Chapter IV: Appendix (2)

AND ye shall understand that the Soudan is lorde of v Kingdomes: the which he hath conquered and gotten to him by strength, and these be they--the Kingdome of Canopate (_that is_) the Kingdome of Egipte, the Kingdome of Hierusalem: whereof David and Salomon were Kings, the Kingdome of Surry, of the which the citie of Damas[1] was the chiefe, the Kingdome of Alape in the lande of Dameth, and the Kingdome of Arabya: which was one of the three Kinges that made offeryng to our Lorde when he was borne, and many other landes he holdeth in his hande, and also he holdeth Calaphes[2] that is a great thing to the Soudan, that is to say, among them Roys[3] yle and this vale is colde.

And then men go uppon the mount of Sainct Katherina and that is much higher than the mount Moyses. And there as saint Katheryn was graven[4] is no church ne castell, ne other dwelling place, but there is an hyll of stones gathered togither, about the place there she was graven of Aungels, there was wont to be a chapell, but it is all cast downe & yet lyeth there a great parte of the stones.

But under the foote of mount Sinay is a monasterie of Monkes, and there is the church of Sainct Katherine wherein be many lamps brenning, and they have oyle onlye enough to eate and to brenne, and that they haue by myracle of God, there come certaine of all maner of byrdes euery yeare once, lyke pylgrymes and eche of them bringeth a braunch of olyve in token of offering, whereof they make much oyle.

[Footnote 1: Damascus.]

[Footnote 2: Khalifs.]

[Footnote 3: Who are accounted there as kings.]

[Footnote 4: Buried.]

CAP. XIII.

_For to returne fro Sinay to Hierusalem._

NOW sythen a man hath visited this holy place of Sainct Katheryn and he will torne to Hierusalem, he shall fyrst take leave of the Monkes, and recommend him specially to their prayers, then those Monks will freely giue to Pilgrims victuals to pass through the Wildernesse to Surry & that lasteth well xiii Journeys. And in that wyldernesse dwell many Arabyns that men call Bedoins and Ascoperdes,[1] these are folk that are full of all maner of yll condycyons, and they have no houses, but tentes, the wyche they make of beastes skinnes, as of camelles and other beastes the whyche they eate, and thereunder they lye, and they dwell in places where they maye fynde water, as on the rede sea, for in that wildernesse is greate defaute of water, and it faileth ofte where a man findeth water one time, he fyndeth it not another tyme, and therefore make they no houses in those countreys. These men that I speake of tyll not the land, for they eate no breade, but[2] yf it be anye that dwelleth neare a goode towne. And they rost al theyre fishes and flesh upon the hote stones agaynst the sonne, and they are stronge men and well fyghtynge, and they do nothinge but chace wyld beastes for theyr sustenaunce, and they sette[3] not by theyr lyves, therfore they dreade not the Soudan nor no prince of all the worlde. And they haue greate warre wythe the Soudan, and the same tyme that I was dwelling with him they bare but a shelde and a speare for to defende them with, and they holde[4] none other armour, but they wynde theyr heades and neckes in a great lynnen clothe,[5] and they are men of full yll kynde.

[Footnote 1: Or Giants from the Arabic _askhaf_, a tall,
big-boned man. It will be remembered that Sir Bevis of
Southampton brought home a Giant Ascapart--who probably was
one of them.]

[Footnote 2: Unless.]

[Footnote 3: They value not.]

[Footnote 4: Have.]

[Footnote 5: A turban.]

CAP. XIIII.

_As men are passed this wyldernesse againe comming to Hierusalem._

AND when men are passed this wyldernesse towarde Hierusalem they come to Barsabe[1] that was sometime a fayre and a lykyng towne of Christen men, and yet is some of their churches, and in that towne dwelled Abraham the Patryarke. This towne of Barsabe founded Uryas wife, of whom David engendred Salomon the wyse that was Kyng of Hierusalem, and of the xii kindes[2] of Israell, and he raigned xl yeare. And from thence go men to the vale of Ebron, that is from thence nere xii myle and some call it the vale of Mambre,[3] and also it is called the vale of Teeres, for as much as Adam in that vale he wept a hundred yeare the death of his sonne Abel that Cayne slew. And Ebron was sometime[4] the principall Citie of the Philistines & there dwelled giaunts & there it was so free, that all that had done evill in other places were there saved. In Ebron Josue and[5] Calope and theyr felowship came fyrst to espy how they might wynne the lande of promyssion. In Ebron David raigned fyrst vii yeare and a halfe & in Hierusalem he raigned xxxii[6] yeare and a halfe, and there be the graves of the Patryarkes--Adam, Abraham, Jacob and theyr wyves, Eve, Sare, Rebecca[7] and they are in the hanging[8] in the hyll. And under them is a right fayre Churche Kirnelde[9] after the facion and maner as it were a Castell, the which the Sarasins keepe right well, and they haue that place in greate worship for the holy Patryarkes that lieth there, and they suffer no Christen men ne Jewes to come therein but they have speciall grace of the Soudan, for they holde Christen men and Jewes but as houndes that should come in no holy place, and they call the place Spelunke[10] or double cave or double grave; for one lyeth on another, and the Sarasins call it in theyr language Caryatharba, that is to say the place of Patryarkes, and the Jewes call it Arboth. And in that same place was Abrahams house, and that was the same Abraham which sat in his dore, and saw three persons and worshipped but one, as holy wryt witnesseth saying, _Tres videt et unum adoravit_. That is to saye, he saw three and worshipped but one, and him took Abraham into his house.

[Footnote 1: Beersheba.]

[Footnote 2: Tribes.]

[Footnote 3: Mamre.]

[Footnote 4: Formerly.]

[Footnote 5: Jehoshua and Caleb (see Numbers, cap. 13).]

[Footnote 6: _Pynson_ and others say 33 years and a half.]

