vanisheth away and is without any corporiall substance In the same moneth of Aprill our Sauiour Christ appeared again to Peter Thomas Nathaniel the sons of Zebedeus and other two Disciples as they were fishing vpon the shore of Tiberias which stood 56 miles from Ierusalem Northward betweene Bethsaida and Capernaum Ioh. 21. The day of this apparition is not set downe From the sea of Tiberias neere to Capernaum and Bethsaida to mount Thabor scituated in Galile is reckoned 10 miles there about the end of April our Sauior Christ appeared to aboue 500 brethren at once where many worshipped him others doubted Mat. 28. 1 Cor. 15. In the month of May our Sauior Christ appeared to Iames the son of Alpheus for he had been seen before of Iames the sonne of Zebedeus both which were after crowned with martyrdom in the city Ierusalem the son of Zebedeus vpon the 25 day of Iuly ten yeares after the resurrection and the sonne of Alpheus vpon the feast day of the Passeouer was throwne from a Pinnacle of the Temple 29 yeares after the resurrection of our Sauior Vpon the 40 day after his resurrection hee returned fiftie sixe miles to Ierusalem where his disciples were assembled together and vpon the fourteenth day of May in the sight of all the Apostles with great triumph and ioy he ascended vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his father in diuine majestie and glory Mar. Luk. vlt. Act. 1. Psal 28. Ephes 1. 1 Pet. 3. Heb. 1. So these Trauels of our Sauior Christ were 319 miles But if you reckon his trauels from the time of his infancie to the day of his ascention they make 3093 miles Besides his generall Visitations and journies hither and thither which were so many that as Iohn witnesseth cap. vlt. they could not be described ¶ Of the townes and places to which he trauelled Of Iericho THis city stood very pleasantly in the tribe of Benjamin ten miles from Ierusalem Northeastward Ioshuah ouercame this towne by sounding of trumpets Ios 6. Heb. 11. it was rebuilt by Hiel and was compassed about with a new wall by Herod that mighty King of the Iews who put the innocent children to death and called it after his mothers name Cyprus Ios de Bell. Iud. lib. 1. cap. 16. And although this city was taken and vtterly ouerthrown the second time by the Romans at such time as Vespasian and his son Titus wasted and destroied Ierusalem and all the land of Iudaea yet afterward it was re-edified and in Ieroms time which was 400 yeares after Christ it was a faire city There was shewn the house of Zacheus and the Sycomore tree that he went vpon to see Christ Luk. 19. But by reason of the often destructions and deuastations that hath fallen vpon it there is not to be seen at this day aboue eight houses in the towne and all the monuments and Reliques of the holy places are vtterly destroyed the house of Zacheus and the Sicomore tree are no more to be seen in that place only the place is to be seen where our Sauiour restored the blind man to sight when hee cried after him Lord thou Sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee Luke Chap. 18. Also though this Countrey throughout be very fruitfull and pleasant yet is it nothing so fertile and pleasant as it was when the Children of Israel did dwell there For the Roses of Iericho are no more to bee found there but rather in a Village about sixteen miles from Iordan towards the East And although they stand so farre distant off yet they retain their antient name Between Ierusalem and Iericho there is a desart or wildernes which by the inhabitants of the holy land is called Quarentena where the man of which Christ speaketh fell among theeues Luk. 10. There is in the same place at this day great theeuing and many roberies committed as Brittenbacchus saith In this place also is to be seen the riuer Chereth where the Rauens fed Eliah 1 Reg. 17. Neere to Iericho also is found the riuer the water whereof Elizaeus made sweet by casting in salt whereas before it was bitter and it remaines very pleasant and sweet to this day 2 Reg. 2. Of Ephraim THis city is so called from the pleasantnesse and fruitfulnes of the soile being deriued from Parah To fructifie It lieth 8 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward iust in the way as you go from thence to Iericho in the wildernesse of Quarentena close by the riuer Chereth in the tribe of Benjamin Heere our Sauiour Christ after he had raised Lazarus from death to life hid himself with his disciples because the Iewes sought to take away his life by deceit The Passeouer following he was made a sacrifice for the sin of man Ioh. 11. Of Bethania THis city was a type of the Church which is alwaies subject to the Crosse and exposed to euery calamitie and therefore is called Bethania that is The house of sorrow and affliction being deriued of Baith an House and Oni Affliction According to the prophecie of our Sauiour who foretold of the afflictions and tribulations that should fall vpon his Church You shall mourn but you shall be comforted and your griefe shall be turned into ioy It was distant from Ierusalem almost two miles towards the South-East Borchardus the Monke obserueth That close by a Well about a stones cast out of this Towne there is shewed the place where Martha met our Sauiour Christ when he came to Bethania and a little after called her sister to meet him Iohn cap. 11. There is also shewne in this Towne the house of Simon the Leper where ◠certaine woman hauing an Alabaster boxe of pretious Ointment poured it on our Sauiors head not without the great indignation of his Disciples Matth. 26. There is also to be seene the house of Martha to which our Sauiour did oftentimes resort Luk. 10. Ioh. 11. 12. and in that place there is at this day a Church built in honour of those two sisters which were the sisters of Lazarus There is also seen the sepulchre out of which Lazarus was raised from death to life Ioh. 11. which stands close by the said Church and ouer it is built a chappell of Marble very decent and comely The Saracens hold this Chappell in great estimation You cannot see the citie of Ierusalem from Bethania because of the mount of Oliues but as soon as you ascend a little hill in the way as you got hence to Ierusalem you may discerne mount Sion and a part of the city then when you are discended from that hill the citie is againe hidden After that vpon the left side of the mount of Oliues some stones cast from Bethpage you doe leaue a small village standing vnder the mountaine of Offence where Solomon in times past committed Idolatry From this village the Asse and the Colt was brought vnto Christ Not farre from thence vpon the South side as you goe vpon the Mount
Lachis 65.51 31.49 Eglon 65.50 31.48 Makeda 65.49 31.52 Libna 95.49 31.50 Debir 65.32 31.46 Bethsur 65.47 31.48 Kechila 65.38 31.47 Maresa 65 42 31.54 Maon 65.38 31.41 Carmel 65.40 31.44 Ziph 65.38 31 43 Arah 65.45 31.37 Hebron 65.33 31.45 Gerer 65.37 31.42 Kades barnea 65.22 31.29 Adar 65.12 31.32 Carcaha 65.06 31.30 Hasmona 65.00 31.30 Bethsemes 65.55 31.55 Beersabah 65.31 31.40 Siclag 65.15 31.37 Ecron 65 â—0 31.58 Azotus 65.35 31.00 Astalon 65.24 31.52 Gath 65.23 31.48 Gaza 65.11 31.40 The townes lying on this side of the riuer Iordan Dan 67 25 33.08 Ior â—ons 67 31 33 07 Caesarea Philippi 67 30 33.05 Seleucia 67.17 32.50 Eruptio fluvij ex Samachoniride palude 67.11 32.44 Capernaum 66.53 31.29 Eruptio fluvij è mare Genezareth 66 43 32.21 Ephion 66.42 32.20 Ennon 66.40 32.16 Gamala 66.55 32.25 Salem 66.37 32.18 Chrit torrens 66.16 31.57 Ostia Iordanis 66.17 31.54 Engedi 66.22 31.43 Zoar vel Sagor 66.17 31.38 Eruptio Zered 66.19 31.34 Townes standing beyond Jordan Mirba 66.50 32.20 Astharoth 67.00 32.26 Astaroth 66.57 32.23 Gadara 66.48 32.23 Machanaim 66.44 32.19 Iaczar 66.39 32.12 Hesbon 66.28 32.05 Iabes 66.55 32.21 Ramah 66.51 32.20 Nobach 66.38 32.16 Iachsa 66.28 32 02 Aroer 66.30 32.00 Macherus 66.23 31.56 Minith 66.36 32.66 Midian 66.30 31.55 Didon 66.32 32.06 Punuel 66.39 31.18 Edrei 66.15 32.21 Abela Vinearum 67.00 32.23 Philadelphia 67.10 32.22 Pella 67.03 32.20 Phiala fons 67.43 33.05 Betharan 67.30 32.08 Pisgamons 66 26 32.01 Abarim montes 66.29 31.58 Townes in Egypt Memphis 61.50 29.50 Heliopolis 62.15 29.59 Tanis 63.30 29.50 Taphnis 62 30 31.00 Ony 60.30 30.10 Alaxandria 60.30 31.00 Mercurij ciuitas magna 61.40 28.55 Mercurij ciuitas parua 61.00 30.50 Delta magnum 62.00 30 00 Xois 62.30 30.45 Busitis 62.30 30.15 Hâ—sinoe 63.20 29.10 Solis fons 58.15 28.00 Journies out of Aegypt Raemses 63.00 30.05 Pihachiroth 62.50 29.40 Mara 63.35 29.50 Elim 63.45 29.50 Iuxta mare 63.55 29.45 Paran promontorium 65.00 29.00 Daphea 64.14 29.46 Alus 64.30 29.46 Raphiddim 64.40 29.53 Sinai mons 65.00 30.00 Hazeroth 65.50 30.14 Zephor mons 65.54 30.50 Mozeroth 64.18 39.04 Hasmona 65.09 31.30 Gidgad mons 65.30 30.20 Iothabatha 65.30 26.40 Habrona 65.30 29.40 Hesion Gaber 65.30 29.20 Sin 66.00 29.56 Hor mons 66.00 30.25 Salmona 66.25 30.40 Phunon 66.30 30.54 Oboth 66 50 31.04 Ieabarim 67.00 31.18 Zered rorrens vallis 66.44 31.20 Didon Gad 66.48 31.32 Almon diblathaim 66.48 31.24 Chedemoth solitudo 66.56 32.00 Beer puteus 66.50 23.00 Marthana Solitudo 66.49 23 00 Nathaleel 66.40 00.23 Bamoth vallie 66.30 32.00 Townes in Arabia Petraea Petra 65.40 31.18 Paran 94.30 30.04 Midian 65.30 29.15 Hesion gebar 65 35 29.00 Elana villa harla velelath 95.35 29.15 Ostia Nili Canopicum 66.50 31.05 Bolbithinum 61.30 31.05 Sâ—benniticum 61.45 31.05 Pathmiticum 91.35 31.10 Mendesium 62.45 31.10 Pelusiacum 63.15 31.15 Thon 63.00 31.30 Sirbonis lacus eruptio 65.45 31.50 Sirbonis lacus 63.30 31.10 Idem 63.45 31.10 Ciuitas Pelusium 36.25 31.20 Rhinocorura 94.40 31.10 Some other great Townes Babilon 76.00 35.00 Antiochia 60 30 33.35 Damascus 68.55 33.00 Palmira 72.40 35.10 Vr chaldeorum 78.00 39.40 Ecbathana 88.00 37.45 Rages in Media 93.40 36.04 Sula in Persia 83.00 34.15 Persepolis 91.00 33.20 Heccatompilon in Parthia 96.0 37.50 Zaba in Arabia foelix 97.00 13.00 Meroe 61.30 16.25 Haram in Mesopotania 75 15 36.10 Hircania 98.30 40.00 Ciraenae 50.00 31.20 The description of the Citie of Ierusalem as it was before Titus Vespasian destroyed it THe most holy and beautiful city of Ierusalem was twice destroyed first by Nebuchadnezzar the most puissant King of Babylon who did vtterly beat downe and ouerthrow the Citie burning the costly Temple which King Solomon had built After that Zorobabel and the high Priest Ioshua when they returned from the captiuitie of Babylon re-edified and built againe both the Citie and the Temple in the yeare before the birth of Christ 535. But the second temple which was built after their returne was neither so faire nor so great as the first for it was twenty * Cubitus is a foot and an halfe six hand bredths foure and twentie fingers broad being in former times the fourth part of the height of a man Cubitus a cubando the arme tbat men vse to leane vpon from the elbow to the hand Victru lib. 3. Cal. Lexicon Cubits lower than the former After that King Herod 17 yeares before the birth of Christ caused the said Temple to be broken downe againe as Iosephus saith and erected another new Temple in place thereof which neuerthelesse was not like the first temple that Solomon builded as touching the greatnesse but it was exceeding fairely decked and adorned with gold and siluer so that in regard of the beautifulnesse thereof it was a wonder vnto all that came to Ierusalem Which Temple 40 yeares after Christs death and Ascension was also vtterly destroyed by Titus the sonne of Flavius Vespasian the Emperour I will describe the forme of the Citie Ierusalem as it was before it was defaced by Titus the sonne of Vespasian and therewithall I will shew how the costly Ornaments which Solomon placed therein stood for seeing that the two brasen Pillars and the great Molten sea were not therin when our Lord Iesus Christ liued vpon earth being broken downe by Nabuchadnezzars soldiers it is therefore necessary and very requisite to bee knowne how they stood and to the end that the Reader may be fully satisfied I will also first declare the citie of Ierusalem as it was in those dayes with the chiefest Places Walls Towers Gates Houses Castles Fountaines Hills Vallies and all the principall things therein How the Citie Ierusalem is scituate and standeth distant from Germany THe Towne of Neurenberch is scituate in the middle of Germanie or neere thereabouts and Ierusalem is distant from Neurenberch fiue hundred * Which make 2000 miles English miles but if you will trauell to Venice and from thence to Ierusalem it is fiue hundred and fiftie * Which make 2200 miles miles The scituation of Ierusalem IErusalem was foure square Of the scituation of the Mountaines whereon Ierusalem stood and scituated vpon foure mountaines viz. Mount Sion Mount Moriah Mount Acra and Moun Bezetha Mount Sion was the highest of all and lay within the citie of Ierusalem towards the South whereon stood King Dauids house or the castle of Sion and the vppermost towne Mount Moriah whereon the Temple stood with other excellent buildings and Towers was on the East side of the city within the Walls Mount Acra whereon the lower towne was built stood Westward in the citie where Annas Caiphas Pilot Herod Agrippa Bernice Helena and other Kings and great Princes dwelt The holy Citie of Ierusalem may in this manner be briefely described THe most holy and beautifull Citie of Ierusalem if any would consider the three principall parts of the World The description of Ierusalem Europe Asia and Affrica stood in the middest of
