A briefe description of Hierusalem and of the suburbs therof, as it florished in the time of Christ Whereto is annexed a short commentarie concerning those places which were made famous by the Passion of Christ, and by the actes of holye men, confirmed by certeine principall histories of antiquity. Verie profitable for Christians to read, for the understanding of the Sacred Scriptures and Iosephus his Historie. Hereunto also is appertaining a liuely and beawtifull mappe of Hierusalem, with arithmeticall directions, correspondent to the numbers of this booke. Translated out of Latin into English by Thomas Tymme minister.

3. THe Castell of Sion

being ancient and strong, was set on the verie toppe of mount Sion, round like a crown, and was a sure defence and beautie both of the Cittie and Temple,* 1.1 and was as the capitall or chiefe place of so great a cittie.* 1.2 Heerein the Iebusites dwelte at the firste: whome Dauid casting out by force,* 1.3 enioyed the castle, and receiuing from Hiram king of Tyrus, stones, wood, and artificers, builded out of the same a strong pallace for himselfe,* 1.4 and a house of Cedar with a kingly throne. In the which castle afterward, Dauid himselfe and other kings of Iuda in∣habited, and vsed the same for the kinges seat. And for this cause it was continually kept with a straight garde of souldiors.* 1.5 And in processe of time it was cal∣led the kings castle,* 1.6 and the house of Dauid, the seate and throne of Dauid,* 1.7 also the Court and kings house. In this castle the most cruell of all tyrantes Antiochus king of Syria,* 1.8 which in Greeke was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.9 that is to say Renoumed,* 1.10 (but more truly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is Mad, he deserued to be called) placed a garrison of Gentiles: whereby in the time of the Machabes hee afflicted the Iewes very much a long time. The which when Simon Machabaeus had inforced to yeeld thrugh famine, and had cleansed the castle from the pollusi∣on of Idols, they entered therinto with palmes in their

hands with Cimbals, with psalterions, with hymnes and songes: and he placed therein men of the Iewes to defend the Cittie and countrey, yet nowe there is nothing to be seene but the ruines thereof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  4 king, 13
• * 1.2

  2 king, 5 7, 11.
• * 1.3

  3 king. 1
• * 1.4

  1 Chron. 11, 17
• * 1.5

  Iose. 6. bel. 6
• * 1.6

  Ieremy 17
• * 1.7

  Luke 1
• * 1.8

  Aristaeas li. de 72. int
• * 1.9

  1 Mach, 1
• * 1.10

  1 Mach, 13 14.