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
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
Ioppa and Silicia to the Streights betweene Spain and Mauritania Into this Sea Ionas was cast when the Whale deuoured him In like manner the Red sea and all others that are ocean seas are called Tharsis as appeareth in the 72 Psalme where it is said The Kings of Tharsis and of the Isles shall bring Presents Here the Kings whose Empires extend themselues alongst the sea coast are vnderstood But the city Tharsis the countrey of the Apostle Paul is not a kingdome neither euer had a King much lesse many Kings So Solomon sent his shippes by Tharsin that is by sea towards the Southeast into the Red sea and Eastern Ocean that they might bring gold pretious stones and sweet gummes from Arabia But the ships could not saile by the Red sea vnto the town of Tharsis vnlesse they would haue sailed ouer the land which is vnpossible because Tharsis lieth into the land from the Red sea as all Cosmographers agree So also the Psalmist saith Thou breakest with thy strong windes the ships of Tharsis that is of the sea beside many such like speeches From whence S. Ierom concludes that Tharsis may better signifie the sea than the city Tharsis Of the Euxine sea THe Euxine Ocean is that great and troublesome sea which beginning not farre from Constantinople runneth from Bosphorus and Thrace towards the East and North containing to the Longitude eight hundred miles but to the Latitude two hundred and eighty Towards the South it toucheth vpon Asia the lesse towards the East vpon Calcos towards the West Thracia and Valachia but towards the North it is ioyned to the poole of Maeotides This sea in times past was called Pontus Axenus that is the inhospitable country because as Strabo lib. 1. of his Cosmography saith The inhabitants neere about the sea-shore did vsually sacrifice those strangers they got or else cast their bodies vnto dogs to he deuoured making drinking cups of their skuls But after when the Ionians had built certain townes vpon the sea coast and had restrained the incursions of certaine Scythian theeues which vsually preyed vpon Merchants that resorted thither at the command of Pontus their King who had obtained a large and spatious kingdom in that country they called it Pontus Euxinus which is as much to say as the hospitable country Ovid testifieth almost the same concerning the originall of the name of this sea after this manner Frigida me cohibent Euxini littora Ponti Dictus ab antiquis Axinus ille fuit The chilly shores of th' Euxine sea constraines me to abide In antient time call'd Axinus as it along did glide Of Ninus or Nineveh NInus or Nineveh was a city of Assyria where the Emperours of that country vsed to keep their courts It was first built by Ninus that great Emperour of the first Monarchy 300 yeares after the floud and 2000 before Christ about the time when the Patriarch Abraham was borne It continued in great glory for the space almost of 1500 yeares and was distant from Ierusalem toward the Northeast 684 miles vpon the East side ioyning to the riuer Tygris on the North to the Caspian sea It takes the name from the beauty of it being deriued of Navah which signifieth A comely place spatious and pleasant There are many that are of opinion that in many things it exceeded Babylon as for the sumptuousnesse of the buildings the strength of the Walls and the extent The walls were so thicke that three Chariots might haue met vpon them without any danger and beautified with an hundred and fifty towers Ionas being sent of God to this city was three daies going through it that is as Luther expounds it through euery street of it in which time he conuerted a hundred and twenty thousand to repentance Arbaces who was also called Arphaxad was then Emperor This Arbaces Iustine lib. 2. calleth Arbactus he was a Captaine of the Medes who perceiuing the effeminat disposition of Sardanapalus the then Emperour taking aduantage of the times and this mans weaknesse conspired with some of his companions to vsurp vpon his gouernment and that he might make them hate and loath his loosenesse brought them into a room where the might see him sitting amongst his harlots tyred in womans apparell and carding wooll This sight greatly displeasing them and before being encouraged by Arbactus they seised vpon the city and besieged Sardanapalus in his palace But to preuent the miserie of a shameful death after he had gathered all his riches together he set fire on his palace where he his companions and treasure perished This fire continued 15 daies and hapned 823 yeares before Christ about which time Arbactus succeeded Sardanapalus began to reign and continued his gouernment 28 yeres But the Medes held not the Assyrian Empire long for Phul Belochus who at this time reigned in Babylon and his successour Tiglath Philasser are called Kings of Assyria betweene whom there hapned many great Warres 2 Kings 15.26 From whence may be gathered That after the death of Arbactus these Emperours dwelt in Niniveh and succeeded in the Empire Thus was this city greatly defaced with continuall euills the Lord before hand giuing them many admonitions and gentle corrections if it had bin in them to haue conceiued it to winne them to repentance but they continued still in their sins therefore according to their former prophecies Cyaxares King of the Medes besieging this towne tooke it and destroyed it euen vnto the ground as Eusebius saith This desolation hapned 13 yeares before the destruction of Ierusalem in the 11 yeare of Sadyattis King of the Lyddians who was grandfather to Croesus An. mundi 3349 before Christ 619. After this destruction it lay a long time desolat but at length some part of it was restored though with much trouble then when it was at the best estate constrained to suffer many changes and at length vtterly destroied by Tamerlane the Great the second time An. mun 3390. After this the inhabitants of that countrey vpon the East side of the riuer Tygris began the third time to build it But whether this third restoring of this City was at the command of some Prince that had the gouernment of the Country thereabouts or because of the scituation or for priuat profit it is not set down neuerthelesse it is again repaired standing on the borders of Armenia beautified with goodly buildings with faire and spatious streets compassed about as other cities of the East are with walls and ditches sufficiently strengthned to oppose the Enemy But in respect of the former Niniveh it seemes a small village It hath a bridge built of ships lying vpon the East side of it ouer the riuer Tygris and vpon that side of the Riuer there stand many faire gardens and orchards and the land there also is very fertil and pleasant But vpon the West of Tygris the soile is nothing so fruitfull At this day it is called by the name of Mossel so that although
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 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
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
the Princes and Embassadors of the King of Assyria spake blasphemous words against the Lord wherefore he slew 185 thousand of them as appeareth in the 2. King 19. Of the valley of the sonne of Hinnon THis valley lieth behind the city of Ierusalem Southward on the left hand as they went from Ierusalem to Bethelem In this valley the Iewes set vp an Idoll of copper like a King which they called Moloch that is a King of Idols This Copper Idoll stood with the arms stretching out and vnder it there was a great fire whereby the Image shewed fire-redde and besides that the more to honour it they made a great fire betweene two walls which burnt for his sake and through this fire the Idolatrous Priests cast liuing children into Molochs burning armes which he with his armes red hot burnt to death And in this manner the Iewes offered their owne children to the Idoll Moloch and when they did it they made a great noise crie and beat vpon a drum that the fathers when their children were offered should not here them crie by reason of the great noise of Drums This valley was called the valley of Tophet for Tophet signifies a Drum This was a most grosse and fearefull Idolatry therefore Christ likened this valley of Hinnon to hell fire for he called it Gehenna Mat. 5. That the Iewes should keepe themselues from this monstrous Idolatrie God made a law That if any man were taken committing this kind of Idolatry he should forthwith be stoned to death and not suffered to liue Leuit. 18. 20. The valley of Gehennon is oftentimes named in the holy Scriptures Iosh 15. Nehem. 11.2 Paral. 