[Footnote 7: All other editions have "and of Lya," or Leah,
who is evidently here forgotten.]

[Footnote 8: Caves cut in the side of the rock.]

[Footnote 9: Crenelated or battlemented.]

[Footnote 10: Lat. _Spelunca_, a cave.]

CAP. XV.

_Here foloweth a lyttle of Adam & Eve and other things._

AND right nere to that place is a cave in a Roche where Adam and Eve dwelled whan they were dryven out of Paradyse, and there got they theyr chyldren. And in that place was Adam made as some men saye, for men called sometime that place the felde of Damasse,[1] for it was in the worshippe[2] of Damasse; and fro thence he was translated into Paradyse as they saye, and afterwarde he was driven out of Paradyse, and put there agayne, for the same daye that he was put into Paradyse, the same day he was driven out, for so soone he synned. And there begynneth the yle[3] of Ebron that lasteth nere to Hierusalem, and the Aungell bad Adam that he should dwell wyth his wyfe, and there they engendred Seth, of the which kyndred[4] Jesu Christ was borne. And in that vale is the felde where men draw out of the earth a thinge the which men in that countrey call Chambell and they eate that thinge in the stede of spyce & they beare it to sell, and men may not grave[5] there so deepe ne so wyde, but it is at the yeares ende full againe up to the sydes through the grace of God. And two myle from Ebron is the grave of Loth[6] that was Abraham's brother.

[Footnote 1: Damascus.]

[Footnote 2: _Pynson_ and others say lordship.]

[Footnote 3: Vale.]

[Footnote 4: Kindred or tribe.]

[Footnote 5: Dig.]

[Footnote 6: Lot.]

CAP. XVI.

_Of the dry tree._

WHEN a lyttle from Ebron is the mounte of Mambre, of the which mount the vale toke his name, and there is the tree of oke that the Sarasins call dypre,[1] that is of Abraham's time, that men call the dry tree. And they say that it hath ben from the beginning of the worlde, and was sometime grene and bare leaves, unto the tyme that our Lorde dyed, and so did all the trees in the worlde, or else they fayled in their heartes, or else they faded, and yet is there many of those in the worlde. And some prophesies say, that a lorde or prince of the weste syde of the worlde shall winne the lande of promission, that is the holy lande, with the helpe of Christen men, and he shall do singe[2] a masse under that tree, and the tree shall waxe grene and beare fruite and leaves, and through that miracle many Sarasins and Jewes shal be turned to the Christen fayth, and therefore they do great worship therto, and kepe it right[3] basely. And yet though it be dry, it beareth a great vertue, for certainly he that hath a lyttle thereof about him, it healeth a sicknesse called the falling evill, and hath many other vertues also, and therefore it is holden right precious.

[Footnote 1: _Pynson_ and others read Dyrpe or Dirpe.]

[Footnote 2: Cause a mass to be sung.]

[Footnote 3: To keep it carefully.]

CAP. XVII.

_Fro Bethlehem._

FROM Ebron men go to Bethlehem in halfe a daye, for it is but five myle, and it is a fayre waye & thorow[1] woddes full pleasaunt. Bethlem is but a little citie long and narowe, and well walled, and enclosed with a great diche and it was wont to be called Effrata as holy wryte sayth _Ecce audivimus eum in Effrata_ &c., That is to saye, Lo we herde him in Effrata. And toward the ende of the citie toward the East, is a ryght fayre churche and a gracious and it hath many toures, pinacles and kirnelles[2] full strongly made & within that Church is xliiii great pyllers of marble & betwene this church the field[3] florished, as ye shall here.

[Footnote 1: Through woods.]

[Footnote 2: Battlements.]

[Footnote 3: The flowered field.]

CAP. XVIII.

_Of a fayre mayden that should be put to death wrongfully._

THE cause is, for as much as a fayre maiden y^t was blamed wyth wrong that she hadde done fornication, for the which cause she was demed[1] to dye and to bee brente[2] in that place to the which she was ledde. And as the woode began to brenne about hir, she made hir prayer to our Lorde as she was not gyltie of that thing, that he would helpe hir that it might be knowne to all men. And whan she had thus sayde, she entred the fyre and anone the fyre went out, and those braunches that were brenninge became red Roses and those braunches that were not kindled became white Rosiers[3] full of white roses, and those were the fyrst roses and rosyers that any man sawe, and so was the mayden saved through the grace of God, and therefore is that felde called the feeld of God florished, for it was full of Roses. Also besyde the quire of that Church aforesayd at the right side as men come downwarde xii[4] grees[5] is the place where our Lorde was borne that is now full well dyght[6] of Marble & full rychely depaynted of golde, sylver and asure and other colours. And a lyttle thens by three paces is the crybe[7] of the Oxe and the Asse, and besyde y^t is the place where the sterre[8] fell that lede the three Kinges Jasper, Melchior and Balthasar, but men of Grece call the Kinges thus, Galgalath, Saraphy, Malgalath. These three Kinges offered to our Lorde, Encence, Gold & Mirre and they came together through myracle of God, for they mette togither in a citie that men call Chasak, that is liii journeys from Bethleem, and there they were at Bethleem the fourth[9] daye after they hadde seene the sterre. And under the cloyster of this church xviii grees[10] at the righte syde is a great pytte where the bones of the Innocentes lie, and before that place where Chryst was borne is the tombe of Sainct Jerom that was a priest and a Cardinal that translated the Byble and the Sauter[11] from Hebrew into Latyn, and beside that church is a Church of Saynte Nycolas, where our Lady rested hir whan she was delivered of chyld, and for as much as she had so much mylke in hir pappes that it greved hir, she mylked it out uppon the redde stones of Marble, so that yet may the traces bee seene whyte uppon the stones. And ye shall understande that all that dwell in Bethleem are Chrysten men, and there are fayre vynes all aboute the citie and great plentie of wine, for their booke that Mahomet betoke[12] them, the which they call Alkaron and some call it Massap and some call it Harme, forbiddeth them to drinke any wyne, for in that booke Machomet curseth all those that drynke of that wyne and all that sell it, for some men saye that he onse slewe a good hermite in his dronkennesse which[13] he loved much, and therefore he cursed the wyne, and them that drynke wyne, but his malyce is torned to hymselfe, as holye writ sayth "_Et in verticem ipsius iniquitus ejus descendit_," That is to say in Englyshe, His wickednesse shall descende on his owne head. And also the Sarasins bringeth forthe no geise,[14] ne they eate no swines fleshe, for they say it is brother to manne and that it was forbidden in the olde lawe. Also in the lande of Palestine ne in the lande of Egypte they eate but lyttle veale and beefe but it be so olde that it may no more travayll[15] ne werke, not that it is forbidden but they kepe them to tylling of their lande. In this castell of Bethleem was Kyng David borne and he had Lx wives and ccc lemmans. From Bethleem to Hierusalem is two myle, and in the way of Hierusalem halfe a myle from Bethleem is a Church where the aungell sayd to the shepherdes of the bearing of Christ. In that waye is the tombe of Rachel that was Josephs mother the Patryarke and she dyed as soone as she hadde borne Benjamyn and there she was buried, and Jacob hir husbande set xii great stones upon hir in tokening that she had borne xii children. In this way to Hierusalem are many Christen churches by the which men go to Hierusalem.

