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

CHAPTER VI

[Of manye names of Soudans; and of the Tour of Babiloyn.]

IN Babilon es a faire kirk of oure Lady, whare scho dwelled viii. ȝere, when scho fledd oute of þe land of Iudee for drede of Kyng Herode. And þare lies þe body of þe haly virgyn sayn Barbara, and þare [folio 15] dwelled Ioseph, when his breþer had salde him in til Egipte. And þare [A confusion between Babylon of Egypt, or Cairo, and Babylon of Chaldæa.] also gert kyng Nabugodonosor putte þe three childer in þe fyre, forþi þat þai held þe riȝt beleue. And þase childer hight Anany, Azary and Mysael, as þe psalme saise of Benedicite. Bot Nabugodonosor called þam oþer names, þat es at say Sydrak, Mysak and Abdenago, whilk er þus mykil to say, Godd glorious, Godd victoriouse, Godd ouer all kyngdomes; and þat by cause of þe myracle þat he sawe, when he sawe Goddes son ga with þase childer vp and doune in þe fire. At Babilon es comounly þe dwellyng of þe sowdan in a faire castell and a strang, sette apon a hie roche. In þat castell er all way dwelland, for to kepe þe castell and to serue þe sowdan, ma þan viii^m men, [vi^m persones, C; circa sex milia personarum, Boldensele.] þat takes all þaire necessaries of þe courte of þe sowdan. Þe maner of his courte schold I wele ynogh ken; for I dwelled a lang tyme with þe sowdan and was sowdiour with him in his weres agayne þe Bedoynes. And he wald hafe maried me richely with a grete prince doghter and giffen me many grete lordschepes, so þat I wald hafe forsaken my byleue and turned to þaires; bot I wald noȝt.

And ȝe schall vnderstand þat þe sowdan es lord of fyue kyngdomes, whilk he has geten by conquest and approperd vntil him. And þir er þai:— Egipte; and þe kyngdom of Ierusalem, of whilk Dauid and Salomon ware kynges sum tyme; Surry, of þe whilk þe citee of Damasc was cheeff; þe kyngdom of Halope in þe land of Dameth; and þe kyngdom of Araby, of whilk ane of þe three kynges þat made offerand til oure Lord, when he was borne, was kyng. And many oþer landes he haldes in his hand. And ȝit ouer þis he es called Caliphes, þat [folio 15b] es a name of grete dignitee and of grete worschepe, [he holdethe Calyffes, þat is a fulle gret thing in here langage, C.] and it es als mykill at say as kyng; for þe sowdan es of als grete auctoritee amanges þaim as þe kyng es here amanges vs. And ȝe schall vnderstand þat þare was sum tyme fyue sowdanes, after þe noumer of þe fyue kyngdomes þat langes to þe sowdan þat es now. Bot now þer es bot a sowdan, þe whilk es called þe sowdan of Babilon.

