in recompence of their kindnesse put to the sword some thirteen thousand many slaine vnawares some as they were eating and most in their sleepe After they had committed this massacre they compassed about the wood where they were took away all their substance and suffered not a man to depart aliue Wherefore one Simon the soone of a certaine ancient and noble Citizen called Saul perceiuing their present miserie and that there was no hope to escape iminent death and vtter ruine in a cruell and desperate maner breakes out into these words O miserable wretch that I am that against my owne conscience haue lift vp these impious hands against my countrey committing daily massacres to pleasure them who at this day lay violent hands vpon all wee haue die therefore thou that art thus profane and with thine owne hands make an end of thy wretched life since thou doest not deserue to die honourably in the face of the enemy but wretchedly in a corner and for thine owne offence So soone as he had ended these words he turned him about with a fierce countenance and falling vpon his father mother wife and children put them all to the sword after burnt his goods and to make an end of the tragedy ran himselfe vpon his owne weapon These things hapned but a little before Vespasian came into the land of Iudaea At this day this Citie Sythopolis is called after the antient name Bethsan The typicall representation of SAVL SAul if it be properly taken doth sometime signifie a Graue or Sepulchre and sometimes Hell being deriued from Scheuol which may be taken for both As therefore Saul persecuted innocent Dauid with an inueterate malice euen vnto the death so the sonnes of Sathan euil and wicked men persecute Christ and his members with an immoueable malice sparing neither Prophets nor Apostles neither such as are religious no nor Christ himself but with cruell torments put them to lingering deaths till they be vtterly exryrpate as they thinke and then wanting objects to satisfie their sauage mindes they follow their owne diuellish councels till with Saul they come to desperate ends Schaul or Saul if it be taken in the better part signifieth He hath desired or called The Philistines trauels from their Campe to Michmas THe Philistines incamped themselues at Michmas vpon Mount Ephraim some ten miles from Ierusalem Northward and out of the Philistines campe there issued three armies to spoile the countrey The one marched towards Ophra and went from Michmas to Salem 28 miles From thence they went to Ophra 4 miles The second went from Michmas to Bethoron 8 miles The third went from Michmas to the valley of Zeboim eight miles So all the Trauels of the Philistines were 58 miles Of Zoboim THis valley is not farre from Ierusalem in the Tribe of Benjamin Nehem. 11. The trauels of Ionathan Sauls sonne IOnathan went from Gibeah to Kiriath-jearim which was two miles where hee draue the Philistines out of their campe 1 Sam. 13. From thence he went backe againe two miles From thence he went to Michmas which is 8 miles and there by the helpe of his Armor-bearer he gaue the Philistines a great ouerthrow 1 Sam. 14. From thence hee followed the enemy to Aialon wich is 12 miles there his father would haue put him to death because he had tasted a little hony 1 Sam. 14. From Aialon Saul and his sonne Ionathan returned to Gibeah his owne citie which was two miles From Gibeah hee went with his father to Socho and Asecha which was 8 miles where after Dauid had slaine Goliah for that singular vertue and heroicall spirit which Ionathan saw in him he loued him as he did his owne soule and preferred him before his owne life and honour 1 Sam. 18. From thence he went with his father to Gibeah some 8
carrieth the smell vnto the red sea and they that saile can easily discerne the sweetnesse of the aire There is gold also found there very fine and pure insomuch as for the goodnesse of it it is called Arabian gold The Phoenix is found there of which there is but one in the world Pliny lib. 9. cap. 35. describes her to be as big as an Eagle with a list of feathers like gold about her necke the rest are of a purple colour therefore from Phoenicea and the purple colour of her wings shee is called Phoenix Shee hath a tuft of feathers vpon her head like vnto a crowne Shee liueth 660 yeares at the end of which time she buildeth her a nest of Cassia Cinnamon Calamus and other pretious Gummes and herbs which the Sun by the extremitie of the heate and the wauing of her wings fires and she taking delight in the sweetnesse of the sauor houers so long ouer it that she burnes her