Thus it appears, that about one-fifth part of the annual produce of the land was devoted to purposes of piety, including, under the theocracy, the honourable support of the government. Will this calculation coincide with the proportion observed by Joseph, Gen. xlvii. 24? “ You, the Egyptians, shall give one-fifth part to Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for your households, and for your little ones:-Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day." Some persons have strongly cavilled at this law of Joseph; and also at the Levitical provisions; but, while our own land-tax is set at four shillings in the pound, beside a multitude of other taxes, it is presumed we are not the people who ought to complain of the burdens imposed by Joseph on the Egyptians; or of those supported by the Israelites, for the maintenance of the established ministers of religion. What other assessments might be made on property does not appear: Probably, in the early ages they were very trivial; as the people were their own army; and navy they had none to maintain. Does this one-fifth, paid by the Egyptians, consist of two-tenths, or tythes, one payable on a religious account, the other for civil purposes: one to the priests, the other to the king? No. CXXXVI. OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM; WITH A MAP, (PLATE, No. 90) CORRECTED FROM SANDYS, DR. SHAW, DOUBDAN, &c. We do not know that this Map can be introduced to the reader to greater advantage than by quoting Mr. Maundrell's narrative of his visit, which includes a mention not only of all the places marked in this Map, but also of some others, which, from their nature, it could not represent. As most of the principal well-ascertained places have their names written to them in the Map, it is needless to repeat them here; but, for the better understanding of Mr. Maundrell's account, the following explanations may be useful : The antiquities on the side of this plate need no explanation: they are placed here to combine the complete subject into one view. This plan of the Pool of Bethesda, is merely introduced as a hint to account for the form of the pool; shewing by what construction it might be square, yet have five porticos around it; e. gr. it might have A, B, C, D, E, five colonaded walks,-the centre divided into two; or,-the centre might itself be divided into five distinct cloisters, as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, the middle being open to admit the driving of the sheep into the Pool;-or rather, perhaps, these porticos, instead of standing internally toward the pool, might stand externally toward the market. We should have thought this confirmed by the expression, " a multitude being in that row, place," room-chamberapartment-had it not been the sabbath-day; yet as it was lawful for the people to assemble on the sabbath-day, for discourse or society, whether before or after worship in the temple, it should seem that the same portico, which might shelter from the sun, those who resorted to the market, might also shelter those who resorted to the temple. Query, farther, whether many of the diseased persons were not laid here as desirous of alms? for, they might be brought daily and laid at this gate of the temple, as well as the lame man who was healed by Peter and John (Acts iii. 2.), of whom that is expressly remarked by the sacred historian. If so, these claimants of charity, would naturally be placed in situations more public, than porticos looking internally on the water of the Pool could be. These ideas incline us toward five cloisters contiguous to one another, running the whole length of the pool, but facing the market. Probably they were of timber; therefore no traces of them remain. MR. MAUNDRELL'S ACCOUNT OF HIS VISITS IN JERUSALEM. This morning we went to some more of the curiosities which had been yet unvisited by us. The first place we came to was that which they call St. Peter's prison, from which he was delivered by the angel (Acts xii.). It is close by the church of the Holy Sepulcher, and still serves for its primitive use. About the space of a furlong from thence, we came to an old church, held to have been built by Helena, in the place where stood the house of Zebedee. This is in the hands of the Greeks, who tell you, that Zebedee, being a fisherman, was wont to bring fish from Joppa hither, and to vend it at this place. Not far from hence we came to the place where they say stood anciently the iron gate, which opened to Peter of its own accord. A few steps farther is the small church built over the house of Mark, to which the Apostle directed his course, after his miraculous gaol delivery. The Syrians (who have this place in their custody) pretend to shew you the very window at which Rhoda looked out, while Peter knocked at the door. In the church they shew a Syriack manuscript of the New Testament in folio, pretended to be eight hundred and fifty two years old, and a little stone font used by the Apostles themselves in baptizing. About one hundred and fifty paces farther in the same street is that which they call the house of St. Thomas, converted formerly into a church, but now a mosque. Not many paces farther is another street, crossing the former, which leads you on the right hand to the place, where they say our Lord appeared, after his resurrection, to the three Marys (Matt. xxviii. 