A Brief Description of the Whole World, Part 19
Of Syria, and Palestina, or the Holy Land.
SOuthward from Cilicia andSy…ia bounded. As…a the lesse, lyeth Syria; a part whereof was called Palestina: having on the East Mesopotamia, on the South Arabia, on the west, Tyre and Sidon, and the end of the Mediterranean Sea.
The people of this Syria wereTheir …ient …ames. in times past called the Ardmites. In their language is the transl…ion of the New Testament, called Syriacke.
In this Countrey standed An…, Ci…y of ….which was sometimes one of the ancient … See, and is a City of reckoning unto this day. Here also standeth now the City ofAl…ppo. Aleppo, which is a famous M…rt Towne for the Merchandizing o… the Persians, and others of the E…st, and for the Turks, and such Countries as be adjoining. Here standeth …th also Tripolis.Tripolis.
The South part of Syria, lying downe toward Egypt▪ and Arabia, was the place where the Children of Israel did dwell, being a Country of small quantity, not 200. Italian miles in length: it was so fruitfull flowing with Milke and Honey, (as the Scripture calleth it) that it did maintaine above thirty KingsThirty Kings. and their people, before the comming of the children of Israel out of Egypt, and was sufficient afterwards to relieve the incredible number of the twelve Tribes of Israel.
It is noted of this Countrey,Note. that whereas by the goodnesse of the Climate wherein it stood, and the fertility of the soyle (but especially by the blessing of God) it was the most fruitfull L…nd that was in the World: Now ou… Travellers by experience do finde the Countrey, in respect of the fruitfulnesse, to be changed, G…d cursing the Land together with the Iewes, the Inhabitants of it. It is observed also for all the Easterne parts, that they are not so fertile as they have been in former Ages, the Earth (as it were) growing old, which is an Argument of the Dessolution to come by the day of Judgement.
Through this Countrey dothThe River Iordan. run the River Jordan, which hath heretofore been famous for the fruitfulnesse of the trees standing thereupon, and for the mildnesse of the Aire, so that (as Josephus writeth) when snow hath been in other places of the Land, about the River it hath been so calme, that men did go in single thin linnen garments.
In this Countrey standeth the Lake, called Lacus Asphaltites, becauseAsphaltites of a kinde of slime called Bitumen, or Asphaltum, which daily it doth cast up, being of force to joine stones exceeding fast in building: And into this Lake doth the River Jordan runne.
This Lake is it which is calledMare mornum. Mare Mortuum, a Sea because it is salt; and Mortuum, or Dead, for that no living thing is therein. The water thereof is so thicke, that few things will sinke therein, in so much, that Josephus faith, that an Oxe having all his legges bound will not sinke into that water.
The nature of this Lake (as it was supposed) was turned into this quality, when God did destroy Sodome and Gomorrah, and the Cities adjoining, with fire and brimstone from Heaven: for Sodome and the other Cities did stand near unto Jordan, and to this Mare Mortuum: for the destruction of whom, all that Coast to this day is a witnesse, the Earth smelling of brimstone, being desolate, and yielding no fruit saving apples, which grow, with a faire shew to the eye, like other fruit; but as soon as they are touched, do turn presently to soot, or ashes, as besides Josephus, Solinus doth witnesse in his 48 Chapter.
The Land of Palestina had forTwelve Tribes of Israel. i…s Inhabitants, all the Twelve Tribes of Israel, which were under one Kingdome, till the time Rehoboam the Sonne of Solomon; But then were they divided into two Kingdomes, ten Tribes being called Israel, and two Iudah, whose chiefe City was called Ierusalem.Ierusalem.
The ten Tribes after much Idolatry,Twelve Tribes divided. were carried prisoners unto Assyria, and the Kingdome dissolved, other people being placed in their roome in Samaria, and the Country adjoining.