lower city or the daughter of Sion It was so beautiful that some hold of which number are Egesippus and Eusebius that it exceeded the rest of the city Here stood the house of Helena Queen of the Adiabenors neer about the midst of it as Iosep obserueth Li. Bell. 7. cap. 13. which Queene beeing conuerted to the Iewish Religion built her an house in this City that shee might pray in the Temple Here stood the houses of her sonnes Monobazius and Grapta here stood the houses of the high priests Annas and Caiaphas not far from the valley Tyropae King Herod also that wicked man who caused the innocent Children to be put to death built him an house heere neere about the place where the Machabees in times past had a Castle for they built two one in mount Moriah another in this Mount That in mount Moriah was after called the Castle of Antonia and stood right against the Temple as is aforesaid And this being very sumptuously built and a Royall seat was after the death of this Herod a Palace for his Successors Archilaus and Herod Agrippa Not farre off he caused two faire Theatres to be also built the one in honour of the Emperour Augustus and this on the one side joined to a tower called Acropolis which was built by Antigonus Epiphanes on a purpose to place a Garrison in to keepe the Iewes in bondage which Iudas Machabeus afterwards made leuel with the ground and on the other side towards his owne Pallace It resembled a semi-Circle made all of white Marble fairely polished the building somewhat low within full of high bankes one rising aboue another like Scaffolds so that the whole multitude might easily heare or see whatsoeuer was said or done It was curiously beautified with gold siluer and many goodly pictures but amongst the rest the battailes which the Emperour Augustus had woon against his people were liuely pourtrayed To this place as well Iews as Gentiles resorted to see Interludes and Playes acted The other was an Amphitheatre and stood vpon the South side of the house it was built round in a whole circle compassed about with high walls large and spatious Here they vsed to fence and to fight both on horse-backe and in Waggons And in the fifth yere in honor of Augustus the circensian games according to the Rites of the Gentiles were very sumptuously performed On the South side of this Amphitheater stood queen Bernice house Sister to Agrippa junior it was a very faire and sumptuous Building little inferiour to King Herods This stood in the market place and so all along were very sumptuous and stately Pillars Heere Agrippa himselfe had also an house and ouer against that vpon the North stood the Iudgement hall where the Sanhedrim or the Councell of the seuenty Elders vsed to meet to heare and determine of mens causes To this place Christ was brought when they asked him if he was Christ Luke 22. Here were the Apostles whipt Acts 5. and close by this stood the house of Pilat the Pretor fairely glistering with gold in which house all the Romane Pretors and Presidents for the most part had their residence and here our Sauiour Christ was whipt crowned with Thornes and spit vpon Not far off from this Pretors house stood the Chancerie or rather as we terme it the Treasury a stately and magnificent house curiously built and appointed onely to lay Records and common Chronologies in Heere also the Officers of the towne gaue in their accounts and Creditors entred their debts This was vtterly destroyed by Vespasian Thus much for the Buildings on this Mount Next the market place was a thing very memorable and was so large and spatious that in the time of the Warres many great battels were fought there as Iosephus saith In this market place close by Pilats house stood a high seat or Tribunal made of faire stone curiously wrought and for the eminence of it called in the Chaldaean tongue Gabatha and because it was built of stone the Grecians called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Lapidanium and with vs it might be termed an heape of stones * for so the word signifieth Here Pilat taking water washed his hands before the people Or a well wrought stone and said I am innocent of this mans bloud At which they cried His bloud be vpon vs and our children And after by Gods appointment according to their own wish fel vpon them for in the same place and close by the same Seat it hapned that Herod wanting money demanded of the Iewes so much out of their Treasurie which they called Corban as would pay for the making of a Water-course for he assayed to bring water into the City from a Fountaine some two hundred furlongs off it but the Iewes supposing it a needlesse worke not onely denied him but gaue many outragious and spitefull speeches tumultuously flocked about him and with great clamors prest vpon him euen as he was in his seat wherfore perceiuing the danger and to preuent mischief he sent to his souldiers to apparell themselues like Citisens and vnder their gownes to bring with them a dagger or ponyard and mingle themselues among the multitude which they did obseruing who they were that made the greatest vprore and when Herod gaue the signe fel vpon them with their ponyards killing a great multitude The rest seeing this massacre suspecting treason amongst themselues fell one vpon another and many for feare of losse or to auoid future danger killed themselues In this very place also Florus Generall of the common souldiers within few yeares after vpon a small occasion made another cruell massacre and much more barbarous than the former for hee spared none the best of them he caused to be whipt to death or else crucified and put to the sword and for the Vulgar spared neither woman nor childe So that within the compasse of one day there died of this obstinate and wicked Nation aboue seuen hundred and thirty This outrage was so cruell that all strangers which inhabited within the town pitied their misery but especially Queen Bernice who being partly frighted with their shreeks partly moued to commiseration through the extremitie of their affliction indangered her life to present her selfe before Florus and vpon her knees besought him to take some mercy and pitty of them and withdraw his hand of vengeance from the bloud of the guiltlesse But the fury of the Roman souldiers was so fierce and the resolution of Florus so vnremoueable that neither her teares nor the present calamities could persuade him But as in such Vprores it commonly happeneth she with the rest was in danger of her safety and was constrained the next night for the preseruation of her estate to keep a strong watch lest the Roman souldiers should haue done her some violence Thus we may see a iust reuenge of a periured and stif necked people and that in the place where the offence was committed though at
Angle betweene the dung gate and the gate of the valley which was called Hananiel and signifieth The grace and gift of God This is much spoken of in the Scripture vpon this wall King Herod the Ascalonite built three faire Towers one betweene the Garden gate and the old gate which hee called Hippicum in honour of his father Hippicus the other Phaselum in honour of his brother Phasilus and the third Mariamne after his wiues name who notwithstanding hee caused innocently to be put to death These three gates were built of polisht Marble Pliny and Strabo saith That this was the fairest and most spacious city of the East and for the munition and fortification almost inuincible The wals of it were all of white polisht marble some 25 or 30 cubits high the stones were 20 cubits long 20 broad and 5 thicke so closely joyned that the junctures could scarce be perceiued Many of the Towers also were made of such stones but those of the Temple exceeded the rest for they were 25 cubits long 12 broad and 8 thicke as Iosephus witnesseth lib. Ant. 15. ca. 14. de Bel. Iud. li. 6. ca. 6. which things being rightly considered we may easily perceiue that these walls were very difficult to be destroyed Neither were the ditches of lesse strength that went about the Towne for they were cut out of hard stones at least forty cubits deepe and two hundred and fifty cubits broad which were vnpossible to haue beene woon if God had not holpen and assisted the Romans filling vp those ditches with the bodies of those that died of the plague and famine within the towne Of the gates of Ierusalem IT had twelue gates to goe out and in Vpon the East side lay fiue the first of which was the Fountaine gate which was so called of the Fountaine Siloah And this stood close by the gate of mount Sion In which Fountain the man that was borne blind washt himselfe at the commandement of our Sauiour and had his sight restored Ioh. 9. and at this gate Christ came riding in vpon an Asse when he came from Bethania on Palme Sunday 2 The Sheepe-gate which was so called of the multitude of sheepe that were driuen in by it to be offered in the Temple for it stood hard by the temple Right before this gate stood mount Oliuet some halfe an English mile and a furlong from Ierusalem Eastward By it stood the Garden called Gethsemane where Christ was taken and led into the citie through this gate to be offered vp like an innocent sheepe for the sinnes of the whole World 3 The Dung-gate this tooke the name from a dung-hill because the raine water comming with great power through the Citie washed nway the filth and with great violence carried it through this gate into the poole Cedron Not far from this gate was the water gate and stood a little within it 4 The Valley-gate which tooke the name of the valley Iehosaphat and lay not farre from the other gate Hereabouts also stood the Dragon gate 5 The Horse-gate and stood just in the joyning of the East and North part of the Citie it tooke the name from the Kings horses as appeareth Ier. 31. Neh. 3. The gates vpon the North. 6 The corner gate which stood Northwest 2. K. 14. 1. Ch. 26. Ier. 31. Zach. 14. 7 The Benjamin-gate so called because men by this gate went to the borders of Benjamin in this gate the Prophet Ieremy was prisoner Ier. 37. 