Mandeville's travels : the Cotton version / from the edition by Paul Hamelius.

Chapter XXXII

THE VALE PERILOUS. MONSTERS

OF THE DEUELES HEDE IN THE VALEYE PERILOUS, AND OF THE CUSTOMS OF FOLK IN DYUERSE YLES ÞAT BEN ABOUTEN IN THE LORDSCHIPE OF PRESTRE IOℏN.

BESYDE þat yle of Mistorak vpon the left syde nygℏ to the ryuere of PHISON is a merueylous thing. Þere is [folio 119a] a vale betwene the mountaynes þat duretℏ nygℏ a .iiij. myle And summen clepen it the vale enchaunted, Somme clepen it the vale of deueles & somme clepen it þe vale perilous.descriptionOpen page In þat vale heren men often tyme grete tempestes and thondres & grete murmures & noysesdescriptionOpen page aƚƚ dayes & nygℏtes And gret noyse as it were sown of tabours and of nakeres & of trompes, as þougℏ it were of a gret feste. This vale is aƚƚ fuƚƚ of deuelesdescriptionOpen page & hatℏ ben aƚƚweys. And men seyn þere þat it is on of the entrees of helle. In þat vale is gret plentee of gold & syluer,descriptionOpen page Wherfore many mysbeleuynge men & manye cristene men also gon in oftentyme for to haue of the thresoure þat þere is, But fewe comen aȝen & namely of the mysbeleevynge men, ne of the cristene men nouþer, for anon þei ben strangled of deueles. And in mydd place of þat vale vnder a roche is an heddescriptionOpen page & the visage of a deuyl bodylicℏe, fuƚƚ horrible & dredfuƚƚ to se. And it schewetℏ not, but the hed to the schuldres, But þere is noman in the world so hardy, cristene man ne otℏer, but þat he wolde ben adrad for to beholde it & þat it wolde semen him to dyedescriptionOpen page for drede, so is it hidouse for to beholde. For he beholdetℏ euery man so scharply with dredfuƚƚ eyen þat ben eueremore mevynge & sparklynge as fuyre & chaungetℏ & steretℏ so often in dyuerse manere with so horrible contenance, þat noman dar not neigℏen towardes him. And fro him cometℏ out smoke & stynkande fuyr & so moche abhomynacioun, þat vnetℏe noman may þere endure. But the gode cristene men þat ben stable in the feytℏ entren weƚƚ withouten perile, For þei wil first schryuen hem & marken hem

with the tokene of the holy cros, so þat the fendes ne han [folio 119b] no power ouer hem. But aƚƚ be it þat þei ben withouten perile ȝit natheles ne ben þei not withouten drede whan þat þei seen the deueles visibely and bodyly aƚƚ aboute hem, þat maken fuƚƚ many dyuerse assautes & manaces in eyr & in ertℏe & agasten hem with strokes of thonder blastes and of tempestes, and the moste drede is, þat god wole taken vengeance þanne of þat þat men han mysdon aȝen his wille. And ȝee schuƚƚ vndirstonde þat whan my felowes and I weren in þat vale wee weren in gret thougℏt wheþer þat we dursten putten oure bodyes in aventure to gon in or non, in the protectioun of god. And somme of oure felowes accordeden to entre & somme nogℏt. So þere weren with vs .ij. wortℏi men Frere Menoures,descriptionOpen page þat weren of lombardyedescriptionOpen page þat seyden þat ȝif ony man wolde entren, þei wolde gon in with vs. And whan þei hadden seyd so vpon the gracyous trust of god & of hem wee leet synge masse & made euery man to ben schryuen & houseld. And þanne wee entreden .xiiij. persones, But at oure goynge out wee weren but .ix. And so wee wisten neuere wheþer þat oure felowes weren lost or eƚƚ turned aȝen for drede, But wee ne saugℏ hem neuer after; And þo weren .ij. men of GRECE & .iij. of SPAYNE. And oure oþer felowes þat wolden not gon in with vs þei wenten by anotℏer coste to ben before vs & so þei were. And þus wee passeden þat perilouse vale & founden þerjnne gold & syluerdescriptionOpen page & precious stones & riche jewelles gret plentee, botℏe here & þere as vs semed. But wheþer þat it was as vs semede, I wot nere for I touched none,descriptionOpen page be cause þat the deueles ben so subtyle to make a thing to seme otherwise þan it is for to disceyue mankynde & þerfore I towched none And also because þat I wolde not ben put out of my [folio 120a] deuocioun, for I was more deuoutdescriptionOpen page þanne þan euere I was before or after, And aƚƚ for the drede of fendes þat I saugh in dyuerse figures And also for the gret multytude of dede bodyes þat I saugℏ þere liggynge be the weye be aƚƚ the valedescriptionOpen page as

