Tyrus

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of TYRUS, and the ancient Trade thereof.

TYRUS lieth also in this Tract, or to say more properly and more truely did once lie in this Tract, which for its great splendor in traffique in time past deserveth here the commemoration thereof▪ which I will insert as I find it noted by the Prophet Ezech•… in chap. 26 and 27; the greatnesse and amplitude o•… which trade now ruind and altogether desolate, serving for example to all eminent Cities of traffique, that the Merchants Inhabitants of those places forget not GOD the giver of that plenty and aboundance; nor yet abuse the same to their own destruction▪ as is shewd there it was to the Tyrians. Tyrus then in the heig•… of its greatnesse is recorded to have a very great trade, and so large that it served for a generall mart to all the World, and that all Nations were furnished with their merchandize and commodities thence, which wonderfully inriched the City and increased the power of the citizens; so that she is there termed the strong and renowned City of the Sea, and which was mightily inhabited by Se•… men and Merchants, whose power and greatnesse in Navigation and trade is described by many particulars in that Chapter; as first that her Ship timber was of the Firre trees of Hermon hill, and the Masts thereof was of cedar, and brought from Libanon, and the Oares thereof were of the oakes of Bashan; the Sailes thereof was fine imbroidered linen brought from Aegypt, and the covering•… (or as Sea-men terme it their awneings) were of blew silke and purple, brought from the Iles of Elishah: their mariners were the Inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad, and their Ship-masters and Pilots were the wisest of the City, and their Carpenters, shipwrights and Calkers were the ancients of Gebal, and the wise men thereof; and all the Shippes of the Sea with their Mariners negotiated in her in the traffique of merchandize. Now those that traded hither and were the Merchants thereof, and the commodities for which they traded is also recorded there, for the Merchants of Tarshish brought hither to the Faires all rich commodities, as silver, iron, tynne, lead: The Merchants of Grecia, Italy and Cappadocia furnished it with slaves for labour, and with all manner of vessells of brasse. The Merchants of Togarmah brought hither to her Marts Horses and Mules for carriage. The Merchants of Dedan brought Unicornes hornes and Elephants teeth. The Merchants of Aram brought to her Faires emerald, corall, pearles, fine linen, and purple imbroidered workes. The Merchants of Israel brought honey, •…lme, oyle and wheate. The Merchants of Damasco brought wines, •…ols, and multitude of other rich wares. The Merchants of Dan •…d Iavan brought iron worke, cassia, calamus. The Merchants of Arabia furnished it with cattell. Of Sheba and Ramah with spices •…d precious stones and gold: and to conclude, all the nations of •…ose regions were accounted the Merchants that did traffique •…ither with all the riches of their severall Countries, and furni•…ed the same with the best of their Sea-men, and the principall of •…eir Ships for navigation: but the Holy Prophet in liew of their •…en greatnesse, prophesied their future miserie; instead of their •…en riches prophesied their future poverty, which is there recor•…ed to have fallen deservedly upon this City and their inhabitants •…r glorying in their owne strength and opulence, and for deri•…ing of the holy City of Ierusalem, by rejoycing at the visitation •…nd fall which GOD had beene pleased to afflict her withall; 〈◊〉 that many yeeres past the said prophesie hath bin in her fulfilled, •…s now we see it in these daies to be; for many nations hath •…sen up against it, and the waves of the Seas hath devoured it; the •…iches thereof are robbed, and the merchandize thereof are spoy•…ed: the nations that have knowne the splendor of it are risen up •…n astonishment at it, the waters hath covered it, and in fine the •…ame is brought to nothing, and shall never hereafter have a bee•…ng, which is fully accomplished in every particular: therefore •…et each flourishing City of trade, and every Merchant exercising traffique take warning by their ruine and desolation, and by their •…ust and faithfull dealing and upright conversation indeavour to divert the wrath of GOD from the Cities of their habitations; and having the sinne of the Tyrians ever in remembrance, they may thereby hope to avoyd their punishment.

Now as for the Countrey of Iudea, I find not that it affords any eminent City of trade in these our dayes, though otherwise it be famous in Scripture in times past, both for the City of Bethleem, where our Saviour CHRIST was borne, and where it was found the innocents did suffer for him ere he suffered for them; and also for the City of Ierico, destroyed by the sounding of rammes hornes; and lastly for Ierusalem the City of the Lord, built by Melchisedec Prince and Priest of Salem, in the Countrey of the Jebusites; but since that time having been layen wast divers times, and having againe found new reedifiers, is now of little consequence: here was that most magnificent Temple built by Solomon, and the famous Temple of the Sepulchre built by Helena daughter to Coilus a Brittish King, and mother to Constantine the Great; the ruines thereof is yet much resorted unto both by Protestants and Papists, though for sundry ends; which place affordeth now not any trade to any nation save to the Jewes, who farme of the grand signior this abovesaid Temple at 80000 sultanies yearely, and every pilgrime or other Christian entring, must pay 9 sultanies to the said farmers for admittance; so that the posterity of those Jewes make an unrighteous gaine and traffique by his death, whom unrighteously their fore-fathers occasioned to die.