[Footnote 1: Condemned.]

[Footnote 2: Burnt.]

[Footnote 3: Rose bushes.]

[Footnote 4: Other editions say 16.]

[Footnote 5: Steps.]

[Footnote 6: Adorned.]

[Footnote 7: Crib or Manger.]

[Footnote 8: Star.]

[Footnote 9: Other editions say "thirteenth."]

[Footnote 10: Paces.]

[Footnote 11: Psalter.]

[Footnote 12: Gave.]

[Footnote 13: Whom.]

[Footnote 14: Breed no pigs.]

[Footnote 15: Plough or draw loads.]

CAP. XIX.

_Of the citie of Hierusalem._

FOR to speake of Hierusalem, ye shall understande that it standeth fayre among hylles, and there is neither ryver nor well, but water commeth by conduit from Ebron, and ye shall wete that men called it first Jebus and sythen it was called Salem unto the time of King David, and he set those two names togither and called it Hierusalem and so it is called yet. And aboute Hierusalem is the Kingdome of Surry, & thereby is the lande of Palestyne and Askalon, but Hierusalem is in the lande of Jude, and it is called Judee, for Judas Maccabeus was King of that lande, and also it marcheth afterward on the Kingedome of Araby, on the South side on the lande of Egipt, on the west side on the great sea, on the north syde on the Kingdome of Surry and the sea of Cipres. About Hierusalem are these cities. Ebrone at viii[1] myle, Jerico at vi myle Barsebe at viii myle Askalon xviii[2] myle, Jaffa at xxv[3] Ramatha at iiii[4] mile. At Bethlem towarde the South is a church of saint Markerot,[5] that was abbot there, for whom they made much sorow when he should dy & it is painted there how they made dole[6] when he dyed, and it is a piteous thing to beholde. This lande of Hierusalem hath ben in dyvers nations hands, as Jewes, Cananens, Assyrians, Percians, Macedons, Grekes, Romayns & Chrysten men, Sarasins, Barbaryans, Turkes & many other nacions. For Chryste wyll not that it be long in the handes of traytours ne sinners be they Christen or other. And now hath the mistrowing[7] men holden that lande in theyre handes Lx yeare & more, but they shall not holde it long and if[8] God wyll.

[Footnote 1: Other editions say respectively 7, 17, 16.]

[Footnote 2: As Footnote #1.]

[Footnote 3: As Footnote #1.]

[Footnote 4: Other editions say 3 miles.]

[Footnote 5: Variously written, Markertot, Karitot, Karscati,
and Mercaritot.]

[Footnote 6: Grieved, from _Lat._ Dolor.]

[Footnote 7: Unbelieving, or heathen.]

[Footnote 8: Unless it is God's pleasure.]

[Decoration]

CAP. XX.

_Yet of the holy citie of Hierusalem._

AND ye shall understand that whan men fyrst come to Hierusalem, they go fyrste a pylgrimage to the Church, where that the holy grave is, the whiche is out of the citie on the North syde, but it is now closed in with the wall of the towne, and there is a full fayre church rounde, all open aboue, and well covered with leede and on the west syde is a fayre toure and a strong for belles.

