The Travel of Henry Timberlake to
Jerusalem:
A Pilgrimage That Hatched an Idea
By Hershield Keaton
Seminar Paper Submitted to:
Dr. Beatrice Spade, Dept of History
University of Southern Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Spring1999
Introduction
On
January 1601, the native Englishman, Henry Timberlake set sail from London,
England on an adventure of faith, fame, and fortune. During the first year of
his approximately two-year long trip, he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem from
the port city of Alexandria, Egypt. In order to visit Jerusalem, he traveled by
booking his own way with a caravan headed to Damascus. During this journey,
John Burrell, also from England, accompanied him. The round trip from
Alexandria to Jerusalem took just over fifty days, with Henry spending less
than a full week in the Holy Land.[1]
Timberlake’s
travel account of his pilgrimage begins and ends suddenly. There is no preface,
or introduction to the book, and it is written in a narrative format. The
entire account is written upon his return to Alexandria. I felt as if he were
writing a personal letter directly to me; there is just that personal feeling
to the text. In reality, the published account was a letter that he wrote to
the man responsible for its publication in 1603, a Mister Thomas Archer. Thomas
Archer was both a friend and an associate of Timberlake. Archer and Timberlake were both members of
the Company of Merchants of London. This company later became the English East
India Company around 1603.[2] The book was so popular that it was
reprinted eight times before the end of 1631.[3]
Adventurous travel accounts to far and away locations had become very popular
in England during the mid-sixteenth century. Much of the desire for information
concerning exotic locations can be attributed to Francis Drake’s return from
his voyage around the world. After Drake’s return, in 1580, several accounts of
his voyage were published and sold numerous copies. After Drake’s return to
England there was a literary hunger for stories of drama, and danger.[4]
Timberlake's Travel Account:
A
True and Strange Discourse, has also been included in Robert
Burton’s, Two Journeys to Jerusalem, published six times between
1635-1796, and in Harleian Miscellany, volume one, 1808. According to
the Oxford Literary Dictionary, (vol.5) Henry’s account is believed to have
inspired Purchase’s Pilgrimes, and was included in Richard Burton’s Judaeorum
Memorabilia in 1796. The book has been reprinted in its original form over
the course of time, with the original copy in the British Museum.[5]
Timberlake’s
style of writing was apparently targeted to a growing middle class merchant
society which might be tempted to make a pilgrimage. I believe the book could also appeal to the lower classes, based
on its entertainment value, and as a brief work that can easily be read in
single seating. The book itself is laid out as a pilgrimage; there is constant
movement and the author makes a round trip to/and from the Holy Land.
A
True and Strange Discourse was probably written to promote the
trade of arranging travel for pilgrims to Jerusalem. Timberlake’s book provided
a step-by-step guide on how to get to the Holy Land. However, for those unable to make the physical journey, the book
allowed the reader to close their eyes and form a mental picture of the trip.
It would therefore be possible for the reader to create a fantasy pilgrimage.
The book’s description of locations referenced to London landmarks would make
it much easier for someone to mentally picture the sites in the Holy Land.
Surprisingly, in spite of the popularity of this account, Timberlake did not
publish any other literary works after this single book, nor had he published
anything prior to this.
The Life of Henry Timberlake
????-1626.
Henry
Timberlake was raised in the southern town of Gloucester, England as the son of
a well-to-do seafaring merchant. His father, Alexander Timberlake, was a member
of the Merchant Adventurers of England, which Henry joined later in his life.
Though I was unable to determine whether he had any brothers or sisters, the
published genealogy of the Timberlake family does include a grand-nephew, also
named Henry Timberlake who was born in the colonial province of Virginia about
1730.[6]
What
little information I was able to uncover on the life of Henry relates to him
through business. The British Museum and the British research library, (St.
John's) both contain personal letters to and from Henry. The East India Company
donated these letters in the early 1700s. Typically access to this information
is only through viewing in-person; I was able to make a couple of successive
phone calls to both institutions and was able to receive answers to a couple of
key questions.
In
the several sources where I have found mention of Henry, he appears to be well
respected and a good friend. One example is the account in John Sanderson’s
travel to Jerusalem in 1601. In his account Sanderson talks of seeing Henry and
expresses some empathy for the troubles he had upon arrival to the city.
