there men fynden first a Chirche of oure Lady, where that sche mette the
monkes, whan thei fledden awey for the vermyn aboveseyd. And more highe
upon that mountayne is the chapelle of Helye the prophete. And that place
thei clepen Oreb, where of Holy Writt spekethe. _Et ambulavit in
fortisudine cibi illius usque ad Montem Oreb_: that is to seyne, _And he
wente in strength of that mete, unto the hille of God, Oreb_. And there
nyghe is the vyne that Seynt John the Evaungeliste planted, that men elepen
reisins, _staphis_. And a lytille aboven is the Chapelle of Moyses, and the
roche where Moyses fleghe to, for drede, when he saughe oure Lord face to
face. And in that roche is prented the forme of his body; for he smot so
strongly and so harde him self in that roche, that alle his body was dolven
with inne, thorghe the myracle of God. And there besyde is the place where
oure Lorde toke to Moyses the 10 commandementes of the lawe. And there is
the cave undre the roche, where Moyses duelte, whan he fasted 40 dayes and
40 nyghtes. And from that mountayne men passen a gret valeye, for to gon to
another mountayne, where Seynt Kateryne was buryed of the aungeles of oure
Lord. And in that valey is a chirche of 40 martyres; and there singen the
monkes of the abbeye often tyme. And that valey is right cold. And aftre
men gon up the mountayne of Seynt Kateryne, that is more highe then the
mount of Moyses. And there, where Seynt Kateryne was buryed, is nouther
chirche ne chapelle, ne other duellynge place: but there is an heep of
stones aboute the place, where the body of hire was put of the aungeles.
There was wont to ben a chapelle: but it was casten downe, and zit lyggen
the stones there. And alle be it that the collect of Seynte Kateryne seye,
that it is the place where oure Lord betaughten the Ten Comandementes to
Moyses, and there where the blessed virgyne Seynte Kateryne was buryed;
that is to undrestonde, in o contree, or in o place berynge o name. For
bothe that on and that othre is clept the Mount of Synay. But there is a
grete weye from that on to that othre, and a gret deep valeye betwene hem.
Of the desert bet wen e the chirche of Seynte Kateryne and Jerusalem. Of
the drie Tre; and how roses cam first in the world.
[Sidenote: Cap. VI.] Now aftre that men had visited tho holy places, thanne
will thei turnen toward Jerusalem. And than wil thei take leve of the
monkes, and recommenden hem to here preyeres. And than thei zeven the
pilgrimes of here vitaylle, for to passe with the desertes, toward Surrye.
And tho desertes duren wel it 13 journeyes. In that desert duellyn manye of
Arrabyenes, that men clepen Bedoynes and Ascopardes. And thei ben folke
fulle of alle evylle condiciouns. And thei have none houses, but tentes;
that thei maken of skynnes of bestes, as of camaylles and of othere bestes,
that thei eten; and there benethe thei couchen hem and duellen, in place,
where thei may fynden watre, as on the Rede See or elles where For in that
desert is fulle gret defaute of watre: and often time it fallethe, that
where men fynden watre at o tyme in a place, it faylethe another tyme. And
for that skylle, thei make none habitaciouns there. Theise folk, that I
speke of, thei tylen not the lond, ne thei laboure noughte; for thei eten
no bred, but zif it be ony that dwellen nyghe a gode toun, that gon thidre
and eten bred som tyme. And thei rosten here flesche and here fische upon
the hote stones azenst the sonne. And thei ben stronge men and wel
fyghtynge. And there is so meche multytude of that folk, that thei ben
withouten nombre. And thei ne recchen of no thing, ne don not, but chacen
afere bestes, to eten hem. And thei recchen no thing of here lif: and
therefore thei dowten not the Sowdan, ne non othre prince; but thei dar wel
werre with hem, zif thei don ony thing that is grevance to hem. And thei
han often tyme werre with the Soudan; and namely, that tyme that I was with
him. And thei beren but o scheld and o spere, with outen other armes. And
thei wrappen here hedes and here necke with a gret quantytee of white
lynnen clothe. And thei ben righte felonouse and foule, and of cursed
kynde.