And in the middes of the church is a Tabernacle made like a little house, in maner of halfe a compasse, ryght well and richly of gold and asure and other coloures well dyght & on the ryght syde is the sepulchre of oure Lorde, and the tabernacle is viii foote long and v fote wide and xi fote of height. And it is not longe sythen the sepulchre was all open, y^t men might kysse it and touche it: but for men that came thether payned[1] them to breake the stones in peces or pouder, therefore the Soudan hath made a wall about the sepulchre that no man may touch it. On the lefte syde is no wyndowe, but therein is many lampes light, and there is a lampe that hangeth before the sepulcre lyght brenning and on the fryday it goeth oute by itselfe, and lyghteth againe by itselfe at the houre that our Lorde rose from death to life. And within that church upon that right side is the mount Calvary, where our Lord was done on the crosse, and the crosse was sette in a morteys[2] in the roche that is white of coloure, and a lyttle redde medled[3] with, and upon that roche dropped the bloude of the woundes of our Lord whan he was pained on the crosse & that is called Golgatha and men go up to that Golgatha upon greces.[4] And in that mortays was Adams head founde after Noyes flood, in token that the sinnes of Adam, shoulde bee boughte in the same place, and aboue that roche made Abraham sacryfice to our Lord, and there is an auter,[5] and before that auter lyeth Godfry of Boleyn,[6] Bawdewyn[7] and other that were Christen and kinges of Hierusalem. And ther as our Lord was done[8] upon the crosse, is thys wrytten in greke, _Otheos[9] basylon, ysmon persemas, ergaste sothyas oyos_. That is to say in latine, _Hic Deus Rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem in medio terræ_, That is to saye, This God our King before worldes, hath wrought healthe in the myddes of the earth. And also upon the roche where the crosse was fyxed is wrytten within the roche, _Eros[10] guyst basys, thou, pestes, thoy, thesmoysy_. That is to say in latin, _Quod vides est fundamentum totius mundi et hujus fidei_. And it is to saye, that thou seest, is grounde of all the world and of this faith. And ye shall understande that our Lorde whan he dyed was thyrty & two[11] yeare olde and three monethes and the prophecie of David sayth that he should haue xl yeares, when he saith thus. _Quadraginta annis proximus fui generatione huic_, that is to say, fourtie yeare was I neighbour to this kinde, and thus it should seme that prophecie were not sothe,[12] but it is. For in olde time men called yeares of ten monethes of the which Marche was the fyrst & December the last. But Cayus Cezar[13] that was Emperour of Rome dyd sette to these two moneths Januarie & Februarie and ordeyned the yere of xii months. That is to say ccc[14] dayes without lepe yere the proper course of the sonne and therefore after the accompting of x moneths to the yeare, he dyed in xl yeare and three moneths.

Also within mounte Calvary at the ryghte syde is there an aulter where the piller lyeth that our Lorde was bound to when he was scourged and thereby are three[15] other pyllers that alwaye drop water, and some saye that those pyllers weepe for our Lords death, and neare this aulter in a place xlii grees[16] depe was founde the verye crosse by the assent[17] of sainct Eleyn[18] under a roch where the Jewes had hydde it and it was assayed, for they founde three crosses, one of our Lorde and two of theves. And Saint Elene assayed them on a dead body that rose as sone as the very[19] crosse of our Lorde was laid on him. And thereby, in the vale, is the place where the foure nayles of our Lord were hyd, for he had two nayles in his handes and two in his fete, and one of those nailes the Emperour of Constantinople[20] dyde make a bridell for his horse to beare him in bataile, for by[21] the vertue that it had, he overcame his enimies, and wan[22] all the land of Asye, Turky, Damasse the more[23] and the lesse, Surrey and Hierusalem, Araby, Percy, and Mesopotamy, the Kingdome of Alabe,[24] Egipt the high and the lowe, and other kingdomes many full nyghe all unto Ethyope the low, and also unto Inde the lesse, that then was chrysten. And there was in that tyme many good men and holy hermits, of whome the booke of[25] the fathers lyves speaketh, and they are now in Paynims & Sarasins handes, but whan God will righte[26] as these landes are lost through sinne of Christen men, so shall they be won againe by christen men throygh the helpe of God. And in the myddes of this Church is a compasse,[27] in the which Joseph of Armath[28] layd the body of our Lord whan he had taken him of[29] the crosse & upon the same place dyd he wash the fete of our Lorde, & that compasse men say is in the myddes of the world.

[Footnote 1: Tried hard.]

[Footnote 2: Mortise.]

[Footnote 3: Mixed.]

[Footnote 4: Steps.]

[Footnote 5: Altar.]

[Footnote 6: Bouillon.]

[Footnote 7: Baldwin.]

[Footnote 8: Placed.]

[Footnote 9: Should read "[Greek: Ho Theos Basileus hêmôn pro
aiônôn eirgasato sôtêrian en mesô tês gês.]"]

[Footnote 10: Should read "[Greek: Ho eides, esti Basis tês
pisteôs holês tou kosmou toutou.]"]

[Footnote 11: Other editions have 33 years and 3 months.]

[Footnote 12: Sooth, true.]

[Footnote 13: Caius Julius Cæsar.]

[Footnote 14: Other editions give the proper number of days,
_viz._, 365.]

[Footnote 15: Other editions say four, which is the number
represented in the engraving.]

[Footnote 16: Paces.]

[Footnote 17: Perception, or sagacity. _Lat._, sensus.]

[Footnote 18: Helena, mother of Constantine.]

[Footnote 19: True, veritable.]

[Footnote 20: Another is said to be incorporated in the
so-called Iron Crown of Lombardy. Guisto Fontanini, Archbishop
of Ancyra, gives a list of twenty-three places claiming to
have a nail--Venice having _three_. M. Rohault de Fleury gives
six more--whilst, according to tradition, Helena sent two
to her son, and threw one in the sea to still a storm, thus
leaving but one to meet all demands.]

[Footnote 21: Through.]

[Footnote 22: Won or conquered.]

[Footnote 23: Greater.]

[Footnote 24: Aleppo.]

[Footnote 25: The Vitæ Sanctorum Patrum, many old printed
copies of which exist.]

[Footnote 26: When God thinks fit.]

[Footnote 27: A linen swathing-band.]

[Footnote 28: Arimathæa.]

[Footnote 29: Off.]

CAP. XXI.

_Of the church of the holy sepulchre._

IN that Churche of the sepulcre on the north syde is the place where our Lord was done[1] (_in_) prison, and there is a part of the cheyne with which he was bound, and there he appeared fyrst to Mary Magdeleyne when he was risen from death and she trowed[2] that he had bene a gardeiner. In the Church of the sepulcre was wont to be[3] Chanons of sainct Benet and they had a pryour; but the Patryarke was theyr soveraigne.

