NEWS FROM ALEPPO A Letter written to T. V. B. of D. Vicar of Cockfield in Southsex.  
BY CHARLES ROBSON Master of Arts, Fellow of Qu. Col: in Oxford, and Preacher to the Company of our English Merchants 〈◊〉 Aleppo▪  
Containing many remarkable occurrences observed by him in 〈…〉 thither▪  Plus valet oculatus ●estis unus, 〈…〉. 
The witness of the eye doth far excel,  
the witness of the ear in high degree  
What others do by hearsay only tell,  
this man most plainly with his eyes did see.  
LONDON, Printed for M. S. 1628.   

NEWS FROM ALEPPO  Deus nobiscum. 
M r. VICARS,  
MY duty and love premised. I crave your pardon Sir, for not writing you by the last ships: my much distractedness with the novelty of the place, and my new employment, made me forget almost myself, or else surely I should scarce have forgotten you: to repay that negligence, behold, what I sent, and do send in parcels to others, I here make up a complete body for your view, the summary of those few observations, which I did take in my journey, and have taken of Aleppo.  
Having past the Flats without danger (God be thanked,) we lay wind-bound a fortnight at Deal. At last God sending us a fair wind we loosed, and sailing pleasantly alongst our own coast just afore the wind, never did so much as tack about, or loosen sail, till for fear of overshooting the straits mouth, we were glad to lie a Hull.  
The next day, he that hath the winds in his hand, commanded them to follow us; and we finding ourselves too far North, steared our course toward the South: scarce had we kept this course five hours, but we spied land towards the North, it being very foggy towards the South, and the Mariners making it, found it to be Ape hill; That one of Hercules his pillars which standeth on the Africa shore, or rather indeed one of the jaws of that strait mouth which opens into the vast Mediterranean sea. The other being the high hill of Gibraltar on the Spanish coast. We entered these jaws with a prosperous gale, and with the currant we slid along the Spanish coast, their old and new Gibraltar, their Malaga and many other towns, many hundred forts. I mean not to write you a Diary, but an Epitome. Your own skill in Geography can direct you (I know) not only through the Mediterranean, but the World. Where you cannot only follow us, but prevent my discourse of this passage.  
The first port we made (after a little tossing in the gulf of Leon's) was Legorne, in the Dukedom of Florence. There we stayed three weeks. The currences that I then observed (beside the historical, which before this I know you have heard) were these.  
Legorne is the only Port-town of the Florentine: strong in its situation, stronger in its Garrison which is always there resident. The first & last Mass that ever I heard, or hope shall hear, was at a convent of Capuchins a mile hence. Where one morning, I and others walking to see the convent, it was our luck finding their Chapel open to enter it. Where unexpectedly we found what we little looked for, the Friar at the Mass. Being entered, there was no retiring at the door, yet we found one into a corner; Where we beheld with a pleasing detestation, their ridiculous superstition. The Priest he mumbled Latin, and the people as though they had been his Apes, when he beat his breast they beat theirs, when he lifted up the Host, they lifted up their eyes and hands, when he kneeled, they did, and yet understood not one word what he said. I pitied them that served the Lord of Spirits, not in Spirit and Truth, but in a mimical action; and yet (if charity had not prevailed against reason) I should and might have doubted, Ridendi magis essent high, magis anne dolendi: I cannot but say of theirs what Lactantius saith of the heathenish service of the Heathens to their gods. Lactan: lib. 1. Inst: c. 21. Quis non rideat, cum videat homines ea serio facere, quae si quis faciat in Lusu, nimis lascivus et ineptus esse videatur.  
Being to stay in Legorne three weeks, I deemed it (though there be no Inquisition there) not safe to stay there all the time, fearing that either by the sight of their abominations, or some attracted notes of me amongst the Italians, I might endanger myself: I took horse therefore and rid to Pisa, one of the two Universities of the Florentine: Florence being the other. And what I came for there, I had free liberty to observe, their monuments and their manners; which in brief were these.  
