CHAP. VI. [ 10] Briefe Collections of the Trauels and Obseruations of Sir IOHN MAN∣DEVILE; written by Master BALE, Cent. 6.
IOhn Mandevile, Knight, borne in the Towne of Saint Albons, was so well giuen to the studie of Learning from his childhood, that he seemed to plant a good part of his felicitie in the same: for he supposed that the honour of his birth would no∣thing auaile him, except hee could render the same more honorable by his know∣ledge in good Letters. Hauing therefore well grounded himselfe in Religion by reading the Scriptures, he applyed his studies to the Art of Physick, a Profession worthy a noble wit: but amongst other things, hee was rauished with a mightie desire to see the [ 20] greater parts of the World, as Asia and Africa. Hauing therefore prouided all things necessarie for his iourney, hee departed from his Countrey in the yeere of Christ 1332. and as another Vlysses returned home, after the space of foure and thirtie yeeres, and was then knowne to a ve∣ry few. In the time of his trauaile he was in Scythia, the greater and lesse Armenia, Egypt, both Lybias, Arabia, Syria, Media, Mesopotamia, Persia, Chaldaea, Greece, Illyrium, Tartarie, and di∣uers other Kingdomes of the World: and hauing gotten by this meanes the knowledge of the Languages, le•••• so many and great varieties, and things miraculous, whereof himselfe had beene an eye wit••esse, should perish in obliuion, hee committed his whole Trauell of three and thirtie yeeres to writing in three diuers Tongues, English, French, and Latine. Being arriued againe in [ 30] England, and hauing seene the wickednesse of that Age, hee gaue out this speech: In our time (said hee) it may bee spoken more truly then of old, that Vertue is gone, the Church is vnder foot, the Clergie is in error, the Deuill raigneth, and Simonie beareth the sway, &c. Hee dyed at Leege, in the yeere 1372. the 17. day of Nouember, being there buried in the Abbey of the Order of the Guilielmites.
The Tombe and Epitaph of Sir Iohn Mandevile, in the Citie of Leege, spoken of by Ortelius, in his Booke called Itinerarium Belgiae, in this sort. [ 40]
MAgna & populosa Leodij suburbia, ad collium radices, in quorum iugis multa sunt, & pulcher∣rima Monasteria, inter quae magnificum illud, ac nobile D. Laurentio dicatum, ab Raginardo Episcopo. Est in hac quo{que} Regione, vel suburbijs Leodij, Guilielmitarum Coenobium, in quo Epita∣phium hoc Ioannis à Mandeville, excepimus.
* 1.1Hic jacet vir nobilis, D. Ioannes de Mandeville, aliter dictus ad Barbam, Miles, Dominus de Campdi, natus de Anglia, Medicinae Professor, deuotissimus, orator, & bonorum largissimus pauperibus erogator, qui toto quasi orbe lustrato, Leodij diem vitae suae clausit extremum. Anno Dom. 1371. Mensis Nouembris, die 17.
Haec in lapide: in quo caelata viri armati imago, Leonem calcantis, barba bifurcata, ad caput manus [ 50] benedicens, & vernacula haec verba: Vo•• qui paseis sor mi, pour l'amour deix pr••ïes por mi. Cli∣peus erat vacuus, in quo olim fuisse dicebant laminam aeream, & eius in ea itidem caelata insignia, Leo∣nem videlicet argenteum, cui ad pectus lunula rubea in campo caeruleo, quem L••mbus ambiret denticu∣latus ex auro. Eius nobis ostendebant, & cultros, ephipia{que}, & calcaria quibus vsum fuisse asserebant, in peragrando toto fere terrarum orbe, vt clariùs testatur eius Itinerarium, quod typis etiam excusum passim habetur.
* 1.2PRincipi Excellentissimo, prae cunctis mortalibus praecipue venerando, Domino Edwardo ejus nominis Tertio, diuina prouidentia, Francorum & Anglorum Regi Serenissimo, Hi∣berniae Domino, Aquitaniae Duci, mari ac eius Insulis Occidentalibus dominanti, Christianorum [ 60] encomio & ornatui vniuers••rum{que} arma gerentium Tutori, ac Probitatis & strenuitatis exem∣plo Principi quoq▪ inuicto, mirabilis Alexandri Sequaci, ac vniuerso Orbi tremendo, cum reue∣rentia non qua decet, cum ad talem, & tantam reuerentiam minus sufficientes extiterint, sed qua paruitas, & possibilitas mittentis ac offerentis se extendunt, contenta tradantur.