And without the dores of the Churche on the righte syde as men go up xviii grees,[4] our Lorde sayde to his mother[5] _Ecce filius tuus_. That is to say, Woman beholde thy sonne, _De inde dixit discipulo, Ecce mater tua_. That is to say, Then said he to his disciple, Behold thy mother.[6] And these wordes he sayde when he hanged upon the crosse. And upon these greces went our Lorde when he bare the crosse uppon his shoulder, and under these greces is a Chappell where the priestes synge, but not after our lawe, and alway they make theyr Sacrament of the aulter of bread, say _Pater noster_ &c., and other prayers, as with the which thing they say the wordes of whome the sacrament is made, for they know not of the addicions that many Popes haue made but they singe in good devocion. And nere there is the stone wher our Lord rested him when he was wery for bearing of the crosse. And ye shall understand that before the Churche of the Sepulcre is the citie most strong[7] for the great playne that is betwene the citie & the church; on the East side without the walles of the citie is the vale of Josaphat that commeth to the walles. In that vale of Josaphat without the citie, is the churche of sainct Stephen where he was stoned to death, and thereby is the gate gylted that may not be opened. Through this gate our Lord entred on palme Sonday upon an asse, and the gate opened against him whan he would go to the Temple, and yet are the steppes of the asse sene in three places the which stand[8] in full harde stones. Before the churche of the sepulcre two hundred paces, is a great hospitall of Sainct John, in the which hospytall are liiii pyllers made of stone.

And to go towarde the East from the hospitall is a righte fayre churche that men call our lady the greate, and then is there another church after that, that men call our lady of the latyn,[9] and there it was Mary Cleophe and Magdeleyne drew[10] theyr here whan oure Lord was put to death.

[Footnote 1: Put.]

[Footnote 2: Thought or believed.]

[Footnote 3: Were formerly Canons of the Order of St.
Benedict.]

[Footnote 4: Should be _greces_ or steps.]

[Footnote 5: The printer has omitted the word "_Mulier_ ecce,"
&c.]

[Footnote 6: Gospel according to St. John, cap. 19, vv. 26,
27.]

[Footnote 7: _Pynson_ says, "most wake" or weak, and other
editions say, "feeble."]

[Footnote 8: _Pynson_ has this passage: "The wyche are full of
harde stones."]

[Footnote 9: _Pynson_ says "Nostre dame de Vatyns."]

[Footnote 10: Tore.]

CAP. XXII.

_Of the Temple of God._

AND from the churche of the sepulcre towarde the East at xviii[1] paces is _Templum Domini_. That is a fayre house and it is all rounde and ryghte high & covered with leed,[2] and it is well paved with white marble, but y^e Sarasins wyl suffre no christen men ne Jewes to come therein, for they say that so[3] foule men should not come into that holye place, but I came therein and in other places where I woulde, for I had letters of the Soudan, wyth hys great seal, and, commonly, other men but have of his signet, and men beare hys letter with his seale before them hanginge on a speare, and men do great worship thereto, and kneele against[4] it as it were against God's body: for those men that it is sent to, before they take it, they encline[5] thereto and then they take it, and laye it upon their heads, and afterward they kisse it, and then they reade it, all enclining with great worship, and then they profer[6] them to do all that the bringer will. And in this Templum Domini were wont to be Chanons regulers, and they had an Abbot to whome they were obedient, in this Temple was Charlemaine when the Aungell brought him the prepuis of our Lorde when he was circumsised, and after King Charles brought it to Acon[7] into our Ladies Chapell.

[Footnote 1: Other editions say 160 paces.]

[Footnote 2: Lead.]

[Footnote 3: Such unclean.]

[Footnote 4: Before.]

[Footnote 5: Bow.]

[Footnote 6: Proffer or offer.]

[Footnote 7: _Pynson_ and others say Paris.]

CAP. XXIII.

