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. In Jerusalem was wont to be a patriarch; and
archbishops and bishops about in the country. About Jerusalem be
these cities: Hebron, at seven mile; Jericho, at six mile;
Beersheba, at eight mile; Ascalon, at seventeen mile; Jaffa, at
sixteen mile; Ramath, at three mile; and Bethlehem, at two mile.
And a two mile from Bethlehem, toward the south, is the Church of
St. Karitot, that was abbot there, for whom they made much dole
amongst the monks when he should die; and yet they be in mourning
in the wise that they made their lamentation for him the first
time; and it is full great pity to behold.

This country and land of Jerusalem hath been in many divers
nations' hands, and often, therefore, hath the country suffered
much tribulation for the sin of the people that dwell there. For
that country hath been in the hands of all nations; that is to say,
of Jews, of Canaanites, Assyrians, Persians, Medes, Macedonians, of
Greeks, Romans, of Christian men, of Saracens, Barbarians, Turks,
Tartars, and of many other divers nations; for God will not that it
be long in the hands of traitors ne of sinners, be they Christian
or other. And now have the heathen men held that land in their
hands forty year and more; but they shall not hold it long, if God
will.

And ye shall understand, that when men come to Jerusalem, their
first pilgrimage is to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where our