the cros grew. And 2 myle fro thens, is a faire chirche; where oure lady
mette with Elizabethe, whan thei weren bothe with childe; and seynt John
stered in his modres wombe, and made reverence to his Creatour, that he
saughe not. And undre the awtier of that chirche, is the place where seynt
John was born. And fro that chirche, is a myle to the castelle of Emaux;
and there also oure Lord schewed him to 2 of his disciples, aftre His
resurrexion. Also on that other syde, 200 pas fro Jerusalem, is a chirche,
where was wont to be the cave of the lioun: and undre that chirche, at 30
degrees of depnesse, weren entered 12000 martires, in the tyme of Kyng
Cosdroc, that the lyoun mette with alle in a nyghte, be the wille of God.
Also fro Jerusalem 2 myle, is the Mount Joye, a fulle fair place and a
delicyous: and there lythe Samuel the prophete in a faire tombe: and men
clepen it Mount Joye; for it zevethe joye to pilgrymes hertes, be cause
that there men seen first Jerusalem. Also betwene Jerusalem and the Mount
of Olyvete, is the Vale of Josaphathe, undre the walles of the cytee, as I
have seyd before: and in the myddes of the vale, is a lytille ryvere, that
men clepen Torrens Cedron; and aboven it, over thwart, lay a tre, (that the
cros was made offe) that men zeden over onne: and faste by it is a litylle
pytt in the erthe, where the foot of the pileer is zit entered; and there
was oure Lord first scourged: for he was scourged and vileynsly entreted in
many places. Also in the myddel place of the vale of Josaphathe, is the
chirche of oure lady: and it is of 43 degrees, undre the erthe, unto the
sepulchre oure lady. And oure lady was of age, when sche dyed, 72 zeer. And
beside the sepulchre of oure lady, is an awtier, where oure Lord forzaf
seynt Petir all his synnes. And fro thens, toward the west, undre an
awtere, is a welle, that comethe out of the ryvere of Paradys. And witethe
wel, that that chirche is fulle lowe in the erthe; and sum is alle with
inne the erthe. But I suppose wel, that it was not so founded: but for
because that Jerusalem hathe often tyme ben destroyed, and the walles
abated and beten doun and tombled in to the vale, and that thei han ben so
filled azen, and the ground enhaunced; and for that skylle, is the chirche
so lowe with in the erthe: and natheles men seyn there comounly, that the
erthe hathe so ben cloven, sythe the tyme, that oure Lady was there buryed:
and zit men seyn there, that it wexethe and growethe every day, with outen
dowte. In that chirche were wont to ben blake monkes, that hadden hire
abbot. And besyde that chirche, is a chapelle, besyde the roche, that
highte Gethesamany: and there was oure Lord kyssed of Judas; and there was
he taken of the Jewes; and there laft oure Lord his disciples, whan he
wente to preye before his passioun, whan he preyed and seyde, _Pater, si
fieri potest, transeat a me calix iste_; that is to seye, _Fadre, zif it
may be, do lete this chalys go fro me_. And whan he cam azen to his
disciples, he fond hem slepynge. And in the roche, with inne the chapelle,
zit apperen the fyngres of oure Lordes hond, whan he putte hem in the
roche, whan the Jewes wolden have taken him. And fro thens a stones cast,
toward the southe, is anothere chapelle, where oure Lord swette droppes of
blood. And there righte nyghe, is the tombe of Kyng Josaphathe; of whom the
vale berethe the name. This Josaphathe was kyng of that contree, and was
converted by an heremyte, that was a worthi man, and dide moche gode. And
fro thens a bowe drawghte, towards the south, is the chirche, where Seynt
James and Zacharie the prophete weren buryed. And above the vale, is the
Mount of Olyvete: and it is cleped so, for the plentee of olyves, that
growen there. That mount is more highe than the cytee of Jerusalem is: and
therfore may men, upon that mount, see manye of the stretes of the cytee.
