When The Wynde Bloweth From The
Northeast, Then The Sand Riseth And Is Driuen Against A Certayne
Mountayne, Which Is An Arme Of The Mount Sinai.[FN#24] There We Found
Certayne Pyllers Artificially Wrought, Whiche They Call Ianuan.
On the
lefte hande of the sayde mountayne, in the toppe or rydge thereof, is a
denne, and the entrie into it is by an iron gate.
Some fayne that in
that place Mahumet lyued in contemplation. Here we heard a certayne
horrible noyse and crye; for passyng the sayde mountayne, we were in so
great daunger, that we thought neuer to have escaped. Departyng,
therefore, from the fountayne, we continued our journey for the space
of ten dayes, and twyse in the way fought with fyftie thousande
Arabians, and so at the length came to the citie of Mecha, where al
things were troubled by reason of the warres betweene two brethren,
contendyng whiche of them shoulde possesse the kyngedome of Mecha.
CHAPTER XV.—Of the Fourme and Situation of the Citie of Mecha; and why
the Mohumetans resort thyther.
Nowe the tyme requireth to speake somewhat of the famous citie of
Mecha, or Mecca, what it is, howe it is situate, and by whom it is
gouerned. The citie is very fayre and well inhabited, and conteyneth in
rounde fourme syxe thousande houses, as well buylded as ours, and some
that cost three or foure thousande peeces of golde: it hath no walles.
About two furlongs from the citie is a mount, where the way is cutte
out,[FN#25] whiche leadeth to a playne
[p.346] beneath. It is on euery syde fortified with mountains, in the
stead of walles or bulwarkes, and hath foure entries. The Gouernour is
a Soltan, and one of the foure brethern of the progenie of Mahumet, and
is subject to the Soltan of Babylon of whom we haue spoken before. His
other three brethren be at continuall warre with hym. The eighteen daye
of Maye we entered into the citie by the north syde; then, by a
declynyng way, we came into a playne. On the south syde are two
mountaynes, the one very neere the other, distant onely by a little
valley, which is the way that leadeth to the gate of Mecha. On the east
syde is an open place betweene two mountaynes, lyke vnto a
valley,[FN#26] and is the waye to the mountayne where they sacrifice to
the Patriarkes Abraham and Isaac.[FN#27] This mountayne is from the
citie about ten or twelve myles, and of the heyght of three stones
cast: it is of stone as harde as marble, yet no marble.[FN#28] In the
toppe of the mountaine is a temple or Meschita, made after their
fashion, and hath three wayes to enter into it.[FN#29] At the foote of
the mountayne are two cesterns, which conserue waters without
corruption: of these, the one is reserued to minister water to the
camels of the carauana of Babylon or Alcayr; and the other, for them of
Damasco.
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