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

[PART SECOND: THE COUNTRIES BEYOND THE HOLY LAND.]

Chapter XVII

ARMENIA. THE SPARROW-HAWK TALE

OF THE LONDES OF ALBANYE AND OF LIBYE; OF THE WISSHINGES FOR WACCHINGE OF THE SPERHAUK, & OF NOES SCHIPPE.

NOW sitℏ I haue told ȝou beforn of the holy lond & of þat contree abouten & of many weyes for to go to þat lond & to þe mount Synay & of Babyloyne the more & the lessdescriptionOpen page & to oþer places þat I haue spoken beforn, now is tyme ȝif it lyke ȝou for to teƚƚ ȝou of the marches & Iles & dyuerse bestes & of dyuerse folk beȝond theise marches. For in þo contrees beȝonden ben many dyuerse contrees & many grete kyngdomes þat ben departed be the .iiij. flodesdescriptionOpen page þat comen from paradys terrestre. For Mesopotayme & the kyngdom of Caldee & Arabye ben betwene the .ij. ryueres of Tygre & of Eufrates, And the kyngdom of Mede & of PersyedescriptionOpen page ben betwene the ryueres of Nile & of Tygres. And the kyngdom of Syrie where of I haue spoken beforn & Palestyne & Phenicye ben betwene Eufrates & the se Medyterrane. The whiche see duretℏ in lengtℏe fro Mayrok vpon the see of Spayne vnto the grete see,descriptionOpen page so þat it lastetℏ beȝonde Costantynople .M^ƚM^ƚM^ƚ. & .xl. myles of lombardye. And toward the see Occyan & Inde is the kyngdom of Shithie þat is aƚƚ closed with hilles And after vnder Schithie & fro the see of Caspie vnto the flom of ThamydescriptionOpen page is AMAZOYNE þat is the lond of FEMYNYE, where þat noman is but only aƚƚ wommen. And after is AlbanyedescriptionOpen page a fuƚƚ gret reme, And it is clept Albanye be cause þat the folk ben whitere þere þan in oþer marches þere abouten; And in þat contree ben so gret houndes & so stronge þat þei assaylen lyouns & slen hem. And þanne after [folio 61a] is Hircanye Bactrie Hiberye & many oþer kyngdomes. And betwene the rede see & the see occyan toward the soutℏ is the kyngdom of Ethiope & of libye the hyere, The whiche lond of Lybye þat is to seyne libye the lowe þat begynnetℏ at

the see of Spayne fro þens where the pyleres of hercules ben And duretℏ vnto aneyntes Egipt & toward Ethiope. In þat contre of libye is the see more higℏ þan the londdescriptionOpen page & it semetℏ þat it wolde couere the removelond ertℏe & natheles ȝit it passetℏ not his markes. And men seen in þat contre a mountayne to the whicℏe noman come. In this lond of libye whoso turnetℏ toward the Est the schadewe of himself is on the right syde And here in oure contree the schadwe is on the left syde. In þat see of libye is no fisscℏ, for þei mowe not lyve ne dure for the gret hete of the sonne, because þat the water is euermore boyllynge for the gret hete. And many oþere londes þer ben, þat it were to long to teƚƚe or to nombren, But of sum parties I schaƚƚ speke more pleynly here after. Whoso wil þanne gon toward Tartarie, toward Persie, toward Caldee & toward ynde, he most entre the see at Gene or at Venyse or at sum otℏer hauene þat I haue told ȝou before; And þan passe men the see & arryuen at Trapazond þat is a gode cytee & it was wont to ben the hauene of POUNTZ.descriptionOpen page Þere is the hauene of Persanes & of Medaynes & of the marches þere beȝonde. In þat cytee lytℏ seynt Athanasie þat was Bisshopp of Alisandre þat made þe psalm: QUICUMQUE WŁT.descriptionOpen page This ATHANASIUS was a gret doctour of dyuynytee & because þat he preched & spak so depely of dyuynytee & of the godhede he was accused to the Pope of Rome þat he was an heretyk, Wherfore the Pope sente after ℏym [folio 61b] & putte him in presoun. And whils he was in presoun he made þat psalm & sente it to the Pope & seyde þat ȝif he were an heretyk þan was þat heresie, for þat he seyde was his beleeue. And whan the Pope saugℏ it & had examyned it, þat it was perfite & gode & verryly oure feytℏ & oure beleeue, he made him to ben delyuered out of presoun & commanded þat psalm to ben seyd euery day at pryme & so he held Athanasie a gode man. But he wolde neuere

go to his bisshopriche aȝen because þat þei accused him of heresye. Trapozond was wont to ben holden of the Emperour of Costantynople, But a gret man þat he sente for to kepe the contree aȝenst the Turkes vsurped the lond & helde it to him self & cleped him Emperour of Trapazond. And from þens men gon thorgℏ litiƚƚ Ermonye, And in þat contree is an old casteƚƚdescriptionOpen page þat stont vpon a roche the whiche is cleped the casteƚƚ of the SPARREHAWK, þat is beȝonde the cytee of LAYAYSdescriptionOpen page beside the town of Pharsipee þat belongetℏ to the lordschipe of CRUK þat is a riche lord & a gode cristene man; Where men fynden a Sparehauk vpon a perche rigℏt fair & rigℏt wel made & a faire lady of fayryedescriptionOpen page þat kepetℏ it. And who þat wil wake þat Sparhauk .vij. dayes & .vij. nyghtes & as summe men seyn .iij. dayes & .iij. nygℏtes withouten companye & withouten sleep, þat faire lady schal ȝeuen him whan he hatℏ don the first wysscℏ þat he wil wyssche of erthely thinges; & þat hatℏ ben proued often tymes. And o tyme befeƚƚ þat a kyng of Ermonye þat was a wortℏi knygℏt & a dougℏty man & a noble prince woke þat hauk sum tyme & at the ende of .vij. dayes & .vij. nyghtes the lady cam to him & bad him wisscℏen: for he had wel disserued it. And he answerde þat he was gret lord ynow & wel in pees [folio 62a] & hadde ynowgℏ of worldly richess & þerfore he wolde wisshen non oþer thing but the body of þat faire lady to haue it at his wille. And sche answerde him þat he knew not what he asked & seyde þat he was a fool to desire þat he mygℏte not haue for sche seyde þat he scholde not aske but erthely thing, for sche was non erthely thing, but a gostly thing. And the kyng seyde þat he ne wolde asken non oþer thing. And the lady answerde: sytℏe þat I may not withdrawe ȝou fro ȝoure lewed courage I schal ȝeue ȝou withouten wysschinge & to aƚƚ hem þat schuƚƚ com of ȝou. Sire kyng ȝee schuƚƚ haue werre withouten pees & aƚƚ weys to the .ix^e. degree ȝee schuƚƚ ben in subieccioun of ȝoure enemyes & ȝee schuƚƚ ben nedy of aƚƚ godes. And neuere sitℏen nouther the

kyng of Ermonye ne the contree weren neuer in pees ne þei hadden neuer sitℏen plentee of godes & þei han ben sitℏen aƚƚweyes vnder tribute of the sarrazines. Also the sone of a pore mandescriptionOpen page woke þat hauke & wisshed þat he mygℏte cheue wel & to ben happy to marchandise & the lady graunted him And he becam the most riche & the most famouse marcℏant þat mygℏte ben on see or on ertℏe. And he becam so riche þat he knew not the .M^ƚ. part of þat he hadde & he was wysere in wisschinge þan was þe kyng. Also a knygℏt of the temple wooke þere & wyssched a purs eueremore fuƚƚ of gold & the lady graunted him. But sche seyde him þat he had asked the destruccioun of here ordre for the trust & the affiance of þat purs & for the grete pryde þat þei scholde hauen & so it was. And þerfore loke he kepe him wel þat schaƚƚ wake, For ȝif he slepe he is lost þat neuere man schaƚƚ seen him more. This is not the rigℏt weye for to go to the parties þat I haue nempned before, but for to see the merueyle þat I haue spoken of, [folio 62b] And þerfore whoso wil go rigℏt weye, men gon from TRAPAZOND toward Ermonye the grete vnto a cytee þat is clept ARTYROUNdescriptionOpen page: Þat was wont to ben a gode cytee & a plentifous, but the Turkes han gretly wasted it. Þere aboute growetℏ no wyn ne frut but lityƚƚ or eƚƚ non. In this lond is the ertℏe more higℏ þan in ony oþer & þat maketℏ gret colddescriptionOpen page And þere ben many gode watres & gode welles þat comen vnder ertℏe fro the flom of Paradys þat is clept EUFRATES, þat is a iorneye besyde þat cytee.descriptionOpen page And þat ryuere cometℏ towardes ynde vnder ertℏedescriptionOpen page & resortetℏdescriptionOpen page into the lond of Altazar And so passe men be this Ermonye & entren the see of Persie. Fra þat cytee of Artyroun go men to an hiƚƚ þat is clept SABISSOCOLLE;descriptionOpen page And þere besyde is anoþer hiƚƚ þat men clepen Araratℏ,descriptionOpen page but þe Iewes clepen it TANEEZ,descriptionOpen page where Noes schipp rested & ȝit is vpon þat montayne, And men may seen it a ferr in cleer weder. And þat montayne is wel a .vij. myle higℏ And summen seyn þat þei han seen & touched the schipp & put here fyngres in the parties where the feend

went out, Whan þat Noe seyde: “BENEDICITE,” But þei þat seyn suche woordes seyn here wille. For a man may not gon vp the montayne for gret plentee of snow þat is aƚƚweys on þat montayne nouþer somer ne wynter,descriptionOpen page so þat noman may gon vp þere ne neuere man dide sithe the tyme of Noe saf a monk þat be the grace of god brougℏte on of the plankes doun, þat ȝit is in the mynstre at the foot of the montayne.descriptionOpen page And besyde is the cytee of DAYNEdescriptionOpen page þat Noe founded, And faste by is the cytee of AnydescriptionOpen page in the whiche were wont to ben a .M^ƚ. chirches. But vpon þat montayne to gon vp this monk had gret desir And so vpon a day he [folio 63a] wente vp And whan he was vpward the .iij. part of the montayne he was so wery, þat he mygℏte no fertℏere and so he rested him & feƚƚ oslepe. And whan he awook he fonde him self liggynge at the foot of the montayne And þan he preyede deuoutly to god þat he wolde vouchesaf to suffre him gon vp. And an angeƚƚ cam to him & seyde þat he scholde gon vp And so he dide, And sith þat tyme neuer non; wherfore men scholde not beleeve suche woordes. Fro þat montayne go men to the cytee of THAURISOdescriptionOpen page þat was wont to ben clept FAXIS þat is a fuƚƚ fair cytee & a gret & on of the beste þat is in the world for marchandise. Þider comen aƚƚ marchauntes for to byen auoir de poys and it is in the lond of the Emperour of Persie And men seyn þat the Emperour taketℏ more gode in þat cytee for custom of marchandise þan dotℏ the ricchest cristene kyng of aƚƚ his reme þat lyuetℏ; For the toƚƚ & the custom of his marchantes is withouten estymacyoun to ben nombred. Beside þat cytee is an hiƚƚ of salt And of þat salt euery man taketℏ what he wil for to salte with to his nede. Þere duellen many cristene men vndir tribute of Sarrazines. And fro þat cytee men passen be many townes & casteƚƚ in goynge toward ynde vnto þe cytee of Sadonye þat is a .x. iourneyes fro Thauriso & it is a fuƚƚ noble cytee & a gret. And þere duelletℏ the Emperour of Persie in somer for the contree is cold ynow & þere ben gode ryueresdescriptionOpen page berynge schippes.

After go men the weye toward ynde be many iorneyes & be many contreyes vnto the cytee þat is clept CASSAKdescriptionOpen page þat is a fuƚƚ noble cytee & a plentyfous of cornes & wynes & of aƚƚ oþer godes. This [folio 63b] is the cytee where the .iij. kynges metten togedre whan þei wenten to sechen oure lord in Bethlem to worschipe him & to presente him witℏ gold, ensence & myrre. And it is from þat cytee to Bethleem .liij. iourneyes. Fro þat cytee men gon to anoþer cytee þat is clept GetℏdescriptionOpen page þat is a iourneye fro the see þat men clepen the gravely see.descriptionOpen page Þat is the beste cytee þat the Emperour of Persie hatℏ in aƚƚ his lond And þei clepen flesscℏ þere DABAGO & the wyn VAPA.descriptionOpen page And the paynemes seyn þat no cristene man may not longe duelle ne enduren witℏ the lif in þat cytee, but dyen within schort tyme & noman knowetℏ not the cause. After gon men be many cytees & townes & grete contrees þat it were to longe to teƚƚ vnto the cytee of CornaadescriptionOpen page þat was wont to be so gret þat the walles abouten helden .xxv. myle aboute. the walles schewen ȝit, but it is not aƚƚ enhabited. Fro CORNAA go men be many londes & many cytees & townes vnto the lond of IOB, And þere endetℏ the lond of the Emperour of PERSIE. And ȝif ȝee wole knowe the lettres of PersaynesdescriptionOpen page & what names þei han, þei ben suche as I last deuysed ȝou, but not in sownynge of here woordes.

Chapter XVIII

CHALDEA. VARIETIES OF DIAMONDS

OF THE LOND OF IOB & OF HIS AGE; OF THE ARAY OF MEN OF CALDEE; OF THE LOND WHERE WOMMEN DUELLE WITHOUTEN COMPANYE OF MEN; OF THE KNOULECHE & VERTUES OF THE VERRAY DYAMAUNT.

AFTER the departyng fro CORMAA men entren into þe lond of Iob þat is a fuƚƚ fair contree & a plentyfous of aƚƚ godes, And men clepen þat lond the lond of Sweze.descriptionOpen page In þat lond is the cytee of THEMAN.descriptionOpen page

Iob was a payneem & he was ARE of GOSRAdescriptionOpen page is sone & held þat lond as prynce of that contree & he was so riche þat he knew not the hundred [folio 64a] part of his godes. And aƚƚ þougℏ he were a payneem natheles he serued wel god after his lawedescriptionOpen page And oure lord toke his seruice to his plesance. And whan he feƚƚ in pouerte he was .lxxviij. ȝeer of age. And after whan god had preued his pacyence & it was so gret, he broughte him aȝen to richess & to heere estatedescriptionOpen page þan he was before. And after þat he was kyng of YDUMYE after kyng Esau. And whan he was kyng he was clept IOBAB And in þat kyngdom he lyuede after .clxx. ȝer And so he was of age whan he dyed .ccxlviij. ȝeer. In þat lond of Iob þere nys no defaute of no þing þat is nedefuƚƚ to mannes body. Þere ben hilles where men geten gret plente of Manna,descriptionOpen page in gretter habundance þan in ony otℏer contree. This MANNA is clept bred of aungeles & it is a white þing þat is fuƚƚ swete & rigℏt delicyous & more swete þan hony or sugre and it cometℏ of the dew of heuene þat falletℏ vpon the herbes in þat contree And it congeletℏdescriptionOpen page & becometℏ aƚƚ white & swete. And men putten it in medicynes for ryche men to make the Wombe lax & to purge euyƚƚ blode, for it clensetℏ the blood & puttetℏ out malencolye. This lond of IOB marchetℏ to the kyngdom of Caldee;descriptionOpen page This lond of CALDEE is fuƚƚ gret & the langage of þat contree is more gret in sownyngedescriptionOpen page þan it is in oþer parties beȝonde þe see. Men passen to go beȝonde be the tour of Babiloyne the grete of the whiche I haue told ȝou before, where þat aƚƚ the langages weren first chaunged; And þat is a .iiij. iorneyes fro Caldee. In þat remedescriptionOpen page ben faire men & þei gon fuƚƚ nobely arrayed in clotℏes of gold orfrayed [folio 64b] & apparayled with grete perles & precyous stones fuƚƚ nobely, & the wommen ben rigℏt foule & euyƚƚ arrayed & þei gon aƚƚ bare fote & clothed in euyƚƚ garnementes large wydedescriptionOpen page but þei ben schorte to the knees & longe sleves doun to the feet lycℏ a Monkes frokke & here sleves ben hongyng doun to the

feet; And þei han gret heer & long hanginge aboute here schuldres. And þei ben blake wommen, foule & hidouse; And treuly as foule as þei ben als euele þei ben. In þat kyngdom of Caldee in a cytee þat is clept HURdescriptionOpen page dueled Thare Abrahames fader & þere was Abraham born. And þat was in þat tyme þat Nunus was kyng of Babiloyn̛ of Arabye & of Egypt. This Nunus made the cytee of Nynyuee the whicℏe þat Noe had begonne before & be cause þat Nunus performed it he cleped it Nynyuee after his owne name. Þere lytℏ Thobye the prophete of whom holy writt speketℏ offe. And fro þat cytee of Hur Abraham departed be the commandement of god fro þens after the detℏ of his fader & ladde with him Sarra his wif & Loth his brotheres sone because þat he hadde no child, And þei wenten to duelle in the lond of CHANAAN in a place þat is clept SYCHEM. And þis lotℏ was he þat was saued whan Sodom & Gomorre & the oþere cytees weren brent & sonken doun to helle where þat the dede see is now, as I haue told ȝou before. In þat lond of Caldee þei han here propre langages & here propre lettres, suche as ȝee may see here after.descriptionOpen page Besyde the lond of Caldee is the lond of AMAZOYNEdescriptionOpen page þat is the lond of FEMYNYE & in þat reme is aƚƚ wommen & noman, Nogℏt as summe [folio 65a] men seyn þat men mowe not lyue þere, but for because þat the wommen wil not suffre no mendescriptionOpen page amonges hem to ben here souereynes. For sum tyme þer was a kyng in þat contrey & men maryed as in oþer contreyes & so befeƚƚ þat the kyng had werre with hem of SICHIE, the whiche kyng higℏte COLEPEUS,descriptionOpen page þat was slayn in bataylle & aƚƚ the gode blood of his reme. And whan the queen & aƚƚ the othere noble ladyes sawen þat þei weren aƚƚ wydewes & þat aƚƚ the riaƚƚ blood was lost þei armed hem & as creatures out of wyttdescriptionOpen page þei slowen aƚƚ the men of the contrey þat weren laft for þei wolden þat aƚƚ the wommen weren wydewes as the queen & þei weren. And fro þat tyme hiderwardes

þei neuere wolden suffren man to dweƚƚ amonges hem lenger þan .vij. dayes & .vij. nyghtes, Ne þat no child þat were male scholde dueƚƚdescriptionOpen page amonges hem lenger þan he were noryscℏt & þanne sente to his fader. And whan þei wil haue ony companye of man þan þei drawen hemdescriptionOpen page towardes the londes marchynge next to hem. And þan þei haue here loues þat vsen hem & þei duellen with hem an .viij. dayes or .x. & þanne gon hom aȝen. And ȝif þei haue ony knaue child þei kepen it a certeyn tyme & þan senden it to the fadir whan he can gon allone & eten be him self or eƚƚ þei sleen it; And ȝif it be a femele þei don awey þat on pappe with an hote hiren. And ȝif it be a womman of gret lynage þei don awey the left pappe þat þei may the better beren a scheeld, And ȝif it be a womman on fote þei don awey the riȝt pappe for to scheten with bowe turkeys, For they schote wel with bowes. In þat lond þei haue a queen þat gouernetℏ aƚƚ þat lond & aƚƚ þei ben obeyssant to hire And [folio 65b] alweys þei maken here queen by electioun þat is most worthy in armes. For þei ben rigℏt gode werryoures & orped & wyse, noble & wortℏi. And þei gon often tyme in sowd to help of oþer kynges in here werres for gold & syluer as otℏere sowdyoures don. And þei meyntenen hemself right vygouresly. This lond of Amazoyne is an Ile aƚƚ envirouned with the see saf in .ij. places where ben .ij. entrees, And beȝonde þat water duellen the men þat ben here paramoures & hire loues, where þei gon to solacen hem whan þei wole. Besyde amazoyne is the lond of TARMEGYTEdescriptionOpen page þat is a gret contre & a fuƚƚ delectable And for the godness of the contree kyng Alisandre leet first make þere the cytee of Alisandre; And ȝit he made .xij. cytees of the same name; But þat cytee is now clept Celsite. And fro þat oþer cost of Caldee toward the south is Ethiope a gret contree þat strecchetℏ to the ende of Egypt; Ethiope is departed in .ij. parties princypaƚƚ. And þat is in the est partie & in the meridionaƚƚ partie,descriptionOpen page

The whicℏe partie meridionaƚƚ is clept MORETANE. And the folk of þat contree ben blake ynow & more blake þan in the toþer partie & þei ben clept mowres. In þat partie is a weƚƚdescriptionOpen page þat in the day it is so cold þat noman may drynke þere offe And in the nygℏt it is so hoot þat noman may suffre hys hond þere in. And beȝonde þat partie toward the soutℏ to passe by the see Occean is a gret lond & a gret contrey, but men may not dueƚƚ þere for the feruent brennynge of the sonne, so is it passynge hoot in þat contrey. In Ethiope aƚƚ the Ryueres & aƚƚ the watres ben trouble & þei ben somdeƚƚ salte for the gret hete þat is þere. And the folk of þat contree ben [folio 66a] lygℏtly dronken & han but litiƚƚ appetyt to mete And þei han comounly the flux of the wombe & þei lyuen not longe. In Ethiope ben many dyuerse folk And Ethiope is clept CUSIS. In þat contree ben folk þat han but o footdescriptionOpen page & þei gon so blyue þat it is meruaylle And the foot is so large þat it schadewetℏ aƚƚ the body aȝen the sonne Whanne þei wole lye & reste hem. In Ethiope whan the children ben ȝonge & lytiƚƚ þei ben aƚƚ ȝalowedescriptionOpen page And whan þat þei wexen of age þat ȝalowness turnetℏ to ben aƚƚ blak.descriptionOpen page In Ethiope is the cytee of Saba & the lond of the whiche on of the .iij. kynges þat presented oure lord in Bethleem was kyng offe. Fro Ethiope men gon into ynde be manye dyuerse contreyes And men clepen the higℏ ynde EMLAK.descriptionOpen page And ynde is devyded in .iij. princypaƚƚ parties Þat is ynde the more þat is a fuƚƚ hoot contree & ynde the less þat is a fuƚƚ atempree contrey þat strecchetℏ to the londe of Mede. And the .iij. part toward the Septentrion is fuƚƚ cold so þat for pure cold & contynueƚƚ frost the water becometℏ Cristaƚƚ.descriptionOpen page And vpon tho roches of cristaƚƚ growen the gode dyamandes þat ben of trouble colour; Ȝalow Cristaƚƚ draweth colour lyke oylledescriptionOpen page And þei ben so harde þat noman may pollyscℏ hem & men clepen hem dyamandes in þat contree & HAMESE in anoþer contree. Othere dyamandes men

fynden in ArabyedescriptionOpen page þat ben not so gode & þei ben more broun & more tendre. And oþer dyamandes also men fynden in the Ile of Cipre þat ben ȝit more tendre & hem men may wel pollischen; And in the lond of Macedoyne men fynden dyamaundes also, But the beste & the moste precyiouse ben in ynde. [folio 66b] And men fynden many tyme harde dyamaundes in a masse þat cometℏ out of golddescriptionOpen page whan men puren it & fynen it out of the myne whan men breken þat mass in smale peces. And sum tyme it happenetℏ þat men fynden summe as grete as a pese & summe lasse & þei ben als harde as þo of ynde. And aƚƚ be it þat men fynden gode dyamandes in ynde, ȝit natℏeles men fynden hem more comounly vpon the roches in the see & vpon hilles where the myne of gold is; And þei growen many to gedre on lytiƚƚ anotℏer gret And þer ben summe of the gretness of a bene & summe als grete as an haseƚƚ note & þei ben square & poynted of here owne kynde boþe abouen & benetℏen withouten worchinge of manues hond & þei growen togedre male & femeledescriptionOpen page And þei ben norysscℏt with the dew of heuenedescriptionOpen page And þei engendren comounly & bryngen fortℏ smale children þat multiplyen & growen aƚƚ the ȝeer. I haue often tymes assayeddescriptionOpen page þat ȝif a man kepe hem with a lityƚƚ of the roche, & wete hem with may dew ofte sithes þei schuƚƚ growe euerycℏe ȝeer, & the smale wole wexen grete. For rigℏt as the fyn perl congeletℏdescriptionOpen page and wexetℏ gret of the dew of heuene rigℏt so dotℏ the verray dyamand, And rigℏt as the perl of his owne kynde taketℏ roundness rigℏt so the dyamand be vertu of god taketℏ squareness. And men schaƚƚ bere the dyamaund on his left sydedescriptionOpen page for it is of grettere vertue þanne þan on the rigℏt syde; For the strengtℏe of here growyngedescriptionOpen page is toward the nortℏ þat is the left syde of the world, & the left partie of man is whan he turnetℏ his face toward the est.descriptionOpen page And ȝif ȝou lyke to knowe the vertues of þe dyamand [folio 67a] as men may fynden in the lapidarye þat many men knowen nogℏt, I schaƚƚ telle ȝou as þei beȝonde the see seyn & affermen, of whom

aƚƚ science & aƚƚ philosophie cometℏ from. He þat beretℏ the dyamand vpon him, it ȝeuetℏ him hardynessdescriptionOpen page & manhode & it kepetℏ the lemes of his body hole, It ȝeuetℏ him victorye of his enemyes in plee & in werre ȝif his cause be rigℏtfuƚƚ, & it kepetℏ him þat beretℏ it in gode wytt. And it kepetℏ him fro strif & ryot, fro euyƚƚ sweuenes, from sorwes & from enchauntementes & from fantasyes & illusiouns of wykked spirites. And ȝif ony cursed wycche or enchauntour wolde bewycchen him þat beretℏ the dyamand, aƚƚ þat sorwe & mischancedescriptionOpen page schaƚƚ turne to himself þorgℏ vertue of þat ston And also no wylde best dar assaylle the man þat beretℏ it on him. Also the dyamand scholde ben ȝouen frely withouten coueytynge & withouten byggynge & þan it is of grettere vertue. And it maketℏ a man more strong & more sad aȝenst his enemyes And it heletℏ him þat is lunatyk & hem þat the fend pursuetℏ or trauayletℏ. And ȝif venym or poysoun be brougℏt in presence of the dyamand anon it begynnetℏ to wexe moyst & for to swete. Þere ben also dyamandes in ynde pat ben clept VIOLASTRESdescriptionOpen page for here colour is liche vyolet or more browne þan the violettes, þat ben fuƚƚ harde & fuƚƚ precyous, But ȝit sum men loue not hem so wel as the oþere But in sotℏ to me I wolde louen hem als moche as þe oþere, For I haue seen hem assayed. Also þere is a noþer maner of dyamandes þat ben als white as cristaƚƚ but þei ben a lityƚƚ more trouble & þei ben gode & of gret vertue & aƚƚ þei ben square & poynted of here owne kynde, And summe ben .vj. squared [folio 67b] summe .iiij. squared & summe .iij. as nature schapetℏ hem & þerfore whan grete lordes & knygℏtes gon to sechen worschipe in armes þei beren gladly the dyamaund vpon hem. I schal speke a litiƚƚ more of the dyamandes aƚƚ þougℏ I tarye my materedescriptionOpen page for a tyme, to þat ende þat þei þat knowen hem not be not disceyued be gabberes þat gon be the contree þat sellen hem. For whoso wil bye the dyamand, it is nedefuƚƚ to him þat he knowe hem be cause þat men

counterfeten hem often of cristaƚƚ þat is ȝalow. & of SAPHIRES of cytryne colour þat is ȝalow also, & of the Saphire loupe & of many oþer stones; But I teƚƚ ȝou theise contrefetes ben not so harde. And also the poyntes wil breken ligℏtly & men may esily pollisschen hem But summe werkmen for malice wil not pollisschen hem, to þat entent to maken men beleue þat þei may not ben pollisscℏt. But men may assaye hem in this manere: First schere with hem or write witℏ hem in SAPHIRES in cristaƚƚ or in oþer precious stones. After þat men taken the ADEMAND þat is the schipmannes ston þat drawetℏ the nedle to him And men leyn the dyamand vpon the Ademand & leyn the nedle before the ademand And ȝif the dyamand be gode and vertuous, the ademand drawetℏ not the nedledescriptionOpen page to him whils the dyamand is þere present. And þis is the preef þat þei beȝonde the see maken. Natheles it befalletℏ often tyme þat the gode dyamand lesetℏ his vertue be synne & for Incontynence of him þat beretℏ it And þanne is it nedfuƚƚ to make it to recoueren his vertue aȝen or eƚƚ it is of litiƚƚ value.

Chapter XIX

INDIA. ITS SUPERSTITIONS

OF THE CUSTOMS OF YLES ABOUTEN YNDE; OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWIX YDOLES & SIMULACRES; OF .IIJ. MANER GROWYNGES OF PEPER VPON O TREE; OF THE WELLE ÞAT CHAUN [folio 68a] GETℏ HIS ODOUR EUERY HOUR OF THE DAY, & ÞAT IS MERUAYLLE.