And between that mount and the cytee, is not but the vale of Josaphathe,
that is not fulle large. And fro that mount, steighe oure Lord Jesu Crist
to Hevene, upon ascencioun day: and zit there schewethe the schapp of his
left foot, in the ston. And there is a chirche, where was wont to be an
abbot and chanouns reguleres. And a lytylle thens, 28 pas, is a chapelle,
and there in is the ston, on the whiche oure Lord sat, whan he prechede the
8 blessynges, and seyde thus: _Beati pauperes spiritu_: and there he
taughte his disciples the _Pater noster_; and wrote with his finger in a
ston. And there nyghe is a chirche of Seynte Marie Egipcyane; and there
sche lythe in a tombe. And fro then toward the est, a 3 bow schote, is
Bethfagee; to the whiche oure Lord sente Seynt Peter and Seynt James, for
to feche the asse, upon Palme Sonday, and rode upon that asse to Jerusalem.
And in comynge doun fro the Mount of Olyvete, toward the est, is a
castelle, that is cleped Bethanye: and there dwelte Symon leprous, and
there herberwed oure Lord; and aftre, he was baptized of the Apostles, and
was clept Julian, and was made bisschoppe: and this is the same Julyan,
that men clepe to for gede herberghgage; for oure Lord herberwed with him,
in his hows. And in that hous, oure Lord forzaf Marie Magdaleyne hire
synnes; there sche whassched his feet with hire teres, and wyped hem with
hire heer. And there served seynt Martha, oure Lord. There oure Lord reysed
Lazar fro dethe to lyve, that was ded 4 dayes and stank, that was brother
to Marie Magdaleyne and to Martha. And there duelte also Marie Cleophe.
That castelle is wel a myle long fro Jerusalem. Also in comynge doun fro
the Mount of Olyvete, is the place where oure Lord wepte upon Jerusalem.
And there besyde is the place, where oure lady appered to seynt Thomas the
Apostle, aftre hire assumptioun, and zaf him hire Gyrdylle. And right nyghe
is the ston, where oure Lord often tyme sat upon, whan he prechede: and
upon that same schalle he sytte, at the day of doom; righte as him self
seyde.
Also aftre the Mount of Olyvete, is the Mount of Galilee: there assembleden
the apostles, whan Marie Magdaleyne cam, and tolde hem of Cristes
uprisynge. And there, betwene the Mount Olyvete and the Mount Galilee, is a
chirche, where the aungel seyde to our lady, of hire dethe. Also fro
Bethanye to Jerico, was somtyme a litylle Cytee: but it is now alle
destroyed; and now is there but a litylle village. That cytee tok Josue, be
myracle of God and commandement of the aungel, and destroyed it and cursed
it, and alle hem that bylled it azen. Of that citee was Zacheus the dwerf,
that clomb up in to the Sycomour Tre, for to see oure Lord; be cause he was
so litille, he myghte not seen Him for the peple. And of that cytee was
Raab the comoun womman, that ascaped allone, with hem of hire lynage; and
sche often tyme refressched and fed the messageres of Israel, and kepte hem
from many grete periles of dethe: and therfore sche hadde gode reward; as
Holy Writt seythe: _Qui accipit prophetam in nomine meo, mercedem prophetæ
accipiet_; that is to seye, _He that takethe a prophete in my name, he
schalle take mede of the prophete_: and so had sche; for sche prophecyed to
the messageres, seyenge, _Novi quod Dominus tradet vobis Terram hanc_; that
is to seye, _I wot wel, that oure Lord schal betake zou this Lond_: and so
he dide. And after Salomon, Naasones sone, wedded hire; and fro that tyme
was sche a worthi womman, and served God wel. Also from Betanye gon men to
flom [Footnote: River,--Latin, _flumen_.] Jordan, by a mountayne, and
thorghe desert; and it is nyghe a day jorneye fro Bethanye, toward the est,
to a gret hille, where oure Lord fasted 40 dayes. Upon that hille, the
enemy of helle bare our Lord, and tempted him, and seyde; _Dic ut lapides
isti panes fiant_; that is to seye, _Sey, that theise stones be made
loves_. In that place, upon the hille, was wont to ben a faire chirche; but
it is alle destroyed, so that there is now but an hermytage, that a maner