And whan men passen this desert, in comynge toward Jerusalem, thei comen to
Bersabee, that was wont to ben a fulle fair town and a delytable of
Cristene men: and zit there ben summe of here chirches. In that town
dwelled Abraham the patriark, a long tyme. In that toun of Bersabee,
founded Bersabee the wife of Sire Urye, the knyghte; on the whiche Kyng
David gatt Salomon the wyse, that was king aftre David, upon the 12
kynredes of Jerusalem, and regned 40 zeer. And fro thens gon men to the
cytee of Ebron, that is the montance [Footnote: Amount.] of a gode myle.
And it was clept somtyme the Vale of Mambree, and sumtyme it was clept the
Vale of Teres, because that Adam wepte there, an 100 zeer, for the dethe of
Abelle his sone, that Cayn slowghe. Ebron was wont to ben the princypalle
cytee of Philistyenes; and there duelleden somtyme the geauntz. And that
cytee was also Sacerdotalle, that is to seyne, seyntuarie, of the tribe of
Juda: and it was so fre, that men resceyved there alle manere of fugityfes
of other places, for here evyl dedis. In Ebron, Josue, Calephe, and here
companye comen first to aspyen, how thei myghte wynnen the lond of Beheste.
In Ebron regned first Kyng David, 7 zeer and an half: and in Jerusalem he
regnede 33 zeer and an half. And in Ebron ben alle the sepultures of the
patriarkes, Adam, Abraham, Ysaac, and of Jacob; and of here wyfes, Eve,
Sarre, and Rebekke, and of Lya: the whiche sepultures the Sarazines kepen
fulle curyously, and han the place in gret reverence, for the holy fadres,
the patriarkes, that lyzen there. And thei suffre no Cristene man entre in
to that place, but zif it be of specyalle grace of the Soudan. For thei
holden Cristen men and Jewes as dogges. And thei seyn, that thei scholde
not entre in to so holy place. And men clepen that place, where thei lyzn,
double spelunke, or double cave or double dyche; for als meche as that on
lyethe above that other. And the Sarazines clepen that place in here
langage Karicarba; that is to seyn, the place of patriarkes. And the Jewes
clepen that place Arbothe. And in that same place was Abrahames hous: and
there he satt and he saughe 3 persones, and worschipte but on; as Holy
Writt seyethe, _Tres vidit et unum adoravit_: that is to seyne, _He soughe
3, and worschiped on_: and of tho same resceyved Abraham the aungeles in to
his hous. And righte faste by that place is a cave in the roche, where Adam
and Eve duelleden, whan thei weren putt out of Paradyse; and there goten
thei here children. And in thai same place, was Adam formed and made; aftre
that that sum men seyn. For men werein wont for to clepe that place, the
feld of Damasce; because that it was in the lordschipe of Damask. And fro
thens was he translated in to paradys of delytes, as thei seyn: and aftre
that he was dryven out of Paradys, he was there left. And the same day that
he was putt in Paradys, the same day he was putt autt: for anon he synned.
There begynnethe the Vale of Ebron, that durethe nyghe to Jerusalem. There
the Aungelle commaunded Adam, that he scholde duelle with his wyf Eve: of
the whiche he gatt Sethe; of whiche tribe, that is to seyn, kynrede, Jesu
Crist was born. In that valeye is a feld, where men drawen out of the erthe
a thing, that men clepen cambylle: and thei ete it in stede of spice, and
thei bere it to selle. And men may not make the hole ne the cave, where it
is taken out of the erthe, so depe ne so wyde, but that it is, at the zeres
ende, fulle azen up to the sydes, thorgh the grace of God.
And 2 myle from Ebron is the grave of Lothe, that was Abrahames brother.