IN YNDE ben fuƚƚ manye dyuerse contrees And it is cleped YNDE for a flom þat rennetℏ þorgℏout the contree þat is clept ynde. In þat flome men fynden ELES of .xxx^ti. fote longdescriptionOpen page & more And the folk þat duellen nygℏ þat water ben of euyƚƚ colour, grene & ȝalow. In YNDE & abouten ynde ben mo þan .v. M^ƚ. IlesdescriptionOpen page gode & grete þat men duellen in,descriptionOpen page withouten þo þat ben inhabitable &

withouten oþere smale Iles. In euery Ile is gret plentee of cytees & of townes & of folk witℏ outen nombre, For men of ynde han this condicioun of kynde, þat þei neuere gon outdescriptionOpen page of here owne contree & þerfore is þer gret multitude of peple, but þei ben not sterynge ne mevable be cause þat þei ben in the firste clymat,descriptionOpen page þat is of SATURNE & SATURNE is slougℏ & litiƚƚ mevynge. For he taryetℏ to make his turn be the .xij. signes .xxx^ti. ȝeer. And the mone passetℏ þorgℏ the .xij. signes in o monetℏ. And for because þat Saturne is of so late sterynge þerfore the folk of þat contree þat ben vnder his clymat han of kynde no wiƚƚ for to meve ne stere to seche strange places. And in oure contrey is aƚƚ the contrarie, For wee ben in the seuentℏe clymat þat is of the mone. And the mone is of lygℏtly mevynge & the mone is planete of weye. And for þat skyƚƚ it ȝeuetℏ vs wiƚƚ of kynde for to meve lygℏtly & for to go dyuerse weyes & to sechen strange thinges & oþer dyuersitees of the world, For the mone envyrounetℏ the ertℏe more hastyly þan ony oþer planete. Also men gon þorgℏ ynde be many dyuerse contrees to the gret see OCCEAN And after men fynden þere an Ile þat is clept CRUESdescriptionOpen page & þider comen marchantes of Venyse & Gene [folio 68b] and of oþer marches for to byen marchandyses. But þere is so grete hete in þo marches & namely in þat Ile, þat for the grete distress of the hete mennes ballokkes hangen doun to here knees for the gret dissolucioun of the body. And men of þat contree þat knowen the manere lat bynde hem vp or eƚƚ mygℏte þei not lyue & anoynt hem with oynementesdescriptionOpen page made þerfore to holde hem vp. In þat contree & in Ethiope & in many oþer contrees the folk lyggen aƚƚ naked in ryueresdescriptionOpen page & watres, men and wommen to gedre, fro vndurne of the day tiƚƚ it be passed the noon. And þei lyen aƚƚ in the water saf the visage for the gret hete þat þere is. And the wommen hauen no schame of the men, but lyen aƚƚ togidre, syde to syde, tiƚƚ the hete be past. Þere may men see many foule figure assembled & namely nygℏ the

gode townes. In þat Ile ben schippes withouten naylesdescriptionOpen page of Iren or bondes for the roches of the Ademandes, for þei ben aƚƚ fuƚƚ þere aboute in þat see þat it is merueyle to speken of. And ȝif a schipp passed be þo marches þat hadde ouþer Iren bondes or Iren nayles, anon he scholde ben perisscℏt, For the Ademand of his kynde drawetℏ the Iren to him And so wolde it drawe to him the schipp, be cause of the Iren, þat he scholde neuer departen fro it ne neuer go þens. Fro þat Ile men gon be see to a noþer Ile þat is clept CHANA,descriptionOpen page where is gret plentee of corn & wyn. And it was wont to ben a gret Ile & a gret hauene & a good but the see hatℏ gretly wasted it & ouercomen it.descriptionOpen page The kyng of þat contree was wont to ben so strong & so mygℏty þat he heeld werre [folio 69a] aȝenst kyng Alisandre. The folk of þat contree han a dyuers lawe, for summe of hem worschipe the sonne,descriptionOpen page summe the mone, summe the fuyr, summe trees, summe serpentes or the firste þing þat þei meeten at morwen, And summe worschipen symulacres & summe ydoles. But betwene symulacres & ydolesdescriptionOpen page is a gret difference, For symulacres ben ymages made after lykness of men or of wommen or of the sonne or of the mone or of ony best or of ony kyndely thing, & ydoles is an ymage made of lewed wiƚƚ of man þat man may not fynden among kyndely thinges As an ymage þat hatℏ .iiij. hedes, on of man, anoþer of an hors or of an ox or of sum oþer bestdescriptionOpen page þat noman hatℏ seyn after kyndely disposicioun. And þei þat worschipen symulacres þei worschipen hem for sum worthi mandescriptionOpen page þat was sumtyme, as hercules & many oþere þat diden many meruayles in here tyme, For þei seyn wel þat þei be not goddes for þei knowen wel þat þere is a god of kyndedescriptionOpen page þat made aƚƚ thinges, the whiche is in heuene. But þei knowen wel þat this may not do the meruayles þat he made but ȝif it had ben be the specyaƚƚ ȝifte of god & þerfore þei seyn þat he was wel with god, And for because þat he was so wel with god þerfore þei worschipe him. And so seyn þei of the sonne be cause þat he chaungetℏ

the tyme & ȝeuetℏ hete & norisschetℏ aƚƚ thinges vpon ertℏe and for it is of so gret profite þei knowe wel þat þat myghte not be, but þat god louetℏ it more þan ony oþer thing And for þat skyƚƚ god hath ȝouen it more gret vertue in the world; þerfore it is gode resoun as þei seyn, to don it worschipe and reuerence. And so seyn þei & maken here resounes of [folio 69b] oþere planetes & of the fuyr also, be cause it is so profitable. And of ydoles þei seyn also þat the ox is þe moste holy bestdescriptionOpen page þat is in erthe & most pacyent and most profitable þan ony other, For he dotℏ good ynow & he dotℏ non euyƚƚ & þei knowen wel þat it may not be withouten specyaƚƚ grace of god. And þerfore maken þei here god of an oxdescriptionOpen page the on part & the oþer halfondeƚƚ of a man be cause þat man is the most noble creature in ertℏe & also for he hatℏ lordschipe abouen aƚƚ bestes; þerfore make þei the halfondel of ydole of a man vpwardes & the toþer half of an ox dounwardes. And of serpentes & of oþer bestes & dyuerse þinges þat þei worschipen þat þei meten first at morwe. And þei worschipen also specyally aƚƚ þo þat þei han gode meetyngedescriptionOpen page of, And whan þei speden wel in here iorneye after here meetynge, & namely suche as þei han preued & assayed be experience of longe tyme. For þei seyn þat þilke gode meetynge ne may not come but of the grace of god And þerfore þei maken ymages lycℏ to þo thinges þat þei han beleeue jnne for to beholden hem & worschipen hem first at morwe, or þei meeten ony contrarious thinges. And þere ben also sum cristene men þat seyn þat summe bestes han gode meetynge, þat is to seye for to meete with hem first at morwe & summe bestes wykked meetynge & þat þei han preued ofte tyme þat the hare hatℏ fuƚƚ euyƚƚ meetynge & swyn & many oþere bestes. And the Sparhauk or oþer foules of raveynedescriptionOpen page whan þei fleen after here praye & take it before men of armes, it is a gode signe, And ȝif he fayle of takynge his praye it is an euyƚƚ signe. And [folio 70a] also to suche folk it is an euyƚƚ meetynge of Ravenes. In þeise thinges & in sucℏ

oþere þer ben many folk þat beleeven because it happenetℏ so oftentyme to fallen after here fantasyes; And also þere ben men ynowe þat han no beleve in hem. And sith þat cristene men han sucℏ beleeve, þat ben enformed & taugℏtdescriptionOpen page aƚƚ day be holy doctryne wherejnne þei scholde beleeve, it is no meruaylle þanne þat the paynemes þat han no gode doctryne but only of here nature beleeven more largely for here sympless. And treuly I haue seen of paynemes & sarazines þat men clepen AUGURYNES þat whan wee ryden in armes in dyuerse contrees vpon oure enemyes, be the flyenge of foules þei wolde teƚƚ vs the pronosticaciouns of thinges þat feƚƚ after And so þei diden fuƚƚ oftentymes & profreden here hedes to wedde, but ȝit it wold fallen as þei seyden. But natℏeles þerfore scholde nogℏt a man putten his beleeve in suche thinges, but alweys han fuƚƚ trust & beleeve in god oure souereyn lord. This Ile of CHANAdescriptionOpen page the sarazines han wonnen & holden, In þat Ile ben many lyouns & many oþer wylde bestes And þere ben rattes in þat jle als grete as houndesdescriptionOpen page here And men taken hem with grete mastyfes, for cattes may not take hem. In this jle & manye othere men berye not no dede men, for the hete is þere so gret þat in a lityƚƚ tyme the flescℏ wil consume fro the bones. Fro þens men gon be see toward ynde þe more to a cytee þat men clepen SARCHEE,descriptionOpen page þat is a fair cytee & a gode & þere duellen many cristene men of gode feytℏ. And þere ben manye religious men & namely of mendynantes. After gon men be see to the lond of lomb,descriptionOpen page In þat lond [folio 70b] growetℏ the peper in a Forest þat men clepen COMBARdescriptionOpen page & it growetℏ nowhere eƚƚ in aƚƚ the world but in þat Forest & þat duretℏ wel an .xviij. iourneyes in lengtℏe. In þat forest ben .ij. gode cytees, þat on higℏte FLADRINE & þat otℏer ZINGLANTZ And in euery of hem duellen cristene men & İewes gret plentee, For it is a gode contree & a plentefous, but þere is ouer meche passynge hetc. And ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat the peper growetℏ in maner as dotℏ a wylde vyne þat is planted faste by the trees of þat

wode for to susteynen it by as dotℏ the vyne, And the fruyt þerof hangetℏ in manere as reysynges And the tree is so thikke charged þat it semetℏ þat it wolde breke & whan it is ripe it is aƚƚ grene as it were JUY beryes & þan men kytten hem as men don the vynes & þan þei putten it vpon an owven̛ & þere it waxetℏ blak & crisp. And þere is .iij. maner of peper aƚƚ vpon o tree: Long peper, blak peper & white peper.descriptionOpen page The long peper men clepen SORBOTYNdescriptionOpen page & the blak peper is clept FULFUƚƚ.descriptionOpen page And the white peper is clept BANO. The long peper cometℏ first whan the lef begynnetℏ to come & it is lyche the chattes of haseƚƚ þat cometℏ before the lef & it hangetℏ lowe; And after cometℏ the blake with the lef in manere of clustres of reysinges aƚƚ grene; And whan men han gadred it þan cometℏ the white þat is somdeƚƚ lasse þan the blake And of þat men bryngen but litiƚƚ in to þis [folio 71a] contrees for þei beȝonden withholden it for hemself because it is better and more attempree in kynde þan the blake, & þerfore is þer not so gret plentee as of the blake. In þat contree ben manye manere of serpentesdescriptionOpen page & of oþer vermyn for the gret hete of þe contree and of the peper. And summe men seyn þat whan þei wil gadre the peper þei maken fuyr & brennen aboute to make the serpentes and the cokedrilles to flee, But saue here grace of aƚƚ þat seyn so, For ȝif þei brenten abouten, the trees þat beren the peper scholden ben brent & it wolde dryen vp aƚƚ þe vertue, as of ony oþer þing And þan þei diden hemself moche harm; And þei scholde neuere quenchen the fuyr. But þus þei don: þei enoyntendescriptionOpen page here hondes & here feet with an oynementdescriptionOpen page mad of snayles & of oþer thinges made þerfore, of the whiche the serpentes & the venymous bestes haten & dreden the sauour, & þat maketℏ hem flee before hem be cause of the smeƚƚ & þan þei gadren it seurly ynow & wyndwen for þan is no drede of no vermyn to come nere hem. Also toward the heed of þat forest is the cytee of POLOMBE,descriptionOpen page And aboue the

cytee is a grete mountaynedescriptionOpen page þat also is clept POLOMBE And of þat mount the cytee hatℏ his name, And at the foot of that mount is a fair welle & a gret þat hatℏ odour & sauour of alle spices, And at euery hour of the day he chaungetℏ his odour & his sauour dyuersely And whoso drynketℏ .iij. tymes fasting of þat water of þat welle he is hool of aƚƚ maner sykeness þat he hatℏ And þei þat duellen þere & drynken often of þat weƚƚ þei neuere han sekeness & þei semen aƚƚ weys ȝonge. I haue dronken þere of .iij. or .iiij. sitℏes & ȝit me thinketℏ I fare the better. Sum men clepen it the weƚƚ of ȝoutℏe for þei þat often drynken þere of semen aƚƚweys ȝongly & lyuen witℏ [folio 71b] outen sykeness, And men seyn þat that welle cometℏ out of paradys & þerfore it is so vertuous. Be aƚƚ þat contree growetℏ gode gyngeuere And þerfore thider gon the marchauntes for spicerye. In þat londdescriptionOpen page men worschipen the Ox for his sympleness & for his mekeness & for the profite þat cometℏ of him And þei seyn þat he is the holyest best in ertℏe, For hem semetℏ þat whosoeuere be meke & pacyent he is holy & profitable, for þanne þei seyn he hatℏ aƚƚ vertues in him. Þei maken the ox to laboure .vj. ȝeer or .vij. & þan þei ete him. And the kyng of þat contree hatℏ aƚƚwey an ox with him And he þat kepetℏ him hatℏ cuery day grete fees & kepetℏ euery day his dong & his vryne in .ij. vesseƚƚ of gold & bryngen it before here prelate þat þei clepen ARCHIPROTHEPAPATON.descriptionOpen page And he beretℏ it before the kyng & maketℏ þero ouer a gret blessyng & þan the kyng wetetℏ his hondes þere in þat þei clepen Gaul & anoyntetℏ his front & his brest and after he frotetℏ him with the dong and with the vryne with gret reuerence for to ben fulfilt of vertues of the ox & made holy be the vertue of þat holy þing þat nougℏt is wortℏ. And whan the kyng hath don þanne don the lordes And after hem here mynystres & oþer men, ȝif þei may haue ony remenant. In þat contree þei maken ydoles half man half ox And in þo ydoles euyƚƚ spirites speken & ȝeuen answere to men of what is asked hem.

Before þeise ydoles men sleen here children many tymes & spryngen the blood vpon the ydoles & so þei maken here sacrifise. And whan ony man dyetℏ in the contree þei brennen his bodydescriptionOpen page in name of penance to þat entent þat he suffre no peyne in ertℏe to ben eten of wormes. And ȝif [folio 72a] his wif haue no child þei brenne hiredescriptionOpen page with him & seyn þat it is resoun þat sche make him companye in þat oþer world as sche did in this. But & sche haue children with him þei leten hire lyue with hem to brynge hem vp ȝif sche wole. And ȝif þat sche loue more to lyue with here children þan for to dye with hire husbonde, men holden hire for fals & cursed ne schee schaƚƚ neuer ben loued ne trusted of the peple. And ȝif the womman dye before the husbonde men brennen him with hire ȝif þat he wole And ȝif he wil not, noman constreynetℏ him þere to, but he may wedde anoþer tyme withouten blame or repreef. In þat contree growen many stronge vynes & the wommen drynkendescriptionOpen page wyn & men not And the wommen schauen hire berdes & men not.

Chapter XX

ST. THOMAS. THE JUGGERNAUT CAR

OF THE DOMES MADE BE SEYNT THOMAS HOND; OF DEUOCIOUN & SACRIFICE MADE TO YDOLES ÞERE, IN THE CYTEE OF CALAMYE; AND OF THE PROCESSIOUN IN GOYNGE ABOUTE THE CYTEE.

FROM þat contree men passen be many marches toward a contree a .x. iourneyes þens þat is clept MABARONdescriptionOpen page & it is a gret kyngdom & it hatℏ many faire cytees & townes. In þat kyngdom litℏ the body of seynt Thomas the Apostle in flescℏ & bon in a faire tombe in the cytee of CALAMYE, for þere he was martyred & buryed. But men of Assirie beeren his body in to MESOPATAYME in to the cytee of EDISSE And after he was brought þider aȝen, And the arm & the hond þat he putte in oure lordes syde whan he appered to him after his

resurrexioun and seyde to him: “NOLI ESSE INCREDULUS SED FIDELIS,” is ȝit lyggynge in a vesseƚƚdescriptionOpen page withouten the tombe. And be þat hond þei maken aƚƚ here Iuggementes in the contree, whoso hatℏ rigℏt or wrong, For whan þer is ony dissencioun betwene [folio 72b] .ij. partyes & euery of hem meyntenetℏ his cause & seytℏ þat his cause is rigℏtfuƚƚ And þat oþer seytℏ the contrarye, þanne botℏe partyes writen here causes in .ij. billes And putten hem in the hond of seynt Thomas And anon he castetℏ a wey the bille of the wrong cause & holdetℏ stille the bille with the right cause. And þerfore men comen fro fer contrees to haue juggement of doutable causes, And oþer juggement vse þei non þere. Also the chirche where seynt Thomas lytℏ is bothe gret & fair & aƚƚ fuƚƚ of grete SUMULACRÉS & þo ben grete ymages þat þei clepen here goddes, of the whiche the leste is als gret as .ij. men. And amonges þeise oþere þere is a gret ymage more þan ony of the oþere þat is aƚƚ couered with fyn gold & precious stones & riche perles And þat ydole is the god of false cristene þat han reneyed hire feytℏ And it syttetℏ in a chayere of gold fuƚƚ nobely arrayed & he hatℏ aboute his necke large gyrdles wrougℏt of gold & precious stones & perles; & this chirche is fuƚƚ richely wrougℏt & aƚƚ ouer gylt withjnne. And to þat ydole gon men on pilgrimage als comounly & with als gret deuocioun as cristene men gon to seynt IamesdescriptionOpen page or oþer holy pilgrimages. And many folk þat comen fro fer londes to secℏe þat ydole, for the gret deuocyoun þat þei han, þei loken neuere vpward but euermore down to the ertℏe, for drede to see ony thing aboute hem þat scholde lette hem of here deuocioun. And summe þer ben þat gon on pilgrimage to this ydole þat beren knyfes in hire hondes þat ben made fuƚƚ kene & scharpe & aƚƚ weyes as þei gon þei smyten hem self in here armes & in here legges [folio 73a] & in here thyes with many hidouse woundes & so þei scheden here blood for loue of þat ydole. And þei seyn þat he is blessed & holy þat dyeth so for loue of his god. And oþere þere ben

þat leden hire children for to sle to make sacrifise to þat ydole & after þei han slayn hem þei spryngen the blood vpon the ydole. And summe þer ben þat comen fro ferr & in goynge toward this ydole at euery thrydde pas þat þei gon fro here hows, þei knelen & so contynuen tiƚƚ þei come thider. And whan þei comen þere þei taken ensence & oþer aromatyk thinges of noble smeƚƚ and sensen the ydole as we wolde don here goddes preciouse body. And so comen folk to worschipe this ydole sum from an hundred myle & summe fro many mo. And before the mynstre of this ydole is a VYUERE in maner of a gret lake fuƚƚ of water And þere in pilgrymes casten gold & syluer, perles & precious stones withouten nombre in stede of offrynges And whan the mynystres of þat chirche neden to maken ony reparacioun of the chirche or of ony of the ydoles, þei taken gold & siluer, perles or precious stones out of the vyuere, to quyten the costages of sucℏ þing as þei maken or reparen; so þat no thing is fawty, but anon it schaƚƚ ben amended. And ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat whan ben grete festes & solempnytees of þat ydole, as the dedicacioun of the chirche & the thronynge of the ydole aƚƚ the contree aboute meten þere to gidere. And þei setten this ydole vpon a chare with gret reuerence, wel arrayed with clothes of gold, of riche clothes of TARTARYE, of CAMACAA & oþer precyous clotℏes, & þei leden him aboute the cytee with gret solemp [folio 73b] nytee. And before the chare gon first in processioun aƚƚ the maydenes of the contree .ij. & .ij. togydere fuƚƚ ordynatly, And after the maydenes gon the pilgrymes And summe of hem fallen doun vnder the wheles of the chare & lat the chare gon ouer hem, so þat þei ben dede anon. And summe han here armes or here lymes aƚƚ tobroken & somme the sydes, & aƚƚ this don þei for loue of hire god in gret devocioun. And hem thinketℏ þat the more peyne & the more tribulacioun þat þei suffren for loue of here god, the

more ioye þei schuƚƚ haue in another world And schortly to seye ȝou, þei suffren so grete peynes & so harde martyrdomes for loue of here ydole þat a cristene man I trowe durst not taken vpon him the tentℏe part the peyne for loue of oure lord Ihesu crist. And after I seye ȝou before the chare gon aƚƚ the mynstrelles of the contrey withouten nombre with dyuerse instrumentes & þei maken aƚƚ the melodye þat þei cone. And whan þei han gon aƚƚ aboute the cytee þanne þei returnen aȝen to the mynstre & putten the ydole aȝen into his place And þanne for the loue & in worschipe of þat ydole and for the reuerence of the feste þei slen hem self a .cc. or .ccc. personesdescriptionOpen page with scharpe knyfes, of the whiche þei bryngen the bodyes before the ydole & þan þei seyn pat þo ben seyntes because þat þei slowen hem self of here owne gode wille for loue of here ydole. And as men here þat hadde an holy seynt of his kyn wolde thinke þat it were to hem an higℏ worschipe, rigℏt so hem thinketℏ þere, And as men here deuoutly wolde writen holy seyntes lyfes & here myracles & sewen for here canonyzaciouns, rigℏt so don þei þere for hem þat sleen hemself wilfully for loue of here ydole & seyn þat þei ben [folio 74a] gloriouse martyres & seyntes & putten hem in here wrytynges & in here letanyes & avaunten hem gretly on to a notℏer of here holy kynnesmen þat so becomen seyntes & seyn: I haue mo holy seyntes in my kynrede þan þou in þin. And the custome also þere is this, þat whan þei þat han sucℏ deuocioun & entent for to sle himself for loue of his god, þei senden for aƚƚ here frendes & han gret plentee of mynstreƚƚ & þei gon before the ydole ledynge himdescriptionOpen page þat wil sle himself for sucℏ deuocioun betwene hem with gret reuerence. And he aƚƚ naked hatℏ a ful scharp knyf in his hond & he cuttetℏ a gret pece of his flescℏ & castetℏ it in the face of his ydole seyenge his orysounes, recommendynge him to his god. And þan he smytetℏ himself & maketℏ grete woundes & depe here & þere tiƚƚ he falle doun ded. And

þan his frendes presenten his body to the ydole & þan þei seyn syngynge: holy god behold what thi trewe seruant hatℏ don for þe, he hatℏ forsaken his wif & his children & his ricchess & aƚƚ the godes of the world & his owne lyf for the loue of þe & to make þe sacrifise of his flescℏ & of his blode, wherfore holy god putte him among thi beste belouede seyntes in thi blisse of paradys, for he hatℏ wel disserued it. And þan þei maken a gret fuyre & brennen the body & þanne euerycℏ of his frendes taken a quantyte of the assches & kepen hem in stede of relykes & seyn þat it is holy thing. And þei haue no drede of no perile whils þei han þo holy assℏes vpon hem, And putten his name in here letanyes as a seynt.

Chapter XXI

THE EARTH IS A SPHERE

OF THE EUYƚƚ CUSTOMS VSED IN THE YLE OF LAMARY, & HOW THE ERTℏE AND THE SEE BEN OF ROWND FORME AND SCHAp̄p̄, BE PREF OF THE STERRE THAT IS CLEPT ANTARTYK, ÞAT IS FIX IN THE SOUTℏ.

[folio 74b] FRO þat contree go men be the see OCCEAN & be many dyuerse yles & be many contrees þat were to longe for to teƚƚ of. And a .lij. iorneyes fro this lond þat I haue spoken of þere is anotℏer lond þat is fuƚƚ gret þat men clepen LAMARY.descriptionOpen page In þat lond is fuƚƚ gret hete & the custom þere is sucℏ þat men & wommen gon aƚƚ naked. And þei scornendescriptionOpen page whan thei seen ony strange folk goynge clothed And þei seyn þat god made ADAM & EUE aƚƚ naked And þat noman scholde schame him to schewen him sucℏ as god made him, For no thing is foul þat is of kyndely nature. And þei seyn þat þei þat ben clotℏed ben folk of anotℏer world or þei ben folk þat trowen not in god. And þei seyn þat þei beleeuen in goddescriptionOpen page þat formed the world & þat made ADAM & EUE & aƚƚ oþer þinges. & þei wedden þere no wyfes, for aƚƚ the wommen þere ben comoun & þei forsake noman And þei seyn þei synnendescriptionOpen page ȝif þei refusen ony man, And so god commanded to ADAM

& EUE & to aƚƚ þat comen of him, whan he seyde: “CRESCITE ET MULTIPLICAMINI ET REPLETE TERRAM.” And þerfore may noman in þat contree seyn: this is my wyf, ne no womman may seye: this is myn husbonde. And whan þei han children þei may ȝeuen hem to what man þei wole þat hatℏ companyed with hem. And also aƚƚ the lond is comoun, for aƚƚ þat a man holdeth o ȝeer another man hatℏ it anoþer ȝeer, And euery man taketℏ what part þat him lyketℏ. And also aƚƚ the godes of the lond ben comoun, cornes & aƚƚ oþer þinges, for noþing þere is kept in clos ne noþing þere is vndur lok & euery man þere taketh what he wole withouten ony contradiccioun & als riche is o man þere as is another. [folio 75a] But in þat contree þere is a cursed custom,descriptionOpen page for þei eten more gladly mannes flescℏ þan ony oþer flescℏ And ȝit is þat contree habundant of flescℏ, of fisscℏ, of cornes, of gold & syluer & of aƚƚ oþer godes. Þider gon marchauntes & bryngen with hem children to selle to hem of the contree & þei byȝen hem And ȝif þei ben fatte þei eten hem anon, And ȝif þei ben lene þei feden hem tiƚƚ þei ben fatte & þanne þei eten hem. And þei seyn þat it is the best flescℏ & the swettest of aƚƚ the world. In þat lond ne in many otℏere beȝonde þat noman may see the sterre TRANSMONTANE þat is clept the sterre of the see, þat is vnmevable & þat is toward the nortℏ, þat wee clepen the lodesterre. But men seen anoþer sterre the contrarie to him, þat is toward the soutℏ, þat is clept ANTARTYK.descriptionOpen page And rigℏt as the schipmen taken here avys here & gouerne hem be the lodesterre, rigℏt so don schipmen beȝonde þo parties be the sterre of the soutℏ, the whiche sterre apperetℏ not to vs. And this sterre þat is toward the nortℏ þat we clepen the lodesterre ne apperetℏ notdescriptionOpen page to hem. For whiche cause men may wel parceyue þat the lond & the see ben of rownde schapp & forme, For the partie of the firmament schewetℏ in o contree þat schewetℏ not in anotℏer contree. And men may wel preuen be experience & sotyle compassement of wytt þat ȝif a man fond passages be schippes þat wolde go

to serchen the world, men myghte go be schippe aƚƚ aboute the world & abouen & benetℏen, The whiche thing I proue þus, after þat I haue seyn.descriptionOpen page For I haue ben toward the partes of Braban & beholden in the ASTROLABRE þat the sterre þat is clept the transmontayne is .liij. degrees higℏ, And more forþere in ALMAYNE & BEWME it hatℏ .lviij. degrees, And more forth toward the [folio 75b] parties SEPTEMTRIONELES it is .lxij. degrees of hegℏte & certeyn mynutes, for I self haue mesured it be the Astrolabre. Now schuƚƚ ȝe knowe þat aȝen þat TRANSMONTAYNE is the toþer sterre þat is clept ANTARTYKE as I haue seyd before. And þo .ij. sterres ne meeven neuere, And be hem turnetℏ aƚƚ the firmament rigℏt as dotℏ a wheel þat turnetℏ be his axiƚƚ tree, So þat þo sterres beren the firmament in .ij. egaƚƚ parties, so þat it hatℏ als mochel abouen as it hatℏ benethen. After this I haue gondescriptionOpen page toward the parties MERIDIONALES, þat is toward the soutℏ And I haue founden þat in lybye men seen first the sterre ANTARTYK. And so fer I haue gon more fortℏ in þo contrees þat I haue founde þat sterre more higℏ, so þat toward the higℏ lybye it is .xviij. degrees of hegℏte & certeyn mynutes, of the whiche .lx. mynutes maken a degree. After goynge be see & be londe toward this contree of þat I haue spoke & to oþer yles & londes beȝonde þat contree I haue founden the sterre ANTARTYK of .xxxiij. degrees of hegℏte & mo mynutes. And ȝif I hadde had companye & schippynge for to go more beȝonde I trowe wel in certeyn þat wee scholde haue com aƚƚ the roundness of the firmament aƚƚ aboute. For as I haue seyd ȝou beforn the half of the firmament is betwene þo .ij. sterres, The whiche halfondeƚƚ I haue seyn. And of the toþer halfondeƚƚ I haue seyn toward the nortℏ vnder the TRANSMONTANE .lxij. degrees & .x. mynutes, And toward the partie MERIDIONAƚƚ I haue seyn vnder the antartyk .xxxiij. degrees & .xvj. mynutes, And þanne the halfondeƚƚ of the firmament in aƚƚ ne holdetℏ not but .ix^xx. degrees. And of þo .ix^xx. I haue seen

.lxij. on þat o part [folio 76a] & .xxxiij. on þat oþer part þat ben .iiij^xx. & .xv. degrees & nygℏ the halfondeƚƚ of a degree. And so þere ne fayletℏ but þat I haue seen aƚƚ the firmament saf .iiij^xx. & .iiij. degrees & þe halfondeƚƚ of a degree And þat is not the fourtℏe partie of the firmament, For the .iiij. partie of the roundness of the firmament holt .iiij^xx. & .x. degrees, So þere fayletℏ but .v. degrees & an half of the fourtℏe partie. And also I haue seen the .iij. parties of aƚƚ the roundeness of the firmament & more ȝit .v. degrees & an half, Be the whiche I seye ȝou certeynly, þat men may envirowne aƚƚ the ertℏe of aƚƚ þe world as wel vnder as abouen & turnen aȝen to his contre þat hadde companye & schippynge & conduyt. And aƚƚweys he scholde fynde men londes & yles as wel as in this contree, For ȝee wyten weƚƚ þat þei þat ben toward the antartyk þei ben stregℏt feet aȝen feetdescriptionOpen page of hem þat dwellen vnder the TRANSMONTANE also wel as wee & þei þat dwellyn vnder vs ben feet aȝenst feet. For aƚƚ the parties of see & of lond han here appositees habitables or trepassables & yles of þis half & beȝondhalf. And wytetℏ wel þat after þat þat I may parceyue & comprehende the londes of PRESTRE IOHN Emperour of Ynde ben vnder vs. For in goynge from Scotlond or from Englond toward Ierusalem men gon vpward alweys, For oure lond is in the lowe partie of the ertℏe toward the west And the lond of PRESTRE IOℏN is the lowe partie of the ertℏe toward the Est and han there the day whan wee haue the nygℏt; And also higℏ to the contrarie þei han the nygℏt whan wee han the day. For the erthe & the see ben of round forme and schapp as I haue seyd beforn And þat þat men gon vpward [folio 76b] to o cost, men gon dounward to anotℏer cost. Also ȝee haue herd me seye þat IERUSALEM is in the myddes of the world & þat may men preuen & schewen þere be a spere þat is rigℏt into the ertℏe vpon the hour of mydday whan it is EQUENOXIUM, þat schewetℏ no schadwedescriptionOpen page on no syde. And þat it scholde ben in the myddes of

the world Dauid wytnessetℏ it in the psauter where he seytℏ: “DEUS OPERATUS EST SALUTEM IN MEDIO TERRE.” Þanne þei þat parten fro þo parties of the west for to go toward IERUSALEM, als many iorneyes as þei gon vpward for to go thider, in als many iourneyes may þei gon fro IERUSALEM vnto oþer confynyes of the superficialtee of tℏe ertℏe beȝonde. And whan men gon beȝonde þo iourneys toward ynde & to the foreyn yles, aƚƚ is envyronynge the roundnesse of the ertℏe & of the see vnder oure contrees on this half. And þerfore hatℏ it befallendescriptionOpen page many tymes of o þing þat I haue herd cownted whan I was ȝong, how a wortℏi man departed somtyme from oure contrees for to go serche the world, And so he passed ynde & the yles beȝonde ynde where ben mo þan .v. M^ƚ. yles. And so longe he wente be see & lond & so enviround the world be many seisons, þat he fond an yledescriptionOpen page where he herde speke his owne langage, callynge on oxendescriptionOpen page in the plowgℏ suche wordes as men speken to bestes in his owne contree, Where of he hadde gret meruayle, for he knew not how it mygℏte be. But I seye þat he had gon so longe be londe & be see, þat he had envyround aƚƚ the ertℏe, þat he was comen aȝen envirounynge þat is to seye goynge aboute vnto his owne marches. & ȝif he wolde haue passed forth, he had founden his contre [folio 77a] and his owne knouleche. But he turned aȝen from þens fro whens he was come fro & so he loste moche peynefuƚƚ labour, as himself seyde a gret while after þat he was comen hom. For it befeƚƚ after þat he wente in to Norweye and þere tempest of the see toke him and he arryued in an yle And whan he was in þat yle he knew wel þat it was the yle where he had herd speke his owne langage before, & the callynge of oxen at the plowgℏ, & þat was possible þinge. But how it semetℏ to symple men vnlerned þat men ne mowe not go vnder the ertℏe & also þat men scholde falle toward the heuene from vnder. But þat may not be vpon less

þan wee mowe falle toward heuene fro the ertℏe where wee ben. For fro what partie of the ertℏe þat man dueƚƚ ouþer abouen or benethen it semetℏ alweys to hem þat duellen þat þei gon more rigℏt þan ony oþer folk And rigℏt as it semetℏ to vs þat þei ben vnder vs, rigℏt so it semetℏ hem þat wee ben vnder hem. For ȝif a man mygℏte falle fro the ertℏe vnto the firmament, be grettere resoun the ertℏe & the see þat ben so grete & so heuy scholde fallen to the firmament, but þat may not be And þerfore seitℏ oure lord god: “NON TIMEAS ME QUI SUSPENDI TERRAM EX NICHILO.”descriptionOpen page And aƚƚ be it þat it be possible þing þat men may so envyroune aƚƚ the world, natheles of a .M^ƚ. persones on ne mygℏte not happen to returnen in to his contree. For, for the gretness of the ertℏedescriptionOpen page & of the see men may go be a .M^ƚ. and a .M^ƚ. other weyes, þat noman cowde redye him perfitely toward the parties þat he cam fro, but ȝif it were be aventure & happ or be the grace of god. For the ertℏe [folio 77b] is fuƚƚ large & fuƚƚ gret & holt in roundness & aboute envyroun be abouen & be benetℏen .xx. M^ƚ.CCCC. & .xxv. myles, after the opynyoun of olde wise astronomeres. And here seyenges I repreue nought, But after my lytyƚƚ wytt it semetℏ me, sauynge here reuerence, þat it is more. And for to haue better vndirstondynge I seye þus: Be þer ymagyned a figure þat hath a gret compas & aboute the poynt of the gret compas þat is clept the centre be made anotℏer litiƚƚ compas. Þan after be the gret compas devised be lynes in manye parties And þat aƚƚ the lynes meeten at the centre, so þat in as many parties as the grete compas schal be departed, in als manye schaƚƚ be departed the litiƚƚ þat is aboute the centre, aƚƚ be it þat the spaces ben lesse. Now þanne, be the gret compas represented for the firmament And the litiƚƚ compas represented for the ertℏe. Now þanne, the firmament is deuysed be Astronomeres in .xij. signes and euery signe is deuysed in .xxx. degrees, þat is .CCC. & .lx. degrees þat the firmament hatℏ a bouen. Also be the ertℏe

deuysed in als many parties as the firmament & lat euery partye answere to a degree of the firmament. And wytetℏ it wel þat after the Auctoures of Astronomye .DC. furlongesdescriptionOpen page of ertℏe answeren to a degree of the firmament And þo ben .iiij^xx. .vij. Miƚ. & .iiij. furlonges. Now be þat here multiplyed be .CCC. sitℏes & .lx. & þan þei ben .xxxj. M^ƚ. & .DC. myles, euery of .viij. furlonges, after myles of oure contree. So moche hatℏ the erthe in roundness & of heghte enviroun after myn opynyoun & myn vndirstondynge. And ȝee schuƚƚ vndirstondedescriptionOpen page þat after the opynyoun of olde wise [folio 78a] Philosophres & Astronomeres oure contree ne Irelond ne Wales ne Scotlond ne Norweye ne the oþer yles costynge to hem ne ben not in the superficyalte cownted abouen the ertℏe, as it scheweþ be aƚƚ the bokes of Astronomye. For the superficialtee of the ertℏe is departed in .vij. parties for the .vij. planetes And þo parties ben clept clymates. And oure parties be not of the .vij. clymates,descriptionOpen page for þei ben descendynge toward the west betwene higℏdescriptionOpen page toward the roundness of the world, & þere ben the yles of ynde, And þei ben aȝenst vs þat ben in the lowe contree,descriptionOpen page & the .vij. clymates strecchen hem envirounynge the world.