selfe in her owne nest Within a while after out of the marrow of her bones and the ashes of her body there groweth a worme which by little and little increaseth to some bignesse and after to a purple bird Then her wings extend themselues to a full greatnesse till such time as she commeth to be a perfect Phoenix This Bird doth liuely represent our Sauiour Christ who only and alone is the true Messiah and through whom we must expect euerlasting life who in the fulnesse of time offered himself a Sacrifice vpon the Crosse sustaining the punishment for sin at the time of his Passion putting on a purple robe being all be sprinkled with his owne bloud Ioh. 19. And as the Phoenix is burnt in her owne nest so likewise was hee consumed in the fire of Gods wrath according to that in the 22 Psal My heart is become like melting wax in the middest of my body And as the Phoenix of it selfe begetteth another of the same kinde so Christ by the power of his Deitie raised vp his body from the dust of the earth and ascended vp into heauen a glorious body to sit at the right hand of his father in that euerlasting Kingdome of glory Thus gentle Reader I thought fit to describe vnto you these two townes that when you shall reade of them in the holy Scripture the one being in Aethiopia towards the South the other in Arabia Foelix and called Seba you might discerne the one from the other of both which there is mention in the 72 Psalme The Kings of the Sea and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Saba and Seba shall giue gifts The Trauels of King Pharaoh out of Aegypt when he ouercame the Towne of Gazer 1 Reg. 9. IN the 16 yeare of King Dauid Anno mundi 2906 and before Christ 1602 Chabreus King of Aegypt began to raigne and raigned 56 yeares Diod. lib. 2. cap. 2. Herodotus calleth this man Chephrines in his second booke and Eusebius Nepher Cherres He went from Memphis the chiefe Citie of Aegypt with a great armie 268 miles euen vnto the tribe of Ephraim and there tooke Gazer a Citie of the Leuites and burned it with fire 1 Reg. 8. Ios 21. After he came to Ierusalem which was 28 miles And this city which he had thus destroied he gaue to his daughter the wife of Solomon 1 Reg. 9. From thence he returned to Memphis in Aegypt 244 miles So all the Trauels of King Pharaoh were 244 miles Of Memphis MEmphis is a great city in Egypt where commonly the kings of that country keepe their Courts and lyeth from Ierusalem 244 miles South-westward This citie was built a little before the floud but repaired and enlarged by a king called Ogdoo who in loue of his daughter after her name called it Memphis You may reade of it in the ninth of Hosea called there by the name of Moph for thus he saith The people of Israel are gone out of the land of Ephraim because of their Idolatrie into Aegypt but Aegypt shall gather them vp Moph that is Memphis shall bury them Moph or Mapheth in this place signifieth A prodigious wonder but the rest of the Prophets call it Noph for the fertilitie pleasantnes of the country as you may reade Esa 19. The Princes of the Zoan are become foolish and the Princes of Noph or of Memphis are deceiued See also Ierem. 2.44.46 Ezech. 30. in which places you may find it called after this name Zoan is the citie Tanis where Moses wrought all his miracles But Noph or Moph is this Memphis a beautifull towne large and spacious scituated in the strongest and profitablest place in Aegypt diuided into two parts by the riuer Nilus so that any kind of commodities or merchandise might with ease bee brouht thither by water for which cause the kings of that countrie for the most part kept their abiding there Strabo saith lib. 17. That vpon the East part of this citie there standeth a Tower or Castle called Babylon built by certaine Babylonians who leauing their owne countrey by the permissions of the kings of Egipt dwelt there in after times there was placed a garrison in it one of the three which were for the defence of Aegypt and by Ptolomy was called Babilon through both which viz. Memphis and Babilon Nilus passed the one standing vpon the East side the other vpon the West Zoan or Tanis stood about some foure miles from this towne and was a faire spacious citie also scituated towards the South vpon the East side of Nilus to which the kings of that country often resorted and Heliopolis anothet faire citie stood some six miles off that towards the Northeast All these foure townes were so wonderfully inhabited by reason of their pleasant profitable scituation that in processe of time they become all one citie and in this age is called