And a lytille fro Ebron is the Mount of Mambre, of the whiche the yaleye
takethe his name. And there is a tree of oke, that the Sarazines clepen
dirpe, that is of Abrahames tyme, the whiche men clepen the drye tree. And
thei seye, that it hathe ben there sithe the beginnynge of the world; and
was sumtyme grene, and bare leves, unto the tyme that oure Lord dyede on
the cros; and thanne it dryede; and so dyden alle trees, that weren thanne
in the World. And summe seyn, be here prophecyes, that a Lord, a prynce of
the west syde of the world shalle wynnen the lond of promyssioun, that is
the Holy Lond, withe helpe of Cristene men; and he schalle do synge a masse
undir that drye tree, and than the tree schalle wexen grene and bere bothe
fruyt and leves. And thorghe that myracle manye Sarazines and Jewes schulle
be turned to Cristene feythe. And therfore thei don gret worschipe thereto,
and kepen it fulle besyly; And alle be it so, that it be drye, natheles zit
he berethe gret vertue: for certeynly he that hathe a litille there of upon
him, it helethe him of the fallynge evylle: and his hors schalle not ben a
foundred: and manye othere vertues it hathe: where fore men holden it fulle
precyous.
From Ebron, men gon to Bethelem, in half a day: for it is but 5 myle; and
it is fulle fayre weye, be pleynes and wodes fulle deletable.
CAPVT. 13.
De ciuitate Bethleem, et semita vsque in Ierusalem.
Bethleem Ciuitas longa sed parua, firmata est vndique fossatis fortibus:
cuius modò habitatores quasi omnos sunt Christiani. In illa ad orientem
honesta, et placida habetur Ecclesia: (nescio an aliquam eiusdem
quantitatis viderim placentiorem,) extrinsecus habens turres saltaturas,
pinnacula, et propugnacula nobili artificio fabricata, et intrinsecus 44.
de marmore decoro columnas. Ad principalis autem turris dextram in descensu
16. graduum, est diuersorij locus, vbi ex intacta et benedicta Virgine
nascebatur Christus homo Deus. Hic locus est multùm artificiosè operatus
marmore, et generosè depictus auro et argento, variòque colore, cui propè
ad tres passus est præsepe in quo reclinabatur natus Dominus, ibíque
videtur puteus quidam, in quo aliqui putare volunt cecidisse stellam
ductricem trium Magorum, post eius peractum officium.
Est etiam ante præsepe Domini, tumba beati Interpretis Hieronymi, et extra
Ecclesiam monstratur cathedra, in qua residere solebat. Sub clausura huius
ecclesiæ ad dextram, per 18. gradus apparet fossa, quæ dicitur ossium
innocentium causa Christi ab Herode impio occisorum. Hinc ad quingentos,
vel cítra pedes habetur alia Ecclesia nomine Sancti Nicholai, in quo
scilicet loco, post recessum Magorum beata Virgo tempus sui puerperij
obseruauit. [Sidenote: Taxat simplicitatem vulgi.] Ibíque monstrantur rubra
saxa albis respersa maculis, quòd simpliciores narrant saxis euenisse de
abundantia lactis virginis ab vberibus eiecti. In via Bethleem ab Helya
miliario contra meridianam plagam iuxta viam quæ ducit Ebron, Christiani de
Bethleem colunt circa ciuitatem multam copiam vinearum, ad potum sub
ipsorum. [Sidenote: Saraceni non bibunt vinum in manifesto.] Nam Sarraceni
non colunt vineas, nec vina vendunt neque in manifesto bibunt, eò quòd
liber legis Mahomet, facit super hoc prohibitionem, et interpretatur
maledictionem.
[Sidenote: Sanctæ Charitatis.] De Bethleem in Austrum duabus leucis habetur
claustrum Sanctæ Charitatis, ibidem suo tempore Abbatissæ. A Bethleem
tendendo Ierusalem inuenitur ad dimidiam leucam Ecclesia, in cuius loco
Angelus dixit pastoribus, Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum, quod natus est
nobis Saluatur qui est Christus Dominus. Est et tumba Rachel Patriarchæ,
vbi etiam coaceruata iacent 12. saxa magna, quæ quidam autumant illic
tumulasse Iacob, eò quòd Beniamin duodecimus sibi filius nascebatur ibidem.