Þe first sowdan of Egipte was called Yaracon, and he was Saladyne fader; þe whilk was sowdan after Yaracon, þe same tyme þat kyng Richard was in þase cuntrez with his oste of Cristen men. After Saladyn regned his son Boradyn, and after him regned his neuew. Qwhen he was deed, þe comoun pople of Egipte thoȝt þam ouer mykill thralled and bun in awe, and sawe þat þai ware strang by cause of þe multitude of þam, and went and chose þam ane of þaim self for to be þaire sowdan; and he was called Melechsala. And in his tyme Lowice þe kyng of Fraunce went in to þe Haly Land and faght with þe sowdan; and þare þe king was taken and putte in prisoun. Þis same sowdan afterward was slayne with his awen seruands and anoþer was chosen in his steed, þe whilk was called Tympieman. And he raunsouned Kyng Lowice and deliuerd him oute of prisoun. Afterward ane of þe comouns, þat hight Cothas, slew Tympieman and was made sowdan for him; and he gert call him Melechomethos. Wham sone after anoþer of þe comouns, Bendochdaer by name, slewe and regned in his steed; and he was called Melechdaer. In his tyme þe gude kyng Edward went in to Surry and didd grete harme to þe Sarzenes. Þis same sowdan was puysond at Damasc and died þare. And after him his son wald [folio 16] hafe regned as next ayr, and gert call him Melechsayt. Bot sone þer come anoþer, þat hight Elphy, with mykill folk and drafe Melechsayt oute of þe land and made him self sowdan. He tuke þe citee of Triple and slewe many Cristen men þerin in þe ȝere of oure Lord m^lcclxxix. [mill cc. iiii. score and ix., C.] Afterwardes he, þis Elphy, was puysound thurgh anoþer þat coueited to be sowdan; and he also was slayne sone afterward. And þan þai chose til þaire sowdan þe son of Elphi and called him Melechesserak. He tuke þe citee of Acoun and schotte oute of it all þe Cristen men þat ware þerin. Afterward he died of puysoun, and his broþer regned for him and was called Melechinasser. Sone after ane þat hight Guytoga tuke þis sowdan and empresound him in þe castell of Mount Reall and regned in his steed as sowdan; and he was called Melechadell. He þis, by cause he was ane aliene, þat es at say a Tartarene, was putte oute of þe land; and anoþer, þat hight Bathyn, was made sowdan, and was called Melechynanser. Þe whilk on a day, as he playd with anoþer at þe chesse and his swerde standand drawen besyde him, fell at debate with þe toþer, and the toþer hent his awen swerde and slew him þerwith. And afterward þer was grete discorde amanges þam for the chesing of anoþer sowdan. At þe last þai ascented all þat þe forsaid Melechinasser, wham Guytoga had empresound before in þe castell of Mount Reall, schuld be þaire sowdan. Þis ilk Melechinasser regned a lang tyme and gouerned him wonder wysely, so þat, after þe decesse

of him, his eldest son was chosen sowdan, and he was called Melechinader. Qwham his broþer gert sla priuely [folio 16b] and regned in his steed, and gert call him Melechimandabron. And he þat was sowdan when I parted oute of þat land.

Þe sowdan may lede oute of Egipte ma þan xx^m men of armes; and oute of þe rewme of Surry and of Turky, and oute of oþer rewmes þat er vnder his subieccion he may bring ma þan l. thousand men of armes. And all þai take þaire wagez and all þat þaim nedes of þe sowdan, þat es to say ilk ane of þam takes ȝerely vi^xx florenes; bot ilk ane of þam buse hald three horses and a camell. And þare er ordaynd amanges þam in diuerse citeez and tounes certayne persouns, þe whilk er called admyralles; and ilk ane admyrall sall hafe at his ledyng foure or fyue or sex men of armes, and sum ma. And ilke ane admyrall sall take als mykill by him self as all þa þat er vnder him. And for þi, when þe sowdan lykes to avaunce any man of gude þat es with him, he makes him ane admyrall. And if any derth com in þe cuntree, þan pure knyghtes and sodyours selles þaire hernays for mischeeffe.

Þe sowdan has three wyfes, of þe whilke ane sall be a Cristen womman and þe oþer twa Sarezenes. [iiii. wyfes, on Cristene and iii. Sarazines, C.] And ane of þir wyfes sall dwell in Ierusalem, anoþer at Damasc, and þe thridd at Ascalon. And, ay when him list, he gase to visit þam, and vmqwhyle ledes þam aboute with him. Noght forþi he has lemmanes, als many as him list haue; for, when he comes till any citee or toune, he gers bring before him all þe nobilest and þe fairest maydens of þe cuntree nere aboute, and he gers þam be keped honestly and wirschipfully. And, when he will [folio 17] hafe any of þam, he gers þaim all be broght before him, and wha so es maste lykand till him, he sendes till hir or takes þe ryng off his fynger and castez till hir. And þan sall scho be tane and waschen and bawmed and wirschipfully cledd and after souper be broght till his chaumbre. And þus he duse ay when he will. Before þe sowdan sall na straunger com þat he ne sall be cledd in clathe of gold or tars or in chamelet, a maner of clething whilk þe Sarzenes vsez. And als sone as he has sight of þe sowdan, be it at wyndow or elleswhare, him behoues knele doune and kisse þe erthe; for swilk es þe maner þare to do reuerence to þe sowdan, when any man will speke with him. And, when any straungers commes till him in message oute of ferre landes, his men sall stand aboute him with drawen swerdes in handes, and þer handes vp on loft, to stryke þam doune, if þai speke any thing þat displesez þe sowdan. Þare sall na straunger com before him for to ask him any thing þat ne his asked sall be graunted him, if it be resounable and noȝt agayne þaire lawe. And riȝt so duse all oþer princez