8 The Ephraim gate by which they went to the borders of Ephraim The gates vpon the West 9 The Raine-gate so called because the raine water clensing the streets carried away all the filth and so past through this gate toward the West and there thrust it out of the Citie Neh. 12. 10 The Garden-gate before which the garden stood wherein Christ was buried 11 The old gate before this Mount Caluarie stood whereon Christ was crucified 12 The fish gate so called because of the Sea fish that came in by it it was also called the Bricke gate Here the Prophet Ieremy broke an earthen pitcher Ieremy 19. and out of this gate they went to Bethlehem But on the South side there were no gates for there mount Sion stood which was so high and steepe that no man could goe vp vpon it Of the gates within the Citie THe gate of Sion the water gate of which two I haue already spoken The middle gate whereof Ieremie speaketh cap. 19. and it is thought it stood in the middle of the citie in the valley Cedron not farre from the Tower called Mariamne The Iron gate which opened of it selfe when the Angell led Peter out of prison Acts 12. this stood in the City walls passing from one suburbe into another all these gates stood within the city And thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of the portraiture of it Of the Springs Valleys Fountaines and other memorable places as they were scituated neere to the Citie and how to the foure parts of the World IN the next place it resteth to shew what things worthy memorie were about and stood neere to the City the first of which was the brooke Cedron which sprung out of a hill not farre from it vpon the South and with great swiftnesse ran through the East part of the citie and so between Ierusalem the mount of Oliues to the valley gate of Iehosaphat thence passing through the cliffes of mount Oliuet it ran directly East till it came to the dead Sea which brooke in the Summer time was most commonly dry The water of it was something blacke which colour the valley Iehosaphat which was very fertile gaue it from thence it was called Nigrescens torrens a blackish streame This is mystically spoken of in 2. Sam. and Psa 100. where it is said He that is our Sauiour Christ shall drink of the brook in the way which he fulfilled when he made satisfaction for our sinnes by his death passion as it appeareth in the 69 Psal Saue me ô God c. Into this brooke ran the water of Silo and that which came out of the temple Of the mount of Oliues and Bethania which signifies a house of mourning THese two the one lay vpon the East the other Southwest about halfe an English mile and a furlong from Ierusalem Of Bethania you may reade in Nehemia Of the hill Gihon GIhon stood before Ierusalem on the West side right against the fish gate and the old gate 2. Chr. 22. Here King Solomon was crowned 1. Kin. 1. Not farre from this stood the mount Golgatha where Christ was crucified From whence may be obserued That as Solomon vpon that hill was crowned King so Christ vpon this was crucified our Sauiour and the true Solomon that made euerlasting peace betweene God and vs. From this mount Gihon sprung the Fountaine Gihon and thereabouts also was the Fullers field 2. King 18. 2. Chron. 33. In which place Senacharib and other
day of Iuly the Iewes filled the Porch toward the West with pitch and betume and then made as though they meant to fly and leaue the citie which some of the Romans perceiuing without any command of their Captaines put scaling ladders to the Tower and began to assault it but when they were most busie the Iewes of a sudden put fire to the pitch and burnt them most miserably insomuch as Titus pittied them to see their extremitie although they were such as did contrary to his command Vpon the last day of this moneth they tooke the North gate which lay towards the rising of the Sunne and close by the brooke Cedron rhis they burnt downe with fire Vpon the third of August Titus commanded to fire the gate of the Temple that was all couered ouer with gold siluer by this gate the Romans made a breach into the Temple which ere this had beene prophaned by the Iewes whiles this gate was a burning the Iewes stood astonished and not one of them resisted the Romans Caesar and all his army labored three daies to quench this fire after which hee called a councell to determine what he should do with the temple it was so rich and sumptuous that he would faine haue left it as an ornament for the Roman Empire But the Iewes hauing got a little breathing made new incursions vpon the Romans by which meanes they could not determine thereof The 6 of August the souldiers of Titus without command of their Captaines fired the Temple just vpon that day which Nebuchadnezzar before time had destroyed it as Iosephus witnesseth li. de Bell. 6. c. 26.27 Caesar would faine haue saued this Temple for the sumptuousnesse of it and beckoned to his souldiers to haue quencht the fire but they partly prest on with a desire of wealth partly being prickt on with a fury and madnesse gaue no eare to his speeches but committed most cruell massacres without either regard of age or sex So that the cries of the slaughterd the sound of the Roman trumpets the fierce resistance of the seditious and the fire furiously burning represented a most horrible spectacle The ground below was couered with dead bodies many in desperation threw themselues into the fire 6000 were burnt in the same gate whither they fled for refuge and the priests most cruelly massacred as they were in the Temple This was the end of the Temple of Ierusalem the mirror of the world being consumed and spoiled with fire and sword After these things vpon the bridge that passeth from the temple ouer the valley into the lower towne Titus made a speech by an interpreter to the two seditious Captaines gently intreating them to leaue off their rebellion and he would spare the Citie and commit no more outrages and such further requests as they desired should according to reason be granted them but if they would not embrace mercy and cease their violent resistance they must expect no manner of compassion but the very law of Armes This they contemned and made but a mocke of Caesar for all his offers whereupon in a great rage hee gaue the signall to his souldiers and they went through all the City and set it on fire The next day they woon the lower Citie and with fire and sword consumed the place where the records lay the Court and all the Princely buildings vntill they came to that stately house of Helena which stood in the midst of Acra all the houses neere being filled with the bodies of the dead and the streets horribly defiled with the bloud of those that were slaine Within a short while after Iohannes Giscalinus was taken aliue and committed to prison The inferiour Citie being thus taken and destroyed about the 16 day of August Caesar began to build his engines and batter the walls of the vpper citie which within the space of 18 daies after with extreme labour and skill hee laid flat with the ground as Iosephus saith And vpon the 7 of September with great facilitie hee conquered the citie the Iewes of their owne accord descending from the Towers and the Romanes set vpon the walls their ensignes with a great acclamation and wasted all the citie with fire and sword sparing neither men women nor children The 8 day of the moneth of September the whole Citie was destroyed and not a stone left vpon a stone but laid leuell with the ground onely the three Towers that were built by Herod which were of shining Marble viz. Hippicus Phaselus and Mariamne that future ages seeing the excellencie of those buildings they might iudge of the statelines of the rest But these also were after destroyed by Adrianus Caesar There died by the famine and pestilence an innumerable number by fire and sword ten hundred thousand 2000 were found that either killed themselues or one killed another 7900 were taken captiues of these all the seditious theeues that accused one another were slaine by Frontonius Caesar Titus freed many 7000 were sent into Aegypt with extreme labour to consume and die the properest and most able were reserued for triumph many were distributed through the prouinces some were slaine by the sword and by beasts for publike spectacles and those that were 16 yeares of age and vnder together with many other Caesar sold vnder the crowne at thirty for a siluer penny that as Christ was sold for thirty pence so thirty of them should be sold for a penny With the riches of this towne Caesar triumphed rode into Rome with two golden Chariots built the Temple of Peace and there put all the plate which he found in the temple of Ierusalem After all this for a full determination of those euils the two seditious captaines Iohannes Giscalenus and Simon the son of Giora were put to most cruell deaths Thus may we see the grieuous punishment of the obstinat and ambitious which God permitted to fall vpon them for their vnthankfulnesse and cruell tyranny How the city of Ierusalem after this destruction by Titus Vespas was vtterly beaten downe and defaced by Aelius Adr. Caesar which he re-edifying called it after his own name Aelia THe city of Ierusalem being thus laid leuel with the ground for the space of sixty yeares lay desolate a receptacle for theeues and murtherers a fit place for Wolues and wilde beasts which resorted thither to feed vpon the dead bodies And now time consuming their flesh left their bones and skuls to lye vpon the earth as in a Charnell house Thus it continued vntill one Benchochab which signifies the Son of the Stars born in the towne of Bethcoron not farre from Emaus professed himselfe to be the Messiah or Christ The Iewes supposing this to be true because of that saying of Numb 24. There shall a Starre rise vp out of Iacob assembled themselues to the number of many thousands and followed him with great tyranny and crueltie spoyling the Holy Land and through all the countrey of Iudaea committing many outrages and massacres
Of Gesur GEsur was a country neere to Caesarea Philippi in the land of Basan beyond Iordan neere Libanus in the Tetrarchie Trachonitides 88 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward With the King of this country Absolon remained in banishment for 3 yeres space after he had slain his brother Ammon and with vs may be termed the vally of Oxen 2 Sam. 13. Of Hadsi THe lower country of Hadsi stood neere to the city Corazin in the halfe tribe of Manasses 52 miles from Ierusalem toward the Northeast and signifies a new land beeing deriued of Chadasch that is New Of the fountaine Rogel THis was neere Ierusalem Eastward to which place Ionathan and Ahimaas Dauids intelligencers brought him newes of Absalons counsels and intentions 2 Sam. 17. It seemeth that trauellers vsually washed their feet in it from whence it was called the Wel of feet beeing deriued from Raegael signifying a Foot Neere to this place was the stone Zochaeleth where Adoniah at such time as he affected the kingdome contrary to his fathers liking called an assembly and made a great feast 1 Reg. 1. The Trauels of Baena and Rechab THese two went out of the tribe of Benjamin ouer Iordan to Machanaim 40 miles There they murthered their master king Ishbosheth in his chamber as he lay vpon his bed and after cut off his head The head they brought to King Dauid to Hebron 68 miles But Dauid was not pleased with their treacherie wherefore hee caused them both to be put to death So their trauels were 108 miles The Trauels of Absalon ABsalon was borne in Hebron and went with his father to Ierusalem 22 miles 2 Sam. 13. From thence he went to Baalhazor 8 miles where hee caused his brother Ammon to be slain From thence for feare of his father he fled into the land of Gesur 88 miles 2 Sam. 14. From thence