Text, scholarly version, translated from the 1584 Latin 3rd Add., 1584 Latin, 1584 German 3rd Add., 1585 French 3rd Add., 1587 French, 1588 Spanish, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1598 French, 1601L, 1602 German, 1602 Spanish, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612 Latin and 1609/1612/1641 Spanish editions:
173.1. {1584L3Add{The HOLY LAND.
173.2. That which the ancients called Palestina and Phœnicia all Europeans now generally call the HOLY LAND under which name they comprise that whole country which God gave to the Israelites under the name of the Land of Promise for them and their offspring to possess and inhabit. After the death of Solomon, we read, it was divided into two kingdoms, JUDA, containing the two tribes Judah and Benjamin, of which the chief or metropolitan city was Jerusalem, and SAMARIA {1606E{or ISRAEL}1606E} which comprises the other ten tribes, together with the city of Sebaste or Samaria.
173.3. On this map we will offer a more recent representation of the current situation in this country, very searching and exact, done by F. Brocard the monk in a comprehensive treatise (to whom we refer the reader for further satisfaction). {1606E only{For previous maps [in this atlas] presented to your eye the ancient face and more beautiful countenance of this land}1606E only}. To him may be added, whom it pleases, the treatise by William Tyrius {not in 1585F3Add, 1587F & 1598F{entitled The Holy Wars}not in 1585F3Add, 1587F & 1598F}, and other authors that have written Wanderings to Jerusalem, of which sort a great number have been composed and printed in various languages. For many Christians, not only from a variety of parts of Europe, but from all quarters of the world, have travelled and travel now daily to Jerusalem to visit, out of devotion, the holy sepulchre of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
173.4. Sometimes there are among the Franciscan friars designated knights, who after this are named knights of the sepulchre. The order and ceremonies for appointing those knights we have thought not altogether irrelevant for our purpose to describe in this place as it has been recorded by Jodocus a Megge, {1606E only{an eye witness of what in the 12th chapter of this treatise is titled Peregrinatio Hierosolymerana}1606E only}. And thus he puts down how it goes:
173.5. First of all the knight that is to be appointed prepares himself for his devotions that he may receive the favour of obtaining a degree in the holy order, and after having made his confession, (mass heard and sacrament received) is admitted to the room of the holy sepulchre, and then they begin in this manner. First, all being collected around the holy sepulchre, they sing the Psalm Come holy spirit &c. Then this Send forth thy spirit &c.
The answer: And renew &c. Lord hear &c. Let us pray.
173.6. Thou Lord, who know'st the hearts of the faithful &c. Then the guardian demands of him, what would you have? He answers upon his knees. I do desire to be made a knight of the order of the Holy sepulchre of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Question. In what state and condition of life art thou? Answer A noble man, born of honourable parents. Question. Hast thou sufficient living whereby thou maist live and maintain the state and dignity of knighthood, without the help of merchandise or use of any mechanical or handicraft occupation? Answer. I have, thanks be to God, sufficient living and maintenance by lands and revenues. Question. Art thou prepared to swear with heart and mouth to keep and observe, to the utmost of thy power, those military sacraments and orders which shall be hereafter be adjoined to thee, namely these which follow. First, a knight of the holy order of the sepulchre must every day, if opportunity be offered, hear a mass or divine service.
173.7. Secondly, when need requireth, viz. when there is any general war, against the pagans or the infidels, he must adventure both body and goods in the quarrel of the church. That is, he is bound either to go in his own person, or send thither, on his charges, some sufficient man or other. Thirdly, he is bound by that oath to defend and free, inasmuch as in him shall lie, the holy church of God, and all members of the same, from their persecutors, and from the enemies of Christianity. Fourthly, he must altogether shun unjust wars, filthy profit and hire, fencing, jousts, tournaments, combats and such like except only for exercise, and making himself more fit for the sacred war.
173.8. Fifthly, he must procure peace and concord between faithful Christian people, do his best to grace and enlarge the bounds of his country, defend orphans and widows, he must carefully take heed of cursed oaths, perjuries, blasphemies, rapes, usury, sacrilege, murder, drunkenness, suspected places, infamous persons, and do shun and keep himself, (as from the deadly plague) from all those vices of the flesh that mortal man by nature is so much subjected to. And that he do so carry himself, that in the judgement of men he shall not be blameworthy, but shall show himself worthy of that honour that he is called to, by frequenting the church & procuring the honour and glory of God in what he can.