Throughout all of the materials I have read, I have found no harsh statements
about Henry as a person, but these materials are mostly business related. To say anything more about his life would be
irresponsible without viewing the other materials.
After
hard searching, I conclude that some lesser figures of history will remain an
enigma to the researcher. I do not feel that there is information available,
which could provide a more complete view of this individual as something more
than a man of trade. To represent a full story on Henry Timberlake would
require a considerable amount of time and access to material in British
archives; only then might we know his true significance from a historical
standpoint.
A True and
Strange Discourse of the Travailes of two English Pilgrimes: what admirable accidents befell them
in their journey to Jerusalem, Gaza, Grand Cayro, Alexandria, and other places:
Also what rare Antiquities, Monuments and notable memories (concording with the
ancient remembrances in the holy scriptures) they saw in Terra Sancta, with a
perfect description of the Countries about them. A discourse of no less
admiration then well worth the regarding: written by one of them, on behalf of
himselfe, and his fellowe Pilgrime. This short book with a very long
title has provoked more questions for me, (mostly due to its compact size) than
a lengthier book would have. There is no introduction, no preface, no
information concerning the author; nor are the motives for his writing this
account given. Despite this lack of information, the book has been reprinted
quite regularly over the past four hundred years! Why? What is the appeal of
this particular book that should cause it to be read, and re-read over such a
long period of time? To provide context
to my questions I would like to provide a brief summary of the book itself.
Henry
Timberlake was the captain of the English merchant ship Troyane.[7]
Over a period of several years he ferried both Christians and Muslim pilgrims
to Alexandria, Egypt.[8] He was a member of the Merchant Adventurers
of England and a joint stock holder of the East India Company. On this
particular trip he had brought trade goods to Egypt.[9]
The primary export from England during this time was raw wool, so this was
probably the main cargo. However, on
this particular trip he had also brought three hundred pilgrims to Egypt. Over
the course of research for this paper, I found that he brought back spice from
these voyages. The spice came over the Arabian Desert in caravans from port cities
in the Indian Ocean, Arabian Gulf, and the Red Sea.[10]
This combination of sea travel and overland caravans brought the goods to
market faster than sailing around the African Continent.
Either
of these two routes was dangerous and much of the merchandise was lost in the
process. All travel at this time of history was dangerous with opportunists
around every bend and lurking in every cove, just waiting to liberate any/every
item of value. Henry was an opportunistic individual seeing that by transporting
pilgrims to Alexandria he could maximize the profit ability of his time and
resources.
In
this tale, he begins his account in grand Cayro with his companion John Burrel.
The two men travel on their own to a city named Canko (a small village east of
Cairo), where they join a caravan headed to Damascus. The next several days are
spent in the nearby city of Philbits where he goes into great detail concerning
the artificial incubation of chicken eggs. After a thorough description of this
phenomenon the journey heads into the Arabian Desert.
During
the trip there are four stops where the Turks charge taxes. One of the reasons
given for the taxes is to pay for protection from the wild Arabs while crossing
the desert. The trip has its only exciting moment when a band of Arabs attack
on the fourth day. There is reported to be one casualty, several wounded, and
the loss of a single camel carrying calicoes. He mentions that the only reason
they do not go after them is that it is dark. The time of the attack is uncertain
since all travel was at night with the days spent resting. I have yet to
understand the reasoning for this since at this time of year the desert is not
hot. The remainder of the journey was conducted without incidence.
Once
the two men arrived at Jerusalem, a new difficulty arises. Pilgrims were not
allowed into the city without a sponsor, and the Turks did not acknowledge the
Queen of England, since she paid no tribute to them. Burrel, who spoke Greek,
was admitted with the Greek Orthodox Church sponsoring him. Timberlake refused
to deny his religion or his country and was imprisoned. His deliverance from
prison comes with the help from their guide. [When the two were in grand Cayro,
a Muslim pilgrim from Algiers, who was on the ship, agrees to go with them to
Jerusalem and back to Alexandria.] The guide goes to the city authorities and
negotiates Henry’s release.
