Richard Guylforde’s Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Bibliographic Information
Medieval Title:
The Pylgrimage to the Holy Land, A.D. 1506.
Author:
Chaplin to Richard Guylforde
Composition:
1506
Textual Information
Brief Summary:
This journal describes the pilgrimage of Sir Richard Guylforde in the company of others to Jerusalem, beginning in April of 1506. A detailed day by day account is presented of the travels. This includes lists of the numerous places visited, as well as a number of relics the company encountered. In July, Guylforde entered the town of Arragonse, in the country of Dalmacie, and recounts seeing the burial shroud which wrapped Jesus’s body as he was brought into the Temple. The author describes landing in Jaffe, and being received by the “Mamolukes” and “Sarrasyns”, explaining that he and his traveling companions were poorly treated as they waited release into the Holy Lands. The narrator repeats this complaint occasionally throughout the text and highlights the fact that no Christians are allowed to enter the Temple of Solomon. Anyone who enters is reportedly executed if they refuse to renounce their religion. They also travel to the Temple of the Holy Sepulchre, recounting the fact that a piece of the Holy Cross remains in this temple. The narrative describes their pilgrimage through both this temple and through Jerusalem in detail, listing and explaining a number of the holy sites which the visited, and includes a brief explanation of the significance of each site. While visiting Mount Olyvete, they see footprints in the stone upon which Jesus stood before ascending into Heaven.
Relics Appearing in Text:
Burial Shroud, True Cross
Manuscripts, Editions, and Translations
Manuscripts:
Preserved in a unique print copy from the Press of Richard Pynson, held in the British Library.
List of Editions of the Medieval Text:
Richard Guylforde. The Pylgrimage to the Holy Land, A.D. 1506. Edited by H. Ellis and R. Pynson. London: Camden Society, 1851.
Available online: https://archive.org/details/pylgrymageofsirr00ellirich
List of Translations of the Medieval Text:
N/A