Chapter XXII

STRANGE SPICES, STONES AND PEOPLE

OF THE PALAYS OF THE KYNG OF THE YLE OF IAUA; OF THE TREES ÞAT BEREN MELE, HONY, WYN & VENYM, & OF OTℏERE MERUAYLLES & CUSTOMS VSED IN THE YLES MARCHINGE ÞERE ABOUTEN.

BESYDE þat yle þat I haue spoken of þere is anotℏer yle þat is clept SUMOBORdescriptionOpen page þat is a gret yle & the kyng þereof is rigℏt mygℏty. The folk of þat yle maken hem alweys to ben marked in the visage with an hote yren botℏe men and wommen for gret nobless, for to ben

knowen from oþer folk, for þei holden hemself most noble & most wortℏi of aƚƚ the world. And þei han werre aƚƚweys with the folk þat gon aƚƚ naked. And faste besyde is anotℏer yle þat is clept BETEMGAdescriptionOpen page þat is a gode yle & a plentyfous. And many oþer yles ben þere aboute where þere ben many of dyuerse folk of the whiche it were to longe to speke of aƚƚ. But fast besyde þat yle for to passe be see is a gret yle & a gret contree þat men clepen IAUA & it is nygℏ .ij. M^ƚ. myle in circuyt. And the kyng of þat contree is a fuƚƚ gret lord & a riche & a mygℏty And hatℏ vnder him .vij. oþer kynges of .vij. oþer yles abouten hym. [folio 78b] This yle is fuƚƚ wel enhabyted & fuƚƚ wel manned, þere growen aƚƚ maner of spicerie more plentyfouslicℏ þan in ony oþer contree, As of gyngeuere, clowegylofres, caneƚƚ, zedewaƚƚ, notemuges & maces. And wytetℏ wel þat the notemuge beretℏ the maces,descriptionOpen page For rigℏt as the note of the haseƚƚ hatℏ an husk withouten, þat the note is closed in til it be ripe & after falletℏ out, rigℏt so it is of the notemuge & of the maces. Manye oþer spices & many oþer godes growen in þat yle, For of aƚƚ þing is þere plentee saf only of wyn. But þere is gold & siluer gret plentee. And the kyng of þat contre hatℏ a paleys fuƚƚ noble & fuƚƚ merueyllous & more riche þan ony in the world, For aƚƚ the degrez to gon vp in to halles & chambres ben on of gold, anoþer of syluer. And also the paumentes of halles & chambres ben aƚƚ squaredescriptionOpen page on of gold & anoþer of syluer & alle the walles withinne ben couered with gold & syluer in fyn plates. And in þo plates ben stories & batayles of knygℏtes enleveddescriptionOpen page & the crounes & the cercles abouten here hedes ben made of precious stones & riche perles & grete. And the halles & the chambres of the palays ben aƚƚ couered withinne with gold & syluer, so þat noman wolde trowe the richess of þat palays but he had seen it. And witetℏ wel þat the kyng of þat yle is so mygℏty þat he hatℏ many tymes ouercomen the grete CANE of CATHAY in bataylle, þat is the most gret Emperour þat is vnder the firmament ouþer beȝonde the

see or on this half. For þei han had oftentyme werre betwene hem, because þat the grete CANE wolde constrey [folio 79a] nen him to holden his lond of him, but þat otℏer at aƚƚ tymes defendetℏ him wel aȝenst him. After þat yle in goynge be see men fynden anotℏer yle gode & gret þat men clepen PATℏEN,descriptionOpen page þat is a gret kyngdom fuƚƚ of faire cytees & fuƚƚ of townes. In þat lond growen trees þat beren meledescriptionOpen page wherof men maken gode bred & white & of gode sauour And it semetℏ as it were of whete, but it is not allynges of sucℏ sauour. And þere ben oþer trees þat beren honydescriptionOpen page gode & swete And oþer trees þat beren venymdescriptionOpen page aȝenst the whiche þere is no medicyne but on And þat is to taken here propre levesdescriptionOpen page & stampe hem & tempere him with water & þan drynke it And eƚƚ he schaƚƚ dye, for triacle wil not avaylle ne non oþer medicyne. Of this venym the IewesdescriptionOpen page had let sechen of on of here frendes for to enpoysone aƚƚ cristiantee as I haue herd hem seye in here confessioun before here dyenge. But thanked be aƚƚ mygℏty god þei fayleden of hire purpos but aƚƚweys þei maken gret mortalitee of poeple. And oþer trees þer ben also þat beren wyndescriptionOpen page of noble sentement. And ȝif ȝou lyke to here how the mele cometℏdescriptionOpen page out of the trees I schaƚƚ seye ȝou. Men hewen the trees with an hachet aƚƚ aboute the fote of the tree tiƚƚ þat the bark be perced in many parties & þan cometℏ out þerof a thikke lykour, the whiche þei resceyuen in vesselles & dryen it at the hete of the sonne. And þan þei han it to a mylle to grynde And it [folio 79b] becometℏ faire mele & white. And the hony & the wyn & the venym ben drawen out of oþer trees in the same manere & put in vesselles for to kepe. In þat yle is a ded see þat is a lake þat hatℏ no ground And ȝif ony thing falle in to þat lake it schaƚƚ neuere comen vp aȝen.descriptionOpen page In þat lake growen reedes þat ben cannes þat þei clepen THABY þat ben .xxx^ti. fadme long And of þeise cannesdescriptionOpen page men maken faire houses. And þer ben oþer canes þat ben not so longe þat growen nere the lond & han so longe rotes þat duren wel a .iiij. quarteres of

a furlongdescriptionOpen page ore more. And at the knottes of þo rotes men fynden precious stonesdescriptionOpen page þat han gret vertues And he þat beretℏ ony of hem vpon him, yren ne steel ne may not hurt him ne drawe no blod vpon him And þerfore þei þat han þo stones vpon hem figℏten fuƚƚ hardyly botℏe on see & lond For men may not harmen hem on no partye.descriptionOpen page And þerfore þei þat knowen the manere & schuƚƚ figℏte with hem þei schoten to hem arwes & quarelles withouten yren or steel & so þei hurten hem & sleen hem. And also of þo cannes þei maken houses and schippes & oþer thinges as wee han here makynge houses and schippes of oke or of ony oþer trees. And deme noman þat I seye it but for a truffuƚƚ, for I haue seen of þo cannes with myn owne eyȝen fuƚƚ many tymes lyggynge vpon the Ryuere of þat lake, of the whiche .xx^ti. of oure felowes ne myghten not liften vp ne beren on to the ertℏe.descriptionOpen page After this [folio 80a] yle men gon be see to anoþer yle þat is clept CALONAKdescriptionOpen page & it is a fair lond & a plentifous of godes. And the kyng of þat contrey hatℏ als many wyfesdescriptionOpen page as he wole For he maktℏ serche aƚƚ the contree to geten him the fairest maydens þat may ben founde & maketℏ hem to ben brougℏt before him And he taketℏ on o nygℏt & anoþer a noþer nygℏt & so fortℏ contynuelly sewyng, so þat he hatℏ a .M^ƚ. wyfes or mo. And he liggetℏ neuer but o nygℏt with on of hem & anoþer nygℏt with a noþer, but ȝif þat on happene to ben more lusty to his plesance þan anotℏer. And þerfore the kyng getetℏ fuƚƚ many children, sumtyme an .C. sumtyme an .CC. & sumtyme mo. And he hatℏ also into a .xiiij. Miƚ OlifauntzdescriptionOpen page or mo, þat he maketℏ for to ben brougℏt vp amonges his vileynes be aƚƚ his townes. For in cas þat he had ony werre aȝenst ony oþer kyng aboute him þanne he maketℏ certeyn men of armes for to gon vp in to the castelles of tree made for the werre þat craftylly ben sett vpon the Olifantes bakkes, for to fyghten aȝen hire enemyes, & so don oþer kynges þere aboute. For the maner of werre is not þere as it is here

or in oþer contrees, ne the ordynance of werre nouþer. And men clepen the Olifantes WARKES.descriptionOpen page And in þat yle þere is a gret meruayle more to speke of þan in ony oþer partie of the world: For aƚƚ manere of fisschesdescriptionOpen page þat ben þere in the see abouten hem comen ones in the ȝeer ecℏe [folio 80b] manere of dyuerse fisscℏes, on maner of kynde after otℏer, & þei casten hem self to the see banke of þat yle, so gret plentee & multitude þat noman may vnnethe see but fisscℏ & þere þei abyden .iij. dayes and euery man of the contree taketℏ of hem als many as him lyketℏ, And after þat maner of fisscℏ after the thridde day departetℏ & gotℏ into the see. And after hem comen anotℏer multitude of fysscℏ of anoþer kynde & don in the same maner as the firste diden oþer .iij. dayes. And after hem anoþer tiƚƚ aƚƚ the dyuerse maner of fisshes han ben þere & þat men han taken of hem þat hem lyketℏ. And noman knowetℏ the cause wherfore it may ben, But þei of the contree seyn þat it is for to do reuerencedescriptionOpen page to here kyng þat is the most wortℏi kyng þat is in the world as þei seyn, be cause þat he fulfilletℏ the commandement þat god bad to ADAM & EUE whan god seyde: “CRESCITE ET MULTIPLICAMINI ET REPLETE TERRAM.”descriptionOpen page And for because þat he multiplictℏ so the world with children þerfore god sendetℏ him so the fisscℏes of dyuerse kyndes of aƚƚ þat ben in the see, to taken at his wille for him & aƚƚ his peple. And þerfore aƚƚ þe fisscℏes of the see comen to maken him homage as the most noble & excellent kyng of the world & þat is best beloued with god als þei seyn. I knowe not the resoun whi it is but god knoweth. But this me semetℏ [folio 81a] is the moste merueylle þat euere I saugℏ, For this mervaylle is aȝenst kynde & not with kynde, þat the fissℏes þat han fredom to enviroun aƚƚ the costes of the see at here owne list comen of hire owne wiƚƚ to profren hem to the detℏ withouten constreynynge of man. And þerfore I am syker þat this may not ben withouten a gret tokene. Þere ben also in þat contree a kynde of SNAYLESdescriptionOpen page þat ben so grete þat many persones may loggen hem in

hire schelles, as men wolde don in a lityƚƚ hous, And oþer snayles þere ben þat ben fuƚƚ grete, but not so huge as the oþer. And of þeise snayles & of gret white wormesdescriptionOpen page þat han blake hedes þat ben als grete as a mannes thigℏ & somme lesse as grete wormes þat men fynden þere in wodes men maken Vyaunde Riaƚƚ for the kyng & for oþer grete lordes. And ȝif a man þat is maryed dye in þat contree,descriptionOpen page men buryen his wif with him aƚƚ quyk, For men seyn þere þat it is resoun þat sche make him companye in þat oþer world as sche did in this. From þat contree men gon be the see occean be an yle þat is clept CAFFOLOS.descriptionOpen page Men of þat contree whan here frendes ben seke þei hangen hemdescriptionOpen page vpon trees & seyn þat it is better þat briddes þat ben Angeles of goddescriptionOpen page eten hem þan the foule wormes of the ertℏe. From þat yle men gon to anotℏer yle where the folk ben of fuƚƚ cursed kynde for þei norysschen [folio 81b] grete dogges & techen hem to strangle ℏere frendes whan þei ben syke, for þei wil nougℏt þat þei dyen of kyndely detℏ, for þei seyn þat þei scholde suffren to gret peyne ȝif þei abyden to dyen be hemself as nature wolde. & whan þei ben þus enstrangled þei eten here flescℏ in stede of venysoun. Afterward men gon be many yles be see vnto an yle þat men clepen MILKEdescriptionOpen page & þere is a fuƚƚ cursed peple for þei delyten in nothing more þan for to figℏten and to sle men And þei drynken gladlyest mannes blood the whiche þei clepen DIEU,descriptionOpen page And the mo men þat a man may slee, the more worschipe he hatℏ amonges hem. And ȝif .ij. persones ben at debate & perauenture ben accorded be here frendes or be sum of here alliance, it behouetℏ þat euery of hem þat schuƚƚ ben accorded drynke of oþeres blood,descriptionOpen page And eƚƚ the accord ne the alliance is nogℏt wortℏ ne it schaƚƚ not be no repref to him to breke the alliance & the acord, but ȝif euery of hem drynke of oþeres blood. & from þat yle men gon be see from yle to yle vnto an yle þat is clept TRACODA,descriptionOpen page where the folk of þat contree ben as bestes & vnresonable & duellen in caves þat þei maken

in the ertℏe for þei haue no wytt to maken hem houses. And whan þei seen ony men passynge þorgℏ here contrees þei hyden hem in here caves. And þei eten flessch of serpentes & þei eten but litiƚƚ & þei speken nougℏt [folio 82a] but þei hissen as serpentes don And þei sette no prys be non aveer ne ricchess, but only of a precyous ston þat is amonges hem þat is of .lx. coloures; And for the name of the yle þei clepen it TRACODOUN. And þei louen more þat ston þan ony thing eƚƚ And ȝit thei knowe not the vertue þereof but þei coueyten it & louen it only for the beautee. After þat yle men gon be the see occean be many yles vnto an yle þat is clept NACUMERAdescriptionOpen page þat is a gret yle & good & fayr. And it is in kompas aboute more þan a .M^ƚ. myle & aƚl the men & wommen of þat yle han houndes hedes and þei ben clept CANOPHOLOSdescriptionOpen page & þei ben fuƚƚ resonable & of gode vnderstondynge, saf þat þei worschipen an ox for here god. And also euerycℏ of hem beretℏ an ox of gold or of syluer in his forhed in tokene þat þei louen wel here god. And þei gon aƚƚ naked saf a lityƚƚ clout þat þei coueren with here knees & hire membres. Þei ben grete folk & wel fygℏtynge & þei han a gret targe þat coueretℏ aƚƚ the body & a spere in here hond to figℏte with. And ȝif þei taken ony man in bataylle anon þei eten him. The kyng of þat yle is fuƚƚ riche & fuƚƚ mygℏty & rigℏt deuout after his lawe And he hatℏ abouten his nekke .ccc. perles oryent gode & grete & knotted as PATER NOSTRES here of Amber. [folio 82b] And in maner as wee seyn oure PATER NOSTRE & oure AUE MARIA, cowntynge the PATER NOSTRES, rigℏt so this kyng seytℏ euery day deuoutly .ccc. preyeres to his god or þat he ete. And he beretℏ also aboute his nekke a RUBYE oryent noble & fyn þat is a fote of lengtℏe & fyve fyngres large. And whan þei chesendescriptionOpen page here kyng þei taken him þat rubye to beren in his hond And so þei leden him rydynge aƚƚ abouten the cytee And fro þens fromward þei ben aƚƚ obeyssant to him. And þat rubye he schaƚƚ bere aƚƚwey aboute his nekke, For ȝif he hadde not þat

rubye vpon him men wolde not holden him for kyng. The grete CANE of CATHAYdescriptionOpen page hatℏ gretly coueyted þat RUBYE but he mygℏte neuer han it for werre ne for no maner of godes. This kyng is so rigℏtfuƚƚ & of equytee in his doomes þat men may go sykerlycℏ þorgℏout aƚƚ his contree & bere with him what him list, þat noman schaƚƚ ben hardy to robben him, And ȝif he were, the kyng wolde iustifyen anon. Fro this lond men gon to anoþer yle þat is clept SILHAdescriptionOpen page & it is weƚƚ a .Dccc. myles aboute. In þat lond is fuƚƚ mocheƚƚ wast, for it is fuƚƚ of serpentes of dragouns & of COKADRILLES þat noman dar duelle þere. Þeise COCODRILLES ben serpentes ȝalowe & rayed abouen & han .iiij. feet & schorte thyes & grete nayles as clees or talouns. [folio 83a] And þere ben somme þat han .v. fadme in lengtℏe & summe of .vj. & of .viij. & of .x. And whan þei gon be places þat ben grauelly, it semetℏ as þougℏ men hadde drawen a gret tree þorgℏ the grauelly place. And þere ben also many wylde bestes & namelycℏ of OLYFAUNTES. In þat yle is a gret mountayne & in mydd place of the mount is a gret lake in a fuƚƚ faire pleyn & þere is gret plentee of water. And þei of the contree seyn þat ADAM & EUE wepten vpon þat mount an .c. ȝeer whan þei weren dryuen out of paradys And þat water þei seyn is of here teres, For so moche water þei wepten þat made the forseyd lake. And in the botme of þat lake men fynden many precious stones & grete perles. In þat lake growen many reedes & grete cannes And þere withjnne ben many COCODRILLES & serpentes & grete waterleches. And the kyng of þat contree ones euery ȝeer ȝeuetℏ leve to pore men to gon in to the lake to gadre hem precyous stones & perles be weye of almess for the loue of god þat made ADAM. And aƚƚ the ȝeer men fynde ynowe. And for the vermyndescriptionOpen page þat is withjnne þei anoynte here armes & here thyes & legges with an oynement made of a þing þat is clept LYMONS þat is a manere of fruyt lycℏ smale pesen, And þanne haue þei

no drede of no COCODRILLES ne of non oþer venymous vermyn. This water [folio 83b] rennetℏ flowynge & ebbynge be a syde of the moūntayne & in þat ryuer men fynden precious stones & perles gret plentee. And men of þat yle seyn comounly þat the serpentes & the wilde bestes of þat contree ne wil not don non harm ne touchen with euyƚƚ no strange man þat entretℏ in to þat contree, but only to men þat ben born of the same contree. In þat contree & oþere þere abouten þere ben wylde gees þat han .ij. hedesdescriptionOpen page And þere ben lyouns aƚƚ whitedescriptionOpen page & als grete as oxen & many otℏere dyuerse bestes & foules also þat be not seyn amonges vs. And witetℏ wel þat in þat contree & in oþer yles þere abouten the see is so higℏdescriptionOpen page þat it semetℏ as þougℏ it henge at the clowdes & þat it wolde coueren aƚƚ the world; And þat is gret meruaylle þat it mygℏte be so, saf only the wiƚƚ of god, þat the eyr susteynetℏ it. And þerfore seytℏ Dauid in the psautere: “MIRABILES ELACIONES MARIS.”

Chapter XXIII

IDOLATRY. TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS

HOW MEN KNOWEN BE THE YDOLE, ȝIF THE SIKE SCHALL DYE OR NON; OF FOLK OF DYUERSE SCHAP AND MERUEYLOUSLY DISFIGURED, AND OF THE MONKES ÞAT ȜEUEN HIRE RELEEF TO BABEWYNES, APES & MARMESETTES & TO OÞER BESTES.

FROM þat yle in goynge be see toward the soutℏ is anoþer gret yle þat is clept DONDUN.descriptionOpen page In þat yle ben folk of dyuerse kyndes so þat the fader etetℏ the sone, the sone the fader,descriptionOpen page the husbonde the wif & the wif the husbonde. And ȝif it so befalle þat the fader or moder [folio 84a] or ony of here frendes ben seke anon the sone gotℏ to the prest of here lawe & preyetℏ him to aske the ydole ȝif his fader or moder or frend schaƚƚ dye on þat euyƚƚ or non. And þan the prest & the sone gon togydere

before the ydole & knelen fuƚƚ deuoutly & asken of the ydole here demande. And ȝif the deuyƚƚ þat is withinne answere þat he schaƚƚ lyue þei kepen him wel, And ȝif he seye þat he schaƚƚ dye þan the prest gotℏ with the sone with the wif of him þat is seek & þei putten here hondes vpon his moutℏdescriptionOpen page & stoppen his bretℏ & so þei sleen him. And after þat þei choppen aƚƚ the body in smale peces & preyen aƚƚ his frendes to comen & eten of him þat is ded & þei senden for aƚƚ the mynstraƚƚ of the contree & maken a solempne feste. And whan þei han eten the flescℏ þei taken the bones & buryen hem & syngen & maken gret melodye. And alle þo þat ben of his kyndescriptionOpen page or pretenden hem to ben his frendes, & þei come not to þat feste þei ben repreued for euere more & schamed & maken gret doel, for neuere after schuƚƚ þei ben holden as frendes. And þei seyn also þat men eten here flescℏ for to delyueren hem out of peyne, For ȝif the wormes of the ertℏe eten hem the soule scholde suffre gret peyne as þei seyn & namely whan the flescℏ is tendredescriptionOpen page & megre [folio 84b] þanne seyn here frendes þat þei don gret synne to leten hem haue so long langure to suffre so moche peyne withoute resoun. And whan þei fynde the flesscℏ fatte þan þei seyn þat it is wel don to senden hem sone to paradys & þat þei haue not suffred him to longe to endure in peyne. The kyng of this yle is a ful gret lord & a mygℏty & hatℏ vnder him .liiij. grete yles þat ȝeuen tribute to him. And in euerycℏ of theise yles is a kyng crowned & aƚƚ ben obeyssant to þat kyng And he hatℏ in þo yles many dyuerse folk. In on of þeise yles ben folk of gret stature as geauntesdescriptionOpen page & þei ben hidouse for to loke vpon & þei han but on eye & þat is in the myddyƚƚ of the front & þei eten no þing but raw flescℏ & raw fysscℏ. And in anoþer yle toward the south duellen folk of foul stature & of cursed kynde, þat han non hedesdescriptionOpen page & here eyen ben in here scholdres And here moutℏ is croked as an hors schoo & þat is in the myddes of here brest. And in

anoþer yle also ben folk þat han non hedes & here eyen & here moutℏ ben behynde in here schuldres.descriptionOpen page And in anoþer yle ben folk þat han the face aƚƚ plattdescriptionOpen page aƚƚ pleyn withouten nese & withouten moutℏ, but þei han .ij. smale holes aƚƚ rounde in stede of hire eyen & hire moutℏ is platt also withouten lippes. And in anoþer yle ben folk of foul fasceoun & schapp [folio 85a] þat han the lippe aboue the moutℏdescriptionOpen page so gret þat whan þei slepen in the sonne þei keueren aƚƚ the face with þat lippe. And in anoþer yle þer ben lityƚƚ folk as dwergℏes & þei ben to so mechedescriptionOpen page as the PYGMEYES & þei han no moutℏ, but in stede of hire moutℏ þei han a lytyƚƚ round hole.descriptionOpen page And whan þei schuƚƚ eten or drynken þei taken þorgℏ a pipe or a pennedescriptionOpen page or sucℏ a þing and sowken it in, for þei han no tongedescriptionOpen page & þerfore þei speke not, but þei maken a maner of hissynge as a nedderdescriptionOpen page dotℏ & þei maken signes on to anoþer as monkes don,descriptionOpen page be the whicℏe euery of hem vnderstondetℏ oþer. And in anoþer yle ben folk þat han grete eresdescriptionOpen page & longe, þat hangen doun to here knees. And in anoþer yle ben folk þat han hors feetdescriptionOpen page & þei ben stronge & mygℏty and swift renneres for þei taken wylde bestes with rennyng & eten hem. And in anoþer yle ben folk þat gon vpon hire hondesdescriptionOpen page & on hire feet as bestes & þei ben aƚƚ skynned & fedred & þei wole lepen as ligℏtly into trces & fro tree to tree as it were squyrelles or apes. And in anoþer yle ben folk þat ben botℏe man & wommandescriptionOpen page & þei han kynde of þat on & of þat oþer & þei han but o pappedescriptionOpen page on the o syde & on þat oþer non And þei han membres of generacioun of man & womman & þei vsen bothe whan hem list ones þat on & anoþer tyme þat oþer. And þei geten [folio 85b] children whan þei vsen the membre of man & þei bere children whan þei vsen the membre of womman. And in anoþer yle ben folk þat gon aƚƚ weys vpon here kneesdescriptionOpen page ful merueyllouslydescriptionOpen page & at euery pas þat þei gon it semetℏ that þei wolde falle & þei han in euery foot .viij. toos. Many oþer dyuerse folk of dyuerse natures ben þere

in oþer yles abouten, of the whiche it were to longe to teƚƚ & þerfore I passe ouer schortly. From þeise yles in passynge be the see occean toward the est be many iourneyes men fynden a gret contree & a gret kyngdom þat men clepen MANCYdescriptionOpen page & þat is in ynde the more. And it is the beste lond & on the fairest þat may ben in aƚƚ the world & the most delectable & the most plentifous of aƚƚ godes þat is in power of man. In þat lond dwellen many cristene men & sarrazynes, for it is A gode contree & a gret And þere ben jnne mo þan .ij. M^ƚ. grete cytees & riche withouten oþer grete townes. And þere is more plentee of peple þere þan in ony oþer partie of ynde for the bountee of the contree. In þat contree is no nedy man ne non þat gotℏ on beggynge. And þei ben fuƚƚ faire folk, but þei ben aƚƚ pale And the men han thynne berdesdescriptionOpen page & fewe heres, but þei ben longe; But vnetℏe hatℏ ony man passynge .l. heres in his berd & on heer sitt here, anoþer þere, as the berd of a lyberd or of a catt. In þat lond ben many fairere wommen þan in ony oþer contree beȝonde the see And þerfore [folio 86a] men clepen þat lond ALBANYEdescriptionOpen page because þat the folk ben white. And the chief cytee of that contree is clept LATORYNdescriptionOpen page & it is a iourneye from the see And it is moche more þan PARYS. In þat cytee is a gret ryuere berynge schippes þat gon to alle the costes in the see. No cytee of the world is so wel stored of schippes as is þat And aƚƚ þo of the cytee & of the contre worschipendescriptionOpen page ydoles. In þat contree ben double sithes more briddes þan ben here: Þere ben white geesdescriptionOpen page rede aboute the nekke & þei han a gret crestdescriptionOpen page as a cokkes comb vpon hire hedes And þei ben meche more þere þan þei ben here & men byen hem þere aƚƚ quykk rigℏt gret chepe. And þere is gret plentee of neddres of whom men maken grete festes & eten hem at grete sollempnytees, And he þat maketℏ þere a feste, be it neuere so costifous & he haue no neddres he hatℏ no thank for his trauaylle.