Alcaire containing in circuit 60 miles so that it seemeth to spectators to be like a country replenished with nothing but fair houses goodly churches strong towers exceeding all the rest of the cities of Egypt aswell for the beautifulnesse of the place as the extent and largenesse of it It is reported that in the yeare of our Lord 1476 there was such an extreme pestilence in it that there died 20000 a day from whence may be gathered how infinitely it is peopled Neere to this towne stood the Pyramides which are held to he one of the wonders of the World as Strabo saith lib. 17. the height of one of them was 625 foot and square on each side 883 foot it was twentie yeares a building a hundred thousand workemen emploied about it whence it may be easily gathered how hard and difficult it was in those times to get stone it being for the most part brought from Arabia and at what an excessiue charge they were that set vp them Of Gazar This Citie is described in the Trauels of Solomon The Trauels of Hadad King of Idumaea WHen Dauid conquered Idumaea Hadad
spectators In it the Kings of the Medes Persians and Parthians were for the most part honourably buried the gouernement whereof was committed to a Priest of the Iewes as Iosephus saith lib. Antiq. 10. cap. 4. From Egbatan he returned backe againe to Babylon which was 464 miles and there died anno mun â—445 and before Christ 533. So all the trauels of the Prophet Daniel were 2184 miles Of the places to which he trauelled Of Susan SVsa or Susan is so called from a sweet smelling floure but chiefely a Rose or a Lillie because it is scituated in a faire and pleasant place It was a goodly citie lying on both sides of the riuer Eulaeus some 200 furlongs that is 25 miles English about as Policletus saith And of this citie all the country round about is called Susana bordering towards the North vpon Assiria towards the West vpon Babylon towards the South vpon the Gulph of Persia and joyneth vpon the East part of Persia towards the East There are but two cities that are eminent in it that is this and another called Tariana The aire in the Winter season is very temperate at which time the earth bringeth forth many pleasant floures and fruits but in the Summer it is extreme hot by which heate all things are scorched and burned away and by reason of the putrifaction of the aire as some think in that season there doe breed toads lyzards and other noysome serpents in great abundance so that the inhabitants are constrained partly because of the heat partly because of the loathsome and dangerous creatures to build their houses all of earth long and narrow the walls and roofes being at least a yard thicke that so the heat might not pierce through them or serpents breed in them Strabo lib. Geograph 5. saith that one Tython the brother of Laomedon king of Troy did first build this citie about such time as Thola judged Israel After him his sonne Nemmon beautified it with a faire and goodly castle calling it after his own name Memnon Of this man Homer speaketh This castle was such a goodly thing that a long time after his death the towne was called Memnon as Strabo obserueth but in Hester and Daniels times it was called Susa and the inhabitants Susans The Persian Emperors in those times keeping their courts there for the most part and did greatly beautifie the citie with faire buildings The first of these Emperours that liued here was Cyrus who after hee had conquered Babylon Assiria and many other Kingdomes and countries lying neere to the citie Susa that he might with more ease and better safety retaine them in his gouernment remoued his court from Persepolis which lay vp in the East part of Persia to this towne where all the Winter season for the most part he liued and in the Summer went to Egbatan the chiefe citie of Media because there at that season the aire was very temperate His successors after him obseruing the same course for their better conueniencie and to make euident their greater magnificence repaired the Castle of Memnon joyned to it many faire and goodly buildings and close by it planted a pleasant orchard of diuerse and sundry sorts of trees and hearbes It is reported that the gate whereby they entred into this orchard was very curiously built supported with pillars of polished marble imbossed with siluer and gold very rare to looke vpon ouer it was a banqueting house beautified with liuely pictures costly furniture and beds of gold and siluer couered with rich tapestry wrought with silke siluer and gold vpon these they vsed to eate their banquets it was paued