I saw there first their Church of St. Stephen, and the College of their Knights all going in long black cloaks with the party white and red Crosse. In their Church I saw our Lady's Picture more gloriously apparelled then any of our picture (I would say painted) Ladies in England are, when they would seem most glorious to dazzle the eyes of doting Courtiers. Thence I went to see their Schools built like ours, but the comparison of ours and theirs is like chalk and cheese: they have only four filled with seats like the bodies of our Parish Churches in England, and the Readers pewes standing, some in the midst, some at the end of them.  
The next thing was the Hospital of Bastards, maintained and brought up, as they are begotten in common: for Stews being here allowed, all have free access, and if children be begotten it is good reason all should pay for their bringing up. Here they are put in by the Overseers of the Hospital at a little Iron grate, none knowing whose they are; Here they are brought up neither knowing Father nor Mother, and as they are capable they are bestowed, some to Prentices, some to Schools, some to other things. It being usual with the whores their mothers, and the knave's Friars, &c: their Fathers, to set some secret mark upon them, and so when they come to years to know them, whom at their birth they durst not acknowledge. Sure he was some charitable whoremaster that was the founder of this honest Hospital. Having seen and known Italy, I shall never wonder nor pity it, if all our deboyst drunkards and whoore-masters turn Papists: and wish that they only.  
The next thing worthy note, was their great indeed, and stately Church; whose brazen gates in dumb pictures speak the history of the Gospel. Beside it, they showed us a little plot of earth, which they say was conveied from jerusalem, and is able to dissolve a carcase into dust within the space of four and twenty hours. In the same Churchyard there is a Belfraye from the very foundation to the top stooping, not through any infirmity of age but so built. It is a saying among them that the great Duke hath three wonderful Towers; one in the water at Legorne, whose foundation is laid in the Sea, and is a Lantern or Watchtower. Another on the land, this at Pisa. The third in the air at Florence: whose foundation being upon a wall of three yards high, and one foot broad, all the body seemeth to hang in the air, a curious piece of workmanship, they say that have seen it; I did not.  
But to return to Pisa: other things worthy the noting there, was their Physician's Gallery furnished with the rarities of nature, diverse Mummies, curious Anatomies, all kind of Minerals, the rarest drugs, bread and cheese converted into stone, rare fishes, the skins and feathers of strange birds and beasts, all their medicinable parts; and as though they would rob nature to make this her treasury, here is (if you will believe them) the Phoenix his head: But I think it is rather a Pelicans, for at Smyrna I did see a live Pelican with just such another head. Adjoining to this curious gallery is the garden of Physicians, wherein we being wearied with seeing diversity of Simples and Herbs, for a compendium it was told us, there were two thousand kinds of Simples in that garden. This garden is of no great extent, but most exceeding pleasant; curiously divided into plots according to the nature of the herbs there planted, the cold by themselves, the hot by themselves, etc. From Pisa we returned to Legorne, and so to Sea; and sailing along the pleasant coast of Italy, and then Calabria, not always having the land in sight, at last we passed by a little Island some five Leagues before we come to Sicilia, which belcheth out continually huge flames of fire. I did see it vomit up eight times while we sailed in sight of it: the name of this Island is Strumbola. The next morning we discovered Sicilia, and the Portuguese coast, and to the eye were locked in on every side with land. At last we opened that ancient and dangerous Gut that openeth into the Phare of Messina. Here before we durst enter, we expected a Pilot; this old Scylla and Charibdes, though it be not so much feared as it was in ancient times, yet it is as dangerous as ever it was: on the Portuguese shore there are fearful rocks, and a strong currant, on the Sicilian shore fearful sands. The midst the safest, but hard to be hit when the winds are high, hard to be kept by reason of the currant. The old town Scylla standeth still upon the Portuguese shore, Statio male fida carinis: whether