many men, bathe Cristen and haythen, and entres in to þat vale. Bot þare commez bot fewe oute agayne, and namely
of mescreauntes
[] , for all þase þat gase þider by cause of couetise er strangled with deuills and fordone. In myddes
of þe vale vnder a roche es schewed openly þe heued and þe visage of a deuill, riȝt hidous and dredefull to see;
and þer es na thing sene þeroff bot þe heed fra þe schulders vpward. And þer es na man in þis werld, Cristen ne [folio 116b]
oþer, þat ne he schuld hafe grete drede to behald it, it es so horrible and so foule. And he behaldez ilke man so
scharpely and so felly, and his eghen er so fast stirrand and sprenkland as fyre, and be chaungez so oft his
countenaunce, and oute of his mouthe and his neese commez so grete plentee of fyre of diuerse colours with so
grete stynk, þat na man may suffere it. Bot all way gude Cristen men, þat er stable in þe faith, may ga in to þat
valay withouten grete harme, if þai be clene schriffen and blisse þam with þe taken of þe Crosse; for þan schall
deuils noȝt dere þam. And if all þai eschape withouten harme of body, neuerþeless þai eschape noȝt withouten
grete drede; for fendez apparez to þam openly and manacez þam and fliez vp and doune in þe aer with grete
thunders and leuennynges and hidous tempestez, þat mykill drede schall þai hafe, þat þare furth passez als well
gude men as euill, supposand þat Godd for þaire alde synnes will perchaunce take wreke on þam and vengeaunce.
My felawes and I, when we come nere þat valay and herd speke þeroff, sum of vs kest in oure hertes to putte vs
all halely in þe mercy of Godd to passe thurgh þat valay and sum forsuke it and said þai wald noȝt putte þam in
þat perill. And þare was in oure company twa frere meneours of Lumbardy, þat said þai wald ga thurgh þat
valay, if we wald go with þam; and so, thurgh comforth of þire wordes and þe excitacioun of þaim, we schrafe
vs clene and herd messe and comound vs and went in to þe valay, xiiii. felawes sammen. Bot at þe commyng [folio 117]
oute we ware bot ix. We wist neuere what worthed of þe remenaunt, whedir þai ware lost or þai turned agayne;
bot we sawe þam na mare; twa of þam ware Grekez, and three ware Spanyols. Oure oþer felawes þat wald noȝt
passe þe Valay Perillous went aboute by anoþer way for to mete vs. And my felawes and I went thurgh þe valay,
and sawe many meruailous thingez and gold and siluer and precious stanes and many oþer iowels on ilke a syde
vs, as vs thoght; bot whedir it ware as it semed, or it was bot fantasy, I wate noȝt. Bot for þe drede þat we
had, and also for it schuld noȝt lette oure deuocioun, we wald lay hand on na thing þat we sawe; for we ware
mare deuote þan þan euer we ware before or efter, for ferdeness of deuils þat appered till vs in diuerse figures
and for þe multitude of deed men bodys þat lay þare in oure way. For if twa kynges with þire ostez had
foghten togider and þe maste parte of bathe þe sydez had bene slaen, þer schuld noȝt hafe bene so grete noumer
of deed bodys as was þare. And, when I sawe so many bodys ligg þare, I had grete meruaile because þai ware
so hale withouten corrupcioun, and so fresch as þai had bene euen new deed. Bot I dare noȝt say þat þai ware all
verray bodys þat I sawe in þat valay, bot I trowe þat fendez gert þare seme so many bodys for to fere vs with;
for it es noȝt semely þat so grete a multitude of folk schuld verrayly hafe bene deed þare so fresch withouten
stynk or corrupcioun. And many of þase bodys þat I sawe þare semed in clething of Cristen men; bot I trowe [folio 117b]
full wele þat þai come þider for couetise of gold and oþer iowels þat er in þat valay, or for fals hert myght noȝt
bere þe grete drede and fere þat þai had for þe horrible siȝtes þat þai sawe. And I do ȝow to witte þat we ware
oft tymes striken doune to þe erthe with grete hidous blastez of wind and of thouner and oþer tempestez; bot
thurgh þe grace of Almyghty Godd we passed thurgh þat valay hale and sounde.