with Porphire Marble and Hyacinths in such sort as it greatly delighted such as beheld it The Queene had a priuate garden to her selfe In which were great abundance of trees of diuers kindes and many sweet floures and herbes In which garden Ahashueras walked to qualifie the heat of his wrath ihat he had conceiued against that wicked and perfidious Hamon who through enuie and ambition sought the destruction of the whole nation of the Iewes lest by giuing place vnto anger he should transgresse the bounds of clemencie and justice wherefore it becommeth euery King Prince and Iudge to imitate the example of this Emperor who in the heate of his anger would determine nothing of so wicked a man for long and often deliberation becommeth euery wise man before he doth any thing Est 7. Not farre from the Emperors pallace in a faire and pleasant Garden there stood a colledge of the Magi that is such as the Persians accounted wise and learned men these were of such account for their knowledge and vnderstanding amongst that people that some of them in succeeding ages were chosen for Kings and gouernors in that countrie They studied for the most part the Mathematickes History Philosophie and Diuinitie and as many haue thought the Prophecies of Daniel Ezekiel and others wherefore as is said before many are of opinion That the Wise men which came into Iudaea to see Christ were of this Colledge and towne because it stood East from Ierusalem It is at this day called Cusistane as Ortelius and Sebastian Munster witnesses and in their times was vnder the gouernment of one Caliphus Emperour of the Saracens This Caliphus was strongly besieged by one Allan the great King of Tartaria in this Towne Anno Dom. 1250. But because of his exceeding couetousnesse and parcimony he lost the citie and was famished to death Of the Riuer Eulaeo VLai which Stra. li. 15. calleth Eulaea passed through the city of Susa and as Pliny saith lib. 6. cap. 27. tooke the beginning at Media and so fell into a whole or cauerne of the earth passed vnder the ground till it came neere to the citie Susa where it brake forth againe and compassed about the tower of Susa and a temple in that city dedicated to Diana The inhabitants hold this riuer in great estimation insomuch as the kings drink of no other water and for that purpose carry it a great way Strabo according to the testimony of Polycletus saith That there are two other Riuers of good account which passeth through Persia viz. Choaspes Tigris but neither of them are in like estimation as this is Of Elam PErsia in antient times was called after this name from Elam the sonne of Sem. But after Perseus had obtained a large and spacious gouernmâ—nt in that country it was after his name called Persia Elam signifieth a youth or a young man Of Egbatana or Egbatan THis is the metropolitan city of the Medes and is distant from Ierusalem 1136 miles towards the Northwest built by Deioce King of the Medes as Herod lib. 2. saith Here Daniel built a faire Temple of which you may reade more in his trauels Of this towne you may reade more in the trauels of Iudeth The typicall signification of Daniel DAniel signifies the Iudge of God tipically representing Christ who is appointed by that eternall Iehouah to
glory Of Capernaum THis city was so called from the pleasant and comfortable scituation of it In the Hebrew text Mathew cals it Capharnacum i. The town of comfort being deriued of Nocham i. Consolation In this town our Sauior dwelt after he had left Nazareth and in it wrought many miracles as the healing of the sick casting out of diuels and such like whereof you may read Mat. 8. Mark 1. Luke 5.7 Iohn 4. It stood in the land of Genesareth vpon the West and North side of Iordan in an angle of land ioyning to the sea of Galile 56 miles from Ierusalem Northward in the tribe of Issacher and as it is thought by some iust in the middest of the twelue tribes Mat. 9. calls it the city of our Sauior And that Christ was no stranger but an inhabitant of this city it is manifest Mat. 17. where Christ when he gaue tribute to the magistrats of this city asked Peter saying Of whom doe the Kings of the earth take tribute Peter said Of strangers Then quoth hee the children are free yet neuerthelesse c. From whence may be gathered that he was no stranger but an inhabitant in Capernaum It had vpon the Northside of it the three Tribes Nepthalim Aser and Zabulon vpon the South Benjamin Iuda Dan and Simeon vpon the West Issacher Ephraim and the halfe Tribe of Manasses and vpon the East Reuben Gad and the other halfe tribe of Manasses so that