] the carouan hauing abode within the citie of mecca fiue dayes, the night before the euening of their feast, the captaine with all his company setteth forward towards the mountaine of pardons, which they call in the arabian tongue, iabel arafata. this mountaine is distant from mecca 15. miles, and in the mid way thereto is a place called mina, that is to say, the hauen, and a litle from thence are 4. great pillars, of which hereafter we will speake. now first touching the mountaine of pardons, which is rather to be called a litle hill, then a mountain, for that it is low, litle, delightful and pleasant, containing in circuit two miles, and enuironed round about with the goodliest plaine that euer with mans eie could be seen, and the plaine likewise compassed with exceeding high mountains, in such sort that this is one of the goodliest situations in the world: and it seemeth verily, that nature hath therein shewed all her cunning, in making this place vnder the mountaine of pardons so broad and pleasant. vpon the side towards mecca there are many pipes of water cleare, faire, and fresh, and aboue all most wholesome, falling down into certaine vessels made of purpose, where the people refresh and wash themselues, and water their cattel. and when adam and euah were cast out of paradise by the angel of the lord, the mahumetans say, they came to inhabite this litle mountaine of pardons. also they say, that they had lost one another, and were separated for the space of 40. yeeres, and in the end met at this place with great ioy and gladnesse, and builded a litle house vpon the top of this mountaine, the which at this day they call beyt adam, that is to say, the house of adam. of the three carouans. the same day that the carouan of cairo commeth to this place, hither come 2. carouans also, one of damasco, the other of arabia, and in like maner all the inhabitants for ten dayes iourney round about, so that at one time there is to be seene aboue 200000. persons, and more then 300000. cattell. now all this company meeting together in this place the night before the feast, the three hostes cast themselues into a triangle, setting the mountaine in the midst of them: and all that night there is nothing to be heard nor seene, but gunshot and fireworkes of sundry sortes, with such singing, sounding, shouting, halowing, rumors, feasting, and triumphing, as is wonderfull. after this, the day of the feast being come, they are all at rest and silence, and that day they attend on no other thing, then to sacrifice oblations and prayers vnto god, and in the euening all they which haue horses mount thereon, and approch as nigh vnto the mountaine as they can, and those which haue no horses make the best shift they can on foote, giuing euer vnto the captaine of cairo the chiefe place, the second to the captaine of damasco, and the third to the captaine of arabia, and being all approched as is abouesayd, there commeth a square squire, one of the santones, mounted on a camell well furnished, who at the other side of the mountain ascendeth fiue steps into a pulpit made for that purpose, and all being silent, turning his face towards the people he maketh a short sermon of the tenour folowing. the summe of the santones sermon. the summe of this double doctors sermon is thus much in briefe. he sheweth them how many and how great benefits god hath giuen to the mahumetan people by the hand of his beloued friend and prophet mahomet, hauing deliuered them from the seruitude of sinne and from idolatry, in which before time they were drowned, and how he gaue vnto them the house of abraham wherein they should be heard, and likewise the mountaine of pardons, by meanes whereof they might obtaine grace and remission of their sinnes: adding, that the mercifull god, who is a liberall giuer of all good things, commaunded his secretarie abraham to build him an house in mecca, where his successours might make their prayers vnto him and bee heard, at which time all the mountains in the world came together thither with sufficiencie of stones for building hereof, except that litle and low hill, which for pouertie could not go to discharge this debt, for the which it became sorrowful, weeping beyond all measure for the space of thirtie yeeres, at the ende whereof the eternall god hauing pitie and compassion vpon this poore mountaine, saide vnto it: weepe no more (my daughter) for thy bitter plaints haue ascended vp into mine eares, therefore comfort thy selfe: for i will cause all those that shall goe to visite the house of my friend abraham, that they shall not be absolued from their sinnes, vnlesse they first come to doe thee reuerence, and to keepe in this place their holiest feast. and this i haue commanded vnto my people by the mouth of