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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/782-0.txt b/782-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bcd4e12 --- /dev/null +++ b/782-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7822 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, by John +Mandeville + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + + + + +Title: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville + the version of the Cotton Manuscript in modern spelling + + +Author: John Mandeville + + + +Release Date: December 28, 2014 [eBook #782] +[This file was first posted on January 17, 1997] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN +MANDEVILLE*** + + +Transcribed from the 1900 Macmillan and Co. edition by David Price, email +ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + + + The Travels + of + Sir John Mandeville + + + The version of the Cotton Manuscript + in modern spelling + + * * * * * + + _With three narratives_, _in illustration of it_, + _from Hakluyt’s_ “_Navigations_, _Voyages & Discoveries_” + + * * * * * + + London + Macmillan and Co. Limited + New York: The Macmillan Company + 1900 + + * * * * * + + GLASGOW: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS + BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE & CO. + + * * * * * + + + + +BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +THE Travels of Sir John Mandeville were edited anonymously in 1725, in +the version for which a ‘Cotton’ manuscript in the British Museum is our +only extant authority. From 1499, when they were first printed by Wynkyn +de Worde, the _Travels _had enjoyed great popularity in England, as in +the rest of Europe; but the printed editions before 1725 had all followed +an inferior translation (with an unperceived gap in the middle of it), +which had already gained the upper hand before printing was invented. +Another manuscript in the British Museum, belonging to the ‘Egerton’ +collection, preserves yet a third version, and this was printed for the +first time by Mr. G. F. Warner, for the Roxburghe Club, in 1889, together +with the original French text, and an introduction, and notes, which it +would be difficult to over-praise. In editing the Egerton version, Mr. +Warner made constant reference to the Cotton manuscript, which he quoted +in many of his critical notes. But with this exception, no one appears +to have looked at the manuscript since it was first printed, and +subsequent writers have been content to take the correctness of the 1725 +text for granted, priding themselves, apparently, on the care with which +they reproduced all the superfluous eighteenth century capitals with +which every line is dotted. Unluckily, the introduction of needless +capitals was the least of the original editor’s crimes, for he omits +words and phrases, and sometimes (a common trick with careless copyists) +a whole sentence or clause which happens to end with the same word as its +predecessor. He was also a deliberate as well as a careless criminal, +for the paragraph about the Arabic alphabet at the end of Chapter XV. +being difficult to reproduce, he omitted it altogether, and not only +this, but the last sentence of Chapter XVI. as well, because it contained +a reference to it. + +That it has been left to the editor (who has hitherto rather avoided that +name) of a series of popular reprints to restore whole phrases and +sentences to the text of a famous book is not very creditable to English +scholarship, and amounts, indeed, to a personal grievance; for to produce +an easily readable text of an old book without a good critical edition to +work on must always be difficult, while in the case of a work with the +peculiar reputation of ‘Mandeville’ the difficulty is greatly increased. +Had a critical edition existed, it would have been permissible for a +popular text to botch the few sentences in which the tail does not agree +with the beginning, and to correct obvious mistranslation without special +note. But ‘Mandeville’ has an old reputation as the ‘Father of English +Prose,’ and when no trustworthy text is available, even a popular editor +must be careful lest he bear false witness. The Cotton version is, +therefore, here reproduced, ‘warts and all,’ save in less than a dozen +instances, where a dagger indicates that, to avoid printing nonsense, an +obvious flaw has been corrected either from the ‘Egerton’ manuscript or +the French text. When a word still survives, the modern form is adopted: +thus ‘Armenia’ and ‘soldiers’ are here printed instead of ‘Ermony’ and +‘soudiours.’ But a new word is never substituted for an old one, and the +reader who is unfamiliar with obsolete words, such as ‘Almayne’ (Germany) +or ‘dere’ (harm),—there are surprisingly few for a book written five +centuries ago,—must consult the unpretentious glossary. Of previous +editions, that of 1725 and the reprints of it, including those of +Halliwell-Phillipps, profess, though they do not do so, to reproduce the +manuscript exactly. Thomas Wright’s edition is really a translation, and +that issued in 1895 by Mr. Arthur Layard often comes near to being one, +though the artist-editor has shown far more feeling for the old text than +his too whimsical illustrations might lead one to expect. It is hoped +that the plan here adopted preserves as much as possible of the +fourteenth century flavour, with the minimum of disturbance to the modern +reader’s enjoyment. + +The plan of this series forbids the introduction of critical +disquisitions, and I am thus absolved from attempting any theory as to +how the tangled web of the authorship of the book should be unravelled. +The simple faith of our childhood in a Sir John Mandeville, really born +at St. Albans, who travelled, and told in an English book what he saw and +heard, is shattered to pieces. We now know that our Mandeville is a +compilation, as clever and artistic as Malory’s ‘Morte d’Arthur,’ from +the works of earlier writers, with few, if any, touches added from +personal experience; that it was written in French, and rendered into +Latin before it attracted the notice of a series of English translators +(whose own accounts of the work they were translating are not to be +trusted), and that the name Sir John Mandeville was a _nom de guerre +_borrowed from a real knight of this name who lived in the reign of +Edward II. Beyond this it is difficult to unravel the knot, despite the +ends which lie temptingly loose. A Liège chronicler, Jean d’Outremeuse, +tells a story of a certain Jean de Bourgogne revealing on his deathbed +that his real name was Sir John Mandeville; and in accordance with this +story there is authentic record of a funeral inscription to a Sir John +Mandeville in a church at Liège. Jean de Bourgogne had written other +books and had been in England, which he had left in 1322 (the year in +which “Mandeville” began his travels), being then implicated in killing a +nobleman, just, as the real Sir John Mandeville had been implicated ten +years before in the death of the Earl of Cornwall. We think for a moment +that we have an explanation of the whole mystery in imagining that Jean +de Bourgogne (he was also called Jean à_ _la Barbe, Joannes Barbatus) had +chosen to father his compilation on Mandeville, and eventually merged his +own identity in that of his pseudonym. But Jean d’Outremeuse, the +recipient of his deathbed confidence, is a tricky witness, who may have +had a hand in the authorship himself, and there is no clear story as yet +forthcoming. But the book remains, and is none the less delightful for +the mystery which attaches to it, and little less important in the +history of English literature as a translation than as an original work. +For though a translation it stands as the first, or almost the first, +attempt to bring secular subjects within the domain of English prose, and +that is enough to make it mark an epoch. + +Mandeville is here reprinted rather as a source of literary pleasure than +as a medieval contribution to geography, and it is therefore no part of +our duty to follow Mr. Warner in tracking out the authorities to whom the +compiler had recourse in successive chapters. But as there was some +space in this volume to spare, and a very pleasant method of filling it +suggested itself, a threefold supplement is here printed, {0} which may +be of some use even to serious students, and is certainly very good +literature. When Richard Hakluyt, at the end of the sixteenth century, +was compiling his admirable work, ‘The Principall Navigations, Voiages, +and Discoveries of the English Nation, made by sea or over land, within +the compasse of these 1500_ _yeeres,’ he boldly overstepped the limits +set forth on his title-page, and printed in the original Latin, with +translations into good Elizabethan English, the narratives of three of +the earlier travellers, all of them foreigners, from whom the compiler of +Mandeville had drawn most freely. “And because,” he tells us, “these +north-eastern regions beyond Volga, by reason of the huge deserts, the +cold climate, and the barbarous incivilitie of the people there +inhabiting, were never yet thoroughly travelled by any of our Nation, nor +sufficiently known unto us; I have here annexed unto the said +Englishman’s {ix} traveils the rare and memorable journals of two friers +who were some of the first Christians that travailed farthest that way, +and brought home most particular intelligence of all things which they +had seen.” These two friars were John de Plano Carpini, sent on an +embassy to the great Chan by Pope Innocent IV. in 1246, and William de +Rubruquis, who travelled in the interests of Louis IX. of France in 1253. +In the same way in his Second Part, Hakluyt adds ‘The Voyage of Frier +Beatus Odoricus to Asia Minor, Armenia, Chaldaea, Persia, India, China, +and other remote parts,’ Odoric being a Franciscan of Pordenone in North +Italy, who dictated an account of his travels in 1330. Anyone who +compares these three narratives (more particularly Odoric’s) with +Mandeville’s Travels will see how the compiler used his materials, and +they have also very considerable interest of their own. + +As this volume of the Library of English Classics has brought with it an +unusual editorial responsibility, I may be permitted an editor’s +privilege in making two acknowledgments. The first, to my friend Mr. G. +F. Warner, my readers must share with me, for without the help of his +splendid edition of the ‘Egerton’ version and the French text, the +popular ‘Mandeville’ could not have been attempted. My second +acknowledgment is of a more personal nature. Roxburghe Club books are +never easy to obtain, and the few copies of the Mandeville allowed to be +sold were priced at £20 each. In noticing Mr. Warner’s edition in the +‘Academy’ (from a borrowed copy), I remarked rather ruefully that the +gratitude which students of moderate means could feel towards the Club +for printing so valuable a work was somewhat tempered by this little +matter of the price. I was then helping Mr. Charles Elton with the +catalogue of his library, and on reading my review, he wrote me a pretty +letter to say that by the rules of the Club he was the possessor of a +second copy, and that he thought I was the best person to give it to. +Students who have to think a good many times before they spend £20 on a +book do not often receive such a present from wealthy book-lovers; and at +the risk of obtruding more of my own concerns than my rough-and-ready +editing entitles me to do, I cannot send out this ‘Mandeville,’ within a +few weeks of Mr. Elton’s too early death, without telling this little +story of his kindness. + + A. W. POLLARD. + + + + +CONTENTS + +THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE: +CHAP. PAGE + THE PROLOGUE, 1 + I. To teach you the Way out of England to 6 + Constantinople, + II. Of the Cross and the Crown of our Lord Jesu 8 + Christ, + III. Of the City of Constantinople, and of the 11 + Faith of the Greeks, + IV. Of the Way from Constantinople to Jerusalem. 16 + Of Saint John the Evangelist. And of the + Ypocras Daughter, transformed from a Woman to + a Dragon, + V. [Of diversities in Cyprus; of the Road from 19 + Cyprus to Jerusalem, and of the Marvel of a + Fosse full of Sand], + VI. Of many Names of Sultans, and of the Tower of 23 + Babylon, + VII. Of the Country of Egypt; of the Bird Phoenix 30 + of Arabia; of the City of Cairo; of the + Cunning to know Balm and to prove it; and of + the Garners of Joseph, + VIII. Of the Isle of Sicily; of the way from Babylon 36 + to the Mount Sinai; of the Church of Saint + Katherine and of all the marvels there, + IX. Of the Desert between the Church of Saint 43 + Catherine and Jerusalem. Of the Dry Tree; and + how Roses came first into the World, + X. Of the Pilgrimages in Jerusalem, and of the 49 + Holy Places thereabout, + XI. Of the Temple of our Lord. Of the Cruelty of 54 + King Herod. Of the Mount Sion. Of Probatica + Piscina; and of Natatorium Siloe, + XII. Of the Dead Sea; and of the Flome Jordan. Of 67 + the Head of Saint John the Baptist; and of the + Usages of the Samaritans, + XIII. Of the Province of Galilee, and where 73 + Antichrist shall be born. Of Nazareth. Of + the age of our Lady. Of the Day of Doom. And + of the customs of Jacobites, Syrians; and of + the usages of Georgians, + XIV. Of the City of Damascus. Of three ways to 81 + Jerusalem; one, by land and by sea; another, + more by land than by sea; and the third way to + Jerusalem, all by land, + XV. Of the Customs of Saracens, and of their Law. 88 + And how the Soldan reasoned me, Author of this + Book; and of the beginning of Mohammet, + XVI. Of the lands of Albania and of Libia. Of the 96 + wishings for watching of the Sparrow-hawk; and + of Noah’s ship, + XVII. Of the Land of Job; and of his age. Of the 102 + array of men of Chaldea. Of the land where + women dwell without company of men. Of the + knowledge and virtues of the very diamond, + XVIII. Of the customs of Isles about Ind. Of the 108 + difference betwixt Idols and Simulacres. Of + three manner growing of Pepper upon one tree. + Of the Well that changeth his odour every hour + of the day; and that is marvel, + XIX. Of the Dooms made by St. Thomas’s hand. Of 115 + devotion and sacrifice made to Idols there, in + the city of Calamye; and of the Procession in + going about the city, + XX. Of the evil customs used in the Isle of 119 + Lamary. And how the earth and the sea be of + round form and shape, by proof of the star + that is clept Antarctic, that is fixed in the + south, + XXI. Of the Palace of the King of the Isle of Java. 125 + Of the Trees that bear meal, honey, wine, and + venom; and of other marvels and customs used + in the Isles marching thereabout, + XXII. How men know by the Idol, if the sick shall 132 + die or not. Of Folk of diverse shape and + marvellously disfigured. And of the Monks + that gave their relief to baboons, apes, and + marmosets, and to other beasts, + XXIII. Of the great Chan of Cathay. Of the royalty 139 + of his palace, and how he sits at meat; and of + the great number of officers that serve him, + XXIV. Wherefore he is clept the great Chan. Of the 145 + Style of his Letters: and of the + Superscription about his great Seal and his + Privy Seal, + XXV. Of the Governance of the great Chan’s Court, 151 + and when he maketh solemn feasts. Of his + Philosophers. And of his array, when he + rideth by the country, + XXVI. Of the Law and the Customs of the Tartarians 162 + dwelling in Cathay. And how that men do when + the Emperor shall die, and how he shall be + chosen, + XXVII. Of the Realm of Tharse and the Lands and 167 + Kingdoms towards the Septentrional Parts, in + coming down from the Land of Cathay, + XXVIII. Of the Emperor of Persia, and of the Land of 169 + Darkness; and of other kingdoms that belong to + the great Chan of Cathay, and other lands of + his, unto the sea of Greece, + XXIX. Of the Countries and Isles that be beyond the 174 + Land of Cathay; and of the fruits there; and + of twenty-two kings enclosed within the + mountains, + XXX. Of the Royal Estate of Prester John. And of a 178 + rich man that made a marvellous castle and + cleped it Paradise; and of his subtlety, + XXXI. Of the Devil’s Head in the Valley Perilous. 185 + And of the Customs of Folk in diverse Isles + that be about in the Lordship of Prester John, + XXXII. Of the goodness of the folk of the Isle of 192 + Bragman. Of King Alexander. And wherefore + the Emperor of Ind is clept Prester John, + XXXIII. Of the Hills of Gold that Pismires keep. And 198 + of the four Floods that come from Paradise + Terrestrial, + XXXIV. Of the Customs of Kings and other that dwell 202 + in the Isles coasting to Prester John’s Land. + And of the Worship that the Son doth to the + Father when he is dead, + + + +THE PROLOGUE + + +FOR as much as the land beyond the sea, that is to say the Holy Land, +that men call the Land of Promission or of Behest, passing all other +lands, is the most worthy land, most excellent, and lady and sovereign of +all other lands, and is blessed and hallowed of the precious body and +blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; in the which land it liked him to take +flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, to environ that holy land with his +blessed feet; and there he would of his blessedness enombre him in the +said blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, and become man, and work many +miracles, and preach and teach the faith and the law of Christian men +unto his children; and there it liked him to suffer many reprovings and +scorns for us; and he that was king of heaven, of air, of earth, of sea +and of all things that be contained in them, would all only be clept king +of that land, when he said, _Rex sum Judeorum_, that is to say, ‘I am +King of Jews’; and that land he chose before all other lands, as the best +and most worthy land, and the most virtuous land of all the world: for it +is the heart and the midst of all the world, witnessing the philosopher, +that saith thus, _Virtus rerum in medio consistit_, that is to say, ‘The +virtue of things is in the midst’; and in that land he would lead his +life, and suffer passion and death of Jews, for us, to buy and to deliver +us from pains of hell, and from death without end; the which was ordained +for us, for the sin of our forme-father Adam, and for our own sins also; +for as for himself, he had no evil deserved: for he thought never evil ne +did evil: and he that was king of glory and of joy, might best in that +place suffer death; because he chose in that land rather than in any +other, there to suffer his passion and his death. For he that will +publish anything to make it openly known, he will make it to be cried and +pronounced in the middle place of a town; so that the thing that is +proclaimed and pronounced, may evenly stretch to all parts: right so, he +that was former of all the world, would suffer for us at Jerusalem, that +is the midst of the world; to that end and intent, that his passion and +his death, that was published there, might be known evenly to all parts +of the world. + +See now, how dear he bought man, that he made after his own image, and +how dear he again-bought us, for the great love that he had to us, and we +never deserved it to him. For more precious chattel ne greater ransom ne +might he put for us, than his blessed body, his precious blood, and his +holy life, that he thralled for us; and all he offered for us that never +did sin. + +Ah dear God! What love had he to us his subjects, when he that never +trespassed, would for trespassers suffer death! Right well ought us for +to love and worship, to dread and serve such a Lord; and to worship and +praise such an holy land, that brought forth such fruit, through the +which every man is saved, but it be his own default. Well may that land +be called delectable and a fructuous land, that was be-bled and moisted +with the precious blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; the which is the same +land that our Lord behight us in heritage. And in that land he would +die, as seised, to leave it to us, his children. + +Wherefore every good Christian man, that is of power, and hath whereof, +should pain him with all his strength for to conquer our right heritage, +and chase out all the misbelieving men. For we be clept Christian men, +after Christ our Father. And if we be right children of Christ, we ought +for to challenge the heritage, that our Father left us, and do it out of +heathen men’s hands. But now pride, covetise, and envy have so inflamed +the hearts of lords of the world, that they are more busy for to +dis-herit their neighbours, more than for to challenge or to conquer +their right heritage before-said. And the common people, that would put +their bodies and their chattels, to conquer our heritage, they may not do +it without the lords. For a sembly of people without a chieftain, or a +chief lord, is as a flock of sheep without a shepherd; the which +departeth and disperpleth and wit never whither to go. But would God, +that the temporal lords and all worldly lords were at good accord, and +with the common people would take this holy voyage over the sea! Then I +trow well, that within a little time, our right heritage before-said +should be reconciled and put in the hands of the right heirs of Jesu +Christ. + +And, for as much as it is long time passed, that there was no general +passage ne voyage over the sea; and many men desire for to hear speak of +the Holy Land, and have thereof great solace and comfort; I, John +Mandeville, Knight, albeit I be not worthy, that was born in England, in +the town of St. Albans, and passed the sea in the year of our Lord Jesu +Christ, 1322, in the day of St. Michael; and hitherto been long time over +the sea, and have seen and gone through many diverse lands, and many +provinces and kingdoms and isles and have passed throughout Turkey, +Armenia the little and the great; through Tartary, Persia, Syria, Arabia, +Egypt the high and the low; through Lybia, Chaldea, and a great part of +Ethiopia; through Amazonia, Ind the less and the more, a great part; and +throughout many other Isles, that be about Ind; where dwell many diverse +folks, and of diverse manners and laws, and of diverse shapes of men. Of +which lands and isles I shall speak more plainly hereafter; and I shall +devise you of some part of things that there be, when time shall be, +after it may best come to my mind; and specially for them, that will and +are in purpose for to visit the Holy City of Jerusalem and the holy +places that are thereabout. And I shall tell the way that they shall +hold thither. For I have often times passed and ridden that way, with +good company of many lords. God be thanked! + +And ye shall understand, that I have put this book out of Latin into +French, and translated it again out of French into English, that every +man of my nation may understand it. But lords and knights and other +noble and worthy men that con Latin but little, and have been beyond the +sea, know and understand, if I say truth or no, and if I err in devising, +for forgetting or else, that they may redress it and amend it. For +things passed out of long time from a man’s mind or from his sight, turn +soon into forgetting; because that mind of man ne may not be comprehended +ne withholden, for the frailty of mankind. + + + + +CHAPTER I + + + _To teach you the Way out of England to Constantinople_ + +IN the name of God, Glorious and Almighty! + +He that will pass over the sea and come to land [to go to the city of +Jerusalem, he may wend many ways, both on sea and land], after the +country that he cometh from; [for] many of them come to one end. But +troweth not that I will tell you all the towns, and cities and castles +that men shall go by; for then should I make too long a tale; but all +only some countries and most principal steads that men shall go through +to go the right way. + +First, if a man come from the west side of the world, as England, +Ireland, Wales, Scotland, or Norway, he may, if that he will, go through +Almayne and through the kingdom of Hungary, that marcheth to the land of +Polayne, and to the land of Pannonia, and so to Silesia. + +And the King of Hungary is a great lord and a mighty, and holdeth great +lordships and much land in his hand. For he holdeth the kingdom of +Hungary, Sclavonia, and of Comania a great part, and of Bulgaria that men +call the land of Bougiers, and of the realm of Russia a great part, +whereof he hath made a duchy, that lasteth unto the land of Nyfland, and +marcheth to Prussia. And men go through the land of this lord, through a +city that is clept Cypron, and by the castle of Neasburghe, and by the +evil town, that sit toward the end of Hungary. And there pass men the +river of Danube. This river of Danube is a full great river, and it +goeth into Almayne, under the hills of Lombardy, and it receiveth into +him forty other rivers, and it runneth through Hungary and through Greece +and through Thrace, and it entereth into the sea, toward the east so +rudely and so sharply, that the water of the sea is fresh and holdeth his +sweetness twenty mile within the sea. + +And after, go men to Belgrade, and enter into the land of Bougiers; and +there pass men a bridge of stone that is upon the river of Marrok. And +men pass through the land of Pyncemartz and come to Greece to the city of +Nye, and to the city of Fynepape, and after to the city of Dandrenoble, +and after to Constantinople, that was wont to be clept Bezanzon. And +there dwelleth commonly the Emperor of Greece. And there is the most +fair church and the most noble of all the world; and it is of Saint +Sophie. And before that church is the image of Justinian the emperor, +covered with gold, and he sitteth upon an horse y-crowned. And he was +wont to hold a round apple of gold in his hand: but it is fallen out +thereof. And men say there, that it is a token that the emperor hath +lost a great part of his lands and of his lordships; for he was wont to +be Emperor of Roumania and of Greece, of all Asia the less, and of the +land of Syria, of the land of Judea in the which is Jerusalem, and of the +land of Egypt, of Persia, and of Arabia. But he hath lost all but +Greece; and that land he holds all only. And men would many times put +the apple into the image’s hand again, but it will not hold it. This +apple betokeneth the lordship that he had over all the world, that is +round. And the tother hand he lifteth up against the East, in token to +menace the misdoers. This image stands upon a pillar of marble at +Constantinople. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + + _Of the Cross and the Crown of our Lord Jesu Christ_ + +AT Constantinople is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ, and his coat +without seams, that is clept _Tunica inconsutilis_, and the sponge, and +the reed, of the which the Jews gave our Lord eysell and gall, in the +cross. And there is one of the nails, that Christ was nailed with on the +cross. + +And some men trow that half the cross, that Christ was done on, be in +Cyprus, in an abbey of monks, that men call the Hill of the Holy Cross; +but it is not so. For that cross that is in Cyprus, is the cross, in the +which Dismas the good thief was hanged on. But all men know not that; +and that is evil y-done. For for profit of the offering, they say that +it is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ. + +And ye shall understand that the cross of our Lord was made of four +manner of trees, as it is contained in this verse,—_In cruce fit palma_, +_cedrus_, _cypressus_, _oliva_. For that piece that went upright from +the earth to the head was of cypress; and the piece that went overthwart, +to the which his hands were nailed, was of palm; and the stock, that +stood within the earth, in the which was made the mortise, was of cedar; +and the table above his head, that was a foot and an half long, on the +which the title was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, that was of +olive. + +And the Jews made the cross of these four manner of trees; for they +trowed that our Lord Jesu Christ should have hanged on the cross, as long +as the cross might last. And therefore made they the foot of the cross +of cedar; for cedar may not, in earth nor water, rot, and therefore they +would that it should have lasted long. For they trowed that the body of +Christ should have stunken, they made that piece, that went from the +earth upwards of cypress, for it is well-smelling, so that the smell of +his body should not grieve men that went forby. And the overthwart piece +was of palm, for in the Old Testament it was ordained, that when one was +overcome he should be crowned with palm; and for they trowed that they +had the victory of Christ Jesus, therefore made they the overthwart piece +of palm. And the table of the title they made of olive; for olive +betokeneth peace, as the story of Noe witnesseth; when that the culver +brought the branch of olive, that betokened peace made between God and +man. And so trowed the Jews for to have peace, when Christ was dead; for +they said that he made discord and strife amongst them. And ye shall +understand that our Lord was y-nailed on the cross lying, and therefore +he suffered the more pain. + +And the Christian men, that dwell beyond the sea, in Greece, say that the +tree of the cross, that we call cypress, was of that tree that Adam ate +the apple off; and that find they written. And they say also, that their +scripture saith, that Adam was sick, and said to his son Seth, that he +should go to the angel that kept Paradise, that he would send him oil of +mercy, for to anoint with his members, that he might have health. And +Seth went. But the angel would not let him come in; but said to him, +that he might not have of the oil of mercy. But he took him three grains +of the same tree, that his father ate the apple off; and bade him, as +soon as his father was dead, that he should put these three grains under +his tongue, and grave him so: and so he did. And of these three grains +sprang a tree, as the angel said that it should, and bare a fruit, +through the which fruit Adam should be saved. And when Seth came again, +he found his father near dead. And when he was dead, he did with the +grains as the angel bade him; of the which sprung three trees, of the +which the cross was made, that bare good fruit and blessed, our Lord Jesu +Christ; through whom, Adam and all that come of him, should be saved and +delivered from dread of death without end, but it be their own default. + +This holy cross had the Jews hid in the earth, under a rock of the mount +of Calvary; and it lay there two hundred year and more, into the time +that St. Helen, that was mother to Constantine the Emperor of Rome. And +she was daughter of King Coel, born in Colchester, that was King of +England, that was clept then Britain the more; the which the Emperor +Constance wedded to his wife, for her beauty, and gat upon her +Constantine, that was after Emperor of Rome, and King of England. + +And ye shall understand, that the cross of our Lord was eight cubits +long, and the overthwart piece was of length three cubits and a half. +And one part of the crown of our Lord, wherewith he was crowned, and one +of the nails, and the spear head, and many other relics be in France, in +the king’s chapel. And the crown lieth in a vessel of crystal richly +dight. For a king of France bought these relics some time of the Jews, +to whom the emperor had laid them in wed for a great sum of silver. + +And if all it be so, that men say, that this crown is of thorns, ye shall +understand, that it was of jonkes of the sea, that is to say, rushes of +the sea, that prick as sharply as thorns. For I have seen and beholden +many times that of Paris and that of Constantinople; for they were both +one, made of rushes of the sea. But men have departed them in two parts: +of the which, one part is at Paris, and the other part is at +Constantinople. And I have one of those precious thorns, that seemeth +like a white thorn; and that was given to me for great specially. For +there are many of them broken and fallen into the vessel that the crown +lieth in; for they break for dryness when men move them to show them to +great lords that come thither. + +And ye shall understand, that our Lord Jesu, in that night that he was +taken, he was led into a garden; and there he was first examined right +sharply; and there the Jews scorned him, and made him a crown of the +branches of albespine, that is white thorn, that grew in that same +garden, and set it on his head, so fast and so sore, that the blood ran +down by many places of his visage, and of his neck, and of his shoulders. +And therefore hath the white thorn many virtues, for he that beareth a +branch on him thereof, no thunder ne no manner of tempest may dere him; +nor in the house, that it is in, may no evil ghost enter nor come unto +the place that it is in. And in that same garden, Saint Peter denied our +Lord thrice. + +Afterward was our Lord led forth before the bishops and the masters of +the law, into another garden of Annas; and there also he was examined, +reproved, and scorned, and crowned eft with a sweet thorn, that men +clepeth barbarines, that grew in that garden, and that hath also many +virtues. + +And afterward he was led into a garden of Caiphas, and there he was +crowned with eglantine. + +And after he was led into the chamber of Pilate, and there he was +examined and crowned. And the Jews set him in a chair, and clad him in a +mantle; and there made they the crown of jonkes of the sea; and there +they kneeled to him, and scorned him, saying, _Ave_, _Rex Judeorum_! that +is to say, ‘Hail, King of Jews!’ And of this crown, half is at Paris, +and the other half at Constantinople. And this crown had Christ on his +head, when he was done upon the cross; and therefore ought men to worship +it and hold it more worthy than any of the others. + +And the spear shaft hath the Emperor of Almayne; but the head is at +Paris. And natheles the Emperor of Constantinople saith that he hath the +spear head; and I have often time seen it, but it is greater than that at +Paris. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + + _Of the City of Constantinople_, _and of the Faith of Greeks_ + +AT Constantinople lieth Saint Anne, our Lady’s mother, whom Saint Helen +let bring from Jerusalem. And there lieth also the body of John +Chrisostome, that was Archbishop of Constantinople. And there lieth also +Saint Luke the Evangelist: for his bones were brought from Bethany, where +he was buried. And many other relics be there. And there is the vessel +of stone, as it were of marble, that men clepe enydros, that evermore +droppeth water, and filleth himself every year, till that it go over +above, without that that men take from within. + +Constantinople is a full fair city, and a good, and well walled; and it +is three-cornered. And there is an arm of the sea Hellespont: and some +men call it the Mouth of Constantinople; and some men call it the Brace +of Saint George: and that arm closeth the two parts of the city. And +upward to the sea, upon the water, was wont to be the great city of Troy, +in a full fair plain: but that city was destroyed by them of Greece, and +little appeareth thereof, because it is so long sith it was destroyed. + +About Greece there be many isles, as Calliste, Calcas, Oertige, Tesbria, +Mynia, Flaxon, Melo, Carpate, and Lemnos. And in this isle is the mount +Athos, that passeth the clouds. And there be many diverse languages and +many countries, that be obedient to the emperor; that is to say, +Turcople, Pyncynard, Comange, and many other, as Thrace and Macedonia, of +the which Alexander was king. In this country was Aristotle born, in a +city that men clepe Stagyra, a little from the city of Thrace. And at +Stagyra lieth Aristotle; and there is an altar upon his tomb. And there +make men great feasts for him every year, as though he were a saint. And +at his altar they holden their great councils and their assemblies, and +they hope, that through inspiration of God and of him, they shall have +the better council. + +In this country be right high hills, toward the end of Macedonia. And +there is a great hill, that men clepe Olympus, that departeth Macedonia +and Thrace. And it is so high, that it passeth the clouds. And there is +another hill, that is clept Athos, that is so high, that the shadow of +him reacheth to Lemne, that is an isle; and it is seventy-six mile +between. And above at the cop of the hill is the air so clear, that men +may find no wind there, and therefore may no beast live there, so is the +air dry. + +And men say in these countries, that philosophers some time went upon +these hills, and held to their nose a sponge moisted with water, for to +have air; for the air above was so dry. And above, in the dust and in +the powder of those hills, they wrote letters and figures with their +fingers. And at the year’s end they came again, and found the same +letters and figures, the which they had written the year before, without +any default. And therefore it seemeth well, that these hills pass the +clouds and join to the pure air. + +At Constantinople is the palace of the emperor, right fair and +well-dight: and therein is a fair place for joustings, or for other plays +and desports. And it is made with stages, and hath degrees about, that +every man may well see, and none grieve other. And under these stages be +stables well vaulted for the emperor’s horses; and all the pillars be of +marble. + +And within the Church of Saint Sophia, an emperor sometime would have +buried the body of his father, when he was dead. And, as they made the +grave, they found a body in the earth, and upon the body lay a fine plate +of gold; and thereon was written, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, letters +that said thus; _Jesu Christus nascetur de Virgine Maria_, _et ego credo +in eum_; that is to say, ‘Jesu Christ shall be born of the Virgin Mary, +and I trow in him.’ And the date when it was laid in the earth, was two +thousand year before our Lord was born. And yet is the plate of gold in +the treasury of the church. And men say, that it was Hermogenes the wise +man. + +And if all it so be, that men of Greece be Christian yet they vary from +our faith. For they say, that the Holy Ghost may not come of the Son; +but all only of the Father. And they are not obedient to the Church of +Rome, ne to the Pope. And they say that their Patriarch hath as much +power over the sea, as the Pope hath on this side the sea. And therefore +Pope John xxii. sent letters to them, how Christian faith should be all +one; and that they should be obedient to the Pope, that is God’s Vicar on +earth, to whom God gave his plein power for to bind and to assoil, and +therefore they should be obedient to him. + +And they sent again diverse answers; and among others they said thus: +_Potentiam tuam summam circa tuos subjectos_, _firmiter credimus_. +_Superbiam tuam summam tolerare non possumus_. _Avaritiam tuam summam +satiare non intendimus_. _Dominus tecum_; _quia Dominus nobiscum est_. +That is to say: ‘We trow well, that thy power is great upon thy subjects. +We may not suffer thine high pride. We be not in purpose to fulfil thy +great covetise. Lord be with thee; for our Lord is with us. Farewell.’ +And other answer might he not have of them. + +And also they make their sacrament of the altar of Therf bread, for our +Lord made it of such bread, when he made his Maundy. And on the +Shere-Thursday make they their Therf bread, in token of the Maundy, and +dry it at the sun, and keep it all the year, and give it to sick men, +instead of God’s body. And they make but one unction, when they christen +children. And they anoint not the sick men. And they say that there is +no Purgatory, and that souls shall not have neither joy ne pain till the +day of doom. And they say that fornication is no sin deadly, but a thing +that is kindly, and that men and women should not wed but once, and whoso +weddeth oftener than once, their children be bastards and gotten in sin. +And their priests also be wedded. + +And they say also that usury is no deadly sin. And they sell benefices +of Holy Church. And so do men in other places: God amend it when his +will is! And that is great sclaundre, for now is simony king crowned in +Holy Church: God amend it for his mercy! + +And they say, that in Lent, men shall not fast, ne sing Mass, but on the +Saturday and on the Sunday. And they fast not on the Saturday, no time +of the year, but it be Christmas Even or Easter Even. And they suffer +not the Latins to sing at their altars; and if they do, by any adventure, +anon they wash the altar with holy water. And they say that there should +be but one Mass said at one altar upon one day. + +And they say also that our Lord ne ate never meat; but he made token of +eating. And also they say, that we sin deadly in shaving our beards, for +the beard is token of a man, and gift of our Lord. And they say that we +sin deadly in eating of beasts that were forbidden in the Old Testament, +and of the old Law, as swine, hares and other beasts, that chew not their +cud. And they say that we sin, when we eat flesh on the days before Ash +Wednesday, and of that that we eat flesh the Wednesday, and eggs and +cheese upon the Fridays. And they accurse all those that abstain them to +eat flesh the Saturday. + +Also the Emperor of Constantinople maketh the patriarch, the archbishops +and the bishops; and giveth the dignities and the benefices of churches +and depriveth them that be unworthy, when he findeth any cause. And so +is he lord both temporal and spiritual in his country. + +And if ye will wit of their A.B.C. what letters they be, here ye may see +them, with the names that they clepe them there amongst them: Alpha, +Betha, Gama, Deltha, εlonge, ε brevis, Epilmon, Thetha, Iota, Kapda, +Lapda, Mi, Ni, Xi, ο brevis, Pi, Coph, Ro, Summa, Tau, Vi, Fy, Chi, Psi, +Othomega, Diacosyn. + +And all be it that these things touch not to one way, nevertheless they +touch to that, that I have hight you, to shew you a part of customs and +manners, and diversities of countries. And for this is the first country +that is discordant in faith and in belief, and varieth from our faith, on +this half the sea, therefore I have set it here, that ye may know the +diversity that is between our faith and theirs. For many men have great +liking, to hear speak of strange things of diverse countries. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +[_Of the Way from Constantinople to Jerusalem_.] _Of Saint John the +Evangelist_. _And of the Ypocras Daughter_, _transformed from a Woman to +a Dragon_ + +NOW return I again, for to teach you the way from Constantinople to +Jerusalem. He that will through Turkey, he goeth toward the city of +Nyke, and passeth through the gate of Chienetout, and always men see +before them the hill of Chienetout, that is right high; and it is a mile +and an half from Nyke. + +And whoso will go by water, by the brace of St. George, and by the sea +where St. Nicholas lieth, and toward many other places—first men go to an +isle that is clept Sylo. In that isle groweth mastick on small trees, +and out of them cometh gum as it were of plum-trees or of cherry-trees. + +And after go men through the isle of Patmos; and there wrote St. John the +Evangelist the Apocalypse. And ye shall understand, that St. John was of +age thirty-two year, when our Lord suffered his passion; and after his +passion, he lived sixty-seven year, and in the hundredth year of his age +he died. + +From Patmos men go unto Ephesus, a fair city and nigh to the sea. And +there died St. John, and was buried behind the high altar in a tomb. And +there is a fair church; for Christian men were wont to holden that place +always. And in the tomb of St. John is nought but manna, that is clept +angels’ meat; for his body was translated into Paradise. And Turks hold +now all that place, and the city and the church; and all Asia the less is +y-clept Turkey. And ye shall understand, that St. John let make his +grave there in his life, and laid himself therein all quick; and +therefore some men say, that he died not, but that he resteth there till +the day of doom. And, forsooth, there is a great marvel; for men may see +there the earth of the tomb apertly many times stir and move, as there +were quick things under. + +And from Ephesus men go through many isles in the sea, unto the city of +Patera, where St. Nicholas was born, and so to Martha, where he was +chosen to be bishop; and there groweth right good wine and strong, and +that men call wine of Martha. And from thence go men to the isle of +Crete, that the emperor gave sometime to [the] Genoese. + +And then pass men through the isles of Colcos and of Lango, of the which +isles Ypocras was lord of. And some men say, that in the isle of Lango +is yet the daughter of Ypocras, in form and likeness of a great dragon, +that is a hundred fathom of length, as men say, for I have not seen her. +And they of the isles call her Lady of the Land. And she lieth in an old +castle, in a cave, and sheweth twice or thrice in the year, and she doth +no harm to no man, but if men do her harm. And she was thus changed and +transformed, from a fair damosel, into likeness of a dragon, by a goddess +that was clept Diana. And men say, that she shall so endure in that form +of a dragon, unto [the] time that a knight come, that is so hardy, that +dare come to her and kiss her on the mouth; and then shall she turn again +to her own kind, and be a woman again, but after that she shall not live +long. + +And it is not long sithen, that a knight of Rhodes, that was hardy and +doughty in arms, said that he would kiss her. And when he was upon his +courser, and went to the castle, and entered into the cave, the dragon +lift up her head against him. And when the knight saw her in that form +so hideous and so horrible he fled away. And the dragon bare the knight +upon a rock, maugre his head; and from that rock, she cast him into the +sea. And so was lost both horse and man. + +And also a young man, that wist not of the dragon, went out of a ship, +and went through the isle till that he came to the castle, and came into +the cave, and went so long, till that he found a chamber; and there he +saw a damosel that combed her head and looked in a mirror; and she had +much treasure about her. And he trowed that she had been a common woman, +that dwelled there to receive men to folly. And he abode, till the +damosel saw the shadow of him in the mirror. And she turned her toward +him, and asked him what he would? And he said, he would be her leman or +paramour. And she asked him, if that he were a knight? And he said, +nay. And then she said, that he might not be her leman; but she bade him +go again unto his fellows, and make him knight, and come again upon the +morrow, and she should come out of the cave before him, and then come and +kiss her on the mouth and have no dread,—for I shall do thee no manner of +harm, albeit that thou see me in likeness of a dragon; for though thou +see me hideous and horrible to look on, I do thee to wit that it is made +by enchantment; for without doubt, I am none other than thou seest now, a +woman, and therefore dread thee nought. And if thou kiss me, thou shalt +have all this treasure, and be my lord, and lord also of all the isle. + +And he departed from her and went to his fellows to ship, and let make +him knight and came again upon the morrow for to kiss this damosel. And +when he saw her come out of the cave in form of a dragon, so hideous and +so horrible, he had so great dread, that he fled again to the ship, and +she followed him. And when she saw that he turned not again, she began +to cry, as a thing that had much sorrow; and then she turned again into +her cave. And anon the knight died. And sithen hitherward might no +knight see her, but that he died anon. But when a knight cometh, that is +so hardy to kiss her, he shall not die; but he shall turn the damosel +into her right form and kindly shape, and he shall be lord of all the +countries and isles abovesaid. + +And from thence men come to the isle of Rhodes, the which isle +Hospitallers holden and govern; and that took they some-time from the +emperor. And it was wont to be clept Collos; and so call it the Turks +yet. And Saint Paul in his epistle writeth to them of that isle _ad +Colossenses_. This isle is nigh eight hundred mile long from +Constantinople. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +[_Of diversities in Cyprus_; _of the Road from Cyprus to Jerusalem_, _and +of the Marvel of a Fosse full of Sand_] + +AND from this isle of Rhodes men go to Cyprus, where be many vines, that +first be red and after one year they become white; and those wines that +be most white, be most clear and best of smell. + +And men pass by that way, by a place that was wont to be a great city, +and a great land; and the city was clept Cathailye, the which city and +land was lost through folly of a young man. For he had a fair damosel, +that he loved well to his paramour; and she died suddenly, and was done +in a tomb of marble. And for the great lust that he had to her, he went +in the night unto her tomb and opened it, and went in and lay by her, and +went his way. And when it came to the end of nine months, there came a +voice to him and said, Go to the tomb of that woman, and open it and +behold what thou hast begotten on her; and if thou let to go, thou shalt +have a great harm. And he yede and opened the tomb, and there flew out +an adder right hideous to see; the which as swithe flew about the city +and the country, and soon after the city sank down. And there be many +perilous passages without fail. + +From Rhodes to Cyprus be five hundred mile and more. But men may go to +Cyprus, and come not at Rhodes. Cyprus is right a good isle, and a fair +and a great, and it hath four principal cities within him. And there is +an Archbishop at Nicosea, and four other bishops in that land. And at +Famagost is one of the principal havens of the sea that is in the world; +and there arrive Christian men and Saracens and men of all nations. In +Cyprus is the Hill of the Holy Cross; and there is an abbey of monks +black and there is the cross of Dismas the good thief, as I have said +before. And some men trow, that there is half the cross of our Lord; but +it is not so, and they do evil that make men to believe so. + +In Cyprus lieth Saint Zenonimus, of whom men of that country make great +solemnity. And in the castle of Amours lieth the body of Saint-Hilarion, +and men keep it right worshipfully. And beside Famagost was Saint +Barnabas the apostle born. + +In Cyprus men hunt with papyonns, that be like leopards, and they take +wild beasts right well, and they be somewhat more than lions; and they +take more sharply the beasts, and more deliver than do hounds. + +In Cyprus is the manner of lords and all other men all to eat on the +earth. For they make ditches in the earth all about in the hall, deep to +the knee, and they do pave them; and when they will eat, they go therein +and sit there. And the skill is for they may be the more fresh; for that +land is much more hotter than it is here. And at great feasts, and for +strangers, they set forms and tables, as men do in this country, but they +had lever sit in the earth. + +From Cyprus, men go to the land of Jerusalem by the sea: and in a day and +in a night, he that hath good wind may come to the haven of Tyre, that is +now clept Surrye. There was some-time a great city and a good of +Christian men, but Saracens have destroyed it a great part; and they keep +that haven right well, for dread of Christian men. Men might go more +right to that haven, and come not in Cyprus, but they go gladly to Cyprus +to rest them on the land, or else to buy things, that they have need to +their living. On the sea-side men may find many rubies. And there is +the well of the which holy writ speaketh of, and saith, _Fons ortorum_, +_et puteus aquarum viventium_: that is to say, ‘the well of gardens, and +the ditch of living waters.’ + +In this city of Tyre, said the woman to our Lord, _Beatus venter qui te +portavit_, _et ubera que succisti_: that is to say, ‘Blessed be the body +that thee bare, and the paps that thou suckedst.’ And there our Lord +forgave the woman of Canaan her sins. And before Tyre was wont to be the +stone, on the which our Lord sat and preached, and on that stone was +founded the Church of Saint Saviour. + +And eight mile from Tyre, toward the east, upon the sea, is the city of +Sarphen, in Sarepta of Sidonians. And there was wont for to dwell Elijah +the prophet; and there raised he Jonas, the widow’s son, from death to +life. And five mile from Sarphen is the city of Sidon; of the which +city, Dido was lady, that was Aeneas’ wife, after the destruction of +Troy, and that founded the city of Carthage in Africa, and now is clept +Sidonsayete. And in the city of Tyre, reigned Agenor, the father of +Dido. And sixteen mile from Sidon is Beirout. And from Beirout to +Sardenare is three journeys and from Sardenare is five mile to Damascus. + +And whoso will go long time on the sea, and come nearer to Jerusalem, he +shall go from Cyprus by sea to Port Jaffa. For that is the next haven to +Jerusalem; for from that haven is not but one day journey and a half to +Jerusalem. And the town is called Jaffa; for one of the sons of Noah +that hight Japhet founded it, and now it is clept Joppa. And ye shall +understand, that it is one of the oldest towns of the world, for it was +founded before Noah’s flood. And yet there sheweth in the rock, there as +the iron chains were fastened, that Andromeda, a great giant, was bounden +with, and put in prison before Noah’s flood, of the which giant, is a rib +of his side that is forty foot long. + +And whoso will arrive at the port of Tyre or of Surrye, that I have +spoken of before, may go by land, if he will, to Jerusalem. And men go +from Surrye unto the city of Akon in a day. And it was clept some-time +Ptolemaïs. And it was some-time a city of Christian men, full fair, but +it is now destroyed; and it stands upon the sea. And from Venice to +Akon, by sea, is two thousand and four score miles of Lombardy; and from +Calabria, or from Sicily to Akon, by sea, is a 1300 miles of Lombardy; +and the isle of Crete is right in the midway. + +And beside the city of Akon, toward the sea, six score furlongs on the +right side, toward the south, is the Hill of Carmel, where Elijah the +prophet dwelled, and there was first the Order of Friars Carmelites +founded. This hill is not right great, nor full high. And at the foot +of this hill was some-time a good city of Christian men, that men clept +Caiffa, for Caiaphas first founded it; but it is now all wasted. And on +the left side of the Hill of Carmel is a town, that men clepe Saffre, and +that is set on another hill. There Saint James and Saint John were born; +and, in worship of them there is a fair church. And from Ptolemaïs, that +men clepe now Akon, unto a great hill, that is clept Scale of Tyre, is +one hundred furlongs. And beside the city of Akon runneth a little +river, that is clept Belon. + +And there nigh is the Foss of Mennon that is all round; and it is one +hundred cubits of largeness, and it is all full of gravel, shining +bright, of the which men make fair verres and clear. And men come from +far, by water in ships, and by land with carts, for to fetch of that +gravel. And though there be never so much taken away thereof in the day, +at morrow it is as full again as ever it was; and that is a great marvel. +And there is evermore great wind in that foss, that stirreth evermore the +gravel, and maketh it trouble. And if any man do therein any manner +metal, it turneth anon to glass. And the glass, that is made of that +gravel, if it be done again into the gravel, it turneth anon into gravel +as it was first. And therefore some men say, that it is a swallow of the +gravelly sea. + +Also from Akon, above-said, go men forth four journeys to the city of +Palestine, that was of the Philistines, that now is clept Gaza, that is a +gay city and a rich; and it is right fair and full of folk, and it is a +little from the sea. And from this city brought Samson the strong the +gates upon an high land, when he was taken in that city, and there he +slew in a palace the king and himself, and great number of the best of +the Philistines, the which had put out his eyen and shaved his head, and +imprisoned him by treason of Dalida his paramour. And therefore he made +fall upon them a great hall, when they were at meat. + +And from thence go men to the city of Cesarea, and so to the Castle of +Pilgrims, and so to Ascalon; and then to Jaffa, and so to Jerusalem. + +And whoso will go by land through the land of Babylon, where the soldan +dwelleth commonly, he must get grace of him and leave to go more siker +through those lands and countries. + +And for to go to the Mount of Sinai, before that men go to Jerusalem, +they shall go from Gaza to the Castle of Daire. And after that, men come +out of Syria, and enter into wilderness, and there the way is full sandy; +and that wilderness and desert lasteth eight journeys, but always men +find good inns, and all that they need of victuals. And men clepe that +wilderness Achelleke. And when a man cometh out of that desert, he +entereth into Egypt, that men clepe Egypt-Canopac, and after other +language, men clepe it Morsyn. And there first men find a good town, +that is clept Belethe; and it is at the end of the kingdom of Aleppo. +And from thence men go to Babylon and to Cairo. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + + _Of many Names of Soldans_, _and of the Tower of Babylon_ + +AT Babylon there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled seven +year, when she fled out of the land of Judea for dread of King Herod. +And there lieth the body of Saint Barbara the virgin and martyr. And +there dwelled Joseph, when he was sold of his brethren. And there made +Nebuchadnezzar the king put three children into the furnace of fire, for +they were in the right truth of belief, the which children men clept +Anania, Azariah, Mishael, as the Psalm of _Benedicite_ saith: but +Nebuchadnezzar clept them otherwise, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, +that is to say, God glorious, God victorious, and God over all things and +realms: and that was for the miracle, that he saw God’s Son go with the +children through the fire, as he said. + +There dwelleth the soldan in his Calahelyke (for there is commonly his +seat) in a fair castle, strong and great, and well set upon a rock. In +that castle dwell alway, to keep it and to serve the soldan, more then +6000 persons, that take all their necessaries off the soldan’s court. I +ought right well to know it; for I dwelled with him as soldier in his +wars a great while against the Bedouins. And he would have married me +full highly to a great prince’s daughter, if I would have forsaken my law +and my belief; but I thank God, I had no will to do it, for nothing that +he behight me. + +And ye shall understand that the soldan is lord of five kingdoms, that he +hath conquered and appropred to him by strength. And these be the names: +the kingdom of Canapac, that is Egypt; and the kingdom of Jerusalem, +where that David and Solomon were kings; and the kingdom of Syria, of the +which the city of Damascus was chief; and the kingdom of Aleppo in the +land of Mathe; and the kingdom Arabia, that was to one of the three +kings, that made offering to our Lord, when he was born. And many other +lands he holdeth in his hand. And therewithal he holdeth caliphs, that +is a full great thing in their language, and it is as much to say as +king. + +And there were wont to be five soldans; but now there is no more but he +of Egypt. And the first soldan was Zarocon, that was of Media, as was +father to Saladin that took the Caliph of Egypt and slew him, and was +made soldan by strength. After that was Soldan Saladin, in whose time +the King of England, Richard the First, with many other, kept the +passage, that Saladin ne might not pass. After Saladin reigned his son +Boradin, and after him his nephew. After that, the Comanians that were +in servage in Egypt, felt themselves that they were of great power, they +chose them a soldan amongst them, the which made him to be clept +Melechsalan. And in his time entered into the country of the kings of +France Saint Louis, and fought with him; and [the soldan] took him and +imprisoned him; and this [soldan] was slain by his own servants. And +after, they chose another to be soldan, that they clept Tympieman; and he +let deliver Saint Louis out of prison for a certain ransom. And after, +one of these Comanians reigned, that hight Cachas, and slew Tympieman, +for to be soldan; and made him be clept Melechmenes. And after another +that had to name Bendochdare, that slew Melechmenes, for to be sultan, +and clept himself Melechdare. In his time entered the good King Edward +of England into Syria, and did great harm to the Saracens. And after, +was this soldan empoisoned at Damascus, and his son thought to reign +after him by heritage, and made him to be clept Melechsache; but another +that had to name Elphy, chased him out of the country and made him +soldan. This man took the city of Tripoli and destroyed many of the +Christian men, the year of grace 1289, and after was he imprisoned of +another that would be soldan, but he was anon slain. After that was the +son of Elphy chosen to be soldan, and clept him Melechasseraff, and he +took the city of Akon and chased out the Christian men; and this was also +empoisoned, and then was his brother made soldan, and was clept +Melechnasser. And after, one that was clept Guytoga took him and put him +in prison in the castle of Mountroyal, and made him soldan by strength, +and clept him Melechadel; and he was of Tartary. But the Comanians +chased him out of the country, and did him much sorrow, and made one of +themself soldan, that had to name Lachin. And he made him to be clept +Melechmanser, the which on a day played at the chess, and his sword lay +beside him; and so befell, that one wrathed him, and with his own proper +sword he was slain. And after that, they were at great discord, for to +make a soldan; and finally they accorded to Melechnasser, that Guytoga +had put in prison at Mountroyal. And this reigned long and governed so +that his eldest son was chosen after him, Melechmader, the which his +brother let slay privily for to have the lordship, and made him to be +clept Melechmadabron, and he soldan when I departed from those countries. + +And wit ye well that the soldan may lead out of Egypt more than 20,000 +men of arms, and out of Syria, and out of Turkey and out of other +countries that he holds, he may arrere more than 50,000. And all those +be at his wages, and they be always at him, without the folk of his +country, that is without number. And every each of them hath by year the +mountance of six score florins; but it behoveth, that every of them hold +three horses and a camel. And by the cities and by towns be admirals, +that have the governance of the people; one hath to govern four, and +another hath to govern five, another more, and another well more. And as +many taketh the admiral by him alone, as all the other soldiers have +under him; and therefore, when the soldan will advance any worthy knight, +he maketh him an admiral. And when it is any dearth, the knights be +right poor, and then they sell both their horse and their harness. + +And the soldan hath four wives, one Christian and three Saracens, of the +which one dwelleth at Jerusalem, and another at Damascus, and another at +Ascalon; and when them list, they remove to other cities, and when the +soldan will he may go to visit them. And he hath as many paramours as +him liketh. For he maketh to come before him the fairest and the noblest +of birth, and the gentlest damosels of his country, and he maketh them to +be kept and served full honourably. And when he will have one to lie +with him, he maketh them all to come before him, and he beholdeth in all, +which of them is most to his pleasure, and to her anon he sendeth or +casteth a ring from his finger. And then anon she shall be bathed and +richly attired, and anointed with delicate things of sweet smell, and +then led to the soldan’s chamber; and thus he doth as often as him list, +when he will have any of them. + +And before the soldan cometh no stranger, but if he be clothed in cloth +of gold, or of Tartary or of Camaka, in the Saracens’ guise, and as the +Saracens use. And it behoveth, that anon at the first sight that men see +the soldan, be it in window or in what place else, that men kneel to him +and kiss the earth, for that is the manner to do reverence to the soldan +of them that speak with him. And when that messengers of strange +countries come before him, the meinie of the soldan, when the strangers +speak to him, they be about the soldan with swords drawn and gisarmes and +axes, their arms lifted up in high with those weapons for to smite upon +them, if they say any word that is displeasance to the soldan. And also, +no stranger cometh before him, but that he maketh him some promise and +grant of that the [stranger] asketh reasonably; by so it be not against +his law. And so do other princes beyond, for they say that no man shall +come before no prince, but that [he be] better, and shall be more gladder +in departing from his presence than he was at the coming before him. + +And understandeth, that that Babylon that I have spoken of, where that +the sultan dwelleth, is not that great Babylon where the diversity of +languages was first made for vengeance by the miracle of God, when the +great Tower of Babel was begun to be made; of the which the walls were +sixty-four furlongs of height; that is in the great desert of Arabia, +upon the way as men go toward the kingdom of Chaldea. But it is full +long since that any man durst nigh to the tower; for it is all desert and +full of dragons and great serpents, and full of diverse venomous beasts +all about. That tower, with the city, was of twenty-five mile in circuit +of the walls, as they of the country say, and as men may deem by +estimation, after that men tell of the country. + +And though it be clept the Tower of Babylon, yet nevertheless, there were +ordained within many mansions and many great dwelling-places, in length +and breadth. And that tower contained great country in circuit, for the +tower alone contained ten mile square. That tower founded King Nimrod +that was king of that country; and he was the first king of the world. +And he let make an image in the likeness of his father, and constrained +all his subjects for to worship it; and anon began other lords to do the +same, and so began the idols and the simulacres first. + +The town and the city were full well set in a fair country and a plain +that men clepe the country of Samar, of the which the walls of the city +were two hundred cubits in height, and fifty cubits of deepness; and the +river of Euphrates ran throughout the city and about the tower also. But +Cyrus the King of Persia took from them the river, and destroyed all the +city and the tower also; for he departed that river in 360 small rivers, +because that he had sworn, that he should put the river in such point, +that a woman might well pass there, without casting off of her clothes, +forasmuch as he had lost many worthy men that trowed to pass that river +by swimming. + +And from Babylon where the soldan dwelleth, to go right between the +Orient and the Septentrion toward the great Babylon, is forty journeys to +pass by desert. But it is not the great Babylon in the land and in the +power of the said soldan, but it is in the power and the lordship of +Persia, but he holdeth it of the great Chan, that is the greatest emperor +and the most sovereign lord of all the parts beyond, and he is lord of +the isles of Cathay and of many other isles and of a great part of Ind, +and his land marcheth unto Prester John’s Land, and he holdeth so much +land, that he knoweth not the end: and he is more mighty and greater lord +without comparison than is the soldan: of his royal estate and of his +might I shall speak more plenerly, when I shall speak of the land and of +the country of Ind. + +Also the city of Mecca where Mohammet lieth is of the great deserts of +Arabia; and there lieth [the] body of him full honourably in their +temple, that the Saracens clepen Musketh. And it is from Babylon the +less, where the soldan dwelleth, unto Mecca above-said, into a thirty-two +journeys. + +And wit well, that the realm of Arabia is a full great country, but +therein is over-much desert. And no man may dwell there in that desert +for default of water, for that land is all gravelly and full of sand. +And it is dry and no thing fruitful, because that it hath no moisture; +and therefore is there so much desert. And if it had rivers and wells, +and the land also were as it is in other parts, it should be as full of +people and as full inhabited with folk as in other places; for there is +full great multitude of people, whereas the land is inhabited. Arabia +dureth from the ends of the realm of Chaldea unto the last end of Africa, +and marcheth to the land of Idumea toward the end of Botron. And in +Chaldea the chief city is Bagdad. And of Africa the chief city is +Carthage, that Dido, that was Eneas’s wife, founded; the which Eneas was +of the city of Troy, and after was King of Italy. + +Mesopotamia stretcheth also unto the deserts of Arabia, and it is a great +country. In this country is the city of Haran, where Abraham’s father +dwelled, and from whence Abraham departed by commandment of the angel. +And of that city was Ephraim, that was a great clerk and a great doctor. +And Theophilus was of that city also, that our lady saved from our enemy. +And Mesopotamia dureth from the river of Euphrates, unto the river of +Tigris, for it is between those two rivers. + +And beyond the river of Tigris is Chaldea, that is a full great kingdom. +In that realm, at Bagdad above-said, was wont to dwell the caliph, that +was wont to be both as Emperor and Pope of the Arabians, so that he was +lord spiritual and temporal; and he was successor to Mahommet, and of his +generation. That city of Bagdad was wont to be clept Sutis, and +Nebuchadnezzar founded it; and there dwelled the holy prophet Daniel, and +there he saw visions of heaven, and there he made the exposition of +dreams. + +And in old time there were wont to be three caliphs, he of Arabia and of +Chaldea dwelt in the city of Bagdad above-said; and at Cairo beside +Babylon dwelt the Caliph of Egypt; and at Morocco, upon the West Sea, +dwelt the Caliph of the people of Barbary and of Africans. And now is +there none of the caliphs, nor nought have been since the time of the +Soldan Saladin; for from that time hither the soldan clepeth himself +caliph, and so have the caliphs lost their name. + +Also witeth well, that Babylon the less, where the soldan dwelleth, and +at the city of Cairo that is nigh beside it, be great huge cities many +and fair; and that one sitteth nigh that other. Babylon sitteth upon the +river of Gyson, sometimes clept Nile, that cometh out of Paradise +terrestrial. + +That river of Nile, all the year, when the sun entereth into the sign of +Cancer, it beginneth to wax, and it waxeth always as long as the sun is +in Cancer and in the sign of the Lion; and it waxeth in such manner, that +it is sometimes so great, that it is twenty cubits or more of deepness, +and then it doth great harm to the goods that be upon the land. For then +may no man travail to plough the lands for the great moisture, and +therefore is there dear time in that country. And also, when it waxeth +little, it is dear time in that country, for default of moisture. And +when the sun is in the sign of Virgo, then beginneth the river for to +wane and to decrease little and little, so that when the sun is entered +into the sign of Libra, then they enter between these rivers. This river +cometh, running from Paradise terrestrial, between the deserts of Ind, +and after it smiteth unto land, and runneth long time many great +countries under earth. And after it goeth out under an high hill, that +men clepe Alothe, that is between Ind and Ethiopia the mountance of five +months’ journeys from the entry of Ethiopia; and after it environeth all +Ethiopia and Mauritania, and goeth all along from the land of Egypt unto +the city of Alexandria to the end of Egypt, and there it falleth into the +sea. About this river be many birds and fowls, as sikonies, that they +clepen ibes. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +_Of the Country of Egypt_; _of the Bird Phoenix of Arabia_; _of the City +of Cairo_; _of the Cunning to know Balm and to prove it_; _and of the +Garners of Joseph_ + +EGYPT is a long country, but it is straight, that is to say narrow, for +they may not enlarge it toward the desert for default of water. And the +country is set along upon the river of Nile, by as much as that river may +serve by floods or otherwise, that when it floweth it may spread abroad +through the country; so is the country large of length. For there it +raineth not but little in that country, and for that cause they have no +water, but if it be of that flood of that river. And forasmuch as it ne +raineth not in that country, but the air is alway pure and clear, +therefore in that country be the good astronomers, for they find there no +clouds to letten them. Also the city of Cairo is right great and more +huge than that of Babylon the less, and it sitteth above toward the +desert of Syria, a little above the river above-said. + +In Egypt there be two parts: the height, that is toward Ethiopia, and the +lower, that is toward Arabia. In Egypt is the land of Rameses and the +land of Goshen. Egypt is a strong country, for it hath many shrewd +havens because of the great rocks that be strong and dangerous to pass +by. And at Egypt, toward the east, is the Red Sea, that dureth unto the +city of Coston; and toward the west is the country of Lybia, that is a +full dry land and little of fruit, for it is overmuch plenty of heat, and +that land is clept Fusthe. And toward the part meridional is Ethiopia. +And toward the north is the desert, that dureth unto Syria, and so is the +country strong on all sides. And it is well a fifteen journeys of +length, and more than two so much of desert, and it is but two journeys +in largeness. And between Egypt and Nubia it hath well a twelve journeys +of desert. And men of Nubia be Christian, but they be black as the Moors +for great heat of the sun. + +In Egypt there be five provinces: that one is Sahythe; that other +Demeseer; another Resith, that is an isle in the Nile; another +Alexandria; and another the land of Damietta. That city was wont to be +right strong, but it was twice won of the Christian men, and therefore +after that the Saracens beat down the walls; and with the walls the tower +thereof, the Saracens made another city more far from the sea, and clept +it the new Damietta; so that now no man dwelleth at the rather town of +Damietta. At that city of Damietta is one of the havens of Egypt; and at +Alexandria is that other. That is a full strong city, but there is no +water to drink, but if it come by conduit from Nile, that entereth into +their cisterns; and whoso stopped that water from them, they might not +endure there. In Egypt there be but few forcelets or castles, because +that the country is so strong of himself. + +At the deserts of Egypt was a worthy man, that was an holy hermit, and +there met with him a monster (that is to say, a monster is a thing +deformed against kind both of man or of beast or of anything else, and +that is clept a monster). And this monster, that met with this holy +hermit, was as it had been a man, that had two horns trenchant on his +forehead; and he had a body like a man unto the navel, and beneath he had +the body like a goat. And the hermit asked him what he was. And the +monster answered him, and said he was a deadly creature, such as God had +formed, and dwelt in those deserts in purchasing his sustenance. And +[he] besought the hermit, that he would pray God for him, the which that +came from heaven for to save all mankind, and was born of a maiden and +suffered passion and death (as we well know) and by whom we live and be. +And yet is the head with the two horns of that monster at Alexandria for +a marvel. + +In Egypt is the city of Heliopolis, that is to say, the city of the Sun. +In that city there is a temple, made round after the shape of the Temple +of Jerusalem. The priests of that temple have all their writings, under +the date of the fowl that is clept phoenix; and there is none but one in +all the world. And he cometh to burn himself upon the altar of that +temple at the end of five hundred year; for so long he liveth. And at +the five hundred years’ end, the priests array their altar honestly, and +put thereupon spices and sulphur vif and other things that will burn +lightly; and then the bird phoenix cometh and burneth himself to ashes. +And the first day next after, men find in the ashes a worm; and the +second day next after, men find a bird quick and perfect; and the third +day next after, he flieth his way. And so there is no more birds of that +kind in all the world, but it alone, and truly that is a great miracle of +God. And men may well liken that bird unto God, because that there ne is +no God but one; and also, that our Lord arose from death to life the +third day. This bird men see often-time fly in those countries; and he +is not mickle more than an eagle. And he hath a crest of feathers upon +his head more great than the peacock hath; and is neck his yellow after +colour of an oriel that is a stone well shining, and his beak is coloured +blue as ind; and his wings be of purple colour, and his tail is barred +overthwart with green and yellow and red. And he is a full fair bird to +look upon, against the sun, for he shineth full gloriously and nobly. + +Also in Egypt be gardens, that have trees and herbs, the which bear +fruits seven times in the year. And in that land men find many fair +emeralds and enough; and therefore they be greater cheap. Also when it +raineth once in the summer in the land of Egypt, then is all the country +full of great mires. Also at Cairo, that I spake of before, sell men +commonly both men and women of other laws as we do here beasts in the +market. And there is a common house in that city that is all full of +small furnaces, and thither bring women of the town their eyren of hens, +of geese, and or ducks for to be put into those furnaces. And they that +keep that house cover them with heat of horse dung, without hen, goose or +duck or any other fowl. And at the end of three weeks or of a month they +come again and take their chickens and flourish them and bring them +forth, so that all the country is full of them. And so men do there both +winter and summer. + +Also in that country and in others also, men find long apples to sell, in +their season, and men clepe them apples of Paradise; and they be right +sweet and of good savour. And though ye cut them in never so many +gobbets or parts, overthwart or endlong, evermore ye shall find in the +midst the figure of the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesu. But they will rot +within eight days, and for that cause men may not carry of those apples +to no far countries; of them men find the mountance of a hundred in a +basket, and they have great leaves of a foot and a half of length, and +they be convenably large. And men find there also the apple tree of +Adam, that have a bite at one of the sides; and there be also fig trees +that bear no leaves, but figs upon the small branches; and men clepe them +figs of Pharaoh. + +Also beside Cairo, without that city, is the field where balm groweth; +and it cometh out on small trees, that be none higher than to a man’s +breeks’ girdle, and they seem as wood that is of the wild vine. And in +that field be seven wells, that our Lord Jesu Christ made with one of his +feet, when he went to play with other children. That field is not so +well closed, but that men may enter at their own list; but in that season +that the balm is growing, men put thereto good keeping, that no man dare +be hardy to enter. + +This balm groweth in no place, but only there. And though that men bring +of the plants, for to plant in other countries, they grow well and fair; +but they bring forth no fructuous thing, and the leaves of balm fall not. +And men cut the branches with a sharp flintstone, or with a sharp bone, +when men will go to cut them; for whoso cut them with iron, it would +destroy his virtue and his nature. + +And the Saracens clepe the wood _Enonch-balse_, and the fruit, the which +is as cubebs, they clepe _Abebissam_, and the liquor that droppeth from +the branches they clepe _Guybalse_. And men make always that balm to be +tilled of the Christian men, or else it would not fructify; as the +Saracens say themselves, for it hath been often-time proved. Men say +also, that the balm groweth in Ind the more, in that desert where +Alexander spake to the trees of the sun and of the moon, but I have not +seen it; for I have not been so far above upward, because that there be +too many perilous passages. + +And wit ye well, that a man ought to take good keep for to buy balm, but +if he con know it right well, for he may right lightly be deceived. For +men sell a gum, that men clepe turpentine, instead of balm, and they put +thereto a little balm for to give good odour. And some put wax in oil of +the wood of the fruit of balm, and say that it is balm. And some distil +cloves of gilofre and of spikenard of Spain and of other spices, that be +well smelling; and the liquor that goeth out thereof they clepe it balm, +and they think that they have balm, and they have none. For the Saracens +counterfeit it by subtlety of craft for to deceive the Christian men, as +I have seen full many a time; and after them the merchants and the +apothecaries counterfeit it eft sones, and then it is less worth, and a +great deal worse. + +But if it like you, I shall shew how ye shall know and prove, to the end +that ye shall not be deceived. First ye shall well know, that the +natural balm is full clear, and of citron colour and strongly smelling; +and if it be thick, or red or black, it is sophisticate, that is to say, +counterfeited and made like it for deceit. And understand, that if ye +will put a little balm in the palm of your hand against the sun, if it be +fine and good, ye ne shall not suffer your hand against the heat of the +sun. Also take a little balm with the point of a knife, and touch it to +the fire, and if it burn it is a good sign. After take also a drop of +balm, and put it into a dish, or in a cup with milk of a goat, and if it +be natural balm anon it will take and beclippe the milk. Or put a drop +of balm in clear water in a cup of silver or in a clear basin, stir it +well with the clear water; and if the balm be fine and of his own kind, +the water shall never trouble; and if the balm be sophisticate, that is +to say counterfeited, the water shall become anon trouble; and also if +the balm be fine it shall fall to the bottom of the vessel, as though it +were quicksilver, for the fine balm is more heavy twice than is the balm +that is sophisticate and counterfeited. Now I have spoken of balm. + +And now also I shall speak of another thing that is beyond Babylon, above +the flood of the Nile, toward the desert between Africa and Egypt; that +is to say, of the garners of Joseph, that he let make for to keep the +grains for the peril of the dear years. And they be made of stone, full +well made of masons’ craft; of the which two be marvellously great and +high, and the tother ne be not so great. And every garner hath a gate +for to enter within, a little high from the earth; for the land is wasted +and fallen since the garners were made. And within they be all full of +serpents. And above the garners without be many scriptures of diverse +languages. And some men say, that they be sepultures of great lords, +that were sometime, but that is not true, for all the common rumour and +speech is of all the people there, both far and near, that they be the +garners of Joseph; and so find they in their scriptures, and in their +chronicles. On the other part, if they were sepultures, they should not +be void within, ne they should have no gates for to enter within; for ye +may well know, that tombs and sepultures be not made of such greatness, +nor of such highness; wherefore it is not to believe, that they be tombs +or sepultures. + +In Egypt also there be diverse languages and diverse letters, and of +other manner and condition than there be in other parts. As I shall +devise you, such as they be, and the names how they clepe them, to such +intent, that ye may know the difference of them and of others,—Athoimis, +Bimchi, Chinok, Duram, Eni, Fin, Gomor, Heket, Janny, Karacta, Luzanin, +Miche, Naryn, Oldach, Pilon, Qyn, Yron, Sichen, Thola, Urmron, Yph and +Zarm, Thoit. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +_Of the Isle of Sicily_; _of the way from Babylon to the Mount Sinai_; +_of the Church of Saint Katherine and of all the marvels there_ + +NOW will I return again, ere I proceed any further, for to declare to you +the other ways, that draw toward Babylon, where the sultan himself +dwelleth, that is at the entry of Egypt; for as much as many folk go +thither first and after that to the Mount Sinai, and after return to +Jerusalem, as I have said you here before. For they fulfil first the +more long pilgrimage, and after return again by the next ways, because +that the more nigh way is the more worthy, and that is Jerusalem; for no +other pilgrimage is not like in comparison to it. But for to fulfil +their pilgrimages more easily and more sikerly, men go first the longer +way rather than the nearer way. + +But whoso will go to Babylon by another way, more short from the +countries of the west that I have rehearsed before, or from other +countries next to them—then men go by France, by Burgundy and by +Lombardy. It needeth not to tell you the names of the cities, nor of the +towns that be in that way, for the way is common, and it is known of many +nations. And there be many havens [where] men take the sea. Some men +take the sea at Genoa, some at Venice, and pass by the sea Adriatic, that +is clept the Gulf of Venice, that departeth Italy and Greece on that +side; and some go to Naples, some to Rome, and from Rome to Brindisi and +there they take the sea, and in many other places where that havens be. +And men go by Tuscany, by Campania, by Calabria, by Apulia, and by the +hills of Italy, by Corsica, by Sardinia, and by Sicily, that is a great +isle and a good. + +In that isle of Sicily there is a manner of a garden, in the which be +many diverse fruits; and the garden is always green and flourishing, all +the seasons of the year as well in winter as in summer. That isle holds +in compass about 350 French miles. And between Sicily and Italy there is +not but a little arm of the sea, that men clepe the Farde of Messina. +And Sicily is between the sea Adriatic and the sea of Lombardy. And from +Sicily into Calabria is but eight miles of Lombardy. + +And in Sicily there is a manner of serpent, by the which men assay and +prove, whether their children be bastards or no, or of lawful marriage: +for if they be born in right marriage, the serpents go about them, and do +them no harm, and if they be born in avoutry, the serpents bite them and +envenom them. And thus many wedded men prove if the children be their +own. + +Also in that isle is the Mount Etna, that men clepe Mount Gybelle, and +the volcanoes that be evermore burning. And there be seven places that +burn and that cast out diverse flames and diverse colour: and by the +changing of those flames, men of that country know when it shall be +dearth or good time, or cold or hot or moist or dry, or in all other +manners how the time shall be governed. And from Italy unto the +volcanoes ne is but twenty-five mile. And men say, that the volcanoes be +ways of hell. + +And whoso goeth by Pisa, if that men list to go that way, there is an arm +of the sea, where that men go to other havens in those marches. And then +men pass by the isle of Greaf that is at Genoa. And after arrive men in +Greece at the haven of the city of Myrok, or at the haven of Valone, or +at the city of Duras; and there is a Duke at Duras, or at other havens in +those marches; and so men go to Constantinople. And after go men by +water to the isle of Crete and to the isle of Rhodes, and so to Cyprus, +and so to Athens, and from thence to Constantinople. To hold the more +right way by sea, it is well a thousand eight hundred and four score mile +of Lombardy. And after from Cyprus men go by sea, and leave Jerusalem +and all the country on the left hand, unto Egypt, and arrive at the city +of Damietta, that was wont to be full strong, and it sits at the entry of +Egypt. And from Damietta go men to the city of Alexandria, that sits +also upon the sea. In that city was Saint Catherine beheaded: and there +was Saint Mark the evangelist martyred and buried, but the Emperor Leo +made his bones to be brought to Venice. + +And yet there is at Alexandria a fair church, all white without +paintures; and so be all the other churches that were of the Christian +men, all white within, for the Paynims and the Saracens made them white +for to fordo the images of saints that were painted on the walls. That +city of Alexandria is well thirty furlongs in length, but it is but ten +on largeness; and it is a full noble city and a fair. At that city +entereth the river of Nile into the sea, as I to you have said before. +In that river men find many precious stones, and much also of lignum +aloes; and it is a manner of wood, that cometh out of Paradise +terrestrial, the which is good for many diverse medicines, and it is +right dear-worth. And from Alexandria men go to Babylon, where the +sultan dwelleth; that sits also upon the river of Nile: and this way is +the most short, for to go straight unto Babylon. + +Now shall I say you also the way, that goeth from Babylon to the Mount of +Sinai, where Saint Catherine lieth. He must pass by the deserts of +Arabia, by the which deserts Moses led the people of Israel. And then +pass men by the well that Moses made with his hand in the deserts, when +the people grucched; for they found nothing to drink. And then pass men +by the Well of Marah, of the which the water was first bitter; but the +children of Israel put therein a tree, and anon the water was sweet and +good for to drink. And then go men by desert unto the vale of Elim, in +the which vale be twelve wells; and there be seventy-two trees of palm, +that bear the dates the which Moses found with the children of Israel. +And from that valley is but a good journey to the Mount of Sinai. + +And whoso will go by another way from Babylon, then men go by the Red +Sea, that is an arm of the sea Ocean. And there passed Moses with the +children of Israel, over-thwart the sea all dry, when Pharaoh the King of +Egypt chased them. And that sea is well a six mile of largeness in +length; and in that sea was Pharaoh drowned and all his host that he led. +That sea is not more red than another sea; but in some place thereof is +the gravel red, and therefore men clepen it the Red Sea. That sea +runneth to the ends of Arabia and of Palestine. + +That sea lasteth more than a four journeys, and then go men by desert +unto the Vale of Elim, and from thence to the Mount of Sinai. And ye may +well understand, that by this desert no man may go on horseback, because +that there ne is neither meat for horse ne water to drink; and for that +cause men pass that desert with camels. For the camel finds alway meat +in trees and on bushes, that he feedeth him with: and he may well fast +from drink two days or three. And that may no horse do. + +And wit well that from Babylon to the Mount Sinai is well a twelve good +journeys, and some men make them more. And some men hasten them and pain +them, and therefore they make them less. And always men find latiners to +go with them in the countries, and further beyond, into time that men con +the language: and it behoveth men to bear victuals with them, that shall +dure them in those deserts, and other necessaries for to live by. + +And the Mount of Sinai is clept the Desert of Sin, that is for to say, +the bush burning; because there Moses saw our Lord God many times in the +form of fire burning upon that hill, and also in a bush burning, and +spake to him. And that was at the foot of the hill. There is an abbey +of monks, well builded and well closed with gates of iron for dread of +the wild beasts; and the monks be Arabians or men of Greece. And there +[is] a great convent, and all they be as hermits, and they drink no wine, +but if it be on principal feasts; and they be full devout men, and live +poorly and simply with joutes and with dates, and they do great +abstinence and penances. + +There is the Church of Saint Catherine, in the which be many lamps +burning; for they have of oil of olives enough, both for to burn in their +lamps and to eat also. And that plenty have they by the miracle of God; +for the ravens and the crows and the choughs and other fowls of the +country assemble them there every year once, and fly thither as in +pilgrimage; and everych of them bringeth a branch of the bays or of olive +in their beaks instead of offering, and leave them there; of the which +the monks make great plenty of oil. And this is a great marvel. And +sith that fowls that have no kindly wit or reason go thither to seek that +glorious Virgin, well more ought men then to seek her, and to worship +her. + +Also behind the altar of that church is the place where Moses saw our +Lord God in a burning bush. And when the monks enter into that place, +they do off both hosen and shoon or boots always, because that our Lord +said to Moses, Do off thy hosen and thy shoon, for the place that thou +standest on is land holy and blessed. And the monks clepe that place +Dozoleel, that is to say, the shadow of God. And beside the high altar, +three degrees of height is the fertre of alabaster, where the bones of +Saint Catherine lie. And the prelate of the monks sheweth the relics to +the pilgrims, and with an instrument of silver he froteth the bones; and +then there goeth out a little oil, as though it were a manner sweating, +that is neither like to oil ne to balm, but it is full sweet of smell; +and of that they give a little to the pilgrims, for there goeth out but +little quantity of the liquor. And after that they shew the head of +Saint Catherine, and the cloth that she was wrapped in, that is yet all +bloody; and in that same cloth so wrapped, the angels bare her body to +the Mount Sinai, and there they buried her with it. And then they shew +the bush, that burned and wasted nought, in the which our Lord spake to +Moses, and other relics enough. + +Also, when the prelate of the abbey is dead, I have understood, by +information, that his lamp quencheth. And when they choose another +prelate, if he be a good man and worthy to be prelate, his lamp shall +light with the grace of God without touching of any man. For everych of +them hath a lamp by himself, and by their lamps they know well when any +of them shall die. For when any shall die, the light beginneth to change +and to wax dim; and if he be chosen to be prelate, and is not worthy, his +lamp quencheth anon. And other men have told me, that he that singeth +the mass for the prelate that is dead—he shall find upon the altar the +name written of him that shall be prelate chosen. And so upon a day, I +asked of the monks, both one and other, how this befell. But they would +not tell me nothing, into the time that I said that they should not hide +the grace that God did them, but that they should publish it to make the +people have the more devotion, and that they did sin to hide God’s +miracle, as me seemed. For the miracles that God hath done and yet doth +every day, be the witness of his might and of his marvels, as David saith +in the Psalter: _Mirabilia testimonia tua_, _Domine_, that is to say, +‘Lord thy marvels be thy witness.’ And then they told me, both one and +other, how it befell full many a time, but more I might not have of them. + +In that abbey ne entereth not no fly, ne toads ne newts, ne such foul +venomous beasts, ne lice ne fleas, by the miracle of God, and of our +Lady. For there were wont to be so many such manner of filths, that the +monks were in will to leave the place and the abbey, and were from thence +upon the mountain above to eschew that place; and our Lady came to them +and bade them turn again, and from thence forwards never entered such +filth in that place amongst them, ne never shall enter hereafter. Also, +before the gate is the well, where Moses smote the stone, of the which +the water came out plenteously. + +From that abbey men go up the mountain of Moses, by many degrees. And +there men find first a church of our Lady, where that she met the monks, +when they fled away for the vermin above-said. And more high upon that +mountain is the chapel of Elijah the prophet; and that place they clepe +Horeb, whereof holy writ speaketh, _Et ambulavit in fortitudine cibi +illius usque_, _ad montem Oreb_; that is to say, ‘And he went in strength +of that meat unto the hill of God, Horeb.’ And there nigh is the vine +that Saint John the Evangelist planted that men clepe raisins of Staphis. +And a little above is the chapel of Moses, and the rock where Moses fled +to for dread when he saw our Lord face to face. And in that rock is +printed the form of his body, for he smote so strongly and so hard +himself in that rock, that all his body was dolven within through the +miracle of God. And there beside is the place where our Lord took to +Moses the Ten Commandments of the Law. And there is the cave under the +rock where Moses dwelt, when he fasted forty days and forty nights. But +he died in the Land of Promission, and no man knoweth where he was +buried. And from that mountain men pass a great valley for to go to +another mountain, where Saint Catherine was buried of the angels of the +Lord. And in that valley is a church of forty martyrs, and there sing +the monks of the abbey, often-time: and that valley is right cold. And +after men go up the mountain of Saint Catherine, that is more high than +the mount of Moses; and there, where Saint Catherine was buried, is +neither church nor chapel, nor other dwelling place, but there is an heap +of stones about the place, where body of her, was put of the angels. +There was wont to be a chapel, but it was cast down, and yet lie the +stones there. And albeit that the Collect of Saint Catherine says, that +it is the place where our Lord betaught the Ten Commandments to Moses, +and there, where the blessed Virgin Saint Catherine was buried, that is +to understand in one country, or in one place bearing one name; for both +that one and that other is clept the mount of Sinai. But it is a great +way from that one to that other, and a great deep valley between them. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +_Of the Desert between the Church of Saint Catherine and Jerusalem_. _Of +the Dry Tree_; _and how Roses came first into the World_ + +NOW, after that men have visited those holy places, then will they turn +toward Jerusalem. And then will they take leave of the monks, and +recommend themselves to their prayers. And then they give the pilgrims +of their victuals for to pass with the deserts toward Syria. And those +deserts dure well a thirteen journeys. + +In that desert dwell many of Arabians, that men clepe Bedouins and +Ascopards, and they be folk full of all evil conditions. And they have +none houses, but tents, that they make of skins of beasts, as of camels +and of other beasts that they eat; and there beneath these they couch +them and dwell in place where they may find water, as on the Red Sea or +elsewhere: for in that desert is full great default of water, and +often-time it falleth that where men find water at one time in a place it +faileth another time; and for that skill they make none habitations +there. These folk that I speak of, they till not the land, and they +labour nought; for they eat no bread, but if it be any that dwell nigh a +good town, that go thither and eat bread sometime. And they roast their +flesh and their fish upon the hot stones against the sun. And they be +strong men and well-fighting; and there so is much multitude of that +folk, that they be without number. And they ne reck of nothing, ne do +not but chase after beasts to eat them. And they reck nothing of their +life, and therefore they fear not the sultan, ne no other prince; but +they dare well war with them, if they do anything that is grievance to +them. And they have often-times war with the sultan, and, namely, that +time that I was with him. And they bear but one shield and one spear, +without other arms; and they wrap their heads and their necks with a +great quantity of white linen cloth; and they be right felonous and foul, +and of cursed kind. + +And when men pass this desert, in coming toward Jerusalem, they come to +Bersabe (Beersheba), that was wont to be a full fair town and a +delectable of Christian men; and yet there be some of their churches. In +that town dwelled Abraham the patriarch, a long time. That town of +Bersabe founded Bersabe (Bathsheba), the wife of Sir Uriah the Knight, on +the which King David gat Solomen the Wise, that was king after David upon +the twelve kindreds of Jerusalem and reigned forty year. + +And from thence go men to the city of Hebron, that is the mountance of +twelve good mile. And it was clept sometime the Vale of Mamre, and +some-time it was clept the Vale of Tears, because that Adam wept there an +hundred year for the death of Abel his son, that Cain slew. Hebron was +wont to be the principal city of the Philistines, and there dwelled some +time the giants. And that city was also sacerdotal, that is to say, +sanctuary of the tribe of Judah; and it was so free, that men received +there all manner of fugitives of other places for their evil deeds. In +Hebron Joshua, Caleb and their company came first to aspy, how they might +win the land of Behest. In Hebron reigned first king David seven year +and a half; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three year and a half. + +And in Hebron be all the sepultures of the patriarchs, Adam, Abraham, +Isaac, and of Jacob; and of their wives, Eve, Sarah and Rebecca, and of +Leah; the which sepultures the Saracens keep full curiously, and have the +place in great reverence for the holy fathers, the patriarchs that lie +there. And they suffer no Christian man to enter into that place, but if +it be of special grace of the sultan; for they hold Christian men and +Jews as dogs, and they say, that they should not enter into so holy +place. And men clepe that place, where they lie, Double Spelunk, or +Double Cave, or Double Ditch, forasmuch as that one lieth above that +other. And the Saracens clepe that place in their language, _Karicarba_, +that is to say, ‘The Place of Patriarchs.’ And the Jews clepe that place +_Arboth_. And in that same place was Abraham’s house, and there he sat +and saw three persons, and worshipped but one; as holy writ saith, _Tres +vidit et unum adoravit_, that is to say, ‘He saw three and worshipped +one’: and of those same received Abraham the angels into his house. + +And right fast by that place is a cave in the rock, where Adam and Eve +dwelled when they were put out of Paradise; and there got they their +children. And in that same place was Adam formed and made, after that +some men say: (for men were wont for to clepe that place the field of +Damascus, because that it was in the lordship of Damascus), and from +thence was he translated into Paradise of delights, as they say; and +after that he was driven out of Paradise he was there left. And the same +day that he was put in Paradise, the same day he was put out, for anon he +sinned. There beginneth the Vale of Hebron, that dureth nigh to +Jerusalem. There the angel commanded Adam that he should dwell with his +wife Eve, of the which he gat Seth; of which tribe, that is to say +kindred, Jesu Christ was born. + +In that valley is a field, where men draw out of the earth a thing that +men clepe cambile, and they eat it instead of spices, and they bear it to +sell. And men may not make the hole or the cave, where it is taken out +of the earth, so deep or so wide, but that it is, at the year’s end, full +again up to the sides, through the grace of God. + +And two mile from Hebron is the grave of Lot, that was Abraham’s brother. + +And a little from Hebron is the mount of Mamre, of the which the valley +taketh his name. And there is a tree of oak, that the Saracens clepe +_Dirpe_, that is of Abraham’s time: the which men clepe the Dry Tree. +And they say that it hath been there since the beginning of the world, +and was some-time green and bare leaves, unto the time that our Lord died +on the cross, and then it dried: and so did all the trees that were then +in the world. And some say, by their prophecies, that a lord, a prince +of the west side of the world, shall win the Land of Promission that is +the Holy Land with help of Christian men, and he shall do sing a mass +under that dry tree; and then the tree shall wax green and bear both +fruit and leaves, and through that miracle many Saracens and Jews shall +be turned to Christian faith: and, therefore, they do great worship +thereto, and keep it full busily. And, albeit so, that it be dry, +natheles yet he beareth great virtue, for certainly he that hath a little +thereof upon him, it healeth him of the falling evil, and his horse shall +not be a-foundered: and many other virtues it hath; wherefore men hold it +full precious. + +From Hebron men go to Bethlehem in half a day, for it is but five mile; +and it is full fair way, by plains and woods full delectable. Bethlehem +is a little city, long and narrow and well walled, and in each side +enclosed with good ditches: and it was wont to be clept Ephrata, as holy +writ saith, _Ecce_, _audivimus eum in Ephrata_, that is to say, ‘Lo, we +heard him in Ephrata.’ And toward the east end of the city is a full +fair church and a gracious, and it hath many towers, pinacles and +corners, full strong and curiously made; and within that church be +forty-four pillars of marble, great and fair. + +And between the city and the church is the field _Floridus_, that is to +say, the ‘field flourished.’ For as much as a fair maiden was blamed +with wrong, and slandered that she had done fornication; for which cause +she was demned to death, and to be burnt in that place, to the which she +was led. And, as the fire began to burn about her, she made her prayers +to our Lord, that as wisely as she was not guilty of that sin, that he +would help her and make it to be known to all men, of his merciful grace. +And when she had thus said, she entered into the fire, and anon was the +fire quenched and out; and the brands that were burning became red +rose-trees, and the brands that were not kindled became white rose-trees, +full of roses. And these were the first rose-trees and roses, both white +and red, that ever any man saw; and thus was this maiden saved by the +grace of God. And therefore is that field clept the field of God +flourished, for it was full of roses. + +Also beside the choir of the church, at the right side, as men come +downward sixteen degrees, is the place where our Lord was born, that is +full well dight of marble, and full richly painted with gold, silver, +azure and other colours. And three paces beside is the crib of the ox +and the ass. And beside that is the place where the star fell, that led +the three kings, Jaspar, Melchior and Balthazar: but men of Greece clepe +them thus, _Galgalath_, _Malgalath_, and _Seraphie_, and the Jews clepe +them, in this manner, in Hebrew, _Appelius_, _Amerrius_, and _Damasus_. +These three kings offered to our Lord, gold, incense and myrrh, and they +met together through miracle of God; for they met together in a city in +Ind, that men clepe Cassak, that is a fifty-three journeys from +Bethlehem; and they were at Bethlehem the thirteenth day; and that was +the fourth day after that they had seen the star, when they met in that +city, and thus they were in nine days from that city at Bethlehem, and +that was great miracle. + +Also, under the cloister of the church, by eighteen degrees at the right +side, is the charnel of the Innocents, where their bones lie. And before +the place where our Lord was born is the tomb of Saint Jerome, that was a +priest and a cardinal, that translated the Bible and the Psalter from +Hebrew into Latin: and without the minster is the chair that he sat in +when he translated it. And fast beside that church, a sixty fathom, is a +church of Saint Nicholas, where our Lady rested her after she was lighted +of our Lord; and forasmuch as she had too much milk in her paps, that +grieved her, she milked them on the red stones of marble, so that the +traces may yet be seen, in the stones, all white. + +And ye shall understand, that all that dwell in Bethlehem be Christian +men. + +And there be fair vines about the city, and great plenty of wine, that +the Christian men have do let make. But the Saracens ne till not no +vines, ne they drink no wine: for their books of their law, that Mahomet +betoke them, which they clepe their _Al Koran_, and some clepe it +_Mesaph_, and in another language it is clept _Harme_, and the same book +forbiddeth them to drink wine. For in that book, Mahomet cursed all +those that drink wine and all them that sell it: for some men say, that +he slew once an hermit in his drunkenness, that he loved full well; and +therefore he cursed wine and them that drink it. But his curse be turned +on to his own head, as holy writ saith, _Et in virticem ipsius iniquitas +ejus descendet_, that is for to say, ‘His wickedness shall turn and fall +in his own head.’ + +And also the Saracens bring forth no pigs, nor they eat no swine’s flesh, +for they say it is brother to man, and it was forbidden by the old law; +and they hold him all accursed that eat thereof. Also in the land of +Palestine and in the land of Egypt, they eat but little or none of flesh +of veal or of beef, but if be so old, that he may no more travel for old; +for it is forbidden, and for because they have but few of them; therefore +they nourish them for to ere their lands. + +In this city of Bethlehem was David the king born; and he had sixty +wives, and the first wife was called Michal; and also he had three +hundred lemans. + +And from Bethlehem unto Jerusalem is but two mile; and in the way to +Jerusalem half a mile from Bethlehem is a church, where the angel said to +the shepherds of the birth of Christ. And in that way is the tomb of +Rachel, that was Joseph’s mother, the patriarch; and she died anon after +that she was delivered of her son Benjamin. And there she was buried of +Jacob her husband, and he let set twelve great stones on her, in token +that she had born twelve children. In the same way, half mile from +Jerusalem, appeared the star to the three kings. In that way also be +many churches of Christian men, by the which men go towards the city of +Jerusalem. + + + + +CHAPTER X + + + _Of the Pilgrimages in Jerusalem_, _and of the Holy Places thereabout_ + +AFTER, for to speak of Jerusalem the holy city: ye shall understand, that +it stands full fair between hills, and there be no rivers ne wells, but +water cometh by conduit from Hebron. And ye shall understand, that +Jerusalem of old time, unto the time of Melchisadech, was clept Jebus; +and after it was clept Salem, unto the time of King David, that put these +two names together, and clept it Jebusalem; and after that, King Solomon +clept it Jerosolomye; and after that, men clept it Jerusalem, and so it +is clept yet. + +And about Jerusalem is the kingdom of Syria. And there beside is the +land of Palestine, and beside it is Ascalon, and beside that is the land +of Maritaine. But Jerusalem is in the land of Judea, and it is clept +Judea, for that Judas Maccabeus was king of that country; and it marcheth +eastward to the kingdom of Arabia; on the south side to the land of +Egypt; and on the west side to the Great Sea; on the north side, towards +the kingdom of Syria and to the sea of Cyprus. In Jerusalem was wont to +be a patriarch; and archbishops and bishops about in the country. About +Jerusalem be these cities: Hebron, at seven mile; Jericho, at six mile; +Beersheba, at eight mile; Ascalon, at seventeen mile; Jaffa, at sixteen +mile; Ramath, at three mile; and Bethlehem, at two mile. And a two mile +from Bethlehem, toward the south, is the Church of St. Karitot, that was +abbot there, for whom they made much dole amongst the monks when he +should die; and yet they be in mourning in the wise that they made their +lamentation for him the first time; and it is full great pity to behold. + +This country and land of Jerusalem hath been in many divers nations’ +hands, and often, therefore, hath the country suffered much tribulation +for the sin of the people that dwell there. For that country hath been +in the hands of all nations; that is to say, of Jews, of Canaanites, +Assyrians, Persians, Medes, Macedonians, of Greeks, Romans, of Christian +men, of Saracens, Barbarians, Turks, Tartars, and of many other divers +nations; for God will not that it be long in the hands of traitors ne of +sinners, be they Christian or other. And now have the heathen men held +that land in their hands forty year and more; but they shall not hold it +long, if God will. + +And ye shall understand, that when men come to Jerusalem, their first +pilgrimage is to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where our Lord was +buried, that is without the city on the north side; but it is now +enclosed in with the town wall. And there is a full fair church, all +round, and open above, and covered with lead; and on the west side is a +fair tower and an high for bells, strongly made. + +And in the midst of the church is a tabernacle, as it were a little +house, made with a low little door, and that tabernacle is made in manner +of half a compass, right curiously and richly made of gold and azure and +other rich colours full nobly made. And in the right side of that +tabernacle is the sepulchre of our Lord; and the tabernacle is eight foot +long, and five foot wide, and eleven foot in height. And it is not long +sith the sepulchre was all open, that men might kiss it and touch it; but +for pilgrims that came thither pained them to break the stone in pieces +or in powder, therefore the soldan hath do make a wall about the +sepulchre that no man may touch it: but in the left side of the wall of +the tabernacle is, well the height of a man, a great stone to the +quantity of a man’s head, that was of the holy sepulchre; and that stone +kiss the pilgrims that come thither. In that tabernacle be no windows, +but it is all made light with lamps that hang before the sepulchre. And +there is a lamp that hangeth before the sepulchre, that burneth light; +and on the Good Friday it goeth out by himself, [and lighteth again by +him self] at that hour that our Lord rose from death to life. + +Also within the church, at the right side, beside the choir of the +church, is the mount of Calvary, where our Lord was put on the cross; and +it is a rock of white colour and a little medled with red. And the cross +was set in a mortise in the same rock. And on that rock dropped the +wounds of our Lord when he was pined on the cross. And that is clept +Golgotha. + +And men go up to that Golgotha by degrees; and in the place of that +mortise was Adam’s head found after Noah’s flood, in token that the sins +of Adam should be bought in that same place. And upon that rock made +Abraham sacrifice to our Lord. And there is an altar; and before that +altar lie Godefray de Bouillon and Baldwin, and other Christian kings of +Jerusalem. + +And there, nigh where our Lord was crucified, is this written in Greek: + + † Ο θεὸς Βασιλεῦς ἡμῶν πρὸ αἰώνων εἰργάσατο σωτηρίαν ἐν μέσῳ τῆς γῆς; + +that is to say, in Latin,— + + _Deus Rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem_, _in medio + terrae_; + +that is to say,— + + _This God our King_, _before the worlds_, _hath wrought health in + midst of the earth_. + +And also on that rock, where the cross was set, is written within the +rock these words: + + † Ο ἕιδεις, ἐστί Βάσις τῆς πίστεως ὅλης τοῦ κόσμου τούτου; + +that is to say, in Latin,— + + _Quod vides_, _est fundamentum totius fidei mundi hujus_; + +that is to say,— + + † _That thou seest_, _is the ground of all the faith of this world_. + +And ye shall understand, that when our Lord was done upon the cross, he +was thirty-three year and three months of old. And the prophecy of David +saith thus: _Quadraginta annis proximus fui generationi huic_; that is to +say, ‘Forty year was I neighbour to this kindred.’ And thus should it +seem that the prophecies were not true. But they be both true; for in +old time men made a year of ten months, of the which March was the first +and December was the last. But Gaius, that was Emperor of Rome, put +these two months thereto, January and February, and ordained the year of +twelve months; that is to say, 365 days, without leap year, after the +proper course of the sun. And therefore after counting of ten months of +the year, he died in the fortieth year, as the prophet said. And after +the year of twelve months, he was of age thirty-three year and three +months. + +Also, within the mount of Calvary, on the right side, is an altar, where +the pillar lieth that our Lord Jesu was bounden to when he was scourged. +And there beside be four pillars of stone, that always drop water; and +some men say that they weep for our Lord’s death. And nigh that altar is +a place under earth forty-two degrees of deepness, where the holy cross +was found, by the wit of Saint Helen, under a rock where the Jews had hid +it. And that was the very cross assayed; for they found three crosses, +one of our Lord, and two of the two thieves; and Saint Helen proved them +by a dead body that arose from death to life, when that it was laid on +it, that our Lord died on. And thereby in the wall is the place where +the four nails of our Lord were hid: for he had two in his hands and two +in his feet. And, of one of these, the Emperor of Constantinople made a +bridle to his horse to bear him in battle; and, through virtue thereof, +he overcame his enemies, and won all the land of Asia the less, that is +to say, Turkey, Armenia the less and the more, and from Syria to +Jerusalem, from Arabia to Persia, from Mesopotamia to the kingdom of +Aleppo, from Egypt the high and the low and all the other kingdoms unto +the depth of Ethiopia, and into Ind the less that then was Christian. + +And there were in that time many good holy men and holy hermits, of whom +the book of Father’s lives speaketh, and they be now in Paynims’ and +Saracens’ hands: but when God Almighty will, right as the lands were lost +through sin of Christian men, so shall they be won again by Christian men +through help of God. + +And in midst of that church is a compass, in the which Joseph of +Arimathea laid the body of our Lord when he had taken him down off the +cross; and there he washed the wounds of our Lord. And that compass, say +men, is the midst of the world. + +And in the church of the sepulchre, on the north side, is the place where +our Lord was put in prison (for he was in prison in many places); and +there is a part of the chain that he was bounden with; and there he +appeared first to Mary Magdalene when he was risen, and she wend that he +had been a gardener. + +In the church of Saint Sepulchre was wont to be canons of the order of +Saint Augustine, and had a prior, but the patriarch was their sovereign. + +And without the doors of the church, on the right side as men go upward +eighteen grees, said our Lord to his mother, _Mulier_, _ecce Filius +tuus_; that is to say, Woman, lo! thy Son! And after that he said to +John, his disciple, _Ecce mater tua_; that is to say, Lo! behold thy +mother! And these words he said on the cross. And on these grees went +our Lord when he bare the cross on his shoulder. And under these grees +is a chapel, and in that chapel sing priests, Indians, that is to say, +priests of Ind, not after our law, but after theirs; and alway they make +their sacrament of the altar, saying, _Pater Noster_ and other prayers +therewith; with the which prayers they say the words that the sacrament +is made of, for they ne know not the additions that many popes have made; +but they sing with good devotion. And there near, is the place where +that our Lord rested him when he was weary for bearing of the cross. + +And ye shall understand that before the church of the sepulchre is the +city more feeble than in any other part, for the great plain that is +between the church and the city. And toward the east side, without the +walls of the city, is the vale of Jehosaphat that toucheth to the walls +as though it were a large ditch. And above that vale of Jehosaphat, out +of the city, is the church of Saint Stephen where he was stoned to death. +And there beside, is the Golden Gate, that may not be opened, by the +which gate our Lord entered on Palm-Sunday upon an ass: and the gate +opened against him when he would go unto the temple; and yet appear the +steps of the ass’s feet in three places of the degrees that be of full +hard stone. + +And before the church of Saint Sepulchre, toward the south, at 200 paces, +is the great hospital of Saint John, of which the hospitallers had their +foundation. And within the palace of the sick men of that hospital be +124 pillars of stone. And in the walls of the house, without the number +above-said, there be fifty-four pillars that bear up the house. And from +that hospital to go toward the east is a full fair church, that is clept +_Nôtre Dame la Grande_. And then is there another church right nigh, +that is clept _Nôtre Dame de Latine_. And there were Mary Cleophas and +Mary Magdalene, and tore their hair when our Lord was pained in the +cross. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + + +_Of the Temple of our Lord_. _Of the Cruelty of King Herod_. _Of the +Mount Sion_. _Of Probatica Piscina_; _and of Natatorium Siloe_ + +AND from the church of the sepulchre, toward the east, at eight score +paces, is _Templum Domini_. It is right a fair house, and it is all +round and high, and covered with lead. And it is well paved with white +marble. But the Saracens will not suffer no Christian man ne Jews to +come therein, for they say that none so foul sinful men should not come +in so holy place: but I came in there and in other places there I would, +for I had letters of the soldan with his great seal, and commonly other +men have but his signet. In the which letters he commanded, of his +special grace, to all his subjects, to let me see all the places, and to +inform me pleinly all the mysteries of every place, and to conduct me +from city to city, if it were need, and buxomly to receive me and my +company, and for to obey to all my requests reasonable if they were not +greatly against the royal power and dignity of the soldan or of his law. +And to others, that ask him grace, such as have served him, he ne giveth +not but his signet, the which they make to be borne before them hanging +on a spear. And the folk of the country do great worship and reverence +to his signet or seal, and kneel thereto as lowly as we do to _Corpus +Domini_. And yet men do full greater reverence to his letters; for the +admiral and all other lords that they be shewed to, before or they +receive them, they kneel down; and then they take them and put them on +their heads; and after, they kiss them and then they read them, kneeling +with great reverence; and then they offer them to do all that the bearer +asketh. + +And in this _Templum Domini_ were some-time canons regulars, and they had +an abbot to whom they were obedient; and in this temple was Charlemagne +when that the angel brought him the prepuce of our Lord Jesus Christ of +his circumcision; and after, King Charles let bring it to Paris into his +chapel, and after that he let bring it to Peyteres, and after that to +Chartres. + +And ye shall understand, that this is not the temple that Solomon made, +for that temple dured not but 1102 year. For Titus, Vespasian’s son, +Emperor of Rome, had laid siege about Jerusalem for to discomfit the +Jews; for they put our Lord to death, without leave of the emperor. And, +when he had won the city, he burnt the temple and beat it down, and all +the city, and took the Jews and did them to death—1,100,000; and the +others he put in prison and sold them to servage,—thirty for one penny; +for they said they bought Jesu for thirty pennies, and he made of them +better cheap when he gave thirty for one penny. + +And after that time, Julian Apostate, that was emperor, gave leave to the +Jews to make the temple of Jerusalem, for he hated Christian men. And +yet he was christened, but he forsook his law, and became a renegade. +And when the Jews had made the temple, came an earthquaking, and cast it +down (as God would) and destroyed all that they had made. + +And after that, Adrian, that was Emperor of Rome, and of the lineage of +Troy, made Jerusalem again and the temple in the same manner as Solomon +made it. And he would not suffer no Jews to dwell there, but only +Christian men. For although it were so that he was not christened, yet +he loved Christian men more than any other nation save his own. This +emperor let enclose the church of Saint Sepulchre, and walled it within +the city; that, before, was without the city, long time before. And he +would have changed the name of Jerusalem, and have clept it Aelia; but +that name lasted not long. + +Also, ye shall understand, that the Saracens do much reverence to that +temple, and they say, that that place is right holy. And when they go in +they go bare-foot, and kneel many times. And when my fellows and I saw +that, when we came in we did off our shoes and came in bare-foot, and +thought that we should do as much worship and reverence thereto, as any +of the misbelieving men should, and as great compunction in heart to +have. + +This temple is sixty-four cubits of wideness, and as many in length; and +of height it is six score cubits. And it is within, all about, made with +pillars of marble. And in the middle place of the temple be many high +stages, of fourteen degrees of height, made with good pillars all about: +and this place the Jews call _Sancta Sanctorum_; that is to say, ‘Holy of +Hallows.’ And, in that place, cometh no man save only their prelate, +that maketh their sacrifice. And the folk stand all about, in diverse +stages, after they be of dignity or of worship, so that they all may see +the sacrifice. And in that temple be four entries, and the gates be of +cypress, well made and curiously dight: and within the east gate our Lord +said, ‘Here is Jerusalem.’ And in the north side of that temple, within +the gate, there is a well, but it runneth nought, of the which holy writ +speaketh of and saith, _Vidi aquam egredientem de templo_; that is to +say, ‘I saw water come out of the temple.’ + +And on that other side of the temple there is a rock that men clepe +Moriach, but after it was clept Bethel, where the ark of God with relics +of Jews were wont to be put. That ark or hutch with the relics Titus led +with him to Rome, when he had discomfited all the Jews. In that ark were +the Ten Commandments, and of Aaron’s yard, and Moses’ yard with the which +he made the Red Sea depart, as it had been a wall, on the right side and +on the left side, whiles that the people of Israel passed the sea +dry-foot: and with that yard he smote the rock, and the water came out of +it: and with that yard he did many wonders. And therein was a vessel of +gold full of manna, and clothing and ornaments and the tabernacle of +Aaron, and a tabernacle square of gold with twelve precious stones, and a +box of jasper green with four figures and eight names of our Lord, and +seven candlesticks of gold, and twelve pots of gold, and four censers of +gold, and an altar of gold, and four lions of gold upon the which they +bare cherubin of gold twelve spans long, and the circle of swans of +heaven with a tabernacle of gold and a table of silver, and two trumps of +silver, and seven barley loaves and all the other relics that were before +the birth of our Lord Jesu Christ. + +And upon that rock was Jacob sleeping when he saw the angels go up and +down by a ladder, and he said, _Vere locus iste sanctus est_, _et ego +ignorabam_; that is to say, ‘Forsooth this place is holy, and I wist it +nought.’ And there an angel held Jacob still, and turned his name, and +clept him Israel. And in that same place David saw the angel that smote +the folk with a sword, and put it up bloody in the sheath. And in that +same rock was Saint Simeon when he received our Lord into the temple. +And in this rock he set him when the Jews would have stoned him; and a +star came down and gave him light. And upon that rock preached our Lord +often-time to the people. And out that said temple our Lord drove out +the buyers and the sellers. And upon that rock our Lord set him when the +Jews would have stoned him; and the rock clave in two, and in that +cleaving was our Lord hid, and there came down a star and gave light and +served him with clarity. And upon that rock sat our Lady, and learned +her psalter. And there our Lord forgave the woman her sins, that was +found in avowtry. And there was our Lord circumcised. And there the +angels shewed tidings to Zacharias of the birth of Saint Baptist his son. +And there offered first Melchisadech bread and wine to our Lord, in token +of the sacrament that was to come. And there fell David praying to our +Lord and to the angel that smote the people, that he would have mercy on +him and on the people: and our Lord heard his prayer, and therefore would +he make the temple in that place, but our Lord forbade him by an angel; +for he had done treason when he let slay Uriah the worthy knight, for to +have Bathsheba his wife. And therefore, all the purveyance that he had +ordained to make the temple with he took it Solomon his son, and he made +it. And he prayed our Lord, that all those that prayed to him in that +place with good heart—that he would hear their prayer and grant it them +if they asked it rightfully: and our Lord granted it him, and therefore +Solomon clept that temple the Temple of Counsel and of Help of God. + +And without the gate of that temple is an altar where Jews were in wont +to offer doves and turtles. And between the temple and that altar was +Zacharias slain. And upon the pinnacle of that temple was our Lord +brought for to be tempted of the enemy, the fiend. And on the height of +that pinnacle the Jews set Saint James, and cast him down to the earth, +that first was Bishop of Jerusalem. And at the entry of that temple, +toward the west, is the gate that is clept _Porta Speciosa_. And nigh +beside that temple, upon the right side, is a church, covered with lead, +that is clept Solomon’s School. + +And from that temple towards the south, right nigh, is the temple of +Solomon, that is right fair and well polished. And in that temple dwell +the Knights of the Temple that were wont to be clept Templars; and that +was the foundation of their order, so that there dwelled knights and in +_Templo Domini_ canons regulars. + +From that temple toward the east, a six score paces, in the corner of the +city, is the bath of our Lord; and in that bath was wont to come water +from Paradise, and yet it droppeth. And there beside is our Lady’s bed. +And fast by is the temple of Saint Simeon, and without the cloister of +the temple, toward the north, is a full fair church of Saint Anne, our +Lady’s mother; and there was our Lady conceived; and before that church +is a great tree that began to grow the same night. And under that +church, in going down by twenty-two degrees, lieth Joachim, our Lady’s +father, in a fair tomb of stone; and there beside lay some-time Saint +Anne, his wife; but Saint Helen let translate her to Constantinople. And +in that church is a well, in manner of a cistern, that is clept +_Probatica Piscina_, that hath five entries. Into that well angels were +wont to come from heaven and bathe them within. And what man, that first +bathed him after the moving of the water, was made whole of what manner +of sickness that he had. And there our Lord healed a man of the palsy +that lay thirty-eight year, and our Lord said to him, _Tolle grabatum +tuum et ambula_, that is to say, ‘Take thy bed and go.’ And there beside +was Pilate’s house. + +And fast by is King Herod’s house, that let slay the innocents. This +Herod was over-much cursed and cruel. For first he let slay his wife +that he loved right well; and for the passing love that he had to her +when he saw her dead, he fell in a rage and out of his wit a great while; +and sithen he came again to his wit. And after he let slay his two sons +that he had of that wife. And after that he let slay another of his +wives, and a son that he had with her. And after that he let slay his +own mother; and he would have slain his brother also, but he died +suddenly. And after that he did all the harm that he could or might. +And after he fell into sickness; and when he felt that he should die, he +sent after his sister and after all the lords of his land; and when they +were come he let command them to prison. And then he said to his sister, +he wist well that men of the country would make no sorrow for his death; +and therefore he made his sister swear that she should let smite off all +the heads of the lords when he were dead; and then should all the land +make sorrow for his death, and else, nought; and thus he made his +testament. But his sister fulfilled not his will. For, as soon as he +was dead, she delivered all the lords out of prison and let them go, each +lord to his own, and told them all the purpose of her brother’s +ordinance. And so was this cursed king never made sorrow for, as he +supposed for to have been. And ye shall understand, that in that time +there were three Herods, of great name and fame for their cruelty. This +Herod, of which I have spoken of was Herod Ascalonite; and he that let +behead Saint John the Baptist was Herod Antipas; and he that let smite +off Saint James’s head was Herod Agrippa, and he put Saint Peter in +prison. + +Also, furthermore, in the city is the church of Saint Saviour; and there +is the left arm of John Chrisostome, and the more part of the head of +Saint Stephen. And on that other side in the street, toward the south as +men go to Mount Sion, is a church of Saint James, where he was beheaded. + +And from that church, a six score paces, is the Mount Sion. And there is +a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled; and there she died. And +there was wont to be an abbot of canons regulars. And from thence was +she borne of the apostles unto the vale of Jehosaphat. And there is the +stone that the angel brought to our Lord from the mount of Sinai, and it +is of that colour that the rock is of Saint Catherine. And there beside +is the gate where through our Lady went, when she was with child, when +she went to Bethlehem. Also at the entry of the Mount Sion is a chapel. +And in that chapel is the stone, great and large, with the which the +sepulchre was covered with, when Joseph of Arimathea had put our Lord +therein; the which stone the three Marys saw turn upward when they came +to the sepulchre the day of his resurrection, and there found an angel +that told them of our Lord’s uprising from death to life. And there also +is a stone in the wall, beside the gate, of the pillar that our Lord was +scourged at. And there was Annas’s house, that was bishop of the Jews in +that time. And there was our Lord examined in the night, and scourged +and smitten and villainous entreated. And that same place Saint Peter +forsook our Lord thrice or the cock crew. And there is a part of the +table that he made his supper on, when he made his maundy with his +disciples, when he gave them his flesh and his blood in form of bread and +wine. + +And under that chapel, thirty-two degrees, is the place where our Lord +washed his disciples’ feet, and yet is the vessel where the water was. +And there beside that same vessel was Saint Stephen buried. And there is +the altar where our Lady heard the angels sing mass. And there appeared +first our Lord to his disciples after his resurrection, the gates +enclosed, and said to them, _Pax vobis_! that is to say, ‘Peace to you!’ +And on that mount appeared Christ to Saint Thomas the apostle and bade +him assay his wounds; and then believed he first, and said, _Dominus meus +et Deus meus_! that is to say ‘My Lord and my God!’ In the same church, +beside the altar, were all the apostles on Whitsunday, when the Holy +Ghost descended on them in likeness of fire. And there made our Lord his +pasque with his disciples. And there slept Saint John the evangelist +upon the breast of our Lord Jesu Christ, and saw sleeping many heavenly +privities. + +Mount Sion is within the city, and it is a little higher than the other +side of the city; and the city is stronger on that side than on that +other side. For at the foot of the Mount Sion is a fair castle and a +strong that the soldan let make. In the Mount Sion were buried King +David and King Solomon, and many other kings, Jews of Jerusalem. And +there is the place where the Jews would have cast up the body of our Lady +when the apostles bare the body to be buried in the vale of Jehosaphat. +And there is the place where Saint Peter wept full tenderly after that he +had forsaken our Lord. And a stone’s cast from that chapel is another +chapel, where our Lord was judged, for that time was there Caiaphas’s +house. From that chapel, to go toward the east, at seven score paces, is +a deep cave under the rock, that is clept the Galilee of our Lord, where +Saint Peter hid him when he had forsaken our Lord. _Item_, between the +Mount Sion and the Temple of Solomon is the place where our Lord raised +the maiden in her father’s house. + +Under the Mount Sion, toward the vale of Jehosaphat, is a well that is +clept _Natatorium Siloe_. And there was our Lord washed after his +baptism; and there made our Lord the blind man to see. And there was +y-buried Isaiah the prophet. Also, straight from _Natatorium Siloe_, is +an image, of stone and of old ancient work, that Absalom let make, and +because thereof men clepe it the hand of Absalom. And fast by is yet the +tree of elder that Judas hanged himself upon, for despair that he had, +when he sold and betrayed our Lord. And there beside was the synagogue, +where the bishops of Jews and the Pharisees came together and held their +council; and there cast Judas the thirty pence before them, and said that +he had sinned betraying our Lord. And there nigh was the house of the +apostles Philip and Jacob Alphei. And on that other side of Mount Sion, +toward the south, beyond the vale a stone’s cast, is Aceldama; that is to +say, the field of blood, that was bought for the thirty pence, that our +Lord was sold for. And in that field be many tombs of Christian men, for +there be many pilgrims graven. And there be many oratories, chapels and +hermitages, where hermits were wont to dwell. And toward the east, an +hundred paces, is the charnel of the hospital of Saint John, where men +were wont to put the bones of dead men. + +Also from Jerusalem, toward the west, is a fair church, where the tree of +the cross grew. And two mile from thence is a fair church, where our +Lady met with Elizabeth, when they were both with child; and Saint John +stirred in his mother’s womb, and made reverence to his Creator that he +saw not. And under the altar of that church is the place where Saint +John was born. And from that church is a mile to the castle of Emmaus: +and there also our Lord shewed him to two of his disciples after his +resurrection. Also on that other side, 200 paces from Jerusalem, is a +church, where was wont to be the cave of the lion. And under that +church, at thirty degrees of deepness, were interred 12,000 martyrs, in +the time of King Cosdroe that the lion met with, all in a night, by the +will of God. + +Also from Jerusalem, two mile, is the Mount Joy, a full fair place and a +delicious; and there lieth Samuel the prophet in a fair tomb. And men +clepe it Mount Joy, for it giveth joy to pilgrims’ hearts, because that +there men see first Jerusalem. + +Also between Jerusalem and the mount of Olivet is the vale of Jehosaphat, +under the walls of the city, as I have said before. And in the midst of +the vale is a little river that men clepe _Torrens Cedron_, and above it, +overthwart, lay a tree (that the cross was made of) that men yede over +on. And fast by it is a little pit in the earth, where the foot of the +pillar is yet interred; and there was our Lord first scourged, for he was +scourged and villainously entreated in many places. Also in the middle +place of the vale of Jehosaphat is the church of our Lady: and it is of +forty-three degrees under the earth unto the sepulchre of our Lady. And +our Lady was of age, when she died, seventy-two year. And beside the +sepulchre of our Lady is an altar, where our Lord forgave Saint Peter all +his sins. And from thence, toward the west, under an altar, is a well +that cometh out of the river of Paradise. And wit well, that that church +is full low in the earth, and some is all within the earth. But I +suppose well, that it was not so founded. But for because that Jerusalem +hath often-time been destroyed and the walls abated and beten down and +tumbled into the vale, and that they have been so filled again and the +ground enhanced; and for that skill is the church so low within the +earth. And, natheles, men say there commonly, that the earth hath so +been cloven sith the time that our Lady was there buried; and yet men say +there, that it waxeth and groweth every day, without doubt. In that +church were wont to be monks black, that had their abbot. + +And beside that church is a chapel, beside the rock that hight +Gethsemane. And there was our Lord kissed of Judas; and there was he +taken of the Jews. And there left our Lord his disciples, when he went +to pray before his passion, when he prayed and said, _Pater_, _si fieri +potest_, _transeat a me calix iste_; that is to say, ‘Father, if it may +be, do let this chalice go from me’: and, when he came again to his +disciples, he found them sleeping. And in the rock within the chapel yet +appear the fingers of our Lord’s hand, when he put them in the rock, when +the Jews would have taken him. + +And from thence, a stone’s cast towards the south, is another chapel, +where our Lord sweat drops of blood. And there, right nigh, is the tomb +of King Jehosaphat, of whom the vale beareth the name. This Jehosaphat +was king of that country, and was converted by an hermit, that was a +worthy man and did much good. And from thence, a bow draught towards the +south, is the church, where Saint James and Zachariah the prophet were +buried. + +And above the vale is the mount of Olivet; and it is clept so for the +plenty of olives that grow there. That mount is more high than the city +of Jerusalem is; and, therefore, may men upon that mount see many of the +streets of the city. And between that mount and the city is not but the +vale of Jehosaphat that is not full large. And from that mount styed our +Lord Jesu Christ to heaven upon Ascension Day; and yet there sheweth the +shape of his left foot in the stone. And there is a church where was +wont to be an abbot and canons regulars. And a little thence, +twenty-eight paces, is a chapel; and therein is the stone on the which +our Lord sat, when he preached the eight blessings and said thus: _Beau +pauperes spiritu_: and there he taught his disciples the _Pater Noster_; +and wrote with his finger in a stone. And there nigh is a church of +Saint Mary Egyptian, and there she lieth in a tomb. And from thence +toward the east, a three bow shot, is Bethphage, to the which our Lord +sent Saint Peter and Saint James for to seek the ass upon Palm-Sunday, +and rode upon that ass to Jerusalem. + +And in coming down from the mount of Olivet, toward the east, is a castle +that is clept Bethany. And there dwelt Simon leprous, and there +harboured our Lord: and after he was baptised of the apostles and was +clept Julian, and was made bishop; and this is the same Julian that men +clepe to for good harbourage, for our Lord harboured with him in his +house. And in that house our Lord forgave Mary Magdalene her sins: there +she washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. And +there served Saint Martha our Lord. There our Lord raised Lazarus from +death to life, that was dead four days and stank, that was brother to +Mary Magdalene and to Martha. And there dwelt also Mary Cleophas. That +castle is well a mile long from Jerusalem. Also in coming down from the +mount of Olivet is the place where our Lord wept upon Jerusalem. And +there beside is the place where our Lady appeared to Saint Thomas the +apostle after her assumption, and gave him her girdle. And right nigh is +the stone where our Lord often-time sat upon when he preached; and upon +that same he shall sit at the day of doom, right as himself said. + +Also after the mount of Olivet is the mount of Galilee. There assembled +the apostles when Mary Magdalene came and told them of Christ’s uprising. +And there, between the Mount Olivet and the Mount Galilee, is a church, +where the angel said to our Lady of her death. + +Also from Bethany to Jericho was sometime a little city, but it is now +all destroyed, and now is there but a little village. That city took +Joshua by miracle of God and commandment of the angel, and destroyed it, +and cursed it and all them that bigged it again. Of that city was +Zaccheus the dwarf that clomb up into the sycamore tree for to see our +Lord, because he was so little he might not see him for the people. And +of that city was Rahab the common woman that escaped alone with them of +her lineage: and she often-time refreshed and fed the messengers of +Israel, and kept them from many great perils of death; and, therefore, +she had good reward, as holy writ saith: _Qui accipit prophetam in nomine +meo_, _mercedem prophetae accipiet_; that is to say, ‘He that taketh a +prophet in my name, he shall take meed of the prophet.’ And so had she. +For she prophesied to the messengers, saying, _Novi quod Dominus tradet +vobis terram hanc_; that is to say, ‘I wot well, that our Lord shall +betake you this land’: and so he did. And after, Salomon, Naasson’s son, +wedded her, and from that time was she a worthy woman, and served God +well. + +Also from Bethany go men to flom Jordan by a mountain and through desert. +And it is nigh a day journey from Bethany, toward the east, to a great +hill, where our Lord fasted forty days. Upon that hill the enemy of hell +bare our Lord and tempted him, and said, _Dic ut lapides isti panes +fiant_; that is to say, ‘Say, that these stones be made loaves.’ In that +place, upon the hill, was wont to be a fair church; but it is all +destroyed, so that there is now but an hermitage, that a manner of +Christian men hold, that be clept Georgians, for Saint George converted +them. Upon that hill dwelt Abraham a great while, and therefore men +clepe it Abraham’s Garden. And between the hill and this garden runneth +a little brook of water that was wont to be bitter; but, by the blessing +of Elisha the prophet, it became sweet and good to drink. And at the +foot of this hill, toward the plain, is a great well, that entereth into +from Jordan. + +From that hill to Jericho, that I spake of before, is but a mile in going +toward flom Jordan. Also as men go to Jericho sat the blind man crying, +_Jesu_, _Fili David_, _miserere mei_; that is to say, ‘Jesu, David’s Son, +have mercy on me.’ And anon he had his sight. Also, two mile from +Jericho, is flome Jordan. And, an half mile more nigh, is a fair church +of Saint John the Baptist, where he baptised our Lord. And there beside +is the house of Jeremiah the prophet. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + + +_Of the Dead Sea_; _and of the Flome Jordan_. _Of the Head of Saint John +the Baptist_; _and of the Usages of the Samaritans_ + +AND from Jericho, a three mile, is the Dead Sea. About that sea groweth +much alum and of alkatran. Between Jericho and that sea is the land of +Engeddi. And there was wont to grow the balm; but men make draw the +branches thereof and bear them to be grafted at Babylon; and yet men +clepe them vines of Geddi. At a coast of that sea, as men go from +Arabia, is the mount of the Moabites, where there is a cave, that men +clepe Karua. Upon that hill led Balak, the son of Beor, Balaam the +priest for to curse the people of Israel. + +That Dead Sea parteth the land of Ind and of Arabia, and that sea lasteth +from Soara unto Arabia. The water of that sea is full bitter and salt, +and, if the earth were made moist and wet with that water, it would never +bear fruit. And the earth and the land changeth often his colour. And +it casteth out of the water a thing that men clepe asphalt, also great +pieces, as the greatness of an horse, every day and on all sides. And +from Jerusalem to that sea is 200 furlongs. That sea is in length five +hundred and four score furlongs, and in breadth an hundred and fifty +furlongs; and it is clept the Dead Sea, for it runneth nought, but is +ever unmovable. And neither man, ne beast, ne nothing that beareth life +in him ne may not die in that sea. And that hath been proved many times, +by men that have deserved to be dead that have been cast therein and left +therein three days or four, and they ne might never die therein; for it +receiveth no thing within him that beareth life. And no man may drink of +the water for bitterness. And if a man cast iron therein, it will float +above. And if men cast a feather therein, it will sink to the bottom, +and these be things against kind. + +And also, the cities there were lost because of sin. And there beside +grow trees that bear full fair apples, and fair of colour to behold; but +whoso breaketh them or cutteth them in two, he shall find within them +coals and cinders, in token that by wrath of God the cities and the land +were burnt and sunken into hell. Some men clepe that sea the lake +Dalfetidee; some, the flome of Devils; and some the flome that is ever +stinking. And into that sea sunk the five cities by wrath of God; that +is to say, Sodom, Gomorrah, Aldama, Zeboim, and Zoar, for the abominable +sin of sodomy that reigned in them. But Zoar, by the prayer of Lot, was +saved and kept a great while, for it was set upon a hill; and yet sheweth +thereof some part above the water, and men may see the walls when it is +fair weather and clear. In that city Lot dwelt a little while; and there +was he made drunk of his daughters, and lay with them, and engendered of +them Moab and Ammon. And the cause why his daughters made him drunk and +for to lie by him was this: because they saw no man about them, but only +their father, and therefore they trowed that God had destroyed all the +world as he had done the cities, as he had done before by Noah’s flood. +And therefore they would lie by with their father for to have issue, and +for to replenish the world again with people to restore the world again +by them; for they trowed that there had been no more men in all the +world; and if their father had not been drunk, he had not lain with them. + +And the hill above Zoar men cleped it then Edom and after men cleped it +Seir, and after Idumea. Also at the right side of that Dead Sea, +dwelleth yet the wife of Lot in likeness of a salt stone; for that she +looked behind her when the cities sunk into hell. This Lot was Haran’s +son, that was brother to Abraham; and Sarah, Abraham’s wife, and Milcah, +Nahor’s wife, were sisters to the said Lot. And the same Sarah was of +eld four score and ten year when Isaac her son was gotten on her. And +Abraham had another son Ishmael that he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. +And when Isaac his son was eight days old, Abraham his father let him be +circumcised, and Ishmael with him that was fourteen year old: wherefore +the Jews that come of Isaac’s line be circumcised the eighth day, and the +Saracens that come of Ishmael’s line be circumcised when they be fourteen +year of age. + +And ye shall understand, that within the Dead Sea, runneth the flom +Jordan, and there it dieth, for it runneth no further more, and that is a +place that is a mile from the church of Saint John the Baptist toward the +west, a little beneath the place where that Christian men bathe them +commonly. And a mile from flom Jordan is the river of Jabbok, the which +Jacob passed over when he came from Mesopotamia. This flom Jordan is no +great river, but it is plenteous of good fish; and it cometh out of the +hill of Lebanon by two wells that be clept Jor and Dan, and of the two +wells hath it the name. And it passeth by a lake that is clept Maron. +And after it passeth by the sea of Tiberias, and passeth under the hills +of Gilboa; and there is a full fair vale, both on that one side and on +that other of the same river. And men go [on] the hills of Lebanon, all +in length unto the desert of Pharan; and those hills part the kingdom of +Syria and the country of Phoenicia; and upon those hills grow trees of +cedar that be full high, and they bear long apples, and as great as a +man’s head. + +And also this flom Jordan departeth the land of Galilee and the land of +Idumea and the land of Betron, and that runneth under earth a great way +unto a fair plain and a great that is clept Meldan in Sarmois; that is to +say, Fair or market in their language, because that there is often fairs +in that plain. And there becometh the water great and large. In that +plain is the tomb of Job. + +And in that flom Jordan above-said was our Lord baptised of Saint John, +and the voice of God the Father was heard saying: _Hic est Filius meus +dilectus_, _etc._; that is to say, ‘This is my beloved Son, in the which +I am well pleased; hear him!’ and the Holy Ghost alighted upon him in +likeness of a culver; and so at his baptising was all the whole Trinity. + +And through that flome passed the children of Israel, all dry feet; and +they put stones there in the middle place, in token of the miracle that +the water withdrew him so. Also in that flome Jordan Naaman of Syria +bathed him, that was full rich, but he was mesell; and there anon he took +his health. + +About the flome Jordan be many churches where that many Christian men +dwelled. And nigh thereto is the city of Ai that Joshua assailed and +took. Also beyond the flome Jordan is the vale of Mamre, and that is a +full fair vale. Also upon the hill that I spake of before, where our +Lord fasted forty days, a two mile long from Galilee, is a fair hill and +an high, where the enemy the fiend bare our Lord the third time to tempt +him, and shewed him all the regions of the world and said, _Hec omnia +tibi dabo_, _si cadens adoraveris me_; that is to say, ‘All this shall I +give thee, if thou fall and worship me.’ + +Also from the Dead Sea to go eastward, out of the marches of the Holy +Land that is clept the Land of Promission, is a strong castle and a fair, +in an hill that is clept Carak in Sarmois; that is to say, Royally. That +castle let make King Baldwin, that was King of France, when he had +conquered that land, and put it into Christian men’s hands for to keep +that country; and for that cause was it clept the Mount Royal. And under +it there is a town that hight Sobach, and there, all about, dwell +Christian men, under tribute. + +From thence go men to Nazareth, of the which our Lord beareth the +surname. And from thence there is three journeys to Jerusalem: and men +go by the province of Galilee by Ramath, by Sothim and by the high hill +of Ephraim, where Elkanah and Hannah the mother of Samuel the prophet +dwelled. There was born this prophet; and, after his death, he was +buried at Mount Joy, as I have said you before. + +And then go men to Shiloh, where the Ark of God with the relics were kept +long time under Eli the prophet. There made the people of Hebron +sacrifice to our Lord, and they yielded up their vows. And there spake +God first to Samuel, and shewed him the mutation of Order of Priesthood, +and the mystery of the Sacrament. And right nigh, on the left side, is +Gibeon and Ramah and Benjamin, of the which holy writ speaketh of. + +And after men go to Sichem, some-time clept Sichar; and that is in the +province of Samaritans. And there is a full fair vale and a fructuous; +and there is a fair city and a good that men clepe Neople. And from +thence is a journey to Jerusalem. And there is the well, where our Lord +spake to the woman of Samaritan. And there was wont to be a church, but +it is beaten down. Beside that well King Rehoboam let make two calves of +gold and made them to be worshipped, and put that one at Dan and that +other at Bethel. And a mile from Sichar is the city of Luz; and in that +city dwelt Abraham a certain time. Sichem is a ten mile from Jerusalem, +and it is clept Neople; that is for to say, the New City. And nigh +beside is the tomb of Joseph the son of Jacob that governed Egypt: for +the Jews bare his bones from Egypt and buried them there, and thither go +the Jews often-time in pilgrimage with great devotion. In that city was +Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, ravished, for whom her brethren slew many +persons and did many harms to the city. And there beside is the hill of +Gerizim, where the Samaritans make their sacrifice: in that hill would +Abraham have sacrificed his son Isaac. And there beside is the vale of +Dotaim, and there is the cistern, where Joseph, was cast in of his +brethren, which they sold; and that is two mile from Sichar. + +From thence go men to Samaria that men clepe now Sebast; and that is the +chief city of that country, and it sits between the hill of Aygnes as +Jerusalem doth. In that city was the sittings of the twelve tribes of +Israel; but the city is not now so great as it was wont to be. There was +buried Saint John the Baptist between two prophets, Elisha and Abdon; but +he was beheaded in the castle of Macharim beside the Dead Sea, and after +he was translated of his disciples, and buried at Samaria. And there let +Julianus Apostata dig him up and let burn his bones (for he was at that +time emperor) and let winnow the ashes in the wind. But the finger that +shewed our Lord, saying, _Ecce Agnus Dei_; that is to say, ‘Lo! the Lamb +of God,’ that would never burn, but is all whole;—that finger let Saint +Thecla, the holy virgin, be born into the hill of Sebast; and there make +men great feast. + +In that place was wont to be a fair church; and many other there were; +but they be all beaten down. There was wont to be the head of Saint John +Baptist, enclosed in the wall. But the Emperor Theodosius let draw it +out, and found it wrapped in a little cloth, all bloody; and so he let it +to be born to Constantinople. And yet at Constantinople is the hinder +part of the head, and the fore part of the head, till under the chin, is +at Rome under the church of Saint Silvester, where be nuns of an hundred +orders: and it is yet all broilly, as though it were half-burnt, for the +Emperor Julianus above-said, of his cursedness and malice, let burn that +part with the other bones, and yet it sheweth; and this thing hath been +proved both by popes and by emperors. And the jaws beneath, that hold to +the chin, and a part of the ashes and the platter that the head was laid +in, when it was smitten off, is at Genoa; and the Genoese make of it +great feast, and so do the Saracens also. And some men say that the head +of Saint John is at Amiens in Picardy; and other men say that it is the +head of Saint John the Bishop. I wot never, but God knoweth; but in what +wise that men worship it, the blessed Saint John holds him a-paid. + +From this city of Sebast unto Jerusalem is twelve mile. And between the +hills of that country there is a well that four sithes in the year +changeth his colour, sometime green, sometime red, sometime clear and +sometime trouble; and men clepe that well, Job. And the folk of that +country, that men clepe Samaritans, were converted and baptized by the +apostles; but they hold not well their doctrine, and always they hold +laws by themselves, varying from Christian men, from Saracens, Jews and +Paynims. And the Samaritans lieve well in one God, and they say well +that there is but only one God, that all formed, and all shall doom; and +they hold the Bible after the letter, and they use the Psalter as the +Jews do. And they say that they be the right sons of God. And among all +other folk, they say that they be best beloved of God, and that to them +belongeth the heritage that God behight to his beloved children. And +they have also diverse clothing and shape to look on than other folk +have; for they wrap their heads in red linen cloth, in difference from +others. And the Saracens wrap their heads in white linen cloth; and the +Christian men, that dwell in the country, wrap them in blue of Ind; and +the Jews in yellow cloth. In that country dwell many of the Jews, paying +tribute as Christian men do. And if ye will know the letters that the +Jews use they be such, and the names be as they clepe them written above, +in manner of their A. B. C. + + Aleph Beth Gymel Deleth He Vau Zay + + א ב ג ד ה ו ז + Heth Thet Joht Kapho Lampd Mem Num + + ח ט י כ ל מ נ +Sameth Ey Fhee Sade Coph Resch Son Tau + + ס ע פ צ ק ר ש ת + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + +_Of the Province of Galilee_, _and where Antichrist shall be born_. _Of +Nazareth_. _Of the age of Our Lady_. _Of the Day of Doom_. _And of the +customs of Jacobites_, _Syrians_; _and of the usages of Georgians_ + +FROM this country of the Samaritans that I have spoken of before go men +to the plains of Galilee, and men leave the hills on that one part. + +And Galilee is one of the provinces of the Holy Land, and in that +province is the city of Nain—and Capernaum, and Chorazin and Bethsaida. +In this Bethsaida was Saint Peter and Saint Andrew born. And thence, a +four mile, is Chorazin. And five mile from Chorazin is the city of Kedar +whereof the Psalter speaketh: _Et habitavi cum habitantibus Kedar_; that +is for to say, ‘And I have dwelled with the dwelling men in Kedar.’ In +Chorazin shall Antichrist be born, as some men say. And other men say he +shall be born in Babylon; for the prophet saith: _De Babilonia coluber +exest_, _qui totum mundum devorabit_; that is to say ‘Out of Babylon +shall come a worm that shall devour all the world.’ This Antichrist +shall be nourished in Bethsaida, and he shall reign in Capernaum: and +therefore saith holy writ; _Vae tibi_, _Chorazin_! _Vae tibi_, +_Bethsaida_! _Vae tibi_, _Capernaum_! that is to say, ‘Woe be to thee, +Chorazin! Woe to thee, Bethsaida! Woe to thee, Capernaum.’ And all +these towns be in the land of Galilee. And also the Cana of Galilee is +four mile from Nazareth: of that city was Simon Chananeus and his wife +Canee, of the which the holy evangelist speaketh of. There did our Lord +the first miracle at the wedding, when he turned water into wine. + +And in the end of Galilee, at the hills, was the Ark of God taken; and on +that other side is the Mount Endor or Hermon. And, thereabout, goeth the +Brook of Torrens Kishon; and there beside, Barak, that was Abimelech’s +son with Deborah the prophetess overcame the host of Idumea, when Sisera +the king was slain of Jael the wife of Heber, and chased beyond the flome +Jordan, by strength of sword, Zeeb and Zebah and Zalmunna, and there he +slew them. Also a five mile from Nain is the city of Jezreel that +sometime was clept Zarim, of the which city Jezabel, the cursed queen, +was lady and queen, that took away the vine of Naboth by her strength. +Fast by that city is the field Megiddo, in the which the King Joram was +slain of the King of Samaria and after was translated and buried in the +Mount Sion. + +And a mile from Jezreel be the hills of Gilboa, where Saul and Jonathan, +that were so fair, died; wherefore David cursed them, as holy writ saith: +_Montes Gilboæ_, _nec ros nec pluvia_, _etc._; that is to say, ‘Ye hills +of Gilboa, neither dew ne rain come upon you.’ And a mile from the hills +of Gilboa toward the east is the city of Cyropolis, that was clept before +Bethshan; and upon the walls of that city was the head of Saul hanged. + +After go men by the hill beside the plains of Galilee unto Nazareth, +where was wont to be a great city and a fair; but now there is not but a +little village, and houses abroad here and there. And it is not walled. +And it sits in a little valley, and there be hills all about. There was +our Lady born, but she was gotten at Jerusalem. And because that our +Lady was born at Nazareth, therefore bare our Lord his surname of that +town. There took Joseph our Lady to wife, when she was fourteen year of +age. And there Gabriel greeted our Lady, saying, _Ave gratia plena_, +_Dominus tecum_! that is to say, ‘Hail, full of grace, our Lord is with +thee!’ And this salutation was done in a place of a great altar of a +fair church that was wont to be sometime, but it is now all down, and men +have made a little receipt, beside a pillar of that church, to receive +the offerings of pilgrims. And the Saracens keep that place full dearly, +for the profit that they have thereof. And they be full wicked Saracens +and cruel, and more despiteful than in any other place, and have +destroyed all the churches. There nigh is Gabriel’s Well, where our Lord +was wont to bathe him, when he was young, and from that well bare he +water often-time to his mother. And in that well she washed often-time +the clouts of her Son Jesu Christ. And from Jerusalem unto thither is +three journeys. At Nazareth was our Lord nourished. Nazareth is as much +to say as, ‘Flower of the garden’; and by good skill may it be clept +flower, for there was nourished the flower of life that was Christ Jesu. + +And two mile from Nazareth is the city of Sephor, by the way that goeth +from Nazareth to Akon. And an half mile from Nazareth is the Leap of our +Lord. For the Jews led him upon an high rock for to make him leap down, +and have slain him; but Jesu passed amongst them, and leapt upon another +rock, and yet be the steps of his feet seen in the rock, where he +alighted. And therefore say some men, when they dread them of thieves in +any way, or of enemies; _Jesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat_; +that is to say, ‘Jesus, forsooth, passing by the midst of them, he went’: +in token and mind, that our Lord passed through, out the Jews’ cruelty, +and scaped safely from them, so surely may men pass the peril of +thieves’. And then say men two verses of the Psalter three sithes: +_Irruat super eos formido & pavor_, _in magnitudine brachii tui_, +_Domine_. _Fiant immobiles_, _quasi lapis_, _donec pertranseat populus +tuus_, _Domine_; _donec pertranseat populus tuus iste_, _quem +possedisti_; and then may men pass without peril. + +And ye shall understand, that our Lady had child when she was fifteen +year old. And she was conversant with her son thirty-three year and +three months. And after the passion of our Lord she lived twenty-four +year. + +Also from Nazareth men go to the Mount Tabor; and that is a four mile. +And it is a full fair hill and well high, where was wont to be a town and +many churches; but they be all destroyed. But yet there is a place that +men clepe the school of God, where he was wont to teach his disciples, +and told them the privities of heaven. And, at the foot of that hill, +Melchisedech that was King of Salem, in the turning of that hill met +Abraham in coming again from the battle, when he had slain Abimelech. +And this Melchisedech was both king and priest of Salem that now is clept +Jerusalem. In that hill Tabor our Lord transfigured him before Saint +Peter, Saint John and Saint Jame; and there they saw, ghostly, Moses and +Elias the prophets beside them. And therefore said Saint Peter; +_Domine_, _bonum est nos hic esse_; _faciamus hic tria tabernacula_; that +is to say, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; make we here three +dwelling-places.’ And there heard they a voice of the Father that say; +_Hic est Filius meus dilectus_, _in quo mihi bene complacui_. And our +Lord defended them that they should not tell that avision till that he +were risen from death to life. + +In that hill and in that same place, at the day of doom, four angels with +four trumpets shall blow and raise all men that had suffered death, sith +that the world was formed, from death to life; and shall come in body and +soul in judgment, before the face of our Lord in the Vale of Jehosaphat. +And the doom shall be on Easter Day, such time as our Lord arose. And +the doom shall begin, such hour as our Lord descended to hell and +despoiled it. For at such hour shall he despoil the world and lead his +chosen to bliss; and the other shall he condemn to perpetual pains. And +then shall every man have after his desert, either good or evil, but if +the mercy of God pass his righteousness. + +Also a mile from Mount Tabor is the Mount Hermon; and there was the city +of Nain. Before the gate of that city raised our Lord the widow’s son, +that had no more children. Also three miles from Nazareth is the Castle +Safra, of the which the sons of Zebedee and the sons of Alpheus were. +Also a seven mile from Nazareth is the Mount Cain, and under that is a +well; and beside that well Lamech, Noah’s father, slew Cain with an +arrow. For this Cain went through briars and bushes as a wild beast; and +he had lived from the time of Adam his father unto the time of Noah, and +so he lived nigh to 2000 year. And this Lamech was all blind for eld. + +From Safra men go to the sea of Galilee and to the city of Tiberias, that +sits upon the same sea. And albeit that men clepe it a sea, yet is it +neither sea ne arm of the sea. For it is but a stank of fresh water that +is in length one hundred furlongs, and of breadth forty furlongs, and +hath within him great plenty of good fish, and runneth into flom Jordan. +The city is not full great, but it hath good baths within him. + +And there, as the flome Jordan parteth from the sea of Galilee, is a +great bridge, where men pass from the Land of Promission to the land of +King Bashan and the land of Gennesaret, that be about the flom Jordan and +the beginning of the sea of Tiberias. And from thence may men go to +Damascus, in three days, by the kingdom of Traconitis, the which kingdom +lasteth from Mount Hermon to the sea of Galilee, or to the sea of +Tiberias, or to the sea of Gennesaret; and all is one sea, and this the +tank that I have told you, but it changeth thus the name for the names of +the cities that sit beside him. + +Upon that sea went our Lord dry feet; and there he took up Saint Peter, +when he began to drench within the sea, and said to him, _Modice fidei_, +_quare dubitasti_? And after his resurrection our Lord appeared on that +sea to his disciples and bade them fish, and filled all the net full of +great fishes. In that sea rowed our Lord often-time; and there he called +to him Saint Peter, Saint Andrew, Saint James and Saint John, the sons of +Zebedee. + +In that city of Tiberias is the table upon the which our Lord ate upon +with his disciples after his resurrection; and they knew him in breaking +of bread, as the gospel saith: _Et cognoverunt eum in fractione panis_. +And nigh that city of Tiberias is the hill, where our Lord fed 5000 +persons with five barley loaves and two fishes. + +In that city a man cast a burning dart in wrath after our Lord. And the +head smote into the earth and waxed green; and it growed to a great tree. +And yet it groweth and the bark thereof is all like coals. + +Also in the head of that sea of Galilee, toward the septentrion is a +strong castle and an high that hight Saphor. And fast beside it is +Capernaum. Within the Land of Promission is not so strong a castle. And +there is a good town beneath that is clept also Saphor. In that castle +Saint Anne our Lady’s mother was born. And there beneath, was Centurio’s +house. That country is clept the Galilee of Folk that were taken to +tribute of Zebulon and Napthali. + +And in again coming from that castle, a thirty mile, is the city of Dan, +that sometime was clept Belinas or Cesarea Philippi; that sits at the +foot of the Mount of Lebanon, where the flome Jordan beginneth. There +beginneth the Land of Promission and dureth unto Beersheba in length, in +going toward the north into the south, and it containeth well a nine +score miles; and of breadth, that is to say, from Jericho unto Jaffa, and +that containeth a forty mile of Lombardy, or of our country, that be also +little miles; these be not miles of Gascony ne of the province of +Almayne, where be great miles. And wit ye well, that the Land of +Promission is in Syria. For the realm of Syria dureth from the deserts +of Arabia unto Cilicia, and that is Armenia the great; that is to say, +from the south to the north. And, from the east to the west, it dureth +from the great deserts of Arabia unto the West Sea. But in that realm of +Syria is the kingdom of Judea and many other provinces, as Palestine, +Galilee, Little Cilicia, and many other. + +In that country and other countries beyond they have a custom, when they +shall use war, and when men hold siege about city or castle, and they +within dare not send out messengers with letters from lord to lord for to +ask succour, they make their letters and bind them to the neck of a +culver, and let the culver flee. And the culvers be so taught, that they +flee with those letters to the very place that men would send them to. +For the culvers be nourished in those places where they be sent to, and +they send them thus, for to bear their letters. And the culvers return +again whereas they be nourished; and so they do commonly. + +And ye shall understand that amongst the Saracens, one part and other, +dwell many Christian men of many manners and diverse names. And all be +baptized and have diverse laws and diverse customs. But all believe in +God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost; but always fail they in +some articles of our faith. Some of these be clept Jacobites, for Saint +James converted them and Saint John baptized them. They say that a man +shall make his confession only to God, and not to a man; for only to him +should man yield him guilty of all that he hath misdone. Ne God ordained +not, ne never devised, ne the prophet neither, that a man should shrive +him to another (as they say), but only to God. As Moses writeth in the +Bible, and as David saith in the Psalter Book; _Confitebor tibi_, +_Domine_, _in toto corde meo_, and _Delictum meum tibi cognitum feci_, +and _Deus meus es tu_, _& confitebor tibi_, and _Quoniam cogitatio +hominis confitebitur tibi_, etc. For they know all the Bible and the +Psalter. And therefore allege they so the letter. But they allege not +the authorities thus in Latin, but in their language full apertly, and +say well, that David and other prophets say it. + +Natheles, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory say thus:—Augustinus: _Qui +scelera sua cogitat_, _& conversus fuerit_, _veniam sibi credat_. +Gregorius: _Dominus potius mentem quam verba respicit_. And Saint Hilary +saith: _Longorum temporum crimina_, _in ictu oculi pereunt_, _si cordis +nata fuerit compunctio_. And for such authorities they say, that only to +God shall a man knowledge his defaults, yielding himself guilty and +crying him mercy, and behoting to him to amend himself. And therefore, +when they will shrive them, they take fire and set it beside them, and +cast therein powder of frankincense; and in the smoke thereof they shrive +them to God, and cry him mercy. But sooth it is, that this confession +was first and kindly. But Saint Peter the apostle, and they that came +after him, have ordained to make their confession to man, and by good +reason; for they perceived well that no sickness was curable, [ne] good +medicine to lay thereto, but if men knew the nature of the malady; and +also no man may give convenable medicine, but if he know the quality of +the deed. For one sin may be greater in one man than in another, and in +one place and in one time than in another; and therefore it behoveth him +that he know the kind of the deed, and thereupon to give him penance. + +There be other, that be clept Syrians; and they hold the belief amongst +us, and of them of Greece. And they use all beards, as men of Greece do. +And they make the sacrament of therf bread. And in their language they +use letters of Saracens. But after the mystery of Holy Church they use +letters of Greece. And they make their confession, right as the +Jacobites do. + +There be other, that men clepe Georgians, that Saint George converted; +and him they worship more than any other saint, and to him they cry for +help. And they came out of the realm of Georgia. These folk use crowns +shaven. The clerks have round crowns, and the lewd men have crowns all +square. And they hold Christian law, as do they of Greece; of whom I +have spoken of before. + +Other there be that men clepe Christian men of Girding, for they be all +girt above. And there be other that men clept Nestorians. And some +Arians, some Nubians, some of Greece, some of Ind, and some of Prester +John’s Land. And all these have many articles of our faith, and to other +they be variant. And of their variance were too long to tell, and so I +will leave, as for the time, without more speaking of them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + +_Of the City of Damascus_. _Of three ways to Jerusalem_; _one_, _by land +and by sea_; _another_, _more by land than by sea_; _and the third way to +Jerusalem_, _all by land_ + +NOW after that I have told you some part of folk in the countries before, +now will I turn again to my way, for to turn again on this half. Then +whoso will go from the land of Galilee, of that that I have spoke for, to +come again on this half, men come again by Damascus, that is a full fair +city and full noble, and full of all merchandises, and a three journeys +long from the sea, and a five journeys from Jerusalem. But upon camels, +mules, horses, dromedaries and other beasts, men carry their merchandise +thither. And thither come the merchants with merchandise by sea from +India, Persia, Chaldea, Armenia, and of many other kingdoms. + +This city founded Eliezer Damascus, that was yeoman and dispenser of +Abraham before that Isaac was born. For he thought for to have been +Abraham’s heir, and he named the town after his surname Damascus. And in +that place, where Damascus was founded, Cain slew Abel his brother. And +beside Damascus is the Mount Seir. In that city of Damascus there is +great plenty of wells. And within the city and without be many fair +gardens and of diverse fruits. None other city is not like in comparison +to it of fair gardens, and of fair disports. The city is great and full +of people, and well walled with double walls. And there be many +physicians. And Saint Paul himself was there a physician for to keep +men’s bodies in health, before he was converted. And after that he was +physician of souls. And Saint Luke the evangelist was disciple of Saint +Paul for to learn physic, and many other; for Saint Paul held then school +of physic. And near beside Damascus was he converted. And after his +conversion ne dwelt in that city three days, without sight and without +meat or drink; and in those three days he was ravished to heaven, and +there he saw many privities of our Lord. + +And fast beside Damascus is the castle of Arkes that is both fair and +strong. + +From Damascus men come again by our Lady of Sardenak, that is a five mile +on this half Damascus. And it sitteth upon a rock, and it is a full fair +place; and it seemeth a castle, for there was wont to be a castle, but it +is now a full fair church. And there within be monks and nuns Christian. +And there is a vault under the church, where that Christian men dwell +also. And they have many good vines. And in the church, behind the high +altar, in the wall, is a table of black wood, on the which sometime was +depainted an image of our Lady that turneth into flesh: but now the image +sheweth but little, but alway, by the grace of God, that table evermore +drops oil, as it were of olive; and there is a vessel of marble under the +table to receive the oil. Thereof they give to pilgrims, for it heals of +many sicknesses; and men say that, if it be kept well seven year, +afterwards it turns into flesh and blood. From Sardenak men come through +the vale of Bochar, the which is a fair vale and a plenteous of all +manner of fruit; and it is amongst hills. And there are therein fair +rivers and great meadows and noble pasture for beasts. And men go by the +mounts of Libanus, which lasts from Armenia the more towards the north +unto Dan, the which is the end of the Land of Repromission toward the +north, as I said before. Their hills are right fruitful, and there are +many fair wells and cedars and cypresses, and many other trees of divers +kinds. There are also many good towns toward the head of their hills, +full of folk. + +Between the city of Arkez and the city of Raphane is a river, that is +called Sabatory; for on the Saturday it runs fast, and all the week else +it stand still and runs not, or else but fairly. Between the foresaid +hills also is another water that on nights freezes hard and on days is no +frost seen thereon. And, as men come again from those hills, is a hill +higher than any of the other, and they call it there the High Hill. +There is a great city and a fair, the which is called Tripoli, in the +which are many good Christian men, yemand the same rites and customs that +we use. From thence men come by a city that is called Beyrout, where +Saint George slew the dragon; and it is a good town, and a fair castle +therein, and it is three journeys from the foresaid city of Sardenak. At +the one side of Beyrout sixteen mile, to come hitherward, is the city of +Sydon. At Beyrout enters pilgrims into the sea that will come to Cyprus, +and they arrive at the port of Surry or of Tyre, and so they come to +Cyprus in a little space. Or men may come from the port of Tyre and come +not at Cyprus, and arrive at some haven of Greece, and so come to these +parts, as I said before. + +I have told you now of the way by which men go farrest and longest to +Jerusalem, as by Babylon and Mount Sinai and many other places which ye +heard me tell of; and also by which ways men shall turn again to the Land +of Repromission. Now will I tell you the rightest way and the shortest +to Jerusalem. For some men will not go the other; some for they have not +spending enough, some for they have no good company, and some for they +may not endure the long travel, some for they dread them of many perils +of deserts, some for they will haste them homeward, desiring to see their +wives and their children, or for some other reasonable cause that they +have to turn soon home. And therefore I will shew how men may pass +tittest and in shortest time make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A man +that comes from the lands of the west, he goes through France, Burgoyne, +and Lumbardy. And so to Venice or Genoa, or some other haven, and ships +there and wends by sea to the isle of Greff, the which pertains to the +Genoans. + +And syne he arrives in Greece at Port Mirrok, or at Valoun, or at Duras, +or at some other haven of that country, and rests him there and buys him +victuals and ships again and sails to Cyprus and arrives there at +Famagost and comes not at the isle of Rhodes. Famagost is the chief +haven of Cyprus; and there he refreshes him and purveys him of victuals, +and then he goes to ship and comes no more on land, if he will, before he +comes at Port Jaffa, that is the next haven to Jerusalem, for it is but a +day journey and a half from Jerusalem, that is to say thirty-six mile. +From the Port Jaffa men go to the city of Rames, the which is but a +little thence; and it is a fair city and a good and mickle folk therein. +And without that city toward the south is a kirk of our Lady, where our +Lord shewed him to her in three clouds, the which betokened the Trinity. +And a little thence is another city, that men call Dispolis, but it hight +some time Lidda, a fair city and a well inhabited: there is a kirk of +Saint George, where he was headed. From thence men go to the castle of +Emmaus, and so to the Mount Joy; there may pilgrims first see Jerusalem. +At Mount Joy lies Samuel the prophet. From thence men go to Jerusalem. +Beside their ways is the city of Ramatha and the Mount Modyn; and thereof +was Matathias, Judas Machabeus father, and there are the graves of the +Machabees. Beyond Ramatha is the town of Tekoa, whereof Amos the prophet +was; and there is his grave. + +I have told you before of the holy places that are at Jerusalem and about +it, and therefore I will speak no more of them at this time. But I will +turn again and shew you other ways a man may pass more by land, and +namely for them that may not suffer the savour of the sea, but is liefer +to go by land, if all it be the more pain. From a man be entered into +the sea he shall pass till one of the havens of Lumbardy, for there is +the best making of purveyance of victuals; or he may pass to Genoa or +Venice or some other. And he shall pass by sea in to Greece to the Port +Mirrok, or to Valoun or to Duras, or some other haven of that country. +And from thence he shall go by land to Constantinople, and he shall pass +the water that is called Brace Saint George, the which is one arm of the +sea. And from thence he shall by land go to Ruffynell, where a good +castle is and a strong; and from therein he shall go to Puluual, and syne +to the castle of Sinope, and from thence to Cappadocia, that is a great +country, where are many great hills. And he shall go though Turkey to +the port of Chiutok and to the city of Nicæa, which is but seven miles +thence. That city won the Turks from the Emperor of Constantinople; and +it is a fair city and well walled on the one side, and on the other side +is a great lake and a great river, the which is called Lay. From thence +men go by the hills of Nairmount and by the vales of Mailbrins and strait +fells and by the town of Ormanx or by the towns that are on Riclay and +Stancon, the which are great rivers and noble, and so to Antioch the +less, which is set on the river of Riclay. And there abouts are many +good hills and fair, and many fair woods and great plenty of wild beasts +for to hunt at. + +And he that will go another way, he shall go by the plains of Romany +coasting the Roman Sea. On that coast is a fair castle that men call +Florach, and it is right a strong place. And uppermore amongst the +mountains is a fair city, that is called Tarsus, and the city of +Longemaath, and the city of Assere, and the city of Marmistre. And when +a man is passed those mountains and those fells, he goes by the city of +Marioch and by Artoise, where is a great bridge upon the river of Ferne, +that is called Farfar, and it is a great river bearing ships and it runs +right fast out of the mountains to the city of Damascus. And beside the +city of Damascus is another great river that comes from the hills of +Liban, which men call Abbana. At the passing of this river Saint +Eustace, that some-time was called Placidas, lost his wife and his two +children. This river runs through the plain of Archades, and so to the +Red Sea. From thence men go to the city of Phenice, where are hot wells +and hot baths. And then men go to the city of Ferne; and between Phenice +and Ferne are ten mile. And there are many fair woods. And then men +come to Antioch, which is ten mile thence. And it is a fair city and +well walled about with many fair towers; and it is a great city, but it +was some-time greater than it is now. For it was some-time two mile on +length and on breadth other half mile. And through the midst of that +city ran the water of Farphar and a great bridge over it; and there was +some-time in the walls about this city three hundred and fifty towers, +and at each pillar of the bridge was a stone. This is the chief city of +the kingdom of Syria. And ten mile from this city is the port of Saint +Symeon; and there goes the water of Farphar into the sea. From Antioch +men go to a city that is called Lacuth, and then to Gebel, and then to +Tortouse. And there near is the land of Channel; and there is a strong +castle that is called Maubek. From Tortouse pass men to Tripoli by sea, +or else by land through the straits of mountains and fells. And there is +a city that is called Gibilet. From Tripoli go men to Acres; and from +thence are two ways to Jerusalem, the one on the left half and the other +on the right half. By the left way men go by Damascus and by the flum +Jordan. By the right way men go by Maryn and by the land of Flagramy and +near the mountains into the city of Cayphas, that some men call the +castle of Pilgrims. And from thence to Jerusalem are three day journey, +in the which men shall go through Caesarea Philippi, and so to Jaffa and +Rames and the castle of Emmaus, and so to Jerusalem. + +Now have I told you some ways by land and by water that men may go by to +the Holy Land after the countries that they come from. Nevertheless they +come all to one end. Yet is there another way to Jerusalem all by land, +and pass not the sea, from France or Flanders; but that way is full long +and perilous and of great travel, and therefore few go that way. He that +shall go that way, he shall go through Almayne and Prussia and so to +Tartary. This Tartary is holden of the great Caan of Cathay, of whom I +think to speak afterward. This is a full ill land and sandy and little +fruit bearing. For there grows no corn, ne wine, ne beans, ne peas, ne +none other fruit convenable to man for to live with. But there are +beasts in great plenty: and therefore they eat but flesh without bread +and sup the broth and they drink milk of all manner of beasts. They eat +hounds, cats, ratons, and all other wild beasts. And they have no wood, +or else little; and therefore they warm and seethe their meat with +horse-dung and cow-dung and of other beasts, dried against the sun. And +princes and other eat not but once in the day, and that but little. And +they be right foul folk and of evil kind. And in summer, by all the +countries, fall many tempests and many hideous thunders and leits and +slay much people and beasts also full often-time. And suddenly is there +passing heat, and suddenly also passing cold; and it is the foulest +country and the most cursed and the poorest that men know. And their +prince, that governeth that country, that they clepe Batho, dwelleth at +the city of Orda. And truly no good man should not dwell in that +country, for the land and the country is not worthy hounds to dwell in. +It were a good country to sow in thistle and briars and broom and thorns +and briars; and for no other thing is it not good. Natheles, there is +good land in some place, but it is pure little, as men say. + +I have not been in that country, nor by those ways. But I have been at +other lands that march to those countries, as in the land of Russia, as +in the land of Nyflan, and in the realm of Cracow and of Letto, and in +the realm of Daristan, and in many other places that march to the coasts. +But I went never by that way to Jerusalem, wherefore I may not well tell +you the manner. + +But, if this matter please to any worthy man that hath gone by that way, +he may tell it if him like, to that intent, that those, that will go by +that way and make their voyage by those coasts, may know what way is +there. For no man may pass by that way goodly, but in time of winter, +for the perilous waters and wicked mareys, that be in those countries, +that no man may pass but if it be strong frost and snow above. For if +the snow ne were not, men might not go upon the ice, ne horse ne car +neither. + +And it is well a three journeys of such way to pass from Prussia to the +land of Saracens habitable. And it behoveth to the Christian men, that +shall war against them every year, to bear their victuals with them; for +they shall find there no good. And then must they let carry their +victual upon the ice with cars that have no wheels, that they clepe +sleighs. And as long as their victuals last they may abide there, but no +longer; for there shall they find no wight that will sell them any +victual or anything. And when the spies see any Christian men come upon +them, they run to the towns, and cry with a loud voice; _Kerra_, _Kerra_, +_Kerra_. And then anon they arm them and assemble them together. + +And ye shall understand that it freezeth more strongly in those countries +than on this half. And therefore hath every man stews in his house, and +in those stews they eat and do their occupations all that they may. For +that is at the north parts that men clepe the Septentrional where it is +all only cold. For the sun is but little or none toward those countries. +And therefore in the Septentrion, that is very north, is the land so +cold, that no man may dwell there. And, in the contrary, toward the +south it is so hot, that no man ne may dwell there, because that the sun, +when he is upon the south, casteth his beams all straight upon that part. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + + +_Of the Customs of Saracens_, _and of their Law_. _And how the Soldan +reasoned me_, _Author of this Book_; _and of the beginning of Mohammet_ + +NOW, because that I have spoken of Saracens and of their country—now, if +ye will know a part of their law and of their belief, I shall tell you +after that their book that is clept _Alkaron_ telleth. And some men +clepe that book _Meshaf_. And some men clepe it _Harme_, after the +diverse languages of the country. The which book Mohammet took them. In +the which book, among other things, is written, as I have often-time seen +and read, that the good shall go to paradise, and the evil to hell; and +that believe all Saracens. And if a man ask them what paradise they +mean, they say, to paradise that is a place of delights where men shall +find all manner of fruits in all seasons, and rivers running of milk and +honey, and of wine and of sweet water; and that they shall have fair +houses and noble, every man after his desert, made of precious stones and +of gold and of silver; and that every man shall have four score wives all +maidens, and he shall have ado every day with them, and yet he shall find +them always maidens. + +Also they believe and speak gladly of the Virgin Mary and of the +Incarnation. And they say that Mary was taught of the angel; and that +Gabriel said to her, that she was for-chosen from the beginning of the +world and that he shewed to her the Incarnation of Jesu Christ and that +she conceived and bare child maiden; and that witnesseth their book. + +And they say also, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he was born; and +that he was an holy prophet and a true in word and deed, and meek and +piteous and rightful and without any vice. + +And they say also, that when the angel shewed the Incarnation of Christ +unto Mary, she was young and had great dread. For there was then an +enchanter in the country that dealt with witchcraft, that men clept +Taknia, that by his enchantments could make him in likeness of an angel, +and went often-times and lay with maidens. And therefore Mary dreaded +lest it had been Taknia, that came for to deceive the maidens. And +therefore she conjured the angel, that he should tell her if it were he +or no. And the angel answered and said that she should have no dread of +him, for he was very messenger of Jesu Christ. Also their book saith, +that when that she had childed under a palm tree she had great shame, +that she had a child; and she greet and said that she would that she had +been dead. And anon the child spake to her and comforted her, and said, +“Mother, ne dismay thee nought, for God hath hid in thee his privities +for the salvation of the world.” And in other many places saith their +_Alkaron_, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he was born. And that book +saith also that Jesu was sent from God Almighty for to be mirror and +example and token to all men. + +And the _Alkaron_ saith also of the day of doom how God shall come to +doom all manner of folk. And the good he shall draw on his side and put +them into bliss, and the wicked he shall condemn to the pains of hell. +And among all prophets Jesu was the most excellent and the most worthy +next God, and that he made the gospels in the which is good doctrine and +healthful, full of clarity and soothfastness and true preaching to them +that believe in God. And that he was a very prophet and more than a +prophet, and lived without sin, and gave sight to the blind, and healed +the lepers, and raised dead men, and styed to heaven. + +And when they may hold the Book of the Gospels of our Lord written and +namely _Missus est Angelus Gabriel_, that gospel they say, those that be +lettered, often-times in their orisons, and they kiss it and worship it +with great devotion. + +They fast an whole month in the year and eat nought but by night. And +they keep them from their wives all that month. But the sick men be not +constrained to that fast. + +Also this book speaketh of Jews and saith that they be cursed; for they +would not believe that Jesu Christ was come of God. And that they lied +falsely on Mary and on her son Jesu Christ, saying that they had +crucified Jesu the son of Mary; for he was never crucified, as they say, +but that God made him to sty up to him without death and without annoy. +But he transfigured his likeness into Judas Iscariot, and him crucified +the Jews, and weened that it had been Jesus. But Jesus styed to heavens +all quick. And therefore they say, that the Christian men err and have +no good knowledge of this, and that they believe folily and falsely that +Jesu Christ was crucified. And they say yet, that and he had been +crucified, that God had done against his righteousness for to suffer Jesu +Christ, that was innocent, to be put upon the cross without guilt. And +in this article they say that we fail and that the great righteousness of +God might not suffer so great a wrong: and in this faileth their faith. +For they knowledge well, that the works of Jesu Christ be good, and his +words and his deeds and his doctrine by his gospels were true, and his +miracles also true; and the blessed Virgin Mary is good, and holy maiden +before and after the birth of Jesu Christ; and that all those that +believe perfectly in God shall be saved. And because that they go so +nigh our faith, they be lightly converted to Christian law when men +preach them and shew them distinctly the law of Jesu Christ, and when +they tell them of the prophecies. + +And also they say, that they know well by the prophecies that the law of +Mahomet shall fail, as the law of the Jews did; and that the law of +Christian people shall last to the day of doom. And if any man ask them +what is their belief, they answer thus, and in this form: “We believe +God, former of heaven and of earth, and of all other things that he made. +And without him is nothing made. And we believe of the day of doom, and +that every man shall have his merit, after he hath deserved. And, we +believe it for sooth, all that God hath said by the mouths of his +prophets.” + +Also Mahomet commanded in his _Alkaron_, that every man should have two +wives, or three or four; but now they take unto nine, and of lemans as +many as he may sustain. And if any of their wives mis-bear them against +their husband, he may cast her out of his house, and depart from her and +take another; but he shall depart with her his goods. + +Also, when men speak to them of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy +Ghost, they say, that they be three persons, but not one God; for their +_Alkaron_ speaketh not of the Trinity. But they say well, that God hath +speech, and else were he dumb. And God hath also a spirit they know +well, for else they say, he were not alive. And when men speak to them +of the Incarnation how that by the word of the angel God sent his wisdom +in to earth and enombred him in the Virgin Mary, and by the word of God +shall the dead be raised at the day of doom, they say, that it is sooth +and that the word of God hath great strength. And they say that whoso +knew not the word of God he should not know God. And they say also that +Jesu Christ is the word of God: and so saith their _Alkaron_, where it +saith that the angel spake to Mary and said: “Mary, God shall preach thee +the gospel by the word of his mouth and his name shall be clept Jesu +Christ.” + +And they say also, that Abraham was friend to God, and that Moses was +familiar speaker with God, and Jesu Christ was the word and the spirit of +God, and that Mohammet was right messenger of God. And they say, that of +these four, Jesu was the most worthy and the most excellent and the most +great. So that they have many good articles of our faith, albeit that +they have no perfect law and faith as Christian men have; and therefore +be they lightly converted, and namely those that understand the +scriptures and the prophecies. For they have the gospels and the +prophecies and the Bible written in their language; wherefore they ken +much of holy writ, but they understand it not but after the letter. And +so do the Jews, for they understand not the letter ghostly, but bodily; +and therefore be they reproved of the wise, that ghostly understand it. +And therefore saith Saint Paul: _Litera occidit_; _spiritus autem +vivificat_. Also the Saracens say, that the Jews be cursed; for they +have befouled the law that God sent them by Moses: and the Christian be +cursed also, as they say; for they keep not the commandments and the +precepts of the gospel that Jesu Christ taught them. + +And, therefore, I shall tell you what the soldan told me upon a day in +his chamber. He let void out of his chamber all manner of men, lords and +others, for he would speak with me in counsel. And there he asked me how +the Christian men governed them in our country. And I said him, “Right +well, thanked be God!” + +And he said me, “Truly nay! For ye Christian ne reck right nought, how +untruly to serve God! Ye should give ensample to the lewd people for to +do well, and ye give them ensample to do evil. For the commons, upon +festival days, when they should go to church to serve God, then go they +to taverns, and be there in gluttony all the day and all night, and eat +and drink as beasts that have no reason, and wit not when they have +enough. And also the Christian men enforce themselves in all manners +that they may, for to fight and for to deceive that one that other. And +therewithal they be so proud, that they know not how to be clothed; now +long, now short, now strait, now large, now sworded, now daggered, and in +all manner guises. They should be simple, meek and true, and full of +alms-deeds, as Jesu was, in whom they trow; but they be all the contrary, +and ever inclined to the evil, and to do evil. And they be so covetous, +that, for a little silver, they sell their daughters, their sisters and +their own wives to put them to lechery. And one withdraweth the wife of +another, and none of them holdeth faith to another; but they defoul their +law that Jesu Christ betook them to keep for their salvation. And thus, +for their sins, have they lost all this land that we hold. For, for +their sins, their God hath taken them into our hands, not only by +strength of ourself, but for their sins. For we know well, in very +sooth, that when ye serve God, God will help you; and when he is with +you, no man may be against you. And that know we well by our prophecies, +that Christian men shall win again this land out of our hands, when they +serve God more devoutly; but as long as they be of foul and of unclean +living (as they be now) we have no dread of them in no kind, for their +God will not help them in no wise.” + +And then I asked him, how he knew the state of Christian men. And he +answered me, that he knew all the state of all courts of Christian kings +and princes and the state of the commons also by his messengers that he +sent to all lands, in manner as they were merchants of precious stones, +of cloths of gold and of other things, for to know the manner of every +country amongst Christian men. And then he let clepe in all the lords +that he made void first out of his chamber, and there he shewed me four +that were great lords in the country, that told me of my country and of +many other Christian countries, as well as they had been of the same +country; and they spake French right well, and the soldan also; whereof I +had great marvel. + +Alas! that it is great slander to our faith and to our law, when folk +that be without law shall reprove us and undernim us of our sins, and +they that should be converted to Christ and to the law of Jesu by our +good ensamples and by our acceptable life to God, and so converted to the +law of Jesu Christ, be, through our wickedness and evil living, far from +us and strangers from the holy and very belief, shall thus appeal us and +hold us for wicked livers and cursed. And truly they say sooth, for the +Saracens be good and faithful; for they keep entirely the commandment of +the holy book _Alkaron_ that God sent them by his messenger Mahomet, to +the which, as they say, Saint Gabriel the angel oftentime told the will +of God. + +And ye shall understand, that Mahomet was born in Arabia, that was first +a poor knave that kept camels, that went with merchants for merchandise. +And so befell, that he went with the merchants into Egypt; and they were +then Christian in those parts. And at the deserts of Arabia, he went +into a chapel where a hermit dwelt. And when he entered into the chapel +that was but a little and a low thing and had but a little door and a +low, then the entry began to wax so great, and so large and so high as +though it had been of a great minster or the gate of a palace. And this +was the first miracle, the Saracens say, that Mahomet did in his youth. + +After began he for to wax wise and rich. And he was a great astronomer. +And after, he was governor and prince of the land of Cozrodane; and he +governed it full wisely, in such manner, that when the prince was dead, +he took the lady to wife that hight Gadrige. And Mahomet fell often in +the great sickness that men call the falling evil; wherefore the lady was +full sorry that ever she took him to husband. But Mahomet made her to +believe, that all times, when he fell so, Gabriel the angel came for to +speak with him, and for the great light and brightness of the angel he +might not sustain him from falling; and therefore the Saracens say, that +Gabriel came often to speak with him. + +This Mahomet reigned in Arabia, the year of our Lord Jesu Christ 610, and +was of the generation of Ishmael that was Abraham’s son, that he gat upon +Hagar his chamberer. And therefore there be Saracens that be clept +Ishmaelites; and some Hagarenes, of Hagar. And the other properly be +clept Saracens, of Sarah. And some be clept Moabites and some Ammonites, +for the two sons of Lot, Moab and Ammon, that he begat on his daughters +that were afterward great earthly princes. + +And also Mahomet loved well a good hermit that dwelled in the deserts a +mile from Mount Sinai, in the way that men go from Arabia toward Chaldea +and toward Ind, one day’s journey from the sea, where the merchants of +Venice come often for merchandise. And so often went Mahomet to this +hermit, that all his men were wroth; for he would gladly hear this hermit +preach and make his men wake all night. And therefore his men thought to +put the hermit to death. And so it befell upon a night, that Mahomet was +drunken of good wine, and he fell on sleep. And his men took Mahomet’s +sword out of his sheath, whiles he slept, and therewith they slew this +hermit, and put his sword all bloody in his sheath again. And at morrow, +when he found the hermit dead, he was full sorry and wroth, and would +have done his men to death. But they all, with one accord, said that he +himself had slain him, when he was drunken, and shewed him his sword all +bloody. And he trowed that they had said sooth. And then he cursed the +wine and all those that drink it. And therefore Saracens that be devout +drink never no wine. But some drink it privily; for if they drunk it +openly, they should be reproved. But they drink good beverage and sweet +and nourishing that is made of gallamelle and that is that men make sugar +of, that is of right good savour, and it is good for the breast. + +Also it befalleth some-time, that Christian men become Saracens, either +for poverty or for simpleness, or else for their own wickedness. And +therefore the archflamen or the flamen, as our archbishop or bishop, when +he receiveth them saith thus: _La ellec olla Sila_, _Machomete rores +alla_; that is to say, ‘There is no God but one, and Mahomet his +messenger.’ + +Now I have told you a part of their law and of their customs, I shall say +you of their letters that they have, with their names and the manner of +their figures what they be: Almoy, Bethath, Cathi, Ephoti, Delphoi, +Fothi, Garothi, Hechum, Iotty, Kaythi, Lothum, Malach, Nabaloth, Orthi, +Chesiri, ȝoch, Ruth, Holath, Routhi, Salathi, Thatimus, Yrthom, Aȝaȝoth, +Arrocchi, ȝotipyn, Ichetus. And these be the names of their a. b. c. +Now shall ye know the figures. . . . And four letters they have more than +other for diversity of their language and speech, forasmuch as they speak +in their throats; and we in England have in our language and speech two +letters more than they have in their a. b. c.; and that is Þ and ȝ, which +be clept thorn and ȝogh. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + + +_Of the lands of Albania and of Libia_. _Of the wishings for watching of + the Sparrow-hawk_; _and of Noah’s ship_ + +NOW, sith I have told you before of the Holy Land and of that country +about, and of many ways for to go to that land and to the Mount Sinai, +and of Babylon the more and the less, and to other places that I have +spoken before, now is time, if it like you, for to tell you of the +marches and isles and diverse beasts, and of diverse folk beyond these +marches. + +For in those countries beyond be many diverse countries and many great +kingdoms, that be departed by the four floods that come from paradise +terrestrial. For Mesopotamia and the kingdom of Chaldea and Arabia be +between the two rivers of Tigris and of Euphrates; and the kingdom of +Media and of Persia be between the rivers of Nile and of Tigris; and the +kingdom of Syria, whereof I have spoken before, and Palestine and +Phoenicia be between Euphrates and the sea Mediterranean, the which sea +dureth in length from Morocco, upon the sea of Spain, unto the Great Sea, +so that it lasteth beyond Constantinople 3040 miles of Lombardy. + +And toward the sea Ocean in Ind is the kingdom of Scythia, that is all +closed with hills. And after, under Scythia, and from the sea of Caspian +unto the flom of Thainy, is Amazonia, that is the land of feminye, where +that no man is, but only all women. And after is Albania, a full great +realm; and it is clept Albania, because that the folk be whiter there +than in other marches there-about: and in that country be so great hounds +and so strong, that they assail lions and slay them. And then after is +Hircania, Bactria, Hiberia and many other kingdoms. + +And between the Red Sea and the sea Ocean, toward the south is the +kingdom of Ethiopia and of Lybia the higher, the which land of Lybia +(that is to say, Lybia the low) that beginneth at the sea of Spain from +thence where the pillars of Hercules be, and endureth unto anent Egypt +and toward Ethiopia. In that country of Lybia is the sea more high than +the land, and it seemeth that it would cover the earth, and natheles yet +it passeth not his marks. And men see in that country a mountain to the +which no man cometh. In this land of Lybia whoso turneth toward the +east, the shadow of himself is on the right side; and here, in our +country, the shadow is on the left side. In that sea of Lybia is no +fish; for they may not live ne dure for the great heat of the sun, +because that the water is evermore boiling for the great heat. And many +other lands there be that it were too long to tell or to number. But of +some parts I shall speak more plainly hereafter. + +Whoso will then go toward Tartary, toward Persia, toward Chaldea and +toward Ind, he must enter the sea at Genoa or at Venice or at some other +haven that I have told you before. And then pass men the sea and arrive +at Trebizond that is a good city; and it was wont to be the haven of +Pontus. There is the haven of Persians and of Medians and of the marches +there beyond. In that city lieth Saint Athanasius that was bishop of +Alexandria, that made the psalm _Quicunque vult_. + +This Athanasius was a great doctor of divinity. And, because that he +preached and spake so deeply of divinity and of the Godhead, he was +accused to the Pope of Rome that he was an heretic. Wherefore the Pope +sent after him and put him in prison. And whiles he was in prison he +made that psalm and sent it to the Pope, and said, that if he were an +heretic, then was that heresy, for that, he said, was his belief. And +when the Pope saw it, and had examined it that it was perfect and good, +and verily our faith and our belief, he made him to be delivered out of +prison, and commanded that psalm to be said every day at prime; and so he +held Athanasius a good man. But he would never go to his bishopric +again, because that they accused him of heresy. + +Trebizond was wont to be holden of the Emperor of Constantinople; but a +great man, that he sent for to keep the country against the Turks, +usurped the land and held it to himself, and cleped him Emperor of +Trebizond. + +And from thence men go through Little Armenia. And in that country is an +old castle that stands upon a rock; the which is clept the castle of the +Sparrow-hawk, that is beyond the city of Layays beside the town of +Pharsipee, that belongeth to the lordship of Cruk, that is a rich lord +and a good Christian man; where men find a sparrow-hawk upon a perch +right fair and right well made, and a fair lady of faerie that keepeth +it. And who that will watch that sparrow-hawk seven days and seven +nights, and, as some men say, three days and three nights, without +company and without sleep, that fair lady shall give him, when he hath +done, the first wish that he will wish of earthly things; and that hath +been proved often-times. + +And one time befell, that a King of Armenia, that was a worthy knight and +doughty man, and a noble princes watched that hawk some time. And at the +end of seven days and seven nights the lady came to him and bade him +wish, for he had well deserved it. And he answered that he was great +lord enough, and well in peace, and had enough of worldly riches; and +therefore he would wish none other thing, but the body of that fair lady, +to have it at his will. And she answered him, that he knew not what he +asked, and said that he was a fool to desire that he might not have; for +she said that he should not ask but earthly thing, for she was none +earthly thing, but a ghostly thing. And the king said that he ne would +ask none other thing. And the lady answered; “Sith that I may not +withdraw you from your lewd corage, I shall give you without wishing, and +to all them that shall come of you. Sir king! ye shall have war without +peace, and always to the nine degree, ye shall be in subjection of your +enemies, and ye shall be needy of all goods.” And never since, neither +the King of Armenia nor the country were never in peace; ne they had +never sith plenty of goods; and they have been sithen always under +tribute of the Saracens. + +Also the son of a poor man watched that hawk and wished that he might +chieve well, and to be happy to merchandise. And the lady granted him. +And he became the most rich and the most famous merchant that might be on +sea or on earth. And he became so rich that he knew not the thousand +part of that he had. And he was wiser in wishing than was the king. + +Also a knight of the Temple watched there, and wished a purse evermore +full of gold. And the lady granted him. But she said him that he had +asked the destruction of their order for the trust and the affiance of +that purse, and for the great pride that they should have. And so it +was. And therefore look he keep him well, that shall wake. For if he +sleep he is lost, that never man shall see him more. + +This is not the right way for to go to the parts that I have named +before, but for to see the marvel that I have spoken of. And therefore +whoso will go right way, men go from Trebizond toward Armenia the Great +unto a city that is clept Erzeroum, that was wont to be a good city and a +plenteous; but the Turks have greatly wasted it. There-about groweth no +wine nor fruit, but little or else none. In this land is the earth more +high than in any other, and that maketh great cold. And there be many +good waters and good wells that come under earth from the flom of +Paradise, that is clept Euphrates, that is a journey beside that city; +and that river cometh towards Ind under earth, and resorteth into the +land of Altazar. And so pass men by this Armenia and enter the sea of +Persia. + +From that city of Erzeroum go men to an hill that is clept Sabissocolle. +And there beside is another hill that men clepe Ararat, but the Jews +clepe it Taneez, where Noah’s ship rested, and yet is upon that mountain. +And men may see it afar in clear weather. And that mountain is well a +seven mile high. And some men say that they have seen and touched the +ship, and put their fingers in the parts where the fiend went out, when +that Noah said, _Benedicite_. But they that say such words, say their +will. For a man may not go up the mountain, for great plenty of snow +that is always on that mountain, neither summer nor winter. So that no +man may go up there, ne never man did, since the time of Noah, save a +monk that, by the grace of God, brought one of the planks down, that yet +is in the minster at the foot of the mountain. + +And beside is the city of Dain that Noah founded. And fast by is the +city of Any in the which were wont to be a thousand churches. + +But upon that mountain to go up, this monk had great desire. And so upon +a day, he went up. And when he was upward the three part of the mountain +he was so weary that he might no further, and so he rested him, and fell +asleep. And when he awoke he found himself lying at the foot of the +mountain. And then he prayed devoutly to God that he would vouchsafe to +suffer him go up. And an angel came to him, and said that he should go +up. And so he did. And sith that time never none. Wherefore men should +not believe such words. + +From that mountain go men to the city of Thauriso that was wont to be +clept Taxis, that is a full fair city and a great, and one of the best +that is in the world for merchandise; thither come all merchants for to +buy avoirdupois, and it is in the land of the Emperor of Persia. And men +say that the emperor taketh more good in that city for custom of +merchandise than doth the richest Christian king of all his realm that +liveth. For the toll and the custom of his merchants is without +estimation to be numbered. Beside that city is a hill of salt, and of +that salt every man taketh what he will for to salt with, to his need. +There dwell many Christian men under tribute of Saracens. And from that +city, men pass by many towns and castles in going toward Ind unto the +city of Sadonia, that is a ten journeys from Thauriso, and it is a full +noble city and a great. And there dwelleth the Emperor of Persia in +summer; for the country is cold enough. And there be good rivers bearing +ships. + +After go men the way toward Ind by many journeys, and by many countries, +unto the city that is clept Cassak, and that is a full noble city, and a +plenteous of corns and wines and of all other goods. This is the city +where the three kings met together when they went to seek our Lord in +Bethlehem to worship him and to present him with gold, incense, and +myrrh. And it is from that city to Bethlehem fifty-three journeys. From +that city men go to another city that is clept Gethe, that is a journey +from the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea. That is the best city that +the Emperor of Persia hath in all his land. And they clepe flesh there +Dabago and the wine Vapa. And the Paynims say that no Christian man may +not long dwell ne endure with the life in that city, but die within short +time; and no man knoweth not the cause. + +After go men by many cities and towns and great countries that it were +too long to tell unto the city of Cornaa that was wont to be so great +that the walls about hold twenty-five mile about. The walls shew yet, +but it is not all inhabited. From Cornaa go men by many lands and many +cities and towns unto the land of Job. And there endeth the land of the +Emperor of Persia. And if ye will know the letters of Persians and what +names they have, they be such as I last devised you, but not in sounding +of their words. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + + +_Of the land of Job_; _and of his age_. _Of the array of men of +Chaldea_. _Of the land where women dwell without company of men_. _Of +the knowledge and virtues of the very diamond_ + +AFTER the departing from Cornaa, men enter into the land of Job that is a +full fair country and a plenteous of all goods. And men clepe that land +the Land of Susiana. In that land is the city of Theman. + +Job was a paynim, and he was Aram of Gosre, his son, and held that land +as prince of that country. And he was so rich that he knew not the +hundred part of his goods. And although he were a paynim, nevertheless +he served well God after his law. And our Lord took his service to his +pleasane. And when he fell in poverty he was seventy-eight year of age. +And after, when God had proved his patience and that it was so great, he +brought him again to riches and to higher estate than he was before. And +after that he was King of Idumea after King Esau, and when he was king he +was clept Jobab. And in that kingdom he lived after 170 year. And so he +was of age, when he died, 248 year. + +In that land of Job there ne is no default of no thing that is needful to +man’s body. There be hills, where men get great plenty of manna in +greater abundance than in any other country. This manna is clept bread +of angels. And it is a white thing that is full sweet and right +delicious, and more sweet than honey or sugar. And it cometh of the dew +of heaven that falleth upon the herbs in that country. And it congealeth +and becometh all white and sweet. And men put it in medicines for rich +men to make the womb lax, and to purge evil blood. For it cleanseth the +blood and putteth out melancholy. This land of Job marcheth to the +kingdom of Chaldea. + +This land of Chaldea is full great. And the language of that country is +more great in sounding than it is in other parts of the sea. Men pass to +go beyond by the Tower of Babylon the Great, of the which I have told you +before, where that all the languages were first changed. And that is a +four journeys from Chaldea. In that realm be fair men, and they go full +nobly arrayed in clothes of gold, orfrayed and apparelled with great +pearls and precious stone’s full nobly. And the women be right foul and +evil arrayed. And they go all bare-foot and clothed in evil garments +large and wide, but they be short to the knees, and long sleeves down to +the feet like a monk’s frock, and their sleeves be hanging about their +shoulders. And they be black women foul and hideous, and truly as foul +as they be, as evil they be. + +In that kingdom of Chaldea, in a city that is clept Ur, dwelled Terah, +Abraham’s father. And there was Abraham born. And that was in that time +that Ninus was king of Babylon, of Arabia and of Egypt. This Ninus made +the city of Nineveh, the which that Noah had begun before. And because +that Ninus performed it, he cleped it Nineveh after his own name. There +lieth Tobit the prophet, of whom Holy Writ speaketh of. And from that +city of Ur Abraham departed, by the commandment of God, from thence, +after the death of his father, and led with him Sarah his wife and Lot +his brother’s son, because that he had no child. And they went to dwell +in the land of Canaan in a place that is clept Shechem. And this Lot was +he that was saved, when Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities were +burnt and sunken down to hell, where that the Dead Sea is now, as I have +told you before. In that land of Chaldea they have their proper +languages and their proper letters, such as ye may see hereafter. + +Beside the land of Chaldea is the land of Amazonia, that is the land of +Feminye. And in that realm is all women and no man; not, as some men +say, that men may not live there, but for because that the women will not +suffer no men amongst them to be their sovereigns. + +For sometime there was a king in that country. And men married, as in +other countries. And so befell that the king had war with them of +Scythia, the which king hight Colopeus, that was slain in battle, and all +the good blood of his realm. And when the queen and all the other noble +ladies saw that they were all widows, and that all the royal blood was +lost, they armed them and, as creatures out of wit, they slew all the men +of the country that were left; for they would that all the women were +widows as the queen and they were. And from that time hitherwards they +never would suffer man to dwell amongst them longer than seven days and +seven nights; ne that no child that were male should dwell amongst them +longer than he were nourished; and then sent to his father. And when +they will have any company of man then they draw them towards the lands +marching next to them. And then they have loves that use them; and they +dwell with them an eight days or ten, and then go home again. And if +they have any knave child they keep it a certain time, and then send it +to the father when he can go alone and eat by himself; or else they slay +it. And if it be a female they do away that one pap with an hot iron. +And if it be a woman of great lineage they do away the left pap that they +may the better bear a shield. And if it be a woman on foot they do away +the right pap, for to shoot with bow turkeys: for they shoot well with +bows. + +In that land they have a queen that governeth all that land, and all they +be obeissant to her. And always they make her queen by election that is +most worthy in arms; for they be right good warriors and orped, and wise, +noble and worthy. And they go oftentime in solde to help of other kings +in their wars, for gold and silver as other soldiers do; and they +maintain themselves right vigourously. This land of Amazonia is an isle, +all environed with the sea save in two places, where be two entries. And +beyond that water dwell the men that be their paramours and their loves, +where they go to solace them when they will. + +Beside Amazonia is the land of Tarmegyte that is a great country and a +full delectable. And for the goodness of the country King Alexander let +first make there the city of Alexandria, and yet he made twelve cities of +the same name; but that city is now clept Celsite. + +And from that other coast of Chaldea, toward the south, is Ethiopia, a +great country that stretcheth to the end of Egypt. Ethiopia is departed +in two parts principal, and that is in the east part and in the +meridional part; the which part meridional is clept Mauritania; and the +folk of that country be black enough and more black than in the tother +part, and they be clept Moors. In that part is a well, that in the day +it is so cold, that no man may drink thereof; and in the night it is so +hot, that no man may suffer his hand therein. And beyond that part, +toward the south, to pass by the sea Ocean, is a great land and a great +country; but men may not dwell there for the fervent burning of the sun, +so is it passing hot in that country. + +In Ethiopia all the rivers and all the waters be trouble, and they be +somedeal salt for the great heat that is there. And the folk of that +country be lightly drunken and have but little appetite to meat. And +they have commonly the flux of the womb. And they live not long. In +Ethiopia be many diverse folk; and Ethiope is clept Cusis. In that +country be folk that have but one foot, and they go so blyve that it is +marvel. And the foot is so large, that it shadoweth all the body against +the sun, when they will lie and rest them. In Ethiopia, when the +children be young and little, they be all yellow; and, when that they wax +of age, that yellowness turneth to be all black. In Ethiopia is the city +of Saba, and the land of the which one of the three kings that presented +our Lord in Bethlehem, was king of. + +From Ethiopia men go into Ind by many diverse countries. And men clepe +the high Ind, Emlak. And Ind is divided in three principal parts; that +is, the more that is a full hot country; and Ind the less, that is a full +attempre country, that stretcheth to the land of Media; and the three +part toward the septentrion is full cold, so that, for pure cold and +continual frost, the water becometh crystal. And upon those rocks of +crystal grow the good diamonds that be of trouble colour. Yellow crystal +draweth colour like oil. And they be so hard, that no man may polish +them. And men clepe them diamonds in that country, and _Hamese_ in +another country. Other diamonds men find in Arabia that be not so good, +and they be more brown and more tender. And other diamonds also men find +in the isle of Cyprus, that be yet more tender, and them men may well +polish. And in the land of Macedonia men find diamonds also. But the +best and the most precious be in Ind. + +And men find many times hard diamonds in a mass that cometh out of gold, +when men pure it and refine it out of the mine; when men break that mass +in small pieces, and sometime it happens that men find some as great as a +peas and some less, and they be as hard as those of Ind. + +And albeit that men find good diamonds in Ind, yet nevertheless men find +them more commonly upon the rocks in the sea and upon hills where the +mine of gold is. And they grow many together, one little, another great. +And there be some of the greatness of a bean and some as great as an +hazel nut. And they be square and pointed of their own kind, both above +and beneath, without working of man’s hand. And they grow together, male +and female. And they be nourished with the dew of heaven. And they +engender commonly and bring forth small children, that multiply and grow +all the year. I have often-times assayed, that if a man keep them with a +little of the rock and wet them with May-dew oft-sithes, they shall grow +every year, and the small will wax great. For right as the fine pearl +congealeth and waxeth great of the dew of heaven, right so doth the very +diamond; and right as the pearl of his own kind taketh roundness, right +so the diamond, by virtue of God, taketh squareness. And men shall bear +the diamond on his left side, for it is of greater virtue then, than on +the right side; for the strength of their growing is toward the north, +that is the left side of the world, and the left part of man is when he +turneth his face toward the east. + +And if you like to know the virtues of the diamond, (as men may find in +_The Lapidary_ that many men know not), I shall tell you, as they beyond +the sea say and affirm, of whom all science and all philosophy cometh +from. He that beareth the diamond upon him, it giveth him hardiness and +manhood, and it keepeth the limbs of his body whole. It giveth him +victory of his enemies in plea and in war, if his cause be rightful. And +it keepeth him that beareth it in good wit. And it keepeth him from +strife and riot, from evil swevens from sorrows and from enchantments, +and from fantasies and illusions of wicked spirits. And if any cursed +witch or enchanter would bewitch him that beareth the diamond, all that +sorrow and mischance shall turn to himself through virtue of that stone. +And also no wild beast dare assail the man that beareth it on him. Also +the diamond should be given freely, without coveting and without buying, +and then it is of greater virtue. And it maketh a man more strong and +more sad against his enemies. And it healeth him that is lunatic, and +them that the fiend pursueth or travaileth. And if venom or poison be +brought in presence of the diamond, anon it beginneth to wax moist and +for to sweat. + +There be also diamonds in Ind that be clept violastres, (for their colour +is like violet, or more brown than the violets), that be full hard and +full precious. But yet some men love not them so well as the other; but, +in sooth, to me, I would love them as much as the other, for I have seen +them assayed. + +Also there is another manner of diamonds that be as white as crystal, but +they be a little more trouble. And they be good and of great virtue, and +all they be square and pointed of their own kind. And some be six +squared, some four squared, and some three as nature shapeth them. And +therefore when great lords and knights go to seek worship in arms, they +bear gladly the diamond upon them. + +I shall speak a little more of the diamonds, although I tarry my matter +for a time, to the end, that they that know them not, be not deceived by +gabbers that go by the country, that sell them. For whoso will buy the +diamond it is needful to him that he know them. Because that men +counterfeit them often of crystal that is yellow and of sapphires of +citron colour that is yellow also, and of the sapphire loupe and of many +other stones. But I tell you these counterfeits be not so hard; and also +the points will break lightly, and men may easily polish them. But some +workmen, for malice, will not polish them; to that intent, to make men +believe that they may not be polished. But men may assay them in this +manner. First shear with them or write with them in sapphires, in +crystal or in other precious stones. After that, men take the adamant, +that is the shipman’s stone, that draweth the needle to him, and men lay +the diamond upon the adamant, and lay the needle before the adamant; and, +if the diamond be good and virtuous, the adamant draweth not the needle +to him whiles the diamond is there present. And this is the proof that +they beyond the sea make. + +Natheles it befalleth often-time, that the good diamond loseth his virtue +by sin, and for incontinence of him that beareth it. And then it is +needful to make it to recover his virtue again, or else it is of little +value. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + + +_Of the customs of Isles about Ind_. _Of the difference betwixt Idols +and Simulacres_. _Of three manner growing of Pepper upon one tree_. _Of +the Well that changeth his odour every hour of the day_; _and that is +marvel_ + +IN Ind be full many diverse countries. And it is clept Ind, for a flom +that runneth throughout the country that is clept Ind. In that flom men +find eels of thirty foot long and more. And the folk that dwell nigh +that water be of evil colour, green and yellow. + +In Ind and about Ind be more than 5000 isles good and great that men +dwell in, without those that he inhabitable, and without other small +isles. In every isle is great plenty of cities, and of towns, and of +folk without number. For men of Ind have this condition of kind, that +they never go out of their own country, and therefore is there great +multitude of people. But they be not stirring ne movable, because that +they be in the first climate, that is of Saturn; and Saturn is slow and +little moving, for he tarryeth to make his turn by the twelve signs +thirty year. And the moon passeth through the twelve signs in one month. +And for because that Saturn is of so late stirring, therefore the folk of +that country that be under his climate have of kind no will for to move +ne stir to seek strange places. And in our country is all the contrary; +for we be in the seventh climate, that is of the moon. And the moon is +of lightly moving, and the moon is planet of way; and for that skill it +giveth us will of kind for to move lightly and for to go divers ways, and +to seek strange things and other diversities of the world; for the moon +environeth the earth more hastily than any other planet. + +Also men go through Ind by many diverse countries to the great sea Ocean. +And after, men find there an isle that is clept Crues. And thither come +merchants of Venice and Genoa, and of other marches, for to buy +merchandises. But there is so great heat in those marches, and namely in +that isle, that, for the great distress of the heat, men’s ballocks hang +down to their knees for the great dissolution of the body. And men of +that country, that know the manner, let bind them up, or else might they +not live, and anoint them with ointments made therefore, to hold them up. + +In that country and in Ethiopia, and in many other countries, the folk +lie all naked in rivers and waters, men and women together, from undern +of the day till it be past the noon. And they lie all in the water, save +the visage, for the great heat that there is. And the women have no +shame of the men, but lie all together, side to side, till the heat be +past. There may men see many foul figure assembled, and namely nigh the +good towns. + +In that isle be ships without nails of iron or bonds, for the rocks of +the adamants, for they be all full thereabout in that sea, that it is +marvel to speak of. And if a ship passed by those marches that had +either iron bonds or iron nails, anon he should be perished; for the +adamant of his kind draweth the iron to him. And so would it draw to him +the ship because of the iron, that he should never depart from it, ne +never go thence. + +From that isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Chana, where +is great plenty of corn and wine. And it was wont to be a great isle, +and a great haven and a good; but the sea hath greatly wasted it and +overcome it. The king of that country was wont to be so strong and so +mighty that he held war against King Alexander. + +The folk of that country have a diverse law. For some of them worship +the sun, some the moon, some the fire, some trees, some serpents, or the +first thing that they meet at morrow. And some worship simulacres and +some idols. But between simulacres and idols is a great difference. For +simulacres be images made after likeness of men or of women, or of the +sun, or of the moon, or of any beast, or of any kindly thing. And idols +is an image made of lewd will of man, that man may not find among kindly +things, as an image that hath four heads, one of a man, another of an +horse or of an ox, or of some other beast, that no man hath seen after +kindly disposition. + +And they that worship simulacres, they worship them for some worthy man +that was sometime, as Hercules, and many other that did many marvels in +their time. For they say well that they be not gods; for they know well +that there is a God of kind that made all things, the which is in heaven. +But they know well that this may not do the marvels that he made, but if +it had been by the special gift of God; and therefore they say that he +was well with God, and for because that he was so well with God, +therefore they worship him. And so say they of the sun, because that he +changeth the time, and giveth heat, and nourisheth all things upon earth; +and for it is of so great profit, they know well that that might not be, +but that God loveth it more than any other thing, and, for that skill, +God hath given it more great virtue in the world. Therefore, it is good +reason, as they say, to do it worship and reverence. And so say they, +and make their reasons, of other planets, and of the fire also, because +it is so profitable. + +And of idols they say also that the ox is the most holy beast that is in +earth and most patient, and more profitable than any other. For he doth +good enough and he doth no evil; and they know well that it may not be +without special grace of God. And therefore make they their god of an ox +the one part, and the other half of a man. Because that man is the most +noble creature in earth, and also for he hath lordship above all beasts, +therefore make they the halvendel of idol of a man upwards; and the +tother half of an ox downwards, and of serpents, and of other beasts and +diverse things, that they worship, that they meet first at morrow. + +And they worship also specially all those that they have good meeting of; +and when they speed well in their journey, after their meeting, and +namely such as they have proved and assayed by experience of long time; +for they say that thilk good meeting ne may not come but of the grace of +God. And therefore they make images like to those things that they have +belief in, for to behold them and worship them first at morning, or they +meet any contrarious things. And there be also some Christian men that +say, that some beasts have good meeting, that is to say for to meet with +them first at morrow, and some beasts wicked meeting; and that they have +proved oft-time that the hare hath full evil meeting, and swine and many +other beasts. And the sparrow-hawk or other fowls of ravine, when they +fly after their prey and take it before men of arms, it is a good sign; +and if he fail of taking his prey, it is an evil sign. And also to such +folk, it is an evil meeting of ravens. + +In these things and in such other, there be many folk that believe; +because it happeneth so often-time to fall after their fantasies. And +also there be men enough that have no belief in them. And, sith that +Christian men have such belief, that be informed and taught all day by +holy doctrine, wherein they should believe, it is no marvel then, that +the paynims, that have no good doctrine but only of their nature, believe +more largely for their simplesse. And truly I have seen of paynims and +Saracens that men clepe Augurs, that, when we ride in arms in divers +countries upon our enemies, by the flying of fowls they would tell us the +prognostications of things that fell after; and so they did full +oftentimes, and proffered their heads to-wedde, but if it would fall as +they said. But natheles, therefore should not a man put his belief in +such things, but always have full trust and belief in God our sovereign +Lord. + +This isle of Chana the Saracens have won and hold. In that isle be many +lions and many other wild beasts. And there be rats in that isle as +great as hounds here; and men take them with great mastiffs, for cats may +not take them. In this isle and many other men bury not no dead men, for +the heat is there so great, that in a little time the flesh will consume +from the bones. + +From thence men go by sea toward Ind the more to a city, that men clepe +Sarche, that is a fair city and a good. And there dwell many Christian +men of good faith. And there be many religious men, and namely of +mendicants. + +After go men by sea to the land of Lomb. In that land groweth the pepper +in the forest that men clepe Combar. And it groweth nowhere else in all +the world, but in that forest, and that endureth well an eighteen +journeys in length. In the forest be two good cities; that one hight +Fladrine and that other Zinglantz, and in every of them dwell Christian +men and Jews, great plenty. For it is a good country and a plentiful, +but there is overmuch passing heat. + +And ye shall understand, that the pepper groweth in manner as doth a wild +vine that is planted fast by the trees of that wood for to sustain it by, +as doth the vine. And the fruit thereof hangeth in manner as raisins. +And the tree is so thick charged, that it seemeth that it would break. +And when it is ripe it is all green, as it were ivy berries. And then +men cut them, as men do the vines, and then they put it upon an oven, and +there it waxeth black and crisp. And there is three manner of pepper all +upon one tree; long pepper, black pepper and white pepper. The long +pepper men clepe _Sorbotin_, and the black pepper is clept _Fulfulle_, +and the white pepper is clept _Bano_. The long pepper cometh first when +the leaf beginneth to come, and it is like the cats of hazel that cometh +before the leaf, and it hangeth low. And after cometh the black with the +leaf, in manner of clusters of raisins, all green. And when men have +gathered it, then cometh the white that is somedeal less than the black. +And of that men bring but little into this country; for they beyond +withhold it for themselves, because it is better and more attempre in +kind than the black. And therefore is there not so great plenty as of +the black. + +In that country be many manner of serpents and of other vermin for the +great heat of the country and of the pepper. And some men say, that when +they will gather the pepper, they make fire, and burn about to make the +serpents and the cockodrills to flee. But save their grace of all that +say so. For if they burnt about the trees that bear, the pepper should +be burnt, and it would dry up all the virtue, as of any other thing; and +then they did themselves much harm, and they should never quench the +fire. But thus they do: they anoint their hands and their feet [with a +juice] made of snails and of other things made therefore, of the which +the serpents and the venomous beasts hate and dread the savour; and that +maketh them flee before them, because of the smell, and then they gather +it surely enough. + +Also toward the head of that forest is the city of Polombe. And above +the city is a great mountain that also is clept Polombe. And of that +mount the city hath his name. + +And at the foot of that mount is a fair well and a great, that hath odour +and savour of all spices. And at every hour of the day he changeth his +odour and his savour diversely. And whoso drinketh three times fasting +of that water of that well he is whole of all manner sickness that he +hath. And they that dwell there and drink often of that well they never +have sickness; and they seem always young. I have drunken thereof three +or four sithes, and yet, methinketh, I fare the better. Some men clepe +it the well of youth. For they that often drink thereof seem always +young-like, and live without sickness. And men say, that that well +cometh out of Paradise, and therefore it is so virtuous. + +By all that country groweth good ginger, and therefore thither go the +merchants for spicery. + +In that land men worship the ox for his simpleness and for his meekness, +and for the profit that cometh of him. And they say, that he is the +holiest beast in earth. For them seemeth, that whosoever be meek and +patient, he is holy and profitable; for then, they say, he hath all +virtues in him. They make the ox to labour six year or seven, and then +they eat him. And the king of the country hath alway an ox with him. +And he that keepeth him hath every day great fees, and keepeth every day +his dung and his urine in two vessels of gold, and bring it before their +prelate that they clepe Archi-protopapaton. And he beareth it before the +king and maketh there over a great blessing. And then the king wetteth +his hands there, in that they clepe gall, and anointeth his front and his +breast. And after, he froteth him with the dung and with the urine with +great reverence, for to be fullfilled of virtues of the ox and made holy +by the virtue of that holy thing that nought is worth. And when the king +hath done, then do the lords; and after them their ministers and other +men, if they may have any remenant. + +In that country they make idols, half man half ox. And in those idols +evil spirits speak and give answer to men of what is asked them. Before +these idols men slay their children many times, and spring the blood upon +the idols; and so they make their sacrifice. + +And when any man dieth in the country they burn his body in name of +penance; to that intent, that he suffer no pain in earth to be eaten of +worms. And if his wife have no child they burn her with him, and say, +that it is reason, that she make him company in that other world as she +did in this. But and she have children with him, they let her live with +them, to bring them up if she will. And if that she love more to live +with her children than for to die with her husband, men hold her for +false and cursed; ne she shall never be loved ne trusted of the people. +And if the woman die, before the husband, men burn him with her, if that +he will; and if he will not, no man constraineth him thereto, but he may +wed another time without blame or reproof. + +In that country grow many strong vines. And the women drink wine, and +men not. And the women shave their beards, and the men not. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + + +_Of the Dooms made by St. Thomas’s hand_. _Of devotion and sacrifice +made to Idols there_, _in the city of Calamye_; _and of the Procession in +going about the city_ + +FROM that country men pass by many marches toward a country, a ten +journeys thence, that is clept Mabaron; and it is a great kingdom, and it +hath many fair cities and towns. + +In that kingdom lieth the body of Saint Thomas the apostle in flesh and +bone, in a fair tomb in the city of Calamye; for there he was martyred +and buried. And men of Assyria bare his body into Mesopotamia into the +city of Edessa, and after, he was brought thither again. And the arm and +the hand that he put in our Lord’s side, when he appeared to him after +his resurrection and said to him, _Noli esse incredulus_, _sed fidelis_, +is yet lying in a vessel without the tomb. And by that hand they make +all their judgments in the country, whoso hath right or wrong. For when +there is any dissension between two parties, and every of them +maintaineth his cause, and saith that his cause is rightful, and that +other saith the contrary, then both parties write their causes in two +bills and put them in the hand of Saint Thomas. And anon he casteth away +the bill of the wrong cause and holdeth still the bill with the right +cause. And therefore men come from far countries to have judgment of +doubtable causes. And other judgment use they none there. + +Also the church, where Saint Thomas’ lieth, is both great and fair, and +all full of great simulacres, and those be great images that they clepe +their gods, of the which the least is as great as two men. + +And, amongst these other, there is a great image more than any of the +other, that is all covered with fine gold and precious stones and rich +pearls; and that idol is the god of false Christians that have reneyed +their faith. And it sitteth in a chair of gold, full nobly arrayed, and +he hath about his neck large girdles wrought of gold and precious stones +and pearls. And this church is full richly wrought and, all overgilt +within. And to that idol go men on pilgrimage, as commonly and with as +great devotion as Christian men go to Saint James, or other holy +pilgrimages. And many folk that come from far lands to seek that idol +for the great devotion that they have, they look never upward, but +evermore down to the earth, for dread to see anything about them that +should let them of their devotion. And some there be that go on +pilgrimage to this idol, that bear knives in their hands, that be made +full keen and sharp; and always as they go, they smite themselves in +their arms and in their legs and in their thighs with many hideous +wounds; and so they shed their blood for love of that idol. And they +say, that he is blessed and holy, that dieth so for love of his god. And +other there be that lead their children for to slay, to make sacrifice to +that idol; and after they have slain them they spring the blood upon the +idol. And some there be that come from far; and in going toward this +idol, at every third pace that they go from their house, they kneel; and +so continue till they come thither: and when they come there, they take +incense and other aromatic things of noble smell, and cense the idol, as +we would do here God’s precious body. And so come folk to worship this +idol, some from an hundred mile, and some from many more. + +And before the minster of this idol, is a vivary, in manner of a great +lake, full of water. And therein pilgrims cast gold and silver, pearls +and precious stones without number, instead of offerings. And when the +minister of that church need to make any reparation of the church or of +any of the idols, they take gold and silver, pearls and precious stones +out of the vivary, to quit the costage of such thing as they make or +repair; so that that nothing is faulty, but anon it shall be amended. +And ye shall understand, that when [there be] great feasts and +solemnities of that idol, as the dedication of the church and the +throning of the idol, all the country about meet there together. And +they set this idol upon a car with great reverence, well arrayed with +cloths of gold, of rich cloths of Tartary, of Camaka, and other precious +cloths. And they lead him about the city with great solemnity. And +before the car go first in procession all the maidens of the country, two +and two together full ordinatly. And after those maidens go the +pilgrims. And some of them fall down under the wheels of the car, and +let the car go over them, so that they be dead anon. And some have their +arms or their limbs all to-broken, and some the sides. And all this do +they for love of their god, in great devotion. And them thinketh that +the more pain, and the more tribulation that they suffer for love of +their god, the more joy they shall have in another world. And, shortly +to say you, they suffer so great pains, and so hard martyrdoms for love +of their idol, that a Christian man, I trow, durst not take upon him the +tenth part the pain for love of our Lord Jesu Christ. And after, I say +you, before the car, go all the minstrels of the country without number, +with diverse instruments, and they make all the melody that they can. + +And when they have gone all about the city, then they return again to the +minster, and put the idol again into his place. And then for the love +and in worship of that idol, and for the reverence of the feast, they +slay themselves, a two hundred or three hundred persons, with sharp +knives, of the which they bring the bodies before the idol. And then +they say that those be saints, because that they slew themselves of their +own good will for love of their idol. And as men here that had an holy +saint of his kin would think that it were to them an high worship, right +so then, thinketh there. And as men here devoutly would write holy +saints’ lives and their miracles, and sue for their canonizations, right +so do they there for them that slay themselves wilfully for love of their +idol, and say, that they be glorious martyrs and saints, and put them in +their writings and in their litanies, and avaunt them greatly, one to +another, of their holy kinsmen that so become saints, and say, I have +more holy saints in my kindred, than thou in thine! + +And the custom also there is this, that when they that have such devotion +and intent for to slay himself for love of his god, they send for all +their friends, and have great plenty of minstrels; and they go before the +idol leading him that will slay himself for such devotion between them, +with great reverence. And he, all naked, hath a full sharp knife in his +hand, and he cutteth a great piece of his flesh, and casteth it in the +face of his idol, saying his orisons, recommending him to his god. And +then he smiteth himself and maketh great wounds and deep, here and there, +till he fall down dead. And then his friends present his body to the +idol. And then they say, singing, Holy god! behold what thy true servant +hath done for thee. He hath forsaken his wife and his children and his +riches, and all the goods of the world and his own life for the love of +thee, and to make thee sacrifice of his flesh and of his blood. +Wherefore, holy god, put him among thy best beloved saints in thy bliss +of paradise, for he hath well deserved it. And then they make a great +fire, and burn the body. And then everych of his friends take a quantity +of the ashes, and keep them instead of relics, and say that it is holy +thing. And they have no dread of no peril whiles they have those holy +ashes upon them. And [they] put his name in their litanies as a saint. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + + +_Of the evil customs used in the Isle of Lamary_. _And how the earth and +the sea be of round form and shape_, _by proof of the star that is clept +Antarctic_, _that is fixed in the south_ + +FROM that country go men by the sea ocean, and by many divers isles and +by many countries that were too long for to tell of. And a fifty-two +journeys from this land that I have spoken of, there is another land, +that is full great, that men clepe Lamary. In that land is full great +heat. And the custom there is such, that men and women go all naked. +And they scorn when they see any strange folk going clothed. And they +say, that God made Adam and Eve all naked, and that no man should shame +him to shew him such as God made him, for nothing is foul that is of +kindly nature. And they say, that they that be clothed be folk of +another world, or they be folk that trow not in God. And they say, that +they believe in God that formed the world, and that made Adam and Eve and +all other things. And they wed there no wives, for all the women there +be common and they forsake no man. And they say they sin if they refuse +any man; and so God commanded to Adam and Eve and to all that come of +him, when he said, _Crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram_. And +therefore may no man in that country say, This is my wife; ne no woman +may say, This my husband. And when they have children, they may give +them to what man they will that hath companied with them. And also all +the land is common; for all that a man holdeth one year, another man hath +it another year; and every man taketh what part that him liketh. And +also all the goods of the land be common, corns and all other things: for +nothing there is kept in close, ne nothing there is under lock, and every +man there taketh what he will without any contradiction, and as rich is +one man there as is another. + +But in that country there is a cursed custom, for they eat more gladly +man’s flesh than any other flesh; and yet is that country abundant of +flesh, of fish, of corns, of gold and silver, and of all other goods. +Thither go merchants and bring with them children to sell to them of the +country, and they buy them. And if they be fat they eat them anon. And +if they be lean they feed them till they be fat, and then they eat them. +And they say, that it is the best flesh and the sweetest of all the +world. + +In that land, ne in many other beyond that, no man may see the Star +Transmontane, that is clept the Star of the Sea, that is unmovable and +that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star. But men see +another star, the contrary to him, that is toward the south, that is +clept Antartic. And right as the ship-men take their advice here and +govern them by the Lode-star, right so do ship-men beyond those parts by +the star of the south, the which star appeareth not to us. And this star +that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star, ne appeareth not +to them. For which cause men may well perceive, that the land and the +sea be of round shape and form; for the part of the firmament sheweth in +one country that sheweth not in another country. And men may well prove +by experience and subtle compassment of wit, that if a man found passages +by ships that would go to search the world, men might go by ship all +about the world and above and beneath. + +The which thing I prove thus after that I have seen. For I have been +toward the parts of Brabant, and beholden the Astrolabe that the star +that is clept the Transmontane is fifty-three degrees high; and more +further in Almayne and Bohemia it hath fifty-eight degrees; and more +further toward the parts septentrional it is sixty-two degrees of height +and certain minutes; for I myself have measured it by the Astrolabe. Now +shall ye know, that against the Transmontane is the tother star that is +clept Antarctic, as I have said before. And those two stars ne move +never, and by them turneth all the firmament right as doth a wheel that +turneth by his axle-tree. So that those stars bear the firmament in two +equal parts, so that it hath as much above as it hath beneath. After +this, I have gone toward the parts meridional, that is, toward the south, +and I have found that in Lybia men see first the star Antarctic. And so +far I have gone more further in those countries, that I have found that +star more high; so that toward the High Lybia it is eighteen degrees of +height and certain minutes (of the which sixty minutes make a degree). +After going by sea and by land toward this country of that I have spoken, +and to other isles and lands beyond that country, I have found the Star +Antarctic of thirty-three degrees of height and more minutes. And if I +had had company and shipping for to go more beyond, I trow well, in +certain, that we should have seen all the roundness of the firmament all +about. For, as I have said to you before, the half of the firmament is +between those two stars, the which halvendel I have seen. And of the +tother halvendel I have seen, toward the north under the Transmontane, +sixty-two degrees and ten minutes, and toward the part meridional I have +seen under the Antarctic, thirty-three degrees and sixteen minutes. And +then, the halvendel of the firmament in all holdeth not but nine score +degrees. And of those nine score, I have seen sixty-two on that one part +and thirty-three on that other part; that be, ninety-five degrees and +nigh the halvendel of a degree. And so, there ne faileth but that I have +seen all the firmament, save four score and four degrees and the +halvendel of a degree, and that is not the fourth part of the firmament; +for the fourth part of the roundness of the firmament holds four score +and ten degrees, so there faileth but five degrees and an half of the +fourth part. And also I have seen the three parts of all the roundness +of the firmament and more yet five degrees and a half. By the which I +say you certainly that men may environ all the earth of all the world, as +well under as above, and turn again to his country, that had company and +shipping and conduct. And always he should find men, lands and isles, as +well as in this country. For ye wit well, that they that be toward the +Antarctic, they be straight, feet against feet, of them that dwell under +the Transmontane; also well as we and they that dwell under us be feet +against feet. For all the parts of sea and of land have their opposites, +habitable trepassable, and they of this half and beyond half. + +And wit well, that, after that that I may perceive and comprehend, the +lands of Prester John, Emperor of Ind, be under us. For in going from +Scotland or from England toward Jerusalem men go upward always. For our +land is in the low part of the earth toward the west, and the land of +Prester John is in the low part of the earth toward the east. And [they] +have there the day when we have the night; and also, high to the +contrary, they have the night when we have the day. For the earth and +the sea be of round form and shape, as I have said before; and that that +men go upward to one coast, men go downward to another coast. + +Also ye have heard me say that Jerusalem is in the midst of the world. +And that may men prove, and shew there by a spear, that is pight into the +earth, upon the hour of midday, when it is equinox, that sheweth no +shadow on no side. And that it should be in the midst of the world, +David witnesseth it in the Psalter, where he saith, _Deus operatus est +salutem in media terrae_. Then, they, that part from those parts of the +west for to go toward Jerusalem, as many journeys as they go upward for +to go thither, in as many journeys may they go from Jerusalem unto other +confines of the superficiality of the earth beyond. And when men go +beyond those journeys toward Ind and to the foreign isles, all is +environing the roundness of the earth and of the sea under our countries +on this half. + +And therefore hath it befallen many times of one thing that I have heard +counted when I was young, how a worthy man departed some-time from our +countries for to go search the world. And so he passed Ind and the isles +beyond Ind, where be more than 5000 isles. And so long he went by sea +and land, and so environed the world by many seasons, that he found an +isle where he heard speak his own language, calling on oxen in the +plough, such words as men speak to beasts in his own country whereof he +had great marvel, for he knew not how it might be. But I say, that he +had gone so long by land and by sea, that he had environed all the earth; +that he was come again environing, that is to say, going about, unto his +own marches, and if he would have passed further, till he had found his +country and his own knowledge. But he turned again from thence, from +whence he was come from. And so he lost much painful labour, as himself +said a great while after that he was come home. For it befell after, +that he went into Norway. And there tempest of the sea took him, and he +arrived in an isle. And, when he was in that isle, he knew well that it +was the isle, where he had heard speak his own language before and the +calling of oxen at the plough; and that was possible thing. + +But how it seemeth to simple men unlearned, that men ne may not go under +the earth, and also that men should fall toward the heaven from under. +But that may not be, upon less than we may fall toward heaven from the +earth where we be. For from what part of the earth that men dwell, +either above or beneath, it seemeth always to them that dwell that they +go more right than any other folk. And right as it seemeth to us that +they be under us, right so it seemeth to them that we be under them. For +if a man might fall from the earth unto the firmament, by greater, reason +the earth and the sea that be so great and so heavy should fall to the +firmament: but that may not be, and therefore saith our Lord God, _Non +timeas me_, _qui suspendi terram ex nihilo_? + +And albeit that it be possible thing that men may so environ all the +world, natheles, of a thousand persons, one ne might not happen to return +into his country. For, for the greatness of the earth and of the sea, +men may go by a thousand and a thousand other ways, that no man could +ready him perfectly toward the parts that he came from, but if it were by +adventure and hap, or by the grace of God. For the earth is full large +and full great, and holds in roundness and about environ, by above and by +beneath, 20425 miles, after the opinion of old wise astronomers; and +their sayings I reprove nought. But, after my little wit, it seemeth me, +saving their reverence, that it is more. + +And for to have better understanding I say thus. Be there imagined a +figure that hath a great compass. And, about the point of the great +compass that is clept the centre, be made another little compass. Then +after, be the great compass devised by lines in many parts, and that all +the lines meet at the centre. So, that in as many parts as the great +compass shall be departed, in as many shall be departed the little, that +is about the centre, albeit that the spaces be less. Now then, be the +great compass represented for the firmament, and the little compass +represented for the earth. Now then, the firmament is devised by +astronomers in twelve signs, and every sign is devised in thirty degrees; +that is, 360 degrees that the firmament hath above. Also, be the earth +devised in as many parts as the firmament, and let every part answer to a +degree of the firmament. And wit it well, that, after the authors of +astronomy, 700 furlongs of earth answer to a degree of the firmament, and +those be eighty-seven miles and four furlongs. Now be that here +multiplied by 360 sithes, and then they be 31,500 miles every of eight +furlongs, after miles of our country. So much hath the earth in +roundness and of height environ, after mine opinion and mine +understanding. + +And ye shall understand, that after the opinion of old wise philosophers +and astronomers, our country ne Ireland ne Wales ne Scotland ne Norway ne +the other isles coasting to them ne be not in the superficiality counted +above the earth, as it sheweth by all the books of astronomy. For the +superficiality of the earth is parted in seven parts for the seven +planets, and those parts be clept climates. And our parts be not of the +seven climates, for they be descending toward the west †[drawing] towards +the roundness of the world. †And also these isles of Ind which be even +against us be not reckoned in the climates. For they be against us that +be in the low country. And the seven climates stretch them environing +the world. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + + +_Of the Palace of the King of the Isle of Java_. _Of the Trees that bear +meal_, _honey_, _wine_, _and venom_; _and of other marvels and customs +used in the Isles marching thereabout_ + +BESIDE that isle that I have spoken of, there is another isle that is +clept Sumobor. That is a great isle, and the king thereof is right +mighty. The folk of that isle make them always to be marked in the +visage with an hot iron, both men and women, for great noblesse, for to +be known from other folk; for they hold themselves most noble and most +worthy of all the world. And they have war always with the folk that go +all naked. + +And fast beside is another isle, that is clept Betemga, that is a good +isle and a plenteous. And many other isles be thereabout, where there be +many of diverse folk, of the which it were too long to speak of all. + +But fast beside that isle, for to pass by sea, is a great isle and a +great country that men clepe Java. And it is nigh two thousand mile in +circuit. And the king of that country is a full great lord and a rich +and a mighty, and hath under him seven other kings of seven other isles +about him. This isle is full well inhabited, and full well manned. +There grow all manner of spicery, more plenteously than in any other +country, as of ginger, cloves-gilofre, canell, seedwall, nutmegs and +maces. And wit well, that the nutmeg beareth the maces; for right as the +nut of the hazel hath an husk without, that the nut is closed in till it +be ripe and that after falleth out, right so it is of the nutmeg and of +the maces. Many other spices and many other goods grow in that isle. +For of all things is there plenty, save only of wine. But there is gold +and silver, great plenty. + +And the king of that country hath a palace full noble and full +marvellous, and more rich than any in the world. For all the degrees to +go up into halls and chambers be, one of gold, another of silver. And +also, the pavements of halls and chambers be all square, of gold one, and +another of silver. And all the walls within be covered with gold and +silver in fine plates, and in those plates be stories and battles of +knights enleved, and the crowns and the circles about their heads be made +of precious stones and rich pearls and great. And the halls and the +chambers of the palace be all covered within with gold and silver, so +that no man would trow the riches of that palace but he had seen it. And +wit well, that the king of that isle is so mighty, that he hath many +times overcome the great Chan of Cathay in battle, that is the most great +emperor that is under the firmament either beyond the sea or on this +half. For they have had often-time war between them, because that the +great Chan would constrain him to hold his land of him; but that other at +all times defendeth him well against him. + +After that isle, in going by sea, men find another isle, good and great, +that men clepe Pathen, that is a great kingdom full of fair cities and +full of towns. In that land grow trees that bear meal, whereof men make +good bread and white and of good savour; and it seemeth as it were of +wheat, but it is not allinges of such savour. And there be other trees +that bear honey good and sweet, and other trees that bear venom, against +the which there is no medicine but [one]; and that is to take their +proper leaves and stamp them and temper them with water and then drink +it, and else he shall die; for triacle will not avail, ne none other +medicine. Of this venom the Jews had let seek of one of their friends +for to empoison all Christianity, as I have heard them say in their +confession before their dying: but thanked be Almighty God! they failed +of their purpose; but always they make great mortality of people. And +other trees there be also that bear wine of noble sentiment. And if you +like to hear how the meal cometh out of the trees I shall say you. Men +hew the trees with an hatchet, all about the foot of the tree, till that +the bark be parted in many parts, and then cometh out thereof a thick +liquor, the which they receive in vessels, and dry it at the heat of the +sun; and then they have it to a mill to grind and it becometh fair meal +and white. And the honey and the wine and the venom be drawn out of +other trees in the same manner, and put in vessels for to keep. + +In that isle is a dead sea, that is a lake that hath no ground; and if +anything fall into that lake it shall never come up again. In that lake +grow reeds, that be canes, that they clepe Thaby, that be thirty fathoms +long; and of these canes men make fair houses. And there be other canes +that be not so long, that grow near the land and have so long roots that +endure well a four quarters of a furlong or more; and at the knots of +those roots men find precious stones that have great virtues. And he +that beareth any of them upon him, iron ne steel may not hurt him, ne +draw no blood upon him; and therefore, they that have those stones upon +them fight full hardily both on sea and land, for men may not harm [them] +on no part. And therefore, they that know the manner, and shall fight +with them, they shoot to them arrows and quarrels without iron or steel, +and so they hurt them and slay them. And also of those canes they make +houses and ships and other things, as we have here, making houses and +ships of oak or of any other trees. And deem no man that I say it but +for a trifle, for I have seen of the canes with mine own eyes, full many +times, lying upon the river of that lake, of the which twenty of our +fellows ne might not lift up ne bear one to the earth. + +After this isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Calonak. And +it is a fair land and a plenteous of goods. And the king of that country +hath as many wives as he will. For he maketh search all the country to +get him the fairest maidens that may be found, and maketh them to be +brought before him. And he taketh one one night, and another another +night, and so forth continually suing; so that he hath a thousand wives +or more. And he lieth never but one night with one of them, and another +night with another; but if that one happen to be more lusty to his +pleasance than another. And therefore the king getteth full many +children, some-time an hundred, some-time a two-hundred, and some-time +more. And he hath also into a 14,000 elephants or more that he maketh +for to be brought up amongst his villains by all his towns. For in case +that he had any war against any other king about him, then [he] maketh +certain men of arms for to go up into the castles of tree made for the +war, that craftily be set upon the elephants’ backs, for to fight against +their enemies. And so do other kings there-about. For the manner of war +is not there as it is here or in other countries, ne the ordinance of war +neither. And men clepe the elephants _Warkes_. + +And in that isle there is a great marvel, more to speak of than in any +other part of the world. For all manner of fishes, that be there in the +sea about them, come once in the year—each manner of diverse fishes, one +manner of kind after other. And they cast themselves to the sea bank of +that isle so great plenty and multitude, that no man may unnethe see but +fish. And there they abide three days. And every man of the country +taketh of them as many as him liketh. And after, that manner of fish +after the third day departeth and goeth into the sea. And after them +come another multitude of fish of another kind and do in the same manner +as the first did, other three days. And after them another, till all the +diverse manner of fishes have been there, and that men have taken of them +that them liketh. And no man knoweth the cause wherefore it may be. But +they of the country say that it is for to do reverence to their king, +that is the most worthy king that is in the world as they say; because +that he fulfilleth the commandment that God bade to Adam and Eve, when +God said, _Crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram_. And for +because that he multiplieth so the world with children, therefore God +sendeth him so the fishes of diverse kinds of all that be in the sea, to +take at his will for him and all his people. And therefore all the +fishes of the sea come to make him homage as the most noble and excellent +king of the world, and that is best beloved with God, as they say. I +know not the reason, why it is, but God knoweth; but this, me-seemeth, is +the most marvel that ever I saw. For this marvel is against kind and not +with kind, that the fishes that have freedom to environ all the coasts of +the sea at their own list, come of their own will to proffer them to the +death, without constraining of man. And therefore, I am siker that this +may not be, without a great token. + +There be also in that country a kind of snails that be so great, that +many persons may lodge them in their shells, as men would do in a little +house. And other snails there be that be full great but not so huge as +the other. And of these snails, and of great white worms that have black +heads that be as great as a man’s thigh, and some less as great worms +that men find there in woods, men make viand royal for the king and for +other great lords. And if a man that is married die in that country, men +bury his wife with him all quick; for men say there, that it is reason +that she make him company in that other world as she did in this. + +From that country men go by the sea ocean by an isle that is clept +Caffolos. Men of that country when their friends be sick they hang them +upon trees, and say that it is better that birds, that be angels of God, +eat them, than the foul worms of the earth. + +From that isle men go to another isle, where the folk be of full cursed +kind. For they nourish great dogs and teach them to strangle their +friends when they be sick. For they will not that they die of kindly +death. For they say, that they should suffer too great pain if they +abide to die by themselves, as nature would. And, when they be thus +enstrangled, they eat their flesh instead of venison. + +Afterward men go by many isles by sea unto an isle that men clepe Milke. +And there is a full cursed people. For they delight in nothing more than +for to fight and to slay men. And they drink gladliest man’s blood, the +which they clepe Dieu. And the more men that a man may slay, the more +worship he hath amongst them. And if two persons be at debate and, +peradventure, be accorded by their friends or by some of their alliance, +it behoveth that every of them that shall be accorded drink of other’s +blood: and else the accord ne the alliance is nought worth: ne it shall +not be no reproof to him to break the alliance and the accord, but if +every of them drink of others’ blood. + +And from that isle men go by sea, from isle to isle, unto an isle that is +clept Tracoda, where the folk of that country be as beasts, and +unreasonable, and dwell in caves that they make in the earth; for they +have no wit to make them houses. And when they see any man passing +through their countries they hide them in their caves. And they eat +flesh of serpents, and they eat but little. And they speak nought, but +they hiss as serpents do. And they set no price by no avoir ne riches, +but only of a precious stone, that is amongst them, that is of sixty +colours. And for the name of the isle, they clepe it Tracodon. And they +love more that stone than anything else; and yet they know not the virtue +thereof, but they covet it and love it only for the beauty. + +After that isle men go by the sea ocean, by many isles, unto an isle that +is clept Nacumera, that is a great isle and good and fair. And it is in +compass about, more than a thousand mile. And all the men and women of +that isle have hounds’ heads, and they be clept Cynocephales. And they +be full reasonable and of good understanding, save that they worship an +ox for their God. And also every one of them beareth an ox of gold or of +silver in his forehead, in token that they love well their God. And they +go all naked save a little clout, that they cover with their knees and +their members. They be great folk and well-fighting. And they have a +great targe that covereth all the body, and a spear in their hand to +fight with. And if they take any man in battle, anon they eat him. + +The king of that isle is full rich and full mighty and right devout after +his law. And he hath about his neck 300 pearls orient, good and great +and knotted, as paternosters here of amber. And in manner as we say our +_Pater Noster_ and our _Ave Maria_, counting the _Pater Nosters_, right +so this king saith every day devoutly 300 prayers to his God, or that he +eat. And he beareth also about his neck a ruby orient, noble and fine, +that is a foot of length and five fingers large. And, when they choose +their king, they take him that ruby to bear in his hand; and so they lead +him, riding all about the city. And from thence-fromward they be all +obeissant to him. And that ruby he shall bear always about his neck, for +if he had not that ruby upon him men would not hold him for king. The +great Chan of Cathay hath greatly coveted that ruby, but he might never +have it for war, ne for no manner of goods. This king is so rightful and +of equity in his dooms, that men may go sikerly throughout all his +country and bear with them what them list; that no man shall be hardy to +rob them, and if he were, the king would justified anon. + +From this land men go to another isle that is clept Silha. And it is +well a 800 miles about. In that land is full much waste, for it is full +of serpents, of dragons and of cockodrills, that no man dare dwell there. +These cockodrills be serpents, yellow and rayed above, and have four feet +and short thighs, and great nails as claws or talons. And there be some +that have five fathoms in length, and some of six and of eight and of +ten. And when they go by places that be gravelly, it seemeth as though +men had drawn a great tree through the gravelly place. And there be also +many wild beasts, and namely of elephants. + +In that isle is a great mountain. And in mid place of the mount is a +great lake in a full fair plain; and there is great plenty of water. And +they of the country say, that Adam and Eve wept upon that mount an +hundred year, when they were driven out of Paradise, and that water, they +say, is of their tears; for so much water they wept, that made the +foresaid lake. And in the bottom of that lake men find many precious +stones and great pearls. In that lake grow many reeds and great canes; +and there within be many cocodrills and serpents and great water-leeches. +And the king of that country, once every year, giveth leave to poor men +to go into the lake to gather them precious stones and pearls, by way of +alms, for the love of God that made Adam. And all the year men find +enough. And for the vermin that is within, they anoint their arms and +their thighs and legs with an ointment made of a thing that is clept +lemons, that is a manner of fruit like small pease; and then have they no +dread of no cockodrills, ne of none other venomous vermin. This water +runneth, flowing and ebbing, by a side of the mountain, and in that river +men find precious stones and pearls, great plenty. And men of that isle +say commonly, that the serpents and the wild beasts of that country will +not do no harm ne touch with evil no strange man that entereth into that +country, but only to men that be born of the same country. + +In that country and others thereabout there be wild geese that have two +heads. And there be lions, all white and as great as oxen, and many +other diverse beasts and fowls also that be not seen amongst us. + +And wit well, that in that country and in other isles thereabout, the sea +is so high, that it seemeth as though it hung at the clouds, and that it +would cover all the world. And that is great marvel that it might be so, +save only the will of God, that the air sustaineth it. And therefore +saith David in the Psalter, _Mirabiles elationes maris_. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + + +_How men know by the Idol_, _if the sick shall die or not_. _Of Folk of +diverse shape and marvellously disfigured_. _And of the Monks that gave +their relief to baboons_, _apes_, _and marmosets_, _and to other beasts_ + +FROM that isle, in going by sea toward the south, is another great isle +that is clept Dondun. In that isle be folk of diverse kinds, so that the +father eateth the son, the son the father, the husband the wife, and the +wife the husband. And if it so befall, that the father or mother or any +of their friends be sick, anon the son goeth to the priest of their law +and prayeth him to ask the idol if his father or mother or friend shall +die on that evil or not. And then the priest and the son go together +before the idol and kneel full devoutly and ask of the idol their demand. +And if the devil that is within answer that he shall live, they keep him +well; and if he say that he shall die, then the priest goeth with the +son, with the wife of him that is sick, and they put their hands upon his +mouth and stop his breath, and so they slay him. And after that, they +chop all the body in small pieces, and pray all his friends to come and +eat of him that is dead. And they send for all the minstrels of the +country and make a solemn feast. And when they have eaten the flesh, +they take the bones and bury them, and sing and make great melody. And +all those that be of his kin or pretend them to be his friends, an they +come not to that feast, they be reproved for evermore and shamed, and +make great dole, for never after shall they be holden as friends. And +they say also, that men eat their flesh for to deliver them out of pain; +for if the worms of the earth eat them the soul should suffer great pain, +as they say. And namely when the flesh is tender and meagre, then say +their friends, that they do great sin to let them have so long languor to +suffer so much pain without reason. And when they find the flesh fat, +then they say, that it is well done to send them soon to Paradise, and +that they have not suffered him too long to endure in pain. + +The king of this isle is a full great lord and a mighty, and hath under +him fifty-four great isles that give tribute to him. And in everych of +these isles is a king crowned; and all be obeissant to that king. And he +hath in those isles many diverse folk. + +In one of these isles be folk of great stature, as giants. And they be +hideous for to look upon. And they have but one eye, and that is in the +middle of the front. And they eat nothing but raw flesh and raw fish. + +And in another isle toward the south dwell folk of foul stature and of +cursed kind that have no heads. And their eyen be in their shoulders. + +And in another isle be folk that have the face all flat, all plain, +without nose and without mouth. But they have two small holes, all +round, instead of their eyes, and their mouth is plat also without lips. + +And in another isle be folk of foul fashion and shape that have the lip +above the mouth so great, that when they sleep in the sun they cover all +the face with that lip. + +And in another isle there be little folk, as dwarfs. And they be two so +much as the pigmies. And they have no mouth; but instead of their mouth +they have a little round hole, and when they shall eat or drink, they +take through a pipe or a pen or such a thing, and suck it in, for they +have no tongue; and therefore they speak not, but they make a manner of +hissing as an adder doth, and they make signs one to another as monks do, +by the which every of them understandeth other. + +And in another isle be folk that have great ears and long, that hang down +to their knees. + +And in another isle be folk that have horses’ feet. And they be strong +and mighty, and swift runners; for they take wild beasts with running, +and eat them. + +And in another isle be folk that go upon their hands and their feet as +beasts. And they be all skinned and feathered, and they will leap as +lightly into trees, and from tree to tree, as it were squirrels or apes. + +And in another isle be folk that be both man and woman, and they have +kind; of that one and of that other. And they have but one pap on the +one side, and on that other none. And they have members of generation of +man and woman, and they use both when they list, once that one, and +another time that other. And they get children, when they use the member +of man; and they bear children, when they use the member of woman. + +And in another isle be folk that go always upon their knees full +marvellously. And at every pace that they go, it seemeth that they would +fall. And they have in every foot eight toes. + +Many other diverse folk of diverse natures be there in other isles about, +of the which it were too long to tell, and therefore I pass over shortly. + +From these isles, in passing by the sea ocean toward the east by many +journeys, men find a great country and a great kingdom that men clepe +Mancy. And that is in Ind the more. And it is the best land and one the +fairest that may be in all the world, and the most delectable and the +most plenteous of all goods that is in power of man. In that land dwell +many Christian men and Saracens, for it is a good country and a great. +And there be therein more than 2000 great cities and rich, without other +great towns. And there is more plenty of people there than in any other +part of Ind, for the bounty of the country. In that country is no needy +man, ne none that goeth on begging. And they be full fair folk, but they +be all pale. And the men have thin beards and few hairs, but they be +long; but unnethe hath any man passing fifty hairs in his beard, and one +hair sits here, another there, as the beard of a leopard or of a cat. In +that land be many fairer women than in any other country beyond the sea, +and therefore men clepe that land Albany, because that the folk be white. + +And the chief city of that country is clept Latorin, and it is a journey +from the sea, and it is much more than Paris. In that city is a great +river bearing ships that go to all the coasts in the sea. No city of the +world is so well stored of ships as is that. And all those of the city +and of the country worship idols. In that country be double sithes more +birds than be here. There be white geese, red about the neck, and they +have a great crest as a cock’s comb upon their heads; and they be much +more there than they be here, and men buy them there all quick, right +great cheap. And there is great plenty of adders of whom men make great +feasts and eat them at great solemnities; and he that maketh there a +feast be it never so costly, an he have no adders he hath no thank for +his travail. + +Many good cities there be in that country and men have great plenty and +great cheap of all wines and victuals. In that country be many churches +of religious men, and of their law. And in those churches be idols as +great as giants; and to these idols they give to eat at great festival +days in this manner. They bring before them meat all sodden, as hot as +they come from the fire, and they let the smoke go up towards the idols; +and then they say that the idols have eaten; and then the religious men +eat the meat afterwards. + +In that country be white hens without feathers, but they bear white wool +as sheep do here. In that country women that be unmarried, they have +tokens on their heads like coronals to be known for unmarried. Also in +that country there be beasts taught of men to go into waters, into rivers +and into deep stanks for to take fish; the which beast is but little, and +men clepe them loirs. And when men cast them into the water, anon they +bring up great fishes, as many as men will. And if men will have more, +they cast them in again, and they bring up as many as men list to have. + +And from that city passing many journeys is another city, one the +greatest of the world, that men clepe Cassay; that is to say, the ‘City +of heaven.’ That city is well a fifty mile about, and it is strongly +inhabited with people, insomuch that in one house men make ten +households. In that city be twelve principal gates; and before every +gate, a three mile or a four mile in length, is a great town or a great +city. That city sits upon a great lake on the sea as doth Venice. And +in that city be more than 12,000 bridges. And upon every bridge be +strong towers and good, in the which dwell the wardens for to keep the +city from the great Chan. And on that one part of the city runneth a +great river all along the city. And there dwell Christian men and many +merchants and other folk of diverse nations, because that the land is so +good and so plenteous. And there groweth full good wine that men clepe +Bigon, that is full mighty, and gentle in drinking. This is a city royal +where the King of Mancy was wont to dwell. And there dwell many +religious men, as it were of the Order of Friars, for they be mendicants. + +From that city men go by water, solacing and disporting them, till they +come to an abbey of monks that is fast by, that be good religious men +after their faith and law. In that abbey is a great garden and a fair, +where be many trees of diverse manner of fruits. And in this garden is a +little hill full of delectable trees. In that hill and in that garden be +many diverse beasts, as of apes, marmosets, baboons and many other +diverse beasts. And every day, when the convent of this abbey hath +eaten, the almoner let bear the relief to the garden, and he smiteth on +the garden gate with a clicket of silver that he holdeth in his hand; and +anon all the beasts of the hill and of diverse places of the garden come +out a 3000, or a 4000; and they come in guise of poor men, and men give +them the relief in fair vessels of silver, clean over-gilt. And when +they have eaten, the monk smiteth eftsoons on the garden gate with the +clicket, and then anon all the beasts return again to their places that +they come from. And they say that these beasts be souls of worthy men +that resemble in likeness of those beasts that be fair, and therefore +they give them meat for the love of God; and the other beasts that be +foul, they say be souls of poor men and of rude commons. And thus they +believe, and no man may put them out of this opinion. These beasts +above-said they let take when they be young, and nourish them so with +alms, as many as they may find. And I asked them if it had not been +better to have given that relief to poor men, rather than to those +beasts. And they answered me and said, that they had no poor men amongst +them in that country; and though it had been so that poor men had been +among them, yet were it greater alms to give it to those souls that do +there their penance. Many other marvels be in that city and in the +country thereabout, that were too long to tell you. + +From that city go men by the country a six journeys to another city that +men clepe Chilenfo, of the which city the walls be twenty mile about. In +that city be sixty bridges of stone, so fair that no man may see fairer. +In that city was the first siege of the King of Mancy, for it is a fair +and plenteous of all goods. + +After, pass men overthwart a great river that men clepe Dalay. And that +is the greatest river of fresh water that is in the world. For there, as +it is most narrow, it is more than four mile of breadth. And then enter +men again into the land of the great Chan. + +That river goeth through the land of Pigmies, where that the folk be of +little stature, that be but three span long, and they be right fair and +gentle, after their quantities, both the men and the women. And they +marry them when they be half year of age and get children. And they live +not but six year or seven at the most; and he that liveth eight year, men +hold him there right passing old. These men be the best workers of gold, +silver, cotton, silk and of all such things, of any other that be in the +world. And they have oftentimes war with the birds of the country that +they take and eat. This little folk neither labour in lands ne in vines; +but they have great men amongst them of our stature that till the land +and labour amongst the vines for them. And of those men of our stature +have they as great scorn and wonder as we would have among us of giants, +if they were amongst us. There is a good city, amongst others, where +there is dwelling great plenty of those little folk, and it is a great +city and a fair. And the men be great that dwell amongst them, but when +they get any children they be as little as the pigmies. And therefore +they be, all for the most part, all pigmies; for the nature of the land +is such. The great Chan let keep this city full well, for it is his. +And albeit, that the pigmies be little, yet they be full reasonable after +their age, and can both wit and good and malice enough. + +From that city go men by the country by many cities and many towns unto a +city that men clepe Jamchay; and it is a noble city and a rich and of +great profit to the Lord, and thither go men to seek merchandise of all +manner of thing. That city is full much worth yearly to the lord of the +country. For he hath every year to rent of that city (as they of the +city say) 50,000 cumants of florins of gold: for they count there all by +cumants, and every cumant is 10,000 florins of gold. Now may men well +reckon how much that it amounteth. The king of that country is full +mighty, and yet he is under the great Chan. And the great Chan hath +under him twelve such provinces. In that country in the good towns is a +good custom: for whoso will make a feast to any of his friends, there be +certain inns in every good town, and he that will make the feast will say +to the hosteler, array for me to-morrow a good dinner for so many folk, +and telleth him the number, and deviseth him the viands; and he saith +also, thus much I will dispend and no more. And anon the hosteler +arrayeth for him so fair and so well and so honestly, that there shall +lack nothing; and it shall be done sooner and with less cost than an a +man made it in his own house. + +And a five mile from that city, toward the head of the river of Dalay, is +another city that men clepe Menke. In that city is strong navy of ships. +And all be white as snow of the kind of the trees that they be made of. +And they be full great ships and fair, and well ordained, and made with +halls and chambers and other easements, as though it were on the land. + +From thence go men, by many towns and many cities, through the country, +unto a city that men clepe Lanterine. And it is an eight journeys from +the city above-said. This city sits upon a fair river, great and broad, +that men clepe Caramaron. This river passeth throughout Cathay. And it +doth often-time harm, and that full great, when it is over great. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + + +_Of the great Chan of Cathay_. _Of the royalty of his palace_, _and how +he sits at meat_; _and of the great number of officers that serve him_ + +CATHAY is a great country and a fair, noble and rich, and full of +merchants. Thither go merchants all years for to seek spices and all +manner of merchandises, more commonly than in any other part. And ye +shall understand, that merchants that come from Genoa or from Venice or +from Romania or other parts of Lombardy, they go by sea and by land +eleven months or twelve, or more some-time, ere they may come to the isle +of Cathay that is the principal region of all parts beyond; and it is of +the great Chan. + +From Cathay go men toward the east by many journeys. And then men find a +good city between these others, that men clepe Sugarmago. That city is +one of the best stored of silk and other merchandises that is in the +world. + +After go men yet to another old city toward the east. And it is in the +province of Cathay. And beside that city the men of Tartary have let +make another city that is dept Caydon. And it hath twelve gates, and +between the two gates there is always a great mile; so that the two +cities, that is to say, the old and the new, have in circuit more than +twenty mile. + +In this city is the siege of the great Chan in a full great palace and +the most passing fair in all the world, of the which the walls be in +circuit more than two mile. And within the walls it is all full of other +palaces. And in the garden of the great palace there is a great hill, +upon the which there is another palace; and it is the most fair and the +most rich that any man may devise. And all about the palace and the hill +be many trees bearing many diverse fruits. And all about that hill be +ditches great and deep, and beside them be great vivaries on that one +part and on that other. And there is a full fair bridge to pass over the +ditches. And in these vivaries be so many wild geese and ganders and +wild ducks and swans and herons that it is without number. And all about +these ditches and vivaries is the great garden full of wild beasts. So +that when the great Chan will have any disport on that, to take any of +the wild beasts or of the fowls, he will let chase them and take them at +the windows without going out of his chamber. + +This palace, where his siege is, is both great and passing fair. And +within the palace, in the hall, there be twenty-four pillars of fine +gold. And all the walls be covered within of red skins of beasts that +men clepe panthers, that be fair beasts and well smelling; so that for +the sweet odour of those skins no evil air may enter into the palace. +Those skins be as red as blood, and they shine so bright against the sun, +that unnethe no man may behold them. And many folk worship those beasts, +when they meet them first at morning, for their great virtue and for the +good smell that they have. And those skins they prize more than though +they were plate of fine gold. + +And in the midst of this palace is the mountour for the great Chan, that +is all wrought of gold and of precious stones and great pearls. And at +four corners of the mountour be four serpents of gold. And all about +there is y-made large nets of silk and gold and great pearls hanging all +about the mountour. And under the mountour be conduits of beverage that +they drink in the emperor’s court. And beside the conduits be many +vessels of gold, by the which they that be of household drink at the +conduit. + +And the hall of the palace is full nobly arrayed, and full marvellously +attired on all parts in all things that men apparel with any hall. And +first, at the chief of the hall is the emperor’s throne, full high, where +he sitteth at the meat. And that is of fine precious stones, bordered +all about with pured gold and precious stones, and great pearls. And the +grees that he goeth up to the table be of precious stones mingled with +gold. + +And at the left side of the emperor’s siege is the siege of his first +wife, one degree lower than the emperor; and it is of jasper, bordered +with gold and precious stones. And the siege of his second wife is also +another siege, more lower than his first wife; and it is also of jasper, +bordered with gold, as that other is. And the siege of the third wife is +also more low, by a degree, than the second wife. For he hath always +three wives with him, where that ever he be. + +And after his wives, on the same side, sit the ladies of his lineage yet +lower, after that they be of estate. And all those that be married have +a counterfeit made like a man’s foot upon their heads, a cubit long, all +wrought with great pearls, fine and orient, and above made with peacocks’ +feathers and of other shining feathers; and that stands upon their heads +like a crest, in token that they be under man’s foot and under subjection +of man. And they that be unmarried have none such. + +And after at the right side of the emperor first sitteth his eldest son +that shall reign after him. And he sitteth also one degree lower than +the emperor, in such manner of sieges as do the empresses. And after him +sit other great lords of his lineage, every of them a degree lower than +the other, as they be of estate. + +And the emperor hath his table alone by himself, that is of gold and of +precious stones, or of crystal bordered with gold, and full of precious +stones or of amethysts, or of lignum aloes that cometh out of paradise, +or of ivory bound or bordered with gold. And every one of his wives hath +also her table by herself. And his eldest son and the other lords also, +and the ladies, and all that sit with the emperor have tables alone by +themselves, full rich. And there ne is no table but that it is worth an +huge treasure of goods. + +And under the emperor’s table sit four clerks that write all that the +emperor saith, be it good, be it evil; for all that he saith must be +holden, for he may not change his word, ne revoke it. + +And [at] great solemn feasts before the emperor’s table men bring great +tables of gold, and thereon be peacocks of gold and many other manner of +diverse fowls, all of gold and richly wrought and enamelled. And men +make them dance and sing, clapping their wings together, and make great +noise. And whether it be by craft or by necromancy I wot never; but it +is a good sight to behold, and a fair; and it is great marvel how it may +be. But I have the less marvel, because that they be the most subtle men +in all sciences and in all crafts that be in the world: for of subtlety +and of malice and of farcasting they pass all men under heaven. And +therefore they say themselves, that they see with two eyes and the +Christian men see but with one, because that they be more subtle than +they. For all other nations, they say, be but blind in cunning and +working in comparison to them. I did great business for to have learned +that craft, but the master told me that he had made avow to his god to +teach it to no creature, but only to his eldest son. + +Also above the emperor’s table and the other tables, and above a great +part in the hall, is a vine made of fine gold. And it spreadeth all +about the hall. And it hath many clusters of grapes, some white, some +green, some yellow and some red and some black, all of precious stones. +The white be of crystal and of beryl and of iris; the yellow be of +topazes; the red be of rubies and of grenaz and of alabrandines; the +green be of emeralds, of perydoz and of chrysolites; and the black be of +onyx and garantez. And they be all so properly made that it seemeth a +very vine bearing kindly grapes. + +And before the emperor’s table stand great lords and rich barons and +other that serve the emperor at the meat. And no man is so hardy to +speak a word, but if the emperor speak to him; but if it be minstrels +that sing songs and tell jests or other disports, to solace with the +emperor. And all the vessels that men be served with in the hall or in +chambers be of precious stones, and specially at great tables either of +jasper or of crystal or of amethysts or of fine gold. And the cups be of +emeralds and of sapphires, or of topazes, of perydoz, and of many other +precious stones. Vessels of silver is there none, for they tell no price +thereof to make no vessels of: but they make thereof grecings and pillars +and pavements to halls and chambers. And before the hall door stand many +barons and knights clean armed to keep that no man enter, but if it be +the will or the commandment of the emperor, or but if they be servants or +minstrels of the household; and other none is not so hardy to neighen +nigh the hall door. + +And ye shall understand, that my fellows and I with our yeomen, we served +this emperor, and were his soldiers fifteen months against the King of +Mancy, that held against him. And the cause was for we had great lust to +see his noblesse and the estate of his court and all his governance, to +wit if it were such as we heard say that it was. And truly we found it +more noble and more excellent, and richer and more marvellous, than ever +we heard speak of, insomuch that we would never have lieved it had we not +seen it. For I trow, that no man would believe the noblesse, the riches +ne the multitude of folk that be in his court, but he had seen it; for it +is not there as it is here. For the lords here have folk of certain +number as they may suffice; but the great Chan hath every day folk at his +costage and expense as without number. But the ordinance, ne the +expenses in meat and drink, ne the honesty, ne the cleanness, is not so +arrayed there as it is here; for all the commons there eat without cloth +upon their knees, and they eat all manner of flesh and little of bread, +and after meat they wipe their hands upon their skirts, and they eat not +but once a day. But the estate of lords is full great, and rich and +noble. + +And albeit that some men will not trow me, but hold it for fable to tell +them the noblesse of his person and of his estate and of his court and of +the great multitude of folk that he holds, natheles I shall say you a +part of him and of his folk, after that I have seen the manner and the +ordinance full many a time. And whoso that will may lieve me if he will, +and whoso will not, may leave also. For I wot well, if any man hath been +in those countries beyond, though he have not been in the place where the +great Chan dwelleth, he shall hear speak of him so much marvellous thing, +that he shall not trow it lightly. And truly, no more did I myself, till +I saw it. And those that have been in those countries and in the great +Chan’s household know well that I say sooth. And therefore I will not +spare for them, that know not ne believe not but that that they see, for +to tell you a part of him and of his estate that he holdeth, when he +goeth from country to country, and when he maketh solemn feasts. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + +_Wherefore he is clept the great Chan_. _Of the Style of his Letters_: +_and of the Superscription about his great Seal and his Privy Seal_ + +FIRST I shall say you why he was clept the great Chan. + +Ye shall understand, that all the world was destroyed by Noah’s flood, +save only Noah and his wife and his children. Noah had three sons, Shem, +Cham, and Japhet. This Cham was he that saw his father’s privy members +naked when he slept, and scorned them, and shewed them with his finger to +his brethren in scorning wise. And therefore he was cursed of God. And +Japhet turned his face away and covered them. + +These three brethren had seisin in all the land. And this Cham, for his +cruelty, took the greater and the best part, toward the east, that is +clept Asia, and Shem took Africa, and Japhet took Europe. And therefore +is all the earth parted in these three parts by these three brethren. +Cham was the greatest and the most mighty, and of him came more +generations than of the other. And of his son Chuse was engendered +Nimrod the giant, that was the first king that ever was in the world; and +he began the foundation of the tower of Babylon. And that time, the +fiends of hell came many times and lay with the women of his generation +and engendered on them diverse folk, as monsters and folk disfigured, +some without heads, some with great ears, some with one eye, some giants, +some with horses’ feet, and many other diverse shape against kind. And +of that generation of Cham be come the Paynims and divers folk that be in +isles of the sea by all Ind. And forasmuch as he was the most mighty, +and no man might withstand him, he cleped himself the Son of God and +sovereign of all the world. And for this Cham, this emperor clepeth him +Cham, and sovereign of all the world. + +And of the generation of Shem be come the Saracens. And of the +generation of Japhet is come the people of Israel. And though that we +dwell in Europe, this is the opinion, that the Syrians and the Samaritans +have amongst them. And that they told me, before that I went toward Ind, +but I found it otherwise. Natheles, the sooth is this; that Tartars and +they that dwell in the great Asia, they came of Cham; but the Emperor of +Cathay clepeth him not Cham, but Can, and I shall tell you how. + +It is but little more but eight score year that all Tartary was in +subjection and in servage to other nations about. For they were but +bestial folk and did nothing but kept beasts and led them to pastures. +But among them they had seven principal nations that were sovereigns of +them all. Of the which, the first nation or lineage was clept Tartar, +and that is the most noble and the most prized. The second lineage is +clept Tanghot, the third Eurache, the fourth Valair, the fifth Semoche, +the sixth Megly, the seventh Coboghe. + +Now befell it so that of the first lineage succeeded an old worthy man +that was not rich, that had to name Changuys. This man lay upon a night +in his bed. And he saw in avision, that there came before him a knight +armed all in white. And he sat upon a white horse, and said to him, Can, +sleepest thou? The Immortal God hath sent me to thee, and it is his +will, that thou go to the seven lineages and say to them that thou shalt +be their emperor. For thou shalt conquer the lands and the countries +that be about, and they that march upon you shall be under your +subjection, as ye have been under theirs, for that is God’s will +immortal. + +And when he came at morrow, Changuys rose, and went to seven lineages, +and told them how the white knight had said. And they scorned him, and +said that he was a fool. And so he departed from them all ashamed. And +the night ensuing, this white knight came to the seven lineages, and +commanded them on God’s behalf immortal, that they should make this +Changuys their emperor, and they should be out of subjection, and they +should hold all other regions about them in their servage as they had +been to them before. And on the morrow, they chose him to be their +emperor. And they set him upon a black fertre, and after that they lift +him up with great solemnity. And they set him in a chair of gold and did +him all manner of reverence, and they cleped him Chan, as the white +knight called him. + +And when he was thus chosen, he would assay if he might trust in them or +no, and whether they would be obeissant to him or no. And then he made +many statutes and ordinances that they clepe _Ysya Chan_. The first +statute was, that they should believe and obey in God Immortal, that is +Almighty, that would cast them out of servage, and at all times clepe to +him for help in time of need. The tother statute was, that all manner of +men that might bare arms should be numbered, and to every ten should be a +master, and to every hundred a master, and to every thousand a master, +and to every ten thousand a master. After he commanded to the principals +of the seven lineages, that they should leave and forsake all that they +had in goods and heritage, and from thenceforth to hold them paid of that +that he would give them of his grace. And they did so anon. After he +commanded to the principals of the seven lineages, that every of them +should bring his eldest son before him, and with their own hands smite +off their heads without tarrying. And anon his commandment was +performed. + +And when the Chan saw that they made none obstacle to perform his +commandment, then he thought well that he might trust in them, and +commanded them anon to make them ready and to sue his banner. And after +this, Chan put in subjection all the lands about him. + +Afterward it befell upon a day, that the Can rode with a few meinie for +to behold the strength of the country that he had won. And so befell, +that a great multitude of enemies met with him. And for to give good +example hardiness to his people, he was the first that fought, and in the +midst of his enemies encountered, and there he was cast from his horse, +and his horse slain. And when his folk saw him at the earth, they were +all abashed, and weened he had been dead, and flew every one, and their +enemies after and chased them, but they wist not that the emperor was +there. And when the enemies were far pursuing the chase, the emperor hid +him in a thick wood. And whet, they were come again from the chase, they +went and sought the woods if any of them had been hid in the thick of the +woods; and many they found and slew them anon. So it happened that as +they went searching toward the place that the emperor was, they saw an +owl sitting upon a tree above him; and then they said amongst them, that +there was no man because that they saw that bird there, and so they went +their way; and thus escaped the emperor from death. And then he went +privily all by night, till he came to his folk that were full glad of his +coming, and made great thankings to God Immortal, and to that bird by +whom their lord was saved. And therefore principally above all fowls of +world they worship the owl; and when they have any of their feathers, +they keep them full preciously instead of relics, and bear them upon +their heads with great reverence; and they hold themselves blessed and +safe from all perils while that they have them upon them, and therefore +they bear their feathers upon their heads. + +After all this the Chan ordained him, and assembled his people, and went +upon them that had assailed him before, and destroyed them, and put them +in subjection and servage. And when he had won and put all the lands and +countries on this half the Mount Belian in subjection, the white knight +came to him again in his sleep, and said to him, Chan! the will of God +Immortal is that thou pass the Mount Belian. And thou shalt win the land +and thou shalt put many nations in subjection. And for thou shalt find +no good passage for to go toward that country, go [to] the Mount Belian +that is upon the sea, and kneel there nine times toward the east in the +worship of God Immortal, and he shall shew the way to pass by. And the +Chan did so. And anon the sea that touched and was fast to the mount +began to withdraw him, and shewed fair way of nine foot breadth large; +and so he passed with his folk, and won the land of Cathay that is the +greatest kingdom of the world. + +And for the nine kneelings and for the nine foot of way the Chan and all +the men of Tartary have the number of nine in great reverence. And +therefore who that will make the Chan any present, be it of horses, be it +of birds, or of arrows or bows, or of fruit, or of any other thing, +always he must make it of the number of nine. And so then be the +presents of greater pleasure to him; and more benignly he will receive +them than though he were presented with an hundred or two hundred. For +him seemeth the number of nine so holy, because the messenger of God +Immortal devised it. + +Also, when the Chan of Cathay had won the country of Cathay, and put in +subjection and under foot many countries about, he fell sick. And when +he felt well that he should die, he said to his twelve sons, that everych +of them should bring him one of his arrows. And so they did anon. And +then he commanded that men should bind them together in three places. +And then he took them to his eldest son, and bade him break them all +together. And he enforced him with all his might to break them, but he +ne might not. And then the Chan bade his second son to break them; and +so, shortly, to all, each after other; but none of them might break them. +And then he bade the youngest son dissever every one from other, and +break everych by himself. And so he did. And then said the Chan to his +eldest son and to all the others, Wherefore might ye not break them? And +they answered that they might not, because that they were bound together. +And wherefore, quoth he, hath your little youngest brother broken them? +Because, quoth they, that they were parted each from other. And then +said the Chan, My sons, quoth he, truly thus will it fare by you. For as +long as ye be bound together in three places, that is to say, in love, in +truth and in good accord, no man shall be of power to grieve you. But +and ye be dissevered from these three places, that your one help not your +other, ye shall be destroyed and brought to nought. And if each of you +love other and help other, ye shall be lords and sovereigns of all +others. And when he had made his ordinances, he died. + +And then after him reigned Ecchecha Cane, his eldest son. And his other +brethren went to win them many countries and kingdoms, unto the land of +Prussia and of Russia, and made themselves to be clept Chane; but they +were all obeissant to their elder brother, and therefore was he clept the +great Chan. + +After Ecchecha reigned Guyo Chan. + +And after him Mango Chan that was a good Christian man and baptized, and +gave letters of perpetual peace to all Christian men, and sent his +brother Halaon with great multitude of folk for to win the Holy Land and +for to put it into Christian men’s hands, and for to destroy Mahomet’s +law, and for to take the Caliph of Bagdad that was emperor and lord of +all the Saracens. And when this caliph was taken, men found him of so +high worship, that in all the remnant of the world, ne might a man find a +more reverend man, ne higher in worship. And then Halaon made him come +before him, and said to him, Why, quoth he, haddest thou not taken with +thee more soldiers and men enough, for a little quantity of treasure, for +to defend thee and thy country, that art so abundant of treasure and so +high in all worship? And the caliph answered him, For he well trowed +that he had enough of his own proper men. And then said Halaon, Thou +wert as a god of the Saracens. And it is convenient to a god to eat no +meat that is mortal. And therefore, thou shall not eat but precious +stones, rich pearls and treasure, that thou lovest so much. And then he +commanded him to prison, and all his treasure about him. And so he died +for hunger and thirst. And then after this, Halaon won all the Land of +Promission, and put it into Christian men’s hands. But the great Chan, +his brother, died; and that was great sorrow and loss to all Christian +men. + +After Mango Chan reigned Cobyla Chan that was also a Christian man. And +he reigned forty-two year. He founded the great city Izonge in Cathay, +that is a great deal more than Rome. + +The tother great Chan that came after him became a Paynim, and all the +others after him. + +The kingdom of Cathay is the greatest realm of the world. And also the +great Chan is the most mighty emperor of the world and the greatest lord +under the firmament. And so he clepeth him in his letters, right thus: +_Chan_! _Filius Dei excelsi_, _omnium universam terram colentium summus +imperator_, _& dominus omnium dominantium_! And the letter of his great +seal, written about, is this; _Deus in coelo_, _Chan super terram_, _ejus +fortitudo_. _Omnium hominum imperatoris sigillum_. And the +superscription about his little seal is this; _Dei fortitudo_, _omnium +hominum imperatoris sigillum_. + +And albeit that they be not christened, yet nevertheless the emperor and +all the Tartars believe in God Immortal. And when they will menace any +man, then they say, God knoweth well that I shall do thee such a thing, +and telleth his menace. + +And thus have ye heard, why he is clept the great Chan. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + + +_Of the Governance of the great Chan’s Court_, _and when he maketh solemn +feasts_. _Of his Philosophers_. _And of his array_, _when he rideth by +the country_ + +NOW shall I tell you the governance of the court of the great Chan, when +he maketh solemn feasts; and that is principally four times in the year. + +The first feast is of his birth, that other is of his presentation in +their temple that they clepe their Moseache, where they make a manner of +circumcision, and the tother two feasts be of his idols. The first feast +of the idol is when he is first put into their temple and throned; the +tother feast is when the idol beginneth first to speak, or to work +miracles. More be there not of solemn feasts, but if he marry any of his +children. + +Now understand, that at every of these feasts he hath great multitude of +people, well ordained and well arrayed, by thousands, by hundreds, and by +tens. And every man knoweth well what service he shall do, and every man +giveth so good heed and so good attendance to his service that no man +findeth no default. And there be first ordained 4000 barons, mighty and +rich, for to govern and to make ordinance for the feast, and for to serve +the emperor. And these solemn feasts be made without in halls and tents +made of cloths of gold and of tartaries, full nobly. And all those +barons have crowns of gold upon their heads, full noble and rich, full of +precious stones and great pearls orient. And they be all clothed in +cloths of gold or of tartaries or of camakas, so richly and so perfectly, +that no man in the world can amend it, ne better devise it. And all +those robes be orfrayed all about, and dubbed full of precious stones and +of great orient pearls, full richly. And they may well do so, for cloths +of gold and of silk be greater cheap there a great deal than be cloths of +wool. And these 4000 barons be devised in four companies, and every +thousand is clothed in cloths all of one colour, and that so well arrayed +and so richly, that it is marvel to behold. + +The first thousand, that is of dukes, of earls, of marquises and of +admirals, all clothed in cloths of gold, with tissues of green silk, and +bordered with gold full of precious stones in manner as I have said +before. The second thousand is all clothed in cloths diapered of red +silk, all wrought with gold, and the orfrays set full of great pearl and +precious stones, full nobly wrought. The third thousand is clothed in +cloths of silk, of purple or of Ind. And the fourth thousand is in +cloths of yellow. And all their clothes be so nobly and so richly +wrought with gold and precious stones and rich pearls, that if a man of +this country had but only one of their robes, he might well say that he +should never be poor; for the gold and the precious stones and the great +orient pearls be of greater value on this half the sea than they be +beyond the sea in those countries. + +And when they be thus apparelled, they go two and two together, full +ordinately, before the emperor, without speech of any word, save only +inclining to him. And every one of them beareth a tablet of jasper or of +ivory or of crystal, and the minstrels going before them, sounding their +instruments of diverse melody. And when the first thousand is thus +passed and hath made his muster, he withdraweth him on that one side; and +then entereth that other second thousand, and doth right so, in the same +manner of array and countenance, is did the first; and after, the third; +and then, the fourth; and none of them saith not one word. + +And at one side of the emperor’s table sit many philosophers that be +proved for wise men in many diverse sciences, as of astronomy, +necromancy, geomancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, of augury and of many other +sciences. And everych of them have before them astrolabes of gold, some +spheres, some the brain pan of a dead man, some vessels of gold full of +gravel or sand, some vessels of gold full of coals burning, some vessels +of gold full of water and of wine and of oil, and some horologes of gold, +made full nobly and richly wrought, and many other manner of instruments +after their sciences. + +And at certain hours, when them thinketh time, they say to certain +officers that stand before them, ordained for the time to fulfil their +commandments; Make peace! + +And then say the officers; Now peace! listen! + +And after that, saith another of the philosophers; Every man do reverence +and incline to the emperor, that is God’s Son and sovereign lord of all +the world! For now is time! And then every man boweth his head toward +the earth. + +And then commandeth the same philosopher again; Stand up! And they do +so. + +And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your little finger in +your ears! And anon they do so. + +And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand before your +mouth! And anon they do so. + +And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand upon your +head! And after that he biddeth them to do their hand away. And they do +so. + +And so, from hour to hour, they command certain things; and they say, +that those things have diverse significations. And I asked them privily +what those things betokened. And one of the masters told me, that the +bowing of the head at that hour betokened this; that all those that bowed +their heads should evermore after be obeissant and true to the emperor, +and never, for gifts ne for promise in no kind, to be false ne traitor +unto him for good nor evil. And the putting of the little finger in the +ear betokeneth, as they say, that none of them ne shall not hear speak no +contrarious thing to the emperor but that he shall tell it anon to his +council or discover it to some men that will make relation to the +emperor, though he were his father or brother or son. And so forth, of +all other things that is done by the philosophers, they told me the +causes of many diverse things. And trust right well in certain, that no +man doth nothing to the emperor that belongeth unto him, neither clothing +ne bread ne wine ne bath ne none other thing that longeth to him, but at +certain hours that his philosophers will devise. And if there fall war +in any side to the emperor, anon the philosophers come and say their +advice after their calculations, and counsel the emperor of their advice +by their sciences; so that the emperor doth nothing without their +counsel. + +And when the philosophers have done and performed their commandments, +then the minstrels begin to do their minstrelsy, everych in their +instruments, each after other, with all the melody that they can devise. +And when they have done a good while, one of the officers of the emperor +goeth up on a high stage wrought full curiously, and crieth and saith +with loud voice; Make Peace! And then every man is still. + +And then, anon after, all the lords that be of the emperor’s lineage, +nobly arrayed in rich cloths of gold and royally apparelled on white +steeds, as many as may well sue him at that time, be ready to make their +presents to the emperor. And then saith the steward of the court to the +lords, by name; N. of N.! and nameth first the most noble and the +worthiest by name, and saith; Be ye ready with such a number of white +horses, for to serve the emperor, your sovereign lord! And to another +lord he saith; N. of N., be ye ready with such a number, to serve your +sovereign lord! And to another, right so, and to all the lords of the +emperor’s lineage, each after other, as they be of estate. And when they +be all cleped, they enter each after other, and present the white horses +to the emperor, and then go their way. And then after, all the other +barons every of them, give him presents or jewels or some other thing, +after that they be of estate. And then after them, all the prelates of +their law, and religious men and others; and every man giveth him +something. And when that all men have thus presented the emperor, the +greatest of dignity of the prelates giveth him a blessing, saying an +orison of their law. + +And then begin the minstrels to make their minstrelsy in divers +instruments with all the melody that they can devise. And when they have +done their craft, then they bring before the emperor, lions, leopards and +other diverse beasts, and eagles and vultures and other divers fowls, and +fishes and serpents, for to do him reverence. And then come jugglers and +enchanters, that do many marvels; for they make to come in the air, by +seeming, the sun and the moon to every man’s sight. And after they make +the night so dark that no man may see nothing. And after they make the +day to come again, fair and pleasant with bright sun, to every man’s +sight. And then they bring in dances of the fairest damsels of the +world, and richest arrayed. And after they make to come in other damsels +bringing cups of gold full of milk of diverse beasts, and give drink to +lords and to ladies. And then they make knights to joust in arms full +lustily; and they run together a great random, and they frussch together +full fiercely, and they break their spears so rudely that the truncheons +fly in sprouts and pieces all about the hall. And then they make to come +in hunting for the hart and for the boar, with hounds running with open +mouth. And many other things they do by craft of their enchantments, +that it is marvel for to see. And such plays of disport they make till +the taking up of the boards. This great Chan hath full great people for +to serve him, as I have told you before. For he hath of minstrels the +number of thirteen cumants, but they abide not always with him. For all +the minstrels that come before him, of what nation that they be of, they +be withholden with him as of his household, and entered in his books as +for his own men. And after that, where that ever they go, ever more they +claim for minstrels of the great Chan; and under that title, all kings +and lords cherish them the more with gifts and all things. And therefore +he hath so great multitude of them. + +And he hath of certain men as though they were yeomen, that keep birds, +as ostriches, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks, falcons gentle, lanyers, sakers, +sakrets, popinjays well speaking, and birds singing, and also of wild +beasts, as of elephants tame and other, baboons, apes, marmosets, and +other diverse beasts; the mountance of fifteen cumants of yeomen. + +And of physicians Christian he hath 200, and of leeches that be Christian +he hath 210, and of leeches and physicians that be Saracens twenty, but +he trusteth more in the Christian leeches than in the Saracen. And his +other common household is without number, and they all have all +necessaries and all that them needeth of the emperor’s court. And he +hath in his court many barons as servitors, that be Christian and +converted to good faith by the preaching of religious Christian men that +dwell with him; but there be many more, that will not that men know that +they be Christian. + +This emperor may dispend as much as he will without estimation; for he +not dispendeth ne maketh no money but of leather imprinted or of paper. +And of that money is some of greater price and some of less price, after +the diversity of his statutes. And when that money hath run so long that +it beginneth to waste, then men bear it to the emperor’s treasury and +then they take new money for the old. And that money goeth throughout +all the country and throughout all his provinces, for there and beyond +them they make no money neither of gold nor of silver; and therefore he +may dispend enough, and outrageously. And of gold and silver that men +bear in his country he maketh cylours, pillars and pavements in his +palace, and other diverse things what him liketh. + +This emperor hath in his chamber, in one of the pillars of gold, a ruby +and a carbuncle of half a foot long, that in the night giveth so great +clearness and shining, that it is as light as day. And he hath many +other precious stones and many other rubies and carbuncles; but those be +the greatest and the most precious. + +This emperor dwelleth in summer in a city that is toward the north that +is clept Saduz; and there is cold enough. And in winter he dwelleth in a +city that is clept Camaaleche, and that is an hot country. But the +country, where he dwelleth in most commonly, is in Gaydo or in Jong, that +is a good country and a temperate, after that the country is there; but +to men of this country it were too passing hot. + +And when this emperor will ride from one country to another he ordaineth +four hosts of his folk, of the which the first host goeth before him a +day’s journey. For that host shall be lodged the night where the emperor +shall lie upon the morrow. And there shall every man have all manner of +victual and necessaries that be needful, of the emperor’s costage. And +in this first host is the number of people fifty cumants, what of horse +what of foot, of the which every cumant amounteth 10,000 as I have told +you before. And another host goeth in the right side of the emperor, +nigh half a journey from him. And another goeth on the left side of him, +in the same wise. And in every host is as much multitude of people as in +the first host. And then after cometh the fourth host, that is much more +than any of the others, and that goeth behind him, the mountance of a bow +draught. And every host hath his journeys ordained in certain places, +where they shall be lodged at night, and there they shall have all that +them needeth. And if it befall that any of the host die, anon they put +another in his place, so that the number shall evermore be whole. + +And ye shall understand, that the emperor, in his proper person, rideth +not as other great lords do beyond, but if he list to go privily with few +men, for to be unknown. And else, he rides in a chariot with four +wheels, upon the which is made a fair chamber, and it is made of a +certain wood, that cometh out of Paradise terrestrial, that men clepe +lignum aloes, that the floods of Paradise bring out at divers seasons, as +I have told you here before. And this chamber is full well smelling +because of the wood that it is made of. And all this chamber is covered +within of plate of fine gold dubbed with precious stones and great +pearls. And four elephants and four great destriers, all white and +covered with rich covertures, leading the chariot. And four, or five, or +six, of the greatest lords ride about this chariot, full richly arrayed +and full nobly, so that no man shall neigh the chariot, but only those +lords, but if that the emperor call any man to him that him list to speak +withal. And above the chamber of this chariot that the emperor sitteth +in be set upon a perch four or five or six gerfalcons, to that intent, +that when the emperor seeth any wild fowl, that he may take it at his own +list, and have the disport and the play of the flight, first with one, +and after with another; and so he taketh his disport passing by the +country. And no man rideth before him of his company, but all after him. +And no man dare not come nigh the chariot, by a bow draught, but those +lords only that be about him. And all the host cometh fairly after him +in great multitude. + +And also such another chariot with such hosts ordained and arrayed go +with the empress upon another side, everych by himself, with four hosts, +right as the emperor did; but not with so great multitude of people. And +his eldest son goeth by another way in another chariot, in the same +manner. So that there is between them so great multitude of folk that it +is marvel to tell it. And no man should trow the number, but he had seen +it. And some-time it happeth that when he will not go far, and that it +like him to have the empress and his children with him, then they go +altogether, and their folk be all mingled in fere, and divided in four +parties only. + +And ye shall understand, that the empire of this great Chan is divided in +twelve provinces; and every province hath more than two thousand cities, +and of towns without number. This country is full great, for it hath +twelve principal kings in twelve provinces, and every of those Kings have +many kings under them, and all they be obeissant to the great Chan. And +his land and his lordship dureth so far, that a man may not go from one +head to another, neither by sea ne land, the space of seven year. And +through the deserts of his lordship, there as men may find no towns, +there be inns ordained by every journey, to receive both man and horse, +in the which they shall find plenty of victual, and of all things that +they need for to go by the country. + +And there is a marvellous custom in that country (but it is profitable), +that if any contrarious thing that should be prejudice or grievance to +the emperor in any kind, anon the emperor hath tidings thereof and full +knowledge in a day, though it be three or four journeys from him or more. +For his ambassadors take their dromedaries or their horses, and they +prick in all that ever they may toward one of the inns. And when they +come there, anon they blow an horn. And anon they of the inn know well +enough that there be tidings to warn the emperor of some rebellion +against him. And then anon they make other men ready, in all haste that +they may, to bear letters, and prick in all that ever they may, till they +come to the other inns with their letters. And then they make fresh men +ready, to prick forth with the letters toward the emperor, while that the +last bringer rest him, and bait his dromedary or his horse. And so, from +inn to inn, till it come to the emperor. And thus anon hath he hasty +tidings of anything that beareth charge, by his couriers, that run so +hastily throughout all the country. And also when the Emperor sendeth +his couriers hastily throughout his land, every one of them hath a large +throng full of small bells, and when they neigh near to the inns of other +couriers that be also ordained by the journeys, they ring their bells, +and anon the other couriers make them ready, and run their way unto +another inn. And thus runneth one to other, full speedily and swiftly, +till the emperor’s intent be served, in all haste. And these couriers be +clept _Chydydo_, after their language, that is to say, a messenger, + +Also when the emperor goeth from one country to another, as I have told +you here before, and he pass through cities and towns, every man maketh a +fire before his door, and putteth therein powder of good gums that be +sweet smelling, for to make good savour to the emperor. And all the +people kneel down against him, and do him great reverence. And there, +where religious Christian men dwell, as they do in many cities in the +land, they go before him with procession with cross and holy water, and +they sing, _Veni creator spiritus_! with an high voice, and go towards +him. And when he heareth them, he commandeth to his lords to ride beside +him, that the religious men may come to him. And when they be nigh him +with the cross, then he doth adown his galiot that sits on his head in +manner of a chaplet, that is made of gold and precious stones and great +pearls, and it is so rich, that men prize it to the value of a realm in +that country. And then he kneeleth to the cross. And then the prelate +of the religious men saith before him certain orisons, and giveth him a +blessing with the cross; and he inclineth to the blessing full devoutly. +And then the prelate giveth him some manner fruit, to the number of nine, +in a platter of silver, with pears or apples, or other manner fruit. And +he taketh one. And then men give to the other lords that be about him. +For the custom is such, that no stranger shall come before him, but if he +give him some manner thing, after the old law that saith, _Nemo accedat +in conspectu meo vacuus_. And then the emperor saith to the religious +men, that they withdraw them again, that they be neither hurt nor harmed +of the great multitude of horses that come behind him. And also, in the +same manner, do the religious men that dwell there, to the empresses that +pass by them, and to his eldest son. And to every of them they present +fruit. + +And ye shall understand, that the people that he hath so many hosts of, +about him and about his wives and his soil, they dwell not continually +with him. But always, when him liketh, they be sent for. And after, +when they have done, they return to their own households, save only they +that be dwelling with him in household for to serve him and his wives and +his sons for to govern his household. And albeit, that the others be +departed from him after that they have performed their service, yet there +abideth continually with him in court 50,000 men at horse and 200,000 men +a foot, without minstrels and those that keep wild beasts and divers +birds, of the which I have told you the number before. + +Under the firmament is not so great a lord, ne so mighty, ne so rich as +is the great Chan; not Prester John, that is emperor of the high Ind, ne +the Soldan of Babylon, ne the Emperor of Persia. All these ne be not in +comparison to the great Chan, neither of might, ne of noblesse, ne of +royalty, ne of riches; for in all these he passeth all earthly princes. +Wherefore it is great harm that he believeth not faithfully in God. And +natheles he will gladly hear speak of God. And he suffereth well that +Christian men dwell in his lordship, and that men of his faith be made +Christian men if they will, throughout all his country; for he defendeth +no man to hold no law other than him liketh. + +In that country some men hath an hundred wives, some sixty, some more, +some less. And they take the next of their kin to their wives, save only +that they out-take their mothers, their daughters, and their sisters of +the mother’s side; but their sisters on the father’s side of another +woman they may well take, and their brothers’ wives also after their +death, and their step-mothers also in the same wise. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + + +_Of the Law and the Customs of the Tartarians dwelling in Cathay_. _And +how that men do when the Emperor shall die_, _and how he shall be chosen_ + +THE folk of that country use all long clothes without furs. And they be +clothed with precious cloths of Tartary, and of cloths of gold. And +their clothes be slit at the side, and they be fastened with laces of +silk. And they clothe them also with pilches, and the hide without; and +they use neither cape ne hood. And in the same manner as the men go, the +women go, so that no man may unneth know the men from the women, save +only those women that be married, that bear the token upon their heads of +a man’s foot, in sign that they be under man’s foot and under subjection +of man. + +And their wives ne dwell not together, but every of them by herself; and +the husband may lie with whom of them that him liketh. Everych hath his +house, both man and woman. And their houses be made round of staves, and +it hath a round window above that giveth them light, and also that +serveth for deliverance of smoke. And the heling of their houses and the +walls and the doors be all of wood. And when they go to war, they lead +their houses with them upon chariots, as men do tents or pavilions. And +they make their fire in the midst of their houses. + +And they have great multitude of all manner of beasts, save only of +swine, for they bring none forth. And they believe well one God that +made and formed all things. And natheles yet have they idols of gold and +silver, and of tree and of cloth. And to those idols they offer always +their first milk of their beasts, and also of their meats and of their +drinks before they eat. And they offer often-times horses and beasts. +And they clepe the God of kind _Yroga_. + +And their emperor also, what name that ever he have, they put evermore +thereto, Chan. And when I was there, their emperor had to name Thiaut, +so that he was clept Thiaut-Chan. And his eldest son was clept Tossue; +and when he shall be emperor, he shall be clept Tossue-Chan. And at that +time the emperor had twelve sons without him, that were named Cuncy, +Ordii, Chadahay, Buryn, Negu, Nocab, Cadu, [Siban], Cuten, Balacy, +Babylan, and Garegan. And of his three wives, the first and principal, +that was Prester John’s daughter, had to name Serioche-Chan, and the +tother Borak-Chan, and the tother Karanke-Chan. + +The folk of that country begin all their things in the new moon, and they +worship much the moon and the sun and often-time kneel against them. And +all the folk of the country ride commonly without spurs, but they bear +always a little whip in their hands for to chace with their horses. + +And they have great conscience and hold it for a great sin to cast a +knife in the fire, and for to draw flesh out of a pot with a knife, and +for to smite an horse with the handle of a whip, or to smite an horse +with a bridle, or to break one bone with another, or for to cast milk or +any liquor that men may drink upon the earth, or for to take and slay +little children. And the most sin that any man may do is to piss in +their houses that they dwell in, and whoso that may be found with that +sin sikerly they slay him. And of everych of these sins it behoveth them +to be shriven of their priests, and to pay great sum of silver for their +penance. And it behoveth also, that the place that men have pissed in be +hallowed again, and else dare no man enter therein. And when they have +paid their penance, men make them pass through a fire or through two, for +to cleanse them of their sins. And also when any messenger cometh and +bringeth letters or any present to the emperor, it behoveth him that he, +with the thing that he bringeth, pass through two burning fires for to +purge them, that he bring no poison ne venom, ne no wicked thing that +might be grievance to the Lord. And also if any man or woman be taken in +avoutry or fornication, anon they slay him. And who that stealeth +anything, anon they slay him. + +Men of that country be all good archers and shoot right well, both men +and women, as well on horse-back, pricking, as on foot, running. And the +women make all things and all manner mysteries and crafts, as of clothes, +boots and other things; and they drive carts, ploughs and wains and +chariots; and they make houses and all manner mysteres, out taken bows +and arrows and armours that men make. And all the women wear breeches, +as well as men. + +All the folk of that country be full obeissant to their sovereigns; ne +they fight not, ne chide not one with another. And there be neither +thieves ne robbers in that country. And every man worshippeth other; but +no man there doth no reverence to no strangers, but if they be great +princes. + +And they eat hounds, lions, leopards, mares and foals, asses, rats and +mice and all manner of beasts, great and small, save only swine and +beasts that were defended by the old law. And they eat all the beasts +without and within, without casting away of anything, save only the +filth. And they eat but little bread, but if it be in courts of great +lords. And they have not in many places, neither pease ne beans ne none +other pottages but the broth of the flesh. For little eat they anything +but flesh and the broth. And when they have eaten, they wipe their hands +upon their skirts; for they use no napery ne towels, but if it be before +great lords; but the common people hath none. And when they have eaten, +they put their dishes unwashen into the pot or cauldron with remnant of +the flesh and of the broth till they will eat again. And the rich men +drink milk of mares or of camels or of asses or of other beasts. And +they will be lightly drunken of milk and of another drink that is made of +honey and of water sodden together; for in that country is neither wine +ne ale. They live full wretchedly, and they eat but once in the day, and +that but little, neither in courts ne in other places. And in sooth, one +man alone in this country will eat more in a day than one of them will +eat in three days. And if any strange messenger come there to a lord, +men make him to eat but once a day, and that full little. + +And when they war, they war full wisely and always do their business, to +destroy their enemies. Every man there beareth two bows or three, and of +arrows great plenty, and a great axe. And the gentles have short spears +and large and full trenchant on that one side. And they have plates and +helms made of quyrboylle, and their horses covertures of the same. And +whoso fleeth from the battle they slay him. And when they hold any siege +about castle or town that is walled and defensible, they behote to them +that be within to do all the profit and good, that it is marvel to hear; +and they grant also to them that be within all that they will ask them. +And after that they be yielden, anon they slay them all; and cut off +their ears and souse them in vinegar, and thereof they make great service +for lords. All their lust and all their imagination is for to put all +lands under their subjection. And they say that they know well by their +prophecies, that they shall be overcome by archers and by strength of +them; but they know not of what nation ne of what law they shall be of, +that shall overcome them. And therefore they suffer that folk of all +laws may peaceably dwell amongst them. + +Also when they will make their idols or an image of any of their friends +for to have remembrance of him, they make always the image all naked +without any manner of clothing. For they say that in good love should be +no covering, that man should not love for the fair clothing ne for the +rich array, but only for the body, such as God hath made it, and for the +good virtues that the body is endowed with of Nature, not only for fair +clothing that is not of kindly Nature. + +And ye shall understand that it is great dread for to pursue the Tartars +if they flee in battle. For in fleeing they shoot behind them and slay +both men and horses. And when they will fight they will shock them +together in a plump; that if there be 20,000 men, men shall not ween that +there be scant 10,000. And they can well win land of strangers, but they +cannot keep it; for they have greater lust to lie in tents without than +for to lie in castle or in towns. And they prize nothing the wit of +other nations. + +And amongst them oil of olive is full dear, for they hold it for full +noble medicine. And all the Tartars have small eyen and little of beard, +and not thick haired but shear. And they be false and traitors; and they +last nought that they behote. They be full hardy folk, and much pain and +woe may suffer and disease, more than any other folk, for they be taught +thereto in their own country of youth. And therefore they spend as who +saith, right nought. + +And when any man shall die, men set a spear beside him. And when he +draweth towards the death, every man fleeth out of the house till he be +dead. And after that they bury him in the fields. + +And when the emperor dieth, men set him in a chair in midst the place of +his tent. And men set a table before him clean, covered with a cloth, +and thereupon flesh and diverse viands and a cup full of mare’s milk. +And men put a mare beside him with her foal, and an horse saddled and +bridled. And they lay upon the horse gold and silver, great quantity. +And they put about him great plenty of straw. And then men make a great +pit and a large, and with the tent and all these other things they put +him in earth. And they say that when he shall come into another world, +he shall not be without an house, ne without horse, ne without gold and +silver; and the mare shall give him milk, and bring him forth more horses +till he be well stored in the tother world. For they trow that after +their death they shall be eating and drinking in that other world, and +solacing them with their wives, as they did here. + +And after time that the emperor is thus interred no man shall be so hardy +to speak of him before his friends. And yet natheles, sometime falleth +of many that they make him to be interred privily by night in wild +places, and put again the grass over the pit for to grow; or else men +cover the pit with gravel and sand, that no man shall perceive where, ne +know where, the pit is, to that intent that never after none of his +friends shall have mind ne remembrance of him. And then they say that he +is ravished into another world, where he is a greater lord than he was +here. + +And then, after the death of the emperor, the seven lineages assemble +them together, and choose his eldest son, or the next after him of his +blood. And thus they say to him; we will and we pray and ordain that ye +be our lord and our emperor. + +And then he answereth, If ye will that I reign over you as lord, do +everych of you that I shall command him, either to abide or to go; and +whomsoever that I command to be slain, that anon he be slain. + +And they answer all with one voice, Whatsoever ye command, it shall be +done. + +Then saith the emperor, Now understand well, that my word from henceforth +is sharp and biting as a sword. + +After, men set him upon a black steed and so men bring him to a chair +full richly arrayed, and there they crown him. And then all the cities +and good towns send him rich presents. So that at that journey he shall +have more than sixty chariots charged with gold silver, without jewels of +gold and precious stones, that lords gave him, that be without +estimation, and without horses, and cloths of gold, and of camakas, and +tartarins that be without number. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + + +_Of the Realm of Tharse and the Lands and Kingdoms towards the +Septentrional Parts_, _in coming down from the land of Cathay_ + +THIS land of Cathay is in Asia the deep; and after, on this half, is Asia +the more. The kingdom of Cathay marcheth toward the west unto the +kingdom of Tharse, the which was one of the kings that came to present +our Lord in Bethlehem. And they that be of the lineage of that king are +some Christian. In Tharse they eat no flesh, ne they drink no wine. + +And on this half, toward the west, is the kingdom of Turkestan, that +stretcheth him toward the west to the kingdom of Persia, and toward the +septentrional to the kingdom of Khorasan. In the country of Turkestan be +but few good cities; but the best city of that land hight Octorar. There +be great pastures, but few corns; and therefore, for the most part, they +be all herdsmen, and they lie in tents and they drink a manner ale made +of honey. + +And after, on this half, is the kingdom of Khorasan, that is a good land +and a plenteous, without wine. And it hath a desert toward the east that +lasteth more than an hundred journeys. And the best city of that country +is clept Khorasan, and of that city beareth the country his name. The +folk of that country be hardy warriors. + +And on this half is the kingdom of Comania, whereof the Comanians that +dwelled in Greece sometime were chased out. This is one of the greatest +kingdoms of the world, but it is not all inhabited. For at one of the +parts there is so great cold that no man may dwell there; and in another +part there is so great heat that no man may endure it, and also there be +so many flies, that no man may know on what side he may turn him. In +that country is but little arboury ne trees that bear fruit ne other. +They lie in tents; and they burn the dung of beasts for default of wood. +This kingdom descendeth on this half toward us and toward Prussia and +toward Russia. + +And through that country runneth the river of Ethille that is one of the +greatest rivers of the world. And it freezeth so strongly all years that +many times men have fought upon the ice with great hosts, both parties on +foot, and their horses voided for the time, and what on horse and on +foot, more than 200,000 persons on every side. + +And between that river and the great sea Ocean, that they clepe the Sea +Maure, lie all these realms. And toward the head, beneath, in that realm +is the Mount Chotaz, that is the highest mount of the world, and it is +between the Sea Maure and the Sea Caspian. There is full strait and +dangerous passage for to go toward Ind. And therefore King Alexander let +make there a strong city, that men clepe Alexandria, for to keep the +country that no man should pass without his leave. And now men clepe +that city, the Gate of Hell. + +And the principal city of Comania is clept Sarak, that is one of the +three ways for to go into Ind. But by that way, ne may not pass no great +multitude of people, but if it be in winter. And that passage men clepe +the Derbent. The tother way is for to go from the city of Turkestan by +Persia, and by that way be many journeys by desert. And the third way is +that cometh from Comania and then to go by the Great Sea and by the +kingdom of Abchaz. + +And ye shall understand, that all these kingdoms and all these lands +above-said unto Prussia and to Russia be all obeissant to the great Chan +of Cathay, and many other countries that march to other coasts. +Wherefore his power and his lordship is full great and full mighty. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + + +_The Emperor of Persia_, _and of the Land of Darkness_; _and of other +kingdoms that belong to the great Chan of Cathay_, _and other lands of +his_, _unto the sea of Greece_ + +NOW, since I have devised you the lands and the kingdoms toward the parts +Septentrionals in coming down from the land of Cathay unto the lands of +the Christian, towards Prussia and Russia,—now shall I devise you of +other lands and kingdoms coming down by other coasts, toward the right +side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the land of Christian men. And, +therefore, that after Ind and after Cathay the Emperor of Persia is the +greatest lord, therefore, I shall tell you of the kingdom of Persia. + +First, where he hath two kingdoms, the first kingdom beginneth toward the +east, toward the kingdom of Turkestan, and it stretcheth toward the west +unto the river of Pison, that is one of the four rivers that come out of +Paradise. And on another side it stretcheth toward the Septentrion unto +the sea of Caspian; and also toward the south unto the desert of Ind. +And this country is good and plain and full of people. And there be many +good cities. But the two principal cities be these, Boyturra, and +Seornergant, that some men clepe Sormagant. The tother kingdom of Persia +stretcheth toward the river of Pison and the parts of the west unto the +kingdom of Media, and from the great Armenia and toward the Septentrion +to the sea of Caspian and toward the south to the land of Ind. That is +also a good land and a plenteous, and it hath three great principal +cities—Messabor, Saphon, and Sarmassan. + +And then after is Armenia, in the which were wont to be four kingdoms; +that is a noble country and full of goods. And it beginneth at Persia +and stretcheth toward the west in length unto Turkey. And in largeness +it dureth to the city of Alexandria, that now is clept the Gate of Hell, +that I spake of before, under the kingdom of Media. In this Armenia be +full many good cities, but Taurizo is most of name. + +After this is the kingdom of Media, that is full long, but it is not full +large, that beginneth toward the east to the land of Persia and to Ind +the less; and it stretcheth toward the west, toward the kingdom of +Chaldea and toward the Septentrion, descending toward the little Armenia. +In that kingdom of Media there be many great hills and little of plain +earth. There dwell Saracens and another manner of folk, that men clepe +Cordynes. The best two cities of that kingdom be Sarras and Karemen. + +After that is the kingdom of Georgia, that beginneth toward the east to +the great mountain that is clept Abzor, where that dwell many diverse +folk of diverse nations. And men clepe the country Alamo. This kingdom +stretcheth him towards Turkey and toward the Great Sea, and toward the +south it marcheth to the great Armenia. And there be two kingdoms in +that country; that one is the kingdom of Georgia, and that other is the +kingdom of Abchaz. And always in that country be two kings; and they be +both Christian. But the king of Georgia is in subjection to the great +Chan. And the king of Abchaz hath the more strong country, and he always +vigorously defendeth his country against all those that assail him, so +that no man may make him in subjection to no man. + +In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel. For a province of the +country that hath well in circuit three journeys, that men clepe Hanyson, +is all covered with darkness, without any brightness or light; so that no +man may see ne hear, ne no man dare enter into him. And, natheles, they +of the country say, that some-times men hear voice of folk, and horses +neighing, and cocks crowing. And men wit well, that men dwell there, but +they know not what men. And they say, that the darkness befell by +miracle of God. For a cursed emperor of Persia, that hight Saures, +pursued all Christian men to destroy them and to compel them to make +sacrifice to his idols, and rode with great host, in all that ever he +might, for to confound the Christian men. And then in that country +dwelled many good Christian men, the which that left their goods and +would have fled into Greece. And when they were in a plain that hight +Megon, anon this cursed emperor met with them with his host for to have +slain them and hewn them to pieces. And anon the Christian men kneeled +to the ground, and made their prayers to God to succour them. And anon a +great thick cloud came and covered the emperor and all his host. And so +they endure in that manner that they ne may not go out on no side; and so +shall they evermore abide in that darkness till the day of doom, by the +miracle of God. And then the Christian men went where them liked best, +at their own pleasance, without letting of any creature, and their +enemies enclosed and confounded in darkness, without any stroke. + +Wherefore we may well say with David, _A Domino factum est istud_; _& est +mirabile in oculis nostris_. And that was a great miracle, that God made +for them. Wherefore methinketh that Christian men should be more devout +to serve our Lord God than any other men of any other sect. For without +any dread, ne were not cursedness and sin of Christian men, they should +be lords of all the world. For the banner of Jesu Christ is always +displayed, and ready on all sides to the help of his true loving +servants. Insomuch, that one good Christian man in good belief should +overcome and out-chase a thousand cursed misbelieving men, as David saith +in the Psalter, _Quoniam persequebatur unus mills_, _& duo fugarent decem +milia_; _et cadent a latere tuo mille_, _& decem milia a dextris tuis_. +And how that it might be that one should chase a thousand, David himself +saith following, _Quia manus Domini fecit haec omnia_, and our Lord +himself saith, by the prophet’s mouth, _Si in viis meis ambulaveritis_, +_super tribulantes vos misissem manum meam_. So that we may see apertly +that if we will be good men, no enemy may not endure against us. + +Also ye shall understand that out of that land of darkness goeth out a +great river that sheweth well that there be folk dwelling, by many ready +tokens; but no man dare not enter into it. + +And wit well, that in the kingdoms of Georgia, of Abchaz and of the +little Armenia be good Christian men and devout. For they shrive them +and housel them evermore once or twice in the week. And there be many of +them that housel them every day; and so do we not on this half, albeit +that Saint Paul commandeth it, saying, _Omnibus diebus dominicis ad +communicandum hortor_. They keep that commandment, but we ne keep it +not. + +Also after, on this half, is Turkey, that marcheth to the great Armenia. +And there be many provinces, as Cappadocia, Saure, Brique, Quesiton, +Pytan, and Gemethe. And in everych of these be many good cities. This +Turkey stretcheth unto the city of Sachala that sitteth upon the sea of +Greece, and so it marcheth to Syria. Syria is a great country and a +good, as I have told you before. And also it hath, above toward Ind, the +kingdom of Chaldea, that stretcheth from the mountains of Chaldea toward +the east unto the city of Nineveh, that sitteth upon the river of Tigris; +and in largeness it beginneth toward the north to the city of Maraga; and +it stretcheth toward the south unto the sea Ocean. In Chaldea is a plain +country, and few hills and few rivers. + +After is the kingdom of Mesopotamia, that beginneth, toward the east, to +the flom of Tigris, unto a city that is clept Mosul; and it stretcheth +toward the west to the flom of Euphrates unto a city that is clept +Roianz; and in length it goeth to the mount of Armenia unto the desert of +Ind the less. This is a good country and a plain, but it hath few +rivers. It hath but two mountains in that country, of the which one +hight Symar and that other Lyson. And this land marcheth to the kingdom +of Chaldea. + +Yet there is, toward the parts Meridionals many countries and many +regions, as the land of Ethiopia, that marcheth, toward the east to the +great deserts, toward the west to the kingdom of Nubia, toward the south +to the kingdom of Moretane, and toward the north to the Red Sea. + +After is Moretane, that dureth from the mountains of Ethiopia unto Lybia +the high. And that country lieth along from the sea ocean toward the +south; and toward the north it marcheth to Nubia and to the high Lybia. +(These men of Nubia be Christian.) And it marcheth from the lands +above-said to the deserts of Egypt, and that is the Egypt that I have +spoken of before. + +And after is Lybia the high and Lybia the low, that descendeth down low +toward the great sea of Spain, in the which country be many kingdoms and +many diverse folk. + +Now I have devised you many countries on this half the kingdom of Cathay, +of the which many be obeissant to the great Chan. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + + +_Of the Countries and Isles that be beyond the Land of Cathay_; _and of +the fruits there_; _and of twenty-two kings enclosed within the +mountains_ + +NOW shall I say you, suingly, of countries and isles that be beyond the +countries that I have spoken of. + +Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward the high Ind +and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that men clepe Caldilhe, that +is a full fair country. + +And there groweth a manner of fruit, as though it were gourds. And when +they be ripe, men cut them a-two, and men find within a little beast, in +flesh, in bone, and blood, as though it were a little lamb without wool. +And men eat both the fruit and the beast. And that is a great marvel. +Of that fruit I have eaten, although it were wonderful, but that I know +well that God is marvellous in his works. And, natheles, I told them of +as great a marvel to them, that is amongst us, and that was of the +Bernakes. For I told them that in our country were trees that bear a +fruit that become birds flying, and those that fell in the water live, +and they that fall on the earth die anon, and they be right good to man’s +meat. And hereof had they as great marvel, that some of them trowed it +were an impossible thing to be. + +In that country be long apples of good savour, whereof be more than an +hundred in a cluster, and as many in another; and they have great long +leaves and large, of two foot long or more. And in that country, and in +other countries thereabout, grow many trees that bear clove-gylofres and +nutmegs, and great nuts of Ind, and of Canell and of many other spices. +And there be vines that bear so great grapes, that a strong man should +have enough to do for to bear one cluster with all the grapes. + +In that same region be the mountains of Caspian that men clepe Uber in +the country. Between those mountains the Jews of ten lineages be +enclosed, that men clepe Goth and Magoth and they may not go out on no +side. There were enclosed twenty-two kings with their people, that +dwelled between the mountains of Scythia. There King Alexander chased +them between those mountains, and there he thought for to enclose them +through work of his men. But when he saw that he might not do it, ne +bring it to an end, he prayed to God of nature that he would perform that +that he had begun. And all were it so, that he was a paynim and not +worthy to be heard, yet God of his grace closed the mountains together, +so that they dwell there all fast locked and enclosed with high mountains +all about, save only on one side, and on that side is the sea of Caspian. + +Now may some men ask, since that the sea is on that one side, wherefore +go they not out on the sea side, for to go where that them liketh? + +But to this question, I shall answer; that sea of Caspian goeth out by +land under the mountains, and runneth by the desert at one side of the +country, and after it stretcheth unto the ends of Persia, and although it +be clept a sea, it is no sea, ne it toucheth to none other sea, but it is +a lake, the greatest of the world; and though they would put them into +that sea, they ne wist never where that they should arrive; and also they +can no language but only their own, that no man knoweth but they; and +therefore may they not go out. + +And also ye shall understand, that the Jews have no proper land of their +own for to dwell in, in all the world, but only that land between the +mountains. And yet they yield tribute for that land to the Queen of +Amazonia, the which that maketh them to be kept in close full diligently, +that they shall not go out on no side but by the coast of their land; for +their land marcheth to those mountains. + +And often it hath befallen, that some of the Jews have gone up the +mountains and avaled down to the valleys. But great number of folk ne +may not do so, for the mountains be so high and so straight up, that they +must abide there, maugre their might. For they may not go out, but by a +little issue that was made by strength of men, and it lasteth well a four +great mile. + +And after, is there yet a land all desert, where men may find no water, +neither for digging ne for none other thing. Wherefore men may not dwell +in that place, so is it full of dragons, of serpents and of other +venomous beasts, that no man dare not pass, but if it be strong winter. +And that strait passage men clepe in that country Clyron. And that is +the passage that the Queen of Amazonia maketh to be kept. And though it +happen some of them by fortune to go out, they can no manner of language +but Hebrew, so that they cannot speak to the people. + +And yet, natheles, men say they shall go out in the time of anti-Christ, +and that they shall make great slaughter of Christian men. And therefore +all the Jews that dwell in all lands learn always to speak Hebrew, in +hope, that when the other Jews shall go out, that they may understand +their speech, and to lead them into Christendom for to destroy the +Christian people. For the Jews say that they know well by their +prophecies, that they of Caspia shall go out, and spread throughout all +the world, and that the Christian men shall be under their subjection, as +long as they have been in subjection of them. + +And if that you will wit how that they shall find their way, after that I +have heard say I shall tell you. + +In the time of anti-Christ a fox shall make there his train, and mine an +hole where King Alexander let make the gates; and so long he shall mine +and pierce the earth, till that he shall pass through towards that folk. +And when they see the fox, they shall have great marvel of him, because +that they saw never such a beast. For of all other beasts they have +enclosed amongst them, save only the fox. And then they shall chase him +and pursue him so strait, till that he come to the same place that he +came from. And then they shall dig and mine so strongly, till that they +find the gates that King Alexander let make of great stones, and passing +huge, well cemented and made strong for the mastery. And those gates +they shall break, and so go out by finding of that issue. + +From that land go men toward the land of Bacharia, where be full evil +folk and full cruel. In that land be trees that bear wool, as though it +were of sheep, whereof men make clothes and all things that may be made +of wool. + +In that country be many hippotaynes that dwell some-time in the water and +sometime on the land. And they be half man and half horse, as I have +said before. And they eat men when they may take them. + +And there be rivers of waters that be full bitter, three sithes more than +is the water of the sea. + +In that country be many griffins, more plenty than in any other country. +Some men say that they have the body upward as an eagle and beneath as a +lion; and truly they say sooth, that they be of that shape. But one +griffin hath the body more great and is more strong than eight lions, of +such lions as be on this half, and more great and stronger than an +hundred eagles such as we have amongst us. For one griffin there will +bear, flying to his nest, a great horse, if he may find him at the point, +or two oxen yoked together as they go at the plough. For he hath his +talons so long and so large and great upon his feet, as though they were +horns of great oxen or of bugles or of kine, so that men make cups of +them to drink of. And of their ribs and of the pens of their wings, men +make bows, full strong, to shoot with arrows and quarrels. + +From thence go men by many journeys through the land of Prester John, the +great Emperor of Ind. And men clepe his realm the isle of Pentexoire. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + + +_Of the Royal Estate of Prester John_. _And of a rich man that made a +marvellous castle and cleped it Paradise_; _and of his subtlety_ + +THIS emperor, Prester John, holds full great land, and hath many full +noble cities and good towns in his realm, and many great diverse isles +and large. For all the country of Ind is devised in isles for the great +floods that come from Paradise, that depart all the land in many parts. +And also in the sea he hath full many isles. And the best city in the +Isle of Pentexoire is Nyse, that is a full royal city and a noble, and +full rich. + +This Prester John hath under him many kings and many isles and many +diverse folk of diverse conditions. And this land is full good and rich, +but not so rich as is the land of the great Chan. For the merchants come +not thither so commonly for to buy merchandises, as they do in the land +of the great Chan, for it is too far to travel to. And on that other +part, in the Isle of Cathay, men find all manner thing that is need to +man—cloths of gold, of silk, of spicery and all manner avoirdupois. And +therefore, albeit that men have greater cheap in the Isle of Prester +John, natheles, men dread the long way and the great perils in the sea in +those parts. + +For in many places of the sea be great rocks of stones of the adamant, +that of his proper nature draweth iron to him. And therefore there pass +no ships that have either bonds or nails of iron within them. And if +there do, anon the rocks of the adamants draw them to them, that never +they may go thence. I myself have seen afar in that sea, as though it +had been a great isle full of tree, and buscaylle, full of thorns and +briars, great plenty. And the shipmen told us, that all that was of +ships that were drawn thither by the adamants, for the iron that was in +them. And of the rotten-ness, and other thing that was within the ships, +grew such buscaylle, and thorns and briars and green grass, and such +manner of thing; and of the masts and the sail-yards; it seemed a great +wood or a grove. And such rocks be in many places thereabout. And +therefore dare not the merchants pass there, but if they know well the +passages, or else that they have good lodesmen. + +And also they dread the long way. And therefore they go to Cathay, for +it is more nigh. And yet it is not so nigh, but that men must be +travelling by sea and land, eleven months or twelve, from Genoa or from +Venice, or he come to Cathay. And yet is the land of Prester John more +far by many dreadful journeys. + +And the merchants pass by the kingdom of Persia, and go to a city that is +Clept Hermes, for Hermes the philosopher founded it. And after that they +pass an arm of the sea, and then they go to another city that is clept +Golbache. And there they find merchandises, and of popinjays, as great +plenty as men find here of geese. And if they will pass further, they +may go sikerly enough. In that country is but little wheat or barley, +and therefore they eat rice and honey and milk and cheese and fruit. + +This Emperor Prester John taketh always to his wife the daughter of the +great Chan; and the great Chan also, in the same wise, the daughter of +Prester John. For these two be the greatest lords under the firmament. + +In the land of Prester John be many diverse things and many precious +stones, so great and so large, that men make of them vessels, as +platters, dishes and cups. And many other marvels be there, that it were +too cumbrous and too long to put it in scripture of books; but of the +principal isles and of his estate and of his law, I shall tell you some +part. + +This Emperor Prester John is Christian, and a great part of his country +also. But yet, they have not all the articles of our faith as we have. +They believe well in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Ghost. And +they be full devout and right true one to another. And they set not by +no barretts, ne by cautels, nor of no deceits. + +And he hath under him seventy-two provinces, and in every province is a +king. And these kings have kings under them, and all be tributaries to +Prester John. And he hath in his lordships many great marvels. + +For in his country is the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea, that is +all gravel and sand, without any drop of water, and it ebbeth and floweth +in great waves as other seas do, and it is never still ne in peace, in no +manner season. And no man may pass that sea by navy, ne by no manner of +craft, and therefore may no man know what land is beyond that sea. And +albeit that it have no water, yet men find therein and on the banks full +good fish of other manner of kind and shape, than men find in any other +sea, and they be of right good taste and delicious to man’s meat. + +And a three journeys long from that sea be great mountains, out of the +which goeth out a great flood that cometh out of Paradise. And it is +full of precious stones, without any drop of water, and it runneth +through the desert on that one side, so that it maketh the sea gravelly; +and it beareth into that sea, and there it endeth. And that flome +runneth, also, three days in the week and bringeth with him great stones +and the rocks also therewith, and that great plenty. And anon, as they +be entered into the Gravelly Sea, they be seen no more, but lost for +evermore. And in those three days that that river runneth, no man dare +enter into it; but in the other days men dare enter well enough. + +Also beyond that flome, more upward to the deserts, is a great plain all +gravelly, between the mountains. And in that plain, every day at the +sun-rising, begin to grow small trees, and they grow till mid-day, +bearing fruit; but no man dare take of that fruit, for it is a thing of +faerie. And after mid-day, they decrease and enter again into the earth, +so that at the going down of the sun they appear no more. And so they +do, every day. And that is a great marvel. + +In that desert be many wild men, that be hideous to look on; for they be +horned, and they speak nought, but they grunt, as pigs. And there is +also great plenty of wild hounds. And there be many popinjays, that they +clepe psittakes their language. And they speak of their proper nature, +and salute men that go through the deserts, and speak to them as apertly +as though it were a man. And they that speak well have a large tongue, +and have five toes upon a foot. And there be also of another manner, +that have but three toes upon a foot, and they speak not, or but little, +for they can not but cry. + +This Emperor Prester John when he goeth into battle against any other +lord, he hath no banners borne before him; but he hath three crosses of +gold, fine, great and high, full of precious stones, and every of those +crosses be set in a chariot, full richly arrayed. And for to keep every +cross, be ordained 10,000 men of arms and more than 100,000 men on foot, +in manner as men would keep a standard in our countries, when that we be +in land of war. And this number of folk is without the principal host +and without wings ordained for the battle. And when he hath no war, but +rideth with a privy meinie, then he hath borne before him but one cross +of tree, without painting and without gold or silver or precious stones, +in remembrance that Jesu Christ suffered death upon a cross of tree. And +he hath borne before him also a platter of gold full of earth, in token +that his noblesse and his might and his flesh shall turn to earth. And +he hath borne before him also a vessel of silver, full of noble jewels of +gold full rich and of precious stones, in token of his lordship and of +his noblesse and of his might. + +He dwelleth commonly in the city of Susa. And there is his principal +palace, that is so rich and so noble, that no man will trow it by +estimation, but he had seen it. And above the chief tower of the palace +be two round pommels of gold, and in everych of them be two carbuncles +great and large, that shine full bright upon the night. And the +principal gates of his palace be of precious stone that men clepe +sardonyx, and the border and the bars be of ivory. And the windows of +the halls and chambers be of crystal. And the tables whereon men eat, +some be of emeralds, some of amethyst, and some of gold, full of precious +stones; and the pillars that bear up the tables be of the same precious +stones. And the degrees to go up to his throne, where he sitteth at the +meat, one is of onyx, another is of crystal, and another of jasper green, +another of amethyst, another of sardine, another of cornelian, and the +seventh, that he setteth on his feet, is of chrysolite. And all these +degrees be bordered with fine gold, with the tother precious stones, set +with great pearls orient. And the sides of the siege of his throne be of +emeralds, and bordered with gold full nobly, and dubbed with other +precious stones and great pearls. And all the pillars in his chamber be +of fine gold with precious stones, and with many carbuncles, that give +great light upon the night to all people. And albeit that the carbuncles +give light right enough, natheles, at all times burneth a vessel of +crystal full of balm, for to give good smell and odour to the emperor, +and to void away all wicked airs and corruptions. And the form of his +bed is of fine sapphires, bended with gold, for to make him sleep well +and to refrain him from lechery; for he will not lie with his wives, but +four sithes in the year, after the four seasons, and that is only for to +engender children. + +He hath also a full fair palace and a noble at the city of Nyse, where +that he dwelleth, when him best liketh; but the air is not so attempre, +as it is at the city of Susa. + +And ye shall understand, that in all his country nor in the countries +there all about, men eat not but once in the day, as they do in the court +of the great Chan. And so they eat every day in his court, more than +30,000 persons, without goers and comers. But the 30,000 persons of his +country, ne of the country of the great Chan, ne spend not so much good +as do 12,000 of our country. + +This Emperor Prester John hath evermore seven kings with him to serve +him, and they depart their service by certain months. And with these +kings serve always seventy-two dukes and three hundred and sixty earls. +And all the days of the year, there eat in his household and in his +court, twelve archbishops and twenty bishops. And the patriarch of Saint +Thomas is there as is the pope here. And the archbishops and the bishops +and the abbots in that country be all kings. And everych of these great +lords know well enough the attendance of their service. The one is +master of his household, another is his chamberlain, another serveth him +of a dish, another of the cup, another is steward, another is marshal, +another is prince of his arms, and thus is he full nobly and royally +served. And his land dureth in very breadth four month’s journeys, and +in length out of measure, that is to say, all isles under earth that we +suppose to be under us. + +Beside the isle of Pentexoire, that is the land of Prester John, is a eat +isle, long and broad, that men clepe Mistorak; and it is in the lordship +of Prester John. In that isle is great plenty of goods. + +There was dwelling, sometime, a rich man; and it is not long since; and +men clept him Gatholonabes. And he was full of cautels and of subtle +deceits. And he had a full fair castle and a strong in a mountain, so +strong and so noble, that no man could devise a fairer ne stronger. And +he had let mure all the mountain about with a strong wall and a fair. +And within those walls he had the fairest garden that any man might +behold. And therein were trees bearing all manner of fruits, that any +man could devise. And therein were also all manner virtuous herbs of +good smell, and all other herbs also that bear fair flowers. And he had +also in that garden many fair wells; and beside those wells he had let +make fair halls and fair chambers, depainted all with gold and azure; and +there were in that place many diverse things, and many diverse stories: +and of beasts, and of birds that sung full delectably and moved by craft, +that it seemed that they were quick. And he had also in his garden all +manner of fowls and of beasts that any man might think on, for to have +play or sport to behold them. + +And he had also, in that place, the fairest damsels that might be found, +under the age of fifteen years, and the fairest young striplings that men +might get, of that same age. And all they were clothed in cloths of +gold, full richly. And he said that those were angels. + +And he had also let make three wells, fair and noble and all environed +with stone of jasper, of crystal, diapered with gold, and set with +precious stones and great orient pearls. And he had made a conduit under +earth, so that the three wells, at his list, one should run milk, another +wine and another honey. And that place he clept Paradise. + +And when that any good knight, that was hardy and noble, came to see this +royalty, he would lead him into his paradise, and show him these +wonderful things to his disport, and the marvellous and delicious song of +diverse birds, and the fair damsels, and the fair wells of milk, of wine +and of honey, plenteously running. And he would let make divers +instruments of music to sound in an high tower, so merrily, that it was +joy for to hear; and no man should see the craft thereof. And those, he +said, were angels of God, and that place was Paradise, that God had +behight to his friends, saying, _Dabo vobis terram fluentem lacte et +melle_. And then would he make them to drink of certain drink, whereof +anon they should be drunk. And then would them think greater delight +than they had before. And then would he say to them, that if they would +die for him and for his love, that after their death they should come to +his paradise; and they should be of the age of those damosels, and they +should play with them, and yet be maidens. And after that yet should he +put them in a fairer paradise, where that they should see God of nature +visibly, in his majesty and in his bliss. And then would he shew them +his intent, and say them, that if they would go slay such a lord, or such +a man that was his enemy or contrarious to his list, that they should not +dread to do it and for to be slain therefore themselves. For after their +death, he would put them into another paradise, that was an hundred-fold +fairer than any of the tother; and there should they dwell with the most +fairest damosels that might be, and play with them ever-more. + +And thus went many diverse lusty bachelors for to slay great lords in +diverse countries, that were his enemies, and made themselves to be +slain, in hope to have that paradise. And thus, often-time, he was +revenged of his enemies by his subtle deceits and false cautels. + +And when the worthy men of the country had perceived this subtle +falsehood of this Gatholonabes, they assembled them with force, and +assailed his castle, and slew him, and destroyed all the fair places and +all the nobilities of that paradise. The place of the wells and of the +walls and of many other things be yet apertly seen, but the riches is +voided clean. And it is not long gone, since that place was destroyed. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + + +_Of the Devil’s Head in the Valley Perilous_. _And of the Customs of +Folk in diverse Isles that be about in the Lordship of Prester John_ + +BESIDE that Isle of Mistorak upon the left side nigh to the river of +Pison is a marvellous thing. There is a vale between the mountains, that +dureth nigh a four mile. And some men clepe it the Vale Enchanted, some +clepe it the Vale of Devils, and some clepe it the Vale Perilous. In +that vale hear men often-time great tempests and thunders, and great +murmurs and noises, all days and nights, and great noise, as it were +sound of tabors and of nakers and of trumps, as though it were of a great +feast. This vale is all full of devils, and hath been always. And men +say there, that it is one of the entries of hell. In that vale is great +plenty of gold and silver. Wherefore many misbelieving men, and many +Christian men also, go in oftentime for to have of the treasure that +there is; but few come again, and namely of the misbelieving men, ne of +the Christian men neither, for anon they be strangled of devils. + +And in mid place of that vale, under a rock, is an head and the visage of +a devil bodily, full horrible and dreadful to see, and it sheweth not but +the head, to the shoulders. But there is no man in the world so hardy, +Christian man ne other, but that he would be adread to behold it, and +that it would seem him to die for dread, so is it hideous for to behold. +For he beholdeth every man so sharply with dreadful eyen, that be +evermore moving and sparkling as fire, and changeth and stirreth so often +in diverse manner, with so horrible countenance, that no man dare not +neighen towards him. And from him cometh out smoke and stinking fire and +so much abomination, that unnethe no man may there endure. + +But the good Christian men, that be stable in the faith, enter well +without peril. For they will first shrive them and mark them with the +token of the holy cross, so that the fiends ne have no power over them. +But albeit that they be without peril, yet, natheles, ne be they not +without dread, when that they see the devils visibly and bodily all about +them, that make full many diverse assaults and menaces, in air and in +earth, and aghast them with strokes of thunder-blasts and of tempests. +And the most dread is, that God will take vengeance then of that that men +have misdone against his will. + +And ye shall understand, that when my fellows and I were in that vale, we +were in great thought, whether that we durst put our bodies in adventure, +to go in or not, in the protection of God. And some of our fellows +accorded to enter, and some not. So there were with us two worthy men, +friars minors, that were of Lombardy, that said, that if any man would +enter they would go in with us. And when they had said so, upon the +gracious trust of God and of them, we let sing mass, and made every man +to be shriven and houseled. And then we entered fourteen persons; but at +our going out we were but nine. And so we wist never, whether that our +fellows were lost, or else turned again for dread. But we saw them never +after; and those were two men of Greece, and three of Spain. And our +other fellows that would not go in with us, they went by another coast to +be before us; and so they were. + +And thus we passed that perilous vale, and found therein gold and silver, +and precious stones and rich jewels, great plenty, both here and there, +as us seemed. But whether that it was, as us seemed, I wot never. For I +touched none, because that the devils be so subtle to make a thing to +seem otherwise than it is, for to deceive mankind. And therefore I +touched none, and also because that I would not be put out of my +devotion; for I was more devout then, than ever I was before or after, +and all for the dread of fiends that I saw in diverse figures, and also +for the great multitude of dead bodies, that I saw there lying by the +way, by all the vale, as though there had been a battle between two +kings, and the mightiest of the country, and that the greater part had +been discomfited and slain. And I trow, that unnethe should any country +have so much people within him, as lay slain in that vale as us thought, +the which was an hideous sight to see. And I marvelled much, that there +were so many, and the bodies all whole without rotting. But I trow, that +fiends made them seem to be so whole without rotting. But that might not +be to mine advice that so many should have entered so newly, ne so many +newly slain, with out stinking and rotting. And many of them were in +habit of Christian men, but I trow well, that it were of such that went +in for covetise of the treasure that was there, and had overmuch +feebleness in the faith; so that their hearts ne might not endure in the +belief for dread. And therefore were we the more devout a great deal. +And yet we were cast down, and beaten down many times to the hard earth +by winds and thunders and tempests. But evermore God of his grace holp +us. And so we passed that perilous vale without peril and without +encumbrance, thanked be Almighty God. + +After this, beyond the vale, is a great isle, where the folk be great +giants of twenty-eight foot long, or of thirty foot long. And they have +no clothing but of skins of beasts that they hang upon them. And they +eat no bread, but all raw flesh; and they drink milk of beasts, for they +have plenty of all bestial. And they have no houses to lie in. And they +eat more gladly man’s flesh than any other flesh. Into that isle dare no +man gladly enter. And if they see a ship and men therein, anon they +enter into the sea for to take them. + +And men said us, that in an isle beyond that were giants of greater +stature, some of forty-five foot, or of fifty foot long, and, as some men +say, some of fifty cubits long. But I saw none of those, for I had no +lust to go to those parts, because that no man cometh neither into that +isle ne into the other, but if he be devoured anon. And among those +giants be sheep as great as oxen here, and they bear great wool and +rough. Of the sheep I have seen many times. And men have seen, many +times, those giants take men in the sea out of their ships, and brought +them to land, two in one hand and two in another, eating them going, all +raw and all quick. + +Another isle is there toward the north, in the sea Ocean, where that be +full cruel and full evil women of nature. And they have precious stones +in their eyen. And they be of that kind, that if they behold any man +with wrath, they slay him anon with the beholding, as doth the basilisk. + +Another isle is there, full fair and good and great, and full of people, +where the custom is such, that the first night that they be married, they +make another man to lie by their wives for to have their maidenhead: and +therefore they take great hire and great thank. And there be certain men +in every town that serve of none other thing; and they clepe them +cadeberiz, that is to say, the fools of wanhope. For they of the country +hold it so great a thing and so perilous for to have the maidenhead of a +woman, that them seemeth that they that have first the maidenhead putteth +him in adventure of his life. And if the husband find his wife maiden +that other next night after that she should have been lain by of the man +that is assigned therefore, peradventure for drunkenness or for some +other cause, the husband shall plain upon him that he hath not done his +devoir, in such cruel wise as though the officers would have slain him. +But after the first night that they be lain by, they keep them so +straitly that they be not so hardy to speak with no man. And I asked +them the cause why that they held such custom: and they said me, that of +old time men had been dead for deflowering of maidens, that had serpents +in their bodies that stung men upon their yards, that they died anon: and +therefore they held that customs to make other men ordained therefore to +lie by their wives, for dread of death, and to assay the passage by +another [rather] than for to put them in that adventure. + +After that is another isle where that women make great sorrow when their +children be y-born. And when they die, they make great feast and great +joy and revel, and then they cast them into a great fire burning. And +those that love well their husbands, if their husbands be dead, they cast +them also in the fire with their children, and burn them. And they say +that the fire shall cleanse them of all filths and of all vices, and they +shall go pured and clean into another world to their husbands, and they +shall lead their children with them. And the cause why that they weep, +when their children be born is this; for when they come into this world, +they come to labour, sorrow and heaviness. And why they make joy and +gladness at their dying is because that, as they say, then they go to +Paradise where the rivers run milk and honey, where that men see them in +joy and in abundance of goods, without sorrow and labour. + +In that isle men make their king evermore by election, and they ne choose +him not for no noblesse nor for no riches, but such one as is of good +manners and of good conditions, and therewithal rightfull, and also that +he be of great age, and that he have no children. In that isle men be +full rightfull and they do rightfull judgments in every cause both of +rich and poor, small and great, after the quantity of the trespass that +is mis-done. And the king may not doom no man to death without assent of +his barons and other men wise of counsel, and that all the court accord +thereto. And if the king himself do any homicide or any crime, as to +slay a man, or any such case, he shall die there for. But he shall not +be slain as another man; but men shall defend, in pain of death, that no +man be so hardy to make him company ne to speak with him, ne that no man +give him, ne sell him, ne serve him, neither of meat ne of drink; and so +shall he die in mischief. They spare no man that hath trespassed, +neither for love, ne for favour ne for riches, ne for noblesse; but that +he shall have after that he hath done. + +Beyond that isle is another isle, where is great multitude of folk. And +they will not, for no thing, eat flesh of hares, ne of hens, ne of geese; +and yet they bring forth enough, for to see them and to behold them only; +but they eat flesh of all other beasts, and drink milk. In that country +they take their daughters and their sisters to their wives, and their +other kinswomen. And if there be ten men or twelve men or more dwelling +in an house, the wife of everych of them shall be common to them all that +dwell in that house; so that every man may lie with whom he will of them +on one night, and with another, another night. And if she have any +child, she may give it to what man that she list, that hath companied +with her, so that no man knoweth there whether the child be his or +another’s. And if any man say to them, that they nourish other men’s +children, they answer that so do over men theirs. + +In that country and by all Ind be great plenty of cockodrills, that is a +manner of a long serpent, as I have said before. And in the night they +dwell in the water, and on the day upon the land, in rocks and in caves. +And they eat no meat in all the winter, but they lie as in a dream, as do +the serpents. These serpents slay men, and they eat them weeping; and +when they eat they move the over jaw, and not the nether jaw, and they +have no tongue. + +In that country and in many other beyond that, and also in many on this +half, men put in work the seed of cotton, and they sow it every year. +And then groweth it in small trees, that bear cotton. And so do men +every year, so that there is plenty of cotton at all times. Item; in +this isle and in many other, there is a manner of wood, hard and strong. +Whoso covereth the coals of that wood under the ashes thereof, the coals +will dwell and abide all quick, a year or more. And that tree hath many +leaves, as the juniper hath. And there be also many trees, that of +nature they will never burn, ne rot in no manner. And there be nut +trees, that bear nuts as great as a man’s head. + +There also be many beasts, that be clept orafles. In Arabia, they be +clept gerfaunts. That is a beast, pomely or spotted, that is but a +little more high than is a steed, but he hath the neck a twenty cubits +long; and his croup and his tail is as of an hart; and he may look over a +great high house. And there be also in that country many camles; that is +a little beast as a goat, that is wild, and he liveth by the air and +eateth nought, ne drinketh nought, at no time. And he changeth his +colour often-time, for men see him often sithes, now in one colour and +now in another colour; and he may change him into all manner colours that +him list, save only into red and white. There be also in that country +passing great serpents, some of six score foot long, and they be of +diverse colours, as rayed, red, green, and yellow, blue and black, and +all speckled. And there be others that have crests upon their heads, and +they go upon their feet, upright, and they be well a four fathom great, +or more, and they dwell always in rocks or in mountains, and they have +alway the throat open, of whence they drop venom always. And there be +also wild swine of many colours, as great as be oxen in our country, and +they be all spotted, as be young fawns. And there be also urchins, as +great as wild swine here; we clepe them Porcz de Spine. And there be +lions all white, great and mighty. And there be also of other beasts, as +great and more greater than is a destrier, and men clepe them Loerancs; +and some men clepe them odenthos; and they have a black head and three +long horns trenchant in the front, sharp as a sword, and the body is +slender; and he is a full felonious beast, and he chaseth and slayeth the +elephant. There be also many other beasts, full wicked and cruel, that +be not mickle more than a bear, and they have the head like a boar, and +they have six feet, and on every foot two large claws, trenchant; and the +body is like a bear, and the tail as a lion. And there be also mice as +great as hounds, and yellow mice as great as ravens. And there be geese, +all red, three sithes more great than ours here, and they have the head, +the neck and the breast all black. + +And many other diverse beasts be in those countries, and elsewhere +there-about, and many diverse birds also, of the which it were too long +for to tell you. And therefore, I pass over at this time. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + + +_Of the goodness of the folk of the Isle of Bragman_. _Of King +Alexander_. _And wherefore the Emperor of Ind is clept Prester John_ + +AND beyond that isle is another isle, great and good and plenteous, where +that be good folk and true, and of good living after their belief and of +good faith. And albeit that they be not christened, ne have no perfect +law, yet, natheles, of kindly law they be full of all virtue, and they +eschew all vices and all malices and all sins. For they be not proud, ne +covetous, ne envious, ne wrathful, ne gluttons, ne lecherous. Ne they do +to any man otherwise than they would that other men did to them, and in +this point they fulfil the ten commandments of God, and give no charge of +avoir, ne of riches. And they lie not, ne they swear not for none +occasion, but they say simply, yea and nay; for they say, he that +sweareth will deceive his neighbour, and therefore, all that they do, +they do it without oath. + +And men clepe that isle the Isle of Bragman, and some men clepe it the +Land of Faith. And through that land runneth a great river that is clept +Thebe. And, in general, all the men of those isles and of all the +marches thereabout be more true than in any other countries thereabout, +and more rightfull than others in all things. In that isle is no thief, +ne murderer, ne common woman, ne poor beggar, ne never was man slain in +that country. And they be so chaste, and lead so good life, as that they +were religious men, and they fast all days. And because they be so true +and so rightfull, and so full of all good conditions, they were never +grieved with tempests, ne with thunder, ne with light, ne with hail, ne +with pestilence, ne with war, ne with hunger, ne with none other +tribulation, as we be, many times, amongst us, for our sins. Wherefore, +it seemeth well, that God loveth them and is pleased with their creaunce +for their good deeds. They believe well in God, that made all things, +and him they worship. And they prize none earthly riches; and so they be +all rightfull. And they live full ordinately, and so soberly in meat and +drink, that they live right long. And the most part of them die without +sickness, when nature faileth them, for eld. + +And it befell in King Alexander’s time, that he purposed him to conquer +that isle and to make them to hold of him. And when they of the country +heard it, they sent messengers to him with letters, that said thus; What +may be enough to that man to whom all the world is insufficient? Thou +shalt find nothing in us, that may cause thee to war against us. For we +have no riches, ne none we covet, and all the goods of our country be in +common. Our meat, that we sustain withal our bodies, is our riches. +And, instead of treasure of gold and silver, we make our treasure of +accord and peace, and for to love every man other. And for to apparel +with our bodies we use a silly little clout for to wrap in our carrion. +Our wives ne be not arrayed for to make no man pleasance, but only +convenable array for to eschew folly. When men pain them to array the +body for to make it seem fairer than God made it, they do great sin. For +man should not devise ne ask greater beauty, than God hath ordained man +to be at his birth. The earth ministereth to us two things,—our +livelihood, that cometh of the earth that we live by, and our sepulture +after our death. We have been in perpetual peace till now, that thou +come to disinherit us. And also we have a king, not only for to do +justice to every man, for he shall find no forfeit among us; but for to +keep noblesse, and for to shew that we be obeissant, we have a king. For +justice ne hath not among us no place, for we do to no man otherwise than +we desire that men do to us. So that righteousness ne vengeance have +nought to do among us. So that nothing thou may take from us, but our +good peace, that always hath dured among us. + +And when King Alexander had read these letters, he thought that he should +do great sin, for to trouble them. And then he sent them sureties, that +they should not be afeard of him, and that they should keep their good +manners and their good peace, as they had used before, of custom. And so +he let them alone. + +Another isle there is, that men clepe Oxidrate, and another isle, that +men clepe Gynosophe, where there is also good folk, and full of good +faith. And they hold, for the most part, the good conditions and customs +and good manners, as men of the country abovesaid; but they go all naked. + +Into that isle entered King Alexander, to see the manner. And when he +saw their great faith, and their truth that was amongst them, he said +that he would not grieve them, and bade them ask of him what that they +would have of him, riches or anything else, and they should have it, with +good will. And they answered, that he was rich enough that had meat and +drink to sustain the body with, for the riches of this world, that is +transitory, is not worth; but if it were in his power to make them +immortal, thereof would they pray him, and thank him. And Alexander +answered them that it was not in his power to do it, because he was +mortal, as they were. And then they asked him why he was so proud and so +fierce, and so busy for to put all the world under his subjection, right +as thou were a God, and hast no term of this life, neither day ne hour, +and willest to have all the world at thy commandment, that shall leave +thee without fail, or thou leave it. And right as it hath been to other +men before thee, right so it shall be to other after thee. And from +hence shalt thou bear nothing; but as thou were born naked, right so all +naked shall thy body be turned into earth that thou were made of. +Wherefore thou shouldest think and impress it in thy mind, that nothing +is immortal, but only God, that made the thing. By the which answer +Alexander was greatly astonished and abashed, and all confused and +departed from them. + +And albeit that these folk have not the articles of our faith as we have, +natheles, for their good faith natural, and for their good intent, I trow +fully, that God loveth them, and that God take their service to gree, +right as he did of Job, that was a paynim, and held him for his true +servant. And therefore, albeit that there be many diverse laws in the +world, yet I trow, that God loveth always them that love him, and serve +him meekly in truth, and namely them that despise the vain glory of this +world, as this folk do and as Job did also. + +And therefore said our Lord by the mouth of Hosea the prophet, _Ponam eis +multiplices leges meas_; and also in another place, _Qui totum orbem +subdit suis legibus_. And also our Lord saith in the Gospel, _Alias oves +habeo_, _que non sunt ex hoc ovili_, that is to say, that he had other +servants than those that be under Christian law. And to that accordeth +the avision that Saint Peter saw at Jaffa, how the angel came from +heaven, and brought before him diverse beasts, as serpents and other +creeping beasts of the earth, and of other also, great plenty, and bade +him take and eat. And Saint Peter answered; I eat never, quoth he, of +unclean beasts. And then said the angel, _Non dicas immunda_, _que Deus +mundavit_. And that was in token that no man should have in despite none +earthly man for their diverse laws, for we know not whom God loveth, ne +whom God hateth. And for that example, when men say, _De profundis_, +they say it in common and in general, with the Christian, _Pro animabus +omnium defunctorum_, _pro quibus sit orandum_. + +And therefore say I of this folk, that be so true and so faithful, that +God loveth them. For he hath amongst them many of the prophets, and +alway hath had. And in those isles, they prophesied the Incarnation of +Lord Jesu Christ, how he should be born of a maiden, three thousand year +or more or our Lord was born of the Virgin Mary. And they believe well +it, the Incarnation, and that full perfectly, but they know not the +manner, how he suffered his passion and death for us. + +And beyond these isles there is another isle that is clept Pytan. The +folk of that country ne till not, ne labour not the earth, for they eat +no manner thing. And they be of good colour and of fair shape, after +their greatness. But the small be as dwarfs, but not so little as be the +Pigmies. These men live by the smell of wild apples. And when they go +any far way, they bear the apples with them; for if they had lost the +savour of the apples, they should die anon. They ne be not full +reasonable, but they be simple and bestial. + +After that is another isle, where the folk be all skinned rough hair, as +a rough beast, save only the face and the palm of the hand. These folk +go as well under the water of the sea, as they do above the land all dry. +And they eat both flesh and fish all raw. In this isle is a great river +that is well a two mile and an half of breadth that is clept Beaumare. + +And from that river a fifteen journeys in length, going by the deserts of +the tother side of the river—whoso might go it, for I was not there, but +it was told us of them of the country, that within those deserts were the +trees of the sun and of the moon, that spake to King Alexander, and +warned him of his death. And men say that the folk that keep those +trees, and eat of the fruit and of the balm that groweth there, live well +four hundred year or five hundred year, by virtue of the fruit and of the +balm. For men say that balm groweth there in great plenty and nowhere +else, save only at Babylon, as I have told you before. We would have +gone toward the trees full gladly if we had might. But I trow that +100,000 men of arms might not pass those deserts safely, for the great +multitude of wild beasts and of great dragons and of great serpents that +there be, that slay and devour all that come anent them. In that country +be many white elephants without number, and of unicorns and of lions of +many manners, and many of such beasts that I have told before, and of +many other hideous beasts without number. + +Many other isles there be in the land of Prester John, and many great +marvels, that were too long to tell all, both of his riches and of his +noblesse and of the great plenty also of precious stones that he hath. I +trow that ye know well enough, and have heard say, wherefore this emperor +is clept Prester John. But, natheles, for them that know not, I shall +say you the cause. + +It was sometime an emperor there, that was a worthy and a full noble +prince, that had Christian knights in his company, as he hath that is +now. So it befell, that he had great list for to see the service in the +church among Christian men. And then dured Christendom beyond the sea, +all Turkey, Syria, Tartary, Jerusalem, Palestine, Arabia, Aleppo and all +the land of Egypt. And so it befell that this emperor came with a +Christian knight with him into a church in Egypt. And it was the +Saturday in Whitsun-week. And the bishop made orders. And he beheld, +and listened the service full tentively. And he asked the Christian +knight what men of degree they should be that the prelate had before him. +And the knight answered and said that they should be priests. And then +the emperor said that he would no longer be clept king ne emperor, but +priest, and that he would have the name of the first priest that went out +of the church, and his name was John. And so ever-more sithens, he is +clept Prester John. + +In his land be many Christian men of good faith and of good law, and +namely of them of the same country, and have commonly their priests, that +sing the Mass, and make the sacrament of the altar, of bread, right as +the Greeks do; but they say not so many things at the Mass as men do +here. For they say not but only that that the apostles said, as our Lord +taught them, right as Saint Peter and Saint Thomas and the other apostles +sung the Mass, saying the _Pater Noster_ and the words of the sacrament. +But we have many more additions that divers popes have made, that they ne +know not of. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + + + _Of the Hills of Gold that Pismires keep_. _And of the four Floods that + come from Paradise Terrestrial_ + +TOWARD the east part of Prester John’s land is an isle good and great, +that men clepe Taprobane, that is full noble and full fructuous. And the +king thereof is full rich, and is under the obeissance of Prester John. +And always there they make their king by election. In that isle be two +summers and two winters, and men harvest the corn twice a year. And in +all the seasons of the year be the gardens flourished. There dwell good +folk and reasonable, and many Christian men amongst them, that be so rich +that they wit not what to do with their goods. Of old time, when men +passed from the land of Prester John unto that isle, men made ordinance +for to pass by ship, twenty-three days, or more; but now men pass by ship +in seven days. And men may see the bottom of the sea in many places, for +it is not full deep. + +Beside that isle, toward the east, be two other isles. And men clepe +that one Orille, and that other Argyte, of the which all the land is mine +of gold and silver. And those isles be right where that the Red Sea +departeth from the sea ocean. And in those isles men see there no stars +so clearly as in other places. For there appear no stars, but only one +clear star that men clepe Canapos. And there is not the moon seen in all +the lunation, save only the second quarter. + +In the isle also of this Taprobane be great hills of gold, that pismires +keep full diligently. And they fine the pured gold, and cast away the +un-pured. And these pismires be great as hounds, so that no man dare +come to those hills for the pismires would assail them and devour them +anon. So that no man may get of that gold, but by great sleight. And +therefore when it is great heat, the pismires rest them in the earth, +from prime of the day into noon. And then the folk of the country take +camels, dromedaries, and horses and other beasts, and go thither, and +charge them in all haste that they may; and after that, they flee away in +all haste that the beasts may go, or the pismires come out of the earth. +And in other times, when it is not so hot, and that the pismires ne rest +them not in the earth, then they get gold by this subtlety. They take +mares that have young colts or foals, and lay upon the mares void vessels +made there-for; and they be all open above, and hanging low to the earth. +And then they send forth those mares for to pasture about those hills, +and with-hold the foals with them at home. And when the pismires see +those vessels, they leap in anon: and they have this kind that they let +nothing be empty among them, but anon they fill it, be it what manner of +thing that it be; and so they fill those vessels with gold. And when +that the folk suppose that the vessels be full, they put forth anon the +young foals, and make them to neigh after their dams. And then anon the +mares return towards their foals with their charges of gold. And then +men discharges them, and get gold enough by this subtlety. For the +pismires will suffer beasts to go and pasture amongst them, but no man in +no wise. + +And beyond the land and the isles and the deserts of Prester John’s +lordship, in going straight toward the east, men find nothing but +mountains and rocks, full great. And there is the dark region, where no +man may see, neither by day ne by night, as they of the country say. And +that desert and that place of darkness dure from this coast unto Paradise +terrestrial, where that Adam, our formest father, and Eve were put, that +dwelled there but little while: and that is towards the east at the +beginning of the earth. But that is not that east that we clepe our +east, on this half, where the sun riseth to us. For when the sun is east +in those parts towards Paradise terrestrial, it is then midnight in our +parts on this half, for the roundness of the earth, of the which I have +touched to you of before. For our Lord God made the earth all round in +the mid place of the firmament. And there as mountains and hills be and +valleys, that is not but only of Noah’s flood, that wasted the soft +ground and the tender, and fell down into valleys, and the hard earth and +the rocks abide mountains, when the soft earth and tender waxed nesh +through the water, and fell and became valleys. + +Of Paradise ne can I not speak properly. For I was not there. It is far +beyond. And that forthinketh me. And also I was not worthy. But as I +have heard say of wise men beyond, I shall tell you with good will. + +Paradise terrestrial, as wise men say, is the highest place of earth, +that is in all the world. And it is so high that it toucheth nigh to the +circle of the moon, there as the moon maketh her turn; for she is so high +that the flood of Noah ne might not come to her, that would have covered +all the earth of the world all about and above and beneath, save Paradise +only alone. And this Paradise is enclosed all about with a wall, and men +wit not whereof it is; for the walls be covered all over with moss, as it +seemeth. And it seemeth not that the wall is stone of nature, ne of none +other thing that the wall is. And that wall stretcheth from the south to +the north, and it hath not but one entry that is closed with fire, +burning; so that no man that is mortal ne dare not enter. + +And in the most high place of Paradise, even in the middle place, is a +well that casteth out the four floods that run by divers lands. Of the +which, the first is clept Pison, or Ganges, that is all one; and it +runneth throughout Ind or Emlak, in the which river be many precious +stones, and much of lignum aloes and much gravel of gold. And that other +river is clept Nilus or Gison, that goeth by Ethiopia and after by Egypt. +And that other is clept Tigris, that runneth by Assyria and by Armenia +the great. And that other is clept Euphrates, that runneth also by Media +and Armenia and by Persia. And men there beyond say, that all the sweet +waters of the world, above and beneath, take their beginning of the well +of Paradise, and out of that well all waters come and go. + +The first river is clept Pison, that is to say in their language +Assembly; for many other rivers meet them there, and go into that river. +And some men clepe it Ganges, for a king that was in Ind, that hight +Gangeres, and that it ran throughout his land. And that water [is] in +some place clear, and in some place troubled, in some place hot, and in +some place cold. + +The second river is clept Nilus or Gison; for it is always trouble; and +Gison, in the language of Ethiopia, is to say, trouble, and in the +language of Egypt also. + +The third river, that is dept Tigris, is as much for to say as, +fast-running; for he runneth more fast than any of the tother; and also +there is a beast, that is clept tigris, that is fast-running. + +The fourth river is clept Euphrates, that is to say, well-bearing; for +there grow many goods upon that river, as corns, fruits and other goods +enough plenty. + +And ye shall understand that no man that is mortal ne may not approach to +that Paradise. For by land no man may go for wild beasts that be in the +deserts, and for the high mountains and great huge rocks that no man may +pass by, for the dark places that be there, and that many. And by the +rivers may no man go. For the water runneth so rudely and so sharply, +because that it cometh down so outrageously from the high places above, +that it runneth in so great waves, that no ship may not row ne sail +against it. And the water roareth so, and maketh so huge noise and so +great tempest, that no man may hear other in the ship, though he cried +with all the craft that he could in the highest voice that he might. +Many great lords have assayed with great will, many times, for to pass by +those rivers towards Paradise, with full great companies. But they might +not speed in their voyage. And many died for weariness of rowing against +those strong waves. And many of them became blind, and many deaf, for +the noise of the water. And some were perished and lost within the +waves. So that no mortal man may approach to that place, without special +grace of God, so that of that place I can say you no more; and therefore, +I shall hold me still, and return to that, that I have seen. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + + +_Of the Customs of Kings and other that dwell in the Isles coasting to +Prester John’s Land_. _And of the Worship that the Son doth to the +Father when he is dead_ + +FROM those isles that I have spoken of before, in the Land of Prester +John, that be under earth as to us that be on this half, and of other +isles that be more further beyond, whoso will, pursue them for to come +again right to the parts that he came from, and so environ all earth. +But what for the isles, what for the sea, and what for strong rowing, few +folk assay for to pass that passage; albeit that men might do it well, +that might be of power to dress them thereto, as I have said you before. +And therefore men return from those isles abovesaid by other isles, +coasting from the land of Prester John. + +And then come men in returning to an isle that is clept Casson. And that +isle hath well sixty journeys in length, and more than fifty in breadth. +This is the best isle and the best kingdom that is in all those parts, +out-taken Cathay. And if the merchants used as much that country as they +do Cathay, it would be better than Cathay in a short while. This country +is full well inhabited, and so full of cities and of good towns inhabited +with people, that when a man goeth out of one city, men see another city +even before them; and that is what part that a man go, in all that +country. In that isle is great plenty of all goods for to live with, and +of all manner of spices. And there be great forests of chestnuts. The +king of that isle is full rich and full mighty, and, natheles, he holds +his land of the great Chan, and is obeissant to him. For it is one of +the twelve provinces that the great Chan hath under him without his +proper land, and without other less isles that he hath; for he hath full +many. + +From that kingdom come men, in returning, to another isle that is clept +Rybothe, and it is also under the great Chan. That is a full good +country, and full plenteous of all goods and of wines and fruit and all +other riches. And the folk of that country have no houses, but they +dwell and lie all under tents made of black fern, by all the country. +And the principal city and the most royal is all walled with black stone +and white. And all the streets also be pathed of the same stones. In +that city is no man so hardy to shed blood of any man, ne of no beast, +for the reverence of an idol that is worshipped there. And in that isle +dwelleth the pope of their law, that they clepe Lobassy. This Lobassy +giveth all the benefices, and all other dignities and all other things +that belong to the idol. And all those that hold anything of their +churches, religious and other, obey to him, as men do here to the Pope of +Rome. + +In that isle they have a custom by all the country, that when the father +is dead of any man, and the son list to do great worship to his father, +he sendeth to all his friends and to all his kin, and for religious men +and priests, and for minstrels also, great plenty. And then men bear the +dead body unto a great hill with great joy and solemnity. And when they +have brought it thither, the chief prelate smiteth off the head, and +layeth it upon a great platter of gold and of silver, if so [he] be a +rich man. And then he taketh the head to the son. And then the son and +his other kin sing and say many orisons. And then the priests and the +religious men smite all the body of the dead man in pieces. And then +they say certain orisons. And the fowls of ravine of all the country +about know the custom of long time before, [and] come flying above in the +air; as eagles, gledes, ravens and other fowls of ravine, that eat flesh. +And then the priests cast the gobbets of the flesh and then the fowls, +each of them, taketh that he may, and goeth a little thence and eateth +it; and so they do whilst any piece lasteth of the dead body. + +And after that, as priests amongst us sing for the dead, _Subvenite +Sancti Dei_, _etc._, right so the priests sing with high voice in their +language; Behold how so worthy a man and how good a man this was, that +the angels of God come for to seek him and for to bring him into +Paradise. And then seemeth it to the son, that he is highly worshipped, +when that many birds and fowls and ravens come and eat his father; and he +that hath most number of fowls is most worshipped. + +And then the son bringeth home with him all his kin, and his friends, and +all the others to his house, and maketh them a great feast. And then all +his friends make their vaunt and their dalliance, how the fowls came +thither, here five, here six, here ten, and there twenty, and so forth; +and they rejoice them hugely for to speak thereof. And when they be at +meat, the son let bring forth the head of his father, and thereof he +giveth of the flesh to his most special friends, instead of _entre +messe_, or a _sukkarke_. And of the brain pan, he letteth make a cup, +and thereof drinketh he and his other friends also, with great devotion, +in remembrance of the holy man, that the angels of God have eaten. And +that cup the son shall keep to drink of all his life-time, in remembrance +of his father. + +From that land, in returning by ten journeys throughout the land of the +great Chan, is another good isle and a great kingdom, where the king is +full rich and mighty. + +And amongst the rich men of his country is a passing rich man, that is no +prince, ne duke, ne earl, but he hath more that hold of him lands and +other lordships, for he is more rich. For he hath, every year, of annual +rent 300,000 horses charged with corn of diverse grains and of rice. And +so he leadeth a full noble life and a delicate, after the custom of the +country. For he hath, every day, fifty fair damosels, all maidens, that +serve him evermore at his meat, and for to lie by him o’ night, and for +to do with them that is to his pleasance. And when he is at table, they +bring him his meat at every time, five and five together; and in bringing +their service they sing a song. And after that, they cut his meat, and +put it in his mouth; for he toucheth nothing, ne handleth nought, but +holdeth evermore his hands before him upon the table. For he hath so +long nails, that he may take nothing, ne handle nothing. For the +noblesse of that country is to have long nails, and to make them grow +always to be as long as men may. And there be many in that country, that +have their nails so long, that they environ all the hand. And that is a +great noblesse. And the noblesse of the women is for to have small feet +and little. And therefore anon as they be born, they let bind their feet +so strait, that they may not grow half as nature would. And this is the +noblesse of the women there to have small feet and little. And always +these damosels, that I spake of before, sing all the time that this rich +man eateth. And when that he eateth no more of his first course, then +other five and five of fair damsels bring him his second course, always +singing as they did before. And so they do continually every day to the +end of his meat. And in this manner he leadeth his life. And so did +they before him, that were his ancestors. And so shall they that come +after him, without doing of any deeds of arms, but live evermore thus in +ease, as a. swine that is fed in sty for to be made fat. He hath a full +fair palace and full rich, where that he dwelleth in, of the which the +walls be, in circuit, two mile. And he hath within many fair gardens, +and many fair halls and chambers; and the pavement of his halls and +chambers be of gold and silver. And in the mid place of one of his +gardens is a little mountain, where there is a little meadow. And in +that meadow is a little toothill with towers and pinnacles, all of gold. +And in that little toothill will he sit often-time, for to take the air +and to disport him. For the place is made for nothing else, but only for +his disport. + +From that country men come by the land of the great Chan also, that I +have spoken of before. + +And ye shall understand, that of all these countries, and of all these +isles, and of all the diverse folk, that I have spoken of before, and of +diverse laws, and of diverse beliefs that they have, yet is there none of +them all but that they have some reason within them and understanding, +but if it be the fewer, and that have certain articles of our faith and +some good points of our belief, and that they believe in God, that formed +all things and made the world, and clepe him God of Nature; after that +the prophet saith, _Et metuent eum omnes fines terrae_, and also in +another place, _Omnes gentes servient ei_, that is to say, ‘All folk +shall serve him.’ + +But yet they cannot speak perfectly (for there is no man to teach them), +but only that they can devise by their natural wit. For they have no +knowledge of the Son, ne of the Holy Ghost. But they can all speak of +the Bible, and namely of Genesis, of the prophet’s saws and of the books +of Moses. And they say well, that the creatures that † they worship ne +be no gods; but they worship them for the virtue that is in them, that +may not be but only by the grace of God. And of simulacres and of idols, +they say, that there be no folk, but that they have simulacres. And that +they say, for we Christian men have images, as of our Lady and of other +saints that we worship; not the images of tree or of stone, but the +saints, in whose name they be made after. For right as the books and the +scripture of them teach the clerks how and in what manner they shall +believe, right so the images and the paintings teach the lewd folk to +worship the saints and to have them in their mind, in whose names that +the images be made after. They say also, that the angels of God speak to +them in those idols, and that they do many great miracles. And they say +sooth, that there is an angel within them. For there be two manner of +angels, a good and an evil, as the Greeks say, Cacho and Calo. This +Cacho is the wicked angel, and Calo is the good angel. But the tother is +not the good angel, but the wicked angel that is within the idols to +deceive them and for to maintain them in their error. + +There be many other divers countries and many other marvels beyond, that +I have not seen. Wherefore, of them I cannot speak properly to tell you +the manner of them. And also in the countries where I have been, be many +more diversities of many wonderful things than I make mention of; for it +were too long thing to devise you the manner. And therefore, that that I +have devised you of certain countries, that I have spoken of before, I +beseech your worthy and excellent noblesse, that it suffice to you at +this time. For if that I devised you all that is beyond the sea, another +man, peradventure, that would pain him and travail his body for to go +into those marches for to ensearch those countries, might be blamed by my +words in rehearsing many strange things; for he might not say nothing of +new, in the which the hearers might have either solace, or disport, or +lust, or liking in the hearing. For men say always, that new things and +new tidings be pleasant to hear. Wherefore I will hold me still, without +any more rehearsing of diversities or of marvels that be beyond, to that +intent and end, that whoso will go into those countries, he shall find +enough to speak of, that I have not touched of in no wise. + +And ye shall understand, if it like you, that at mine home-coming, I came +to Rome, and shewed my life to our holy father the pope, and was assoiled +of all that lay in my conscience, of many a diverse grievous point; as +men must needs that be in company, dwelling amongst so many a diverse +folk of diverse sect and of belief, as I have been. + +And amongst all I shewed him this treatise, that I had made after +information of men that knew of things that I had not seen myself, and +also of marvels and customs that I had seen myself, as far as God would +give me grace; and besought his holy fatherhood, that my book might be +examined and corrected by advice of his wise and discreet council. And +our holy father, of his special grace, remitted my book to be examined +and proved by the advice of his said counsel. By the which my book was +proved for true, insomuch, that they shewed me a book, that my book was +examined by, that comprehended full much more, by an hundred part, by the +which the _Mappa Mundi_ was made after. And so my book (albeit that many +men ne list not to give credence to nothing, but to that that they see +with their eye, ne be the author ne the person never so true) is affirmed +and proved by our holy father, in manner and form as I have said. + +And I, John Mandevile, knight, abovesaid (although I be unworthy), that +departed from our countries and passed the sea, the year of grace a +thousand three hundred and twenty two, that have passed many lands and +many isles and countries, and searched many full strange places, and have +been in many a full good honourable company, and at many a fair deed of +arms (albeit that I did none myself, for mine unable insuffisance), now I +am come home, maugre myself, to rest, for gouts artetykes that me +distrain, that define the end of my labour; against my will (God +knoweth). + +And thus, taking solace in my wretched rest, recording the time passed, I +have fulfilled these things, and put them written in this book, as it +would come into my mind, the year of grace a thousand three hundred and +fifty six, in the thirty-fourth year, that I departed from our countries. + +Wherefore, I pray to all the readers and hearers of this book, if it +please them, that they would pray to God for me; and I shall pray for +them. And all those that say for me a _Pater Noster_, with an _Ave +Maria_, that God forgive me my sins, I make them partners, and grant them +part of all the good pilgrimages and of all the good deeds that I have +done, if any be to his pleasance; and not only of those, but of all that +ever I shall do unto my life’s end. And I beseech Almighty God, from +whom all goodness and grace cometh from, that he vouchsafe of his +excellent mercy and abundant grace, to fulfil their souls with +inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in making defence of all their ghostly +enemies here in earth, to their salvation both of body and soul; to +worship and thanking of him, that is three and one, without beginning and +without ending; that is without quality, good, without quantity, great; +that in all places is present, and all things containing; the which that +no goodness may amend, ne none evil impair; that in perfect Trinity +liveth and reigneth God, by all worlds, and by all times! + +_Amen_! _Amen_! _Amen_! + + * * * * * + + [HERE ENDETH THE BOOK OF JOHN MANDEVILLE.] + + * * * * * + + + + +FOOTNOTES + + +{0} The supplement was not transcribed as part of the original Project +Gutenberg release. The texts are available elsewhere in Project +Gutenberg.—DP. + +{ix} Not Mandeville, but an anonymous sojourner among the Tartars, whose +story fills a page and a half in Hakluyt. + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE*** + + +******* This file should be named 782-0.txt or 782-0.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/7/8/782 + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + + + + +Title: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville + the version of the Cotton Manuscript in modern spelling + + +Author: John Mandeville + + + +Release Date: December 28, 2014 [eBook #782] +[This file was first posted on January 17, 1997] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN +MANDEVILLE*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1900 Macmillan and Co. edition by David +Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1>The Travels<br /> +of<br /> +Sir John Mandeville</h1> +<p style="text-align: center">The version of the Cotton +Manuscript<br /> +in modern spelling</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>With three narratives</i>, <i>in +illustration of it</i>,<br /> +<i>from Hakluyt’s</i> “<i>Navigations</i>, <i>Voyages +& Discoveries</i>”</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">London<br /> +Macmillan and Co. Limited<br /> +New York: The Macmillan Company<br /> +1900</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><a name="pageiv"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. iv</span><span class="GutSmall">GLASGOW: +PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE & CO.</span></p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<h2><a name="pagev"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +v</span>BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">The </span>Travels of Sir John Mandeville +were edited anonymously in 1725, in the version for which a +‘Cotton’ manuscript in the British Museum is our only +extant authority. From 1499, when they were first printed +by Wynkyn de Worde, the <i>Travels </i>had enjoyed great +popularity in England, as in the rest of Europe; but the printed +editions before 1725 had all followed an inferior translation +(with an unperceived gap in the middle of it), which had already +gained the upper hand before printing was invented. Another +manuscript in the British Museum, belonging to the +‘Egerton’ collection, preserves yet a third version, +and this was printed for the first time by Mr. G. F. Warner, for +the Roxburghe Club, in 1889, together with the original French +text, and an introduction, and notes, which it would be difficult +to over-praise. In editing the Egerton version, Mr. Warner +made constant reference to the Cotton manuscript, which he quoted +in many of his critical notes. But with this exception, no +one appears to have looked at the manuscript since it was first +printed, and subsequent writers have been content to take the +correctness of the 1725 text for granted, priding themselves, +apparently, on the care with which they reproduced all the +superfluous eighteenth century capitals with which every line is +dotted. Unluckily, the introduction of needless capitals +was the least of the original editor’s <a +name="pagevi"></a><span class="pagenum">p. vi</span>crimes, for +he omits words and phrases, and sometimes (a common trick with +careless copyists) a whole sentence or clause which happens to +end with the same word as its predecessor. He was also a +deliberate as well as a careless criminal, for the paragraph +about the Arabic alphabet at the end of Chapter XV. being +difficult to reproduce, he omitted it altogether, and not only +this, but the last sentence of Chapter XVI. as well, because it +contained a reference to it.</p> +<p>That it has been left to the editor (who has hitherto rather +avoided that name) of a series of popular reprints to restore +whole phrases and sentences to the text of a famous book is not +very creditable to English scholarship, and amounts, indeed, to a +personal grievance; for to produce an easily readable text of an +old book without a good critical edition to work on must always +be difficult, while in the case of a work with the peculiar +reputation of ‘Mandeville’ the difficulty is greatly +increased. Had a critical edition existed, it would have +been permissible for a popular text to botch the few sentences in +which the tail does not agree with the beginning, and to correct +obvious mistranslation without special note. But +‘Mandeville’ has an old reputation as the +‘Father of English Prose,’ and when no trustworthy +text is available, even a popular editor must be careful lest he +bear false witness. The Cotton version is, therefore, here +reproduced, ‘warts and all,’ save in less than a +dozen instances, where a dagger indicates that, to avoid printing +nonsense, an obvious flaw has been corrected either from the +‘Egerton’ manuscript or the French text. When a +word still survives, the modern form is adopted: thus +‘Armenia’ and ‘soldiers’ are here printed +instead of ‘Ermony’ and +‘soudiours.’ But a new word is never +substituted for an <a name="pagevii"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +vii</span>old one, and the reader who is unfamiliar with obsolete +words, such as ‘Almayne’ (Germany) or +‘dere’ (harm),—there are surprisingly few for a +book written five centuries ago,—must consult the +unpretentious glossary. Of previous editions, that of 1725 +and the reprints of it, including those of Halliwell-Phillipps, +profess, though they do not do so, to reproduce the manuscript +exactly. Thomas Wright’s edition is really a +translation, and that issued in 1895 by Mr. Arthur Layard often +comes near to being one, though the artist-editor has shown far +more feeling for the old text than his too whimsical +illustrations might lead one to expect. It is hoped that +the plan here adopted preserves as much as possible of the +fourteenth century flavour, with the minimum of disturbance to +the modern reader’s enjoyment.</p> +<p>The plan of this series forbids the introduction of critical +disquisitions, and I am thus absolved from attempting any theory +as to how the tangled web of the authorship of the book should be +unravelled. The simple faith of our childhood in a Sir John +Mandeville, really born at St. Albans, who travelled, and told in +an English book what he saw and heard, is shattered to +pieces. We now know that our Mandeville is a compilation, +as clever and artistic as Malory’s ‘Morte +d’Arthur,’ from the works of earlier writers, with +few, if any, touches added from personal experience; that it was +written in French, and rendered into Latin before it attracted +the notice of a series of English translators (whose own accounts +of the work they were translating are not to be trusted), and +that the name Sir John Mandeville was a <i>nom de guerre +</i>borrowed from a real knight of this name who lived in the +reign of Edward II. Beyond this it is difficult to unravel +the knot, despite the ends which lie <a name="pageviii"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. viii</span>temptingly loose. A +Liège chronicler, Jean d’Outremeuse, tells a story +of a certain Jean de Bourgogne revealing on his deathbed that his +real name was Sir John Mandeville; and in accordance with this +story there is authentic record of a funeral inscription to a Sir +John Mandeville in a church at Liège. Jean de +Bourgogne had written other books and had been in England, which +he had left in 1322 (the year in which “Mandeville” +began his travels), being then implicated in killing a nobleman, +just, as the real Sir John Mandeville had been implicated ten +years before in the death of the Earl of Cornwall. We think +for a moment that we have an explanation of the whole mystery in +imagining that Jean de Bourgogne (he was also called Jean +à<i> </i>la Barbe, Joannes Barbatus) had chosen to father +his compilation on Mandeville, and eventually merged his own +identity in that of his pseudonym. But Jean +d’Outremeuse, the recipient of his deathbed confidence, is +a tricky witness, who may have had a hand in the authorship +himself, and there is no clear story as yet forthcoming. +But the book remains, and is none the less delightful for the +mystery which attaches to it, and little less important in the +history of English literature as a translation than as an +original work. For though a translation it stands as the +first, or almost the first, attempt to bring secular subjects +within the domain of English prose, and that is enough to make it +mark an epoch.</p> +<p>Mandeville is here reprinted rather as a source of literary +pleasure than as a medieval contribution to geography, and it is +therefore no part of our duty to follow Mr. Warner in tracking +out the authorities to whom the compiler had recourse in +successive chapters. But as there was some space in this +volume to spare, <a name="pageix"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +ix</span>and a very pleasant method of filling it suggested +itself, a threefold supplement is here printed, <a +name="citation0"></a><a href="#footnote0" +class="citation">[0]</a> which may be of some use even to serious +students, and is certainly very good literature. When +Richard Hakluyt, at the end of the sixteenth century, was +compiling his admirable work, ‘The Principall Navigations, +Voiages, and Discoveries of the English Nation, made by sea or +over land, within the compasse of these 1500<i> +</i>yeeres,’ he boldly overstepped the limits set forth on +his title-page, and printed in the original Latin, with +translations into good Elizabethan English, the narratives of +three of the earlier travellers, all of them foreigners, from +whom the compiler of Mandeville had drawn most freely. +“And because,” he tells us, “these +north-eastern regions beyond Volga, by reason of the huge +deserts, the cold climate, and the barbarous incivilitie of the +people there inhabiting, were never yet thoroughly travelled by +any of our Nation, nor sufficiently known unto us; I have here +annexed unto the said Englishman’s <a +name="citationix"></a><a href="#footnoteix" +class="citation">[ix]</a> traveils the rare and memorable +journals of two friers who were some of the first Christians that +travailed farthest that way, and brought home most particular +intelligence of all things which they had seen.” +These two friars were John de Plano Carpini, sent on an embassy +to the great Chan by Pope Innocent IV. in 1246, and William de +Rubruquis, who travelled in the interests of Louis IX. of France +in 1253. In the same way in his Second Part, Hakluyt adds +‘The Voyage of Frier Beatus Odoricus to Asia Minor, +Armenia, Chaldaea, Persia, India, China, and other remote +parts,’ Odoric being a Franciscan of Pordenone in North +Italy, who dictated an account of his travels in 1330. +Anyone who <a name="pagex"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +x</span>compares these three narratives (more particularly +Odoric’s) with Mandeville’s Travels will see how the +compiler used his materials, and they have also very considerable +interest of their own.</p> +<p>As this volume of the Library of English Classics has brought +with it an unusual editorial responsibility, I may be permitted +an editor’s privilege in making two acknowledgments. +The first, to my friend Mr. G. F. Warner, my readers must share +with me, for without the help of his splendid edition of the +‘Egerton’ version and the French text, the popular +‘Mandeville’ could not have been attempted. My +second acknowledgment is of a more personal nature. +Roxburghe Club books are never easy to obtain, and the few copies +of the Mandeville allowed to be sold were priced at £20 +each. In noticing Mr. Warner’s edition in the +‘Academy’ (from a borrowed copy), I remarked rather +ruefully that the gratitude which students of moderate means +could feel towards the Club for printing so valuable a work was +somewhat tempered by this little matter of the price. I was +then helping Mr. Charles Elton with the catalogue of his library, +and on reading my review, he wrote me a pretty letter to say that +by the rules of the Club he was the possessor of a second copy, +and that he thought I was the best person to give it to. +Students who have to think a good many times before they spend +£20 on a book do not often receive such a present from +wealthy book-lovers; and at the risk of obtruding more of my own +concerns than my rough-and-ready editing entitles me to do, I +cannot send out this ‘Mandeville,’ within a few weeks +of Mr. Elton’s too early death, without telling this little +story of his kindness.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">A. W. P<span +class="smcap">ollard.</span></p> +<h2><a name="pagexi"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +xi</span>CONTENTS</h2> +<table> +<tr> +<td colspan="3"><p><span class="smcap">The Travels of Sir John +Mandeville:</span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="GutSmall">CHAP.</span></p> +</td> +<td><p> </p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span +class="GutSmall">PAGE</span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p> </p> +</td> +<td><p><span class="smcap">The Prologue,</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page1">1</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">I.</p> +</td> +<td><p>To teach you the Way out of England to Constantinople,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page6">6</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">II.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Cross and the Crown of our Lord Jesu Christ,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page8">8</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">III.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the City of Constantinople, and of the Faith of the +Greeks,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page11">11</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">IV.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Way from Constantinople to Jerusalem. Of +Saint John the Evangelist. And of the Ypocras Daughter, +transformed from a Woman to a Dragon,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page16">16</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">V.</p> +</td> +<td><p>[Of diversities in Cyprus; of the Road from Cyprus to +Jerusalem, and of the Marvel of a Fosse full of Sand],</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page19">19</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">VI.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of many Names of Sultans, and of the Tower of Babylon,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page23">23</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">VII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Country of Egypt; of the Bird Phoenix of Arabia; of +the City of Cairo; of the Cunning to know Balm and to prove it; +and of the Garners of Joseph,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page30">30</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><a name="pagexii"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. xii</span>VIII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Isle of Sicily; of the way from Babylon to the +Mount Sinai; of the Church of Saint Katherine and of all the +marvels there,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page36">36</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">IX.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Desert between the Church of Saint Catherine and +Jerusalem. Of the Dry Tree; and how Roses came first into +the World,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page43">43</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">X.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Pilgrimages in Jerusalem, and of the Holy Places +thereabout,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page49">49</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XI.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Temple of our Lord. Of the Cruelty of King +Herod. Of the Mount Sion. Of Probatica Piscina; and +of Natatorium Siloe,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page54">54</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Dead Sea; and of the Flome Jordan. Of the +Head of Saint John the Baptist; and of the Usages of the +Samaritans,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page67">67</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XIII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Province of Galilee, and where Antichrist shall be +born. Of Nazareth. Of the age of our Lady. Of +the Day of Doom. And of the customs of Jacobites, Syrians; +and of the usages of Georgians,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page73">73</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XIV.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the City of Damascus. Of three ways to Jerusalem; +one, by land and by sea; another, more by land than by sea; and +the third way to Jerusalem, all by land,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page81">81</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XV.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Customs of Saracens, and of their Law. And +how the Soldan reasoned me, Author of this Book; and of the +beginning of Mohammet,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page88">88</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XVI.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the lands of Albania and of Libia. Of the +wishings for watching of the Sparrow-hawk; and of Noah’s +ship,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page96">96</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><a name="pagexiii"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. xiii</span>XVII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Land of Job; and of his age. Of the array of +men of Chaldea. Of the land where women dwell without +company of men. Of the knowledge and virtues of the very +diamond,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page102">102</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XVIII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the customs of Isles about Ind. Of the difference +betwixt Idols and Simulacres. Of three manner growing of +Pepper upon one tree. Of the Well that changeth his odour +every hour of the day; and that is marvel,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page108">108</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XIX.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Dooms made by St. Thomas’s hand. Of +devotion and sacrifice made to Idols there, in the city of +Calamye; and of the Procession in going about the city,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page115">115</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XX.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the evil customs used in the Isle of Lamary. And +how the earth and the sea be of round form and shape, by proof of +the star that is clept Antarctic, that is fixed in the south,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page119">119</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXI.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Palace of the King of the Isle of Java. Of +the Trees that bear meal, honey, wine, and venom; and of other +marvels and customs used in the Isles marching thereabout,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page125">125</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>How men know by the Idol, if the sick shall die or +not. Of Folk of diverse shape and marvellously +disfigured. And of the Monks that gave their relief to +baboons, apes, and marmosets, and to other beasts,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page132">132</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXIII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the great Chan of Cathay. Of the royalty of his +palace, and how he sits at meat; and of the great number of +officers that serve him,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page139">139</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><a name="pagexiv"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. xiv</span>XXIV.