28.33 Ier. 7. Ierom writeth that here by this Idol Moloch in the valley of Hinnon there was a Wood for the water ran out of the Fountaine Siloah along by it and made the valley moist Of the field of bloud called Hakeldama THis field of bloud which was bought for thirty siluer pence for the which Iudas betraied our Sauiour Christ lay not farre from the valley of Hinnon Southward by the city of Ierusalem as Ierom writeth Of the hill Hameskita or offence and stander THis hill lay Southeast not farre from Ierusalem something wide of mount Oliuet so that there was but one Valley betweene them and was not altogether so high as it Also vpon this hill King Solomon in his old age suffered his wiues or concubines to make Idolatrous Temples wherein he and his wiues worshipped Idols Of the destruction of this famous Citie of Ierusalem by TITVS VESPASIAN THus haue I briefly set forth the dignitie scituation curiosity of the buildings of Ierusalem together with the richnesse of the Temple and sumptuousnesse of the houses now it rests to describe vnto you the manner and meanes how this famous Citie was destroyed surely a thing worthy wonder according to that in Ieremy Whosoeuer shall heare of it his eares shall tingle And that it might be the more famous and the Christians within it might take notice of the neer approaching desolation there were diuers strange accidents hapned and visions seene As first about some foure yeares before the riuer Iordan was turned out of her course and was brought into the Citie Pella a while after that for a yeare together there hung a Comet like a flaming sword ouer the City And in the night there was seene a light in the Temple And in the day when they were at sacrifice a Calfe brought forth a Lambe Then about the middle of the night the Easterne gates of the Temple opened of their owne accord In the skies were seene armies of men fighting and Horses and Chariots running too and againe And at last there was heard a terrible voice in the temple vttering these words Migremus hinc that is Let vs goe hence And that there might be a generall Proclamation of this sad and cruell desolation through the whole citie one Ananias the sonne of Iesus a man poore and impotent vpon the Feast of the Tabernacles ran through all the streets of the Citie and crying O a voice from the East and a voice from the West a voice from the foure windes a voice ouer Ierusalem and the Temple a voice ouer the Bridegroome and the Bride and a voice ouer the whole multitude of this Citie And although he was whipt and imprisoned and cruelly handled yet so long as he liued hee would not cease to vtter these words which by some were judg'd to foretel the horrible desolation which after hapned For Titus Caesar sonne of Flavius the Emperor about seuentie yeares after the Natiuitie of our Lord and about eight and thirty after his ascension vtterly ouerthrew it euen to the ground about the first day of the moneth of Aprill and within a yeare after these signes For he taking aduantage of the three factions which at this time swaied in Ierusalem One of Eleazer the Priest the sonne of Simon the other of Zilotus the chiefe Prince which held the Temple and the third of Iohannes Giscalenus a cruell fellow which had the command of the inferiour Citie besieged it and made this a fit opportunitie to further his enterprises whiles the seditious and factious people little regarding their owne safetie gaue way by their euill and intestine warrs to what he intended weakning themselues much more by their continued slaughters than the enemy by his inuasion Insomuch as the whole citie and Temple was filled with dead bodies common insolencies and publique rapines were ordinarily amongst them some set fire of the City others dispoiling the Temple a third sort killing the Priests euen as they were at sacrifice al places ful of dead bodies and to this to adde a greater measure of miserie without any regard at all to their future defence set fire of the store-house wherein the corne lay for the sustentation of the Citie and consumed that in one day which had been long a gathering by this meanes it came to passe that they were sorely afflicted with the pestilence through the corruption of the aire and with famine for want of Corne. All these things notwithstanding such was the crueltie obstinacie and peruersenesse of this people could not restraine them from violating the most sacred and holy things of the Temple insomuch as Iohannes Giscalenus had a full determination to haue destroyed it but that he was preuented by the Romans About this time was the feast of the Passeouer and it fell vpon the fourteenth day of Aprill being the Sabboth to the celebration whereof there resorted to Ierusalem about three hundred thousand Iewes These the enemy gaue way to enter into the Citie but considering their present necessitie for want of victuals vpon a suddain drew vp their forces and so straightly beleagered them that all this huge multitude was as it were imprisoned within the wals where partaking of the former misery they either died by the plague or famin Whence may be perceiued the maruellous prouidence
there were thirty Castles and Townes that were called after his name Iudg. 10. Num. 32. Deut. 3. Ios 13. 1 Chr. 1. Hee dwelt at Kamon a towne in the Tribe of Gilead some 48 miles from Ierusalem towards the North-East The trauels of Ieptha IEptha was borne at Mizpah in the Land of Giliad and being driuen into exile by his brothers hee fled into the Land of Tob 48 miles from Ierusalem Iudg. 11. From thence he returned to Mizpah 48 miles and there was chosen Prince and began his gouernment Anno mundi 2760 and before Christ 1208 yeares Iudg. 11. From Mizpah hee went with is army against the Ammonites to the Citie of Aroer where he put them to flight which is 26 miles Iudg. 11. From Aroer he pursued the enemies to Minneth which is 8 miles Iudg. 11. From Minneth he went to the plaine of the Vines which is 24 miles Iudg. 11. From Abel or the Plaine of the Vines hee went to Mizpah where he offered his daughter for a sacrifice to rhe Lord Iudg. 11. At that time he and the Ephramites got a memorable battell in which were slaine 22000 Iudg. 12. So all the Trauels of Ieptha were 322 miles Of the Cities and places mentioned in his Trauels Of Thob or Tob. THob or Tob to which Ieptha fled is in the halfe tribe of Manasses beyond Iordan not far from the mountain of Antilibanus 104 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward this was a very faire and plentifull countrey and therefore called Thob being deriued from Thobah which signifieth Good and Rare Of Mizpah MIzpha was a Citie in land of Gilead in the halfe Tribe of Manasses 18 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward and signifieth a Watch-tower of Zaphah to looke out In this towne Gideon dwelt and after him Samuel It was afterward destroied by Iudas Macchabeus you may reade more of it 1 Sam. 7.10 Ier. 40.41 Iosh 8. 1 Reg. 15. 2 Chr 6. Nehem. 3. Of Aroer THis was a citie of the Moabites beyond Iordan neere the riuer Arnon and fell to the tribe of Gad Iosh 12.13 Deut. 2. and takes the name from Turpentine being deriued from Arar that is He hath destroied and rooted out and was so called because Ieptha woon a memorable battell neere to this place Iud. 11. This is often mentioned in the Scriptures There was another towne of this name close by Damascus Of Minueth IN S. Ieroms time 40 yeres after Christ this towne was called Menneth of Mercury which the Syrians call Meni from Manah to distribute being a towne of Merchants which disperse their commodities here and there and stood beyond Iordan in the Tribe of Reuben 32 miles from Ierusalem toward the East Of the Plaine of Vines Of this you may reade more in the Trauels of Balaam Of the death of Ieptha THis Ieptha was a famous Captaine and from thence took his name for Iepthach signifieth To make him an open way with the sword being deriued of Patach To open and after hee had iudged Israel six yeares died the manner of whose death is diuersly reported some say that because hee performed not his vow effectually therefore God strooke him with a grieuous vlcer so that as he was passing from citie to citie in euery place he left a member Others say that he died in the citie of the Gileadites and that in memorie of his singular actions and noble exploits which by Gods especiall ayd he atchieued his body was cut into pieces and into euery citie of Gilead a member sent and there buried which as I take it is the better opinion Of Ebzan EBzan was the tenth Iudge of Israel and succeeded Iepthah he began his gouernment in Anno mundi 2666 and before Christ 1402. He was a Bethlamite of the Tribe of Iudah and as the Hebrews thinke Boez the grandfather of King Dauid he had thirtie sonnes and thirty daughters and liued to see them all married and tooke them home vnto him into his own family which doubtlesse was a great blessing of God and from thence tooke his name for Ibsan or Abezan signifieth the father of a flocke or multitude He liued dwelt and was buried in Bethlem Iuda Iudg. 12. Of Elom IN the yeare of the world 2773 and before Christ 1195. In the 5 yeare of this mans rule the Trojan warre began Ann. mundi 2777 before Christ 1190. Elon the eleuenth Iudge of Israel began to rule and dwelt in Aialon in the Tribe of Zabulon who after he had gouerned ten yeares dyed and was buried in the same towne There was another citie of the same name in the Tribe of Dan some foure miles from Ierusalem towards the West where at the prayer of Ioshua the Sunne stood still Of Abdon ABdon the twelfth Iudge of Israel succeeded Elon In the 5 yeare of this mans rule Troy was taken and began to rule Anno mundi 2782 and before Christ 1185. Hee dwelt in the Tribe of Ephraim in a mountaine of the Amalakites 16 miles from Ierusalem Northwards He ruled full eight yeares and then died and was buried in Pirithon Abdon signifieth a seruant for hee was a good Prince but that in obeying others he lost himselfe This Abdon was a great man had fortie sonnes thirtie of which he saw married and for his greater honour had his Chariot drawne with 70 Asses for they vsed them as we doe Horses The trauels of Sampson SAmpson was borne in the city of Zarea brought vp in