our Sauior Christ dwelt in the midst of the 12 tribes of Israel Furthermore it was a goodly market towne and had as well relation to Tyrus and Sidon two townes of the Gentiles within 44 miles of it as to Ierusalem from whence may be verified that saying of Esa ca. 8.9 The land of Zebulon and Nepthalim neere the way of the sea beyond Iordan and Galile of the Gentiles a people which sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death saw a great Light This town is therfore instly called the city of Comfort and Consolation since our Sauior Christ dwelt there who with his doctrine and preaching refreshed comforted all such as were afflicted with the burthen of their sins But the great men that were inhabitants of this City had more respect to their priuat profit than to the doctrine miracles that Christ wrought among them from whence it came to passe that they did as it were neglect and contemne that good which God had offered vnto them which made our Sauior say And thou Capernaum which seemest to be exalted vp vnto heauen shalt be cast down into hell for if the miracles had been done in Sodom and Gomorah which haue been done in thee they had continued vntill this day Verily verily I say vnto you It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorah in the day of Iudgment than for thee Mat. 11. For there was no such benefit offered to any Citie neither such honours and dignities as were to Capernaum our Sauior himselfe dwelling there Wherefore for their ingratitude and impiety the city hath diuers times bin wasted and destroied as well by the Romanes as other nations so that at this day this glorious city is become so desolate that there is scarce 8 houses standing and they also like small sheds Of Sichar IN antient time this towne was called Sichem of which you may reade more both in the trauels of Iacob and Abimilech After it came to be called Sichar according to the opinion of Luther vpon Genesis because the inhabitants of that country were giuen to pleasure and voluptuousnesse the greatest part of their delight being in drinking and quaffing for Sichar being deriued of Schachar signifieth to bee drunke or inordinately to swallow sweet and pleasant wine of which there was great plenty in that towne made of the juice of Apples the fruit of Palme trees and honey which may very well resemble Hipocras or Metheglin as some Authors haue it And although by the incursion of the Romanes it was vtterly wasted and left desolate yet in succeeding times it was rebuilt and called Nicapolis that is a New towne It is scituated very pleasantly and aboundeth with all manner of delights but it is vnfortified neither can it by any meanes bee fortified neither haue the inhabitants any helpe if they be oppressed by the Enemy but to fly for it is scituated in the middle of a valley betweene two high mountaines so that a man may fling a stone from the top of one of them into the city About two bowes shoot without the South gate of this towne is to be seene the Fountaine or Well of Iacob vpon the brimme of which our Sauiour Christ sate when hee was wearie as wee may reade in the fourth of Iohn This Well standeth iust in the way as Pilgrimes trauell to Ierusalem Vpon the right hand aboue this Well there standeth a mountain of an exceeding height diuided into two tops the one of them being called Gerizim the other Heball In mount Gerizim the Patriarch Ioshuah built an Altar and the people standing vpon mount Heball he caused the whole booke of Deuteronomie to be read ouer with the Blessings and Cursings so that all the people might heare them for thus we reade in Ios 8. The one halfe of the people stood close by Mount Gerizim and the other by mount Heball c. Deuteronom Chap. 27. These two great mountaines began vpon the right side of the Citie Sichar and extended themselues in length to the Citie of Iericho Vpon the left side of this Wel is to be seen the ruins of a great towne which is thought to be the old Sichem and by the relicks that remaine there it may be iudged to haue been a very goodly Citie For there are yet to bee seene certaine broken Pillars of Marble as also large and spatious Buildings which in times past without question haue beene very goodly things and standeth wonderfull pleasantly the soile round about it beeing very pleasant and fruitfull onely there is want of water This Towne lieth some two Bowes shoot from Sichar and the inhabitants of that place judge this Sichar to be Thebez where Abimelech died Iudg. 9. Not farre from Iacobs Well is to be seene that piece of ground which Iacob gaue to Ioseph