þougℏ þere had ben a bataylle betwene .ij. kynges & the mygℏtyest of the contree, & þat the gretter partye had ben discomfyted & slayn. And I trowedescriptionOpen page þat vnethe scholde ony contree haue so moche peple within him as lay slayn in þat vale, as vs thougℏte, the whiche was an hidouse sigℏt to seen. And I merueylled moche þat þere weren so manye & the bodyes aƚƚ hole withouten rotynge, But I trowe þat fendes made hem semen to ben so hole withouten rotynge. But þat mygℏte not ben to myn avys þat so manye scholde haue entred so newely ne so manye newely slayn withouten stynkynge & rotynge. And manye of hem weren in habite of cristene men, But I trowe wel þat it weren of suchedescriptionOpen page þat wenten in for couetyse of the thresoure þat was þere & hadden ouermoche feblenesse in the feitℏ, so þat hire hertes ne mygℏte not enduren in the beleve for drede; And þerfore weren wee the more deuout a gret del. And ȝitdescriptionOpen page wee weren cast doun & beten down many tymes to the hard ertℏe be wyndes and thondres & tempestes, But eueremore god of his grace halp vs, And so wee passed þat perilous vale withouten perile & withouten encombrance, thanked be aƚƚ mygℏty godd. After this beȝonde þat vale is a gret yle Where the folk ben grete GEAUNTES of .xxviij. fotedescriptionOpen page longe or of .xxx. fote long And þei han no clotℏinge but of skynnes of bestes þat þei hangen vpon hem And þei eten no breed, But aƚƚ raw flescℏ & þei drynken mylk of bestes, for þei han plentee of aƚƚ bestaylle; And þei haue none houses to lyen [folio 120b] jnne. And þei eten more gladly mannes flescℏ þanne ony oþer flescℏ. In to þat yle dar noman gladly entren, And ȝif þei seen a schipp & men þerejnne, Anon þei entren in to the see for to take hem. And men seyden vs þat in an yle beȝonde þat weren GEANTES of grettere stature, summe of .xlv. fote or of .l. fote long And as sommemen seyn, summe of .l. cubytes long. But I sagℏ none of þo, for I hadde no lust to go to þo parties, because þat noman cometℏ nouþer into þat yle ne into þat oþer, but ȝif he be deuoured anon.descriptionOpen page And

among þo geauntes ben scheep als grete as oxendescriptionOpen page here & þei beren gret wolle & rougℏ; Of þo scheep I haue seyn many tymes. And men han seen many tymes þo GEAUNTES taken men in the see out of hire schippes & brougℏte hem to londe .ij. in on hond & .ij. in anoþer,descriptionOpen page etynge hem goyngedescriptionOpen page aƚƚ raw & aƚƚ quyk. Anoþer yle is þere toward the nortℏdescriptionOpen page in the see OCCEAN, where þat ben fuƚƚ cruele & ful euele wommen of nature & þei han precious stonesdescriptionOpen page in hire eyen. And þei ben of þat kynde, þat ȝif þei beholden ony man with wrattℏe þei slen him anon with the beholdynge, as dotℏ the BASILISK. Anoþer yle is þere fuƚƚ fair & gode & gret & fuƚƚ of peple Where the custom is sucℏ, þat the firste nygℏt þat þei ben maryed þei maken anoþer man to lye be hire wifes for to haue hire maydenhode, & þerfore þei taken gret huyre & gret thank. And þer ben certeyn men in euery town þat seruen of non otℏer thing And þei clepen hem CADEBERIZ,descriptionOpen page þat is to seyne: the foles of wanhope. For þei of the contree holden it so gret a thing & so perilous for to haue the maydenhode of a womman, þat hem semetℏ þat þei þat hauen first [folio 121a] the maydenhode puttetℏ him in auenture of his lif. And ȝif the husbonde fynde his wif mayden that oþer next nygℏt after þat sche scholde haue ben leyn by of the man þat is assigned þerefore, peraunter for dronkeness or for sum other cause, the husbonde schaƚƚ pleynedescriptionOpen page vpon him þat he hatℏ not don his deveer in sucℏ crueƚƚ wise as þougℏ the officere wolde haue slayn him. But after the firste nygℏt þat þei ben leyn by þei kepen hem so streytely þat þei ben not so hardy to speke with no man. And I asked hem the cause whi þat þei helden sucℏ custom & þei seyden me þat of olde tyme men hadden ben dede for deflourynge of maydenes þat hadden serpentes in hire bodyes þat stongen men vpon hire ȝerdes, þat þei dyeden anon. And þerfore þei helden þat custom to make oþer men ordeynd þerfore, to lye be hire wyfes for drede of detℏ & to assaye the passage be anotℏer rather

