Of many other mervailes.
AND ye shall understande, that for to go from the dead sea afterward out of the marche of the land of promissions, is a stronge Castell that men call Carran1 in Sermoys, that is to saye, the kinges hyll in English. This castell did a King of Fraunce make, that men call Baudewin, that had conquered all that lande, and put it into Christen mens handes to kepe, and under that castell is a fayre towne that men call Sabaoth, and there about dwell many Christen men under tribute. And then go men to Nazareth, of the which our Lord had his name. And from Nazareth unto Hierusalem is three dayes journey. Also men go through the province of Galyle, through Romacha,2 through Sophyn,3 and through the hygh hill of Effrayne,4 where Anna that was Samuells mother the prophet dwelled, & there was the prophete borne and after his deathe was buried at mount Joye as I have sayde. And after come men to Sybula,5 where the Arke of God was kepte under Helye6 the Prophete. And there made the people of Israell7 theyr sacrafyce unto our Lorde. Also there spake our Lorde fyrst unto Samuell and there mynistered God the sacrament. Also nere there at the lefte side is Gabaon8 and Rama9 & Benjamin of the which holy writ speaketh. After that come men to Sychem, that some men call Sycar and this is in the province of Samaritanes, and sometime there was a Church, but it is all wasted, and it a faire vale and plenteous, and there is a good citie that men call Neople,10 and from thence it is a dayes journey unto Hierusalem. And there is the well where oure Lorde spake to the woman of Samaritane, and Sechen is ten myle from Hierusalem and it is called Neople, that is to saye, the new towne. And there is the Temple of Joseph, Jacobs sonne, that governed Egipte, and from thence were his bones brought and layde in the temple, and thyther came Jewes often in pilgrimage with great devotion, and in that citie was Jacob's daughter Diana ravished, for whom hir brethren slewe many men, and thereby is the citie of Garysim11 where the Samaritanes make their sacrifyce.
On this hill wold Abraham haue sacryfised his sonne Isaac and there nere is the vale Dotaym,12 and there is the cesterne that Josephe was cast in of his bretherne before that they solde him, and it is two myle to Sichar, and fro thence men come to Samary,13 that men call Sabaste, and that is the chiefe citie of that countrey, and in that citie was the seat of the twelve Kynges of Israell, but it is not so great as it was. And there was saint John Baptist buried betwene two prophetes Helyas14 and Abdon,15 but he was beheaded in the castell of Makaryn besyde the dead sea and he was translated16 of his disciples and buried at Samary, but there dyd Julius apostata take hys bones and brente17 them, for he was that tyme Emperour, but that finger with whiche hee shewed our Lord saying, Ecce Agnus dei, That is to say, Beholde the lamb of God, and that finger might not bee brent, and sainct Tecla18 the Virgin did bring this finger under the Alphen,19 that be mountaynes, where they do it great worshippe. And there was sainct Jhon Baptist head closed in a wall, but the Emperour Theodosius did take it out, and found it lapped in a clothe all bloudie, and bare it to Constantinople, and there is yet the one halfe of the head, and the other is at Rome in Saint Sylvesters church, & the vessell wherein his head was layde when it was smitten of is at Geene,20 and they do it great worship. Some saye that Sainct Jhons hedde is at Amiens in Pycardy, and some say it is saincte Johns head the byshop. I wot not but to God it is knowne.