more than the rest of his brethren Gen. 48. It is a long valley very fruitfull and pleasant where there lies buried in a certaine faire garden the bones of Iacob and Ioseph which were brought out of Aegypt Iosh 24. the reliques of which sepulchre are yet to be seene Mount Garizim or Gerizim is so called from the cutting downe of Trees for Garaz signifies To cut downc Vpon this Mountaine is to be seene euen to this day the place where the Temple stood that was built by Sanballath dedicated to Iupiter Olympius in contempt of the Temple of Ierusalem The chiefe Priest of this Temple was one Manasses a fugitiue of the stocke of Leui. This Manasses was brother to Iaddus chiefe Priest of Ierusalem
aliue 2 Reg. 14. which was 32 miles From Bethsemes hee went to Ierusalem and carried the King thereof with him captiue which was 4 miles He woon the citie and broke downe the Walls of it from the gate of Ephraim till you come to the Angle gate foure hundred cubits in length 2 Reg. 14. From the Citie of Ierusalem Ioas the conquerer returned to Samaria with the spoile of the temple and of the Kings house with many captiues and a great prey which was 32 miles where at the end of the seuenteenth yeare of his raigne he died and was buried In this mans time Elisha the Prophet died 2 Reg. 13. 14. So all the trauels of Ioas were 96 miles Of Bethsemes Of this Citie you may reade before The Trauels of Ieroboam the second of that name King of Israel THis Ieroboam succeeded his father Ioas in the Kingdome of Israel and began his raigne Anno mundi 3123 and before Christ 845 which according to the text of the Bible happened about the 15 yeare of Amasia King of Iuda and hee raigned 41 yeares 2 Reg. 14. He kept his court at Samaria where the Prophet Ionas told him that he should recouer not only the townes and cities of the land of Israel that had beene lost but also the cities of Hemeth and Damascus Wherefore he gathered a great army out of the citie of Samaria and went thence vnto Hemeth or Antiochia in Syria which was 248 miles This Citie he conquered and all the countrey thereabout so that he recouered all the ancient Townes and Cities that belonged to Dauid and Saul euen from Hemeth in Syria to Soba in Armenia with all the Cities Townes Castles and Countries neer adjoyning to them 2 Reg. 14. From Hemeth or Antiochia he went to Damascus which is 140 miles This citie he also tooke and all the countrie of Syria round about he made tributary to him 2 Reg. 14. From Damascus he went to the Red sea euen 320 miles and also recouered all the South part which in times past belonged vnto the kingdome of Israel 2 Reg. 14. After this he returned to Samaria his owne countrey which was 192 miles where in the 41 yeare of his raigne he died and was there buried After his death the kingdome of Israel was oppressed with tyranny vntill it was destroied by forreine nations and for the space of 12 yeares there was no King that succeeded him In the raigne of this king a little before his death there hapned an horrible earthquake of which you may reade Amos 1. which without doubt did foreshew some eminent changes that should happen in that kingdome as did afterward Zac. 41. So all the trauels of Ieroboam the second of that name were 900 miles Of Zachariah King of Israel TWelue yeares after the death of Ieroboam Zachariah his son began his raigne in Israel in the 38 yeare of Azaria king of Iuda which was Anno mundi 3975 and before Christ 793 he raigned six moneths and then was miserably slaine by Sallum his friend 2 Reg. 15. Ioseph lib. Antiq. 9. Of Sallum King of Israel SAllum began to raigne after he had slaine Zachariah in the 39 yeare of Azariah King of Iuda and when hee had raigned scarce a moneth he was slaine by Menahem losing his life and kingdome together 2 Reg. 15. The Trauels of Menahem MEnahem was borne in Thirza in the Tribe of Iuda who began to raigne in the same yeare that he slew Sallum hee raigned ten yeares 2 Reg. 10. From Thirza he went to Samaria with his army which was six miles where hauing slaine Sallum his Lord and King he vsurpt vpon the kingdome 2 Reg. 15. From thence he went to Thipsa which is six miles This towne he cruelly destroied with fire and sword and all the townes thereabout because they refused to open their gates vnto him From Thipsa this cruell tyrant went backe again to Samaria 6 miles where he grieuously afflicted the children of Israel tenne yeares Wherefore the Lord being offended with him for his exceeding crueltie stirred vp Phul Belochus King of Assyria who came from Babylon to Samaria beeing 624 miles and put