Many gode cyteesdescriptionOpen page þere ben in þat contree & men han gret plentee & gret chep of aƚƚ wynes & vitailles. In þat contree ben manye chirches of religious men & of here lawe And in þo chirches ben ydoles als grete as geauntes And to theise ydoles þei ȝeuen to ete at grete festyfuƚƚ dayes in this manere: Þei bryngen before hem mete aƚƚ soden, als hoot as þei comen fro the fuyr & þei leten the smoke gon vp towardes the ydoles And þan þei seyn þat the ydoles han eten & þan the religious men eten the mete afterwardes. In þat contree [folio 86b] ben white HENNES withouten fetℏeres, but þei beren white wolledescriptionOpen page as scheep don here. In þat contree wommen þat ben vnmaryeddescriptionOpen page þei han tokenes on hire hedes lycℏ coronales to ben knowen for vnmaryed. Also in þat contree þer ben bestes taugℏt of men to gon into watres into Ryueres & into depe stankes for to take fyscℏ, the whiche best is but lytiƚƚ & men clepen hem loyres.descriptionOpen page & whanne men casten hem in to the water, anon þei bringen gret fissℏes als manye as men wole. And ȝif men wil haue mo þei cast hem in aȝen & þei bryngen vp als many as men list to haue. And fro þat cytee passynge many iourneyes is anoþer cytee on the grettest of the world þat men clepen CASSAYdescriptionOpen page þat is to seyne the cytee of heuene. Þat cytee is wel a .l. myle aboute & it is stronglicℏ enhabyted with peple in so moche þat in on hous men maken .x. housholdes. In þat cytee ben .xij. princypaƚƚ ȝates and before euery ȝatedescriptionOpen page a .iij. myle or a .iiij. myle in lengtℏe is a gret toun or a gret cytee. Þat cytee sytt vpon a gret lake on the see as dotℏ VENYSE. And in þat cytee ben mo þan .xij. .M^ƚ. BRIGGES & vpon euery brigge ben stronge toures & gode in the whiche duellen the wardeynes for to kepen the cytee fro the gret CANE. And on þat o part of the cytee rennetℏ a gret ryuere aƚƚ along the cytee And þere duellen cristene men & many [folio 87a] marchauntes & oþer folk of dyuerse nacyouns because þat the lond is so good & so plentyfous. And

þere growetℏ fuƚƚ gode wyn þat men clepen BIGONdescriptionOpen page þat is fuƚƚ myghty & gentyƚƚ in drynkynge. This is a Cytee ryaƚƚ where the kyng of MANCY was wont to dweƚƚ & þere duellen many religious men as it were of the ordre of freres, for þei ben mendyfauntes. From þat cytee men gon be watre solacynge & disportinge hem tiƚƚ þei come to an Abbeye of monkes þat is faste by þat ben gode religious men after here feytℏ & lawe. In þat abbeye is a gret gardyn & a fair where ben many trees of dyuerse manere of frutes, And in this gardyn is a lytiƚƚ hiƚƚ fuƚƚ of delectable trees; In þat hiƚƚ & in þat gardyn ben many dyuerse bestes, as of Apes, Marmozettes Babewynes & many oþer dyuerse bestes. And euery day whan the Couent of this Abbeye hatℏ eten the Awmener let bere the releef to the gardyn & he smytetℏ on the gardyn ȝatedescriptionOpen page with a clyketdescriptionOpen page of syluer þat he holdetℏ in his hond & anon aƚƚ the bestes of þe hiƚƚ & of dyuerse places of the gardyn comen out a .iij. .M^ƚ. or a .iiij. Miƚ. & þei comen indescriptionOpen page gyse of pore men And men ȝeuen hem the releef in faire vesselles of syluer clene ouergylt. And whan þei han eten the monk smytetℏ eftsones on the gardyn ȝate with the clyket & þan anon aƚƚ the bestes retornen aȝen to here places þat þei come fro. And þei seyn þat theise bestes ben soulesdescriptionOpen page of wortℏi men þat resemblendescriptionOpen page in lykness of þo bestes þat ben faire & þerfore þei ȝeven [folio 87b] hem mete for the loue of god. And the oþer bestes þat ben foule þei seyn ben soules of pore men & of rude comouns; & þus þei beleeuen & noman may putte hem out of þis opynyoun. Þeise bestes aboueseyd þei let taken whan þei ben ȝonge & norisschen hem so with almess als manye as þei may fynde. And I asked hem ȝif it had not ben better to haue ȝouen þat releef to pore men ratℏere þan to þo bestes And þei answerde me & seyde þat þei hadde no pore man amonges hem in þat contree And þougℏ it had ben so, þat pore men had ben among hem, ȝit were it gretter Almess to ȝeuen it to þo soules þat don þere

here penance. Manye oþer merueylles ben in þat cytee & in the contree þere aboute, þat were to long to teƚƚ ȝou. Fro þat cytee go men be the contree a .vj. iourneyes to anoþer cytee þat men clepen CHILENFO,descriptionOpen page of the whiche cytee the walles ben .xx^ti. myle aboute. In þat cytee ben .lx. brigges of ston so faire þat noman may see fairere. In þat cytee was the firste sege of the kyng of MANCY for it is a fair cytee & plentevous of aƚƚ godes. After passe men ouerthwart a gret ryuere þat men clepen BALAYdescriptionOpen page & þat is the grettest ryuere of fresscℏ water þat is in the world, For þere as it is most narow it is more þan .iiij. myle of brede. An þanne entren men aȝen in to the lond of the grete CHANE. Þat ryuere gotℏ þorgℏ the lond of PIGMANS,descriptionOpen page where þat the folk ben of lityƚƚ stature þat ben but .iij. span long and þei ben rigℏt faire & gentyƚƚ after here quantytees botℏe [folio 88a] the men & the wommen. And þei maryen hem whan they ben half ȝere of age & geten children. And þei lyuen not but .vi. ȝeer or .vij. at the moste And he þat lyuetℏ .viij. ȝeer men holden him þere rigℏt passynge old. Þeise men ben the beste worcheres of gold, syluer,descriptionOpen page coutoun, sylk & of aƚƚ suche thinges of ony oþer þat ben in the world, And þei han often tymes werre with the bryddesdescriptionOpen page of the contree þat þei taken & eten. Þis lityƚƚ folk nouþer labouren in londes ne in vynes but þei han grete men amonges hem of oure stature þat tylen the lond & labouren amonges the vynes for hem. And of þo men of oure stature han þei als grete skorn & wonder as we wolde haue among vs of geauntes ȝif þei weren amonges vs. Þere is a gode cytee amonges oþere where þere is dwellynge gret plentee of þo lytyƚƚ folk And it is a gret cytee & a fair & the men ben grete þat duellen amonges hem, But whan þei geten ony children þei ben as lityƚƚ as the PYGMEYES, And þerfore þei ben aƚƚ for the moste part aƚƚ PYGMEYES, for the nature of the lond is sucℏ. The grete CANE let kepe this cytee fuƚƚ wel, for it is his. And aƚƚ be it þat the PYGMEYES ben

lytyƚƚ ȝit þei ben fuƚƚ resonable after here age & conne botℏen wytt & gode & malice ynow. Fro þat cytee gon men be the contree be many cytees & many townes vnto a cytee þat men clepen IANICHAYdescriptionOpen page & it is a noble cytee & a riche & of gret profite to the lord. And þider go men to sechen marchandise of aƚƚ manere of þing. Þat cytee [folio 88b] is fuƚƚ moche wortℏ ȝerly to the lord of the contree, For he hatℏ euery ȝer to rente of þat cytee as þei of the cyte seyn .l. Miƚ. CUMANTZdescriptionOpen page of floreyns of gold. For þei cownten þere aƚƚ be CUMANZ, And euery CUMANT is .x .M^l. floreyns of gold. Now may men wel rekene how moche þat it amountetℏ. The kyng of þat contree is fuƚƚ mygℏty & ȝit he is vnder the grete CANE And the gret CANE hatℏ vnder him .xij. suche prouynces. In þat contree in the gode towns is a gode custom, For whoso wiƚƚ make a feste to ony of his frendes þere ben certeyn jnnes in euery gode town & he þat wil make the feste wil sey to the hostellere: Arraye for me to morwe a gode dyner for so many folk & telletℏ him the nombre & deuysetℏ him the viaundes. And he seytℏ also: þus moche I wil dispende & nomore. And anon the hostellere arrayetℏ for him so faire & so wel & so honestly þat þer schaƚƚ lakke no thing. And it schaƚƚ be don sunnere & with lasse cost þan & a man made it in his owne hows. And a .v. myle fro þat cytee toward the hed of the ryuere of BALAY is anoþer cytee þat men clepen MENKE.descriptionOpen page In þat cytee is strong navye of schippes and aƚƚ ben white as snow of the kynde of the trees þat þei ben made offe, And þei ben fuƚƚ grete schippes & faire and wel ordeyned & made with halles & chambres & oþer eysementes, as þougℏ it were on the lond. Fro þens go men be many townes & many cytees þorgℏ the contree vnto a cytee þat men clepen LANTERYNEdescriptionOpen page & it is an .viij. iourneyes [folio 89a] fro þe cytee aboueseyd. This cytee sitt vpon a faire ryuere gret & brood þat men clepen CARAMARON.descriptionOpen page This ryuere passetℏ þorgℏ out CATHAY &

it dotℏ often tyme harm & þat fuƚƚ gret Whan it is ouer gret.

Chapter XXIV

THE GREAT CAN'S COURT

OF THE GRETE CHANE OF CHATAY; OF THE RIALTEE OF HIS PALAYS & HOW HE SITT AT METE, AND OF THE GRETE NOMBRE OF OFFICERES ÞAT SERUEN HYM.

CHATAY is a grete contree & a fair, noble & ricℏe & fuƚƚ of marchauntes; þider gon Marchaundes aƚƚ ȝeres for to sechen spices & aƚƚ manere of marchandises more comounly þan in ony oþer partye. And ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat Marchaundes þat comen fro GENE or fro VENYSE or fro ROMANYE or oþer parties of LOMBARDYE þei gon be see & be londe .xj. monetℏes or .xij. or more sumtyme or þei may come to the yle of CATHAY, þat is the princypaƚƚ regyoun of aƚƚ partyes beȝonde & it is of the grete CANE. Fro CATHAY go men toward the est be many iorneyes & þan men fynden a gode cytee betwene þeise oþere þat men clepen SUGARMAGO.descriptionOpen page Þat cytee is on of the beste stored of sylk & oþer marchandises þat is in the world. After gon men ȝit to anoþer old cytee toward the est & it is in the prouynce of CATHAY, And besyde þat cytee the men of TARTARYE han let make a notℏer cytee þat is clept CaydondescriptionOpen page & it hatℏ .xij. ȝates And betwene the .ij. ȝates þere is aƚƚweys a gret myle. So þat the .ij. cytees, þat is to seyne the olde & the newe han in cyrcuyt more þan .xx^ti. myle. In this cytee is the sege of the grete CANE in [folio 89b] a fuƚƚ gret palays & the most passynge fair in aƚƚ the world, Of the whiche the walles ben in circuyt more þan .ij. myle, And within the walles it is aƚƚ fuƚƚ of oþer palays. And in the gardyn of the grete palays þere is a gret hiƚƚ vpon the whicℏe is anoþer palays And it is the most fair & the most riche þat ony man may deuyse And aƚƚ aboute the palays & the hiƚƚ ben many trees berynge many dyuerse frutes. And

aƚƚ aboute þat hiƚƚ ben dyches grete & depe And besyde hem ben grete vyueres on þat o part & on þat other And þere is a fuƚƚ fair brigge to passen ouer the dyches. And in þeise vyueres ben so many wylde gees & gandres & wylde dokes & swannes & heirouns þat it is withouten nombre. And aƚƚ aboute þeise dyches & vyueres is the grete gardyn fuƚƚ of wylde bestes so þat whan the gret CANE wil haue ony desport ouþer to taken ony of the wylde bestes or of the foules, he wil lete chace hem & taken hem at the windowes withouten goynge out of his chambre. This palays where his sege is is botℏe gret & passynge fair And within the palays in the halle þere ben .xxiiij. pyleres of fyn gold & aƚƚ the walles ben couered withjnne of rede skynnesdescriptionOpen page of bestes þat men clepen PANTERES,descriptionOpen page þat ben faire bestes & wel smellyng so þat for the swete odour of þo skynnes non euyƚƚ ayr may entre in to the palays. Þo skynnes ben als rede as blode & þei schynen so brigℏte aȝen the sonne þat vnetℏes noman may beholden hem. And many folk [folio 90a] worschipen þo bestes whan þei meeten hem first at morwe for here gret vertue & for the gode smeƚƚ þat þei han, & þo skynnes þei preysen more þan þougℏ þei were plate of fyn gold. And in the myddes of this palays is the mountourdescriptionOpen page for the grete CANE þat is aƚƚ wrougℏt of gold & of precyous stones & grete perles. And at .iiij. corneres of the mountour ben .iiij. serpentesdescriptionOpen page of gold And aƚƚ aboute þer is ymade large nettes of sylk & gold & grete perles hangynge aƚƚ aboute the mountour. And vnder the MOUNTOUR ben CONDYTES of beuerage þat þei drynken in the Emperours court And besyde þe condytes ben many vesselles of gold be the whiche þei þat ben of houshold drynken at the condyt. And the halle of the palays is fuƚƚ nobelycℏ arrayed & fuƚƚ merueylleouselydescriptionOpen page atyred on aƚƚ partyes in aƚƚ thinges þat men apparayle with ony halle. And first at the chief of the halle is the Emperoures thronedescriptionOpen page fuƚƚ higℏ where he syttetℏ at the mete & þat is of fyn

precyouse stones bordured aƚƚ aboute with pured gold & precyous stones & grete perles, And the grees þat he gotℏ vp to the table ben of precious stones medled with gold. And at the left syde of the Emperoures sege is the sege of his firste wif o degree lowere þan the Emperour & it is of jaspere bordured with gold & precious stones. And the sege of his seconde wif is also anoþer degree more lowere þan his firste wif & it is also of jaspere bordured with gold as þat oþer is. And the sege of the thridde wif is [folio 90b] also more lowe be a degree þan the seconde wif. For he hatℏ alweys .iij. wifes with him where þat euere he be & after his wyfes on the same syde sytten the ladyes of his lynage ȝit lowere after þat þei ben of estate. And aƚƚ þo þat ben maryed han a countrefete made lyche a MANNES FOOT vpon here hedes cubyte long aƚƚ wrougℏt witℏ grete perles fyne & oryent & abouen made with pecokes fedres & of oþer schynynge fedres & þat stont vpon here hedes lyke a crest, in tokene þat þei ben vnder mannes fote & vnder subieccioun of man, And þei þat ben vnmaryed han none sucℏe. And after at the rigℏt syde of the Emperour first syttetℏ his oldest sone þat schaƚƚ regne after him; And he syttetℏ also o degree lowere þan the Emperour in sucℏe manere of seges as don the Emperesses. And after him sitten oþer grete lordes of his lynage, euery of hem a degree lowere þan oþer, as þei ben of estate. And the Emperour hatℏ his table allone be him self þat is of gold & of precious stones or of cristaƚƚ bordured with gold & fuƚƚ of precious stones or of Amatystes or of LIGNUM ALOES þat cometℏ out of paradys or of Iuory bounden & bordured with gold. And euerycℏ of his wyfes hatℏ also hire table be hireself And his eldest sone & the oþer lordes also & the ladyes & aƚƚ þat sitten with the Emperour han tables allone be hemself fuƚƚ riche. And þere nys no table but þat it is wortℏ an huge tresour of gode. And vnder the Emperoures table sitten .iiij. clerkes þat writen aƚƚ þat the Emperour seytℏ, be it good,

be it euyƚƚ. [folio 91a] For aƚƚ þat he seytℏ moste ben holden, for he may not chaungen his woord ne revoke it. And at grete solempne festes before the Emperoures table men bryngen grete tables of gold & þereon ben PecokesdescriptionOpen page of gold & many oþer maner of dyuerse foules aƚƚ of gold & richely wrougℏt & enameled & men maken hem dauncen and syngen clappynge here wenges to gydere & maken gret noysedescriptionOpen page & wheþer it be by craft or be nygromancye I wot nere, but it is a gode sigℏt to beholde & a fair, And it is gret meruayle how it may be. But I haue the lasse meruaylle because þat þei ben the moste sotyle mendescriptionOpen page in all sciences & in aƚƚ craftes þat ben in the world, For of sotyltee & of malice & of fer castynge þei passen aƚƚ men vnder heuene. And þerfore þei seyn hem self þat þei seen with .ij. eyen & the cristene men see but with on be cause þat þei ben more sotyƚƚ þan þei, For aƚƚ oþer naciouns þei seyn ben but blynde in conynge & worchinge in comparisoun to hem. I did gret besyness for to haue lerned þat craft but the maistre tolde me þat he had made avow to his god to teche it to no creature but only to his eldeste sone. Also aboue the Emperoures table & the oþere tables & abouen a gret partie in the halle is a VYNEdescriptionOpen page made of fyn gold & it spredetℏ aƚƚ aboute the haƚƚ & it hatℏ many clustres of grapes, somme white, somme grene, summe ȝalowe & somme rede & somme blake, aƚƚ of precious stones. The white ben of CRISTAƚƚ & of BERYLLEdescriptionOpen page & of JRIS, the ȝalowe ben of TOPAZES, the rede ben of RUBIES [folio 91b] & of GRENAZ & of ALABRAUNDYNES,descriptionOpen page The grene ben of Emeraudes of Perydos & of Crisolytes, And the blake ben of Onichez & Garantez.descriptionOpen page And þei ben aƚƚ so propurlycℏ made þat it semetℏ a verry vyne berynge kyndely grapes. And before the Emperoures table stonden grete lordes & riche barouns & otℏere þat seruen the Emperour at the mete. But noman is so hardy to speke a word but ȝif the Emperour speke to him, But ȝif it be Mynstrelles þat syngen songes & tellen gestes or oþer

desportesdescriptionOpen page to solace with the Emperour. And aƚƚ the vesseƚƚ þat men ben serued with in the halle or in chambres ben of precious stones And specyally at grete tables, ouþer of jaspre or of cristaƚƚ or of Amatystez or of fyn gold. And the cuppes ben of Emeraudez & of Saphires or of Topazes, of Perydoz and of many oþer precyouse stones. Vesseƚƚ of syluer is þere non,descriptionOpen page for þei teƚƚ no prys þere of to make no vesseƚƚ offe, But þei maken þerof grecynges & pileres & pawmentes to halles & chambres. And before the halle dore stonden manye barounes & knygℏtes clene armed to kepe þat noman entre, but ȝif it be the wille or the commandement of the Emperour or but ȝif þei ben seruauntes or mynstraƚƚ of the houshold; And oþer non is not so hardy to neigℏen ny the haƚƚ dore. And ȝe schuƚƚ vndirstonde þat my felawes and IdescriptionOpen page with oure ȝomen we serueden this Emperour & weren his Soudyoures .xv. monetℏes aȝenst the kyng of MANCY þat held werre aȝenst him. And the cause was for wee [folio 92a] hadden gret lust to see his noblesse & the estat of his court & aƚƚ his gouernance, to wite ȝif it were sucℏ as we herde seye þat it was. And treuly we fond it more noble and more excellent & ricchere & more merueyllous þan euer we herde speke offe. In so moche þat we wolde neuer han leved it, had wee not a seen it, For I trowe þat noman wolde beleve the noblesse, the ricchesse ne the multytude of folk þat ben in his court, but he had seen it. For it is not þere as it is here, For the lordes heredescriptionOpen page han folk of certeyn nombre als þei may suffise, But the grete CHANE hatℏ euery day folk at his costages & expens as withouten nombre. But the ordynance ne the expenses in mete & drink ne the honestee ne the clennesse is not so arrayed þere as it is here; for aƚƚ the comouns þere eten withouten clotℏ vpon here knees & þei eten aƚƚ maner of flesscℏ & lityƚƚ of bred, And after mete þei wypen here hondes vpon here skyrtes & þei eten not but ones a day. But the estat of lordes is fuƚƚ gret & riche & noble. And aƚƚ be it þat sum men wil

not trow me, but holden it for fable to tellen hem the nobless of his persone & of his estate & of his court & of the gret multytude of folk þat he holt, natℏeles I schaƚƚ seye ȝou A partye of him & of his folk, after þat I haue seen the manere & the ordynance fuƚƚ many a tyme. And whoso þat wole may leve me ȝif he wiƚƚ, And whoso wiƚƚ not may leue also. For I wot wel ȝif ony man hatℏ ben in þo contrees beȝonde, þougℏ he haue not ben in the place [folio 92b] where the grete CHANE duelletℏ, he schaƚƚ here speke of him so meche merueylouse þing, þat he schaƚƚ not trowe it ligℏtly; And treuly no more did I myself til I saugℏ it. And þo þat han ben in þo contrees & in the gret CANES houshold knowen wel þat I seye sotℏ And þerfore I wiƚƚ not spare for hem þat knowe not ne beleue not but þat þat þei seen for to teƚƚ ȝou a partie of him & of his estate þat he holt whan he gotℏ from contree to contree & whan he maketℏ solempne festes.

Chapter XXV

RISE OF JENGHIZ KHAN

WHERFORE HE IS CLEPT THE GRETE CHANE; OF THE STYLE OF HIS LETTRES, AND OF THE SUPERSCRIPCIOUN ABOWTEN HIS GRETE SEAƚƚ & HIS PRYUEE SEAƚƚ.

FIRST I schaƚƚ seye ȝou whi he was clept the gret CHANE. Ȝee schuƚƚ vndirstonde þat aƚƚ the world was destroyed be Noes flood saf only Noe & his wif & his children. Noe had .iij. sones SEM, CHAM & IAPHETℏ. This CAM was he þat saugℏ his fadres preuy membres naked whan he slepte & scorned hem & schewed hem with his fynger to his bretheren in scornynge wise & þerfore he was cursed of god, And IAPHETℏ turned his face awey & couered hem. Þeise .iij. bretheren had cesoun in aƚƚ the lond And this CHAM for his crueltee toke the gretter & the beste partie toward the est, þat is clept ASYE And SEM toke AFFRYKdescriptionOpen page And IAPHETH toke EUROPE, And þerfore is aƚƚ the ertℏe departed in theise .iij. parties be þeise .iij. bretℏeren. CHAM was the grettest & the most

mygℏty & of him camen mo generaciouns þan of the oþere And of [folio 93a] his sone CHUSE was engendred MEMBROTℏ the geaunt þat was the firste kyng þat euer was in the world & he began the fundacioun of the tour of BABYLOYNE. And þat tyme the fendes of helle camen many tymes & leyen with the wommen of his generacioun & engendred on hem dyuerse folk as MONSTRESdescriptionOpen page & folk disfigured, Summe withouten hedes, summe with grete eres, summe with on eye, summe geauntes, sum with hors feet & many oþer of dyuerse schapp aȝenst kynde. And of þat generacioun of CHAM ben comen the PAYNEMES & dyuerse folk þat ben in yles of the see be aƚƚ ynde. And for als moche as he was the most mygℏty & no man mygℏte withstonde him he cleped himself the sone of god & souereyn of aƚƚ the world, And for this CHAM this Emperour clepetℏ him CHAM & souereyn of aƚƚ the world. & of the generacioun of SEM ben comen the Sarrazines, And of the generacioun of IAPHETℏ is comen the peple of Israel And wee þough þat wee duellen in EUROPE. this is the opynyoun þat the SYRYENES & the SAMARITANES han amonges hem & þat þei told me before þat I wente toward ynde, But I fond it oþerwise. Natℏeles the sotℏe is this, þat TARTARYNES & þei þat duellen in the grete Asye þei camen of CHAM, But the Emperour of CHATAY clepetℏ him not CHAM, but CAN & I schaƚƚ teƚƚ ȝou how. It is but lityƚƚ more þan .viij^xx. ȝeerdescriptionOpen page þat aƚƚ TARTARYE was in subiectioun & in seruage to otℏere nacyouns abouten, for þei weren but bestyaƚƚ folk & diden noþing but kepten bestes & lad hem to pastures. But amonges [folio 93b] hem þei hadden .vij. princypaƚƚ nacyouns þat weren soueraynes of hem alle, Of the whicℏe the firste nacyoun or lynage was clept TARTAR, And þat is the most noble & the moste preysed. The seconde lynage is clept TANGHOT, The þridde EURACH, The .iiij. VALAIR, The .v. SEMOCℏ, The .vj. MENGLY, The .vij. COBOOGℏ. Now befeƚƚ it so, þat of the firste lynage succeded an old wortℏi man þat was not riche, þat hadde

to name CHANGUYS. This man lay vpon a nigℏt in his bed, & he sawgℏ in avisioun þat þere cam before him a knygℏt Armed aƚƚ in whitedescriptionOpen page & he satt vpon a white hors & seyde to him: CAN, slepest þou? the Inmortaƚƚ god hatℏ sent me to þe & it is his wille þat þou go to the .vij. lynages & seye to hem þat þou schalt ben here Emperour. For þou schalt conquere the londes & the contrees þat ben abouten, And þei þat marchen vpon ȝou schuƚƚ ben vnder ȝoure subieccioun, as ȝee han ben vnder hires, for þat is goddes wille Inmortaƚƚ. And whan he camdescriptionOpen page at morwe CHANGUYS roos & wente to the .vij. lynages & tolde hem how the white knygℏt had seyd, And þei scorned him & seyden þat he was a fool & so he departed fro hem aƚƚ aschamed. And the nygℏt sewynge this white knygℏt cam to the .vij. lynages & commaunded hem on goddes behalue Inmortaƚƚ þat þei scholde make this CHANGUYS here Emperour & þei scholde ben out of subieccioun & þei scholde holden aƚƚ oþer regiounes aboute hem in here seruage, as þei had ben to hem beforn. And on the morwe [folio 94a] þei chosen him to ben here Emperour And þei setten him vpon a blak fertredescriptionOpen page & after þat þei liften him vp with gret solempnytee & þei setten him in a chayer of gold & diden hym aƚƚ maner of reuerence & þei cleped him CHAN, as the white knygℏt called him. And whan he was þus chosen he wolde assayen ȝif he mygℏte trust in hem or non & wheþer þei wolde ben obeyssant to him or non, And þanne he made many statutes & ordynances, þat þei clepen YSYA CHAN.descriptionOpen page The firste statute was þat þei scholde beleeuen & obeyen in god Inmortaƚƚ þat is aƚƚmygℏty, þat wolde casten hem out of seruage & at aƚƚ tymes clepe to him for help in tyme of nede. The toþer statute was þat aƚƚ maner of men þat mygℏte beren armes scholden ben nombred And to euery .x. scholde ben a mayster And to euery .c. a mayster And to euery .M^ƚ. a mayster And to euery .x. M^ƚ. a mayster. After he commanded to the princypales of the .vij. lynages þat þei scholde leuen & forsaken aƚƚ þat þei hadden in godes

& heritage & fro þens fortℏ to holden hem payd of þat þat he wolde ȝeue hem of his grace; And þei diden so anon. After he commaunded to the princypales of the .vij. lynages þat euery of hem scholde brynge his eldest sone before him & with here owne handes smyten of here hedes withouten taryenge; And anon his commandement was performed. And whan the CHANE sagℏ þat þei made non obstacle to performen his commandement, þanne he thougℏte wel þat he mygℏte trusten in hem [folio 94b] & commaunded hem anon to make hem redy & to sewen his banere. And after this CHANE putt in subiectioun aƚƚ the londes aboute him. Afterward it befeƚƚ vpon a day þat the CHANE rood with a fewe meynee for to beholde the strengtℏe of the contree þat he had wonnen and so befeƚƚ þat a gret multytude of his enemyes metten with him & for to ȝeuen gode ensample of hardyness to his poeple he was the firste þat faugℏt & in the myddes of his enemyes encountred, & þere he was cast from his hors & his hors slayn̛. And whan his folk saugℏ him at the ertℏe þei weren aƚƚ abasscℏt & wenden he had ben ded & flowen euerychone & hire enemyes after & chaced hem, But þei wiste not þat the Emperour was þere. And whan the enemyes weren ferr pursuynge the chace, the Emperour himself hidde him in a thikke wode. And whan þei weren comen aȝen fro the chace þei wenten & sougℏten the wodes ȝif ony of hem had ben hid in the thikke of the wodes & manye þei founden & slowen hem anon. So it happend þat as þei wenten serchinge toward the place þat the Emperour was þei saugℏ an OWLE syttyngedescriptionOpen page vpon a tree abouen hym And þan þei seyden amonges hem þat þere was noman because þat þei saugℏ þat brid þere. And so þei wenten hire wey & þus escaped the Emperour from detℏ. And þanne he wente preuylly aƚƚ be nygℏte tiƚƚ he cam to his folk þat weren fuƚƚ glad of his comynge & maden grete thankynges to god Inmortaƚƚ & to þat bryd be whom

here lord [folio 95a] was saued. And þerfore princypally abouen aƚƚ foules of þe world þei worschipen the Owle And whan þei han ony of here fedres þei kepen hem fuƚƚ precyously in stede of relykes & beren hem vpon here hedes with gret reuerence & þei holden hem self blessed & saf from aƚƚ periles whil þat þei han hem vpon hem & þerfore þei beren here fedres vpon here hedes. After aƚƚ this the Chane ordeyned him & assembled his peple & wente vpon hem þat hadden assayled hym before & destroyed hem & put hem in subieccioun & seruage. And whan he had wonnen & putt aƚƚ the londes & contrees on this half the mount BELYANdescriptionOpen page in subieccioun, the whyte knygℏt cam to him aȝen in his sleep & seyde to him: CHAN, the wille of god Inmortaƚƚ is þat þou passe the mount BELYAN & þou schalt wynne the lond & þou schalt putten many nacyouns in subieccioun. And for þou schalt fynde no gode passage for to go toward þat contree, go to the mount BELYAN þat is vpon the see & knele þere .ix. tymes toward the est in the worschipe of god Inmortaƚƚ & he schal schewe þe weye to passe by, And the Chane dide so. And anon the see þat touched & was fast to the mount began to witℏdrawe him & schewed fair weye of .ix. fote brede large & so he passed with his folk & wan the lond of Cathay þat is the grettest kyngdom of the world. And for the .ix. knelynges & for the .ix. fote of weye the Chane & alle the [folio 95b] men of TARTARYE han the nombre of .ix. in gret reuerence. And þerfore who þat wole make the CHANE ony present, be it of hors, be it of bryddes or of Arwes or bowes or of frute or of ony otℏer thing, alweys he most make it of the nombre of .ix. And so þanne ben the presentes of grettere plesance to him & more benygnely he wil resceyuen hem þan þougℏ he were presented with an .C. or .CC. For hym semetℏ the nombre of .ix. so holy, be cause the messager of god jnmortaƚƚ devised it. Also whan the Chane of CATHAY hadde wonnen the contree of CATHAY & put in subieccioun & vnder fote many contrees abouten he feƚƚ seek.

