Leo Santifaller: Ergänzungsband 2/1. Festschrift zur Feier des 200 jährigen Bestandes des HHStA 2 Bände (1949)
IV. Quellen und Quellenkunde - 24. Geoffrey Barraclough (Liverpool): Briefe aus dem Reiche und andere Mitteilungen aus englischen Landesarchiven
404 Barraclough, 5. Deare Brother, Alepo, March 16 : 77 *). My last to you * 2) was from ye place I now am in, Alepo, in which I gave you an account of yc scivell treatment I receved from ye Marchants here, which has continued much above expression, and of my desire of seeing ye renowned ruens of y° famus chirch of ye glorious Sf Simion Stylites with ye pillar, on which hee stoude soe many years, which accordingly to my great satisfaction I have done. I am allsoe iust comde from visiting and washing my whole boddy, though in February, in ye river of Paradise, ye renowned Eufrates. I pased yc said river and went to a pritty citty named Byer 3) in Mesapotamia. In my retorne I pased ye great cittys of Antabe 4) and Killys 5), John, Ballats 6), Assas 7) with severall other remarckable villadges. Ye cuntry itt seife yealds to none in ye world, where itt but well husbanded. Within tow days I am to begin my pylgramidge by wae of Damascos, being y° only European in yc whole Caravan, itt being chifly composed of Percians, Armenians, Grecians, Maronits and Turkes. I have taken for my searvant a Maronett that speackes Francke. Had itt not beene for ye report of ye plague being at Cairo, Gaza, Jerusalem and all ye sea coast, I should have had y° company of three English marchants, but I am now all alone. Howevar I hope by Gods assistance in 25 or 6 days to bee in Jerusalem, where I will not be unmindfull of you and my friends, as I hope you will not be unmindfull of what I here desire of you, nether for your one honor nor my creditt. Finding itt much more chargable traveling in these parts then what I mimagened, and considering well both ye lengh of my iourny and time I shall bee out of Europe, with yc great truble want of monis brings a man into, these considerations hath made mee take up here 400 dollars from Mr Husses correspondents, jfor which being to give a bill payable in London, have sined one for ye above said quantity and charged itt upon Mr William Harcott. Now for my reputation sake I wish ye will speedily write to Mr Harcott to accept ye bill when itt comes to him, and pas your word to him for yc monis, by which you will much oblige mee; and that you may not fall to doe itt, I have here ordared Thomas Shephard, as you may see, to pay to a farthing what ever you give your word for, or be any wae eniaged upon my account. Wherefore I hope you will not see mee suffer in ether my word or reputation with these gentilmen, who have beene soe very scivell to mee. You are allsoe much behoulding to this factory both upon y° account of mee and there often remembring of you, which has beene done by all every meele. But whie should I doubt your willingnes in this, and write soe much about a thing I know you would have done with writing of tow words ? My searvis to my good sisters, your seife, Mary, Byddy, blesing to Thorny, all my brothars, sisters and freinds. If possible I will let you heare from mee from Jerusalem. Soe God bles you and your famely, I am your loving brother WILLIAM CLIFTON. *) Nach der damals in England gebräuchlichen Jahresrechnung sollte sich obiges Datum eigentlich auf das Jahr 1678 beziehen; doch rechnet der Briefschreiber, vielleicht als Katholik offenbar nach dem Gregorianischen Kalender. 2) Nicht mehr vorhanden. 3) Bir, bzw. Biredjik. 4) Aintab. ») Killiz. 8) Weder John noch Ballats sicher identifiziert ; vielleicht Djurn und Balis, beide am Euphrat östlich Killiz und Aleppo. 7) Azaz.
