Mandeville's travels : the Egerton version / from the edition by George F. Warner.

CHAPTER XXX

[Of the ryalle estate of Prestre John and of a riche man that made a merueyllous castelle and cleped it Paradys; and of his sotyltee.]

THIS emperour Prestre Iohn has many diuerse cuntreez vnder his empire, in þe whilk er many noble citeez and faire tounes and many iles grete and large. For þis land of Inde es departed in iles by cause of þe grete fludez þat commez oute of Paradys and rynnez thurgh his land and departez it. And also in þe see he has many grete iles. Þe principal citee of þe ile of Pentoxore es called Nise; and þare es þe emperour see, and þerfore it es a noble citee and a riche. Prestre Iohn has vnder him many kynges and many diuerse folk; and his land es gude and riche, bot noȝt so riche as þe land of þe Grete Caan of Cathay. For marchands commez noȝt so mykill to þat land as to þe land of Cathay, for it ware to lang way. And also [folio 111b] marchandes may fynd in þe ile of Cathay all þat þai hafe nede of, as spicery, clathes of gold, and oþer riche thinges; and þai lette also for to ga þider by cause of lang way and grete periles in þe see. 1 For þer er in many placez in þe see grete roches of þe stane þat es called Adamaunt, þe whilk of his awen kynde drawez to him yrne; and, for þer schuld passe na schippes þat had nayles of yrne þare away by cause of þe forsaid stane, for he schuld drawe þam till him, þarfore þai dare noȝt wende þider. Þe schippes of þat cuntree er all made of wode and nane yrne. I was ane tyme in þat see, and I sawe as it had bene ane ile of treesse and bruschez growand; and þe schippe men talde me þat all þat was of grete schippes þat þe roche of þe adamand had gert dwell þare, and of diuerse thinges þat ware in þe schippez ware þase treesse and þase brusches sprungen. And 2 for þir perils and swilke oþer, and also for þe lang way, þai wende to Cathay. 3 And ȝit Cathay es noȝt so nere þat ne þaim behoues fra Venice or fra Ieen or oþer placez of Lumbardy be in trauaillyng by see and by land xi. monethes or xii. are þai may wynne to þe land of Catay. And ȝit es þe land of Prestre Iohn mykill ferrer by many a day iournee. And marchandes þat wendez þider wendez thurgh þe land of Perse and commez to a citee þat men

callez Hermes, for a philosopher þat men called Hermes foundid it. And þan þai passe ane arme of þe see and [folio 112] commez to anoþer citee þat es called Soboth or Colach; and þare fynd þai all maner of marchandyse, and papeiays als grete plentee as es in oure cuntree of larkes. 1 In þis cuntree es lytill qwheet or barly, and þerfore þai ete milet and rysz, hony and milk and chese and oþer maner of fruytes. 2 And fra þeine may marchandes passe suerly ynogh, if þam list. In þat 3 land er many papeiais, þi whilk þai call in þaire langage Psitakes; and þai speke of þaire awen kynde als properly as a man. And þase þat spekez wele has lang tunges and large, and apon ayther fote fyfe taas; and þai þat spekez noȝt or elles lytill hase bot three taas.

Þis ilk reall kyng Prestre Iohn and þe Grete Caan of Tartary er euermare alyed togyder thurgh mariage; for ayther of þam weddez oþir doghter or oþer sister. In þe land of Prestre Iohn er grete plentee of preciouse stanes of diuerse kyndez, sum of þam so grete and so large þat þai make of þam vessell, as dischez, dublers, coppes, and many oþer thinges þat lang ware to tell.

Now will I speke of sum of þe principall iles of Prestre Iohn land, and of þe realtee of his state and what lawe and belefe he and his pople haldez. Þis emperour Prestre Iohn es a Cristen man, and þe maste party of of his land also, if all it be so þat þai hafe noȝt all þe articles of oure beleue so clerely as we hafe. noȝt forþi þai trowe in Godd, Fader and Son and Haly Gaste; and full deuote men þai er and trewe ilkane til oþer, and [folio 112b] þare es nowþer with þam fraude ne gyle. 4 Þis emperour hase vnder his subieccioun lxxii. prouinces; and in ilk ane of þam es a kyng. And þase kynges hase oþer kynges vnder þaim, and all er þai tributaries to þe emperour Prestre Ionn. In þe land of Prestre Iohn er many meruailes. Bot amanges oþer þare es a grete see all of grauell and sande, and na drope of water þerin. And it ebbez and flowes as þe grete see duse in oþer cuntreez with grete wawes, and neuermare standez still withouten mouyng. Þat see may na man passe, nowþer by schippe ne oþer wyse; and þerfore it es vnknawen till any man whatkyn land or cuntree es on þe toþer syde of þat see. And, þof þer be na water in þat see, neuerþeles þare es grete plentee of gude fischez taken by þe see bankes; and þai er riȝt sauoury in þe mouth, bot þai er of oþer schappe þan fischez er of oþer waters. 5 I Iohn 6 Maundeuill ete of þam, and þarfore trowez it for sikerly it es soth.

