And There Near, Is The Place Where That Our Lord Rested Him When He Was Weary For Bearing Of The Cross.

And ye shall understand that before the church of the sepulchre is the city more feeble than in any other part, for the great plain that is between the church and the city.

And toward the east side, without the walls of the city, is the vale of Jehosaphat that toucheth to the walls as though it were a large ditch. And above that vale of Jehosaphat, out of the city, is the church of Saint Stephen where he was stoned to death. And there beside, is the Golden Gate, that may not be opened, by the which gate our Lord entered on Palm-Sunday upon an ass: and the gate opened against him when he would go unto the temple; and yet appear the steps of the ass's feet in three places of the degrees that be of full hard stone.

And before the church of Saint Sepulchre, toward the south, at 200 paces, is the great hospital of Saint John, of which the hospitallers had their foundation. And within the palace of the sick men of that hospital be 124 pillars of stone. And in the walls of the house, without the number above-said, there be fifty- four pillars that bear up the house. And from that hospital to go toward the east is a full fair church, that is clept NOTRE DAME LA GRANDE. And then is there another church right nigh, that is clept NOTRE DAME DE LATINE. And there were Mary Cleophas and Mary Magdalene, and tore their hair when our Lord was pained in the cross.

CHAPTER XI

OF THE TEMPLE OF OUR LORD. OF THE CRUELTY OF KING HEROD. OF THE MOUNT SION. OF PROBATICA PISCINA; AND OF NATATORIUM SILOE

AND from the church of the sepulchre, toward the east, at eight score paces, is TEMPLUM DOMINI. It is right a fair house, and it is all round and high, and covered with lead. And it is well paved with white marble. But the Saracens will not suffer no Christian man ne Jews to come therein, for they say that none so foul sinful men should not come in so holy place: but I came in there and in other places there I would, for I had letters of the soldan with his great seal, and commonly other men have but his signet. In the which letters he commanded, of his special grace, to all his subjects, to let me see all the places, and to inform me pleinly all the mysteries of every place, and to conduct me from city to city, if it were need, and buxomly to receive me and my company, and for to obey to all my requests reasonable if they were not greatly against the royal power and dignity of the soldan or of his law. And to others, that ask him grace, such as have served him, he ne giveth not but his signet, the which they make to be borne before them hanging on a spear.

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