but it was so painful to the child, that it was able to make a man heartily thank God that he is a Christian. And really, if the little child could speak and wish, I believe he would wish himself the greatest curse in the world, and to be a woman rather than a man upon such terms. I saw also a marriage here performed with many Ceremonies.
Returning out of the Jewry by the same Gate I entered, I saw on my left hand, the Palace of Prince Savelli : It’s (built upon the ruins of the Theater of Marcellus, built by Augustus, in honor of his Nephew Marcellus: It was capable of Fourscore Thousand Men.
Passing on, I came to an Ancient Church called Santa Maria in Cosmedin , or in Schola Greca, where St. Austin, before his Conversion, taught Rhetoric. In the porch of this Church stands a great round stone, cut into the face of a man, with a great wide mouth, commonly called, La Bacca detta verita, the mouth of truth, but this not being affirmed by the mouth of truth, I dare not believe it: I rather believe it served in some old Building for a Gutter spout : I know truth may speak loud and have a wide Mouth; but he that takes every wide mouth for the mouth of truth, is much mistaken.
The next Church I came to was Santa Maria Egyptiaca: It was the Temple of the Sun and Jupiter. This Church is neatly adorned with curious chanelled Pillars. It belongs to the Armenians, who have an Hospital also here, belonging to the Catholic Pilgrims of that Country: And the Pope allows them to celebrate Mass here after their own Armenian rite