And whan he felte wel þat he scholde dye, he seyde to his .xij. sones þat euerycℏ of hem scholde brynge him on of his arewes & so þei diden anon And þanne he commanded þat men scholde bynden hem to gedre in .iij. placesdescriptionOpen page And þan he toke hem to his eldest sone & bad him breke hem aƚƚ togedre; And he enforced him with aƚƚ his mygℏt to breken hem, but he ne mygℏte not. And þan the CHANE bad his seconde sone to breke hem & so schortly to alle ecℏ after otℏer, but non of hem mygℏt breke hem. And þan he bad the ȝongest sone disseuere euerycℏ from otℏer & breken euerycℏ be him self & so he dide. And þan seyde the CHANE to his eldest sone & to alle the oþere: wherfore mygℏt ȝee not breke hem? And þei answereden þat þei mygℏt not, be cause þat þei weren bounden togyder. [folio 96a] And wherfore, quod he, hatℏ ȝoure lityƚƚ ȝongest broþer broken hem? Because, quod þei, þat þei weren departed ecℏ from otℏer. & þanne seyde the CHANE: My sones, quod he, treuly þus wil it faren be ȝou. For als longe as ȝee ben bounden togedere in .iij. placesdescriptionOpen page þat is to seyne in loue, in troutℏe & in gode accord, noman schaƚƚ ben of powere to greue ȝou. But & ȝee ben disseuered fro þeise .iij. places, þat ȝoure on helpe not ȝoure oþer, ȝee schuƚƚ be destroyed & brougℏt to nougℏt. And ȝif ecℏ of ȝou loue other & helpe oþer, ȝee schuƚƚ be lordes & souereynes of aƚƚ oþere. And whan he hadde made his ordynances he dyed. And þanne after hym regned ECCHECHA CANE his eldest sone, And his othere bretheren wenten to wynnen hem many contrees & kyngdomes, vnto the lond of Pruysse & of Rossye, & made hem to ben cleped CHANE but þei weren aƚƚ obeyssant to hire elder brotℏer, And þerfore was he clept the grete CHANE. After EcchechadescriptionOpen page regned Guyo Chane And after him MANGO CHAN þat was a gode cristene man & baptyzed & ȝaf lettres of perpetueƚƚ pes to aƚƚ cristene men & sente his brotℏer halaon with gret multytude of folk for to wynnen the holy lond & for to put it in to cristene mennes hondes & for to

destroye Machametes lawe & for to take the CALYPHEE of BALDAK þat was Emperour & lord of aƚƚ the Sarazines. And whan this CALYPHEE was taken, men fownden him of so higℏ worschipedescriptionOpen page þat in [folio 96b] aƚƚ the remenant of the world ne mygℏte a man fynde a more reuerent man ne highere in worschipe. And þan halaon made him come before him & seyde to hym: Why, quod he, haddestow not taken with þe mo Sowdyoures & men ynowe for a lytiƚƚ quantytee of thresour for to defende þe & thi contree þat art so habundant of tresore & so higℏ in aƚƚ worschipe? And the CALYPHEE answerd him, For he wel trowede þat he hadde ynowe of his owne propre men. And þan seyde halaon: Þou were as a god of the sarazines & it is conuenyent to a god to ete no mete þat is mortaƚƚ & þerfore þou schalt not ete but precyous stones, riche perles And tresoure þat þou louest so moche. And þan he commanded him to presoun & aƚƚ his tresoure aboute him & so he dyed for hunger & threst. And þan after this, HALAON wan aƚƚ the lond of promyssioun & putte it in to cristene mennes hondes. But the grete CHANE his broþer dyede & þat was gret sorwe & loss to aƚƚ cristene men. After MANGO CHAN regned COBYLA CHAN þat was also a cristene man & he regnede .xlij. ȝeere; he founded the grete cytee of IȜONGE in CATHAY,descriptionOpen page þat is a gret del more þan Rome. The tother gret CHANE þat cam after him becam a paynemedescriptionOpen page & aƚƚ the oþer after him. The kyngdom of CATHAY is the grettest Reme of the world And also the gret CHAN is the most mygℏty Emperour of the world & the grettest lord vnder the firmament. & so he clepetℏ him in his lettres rigℏt þus: [folio 97a] “CHAN FILIUS DEI EXCELSI OMNIUM VNIUERSAM TERRAM COLENCIUM SUMMUS IMPERATOR ET DOMINUS OMNIUM DOMINANCIUM”.descriptionOpen page And the lettre of his grete seel writen abouten is this: “DEUS IN CELO, CHAN SUPER TERRAM EIUS FORTITUDO OMNIUM HOMINUM IMPERATORIS SIGILLUM”.descriptionOpen page And the superscripcioun aboute his lityƚƚ seel is this: “DEI FORTITUDO OMNIUM HOMINUM IMPERATORIS SIGILLUM”.descriptionOpen page And aƚƚ be it

þat þei be not cristned, ȝit natheles the Emperour & aƚƚ the TARTARYENES beleeuen in goddescriptionOpen page Inmortaƚƚ. And whan þei wiƚƚ manacen ony man, þanne þei seyn: God knowetℏ wel þat I schaƚƚ do þe sucℏ a thing, & telletℏ his manace. And þus haue ȝee herd whi he is clept the grete CHANE.

Chapter XXVI

SPLENDOUR OF THE CAN'S HOUSEHOLD

OF THE GOUERNANCE OF THE GRETE CHANES COURT & WHAN HE MAKETℏ SOLEMPNE FESTES; OF HIS PHILOSOPHRES, AND OF HIS ARRAY WHAN HE RIDETℏ BE ÞE CONTRE.

NOW schaƚƚ I teƚƚ ȝou the gouernance of the court of the grete CHANE whan he maketℏ solempne festes,descriptionOpen page & þat is princypally .iiij. tymes in the ȝeer. The firste feste is of his byrtℏe; þat oþer is of his presentacioundescriptionOpen page in here temple, þat þei clepen here MOSEACℏ,descriptionOpen page where þei maken a manere of circumcisioun; And the totℏer .ij. festes ben of his ydoles. The firste feste of the ydole is whan he is first put in to hire temple & throned. The toþer feste is whan the ydole begynnetℏ first to speke or to worche myracƚes. Mo ben þere not of solempne festes, but ȝif he marye ony of his children. Now vnderstondetℏ þat at euery of theise [folio 97b] festes he hatℏ gret multytude of peple wel ordeyned and wel arrayed be thousandes,descriptionOpen page be hundredes & be tentℏes. And euery man knowetℏ wel what seruyse he schaƚƚ do, And euery man ȝeuetℏ so gode hede & so gode attendance to his seruyse, þat noman fyndetℏ no defaute. And þere ben first ordeyned .iiij. .M^ƚ. barounes mygℏty & riche for to gouerne & to make ordynance for the feste & for to serue the Emperour. And þeise solempne festes ben made withouten in hales & tentes made of clotℏes of gold & of tartaries fuƚƚ nobely. And aƚƚ þo barouns han crounes of gold vpon hire hedes fuƚƚ noble & riche, fuƚƚ of precious stones and grete perles oryent, And þei ben aƚƚ clotℏed in clotℏes of gold or of

tartaries or of camokas, so richely & so perfytly þat noman in the world can amenden it ne better devisen it. And aƚƚ þo robes ben orfrayed aƚƚ abouten & dubbeddescriptionOpen page fuƚƚ of precious stones & of grete oryent perles fuƚƚ richely. And þei may wel do so, for clotℏes of gold & of sylk ben gretter chep þere a gret del þan ben clotℏes of wolle here. And þeise .iiij. .M^ƚ. barouns ben devised in .iiij. companyes And euery thousand is clotℏed in clothes aƚƚ of .o. colour And þat so wel arrayed & so richely þat it is merueyle to beholde. The firste thousand, þat is of Dukes, of Erles, of Marquyses & of Amyralles, aƚƚ clotℏed in clotℏes of gold with tysseux of grene silkdescriptionOpen page & bordured with gold, fuƚƚ of preciouse [folio 98a] stones, in maner as I haue seyd before. The secounde thousand is aƚƚ clothed in clotℏes dyapred of red selk aƚƚ wrougℏt with gold & the orfrayes sett fuƚƚ of gret perl and precious stones, fuƚƚ nobely wrougℏt. The .iij. thousand is clothed in clothes of silk of purpre or of yndedescriptionOpen page And the .iiij. thousand is in clotℏes of ȝalow. And aƚƚ hire clotℏes ben so nobely & so richely wrougℏt with gold & precious stones & riche perles þat ȝif a man of this contree hadde but only on of hire robes he mygℏte wel seye þat he scholde neuere be pore. For the gold & the precious stones & the grete oryent perles ben of gretter value on this half the see þan þei ben beȝond the see in þo contrees. And whan þei ben þus apparaylled þei gon .ij. & .ij. to gedre fuƚƚ ordynatly before the Emperour, with outen speche of ony woord saf only enclynynge to him. And euerycℏ of hem beretℏ a tablett of Iaspere or of Iuory or of cristaƚƚ And the mynstraƚƚ goynge before hem sownynge here jnstrumentes of dyuerse melodye. And whan the firste thousand is þus passed & hatℏ made his mostre he withdrawetℏ him on þat o syde. And þan entretℏ þat oþer seconde thousand & dotℏ rigℏt so in the same manere of array & contenance as did the firste & after the þridde & þan the fourtℏe & non of hem seytℏ not o word. And at o syde of the Emperours table sitten

many PHILOSOFRESdescriptionOpen page þat ben preued for wise men in many dyuerse sciences, as of [folio 98b] ASTRONOMYE, NIGROMANCYE, GEOMANCYE, PIROMANCYE, YDROMANCYE,descriptionOpen page of AUGURYE & of many oþer sciences; And euerycℏ of hem han before hem ASTROLABRES of gold, sum SPERES, summe the Brayn paune of a ded man, summe vesseles of gold fuƚƚ of graueƚƚ or sond, Summe vcsselles of gold fuƚƚ of coles brennynge, summe vesseƚƚ of gold fuƚƚ of water & of wyn & of oyle, And summe Oriloges of gold mad ful nobely & richely wrougℏt & many oþer maner of Instrumentes after hire sciences. And at certeyn houres whan hem thinketℏ tyme þei seyn to certeyn Officeres þat stonden before hem ordeynd for the tyme to fulfille hire commaundementes: MAKETℏ PEES, And þan seyn the Officeres: Now pees, lystenetℏ. And after þat seytℏ anoþer of the Philosophres: Euery man do reuerence & enclyne to the Emperour þat is goddes sone & souerayn lord of aƚƚ the world, for now is tyme; & þanne euery man bowetℏ his heddescriptionOpen page toward the ertℏe. And þanne commandetℏ the same Philosophre aȝen: STONDETℏ VP, & þei don so. And at anotℏer hour seytℏ anoþer Philosophre: Puttetℏ ȝoure litiƚƚ fynger in ȝoure eres, And anon þei don so. And at anotℏer hour seytℏ anoþer Philosophre: Puttetℏ ȝoure hond before ȝoure mowtℏ, And anon þei don so. And at anoþer hour seitℏ anoþer Philosophre: Puttetℏ ȝoure hond vpon ȝoure hede, And þei don so. And after þat he byddetℏ hem to don here hond awey & þei don so. [folio 99a] And so from hour to hour þei commanden certeyn thinges, And þei seyn þat tho thinges han dyuerse significaciouns.descriptionOpen page And I asked hem preuyly what þo thinges betokened And on of the maistres told me þat the bowynge of the hed at þat hour betokened this: þat aƚƚ þo þat boweden here hedes scholden euere more after ben obeyssant & trewe to the Emperour And neuere for ȝiftes ne for promys in no kynde to ben fals ne traytour vnto him for gode nor euyƚƚ. And the puttynge of the lityƚƚ fynger in the ere betokenetℏ as þei seyn, þat none of hem ne schaƚƚ not here speke no contrarious

thing to the Emperour, but þat he schaƚƚ teƚƚ it anon to his conseiƚƚ or discouere it to sum man þat wiƚƚ make relacioun to the Emperour, þougℏ he were his fader or brotℏer or sone. And so fortℏ of aƚƚ oþer thinges þat is don be the Philosophres þei tolde me the causes of many dyuerse thinges. And trustetℏ rigℏt wel in certeyn þat noman dotℏ nothing to the Emperour þat belongetℏ vnto him, nouþer clotℏinge ne bred ne wyn ne batℏ ne non oþer thing þat longetℏ to hym, but at certeyn houres þat his Philosophres wiƚƚ deuysen. And ȝif þere falledescriptionOpen page werre in ony syde to the Emperour anon the Philosophres comen & seyn here avys after here calculaciouns & conseylen the Emperour after here avys be here sciences, so þat the Emperour dotℏ no thing withouten here conseiƚƚ. And whan the Philosophres han don & perfourmed here comandementes, þanne the Mynstraƚƚ begynnen to don here mynstralcyedescriptionOpen page euerycℏ in hire Instrumentes [folio 99b] ecℏ after otℏer, with aƚƚ the melodye þat þei can deuyse. And wℏan þei han don a gode while, on of the Officeres of the Emperour gotℏ vp on an higℏ stage wrougℏt fuƚƚ curyously & cryetℏ & seytℏ with lowde voys: Maketℏ pees, And þanne euery man is stille. And þanne anon after aƚƚ the lordes þat ben of the Emperoures lynage nobely arrayed in riche clotℏes of gold and ryally apparayled on white stedes, als manye as may wel sewen hem at þat tyme,descriptionOpen page ben redy to maken here presentes to the Emperour. And þan seytℏ the Styward of the court to the lordes be name: N. of N., & nempnetℏ first the moste noble & the worthieste be name & seytℏ: Be ȝee redy with sucℏ a nombre of white hors for to serue the Emperour ȝoure souereyn lord. And to anoþer lord he seyth: N. of N., be ȝee redy with sucℏ a nombre to serue ȝoure souereyn lord. And to a notℏer rigℏt so. And to aƚƚ the lordes of the Emperoures lynage ecℏ after otℏer as þei ben of estate; And whan þei ben alle cleped þei entren ecℏ after oþer & presenten the white hors to the Emperour & þan gon hire wey. And þan after aƚƚ the

oþer barouns euery of hem ȝeuen him presentes or jueƚƚ or sum oþer þing, after þat þei ben of estate. And þan after hem aƚƚ the prelates of hire lawe & religiouse men & oþer & euery man ȝeuetℏ him sum thing. And whan þat aƚƚ men han þus presented the Emperour, the grettest of dignytee of the prelates ȝeuetℏ hem a blessynge seyenge an orisoun of hire lawe. And þan begynnen the Mynstrexpand_lesseƚƚdescriptionOpen page [folio 100a] to maken hire mynstralcie in dyuerse Instrumentes with aƚƚ the melodye þat þei can deuyse. And whan þei han don hire craft, þan þei bryngen before the Emperour lyouns, libardesdescriptionOpen page & oþer dyuerse bestes And Egles & ventours & oþer dyuerse foules And fissches & serpentes for to don him reuerence. And þan comen JOGULOURS and ENCHAUNTOURES, þat don many meruaylles, For þei maken to come in the ayr the sonne & the monedescriptionOpen page be semynge to euery mannes sigℏt.descriptionOpen page And after þei maken the nygℏt so derk þat noman may see no thing, And after þei maken the day to come aȝen fair & plesant with brigℏt sonne to euery mannes sigℏt. And þan þei bryngen in dauncesdescriptionOpen page of the faireste damyselles of the world & richest arrayed. And after þei maken to comen in oþer damyselles, bryngynge coupes of gold fuƚƚ of mylk of dyuerse bestesdescriptionOpen page & ȝeuen drynke to lordes & to ladyes And þan þei make knygℏtes to jousten in armes fuƚƚ lustyly & þei rennen togidre a gret raundoun & þei frusschen togidere fuƚƚ fiercely & þei breken here speres so rudely þat the tronchouns flen in sprotes & peces aƚƚ aboute the halle. And þan þei make to come in huntyng for the hert & for the boor, with houndes rennynge with open moutℏ. And many oþer thinges þei don be craft hire enchauntementes, þat it is merueyle for to see. And sucℏ pleyes of desport þei make til the takynge vp of the boordes. This gret CHAN hatℏ fuƚƚ gret peple for to seruen him, as I haue told ȝou before, For he hatℏ of myn [folio 100b] stralles the nombre of .xiij. CumantzdescriptionOpen page but þei abyde not aƚƚweys with hym. For aƚƚ the mynstreƚƚ þat comen before ℏym of what

nacyoun þat thei ben of, þei ben withholden with him as of his houshold, & entred in his bokes as for his owne men; And after þat, where þat euere þei gon, eueremore þei cleymen for mynstraƚƚ of the grete CHANE, And vnder þat tytle alle kynges and lordes cherisschen hem the more with ȝiftes & aƚƚ þing; And þerfore he hatℏ so gret multytude of hem. And he hatℏ of certeyn men as þougℏ þei were ȝomen þat kepen bryddes as OSTRYCCHES,descriptionOpen page GERFACOUNS, SPAREHAUKES, FAUKONS GENTYLS, LANYERES, SACRES, SACRETTES, POPYNGAYES wel spekynge and briddes syngynge. And also of wylde bestes, as of OLIFAUNTZ tame & otℏere, Babewynes, Apes, Marmesettes & oþere dyuerse bestes, the mountance of .xv. CUMANTZ of ȝomen. And of Phisicyens cristenedescriptionOpen page he hatℏ .cc. And of leches þat ben cristene he hatℏ .cc. & .x. And of leches & Phisicyens þat ben sarrazines .xx. But he trustetℏ more in the cristene leches þan in the Sarazines. And his oþer comoun houshold is withouten nombre, And þei aƚƚ han aƚƚ necessaries & aƚƚ þat hem nedetℏ of the Emperoures court. And he hatℏ in his Court many Barouns as Seruytoures þat ben cristene & conuerted to gode feytℏ be the prechinge of Religiouse cristenmen þat dwellen with him; But þere ben manye mo þat wil not þat men knowen þat þei ben cristene. This Emperour may dispenden als [folio 101a] moche as he wile withouten estymacioun, For he not despendetℏ ne maketℏ no money but of letℏerdescriptionOpen page emprinted or of papyre. And of þat moneye is som of gretter prys & som of lasse prys, after the dyuersitee of his statutes.descriptionOpen page And whan þat money hatℏ ronne so longe þat it begynnetℏ to waste; þan men beren it to the Emperoures tresorye And þan þei taken newe money for the olde. And þat money gotℏ thorgℏ out aƚƚ the contree & þorgℏ out aƚƚ his prouynces, For þere & beȝonde hem þei make no money nouþer of gold nor of syluer, And þerfore he may despende ynow & outrageously. And of gold & syluer þat men beren in his contree he maketℏ Cylours, Pyleres & Paumentes in his palays & oþer dyuerse thinges,

what him lyketℏ. This Emperour hatℏ in his chambre in on of the pyleres of gold a RUBYEdescriptionOpen page & a CHARBONCLE of half a fote long, þat in the nygℏt ȝeuetℏ so gret clartee & schynynge, þat it is als ligℏt as day; And he hatℏ many oþer precyous stones & many oþer RUBYES & CHARBONCLES, but þo bendescriptionOpen page the grettest & the moste precyous. This Emperour duelletℏ in somer in a cytee þat is toward the nortℏ, þat is cleped SaduzdescriptionOpen page & þere is cold ynow. And in wynter he duelletℏ in a cytee þat is clept CamaalecℏdescriptionOpen page & þat is an hote contree. But the contree where he duelletℏ in most comounly is in GaydodescriptionOpen page or in JongdescriptionOpen page þat is a gode contree & a tempree, after þat the contree is þere, But to men of this contree it were to passyng hoot. And whan this Emperour wiƚƚ ryde from o contree to anotℏer [folio 101b] he ordeyneth .iiij. hostesdescriptionOpen page of his folk, of the whiche the firste hoost gotℏ before him a dayes iourney, For þat hoost schaƚƚ ben logged the nygℏt where the Emperour schaƚƚ lygge vpon the morwe. And þere schaƚƚ euery man haue aƚƚ maner of vytaylle & necessaryes þat ben nedefuƚƚ of the Emperours costages. And in this firste hoost is the nombre of poeple .l. CUMAUNTZ, what of hors what of fote, Of the whiche euery CUMANTZ amounte .x.m^ƚ. as I haue told ȝou before. And anotℏer hoost gotℏ in the rigℏt syde of the Emperour nygℏ half a iourney fro him, And anotℏer gotℏ on the left syde of him in the same wise. And in euery hoost is as moche multytude of peple as in the firste hoost. And þanne after cometℏ the .iiij. hoost, þat is moche more þan ony of the oþere & þat gotℏ behynden him the mountance of a bowe draugℏt. And euery hoost hatℏ his iourneyes ordeyned in certeyn places where þei schuƚƚ be logged at nygℏt, And þere þei schuƚƚ haue aƚƚ þat hem nedetℏ. And ȝif it befaƚƚ þat ony of the hoost dye, anon þei putten anotℏer in his place, so þat the nombre schaƚƚ eueremore ben hool. And ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat the Emperour in his propre persone rydetℏ not as oþere gret lordes don beȝonde, but ȝif him liste to

go preuyly with fewe men for to ben vnknowen. And eƚƚ he rytt in a charett with .iiij. wheles vpon the whiche is made a faire chambre & and it is made of a certyn wode þat cometℏ out of paradys terrestre, þat men clepen LIGNUM ALOES,descriptionOpen page þat the flodes of paradys bryngen out at dyuerse cesouns, as I haue told ȝou here beforn. And this chambre is [folio 102a] fuƚƚ wel smellynge because of the wode þat it is made offe, And aƚƚ this chambre is couered witℏ jnne of plate of fyn gold dubbed with precyous stones & grete perles, And .iiij. OLIFAUNTZ and .iiij. grete destreres aƚƚ white & couered with riche couertoures ledynge the chariot. And .iiij. or .v. or .vj. of the grettest lordes ryden aboute this charyot fuƚƚ richely arrayed & fuƚƚ nobely, so þat noman schaƚƚ neygℏe the charyot, but only the lordes, but ȝif þat the Emperour calle ony man to him þat him list to speke with aƚƚ. And aboue the chambre of this chariot þat the Emperour sittetℏ jnne ben sett vpon a perche .iiij. or .v. or .vj. GERFACOUNS, to þat entent þat whan the Emperour seetℏ ony wylde foul þat he may take it at his owne list & haue the desport & the pley of the fligℏt, First with on & after with another; And so he taketℏ his desport passynge be the contree. And noman rydetℏ before him of his companye but alle after him. And noman dar not come nygℏ the Chariot by a bowe draugℏt but þo lordes only þat ben aboute him, & aƚƚ the hoost cometℏ fayrely after him in gret multitude. And also sucℏ anoþer charyot with sucℏ hoostes ordeynd & arrayed gon with the Emperesse vpon anotℏer syde euerycℏ be him self with .iiij. hoostes rigℏt as the Emperour dide, but not with so gret multytude of peple. And his eldest sone gotℏ be anoþer weye in anoþer chariot in the same manere, so þat þere is betwene hem so gret multitude of folk þat it is merueyle to teƚƚ it. And noman scholde trowe the nombre but he had seen it. And sumtyme it happetℏ þat whan he wil not go fer & þat it lyke him to haue the Emperesse & [folio 102b] his children with him; þan þei gon aƚƚ togydere And here folk ben aƚƚ medled in fere & devyded

in .iiij. parties only.descriptionOpen page And ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat the Empyre of this gret CHANE is deuyded in .xij. prouyncesdescriptionOpen page And euery prouynce hatℏ mo þan .ij. m^ƚ. cytees And of townes withouten nombre. This contree is fuƚƚ gret, For it hatℏ .xij. princypaƚƚ kynges in .xij. prouynces And euery of þo kynges han many kynges vnder hem, & aƚƚ þei ben obeyssant to the gret CHANE. And his lond & his lordschipe duretℏ so ferr þat a man may not gon from on hed to anoþer, nouþer be see ne londe, the space of .vij. ȝeer. And þorgℏ the desertes of his lordschipe þere as men may fynde no townes, þere ben jnnes ordeyned be euery iorneye to resceyue botℏe man & hors, in the whiche þei schaƚƚ fynde plentee of vytaylle & of aƚƚ þing þat hem nedetℏ for to go be the contree. And þere is a merueylouse custom in þat contree, but it is profitable, þat ȝif ony contrarious thing þat scholde ben preiudice or greuance to the Emperour in ony kynde, be herd in þe contree anon the Emperour hatℏ tydynges þereof & fuƚƚ knowleche in a day, þougℏ it be .iij. or .iiij. iourneys fro him or more. For his ambessedours taken here dromedaries or hire hors & þei priken in aƚƚ þat euere þei may toward on of the jnnes. And whan þei comen þere anon þei blowen an horne, & anon þei of the jn knowen wel ynow þat þere ben tydynges to warnen the Emperour of sum rebellyoun aȝenst him. And þanne anon þei maken oþer men redy in aƚƚ haste þat þei may [folio 103a] to beren lettres and pryken in aƚƚ þat euere þei may, tiƚƚ þei come to the oþer jnnes with here lettres. And þanne þei maken fresscℏ men redy to pryke fortℏ with the lettres toward the Emperour, whiƚƚ þat the laste bryngere reste him & bayte his dromedarie or his hors, And so fro jn to jn till it come to the Emperour. And þus Anon hatℏ he hasty tydynges of ony thing þat beretℏ charge be his corrours þat rennen so hastyly thorgℏout aƚƚ the contree. And also whan the Emperour sendetℏ his Corrours hastyly þorgℏout his lond, euerych of hem hatℏ a large thong fuƚƚ of smale belles

And whan þei neygℏen nere to the Innes of oþer Corroures, pat ben also ordeyned be the iorneyes, þei ryngen here belles And anon the oþer Corrours maken hem redy & rennen here weye vnto anotℏer In & þus rennetℏ on to oþer fuƚƚ spedyly & swyftly, tiƚƚ the Emperours entent be serued in aƚƚ haste. And theise Currours ben clept CHYDYDOdescriptionOpen page after here langage, þat is to seye a messagere. Also whan the Emperour gotℏ from o contree to anotℏer as I haue told ȝou here before & he passe þorgℏ cytees & townes, euery man maketℏ a fuyr before his dore & puttetℏ þere jnne pouder of gode gommes þat ben swete smellynge, for to make gode sauour to the Emperour. And aƚƚ the peple kneletℏ doun aȝenst him & don him gret reuerence, And þere where religyouse cristene men dwellen, as þei don in many cytees in the lond, þei gon before him with processioun with cros & holy water & þei syngen: VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS with an high voys [folio 103b] & gon towardes him. And whan he heretℏ hem he commaundeth to his lordes to ryde besyde him, þat the Religious men may come to him.descriptionOpen page And whan þei ben nygℏ him with the cros, þanne he doth adown his GALAOTℏdescriptionOpen page þat syt vpon his hede in manere of a chapelet, þat is made of gold & preciouse stones & grete perles And it is so ryche þat men preysen it to the value of a Roialme in þat contre. And þan he kneletℏ to the cros And þan the prelate of the Religiouse men seytℏ before him certeyn orisouns & ȝeuetℏ him a blessynge with the cros, And he enclynetℏ to the blessynge fuƚƚ deuoutely. And þanne the prelate ȝeuetℏ him sum maner frutedescriptionOpen page to the nombre or .ix. in a platere of syluer with peres or Apples or oþer manere frute, And he taketh on & þan men ȝeuen to the oþere lordes þat ben aboute him. For the custom is sucℏ, þat no straungere schaƚƚ come before him but ȝif he ȝeue hym sum manere thing, after the olde lawe þat seytℏ: “NEMO ACCEDAT IN CONSPECTU MEO VACUUS.” And þanne the Emperour seytℏ to the Religious men þat þei withdrawe hem aȝen, þat þei ne be not hurt ne harmed of

the gret multytude of hors þat comen behynde him. And also in the same maner don the religious men þat dwellen þere to the Emperesses þat passen by hem And to his eldest sone & to euery of hem þei presenten frute. And ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat the poeple þat he hatℏ so many hostes offe abouten hym & aboute his wyfes & his sone þei dwelle not contynuelly with him, but aƚƚweys whan him lyketℏ þei ben sent [folio 104a] fore, And after whan þei han don þei retournen to hire owne housholdes, saf only þei þat ben dwellynge with hym in houshold for to seruen him & his wyfes & his sones for to gouernen his houshold. And aƚƚ be it þat the otℏere ben departed fro him after þat þei han perfourmed hire seruyse, ȝit þere abydetℏ contynuelly with him in court .l. miƚƚ. men at horse And .CC. Miƚƚ. men a fote withouten mynstrelles & þo þat kepen wylde bestes & dyuerse briddes, of þe whiche I haue tolde ȝou the nombre before. Vnder the firmament is not so gret a lord ne so myghty ne so riche as is the grete CHANE, Nougℏt PRESTRE IOℏAN þat is Emperour of the higℏ Ynde ne the Sowdan of Babyloyne ne the Emperour of Persye. Aƚƚ þeise ne ben not in comparisoun to the grete CHANE nouþer of mygℏt ne of noblesse ne of ryaltee ne of ricchesse. For in aƚƚ þeise he passetℏ aƚƚ ertℏely princes Wherfore it is gret harm þat he beleuetℏ not feitℏfully in god. And natℏeles he wil gladly here speke of god And he suffretℏ wel þat cristene men dweƚƚ in his lordschipe & þat men of his feitℏ ben made cristene men, ȝif þei wile, þorgℏout aƚƚ his contree, For he defendetℏ noman to holde no lawedescriptionOpen page otℏer þan him lyketℏ. In þat contree sum man hatℏ an .C. wyfes,descriptionOpen page summe .lx., summe mo, summe lesse. And þei taken the nexte of hire kyn to hire wyfes, saf only þat þei out taken hire modres, hire dougℏtres & hire sustres of the moder syde. But hire sustres on the fadir syde of anotℏer womman þei may wel take, And hire [folio 104b] bretℏeres wyfes also after here detℏ And here Stepmodres also in the same wyse.

Chapter XXVII

MANNERS OF THE TARTARS

OF THE LAWE & THE CUSTOMS OF THE TARTARIENES, DUELLYNGE IN CHATAY, & HOW ÞAT MEN DON WHAN THE EMPEROUR SCHAL DYE, & HOW HE SCHAL BE CHOSEN.