seldom or never any ships but wracked ones approach: But God be thanked we passed it without all danger, and sailing in the deep Phare betwixt the pleasant Sicilia and Calabria we at last came to an anchor some three miles short of the ancient, still flourishing Messina, a most goodly city to the eye, (for we did not go ashore, but only delivered some goods there) just over against it on the Portuguese coast standeth the as ancient, but less flourishing Rhegium. The same day, to my no little and the rest of the passengers grief, we were ravished from Sicilia, which had ravished us with delight. The Sea which parteth Sicilia from Calabria is three Leagues over, but seemeth to the eye scarce three miles. Sailing along here, we (at last) espied the scorched top of Boiling Aetna, now 'Mong Bella; whose Bellowes yet go, but age hath tamed him, that he doth not now burst out as he used to do. After this some days enterposed we entered the Archipelagus▪ now the Arches, and there sailed over almost all Homer's Iliads; the little Lands of the great Kings that invaded Troy. The first was now called Seruga; the whole possessions of Menelaus; The most famous of them are ●ndria, Negropont, Tenos, Melos, Antimelos, the double Delos now uninhabited, and only sought unto for the vast relics of Apollo's Temple, environed with those Isles which encircle it, and commonly and truly called the Cycladeses. These are Surffo, Surffanto, Mycona, etc. At this A●ycona we stayed three days by reason of the extremity of weather: A barren Island of small extent some fifteen miles in compass, wholly inhabited by poor greeks, having but one, I cannot tell whether to call it, village or town of the same name with the Island, subject to the Dominion and spoil of the Turks. In all my life I never saw a place better peopled with women; their number exceeding the number of men five for one: The barrenness of the I'll is much helped with the industry of the people, forcing corn out of the rocky mountains, scarce passable for men: yet they continue so poor by reason of the Turks pillages, that unless they were merry greeks indeed, any would wonder what delight they could take inliving, living in continual fear, in continual and extreme necessity. Here (as Travellers use to do) the first thing I visited was one of their Churches: where by chance I found their Septuagint, and an old man nothing differing in poverty or habit from the rest, there cunning his lesson, I took the Bible and red in it; he stood amazed at it, and offering to kiss my hand spoke to me in the common Greek, which is so degenerate from the true and ancient, that there is either none or little affinity betwixt them. I answered in the learned, but I perceived he understood me as much as I did him, which was scarce one word. Then I thinking that though he understood not me he understood the Bible, I spoke my mind to him by pointing out sentences in the Bible, but he understood them as much as he did me. I wondered at their ignorance, and God's justice: and relating this story to one of the Merchants that had lived some time amongst them at Sio, he told me that none of their Colieroes but that read the Bible in the learned Greek, their Leturgy being in the same, but scarce one of a hundred could understand it. I did not wonder at this, calling to mind the history of our Masse-mumbling Priests in Queen Mary's days. In all their Churches fairer than their ordinary houses, scarce either fairer or larger than ours, they have printed, but no carved Images. From hence we loosed, and sailing by the famous Chios now Sios, and Mitelene old Lesbos, mixedly inhabited with Turks and greeks, and only the ruins of what they were, At Port Gabro a part of Mitelene we parted with our consorts, they towards Constantinople, we to the Bottom.  
The next port we made was Smirna, (that famous primitive Church) now not to be found in the now Smirna, all buried under the beastly new Turkish Smirna, so that the novelties have swallowed up the antiquities, and the very ruins of old Smirna are ruined: only there remaineth a deformed form of the ancient Amphitheatre whose Arena is now seated with Olive trees; and Policarpus his Mitre in the custody of the Turk: which I rather think to have been the cap of some Turkish Santone, for it is all over wrought with Turkish letters. Losing hence we sailed by Pathmos, Rhodes and Cyprus, who are better described by the learned pens of many of our English, than they can be by me, who only passed by them and had no opportunity to observe them.  
