Chap. 1 . fromAh^v^o to Jerusalem. 849 
have been the mentioned xi. 19. andjiere ConfuPs, and our Board at the Latin Convent, while 
we lodg’d that Night. we ftay’d at Jerufalem. . , • , r • 
14. On the 25th, from Kane Lehan our Road lay 15. The 26th, being in the Latin 
through a rocky Country' j but having pafs’d-by Cinga^ We were obliged to go with the Conful into the. Church 
we entred into a narrow Valley between two rocky Hills, of the Sepulchre, to keep the Feaft tvith him, though it 
at the further End of which we found the Ruins of a was a Week before our own Ea§fer. We found the 
Villao-e and a Monaftery. In this Place Jacohh Bethel Church Doors guarded by Janizaries^ who fufFer none 
is fuppofed to have been, where he had his ftrong to go in until they have paid their Caphar, which for 
Couch made eafy by the Vifion of God, and of the Franks is commonly fourteen Dollai-s per Head, unlefs 
Ano-els afcendino- and defcending on a Ladder between they be Ecclefiafticks, and then it is but half fo much. 
Earth and Heaven, Gen. xxviii^near which Place are This being once paid, you may go in and out gratis as 
the Limits that part between Ephraim and Benjamin, oft as you pleafe during the whole Feaft at the ordinary 
JoJh.'Ksm. 13. From hence we pafs’d through large Times when the Door is open. All the Pilgrims being 
Olive-yards, and having left Geeh and Selwid on the admitted, the Church Doors were lock’d, and opened 
Ricrht-hand we arrived at Beer *, which is the Place to no more till Eafter-day \ and being confined for three 
whTch Jotham fled from the Revenge of Abimelech, Days, we vifited all the holy Places at Leifure ; there- 
Jud. ix. 21. and is fuppofed to be the fame with Mich- fore I flhall relate what pafs’d during the Fettival, and 
mas I Sam. xiv. Ly of Church, what is necefoiry to make my Account 
Beer is feated on the Side of a Hill, which at the 
Bottom has a Fountain of the fame Name, and at its 
upper Side are the Remains of an old Church built by 
Helena, in Memory of the bleffed Virgin, who being in 
Queft of the Child Jefus, Luke ii. 24. is faid to have fate 
down here penfive and weary, becaufe fhe could not 
find him j but after her Return to JeruJalem, fhe found 
him fitting in the Temple with the Doflors, both hearing 
them, and asking them Queftions. Thro* the whole ot 
this Day’s Journey we had nothing in View in moft Places 
but Rocks, Mountains, and Precipices, which aftoniflies 
Pilgrims, as being contrary to thole high Idea’s they 
had form’d of the Pleafantnefs and Plenty of this 
Country, and almoft ftartles their Faith, as thinking it 
hardly polTible for a Land like this to feed fo prodi- 
gious a Number as are faid to have been poll’d at one 
Time, being no lefs than 1,300,000 fighting Men, be- 
fides Wom.en and Children. 
But to remove thefe Scruples, any one may obferve 
that thefe Rocks and Hills muft have been anciently co- 
vered with Earth and cultivated, and fo they afforded 
a larger Space of Ground than if the Country were le- 
vel, which they husbanded by gathering up the Stones, 
and placing them along the Sides of the Hill in Form 
of a Wall, which kept in the Mould, and form’d many 
Beds of excellent Soil, from the Bottom to the Top of 
the Mountains j of which Form of Culture we fee plain 
Footfteps in all the Mountains of Paleliine. And there 
is Nothing upon Earth more fruitful, even at this Day, 
than the plain Country and Valleys, either for the Pro- 
dudion of Corn or of Pafturage for Cattle, 
The Hills, tho’ improper for any Cattle but Goats, yet 
being difpofed into the Beds before-mention’d, ferv’d 
very well to bear Corn, Melons, Gourds, Cucumbers, and 
fuch-like Garden-fluff, which are the chief Food of 
thefe Countries for feveral Months of the Year. The 
moft rocky Parts might ferve for Vines and Olive- 
trees, which delight in fuch dry and flinty Places ; and 
the great Plain joining to the Dead Sea, which by rea- 
fon of its Saltnefs could not ferve for Corn, Vines, or 
Olives, was yet very ufeful for the Nourifhment of Bees, 
and making of Honey, as Jofephus teftifies. Bell. Jud. 