THE folk of þat contree vsen aƚƚ longe clotℏes withouten furroures. And þei ben clotℏed with precious clotℏesdescriptionOpen page of TARTARYEdescriptionOpen page & of clotℏes of gold, And here clotℏes ben slytt at the sydedescriptionOpen page & þei ben festned with laces of silk And þei clotℏen hem also with pylches & the hyde with outen.descriptionOpen page And þei vsen nouþer cappedescriptionOpen page ne hood And in the same maner as the men gon the wommen gon, so þat noman may vnetℏe knowe the men fro the wommen, saf only þo wommen þat ben maryed, þat beren the tokne vpon hire hedes of a mannes foot,descriptionOpen page in signe þat þei ben vnder mannes fote & vnder subiectioun of man. And hire wyfes ne dweƚƚ not to gydre, but euery of hem be hireself And the husbonde may ligge with whom of hem þat him lyketℏ. Euerycℏ hatℏ his hous, botℏe man & womman; And here houses ben made rounde of staves & it hatℏ a round wyndowe abouen þat ȝeuetℏ hem ligℏt And also þat seruetℏ for delyuerance of smoke. And the helynge of here houses & the wowes & the dores ben aƚƚ of wode.descriptionOpen page And whan þei gon to werre þei leden hire houses with hem vpon chariottes as men don tentes or pauylliouns. And þei maken hire fuyr in the myddes of hire houses. And þei han gret multytude of aƚƚ maner of bestes, saf only of swyn, for þei bryngen non forth. And they [folio 105a] beleeuendescriptionOpen page wel o god þat made & formede aƚƚ thinges, And natℏeles ȝit han þei ydoles of gold & syluer & of tree & of clotℏ, And to þo ydoles þei offren aƚƚ weys hire first mylk of hire bestes & also of hire metes & of hire drynkes before þei eten, And þei offren often tymes hors & bestes. And þei clepen the god of kynde yroga.descriptionOpen page And hire Emperour also what name þat euere he haue þei putten euermore þerto CHANE, And when I was þeredescriptionOpen page hire Emperour had to name THIAUT,descriptionOpen page so þat he was clept

THIAUT CHANE, And his eldeste sone was clept TESSUE And whan he schaƚƚ ben Emperour he schaƚƚ ben clept TESSUE CHANE. And at þat tyme the Emperour hadde .xij. sones withouten þo, þat were named CUNCY, ORDIJ, CHAHADAY, BURYN, NEGU, NOCAB, CADU, CICTEN, BALACY, BABYLAN & GAREGAN & of his .iij. wifes the firste & the principaƚƚ þat was Prestre Joℏnes dougℏter hadde to name SERIOCH CHAN, And the totℏer BORAK CHAN & the toþer KARANKE CHAN. The folk of þat contree begynnen aƚƚ hire thinges in the newe mone And þei worschipendescriptionOpen page moche the mone & the sonne & often tyme kuelen aȝenst hem. And alle the folk of the contree ryden comounly withouten spores, but þei beren aƚƚ weys a lytiƚƚ whippe in hire hondes for to chacen with hire hors. And þei han gret conscience & holden it for a gret synne to casten a knyf in the fuyre & for to drawe flescℏ out of a pot with a knyf & for to smyte an hors with the handiƚƚ of a whippe,descriptionOpen page [folio 105b] or to smyte an hors with a brydiƚƚ or to breke o bondescriptionOpen page with anotℏer or for to caste mylk or ony lykour þat men may drynke vpon the ertℏe or for to take & sle lytil children. And the moste synne þat ony man may do is to pissen in hire houses þat þei dwellen in And whoso þat may be founden with þat synne sykerly þei slen hym. And of euerycℏ of þeise synnes it behouetℏ hem to ben schryuen of hire prestes & to paye gret somme of siluer for hire penance. And it behouetℏ also þat the place þat men han pissed in be halewed aȝen & elles dar noman entren þerejnne. And whan þei han payed hire penance men make hem passen þorgℏ a fuyrdescriptionOpen page or þorgℏ .ij. for to clensen hem of hire synnes. And also whan ony messangere cometℏ & bryngetℏ lettres or ony present to the Emperour it behouetℏ him þat he with the thing þat he bryngetℏ passe þorgℏ .ij. brennynge fuyres for to purgen hem, þat he brynge no poysoun ne venym ne no wykked þing þat mygℏt be greuance to the lord. And also ȝif ony man or womman be taken in avouterye or fornicacioun anon þei sleen him. And who þat steletℏ ony thing anon þei

sle him. Men of þat contree ben aƚƚ gode archeres & schooten rigℏt weeƚƚ botℏe men & wommen, als wel on hors bak prikynge as on fote rennynge.descriptionOpen page And the wommen maken aƚƚ þinges & aƚƚ maner mysteres & craftes as of clotℏes, botes & oþer thinges & þei dryuen cartes, plowesdescriptionOpen page & waynes & chariottes. And þei maken houses & aƚƚ maner mysteres, out taken bowes & arwes & Armures, þat men maken. [folio 106a] And aƚƚ the wommen weren breecℏ as wel as men. Aƚƚ the folk of þat contree ben fuƚƚ obeysant to hire souereynes ne þei figℏten not ne chiden not on with anotℏer. And þere ben nouþer thefes ne robboures in þat contree & euery man worschipetℏ oþer, but noman þere dotℏ no reuerence to no straungeres, but ȝif þei ben grete princes.descriptionOpen page And þei eten HOUNDES, LYOUNS, LYBERDES,descriptionOpen page MARES & FOLES, ASSES, RATTES & MEES & aƚƚ maner of bestes, grete & smale, saf only swyn & bestes þat weren defended by the olde lawe.descriptionOpen page And þei eten aƚƚ the bestes withouten & withjune, withouten castynge awey of ony thing saf only the filtℏe. And þei eten but litiƚƚ bred, but ȝif it be in courtes of grete lordes. And þei haue not in many places nouþer pesen ne benesdescriptionOpen page ne non oþer potages, but þe brotℏ of the flesscℏ. For litiƚƚ ete þei ony thing but flesscℏ & the brotℏ. And whan þei han eten þei wypen hire hondes vpon hire skirtes, for þei vse non naperye ne towaylles, but ȝif it be before grete lordes, but the comoun peple hatℏ none. And whan þei han eten þei putten hire disscℏes vnwasschen into the pot or cawdroun with remenant of the flesscℏ and of the brotℏ, til þei wole eten aȝen. And the riche men drynken mylk of MARES or of CAMAYLLES or of ASSES or of oþer bestes. And þei wil ben ligℏtly dronken of mylk & of anotℏer drynk þat is made of hony & of water soden togidre, For in þat contree is nouþer wyn ne ale. Þei lyuen fuƚƚ wrecchedlicℏ, & þei eten but ones in the day & þat but lytiƚƚ, noutℏer [folio 106b] in courtes ne in otℏer places. And in sootℏ o man allone in this contree wil ete more in a day þan on of

hem wil ete in .iij. dayes, And ȝif ony straunge messager come þere to a lord, men maken him to ete but ones a day & þat fuƚƚ litiƚƚ. And whan þei werren þei werren fuƚƚ wisely & aƚƚweys don here besynes to destroyen hire enemyes.descriptionOpen page Euery man þere beretℏ .ij. bowes or .iij. & of arwes grete plentee & a gret ax.descriptionOpen page And the gentyles han schorte speresdescriptionOpen page & large & fuƚƚ trenchant on þat o syde, And þei han plates & helmes made of guyrboylledescriptionOpen page & hire hors couertoures of the same. And who so fleetℏ fro the bataylle þei sle him. And whan þei holden ony sege abouten casteƚƚ or toun þat is walled & defensable þei behotendescriptionOpen page to hem þat ben withjnne to don aƚƚ the profite and gode, þat it is merueylle to here & þei graunten also to hem þat ben withjnne aƚƚ þat þei wiƚƚ asken hem. And after þat þei ben ȝolden anon þei sleen hem alle & kutten of hire eresdescriptionOpen page & sowcen hem in vynegre & þere of þei maken gret seruysedescriptionOpen page for lordes. Aƚƚ here lust & aƚƚ hire ymaginacioun is for to putten aƚƚ londes vnder hire subieccioundescriptionOpen page And þei seyn þat þei knowen wel be hire prophecyes þat þei schuƚƚ ben ouercomen by archieres & be strengtℏe of hem, but þei knowe not of what nacioun ne of what lawe þei schuƚƚ ben offe þat schuƚƚ ouercomen hem. And þerfore þei suffren þat folk of aƚƚ lawesdescriptionOpen page may peysibely dweƚƚen amonges hem. Also whan þei wiƚƚ maken hire ydoles or an ymage of ony of hire frendes for to haue remembrance of hym [folio 107a] þei maken aƚƚ weys the ymage aƚƚ nakeddescriptionOpen page withouten ony maner of clotℏinge. For þei seyn þat in gode loue scholde be no couerynge, þat man scholde not loue for the faire clotℏinge ne for the riche aray, but only for the body sucℏ as god hatℏ made it & for the gode vertues þat the body is endowed with of nature, Nougℏt only for fair clotℏinge þat is not of kyndely nature. And ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat it is gret drededescriptionOpen page for to pursuen the TARTARYNES ȝif þei fleen in bataylle, For in fleynge þei schooten behynden hem & sleen botℏe men & hors. And whan þei wil figℏte þei wiƚƚ schokken hem to gidre in a plomp, þat ȝif þere ben .xx. Mƚ. men,

men schuƚƚ not wenen þat þere be scant .x. Miƚƚ. And þei cone wel wynnendescriptionOpen page lond of straungeres but þei cone not kepen it, For þei han gretter lust to lye in tentes withouten þan for to lye in casteƚƚ or in townes; And þei preysen nothing the wytt of oþer naciouns. And amonges hem oyle of OLYUE is fuƚƚ dere, for þei holden it for fuƚƚ noble medicyne. And aƚƚ the Tartarienes han smale eyendescriptionOpen page & litiƚƚ of berd & not thikke hered, but schiere. And þei ben falsedescriptionOpen page & traytoures And þei lasten nogℏt þat þei behoten. Þei ben fuƚƚ harde folk & moche peyne & wo mow suffren & disese, more þan ony oþer folk for þei ben taugℏt þerto in hire owne contree of ȝoutℏe; And þerfore þei spenden as who seytℏ rigℏt nougℏt. And whan ony man schaƚƚ dye,descriptionOpen page men setten a spere besyde him And whan he drawetℏ towardes the detℏ euery [folio 107b] man fleetℏ out of the hous tiƚƚ he be ded & after þat þei buryen him in the feldes. And whan the Emperour dyetℏ, men setten him in a chayere in myddes the place of his tent And men setten a table before him clene couered with a clotℏ & þere vpon flescℏ & dyuerse vyaundes And a cuppe fuƚƚ of mares mylk. And men putten a mare besyde him with hire fole & an hors sadeled & brydeled & þei leyn vpon the hors gold & siluer gret quantytee, And þei putten abouten him gret plentee of stree. And þan men maken a gret pytt & a large And with the tent & aƚƚ þeise oþer thinges þei putten him in ertℏe. And þei seyn þat whan he schaƚƚ come in to anoþer world he schaƚƚ not ben withouten an hows ne withouten hors ne withouten gold & syluer; And the mare schaƚƚ ȝeuen him mylk & bryngen him fortℏ mo hors tiƚƚ he be wel stored in the toþer world. For þei trowen þat after hire detℏ þei schuƚƚ ben etynge & drynkynge in þat oþer world & solacynge hem with hire wifes as þei diden here. And after tyme þat the Emperour is þus entered noman schaƚƚ be so hardy to speke of him before his frendes. And ȝit natheles somtyme falletℏ of manye þat thei maken hem to ben entered preuyllydescriptionOpen page be nygℏte in wylde places & putten aȝen

the grass ouer the pytt for to growe, Or eƚƚ men coueren the pytt with graueƚƚ & sond, þat noman schaƚƚ perceyue where ne knowe where the pytt is, to þat entent þat neuer after none of his frendes schuƚƚ han mynde ne remembrance of him. And þanne þei seyn þat he is ravissℏt in to anoþer world, where he is a gretter lord þan he was here. [folio 108a] And þanne after detℏ of the Emperour the .vij. lynages assemblen hem togidere & chesen his eldest sone or the nexte after him of his blood And þus þei seye to ℏim:descriptionOpen page Wee wolen & wee preyen & ordeynen þat ȝee ben oure lord & oure Emperour. And þanne he answeretℏ: Ȝif ȝee wile þat I regne ouer ȝou as lord, do cuerycℏ of ȝou þat I schaƚƚ commanden him, ouþer to abyde or to go. And whom so euer þat I commaunde to ben slayn, þat anon he be slayn. And þei answeren aƚƚ with o voys: What so euere ȝee commanden, it schaƚƚ be don. Þanne seytℏ the Emperour: Now vndirstondetℏ wel þat my woord from hens fortℏ is scharp & bytynge as a swerd. After men setten him vpon a blak stededescriptionOpen page & so men bryngen him to a chayere fuƚƚ richely arrayed & þere þei crownen hym. And þanne aƚƚ the cytees & gode townes senden hym riche presentes, so þat at þat iourneye he schaƚƚ haue more þan .lx. chariottes charged with gold & syluer, withouten jewelles of gold & precyouse stones þat lordes ȝeuen him, þat ben withouten estymacioun; And withouten hors & clotℏes of gold & of Camakaas & tartarynes þat ben withouten nombre.descriptionOpen page

Chapter XXVIII

TURKESTAN AND RUSSIA

OF THE ROIALME OF THARSE & THE LONDES & KYNGDOMS TOWARDES THE SEPTENTRIONAŁ PARTIES IN COMYNGE DOWN FROM THE LOND OF CHATHAY.

THIS lond of CATHAY is in ASYE the depe,descriptionOpen page And after on this half is Asye the more. The kyngdom of CATHAYdescriptionOpen page marchetℏ toward the west vnto the kyngdom of THARSE the whichedescriptionOpen page was on of the kynges þat cam to presente oure lord in BETℏLEEM; And þei þat ben of the lynage of þat kyng arn somme cristene. In THARSE þei eten no flescℏdescriptionOpen page [folio 108b] ne þei drynken no wyn. And on this half towardes the WEST is the kyngdom of TURQUESTEN þat strecchetℏ him toward the WEST to the kyngdom of PERSIE And toward the SEPTENTRIONAƚƚ to the kyngdom of CHORASME. In the contre of Turquesten ben but fewe gode cytees But the beste cytee of þat lond higℏte OCTORAR.descriptionOpen page Þere ben grete pastures but fewe coornes, And þerfore for the most partie þei ben aƚƚ herdemen And þei lyȝn in tentes & þei drynken a maner Ale made of hony. And after on this half is the kyngdom of CHORASME þat is a gode lond & a plentevous, withouten wyn. And it hatℏ a desert toward the EST pat lastetℏ more þan an .c. iourneyes. And the beste cytee of þat contree is clept CHORASME And of þat cytee beretℏ the contree his name. The folk of þat contree ben hardy werryoures. And on þis half is the kyngdom of COMANYE where of the COMAYNS þat dwelleden in GRECEdescriptionOpen page somtyme weren chaced out. This is on of the grettest kyngdomes of the world But it is not aƚƚ enhabyted, For at on of the parties þere is so gret cold þat noman may dweƚƚ þere And in a noþer partie þere is so gret hete þat noman may endure it. And also þere ben so many flyes þat noman may knowe on what syde he may turne him. In þat contree is but lytiƚƚ Arberye ne trees þat beren frute ne oþere. Þei lyȝn in tentes And þei brennen the dong of bestes for defaute of wode. This kyngdom descendetℏ on this half

toward vs & toward PRUYSSE & toward ROSSYE. And þorgℏ þat contree rennetℏ the Ryuere of ETHIƚƚ þat is on of the grettest ryueres of the world And it fresetℏ [folio 109a] so strongly aƚƚ ȝeres þat many tymes men han foughtendescriptionOpen page vpon the Ise with grete hostes botℏe parties on fote & hire hors voyded for the tyme. And, what on horse & on fote, mo þan .CC. .Mƚ. persones on euery syde. And betwene þat Ryuere & the grete see OCCEAN þat þei clepen the see MAUREdescriptionOpen page lyȝn aƚƚ theise roialmes.descriptionOpen page And toward the hede benetℏe in þat roialme is the mount CHOCAZ þat is the hiest mount of the world, And it is betwene the see MAURE & the see CASPY. Þere is fuƚƚ streyt & daungerous passagedescriptionOpen page for to go toward ynde And þerfore kyng ALISANDRE leet make þere a strong cytee þat men clepen ALIZANDRE for to kepe the contree, þat noman scholde passe withouten his leue, And now men clepen þat cytee the ȝate of helledescriptionOpen page And the princypaƚƚ cytec of COMANYE is clept SARAK.descriptionOpen page Þat is on of the .iij. weyes for to go in to ynde, But be þat weye ne may not passe no gret multytude of peple, but ȝif it be in wynter; And þat passage men clepen the DERBENT. The tother weye is for to go fro the cytee of Turquesten be PERSIE And be þat weye ben manye iourneyes be desert. And the þridde weye is þat cometℏ fro COMANYE & þan to go be the grete seedescriptionOpen page & be the kyngdom of ABCℏAZ.descriptionOpen page And ȝee schuƚƚ vndirstonde þat aƚƚ þeise kyngdomes & aƚƚ þeise londes abouenseyd vnto PRUYSSE & to ROSSYE ben aƚƚ obeyssant to the grete CHANE of CATHAY & many oþere contrees þat marchen to oþer costes; Wherfore his powere & his lordschipe is fuƚƚ gret & fuƚƚ mygℏty.

Chapter XXIX

PERSIA AND TURKEY

OF THE EMPEROUR OF PERSYE AND OF THE LOND OF DERKNESSE, [folio 109b] AND OF OTℏER KYNGDOMES ÞAT BELONGEN TO THE GRETE CANE OF CATHAY, AND OTHER LONDES OF HIS, VNTO THE SEE OF GRECE.

NOW sitℏ I haue deuysed ȝou the londes & the kyngdoms toward the parties SEPTEMTRIONALES in comynge down from the lond of CATHAY vnto the londes of the cristene towardes PRUYSSE & ROSSYE, now schaƚƚ I deuyse ȝou of oþer londes & kyngdomes comynge doun be oþer costes toward the rigℏt syde vnto the see of GRECE toward the lond of cristene men. And þerfore þat after ynde & after CATHAY the Emperour of PERSIE is the gretteste lord, þerfore I schaƚƚ teƚƚ ȝou of the kyngdom of PERSIE First, where he hatℏ .ij. kyngdomes. The firste kyngdom begynnetℏ toward the EST toward the kyngdom of TURQUESTEN And it strechetℏ toward the WEST vnto the ryuere of PHISON þat is on of the .iiij. ryueres þat comen out of Paradys. And on anoþer syde it strecchetℏ toward the SEPTEMTRION vnto the see of CASPYE And also toward the SOUTH vnto the desert of ynde. And this contree is gode & pleyn & fuƚƚ of peple And þere ben manye gode cytees, But the .ij. princypaƚƚ cytees ben þeise: BOYTURRAdescriptionOpen page & SEORNERGANTdescriptionOpen page þat summen clepen SORMAGANT. Þe totℏer kyngdom of PERSIE strecchetℏ toward the ryuere of PHISON & the parties of the WEST vnto the kyngdom of Mede And the grete ARMENYE & toward the SEPTEMTRION to the see of CASPIE & toward the SOUTℏ to the lond of ynde. Þat is also a gode lond & a plentifous and it hatℏ .iij. grete principaƚƚ cytees: NESSABOR SAPHON & SARMASSANE.descriptionOpen page And þanne after is ARMENYE in the whiche weren wont to ben .iiij. kyngdomes. Þat is a noble cuntree & fuƚƚ of godes And [folio 110] it begynnetℏ at PERSIE & strecchetℏ toward the west in lengthe vnto TURKYE And in largeness it duretℏ fro the cytee of

ALIZANDRE þat now is clept the ȝate of helle þat I spak offe beforn vnto the kyngdom of MEDE. In this Armenye ben fuƚƚ manye gode cytees, But TAURIZOdescriptionOpen page is most of name. After þis is the kyngdom of MEDE þat is fuƚƚ long but it is not fuƚƚ large, þat begynnetℏ toward the EST to the lond of PERSIE & to ynde the lesse. And it strecchetℏ toward the WEST toward the kyngdom of CALDEE & toward the septemtrion descendynge toward the litiƚƚ ARMENYE. In þat kyngdom of Medee þere ben many grete hilles & litiƚƚ of pleyn ertℏe. Þere dwellen Sarazines & anoþer maner of folk þat men clepen CORDYNES.descriptionOpen page The beste .ij. cytees of þat kyngdom ben SARRASdescriptionOpen page & KAREMEN.descriptionOpen page After þat is the kyngdom of GEORGE þat begynnetℏ toward the EST to a gret mountayne þat is clept ABZORdescriptionOpen page Where þat dwellen many dyuerse folk of dyuerse naciouns And men clepen the contree ALAMO.descriptionOpen page This kyngdom strecchetℏ him towardes TURKYE & toward the grete see And toward the SOUTℏ it marchetℏ to the grete ARMENYE. And þere ben .ij. kyngdomes in þat contree. Þat on is the kyngdom of GEORGIE & þat oþer is the kyngdom of ABCAZ. And aƚƚweys in þat contree ben .ij. kynges & þei ben botℏe cristene, But the kyng of GEORGIE is in suƀieccioun of the grete CHANE And the kyng of ABCAZ hatℏ the more strong contree. And he aƚƚweys vigerously defendetℏ his contree aȝenst aƚƚ þo þat assayllen him, so þat noman may make him in subieccioun to no man. In þat kyngdom of ABCHAZ is a gret meruaylle, For a [folio 110b] prouynce of the contree þat hatℏ wel in circuyt .iij. iorneyes þat men clepen HAUYSONdescriptionOpen page is aƚƚ couered with derkness withouten ony brigℏtness or ligℏt, so þat noman may see ne here ne noman dar entren in to hem. And natheles þei of the contree seyn þat somtyme men heren voys of folk & hors nyȝenge & cokkes crowynge And men witen wel þat men dwellen þere, but þei knowe not what men. And þei seyn þat the derkness befeƚƚ be myracle of god, For a cursed Emperour of PERSIE þat higℏte SAURESdescriptionOpen page

pursuede aƚƚ cristene men to destroye hem & to compeƚƚ hem to make sacrifise to his ydoles And rood with grete host in aƚƚ þat euer he myghte for to confounde the cristene men. And þanne in þat contree dwelleden manye gode cristene men, the whiche þat laften hire godes And wolde han fled in to GRECE. And whan þei weren in a playn þat higℏte MEGONdescriptionOpen page And this cursed Emperour mett with hem with his hoost for to haue slayn hem & an hewen hem to peces And anon the cristene men kneleden to the grounde & made hire preyeres to god to sokoure hem, And anon a gret thikke clowde cam & couered the Emperour & aƚƚ his hoost. And so þei enduren in þat manere þat þei ne mowe not gon out on no syde & so schuƚƚ þei euermore abyden in þat derkness tiƚƚ the day of dome be the myracle of god. And þanne the cristene men wenten where hem lykede best at hire owne plesance withouten lettynge of ony creature & hire enemyes enclosed & confounded in derknessdescriptionOpen page withouten ony strok. Wherfore we may [folio 111a] wel seye with dauid: “A DOMINO FACTUM EST ISTUD & EST MIRABILE IN OCULIS NOSTRIS.”descriptionOpen page And þat was a gret myracle þat god made for hem. Wherfore me thinketℏ þat cristene men scholden ben more deuoute to seruen oure lord god þan ony oþer men of ony oþer secte, For withouten ony drede ne were cursedness & synne of cristen men, þei scholden ben lordes of aƚƚ the world, For the banere of Ihesu crist is aƚƚweys displayed and redy on aƚƚ sydes to the help of his trewe louynge seruauntes, In so moche þat o gode cristene man in gode beleeve scholde ouercomen & outchacen a .M^ƚ. cursed mys beleeuynge men, As Dauid seitℏ in the PSAUTERE: “QUONIAM PERSEQUEBATUR VNUS MILLE & DUO FUGARENT DECEM MILIA.descriptionOpen page ET CADENT A LATERE TUO MILLE, DECEM MILIA A DEXTRIS TUIS.”descriptionOpen page And how þat it mygℏte be þat on scholde chacen a .M^ƚ. Dauid him self seytℏ folewynge: “QUIA MANUS DOMINI FECIT HEC OMNIA.”descriptionOpen page And oure lord him self seytℏ be the prophetes moutℏ: “SI IN VIJS MEIS AMBULAUERITIS SUPER TRIBULANTES VOS MISISSEM MANUM MEAM.”descriptionOpen page So þat

we may seen apertely þat ȝif wee wil be gode men non enemye ne may not endurendescriptionOpen page aȝenst vs. Also ȝee schuƚƚ vndirstonde þat out of þat lond of derkness gotℏ out a gret Ryuere þat schewetℏ wel þat þere ben folk dwellynge be many redy tokenes, but noman dar not entre into it. And wytetℏ wel þat in the kyngdoms of GEORGIE, of ABCHAZ & of the litiƚƚ ARMENYE ben gode cristen men & deuoute For þei schryuen hem & howselen hem cuermore ones or twyes in the woke And þere ben manye of hem þat howselen hem euery day. And so do wee not on this half aƚƚ be it þat seynt Poul commandetℏ it seyenge: “OMNIBUS DIEBUS DOMINICIS AD COMMUNICANDUM HORTOR.”descriptionOpen page Þei kepen þat commandement but wee ne kepen it not. Also after on this half is TURKIE [folio 111b] þat marchctℏ to the grete ARMENYE And þere ben manye prouynces as CAPADOCHE, SAURE, BRIQUE, QUESITON,descriptionOpen page PYTAN & GEMETℏdescriptionOpen page And in euerycℏ of þeise ben many gode cytees. Þis TURKYE strecchetℏ vnto the cytee of SACHALA þat sittetℏ vpon the see of GRECE And so it marchetℏ to SYRIE. SYRIE is a gret contree & a gode as I haue told ȝou before And also it hatℏ abouen toward ynde the kyngdom of CALDEE þat strecchetℏ fro the mountaynes of CALDE toward the Est vnto the cytee of NYNYUEE þat sittetℏ vpon the ryuere of TYGRE. And in largeness it begynnetℏ toward the NORTℏ to the cytee of MARAGAdescriptionOpen page And it streccetℏ toward the SOUTℏ vnto the see OCCEAN. In CALDEE is a pleyn contree & fewe hilles & fewe ryueres. After is the kyngdom of MESOPOTAYME þat begynnetℏ toward the est to the flom of TYGRE vnto a cyteedescriptionOpen page þat is clept MOSEƚƚ And it strecchetℏ toward the west to the flom of EUFRATE vnto a cytee þat is clept ROIAUZ And in lengtℏe it gotℏ fro the mount of ARMENYE vnto the desert of YNDE the lesse. Þis is a gode contree & a pleyn but it hatℏ fewe ryueres; It hatℏ but .ij. mountaynes in þat contree Of the whiche on higℏte SYMARdescriptionOpen page & þat oþer LYSON;descriptionOpen page And this lond marchetℏ to the kyngdom of

Caldee. Ȝit þere is toward the parties MERIDIONALES many contrees & many regiouns As the lond of ETHIOPE þat marchetℏ toward the EST to the grete desertes, toward the WEST to the kyngdom of NUBYE, toward the SOUTℏ to the kyngdom of MORETANE And toward the north to the rede see. After is MORETANE þat duretℏ fro the mountaynes [folio 112a] of ETHIOPE vnto lybie the hiȝe, And þat contree lyȝtℏ along fro the see OCCEAN toward the SOUTℏ, And toward the NORTH it marchetℏ to NUBYE & to the higℏ LYBYE; Theise men of NUBYE ben cristene; And it marchetℏ todescriptionOpen page the londes aboueseyd to the desertes of EGYPT And þat is the EGIPT þat I haue spoken of before And after LIBYE the hye & LYBYE the lowe þat descendetℏ down lowe toward the grete see of Spayne, In the whiche contree ben many kyngdomes & many dyuerse folk. Now I haue deuysed ȝou many contrees on this half the kyngdom of CATHAY, of the whiche manye ben obeyssant to the grete CHANE.

Chapter XXX

THE LOST TRIBES. GOG AND MAGOG

OF THE CONTREES & YLES þAT BEN BEȝONDE THE LOND OF CATHAY & OF THE FRUTES þERE & OF .XXIJ. KYNGES ENCLOSED WITHJN THE MOUNTAYNES.