and lordes in þat cuntree; for þai say þat na man suld com before a prince þat he ne schuld passe gladder away þan he come þiderward.

And wit ȝe wele þat þis Babiloyne of whilk I speke now, whare þe sowdan es dwelland, es noȝt þe grete Babilon, whare þe confusioun of tunges was made, when þe toure of Babilon was in makyng; þe walles of þe whilk ware lxiiii. furlanges hye, and it es in þe desertes of Araby, as men gase toward þe kyngdom of Caldee. Bot it es lang sen any durst com nere þat wricched place; for it es waste and so full of dragouns and nedders and oþer venymous bestes, þat þare dare na man com nere it. Þe sercle of þe toure with þe compas of þe citee [folio 17b] þat was þare sum tyme contenes xxv. myle aboute, as þai say þare in þat cuntree. And if all it be called a toure, þare ware sum tyme within it many faire edificaciouns, þe whilk er now destruyd and noȝt bot wilderness. And ȝe schall vnderstand þat it was made foure square, and ilka [and þat tour conteyned gret contree in circuyt, for the tour allone conteyned x. myle sqware, C.] square contened sex myle and mare. Þis ilke toure made Nemprot, þat was kyng of þat land; and men saise þat he was þe first erthely kyng þat euer was. He gert also make ane ymage in mynde of his fader, and comaundid all his subgetes to wirschippe þat ymage. On þe same wyse did oþer grete lordes aboute; and on þis maner began ydolatry first. Þat ilke citee of grete Babilon was sette in a faire playne, þe whilk was called Sennaar felde, apon þe ryuer of Eufrates, þat ran thurgh þe citee þat tyme. And þe walles of þe citee ware cc. cubites hie and l. cubites thikk. Bot efterward Syrus, þe kyng of Perse, withdrew þe water and destruyd þe citee and all þe cuntree þare aboute. He departed þe grete riuer of Eufrates, and gert it rynne in ccc. and xl. diuerse ways. For he had made his grete athe and sworne so greuously þat he schuld bring it to swilke a state þat wymmen schuld mow wade ouer and noȝt wete þaire kneesse [myghte wel passe þere withouten castynge of of hire clothes, C.] ; and so he did. And þe cause was for in þat ryuer þer ware oft tymes many of his worthiest men drouned.

Fra þat Babilon þer þe Sowdan dwelles for to passe north este to þe grete Babilon er xl. day iourneez thurgh deserte. And þat Babilon es noȝt in þe subieccioun of þe Sowdan, bot within þe lordschippe of þe kyng of Perse. And it es halden of þe grete Caan, þe whilk es a grete emperour, ȝa þe grettest of þe werld, for he es [folio 18] lord of þe grete Ile of Cathay and of many oþer cuntreez, and of a grete party of Inde. His land marchez with Prestre Iohn land; and he has so grete lordschippes þat he knawes nane end of þam. He es gretter and

myghtier þan þe Sowdan withouten comparisoun. Of his grete state and magestee I think to speke afterwardes, when I com þerto.

