The nauigations, peregrinations and voyages, made into Turkie by Nicholas Nicholay Daulphinois, Lord of Arfeuile, chamberlaine and geographer ordinarie to the King of Fraunce conteining sundry singularities which the author hath there seene and obserued: deuided into foure bookes, with threescore figures, naturally set forth as well of men as women, according to the diuersitie of nations, their port, intreatie, apparrell, lawes, religion and maner of liuing, aswel in time of warre as peace: with diuers faire and memorable histories, happened in our time. Translated out of the French by T. Washington the younger.

Of the Pilgrims of Mecqua by the Turks called Hagislars.

Chap. 21.

THe Turkes, Moores, and all other such barbarous nations, liuing vnder the obseruance of the law, & commādement of the false prophet Mahomet, find written in diuers places & pas∣sages of their Alcoram, that God hath promised vnto all Musul∣mans which through deuotion should go to visit the temple of Mecqua by the Arabians called Alcaaba, that he woulde neuer send their soules into perdition. Vpon confidēce of which pro∣mise they will gladly goe on such pilgrimage, leauing vndone al other houshold or common affaires, and foreseeing the diffi∣culty of the voyage, by reason of the long desarts and sandes, whereby they must passe, doe beginne these pilgrimages, some soone, and some later, according to the distaunce of the Coun∣trey, because they wil be at Mecqua against Easter, which they do cal Chucci Bairam. But before they do depart, because their voyage should be the more lucky, they doe aske one another forgiuenesse of their offences. And then the day of their depar∣ture being come, they doe assemble in great companies, taking their way, first towards the city of Damas or of Caire, which the Arabians doe call Alcair where the crewe doth assemble: for they will not depart lightly, except they be at the least thirty or fortie thousand in a companye, with a good number of Ia∣nissaries appoynted for the securitie, conduct, defence and safe∣gard of them, and to take regarde that the same be not pilled and saccaged of the Arabians, which day and night are wat∣ching in the desarts to spoile and take the pilgrims and tra∣uaylers. And besides that, the companye hauing to passe tho∣row so manye desartes, sandye, wythered, vnfruitefull, and lacking of all thinges necessarye for mans sustenance, order is taken for the loding of many Cammels with great prouision of victuals, fodder and water, aswell for the persons, as for the Cammels and other beastes, for that in these sandye and drye

wildernesses no droppe of water is founde but from three dayes to 3. dayes iourney, whiche notwithstanding they must get with force of armes from the Arabians, which keep and de∣fend the same: hauing then thus passed these desarts, and the Pilgrims arriued at Medine Thalnabi, which also hath bin called Tribic, or as others do say Iezrab. They do go vnto the temple and there lay their Alcoram vpon the sepulture of Mahomet. And after that, the houre of seruice being come, the Maizins be¦ginne to cry vppon the towres as their custome is, to call the people together to come vnto their ceremonies, and there re∣mayne in prayer the space of 3. houres, which ended, they re∣paire vnto a mount neere vnto the town called Arafetagi, vpon the which they doe strippe themselues starke naked, and goe to bathe in a riuer neere vnto it, euen to the necke, mumbling out certaine long prayers: which ended, they go out of the wa∣ter to putte on their clothes agayne: and the nexte morning they proceede on their way towardes Mecqua, being 3. small dayes iourney from Medine: where they being come, do enter into the temple to say their prayers. After which they goe tur∣ning seuen times about a fouresquare towre, at euery circuite kissing the edge thereof, from thence they goe vnto a pit of salt water, which they cal Birzenzen, being closed within a Tower, being from the other, ten or twelue pases, pronouncing these wordes. All this be to the honour of God which is most merci∣full, God forgiue me al my sinnes. These wordes being ended, certayne mynisters there appointed to draw the water doe cast vpon the head of euery one of them three small buckets full, without sparing of their clothes. These beastly Mahometistes thinking through such outward washing to be cleansed & pur∣ged of their inward sinnes.

Moreouer, they say, that the tower which they seuen tymes doe goe about, was the first house of prayer whiche Abraham buylded through the commaundement of God. Nowe when they are in this towre well washed and bathed, they goe to doe their sacrifice vppon a mount neere vnto it, presenting for an offering manye sheepe whiche beeyng immolated and sacryficed, they doe distribute amongest the poore for

God his sake. The sacrifice being thus ended, a Sermon is made vnto them by the Cady Muselman, and that beng done, euerye one of them doe goe to cast 2. stones in a place, where they say the Diuel appeared to Abraham when he builded the temple. From thence they returne to Mecqua to say diuers other pray∣ers, desiring God to exalt them as he exalted Abraham to the building of the temple. All these ceremonies being accomply∣shed▪ they depart to goe towardes Ierusalem, which they cal Cu∣zumobarech, & there do visite the holy mount where the tem∣ple of Solomon was, which they holde in great reuerēce. In this place they do celebrate another feast, and there exercise new ce∣remonies. At the departure from the temple of Solomon euery one taketh his way to returne homewards or els where he doth thinke good. And thus they goe in troupes carrying great ban∣ners with a pyke & halfe moone in the top of the staffe, going a∣bout the townes & villages▪ singing the praises of their greate Prophet Mahomet, and asking of almes for the honor of God, & that which is giuen them they do eate altogether, beyng sett downe in the middest of the common place, & after they haue thus eaten with a great hypocrisie and shew of holines, they doe openly make their prayers. The most part of these pilgrim•• (which the Turks call Hagislars) are Moores, clothed poorely i∣nough although that diuers of them doe say to bee descended of the line of Mahomet, as the Emirs aboue mentioned. And of these I haue seen a great number at Constantinople, appar∣relled after the maner, as here I haue represented vnto you in the figure following.

[illustration]

Pilgrim Moores returning from Mecqua.