the Tents of Dan and Estahol Iud. 13. From thence hee went to Timnah which is twelue miles there he fell in loue with Iudah the daughter of a Philistine Iudg. 14. From Timnah hee went backe to his father to Zarea and reuealed his affection which is 12 miles He and his father went back again to Timnah to see the maid and by the way as he went hee killed a Lyon which is twelue miles Iudg. 14. From thence he returned back again which is 12 miles Iud. 14. Within a while after Sampson and his friends went againe to Timnah and by the way he found Hony in the Lyon that he had slaine and gaue it to his friends to eat and when he came to the Philistines house he propounded the Riddle whereof you may reade Iudg. 14. These things hapned in Anno mundi 2791 and before Christ 1176 at which time he succeeded Abdon in the rule of the Iewes From thence he went to Ascalon a citie of the Philistines and killed thirtie of their men and tooke away their garments which is 24 miles From thence he returned backe againe to Timnah and deliuered the Philistines which had vnfolded the Riddle those change of garments Iudg. 14. From thence being angry that his wife had disclosed the riddle he returned to Zarea to his friends which is 12 miles Iud. 14. Within a while after when his anger was ouer hee returned backe to his wife to Timnah which is 12 miles it being then wheat haruest and carried with him a Goat that so hee might be merrie
vp of water for the riuer Kison begins at the foot of this mountain and diuides it self into diuers parts vntill it commeth to the hill Hermon and then it runs into two principal streams the one passeth toward the East into the sea of Galilee the other to the West towards Carmel and so into the Mediterranian sea There be some that are of opinion that neither raine nor dew falls vpon this hil because when Saul was slain Dauid cursed these mountains saying Let neither rain nor dew fal vpon you ô yee mountaines of Gilboa because the strong men of Israel were slaine there 2 Sam. 1. But this was but a figuratiue speech wherby Dauid would expresse the greatnesse of his sorrow for Borchardus the Monke speaking of this mountain saith That as he was ascending vpon it there was such a violent showre fell that he was wet through his clothes and the waters in great aboundance ran into the vallies And in the yeare of our Lord 1283 sleeping vpon this hill on the Eve of All Saints there was a great dew fell vpon his clothes onely some parts of it were very stony and barren as are many other mountains in that country Of Endor THis was a town in the tribe of Manasses neere the riuer Kison Ios 17. where Saul asked counsell of a witch 1 Sam. 28. It seemes to take the name from a fountaine of durance for Dor signifies he hath made sure It is distant from Ierusalem 44 miles toward the North. In S. Ieroms time this was but a smal village Of Bethsan THis was a city in the Tribe of Manasses betweene Bethulia and the sea of Galile some 44 miles from Ierusalem toward the North Iosh 17. It taketh the name from a Church-yard or a place of rest for Beth signifieth a house and Iaschan he hath slept Here Saul killed himselfe and the Philistines cut off his head and set it vpon the wall of this citie Afterward about S. Ieroms time Ptolomie called this Scythopolis You may reade in the second booke of the Macchabes how it was the towne of the Scythians for the Scythians which dwelt some 800 miles from Ierusalem towards the North came with a great army into the Holy land and by force woon this citie and dwelt there of whom it was called the Scythian towne Ioseph in lib. 2. de Bell. Iud. cap. 18. remembreth a strange accident that hapned neere this towne for the Iewes besieging it there were of their own nation that dwelt within the city who that they might make a priuate gaine took wages of the Scythians to oppose their brethren and countreymen by which meanes the Scythians got the better But after a while the Scythians considering that the number of the Iewes were great and fearing some sudden insurrection or innouation gaue them warning to depart and leaue the towne they though with great griefe as being prest with a two-fold necessity their owne wants and the hatred of their kindred did so relying meerely vpon the courtesie of strangers But about some two dayes after in the night time the inhabitants of Scythopolis breaking out of the citie vnawarres fell vpon them and in recompence of their kindnesse put to the sword some thirteen thousand many slaine vnawares some as they were eating and most in their sleepe After they had committed this massacre they compassed about the wood where they were took away all their substance and suffered not a man to depart aliue Wherefore one Simon the soone of a certaine ancient and noble Citizen called Saul perceiuing their present miserie and that there was no hope to escape iminent death and vtter ruine in a cruell and desperate maner breakes out into these words O miserable wretch that I am that against my owne conscience haue lift vp these impious hands against my countrey committing daily massacres to pleasure them who at this day lay violent hands vpon all wee haue die therefore thou that art thus profane and with thine owne hands make an end of thy wretched life since thou doest not deserue to die honourably in the face of the enemy but wretchedly in a corner and for thine owne offence So soone as he had ended these words he turned him about with a fierce countenance and falling vpon his father mother wife and children put them all to the sword after burnt his goods and to make an end of the tragedy ran himselfe vpon his owne weapon These things hapned but a little before Vespasian came into the land of Iudaea At this day this Citie Sythopolis is called after the antient name Bethsan The typicall representation of SAVL SAul if it be properly taken doth sometime signifie a Graue or Sepulchre and sometimes Hell being deriued from Scheuol which may be taken for both As therefore Saul persecuted innocent Dauid with an inueterate malice euen vnto the death so the sonnes of Sathan euil and wicked men persecute Christ and his members with an immoueable malice sparing neither Prophets nor Apostles neither such as are religious no nor Christ himself but with cruell torments put them to lingering deaths till they be vtterly exryrpate as they thinke and then wanting objects to satisfie their sauage mindes they follow their owne diuellish councels till with Saul they come to desperate ends Schaul or Saul if it be taken in the better part signifieth He hath desired or called The Philistines trauels from their Campe to Michmas THe Philistines incamped themselues at Michmas vpon Mount Ephraim some ten miles from Ierusalem Northward and out of the Philistines campe there issued three armies to spoile the countrey The one marched towards Ophra and went from Michmas to Salem 28 miles From thence they went to Ophra 4 miles The second went from Michmas to Bethoron 8 miles The third went from Michmas to the valley of Zeboim eight miles So all the Trauels of the Philistines were 58 miles Of Zoboim THis valley is not farre from Ierusalem in the Tribe of Benjamin Nehem. 11. The trauels of Ionathan Sauls sonne IOnathan went from Gibeah to Kiriath-jearim which was two miles where hee draue the Philistines out of their campe 1 Sam. 13. From thence he went backe againe two miles From thence he went to Michmas which is 8 miles and there by the helpe of his Armor-bearer he gaue the Philistines a great ouerthrow 1 Sam. 14. From thence hee followed the enemy to Aialon wich is 12 miles there his father would haue put him to death because he had tasted a little hony 1 Sam. 14. From Aialon Saul and his sonne Ionathan returned to Gibeah his owne citie which was two miles From Gibeah hee went with his father to Socho and Asecha which was 8 miles where after Dauid had slaine Goliah for that singular vertue and heroicall spirit which Ionathan saw in him he loued him as he did his owne soule and preferred him before his owne life and honour 1 Sam. 18. From thence he went with his father to Gibeah some 8
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