he came backe with Ioab to Ierusalem which was 88 miles 2 Sam. 14. From thence he went to Hebron 22 miles and made himselfe King and rebelled against his father From thence he went backe againe to Ierusalem which is 22 miles There he lay with his fathers Concubines 2 Sam. 16. From thence he pursued his father to Machanaim 40 miles there was hanged by the haire in an oke tree where Ioab put him to death 2 Sam. 18. So all the trauels of Absolon were 290 miles Of Baal-hazor IN this city Absolon made a great feast for his sheepe-sherers and inuited all his brothers to it where he caused Ammon to be slain because he had abused his sister Thamar It lieth in the way some 8 miles from Ierusalem toward the North-East as you go to Iericho neere to mount Ephraim 2 Sam. 13. and is deriued of Baal which signifies a Lord or husband and Chazir a Den or caue Of the name ABSOLON ABSOLON signifieth a Father of peace although he was the author of all discord and sedition against his father The Trauels of the wise woman of Thecoa THis woman went from Thecoa to Ierusalem 8 miles and spake with King Dauid and with her sweet words shee persuaded him that he would recall his sonne out of exile who then remained in Gesur 2 Sam. 14. Of Thecoa THecoa was a city in the tribe of Iuda some 8 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southeast neere this city Iosaphat by praier and the sound of Trumpets without drawing sword got a memorable victory and for that cause it signifieth the sound of a Trumpet In this place the prophet Amos dwelt and there lieth buried whose sepulchre was to be seene 400 yeares after Christ as S. Ierom obserueth It was from Bethlem Iuda 6 miles Neere to Techoa was the lake Aspher where Ionathan and Simon Iudas Machabeus brothers pitcht their tents 1 Mach. 9. Of this city you may reade Ier. 6. Am. 1. 2 Chr. 11. Of ACHITOPHEL THis perfideous and wicked man was borne in the towne of Gilo not far from Hebron and Debir in the tribe of Iudah Ios 15. 2 Sam. 15. 20 miles from Ierusalem Southeastward who when his counsell would not take place he went home to his own house and there desperatly hanged himselfe The Trauels of wicked Shimei SHimei went from Bahurim where he cursed King Dauid to Bathabara vpon the riuer Iordan which was 18 miles where he got pardon of Dauid 2 Sam. 19. From thence he went backe with King Dauid to Gilgall foure miles 2 Sam. 19. From thence he went with King Dauid to Ierusalem 12 miles 2 Sam. 19. From thence he went to Bahurim 3 miles From Bahurim King Solomon sent for him again to Ierusalem 3 miles There he was constrained to build him an house and not to depart thence vpon pain of death 1 Reg. 2. But Shimei transgressing this commandment of the king went to Gath a city of the Philistims 12 miles From thence hee returned back againe to Ierusalem 12 miles where he was slain by the command of King Solomon in the third yeare of his reign 1 Reg. 2. So all the trauels of Shimei were 104 miles The Books of Kings and Chronicles Of ABISHAG the Virgin that lay with Dauid THis Maid was accounted the fairest in all Israel for which cause she was brought to Ierusalem for King Dauid that she might lie with him in his old age to procure heat she was born at Sunem a town some 44 miles from Ierusalem 1 Reg. 1. Of Sunem you may read before in the trauels of Dauid Saul The Trauels of King Solomon SOlomon the son of Dauid King of Israel entred vpon the full gouernment of the kingdome of Israel An. mundi 2931. and before Christ 1037. when he was about 20 yeares old After he went from Ierusalem to Gilgal 4 miles and there offered vpon the altar which Moses had made 1000 burnt offerings 1 Reg. 3. 2 Chr. 1. From thence he went backe to Ierusalem which was 4 miles and built a Temple to the Lord in mount Moriah 1 Reg. 6. This was begun about the fourth yere of his reign and 480 yeres after the children of Israel came out of Egypt in the moneth Ziph which answereth to our May. So that the Temple began to bee built in Anno mundi 2934. and before Christ 1034. To the building whereof Hiram King of Tyre sent Cedar trees from Mount Libanus 120 miles to Ierusalem 1 Reg. 5. 2 Chr. 2. This Temple Solomon within plaited ouer with pure gold and set with pretious stones and finished it in the month of Nouember about the eleuenth yeare of his reigne 1 Reg. 6. The dedication whereof was about the twelfth yeare of his reigne and in the 32 yeare of his age Anno Mundi 2942 and before Christ 1026. The Temple being finished he began to build his owne house which was 13 yeares a building and was finished about the 44 yeare of his age and in the 24 of his reign 1 Reg. 7.8 After 20 years in which time he had finished the house of the Lord and his own house in Mount Sion that
West and signifieth a Royall or loftie gift The Trauels of Baesa King of Israel BAesa is as much to say as An industrous and promt man in doing any thing This may hauing slaine his Master Nadab neere vnto Gibithon vsurped vpon the Kingdome of Israel about the end of the third yearo of Asa King of Iuda and began his raigne Anno mundi 2992 before Christ 974 and raigned ouer Israel almost 24 yeares two of which he raigned with his sonne 1 Reg. 15. He went from Gibithon to Thirza 36 miles where hee vtterly rooted out the whole stocke and family of Ieroboam After falling into Idolatrie he was sharply reprehended for it by Iehu the Prophet the son of Hanani of whom you may reade more 1 Reg. 15. From Thirza he went to Ramah which is 16 miles this towne he built and fortified it very strongly 2 Chr. 29. But when he heard that Benhadad King of Syria had inuaded Israel hee left his building at Ramah and with all possible speed that hee could went to Thirza where hee died and was buried 1 Reg. 15. 2 Chr. 16. So all the Trauels of Baesa were 68 miles Of Ramah Of this Citie you may reade before Of Ella or Elah King of Israel ELah signifies a cruell man This was the son of Baasha King of Israel who was crowned King his father yet liuing about the beginning of the 26 yeare of Asa king of Iuda at such time as Benhadad king of Syria inuaded and wasted Galilee He raigned two yeares one of them during the life of his father the other alone in Thirza at the end of which hee was slaine by Simri his seruant 1 Reg. 15. 16. Of Zimri King of Israel SImri signifieth a singer and was a captain ouer king Elahs chariots hee raigned 7 daies in Thirza in which time he put to death and vtterly rooted out all the posteritie of Baasha and then Omri besieged the Citie so straitly that he had no hope to escape wherefore he set the citie and pallace on fire in which he also perished 1 Reg. 15. 16. The Trauels of Omri King of Israel OMri signifieth a souldier or one that deserueth his pay He was made King by the Israelites in his tent while he was at wars neere to Gibithon from whence he went to Thirza which was 36 miles and besieged the same vpon the very day that Simri had put the posteritie of Baasha to the sword and took it He began to raigne in Thirza Anno mundi 3017 and before Christ 951 and raigned ouer Israel 12 yeres the first six of which was in Thirza the latter six in Samaria 1 Reg. 16. From Thirza he went to mount Semer six miles there Omri built Samaria and made it the seat of his kingdome He went thither about the seuenth yeare of his raigne 1 Reg. 16. So these two journies were 42 miles Of Samaria SAmaria the chiefe seat and Metropolis of Israel was built by Omri in mount Semer 32 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and took that name of Semer who was Lord of that mountaine of whom K. Omri bought it for two talents of siluer which amounteth to 1200 crownes In this citie 14 Kings of Israel kept their Courts viz. Omri who was the first founder of it Ahab Ahasia Iehoram Iehu Ioachas Ioas Ieroboam Zacharias Sallum Menahem Pekahia Pekah and Hosea who was the last of the Kings of Israel that raigned in this citie and lost it together with his libertie Of all these Kings there were but fiue that died naturally for the Lord being moued to wrath by reason of their impietie and idolatrie either gaue them vp into the hands of forrein enemies or by ciuill war amongst themselues they cruelly murthered one another vntill such time as the Assirians destroied the land and led the people captiue Thus the Lord punished with a sharp and seuere punishment this obstinat nation because they contemned the admonitions and doctrines of the Prophets amongst which Elias and Elizeus were the chiefe So that although Samaria was a faire and beautifull city and the country for that cause was called the prouince of Samaria yet notwithstanding that great God the Iudge of all things for the iniquitie of the people caused this faire Citie to be left desolate the inhabitants of the land to be dispersed and the earth for want of due vsage to lie as a wildernesse 2 Reg. 17. This city in the old Testament according to the Hebrew phrase is called Shaemaer of Schomron which signifies To keepe or a Tower of strength You may reade of this 1 Reg. 2. 2 Reg. 1. 7. The Greekes and Latines call it Samaria which signifieth The castle of Iehouah or of God You may reade more of this in the second Volume Of Hiel that built Iericho againe AFter the death of Omri King of Israel when Ahab his sonne began to raigne Hiel a very rich man in the town of Bethel that hee might leaue behind him an eternall memorie of his name went to Iericho which had bin formerly destroied by Ioshuah the son of Nun had lien wast for the space of 536 yeres where contrary to the commandement of the Lord and curse of Ioshuah he caused the said citie to be rebuilt such was the impious securitie and incredulitie of this man but the Lord was angry with him and he strooke all his children that they died The eldest son called Abiram at the laying of the foundation and his yongest sonne called Segub at the hanging on of the gates Ios 6. 1 Reg. 16. The Trauels of King Ahab AHab went from Samaria to the hill Carmel where Elias put to death the Priests of Baal which was about 32 miles 1 Reg. 18. From thence he went to Iezreel which is sixteene miles there he told his wife how Elias had put the priests of Baal to the sword 1 Reg. 18. From Iezreel he went againe to Samaria 18 miles where being prest with a hard siege by Benhadad King of Syria he broke out of the citie for his better safety and by Gods great prouidence and assistance he assailed the Syrians put a great multitude of them to the sword the rest fled and hee went away with a noble victory as the Prophet of the Lord had formerly told him 1 Reg. 20. From Samaria he went with his army to Napheck which was 14 miles where he renewed a second battell and therein had good successe so that hee tooke Benhadad aliue and put to the sword 100000 Syrians In this place the Prophet of the Lord reproued him for his ingratitude and obstinacie wherefore Ahab being angry he went from Apheck to Samaria which was eight miles 1 Reg. 20. From Samaria he went io Iesreel 16 miles where that perfidious Queene Iesabel caused Naboth to be put to death and tooke possession of his Vineyard 1 Reg. 21. From Iezreel he went to Ramoth Giliad 24 miles and there in a fight that hee had against the Syrians was so sore-wounded with an arrow
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