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Wherefore he is clept the great Chan. Of the Style +of his Letters: and of the Superscription about his great Seal +and his Privy Seal,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page145">145</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXV.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Governance of the great Chan’s Court, and +when he maketh solemn feasts. Of his Philosophers. +And of his array, when he rideth by the country,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page151">151</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXVI.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Law and the Customs of the Tartarians dwelling in +Cathay. And how that men do when the Emperor shall die, and +how he shall be chosen,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page162">162</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXVII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Realm of Tharse and the Lands and Kingdoms towards +the Septentrional Parts, in coming down from the Land of +Cathay,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page167">167</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXVIII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Emperor of Persia, and of the Land of Darkness; and +of other kingdoms that belong to the great Chan of Cathay, and +other lands of his, unto the sea of Greece,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page169">169</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXIX.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Countries and Isles that be beyond the Land of +Cathay; and of the fruits there; and of twenty-two kings enclosed +within the mountains,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page174">174</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXX.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Royal Estate of Prester John. And of a rich +man that made a marvellous castle and cleped it Paradise; and of +his subtlety,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page178">178</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXXI.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Devil’s Head in the Valley Perilous. +And of the Customs of Folk in diverse Isles that be about in the +Lordship of Prester John,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page185">185</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXXII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the goodness of the folk of the Isle of Bragman. +Of King Alexander. And wherefore the Emperor of Ind is +clept Prester John,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page192">192</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><a name="pagexv"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. xv</span>XXXIII.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Hills of Gold that Pismires keep. And of the +four Floods that come from Paradise Terrestrial,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page198">198</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right">XXXIV.</p> +</td> +<td><p>Of the Customs of Kings and other that dwell in the Isles +coasting to Prester John’s Land. And of the Worship +that the Son doth to the Father when he is dead,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page202">202</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2><a name="page1"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 1</span>THE +PROLOGUE</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">For</span> as much as the land beyond the +sea, that is to say the Holy Land, that men call the Land of +Promission or of Behest, passing all other lands, is the most +worthy land, most excellent, and lady and sovereign of all other +lands, and is blessed and hallowed of the precious body and blood +of our Lord Jesu Christ; in the which land it liked him to take +flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, to environ that holy land +with his blessed feet; and there he would of his blessedness +enombre him in the said blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, and +become man, and work many miracles, and preach and teach the +faith and the law of Christian men unto his children; and there +it liked him to suffer many reprovings and scorns for us; and he +that was king of heaven, of air, of earth, of sea and of all +things that be contained in them, would all only be clept king of +that land, when he said, <i>Rex sum Judeorum</i>, that is to say, +‘I am King of Jews’; and that land he chose before +all other lands, as the best and most worthy land, and the most +virtuous land of all the world: for it is the heart and the midst +of all the world, witnessing the philosopher, that saith thus, +<i>Virtus rerum in medio consistit</i>, that is to say, +‘The virtue of things is in the midst’; and in that +land he would lead his life, and suffer passion and death of +Jews, for us, to buy and to deliver us from <a +name="page4"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 4</span>pains of hell, +and from death without end; the which was ordained for us, for +the sin of our forme-father Adam, and for our own sins also; for +as for himself, he had no evil deserved: for he thought never +evil ne did evil: and he that was king of glory and of joy, might +best in that place suffer death; because he chose in that land +rather than in any other, there to suffer his passion and his +death. For he that will publish anything to make it openly +known, he will make it to be cried and pronounced in the middle +place of a town; so that the thing that is proclaimed and +pronounced, may evenly stretch to all parts: right so, he that +was former of all the world, would suffer for us at Jerusalem, +that is the midst of the world; to that end and intent, that his +passion and his death, that was published there, might be known +evenly to all parts of the world.</p> +<p>See now, how dear he bought man, that he made after his own +image, and how dear he again-bought us, for the great love that +he had to us, and we never deserved it to him. For more +precious chattel ne greater ransom ne might he put for us, than +his blessed body, his precious blood, and his holy life, that he +thralled for us; and all he offered for us that never did +sin.</p> +<p>Ah dear God! What love had he to us his subjects, when +he that never trespassed, would for trespassers suffer +death! Right well ought us for to love and worship, to +dread and serve such a Lord; and to worship and praise such an +holy land, that brought forth such fruit, through the which every +man is saved, but it be his own default. Well may that land +be called delectable and a fructuous land, that was be-bled and +moisted with the precious blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; the +which is the same land that our Lord behight us in +heritage. And in that land he would die, as seised, to +leave it to us, his children.</p> +<p>Wherefore every good Christian man, that is of power, and hath +whereof, should pain him with all his strength for to conquer our +right heritage, and chase out all the misbelieving men. For +we be clept Christian men, after Christ our Father. And if +we be right children of Christ, we ought <a +name="page5"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 5</span>for to +challenge the heritage, that our Father left us, and do it out of +heathen men’s hands. But now pride, covetise, and +envy have so inflamed the hearts of lords of the world, that they +are more busy for to dis-herit their neighbours, more than for to +challenge or to conquer their right heritage before-said. +And the common people, that would put their bodies and their +chattels, to conquer our heritage, they may not do it without the +lords. For a sembly of people without a chieftain, or a +chief lord, is as a flock of sheep without a shepherd; the which +departeth and disperpleth and wit never whither to go. But +would God, that the temporal lords and all worldly lords were at +good accord, and with the common people would take this holy +voyage over the sea! Then I trow well, that within a little +time, our right heritage before-said should be reconciled and put +in the hands of the right heirs of Jesu Christ.</p> +<p>And, for as much as it is long time passed, that there was no +general passage ne voyage over the sea; and many men desire for +to hear speak of the Holy Land, and have thereof great solace and +comfort; I, John Mandeville, Knight, albeit I be not worthy, that +was born in England, in the town of St. Albans, and passed the +sea in the year of our Lord Jesu Christ, 1322, in the day of St. +Michael; and hitherto been long time over the sea, and have seen +and gone through many diverse lands, and many provinces and +kingdoms and isles and have passed throughout Turkey, Armenia the +little and the great; through Tartary, Persia, Syria, Arabia, +Egypt the high and the low; through Lybia, Chaldea, and a great +part of Ethiopia; through Amazonia, Ind the less and the more, a +great part; and throughout many other Isles, that be about Ind; +where dwell many diverse folks, and of diverse manners and laws, +and of diverse shapes of men. Of which lands and isles I +shall speak more plainly hereafter; and I shall devise you of +some part of things that there be, when time shall be, after it +may best come to my mind; and specially for them, that will and +are in purpose for to visit the Holy City of Jerusalem and the +holy places that are thereabout. And <a +name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 6</span>I shall tell +the way that they shall hold thither. For I have often +times passed and ridden that way, with good company of many +lords. God be thanked!</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that I have put this book out of +Latin into French, and translated it again out of French into +English, that every man of my nation may understand it. But +lords and knights and other noble and worthy men that con Latin +but little, and have been beyond the sea, know and understand, if +I say truth or no, and if I err in devising, for forgetting or +else, that they may redress it and amend it. For things +passed out of long time from a man’s mind or from his +sight, turn soon into forgetting; because that mind of man ne may +not be comprehended ne withholden, for the frailty of +mankind.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<p style="text-align: center" class="gutsumm"><i>To teach you the +Way out of England to Constantinople</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the name of God, Glorious and +Almighty!</p> +<p>He that will pass over the sea and come to land [to go to the +city of Jerusalem, he may wend many ways, both on sea and land], +after the country that he cometh from; [for] many of them come to +one end. But troweth not that I will tell you all the +towns, and cities and castles that men shall go by; for then +should I make too long a tale; but all only some countries and +most principal steads that men shall go through to go the right +way.</p> +<p>First, if a man come from the west side of the world, as +England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, or Norway, he may, if that he +will, go through Almayne and through the kingdom of Hungary, that +marcheth to the land of Polayne, and to the land of Pannonia, and +so to Silesia.</p> +<p>And the King of Hungary is a great lord and a mighty, and +holdeth great lordships and much land in his hand. <a +name="page7"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 7</span>For he holdeth +the kingdom of Hungary, Sclavonia, and of Comania a great part, +and of Bulgaria that men call the land of Bougiers, and of the +realm of Russia a great part, whereof he hath made a duchy, that +lasteth unto the land of Nyfland, and marcheth to Prussia. +And men go through the land of this lord, through a city that is +clept Cypron, and by the castle of Neasburghe, and by the evil +town, that sit toward the end of Hungary. And there pass +men the river of Danube. This river of Danube is a full +great river, and it goeth into Almayne, under the hills of +Lombardy, and it receiveth into him forty other rivers, and it +runneth through Hungary and through Greece and through Thrace, +and it entereth into the sea, toward the east so rudely and so +sharply, that the water of the sea is fresh and holdeth his +sweetness twenty mile within the sea.</p> +<p>And after, go men to Belgrade, and enter into the land of +Bougiers; and there pass men a bridge of stone that is upon the +river of Marrok. And men pass through the land of +Pyncemartz and come to Greece to the city of Nye, and to the city +of Fynepape, and after to the city of Dandrenoble, and after to +Constantinople, that was wont to be clept Bezanzon. And +there dwelleth commonly the Emperor of Greece. And there is +the most fair church and the most noble of all the world; and it +is of Saint Sophie. And before that church is the image of +Justinian the emperor, covered with gold, and he sitteth upon an +horse y-crowned. And he was wont to hold a round apple of +gold in his hand: but it is fallen out thereof. And men say +there, that it is a token that the emperor hath lost a great part +of his lands and of his lordships; for he was wont to be Emperor +of Roumania and of Greece, of all Asia the less, and of the land +of Syria, of the land of Judea in the which is Jerusalem, and of +the land of Egypt, of Persia, and of Arabia. But he hath +lost all but Greece; and that land he holds all only. And +men would many times put the apple into the image’s hand +again, but it will not hold it. This apple betokeneth the +lordship that he had over all the world, that is round. And +the tother <a name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +8</span>hand he lifteth up against the East, in token to menace +the misdoers. This image stands upon a pillar of marble at +Constantinople.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +<p style="text-align: center" class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Cross and +the Crown of our Lord Jesu Christ</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">At</span> Constantinople is the cross of +our Lord Jesu Christ, and his coat without seams, that is clept +<i>Tunica inconsutilis</i>, and the sponge, and the reed, of the +which the Jews gave our Lord eysell and gall, in the cross. +And there is one of the nails, that Christ was nailed with on the +cross.</p> +<p>And some men trow that half the cross, that Christ was done +on, be in Cyprus, in an abbey of monks, that men call the Hill of +the Holy Cross; but it is not so. For that cross that is in +Cyprus, is the cross, in the which Dismas the good thief was +hanged on. But all men know not that; and that is evil +y-done. For for profit of the offering, they say that it is +the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that the cross of our Lord was made of +four manner of trees, as it is contained in this +verse,—<i>In cruce fit palma</i>, <i>cedrus</i>, +<i>cypressus</i>, <i>oliva</i>. For that piece that went +upright from the earth to the head was of cypress; and the piece +that went overthwart, to the which his hands were nailed, was of +palm; and the stock, that stood within the earth, in the which +was made the mortise, was of cedar; and the table above his head, +that was a foot and an half long, on the which the title was +written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, that was of olive.</p> +<p>And the Jews made the cross of these four manner of trees; for +they trowed that our Lord Jesu Christ should have hanged on the +cross, as long as the cross might last. And therefore made +they the foot of the cross of cedar; for cedar may not, in earth +nor water, rot, and therefore they would that it should have +lasted long. For they trowed that the body of Christ should +have stunken, they <a name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +9</span>made that piece, that went from the earth upwards of +cypress, for it is well-smelling, so that the smell of his body +should not grieve men that went forby. And the overthwart +piece was of palm, for in the Old Testament it was ordained, that +when one was overcome he should be crowned with palm; and for +they trowed that they had the victory of Christ Jesus, therefore +made they the overthwart piece of palm. And the table of +the title they made of olive; for olive betokeneth peace, as the +story of Noe witnesseth; when that the culver brought the branch +of olive, that betokened peace made between God and man. +And so trowed the Jews for to have peace, when Christ was dead; +for they said that he made discord and strife amongst them. +And ye shall understand that our Lord was y-nailed on the cross +lying, and therefore he suffered the more pain.</p> +<p>And the Christian men, that dwell beyond the sea, in Greece, +say that the tree of the cross, that we call cypress, was of that +tree that Adam ate the apple off; and that find they +written. And they say also, that their scripture saith, +that Adam was sick, and said to his son Seth, that he should go +to the angel that kept Paradise, that he would send him oil of +mercy, for to anoint with his members, that he might have +health. And Seth went. But the angel would not let +him come in; but said to him, that he might not have of the oil +of mercy. But he took him three grains of the same tree, +that his father ate the apple off; and bade him, as soon as his +father was dead, that he should put these three grains under his +tongue, and grave him so: and so he did. And of these three +grains sprang a tree, as the angel said that it should, and bare +a fruit, through the which fruit Adam should be saved. And +when Seth came again, he found his father near dead. And +when he was dead, he did with the grains as the angel bade him; +of the which sprung three trees, of the which the cross was made, +that bare good fruit and blessed, our Lord Jesu Christ; through +whom, Adam and all that come of him, should be saved and +delivered from dread of death without end, but it be their own +default.</p> +<p><a name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 10</span>This +holy cross had the Jews hid in the earth, under a rock of the +mount of Calvary; and it lay there two hundred year and more, +into the time that St. Helen, that was mother to Constantine the +Emperor of Rome. And she was daughter of King Coel, born in +Colchester, that was King of England, that was clept then Britain +the more; the which the Emperor Constance wedded to his wife, for +her beauty, and gat upon her Constantine, that was after Emperor +of Rome, and King of England.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the cross of our Lord was eight +cubits long, and the overthwart piece was of length three cubits +and a half. And one part of the crown of our Lord, +wherewith he was crowned, and one of the nails, and the spear +head, and many other relics be in France, in the king’s +chapel. And the crown lieth in a vessel of crystal richly +dight. For a king of France bought these relics some time +of the Jews, to whom the emperor had laid them in wed for a great +sum of silver.</p> +<p>And if all it be so, that men say, that this crown is of +thorns, ye shall understand, that it was of jonkes of the sea, +that is to say, rushes of the sea, that prick as sharply as +thorns. For I have seen and beholden many times that of +Paris and that of Constantinople; for they were both one, made of +rushes of the sea. But men have departed them in two parts: +of the which, one part is at Paris, and the other part is at +Constantinople. And I have one of those precious thorns, +that seemeth like a white thorn; and that was given to me for +great specially. For there are many of them broken and +fallen into the vessel that the crown lieth in; for they break +for dryness when men move them to show them to great lords that +come thither.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that our Lord Jesu, in that night +that he was taken, he was led into a garden; and there he was +first examined right sharply; and there the Jews scorned him, and +made him a crown of the branches of albespine, that is white +thorn, that grew in that same garden, and set it on his head, so +fast and so sore, that the blood ran down by many places of his +visage, and of his neck, and of his shoulders. And +therefore hath the white <a name="page11"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 11</span>thorn many virtues, for he that +beareth a branch on him thereof, no thunder ne no manner of +tempest may dere him; nor in the house, that it is in, may no +evil ghost enter nor come unto the place that it is in. And +in that same garden, Saint Peter denied our Lord thrice.</p> +<p>Afterward was our Lord led forth before the bishops and the +masters of the law, into another garden of Annas; and there also +he was examined, reproved, and scorned, and crowned eft with a +sweet thorn, that men clepeth barbarines, that grew in that +garden, and that hath also many virtues.</p> +<p>And afterward he was led into a garden of Caiphas, and there +he was crowned with eglantine.</p> +<p>And after he was led into the chamber of Pilate, and there he +was examined and crowned. And the Jews set him in a chair, +and clad him in a mantle; and there made they the crown of jonkes +of the sea; and there they kneeled to him, and scorned him, +saying, <i>Ave</i>, <i>Rex Judeorum</i>! that is to say, +‘Hail, King of Jews!’ And of this crown, half +is at Paris, and the other half at Constantinople. And this +crown had Christ on his head, when he was done upon the cross; +and therefore ought men to worship it and hold it more worthy +than any of the others.</p> +<p>And the spear shaft hath the Emperor of Almayne; but the head +is at Paris. And natheles the Emperor of Constantinople +saith that he hath the spear head; and I have often time seen it, +but it is greater than that at Paris.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>Of the City of +Constantinople</i>, <i>and of the Faith of Greeks</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">At</span> Constantinople lieth Saint Anne, +our Lady’s mother, whom Saint Helen let bring from +Jerusalem. And there <a name="page12"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 12</span>lieth also the body of John +Chrisostome, that was Archbishop of Constantinople. And +there lieth also Saint Luke the Evangelist: for his bones were +brought from Bethany, where he was buried. And many other +relics be there. And there is the vessel of stone, as it +were of marble, that men clepe enydros, that evermore droppeth +water, and filleth himself every year, till that it go over +above, without that that men take from within.</p> +<p>Constantinople is a full fair city, and a good, and well +walled; and it is three-cornered. And there is an arm of +the sea Hellespont: and some men call it the Mouth of +Constantinople; and some men call it the Brace of Saint George: +and that arm closeth the two parts of the city. And upward +to the sea, upon the water, was wont to be the great city of +Troy, in a full fair plain: but that city was destroyed by them +of Greece, and little appeareth thereof, because it is so long +sith it was destroyed.</p> +<p>About Greece there be many isles, as Calliste, Calcas, +Oertige, Tesbria, Mynia, Flaxon, Melo, Carpate, and Lemnos. +And in this isle is the mount Athos, that passeth the +clouds. And there be many diverse languages and many +countries, that be obedient to the emperor; that is to say, +Turcople, Pyncynard, Comange, and many other, as Thrace and +Macedonia, of the which Alexander was king. In this country +was Aristotle born, in a city that men clepe Stagyra, a little +from the city of Thrace. And at Stagyra lieth Aristotle; +and there is an altar upon his tomb. And there make men +great feasts for him every year, as though he were a saint. +And at his altar they holden their great councils and their +assemblies, and they hope, that through inspiration of God and of +him, they shall have the better council.</p> +<p>In this country be right high hills, toward the end of +Macedonia. And there is a great hill, that men clepe +Olympus, that departeth Macedonia and Thrace. And it is so +high, that it passeth the clouds. And there is another +hill, that is clept Athos, that is so high, that the shadow of +him reacheth to Lemne, that is an isle; and it is seventy-six +mile between. And above at the cop of the hill is <a +name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 13</span>the air so +clear, that men may find no wind there, and therefore may no +beast live there, so is the air dry.</p> +<p>And men say in these countries, that philosophers some time +went upon these hills, and held to their nose a sponge moisted +with water, for to have air; for the air above was so dry. +And above, in the dust and in the powder of those hills, they +wrote letters and figures with their fingers. And at the +year’s end they came again, and found the same letters and +figures, the which they had written the year before, without any +default. And therefore it seemeth well, that these hills +pass the clouds and join to the pure air.</p> +<p>At Constantinople is the palace of the emperor, right fair and +well-dight: and therein is a fair place for joustings, or for +other plays and desports. And it is made with stages, and +hath degrees about, that every man may well see, and none grieve +other. And under these stages be stables well vaulted for +the emperor’s horses; and all the pillars be of marble.</p> +<p>And within the Church of Saint Sophia, an emperor sometime +would have buried the body of his father, when he was dead. +And, as they made the grave, they found a body in the earth, and +upon the body lay a fine plate of gold; and thereon was written, +in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, letters that said thus; <i>Jesu +Christus nascetur de Virgine Maria</i>, <i>et ego credo in +eum</i>; that is to say, ‘Jesu Christ shall be born of the +Virgin Mary, and I trow in him.’ And the date when it +was laid in the earth, was two thousand year before our Lord was +born. And yet is the plate of gold in the treasury of the +church. And men say, that it was Hermogenes the wise +man.</p> +<p>And if all it so be, that men of Greece be Christian yet they +vary from our faith. For they say, that the Holy Ghost may +not come of the Son; but all only of the Father. And they +are not obedient to the Church of Rome, ne to the Pope. And +they say that their Patriarch hath as much power over the sea, as +the Pope hath on this side the sea. And therefore Pope John +xxii. sent letters to them, how Christian faith should be all +one; and that they should be obedient to the Pope, that is +God’s Vicar on earth, to whom <a name="page14"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 14</span>God gave his plein power for to bind +and to assoil, and therefore they should be obedient to him.</p> +<p>And they sent again diverse answers; and among others they +said thus: <i>Potentiam tuam summam circa tuos subjectos</i>, +<i>firmiter credimus</i>. <i>Superbiam tuam summam tolerare +non possumus</i>. <i>Avaritiam tuam summam satiare non +intendimus</i>. <i>Dominus tecum</i>; <i>quia Dominus +nobiscum est</i>. That is to say: ‘We trow well, that +thy power is great upon thy subjects. We may not suffer +thine high pride. We be not in purpose to fulfil thy great +covetise. Lord be with thee; for our Lord is with us. +Farewell.’ And other answer might he not have of +them.</p> +<p>And also they make their sacrament of the altar of Therf +bread, for our Lord made it of such bread, when he made his +Maundy. And on the Shere-Thursday make they their Therf +bread, in token of the Maundy, and dry it at the sun, and keep it +all the year, and give it to sick men, instead of God’s +body. And they make but one unction, when they christen +children. And they anoint not the sick men. And they +say that there is no Purgatory, and that souls shall not have +neither joy ne pain till the day of doom. And they say that +fornication is no sin deadly, but a thing that is kindly, and +that men and women should not wed but once, and whoso weddeth +oftener than once, their children be bastards and gotten in +sin. And their priests also be wedded.</p> +<p>And they say also that usury is no deadly sin. And they +sell benefices of Holy Church. And so do men in other +places: God amend it when his will is! And that is great +sclaundre, for now is simony king crowned in Holy Church: God +amend it for his mercy!</p> +<p>And they say, that in Lent, men shall not fast, ne sing Mass, +but on the Saturday and on the Sunday. And they fast not on +the Saturday, no time of the year, but it be Christmas Even or +Easter Even. And they suffer not the Latins to sing at +their altars; and if they do, by any adventure, anon they wash +the altar with holy water. And they say that there should +be but one Mass said at one altar upon one day.</p> +<p><a name="page15"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 15</span>And +they say also that our Lord ne ate never meat; but he made token +of eating. And also they say, that we sin deadly in shaving +our beards, for the beard is token of a man, and gift of our +Lord. And they say that we sin deadly in eating of beasts +that were forbidden in the Old Testament, and of the old Law, as +swine, hares and other beasts, that chew not their cud. And +they say that we sin, when we eat flesh on the days before Ash +Wednesday, and of that that we eat flesh the Wednesday, and eggs +and cheese upon the Fridays. And they accurse all those +that abstain them to eat flesh the Saturday.</p> +<p>Also the Emperor of Constantinople maketh the patriarch, the +archbishops and the bishops; and giveth the dignities and the +benefices of churches and depriveth them that be unworthy, when +he findeth any cause. And so is he lord both temporal and +spiritual in his country.</p> +<p>And if ye will wit of their A.B.C. what letters they be, here +ye may see them, with the names that they clepe them there +amongst them: Alpha, Betha, Gama, Deltha, εlonge, +ε brevis, Epilmon, Thetha, Iota, Kapda, Lapda, Mi, Ni, +Xi, ο brevis, Pi, Coph, Ro, Summa, Tau, Vi, Fy, Chi, Psi, +Othomega, Diacosyn.</p> +<p>And all be it that these things touch not to one way, +nevertheless they touch to that, that I have hight you, to shew +you a part of customs and manners, and diversities of +countries. And for this is the first country that is +discordant in faith and in belief, and varieth from our faith, on +this half the sea, therefore I have set it here, that ye may know +the diversity that is between our faith and theirs. For +many men have great liking, to hear speak of strange things of +diverse countries.</p> +<h2><a name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +16</span>CHAPTER IV</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">[<i>Of the Way from Constantinople to +Jerusalem</i>.] <i>Of Saint John the Evangelist</i>. +<i>And of the Ypocras Daughter</i>, <i>transformed from a Woman +to a Dragon</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> return I again, for to teach +you the way from Constantinople to Jerusalem. He that will +through Turkey, he goeth toward the city of Nyke, and passeth +through the gate of Chienetout, and always men see before them +the hill of Chienetout, that is right high; and it is a mile and +an half from Nyke.</p> +<p>And whoso will go by water, by the brace of St. George, and by +the sea where St. Nicholas lieth, and toward many other +places—first men go to an isle that is clept Sylo. In +that isle groweth mastick on small trees, and out of them cometh +gum as it were of plum-trees or of cherry-trees.</p> +<p>And after go men through the isle of Patmos; and there wrote +St. John the Evangelist the Apocalypse. And ye shall +understand, that St. John was of age thirty-two year, when our +Lord suffered his passion; and after his passion, he lived +sixty-seven year, and in the hundredth year of his age he +died.</p> +<p>From Patmos men go unto Ephesus, a fair city and nigh to the +sea. And there died St. John, and was buried behind the +high altar in a tomb. And there is a fair church; for +Christian men were wont to holden that place always. And in +the tomb of St. John is nought but manna, that is clept +angels’ meat; for his body was translated into +Paradise. And Turks hold now all that place, and the city +and the church; and all Asia the less is y-clept Turkey. +And ye shall understand, that St. John let make his grave there +in his life, and laid himself therein all quick; and therefore +some men say, that he died not, but that he resteth there till +the day of doom. And, forsooth, there is a great marvel; +for men may see there the earth of the tomb apertly many times +stir and move, as there were quick things under.</p> +<p><a name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>And +from Ephesus men go through many isles in the sea, unto the city +of Patera, where St. Nicholas was born, and so to Martha, where +he was chosen to be bishop; and there groweth right good wine and +strong, and that men call wine of Martha. And from thence +go men to the isle of Crete, that the emperor gave sometime to +[the] Genoese.</p> +<p>And then pass men through the isles of Colcos and of Lango, of +the which isles Ypocras was lord of. And some men say, that +in the isle of Lango is yet the daughter of Ypocras, in form and +likeness of a great dragon, that is a hundred fathom of length, +as men say, for I have not seen her. And they of the isles +call her Lady of the Land. And she lieth in an old castle, +in a cave, and sheweth twice or thrice in the year, and she doth +no harm to no man, but if men do her harm. And she was thus +changed and transformed, from a fair damosel, into likeness of a +dragon, by a goddess that was clept Diana. And men say, +that she shall so endure in that form of a dragon, unto [the] +time that a knight come, that is so hardy, that dare come to her +and kiss her on the mouth; and then shall she turn again to her +own kind, and be a woman again, but after that she shall not live +long.</p> +<p>And it is not long sithen, that a knight of Rhodes, that was +hardy and doughty in arms, said that he would kiss her. And +when he was upon his courser, and went to the castle, and entered +into the cave, the dragon lift up her head against him. And +when the knight saw her in that form so hideous and so horrible +he fled away. And the dragon bare the knight upon a rock, +maugre his head; and from that rock, she cast him into the +sea. And so was lost both horse and man.</p> +<p>And also a young man, that wist not of the dragon, went out of +a ship, and went through the isle till that he came to the +castle, and came into the cave, and went so long, till that he +found a chamber; and there he saw a damosel that combed her head +and looked in a mirror; and she had much treasure about +her. And he trowed that she had been a common woman, that +dwelled there to receive men <a name="page18"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 18</span>to folly. And he abode, till +the damosel saw the shadow of him in the mirror. And she +turned her toward him, and asked him what he would? And he +said, he would be her leman or paramour. And she asked him, +if that he were a knight? And he said, nay. And then +she said, that he might not be her leman; but she bade him go +again unto his fellows, and make him knight, and come again upon +the morrow, and she should come out of the cave before him, and +then come and kiss her on the mouth and have no dread,—for +I shall do thee no manner of harm, albeit that thou see me in +likeness of a dragon; for though thou see me hideous and horrible +to look on, I do thee to wit that it is made by enchantment; for +without doubt, I am none other than thou seest now, a woman, and +therefore dread thee nought. And if thou kiss me, thou +shalt have all this treasure, and be my lord, and lord also of +all the isle.</p> +<p>And he departed from her and went to his fellows to ship, and +let make him knight and came again upon the morrow for to kiss +this damosel. And when he saw her come out of the cave in +form of a dragon, so hideous and so horrible, he had so great +dread, that he fled again to the ship, and she followed +him. And when she saw that he turned not again, she began +to cry, as a thing that had much sorrow; and then she turned +again into her cave. And anon the knight died. And +sithen hitherward might no knight see her, but that he died +anon. But when a knight cometh, that is so hardy to kiss +her, he shall not die; but he shall turn the damosel into her +right form and kindly shape, and he shall be lord of all the +countries and isles abovesaid.</p> +<p>And from thence men come to the isle of Rhodes, the which isle +Hospitallers holden and govern; and that took they some-time from +the emperor. And it was wont to be clept Collos; and so +call it the Turks yet. And Saint Paul in his epistle +writeth to them of that isle <i>ad Colossenses</i>. This +isle is nigh eight hundred mile long from Constantinople.</p> +<h2><a name="page19"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +19</span>CHAPTER V</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">[<i>Of diversities in Cyprus</i>; <i>of the +Road from Cyprus to Jerusalem</i>, <i>and of the Marvel of a +Fosse full of Sand</i>]</p> +<p><span class="smcap">And</span> from this isle of Rhodes men go +to Cyprus, where be many vines, that first be red and after one +year they become white; and those wines that be most white, be +most clear and best of smell.</p> +<p>And men pass by that way, by a place that was wont to be a +great city, and a great land; and the city was clept Cathailye, +the which city and land was lost through folly of a young +man. For he had a fair damosel, that he loved well to his +paramour; and she died suddenly, and was done in a tomb of +marble. And for the great lust that he had to her, he went +in the night unto her tomb and opened it, and went in and lay by +her, and went his way. And when it came to the end of nine +months, there came a voice to him and said, Go to the tomb of +that woman, and open it and behold what thou hast begotten on +her; and if thou let to go, thou shalt have a great harm. +And he yede and opened the tomb, and there flew out an adder +right hideous to see; the which as swithe flew about the city and +the country, and soon after the city sank down. And there +be many perilous passages without fail.</p> +<p>From Rhodes to Cyprus be five hundred mile and more. But +men may go to Cyprus, and come not at Rhodes. Cyprus is +right a good isle, and a fair and a great, and it hath four +principal cities within him. And there is an Archbishop at +Nicosea, and four other bishops in that land. And at +Famagost is one of the principal havens of the sea that is in the +world; and there arrive Christian men and Saracens and men of all +nations. In Cyprus is the Hill of the Holy Cross; and there +is an abbey of monks black and there is the cross of Dismas the +good thief, as I have said before. And some men trow, <a +name="page20"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 20</span>that there is +half the cross of our Lord; but it is not so, and they do evil +that make men to believe so.</p> +<p>In Cyprus lieth Saint Zenonimus, of whom men of that country +make great solemnity. And in the castle of Amours lieth the +body of Saint-Hilarion, and men keep it right worshipfully. +And beside Famagost was Saint Barnabas the apostle born.</p> +<p>In Cyprus men hunt with papyonns, that be like leopards, and +they take wild beasts right well, and they be somewhat more than +lions; and they take more sharply the beasts, and more deliver +than do hounds.</p> +<p>In Cyprus is the manner of lords and all other men all to eat +on the earth. For they make ditches in the earth all about +in the hall, deep to the knee, and they do pave them; and when +they will eat, they go therein and sit there. And the skill +is for they may be the more fresh; for that land is much more +hotter than it is here. And at great feasts, and for +strangers, they set forms and tables, as men do in this country, +but they had lever sit in the earth.</p> +<p>From Cyprus, men go to the land of Jerusalem by the sea: and +in a day and in a night, he that hath good wind may come to the +haven of Tyre, that is now clept Surrye. There was +some-time a great city and a good of Christian men, but Saracens +have destroyed it a great part; and they keep that haven right +well, for dread of Christian men. Men might go more right +to that haven, and come not in Cyprus, but they go gladly to +Cyprus to rest them on the land, or else to buy things, that they +have need to their living. On the sea-side men may find +many rubies. And there is the well of the which holy writ +speaketh of, and saith, <i>Fons ortorum</i>, <i>et puteus aquarum +viventium</i>: that is to say, ‘the well of gardens, and +the ditch of living waters.’</p> +<p>In this city of Tyre, said the woman to our Lord, <i>Beatus +venter qui te portavit</i>, <i>et ubera que succisti</i>: that is +to say, ‘Blessed be the body that thee bare, and the paps +that thou suckedst.’ And there our Lord forgave the +woman of Canaan her sins. And before Tyre was wont to be +the <a name="page21"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 21</span>stone, +on the which our Lord sat and preached, and on that stone was +founded the Church of Saint Saviour.</p> +<p>And eight mile from Tyre, toward the east, upon the sea, is +the city of Sarphen, in Sarepta of Sidonians. And there was +wont for to dwell Elijah the prophet; and there raised he Jonas, +the widow’s son, from death to life. And five mile +from Sarphen is the city of Sidon; of the which city, Dido was +lady, that was Aeneas’ wife, after the destruction of Troy, +and that founded the city of Carthage in Africa, and now is clept +Sidonsayete. And in the city of Tyre, reigned Agenor, the +father of Dido. And sixteen mile from Sidon is +Beirout. And from Beirout to Sardenare is three journeys +and from Sardenare is five mile to Damascus.</p> +<p>And whoso will go long time on the sea, and come nearer to +Jerusalem, he shall go from Cyprus by sea to Port Jaffa. +For that is the next haven to Jerusalem; for from that haven is +not but one day journey and a half to Jerusalem. And the +town is called Jaffa; for one of the sons of Noah that hight +Japhet founded it, and now it is clept Joppa. And ye shall +understand, that it is one of the oldest towns of the world, for +it was founded before Noah’s flood. And yet there +sheweth in the rock, there as the iron chains were fastened, that +Andromeda, a great giant, was bounden with, and put in prison +before Noah’s flood, of the which giant, is a rib of his +side that is forty foot long.</p> +<p>And whoso will arrive at the port of Tyre or of Surrye, that I +have spoken of before, may go by land, if he will, to +Jerusalem. And men go from Surrye unto the city of Akon in +a day. And it was clept some-time Ptolemaïs. And +it was some-time a city of Christian men, full fair, but it is +now destroyed; and it stands upon the sea. And from Venice +to Akon, by sea, is two thousand and four score miles of +Lombardy; and from Calabria, or from Sicily to Akon, by sea, is a +1300 miles of Lombardy; and the isle of Crete is right in the +midway.</p> +<p>And beside the city of Akon, toward the sea, six score +furlongs on the right side, toward the south, is the Hill of +Carmel, where Elijah the prophet dwelled, and there <a +name="page22"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 22</span>was first the +Order of Friars Carmelites founded. This hill is not right +great, nor full high. And at the foot of this hill was +some-time a good city of Christian men, that men clept Caiffa, +for Caiaphas first founded it; but it is now all wasted. +And on the left side of the Hill of Carmel is a town, that men +clepe Saffre, and that is set on another hill. There Saint +James and Saint John were born; and, in worship of them there is +a fair church. And from Ptolemaïs, that men clepe now +Akon, unto a great hill, that is clept Scale of Tyre, is one +hundred furlongs. And beside the city of Akon runneth a +little river, that is clept Belon.</p> +<p>And there nigh is the Foss of Mennon that is all round; and it +is one hundred cubits of largeness, and it is all full of gravel, +shining bright, of the which men make fair verres and +clear. And men come from far, by water in ships, and by +land with carts, for to fetch of that gravel. And though +there be never so much taken away thereof in the day, at morrow +it is as full again as ever it was; and that is a great +marvel. And there is evermore great wind in that foss, that +stirreth evermore the gravel, and maketh it trouble. And if +any man do therein any manner metal, it turneth anon to +glass. And the glass, that is made of that gravel, if it be +done again into the gravel, it turneth anon into gravel as it was +first. And therefore some men say, that it is a swallow of +the gravelly sea.</p> +<p>Also from Akon, above-said, go men forth four journeys to the +city of Palestine, that was of the Philistines, that now is clept +Gaza, that is a gay city and a rich; and it is right fair and +full of folk, and it is a little from the sea. And from +this city brought Samson the strong the gates upon an high land, +when he was taken in that city, and there he slew in a palace the +king and himself, and great number of the best of the +Philistines, the which had put out his eyen and shaved his head, +and imprisoned him by treason of Dalida his paramour. And +therefore he made fall upon them a great hall, when they were at +meat.</p> +<p>And from thence go men to the city of Cesarea, and so to the +Castle of Pilgrims, and so to Ascalon; and then to Jaffa, and so +to Jerusalem.</p> +<p><a name="page23"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 23</span>And +whoso will go by land through the land of Babylon, where the +soldan dwelleth commonly, he must get grace of him and leave to +go more siker through those lands and countries.</p> +<p>And for to go to the Mount of Sinai, before that men go to +Jerusalem, they shall go from Gaza to the Castle of Daire. +And after that, men come out of Syria, and enter into wilderness, +and there the way is full sandy; and that wilderness and desert +lasteth eight journeys, but always men find good inns, and all +that they need of victuals. And men clepe that wilderness +Achelleke. And when a man cometh out of that desert, he +entereth into Egypt, that men clepe Egypt-Canopac, and after +other language, men clepe it Morsyn. And there first men +find a good town, that is clept Belethe; and it is at the end of +the kingdom of Aleppo. And from thence men go to Babylon +and to Cairo.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +<p style="text-align: center" class="gutsumm"><i>Of many Names of +Soldans</i>, <i>and of the Tower of Babylon</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">At</span> Babylon there is a fair church +of our Lady, where she dwelled seven year, when she fled out of +the land of Judea for dread of King Herod. And there lieth +the body of Saint Barbara the virgin and martyr. And there +dwelled Joseph, when he was sold of his brethren. And there +made Nebuchadnezzar the king put three children into the furnace +of fire, for they were in the right truth of belief, the which +children men clept Anania, Azariah, Mishael, as the Psalm of +<i>Benedicite</i> saith: but Nebuchadnezzar clept them otherwise, +Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that is to say, God glorious, +God victorious, and God over all things and realms: and that was +for the miracle, that he saw God’s Son go with the children +through the fire, as he said.</p> +<p>There dwelleth the soldan in his Calahelyke (for there <a +name="page24"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 24</span>is commonly +his seat) in a fair castle, strong and great, and well set upon a +rock. In that castle dwell alway, to keep it and to serve +the soldan, more then 6000 persons, that take all their +necessaries off the soldan’s court. I ought right +well to know it; for I dwelled with him as soldier in his wars a +great while against the Bedouins. And he would have married +me full highly to a great prince’s daughter, if I would +have forsaken my law and my belief; but I thank God, I had no +will to do it, for nothing that he behight me.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that the soldan is lord of five +kingdoms, that he hath conquered and appropred to him by +strength. And these be the names: the kingdom of Canapac, +that is Egypt; and the kingdom of Jerusalem, where that David and +Solomon were kings; and the kingdom of Syria, of the which the +city of Damascus was chief; and the kingdom of Aleppo in the land +of Mathe; and the kingdom Arabia, that was to one of the three +kings, that made offering to our Lord, when he was born. +And many other lands he holdeth in his hand. And +therewithal he holdeth caliphs, that is a full great thing in +their language, and it is as much to say as king.</p> +<p>And there were wont to be five soldans; but now there is no +more but he of Egypt. And the first soldan was Zarocon, +that was of Media, as was father to Saladin that took the Caliph +of Egypt and slew him, and was made soldan by strength. +After that was Soldan Saladin, in whose time the King of England, +Richard the First, with many other, kept the passage, that +Saladin ne might not pass. After Saladin reigned his son +Boradin, and after him his nephew. After that, the +Comanians that were in servage in Egypt, felt themselves that +they were of great power, they chose them a soldan amongst them, +the which made him to be clept Melechsalan. And in his time +entered into the country of the kings of France Saint Louis, and +fought with him; and [the soldan] took him and imprisoned him; +and this [soldan] was slain by his own servants. And after, +they chose another to be soldan, that they clept Tympieman; and +he let deliver Saint Louis out of prison <a +name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 25</span>for a certain +ransom. And after, one of these Comanians reigned, that +hight Cachas, and slew Tympieman, for to be soldan; and made him +be clept Melechmenes. And after another that had to name +Bendochdare, that slew Melechmenes, for to be sultan, and clept +himself Melechdare. In his time entered the good King +Edward of England into Syria, and did great harm to the +Saracens. And after, was this soldan empoisoned at +Damascus, and his son thought to reign after him by heritage, and +made him to be clept Melechsache; but another that had to name +Elphy, chased him out of the country and made him soldan. +This man took the city of Tripoli and destroyed many of the +Christian men, the year of grace 1289, and after was he +imprisoned of another that would be soldan, but he was anon +slain. After that was the son of Elphy chosen to be soldan, +and clept him Melechasseraff, and he took the city of Akon and +chased out the Christian men; and this was also empoisoned, and +then was his brother made soldan, and was clept +Melechnasser. And after, one that was clept Guytoga took +him and put him in prison in the castle of Mountroyal, and made +him soldan by strength, and clept him Melechadel; and he was of +Tartary. But the Comanians chased him out of the country, +and did him much sorrow, and made one of themself soldan, that +had to name Lachin. And he made him to be clept +Melechmanser, the which on a day played at the chess, and his +sword lay beside him; and so befell, that one wrathed him, and +with his own proper sword he was slain. And after that, +they were at great discord, for to make a soldan; and finally +they accorded to Melechnasser, that Guytoga had put in prison at +Mountroyal. And this reigned long and governed so that his +eldest son was chosen after him, Melechmader, the which his +brother let slay privily for to have the lordship, and made him +to be clept Melechmadabron, and he soldan when I departed from +those countries.</p> +<p>And wit ye well that the soldan may lead out of Egypt more +than 20,000 men of arms, and out of Syria, and out of Turkey and +out of other countries that he holds, he may arrere more than +50,000. And all those be at his <a name="page26"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 26</span>wages, and they be always at him, +without the folk of his country, that is without number. +And every each of them hath by year the mountance of six score +florins; but it behoveth, that every of them hold three horses +and a camel. And by the cities and by towns be admirals, +that have the governance of the people; one hath to govern four, +and another hath to govern five, another more, and another well +more. And as many taketh the admiral by him alone, as all +the other soldiers have under him; and therefore, when the soldan +will advance any worthy knight, he maketh him an admiral. +And when it is any dearth, the knights be right poor, and then +they sell both their horse and their harness.</p> +<p>And the soldan hath four wives, one Christian and three +Saracens, of the which one dwelleth at Jerusalem, and another at +Damascus, and another at Ascalon; and when them list, they remove +to other cities, and when the soldan will he may go to visit +them. And he hath as many paramours as him liketh. +For he maketh to come before him the fairest and the noblest of +birth, and the gentlest damosels of his country, and he maketh +them to be kept and served full honourably. And when he +will have one to lie with him, he maketh them all to come before +him, and he beholdeth in all, which of them is most to his +pleasure, and to her anon he sendeth or casteth a ring from his +finger. And then anon she shall be bathed and richly +attired, and anointed with delicate things of sweet smell, and +then led to the soldan’s chamber; and thus he doth as often +as him list, when he will have any of them.</p> +<p>And before the soldan cometh no stranger, but if he be clothed +in cloth of gold, or of Tartary or of Camaka, in the +Saracens’ guise, and as the Saracens use. And it +behoveth, that anon at the first sight that men see the soldan, +be it in window or in what place else, that men kneel to him and +kiss the earth, for that is the manner to do reverence to the +soldan of them that speak with him. And when that +messengers of strange countries come before him, the meinie of +the soldan, when the strangers speak to him, they be about the +soldan with swords drawn <a name="page27"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 27</span>and gisarmes and axes, their arms +lifted up in high with those weapons for to smite upon them, if +they say any word that is displeasance to the soldan. And +also, no stranger cometh before him, but that he maketh him some +promise and grant of that the [stranger] asketh reasonably; by so +it be not against his law. And so do other princes beyond, +for they say that no man shall come before no prince, but that +[he be] better, and shall be more gladder in departing from his +presence than he was at the coming before him.</p> +<p>And understandeth, that that Babylon that I have spoken of, +where that the sultan dwelleth, is not that great Babylon where +the diversity of languages was first made for vengeance by the +miracle of God, when the great Tower of Babel was begun to be +made; of the which the walls were sixty-four furlongs of height; +that is in the great desert of Arabia, upon the way as men go +toward the kingdom of Chaldea. But it is full long since +that any man durst nigh to the tower; for it is all desert and +full of dragons and great serpents, and full of diverse venomous +beasts all about. That tower, with the city, was of +twenty-five mile in circuit of the walls, as they of the country +say, and as men may deem by estimation, after that men tell of +the country.</p> +<p>And though it be clept the Tower of Babylon, yet nevertheless, +there were ordained within many mansions and many great +dwelling-places, in length and breadth. And that tower +contained great country in circuit, for the tower alone contained +ten mile square. That tower founded King Nimrod that was +king of that country; and he was the first king of the +world. And he let make an image in the likeness of his +father, and constrained all his subjects for to worship it; and +anon began other lords to do the same, and so began the idols and +the simulacres first.</p> +<p>The town and the city were full well set in a fair country and +a plain that men clepe the country of Samar, of the which the +walls of the city were two hundred cubits in height, and fifty +cubits of deepness; and the river of Euphrates ran throughout the +city and about the tower also. But Cyrus the King of Persia +took from them the <a name="page28"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +28</span>river, and destroyed all the city and the tower also; +for he departed that river in 360 small rivers, because that he +had sworn, that he should put the river in such point, that a +woman might well pass there, without casting off of her clothes, +forasmuch as he had lost many worthy men that trowed to pass that +river by swimming.</p> +<p>And from Babylon where the soldan dwelleth, to go right +between the Orient and the Septentrion toward the great Babylon, +is forty journeys to pass by desert. But it is not the +great Babylon in the land and in the power of the said soldan, +but it is in the power and the lordship of Persia, but he holdeth +it of the great Chan, that is the greatest emperor and the most +sovereign lord of all the parts beyond, and he is lord of the +isles of Cathay and of many other isles and of a great part of +Ind, and his land marcheth unto Prester John’s Land, and he +holdeth so much land, that he knoweth not the end: and he is more +mighty and greater lord without comparison than is the soldan: of +his royal estate and of his might I shall speak more plenerly, +when I shall speak of the land and of the country of Ind.</p> +<p>Also the city of Mecca where Mohammet lieth is of the great +deserts of Arabia; and there lieth [the] body of him full +honourably in their temple, that the Saracens clepen +Musketh. And it is from Babylon the less, where the soldan +dwelleth, unto Mecca above-said, into a thirty-two journeys.</p> +<p>And wit well, that the realm of Arabia is a full great +country, but therein is over-much desert. And no man may +dwell there in that desert for default of water, for that land is +all gravelly and full of sand. And it is dry and no thing +fruitful, because that it hath no moisture; and therefore is +there so much desert. And if it had rivers and wells, and +the land also were as it is in other parts, it should be as full +of people and as full inhabited with folk as in other places; for +there is full great multitude of people, whereas the land is +inhabited. Arabia dureth from the ends of the realm of +Chaldea unto the last end of Africa, and marcheth to the land of +Idumea toward the end of Botron. And in Chaldea the chief +city is Bagdad. And of Africa the chief city is Carthage, +that Dido, that <a name="page29"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +29</span>was Eneas’s wife, founded; the which Eneas was of +the city of Troy, and after was King of Italy.</p> +<p>Mesopotamia stretcheth also unto the deserts of Arabia, and it +is a great country. In this country is the city of Haran, +where Abraham’s father dwelled, and from whence Abraham +departed by commandment of the angel. And of that city was +Ephraim, that was a great clerk and a great doctor. And +Theophilus was of that city also, that our lady saved from our +enemy. And Mesopotamia dureth from the river of Euphrates, +unto the river of Tigris, for it is between those two rivers.</p> +<p>And beyond the river of Tigris is Chaldea, that is a full +great kingdom. In that realm, at Bagdad above-said, was +wont to dwell the caliph, that was wont to be both as Emperor and +Pope of the Arabians, so that he was lord spiritual and temporal; +and he was successor to Mahommet, and of his generation. +That city of Bagdad was wont to be clept Sutis, and +Nebuchadnezzar founded it; and there dwelled the holy prophet +Daniel, and there he saw visions of heaven, and there he made the +exposition of dreams.</p> +<p>And in old time there were wont to be three caliphs, he of +Arabia and of Chaldea dwelt in the city of Bagdad above-said; and +at Cairo beside Babylon dwelt the Caliph of Egypt; and at +Morocco, upon the West Sea, dwelt the Caliph of the people of +Barbary and of Africans. And now is there none of the +caliphs, nor nought have been since the time of the Soldan +Saladin; for from that time hither the soldan clepeth himself +caliph, and so have the caliphs lost their name.</p> +<p>Also witeth well, that Babylon the less, where the soldan +dwelleth, and at the city of Cairo that is nigh beside it, be +great huge cities many and fair; and that one sitteth nigh that +other. Babylon sitteth upon the river of Gyson, sometimes +clept Nile, that cometh out of Paradise terrestrial.</p> +<p>That river of Nile, all the year, when the sun entereth into +the sign of Cancer, it beginneth to wax, and it waxeth always as +long as the sun is in Cancer and in the sign of the Lion; and it +waxeth in such manner, that it is sometimes <a +name="page30"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 30</span>so great, +that it is twenty cubits or more of deepness, and then it doth +great harm to the goods that be upon the land. For then may +no man travail to plough the lands for the great moisture, and +therefore is there dear time in that country. And also, +when it waxeth little, it is dear time in that country, for +default of moisture. And when the sun is in the sign of +Virgo, then beginneth the river for to wane and to decrease +little and little, so that when the sun is entered into the sign +of Libra, then they enter between these rivers. This river +cometh, running from Paradise terrestrial, between the deserts of +Ind, and after it smiteth unto land, and runneth long time many +great countries under earth. And after it goeth out under +an high hill, that men clepe Alothe, that is between Ind and +Ethiopia the mountance of five months’ journeys from the +entry of Ethiopia; and after it environeth all Ethiopia and +Mauritania, and goeth all along from the land of Egypt unto the +city of Alexandria to the end of Egypt, and there it falleth into +the sea. About this river be many birds and fowls, as +sikonies, that they clepen ibes.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Country of Egypt</i>; <i>of the Bird +Phoenix of Arabia</i>; <i>of the City of Cairo</i>; <i>of the +Cunning to know Balm and to prove it</i>; <i>and of the Garners +of Joseph</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Egypt</span> is a long country, but it is +straight, that is to say narrow, for they may not enlarge it +toward the desert for default of water. And the country is +set along upon the river of Nile, by as much as that river may +serve by floods or otherwise, that when it floweth it may spread +abroad through the country; so is the country large of +length. For there it raineth not but little in that +country, and for that cause they have no water, but if it be of +that flood of that river. And forasmuch as it ne raineth +not in that <a name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +31</span>country, but the air is alway pure and clear, therefore +in that country be the good astronomers, for they find there no +clouds to letten them. Also the city of Cairo is right +great and more huge than that of Babylon the less, and it sitteth +above toward the desert of Syria, a little above the river +above-said.</p> +<p>In Egypt there be two parts: the height, that is toward +Ethiopia, and the lower, that is toward Arabia. In Egypt is +the land of Rameses and the land of Goshen. Egypt is a +strong country, for it hath many shrewd havens because of the +great rocks that be strong and dangerous to pass by. And at +Egypt, toward the east, is the Red Sea, that dureth unto the city +of Coston; and toward the west is the country of Lybia, that is a +full dry land and little of fruit, for it is overmuch plenty of +heat, and that land is clept Fusthe. And toward the part +meridional is Ethiopia. And toward the north is the desert, +that dureth unto Syria, and so is the country strong on all +sides. And it is well a fifteen journeys of length, and +more than two so much of desert, and it is but two journeys in +largeness. And between Egypt and Nubia it hath well a +twelve journeys of desert. And men of Nubia be Christian, +but they be black as the Moors for great heat of the sun.</p> +<p>In Egypt there be five provinces: that one is Sahythe; that +other Demeseer; another Resith, that is an isle in the Nile; +another Alexandria; and another the land of Damietta. That +city was wont to be right strong, but it was twice won of the +Christian men, and therefore after that the Saracens beat down +the walls; and with the walls the tower thereof, the Saracens +made another city more far from the sea, and clept it the new +Damietta; so that now no man dwelleth at the rather town of +Damietta. At that city of Damietta is one of the havens of +Egypt; and at Alexandria is that other. That is a full +strong city, but there is no water to drink, but if it come by +conduit from Nile, that entereth into their cisterns; and whoso +stopped that water from them, they might not endure there. +In Egypt there be but few forcelets or castles, because that the +country is so strong of himself.</p> +<p><a name="page32"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 32</span>At the +deserts of Egypt was a worthy man, that was an holy hermit, and +there met with him a monster (that is to say, a monster is a +thing deformed against kind both of man or of beast or of +anything else, and that is clept a monster). And this +monster, that met with this holy hermit, was as it had been a +man, that had two horns trenchant on his forehead; and he had a +body like a man unto the navel, and beneath he had the body like +a goat. And the hermit asked him what he was. And the +monster answered him, and said he was a deadly creature, such as +God had formed, and dwelt in those deserts in purchasing his +sustenance. And [he] besought the hermit, that he would +pray God for him, the which that came from heaven for to save all +mankind, and was born of a maiden and suffered passion and death +(as we well know) and by whom we live and be. And yet is +the head with the two horns of that monster at Alexandria for a +marvel.</p> +<p>In Egypt is the city of Heliopolis, that is to say, the city +of the Sun. In that city there is a temple, made round +after the shape of the Temple of Jerusalem. The priests of +that temple have all their writings, under the date of the fowl +that is clept phoenix; and there is none but one in all the +world. And he cometh to burn himself upon the altar of that +temple at the end of five hundred year; for so long he +liveth. And at the five hundred years’ end, the +priests array their altar honestly, and put thereupon spices and +sulphur vif and other things that will burn lightly; and then the +bird phoenix cometh and burneth himself to ashes. And the +first day next after, men find in the ashes a worm; and the +second day next after, men find a bird quick and perfect; and the +third day next after, he flieth his way. And so there is no +more birds of that kind in all the world, but it alone, and truly +that is a great miracle of God. And men may well liken that +bird unto God, because that there ne is no God but one; and also, +that our Lord arose from death to life the third day. This +bird men see often-time fly in those countries; and he is not +mickle more than an eagle. And he hath a crest of feathers +upon his head more great <a name="page33"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 33</span>than the peacock hath; and is neck +his yellow after colour of an oriel that is a stone well shining, +and his beak is coloured blue as ind; and his wings be of purple +colour, and his tail is barred overthwart with green and yellow +and red. And he is a full fair bird to look upon, against +the sun, for he shineth full gloriously and nobly.</p> +<p>Also in Egypt be gardens, that have trees and herbs, the which +bear fruits seven times in the year. And in that land men +find many fair emeralds and enough; and therefore they be greater +cheap. Also when it raineth once in the summer in the land +of Egypt, then is all the country full of great mires. Also +at Cairo, that I spake of before, sell men commonly both men and +women of other laws as we do here beasts in the market. And +there is a common house in that city that is all full of small +furnaces, and thither bring women of the town their eyren of +hens, of geese, and or ducks for to be put into those +furnaces. And they that keep that house cover them with +heat of horse dung, without hen, goose or duck or any other +fowl. And at the end of three weeks or of a month they come +again and take their chickens and flourish them and bring them +forth, so that all the country is full of them. And so men +do there both winter and summer.</p> +<p>Also in that country and in others also, men find long apples +to sell, in their season, and men clepe them apples of Paradise; +and they be right sweet and of good savour. And though ye +cut them in never so many gobbets or parts, overthwart or +endlong, evermore ye shall find in the midst the figure of the +Holy Cross of our Lord Jesu. But they will rot within eight +days, and for that cause men may not carry of those apples to no +far countries; of them men find the mountance of a hundred in a +basket, and they have great leaves of a foot and a half of +length, and they be convenably large. And men find there +also the apple tree of Adam, that have a bite at one of the +sides; and there be also fig trees that bear no leaves, but figs +upon the small branches; and men clepe them figs of Pharaoh.</p> +<p>Also beside Cairo, without that city, is the field where <a +name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 34</span>balm groweth; +and it cometh out on small trees, that be none higher than to a +man’s breeks’ girdle, and they seem as wood that is +of the wild vine. And in that field be seven wells, that +our Lord Jesu Christ made with one of his feet, when he went to +play with other children. That field is not so well closed, +but that men may enter at their own list; but in that season that +the balm is growing, men put thereto good keeping, that no man +dare be hardy to enter.</p> +<p>This balm groweth in no place, but only there. And +though that men bring of the plants, for to plant in other +countries, they grow well and fair; but they bring forth no +fructuous thing, and the leaves of balm fall not. And men +cut the branches with a sharp flintstone, or with a sharp bone, +when men will go to cut them; for whoso cut them with iron, it +would destroy his virtue and his nature.</p> +<p>And the Saracens clepe the wood <i>Enonch-balse</i>, and the +fruit, the which is as cubebs, they clepe <i>Abebissam</i>, and +the liquor that droppeth from the branches they clepe +<i>Guybalse</i>. And men make always that balm to be tilled +of the Christian men, or else it would not fructify; as the +Saracens say themselves, for it hath been often-time +proved. Men say also, that the balm groweth in Ind the +more, in that desert where Alexander spake to the trees of the +sun and of the moon, but I have not seen it; for I have not been +so far above upward, because that there be too many perilous +passages.</p> +<p>And wit ye well, that a man ought to take good keep for to buy +balm, but if he con know it right well, for he may right lightly +be deceived. For men sell a gum, that men clepe turpentine, +instead of balm, and they put thereto a little balm for to give +good odour. And some put wax in oil of the wood of the +fruit of balm, and say that it is balm. And some distil +cloves of gilofre and of spikenard of Spain and of other spices, +that be well smelling; and the liquor that goeth out thereof they +clepe it balm, and they think that they have balm, and they have +none. For the Saracens counterfeit it by subtlety of craft +for to deceive the Christian men, as I have seen full many a +time; and after them the <a name="page35"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 35</span>merchants and the apothecaries +counterfeit it eft sones, and then it is less worth, and a great +deal worse.</p> +<p>But if it like you, I shall shew how ye shall know and prove, +to the end that ye shall not be deceived. First ye shall +well know, that the natural balm is full clear, and of citron +colour and strongly smelling; and if it be thick, or red or +black, it is sophisticate, that is to say, counterfeited and made +like it for deceit. And understand, that if ye will put a +little balm in the palm of your hand against the sun, if it be +fine and good, ye ne shall not suffer your hand against the heat +of the sun. Also take a little balm with the point of a +knife, and touch it to the fire, and if it burn it is a good +sign. After take also a drop of balm, and put it into a +dish, or in a cup with milk of a goat, and if it be natural balm +anon it will take and beclippe the milk. Or put a drop of +balm in clear water in a cup of silver or in a clear basin, stir +it well with the clear water; and if the balm be fine and of his +own kind, the water shall never trouble; and if the balm be +sophisticate, that is to say counterfeited, the water shall +become anon trouble; and also if the balm be fine it shall fall +to the bottom of the vessel, as though it were quicksilver, for +the fine balm is more heavy twice than is the balm that is +sophisticate and counterfeited. Now I have spoken of +balm.</p> +<p>And now also I shall speak of another thing that is beyond +Babylon, above the flood of the Nile, toward the desert between +Africa and Egypt; that is to say, of the garners of Joseph, that +he let make for to keep the grains for the peril of the dear +years. And they be made of stone, full well made of +masons’ craft; of the which two be marvellously great and +high, and the tother ne be not so great. And every garner +hath a gate for to enter within, a little high from the earth; +for the land is wasted and fallen since the garners were +made. And within they be all full of serpents. And +above the garners without be many scriptures of diverse +languages. And some men say, that they be sepultures of +great lords, that were sometime, but that is not true, for all +the common rumour and speech is of all the people there, both far +and near, that they be the <a name="page36"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 36</span>garners of Joseph; and so find they +in their scriptures, and in their chronicles. On the other +part, if they were sepultures, they should not be void within, ne +they should have no gates for to enter within; for ye may well +know, that tombs and sepultures be not made of such greatness, +nor of such highness; wherefore it is not to believe, that they +be tombs or sepultures.</p> +<p>In Egypt also there be diverse languages and diverse letters, +and of other manner and condition than there be in other +parts. As I shall devise you, such as they be, and the +names how they clepe them, to such intent, that ye may know the +difference of them and of others,—Athoimis, Bimchi, Chinok, +Duram, Eni, Fin, Gomor, Heket, Janny, Karacta, Luzanin, Miche, +Naryn, Oldach, Pilon, Qyn, Yron, Sichen, Thola, Urmron, Yph and +Zarm, Thoit.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Isle of Sicily</i>; <i>of the way +from Babylon to the Mount Sinai</i>; <i>of the Church of Saint +Katherine and of all the marvels there</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> will I return again, ere I +proceed any further, for to declare to you the other ways, that +draw toward Babylon, where the sultan himself dwelleth, that is +at the entry of Egypt; for as much as many folk go thither first +and after that to the Mount Sinai, and after return to Jerusalem, +as I have said you here before. For they fulfil first the +more long pilgrimage, and after return again by the next ways, +because that the more nigh way is the more worthy, and that is +Jerusalem; for no other pilgrimage is not like in comparison to +it. But for to fulfil their pilgrimages more easily and +more sikerly, men go first the longer way rather than the nearer +way.</p> +<p>But whoso will go to Babylon by another way, more short from +the countries of the west that I have rehearsed <a +name="page37"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 37</span>before, or +from other countries next to them—then men go by France, by +Burgundy and by Lombardy. It needeth not to tell you the +names of the cities, nor of the towns that be in that way, for +the way is common, and it is known of many nations. And +there be many havens [where] men take the sea. Some men +take the sea at Genoa, some at Venice, and pass by the sea +Adriatic, that is clept the Gulf of Venice, that departeth Italy +and Greece on that side; and some go to Naples, some to Rome, and +from Rome to Brindisi and there they take the sea, and in many +other places where that havens be. And men go by Tuscany, +by Campania, by Calabria, by Apulia, and by the hills of Italy, +by Corsica, by Sardinia, and by Sicily, that is a great isle and +a good.</p> +<p>In that isle of Sicily there is a manner of a garden, in the +which be many diverse fruits; and the garden is always green and +flourishing, all the seasons of the year as well in winter as in +summer. That isle holds in compass about 350 French +miles. And between Sicily and Italy there is not but a +little arm of the sea, that men clepe the Farde of Messina. +And Sicily is between the sea Adriatic and the sea of +Lombardy. And from Sicily into Calabria is but eight miles +of Lombardy.</p> +<p>And in Sicily there is a manner of serpent, by the which men +assay and prove, whether their children be bastards or no, or of +lawful marriage: for if they be born in right marriage, the +serpents go about them, and do them no harm, and if they be born +in avoutry, the serpents bite them and envenom them. And +thus many wedded men prove if the children be their own.</p> +<p>Also in that isle is the Mount Etna, that men clepe Mount +Gybelle, and the volcanoes that be evermore burning. And +there be seven places that burn and that cast out diverse flames +and diverse colour: and by the changing of those flames, men of +that country know when it shall be dearth or good time, or cold +or hot or moist or dry, or in all other manners how the time +shall be governed. And from Italy unto the volcanoes ne is +but twenty-five mile. And men say, that the volcanoes be +ways of hell.</p> +<p><a name="page38"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>And +whoso goeth by Pisa, if that men list to go that way, there is an +arm of the sea, where that men go to other havens in those +marches. And then men pass by the isle of Greaf that is at +Genoa. And after arrive men in Greece at the haven of the +city of Myrok, or at the haven of Valone, or at the city of +Duras; and there is a Duke at Duras, or at other havens in those +marches; and so men go to Constantinople. And after go men +by water to the isle of Crete and to the isle of Rhodes, and so +to Cyprus, and so to Athens, and from thence to +Constantinople. To hold the more right way by sea, it is +well a thousand eight hundred and four score mile of +Lombardy. And after from Cyprus men go by sea, and leave +Jerusalem and all the country on the left hand, unto Egypt, and +arrive at the city of Damietta, that was wont to be full strong, +and it sits at the entry of Egypt. And from Damietta go men +to the city of Alexandria, that sits also upon the sea. In +that city was Saint Catherine beheaded: and there was Saint Mark +the evangelist martyred and buried, but the Emperor Leo made his +bones to be brought to Venice.</p> +<p>And yet there is at Alexandria a fair church, all white +without paintures; and so be all the other churches that were of +the Christian men, all white within, for the Paynims and the +Saracens made them white for to fordo the images of saints that +were painted on the walls. That city of Alexandria is well +thirty furlongs in length, but it is but ten on largeness; and it +is a full noble city and a fair. At that city entereth the +river of Nile into the sea, as I to you have said before. +In that river men find many precious stones, and much also of +lignum aloes; and it is a manner of wood, that cometh out of +Paradise terrestrial, the which is good for many diverse +medicines, and it is right dear-worth. And from Alexandria +men go to Babylon, where the sultan dwelleth; that sits also upon +the river of Nile: and this way is the most short, for to go +straight unto Babylon.</p> +<p>Now shall I say you also the way, that goeth from Babylon to +the Mount of Sinai, where Saint Catherine lieth. He must +pass by the deserts of Arabia, by the which deserts Moses led the +people of Israel. And then <a name="page39"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 39</span>pass men by the well that Moses made +with his hand in the deserts, when the people grucched; for they +found nothing to drink. And then pass men by the Well of +Marah, of the which the water was first bitter; but the children +of Israel put therein a tree, and anon the water was sweet and +good for to drink. And then go men by desert unto the vale +of Elim, in the which vale be twelve wells; and there be +seventy-two trees of palm, that bear the dates the which Moses +found with the children of Israel. And from that valley is +but a good journey to the Mount of Sinai.</p> +<p>And whoso will go by another way from Babylon, then men go by +the Red Sea, that is an arm of the sea Ocean. And there +passed Moses with the children of Israel, over-thwart the sea all +dry, when Pharaoh the King of Egypt chased them. And that +sea is well a six mile of largeness in length; and in that sea +was Pharaoh drowned and all his host that he led. That sea +is not more red than another sea; but in some place thereof is +the gravel red, and therefore men clepen it the Red Sea. +That sea runneth to the ends of Arabia and of Palestine.</p> +<p>That sea lasteth more than a four journeys, and then go men by +desert unto the Vale of Elim, and from thence to the Mount of +Sinai. And ye may well understand, that by this desert no +man may go on horseback, because that there ne is neither meat +for horse ne water to drink; and for that cause men pass that +desert with camels. For the camel finds alway meat in trees +and on bushes, that he feedeth him with: and he may well fast +from drink two days or three. And that may no horse do.</p> +<p>And wit well that from Babylon to the Mount Sinai is well a +twelve good journeys, and some men make them more. And some +men hasten them and pain them, and therefore they make them +less. And always men find latiners to go with them in the +countries, and further beyond, into time that men con the +language: and it behoveth men to bear victuals with them, that +shall dure them in those deserts, and other necessaries for to +live by.</p> +<p><a name="page40"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 40</span>And the +Mount of Sinai is clept the Desert of Sin, that is for to say, +the bush burning; because there Moses saw our Lord God many times +in the form of fire burning upon that hill, and also in a bush +burning, and spake to him. And that was at the foot of the +hill. There is an abbey of monks, well builded and well +closed with gates of iron for dread of the wild beasts; and the +monks be Arabians or men of Greece. And there [is] a great +convent, and all they be as hermits, and they drink no wine, but +if it be on principal feasts; and they be full devout men, and +live poorly and simply with joutes and with dates, and they do +great abstinence and penances.</p> +<p>There is the Church of Saint Catherine, in the which be many +lamps burning; for they have of oil of olives enough, both for to +burn in their lamps and to eat also. And that plenty have +they by the miracle of God; for the ravens and the crows and the +choughs and other fowls of the country assemble them there every +year once, and fly thither as in pilgrimage; and everych of them +bringeth a branch of the bays or of olive in their beaks instead +of offering, and leave them there; of the which the monks make +great plenty of oil. And this is a great marvel. And +sith that fowls that have no kindly wit or reason go thither to +seek that glorious Virgin, well more ought men then to seek her, +and to worship her.</p> +<p>Also behind the altar of that church is the place where Moses +saw our Lord God in a burning bush. And when the monks +enter into that place, they do off both hosen and shoon or boots +always, because that our Lord said to Moses, Do off thy hosen and +thy shoon, for the place that thou standest on is land holy and +blessed. And the monks clepe that place Dozoleel, that is +to say, the shadow of God. And beside the high altar, three +degrees of height is the fertre of alabaster, where the bones of +Saint Catherine lie. And the prelate of the monks sheweth +the relics to the pilgrims, and with an instrument of silver he +froteth the bones; and then there goeth out a little oil, as +though it were a manner sweating, that is neither like to oil ne +to balm, but it is full sweet of smell; <a +name="page41"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 41</span>and of that +they give a little to the pilgrims, for there goeth out but +little quantity of the liquor. And after that they shew the +head of Saint Catherine, and the cloth that she was wrapped in, +that is yet all bloody; and in that same cloth so wrapped, the +angels bare her body to the Mount Sinai, and there they buried +her with it. And then they shew the bush, that burned and +wasted nought, in the which our Lord spake to Moses, and other +relics enough.</p> +<p>Also, when the prelate of the abbey is dead, I have +understood, by information, that his lamp quencheth. And +when they choose another prelate, if he be a good man and worthy +to be prelate, his lamp shall light with the grace of God without +touching of any man. For everych of them hath a lamp by +himself, and by their lamps they know well when any of them shall +die. For when any shall die, the light beginneth to change +and to wax dim; and if he be chosen to be prelate, and is not +worthy, his lamp quencheth anon. And other men have told +me, that he that singeth the mass for the prelate that is +dead—he shall find upon the altar the name written of him +that shall be prelate chosen. And so upon a day, I asked of +the monks, both one and other, how this befell. But they +would not tell me nothing, into the time that I said that they +should not hide the grace that God did them, but that they should +publish it to make the people have the more devotion, and that +they did sin to hide God’s miracle, as me seemed. For +the miracles that God hath done and yet doth every day, be the +witness of his might and of his marvels, as David saith in the +Psalter: <i>Mirabilia testimonia tua</i>, <i>Domine</i>, that is +to say, ‘Lord thy marvels be thy witness.’ And +then they told me, both one and other, how it befell full many a +time, but more I might not have of them.</p> +<p>In that abbey ne entereth not no fly, ne toads ne newts, ne +such foul venomous beasts, ne lice ne fleas, by the miracle of +God, and of our Lady. For there were wont to be so many +such manner of filths, that the monks were in will to leave the +place and the abbey, and were from thence upon the mountain above +to eschew that <a name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +42</span>place; and our Lady came to them and bade them turn +again, and from thence forwards never entered such filth in that +place amongst them, ne never shall enter hereafter. Also, +before the gate is the well, where Moses smote the stone, of the +which the water came out plenteously.</p> +<p>From that abbey men go up the mountain of Moses, by many +degrees. And there men find first a church of our Lady, +where that she met the monks, when they fled away for the vermin +above-said. And more high upon that mountain is the chapel +of Elijah the prophet; and that place they clepe Horeb, whereof +holy writ speaketh, <i>Et ambulavit in fortitudine cibi illius +usque</i>, <i>ad montem Oreb</i>; that is to say, ‘And he +went in strength of that meat unto the hill of God, +Horeb.’ And there nigh is the vine that Saint John +the Evangelist planted that men clepe raisins of Staphis. +And a little above is the chapel of Moses, and the rock where +Moses fled to for dread when he saw our Lord face to face. +And in that rock is printed the form of his body, for he smote so +strongly and so hard himself in that rock, that all his body was +dolven within through the miracle of God. And there beside +is the place where our Lord took to Moses the Ten Commandments of +the Law. And there is the cave under the rock where Moses +dwelt, when he fasted forty days and forty nights. But he +died in the Land of Promission, and no man knoweth where he was +buried. And from that mountain men pass a great valley for +to go to another mountain, where Saint Catherine was buried of +the angels of the Lord. And in that valley is a church of +forty martyrs, and there sing the monks of the abbey, often-time: +and that valley is right cold. And after men go up the +mountain of Saint Catherine, that is more high than the mount of +Moses; and there, where Saint Catherine was buried, is neither +church nor chapel, nor other dwelling place, but there is an heap +of stones about the place, where body of her, was put of the +angels. There was wont to be a chapel, but it was cast +down, and yet lie the stones there. And albeit that the +Collect of Saint Catherine says, that it is the place where our +Lord betaught the Ten Commandments to Moses, and there, <a +name="page43"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 43</span>where the +blessed Virgin Saint Catherine was buried, that is to understand +in one country, or in one place bearing one name; for both that +one and that other is clept the mount of Sinai. But it is a +great way from that one to that other, and a great deep valley +between them.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Desert between the Church of Saint +Catherine and Jerusalem</i>. <i>Of the Dry Tree</i>; <i>and +how Roses came first into the World</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span>, after that men have visited +those holy places, then will they turn toward Jerusalem. +And then will they take leave of the monks, and recommend +themselves to their prayers. And then they give the +pilgrims of their victuals for to pass with the deserts toward +Syria. And those deserts dure well a thirteen journeys.</p> +<p>In that desert dwell many of Arabians, that men clepe Bedouins +and Ascopards, and they be folk full of all evil +conditions. And they have none houses, but tents, that they +make of skins of beasts, as of camels and of other beasts that +they eat; and there beneath these they couch them and dwell in +place where they may find water, as on the Red Sea or elsewhere: +for in that desert is full great default of water, and often-time +it falleth that where men find water at one time in a place it +faileth another time; and for that skill they make none +habitations there. These folk that I speak of, they till +not the land, and they labour nought; for they eat no bread, but +if it be any that dwell nigh a good town, that go thither and eat +bread sometime. And they roast their flesh and their fish +upon the hot stones against the sun. And they be strong men +and well-fighting; and there so is much multitude of that folk, +that they be without number. And they ne reck of nothing, +ne do not but chase after beasts to eat <a +name="page44"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 44</span>them. +And they reck nothing of their life, and therefore they fear not +the sultan, ne no other prince; but they dare well war with them, +if they do anything that is grievance to them. And they +have often-times war with the sultan, and, namely, that time that +I was with him. And they bear but one shield and one spear, +without other arms; and they wrap their heads and their necks +with a great quantity of white linen cloth; and they be right +felonous and foul, and of cursed kind.</p> +<p>And when men pass this desert, in coming toward Jerusalem, +they come to Bersabe (Beersheba), that was wont to be a full fair +town and a delectable of Christian men; and yet there be some of +their churches. In that town dwelled Abraham the patriarch, +a long time. That town of Bersabe founded Bersabe +(Bathsheba), the wife of Sir Uriah the Knight, on the which King +David gat Solomen the Wise, that was king after David upon the +twelve kindreds of Jerusalem and reigned forty year.</p> +<p>And from thence go men to the city of Hebron, that is the +mountance of twelve good mile. And it was clept sometime +the Vale of Mamre, and some-time it was clept the Vale of Tears, +because that Adam wept there an hundred year for the death of +Abel his son, that Cain slew. Hebron was wont to be the +principal city of the Philistines, and there dwelled some time +the giants. And that city was also sacerdotal, that is to +say, sanctuary of the tribe of Judah; and it was so free, that +men received there all manner of fugitives of other places for +their evil deeds. In Hebron Joshua, Caleb and their company +came first to aspy, how they might win the land of Behest. +In Hebron reigned first king David seven year and a half; and in +Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three year and a half.</p> +<p>And in Hebron be all the sepultures of the patriarchs, Adam, +Abraham, Isaac, and of Jacob; and of their wives, Eve, Sarah and +Rebecca, and of Leah; the which sepultures the Saracens keep full +curiously, and have the place in great reverence for the holy +fathers, the patriarchs that lie there. And they suffer no +Christian man to enter into that place, but if it be of special +grace of the sultan; for they hold <a name="page45"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 45</span>Christian men and Jews as dogs, and +they say, that they should not enter into so holy place. +And men clepe that place, where they lie, Double Spelunk, or +Double Cave, or Double Ditch, forasmuch as that one lieth above +that other. And the Saracens clepe that place in their +language, <i>Karicarba</i>, that is to say, ‘The Place of +Patriarchs.’ And the Jews clepe that place +<i>Arboth</i>. And in that same place was Abraham’s +house, and there he sat and saw three persons, and worshipped but +one; as holy writ saith, <i>Tres vidit et unum adoravit</i>, that +is to say, ‘He saw three and worshipped one’: and of +those same received Abraham the angels into his house.</p> +<p>And right fast by that place is a cave in the rock, where Adam +and Eve dwelled when they were put out of Paradise; and there got +they their children. And in that same place was Adam formed +and made, after that some men say: (for men were wont for to +clepe that place the field of Damascus, because that it was in +the lordship of Damascus), and from thence was he translated into +Paradise of delights, as they say; and after that he was driven +out of Paradise he was there left. And the same day that he +was put in Paradise, the same day he was put out, for anon he +sinned. There beginneth the Vale of Hebron, that dureth +nigh to Jerusalem. There the angel commanded Adam that he +should dwell with his wife Eve, of the which he gat Seth; of +which tribe, that is to say kindred, Jesu Christ was born.</p> +<p>In that valley is a field, where men draw out of the earth a +thing that men clepe cambile, and they eat it instead of spices, +and they bear it to sell. And men may not make the hole or +the cave, where it is taken out of the earth, so deep or so wide, +but that it is, at the year’s end, full again up to the +sides, through the grace of God.</p> +<p>And two mile from Hebron is the grave of Lot, that was +Abraham’s brother.</p> +<p>And a little from Hebron is the mount of Mamre, of the which +the valley taketh his name. And there is a tree of oak, +that the Saracens clepe <i>Dirpe</i>, that is of Abraham’s +time: the which men clepe the Dry Tree. And they say <a +name="page46"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 46</span>that it hath +been there since the beginning of the world, and was some-time +green and bare leaves, unto the time that our Lord died on the +cross, and then it dried: and so did all the trees that were then +in the world. And some say, by their prophecies, that a +lord, a prince of the west side of the world, shall win the Land +of Promission that is the Holy Land with help of Christian men, +and he shall do sing a mass under that dry tree; and then the +tree shall wax green and bear both fruit and leaves, and through +that miracle many Saracens and Jews shall be turned to Christian +faith: and, therefore, they do great worship thereto, and keep it +full busily. And, albeit so, that it be dry, natheles yet +he beareth great virtue, for certainly he that hath a little +thereof upon him, it healeth him of the falling evil, and his +horse shall not be a-foundered: and many other virtues it hath; +wherefore men hold it full precious.</p> +<p>From Hebron men go to Bethlehem in half a day, for it is but +five mile; and it is full fair way, by plains and woods full +delectable. Bethlehem is a little city, long and narrow and +well walled, and in each side enclosed with good ditches: and it +was wont to be clept Ephrata, as holy writ saith, <i>Ecce</i>, +<i>audivimus eum in Ephrata</i>, that is to say, ‘Lo, we +heard him in Ephrata.’ And toward the east end of the +city is a full fair church and a gracious, and it hath many +towers, pinacles and corners, full strong and curiously made; and +within that church be forty-four pillars of marble, great and +fair.</p> +<p>And between the city and the church is the field +<i>Floridus</i>, that is to say, the ‘field +flourished.’ For as much as a fair maiden was blamed +with wrong, and slandered that she had done fornication; for +which cause she was demned to death, and to be burnt in that +place, to the which she was led. And, as the fire began to +burn about her, she made her prayers to our Lord, that as wisely +as she was not guilty of that sin, that he would help her and +make it to be known to all men, of his merciful grace. And +when she had thus said, she entered into the fire, and anon was +the fire quenched and out; and the brands that were <a +name="page47"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 47</span>burning +became red rose-trees, and the brands that were not kindled +became white rose-trees, full of roses. And these were the +first rose-trees and roses, both white and red, that ever any man +saw; and thus was this maiden saved by the grace of God. +And therefore is that field clept the field of God flourished, +for it was full of roses.</p> +<p>Also beside the choir of the church, at the right side, as men +come downward sixteen degrees, is the place where our Lord was +born, that is full well dight of marble, and full richly painted +with gold, silver, azure and other colours. And three paces +beside is the crib of the ox and the ass. And beside that +is the place where the star fell, that led the three kings, +Jaspar, Melchior and Balthazar: but men of Greece clepe them +thus, <i>Galgalath</i>, <i>Malgalath</i>, and <i>Seraphie</i>, +and the Jews clepe them, in this manner, in Hebrew, +<i>Appelius</i>, <i>Amerrius</i>, and <i>Damasus</i>. These +three kings offered to our Lord, gold, incense and myrrh, and +they met together through miracle of God; for they met together +in a city in Ind, that men clepe Cassak, that is a fifty-three +journeys from Bethlehem; and they were at Bethlehem the +thirteenth day; and that was the fourth day after that they had +seen the star, when they met in that city, and thus they were in +nine days from that city at Bethlehem, and that was great +miracle.</p> +<p>Also, under the cloister of the church, by eighteen degrees at +the right side, is the charnel of the Innocents, where their +bones lie. And before the place where our Lord was born is +the tomb of Saint Jerome, that was a priest and a cardinal, that +translated the Bible and the Psalter from Hebrew into Latin: and +without the minster is the chair that he sat in when he +translated it. And fast beside that church, a sixty fathom, +is a church of Saint Nicholas, where our Lady rested her after +she was lighted of our Lord; and forasmuch as she had too much +milk in her paps, that grieved her, she milked them on the red +stones of marble, so that the traces may yet be seen, in the +stones, all white.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that all that dwell in Bethlehem be +Christian men.</p> +<p><a name="page48"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 48</span>And +there be fair vines about the city, and great plenty of wine, +that the Christian men have do let make. But the Saracens +ne till not no vines, ne they drink no wine: for their books of +their law, that Mahomet betoke them, which they clepe their <i>Al +Koran</i>, and some clepe it <i>Mesaph</i>, and in another +language it is clept <i>Harme</i>, and the same book forbiddeth +them to drink wine. For in that book, Mahomet cursed all +those that drink wine and all them that sell it: for some men +say, that he slew once an hermit in his drunkenness, that he +loved full well; and therefore he cursed wine and them that drink +it. But his curse be turned on to his own head, as holy +writ saith, <i>Et in virticem ipsius iniquitas ejus +descendet</i>, that is for to say, ‘His wickedness shall +turn and fall in his own head.’</p> +<p>And also the Saracens bring forth no pigs, nor they eat no +swine’s flesh, for they say it is brother to man, and it +was forbidden by the old law; and they hold him all accursed that +eat thereof. Also in the land of Palestine and in the land +of Egypt, they eat but little or none of flesh of veal or of +beef, but if be so old, that he may no more travel for old; for +it is forbidden, and for because they have but few of them; +therefore they nourish them for to ere their lands.</p> +<p>In this city of Bethlehem was David the king born; and he had +sixty wives, and the first wife was called Michal; and also he +had three hundred lemans.</p> +<p>And from Bethlehem unto Jerusalem is but two mile; and in the +way to Jerusalem half a mile from Bethlehem is a church, where +the angel said to the shepherds of the birth of Christ. And +in that way is the tomb of Rachel, that was Joseph’s +mother, the patriarch; and she died anon after that she was +delivered of her son Benjamin. And there she was buried of +Jacob her husband, and he let set twelve great stones on her, in +token that she had born twelve children. In the same way, +half mile from Jerusalem, appeared the star to the three +kings. In that way also be many churches of Christian men, +by the which men go towards the city of Jerusalem.</p> +<h2><a name="page49"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +49</span>CHAPTER X</h2> +<p style="text-align: center" class="gutsumm"><i>Of the +Pilgrimages in Jerusalem</i>, <i>and of the Holy Places +thereabout</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">After</span>, for to speak of Jerusalem +the holy city: ye shall understand, that it stands full fair +between hills, and there be no rivers ne wells, but water cometh +by conduit from Hebron. And ye shall understand, that +Jerusalem of old time, unto the time of Melchisadech, was clept +Jebus; and after it was clept Salem, unto the time of King David, +that put these two names together, and clept it Jebusalem; and +after that, King Solomon clept it Jerosolomye; and after that, +men clept it Jerusalem, and so it is clept yet.</p> +<p>And about Jerusalem is the kingdom of Syria. And there +beside is the land of Palestine, and beside it is Ascalon, and +beside that is the land of Maritaine. But Jerusalem is in +the land of Judea, and it is clept Judea, for that Judas +Maccabeus was king of that country; and it marcheth eastward to +the kingdom of Arabia; on the south side to the land of Egypt; +and on the west side to the Great Sea; on the north side, towards +the kingdom of Syria and to the sea of Cyprus. In Jerusalem +was wont to be a patriarch; and archbishops and bishops about in +the country. About Jerusalem be these cities: Hebron, at +seven mile; Jericho, at six mile; Beersheba, at eight mile; +Ascalon, at seventeen mile; Jaffa, at sixteen mile; Ramath, at +three mile; and Bethlehem, at two mile. And a two mile from +Bethlehem, toward the south, is the Church of St. Karitot, that +was abbot there, for whom they made much dole amongst the monks +when he should die; and yet they be in mourning in the wise that +they made their lamentation for him the first time; and it is +full great pity to behold.</p> +<p>This country and land of Jerusalem hath been in many divers +nations’ hands, and often, therefore, hath the country +suffered much tribulation for the sin of the <a +name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 50</span>people that +dwell there. For that country hath been in the hands of all +nations; that is to say, of Jews, of Canaanites, Assyrians, +Persians, Medes, Macedonians, of Greeks, Romans, of Christian +men, of Saracens, Barbarians, Turks, Tartars, and of many other +divers nations; for God will not that it be long in the hands of +traitors ne of sinners, be they Christian or other. And now +have the heathen men held that land in their hands forty year and +more; but they shall not hold it long, if God will.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that when men come to Jerusalem, +their first pilgrimage is to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, +where our Lord was buried, that is without the city on the north +side; but it is now enclosed in with the town wall. And +there is a full fair church, all round, and open above, and +covered with lead; and on the west side is a fair tower and an +high for bells, strongly made.</p> +<p>And in the midst of the church is a tabernacle, as it were a +little house, made with a low little door, and that tabernacle is +made in manner of half a compass, right curiously and richly made +of gold and azure and other rich colours full nobly made. +And in the right side of that tabernacle is the sepulchre of our +Lord; and the tabernacle is eight foot long, and five foot wide, +and eleven foot in height. And it is not long sith the +sepulchre was all open, that men might kiss it and touch it; but +for pilgrims that came thither pained them to break the stone in +pieces or in powder, therefore the soldan hath do make a wall +about the sepulchre that no man may touch it: but in the left +side of the wall of the tabernacle is, well the height of a man, +a great stone to the quantity of a man’s head, that was of +the holy sepulchre; and that stone kiss the pilgrims that come +thither. In that tabernacle be no windows, but it is all +made light with lamps that hang before the sepulchre. And +there is a lamp that hangeth before the sepulchre, that burneth +light; and on the Good Friday it goeth out by himself, [and +lighteth again by him self] at that hour that our Lord rose from +death to life.</p> +<p><a name="page51"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 51</span>Also +within the church, at the right side, beside the choir of the +church, is the mount of Calvary, where our Lord was put on the +cross; and it is a rock of white colour and a little medled with +red. And the cross was set in a mortise in the same +rock. And on that rock dropped the wounds of our Lord when +he was pined on the cross. And that is clept Golgotha.</p> +<p>And men go up to that Golgotha by degrees; and in the place of +that mortise was Adam’s head found after Noah’s +flood, in token that the sins of Adam should be bought in that +same place. And upon that rock made Abraham sacrifice to +our Lord. And there is an altar; and before that altar lie +Godefray de Bouillon and Baldwin, and other Christian kings of +Jerusalem.</p> +<p>And there, nigh where our Lord was crucified, is this written +in Greek:</p> +<blockquote><p>† Ο θεὸς +Βασιλεῦς +ἡμῶν πρὸ +αἰώνων +εἰργάσατο +σωτηρίαν ἐν +μέσῳ τῆς +γῆς;</p> +</blockquote> +<p>that is to say, in Latin,—</p> +<blockquote><p><i>Deus Rex noster ante secula operatus est +salutem</i>, <i>in medio terrae</i>;</p> +</blockquote> +<p>that is to say,—</p> +<blockquote><p><i>This God our King</i>, <i>before the +worlds</i>, <i>hath wrought health in midst of the earth</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>And also on that rock, where the cross was set, is written +within the rock these words:</p> +<blockquote><p>† Ο +ἕιδεις, +ἐστί Βάσις +τῆς +πίστεως +ὅλης τοῦ +κόσμου +τούτου;</p> +</blockquote> +<p>that is to say, in Latin,—</p> +<blockquote><p><i>Quod vides</i>, <i>est fundamentum totius fidei +mundi hujus</i>;</p> +</blockquote> +<p>that is to say,—</p> +<blockquote><p>† <i>That thou seest</i>, <i>is the ground +of all the faith of this world</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>And ye shall understand, that when our Lord was done upon the +cross, he was thirty-three year and three months of old. +And the prophecy of David saith thus: <i>Quadraginta annis +proximus fui generationi huic</i>; that is to say, <a +name="page52"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 52</span>‘Forty +year was I neighbour to this kindred.’ And thus +should it seem that the prophecies were not true. But they +be both true; for in old time men made a year of ten months, of +the which March was the first and December was the last. +But Gaius, that was Emperor of Rome, put these two months +thereto, January and February, and ordained the year of twelve +months; that is to say, 365 days, without leap year, after the +proper course of the sun. And therefore after counting of +ten months of the year, he died in the fortieth year, as the +prophet said. And after the year of twelve months, he was +of age thirty-three year and three months.</p> +<p>Also, within the mount of Calvary, on the right side, is an +altar, where the pillar lieth that our Lord Jesu was bounden to +when he was scourged. And there beside be four pillars of +stone, that always drop water; and some men say that they weep +for our Lord’s death. And nigh that altar is a place +under earth forty-two degrees of deepness, where the holy cross +was found, by the wit of Saint Helen, under a rock where the Jews +had hid it. And that was the very cross assayed; for they +found three crosses, one of our Lord, and two of the two thieves; +and Saint Helen proved them by a dead body that arose from death +to life, when that it was laid on it, that our Lord died +on. And thereby in the wall is the place where the four +nails of our Lord were hid: for he had two in his hands and two +in his feet. And, of one of these, the Emperor of +Constantinople made a bridle to his horse to bear him in battle; +and, through virtue thereof, he overcame his enemies, and won all +the land of Asia the less, that is to say, Turkey, Armenia the +less and the more, and from Syria to Jerusalem, from Arabia to +Persia, from Mesopotamia to the kingdom of Aleppo, from Egypt the +high and the low and all the other kingdoms unto the depth of +Ethiopia, and into Ind the less that then was Christian.</p> +<p>And there were in that time many good holy men and holy +hermits, of whom the book of Father’s lives speaketh, and +they be now in Paynims’ and Saracens’ hands: but when +God Almighty will, right as the lands <a name="page53"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 53</span>were lost through sin of Christian +men, so shall they be won again by Christian men through help of +God.</p> +<p>And in midst of that church is a compass, in the which Joseph +of Arimathea laid the body of our Lord when he had taken him down +off the cross; and there he washed the wounds of our Lord. +And that compass, say men, is the midst of the world.</p> +<p>And in the church of the sepulchre, on the north side, is the +place where our Lord was put in prison (for he was in prison in +many places); and there is a part of the chain that he was +bounden with; and there he appeared first to Mary Magdalene when +he was risen, and she wend that he had been a gardener.</p> +<p>In the church of Saint Sepulchre was wont to be canons of the +order of Saint Augustine, and had a prior, but the patriarch was +their sovereign.</p> +<p>And without the doors of the church, on the right side as men +go upward eighteen grees, said our Lord to his mother, +<i>Mulier</i>, <i>ecce Filius tuus</i>; that is to say, Woman, +lo! thy Son! And after that he said to John, his disciple, +<i>Ecce mater tua</i>; that is to say, Lo! behold thy +mother! And these words he said on the cross. And on +these grees went our Lord when he bare the cross on his +shoulder. And under these grees is a chapel, and in that +chapel sing priests, Indians, that is to say, priests of Ind, not +after our law, but after theirs; and alway they make their +sacrament of the altar, saying, <i>Pater Noster</i> and other +prayers therewith; with the which prayers they say the words that +the sacrament is made of, for they ne know not the additions that +many popes have made; but they sing with good devotion. And +there near, is the place where that our Lord rested him when he +was weary for bearing of the cross.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that before the church of the +sepulchre is the city more feeble than in any other part, for the +great plain that is between the church and the city. And +toward the east side, without the walls of the city, is the vale +of Jehosaphat that toucheth to the walls as though it were a +large ditch. And above that vale of Jehosaphat, out of the +city, is the church of Saint Stephen where he was <a +name="page54"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 54</span>stoned to +death. And there beside, is the Golden Gate, that may not +be opened, by the which gate our Lord entered on Palm-Sunday upon +an ass: and the gate opened against him when he would go unto the +temple; and yet appear the steps of the ass’s feet in three +places of the degrees that be of full hard stone.</p> +<p>And before the church of Saint Sepulchre, toward the south, at +200 paces, is the great hospital of Saint John, of which the +hospitallers had their foundation. And within the palace of +the sick men of that hospital be 124 pillars of stone. And +in the walls of the house, without the number above-said, there +be fifty-four pillars that bear up the house. And from that +hospital to go toward the east is a full fair church, that is +clept <i>Nôtre Dame la Grande</i>. And then is there +another church right nigh, that is clept <i>Nôtre Dame de +Latine</i>. And there were Mary Cleophas and Mary +Magdalene, and tore their hair when our Lord was pained in the +cross.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Temple of our Lord</i>. <i>Of +the Cruelty of King Herod</i>. <i>Of the Mount +Sion</i>. <i>Of Probatica Piscina</i>; <i>and of Natatorium +Siloe</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">And</span> from the church of the +sepulchre, toward the east, at eight score paces, is <i>Templum +Domini</i>. It is right a fair house, and it is all round +and high, and covered with lead. And it is well paved with +white marble. But the Saracens will not suffer no Christian +man ne Jews to come therein, for they say that none so foul +sinful men should not come in so holy place: but I came in there +and in other places there I would, for I had letters of the +soldan with his great seal, and commonly other men have but his +signet. In the which letters he commanded, of his special +grace, to all his subjects, to let me see all the places, and to +inform me pleinly all the mysteries of every place, and to +conduct <a name="page55"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 55</span>me +from city to city, if it were need, and buxomly to receive me and +my company, and for to obey to all my requests reasonable if they +were not greatly against the royal power and dignity of the +soldan or of his law. And to others, that ask him grace, +such as have served him, he ne giveth not but his signet, the +which they make to be borne before them hanging on a spear. +And the folk of the country do great worship and reverence to his +signet or seal, and kneel thereto as lowly as we do to <i>Corpus +Domini</i>. And yet men do full greater reverence to his +letters; for the admiral and all other lords that they be shewed +to, before or they receive them, they kneel down; and then they +take them and put them on their heads; and after, they kiss them +and then they read them, kneeling with great reverence; and then +they offer them to do all that the bearer asketh.</p> +<p>And in this <i>Templum Domini</i> were some-time canons +regulars, and they had an abbot to whom they were obedient; and +in this temple was Charlemagne when that the angel brought him +the prepuce of our Lord Jesus Christ of his circumcision; and +after, King Charles let bring it to Paris into his chapel, and +after that he let bring it to Peyteres, and after that to +Chartres.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that this is not the temple that +Solomon made, for that temple dured not but 1102 year. For +Titus, Vespasian’s son, Emperor of Rome, had laid siege +about Jerusalem for to discomfit the Jews; for they put our Lord +to death, without leave of the emperor. And, when he had +won the city, he burnt the temple and beat it down, and all the +city, and took the Jews and did them to death—1,100,000; +and the others he put in prison and sold them to +servage,—thirty for one penny; for they said they bought +Jesu for thirty pennies, and he made of them better cheap when he +gave thirty for one penny.</p> +<p>And after that time, Julian Apostate, that was emperor, gave +leave to the Jews to make the temple of Jerusalem, for he hated +Christian men. And yet he was christened, but he forsook +his law, and became a renegade. And <a +name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span>when the Jews +had made the temple, came an earthquaking, and cast it down (as +God would) and destroyed all that they had made.</p> +<p>And after that, Adrian, that was Emperor of Rome, and of the +lineage of Troy, made Jerusalem again and the temple in the same +manner as Solomon made it. And he would not suffer no Jews +to dwell there, but only Christian men. For although it +were so that he was not christened, yet he loved Christian men +more than any other nation save his own. This emperor let +enclose the church of Saint Sepulchre, and walled it within the +city; that, before, was without the city, long time before. +And he would have changed the name of Jerusalem, and have clept +it Aelia; but that name lasted not long.</p> +<p>Also, ye shall understand, that the Saracens do much reverence +to that temple, and they say, that that place is right +holy. And when they go in they go bare-foot, and kneel many +times. And when my fellows and I saw that, when we came in +we did off our shoes and came in bare-foot, and thought that we +should do as much worship and reverence thereto, as any of the +misbelieving men should, and as great compunction in heart to +have.</p> +<p>This temple is sixty-four cubits of wideness, and as many in +length; and of height it is six score cubits. And it is +within, all about, made with pillars of marble. And in the +middle place of the temple be many high stages, of fourteen +degrees of height, made with good pillars all about: and this +place the Jews call <i>Sancta Sanctorum</i>; that is to say, +‘Holy of Hallows.’ And, in that place, cometh +no man save only their prelate, that maketh their +sacrifice. And the folk stand all about, in diverse stages, +after they be of dignity or of worship, so that they all may see +the sacrifice. And in that temple be four entries, and the +gates be of cypress, well made and curiously dight: and within +the east gate our Lord said, ‘Here is +Jerusalem.’ And in the north side of that temple, +within the gate, there is a well, but it runneth nought, of the +which holy writ speaketh of and saith, <i>Vidi aquam egredientem +de templo</i>; that is to say, ‘I saw water come out of the +temple.’</p> +<p><a name="page57"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 57</span>And on +that other side of the temple there is a rock that men clepe +Moriach, but after it was clept Bethel, where the ark of God with +relics of Jews were wont to be put. That ark or hutch with +the relics Titus led with him to Rome, when he had discomfited +all the Jews. In that ark were the Ten Commandments, and of +Aaron’s yard, and Moses’ yard with the which he made +the Red Sea depart, as it had been a wall, on the right side and +on the left side, whiles that the people of Israel passed the sea +dry-foot: and with that yard he smote the rock, and the water +came out of it: and with that yard he did many wonders. And +therein was a vessel of gold full of manna, and clothing and +ornaments and the tabernacle of Aaron, and a tabernacle square of +gold with twelve precious stones, and a box of jasper green with +four figures and eight names of our Lord, and seven candlesticks +of gold, and twelve pots of gold, and four censers of gold, and +an altar of gold, and four lions of gold upon the which they bare +cherubin of gold twelve spans long, and the circle of swans of +heaven with a tabernacle of gold and a table of silver, and two +trumps of silver, and seven barley loaves and all the other +relics that were before the birth of our Lord Jesu Christ.</p> +<p>And upon that rock was Jacob sleeping when he saw the angels +go up and down by a ladder, and he said, <i>Vere locus iste +sanctus est</i>, <i>et ego ignorabam</i>; that is to say, +‘Forsooth this place is holy, and I wist it +nought.’ And there an angel held Jacob still, and +turned his name, and clept him Israel. And in that same +place David saw the angel that smote the folk with a sword, and +put it up bloody in the sheath. And in that same rock was +Saint Simeon when he received our Lord into the temple. And +in this rock he set him when the Jews would have stoned him; and +a star came down and gave him light. And upon that rock +preached our Lord often-time to the people. And out that +said temple our Lord drove out the buyers and the sellers. +And upon that rock our Lord set him when the Jews would have +stoned him; and the rock clave in two, and in that cleaving was +our Lord hid, and there came down a <a name="page58"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 58</span>star and gave light and served him +with clarity. And upon that rock sat our Lady, and learned +her psalter. And there our Lord forgave the woman her sins, +that was found in avowtry. And there was our Lord +circumcised. And there the angels shewed tidings to +Zacharias of the birth of Saint Baptist his son. And there +offered first Melchisadech bread and wine to our Lord, in token +of the sacrament that was to come. And there fell David +praying to our Lord and to the angel that smote the people, that +he would have mercy on him and on the people: and our Lord heard +his prayer, and therefore would he make the temple in that place, +but our Lord forbade him by an angel; for he had done treason +when he let slay Uriah the worthy knight, for to have Bathsheba +his wife. And therefore, all the purveyance that he had +ordained to make the temple with he took it Solomon his son, and +he made it. And he prayed our Lord, that all those that +prayed to him in that place with good heart—that he would +hear their prayer and grant it them if they asked it rightfully: +and our Lord granted it him, and therefore Solomon clept that +temple the Temple of Counsel and of Help of God.</p> +<p>And without the gate of that temple is an altar where Jews +were in wont to offer doves and turtles. And between the +temple and that altar was Zacharias slain. And upon the +pinnacle of that temple was our Lord brought for to be tempted of +the enemy, the fiend. And on the height of that pinnacle +the Jews set Saint James, and cast him down to the earth, that +first was Bishop of Jerusalem. And at the entry of that +temple, toward the west, is the gate that is clept <i>Porta +Speciosa</i>. And nigh beside that temple, upon the right +side, is a church, covered with lead, that is clept +Solomon’s School.</p> +<p>And from that temple towards the south, right nigh, is the +temple of Solomon, that is right fair and well polished. +And in that temple dwell the Knights of the Temple that were wont +to be clept Templars; and that was the foundation of their order, +so that there dwelled knights and in <i>Templo Domini</i> canons +regulars.</p> +<p>From that temple toward the east, a six score paces, in <a +name="page59"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 59</span>the corner of +the city, is the bath of our Lord; and in that bath was wont to +come water from Paradise, and yet it droppeth. And there +beside is our Lady’s bed. And fast by is the temple +of Saint Simeon, and without the cloister of the temple, toward +the north, is a full fair church of Saint Anne, our Lady’s +mother; and there was our Lady conceived; and before that church +is a great tree that began to grow the same night. And +under that church, in going down by twenty-two degrees, lieth +Joachim, our Lady’s father, in a fair tomb of stone; and +there beside lay some-time Saint Anne, his wife; but Saint Helen +let translate her to Constantinople. And in that church is +a well, in manner of a cistern, that is clept <i>Probatica +Piscina</i>, that hath five entries. Into that well angels +were wont to come from heaven and bathe them within. And +what man, that first bathed him after the moving of the water, +was made whole of what manner of sickness that he had. And +there our Lord healed a man of the palsy that lay thirty-eight +year, and our Lord said to him, <i>Tolle grabatum tuum et +ambula</i>, that is to say, ‘Take thy bed and +go.’ And there beside was Pilate’s house.</p> +<p>And fast by is King Herod’s house, that let slay the +innocents. This Herod was over-much cursed and cruel. +For first he let slay his wife that he loved right well; and for +the passing love that he had to her when he saw her dead, he fell +in a rage and out of his wit a great while; and sithen he came +again to his wit. And after he let slay his two sons that +he had of that wife. And after that he let slay another of +his wives, and a son that he had with her. And after that +he let slay his own mother; and he would have slain his brother +also, but he died suddenly. And after that he did all the +harm that he could or might. And after he fell into +sickness; and when he felt that he should die, he sent after his +sister and after all the lords of his land; and when they were +come he let command them to prison. And then he said to his +sister, he wist well that men of the country would make no sorrow +for his death; and therefore he made his sister swear that she +should let smite off all the heads of the lords when he were +dead; <a name="page60"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 60</span>and +then should all the land make sorrow for his death, and else, +nought; and thus he made his testament. But his sister +fulfilled not his will. For, as soon as he was dead, she +delivered all the lords out of prison and let them go, each lord +to his own, and told them all the purpose of her brother’s +ordinance. And so was this cursed king never made sorrow +for, as he supposed for to have been. And ye shall +understand, that in that time there were three Herods, of great +name and fame for their cruelty. This Herod, of which I +have spoken of was Herod Ascalonite; and he that let behead Saint +John the Baptist was Herod Antipas; and he that let smite off +Saint James’s head was Herod Agrippa, and he put Saint +Peter in prison.</p> +<p>Also, furthermore, in the city is the church of Saint Saviour; +and there is the left arm of John Chrisostome, and the more part +of the head of Saint Stephen. And on that other side in the +street, toward the south as men go to Mount Sion, is a church of +Saint James, where he was beheaded.</p> +<p>And from that church, a six score paces, is the Mount +Sion. And there is a fair church of our Lady, where she +dwelled; and there she died. And there was wont to be an +abbot of canons regulars. And from thence was she borne of +the apostles unto the vale of Jehosaphat. And there is the +stone that the angel brought to our Lord from the mount of Sinai, +and it is of that colour that the rock is of Saint +Catherine. And there beside is the gate where through our +Lady went, when she was with child, when she went to +Bethlehem. Also at the entry of the Mount Sion is a +chapel. And in that chapel is the stone, great and large, +with the which the sepulchre was covered with, when Joseph of +Arimathea had put our Lord therein; the which stone the three +Marys saw turn upward when they came to the sepulchre the day of +his resurrection, and there found an angel that told them of our +Lord’s uprising from death to life. And there also is +a stone in the wall, beside the gate, of the pillar that our Lord +was scourged at. And there was Annas’s house, that +was bishop of the Jews in that time. And there was our Lord +examined in the <a name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +61</span>night, and scourged and smitten and villainous +entreated. And that same place Saint Peter forsook our Lord +thrice or the cock crew. And there is a part of the table +that he made his supper on, when he made his maundy with his +disciples, when he gave them his flesh and his blood in form of +bread and wine.</p> +<p>And under that chapel, thirty-two degrees, is the place where +our Lord washed his disciples’ feet, and yet is the vessel +where the water was. And there beside that same vessel was +Saint Stephen buried. And there is the altar where our Lady +heard the angels sing mass. And there appeared first our +Lord to his disciples after his resurrection, the gates enclosed, +and said to them, <i>Pax vobis</i>! that is to say, ‘Peace +to you!’ And on that mount appeared Christ to Saint +Thomas the apostle and bade him assay his wounds; and then +believed he first, and said, <i>Dominus meus et Deus meus</i>! +that is to say ‘My Lord and my God!’ In the +same church, beside the altar, were all the apostles on +Whitsunday, when the Holy Ghost descended on them in likeness of +fire. And there made our Lord his pasque with his +disciples. And there slept Saint John the evangelist upon +the breast of our Lord Jesu Christ, and saw sleeping many +heavenly privities.</p> +<p>Mount Sion is within the city, and it is a little higher than +the other side of the city; and the city is stronger on that side +than on that other side. For at the foot of the Mount Sion +is a fair castle and a strong that the soldan let make. In +the Mount Sion were buried King David and King Solomon, and many +other kings, Jews of Jerusalem. And there is the place +where the Jews would have cast up the body of our Lady when the +apostles bare the body to be buried in the vale of +Jehosaphat. And there is the place where Saint Peter wept +full tenderly after that he had forsaken our Lord. And a +stone’s cast from that chapel is another chapel, where our +Lord was judged, for that time was there Caiaphas’s +house. From that chapel, to go toward the east, at seven +score paces, is a deep cave under the rock, that is clept the +Galilee of our Lord, where Saint Peter hid him when he had +forsaken our Lord. <i>Item</i>, <a name="page62"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 62</span>between the Mount Sion and the Temple +of Solomon is the place where our Lord raised the maiden in her +father’s house.</p> +<p>Under the Mount Sion, toward the vale of Jehosaphat, is a well +that is clept <i>Natatorium Siloe</i>. And there was our +Lord washed after his baptism; and there made our Lord the blind +man to see. And there was y-buried Isaiah the +prophet. Also, straight from <i>Natatorium Siloe</i>, is an +image, of stone and of old ancient work, that Absalom let make, +and because thereof men clepe it the hand of Absalom. And +fast by is yet the tree of elder that Judas hanged himself upon, +for despair that he had, when he sold and betrayed our +Lord. And there beside was the synagogue, where the bishops +of Jews and the Pharisees came together and held their council; +and there cast Judas the thirty pence before them, and said that +he had sinned betraying our Lord. And there nigh was the +house of the apostles Philip and Jacob Alphei. And on that +other side of Mount Sion, toward the south, beyond the vale a +stone’s cast, is Aceldama; that is to say, the field of +blood, that was bought for the thirty pence, that our Lord was +sold for. And in that field be many tombs of Christian men, +for there be many pilgrims graven. And there be many +oratories, chapels and hermitages, where hermits were wont to +dwell. And toward the east, an hundred paces, is the +charnel of the hospital of Saint John, where men were wont to put +the bones of dead men.</p> +<p>Also from Jerusalem, toward the west, is a fair church, where +the tree of the cross grew. And two mile from thence is a +fair church, where our Lady met with Elizabeth, when they were +both with child; and Saint John stirred in his mother’s +womb, and made reverence to his Creator that he saw not. +And under the altar of that church is the place where Saint John +was born. And from that church is a mile to the castle of +Emmaus: and there also our Lord shewed him to two of his +disciples after his resurrection. Also on that other side, +200 paces from Jerusalem, is a church, where was wont to be the +cave <a name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 63</span>of +the lion. And under that church, at thirty degrees of +deepness, were interred 12,000 martyrs, in the time of King +Cosdroe that the lion met with, all in a night, by the will of +God.</p> +<p>Also from Jerusalem, two mile, is the Mount Joy, a full fair +place and a delicious; and there lieth Samuel the prophet in a +fair tomb. And men clepe it Mount Joy, for it giveth joy to +pilgrims’ hearts, because that there men see first +Jerusalem.</p> +<p>Also between Jerusalem and the mount of Olivet is the vale of +Jehosaphat, under the walls of the city, as I have said +before. And in the midst of the vale is a little river that +men clepe <i>Torrens Cedron</i>, and above it, overthwart, lay a +tree (that the cross was made of) that men yede over on. And fast +by it is a little pit in the earth, where the foot of the pillar +is yet interred; and there was our Lord first scourged, for he +was scourged and villainously entreated in many places. +Also in the middle place of the vale of Jehosaphat is the church +of our Lady: and it is of forty-three degrees under the earth +unto the sepulchre of our Lady. And our Lady was of age, +when she died, seventy-two year. And beside the sepulchre +of our Lady is an altar, where our Lord forgave Saint Peter all +his sins. And from thence, toward the west, under an altar, +is a well that cometh out of the river of Paradise. And wit +well, that that church is full low in the earth, and some is all +within the earth. But I suppose well, that it was not so +founded. But for because that Jerusalem hath often-time +been destroyed and the walls abated and beten down and tumbled +into the vale, and that they have been so filled again and the +ground enhanced; and for that skill is the church so low within +the earth. And, natheles, men say there commonly, that the +earth hath so been cloven sith the time that our Lady was there +buried; and yet men say there, that it waxeth and groweth every +day, without doubt. In that church were wont to be monks +black, that had their abbot.</p> +<p>And beside that church is a chapel, beside the rock that hight +Gethsemane. And there was our Lord kissed of <a +name="page64"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 64</span>Judas; and +there was he taken of the Jews. And there left our Lord his +disciples, when he went to pray before his passion, when he +prayed and said, <i>Pater</i>, <i>si fieri potest</i>, +<i>transeat a me calix iste</i>; that is to say, ‘Father, +if it may be, do let this chalice go from me’: and, when he +came again to his disciples, he found them sleeping. And in +the rock within the chapel yet appear the fingers of our +Lord’s hand, when he put them in the rock, when the Jews +would have taken him.</p> +<p>And from thence, a stone’s cast towards the south, is +another chapel, where our Lord sweat drops of blood. And +there, right nigh, is the tomb of King Jehosaphat, of whom the +vale beareth the name. This Jehosaphat was king of that +country, and was converted by an hermit, that was a worthy man +and did much good. And from thence, a bow draught towards +the south, is the church, where Saint James and Zachariah the +prophet were buried.</p> +<p>And above the vale is the mount of Olivet; and it is clept so +for the plenty of olives that grow there. That mount is +more high than the city of Jerusalem is; and, therefore, may men +upon that mount see many of the streets of the city. And +between that mount and the city is not but the vale of Jehosaphat +that is not full large. And from that mount styed our Lord +Jesu Christ to heaven upon Ascension Day; and yet there sheweth +the shape of his left foot in the stone. And there is a +church where was wont to be an abbot and canons regulars. +And a little thence, twenty-eight paces, is a chapel; and therein +is the stone on the which our Lord sat, when he preached the +eight blessings and said thus: <i>Beau pauperes spiritu</i>: and +there he taught his disciples the <i>Pater Noster</i>; and wrote +with his finger in a stone. And there nigh is a church of +Saint Mary Egyptian, and there she lieth in a tomb. And +from thence toward the east, a three bow shot, is Bethphage, to +the which our Lord sent Saint Peter and Saint James for to seek +the ass upon Palm-Sunday, and rode upon that ass to +Jerusalem.</p> +<p>And in coming down from the mount of Olivet, toward the east, +is a castle that is clept Bethany. And there dwelt <a +name="page65"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 65</span>Simon +leprous, and there harboured our Lord: and after he was baptised +of the apostles and was clept Julian, and was made bishop; and +this is the same Julian that men clepe to for good harbourage, +for our Lord harboured with him in his house. And in that +house our Lord forgave Mary Magdalene her sins: there she washed +his feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. And +there served Saint Martha our Lord. There our Lord raised +Lazarus from death to life, that was dead four days and stank, +that was brother to Mary Magdalene and to Martha. And there +dwelt also Mary Cleophas. That castle is well a mile long +from Jerusalem. Also in coming down from the mount of +Olivet is the place where our Lord wept upon Jerusalem. And +there beside is the place where our Lady appeared to Saint Thomas +the apostle after her assumption, and gave him her girdle. +And right nigh is the stone where our Lord often-time sat upon +when he preached; and upon that same he shall sit at the day of +doom, right as himself said.</p> +<p>Also after the mount of Olivet is the mount of Galilee. +There assembled the apostles when Mary Magdalene came and told +them of Christ’s uprising. And there, between the +Mount Olivet and the Mount Galilee, is a church, where the angel +said to our Lady of her death.</p> +<p>Also from Bethany to Jericho was sometime a little city, but +it is now all destroyed, and now is there but a little +village. That city took Joshua by miracle of God and +commandment of the angel, and destroyed it, and cursed it and all +them that bigged it again. Of that city was Zaccheus the +dwarf that clomb up into the sycamore tree for to see our Lord, +because he was so little he might not see him for the +people. And of that city was Rahab the common woman that +escaped alone with them of her lineage: and she often-time +refreshed and fed the messengers of Israel, and kept them from +many great perils of death; and, therefore, she had good reward, +as holy writ saith: <i>Qui accipit prophetam in nomine meo</i>, +<i>mercedem prophetae accipiet</i>; that is to say, ‘He +that taketh a prophet in my name, he shall take meed of the +prophet.’ And so had she. For <a +name="page66"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 66</span>she +prophesied to the messengers, saying, <i>Novi quod Dominus tradet +vobis terram hanc</i>; that is to say, ‘I wot well, that +our Lord shall betake you this land’: and so he did. +And after, Salomon, Naasson’s son, wedded her, and from +that time was she a worthy woman, and served God well.</p> +<p>Also from Bethany go men to flom Jordan by a mountain and +through desert. And it is nigh a day journey from Bethany, +toward the east, to a great hill, where our Lord fasted forty +days. Upon that hill the enemy of hell bare our Lord and +tempted him, and said, <i>Dic ut lapides isti panes fiant</i>; +that is to say, ‘Say, that these stones be made +loaves.’ In that place, upon the hill, was wont to be +a fair church; but it is all destroyed, so that there is now but +an hermitage, that a manner of Christian men hold, that be clept +Georgians, for Saint George converted them. Upon that hill +dwelt Abraham a great while, and therefore men clepe it +Abraham’s Garden. And between the hill and this +garden runneth a little brook of water that was wont to be +bitter; but, by the blessing of Elisha the prophet, it became +sweet and good to drink. And at the foot of this hill, +toward the plain, is a great well, that entereth into from +Jordan.</p> +<p>From that hill to Jericho, that I spake of before, is but a +mile in going toward flom Jordan. Also as men go to Jericho +sat the blind man crying, <i>Jesu</i>, <i>Fili David</i>, +<i>miserere mei</i>; that is to say, ‘Jesu, David’s +Son, have mercy on me.’ And anon he had his +sight. Also, two mile from Jericho, is flome Jordan. +And, an half mile more nigh, is a fair church of Saint John the +Baptist, where he baptised our Lord. And there beside is +the house of Jeremiah the prophet.</p> +<h2><a name="page67"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +67</span>CHAPTER XII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Dead Sea</i>; <i>and of the Flome +Jordan</i>. <i>Of the Head of Saint John the Baptist</i>; +<i>and of the Usages of the Samaritans</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">And</span> from Jericho, a three mile, is +the Dead Sea. About that sea groweth much alum and of +alkatran. Between Jericho and that sea is the land of +Engeddi. And there was wont to grow the balm; but men make +draw the branches thereof and bear them to be grafted at Babylon; +and yet men clepe them vines of Geddi. At a coast of that +sea, as men go from Arabia, is the mount of the Moabites, where +there is a cave, that men clepe Karua. Upon that hill led +Balak, the son of Beor, Balaam the priest for to curse the people +of Israel.</p> +<p>That Dead Sea parteth the land of Ind and of Arabia, and that +sea lasteth from Soara unto Arabia. The water of that sea +is full bitter and salt, and, if the earth were made moist and +wet with that water, it would never bear fruit. And the +earth and the land changeth often his colour. And it +casteth out of the water a thing that men clepe asphalt, also +great pieces, as the greatness of an horse, every day and on all +sides. And from Jerusalem to that sea is 200 +furlongs. That sea is in length five hundred and four score +furlongs, and in breadth an hundred and fifty furlongs; and it is +clept the Dead Sea, for it runneth nought, but is ever +unmovable. And neither man, ne beast, ne nothing that +beareth life in him ne may not die in that sea. And that +hath been proved many times, by men that have deserved to be dead +that have been cast therein and left therein three days or four, +and they ne might never die therein; for it receiveth no thing +within him that beareth life. And no man may drink of the +water for bitterness. And if a man cast iron therein, it +will float above. And if men cast a <a +name="page68"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 68</span>feather +therein, it will sink to the bottom, and these be things against +kind.</p> +<p>And also, the cities there were lost because of sin. And +there beside grow trees that bear full fair apples, and fair of +colour to behold; but whoso breaketh them or cutteth them in two, +he shall find within them coals and cinders, in token that by +wrath of God the cities and the land were burnt and sunken into +hell. Some men clepe that sea the lake Dalfetidee; some, +the flome of Devils; and some the flome that is ever +stinking. And into that sea sunk the five cities by wrath +of God; that is to say, Sodom, Gomorrah, Aldama, Zeboim, and +Zoar, for the abominable sin of sodomy that reigned in +them. But Zoar, by the prayer of Lot, was saved and kept a +great while, for it was set upon a hill; and yet sheweth thereof +some part above the water, and men may see the walls when it is +fair weather and clear. In that city Lot dwelt a little +while; and there was he made drunk of his daughters, and lay with +them, and engendered of them Moab and Ammon. And the cause +why his daughters made him drunk and for to lie by him was this: +because they saw no man about them, but only their father, and +therefore they trowed that God had destroyed all the world as he +had done the cities, as he had done before by Noah’s +flood. And therefore they would lie by with their father +for to have issue, and for to replenish the world again with +people to restore the world again by them; for they trowed that +there had been no more men in all the world; and if their father +had not been drunk, he had not lain with them.</p> +<p>And the hill above Zoar men cleped it then Edom and after men +cleped it Seir, and after Idumea. Also at the right side of +that Dead Sea, dwelleth yet the wife of Lot in likeness of a salt +stone; for that she looked behind her when the cities sunk into +hell. This Lot was Haran’s son, that was brother to +Abraham; and Sarah, Abraham’s wife, and Milcah, +Nahor’s wife, were sisters to the said Lot. And the +same Sarah was of eld four score and ten year when Isaac her son +was gotten on her. And Abraham had another son Ishmael that +he gat upon Hagar <a name="page69"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +69</span>his chamberer. And when Isaac his son was eight +days old, Abraham his father let him be circumcised, and Ishmael +with him that was fourteen year old: wherefore the Jews that come +of Isaac’s line be circumcised the eighth day, and the +Saracens that come of Ishmael’s line be circumcised when +they be fourteen year of age.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that within the Dead Sea, runneth the +flom Jordan, and there it dieth, for it runneth no further more, +and that is a place that is a mile from the church of Saint John +the Baptist toward the west, a little beneath the place where +that Christian men bathe them commonly. And a mile from +flom Jordan is the river of Jabbok, the which Jacob passed over +when he came from Mesopotamia. This flom Jordan is no great +river, but it is plenteous of good fish; and it cometh out of the +hill of Lebanon by two wells that be clept Jor and Dan, and of +the two wells hath it the name. And it passeth by a lake +that is clept Maron. And after it passeth by the sea of +Tiberias, and passeth under the hills of Gilboa; and there is a +full fair vale, both on that one side and on that other of the +same river. And men go [on] the hills of Lebanon, all in +length unto the desert of Pharan; and those hills part the +kingdom of Syria and the country of Phoenicia; and upon those +hills grow trees of cedar that be full high, and they bear long +apples, and as great as a man’s head.</p> +<p>And also this flom Jordan departeth the land of Galilee and +the land of Idumea and the land of Betron, and that runneth under +earth a great way unto a fair plain and a great that is clept +Meldan in Sarmois; that is to say, Fair or market in their +language, because that there is often fairs in that plain. +And there becometh the water great and large. In that plain +is the tomb of Job.</p> +<p>And in that flom Jordan above-said was our Lord baptised of +Saint John, and the voice of God the Father was heard saying: +<i>Hic est Filius meus dilectus</i>, <i>etc.</i>; that is to say, +‘This is my beloved Son, in the which I am well pleased; +hear him!’ and the Holy Ghost alighted upon him in likeness +of a culver; and so at his baptising was all the whole +Trinity.</p> +<p><a name="page70"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 70</span>And +through that flome passed the children of Israel, all dry feet; +and they put stones there in the middle place, in token of the +miracle that the water withdrew him so. Also in that flome +Jordan Naaman of Syria bathed him, that was full rich, but he was +mesell; and there anon he took his health.</p> +<p>About the flome Jordan be many churches where that many +Christian men dwelled. And nigh thereto is the city of Ai +that Joshua assailed and took. Also beyond the flome Jordan +is the vale of Mamre, and that is a full fair vale. Also +upon the hill that I spake of before, where our Lord fasted forty +days, a two mile long from Galilee, is a fair hill and an high, +where the enemy the fiend bare our Lord the third time to tempt +him, and shewed him all the regions of the world and said, <i>Hec +omnia tibi dabo</i>, <i>si cadens adoraveris me</i>; that is to +say, ‘All this shall I give thee, if thou fall and worship +me.’</p> +<p>Also from the Dead Sea to go eastward, out of the marches of +the Holy Land that is clept the Land of Promission, is a strong +castle and a fair, in an hill that is clept Carak in Sarmois; +that is to say, Royally. That castle let make King Baldwin, +that was King of France, when he had conquered that land, and put +it into Christian men’s hands for to keep that country; and +for that cause was it clept the Mount Royal. And under it +there is a town that hight Sobach, and there, all about, dwell +Christian men, under tribute.</p> +<p>From thence go men to Nazareth, of the which our Lord beareth +the surname. And from thence there is three journeys to +Jerusalem: and men go by the province of Galilee by Ramath, by +Sothim and by the high hill of Ephraim, where Elkanah and Hannah +the mother of Samuel the prophet dwelled. There was born +this prophet; and, after his death, he was buried at Mount Joy, +as I have said you before.</p> +<p>And then go men to Shiloh, where the Ark of God with the +relics were kept long time under Eli the prophet. There +made the people of Hebron sacrifice to our Lord, and they yielded +up their vows. And there spake <a name="page71"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 71</span>God first to Samuel, and shewed him +the mutation of Order of Priesthood, and the mystery of the +Sacrament. And right nigh, on the left side, is Gibeon and +Ramah and Benjamin, of the which holy writ speaketh of.</p> +<p>And after men go to Sichem, some-time clept Sichar; and that +is in the province of Samaritans. And there is a full fair +vale and a fructuous; and there is a fair city and a good that +men clepe Neople. And from thence is a journey to +Jerusalem. And there is the well, where our Lord spake to +the woman of Samaritan. And there was wont to be a church, +but it is beaten down. Beside that well King Rehoboam let +make two calves of gold and made them to be worshipped, and put +that one at Dan and that other at Bethel. And a mile from +Sichar is the city of Luz; and in that city dwelt Abraham a +certain time. Sichem is a ten mile from Jerusalem, and it +is clept Neople; that is for to say, the New City. And nigh +beside is the tomb of Joseph the son of Jacob that governed +Egypt: for the Jews bare his bones from Egypt and buried them +there, and thither go the Jews often-time in pilgrimage with +great devotion. In that city was Dinah, Jacob’s +daughter, ravished, for whom her brethren slew many persons and +did many harms to the city. And there beside is the hill of +Gerizim, where the Samaritans make their sacrifice: in that hill +would Abraham have sacrificed his son Isaac. And there +beside is the vale of Dotaim, and there is the cistern, where +Joseph, was cast in of his brethren, which they sold; and that is +two mile from Sichar.</p> +<p>From thence go men to Samaria that men clepe now Sebast; and +that is the chief city of that country, and it sits between the +hill of Aygnes as Jerusalem doth. In that city was the +sittings of the twelve tribes of Israel; but the city is not now +so great as it was wont to be. There was buried Saint John +the Baptist between two prophets, Elisha and Abdon; but he was +beheaded in the castle of Macharim beside the Dead Sea, and after +he was translated of his disciples, and buried at Samaria. +And there let Julianus Apostata dig him up and let burn his bones +(for <a name="page72"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 72</span>he +was at that time emperor) and let winnow the ashes in the +wind. But the finger that shewed our Lord, saying, <i>Ecce +Agnus Dei</i>; that is to say, ‘Lo! the Lamb of God,’ +that would never burn, but is all whole;—that finger let +Saint Thecla, the holy virgin, be born into the hill of Sebast; +and there make men great feast.