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 given to the Mahumetan people by the
hand of his beloved friend and prophet Mahomet, having
delivered them from the servitude of sinne & from idolatry,
in which before time they were drowned, and how he
gave unto 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 giver of all good things, commaunded his
secretarie Abraham to build him an house in Mecca
,
where his successours might make their prayers unto
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 povertie could not go to discharge this debt, for the
which it became sorrowfull, weeping beyond all measure
for the space of thirtie yeeres, at the ende whereof the
eternall God having pitie and compassion upon this poore
Mountaine, saide unto it: Weepe no more (my daughter)
for thy bitter plaints have ascended up 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 absolved from their sinnes, unlesse they
first come to doe thee reverence, and to keepe in this
place their holiest feast. And this I have commanded
unto my people by the mouth of my friend and prophet
Mahumet. This said, he exhorteth them unto the love
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 voyce cry saying; Amni Ja Alla,
Amni Ja Alla, that is to say, Be it so Lord, be it so Lord.
Thus having had the Santones blessing and saluted the
Mountaine of pardons, they returne the way they came
unto Mina
, whereof wee have made mention. In returning at the end of the plaine are the abovesaid 4. pillers,
to wit, two on ech side of the way, through the midst
whereof they say it is needfull that every 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 until 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 every one lighteth
downe, seeking in this sandy field 50. or 60. litle stones,
which being gathered, and bound in an handkerchiffe
they carry to the abovesaid 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 divers places, where
(as their prophet saith) were the three apparitions which
the divel made unto Abraham, and to Ismael his sonne;
for amongst them they make no mention of Isaac, as if
he had never bene borne. So they say, that the blessed
God having commanded Abraham his faithfull servant to
sacrifice his first begotten Ismael, the old Abraham went
to do according to Gods wil, and met with the infernal
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 divel exclaiming said: Oh doting old man, sith
God in thine old age hath marveilously given thee this
son (in whom all nations shalbe blessed) wherefore giving
credite unto vaine dreames, wilt thou kill him whom so
much thou hast desired, and so intirely loved. But
Abraham shaking him off proceeded on his way, whereupon the divel seeing his words could not prevaile with
the father attempted the sonne, saying; Ismael, have
regard unto thy selfe betimes in this thing which is so
dangerous. Wherefore? answered ye childe. Because
(saith the divel) 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 up stones and
threw at him, saying, Auzu billahi minal scia itanil ragini,
which is to say, I defend me with God from the divel the
offender, as who would say, wee ought to obey the commandement of God and resist the divel with al our force.
But to returne to our purpose, the pilgrimes during their
aboad 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 divell, when hee withstoode him. From hence
halfe a mile is a mountaine, whither Abraham went to
sacrifice his sonne, as is abovesaid. 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 proove how it would cut, and making triall
divided the stone into two parts. The five dayes being
expired, the captaine ariseth with all the Carovan, and
returneth againe to Mecca
, where they remaine other five
dayes. And while these rest, we will treat of the city
and port of Grida upon the
Red Sea.