_Yet of the temple of God._

AND ye shall understande that this is not the temple that Salomon made, for that temple lasted but a thousand, an hundred and two yeare. For Titus, Vespasianus Son, that was Emperour of Rome that layde syege about Hierusalem for to discomfyte the Jewes, for they hadde put Chryst to death without leave of the Emperour, and when he had taken the citie he did brenne the temple and caste it downe, and toke all the Jewes and put to death CXIM and the other he put in prison, and solde xxx for a peny for they sayd that they bought Jesu Christ for xxx pence. And sithen[1] gave Julian Apostata leve to y^e Jewes to make the Temple of Hierusalem againe for he hated christen men, and yet he was Chrysten, but he forsoke his lawe. And whan the Jewes hadde made the Temple, then came an earthe quacke (as God woulde) and caste downe all that they had made. Sythen Adryan the Emperour that was of them of Troye made Hierusalem againe and the Temple in that same maner that Salomon made it, and would that no Jewe should dwell there but all christen men, for if all it were[2] so that he was not chrystened, he loved the christen men more than other men, save men of his owne fayth. And this emperour dyd enclose and wall the church of the holy sepulcre within the citie, that before was farre without the citie, and he would have chaunged the name of Hierusalem and called it Helyam,[3] but that name lasted not longe. And ye shall wete[4] that the Sarasins do greate worship to that Temple and they saye that place is right holy, and when they go therein they go bare foote and knele many times downe. And when I and my felowes came therein, we did of[5] our harnesse[6] and came bare foote into the Temple & thought that we should doe as much or more than they that were mistrowing.[7] And this Temple is three score[8] and three cubites of wydenesse and as much of length and xxxii[9] cubites in height and covered with lead and it is within full of pillers of Marble. And in the middes of the Temple is a stage of twenty[10] and foure greces of height and good pillers all about. This place called of Jewes _Sancta Sanctorum_. That is to say Holy of Holyest and in that place cometh none but their prelate that maketh theyr sacrafyce, and the people standeth all about in divers stages, after they are[11] of dignitie and worshippe, and there be foure entrings into that Temple and the dores are of Cipres well dighte,[12] and within the East dore our Lord sayd, here is Hierusalem. And on the northe syde within the dore is a fountaine but it runneth not; of the which holy writ speaketh & saith thus--_Vidi aquam egredientem de templo_. That is to saye, I saw water comming out of the temple. And upon the other side is a roche that men calle sometyme Moryach, but after it was called Belet,[13] or the arke of God, with the reliques of the Jewes. Thys arke did Titus cary with him to Rome when he had discomfited all the Jewes. In that same arke were the ten commandementes and Aarons rodde and Moyses rodde with which he departed[14] the red sea, when the people of Israell passed through on dryefoote & with that rod he did many wonders, and there was the vessell of gold ful of manna, & clothing & ornaments & the tabernacle of Aaron, and a table square of golde with twelve precious stones, & a box of Jasper graven with four figures & eight names of our Lorde within, & seven candlesticks of golde, & foure sensers of golde, and an aulter also of fine gold & foure lions of gold, uppon the which they had Cherubin of gold twelve spanne long, & a tabernacle of golde & also twelve[15] trumpets of silver & a table of sylver & seven barly loves and all other reliques that were before the nativitie of Jesu. Also upon this roch slept Jacob, when he sawe Aungels go up and downe, and sayde, _Vere locus iste sanctus est, et ego ignorabam_, That is to say Forsooth this place is holy & I wist[16] it not. And there the Aungel chaunged Jacob's name and called him Israell. And in that same place David saw the aungell that slew the people with a sworde, and put it all blody in the shethe. And in this roch was saynct Symeon when he received our Lorde into the temple, and on this roch he set him when the Jewes would have stoned him and the roch rived in two and in that refte[17] he hid him and after a sterre came downe & gave him light. And on this roch sat our Lady and learned hir sauter.[18] And there forgave our Lord the sinnes of the woman that was taken and found in adoultry, and there was our Lorde Jesu Christ circumcised, and there the Aungell denounced to Zachary the nativitie of sainct Jhon Baptist, and there offred fyrst Melchisedech bread and wine and water to our Lorde in tokening of the sacrament that was to come, and there fell Davyd, praying to our Lorde for mercy for him and for his people, when he sawe the Aungell slea[19] his people, and our Lorde anon herde his prayer, & therefore woulde he make the Temple in that place, but our Lorde Jesu Christ forbadde hym by an Aungell, for he had done treason when he did slea Euryas, a good knight, for to haue his wyfe. And therefore all that he had ordeined for to make the Temple he betoke[20] it to Salomon hys sonne, and he made it, and he prayed our Lorde, that all those that prayed in that place devoutly, and wyth good hearte, that he woulde heare theyr prayer and graunt that they asked ryght wysely, and our Lorde graunted it, and therefore Salomons son called it the Temple of counseyll and helpe of God. Wythout the dores of that Temple is an auter, where Jewes were wont to offer doves[21] and turtylles, and in that Temple was Zachary slayne, and on that pynacle the Jewes sette Sainct James that was the fyrst Byshoppe of Hierusalem. And a lyttle from this temple on the right syde, is a church covered with lead, that is called the scole[22] of Salomon. And toward the south is the temple of Salomon that is full fayre, and a greate place, and in this place dwell knightes y^t are called Templars and that was the founder thereof and of theyr order and in that Templum Domini dwell Chanons. From this Temple towarde the East xxvi[23] paces in a corner of the citie, is the bathe of our Lorde, and (_in_) thys bath was wont to go[24] to Paradise & beside is our Ladies bed and nere there is the tombe of Saynt Symeon. And without the Cloyster of the Temple towarde the North is a ryght fayre Churche of Sainct Anne our Ladies mother, & there was our ladye conceyved, and before that churche is a great tree that began to grow that same nighte. And as men go downe from y^t Church xxii greces lieth Joachim our ladyes father, in a tombe of stone and there nere was layde sometyme sainct Anne, but saint Eleyne did translate hir to Constantinople. In this churche is a well in maner of a cesterne that is called _Probatica piscina_ that hath five entrings, and in that cesterne was wont an Aungell to discende and sterre the water, and what man that bathed him firste therein after the morning,[25] was made hole that was sicke, what sycknesse so euer he had, and there was the man of the palsye made hole, that was sicke xxxviii yeare and our Lorde sayde to him in this maner of wyse _Tolle grabatum tuum et ambula_. That is to say, take thy bed and go. And there besyde, was the house of Pylate and a little thence was the house of Kinge Herode that dyd slea the Innocentes.

[Footnote 1: Since then.]

[Footnote 2: For even if he were not baptised.]

[Footnote 3: Ælia.]

[Footnote 4: Know.]

[Footnote 5: Put off.]

[Footnote 6: Armour.]

[Footnote 7: Unbelieving.]

[Footnote 8: Other editions say, respectively, 64, 120, and
14.]

[Footnote 9: As Footnote 8.]

[Footnote 10: As Footnote 8.]

[Footnote 11: According to their dignity, &c.]

[Footnote 12: Finely ornamented.]

[Footnote 13: Bethel.]

[Footnote 14: Divided.]

[Footnote 15: Other editions say 2.]

[Footnote 16: Knew.]

[Footnote 17: Rift or cleft.]

[Footnote 18: Psalter.]

[Footnote 19: Slay.]

[Footnote 20: Bequeathed.]

[Footnote 21: Pigeons and turtle doves.]

[Footnote 22: School.]

[Footnote 23: Other editions say 120.]

[Footnote 24: Others say, "wont to come water _from_
Paradise."]

[Footnote 25: _Pynson_ has it "moving."]

[Decoration]

CAP. XXIIII.

