TO NAZARET H. . 155 
common in Judea. This (tone is faid to have been 
formerly covered with iron plates, the marks of 
^'hich are yet to be feen. We went from thence 
to a little church, which they fay hands in the place 
''vhere formerly a fynagogue hood, in which Chrift 
fluently preached when he was in Nazareth, 
[once belonged to the Greeks, but was taken from 
faem by the Arabians, who intended to convert it 
' Qt0 a mofque : they fold it however to the Latins 
■‘°r a certain fum of money, and it is now in their 
•’offeffion. This is a late tranfaftion ; fo that they 
*} a Ve not yet had time to embellifh it, but intend 
[on doing it. We next were (hewn the place where 
j * e houfe of Jofeph, the fofter-father of Chrift, 
at h ftood, on which now hand the remains of an 
T'abian hut. The place itlelf is pofifefTed by Ara- 
, ila ns, who have good houfes there. Below the vil- 
S e , and near the road to Acra, is a good well be- 
gging to the village, where the monks fay Ave- 
v[ ar ia, for feven years indulgence, as the Holy 
.. other is faid to have fetched her water here. 
^ e Went from thence to a fine large cave, made 
nature in a hard lime-ftone mountain, which is a 
j ne natural curiofity, but is not holy. Nazareth 
s . at this time a large village, fituated in a vale, 
ftone houfes in the manner of the country, 
I > °ng and well built, but far from elegant. This vil- 
can raife 100 fighting men, in cafe any troubles 
f e between the Galileans and Samaritans, which 
^-ftuently happens. The inhabitants confift of 
la bians and Chriftians, the greateft part papifts, 
fotne few Greeks, who have only one prieft. 
[nd 
ii le convent of the Francifcans is large, furrounded 
{-.y 1 ftrong walls, is rich, and hath conftantly from 
Vl fn to twenty-two monks, which have more pri- 
e S e here than in any other place in the Holy 
Land, 