of Cristene men holden, that ben cleped Georgyenes: for Seynt George
converted hem. Upon that hille duelte Abraham a gret while: and therfore
men clepen it, Abrahames gardyn. And betwene the hille and this gardyn
rennethe a lytille broke of watre, that was wont to ben byttre; but be the
blessyng of Helisee the prophete, it becam swete and gode to drynke. And at
the foot of this hille, toward the playn, is a grete welle, that entrethe
in to flom Jordan. Fro that hille to Jerico, that I spak of before, is but
a myle, in goynge toward flom Jordan. Also as men gon to Jerico, sat the
blynde man, cryenge, _Jesu, fili David, miserere mei_; that is to seye,
_Jesu, Davides sone, have mercy on me_: and anon he hadde his sighte. Also
2 myle fro Jerico is flom Jordan: and an half myle more nyghe, is a faire
chirche of Seynt John the Baptist; where he baptised oure Lord: and there
besyde, is the hous of Jeremye the prophete.
Of the dede See; and of the Flom Jordan. Of the Hed of Seynt John the
Baptist; and of the Usages of the Samaritanes.
[Sidenote: Cap. IX.] And fro Jerico, a 3 myle, is the dede See. Aboute that
See growethe moche alom and of alkatram. [Footnote: Brimstone.] Betwene
Jerico and that see is the lond of Dengadde; and there was wont to growe
the bawme; but men make drawe the braunches there of, and beren hem to ben
graffed at Babiloyne; and zit men clepen hem vynes of Gaddy. At a cost of
that see, as men gon from Arabe, is the mount of the Moabytes; where there
is a cave, that men clepen Karua. Upon that hille, ladde Balak the sone of
Booz, Balaam the prest, for to curse the peple of Israel. That dede See
departethe the lond of Ynde and of Arabye; and that see lastethe from Soara
unto Arabye. The watre of that see is fulle bytter and salt: and ziff the
erthe were made moyst and weet with that watre, it wolde nevere bere fruyt.
And the erthe and the lond chaungeth often his colour. And it castethe out
of the watre a thing that men clepen aspalt; also gret peces, as the
gretnesse of an hors, every day, and on alle sydes. And fro Jerusalem to
that see, is 200 furlonges. That see is in lengthe 580 furlonges, and in
brede 150 furlonges: and it is clept the dede see, for it rennethe nought.
but is evere unmevable. And nouther manne, best, ne no thing that berethe
lif in him, ne may not dyen in that see: and that hathe ben proved manye
tymes, be men that han disserved to ben dede, that han ben cast there inne,
and left there inne 3 dayes or 4, and thei ne myghte never dye ther inne:
for it resceyvethe no thing with inne him, that berethe lif. And no man may
drynken of the watre, for bytternesse. And zif a man caste iren there in,
it wole flete aboven. And zif men caste a fedre there in, it wole synke to
the botme: and theise ben thinges azenst kynde. And also the cytees there
weren lost, be cause of synne. And there besyden growen trees, that beren
fulle faire apples, and faire of colour to beholde; but whoso brekethe hem
or cuttethe hem in two, he schalle fynde with in hem coles and cyndres; in
tokene that, be wratthe of God, the cytees and the lond weren brente and
sonken into helle. Sum men clepen that see, Lake Dalfetidee; summe, the
Flom of Develes; and summe, the flom that is ever stynkynge. And in to that
see sonken the 5 cytees, be wratthe of God; that is to seyne, Sodom,
Gomorre, Aldama, Seboym and Segor, for the abhomynable synne of sodomye,
that regned in hem. But Segor, be the preyer of Lothe, was saved and kept a
gret while: for it was sett upon an hille; and zit schewethe therof sum
party, above the watre: and men may see the walles, when it is fayr wedre
and cleer. In that cytee Lothe dwelte, a lytylle while; and there was he
made dronken of his doughtres, and lay with hem, and engendred of hem Moab
and Amon. And the cause whi his doughtres made him dronken, and for to ly
by him, was this; because thei sawghe no man aboute hem, but only here
fadre: and therfore thei trowed, that God had destroyed alle the world, as
he hadde don the cytees; as he hadde don before, be Noes flood. And