</p> +<p>In that place was wont to be a fair church; and many other +there were; but they be all beaten down. There was wont to +be the head of Saint John Baptist, enclosed in the wall. +But the Emperor Theodosius let draw it out, and found it wrapped +in a little cloth, all bloody; and so he let it to be born to +Constantinople. And yet at Constantinople is the hinder +part of the head, and the fore part of the head, till under the +chin, is at Rome under the church of Saint Silvester, where be +nuns of an hundred orders: and it is yet all broilly, as though +it were half-burnt, for the Emperor Julianus above-said, of his +cursedness and malice, let burn that part with the other bones, +and yet it sheweth; and this thing hath been proved both by popes +and by emperors. And the jaws beneath, that hold to the +chin, and a part of the ashes and the platter that the head was +laid in, when it was smitten off, is at Genoa; and the Genoese +make of it great feast, and so do the Saracens also. And +some men say that the head of Saint John is at Amiens in Picardy; +and other men say that it is the head of Saint John the +Bishop. I wot never, but God knoweth; but in what wise that +men worship it, the blessed Saint John holds him a-paid.</p> +<p>From this city of Sebast unto Jerusalem is twelve mile. +And between the hills of that country there is a well that four +sithes in the year changeth his colour, sometime green, sometime +red, sometime clear and sometime trouble; and men clepe that +well, Job. And the folk of that country, that men clepe +Samaritans, were converted and baptized by the apostles; but they +hold not well their doctrine, and always they hold laws by +themselves, varying from Christian men, from Saracens, Jews and +Paynims. And the Samaritans lieve well in one God, and they +say well that <a name="page73"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +73</span>there is but only one God, that all formed, and all +shall doom; and they hold the Bible after the letter, and they +use the Psalter as the Jews do. And they say that they be +the right sons of God. And among all other folk, they say +that they be best beloved of God, and that to them belongeth the +heritage that God behight to his beloved children. And they +have also diverse clothing and shape to look on than other folk +have; for they wrap their heads in red linen cloth, in difference +from others. And the Saracens wrap their heads in white +linen cloth; and the Christian men, that dwell in the country, +wrap them in blue of Ind; and the Jews in yellow cloth. In +that country dwell many of the Jews, paying tribute as Christian +men do. And if ye will know the letters that the Jews use +they be such, and the names be as they clepe them written above, +in manner of their A. B. C.</p> +<table> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Aleph</p> +<p style="text-align: center">א</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Beth</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ב</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Gymel</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ג</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Deleth</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ד</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">He</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ה</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Vau</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ו</p> +</td> +<td colspan="2"><p style="text-align: center">Zay</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ז</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Heth</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ח</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Thet</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ט</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Joht</p> +<p style="text-align: center">י</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Kapho</p> +<p style="text-align: center">כ</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Lampd</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ל</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Mem</p> +<p style="text-align: center">מ</p> +</td> +<td colspan="2"><p style="text-align: center">Num</p> +<p style="text-align: center">נ</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Sameth</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ס</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Ey</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ע</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Fhee</p> +<p style="text-align: center">פ</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Sade</p> +<p style="text-align: center">צ</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Coph</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ק</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Resch</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ר</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Son</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ש</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">Tau</p> +<p style="text-align: center">ת</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Province of Galilee</i>, <i>and +where Antichrist shall be born</i>. <i>Of +Nazareth</i>. <i>Of the age of Our Lady</i>. <i>Of +the Day of Doom</i>. <i>And of the customs of +Jacobites</i>, <i>Syrians</i>; <i>and of the usages of +Georgians</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">From</span> this country of the Samaritans +that I have spoken of before go men to the plains of Galilee, and +men leave the hills on that one part.</p> +<p>And Galilee is one of the provinces of the Holy Land, and in +that province is the city of Nain—and Capernaum, and +Chorazin and Bethsaida. In this Bethsaida was Saint <a +name="page74"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 74</span>Peter and +Saint Andrew born. And thence, a four mile, is +Chorazin. And five mile from Chorazin is the city of Kedar +whereof the Psalter speaketh: <i>Et habitavi cum habitantibus +Kedar</i>; that is for to say, ‘And I have dwelled with the +dwelling men in Kedar.’ In Chorazin shall Antichrist +be born, as some men say. And other men say he shall be +born in Babylon; for the prophet saith: <i>De Babilonia coluber +exest</i>, <i>qui totum mundum devorabit</i>; that is to say +‘Out of Babylon shall come a worm that shall devour all the +world.’ This Antichrist shall be nourished in +Bethsaida, and he shall reign in Capernaum: and therefore saith +holy writ; <i>Vae tibi</i>, <i>Chorazin</i>! <i>Vae +tibi</i>, <i>Bethsaida</i>! <i>Vae tibi</i>, +<i>Capernaum</i>! that is to say, ‘Woe be to thee, +Chorazin! Woe to thee, Bethsaida! Woe to thee, +Capernaum.’ And all these towns be in the land of +Galilee. And also the Cana of Galilee is four mile from +Nazareth: of that city was Simon Chananeus and his wife Canee, of +the which the holy evangelist speaketh of. There did our +Lord the first miracle at the wedding, when he turned water into +wine.</p> +<p>And in the end of Galilee, at the hills, was the Ark of God +taken; and on that other side is the Mount Endor or Hermon. +And, thereabout, goeth the Brook of Torrens Kishon; and there +beside, Barak, that was Abimelech’s son with Deborah the +prophetess overcame the host of Idumea, when Sisera the king was +slain of Jael the wife of Heber, and chased beyond the flome +Jordan, by strength of sword, Zeeb and Zebah and Zalmunna, and +there he slew them. Also a five mile from Nain is the city +of Jezreel that sometime was clept Zarim, of the which city +Jezabel, the cursed queen, was lady and queen, that took away the +vine of Naboth by her strength. Fast by that city is the +field Megiddo, in the which the King Joram was slain of the King +of Samaria and after was translated and buried in the Mount +Sion.</p> +<p>And a mile from Jezreel be the hills of Gilboa, where Saul and +Jonathan, that were so fair, died; wherefore David cursed them, +as holy writ saith: <i>Montes Gilboæ</i>, <i>nec ros nec +pluvia</i>, <i>etc.</i>; that is to say, ‘Ye hills of +Gilboa, <a name="page75"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +75</span>neither dew ne rain come upon you.’ And a +mile from the hills of Gilboa toward the east is the city of +Cyropolis, that was clept before Bethshan; and upon the walls of +that city was the head of Saul hanged.</p> +<p>After go men by the hill beside the plains of Galilee unto +Nazareth, where was wont to be a great city and a fair; but now +there is not but a little village, and houses abroad here and +there. And it is not walled. And it sits in a little +valley, and there be hills all about. There was our Lady +born, but she was gotten at Jerusalem. And because that our +Lady was born at Nazareth, therefore bare our Lord his surname of +that town. There took Joseph our Lady to wife, when she was +fourteen year of age. And there Gabriel greeted our Lady, +saying, <i>Ave gratia plena</i>, <i>Dominus tecum</i>! that is to +say, ‘Hail, full of grace, our Lord is with +thee!’ And this salutation was done in a place of a +great altar of a fair church that was wont to be sometime, but it +is now all down, and men have made a little receipt, beside a +pillar of that church, to receive the offerings of +pilgrims. And the Saracens keep that place full dearly, for +the profit that they have thereof. And they be full wicked +Saracens and cruel, and more despiteful than in any other place, +and have destroyed all the churches. There nigh is +Gabriel’s Well, where our Lord was wont to bathe him, when +he was young, and from that well bare he water often-time to his +mother. And in that well she washed often-time the clouts +of her Son Jesu Christ. And from Jerusalem unto thither is +three journeys. At Nazareth was our Lord nourished. +Nazareth is as much to say as, ‘Flower of the +garden’; and by good skill may it be clept flower, for +there was nourished the flower of life that was Christ Jesu.</p> +<p>And two mile from Nazareth is the city of Sephor, by the way +that goeth from Nazareth to Akon. And an half mile from +Nazareth is the Leap of our Lord. For the Jews led him upon +an high rock for to make him leap down, and have slain him; but +Jesu passed amongst them, and leapt upon another rock, and yet be +the steps of his feet seen in the rock, where he alighted. +And therefore say <a name="page76"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +76</span>some men, when they dread them of thieves in any way, or +of enemies; <i>Jesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat</i>; +that is to say, ‘Jesus, forsooth, passing by the midst of +them, he went’: in token and mind, that our Lord passed +through, out the Jews’ cruelty, and scaped safely from +them, so surely may men pass the peril of thieves’. +And then say men two verses of the Psalter three sithes: +<i>Irruat super eos formido & pavor</i>, <i>in magnitudine +brachii tui</i>, <i>Domine</i>. <i>Fiant immobiles</i>, +<i>quasi lapis</i>, <i>donec pertranseat populus tuus</i>, +<i>Domine</i>; <i>donec pertranseat populus tuus iste</i>, +<i>quem possedisti</i>; and then may men pass without peril.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that our Lady had child when she was +fifteen year old. And she was conversant with her son +thirty-three year and three months. And after the passion +of our Lord she lived twenty-four year.</p> +<p>Also from Nazareth men go to the Mount Tabor; and that is a +four mile. And it is a full fair hill and well high, where +was wont to be a town and many churches; but they be all +destroyed. But yet there is a place that men clepe the +school of God, where he was wont to teach his disciples, and told +them the privities of heaven. And, at the foot of that +hill, Melchisedech that was King of Salem, in the turning of that +hill met Abraham in coming again from the battle, when he had +slain Abimelech. And this Melchisedech was both king and +priest of Salem that now is clept Jerusalem. In that hill +Tabor our Lord transfigured him before Saint Peter, Saint John +and Saint Jame; and there they saw, ghostly, Moses and Elias the +prophets beside them. And therefore said Saint Peter; +<i>Domine</i>, <i>bonum est nos hic esse</i>; <i>faciamus hic +tria tabernacula</i>; that is to say, ‘Lord, it is good for +us to be here; make we here three dwelling-places.’ +And there heard they a voice of the Father that say; <i>Hic est +Filius meus dilectus</i>, <i>in quo mihi bene +complacui</i>. And our Lord defended them that they should +not tell that avision till that he were risen from death to +life.</p> +<p>In that hill and in that same place, at the day of doom, four +angels with four trumpets shall blow and raise all men that had +suffered death, sith that the world was <a +name="page77"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 77</span>formed, from +death to life; and shall come in body and soul in judgment, +before the face of our Lord in the Vale of Jehosaphat. And +the doom shall be on Easter Day, such time as our Lord +arose. And the doom shall begin, such hour as our Lord +descended to hell and despoiled it. For at such hour shall +he despoil the world and lead his chosen to bliss; and the other +shall he condemn to perpetual pains. And then shall every +man have after his desert, either good or evil, but if the mercy +of God pass his righteousness.</p> +<p>Also a mile from Mount Tabor is the Mount Hermon; and there +was the city of Nain. Before the gate of that city raised +our Lord the widow’s son, that had no more children. +Also three miles from Nazareth is the Castle Safra, of the which +the sons of Zebedee and the sons of Alpheus were. Also a +seven mile from Nazareth is the Mount Cain, and under that is a +well; and beside that well Lamech, Noah’s father, slew Cain +with an arrow. For this Cain went through briars and bushes +as a wild beast; and he had lived from the time of Adam his +father unto the time of Noah, and so he lived nigh to 2000 +year. And this Lamech was all blind for eld.</p> +<p>From Safra men go to the sea of Galilee and to the city of +Tiberias, that sits upon the same sea. And albeit that men +clepe it a sea, yet is it neither sea ne arm of the sea. +For it is but a stank of fresh water that is in length one +hundred furlongs, and of breadth forty furlongs, and hath within +him great plenty of good fish, and runneth into flom +Jordan. The city is not full great, but it hath good baths +within him.</p> +<p>And there, as the flome Jordan parteth from the sea of +Galilee, is a great bridge, where men pass from the Land of +Promission to the land of King Bashan and the land of Gennesaret, +that be about the flom Jordan and the beginning of the sea of +Tiberias. And from thence may men go to Damascus, in three +days, by the kingdom of Traconitis, the which kingdom lasteth +from Mount Hermon to the sea of Galilee, or to the sea of +Tiberias, or to the sea of Gennesaret; and all is one sea, and +this <a name="page78"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 78</span>the +tank that I have told you, but it changeth thus the name for the +names of the cities that sit beside him.</p> +<p>Upon that sea went our Lord dry feet; and there he took up +Saint Peter, when he began to drench within the sea, and said to +him, <i>Modice fidei</i>, <i>quare dubitasti</i>? And after +his resurrection our Lord appeared on that sea to his disciples +and bade them fish, and filled all the net full of great +fishes. In that sea rowed our Lord often-time; and there he +called to him Saint Peter, Saint Andrew, Saint James and Saint +John, the sons of Zebedee.</p> +<p>In that city of Tiberias is the table upon the which our Lord +ate upon with his disciples after his resurrection; and they knew +him in breaking of bread, as the gospel saith: <i>Et cognoverunt +eum in fractione panis</i>. And nigh that city of Tiberias +is the hill, where our Lord fed 5000 persons with five barley +loaves and two fishes.</p> +<p>In that city a man cast a burning dart in wrath after our +Lord. And the head smote into the earth and waxed green; +and it growed to a great tree. And yet it groweth and the +bark thereof is all like coals.</p> +<p>Also in the head of that sea of Galilee, toward the +septentrion is a strong castle and an high that hight +Saphor. And fast beside it is Capernaum. Within the +Land of Promission is not so strong a castle. And there is +a good town beneath that is clept also Saphor. In that +castle Saint Anne our Lady’s mother was born. And +there beneath, was Centurio’s house. That country is +clept the Galilee of Folk that were taken to tribute of Zebulon +and Napthali.</p> +<p>And in again coming from that castle, a thirty mile, is the +city of Dan, that sometime was clept Belinas or Cesarea Philippi; +that sits at the foot of the Mount of Lebanon, where the flome +Jordan beginneth. There beginneth the Land of Promission +and dureth unto Beersheba in length, in going toward the north +into the south, and it containeth well a nine score miles; and of +breadth, that is to say, from Jericho unto Jaffa, and that +containeth a forty mile of Lombardy, or of our country, that be +also little miles; these be not miles of Gascony ne of the <a +name="page79"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 79</span>province of +Almayne, where be great miles. And wit ye well, that the +Land of Promission is in Syria. For the realm of Syria +dureth from the deserts of Arabia unto Cilicia, and that is +Armenia the great; that is to say, from the south to the +north. And, from the east to the west, it dureth from the +great deserts of Arabia unto the West Sea. But in that +realm of Syria is the kingdom of Judea and many other provinces, +as Palestine, Galilee, Little Cilicia, and many other.</p> +<p>In that country and other countries beyond they have a custom, +when they shall use war, and when men hold siege about city or +castle, and they within dare not send out messengers with letters +from lord to lord for to ask succour, they make their letters and +bind them to the neck of a culver, and let the culver flee. +And the culvers be so taught, that they flee with those letters +to the very place that men would send them to. For the +culvers be nourished in those places where they be sent to, and +they send them thus, for to bear their letters. And the +culvers return again whereas they be nourished; and so they do +commonly.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that amongst the Saracens, one part +and other, dwell many Christian men of many manners and diverse +names. And all be baptized and have diverse laws and +diverse customs. But all believe in God the Father and the +Son and the Holy Ghost; but always fail they in some articles of +our faith. Some of these be clept Jacobites, for Saint +James converted them and Saint John baptized them. They say +that a man shall make his confession only to God, and not to a +man; for only to him should man yield him guilty of all that he +hath misdone. Ne God ordained not, ne never devised, ne the +prophet neither, that a man should shrive him to another (as they +say), but only to God. As Moses writeth in the Bible, and +as David saith in the Psalter Book; <i>Confitebor tibi</i>, +<i>Domine</i>, <i>in toto corde meo</i>, and <i>Delictum meum +tibi cognitum feci</i>, and <i>Deus meus es tu</i>, <i>& +confitebor tibi</i>, and <i>Quoniam cogitatio hominis +confitebitur tibi</i>, etc. For they know all the Bible and +the Psalter. And therefore allege they so the letter. +But they allege not the authorities <a name="page80"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 80</span>thus in Latin, but in their language +full apertly, and say well, that David and other prophets say +it.</p> +<p>Natheles, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory say +thus:—Augustinus: <i>Qui scelera sua cogitat</i>, <i>& +conversus fuerit</i>, <i>veniam sibi credat</i>. Gregorius: +<i>Dominus potius mentem quam verba respicit</i>. And Saint +Hilary saith: <i>Longorum temporum crimina</i>, <i>in ictu oculi +pereunt</i>, <i>si cordis nata fuerit compunctio</i>. And +for such authorities they say, that only to God shall a man +knowledge his defaults, yielding himself guilty and crying him +mercy, and behoting to him to amend himself. And therefore, +when they will shrive them, they take fire and set it beside +them, and cast therein powder of frankincense; and in the smoke +thereof they shrive them to God, and cry him mercy. But +sooth it is, that this confession was first and kindly. But +Saint Peter the apostle, and they that came after him, have +ordained to make their confession to man, and by good reason; for +they perceived well that no sickness was curable, [ne] good +medicine to lay thereto, but if men knew the nature of the +malady; and also no man may give convenable medicine, but if he +know the quality of the deed. For one sin may be greater in +one man than in another, and in one place and in one time than in +another; and therefore it behoveth him that he know the kind of +the deed, and thereupon to give him penance.</p> +<p>There be other, that be clept Syrians; and they hold the +belief amongst us, and of them of Greece. And they use all +beards, as men of Greece do. And they make the sacrament of +therf bread. And in their language they use letters of +Saracens. But after the mystery of Holy Church they use +letters of Greece. And they make their confession, right as +the Jacobites do.</p> +<p>There be other, that men clepe Georgians, that Saint George +converted; and him they worship more than any other saint, and to +him they cry for help. And they came out of the realm of +Georgia. These folk use crowns shaven. The clerks +have round crowns, and the lewd men have crowns all square. +And they hold Christian law, as do they of Greece; of whom I have +spoken of before.</p> +<p><a name="page81"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 81</span>Other +there be that men clepe Christian men of Girding, for they be all +girt above. And there be other that men clept +Nestorians. And some Arians, some Nubians, some of Greece, +some of Ind, and some of Prester John’s Land. And all +these have many articles of our faith, and to other they be +variant. And of their variance were too long to tell, and +so I will leave, as for the time, without more speaking of +them.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the City of Damascus</i>. <i>Of +three ways to Jerusalem</i>; <i>one</i>, <i>by land and by +sea</i>; <i>another</i>, <i>more by land than by sea</i>; <i>and +the third way to Jerusalem</i>, <i>all by land</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> after that I have told you some +part of folk in the countries before, now will I turn again to my +way, for to turn again on this half. Then whoso will go +from the land of Galilee, of that that I have spoke for, to come +again on this half, men come again by Damascus, that is a full +fair city and full noble, and full of all merchandises, and a +three journeys long from the sea, and a five journeys from +Jerusalem. But upon camels, mules, horses, dromedaries and +other beasts, men carry their merchandise thither. And +thither come the merchants with merchandise by sea from India, +Persia, Chaldea, Armenia, and of many other kingdoms.</p> +<p>This city founded Eliezer Damascus, that was yeoman and +dispenser of Abraham before that Isaac was born. For he +thought for to have been Abraham’s heir, and he named the +town after his surname Damascus. And in that place, where +Damascus was founded, Cain slew Abel his brother. And +beside Damascus is the Mount Seir. In that city of Damascus +there is great plenty of wells. And within the city and +without be many fair gardens and of diverse fruits. None +other city is not like in comparison to it of fair gardens, and +of fair disports. <a name="page82"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 82</span>The city is great and full of people, +and well walled with double walls. And there be many +physicians. And Saint Paul himself was there a physician +for to keep men’s bodies in health, before he was +converted. And after that he was physician of souls. +And Saint Luke the evangelist was disciple of Saint Paul for to +learn physic, and many other; for Saint Paul held then school of +physic. And near beside Damascus was he converted. +And after his conversion ne dwelt in that city three days, +without sight and without meat or drink; and in those three days +he was ravished to heaven, and there he saw many privities of our +Lord.</p> +<p>And fast beside Damascus is the castle of Arkes that is both +fair and strong.</p> +<p>From Damascus men come again by our Lady of Sardenak, that is +a five mile on this half Damascus. And it sitteth upon a +rock, and it is a full fair place; and it seemeth a castle, for +there was wont to be a castle, but it is now a full fair +church. And there within be monks and nuns Christian. +And there is a vault under the church, where that Christian men +dwell also. And they have many good vines. And in the +church, behind the high altar, in the wall, is a table of black +wood, on the which sometime was depainted an image of our Lady +that turneth into flesh: but now the image sheweth but little, +but alway, by the grace of God, that table evermore drops oil, as +it were of olive; and there is a vessel of marble under the table +to receive the oil. Thereof they give to pilgrims, for it +heals of many sicknesses; and men say that, if it be kept well +seven year, afterwards it turns into flesh and blood. From +Sardenak men come through the vale of Bochar, the which is a fair +vale and a plenteous of all manner of fruit; and it is amongst +hills. And there are therein fair rivers and great meadows +and noble pasture for beasts. And men go by the mounts of +Libanus, which lasts from Armenia the more towards the north unto +Dan, the which is the end of the Land of Repromission toward the +north, as I said before. Their hills are right fruitful, +and there are many fair wells and cedars and cypresses, and many +other trees <a name="page83"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +83</span>of divers kinds. There are also many good towns +toward the head of their hills, full of folk.</p> +<p>Between the city of Arkez and the city of Raphane is a river, +that is called Sabatory; for on the Saturday it runs fast, and +all the week else it stand still and runs not, or else but +fairly. Between the foresaid hills also is another water +that on nights freezes hard and on days is no frost seen +thereon. And, as men come again from those hills, is a hill +higher than any of the other, and they call it there the High +Hill. There is a great city and a fair, the which is called +Tripoli, in the which are many good Christian men, yemand the +same rites and customs that we use. From thence men come by +a city that is called Beyrout, where Saint George slew the +dragon; and it is a good town, and a fair castle therein, and it +is three journeys from the foresaid city of Sardenak. At +the one side of Beyrout sixteen mile, to come hitherward, is the +city of Sydon. At Beyrout enters pilgrims into the sea that +will come to Cyprus, and they arrive at the port of Surry or of +Tyre, and so they come to Cyprus in a little space. Or men +may come from the port of Tyre and come not at Cyprus, and arrive +at some haven of Greece, and so come to these parts, as I said +before.</p> +<p>I have told you now of the way by which men go farrest and +longest to Jerusalem, as by Babylon and Mount Sinai and many +other places which ye heard me tell of; and also by which ways +men shall turn again to the Land of Repromission. Now will +I tell you the rightest way and the shortest to Jerusalem. +For some men will not go the other; some for they have not +spending enough, some for they have no good company, and some for +they may not endure the long travel, some for they dread them of +many perils of deserts, some for they will haste them homeward, +desiring to see their wives and their children, or for some other +reasonable cause that they have to turn soon home. And +therefore I will shew how men may pass tittest and in shortest +time make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A man that comes +from the lands of the west, he goes through France, Burgoyne, <a +name="page84"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 84</span>and +Lumbardy. And so to Venice or Genoa, or some other haven, +and ships there and wends by sea to the isle of Greff, the which +pertains to the Genoans.</p> +<p>And syne he arrives in Greece at Port Mirrok, or at Valoun, or +at Duras, or at some other haven of that country, and rests him +there and buys him victuals and ships again and sails to Cyprus +and arrives there at Famagost and comes not at the isle of +Rhodes. Famagost is the chief haven of Cyprus; and there he +refreshes him and purveys him of victuals, and then he goes to +ship and comes no more on land, if he will, before he comes at +Port Jaffa, that is the next haven to Jerusalem, for it is but a +day journey and a half from Jerusalem, that is to say thirty-six +mile. From the Port Jaffa men go to the city of Rames, the +which is but a little thence; and it is a fair city and a good +and mickle folk therein. And without that city toward the +south is a kirk of our Lady, where our Lord shewed him to her in +three clouds, the which betokened the Trinity. And a little +thence is another city, that men call Dispolis, but it hight some +time Lidda, a fair city and a well inhabited: there is a kirk of +Saint George, where he was headed. From thence men go to +the castle of Emmaus, and so to the Mount Joy; there may pilgrims +first see Jerusalem. At Mount Joy lies Samuel the +prophet. From thence men go to Jerusalem. Beside +their ways is the city of Ramatha and the Mount Modyn; and +thereof was Matathias, Judas Machabeus father, and there are the +graves of the Machabees. Beyond Ramatha is the town of +Tekoa, whereof Amos the prophet was; and there is his grave.</p> +<p>I have told you before of the holy places that are at +Jerusalem and about it, and therefore I will speak no more of +them at this time. But I will turn again and shew you other +ways a man may pass more by land, and namely for them that may +not suffer the savour of the sea, but is liefer to go by land, if +all it be the more pain. From a man be entered into the sea +he shall pass till one of the havens of Lumbardy, for there is +the best making of purveyance of victuals; or he may pass to +Genoa or Venice <a name="page85"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +85</span>or some other. And he shall pass by sea in to +Greece to the Port Mirrok, or to Valoun or to Duras, or some +other haven of that country. And from thence he shall go by +land to Constantinople, and he shall pass the water that is +called Brace Saint George, the which is one arm of the sea. +And from thence he shall by land go to Ruffynell, where a good +castle is and a strong; and from therein he shall go to Puluual, +and syne to the castle of Sinope, and from thence to Cappadocia, +that is a great country, where are many great hills. And he +shall go though Turkey to the port of Chiutok and to the city of +Nicæa, which is but seven miles thence. That city won +the Turks from the Emperor of Constantinople; and it is a fair +city and well walled on the one side, and on the other side is a +great lake and a great river, the which is called Lay. From +thence men go by the hills of Nairmount and by the vales of +Mailbrins and strait fells and by the town of Ormanx or by the +towns that are on Riclay and Stancon, the which are great rivers +and noble, and so to Antioch the less, which is set on the river +of Riclay. And there abouts are many good hills and fair, +and many fair woods and great plenty of wild beasts for to hunt +at.</p> +<p>And he that will go another way, he shall go by the plains of +Romany coasting the Roman Sea. On that coast is a fair +castle that men call Florach, and it is right a strong +place. And uppermore amongst the mountains is a fair city, +that is called Tarsus, and the city of Longemaath, and the city +of Assere, and the city of Marmistre. And when a man is +passed those mountains and those fells, he goes by the city of +Marioch and by Artoise, where is a great bridge upon the river of +Ferne, that is called Farfar, and it is a great river bearing +ships and it runs right fast out of the mountains to the city of +Damascus. And beside the city of Damascus is another great +river that comes from the hills of Liban, which men call +Abbana. At the passing of this river Saint Eustace, that +some-time was called Placidas, lost his wife and his two +children. This river runs through the plain of Archades, +and so to the Red Sea. From thence men go to the city <a +name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 86</span>of Phenice, +where are hot wells and hot baths. And then men go to the +city of Ferne; and between Phenice and Ferne are ten mile. +And there are many fair woods. And then men come to +Antioch, which is ten mile thence. And it is a fair city +and well walled about with many fair towers; and it is a great +city, but it was some-time greater than it is now. For it +was some-time two mile on length and on breadth other half +mile. And through the midst of that city ran the water of +Farphar and a great bridge over it; and there was some-time in +the walls about this city three hundred and fifty towers, and at +each pillar of the bridge was a stone. This is the chief +city of the kingdom of Syria. And ten mile from this city +is the port of Saint Symeon; and there goes the water of Farphar +into the sea. From Antioch men go to a city that is called +Lacuth, and then to Gebel, and then to Tortouse. And there +near is the land of Channel; and there is a strong castle that is +called Maubek. From Tortouse pass men to Tripoli by sea, or +else by land through the straits of mountains and fells. +And there is a city that is called Gibilet. From Tripoli go +men to Acres; and from thence are two ways to Jerusalem, the one +on the left half and the other on the right half. By the +left way men go by Damascus and by the flum Jordan. By the +right way men go by Maryn and by the land of Flagramy and near +the mountains into the city of Cayphas, that some men call the +castle of Pilgrims. And from thence to Jerusalem are three +day journey, in the which men shall go through Caesarea Philippi, +and so to Jaffa and Rames and the castle of Emmaus, and so to +Jerusalem.</p> +<p>Now have I told you some ways by land and by water that men +may go by to the Holy Land after the countries that they come +from. Nevertheless they come all to one end. Yet is +there another way to Jerusalem all by land, and pass not the sea, +from France or Flanders; but that way is full long and perilous +and of great travel, and therefore few go that way. He that +shall go that way, he shall go through Almayne and Prussia and so +to Tartary. This Tartary is holden of the great Caan of +Cathay, of <a name="page87"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +87</span>whom I think to speak afterward. This is a full +ill land and sandy and little fruit bearing. For there +grows no corn, ne wine, ne beans, ne peas, ne none other fruit +convenable to man for to live with. But there are beasts in +great plenty: and therefore they eat but flesh without bread and +sup the broth and they drink milk of all manner of beasts. +They eat hounds, cats, ratons, and all other wild beasts. +And they have no wood, or else little; and therefore they warm +and seethe their meat with horse-dung and cow-dung and of other +beasts, dried against the sun. And princes and other eat +not but once in the day, and that but little. And they be +right foul folk and of evil kind. And in summer, by all the +countries, fall many tempests and many hideous thunders and leits +and slay much people and beasts also full often-time. And +suddenly is there passing heat, and suddenly also passing cold; +and it is the foulest country and the most cursed and the poorest +that men know. And their prince, that governeth that +country, that they clepe Batho, dwelleth at the city of +Orda. And truly no good man should not dwell in that +country, for the land and the country is not worthy hounds to +dwell in. It were a good country to sow in thistle and +briars and broom and thorns and briars; and for no other thing is +it not good. Natheles, there is good land in some place, +but it is pure little, as men say.</p> +<p>I have not been in that country, nor by those ways. But +I have been at other lands that march to those countries, as in +the land of Russia, as in the land of Nyflan, and in the realm of +Cracow and of Letto, and in the realm of Daristan, and in many +other places that march to the coasts. But I went never by +that way to Jerusalem, wherefore I may not well tell you the +manner.</p> +<p>But, if this matter please to any worthy man that hath gone by +that way, he may tell it if him like, to that intent, that those, +that will go by that way and make their voyage by those coasts, +may know what way is there. For no man may pass by that way +goodly, but in time of winter, for the perilous waters and wicked +mareys, that be in those countries, that no man may pass but if +it be strong <a name="page88"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +88</span>frost and snow above. For if the snow ne were not, +men might not go upon the ice, ne horse ne car neither.</p> +<p>And it is well a three journeys of such way to pass from +Prussia to the land of Saracens habitable. And it behoveth +to the Christian men, that shall war against them every year, to +bear their victuals with them; for they shall find there no +good. And then must they let carry their victual upon the +ice with cars that have no wheels, that they clepe sleighs. +And as long as their victuals last they may abide there, but no +longer; for there shall they find no wight that will sell them +any victual or anything. And when the spies see any +Christian men come upon them, they run to the towns, and cry with +a loud voice; <i>Kerra</i>, <i>Kerra</i>, <i>Kerra</i>. And +then anon they arm them and assemble them together.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that it freezeth more strongly in +those countries than on this half. And therefore hath every +man stews in his house, and in those stews they eat and do their +occupations all that they may. For that is at the north +parts that men clepe the Septentrional where it is all only +cold. For the sun is but little or none toward those +countries. And therefore in the Septentrion, that is very +north, is the land so cold, that no man may dwell there. +And, in the contrary, toward the south it is so hot, that no man +ne may dwell there, because that the sun, when he is upon the +south, casteth his beams all straight upon that part.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Customs of Saracens</i>, <i>and of +their Law</i>. <i>And how the Soldan reasoned me</i>, +<i>Author of this Book</i>; <i>and of the beginning of +Mohammet</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span>, because that I have spoken of +Saracens and of their country—now, if ye will know a part +of their law and of their belief, I shall tell you after that +their book that is <a name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +89</span>clept <i>Alkaron</i> telleth. And some men clepe +that book <i>Meshaf</i>. And some men clepe it +<i>Harme</i>, after the diverse languages of the country. +The which book Mohammet took them. In the which book, among +other things, is written, as I have often-time seen and read, +that the good shall go to paradise, and the evil to hell; and +that believe all Saracens. And if a man ask them what +paradise they mean, they say, to paradise that is a place of +delights where men shall find all manner of fruits in all +seasons, and rivers running of milk and honey, and of wine and of +sweet water; and that they shall have fair houses and noble, +every man after his desert, made of precious stones and of gold +and of silver; and that every man shall have four score wives all +maidens, and he shall have ado every day with them, and yet he +shall find them always maidens.</p> +<p>Also they believe and speak gladly of the Virgin Mary and of +the Incarnation. And they say that Mary was taught of the +angel; and that Gabriel said to her, that she was for-chosen from +the beginning of the world and that he shewed to her the +Incarnation of Jesu Christ and that she conceived and bare child +maiden; and that witnesseth their book.</p> +<p>And they say also, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he was +born; and that he was an holy prophet and a true in word and +deed, and meek and piteous and rightful and without any vice.</p> +<p>And they say also, that when the angel shewed the Incarnation +of Christ unto Mary, she was young and had great dread. For +there was then an enchanter in the country that dealt with +witchcraft, that men clept Taknia, that by his enchantments could +make him in likeness of an angel, and went often-times and lay +with maidens. And therefore Mary dreaded lest it had been +Taknia, that came for to deceive the maidens. And therefore +she conjured the angel, that he should tell her if it were he or +no. And the angel answered and said that she should have no +dread of him, for he was very messenger of Jesu Christ. +Also their book saith, that when that she had childed under a +palm tree she had great shame, that she had a child; and <a +name="page90"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 90</span>she greet and +said that she would that she had been dead. And anon the +child spake to her and comforted her, and said, “Mother, ne +dismay thee nought, for God hath hid in thee his privities for +the salvation of the world.” And in other many places +saith their <i>Alkaron</i>, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he +was born. And that book saith also that Jesu was sent from +God Almighty for to be mirror and example and token to all +men.</p> +<p>And the <i>Alkaron</i> saith also of the day of doom how God +shall come to doom all manner of folk. And the good he +shall draw on his side and put them into bliss, and the wicked he +shall condemn to the pains of hell. And among all prophets +Jesu was the most excellent and the most worthy next God, and +that he made the gospels in the which is good doctrine and +healthful, full of clarity and soothfastness and true preaching +to them that believe in God. And that he was a very prophet +and more than a prophet, and lived without sin, and gave sight to +the blind, and healed the lepers, and raised dead men, and styed +to heaven.</p> +<p>And when they may hold the Book of the Gospels of our Lord +written and namely <i>Missus est Angelus Gabriel</i>, that gospel +they say, those that be lettered, often-times in their orisons, +and they kiss it and worship it with great devotion.</p> +<p>They fast an whole month in the year and eat nought but by +night. And they keep them from their wives all that +month. But the sick men be not constrained to that +fast.</p> +<p>Also this book speaketh of Jews and saith that they be cursed; +for they would not believe that Jesu Christ was come of +God. And that they lied falsely on Mary and on her son Jesu +Christ, saying that they had crucified Jesu the son of Mary; for +he was never crucified, as they say, but that God made him to sty +up to him without death and without annoy. But he +transfigured his likeness into Judas Iscariot, and him crucified +the Jews, and weened that it had been Jesus. But Jesus +styed to heavens all quick. And therefore they say, that +the Christian men err and have no good knowledge of this, and +that they believe folily and falsely that Jesu Christ was +crucified. <a name="page91"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +91</span>And they say yet, that and he had been crucified, that +God had done against his righteousness for to suffer Jesu Christ, +that was innocent, to be put upon the cross without guilt. +And in this article they say that we fail and that the great +righteousness of God might not suffer so great a wrong: and in +this faileth their faith. For they knowledge well, that the +works of Jesu Christ be good, and his words and his deeds and his +doctrine by his gospels were true, and his miracles also true; +and the blessed Virgin Mary is good, and holy maiden before and +after the birth of Jesu Christ; and that all those that believe +perfectly in God shall be saved. And because that they go +so nigh our faith, they be lightly converted to Christian law +when men preach them and shew them distinctly the law of Jesu +Christ, and when they tell them of the prophecies.</p> +<p>And also they say, that they know well by the prophecies that +the law of Mahomet shall fail, as the law of the Jews did; and +that the law of Christian people shall last to the day of +doom. And if any man ask them what is their belief, they +answer thus, and in this form: “We believe God, former of +heaven and of earth, and of all other things that he made. +And without him is nothing made. And we believe of the day +of doom, and that every man shall have his merit, after he hath +deserved. And, we believe it for sooth, all that God hath +said by the mouths of his prophets.”</p> +<p>Also Mahomet commanded in his <i>Alkaron</i>, that every man +should have two wives, or three or four; but now they take unto +nine, and of lemans as many as he may sustain. And if any +of their wives mis-bear them against their husband, he may cast +her out of his house, and depart from her and take another; but +he shall depart with her his goods.</p> +<p>Also, when men speak to them of the Father and of the Son and +of the Holy Ghost, they say, that they be three persons, but not +one God; for their <i>Alkaron</i> speaketh not of the +Trinity. But they say well, that God hath speech, and else +were he dumb. And God hath also a spirit they know well, +for else they say, he were not alive. And <a +name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 92</span>when men +speak to them of the Incarnation how that by the word of the +angel God sent his wisdom in to earth and enombred him in the +Virgin Mary, and by the word of God shall the dead be raised at +the day of doom, they say, that it is sooth and that the word of +God hath great strength. And they say that whoso knew not +the word of God he should not know God. And they say also +that Jesu Christ is the word of God: and so saith their +<i>Alkaron</i>, where it saith that the angel spake to Mary and +said: “Mary, God shall preach thee the gospel by the word +of his mouth and his name shall be clept Jesu Christ.”</p> +<p>And they say also, that Abraham was friend to God, and that +Moses was familiar speaker with God, and Jesu Christ was the word +and the spirit of God, and that Mohammet was right messenger of +God. And they say, that of these four, Jesu was the most +worthy and the most excellent and the most great. So that +they have many good articles of our faith, albeit that they have +no perfect law and faith as Christian men have; and therefore be +they lightly converted, and namely those that understand the +scriptures and the prophecies. For they have the gospels +and the prophecies and the Bible written in their language; +wherefore they ken much of holy writ, but they understand it not +but after the letter. And so do the Jews, for they +understand not the letter ghostly, but bodily; and therefore be +they reproved of the wise, that ghostly understand it. And +therefore saith Saint Paul: <i>Litera occidit</i>; <i>spiritus +autem vivificat</i>. Also the Saracens say, that the Jews +be cursed; for they have befouled the law that God sent them by +Moses: and the Christian be cursed also, as they say; for they +keep not the commandments and the precepts of the gospel that +Jesu Christ taught them.</p> +<p>And, therefore, I shall tell you what the soldan told me upon +a day in his chamber. He let void out of his chamber all +manner of men, lords and others, for he would speak with me in +counsel. And there he asked me how the Christian men +governed them in our country. And I said him, “Right +well, thanked be God!”</p> +<p>And he said me, “Truly nay! For ye Christian <a +name="page93"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 93</span>ne reck right +nought, how untruly to serve God! Ye should give ensample +to the lewd people for to do well, and ye give them ensample to +do evil. For the commons, upon festival days, when they +should go to church to serve God, then go they to taverns, and be +there in gluttony all the day and all night, and eat and drink as +beasts that have no reason, and wit not when they have +enough. And also the Christian men enforce themselves in +all manners that they may, for to fight and for to deceive that +one that other. And therewithal they be so proud, that they +know not how to be clothed; now long, now short, now strait, now +large, now sworded, now daggered, and in all manner guises. +They should be simple, meek and true, and full of alms-deeds, as +Jesu was, in whom they trow; but they be all the contrary, and +ever inclined to the evil, and to do evil. And they be so +covetous, that, for a little silver, they sell their daughters, +their sisters and their own wives to put them to lechery. +And one withdraweth the wife of another, and none of them holdeth +faith to another; but they defoul their law that Jesu Christ +betook them to keep for their salvation. And thus, for +their sins, have they lost all this land that we hold. For, +for their sins, their God hath taken them into our hands, not +only by strength of ourself, but for their sins. For we +know well, in very sooth, that when ye serve God, God will help +you; and when he is with you, no man may be against you. +And that know we well by our prophecies, that Christian men shall +win again this land out of our hands, when they serve God more +devoutly; but as long as they be of foul and of unclean living +(as they be now) we have no dread of them in no kind, for their +God will not help them in no wise.”</p> +<p>And then I asked him, how he knew the state of Christian +men. And he answered me, that he knew all the state of all +courts of Christian kings and princes and the state of the +commons also by his messengers that he sent to all lands, in +manner as they were merchants of precious stones, of cloths of +gold and of other things, for to know the manner of every country +amongst Christian men. And <a name="page94"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 94</span>then he let clepe in all the lords +that he made void first out of his chamber, and there he shewed +me four that were great lords in the country, that told me of my +country and of many other Christian countries, as well as they +had been of the same country; and they spake French right well, +and the soldan also; whereof I had great marvel.</p> +<p>Alas! that it is great slander to our faith and to our law, +when folk that be without law shall reprove us and undernim us of +our sins, and they that should be converted to Christ and to the +law of Jesu by our good ensamples and by our acceptable life to +God, and so converted to the law of Jesu Christ, be, through our +wickedness and evil living, far from us and strangers from the +holy and very belief, shall thus appeal us and hold us for wicked +livers and cursed. And truly they say sooth, for the +Saracens be good and faithful; for they keep entirely the +commandment of the holy book <i>Alkaron</i> that God sent them by +his messenger Mahomet, to the which, as they say, Saint Gabriel +the angel oftentime told the will of God.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that Mahomet was born in Arabia, that +was first a poor knave that kept camels, that went with merchants +for merchandise. And so befell, that he went with the +merchants into Egypt; and they were then Christian in those +parts. And at the deserts of Arabia, he went into a chapel +where a hermit dwelt. And when he entered into the chapel +that was but a little and a low thing and had but a little door +and a low, then the entry began to wax so great, and so large and +so high as though it had been of a great minster or the gate of a +palace. And this was the first miracle, the Saracens say, +that Mahomet did in his youth.</p> +<p>After began he for to wax wise and rich. And he was a +great astronomer. And after, he was governor and prince of +the land of Cozrodane; and he governed it full wisely, in such +manner, that when the prince was dead, he took the lady to wife +that hight Gadrige. And Mahomet fell often in the great +sickness that men call the falling evil; wherefore the lady was +full sorry that ever she took him to husband. But Mahomet +made her to believe, that all <a name="page95"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 95</span>times, when he fell so, Gabriel the +angel came for to speak with him, and for the great light and +brightness of the angel he might not sustain him from falling; +and therefore the Saracens say, that Gabriel came often to speak +with him.</p> +<p>This Mahomet reigned in Arabia, the year of our Lord Jesu +Christ 610, and was of the generation of Ishmael that was +Abraham’s son, that he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. +And therefore there be Saracens that be clept Ishmaelites; and +some Hagarenes, of Hagar. And the other properly be clept +Saracens, of Sarah. And some be clept Moabites and some +Ammonites, for the two sons of Lot, Moab and Ammon, that he begat +on his daughters that were afterward great earthly princes.</p> +<p>And also Mahomet loved well a good hermit that dwelled in the +deserts a mile from Mount Sinai, in the way that men go from +Arabia toward Chaldea and toward Ind, one day’s journey +from the sea, where the merchants of Venice come often for +merchandise. And so often went Mahomet to this hermit, that +all his men were wroth; for he would gladly hear this hermit +preach and make his men wake all night. And therefore his +men thought to put the hermit to death. And so it befell +upon a night, that Mahomet was drunken of good wine, and he fell +on sleep. And his men took Mahomet’s sword out of his +sheath, whiles he slept, and therewith they slew this hermit, and +put his sword all bloody in his sheath again. And at +morrow, when he found the hermit dead, he was full sorry and +wroth, and would have done his men to death. But they all, +with one accord, said that he himself had slain him, when he was +drunken, and shewed him his sword all bloody. And he trowed +that they had said sooth. And then he cursed the wine and +all those that drink it. And therefore Saracens that be +devout drink never no wine. But some drink it privily; for +if they drunk it openly, they should be reproved. But they +drink good beverage and sweet and nourishing that is made of +gallamelle and that is that men make sugar of, that is of right +good savour, and it is good for the breast.</p> +<p>Also it befalleth some-time, that Christian men become <a +name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 96</span>Saracens, +either for poverty or for simpleness, or else for their own +wickedness. And therefore the archflamen or the flamen, as +our archbishop or bishop, when he receiveth them saith thus: +<i>La ellec olla Sila</i>, <i>Machomete rores alla</i>; that is +to say, ‘There is no God but one, and Mahomet his +messenger.’</p> +<p>Now I have told you a part of their law and of their customs, +I shall say you of their letters that they have, with their names +and the manner of their figures what they be: Almoy, Bethath, +Cathi, Ephoti, Delphoi, Fothi, Garothi, Hechum, Iotty, Kaythi, +Lothum, Malach, Nabaloth, Orthi, Chesiri, ȝoch, Ruth, +Holath, Routhi, Salathi, Thatimus, Yrthom, Aȝaȝoth, +Arrocchi, ȝotipyn, Ichetus. And these be the names of +their a. b. c. Now shall ye know the figures. . . . And +four letters they have more than other for diversity of their +language and speech, forasmuch as they speak in their throats; +and we in England have in our language and speech two letters +more than they have in their a. b. c.; and that is Þ and +ȝ, which be clept thorn and ȝogh.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> +<p style="text-align: center" class="gutsumm"><i>Of the lands of +Albania and of Libia</i>. <i>Of the wishings for watching +of the Sparrow-hawk</i>; <i>and of Noah’s ship</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span>, sith I have told you before of +the Holy Land and of that country about, and of many ways for to +go to that land and to the Mount Sinai, and of Babylon the more +and the less, and to other places that I have spoken before, now +is time, if it like you, for to tell you of the marches and isles +and diverse beasts, and of diverse folk beyond these marches.</p> +<p>For in those countries beyond be many diverse countries and +many great kingdoms, that be departed by the four floods that +come from paradise terrestrial. For Mesopotamia and the +kingdom of Chaldea and Arabia be between the two <a +name="page97"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 97</span>rivers of +Tigris and of Euphrates; and the kingdom of Media and of Persia +be between the rivers of Nile and of Tigris; and the kingdom of +Syria, whereof I have spoken before, and Palestine and Phoenicia +be between Euphrates and the sea Mediterranean, the which sea +dureth in length from Morocco, upon the sea of Spain, unto the +Great Sea, so that it lasteth beyond Constantinople 3040 miles of +Lombardy.</p> +<p>And toward the sea Ocean in Ind is the kingdom of Scythia, +that is all closed with hills. And after, under Scythia, +and from the sea of Caspian unto the flom of Thainy, is Amazonia, +that is the land of feminye, where that no man is, but only all +women. And after is Albania, a full great realm; and it is +clept Albania, because that the folk be whiter there than in +other marches there-about: and in that country be so great hounds +and so strong, that they assail lions and slay them. And +then after is Hircania, Bactria, Hiberia and many other +kingdoms.</p> +<p>And between the Red Sea and the sea Ocean, toward the south is +the kingdom of Ethiopia and of Lybia the higher, the which land +of Lybia (that is to say, Lybia the low) that beginneth at the +sea of Spain from thence where the pillars of Hercules be, and +endureth unto anent Egypt and toward Ethiopia. In that +country of Lybia is the sea more high than the land, and it +seemeth that it would cover the earth, and natheles yet it +passeth not his marks. And men see in that country a +mountain to the which no man cometh. In this land of Lybia +whoso turneth toward the east, the shadow of himself is on the +right side; and here, in our country, the shadow is on the left +side. In that sea of Lybia is no fish; for they may not +live ne dure for the great heat of the sun, because that the +water is evermore boiling for the great heat. And many +other lands there be that it were too long to tell or to +number. But of some parts I shall speak more plainly +hereafter.</p> +<p>Whoso will then go toward Tartary, toward Persia, toward +Chaldea and toward Ind, he must enter the sea at Genoa or at +Venice or at some other haven that I have told you before. +And then pass men the sea and arrive at <a +name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 98</span>Trebizond +that is a good city; and it was wont to be the haven of +Pontus. There is the haven of Persians and of Medians and +of the marches there beyond. In that city lieth Saint +Athanasius that was bishop of Alexandria, that made the psalm +<i>Quicunque vult</i>.</p> +<p>This Athanasius was a great doctor of divinity. And, +because that he preached and spake so deeply of divinity and of +the Godhead, he was accused to the Pope of Rome that he was an +heretic. Wherefore the Pope sent after him and put him in +prison. And whiles he was in prison he made that psalm and +sent it to the Pope, and said, that if he were an heretic, then +was that heresy, for that, he said, was his belief. And +when the Pope saw it, and had examined it that it was perfect and +good, and verily our faith and our belief, he made him to be +delivered out of prison, and commanded that psalm to be said +every day at prime; and so he held Athanasius a good man. +But he would never go to his bishopric again, because that they +accused him of heresy.</p> +<p>Trebizond was wont to be holden of the Emperor of +Constantinople; but a great man, that he sent for to keep the +country against the Turks, usurped the land and held it to +himself, and cleped him Emperor of Trebizond.</p> +<p>And from thence men go through Little Armenia. And in +that country is an old castle that stands upon a rock; the which +is clept the castle of the Sparrow-hawk, that is beyond the city +of Layays beside the town of Pharsipee, that belongeth to the +lordship of Cruk, that is a rich lord and a good Christian man; +where men find a sparrow-hawk upon a perch right fair and right +well made, and a fair lady of faerie that keepeth it. And +who that will watch that sparrow-hawk seven days and seven +nights, and, as some men say, three days and three nights, +without company and without sleep, that fair lady shall give him, +when he hath done, the first wish that he will wish of earthly +things; and that hath been proved often-times.</p> +<p>And one time befell, that a King of Armenia, that was a worthy +knight and doughty man, and a noble princes watched that hawk +some time. And at the end of seven days and seven nights +the lady came to him and bade him <a name="page99"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 99</span>wish, for he had well deserved +it. And he answered that he was great lord enough, and well +in peace, and had enough of worldly riches; and therefore he +would wish none other thing, but the body of that fair lady, to +have it at his will. And she answered him, that he knew not +what he asked, and said that he was a fool to desire that he +might not have; for she said that he should not ask but earthly +thing, for she was none earthly thing, but a ghostly thing. +And the king said that he ne would ask none other thing. +And the lady answered; “Sith that I may not withdraw you +from your lewd corage, I shall give you without wishing, and to +all them that shall come of you. Sir king! ye shall have +war without peace, and always to the nine degree, ye shall be in +subjection of your enemies, and ye shall be needy of all +goods.” And never since, neither the King of Armenia +nor the country were never in peace; ne they had never sith +plenty of goods; and they have been sithen always under tribute +of the Saracens.</p> +<p>Also the son of a poor man watched that hawk and wished that +he might chieve well, and to be happy to merchandise. And +the lady granted him. And he became the most rich and the +most famous merchant that might be on sea or on earth. And +he became so rich that he knew not the thousand part of that he +had. And he was wiser in wishing than was the king.</p> +<p>Also a knight of the Temple watched there, and wished a purse +evermore full of gold. And the lady granted him. But +she said him that he had asked the destruction of their order for +the trust and the affiance of that purse, and for the great pride +that they should have. And so it was. And therefore +look he keep him well, that shall wake. For if he sleep he +is lost, that never man shall see him more.</p> +<p>This is not the right way for to go to the parts that I have +named before, but for to see the marvel that I have spoken +of. And therefore whoso will go right way, men go from +Trebizond toward Armenia the Great unto a city that is clept +Erzeroum, that was wont to be a good city and a plenteous; but +the Turks have greatly wasted it. There-about groweth no +wine nor fruit, but little or else <a name="page100"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 100</span>none. In this land is the +earth more high than in any other, and that maketh great +cold. And there be many good waters and good wells that +come under earth from the flom of Paradise, that is clept +Euphrates, that is a journey beside that city; and that river +cometh towards Ind under earth, and resorteth into the land of +Altazar. And so pass men by this Armenia and enter the sea +of Persia.</p> +<p>From that city of Erzeroum go men to an hill that is clept +Sabissocolle. And there beside is another hill that men +clepe Ararat, but the Jews clepe it Taneez, where Noah’s +ship rested, and yet is upon that mountain. And men may see +it afar in clear weather. And that mountain is well a seven +mile high. And some men say that they have seen and touched +the ship, and put their fingers in the parts where the fiend went +out, when that Noah said, <i>Benedicite</i>. But they that +say such words, say their will. For a man may not go up the +mountain, for great plenty of snow that is always on that +mountain, neither summer nor winter. So that no man may go +up there, ne never man did, since the time of Noah, save a monk +that, by the grace of God, brought one of the planks down, that +yet is in the minster at the foot of the mountain.</p> +<p>And beside is the city of Dain that Noah founded. And +fast by is the city of Any in the which were wont to be a +thousand churches.</p> +<p>But upon that mountain to go up, this monk had great +desire. And so upon a day, he went up. And when he +was upward the three part of the mountain he was so weary that he +might no further, and so he rested him, and fell asleep. +And when he awoke he found himself lying at the foot of the +mountain. And then he prayed devoutly to God that he would +vouchsafe to suffer him go up. And an angel came to him, +and said that he should go up. And so he did. And +sith that time never none. Wherefore men should not believe +such words.</p> +<p>From that mountain go men to the city of Thauriso that was +wont to be clept Taxis, that is a full fair city and a great, and +one of the best that is in the world for merchandise; thither +come all merchants for to buy avoirdupois, <a +name="page101"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 101</span>and it is +in the land of the Emperor of Persia. And men say that the +emperor taketh more good in that city for custom of merchandise +than doth the richest Christian king of all his realm that +liveth. For the toll and the custom of his merchants is +without estimation to be numbered. Beside that city is a +hill of salt, and of that salt every man taketh what he will for +to salt with, to his need. There dwell many Christian men +under tribute of Saracens. And from that city, men pass by +many towns and castles in going toward Ind unto the city of +Sadonia, that is a ten journeys from Thauriso, and it is a full +noble city and a great. And there dwelleth the Emperor of +Persia in summer; for the country is cold enough. And there +be good rivers bearing ships.</p> +<p>After go men the way toward Ind by many journeys, and by many +countries, unto the city that is clept Cassak, and that is a full +noble city, and a plenteous of corns and wines and of all other +goods. This is the city where the three kings met together +when they went to seek our Lord in Bethlehem to worship him and +to present him with gold, incense, and myrrh. And it is +from that city to Bethlehem fifty-three journeys. From that +city men go to another city that is clept Gethe, that is a +journey from the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea. That +is the best city that the Emperor of Persia hath in all his +land. And they clepe flesh there Dabago and the wine +Vapa. And the Paynims say that no Christian man may not +long dwell ne endure with the life in that city, but die within +short time; and no man knoweth not the cause.</p> +<p>After go men by many cities and towns and great countries that +it were too long to tell unto the city of Cornaa that was wont to +be so great that the walls about hold twenty-five mile +about. The walls shew yet, but it is not all +inhabited. From Cornaa go men by many lands and many cities +and towns unto the land of Job. And there endeth the land +of the Emperor of Persia. And if ye will know the letters +of Persians and what names they have, they be such as I last +devised you, but not in sounding of their words.</p> +<h2><a name="page102"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +102</span>CHAPTER XVII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the land of Job</i>; <i>and of his +age</i>. <i>Of the array of men of Chaldea</i>. <i>Of +the land where women dwell without company of men</i>. +<i>Of the knowledge and virtues of the very diamond</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">After</span> the departing from Cornaa, +men enter into the land of Job that is a full fair country and a +plenteous of all goods. And men clepe that land the Land of +Susiana. In that land is the city of Theman.</p> +<p>Job was a paynim, and he was Aram of Gosre, his son, and held +that land as prince of that country. And he was so rich +that he knew not the hundred part of his goods. And +although he were a paynim, nevertheless he served well God after +his law. And our Lord took his service to his +pleasane. And when he fell in poverty he was seventy-eight +year of age. And after, when God had proved his patience +and that it was so great, he brought him again to riches and to +higher estate than he was before. And after that he was +King of Idumea after King Esau, and when he was king he was clept +Jobab. And in that kingdom he lived after 170 year. +And so he was of age, when he died, 248 year.</p> +<p>In that land of Job there ne is no default of no thing that is +needful to man’s body. There be hills, where men get +great plenty of manna in greater abundance than in any other +country. This manna is clept bread of angels. And it +is a white thing that is full sweet and right delicious, and more +sweet than honey or sugar. And it cometh of the dew of +heaven that falleth upon the herbs in that country. And it +congealeth and becometh all white and sweet. And men put it +in medicines for rich men to make the womb lax, and to purge evil +blood. For it cleanseth the blood and putteth out +melancholy. This land of Job marcheth to the kingdom of +Chaldea.</p> +<p>This land of Chaldea is full great. And the language <a +name="page103"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 103</span>of that +country is more great in sounding than it is in other parts of +the sea. Men pass to go beyond by the Tower of Babylon the +Great, of the which I have told you before, where that all the +languages were first changed. And that is a four journeys +from Chaldea. In that realm be fair men, and they go full +nobly arrayed in clothes of gold, orfrayed and apparelled with +great pearls and precious stone’s full nobly. And the +women be right foul and evil arrayed. And they go all +bare-foot and clothed in evil garments large and wide, but they +be short to the knees, and long sleeves down to the feet like a +monk’s frock, and their sleeves be hanging about their +shoulders. And they be black women foul and hideous, and +truly as foul as they be, as evil they be.</p> +<p>In that kingdom of Chaldea, in a city that is clept Ur, +dwelled Terah, Abraham’s father. And there was +Abraham born. And that was in that time that Ninus was king +of Babylon, of Arabia and of Egypt. This Ninus made the +city of Nineveh, the which that Noah had begun before. And +because that Ninus performed it, he cleped it Nineveh after his +own name. There lieth Tobit the prophet, of whom Holy Writ +speaketh of. And from that city of Ur Abraham departed, by +the commandment of God, from thence, after the death of his +father, and led with him Sarah his wife and Lot his +brother’s son, because that he had no child. And they +went to dwell in the land of Canaan in a place that is clept +Shechem. And this Lot was he that was saved, when Sodom and +Gomorrah and the other cities were burnt and sunken down to hell, +where that the Dead Sea is now, as I have told you before. +In that land of Chaldea they have their proper languages and +their proper letters, such as ye may see hereafter.</p> +<p>Beside the land of Chaldea is the land of Amazonia, that is +the land of Feminye. And in that realm is all women and no +man; not, as some men say, that men may not live there, but for +because that the women will not suffer no men amongst them to be +their sovereigns.</p> +<p>For sometime there was a king in that country. And men +married, as in other countries. And so befell <a +name="page104"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 104</span>that the +king had war with them of Scythia, the which king hight Colopeus, +that was slain in battle, and all the good blood of his +realm. And when the queen and all the other noble ladies +saw that they were all widows, and that all the royal blood was +lost, they armed them and, as creatures out of wit, they slew all +the men of the country that were left; for they would that all +the women were widows as the queen and they were. And from +that time hitherwards they never would suffer man to dwell +amongst them longer than seven days and seven nights; ne that no +child that were male should dwell amongst them longer than he +were nourished; and then sent to his father. And when they +will have any company of man then they draw them towards the +lands marching next to them. And then they have loves that +use them; and they dwell with them an eight days or ten, and then +go home again. And if they have any knave child they keep +it a certain time, and then send it to the father when he can go +alone and eat by himself; or else they slay it. And if it +be a female they do away that one pap with an hot iron. And +if it be a woman of great lineage they do away the left pap that +they may the better bear a shield. And if it be a woman on +foot they do away the right pap, for to shoot with bow turkeys: +for they shoot well with bows.</p> +<p>In that land they have a queen that governeth all that land, +and all they be obeissant to her. And always they make her +queen by election that is most worthy in arms; for they be right +good warriors and orped, and wise, noble and worthy. And +they go oftentime in solde to help of other kings in their wars, +for gold and silver as other soldiers do; and they maintain +themselves right vigourously. This land of Amazonia is an +isle, all environed with the sea save in two places, where be two +entries. And beyond that water dwell the men that be their +paramours and their loves, where they go to solace them when they +will.</p> +<p>Beside Amazonia is the land of Tarmegyte that is a great +country and a full delectable. And for the goodness of the +country King Alexander let first make there the <a +name="page105"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 105</span>city of +Alexandria, and yet he made twelve cities of the same name; but +that city is now clept Celsite.</p> +<p>And from that other coast of Chaldea, toward the south, is +Ethiopia, a great country that stretcheth to the end of +Egypt. Ethiopia is departed in two parts principal, and +that is in the east part and in the meridional part; the which +part meridional is clept Mauritania; and the folk of that country +be black enough and more black than in the tother part, and they +be clept Moors. In that part is a well, that in the day it +is so cold, that no man may drink thereof; and in the night it is +so hot, that no man may suffer his hand therein. And beyond +that part, toward the south, to pass by the sea Ocean, is a great +land and a great country; but men may not dwell there for the +fervent burning of the sun, so is it passing hot in that +country.</p> +<p>In Ethiopia all the rivers and all the waters be trouble, and +they be somedeal salt for the great heat that is there. And +the folk of that country be lightly drunken and have but little +appetite to meat. And they have commonly the flux of the +womb. And they live not long. In Ethiopia be many +diverse folk; and Ethiope is clept Cusis. In that country +be folk that have but one foot, and they go so blyve that it is +marvel. And the foot is so large, that it shadoweth all the +body against the sun, when they will lie and rest them. In +Ethiopia, when the children be young and little, they be all +yellow; and, when that they wax of age, that yellowness turneth +to be all black. In Ethiopia is the city of Saba, and the +land of the which one of the three kings that presented our Lord +in Bethlehem, was king of.</p> +<p>From Ethiopia men go into Ind by many diverse countries. +And men clepe the high Ind, Emlak. And Ind is divided in +three principal parts; that is, the more that is a full hot +country; and Ind the less, that is a full attempre country, that +stretcheth to the land of Media; and the three part toward the +septentrion is full cold, so that, for pure cold and continual +frost, the water becometh crystal. And upon those rocks of +crystal grow the good diamonds that be of trouble colour. +Yellow <a name="page106"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +106</span>crystal draweth colour like oil. And they be so +hard, that no man may polish them. And men clepe them +diamonds in that country, and <i>Hamese</i> in another +country. Other diamonds men find in Arabia that be not so +good, and they be more brown and more tender. And other +diamonds also men find in the isle of Cyprus, that be yet more +tender, and them men may well polish. And in the land of +Macedonia men find diamonds also. But the best and the most +precious be in Ind.</p> +<p>And men find many times hard diamonds in a mass that cometh +out of gold, when men pure it and refine it out of the mine; when +men break that mass in small pieces, and sometime it happens that +men find some as great as a peas and some less, and they be as +hard as those of Ind.</p> +<p>And albeit that men find good diamonds in Ind, yet +nevertheless men find them more commonly upon the rocks in the +sea and upon hills where the mine of gold is. And they grow +many together, one little, another great. And there be some +of the greatness of a bean and some as great as an hazel +nut. And they be square and pointed of their own kind, both +above and beneath, without working of man’s hand. And +they grow together, male and female. And they be nourished +with the dew of heaven. And they engender commonly and +bring forth small children, that multiply and grow all the +year. I have often-times assayed, that if a man keep them +with a little of the rock and wet them with May-dew oft-sithes, +they shall grow every year, and the small will wax great. +For right as the fine pearl congealeth and waxeth great of the +dew of heaven, right so doth the very diamond; and right as the +pearl of his own kind taketh roundness, right so the diamond, by +virtue of God, taketh squareness. And men shall bear the +diamond on his left side, for it is of greater virtue then, than +on the right side; for the strength of their growing is toward +the north, that is the left side of the world, and the left part +of man is when he turneth his face toward the east.</p> +<p>And if you like to know the virtues of the diamond, (as men +may find in <i>The Lapidary</i> that many men know not), <a +name="page107"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 107</span>I shall +tell you, as they beyond the sea say and affirm, of whom all +science and all philosophy cometh from. He that beareth the +diamond upon him, it giveth him hardiness and manhood, and it +keepeth the limbs of his body whole. It giveth him victory +of his enemies in plea and in war, if his cause be +rightful. And it keepeth him that beareth it in good +wit. And it keepeth him from strife and riot, from evil +swevens from sorrows and from enchantments, and from fantasies +and illusions of wicked spirits. And if any cursed witch or +enchanter would bewitch him that beareth the diamond, all that +sorrow and mischance shall turn to himself through virtue of that +stone. And also no wild beast dare assail the man that +beareth it on him. Also the diamond should be given freely, +without coveting and without buying, and then it is of greater +virtue. And it maketh a man more strong and more sad +against his enemies. And it healeth him that is lunatic, +and them that the fiend pursueth or travaileth. And if +venom or poison be brought in presence of the diamond, anon it +beginneth to wax moist and for to sweat.</p> +<p>There be also diamonds in Ind that be clept violastres, (for +their colour is like violet, or more brown than the violets), +that be full hard and full precious. But yet some men love +not them so well as the other; but, in sooth, to me, I would love +them as much as the other, for I have seen them assayed.</p> +<p>Also there is another manner of diamonds that be as white as +crystal, but they be a little more trouble. And they be +good and of great virtue, and all they be square and pointed of +their own kind. And some be six squared, some four squared, +and some three as nature shapeth them. And therefore when +great lords and knights go to seek worship in arms, they bear +gladly the diamond upon them.</p> +<p>I shall speak a little more of the diamonds, although I tarry +my matter for a time, to the end, that they that know them not, +be not deceived by gabbers that go by the country, that sell +them. For whoso will buy the diamond it is needful to him +that he know them. Because that men counterfeit them often +of crystal that is yellow and of <a name="page108"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 108</span>sapphires of citron colour that is +yellow also, and of the sapphire loupe and of many other +stones. But I tell you these counterfeits be not so hard; +and also the points will break lightly, and men may easily polish +them. But some workmen, for malice, will not polish them; +to that intent, to make men believe that they may not be +polished. But men may assay them in this manner. +First shear with them or write with them in sapphires, in crystal +or in other precious stones. After that, men take the +adamant, that is the shipman’s stone, that draweth the +needle to him, and men lay the diamond upon the adamant, and lay +the needle before the adamant; and, if the diamond be good and +virtuous, the adamant draweth not the needle to him whiles the +diamond is there present. And this is the proof that they +beyond the sea make.</p> +<p>Natheles it befalleth often-time, that the good diamond loseth +his virtue by sin, and for incontinence of him that beareth +it. And then it is needful to make it to recover his virtue +again, or else it is of little value.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the customs of Isles about +Ind</i>. <i>Of the difference betwixt Idols and +Simulacres</i>. <i>Of three manner growing of Pepper upon +one tree</i>. <i>Of the Well that changeth his odour every +hour of the day</i>; <i>and that is marvel</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">In</span> Ind be full many diverse +countries. And it is clept Ind, for a flom that runneth +throughout the country that is clept Ind. In that flom men +find eels of thirty foot long and more. And the folk that +dwell nigh that water be of evil colour, green and yellow.</p> +<p>In Ind and about Ind be more than 5000 isles good and great +that men dwell in, without those that he inhabitable, and without +other small isles. In every isle is great plenty of cities, +and of towns, and of folk without number. For <a +name="page109"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 109</span>men of Ind +have this condition of kind, that they never go out of their own +country, and therefore is there great multitude of people. +But they be not stirring ne movable, because that they be in the +first climate, that is of Saturn; and Saturn is slow and little +moving, for he tarryeth to make his turn by the twelve signs +thirty year. And the moon passeth through the twelve signs +in one month. And for because that Saturn is of so late +stirring, therefore the folk of that country that be under his +climate have of kind no will for to move ne stir to seek strange +places. And in our country is all the contrary; for we be +in the seventh climate, that is of the moon. And the moon +is of lightly moving, and the moon is planet of way; and for that +skill it giveth us will of kind for to move lightly and for to go +divers ways, and to seek strange things and other diversities of +the world; for the moon environeth the earth more hastily than +any other planet.</p> +<p>Also men go through Ind by many diverse countries to the great +sea Ocean. And after, men find there an isle that is clept +Crues. And thither come merchants of Venice and Genoa, and +of other marches, for to buy merchandises. But there is so +great heat in those marches, and namely in that isle, that, for +the great distress of the heat, men’s ballocks hang down to +their knees for the great dissolution of the body. And men +of that country, that know the manner, let bind them up, or else +might they not live, and anoint them with ointments made +therefore, to hold them up.</p> +<p>In that country and in Ethiopia, and in many other countries, +the folk lie all naked in rivers and waters, men and women +together, from undern of the day till it be past the noon. +And they lie all in the water, save the visage, for the great +heat that there is. And the women have no shame of the men, +but lie all together, side to side, till the heat be past. +There may men see many foul figure assembled, and namely nigh the +good towns.</p> +<p>In that isle be ships without nails of iron or bonds, for the +rocks of the adamants, for they be all full thereabout in that +sea, that it is marvel to speak of. And if a ship <a +name="page110"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 110</span>passed by +those marches that had either iron bonds or iron nails, anon he +should be perished; for the adamant of his kind draweth the iron +to him. And so would it draw to him the ship because of the +iron, that he should never depart from it, ne never go +thence.</p> +<p>From that isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept +Chana, where is great plenty of corn and wine. And it was +wont to be a great isle, and a great haven and a good; but the +sea hath greatly wasted it and overcome it. The king of +that country was wont to be so strong and so mighty that he held +war against King Alexander.</p> +<p>The folk of that country have a diverse law. For some of +them worship the sun, some the moon, some the fire, some trees, +some serpents, or the first thing that they meet at morrow. +And some worship simulacres and some idols. But between +simulacres and idols is a great difference. For simulacres +be images made after likeness of men or of women, or of the sun, +or of the moon, or of any beast, or of any kindly thing. +And idols is an image made of lewd will of man, that man may not +find among kindly things, as an image that hath four heads, one +of a man, another of an horse or of an ox, or of some other +beast, that no man hath seen after kindly disposition.</p> +<p>And they that worship simulacres, they worship them for some +worthy man that was sometime, as Hercules, and many other that +did many marvels in their time. For they say well that they +be not gods; for they know well that there is a God of kind that +made all things, the which is in heaven. But they know well +that this may not do the marvels that he made, but if it had been +by the special gift of God; and therefore they say that he was +well with God, and for because that he was so well with God, +therefore they worship him. And so say they of the sun, +because that he changeth the time, and giveth heat, and +nourisheth all things upon earth; and for it is of so great +profit, they know well that that might not be, but that God +loveth it more than any other thing, and, for that skill, God +hath given it more great virtue in the world. Therefore, it +is good reason, as they say, to do it worship and +reverence. <a name="page111"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +111</span>And so say they, and make their reasons, of other +planets, and of the fire also, because it is so profitable.</p> +<p>And of idols they say also that the ox is the most holy beast +that is in earth and most patient, and more profitable than any +other. For he doth good enough and he doth no evil; and +they know well that it may not be without special grace of +God. And therefore make they their god of an ox the one +part, and the other half of a man. Because that man is the +most noble creature in earth, and also for he hath lordship above +all beasts, therefore make they the halvendel of idol of a man +upwards; and the tother half of an ox downwards, and of serpents, +and of other beasts and diverse things, that they worship, that +they meet first at morrow.</p> +<p>And they worship also specially all those that they have good +meeting of; and when they speed well in their journey, after +their meeting, and namely such as they have proved and assayed by +experience of long time; for they say that thilk good meeting ne +may not come but of the grace of God. And therefore they +make images like to those things that they have belief in, for to +behold them and worship them first at morning, or they meet any +contrarious things. And there be also some Christian men +that say, that some beasts have good meeting, that is to say for +to meet with them first at morrow, and some beasts wicked +meeting; and that they have proved oft-time that the hare hath +full evil meeting, and swine and many other beasts. And the +sparrow-hawk or other fowls of ravine, when they fly after their +prey and take it before men of arms, it is a good sign; and if he +fail of taking his prey, it is an evil sign. And also to +such folk, it is an evil meeting of ravens.</p> +<p>In these things and in such other, there be many folk that +believe; because it happeneth so often-time to fall after their +fantasies. And also there be men enough that have no belief +in them. And, sith that Christian men have such belief, +that be informed and taught all day by holy doctrine, wherein +they should believe, it is no marvel then, that the paynims, that +have no good doctrine but only of their nature, believe more +largely for their simplesse. <a name="page112"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 112</span>And truly I have seen of paynims and +Saracens that men clepe Augurs, that, when we ride in arms in +divers countries upon our enemies, by the flying of fowls they +would tell us the prognostications of things that fell after; and +so they did full oftentimes, and proffered their heads to-wedde, +but if it would fall as they said. But natheles, therefore +should not a man put his belief in such things, but always have +full trust and belief in God our sovereign Lord.</p> +<p>This isle of Chana the Saracens have won and hold. In +that isle be many lions and many other wild beasts. And +there be rats in that isle as great as hounds here; and men take +them with great mastiffs, for cats may not take them. In +this isle and many other men bury not no dead men, for the heat +is there so great, that in a little time the flesh will consume +from the bones.</p> +<p>From thence men go by sea toward Ind the more to a city, that +men clepe Sarche, that is a fair city and a good. And there +dwell many Christian men of good faith. And there be many +religious men, and namely of mendicants.</p> +<p>After go men by sea to the land of Lomb. In that land +groweth the pepper in the forest that men clepe Combar. And +it groweth nowhere else in all the world, but in that forest, and +that endureth well an eighteen journeys in length. In the +forest be two good cities; that one hight Fladrine and that other +Zinglantz, and in every of them dwell Christian men and Jews, +great plenty. For it is a good country and a plentiful, but +there is overmuch passing heat.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the pepper groweth in manner as +doth a wild vine that is planted fast by the trees of that wood +for to sustain it by, as doth the vine. And the fruit +thereof hangeth in manner as raisins. And the tree is so +thick charged, that it seemeth that it would break. And +when it is ripe it is all green, as it were ivy berries. +And then men cut them, as men do the vines, and then they put it +upon an oven, and there it waxeth black and crisp. And +there is three manner of pepper all upon one tree; long pepper, +black pepper and <a name="page113"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +113</span>white pepper. The long pepper men clepe +<i>Sorbotin</i>, and the black pepper is clept <i>Fulfulle</i>, +and the white pepper is clept <i>Bano</i>. The long pepper +cometh first when the leaf beginneth to come, and it is like the +cats of hazel that cometh before the leaf, and it hangeth +low. And after cometh the black with the leaf, in manner of +clusters of raisins, all green. And when men have gathered +it, then cometh the white that is somedeal less than the +black. And of that men bring but little into this country; +for they beyond withhold it for themselves, because it is better +and more attempre in kind than the black. And therefore is +there not so great plenty as of the black.</p> +<p>In that country be many manner of serpents and of other vermin +for the great heat of the country and of the pepper. And +some men say, that when they will gather the pepper, they make +fire, and burn about to make the serpents and the cockodrills to +flee. But save their grace of all that say so. For if +they burnt about the trees that bear, the pepper should be burnt, +and it would dry up all the virtue, as of any other thing; and +then they did themselves much harm, and they should never quench +the fire. But thus they do: they anoint their hands and +their feet [with a juice] made of snails and of other things made +therefore, of the which the serpents and the venomous beasts hate +and dread the savour; and that maketh them flee before them, +because of the smell, and then they gather it surely enough.</p> +<p>Also toward the head of that forest is the city of +Polombe. And above the city is a great mountain that also +is clept Polombe. And of that mount the city hath his +name.</p> +<p>And at the foot of that mount is a fair well and a great, that +hath odour and savour of all spices. And at every hour of +the day he changeth his odour and his savour diversely. And +whoso drinketh three times fasting of that water of that well he +is whole of all manner sickness that he hath. And they that +dwell there and drink often of that well they never have +sickness; and they seem always young. I have drunken +thereof three or four sithes, and yet, methinketh, I fare the +better. Some men <a name="page114"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 114</span>clepe it the well of youth. +For they that often drink thereof seem always young-like, and +live without sickness. And men say, that that well cometh +out of Paradise, and therefore it is so virtuous.</p> +<p>By all that country groweth good ginger, and therefore thither +go the merchants for spicery.</p> +<p>In that land men worship the ox for his simpleness and for his +meekness, and for the profit that cometh of him. And they +say, that he is the holiest beast in earth. For them +seemeth, that whosoever be meek and patient, he is holy and +profitable; for then, they say, he hath all virtues in him. +They make the ox to labour six year or seven, and then they eat +him. And the king of the country hath alway an ox with +him. And he that keepeth him hath every day great fees, and +keepeth every day his dung and his urine in two vessels of gold, +and bring it before their prelate that they clepe +Archi-protopapaton. And he beareth it before the king and +maketh there over a great blessing. And then the king +wetteth his hands there, in that they clepe gall, and anointeth +his front and his breast. And after, he froteth him with +the dung and with the urine with great reverence, for to be +fullfilled of virtues of the ox and made holy by the virtue of +that holy thing that nought is worth. And when the king +hath done, then do the lords; and after them their ministers and +other men, if they may have any remenant.</p> +<p>In that country they make idols, half man half ox. And +in those idols evil spirits speak and give answer to men of what +is asked them. Before these idols men slay their children +many times, and spring the blood upon the idols; and so they make +their sacrifice.</p> +<p>And when any man dieth in the country they burn his body in +name of penance; to that intent, that he suffer no pain in earth +to be eaten of worms. And if his wife have no child they +burn her with him, and say, that it is reason, that she make him +company in that other world as she did in this. But and she +have children with him, they let her live with them, to bring +them up if she will. And if that she love more to live with +her children than for to die <a name="page115"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 115</span>with her husband, men hold her for +false and cursed; ne she shall never be loved ne trusted of the +people. And if the woman die, before the husband, men burn +him with her, if that he will; and if he will not, no man +constraineth him thereto, but he may wed another time without +blame or reproof.</p> +<p>In that country grow many strong vines. And the women +drink wine, and men not. And the women shave their beards, +and the men not.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Dooms made by St. Thomas’s +hand</i>. <i>Of devotion and sacrifice made to Idols +there</i>, <i>in the city of Calamye</i>; <i>and of the +Procession in going about the city</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">From</span> that country men pass by many +marches toward a country, a ten journeys thence, that is clept +Mabaron; and it is a great kingdom, and it hath many fair cities +and towns.</p> +<p>In that kingdom lieth the body of Saint Thomas the apostle in +flesh and bone, in a fair tomb in the city of Calamye; for there +he was martyred and buried. And men of Assyria bare his +body into Mesopotamia into the city of Edessa, and after, he was +brought thither again. And the arm and the hand that he put +in our Lord’s side, when he appeared to him after his +resurrection and said to him, <i>Noli esse incredulus</i>, <i>sed +fidelis</i>, is yet lying in a vessel without the tomb. And +by that hand they make all their judgments in the country, whoso +hath right or wrong. For when there is any dissension +between two parties, and every of them maintaineth his cause, and +saith that his cause is rightful, and that other saith the +contrary, then both parties write their causes in two bills and +put them in the hand of Saint Thomas. And anon he casteth +away the bill of the wrong cause and holdeth still the <a +name="page116"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 116</span>bill with +the right cause. And therefore men come from far countries +to have judgment of doubtable causes. And other judgment +use they none there.</p> +<p>Also the church, where Saint Thomas’ lieth, is both +great and fair, and all full of great simulacres, and those be +great images that they clepe their gods, of the which the least +is as great as two men.</p> +<p>And, amongst these other, there is a great image more than any +of the other, that is all covered with fine gold and precious +stones and rich pearls; and that idol is the god of false +Christians that have reneyed their faith. And it sitteth in +a chair of gold, full nobly arrayed, and he hath about his neck +large girdles wrought of gold and precious stones and +pearls. And this church is full richly wrought and, all +overgilt within. And to that idol go men on pilgrimage, as +commonly and with as great devotion as Christian men go to Saint +James, or other holy pilgrimages. And many folk that come +from far lands to seek that idol for the great devotion that they +have, they look never upward, but evermore down to the earth, for +dread to see anything about them that should let them of their +devotion. And some there be that go on pilgrimage to this +idol, that bear knives in their hands, that be made full keen and +sharp; and always as they go, they smite themselves in their arms +and in their legs and in their thighs with many hideous wounds; +and so they shed their blood for love of that idol. And +they say, that he is blessed and holy, that dieth so for love of +his god. And other there be that lead their children for to +slay, to make sacrifice to that idol; and after they have slain +them they spring the blood upon the idol. And some there be +that come from far; and in going toward this idol, at every third +pace that they go from their house, they kneel; and so continue +till they come thither: and when they come there, they take +incense and other aromatic things of noble smell, and cense the +idol, as we would do here God’s precious body. And so +come folk to worship this idol, some from an hundred mile, and +some from many more.</p> +<p><a name="page117"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 117</span>And +before the minster of this idol, is a vivary, in manner of a +great lake, full of water. And therein pilgrims cast gold +and silver, pearls and precious stones without number, instead of +offerings. And when the minister of that church need to +make any reparation of the church or of any of the idols, they +take gold and silver, pearls and precious stones out of the +vivary, to quit the costage of such thing as they make or repair; +so that that nothing is faulty, but anon it shall be +amended. And ye shall understand, that when [there be] +great feasts and solemnities of that idol, as the dedication of +the church and the throning of the idol, all the country about +meet there together. And they set this idol upon a car with +great reverence, well arrayed with cloths of gold, of rich cloths +of Tartary, of Camaka, and other precious cloths. And they +lead him about the city with great solemnity. And before +the car go first in procession all the maidens of the country, +two and two together full ordinatly. And after those +maidens go the pilgrims. And some of them fall down under +the wheels of the car, and let the car go over them, so that they +be dead anon. And some have their arms or their limbs all +to-broken, and some the sides. And all this do they for +love of their god, in great devotion. And them thinketh +that the more pain, and the more tribulation that they suffer for +love of their god, the more joy they shall have in another +world. And, shortly to say you, they suffer so great pains, +and so hard martyrdoms for love of their idol, that a Christian +man, I trow, durst not take upon him the tenth part the pain for +love of our Lord Jesu Christ. And after, I say you, before +the car, go all the minstrels of the country without number, with +diverse instruments, and they make all the melody that they +can.</p> +<p>And when they have gone all about the city, then they return +again to the minster, and put the idol again into his +place. And then for the love and in worship of that idol, +and for the reverence of the feast, they slay themselves, a two +hundred or three hundred persons, with sharp knives, of the which +they bring the bodies before the idol. And <a +name="page118"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 118</span>then they +say that those be saints, because that they slew themselves of +their own good will for love of their idol. And as men here +that had an holy saint of his kin would think that it were to +them an high worship, right so then, thinketh there. And as +men here devoutly would write holy saints’ lives and their +miracles, and sue for their canonizations, right so do they there +for them that slay themselves wilfully for love of their idol, +and say, that they be glorious martyrs and saints, and put them +in their writings and in their litanies, and avaunt them greatly, +one to another, of their holy kinsmen that so become saints, and +say, I have more holy saints in my kindred, than thou in +thine!</p> +<p>And the custom also there is this, that when they that have +such devotion and intent for to slay himself for love of his god, +they send for all their friends, and have great plenty of +minstrels; and they go before the idol leading him that will slay +himself for such devotion between them, with great +reverence. And he, all naked, hath a full sharp knife in +his hand, and he cutteth a great piece of his flesh, and casteth +it in the face of his idol, saying his orisons, recommending him +to his god. And then he smiteth himself and maketh great +wounds and deep, here and there, till he fall down dead. +And then his friends present his body to the idol. And then +they say, singing, Holy god! behold what thy true servant hath +done for thee. He hath forsaken his wife and his children +and his riches, and all the goods of the world and his own life +for the love of thee, and to make thee sacrifice of his flesh and +of his blood. Wherefore, holy god, put him among thy best +beloved saints in thy bliss of paradise, for he hath well +deserved it. And then they make a great fire, and burn the +body. And then everych of his friends take a quantity of +the ashes, and keep them instead of relics, and say that it is +holy thing. And they have no dread of no peril whiles they +have those holy ashes upon them. And [they] put his name in +their litanies as a saint.</p> +<h2><a name="page119"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +119</span>CHAPTER XX</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the evil customs used in the Isle of +Lamary</i>. <i>And how the earth and the sea be of round +form and shape</i>, <i>by proof of the star that is clept +Antarctic</i>, <i>that is fixed in the south</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">From</span> that country go men by the sea +ocean, and by many divers isles and by many countries that were +too long for to tell of. And a fifty-two journeys from this +land that I have spoken of, there is another land, that is full +great, that men clepe Lamary. In that land is full great +heat. And the custom there is such, that men and women go +all naked. And they scorn when they see any strange folk +going clothed. And they say, that God made Adam and Eve all +naked, and that no man should shame him to shew him such as God +made him, for nothing is foul that is of kindly nature. And +they say, that they that be clothed be folk of another world, or +they be folk that trow not in God. And they say, that they +believe in God that formed the world, and that made Adam and Eve +and all other things. And they wed there no wives, for all +the women there be common and they forsake no man. And they +say they sin if they refuse any man; and so God commanded to Adam +and Eve and to all that come of him, when he said, <i>Crescite et +multiplicamini et replete terram</i>. And therefore may no +man in that country say, This is my wife; ne no woman may say, +This my husband. And when they have children, they may give +them to what man they will that hath companied with them. +And also all the land is common; for all that a man holdeth one +year, another man hath it another year; and every man taketh what +part that him liketh. And also all the goods of the land be +common, corns and all other things: for nothing there is kept in +close, ne nothing there is under lock, and every man there taketh +what he will without any contradiction, and as rich is one man +there as is another.</p> +<p><a name="page120"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 120</span>But +in that country there is a cursed custom, for they eat more +gladly man’s flesh than any other flesh; and yet is that +country abundant of flesh, of fish, of corns, of gold and silver, +and of all other goods. Thither go merchants and bring with +them children to sell to them of the country, and they buy +them. And if they be fat they eat them anon. And if +they be lean they feed them till they be fat, and then they eat +them. And they say, that it is the best flesh and the +sweetest of all the world.</p> +<p>In that land, ne in many other beyond that, no man may see the +Star Transmontane, that is clept the Star of the Sea, that is +unmovable and that is toward the north, that we clepe the +Lode-star. But men see another star, the contrary to him, +that is toward the south, that is clept Antartic. And right +as the ship-men take their advice here and govern them by the +Lode-star, right so do ship-men beyond those parts by the star of +the south, the which star appeareth not to us. And this +star that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star, ne +appeareth not to them. For which cause men may well +perceive, that the land and the sea be of round shape and form; +for the part of the firmament sheweth in one country that sheweth +not in another country. And men may well prove by +experience and subtle compassment of wit, that if a man found +passages by ships that would go to search the world, men might go +by ship all about the world and above and beneath.</p> +<p>The which thing I prove thus after that I have seen. For +I have been toward the parts of Brabant, and beholden the +Astrolabe that the star that is clept the Transmontane is +fifty-three degrees high; and more further in Almayne and Bohemia +it hath fifty-eight degrees; and more further toward the parts +septentrional it is sixty-two degrees of height and certain +minutes; for I myself have measured it by the Astrolabe. +Now shall ye know, that against the Transmontane is the tother +star that is clept Antarctic, as I have said before. And +those two stars ne move never, and by them turneth all the +firmament right as doth a wheel that turneth by his +axle-tree. So that those stars bear the firmament in two +equal parts, so that it hath as much <a name="page121"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 121</span>above as it hath beneath. +After this, I have gone toward the parts meridional, that is, +toward the south, and I have found that in Lybia men see first +the star Antarctic. And so far I have gone more further in +those countries, that I have found that star more high; so that +toward the High Lybia it is eighteen degrees of height and +certain minutes (of the which sixty minutes make a degree). +After going by sea and by land toward this country of that I have +spoken, and to other isles and lands beyond that country, I have +found the Star Antarctic of thirty-three degrees of height and +more minutes. And if I had had company and shipping for to +go more beyond, I trow well, in certain, that we should have seen +all the roundness of the firmament all about. For, as I +have said to you before, the half of the firmament is between +those two stars, the which halvendel I have seen. And of +the tother halvendel I have seen, toward the north under the +Transmontane, sixty-two degrees and ten minutes, and toward the +part meridional I have seen under the Antarctic, thirty-three +degrees and sixteen minutes. And then, the halvendel of the +firmament in all holdeth not but nine score degrees. And of +those nine score, I have seen sixty-two on that one part and +thirty-three on that other part; that be, ninety-five degrees and +nigh the halvendel of a degree. And so, there ne faileth +but that I have seen all the firmament, save four score and four +degrees and the halvendel of a degree, and that is not the fourth +part of the firmament; for the fourth part of the roundness of +the firmament holds four score and ten degrees, so there faileth +but five degrees and an half of the fourth part. And also I +have seen the three parts of all the roundness of the firmament +and more yet five degrees and a half. By the which I say +you certainly that men may environ all the earth of all the +world, as well under as above, and turn again to his country, +that had company and shipping and conduct. And always he +should find men, lands and isles, as well as in this +country. For ye wit well, that they that be toward the +Antarctic, they be straight, feet against feet, of them that +dwell under the Transmontane; also well as we and <a +name="page122"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 122</span>they that +dwell under us be feet against feet. For all the parts of +sea and of land have their opposites, habitable trepassable, and +they of this half and beyond half.</p> +<p>And wit well, that, after that that I may perceive and +comprehend, the lands of Prester John, Emperor of Ind, be under +us. For in going from Scotland or from England toward +Jerusalem men go upward always. For our land is in the low +part of the earth toward the west, and the land of Prester John +is in the low part of the earth toward the east. And [they] +have there the day when we have the night; and also, high to the +contrary, they have the night when we have the day. For the +earth and the sea be of round form and shape, as I have said +before; and that that men go upward to one coast, men go downward +to another coast.</p> +<p>Also ye have heard me say that Jerusalem is in the midst of +the world. And that may men prove, and shew there by a +spear, that is pight into the earth, upon the hour of midday, +when it is equinox, that sheweth no shadow on no side. And +that it should be in the midst of the world, David witnesseth it +in the Psalter, where he saith, <i>Deus operatus est salutem in +media terrae</i>. Then, they, that part from those parts of +the west for to go toward Jerusalem, as many journeys as they go +upward for to go thither, in as many journeys may they go from +Jerusalem unto other confines of the superficiality of the earth +beyond. And when men go beyond those journeys toward Ind +and to the foreign isles, all is environing the roundness of the +earth and of the sea under our countries on this half.</p> +<p>And therefore hath it befallen many times of one thing that I +have heard counted when I was young, how a worthy man departed +some-time from our countries for to go search the world. +And so he passed Ind and the isles beyond Ind, where be more than +5000 isles. And so long he went by sea and land, and so +environed the world by many seasons, that he found an isle where +he heard speak his own language, calling on oxen in the plough, +such words as men speak to beasts in his own country <a +name="page123"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 123</span>whereof he +had great marvel, for he knew not how it might be. But I +say, that he had gone so long by land and by sea, that he had +environed all the earth; that he was come again environing, that +is to say, going about, unto his own marches, and if he would +have passed further, till he had found his country and his own +knowledge. But he turned again from thence, from whence he +was come from. And so he lost much painful labour, as +himself said a great while after that he was come home. For +it befell after, that he went into Norway. And there +tempest of the sea took him, and he arrived in an isle. +And, when he was in that isle, he knew well that it was the isle, +where he had heard speak his own language before and the calling +of oxen at the plough; and that was possible thing.</p> +<p>But how it seemeth to simple men unlearned, that men ne may +not go under the earth, and also that men should fall toward the +heaven from under. But that may not be, upon less than we +may fall toward heaven from the earth where we be. For from +what part of the earth that men dwell, either above or beneath, +it seemeth always to them that dwell that they go more right than +any other folk. And right as it seemeth to us that they be +under us, right so it seemeth to them that we be under +them. For if a man might fall from the earth unto the +firmament, by greater, reason the earth and the sea that be so +great and so heavy should fall to the firmament: but that may not +be, and therefore saith our Lord God, <i>Non timeas me</i>, +<i>qui suspendi terram ex nihilo</i>?</p> +<p>And albeit that it be possible thing that men may so environ +all the world, natheles, of a thousand persons, one ne might not +happen to return into his country. For, for the greatness +of the earth and of the sea, men may go by a thousand and a +thousand other ways, that no man could ready him perfectly toward +the parts that he came from, but if it were by adventure and hap, +or by the grace of God. For the earth is full large and +full great, and holds in roundness and about environ, by above +and by beneath, 20425 miles, after the opinion of old wise <a +name="page124"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +124</span>astronomers; and their sayings I reprove nought. +But, after my little wit, it seemeth me, saving their reverence, +that it is more.</p> +<p>And for to have better understanding I say thus. Be +there imagined a figure that hath a great compass. And, +about the point of the great compass that is clept the centre, be +made another little compass. Then after, be the great +compass devised by lines in many parts, and that all the lines +meet at the centre. So, that in as many parts as the great +compass shall be departed, in as many shall be departed the +little, that is about the centre, albeit that the spaces be +less. Now then, be the great compass represented for the +firmament, and the little compass represented for the +earth. Now then, the firmament is devised by astronomers in +twelve signs, and every sign is devised in thirty degrees; that +is, 360 degrees that the firmament hath above. Also, be the +earth devised in as many parts as the firmament, and let every +part answer to a degree of the firmament. And wit it well, +that, after the authors of astronomy, 700 furlongs of earth +answer to a degree of the firmament, and those be eighty-seven +miles and four furlongs. Now be that here multiplied by 360 +sithes, and then they be 31,500 miles every of eight furlongs, +after miles of our country. So much hath the earth in +roundness and of height environ, after mine opinion and mine +understanding.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that after the opinion of old wise +philosophers and astronomers, our country ne Ireland ne Wales ne +Scotland ne Norway ne the other isles coasting to them ne be not +in the superficiality counted above the earth, as it sheweth by +all the books of astronomy. For the superficiality of the +earth is parted in seven parts for the seven planets, and those +parts be clept climates. And our parts be not of the seven +climates, for they be descending toward the west +†[drawing] towards the roundness of the world. +†And also these isles of Ind which be even against us be +not reckoned in the climates. For they be against us that +be in the low country. And the seven climates stretch them +environing the world.</p> +<h2><a name="page125"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +125</span>CHAPTER XXI</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Palace of the King of the Isle of +Java</i>. <i>Of the Trees that bear meal</i>, <i>honey</i>, +<i>wine</i>, <i>and venom</i>; <i>and of other marvels and +customs used in the Isles marching thereabout</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Beside</span> that isle that I have spoken +of, there is another isle that is clept Sumobor. That is a +great isle, and the king thereof is right mighty. The folk +of that isle make them always to be marked in the visage with an +hot iron, both men and women, for great noblesse, for to be known +from other folk; for they hold themselves most noble and most +worthy of all the world. And they have war always with the +folk that go all naked.</p> +<p>And fast beside is another isle, that is clept Betemga, that +is a good isle and a plenteous. And many other isles be +thereabout, where there be many of diverse folk, of the which it +were too long to speak of all.</p> +<p>But fast beside that isle, for to pass by sea, is a great isle +and a great country that men clepe Java. And it is nigh two +thousand mile in circuit. And the king of that country is a +full great lord and a rich and a mighty, and hath under him seven +other kings of seven other isles about him. This isle is +full well inhabited, and full well manned. There grow all +manner of spicery, more plenteously than in any other country, as +of ginger, cloves-gilofre, canell, seedwall, nutmegs and +maces. And wit well, that the nutmeg beareth the maces; for +right as the nut of the hazel hath an husk without, that the nut +is closed in till it be ripe and that after falleth out, right so +it is of the nutmeg and of the maces. Many other spices and +many other goods grow in that isle. For of all things is +there plenty, save only of wine. But there is gold and +silver, great plenty.</p> +<p>And the king of that country hath a palace full noble and full +marvellous, and more rich than any in the world. For all +the degrees to go up into halls and chambers be, <a +name="page126"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 126</span>one of +gold, another of silver. And also, the pavements of halls +and chambers be all square, of gold one, and another of +silver. And all the walls within be covered with gold and +silver in fine plates, and in those plates be stories and battles +of knights enleved, and the crowns and the circles about their +heads be made of precious stones and rich pearls and great. +And the halls and the chambers of the palace be all covered +within with gold and silver, so that no man would trow the riches +of that palace but he had seen it. And wit well, that the +king of that isle is so mighty, that he hath many times overcome +the great Chan of Cathay in battle, that is the most great +emperor that is under the firmament either beyond the sea or on +this half. For they have had often-time war between them, +because that the great Chan would constrain him to hold his land +of him; but that other at all times defendeth him well against +him.</p> +<p>After that isle, in going by sea, men find another isle, good +and great, that men clepe Pathen, that is a great kingdom full of +fair cities and full of towns. In that land grow trees that +bear meal, whereof men make good bread and white and of good +savour; and it seemeth as it were of wheat, but it is not +allinges of such savour. And there be other trees that bear +honey good and sweet, and other trees that bear venom, against +the which there is no medicine but [one]; and that is to take +their proper leaves and stamp them and temper them with water and +then drink it, and else he shall die; for triacle will not avail, +ne none other medicine. Of this venom the Jews had let seek +of one of their friends for to empoison all Christianity, as I +have heard them say in their confession before their dying: but +thanked be Almighty God! they failed of their purpose; but always +they make great mortality of people. And other trees there +be also that bear wine of noble sentiment. And if you like +to hear how the meal cometh out of the trees I shall say +you. Men hew the trees with an hatchet, all about the foot +of the tree, till that the bark be parted in many parts, and then +cometh out thereof a thick liquor, the which they receive in +vessels, and dry it at the heat of <a name="page127"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 127</span>the sun; and then they have it to a +mill to grind and it becometh fair meal and white. And the +honey and the wine and the venom be drawn out of other trees in +the same manner, and put in vessels for to keep.</p> +<p>In that isle is a dead sea, that is a lake that hath no +ground; and if anything fall into that lake it shall never come +up again. In that lake grow reeds, that be canes, that they +clepe Thaby, that be thirty fathoms long; and of these canes men +make fair houses. And there be other canes that be not so +long, that grow near the land and have so long roots that endure +well a four quarters of a furlong or more; and at the knots of +those roots men find precious stones that have great +virtues. And he that beareth any of them upon him, iron ne +steel may not hurt him, ne draw no blood upon him; and therefore, +they that have those stones upon them fight full hardily both on +sea and land, for men may not harm [them] on no part. And +therefore, they that know the manner, and shall fight with them, +they shoot to them arrows and quarrels without iron or steel, and +so they hurt them and slay them. And also of those canes +they make houses and ships and other things, as we have here, +making houses and ships of oak or of any other trees. And +deem no man that I say it but for a trifle, for I have seen of +the canes with mine own eyes, full many times, lying upon the +river of that lake, of the which twenty of our fellows ne might +not lift up ne bear one to the earth.</p> +<p>After this isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept +Calonak. And it is a fair land and a plenteous of +goods. And the king of that country hath as many wives as +he will. For he maketh search all the country to get him +the fairest maidens that may be found, and maketh them to be +brought before him. And he taketh one one night, and +another another night, and so forth continually suing; so that he +hath a thousand wives or more. And he lieth never but one +night with one of them, and another night with another; but if +that one happen to be more lusty to his pleasance than +another. And therefore the king getteth full many children, +some-time an hundred, some-time a two-hundred, <a +name="page128"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 128</span>and +some-time more. And he hath also into a 14,000 elephants or +more that he maketh for to be brought up amongst his villains by +all his towns. For in case that he had any war against any +other king about him, then [he] maketh certain men of arms for to +go up into the castles of tree made for the war, that craftily be +set upon the elephants’ backs, for to fight against their +enemies. And so do other kings there-about. For the +manner of war is not there as it is here or in other countries, +ne the ordinance of war neither. And men clepe the +elephants <i>Warkes</i>.</p> +<p>And in that isle there is a great marvel, more to speak of +than in any other part of the world. For all manner of +fishes, that be there in the sea about them, come once in the +year—each manner of diverse fishes, one manner of kind +after other. And they cast themselves to the sea bank of +that isle so great plenty and multitude, that no man may unnethe +see but fish. And there they abide three days. And +every man of the country taketh of them as many as him +liketh. And after, that manner of fish after the third day +departeth and goeth into the sea. And after them come +another multitude of fish of another kind and do in the same +manner as the first did, other three days. And after them +another, till all the diverse manner of fishes have been there, +and that men have taken of them that them liketh. And no +man knoweth the cause wherefore it may be. But they of the +country say that it is for to do reverence to their king, that is +the most worthy king that is in the world as they say; because +that he fulfilleth the commandment that God bade to Adam and Eve, +when God said, <i>Crescite et multiplicamini et replete +terram</i>. And for because that he multiplieth so the +world with children, therefore God sendeth him so the fishes of +diverse kinds of all that be in the sea, to take at his will for +him and all his people. And therefore all the fishes of the +sea come to make him homage as the most noble and excellent king +of the world, and that is best beloved with God, as they +say. I know not the reason, why it is, but God knoweth; but +this, me-seemeth, is the most <a name="page129"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 129</span>marvel that ever I saw. For +this marvel is against kind and not with kind, that the fishes +that have freedom to environ all the coasts of the sea at their +own list, come of their own will to proffer them to the death, +without constraining of man. And therefore, I am siker that +this may not be, without a great token.</p> +<p>There be also in that country a kind of snails that be so +great, that many persons may lodge them in their shells, as men +would do in a little house. And other snails there be that +be full great but not so huge as the other. And of these +snails, and of great white worms that have black heads that be as +great as a man’s thigh, and some less as great worms that +men find there in woods, men make viand royal for the king and +for other great lords. And if a man that is married die in +that country, men bury his wife with him all quick; for men say +there, that it is reason that she make him company in that other +world as she did in this.</p> +<p>From that country men go by the sea ocean by an isle that is +clept Caffolos. Men of that country when their friends be +sick they hang them upon trees, and say that it is better that +birds, that be angels of God, eat them, than the foul worms of +the earth.</p> +<p>From that isle men go to another isle, where the folk be of +full cursed kind. For they nourish great dogs and teach +them to strangle their friends when they be sick. For they +will not that they die of kindly death. For they say, that +they should suffer too great pain if they abide to die by +themselves, as nature would. And, when they be thus +enstrangled, they eat their flesh instead of venison.</p> +<p>Afterward men go by many isles by sea unto an isle that men +clepe Milke. And there is a full cursed people. For +they delight in nothing more than for to fight and to slay +men. And they drink gladliest man’s blood, the which +they clepe Dieu. And the more men that a man may slay, the +more worship he hath amongst them. And if two persons be at +debate and, peradventure, be accorded by their friends or by some +of their alliance, it behoveth that <a name="page130"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 130</span>every of them that shall be accorded +drink of other’s blood: and else the accord ne the alliance +is nought worth: ne it shall not be no reproof to him to break +the alliance and the accord, but if every of them drink of +others’ blood.</p> +<p>And from that isle men go by sea, from isle to isle, unto an +isle that is clept Tracoda, where the folk of that country be as +beasts, and unreasonable, and dwell in caves that they make in +the earth; for they have no wit to make them houses. And +when they see any man passing through their countries they hide +them in their caves. And they eat flesh of serpents, and +they eat but little. And they speak nought, but they hiss +as serpents do. And they set no price by no avoir ne +riches, but only of a precious stone, that is amongst them, that +is of sixty colours. And for the name of the isle, they +clepe it Tracodon. And they love more that stone than +anything else; and yet they know not the virtue thereof, but they +covet it and love it only for the beauty.</p> +<p>After that isle men go by the sea ocean, by many isles, unto +an isle that is clept Nacumera, that is a great isle and good and +fair. And it is in compass about, more than a thousand +mile. And all the men and women of that isle have +hounds’ heads, and they be clept Cynocephales. And +they be full reasonable and of good understanding, save that they +worship an ox for their God. And also every one of them +beareth an ox of gold or of silver in his forehead, in token that +they love well their God. And they go all naked save a +little clout, that they cover with their knees and their +members. They be great folk and well-fighting. And +they have a great targe that covereth all the body, and a spear +in their hand to fight with. And if they take any man in +battle, anon they eat him.</p> +<p>The king of that isle is full rich and full mighty and right +devout after his law. And he hath about his neck 300 pearls +orient, good and great and knotted, as paternosters here of +amber. And in manner as we say our <i>Pater Noster</i> and +our <i>Ave Maria</i>, counting the <i>Pater Nosters</i>, right so +this king saith every day devoutly 300 <a +name="page131"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 131</span>prayers to +his God, or that he eat. And he beareth also about his neck +a ruby orient, noble and fine, that is a foot of length and five +fingers large. And, when they choose their king, they take +him that ruby to bear in his hand; and so they lead him, riding +all about the city. And from thence-fromward they be all +obeissant to him. And that ruby he shall bear always about +his neck, for if he had not that ruby upon him men would not hold +him for king. The great Chan of Cathay hath greatly coveted +that ruby, but he might never have it for war, ne for no manner +of goods. This king is so rightful and of equity in his +dooms, that men may go sikerly throughout all his country and +bear with them what them list; that no man shall be hardy to rob +them, and if he were, the king would justified anon.</p> +<p>From this land men go to another isle that is clept +Silha. And it is well a 800 miles about. In that land +is full much waste, for it is full of serpents, of dragons and of +cockodrills, that no man dare dwell there. These +cockodrills be serpents, yellow and rayed above, and have four +feet and short thighs, and great nails as claws or talons. +And there be some that have five fathoms in length, and some of +six and of eight and of ten. And when they go by places +that be gravelly, it seemeth as though men had drawn a great tree +through the gravelly place. And there be also many wild +beasts, and namely of elephants.</p> +<p>In that isle is a great mountain. And in mid place of +the mount is a great lake in a full fair plain; and there is +great plenty of water. And they of the country say, that +Adam and Eve wept upon that mount an hundred year, when they were +driven out of Paradise, and that water, they say, is of their +tears; for so much water they wept, that made the foresaid +lake. And in the bottom of that lake men find many precious +stones and great pearls. In that lake grow many reeds and +great canes; and there within be many cocodrills and serpents and +great water-leeches. And the king of that country, once +every year, giveth leave to poor men to go into the lake to +gather them precious stones and pearls, by way of alms, for the +<a name="page132"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 132</span>love of +God that made Adam. And all the year men find enough. +And for the vermin that is within, they anoint their arms and +their thighs and legs with an ointment made of a thing that is +clept lemons, that is a manner of fruit like small pease; and +then have they no dread of no cockodrills, ne of none other +venomous vermin. This water runneth, flowing and ebbing, by +a side of the mountain, and in that river men find precious +stones and pearls, great plenty. And men of that isle say +commonly, that the serpents and the wild beasts of that country +will not do no harm ne touch with evil no strange man that +entereth into that country, but only to men that be born of the +same country.</p> +<p>In that country and others thereabout there be wild geese that +have two heads. And there be lions, all white and as great +as oxen, and many other diverse beasts and fowls also that be not +seen amongst us.</p> +<p>And wit well, that in that country and in other isles +thereabout, the sea is so high, that it seemeth as though it hung +at the clouds, and that it would cover all the world. And +that is great marvel that it might be so, save only the will of +God, that the air sustaineth it. And therefore saith David +in the Psalter, <i>Mirabiles elationes maris</i>.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>How men know by the Idol</i>, <i>if the +sick shall die or not</i>. <i>Of Folk of diverse shape and +marvellously disfigured</i>. <i>And of the Monks that gave +their relief to baboons</i>, <i>apes</i>, <i>and marmosets</i>, +<i>and to other beasts</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">From</span> that isle, in going by sea +toward the south, is another great isle that is clept +Dondun. In that isle be folk of diverse kinds, so that the +father eateth the son, the son the father, the husband the wife, +and the wife the husband. And if it so befall, that the +father or mother or <a name="page133"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 133</span>any of their friends be sick, anon +the son goeth to the priest of their law and prayeth him to ask +the idol if his father or mother or friend shall die on that evil +or not. And then the priest and the son go together before +the idol and kneel full devoutly and ask of the idol their +demand. And if the devil that is within answer that he +shall live, they keep him well; and if he say that he shall die, +then the priest goeth with the son, with the wife of him that is +sick, and they put their hands upon his mouth and stop his +breath, and so they slay him. And after that, they chop all +the body in small pieces, and pray all his friends to come and +eat of him that is dead. And they send for all the +minstrels of the country and make a solemn feast. And when +they have eaten the flesh, they take the bones and bury them, and +sing and make great melody. And all those that be of his +kin or pretend them to be his friends, an they come not to that +feast, they be reproved for evermore and shamed, and make great +dole, for never after shall they be holden as friends. And +they say also, that men eat their flesh for to deliver them out +of pain; for if the worms of the earth eat them the soul should +suffer great pain, as they say. And namely when the flesh +is tender and meagre, then say their friends, that they do great +sin to let them have so long languor to suffer so much pain +without reason. And when they find the flesh fat, then they +say, that it is well done to send them soon to Paradise, and that +they have not suffered him too long to endure in pain.</p> +<p>The king of this isle is a full great lord and a mighty, and +hath under him fifty-four great isles that give tribute to +him. And in everych of these isles is a king crowned; and +all be obeissant to that king. And he hath in those isles +many diverse folk.</p> +<p>In one of these isles be folk of great stature, as +giants. And they be hideous for to look upon. And +they have but one eye, and that is in the middle of the +front. And they eat nothing but raw flesh and raw fish.</p> +<p>And in another isle toward the south dwell folk of foul <a +name="page134"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 134</span>stature and +of cursed kind that have no heads. And their eyen be in +their shoulders.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that have the face all flat, all +plain, without nose and without mouth. But they have two +small holes, all round, instead of their eyes, and their mouth is +plat also without lips.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk of foul fashion and shape that +have the lip above the mouth so great, that when they sleep in +the sun they cover all the face with that lip.</p> +<p>And in another isle there be little folk, as dwarfs. And +they be two so much as the pigmies. And they have no mouth; +but instead of their mouth they have a little round hole, and +when they shall eat or drink, they take through a pipe or a pen +or such a thing, and suck it in, for they have no tongue; and +therefore they speak not, but they make a manner of hissing as an +adder doth, and they make signs one to another as monks do, by +the which every of them understandeth other.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that have great ears and long, +that hang down to their knees.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that have horses’ +feet. And they be strong and mighty, and swift runners; for +they take wild beasts with running, and eat them.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that go upon their hands and their +feet as beasts. And they be all skinned and feathered, and +they will leap as lightly into trees, and from tree to tree, as +it were squirrels or apes.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that be both man and woman, and +they have kind; of that one and of that other. And they +have but one pap on the one side, and on that other none. +And they have members of generation of man and woman, and they +use both when they list, once that one, and another time that +other. And they get children, when they use the member of +man; and they bear children, when they use the member of +woman.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that go always upon their knees +full marvellously. And at every pace that they go, it +seemeth that they would fall. And they have in every foot +eight toes.</p> +<p><a name="page135"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 135</span>Many +other diverse folk of diverse natures be there in other isles +about, of the which it were too long to tell, and therefore I +pass over shortly.</p> +<p>From these isles, in passing by the sea ocean toward the east +by many journeys, men find a great country and a great kingdom +that men clepe Mancy. And that is in Ind the more. +And it is the best land and one the fairest that may be in all +the world, and the most delectable and the most plenteous of all +goods that is in power of man. In that land dwell many +Christian men and Saracens, for it is a good country and a +great. And there be therein more than 2000 great cities and +rich, without other great towns. And there is more plenty +of people there than in any other part of Ind, for the bounty of +the country. In that country is no needy man, ne none that +goeth on begging. And they be full fair folk, but they be +all pale. And the men have thin beards and few hairs, but +they be long; but unnethe hath any man passing fifty hairs in his +beard, and one hair sits here, another there, as the beard of a +leopard or of a cat. In that land be many fairer women than +in any other country beyond the sea, and therefore men clepe that +land Albany, because that the folk be white.</p> +<p>And the chief city of that country is clept Latorin, and it is +a journey from the sea, and it is much more than Paris. In +that city is a great river bearing ships that go to all the +coasts in the sea. No city of the world is so well stored +of ships as is that. And all those of the city and of the +country worship idols. In that country be double sithes +more birds than be here. There be white geese, red about +the neck, and they have a great crest as a cock’s comb upon +their heads; and they be much more there than they be here, and +men buy them there all quick, right great cheap. And there +is great plenty of adders of whom men make great feasts and eat +them at great solemnities; and he that maketh there a feast be it +never so costly, an he have no adders he hath no thank for his +travail.</p> +<p>Many good cities there be in that country and men have great +plenty and great cheap of all wines and victuals. In <a +name="page136"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 136</span>that +country be many churches of religious men, and of their +law. And in those churches be idols as great as giants; and +to these idols they give to eat at great festival days in this +manner. They bring before them meat all sodden, as hot as +they come from the fire, and they let the smoke go up towards the +idols; and then they say that the idols have eaten; and then the +religious men eat the meat afterwards.</p> +<p>In that country be white hens without feathers, but they bear +white wool as sheep do here. In that country women that be +unmarried, they have tokens on their heads like coronals to be +known for unmarried. Also in that country there be beasts +taught of men to go into waters, into rivers and into deep stanks +for to take fish; the which beast is but little, and men clepe +them loirs. And when men cast them into the water, anon +they bring up great fishes, as many as men will. And if men +will have more, they cast them in again, and they bring up as +many as men list to have.</p> +<p>And from that city passing many journeys is another city, one +the greatest of the world, that men clepe Cassay; that is to say, +the ‘City of heaven.’ That city is well a fifty +mile about, and it is strongly inhabited with people, insomuch +that in one house men make ten households. In that city be +twelve principal gates; and before every gate, a three mile or a +four mile in length, is a great town or a great city. That +city sits upon a great lake on the sea as doth Venice. And +in that city be more than 12,000 bridges. And upon every +bridge be strong towers and good, in the which dwell the wardens +for to keep the city from the great Chan. And on that one +part of the city runneth a great river all along the city. +And there dwell Christian men and many merchants and other folk +of diverse nations, because that the land is so good and so +plenteous. And there groweth full good wine that men clepe +Bigon, that is full mighty, and gentle in drinking. This is +a city royal where the King of Mancy was wont to dwell. And +there dwell many religious men, as it were of the Order of +Friars, for they be mendicants.</p> +<p>From that city men go by water, solacing and disporting them, +till they come to an abbey of monks that <a +name="page137"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 137</span>is fast by, +that be good religious men after their faith and law. In +that abbey is a great garden and a fair, where be many trees of +diverse manner of fruits. And in this garden is a little +hill full of delectable trees. In that hill and in that +garden be many diverse beasts, as of apes, marmosets, baboons and +many other diverse beasts. And every day, when the convent +of this abbey hath eaten, the almoner let bear the relief to the +garden, and he smiteth on the garden gate with a clicket of +silver that he holdeth in his hand; and anon all the beasts of +the hill and of diverse places of the garden come out a 3000, or +a 4000; and they come in guise of poor men, and men give them the +relief in fair vessels of silver, clean over-gilt. And when +they have eaten, the monk smiteth eftsoons on the garden gate +with the clicket, and then anon all the beasts return again to +their places that they come from. And they say that these +beasts be souls of worthy men that resemble in likeness of those +beasts that be fair, and therefore they give them meat for the +love of God; and the other beasts that be foul, they say be souls +of poor men and of rude commons. And thus they believe, and +no man may put them out of this opinion. These beasts +above-said they let take when they be young, and nourish them so +with alms, as many as they may find. And I asked them if it +had not been better to have given that relief to poor men, rather +than to those beasts. And they answered me and said, that +they had no poor men amongst them in that country; and though it +had been so that poor men had been among them, yet were it +greater alms to give it to those souls that do there their +penance. Many other marvels be in that city and in the +country thereabout, that were too long to tell you.</p> +<p>From that city go men by the country a six journeys to another +city that men clepe Chilenfo, of the which city the walls be +twenty mile about. In that city be sixty bridges of stone, +so fair that no man may see fairer. In that city was the +first siege of the King of Mancy, for it is a fair and plenteous +of all goods.</p> +<p>After, pass men overthwart a great river that men clepe <a +name="page138"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +138</span>Dalay. And that is the greatest river of fresh +water that is in the world. For there, as it is most +narrow, it is more than four mile of breadth. And then +enter men again into the land of the great Chan.</p> +<p>That river goeth through the land of Pigmies, where that the +folk be of little stature, that be but three span long, and they +be right fair and gentle, after their quantities, both the men +and the women. And they marry them when they be half year +of age and get children. And they live not but six year or +seven at the most; and he that liveth eight year, men hold him +there right passing old. These men be the best workers of +gold, silver, cotton, silk and of all such things, of any other +that be in the world. And they have oftentimes war with the +birds of the country that they take and eat. This little +folk neither labour in lands ne in vines; but they have great men +amongst them of our stature that till the land and labour amongst +the vines for them. And of those men of our stature have +they as great scorn and wonder as we would have among us of +giants, if they were amongst us. There is a good city, +amongst others, where there is dwelling great plenty of those +little folk, and it is a great city and a fair. And the men +be great that dwell amongst them, but when they get any children +they be as little as the pigmies. And therefore they be, +all for the most part, all pigmies; for the nature of the land is +such. The great Chan let keep this city full well, for it +is his. And albeit, that the pigmies be little, yet they be +full reasonable after their age, and can both wit and good and +malice enough.</p> +<p>From that city go men by the country by many cities and many +towns unto a city that men clepe Jamchay; and it is a noble city +and a rich and of great profit to the Lord, and thither go men to +seek merchandise of all manner of thing. That city is full +much worth yearly to the lord of the country. For he hath +every year to rent of that city (as they of the city say) 50,000 +cumants of florins of gold: for they count there all by cumants, +and every cumant is 10,000 florins of gold. Now may men +well <a name="page139"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +139</span>reckon how much that it amounteth. The king of +that country is full mighty, and yet he is under the great +Chan. And the great Chan hath under him twelve such +provinces. In that country in the good towns is a good +custom: for whoso will make a feast to any of his friends, there +be certain inns in every good town, and he that will make the +feast will say to the hosteler, array for me to-morrow a good +dinner for so many folk, and telleth him the number, and deviseth +him the viands; and he saith also, thus much I will dispend and +no more. And anon the hosteler arrayeth for him so fair and +so well and so honestly, that there shall lack nothing; and it +shall be done sooner and with less cost than an a man made it in +his own house.</p> +<p>And a five mile from that city, toward the head of the river +of Dalay, is another city that men clepe Menke. In that +city is strong navy of ships. And all be white as snow of +the kind of the trees that they be made of. And they be +full great ships and fair, and well ordained, and made with halls +and chambers and other easements, as though it were on the +land.</p> +<p>From thence go men, by many towns and many cities, through the +country, unto a city that men clepe Lanterine. And it is an +eight journeys from the city above-said. This city sits +upon a fair river, great and broad, that men clepe +Caramaron. This river passeth throughout Cathay. And +it doth often-time harm, and that full great, when it is over +great.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the great Chan of Cathay</i>. +<i>Of the royalty of his palace</i>, <i>and how he sits at +meat</i>; <i>and of the great number of officers that serve +him</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Cathay</span> is a great country and a +fair, noble and rich, and full of merchants. Thither go +merchants all years for <a name="page140"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 140</span>to seek spices and all manner of +merchandises, more commonly than in any other part. And ye +shall understand, that merchants that come from Genoa or from +Venice or from Romania or other parts of Lombardy, they go by sea +and by land eleven months or twelve, or more some-time, ere they +may come to the isle of Cathay that is the principal region of +all parts beyond; and it is of the great Chan.</p> +<p>From Cathay go men toward the east by many journeys. And +then men find a good city between these others, that men clepe +Sugarmago. That city is one of the best stored of silk and +other merchandises that is in the world.</p> +<p>After go men yet to another old city toward the east. +And it is in the province of Cathay. And beside that city +the men of Tartary have let make another city that is dept +Caydon. And it hath twelve gates, and between the two gates +there is always a great mile; so that the two cities, that is to +say, the old and the new, have in circuit more than twenty +mile.</p> +<p>In this city is the siege of the great Chan in a full great +palace and the most passing fair in all the world, of the which +the walls be in circuit more than two mile. And within the +walls it is all full of other palaces. And in the garden of +the great palace there is a great hill, upon the which there is +another palace; and it is the most fair and the most rich that +any man may devise. And all about the palace and the hill +be many trees bearing many diverse fruits. And all about +that hill be ditches great and deep, and beside them be great +vivaries on that one part and on that other. And there is a +full fair bridge to pass over the ditches. And in these +vivaries be so many wild geese and ganders and wild ducks and +swans and herons that it is without number. And all about +these ditches and vivaries is the great garden full of wild +beasts. So that when the great Chan will have any disport +on that, to take any of the wild beasts or of the fowls, he will +let chase them and take them at the windows without going out of +his chamber.</p> +<p>This palace, where his siege is, is both great and passing <a +name="page141"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 141</span>fair. +And within the palace, in the hall, there be twenty-four pillars +of fine gold. And all the walls be covered within of red +skins of beasts that men clepe panthers, that be fair beasts and +well smelling; so that for the sweet odour of those skins no evil +air may enter into the palace. Those skins be as red as +blood, and they shine so bright against the sun, that unnethe no +man may behold them. And many folk worship those beasts, +when they meet them first at morning, for their great virtue and +for the good smell that they have. And those skins they +prize more than though they were plate of fine gold.