And three day iournez fra þat see er grete hilles, oute of þe whilk commez a grete riuer þat commez fra Paradise; and it es full of preciouse stanes, and na drope of water. And it rynnez with grete wawes thurgh wilderness in to þe Grauelly See, and þan er þai na mare sene. And þis riuer rynnez ilke woke three days so fast

þat na man dare com þarin; bot all þe oþer days may men gang in to it, when þai will, and gader of þe precious stanes. And byȝond þat riuer toward þe wilderness es a grete playne amanges hilles, all sandy and grauelly, in [folio 113] þe whilk playne er treesse as it semez, þe whilk at þe sonne rysing begynnez to growe and a fruyte to spring oute of þam; and þai growe so vnto it be midday, and þan begynne þai to dwyne and turne agayne in to þe erthe, so þat by þe sonne be sette þer es naþing sene of þam, and þus þai fare ilke a day. Bot of þis fruyt dare na man ete ne negh it, for it semez as it ware a fantom and a dessayuable thing to þe sight. 1 And þis es halden a meruailous thing, and so it may wele.

And in þe forsaid wildernes er many wylde men with hornes apon þaire heueds; and þai dwelle in wodes as beste: and speke: noȝt, bot gruntils as swyne duse. Also in sum wodes of þat land er wylde hundes, þat neuer 2 will com to man mare þan foxez will do in þis cuntree. And þare er fewles also spekand of þaire awen kynde; and þai will hails 3 men þat com thurgh þe desertez, spekand als openly as þai ware men. Þir fewles hase large tungez and on ayther of þaire fete v. nayles. And þare er oþer þat has bot three nayles on ayther fote, and þai speke noȝt so wele ne so openly. 4 Þir fewles call þai þare Psitakes, as I said before.

Þis ilke grete kyng and emperour Prestre Iohn, when he wendez to bataile agaynes his enmys, he hase na banere borne before him, bot in steed of baner þare er borne before him three crosses of fyne gold, þe whilk er grete and hie and wele dyght with preciouse stanes. 5 And to þe kepyng of ilke a crosse er ordaynd and assigned x^m men of armes and ma þan a hundreth thousand men on fote, on þe same maner as men kepez a baner or a [folio 113b] standard in bataile in oþer placez. And þis nowmer of men es all way assigned to þe keping of þe forsaid crossez ay when þe emperour wendez to bataile, withouten þe principall oste and withouten certayne lordes and þaire men þat er ordaynd for to be in his awen bataile, and also withouten certayne scales þat er ordaynd for forraying. 6 And, when he rydes in tyme of peesse with his priuee menȝee, þar es borne before him a crosse of tree, withouten gold or paynture or precious stanes, in remembraunce of Cristez passioun þat he sufferd on a crosse of tree. Also he hase borne before him a plate of gold full of erthe, in taken þat for all his grete noblay and his lordschepe he come fra erthe and intill erthe sall he turne. And þer es borne before him anoper vessell full of gold and of iowailes and precious stanes, as rubies, dyamaundes, saphires, emeraudes, topazes, crisolites and oþer many, in taknyag of his grete noblay, lordschepe and myght.

