Itinerarium totius Sacræ Scripturæ. Or, the trauels of the holy patriarchs, prophets, iudges, kings, our sauiour Christ, and his Apostles, as they are related in the Old and New Testaments. With a description of the townes and places to which they trauelled, and how many English miles they stood from Ierusalem. Also a short treatise of the weights, monies, and measures mentioned in the Scriptures, reduced to our English valuations, quantitie, and weight. Collected out of the workes of Henry Bunting, and done into English by R.B.

Of Gethsamene.

THis was a village scituated at the foot of the mount of O∣liues, in a pleasant and fruitfull place. Neere vnto this vil∣lage, as Saint Augustine obserueth there were many pleasant gar∣dens which gaue forth very sweet and delectable sauors; vnto which place Christ and his Disciples did oftentimes resort, as the Euangelist Luke cap. 22. obserueth. It was so called from the pres∣sing forth of oyle; for Gathor Geth, signifies, a Presse, and Schaemen, Oyle. In this place the heart of our Sauiour Christ was so prest with affliction that he sweat drops of bloud: By which bloud the sinnes of our soules are washed away, and wee that are wounded are made whole, as with a most precious balsome, Isa. 53.

Hellen the Empresse, in an Orchard close by this towne, set vp a faire and beautifull Church, ouer the sepulchre of the Virgin Mary; which she called by the name of the mother of God, Ni∣ceph. lib. 2. cap. 30. It is said that this sepulchre remaineth to this day in this Church, made of white polished Marble, standing a∣bout eight and fortie steps vnder ground, being something wider than the sepulchre of Christ: in it there is two doors, one to goe in, another to goe out. But whither this be the right sepulchre of the blessed Virgin, it concerneth vs not, sith it appertaineth not to our saluation, neither is mentioned in the holy Scriptures: but if any man be desirous to be further satisfied in it, let him reade Nicephorus, who makes mention of that and her ascension, both in my opinion of like credit; because, I suppose, that Saint Luke (who wrote the Acts of the Apostles, and liued in those times) would not haue omitted so memorable an action. But to returne to the Garden of Gethsamene. About some fiftie paces towards the East of this sepulchre of the blessed Virgin, close by the foot of the mount of Oliues, stands a certain chappell, just in the place where sometimes the towne of Gethsemane stood. Not far from this chappell is showne a certaine hollow place vnder a rocke, where the inhabitants say our Sauiour sweat drops of bloud. They also shew a certaine stone whereon the Angels stood which comforted our Sauiour. Discending thence about a stones cast,

they shew vnto Pilgrims a place close by the caue in the Mount of Oliues, where Peter, Iames, and Iohn, sate when our Sauiour was in his agonie. They also shew the place where Peter cut off Mal∣chas eare. There is to be seene a memorable place where Iudas betraied our Sauiour with a kisse, when he deliuered him to the Iewes. Not farre off is to be seene the place where the Iewes fell backeward when our Sauiour askt them, Whom seeke yee? Besides many other things (if Borchardus may be credited) as the impres∣sion of his haire and head vpon a stone; and of his finger, as if it had beene in wax, vpon a rocke: and in the place where he pray∣ed, of his hands and knees, which are so firme in stone that they cannot be defaced with any instrument. But there haue beene many in this place since these times, which haue seene none of these things: from whence may be gathered, that they haue been idle delusions vsed by ancient monkes to get money from Pil∣grims and strangers; and I haue here remembred them, that o∣thers knowing these, may beware of the like fallacies and deceits purposely inuented for lucres sake.

This garden of Gethsamene is credibly thought to haue been planted in former times, by the Kings, Dauid and Solomon; but in∣creased & inlarged by other succeeding Princes, that there they might recreate themselues, & receiue some content by the fruits of the earth. But on the contrary, that great King the annointed of the Lord, our blessed Sauiour, in this place of pleasure, this paradise of the Iewes, was constrained to vndergoe that almost vnsupportable passion, to make vs partakers of that heauenly pa∣radise and place of pleasure.

Not far from hence is to bee seene the place where Iudas han∣ged himselfe: and a little from that, the field of Akeldoma, which was bought with the thirtie Siluerlings for which Iudas betraied Christ. This field (by the appointment of the Empresse Hellen) was compassed about with foure walls, in the maner of a tower: vpon the top whereof there are seuen distinct doores, like win∣dowes, by which the dead bodies of Christians are let downe in∣to it: it is fiftie foot wide, and seuentie two long. It standeth not farre from the valley of Hinnon towards the East, and vpon the South side of Mount Sion in Ierusalem, &c.