1 . 5. c. 4. and I found by Experience, when I was there, 
finding in many Places a ftrong Smell of Honey and 
Wax. Thus the Country might very well maintain the 
vaft Numbers of its Inhabitants, being every where pro- 
dudive of Milk, Corn, Wine, Oil, or Honey, which 
are the principal Food of thefe Eaftern Nations. 
Leaving Beer, in two Hours and a Quarter we came 
to the Top of a Flill, from whence we had the firft 
Profped of Jerufalem ; Rama, anciently called Giheah 
of Saul, being within View on the Right-hand, and 
the Plain ot Jericho, and the Mountains of Gilead on 
the Left. In an Hour more we came to the Walls of 
Jerufalem, but durft not enter without Leave of the 
Governor ; which being obtain’d, we entred at the 
Bethlehem Gate, mounted and arm’d, becaufe we were 
in Company with the French Conful, for otherwife all 
Franks that come not in with fome publick Minifter, 
are to difmount at the Gate, deliver their Arms, and 
enter on Foot. We took our Lodgings at the French 
Vo L. II. N® 127 
intelligible. 
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is founded on 
Mount Calvary, a fmall Fit 11 upon the greater Mount of 
Moriah ; it was anciently appropriated to the Execution 
of Malcfadors, and therefore fliut out of the City as a 
polluted Place; but fince it was made the Altar on 
which the precious Sacrifice for the Sins of the World 
was offer’d, it ftands in the Midft of Jerufalem, a great 
Part of the Hill of Sion being Ihut out of the Walls to 
make Room for it. 
Though a great Part of this Hill was cut away to 
make it a fit Foundation for a Church, yet Care was 
taken that none of thofe Parts concern’d in our Lord’s 
Palfion Ihoiild be alter’d or diminifh’d 5 and fo that 
very Part of Calvary where Chrift was faftened to the 
Crofs, remains entire, being about ten or twelve Yards 
fquare, and ftanding fo high above the Floor of the 
Church, that you have twenty one Steps to go up to its 
Top ; and the holy Sepulchre, which at firft was hewn 
into a Rock under Ground, is now a Grotto above 
Ground, the Rock being cut away from it all round 
The Church is lefs than an hundred Paces long, and not 
more than fixty wide, yet it contains twelve or thir^ 
teen Sanctuaries, confecrated by fome particular A6fions 
relating to the Death or Refurreiftion of Chrift. 
As, I. The Place where he was derided by the Sol- 
diers. 2. Where the Soldiers divided his Garments. 
3. Where he was fhut up, while all was made ready for 
his Crucifixion. 4. Where he was nail’d to the Crofs. 
5, Where the Crofs was ereded. 6 . Where the Sol- 
diers flood that pierced his Side. 7. Where his Body 
was anointed in order to his Burial. 8. Where his Bo- 
dy was laid in the Sepulchre. 9, Where the Angels 
appeared to the Women after his Refurredion. 10. 
Where Chrift himfelf appeared to Mary Magdalen, &c. 
All which Places, and many others of the fame Nature, 
are contain’d within this Church, and adorn’d with fo 
many feveral Altars. 
In Galleries about the Church, and little Buildino-s 
annex’d to it, every Chriftian Nation had anciently 
proper Quarters for a Society of Monks, but now, ail 
except four, have forfaken thefe Quarters, becaufe of the 
fevere Rents impofed upon them by their Turkifh land- 
lords ; and of thefe four, the Cophies have only one 
to reprefent their Nation j and the Armenians are fo 
much in Debt, that they are likely to defert the Place 
quickly, and then the Greeks and Latins will only re- 
main. 
Befides their feveral Apartments, each Fraternity have 
their peculiar Altars and Sanctuary for their own Ufe. 
But the great Prize now difputed between the Greeks 
and Latins, is the Command of the Holy Sepulchre, 
in which Contention they have proceeded to Blows and 
Wounds, even at the Door of the Sepulchre ; and as 
an Evidence of this Fury, the Father Guardian fhew’d 
me a great Scar in his Arm, being the Mark of a Wound 
given by a Greek Prieft ; but at the Requeft of the 
French King, this holy Sepulchre was appropriated to 
tkio Latins in they alone having the Privileo'e to 
fay Mafs in it, though all other Chriftians may go°into 
it for the Celebration of their private Devotions. 
10^ G ■ Th@ 
/ 