_Of Herod the King._

THIS King Herod was a full wycked man and a fell,[1] for he did firste and formost slea his wife which he loved full well, and for the greate love of hir, he went out of his witte,[2] and so was he a long time, and afterwarde he came againe to himselfe. And sythen he did slea his own children that he had gotten of that same wyfe, and after he made slea[3] the other, his second wife & a son that he had gotten of that same wyfe, and after he did slea his owne mother, & he wold also haue slaine his owne brother, but his brother died sodeinly, and thus he did all the yll that he might. And then he fell syke and when he sawe that he should dye, he sent for his sister, and all the great lordes of that countrie, and when they were there, he did put all the Lordes into a toure and sayde to his syster, he wist well that the men of the countrey should make no sorowe for him when he was deade, and therefore he made hir for to sweare unto him that she should[4] do smite of the heads of his lordes every one, after his death and then shoulde men of the countrey make sorowe for his death or else they woulde not sorowe and then he made his testament. But his sister fulfylled it not as of that thing that pertayned unto the lordes, for, as sone as he was deade, she delyvered the lordes out of the toure, and sent every one home to theyr houses, and tolde them what hir brother would that she do unto them. And ye shall understande that in that tyme was three Herodes of great name. This of whome I speake, men called him Herode Ascolonite, and he that did smite of Saint John Baptist heade, was called Herode Antipa and the thirde was called Herode Agrypa that did sleay Saint James and put Saint Peter in prison.

[Footnote 1: Crafty.]

[Footnote 2: In _Pynson's_ version it is "and for the greate
love that he had to hir, whan she was dede, he behelde her,
and want out of his wyt."]

[Footnote 3: Killed.]

[Footnote 4: Cause to be smitten off.]

[Decoration]

CAP. XXV.

_Of Saynte Salvators church._

A LYTTEL within the citie is saynct Salvatours church & therein is Saint Jhon Crysostoms arme, and the most part of Sainct Stephens head.

And on the other syde towarde the south as men go to mount Syon is a fayre church of sainct James where his head was smitten of, and there is mounte Syon and there is a fayre church of God and of our Lady where she was dwelling and dyed, and there was sometime an Abbey of Chanons regulers and from that place she was borne of the Apostles unto the Vale of Josaphat. And there is the stone that y^e aungel bare to our ladye from mount Synay & it is of that colour that the roche of Sainct Katheryne is of, and there besyde is the gate where our Ladye when she was with Childe went through to Bethlem. Also at the entrynge of Mount Syon is a chappell and in that Chapell is that stone greate and large, with which the Sepulcre was covered when Christe was layde therein, the which stone as it is wrytten y^e three Maryes saw turned upward when they came to the sepulcre, and they found an Aungell that sayd to them, that Christ was rysen from death to lyfe. And there is a litle piller to the which our Lord was bounde and scourged, and there was Anas house that was bishop of the Jewes in that time, and in that same place forsoke Saint Peter our Lord thrise before the Cocke crewe. And there is a part of the table on the which God made his maunde with his disciples & yet is there the vessell with water out of the which his disciples feete were washed, and thereby is Sainct Stephens grave and there is the Aulter where our Lady heard the Aungels sing masse and there appeared Christ fyrst to his disciples after his resurrection, and when the gates were sperde,[1] and sayde _Pax vobiscum_. That is to saye, Peace be to you. And on that Mount apeared Christ to Sainct Thomas, and badde him assaye hys Wounde, and that was the viii daye after his resurrection and then he beleved perfectly & sayde _Dominus meus & deus meus_. That is to say in English, My Lorde & my God. In that same Chappell behind the highe aulter were all the Apostles on Witsonday, when the holy ghoste descended on them in likenesse of fyre, and there made God Paske[2] with his disciples, and there slepte Saynt Jhon the Evangelyst on our Lordes breast and saw sleping many privy things of heaven. And mount Syon is within the Citie, and it is a lyttle hygher than the other syde of the Citie, and that Citie is stronger on that one syde than on the other, for at the fote of mount Syon is a fayre Castell & strong which the Soudan did cause to be made there. On mount Syon was King David buried and Salomon and many other Kings of Hierusalem, and here is the place where saint Peter wepte full tenderly when he had forsaken our Lorde, and a stones cast from that is another place where our Lord was judged, for that time was there Caiphas house & betwene that Temple (_of_) Salomon and Mount Sion is the place where Christ raysed the mayden from death to lyfe. Under mount Syon toward the vale of Josaphat is a well that men call Natatorium[3] Sylo, there was our Lord washed after he was baptized. And thereby is the tree on which Judas hanged himselfe for dispaire when he had soulde Christ. And thereby is the synagoge where the Bishops of Jewes and the Pharyses came to hold theyr counsel and there Judas cast the xxx pence before them & said _Peccavi tradens sanguinem justum_, That is to saye, I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloude.

[Footnote 1: Shut.]

[Footnote 2: Kept the Passover.]

[Footnote 3: The Pool of Siloah.]

CAP. XXVI.

_Of the feelde of Acheldemack[1] which was bought with the
xxx pence._

ON the other syde of mount Syon towarde the South a stons Cast, is the feeld that was bought with those xxx pence for which Christe was sold, that men call Acheldemack, that is to say the feeld of bloude, in that feelde is many tombes of Chrysten men for there bee many pylgrims graven.[2] And also in Hierusalem toward the weast, is a fayre churche where the tree grew of which the crosse was made and thereby is a fayre churche where our lady mette with Elizabeth when they were both with Chylde & sainct Jhon styrred in his mothers wombe and made worship to our Lord his maker, and under the aulter of the church is a place where Sainct Jhon was borne and thereby is the castell of Emax.[3]

[Footnote 1 Aceldama.]

[Footnote 2 Buried.]

[Footnote 3: Emmaus.]

CAP. XXVII.

