Part 1. 
Travels' into the Levant. 
the walls of it, is a Fountain that runs into a Pond twenty paces long-, then you 
come to Lodge at Jffta^ which is a Han for lodging of Travellers. As you go 
to it, you pafs through a large Court, walled in like a Fort, having a very 
lovely Fountain in the middle, which difcharges its Water by four Pipes, and 
at the Back of the Han there is a Spring of Water that fills a Pond. From 
jîjfia you go next day to Hems : About mid way, you find a forry Han, called Hm% 
Hems is a pretty Town indifferently big, the Walls whereof are of black 
and white Stones, and half a Pikes height almofl all round, fortified with 
little round Towers, to the number of fix and twenty ; formerly they were 
begirt with Ditches,which at prefent are for themoft part filled up with ruines. 
This Town hath fix Gates, and there are five Churches in it. The firlt is 
very great, and is fupported with four and thirty Marble-pillars, moft part 
Jafpirs, it is threefcore and ten paces long, and eighteen broad : Within 
oh the South- fide, there is a little Chappel, where you may fee a Stone- 
Cheft or Cafe fet in the Wall, five fpans in length, and three in breadth, 
wherein the people of the Country, f not only Chriftians, but Moors) believe xhe Cafe 
the head of St. John Baptift to be, and therefore the Moors make great account wherein is 
of it, and have commonly a Lamp burning before it. They fay, that on certain t'^e Hsaci of 
days of the year, fome drops of Blood diltill from that Cafe. Thereof- 7"^^ Bap- 
are alfo many other long and round pieces of Marble built in the Wall,^' 
infcribed with Greek Charadlers, and very artfully engraven with Rofes and 
other Figures. St. Helen built that Church, which was long pofl^elTed by the 
Chriftians of the Countrey, but, at length, about an hundred and fixty years 
ago, was ufurped by the Turks, and ferves them at prefent for their chief 
Mofque; the Roof that is fnpported by thefe Pillars, has been lately renewed, 
and is only of Wood ill put together. Chriftians are fuffered to enter into 
it. By the fide of it without, there is a great Pond where the Turks make 
their Ablutions before they go into it. At the door of this Mofque, there 
are two Marble-Pillars twenty fpan long, lying along upon the Ground. 
From thence, you go to another Church held by the Moors, called St. George's; 
the Chriftians of the Country may perform their Devotions there, paying for 
half the Oyl that is confumed in it. The third is dedicated to the Honour 
of our Lady, and is pofl^efled by the Chriftians of the Countrey. The fourth 
is held by the Greeks, and is called .Arbaine Chomde, which is to fay, forty -4ri,?/« chu' 
Martyrs; it is very neat, fupported by five Pillars, whereof four are Marble, 
and the fifth Porphyrie, wrought and cut in the form of a Screw. The fifth 
Church is called St. Merlian^ alias St. JiiUan -, the People of the Countrey fay, The Sepul- 
that his Body is there, in a Sepulchre of moft excellent Marble, ftanding ^t, 
behind the Altar, made like a Beer or Coffin, with a high ridged cover : At 
the four Corners there are four Balls of the fame Marble, and twelve Crofles 
found it in Demy Relief This Sepulchre is ten Spans long,' five broad, and 
as much in height, feeming to be all of one entire piece. Six hundred paces 
Weft-ward from the Gate, called Bab Jeomdy^ that is to fay, the Jews Gate, ^^'^^ oTc '/w 
there is a Pretty big Pyramid, wherein the People of the Countrey believe, cJ^r^the*^ '" 
'£hat Cains Cafar the Nephew of Aii^itfius, is buried. Upon a Hill to the South Nephew of 
of the Town, there is aCaftle built like that of Ama^ which I mentioned mAuguftm. 
the foregoing Chapter, but it is not fo ruinous, though it be uninhabited, as 
well as the other. They fay, that heretofore both of them were held by the 
■Chriftians,- who endured long and hard Sieges, before they furrendred them 
to the Turks j and that's the reafon that the Grand Signior has commanded 
that they ffiould not be Repaired nor Inhabited. The Han where Travellers 
lodge, is fifteen paces without the Walls of the Town, on the North-fide 
from Hemp. The next Lodging is at. Ama. About half way there is a little 
Oratory, which they fay, was built by the Franks; it is at prefent Inhabited 
by a Moorifli Sc/je/^. A little further there is a ruined Village upon a Hill. 
Near to that is the Han where Travellers(that have a mind to ftop there) may 
Lodge. After that, you pafs over a Bridge of ten Arches, called Diefer 
llnfian^ that is to fay Ruftans Bridge, which is very neat, and has the River 
Ajfi running underneath it. I have faid enough of Ama in the Chapter before, ^j^^ 
Betwixt Hemps and Ama is the Qoontrey, which the People that live there of jpbT ' 