9.). Three Marys, the fryars tell you, though in that place of St. Matthew, mention is made but of two. The same street carries you on the left hand to the Armenian convent. The Armenians have here a very large and delightful space of ground: their convent and gardens taking up all that part of Mount Sion which is within the walls of the city. Their church is built over the place, where they say St. James, the brother of John, was beheaded (Acts xii. 2.). In a small chappel on the north side of the church is shewn the very place of his decollation. In this church are two altars set out with extraordinary splendour, being decked with rich miters, embroidered copes, crosses, both of silver and gold, crowns, chalices, and other church utensils without number. In the middle of the church is a pulpit made of tortoise-shell and mother of pearl, with a beautiful canopy or cupola over it, of the same fabric. The tortoise-shell and mother of pearl are so exquisitely mingled and inlaid in each other, that the work far exceeds the materials. In a kind of anti-chappel to this church there are laid up on one side of an altar three large rough stones, esteemed very precious; as being one of them the stone upon which Moses cast the two tables when he broke them, in indignation, at the idolatry of the Israelites: the two other being brought, one from the place of our Lord's baptism, the other from that of his transfiguration. Leaving this convent, we went a little farther to another small church, which was likewise in the hands of the Armenians. This is supposed to be founded in the place where Annas's house stood. Within the church, not far from the door, is shewn a hole in the wall, denoting the place where one of the officers of the high priest smote our blessed Saviour (John xviii. 22.). The officer, by whose impious hand that buffet was given, the fryars will have to be the same Malchus whose ear our Lord had healed. the court before this chappel is an olive tree, of In 220 which it is reported that Christ was chained to it for some time, by order of Annas, to secure him from escaping. From the house of Annas we were conducted out of Sion gate, which is near adjoyning to that which they call the house of Caiaphas, which is another small chappel belonging also to the Armenians. Here, under the altar, they tell us, is deposited that very stone which was laid to secure the door of our Saviour's sepulcher (Matt. xxvii. 60.). It was a long time kept in the church of the sepulcher; but the Armenians, not many years since, stole it from thence by a stratagem, and conveyed it to this place. The stone is two yards and a quarter long, high one yard, and broad as much. It is plastered all over, except It is plastered all over, except in five or six little places, where it is left bare, to receive the immediate kisses, and other devotions of pilgrims. Here is likewise shewn a little cell, said to have been our Lord's prison till the morning, when he was carried from hence before Pilate; and also the place where Peter was frightened into a denial of his master. A little farther without the gate is the church of the Conaculum; where they say Christ instiand tuted his last supper. It is now a mosque, not to be seen by Christians. Near this is a well, which is said to mark out the place at which the Apostles divided from each other, in order to go every man to his several charge; and close by the well are the ruins of a house, in which the blessed Virgin is supposed to have breathed her last. Going eastward a little way down the hill, we were shewn the place where a Jew arrested the corpse of the Blessed Virgin, as she was carried to her interment; for which impious presumption, he had his hand withered wherewith he had seized the bier. About as much lower, in the middle of the hill, they shew you the grot, in which St. Peter wept so bitterly for his inconstancy to his Lord. We extended our circuit no farther at this time, but entered the city again at Sion gate. Turning down as soon as we had entered, on the right hand, and going about two furlongs close by the city wall, we were had into a garden lying at the foot of Mount Moriah, on the south side. Here we were shewn several large vaults, annext to the mountain on this side, and running at least fifty yards under ground. They were built in two isles, arched at top with huge firm stone, and sustained with tall pillars, consisting each of one single stone, and two yards in diameter. This might possibly be some underground work made to enlarge the area of the temple. For Josephus seems to describe some such work as this erected over the valley on this ult. side of the temple. Ant. Jud. lib. xv. cap. From these vaults, we returned toward the convent. In our way, we passed through the Turkish Bazars, and took a view of the Beautiful gate of the temple. But we could but just view it in passing, it not being safe to stay here long, by reason of the superstition of the Turks. TUESDAY, APRIL 6. The next morning we took another progress about the city. We made our exit at Bethlehem gate, and turning down on the left hand under the castle of the Pisans, came in about a furlong and half to that which they call Bathsheba's pool. It lies at the bottom of Mount Sion, and is supposed to be the same in which Bathsheba was washing herself, when David spied her from the terrace of his pallace. But others refer this accident to another lesser pool in a garden, just within Bethlehem gate; and perhaps both opinions are equally in the right. A little below this pool begins the valley of Hinnom on the west side of which is the place called anciently the Potter's Field, and afterwards the Field of Blood, from its being purchased with the pieces of silver which were the price of the blood of Christ; but at present, from that veneration which it has obtained amongst Christians, it is called Campo Sancto. It is a small plat of ground, not above thirty yards long, and about half as much broad. One moiety of it is taken up by a square fabrick twelve yards high, built The corpses are let down for a charnel house. into it from the top, there being five holes left open for that purpose. Looking down through these