reigne made his expedition from Antiochiato Persepolis it was also called Elymaides in Persia which was 196 miles Here he took the temple of Diana spoiled all that country round about and with strong hand gathered together a great masse of gold and siluer to maintain warre against Iudas Machabeus But a multitude of citisens disliking his sacriledge banded themselues together and put Antiochus and his souldiers to flight before hee could take the city of Persepolis 1 Mach. 6. 2 Mach. 9. Wherefore being driuen from thence he fled with his army to Egbatana a city in Media which was 209 miles Here hauing certain intelligence by letters of the noble exploits of Iudas Machabeus and that he purged the temple of such things as were prophane he fell into an extreme griefe and like one distracted railed against the Iewes and swore to be reuenged of them 1 Mac. 9. In this extreme anger he went from Egbatana to Babylon with his army which was 464 miles But as he went his Chariot was ouerthrown in the fall wherof he was so extremely wounded that they were constrained to carry him in a bed to Babylon where he shortly after died miserably So all his trauels were 8153 miles Thus may we see with what difficulties and dangers this wicked prince obtained his victories and past away his life somtime in trauel his journies long and troublesome somtimes in prosperitie somtimes in aduersitie again somtimes afflicted with troublesome cogitations sometimes with extreame anger seldome in peace and then also his actions sauoring of violence and filthines From whence it appeareth That the wicked with more sorowes troubles and vexations gaine eternall damnation than the Iust though they suffer many grieuous afflictions obtain euerlasting saluation For amongst all the Patriarchs good Kings and Prophets there is not found any that had so many long and tedious journies as this Antiochus who continually oppressed his minde and conscience with vnprofitable vanities and wicked thoughts and at length had a miserable and terrible end ¶ Of the Cities and places mentioned in his Trauels Of Antiochia ANtiochia where Antiochus Epiphanes kept his court was antiently called Chaemath or Riblah It was scituated in Syria 180 miles from Ierusalem towards the North neer to the Cities Seleucia Laodicea and Apamea which foure Cities as Strabo saith in the sixteenth Booke of his Geographie was built by Seleucus Nicanor first King of Syria This man was a mighty Prince and obtained the name of Nicanor which signifieth Victorie because he prospered in his warres and conquered his aduersaries For when within 13 yeares after the death of Alexander the Great hee had got the kingdome of Syria hee became so great in the 31 yeare of his reign that he obtained the empire of all the East and beside as Strabo saith re-edified and built vp these foure cities calling one of them Antiochia after the name of his father another Laodicea after the name of his mother a third after his own name Seleucia and the last Apamea after the name of his wife These foure cities because they were all built by one man and at one time were called Sisters But Antiochia was much fairer than the other and in those times was a greater city than any other called after that name yea it was equal to Alexandria in Egypt for glory and excellencie of building It was diuided into foure parts and those parts seperated with four wals The first which was antiently called Hemath A violent anger of Chamathai the sonne of Canaan was after Riblath from the multitude of the inhabitants and the third time by Seleucus after his fathers name called Antiochia In this part Seleucus to dignifie the City kept his court it being compassed about with goodly walls In the second part the citisens of Syria inhabited In the third Seleucus Callimichus afterward King of the Syrians kept his court and greatly beautified it But in the fourth where afterward many Christians inhabited Antigonus Epiphanes continued and did greatly adorn it and set it forth with goodly buildings and sumptuous houses Close by the Citie there stood a pleasant wood watered with many cleare fountains and delightfull springs to which there resorted a great multitude of Fowles of diuers sorts which sung very pleasantly among the trees to the great content and delectation of the citisens In the midst of this wood stood the temple of Apollo and Diana goodly things and very curiously built It was called the wood of Daphne because it was full of Laurel trees From this wood all the countrey thereabout is called Epidaphne Not far off standeth the riuer Orontes which beginneth in Coelosyria and passeth vnder the earth til it comes neere to Apamea where it riseth and watreth all Antiochia So passing thence it runneth some 16 miles and so fals into the Mediterranian sea Heere Paul preached and kept a Synod Euseb lib. 7. cap. 24. 25. There was another Synod kept heere by the Arrians Trip. lib. 4. 9. Stephanus reckons vp many other cities of this name as Antiochia Lisidia in Galatia where Paul preached Act. 3. and is distant from this 384 miles Antiochia in Mesopotamia which is also called Mygdonia and Nisibis in which Apollophanes the Stoicke and Pharnuchus that wrot the Persian historie are said to be born Antiochia between Syria and Arabia built by Semiramis Antiochia in Cilicia scituated neere to the riuer Pyramus Antiochia in Pieria also called by the Syrians Arados There is also a city called Antiochia neere mount Taurus in the countrey of Comagena Antiochia scituated vpon the lake of Callichan Antiochia in Scythia There was another in Caria called also Pithapolis Antiochia Marigiana built by Antiochus Soter And many Authors call Tharsus in Cilicia by the name of Antiochia Antiochia signifies an Aduersarie Of Rome ROme stands 1528 miles from Ierusalem Westward Of this city you may reade more in the trauels of the Apostle Paul Tyrus Ioppa Memphis Pelusio Mallo and Alexandria are before described Of Tharsus TArsus or Tharsus signifieth aa Hyacinth stone so called as some thinke of Tharsis the son of Iavan the son of Iaphet the son of Noah Gen. 10. It was distant from Ierusalem 304 miles Northward Of Persepolis PErsepolis was the metropolitan city of Persia distant from Ierusalem 1240 miles Eastward So called of Perseus that mightie King of the Persians who re-edified it and gaue it that name which is as much to say as the city of the Persians which also of him were so called The Astronomers because he was greatly affected to such as were skilfull in that art attributed his name and his wiues name to two constellations in the heauens of which Ovids fable is contriued of Pegasus and Andromache This city of Persepolis was so fair that it exceeded all the cities of the East both for statelinesse and beauty and so continued from Perseus time vntill Alexander the Great had conquered Darius at which time this great Emperor hauing got into his hand the whole
their hands but by reason of his faire speeches they suffered him to depart with life 2 Mac. 12.1 Mac. 5. From thence he went to Bozor a faire citie which was scituated beyond Iordan neere to Bethabara in the Tribe of Reuben it was also called Bazra which was 24 miles this towne he tooke and burned with fire Isa 64. 1 Mac. 5. From Bozor he went to Mizpa where Ieptha sometime sacrificed his daughter which was 32 miles In that journey Iudas Macchabeus rescued the castle of Datheman draue thence Timotheus and put to the sword 8000 of his armie After he went thence to Mizpa woon the towne burnt it with fire and put to the sword all the male children because the inhabitants had vexed the children of Israel with continuall robbery After that hee woon many other townes and cities thereabouts 1 Mac. 5. From Mizpa Iudas passed the riuer and went to Astaroth-Carnaim which in the second of Macchabes is called Carnion which was eight miles here he destroyed the temple of Venus which the inhabitants call Astaroth and put 25000 of the inhabitants to the sword He went also to Atargation a towne not far off and tooke it and deliuered all the Israelites from the greatest to the least which were in captiuitie amongst the Giliadites 1 Macch. 5. 2 Macch. 22. From Astaroth-Carnaim hee went to Ephron which was 16 miles this citie Iudas Macchabeus destroied because the inhabitants thereof denied him passage and went through it ouer the dead bodies 2 Macch. 5. Here Gideon Iudge of Israel sometime dwelt it tooke the name from the rising vp of the dust being deriued of Aphar that is he hath made a dust From Ephron Iudas passed ouer Iordan into the great field of Galile and so went to Scythopolis which in antient time was called Bethsan which was foure miles From Bethsan or Scythopolis he returned to Ierusalem which was 44 miles a little before Penticost in the fourth yeare of his gouernment in the yere 161 before Christ 1 Macch. 5. 2 Maccab 12. After the feast of Penticost he went from Ierusalem to Maresa which was 16 miles here he ouercame Gorgias gouernour of Idumaea in a great buttell 2 Mac. 12. From Maresa hee went with his army to Odullam which was 6 miles Here sometime Dauid hid himselfe From Odullam he returned to Ierusalem which was 8 miles 2 Mac. 12. From Ierusalem he brought his army to Hebron the Metropolitan citie of the Idumaeans which was 22 miles this Towne he woon and all the townes and castles neere adjoyning 1 Macchab 5. From thence he went to Samaria which was fiftie six miles 1 Mac. 5. From Samaria he led his army against Azotus which was 44 miles This was a citie of the Philistins which he destroied broke their Altars and burnt their idols in the fire 1 Mac. 5. After that he conquered two castles in Idumaea 1 Mac. 10. After that he returned to Ierusalem which was accounted 22 miles 1 Mac. 5. From Ierusalem he went to meet Timotheus chiefe captaine of the Syrians who came with a great army to inuade Iudaea But when the battell waxed hot there appeared to the enemies from heauen fiue comely men vpon horses with bridles of gold two of which led the Iewes and tooke Macchabeus betweene them and couered him on euery side with their weapons that none could hurt him but against their enemies they shot Darts and lightnings so that they were confounded with blindnesse and beaten downe whereby the Iewes obtained a great victory and put to the sword 20500 foot and 600 horse the rest seeing this great slaughter fled So Iudas praised the Lord and pursued the enemies to Gazara which was 16 miles Heere Timotheus hid himselfe in a caue but the Iewes tooke the citie found him out and put him to death together with his brother Chaerea and Pollophanes 2 Mac. 10. From Gazara Iudas Macchabeus returned to Ierusalem which was 16 miles In the yere following which was the fift of his taigne and 160 before Christ Iudas Maccab. besieged the tower of Sion in Ierusalem because those that were in the garrison had put to the sword some of the Iewes that were sacrificing in the Temple But Antiochus Eupator the son of Antiochus Epiphanes hearing of it at the instigation of Menelaus chiefe Priest of the Iewes brought a great armie to their rescue wherefore Iudas Macchabeus hearing of his comming left the siege and went from Ierusalem to Modin to meet him which was 14 miles Here he ouercame Antiochus destroyed his Elephants and put 4000 of his souldiers to the sword 2 Macc. 13. When King Antiochus had felt a taste of the boldnesse of the Iewes he went with his army through by-waies and secret passages to the castle of Bethsura which he besieged whither Iudas followed him which was 12 miles incamping himselfe a mile from Bethsura in a straight place called Bethzachara Here Antiochus betimes in the morning thinking to take the armie of the Iewes at an aduantage set vpon them But the Iewes and their leaders behaued themselues so manfully that they put Antiochus the second time to flight and kil'd 600 of his men In this battell Eliazer the brother of Iudas Macchabeus was slain by an Elephant Ios lib. Antiq. 12. lib. 16.1 Macc. 6. From Bethzachara he returned backe to Ierusalem which was 2 miles And when the king had taken the town of Bethsura for they were constrained to yeeld by reason of famine he followed Iudas with whom he joyned the third time in battell but Iudas ouercame him and put to the sword many of his army Wherefore hauing certaine intelligence that Philip whom he had made ouerseer of the affaires at Antiochia rebelled he made a peace with Iudas Macchabeus was appeased towards the Iewes did sacrifice adorned the Temple and shewed great gentlenesse towards the people So Antiochus departed out of Iudaea and tooke Menelaus that seditious high Priest along with him captiue 1 Macc. 6. 2 Mac. 13. After in the 6 yeare of his gouernment Iudas went with his armie through all the borders of Iudaea and executed justice vpon all such as were offenders and contemners of the true religion After when Iudas had certaine intelligence that Nicanor whom Demetrius King of Syria had sent against Ierusalem went about by fraudulent courses and vnder pretence of friendship to take away his life 2 Macc. 14. he went priuily from Ierusalem and came to Caphar-Salama scituated 12 miles from Ierusalem towards the North. Here Nicanor and he joyned battell but Iudas discomfited his armie and put to the sword about fiue thousand of his men himselfe not escaping without great danger 1 Mac. 7. From Caphar-Salama Iudas came to Samaria which was 28 miles here he rested himselfe and refreshed his armie a while 2 Mac. 15. In the yere before Christ 128 he went from Samaria to Adarsa which was 28 miles and there vpon the 13 day of Adar which answereth to the 13 day of February neere to Bethoron the
