There is a piece of Christ's crown in a vessel of crystal in the king's chapel at Paris, and one of the nails of His hands or His feet, and the head of the spear that was thrust into His side, and many other relics there also given to the king of France by the Jews. And though some men say that the crown was of thorns, this is not true, but it is certain that it was of rushes that grow near the sea, and that they are so sharp that they will prick even as thorns do. And I myself saw it, and often handled the piece of the crown that is in Paris and the piece that is at Constantinople, and they are of hard white rushes, as we have said, which grow near the sea, (and were) divided by men amongst them at a certain time. And the piece in Paris which I have seen is the head of a white rush, and 'tis like a thorn which broke by the movement of the vessel in which it lies, when displayed to lords and honourable men who come to see it. And I myself asked for it together with graces, and thus I obtained it, and it is certain that it was the head of a rush,