Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Of the prerogatifes of that yle to be enhauncede. Capi|tulum quadragesimum primum.

LYKE as Fraunce excellethe Briteyne, so in lyke wyse Briteyne excedethe Yrlonde in beaute, but not in wholle|somnesse. Beda, libro primo. For that londe is moste plentuous in cornes and trees to be norischede, whiche is apte to bestes; plentuous of bryddes bothe in the see and londe of diuerse kyndes; habundante in waters fulle of fische, specially of pyke and ele. Willelmus de Pont. libro tertio. Where fisches be so habundante that churles fede theire swyne with fische. Beda, libro primo. Fysches whiche be callede dolphynes be taken there oftetymes, and porpas,

and other grete fisches, excepte diuerse kyndes of schelle fisches, as muscles, in whom margarites be founde of euery coloure, as redde of a purpulle coloure, and of the coloure of a iacinte, but moste specially white margarites. Also there be schelle fisches habundantely with whom a nowble redde coloure is made and diede. The beautuous reddenesse of whom may not appaire in eny tyme thro the heete of the sonne, neither thro the iniury of reyne, but euer the more hit is werede, and in age, hit is the moore feire in coloure. Also in that londe be welles of salte and hoote waters, and bathes conueniente to euery kynde by distincte places, for [folio 60b] after the grete clerke Basilius water receyvethe a feruente qualite when hit rennethe by diuerse metalles. Also that londe is plentuous in mony veynes of metalles, as of brasse, of yrne, of lede, of tynne, and of syluyr. Plinius, libro sexto decimo, capitulo sexto. Also there is founde in that yle vnder the erthe a kynde of erthe, whom men calle marle, whiche caste in to the feldes causethe grete plen|tuousenes of corne. Also there is founde an other kynde of chalke, whiche dispersede in feldes makethe theym plen|tuous vn to the lxxx. yere folowenge. Solinus. That yle

gendrethe a ston that is callede iette. If thou inquire the beawte off hit, hit is blacke; if thow inquire the nature, hit brennethe in water, and is extincte with oyle; if thou inquire the vertu of hit, that ston made hoote with rubbenge dothe attracte chaffe to hit. If thow inquire the benefite, hit helpethe moche men hauenge the dropecy, drynkenge hit. Beda. That ston made in powdre, and caste in to the fire, expellethe serpentes. Isidorus, libro quinto de|cimo. There be schepe plentuous in wolle, and moche dere of diuerse kyndes, fewe wulphes, þerfore schepe be lefte in more suerte in theire places. ℞. In that londe be mony feire cites, grete waters and fulle of fische, and plentuous in wodes, where be also mynes of stones diuerse in colour, redde and white, softe and harde, and white chalke. Also there is white cleye and redde, where of thei make pottes

and tylestones. The wolle off whiche londe men of Flaundres luffe gretely; and Normandy, the leder of hit and skynnes; Vasconia yrne and lede. Whiche Briteyne is a londe habun|dante in metalles, and in pleasure that is necessary to the lyfe of man, in to the lawde of whom a metricion seithe: Englonde is a plentuous londe, and an angle of the worlde. That londe is fulle of disportes, whiche peple is worthy to make disportes, the tonge of whom is goode, and the honde more liberalle. Item Henricus sic. The londe of Briteyne is the worschippe and floure of regiones of the costes of the see, whiche londe is contente with the propre fertilite of hit selfe, refreschenge other straunge peple hauenge nede

to þe helpe of that londe, when hungre reignethe in theire cuntres. That londe is of plentuousenes to be hade in mer|uayle, whiche londe dothe encrease gretely in tyme of pease [folio 61a] and of prosperite. That londe hathe also mony schippes, whiche do helpe mony places, for in that be men of grete nobilite. Item Alfridus sic. This yle of Englonde is plen|tuous, and to be enhauncede with a lawde celicalle, whiche is so habundante in hit selfe that hit hathe not necessite to eny other yle other place of the worlde. Whiche londe is a towre of refute to alle other regiones, the delites of whom Salomon desirethe, and Octauian the rychesse.