The forme of the Quiere wherein it standeth, is like unto that auncient Rotundo in Rome, but a great deale higher and larger, having two gorgeous Galleries; one above another, and adorned with magnificent Columnes being open at the top, with a large round; which yeeldeth to the heavens the prospect of that most sacred place.
In which second Gallery we strangers reposed all these three nights we remained there: whence we had the full prospect of all the spacious Church, and all the Orientall people were there at this great feast of Easter day, being about 6000. persons: from this curious carved Chappell [VI. 267.]we returned through the Church to Mount Calvary; To which we ascended by twenty one steps, eighteene of them were of Marble, and three of Cedar-wood: where, The beauty of Mount Calvary.when we came I saw a most glorious & magnifick roome, whose covert was supported all about with rich columnes of the Porphyre stone, and the oversilings loaden with Mosaick worke, & overgilded with gold, the floore being curiously indented with intermingled Alabaster and black shining Parangone: On my left hand I saw a platformd rocke, all covered with thicke and ingraven boords of silver; and in it a hole of a cubits deepe, in which (say they) the Crosse stood whereon our Saviour was crucified: And on every side thereof a hole for the good & bad theeves, were then put to death with him. Discending from Mount Calvarie, we came to the Tombe of Godfrey du Bulloine, who was the first proclaimed Christian King of Jerusalem, and refused to be crowned there, saying; It was not decent, the Servants head should be crowned with gold, where the Maisters head had beene crowned with thornes; having this Inscription ingraven on the one side:
Two famous Sepulchers.Hic jacet inclytus Godfridus de Bullion, quitotam hanc terram acquisivit cultui divino, cujus anima requiescat in pace.
And over against it, is the Tombe of King Baldwine his brother, which hath these Verses in golden Letters curiously indented.
Rex Baldevinus, Judas alter Machabeus
Spes patriæ, Vigor Ecclesiæ, Virtus, utriusque;
Quem formidabant, cui dona, tributa ferebant.
Cæsar, Ægypti Dan, ac homicida Damascus;
Proh dolor! in modico clauditur hoc Tumulo.
The other things within the Church they shewed us, were these, a Marble Pillar, whereunto (say they) our [VI. 268.]Saviour was bound, when he was whipped, and scourged for our sakes: the place in a low Celler, about fourteene stone degrees under the ground, where the Crosse was hid Where Christ was nailed to the Crosse.by the Jewes, and found againe by S. Helen: the place where Christ was crowned with thornes, which is reserved by the Abasines, and where the Souldiers cast lots for his Garment; the place where he was imprisoned, whiles they were making of his Crosse, and where the Crosse, being laid along upon the ground, our Saviour was nailed fast to it; the Rocke, which (as they say) rent at his crucifying, which is more likely to be done with hammers, and set one peece a foote from another, for the slit lookes, as if it had beene cleft with wedges and beetles. And yet the sacred Scriptures say that it was not a Rocke, but the Temple that did rent in two from the bottome to the top, wherein these silly soule-sunke Friers are meerely blinded, understanding no more than leying traditions; perfiting this their nationall Proverb;