It was a hill in the city of Kiriath-jearim there was a town also of the same name standing within a little of it This was a little more than a mile from Ierusalem Westward Esa 10. GEBAL a bound or limit It was the bounds and limits of Syria bordering vpon the Mediteranean sea This city Gibal or Gebal was 160 miles from Ierusalem Northward 1 Reg. 5. Psal 82. GIBEAH a hill It was also called Gibeon where Saul dwelt foure miles from Ierusalem Northward Esa 10. GILGAL a roundle or the compasse of a hill Here Ioshuah pitched his tents it stood between Iericho and Iordan 12 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward GOG The Turks were thus called because they liued in tents Ezek. 48. GOSAN a land and riuer in Mesopotamia called after that name 2 Reg. 17. Esa 37. H HADAD RIMMON a Pomegranat This was a towne neere to Megiddo where Iosia King of Iudah was wounded to death 46 miles from Ierusalem Northward Zach. 12. HADRACH the land of Gladnesse So the Prophet Zachary cals Syria cap. 19. HANES an ensigne of Grace This was a city of Egypt bordering vpon Assyria Esa 30. HARAM the Syrian liberty It was the metropolitan Citie of Mesopotamia where Abraham dwelt Gen. 11. distant from Ierusalem 440 miles Northeastward HAVERAN a Casement It was a City in Syria not farre from Damascus 160 miles from Ierusalem towards the North-East Ezek. 47. HAZOR-ENON the gate of a fountain It was a city in Syria HAZOR-TICHON the middle Porch It was a town in Syria not far from Haveran Ezek. 47. HAZOR The land of Hay So the Ismaelities called their countrey HEMATH anger So the Prophets called Antiochia the Metropolitan of Assyria distant from Ierusalem 280 miles Northward HERMON Acurst It was a mountain beyond Iordan neer to Libanus 122 miles from Ierusalem toward the Northeast There is another mountain of this name neer to Naim and not far from Mount Tabor 44 miles from Ierusalem towards the North of which the Psalmist speaketh Psal 89. Tabor and Hermon praise thy Name The mountain beyond Iordan is oftentimes called by the name of Mount Gilead HESBON an ingenious cogitation It was a city of the Moabites in the tribe of Reuben 28 miles from Ierusalem towards the Northeast HENAH and IEVAH were two idols Esa 37. HEVILAH Sandy So India is called and a certain part of Arabia Petraea of Hevilah the son of Chus Gen. 10. These countries are very dry and sandy HETHLON He hath rolled together It was a city of Syria neere to Antiochia Ezek. 47. HOLON a Window It was a town of the Moabits in the tribe of Reuben and is also called Helon Num. 2. Ier. 47. HORONAIM the Syrian Liberties two towns of the Moabits Esa 16. I IACHZA the priuity of God A city of the Moabits in the tribe of Reuben 24 miles from Ierusalem Eastward IAEZER the help of God A city of Refuge belonging to the Leuits in the tribe of Gad beyond Iordan 40 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward IAVAN GRECIA so called of Iavan the son of Iapheth which was distant from Ierusalem 800 miles Westward IEZREEL the Seed of God This is the city where Queen Iesabel was deuoured of Dogs It standeth 48 miles from Ierusalem Northward IRHERES or Heliopolis a city of the Sun This was a City of Egypt 224 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest K KEDAR Blacknesse This was a Desart of the Ismaelites called Sur 80 miles from Ierusalem Southwestward KIR PARIES a Wall This was Cyrene a great city in Africa which was 816 miles from Ierusalem Westward There was a town of this name in the land of the Moabits in the tribe of Reuben Esa 16. KIR-HAZERETH or Kir-Hares a Mudwall It was a City of the Moabits in Arabia Petraea otherwise called Petra 72 miles from Ierusalem towards the South Esa 16. KIRIATHAIM a City This town was in the tribe of Reuben 22 miles from Ierusalem Eastward Esa 16. KIRIAH or Kirieth ibidem KITHIM a shining Iewel Macedonia is so called of Kithim the son of Iavan the son of Iaphet Gen. 10. Ier. 2. Mac. 1. For if you doe diligently obserue the deriuation of names you shal find that of Kithim comes Maketis and so by continuance of time and change of words Macedonia It lieth 920 miles from Ierusalem North-Westward L LACHIS a continuall walking or as some will haue it A pleasant walke This was a city in the tribe of Iuda 20 miles from Ierusalem Westward Ier. 34. LAISA a Lionesse So was Caesarea Philippi somtimes called It was also called Dan scituated neere to the fountains of the riuer Iordan not far from Mount Libanus 104 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward LIBNA Frankincense It was a town in the tribe of Iudah 10 miles from Ierusalem towards the South-West LVD that is Lydia a country in Asia minor so called of Lud the sonne of Sem. LVIT greene grasse it is also a mountaine in the Tribe of Reuben Esa 6. M MAGOG dwelling vnder a shed or tent The Turks are so called Ezech. 38. MARESA an inheritance In this towne the Prophet Micah was borne Micha 1. it was scituated in the Tribe of Iuda distant from Ierusalem 16 miles towards the West MEDAI a measure the Kingdome of Media was so called of Medai the sonne of Iaphet Gen. 10. MEDBA warme water it was a city of the Moabits in the tribe of Reuben 28 miles from Ierusalem towards the East Esay 16. MEDEMENA a dunghill it was a towne in the tribe of Iudah neere Beerseba and Gaza 44 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest Iosh 15. There was also another towne of the same name in the tribe of Benjamin not farre from Ierusalem Iosh 10. Ier. 48. MEGIDDO a wholesome apple Here Iosia King of Iuda was slain in war it stood 46 miles from Ierusalem Northward Zach. 12. MEPHAATH the splendor of waters it was a citie belonging to the Priests in the Tribe of Reuben subject to the Moabites 24 miles from Ierusalem towards the East Ier. 48. MESECH the tract of sowing so the Muscouites and Russians are called of Mesech the sonne of Iaphet Gen. 10. MIDIAN a measure a town lying vpon the red sea 160 miles from Ierusalem towards the South so called of Midian the son of Abraham by Keturah Gen. 25. MISPE a Watch. This citie stood in the land of Giliad beyond Iordan eight and fortie miles from Ierusalem towards the Northeast There is another Towne of this name also not farre distant from Ierusalem in the Tribe of Benjamin Hosea 5. Ierem 40. MOAB a father The countrie of the Moabites scituated betweene the red sea and the mountaines Abarim Ezech. 9. MEVSAL running swiftly it was the name of a people that tooke their beginning from Vsal the sonne of Ioktan Gen. 19. N NABAIOTH the countrey of the Prophets this country beginneth in the Tribe of Gad beyond Iordan and extendeth to the East part of the dead sea and so by the land of the Moabites to the Red sea It taketh the name
an antient friend and Suah taketh the name from desolation being deriued of Scho he hath made desolate Of Zophar the friend of Iob. ZOphar dwelt in the citie of Naema Iosh 15. but how farre it stood from Ierusalem is vncertaine Zophar of Zaphar signifieth swift Naema signifies pleasant and delectable of Naem courteous and comfortable Of Iobs daughters THe Lord gaue vnto Iob after his affliction and that he had tried his faithfulnesse three daughters so faire that there were none fairer to be found in all the land The name of the first was Iemmima that is as faire as the day of Iom which signifies a day The second Kazia that is such a one as giueth a pleasant sauor like vnto the gum Cassia The third because of the excellencie of her countenance was called Kaeren Hapuch that is casting forth rayes or beames Iob. 42. APOCRYPHA The Booke of IVDETH Of Egbatana AFter the death of Arbactus or Arphaxad which signifies a mighty Lyon to whom Ionas prophecied as is said before there succeeded in the Empire of the Medes Mandanes Sarsomenes Artecarnis Cardiceas and Deioces who being enthronised in that Empire called himselfe Arphaxad or Arbactus the second This man built Egbatana the metropolitan citie of the Medes and beautified it with very faire buildings goodly walls made all of foure square stone cut and polished 70 cubits high and 30 broad towers standing vpon it 100 cubits in height as well those that were for the defence of the town as those where the gates were The aire in that country was temperate inclining rather to cold than heate because it lay toward the North it stood 1136 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward Here for the most part this Emperor kept his court till as Herodotus saith he was vtterly conquered by Nebuchadnezzar Emperor of the Babylonians This was that Nebuchadnezzar which sent Holofernus with a mighty army against Iudaea Bethulia and many other cities and countries and would be worshipped as a god Iudeth 3. Of Hydaspes HYdaspes is a riuer that ariseth in Media which runneth thorough a part of Parthia extendeth it selfe into India and not farre from the citie Nisa falleth into Indus according to the opinion of Pliny and Strabo lib. 15. Neere this riuer Nabuchadnezzar ouercame Dieoces otherwise called Arbactus Iudg. 1. The description of the countries conquered by HOLOFERNES Of Kedar KEdar the wildernesse of Zur was thus called stood in the land of the Ishmaelites 80 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southwest and tooke the name of Kedar the sonne of Ishmael Gen. 25. Of the mountaines of Ange. THe mountaines of Ange lay betweene Pamphilia and Cicilia to the latitude of that famous country of Cilicia in Asia minor 320 miles from Ierusalem towards the North not farre from Anchiale a citie of Cilicia from whence it seemeth to take the name Of Cilicia CIlicia is a prouince of Asia minor so called of Cilice the kings sonne of Syria and Phoenicia the Metropolitan Citie of which countrey was Tharsus where the Apostle Paul was borne it was distant from Ierusalem 304 miles towards the North. Of Mallos MAllos a citie of Cilicia was so called of Malo that is plenty of all things Stephanus saith that it took that name of Mollo who first built it It is a citie to this day and of most of the inhabitants of that country called Mallo as Gesner obserueth Of Gesem GEsem signifies fruitfull The land of Gosen in Aegypt was so called being deriued of Gusch that is a turfe it stood 174 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southwest Of Aethyopia THis country stands beyond Aegipt 800 miles from Ierusalem towards the South where the Sunne is extreme hot that it turneth the complexion of the inhabitants to blackenesse here breed great abundance of Dragons and cruell beasts Of Esdrelon ESdrelon was a plaine lying betweene the mountains Thabor Hermon and Gilboa extending it selfe from the cities of Megiddo and Apheck to the sea of Gennezareth or Galile In this great field which was called the plaine of Galile and the field of