water, putting it
into that very cup, and gaue it vnto the Iewe, saying vnto him, I in the
name of my Christe haue drunke thy poyson, and therefore in the name of thy
expected Messias drinke this water of mine within thine owne cuppe.
Whereupon the Iewe tooke the cup out of the hand of the Patriarke, and
hauing drunke the water, within halfe an houre burst a sunder. And the
Patriarke had none other hurt, saue that he became somewhat pale in sight,
and so remained euer after. And this miracle (which meriteth to be called
no lesse) was done to the great commendation of the holy Patriarke in the
presence of a thousand persons, and namely of the Soldan of Egypt: who
seeing the despight of the Iewes, vnto their owne cost and confusion
compelled them to make the conduct, which with so many engines commeth into
the castle from Nilus aboue mentioned. And this triumphant Patriarke not
long since was aliue, and in perfect health, which God continue long time.

Of the preparation of the Carouan to goe to Mecca.

As touching the Carouan which goeth to Mecca, it is to be vnderstoode, that
the Mahometans obserue a kinde of lent continuing one whole moone, and
being a moueable ceremonie, which sometimes falleth high, sometimes lowe in
the yeere called in their tongue Ramazan, and their feast is called Bairam.
During this time of lent all they which intende to goe vnto Mecca resort
vnto Cairo, because that twentie dayes after the feast the Carouan is
readie to depart on the voyage: and thither resort a great multitude of
people from Asia, Grecia, and Barbaria to goe on this voyage, some mooued
by deuotion, and some for traffiques sake, and some to passe away the time.
Nowe, within fewe dayes after the feast they which goe on the voyage depart
out of the citie two leagues vnto a place called Birca, where they expect
the Captaine of the Carouan. This place hath a great pond caused by the
inundation of Nilus, and so made that the camels and other beastes may
drinke therein: whereof, namely, of Mules, Camels, and Dromedaries there
are at least fortie thousand, and the persons which followe the Carouan
euerie yeere are about fiftie thousand, fewe more or lesse, according to
the times. Moreouer euery three yeeres they renue the Captaine of the
Carouan, called in the Arabian tongue Amarilla Haggi, that is, the Captaine
of the Pilgrimes, to whom the Grand Signior giueth euery voyage eighteene
purses, conteyning each of them sixe hundred twent