Beȝond þat valay es a grete ile, whare þe folk þat wonnez þerin er als mykill of stature as þai ware geauntes
of xxviii. or of xxx. fote lang. Clathez hafe þai nane to were, bot skynnez of bestez, whare with þai couer þaire
bodys. Breed ete þai nane; bot þai ete raw flesh and drinkez mylke, for þare es grete plentee of bestez.
Housez hafe þai nane to dwell in; and þai will gladlyer ete mannez flesch þan any oþer. Þis ile dare na
pilgrim come in ne nere it, þaire thankes; for, if þai see a schippe in þe see with men þerin, þai will wade in to
see for to take þe men to þaire men. And men talde vs þat þare es anoþer ile beȝond þat, whare geauntz er,
mykill mare þan þir, for sum of þam er fyfty fote lang, sum sexty.
[summe of xlv. fote or of l. fote long, and as somme men seyn, summe of l. cubytes long, C.] I had na will to see þam, for þer may na
man com in to þat ile þat ne he schall alssone be strangled with þa monstres. In þase iles amang þa geauntz er
schepe als mykill as oxen, bot þe woll of þam es grete and sture.
[þei beren gret wolle and rough, C.] Of þir schepe hafe I oft sene; and sum men [folio 118]
hase oft tymes sene of þir geauntz take men in þe see and com to land with twa in þe ta hand and twa in þe
toþer, etand of þaire flesch rawe.
[etynge hem goynge, all rawe and all quyk, C.]
Þare
[The paragraph in the French text (and in C) omitted here will be found lower down.] es anoþer faire ile and a gude and full of folk, whare þe maner es swilk þat, when a womman es new
wedded, scho sall noȝt þe first nyght lye with hir hushand, bot with anoþer ȝung man, þat sall assay hir þat nyght
and hafe hir maydenhede, takand on þe morue a certayne monee for his trauaile. And þare er ordaynd in ilke
a toune certayne ȝung men for to do þat seruise, þe whilk þai call Gadlibiriens, þat es to say, "Foles despaired."
[Cadeberiz, þat is to seyne the Foles of Wanhope, C.]
And þai say þare and affermes for sothe þat it es a full perilous thing to take þe maydenhede of a mayden; for,
as þai say, wha so duse, puttez him self in perill of dede. And, if þe husband of þe womman fynd hir mayden on
þe nyght next suand (for perauenture he þat schuld hafe had hir maydenhede was drunkyn, or for any oþer skille
did noȝt his deuere to þe womman), þan hir hushand sall hafe his actioun agaynes him before þe iusticez of þe
land, als fortherly as he had bene aboute for to slae him. Bot after þe first nyght þat þase wymmen er so
defouled þai er kepid so straitely þat þai schall noȝt speke ne com in company of þase men.
[þat þei ben not so hardy to speke with no man, C.] I asked þam what
was þe cause and þe skill þat swilke a custom was vsed þare. And þai talde me þat in alde tyme sum men ware
deed in þat cuntree thurgh þe defloracioun of maydens, for þai had within þam nedders, þat taanged þe husbands [folio 118b]
on þe ȝerdez in þe wymmen bodys; and so ware many men slayne, and þerfore vsed þai þare þat custom to make
oþer men to assay þe passage before þai putted þam self to þat auenture.
Anoþer ile
[See above, p. 140, note 4.] þer es southward
[toward þe north, C.] in þe grete see Occian, whare in er wikked wymmen and fell, þat in þaire
eghen has precious stanes growand. And þai er of swilke a kynde þat, if þai luke apon a man with ane irous
will,
[with wrathe, C.] thurgh þe vertu of þa stanes þai sla him with þaire lukyng, as þe basilisc duse.