Megiddo and Esdrelon there were many cruell battels fought for here Gideon ouercame the Midianites here Saul was put to flight by the Philistins from whence ascending into Mount Gilboa he killed himselfe Iosias also King of the Iewes was in this place put to flight by Pharaoh Necho and wounded vnto the death The camp of Holofernes was so great that it tooke vp all the plain which contained 16 miles in length In some parts it was wonderfull fruitfull and brought forth wine oyle and many other commodities in great abundance It stood 52 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and was so called of Caeder that is a hid order and disposition for Alam is as much to say as he hath hid Of Sobal SObal was a countrey vpon the borders of Syria where Sophena was scituated neere to the riuer Euphrates which country Saul and Dauid Kings of Israel somtime conquered it stood 600 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and signifies an eare of corne Of Apamea THis was a famous citie in Tetrapolis of Syria two hundred and eighty miles from Ierusalem towards she North built of Seleucus Nicanor King of Syria and was so called of Apamea his wife Of the city Bethulia BEthulia was scituated within 4 miles of Dothan and two of the Galilean sea 44 miles from Ierusalem Northward About four miles from this town in a mountain a little beside Dothan lay the tents of Holofernes in the sight of Bethulia Iudeth c. 7. between which Bethulia lay the plain of Esdrelon in the midst whereof there ran a pleasant riuer which in times past watred it Here Iudeth according to the custome of the Iewes washed her selfe The place where Bethulia stood is to be seene at this day the ruins of the town and many houses still remaining It was scituated vpon a goodly high mountaine strongly fortified by Nature and as it seemeth by art also A man might haue seen it thorough the greatest part of Galile but aboue the rest a certain castle in the end of the mountain made for the defence of the city They shew at this day in the mountaine and field neere Dothan the place where Holofernes camp stood and the reliques of their tents also the brook where Iudeth washed her selfe Bethulia signifieth The hand-maid of God being deriued of Bethulah a virgin and Iah God Holofernes a prophane Captaine of which sort are those tyrants that persecute the Church of God The Booke of TOBIAS The Trauels of Tobias the elder TObias the elder was caried captiue out of the tribe of Nepthaly where he was born to Ninive the Metropolitan city of Assiria being 600 miles at such time as Salmanasser King of the Assyrians caried away the tenne tribes of Israel into Assyria Captiue in the yeare before Christ 742. 2 Kings ca. 17. Tob. 1. From that time he continued in Ninive being then about 27 years old and numbred amongst the yong men
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
vpon the East side of the riuer they pitcht their tents 12 miles Here they fought with Bacchides After they went thence to Bethbesan 3 miles From thence they went to Ierusalem 12 miles Ios Ant. li. 18. cap. 1. From Ierusalem they went to Ioppa 20 miles and wonne the towne Ios lib. Ant. 13. ca. 6. From Ioppa they went to Asdod 12 miles and in the way they put the enemy to flight From Asdod they went to Ascalon which was 12 miles 1 Mac. cap. 10. From Ascalon they returned to Ierusalem which was 30 miles 1 Mac. 10. From thence he went to Bethsura halfe a mile this towne he won and placed a garrison in it 1 Mac. 11. Also in the absence of his brother Ionathan Simon went with his army to Ascalon which was 30 miles from Ierusalem 1 Mac. cap. 12. From thence he went to Ioppa which was twenty miles This towne the second time hee tooke and placed a Garrison therein ◠Mac. 12. From Ioppa hee returned againe to Ierusalem which was twenty miles Ios antiq lib. 13. cap. 8. From Ierusalem in the last yeare of his brother Ionathans gouernment he went to the plain of Sephala about 14 miles where he built the Hold of Abida 1 Mac. 12. From thence he returned to Ierusalem 14 miles There after the captiuitie of his brother Ionathan whom Tryphon by cunning had betrayed as is before said hee was chosen by the people of the Iewes into the principalitie From thence hee went to Addus to meet Tryphon 16 miles where he would haue ransomed his brother Ionathan 1 Machab. cap. 13. From Addus he went to a city of the Idumaeans called Ador or Adaram 48 miles From Ador he returned into Iudaea with his army 40 miles that he might oppose the inuasion of Tryphon and his souldiers lest they should haue destroyed the country and got Ierusalem in his absence Tryphon hauing put to death his brother Ionathan which was in the yeare before Christ 140 Simon entered vpon the office of high priest the same yere and continued in the gouernment eight yeares In the first yeare of his gouernment he went from Ierusalem to Modin 14 miles Here he buried the body of his brother Ionathan in his fathers sepulchre very honorably and richly beautified it From Modin he returned to Ierusalem 14 miles where he executed his priestly function diligently repaired the holds and decaied towns of Iudea compassing them about with stone wals and fortifying them with towers and bulwarks From thence he went to Gaza 44 miles from Ierusalem South-westward This town he tooke From thence he returned to Ierusalem which was foure and forty miles There he repaired the tower of Acropolis wherin he dwelt From Ierusalem he went to Ioppa and won the towne which was 20 miles From Ioppa he returned to Ierusalem which was twenty miles where for a time hee liued very honourably and kept a princely port 1 Mac. 14. Lastly he went with his two sons Iudas and Mattathias and his wife to visit his father in law Ptolomeus the son of Abodus to the castle of Doch which was neere to Iericho some ten miles from Ierusalem towards the Northeast Here he was slain by his father in law at a banquet in the yeare before Christ 132 in the 11 moneth which answereth to our February 1 Mac. 16. So all his trauels were 799 miles ¶ The description of the places mentioned in his Trauels Of Arabath ARrabath or Araba was a city neere to the lake or riuer Merom not farre from Dothan 44 miles from Ierusalem toward the North. It seemes to take the name from Locusts wherof there are many kinds 1 Mac. 5. for there are Locusts that liue vpon herbs and flours others that fly in great swarms in the aire and some also that liue in the waters not much vnlike Crabs or Crayfishes their tailes only excepted Plin. lib. 9. cap. 12. reckons vp another kinde of Locusts whereof Iohn Baptist did feed and it was lawfull for the Iewes to eat of them hee describes them to haue foure feet and wings so that they can either fly or leap vpon the earth They can be resembled to nothing more fitly than to grashoppers These the Hebrewes call Rabae Levit. 11. Mat. 3. because of the aboundance of them being deriued of the verbe Rabah He hath multiplied or increased because these kinds of Locusts come in mighty great swarmes and multitudes into the East part of the world Of these kindes of Locusts Arabath took the name but they are not known to vs neuerthelesse such there are and as it appeareth in Levit. cap. 11. were permitted to be eaten among the Iewes From whence may be concluded that Iohn Baptist liued vpon these kinde of Locusts and not vpon Crabs or Cray-fishes or any such kinde of Locusts Mat. 3. Of Sephela SEphela is a plain compassed about with mountaines neere the riuer Sorecke It lieth 14 miles from Ierusalem Westward Here Simon built the castle Adida and fortified it very strongly Afterward there was a city built neere to this tower called Eleutheropolis It was a free city in the tribe of Iudah halfe way between Ierusalem and Ascalon of which Ierome speaketh li. de Locis Hebr. Of Doch THis was a strong tower the ruins wherof may be seen to this day It was scituated neere Iericho in the field of Hiericuntis ten miles from Ierusalem Northeastward where Ptolomeus the son of Abodus perfidiously put to death his son in law Simon high Priest of the Iewes From this tower you might haue seen all the country of the Giliadites the two tribes of Gad and Reuben and the halfe tribe of Manasses with the mountains of the Moabites Nebo Pisga and Abarim vid. 1 Mac. ca. vlt. The Trauels of Iohn Hyrcanus IOhn Hyrcanus was made Captaine ouer all the men of War by his father Simon and went from Ierusalem to Gaza 44 miles where he dwelt 1 Mac. 13. From thence he returned to Ierusalem 44 miles in the 5 yeare of his fathers gouernment to let him vnderstand how Cendebius had inuaded the holy land 1 Mac. 16. From Ierusalem he and his brother Iudas went with their army to Modin 14 miles where they stayed all night The next morning before day they gaue battell to Cendebius not far from Modin ouercame him and put him to flight So he pursued the chase till he came to the fortresse of Cedron which stood in the field of Azotus euen 8 miles From the field of Azotus he and his brother Iudas returned to Ierusalem being 22 miles 1 Mac. 16. From Ierusalem he returned to Gaza which is 44 miles Now when Sorius Ptolomeus the son of Abodus who a little before had treacherously slaine his sonne in law Simon at a banquet heard of Iohns comming into the towne he sent forth certain traitors and homicides to put him to death also but Hyrcanus hauing certain intelligence of the matter preuented the mischief and put these traitors to the sword 1 Mac.