NOW schaƚƚ I seye ȝou sewyngly of contrees & yles þa tben beȝonde the contrees þat I haue spoken of. wherfore I seye ȝou, in passynge be the lond of CATHAYE toward the higℏ ynde & toward BACHARYE,descriptionOpen page men passen be a kyngdom þat men clepen CALDILHE,descriptionOpen page þat is a fuƚƚ fair contre. And þere growetℏ a maner of fruyt as þougℏ it weren GOWRDES, And whan þei ben rype men kutten hem a to & men fynden withjnne a lytyƚƚ best in flescℏ, in bon & blode, as þougℏ it were a lytiƚƚ lomb withouten wolle.descriptionOpen page And men eten botℏe the frut & the best, And þat is a gret merueylle. Of þat frute I haue etendescriptionOpen page aƚƚ þougℏ it were wonderfuƚƚ but þat I knowe wel

þat god is merueyllous in his werkes. And natheles I tolde hem of als gret a merueyle to hem þat is a monges vs And þat was of the BERNAKES.descriptionOpen page For I tolde hem þat in oure contree weren trees þat baren a fruyt þat becomen briddes fleeynge. And þo þat fellen in [folio 112b] the water lyuen, And þei þat fallen on the ertℏe dyen anon; and þei ben rigℏt gode to mannes mete. And here of had þei als gret meruaylle þat summe of hem trowed it were an jnpossible thing to be. In þat contre ben longe applesdescriptionOpen page of gode sauour, Where of ben mo þan an .C. in a clustre & als manye in a noþer. And þei han grete longe leves & large of .ij. fote longdescriptionOpen page or more And in þat contree & in oþer contrees þere abouten growen many trees þat beren clowe gylofres And notemuges & grete notes of ynde & of CANEƚƚ & of many oþer spices. And þere ben vynes þat beren so grete grapes þat a strong mandescriptionOpen page scholde haue ynow to done for to bere o clustre with aƚƚ the grapes. In þat same regioun ben the mountaynes of CASPYE þat men clepen VBERdescriptionOpen page in the contree. Betwene þo mountaynes the Iewes of .x. lynages ben enclosed þat men clepen GOTℏ & MAGOTℏdescriptionOpen page And þei mowe not gon out on no syde. Þere weren enclosed .xxij. kyngesdescriptionOpen page with hire peple, þat dwelleden betwene the mountaynes of SYCHYE. Þere kyng ALISANDRE chacede hem betwene þo mountaynes And þere he thougℏte for to enclose hem þorgℏ werk of his men. But whan he saugℏ þat he myghte not don it ne bryng it to an ende, he preyed to god of nature þat he wolde parforme þat þat he had begonne And aƚƚ were it so þat he was a payneme & not wortℏi to ben herd, ȝit god of his grace closed the mountaynes togydre, so þat þei dwellen þeredescriptionOpen page aƚƚ faste ylokked & enclosed with higℏ mountaynes alle aboute, saf only on o syde, And on þat syde is the see of CASPYE. Now may sum men asken: Sitℏ þat the see is on þat o syde, Wherfore go þei not out on the see syde for to go where þat hem lyketℏ? But to this questioun I schal [folio 113a] answere: Þat see of CASPYE

gotℏ out be londedescriptionOpen page vnder the mountaynes & rennetℏ be the desert at o syde of the contree & after it strecchetℏ vnto the endes of PERSIE And aƚƚþougℏ it be clept a see, it is no see ne it touchetℏ to non oþer see, But it is a lake,descriptionOpen page the grettest of the world. And þougℏ þei wolden putten hem in to þat see, þei ne wysten neuer where þat þei scholde arryuen. And also þei conen no langage but only hire owne þat noman knowetℏ but þei, And þerfore mowe þei not gon out. And also ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat the Iewes han no propre lond of hire owne for to dwellen jnne in aƚƚ the world, but only þat lond betwene the mountaynes, And ȝit þei ȝelden tribute for þat lond to the queen of AMAZOINEdescriptionOpen page the whiche þat maketℏ hem to ben kept in cloos fuƚƚ diligently þat þei schuƚƚ not gon out on no syde but be the cost of hire lond, For hire lond marchetℏ to þo mountaynes. And often it hatℏ befallen þat summe of the Iewes han gon vp the mountaynes And avaled down to the valeyes, But gret nombre of folk ne may not do so For the mountaynes ben so hye & so stregℏt vp, þat þei moste abyde þere maugree hire mygℏt, For þei mowe not gon out but be a litiƚƚ issuedescriptionOpen page þat was made be strengtℏe of men; And it lastetℏ wel a .iiij. grete myle. And after is þere ȝit a lond aƚƚ desert, where men may fynde no water ne for dyggynge ne for non otℏer þing, Wherfore men may not dwellen in þat place so is it fuƚƚ of dragounes, of serpentes & of oþer venymous bestes þat noman dar not passe but ȝif it be be strong wynter. And þat streyt passage men clepen in þat contree CLYRON,descriptionOpen page And þat is the passage þat the queen of AMAZOINE maketℏ to ben kept. And þogℏ [folio 113b] it happene sum of hem be fortune to gon out, þei conen no maner of langage but EBREW, so þat þei can not speke to the peple. And ȝit natheles men seyn þei schuƚƚ gon out in the tyme of ANTECRIST And þat þei schuƚƚ maken gret slaughter of cristene men, And þerfore aƚƚ the Iewes þat dwellen in aƚƚ londes lernen aƚƚ weys to speken

EBREW, in hope þat whan the oþer Iewes schuƚƚ gon out, þat þei may vnderstonden hire speche & to leden hem in to cristendom for to destroye the cristene peple. For the Iewes seyn þat þei knowen wel be hire prophecyes þat þei of CASPYE schuƚƚ gon out & spreden þorgℏ out aƚƚ the world And þat the cristene men schuƚƚ ben vnder hire subieccioun als longe as þei han ben in subieccioun of hem. And ȝif þat ȝee wil wyte how þat þei schuƚƚ fynden hire weye, after þat I haue herd seye I schaƚƚ teƚƚ ȝou. In the tyme of ANTECRIST a FOXdescriptionOpen page schaƚƚ make þere his traynedescriptionOpen page & mynen an hole where kyng ALISANDRE leet make the ȝates And so longe he schaƚƚ mynen & percen the ertℏe til þat he schaƚƚ passe þorgℏ towardes þat folk. And whan þei seen the FOX they schuƚƚ haue gret merueylle of him be cause þat þei saugℏ neuer such a best, For of aƚƚ oþere bestes þei han enclosed amonges hem, saf only the FOX. And þanne þei schullen chacen him & pursuen him so streyte, tiƚƚ þat he come to the same place þat he cam fro. And þanne þei schullen dyggen & mynen so strongly, tiƚƚ þat þei fynden the ȝates þat kyng ALISANDRE leet make of grete stones & passynge huge, wel symented & made stronge for the maystrie. And þo ȝates þei schuƚƚ breken & so gon out be fyndynge of þat issue.descriptionOpen page Fro þat lond gon men to [folio 114a] ward the lond of BACHARIE,descriptionOpen page where ben fuƚƚ yuele folk & fuƚƚ crueƚƚ. In þat lond ben trees þat beren wolledescriptionOpen page as þogℏ it were of scheep, where of men maken clothes & aƚƚ þing þat may ben made of wolle: In þat contree ben many YPOTAYNESdescriptionOpen page þat dwellen somtyme in the water & somtyme on the lond And þei ben half man & half horsdescriptionOpen page as I haue seyd before, And þei eten mendescriptionOpen page whan þei may take hem. And þere ben ryueres & watres þat ben fuƚƚ byttere,descriptionOpen page þree sitℏes more þan is the water of the see. In þat contre ben many GRIFFOUNESdescriptionOpen page more plentee þan in ony otℏer contree Summen seyn þat þei han the body vpward as an EGLE And benethe as a LYOUN And treuly þei seyn sotℏ þat þei ben of þat schapp. But o

GRIFFOUn̛ hatℏ the body more gret & is more strong þanne .viij. LYOUNS, of suche lyouns as ben o this half,descriptionOpen page And more gret & strongere þan an .C. Egles suche as we han amonges vs. For o GRIFFOUN þere wil bere fleynge to his nest a gret hors ȝif he may fynde him at the poynt or .ij. oxen ȝoked togidere as þei gon at the plowgh. For he hatℏ his talouns so longe & so large & grete vpon his feet as þougℏ þei weren hornes of grete oxen or of bugles or of kyȝn, so þat men maken cuppes of hem to drynken of. And of hire ribbes and of the pennes of hire wenges men maken bowes fuƚƚ stronge to schote with Arwes & quareƚƚ. From þens gon men be many iourneyes þorgℏ the lond of Prestre Ioℏn the grete Emperour of YNDE, And men clepen his roialme the yle of PENTEXOIRE.descriptionOpen page

Chapter XXXI

PRESTER JOHN. THE ASSASSINS

OF THE RYAƚƚ ESTATE OF PRESTRE IOℏN & OF A RICHE MAN ÞAT MADE A MER [folio 114] UEYLOUS CASTEƚƚ AND CLEPED IT PARADYS & OF HIS SOTYLTEE.

THIS Emperour Prestre Ioℏn holt fuƚƚ gret londdescriptionOpen page And hatℏ many fuƚƚ noble cytees & gode townes in his Royalme and many grete dyuerse yles & large. For aƚƚ the contree of ynde is deuysed in yles for the grete flodes þat comen from PARADYS þat departen aƚƚ the lond in many parties. And also in the see he hatℏ fuƚƚ manye yles. And the beste cytee in the yle of PENTEXOIRE is NYSEdescriptionOpen page þat is a fuƚƚ ryaƚƚ cytee & a noble and fuƚƚ riche This Prestre Ioℏn hatℏ vnder him many kynges & many yles & many dyuerse folk of dyuerse condiciouns And this lond is fuƚƚ gode & ryche, but not so riche as is the lond of the grete CHANE. For the marchauntes comen not thider so comounly for to bye marchandises as þei don in the lond of the gret CHANE, for it is to fer to trauaylle to. And on þat otℏer partie, in the yle of CATHAY men fynden aƚƚ maner thing þat is nede to man clothes of

gold of silk of spycerye & aƚƚ maner auere de poys, And þerfore, aƚƚ be it þat men han gretter chep in the yle of Prestre Ioℏn, natheless men dreden the longe weye & the grete periles in the see in þo partyes. For in many places of the see ben grete roches of stones of the ADAMANT,descriptionOpen page þat of his propre nature drawetℏ IREN to him, And þerfore þere passen no schippes þat han ouþer bondes or nayles of IREN within hem, And ȝif þer do anon the roches of the ADAMANTES drawen hem to hem, þat neuer þei may go þens. I myself haue seen o ferrom in þat see as þougℏ it hadde ben a gret yle fuƚƚ of trees & buscayƚƚe fuƚƚ of thornes & breres gret plentee, And the schipmen tolde vs þat aƚƚ þat was of schippes þat weren drawen thider be the ADAMAUNTES for the IREN [folio 115a] þat was in hem. And of the roteness & oþer thingdescriptionOpen page þat was within the schippes grewen sucℏ buscaylle & thornes & breres & grene grass & sucℏ maner of thing, And of the mastes & the seyƚƚ ȝerdes it semed a grete wode or a groue. And suche roches ben in many places þere abouten And þerfore dur not the marchantes passen þere but ȝif þei knowen wel the passages or eƚƚ þat þei han gode lodesmen. And also þei dreden the longe weye & þerfore thei gon to CATHAY for it is more nygℏ. And ȝit is it not so nygℏ but þat men moste ben trauayllynge be see & lond .xj. monethes or .xij. from GENE or from VENYSE or he come to CATHAY. And ȝit is the lond of Prestre Ioℏn more ferr be many dredfuƚƚ iourneyes And the marchantes passen be the kyngdom of PERSIE & gon to a cytee þat is clept HERMESdescriptionOpen page for HERMES the PHILOSOPHRE founded it, And after þat þei passen an arm of the see & þanne þei gon to another cytee þat is clept GOLBACℏdescriptionOpen page & þere þei fynden marchandises & of POPENGAYES as gret plentee as men fynden here of gees. And ȝif þei wil passen ferthere þei may gon sykerly jnow. In þat contree is but lytyƚƚ whete or barly & þerfore þei eten Ryȝs & honydescriptionOpen page & mylk & chese & frute. This Emperour Prestre Ioℏn taketℏ aƚƚweys to his wif the dougℏterdescriptionOpen page of the grete CHANE And the grete CHANE also

in the same wisedescriptionOpen page the doughter of Prestre Ioℏn, For þeise .ij. ben the grettest lordes vndir the firmament. In the lond of Prestre Ioℏn ben many dyuerse thinges & manye precious stones so grete & so large þat men maken of hem vesseƚƚ As plateres, disscℏes & cuppes & many oþer merueyles ben þere þat it were to combrous [folio 115b] and to long to putten it in scripture of bokes. But of the principaƚƚ yles & of his estate and of his lawe I schaƚƚ telle ȝou som partye. This Emperour Prestre Ioℏn is cristene And a gret partie of his contree also,descriptionOpen page But ȝit þei haue not aƚƚ the Articƚes of oure feytℏ as wee hauen. Þei beleuen wel in the fader, in the sone and in the holy gost And þei ben fuƚƚ deuoute & rigℏt trewe on to a notℏer And þei sette not be no barettes ne by cawteles ne of no disceytes. And he hatℏ vnder him .lxxij. prouyncesdescriptionOpen page And in euery prouynce is a kyng And þeise kynges han kynges vnder hem, & alle ben tributaries to Prestre Ioℏn. And he hatℏ in his lordschipes many grete merueyles, For in his contree is the see þat men clepen the GRAUELY SEEdescriptionOpen page þat is aƚƚ graueƚƚ and sond withouten ony drope of water. And it ebbetℏ & flowetℏ in grete wawes as oþer sees don. And it is neuer stille ne in pes in no maner cesoun And noman may passe þat see be navye ne be no maner of craft & þerfore may no man knowe what lond is beȝond þat see. And aƚƚ be it þat it haue no water ȝit men fynden þere in & on the bankes fuƚƚ gode fisscℏdescriptionOpen page of otℏer maner of kynde & schapp þanne men fynden in ony otℏer see & þei ben of right goode tast & delicyous to mannes mete. And a .iij. iourneys long fro þat see ben grete mountaynes out of the whicℏe gotℏ out a gret flooddescriptionOpen page þat cometℏ out of PARADYS & it is fuƚƚ of precious stones withouten ony drope of water & it rennetℏ þorgℏ the desert on þat o syde, so þat it maketℏ the see grauelydescriptionOpen page And it beretℏ into þat see & þere it endetℏ. And þat flomme rennetℏ also .iij. dayes in the woke & bryngetℏ with him grete stones & the roches [folio 116a] also

þerewith and þat gret plentee,descriptionOpen page And anon as þei ben entred in to the grauely see þei ben seyn nomore, but lost for eueremore. And in þo .iij. dayes þat that ryuere rennetℏ noman dar entren in to it, But in the oþer dayes men dar entren wel ynow. Also beȝonde þat flomme, more vpward to the desertes is a gret pleyn aƚƚ grauelly betwene the mountaynes. And in þat playn euery day at the sonne risynge begynnen to growe smale treesdescriptionOpen page & þei growen til mydday berynge frute. But noman dar taken of þat frute for it is a thing of FAYRYE. And after MIDDAY þei discrecen & entren aȝen in to the ertℏe, so þat at the goynge doun of the sonne þei apperen no more & so þei don euery day & þat is a gret mervaylle. In þat desert ben many wylde men þat ben hidouse to loken on for þei ben horneddescriptionOpen page And þei speken nougℏt but þei gronten as pygges. And þere is also gret plentee of wylde houndes,descriptionOpen page And þere ben manye POPEGAYES þat þei clepen PSITAKESdescriptionOpen page in hire langage And þei speken of hire propre nature & saluen men þat gon þorgℏ the desertes & speken to hem als appertely as þougℏ it were a man. And þei þat speken wel han a large tonge & han .v. toos vpon a fote. And þere ben also of oþer manere, þat han but .iij. toos vpon a fote And þei speken not or but litiƚƚ for þei cone not but cryen. This Emperour Prestre Ioℏn whan he gotℏ into bataylle aȝenst ony otℏer lord, he hatℏ no baneres born before him But he hatℏ .iij. crossesdescriptionOpen page of gold fyn grete & hye, fuƚƚ of precious stones. And euery of þo cross ben sett in a chariot fuƚƚ richely arrayed. And for to kepen euery cros ben ordeyned .x. Miƚƚ. [folio 116b] men of armesdescriptionOpen page & mo þan an .C.M^ƚ. men on fote in maner as men wolde kepe a stondard in oure contrees Whan þat wee ben in lond of werre.descriptionOpen page And this nombre of folk is withouten the princypaƚƚ hoost & withouten wenges ordeynd for the bataylle. And whan he hatℏ no werre, but ridetℏ with a pryuy meynee þanne he hatℏ bore before him but o cros of tree withouten peynture & withouten gold or siluer or

precious stones in remembrance þat Ihesu crist suffred detℏ vpon a cros of tree. And he hatℏ born before him also a plater of gold fuƚƚ of ertℏe in tokene þat his nobless & his mygℏt & his flesscℏ schaƚƚ turnen to ertℏe. And he hatℏ born before him also a vesseƚƚ of siluer fuƚƚ of noble jewellesdescriptionOpen page of gold fuƚƚ riche & of precious stones in tokene of his lordschipe & of his nobless & of his mygℏt. He duelletℏ comounly in the cytee of SUSEdescriptionOpen page & þere is his principaƚƚ palays þat is so riche & so noble þat noman wil trowe it by estimacioun but he had seen it. And abouen the chief tour of the palays ben .ij. rounde pomeles of gold And in euerycℏ of hem ben .ij. charboncles grete & large þat schynen fuƚƚ brigℏte vpon the nygℏtdescriptionOpen page And the principaƚƚ ȝates of his palays ben of a precious ston þat men clepen SARDOYNE And the bordure & the barres ben of IUORYE And the wyndowes of the halles & chambres ben of CRISTAƚƚ And the tables whereon men eten somme ben of EMERAUDES, summe of AMATYST & somme of GOLD fuƚƚ of precious stones And the pileres þat beren vp the tables ben of the same precious stones And the degreesdescriptionOpen page to gon vp to his throne where he sittetℏ at þe mete on is of ONICHE, Anoþer is of CRISTAƚƚ & anoþer of IASPRE grene, Anoþer of amatyst, Anoþer of SARDYNE, Anoþer of CORNELINE. And the .vij. þat he settetℏ onne his feet is of [folio 117a] CRISOLYTE. And aƚƚ þeise degrees ben bordured with fyn gold with the totℏere precyous stones sett with grete perles oryent. And the sydes of the sege of his throne ben of EMERAUDES & bordured with gold fuƚƚ nobely And dubbed with oþer precious stones and grete perles. And aƚƚ the pileres in his chambre ben of fyne gold with precious stones & with manye CHARBONCLES þat ȝeuen gret lygℏt vpon the nygℏt to aƚƚ peple. And aƚƚ be it þat the CHARBONCLE ȝeue lygℏt rigℏt ynow, natheles at alle tymes brennetℏ a vesseƚƚ of CRISTAƚƚ fuƚƚ of BAWME for to ȝeuen gode smeƚƚ & odour to the Emperour & to voyden awey aƚƚ wykkede eyres & corrupciouns. And the forme of his bedd is of fyne saphires bended with gold for to

make him slepen wel & to refreynen him from lechrye. For he wiƚƚ not lyȝe with his wyfes but .iiij. sitℏes in the ȝeer after the .iiij. cesouns, And þat is only for to engendre children.descriptionOpen page He hatℏ also a fuƚƚ fayr palays & a noble at the cytee of NYSE where þat he duelletℏ whan him best lyketℏ. But tℏe Ayr is not so attempree as it is at the cytee of SUSE. And ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat in aƚƚ his contree ne in the contrees þere aƚƚ aboute men eten nogℏt but ones in the day, but ȝif þatdescriptionOpen page men maken hem in the court of the grete CHANE. And so þei etendescriptionOpen page euery day in his court mo þanne .xxx^ti.^Miƚƚ persones, withouten goeres & comeres. But the .xxx^t. .m^ƚ. persones of his contree ne of the contree of the grete CHANE ne spenden nougℏt so moche gode as don .xij. .M^l. of oure contree. This Emperour Prestre Ioℏn hatℏ eueremore .vij. kynges with him to seruen him And þei departen hire seruice be certeyn monethes And with þeise kynges seruen aƚƚ weys .lxxij. Dukes And .ccc. & .lx. Erles. And aƚƚ the dayes of the ȝeer þere eten [folio 117b] in his houshold & in his Court .xij. Erchebysshoppes & .xx. Bisshoppes. And the Patriark of seynt Thomas is þere as is the POPE here And the Erchebisshoppes & the Bisshoppes & the abbottes in þat contree ben alle kynges. And euerycℏ of þeise grete lordes knowen vel ynow the Attendance of hire seruyce. The on is mayster of his houshold, Anoþer is his chambirleyn, Anoþer seruetℏ him of a dysscℏ,descriptionOpen page Anoþer of the cuppe, Anoþer is Styward, Anoþer is Mareschaƚƚ, Anoþer is Prynce of his Armes;descriptionOpen page And þus is he fuƚƚ nobely & ryally serued. And his lond duretℏ in verry brede .iiij. monetℏes iorneyes And in lengtℏe out of mesure, þat is to seyne Aƚƚ the yles vnder ertℏe þat wee supposen to ben vnder vs.descriptionOpen page Besyde the yle of PENTEXOIRE þat is the lond of Prestre Ioℏn is a gret yle long & brode þat men clepen MILSTORAKdescriptionOpen page & it is in the lordschipe of Prestre Ioℏn. In þat yle is gret plentee of godes. Þere was dwellynge somtyme a riche man & it is not longe sitℏe & men clept him GATHOLONABESdescriptionOpen page & he was fuƚƚ of cautcles & of sotyƚƚ

disceytes. And he hadde a fuƚƚ fair casteƚƚ & a strong in a mountayne, so strong & so noble þat noman cowde devise a fairere ne a strengere. And he had let muren aƚƚ the mountayne aboute with a strong waƚƚ & a fair And withjnne þo walles he had the fairest gardyn þat ony man mygℏte beholde & þerein were trees berynge aƚƚ maner of frutes þat ony man cowde deuyse. And þerein were also aƚƚ maner vertuous herbes of gode smeƚƚ and aƚƚ oþer herbes also þat beren faire floures. And he had also in þat gardyn many faire welles, And beside þo welles he had lete make faire halles & [folio 118a] faire chambres depeynted aƚƚ with gold & azure. And þere weren jn þat place many a dyuerse thingesdescriptionOpen page And manye dyuerse storyes. And of bestes & of bryddes þat songen fuƚƚ delectabely & meveden be craft, þat it semede þat þei weren quyke. And he had also in his gardyn aƚƚ maner of foules & of bestes þat ony man mygℏte thenke on for to haue pley or desport to beholde hem. And he had also in þat place the faireste damyseles þat mygℏte ben founde vnder the age of .xv. ȝeer And the faireste ȝonge striplynges þat men mygℏte gete of þat same age; And aƚƚ þei weren clothed in clotℏes of gold fuƚƚ richely And he seyde þat þo weren aungeles. And he had also let make .iij. welles faire & noble & aƚƚ envyround with ston of jaspre, of cristaƚƚ, dyapred with golddescriptionOpen page & sett with precious stones & grete orient perles. And he had made a conduyt vnder ertℏe so þat the .iij. welles at his list on scholde renne mylk, Anoþer wyn & anoþer hony; And þat place he clept paradys. And whan þat ony gode knygℏt þat was hardy & noble cam to see this rialtee, he wolde lede him in to his paradys & schewen him þeise wonderfuƚƚ thinges to his desport & the merueyllous & delicious song of dyuerse briddes & the faire damyseles & the faire welles of mylk of wyn & of hony plentevous rennynge. And he wolde let make dyuerse jnstrumentes of Musik to sownen in an higℏ tour so merily þat it was ioye for to here & noman scholde see the craftdescriptionOpen page þere of.

And þo he seyde weren aungeles of god & þat place was paradys þat god had behigℏt to his frendes seyenge: “DABO VOBIS TERRAM FLUENTEM LACTE & MELLE.”descriptionOpen page And þanne wolde he maken hem to drynken of a certeyn drynk whereof anon þei scholden [folio 118b] be dronken And þanne wolde hem thinken gretter delyt þan þei hadden before. And þan wolde he seye to hem þat ȝif they wolde dyen for him & for his loue þat after hire detℏ þei scholde come to his paradys & þei scholden ben of the age of þo damyselles & þei scholde pleyen with hem & ȝit ben maydenes. And after þat ȝit scholde he putten hem in a fayrere paradys, where þat þei scholde see god of nature visibely in his magestee and in his blisse. And þan wolde he schewe hem his ententdescriptionOpen page And seye hem þat ȝif þei wolde go sle sucℏ a lord or sucℏ a man þat was his enemye or contrarious to his list, þat þei scholde not drede to don it & for to be slayn þerfore hem self, for after hire detℏ he wolde putten hem in to anoþer paradys, þat was an .C. fold fairere þan ony of the tothere & þere scholde þei dwellen with the most fairest damyselles þat mygℏte be & pley with hem eueremore. And þus wenten many dyuerse lusty Bacheleres for to sle grete lordes in dyuerse contrees þat weren his enemyes & made hemself to ben slayn in hope to haue þat paradys. And þus often tyme he was revenged of his enemyes be his sotyƚƚ disceytes & false cawteles. And whan the worthi men of the contree hadden perceyued this sotyƚƚ falshod of this GATHOLONABES, þei assembled hem with force & assayleden his casteƚƚ & slowen him & destroyeden aƚƚ the faire places & aƚƚ the nobletees of þat paradys. The place of the welles & of the walles & of many oþer thinges ben ȝit apertly sene, but the ricchesse is voyded clene; And it is not longes gon sitℏ þat place was destroyed.descriptionOpen page

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.

Chapter XXXIII

VIRTUOUS HEATHENS AND HERETICS

OF THE GODENESS OF THE FOLK OF THE YLE OF BRAGMAN; OF KYNG ALISANDRE, AND WHERFORE THE EMPEROUR OF YNDE IS CLEPT PRESTRE IOℏN.

AND beȝonde þat yle is anoþer yle gret & gode and plentifous where þat ben gode folk & trewe and of gode lyuynge after hire beleve and of gode feytℏ. And aƚƚ be it þat þei ben not cristned ne haue no perfyt lawe, ȝit natheles of kyndely lawedescriptionOpen page þei ben fuƚƚ of aƚƚ vertue & þei eschewen aƚƚ vices & aƚƚ malices & aƚƚ synnes. For þei ben not proude ne coueytous ne envyous ne wratℏfuƚƚ ne glotouns ne leccherous Ne þei don to no man oþer wise þan þei wolde þat oþer men diden to hem. And in this poynt þei fuƚƚfillen the .x. commandementes of god, And ȝif no charge of aveer ne of ricchessdescriptionOpen page And þei lye not ne þei swere not for non occasioun, but þei seyn symply ȜE and NAY, For þei seyn he þat sweretℏ wil disceyue his neygℏbore; And þerfore aƚƚ þat þei don þei don it withouten otℏ. And men clepen þat yle the yle of BRAGMAN, And somme men clepen it the lond of feytℏ. [folio 123b] And þorgℏ þat lond rennetℏ a gret ryuere þat is clept THEBE.descriptionOpen page And in generaƚƚ aƚƚ the men of þo yles & of aƚƚ the marches þereabouten ben more trewe þan in ony othere contrees þereabouten & more rigℏtfuƚƚ þan oþere in aƚƚ thinges. In þat yle is no thefdescriptionOpen page ne mordrere ne comoun womman ne pore beggere ne neuere was man slayn in þat contree. And þei ben so chast & leden so gode lif as þat þei weren religious men,descriptionOpen page And þei fasten aƚƚ dayes. And because þei ben so trewe & so rightfuƚƚ & so fuƚƚ of aƚƚ gode condiciouns þei weren neuere greued

with tempestes ne with thonder ne with leyt ne with hayl ne with pestylence ne with werre ne with hunger ne with non oþer tribulacioun̄, as wee ben many tymes amonges vs for oure synnes. Wherfore it semetℏ wel þat god louetℏ hem & is plesed with hire creance for hire gode dedes.descriptionOpen page Þei beleven wel in god þat made aƚƚ thinges & him þei worschipen. And þei preysen non erthely ricchess, And so þei ben aƚƚ rigℏtfuƚƚ And þei lyuen fuƚƚ ordynatly & so sobrely in mete & drynk, þat þei lyuen rigℏt longe. And the most part of hem dyen withouten sykness whan nature fayletℏ hem for elde. And it befeƚƚdescriptionOpen page in kyng ALISANDRES tyme þat he purposed him to conquere þat yle & to maken hem to holden of him. And whan þei of the contre herden it þei senten Messangeres to him with lettres þat seyden thus: What may ben ynow to þat man to whom aƚƚ the world is insuffisant? Þou schalt fynde no thing in vs þat may cause þe to werren aȝenst vs. For wee haue no ricchess ne none wee coueyten, And aƚƚ the godes of oure contree ben in comoun. Oure mete þat wee susteyne with aƚƚ oure bodyes is oure ricchess, And in [folio 124a] stede of tresour of gold & syluer wee maken oure tresoure of accord & pees & for to loue euery man oþer. And for to apparaylle with oure bodyes wee vsen a sely lityƚƚ clout for to wrappen in oure careynes. Oure wyfesdescriptionOpen page ne ben not arrayed for to make no man plesance, but only counable array for to eschewe folye. Whan men peynen hem to arraye the body for to make it semen fayrere þan god made it, þei don gret synne, For man schold not devise ne Aske gretter beautee þan god hatℏ ordeyned man to ben at his birtℏe. The ertℏe mynystretℏ to vs .ij. thinges:descriptionOpen page Oure liflode þat cometℏ of the ertℏe þat wee lyue by & oure sepulture after oure detℏ. Wee haue ben in perpetueƚƚ pees tiƚƚ now þat þou come to disherite vs. And also wee haue a kyng nougℏt onlydescriptionOpen page for to do Iustice to euery man, for he schaƚƚ fynde no forfete among vs, but

for to kepe nobless & for to schewe þat wee ben obeyssant wee haue a kyng. For Iustice ne hatℏ not among vs no place, for wee don to noman oþer wise þan wee desiren þat men don to vs, so þat rigℏtwisnessdescriptionOpen page ne vengeance han nougℏt to don amonges vs; so þat no thing þou may take fro vs but oure gode pes þat aƚƚ weys hatℏ dured among vs. And whan kyng ALISANDRE had rad þeise lettres he thougℏte þat he scholde do gret synne for to trouble hem And þanne he sente hem surteez þat þei scholde not ben aferd of him & þat þei scholde kepen hire gode maneres & hire gode pees as þei hadden vsed before of custom & so he let hem allone. Anoþer yle þere is þat men clepen OXIDRATE & anoþer yle þat men clepen GYNOSOPHEdescriptionOpen page Where þere is also gode folk & fuƚƚ of gode feytℏ. And þei holden for the moste [folio 124b] partye the gode condiciouns and customs & gode maneres as men of the contree aboueseyd, but þei gon aƚƚ naked. Into þat yle entred kyng ALISANDRE to see the manere, And whan he saugℏ hire gret feytℏ & hire trouthe þat was amonges hem, he seyde þat he wolde not greuen hem And bad hem aske of hym what þat þei wolde haue of him, ricchess or ony thing elles & þei scholde haue it with gode wille. And þei answerden þat he was riche ynow þat hadde mete & drynke to susteyne the body with, For the ricchess of this world þat is transitorie is not wortℏ. But ȝif it were in his powere to make hem jnmortaƚƚ, þereof wolde þei preyen him & thanken him. And Alisandre answerde hem þat it was not in his powere to don it, because he was morteƚƚ as þei were. And þanne þei asked him whi he was so proud & so fierce & so besy for to putten aƚƚ the world vnder his subiectioun, rigℏt as þou were a god & hast no terme of thi lif, neiþer day ne hour, And wylnest to haue aƚƚ the world at thi commandement, þat schaƚƚ leve þe withouten fayle or þou leve it. And rigℏt as it hatℏ ben to oþer men before þe, rigℏt so it schaƚƚ ben to oþere after þe And from hens schaltow bere no thyng, But as þou were born naked, rigℏt so aƚƚ naked schall þi body ben turned

into ertℏe þat þou were made of. Wherfore þou scholdest thenke & jmpresse it in thi mynde þat no þing is jnmortaƚƚ but only god þat made aƚƚ þing. Be the whiche answere ALISANDRE was gretly astoneyed & abayst & aƚƚ confusedescriptionOpen page departed from hem. And aƚƚ be it þatdescriptionOpen page theyse folk han not the articles of oure feytℏ as wee han, natℏeles for hire gode feytℏ natureƚƚ & for hire gode entent I trowe fully þat god louetℏ hem & þat god taketℏ hire seruyse to gree, rigℏt as he did of IOB þat was a paynem & held [folio 125a] him for his trewe seruant. And þerfore aƚƚ be it þat þere ben many dyuerse lawes in the world, ȝit I trowe þat god louetℏ alweys hem þat louen him & seruen him mekely in troutℏe And namely hem þat dispysen the veyn glorie of this world, as þis folk don & as job did also. And þerfore seyde oure lord be the moutℏ of OZEE the propℏete: “PONAM EIS MULTIPLICES LEGES MEAS.”descriptionOpen page And also in another place: “QUI TOTUM ORBEM SUBDIT SUIS LEGIBUS.”descriptionOpen page And also oure lord seytℏ in the gospeƚƚ: “ALIAS OUES HABEO, QUE NON SUNT EX HOC OUILI.”descriptionOpen page Þat is to seyne þat he hadde otℏere seruauntes þan þo þat ben vnder cristene lawe. And to þat acordetℏ the avisioun þat seynt PETER saugℏ at IAFF, How the aungel cam from heuene & brougℏte before him dyuerse bestes as serpentes & oþer crepynge bestes of the ertℏe & of oþer also gret plentee, and bad him take & ete. And seynt PETER answerde: I ete neuer, quod he, of vnclene bestes. And þanne seyde the aungeƚƚ: “NON DICAS INMUNDA QUE DEUS MUNDAUIT.”descriptionOpen page And þat was in tokene þat noman scholde haue in despite non ertℏely man for here dyuerse lawes, For wee knowe not whom god louetℏ ne whom god hatetℏ.descriptionOpen page And for þat ensample whan men seyn DE PROFUNDIS: þei seyn it in comoun & in generaƚƚ, with the cristene: “PRO ANIMABUS OMNIUM DEFUNCTORUM PRO QUIBUS SIT ORANDUM.”descriptionOpen page And þerfore seye I of this folk þat ben so trewe & so feythfuƚƚ, þat god louetℏ hem, For he hatℏ amonges hem many of the prophetes & aƚƚwey hatℏ had. And in þo yles þei

