In The Lower Part Of The Temple (That Is Vnder
The Vaulted Places) Is Seene A Maruelous Multitude Of Men;
For there
are fyue or sixe thousande men that sell none other thyng then sweete
oyntmentes, and especially a certayne
Odoriferous and most sweete
pouder wherewith dead bodyes are embalmed.[FN#35] And hence, all maner
of sweete sauours are carried in maner into the countreys of all the
Mahumetans. It passeth all beleefe to thynke of the exceedyng
sweetnesse of these sauours, farre surmounting the shoppes of the
apothecaries. The 23 daye of Maye the pardones began to be graunted in
the temple, and in what maner we wyll nowe declare. The temple in the
myddest is open without any inclosyng, and in the myddest also thereof
is a turrett of the largnesse of sixe passes in cercuitie,[FN#36] and
inuolued or hanged with cloth or
[p.349] tapestry of sylke[,][FN#37]and passeth not the heyght of a man.
They enter into the turret by a gate of syluer, and is on euery syde
besette with vesselles full of balme. On the day of Pentecost licence
is graunted to al men to se these thynges. The inhabitantes affyrm that
balme or balsame to be part of the treasure of the Soltan that is Lorde
of Mecha. At euery vaulte of the turret is fastened a rounde circle of
iron, lyke to the ryng of a doore.[FN#38] The 22 day of Maye, a great
multitude of people beganne, early in the mornyng before day, seuen
tymes to walke about the turret, kyssing euery corner thereof, often
tymes feelyng and handelyng them. From this turret about tenne or
twelue pases is an other turret, like a chappell buylded after our
maner. This hath three or foure entryes: in the myddest thereof is a
well of threescore and tenne cubites deepe; the water of this well is
infected with salt peter or saltniter.[FN#39] Egypt men are therevnto
appoynted to drawe water for all the people: and when a multitude of
people haue seuen tymes gone rounde about the first turret, they come
to this well, and touchyng the mouth or brym thereof, they saye thus, “Be
it in the honour of God; God pardon me, and forgeue me my synnes.” When
these woordes are sayde, they that drawe the water powre three
buckettes of water on the headdes of euery one of them, and stand neere
about the well, and washe them all wette from the headde to the foote,
although they be apparelled with sylk. Then the dotyng fooles dreame
that they are cleane from all theyr synnes, and that theyr synnes are
forgeuen them. They saye, furthermore, that
[p.350] the fyrst turret, whereof we haue spoken, was the fyrst house
that euer Abraham buylded, and, therefore, whyle they are yet all wette
of the sayd washyng, they go to the mountayne, where (as we have sayde
before) they are accustomed to sacrifice to Abraham.[FN#40] And
remayning there two daies, they make the said sacrifice to Abraham at
the foote of the mountayne.
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