Sícque venitur in Sanctam Ciuitatem Ierusalem. [Sidenote: Bethel] Notandum,
Bethel vicus est 12. ab Helya ad dextram euntibus Neapoli, quæ primùm Luza
vocabatur. Sed ex eo tempore quo ibat ad Ieroboam, filium Nebat, vituli
aurei fabricati sunt, et à decem tribubus adorata, vocata est Bethauen, id
est, Domus Idoli, quæ antè vocabatur Domus Dei. Ieronymus. Sed et Ecclesia
ædificata est vbi dormiuit Iacob, pergens Mesopotamiam, vbi et ipsi loco
Bethel, id est, domus Dei nomen imposuit.
CAPVT. 14.
De Ecclesia gloriosi Sepulchri Domini in vrbe Ierusalem.
Ierusalem cum tota terra prommissionis, est quasi vna de quinque prouincijs
vel pluribus, quibus Regnum Syriæ distinguitur. Iungitur autem Iudeæ ad
Orientem Regno Arabiæ, ad meridiem Aegypto, ad Occidentem mari mago, et ad
Aquilonem Rego Syriæ. Iudeæ terra per diuersa tempora à diuersis possessa
fuit nationibus, Cananæorum, Iudæorum, Assyriorum, Persarum, Medorum,
Macedonum, Græcorum, Romanorum, Christianorum, Sarracenorum, Barbarorum,
Turcorum, and Tartarurum. Cuius rei causa meritò potest æstimari, quod non
sustinuit Deus magnos peccatores longo tempore permanere in terra sibi tam
placita, et tam sancta.
[Sidenote: Templum Sepulchri.] Itaque perigrinus veniens in Ierusalem primo
expleat suam peregrinationem, ad reuerendum et sacrosanctum Domini nostri
Iesu Christi sepulchrum: cuius Ecclesia est in vltima ciuitatis
extremitate, ad partem aquilonarem, cum proprio sui ambitus muro ipsi
ciuitati adiuncto. Ipsa verò Ecclesia est pulchra et rotundæ formæ cooperta
desuper cum tegulis plumbeis, habens in Occidente turrim altam et firmam,
in pauimenti Ecclesiæ medio ad figuram dimidij compassi habetur nobili
opere Latonico ædificatum paruum Tabernaculum quasi 15. pedum tam
longitudinis quàm latitudinis, et altitudinis miro artificio intus extràque
compositum, ac multùm diligenter diuersis coloribus ornatum. Hoc itaque in
Tabernaculo seu Capella, ad latus dextrum, continetur incomparabilis
thesaurus gloriosissimi sepulchri, habentis octo pedes longitudinis, et
quinque latitudinis. Et quoniam in toto habitaculo nulla est apertura
præter paruum ostium, illustratur accedentibus peregrinis pluribus
lampadibus, (quarum ad minus vna coram sepulchro iugiter ardere solet)
ingressus.
[Sidenote: Melech Mandybron Soldanus.] Sciendum, quòd ante breue tempus
solebat sepulchrum esse ingressis peregrinis accessibile, ad tangendum et
osculandum, sed quia multi vel effringebant, vel conabantur sibi effringere
aliquid de petra sepulchri, iste Soldanus Melech Mahdybron fecit illud
confabricari, vt nec osculari valeat, nec adiri, sed tantummodo intueri, Et
ob illam causam in sinistro pariete in altitudine quinque pedum immurari
effracturam petræ sepulchri ad quantitatem capitis humani, quod tanquam pro
sepulchro ibi ab omnibus veneratur, tangitur, et osculatur.