almost inuincible and for that cause called The mother of strength as the Church is called The mother of the righteous against which the gates of hell shall not be able to preuaile In the time of Iudas Macchabeus though it was then a small city it was numbred amongst the greatest cities of Iuda because of the scituation and strength of it To this place our Sauiour trauelled from Ierusalem the same day that hee arose from the dead Luke 24. In the time of the Romans warres in Iudaea this city was wonderfully defaced and ruined by the souldiers of Tiberius Maximus who was chiefe Captaine in this countrey in the absence of Titus Vespasian but yet not vtterly abolished for about a hundred and fiftie yeares after Heliogabolus Emperour of Rome caused it to be rebuilded and called by the name of Nicopolis that is the citie of Victorie Not farre from Emmaus there was an Inne or a place to which strangers might resort and there three waies met two went of either side the towne and one through it in this place the two Disciples constrained our blessed Sauiour to stay with them because it was then about Sunne-set Neere vnto this Inne Nicephorus and Zozemenus say in their Ecclesiasticall Historie there was a Spring or Well of that admirable vertue that if either man or beast that was infirme or sicke did drinke of the water thereof they were immediately restored to their former health The reason that these Authors haue for it because they are impertinent I willingly omit But to return ro the city of Emmaus as it is now called Nicopolis being scituated eight miles from Ierusalem towards the Northeast in the way as you goe thence to Ioppa the countrey round about it being very fertile and pleasant by reason of the riuers and springs wherewith it is watered as Pliny saith l. 5. c. 14. and much altered from that which it was in times past but because you may reade more of this city in Pliny as it is at this day and in Nicephorus and Eusebius I leaue to speake further of it Of Simon of Cyrene THis Simon which carried the Crosse of our Sauiour Christ was born in Kir a city in Africa scituated 16 miles from Ierusalem towards the West Matth. 27. Luke 23. In which city Tiglath Phulasser Emperour of the Assirians planted many of the inhabitants of Damascus after he had conquered that city 2 Reg. 16. This citie and the country round about it by reason of these new inhabitants by little and little changed the name and wheras in former times it was called Kir in the time of our Sauiour it was commonly called Cyrene and this man of that countrey Simon of Cyrene At this day it is a strong and beautifull city scituated betweene Mareotides and Zeugitania at first built by Battus whom Callimachus the Poët claimeth to be his progenitor This Battus was a mighty king in Africa but was one that had a great impediment in his speech insomuch that many thinke this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to haue beene originally vsed by him and by none other Afterward as is said Tiglah Phulasser hauing obtained the jurisdiction of this citie planted the people of Damascus in it and they obtaining some power there continued till a long time after Christ and imbraced the religion of the Iewes built vp Synagogues and dispersed that law in many parts of those quarters There were some of this countrey that opposed that holy Marter Stephen and were consenting to his death There were many learned men in it as Eratosthenes the Mathematician Callimachus the Poët both which were had in great estimation among the Aegyptians Carneades also the Academian Cronus Apollonius and Hegesias the Philosopher of whom Cicero speaketh in the fifth book of his Tusculans and Eratosthenes the Historian who was sonne of Agaclis Salust saith that this citie in his time was so mightie that it maintained war against the Carthaginians for their bounds and limits of their fields and grounds a long time and Iustine lib. 39. That they maintained warre against two nations the Phoenes and the Aegyptians in which warres they gaue Aprius the King of the Aegyptians such a mighty ouerthrow that there were very few of his army that returned into his countrey with him as Horodot affirmeth lib. 4. there were also many great Princes that ruled in this city of which because you may reade in diuers other Authors more at large I omit to speake of them Of Ioseph of Arimathea who buried Christ THis Ioseph which caused our Sauior Christ to be buried in his garden was a rich man vpright just in all his actions a Senator of Ierusalem and one that expected the Kingdome of God borne at Arimathea a citie of the Iewes Luc. 23. This citie was sometime called Ramathaim Sophim and sometime Ramah because it was scituated in a high place and in times past was a fair citie standing 16 miles from Ierusalem toward the Northwest the description whereof you may reade before At this day it is called Ramalea being nothing so farre as it was but like a countrey towne the houses being carelessely dispersed here and there lying without walls or bulwarkes to defend it notwithstanding the ancient ruins of the former city is to be seen euen at this day There is also a great Inne or resting place for strangers hauing within it many roomes for the receit of passengers and a well of very sweet water This house was first purchased at the charge of Philip Duke of Burgondie and by him committed to the protection of the Monkes of Mount Sion by whom it is at this day made an hospitall wherein pilgrims trauellers and strangers are entertained and find much reliefe In an inward Orchard belonging to this hospital there is a faire plot of ground that bringeth forth great aboundance of Aloes of which there is often mention in the holy Scriptures but more especially in Psalme 48. Thy garments smell of Aloes and Cassia when thou commest out of thy Iuorie pallaces where they haue made thee glad Nichodemus a Prince of the Iewes together with Ioseph of Arimathea brought with them an hundred pound of Aloes mixed with Myrrhe to embalme the body of our Sauiour Christ when they had begged it of Pilat before they buried it Ioh. 19. Myrrh is a kind of gum that issueth out of a tree that growes in the East countries but principally in Arabia the tree out of which it issueth is commonly two yards and a halfe high with some pricks vpon it the barke whereof being cut there issueth out of it drops like teares which congealeth into a gum and is called Mirrh the principall vertue that it hath is to keepe the bodies of the Dead incorruptable see Pli. li. 12. ca. 15. 16. In Arabia Foelix there is such abundance of sweet Myrrhe Frankincense and other odoriferous gums that such as saile in the Red sea may easily smell the sauour of them There is also found
1â—0 broad There were so many gifts gratuities sent from all the cities and kings round about toward the building of this Temple that the riches and treasure thereof was wonderfull insomuch that when it was finished it was accounted one of the stateliest buildings the world could afford and numbered amongst the wonders of the world This temple thus built at such an extraordinarie charge that it was almost vnvaluable was set on fire by one Herostratus a wicked peruerse fellow in the same Olympiad and day that Alexander the Great was borne who hauing nothing in him that might make him famous in after-ages burnt this goodly building that so though not for his good but for his euill he might get a name But the Ephesians were so insenced because of this mischiefe that they procured proclamation to bee made through all the kingdomes round about that his name should not be once mentioned which perhaps for a time was obserued but in future ages they could not preuent it but that he was both spoken of written of Notwithstanding afterward the inhabitants of this City became so exceeding wealthy that they soon after rebuilt this temple of Diana and made it much fairer than it was before all the Citisens contributing with willing hands to the charge of the building insomuch that the women brought all their siluer gold and other pretious ornaments and communicated them towards this great worke Also in after-times those faire pillars before spoken of were againe erected towards the rebuilding whereof they receiued so many and wonderfull gifts from all the neighbouring Kings Cities and Countries that this Temple might as it was thought compare with all the world beside for riches and treasure It was standing in S. Pauls time who came thither about 12 yeares after the resurrection of our Sauior and continued there three yeares in which time he so faithfully and diligently preached the Gospell that he conuerted most of the Citisens from their idolatry and worship of Diana to the reuerend knowledge and confession of our blessed Sauior For which cause Demetrius the siluer smith who made a great gain by idolatry stirred vp a great tumult so that the Gentiles running vp and down the City for two houres space cried out with a loud voice Great is Diana of the Ephesians Acts 19. Here also Paul fought with beasts 1 Cor. 15. And to this city Paul wrot his Epistle and sent it from Rome 996 miles He made Timothy also a Bishop of this city to whom he wrot two Epistles the first was sent him from Laodicea to Phrygia beeing 280 miles the second from Rome as I said By these Epistles Timothy was greatly comforted and taught them to his disciples and auditors that so they might constantly continue perseuer in the Christian faith and religion to the end To conclude Iohn the Evangelist came also to Ephesus wrot his Gospel against the heretick Cerinthus who denied Christ to be the true God for which cause God grieuously punished him so that he died as hee was bathing himselfe in a bath Irenaeus lib. 5. ca. 3. Euseb li. 3. c. 22. This was the first Church to which Iohn wrot his Reuelation and there when he returned out of Pathmos he raised his host Drusana from death to life So when he had gouerned the churches in Asia 30 yeares after the death of Paul hee died when hee was 91 yeares old and was honorably buried at Ephesus not far from the city There was also another Iohn that liued in Ephesus to whom as many think the Epistles of Iohn the Evangelist were dedicated as Ierom sheweth in his catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers The sepulchre of this man is shewed not far from the Sepulchre of S. Iohn the Evangelist as Euseb witnesseth lib. 3. cap. 31. At this