to yellow spotted all ouer with round shining spots in like manner are their eies She is a friend almost to all kinde of creatures except the Aspe and Dragon and as Oppianus saith neuer taken but when shee is drunke or in her sleepe She is the female to the Leopard The Leopard is of the same colour and of the nature of a Wolfe being full hee hurteth nothing but if empty he preyeth vpon euery thing yea euen vpon men his breath is very sweet with which many other creatures being delighted he often preyes vpon them but beeing full he sleepeth somtimes three daies together The Tyger also is a very swift and cruell creature from whence he is so called his skin is yellow and full of black spots round and shining If shee chance to lose her yong she neuer leaues seeking till shee findes them out The Trauels of Tryphon that put Antiochus to death IN An. mundi 3826. before Christ 142. Tryphon somtime chief Captain to Alexander King of Syria who was slain in Arabia went to Emalcuel Prince of Arabia deserta with whom Antiochus the son of Alexander was brought vp where he so wrought with him that he got the boy from him and brought him thence into Syria 160 miles and within a while after besieged Antiochia tooke the towne droue thence Demetrius Nicanor and crowned yong Antiochus King of Assyria This journy to and again was 320 miles 1 Mac. 11. In the second yeare of the reign of young Antiochus Tryphon went from Antiochia to Bethsan where he perfidiously betrayed Ionathan the brother of Iudas Machabeus 1 Mac. 12. being thirtie six miles From Bethsan he went to Ptolomais 32 miles From Ptolomais he went to Addus a towne vpon the borders of Iudea 68 miles 1 Mac. 13. To Addus Simon sent his brothers Children and his ransome which was 60 talents of siluer but after hee had receiued the mony he broke his word and went thence with Ionathan and his sons to Ador 48 miles From Ador hee went to Bascharnan in the land of Gilead 96 miles Here he put to death Ionathan and his sonnes From the country of the Gileadites he returned to Antiochia which was 240 miles here he put to death yong Antiochus being but a boy of 7 yeares of age and vsurped vpon the gouernment in his place He began to reign in the 172 yeare of the Grecians gouernment in Syria and reigned 3 yeares 1 Mac. 14. Ios li. Ant. 13. About the end of the three yeares which was in the 174 yeare of the Grecians gouernment in Syria Antiochus Sedetes brother of Demetrius Nicanor made war vpon Tryphon and compelled him to fly from Antiochia to Dora 240 miles from Antiochia toward the South 1 Mac. 15. But Antiochus Sedetes followed him thither and so streightly besieged Dora that he was constrained to steale thence in a ship and saile to Orthosia which was 160 miles Lastly in the way as he was going thence to Apamea which was 120 miles he was taken and put to death So all his trauels were 1360 miles ¶ Of the places mentioned in his trauels which haue been formerly recited Of Dora DOra was a hauen towne scituated vpon the shore of the Mediterranean sea 48 miles from Ierusalem Northward in the mid way between Carmel and Caesarea Strato In Ioseph cap. 17. it is called Dor that is à durans Of Orthosia THis was a city of Assiria scituated vpon the shore of the Mediterranian sea neere to the place where the riuer Eleutherius falleth into it 200 miles from Ierusalem Northward being so called of Diana whom the Grecians called Orthosia that is Exalted or lifted vp Hither Tryphon sailed when hee fled from Antiochus Sedetes 1 Mac. 15. Plin. lib. 5. cap. 20. Concerning the trauels of Apolonius Nicanor Bacchides and Cendebius because they are sufficiently described in the trauels of the Machabees I thought it vnfit to speake further of them The Trauels of Heliodorus HEliodorus signifies the House of the Sun He was Scretarie and chiefe Gouernor of Antiochia in Syria for that mightie King Seleucus Philopater who was brother to that cruel Tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes and was sent by his Lord and master Seleucus from Antiochia to Ierusalem which is 80 miles to spoile the Temple of the Lord but the Lord sent an Angel richly beautified with armor of gold sitting vpon a horse who went to Heliodorus and with his horse trod him vnder his feet and there appeared two other Angels full of majestie and power that strooke Heliodorus and beat him with whips so that he lay vpon the floore of the Temple as a man halfe dead and could not go forth vntil he was caried out 2 Mac. 3. From Ierusalem he went with that good man Onias chief priest of the Iewes at whose earnest prayers and supplications hee was made whole to Antiochia 280 miles where hee told Seleucus Philopater of the wonderfull works of the Lord. So all his trauels were 580 miles The Trauels of the high-Priests of the Iewes that ruled before the Machabees as they are seuerally mentioned in the Books of Machabees And first of the trauels of Onias the high-Priest ONias signifies the riches of God from On Opulency and Iah God for although he was afflicted with pouertie in this world yet he was rich in God He succeeded his Father Simon the Iust an M. 3757. before Christ 211. Antiochus the great being King of Syria He was high-priest 39 years vntil the death of Seleucus Philopater at the end of which time one Simon the chiefe of those that kept the temple being ambitious of rule fell to words with Onias and from words to blowes so that there were many outrages committed by the friends of Simon Wherefore Onias to giue place to the fury of his aduersaries went from Ierusalem to Antiochia which was 280 miles But Seleucus Philopater being dead and Antiochus Epiphanes in the gouernment who was a couetous and cruell prince good Onias partly for fear of him and partly of his brother Iason who had but a little before purchased the office of high priest for 360 talents of siluer and promised to pay a yearely tribute of 80 talents durst not return home to Ierusalem but went to a sanctuary that stood in the wood of Daphne which was about one mile from Antiochia in hope of safety to which place one Andronichus chiefe Captaine to Antiochus came to him and with faire speeches and flattering words allured him out of the Sanctuary and traiterously put him to death So his trauels were 281 miles The Trauels of the high-Priest Iason IAson and Iesus haue both one signification he entred vpon the office of High priest in the first yere of Antiochus Epiphanes which was 173 yeares before Christ He went from Ierusalem to Antiochia which was 280 miles where after the death of Onias he payd to Antiochus for the office of high-priest almost 3 tunnes of gold with promise to pay a yearely tribute of 48000 crowns From Antiochia
you may reade Psal 89. Hos 4. Ierem. 45. There was also a towne called after this name scituated at the foot of this mountaine where Ziba and Zalmana Kings of the Midianites put to death the brothers of Gideon Iudges 8. It was a very fruitfull and pleasant place Concerning the signification of the name you may reade before Egesippus saith That this mountaine is almost foure miles in height and that vpon the toppe thereof there is a round Plaine almost three miles ouer in which there growes great plenty of trees of an admirable pleasantnesse and sweetnesse amongst which Trees there are many birds which sing very pleasantly to the great delight of all such as heare them and the aire on the top of it is very pure and pleasant It is the receiued opinion that vpon the top of this mountain our Sauiour Christ in the presence of Peter Iames and Iohn was transfigured and he spake with the holy Prophets Moses and Elias Mat. 17. Luke 9. which place at this day is compassed about with a great Wall within which is a faire and pleasant Orchard watered with many cleare goodly springs but there is no man that dwels in it notwithstanding there are many townes and inhabitants at the foot of the mountaine neither do they thinke any man worthy to dwel in it they hold it in such estimation and reuerence it as the Hill of God There are to be seen in it diuers great ruins of Pallaces Towers and princely Edifices in which at this day there harbour many Lions and other wilde beasts It is very difficult to ascend vp to the toppe of it it is so exceeding high it is one of the principal hils in the holy land not only because that Christ on it was transfigured but because it is verie fruitfull and plentifully aboundeth with Vines and other profitable plants and herbs The aire thereof is wholsome and good and the dew vpon it rising thick and sweet with indifferent rain the trees high and faire greene both Winter and Sommer At the foot of the mountaine towards the South neere to Endor in the way that leadeth from Syria into Aegypt is shewed the place where as it is said Melchisedech met with Abraham when he returned from the battell of the foure Kings Gen. 14. At the foot of the mountaine lying toward the West iust against Nazareth there is a Chappel built in the place where they say our Sauior Christ descending from this mountaine spake to his Disciples saying Tel none of this vision Mat. 17. Vpon the East side of it runs the brook Kison where Barak and Deborah ouercame the Army of Sisera Iudg. 4. There is also another hill in the vpper part of Galile 92 miles from Ierusalem Northward which hill is also called Thabor and is three miles distant from Caesarea Philippi Eastward but that was not the place of Christs Transfiguration The Trauels of Christ in the fourth yeare of his Ministery be the foure and thirtieth of his age IN the moneth of Ianuary Christ the sonne of God wintered in Bethabara 16 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward where Iohn sometimes baptised Ioh. 10. And many came vnto him saying Iohn shewed vs no signes but whatsoeuer he preached of this Christ are true And many beleeued on him Now as Christ went into the Desart to preach his Disciples came vnto him saying Lord teach vs to pray as Iohn taught his Disciples to pray Wherupon he prescribed to his Disciples a forme of prayer which is called the Lords prayer Luke 11. At this time there came vnto him a great multitude and thronged about him where hee made that long sermon which is described Luke 12 13. Vpon the seuenteenth day of Ianuarie it being then the Sabbath he cured a certaine woman which had beene diseased 18 yeares Luke 13. And when there came vnto him certain Pharisees saying Thou art the Sonne of God wherefore get thee out of this countrey for Herod seeks to kill thee Iesus answered them saying Goe and tell that crafty Foxe Behold I cast out Diuels to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Presently he departed out of Petraea where Herod kept his Court in the castle of Macharuntes and went into Galile beyond Iordan 28 miles Luke 13. Vpon the last day of Ianuary being the Sabbath our Lord and Sauiour Christ healed in the house of a certaine prince of the Pharisees a man sicke of the dropsie and recited the parable of the great Supper Luke 14. In the moneth of February he went through all Galile which was 80 miles long and 24 broad in which visitation there followed him a great company And when there came vnto him Publicans and sinners he began to speake of repentance but the Pharisees and Scribes murmured at him and opposed his parables of the lost sheep of the woman that had lost her groat of the prodigal son Luke 15. And a little after he recited vnto his disciples the parable of the vniust Steward and of Dives and Lazarus Luke 16. About the later end of February as by the circumstance of the historie and times may appeare he made that sermon of the power of Faith and Good works c. Luk. 17. And going out of Galile through the middest of Samaria he healed the ten Lepers Luk. 17. he recited the parable of the vniust Iudge and that of the Publican and Pharisee Luke 18. In the moneth of March hee finished this generall visitation Which journies were so many diuers that his disciples could not describe them Notwithstanding in this moneth he went into the borders of Iudaea and Petraea beyond Iordan and came to Bethabara where Iohn somtimes baptised and there followed him a great company and he healed them Matth. 