Henry
spent very little time in the city visiting sites, but the two did spend
several days going to various sites outside of the city. Towards the end of
their stay, Henry ventured out to the surrounding areas and described in detail
the location of many of the religious sites. The details are given in reference
to distances between landmarks in London. This allows anyone familiar with
London to imagine the position of one place in respect to another. At this
point, Henry decided to leave Jerusalem with his Muslim guide. It is evident
from the text that his prior companion did not leave with him. Perhaps he
joined with the five Englishmen who recently arrived. One of these individuals
was John Sanderson, who in his pilgrimage account mentions meeting Timberlake
and Burrel, but does not mention the latter returning with him.
Henry
and his guide make an agreement with two "wild Arabs" to carry them back
to Grand Cayro. On the return trip, there is no mention of paying any taxes. He
also mentions that the two guides they have hired were two of the band that
attacked his previous caravan. There is little time spent describing the return
to Grand Cayro, and the return trip takes only four days total. The Muslim
guide goes on his way at this point, with Henry retiring to his ship by
himself.
Why
has this book remained popular over such a long period? I believe that it
allows the reader to visualize movement from one place, to another. In this
way, the readers with a vivid imagination can conduct their own metaphysical
pilgrimage. Many people could not afford to go on pilgrimage, and it is
possible that a savvy businessman saw a way to provide a story of pilgrimage
that anyone could accept as their own. The book thereby offers the reader
escape from ordinary surroundings to an adventurous journey to the Holy Land.
Besides
supplying a fantasy pilgrimage for the reader, the book is useful as a travel
guide for potential voyagers. It provides a handbook to the sites in and around
Jerusalem. The book is compact and could easily be carried along with the
future pilgrim. Henry has been methodical in relating the exact locations of
the majority of holy sites allowing the visitor to conveniently find all the
popular sites. The potential traveler also has an idea of what taxes they can
expect to pay on their overland journey and the process for admittance into the
city of Jerusalem itself. It would be important to make the trip seem
achievable to the potential pilgrim. Henry would directly and indirectly
benefit from the increase of travel to this area.
As
a member of the East India Company it was becoming important to create and open
new areas of trade. Membership in the company guaranteed the two hundred and
eighteen members a share in any new ventures.[11]
It became essential to aid all other members in establishing new trade; trade
was essential to England also. Queen Elizabeth presented her last address to
Parliament in December 1600. In her address, she focused on the need to open
trade routes and increase markets for English products, while bringing in rare
commodities to the country. At this same time she chartered the Merchant
Adventures of England as the East India Company. Their charter addressed the
concept of free trade with any, and every one. A portion of the profits from
the company would go directly to the government, but it would remain a private
endeavor.[12] At this
time, the Dutch East India Company was making a huge profit. It was the hopes
of the English that they would be as financially successful as the Dutch were.
An essential difference existed between the two; the Dutch tried to enforce
exclusive trading privileges with their partners, while the English were
seeking free trade.
The
English East India Company was a merger between the two largest trade companies
in England, the Levant and the Muscovite trading companies. These two
powerhouses represented the bulk of England's merchant fleet with approximately
sixty ships. One of the ships was the Troyane owned by Henry Timberlake (John
Sanderson was on the Levant) who through his multiple associations became one
of the two hundred and eighteen original members of the Honorable Company.[13]
One of the goals at this time was to find if a north-west passage existed from
the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean. The discovery of a North-West route to
India was a goal of both the Levant Trade Company and Henry Timberlake; what he
found instead was the chicken incubator.[14]
In
the early part of his journey, he provides detail concerning how the Egyptians
had perfected the artificial process of hatching chickens. Out of a
twenty-six-page book, three pages are specifically dedicated to this single
event. I believed this becomes even more significant when it is remembered that
the entire account was not written down until his return to Alexandria. He
mildly encouraged his friend to see what may be done with this idea in England,
since at this point in history only the Chinese and the Egyptians had perfected
the science of egg incubation.[15]
Visitors had been infatuated with this process for some time, but had not been
allowed access to study the entire procedure. As early as 1490, Father Felix Fabri
mentioned seeing how the Egyptians incubated the eggs.[16]
One
of the important ingredients for incubating the eggs in Egypt was camel dung.