In þe grete desertes of Araby es þe citee of Meek, [Mecca.] and þare ligges þe body of Machomete full wirschipfully in a temple þat þe Sarezenes calles Musket. [Mosque.] And þis citee es fra Babilon whare the Sowdan dwelles xxxii. day iournees. And ȝe sall vnderstand þat þe rewme of Araby es riȝt large; bot it hase þerin many desertes, þe whilk may noȝt wele be inhabit for defaute of water. For þa desertes er so drie and sandy þat þar may na thing grow in þam. Bot þare whare þe land es inhabit þer er riȝt mykill folk. Araby strechez fra þe end of Caldee to þe last end of Affric, and it ioynes apon Ydumee toward Botron. [El Buseirah, Bozra.] Þe cheeffe citee of Caldee es Baldak [Baghdad.] ; and of Affric þe cheeffe citee es Cartage, þe whilk Dydo founded, þat was þe wyf of Eneas, first kyng of Troy and seyne of Italy. Mesopotamy also marchez apon þe desertes of Araby; and it es a grete cuntree, in þe whilk es þe citee of Aran, whare Abraham þe patriarch dwelled sum tyme. Of þis citee was þe grete clerk Effrem and Teophill, whilk oure Lady delyuerd oute of þe thraldom of þe fende, as men may fynd writen in þe buke of þe [folio 18b] Miracles of oure Lady. Mesopotamy lastez fra þe ryuer of Eufrates to þe riuer of Tygre, for betwix þa twa riuers ligges þat rewme. And beȝond Tygre es þe kyngdom of Caldee, þe whilk es a grete cuntree and a large. In þat cuntree, as I said before, es þe citee of Baldak, in þe whilk Caliphes wont to dwell, þat was pope and emperour of þat folk, þat es at say lord of temperaltee and of spiritualtee. And he was successour of Macomete and of his kynredyn. Þis citee of Baldak was sum tyme called Susis, [Susa. Its identification with Baghdad is, of course, an error.] and Nabugodonosor founded it. Þare dwelled Danyel þe prophete, and sawe oft tymes many visiouns of Godd; and þare he interpretid þe kynges dremes. Fra [A passage in the French text is omitted here; it is given in C, beginning, "And in old tyme þere were wont to be iii. Calyffeez, he of Arabye and he of Caldeez; and þei dwelleden in the cytee of Baldak aboveseyd," and otherwise closely following H.] Saladyn þe Sowdan hiderward hase þe Caliphes bene called Sowdanes.

Babilon þe lesse, whare þe Sowdan dwelles, and þe citee of Caire, þat es negh þerby, er bathe grete citeez and faire. And þe tane of þam es sett apon þe tyuer Gyon, þat es also called Nilus, and it commes oute of Paradys terrestre. Þis ryuer ilka ȝere, when þe sonne entres into þe signe of Cancre, begynnes for to flow, and so

it flowes continuelly als lang as þe sonne es in þat signe and in þe signe of Lyoun. It flowes so þat sum tyme it es xx. cubites depe, and þan it ouerflowez all þe land and oft tyme duse mykill harme to placez pat ligges nere þe ryuer. For þer may na man þat tyme labour aboute tillynge of land, and swa þer falles oft sithes grete derth of corne in þat cuntree by cause of ouer mykill wete. And on þe same þer fallez grete derth, when þat ryuer rysez noȝt bot lytill, by cause of ouer mykil drught. And, when þe sonne entres þe signe of Virgyn, þan begynnes [folio 19] Nilus to decreesse vntil þe sonne entre in to þe signe of Libre, and þan it haldez it within þe bankes. Þis ryuer, as I said before, commes oute of Paradys and rynnes thurgh þe desertes of Inde, and þan it synkkes doune into þe erthe and rynnes so vnder þe erthe a grete cuntree and commes vp agayne vnder a mountayne þat hat Alloche, þe whilk es betwix Inde and Ethiope, as it ware fyue moneth iournees fra þe entree of Ethiope. And þan it rynnes all aboute Ethiope and Mauritane and so all þe lenth of Egipte to þe citee of Alexander; and þare it entres in to þe see at þe end of Egipte. Aboute þis ryuer er grete plentee of fewles þat er called in Latyne Ciconie or Ibices.