therfore thei wolde lye with here fadre, for to have issue, and for to
replenysschen the world azen with peple, to restore the world azen be hem:
for thei trowed, that ther had ben no mo men in alle the world. And zif
here fadre had not ben dronken, he hadde not y leye with hem. And the hille
aboven Segor, men cleped it thanne Edom: and aftre men cleped it Seyr, and
aftre Ydumea. Also at the righte syde of that dede See, dwellethe zit the
wife of Lothe, in lyknesse of a salt ston; fur that schee loked behinde
hire, whan the cytees sonken into helle. This Lothe was Araammes sone, that
was brother to Abraham. And Sarra Abrahames wife, and Melcha Nachors wif,
weren sustren to the seyd Lothe. And the same Sarra was of elde 90 zeer,
when Ysaac hire sone was goten on hire. And Abraham hadde another sone
Ysmael, that he gat upon Agar his chambrere. And when Ysaac his sone was 8
dayes olde, Abraham his fadre leet him ben circumcyded, and Ysmael with
him, that was 14 zeer old: wherfore the Jewes, that comen of Ysaacces lyne,
ben circumcyded the 8 day; and the Sarrazines, that comen of Ysmaeles lyne,
ben circumcyded whan thei ben 14 zeer of age.
And zee schulle undirstonde, that with in the dede See rennethe the Flom
Jordan, and there it dyethe; for it rennethe no furthermore: and that is a
place, that is a myle fro the Chirche of seynt John the Baptist, toward the
West, a lytille benethe the place, where that christene men bathen hem
comounly. And a myle from Flom Jordan, is the Ryvere of Jabothe, the whiche
Jacob passed over, whan he cam fro Mesopotayme. This Flom Jordan is no
great ryvere; but it is plenteous of gode fissche; and it cometh out of the
hille of Lyban be 2 welles, that ben cleped Jor and Dan: and of tho 2
Welles hath it the name. And it passethe be a lake, that is clept Maron;
and aftre it passethe by the See of Tyberye, and passethe undre the hilles
of Gelboe: and there is a full faire vale, bothe on that o syde and on that
other of the same ryvere. And men gon the hilles of Lyban, alle in lengthe,
onto the desert of Pharan. And tho hilles departen the kyngdom of Surrye
and the contree of Phenesie. And upon tho hilles growen trees of cedre,
that ben fulle hye, and thei beren longe apples, and als grete as a mannes
heved. And also this Flom Jordan departeth the lond of Galilee, and the
lond of Ydumye and the lond of Betron: and that rennethe undre erthe a
grete weye, unto a fayre playn and a gret, that is clept Meldan, in
Sarmoyz; that is to seye, feyre or markett in here langage; be cause that
there is often feyres in that pleyn. And there becomethe the watre gret and
large. And that playn is the tombe of Job. And in that Flom Jordan
above-seyd, was oure Lorde baptized of seynt John; and the voys of God the
Fadre was herd seyenge. _Hic est Filius meus dilectus, &c._; that is to
seye, _This is my beloved sone, in the whiche I am well plesed; herethe
hym_. And the Holy Gost alyghte upon hym, in lyknesse of a colver: and so
at his baptizynge, was alle the hool trynytee. And thorghe that Flom
passeden the children of Israel, alle drye feet: and thei putten stones
there in the myddel place, in tokene of the myracle, that the watre
withdrowghe him so. Also in that Flom Jordan, Naaman of Syrie bathed him;
that was fulle riche, but he was meselle: [Footnote: Leprous.] and there
anon he toke his hele. Abouten the Flom Jordan ben manye chirches, where
that manye cristene men dwelleden. And nyghe therto is the cytee of Hay,
that Josue assayled and toke. Also beyonde the Flom Jordan, is the Vale of
Mambre; and that is a fulle fair vale. Also upon the hille, that I spak of
before, where oure Lord fasted 40 dayes, a 2 myle long from Galilee, is a
faire hille and an highe; where the enemye, the fend, bare oure Lord, the
thridde tyme, to tempte him, and schewede him alle the regiouns of the
world, and seyde, _Hic omnia tibi dabo, si cadens adoraveris me_; that is
to seyne, _All this schalle I zeve the, zif thou falle and worschipe me_.