King Menahem to such an exceeding great streight that hee was constrained to buy and procure his peace with * What this was in our money you may read after in the quantity of monies 1000 talents which mony being receiued he suffered him to enioy his kingdom and returned backe vnto Babylon with all his army 2 Reg. 15. So all the trauels of King Menahem were 18 miles Of Thypsa THis was a towne neere to that kingly city Thirza scituated in the tribe of Manasses 24 miles from Ierusalem Northward But because the inhabitants thereof denied to open their gates to this cruell tyrant Menahem therefore he vtterly destroied it euen to the ground Thipsa signifieth The Paschal Lambe or a Passeouer being deriued of Pasach He passed by Of PEKAHIA King of Israel PEkahia reigned two yeares after his fathers death at the end of which term he was slain by Pekah the son of Remalia who succeeded him in the gouernment Ioseph lib. Antiq. 9. saith That this murther was done at a banquet The Trauels of PEKAH King of Israel PEkah the son of Remalia began to reigâ—â— in Samaria Anno mundi 3189 and before Christ 779. in the 52 yeare of Azariah King of Iudah and reigned ouer Israel 20 yeres 2 Reg. 15. 16. From the city of Samaria he went with Resin King of Syria to Ierusalem which was 32 miles and besieged it but could not take it neuerthelesse he ouercame Ahaz King of Iuda in a great battell and put to the sword in one day aboue 12000 souldiers that bare armor In this war were taken 200000 women children and maids all which hee carried Captiues to Samaria 2 Reg. 16. 2 Chr. 28. From Ierusalem hee returned to Samaria with a great bootie which was 32 miles and at the command of Obed the Prophet set at libertie all his captiues After about the end of the 20 yeare of his reign he was slain by Hosea his chiefe captain who succeeded him in the gouernment 2 Reg. 15. So all the trauels of Pekah were 64 miles Of HOSEA the last King of Israel HOsea began to reign in the fourth yere of Ahas king of Iuda Anno mundi 3209 and before Christ 759. He kept Court at Samaria and was a cruell and wicked King Wherefore God stirred vp Salmanasser Emperour of the Assyrians who about the end of the 7 yeare of his reigne came to Samaria and besieged it for the space of 3 yeares at the end of the third yeare with great labor he won it and all the country round about so that he tooke King Hosea prisoner and led him together with a great multitude of the Iewes amongst which were Gabriel and Raphel the friends of Toby the elder thence to Niniveh captiues beeing 652 miles From Niniveh he sent them to a place called Rages in Medea being 752 miles and
because of the traffick the Iews had with the Grecians among whom it was worth 100 Attick Drachma's i. 3 li. 2 s. 6 d. English Of Mina's there were 3 sorts as appears in Ezech. 45. The common Mina or pound weighing 25 halfe ounces or sicles of the Temple amounted to sixtie Drachma's i. 37 s. 6 d. The Kings Mina or pound weighing 20 half ounces or sicles of the temple amounted to 80 drachmas i. 50 s. The Mina or pound of the Temple or Sanctuarie which weighed 25 halfe ounces or sicles maketh 100 Drachma's i. 3 li. 2 s. 6 d. Of a Talent THe Hebrew talent ordinarily weigheth 125 pounds which being diuided amounteth to 3000 sicles or halfe ounces as it plainly appeareth Exod. 38.25 26. where it is said that 600000 men offered so many halfe sicles which make 300000 sicles the 100 part of which make a talent from whence it appeareth that 3000 sicles make a talent Also Epiphanes obserueth lib. 1. de Pon. That the Attick talent is equall in weight with the Hebrew for as the Hebrew containes 3000 sicles which make 125 li. so the Attick containes 1200 Drachma's which make the same weight and is worth 375 li. of English mony But the Hebrew Talent of gold which for the most part is vsed in euery place is worth 4500 li. in our mony The Iewes had three sorts of talents The common talent weighing 3000 quarters of an ounce or common sicles amounts to 6000 Drachma's which is 187 li. 10 s. The kings talent weighed 3000 of the kings sicles which amounted to 9000 Drachma's which is 281 li. 5 s. The Talent of the Temple or Sanctuary weighed 3000 sicles of the temple which are precisely so many halfe ounces which amount to three hundred seuenty fiue pounds From hence then may easily be gathered that although the Iewes had seueral weights and denominations of siluer and gold yet only one kind was vsually obserued in traffique with other nations and that had correspondencie with their Weights the rest being only for the common sort or particular