THE PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA ad. 



c. 1580. 

 some are of marble, and others of lime and stone. This 

 famous and sumptuous Mosquita hath 99. gates, and 5. 

 steeples, from whence the Talismani call the people to 

 the Mosquita. And the pilgrimes which are not pro- 

 vided of tents, resort hither, and for more devotion the 

 men and women lie together aloft and beneath, one upon 

 another, so that their house of praier becommeth worse 

 sometimes then a den of thieves. 



Of the house of Abraham. 



THe house of Abraham is also foure square, and made 

 of speckled stone, 20. paces high, and 40 in circuit. 

 And upon one side of this house within the wall, there 

 is a stone of a span long, and halfe a span broad, which 

 stone (as they say) before this house was builded, fell 

 downe from heaven, at the fall whereof was heard a 

 voyce, that wheresoever this stone fell, there should be 

 built the house of God, wherein God will heare sinners. 

 Moreover, they say that when this stone fell from heaven, 

 it was not blacke as now, but as white as the whitest 

 snow, and by reason it hath bene so oft kissed by sinners, 

 it is therewith become blacke : for all the pilgrimes are 

 bound to kisse this stone, otherwise they cary their sinnes 

 home with them again. The entrance into this house is 

 very small, made in maner of a window, and as high from 

 the ground as a man can reach, so that it is painful to 

 enter. This house hath without 3 1 . pillars of brasse, set 

 upon cubike or square stones being red and greene, the 

 which pillars sustaine not ought els save a threed of 

 copper, which reacheth from one to another, whereunto 

 are fastened many burning lampes. These pillars of 

 brasse were caused to be made by Sultan Soliman grand- 

 father to Sultan Amurath now Emperor. After this, 

 having entred with the difficultie abovesayd, there stand 

 at the entrance two pillars of marble, to wit, on each side 

 one. In the midst there are three of Aloes-wood not 

 very thicke, and covered with tiles of India of 1000. 

 colours which serve to underproppe the Terratza. It is 

 V 353 2 