_Of mount Joye._

TWO myle from Hierusalem is the mounte Joye that is a fayre place and a liking, & there lieth Samuell the prophete in a fayre tombe, and it is called mount Joye for there many pylgrims se first Hierusalem. And in the middle of the Vale of Josaphat is a lyttle ryver that is called Torrens[1] Cedron, and over thwart this laye a tree, of the which the crosse was made, that men passed over on. Also in y^e vale is a churche of our lady, and there is the sepulchre of our lady, and our lady was of age when she dyed, lxxii yeare. And there nere is the place where our Lorde forgaue Sainct Peter all his sinnes and mysdedes that he had done. And beside that is a chappell where Judas kissed our Lorde, that men call Getsemay,[2] and he was taken of the Jewes, and there lefte Christ his disciples before his passion, when he went to praye, and seyd, _Pater si fieri potest, transeat a me calix iste_, that is to say in English, Father if it may be done, let this chalice go from me. Also thereby is a chapell where our Lord swet both bloud & water and there is the tombe of King Josaphat, of whom the Vale had the name, and on the syde of that Vale is the mount Olivet, and it is called so for there groweth many Olive trees, and it is higher than Hierusalem & therefore from that hill men may see into the streetes of Hierusalem. And betwene that hill and the citie is nothing but the vale of Josaphat and that is not full large, and uppon that hyl stode our Lorde when he went into heaven, and yet semeth there the steppe[3] of his left foote in the stone. And there is an Abbey of black chanons that was great sometime, but now there is but a church. And but a little thence xviii paces is a chapell, and there is the stone on the which our Lord God sate and when he preched, and sayde thus, _Beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum_. That is to saye in English, Blessed be they that are poore in spirite, for theyrs is the Kingdome of heaven, and ther he taught his disciples theyr _Pater noster_. There also is a churche of that blessed woman Mary Egypcian, and there is she buryed. And uppon the other side towarde the East three bow shotes from thence, standeth Bethephage, where our Lorde Jesu Christ sente Sainct Peter and saynte James, for to fetch an asse on Palme Sonday.

[Footnote 1: The Brook Kedron.]

[Footnote 2: Gethsemane.]

[Footnote 3: Footprint.]

[Decoration]

CAP. XXVIII.

_Of the Castell Bethania._

THERE toward the East is a castel, that men call Bethania and there dwelled Symon the lepruse, that harborowed[1] our lord, and them that were Baptysed of his disciples, and he was called Julyan and was made Bishop and that is he that men call on for good harborow.[2] In that same place our lord forgave Mary Magdeleyne hir sinnes, and there she washed his fete with teares & wiped them with hir here & there was Lazarus raised that was foure dayes deade.

[Footnote 1: Lodged.]

[Footnote 2: Protection.]

CAP. XXIX.

_Of Jerico and other things._

IN the returning to mount Olivet, is the place where oure Lorde wept uppon Hierusalem and thereby[1] our Lady apeared to Sainct Thomas after hir assumption and gave him hir gyrdell and thereby is the stone on the which our Lorde sat often upon and preched and thereon he shall syt at the day of Judgement, as himselfe sayd. And there is mount Galile where the appostels were gathered when Mary Magdelein tolde them of Christe's rising. Betwene mount Olivet & mount Galile is a church, where the Aungell sayde to our Lady when she should die. And from Bethany to Jerico is fiue myle. Jerico was sometime a little citie but it was wasted, and now it is but a lyttle towne, that towne toke Josue through miracle of God, & bydding of the aungell, and destroyed it, & cursed all those that builded it againe. Of that citie was Raab that common woman, that received messengers of Israel & kept them from many perils of deth, & therefore she had a good rewarde, as holy writ sayth "_Quando accepit prophetum in nomine meo mercedem prophetæ accipiet_." That is to say, He that taketh a prophet in my name, he shall take mede of a prophet.[2]

[Footnote 1: Close by.]

[Footnote 2: Matt. x. 41, "He that receiveth a prophet in the
name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward."]

CAP. XXX.

_Of the holy place betwene Bethany and flom Jordane and
other things._

ALSO from Bethany men go from Jordan thorow the Wildernesse and it is nere a daies journey betwene. Toward the East is a great hill where our Lord fasted XL dayes & upon this hill was Christ brought of the fende[1] of Hell, & sayd to him thus, _Dic ut lapides isti panis fiant_. That is to say, Commaund that these stones be made bread. And there is an Hermitage wher dwelled a maner of Christen men called Georgins[2] for sainct George converted them, and upon that hill dwelled Abraham a great whyle. Also as men go to Jerico, in the way sate many sicke men crying, _Jesu fili David, misere nobis_. That is to say, Jesu the sonne of David have mercie upon us. And two myle from Jerico is flom[3] Jordan & ye shall wete the dead sea departeth the lande of Jude and of Araby and the water of the sea is right bitter and this water casteth out a thinge that men call _aspatum_[4] as great pieces as a horse. And Hierusalem is cc furlonges from this sea, and it is called the dead sea, for it runneth not, nor no man, ne beast, that hath life, that is therein, may lyve, and that hath bene proved many times, for they have cast therein men that were judged to death, nor no man may drinke of that water & if men cast yron therein it commeth up againe, and if a man cast a fether therein it goeth to the grounde, and that is against kinde.[5]

And there about grow trees that beare fruite of faire color and seme rype, but when a man breaketh them or cut them, he findeth naught in them but coales or asshes, in tokening that throughe the vengaunce of God these cities were brent with the fyre of hell. And some men call that lake the lake of Alphytedde,[6] and some call it the flome of the divell, and some call it the stinking flome, for the water thereof stynketh. There sanke these five cities through the wrath of God, that is to saye, Sodome, Gomor,[7] Aldema,[8] Solome,[9] and Segor, for the sinne that raigned in them, but Segor through the prayer of Loth, was saved a great while, for it sat on an hyll, and yet apeareth much thereof above the water, and men may see the walles in cleare weather. And in this citie of Segor, Loth dwelled a great while . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and at the ryght side of this see dwelled Lothes wife in a stone of salt for that she looked againe when the citie sanke downe.

[Footnote 1: Fiend.]

[Footnote 2: Georgians.]

[Footnote 3: River. _Lat._, Flumen.]

[Footnote 4: Asphaltum.]

[Footnote 5: Nature.]

[Footnote 6: Assa f[oe]tida.]

[Footnote 7: Gomorrah.]

[Footnote 8: Aldama.]