ue-buz-shotte from Matarea is a spire of great height like to that at
Rome, and more beautifull to beholde. Neere vnto the olde Cairo are yet
twelue storehouses of great antiquitie, but now very much decayed, and
these till late dayes serued to keepe corne for behoofe of the kingdome,
concerning which many are of opinion, that the founder hereof was Ioseph
the sonne of Iacob, for consideration of the seuen deare yeares. [Sidenote:
Olde Thebes.] Also passing higher vp by the banke of Nilus, there is to bee
seene a fayre Citie ouerflowed with water, the which at such time as Nilus
floweth lyeth vnder water, but when the water returneth to the marke, there
plainely appeare princely palaces, and stately pillars, being of some
called Thebes, where they say that Pharao was resident. Moroeuer three
dayes iourney higher vp are two great images of speckled marble, all whole,
and somewhat sunke into the earth, being things wonderfull to consider of,
for the nose of either is two spannes and a halfe long, and the space from
one eare to the other conteineth tenne spannes, the bodies being
correspondent to their heads, and grauen in excellent proportion, so that
they are shapes of maruellous hugenesse, and these they call The wife, and
The daughter of Pharao.

Of the patriarke of Greece.

In Cairo are two Patriarkes, one of the Greekes, and another of the
Iacobites. The Greeke Patriarke called Gioechni, being about the age of one
hundred and thirteene yeeres, was a very good and holy man. They say, that
when Soldan Gauri of Egypt reigned, there was done this miracle following;
this good patriarke being enuied at by the Iewes of the countrey, for none
other cause, but for his good workes, and holy life, it happened (I say)
that being in disputation with certaine of the Hebrewes in presence of the
Sultan, and reasoning of their lawe and faith, it was sayd vnto him by one
of these Miscreants: sith thou beleeuest in the faith of Christ, take and
drinke this potion which I will giue thee; and if thy Christ be true
Messias and true God, he will (sayd he) deliuer thee from daunger. To whom
the auncient patriarke answered, that he was content: whereupon that cursed
Iewe brought him a cuppe of the most venemous and deadly poyson that could
be found, which the holy Patriarke hauing perceiued, said: In the name of
the father, of the sonne, and of the holy Ghost: and hauing so sayde he
dranke it quite vp; which done, he tooke a droppe of pure