for sale.  Upon the forum itself, opposite this building, was a platform filled with seats made of stone; and from this platform, which was called Gabbatha, Pilate was accustomed to pronounce sentence on great criminals.  The marble staircase ascended by persons going to the governor’s palace led likewise to an uncovered terrace, and it was from this terrace that Pilate gave audience to the priests and Pharisees, when they brought forward their accusations against Jesus.  They all stood before him in the forum, and refused to advance further than the stone seats before mentioned.  A person speaking in a loud tone of voice from the terrace could be easily heard by those in the forum.

Behind Pilate’s palace there were many other terraces, and likewise gardens, and a country house.  The gardens were between the palace of the governor and the dwelling of his wife, Claudia Procles.  A large moat separated these buildings from the mountain on which the Temple stood, and on this side might be seen the houses inhabited by those who served in the Temple.  The palace of Herod the elder was placed on the eastern side of Pilate’s palace; and it was in its inner court that numbers of the Innocents were massacred.  At present the appearance of these two buildings is a little altered, as their entrances are changed.  Four of the principal streets commenced at this part of the town, and ran in a southerly direction, three leading to the forum and Pilate’s palace, and the fourth to the gate through which persons passed on their way to Bethsur.  The beautiful house which belonged to Lazarus, and likewise that of Martha, were in a prominent part of this street.

One of these streets was very near to the Temple, and began at the gate which was called Probatica.  The pool of Probatica was close to this gate on the right hand side, and in this pool the sheep were washed for the first time, before being taken to the Temple; while the second and more solemn washing took place in the pool of Bethsaida, which is near the south entrance to the Temple.  The second of the above-mentioned streets contained a house belonging to St. Anna, the mother of the Blessed Virgin, which she usually inhabited when she came up to Jerusalem with her family to offer sacrifice in the Temple.  I believe it was in this house that the espousals of St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin were celebrated.

The forum, as I have already explained, was built on higher ground than the neighbouring streets, and the aqueducts which ran through these streets flowed into the Probatica pool.  On Mount Sion, directly opposite to the old castle of King David, stood a building very similar to the forum, while to the south-east might be seen the Cenacle, and a little towards the north the tribunals of Annas and Caiphas.  King David’s castle was a deserted fortress, filled with courts, empty rooms, and stables, generally let to travellers.  It had long been in this state of ruin, certainly before the time of our Lord’s nativity.  I saw the Magi with their numerous retinue enter it before going into Jerusalem.