kled stone, 20.
paces high, and 40 in circuit. And vpon 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 heauen, at the
fall whereof was heard a voyce, that wheresoeuer this stone fell, there
should be built the house of God, wherein God will heare sinners. Moreouer,
they say that when this stone fell from heauen, 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 31. pillars of brasse, set vpon cubike or square
stones being red and greene, the which pillars sustaine not ought els saue
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 grandfather to Sultan Amurath now Emperor. After
this, hauing entred with the difficultie abouesayd, 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 couered with tiles of
India 1000. colours which serue to vnderproppe the Terratza. It is so
darke, that they can hardly see within for want of light, not without an
euill smell. Without the gate fiue pases is the abouesayd pond Zun Zun,
which is that blessed pond that the angell of the Lord shewed vnto Agar
whiles she went seeking water for her sonne Ismael to drinke.

Of the ceremonies of the pilgrimes.

In the beginning we haue sayd how the Mahumetans haue two feasts in the
yeere. The one they call Pascha di Ramazaco, that is to say, The feast of
fasting, and this feast of fasting is holden thirtie dayes after the feast,
wherein the Carouan trauelleth to Mecca. The other is called the feast of
the Ramme, wherin all they which are of abilitie are bound to sacrifice a
Ramme, and this they call Bine Bairam, that is to say, The great feast. And
as the Carouan departeth from Cairo, thirtie dayes after the little feast,
so likewise they come hither fiue or sixe dayes before the great feast, to
the ende the pilgrimes may haue time before the feast to finis