Now will I tell ȝow the aray of Prestre Iohnes palays, þe whilk es comounly 1 at þe citee of Suse. And þat palays es so riche, so delitable and so noble, þat it es wonder to tell. For abouen þe principall toure er twa pomelles of gold; and in ayther of þaim er twa charbuncles grete and faire, þe whilk schynez riȝt clere apon þe nyght. And þe principall ȝates of þe palays er of precious stanes, þat men calles sardones, and þe barrez of þam er of euour; and þe wyndows of þe hall and þe chaumbres er of cristall. And all þe tables on whilk þai ete er of emeraudes, amatistes and sum of gold, sett full of precious stanes; and þe pilers þat beres þe tablez er of [folio 114] þe same maner of precious stanes. And þe grecez, 2 on whilk þe emperour gase vp to his trone whare he sittez at þe mete, er ane of oniche, anoþer of cristall, anoþer of iaspre, anoþer of amatist, anoþer of sardone, anoþer of corall 3; and þe hiest gree, whare on he settez his fete at þe mete, es of crisolytez. And all þir greez er bordurde with fyne gold, frette full of perle and oþer precious stanes aboute þe sydez and þe endez. And þe sydes of his trone er of smaragdes, 4 bordured with fyne gold, sett full of precious stanes. Þe pileres in his chaumbre er of fyne gold, sett full of precious stanes, of whilk many er charbunclez þat giffez grete light on nyghtez; and ȝit neuer þe latter he hase ilk a nyght brynnand in his chaumbre xii. vessell 5 of cristall full of bawme, to giffe gude smell and swete and to dryfe away wikked aere. And þe fourme of his bedd es all of saphires, wele bunden with gold, for to make him to slepe wele and for to destruy lichery; for he will noȝt lye by his wyfez, bot at foure certayne tymez in þe ȝere, 6 and þan all anely for to gete childre.

Þis emperour hase also anoþer palays, riche and noble, in þe citee of Nise, and þare he suggeournes when him list; bot þe aer es noȝt so gude þare ne so halesome as it es at Suse. Thurgh oute all þe land of Prestre Iohn þai ete bot anez on þe day, as þai do in þe courte of þe Grete Caan. And ȝe schall vnderstand þat Prestre Iohn hase ilk a day in his courte etand ma þan xxx^m of folke, withouten commers and gangers; bot nowþer xxx^m [folio 114b] þare ne in þe courte of þe Grete Caan spendez so mykill mete on a day as xii^m in oure cuntree. Þis emperour hase also euermare vii. kyngez in his courte, for to serue him; and, when þai hafe serued him a moneth, þai wende hame and oþer vii. kynges commez and seruez anoþer moneth. And with þa kinges seruez all way lxxii. dukez and ccclx. erles, and many oþer lordez and knyghtes. And ilke a day þare etez in his courte ii. ercebischopes and xx. bischopes. And þe Patriarch of sayn Thomas es þare as it ware pape. All ersbischopes and bischopes and abbotes þare er kynngez and 7 grete lordes of feez. And ilkane of þam hase sum office in þe emperour courte; for a kyng es porter, anoþer hawler, anoþer chaumberlayne, anoþer steward of howshalde, anoþer buteler,

anoþer sewer, anoþer marschall, and so furth of all oþer officez þat langes till his courte; and þerfore es he full richely serued and wirschipfully. His land lastez on brede foure monethes iournez; and on lenth it es withouten mesure. 1 Trowez 2 all þis, for sikerly I sawe it with myne eghen and mykill mare þan I hafe talde ȝow. For my felaws and I ware dwelland with him in his courte a lang tyme and saw all þis þat I hafe talde ȝow and mykill mare þan I hafe layser for to tell.

Besyde þe ile of Pentoxore, þe whilk es Prestre Iohnez, es anoþer ile bathe lang and brade, þe whilk es called Mulstorak; and it es vnder þe lordschepe of Prestre Iohn. In þis ile es grete plentee of all maner of [folio 115] gudes and ricchess. And in þat land was sum tyme a riche man þat was called Catolonabes, and he was a grete man and a wonder wyly. And he had a faire castell and a strang, standand apon a hill, and he gert make aboute it strang wallez and hie. And within þase wallez be gert make a faire gardyn and plant þerin all maner of treez berand diuevse fruytz. He gert plant þerin also all maner of erbez of gude smell and þat bare faire floures. Þare ware also in þat gardyne many faire welles, and besyde þaim ware many faire halles and chaumbres, paynted with gold and azure wele and curiousely with diuerse storys, and with diuerse maners of briddes, þe whilk semed as þai sang and turned by engyne as þai had bene all quikke. He putte also in þat gardyne all maner of fewles þat he myght get, and all maner of bestez þat he myght fynd, to make a man solace and disporte. And he putte also in to þat gardyne faire damysellz within þe elde of xv. ȝere, þe fairest þat he myȝt fynd, and knafe childre 3 of þe same elde; and þai ware all cledd in clathes of gold. And þase he said ware aungelles. Also he gert make in þe forsaid gardyn three faire welles of precious stanes, closed aboute with iasper and cristall, wele bunden with gold, and oþer precious stanes. And he gert make cundytes vnder þe erthe, so þat, when he wald, ane of þir wellez ran of wyne, anoþer of mylke, anoþer of hony, thurgh þir forsaid cundytes. And þis place called he Paradys. And, when any ȝung bachelere of þe cuntree come to him, he ledd him in to þis Paradys and [folio 115b] schewed him all þise forsaid thingez. And he had diuerse mynstralles priuely in hye toure þat þai myght noȝt be sene, playand on diuerse instrumentez of music. And he said þat þai ware Goddes aungelles, and þat þat was Paradys þat Godd graunted to þase þat he lufes, sayand on þis wyse, “Dabo vobis terram fluentem lac et mel”, þat es to say, "I sall giffe to ȝow land flowande mylke and hony." And þan þis ryche man gafe to þise men a maner of drinke, of whilke þai ware drunken alssone; and þan þai ware mare blinded þan þai ware before, and wend þai had bene in full blisse. And he said þam þat, if þai wald putte þaim in iuperdy of deed for his sake, when