vses for although there were diuers Sicles Mina's and Talents among themselues yet the common weight whether it was of sicle mina or talent was vsually that which they termed the talent of the temple and that had a iust correspondencie with the Grecian Talent both in weight and worth and this not only among them but also by relation from them to the Italians and that nation obtaining an vniuersall monarchie made it common with vs also Of other Weights vsed among the Iews THey had also other weights which they vsed passing vnder seuerall denominations and differing value as Keseph a siluerling or Nummus which name is very often vsed for a Sicle as appeareth Gen. 20.16 23.16.43.21 2 Sam. 18.11 12. The Caldaeans called this Silga the Hebrews Shekel being precisely halfe an ounce and worth 2. s. 6 d. For 30 of these Siluerlings of the Sanctuarie our Sauior Christ wns sold Mat. 26. which amounteth to 3 li. 15 s. English There was also another kinde of Siluerling or Nummus vsed which was called Siclus but it was the common or vulgar Sicle which was but a quarter of an ounce and was worth but 15 d. There was another kind of siluerling or Nummus vsed which was called Keshitah of which you may reade in three seueral places of Scripture Gen. 33.19 Ios 24.32 Iob. 42.11 and was signed with the image of a Lambe vpon it from whence it is so called The antient Nummus of the Arabians and Chaldaeans was like vnto this as may be gathered by many circumstances out of the places where it is mentioned and was of the same valuation as the Grecians was amongst the Iewes which was 1 d. ob But the Siluerlings mentioned Act 1.9.19 are intended to be Grecian Siluerlings or Nummus and is worth an Attick Drachma for the Grecians reckon their summes of mony by drachmas as the Iewes and Romans by Sicles and Sestertia's and is worth of our mony 7 d. ob You shall read in Mat. 17.24 of a Didrachma which is worth in our mony 15 d. Also Mat. 17.27 of a Stater which is a Greeke Coyne worth 2 s. 6 d. And Mat. 18.22 22.19 c. of a Denarius which was a Roman Coin as is euident Mat. 21. because the image of Caesar was vpon it and was worth 7 d. ob 1 Sam. cap. 2. of a Scruple which was worth 1 d. ob q. c. In Exod. 30. Num. 3. Eze. 45. of an Obulus which was 1 d. q. In Mat. 12. of a Minutus which was ob q. And in Mar. 12. Mat. 5. you shall reade of a coine called Quadrans which was somthing more than halfe a farthing These are briefly the weights and monies the Iewes vsed both forreine and domestick in their trade and commerce Of the gold Weight among the Iewes THe Iewes also had their particular weights for their gold as they had for their siluer the least of which were called Zuza or Drachma which is worth 7 s. 6. d. and more or lesse according to the purenes or basenesse of it It was also called Daikemonim Esd 2. and Nehem. 7. The Chaldaeans call it Edarchonim Esd 8. The common Sicle of gold weighed two Drachma's and was worth 15 s. The Kings sicle weighed 3 drachma's was worth 22 s. 6. d. The sicle of the Temple weighed 4 Drachma's being precisely halfe an ounce and was worth 30 s. The common Mina or pound of gold weighed 60 Drachma's or Hungarian Ducats which is worth 22 li. 10 s. The Kings Mina or pound 80 Drachma's or Hungarian Ducats which is 30 li. English The Mina or pound of the temple weighed 100 Drachma's or Hungarian Ducats which was 2250 li. The common talent of gold weighed 6000 Drachma's or Hungarian Ducats and was 2250 li. The Kings talent weighed 9000 Drachma's or Hungarian ducats which was 3375 li. The talent of the Temple weighed 12000 Drachma's or Hungarian ducats which was of our mony 45000 li. Of gold weights which were not originally the Iewes but borrowed of other Nations and vsed amongst them THere are four kindes of Weights that are mentioned in the Scriptures which were common amongst the Iewes besides the former viz. Zahab of which you may reade 2 Kings 5.5 2 Chr. 9.16 and is called by the name of a Nummus The Sicle of gold 1 Chr. 21.25 which is there also called Nummus Both which being so called seem to signifie a Didrachma of gold and these two were properly belonging to the Iewes The other that follow belonged not to them but they receiued them from other nations as the Stater Drachmon and Adarchon The Stater was an antient piece of gold common amongst the Persians Grecians Romans and other great gouernments being distinguished by the superscription of the Kings or Countries where they were made or coined as the Stater Philippici Darici Alexandrei Romani c. They were pure fine gold some of which were as much in