Also fro the dede See, to gon estward out of the marches of the Holy Lond,
that is clept the Lond of Promyssioun, is a strong castelle and a fair, in
an hille, that is clept Carak, en Sarmoyz; that is to seyne, Ryally. That
castle let make kyng Baldwyn, (that was Kyng of France) whan he had
conquered that lond; and putte it in to cristene mennes hondes, for to kepe
that contree. And for that cause, was it clept the Mownt rialle. And undre
it there is a town, that hight Sobachie: and there alle abowte dwellen
cristene men, undre trybute. Fro thens gon men to Nazarethe, of the whiche
oure Lord berethe the surname. And fro thens, there is 3 journeyes to
Jerusalem: and men gon be the provynce of Galylee, be Ramatha, be Sothym
and be the highe hille of Effraim; where Elchana and Anna, the modre of
Samuelle the prophete, dwelleden. There was born this prophete: and aftre
his dethe, he was buryed at Mount Joye, as I have seyd you before. And than
gon men to Sylo; where the arke of God with the relikes weren kept longe
tyme, undre Ely the prophete. There made the peple of Ebron sacrifice to
oure Lord: and ther thei yolden up here avowes: and there spak God first to
Samuelle, and schewed him the mutacioun of ordre of presthode, and the
misterie of the sacrement. And right nyghe, on the left syde, is Gabaon and
Rama and Beniamyn; of the whiche holy writt spekethe offe. And aftre men
gon to Sychem, sumtyme clept Sychar; and that is in the provynce of
Samaritanes; and there is a fulle fair vale and a fructuouse, and there is
a fair cytee and a gode, that men clepen Neople. And from thens is a
jorneye to Jerusalem. And there is the welle, where oure Lord spak to the
woman of Samaritan. And there was wont to ben a chirche; but it is beten
doun. Besyde that welle, Kyng Roboas let make 2 calveren of gold, and made
hem to ben worschipt, and put that on at Dan, and that other at Betelle.
And a myle fro Sychar, is the cytee of Deluze. And in that cytee dwelte
Abraham, a certeyn tyme. Sychem is a 10 myle fro Jerusalem, and it is clept
Neople; that is, for to seyne, the newe cytee. And nyghe besyde is the
tombe of Josephe the sone of Jacob, that governed Egypt: for the Jewes
baren his bones from Egypt, and buryed hem there. And thidre gon the Jewes
oftentyme in pilgrimage, with gret devocioun. In that cytee was Dyne
Jacobes doughter ravysscht; for whom hire bretheren slowen many persones,
and diden many harmes to the cytee. And there besyde, is the hille of
Garasoun, where the Samaritanes maken here sacrifice: in that hille wolde
Abraham have sacrificed his sone Ysaac. And there besyde is the vale of
Dotaym: and there is the cisterne, where Josephe was cast in of his
bretheren, which thei solden; and that is a 2 myle fro Sychar. From thens
gon men to Samarye, that men clepen now Sebast; and that is the chief cytee
of that contree: and it sytt betwene the hille of Aygnes, as Jerusalem
dothe. In that cytee was the syttinges of the 12 tribes of Israel: but the
cytee is not now so gret, as it was wont to be. There was buryed seynt John
the Baptist, betwene 2 prophetes, Helyseus and Abdyan: but he was beheded
in the castelle of Macharyme, besyde the Dede See: and aftre he was
translated of his disciples, and buryed at Samarie: and there let Julianas
Apostata dyggen him up, and let brennen his bones; (for he was that time
Emperour) and let wyndwe [Footnote: Blow away.] the ashes in the wynd. But
the fynger, that schewed oure Lord, seyenge, _Ecce Agnus Dei_; that is to
seyne, _Lo the Lamb of God_: that nolde nevere brenne, but is alle hol:
that fynger leet seynte Tecle the holy virgyne be born in to the hill of
Sebast; and there maken men gret feste. In that place was wont to ben a
faire chirche; and many othere there weren; but thei ben alle beten doun.