þan for to putte hem in þat auenture. After þat is anoþer yle where þat wommen maken gret sorwedescriptionOpen page whan hire children ben yborn And whan þei dyen þei maken gret feste & gret ioye & reueƚƚ & þanne þei casten hem into a gret fuyr brennynge. And þo þat louen wel hire husbondes, ȝif hire husbondes ben dede, þei casten hem also in the fuyr with hire children & brennen hem.descriptionOpen page And þei seyn þat the fuyr schaƚƚ clensen hem of aƚƚ filtℏes & of aƚƚ vices And þei schuƚƚ gon pured & clene into anoþer world to hire husbondes, & þei schuƚƚ leden hire children with hem. And the cause whi þat þei wepen whan hire children ben born is þis: for whan þei comen into this world, þei comen to [folio 121b] labour, sorwe and heuyness. And whi þei maken ioye and gladnesse at hire dyenge is because þat as þei seyn þanne þei gon to paradys, where the ryueres rennen mylk & hony, where þat men seen hem in ioye & in habundance of godes, withouten sorwe & labour. In þat yle men maken hire kyng eueremore be electioundescriptionOpen page And þey ne chesen him nougℏt for no noblesse ne for no ricchess, but sucℏ on as is of gode maneres & of gode condiciouns, & þerewithaƚƚ rigℏtfuƚƚ; And also þat he be of gret Age & þat he haue no children. In þat yle men ben fuƚƚ rigℏtfuƚƚ and þei don rigℏtfuƚƚ Iuggementes in euery cause, botℏe of riche & pore, smale and grete, after the quantytee of the trespas þat is mysdon. And the kyng may nougℏt deme noman to detℏ withouten assent of his barouns & oþerwyse men of conseiƚƚ & þat aƚƚ the court acorde þerto. And ȝif the kyng himself do ony homycydie or ony cryme, as to sle a man or ony sucℏ cas, he schaƚƚ dye þerefore, but he schaƚƚ not be slayn as another man, But men schuƚƚ defende in peyne of detℏ þat noman be so hardy to make him companye, ne to speke with hym, ne þat noman ȝeue him ne selle him ne serue him noutℏer of mete ne of drynk; And so schaƚƚ he dye in myschef. Þei spare noman þat hatℏ trespaced nouþer for loue ne for fauour ne for ricchess ne for nobless, but þat he schaƚƚ haue after þat he hatℏ don.