Henry realized this would be a problem in England, through trial and error he
eventually developed an alternative bed for the eggs to lie on. The bed was
actually a large rubber bladder filled with warm water.[17]
The details of how the water was maintained at a steady temperature were not
available to me, but the discussion of the device says that the bladder did
allow for universal temperature regulation. The rubber was another development
introduced by the Honorable Company, referred to as India Rubber. The proof of
Henry’s involvement with the development of the Western incubator came by
contacting the British Library, which maintains the original copy of Henry’s
will. In his will one of the items left to his executor was paper relating to
the manufacture of the egg incubator.[18]
Abraham
Jacob was the executor of Henry’s estate in 1626. The rights to the book were
sold at one thousand English pounds on September 27, 1626. The legal rights to
the incubator were given to the East India Company shortly thereafter. It was
early in the 1700s before any effort was made to fully develop the marketing of
this devise. The initial production name of the device was the Amazing Western
Egg Incubator. The development of this idea coincided with the Industrial
Revolution in England, when labor and raw material were cheap.
The
Industrial Revolution ushered in factories with cheap labor. Through the use of
cheap labor the incubation units could be produced inexpensively, while
promising economic benefits to the potential buyer. With the growth of cities
throughout Europe there was a growing problem of feeding everyone. England has
a fairly short growing season, with little tillable land to feed a hungry urban
population. Produce has remained popular over the years and by using the
incubator, greater numbers of poultry can be produced year round.[19]
To this day most chicks in Europe and the Americas are hatched from commercial
incubators.[20] Over time
the technology has changed very little. It has spread beyond the hatching of
eggs. If you think about the concept it is easy to see how the incubators in
hospitals for newborns has affected the entire world. Additionally, the idea of
an indoor heating system could be considered an offshoot of the idea of
regulating an enclosed environment.
In
conclusion, I see an adventurer who went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and
hatched an idea in the process. The idea eventually was to appeal to a wide
portion of the world of consumption. Timberlake wrote his book to appeal to
those without means of travel as an adventure, and as a guidebook for those
with the economic resources to book passage on ships. While travelling
thousands of miles to acquire expensive spices for the wealthy, he also saw a
potential to develop a product that would feed the masses. Henry’s actions are
a turning point in pilgrimage. He became the first person to go on a working
pilgrimage (vacation).
I
must believe his religious sincerity for travelling to Jerusalem, but I also
suspect he was not about to miss an opportunity to make a profit if available.
Henry practiced the protestant religion and one of the beliefs was that it was good
to make money. This attitude seems to be something that appealed to many
Protestants as a result of Calvinism. In his book, he proves to be a man of
constant change; an example of this is his trip to, and from Jerusalem. When he
went to Jerusalem, he traveled with a thousand-member caravan and paid taxes
for protection from the wild Arabs. In order to return to his ship quickly he
hires two "wild Arabs". He actually identifies the duo as members of
the marauding attackers who attacked his caravan when he was headed to
Jerusalem only week's prior. Besides the fact that the return trip takes only
on third of the time of the original, he obviously pays no taxes at the four
toll locations. Is it possible he wanted to take something back without anyone
asking him any questions? So, you see, there are many questions remaining
concerning his pilgrimage. Was he a religiously focused traveler headed to the
Holy Land, or was his trip for profit? It is possible that Henry was a new
breed of pilgrim who saw pilgrimage as a way to combine business, with
pilgrimage (pleasure).
Annotated
Bibliography
Primary
Sources:
Bisson,
Douglas R. The Merchant Adventurers of England: Newark: University of
Delaware Press, 1993.
This book describes the organization and several of the
essential members. It covers the period from 1546-1664, describing significant
events and their results.
East
India Company. Charters granted to the East India Company, from 1602; also
the treaties and grants, made with, or obtained from, the princes and powers in
India to 1772. London: East India Co., 1773.
This book provides a detailed account of charters to individuals within the East India Company between 1602-1773. Certain stipulations were imposed on these charters and are addressed in this book. This book resembles a copy of a private ledger of the East India Company specifying the cost of doing business with approval to conduct trade by state authority.
East
India Company. First Voyage of the English East India Company, in 1601,
Under the Command of Captain James Lancaster. Edinburgh: Thomas Bent, 1824.
This details the initial voyage of the East India Company in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf. This is a good source reference as to how the company conducts business with foreign merchants.
Kinney, Arthur
F. Elizabethan Backgrounds; Historical Documents of the Age of Elizabeth I.
Hamdon, Conn.: Archon Books, 1975.