my friend and prophet mahumet. this said, he exhorteth them vnto the loue of god, and to prayer and almes. the sermon being done at the sunne-setting they make 3. prayers, namely the first for the serifo, the second for the grand signior with his hoste, and the third for all the people: to which prayers all with one voice cry saying; amni ia alla, amni ia alla, that is to say, be it so lord, be it so lord. thus hauing had the santones blessing and saluted the mountaine of pardons, they returne the way they came vnto mina, whereof wee haue made mention. in returning at the end of the plaine are the abouesaid 4. pillers, to wit, two on ech side of the way, through the midst whereof they say it is needfull that euery one passe, saying, that who so passeth without looseth all that merit which in his pilgrimage he had gotten. also from the mountaine of pardons vntill they be passed the said pillers none dare looke backward, for feare least the sinnes which he hath left in the mountains returne to him againe. being past these pillers eueryone lighteth downe, seeking in this sandy field 50. or 60. litle stones, which being gathered and bound in an hankerchiffe they carry to the abouesaid place of mina, where they stay 5. dayes, because at that time there is a faire free and franke of al custome. and in this place are other 3. pillers, not together, but set in diuers places, where (as their prophet saith) were the three apparitions which the diuel made vnto abraham, and to ismael his sonne; for amongst them they make no mention of isaac, as if he had neuer bene borne. so they say, that the blessed god hauing commanded abraham his faithfull seruant to sacrifice his first begotten ismael, the old abraham went to do according to gods wil, and met with the infernall enemie in the shape of a man, and being of him demanded whither he went, he answered, that he went to sacrifice his sonne ismael, as god had commanded him. against whom the diuel exclaiming said: oh doting old man, sith god in thine old age hath marueilously giuen thee this son (in whom all nations shalbe blessed) wherefore giuing credite vnto vaine dreames, wilt thou kill him whom so much thou hast desired, and so intirely loued. but abraham shaking him off proceeded on his way, whereupon the diuel seeing his words could not preuaile with the father attempted the sonne, saying; ismael, haue regard vnto thyselfe betimes in this thing which is so dangerous. wherefore? answered the childe. because (saith the diuel) thy doting father seeketh to take away thy life. for what occasion, said ismael? because (saith the enemie) he saith, that god hath commanded him. which ismael hearing hee tooke vp stones and threw at him, saying, auzu billahi minal scia itanil ragini, which is to say, i defend me with god from the diuel the offender, as who would say, wee ought to obey the commandement of god and resist the diuel with al our force. but to returne to our purpose, the pilgrimes during their abode there goe to visite these three pillers, throwing away the little stones which before they gathered, whiles they repeat the same words which they say, that ismael said to the diuell, when he withstoode him. from hence halfe a mile is a mountaine, whither abraham went to sacrifice his sonne, as is abouesaid. in this mountaine is a great den whither the pilgrims resort to make their prayers, and there is a great stone naturally separated in the midst; and they say, that ismael, while his father abraham was busie about the sacrifice, tooke the knife in hand to prooue how it would cut, and making triall diuided the stone in two parts. the fiue dayes being expired, the captaine ariseth with all the carouan, and returneth againe to mecca, where they remaine other fiue dayes. and while these rest, we will treat of the city and port of grida vpon the red sea. of grida. [grida a port neere mecca.] therefore wee say that from mecca to grida they make two small dayes iourney: and because in those places it is ill traueiling in the day-time by reason of the great heat of the sunne, therefore they depart in the euening from mecca, and in the morning before sunne-rising they are arriued halfe way, where there certaine habitations well furnished, and good innes to lodge in, but especially women ynough which voluntarily bestowe their almes vpon the poore pilgrims: likewise departing the next euening, the morning after, they come vnto grida. this citie is founded vpon the red sea banke, enuironed with wals and towers to the land-ward, but through continuance of time almost consumed and wasted: on the side to seaward it stands vnwalled. grida hath three gates, one on eche side, and the thirde in the midst towarde the lande, which is called the port of mecca, neere vnto which are 6