prophecyeddescriptionOpen page the JNCARNACIOUN of oure lord IHESU CRIST; How he scholde ben born of a mayden .iij. Miƚƚ ȝeer or more ordescriptionOpen page oure lord was born of the virgyne MARIE. And þei beleeven wel in the JNCARNACIOUN & þat fuƚƚ perfitely, but þei knowe not the manere how he suffred, his passioun and detℏ for vs. And beȝonde þeise yles þere is anotℏer yle þat is clept PYTAN.descriptionOpen page The folk of þat contree [folio 125b] ne tyle not ne laboure not the ertℏe, for þei eten no manere thing. And þei ben of gode colour & of faire schap after hire gretness, But the smale ben as DWERGHES, but not so lityƚƚ as ben the PIGMEYES. Þeise men lyuen be the smeƚƚdescriptionOpen page of wylde APPLES And whan þei gon ony fer weye þei beren the APPLES with hem, For ȝif þei hadden lost the sauour of the APPLES þei scholde dyen anon. Þei ne ben not fuƚƚ resonable but þei ben symple & bestyaƚƚ. After þat is anotℏer yle where the folk ben aƚƚ skynneddescriptionOpen page rougℏ heer as a rougℏ best, saf only the face & the pawme of the hond. Þeise folk gon als wel vnder the water of the see as þei don aboue the lond aƚƚ drye And þei eten boþe flesscℏ & fisscℏ aƚƚ raugℏ.descriptionOpen page In this yle is a gret Ryuere þat is wel a .ij. myle & an half of brede þat is clept BUEMARE.descriptionOpen page And fro þat Ryuere a .xv. iorneyes in lengtℏe goynge be the desertes of the totℏer syde of the Ryuere Whoso mygℏt gon it, for I was not þere, But it was told vs of hem of the contree, þat withjnne þo desertes weren the trees of the SONNE & of the MONE,descriptionOpen page þat spaken to kyng ALISANDRE And warned him of his detℏ. And men seyn þat the folk þat kepen þo trees & eten of the frute & of the bawmedescriptionOpen page þat growetℏ þere lyuen wel .cccc. ȝeer or .D. ȝeere be vertue of the frut & of the bawme. For men seyn þat bawme growetℏ þere in gret plentee & nowhere elles, saf only at Babyloyne, as I haue tolddescriptionOpen page ȝou before. Wee wolden han gon toward tho trees fuƚƚ gladly, ȝif wee had mygℏt, But I trowe þat an .C. Miƚƚ men of Armes myghten not passen þo desertes safly, for the gret multytude of wylde bestesdescriptionOpen page & of grete dragouns & of grete serpentes þat þere ben, þat slen &

deuouren aƚƚ þat comen aneyntes hem. In þat contre [folio 126a] ben manye white OLIFANTES withouten nombre & of vnycornes & of lyouns of many maneres And many of sucℏe bestes þat I haue told before & of many oþer hydouse bestes withouten nombre. Manye othere yles þere ben in the lond of Prestre Ioℏn & manye grete merueyles þat weren to long to tellen aƚƚ, botℏe of his ricchesse & of his nobless And of the gret plentee also of precious stones þat he hatℏ. I trowe þat ȝee knowe wel ynow & haue herd seye wherforedescriptionOpen page this Emperour is clept Prestre Ioℏn, But natℏeles for hem þat knowen not I schaƚƚ seye ȝou the cause. It was somtyme an Emperour þere, þat was a wortℏi & a fuƚƚ noble Prynce, þat hadde cristene knygℏtes in his companye, as he ℏath þat is now. So it befeƚƚ þat he hadde gret list for to see the seruise in the chirche among cristene men. And þan dured cristendom beȝonde the see aƚƚ TURKYE, SURRYE, TARTARIE, IERUSALEM, PALESTYNE, ARABYE, HALAPPEE & aƚƚ the lond of EGYPTE. So it befeƚƚ þat this Emperour cam with a cristene knygℏt with him in to a chirche in EGYPT And it was the Saterday in wyttsonwoke And the Bisshopp made ordres. And he beheld & listend the seruyse fuƚƚ tentyfly And he asked the cristene knygℏt what men of degree þei scholden ben þat the prelate had before him. And the knygℏt answerde & seyde þat þei scholde ben prestes. And þan the Emperour seyde þat he wolde no lenger ben clept kyng ne Emperour, but Preest And þat he wolde haue the name of the firste preest þat wente out of the chircℏe. And his name was IOℏN. And so eueremore sitℏens he is clept Prestre Ioℏn. In his lond ben manye cristene men of gode feytℏ & of gode lawe & namely of hem of the same contree & han comoun [folio 126b] ly hire prestes þat syngen the messe & maken the sacrement of the awtier of bred rigℏt as the GREKES don. But þei seye not so manye thinges at the messe as men don here, For þei seye not but only þat þat the APOSTLES seyden, as oure lord taugℏte hem, Rigℏt as Seynt PETER & seynt

THOMAS & the oþer APOSTLES songen the mess, seyenge the PATER NOSTER & the wordes of the sacrement. But wee haue many mo Addiciouns þat dyuerse POPESdescriptionOpen page han made þat þei ne knowe not offe.

Chapter XXXIV

THE GOLD COUNTRY. PARADISE

OF THE HILLES OF GOLD ÞAT PISSEMYRES KEPEN, AND OF THE .IIIJ. FLODES ÞAT COMEN FROM PARADYS TERRESTRE.

TOWARD the EST partye of Prestre Ioℏnes lond is an yle gode & gret þat men clepen TAPROBANEdescriptionOpen page þat is fuƚƚ noble & fuƚƚ fructuous And the kyng þereof is fuƚƚ riche & is under the obeyssance of Prestre Ioℏn. And aƚƚweys þere þei make hire kyng be eleccyoun. In þat yle ben .ij. SOMERESdescriptionOpen page & .ij. WYNTRES & men hervesten the corn twyes a ȝeer. And in aƚƚ the cesouns of the ȝeer ben the gardynes florisscℏt. Þere dwellen gode folk & resonable & manye cristene men amonges hem þat ben so riche þat þei wyte not what to done with hire godes. Of olde tyme whan men passed from the lond of Prestre Ioℏn vnto þat yle men maden ordynance for to passe by schippe .xxiij. dayes or more, But now men passen by schippe in .vij. dayes; And men may see the botme of the see in many places, for it is not fuƚƚ depe. Besyde þat yle toward the EST ben .ij. oþer yles And men clepen þat on ORILLE & þat otℏer ARGYTE,descriptionOpen page of the whicℏe aƚƚ the lond is MYNE of gold & syluer. And þo yles ben rigℏt where þat the REDE SEE [folio 127a] departetℏ fro the see OCCEAN, And in þo yles men seen þer no sterres so clerely as in oþer places, For þere apperen no sterres but only o clere sterre þat men clepen CANAPOS.descriptionOpen page And þere is not the mone seyn in aƚƚ the LUNACIOUN saf only the seconde quarteroun. In the yle also of þis TAPROBANE ben grete hilles of gold þat PISSEMYRESdescriptionOpen page kepen fuƚƚ diligently, And þei fynen the pured gold & casten a wey the vnpured. And þeise PISSEMYRES ben grete as houndes so þat noman dar come to þo hilles, for the PISSEMYRES wolde assayllen

hem & deuouren hem anon, so þat noman may gete of þat gold but be gret sleigℏte. And þerfore whan it is gret hete the pissemyres resten hem in the erthe from pryme of the day in to noon And þan the folk of the contree taken CAMAYLES, DROMEDARIES & HORS & oþer bestes & gon thider & chargen hem in aƚƚ haste þat þei may. And after þat þei fleen awey in aƚƚ þat the bestes may go or the pissemyres comen out of the ertℏe. And in oþer tymes whan it is not so hote & þat the pissemyres ne resten hem not in the ertℏe, þan þei geten gold be this sotyltee. Þei taken mares þat han ȝonge coltesdescriptionOpen page or foles & leyn vpon the mares voyde vesselles made þerfore & þei ben aƚƚ open abouen & hangynge lowe to the ertℏe. And þanne þei sende fortℏ þo mares for to pasturen aboute þo hilles & withholden the foles with hem at home. And whan the pissemyres sen þo vesselles, þei lepen in anon, And þei han this kynde, þat þei lete no thing ben empty among hem, but anon þei fillen it, be it what maner of þing þat it be, [folio 127b] & so þei fillen þo vesselles with gold. And whan þat the folk supposen þat the vesseƚƚ ben fulle, Þei putten fortℏ Anon the ȝonge foles & maken hem to nyȝen after hire dames & þan Anon the mares retornen towardes hire foles with hire charges of gold & þan men dischargen hem & geten gold ynow be this sotyltee, For the PISSEMYRES wole suffren bestes to gon and pasturen amonges hem, but no man in no wyse. And beȝonde the lond & the yles & the desertes of Prestre Ioℏnes lordschipe in goynge streigℏt towardes the est, men fynde no þing but montaynes & roches fuƚƚ grete. And þere is the derke RegyoundescriptionOpen page Where no man may see nouþer be day ne be nygℏte as þei of the contree seyn. And þat desert & þat place of derknesse duren fro this cost vnto paradys terrestre, where þat Adam oure formest fader & Eue weren putt þat dwelleden þere but lytyƚƚ while, And þat is towardes the EST at the begynnynge of the ertℏe. But þat is not þat EST þat we clepe oure EST on this half, where the sonne risetℏ to vs, for whanne the sonne is EST in

þo partyes toward paradys terrestre, it is þanne mydnygℏt in oure parties o this half for the roundeness of the ertℏe, of the whicℏe I haue towched to ȝou of before. For oure lord god made the ertℏe aƚƚ rownd, in the mydde place of the firmament, And þere as mountaynes & hilles ben & valeyes þat is not but only of Noes flode þat wasted the softe ground & the tendre & feƚƚ doun into valeyes. And the harde ertℏe & the roche abyden mountaynes, Whan the soft ertℏe & tendre wax nesscℏe þorgℏ the water & feƚƚ and [folio 128a] becamen valeyes. Of paradys ne can I not speken propurly for I was not þere; it is fer beȝonde & þat forthinketℏ me. And also I was not wortℏi. But as I haue herd seye of wyse men beȝonde, I schaƚƚ telle ȝou with gode wiƚƚ. Paradys terrestre, as wise men seyn is the higℏest place of ertℏe þat is in aƚƚ the world And it is so higℏ þat it touchetℏ nygℏ to the cercle of the mone, þere as the mone maketℏ hire torn. For schedescriptionOpen page is so higℏ þat the flode of Noe ne mygℏt not come to hire þat wolde haue couered aƚƚ þe ertℏe of the world aƚƚ abowte & abouen & benetℏen, saf paradys only allone And this paradys is enclosed aƚƚ aboute with a waƚƚ & men wyte not wherof it is, For the walles ben couered aƚƚ ouer with mosse,descriptionOpen page as it semetℏ. And it semetℏ not þat the waƚƚ is ston of nature ne of non oþer thing þat the waƚƚ is. And þat waƚƚ strecchetℏ fro the SOUTℏ to the nortℏ And it hatℏ not but on entree þat is closed with fyre brennynge, so þat noman þat is mortaƚƚ ne dar not entren. And in the most higℏ place of paradys, euene in the myddel place, is a welle þat castetℏ out the .iiij. flodesdescriptionOpen page þat rennen be dyuerse londes. Of the whiche the firste is clept PHISON or GANGES, þat is aƚƚ on, and it rennetℏ þorgℏout YNDE or EMLAK,descriptionOpen page In the whiche Ryuere ben manye preciouse stones And mochel of LIGNUM ALOES And moche graueƚƚ of gold. And þat oþer Ryuere is clept NILUS or GYSON, þat gotℏ be ETHIOPE & after be EGYPT. And þat oþer is clept TIGRIS, þat rennetℏ be ASSIRYE & be ARMENYE the grete. And þat otℏer is clept EUFRATE þat rennetℏ also

be MEDEE & be AR [folio 128b] MONYE and be PERSYE. And men þere beȝonde seyn þat alle the swete watres of the world abouen & benetℏen taken hire begynnynge of þat welle of Paradys And out of þat welle aƚƚ watres comen & gon. The firste Ryuere is clept PHISON, þat is to seyne in hire langage ASSEMBLEE, For manye oþere Ryueres meten hem þere & gon into þat Ryuere. And summen clepen it GANGES for a kyng þat was in YNDE þat higℏte GANGERES & þat it ran þorgℏout his lond. And þat water is in sum place clere & in sum place trouble, In sum place hoot & in sum place cold. The seconde Ryuere is clept NILUS or GYSON, for it is aƚƚwey trouble And GYSON in the langage of ETHIOPE is to seye trouble. And in the langage of EGIPT also.descriptionOpen page The thridde Ryuere þat is clept TIGRIS is as moche for to seye as faste rennynge For he rennetℏ more faste þan ony of the toþere And also þere is a best þat is cleped TIGRISdescriptionOpen page þat is faste rennynge. The fourtℏe Ryuere is clept EUFRATES, þat is to seyne wel berynge for þere growen many godes vpon þat Ryuere as cornes, frutes & oþere godes ynowe plentee. And ȝee schuƚƚ vnderstonde þat noman þat is morteƚƚ ne may not approchendescriptionOpen page to þat paradys. For be londe noman may go for wylde bestes þat ben in the desertes & for the higℏ mountaynes & grete huge Roches þat noman may passe by, for the derke places þat ben þeredescriptionOpen page & þat manye. And be the Ryueres may noman go, for the water rennetℏ so rudely & so scharply because þat it cometℏ doun so outrageously [folio 129a] from the higℏ places abouen, þat it rennetℏ in so grete wawes þat no schipp may not rowe ne seyle aȝenes it. And the water roretℏ so & maketℏ so huge noysedescriptionOpen page & so gret tempest þat noman may here oþer in the schipp, þougℏ he cryede with aƚƚ the craft þat he cowde in the hieste voys þat he mygℏte. Many grete lordes han assayed with gret wille many tymes for to passen be þo ryueres toward paradys with fuƚƚ grete companyes, But þei mygℏte not speden in hire viage. And manye dyeden for weryness of

rowynge aȝenst þo stronge wawes, And many of hem becamen blynde And many deve for the noyse of the water. And summe weren perisscℏt & loste witℏjnne the wawes, so þat no morteƚƚ man may approche to þat place withouten specyaƚƚ grace of god, so þat of þat place I can sey ȝou nomore And þerfore I schaƚƚ holde me stille And retornen to þat þat I haue seen.

Chapter XXXV

HEATHEN BELIEFS. THE POPE'S APPROVAL

OF THE CUSTOMS OF KYNGES & OÞERE ÞAT DWELLEN IN THE YLES COSTYNGE TO PRESTRE IOℏNES LOND, AND OF THE WORSCHIPE ÞAT THE SONE DOTℏ TO THE FADER WHAN HE IS DEDE.

FROM þo yles þat I haue spoken of before in the lond of Prestre Ioℏn, þat ben vnder ertℏe as to vs þat ben o this half And of oþer yles þat ben more furtℏere beȝonde, Whoso wil pursuen hem for to comendescriptionOpen page aȝen right to the parties þat he cam fro & so enviroune aƚƚ ertℏe. but what for the yles, what for the see & what for strong rowynge fewe folk assayen for to passen þat passage, aƚƚ be it þat men mygℏte don it wel þat mygℏt [folio 129b] ben of power to dresse him þereto as I haue seyd ȝou before. And þerfore men returnen from þo yles aboueseyd be oþer yles costynge fro the lond of Prestre Ioℏn And þanne comen men in returnynge to an yle þat is clept CASSONdescriptionOpen page And þat yle hatℏ wel .lx. iorneyes in lengtℏe & more þan .l. in brede. This is the beste yle & the beste kyngdom þat is in aƚƚ þo partyes outtaken CATHAY. And ȝif the marchauntes vseden als mocℏe þat contre as þei don CATHAY, it wolde ben better þan CATHAY in a schort while. This contree is fuƚƚ wel enhabyted & so fuƚƚ of cytees & of gode townes & enhabyted with peple, þat whan a man gotℏ out of o cytee men seen anotℏer cytee euene before hem. And þat is what partyedescriptionOpen page þat a man go in aƚƚ þat contree. In þat yle is gret plentee of aƚƚ godes for to lyue with & of aƚƚ manere of spices And þere ben grete forestes of

CHESTEYNES. The kyng of þat yle is fuƚƚ riche & fuƚƚ mygℏty And natheles he holt his lond of the grete CHANE & is obeyssant to him, For it is on of the .xij. prouynces þat the gret CHANE hatℏ vnder him withouten his propre lond & withouten oþer lesse yles þat he hatℏ, for he hatℏ fuƚƚ manye. From þat kyngdom comen men in returnynge to anoþer yle þat is clept RYBOTℏdescriptionOpen page & it is also vnder the grete CHANE Þat is a fuƚƚ gode contree & fuƚƚ plentefous of aƚƚ godes & of wynes & frut & aƚƚ oþer ricchess. And the folk of þat contree han none houses but þei dwellen & lyggen aƚƚ vnder tentes made of blak fernedescriptionOpen page by aƚƚ the contree. And the princypaƚƚ cytee & the most royaƚƚ is aƚƚ walled with blak ston & white, [folio 130a] And aƚƚ the stretes also ben patℏeddescriptionOpen page of the same stones. In þat cytee is noman so hardy to schede blode of noman ne of no best for the reuerence of an ydole þat is worschipt þere. And in þat yle dwelletℏ the POPE of hire lawe þat þei clepen lobassy. This LOBASSYdescriptionOpen page ȝeuetℏ aƚƚ the benefices & alle oþer dignytees & aƚƚ oþer thinges þat belongen to the ydole And alle þo þat holden onything of hire chirches, Religious & oþere obeyen to him as men don here to the POPE OF ROME. In þat yle þei han a custom be aƚƚ the contree þat whan the fader is deddescriptionOpen page of ony man & the sone list to do gret worschipe to his fader, he sendetℏ to aƚƚ his frendes & to aƚƚ his kyn & for religious men & preestes & for mynstraƚƚ also gret plentee. And þanne men beren the dede body vnto a gret hiƚƚ with gret ioye & solempnyte And whan þei han brougℏte it thider the chief prelate smytetℏ of the hede And leytℏ it vpon a gret platere of gold or of syluer, ȝif he be so ryche a man. And þan he taketℏ the hede to the sone And þanne the sone & his oþer kyn syngen & seyn manye orisouns. And þanne the prestes & the Religious men smyten aƚƚ the body of the dede man in peces And þanne þei seyn certeyn orisouns. And the foules of raveyne of aƚƚ the contree abowten knowen the custom of long tyme before & comen

fleenge abouen in the eyr as EGLES, GLEDES, RAUENES & oþere foules of raveyne þat eten flescℏ. And þan the preestes casten the gobettes of the flescℏ & þan the foules ecℏe of hem taketℏ þat he may & gotℏ a litiƚƚ þens & etetℏ it, And so þei don whils ony pece lastetℏ of the dede body. And after þat, as preestes amonges vs syngen for the dede: [folio 130b] “SUBUENITE SANCTI DEI & CETERA,”descriptionOpen page rigℏt so þo prestes syngen with higℏ voys in hire langage: Beholdetℏ how so wortℏi a man & how gode a man this was, þat the Aungeles of god comen for to sechen him & for to bryngen him in to paradys. And þanne semetℏ it to the sone þat he is higℏliche worschipt whan þat manye briddes & foules of raveyne comen & eten his fader, And he þat hatℏ most nombre of foules is most worschiped. And þanne the sone bryngetℏ hoom with him aƚƚ his kyn & his frendes & aƚƚ the oþere to his hows & maketℏ hem a gret feste, And þanne aƚƚ his frendes maken hire avaunt & hire dalyance how the foules comen þider, here .v. here .vj. here .x. & þere .xx^ti. & so fortℏ & þei reioyssen hem hugely for to speke þere of. And whan þei ben at mete, the sone let brynge fortℏdescriptionOpen page the hede of his fader & þere of he ȝeuetℏ of the flescℏ to his most specyaƚƚ frendes in stede of entremess or a sukkarke.descriptionOpen page And of the brayn panne he letetℏ make a cuppe & þere of drynketℏ he & his oþer frendes also, with gret deuocioun in remembrance of the holy man þat the Aungeles of god han eten. And þat cuppe the sone schaƚƚ kepe to drynken of aƚƚ his lif tyme in remembrance of his fadir. From þat lond in returnynge be .x. iorneys þorgℏ out the lond of the grete CHANE is anoþer gode yle & a gret kyngdom where the kyng is fuƚƚ riche & mygℏty. And amonges the riche men of his contree is a passynge riche man þat is no PRYNCE ne DUK ne ERL, But he hatℏ mo þat holden of him londes & oþer lordschipes, for he is more ricℏe,descriptionOpen page for he hatℏ euery ȝeer of annueƚƚ rente .CCC. Miƚƚ. [folio 131a] hors charged with corn of dyuerse greynes & of ryȝs. And so he ledetℏ a fuƚƚ noble

lif & a delycate after the custom of the contree. For he hatℏ euery day .l. faire damyselesdescriptionOpen page aƚƚ maydenes þat seruen him eueremore at his mete & for to lye be hem o nygℏt & for to do with hem þat is to his plesance. And whan he is at the table þei bryngen him hys mete at euery tyme .v. and .v. togedredescriptionOpen page And in bryngynge hire seruyse þei syngen a song And after þat þei kutten his mete & putten it in his moutℏ, for he towchetℏ nothing ne handletℏ nougℏt, but holdetℏ eueremore his hondes before him vpon the table. For he hatℏ so longe nayles þat he may take no thing ne handle no thing. For the noblesse of þat contree is to haue longe naylesdescriptionOpen page & to make hem growen aƚƚ weys to ben als longe as men may, And þere ben manye in þat contree þat han hire nayles so longe þat þei envyroune aƚƚ the hond, And þat is a gret noblesse. And the nobless of the wommen is for to hauen smale feet & litiƚƚ, And þerfore anon as þei ben born, þey lete bynde hire feetdescriptionOpen page so streyte þat þei may not growen half as nature wolde. And this is the nobleye of the wommen þere to haue smale feet & lityƚƚ. And aƚƚweys þeise damyseles þat I spak of beforn syngen aƚƚ the tyme þat this riche man etetℏ. And whan þat he etetℏ no more of his firste cours þanne oþer .v. & .v. of faire damyseles bryngen him his seconde cours aƚƚ weys syngynge as þei dide beforn. And so þei don contynuelly euery day to the ende of his mete & in this manere [folio 131b] he ledetℏ his lif And so dide þei before him þat weren his Auncestres & so schuƚƚ þei þat comen after him, withouten doynge of ony dedes of Armes,descriptionOpen page but lyuen eueremore þus in ese as a swyn þat is fedd in sty for to ben made fatte. He hatℏ a fuƚƚ fair palays & fuƚƚ riche, where þat he dwelletℏ jnne, of the whiche the walles ben in cyrcuyt .ij. myle. And he hatℏ withjnne many faire gardynes And many faire halles & chambres And the pawment of his halles & chambres ben of gold & syluer. And in the myd placedescriptionOpen page of on of hys gardynes is a lytyƚƚ mountayne Where þere is a lityƚƚ

medewe And in þat medewe is a lityƚƚ toothiƚƚdescriptionOpen page with toures & pynacles aƚƚ of gold And in þat lityƚƚ toothiƚƚ wole he sytten often tyme for to taken the ayr & to desporten hym. For þat place is made for no þing elles but only for his desport. Fro þat contree men comen be the lond of the grete CHANE also þat I haue spoken of before. And ȝee schuƚƚ vndirstonde þat of aƚƚ þeise contrees & of aƚƚ þeise yles & of aƚƚ the dyuerse folk þat I haue spoken of before & of dyuerse lawes & of dyuerse beleeves þat þei han, ȝit is þere non of hem alle but þat þei han sum resoun within hem & understondynge, but ȝif it be the fewere, & þat han certeyn Articƚes of oure feitℏ & summe gode poyntes of oure beleeve. And þat þei beleeven in god þat formede aƚƚ þing & made the world And clepen him god of nature,descriptionOpen page after þat the prophete seytℏ: “ET METUENT EUM OMNES FINES TERRE,”descriptionOpen page And also in anoþer place: “OMNES GENTES SERUIENT EI,”descriptionOpen page Þat is to seyne: Alle folk schul seruen him. But ȝit þei cone not speken perfytly, for þere is no [folio 132a] man to techen hem, but only þat þei cone deuyse be hire natureƚƚ wytt. For þei han no knouleche of the sone ne of the holy gost. But þei cone aƚƚ speken of the BIBLE & namely of GENESIS, of the prophetes sawes And of the bokes of Moyses. And þei seyn wel þat the creatures þat worschipen hemdescriptionOpen page ne ben no goddes, but þei worschipen hem for the vertue þat is in hem þat may not be but only be the grace of god. And of SIMULACRES & of YDOLES þei seyn þat þere ben no folk but þat þei han SIMULACRES And þat þei seyn for wee cristen men han ymages,descriptionOpen page as of oure lady & of oþere seyntes þat wee worschipen, NogℏtdescriptionOpen page the ymages of tree or of ston, but the seyntes in whoos name þei ben made after. For rigℏt as the bokes & the scripture of hem techen the clerkes how & in what manere þei schuƚƚ beleeven, rigℏt so the ymages & the peyntynges techen the lewed folk to worschipen the seyntes & to haue hem in hire mynde in whoos name þat þe ymages ben made after. Þei seyn also þat the aungeles of god

speken to hem in þo ydoles & þat þei don manye grete myracles, And þei seyn sotℏ þat þere is an aungeƚƚ within hem, For þere ben .ij. maner of aungeles, a gode & an eueƚƚ, as the GREKES seyn: CACHO and CALO. This CACHO is the wykked aungeƚƚ And CALO is the gode aungeƚƚ. But the toþer is not the gode aungeƚƚ, but the wykked aungeƚƚ, þat is withinne the ydoles for to disceyuen hem & for to meyntenen hem in hire errour.descriptionOpen page Þere ben manye oþer dyuerse contrees and manye oþer merueyles beȝonde þat I haue not seen,descriptionOpen page Wherfore of hem I can not speke propurly to teƚƚ ȝou the manere of hem. [folio 132b] And also in the contrees where I haue ben ben manye mo dyuersitees of many wondirfuƚƚ thinges þanne I make mencioun of, For it were to longe thing to deuyse ȝou the manere. And þerfore þat þat I haue deuysed ȝou of certeyn contrees þat I haue spoken of before, I beseche ȝoure wortℏi and excellent noblesse þat it suffise to ȝou at this tyme, For ȝif þat I deuysed ȝou aƚƚ þat is beȝonde the see, anotℏer man peraunter þat wolde peynen him & trauaylle his body for to go into þo marches for to encerche þo contrees mygℏte ben blamed be my wordes in rehercynge manye straunge thinges. For he mygℏte not seye no thing of newe, in the whiche the hereres mygℏten hauen ouþer solace or desport or lust or lykyng in the herynge. For men seyn aƚƚ weys þat newe thinges & newe tydynges ben plesant to here. Wherfore I wole holde me stille withouten ony more rehercyng of dyuersiteez or of meruaylles þat ben beȝonde, to þat entent & ende þat whoso wil gon into þo contrees he schaƚƚ fynde ynowe to speke of, þat I haue not touched of in no wyse. And ȝee schuƚƚ vndirstondedescriptionOpen page ȝif it lyke ȝou þat at myn hom comynge I cam to ROME & schewed my lif to oure holy fadirdescriptionOpen page the POPE & was assoylled of aƚƚ þat lay in my conscience of many a dyuerse greuous poynt, as men mosten nedes þat ben in company dwellyng among so many a dyuerse folk of dyuerse secte & of beleeve as I

haue ben. And amonges aƚƚ I schewed hym this tretys þat I had made after informacioun of men [folio 133a] þat knewen of thinges þat I had not seen my self, And also of merueyles and customes þat I hadde seen my self, as fer as god wolde ȝeue me grace, And besougℏte his holy fadirhode, þat my boke mygℏte ben examyned and corrected be avys of his wyse & discreet conseiƚƚ. And oure holy fader of his special grace remytted my boke to ben examyned & preued be the Avys of his seyd conseiƚƚ, Be the whiche my boke was preeued for trewe jn so moche þat þei schewed me a boke þat my boke was examynde by, þat comprehended fuƚƚ moche more be an hundred part, be the whiche the MAPPA MUNDIdescriptionOpen page was made after. And so my boke, aƚƚ be it þat many men ne list not to ȝeue credence to no þing but to þat þat þei seen with hire eye, ne be the Auctour ne the persone neuer so trewe, is affermed & preued be oure holy fader in maner & forme as I haue seyd.

AND I Ioℏn Maundevyƚƚ knygℏt aboueseyd, aƚƚ þougℏ I be vnwortℏi, þat departed from oure contrees & passed the see the ȝeer of grace a .Miƚƚ .ccc. & .xxij.descriptionOpen page þat haue passed many londes & manye yles & contrees & cerched manye fuƚƚ strange places, And haue ben in many a fuƚƚ gode honourable companye & at many a faire dede of armes, aƚƚ be it þat I dide none myself for myn vnable jnsuffisance; And now I am comen hom mawgree myself to restedescriptionOpen page for gowtes Artetykes þat me distreynen; þat deffynen the ende of my labour, aȝenst my wiƚƚ god knowetℏ. And þus takynge solace in my wrecℏ [folio 133b] ched reste recordynge the tyme passed I haue fulfilleddescriptionOpen page þeise thinges & putte hem wryten in this boke, as it wolde come into my mynde, the ȝeer of grace a .Miƚƚ .ccc. & .lvj.descriptionOpen page in the .xxxiiij. ȝeer þat I departede from oure contrees.descriptionOpen page Wherfore I preye to aƚƚ the rederes & hereres of this boke ȝif it plese hem þat þei wolde preyen to god for me nd I schall preye for hem. And alle þo þat seyn for

me a PATER NOSTER with an AUE MARIA þat god forȝeue me my synnes I make hem parteneres & graunte hem partdescriptionOpen page of aƚƚ þe gode pilgrymages & of aƚƚ the gode dedes þat I haue don, ȝif ony ben to his plesance. And nogℏt only of þo, but of aƚƚ þat euere I schaƚƚ do vnto my lyfes ende. And I beseche almygℏty god fro whom aƚƚ godeness & grace cometℏ fro, þat he vouchesaf of his excellent mercy & habundant grace to fuƚƚfylle hire soules with inspiracioun of the holy gost in makynge defence of aƚƚ hire gostly enemyes here in ertℏe, to hire saluacioun botℏe of body & soule to worschipe & thankynge of him þat is þree & on withouten begynnynge & withouten endyng þat is withouten qualitee good, withouten quantytee gret þat in alle places is present and aƚƚ thinges conteynynge the whiche þat no goodness may amende ne non eueƚƚ empeyre, þat in perfyte Trynytee lyuetℏ & regnetℏ god be alle worldes & be aƚƚ tymes. Amen. Amen. Amen.