</p> +<p>And in the midst of this palace is the mountour for the great +Chan, that is all wrought of gold and of precious stones and +great pearls. And at four corners of the mountour be four +serpents of gold. And all about there is y-made large nets +of silk and gold and great pearls hanging all about the +mountour. And under the mountour be conduits of beverage +that they drink in the emperor’s court. And beside +the conduits be many vessels of gold, by the which they that be +of household drink at the conduit.</p> +<p>And the hall of the palace is full nobly arrayed, and full +marvellously attired on all parts in all things that men apparel +with any hall. And first, at the chief of the hall is the +emperor’s throne, full high, where he sitteth at the +meat. And that is of fine precious stones, bordered all +about with pured gold and precious stones, and great +pearls. And the grees that he goeth up to the table be of +precious stones mingled with gold.</p> +<p>And at the left side of the emperor’s siege is the siege +of his first wife, one degree lower than the emperor; and it is +of jasper, bordered with gold and precious stones. And the +siege of his second wife is also another siege, more lower than +his first wife; and it is also of jasper, bordered with gold, as +that other is. And the siege of the third wife is also more +low, by a degree, than the second wife. For he hath always +three wives with him, where that ever he be.</p> +<p>And after his wives, on the same side, sit the ladies of <a +name="page142"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 142</span>his lineage +yet lower, after that they be of estate. And all those that +be married have a counterfeit made like a man’s foot upon +their heads, a cubit long, all wrought with great pearls, fine +and orient, and above made with peacocks’ feathers and of +other shining feathers; and that stands upon their heads like a +crest, in token that they be under man’s foot and under +subjection of man. And they that be unmarried have none +such.</p> +<p>And after at the right side of the emperor first sitteth his +eldest son that shall reign after him. And he sitteth also +one degree lower than the emperor, in such manner of sieges as do +the empresses. And after him sit other great lords of his +lineage, every of them a degree lower than the other, as they be +of estate.</p> +<p>And the emperor hath his table alone by himself, that is of +gold and of precious stones, or of crystal bordered with gold, +and full of precious stones or of amethysts, or of lignum aloes +that cometh out of paradise, or of ivory bound or bordered with +gold. And every one of his wives hath also her table by +herself. And his eldest son and the other lords also, and +the ladies, and all that sit with the emperor have tables alone +by themselves, full rich. And there ne is no table but that +it is worth an huge treasure of goods.</p> +<p>And under the emperor’s table sit four clerks that write +all that the emperor saith, be it good, be it evil; for all that +he saith must be holden, for he may not change his word, ne +revoke it.</p> +<p>And [at] great solemn feasts before the emperor’s table +men bring great tables of gold, and thereon be peacocks of gold +and many other manner of diverse fowls, all of gold and richly +wrought and enamelled. And men make them dance and sing, +clapping their wings together, and make great noise. And +whether it be by craft or by necromancy I wot never; but it is a +good sight to behold, and a fair; and it is great marvel how it +may be. But I have the less marvel, because that they be +the most subtle men in all sciences and in all crafts that be in +the world: for of subtlety and of malice and of farcasting they +pass all <a name="page143"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +143</span>men under heaven. And therefore they say +themselves, that they see with two eyes and the Christian men see +but with one, because that they be more subtle than they. +For all other nations, they say, be but blind in cunning and +working in comparison to them. I did great business for to +have learned that craft, but the master told me that he had made +avow to his god to teach it to no creature, but only to his +eldest son.</p> +<p>Also above the emperor’s table and the other tables, and +above a great part in the hall, is a vine made of fine +gold. And it spreadeth all about the hall. And it +hath many clusters of grapes, some white, some green, some yellow +and some red and some black, all of precious stones. The +white be of crystal and of beryl and of iris; the yellow be of +topazes; the red be of rubies and of grenaz and of alabrandines; +the green be of emeralds, of perydoz and of chrysolites; and the +black be of onyx and garantez. And they be all so properly +made that it seemeth a very vine bearing kindly grapes.</p> +<p>And before the emperor’s table stand great lords and +rich barons and other that serve the emperor at the meat. +And no man is so hardy to speak a word, but if the emperor speak +to him; but if it be minstrels that sing songs and tell jests or +other disports, to solace with the emperor. And all the +vessels that men be served with in the hall or in chambers be of +precious stones, and specially at great tables either of jasper +or of crystal or of amethysts or of fine gold. And the cups +be of emeralds and of sapphires, or of topazes, of perydoz, and +of many other precious stones. Vessels of silver is there +none, for they tell no price thereof to make no vessels of: but +they make thereof grecings and pillars and pavements to halls and +chambers. And before the hall door stand many barons and +knights clean armed to keep that no man enter, but if it be the +will or the commandment of the emperor, or but if they be +servants or minstrels of the household; and other none is not so +hardy to neighen nigh the hall door.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that my fellows and I with our +yeomen, we served this emperor, and were his soldiers <a +name="page144"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 144</span>fifteen +months against the King of Mancy, that held against him. +And the cause was for we had great lust to see his noblesse and +the estate of his court and all his governance, to wit if it were +such as we heard say that it was. And truly we found it +more noble and more excellent, and richer and more marvellous, +than ever we heard speak of, insomuch that we would never have +lieved it had we not seen it. For I trow, that no man would +believe the noblesse, the riches ne the multitude of folk that be +in his court, but he had seen it; for it is not there as it is +here. For the lords here have folk of certain number as +they may suffice; but the great Chan hath every day folk at his +costage and expense as without number. But the ordinance, +ne the expenses in meat and drink, ne the honesty, ne the +cleanness, is not so arrayed there as it is here; for all the +commons there eat without cloth upon their knees, and they eat +all manner of flesh and little of bread, and after meat they wipe +their hands upon their skirts, and they eat not but once a +day. But the estate of lords is full great, and rich and +noble.</p> +<p>And albeit that some men will not trow me, but hold it for +fable to tell them the noblesse of his person and of his estate +and of his court and of the great multitude of folk that he +holds, natheles I shall say you a part of him and of his folk, +after that I have seen the manner and the ordinance full many a +time. And whoso that will may lieve me if he will, and +whoso will not, may leave also. For I wot well, if any man +hath been in those countries beyond, though he have not been in +the place where the great Chan dwelleth, he shall hear speak of +him so much marvellous thing, that he shall not trow it +lightly. And truly, no more did I myself, till I saw +it. And those that have been in those countries and in the +great Chan’s household know well that I say sooth. +And therefore I will not spare for them, that know not ne believe +not but that that they see, for to tell you a part of him and of +his estate that he holdeth, when he goeth from country to +country, and when he maketh solemn feasts.</p> +<h2><a name="page145"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +145</span>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Wherefore he is clept the great +Chan</i>. <i>Of the Style of his Letters</i>: <i>and of the +Superscription about his great Seal and his Privy Seal</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">First</span> I shall say you why he was +clept the great Chan.</p> +<p>Ye shall understand, that all the world was destroyed by +Noah’s flood, save only Noah and his wife and his +children. Noah had three sons, Shem, Cham, and +Japhet. This Cham was he that saw his father’s privy +members naked when he slept, and scorned them, and shewed them +with his finger to his brethren in scorning wise. And +therefore he was cursed of God. And Japhet turned his face +away and covered them.</p> +<p>These three brethren had seisin in all the land. And +this Cham, for his cruelty, took the greater and the best part, +toward the east, that is clept Asia, and Shem took Africa, and +Japhet took Europe. And therefore is all the earth parted +in these three parts by these three brethren. Cham was the +greatest and the most mighty, and of him came more generations +than of the other. And of his son Chuse was engendered +Nimrod the giant, that was the first king that ever was in the +world; and he began the foundation of the tower of Babylon. +And that time, the fiends of hell came many times and lay with +the women of his generation and engendered on them diverse folk, +as monsters and folk disfigured, some without heads, some with +great ears, some with one eye, some giants, some with +horses’ feet, and many other diverse shape against +kind. And of that generation of Cham be come the Paynims +and divers folk that be in isles of the sea by all Ind. And +forasmuch as he was the most mighty, and no man might withstand +him, he cleped himself the Son of God and sovereign of all the +world. And for this Cham, this emperor clepeth him Cham, +and sovereign of all the world.</p> +<p><a name="page146"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 146</span>And +of the generation of Shem be come the Saracens. And of the +generation of Japhet is come the people of Israel. And +though that we dwell in Europe, this is the opinion, that the +Syrians and the Samaritans have amongst them. And that they +told me, before that I went toward Ind, but I found it +otherwise. Natheles, the sooth is this; that Tartars and +they that dwell in the great Asia, they came of Cham; but the +Emperor of Cathay clepeth him not Cham, but Can, and I shall tell +you how.</p> +<p>It is but little more but eight score year that all Tartary +was in subjection and in servage to other nations about. +For they were but bestial folk and did nothing but kept beasts +and led them to pastures. But among them they had seven +principal nations that were sovereigns of them all. Of the +which, the first nation or lineage was clept Tartar, and that is +the most noble and the most prized. The second lineage is +clept Tanghot, the third Eurache, the fourth Valair, the fifth +Semoche, the sixth Megly, the seventh Coboghe.</p> +<p>Now befell it so that of the first lineage succeeded an old +worthy man that was not rich, that had to name Changuys. +This man lay upon a night in his bed. And he saw in +avision, that there came before him a knight armed all in +white. And he sat upon a white horse, and said to him, Can, +sleepest thou? The Immortal God hath sent me to thee, and +it is his will, that thou go to the seven lineages and say to +them that thou shalt be their emperor. For thou shalt +conquer the lands and the countries that be about, and they that +march upon you shall be under your subjection, as ye have been +under theirs, for that is God’s will immortal.</p> +<p>And when he came at morrow, Changuys rose, and went to seven +lineages, and told them how the white knight had said. And +they scorned him, and said that he was a fool. And so he +departed from them all ashamed. And the night ensuing, this +white knight came to the seven lineages, and commanded them on +God’s behalf immortal, that they should make this Changuys +their emperor, and they should be out of subjection, and they +should hold all <a name="page147"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +147</span>other regions about them in their servage as they had +been to them before. And on the morrow, they chose him to +be their emperor. And they set him upon a black fertre, and +after that they lift him up with great solemnity. And they +set him in a chair of gold and did him all manner of reverence, +and they cleped him Chan, as the white knight called him.</p> +<p>And when he was thus chosen, he would assay if he might trust +in them or no, and whether they would be obeissant to him or +no. And then he made many statutes and ordinances that they +clepe <i>Ysya Chan</i>. The first statute was, that they +should believe and obey in God Immortal, that is Almighty, that +would cast them out of servage, and at all times clepe to him for +help in time of need. The tother statute was, that all +manner of men that might bare arms should be numbered, and to +every ten should be a master, and to every hundred a master, and +to every thousand a master, and to every ten thousand a +master. After he commanded to the principals of the seven +lineages, that they should leave and forsake all that they had in +goods and heritage, and from thenceforth to hold them paid of +that that he would give them of his grace. And they did so +anon. After he commanded to the principals of the seven +lineages, that every of them should bring his eldest son before +him, and with their own hands smite off their heads without +tarrying. And anon his commandment was performed.</p> +<p>And when the Chan saw that they made none obstacle to perform +his commandment, then he thought well that he might trust in +them, and commanded them anon to make them ready and to sue his +banner. And after this, Chan put in subjection all the +lands about him.</p> +<p>Afterward it befell upon a day, that the Can rode with a few +meinie for to behold the strength of the country that he had +won. And so befell, that a great multitude of enemies met +with him. And for to give good example hardiness to his +people, he was the first that fought, and in the midst of his +enemies encountered, and there he was cast from his horse, and +his horse slain. And when his <a name="page148"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 148</span>folk saw him at the earth, they were +all abashed, and weened he had been dead, and flew every one, and +their enemies after and chased them, but they wist not that the +emperor was there. And when the enemies were far pursuing +the chase, the emperor hid him in a thick wood. And whet, +they were come again from the chase, they went and sought the +woods if any of them had been hid in the thick of the woods; and +many they found and slew them anon. So it happened that as +they went searching toward the place that the emperor was, they +saw an owl sitting upon a tree above him; and then they said +amongst them, that there was no man because that they saw that +bird there, and so they went their way; and thus escaped the +emperor from death. And then he went privily all by night, +till he came to his folk that were full glad of his coming, and +made great thankings to God Immortal, and to that bird by whom +their lord was saved. And therefore principally above all +fowls of world they worship the owl; and when they have any of +their feathers, they keep them full preciously instead of relics, +and bear them upon their heads with great reverence; and they +hold themselves blessed and safe from all perils while that they +have them upon them, and therefore they bear their feathers upon +their heads.</p> +<p>After all this the Chan ordained him, and assembled his +people, and went upon them that had assailed him before, and +destroyed them, and put them in subjection and servage. And +when he had won and put all the lands and countries on this half +the Mount Belian in subjection, the white knight came to him +again in his sleep, and said to him, Chan! the will of God +Immortal is that thou pass the Mount Belian. And thou shalt +win the land and thou shalt put many nations in subjection. +And for thou shalt find no good passage for to go toward that +country, go [to] the Mount Belian that is upon the sea, and kneel +there nine times toward the east in the worship of God Immortal, +and he shall shew the way to pass by. And the Chan did +so. And anon the sea that touched and was fast to the mount +began to withdraw him, and shewed fair way of nine foot breadth +large; and so he passed with his folk, and won <a +name="page149"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 149</span>the land of +Cathay that is the greatest kingdom of the world.</p> +<p>And for the nine kneelings and for the nine foot of way the +Chan and all the men of Tartary have the number of nine in great +reverence. And therefore who that will make the Chan any +present, be it of horses, be it of birds, or of arrows or bows, +or of fruit, or of any other thing, always he must make it of the +number of nine. And so then be the presents of greater +pleasure to him; and more benignly he will receive them than +though he were presented with an hundred or two hundred. +For him seemeth the number of nine so holy, because the messenger +of God Immortal devised it.</p> +<p>Also, when the Chan of Cathay had won the country of Cathay, +and put in subjection and under foot many countries about, he +fell sick. And when he felt well that he should die, he +said to his twelve sons, that everych of them should bring him +one of his arrows. And so they did anon. And then he +commanded that men should bind them together in three +places. And then he took them to his eldest son, and bade +him break them all together. And he enforced him with all +his might to break them, but he ne might not. And then the +Chan bade his second son to break them; and so, shortly, to all, +each after other; but none of them might break them. And +then he bade the youngest son dissever every one from other, and +break everych by himself. And so he did. And then +said the Chan to his eldest son and to all the others, Wherefore +might ye not break them? And they answered that they might +not, because that they were bound together. And wherefore, +quoth he, hath your little youngest brother broken them? +Because, quoth they, that they were parted each from other. +And then said the Chan, My sons, quoth he, truly thus will it +fare by you. For as long as ye be bound together in three +places, that is to say, in love, in truth and in good accord, no +man shall be of power to grieve you. But and ye be +dissevered from these three places, that your one help not your +other, ye shall be destroyed and brought to nought. And if +each of you love <a name="page150"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +150</span>other and help other, ye shall be lords and sovereigns +of all others. And when he had made his ordinances, he +died.</p> +<p>And then after him reigned Ecchecha Cane, his eldest +son. And his other brethren went to win them many countries +and kingdoms, unto the land of Prussia and of Russia, and made +themselves to be clept Chane; but they were all obeissant to +their elder brother, and therefore was he clept the great +Chan.</p> +<p>After Ecchecha reigned Guyo Chan.</p> +<p>And after him Mango Chan that was a good Christian man and +baptized, and gave letters of perpetual peace to all Christian +men, and sent his brother Halaon with great multitude of folk for +to win the Holy Land and for to put it into Christian men’s +hands, and for to destroy Mahomet’s law, and for to take +the Caliph of Bagdad that was emperor and lord of all the +Saracens. And when this caliph was taken, men found him of +so high worship, that in all the remnant of the world, ne might a +man find a more reverend man, ne higher in worship. And +then Halaon made him come before him, and said to him, Why, quoth +he, haddest thou not taken with thee more soldiers and men +enough, for a little quantity of treasure, for to defend thee and +thy country, that art so abundant of treasure and so high in all +worship? And the caliph answered him, For he well trowed +that he had enough of his own proper men. And then said +Halaon, Thou wert as a god of the Saracens. And it is +convenient to a god to eat no meat that is mortal. And +therefore, thou shall not eat but precious stones, rich pearls +and treasure, that thou lovest so much. And then he +commanded him to prison, and all his treasure about him. +And so he died for hunger and thirst. And then after this, +Halaon won all the Land of Promission, and put it into Christian +men’s hands. But the great Chan, his brother, died; +and that was great sorrow and loss to all Christian men.</p> +<p>After Mango Chan reigned Cobyla Chan that was also a Christian +man. And he reigned forty-two year. He founded the +great city Izonge in Cathay, that is a great deal more than +Rome.</p> +<p><a name="page151"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 151</span>The +tother great Chan that came after him became a Paynim, and all +the others after him.</p> +<p>The kingdom of Cathay is the greatest realm of the +world. And also the great Chan is the most mighty emperor +of the world and the greatest lord under the firmament. And +so he clepeth him in his letters, right thus: <i>Chan</i>! +<i>Filius Dei excelsi</i>, <i>omnium universam terram colentium +summus imperator</i>, <i>& dominus omnium +dominantium</i>! And the letter of his great seal, written +about, is this; <i>Deus in coelo</i>, <i>Chan super terram</i>, +<i>ejus fortitudo</i>. <i>Omnium hominum imperatoris +sigillum</i>. And the superscription about his little seal +is this; <i>Dei fortitudo</i>, <i>omnium hominum imperatoris +sigillum</i>.</p> +<p>And albeit that they be not christened, yet nevertheless the +emperor and all the Tartars believe in God Immortal. And +when they will menace any man, then they say, God knoweth well +that I shall do thee such a thing, and telleth his menace.</p> +<p>And thus have ye heard, why he is clept the great Chan.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXV</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Governance of the great Chan’s +Court</i>, <i>and when he maketh solemn feasts</i>. <i>Of +his Philosophers</i>. <i>And of his array</i>, <i>when he +rideth by the country</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> shall I tell you the governance +of the court of the great Chan, when he maketh solemn feasts; and +that is principally four times in the year.</p> +<p>The first feast is of his birth, that other is of his +presentation in their temple that they clepe their Moseache, +where they make a manner of circumcision, and the tother two +feasts be of his idols. The first feast of the idol is when +he is first put into their temple and throned; the tother feast +is when the idol beginneth first to speak, or to <a +name="page152"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 152</span>work +miracles. More be there not of solemn feasts, but if he +marry any of his children.</p> +<p>Now understand, that at every of these feasts he hath great +multitude of people, well ordained and well arrayed, by +thousands, by hundreds, and by tens. And every man knoweth +well what service he shall do, and every man giveth so good heed +and so good attendance to his service that no man findeth no +default. And there be first ordained 4000 barons, mighty +and rich, for to govern and to make ordinance for the feast, and +for to serve the emperor. And these solemn feasts be made +without in halls and tents made of cloths of gold and of +tartaries, full nobly. And all those barons have crowns of +gold upon their heads, full noble and rich, full of precious +stones and great pearls orient. And they be all clothed in +cloths of gold or of tartaries or of camakas, so richly and so +perfectly, that no man in the world can amend it, ne better +devise it. And all those robes be orfrayed all about, and +dubbed full of precious stones and of great orient pearls, full +richly. And they may well do so, for cloths of gold and of +silk be greater cheap there a great deal than be cloths of +wool. And these 4000 barons be devised in four companies, +and every thousand is clothed in cloths all of one colour, and +that so well arrayed and so richly, that it is marvel to +behold.</p> +<p>The first thousand, that is of dukes, of earls, of marquises +and of admirals, all clothed in cloths of gold, with tissues of +green silk, and bordered with gold full of precious stones in +manner as I have said before. The second thousand is all +clothed in cloths diapered of red silk, all wrought with gold, +and the orfrays set full of great pearl and precious stones, full +nobly wrought. The third thousand is clothed in cloths of +silk, of purple or of Ind. And the fourth thousand is in +cloths of yellow. And all their clothes be so nobly and so +richly wrought with gold and precious stones and rich pearls, +that if a man of this country had but only one of their robes, he +might well say that he should never be poor; for the gold and the +precious stones and the great orient pearls be of greater <a +name="page153"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 153</span>value on +this half the sea than they be beyond the sea in those +countries.</p> +<p>And when they be thus apparelled, they go two and two +together, full ordinately, before the emperor, without speech of +any word, save only inclining to him. And every one of them +beareth a tablet of jasper or of ivory or of crystal, and the +minstrels going before them, sounding their instruments of +diverse melody. And when the first thousand is thus passed +and hath made his muster, he withdraweth him on that one side; +and then entereth that other second thousand, and doth right so, +in the same manner of array and countenance, is did the first; +and after, the third; and then, the fourth; and none of them +saith not one word.</p> +<p>And at one side of the emperor’s table sit many +philosophers that be proved for wise men in many diverse +sciences, as of astronomy, necromancy, geomancy, pyromancy, +hydromancy, of augury and of many other sciences. And +everych of them have before them astrolabes of gold, some +spheres, some the brain pan of a dead man, some vessels of gold +full of gravel or sand, some vessels of gold full of coals +burning, some vessels of gold full of water and of wine and of +oil, and some horologes of gold, made full nobly and richly +wrought, and many other manner of instruments after their +sciences.</p> +<p>And at certain hours, when them thinketh time, they say to +certain officers that stand before them, ordained for the time to +fulfil their commandments; Make peace!</p> +<p>And then say the officers; Now peace! listen!</p> +<p>And after that, saith another of the philosophers; Every man +do reverence and incline to the emperor, that is God’s Son +and sovereign lord of all the world! For now is time! +And then every man boweth his head toward the earth.</p> +<p>And then commandeth the same philosopher again; Stand +up! And they do so.</p> +<p><a name="page154"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 154</span>And +at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your little +finger in your ears! And anon they do so.</p> +<p>And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand +before your mouth! And anon they do so.</p> +<p>And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand +upon your head! And after that he biddeth them to do their +hand away. And they do so.</p> +<p>And so, from hour to hour, they command certain things; and +they say, that those things have diverse significations. +And I asked them privily what those things betokened. And +one of the masters told me, that the bowing of the head at that +hour betokened this; that all those that bowed their heads should +evermore after be obeissant and true to the emperor, and never, +for gifts ne for promise in no kind, to be false ne traitor unto +him for good nor evil. And the putting of the little finger +in the ear betokeneth, as they say, that none of them ne shall +not hear speak no contrarious thing to the emperor but that he +shall tell it anon to his council or discover it to some men that +will make relation to the emperor, though he were his father or +brother or son. And so forth, of all other things that is +done by the philosophers, they told me the causes of many diverse +things. And trust right well in certain, that no man doth +nothing to the emperor that belongeth unto him, neither clothing +ne bread ne wine ne bath ne none other thing that longeth to him, +but at certain hours that his philosophers will devise. And +if there fall war in any side to the emperor, anon the +philosophers come and say their advice after their calculations, +and counsel the emperor of their advice by their sciences; so +that the emperor doth nothing without their counsel.</p> +<p>And when the philosophers have done and performed their +commandments, then the minstrels begin to do their minstrelsy, +everych in their instruments, each after other, with all the +melody that they can devise. And when they have done a good +while, one of the officers of the emperor goeth up on a high +stage wrought full curiously, and crieth and saith with loud +voice; Make Peace! And then every man is still.</p> +<p>And then, anon after, all the lords that be of the +emperor’s lineage, nobly arrayed in rich cloths of gold and +royally apparelled on white steeds, as many as may <a +name="page155"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 155</span>well sue +him at that time, be ready to make their presents to the +emperor. And then saith the steward of the court to the +lords, by name; N. of N.! and nameth first the most noble and the +worthiest by name, and saith; Be ye ready with such a number of +white horses, for to serve the emperor, your sovereign +lord! And to another lord he saith; N. of N., be ye ready +with such a number, to serve your sovereign lord! And to +another, right so, and to all the lords of the emperor’s +lineage, each after other, as they be of estate. And when +they be all cleped, they enter each after other, and present the +white horses to the emperor, and then go their way. And +then after, all the other barons every of them, give him presents +or jewels or some other thing, after that they be of +estate. And then after them, all the prelates of their law, +and religious men and others; and every man giveth him +something. And when that all men have thus presented the +emperor, the greatest of dignity of the prelates giveth him a +blessing, saying an orison of their law.</p> +<p>And then begin the minstrels to make their minstrelsy in +divers instruments with all the melody that they can +devise. And when they have done their craft, then they +bring before the emperor, lions, leopards and other diverse +beasts, and eagles and vultures and other divers fowls, and +fishes and serpents, for to do him reverence. And then come +jugglers and enchanters, that do many marvels; for they make to +come in the air, by seeming, the sun and the moon to every +man’s sight. And after they make the night so dark +that no man may see nothing. And after they make the day to +come again, fair and pleasant with bright sun, to every +man’s sight. And then they bring in dances of the +fairest damsels of the world, and richest arrayed. And +after they make to come in other damsels bringing cups of gold +full of milk of diverse beasts, and give drink to lords and to +ladies. And then they make knights to joust in arms full +lustily; and they run together a great random, and they frussch +together full fiercely, and they break their spears so rudely +that the truncheons fly in sprouts and pieces all about the +hall. And then <a name="page156"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 156</span>they make to come in hunting for the +hart and for the boar, with hounds running with open mouth. +And many other things they do by craft of their enchantments, +that it is marvel for to see. And such plays of disport +they make till the taking up of the boards. This great Chan +hath full great people for to serve him, as I have told you +before. For he hath of minstrels the number of thirteen +cumants, but they abide not always with him. For all the +minstrels that come before him, of what nation that they be of, +they be withholden with him as of his household, and entered in +his books as for his own men. And after that, where that +ever they go, ever more they claim for minstrels of the great +Chan; and under that title, all kings and lords cherish them the +more with gifts and all things. And therefore he hath so +great multitude of them.</p> +<p>And he hath of certain men as though they were yeomen, that +keep birds, as ostriches, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks, falcons +gentle, lanyers, sakers, sakrets, popinjays well speaking, and +birds singing, and also of wild beasts, as of elephants tame and +other, baboons, apes, marmosets, and other diverse beasts; the +mountance of fifteen cumants of yeomen.</p> +<p>And of physicians Christian he hath 200, and of leeches that +be Christian he hath 210, and of leeches and physicians that be +Saracens twenty, but he trusteth more in the Christian leeches +than in the Saracen. And his other common household is +without number, and they all have all necessaries and all that +them needeth of the emperor’s court. And he hath in +his court many barons as servitors, that be Christian and +converted to good faith by the preaching of religious Christian +men that dwell with him; but there be many more, that will not +that men know that they be Christian.</p> +<p>This emperor may dispend as much as he will without +estimation; for he not dispendeth ne maketh no money but of +leather imprinted or of paper. And of that money is some of +greater price and some of less price, after the diversity of his +statutes. And when that money hath run <a +name="page157"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 157</span>so long +that it beginneth to waste, then men bear it to the +emperor’s treasury and then they take new money for the +old. And that money goeth throughout all the country and +throughout all his provinces, for there and beyond them they make +no money neither of gold nor of silver; and therefore he may +dispend enough, and outrageously. And of gold and silver +that men bear in his country he maketh cylours, pillars and +pavements in his palace, and other diverse things what him +liketh.</p> +<p>This emperor hath in his chamber, in one of the pillars of +gold, a ruby and a carbuncle of half a foot long, that in the +night giveth so great clearness and shining, that it is as light +as day. And he hath many other precious stones and many +other rubies and carbuncles; but those be the greatest and the +most precious.</p> +<p>This emperor dwelleth in summer in a city that is toward the +north that is clept Saduz; and there is cold enough. And in +winter he dwelleth in a city that is clept Camaaleche, and that +is an hot country. But the country, where he dwelleth in +most commonly, is in Gaydo or in Jong, that is a good country and +a temperate, after that the country is there; but to men of this +country it were too passing hot.</p> +<p>And when this emperor will ride from one country to another he +ordaineth four hosts of his folk, of the which the first host +goeth before him a day’s journey. For that host shall +be lodged the night where the emperor shall lie upon the +morrow. And there shall every man have all manner of +victual and necessaries that be needful, of the emperor’s +costage. And in this first host is the number of people +fifty cumants, what of horse what of foot, of the which every +cumant amounteth 10,000 as I have told you before. And +another host goeth in the right side of the emperor, nigh half a +journey from him. And another goeth on the left side of +him, in the same wise. And in every host is as much +multitude of people as in the first host. And then after +cometh the fourth host, that is much more than any of the others, +and that goeth behind him, the mountance of a bow draught. +And every host hath his <a name="page158"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 158</span>journeys ordained in certain places, +where they shall be lodged at night, and there they shall have +all that them needeth. And if it befall that any of the +host die, anon they put another in his place, so that the number +shall evermore be whole.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the emperor, in his proper +person, rideth not as other great lords do beyond, but if he list +to go privily with few men, for to be unknown. And else, he +rides in a chariot with four wheels, upon the which is made a +fair chamber, and it is made of a certain wood, that cometh out +of Paradise terrestrial, that men clepe lignum aloes, that the +floods of Paradise bring out at divers seasons, as I have told +you here before. And this chamber is full well smelling +because of the wood that it is made of. And all this +chamber is covered within of plate of fine gold dubbed with +precious stones and great pearls. And four elephants and +four great destriers, all white and covered with rich covertures, +leading the chariot. And four, or five, or six, of the +greatest lords ride about this chariot, full richly arrayed and +full nobly, so that no man shall neigh the chariot, but only +those lords, but if that the emperor call any man to him that him +list to speak withal. And above the chamber of this chariot +that the emperor sitteth in be set upon a perch four or five or +six gerfalcons, to that intent, that when the emperor seeth any +wild fowl, that he may take it at his own list, and have the +disport and the play of the flight, first with one, and after +with another; and so he taketh his disport passing by the +country. And no man rideth before him of his company, but +all after him. And no man dare not come nigh the chariot, +by a bow draught, but those lords only that be about him. +And all the host cometh fairly after him in great multitude.</p> +<p>And also such another chariot with such hosts ordained and +arrayed go with the empress upon another side, everych by +himself, with four hosts, right as the emperor did; but not with +so great multitude of people. And his eldest son goeth by +another way in another chariot, in the same manner. So that +there is between them so great <a name="page159"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 159</span>multitude of folk that it is marvel +to tell it. And no man should trow the number, but he had +seen it. And some-time it happeth that when he will not go +far, and that it like him to have the empress and his children +with him, then they go altogether, and their folk be all mingled +in fere, and divided in four parties only.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the empire of this great Chan is +divided in twelve provinces; and every province hath more than +two thousand cities, and of towns without number. This +country is full great, for it hath twelve principal kings in +twelve provinces, and every of those Kings have many kings under +them, and all they be obeissant to the great Chan. And his +land and his lordship dureth so far, that a man may not go from +one head to another, neither by sea ne land, the space of seven +year. And through the deserts of his lordship, there as men +may find no towns, there be inns ordained by every journey, to +receive both man and horse, in the which they shall find plenty +of victual, and of all things that they need for to go by the +country.</p> +<p>And there is a marvellous custom in that country (but it is +profitable), that if any contrarious thing that should be +prejudice or grievance to the emperor in any kind, anon the +emperor hath tidings thereof and full knowledge in a day, though +it be three or four journeys from him or more. For his +ambassadors take their dromedaries or their horses, and they +prick in all that ever they may toward one of the inns. And +when they come there, anon they blow an horn. And anon they +of the inn know well enough that there be tidings to warn the +emperor of some rebellion against him. And then anon they +make other men ready, in all haste that they may, to bear +letters, and prick in all that ever they may, till they come to +the other inns with their letters. And then they make fresh +men ready, to prick forth with the letters toward the emperor, +while that the last bringer rest him, and bait his dromedary or +his horse. And so, from inn to inn, till it come to the +emperor. And thus anon hath he hasty tidings of anything +that beareth charge, by his couriers, that run so <a +name="page160"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 160</span>hastily +throughout all the country. And also when the Emperor +sendeth his couriers hastily throughout his land, every one of +them hath a large throng full of small bells, and when they neigh +near to the inns of other couriers that be also ordained by the +journeys, they ring their bells, and anon the other couriers make +them ready, and run their way unto another inn. And thus +runneth one to other, full speedily and swiftly, till the +emperor’s intent be served, in all haste. And these +couriers be clept <i>Chydydo</i>, after their language, that is +to say, a messenger,</p> +<p>Also when the emperor goeth from one country to another, as I +have told you here before, and he pass through cities and towns, +every man maketh a fire before his door, and putteth therein +powder of good gums that be sweet smelling, for to make good +savour to the emperor. And all the people kneel down +against him, and do him great reverence. And there, where +religious Christian men dwell, as they do in many cities in the +land, they go before him with procession with cross and holy +water, and they sing, <i>Veni creator spiritus</i>! with an high +voice, and go towards him. And when he heareth them, he +commandeth to his lords to ride beside him, that the religious +men may come to him. And when they be nigh him with the +cross, then he doth adown his galiot that sits on his head in +manner of a chaplet, that is made of gold and precious stones and +great pearls, and it is so rich, that men prize it to the value +of a realm in that country. And then he kneeleth to the +cross. And then the prelate of the religious men saith +before him certain orisons, and giveth him a blessing with the +cross; and he inclineth to the blessing full devoutly. And +then the prelate giveth him some manner fruit, to the number of +nine, in a platter of silver, with pears or apples, or other +manner fruit. And he taketh one. And then men give to +the other lords that be about him. For the custom is such, +that no stranger shall come before him, but if he give him some +manner thing, after the old law that saith, <i>Nemo accedat in +conspectu meo vacuus</i>. And then the emperor saith to the +religious men, that they withdraw them again, that they be <a +name="page161"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 161</span>neither +hurt nor harmed of the great multitude of horses that come behind +him. And also, in the same manner, do the religious men +that dwell there, to the empresses that pass by them, and to his +eldest son. And to every of them they present fruit.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the people that he hath so many +hosts of, about him and about his wives and his soil, they dwell +not continually with him. But always, when him liketh, they +be sent for. And after, when they have done, they return to +their own households, save only they that be dwelling with him in +household for to serve him and his wives and his sons for to +govern his household. And albeit, that the others be +departed from him after that they have performed their service, +yet there abideth continually with him in court 50,000 men at +horse and 200,000 men a foot, without minstrels and those that +keep wild beasts and divers birds, of the which I have told you +the number before.</p> +<p>Under the firmament is not so great a lord, ne so mighty, ne +so rich as is the great Chan; not Prester John, that is emperor +of the high Ind, ne the Soldan of Babylon, ne the Emperor of +Persia. All these ne be not in comparison to the great +Chan, neither of might, ne of noblesse, ne of royalty, ne of +riches; for in all these he passeth all earthly princes. +Wherefore it is great harm that he believeth not faithfully in +God. And natheles he will gladly hear speak of God. +And he suffereth well that Christian men dwell in his lordship, +and that men of his faith be made Christian men if they will, +throughout all his country; for he defendeth no man to hold no +law other than him liketh.</p> +<p>In that country some men hath an hundred wives, some sixty, +some more, some less. And they take the next of their kin +to their wives, save only that they out-take their mothers, their +daughters, and their sisters of the mother’s side; but +their sisters on the father’s side of another woman they +may well take, and their brothers’ wives also after their +death, and their step-mothers also in the same wise.</p> +<h2><a name="page162"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +162</span>CHAPTER XXVI</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Law and the Customs of the +Tartarians dwelling in Cathay</i>. <i>And how that men do +when the Emperor shall die</i>, <i>and how he shall be +chosen</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> folk of that country use all +long clothes without furs. And they be clothed with +precious cloths of Tartary, and of cloths of gold. And +their clothes be slit at the side, and they be fastened with +laces of silk. And they clothe them also with pilches, and +the hide without; and they use neither cape ne hood. And in +the same manner as the men go, the women go, so that no man may +unneth know the men from the women, save only those women that be +married, that bear the token upon their heads of a man’s +foot, in sign that they be under man’s foot and under +subjection of man.</p> +<p>And their wives ne dwell not together, but every of them by +herself; and the husband may lie with whom of them that him +liketh. Everych hath his house, both man and woman. +And their houses be made round of staves, and it hath a round +window above that giveth them light, and also that serveth for +deliverance of smoke. And the heling of their houses and +the walls and the doors be all of wood. And when they go to +war, they lead their houses with them upon chariots, as men do +tents or pavilions. And they make their fire in the midst +of their houses.</p> +<p>And they have great multitude of all manner of beasts, save +only of swine, for they bring none forth. And they believe +well one God that made and formed all things. And natheles +yet have they idols of gold and silver, and of tree and of +cloth. And to those idols they offer always their first +milk of their beasts, and also of their meats and of their drinks +before they eat. And they offer often-times horses and +beasts. And they clepe the God of kind <i>Yroga</i>.</p> +<p>And their emperor also, what name that ever he have, they put +evermore thereto, Chan. And when I was there, <a +name="page163"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 163</span>their +emperor had to name Thiaut, so that he was clept +Thiaut-Chan. And his eldest son was clept Tossue; and when +he shall be emperor, he shall be clept Tossue-Chan. And at +that time the emperor had twelve sons without him, that were +named Cuncy, Ordii, Chadahay, Buryn, Negu, Nocab, Cadu, [Siban], +Cuten, Balacy, Babylan, and Garegan. And of his three +wives, the first and principal, that was Prester John’s +daughter, had to name Serioche-Chan, and the tother Borak-Chan, +and the tother Karanke-Chan.</p> +<p>The folk of that country begin all their things in the new +moon, and they worship much the moon and the sun and often-time +kneel against them. And all the folk of the country ride +commonly without spurs, but they bear always a little whip in +their hands for to chace with their horses.</p> +<p>And they have great conscience and hold it for a great sin to +cast a knife in the fire, and for to draw flesh out of a pot with +a knife, and for to smite an horse with the handle of a whip, or +to smite an horse with a bridle, or to break one bone with +another, or for to cast milk or any liquor that men may drink +upon the earth, or for to take and slay little children. +And the most sin that any man may do is to piss in their houses +that they dwell in, and whoso that may be found with that sin +sikerly they slay him. And of everych of these sins it +behoveth them to be shriven of their priests, and to pay great +sum of silver for their penance. And it behoveth also, that +the place that men have pissed in be hallowed again, and else +dare no man enter therein. And when they have paid their +penance, men make them pass through a fire or through two, for to +cleanse them of their sins. And also when any messenger +cometh and bringeth letters or any present to the emperor, it +behoveth him that he, with the thing that he bringeth, pass +through two burning fires for to purge them, that he bring no +poison ne venom, ne no wicked thing that might be grievance to +the Lord. And also if any man or woman be taken in avoutry +or fornication, anon they slay him. And who that stealeth +anything, anon they slay him.</p> +<p><a name="page164"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 164</span>Men +of that country be all good archers and shoot right well, both +men and women, as well on horse-back, pricking, as on foot, +running. And the women make all things and all manner +mysteries and crafts, as of clothes, boots and other things; and +they drive carts, ploughs and wains and chariots; and they make +houses and all manner mysteres, out taken bows and arrows and +armours that men make. And all the women wear breeches, as +well as men.</p> +<p>All the folk of that country be full obeissant to their +sovereigns; ne they fight not, ne chide not one with +another. And there be neither thieves ne robbers in that +country. And every man worshippeth other; but no man there +doth no reverence to no strangers, but if they be great +princes.</p> +<p>And they eat hounds, lions, leopards, mares and foals, asses, +rats and mice and all manner of beasts, great and small, save +only swine and beasts that were defended by the old law. +And they eat all the beasts without and within, without casting +away of anything, save only the filth. And they eat but +little bread, but if it be in courts of great lords. And +they have not in many places, neither pease ne beans ne none +other pottages but the broth of the flesh. For little eat +they anything but flesh and the broth. And when they have +eaten, they wipe their hands upon their skirts; for they use no +napery ne towels, but if it be before great lords; but the common +people hath none. And when they have eaten, they put their +dishes unwashen into the pot or cauldron with remnant of the +flesh and of the broth till they will eat again. And the +rich men drink milk of mares or of camels or of asses or of other +beasts. And they will be lightly drunken of milk and of +another drink that is made of honey and of water sodden together; +for in that country is neither wine ne ale. They live full +wretchedly, and they eat but once in the day, and that but +little, neither in courts ne in other places. And in sooth, +one man alone in this country will eat more in a day than one of +them will eat in three days. And if any strange messenger +come there to a lord, men make him to eat but once a day, and +that full little.</p> +<p><a name="page165"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 165</span>And +when they war, they war full wisely and always do their business, +to destroy their enemies. Every man there beareth two bows +or three, and of arrows great plenty, and a great axe. And +the gentles have short spears and large and full trenchant on +that one side. And they have plates and helms made of +quyrboylle, and their horses covertures of the same. And +whoso fleeth from the battle they slay him. And when they +hold any siege about castle or town that is walled and +defensible, they behote to them that be within to do all the +profit and good, that it is marvel to hear; and they grant also +to them that be within all that they will ask them. And +after that they be yielden, anon they slay them all; and cut off +their ears and souse them in vinegar, and thereof they make great +service for lords. All their lust and all their imagination +is for to put all lands under their subjection. And they +say that they know well by their prophecies, that they shall be +overcome by archers and by strength of them; but they know not of +what nation ne of what law they shall be of, that shall overcome +them. And therefore they suffer that folk of all laws may +peaceably dwell amongst them.</p> +<p>Also when they will make their idols or an image of any of +their friends for to have remembrance of him, they make always +the image all naked without any manner of clothing. For +they say that in good love should be no covering, that man should +not love for the fair clothing ne for the rich array, but only +for the body, such as God hath made it, and for the good virtues +that the body is endowed with of Nature, not only for fair +clothing that is not of kindly Nature.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that it is great dread for to pursue +the Tartars if they flee in battle. For in fleeing they +shoot behind them and slay both men and horses. And when +they will fight they will shock them together in a plump; that if +there be 20,000 men, men shall not ween that there be scant +10,000. And they can well win land of strangers, but they +cannot keep it; for they have greater lust to lie in tents +without than for to lie in castle <a name="page166"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 166</span>or in towns. And they prize +nothing the wit of other nations.</p> +<p>And amongst them oil of olive is full dear, for they hold it +for full noble medicine. And all the Tartars have small +eyen and little of beard, and not thick haired but shear. +And they be false and traitors; and they last nought that they +behote. They be full hardy folk, and much pain and woe may +suffer and disease, more than any other folk, for they be taught +thereto in their own country of youth. And therefore they +spend as who saith, right nought.</p> +<p>And when any man shall die, men set a spear beside him. +And when he draweth towards the death, every man fleeth out of +the house till he be dead. And after that they bury him in +the fields.</p> +<p>And when the emperor dieth, men set him in a chair in midst +the place of his tent. And men set a table before him +clean, covered with a cloth, and thereupon flesh and diverse +viands and a cup full of mare’s milk. And men put a +mare beside him with her foal, and an horse saddled and +bridled. And they lay upon the horse gold and silver, great +quantity. And they put about him great plenty of +straw. And then men make a great pit and a large, and with +the tent and all these other things they put him in earth. +And they say that when he shall come into another world, he shall +not be without an house, ne without horse, ne without gold and +silver; and the mare shall give him milk, and bring him forth +more horses till he be well stored in the tother world. For +they trow that after their death they shall be eating and +drinking in that other world, and solacing them with their wives, +as they did here.</p> +<p>And after time that the emperor is thus interred no man shall +be so hardy to speak of him before his friends. And yet +natheles, sometime falleth of many that they make him to be +interred privily by night in wild places, and put again the grass +over the pit for to grow; or else men cover the pit with gravel +and sand, that no man shall perceive where, ne know where, the +pit is, to <a name="page167"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +167</span>that intent that never after none of his friends shall +have mind ne remembrance of him. And then they say that he +is ravished into another world, where he is a greater lord than +he was here.</p> +<p>And then, after the death of the emperor, the seven lineages +assemble them together, and choose his eldest son, or the next +after him of his blood. And thus they say to him; we will +and we pray and ordain that ye be our lord and our emperor.</p> +<p>And then he answereth, If ye will that I reign over you as +lord, do everych of you that I shall command him, either to abide +or to go; and whomsoever that I command to be slain, that anon he +be slain.</p> +<p>And they answer all with one voice, Whatsoever ye command, it +shall be done.</p> +<p>Then saith the emperor, Now understand well, that my word from +henceforth is sharp and biting as a sword.</p> +<p>After, men set him upon a black steed and so men bring him to +a chair full richly arrayed, and there they crown him. And +then all the cities and good towns send him rich presents. +So that at that journey he shall have more than sixty chariots +charged with gold silver, without jewels of gold and precious +stones, that lords gave him, that be without estimation, and +without horses, and cloths of gold, and of camakas, and tartarins +that be without number.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Realm of Tharse and the Lands and +Kingdoms towards the Septentrional Parts</i>, <i>in coming down +from the land of Cathay</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">This</span> land of Cathay is in Asia the +deep; and after, on this half, is Asia the more. The +kingdom of Cathay marcheth toward the west unto the kingdom of +Tharse, <a name="page168"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +168</span>the which was one of the kings that came to present our +Lord in Bethlehem. And they that be of the lineage of that +king are some Christian. In Tharse they eat no flesh, ne +they drink no wine.</p> +<p>And on this half, toward the west, is the kingdom of +Turkestan, that stretcheth him toward the west to the kingdom of +Persia, and toward the septentrional to the kingdom of +Khorasan. In the country of Turkestan be but few good +cities; but the best city of that land hight Octorar. There +be great pastures, but few corns; and therefore, for the most +part, they be all herdsmen, and they lie in tents and they drink +a manner ale made of honey.</p> +<p>And after, on this half, is the kingdom of Khorasan, that is a +good land and a plenteous, without wine. And it hath a +desert toward the east that lasteth more than an hundred +journeys. And the best city of that country is clept +Khorasan, and of that city beareth the country his name. +The folk of that country be hardy warriors.</p> +<p>And on this half is the kingdom of Comania, whereof the +Comanians that dwelled in Greece sometime were chased out. +This is one of the greatest kingdoms of the world, but it is not +all inhabited. For at one of the parts there is so great +cold that no man may dwell there; and in another part there is so +great heat that no man may endure it, and also there be so many +flies, that no man may know on what side he may turn him. +In that country is but little arboury ne trees that bear fruit ne +other. They lie in tents; and they burn the dung of beasts +for default of wood. This kingdom descendeth on this half +toward us and toward Prussia and toward Russia.</p> +<p>And through that country runneth the river of Ethille that is +one of the greatest rivers of the world. And it freezeth so +strongly all years that many times men have fought upon the ice +with great hosts, both parties on foot, and their horses voided +for the time, and what on horse and on foot, more than 200,000 +persons on every side.</p> +<p>And between that river and the great sea Ocean, that <a +name="page169"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 169</span>they clepe +the Sea Maure, lie all these realms. And toward the head, +beneath, in that realm is the Mount Chotaz, that is the highest +mount of the world, and it is between the Sea Maure and the Sea +Caspian. There is full strait and dangerous passage for to +go toward Ind. And therefore King Alexander let make there +a strong city, that men clepe Alexandria, for to keep the country +that no man should pass without his leave. And now men +clepe that city, the Gate of Hell.</p> +<p>And the principal city of Comania is clept Sarak, that is one +of the three ways for to go into Ind. But by that way, ne +may not pass no great multitude of people, but if it be in +winter. And that passage men clepe the Derbent. The +tother way is for to go from the city of Turkestan by Persia, and +by that way be many journeys by desert. And the third way +is that cometh from Comania and then to go by the Great Sea and +by the kingdom of Abchaz.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that all these kingdoms and all these +lands above-said unto Prussia and to Russia be all obeissant to +the great Chan of Cathay, and many other countries that march to +other coasts. Wherefore his power and his lordship is full +great and full mighty.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>The Emperor of Persia</i>, <i>and of the +Land of Darkness</i>; <i>and of other kingdoms that belong to the +great Chan of Cathay</i>, <i>and other lands of his</i>, <i>unto +the sea of Greece</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span>, since I have devised you the +lands and the kingdoms toward the parts Septentrionals in coming +down from the land of Cathay unto the lands of the Christian, +towards Prussia and Russia,—now shall I devise you of other +lands and kingdoms coming down by other coasts, toward the right +side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the land of Christian +men. And, therefore, that after Ind and <a +name="page170"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 170</span>after +Cathay the Emperor of Persia is the greatest lord, therefore, I +shall tell you of the kingdom of Persia.</p> +<p>First, where he hath two kingdoms, the first kingdom beginneth +toward the east, toward the kingdom of Turkestan, and it +stretcheth toward the west unto the river of Pison, that is one +of the four rivers that come out of Paradise. And on +another side it stretcheth toward the Septentrion unto the sea of +Caspian; and also toward the south unto the desert of Ind. +And this country is good and plain and full of people. And +there be many good cities. But the two principal cities be +these, Boyturra, and Seornergant, that some men clepe +Sormagant. The tother kingdom of Persia stretcheth toward +the river of Pison and the parts of the west unto the kingdom of +Media, and from the great Armenia and toward the Septentrion to +the sea of Caspian and toward the south to the land of Ind. +That is also a good land and a plenteous, and it hath three great +principal cities—Messabor, Saphon, and Sarmassan.</p> +<p>And then after is Armenia, in the which were wont to be four +kingdoms; that is a noble country and full of goods. And it +beginneth at Persia and stretcheth toward the west in length unto +Turkey. And in largeness it dureth to the city of +Alexandria, that now is clept the Gate of Hell, that I spake of +before, under the kingdom of Media. In this Armenia be full +many good cities, but Taurizo is most of name.</p> +<p>After this is the kingdom of Media, that is full long, but it +is not full large, that beginneth toward the east to the land of +Persia and to Ind the less; and it stretcheth toward the west, +toward the kingdom of Chaldea and toward the Septentrion, +descending toward the little Armenia. In that kingdom of +Media there be many great hills and little of plain earth. +There dwell Saracens and another manner of folk, that men clepe +Cordynes. The best two cities of that kingdom be Sarras and +Karemen.</p> +<p>After that is the kingdom of Georgia, that beginneth toward +the east to the great mountain that is clept Abzor, where that +dwell many diverse folk of diverse <a name="page171"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 171</span>nations. And men clepe the +country Alamo. This kingdom stretcheth him towards Turkey +and toward the Great Sea, and toward the south it marcheth to the +great Armenia. And there be two kingdoms in that country; +that one is the kingdom of Georgia, and that other is the kingdom +of Abchaz. And always in that country be two kings; and +they be both Christian. But the king of Georgia is in +subjection to the great Chan. And the king of Abchaz hath +the more strong country, and he always vigorously defendeth his +country against all those that assail him, so that no man may +make him in subjection to no man.</p> +<p>In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel. For a +province of the country that hath well in circuit three journeys, +that men clepe Hanyson, is all covered with darkness, without any +brightness or light; so that no man may see ne hear, ne no man +dare enter into him. And, natheles, they of the country +say, that some-times men hear voice of folk, and horses neighing, +and cocks crowing. And men wit well, that men dwell there, +but they know not what men. And they say, that the darkness +befell by miracle of God. For a cursed emperor of Persia, +that hight Saures, pursued all Christian men to destroy them and +to compel them to make sacrifice to his idols, and rode with +great host, in all that ever he might, for to confound the +Christian men. And then in that country dwelled many good +Christian men, the which that left their goods and would have +fled into Greece. And when they were in a plain that hight +Megon, anon this cursed emperor met with them with his host for +to have slain them and hewn them to pieces. And anon the +Christian men kneeled to the ground, and made their prayers to +God to succour them. And anon a great thick cloud came and +covered the emperor and all his host. And so they endure in +that manner that they ne may not go out on no side; and so shall +they evermore abide in that darkness till the day of doom, by the +miracle of God. And then the Christian men went where them +liked best, at their own pleasance, <a name="page172"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 172</span>without letting of any creature, and +their enemies enclosed and confounded in darkness, without any +stroke.</p> +<p>Wherefore we may well say with David, <i>A Domino factum est +istud</i>; <i>& est mirabile in oculis nostris</i>. And +that was a great miracle, that God made for them. Wherefore +methinketh that Christian men should be more devout to serve our +Lord God than any other men of any other sect. For without +any dread, ne were not cursedness and sin of Christian men, they +should be lords of all the world. For the banner of Jesu +Christ is always displayed, and ready on all sides to the help of +his true loving servants. Insomuch, that one good Christian +man in good belief should overcome and out-chase a thousand +cursed misbelieving men, as David saith in the Psalter, +<i>Quoniam persequebatur unus mills</i>, <i>& duo fugarent +decem milia</i>; <i>et cadent a latere tuo mille</i>, <i>& +decem milia a dextris tuis</i>. And how that it might be +that one should chase a thousand, David himself saith following, +<i>Quia manus Domini fecit haec omnia</i>, and our Lord himself +saith, by the prophet’s mouth, <i>Si in viis meis +ambulaveritis</i>, <i>super tribulantes vos misissem manum +meam</i>. So that we may see apertly that if we will be +good men, no enemy may not endure against us.</p> +<p>Also ye shall understand that out of that land of darkness +goeth out a great river that sheweth well that there be folk +dwelling, by many ready tokens; but no man dare not enter into +it.</p> +<p>And wit well, that in the kingdoms of Georgia, of Abchaz and +of the little Armenia be good Christian men and devout. For +they shrive them and housel them evermore once or twice in the +week. And there be many of them that housel them every day; +and so do we not on this half, albeit that Saint Paul commandeth +it, saying, <i>Omnibus diebus dominicis ad communicandum +hortor</i>. They keep that commandment, but we ne keep it +not.</p> +<p>Also after, on this half, is Turkey, that marcheth to the +great Armenia. And there be many provinces, as Cappadocia, +Saure, Brique, Quesiton, Pytan, and Gemethe. And in everych +of these be many good cities. This <a +name="page173"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 173</span>Turkey +stretcheth unto the city of Sachala that sitteth upon the sea of +Greece, and so it marcheth to Syria. Syria is a great +country and a good, as I have told you before. And also it +hath, above toward Ind, the kingdom of Chaldea, that stretcheth +from the mountains of Chaldea toward the east unto the city of +Nineveh, that sitteth upon the river of Tigris; and in largeness +it beginneth toward the north to the city of Maraga; and it +stretcheth toward the south unto the sea Ocean. In Chaldea +is a plain country, and few hills and few rivers.</p> +<p>After is the kingdom of Mesopotamia, that beginneth, toward +the east, to the flom of Tigris, unto a city that is clept Mosul; +and it stretcheth toward the west to the flom of Euphrates unto a +city that is clept Roianz; and in length it goeth to the mount of +Armenia unto the desert of Ind the less. This is a good +country and a plain, but it hath few rivers. It hath but +two mountains in that country, of the which one hight Symar and +that other Lyson. And this land marcheth to the kingdom of +Chaldea.</p> +<p>Yet there is, toward the parts Meridionals many countries and +many regions, as the land of Ethiopia, that marcheth, toward the +east to the great deserts, toward the west to the kingdom of +Nubia, toward the south to the kingdom of Moretane, and toward +the north to the Red Sea.</p> +<p>After is Moretane, that dureth from the mountains of Ethiopia +unto Lybia the high. And that country lieth along from the +sea ocean toward the south; and toward the north it marcheth to +Nubia and to the high Lybia. (These men of Nubia be +Christian.) And it marcheth from the lands above-said to +the deserts of Egypt, and that is the Egypt that I have spoken of +before.</p> +<p>And after is Lybia the high and Lybia the low, that descendeth +down low toward the great sea of Spain, in the which country be +many kingdoms and many diverse folk.</p> +<p>Now I have devised you many countries on this half the kingdom +of Cathay, of the which many be obeissant to the great Chan.</p> +<h2><a name="page174"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +174</span>CHAPTER XXIX</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Countries and Isles that be beyond +the Land of Cathay</i>; <i>and of the fruits there</i>; <i>and of +twenty-two kings enclosed within the mountains</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> shall I say you, suingly, of +countries and isles that be beyond the countries that I have +spoken of.</p> +<p>Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward +the high Ind and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that men +clepe Caldilhe, that is a full fair country.</p> +<p>And there groweth a manner of fruit, as though it were +gourds. And when they be ripe, men cut them a-two, and men +find within a little beast, in flesh, in bone, and blood, as +though it were a little lamb without wool. And men eat both +the fruit and the beast. And that is a great marvel. +Of that fruit I have eaten, although it were wonderful, but that +I know well that God is marvellous in his works. And, +natheles, I told them of as great a marvel to them, that is +amongst us, and that was of the Bernakes. For I told them +that in our country were trees that bear a fruit that become +birds flying, and those that fell in the water live, and they +that fall on the earth die anon, and they be right good to +man’s meat. And hereof had they as great marvel, that +some of them trowed it were an impossible thing to be.</p> +<p>In that country be long apples of good savour, whereof be more +than an hundred in a cluster, and as many in another; and they +have great long leaves and large, of two foot long or more. +And in that country, and in other countries thereabout, grow many +trees that bear clove-gylofres and nutmegs, and great nuts of +Ind, and of Canell and of many other spices. And there be +vines that bear so great grapes, that a strong man should have +enough to do for to bear one cluster with all the grapes.</p> +<p>In that same region be the mountains of Caspian that <a +name="page175"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 175</span>men clepe +Uber in the country. Between those mountains the Jews of +ten lineages be enclosed, that men clepe Goth and Magoth and they +may not go out on no side. There were enclosed twenty-two +kings with their people, that dwelled between the mountains of +Scythia. There King Alexander chased them between those +mountains, and there he thought for to enclose them through work +of his men. But when he saw that he might not do it, ne +bring it to an end, he prayed to God of nature that he would +perform that that he had begun. And all were it so, that he +was a paynim and not worthy to be heard, yet God of his grace +closed the mountains together, so that they dwell there all fast +locked and enclosed with high mountains all about, save only on +one side, and on that side is the sea of Caspian.</p> +<p>Now may some men ask, since that the sea is on that one side, +wherefore go they not out on the sea side, for to go where that +them liketh?</p> +<p>But to this question, I shall answer; that sea of Caspian +goeth out by land under the mountains, and runneth by the desert +at one side of the country, and after it stretcheth unto the ends +of Persia, and although it be clept a sea, it is no sea, ne it +toucheth to none other sea, but it is a lake, the greatest of the +world; and though they would put them into that sea, they ne wist +never where that they should arrive; and also they can no +language but only their own, that no man knoweth but they; and +therefore may they not go out.</p> +<p>And also ye shall understand, that the Jews have no proper +land of their own for to dwell in, in all the world, but only +that land between the mountains. And yet they yield tribute +for that land to the Queen of Amazonia, the which that maketh +them to be kept in close full diligently, that they shall not go +out on no side but by the coast of their land; for their land +marcheth to those mountains.</p> +<p>And often it hath befallen, that some of the Jews have gone up +the mountains and avaled down to the valleys. But great +number of folk ne may not do so, for the mountains be so high and +so straight up, that they must abide there, <a +name="page176"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 176</span>maugre +their might. For they may not go out, but by a little issue +that was made by strength of men, and it lasteth well a four +great mile.</p> +<p>And after, is there yet a land all desert, where men may find +no water, neither for digging ne for none other thing. +Wherefore men may not dwell in that place, so is it full of +dragons, of serpents and of other venomous beasts, that no man +dare not pass, but if it be strong winter. And that strait +passage men clepe in that country Clyron. And that is the +passage that the Queen of Amazonia maketh to be kept. And +though it happen some of them by fortune to go out, they can no +manner of language but Hebrew, so that they cannot speak to the +people.</p> +<p>And yet, natheles, men say they shall go out in the time of +anti-Christ, and that they shall make great slaughter of +Christian men. And therefore all the Jews that dwell in all +lands learn always to speak Hebrew, in hope, that when the other +Jews shall go out, that they may understand their speech, and to +lead them into Christendom for to destroy the Christian +people. For the Jews say that they know well by their +prophecies, that they of Caspia shall go out, and spread +throughout all the world, and that the Christian men shall be +under their subjection, as long as they have been in subjection +of them.</p> +<p>And if that you will wit how that they shall find their way, +after that I have heard say I shall tell you.</p> +<p>In the time of anti-Christ a fox shall make there his train, +and mine an hole where King Alexander let make the gates; and so +long he shall mine and pierce the earth, till that he shall pass +through towards that folk. And when they see the fox, they +shall have great marvel of him, because that they saw never such +a beast. For of all other beasts they have enclosed amongst +them, save only the fox. And then they shall chase him and +pursue him so strait, till that he come to the same place that he +came from. And then they shall dig and mine so strongly, +till that they find the gates that King Alexander let make of +great stones, and passing huge, well cemented and made <a +name="page177"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 177</span>strong for +the mastery. And those gates they shall break, and so go +out by finding of that issue.</p> +<p>From that land go men toward the land of Bacharia, where be +full evil folk and full cruel. In that land be trees that +bear wool, as though it were of sheep, whereof men make clothes +and all things that may be made of wool.</p> +<p>In that country be many hippotaynes that dwell some-time in +the water and sometime on the land. And they be half man +and half horse, as I have said before. And they eat men +when they may take them.</p> +<p>And there be rivers of waters that be full bitter, three +sithes more than is the water of the sea.</p> +<p>In that country be many griffins, more plenty than in any +other country. Some men say that they have the body upward +as an eagle and beneath as a lion; and truly they say sooth, that +they be of that shape. But one griffin hath the body more +great and is more strong than eight lions, of such lions as be on +this half, and more great and stronger than an hundred eagles +such as we have amongst us. For one griffin there will +bear, flying to his nest, a great horse, if he may find him at +the point, or two oxen yoked together as they go at the +plough. For he hath his talons so long and so large and +great upon his feet, as though they were horns of great oxen or +of bugles or of kine, so that men make cups of them to drink +of. And of their ribs and of the pens of their wings, men +make bows, full strong, to shoot with arrows and quarrels.</p> +<p>From thence go men by many journeys through the land of +Prester John, the great Emperor of Ind. And men clepe his +realm the isle of Pentexoire.</p> +<h2><a name="page178"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +178</span>CHAPTER XXX</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Royal Estate of Prester +John</i>. <i>And of a rich man that made a marvellous +castle and cleped it Paradise</i>; <i>and of his subtlety</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">This</span> emperor, Prester John, holds +full great land, and hath many full noble cities and good towns +in his realm, and many great diverse isles and large. For +all the country of Ind is devised in isles for the great floods +that come from Paradise, that depart all the land in many +parts. And also in the sea he hath full many isles. +And the best city in the Isle of Pentexoire is Nyse, that is a +full royal city and a noble, and full rich.</p> +<p>This Prester John hath under him many kings and many isles and +many diverse folk of diverse conditions. And this land is +full good and rich, but not so rich as is the land of the great +Chan. For the merchants come not thither so commonly for to +buy merchandises, as they do in the land of the great Chan, for +it is too far to travel to. And on that other part, in the +Isle of Cathay, men find all manner thing that is need to +man—cloths of gold, of silk, of spicery and all manner +avoirdupois. And therefore, albeit that men have greater +cheap in the Isle of Prester John, natheles, men dread the long +way and the great perils in the sea in those parts.</p> +<p>For in many places of the sea be great rocks of stones of the +adamant, that of his proper nature draweth iron to him. And +therefore there pass no ships that have either bonds or nails of +iron within them. And if there do, anon the rocks of the +adamants draw them to them, that never they may go thence. +I myself have seen afar in that sea, as though it had been a +great isle full of tree, and buscaylle, full of thorns and +briars, great plenty. And the shipmen told us, that all +that was of ships that were drawn thither by the adamants, for +the iron that was in them. And of the rotten-ness, and +other thing that was <a name="page179"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 179</span>within the ships, grew such +buscaylle, and thorns and briars and green grass, and such manner +of thing; and of the masts and the sail-yards; it seemed a great +wood or a grove. And such rocks be in many places +thereabout. And therefore dare not the merchants pass +there, but if they know well the passages, or else that they have +good lodesmen.</p> +<p>And also they dread the long way. And therefore they go +to Cathay, for it is more nigh. And yet it is not so nigh, +but that men must be travelling by sea and land, eleven months or +twelve, from Genoa or from Venice, or he come to Cathay. +And yet is the land of Prester John more far by many dreadful +journeys.</p> +<p>And the merchants pass by the kingdom of Persia, and go to a +city that is Clept Hermes, for Hermes the philosopher founded +it. And after that they pass an arm of the sea, and then +they go to another city that is clept Golbache. And there +they find merchandises, and of popinjays, as great plenty as men +find here of geese. And if they will pass further, they may +go sikerly enough. In that country is but little wheat or +barley, and therefore they eat rice and honey and milk and cheese +and fruit.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John taketh always to his wife the +daughter of the great Chan; and the great Chan also, in the same +wise, the daughter of Prester John. For these two be the +greatest lords under the firmament.</p> +<p>In the land of Prester John be many diverse things and many +precious stones, so great and so large, that men make of them +vessels, as platters, dishes and cups. And many other +marvels be there, that it were too cumbrous and too long to put +it in scripture of books; but of the principal isles and of his +estate and of his law, I shall tell you some part.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John is Christian, and a great part of +his country also. But yet, they have not all the articles +of our faith as we have. They believe well in the Father, +in the Son and in the Holy Ghost. And they be full devout +and right true one to another. And they set not by no +barretts, ne by cautels, nor of no deceits.</p> +<p><a name="page180"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 180</span>And +he hath under him seventy-two provinces, and in every province is +a king. And these kings have kings under them, and all be +tributaries to Prester John. And he hath in his lordships +many great marvels.</p> +<p>For in his country is the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea, +that is all gravel and sand, without any drop of water, and it +ebbeth and floweth in great waves as other seas do, and it is +never still ne in peace, in no manner season. And no man +may pass that sea by navy, ne by no manner of craft, and +therefore may no man know what land is beyond that sea. And +albeit that it have no water, yet men find therein and on the +banks full good fish of other manner of kind and shape, than men +find in any other sea, and they be of right good taste and +delicious to man’s meat.</p> +<p>And a three journeys long from that sea be great mountains, +out of the which goeth out a great flood that cometh out of +Paradise. And it is full of precious stones, without any +drop of water, and it runneth through the desert on that one +side, so that it maketh the sea gravelly; and it beareth into +that sea, and there it endeth. And that flome runneth, +also, three days in the week and bringeth with him great stones +and the rocks also therewith, and that great plenty. And +anon, as they be entered into the Gravelly Sea, they be seen no +more, but lost for evermore. And in those three days that +that river runneth, no man dare enter into it; but in the other +days men dare enter well enough.</p> +<p>Also beyond that flome, more upward to the deserts, is a great +plain all gravelly, between the mountains. And in that +plain, every day at the sun-rising, begin to grow small trees, +and they grow till mid-day, bearing fruit; but no man dare take +of that fruit, for it is a thing of faerie. And after +mid-day, they decrease and enter again into the earth, so that at +the going down of the sun they appear no more. And so they +do, every day. And that is a great marvel.</p> +<p>In that desert be many wild men, that be hideous to look on; +for they be horned, and they speak nought, but they grunt, as +pigs. And there is also great plenty of wild <a +name="page181"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +181</span>hounds. And there be many popinjays, that they +clepe psittakes their language. And they speak of their +proper nature, and salute men that go through the deserts, and +speak to them as apertly as though it were a man. And they +that speak well have a large tongue, and have five toes upon a +foot. And there be also of another manner, that have but +three toes upon a foot, and they speak not, or but little, for +they can not but cry.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John when he goeth into battle against +any other lord, he hath no banners borne before him; but he hath +three crosses of gold, fine, great and high, full of precious +stones, and every of those crosses be set in a chariot, full +richly arrayed. And for to keep every cross, be ordained +10,000 men of arms and more than 100,000 men on foot, in manner +as men would keep a standard in our countries, when that we be in +land of war. And this number of folk is without the +principal host and without wings ordained for the battle. +And when he hath no war, but rideth with a privy meinie, then he +hath borne before him but one cross of tree, without painting and +without gold or silver or precious stones, in remembrance that +Jesu Christ suffered death upon a cross of tree. And he +hath borne before him also a platter of gold full of earth, in +token that his noblesse and his might and his flesh shall turn to +earth. And he hath borne before him also a vessel of +silver, full of noble jewels of gold full rich and of precious +stones, in token of his lordship and of his noblesse and of his +might.</p> +<p>He dwelleth commonly in the city of Susa. And there is +his principal palace, that is so rich and so noble, that no man +will trow it by estimation, but he had seen it. And above +the chief tower of the palace be two round pommels of gold, and +in everych of them be two carbuncles great and large, that shine +full bright upon the night. And the principal gates of his +palace be of precious stone that men clepe sardonyx, and the +border and the bars be of ivory. And the windows of the +halls and chambers be of crystal. And the tables whereon +men eat, some be of emeralds, some of amethyst, and some of gold, +full of precious stones; <a name="page182"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 182</span>and the pillars that bear up the +tables be of the same precious stones. And the degrees to +go up to his throne, where he sitteth at the meat, one is of +onyx, another is of crystal, and another of jasper green, another +of amethyst, another of sardine, another of cornelian, and the +seventh, that he setteth on his feet, is of chrysolite. And +all these degrees be bordered with fine gold, with the tother +precious stones, set with great pearls orient. And the +sides of the siege of his throne be of emeralds, and bordered +with gold full nobly, and dubbed with other precious stones and +great pearls. And all the pillars in his chamber be of fine +gold with precious stones, and with many carbuncles, that give +great light upon the night to all people. And albeit that +the carbuncles give light right enough, natheles, at all times +burneth a vessel of crystal full of balm, for to give good smell +and odour to the emperor, and to void away all wicked airs and +corruptions. And the form of his bed is of fine sapphires, +bended with gold, for to make him sleep well and to refrain him +from lechery; for he will not lie with his wives, but four sithes +in the year, after the four seasons, and that is only for to +engender children.</p> +<p>He hath also a full fair palace and a noble at the city of +Nyse, where that he dwelleth, when him best liketh; but the air +is not so attempre, as it is at the city of Susa.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that in all his country nor in the +countries there all about, men eat not but once in the day, as +they do in the court of the great Chan. And so they eat +every day in his court, more than 30,000 persons, without goers +and comers. But the 30,000 persons of his country, ne of +the country of the great Chan, ne spend not so much good as do +12,000 of our country.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John hath evermore seven kings with him +to serve him, and they depart their service by certain +months. And with these kings serve always seventy-two dukes +and three hundred and sixty earls. And all the days of the +year, there eat in his household and in his court, twelve +archbishops and twenty bishops. And the patriarch of Saint +Thomas is there as is the pope here. And the archbishops +and the bishops and the abbots in <a name="page183"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 183</span>that country be all kings. And +everych of these great lords know well enough the attendance of +their service. The one is master of his household, another +is his chamberlain, another serveth him of a dish, another of the +cup, another is steward, another is marshal, another is prince of +his arms, and thus is he full nobly and royally served. And +his land dureth in very breadth four month’s journeys, and +in length out of measure, that is to say, all isles under earth +that we suppose to be under us.</p> +<p>Beside the isle of Pentexoire, that is the land of Prester +John, is a eat isle, long and broad, that men clepe Mistorak; and +it is in the lordship of Prester John. In that isle is +great plenty of goods.</p> +<p>There was dwelling, sometime, a rich man; and it is not long +since; and men clept him Gatholonabes. And he was full of +cautels and of subtle deceits. And he had a full fair +castle and a strong in a mountain, so strong and so noble, that +no man could devise a fairer ne stronger. And he had let +mure all the mountain about with a strong wall and a fair. +And within those walls he had the fairest garden that any man +might behold. And therein were trees bearing all manner of +fruits, that any man could devise. And therein were also +all manner virtuous herbs of good smell, and all other herbs also +that bear fair flowers. And he had also in that garden many +fair wells; and beside those wells he had let make fair halls and +fair chambers, depainted all with gold and azure; and there were +in that place many diverse things, and many diverse stories: and +of beasts, and of birds that sung full delectably and moved by +craft, that it seemed that they were quick. And he had also +in his garden all manner of fowls and of beasts that any man +might think on, for to have play or sport to behold them.</p> +<p>And he had also, in that place, the fairest damsels that might +be found, under the age of fifteen years, and the fairest young +striplings that men might get, of that same age. And all +they were clothed in cloths of gold, full richly. And he +said that those were angels.</p> +<p><a name="page184"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 184</span>And +he had also let make three wells, fair and noble and all +environed with stone of jasper, of crystal, diapered with gold, +and set with precious stones and great orient pearls. And +he had made a conduit under earth, so that the three wells, at +his list, one should run milk, another wine and another +honey. And that place he clept Paradise.</p> +<p>And when that any good knight, that was hardy and noble, came +to see this royalty, he would lead him into his paradise, and +show him these wonderful things to his disport, and the +marvellous and delicious song of diverse birds, and the fair +damsels, and the fair wells of milk, of wine and of honey, +plenteously running. And he would let make divers +instruments of music to sound in an high tower, so merrily, that +it was joy for to hear; and no man should see the craft +thereof. And those, he said, were angels of God, and that +place was Paradise, that God had behight to his friends, saying, +<i>Dabo vobis terram fluentem lacte et melle</i>. And then +would he make them to drink of certain drink, whereof anon they +should be drunk. And then would them think greater delight +than they had before. And then would he say to them, that +if they would die for him and for his love, that after their +death they should come to his paradise; and they should be of the +age of those damosels, and they should play with them, and yet be +maidens. And after that yet should he put them in a fairer +paradise, where that they should see God of nature visibly, in +his majesty and in his bliss. And then would he shew them +his intent, and say them, that if they would go slay such a lord, +or such a man that was his enemy or contrarious to his list, that +they should not dread to do it and for to be slain therefore +themselves. For after their death, he would put them into +another paradise, that was an hundred-fold fairer than any of the +tother; and there should they dwell with the most fairest +damosels that might be, and play with them ever-more.</p> +<p>And thus went many diverse lusty bachelors for to slay great +lords in diverse countries, that were his enemies, and made +themselves to be slain, in hope to have that paradise. <a +name="page185"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 185</span>And thus, +often-time, he was revenged of his enemies by his subtle deceits +and false cautels.</p> +<p>And when the worthy men of the country had perceived this +subtle falsehood of this Gatholonabes, they assembled them with +force, and assailed his castle, and slew him, and destroyed all +the fair places and all the nobilities of that paradise. +The place of the wells and of the walls and of many other things +be yet apertly seen, but the riches is voided clean. And it +is not long gone, since that place was destroyed.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXI</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Devil’s Head in the Valley +Perilous</i>. <i>And of the Customs of Folk in diverse +Isles that be about in the Lordship of Prester John</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Beside</span> that Isle of Mistorak upon +the left side nigh to the river of Pison is a marvellous +thing. There is a vale between the mountains, that dureth +nigh a four mile. And some men clepe it the Vale Enchanted, +some clepe it the Vale of Devils, and some clepe it the Vale +Perilous. In that vale hear men often-time great tempests +and thunders, and great murmurs and noises, all days and nights, +and great noise, as it were sound of tabors and of nakers and of +trumps, as though it were of a great feast. This vale is +all full of devils, and hath been always. And men say +there, that it is one of the entries of hell. In that vale +is great plenty of gold and silver. Wherefore many +misbelieving men, and many Christian men also, go in oftentime +for to have of the treasure that there is; but few come again, +and namely of the misbelieving men, ne of the Christian men +neither, for anon they be strangled of devils.</p> +<p>And in mid place of that vale, under a rock, is an head and +the visage of a devil bodily, full horrible and dreadful to see, +and it sheweth not but the head, to the shoulders. <a +name="page186"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 186</span>But there +is no man in the world so hardy, Christian man ne other, but that +he would be adread to behold it, and that it would seem him to +die for dread, so is it hideous for to behold. For he +beholdeth every man so sharply with dreadful eyen, that be +evermore moving and sparkling as fire, and changeth and stirreth +so often in diverse manner, with so horrible countenance, that no +man dare not neighen towards him. And from him cometh out +smoke and stinking fire and so much abomination, that unnethe no +man may there endure.</p> +<p>But the good Christian men, that be stable in the faith, enter +well without peril. For they will first shrive them and +mark them with the token of the holy cross, so that the fiends ne +have no power over them. But albeit that they be without +peril, yet, natheles, ne be they not without dread, when that +they see the devils visibly and bodily all about them, that make +full many diverse assaults and menaces, in air and in earth, and +aghast them with strokes of thunder-blasts and of tempests. +And the most dread is, that God will take vengeance then of that +that men have misdone against his will.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that when my fellows and I were in +that vale, we were in great thought, whether that we durst put +our bodies in adventure, to go in or not, in the protection of +God. And some of our fellows accorded to enter, and some +not. So there were with us two worthy men, friars minors, +that were of Lombardy, that said, that if any man would enter +they would go in with us. And when they had said so, upon +the gracious trust of God and of them, we let sing mass, and made +every man to be shriven and houseled. And then we entered +fourteen persons; but at our going out we were but nine. +And so we wist never, whether that our fellows were lost, or else +turned again for dread. But we saw them never after; and +those were two men of Greece, and three of Spain. And our +other fellows that would not go in with us, they went by another +coast to be before us; and so they were.</p> +<p>And thus we passed that perilous vale, and found therein <a +name="page187"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 187</span>gold and +silver, and precious stones and rich jewels, great plenty, both +here and there, as us seemed. But whether that it was, as +us seemed, I wot never. For I touched none, because that +the devils be so subtle to make a thing to seem otherwise than it +is, for to deceive mankind. And therefore I touched none, +and also because that I would not be put out of my devotion; for +I was more devout then, than ever I was before or after, and all +for the dread of fiends that I saw in diverse figures, and also +for the great multitude of dead bodies, that I saw there lying by +the way, by all the vale, as though there had been a battle +between two kings, and the mightiest of the country, and that the +greater part had been discomfited and slain. And I trow, +that unnethe should any country have so much people within him, +as lay slain in that vale as us thought, the which was an hideous +sight to see. And I marvelled much, that there were so +many, and the bodies all whole without rotting. But I trow, +that fiends made them seem to be so whole without rotting. +But that might not be to mine advice that so many should have +entered so newly, ne so many newly slain, with out stinking and +rotting. And many of them were in habit of Christian men, +but I trow well, that it were of such that went in for covetise +of the treasure that was there, and had overmuch feebleness in +the faith; so that their hearts ne might not endure in the belief +for dread. And therefore were we the more devout a great +deal. And yet we were cast down, and beaten down many times +to the hard earth by winds and thunders and tempests. But +evermore God of his grace holp us. And so we passed that +perilous vale without peril and without encumbrance, thanked be +Almighty God.</p> +<p>After this, beyond the vale, is a great isle, where the folk +be great giants of twenty-eight foot long, or of thirty foot +long. And they have no clothing but of skins of beasts that +they hang upon them. And they eat no bread, but all raw +flesh; and they drink milk of beasts, for they have plenty of all +bestial. And they have no houses to lie in. And they +eat more gladly man’s <a name="page188"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 188</span>flesh than any other flesh. +Into that isle dare no man gladly enter. And if they see a +ship and men therein, anon they enter into the sea for to take +them.</p> +<p>And men said us, that in an isle beyond that were giants of +greater stature, some of forty-five foot, or of fifty foot long, +and, as some men say, some of fifty cubits long. But I saw +none of those, for I had no lust to go to those parts, because +that no man cometh neither into that isle ne into the other, but +if he be devoured anon. And among those giants be sheep as +great as oxen here, and they bear great wool and rough. Of +the sheep I have seen many times. And men have seen, many +times, those giants take men in the sea out of their ships, and +brought them to land, two in one hand and two in another, eating +them going, all raw and all quick.</p> +<p>Another isle is there toward the north, in the sea Ocean, +where that be full cruel and full evil women of nature. And +they have precious stones in their eyen. And they be of +that kind, that if they behold any man with wrath, they slay him +anon with the beholding, as doth the basilisk.</p> +<p>Another isle is there, full fair and good and great, and full +of people, where the custom is such, that the first night that +they be married, they make another man to lie by their wives for +to have their maidenhead: and therefore they take great hire and +great thank. And there be certain men in every town that +serve of none other thing; and they clepe them cadeberiz, that is +to say, the fools of wanhope. For they of the country hold +it so great a thing and so perilous for to have the maidenhead of +a woman, that them seemeth that they that have first the +maidenhead putteth him in adventure of his life. And if the +husband find his wife maiden that other next night after that she +should have been lain by of the man that is assigned therefore, +peradventure for drunkenness or for some other cause, the husband +shall plain upon him that he hath not done his devoir, in such +cruel wise as though the officers would have slain him. But +after the first night that they be lain by, they keep them so +straitly that they be not so hardy to speak with no man. +And I asked them <a name="page189"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +189</span>the cause why that they held such custom: and they said +me, that of old time men had been dead for deflowering of +maidens, that had serpents in their bodies that stung men upon +their yards, that they died anon: and therefore they held that +customs to make other men ordained therefore to lie by their +wives, for dread of death, and to assay the passage by another +[rather] than for to put them in that adventure.</p> +<p>After that is another isle where that women make great sorrow +when their children be y-born. And when they die, they make +great feast and great joy and revel, and then they cast them into +a great fire burning. And those that love well their +husbands, if their husbands be dead, they cast them also in the +fire with their children, and burn them. And they say that +the fire shall cleanse them of all filths and of all vices, and +they shall go pured and clean into another world to their +husbands, and they shall lead their children with them. And +the cause why that they weep, when their children be born is +this; for when they come into this world, they come to labour, +sorrow and heaviness. And why they make joy and gladness at +their dying is because that, as they say, then they go to +Paradise where the rivers run milk and honey, where that men see +them in joy and in abundance of goods, without sorrow and +labour.</p> +<p>In that isle men make their king evermore by election, and +they ne choose him not for no noblesse nor for no riches, but +such one as is of good manners and of good conditions, and +therewithal rightfull, and also that he be of great age, and that +he have no children. In that isle men be full rightfull and +they do rightfull judgments in every cause both of rich and poor, +small and great, after the quantity of the trespass that is +mis-done. And the king may not doom no man to death without +assent of his barons and other men wise of counsel, and that all +the court accord thereto. And if the king himself do any +homicide or any crime, as to slay a man, or any such case, he +shall die there for. But he shall not be slain as another +man; but men shall defend, in pain of death, that no man be so <a +name="page190"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 190</span>hardy to +make him company ne to speak with him, ne that no man give him, +ne sell him, ne serve him, neither of meat ne of drink; and so +shall he die in mischief. They spare no man that hath +trespassed, neither for love, ne for favour ne for riches, ne for +noblesse; but that he shall have after that he hath done.</p> +<p>Beyond that isle is another isle, where is great multitude of +folk. And they will not, for no thing, eat flesh of hares, +ne of hens, ne of geese; and yet they bring forth enough, for to +see them and to behold them only; but they eat flesh of all other +beasts, and drink milk. In that country they take their +daughters and their sisters to their wives, and their other +kinswomen. And if there be ten men or twelve men or more +dwelling in an house, the wife of everych of them shall be common +to them all that dwell in that house; so that every man may lie +with whom he will of them on one night, and with another, another +night. And if she have any child, she may give it to what +man that she list, that hath companied with her, so that no man +knoweth there whether the child be his or another’s. +And if any man say to them, that they nourish other men’s +children, they answer that so do over men theirs.</p> +<p>In that country and by all Ind be great plenty of cockodrills, +that is a manner of a long serpent, as I have said before. +And in the night they dwell in the water, and on the day upon the +land, in rocks and in caves. And they eat no meat in all +the winter, but they lie as in a dream, as do the serpents. +These serpents slay men, and they eat them weeping; and when they +eat they move the over jaw, and not the nether jaw, and they have +no tongue.</p> +<p>In that country and in many other beyond that, and also in +many on this half, men put in work the seed of cotton, and they +sow it every year. And then groweth it in small trees, that +bear cotton. And so do men every year, so that there is +plenty of cotton at all times. Item; in this isle and in +many other, there is a manner of wood, hard and strong. +Whoso covereth the coals of that wood under the ashes thereof, +the coals will dwell and abide all <a name="page191"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 191</span>quick, a year or more. And +that tree hath many leaves, as the juniper hath. And there +be also many trees, that of nature they will never burn, ne rot +in no manner. And there be nut trees, that bear nuts as +great as a man’s head.</p> +<p>There also be many beasts, that be clept orafles. In +Arabia, they be clept gerfaunts. That is a beast, pomely or +spotted, that is but a little more high than is a steed, but he +hath the neck a twenty cubits long; and his croup and his tail is +as of an hart; and he may look over a great high house. And +there be also in that country many camles; that is a little beast +as a goat, that is wild, and he liveth by the air and eateth +nought, ne drinketh nought, at no time. And he changeth his +colour often-time, for men see him often sithes, now in one +colour and now in another colour; and he may change him into all +manner colours that him list, save only into red and white. +There be also in that country passing great serpents, some of six +score foot long, and they be of diverse colours, as rayed, red, +green, and yellow, blue and black, and all speckled. And +there be others that have crests upon their heads, and they go +upon their feet, upright, and they be well a four fathom great, +or more, and they dwell always in rocks or in mountains, and they +have alway the throat open, of whence they drop venom +always. And there be also wild swine of many colours, as +great as be oxen in our country, and they be all spotted, as be +young fawns. And there be also urchins, as great as wild +swine here; we clepe them Porcz de Spine. And there be +lions all white, great and mighty. And there be also of +other beasts, as great and more greater than is a destrier, and +men clepe them Loerancs; and some men clepe them odenthos; and +they have a black head and three long horns trenchant in the +front, sharp as a sword, and the body is slender; and he is a +full felonious beast, and he chaseth and slayeth the +elephant. There be also many other beasts, full wicked and +cruel, that be not mickle more than a bear, and they have the +head like a boar, and they have six feet, and on every foot two +large claws, trenchant; and the body is like a bear, and the tail +as a lion. And there be also mice <a +name="page192"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 192</span>as great as +hounds, and yellow mice as great as ravens. And there be +geese, all red, three sithes more great than ours here, and they +have the head, the neck and the breast all black.</p> +<p>And many other diverse beasts be in those countries, and +elsewhere there-about, and many diverse birds also, of the which +it were too long for to tell you. And therefore, I pass +over at this time.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXII</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the goodness of the folk of the Isle of +Bragman</i>. <i>Of King Alexander</i>. <i>And +wherefore the Emperor of Ind is clept Prester John</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">And</span> beyond that isle is another +isle, great and good and plenteous, where that be good folk and +true, and of good living after their belief and of good +faith. And albeit that they be not christened, ne have no +perfect law, yet, natheles, of kindly law they be full of all +virtue, and they eschew all vices and all malices and all +sins. For they be not proud, ne covetous, ne envious, ne +wrathful, ne gluttons, ne lecherous. Ne they do to any man +otherwise than they would that other men did to them, and in this +point they fulfil the ten commandments of God, and give no charge +of avoir, ne of riches. And they lie not, ne they swear not +for none occasion, but they say simply, yea and nay; for they +say, he that sweareth will deceive his neighbour, and therefore, +all that they do, they do it without oath.</p> +<p>And men clepe that isle the Isle of Bragman, and some men +clepe it the Land of Faith. And through that land runneth a +great river that is clept Thebe. And, in general, all the +men of those isles and of all the marches thereabout be more true +than in any other countries thereabout, and more rightfull than +others in all things. In <a name="page193"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 193</span>that isle is no thief, ne murderer, +ne common woman, ne poor beggar, ne never was man slain in that +country. And they be so chaste, and lead so good life, as +that they were religious men, and they fast all days. And +because they be so true and so rightfull, and so full of all good +conditions, they were never grieved with tempests, ne with +thunder, ne with light, ne with hail, ne with pestilence, ne with +war, ne with hunger, ne with none other tribulation, as we be, +many times, amongst us, for our sins. Wherefore, it seemeth +well, that God loveth them and is pleased with their creaunce for +their good deeds. They believe well in God, that made all +things, and him they worship. And they prize none earthly +riches; and so they be all rightfull. And they live full +ordinately, and so soberly in meat and drink, that they live +right long. And the most part of them die without sickness, +when nature faileth them, for eld.</p> +<p>And it befell in King Alexander’s time, that he purposed +him to conquer that isle and to make them to hold of him. +And when they of the country heard it, they sent messengers to +him with letters, that said thus; What may be enough to that man +to whom all the world is insufficient? Thou shalt find +nothing in us, that may cause thee to war against us. For +we have no riches, ne none we covet, and all the goods of our +country be in common. Our meat, that we sustain withal our +bodies, is our riches. And, instead of treasure of gold and +silver, we make our treasure of accord and peace, and for to love +every man other. And for to apparel with our bodies we use +a silly little clout for to wrap in our carrion. Our wives +ne be not arrayed for to make no man pleasance, but only +convenable array for to eschew folly. When men pain them to +array the body for to make it seem fairer than God made it, they +do great sin. For man should not devise ne ask greater +beauty, than God hath ordained man to be at his birth. The +earth ministereth to us two things,—our livelihood, that +cometh of the earth that we live by, and our sepulture after our +death. We have been in perpetual peace till now, that thou +come to disinherit us. And also we have a <a +name="page194"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 194</span>king, not +only for to do justice to every man, for he shall find no forfeit +among us; but for to keep noblesse, and for to shew that we be +obeissant, we have a king. For justice ne hath not among us +no place, for we do to no man otherwise than we desire that men +do to us. So that righteousness ne vengeance have nought to +do among us. So that nothing thou may take from us, but our +good peace, that always hath dured among us.</p> +<p>And when King Alexander had read these letters, he thought +that he should do great sin, for to trouble them. And then +he sent them sureties, that they should not be afeard of him, and +that they should keep their good manners and their good peace, as +they had used before, of custom. And so he let them +alone.</p> +<p>Another isle there is, that men clepe Oxidrate, and another +isle, that men clepe Gynosophe, where there is also good folk, +and full of good faith. And they hold, for the most part, +the good conditions and customs and good manners, as men of the +country abovesaid; but they go all naked.</p> +<p>Into that isle entered King Alexander, to see the +manner. And when he saw their great faith, and their truth +that was amongst them, he said that he would not grieve them, and +bade them ask of him what that they would have of him, riches or +anything else, and they should have it, with good will. And +they answered, that he was rich enough that had meat and drink to +sustain the body with, for the riches of this world, that is +transitory, is not worth; but if it were in his power to make +them immortal, thereof would they pray him, and thank him. +And Alexander answered them that it was not in his power to do +it, because he was mortal, as they were. And then they +asked him why he was so proud and so fierce, and so busy for to +put all the world under his subjection, right as thou were a God, +and hast no term of this life, neither day ne hour, and willest +to have all the world at thy commandment, that shall leave thee +without fail, or thou leave it. And right as it hath been +to other men before thee, right so it shall be to other after +thee. And from hence <a name="page195"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 195</span>shalt thou bear nothing; but as thou +were born naked, right so all naked shall thy body be turned into +earth that thou were made of. Wherefore thou shouldest +think and impress it in thy mind, that nothing is immortal, but +only God, that made the thing. By the which answer +Alexander was greatly astonished and abashed, and all confused +and departed from them.</p> +<p>And albeit that these folk have not the articles of our faith +as we have, natheles, for their good faith natural, and for their +good intent, I trow fully, that God loveth them, and that God +take their service to gree, right as he did of Job, that was a +paynim, and held him for his true servant. And therefore, +albeit that there be many diverse laws in the world, yet I trow, +that God loveth always them that love him, and serve him meekly +in truth, and namely them that despise the vain glory of this +world, as this folk do and as Job did also.</p> +<p>And therefore said our Lord by the mouth of Hosea the prophet, +<i>Ponam eis multiplices leges meas</i>; and also in another +place, <i>Qui totum orbem subdit suis legibus</i>. And also +our Lord saith in the Gospel, <i>Alias oves habeo</i>, <i>que non +sunt ex hoc ovili</i>, that is to say, that he had other servants +than those that be under Christian law. And to that +accordeth the avision that Saint Peter saw at Jaffa, how the +angel came from heaven, and brought before him diverse beasts, as +serpents and other creeping beasts of the earth, and of other +also, great plenty, and bade him take and eat. And Saint +Peter answered; I eat never, quoth he, of unclean beasts. +And then said the angel, <i>Non dicas immunda</i>, <i>que Deus +mundavit</i>. And that was in token that no man should have +in despite none earthly man for their diverse laws, for we know +not whom God loveth, ne whom God hateth. And for that +example, when men say, <i>De profundis</i>, they say it in common +and in general, with the Christian, <i>Pro animabus omnium +defunctorum</i>, <i>pro quibus sit orandum</i>.</p> +<p>And therefore say I of this folk, that be so true and so +faithful, that God loveth them. For he hath amongst them +many of the prophets, and alway hath had. And <a +name="page196"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 196</span>in those +isles, they prophesied the Incarnation of Lord Jesu Christ, how +he should be born of a maiden, three thousand year or more or our +Lord was born of the Virgin Mary. And they believe well it, +the Incarnation, and that full perfectly, but they know not the +manner, how he suffered his passion and death for us.</p> +<p>And beyond these isles there is another isle that is clept +Pytan. The folk of that country ne till not, ne labour not +the earth, for they eat no manner thing. And they be of +good colour and of fair shape, after their greatness. But +the small be as dwarfs, but not so little as be the +Pigmies. These men live by the smell of wild apples. +And when they go any far way, they bear the apples with them; for +if they had lost the savour of the apples, they should die +anon. They ne be not full reasonable, but they be simple +and bestial.</p> +<p>After that is another isle, where the folk be all skinned +rough hair, as a rough beast, save only the face and the palm of +the hand. These folk go as well under the water of the sea, +as they do above the land all dry. And they eat both flesh +and fish all raw. In this isle is a great river that is +well a two mile and an half of breadth that is clept +Beaumare.</p> +<p>And from that river a fifteen journeys in length, going by the +deserts of the tother side of the river—whoso might go it, +for I was not there, but it was told us of them of the country, +that within those deserts were the trees of the sun and of the +moon, that spake to King Alexander, and warned him of his +death. And men say that the folk that keep those trees, and +eat of the fruit and of the balm that groweth there, live well +four hundred year or five hundred year, by virtue of the fruit +and of the balm. For men say that balm groweth there in +great plenty and nowhere else, save only at Babylon, as I have +told you before. We would have gone toward the trees full +gladly if we had might. But I trow that 100,000 men of arms +might not pass those deserts safely, for the great multitude of +wild beasts and of great dragons and of great serpents that <a +name="page197"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 197</span>there be, +that slay and devour all that come anent them. In that +country be many white elephants without number, and of unicorns +and of lions of many manners, and many of such beasts that I have +told before, and of many other hideous beasts without number.</p> +<p>Many other isles there be in the land of Prester John, and +many great marvels, that were too long to tell all, both of his +riches and of his noblesse and of the great plenty also of +precious stones that he hath. I trow that ye know well +enough, and have heard say, wherefore this emperor is clept +Prester John. But, natheles, for them that know not, I +shall say you the cause.</p> +<p>It was sometime an emperor there, that was a worthy and a full +noble prince, that had Christian knights in his company, as he +hath that is now. So it befell, that he had great list for +to see the service in the church among Christian men. And +then dured Christendom beyond the sea, all Turkey, Syria, +Tartary, Jerusalem, Palestine, Arabia, Aleppo and all the land of +Egypt. And so it befell that this emperor came with a +Christian knight with him into a church in Egypt. And it +was the Saturday in Whitsun-week. And the bishop made +orders. And he beheld, and listened the service full +tentively. And he asked the Christian knight what men of +degree they should be that the prelate had before him. And +the knight answered and said that they should be priests. +And then the emperor said that he would no longer be clept king +ne emperor, but priest, and that he would have the name of the +first priest that went out of the church, and his name was +John. And so ever-more sithens, he is clept Prester +John.</p> +<p>In his land be many Christian men of good faith and of good +law, and namely of them of the same country, and have commonly +their priests, that sing the Mass, and make the sacrament of the +altar, of bread, right as the Greeks do; but they say not so many +things at the Mass as men do here. For they say not but +only that that the apostles said, as our Lord taught them, right +as Saint Peter and Saint Thomas and the other apostles sung the +<a name="page198"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 198</span>Mass, +saying the <i>Pater Noster</i> and the words of the +sacrament. But we have many more additions that divers +popes have made, that they ne know not of.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII</h2> +<p style="text-align: center" class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Hills of +Gold that Pismires keep</i>. <i>And of the four Floods that +come from Paradise Terrestrial</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">Toward</span> the east part of Prester +John’s land is an isle good and great, that men clepe +Taprobane, that is full noble and full fructuous. And the +king thereof is full rich, and is under the obeissance of Prester +John. And always there they make their king by +election. In that isle be two summers and two winters, and +men harvest the corn twice a year. And in all the seasons +of the year be the gardens flourished. There dwell good +folk and reasonable, and many Christian men amongst them, that be +so rich that they wit not what to do with their goods. Of +old time, when men passed from the land of Prester John unto that +isle, men made ordinance for to pass by ship, twenty-three days, +or more; but now men pass by ship in seven days. And men +may see the bottom of the sea in many places, for it is not full +deep.</p> +<p>Beside that isle, toward the east, be two other isles. +And men clepe that one Orille, and that other Argyte, of the +which all the land is mine of gold and silver. And those +isles be right where that the Red Sea departeth from the sea +ocean. And in those isles men see there no stars so clearly +as in other places. For there appear no stars, but only one +clear star that men clepe Canapos. And there is not the +moon seen in all the lunation, save only the second quarter.</p> +<p>In the isle also of this Taprobane be great hills of gold, +that pismires keep full diligently. And they fine the pured +gold, and cast away the un-pured. And these <a +name="page199"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 199</span>pismires be +great as hounds, so that no man dare come to those hills for the +pismires would assail them and devour them anon. So that no +man may get of that gold, but by great sleight. And +therefore when it is great heat, the pismires rest them in the +earth, from prime of the day into noon. And then the folk +of the country take camels, dromedaries, and horses and other +beasts, and go thither, and charge them in all haste that they +may; and after that, they flee away in all haste that the beasts +may go, or the pismires come out of the earth. And in other +times, when it is not so hot, and that the pismires ne rest them +not in the earth, then they get gold by this subtlety. They +take mares that have young colts or foals, and lay upon the mares +void vessels made there-for; and they be all open above, and +hanging low to the earth. And then they send forth those +mares for to pasture about those hills, and with-hold the foals +with them at home. And when the pismires see those vessels, +they leap in anon: and they have this kind that they let nothing +be empty among them, but anon they fill it, be it what manner of +thing that it be; and so they fill those vessels with gold. +And when that the folk suppose that the vessels be full, they put +forth anon the young foals, and make them to neigh after their +dams. And then anon the mares return towards their foals +with their charges of gold. And then men discharges them, +and get gold enough by this subtlety. For the pismires will +suffer beasts to go and pasture amongst them, but no man in no +wise.</p> +<p>And beyond the land and the isles and the deserts of Prester +John’s lordship, in going straight toward the east, men +find nothing but mountains and rocks, full great. And there +is the dark region, where no man may see, neither by day ne by +night, as they of the country say. And that desert and that +place of darkness dure from this coast unto Paradise terrestrial, +where that Adam, our formest father, and Eve were put, that +dwelled there but little while: and that is towards the east at +the beginning of the earth. But that is not that east that +we clepe our east, on this half, where the sun riseth to +us. For when <a name="page200"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +200</span>the sun is east in those parts towards Paradise +terrestrial, it is then midnight in our parts on this half, for +the roundness of the earth, of the which I have touched to you of +before. For our Lord God made the earth all round in the +mid place of the firmament. And there as mountains and +hills be and valleys, that is not but only of Noah’s flood, +that wasted the soft ground and the tender, and fell down into +valleys, and the hard earth and the rocks abide mountains, when +the soft earth and tender waxed nesh through the water, and fell +and became valleys.</p> +<p>Of Paradise ne can I not speak properly. For I was not +there. It is far beyond. And that forthinketh +me. And also I was not worthy. But as I have heard +say of wise men beyond, I shall tell you with good will.</p> +<p>Paradise terrestrial, as wise men say, is the highest place of +earth, that is in all the world. And it is so high that it +toucheth nigh to the circle of the moon, there as the moon maketh +her turn; for she is so high that the flood of Noah ne might not +come to her, that would have covered all the earth of the world +all about and above and beneath, save Paradise only alone. +And this Paradise is enclosed all about with a wall, and men wit +not whereof it is; for the walls be covered all over with moss, +as it seemeth. And it seemeth not that the wall is stone of +nature, ne of none other thing that the wall is. And that +wall stretcheth from the south to the north, and it hath not but +one entry that is closed with fire, burning; so that no man that +is mortal ne dare not enter.</p> +<p>And in the most high place of Paradise, even in the middle +place, is a well that casteth out the four floods that run by +divers lands. Of the which, the first is clept Pison, or +Ganges, that is all one; and it runneth throughout Ind or Emlak, +in the which river be many precious stones, and much of lignum +aloes and much gravel of gold. And that other river is +clept Nilus or Gison, that goeth by Ethiopia and after by +Egypt. And that other is clept Tigris, that runneth by +Assyria and by Armenia the great. And that other is clept +Euphrates, that runneth also by Media and Armenia and by +Persia. And men there beyond say, that <a +name="page201"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 201</span>all the +sweet waters of the world, above and beneath, take their +beginning of the well of Paradise, and out of that well all +waters come and go.</p> +<p>The first river is clept Pison, that is to say in their +language Assembly; for many other rivers meet them there, and go +into that river. And some men clepe it Ganges, for a king +that was in Ind, that hight Gangeres, and that it ran throughout +his land. And that water [is] in some place clear, and in +some place troubled, in some place hot, and in some place +cold.</p> +<p>The second river is clept Nilus or Gison; for it is always +trouble; and Gison, in the language of Ethiopia, is to say, +trouble, and in the language of Egypt also.</p> +<p>The third river, that is dept Tigris, is as much for to say +as, fast-running; for he runneth more fast than any of the +tother; and also there is a beast, that is clept tigris, that is +fast-running.</p> +<p>The fourth river is clept Euphrates, that is to say, +well-bearing; for there grow many goods upon that river, as +corns, fruits and other goods enough plenty.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that no man that is mortal ne may not +approach to that Paradise. For by land no man may go for +wild beasts that be in the deserts, and for the high mountains +and great huge rocks that no man may pass by, for the dark places +that be there, and that many. And by the rivers may no man +go. For the water runneth so rudely and so sharply, because +that it cometh down so outrageously from the high places above, +that it runneth in so great waves, that no ship may not row ne +sail against it. And the water roareth so, and maketh so +huge noise and so great tempest, that no man may hear other in +the ship, though he cried with all the craft that he could in the +highest voice that he might. Many great lords have assayed +with great will, many times, for to pass by those rivers towards +Paradise, with full great companies. But they might not +speed in their voyage. And many died for weariness of +rowing against those strong waves. And many of them became +blind, and many deaf, for the noise of the water. And some +<a name="page202"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 202</span>were +perished and lost within the waves. So that no mortal man +may approach to that place, without special grace of God, so that +of that place I can say you no more; and therefore, I shall hold +me still, and return to that, that I have seen.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV</h2> +<p class="gutsumm"><i>Of the Customs of Kings and other that +dwell in the Isles coasting to Prester John’s +Land</i>. <i>And of the Worship that the Son doth to the +Father when he is dead</i></p> +<p><span class="smcap">From</span> those isles that I have spoken +of before, in the Land of Prester John, that be under earth as to +us that be on this half, and of other isles that be more further +beyond, whoso will, pursue them for to come again right to the +parts that he came from, and so environ all earth. But what +for the isles, what for the sea, and what for strong rowing, few +folk assay for to pass that passage; albeit that men might do it +well, that might be of power to dress them thereto, as I have +said you before. And therefore men return from those isles +abovesaid by other isles, coasting from the land of Prester +John.</p> +<p>And then come men in returning to an isle that is clept +Casson. And that isle hath well sixty journeys in length, +and more than fifty in breadth. This is the best isle and +the best kingdom that is in all those parts, out-taken +Cathay. And if the merchants used as much that country as +they do Cathay, it would be better than Cathay in a short +while. This country is full well inhabited, and so full of +cities and of good towns inhabited with people, that when a man +goeth out of one city, men see another city even before them; and +that is what part that a man go, in all that country. In +that isle is great plenty of all goods for to live with, and of +all manner of spices. And there be great forests of +chestnuts. The king of that isle is full <a +name="page203"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 203</span>rich and +full mighty, and, natheles, he holds his land of the great Chan, +and is obeissant to him. For it is one of the twelve +provinces that the great Chan hath under him without his proper +land, and without other less isles that he hath; for he hath full +many.</p> +<p>From that kingdom come men, in returning, to another isle that +is clept Rybothe, and it is also under the great Chan. That +is a full good country, and full plenteous of all goods and of +wines and fruit and all other riches. And the folk of that +country have no houses, but they dwell and lie all under tents +made of black fern, by all the country. And the principal +city and the most royal is all walled with black stone and +white. And all the streets also be pathed of the same +stones. In that city is no man so hardy to shed blood of +any man, ne of no beast, for the reverence of an idol that is +worshipped there. And in that isle dwelleth the pope of +their law, that they clepe Lobassy. This Lobassy giveth all +the benefices, and all other dignities and all other things that +belong to the idol. And all those that hold anything of +their churches, religious and other, obey to him, as men do here +to the Pope of Rome.</p> +<p>In that isle they have a custom by all the country, that when +the father is dead of any man, and the son list to do great +worship to his father, he sendeth to all his friends and to all +his kin, and for religious men and priests, and for minstrels +also, great plenty. And then men bear the dead body unto a +great hill with great joy and solemnity. And when they have +brought it thither, the chief prelate smiteth off the head, and +layeth it upon a great platter of gold and of silver, if so [he] +be a rich man. And then he taketh the head to the +son. And then the son and his other kin sing and say many +orisons. And then the priests and the religious men smite +all the body of the dead man in pieces. And then they say +certain orisons. And the fowls of ravine of all the country +about know the custom of long time before, [and] come flying +above in the air; as eagles, gledes, ravens and other fowls of +ravine, that eat flesh. And then the priests cast the +gobbets of the flesh <a name="page204"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 204</span>and then the fowls, each of them, +taketh that he may, and goeth a little thence and eateth it; and +so they do whilst any piece lasteth of the dead body.</p> +<p>And after that, as priests amongst us sing for the dead, +<i>Subvenite Sancti Dei</i>, <i>etc.</i>, right so the priests +sing with high voice in their language; Behold how so worthy a +man and how good a man this was, that the angels of God come for +to seek him and for to bring him into Paradise. And then +seemeth it to the son, that he is highly worshipped, when that +many birds and fowls and ravens come and eat his father; and he +that hath most number of fowls is most worshipped.</p> +<p>And then the son bringeth home with him all his kin, and his +friends, and all the others to his house, and maketh them a great +feast. And then all his friends make their vaunt and their +dalliance, how the fowls came thither, here five, here six, here +ten, and there twenty, and so forth; and they rejoice them hugely +for to speak thereof. And when they be at meat, the son let +bring forth the head of his father, and thereof he giveth of the +flesh to his most special friends, instead of <i>entre messe</i>, +or a <i>sukkarke</i>. And of the brain pan, he letteth make +a cup, and thereof drinketh he and his other friends also, with +great devotion, in remembrance of the holy man, that the angels +of God have eaten. And that cup the son shall keep to drink +of all his life-time, in remembrance of his father.</p> +<p>From that land, in returning by ten journeys throughout the +land of the great Chan, is another good isle and a great kingdom, +where the king is full rich and mighty.</p> +<p>And amongst the rich men of his country is a passing rich man, +that is no prince, ne duke, ne earl, but he hath more that hold +of him lands and other lordships, for he is more rich. For +he hath, every year, of annual rent 300,000 horses charged with +corn of diverse grains and of rice. And so he leadeth a +full noble life and a delicate, after the custom of the +country. For he hath, every day, fifty fair damosels, all +maidens, that serve him evermore at his meat, and for to lie by +him o’ night, and for to do <a name="page205"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 205</span>with them that is to his +pleasance. And when he is at table, they bring him his meat +at every time, five and five together; and in bringing their +service they sing a song. And after that, they cut his +meat, and put it in his mouth; for he toucheth nothing, ne +handleth nought, but holdeth evermore his hands before him upon +the table. For he hath so long nails, that he may take +nothing, ne handle nothing. For the noblesse of that +country is to have long nails, and to make them grow always to be +as long as men may. And there be many in that country, that +have their nails so long, that they environ all the hand. +And that is a great noblesse. And the noblesse of the women +is for to have small feet and little. And therefore anon as +they be born, they let bind their feet so strait, that they may +not grow half as nature would. And this is the noblesse of +the women there to have small feet and little. And always +these damosels, that I spake of before, sing all the time that +this rich man eateth. And when that he eateth no more of +his first course, then other five and five of fair damsels bring +him his second course, always singing as they did before. +And so they do continually every day to the end of his +meat. And in this manner he leadeth his life. And so +did they before him, that were his ancestors. And so shall +they that come after him, without doing of any deeds of arms, but +live evermore thus in ease, as a. swine that is fed in sty for to +be made fat. He hath a full fair palace and full rich, +where that he dwelleth in, of the which the walls be, in circuit, +two mile. And he hath within many fair gardens, and many +fair halls and chambers; and the pavement of his halls and +chambers be of gold and silver. And in the mid place of one +of his gardens is a little mountain, where there is a little +meadow. And in that meadow is a little toothill with towers +and pinnacles, all of gold. And in that little toothill +will he sit often-time, for to take the air and to disport +him. For the place is made for nothing else, but only for +his disport.</p> +<p>From that country men come by the land of the great Chan also, +that I have spoken of before.</p> +<p><a name="page206"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 206</span>And +ye shall understand, that of all these countries, and of all +these isles, and of all the diverse folk, that I have spoken of +before, and of diverse laws, and of diverse beliefs that they +have, yet is there none of them all but that they have some +reason within them and understanding, but if it be the fewer, and +that have certain articles of our faith and some good points of +our belief, and that they believe in God, that formed all things +and made the world, and clepe him God of Nature; after that the +prophet saith, <i>Et metuent eum omnes fines terrae</i>, and also +in another place, <i>Omnes gentes servient ei</i>, that is to +say, ‘All folk shall serve him.’</p> +<p>But yet they cannot speak perfectly (for there is no man to +teach them), but only that they can devise by their natural +wit. For they have no knowledge of the Son, ne of the Holy +Ghost. But they can all speak of the Bible, and namely of +Genesis, of the prophet’s saws and of the books of +Moses. And they say well, that the creatures that † +they worship ne be no gods; but they worship them for the virtue +that is in them, that may not be but only by the grace of +God. And of simulacres and of idols, they say, that there +be no folk, but that they have simulacres. And that they +say, for we Christian men have images, as of our Lady and of +other saints that we worship; not the images of tree or of stone, +but the saints, in whose name they be made after. For right +as the books and the scripture of them teach the clerks how and +in what manner they shall believe, right so the images and the +paintings teach the lewd folk to worship the saints and to have +them in their mind, in whose names that the images be made +after. They say also, that the angels of God speak to them +in those idols, and that they do many great miracles. And +they say sooth, that there is an angel within them. For +there be two manner of angels, a good and an evil, as the Greeks +say, Cacho and Calo. This Cacho is the wicked angel, and +Calo is the good angel. But the tother is not the good +angel, but the wicked angel that is within the idols to deceive +them and for to maintain them in their error.</p> +<p><a name="page207"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 207</span>There +be many other divers countries and many other marvels beyond, +that I have not seen. Wherefore, of them I cannot speak +properly to tell you the manner of them. And also in the +countries where I have been, be many more diversities of many +wonderful things than I make mention of; for it were too long +thing to devise you the manner. And therefore, that that I +have devised you of certain countries, that I have spoken of +before, I beseech your worthy and excellent noblesse, that it +suffice to you at this time. For if that I devised you all +that is beyond the sea, another man, peradventure, that would +pain him and travail his body for to go into those marches for to +ensearch those countries, might be blamed by my words in +rehearsing many strange things; for he might not say nothing of +new, in the which the hearers might have either solace, or +disport, or lust, or liking in the hearing. For men say +always, that new things and new tidings be pleasant to +hear. Wherefore I will hold me still, without any more +rehearsing of diversities or of marvels that be beyond, to that +intent and end, that whoso will go into those countries, he shall +find enough to speak of, that I have not touched of in no +wise.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, if it like you, that at mine +home-coming, I came to Rome, and shewed my life to our holy +father the pope, and was assoiled of all that lay in my +conscience, of many a diverse grievous point; as men must needs +that be in company, dwelling amongst so many a diverse folk of +diverse sect and of belief, as I have been.</p> +<p>And amongst all I shewed him this treatise, that I had made +after information of men that knew of things that I had not seen +myself, and also of marvels and customs that I had seen myself, +as far as God would give me grace; and besought his holy +fatherhood, that my book might be examined and corrected by +advice of his wise and discreet council. And our holy +father, of his special grace, remitted my book to be examined and +proved by the advice of his said counsel. By the which my +book was proved for true, insomuch, that they shewed me a <a +name="page208"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 208</span>book, that +my book was examined by, that comprehended full much more, by an +hundred part, by the which the <i>Mappa Mundi</i> was made +after. And so my book (albeit that many men ne list not to +give credence to nothing, but to that that they see with their +eye, ne be the author ne the person never so true) is affirmed +and proved by our holy father, in manner and form as I have +said.</p> +<p>And I, John Mandevile, knight, abovesaid (although I be +unworthy), that departed from our countries and passed the sea, +the year of grace a thousand three hundred and twenty two, that +have passed many lands and many isles and countries, and searched +many full strange places, and have been in many a full good +honourable company, and at many a fair deed of arms (albeit that +I did none myself, for mine unable insuffisance), now I am come +home, maugre myself, to rest, for gouts artetykes that me +distrain, that define the end of my labour; against my will (God +knoweth).</p> +<p>And thus, taking solace in my wretched rest, recording the +time passed, I have fulfilled these things, and put them written +in this book, as it would come into my mind, the year of grace a +thousand three hundred and fifty six, in the thirty-fourth year, +that I departed from our countries.</p> +<p>Wherefore, I pray to all the readers and hearers of this book, +if it please them, that they would pray to God for me; and I +shall pray for them. And all those that say for me a +<i>Pater Noster</i>, with an <i>Ave Maria</i>, that God forgive +me my sins, I make them partners, and grant them part of all the +good pilgrimages and of all the good deeds that I have done, if +any be to his pleasance; and not only of those, but of all that +ever I shall do unto my life’s end. And I beseech +Almighty God, from whom all goodness and grace cometh from, that +he vouchsafe of his excellent mercy and abundant grace, to fulfil +their souls with inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in making defence +of all their ghostly enemies here in earth, to their salvation +both of body and soul; to worship and thanking of him, that is +three and one, without beginning and without ending; that is +without quality, good, without quantity, great; <a +name="page209"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 209</span>that in all +places is present, and all things containing; the which that no +goodness may amend, ne none evil impair; that in perfect Trinity +liveth and reigneth God, by all worlds, and by all times!</p> +<p><i>Amen</i>! <i>Amen</i>! <i>Amen</i>!</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">[<span class="smcap">Here Endeth +the Book of John Mandeville</span>.]</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<h2>FOOTNOTES</h2> +<p><a name="footnote0"></a><a href="#citation0" +class="footnote">[0]</a> The supplement was not transcribed +as part of the original Project Gutenberg release. The +texts are available elsewhere in Project Gutenberg.—DP.</p> +<p><a name="footnoteix"></a><a href="#citationix" +class="footnote">[ix]</a> Not Mandeville, but an anonymous +sojourner among the Tartars, whose story fills a page and a half +in Hakluyt.