Beȝonde þat yledescriptionOpen page is anotℏer yle where is gret multytude of folk & þei wole not for noþing eten flescℏ of hares ne of hennes ne of gees; And ȝit þei bryngen fortℏ ynowe for to seen hem & to beholden hem only. But þei eten flesscℏ of aƚƚ oþer bestes & drynken mylk. In þat contree þei [folio 122a] taken hire dougℏtres & hire sustres to here wyfes & hire oþere kynneswommen, And ȝif þere ben .x. men or .xij. men or mo dwellynge in an hows, the wif of euerycℏ of hem schaƚƚ ben comoun to hem alle þat duellen in þat hows, So þat euery man may liggen with whom he wole of hem on o nygℏt & with another Anotℏer nygℏt. And ȝif sche haue ony child sche may ȝeue it to what man þat sche list þat hatℏ companyed with hire, so þat noman knowetℏdescriptionOpen page þere Wheþer the child be his or anoþeres. And ȝif ony man seye to hem þat þei norisscℏen oþer mennes children, þei answeren þat so don oþer men hires. In þat contre & be aƚƚ ynde ben gret plentee of COKODRILLES,descriptionOpen page þat is a maner of a long serpent as I haue seyd before. And in the nygℏt þei dwellen in the water & on the day vpon the lond in roches & in CAUES. And þei ete no mete in aƚƚ the wynter, but þei lyȝn as in a drem,descriptionOpen page as don the serpentes. Þeise serpentes slen men & þei eten hem wepynge. And whan þei eten þei meven the ouerjowe & nougℏt the netℏer iowe & þei haue no tonge. In þat contree & in many oþere beȝonde þat & also in manye on this half, men putten in werke the sede of cotoundescriptionOpen page And þei sowen it euery ȝeer & þan growetℏ it in smale trees þat beren cotoun. And so don men euery ȝere, so þat þere is plentee of cotoun at aƚƚ tymes. Item in this yle & in many oþere þere is a maner of wode hard & strong, Whoso coueretℏ the coles of þat wode vnder the assches þereoffe, the coles wil duellen & abyden aƚƚ quykdescriptionOpen page a ȝere or more. And þat tre hatℏ many leves as the GYNYPRE hatℏ. & þere ben also many trees þat of naturedescriptionOpen page þei wole neuer brenne ne rote in no manere. And þere ben note trees þat beren notes als grete as a mannes hed.descriptionOpen page Þere also be many bestes þat ben clept ORAFLES,descriptionOpen page In

ARABYE þei ben clept GERFAUNTZ,descriptionOpen page [folio 122b] þat is a best pomeleedescriptionOpen page or spotted, þat is but a lityƚƚ more higℏ þan is a stede, But he hatℏ the necke a .xx^ti. cubytes long, And his croupe & his tayl is as of an hert And he may loken ouer a gret higℏ hous. And þere ben also in þat contree manye CAMLES,descriptionOpen page þat is a lytiƚƚ best as a GOOT þat is wylde & he lyuetℏ be the eyr and etetℏ nougℏt ne drynketℏ nougℏt at no tyme. And he chaungetℏ his colour oftentyme, For men seen him often sitℏes now in o colour & now in anoþer colour, And he may chaunge him in to aƚƚ maner coloures þat him list, saf only in to red & white. Þere ben also in þat contree passynge grete serpentes,descriptionOpen page Summe of .vj^xx. fote long & þei ben of dyuerse coloures as rayed rede, grene & ȝalowe, blewe & blake & aƚƚ spekelede. & þere ben oþere þat han crestes vpon hire hedes & þei gon vpon hire feet vprigℏt And þei ben wel a .iiij. fadme gret or more. And þei duellen aƚƚwey in roches or in mountaynes And þei han aƚƚwey the throte open,descriptionOpen page of whens þei droppen venym aƚƚweys. And þere ben also wylde swyndescriptionOpen page of many coloures als grete as ben oxen in oure contree & þei ben aƚƚ spotted as ben ȝonge fownes. And þere ben also VRCHOUNES als grete as wylde swyn here, Wee clepen hem PORCZ DE SPYNE. And þere ben lyouns aƚƚ whitedescriptionOpen page gret & mygℏty. And þere ben also of oþer bestes als grete & more gretter þan is a destrere, And men clepen hem LOERANCZdescriptionOpen page And summen clepen hem ODENTHOSdescriptionOpen page And þei han a blak hed & .iij. longe hornes trencℏant in the front scharpe as a swerd & the body is sclendre;descriptionOpen page And he is a fuƚƚ felonous best And he chacetℏ & sleetℏ the [folio 123a] OLIFANT. Þere ben also manye oþer bestes fuƚƚ wykked & crueƚƚ þat ben not mocheles more þan a bere And þei han the hede lycℏ a BORE & þei han .vj. feetdescriptionOpen page And on euery foote .ij. large clawes trenchant And the body is lycℏ a BERE, & the tayl as a lyoun. And þere ben also mysedescriptionOpen page als grete as houndes & ȝalowe mysedescriptionOpen page als grete as RABENES. And þere ben GEESdescriptionOpen page aƚƚ rede þre

sithes more gret þan oure here & þei han the hed, the necke & the brest aƚƚ blak. And many oþer dyuerse bestes ben in þo contrees & eƚƚwhere þere abouten & manye dyuerse briddes also, of the whiche it were to longe for to teƚƚ ȝou & þerfore I passe ouer at this tyme.