At last (by God's favour) we arrived in safety at Alexandretta alias Scanderone, which we found full of the carcases of houses, not one house in it. It having been a little before sacked by the Turkish Pirates. The unwholesomest place in the world to live in, by reason of the gross fogs that both descend from the high mountains, and ascend from the moorish valleys. The hills about it are so high, that till ten of the clock in the morning the Sun seldom or never peepeth over them. Here we took horse, (not daring to stay above two hours) for Aleppo, paying two and twenty Dollars for a janissary to be our guide, six Dollars and a half a man for our horses, besides half a Dollar a day to find our horse's meat: our noon and night's lodging were the open fields, our victuals such as we brought from Scanderone; our Guide proud and surly, our journey the most troublesome that any before (by relation) ever had. Aleppo is but distant from Alexandretta threescore miles English, yet we made four days journeys of it: and were (though others by reason of the extreme heat of the Country use only to travel upon the night) forced to travel day and night. We (but than we knew it not) were within a flight shot almost of the fort of Christendom, the ancient and famous Antioch: and having all the day before ridden along the plains of Antioch in the scorching of the Sun, some three hours before night we crossed the river Orontes with no little danger, and brought those very hills which we descended in the morning about midnight just opposite to us, there being not for all that day's journey riding, half a mile got towards the finishing of our journey; it being an usual roguery of the janissaries to lead the passengers out of their way, that being so much longer on their way, they might get so many more half Dollars. We did see in this journey the foundations of many large cities, & in one place the steeple of a Church environed with the walls of a seeming, decayed, yet large Monastery; which we pitying, and enquiring what it had been: either our janissary through ignorance could not, or through surliness would not tell us. God preserved us almost to a miracle in health, and the fourth day about noon, being the twenty sixth of june, we arrived at Aleppo: where I found my welcome exceed my hopes: and where ever since, (the Lord be praised for it) I enjoy as good health as my dearest friend could wish me.  
The air here is most subtle, most pure, so that he which bringeth no diseases with him is troubled with few: from the end of May, till the end of October we see no clouds. The heat, though it be great, is more temperate than Spain, less dangerous than Italy; much amitigated by a Westerly wind which bloweth here all the Summer long; yet by reason of the heat, as in all hot Countries, men are much subject to Fevers, which are seldom vehement; always either soon prevented, or speedily cured. Our country men and the nations both observe, that once in ten year the country is infected with the Pest, but which is wonderful, begin when it will, it never endureth longer than the Twelfth of july; so that, though it rage upon the eleventh, after the twelfth none are infected; O the wonderful works of God.  
The country is part of Syria, & aboundeth, as of old, with superfluity of all necessaries: unhappy in nothing but the cursed Lords of it, the Turks: The land cries out on the slothfulness of the owners; and the unhusbanded plains, for many miles together blame their stupidity. The Lord when it pleaseth him will cast out these usurpers, (and as I hope and pray) restore it to the true owners, the Christians. The City of Aleppo standeth in a valley which seemeth to contend with itself whether it should be more pleasant or fruitful. It is 〈◊〉 walled about, but weakly in respect of our Cities in Christendom: by reason of the oft change of Lords it hath lost the history of its own antiquity: so that both Turks and Christians, (the now inhabitants of it) are ignorant what it was before it was conquered by Selimus the great Turk, and being circumcised by him, was called by the Conqueror Alep, which in the Arabic tongue signifieth milk, by reason of the abundance of it hereabout: yet in all probability it was that Zobah mentioned, 2. Sam. 8. Being within twelve miles of the valley of salt where David did fight with Hadedezer King of Zobah, and there being not beside it in all these parts the lest Vestigia of any City. And the Turks and jews both have a tradition that the Castle was built by joab: howsoever it was not famous till of late, yet surely it was before.  
For the Inhabitants of it, and the concourse of people, it is an Epitome of the whole world. There scarce being a Nation of the old World, (except that all-hated Spaniard) who hath not some trading either here or hither. English, French, Dutch, Italian, jews, greeks, Persians, Moors, Indians, & c Men of all Countries, of all Religions: Georgians, Nestorians, Cophtis, Arminians, Georgians, etc. The description of whose different customs in their conversation, and tenants in their Religion, deserveth rather a volume then a letter: and a more appropriated observer of them, than I can be. Wherefore omitting them, I will only acquaint you with some observations of not ordinary things that are, and have happened in and about Aleppo.  
About a mile from Aleppo South-west, there is a little craggy mountain of Oyster and Cockle shells and fish bones, though the name of Oyster or Cockle be never heard of in Aleppo, The Sea being threescore mile off: under this hill is a little house or cave, wherein in a stone upon the pavement is the print of a man's hand which the Turks say was Halie's, as much reverenced by the Persian Mahumetans, (who maintain him to be Mahomet's successor) as our Lady's pictures in Spain or Italy, but with far less pomp, far less superstition, far less Idolatry. Near this there are Saxa loquacia, Grave stones that being beat upon, sound like our bells in Europe. About twelve miles' East from Aleppo, is the valley of Salt, a great lane, whose extent neither a whole day's travel, nor any report, could certify us. That which we saw of it was partly covered with water, part with a short grass, partly with sands like the sea shore. The water is saltish, and being dried up by the heat of the sea, the sand that is left, raked together without further help either of man's wit or industry, becometh perfect and fine salt, in such abundance, that it is sufficient not only to serve Syria, but is transported into Arabia, Persia, and other adjacent countries.  
