But his curse be turned on to his own head, as holy writ
saith, ET IN VIRTICEM IPSIUS INIQUITAS EJUS DESCENDET, that is for
to say, 'His wickedness shall turn and fall in his own head.'
And also the Saracens bring forth no pigs, nor they eat no swine's
flesh, for they say it is brother to man, and it was forbidden by
the old law; and they hold him all accursed that eat thereof. Also
in the land of Palestine and in the land of Egypt, they eat but
little or none of flesh of veal or of beef, but if be so old, that
he may no more travel for old; for it is forbidden, and for because
they have but few of them; therefore they nourish them for to ere
their lands.
In this city of Bethlehem was David the king born; and he had sixty
wives, and the first wife was called Michal; and also he had three
hundred lemans.
And from Bethlehem unto Jerusalem is but two mile; and in the way
to Jerusalem half a mile from Bethlehem is a church, where the
angel said to the shepherds of the birth of Christ. And in that
way is the tomb of Rachel, that was Joseph's mother, the patriarch;
and she died anon after that she was delivered of her son Benjamin.
And there she was buried of Jacob her husband, and he let set
twelve great stones on her, in token that she had born twelve
children. In the same way, half mile from Jerusalem, appeared the
star to the three kings. In that way also be many churches of
Christian men, by the which men go towards the city of Jerusalem.
CHAPTER X
OF THE PILGRIMAGES IN JERUSALEM, AND OF THE HOLY PLACES THEREABOUT
AFTER, for to speak of Jerusalem the holy city: ye shall
understand, that it stands full fair between hills, and there be no
rivers ne wells, but water cometh by conduit from Hebron. And ye
shall understand, that Jerusalem of old time, unto the time of
Melchisadech, was clept Jebus; and after it was clept Salem, unto
the time of King David, that put these two names together, and
clept it Jebusalem; and after that, King Solomon clept it
Jerosolomye; and after that, men clept it Jerusalem, and so it is
clept yet.
And about Jerusalem is the kingdom of Syria. And there beside is
the land of Palestine, and beside it is Ascalon, and beside that is
the land of Maritaine. But Jerusalem is in the land of Judea, and
it is clept Judea, for that Judas Maccabeus was king of that
country; and it marcheth eastward to the kingdom of Arabia; on the
south side to the land of Egypt; and on the west side to the Great
Sea; on the north side, towards the kingdom of Syria and to the sea
of Cyprus.
