Origin of the military order of the temple. In the times of Heraclius, the Koman emperor, the princes of Arabia prevailing against him, the kingdom of Jerusalem, with Syria and Egypt, fell into the hands of the Saracens. At which time, numbers resorted to the holy places, notwithstanding they were possessed by the enemies of the Christian faith, some for devotion, and others for traffic. Among them, certain men from Italy, who inhabited the town of Amalfi, not far from the famous city of Salerno, were wont, for the sake of gain, to bring in their vessels certain foreign Avares, which before Avere not to be had in the East, to Alexandria, Avhich i s the chief city of Egypt. By Avhich, having gained the entire favour, as well of the king as of his princes, they were at liberty, as dealers in useful commodities, to go round that whole region with their goods. It happened, therefore, that being Christians, as often as an opportunity presented itself, they visited the venerable places of the holy city for the sake of prayer and devotion. But not having in that city a certain dwelling, wherein they might make the necessary stay, they made application to the caliph of Egypt, and, by their petitions, obtained his full favour. The caliph, therefore, Avrote to the governor of Jerusalem letters patent, to the effect that the men of Amalfi, who brought useful commodities into his dominions, might, in accordance Avith their desire, have a place allotted in Jerusalem, in that part Avhere the Christians resided, sufficiently large for the erection of such a dwelling as they might chose. A fit spot Avas accordingly allotted them in front of the doors of the church of our Lord's resurrection, about a stone's throAV from it, Avhere they built a monastery in honour of Mary the blessed mother of God, with other offices suitable to monks, and serviceable for the entertainment of strangers of their own nation. Which being done, they bring thither monks and an abbat from their own country, and establish the place in due form, rendering it pleasing to the Lord by their holy conversation ; and as the men who had founded the place Avere Latins, so to this day it is called the Latin monastery. There Avere, moreover, added to the same place, holy and chaste Avidows, on whose arrival, an oratory in honour of the pious sinner, Mary Magdalen, was established, apart from the men