holes, we could see many bodies under several degrees of decay; from which it may be conjectured, that this grave does not make that quick dispatch with the corpses committed to it, which is commonly reported. The Armenians have the command of this burying place, for which they pay the Turks a rent of one zequin a day. The earth is of a chalky substance hereabouts. A little below the Campo Sancto is shewn an intricate cave or sepulchre, consisting of several rooms, one within another, in which the Apostles are said to have hid themselves, when they forsook their master, and fled. The entrance of the cave discovers signs of it's having been adorned with painting in ancient times. [Dr. E. D. Clarke appears to have been much struck with the freshness and colours of these paintings. He ascribes them to the second century. They represent the Apostles, the Virgin, &c. with circles, as symbols of glory, around their heads. Travels, Vol. ii. p. 570. Lond. 1812.] A little farther the valley of Hinnom terminates, that of Jehosaphat running across the mouth of it. Along the bottom of this latter valley runs the brook Cedron; a brook in winter time, but without the least drop of water in it all the time we were at Jerusalem. In the valley of Jehosaphat, the first thing you are carried to is the well of Nehemiah, so called because reputed to be the same place from which that restorer of Israel recovered the fire of the altar, after the Babylonish captivity (2 Macc. i. 19). A little higher in the valley, on the left hand, you come to a tree, supposed to mark out the place where the evangelical prophet was sawn asunder. About one hundred paces higher, on the same side, is the pool of Siloam. It was anciently dignified with a church built over it.— But when we were there a tanner made no scruple to dress his hides in it. Going about a furlong farther on the same side, you come to the fountain of the Blessed Virgin, so called, because she was wont (as is reported) to resort hither for water; but at what time, and upon what occasions, it is not yet agreed. Over against this fountain, on the other side of the valley, is a village called Siloe, in which Solomon is said to have kept his strange wives; and above the village is a hill called the Mountain of Offence, because there Solomon built the high places mentioned 1 Kings xi. 7; his wives having perverted his wise heart to follow their idolatrous abominations in his declining years. On the same side, and not far distant from Siloe, they shew another Aceldama or Field of Blood, so called, because there it was that Judas, by the just judgment of God, met with his compounded death. (Matt. xxvii. 5. Acts i. 18, 19.). A little farther, on the same side of the valley, they shewed us several Jewish monuments. Amongst the rest there are two noble antiquities, which they call the Sepulchre of Zachary, and the Pillar of Absalom. Close by the latter is the Sepulchre of Jehosaphat, from which the whole valley takes its name. Upon the edge of the hill, on the opposite side of the valley, there runs along, in a direct line, the wall of the city. Near the corner of which there is a short end of a pillar jetting out of the wall. Upon this pillar the Turks have a tradition, that Mahomet shall sit in judgment at the last day, and that all the world shall be gathered together in the valley below, to receive their doom from his mouth. A little farther northward is the gate of the temple. It is at present walled up, because the Turks here have a prophecy, that their destruction shall enter at that gate, the completion of which prediction they endeavour, by this means to prevent. Below this gate, in the bottom of the valley, is a broad hard stone, discovering several impressions upon VOL. III. it, which you may fancy to be footsteps. These the friars tell you are prints made by our blessed Saviour's feet, when, after his apprehension, he was hurried violently away to the tribunal of his blood-thirsty persecutors. From hence, keeping still in the bottom of the valley, you come, in a few paces, to a place which they call the Sepulchre of the Blessed Virgin. It has a magnificent descent down into it of forty-seven stairs. On the right hand, as you go down, is the sepulchre of St. Anna, the mother, and on the left, that of St. Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin. Having finished our visit to this place, we went up the hill toward the city. In the side of the ascent, we were shewn a broad stone, on which they say St. Stephen suffered martyrdom; and not far from it is a grot, into which they tell you the outrageous Jewish zealots cast his body, when they had satiated their fury upon him.From hence we went immediately to St. Stephen's gate, so called, from its vicinity to this place of the protomartyr's suffering; and so returned to our lodging. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7. The next morning we set out again, in order to see the sanctuaries, and other visitable places upon Mount Olivet. We went out at St. Stephen's gate; and crossing the valley of Jehosaphat, began immediately to ascend the mountain. Being got about two-thirds of the way up, we came to certain grottos cut with intricate windings and caverns under ground. These are called the sepulchres of the prophets. A little higher up are twelve arched vaults under ground, standing side by side. These were built in memory of the twelve apostles, who are said to have compiled their creed in this place. Sixty paces higher, you come to the place where they say Christ uttered his prophecy concerning the final destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. xxiv.): and a little on the right hand of this, is the place where they say he dictated a second time the Pater Noster to his disciples, Luke xi. 1, 