And now about halfe way betweene Berah and Jerusalem, I, and two Armenians, advancing our way a flight shot before the Company. Wee I say, unhappily rancountred with foure Moorish fellowes, driving before them sixe Asses loaden with Rootes, and shrubs of Wood to burne: who seeing us, as they thought alone, layd [V. 234.]hands upon us, robbed us of our pocket monies: whereat A grievous danger.I resisting, one of them pulled foorth a broad knife, and holding me by the Beard, thought to have cut my throate, if it had not beene for one of his fellowes, who swiftly stayed him.
Well, they leave us, and following their Beasts, our Souldiers instantly appeared unto us; whereupon wee shouting, the Moores fled to the Rocks, and our foot Souldiers following, apprehended two of the chiefest, and brought them to the Captaine: One of which had my money, which I presently received backe againe, but mine associates money, was with them that escaped: the Captaine and Janisaries, meane while carried the two Moores along with them, thinking to execute them at Jerusalem. But their friends and neighbours following fast on Horse-backe, and on foote, relieved them from the Caravan, restoring backe againe the two Armenians money. Whereat all the Moores were exceeding glad, and wee nowayes discontented: for if they had not bin redeemed, certainly their friends and followers, who were thicke flocking together, would have cut us all off, before wee could have attain’d to Jerusalem.
At last wee beheld the prospect of Jerusalem, which was not onely a contentment to my weary body, but also beeing ravished with a kinde of unwonted rejoycing, the A joyfull harmony.teares gushed from my eyes for too much joy. In this time the Armenians began to sing in their owne fashion, Psalmes to praise the Lord: and I also sung the 103 Psalme all the way, till we arrived neere the wals of the Citty, where wee ceased from our singing, for feare of the Turkes.
The Sunne being passed to his nightly Repose, before our arrivall, wee found the Gates locked, and the Keyes carried up to the Bashaw in the Castle; which bred a [V. 235.]common sorrow in the Company, being all both hungry, and weary: yet the Caravan intreated earnestly the Turkes within, to give us over the Wals, some victuals for our money, shewing heavily the necessity wee had thereof, but they would not, neyther durst attempt such a thing. In this time the Guardian of the Monastery of Cordeleirs, who remayneth there to receive Travailers of Christendome, who having got newes of our late arrivall, came and demanded of the Caravan, if any Frankes of Europe were in his Society, and he sayd, onely one. Then the Guardian called mee, and asked of what Nation I was of, and when I told him, hee seemed to be exceeding glad: yet very sorrowfull for our misfortune.
A deare nights Supper.Hee having knowne my distresse, returned, and sent two Friers to me with Bread, Wine, and Fishes, which they let over the Wall (as they thought in a secret place) but they were espied, and on the morrow the Guardiano payed to the Subbashaw or Sanzacke a great fine, being a hundred Piasters, thirty pounds sterling: otherwise both hee and I had beene beheaded: which I confesse, was a deare bought supper to the Gray Frier; and no lesse almost to me, being both in danger of my Life for starving, and then for receiving of food, therefore suspected for a Traytor: For the Turkes alleadged, he had taken in munition from me, and the other Christians, to betray the Citty: this they doe oft, for a lesser faulte then that was, onely to get Bribes and mony from the Grey Friers, which daily stand in feare of their lives.
Anno 1612. upon Palme-Sunday in the morning, wee entred into Jerusalem, and at the Gate wee were particularly searched, to the effect wee carried in no Furniture [V. 236.]of Armes, nor Powder with us, and the poore Armenians (notwithstanding they are slaves to Turkes,) behoved to render their weapons to the Keepers, such is the feare they have of Christians. And my name was written up in the Clarkes Booke at the Port, that my tribute for the Gate, and my seeing of the Sepulcher, might bee payed at one time together, before my finall departure thence.
The Gates of the City are of iron outwardly, and above each Gate are brazen Ordonance planted, for their defence.
A foolish ceremony.Having taken my leave of the Caravan, and the Company, who went to lodge with their owne Patriarke, I was met and received with the Guardian, and twelve Friers upon the streetes, each of them carrying in their hands a burning waxe Candle, and one for mee also: who received mee joyfully, and singing all the way to their Monastery Te Deum Laudamus, they mightily rejoyced, that a Christian had come from such a far Countrey as Scotia, to visite Jerusalem.
Where being arrived, they forthwith brought me to a Roome, and there the Guardian washed my right foote with water, and his Viccar my left: and done, they kissed my feete, so did also all the twelve Friers that stood by: But when they knew afterward that I was no Popish Catholicke, it sore repented them of their Labour. I found here ten Frankes newly come the neerest way from Venice hither, sixe of them were Germanes, noble Gentlemen, and they also good Protestants, who were wonderfull glad to heare me tell the Guardian flatly in his face, I was no Romane Catholicke, nor never thought to be: The other foure Frankes were Frenchmen, two of them Parisians old men, the other two of Provance, all foure [V. 237.]being Papists: with nine other Commercing Frankes, also that dwelt in Syria and Cyprus, most of them beeing Venetians, who were all glad of me, shewing themselves so kinde, so carefull, so loving, and so honourable in all respects, that they were as kind Gentle-men, as ever I met withall, especially the Germaines: Such is the love of strangers, when they meete in Forraine and remote places. They had also in high respect the adventures of my halfe yeares travaile, East, and beyond Jerusalem: troubling me all the while wee were together, to show them the rare Discourses of my long two yeares survey of Turkey, but especially of my furthest sights in the East of Asia: And were alwayes in admiration that I had no fellow Pilgrime, in my long Peregrination.