day this city is named Figlo ho Epheso See Gesner Of Pathmos THis is an Isle of the Aegean sea scituated betwixt Asia minor Grecia 2080 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward Pli. l. 4. c. 12. saith that it was 30 miles in compasse Into this Isle the Evangelist was banished by Domitian Nero where he wrot his Reuelation It was one of the Cyclad Islands which were 53 in number that lay round about the Island Delus as Stra. li. 10. Geog. obserues It stood 40 miles from Ephesus Southwestward and as Petr. Apianus saith was somtimes called Posidius but now Palmosa Of Smyrna THis is the second city to which Iohn dedicated his Reuelation It was scituated in Ionia in Asia minor 540 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward This was a very faire city beautified with many goodly buildings and of good account in Grecia It was at first but a Colony transplanted from another city in that country But Theseus that great prince beeing then King thereof that he might adde some grace to that which hee had begun hee called it after his wiues name Smyrna signifying Myrrh Herod saith that Homer was born here but not blind and called by the name of Melisigines but after the Cumaenians called him of his blindnesse Homer Strab. li. 14. Geogr. saith That the inhabitants take vpon them to shew his picture standing there also a temple built in his honour During his life he was a man of small or no reputation or rather contemned than honored as Herod saith But after his death his works beginning to grow famous the Cities of Greece contended who should patronise him The Colophonians claim a part in him because he was in that towne and there made some of his Odysses They of Chios say he belonged to them because he liued there a long time and taught schoole But for ought that can bee found by Authours the Smyrnians haue most interest in him Neuerthelesse I leaue him to them that please to patronise him since it is not certainly found where hee liued He liued about 900 yeares before Christ Eusebius saith Hist Eccles lib. 4. cap. 14. that in after times this city grew very famous and was so much inlarged that it became a Bishops See whereof Polycarpus a very godly and religious man was Bishop He gouerned the Church in that place at such time as Iohn the Evangelist wrot his Reuelation and by him cap. 2. is called the Angell of the Church of Smyrna This man after he had faithfully preached the Gospell for the space of 86 yeares was by the inhabitants thereof condemned to death for the profession of Christ Anno 170. But the towne of Smyrna because of the vnthankfulnesse and crueltie of the inhabitants was grieuously punished for within ten yeares it was cast downe by an earthquake since which time it was hardly rebuilt again The riuer Pactolus which beginneth in Lydia runneth by this town of Smyrna But the inhabitants because of the golden veins that are found therein call it Crysorrhoas Plin. lib. 5. cap. 29. A little after that there was such an extreme plague hapned in Rome that they were constrained to carry out the dead bodies
he rose vp and went into the towne Act. 14. The next day they went to Derbe a citie of Lyaconia which was 48 miles From thence they returned backe againe to Lystra in the same yeare which was 28 miles From Iconia they came to Antiochia in Pisidia which was 16 miles in this citie they comforted the Disciples exhorting them that they should perseuere in their faith For through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of heauen They also elected Elders in the Churches so with fasting and praiers they commended them to the Lord in whom they beleeued In the 47 yeare after Christ they went from Antiochia thorough all Pisidia and came to Pergamus a citie in Pamphilia which was 132 miles here they preached the word of the Lord Acts 14. From Pergamus in the following yeare they went downe to the citie of Attalia which was 26 miles In the 48 yere after the natiuitie of Christ they loosed thence and went to Antiochia in Syria which was 340 miles here they assembled the Church and shewed what wonderfull things the Lord had wrought by them and how hee had opened the doore of faith vnto the Gentiles in this place they staied a great space Acts 14. In the yeare following they went from Antiochia to Ierusalem which was 280 miles to the Apostolicall Councell which was celebrated in that citie Anno Dom. 49. and as they went they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria and there declared the estate of the Church among the Gentiles Acts 15. From Ierusalem they with Sylas and Iudas syrnamed Barsabas went againe to Antiochia in Syria which was 280 miles here Paul opposed Peter for preaching vnto the Gentiles Gal. 2. So these trauels of Paul were 1744 miles Of the townes and places to which he trauelled Of Cyprus BEcause you may reade of Seleucia before I therfore willingly omit it that I might speake more fully of Cyprus This is a faire and spacious Isle scituated in the Mediterranean sea in the gulph of Issa bordering vpon Cilicia and Syria distant 160 miles from Ierusalem towards the North as Strabo saith lib. 14. It is in compasse 428 miles very fertile powerfull and spacious for an Island There inhabited in it in times past nine Kings and as Pliny saith lib. 5. cap. 31. called Macaria or one of the happy Islands the inhabitants were giuen much vnto luxurie and venerie from whence it hapned that Venus was greatly honoured amongst them It is said that there are many pretious stones found in it besides Crystal Allum and Cypresse wood which abounds in that place from which it seemeth the Island was called Cyprus There are also found many Symples that are Physical much Sack comes thenee and many other things necessarie for the life of man Here also standeth the Mountaine Olympus whose top seemeth to touch the heauens from whence it taketh the name because there neuer lies any clouds vpon it Lucan lib. 2. There are foure mountaines of this name the one lyeth between Macedon and Thessalie the other in Cyprus the third amongst the Mysians at the foot whereof Haniball built Prusa and the fourth in Aethiopia vpon the East side of Heliopolis There are many cities in this countrey as Macaria Cyprus or Cyrhera after called Paphos and now Baffa in which there standeth such a famous Temple that Venus of that is called Cypria and Cytherea Nicosia and Salamus now called Famagusta There haue beene many and cruell sharpe warres betweene the Venetians and Turkes concerning this countrie but at this day it is vnder the jurisdiction of the Turks from whence they fetch great abundance of Pitch and Rosin for their ships and cables Of Salamais SAlamais Salamin or Salamina was one of the principal cities of Cyprus and was distant from Ierusalem 196 miles towards the North built by Teucer the sonne of Telamon and scituated in the Eubeian sea just against Athens The occasion why this town was built hapned by reason of a discontent that grew betweene Teucer and his father Telamon for Teucer returning from Troy not hauing reuenged the death of his brother Ajax so much incensed his father that he banished him his countrie whereupon Teucer sailed thence to Cyprus where he built this citie and because of the extraordinarie affection that he bore to the countrie where he was borne called it by the name of Salamena or Salamais Saint Ierom saith that there is a riuer of extraordinary hot water that runneth through a great part of this countrie and that it was once ouercome by the Iewes and vtterly ruined and destroied but afterward repeopled and called by the name of Constantia This towne at this day is called by the name of Famagusta and was taken with the whole Island of Cyprus by Mustapha chiefe Captaine to Selimus the second Emperour of the Turkes An. Dom. 1570. Solon that notable and famous Philosopher was borne in this Towne And Paul and Barnabas sailed out of Syria and liued in this Towne Acts 31. Of Paphos THis Citie is scituated vpon the shore of Cyprus 212 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and seemeth to take the name from Paphos the sonne of Pigmalion the Artificer In this towne there stood a notable Temple built by that Pigmalion in the honour of Venus for that as it seemeth by the Poets hee was much giuen to women Here Elimas that wicked Magician who as some will haue it called himselfe the sonne of Iesus as others the sonne of Iehouah dwelt whom the Lord by the hand of Paul strucke with blindnesse Here also Sergius Paulus the Proconsull was conuerted It was in times past a goodly faire citie as the ruines thereof testifie to this day but now it is destroied and almost desolate There as it is for the most part through that Island the ayre is impure and vnwholsom and the ruines of many goodly churches and buildings are to be seene also the wals of a strong and almost impregnable tower scituated vpon a hill in the middle of the citie and as may be thought was sometime the habitation of Sergius Paulus There is also showne vnder a certaine Church which in antient times belonged vnto the brothers of the Minories a certaine Prison diuided into seuen roomes where Paul and Barnabas were imprisoned for preaching the Gospell Here also vnder another Church is found a spring of very wholesome water which is a present remedy for the Ague and Feuer Here also is excellent Wine Of Perga PErga was a citie of Pamphilia from whence Diana is called Pergea because there was a notable Temple in that Towne which was dedicated to her It is scituated in Asia the lesse neere to Cheractus as Ptolomais saith but as Strabo saith close by Cestria a faire and goodly riuer 356 miles from Ierusalem towards the North. The countrey wherein this standeth is full of mountaines extending from the mountaine Taurus which beginneth in this place abounding with Vines Oliues and other fruits vnto the sea There are many
he bore to Homers Iliads Wherefore looke what Alexander had promised Lysimachus one of his chiefe Princes and King of Thrace after his death performed for he returned to Troy enlarged the city beautified it with goodly buildings set vp a stately Temple and then compast it about with strong wals After this sort it continued a long time vntill Fimbria a Questor of the Romans when he had slaine Valerius Flaccus the Consull with whom hee was sent against Mithridates King of Pontus besieged it and within ten dayes space woon it making his vaunts that hee conquered that citie in ten dayes which Agamemnon could scarce do in ten yeares to which one of the inhabitants of the citie answered That then Troy had a Hector but now it had none But for this hee cruelly wasted the citie This destruction hapned in the 84 yeare before Christ thus it lay desolate till Augustus Caesars time who caused it again to be re-edified and beautified with many faire and goodly buildings because the Romanes and especially those noble families of the Iulij and Caesars doe deriue their progenie from the Trojans for which cause Augustus vsed such diligence in the rebuilding of this citie and bestowed such infinit cost that he much exceeded Alexander and made it a faire and goodly citie At this day it is called Ilium But in the place of old Troy there is little to bee seene only a small towne as Strabo saith It is distant from Ierusalem 760 miles Northwestward Of Bythinia THis countrey is opposite to Constantinople scituated in Asia minor distant from Irusalem Northwestward and so called of Bythinus the sonne of Iupiter and Thrax It was sometime called Pontus Bebrycia and Mygdonia as Stephanus saith In this countrey the Apostle Paul could not preach the Gospel of Christ when he went into Macedonia and Graecia because hee was hindred by the Spirit Act. 16. The principall cities thereof were Calcidon Heraclea Nicea