Of the newe la[n]des and of ye people founde by the messengers of the kynge of porty[n]gale named Emanuel Of the. x. dyuers nacyons crystened. Of pope Iohn̄ and his landes, and of the costely keyes and wonders molodyes that in that lande is.

¶ Of the people named Pygnies.

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ANd yet is there a nother smale lande and also another Ryuer called Pyconye that is .x. dayes iourneye longe / and .vij. brode and this people of this forsayde lande be not great / but they be lyke chyldrē of .vij. yere of age and they haue horseys as great as a great dogge & they be good crystened folke and they haue no warre ayenste noman / But they haue warre ayenste the fowles euery yere / whan they shall haue in there frute and corne And thā the kyn¦ge putteth on his harneyse. and thā they fyght ayenste the byrdes. And than there be slayn on bothe partyes many on / and also they be great labourers / and whan the fylde is don than the byrdes flee a waye fro them.

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¶ Also in our lande been y^e Sagittary. the whyche bē fro the myddel vpward ly∣ke men / and fro y^e myddell donwarde ben they lyke the halfe neder parte of an horse and they bere bowes and arowes. And the shute stronger thā ony other na∣cyon of people.

¶ And in our lande be also vnicornes and they been of the manere with blacke and grene / and these vnicornes slee many Lyons. and the Lyō sleeth the vnicorne with subtylnes. Whan the Vnicorne hath put hym to rest at a tree / & than cometh the Lyon and ronnyth aboute the tree and after hym thā ronnyth the vnycorne and wolde fayne sley hym / & than he ronnyth hym selfe īto the tree with his horne so harde that he cannot pull it out ageyne. than cōmeth the Lyō and hath the mastery vpon the vnicorne.

¶ Item there is a nother parte of a forest therin dwelleth another maner of folke / and this peo∣ple ben .xx. Cubettes of heythe But they were in tyme paste to be of the heyth of .xl. Cubettes. And they haue nat the pore to come out of that deserte or foreste and all is thorowe the myghte of almyghty god. For if they sholde come out by there strength & hardynesse the wolde cōquere all the worlde.

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¶ Here begynnith of y^e byrde the whyche is called Fenix.

¶ In oure lande is also a byrde y^e whyche is called Phenix and is y^e fayrest byrde of all y^e world & there is nomore than one in all y^e cours of nature. and he ly¦ueth C. yere. and thenne flyeth he so hyghe that the sonne sett the fyre in his wynges / & then̄e cometh he don ayen to his nest and there he burneth to pudre and of the asshes comyth a worme / & within. C dayes after growyth there out another byrde as fayre as euer that other was.

¶ Item Also in oure lande is plenty of wyne bredde / fleshe. And that is necessary for man∣nys body

¶ Item In our lande maye come none venyn beeste on that one syde

¶ Item Betwene oure lande and the Turkes lande is a ryuer ronnynge and is called Sydō it commeth out of paradyse of the erthe / and is full of precyous stones

¶ And also in oure lande ben ronnyge many smale riuers the whyche that come out of this forsayde riuer. and they also ben fulle of precy¦ous stones. As Ysmaraddus Iaspis Saphyr{is} Scobassus Dyamant Topasius / Carbonkel.

Rubin. and yet more other they whyche I not all can reherce.

¶ Also in oure lande groweth on herbe and is called Parmanabel / and that same herbe is so myghty euer soo who that same herbe beryth a boute hym he maye cōiure the deuyll of helle and do hym saye what so euer he wyl axe of hȳ and therfore the deuyll dare not come in to our lande.

Itē also in our lande growith peper in forestis full of snakes and other venym beestes. & whā it is rype than sende we for our folke and they put that fyre ther in / & thā they venym beestys flee awaye▪ than we gadder it & caryed to oure houses and wasshed in two or .iij. waters / and than we drey it ayen / and also it waxed black & good

¶ Item aboute this passage is a fonteyne or a conduyte / so who of this watere drinked .iij. ty∣mes he shall waxe yonge / and also yf a man ha¦ue had a sykenes .xxx. yere and drynked of this same water he shall therof be hole and sonde.

And also as a man therof drinked hym semeth that he had occupyed the beste mete and drinke of the worlde. and this same fonteyne is full of the grace of the holy goost. & who sowe in this same water wasshed his body he shall become yonge of .xxx. yere.

And ye shall knowe that I am haloweth in my

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moder wombe / and I am olde .v.C.lxij. yere. and I haue me wesshed .vi. ty∣mes in that same water.

¶ Item In our lande is also a zee very peruuly¦ous / and there can we ha∣ue noo passage with noo maner of shyppyng and than do we vs cary there ouer with our gryffous.

¶ Item at that one syde of this zee ronnyth a smale ryuere and therin be many precyous stones. and also ther growyth a certen herbe that is good to all maner of me∣dycyne.