The next observable thing is a famous Aquaduct that serveth and sufficeth the whole City with water; a relic either of the Romans curiosity, or the Christians care: now useful to those that are most unworthy of it, the Turks. The fountain heads are seven miles from Aleppo, where many fountains vent themselues by subterranean passages into 3. little lakes; whence the waters, (being drained into a narrow stone channel of one yard broad & three deep Hast to Aleppo. And being before they come thither, received into wooden pipes, are conveied into the curious cisterns, which are in the Courts of their Mos'kehs' or Churches, whence either it is fetched for private uses, or forced to wash the stinking feet of the profane Turk before they enter unto their bawling devotion.  
One strange thing more there is. The rubbish and filth of the City thrown out about the walls in very few years hardeneth itself into a rock.  
The historical occurances that have happened in Turkey since my coming thither are these. Tripoli December last was sacked by the Emy of Sidon. The Bashaw of Aleppo went to quell him of the two, that had given the first occasion of these civil broils; and returned with a purchase of twenty thousand dollars from the Emy of Tripoli: first for offering the Emy of Sidon some provocation, secondly for suffering this town to be sacked, having fewer soldiers in pay there then the King allowed pay for. At the sacking of this City, many ancient Christian maniscripts were found, and there burnt for no other cause, but because they begun in the Arabic tongue with In nomine Patris Filii & Spiritus Sancti. The French then residing at Sidon could not redeem them (though they did much endeavour it) at any price. There is no Article of Faith, so harsh to jew and Turks as this of the blessed Trinity.  
The grand Vizier, that had been almost a whole year on his way with the Army against Persia, wintering at Ameet (anciently Amida) died December last, and the Bashaw of Ameet succeeded him in the place of grande Vizier: The than Bashaw of Aleppo was made Bashaw of Ameet and the Bashaw of Damascus, the Bashaw of Aleppo. When the King appointeth any Bashaw, he showeth him a sword and a vest, the one instructing us for war, the other for peace: after this very shortly we heard of the great Tefterdames or Lord Treasurer's death. The soldiers from all parts resort to the Vizier to go against Persia, but this year there can be nothing done. God increase the mutual enmity of these his obstinate enemies, & make these mahometans his instruments to be their own mutual executioners. We hear at this present that the Georgians have put fifteen hundred Persians to the sword, upon this occasion: the Persians according to their customs exacted women and children from the Georgians: the chief of the Georgians consulted together, and thinking it a fit opportunity to break off this cruel slavery, used this policy; they said that their people begun to be tumultuous & they could not well know what to do, but if they would send some of their own soldiers into some of the Georgians towns, or near them to terrify the people, than they might persuade them to it. The Persians little suspecting their fraud, sent as many near every great town as they thought convenient to strike them in a fear: but the Georgians having resolved before what to do, unawares issued out upon the Persians, and put them all to the sword, and sent their heads to the great Vizier of the Turks. The news is most certain, but the manner is differently related. This day there came into Aleppo three Vnderheads, of the followers of a rebel about Antiochia called Abasite: against whom the Bashaw of Aleppo sent out an Army, and had this victory, but the rebel himself escaped with most of his segmen, (a kind of hireling soldiers like our cassocks in Europe.) We hear also from Constantinople that Smyrna hath been sacked by another rebel in those parts called Gente●togli: others say, he only came to Smyrna, and taking away the chief janissaries and Spies, did no hurt to the City.  
These are all the news of Turkey: we should be glad to hear some from England, I have not had so much as one Letter, but from Master Fethplate, (who writeth business, not news;) since I came from England. Remember my kindest salutes to your second self, and when you write into the Country, remember I pray you my duty to my parents, my love to your mother, remember me in your prayers: The Lord bless us all.  
Allepo, May 18. 1628. Your very loving friend, CHAR: ROBSON.