JERUSALEM. 3^9 
century, according to its present situation. Bede chap. 
gives also, from Adamnanus, a similar account ^ 
It is moreover mentioned by John Damascenus, 
who lived about the year 720'. A sepulchre 
was pointed out to TVillihald, twenty years 
afterwards, called the '' Tomb of the Firgin^ in 
the valley, at the foot of Mount Olivet^. Among 
the Greeks, Andrew of Crete, in the eighth cen- 
tury, affirmed that the Firgin lived upon Mount 
Sion, and there died \ It is however presumed, 
by other writers, that she retired with St. John 
to Ephesus. Pococke, upon the authority of 
certain authors whom he has not named, thinks 
it probable that this sepulchre belonged to 
Melisendis, queen of Jerusalem ^. We descended 
to it by a noble flight of fifty marble steps : each 
of these was twenty feet wide. This commodious 
(2) Beda, ex eo, DeZ.oc. Sanct.p. 502. 
(3) See Douhdan {Voy. de la T. S. p. 121; Par. 1657.) Also Quares- 
tnius, who cites the passage, {Elucid. T. S. torn. U. p. 246. Antii. 1639.) 
and candidly states the arguments " contra veritatem Sepitlchri" 
which he is unable, although he endeavours, to refute. 
(4) " Et in ilia vulle est Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae, et in EcclesiA est 
sepulchrum ejus Et ibi orans adscendit in Montem Oiiveii, qui 
est ibi juxta vallem in orientali plagft." Fita S. IVMibaldi, apud 
Malillon. Acta Sanctor. Ord. Benedict. Sac. Z. Pars 2. p. 316. L. Par. 
1672. 
(5) Orat. in Dormit. B. M. Butler's " Lives of the Saints," vol. 
VIII. p. 179. Note (*). 
(6) See " Pococke' s Description of the East," vol. If. Part I. p. 22. 
Land. 1745. 
VOL. IV. A A 