¶ Also ye shall vnderstande that betwene vs & the Iewes rōnyth a great ryuer that is full of precyous stones and it is so stronge in here ron¦nyng y^t noman ther ouer can passe / excepte y^e sa¦terdaye / & thā parted shehere & toke w^t here all that she fyndeth in here waye. And this same lande moste we strōgely kepe for oure ennemy¦es. an vp these costes haue we .xlij. stronge cas∣tels none stronger in y^e world. & ben well kepte of people. To vnderstande .x.M. knyghtes on horsbacke .vi.M. Crosse bowes .xv.M. longe bowes. & .xl.M. othere men on horsbacke well

armed. y^t whyche these Castels haue in kyping by cause that the great kynge of Israhel shall not ther passe with his people. For he is twyes as strōge as I am. And his lande is twyes as grete as all Crystence and turkey. For he hath in his kepynge the seconde parte of the worlde And the great kynge of Israhel hath vnder hȳ iij.C. kynges .iiij.M. princes. duces. erles. ba¦rōs knyghtes / squyers without nombre. and all these be subgette to the great kynge of Isra¦hel. But yf he myght passe ouer this forsayde ryuer with his people they sholde slee both cry¦sten and turkes. And ye shall knowe that we all saterdaye late passe .viij.C. or M. men for beye suche manere good or marchaundyse as they wyll haue. but we late them not come w^t in y^e wallis of thys castels. for they bye it with out y^e walles of thys fortresses. and they paye ther marchaundyses with platis of siluer or of gold for they haue none other money. & whan they haue don ther besynes they tourne home ayen in theyr owne lande. and these forsayde castels be sete to gyder within a bowe shotte.

And ye shall vnderstande that within a myle of these castels is a great Cite and a fayre and it is the strongest of all the worlde. the whyche cite is in our kepyng of one of our kyngis. and he receyueth tribute of the great kyng of Isra¦hel. And also gyueth vs euery yere .ij.C. hor¦ses laden w^t golde / syluer / and precyous stones.

Except alle charges and costes that men doth in the cyte and in thyse forsayde castels. And whan that we haue warre ayenst them / than slee we them alle and late noman alyue. & ther¦fore they wyll kepe no warre ayenste vs. and the wymmen of the Iewes be very fayre none fayrer in erth nowe a dayes lyuinge. And by this forsayde ryuer is a zee ther noman maye passe / but whā the wynde blowyth fro benethe strongely than parted she here / and thanne the passe with great hast. and than they take with hȳ all maner of precious stones. but they may selle none therof for that wee haue taken ther∣of our chose.

¶ In a parte of our lande is an hylle there no∣man maye dwelle for hete of the sonne▪ & there bee wormes many on without fyre can not lyue. And by this same hylle we kepe .xl.M. people that no thynge ells but make fyre / and whā this wormes feele the fyre than thei come oute of the erthe and goo in too that fyre. and there they spynne lyke the wormes y^t the sylke spȳneth And of that same spynnyng we make our clotynge that we were on feste dayes. and whan they be foule / thā they be cast in to y^e fyer & they becom as fayre as euer they were afore

And ye shall vnderstande that saint Thomas doeth more myracles than ony seynt in heuen For he comyth bodly euery yere in his chirche and doth a sermon / and also in a palays there

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ye here after of hym shall here

¶ And ye shall also knowe that there be dyuers of people of fa¦son in oure lande / also there be people that haue the body of a man & the hede lyke a dogge and they be good takers of fys¦she. and they be good to vnder¦stande of theyre speche. & they wyll goo in to the zee a hole da¦ye longe to the tyme that they haue takē suche as they wolde haue / and than y^e come ayen charged with fys¦she. and bere them in to y^e houses / for they haue there dwellinge places vnder erthe. and then̄e take we part of there fysshes that vs beste ly¦keth▪ and they do great harme among our bee thow y^t be wylde. and they fyghte also ayenste our archers. &c.

¶ In oure lande is also one manere of byrdes and laye ther eggis in the zee .xxi. and ther out growen yonge byrdes▪ and thā the flee away and we take somtyme of theȳ for they bee good for to ete whā they be yonge For yf theyr were ony man that hathe lost his nature and ete of this same byrde he sholl it gete ayen and becom as stronge as euer he was afore.

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¶ Also in our lande is that same tree / ther y^t holy crestē¦dom or olye our rōnith. and this tree is dreye / and ther is a great serpent which y^t tree hath in kepynge all the hole yere nyght & daye but alone vp seȳt Iohn̄s daye & night & than slepyth the serpēt or dragon. and than goo we to the tree & take y^t crisma. and of this same is nomore than iij. pōd. & thā tourne we ayē secretely w^t great drede & fere y^t he vs not see / for ells he wyll slee vs. & this same tree is a dayes iourney fro y^e paradys of y^e erthe but whā this serpent is a waked than maked he great mone and sorow. & this dragon hath .ix. hedes and .ij. wynges. and is as great as twoo horses. But for all y^t it foloweth vs stylle tyl we ben come to the zee ayen. and than tourned it ayen. & then̄e bere we that crisma to y^e patriarch of seynt tho¦mas & he haloweth it / & ther w^t they make vs al crysten. & y^e remenaūt sende we to y^e patriarche of Iherusalem. & he sende it forth to the Pope of rome. & he puth ther to olyet of lyfe and than ha¦lowyth it / & then̄ he sendeth̄ all crystēte thorugh ¶ Also ye shall vnderstande whan we shall goo to warre than doo we afore vs bere with xiiij kinges .xiiij. rofers with golde & syluer really

wroght with precious stones. and the other kȳ¦ges come after vs with grete stremers and ba¦ners of sylke & syndale very rychely wrought. Ye shall knowe also that afore vs gone .xl.M. clerkis / & also many knyghtis. and men a fote there be .ij.C.M. without cariers and cariers tho that go with the olyphantes and cary our harneys and vitales.