This is a collection of proclamations, policies, and Speeches, made by Queen Elizabeth's in 1601.
Russell, Herbert. The Incubator, a popular, practical treatise upon poultry hatching as a source of profit to the inexperienced. London: Sampson Low, Marston, 1788.
This is both an examination of the benefits of hatching chicks for profit, but also a short history of the development of incubators in England.
Timberlake,
Henry. A True and Strange Discourse of the Travailes of Two English
Pilgrimes. London: Thomas Archer, 1603.
The book written by Henry Timberlake, is a first hand account of an early seventeenth century pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There is a brief detail of Holy Land sites and references to their situation based on landmarks in London.
Wheeler, John.
A Treatise of Commerce reproduced from the London edition of 1601, with a
bibliographical note by George Burton Hotchkiss. New York: Columbia
University Press, 1931.
This
is an economics paper delivered in 1601 to the British Parliament. John Wheeler
was a member of the Merchant Adventurers of England and his presentation was to
gather support for the expansion of sea trade. It expresses, to some detail,
the ideology of the organization.
Sanderson,
John. The Travels of John Sanderson in the
Levant. Ed., W. Forster. 2nd series. London: Hakluyt
Society, 1931. [1601]
This is a travel account of an early seventeenth century pilgrim to Jerusalem. It is noteworthy that this is perspective of a member of the Merchant Adventurers Society and the Levant Trading Company. Sanderson traveled onboard the flagship of the company, bearing the company's name.
Secondary
Sources:
Carse, Henry
R. The Jerusalem Way: A Theological Handbook for Holy Land Pilgrimage.
New York: University of New York, 1994.
This is a master's thesis on the religious experience of pilgrimage. It centers on the importance of prior pilgrim's accounts, and how they became beneficial to later travelers.
Hitchings,
F.K. References to English Surnames in 1601 &1602. Baltimore, Md.:
Rptd for Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Publication
Company, 1998.
This book lists many of the surnames of prominent businessmen of the period.
Klutznick,
Philip M. and Ethel. Pilgrims and Travelers to the Holy Land. Omaha,
Neb.: Creighton University Press, 1996.
This is a collection of papers delivered at the symposium of the Philip K. and Ethel Klutznik chair in Jewish Civilization at Creighton University in 1994. This collection deals with the perspective of multiple aspects of Holy Land pilgrimage from tourism to proper religious frame-of-mind of the traveler.
Lingelbach,
William E. The International Organization of the Merchant Adventurers of
England. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1903.
This is a short book detailing the subject of the Merchant Adventurers. It includes the purpose of the organization and the individuals who made significant contributions.
Peters,
F.E. Jerusalem. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1985.
This is an analysis of pilgrimage to Jerusalem over time. This book examines the purpose of pilgrimage and how it has evolved over time.
Russell,
Michael. Palestine: or, The Holy Land: From the earliest period to the
present time. New York: Harper, 1839.
This book examines the historical context of Palestine and the surrounding area. It provides locations, which no longer exist by their previous names.
Skofield,
Barbara Pierce. Genealogies of Thomas Skofield, John Burrell, and Thomas
Lufkin. Brewer, Me: Barbara P. Skofield, 1878.
This is a family researched genealogy of the above listed families. It shows how the `family tree' has split over time.
Timberlake,
Alexander. Genealogy of Henry Timberlake. Alexandria: Alexander
Timberlake, 1887.
A book written by the Timberlake family showing a family tree, this traces the majority of their ancestry to the mid- 1500s.
Electronic
Sources:
Andre,
Pamela. [pandre@nal.usda.gov].
"History of the Chicken Incubator." Private e-mail to Pamela Andre, [pandre@usda.gov]. 18 Feb 1999.
Hall, Reed. [uep@ex.ac.uk] "Merchant Adventurers of
England." Private e-mail Reed Hall, [uep@ex.ac.uk].
18 Feb 1999.
Knight,
Jennifer. [opac97@bl.uk]. ".Henry
Timberlake ????-1626." Private e-mail to Jennifer Knight, [opac97@bl.uk]. 20 Feb 1999.
Knight,
Jennifer. Personal Interview (+44(0)1937-546585). 26 Mar 1999; 30 Mar 1999.