Dicitur ibi quoque communiter præfatam lampadem coram sepulchro singulis
annis in die Sanctæ Parascheues, hora nona extingui, et in media nocte
Paschæ sine humano studio reaccendi. [Sidenote: Mandeuillus de hoc
dubitat.] Quod (si ita est) euidens diuini beneficii miraculum est. Et
quamis id plurimi Christiani simpliciter in magno pietatis merito credant,
plerísque tamen est in suspicione. Fortè talia Sarraceni custodes sepulchre
fingentes diuulgauerunt, pro augendo emolumenta tributi, quod inde
resultaret, seu oblationum quæ dantur.
Singulis autem annis in die coenæ Domini in Parascheue, et in vigilia
Paschæ, tribus his diebus manet Tabernaculum hoc apertum continuè, et patet
omnibus Christianis gentibus accessus, aliàs verò non per annum sine
redditione tributi. Intra Ecclesiam, propè parietem dextrum, est Caluariæ
locus, vbi crucifixus pependit Christus Dominus. [Sidenote: Tumba Godefridi
de Bollion.] Per gradus ascenditur in hunc locum, et est rupis velut albi
coloris, cum aliqua rubedine per loca commixta, habens scissuram, quam
dicunt Golgotha, in qua maior pars preciosi sanguinis Christi dicitur
influxisse: vbi et habetur altare constructum, ante quod consistunt tumbæ
Godefridi de Bullion, et aliorum Regum Christianorum, qui circa annum
incarnationis Domini, 1100. debellauerunt et obtinuerunt sanctam vrbem cum
tota patria ex manibus Sarracenorum, et per hoc conquisierunt sibi magnum
nomen, vsque in finem sæculi duraturum. [Sidenote: Psal. 74. 12.] Propè
ipsius crucifixionís locum continetur literis. Græcis hoc scriptum: [Greek:
ho theos basileus hæmon pro aionos eirgasato sotærian en mesoi tæs gæs].
hoc est dicere, Deus Rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem in medio
terræ. Item directè in loco, vbi crux sancta stetit cum Christo rupi
infixa, habetur hoc exaratum in saxo rupis: [Greek: ho horais esi basis tæs
piseos ton kosmon], hoc est, quod vides fundamentum est fidei mundi.
[Sidenote: Iterum taxit ignorantiam vulge. Regina Helena Anglia.] Haud
remotè ab hoc Caluariæ monte, habetur et aliud altare, vbi iacet columna
flagellationis Domini, cui stant de propinque et ali coælumnæ quatuor de
Marmore aquam iugiter resundantes, et (secundum opinionem simplicium)
passionem innocentem Christie deflentes. Est sub isto altari crypta, 42.
granduum profunda, vbi sancta Helena Regina reperit tres cruces, videlicet
Christi, et latronum cum eo crucifixorum, ac etiam clauos crucis Domini in
cryptæ pariete.
In medio autem chori huius Ecciesiæ, est locus pauimenti stratus mirè et
pulchrè, ad integram compassi figuram vbi depositum corpus Christi de cruce
Ioseph ab Aramathia cum suis adiutoribus lauit et condiuit aromatibus. Item
infra Ecclesiam à septentrionali parte ostenditur locus, vbi Christus
Magdalenæ apparuit post suam resurrectionem, quando eum credidit
hortulanum.
[Sidenote: Indorum Capella sive subditorum præsbiteri Ioannis.] A dextro
autem latere ad ingressum Ecclesiæ, habentur gradus 18. sub quibus est
Capella Indorum, vbi soli peregrini de India per sacerdotes suos cantant
iuxta ritum suum Missas, celebràntque diuina. Missam faciunt quidem
breuissimam, conficientes in principio verbis debitis sacramentum corporis
et sanguinis Christi de pane et vino, ac posteà paucis orationibus additis,
totum oratione Dominica concludunt officium. Hoc autem verum est, quod cum
maxima attentione, reuerentia, humilitate et deuotione se gerunt et
continent diuinis.