19. Mark 10. There the Pharisees moued the disputation of the Diuorce and Christ louingly embraced the little children Mar. 20. In this moneth of March Lazarus the brother of Martha and Mary who dwelt at Bethania fell sicke of a deadly disease and they sent messengers to Christ who at this time was at Bethabara to giue him to vnderstand of his sicknesse Ioh. 11. This message came vnto our Sauiour Christ to Bethabara vpon the twentieth day of March being the last day of the twelfth month Adar Anno Mundi 4000. and about such time as the seuenty weekes spoken of by Daniel were fully ended At the end of which prophecie it behooued Christ that he might fulfil the prophecies of the old Testament to suffer and by his resurrection and ascention to enter into the glory of God and to be partaker of his eternall kingdome Although our Sauior had receiued this message of the sickenesse of Lazarus he stayed at Bethabara Two dayes after and as it may be thought about the 22 day of March which was the second day of the first moneth Ahib Lazarus died But Lazarus being dead and buried then our Sauiour went from Bethabara towards Iericho Ioh. 14. Luke
who now sitteth at the right hand of his father in power and eternall glory but rather if wee be desirous to see the footsteps of Christ let vs seeke them in the Church which is disperst through the world wherein wee are sufficiently taught how we should follow him The Palme is a famous tree which bringeth forth Dates and is so called because vpon the top the boughes are thicke and round extending out like fingers from whence it is called Dactylus that is a finger Of Gethsamene THis was a village scituated at the foot of the mount of Oliues in a pleasant and fruitfull place Neere vnto this village as Saint Augustine obserueth there were many pleasant gardens which gaue forth very sweet and delectable sauors vnto which place Christ and his Disciples did oftentimes resort as the Euangelist Luke cap. 22. obserueth It was so called from the pressing forth of oyle for Gathor Geth signifies a Presse and Schaemen Oyle In this place the heart of our Sauiour Christ was so prest with affliction that he sweat drops of bloud By which bloud the sinnes of our soules are washed away and wee that are wounded are made whole as with a most precious balsome Isa 53. Hellen the Empresse in an Orchard close by this towne set vp a faire and beautifull Church ouer the sepulchre of the Virgin Mary which she called by the name of the mother of God Niceph lib. 2. cap. 30. It is said that this sepulchre remaineth to this day in this Church made of white polished Marble standing about eight and fortie steps vnder ground being something wider than the sepulchre of Christ in it there is two doors one to goe in another to goe out But whither this be the right sepulchre of the blessed Virgin it concerneth vs not sith it appertaineth not to our saluation neither is mentioned in the holy Scriptures but if any man be desirous to be further satisfied in it let him reade Nicephorus who makes mention of that and her ascension both in my opinion of like credit because I suppose that Saint Luke who wrote the Acts of the Apostles and liued in those times would not haue omitted so memorable an action But to returne to the Garden of Gethsamene About some fiftie paces towards the East of this sepulchre of the blessed Virgin close by the foot of the mount of Oliues stands a certain chappell just in the place where sometimes the towne of Gethsemane stood Not far from this chappell is showne a certaine hollow place vnder a rocke where the inhabitants say our Sauiour sweat drops of bloud They also shew a certaine stone whereon the Angels stood which comforted our Sauiour Discending thence about a stones cast they shew vnto Pilgrims a place close by the caue in the Mount of Oliues where Peter Iames and Iohn sate when our Sauiour was in his agonie They also shew the place where Peter cut off Malchas eare There is to be seene a memorable place where Iudas betraied our Sauiour with a kisse when he deliuered him to the Iewes Not farre off is to be seene the place where the Iewes fell backeward when our Sauiour askt them Whom seeke yee Besides many other things if Borchardus may be credited as the impression of his haire and head vpon a stone and of his finger as if it had beene in wax vpon a rocke and in the place where he prayed of his hands and knees which are so firme in stone that they cannot be defaced with any instrument But there haue beene many in this place since these times which haue seene none of these things from whence may be gathered that they haue been idle delusions vsed by ancient monkes to get money from Pilgrims and strangers and I haue here remembred them that others knowing these may beware of the like fallacies and deceits purposely inuented for lucres sake This garden of Gethsamene is credibly thought to haue been planted in former times by the Kings Dauid and Solomon but increased inlarged by other succeeding Princes that there they might recreate themselues receiue some content by the fruits of the earth But on the contrary that great King the annointed of the Lord our blessed Sauiour in this place of pleasure this paradise of the Iewes was constrained to vndergoe that almost vnsupportable passion to make vs partakers of that heauenly paradise and place of pleasure Not far from hence is to bee seene the place where Iudas hanged himselfe and a little from that the field of Akeldoma which was bought with the thirtie Siluerlings for which Iudas betraied Christ This field by the appointment of the Empresse Hellen was compassed about with foure walls in the maner of a tower vpon the top whereof there are seuen distinct doores like windowes by which the dead bodies of Christians are let downe into it it is fiftie foot wide and seuentie two long It standeth not farre from the valley of Hinnon towards the East and vpon the South side of Mount Sion in Ierusalem c. Of Kidron or Cedron THis brooke was so called because of the blacknesse of the water being deriued of Kadar To wax blacke The Mountaine whence it first riseth stands not farre from Ierusalem towards the South from whence it runneth through the valley of Iehosaphat which vally being very fat and fertile changeth the colour of the water and makes it looke blacke and so through Ierusalem then passing towards the East ouer a cliffe of Mount Oliuet it falleth into the Lake of Asphaltites When there falls any store of raine the channell is very full but in Summer it is oftentimes dry with the extremitie of heat Ouer this brooke Dauid passed when he was persecuted by his sonne Absolon 2 Sam. 16. and our Sauiour Christ when he dranke of the Riuer in the way that is when he suffered vpon the crosse for the sinne of man according to that saying of the Psalmist Psal 69. Saue me O God because the waters are entred euen into my soule Of Mount Caluarie THis Mountaine according to the common opinion was so called of dead mens skuls or the skuls of such who were put to death for some capitall offence It stood vpon the West side of Ierusalem as you goe out of the ancient Gate and is a part of Mount Gihon At this day it standeth within the city of Ierusalem together with the sepulchre of our Sauiour and vpon it is built a faire Church which is joyned vnto the Church of the holy Sepulchre being as it were a Quire vnto it But it standeth somewhat lower It is built all of Marble and the inside is all polished and wrought very curiously It is also paued with the same stone Within it is seen a piece of the pillar of stone to which they say Christ was tyed when he was whipped in which stone are to be seene certaine red spects as if they had been drops of bloud and these also they say were the bloud of
broad here Xerxes when he inuaded Graecia built vp a bridge for his army to passe ouer There is also another strait and narrow place in this sea which is called by the name of Cimmerius Bosphorius These two Bosphori are so called as some authors hold because a Bull when he loweth may be heard from the one side to the other but Pliny seemeth to deriue the name from Io that faire maid which Iupiter turned into a Cow who swam ouer this sea and of her was called Bosphorus lib. 6. cap. 1. It is also called Propontus because it lieth just before the Euxine sea and Hellespont from Helle the daughter of Athamantis K. of Thebes who was drowned therein then running thence it falleth into a gulph of the Mediterranean Ocean there it is called the Aegean sea of Aegeus King of Athens who drowned himselfe therein for the supposed losse of his sonne Theseus In this sea were scituate the Isles of Pathmos Mytelene Samothrace Chius Lesbus and many other Isles as you may reade in the trauels of S. Paul Of Samothracia ot Samothrace SAmothracia is an Isle of the Aegean sea scituate between Troades and Thracia eight hundred and eightie miles from Ierusalem towards the Northwest close to that part of Thracia where Hebrus falleth into the sea sometimes called Dardania of Dardanus King of Troy who when hee had slaine his brother Iacius and taken from him the Palladiam he came first into Samothracia and then into Asia where he first laid the foundation of the citie called Troy and of that Kingdome And although this Isle at that time was called Dardania yet because of the neerenes that it had to Thrace and the altitude of the rocke whereon it stood it soone changed the name and then especially when the people called Samos came thither to inhabit who after their own name called it Samothracia It stood vpon such a loftie place that from thence all the countries round about might easily bee seen Arsinoë Queene of Thrace was banished by Ptolomeus her brother into this Island who after put to death all her children and vsurpt vpon the kingdome of Thrace A cruell part in a brother Virg. li. Aeneid 3. makes mention of this Island saying Treiciamque Samum quae nunc Samothracia fertur And Samian-Troy which now adayes is Samo-Thracia call'd Strabo also writeth of it li. 13. And in Acts 16. it is said S. Paul sailed from Troad is to Samothracia so went thence into Thracia and came to the city of Neapolis Of Neapolis