¶ ye shall vnderstande also as we goo to fylde than put we our lande in the kepyng of the Pa¦triarche of seynt thomas. And whan we pece¦sably ryde than do we bere afore vs a crosse of wodde in worshyp of oure lorde Ihesu Cryste. Also in the incomynge of euery cyte stande .iij. crosses made of wodde / for to remembre y^e pas∣siō of our lord Ihesu cryste. And whan we ryde pecesably than do we also bere afor vs a basyn full of erthe to remembre y^t we be come of erthe and that we shall waxe erthe ayen. and we do also bere for vs another basyn full of fyne gold to a token that wee be the nobleste & mightyest kyngis of all the worlde.

¶ There is also in our lande noman so hardy that dare breke his wedloke.. but yf he dyde he sholde be incōtynent be burnyd. For our lorde hym self hath ordyned wedlok therfore it shold be kept by reason yf tbat we louyd oure lorde Ihesu Cryste. For it is one of the sacramentes of the holy chyrche

¶ Also there dare noman make a lye in oure

lande. for of he dyde he sholde incontynent bee sleyn & we be feythful in oure saying & doying ¶ Also ye shall vnderstand that we euery yere goo vysite the holy body of the prophete dany¦el in oure forest / and we take with vs .xM. cler¦kis and as many knyghtys. and .CC. castels. made vpon Olyphantes / fore to kepe vs fro y^e dragons y^e whyche haue .vij. hedes. the whych that haue theyr dwellynge in that forest.

¶ And there bee also in that same place dates y^e winter and somer hange on the trees fayr and grene. And y^e foreste is great a .C. & .xxx. dayes iourney. and y^e .ij. patriarches ben before vs at table for they haue the myght of the pope of rome. And we haue twyes as many abbotes ī our lande as there be dayes in a yere .xv. more And euerich one of them cometh ones in y^e yere and saythe masse vpon saint Thomas auter. And I my self seye also masse in the grete festis dayes of y^e yere. and ther for I am called pope Iohn̄. For I priste after the outshewyng of sa¦crifice of the auters. & kinge after outshewing of Iusticie. ¶ And I pope Iohn̄ was halowid afore I was borne. for oure lorde sende his an¦gell to my fader and sayde to hym make a pal∣lays the whyche shall be of the grace of god and a chamber of that paradyse for your son∣ne comynge For hi shall be the grettest kynge of the worlde. and he shalle a longe tyme lyue. So who that in this pallays comyth he shall

haue no hongre nor thryste. & he shall not deye and as sone as my fader was a wakyd he was very mery / and incōtynent he began to make this pallays lyke ye shall here. At fyrst of y^e inco¦mynge of this pallays is made of cristall & the couerynge of it is of precious stones and with in realy wrought with sterres lyke yf it were y^e heuen. & that pauing is also of cristall & within this same pallays be none wȳdowes. & within this same pallays be .xxiiij. pyllers of fyne gold & of precyous stones of all maner sortes. & ther am I at great feste dayes of the yere and seynt Thomas prechyth ī middell of this pallays to the people. And whithin this same pallays is a conduyte or a fonteyne is lyke wyne in dryn∣kȳge / so who thereof drincketh he desyred none other mete nor drinke and noman can telle fro whens it cometh or whyther it gothe. Also ther is another great merueyll ī this same pallays whan we shall goo to our dyner / so is there no maner of mete made redy for vs / not ther is no maner of instrumētes to make mete redy with all. but there comith before vs all maner of de¦lycious mete / that comyth there thoroughe the holy goost. And it is not wel possyble to wrytte all maner of goodnes they whiche y^t be in oure lande. And ye shall vnderstande that we writte nothynge to you but that trewe is.. For if we sholde wryte lyes to you / god and seȳt thomas sholde punysshe vs / for we sholde lese all our dig¦nyte and oure worshypp.

And we praye you that ye wyl writte vs ayen with the berer of this lettre. and sende to vs a∣geyn a good knyght of y^e generacyon of fraūce

And we praye the kynge of Fraunce that he wyll vs recommaunde to the myghty kyng of Englande. and also to all other kȳges the why¦che y^t dwelle beyonde the zee thow that bē cry¦stened and we praye god that he you wyl gyue the grace of the holy goost Amen. Written in oure holy pallays in the byrth of my selfe .v. hō¦dred. and seuen