Nere þat ile es anoþer ile, whare wymmen makez mykill sorowe when þaire childer er borne, and mykill ioy
when þat þai er deed, and callez þaire frendez and makez feste and takez þe deed childe and castez it in a grete
fyre and brynnez it. And wymmen also þat luffed þaire husbandez wele, when þai er deed, þai putte þam self in
to þe fire with þaire childer for to brynne. And it es þaire opinioun þare þat on þat wise þai er purged thurgh þe
fire, so þat na corrupcioun neuer efter sall com of þam, bot, purged and clene of all vice and alkyn deformitee,
þai sall passe to þaire hushandes in þe toþer werld. Þe cause why þai wepe and makez sorow at þe birth of þaire
childer and makez ioy when þai dye es for, when þai er borne in to þis werld, þai com to sorow and to trauaile,
and, when þai dye, þai go to þe ioy of Paradys, whare riuers er of mylke and hony and plentee of all maner of
gudes and lyf withouten sorowe. In þis ile es euermare þe kyng made by eleccioun; and þai chese noȝt þe
ricchest man ne þe nobilest, bot him þat es best of condiciouns and maste rightwys and trewe þai make þaire [folio 119]
kyng. And also þai luke þat he be ane aunciene man and noȝt ȝung of age.
[of gret age, and þat he haue no children, C.] In þat ile also er wonder rightwise
iuggez; for þai do resoun and trewth to ilke man, als wele to pouer as to riche, and demez ilke man efter his
trespas and noȝt after his state ne his degree. Þe king also may do na man to deed withouten þe counsaile and
þe ascent of all his baronage. And, if it be so þat þe kyng do a trespasse, as sla a man or swilke anoþer notable
thing, he schall be deed þerfore. Bot he schall noȝt be slaen with mannez hand, bot þai schall forbede þat na
man be so hardy to make him company, ne speke with him, ne com to him, ne giffe him mete ne drink; and so
for euen pure nede and hunger and thrist and sorow þat he schall hafe in his hert he schall dye.
[and so schall he dye in myschef, C.] Þare es nane
spared þat es taken with a trespas, nowþer for ricches, ne hie state, ne dignite, ne for hie blude, ne for na maner
of gift, þat ne ilke man schall hafe after his werkes.
Beȝond þis ile es anoþer ile in þe see, whare es grete plentee of folk. And þai ete neuermare flesch of
hares, ne of hennes, ne of geezsse; and noȝt forþi þai hafe many of þam and bringez vp many of þam all anely for
þaire solace and for þe sight of þam. Bot þai ete flesch of oþer bestez and drinkez mylke. In þis ile þai wedd
þaire awen doghter and þer sisters and þer sibbe wymmen, and dwellez togyder in a hous ten or twelf or ma. [folio 119b]
And ilke mannez wyf sall be comoun till oþer þat wonnez þare; and ilkane of þam takez oþer wyfez, ane a
nyght, anoþer anoþer nyght. And, when any of þir wyfes beres a childe, it sall be giffen to him þat first lay by
hir þat es þe moder
[sche may ȝeue it to what man þat sche list þat hath companyed with hire, C.] ; and so es þer nane þat wate wheþer þe childe be his or anoþer mannez. And, if a man
say to þam þat on þis wise may þai
[om. MS.; ȝou, inserted later.] fader anoþer mannez childe, þai answere agayne þat so duse oþer
men þaires.
In þat cuntree and thurgh oute all Inde es grete plentee of cocodrilles; and it es a maner of neddere lang
of body, as I talde ȝowe before. And on nyghtes it es in waters, and on days in þe erthe in creuicez or in
craggez
[roches and in caues, C.] ; and in wynter ete þai na mete, bot liggez as þai ware half deed.