Nicomedia Apamea Flauiopolis Libissa where Hannibal lieth buried and Prusa now called Byrsa where in times past the Emperours of Turkie kept their Courts and were buried The mother and metropolis of all these cities was Nicea or rather Nicaea beeing distant from Ierusalem 720 miles towards the Northwest at the first called Antigonia of Antigonus the sonne of Philip King of Asia who built it after the death of Alexander the Great But Lysimachus called it Nicaea after his wifes name and at this day is called Nissa The compasse thereof is two miles being foure square scituated as Strabo saith lib. 12. in a faire and pleasant place lying close by the poole of Ascania and hath in it 4 gates standing in a direct line al which gates might easily haue beene seene from a certaine stone which stood in the middle of the Market place In this citie the most Christian Emperor Constantine the Great celebrated a Councell anno Dom. 325. at which time there were present 320 Bishops who condemned the Arrian herisie and instituted the Nicaen Creed But after that viz. anno Dom. 326 the Arrians endeauouring to hold a second Councell in this citie to confirme their opinions and to dissolue that which went before the Lord hindred them with an Earthquake by which almost half the citie was throwne down Not long after there hapned another earthquake which vtterly destroied it notwithstanding it was rebuilt again and in it a second Councell held wherein the Nicaen Creed was condemned There were many cities of this name that before spoken of another in Thrace a third in France not far from the riuer Varus a fourth as Stephanus saith is amongst the Lorrenses in Graecia a fift in Illeria a sixt in India a seuenth in Corsica and the eighth in Leuctris of Boetia Of Mysia THis is a country of Asia the lesse bordring vpon Helle spont and Troada being diuided into two parts that is the greater and the lesse That part that bordreth vpon Troada is distant from Ierusalem 800 miles Northwestward but that which is called Mysia the lesse and bordring vpon Lydia is 1028 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward In this countrey stood Pergamus to which Iohn wrote his Reuelation Scepsis where one Neleus kept the bookes of Aristotle til Apollonius time also Antandrus Adramitium Tranoiapolis and Apollinia which stood close by the riuer Thyndaeus The inhabitants were men of a base condition and contemned of the world insomuch as they became a prouerbe as often as a man would denote a thing of no estimation they would say Vltimum esse Mysiorum that is It is worse than the Mysians as it appeareth in Cicero's oration for Flaccus Yet notwithstanding Paul and Iohn the Euangelist preached the doctrine and light of the Gospell to this poore and despised people so that the Mysians which were a contemptible and abhominable nation before all the world were not so before God for they were conuerted at the preaching of Iohn and Paul From whence he saith Not many wise according to the flesh not many mightie not many noble but God hath chosen the foolish things of this world that they might confute and ouerthrow the wise c. 1. Cor. 1. In times past they were a great people though of smal estimation for they had vnder their iurisdiction Lydia Caria Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Philidelphia and Laodicea to many of which Iohn wrote his Revelation Also as Herodotus saith Lib. 7. the Mysians and Teucrians before the Trojan war past into Europe and there woon and held Thracia Macedonia and all the land to the Adriatick sea c. Of Troas THis citie Troas where Paul raised Eutichus which signifies happie or fortunate from death to life Acts. 10. stood vpon the sea of Hellespont in Asia the lesse 720 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward Antigonus king of Asia called it Troas because it was in the countrey where Troy was But after the death of Alexander he called it after his owne name Antigonia And the better to honour it kept his court there But Lysimachus King of Thrace hauing got this city into his iurisdiction bestowed great cost vpon it and set vp many fair and goodly buildings then called it after Alexanders name Alexandria and so it began to be called Alexandria Troas Plin. lib. 5. Strabo l. 13. Ier de locis Hebraicis Now it was called Alexandria Troas to put a difference between it and diuers other cities of that name for there was an Alexandria in Aegypt another in India and many others elsewhere but only this in the countrey where Troy stood It was scituated in a high and spacious mountaine about a mile and a halfe from the shore of Propontus towards the East between which Troads is twentie and eight miles It is a thing worthy obseruation to consider by what diuers names the sea that lies between Europe and Asia the lesse is called for betweene Constantinople and Calcidonia close by the Euxine sea it is called Thracius Bosphorus in which place it is not aboue halfe a mile
of Licaonia Pisidia and Isauria in which countries the Apostle Paul taught the Gospel of Christ These inhabitants which in those daies were called Galathians are said to be a people of France who ioyning themselues to the Cymbrians Danes and Germans vnder the conduct of Brennus their captain inuaded Italy in which enterprise they were so fortunat that they conquered a great part of it wherin they planted colonies and because of their neernesse to their own country in processe of time grew mightie and from that beginning the countrey where they inhabited was called Cice-alpine-Gallia taking that name partly of the place partly of the people After Brennus and his armie making vse of their fortunes forraged all Italy and came to Rome which they woone and sackt all but the Capitoll and that also was in great danger vntill such time as Camillus a valiant Roman Captaine taking aduantage of the enemies securitie who now tooke more care how to satisfie their couetousnesse than to defend what they had got of a sudden set vpon them by which vnexpected inuasion they were put to a maruellous straight and the besieged greatly incouraged so that they also issuing out of the Capitoll made such a slaughter that they forced Brennus and his armie to retire and to restore all the pillage that hee had got and also forsake the countrey This misfortune they bore patiently considering their former prosperitie and in hope of better successe sailed thence into Grecia where after they had attempted many noble exploits and failing in some they determined a voyage for Delphos because there was great store of treasure and the inhabitants as they supposed weake to oppose their armie In this expedition they vsed much pillage and robbing vpon the Seas and through many dangers came at length to this Isle landed their men wan the citie fired a great part of it and put many of the inhabitants to the sword with this victorie most of his armie which were more religious than the rest would haue willingly left the countrey but Brennus who beforetimes had beene vsed to sacriledge and those that were as couetous as himselfe thought it basenesse through an opinion of holinesse to leaue so great a bootie behind them as was contained in the Temple of Apollo for that place of all the Temples of the world in those times was notorious for riches and treasure the many and great gratuities and offerings of most Princes which were both magnificent and rich being hoarded vp in the secret caues of this Oracle wherefore they attempted the assault but with bad successe for the diuell raised such a tempest with thundring lightning and other strange and vncoth accidents that Brennus in this distemperature of the aire was * Some say he killed himself with his owne dagger slaine many of his shippes were set on fire and the greatest part of his armie lost being either spoiled with lightning slaine by the inhabitants or dispersed with feare Such euent had this sacrilegious attempt Those that remained after they had gathered themselues into a body went thence into Asia the lesse and planted themselues in this country where the inhabitants in processe of time called them Gallo-Graecians adding their originall name to that of the countrey wherein they liued and after for beauties sake they were called Galatians See Liu. lib. 5. Diodorus Siculus lib. 6. saith That the inhabitants of Galatia were so called of this people in the time that Gidion iudged Israel that Cyrus was Emperour of Persia both may be true considering the mutabilitie and change of States in those times Some thinke they were first called Galatians by Attalus King of Pergamus who gaue them a great ouerthrow close by the riuer Halym because they originally were of Gallia and continued sometime in Graecia and after came into Asia so he joyning these two names into one called them Gallo-Graecians or Gallatians This history is diuersly reported by diuers authors but all conclude that they rested and inhabited in Asia where their posteritie continued to this day In times past it was a very warlike and generous nation and in their expedition performed many noble exploits attaining to eminence onely by their sword for which cause many Princes neere them were beholding vnto them for their aide but withall cruell and barbarous insomuch as they oftentimes eat their captiues or offered them to their gods and thus they continued for the space of 300 yeares till Paul comming into that countrey preached the Gospell amongst them and conuerted them from this Barbarisme to the Christian faith He sent an Epistle to this people from Rome being 1200 miles They in those times held all Paphligonia a part of Phrigia Cappadocia and of all the neighbouring countries thereabouts which after their names was called Gallo Graecia or Galatia such a mightie nation was this growne in a short time at first being a people thrust out of theit owne countrey for want of a place to inhabit in as you may reade more at large in the fifth booke of Liuie whose authoritie I haue principally followed herein Of Phrygia PHrygia is as much to say as a dry and sandy country scituated in Asia the lesse between Galatia and Mysia 600 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward It is diuided into two parts the greater and the lesse in the greater Phrygia stood Smyrna in the lesse Dardania so called of Dardanus who first built it in which town there reigned many wealthy mighty Princes as Ericthonius Tros of whom it was called Troy Ilus of whom it was called Ilion Laomedon who was the father of Priamus the last king therof for in his time it was destroyed by the Grecians Of which desolation I will not speak because it is commonly known It lay waste so long although it had bin a faire and goodly city the like not in the world that the place where it stood was become like a plain field only here and there some heaps of old ruins to shew that there had been a city in that place And as Virgil said I am seges est vbi Troia fuit Corne now growes where Troy stood A long time after there were a certain people that called themselues Trojans who rebuilt it but not in the same place and in it erected a goodly Temple in honour of the goddesse Pallas to the which Temple Alexander the Great after he had conquered Darius King of Persia close by the riuer Granicus which tooke beginning in a mountain not far from Troy went and with singular gladnesse and great solemnitie offered many rich and goodly Presents enlarged the towne and greatly adorned But after he had ended the Persian war and conquered almost all the knowne world he sent very kinde and louing letters to these new Trojans promising not only to inlarge the towne and endow it with ma-priuiledges and reuenues but also to build vp a faire and sumptuous Temple there as Strabo lib. 15. saith all which was done for the loue