There was wont to ben the heed of seynt John Baptist, enclosed in the
walle; but the Emperour Theodosie let drawe it out, and fond it wrapped in
a litille clothe, alle blody; and so he leet it to be born to
Costantynoble: and zit at Costantynoble is the hyndre partye of the heed:
and the for partie of the heed, til undre the chyn, is at Rome, undre the
chirche of seynt Silvestre, where ben nonnes of an hundred ordres; and it
is zit alle broylly, as thoughe it were half brent: for the Emperour
Julianus aboyeseyd, of his cursednesse and malice, let brennen that partie
with the other bones; and zit it schewethe: and this thing hathe ben
preved, both be popes and by emperours. And the Jowes benethe, that holden
to the Chyn, and a partie of the assches, and the platere, that the hed was
leyd in, whan it was smyten of, is at Gene: and the Geneweyes maken of it
gret feste; and so don the Sarazynes also. And sum men seyn; that the heed
of seynt John is at Amyas, in Picardye: and other men seyn, that it is the
heed of seynt John the Bysschop. I wot nere, but God knowethe: but in what
wyse than men worschipen it, the blessed seynt John holt him a payd.
From this cytee of Sebast unto Jerusalem, is 12 myle. And betwene the
hilles of that contree, there is a welle, that 4 sithes in the zeer
chaungethe his colour; sometyme grene, sometyme reed, sometyme cleer, and
sometyme trouble; and men clepen that welle Job. And the folk of that
contree, that men clepen Samaritanes, weren converted and baptized by the
apostles; but thei holden not wel here doctryne; and alle weys thei holden
lawes by hem self, varyenge from cristene men, from Sarrazines, Jewes and
Paynemes. And the Samaritanes leeven well in o Godi: and thei seyn wel,
that there is but only o God, that alle formed, and alle schalle deme: and
thei holden the Bible aftre the lettre: and thei usen the psawtere, as the
Jewes don: and thei seyn, that thei ben the righte sones of God: and among
alle other folk, thei seyn that thei ben best beloved of God; and that to
hem belongethe the heritage, that God behighte to hise beloved children:
and thei han also dyverse clothinge and schapp, to loken on, than other
folk han; for thei wrappen here hedes in red linnene cloth, in difference
from othere. And the Sarazines wrappen here hedes in white lynnene clothe.
And the Cristene men, that duellen in the contree, wrappen hem in blew of
Ynde; and the Jewes in zelow clothe. In that contree duellen manye of the
Jewes, payenge tribute, as Cristene men don. And zif zee wil knowe the
lettres, that the Jewes usen, as thei clepem hem, in manner of here _A. B.
C. Alephe, Bethe, Gymel, Delethe, He, Vau, Zay, Cy, Thet, Joht, Kapho,
Lampd [sic--KTH], Mem, Num, Samethe, Ey, Fhee, Sade, Cophe, Resch, Son,
Tau_.
Of the Province of Galilee, and where Antecrist schalle be born; Of
Nazarethe. Of the Age of oure Lady. Of the Day of Doom; and of the
Customes of Jacobites, Surryenes; and of the Usages of Gcorgyenes.