[Sidenote: An Ierusalem sit in medio mundi.] Porrò illud, quod quidam
peruulgauerunt, aut opinati sunt, Iudæam aut Ierusalem, vel Ecclesiam istam
consistere in medio totius mundi, propter prædictam scripturam, (in medio
terræ) hoc intelligi non potest localiter ad mensuram corporis terræ: Nam
si ad terræ latitudinem, quam æstimant inter duos polos, respiciamus,
certum est Iudæam non esse in medio, quod tunc esset sub circulo æquatoris,
et esset ibi semper æquinoctium, et vtrumque polorum staret iis in
horizonte. Quod vtique non est ita, quod existentibus in Iudæa eleuatur
multùm polus arcticus.
Rursus si ad terræ longitudinem spectemus, quæ æstimari potest à Paradiso
terrestri, scilicet à digniori et latiori terræ loco, versus eius Nadir,
scilicet versus locum sibi in Sphæra terræ oppositum, tunc Iudæa esset ad
Antipodes paradisi, quod apparet ita non esse, quod tunc esset viatori de
Iudæa ad Paradisum tendentis æqua itineris mensura, siue tenderet versus
Orientem, siue versus Occidentem. Sed hoc non est verisimile nec verum,
sicut probatum constat per experientiam multorum. Mihi autem videtur, quod
præfata Prophetæ scriptura, potest exponi, in medio terræ, id est, circa
medium nostri habitabilis, videlicet vt Iudæa sit circa medium inter
Paradisum et Antipodes Paradisi, distans tantum ab ipso Paradiso in oriente
96. gradibus, prout ego ipse per viam orientalem tentaui; quanquam de hoc
non videtur de facili plena certitudo haberi; eo quòd in longitudine coeli
nullæ stellæ manent immobiles, sicut in latitudine manent poli sempèr fixi.
Vel potest ita exponi, quòd Dauid qui erat Rex Iudæa, dixit in medio terræ,
hoc est, in principali ciuitate terræ suæ Ierusalem, quæ erat ciuitas
regalis, siue sacerdotalis terræ Iudeæ: vel fortè spiritus sanctus, qui
loquebatur per os prophetæ in hoc verbo vult intelligi non corporeum aut
locale, sed totum spirituale, de quo intuitu nihil ad præsens est
scribendum,
CAPVT. 15.
De tribus alijs Ecclesijs, et specialiter de templo Domini.
Vltrà duo stadia ab Ecclesia ad Meridiem sancti sepulchri habetur magnum
hospitale sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani, qui caput et fundamentum esse
dignoscitur ordinis hospitaliorum modò tententium Rhodum insulam: in quo
recipi possunt omnes Christiani perigrini cuiuscunque sint conditionis, seu
status, vel dignitatis. Nam Sarraceni pro leui cura anxij rumoris,
prohibent ne apud quenquam suorum Christianus pernoctet. Ad sustentationem
ædificij huius hospitalis, habentur in eo 124. columnæ marmoreæ, et in
parietibus distincti 54. pilarij. Satis propè hunc locum in orientem, est
Ecclesia quæ dicitur, de Domina nostra magna: et indè non remotè alia, quæ
dicitur nostræ Dominæ latinorum, ædificata super locum, vbi Maria
Magdalene, et Maria Cleophæ cum alijs pluribus, dum Christus cruci
affigebatur, flebant et dolores lamentabiles exercebant.
Item ab Ecclesia Sancti Sepulchri in orientem ad stadium cum dimidio
habetur ædificium mirabile, ac pulchrum valdè, quod templum Domini
nominatur, quod constructum est in forma rotunda, cuius circumferentiæ
diameter habet 64 cubitos, et altitudo eius 126, et intrinsecus pro
sustentatione ædificij, multi pilarij. In medio autem templi est locus
altior 14. gradibus, qui et ipse columnis vndíque est stipatus: et secundum
quatuor mundi plagas habet templum quatuor introitus per portas Cypressinas
artificiosè compositas, nobiliterque sculptas, et excisas. Et ante portam
aquilonarem intra templum fontem aquæ mundæ, qui quamuis olim exundabat,
tamen nunc minimè fluit. In toto circuitu ædificij extrinsecus est valdè
pro atrio latum spacium loci, stratum per totum pauimentum marmoribus. Hoc
templum non ducitur stare in eodem loco vbi templum Dei stetit in tempore
Christi, quo post resurrectionem a Romanis destructo, istud longo post
tempore Adrianus Imperator extruxit, sed non ad formam templi prioris:
prædictum tamen excelsum in medio templi locum vocant Iudæi sanctum
sanctorum.