THis Neapolis to which Paul went was a city of Thrace not far from Macedoni 880 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward called also of some Caurus There are many other Cities of this name one in Iudea where Sichem and Sichar stood another in Caria a third in Africa a fourth in Pannonia but aboue all that which stands in Campania is most remarkable being the chiefe city of the Neapolitan kingdome Of Philippa THis city in times past was called Crenides because of the veins of gold that were found close by it But after Philip King of Macedon father of Alexander the Great caused it in the yeare before Christ 354 to bee re-edified and inlarged and then after his own name called it Philippos It was scituated in Grecia close by the riuer Stridon 936 miles from Ierusalem toward the Northwest and endowed with many priuiledges In those times the gold was so much increased in this place that the reuenue thereof was worth vnto this King more than a thousand Talents which at 4500 li. the talent amounteth to forty fiue Millions of pounds yearely By the which means King Philip grew so rich that he caused his gold to be coined and called it after his owne name Philippian gold To this place Paul came and did many miracles taught the Gospell and conuerted many From hence he wrote his second Epistle to the Corinthians and sent it to Corinth euen 292 miles He also wrote an Epistle from Rome to the Christians of this Towne and sent it them by the hands of Epaphroditus euen 628 miles It was afterward a Colony of the Romans Of Amphipolis THis was a city of Macedonia compassed about with the riuer Strymon from whence it tooke the name and was distant from Ierusalem 960 miles towards the Northwest Here also the Apostle Paul was Acts 17. Of Apollonia THis was a citie of Mygdonia scituated not farre from Thessalonica towards the West close by the riuer Echedorus 948 miles from Ierusalem towards the Northwest being so called from Apollines which signifies the Sunne it stood twentie miles from Thessalonica There are many other Cities of this name one scituate in Graecia close by the Adriatick sea another among the Islands of Thrace a third in Creet on this side the riuer Ister a fourth in Syria and a fift in Africa amongst the Cyrenes Of Thessalonia or Thessalonica THis was a citie of Macedon in ancient times called Halia because it stood vpon the sea after called Therma of the hot bathes that were in it and lastly Thessalonica of Philip the sonne of Amyntas King of the Macedonians who gaue it that name either of the great victory that he had against the Thessalonians or else after the name of his daughter called Thessalonica who was the mother of Cassandrus it stood close by the Thermaick gulph not farre from the mouth of the riuer Echedorus 932 miles from Ierusalem towards the Northwest The Apostle Paul taught publiquely in this city and there conuerted a great multitude of people Act. 17. Hee also wrote two Epistles to the inhabitants thereof and sent them from Athens being 232 miles distant In the time of Theodosius the first Emperor of Rome there hapned by reason of some discontent a grieuous sedition amongst the Thessalonians in which stirre some of his captains gouernors were slain Wherefore the Emperor hauing intelligence of what had hapned sent an army against the city with authority to put to death a certain number of those who had rebelled whence it hapned that the city was filled with many vniust slaughters for the soldiers respecting more their priuat profit than the equitie of the cause spared neither innocent nor nocent yong nor old so that as well the inhabitants as strangers that resorted thither did partake of this miserie and suffered like punishment as did they which were the first authors of this rebellion But because the emperor was consenting vnto these euils Ambrose Bishop of Millaine would not suffer him without publique repentance to come to the sacrament of the Lords supper wherefore in a publique assembly hee acknowledged his offence with great contrition Theodor. li. 5. ca. 17. Soz. li. 7. ca. 24. This town was afterward purchased by the Venetians of Andronichus Palaeologus son of Emanuel Emperor of Constantinople who held it a long time vntill Amurath Emperor of the Turkes won it from them and exercised grieuous cruelty vpon the inhabitants At this day it is
of Italy not farre from Naples scituated on the sea shore 1388 miles from Ierusalem Westward taking that name from fountains or Wels of hot water being built by the Salamians as Eusebius saith about such time as the Tarquins were banished Rome 507 yeares before the natiuitie of Christ It was antiently called Dicaearchia because of their singular justice noble gouernment But when the Romans made war against Hannibal they fortified this town to withstand his forces and then called it Puteoli which name it retained a long time after At this day it is called Puzzoli At this city the Apostle Paul his companions ariued when they sailed into Rome Acts 27. Between Puteoli and Baia there lieth the lake of Lucrinus into which by the command of Augustus Caesar a Dolphin was thrown Now there was a young Youth called Simon the son of a poore man dwelling in Baia who vsually played among other youths vpon the banks of this lake and seeing the Dolphin it being a strange fish in those parts and verie amiable to looke vpon did take great delight in it and oft times fed it with bread and other things as he could get insomuch as the Dolphin when it heard the boyes voice vpon the banks of the riuer would resort to him receiue at his hand his accustomed food Thus it continued so long that the Dolphin would suffer the boy to handle him take him by the gils play with him yea and somtimes to get vpon his backe then swim with him a great way into the lake and bring him back again and suffer him to go safe vpon the shore After this manner hee continued for many yeares together and in the end the youth died Yet the Dolphin resorted to his vsuall place expecting his accustomed food from the hands of this boy but missing him he left the shore languisht away and died Concerning the nature of this fish you may read more at large in Pliny lib. 9. cap. 8. Of Colossa THis City is scituated in Phrygia a countrey in Asia minor neere the riuers of Lycus and Meander 520 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward not farre from Laodicea so called from the mighty statues and Colosso's that were set vp in it These cities Colossa Laodicea and Hierapolis where the Apostle Philip was put to death in the tenth yeare of Nero a little before Pauls martyrdome were sunke by an earthquake which without doubt was a great judgement of God vpon them because they refused the grace and comfort of the doctrine of the Gospel offered vnto them by the Apostles The Epistle of Paul dedicated to the Colossians was sent by the hand of Onesymus from Rome vnto these towns being 1080 miles For although the Rhodians were called Colossians because of that famous Colossus that stood there yet this city wherein Archippus and Philemon dwelt to whom Paul directed that Epistle stood in Phrygia a country of Asia minor and not in Rhodes Of Nicopolis NIcopolis is a city of Macedonia scituated close by the riuer Nessus not far from Philippus vpon the borders of Thrace 920 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward From hence the Apostle Paul wrot his Epistle to Titus and sent it to Creet 600 miles There are many other cities of this name one standing in Epyre built by Augustus another betweene Cilicia and Syria built by Alexander in glory of his victorie against Darius A fourth in Bythinia a fift in the holy land formerly called Emaus Of Rome THis city if wee rightly consider the deriuation of the name in Hebrew was not built without the singular prouidence of God being deriued of Rom i. Hee hath exalted or made high But the Grecians deriue it from Romen i. strength power Now although the prouidence of God extendeth to euery Creature may to the very haires of a mans head yet where hee determines to expresse his singular power there hee worketh beyond the expectation of man And who knowes not that the beginning of this City was meane raised from a confused company destitute both of ciuilitie communitie and lawes yet hath it bin and for the most part is the glory of the world and the great commander of the Princes of the earth It was so called at first by Romulus as Livy lib. 1. saith who first built it seuen hundred fifty and one yeares before the Natiuitie of Christ being scituated vpon seuen hils that is Capitolinus Aventinus Palatinus Caelius Exquilinus Viminalis and Quirinalis But after when the City was compassed about with walls the hill Ianiculus was inclosed within it The Vallies that lay between these hils were so raised vp with arches vaults and artificial mounts that in processe of time they became levell with the top of some of those hills It was beautified with faire and sumptuous buildings so that as it was the head of the world for command and power in like like manner it exceeded all the rest of the world for glory and riches but principally for stately buildings There were many goodly Temples dedicated to Iupiter Apollo Aesculapius Hercules Diana Iuno Minerva Lucia Concordia Fides Pietas Pax Victoria Isis besides many other dedicated to other gods But aboue all that was the most sumptuous that was called Pantheon deorum at this day called the Church of All hallowes Moreouer here was to be seen the princely Edifices of Kings Emperors Consuls Senators Patricians and other Romans who were mighty in wealth and substance built all of polished Marble beautified with gold and siluer beside palaces bulwarks theatres triumphant arches statues and such like al which were glorious and greatly adorned the city But aboue al these the house of Nero was most worthy of obseruation which to see to was built all of burnisht gold very curiously wrought Here also stood the monuments of the two Caesars Iulius and Augustus also their statues the one made of pure brasse the other of white marble Besides there were many fruitfull orchards water-courses wholsome baths brought thither by Antonius Nero Dioclesian and Constantine the Great Also the Emperor Constantine erected many goodly churches for the vse of the Christians indowed them with great means and amongst the rest that which was dedicated to Saint Iohn of Latteran a faire and goodly Church and for riches and curious workemanship might compare with the stateliest Temples that euer had beene in the world most of the ornaments and images beeing made of Gold and Siluer hee also erected the Vattican which was dedicated to Saint Peter and another holy house dedicated to Saint Paul in either of which he placed their seueral sepulchres and monuments bestowing extraordinary cost to beautifie them So many were the gifts and gratuites of this Emperour that they can scarce bee numbred so that although the Emperour Trajan and Boniface the fourth Pope of Rome bestowed great cost to beautifie and adorne the city yet were they nothing comparable to that which this Emperor did These things then beeing presented to your viewe