2. Somewhat higher is the cave of St. Pelagia; and as much more above that a pillar, signifying the place where an angel gave the Blessed Virgin three days' warning of her death. At the top of the hill you come to the place of our Blessed Lord's ascension. Here was anciently a large church, built in honour of that glorious triumph; but all that now remains of it is only an octagonal cupola, about eight yards in diameter, standing, as they say, over the very place where were set the last footsteps of the Son of God here on earth. Within the cupola there is seen, in a hard stone, as they tell you, the print of one of 2 G his feet. Here was also that of the other foot some time since; but it has been removed from hence by the Turks, into the great mosque upon Mount Moriah. This chappel of the Ascension the Turks have the custody of, and use it for a mosque. There are many other holy places many other holy places about Jerusalem, which the Turks pretend to have a veneration for, equally with the Christians; and, under that pretence, they take them into their own hands. But whether they do this out of real devotion, or for lucre's sake, and to the end that they may exact money from the Christians for admission into them, I will not determine. About two furlongs from this place, northward, is the highest part of Mount Olivet; and upon that was anciently erected an high tower, in memory of that apparition of two angels to the apostles, after our Blessed Lord's ascension (Acts i. 10, 11.), from which the tower itself had the name given it of Viri Galilæi! This ancient monument remained till about two years since, when it was demolished by a Turk, who had bought the field in which it stood; but nevertheless, you have still, from the natural height of the place, a large prospect of Jerusalem, and the adjacent country, and of the Dead Sea, &c. From this place we descended the mount again by another road. At about the midway down, At about the midway down, they shew you the place where Christ beheld the city, and wept over it (Luke xix. 41.). Near the bottom of the hill is a great stone upon which, you are told, the Blessed Virgin let fall her girdle after her assumption, in order to convince St. Thomas, who, they say, was troubled with a fit of his old incredulity upon this occasion. There is still to be seen a small winding channel upon the stone, which they will have to be the impression made by the girdle when it fell, and to be left for the conviction of all such as shall suspect the truth of their story of the assumption About twenty yards lower they shew you Gethsemane, an even plat of ground, not above fifty-seven yards square, lying between the foot of Mount Olivet and the brook Cedrou. It is well planted with olive-trees, and those of so old a growth, that they are believed to be the same that stood here in our blessed Saviour's time. In virtue of which persuasion, the olives, and olive stones, and oyl which they produce, become an excellent commodity in Spain. But that these trees cannot be so ancient as is pretended, is evident from what Josephus testifies (Bell. Jud. lib. vi. cap. 1.), and in other places, viz. that Titus, in his siege of Jerusalem, cut down all the trees within about one hundred furlongs of Jerusalem; and that the souldiers were forced to fetch wood so far for making their mounts when they assaulted the temple. At the upper corner of the garden is a fiat naked ledge of rock, reputed to be the place on which the apostles Peter, James, and John, fell asleep during the agony of our Lord. And a few paces from hence is a grotto, said to be the place in which Christ underwent that bitter part of his passion About eight paces from the place where the apostles slept, is a small shred of ground, twelve yards long, and one broad, supposed to be the very path on which the traitor Judas walked up to Christ, saying, "Hail, master! and kissed him." This narrow path is separated by a wall out of the midst of the garden, as a terra damnata; a work the more remarkable, as being done by the Turks, who, as well as Christians, detest the very ground on which was acted such an infamous treachery. From hence we crossed the brook Cedron, close by the reputed sepulchre of the Blessed Virgin, and entering at St. Stephen's gate, returned again to the convent. THURSDAY, APRIL 8. We went to see the palace of Pilate, I mean the place where they say it stood, for now an ordinary Turkish house possesses its room. It is not far from the gate of St. Stephen, and borders upon the area of the temple on the north side. From the terrace of this house you have a fair prospect of all the place where the temple stood; indeed the only good prospect that is allowed you of it, for there is no going within the borders of it, without forfeiting your life, or, which is worse, your religion. A fitter place for an august building could not be found in the whole world than this area. It lies upon the top of Mount Moriah, over against Mount Olivet, the valley of Jehosaphat lying between both mountains. It is, as far as I could compute, by walking round it without, five hundred and seventy of my paces in length, and three hundred and seventy in breadth; and one may still discern marks of the great labour that it cost, to cut away the hard rock, and to level such a spacious area upon so strong a mountain. In the middle of the area stands at present a mosque of an octagonal figure, supposed to be built upon the same ground where anciently stood the Sanctum Sanctorum. It is neither eminent for its largeness nor its structure, and yet it makes a very stately figure, by the sole advantage of its situation. In this pretended house of Pilate is shewn the room in which Christ was mocked with the ensigns of royalty, and buffeted by the Souldiers. |