173.9. It is therefore demanded of him, whether he be ready with heart and voice to protest, swear & perform all these things. Answer. I do protest and promise before our Lord Jesus Christ and the blessed Virgin Mary, his mother, that I will, to the utmost of my power, observe all these things. These being done, the sword is blessed or consecrated by the guardian, according to the blessing beneath prescribed, if it be not otherwise consecrated before. But if it be blessed, then after that blessing or consecration, calling one of those that are to be made knights, and causing him to kneel down before the holy sepulchre, the guardian puts his hand upon his head and says: Thou N. be thou a faithful, true, stout, brave soldier of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of his holy sepulchre, whom we pray to vouchsafe thee his heavenly glory with his chosen saints, Amen.
173.10. Then the father guardian giveth him a pair of gilded spurs, which he must put upon his heels, standing upon the ground. Afterward he giveth the naked sword to the knight: saying Take thou N. the holy sword, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost, Amen (making withal three crosses upon the same). Use it for thine own defence. & for the defence of the holy Church of God, to the offence and confusion of the enemies of the cross of Christ and Christian faith, and to thy uttermost power thou shalt hurt no man wrongfully with it: which he vouchsafes to grant, who with the Father and the holy Ghost reigneth one God both now and forever, Amen.
173.11. Then the sword is put into the scabbard, & the guardian girdeth the sword about the knight saying, Be thou N. most valiant, girded with thy sword upon thy thigh, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: and observe, that the saints have conquered kingdoms not by their swords, but by faith. The knight thus girded with the sword ariseth, and resting upon his knees and leaning his head upon the holy sepulchre, he is struck by the guardian, 3 times smiting the sword upon the shoulders of the knight, and saying thrice these words, I ordain and make thee N. a knight of the holy sepulchre, of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost, Amen. (making as before 3 crosses).
173.12. Then he kisseth him, and putteth upon his neck, according to the old manner, a chain of gold with a cross hanging upon it. Lastly, the knight kissing the sepulchre, restoreth all these ornaments, goeth aside, and another is called, which is to be struck with the like ceremonies. In the meantime the appointed knight must stay in the hall of the holy sepulchre, until such time as all the rest that are to be preferred to this dignity, have obtained the same. When they are all made, then Te Deum is sung by the friars and from thence they go to the chapel of the Minorites, or else there they stay still, as the guardian shall please or appoint.
173.13. Then these words following are spoken in the singular number, if there be but one: if there be many, in the plural. In the singular it is said, Thou more beautiful than the sons of man, thou N. gird &c. with thy sword upon thy thigh, o thou most mighty. If there be many it is spoken in the plural number. The Versicle. Lord hear &c. Answer. And let my cry come unto thee. The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. Grant unto thy church, most merciful God, that being gathered together in the holy Ghost, it may no manner of way be disturbed by the assault of the enemy. Almighty and everlasting God, power the grace of thy blessing upon this thy servant (or these my servants) which at this instant desireth to be girded with the glorious sword, cause him, being defended by the power of thy right hand, to be continually guarded with a garrison of heavenly soldiers against all adversaries whereby he may not be molested in this world with any tempestuous storms of bitter wars, by Christ, our Lord &c. Lastly, the guardian and others, if they please, do embrace him.
173.14. The blessing of the sword. He that blesseth it must hold the sword naked before him and say: Our help is in the name of the Lord &c. Let us pray. Listen, we pray thee o Lord, unto our prayers, and vouchsafe with the right hand of thy Majesty to bless this sword wherewith this thy servant desireth to be armed, to the end that he may be a defender of the church, of widows and orphans and all such, as serve God, against the fury of the pagans and infidels; and a terror and dread to such as shall assault or go about to hurt him, assuring him of the certain effect of just and lawful defence and offence by Christ our Lord. Amen. Let us pray. Blessed Lord, holy Father almighty and eternal God, by the invocation of thy blessed name, by the coming of thy son Jesus Christ our Lord, and by the gift of the holy Ghost, bless this sword, that this thy servant, which this same day, by thy bounteous favour, is to be girded unto him, may overthrow and beat down all thy enemies both visible and invisible, and he getting the upper hand may continually abide void of all danger, by Christ our Lord. Amen.
173.15. The blessed Lord who teacheth my hand to fight, and my fingers to war: my largesse and my castle, my high tower and my deliverer, my protector in whom I have put my trust, is he that subdueth my people that is under me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son &c. Save thy servant, o Lord God, which putteth his trust in thee. Be thou, o Lord, unto him a tower of strength: from the face of his enemy. Lord hear our prayer. The Lord be with you &c. Let us pray. O holy Lord, father almighty, who only dost govern and rightly disposest all things, who hast by thy gracious providence granted to man, in this world, the use of the sword to repress the malice and audacious lewdness of the wicked, and to maintain right and equity.