Sciatis itàque quòd Sarraceni magnam exhibent huic templo reuerentiam, et
honorem sæpius illud discalceati intrantes, et positis genibus deuotè Deum
omnipotentem exorantes, nulla enim ibidem habetur imago, sed multæ lampades
relucentes. [Sidenote: Literæ Soldani traditæ Mandiuillo.] Neminem
Christianorum seu Iudæorum ingredi sinun, templum, reputantes eos indignos
ad hoc, et nimium immundos, vndè nisi virtute literarum quas habui a
Soldano, nec ego fuissem ingressus. Ingrediens autem cum meis sodalibus
deposuimus calciamenta, recogitantes cum multa cordis deuotione, nos magis
id facere debere, quàm incredulos Sarrcenos.
Et verè meritò est iste locus in magna reuerentia habendus: dum enim Rex
Salomon primum in illo templo per Dei iussionem, et Dauidis patris sui
commissionem ædificasset, exorauit præsente cuncto populo Israel, vt
quicúnque illic Deum pro iusta causa rogaret audiretur; et Dominus
monstrauit exauditionis signum per nebulam de coelo emissam, proùt narrat
historia veritatis 3. Regum libro.
Porrò in eo loco vbi statuerat idem Rex ante templum altare holocausti,
videlicet extra portam templi occidentalem, habetur et nunc altare, sed non
ad instar, nec ad vsum primi: Nam Saraceni, quasi nihil curantes, traxerunt
in eo lineos tanquam in astrolabio figentes in linearum centro batellum, ad
cuius vmbram per lineas discernuntur diei horae.
Etiam in hac atrij parte apparent adhuc vestigia portæ speciosæ, vbi Petrus
Apostolus, cum Euangelista Ioanne dixit contracto, In nomine Christi Iesu
Nazareni surge, et statim consolidabantur illi plantæ.
CAPVT. 16.
De pluribus locis sacris iuxta vrbem.
[Sidenote: Templarij à templo Salomonis dicti.] Viaturo ad dextram satis de
propinquo habetur et alia Ecclesia, quæ nunc appellatur schola Salomonis:
rursusque ad Meridiem est et aliud templum siue Ecclesia, quæ vocatur
Templum Salomonis, quòd olim fuit caput, et fundamentum totius ordinis
Templariorum.
[Sidenote: Regina Helena Angla.] A claustro huius templi extrinsecus in
Aquilonem habetur decora Ecclesia beatæ Annæ, in cuius loco creditur virgo
Maria in eiusdem matris suæ vtero fuisse genita, et concepta, parentunque
illius, scilicet, Ioachim et Annæ, tumba saxea monstratur in descensu
Ecclesiæ, per 22. gradus, vbi et adhuc patris eius ossa putantur quiescere,
sublato inde per reginam Helenam korpore sanctæ Annæ, et recondito (vt
prædictum est) in Ecclesia Constantinopoli sanctæ Sophiæ.
[Sidenote: Probatica piscina.] Est et intra hanc Ecclesiam probatica
piscina, vbi quondam post motionem Angeli, omnes accedentes primi, a
quocúnque languore sanabantur infirmi, quæ tamen nunc temporis ita neglecta
iacet, et deformata, vt videtur immunda cistrina. Habetur et ante Ecclesiam
arbor grandis, et antiqua, de qua nonnulli fabulantur, quod ad beatæ Mariæ
natiuitatem principium accepit, et ortum.