The other two Tribes wereThe Iews. properly called the Iewes, and their Land Iudea; which continued long after in Ierusalem, a…d thereabout, till the Captivity of Babylon, where they l…ved for seventy-ye…es. They were afterward restored, but lived without glory, till the comming of Christ: But since that time for a curse upon them and their children, for putting Christ to death they are scattered upon the face of the earth, as Runnagates, without certaine Country, King, Priest, or Prophet.
In their chiefe City Ierusalem, was the Temple of God, first most gloriously built by Solomon; andIerusalem destroied. afterward destroied by Nebuchadnezzar. By the commandement of Cyrus King of Persia, was a second Temple built▪ much more base than the former. For besides the poverty, and smalnesse of it, the…e wanted five things which were is the former, as the Jewes write.Note. First, the Arke of the Covenant: Secondly, the pot of Manna: Thirdly, the Rod of Aaron: Fourthly, the two Tables of the Law, written by the finger of God: And fifthly, the fire of the Sacrifice, which came down from Heaven. Herod the Great, an Edomite stranger, having gotten the Kingdome, contrary to the Law of Moses, and knowing the people to be offended therewithall, to procure their favour, he built a third Temple, wherein our Saviour Jesus Christ and his Apostles did teach.
The City of Jerusalem wasJerusalem twice destroied. 1 By Nebuchadnezzar. 2. By Vespasian. twice taken, and utterly laid desolate; first by Nebuchadnezzar at the Captivity of Babylon: and secondly, after the death of Christ, by Vespasian the Roman (who first began the Warres) and by his sonne Titus, who was afterward Emperour of Rome, who brought such horrible desolation on that City, and the people thereof, by fire, sword and famine, that the like hath not been read in any History. He did afterwards put thousands of them (on one some day) to be devoured of the Beasts, which was a cruel custome of the Romans Magnificence.
Although Numbers and Times be not superstitiously to be observed (as many foolish imagine) yet it is a matter in this place, not unworthy the noting, which Josephus reporteth in his seventh booke and tenth Chapter, de bello Judaico, that the very same day whereon the Temple was set on fire by the Babylonians, was the day whereon the second Temple was set on fire by the Romanes, and that was upon the tenth day of August.
After this destruction, the Land of Iudea, and the ruines of Jerusalem. were possessed by some of the people adjoining, till that about six hundred yeares since, the Saracens did invade it: for expelling of whom from thence, divers French men and other Christians, under the leading of Godfrey of Bullen, did assemble themselves, thinking it a great shame, that the Holy Land (as they called it) the City of Jerusalem, and the place of the Sepulchre of Christ, should be in the hands of Infidels.
This Godfrey ruled in Jerusalem by the name of a Duke: but his successours after him, for the space of 87. yeares, called themselves Kings of Jerusalem: About which time, Saladine (who called himself King of Egypt and Asia the lesse) did winne it from the Christians. For the recovery whereof, Richard the first, King of England, together with the French King, and the King of Sicilia, did go in person with their Armies, to Ierusalem; but although they wonne many things from the Infidels, yet the end was, that the Saracens did retaine the HOLY LAND.
Roger Hoveden, in the Life of Henry the second King of England, doth give this memorable note, that at that time when the City of Ierusalem and Antioch, were taken out of the hands of the Pagans, by the meanes of Godfrey of Bullen, and others of his Company, the Pope of Rome that then was, was called Urbanus; the Patriach of Ierusalem, Heraclius; and the Roman Emperour Fredericke; and at the same time when the said Ierusalem was recovered again by Saladine, the Popes name was Urbanus; the Patriarke Ierusalem, Heraclius, and the Roman Emperour Fredericke.
The whole Countrey and City ofJerusalem in the Turks dominion. Jerusalem, are now in the dominion of the Turke, who notwithstanding for a great tribute doth suffer many Christians to abide there.
There are now therefore two or more Monasteries and Religious houses, where Fryars do abide, and make a good commodity of shewing the Sepulchre of Christ, and other Monuments, unto such Christian Pilgrims as do use superstitiously to go in pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The King of Spaine was wont to call himselfe King of Jerusalem.