þai ware deed, þai schuld com in to his Paradys and þai schuld euermare be of þe elde of þe forsaid damyselles and þai schuld euermare dwell with þam and haue lyking and dalyaunce of þam and euermare be maydens, and after a certayne tyme he schuld putte þam in a fairer Paradys, whare þai schuld see Godd in his maiestee and in his blisse and ioy. And þan þai graunted at do all þat he wald bidd þam do. And þan he bad þam ga to swilk a place and sla swilke a lorde or man of þe cuntree whilk was his enmy, and þat þai schuld hafe na drede, for, if þai ware deed, þai schuld be putte in to þat Paradys. And þus gert he sla many lordes 1 of þe cuntree; and also many of þise men ware slaen in hope to hafe þis Paradys þat he hight þam. And þus he venged him on his [folio 116] enmys thurgh þis dessayte. And when lordes and riche men of þe cuntree persayued þis malice and wyle of him, þis Catolonabes, þai gadred þam togyder and assailed þis castell, and slew Catolonabes, and destruyd all his ricchess and faire thinges þat ware in his Paradys, and kest doune his castell; and ȝit er þe welles þare and sum other thinges, bot na ricchess. It es noȝt lang sen it was destruyd.

Notes

• 1

  And þerfore, alle be it þat men han greter chep in the yle of Prestre Iohn, natheles men dreden the longe weye and the grete periles in the see in þo partyes, C.
• 2

  and of the rotenesse and oþer thing, C.
• 3

  and þerfore dur not the marchauntes passen þere, but ȝif þei knowen wel the passages, or elle þat þei han gode lodes men, etc. (following R), C.
• 1

  gees (i.e. "owes," for "alowes"), C.
• 2

  ryzs and hony and mylk and chese and frute, C.
• 3

  In þat … three taas, repeated lower down, in its proper place according to the French text and C.
• 4

  and þei sette not be no barettes, ne by cawteles, ne of no disceytes, C.
• 5

  and þei ben of right goode tast and delicyous to mannes mete, C.
• 6

  I Iohn … es soth, not in French text or C.
• 1

  but no man dar taken of þat frute, for it is a thing of fayrye, C.
• 2

  þat neuer … cuntree, not in French text or C. After this follows in C the passage about "popegayes."
• 3

  saluen, C.
• 4

  for þei cone not but cryen, C.
• 5

  and euery of þo crosses ben sett in a chariot, fulle richely arrayed, adds C.
• 6

  and this nombre of folk is withouten the pryncypalle hoost and withouten wenges ordeynd for the bataylle, C.
• 1

  He duellethe comounly, C.
• 2

  degrees, C.
• 3

  corneline, C.
• 4

  emeraudes, C.
• 5

  a vessell, C.
• 6

  after the iiii, cesouns, adds C.
• 7

  And euerych of þeise grete lordes knowen wel ynow the attendance of hire seruyce. The on is mayster of his houshold, etc. (literally following R), C.
• 1

  þat is to seyne, alle the yles vnder erthe þat wee supposen to ben vnder vs, C.
• 2

  Trowez … for to tell, not in French text or C.
• 3

  ȝonge striplynges, C.
• 1

  And þus wenten many dyuerse lusty bacheleres for to sle grete lordes, C.