[as in a drem, as don þe serpentes, C.] Þis nedder will sla men and deuoure
þam; and, when he etez, he mouez þe ouer chaft
[þe ouer jowe, C. For "chafte" see Cursor Mundi, l. 1073, "wit þe chafte ban of a ded has (sc. ass)."] and noȝt þe neder, and he has na tung. In þat cuntree þai
sawe ilke ȝere a maner of sede, and it growez vp in smale bruschez; and of þaim þai gader boumbe
[cotoun, C.] in grete
quantitee. Þare es also a maner of tree, þe whilk es so hard and so strang þat, if a man brynne it and couer þe
coles þeroff with aschez, þai will hald in quikk a twelfmonth and mare. Þis tree hase wonder many leefes.
[as the gynypre hath, adds C.] And
þer er sum treez þat will nowþer brynne ne rote. Þare er also hesils
[note trees, C.] þat berez nuttez as grete as a mannez
heued. Þare er
[þare er … cuntreez, in C (cf. French text) forming part of the passage on cotton (boumbe) higher up.] treez þat berez cotoun; and so es þare in many oþer cuntreez. And þare er bestez whilk þai
call orafles; and in Araby þai call þam gyrfauntz. And it es a faire beste, wele dappled, of þe height of a grete [folio 120]
stede or hier; and his nekk es xx. cubites lang, and his crupoun and his taile er lyk to a hert. And he may wele
ynogh stand on þe erthe and luke ouer a hie hous. In þat cuntree also er many cameliouns,
[camles, C.] þe whilk es a lytill
beste of þe mykilnes of a raa
[a goot þat is wylde, C.] ; and it nowþer etez ne drinkez, bot gase all way with þe mouth open, for it liffez
with þe aer. And it chaungez oft þe colour in all maner of colours, safe white and reed, for nowe it will be of a
colour, and sodaynely of anoþer. Þere
[From C.; omitted in E.] ben also in þat contree passynge grete serpentes, summe of vixx fote
long, and þai ben of dyuerse coloures, as rayed, rede, grene and ȝalowe, blewe and blake, and all spekelede.
Þare er also nedderes with cambez on þaire heeds, as it ware a cokk; and þai er of foure fote
[a iiii. fadme (sc. fathom), C.] lang or mare,
and gase on fete nerehand vprightes. And þai er comounly dwelland in rochez and cragges and hillez. And
þai er euermare gapand, redy for to schote þaire venym.
[And þei han all wey the throte open, of whens þei droppen venym all weys, C.] And þer er also wilde swyne, als grete as oxen and
dappeld and spotted, as it ware founez of daes. And
[From C., omitted in E.] þere ben also vrchounes als grete as wylde swyn here;
wee clepen hem Porcz de Spyne. And þare er lyouns all whyte, grete and strang. And þare er also oþer
maner of bestez, als grete as stedez
[als grete and more gretter þan is a destrere, C.] ; and þai er called Louherans, and sum
[and sum … Toutes, not in French text or C.] callez þam Toutez, and sum
Odenthos. Þai hafe blak heuedes and three hornes euen in þe frunt, als scharpe as any swerde; and þe bodys
of þam er ȝalow.
[sclendre, C.] And þai er wonder cruell bestez, and þai chace and slaez þe olyfaunt. Þare es also oþer
maner of bestez noyand and fell, of þe mykilnes of beres; and þaire heuedes er lyke bare
[sc. boar; han the hed lych a bore, C.] heueds. Þai hafe sex
fete, and on ilk a fote er twa nailes, grete and lang and scharpe. And of body þai er lyke vnto beres, bot þaire [folio 120b]
tailes er lyke lyoun tailes. Þare er also ratouns mare þan
[myse als grete as houndes, and ȝalowe myse als grete as ravenes, C.] hundes; and geessez all reed, oute taken þe heued
and þe nekk, þe whilk er blakk, and þai er mykill mare þan oure geezse. Þare er also many oþer maner
of bestez in þat cuntree and in cuntreez þare aboute, of whilke it ware to lang to tell all the kyndez and þe
schappez.