173.16. And wouldest that the order of knighthood should be instituted for the safeguard and protection of thy people, who also causest it to be proclaimed by Saint John the Baptist to the soldiers who came unto him into the wilderness that they should smite no man, but be content with their own wages: we do humbly beseech thy gracious goodness that as thou gavest to thy servant David power to overcome Goliath, and madest Judas Maccabeus to triumph over those fierce nations, which called not upon thy name: so also to this servant N. who lately hath submitted his neck to the yoke of knighthood, grant for thy mercies sake power & strength to defend faith and justice, give unto him the increase of faith, hope and charity, and in him order all things aright that pertain to thy fear and love of thy holy name, to true humility, perseverance, obedience and patience, that he may hurt no man wrongfully with his sword or any other, & that he may with it defend all things that are just and right.
173.17. And like as he now has been promoted from a low and mean degree unto his new and honourable estate of knighthood, so he putting off the old man with all his affections, may put on the new man, that he may fear and reverence thee aright, as he ought to do, may shun the company of the wicked miscreant infidels, and may extend his charity unto his neighbour, be truly obedient in all things to him to whom he is subject, and do his duty uprightly in all things that he shall be employed in, by Christ our Lord, Amen}1584L3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add, 1585F3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1592L, 1598F & 1602G end here}. {1595L{The form of the oath which they must take before they may be admitted to take this holy order of knighthood upon them, you may see in the Oriental journal written by Leonard Rauwolph, in the German tongue}1595L, 1601L, 1602S, 1603L, 1606E, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612L & 1609/1612/1641S end here}.
Text, vernacular version, translated from the 1598/1610/1613 Dutch edition:
173.18. {1598/1610/1613D{The Holy Land.
173.19. By the old heathen writers this land is called Palestina, the Jews all it the Promised Land and the Christians the Holy Land. This Holy Land borders in the East on mount Libanus, in the West on the sea, in the North it borders on Phoenicia and in the South on stony Arabia. This area contains the Idumea, Judea, Samaria and Galilea, although these are altogether sometimes referred to as Judea.
173.20. Idumea begins at lake Sirbonis in the West. Here are the cities of Maresa, Rhinocorura, Raphea, Anthedon, Ascalon, Azotus and Gaza (although the last one is by some considered as part of Judea). This Judea is situated between the Great and the Dead Sea, and it is the best part of this land. It has many cities, among which Jerusalem is the main one, a city whose name has spread over the entire world. This is where Salomon has built the temple of great renown, achieved to perfection by 150,000 people in seven years. This Jerusalem is now by the Turks called Cuzumobarech.
173.21. Then there is Joppe, now called Jaffo on the sea, where the pilgrims land who are going to visit the Holy Grave. Then Turris Stratonis, which Herodes bequeathed to Tetrarcha, called Cesarea in honour of emperor Augustus. Further, there are Bethlehem, Hebron, Cypris and across the Jordan river Macheris, Sodom and Gomorra.
173.22. Then follows Samaria, located between the Great Sea and Lake Tiberias. The cities there are Sichem, later called Neapolis, Capernaum on lake Tiberias, Bethsaida on the Jordan, Corazim, Magdalum &c. Galilea extends from here to mount Libanus. Its cities are the following: Nain, Cana, Nazareth, Gadara &c. From mount Libanus originate two springs, one called Jor, the other Dan, which merge into one stream, as well as into one name, called the river Jordan. This river, which runs through this entire Holy Land, first forms two lakes, and after that it extinguishes itself in the Dead Lake or Sea. This is by nature a strange lake. Its water does not ever run, (which explains its name), and its water is of a slimy nature, resembling tar, which is called Jewish glue (in Latin bitumen).
173.23. Because of this glue floating on it, nothing can sink in this lake, regardless its weight. It also emits a stinking smoke or fume. This sea once used to be that precious and pleasant scenery where the cities of Sodom and Gomorra &c were located. Which now, as a perennial memorial, lie hidden in such a pool, that they are for us an educational scar of the putrid sins and [ensuing] eternal punishment of God regarding them.
173.24. This Promised Land is [the land] about which in the Holy Script, in the Old and New Testament, so much has been written. [It is the Land] which God chose above all other Lands to plant there the right belief and divine service. And its boughs and fruits have from there have extended through the entire world for everyone to taste. In it, you find the glorious city of Jerusalem (symbolising eternal paradise and peace) and the precious and ornated temple of Salomo, a symbol of his beloved bride or church which used to be there. In this [city] lived the patriarchs and prophets, who through their service to God have announced the future of our Saviour.
173.25. Here God assumed the shape of a human being, flesh of our flesh, died because of our sins, and rose up from death for our justice. Here his beloved apostles received his Holy Ghost, and from here they departed to preach the gospel all over the world. Thus there are strong reasons that this land may indeed be called holy, and the events which happened here have been read by us and are to be treated and contemplated with great respect}1598/1610/1613D ends here}.