This one had been erected by the Knights of Saint John, who, united with the Templars, had aided King James in the conquest of Valencia.
Upon crossing the covered passageway leading from the street to the inner court, he was accustomed to salute the Virgin of the Conquest, an image of rough stone in faded colors and dull gold, seated on a bench, brought thither by the knights of the military order.

Some sour orange trees spread their branching verdure over the walls of the church,--a blackened, rough stone edifice perforated with long, narrow, window-like niches now closed with mud plaster.

From the salient buttresses of its reinforcements jutted forth, in the highest parts, great fabled monsters of weather-beaten, crumbling stone.
In its only nave was now left very little of this romantic exterior.
The baroque taste of the seventeenth century had hidden the Gothic arch under another semi-circular one, besides covering the walls with a coat of whitewash.

But the medieval reredos, the nobiliary coats of arms, and the tombs of the Knights of Saint John with their Gothic inscriptions still survived the profane restoration, and that in itself was enough to keep up the notary's enthusiasm.
Moreover the quality of the faithful who attended its services had to be taken into consideration.

They were few but select, always the same.
Some of them would drop into their places, gouty and relaxed, supported by an old servant wearing a shabby lace mantilla as though she were the housekeeper.