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 782-h.htm or 782-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/7/8/782 + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +The Travels of Sir John Mandeville +Scanned and proofed by David Price +ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + + +THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE + + + + +THE PROLOGUE + + + +FOR as much as the land beyond the sea, that is to say the Holy +Land, that men call the Land of Promission or of Behest, passing +all other lands, is the most worthy land, most excellent, and lady +and sovereign of all other lands, and is blessed and hallowed of +the precious body and blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; in the which +land it liked him to take flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, to +environ that holy land with his blessed feet; and there he would of +his blessedness enombre him in the said blessed and glorious Virgin +Mary, and become man, and work many miracles, and preach and teach +the faith and the law of Christian men unto his children; and there +it liked him to suffer many reprovings and scorns for us; and he +that was king of heaven, of air, of earth, of sea and of all things +that be contained in them, would all only be clept king of that +land, when he said, REX SUM JUDEORUM, that is to say, 'I am King of +Jews'; and that land he chose before all other lands, as the best +and most worthy land, and the most virtuous land of all the world: +for it is the heart and the midst of all the world, witnessing the +philosopher, that saith thus, VIRTUS RERUM IN MEDIO CONSISTIT, that +is to say, 'The virtue of things is in the midst'; and in that land +he would lead his life, and suffer passion and death of Jews, for +us, to buy and to deliver us from pains of hell, and from death +without end; the which was ordained for us, for the sin of our +forme-father Adam, and for our own sins also; for as for himself, +he had no evil deserved: for he thought never evil ne did evil: +and he that was king of glory and of joy, might best in that place +suffer death; because he chose in that land rather than in any +other, there to suffer his passion and his death. For he that will +publish anything to make it openly known, he will make it to be +cried and pronounced in the middle place of a town; so that the +thing that is proclaimed and pronounced, may evenly stretch to all +parts: right so, he that was former of all the world, would suffer +for us at Jerusalem, that is the midst of the world; to that end +and intent, that his passion and his death, that was published +there, might be known evenly to all parts of the world. + +See now, how dear he bought man, that he made after his own image, +and how dear he again-bought us, for the great love that he had to +us, and we never deserved it to him. For more precious chattel ne +greater ransom ne might he put for us, than his blessed body, his +precious blood, and his holy life, that he thralled for us; and all +he offered for us that never did sin. + +Ah dear God! What love had he to us his subjects, when he that +never trespassed, would for trespassers suffer death! Right well +ought us for to love and worship, to dread and serve such a Lord; +and to worship and praise such an holy land, that brought forth +such fruit, through the which every man is saved, but it be his own +default. Well may that land be called delectable and a fructuous +land, that was be-bled and moisted with the precious blood of our +Lord Jesu Christ; the which is the same land that our Lord behight +us in heritage. And in that land he would die, as seised, to leave +it to us, his children. + +Wherefore every good Christian man, that is of power, and hath +whereof, should pain him with all his strength for to conquer our +right heritage, and chase out all the misbelieving men. For we be +clept Christian men, after Christ our Father. And if we be right +children of Christ, we ought for to challenge the heritage, that +our Father left us, and do it out of heathen men's hands. But now +pride, covetise, and envy have so inflamed the hearts of lords of +the world, that they are more busy for to dis-herit their +neighbours, more than for to challenge or to conquer their right +heritage before-said. And the common people, that would put their +bodies and their chattels, to conquer our heritage, they may not do +it without the lords. For a sembly of people without a chieftain, +or a chief lord, is as a flock of sheep without a shepherd; the +which departeth and disperpleth and wit never whither to go. But +would God, that the temporal lords and all worldly lords were at +good accord, and with the common people would take this holy voyage +over the sea! Then I trow well, that within a little time, our +right heritage before-said should be reconciled and put in the +hands of the right heirs of Jesu Christ. + +And, for as much as it is long time passed, that there was no +general passage ne voyage over the sea; and many men desire for to +hear speak of the Holy Land, and have thereof great solace and +comfort; I, John Mandeville, Knight, albeit I be not worthy, that +was born in England, in the town of St. Albans, and passed the sea +in the year of our Lord Jesu Christ, 1322, in the day of St. +Michael; and hitherto been long time over the sea, and have seen +and gone through many diverse lands, and many provinces and +kingdoms and isles and have passed throughout Turkey, Armenia the +little and the great; through Tartary, Persia, Syria, Arabia, Egypt +the high and the low; through Lybia, Chaldea, and a great part of +Ethiopia; through Amazonia, Ind the less and the more, a great +part; and throughout many other Isles, that be about Ind; where +dwell many diverse folks, and of diverse manners and laws, and of +diverse shapes of men. Of which lands and isles I shall speak more +plainly hereafter; and I shall devise you of some part of things +that there be, when time shall be, after it may best come to my +mind; and specially for them, that will and are in purpose for to +visit the Holy City of Jerusalem and the holy places that are +thereabout. And I shall tell the way that they shall hold thither. +For I have often times passed and ridden that way, with good +company of many lords. God be thanked! + +And ye shall understand, that I have put this book out of Latin +into French, and translated it again out of French into English, +that every man of my nation may understand it. But lords and +knights and other noble and worthy men that con Latin but little, +and have been beyond the sea, know and understand, if I say truth +or no, and if I err in devising, for forgetting or else, that they +may redress it and amend it. For things passed out of long time +from a man's mind or from his sight, turn soon into forgetting; +because that mind of man ne may not be comprehended ne withholden, +for the frailty of mankind. + + + +CHAPTER I + + + +TO TEACH YOU THE WAY OUT OF ENGLAND TO CONSTANTINOPLE + + +IN the name of God, Glorious and Almighty! + +He that will pass over the sea and come to land [to go to the city +of Jerusalem, he may wend many ways, both on sea and land], after +the country that he cometh from; [for] many of them come to one +end. But troweth not that I will tell you all the towns, and +cities and castles that men shall go by; for then should I make too +long a tale; but all only some countries and most principal steads +that men shall go through to go the right way. + +First, if a man come from the west side of the world, as England, +Ireland, Wales, Scotland, or Norway, he may, if that he will, go +through Almayne and through the kingdom of Hungary, that marcheth +to the land of Polayne, and to the land of Pannonia, and so to +Silesia. + +And the King of Hungary is a great lord and a mighty, and holdeth +great lordships and much land in his hand. For he holdeth the +kingdom of Hungary, Sclavonia, and of Comania a great part, and of +Bulgaria that men call the land of Bougiers, and of the realm of +Russia a great part, whereof he hath made a duchy, that lasteth +unto the land of Nyfland, and marcheth to Prussia. And men go +through the land of this lord, through a city that is clept Cypron, +and by the castle of Neasburghe, and by the evil town, that sit +toward the end of Hungary. And there pass men the river of Danube. +This river of Danube is a full great river, and it goeth into +Almayne, under the hills of Lombardy, and it receiveth into him +forty other rivers, and it runneth through Hungary and through +Greece and through Thrace, and it entereth into the sea, toward the +east so rudely and so sharply, that the water of the sea is fresh +and holdeth his sweetness twenty mile within the sea. + +And after, go men to Belgrade, and enter into the land of Bougiers; +and there pass men a bridge of stone that is upon the river of +Marrok. And men pass through the land of Pyncemartz and come to +Greece to the city of Nye, and to the city of Fynepape, and after +to the city of Dandrenoble, and after to Constantinople, that was +wont to be clept Bezanzon. And there dwelleth commonly the Emperor +of Greece. And there is the most fair church and the most noble of +all the world; and it is of Saint Sophie. And before that church +is the image of Justinian the emperor, covered with gold, and he +sitteth upon an horse y-crowned. And he was wont to hold a round +apple of gold in his hand: but it is fallen out thereof. And men +say there, that it is a token that the emperor hath lost a great +part of his lands and of his lordships; for he was wont to be +Emperor of Roumania and of Greece, of all Asia the less, and of the +land of Syria, of the land of Judea in the which is Jerusalem, and +of the land of Egypt, of Persia, and of Arabia. But he hath lost +all but Greece; and that land he holds all only. And men would +many times put the apple into the image's hand again, but it will +not hold it. This apple betokeneth the lordship that he had over +all the world, that is round. And the tother hand he lifteth up +against the East, in token to menace the misdoers. This image +stands upon a pillar of marble at Constantinople. + + + +CHAPTER II + + + +OF THE CROSS AND THE CROWN OF OUR LORD JESU CHRIST + + +AT Constantinople is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ, and his +coat without seams, that is clept TUNICA INCONSUTILIS, and the +sponge, and the reed, of the which the Jews gave our Lord eysell +and gall, in the cross. And there is one of the nails, that Christ +was nailed with on the cross. + +And some men trow that half the cross, that Christ was done on, be +in Cyprus, in an abbey of monks, that men call the Hill of the Holy +Cross; but it is not so. For that cross that is in Cyprus, is the +cross, in the which Dismas the good thief was hanged on. But all +men know not that; and that is evil y-done. For for profit of the +offering, they say that it is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ. + +And ye shall understand that the cross of our Lord was made of four +manner of trees, as it is contained in this verse, - IN CRUCE FIT +PALMA, CEDRUS, CYPRESSUS, OLIVA. For that piece that went upright +from the earth to the head was of cypress; and the piece that went +overthwart, to the which his hands were nailed, was of palm; and +the stock, that stood within the earth, in the which was made the +mortise, was of cedar; and the table above his head, that was a +foot and an half long, on the which the title was written in +Hebrew, Greek and Latin, that was of olive. + +And the Jews made the cross of these four manner of trees; for they +trowed that our Lord Jesu Christ should have hanged on the cross, +as long as the cross might last. And therefore made they the foot +of the cross of cedar; for cedar may not, in earth nor water, rot, +and therefore they would that it should have lasted long. For they +trowed that the body of Christ should have stunken, they made that +piece, that went from the earth upwards of cypress, for it is well- +smelling, so that the smell of his body should not grieve men that +went forby. And the overthwart piece was of palm, for in the Old +Testament it was ordained, that when one was overcome he should be +crowned with palm; and for they trowed that they had the victory of +Christ Jesus, therefore made they the overthwart piece of palm. +And the table of the title they made of olive; for olive betokeneth +peace, as the story of Noe witnesseth; when that the culver brought +the branch of olive, that betokened peace made between God and man. +And so trowed the Jews for to have peace, when Christ was dead; for +they said that he made discord and strife amongst them. And ye +shall understand that our Lord was y-nailed on the cross lying, and +therefore he suffered the more pain. + +And the Christian men, that dwell beyond the sea, in Greece, say +that the tree of the cross, that we call cypress, was of that tree +that Adam ate the apple off; and that find they written. And they +say also, that their scripture saith, that Adam was sick, and said +to his son Seth, that he should go to the angel that kept Paradise, +that he would send him oil of mercy, for to anoint with his +members, that he might have health. And Seth went. But the angel +would not let him come in; but said to him, that he might not have +of the oil of mercy. But he took him three grains of the same +tree, that his father ate the apple off; and bade him, as soon as +his father was dead, that he should put these three grains under +his tongue, and grave him so: and so he did. And of these three +grains sprang a tree, as the angel said that it should, and bare a +fruit, through the which fruit Adam should be saved. And when Seth +came again, he found his father near dead. And when he was dead, +he did with the grains as the angel bade him; of the which sprung +three trees, of the which the cross was made, that bare good fruit +and blessed, our Lord Jesu Christ; through whom, Adam and all that +come of him, should be saved and delivered from dread of death +without end, but it be their own default. + +This holy cross had the Jews hid in the earth, under a rock of the +mount of Calvary; and it lay there two hundred year and more, into +the time that St. Helen, that was mother to Constantine the Emperor +of Rome. And she was daughter of King Coel, born in Colchester, +that was King of England, that was clept then Britain the more; the +which the Emperor Constance wedded to his wife, for her beauty, and +gat upon her Constantine, that was after Emperor of Rome, and King +of England. + +And ye shall understand, that the cross of our Lord was eight +cubits long, and the overthwart piece was of length three cubits +and a half. And one part of the crown of our Lord, wherewith he +was crowned, and one of the nails, and the spear head, and many +other relics be in France, in the king's chapel. And the crown +lieth in a vessel of crystal richly dight. For a king of France +bought these relics some time of the Jews, to whom the emperor had +laid them in wed for a great sum of silver. + +And if all it be so, that men say, that this crown is of thorns, ye +shall understand, that it was of jonkes of the sea, that is to say, +rushes of the sea, that prick as sharply as thorns. For I have +seen and beholden many times that of Paris and that of +Constantinople; for they were both one, made of rushes of the sea. +But men have departed them in two parts: of the which, one part is +at Paris, and the other part is at Constantinople. And I have one +of those precious thorns, that seemeth like a white thorn; and that +was given to me for great specially. For there are many of them +broken and fallen into the vessel that the crown lieth in; for they +break for dryness when men move them to show them to great lords +that come thither. + +And ye shall understand, that our Lord Jesu, in that night that he +was taken, he was led into a garden; and there he was first +examined right sharply; and there the Jews scorned him, and made +him a crown of the branches of albespine, that is white thorn, that +grew in that same garden, and set it on his head, so fast and so +sore, that the blood ran down by many places of his visage, and of +his neck, and of his shoulders. And therefore hath the white thorn +many virtues, for he that beareth a branch on him thereof, no +thunder ne no manner of tempest may dere him; nor in the house, +that it is in, may no evil ghost enter nor come unto the place that +it is in. And in that same garden, Saint Peter denied our Lord +thrice. + +Afterward was our Lord led forth before the bishops and the masters +of the law, into another garden of Annas; and there also he was +examined, reproved, and scorned, and crowned eft with a sweet +thorn, that men clepeth barbarines, that grew in that garden, and +that hath also many virtues. + +And afterward he was led into a garden of Caiphas, and there he was +crowned with eglantine. + +And after he was led into the chamber of Pilate, and there he was +examined and crowned. And the Jews set him in a chair, and clad +him in a mantle; and there made they the crown of jonkes of the +sea; and there they kneeled to him, and scorned him, saying, AVE, +REX JUDEORUM! that is to say, 'Hail, King of Jews!' And of this +crown, half is at Paris, and the other half at Constantinople. And +this crown had Christ on his head, when he was done upon the cross; +and therefore ought men to worship it and hold it more worthy than +any of the others. + +And the spear shaft hath the Emperor of Almayne; but the head is at +Paris. And natheles the Emperor of Constantinople saith that he +hath the spear head; and I have often time seen it, but it is +greater than that at Paris. + + + +CHAPTER III + + + +OF THE CITY OF CONSTANTINOPLE, AND OF THE FAITH OF GREEKS + + +AT Constantinople lieth Saint Anne, our Lady's mother, whom Saint +Helen let bring from Jerusalem. And there lieth also the body of +John Chrisostome, that was Archbishop of Constantinople. And there +lieth also Saint Luke the Evangelist: for his bones were brought +from Bethany, where he was buried. And many other relics be there. +And there is the vessel of stone, as it were of marble, that men +clepe enydros, that evermore droppeth water, and filleth himself +every year, till that it go over above, without that that men take +from within. + +Constantinople is a full fair city, and a good, and well walled; +and it is three-cornered. And there is an arm of the sea +Hellespont: and some men call it the Mouth of Constantinople; and +some men call it the Brace of Saint George: and that arm closeth +the two parts of the city. And upward to the sea, upon the water, +was wont to be the great city of Troy, in a full fair plain: but +that city was destroyed by them of Greece, and little appeareth +thereof, because it is so long sith it was destroyed. + +About Greece there be many isles, as Calliste, Calcas, Oertige, +Tesbria, Mynia, Flaxon, Melo, Carpate, and Lemnos. And in this +isle is the mount Athos, that passeth the clouds. And there be +many diverse languages and many countries, that be obedient to the +emperor; that is to say, Turcople, Pyncynard, Comange, and many +other, as Thrace and Macedonia, of the which Alexander was king. +In this country was Aristotle born, in a city that men clepe +Stagyra, a little from the city of Thrace. And at Stagyra lieth +Aristotle; and there is an altar upon his tomb. And there make men +great feasts for him every year, as though he were a saint. And at +his altar they holden their great councils and their assemblies, +and they hope, that through inspiration of God and of him, they +shall have the better council. + +In this country be right high hills, toward the end of Macedonia. +And there is a great hill, that men clepe Olympus, that departeth +Macedonia and Thrace. And it is so high, that it passeth the +clouds. And there is another hill, that is clept Athos, that is so +high, that the shadow of him reacheth to Lemne, that is an isle; +and it is seventy-six mile between. And above at the cop of the +hill is the air so clear, that men may find no wind there, and +therefore may no beast live there, so is the air dry. + +And men say in these countries, that philosophers some time went +upon these hills, and held to their nose a sponge moisted with +water, for to have air; for the air above was so dry. And above, +in the dust and in the powder of those hills, they wrote letters +and figures with their fingers. And at the year's end they came +again, and found the same letters and figures, the which they had +written the year before, without any default. And therefore it +seemeth well, that these hills pass the clouds and join to the pure +air. + +At Constantinople is the palace of the emperor, right fair and +well-dight: and therein is a fair place for joustings, or for +other plays and desports. And it is made with stages, and hath +degrees about, that every man may well see, and none grieve other. +And under these stages be stables well vaulted for the emperor's +horses; and all the pillars be of marble. + +And within the Church of Saint Sophia, an emperor sometime would +have buried the body of his father, when he was dead. And, as they +made the grave, they found a body in the earth, and upon the body +lay a fine plate of gold; and thereon was written, in Hebrew, +Greek, and Latin, letters that said thus; JESU CHRISTUS NASCETUR DE +VIRGINE MARIA, ET EGO CREDO IN EUM; that is to say, 'Jesu Christ +shall be born of the Virgin Mary, and I trow in him.' And the date +when it was laid in the earth, was two thousand year before our +Lord was born. And yet is the plate of gold in the treasury of the +church. And men say, that it was Hermogenes the wise man. + +And if all it so be, that men of Greece be Christian yet they vary +from our faith. For they say, that the Holy Ghost may not come of +the Son; but all only of the Father. And they are not obedient to +the Church of Rome, ne to the Pope. And they say that their +Patriarch hath as much power over the sea, as the Pope hath on this +side the sea. And therefore Pope John xxii. sent letters to them, +how Christian faith should be all one; and that they should be +obedient to the Pope, that is God's Vicar on earth, to whom God +gave his plein power for to bind and to assoil, and therefore they +should be obedient to him. + +And they sent again diverse answers; and among others they said +thus: POTENTIAM TUAM SUMMAM CIRCA TUOS SUBJECTOS, FIRMITER +CREDIMUS. SUPERBIAM TUAM SUMMAM TOLERARE NON POSSUMUS. AVARITIAM +TUAM SUMMAM SATIARE NON INTENDIMUS. DOMINUS TECUM; QUIA DOMINUS +NOBISCUM EST. That is to say: 'We trow well, that thy power is +great upon thy subjects. We may not suffer thine high pride. We +be not in purpose to fulfil thy great covetise. Lord be with thee; +for our Lord is with us. Farewell.' And other answer might he not +have of them. + +And also they make their sacrament of the altar of Therf bread, for +our Lord made it of such bread, when he made his Maundy. And on +the Shere-Thursday make they their Therf bread, in token of the +Maundy, and dry it at the sun, and keep it all the year, and give +it to sick men, instead of God's body. And they make but one +unction, when they christen children. And they anoint not the sick +men. And they say that there is no Purgatory, and that souls shall +not have neither joy ne pain till the day of doom. And they say +that fornication is no sin deadly, but a thing that is kindly, and +that men and women should not wed but once, and whoso weddeth +oftener than once, their children be bastards and gotten in sin. +And their priests also be wedded. + +And they say also that usury is no deadly sin. And they sell +benefices of Holy Church. And so do men in other places: God +amend it when his will is! And that is great sclaundre, for now is +simony king crowned in Holy Church: God amend it for his mercy! + +And they say, that in Lent, men shall not fast, ne sing Mass, but +on the Saturday and on the Sunday. And they fast not on the +Saturday, no time of the year, but it be Christmas Even or Easter +Even. And they suffer not the Latins to sing at their altars; and +if they do, by any adventure, anon they wash the altar with holy +water. And they say that there should be but one Mass said at one +altar upon one day. + +And they say also that our Lord ne ate never meat; but he made +token of eating. And also they say, that we sin deadly in shaving +our beards, for the beard is token of a man, and gift of our Lord. +And they say that we sin deadly in eating of beasts that were +forbidden in the Old Testament, and of the old Law, as swine, hares +and other beasts, that chew not their cud. And they say that we +sin, when we eat flesh on the days before Ash Wednesday, and of +that that we eat flesh the Wednesday, and eggs and cheese upon the +Fridays. And they accurse all those that abstain them to eat flesh +the Saturday. + +Also the Emperor of Constantinople maketh the patriarch, the +archbishops and the bishops; and giveth the dignities and the +benefices of churches and depriveth them that be unworthy, when he +findeth any cause. And so is he lord both temporal and spiritual +in his country. + +And if ye will wit of their A.B.C. what letters they be, here ye +may see them, with the names that they clepe them there amongst +them: Alpha, Betha, Gama, Deltha, e longe, e brevis, Epilmon, +Thetha, Iota, Kapda, Lapda, Mi, Ni, Xi, o brevis, Pi, Coph, Ro, +Summa, Tau, Vi, Fy, Chi, Psi, Othomega, Diacosyn. + +And all be it that these things touch not to one way, nevertheless +they touch to that, that I have hight you, to shew you a part of +customs and manners, and diversities of countries. And for this is +the first country that is discordant in faith and in belief, and +varieth from our faith, on this half the sea, therefore I have set +it here, that ye may know the diversity that is between our faith +and theirs. For many men have great liking, to hear speak of +strange things of diverse countries. + + + +CHAPTER IV + + + +[Of the Way from Constantinople to Jerusalem.] Of Saint John the +Evangelist. And of the Ypocras Daughter, transformed from a Woman +to a Dragon + + +NOW return I again, for to teach you the way from Constantinople to +Jerusalem. He that will through Turkey, he goeth toward the city +of Nyke, and passeth through the gate of Chienetout, and always men +see before them the hill of Chienetout, that is right high; and it +is a mile and an half from Nyke. + +And whoso will go by water, by the brace of St. George, and by the +sea where St. Nicholas lieth, and toward many other places - first +men go to an isle that is clept Sylo. In that isle groweth mastick +on small trees, and out of them cometh gum as it were of plum-trees +or of cherry-trees. + +And after go men through the isle of Patmos; and there wrote St. +John the Evangelist the Apocalypse. And ye shall understand, that +St. John was of age thirty-two year, when our Lord suffered his +passion; and after his passion, he lived sixty-seven year, and in +the hundredth year of his age he died. + +From Patmos men go unto Ephesus, a fair city and nigh to the sea. +And there died St. John, and was buried behind the high altar in a +tomb. And there is a fair church; for Christian men were wont to +holden that place always. And in the tomb of St. John is nought +but manna, that is clept angels' meat; for his body was translated +into Paradise. And Turks hold now all that place, and the city and +the church; and all Asia the less is y-clept Turkey. And ye shall +understand, that St. John let make his grave there in his life, and +laid himself therein all quick; and therefore some men say, that he +died not, but that he resteth there till the day of doom. And, +forsooth, there is a great marvel; for men may see there the earth +of the tomb apertly many times stir and move, as there were quick +things under. + +And from Ephesus men go through many isles in the sea, unto the +city of Patera, where St. Nicholas was born, and so to Martha, +where he was chosen to be bishop; and there groweth right good wine +and strong, and that men call wine of Martha. And from thence go +men to the isle of Crete, that the emperor gave sometime to [the] +Genoese. + +And then pass men through the isles of Colcos and of Lango, of the +which isles Ypocras was lord of. And some men say, that in the +isle of Lango is yet the daughter of Ypocras, in form and likeness +of a great dragon, that is a hundred fathom of length, as men say, +for I have not seen her. And they of the isles call her Lady of +the Land. And she lieth in an old castle, in a cave, and sheweth +twice or thrice in the year, and she doth no harm to no man, but if +men do her harm. And she was thus changed and transformed, from a +fair damosel, into likeness of a dragon, by a goddess that was +clept Diana. And men say, that she shall so endure in that form of +a dragon, unto [the] time that a knight come, that is so hardy, +that dare come to her and kiss her on the mouth; and then shall she +turn again to her own kind, and be a woman again, but after that +she shall not live long. + +And it is not long sithen, that a knight of Rhodes, that was hardy +and doughty in arms, said that he would kiss her. And when he was +upon his courser, and went to the castle, and entered into the +cave, the dragon lift up her head against him. And when the knight +saw her in that form so hideous and so horrible he fled away. And +the dragon bare the knight upon a rock, maugre his head; and from +that rock, she cast him into the sea. And so was lost both horse +and man. + +And also a young man, that wist not of the dragon, went out of a +ship, and went through the isle till that he came to the castle, +and came into the cave, and went so long, till that he found a +chamber; and there he saw a damosel that combed her head and looked +in a mirror; and she had much treasure about her. And he trowed +that she had been a common woman, that dwelled there to receive men +to folly. And he abode, till the damosel saw the shadow of him in +the mirror. And she turned her toward him, and asked him what he +would? And he said, he would be her leman or paramour. And she +asked him, if that he were a knight? And he said, nay. And then +she said, that he might not be her leman; but she bade him go again +unto his fellows, and make him knight, and come again upon the +morrow, and she should come out of the cave before him, and then +come and kiss her on the mouth and have no dread, - for I shall do +thee no manner of harm, albeit that thou see me in likeness of a +dragon; for though thou see me hideous and horrible to look on, I +do thee to wit that it is made by enchantment; for without doubt, I +am none other than thou seest now, a woman, and therefore dread +thee nought. And if thou kiss me, thou shalt have all this +treasure, and be my lord, and lord also of all the isle. + +And he departed from her and went to his fellows to ship, and let +make him knight and came again upon the morrow for to kiss this +damosel. And when he saw her come out of the cave in form of a +dragon, so hideous and so horrible, he had so great dread, that he +fled again to the ship, and she followed him. And when she saw +that he turned not again, she began to cry, as a thing that had +much sorrow; and then she turned again into her cave. And anon the +knight died. And sithen hitherward might no knight see her, but +that he died anon. But when a knight cometh, that is so hardy to +kiss her, he shall not die; but he shall turn the damosel into her +right form and kindly shape, and he shall be lord of all the +countries and isles abovesaid. + +And from thence men come to the isle of Rhodes, the which isle +Hospitallers holden and govern; and that took they some-time from +the emperor. And it was wont to be clept Collos; and so call it +the Turks yet. And Saint Paul in his epistle writeth to them of +that isle AD COLOSSENSES. This isle is nigh eight hundred mile +long from Constantinople. + + + +CHAPTER V + + + +[Of diversities in Cyprus; of the Road from Cyprus to Jerusalem, +and of the Marvel of a Fosse full of Sand] + + +AND from this isle of Rhodes men go to Cyprus, where be many vines, +that first be red and after one year they become white; and those +wines that be most white, be most clear and best of smell. + +And men pass by that way, by a place that was wont to be a great +city, and a great land; and the city was clept Cathailye, the which +city and land was lost through folly of a young man. For he had a +fair damosel, that he loved well to his paramour; and she died +suddenly, and was done in a tomb of marble. And for the great lust +that he had to her, he went in the night unto her tomb and opened +it, and went in and lay by her, and went his way. And when it came +to the end of nine months, there came a voice to him and said, Go +to the tomb of that woman, and open it and behold what thou hast +begotten on her; and if thou let to go, thou shalt have a great +harm. And he yede and opened the tomb, and there flew out an adder +right hideous to see; the which as swithe flew about the city and +the country, and soon after the city sank down. And there be many +perilous passages without fail. + +From Rhodes to Cyprus be five hundred mile and more. But men may +go to Cyprus, and come not at Rhodes. Cyprus is right a good isle, +and a fair and a great, and it hath four principal cities within +him. And there is an Archbishop at Nicosea, and four other bishops +in that land. And at Famagost is one of the principal havens of +the sea that is in the world; and there arrive Christian men and +Saracens and men of all nations. In Cyprus is the Hill of the Holy +Cross; and there is an abbey of monks black and there is the cross +of Dismas the good thief, as I have said before. And some men +trow, that there is half the cross of our Lord; but it is not so, +and they do evil that make men to believe so. + +In Cyprus lieth Saint Zenonimus, of whom men of that country make +great solemnity. And in the castle of Amours lieth the body of +Saint-Hilarion, and men keep it right worshipfully. And beside +Famagost was Saint Barnabas the apostle born. + +In Cyprus men hunt with papyonns, that be like leopards, and they +take wild beasts right well, and they be somewhat more than lions; +and they take more sharply the beasts, and more deliver than do +hounds. + +In Cyprus is the manner of lords and all other men all to eat on +the earth. For they make ditches in the earth all about in the +hall, deep to the knee, and they do pave them; and when they will +eat, they go therein and sit there. And the skill is for they may +be the more fresh; for that land is much more hotter than it is +here. And at great feasts, and for strangers, they set forms and +tables, as men do in this country, but they had lever sit in the +earth. + +From Cyprus, men go to the land of Jerusalem by the sea: and in a +day and in a night, he that hath good wind may come to the haven of +Tyre, that is now clept Surrye. There was some-time a great city +and a good of Christian men, but Saracens have destroyed it a great +part; and they keep that haven right well, for dread of Christian +men. Men might go more right to that haven, and come not in +Cyprus, but they go gladly to Cyprus to rest them on the land, or +else to buy things, that they have need to their living. On the +sea-side men may find many rubies. And there is the well of the +which holy writ speaketh of, and saith, FONS ORTORUM, ET PUTEUS +AQUARUM VIVENTIUM: that is to say, 'the well of gardens, and the +ditch of living waters.' + +In this city of Tyre, said the woman to our Lord, BEATUS VENTER QUI +TE PORTAVIT, ET UBERA QUE SUCCISTI: that is to say, 'Blessed be +the body that thee bare, and the paps that thou suckedst.' And +there our Lord forgave the woman of Canaan her sins. And before +Tyre was wont to be the stone, on the which our Lord sat and +preached, and on that stone was founded the Church of Saint +Saviour. + +And eight mile from Tyre, toward the east, upon the sea, is the +city of Sarphen, in Sarepta of Sidonians. And there was wont for +to dwell Elijah the prophet; and there raised he Jonas, the widow's +son, from death to life. And five mile from Sarphen is the city of +Sidon; of the which city, Dido was lady, that was Aeneas' wife, +after the destruction of Troy, and that founded the city of +Carthage in Africa, and now is clept Sidonsayete. And in the city +of Tyre, reigned Agenor, the father of Dido. And sixteen mile from +Sidon is Beirout. And from Beirout to Sardenare is three journeys +and from Sardenare is five mile to Damascus. + +And whoso will go long time on the sea, and come nearer to +Jerusalem, he shall go from Cyprus by sea to Port Jaffa. For that +is the next haven to Jerusalem; for from that haven is not but one +day journey and a half to Jerusalem. And the town is called Jaffa; +for one of the sons of Noah that hight Japhet founded it, and now +it is clept Joppa. And ye shall understand, that it is one of the +oldest towns of the world, for it was founded before Noah's flood. +And yet there sheweth in the rock, there as the iron chains were +fastened, that Andromeda, a great giant, was bounden with, and put +in prison before Noah's flood, of the which giant, is a rib of his +side that is forty foot long. + +And whoso will arrive at the port of Tyre or of Surrye, that I have +spoken of before, may go by land, if he will, to Jerusalem. And +men go from Surrye unto the city of Akon in a day. And it was +clept some-time Ptolemais. And it was some-time a city of +Christian men, full fair, but it is now destroyed; and it stands +upon the sea. And from Venice to Akon, by sea, is two thousand and +four score miles of Lombardy; and from Calabria, or from Sicily to +Akon, by sea, is a 1300 miles of Lombardy; and the isle of Crete is +right in the midway. + +And beside the city of Akon, toward the sea, six score furlongs on +the right side, toward the south, is the Hill of Carmel, where +Elijah the prophet dwelled, and there was first the Order of Friars +Carmelites founded. This hill is not right great, nor full high. +And at the foot of this hill was some-time a good city of Christian +men, that men clept Caiffa, for Caiaphas first founded it; but it +is now all wasted. And on the left side of the Hill of Carmel is a +town, that men clepe Saffre, and that is set on another hill. +There Saint James and Saint John were born; and, in worship of them +there is a fair church. And from Ptolemais, that men clepe now +Akon, unto a great hill, that is clept Scale of Tyre, is one +hundred furlongs. And beside the city of Akon runneth a little +river, that is clept Belon. + +And there nigh is the Foss of Mennon that is all round; and it is +one hundred cubits of largeness, and it is all full of gravel, +shining bright, of the which men make fair verres and clear. And +men come from far, by water in ships, and by land with carts, for +to fetch of that gravel. And though there be never so much taken +away thereof in the day, at morrow it is as full again as ever it +was; and that is a great marvel. And there is evermore great wind +in that foss, that stirreth evermore the gravel, and maketh it +trouble. And if any man do therein any manner metal, it turneth +anon to glass. And the glass, that is made of that gravel, if it +be done again into the gravel, it turneth anon into gravel as it +was first. And therefore some men say, that it is a swallow of the +gravelly sea. + +Also from Akon, above-said, go men forth four journeys to the city +of Palestine, that was of the Philistines, that now is clept Gaza, +that is a gay city and a rich; and it is right fair and full of +folk, and it is a little from the sea. And from this city brought +Samson the strong the gates upon an high land, when he was taken in +that city, and there he slew in a palace the king and himself, and +great number of the best of the Philistines, the which had put out +his eyen and shaved his head, and imprisoned him by treason of +Dalida his paramour. And therefore he made fall upon them a great +hall, when they were at meat. + +And from thence go men to the city of Cesarea, and so to the Castle +of Pilgrims, and so to Ascalon; and then to Jaffa, and so to +Jerusalem. + +And whoso will go by land through the land of Babylon, where the +soldan dwelleth commonly, he must get grace of him and leave to go +more siker through those lands and countries. + +And for to go to the Mount of Sinai, before that men go to +Jerusalem, they shall go from Gaza to the Castle of Daire. And +after that, men come out of Syria, and enter into wilderness, and +there the way is full sandy; and that wilderness and desert lasteth +eight journeys, but always men find good inns, and all that they +need of victuals. And men clepe that wilderness Achelleke. And +when a man cometh out of that desert, he entereth into Egypt, that +men clepe Egypt-Canopac, and after other language, men clepe it +Morsyn. And there first men find a good town, that is clept +Belethe; and it is at the end of the kingdom of Aleppo. And from +thence men go to Babylon and to Cairo. + + + +CHAPTER VI + + + +OF MANY NAMES OF SOLDANS, AND OF THE TOWER OF BABYLON + + +AT Babylon there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled +seven year, when she fled out of the land of Judea for dread of +King Herod. And there lieth the body of Saint Barbara the virgin +and martyr. And there dwelled Joseph, when he was sold of his +brethren. And there made Nebuchadnezzar the king put three +children into the furnace of fire, for they were in the right truth +of belief, the which children men clept Anania, Azariah, Mishael, +as the Psalm of BENEDICITE saith: but Nebuchadnezzar clept them +otherwise, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that is to say, God +glorious, God victorious, and God over all things and realms: and +that was for the miracle, that he saw God's Son go with the +children through the fire, as he said. + +There dwelleth the soldan in his Calahelyke (for there is commonly +his seat) in a fair castle, strong and great, and well set upon a +rock. In that castle dwell alway, to keep it and to serve the +soldan, more then 6000 persons, that take all their necessaries off +the soldan's court. I ought right well to know it; for I dwelled +with him as soldier in his wars a great while against the Bedouins. +And he would have married me full highly to a great prince's +daughter, if I would have forsaken my law and my belief; but I +thank God, I had no will to do it, for nothing that he behight me. + +And ye shall understand that the soldan is lord of five kingdoms, +that he hath conquered and appropred to him by strength. And these +be the names: the kingdom of Canapac, that is Egypt; and the +kingdom of Jerusalem, where that David and Solomon were kings; and +the kingdom of Syria, of the which the city of Damascus was chief; +and the kingdom of Aleppo in the land of Mathe; and the kingdom +Arabia, that was to one of the three kings, that made offering to +our Lord, when he was born. And many other lands he holdeth in his +hand. And therewithal he holdeth caliphs, that is a full great +thing in their language, and it is as much to say as king. + +And there were wont to be five soldans; but now there is no more +but he of Egypt. And the first soldan was Zarocon, that was of +Media, as was father to Saladin that took the Caliph of Egypt and +slew him, and was made soldan by strength. After that was Soldan +Saladin, in whose time the King of England, Richard the First, with +many other, kept the passage, that Saladin ne might not pass. +After Saladin reigned his son Boradin, and after him his nephew. +After that, the Comanians that were in servage in Egypt, felt +themselves that they were of great power, they chose them a soldan +amongst them, the which made him to be clept Melechsalan. And in +his time entered into the country of the kings of France Saint +Louis, and fought with him; and [the soldan] took him and +imprisoned him; and this [soldan] was slain by his own servants. +And after, they chose another to be soldan, that they clept +Tympieman; and he let deliver Saint Louis out of prison for a +certain ransom. And after, one of these Comanians reigned, that +hight Cachas, and slew Tympieman, for to be soldan; and made him be +clept Melechmenes. And after another that had to name Bendochdare, +that slew Melechmenes, for to be sultan, and clept himself +Melechdare. In his time entered the good King Edward of England +into Syria, and did great harm to the Saracens. And after, was +this soldan empoisoned at Damascus, and his son thought to reign +after him by heritage, and made him to be clept Melechsache; but +another that had to name Elphy, chased him out of the country and +made him soldan. This man took the city of Tripoli and destroyed +many of the Christian men, the year of grace 1289, and after was he +imprisoned of another that would be soldan, but he was anon slain. +After that was the son of Elphy chosen to be soldan, and clept him +Melechasseraff, and he took the city of Akon and chased out the +Christian men; and this was also empoisoned, and then was his +brother made soldan, and was clept Melechnasser. And after, one +that was clept Guytoga took him and put him in prison in the castle +of Mountroyal, and made him soldan by strength, and clept him +Melechadel; and he was of Tartary. But the Comanians chased him +out of the country, and did him much sorrow, and made one of +themself soldan, that had to name Lachin. And he made him to be +clept Melechmanser, the which on a day played at the chess, and his +sword lay beside him; and so befell, that one wrathed him, and with +his own proper sword he was slain. And after that, they were at +great discord, for to make a soldan; and finally they accorded to +Melechnasser, that Guytoga had put in prison at Mountroyal. And +this reigned long and governed so that his eldest son was chosen +after him, Melechmader, the which his brother let slay privily for +to have the lordship, and made him to be clept Melechmadabron, and +he soldan when I departed from those countries. + +And wit ye well that the soldan may lead out of Egypt more than +20,000 men of arms, and out of Syria, and out of Turkey and out of +other countries that he holds, he may arrere more than 50,000. And +all those be at his wages, and they be always at him, without the +folk of his country, that is without number. And every each of +them hath by year the mountance of six score florins; but it +behoveth, that every of them hold three horses and a camel. And by +the cities and by towns be admirals, that have the governance of +the people; one hath to govern four, and another hath to govern +five, another more, and another well more. And as many taketh the +admiral by him alone, as all the other soldiers have under him; and +therefore, when the soldan will advance any worthy knight, he +maketh him an admiral. And when it is any dearth, the knights be +right poor, and then they sell both their horse and their harness. + +And the soldan hath four wives, one Christian and three Saracens, +of the which one dwelleth at Jerusalem, and another at Damascus, +and another at Ascalon; and when them list, they remove to other +cities, and when the soldan will he may go to visit them. And he +hath as many paramours as him liketh. For he maketh to come before +him the fairest and the noblest of birth, and the gentlest damosels +of his country, and he maketh them to be kept and served full +honourably. And when he will have one to lie with him, he maketh +them all to come before him, and he beholdeth in all, which of them +is most to his pleasure, and to her anon he sendeth or casteth a +ring from his finger. And then anon she shall be bathed and richly +attired, and anointed with delicate things of sweet smell, and then +led to the soldan's chamber; and thus he doth as often as him list, +when he will have any of them. + +And before the soldan cometh no stranger, but if he be clothed in +cloth of gold, or of Tartary or of Camaka, in the Saracens' guise, +and as the Saracens use. And it behoveth, that anon at the first +sight that men see the soldan, be it in window or in what place +else, that men kneel to him and kiss the earth, for that is the +manner to do reverence to the soldan of them that speak with him. +And when that messengers of strange countries come before him, the +meinie of the soldan, when the strangers speak to him, they be +about the soldan with swords drawn and gisarmes and axes, their +arms lifted up in high with those weapons for to smite upon them, +if they say any word that is displeasance to the soldan. And also, +no stranger cometh before him, but that he maketh him some promise +and grant of that the [stranger] asketh reasonably; by so it be not +against his law. And so do other princes beyond, for they say that +no man shall come before no prince, but that [he be] better, and +shall be more gladder in departing from his presence than he was at +the coming before him. + +And understandeth, that that Babylon that I have spoken of, where +that the sultan dwelleth, is not that great Babylon where the +diversity of languages was first made for vengeance by the miracle +of God, when the great Tower of Babel was begun to be made; of the +which the walls were sixty-four furlongs of height; that is in the +great desert of Arabia, upon the way as men go toward the kingdom +of Chaldea. But it is full long since that any man durst nigh to +the tower; for it is all desert and full of dragons and great +serpents, and full of diverse venomous beasts all about. That +tower, with the city, was of twenty-five mile in circuit of the +walls, as they of the country say, and as men may deem by +estimation, after that men tell of the country. + +And though it be clept the Tower of Babylon, yet nevertheless, +there were ordained within many mansions and many great dwelling- +places, in length and breadth. And that tower contained great +country in circuit, for the tower alone contained ten mile square. +That tower founded King Nimrod that was king of that country; and +he was the first king of the world. And he let make an image in +the likeness of his father, and constrained all his subjects for to +worship it; and anon began other lords to do the same, and so began +the idols and the simulacres first. + +The town and the city were full well set in a fair country and a +plain that men clepe the country of Samar, of the which the walls +of the city were two hundred cubits in height, and fifty cubits of +deepness; and the river of Euphrates ran throughout the city and +about the tower also. But Cyrus the King of Persia took from them +the river, and destroyed all the city and the tower also; for he +departed that river in 360 small rivers, because that he had sworn, +that he should put the river in such point, that a woman might well +pass there, without casting off of her clothes, forasmuch as he had +lost many worthy men that trowed to pass that river by swimming. + +And from Babylon where the soldan dwelleth, to go right between the +Orient and the Septentrion toward the great Babylon, is forty +journeys to pass by desert. But it is not the great Babylon in the +land and in the power of the said soldan, but it is in the power +and the lordship of Persia, but he holdeth it of the great Chan, +that is the greatest emperor and the most sovereign lord of all the +parts beyond, and he is lord of the isles of Cathay and of many +other isles and of a great part of Ind, and his land marcheth unto +Prester John's Land, and he holdeth so much land, that he knoweth +not the end: and he is more mighty and greater lord without +comparison than is the soldan: of his royal estate and of his +might I shall speak more plenerly, when I shall speak of the land +and of the country of Ind. + +Also the city of Mecca where Mohammet lieth is of the great deserts +of Arabia; and there lieth [the] body of him full honourably in +their temple, that the Saracens clepen Musketh. And it is from +Babylon the less, where the soldan dwelleth, unto Mecca above-said, +into a thirty-two journeys. + +And wit well, that the realm of Arabia is a full great country, but +therein is over-much desert. And no man may dwell there in that +desert for default of water, for that land is all gravelly and full +of sand. And it is dry and no thing fruitful, because that it hath +no moisture; and therefore is there so much desert. And if it had +rivers and wells, and the land also were as it is in other parts, +it should be as full of people and as full inhabited with folk as +in other places; for there is full great multitude of people, +whereas the land is inhabited. Arabia dureth from the ends of the +realm of Chaldea unto the last end of Africa, and marcheth to the +land of Idumea toward the end of Botron. And in Chaldea the chief +city is Bagdad. And of Africa the chief city is Carthage, that +Dido, that was Eneas's wife, founded; the which Eneas was of the +city of Troy, and after was King of Italy. + +Mesopotamia stretcheth also unto the deserts of Arabia, and it is a +great country. In this country is the city of Haran, where +Abraham's father dwelled, and from whence Abraham departed by +commandment of the angel. And of that city was Ephraim, that was a +great clerk and a great doctor. And Theophilus was of that city +also, that our lady saved from our enemy. And Mesopotamia dureth +from the river of Euphrates, unto the river of Tigris, for it is +between those two rivers. + +And beyond the river of Tigris is Chaldea, that is a full great +kingdom. In that realm, at Bagdad above-said, was wont to dwell +the caliph, that was wont to be both as Emperor and Pope of the +Arabians, so that he was lord spiritual and temporal; and he was +successor to Mahommet, and of his generation. That city of Bagdad +was wont to be clept Sutis, and Nebuchadnezzar founded it; and +there dwelled the holy prophet Daniel, and there he saw visions of +heaven, and there he made the exposition of dreams. + +And in old time there were wont to be three caliphs, he of Arabia +and of Chaldea dwelt in the city of Bagdad above-said; and at Cairo +beside Babylon dwelt the Caliph of Egypt; and at Morocco, upon the +West Sea, dwelt the Caliph of the people of Barbary and of +Africans. And now is there none of the caliphs, nor nought have +been since the time of the Soldan Saladin; for from that time +hither the soldan clepeth himself caliph, and so have the caliphs +lost their name. + +Also witeth well, that Babylon the less, where the soldan dwelleth, +and at the city of Cairo that is nigh beside it, be great huge +cities many and fair; and that one sitteth nigh that other. +Babylon sitteth upon the river of Gyson, sometimes clept Nile, that +cometh out of Paradise terrestrial. + +That river of Nile, all the year, when the sun entereth into the +sign of Cancer, it beginneth to wax, and it waxeth always as long +as the sun is in Cancer and in the sign of the Lion; and it waxeth +in such manner, that it is sometimes so great, that it is twenty +cubits or more of deepness, and then it doth great harm to the +goods that be upon the land. For then may no man travail to plough +the lands for the great moisture, and therefore is there dear time +in that country. And also, when it waxeth little, it is dear time +in that country, for default of moisture. And when the sun is in +the sign of Virgo, then beginneth the river for to wane and to +decrease little and little, so that when the sun is entered into +the sign of Libra, then they enter between these rivers. This +river cometh, running from Paradise terrestrial, between the +deserts of Ind, and after it smiteth unto land, and runneth long +time many great countries under earth. And after it goeth out +under an high hill, that men clepe Alothe, that is between Ind and +Ethiopia the mountance of five months' journeys from the entry of +Ethiopia; and after it environeth all Ethiopia and Mauritania, and +goeth all along from the land of Egypt unto the city of Alexandria +to the end of Egypt, and there it falleth into the sea. About this +river be many birds and fowls, as sikonies, that they clepen ibes. + + + +CHAPTER VII + + + +OF THE COUNTRY OF EGYPT; OF THE BIRD PHOENIX OF ARABIA; OF THE CITY +OF CAIRO; OF THE CUNNING TO KNOW BALM AND TO PROVE IT; AND OF THE +GARNERS OF JOSEPH + + +EGYPT is a long country, but it is straight, that is to say narrow, +for they may not enlarge it toward the desert for default of water. +And the country is set along upon the river of Nile, by as much as +that river may serve by floods or otherwise, that when it floweth +it may spread abroad through the country; so is the country large +of length. For there it raineth not but little in that country, +and for that cause they have no water, but if it be of that flood +of that river. And forasmuch as it ne raineth not in that country, +but the air is alway pure and clear, therefore in that country be +the good astronomers, for they find there no clouds to letten them. +Also the city of Cairo is right great and more huge than that of +Babylon the less, and it sitteth above toward the desert of Syria, +a little above the river above-said. + +In Egypt there be two parts: the height, that is toward Ethiopia, +and the lower, that is toward Arabia. In Egypt is the land of +Rameses and the land of Goshen. Egypt is a strong country, for it +hath many shrewd havens because of the great rocks that be strong +and dangerous to pass by. And at Egypt, toward the east, is the +Red Sea, that dureth unto the city of Coston; and toward the west +is the country of Lybia, that is a full dry land and little of +fruit, for it is overmuch plenty of heat, and that land is clept +Fusthe. And toward the part meridional is Ethiopia. And toward +the north is the desert, that dureth unto Syria, and so is the +country strong on all sides. And it is well a fifteen journeys of +length, and more than two so much of desert, and it is but two +journeys in largeness. And between Egypt and Nubia it hath well a +twelve journeys of desert. And men of Nubia be Christian, but they +be black as the Moors for great heat of the sun. + +In Egypt there be five provinces: that one is Sahythe; that other +Demeseer; another Resith, that is an isle in the Nile; another +Alexandria; and another the land of Damietta. That city was wont +to be right strong, but it was twice won of the Christian men, and +therefore after that the Saracens beat down the walls; and with the +walls the tower thereof, the Saracens made another city more far +from the sea, and clept it the new Damietta; so that now no man +dwelleth at the rather town of Damietta. At that city of Damietta +is one of the havens of Egypt; and at Alexandria is that other. +That is a full strong city, but there is no water to drink, but if +it come by conduit from Nile, that entereth into their cisterns; +and whoso stopped that water from them, they might not endure +there. In Egypt there be but few forcelets or castles, because +that the country is so strong of himself. + +At the deserts of Egypt was a worthy man, that was an holy hermit, +and there met with him a monster (that is to say, a monster is a +thing deformed against kind both of man or of beast or of anything +else, and that is clept a monster). And this monster, that met +with this holy hermit, was as it had been a man, that had two horns +trenchant on his forehead; and he had a body like a man unto the +navel, and beneath he had the body like a goat. And the hermit +asked him what he was. And the monster answered him, and said he +was a deadly creature, such as God had formed, and dwelt in those +deserts in purchasing his sustenance. And [he] besought the +hermit, that he would pray God for him, the which that came from +heaven for to save all mankind, and was born of a maiden and +suffered passion and death (as we well know) and by whom we live +and be. And yet is the head with the two horns of that monster at +Alexandria for a marvel. + +In Egypt is the city of Heliopolis, that is to say, the city of the +Sun. In that city there is a temple, made round after the shape of +the Temple of Jerusalem. The priests of that temple have all their +writings, under the date of the fowl that is clept phoenix; and +there is none but one in all the world. And he cometh to burn +himself upon the altar of that temple at the end of five hundred +year; for so long he liveth. And at the five hundred years' end, +the priests array their altar honestly, and put thereupon spices +and sulphur vif and other things that will burn lightly; and then +the bird phoenix cometh and burneth himself to ashes. And the +first day next after, men find in the ashes a worm; and the second +day next after, men find a bird quick and perfect; and the third +day next after, he flieth his way. And so there is no more birds +of that kind in all the world, but it alone, and truly that is a +great miracle of God. And men may well liken that bird unto God, +because that there ne is no God but one; and also, that our Lord +arose from death to life the third day. This bird men see often- +time fly in those countries; and he is not mickle more than an +eagle. And he hath a crest of feathers upon his head more great +than the peacock hath; and is neck his yellow after colour of an +oriel that is a stone well shining, and his beak is coloured blue +as ind; and his wings be of purple colour, and his tail is barred +overthwart with green and yellow and red. And he is a full fair +bird to look upon, against the sun, for he shineth full gloriously +and nobly. + +Also in Egypt be gardens, that have trees and herbs, the which bear +fruits seven times in the year. And in that land men find many +fair emeralds and enough; and therefore they be greater cheap. +Also when it raineth once in the summer in the land of Egypt, then +is all the country full of great mires. Also at Cairo, that I +spake of before, sell men commonly both men and women of other laws +as we do here beasts in the market. And there is a common house in +that city that is all full of small furnaces, and thither bring +women of the town their eyren of hens, of geese, and or ducks for +to be put into those furnaces. And they that keep that house cover +them with heat of horse dung, without hen, goose or duck or any +other fowl. And at the end of three weeks or of a month they come +again and take their chickens and flourish them and bring them +forth, so that all the country is full of them. And so men do +there both winter and summer. + +Also in that country and in others also, men find long apples to +sell, in their season, and men clepe them apples of Paradise; and +they be right sweet and of good savour. And though ye cut them in +never so many gobbets or parts, overthwart or endlong, evermore ye +shall find in the midst the figure of the Holy Cross of our Lord +Jesu. But they will rot within eight days, and for that cause men +may not carry of those apples to no far countries; of them men find +the mountance of a hundred in a basket, and they have great leaves +of a foot and a half of length, and they be convenably large. And +men find there also the apple tree of Adam, that have a bite at one +of the sides; and there be also fig trees that bear no leaves, but +figs upon the small branches; and men clepe them figs of Pharaoh. + +Also beside Cairo, without that city, is the field where balm +groweth; and it cometh out on small trees, that be none higher than +to a man's breeks' girdle, and they seem as wood that is of the +wild vine. And in that field be seven wells, that our Lord Jesu +Christ made with one of his feet, when he went to play with other +children. That field is not so well closed, but that men may enter +at their own list; but in that season that the balm is growing, men +put thereto good keeping, that no man dare be hardy to enter. + +This balm groweth in no place, but only there. And though that men +bring of the plants, for to plant in other countries, they grow +well and fair; but they bring forth no fructuous thing, and the +leaves of balm fall not. And men cut the branches with a sharp +flintstone, or with a sharp bone, when men will go to cut them; for +whoso cut them with iron, it would destroy his virtue and his +nature. + +And the Saracens crepe the wood ENONCH-BALSE, and the fruit, the +which is as cubebs, they clepe ABEBISSAM, and the liquor that +droppeth from the branches they clepe GUYBALSE. And men make +always that balm to be tilled of the Christian men, or else it +would not fructify; as the Saracens say themselves, for it hath +been often-time proved. Men say also, that the balm groweth in Ind +the more, in that desert where Alexander spake to the trees of the +sun and of the moon, but I have not seen it; for I have not been so +far above upward, because that there be too many perilous passages. + +And wit ye well, that a man ought to take good keep for to buy +balm, but if he con know it right well, for he may right lightly be +deceived. For men sell a gum, that men clepe turpentine, instead +of balm, and they put thereto a little balm for to give good odour. +And some put wax in oil of the wood of the fruit of balm, and say +that it is balm. And some distil cloves of gilofre and of +spikenard of Spain and of other spices, that be well smelling; and +the liquor that goeth out thereof they clepe it balm, and they +think that they have balm, and they have none. For the Saracens +counterfeit it by subtlety of craft for to deceive the Christian +men, as I have seen full many a time; and after them the merchants +and the apothecaries counterfeit it eft sones, and then it is less +worth, and a great deal worse. + +But if it like you, I shall shew how ye shall know and prove, to +the end that ye shall not be deceived. First ye shall well know, +that the natural balm is full clear, and of citron colour and +strongly smelling; and if it be thick, or red or black, it is +sophisticate, that is to say, counterfeited and made like it for +deceit. And understand, that if ye will put a little balm in the +palm of your hand against the sun, if it be fine and good, ye ne +shall not suffer your hand against the heat of the sun. Also take +a little balm with the point of a knife, and touch it to the fire, +and if it burn it is a good sign. After take also a drop of balm, +and put it into a dish, or in a cup with milk of a goat, and if it +be natural balm anon it will take and beclippe the milk. Or put a +drop of balm in clear water in a cup of silver or in a clear basin, +stir it well with the clear water; and if the balm be fine and of +his own kind, the water shall never trouble; and if the balm be +sophisticate, that is to say counterfeited, the water shall become +anon trouble; and also if the balm be fine it shall fall to the +bottom of the vessel, as though it were quicksilver, for the fine +balm is more heavy twice than is the balm that is sophisticate and +counterfeited. Now I have spoken of balm. + +And now also I shall speak of another thing that is beyond Babylon, +above the flood of the Nile, toward the desert between Africa and +Egypt; that is to say, of the garners of Joseph, that he let make +for to keep the grains for the peril of the dear years. And they +be made of stone, full well made of masons' craft; of the which two +be marvellously great and high, and the tother ne be not so great. +And every garner hath a gate for to enter within, a little high +from the earth; for the land is wasted and fallen since the garners +were made. And within they be all full of serpents. And above the +garners without be many scriptures of diverse languages. And some +men say, that they be sepultures of great lords, that were +sometime, but that is not true, for all the common rumour and +speech is of all the people there, both far and near, that they be +the garners of Joseph; and so find they in their scriptures, and in +their chronicles. On the other part, if they were sepultures, they +should not be void within, ne they should have no gates for to +enter within; for ye may well know, that tombs and sepultures be +not made of such greatness, nor of such highness; wherefore it is +not to believe, that they be tombs or sepultures. + +In Egypt also there be diverse languages and diverse letters, and +of other manner and condition than there be in other parts. As I +shall devise you, such as they be, and the names how they clepe +them, to such intent, that ye may know the difference of them and +of others, - Athoimis, Bimchi, Chinok, Duram, Eni, Fin, Gomor, +Heket, Janny, Karacta, Luzanin, Miche, Naryn, Oldach, Pilon, Qyn, +Yron, Sichen, Thola, Urmron, Yph and Zarm, Thoit. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + + +OF THE ISLE OF SICILY; OF THE WAY FROM BABYLON TO THE MOUNT SINAI; +OF THE CHURCH OF SAINT KATHERINE AND OF ALL THE MARVELS THERE + + +NOW will I return again, ere I proceed any further, for to declare +to you the other ways, that draw toward Babylon, where the sultan +himself dwelleth, that is at the entry of Egypt; for as much as +many folk go thither first and after that to the Mount Sinai, and +after return to Jerusalem, as I have said you here before. For +they fulfil first the more long pilgrimage, and after return again +by the next ways, because that the more nigh way is the more +worthy, and that is Jerusalem; for no other pilgrimage is not like +in comparison to it. But for to fulfil their pilgrimages more +easily and more sikerly, men go first the longer way rather than +the nearer way. + +But whoso will go to Babylon by another way, more short from the +countries of the west that I have rehearsed before, or from other +countries next to them - then men go by France, by Burgundy and by +Lombardy. It needeth not to tell you the names of the cities, nor +of the towns that be in that way, for the way is common, and it is +known of many nations. And there be many havens [where] men take +the sea. Some men take the sea at Genoa, some at Venice, and pass +by the sea Adriatic, that is clept the Gulf of Venice, that +departeth Italy and Greece on that side; and some go to Naples, +some to Rome, and from Rome to Brindisi and there they take the +sea, and in many other places where that havens be. And men go by +Tuscany, by Campania, by Calabria, by Apulia, and by the hills of +Italy, by Corsica, by Sardinia, and by Sicily, that is a great isle +and a good. + +In that isle of Sicily there is a manner of a garden, in the which +be many diverse fruits; and the garden is always green and +flourishing, all the seasons of the year as well in winter as in +summer. That isle holds in compass about 350 French miles. And +between Sicily and Italy there is not but a little arm of the sea, +that men clepe the Farde of Messina. And Sicily is between the sea +Adriatic and the sea of Lombardy. And from Sicily into Calabria is +but eight miles of Lombardy. + +And in Sicily there is a manner of serpent, by the which men assay +and prove, whether their children be bastards or no, or of lawful +marriage: for if they be born in right marriage, the serpents go +about them, and do them no harm, and if they be born in avoutry, +the serpents bite them and envenom them. And thus many wedded men +prove if the children be their own. + +Also in that isle is the Mount Etna, that men clepe Mount Gybelle, +and the volcanoes that be evermore burning. And there be seven +places that burn and that cast out diverse flames and diverse +colour: and by the changing of those flames, men of that country +know when it shall be dearth or good time, or cold or hot or moist +or dry, or in all other manners how the time shall be governed. +And from Italy unto the volcanoes ne is but twenty-five mile. And +men say, that the volcanoes be ways of hell. + +And whoso goeth by Pisa, if that men list to go that way, there is +an arm of the sea, where that men go to other havens in those +marches. And then men pass by the isle of Greaf that is at Genoa. +And after arrive men in Greece at the haven of the city of Myrok, +or at the haven of Valone, or at the city of Duras; and there is a +Duke at Duras, or at other havens in those marches; and so men go +to Constantinople. And after go men by water to the isle of Crete +and to the isle of Rhodes, and so to Cyprus, and so to Athens, and +from thence to Constantinople. To hold the more right way by sea, +it is well a thousand eight hundred and four score mile of +Lombardy. And after from Cyprus men go by sea, and leave Jerusalem +and all the country on the left hand, unto Egypt, and arrive at the +city of Damietta, that was wont to be full strong, and it sits at +the entry of Egypt. And from Damietta go men to the city of +Alexandria, that sits also upon the sea. In that city was Saint +Catherine beheaded: and there was Saint Mark the evangelist +martyred and buried, but the Emperor Leo made his bones to be +brought to Venice. + +And yet there is at Alexandria a fair church, all white without +paintures; and so be all the other churches that were of the +Christian men, all white within, for the Paynims and the Saracens +made them white for to fordo the images of saints that were painted +on the walls. That city of Alexandria is well thirty furlongs in +length, but it is but ten on largeness; and it is a full noble city +and a fair. At that city entereth the river of Nile into the sea, +as I to you have said before. In that river men find many precious +stones, and much also of lignum aloes; and it is a manner of wood, +that cometh out of Paradise terrestrial, the which is good for many +diverse medicines, and it is right dear-worth. And from Alexandria +men go to Babylon, where the sultan dwelleth; that sits also upon +the river of Nile: and this way is the most short, for to go +straight unto Babylon. + +Now shall I say you also the way, that goeth from Babylon to the +Mount of Sinai, where Saint Catherine lieth. He must pass by the +deserts of Arabia, by the which deserts Moses led the people of +Israel. And then pass men by the well that Moses made with his +hand in the deserts, when the people grucched; for they found +nothing to drink. And then pass men by the Well of Marah, of the +which the water was first bitter; but the children of Israel put +therein a tree, and anon the water was sweet and good for to drink. +And then go men by desert unto the vale of Elim, in the which vale +be twelve wells; and there be seventy-two trees of palm, that bear +the dates the which Moses found with the children of Israel. And +from that valley is but a good journey to the Mount of Sinai. + +And whoso will go by another way from Babylon, then men go by the +Red Sea, that is an arm of the sea Ocean. And there passed Moses +with the children of Israel, over-thwart the sea all dry, when +Pharaoh the King of Egypt chased them. And that sea is well a six +mile of largeness in length; and in that sea was Pharaoh drowned +and all his host that he led. That sea is not more red than +another sea; but in some place thereof is the gravel red, and +therefore men clepen it the Red Sea. That sea runneth to the ends +of Arabia and of Palestine. + +That sea lasteth more than a four journeys, and then go men by +desert unto the Vale of Elim, and from thence to the Mount of +Sinai. And ye may well understand, that by this desert no man may +go on horseback, because that there ne is neither meat for horse ne +water to drink; and for that cause men pass that desert with +camels. For the camel finds alway meat in trees and on bushes, +that he feedeth him with: and he may well fast from drink two days +or three. And that may no horse do. + +And wit well that from Babylon to the Mount Sinai is well a twelve +good journeys, and some men make them more. And some men hasten +them and pain them, and therefore they make them less. And always +men find latiners to go with them in the countries, and further +beyond, into time that men con the language: and it behoveth men +to bear victuals with them, that shall dure them in those deserts, +and other necessaries for to live by. + +And the Mount of Sinai is clept the Desert of Sin, that is for to +say, the bush burning; because there Moses saw our Lord God many +times in the form of fire burning upon that hill, and also in a +bush burning, and spake to him. And that was at the foot of the +hill. There is an abbey of monks, well builded and well closed +with gates of iron for dread of the wild beasts; and the monks be +Arabians or men of Greece. And there [is] a great convent, and all +they be as hermits, and they drink no wine, but if it be on +principal feasts; and they be full devout men, and live poorly and +simply with joutes and with dates, and they do great abstinence and +penances. + +There is the Church of Saint Catherine, in the which be many lamps +burning; for they have of oil of olives enough, both for to burn in +their lamps and to eat also. And that plenty have they by the +miracle of God; for the ravens and the crows and the choughs and +other fowls of the country assemble them there every year once, and +fly thither as in pilgrimage; and everych of them bringeth a branch +of the bays or of olive in their beaks instead of offering, and +leave them there; of the which the monks make great plenty of oil. +And this is a great marvel. And sith that fowls that have no +kindly wit or reason go thither to seek that glorious Virgin, well +more ought men then to seek her, and to worship her. + +Also behind the altar of that church is the place where Moses saw +our Lord God in a burning bush. And when the monks enter into that +place, they do off both hosen and shoon or boots always, because +that our Lord said to Moses, Do off thy hosen and thy shoon, for +the place that thou standest on is land holy and blessed. And the +monks clepe that place Dozoleel, that is to say, the shadow of God. +And beside the high altar, three degrees of height is the fertre of +alabaster, where the bones of Saint Catherine lie. And the prelate +of the monks sheweth the relics to the pilgrims, and with an +instrument of silver he froteth the bones; and then there goeth out +a little oil, as though it were a manner sweating, that is neither +like to oil ne to balm, but it is full sweet of smell; and of that +they give a little to the pilgrims, for there goeth out but little +quantity of the liquor. And after that they shew the head of Saint +Catherine, and the cloth that she was wrapped in, that is yet all +bloody; and in that same cloth so wrapped, the angels bare her body +to the Mount Sinai, and there they buried her with it. And then +they shew the bush, that burned and wasted nought, in the which our +Lord spake to Moses, and other relics enough. + +Also, when the prelate of the abbey is dead, I have understood, by +information, that his lamp quencheth. And when they choose another +prelate, if he be a good man and worthy to be prelate, his lamp +shall light with the grace of God without touching of any man. For +everych of them hath a lamp by himself, and by their lamps they +know well when any of them shall die. For when any shall die, the +light beginneth to change and to wax dim; and if he be chosen to be +prelate, and is not worthy, his lamp quencheth anon. And other men +have told me, that he that singeth the mass for the prelate that is +dead - he shall find upon the altar the name written of him that +shall be prelate chosen. And so upon a day, I asked of the monks, +both one and other, how this befell. But they would not tell me +nothing, into the time that I said that they should not hide the +grace that God did them, but that they should publish it to make +the people have the more devotion, and that they did sin to hide +God's miracle, as me seemed. For the miracles that God hath done +and yet doth every day, be the witness of his might and of his +marvels, as David saith in the Psalter: MIRABILIA TESTIMONIA TUA, +DOMINE, that is to say, 'Lord thy marvels be thy witness.' And +then they told me, both one and other, how it befell full many a +time, but more I might not have of them. + +In that abbey ne entereth not no fly, ne toads ne newts, ne such +foul venomous beasts, ne lice ne fleas, by the miracle of God, and +of our Lady. For there were wont to be so many such manner of +filths, that the monks were in will to leave the place and the +abbey, and were from thence upon the mountain above to eschew that +place; and our Lady came to them and bade them turn again, and from +thence forwards never entered such filth in that place amongst +them, ne never shall enter hereafter. Also, before the gate is the +well, where Moses smote the stone, of the which the water came out +plenteously. + +From that abbey men go up the mountain of Moses, by many degrees. +And there men find first a church of our Lady, where that she met +the monks, when they fled away for the vermin above-said. And more +high upon that mountain is the chapel of Elijah the prophet; and +that place they clepe Horeb, whereof holy writ speaketh, ET +AMBULAVIT IN FORTITUDINE CIBI ILLIUS USQUE, AD MONTEM OREB; that is +to say, 'And he went in strength of that meat unto the hill of God, +Horeb.' And there nigh is the vine that Saint John the Evangelist +planted that men clepe raisins of Staphis. And a little above is +the chapel of Moses, and the rock where Moses fled to for dread +when he saw our Lord face to face. And in that rock is printed the +form of his body, for he smote so strongly and so hard himself in +that rock, that all his body was dolven within through the miracle +of God. And there beside is the place where our Lord took to Moses +the Ten Commandments of the Law. And there is the cave under the +rock where Moses dwelt, when he fasted forty days and forty nights. +But he died in the Land of Promission, and no man knoweth where he +was buried. And from that mountain men pass a great valley for to +go to another mountain, where Saint Catherine was buried of the +angels of the Lord. And in that valley is a church of forty +martyrs, and there sing the monks of the abbey, often-time: and +that valley is right cold. And after men go up the mountain of +Saint Catherine, that is more high than the mount of Moses; and +there, where Saint Catherine was buried, is neither church nor +chapel, nor other dwelling place, but there is an heap of stones +about the place, where body of her, was put of the angels. There +was wont to be a chapel, but it was cast down, and yet lie the +stones there. And albeit that the Collect of Saint Catherine says, +that it is the place where our Lord betaught the Ten Commandments +to Moses, and there, where the blessed Virgin Saint Catherine was +buried, that is to understand in one country, or in one place +bearing one name; for both that one and that other is clept the +mount of Sinai. But it is a great way from that one to that other, +and a great deep valley between them. + + + +CHAPTER IX + + + +OF THE DESERT BETWEEN THE CHURCH OF SAINT CATHERINE AND JERUSALEM. +OF THE DRY TREE; AND HOW ROSES CAME FIRST INTO THE WORLD + + +NOW, after that men have visited those holy places, then will they +turn toward Jerusalem. And then will they take leave of the monks, +and recommend themselves to their prayers. And then they give the +pilgrims of their victuals for to pass with the deserts toward +Syria. And those deserts dure well a thirteen journeys. + +In that desert dwell many of Arabians, that men clepe Bedouins and +Ascopards, and they be folk full of all evil conditions. And they +have none houses, but tents, that they make of skins of beasts, as +of camels and of other beasts that they eat; and there beneath +these they couch them and dwell in place where they may find water, +as on the Red Sea or elsewhere: for in that desert is full great +default of water, and often-time it falleth that where men find +water at one time in a place it faileth another time; and for that +skill they make none habitations there. These folk that I speak +of, they till not the land, and they labour nought; for they eat no +bread, but if it be any that dwell nigh a good town, that go +thither and eat bread sometime. And they roast their flesh and +their fish upon the hot stones against the sun. And they be strong +men and well-fighting; and there so is much multitude of that folk, +that they be without number. And they ne reck of nothing, ne do +not but chase after beasts to eat them. And they reck nothing of +their life, and therefore they fear not the sultan, ne no other +prince; but they dare well war with them, if they do anything that +is grievance to them. And they have often-times war with the +sultan, and, namely, that time that I was with him. And they bear +but one shield and one spear, without other arms; and they wrap +their heads and their necks with a great quantity of white linen +cloth; and they be right felonous and foul, and of cursed kind. + +And when men pass this desert, in coming toward Jerusalem, they +come to Bersabe (Beersheba), that was wont to be a full fair town +and a delectable of Christian men; and yet there be some of their +churches. In that town dwelled Abraham the patriarch, a long time. +That town of Bersabe founded Bersabe (Bathsheba), the wife of Sir +Uriah the Knight, on the which King David gat Solomen the Wise, +that was king after David upon the twelve kindreds of Jerusalem and +reigned forty year. + +And from thence go men to the city of Hebron, that is the mountance +of twelve good mile. And it was clept sometime the Vale of Mamre, +and some-time it was clept the Vale of Tears, because that Adam +wept there an hundred year for the death of Abel his son, that Cain +slew. Hebron was wont to be the principal city of the Philistines, +and there dwelled some time the giants. And that city was also +sacerdotal, that is to say, sanctuary of the tribe of Judah; and it +was so free, that men received there all manner of fugitives of +other places for their evil deeds. In Hebron Joshua, Caleb and +their company came first to aspy, how they might win the land of +Behest. In Hebron reigned first king David seven year and a half; +and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three year and a half. + +And in Hebron be all the sepultures of the patriarchs, Adam, +Abraham, Isaac, and of Jacob; and of their wives, Eve, Sarah and +Rebecca, and of Leah; the which sepultures the Saracens keep full +curiously, and have the place in great reverence for the holy +fathers, the patriarchs that lie there. And they suffer no +Christian man to enter into that place, but if it be of special +grace of the sultan; for they hold Christian men and Jews as dogs, +and they say, that they should not enter into so holy place. And +men clepe that place, where they lie, Double Spelunk, or Double +Cave, or Double Ditch, forasmuch as that one lieth above that +other. And the Saracens clepe that place in their language, +KARICARBA, that is to say, 'The Place of Patriarchs.' And the Jews +clepe that place ARBOTH. And in that same place was Abraham's +house, and there he sat and saw three persons, and worshipped but +one; as holy writ saith, TRES VIDIT ET UNUM ADORAVIT, that is to +say, 'He saw three and worshipped one': and of those same received +Abraham the angels into his house. + +And right fast by that place is a cave in the rock, where Adam and +Eve dwelled when they were put out of Paradise; and there got they +their children. And in that same place was Adam formed and made, +after that some men say: (for men were wont for to clepe that +place the field of Damascus, because that it was in the lordship of +Damascus), and from thence was he translated into Paradise of +delights, as they say; and after that he was driven out of Paradise +he was there left. And the same day that he was put in Paradise, +the same day he was put out, for anon he sinned. There beginneth +the Vale of Hebron, that dureth nigh to Jerusalem. There the angel +commanded Adam that he should dwell with his wife Eve, of the which +he gat Seth; of which tribe, that is to say kindred, Jesu Christ +was born. + +In that valley is a field, where men draw out of the earth a thing +that men clepe cambile, and they eat it instead of spices, and they +bear it to sell. And men may not make the hole or the cave, where +it is taken out of the earth, so deep or so wide, but that it is, +at the year's end, full again up to the sides, through the grace of +God. + +And two mile from Hebron is the grave of Lot, that was Abraham's +brother. + +And a little from Hebron is the mount of Mamre, of the which the +valley taketh his name. And there is a tree of oak, that the +Saracens clepe DIRPE, that is of Abraham's time: the which men +clepe the Dry Tree. And they say that it hath been there since the +beginning of the world, and was some-time green and bare leaves, +unto the time that our Lord died on the cross, and then it dried: +and so did all the trees that were then in the world. And some +say, by their prophecies, that a lord, a prince of the west side of +the world, shall win the Land of Promission that is the Holy Land +with help of Christian men, and he shall do sing a mass under that +dry tree; and then the tree shall wax green and bear both fruit and +leaves, and through that miracle many Saracens and Jews shall be +turned to Christian faith: and, therefore, they do great worship +thereto, and keep it full busily. And, albeit so, that it be dry, +natheles yet he beareth great virtue, for certainly he that hath a +little thereof upon him, it healeth him of the falling evil, and +his horse shall not be a-foundered: and many other virtues it +hath; wherefore men hold it full precious. + +From Hebron men go to Bethlehem in half a day, for it is but five +mile; and it is full fair way, by plains and woods full delectable. +Bethlehem is a little city, long and narrow and well walled, and in +each side enclosed with good ditches: and it was wont to be clept +Ephrata, as holy writ saith, ECCE, AUDIVIMUS EUM IN EPHRATA, that +is to say, 'Lo, we heard him in Ephrata.' And toward the east end +of the city is a full fair church and a gracious, and it hath many +towers, pinacles and corners, full strong and curiously made; and +within that church be forty-four pillars of marble, great and fair. + +And between the city and the church is the field FLORIDUS, that is +to say, the 'field flourished.' For as much as a fair maiden was +blamed with wrong, and slandered that she had done fornication; for +which cause she was demned to death, and to be burnt in that place, +to the which she was led. And, as the fire began to burn about +her, she made her prayers to our Lord, that as wisely as she was +not guilty of that sin, that he would help her and make it to be +known to all men, of his merciful grace. And when she had thus +said, she entered into the fire, and anon was the fire quenched and +out; and the brands that were burning became red rose-trees, and +the brands that were not kindled became white rose-trees, full of +roses. And these were the first rose-trees and roses, both white +and red, that ever any man saw; and thus was this maiden saved by +the grace of God. And therefore is that field clept the field of +God flourished, for it was full of roses. + +Also beside the choir of the church, at the right side, as men come +downward sixteen degrees, is the place where our Lord was born, +that is full well dight of marble, and full richly painted with +gold, silver, azure and other colours. And three paces beside is +the crib of the ox and the ass. And beside that is the place where +the star fell, that led the three kings, Jaspar, Melchior and +Balthazar: but men of Greece clepe them thus, GALGALATH, +MALGALATH, and SERAPHIE, and the Jews clepe them, in this manner, +in Hebrew, APPELIUS, AMERRIUS, and DAMASUS. These three kings +offered to our Lord, gold, incense and myrrh, and they met together +through miracle of God; for they met together in a city in Ind, +that men clepe Cassak, that is a fifty-three journeys from +Bethlehem; and they were at Bethlehem the thirteenth day; and that +was the fourth day after that they had seen the star, when they met +in that city, and thus they were in nine days from that city at +Bethlehem, and that was great miracle. + +Also, under the cloister of the church, by eighteen degrees at the +right side, is the charnel of the Innocents, where their bones lie. +And before the place where our Lord was born is the tomb of Saint +Jerome, that was a priest and a cardinal, that translated the Bible +and the Psalter from Hebrew into Latin: and without the minster is +the chair that he sat in when he translated it. And fast beside +that church, a sixty fathom, is a church of Saint Nicholas, where +our Lady rested her after she was lighted of our Lord; and +forasmuch as she had too much milk in her paps, that grieved her, +she milked them on the red stones of marble, so that the traces may +yet be seen, in the stones, all white. + +And ye shall understand, that all that dwell in Bethlehem be +Christian men. + +And there be fair vines about the city, and great plenty of wine, +that the Christian men have do let make. But the Saracens ne till +not no vines, ne they drink no wine: for their books of their law, +that Mahomet betoke them, which they clepe their AL KORAN, and some +crepe it MESAPH, and in another language it is clept HARME, and the +same book forbiddeth them to drink wine. For in that book, Mahomet +cursed all those that drink wine and all them that sell it: for +some men say, that he slew once an hermit in his drunkenness, that +he loved full well; and therefore he cursed wine and them that +drink it. But his curse be turned on to his own head, as holy writ +saith, ET IN VIRTICEM IPSIUS INIQUITAS EJUS DESCENDET, that is for +to say, 'His wickedness shall turn and fall in his own head.' + +And also the Saracens bring forth no pigs, nor they eat no swine's +flesh, for they say it is brother to man, and it was forbidden by +the old law; and they hold him all accursed that eat thereof. Also +in the land of Palestine and in the land of Egypt, they eat but +little or none of flesh of veal or of beef, but if be so old, that +he may no more travel for old; for it is forbidden, and for because +they have but few of them; therefore they nourish them for to ere +their lands. + +In this city of Bethlehem was David the king born; and he had sixty +wives, and the first wife was called Michal; and also he had three +hundred lemans. + +And from Bethlehem unto Jerusalem is but two mile; and in the way +to Jerusalem half a mile from Bethlehem is a church, where the +angel said to the shepherds of the birth of Christ. And in that +way is the tomb of Rachel, that was Joseph's mother, the patriarch; +and she died anon after that she was delivered of her son Benjamin. +And there she was buried of Jacob her husband, and he let set +twelve great stones on her, in token that she had born twelve +children. In the same way, half mile from Jerusalem, appeared the +star to the three kings. In that way also be many churches of +Christian men, by the which men go towards the city of Jerusalem. + + + +CHAPTER X + + + +OF THE PILGRIMAGES IN JERUSALEM, AND OF THE HOLY PLACES THEREABOUT + + +AFTER, for to speak of Jerusalem the holy city: ye shall +understand, that it stands full fair between hills, and there be no +rivers ne wells, but water cometh by conduit from Hebron. And ye +shall understand, that Jerusalem of old time, unto the time of +Melchisadech, was clept Jebus; and after it was clept Salem, unto +the time of King David, that put these two names together, and +clept it Jebusalem; and after that, King Solomon clept it +Jerosolomye; and after that, men clept it Jerusalem, and so it is +clept yet. + +And about Jerusalem is the kingdom of Syria. And there beside is +the land of Palestine, and beside it is Ascalon, and beside that is +the land of Maritaine. But Jerusalem is in the land of Judea, and +it is clept Judea, for that Judas Maccabeus was king of that +country; and it marcheth eastward to the kingdom of Arabia; on the +south side to the land of Egypt; and on the west side to the Great +Sea; on the north side, towards the kingdom of Syria and to the sea +of Cyprus. In Jerusalem was wont to be a patriarch; and +archbishops and bishops about in the country. About Jerusalem be +these cities: Hebron, at seven mile; Jericho, at six mile; +Beersheba, at eight mile; Ascalon, at seventeen mile; Jaffa, at +sixteen mile; Ramath, at three mile; and Bethlehem, at two mile. +And a two mile from Bethlehem, toward the south, is the Church of +St. Karitot, that was abbot there, for whom they made much dole +amongst the monks when he should die; and yet they be in mourning +in the wise that they made their lamentation for him the first +time; and it is full great pity to behold. + +This country and land of Jerusalem hath been in many divers +nations' hands, and often, therefore, hath the country suffered +much tribulation for the sin of the people that dwell there. For +that country hath been in the hands of all nations; that is to say, +of Jews, of Canaanites, Assyrians, Persians, Medes, Macedonians, of +Greeks, Romans, of Christian men, of Saracens, Barbarians, Turks, +Tartars, and of many other divers nations; for God will not that it +be long in the hands of traitors ne of sinners, be they Christian +or other. And now have the heathen men held that land in their +hands forty year and more; but they shall not hold it long, if God +will. + +And ye shall understand, that when men come to Jerusalem, their +first pilgrimage is to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where our +Lord was buried, that is without the city on the north side; but it +is now enclosed in with the town wall. And there is a full fair +church, all round, and open above, and covered with lead; and on +the west side is a fair tower and an high for bells, strongly made. + +And in the midst of the church is a tabernacle, as it were a little +house, made with a low little door, and that tabernacle is made in +manner of half a compass, right curiously and richly made of gold +and azure and other rich colours full nobly made. And in the right +side of that tabernacle is the sepulchre of our Lord; and the +tabernacle is eight foot long, and five foot wide, and eleven foot +in height. And it is not long sith the sepulchre was all open, +that men might kiss it and touch it; but for pilgrims that came +thither pained them to break the stone in pieces or in powder, +therefore the soldan hath do make a wall about the sepulchre that +no man may touch it: but in the left side of the wall of the +tabernacle is, well the height of a man, a great stone to the +quantity of a man's head, that was of the holy sepulchre; and that +stone kiss the pilgrims that come thither. In that tabernacle be +no windows, but it is all made light with lamps that hang before +the sepulchre. And there is a lamp that hangeth before the +sepulchre, that burneth light; and on the Good Friday it goeth out +by himself, [and lighteth again by him self] at that hour that our +Lord rose from death to life. + +Also within the church, at the right side, beside the choir of the +church, is the mount of Calvary, where our Lord was put on the +cross; and it is a rock of white colour and a little medled with +red. And the cross was set in a mortise in the same rock. And on +that rock dropped the wounds of our Lord when he was pined on the +cross. And that is clept Golgotha. + +And men go up to that Golgotha by degrees; and in the place of that +mortise was Adam's head found after Noah's flood, in token that the +sins of Adam should be bought in that same place. And upon that +rock made Abraham sacrifice to our Lord. And there is an altar; +and before that altar lie Godefray de Bouillon and Baldwin, and +other Christian kings of Jerusalem. + +And there, nigh where our Lord was crucified, is this written in +Greek: + +[Greek text which cannot be reproduced] + +that is to say, in Latin, - + +DEUS REX NOSTER ANTE SECULA OPERATUS EST SALUTEM, IN MEDIO TERRAE; + +that is to say, - + +THIS GOD OUR KING, BEFORE THE WORLDS, HATH WROUGHT HEALTH IN MIDST +OF THE EARTH. + +And also on that rock, where the cross was set, is written within +the rock these words: + +[Greek text which cannot be reproduced] + +that is to say, in Latin, - + +QUOD VIDES, EST FUNDAMENTUM TOTIUS FIDEI MUNDI HUJUS; + +that is to say, - + +THAT THOU SEEST, IS THE GROUND OF ALL THE FAITH OF THIS WORLD. + +And ye shall understand, that when our Lord was done upon the +cross, he was thirty-three year and three months of old. And the +prophecy of David saith thus: QUADRAGINTA ANNIS PROXIMUS FUI +GENERATIONI HUIC; that is to say, 'Forty year was I neighbour to +this kindred.' And thus should it seem that the prophecies were +not true. But they be both true; for in old time men made a year +of ten months, of the which March was the first and December was +the last. But Gaius, that was Emperor of Rome, put these two +months thereto, January and February, and ordained the year of +twelve months; that is to say, 365 days, without leap year, after +the proper course of the sun. And therefore after counting of ten +months of the year, he died in the fortieth year, as the prophet +said. And after the year of twelve months, he was of age thirty- +three year and three months. + +Also, within the mount of Calvary, on the right side, is an altar, +where the pillar lieth that our Lord Jesu was bounden to when he +was scourged. And there beside be four pillars of stone, that +always drop water; and some men say that they weep for our Lord's +death. And nigh that altar is a place under earth forty-two +degrees of deepness, where the holy cross was found, by the wit of +Saint Helen, under a rock where the Jews had hid it. And that was +the very cross assayed; for they found three crosses, one of our +Lord, and two of the two thieves; and Saint Helen proved them by a +dead body that arose from death to life, when that it was laid on +it, that our Lord died on. And thereby in the wall is the place +where the four nails of our Lord were hid: for he had two in his +hands and two in his feet. And, of one of these, the Emperor of +Constantinople made a bridle to his horse to bear him in battle; +and, through virtue thereof, he overcame his enemies, and won all +the land of Asia the less, that is to say, Turkey, Armenia the less +and the more, and from Syria to Jerusalem, from Arabia to Persia, +from Mesopotamia to the kingdom of Aleppo, from Egypt the high and +the low and all the other kingdoms unto the depth of Ethiopia, and +into Ind the less that then was Christian. + +And there were in that time many good holy men and holy hermits, of +whom the book of Father's lives speaketh, and they be now in +Paynims' and Saracens' hands: but when God Almighty will, right as +the lands ere lost through sin of Christian men, so shall they be +won again by Christian men through help of God. + +And in midst of that church is a compass, in the which Joseph of +Arimathea laid the body of our Lord when he had taken him down off +the cross; and there he washed the wounds of our Lord. And that +compass, say men, is the midst of the world. + +And in the church of the sepulchre, on the north side, is the place +where our Lord was put in prison (for he was in prison in many +places); and there is a part of the chain that he was bounden with; +and there he appeared first to Mary Magdalene when he was risen, +and she wend that he had been a gardener. + +In the church of Saint Sepulchre was wont to be canons of the order +of Saint Augustine, and had a prior, but the patriarch was their +sovereign. + +And without the doors of the church, on the right side as men go +upward eighteen grees, said our Lord to his mother, MULIER, ECCE +FILIUS TUUS; that is to say, Woman, lo! thy Son! And after that he +said to John, his disciple, ECCE MATER TUA; that is to say, Lo! +behold thy mother! And these words he said on the cross. And on +these grees went our Lord when he bare the cross on his shoulder. +And under these grees is a chapel, and in that chapel sing priests, +Indians, that is to say, priests of Ind, not after our law, but +after theirs; and alway they make their sacrament of the altar, +saying, PATER NOSTER and other prayers therewith; with the which +prayers they say the words that the sacrament is made of, for they +ne know not the additions that many popes have made; but they sing +with good devotion. And there near, is the place where that our +Lord rested him when he was weary for bearing of the cross. + +And ye shall understand that before the church of the sepulchre is +the city more feeble than in any other part, for the great plain +that is between the church and the city. And toward the east side, +without the walls of the city, is the vale of Jehosaphat that +toucheth to the walls as though it were a large ditch. And above +that vale of Jehosaphat, out of the city, is the church of Saint +Stephen where he was stoned to death. And there beside, is the +Golden Gate, that may not be opened, by the which gate our Lord +entered on Palm-Sunday upon an ass: and the gate opened against +him when he would go unto the temple; and yet appear the steps of +the ass's feet in three places of the degrees that be of full hard +stone. + +And before the church of Saint Sepulchre, toward the south, at 200 +paces, is the great hospital of Saint John, of which the +hospitallers had their foundation. And within the palace of the +sick men of that hospital be 124 pillars of stone. And in the +walls of the house, without the number above-said, there be fifty- +four pillars that bear up the house. And from that hospital to go +toward the east is a full fair church, that is clept NOTRE DAME LA +GRANDE. And then is there another church right nigh, that is clept +NOTRE DAME DE LATINE. And there were Mary Cleophas and Mary +Magdalene, and tore their hair when our Lord was pained in the +cross. + + + +CHAPTER XI + + + +OF THE TEMPLE OF OUR LORD. OF THE CRUELTY OF KING HEROD. OF THE +MOUNT SION. OF PROBATICA PISCINA; AND OF NATATORIUM SILOE + + +AND from the church of the sepulchre, toward the east, at eight +score paces, is TEMPLUM DOMINI. It is right a fair house, and it +is all round and high, and covered with lead. And it is well paved +with white marble. But the Saracens will not suffer no Christian +man ne Jews to come therein, for they say that none so foul sinful +men should not come in so holy place: but I came in there and in +other places there I would, for I had letters of the soldan with +his great seal, and commonly other men have but his signet. In the +which letters he commanded, of his special grace, to all his +subjects, to let me see all the places, and to inform me pleinly +all the mysteries of every place, and to conduct me from city to +city, if it were need, and buxomly to receive me and my company, +and for to obey to all my requests reasonable if they were not +greatly against the royal power and dignity of the soldan or of his +law. And to others, that ask him grace, such as have served him, +he ne giveth not but his signet, the which they make to be borne +before them hanging on a spear. And the folk of the country do +great worship and reverence to his signet or seal, and kneel +thereto as lowly as we do to CORPUS DOMINI. And yet men do full +greater reverence to his letters; for the admiral and all other +lords that they be shewed to, before or they receive them, they +kneel down; and then they take them and put them on their heads; +and after, they kiss them and then they read them, kneeling with +great reverence; and then they offer them to do all that the bearer +asketh. + +And in this TEMPLUM DOMINI were some-time canons regulars, and they +had an abbot to whom they were obedient; and in this temple was +Charlemagne when that the angel brought him the prepuce of our Lord +Jesus Christ of his circumcision; and after, King Charles let bring +it to Paris into his chapel, and after that he let bring it to +Peyteres, and after that to Chartres. + +And ye shall understand, that this is not the temple that Solomon +made, for that temple dured not but 1102 year. For Titus, +Vespasian's son, Emperor of Rome, had laid siege about Jerusalem +for to discomfit the Jews; for they put our Lord to death, without +leave of the emperor. And, when he had won the city, he burnt the +temple and beat it down, and all the city, and took the Jews and +did them to death - 1,100,000; and the others he put in prison and +sold them to servage, - thirty for one penny; for they said they +bought Jesu for thirty pennies, and he made of them better cheap +when he gave thirty for one penny. + +And after that time, Julian Apostate, that was emperor, gave leave +to the Jews to make the temple of Jerusalem, for he hated Christian +men. And yet he was christened, but he forsook his law, and became +a renegade. And when the Jews had made the temple, came an +earthquaking, and cast it down (as God would) and destroyed all +that they had made. + +And after that, Adrian, that was Emperor of Rome, and of the +lineage of Troy, made Jerusalem again and the temple in the same +manner as Solomon made it. And he would not suffer no Jews to +dwell there, but only Christian men. For although it were so that +he was not christened, yet he loved Christian men more than any +other nation save his own. This emperor let enclose the church of +Saint Sepulchre, and walled it within the city; that, before, was +without the city, long time before. And he would have changed the +name of Jerusalem, and have clept it Aelia; but that name lasted +not long. + +Also, ye shall understand, that the Saracens do much reverence to +that temple, and they say, that that place is right holy. And when +they go in they go bare-foot, and kneel many times. And when my +fellows and I saw that, when we came in we did off our shoes and +came in bare-foot, and thought that we should do as much worship +and reverence thereto, as any of the misbelieving men should, and +as great compunction in heart to have. + +This temple is sixty-four cubits of wideness, and as many in +length; and of height it is six score cubits. And it is within, +all about, made with pillars of marble. And in the middle place of +the temple be many high stages, of fourteen degrees of height, made +with good pillars all about: and this place the Jews call SANCTA +SANCTORUM; that is to say, 'Holy of Hallows.' And, in that place, +cometh no man save only their prelate, that maketh their sacrifice. +And the folk stand all about, in diverse stages, after they be of +dignity or of worship, so that they all may see the sacrifice. And +in that temple be four entries, and the gates be of cypress, well +made and curiously dight: and within the east gate our Lord said, +'Here is Jerusalem.' And in the north side of that temple, within +the gate, there is a well, but it runneth nought, of the which holy +writ speaketh of and saith, VIDI AQUAM EGREDIENTEM DE TEMPLO; that +is to say, 'I saw water come out of the temple.' + +And on that other side of the temple there is a rock that men clepe +Moriach, but after it was clept Bethel, where the ark of God with +relics of Jews were wont to be put. That ark or hutch with the +relics Titus led with him to Rome, when he had discomfited all the +Jews. In that ark were the Ten Commandments, and of Aaron's yard, +and Moses' yard with the which he made the Red Sea depart, as it +had been a wall, on the right side and on the left side, whiles +that the people of Israel passed the sea dry-foot: and with that +yard he smote the rock, and the water came out of it: and with +that yard he did many wonders. And therein was a vessel of gold +full of manna, and clothing and ornaments and the tabernacle of +Aaron, and a tabernacle square of gold with twelve precious stones, +and a box of jasper green with four figures and eight names of our +Lord, and seven candlesticks of gold, and twelve pots of gold, and +four censers of gold, and an altar of gold, and four lions of gold +upon the which they bare cherubin of gold twelve spans long, and +the circle of swans of heaven with a tabernacle of gold and a table +of silver, and two trumps of silver, and seven barley loaves and +all the other relics that were before the birth of our Lord Jesu +Christ. + +And upon that rock was Jacob sleeping when he saw the angels go up +and down by a ladder, and he said, VERE LOCUS ISTE SANCTUS EST, ET +EGO IGNORABAM; that is to say, 'Forsooth this place is holy, and I +wist it nought.' And there an angel held Jacob still, and turned +his name, and clept him Israel. And in that same place David saw +the angel that smote the folk with a sword, and put it up bloody in +the sheath. And in that same rock was Saint Simeon when he +received our Lord into the temple. And in this rock he set him +when the Jews would have stoned him; and a star came down and gave +him light. And upon that rock preached our Lord often-time to the +people. And out that said temple our Lord drove out the buyers and +the sellers. And upon that rock our Lord set him when the Jews +would have stoned him; and the rock clave in two, and in that +cleaving was our Lord hid, and there came down a star and gave +light and served him with clarity. And upon that rock sat our +Lady, and learned her psalter. And there our Lord forgave the +woman her sins, that was found in avowtry. And there was our Lord +circumcised. And there the angels shewed tidings to Zacharias of +the birth of Saint Baptist his son. And there offered first +Melchisadech bread and wine to our Lord, in token of the sacrament +that was to come. And there fell David praying to our Lord and to +the angel that smote the people, that he would have mercy on him +and on the people: and our Lord heard his prayer, and therefore +would he make the temple in that place, but our Lord forbade him by +an angel; for he had done treason when he let slay Uriah the worthy +knight, for to have Bathsheba his wife. And therefore, all the +purveyance that he had ordained to make the temple with he took it +Solomon his son, and he made it. And he prayed our Lord, that all +those that prayed to him in that place with good heart - that he +would hear their prayer and grant it them if they asked it +rightfully: and our Lord granted it him, and therefore Solomon +clept that temple the Temple of Counsel and of Help of God. + +And without the gate of that temple is an altar where Jews were in +wont to offer doves and turtles. And between the temple and that +altar was Zacharias slain. And upon the pinnacle of that temple +was our Lord brought for to be tempted of the enemy, the fiend. +And on the height of that pinnacle the Jews set Saint James, and +cast him down to the earth, that first was Bishop of Jerusalem. +And at the entry of that temple, toward the west, is the gate that +is clept PORTA SPECIOSA. And nigh beside that temple, upon the +right side, is a church, covered with lead, that is clept Solomon's +School. + +And from that temple towards the south, right nigh, is the temple +of Solomon, that is right fair and well polished. And in that +temple dwell the Knights of the Temple that were wont to be clept +Templars; and that was the foundation of their order, so that there +dwelled knights and in TEMPLO DOMINI canons regulars. + +From that temple toward the east, a six score paces, in the corner +of the city, is the bath of our Lord; and in that bath was wont to +come water from Paradise, and yet it droppeth. And there beside is +our Lady's bed. And fast by is the temple of Saint Simeon, and +without the cloister of the temple, toward the north, is a full +fair church of Saint Anne, our Lady's mother; and there was our +Lady conceived; and before that church is a great tree that began +to grow the same night. And under that church, in going down by +twenty-two degrees, lieth Joachim, our Lady's father, in a fair +tomb of stone; and there beside lay some-time Saint Anne, his wife; +but Saint Helen let translate her to Constantinople. And in that +church is a well, in manner of a cistern, that is clept PROBATICA +PISCINA, that hath five entries. Into that well angels were wont +to come from heaven and bathe them within. And what man, that +first bathed him after the moving of the water, was made whole of +what manner of sickness that he had. And there our Lord healed a +man of the palsy that lay thirty-eight year, and our Lord said to +him, TOLLE GRABATUM TUUM ET AMBULA, that is to say, 'Take thy bed +and go.' And there beside was Pilate's house. + +And fast by is King Herod's house, that let slay the innocents. +This Herod was over-much cursed and cruel. For first he let slay +his wife that he loved right well; and for the passing love that he +had to her when he saw her dead, he fell in a rage and out of his +wit a great while; and sithen he came again to his wit. And after +he let slay his two sons that he had of that wife. And after that +he let slay another of his wives, and a son that he had with her. +And after that he let slay his own mother; and he would have slain +his brother also, but he died suddenly. And after that he did all +the harm that he could or might. And after he fell into sickness; +and when he felt that he should die, he sent after his sister and +after all the lords of his land; and when they were come he let +command them to prison. And then he said to his sister, he wist +well that men of the country would make no sorrow for his death; +and therefore he made his sister swear that she should let smite +off all the heads of the lords when he were dead; and then should +all the land make sorrow for his death, and else, nought; and thus +he made his testament. But his sister fulfilled not his will. +For, as soon as he was dead, she delivered all the lords out of +prison and let them go, each lord to his own, and told them all the +purpose of her brother's ordinance. And so was this cursed king +never made sorrow for, as he supposed for to have been. And ye +shall understand, that in that time there were three Herods, of +great name and fame for their cruelty. This Herod, of which I have +spoken of was Herod Ascalonite; and he that let behead Saint John +the Baptist was Herod Antipas; and he that let smite off Saint +James's head was Herod Agrippa, and he put Saint Peter in prison. + +Also, furthermore, in the city is the church of Saint Saviour; and +there is the left arm of John Chrisostome, and the more part of the +head of Saint Stephen. And on that other side in the street, +toward the south as men go to Mount Sion, is a church of Saint +James, where he was beheaded. + +And from that church, a six score paces, is the Mount Sion. And +there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled; and there +she died. And there was wont to be an abbot of canons regulars. +And from thence was she borne of the apostles unto the vale of +Jehosaphat. And there is the stone that the angel brought to our +Lord from the mount of Sinai, and it is of that colour that the +rock is of Saint Catherine. And there beside is the gate where +through our Lady went, when she was with child, when she went to +Bethlehem. Also at the entry of the Mount Sion is a chapel. And +in that chapel is the stone, great and large, with the which the +sepulchre was covered with, when Joseph of Arimathea had put our +Lord therein; the which stone the three Marys saw turn upward when +they came to the sepulchre the day of his resurrection, and there +found an angel that told them of our Lord's uprising from death to +life. And there also is a stone in the wall, beside the gate, of +the pillar that our Lord was scourged at. And there was Annas's +house, that was bishop of the Jews in that time. And there was our +Lord examined in the night, and scourged and smitten and villainous +entreated. And that same place Saint Peter forsook our Lord thrice +or the cock crew. And there is a part of the table that he made +his supper on, when he made his maundy with his disciples, when he +gave them his flesh and his blood in form of bread and wine. + +And under that chapel, thirty-two degrees, is the place where our +Lord washed his disciples' feet, and yet is the vessel where the +water was. And there beside that same vessel was Saint Stephen +buried. And there is the altar where our Lady heard the angels +sing mass. And there appeared first our Lord to his disciples +after his resurrection, the gates enclosed, and said to them, PAX +VOBIS! that is to say, 'Peace to you!' And on that mount appeared +Christ to Saint Thomas the apostle and bade him assay his wounds; +and then believed he first, and said, DOMINUS MEUS ET DEUS MEUS! +that is to say 'My Lord and my God!' In the same church, beside +the altar, were all the apostles on Whitsunday, when the Holy Ghost +descended on them in likeness of fire. And there made our Lord his +pasque with his disciples. And there slept Saint John the +evangelist upon the breast of our Lord Jesu Christ, and saw +sleeping many heavenly privities. + +Mount Sion is within the city, and it is a little higher than the +other side of the city; and the city is stronger on that side than +on that other side. For at the foot of the Mount Sion is a fair +castle and a strong that the soldan let make. In the Mount Sion +were buried King David and King Solomon, and many other kings, Jews +of Jerusalem. And there is the place where the Jews would have +cast up the body of our Lady when the apostles bare the body to be +buried in the vale of Jehosaphat. And there is the place where +Saint Peter wept full tenderly after that he had forsaken our Lord. +And a stone's cast from that chapel is another chapel, where our +Lord was judged, for that time was there Caiaphas's house. From +that chapel, to go toward the east, at seven score paces, is a deep +cave under the rock, that is clept the Galilee of our Lord, where +Saint Peter hid him when he had forsaken our Lord. ITEM, between +the Mount Sion and the Temple of Solomon is the place where our +Lord raised the maiden in her father's house. + +Under the Mount Sion, toward the vale of Jehosaphat, is a well that +is clept NATATORIUM SILOE. And there was our Lord washed after his +baptism; and there made our Lord the blind man to see. And there +was y-buried Isaiah the prophet. Also, straight from NATATORIUM +SILOE, is an image, of stone and of old ancient work, that Absalom +let make, and because thereof men clepe it the hand of Absalom. +And fast by is yet the tree of elder that Judas hanged himself +upon, for despair that he had, when he sold and betrayed our Lord. +And there beside was the synagogue, where the bishops of Jews and +the Pharisees came together and held their council; and there cast +Judas the thirty pence before them, and said that he had sinned +betraying our Lord. And there nigh was the house of the apostles +Philip and Jacob Alphei. And on that other side of Mount Sion, +toward the south, beyond the vale a stone's cast, is Aceldama; that +is to say, the field of blood, that was bought for the thirty +pence, that our Lord was sold for. And in that field be many tombs +of Christian men, for there be many pilgrims graven. And there be +many oratories, chapels and hermitages, where hermits were wont to +dwell. And toward the east, an hundred paces, is the charnel of +the hospital of Saint John, where men were wont to put the bones of +dead men. + +Also from Jerusalem, toward the west, is a fair church, where the +tree of the cross grew. And two mile from thence is a fair church, +where our Lady met with Elizabeth, when they were both with child; +and Saint John stirred in his mother's womb, and made reverence to +his Creator that he saw not. And under the altar of that church is +the place where Saint John was born. And from that church is a +mile to the castle of Emmaus: and there also our Lord shewed him +to two of his disciples after his resurrection. Also on that other +side, 200 paces from Jerusalem, is a church, where was wont to be +the cave of the lion. And under that church, at thirty degrees of +deepness, were interred 12,000 martyrs, in the time of King Cosdroe +that the lion met with, all in a night, by the will of God. + +Also from Jerusalem, two mile, is the Mount Joy, a full fair place +and a delicious; and there lieth Samuel the prophet in a fair tomb. +And men clepe it Mount Joy, for it giveth joy to pilgrims' hearts, +because that there men see first Jerusalem. + +Also between Jerusalem and the mount of Olivet is the vale of +Jehosaphat, under the walls of the city, as I have said before. +And in the midst of the vale is a little river that men clepe +TORRENS CEDRON, and above it, overthwart, lay a tree (that the +cross was made of) that men yede over on. And fast by it is a +little pit in the earth, where the foot of the pillar is yet +interred; and there was our Lord first scourged, for he was +scourged and villainously entreated in many places. Also in the +middle place of the vale of Jehosaphat is the church of our Lady: +and it is of forty-three degrees under the earth unto the sepulchre +of our Lady. And our Lady was of age, when she died, seventy-two +year. And beside the sepulchre of our Lady is an altar, where our +Lord forgave Saint Peter all his sins. And from thence, toward the +west, under an altar, is a well that cometh out of the river of +Paradise. And wit well, that that church is full low in the earth, +and some is all within the earth. But I suppose well, that it was +not so founded. But for because that Jerusalem hath often-time +been destroyed and the walls abated and beten down and tumbled into +the vale, and that they have been so filled again and the ground +enhanced; and for that skill is the church so low within the earth. +And, natheles, men say there commonly, that the earth hath so been +cloven sith the time that our Lady was there buried; and yet men +say there, that it waxeth and groweth every day, without doubt. In +that church were wont to be monks black, that had their abbot. + +And beside that church is a chapel, beside the rock that hight +Gethsemane. And there was our Lord kissed of Judas; and there was +he taken of the Jews. And there left our Lord his disciples, when +he went to pray before his passion, when he prayed and said, PATER, +SI FIERI POTEST, TRANSEAT A ME CALIX ISTE; that is to say, 'Father, +if it may be, do let this chalice go from me': and, when he came +again to his disciples, he found them sleeping. And in the rock +within the chapel yet appear the fingers of our Lord's hand, when +he put them in the rock, when the Jews would have taken him. + +And from thence, a stone's cast towards the south, is another +chapel, where our Lord sweat drops of blood. And there, right +nigh, is the tomb of King Jehosaphat, of whom the vale beareth the +name. This Jehosaphat was king of that country, and was converted +by an hermit, that was a worthy man and did much good. And from +thence, a bow draught towards the south, is the church, where Saint +James and Zachariah the prophet were buried. + +And above the vale is the mount of Olivet; and it is clept so for +the plenty of olives that grow there. That mount is more high than +the city of Jerusalem is; and, therefore, may men upon that mount +see many of the streets of the city. And between that mount and +the city is not but the vale of Jehosaphat that is not full large. +And from that mount styed our Lord Jesu Christ to heaven upon +Ascension Day; and yet there sheweth the shape of his left foot in +the stone. And there is a church where was wont to be an abbot and +canons regulars. And a little thence, twenty-eight paces, is a +chapel; and therein is the stone on the which our Lord sat, when he +preached the eight blessings and said thus: BEAU PAUPERES SPIRITU: +and there he taught his disciples the PATER NOSTER; and wrote with +his finger in a stone. And there nigh is a church of Saint Mary +Egyptian, and there she lieth in a tomb. And from thence toward +the east, a three bow shot, is Bethphage, to the which our Lord +sent Saint Peter and Saint James for to seek the ass upon Palm- +Sunday, and rode upon that ass to Jerusalem. + +And in coming down from the mount of Olivet, toward the east, is a +castle that is clept Bethany. And there dwelt Simon leprous, and +there harboured our Lord: and after he was baptised of the +apostles and was clept Julian, and was made bishop; and this is the +same Julian that men clepe to for good harbourage, for our Lord +harboured with him in his house. And in that house our Lord +forgave Mary Magdalene her sins: there she washed his feet with +her tears, and wiped them with her hair. And there served Saint +Martha our Lord. There our Lord raised Lazarus from death to life, +that was dead four days and stank, that was brother to Mary +Magdalene and to Martha. And there dwelt also Mary Cleophas. That +castle is well a mile long from Jerusalem. Also in coming down +from the mount of Olivet is the place where our Lord wept upon +Jerusalem. And there beside is the place where our Lady appeared +to Saint Thomas the apostle after her assumption, and gave him her +girdle. And right nigh is the stone where our Lord often-time sat +upon when he preached; and upon that same he shall sit at the day +of doom, right as himself said. + +Also after the mount of Olivet is the mount of Galilee. There +assembled the apostles when Mary Magdalene came and told them of +Christ's uprising. And there, between the Mount Olivet and the +Mount Galilee, is a church, where the angel said to our Lady of her +death. + +Also from Bethany to Jericho was sometime a little city, but it is +now all destroyed, and now is there but a little village. That +city took Joshua by miracle of God and commandment of the angel, +and destroyed it, and cursed it and all them that bigged it again. +Of that city was Zaccheus the dwarf that clomb up into the sycamore +tree for to see our Lord, because he was so little he might not see +him for the people. And of that city was Rahab the common woman +that escaped alone with them of her lineage: and she often-time +refreshed and fed the messengers of Israel, and kept them from many +great perils of death; and, therefore, she had good reward, as holy +writ saith: QUI ACCIPIT PROPHETAM IN NOMINE MEO, MERCEDEM +PROPHETAE ACCIPIET; that is to say, 'He that taketh a prophet in my +name, he shall take meed of the prophet.' And so had she. For she +prophesied to the messengers, saying, NOVI QUOD DOMINUS TRADET +VOBIS TERRAM HANC; that is to say, 'I wot well, that our Lord shall +betake you this land': and so he did. And after, Salomon, +Naasson's son, wedded her, and from that time was she a worthy +woman, and served God well. + +Also from Bethany go men to flom Jordan by a mountain and through +desert. And it is nigh a day journey from Bethany, toward the +east, to a great hill, where our Lord fasted forty days. Upon that +hill the enemy of hell bare our Lord and tempted him, and said, DIC +UT LAPIDES ISTI PANES FIANT; that is to say, 'Say, that these +stones be made loaves.' In that place, upon the hill, was wont to +be a fair church; but it is all destroyed, so that there is now but +an hermitage, that a manner of Christian men hold, that be clept +Georgians, for Saint George converted them. Upon that hill dwelt +Abraham a great while, and therefore men clepe it Abraham's Garden. +And between the hill and this garden runneth a little brook of +water that was wont to be bitter; but, by the blessing of Elisha +the prophet, it became sweet and good to drink. And at the foot of +this hill, toward the plain, is a great well, that entereth into +from Jordan. + +From that hill to Jericho, that I spake of before, is but a mile in +going toward flom Jordan. Also as men go to Jericho sat the blind +man crying, JESU, FILI DAVID, MISERERE MEI; that is to say, 'Jesu, +David's Son, have mercy on me.' And anon he had his sight. Also, +two mile from Jericho, is flome Jordan. And, an half mile more +nigh, is a fair church of Saint John the Baptist, where he baptised +our Lord. And there beside is the house of Jeremiah the prophet. + + + +CHAPTER XII + + + +OF THE DEAD SEA; AND OF THE FLOME JORDAN. OF THE HEAD OF SAINT +JOHN THE BAPTIST; AND OF THE USAGES OF THE SAMARITANS + + +AND from Jericho, a three mile, is the Dead Sea. About that sea +groweth much alum and of alkatran. Between Jericho and that sea is +the land of Engeddi. And there was wont to grow the balm; but men +make draw the branches thereof and bear them to be grafted at +Babylon; and yet men clepe them vines of Geddi. At a coast of that +sea, as men go from Arabia, is the mount of the Moabites, where +there is a cave, that men clepe Karua. Upon that hill led Balak, +the son of Beor, Balaam the priest for to curse the people of +Israel. + +That Dead Sea parteth the land of Ind and of Arabia, and that sea +lasteth from Soara unto Arabia. The water of that sea is full +bitter and salt, and, if the earth were made moist and wet with +that water, it would never bear fruit. And the earth and the land +changeth often his colour. And it casteth out of the water a thing +that men clepe asphalt, also great pieces, as the greatness of an +horse, every day and on all sides. And from Jerusalem to that sea +is 200 furlongs. That sea is in length five hundred and four score +furlongs, and in breadth an hundred and fifty furlongs; and it is +clept the Dead Sea, for it runneth nought, but is ever unmovable. +And neither man, ne beast, ne nothing that beareth life in him ne +may not die in that sea. And that hath been proved many times, by +men that have deserved to be dead that have been cast therein and +left therein three days or four, and they ne might never die +therein; for it receiveth no thing within him that beareth life. +And no man may drink of the water for bitterness. And if a man +cast iron therein, it will float above. And if men cast a feather +therein, it will sink to the bottom, and these be things against +kind. + +And also, the cities there were lost because of sin. And there +beside grow trees that bear full fair apples, and fair of colour to +behold; but whoso breaketh them or cutteth them in two, he shall +find within them coals and cinders, in token that by wrath of God +the cities and the land were burnt and sunken into hell. Some men +clepe that sea the lake Dalfetidee; some, the flome of Devils; and +some the flome that is ever stinking. And into that sea sunk the +five cities by wrath of God; that is to say, Sodom, Gomorrah, +Aldama, Zeboim, and Zoar, for the abominable sin of sodomy that +reigned in them. But Zoar, by the prayer of Lot, was saved and +kept a great while, for it was set upon a hill; and yet sheweth +thereof some part above the water, and men may see the walls when +it is fair weather and clear. In that city Lot dwelt a little +while; and there was he made drunk of his daughters, and lay with +them, and engendered of them Moab and Ammon. And the cause why his +daughters made him drunk and for to lie by him was this: because +they saw no man about them, but only their father, and therefore +they trowed that God had destroyed all the world as he had done the +cities, as he had done before by Noah's flood. And therefore they +would lie by with their father for to have issue, and for to +replenish the world again with people to restore the world again by +them; for they trowed that there had been no more men in all the +world; and if their father had not been drunk, he had not lain with +them. + +And the hill above Zoar men cleped it then Edom and after men +cleped it Seir, and after Idumea. Also at the right side of that +Dead Sea, dwelleth yet the wife of Lot in likeness of a salt stone; +for that she looked behind her when the cities sunk into hell. +This Lot was Haran's son, that was brother to Abraham; and Sarah, +Abraham's wife, and Milcah, Nahor's wife, were sisters to the said +Lot. And the same Sarah was of eld four score and ten year when +Isaac her son was gotten on her. And Abraham had another son +Ishmael that he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. And when Isaac his +son was eight days old, Abraham his father let him be circumcised, +and Ishmael with him that was fourteen year old: wherefore the +Jews that come of Isaac's line be circumcised the eighth day, and +the Saracens that come of Ishmael's line be circumcised when they +be fourteen year of age. + +And ye shall understand, that within the Dead Sea, runneth the flom +Jordan, and there it dieth, for it runneth no further more, and +that is a place that is a mile from the church of Saint John the +Baptist toward the west, a little beneath the place where that +Christian men bathe them commonly. And a mile from flom Jordan is +the river of Jabbok, the which Jacob passed over when he came from +Mesopotamia. This flom Jordan is no great river, but it is +plenteous of good fish; and it cometh out of the hill of Lebanon by +two wells that be clept Jor and Dan, and of the two wells hath it +the name. And it passeth by a lake that is clept Maron. And after +it passeth by the sea of Tiberias, and passeth under the hills of +Gilboa; and there is a full fair vale, both on that one side and on +that other of the same river. And men go [on] the hills of +Lebanon, all in length unto the desert of Pharan; and those hills +part the kingdom of Syria and the country of Phoenicia; and upon +those hills grow trees of cedar that be full high, and they bear +long apples, and as great as a man's head. + +And also this flom Jordan departeth the land of Galilee and the +land of Idumea and the land of Betron, and that runneth under earth +a great way unto a fair plain and a great that is clept Meldan in +Sarmois; that is to say, Fair or market in their language, because +that there is often fairs in that plain. And there becometh the +water great and large. In that plain is the tomb of Job. + +And in that flom Jordan above-said was our Lord baptised of Saint +John, and the voice of God the Father was heard saying: HIC EST +FILIUS MEUS DILECTUS, ETC.; that is to say, 'This is my beloved +Son, in the which I am well pleased; hear him!' and the Holy Ghost +alighted upon him in likeness of a culver; and so at his baptising +was all the whole Trinity. + +And through that flome passed the children of Israel, all dry feet; +and they put stones there in the middle place, in token of the +miracle that the water withdrew him so. Also in that flome Jordan +Naaman of Syria bathed him, that was full rich, but he was mesell; +and there anon he took his health. + +About the flome Jordan be many churches where that many Christian +men dwelled. And nigh thereto is the city of Ai that Joshua +assailed and took. Also beyond the flome Jordan is the vale of +Mamre, and that is a full fair vale. Also upon the hill that I +spake of before, where our Lord fasted forty days, a two mile long +from Galilee, is a fair hill and an high, where the enemy the fiend +bare our Lord the third time to tempt him, and shewed him all the +regions of the world and said, HEC OMNIA TIBI DABO, SI CADENS +ADORAVERIS ME; that is to say, 'All this shall I give thee, if thou +fall and worship me.' + +Also from the Dead Sea to go eastward, out of the marches of the +Holy Land that is clept the Land of Promission, is a strong castle +and a fair, in an hill that is clept Carak in Sarmois; that is to +say, Royally. That castle let make King Baldwin, that was King of +France, when he had conquered that land, and put it into Christian +men's hands for to keep that country; and for that cause was it +clept the Mount Royal. And under it there is a town that hight +Sobach, and there, all about, dwell Christian men, under tribute. + +From thence go men to Nazareth, of the which our Lord beareth the +surname. And from thence there is three journeys to Jerusalem: +and men go by the province of Galilee by Ramath, by Sothim and by +the high hill of Ephraim, where Elkanah and Hannah the mother of +Samuel the prophet dwelled. There was born this prophet; and, +after his death, he was buried at Mount Joy, as I have said you +before. + +And then go men to Shiloh, where the Ark of God with the relics +were kept long time under Eli the prophet. There made the people +of Hebron sacrifice to our Lord, and they yielded up their vows. +And there spake God first to Samuel, and shewed him the mutation of +Order of Priesthood, and the mystery of the Sacrament. And right +nigh, on the left side, is Gibeon and Ramah and Benjamin, of the +which holy writ speaketh of. + +And after men go to Sichem, some-time clept Sichar; and that is in +the province of Samaritans. And there is a full fair vale and a +fructuous; and there is a fair city and a good that men clepe +Neople. And from thence is a journey to Jerusalem. And there is +the well, where our Lord spake to the woman of Samaritan. And +there was wont to be a church, but it is beaten down. Beside that +well King Rehoboam let make two calves of gold and made them to be +worshipped, and put that one at Dan and that other at Bethel. And +a mile from Sichar is the city of Luz; and in that city dwelt +Abraham a certain time. Sichem is a ten mile from Jerusalem, and +it is clept Neople; that is for to say, the New City. And nigh +beside is the tomb of Joseph the son of Jacob that governed Egypt: +for the Jews bare his bones from Egypt and buried them there, and +thither go the Jews often-time in pilgrimage with great devotion. +In that city was Dinah, Jacob's daughter, ravished, for whom her +brethren slew many persons and did many harms to the city. And +there beside is the hill of Gerizim, where the Samaritans make +their sacrifice: in that hill would Abraham have sacrificed his +son Isaac. And there beside is the vale of Dotaim, and there is +the cistern, where Joseph, was cast in of his brethren, which they +sold; and that is two mile from Sichar. + +From thence go men to Samaria that men clepe now Sebast; and that +is the chief city of that country, and it sits between the hill of +Aygnes as Jerusalem doth. In that city was the sittings of the +twelve tribes of Israel; but the city is not now so great as it was +wont to be. There was buried Saint John the Baptist between two +prophets, Elisha and Abdon; but he was beheaded in the castle of +Macharim beside the Dead Sea, and after he was translated of his +disciples, and buried at Samaria. And there let Julianus Apostata +dig him up and let burn his bones (for he was at that time emperor) +and let winnow the ashes in the wind. But the finger that shewed +our Lord, saying, ECCE AGNUS DEI; that is to say, 'Lo! the Lamb of +God,' that would never burn, but is all whole; - that finger let +Saint Thecla, the holy virgin, be born into the hill of Sebast; and +there make men great feast. + +In that place was wont to be a fair church; and many other there +were; but they be all beaten down. There was wont to be the head +of Saint John Baptist, enclosed in the wall. But the Emperor +Theodosius let draw it out, and found it wrapped in a little cloth, +all bloody; and so he let it to be born to Constantinople. And yet +at Constantinople is the hinder part of the head, and the fore part +of the head, till under the chin, is at Rome under the church of +Saint Silvester, where be nuns of an hundred orders: and it is yet +all broilly, as though it were half-burnt, for the Emperor Julianus +above-said, of his cursedness and malice, let burn that part with +the other bones, and yet it sheweth; and this thing hath been +proved both by popes and by emperors. And the jaws beneath, that +hold to the chin, and a part of the ashes and the platter that the +head was laid in, when it was smitten off, is at Genoa; and the +Genoese make of it great feast, and so do the Saracens also. And +some men say that the head of Saint John is at Amiens in Picardy; +and other men say that it is the head of Saint John the Bishop. I +wot never, but God knoweth; but in what wise that men worship it, +the blessed Saint John holds him a-paid. + +From this city of Sebast unto Jerusalem is twelve mile. And +between the hills of that country there is a well that four sithes +in the year changeth his colour, sometime green, sometime red, +sometime clear and sometime trouble; and men clepe that well, Job. +And the folk of that country, that men clepe Samaritans, were +converted and baptized by the apostles; but they hold not well +their doctrine, and always they hold laws by themselves, varying +from Christian men, from Saracens, Jews and Paynims. And the +Samaritans lieve well in one God, and they say well that there is +but only one God, that all formed, and all shall doom; and they +hold the Bible after the letter, and they use the Psalter as the +Jews do. And they say that they be the right sons of God. And +among all other folk, they say that they be best beloved of God, +and that to them belongeth the heritage that God behight to his +beloved children. And they have also diverse clothing and shape to +look on than other folk have; for they wrap their heads in red +linen cloth, in difference from others. And the Saracens wrap +their heads in white linen cloth; and the Christian men, that dwell +in the country, wrap them in blue of Ind; and the Jews in yellow +cloth. In that country dwell many of the Jews, paying tribute as +Christian men do. And if ye will know the letters that the Jews +use they be such, and the names be as they clepe them written +above, in manner of their A. B. C. + +Aleph Beth Gymel Deleth He Vau Zay + +Heth Thet Joht Kapho Lampd Mem Num + +Sameth Ey Fhee Sade Coph Resch Son Tau + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + + +OF THE PROVINCE OF GALILEE, AND WHERE ANTICHRIST SHALL BE BORN. OF +NAZARETH. OF THE AGE OF OUR LADY. OF THE DAY OF DOOM. AND OF THE +CUSTOMS OF JACOBITES, SYRIANS; AND OF THE USAGES OF GEORGIANS + + +FROM this country of the Samaritans that I have spoken of before go +men to the plains of Galilee, and men leave the hills on that one +part. + +And Galilee is one of the provinces of the Holy Land, and in that +province is the city of Nain - and Capernaum, and Chorazin and +Bethsaida. In this Bethsaida was Saint Peter and Saint Andrew +born. And thence, a four mile, is Chorazin. And five mile from +Chorazin is the city of Kedar whereof the Psalter speaketh: ET +HABITAVI CUM HABITANTIBUS KEDAR; that is for to say, 'And I have +dwelled with the dwelling men in Kedar.' In Chorazin shall +Antichrist be born, as some men say. And other men say he shall be +born in Babylon; for the prophet saith: DE BABILONIA COLUBER +EXEST, QUI TOTUM MUNDUM DEVORABIT; that is to say 'Out of Babylon +shall come a worm that shall devour all the world.' This +Antichrist shall be nourished in Bethsaida, and he shall reign in +Capernaum: and therefore saith holy writ; VAE TIBI, CHORAZIN! VAE +TIBI, BETHSAIDA! VAE TIBI, CAPERNAUM! that is to say, 'Woe be to +thee, Chorazin! Woe to thee, Bethsaida! Woe to thee, Capernaum.' +And all these towns be in the land of Galilee. And also the Cana +of Galilee is four mile from Nazareth: of that city was Simon +Chananeus and his wife Canee, of the which the holy evangelist +speaketh of. There did our Lord the first miracle at the wedding, +when he turned water into wine. + +And in the end of Galilee, at the hills, was the Ark of God taken; +and on that other side is the Mount Endor or Hermon. And, +thereabout, goeth the Brook of Torrens Kishon; and there beside, +Barak, that was Abimelech's son with Deborah the prophetess +overcame the host of Idumea, when Sisera the king was slain of Jael +the wife of Heber, and chased beyond the flome Jordan, by strength +of sword, Zeeb and Zebah and Zalmunna, and there he slew them. +Also a five mile from Nain is the city of Jezreel that sometime was +clept Zarim, of the which city Jezabel, the cursed queen, was lady +and queen, that took away the vine of Naboth by her strength. Fast +by that city is the field Megiddo, in the which the King Joram was +slain of the King of Samaria and after was translated and buried in +the Mount Sion. + +And a mile from Jezreel be the hills of Gilboa, where Saul and +Jonathan, that were so fair, died; wherefore David cursed them, as +holy writ saith: MONTES GILBOAE, NEC ROS NEC PLUVIA, ETC.; that is +to say, 'Ye hills of Gilboa, neither dew ne rain come upon you.' +And a mile from the hills of Gilboa toward the east is the city of +Cyropolis, that was clept before Bethshan; and upon the walls of +that city was the head of Saul hanged. + +After go men by the hill beside the plains of Galilee unto +Nazareth, where was wont to be a great city and a fair; but now +there is not but a little village, and houses abroad here and +there. And it is not walled. And it sits in a little valley, and +there be hills all about. There was our Lady born, but she was +gotten at Jerusalem. And because that our Lady was born at +Nazareth, therefore bare our Lord his surname of that town. There +took Joseph our Lady to wife, when she was fourteen year of age. +And there Gabriel greeted our Lady, saying, AVE GRATIA PLENA, +DOMINUS TECUM! that is to say, 'Hail, full of grace, our Lord is +with thee!' And this salutation was done in a place of a great +altar of a fair church that was wont to be sometime, but it is now +all down, and men have made a little receipt, beside a pillar of +that church, to receive the offerings of pilgrims. And the +Saracens keep that place full dearly, for the profit that they have +thereof. And they be full wicked Saracens and cruel, and more +despiteful than in any other place, and have destroyed all the +churches. There nigh is Gabriel's Well, where our Lord was wont to +bathe him, when he was young, and from that well bare he water +often-time to his mother. And in that well she washed often-time +the clouts of her Son Jesu Christ. And from Jerusalem unto thither +is three journeys. At Nazareth was our Lord nourished. Nazareth +is as much to say as, 'Flower of the garden'; and by good skill may +it be clept flower, for there was nourished the flower of life that +was Christ Jesu. + +And two mile from Nazareth is the city of Sephor, by the way that +goeth from Nazareth to Akon. And an half mile from Nazareth is the +Leap of our Lord. For the Jews led him upon an high rock for to +make him leap down, and have slain him; but Jesu passed amongst +them, and leapt upon another rock, and yet be the steps of his feet +seen in the rock, where he alighted. And therefore say some men, +when they dread them of thieves in any way, or of enemies; JESUS +AUTEM TRANSIENS PER MEDIUM ILLORUM IBAT; that is to say, 'Jesus, +forsooth, passing by the midst of them, he went': in token and +mind, that our Lord passed through, out the Jews' cruelty, and +scaped safely from them, so surely may men pass the peril of +thieves'. And then say men two verses of the Psalter three sithes: +IRRUAT SUPER EOS FORMIDO & PAVOR, IN MAGNITUDINE BRACHII TUI, +DOMINE. FIANT IMMOBILES, QUASI LAPIS, DONEC PERTRANSEAT POPULUS +TUUS, DOMINE; DONEC PERTRANSEAT POPULUS TUUS ISTE, QUEM POSSEDISTI; +and then may men pass without peril. + +And ye shall understand, that our Lady had child when she was +fifteen year old. And she was conversant with her son thirty-three +year and three months. And after the passion of our Lord she lived +twenty-four year. + +Also from Nazareth men go to the Mount Tabor; and that is a four +mile. And it is a full fair hill and well high, where was wont to +be a town and many churches; but they be all destroyed. But yet +there is a place that men clepe the school of God, where he was +wont to teach his disciples, and told them the privities of heaven. +And, at the foot of that hill, Melchisedech that was King of Salem, +in the turning of that hill met Abraham in coming again from the +battle, when he had slain Abimelech. And this Melchisedech was +both king and priest of Salem that now is clept Jerusalem. In that +hill Tabor our Lord transfigured him before Saint Peter, Saint John +and Saint Jame; and there they saw, ghostly, Moses and Elias the +prophets beside them. And therefore said Saint Peter; DOMINE, +BONUM EST NOS HIC ESSE; FACIAMUS HIC TRIA TABERNACULA; that is to +say, 'Lord, it is good for us to be here; make we here three +dwelling-places.' And there heard they a voice of the Father that +say; HIC EST FILIUS MEUS DILECTUS, IN QUO MIHI BENE COMPLACUI. And +our Lord defended them that they should not tell that avision till +that he were risen from death to life. + +In that hill and in that same place, at the day of doom, four +angels with four trumpets shall blow and raise all men that had +suffered death, sith that the world was formed, from death to life; +and shall come in body and soul in judgment, before the face of our +Lord in the Vale of Jehosaphat. And the doom shall be on Easter +Day, such time as our Lord arose. And the doom shall begin, such +hour as our Lord descended to hell and despoiled it. For at such +hour shall he despoil the world and lead his chosen to bliss; and +the other shall he condemn to perpetual pains. And then shall +every man have after his desert, either good or evil, but if the +mercy of God pass his righteousness. + +Also a mile from Mount Tabor is the Mount Hermon; and there was the +city of Nain. Before the gate of that city raised our Lord the +widow's son, that had no more children. Also three miles from +Nazareth is the Castle Safra, of the which the sons of Zebedee and +the sons of Alpheus were. Also a seven mile from Nazareth is the +Mount Cain, and under that is a well; and beside that well Lamech, +Noah's father, slew Cain with an arrow. For this Cain went through +briars and bushes as a wild beast; and he had lived from the time +of Adam his father unto the time of Noah, and so he lived nigh to +2000 year. And this Lamech was all blind for eld. + +From Safra men go to the sea of Galilee and to the city of +Tiberias, that sits upon the same sea. And albeit that men clepe +it a sea, yet is it neither sea ne arm of the sea. For it is but a +stank of fresh water that is in length one hundred furlongs, and of +breadth forty furlongs, and hath within him great plenty of good +fish, and runneth into flom Jordan. The city is not full great, +but it hath good baths within him. + +And there, as the flome Jordan parteth from the sea of Galilee, is +a great bridge, where men pass from the Land of Promission to the +land of King Bashan and the land of Gennesaret, that be about the +flom Jordan and the beginning of the sea of Tiberias. And from +thence may men go to Damascus, in three days, by the kingdom of +Traconitis, the which kingdom lasteth from Mount Hermon to the sea +of Galilee, or to the sea of Tiberias, or to the sea of Gennesaret; +and all is one sea, and this the tank that I have told you, but it +changeth thus the name for the names of the cities that sit beside +him. + +Upon that sea went our Lord dry feet; and there he took up Saint +Peter, when he began to drench within the sea, and said to him, +MODICE FIDEI, QUARE DUBITASTI? And after his resurrection our Lord +appeared on that sea to his disciples and bade them fish, and +filled all the net full of great fishes. In that sea rowed our +Lord often-time; and there he called to him Saint Peter, Saint +Andrew, Saint James and Saint John, the sons of Zebedee. + +In that city of Tiberias is the table upon the which our Lord ate +upon with his disciples after his resurrection; and they knew him +in breaking of bread, as the gospel saith: ET COGNOVERUNT EUM IN +FRACTIONE PANIS. And nigh that city of Tiberias is the hill, where +our Lord fed 5000 persons with five barley loaves and two fishes. + +In that city a man cast a burning dart in wrath after our Lord. +And the head smote into the earth and waxed green; and it growed to +a great tree. And yet it groweth and the bark thereof is all like +coals. + +Also in the head of that sea of Galilee, toward the septentrion is +a strong castle and an high that hight Saphor. And fast beside it +is Capernaum. Within the Land of Promission is not so strong a +castle. And there is a good town beneath that is clept also +Saphor. In that castle Saint Anne our Lady's mother was born. And +there beneath, was Centurio's house. That country is clept the +Galilee of Folk that were taken to tribute of Zebulon and Napthali. + +And in again coming from that castle, a thirty mile, is the city of +Dan, that sometime was clept Belinas or Cesarea Philippi; that sits +at the foot of the Mount of Lebanon, where the flome Jordan +beginneth. There beginneth the Land of Promission and dureth unto +Beersheba in length, in going toward the north into the south, and +it containeth well a nine score miles; and of breadth, that is to +say, from Jericho unto Jaffa, and that containeth a forty mile of +Lombardy, or of our country, that be also little miles; these be +not miles of Gascony ne of the Province of Almayne, where be great +miles. And wit ye well, that the Land of Promission is in Syria. +For the realm of Syria dureth from the deserts of Arabia unto +Cilicia, and that is Armenia the great; that is to say, from the +south to the north. And, from the east to the west, it dureth from +the great deserts of Arabia unto the West Sea. But in that realm +of Syria is the kingdom of Judea and many other provinces, as +Palestine, Galilee, Little Cilicia, and many other. + +In that country and other countries beyond they have a custom, when +they shall use war, and when men hold siege about city or castle, +and they within dare not send out messengers with letters from lord +to lord for to ask succour, they make their letters and bind them +to the neck of a culver, and let the culver flee. And the culvers +be so taught, that they flee with those letters to the very place +that men would send them to. For the culvers be nourished in those +places where they be sent to, and they send them thus, for to bear +their letters. And the culvers return again whereas they be +nourished; and so they do commonly. + +And ye shall understand that amongst the Saracens, one part and +other, dwell many Christian men of many manners and diverse names. +And all be baptized and have diverse laws and diverse customs. But +all believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost; but +always fail they in some articles of our faith. Some of these be +clept Jacobites, for Saint James converted them and Saint John +baptized them. They say that a man shall make his confession only +to God, and not to a man; for only to him should man yield him +guilty of all that he hath misdone. Ne God ordained not, ne never +devised, ne the prophet neither, that a man should shrive him to +another (as they say), but only to God. As Moses writeth in the +Bible, and as David saith in the Psalter Book; CONFITEBOR TIBI, +DOMINE, IN TOTO CORDE MEO, and DELICTUM MEUM TIBI COGNITUM FECI, +and DEUS MEUS ES TU, & CONFITEBOR TIBI, and QUONIAM COGITATIO +HOMINIS CONFITEBITUR TIBI, etc. For they know all the Bible and +the Psalter. And therefore allege they so the letter. But they +allege not the authorities thus in Latin, but in their language +full apertly, and say well, that David and other prophets say it. + +Natheles, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory say thus:- Augustinus: +QUI SCELERA SUA COGITAT, & CONVERSUS FUERIT, VENIAM SIBI CREDAT. +Gregorius: DOMINUS POTIUS MENTEM QUAM VERBA RESPICIT. And Saint +Hilary saith: LONGORUM TEMPORUM CRIMINA, IN ICTU OCULI PEREUNT, SI +CORDIS NATA FUERIT COMPUNCTIO. And for such authorities they say, +that only to God shall a man knowledge his defaults, yielding +himself guilty and crying him mercy, and behoting to him to amend +himself. And therefore, when they will shrive them, they take fire +and set it beside them, and cast therein powder of frankincense; +and in the smoke thereof they shrive them to God, and cry him +mercy. But sooth it is, that this confession was first and kindly. +But Saint Peter the apostle, and they that came after him, have +ordained to make their confession to man, and by good reason; for +they perceived well that no sickness was curable, [ne] good +medicine to lay thereto, but if men knew the nature of the malady; +and also no man may give convenable medicine, but if he know the +quality of the deed. For one sin may be greater in one man than in +another, and in one place and in one time than in another; and +therefore it behoveth him that he know the kind of the deed, and +thereupon to give him penance. + +There be other, that be clept Syrians; and they hold the belief +amongst us, and of them of Greece. And they use all beards, as men +of Greece do. And they make the sacrament of therf bread. And in +their language they use letters of Saracens. But after the mystery +of Holy Church they use letters of Greece. And they make their +confession, right as the Jacobites do. + +There be other, that men clepe Georgians, that Saint George +converted; and him they worship more than any other saint, and to +him they cry for help. And they came out of the realm of Georgia. +These folk use crowns shaven. The clerks have round crowns, and +the lewd men have crowns all square. And they hold Christian law, +as do they of Greece; of whom I have spoken of before. + +Other there be that men clepe Christian men of Girding, for they be +all girt above. And there be other that men clept Nestorians. And +some Arians, some Nubians, some of Greece, some of Ind, and some of +Prester John's Land. And all these have many articles of our +faith, and to other they be variant. And of their variance were +too long to tell, and so I will leave, as for the time, without +more speaking of them. + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + + +OF THE CITY OF DAMASCUS. OF THREE WAYS TO JERUSALEM; ONE, BY LAND +AND BY SEA; ANOTHER, MORE BY LAND THAN BY SEA; AND THE THIRD WAY TO +JERUSALEM, ALL BY LAND + + +NOW after that I have told you some part of folk in the countries +before, now will I turn again to my way, for to turn again on this +half. Then whoso will go from the land of Galilee, of that that I +have spoke for, to come again on this half, men come again by +Damascus, that is a full fair city and full noble, and full of all +merchandises, and a three journeys long from the sea, and a five +journeys from Jerusalem. But upon camels, mules, horses, +dromedaries and other beasts, men carry their merchandise thither. +And thither come the merchants with merchandise by sea from India, +Persia, Chaldea, Armenia, and of many other kingdoms. + +This city founded Eliezer Damascus, that was yeoman and dispenser +of Abraham before that Isaac was born. For he thought for to have +been Abraham's heir, and he named the town after his surname +Damascus. And in that place, where Damascus was founded, Cain slew +Abel his brother. And beside Damascus is the Mount Seir. In that +city of Damascus there is great plenty of wells. And within the +city and without be many fair gardens and of diverse fruits. None +other city is not like in comparison to it of fair gardens, and of +fair disports. The city is great and full of people, and well +walled with double walls. And there be many physicians. And Saint +Paul himself was there a physician for to keep men's bodies in +health, before he was converted. And after that he was physician +of souls. And Saint Luke the evangelist was disciple of Saint Paul +for to learn physic, and many other; for Saint Paul held then +school of physic. And near beside Damascus was he converted. And +after his conversion ne dwelt in that city three days, without +sight and without meat or drink; and in those three days he was +ravished to heaven, and there he saw many privities of our Lord. + +And fast beside Damascus is the castle of Arkes that is both fair +and strong. + +From Damascus men come again by our Lady of Sardenak, that is a +five mile on this half Damascus. And it sitteth upon a rock, and +it is a full fair place; and it seemeth a castle, for there was +wont to be a castle, but it is now a full fair church. And there +within be monks and nuns Christian. And there is a vault under the +church, where that Christian men dwell also. And they have many +good vines. And in the church, behind the high altar, in the wall, +is a table of black wood, on the which sometime was depainted an +image of our Lady that turneth into flesh: but now the image +sheweth but little, but alway, by the grace of God, that table +evermore drops oil, as it were of olive; and there is a vessel of +marble under the table to receive the oil. Thereof they give to +pilgrims, for it heals of many sicknesses; and men say that, if it +be kept well seven year, afterwards it turns into flesh and blood. +From Sardenak men come through the vale of Bochar, the which is a +fair vale and a plenteous of all manner of fruit; and it is amongst +hills. And there are therein fair rivers and great meadows and +noble pasture for beasts. And men go by the mounts of Libanus, +which lasts from Armenia the more towards the north unto Dan, the +which is the end of the Land of Repromission toward the north, as I +said before. Their hills are right fruitful, and there are many +fair wells and cedars and cypresses, and many other trees of divers +kinds. There are also many good towns toward the head of their +hills, full of folk. + +Between the city of Arkez and the city of Raphane is a river, that +is called Sabatory; for on the Saturday it runs fast, and all the +week else it stand still and runs not, or else but fairly. Between +the foresaid hills also is another water that on nights freezes +hard and on days is no frost seen thereon. And, as men come again +from those hills, is a hill higher than any of the other, and they +call it there the High Hill. There is a great city and a fair, the +which is called Tripoli, in the which are many good Christian men, +yemand the same rites and customs that we use. From thence men +come by a city that is called Beyrout, where Saint George slew the +dragon; and it is a good town, and a fair castle therein, and it is +three journeys from the foresaid city of Sardenak. At the one side +of Beyrout sixteen mile, to come hitherward, is the city of Sydon. +At Beyrout enters pilgrims into the sea that will come to Cyprus, +and they arrive at the port of Surry or of Tyre, and so they come +to Cyprus in a little space. Or men may come from the port of Tyre +and come not at Cyprus, and arrive at some haven of Greece, and so +come to these parts, as I said before. + +I have told you now of the way by which men go farrest and longest +to Jerusalem, as by Babylon and Mount Sinai and many other places +which ye heard me tell of; and also by which ways men shall turn +again to the Land of Repromission. Now will I tell you the +rightest way and the shortest to Jerusalem. For some men will not +go the other; some for they have not spending enough, some for they +have no good company, and some for they may not endure the long +travel, some for they dread them of many perils of deserts, some +for they will haste them homeward, desiring to see their wives and +their children, or for some other reasonable cause that they have +to turn soon home. And therefore I will shew how men may pass +tittest and in shortest time make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A +man that comes from the lands of the west, he goes through France, +Burgoyne, and Lumbardy. And so to Venice or Genoa, or some other +haven, and ships there and wends by sea to the isle of Greff, the +which pertains to the Genoans. + +And syne he arrives in Greece at Port Mirrok, or at Valoun, or at +Duras, or at some other haven of that country, and rests him there +and buys him victuals and ships again and sails to Cyprus and +arrives there at Famagost and comes not at the isle of Rhodes. +Famagost is the chief haven of Cyprus; and there he refreshes him +and purveys him of victuals, and then he goes to ship and comes no +more on land, if he will, before he comes at Port Jaffa, that is +the next haven to Jerusalem, for it is but a day journey and a half +from Jerusalem, that is to say thirty-six mile. From the Port +Jaffa men go to the city of Rames, the which is but a little +thence; and it is a fair city and a good and mickle folk therein. +And without that city toward the south is a kirk of our Lady, where +our Lord shewed him to her in three clouds, the which betokened the +Trinity. And a little thence is another city, that men call +Dispolis, but it hight some time Lidda, a fair city and a well +inhabited: there is a kirk of Saint George, where he was headed. +From thence men go to the castle of Emmaus, and so to the Mount +Joy; there may pilgrims first see Jerusalem. At Mount Joy lies +Samuel the prophet. From thence men go to Jerusalem. Beside their +ways is the city of Ramatha and the Mount Modyn; and thereof was +Matathias, Judas Machabeus father, and there are the graves of the +Machabees. Beyond Ramatha is the town of Tekoa, whereof Amos the +prophet was; and there is his grave. + +I have told you before of the holy places that are at Jerusalem and +about it, and therefore I will speak no more of them at this time. +But I will turn again and shew you other ways a man may pass more +by land, and namely for them that may not suffer the savour of the +sea, but is liefer to go by land, if all it be the more pain. From +a man be entered into the sea he shall pass till one of the havens +of Lumbardy, for there is the best making of purveyance of +victuals; or he may pass to Genoa or Venice or some other. And he +shall pass by sea in to Greece to the Port Mirrok, or to Valoun or +to Duras, or some other haven of that country. And from thence he +shall go by land to Constantinople, and he shall pass the water +that is called Brace Saint George, the which is one arm of the sea. +And from thence he shall by land go to Ruffynell, where a good +castle is and a strong; and from therein he shall go to Puluual, +and syne to the castle of Sinope, and from thence to Cappadocia, +that is a great country, where are many great hills. And he shall +go though Turkey to the port of Chiutok and to the city of Nicaea, +which is but seven miles thence. That city won the Turks from the +Emperor of Constantinople; and it is a fair city and well walled on +the one side, and on the other side is a great lake and a great +river, the which is called Lay. From thence men go by the hills of +Nairmount and by the vales of Mailbrins and strait fells and by the +town of Ormanx or by the towns that are on Riclay and Stancon, the +which are great rivers and noble, and so to Antioch the less, which +is set on the river of Riclay. And there abouts are many good +hills and fair, and many fair woods and great plenty of wild beasts +for to hunt at. + +And he that will go another way, he shall go by the plains of +Romany coasting the Roman Sea. On that coast is a fair castle that +men call Florach, and it is right a strong place. And uppermore +amongst the mountains is a fair city, that is called Tarsus, and +the city of Longemaath, and the city of Assere, and the city of +Marmistre. And when a man is passed those mountains and those +fells, he goes by the city of Marioch and by Artoise, where is a +great bridge upon the river of Ferne, that is called Farfar, and it +is a great river bearing ships and it runs right fast out of the +mountains to the city of Damascus. And beside the city of Damascus +is another great river that comes from the hills of Liban, which +men call Abbana. At the passing of this river Saint Eustace, that +some-time was called Placidas, lost his wife and his two children. +This river runs through the plain of Archades, and so to the Red +Sea. From thence men go to the city of Phenice, where are hot +wells and hot baths. And then men go to the city of Ferne; and +between Phenice and Ferne are ten mile. And there are many fair +woods. And then men come to Antioch, which is ten mile thence. +And it is a fair city and well walled about with many fair towers; +and it is a great city, but it was some-time greater than it is +now. For it was some-time two mile on length and on breadth other +half mile. And through the midst of that city ran the water of +Farphar and a great bridge over it; and there was some-time in the +walls about this city three hundred and fifty towers, and at each +pillar of the bridge was a stone. This is the chief city of the +kingdom of Syria. And ten mile from this city is the port of Saint +Symeon; and there goes the water of Farphar into the sea. From +Antioch men go to a city that is called Lacuth, and then to Gebel, +and then to Tortouse. And there near is the land of Channel; and +there is a strong castle that is called Maubek. From Tortouse pass +men to Tripoli by sea, or else by land through the straits of +mountains and fells. And there is a city that is called Gibilet. +From Tripoli go men to Acres; and from thence are two ways to +Jerusalem, the one on the left half and the other on the right +half. By the left way men go by Damascus and by the flum Jordan. +By the right way men go by Maryn and by the land of Flagramy and +near the mountains into the city of Cayphas, that some men call the +castle of Pilgrims. And from thence to Jerusalem are three day +journey, in the which men shall go through Caesarea Philippi, and +so to Jaffa and Rames and the castle of Emmaus, and so to +Jerusalem. + +Now have I told you some ways by land and by water that men may go +by to the Holy Land after the countries that they come from. +Nevertheless they come all to one end. Yet is there another way to +Jerusalem all by land, and pass not the sea, from France or +Flanders; but that way is full long and perilous and of great +travel, and therefore few go that way. He that shall go that way, +he shall go through Almayne and Prussia and so to Tartary. This +Tartary is holden of the great Caan of Cathay, of whom I think to +speak afterward. This is a full ill land and sandy and little +fruit bearing. For there grows no corn, ne wine, ne beans, ne +peas, ne none other fruit convenable to man for to live with. But +there are beasts in great plenty: and therefore they eat but flesh +without bread and sup the broth and they drink milk of all manner +of beasts. They eat hounds, cats, ratons, and all other wild +beasts. And they have no wood, or else little; and therefore they +warm and seethe their meat with horse-dung and cow-dung and of +other beasts, dried against the sun. And princes and other eat not +but once in the day, and that but little. And they be right foul +folk and of evil kind. And in summer, by all the countries, fall +many tempests and many hideous thunders and leits and slay much +people and beasts also full often-time. And suddenly is there +passing heat, and suddenly also passing cold; and it is the foulest +country and the most cursed and the poorest that men know. And +their prince, that governeth that country, that they clepe Batho, +dwelleth at the city of Orda. And truly no good man should not +dwell in that country, for the land and the country is not worthy +hounds to dwell in. It were a good country to sow in thistle and +briars and broom and thorns and briars; and for no other thing is +it not good. Natheles, there is good land in some place, but it is +pure little, as men say. + +I have not been in that country, nor by those ways. But I have +been at other lands that march to those countries, as in the land +of Russia, as in the land of Nyflan, and in the realm of Cracow and +of Letto, and in the realm of Daristan, and in many other places +that march to the coasts. But I went never by that way to +Jerusalem, wherefore I may not well tell you the manner. + +But, if this matter please to any worthy man that hath gone by that +way, he may tell it if him like, to that intent, that those, that +will go by that way and make their voyage by those coasts, may know +what way is there. For no man may pass by that way goodly, but in +time of winter, for the perilous waters and wicked mareys, that be +in those countries, that no man may pass but if it be strong frost +and snow above. For if the snow ne were not, men might not go upon +the ice, ne horse ne car neither. + +And it is well a three journeys of such way to pass from Prussia to +the land of Saracens habitable. And it behoveth to the Christian +men, that shall war against them every year, to bear their victuals +with them; for they shall find there no good. And then must they +let carry their victual upon the ice with cars that have no wheels, +that they clepe sleighs. And as long as their victuals last they +may abide there, but no longer; for there shall they find no wight +that will sell them any victual or anything. And when the spies +see any Christian men come upon them, they run to the towns, and +cry with a loud voice; KERRA, KERRA, KERRA. And then anon they arm +them and assemble them together. + +And ye shall understand that it freezeth more strongly in those +countries than on this half. And therefore hath every man stews in +his house, and in those stews they eat and do their occupations all +that they may. For that is at the north parts that men clepe the +Septentrional where it is all only cold. For the sun is but little +or none toward those countries. And therefore in the Septentrion, +that is very north, is the land so cold, that no man may dwell +there. And, in the contrary, toward the south it is so hot, that +no man ne may dwell there, because that the sun, when he is upon +the south, casteth his beams all straight upon that part. + + + +CHAPTER XV + + + +OF THE CUSTOMS OF SARACENS, AND OF THEIR LAW. AND HOW THE SOLDAN +REASONED ME, AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK; AND OF THE BEGINNING OF MOHAMMET + + +NOW, because that I have spoken of Saracens and of their country - +now, if ye will know a part of their law and of their belief, I +shall tell you after that their book that is clept ALKARON telleth. +And some men clepe that book MESHAF. And some men clepe it HARME, +after the diverse languages of the country. The which book +Mohammet took them. In the which book, among other things, is +written, as I have often-time seen and read, that the good shall go +to paradise, and the evil to hell; and that believe all Saracens. +And if a man ask them what paradise they mean, they say, to +paradise that is a place of delights where men shall find all +manner of fruits in all seasons, and rivers running of milk and +honey, and of wine and of sweet water; and that they shall have +fair houses and noble, every man after his desert, made of precious +stones and of gold and of silver; and that every man shall have +four score wives all maidens, and he shall have ado every day with +them, and yet he shall find them always maidens. + +Also they believe and speak gladly of the Virgin Mary and of the +Incarnation. And they say that Mary was taught of the angel; and +that Gabriel said to her, that she was for-chosen from the +beginning of the world and that he shewed to her the Incarnation of +Jesu Christ and that she conceived and bare child maiden; and that +witnesseth their book. + +And they say also, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he was born; +and that he was an holy prophet and a true in word and deed, and +meek and piteous and rightful and without any vice. + +And they say also, that when the angel shewed the Incarnation of +Christ unto Mary, she was young and had great dread. For there was +then an enchanter in the country that dealt with witchcraft, that +men clept Taknia, that by his enchantments could make him in +likeness of an angel, and went often-times and lay with maidens. +And therefore Mary dreaded lest it had been Taknia, that came for +to deceive the maidens. And therefore she conjured the angel, that +he should tell her if it were he or no. And the angel answered and +said that she should have no dread of him, for he was very +messenger of Jesu Christ. Also their book saith, that when that +she had childed under a palm tree she had great shame, that she had +a child; and she greet and said that she would that she had been +dead. And anon the child spake to her and comforted her, and said, +"Mother, ne dismay thee nought, for God hath hid in thee his +privities for the salvation of the world." And in other many +places saith their ALKARON, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he +was born. And that book saith also that Jesu was sent from God +Almighty for to be mirror and example and token to all men. + +And the ALKARON saith also of the day of doom how God shall come to +doom all manner of folk. And the good he shall draw on his side +and put them into bliss, and the wicked he shall condemn to the +pains of hell. And among all prophets Jesu was the most excellent +and the most worthy next God, and that he made the gospels in the +which is good doctrine and healthful, full of clarity and +soothfastness and true preaching to them that believe in God. And +that he was a very prophet and more than a prophet, and lived +without sin, and gave sight to the blind, and healed the lepers, +and raised dead men, and styed to heaven. + +And when they may hold the Book of the Gospels of our Lord written +and namely MISSUS EST ANGELUS GABRIEL, that gospel they say, those +that be lettered, often-times in their orisons, and they kiss it +and worship it with great devotion. + +They fast an whole month in the year and eat nought but by night. +And they keep them from their wives all that month. But the sick +men be not constrained to that fast. + +Also this book speaketh of Jews and saith that they be cursed; for +they would not believe that Jesu Christ was come of God. And that +they lied falsely on Mary and on her son Jesu Christ, saying that +they had crucified Jesu the son of Mary; for he was never +crucified, as they say, but that God made him to sty up to him +without death and without annoy. But he transfigured his likeness +into Judas Iscariot, and him crucified the Jews, and weened that it +had been Jesus. But Jesus styed to heavens all quick. And +therefore they say, that the Christian men err and have no good +knowledge of this, and that they believe folily and falsely that +Jesu Christ was crucified. And they say yet, that and he had been +crucified, that God had done against his righteousness for to +suffer Jesu Christ, that was innocent, to be put upon the cross +without guilt. And in this article they say that we fail and that +the great righteousness of God might not suffer so great a wrong: +and in this faileth their faith. For they knowledge well, that the +works of Jesu Christ be good, and his words and his deeds and his +doctrine by his gospels were true, and his miracles also true; and +the blessed Virgin Mary is good, and holy maiden before and after +the birth of Jesu Christ; and that all those that believe perfectly +in God shall be saved. And because that they go so nigh our faith, +they be lightly converted to Christian law when men preach them and +shew them distinctly the law of Jesu Christ, and when they tell +them of the prophecies. + +And also they say, that they know well by the prophecies that the +law of Mahomet shall fail, as the law of the Jews did; and that the +law of Christian people shall last to the day of doom. And if any +man ask them what is their belief, they answer thus, and in this +form: "We believe God, former of heaven and of earth, and of all +other things that he made. And without him is nothing made. And +we believe of the day of doom, and that every man shall have his +merit, after he hath deserved. And, we believe it for sooth, all +that God hath said by the mouths of his prophets." + +Also Mahomet commanded in his ALKARON, that every man should have +two wives, or three or four; but now they take unto nine, and of +lemans as many as he may sustain. And if any of their wives mis- +bear them against their husband, he may cast her out of his house, +and depart from her and take another; but he shall depart with her +his goods. + +Also, when men speak to them of the Father and of the Son and of +the Holy Ghost, they say, that they be three persons, but not one +God; for their ALKARON speaketh not of the Trinity. But they say +well, that God hath speech, and else were he dumb. And God hath +also a spirit they know well, for else they say, he were not alive. +And when men speak to them of the Incarnation how that by the word +of the angel God sent his wisdom in to earth and enombred him in +the Virgin Mary, and by the word of God shall the dead be raised at +the day of doom, they say, that it is sooth and that the word of +God hath great strength. And they say that whoso knew not the word +of God he should not know God. And they say also that Jesu Christ +is the word of God: and so saith their ALKARON, where it saith +that the angel spake to Mary and said: "Mary, God shall preach +thee the gospel by the word of his mouth and his name shall be +clept Jesu Christ." + +And they say also, that Abraham was friend to God, and that Moses +was familiar speaker with God, and Jesu Christ was the word and the +spirit of God, and that Mohammet was right messenger of God. And +they say, that of these four, Jesu was the most worthy and the most +excellent and the most great. So that they have many good articles +of our faith, albeit that they have no perfect law and faith as +Christian men have; and therefore be they lightly converted, and +namely those that understand the scriptures and the prophecies. +For they have the gospels and the prophecies and the Bible written +in their language; wherefore they ken much of holy writ, but they +understand it not but after the letter. And so do the Jews, for +they understand not the letter ghostly, but bodily; and therefore +be they reproved of the wise, that ghostly understand it. And +therefore saith Saint Paul: LITERA OCCIDIT; SPIRITUS AUTEM +VIVIFICAT. Also the Saracens say, that the Jews be cursed; for +they have befouled the law that God sent them by Moses: and the +Christian be cursed also, as they say; for they keep not the +commandments and the precepts of the gospel that Jesu Christ taught +them. + +And, therefore, I shall tell you what the soldan told me upon a day +in his chamber. He let void out of his chamber all manner of men, +lords and others, for he would speak with me in counsel. And there +he asked me how the Christian men governed them in our country. +And I said him, "Right well, thanked be God!" + +And he said me, "Truly nay! For ye Christian men reck right +nought, how untruly to serve God! Ye should give ensample to the +lewd people for to do well, and ye give them ensample to do evil. +For the commons, upon festival days, when they should go to church +to serve God, then go they to taverns, and be there in gluttony all +the day and all night, and eat and drink as beasts that have no +reason, and wit not when they have enough. And also the Christian +men enforce themselves in all manners that they may, for to fight +and for to deceive that one that other. And therewithal they be so +proud, that they know not how to be clothed; now long, now short, +now strait, now large, now sworded, now daggered, and in all manner +guises. They should be simple, meek and true, and full of alms- +deeds, as Jesu was, in whom they trow; but they be all the +contrary, and ever inclined to the evil, and to do evil. And they +be so covetous, that, for a little silver, they sell their +daughters, their sisters and their own wives to put them to +lechery. And one withdraweth the wife of another, and none of them +holdeth faith to another; but they defoul their law that Jesu +Christ betook them to keep for their salvation. And thus, for +their sins, have they lost all this land that we hold. For, for +their sins, their God hath taken them into our hands, not only by +strength of ourself, but for their sins. For we know well, in very +sooth, that when ye serve God, God will help you; and when he is +with you, no man may be against you. And that know we well by our +prophecies, that Christian men shall win again this land out of our +hands, when they serve God more devoutly; but as long as they be of +foul and of unclean living (as they be now) we have no dread of +them in no kind, for their God will not help them in no wise." + +And then I asked him, how he knew the state of Christian men. And +he answered me, that he knew all the state of all courts of +Christian kings and princes and the state of the commons also by +his messengers that he sent to all lands, in manner as they were +merchants of precious stones, of cloths of gold and of other +things, for to know the manner of every country amongst Christian +men. And then he let clepe in all the lords that he made void +first out of his chamber, and there he shewed me four that were +great lords in the country, that told me of my country and of many +other Christian countries, as well as they had been of the same +country; and they spake French right well, and the soldan also; +whereof I had great marvel. + +Alas! that it is great slander to our faith and to our law, when +folk that be without law shall reprove us and undernim us of our +sins, and they that should be converted to Christ and to the law of +Jesu by our good ensamples and by our acceptable life to God, and +so converted to the law of Jesu Christ, be, through our wickedness +and evil living, far from us and strangers from the holy and very +belief, shall thus appeal us and hold us for wicked livers and +cursed. And truly they say sooth, for the Saracens be good and +faithful; for they keep entirely the commandment of the holy book +ALKARON that God sent them by his messenger Mahomet, to the which, +as they say, Saint Gabriel the angel oftentime told the will of +God. + +And ye shall understand, that Mahomet was born in Arabia, that was +first a poor knave that kept camels, that went with merchants for +merchandise. And so befell, that he went with the merchants into +Egypt; and they were then Christian in those parts. And at the +deserts of Arabia, he went into a chapel where a hermit dwelt. And +when he entered into the chapel that was but a little and a low +thing and had but a little door and a low, then the entry began to +wax so great, and so large and so high as though it had been of a +great minster or the gate of a palace. And this was the first +miracle, the Saracens say, that Mahomet did in his youth. + +After began he for to wax wise and rich. And he was a great +astronomer. And after, he was governor and prince of the land of +Cozrodane; and he governed it full wisely, in such manner, that +when the prince was dead, he took the lady to wife that hight +Gadrige. And Mahomet fell often in the great sickness that men +call the falling evil; wherefore the lady was full sorry that ever +she took him to husband. But Mahomet made her to believe, that all +times, when he fell so, Gabriel the angel came for to speak with +him, and for the great light and brightness of the angel he might +not sustain him from falling; and therefore the Saracens say, that +Gabriel came often to speak with him. + +This Mahomet reigned in Arabia, the year of our Lord Jesu Christ +610, and was of the generation of Ishmael that was Abraham's son, +that he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. And therefore there be +Saracens that be clept Ishmaelites; and some Hagarenes, of Hagar. +And the other properly be clept Saracens, of Sarah. And some be +clept Moabites and some Ammonites, for the two sons of Lot, Moab +and Ammon, that he begat on his daughters that were afterward great +earthly princes. + +And also Mahomet loved well a good hermit that dwelled in the +deserts a mile from Mount Sinai, in the way that men go from Arabia +toward Chaldea and toward Ind, one day's journey from the sea, +where the merchants of Venice come often for merchandise. And so +often went Mahomet to this hermit, that all his men were wroth; for +he would gladly hear this hermit preach and make his men wake all +night. And therefore his men thought to put the hermit to death. +And so it befell upon a night, that Mahomet was drunken of good +wine, and he fell on sleep. And his men took Mahomet's sword out +of his sheath, whiles he slept, and therewith they slew this +hermit, and put his sword all bloody in his sheath again. And at +morrow, when he found the hermit dead, he was full sorry and wroth, +and would have done his men to death. But they all, with one +accord, said that he himself had slain him, when he was drunken, +and shewed him his sword all bloody. And he trowed that they had +said sooth. And then he cursed the wine and all those that drink +it. And therefore Saracens that be devout drink never no wine. +But some drink it privily; for if they drunk it openly, they should +be reproved. But they drink good beverage and sweet and nourishing +that is made of gallamelle and that is that men make sugar of, that +is of right good savour, and it is good for the breast. + +Also it befalleth some-time, that Christian men become Saracens, +either for poverty or for simpleness, or else for their own +wickedness. And therefore the archflamen or the flamen, as our +archbishop or bishop, when he receiveth them saith thus: LA ELLEC +OLLA SILA, MACHOMETE RORES ALLA; that is to say, 'There is no God +but one, and Mahomet his messenger.' + +Now I have told you a part of their law and of their customs, I +shall say you of their letters that they have, with their names and +the manner of their figures what they be: Almoy, Bethath, Cathi, +Ephoti, Delphoi, Fothi, Garothi, Hechum, Iotty, Kaythi, Lothum, +Malach, Nabaloth, Orthi, Chesiri, 30ch, Ruth, Holath, Routhi, +Salathi, Thatimus, Yrthom, A3a30th, Arrocchi, 30tipyn, Ichetus. +And these be the names of their a. b. c. Now shall ye know the +figures. . . . And four letters they have more than other for +diversity of their language and speech, forasmuch as they speak in +their throats; and we in England have in our language and speech +two letters more than they have in their a. b. c.; and that is +[character which cannot be reproduced] and [character which cannot +be reproduced], which be clept thorn and 30gh. + + + +CHAPTER XVI + + + +OF THE LANDS OF ALBANIA AND OF LIBIA. OF THE WISHINGS FOR WATCHING +OF THE SPARROW-HAWK; AND OF NOAH'S SHIP + + +NOW, sith I have told you before of the Holy Land and of that +country about, and of many ways for to go to that land and to the +Mount Sinai, and of Babylon the more and the less, and to other +places that I have spoken before, now is time, if it like you, for +to tell you of the marches and isles and diverse beasts, and of +diverse folk beyond these marches. + +For in those countries beyond be many diverse countries and many +great kingdoms, that be departed by the four floods that come from +paradise terrestrial. For Mesopotamia and the kingdom of Chaldea +and Arabia be between the two rivers of Tigris and of Euphrates; +and the kingdom of Media and of Persia be between the rivers of +Nile and of Tigris; and the kingdom of Syria, whereof I have spoken +before, and Palestine and Phoenicia be between Euphrates and the +sea Mediterranean, the which sea dureth in length from Morocco, +upon the sea of Spain, unto the Great Sea, so that it lasteth +beyond Constantinople 3040 miles of Lombardy. + +And toward the sea Ocean in Ind is the kingdom of Scythia, that is +all closed with hills. And after, under Scythia, and from the sea +of Caspian unto the flom of Thainy, is Amazonia, that is the land +of feminye, where that no man is, but only all women. And after is +Albania, a full great realm; and it is clept Albania, because that +the folk be whiter there than in other marches there-about: and in +that country be so great hounds and so strong, that they assail +lions and slay them. And then after is Hircania, Bactria, Hiberia +and many other kingdoms. + +And between the Red Sea and the sea Ocean, toward the south is the +kingdom of Ethiopia and of Lybia the higher, the which land of +Lybia (that is to say, Lybia the low) that beginneth at the sea of +Spain from thence where the pillars of Hercules be, and endureth +unto anent Egypt and toward Ethiopia. In that country of Lybia is +the sea more high than the land, and it seemeth that it would cover +the earth, and natheles yet it passeth not his marks. And men see +in that country a mountain to the which no man cometh. In this +land of Lybia whoso turneth toward the east, the shadow of himself +is on the right side; and here, in our country, the shadow is on +the left side. In that sea of Lybia is no fish; for they may not +live ne dure for the great heat of the sun, because that the water +is evermore boiling for the great heat. And many other lands there +be that it were too long to tell or to number. But of some parts I +shall speak more plainly hereafter. + +Whoso will then go toward Tartary, toward Persia, toward Chaldea +and toward Ind, he must enter the sea at Genoa or at Venice or at +some other haven that I have told you before. And then pass men +the sea and arrive at Trebizond that is a good city; and it was +wont to be the haven of Pontus. There is the haven of Persians and +of Medians and of the marches there beyond. In that city lieth +Saint Athanasius that was bishop of Alexandria, that made the psalm +QUICUNQUE VULT. + +This Athanasius was a great doctor of divinity. And, because that +he preached and spake so deeply of divinity and of the Godhead, he +was accused to the Pope of Rome that he was an heretic. Wherefore +the Pope sent after him and put him in prison. And whiles he was +in prison he made that psalm and sent it to the Pope, and said, +that if he were an heretic, then was that heresy, for that, he +said, was his belief. And when the Pope saw it, and had examined +it that it was perfect and good, and verily our faith and our +belief, he made him to be delivered out of prison, and commanded +that psalm to be said every day at prime; and so he held Athanasius +a good man. But he would never go to his bishopric again, because +that they accused him of heresy. + +Trebizond was wont to be holden of the Emperor of Constantinople; +but a great man, that he sent for to keep the country against the +Turks, usurped the land and held it to himself, and cleped him +Emperor of Trebizond. + +And from thence men go through Little Armenia. And in that country +is an old castle that stands upon a rock; the which is clept the +castle of the Sparrow-hawk, that is beyond the city of Layays +beside the town of Pharsipee, that belongeth to the lordship of +Cruk, that is a rich lord and a good Christian man; where men find +a sparrow-hawk upon a perch right fair and right well made, and a +fair lady of faerie that keepeth it. And who that will watch that +sparrow-hawk seven days and seven nights, and, as some men say, +three days and three nights, without company and without sleep, +that fair lady shall give him, when he hath done, the first wish +that he will wish of earthly things; and that hath been proved +often-times. + +And one time befell, that a King of Armenia, that was a worthy +knight and doughty man, and a noble princes watched that hawk some +time. And at the end of seven days and seven nights the lady came +to him and bade him wish, for he had well deserved it. And he +answered that he was great lord enough, and well in peace, and had +enough of worldly riches; and therefore he would wish none other +thing, but the body of that fair lady, to have it at his will. And +she answered him, that he knew not what he asked, and said that he +was a fool to desire that he might not have; for she said that he +should not ask but earthly thing, for she was none earthly thing, +but a ghostly thing. And the king said that he ne would ask none +other thing. And the lady answered; "Sith that I may not withdraw +you from your lewd corage, I shall give you without wishing, and to +all them that shall come of you. Sir king! ye shall have war +without peace, and always to the nine degree, ye shall be in +subjection of your enemies, and ye shall be needy of all goods." +And never since, neither the King of Armenia nor the country were +never in peace; ne they had never sith plenty of goods; and they +have been sithen always under tribute of the Saracens. + +Also the son of a poor man watched that hawk and wished that he +might chieve well, and to be happy to merchandise. And the lady +granted him. And he became the most rich and the most famous +merchant that might be on sea or on earth. And he became so rich +that he knew not the thousand part of that he had. And he was +wiser in wishing than was the king. + +Also a knight of the Temple watched there, and wished a purse +evermore full of gold. And the lady granted him. But she said him +that he had asked the destruction of their order for the trust and +the affiance of that purse, and for the great pride that they +should have. And so it was. And therefore look he keep him well, +that shall wake. For if he sleep he is lost, that never man shall +see him more. + +This is not the right way for to go to the parts that I have named +before, but for to see the marvel that I have spoken of. And +therefore whoso will go right way, men go from Trebizond toward +Armenia the Great unto a city that is clept Erzeroum, that was wont +to be a good city and a plenteous; but the Turks have greatly +wasted it. There-about groweth no wine nor fruit, but little or +else none. In this land is the earth more high than in any other, +and that maketh great cold. And there be many good waters and good +wells that come under earth from the flom of Paradise, that is +clept Euphrates, that is a journey beside that city; and that river +cometh towards Ind under earth, and resorteth into the land of +Altazar. And so pass men by this Armenia and enter the sea of +Persia. + +From that city of Erzeroum go men to an hill that is clept +Sabissocolle. And there beside is another hill that men clepe +Ararat, but the Jews clepe it Taneez, where Noah's ship rested, and +yet is upon that mountain. And men may see it afar in clear +weather. And that mountain is well a seven mile high. And some +men say that they have seen and touched the ship, and put their +fingers in the parts where the fiend went out, when that Noah said, +BENEDICITE. But they that say such words, say their will. For a +man may not go up the mountain, for great plenty of snow that is +always on that mountain, neither summer nor winter. So that no man +may go up there, ne never man did, since the time of Noah, save a +monk that, by the grace of God, brought one of the planks down, +that yet is in the minster at the foot of the mountain. + +And beside is the city of Dain that Noah founded. And fast by is +the city of Any in the which were wont to be a thousand churches. + +But upon that mountain to go up, this monk had great desire. And +so upon a day, he went up. And when he was upward the three part +of the mountain he was so weary that he might no further, and so he +rested him, and fell asleep. And when he awoke he found himself +lying at the foot of the mountain. And then he prayed devoutly to +God that he would vouchsafe to suffer him go up. And an angel came +to him, and said that he should go up. And so he did. And sith +that time never none. Wherefore men should not believe such words. + +From that mountain go men to the city of Thauriso that was wont to +be clept Taxis, that is a full fair city and a great, and one of +the best that is in the world for merchandise; thither come all +merchants for to buy avoirdupois, and it is in the land of the +Emperor of Persia. And men say that the emperor taketh more good +in that city for custom of merchandise than doth the richest +Christian king of all his realm that liveth. For the toll and the +custom of his merchants is without estimation to be numbered. +Beside that city is a hill of salt, and of that salt every man +taketh what he will for to salt with, to his need. There dwell +many Christian men under tribute of Saracens. And from that city, +men pass by many towns and castles in going toward Ind unto the +city of Sadonia, that is a ten journeys from Thauriso, and it is a +full noble city and a great. And there dwelleth the Emperor of +Persia in summer; for the country is cold enough. And there be +good rivers bearing ships. + +After go men the way toward Ind by many journeys, and by many +countries, unto the city that is clept Cassak, and that is a full +noble city, and a plenteous of corns and wines and of all other +goods. This is the city where the three kings met together when +they went to seek our Lord in Bethlehem to worship him and to +present him with gold, incense, and myrrh. And it is from that +city to Bethlehem fifty-three journeys. From that city men go to +another city that is clept Gethe, that is a journey from the sea +that men clepe the Gravelly Sea. That is the best city that the +Emperor of Persia hath in all his land. And they clepe flesh there +Dabago and the wine Vapa. And the Paynims say that no Christian +man may not long dwell ne endure with the life in that city, but +die within short time; and no man knoweth not the cause. + +After go men by many cities and towns and great countries that it +were too long to tell unto the city of Cornaa that was wont to be +so great that the walls about hold twenty-five mile about. The +walls shew yet, but it is not all inhabited. From Cornaa go men by +many lands and many cities and towns unto the land of Job. And +there endeth the land of the Emperor of Persia. And if ye will +know the letters of Persians and what names they have, they be such +as I last devised you, but not in sounding of their words. + + + +CHAPTER XVII + + + +OF THE LAND OF JOB; AND OF HIS AGE. OF THE ARRAY OF MEN OF +CHALDEA. OF THE LAND WHERE WOMEN DWELL WITHOUT COMPANY OF MEN. OF +THE KNOWLEDGE AND VIRTUES OF THE VERY DIAMOND + + +AFTER the departing from Cornaa, men enter into the land of Job +that is a full fair country and a plenteous of all goods. And men +clepe that land the Land of Susiana. In that land is the city of +Theman. + +Job was a paynim, and he was Aram of Gosre, his son, and held that +land as prince of that country. And he was so rich that he knew +not the hundred part of his goods. And although he were a paynim, +nevertheless he served well God after his law. And our Lord took +his service to his pleasane. And when he fell in poverty he was +seventy-eight year of age. And after, when God had proved his +patience and that it was so great, he brought him again to riches +and to higher estate than he was before. And after that he was +King of Idumea after King Esau, and when he was king he was clept +Jobab. And in that kingdom he lived after 170 year. And so he was +of age, when he died, 248 year. + +In that land of Job there ne is no default of no thing that is +needful to man's body. There be hills, where men get great plenty +of manna in greater abundance than in any other country. This +manna is clept bread of angels. And it is a white thing that is +full sweet and right delicious, and more sweet than honey or sugar. +And it cometh of the dew of heaven that falleth upon the herbs in +that country. And it congealeth and becometh all white and sweet. +And men put it in medicines for rich men to make the womb lax, and +to purge evil blood. For it cleanseth the blood and putteth out +melancholy. This land of Job marcheth to the kingdom of Chaldea. + +This land of Chaldea is full great. And the language of that +country is more great in sounding than it is in other parts of the +sea. Men pass to go beyond by the Tower of Babylon the Great, of +the which I have told you before, where that all the languages were +first changed. And that is a four journeys from Chaldea. In that +realm be fair men, and they go full nobly arrayed in clothes of +gold, orfrayed and apparelled with great pearls and precious +stone's full nobly. And the women be right foul and evil arrayed. +And they go all bare-foot and clothed in evil garments large and +wide, but they be short to the knees, and long sleeves down to the +feet like a monk's frock, and their sleeves be hanging about their +shoulders. And they be black women foul and hideous, and truly as +foul as they be, as evil they be. + +In that kingdom of Chaldea, in a city that is clept Ur, dwelled +Terah, Abraham's father. And there was Abraham born. And that was +in that time that Ninus was king of Babylon, of Arabia and of +Egypt. This Ninus made the city of Nineveh, the which that Noah +had begun before. And because that Ninus performed it, he cleped +it Nineveh after his own name. There lieth Tobit the prophet, of +whom Holy Writ speaketh of. And from that city of Ur Abraham +departed, by the commandment of God, from thence, after the death +of his father, and led with him Sarah his wife and Lot his +brother's son, because that he had no child. And they went to +dwell in the land of Canaan in a place that is clept Shechem. And +this Lot was he that was saved, when Sodom and Gomorrah and the +other cities were burnt and sunken down to hell, where that the +Dead Sea is now, as I have told you before. In that land of +Chaldea they have their proper languages and their proper letters, +such as ye may see hereafter. + +Beside the land of Chaldea is the land of Amazonia, that is the +land of Feminye. And in that realm is all women and no man; not, +as some men say, that men may not live there, but for because that +the women will not suffer no men amongst them to be their +sovereigns. + +For sometime there was a king in that country. And men married, as +in other countries. And so befell that the king had war with them +of Scythia, the which king hight Colopeus, that was slain in +battle, and all the good blood of his realm. And when the queen +and all the other noble ladies saw that they were all widows, and +that all the royal blood was lost, they armed them and, as +creatures out of wit, they slew all the men of the country that +were left; for they would that all the women were widows as the +queen and they were. And from that time hitherwards they never +would suffer man to dwell amongst them longer than seven days and +seven nights; ne that no child that were male should dwell amongst +them longer than he were nourished; and then sent to his father. +And when they will have any company of man then they draw them +towards the lands marching next to them. And then they have loves +that use them; and they dwell with them an eight days or ten, and +then go home again. And if they have any knave child they keep it +a certain time, and then send it to the father when he can go alone +and eat by himself; or else they slay it. And if it be a female +they do away that one pap with an hot iron. And if it be a woman +of great lineage they do away the left pap that they may the better +bear a shield. And if it be a woman on foot they do away the right +pap, for to shoot with bow turkeys: for they shoot well with bows. + +In that land they have a queen that governeth all that land, and +all they be obeissant to her. And always they make her queen by +election that is most worthy in arms; for they be right good +warriors and orped, and wise, noble and worthy. And they go +oftentime in solde to help of other kings in their wars, for gold +and silver as other soldiers do; and they maintain themselves right +vigourously. This land of Amazonia is an isle, all environed with +the sea save in two places, where be two entries. And beyond that +water dwell the men that be their paramours and their loves, where +they go to solace them when they will. + +Beside Amazonia is the land of Tarmegyte that is a great country +and a full delectable. And for the goodness of the country King +Alexander let first make there the city of Alexandria, and yet he +made twelve cities of the same name; but that city is now clept +Celsite. + +And from that other coast of Chaldea, toward the south, is +Ethiopia, a great country that stretcheth to the end of Egypt. +Ethiopia is departed in two parts principal, and that is in the +east part and in the meridional part; the which part meridional is +clept Mauritania; and the folk of that country be black enough and +more black than in the tother part, and they be clept Moors. In +that part is a well, that in the day it is so cold, that no man may +drink thereof; and in the night it is so hot, that no man may +suffer his hand therein. And beyond that part, toward the south, +to pass by the sea Ocean, is a great land and a great country; but +men may not dwell there for the fervent burning of the sun, so is +it passing hot in that country. + +In Ethiopia all the rivers and all the waters be trouble, and they +be somedeal salt for the great heat that is there. And the folk of +that country be lightly drunken and have but little appetite to +meat. And they have commonly the flux of the womb. And they live +not long. In Ethiopia be many diverse folk; and Ethiope is clept +Cusis. In that country be folk that have but one foot, and they go +so blyve that it is marvel. And the foot is so large, that it +shadoweth all the body against the sun, when they will lie and rest +them. In Ethiopia, when the children be young and little, they be +all yellow; and, when that they wax of age, that yellowness turneth +to be all black. In Ethiopia is the city of Saba, and the land of +the which one of the three kings that presented our Lord in +Bethlehem, was king of. + +From Ethiopia men go into Ind by many diverse countries. And men +clepe the high Ind, Emlak. And Ind is divided in three principal +parts; that is, the more that is a full hot country; and Ind the +less, that is a full attempre country, that stretcheth to the land +of Media; and the three part toward the septentrion is full cold, +so that, for pure cold and continual frost, the water becometh +crystal. And upon those rocks of crystal grow the good diamonds +that be of trouble colour. Yellow crystal draweth colour like oil. +And they be so hard, that no man may polish them. And men clepe +them diamonds in that country, and HAMESE in another country. +Other diamonds men find in Arabia that be not so good, and they be +more brown and more tender. And other diamonds also men find in +the isle of Cyprus, that be yet more tender, and them men may well +polish. And in the land of Macedonia men find diamonds also. But +the best and the most precious be in Ind. + +And men find many times hard diamonds in a mass that cometh out of +gold, when men pure it and refine it out of the mine; when men +break that mass in small pieces, and sometime it happens that men +find some as great as a peas and some less, and they be as hard as +those of Ind. + +And albeit that men find good diamonds in Ind, yet nevertheless men +find them more commonly upon the rocks in the sea and upon hills +where the mine of gold is. And they grow many together, one +little, another great. And there be some of the greatness of a +bean and some as great as an hazel nut. And they be square and +pointed of their own kind, both above and beneath, without working +of man's hand. And they grow together, male and female. And they +be nourished with the dew of heaven. And they engender commonly +and bring forth small children, that multiply and grow all the +year. I have often-times assayed, that if a man keep them with a +little of the rock and wet them with May-dew oft-sithes, they shall +grow every year, and the small will wax great. For right as the +fine pearl congealeth and waxeth great of the dew of heaven, right +so doth the very diamond; and right as the pearl of his own kind +taketh roundness, right so the diamond, by virtue of God, taketh +squareness. And men shall bear the diamond on his left side, for +it is of greater virtue then, than on the right side; for the +strength of their growing is toward the north, that is the left +side of the world, and the left part of man is when he turneth his +face toward the east. + +And if you like to know the virtues of the diamond, (as men may +find in THE LAPIDARY that many men know not), I shall tell you, as +they beyond the sea say and affirm, of whom all science and all +philosophy cometh from. He that beareth the diamond upon him, it +giveth him hardiness and manhood, and it keepeth the limbs of his +body whole. It giveth him victory of his enemies in plea and in +war, if his cause be rightful. And it keepeth him that beareth it +in good wit. And it keepeth him from strife and riot, from evil +swevens from sorrows and from enchantments, and from fantasies and +illusions of wicked spirits. And if any cursed witch or enchanter +would bewitch him that beareth the diamond, all that sorrow and +mischance shall turn to himself through virtue of that stone. And +also no wild beast dare assail the man that beareth it on him. +Also the diamond should be given freely, without coveting and +without buying, and then it is of greater virtue. And it maketh a +man more strong and more sad against his enemies. And it healeth +him that is lunatic, and them that the fiend pursueth or +travaileth. And if venom or poison be brought in presence of the +diamond, anon it beginneth to wax moist and for to sweat. + +There be also diamonds in Ind that be clept violastres, (for their +colour is like violet, or more brown than the violets), that be +full hard and full precious. But yet some men love not them so +well as the other; but, in sooth, to me, I would love them as much +as the other, for I have seen them assayed. + +Also there is another manner of diamonds that be as white as +crystal, but they be a little more trouble. And they be good and +of great virtue, and all they be square and pointed of their own +kind. And some be six squared, some four squared, and some three +as nature shapeth them. And therefore when great lords and knights +go to seek worship in arms, they bear gladly the diamond upon them. + +I shall speak a little more of the diamonds, although I tarry my +matter for a time, to the end, that they that know them not, be not +deceived by gabbers that go by the country, that sell them. For +whoso will buy the diamond it is needful to him that he know them. +Because that men counterfeit them often of crystal that is yellow +and of sapphires of citron colour that is yellow also, and of the +sapphire loupe and of many other stones. But I tell you these +counterfeits be not so hard; and also the points will break +lightly, and men may easily polish them. But some workmen, for +malice, will not polish them; to that intent, to make men believe +that they may not be polished. But men may assay them in this +manner. First shear with them or write with them in sapphires, in +crystal or in other precious stones. After that, men take the +adamant, that is the shipman's stone, that draweth the needle to +him, and men lay the diamond upon the adamant, and lay the needle +before the adamant; and, if the diamond be good and virtuous, the +adamant draweth not the needle to him whiles the diamond is there +present. And this is the proof that they beyond the sea make. + +Natheles it befalleth often-time, that the good diamond loseth his +virtue by sin, and for incontinence of him that beareth it. And +then it is needful to make it to recover his virtue again, or else +it is of little value. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + + + +OF THE CUSTOMS OF ISLES ABOUT IND. OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWIXT IDOLS +AND SIMULACRES. OF THREE MANNER GROWING OF PEPPER UPON ONE TREE. +OF THE WELL THAT CHANGETH HIS ODOUR EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY; AND THAT +IS MARVEL + + +IN Ind be full many diverse countries. And it is clept Ind, for a +flom that runneth throughout the country that is clept Ind. In +that flom men find eels of thirty foot long and more. And the folk +that dwell nigh that water be of evil colour, green and yellow. + +In Ind and about Ind be more than 5000 isles good and great that +men dwell in, without those that he inhabitable, and without other +small isles. In every isle is great plenty of cities, and of +towns, and of folk without number. For men of Ind have this +condition of kind, that they never go out of their own country, and +therefore is there great multitude of people. But they be not +stirring ne movable, because that they be in the first climate, +that is of Saturn; and Saturn is slow and little moving, for he +tarryeth to make his turn by the twelve signs thirty year. And the +moon passeth through the twelve signs in one month. And for +because that Saturn is of so late stirring, therefore the folk of +that country that be under his climate have of kind no will for to +move ne stir to seek strange places. And in our country is all the +contrary; for we be in the seventh climate, that is of the moon. +And the moon is of lightly moving, and the moon is planet of way; +and for that skill it giveth us will of kind for to move lightly +and for to go divers ways, and to seek strange things and other +diversities of the world; for the moon environeth the earth more +hastily than any other planet. + +Also men go through Ind by many diverse countries to the great sea +Ocean. And after, men find there an isle that is clept Crues. And +thither come merchants of Venice and Genoa, and of other marches, +for to buy merchandises. But there is so great heat in those +marches, and namely in that isle, that, for the great distress of +the heat, men's ballocks hang down to their knees for the great +dissolution of the body. And men of that country, that know the +manner, let bind them up, or else might they not live, and anoint +them with ointments made therefore, to hold them up. + +In that country and in Ethiopia, and in many other countries, the +folk lie all naked in rivers and waters, men and women together, +from undern of the day till it be past the noon. And they lie all +in the water, save the visage, for the great heat that there is. +And the women have no shame of the men, but lie all together, side +to side, till the heat be past. There may men see many foul figure +assembled, and namely nigh the good towns. + +In that isle be ships without nails of iron or bonds, for the rocks +of the adamants, for they be all full thereabout in that sea, that +it is marvel to speak of. And if a ship passed by those marches +that had either iron bonds or iron nails, anon he should be +perished; for the adamant of his kind draweth the iron to him. And +so would it draw to him the ship because of the iron, that he +should never depart from it, ne never go thence. + +From that isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Chana, +where is great plenty of corn and wine. And it was wont to be a +great isle, and a great haven and a good; but the sea hath greatly +wasted it and overcome it. The king of that country was wont to be +so strong and so mighty that he held war against King Alexander. + +The folk of that country have a diverse law. For some of them +worship the sun, some the moon, some the fire, some trees, some +serpents, or the first thing that they meet at morrow. And some +worship simulacres and some idols. But between simulacres and +idols is a great difference. For simulacres be images made after +likeness of men or of women, or of the sun, or of the moon, or of +any beast, or of any kindly thing. And idols is an image made of +lewd will of man, that man may not find among kindly things, as an +image that hath four heads, one of a man, another of an horse or of +an ox, or of some other beast, that no man hath seen after kindly +disposition. + +And they that worship simulacres, they worship them for some worthy +man that was sometime, as Hercules, and many other that did many +marvels in their time. For they say well that they be not gods; +for they know well that there is a God of kind that made all +things, the which is in heaven. But they know well that this may +not do the marvels that he made, but if it had been by the special +gift of God; and therefore they say that he was well with God, and +for because that he was so well with God, therefore they worship +him. And so say they of the sun, because that he changeth the +time, and giveth heat, and nourisheth all things upon earth; and +for it is of so great profit, they know well that that might not +be, but that God loveth it more than any other thing, and, for that +skill, God hath given it more great virtue in the world. +Therefore, it is good reason, as they say, to do it worship and +reverence. And so say they, and make their reasons, of other +planets, and of the fire also, because it is so profitable. + +And of idols they say also that the ox is the most holy beast that +is in earth and most patient, and more profitable than any other. +For he doth good enough and he doth no evil; and they know well +that it may not be without special grace of God. And therefore +make they their god of an ox the one part, and the other half of a +man. Because that man is the most noble creature in earth, and +also for he hath lordship above all beasts, therefore make they the +halvendel of idol of a man upwards; and the tother half of an ox +downwards, and of serpents, and of other beasts and diverse things, +that they worship, that they meet first at morrow. + +And they worship also specially all those that they have good +meeting of; and when they speed well in their journey, after their +meeting, and namely such as they have proved and assayed by +experience of long time; for they say that thilk good meeting ne +may not come but of the grace of God. And therefore they make +images like to those things that they have belief in, for to behold +them and worship them first at morning, or they meet any +contrarious things. And there be also some Christian men that say, +that some beasts have good meeting, that is to say for to meet with +them first at morrow, and some beasts wicked meeting; and that they +have proved oft-time that the hare hath full evil meeting, and +swine and many other beasts. And the sparrow-hawk or other fowls +of ravine, when they fly after their prey and take it before men of +arms, it is a good sign; and if he fail of taking his prey, it is +an evil sign. And also to such folk, it is an evil meeting of +ravens. + +In these things and in such other, there be many folk that believe; +because it happeneth so often-time to fall after their fantasies. +And also there be men enough that have no belief in them. And, +sith that Christian men have such belief, that be informed and +taught all day by holy doctrine, wherein they should believe, it is +no marvel then, that the paynims, that have no good doctrine but +only of their nature, believe more largely for their simplesse. +And truly I have seen of paynims and Saracens that men clepe +Augurs, that, when we ride in arms in divers countries upon our +enemies, by the flying of fowls they would tell us the +prognostications of things that fell after; and so they did full +oftentimes, and proffered their heads to-wedde, but if it would +fall as they said. But natheles, therefore should not a man put +his belief in such things, but always have full trust and belief in +God our sovereign Lord. + +This isle of Chana the Saracens have won and hold. In that isle be +many lions and many other wild beasts. And there be rats in that +isle as great as hounds here; and men take them with great +mastiffs, for cats may not take them. In this isle and many other +men bury not no dead men, for the heat is there so great, that in a +little time the flesh will consume from the bones. + +From thence men go by sea toward Ind the more to a city, that men +clepe Sarche, that is a fair city and a good. And there dwell many +Christian men of good faith. And there be many religious men, and +namely of mendicants. + +After go men by sea to the land of Lomb. In that land groweth the +pepper in the forest that men clepe Combar. And it groweth nowhere +else in all the world, but in that forest, and that endureth well +an eighteen journeys in length. In the forest be two good cities; +that one hight Fladrine and that other Zinglantz, and in every of +them dwell Christian men and Jews, great plenty. For it is a good +country and a plentiful, but there is overmuch passing heat. + +And ye shall understand, that the pepper groweth in manner as doth +a wild vine that is planted fast by the trees of that wood for to +sustain it by, as doth the vine. And the fruit thereof hangeth in +manner as raisins. And the tree is so thick charged, that it +seemeth that it would break. And when it is ripe it is all green, +as it were ivy berries. And then men cut them, as men do the +vines, and then they put it upon an oven, and there it waxeth black +and crisp. And there is three manner of pepper all upon one tree; +long pepper, black pepper and white pepper. The long pepper men +clepe SORBOTIN, and the black pepper is clept FULFULLE, and the +white pepper is clept BANO. The long pepper cometh first when the +leaf beginneth to come, and it is like the cats of hazel that +cometh before the leaf, and it hangeth low. And after cometh the +black with the leaf, in manner of clusters of raisins, all green. +And when men have gathered it, then cometh the white that is +somedeal less than the black. And of that men bring but little +into this country; for they beyond withhold it for themselves, +because it is better and more attempre in kind than the black. And +therefore is there not so great plenty as of the black. + +In that country be many manner of serpents and of other vermin for +the great heat of the country and of the pepper. And some men say, +that when they will gather the pepper, they make fire, and burn +about to make the serpents and the cockodrills to flee. But save +their grace of all that say so. For if they burnt about the trees +that bear, the pepper should be burnt, and it would dry up all the +virtue, as of any other thing; and then they did themselves much +harm, and they should never quench the fire. But thus they do: +they anoint their hands and their feet [with a juice] made of +snails and of other things made therefore, of the which the +serpents and the venomous beasts hate and dread the savour; and +that maketh them flee before them, because of the smell, and then +they gather it surely enough. + +Also toward the head of that forest is the city of Polombe. And +above the city is a great mountain that also is clept Polombe. And +of that mount the city hath his name. + +And at the foot of that mount is a fair well and a great, that hath +odour and savour of all spices. And at every hour of the day he +changeth his odour and his savour diversely. And whoso drinketh +three times fasting of that water of that well he is whole of all +manner sickness that he hath. And they that dwell there and drink +often of that well they never have sickness; and they seem always +young. I have drunken thereof three or four sithes, and yet, +methinketh, I fare the better. Some men clepe it the well of +youth. For they that often drink thereof seem always young-like, +and live without sickness. And men say, that that well cometh out +of Paradise, and therefore it is so virtuous. + +By all that country groweth good ginger, and therefore thither go +the merchants for spicery. + +In that land men worship the ox for his simpleness and for his +meekness, and for the profit that cometh of him. And they say, +that he is the holiest beast in earth. For them seemeth, that +whosoever be meek and patient, he is holy and profitable; for then, +they say, he hath all virtues in him. They make the ox to labour +six year or seven, and then they eat him. And the king of the +country hath alway an ox with him. And he that keepeth him hath +every day great fees, and keepeth every day his dung and his urine +in two vessels of gold, and bring it before their prelate that they +clepe Archi-protopapaton. And he beareth it before the king and +maketh there over a great blessing. And then the king wetteth his +hands there, in that they clepe gall, and anointeth his front and +his breast. And after, he froteth him with the dung and with the +urine with great reverence, for to be fullfilled of virtues of the +ox and made holy by the virtue of that holy thing that nought is +worth. And when the king hath done, then do the lords; and after +them their ministers and other men, if they may have any remenant. + +In that country they make idols, half man half ox. And in those +idols evil spirits speak and give answer to men of what is asked +them. Before these idols men slay their children many times, and +spring the blood upon the idols; and so they make their sacrifice. + +And when any man dieth in the country they burn his body in name of +penance; to that intent, that he suffer no pain in earth to be +eaten of worms. And if his wife have no child they burn her with +him, and say, that it is reason, that she make him company in that +other world as she did in this. But and she have children with +him, they let her live with them, to bring them up if she will. +And if that she love more to live with her children than for to die +with her husband, men hold her for false and cursed; ne she shall +never be loved ne trusted of the people. And if the woman die, +before the husband, men burn him with her, if that he will; and if +he will not, no man constraineth him thereto, but he may wed +another time without blame or reproof. + +In that country grow many strong vines. And the women drink wine, +and men not. And the women shave their beards, and the men not. + + + +CHAPTER XIX + + + +OF THE DOOMS MADE BY ST. THOMAS'S HAND. OF DEVOTION AND SACRIFICE +MADE TO IDOLS THERE, IN THE CITY OF CALAMYE; AND OF THE PROCESSION +IN GOING ABOUT THE CITY + + +FROM that country men pass by many marches toward a country, a ten +journeys thence, that is clept Mabaron; and it is a great kingdom, +and it hath many fair cities and towns. + +In that kingdom lieth the body of Saint Thomas the apostle in flesh +and bone, in a fair tomb in the city of Calamye; for there he was +martyred and buried. And men of Assyria bare his body into +Mesopotamia into the city of Edessa, and after, he was brought +thither again. And the arm and the hand that he put in our Lord's +side, when he appeared to him after his resurrection and said to +him, NOLI ESSE INCREDULUS, SED FIDELIS, is yet lying in a vessel +without the tomb. And by that hand they make all their judgments +in the country, whoso hath right or wrong. For when there is any +dissension between two parties, and every of them maintaineth his +cause, and saith that his cause is rightful, and that other saith +the contrary, then both parties write their causes in two bills and +put them in the hand of Saint Thomas. And anon he casteth away the +bill of the wrong cause and holdeth still the bill with the right +cause. And therefore men come from far countries to have judgment +of doubtable causes. And other judgment use they none there. + +Also the church, where Saint Thomas' lieth, is both great and fair, +and all full of great simulacres, and those be great images that +they clepe their gods, of the which the least is as great as two +men. + +And, amongst these other, there is a great image more than any of +the other, that is all covered with fine gold and precious stones +and rich pearls; and that idol is the god of false Christians that +have reneyed their faith. And it sitteth in a chair of gold, full +nobly arrayed, and he hath about his neck large girdles wrought of +gold and precious stones and pearls. And this church is full +richly wrought and, all overgilt within. And to that idol go men +on pilgrimage, as commonly and with as great devotion as Christian +men go to Saint James, or other holy pilgrimages. And many folk +that come from far lands to seek that idol for the great devotion +that they have, they look never upward, but evermore down to the +earth, for dread to see anything about them that should let them of +their devotion. And some there be that go on pilgrimage to this +idol, that bear knives in their hands, that be made full keen and +sharp; and always as they go, they smite themselves in their arms +and in their legs and in their thighs with many hideous wounds; and +so they shed their blood for love of that idol. And they say, that +he is blessed and holy, that dieth so for love of his god. And +other there be that lead their children for to slay, to make +sacrifice to that idol; and after they have slain them they spring +the blood upon the idol. And some there be that come from far; and +in going toward this idol, at every third pace that they go from +their house, they kneel; and so continue till they come thither: +and when they come there, they take incense and other aromatic +things of noble smell, and cense the idol, as we would do here +God's precious body. And so come folk to worship this idol, some +from an hundred mile, and some from many more. + +And before the minster of this idol, is a vivary, in manner of a +great lake, full of water. And therein pilgrims cast gold and +silver, pearls and precious stones without number, instead of +offerings. And when the minister of that church need to make any +reparation of the church or of any of the idols, they take gold and +silver, pearls and precious stones out of the vivary, to quit the +costage of such thing as they make or repair; so that that nothing +is faulty, but anon it shall be amended. And ye shall understand, +that when [there be] great feasts and solemnities of that idol, as +the dedication of the church and the throning of the idol, all the +country about meet there together. And they set this idol upon a +car with great reverence, well arrayed with cloths of gold, of rich +cloths of Tartary, of Camaka, and other precious cloths. And they +lead him about the city with great solemnity. And before the car +go first in procession all the maidens of the country, two and two +together full ordinatly. And after those maidens go the pilgrims. +And some of them fall down under the wheels of the car, and let the +car go over them, so that they be dead anon. And some have their +arms or their limbs all to-broken, and some the sides. And all +this do they for love of their god, in great devotion. And them +thinketh that the more pain, and the more tribulation that they +suffer for love of their god, the more joy they shall have in +another world. And, shortly to say you, they suffer so great +pains, and so hard martyrdoms for love of their idol, that a +Christian man, I trow, durst not take upon him the tenth part the +pain for love of our Lord Jesu Christ. And after, I say you, +before the car, go all the minstrels of the country without number, +with diverse instruments, and they make all the melody that they +can. + +And when they have gone all about the city, then they return again +to the minster, and put the idol again into his place. And then +for the love and in worship of that idol, and for the reverence of +the feast, they slay themselves, a two hundred or three hundred +persons, with sharp knives, of the which they bring the bodies +before the idol. And then they say that those be saints, because +that they slew themselves of their own good will for love of their +idol. And as men here that had an holy saint of his kin would +think that it were to them an high worship, right so then, thinketh +there. And as men here devoutly would write holy saints' lives and +their miracles, and sue for their canonizations, right so do they +there for them that slay themselves wilfully for love of their +idol, and say, that they be glorious martyrs and saints, and put +them in their writings and in their litanies, and avaunt them +greatly, one to another, of their holy kinsmen that so become +saints, and say, I have more holy saints in my kindred, than thou +in thine! + +And the custom also there is this, that when they that have such +devotion and intent for to slay himself for love of his god, they +send for all their friends, and have great plenty of minstrels; and +they go before the idol leading him that will slay himself for such +devotion between them, with great reverence. And he, all naked, +hath a full sharp knife in his hand, and he cutteth a great piece +of his flesh, and casteth it in the face of his idol, saying his +orisons, recommending him to his god. And then he smiteth himself +and maketh great wounds and deep, here and there, till he fall down +dead. And then his friends present his body to the idol. And then +they say, singing, Holy god! behold what thy true servant hath done +for thee. He hath forsaken his wife and his children and his +riches, and all the goods of the world and his own life for the +love of thee, and to make thee sacrifice of his flesh and of his +blood. Wherefore, holy god, put him among thy best beloved saints +in thy bliss of paradise, for he hath well deserved it. And then +they make a great fire, and burn the body. And then everych of his +friends take a quantity of the ashes, and keep them instead of +relics, and say that it is holy thing. And they have no dread of +no peril whiles they have those holy ashes upon them. And [they] +put his name in their litanies as a saint. + + + +CHAPTER XX + + + +OF THE EVIL CUSTOMS USED IN THE ISLE OF LAMARY. AND HOW THE EARTH +AND THE SEA BE OF ROUND FORM AND SHAPE, BY PROOF OF THE STAR THAT +IS CLEPT ANTARCTIC, THAT IS FIXED IN THE SOUTH + + +FROM that country go men by the sea ocean, and by many divers isles +and by many countries that were too long for to tell of. And a +fifty-two journeys from this land that I have spoken of, there is +another land, that is full great, that men clepe Lamary. In that +land is full great heat. And the custom there is such, that men +and women go all naked. And they scorn when they see any strange +folk going clothed. And they say, that God made Adam and Eve all +naked, and that no man should shame him to shew him such as God +made him, for nothing is foul that is of kindly nature. And they +say, that they that be clothed be folk of another world, or they be +folk that trow not in God. And they say, that they believe in God +that formed the world, and that made Adam and Eve and all other +things. And they wed there no wives, for all the women there be +common and they forsake no man. And they say they sin if they +refuse any man; and so God commanded to Adam and Eve and to all +that come of him, when he said, CRESCITE ET MULTIPLICAMINI ET +REPLETE TERRAM. And therefore may no man in that country say, This +is my wife; ne no woman may say, This my husband. And when they +have children, they may give them to what man they will that hath +companied with them. And also all the land is common; for all that +a man holdeth one year, another man hath it another year; and every +man taketh what part that him liketh. And also all the goods of +the land be common, corns and all other things: for nothing there +is kept in close, ne nothing there is under lock, and every man +there taketh what he will without any contradiction, and as rich is +one man there as is another. + +But in that country there is a cursed custom, for they eat more +gladly man's flesh than any other flesh; and yet is that country +abundant of flesh, of fish, of corns, of gold and silver, and of +all other goods. Thither go merchants and bring with them children +to sell to them of the country, and they buy them. And if they be +fat they eat them anon. And if they be lean they feed them till +they be fat, and then they eat them. And they say, that it is the +best flesh and the sweetest of all the world. + +In that land, ne in many other beyond that, no man may see the Star +Transmontane, that is clept the Star of the Sea, that is unmovable +and that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star. But men +see another star, the contrary to him, that is toward the south, +that is clept Antartic. And right as the ship-men take their +advice here and govern them by the Lode-star, right so do ship-men +beyond those parts by the star of the south, the which star +appeareth not to us. And this star that is toward the north, that +we clepe the Lode-star, ne appeareth not to them. For which cause +men may well perceive, that the land and the sea be of round shape +and form; for the part of the firmament sheweth in one country that +sheweth not in another country. And men may well prove by +experience and subtle compassment of wit, that if a man found +passages by ships that would go to search the world, men might go +by ship all about the world and above and beneath. + +The which thing I prove thus after that I have seen. For I have +been toward the parts of Brabant, and beholden the Astrolabe that +the star that is clept the Transmontane is fifty-three degrees +high; and more further in Almayne and Bohemia it hath fifty-eight +degrees; and more further toward the parts septentrional it is +sixty-two degrees of height and certain minutes; for I myself have +measured it by the Astrolabe. Now shall ye know, that against the +Transmontane is the tother star that is clept Antarctic, as I have +said before. And those two stars ne move never, and by them +turneth all the firmament right as doth a wheel that turneth by his +axle-tree. So that those stars bear the firmament in two equal +parts, so that it hath as much above as it hath beneath. After +this, I have gone toward the parts meridional, that is, toward the +south, and I have found that in Lybia men see first the star +Antarctic. And so far I have gone more further in those countries, +that I have found that star more high; so that toward the High +Lybia it is eighteen degrees of height and certain minutes (of the +which sixty minutes make a degree). After going by sea and by land +toward this country of that I have spoken, and to other isles and +lands beyond that country, I have found the Star Antarctic of +thirty-three degrees of height and more minutes. And if I had had +company and shipping for to go more beyond, I trow well, in +certain, that we should have seen all the roundness of the +firmament all about. For, as I have said to you before, the half +of the firmament is between those two stars, the which halvendel I +have seen. And of the tother halvendel I have seen, toward the +north under the Transmontane, sixty-two degrees and ten minutes, +and toward the part meridional I have seen under the Antarctic, +thirty-three degrees and sixteen minutes. And then, the halvendel +of the firmament in all holdeth not but nine score degrees. And of +those nine score, I have seen sixty-two on that one part and +thirty-three on that other part; that be, ninety-five degrees and +nigh the halvendel of a degree. And so, there ne faileth but that +I have seen all the firmament, save four score and four degrees and +the halvendel of a degree, and that is not the fourth part of the +firmament; for the fourth part of the roundness of the firmament +holds four score and ten degrees, so there faileth but five degrees +and an half of the fourth part. And also I have seen the three +parts of all the roundness of the firmament and more yet five +degrees and a half. By the which I say you certainly that men may +environ all the earth of all the world, as well under as above, and +turn again to his country, that had company and shipping and +conduct. And always he should find men, lands and isles, as well +as in this country. For ye wit well, that they that be toward the +Antarctic, they be straight, feet against feet, of them that dwell +under the Transmontane; also well as we and they that dwell under +us be feet against feet. For all the parts of sea and of land have +their opposites, habitable trepassable, and they of this half and +beyond half. + +And wit well, that, after that that I may perceive and comprehend, +the lands of Prester John, Emperor of Ind, be under us. For in +going from Scotland or from England toward Jerusalem men go upward +always. For our land is in the low part of the earth toward the +west, and the land of Prester John is in the low part of the earth +toward the east. And [they] have there the day when we have the +night; and also, high to the contrary, they have the night when we +have the day. For the earth and the sea be of round form and +shape, as I have said before; and that that men go upward to one +coast, men go downward to another coast. + +Also ye have heard me say that Jerusalem is in the midst of the +world. And that may men prove, and shew there by a spear, that is +pight into the earth, upon the hour of midday, when it is equinox, +that sheweth no shadow on no side. And that it should be in the +midst of the world, David witnesseth it in the Psalter, where he +saith, DEUS OPERATUS EST SALUTEM IN MEDIA TERRAE. Then, they, that +part from those parts of the west for to go toward Jerusalem, as +many journeys as they go upward for to go thither, in as many +journeys may they go from Jerusalem unto other confines of the +superficiality of the earth beyond. And when men go beyond those +journeys toward Ind and to the foreign isles, all is environing the +roundness of the earth and of the sea under our countries on this +half. + +And therefore hath it befallen many times of one thing that I have +heard counted when I was young, how a worthy man departed some-time +from our countries for to go search the world. And so he passed +Ind and the isles beyond Ind, where be more than 5000 isles. And +so long he went by sea and land, and so environed the world by many +seasons, that he found an isle where he heard speak his own +language, calling on oxen in the plough, such words as men speak to +beasts in his own country whereof he had great marvel, for he knew +not how it might be. But I say, that he had gone so long by land +and by sea, that he had environed all the earth; that he was come +again environing, that is to say, going about, unto his own +marches, and if he would have passed further, till he had found his +country and his own knowledge. But he turned again from thence, +from whence he was come from. And so he lost much painful labour, +as himself said a great while after that he was come home. For it +befell after, that he went into Norway. And there tempest of the +sea took him, and he arrived in an isle. And, when he was in that +isle, he knew well that it was the isle, where he had heard speak +his own language before and the calling of oxen at the plough; and +that was possible thing. + +But how it seemeth to simple men unlearned, that men ne may not go +under the earth, and also that men should fall toward the heaven +from under. But that may not be, upon less than we may fall toward +heaven from the earth where we be. For from what part of the earth +that men dwell, either above or beneath, it seemeth always to them +that dwell that they go more right than any other folk. And right +as it seemeth to us that they be under us, right so it seemeth to +them that we be under them. For if a man might fall from the earth +unto the firmament, by greater, reason the earth and the sea that +be so great and so heavy should fall to the firmament: but that +may not be, and therefore saith our Lord God, NON TIMEAS ME, QUI +SUSPENDI TERRAM EX NIHILO? + +And albeit that it be possible thing that men may so environ all +the world, natheles, of a thousand persons, one ne might not happen +to return into his country. For, for the greatness of the earth +and of the sea, men may go by a thousand and a thousand other ways, +that no man could ready him perfectly toward the parts that he came +from, but if it were by adventure and hap, or by the grace of God. +For the earth is full large and full great, and holds in roundness +and about environ, by above and by beneath, 20425 miles, after the +opinion of old wise astronomers; and their sayings I reprove +nought. But, after my little wit, it seemeth me, saving their +reverence, that it is more. + +And for to have better understanding I say thus. Be there imagined +a figure that hath a great compass. And, about the point of the +great compass that is clept the centre, be made another little +compass. Then after, be the great compass devised by lines in many +parts, and that all the lines meet at the centre. So, that in as +many parts as the great compass shall be departed, in as many shall +be departed the little, that is about the centre, albeit that the +spaces be less. Now then, be the great compass represented for the +firmament, and the little compass represented for the earth. Now +then, the firmament is devised by astronomers in twelve signs, and +every sign is devised in thirty degrees; that is, 360 degrees that +the firmament hath above. Also, be the earth devised in as many +parts as the firmament, and let every part answer to a degree of +the firmament. And wit it well, that, after the authors of +astronomy, 700 furlongs of earth answer to a degree of the +firmament, and those be eighty-seven miles and four furlongs. Now +be that here multiplied by 360 sithes, and then they be 31,500 +miles every of eight furlongs, after miles of our country. So much +hath the earth in roundness and of height environ, after mine +opinion and mine understanding. + +And ye shall understand, that after the opinion of old wise +philosophers and astronomers, our country ne Ireland ne Wales ne +Scotland ne Norway ne the other isles coasting to them ne be not in +the superficiality counted above the earth, as it sheweth by all +the books of astronomy. For the superficiality of the earth is +parted in seven parts for the seven planets, and those parts be +clept climates. And our parts be not of the seven climates, for +they be descending toward the west [drawing] towards the roundness +of the world. And also these isles of Ind which be even against us +be not reckoned in the climates. For they be against us that be in +the low country. And the seven climates stretch them environing +the world. + + + +CHAPTER XXI + + + +OF THE PALACE OF THE KING OF THE ISLE OF JAVA. OF THE TREES THAT +BEAR MEAL, HONEY, WINE, AND VENOM; AND OF OTHER MARVELS AND CUSTOMS +USED IN THE ISLES MARCHING THEREABOUT + + +BESIDE that isle that I have spoken of, there is another isle that +is clept Sumobor. That is a great isle, and the king thereof is +right mighty. The folk of that isle make them always to be marked +in the visage with an hot iron, both men and women, for great +noblesse, for to be known from other folk; for they hold themselves +most noble and most worthy of all the world. And they have war +always with the folk that go all naked. + +And fast beside is another isle, that is clept Betemga, that is a +good isle and a plenteous. And many other isles be thereabout, +where there be many of diverse folk, of the which it were too long +to speak of all. + +But fast beside that isle, for to pass by sea, is a great isle and +a great country that men clepe Java. And it is nigh two thousand +mile in circuit. And the king of that country is a full great lord +and a rich and a mighty, and hath under him seven other kings of +seven other isles about him. This isle is full well inhabited, and +full well manned. There grow all manner of spicery, more +plenteously than in any other country, as of ginger, cloves- +gilofre, canell, seedwall, nutmegs and maces. And wit well, that +the nutmeg beareth the maces; for right as the nut of the hazel +hath an husk without, that the nut is closed in till it be ripe and +that after falleth out, right so it is of the nutmeg and of the +maces. Many other spices and many other goods grow in that isle. +For of all things is there plenty, save only of wine. But there is +gold and silver, great plenty. + +And the king of that country hath a palace full noble and full +marvellous, and more rich than any in the world. For all the +degrees to go up into halls and chambers be, one of gold, another +of silver. And also, the pavements of halls and chambers be all +square, of gold one, and another of silver. And all the walls +within be covered with gold and silver in fine plates, and in those +plates be stories and battles of knights enleved, and the crowns +and the circles about their heads be made of precious stones and +rich pearls and great. And the halls and the chambers of the +palace be all covered within with gold and silver, so that no man +would trow the riches of that palace but he had seen it. And wit +well, that the king of that isle is so mighty, that he hath many +times overcome the great Chan of Cathay in battle, that is the most +great emperor that is under the firmament either beyond the sea or +on this half. For they have had often-time war between them, +because that the great Chan would constrain him to hold his land of +him; but that other at all times defendeth him well against him. + +After that isle, in going by sea, men find another isle, good and +great, that men clepe Pathen, that is a great kingdom full of fair +cities and full of towns. In that land grow trees that bear meal, +whereof men make good bread and white and of good savour; and it +seemeth as it were of wheat, but it is not allinges of such savour. +And there be other trees that bear honey good and sweet, and other +trees that bear venom, against the which there is no medicine but +[one]; and that is to take their proper leaves and stamp them and +temper them with water and then drink it, and else he shall die; +for triacle will not avail, ne none other medicine. Of this venom +the Jews had let seek of one of their friends for to empoison all +Christianity, as I have heard them say in their confession before +their dying: but thanked be Almighty God! they failed of their +purpose; but always they make great mortality of people. And other +trees there be also that bear wine of noble sentiment. And if you +like to hear how the meal cometh out of the trees I shall say you. +Men hew the trees with an hatchet, all about the foot of the tree, +till that the bark be parted in many parts, and then cometh out +thereof a thick liquor, the which they receive in vessels, and dry +it at the heat of the sun; and then they have it to a mill to grind +and it becometh fair meal and white. And the honey and the wine +and the venom be drawn out of other trees in the same manner, and +put in vessels for to keep. + +In that isle is a dead sea, that is a lake that hath no ground; and +if anything fall into that lake it shall never come up again. In +that lake grow reeds, that be canes, that they clepe Thaby, that be +thirty fathoms long; and of these canes men make fair houses. And +there be other canes that be not so long, that grow near the land +and have so long roots that endure well a four quarters of a +furlong or more; and at the knots of those roots men find precious +stones that have great virtues. And he that beareth any of them +upon him, iron ne steel may not hurt him, ne draw no blood upon +him; and therefore, they that have those stones upon them fight +full hardily both on sea and land, for men may not harm [them] on +no part. And therefore, they that know the manner, and shall fight +with them, they shoot to them arrows and quarrels without iron or +steel, and so they hurt them and slay them. And also of those +canes they make houses and ships and other things, as we have here, +making houses and ships of oak or of any other trees. And deem no +man that I say it but for a trifle, for I have seen of the canes +with mine own eyes, full many times, lying upon the river of that +lake, of the which twenty of our fellows ne might not lift up ne +bear one to the earth. + +After this isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept +Calonak. And it is a fair land and a plenteous of goods. And the +king of that country hath as many wives as he will. For he maketh +search all the country to get him the fairest maidens that may be +found, and maketh them to be brought before him. And he taketh one +one night, and another another night, and so forth continually +suing; so that he hath a thousand wives or more. And he lieth +never but one night with one of them, and another night with +another; but if that one happen to be more lusty to his pleasance +than another. And therefore the king getteth full many children, +some-time an hundred, some-time a two-hundred, and some-time more. +And he hath also into a 14,000 elephants or more that he maketh for +to be brought up amongst his villains by all his towns. For in +case that he had any war against any other king about him, then +[he] maketh certain men of arms for to go up into the castles of +tree made for the war, that craftily be set upon the elephants' +backs, for to fight against their enemies. And so do other kings +there-about. For the manner of war is not there as it is here or +in other countries, ne the ordinance of war neither. And men clepe +the elephants WARKES. + +And in that isle there is a great marvel, more to speak of than in +any other part of the world. For all manner of fishes, that be +there in the sea about them, come once in the year - each manner of +diverse fishes, one manner of kind after other. And they cast +themselves to the sea bank of that isle so great plenty and +multitude, that no man may unnethe see but fish. And there they +abide three days. And every man of the country taketh of them as +many as him liketh. And after, that manner of fish after the third +day departeth and goeth into the sea. And after them come another +multitude of fish of another kind and do in the same manner as the +first did, other three days. And after them another, till all the +diverse manner of fishes have been there, and that men have taken +of them that them liketh. And no man knoweth the cause wherefore +it may be. But they of the country say that it is for to do +reverence to their king, that is the most worthy king that is in +the world as they say; because that he fulfilleth the commandment +that God bade to Adam and Eve, when God said, CRESCITE ET +MULTIPLICAMINI ET REPLETE TERRAM. And for because that he +multiplieth so the world with children, therefore God sendeth him +so the fishes of diverse kinds of all that be in the sea, to take +at his will for him and all his people. And therefore all the +fishes of the sea come to make him homage as the most noble and +excellent king of the world, and that is best beloved with God, as +they say. I know not the reason, why it is, but God knoweth; but +this, me-seemeth, is the most marvel I saw. For this marvel is +against kind and not with kind, that the fishes that have freedom +to environ all the coasts of the sea at their own list, come of +their own will to proffer them to the death, without constraining +of man. And therefore, I am siker that this may not be, without a +great token. + +There be also in that country a kind of snails that be so great, +that many persons may lodge them in their shells, as men would do +in a little house. And other snails there be that be full great +but not so huge as the other. And of these snails, and of great +white worms that have black heads that be as great as a man's +thigh, and some less as great worms that men find there in woods, +men make viand royal for the king and for other great lords. And +if a man that is married die in that country, men bury his wife +with him all quick; for men say there, that it is reason that she +make him company in that other world as she did in this. + +From that country men go by the sea ocean by an isle that is clept +Caffolos. Men of that country when their friends be sick they hang +them upon trees, and say that it is better that birds, that be +angels of God, eat them, than the foul worms of the earth. + +From that isle men go to another isle, where the folk be of full +cursed kind. For they nourish great dogs and teach them to +strangle their friends when they be sick. For they will not that +they die of kindly death. For they say, that they should suffer +too great pain if they abide to die by themselves, as nature would. +And, when they be thus enstrangled, they eat their flesh instead of +venison. + +Afterward men go by many isles by sea unto an isle that men clepe +Milke. And there is a full cursed people. For they delight in +nothing more than for to fight and to slay men. And they drink +gladliest man's blood, the which they clepe Dieu. And the more men +that a man may slay, the more worship he hath amongst them. And if +two persons be at debate and, peradventure, be accorded by their +friends or by some of their alliance, it behoveth that every of +them that shall be accorded drink of other's blood: and else the +accord ne the alliance is nought worth: ne it shall not be no +reproof to him to break the alliance and the accord, but if every +of them drink of others' blood. + +And from that isle men go by sea, from isle to isle, unto an isle +that is clept Tracoda, where the folk of that country be as beasts, +and unreasonable, and dwell in caves that they make in the earth; +for they have no wit to make them houses. And when they see any +man passing through their countries they hide them in their caves. +And they eat flesh of serpents, and they eat but little. And they +speak nought, but they hiss as serpents do. And they set no price +by no avoir ne riches, but only of a precious stone, that is +amongst them, that is of sixty colours. And for the name of the +isle, they clepe it Tracodon. And they love more that stone than +anything else; and yet they know not the virtue thereof, but they +covet it and love it only for the beauty. + +After that isle men go by the sea ocean, by many isles, unto an +isle that is clept Nacumera, that is a great isle and good and +fair. And it is in compass about, more than a thousand mile. And +all the men and women of that isle have hounds' heads, and they be +clept Cynocephales. And they be full reasonable and of good +understanding, save that they worship an ox for their God. And +also every one of them beareth an ox of gold or of silver in his +forehead, in token that they love well their God. And they go all +naked save a little clout, that they cover with their knees and +their members. They be great folk and well-fighting. And they +have a great targe that covereth all the body, and a spear in their +hand to fight with. And if they take any man in battle, anon they +eat him. + +The king of that isle is full rich and full mighty and right devout +after his law. And he hath about his neck 300 pearls orient, good +and great and knotted, as paternosters here of amber. And in +manner as we say our PATER NOSTER and our AVE MARIA, counting the +PATER NOSTERS, right so this king saith every day devoutly 300 +prayers to his God, or that he eat. And he beareth also about his +neck a ruby orient, noble and fine, that is a foot of length and +five fingers large. And, when they choose their king, they take +him that ruby to bear in his hand; and so they lead him, riding all +about the city. And from thence-fromward they be all obeissant to +him. And that ruby he shall bear always about his neck, for if he +had not that ruby upon him men would not hold him for king. The +great Chan of Cathay hath greatly coveted that ruby, but he might +never have it for war, ne for no manner of goods. This king is so +rightful and of equity in his dooms, that men may go sikerly +throughout all his country and bear with them what them list; that +no man shall be hardy to rob them, and if he were, the king would +justified anon. + +From this land men go to another isle that is clept Silha. And it +is well a 800 miles about. In that land is full much waste, for it +is full of serpents, of dragons and of cockodrills, that no man +dare dwell there. These cockodrills be serpents, yellow and rayed +above, and have four feet and short thighs, and great nails as +claws or talons. And there be some that have five fathoms in +length, and some of six and of eight and of ten. And when they go +by places that be gravelly, it seemeth as though men had drawn a +great tree through the gravelly place. And there be also many wild +beasts, and namely of elephants. + +In that isle is a great mountain. And in mid place of the mount is +a great lake in a full fair plain; and there is great plenty of +water. And they of the country say, that Adam and Eve wept upon +that mount an hundred year, when they were driven out of Paradise, +and that water, they say, is of their tears; for so much water they +wept, that made the foresaid lake. And in the bottom of that lake +men find many precious stones and great pearls. In that lake grow +many reeds and great canes; and there within be many cocodrills and +serpents and great water-leeches. And the king of that country, +once every year, giveth leave to poor men to go into the lake to +gather them precious stones and pearls, by way of alms, for the +love of God that made Adam. And all the year men find enough. And +for the vermin that is within, they anoint their arms and their +thighs and legs with an ointment made of a thing that is clept +lemons, that is a manner of fruit like small pease; and then have +they no dread of no cockodrills, ne of none other venomous vermin. +This water runneth, flowing and ebbing, by a side of the mountain, +and in that river men find precious stones and pearls, great +plenty. And men of that isle say commonly, that the serpents and +the wild beasts of that country will not do no harm ne touch with +evil no strange man that entereth into that country, but only to +men that be born of the same country. + +In that country and others thereabout there be wild geese that have +two heads. And there be lions, all white and as great as oxen, and +many other diverse beasts and fowls also that be not seen amongst +us. + +And wit well, that in that country and in other isles thereabout, +the sea is so high, that it seemeth as though it hung at the +clouds, and that it would cover all the world. And that is great +marvel that it might be so, save only the will of God, that the air +sustaineth it. And therefore saith David in the Psalter, MIRABILES +ELATIONES MARIS. + + + +CHAPTER XXII + + + +HOW MEN KNOW BY THE IDOL, IF THE SICK SHALL DIE OR NOT. OF FOLK OF +DIVERSE SHAPE AND MARVELLOUSLY DISFIGURED. AND OF THE MONKS THAT +GAVE THEIR RELIEF TO BABOONS, APES, AND MARMOSETS, AND TO OTHER +BEASTS + + +FROM that isle, in going by sea toward the south, is another great +isle that is clept Dondun. In that isle be folk of diverse kinds, +so that the father eateth the son, the son the father, the husband +the wife, and the wife the husband. And if it so befall, that the +father or mother or any of their friends be sick, anon the son +goeth to the priest of their law and prayeth him to ask the idol if +his father or mother or friend shall die on that evil or not. And +then the priest and the son go together before the idol and kneel +full devoutly and ask of the idol their demand. And if the devil +that is within answer that he shall live, they keep him well; and +if he say that he shall die, then the priest goeth with the son, +with the wife of him that is sick, and they put their hands upon +his mouth and stop his breath, and so they slay him. And after +that, they chop all the body in small pieces, and pray all his +friends to come and eat of him that is dead. And they send for all +the minstrels of the country and make a solemn feast. And when +they have eaten the flesh, they take the bones and bury them, and +sing and make great melody. And all those that be of his kin or +pretend them to be his friends, an they come not to that feast, +they be reproved for evermore and shamed, and make great dole, for +never after shall they be holden as friends. And they say also, +that men eat their flesh for to deliver them out of pain; for if +the worms of the earth eat them the soul should suffer great pain, +as they say. And namely when the flesh is tender and meagre, then +say their friends, that they do great sin to let them have so long +languor to suffer so much pain without reason. And when they find +the flesh fat, then they say, that it is well done to send them +soon to Paradise, and that they have not suffered him too long to +endure in pain. + +The king of this isle is a full great lord and a mighty, and hath +under him fifty-four great isles that give tribute to him. And in +everych of these isles is a king crowned; and all be obeissant to +that king. And he hath in those isles many diverse folk. + +In one of these isles be folk of great stature, as giants. And +they be hideous for to look upon. And they have but one eye, and +that is in the middle of the front. And they eat nothing but raw +flesh and raw fish. + +And in another isle toward the south dwell folk of foul stature and +of cursed kind that have no heads. And their eyen be in their +shoulders. + +And in another isle be folk that have the face all flat, all plain, +without nose and without mouth. But they have two small holes, all +round, instead of their eyes, and their mouth is plat also without +lips. + +And in another isle be folk of foul fashion and shape that have the +lip above the mouth so great, that when they sleep in the sun they +cover all the face with that lip. + +And in another isle there be little folk, as dwarfs. And they be +two so much as the pigmies. And they have no mouth; but instead of +their mouth they have a little round hole, and when they shall eat +or drink, they take through a pipe or a pen or such a thing, and +suck it in, for they have no tongue; and therefore they speak not, +but they make a manner of hissing as an adder doth, and they make +signs one to another as monks do, by the which every of them +understandeth other. + +And in another isle be folk that have great ears and long, that +hang down to their knees. + +And in another isle be folk that have horses' feet. And they be +strong and mighty, and swift runners; for they take wild beasts +with running, and eat them. + +And in another isle be folk that go upon their hands and their feet +as beasts. And they be all skinned and feathered, and they will +leap as lightly into trees, and from tree to tree, as it were +squirrels or apes. + +And in another isle be folk that be both man and woman, and they +have kind; of that one and of that other. And they have but one +pap on the one side, and on that other none. And they have members +of generation of man and woman, and they use both when they list, +once that one, and another time that other. And they get children, +when they use the member of man; and they bear children, when they +use the member of woman. + +And in another isle be folk that go always upon their knees full +marvellously. And at every pace that they go, it seemeth that they +would fall. And they have in every foot eight toes. + +Many other diverse folk of diverse natures be there in other isles +about, of the which it were too long to tell, and therefore I pass +over shortly. + +From these isles, in passing by the sea ocean toward the east by +many journeys, men find a great country and a great kingdom that +men crepe Mancy. And that is in Ind the more. And it is the best +land and one the fairest that may be in all the world, and the most +delectable and the most plenteous of all goods that is in power of +man. In that land dwell many Christian men and Saracens, for it is +a good country and a great. And there be therein more than 2000 +great cities and rich, without other great towns. And there is +more plenty of people there than in any other part of Ind, for the +bounty of the country. In that country is no needy man, ne none +that goeth on begging. And they be full fair folk, but they be all +pale. And the men have thin beards and few hairs, but they be +long; but unnethe hath any man passing fifty hairs in his beard, +and one hair sits here, another there, as the beard of a leopard or +of a cat. In that land be many fairer women than in any other +country beyond the sea, and therefore men clepe that land Albany, +because that the folk be white. + +And the chief city of that country is clept Latorin, and it is a +journey from the sea, and it is much more than Paris. In that city +is a great river bearing ships that go to all the coasts in the +sea. No city of the world is so well stored of ships as is that. +And all those of the city and of the country worship idols. In +that country be double sithes more birds than be here. There be +white geese, red about the neck, and they have a great crest as a +cock's comb upon their heads; and they be much more there than they +be here, and men buy them there all quick, right great cheap. And +there is great plenty of adders of whom men make great feasts and +eat them at great solemnities; and he that maketh there a feast be +it never so costly, an he have no adders he hath no thank for his +travail. + +Many good cities there be in that country and men have great plenty +and great cheap of all wines and victuals. In that country be many +churches of religious men, and of their law. And in those churches +be idols as great as giants; and to these idols they give to eat at +great festival days in this manner. They bring before them meat +all sodden, as hot as they come from the fire, and they let the +smoke go up towards the idols; and then they say that the idols +have eaten; and then the religious men eat the meat afterwards. + +In that country be white hens without feathers, but they bear white +wool as sheep do here. In that country women that be unmarried, +they have tokens on their heads like coronals to be known for +unmarried. Also in that country there be beasts taught of men to +go into waters, into rivers and into deep stanks for to take fish; +the which beast is but little, and men clepe them loirs. And when +men cast them into the water, anon they bring up great fishes, as +many as men will. And if men will have more, they cast them in +again, and they bring up as many as men list to have. + +And from that city passing many journeys is another city, one the +greatest of the world, that men clepe Cassay; that is to say, the +'City of heaven.' That city is well a fifty mile about, and it is +strongly inhabited with people, insomuch that in one house men make +ten households. In that city be twelve principal gates; and before +every gate, a three mile or a four mile in length, is a great town +or a great city. That city sits upon a great lake on the sea as +doth Venice. And in that city be more than 12,000 bridges. And +upon every bridge be strong towers and good, in the which dwell the +wardens for to keep the city from the great Chan. And on that one +part of the city runneth a great river all along the city. And +there dwell Christian men and many merchants and other folk of +diverse nations, because that the land is so good and so plenteous. +And there groweth full good wine that men clepe Bigon, that is full +mighty, and gentle in drinking. This is a city royal where the +King of Mancy was wont to dwell. And there dwell many religious +men, as it were of the Order of Friars, for they be mendicants. + +From that city men go by water, solacing and disporting them, till +they come to an abbey of monks that is fast by, that be good +religious men after their faith and law. In that abbey is a great +garden and a fair, where be many trees of diverse manner of fruits. +And in this garden is a little hill full of delectable trees. In +that hill and in that garden be many diverse beasts, as of apes, +marmosets, baboons and many other diverse beasts. And every day, +when the convent of this abbey hath eaten, the almoner let bear the +relief to the garden, and he smiteth on the garden gate with a +clicket of silver that he holdeth in his hand; and anon all the +beasts of the hill and of diverse places of the garden come out a +3000, or a 4000; and they come in guise of poor men, and men give +them the relief in fair vessels of silver, clean over-gilt. And +when they have eaten, the monk smiteth eftsoons on the garden gate +with the clicket, and then anon all the beasts return again to +their places that they come from. And they say that these beasts +be souls of worthy men that resemble in likeness of those beasts +that be fair, and therefore they give them meat for the love of +God; and the other beasts that be foul, they say be souls of poor +men and of rude commons. And thus they believe, and no man may put +them out of this opinion. These beasts above-said they let take +when they be young, and nourish them so with alms, as many as they +may find. And I asked them if it had not been better to have given +that relief to poor men, rather than to those beasts. And they +answered me and said, that they had no poor men amongst them in +that country; and though it had been so that poor men had been +among them, yet were it greater alms to give it to those souls that +do there their penance. Many other marvels be in that city and in +the country thereabout, that were too long to tell you. + +From that city go men by the country a six journeys to another city +that men clepe Chilenfo, of the which city the walls be twenty mile +about. In that city be sixty bridges of stone, so fair that no man +may see fairer. In that city was the first siege of the King of +Mancy, for it is a fair and plenteous of all goods. + +After, pass men overthwart a great river that men clepe Dalay. And +that is the greatest river of fresh water that is in the world. +For there, as it is most narrow, it is more than four mile of +breadth. And then enter men again into the land of the great Chan. + +That river goeth through the land of Pigmies, where that the folk +be of little stature, that be but three span long, and they be +right fair and gentle, after their quantities, both the men and the +women. And they marry them when they be half year of age and get +children. And they live not but six year or seven at the most; and +he that liveth eight year, men hold him there right passing old. +These men be the best workers of gold, silver, cotton, silk and of +all such things, of any other that be in the world. And they have +oftentimes war with the birds of the country that they take and +eat. This little folk neither labour in lands ne in vines; but +they have great men amongst them of our stature that till the land +and labour amongst the vines for them. And of those men of our +stature have they as great scorn and wonder as we would have among +us of giants, if they were amongst us. There is a good city, +amongst others, where there is dwelling great plenty of those +little folk, and it is a great city and a fair. And the men be +great that dwell amongst them, but when they get any children they +be as little as the pigmies. And therefore they be, all for the +most part, all pigmies; for the nature of the land is such. The +great Chan let keep this city full well, for it is his. And +albeit, that the pigmies be little, yet they be full reasonable +after their age, and can both wit and good and malice enough. + +From that city go men by the country by many cities and many towns +unto a city that men clepe Jamchay; and it is a noble city and a +rich and of great profit to the Lord, and thither go men to seek +merchandise of all manner of thing. That city is full much worth +yearly to the lord of the country. For he hath every year to rent +of that city (as they of the city say) 50,000 cumants of florins of +gold: for they count there all by cumants, and every cumant is +10,000 florins of gold. Now may men well reckon how much that it +amounteth. The king of that country is full mighty, and yet he is +under the great Chan. And the great Chan hath under him twelve +such provinces. In that country in the good towns is a good +custom: for whoso will make a feast to any of his friends, there +be certain inns in every good town, and he that will make the feast +will say to the hosteler, array for me to-morrow a good dinner for +so many folk, and telleth him the number, and deviseth him the +viands; and he saith also, thus much I will dispend and no more. +And anon the hosteler arrayeth for him so fair and so well and so +honestly, that there shall lack nothing; and it shall be done +sooner and with less cost than an a man made it in his own house. + +And a five mile from that city, toward the head of the river of +Dalay, is another city that men clepe Menke. In that city is +strong navy of ships. And all be white as snow of the kind of the +trees that they be made of. And they be full great ships and fair, +and well ordained, and made with halls and chambers and other +easements, as though it were on the land. + +From thence go men, by many towns and many cities, through the +country, unto a city that men clepe Lanterine. And it is an eight +journeys from the city above-said. This city sits upon a fair +river, great and broad, that men clepe Caramaron. This river +passeth throughout Cathay. And it doth often-time harm, and that +full great, when it is over great. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + + + +OF THE GREAT CHAN OF CATHAY. OF THE ROYALTY OF HIS PALACE, AND HOW +HE SITS AT MEAT; AND OF THE GREAT NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT SERVE HIM + + +CATHAY is a great country and a fair, noble and rich, and full of +merchants. Thither go merchants all years for to seek spices and +all manner of merchandises, more commonly than in any other part. +And ye shall understand, that merchants that come from Genoa or +from Venice or from Romania or other parts of Lombardy, they go by +sea and by land eleven months or twelve, or more some-time, ere +they may come to the isle of Cathay that is the principal region of +all parts beyond; and it is of the great Chan. + +From Cathay go men toward the east by many journeys. And then men +find a good city between these others, that men clepe Sugarmago. +That city is one of the best stored of silk and other merchandises +that is in the world. + +After go men yet to another old city toward the east. And it is in +the province of Cathay. And beside that city the men of Tartary +have let make another city that is dept Caydon. And it hath twelve +gates, and between the two gates there is always a great mile; so +that the two cities, that is to say, the old and the new, have in +circuit more than twenty mile. + +In this city is the siege of the great Chan in a full great palace +and the most passing fair in all the world, of the which the walls +be in circuit more than two mile. And within the walls it is all +full of other palaces. And in the garden of the great palace there +is a great hill, upon the which there is another palace; and it is +the most fair and the most rich that any man may devise. And all +about the palace and the hill be many trees bearing many diverse +fruits. And all about that hill be ditches great and deep, and +beside them be great vivaries on that one part and on that other. +And there is a full fair bridge to pass over the ditches. And in +these vivaries be so many wild geese and ganders and wild ducks and +swans and herons that it is without number. And all about these +ditches and vivaries is the great garden full of wild beasts. So +that when the great Chan will have any disport on that, to take any +of the wild beasts or of the fowls, he will let chase them and take +them at the windows without going out of his chamber. + +This palace, where his siege is, is both great and passing fair. +And within the palace, in the hall, there be twenty-four pillars of +fine gold. And all the walls be covered within of red skins of +beasts that men clepe panthers, that be fair beasts and well +smelling; so that for the sweet odour of those skins no evil air +may enter into the palace. Those skins be as red as blood, and +they shine so bright against the sun, that unnethe no man may +behold them. And many folk worship those beasts, when they meet +them first at morning, for their great virtue and for the good +smell that they have. And those skins they prize more than though +they were plate of fine gold. + +And in the midst of this palace is the mountour for the great Chan, +that is all wrought of gold and of precious stones and great +pearls. And at four corners of the mountour be four serpents of +gold. And all about there is y-made large nets of silk and gold +and great pearls hanging all about the mountour. And under the +mountour be conduits of beverage that they drink in the emperor's +court. And beside the conduits be many vessels of gold, by the +which they that be of household drink at the conduit. + +And the hall of the palace is full nobly arrayed, and full +marvellously attired on all parts in all things that men apparel +with any hall. And first, at the chief of the hall is the +emperor's throne, full high, where he sitteth at the meat. And +that is of fine precious stones, bordered all about with pured gold +and precious stones, and great pearls. And the grees that he goeth +up to the table be of precious stones mingled with gold. + +And at the left side of the emperor's siege is the siege of his +first wife, one degree lower than the emperor; and it is of jasper, +bordered with gold and precious stones. And the siege of his +second wife is also another siege, more lower than his first wife; +and it is also of jasper, bordered with gold, as that other is. +And the siege of the third wife is also more low, by a degree, than +the second wife. For he hath always three wives with him, where +that ever he be. + +And after his wives, on the same side, sit the ladies of his +lineage yet lower, after that they be of estate. And all those +that be married have a counterfeit made like a man's foot upon +their heads, a cubit long, all wrought with great pearls, fine and +orient, and above made with peacocks' feathers and of other shining +feathers; and that stands upon their heads like a crest, in token +that they be under man's foot and under subjection of man. And +they that be unmarried have none such. + +And after at the right side of the emperor first sitteth his eldest +son that shall reign after him. And he sitteth also one degree +lower than the emperor, in such manner of sieges as do the +empresses. And after him sit other great lords of his lineage, +every of them a degree lower than the other, as they be of estate. + +And the emperor hath his table alone by himself, that is of gold +and of precious stones, or of crystal bordered with gold, and full +of precious stones or of amethysts, or of lignum aloes that cometh +out of paradise, or of ivory bound or bordered with gold. And +every one of his wives hath also her table by herself. And his +eldest son and the other lords also, and the ladies, and all that +sit with the emperor have tables alone by themselves, full rich. +And there ne is no table but that it is worth an huge treasure of +goods. + +And under the emperor's table sit four clerks that write all that +the emperor saith, be it good, be it evil; for all that he saith +must be holden, for he may not change his word, ne revoke it. + +And [at] great solemn feasts before the emperor's table men bring +great tables of gold, and thereon be peacocks of gold and many +other manner of diverse fowls, all of gold and richly wrought and +enamelled. And men make them dance and sing, clapping their wings +together, and make great noise. And whether it be by craft or by +necromancy I wot never; but it is a good sight to behold, and a +fair; and it is great marvel how it may be. But I have the less +marvel, because that they be the most subtle men in all sciences +and in all crafts that be in the world: for of subtlety and of +malice and of farcasting they pass all men under heaven. And +therefore they say themselves, that they see with two eyes and the +Christian men see but with one, because that they be more subtle +than they. For all other nations, they say, be but blind in +cunning and working in comparison to them. I did great business +for to have learned that craft, but the master told me that he had +made avow to his god to teach it to no creature, but only to his +eldest son. + +Also above the emperor's table and the other tables, and above a +great part in the hall, is a vine made of fine gold. And it +spreadeth all about the hall. And it hath many clusters of grapes, +some white, some green, some yellow and some red and some black, +all of precious stones. The white be of crystal and of beryl and +of iris; the yellow be of topazes; the red be of rubies and of +grenaz and of alabrandines; the green be of emeralds, of perydoz +and of chrysolites; and the black be of onyx and garantez. And +they be all so properly made that it seemeth a very vine bearing +kindly grapes. + +And before the emperor's table stand great lords and rich barons +and other that serve the emperor at the meat. And no man is so +hardy to speak a word, but if the emperor speak to him; but if it +be minstrels that sing songs and tell jests or other disports, to +solace with the emperor. And all the vessels that men be served +with in the hall or in chambers be of precious stones, and +specially at great tables either of jasper or of crystal or of +amethysts or of fine gold. And the cups be of emeralds and of +sapphires, or of topazes, of perydoz, and of many other precious +stones. Vessels of silver is there none, for they tell no price +thereof to make no vessels of: but they make thereof grecings and +pillars and pavements to halls and chambers. And before the hall +door stand many barons and knights clean armed to keep that no man +enter, but if it be the will or the commandment of the emperor, or +but if they be servants or minstrels of the household; and other +none is not so hardy to neighen nigh the hall door. + +And ye shall understand, that my fellows and I with our yeomen, we +served this emperor, and were his soldiers fifteen months against +the King of Mancy, that held against him. And the cause was for we +had great lust to see his noblesse and the estate of his court and +all his governance, to wit if it were such as we heard say that it +was. And truly we found it more noble and more excellent, and +richer and more marvellous, than ever we heard speak of, insomuch +that we would never have lieved it had we not seen it. For I trow, +that no man would believe the noblesse, the riches ne the multitude +of folk that be in his court, but he had seen it; for it is not +there as it is here. For the lords here have folk of certain +number as they may suffice; but the great Chan hath every day folk +at his costage and expense as without number. But the ordinance, +ne the expenses in meat and drink, ne the honesty, ne the +cleanness, is not so arrayed there as it is here; for all the +commons there eat without cloth upon their knees, and they eat all +manner of flesh and little of bread, and after meat they wipe their +hands upon their skirts, and they eat not but once a day. But the +estate of lords is full great, and rich and noble. + +And albeit that some men will not trow me, but hold it for fable to +tell them the noblesse of his person and of his estate and of his +court and of the great multitude of folk that he holds, natheles I +shall say you a part of him and of his folk, after that I have seen +the manner and the ordinance full many a time. And whoso that will +may lieve me if he will, and whoso will not, may leave also. For I +wot well, if any man hath been in those countries beyond, though he +have not been in the place where the great Chan dwelleth, he shall +hear speak of him so much marvellous thing, that he shall not trow +it lightly. And truly, no more did I myself, till I saw it. And +those that have been in those countries and in the great Chan's +household know well that I say sooth. And therefore I will not +spare for them, that know not ne believe not but that that they +see, for to tell you a part of him and of his estate that he +holdeth, when he goeth from country to country, and when he maketh +solemn feasts. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + + + +WHEREFORE HE IS CLEPT THE GREAT CHAN. OF THE STYLE OF HIS LETTERS, +AND OF THE SUPERSCRIPTION ABOUT HIS GREAT SEAL AND HIS PRIVY SEAL + + +FIRST I shall say you why he was clept the great Chan. + +Ye shall understand, that all the world was destroyed by Noah's +flood, save only Noah and his wife and his children. Noah had +three sons, Shem, Cham, and Japhet. This Cham was he that saw his +father's privy members naked when he slept, and scorned them, and +shewed them with his finger to his brethren in scorning wise. And +therefore he was cursed of God. And Japhet turned his face away +and covered them. + +These three brethren had seisin in all the land. And this Cham, +for his cruelty, took the greater and the best part, toward the +east, that is clept Asia, and Shem took Africa, and Japhet took +Europe. And therefore is all the earth parted in these three parts +by these three brethren. Cham was the greatest and the most +mighty, and of him came more generations than of the other. And of +his son Chuse was engendered Nimrod the giant, that was the first +king that ever was in the world; and he began the foundation of the +tower of Babylon. And that time, the fiends of hell came many +times and lay with the women of his generation and engendered on +them diverse folk, as monsters and folk disfigured, some without +heads, some with great ears, some with one eye, some giants, some +with horses' feet, and many other diverse shape against kind. And +of that generation of Cham be come the Paynims and divers folk that +be in isles of the sea by all Ind. And forasmuch as he was the +most mighty, and no man might withstand him, he cleped himself the +Son of God and sovereign of all the world. And for this Cham, this +emperor clepeth him Cham, and sovereign of all the world. + +And of the generation of Shem be come the Saracens. And of the +generation of Japhet is come the people of Israel. And though that +we dwell in Europe, this is the opinion, that the Syrians and the +Samaritans have amongst them. And that they told me, before that I +went toward Ind, but I found it otherwise. Natheles, the sooth is +this; that Tartars and they that dwell in the great Asia, they came +of Cham; but the Emperor of Cathay clepeth him not Cham, but Can, +and I shall tell you how. + +It is but little more but eight score year that all Tartary was in +subjection and in servage to other nations about. For they were +but bestial folk and did nothing but kept beasts and led them to +pastures. But among them they had seven principal nations that +were sovereigns of them all. Of the which, the first nation or +lineage was clept Tartar, and that is the most noble and the most +prized. The second lineage is clept Tanghot, the third Eurache, +the fourth Valair, the fifth Semoche, the sixth Megly, the seventh +Coboghe. + +Now befell it so that of the first lineage succeeded an old worthy +man that was not rich, that had to name Changuys. This man lay +upon a night in his bed. And he saw in avision, that there came +before him a knight armed all in white. And he sat upon a white +horse, and said to him, Can, sleepest thou? The Immortal God hath +sent me to thee, and it is his will, that thou go to the seven +lineages and say to them that thou shalt be their emperor. For +thou shalt conquer the lands and the countries that be about, and +they that march upon you shall be under your subjection, as ye have +been under theirs, for that is God's will immortal. + +And when he came at morrow, Changuys rose, and went to seven +lineages, and told them how the white knight had said. And they +scorned him, and said that he was a fool. And so he departed from +them all ashamed. And the night ensuing, this white knight came to +the seven lineages, and commanded them on God's behalf immortal, +that they should make this Changuys their emperor, and they should +be out of subjection, and they should hold all other regions about +them in their servage as they had been to them before. And on the +morrow, they chose him to be their emperor. And they set him upon +a black fertre, and after that they lift him up with great +solemnity. And they set him in a chair of gold and did him all +manner of reverence, and they cleped him Chan, as the white knight +called him. + +And when he was thus chosen, he would assay if he might trust in +them or no, and whether they would be obeissant to him or no. And +then he made many statutes and ordinances that they clepe YSYA +CHAN. The first statute was, that they should believe and obey in +God Immortal, that is Almighty, that would cast them out of +servage, and at all times clepe to him for help in time of need. +The tother statute was, that all manner of men that might bare arms +should be numbered, and to every ten should be a master, and to +every hundred a master, and to every thousand a master, and to +every ten thousand a master. After he commanded to the principals +of the seven lineages, that they should leave and forsake all that +they had in goods and heritage, and from thenceforth to hold them +paid of that that he would give them of his grace. And they did so +anon. After he commanded to the principals of the seven lineages, +that every of them should bring his eldest son before him, and with +their own hands smite off their heads without tarrying. And anon +his commandment was performed. + +And when the Chan saw that they made none obstacle to perform his +commandment, then he thought well that he might trust in them, and +commanded them anon to make them ready and to sue his banner. And +after this, Chan put in subjection all the lands about him. + +Afterward it befell upon a day, that the Can rode with a few meinie +for to behold the strength of the country that he had won. And so +befell, that a great multitude of enemies met with him. And for to +give good example hardiness to his people, he was the first that +fought, and in the midst of his enemies encountered, and there he +was cast from his horse, and his horse slain. And when his folk +saw him at the earth, they were all abashed, and weened he had been +dead, and flew every one, and their enemies after and chased them, +but they wist not that the emperor was there. And when the enemies +were far pursuing the chase, the emperor hid him in a thick wood. +And whet, they were come again from the chase, they went and sought +the woods if any of them had been hid in the thick of the woods; +and many they found and slew them anon. So it happened that as +they went searching toward the place that the emperor was, they saw +an owl sitting upon a tree above him; and then they said amongst +them, that there was no man because that they saw that bird there, +and so they went their way; and thus escaped the emperor from +death. And then he went privily all by night, till he came to his +folk that were full glad of his coming, and made great thankings to +God Immortal, and to that bird by whom their lord was saved. And +therefore principally above all fowls of world they worship the +owl; and when they have any of their feathers, they keep them full +preciously instead of relics, and bear them upon their heads with +great reverence; and they hold themselves blessed and safe from all +perils while that they have them upon them, and therefore they bear +their feathers upon their heads. + +After all this the Chan ordained him, and assembled his people, and +went upon them that had assailed him before, and destroyed them, +and put them in subjection and servage. And when he had won and +put all the lands and countries on this half the Mount Belian in +subjection, the white knight came to him again in his sleep, and +said to him, Chan! the will of God Immortal is that thou pass the +Mount Belian. And thou shalt win the land and thou shalt put many +nations in subjection. And for thou shalt find no good passage for +to go toward that country, go [to] the Mount Belian that is upon +the sea, and kneel there nine times toward the east in the worship +of God Immortal, and he shall shew the way to pass by. And the +Chan did so. And anon the sea that touched and was fast to the +mount began to withdraw him, and shewed fair way of nine foot +breadth large; and so he passed with his folk, and won the land of +Cathay that is the greatest kingdom of the world. + +And for the nine kneelings and for the nine foot of way the Chan +and all the men of Tartary have the number of nine in great +reverence. And therefore who that will make the Chan any present, +be it of horses, be it of birds, or of arrows or bows, or of fruit, +or of any other thing, always he must make it of the number of +nine. And so then be the presents of greater pleasure to him; and +more benignly he will receive them than though he were presented +with an hundred or two hundred. For him seemeth the number of nine +so holy, because the messenger of God Immortal devised it. + +Also, when the Chan of Cathay had won the country of Cathay, and +put in subjection and under foot many countries about, he fell +sick. And when he felt well that he should die, he said to his +twelve sons, that everych of them should bring him one of his +arrows. And so they did anon. And then he commanded that men +should bind them together in three places. And then he took them +to his eldest son, and bade him break them all together. And he +enforced him with all his might to break them, but he ne might not. +And then the Chan bade his second son to break them; and so, +shortly, to all, each after other; but none of them might break +them. And then he bade the youngest son dissever every one from +other, and break everych by himself. And so he did. And then said +the Chan to his eldest son and to all the others, Wherefore might +ye not break them? And they answered that they might not, because +that they were bound together. And wherefore, quoth he, hath your +little youngest brother broken them? Because, quoth they, that +they were parted each from other. And then said the Chan, My sons, +quoth he, truly thus will it fare by you. For as long as ye be +bound together in three places, that is to say, in love, in truth +and in good accord, no man shall be of power to grieve you. But +and ye be dissevered from these three places, that your one help +not your other, ye shall be destroyed and brought to nought. And +if each of you love other and help other, ye shall be lords and +sovereigns of all others. And when he had made his ordinances, he +died. + +And then after him reigned Ecchecha Cane, his eldest son. And his +other brethren went to win them many countries and kingdoms, unto +the land of Prussia and of Russia, and made themselves to be clept +Chane; but they were all obeissant to their elder brother, and +therefore was he clept the great Chan. + +After Ecchecha reigned Guyo Chan. + +And after him Mango Chan that was a good Christian man and +baptized, and gave letters of perpetual peace to all Christian men, +and sent his brother Halaon with great multitude of folk for to win +the Holy Land and for to put it into Christian men's hands, and for +to destroy Mahomet's law, and for to take the Caliph of Bagdad that +was emperor and lord of all the Saracens. And when this caliph was +taken, men found him of so high worship, that in all the remnant of +the world, ne might a man find a more reverend man, ne higher in +worship. And then Halaon made him come before him, and said to +him, Why, quoth he, haddest thou not taken with thee more soldiers +and men enough, for a little quantity of treasure, for to defend +thee and thy country, that art so abundant of treasure and so high +in all worship? And the caliph answered him, For he well trowed +that he had enough of his own proper men. And then said Halaon, +Thou wert as a god of the Saracens. And it is convenient to a god +to eat no meat that is mortal. And therefore, thou shall not eat +but precious stones, rich pearls and treasure, that thou lovest so +much. And then he commanded him to prison, and all his treasure +about him. And so he died for hunger and thirst. And then after +this, Halaon won all the Land of Promission, and put it into +Christian men's hands. But the great Chan, his brother, died; and +that was great sorrow and loss to all Christian men. + +After Mango Chan reigned Cobyla Chan that was also a Christian man. +And he reigned forty-two year. He founded the great city Izonge in +Cathay, that is a great deal more than Rome. + +The tother great Chan that came after him became a Paynim, and all +the others after him. + +The kingdom of Cathay is the greatest realm of the world. And also +the great Chan is the most mighty emperor of the world and the +greatest lord under the firmament. And so he clepeth him in his +letters, right thus: CHAN! FILIUS DEI EXCELSI, OMNIUM UNIVERSAM +TERRAM COLENTIUM SUMMUS IMPERATOR, & DOMINUS OMNIUM DOMINANTIUM! +And the letter of his great seal, written about, is this; DEUS IN +COELO, CHAN SUPER TERRAM, EJUS FORTITUDO. OMNIUM HOMINUM +IMPERATORIS SIGILLUM. And the superscription about his little seal +is this; DEI FORTITUDO, OMNIUM HOMINUM IMPERATORIS SIGILLUM. + +And albeit that they be not christened, yet nevertheless the +emperor and all the Tartars believe in God Immortal. And when they +will menace any man, then they say, God knoweth well that I shall +do thee such a thing, and telleth his menace. + +And thus have ye heard, why he is clept the great Chan. + + + +CHAPTER XXV + + + +OF THE GOVERNANCE OF THE GREAT CHAN'S COURT, AND WHEN HE MAKETH +SOLEMN FEASTS. OF HIS PHILOSOPHERS. AND OF HIS ARRAY, WHEN HE +RIDETH BY THE COUNTRY + + +NOW shall I tell you the governance of the court of the great Chan, +when he maketh solemn feasts; and that is principally four times in +the year. + +The first feast is of his birth, that other is of his presentation +in their temple that they clepe their Moseache, where they make a +manner of circumcision, and the tother two feasts be of his idols. +The first feast of the idol is when he is first put into their +temple and throned; the tother feast is when the idol beginneth +first to speak, or to work miracles. More be there not of solemn +feasts, but if he marry any of his children. + +Now understand, that at every of these feasts he hath great +multitude of people, well ordained and well arrayed, by thousands, +by hundreds, and by tens. And every man knoweth well what service +he shall do, and every man giveth so good heed and so good +attendance to his service that no man findeth no default. And +there be first ordained 4000 barons, mighty and rich, for to govern +and to make ordinance for the feast, and for to serve the emperor. +And these solemn feasts be made without in halls and tents made of +cloths of gold and of tartaries, full nobly. And all those barons +have crowns of gold upon their heads, full noble and rich, full of +precious stones and great pearls orient. And they be all clothed +in cloths of gold or of tartaries or of camakas, so richly and so +perfectly, that no man in the world can amend it, ne better devise +it. And all those robes be orfrayed all about, and dubbed full of +precious stones and of great orient pearls, full richly. And they +may well do so, for cloths of gold and of silk be greater cheap +there a great deal than be cloths of wool. And these 4000 barons +be devised in four companies, and every thousand is clothed in +cloths all of one colour, and that so well arrayed and so richly, +that it is marvel to behold. + +The first thousand, that is of dukes, of earls, of marquises and of +admirals, all clothed in cloths of gold, with tissues of green +silk, and bordered with gold full of precious stones in manner as I +have said before. The second thousand is all clothed in cloths +diapered of red silk, all wrought with gold, and the orfrays set +full of great pearl and precious stones, full nobly wrought. The +third thousand is clothed in cloths of silk, of purple or of Ind. +And the fourth thousand is in cloths of yellow. And all their +clothes be so nobly and so richly wrought with gold and precious +stones and rich pearls, that if a man of this country had but only +one of their robes, he might well say that he should never be poor; +for the gold and the precious stones and the great orient pearls be +of greater value on this half the sea than they be beyond the sea +in those countries. + +And when they be thus apparelled, they go two and two together, +full ordinately, before the emperor, without speech of any word, +save only inclining to him. And every one of them beareth a tablet +of jasper or of ivory or of crystal, and the minstrels going before +them, sounding their instruments of diverse melody. And when the +first thousand is thus passed and hath made his muster, he +withdraweth him on that one side; and then entereth that other +second thousand, and doth right so, in the same manner of array and +countenance, is did the first; and after, the third; and then, the +fourth; and none of them saith not one word. + +And at one side of the emperor's table sit many philosophers that +be proved for wise men in many diverse sciences, as of astronomy, +necromancy, geomancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, of augury and of many +other sciences. And everych of them have before them astrolabes of +gold, some spheres, some the brain pan of a dead man, some vessels +of gold full of gravel or sand, some vessels of gold full of coals +burning, some vessels of gold full of water and of wine and of oil, +and some horologes of gold, made full nobly and richly wrought, and +many other manner of instruments after their sciences. + +And at certain hours, when them thinketh time, they say to certain +officers that stand before them, ordained for the time to fulfil +their commandments; Make peace! + +And then say the officers; Now peace! listen! + +And after that, saith another of the philosophers; Every man do +reverence and incline to the emperor, that is God's Son and +sovereign lord of all the world! For now is time! And then every +man boweth his head toward the earth. + +And then commandeth the same philosopher again; Stand up! And they +do so. + +And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your little +finger in your ears! And anon they do so. + +And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand +before your mouth! And anon they do so. + +And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand upon +your head! And after that he biddeth them to do their hand away. +And they do so. + +And so, from hour to hour, they command certain things; and they +say, that those things have diverse significations. And I asked +them privily what those things betokened. And one of the masters +told me, that the bowing of the head at that hour betokened this; +that all those that bowed their heads should evermore after be +obeissant and true to the emperor, and never, for gifts ne for +promise in no kind, to be false ne traitor unto him for good nor +evil. And the putting of the little finger in the ear betokeneth, +as they say, that none of them ne shall not hear speak no +contrarious thing to the emperor but that he shall tell it anon to +his council or discover it to some men that will make relation to +the emperor, though he were his father or brother or son. And so +forth, of all other things that is done by the philosophers, they +told me the causes of many diverse things. And trust right well in +certain, that no man doth nothing to the emperor that belongeth +unto him, neither clothing ne bread ne wine ne bath ne none other +thing that longeth to him, but at certain hours that his +philosophers will devise. And if there fall war in any side to the +emperor, anon the philosophers come and say their advice after +their calculations, and counsel the emperor of their advice by +their sciences; so that the emperor doth nothing without their +counsel. + +And when the philosophers have done and performed their +commandments, then the minstrels begin to do their minstrelsy, +everych in their instruments, each after other, with all the melody +that they can devise. And when they have done a good while, one of +the officers of the emperor goeth up on a high stage wrought full +curiously, and crieth and saith with loud voice; Make Peace! And +then every man is still. + +And then, anon after, all the lords that be of the emperor's +lineage, nobly arrayed in rich cloths of gold and royally +apparelled on white steeds, as many as may well sue him at that +time, be ready to make their presents to the emperor. And then +saith the steward of the court to the lords, by name; N. of N.! and +nameth first the most noble and the worthiest by name, and saith; +Be ye ready with such a number of white horses, for to serve the +emperor, your sovereign lord! And to another lord he saith; N. of +N., be ye ready with such a number, to serve your sovereign lord! +And to another, right so, and to all the lords of the emperor's +lineage, each after other, as they be of estate. And when they be +all cleped, they enter each after other, and present the white +horses to the emperor, and then go their way. And then after, all +the other barons every of them, give him presents or jewels or some +other thing, after that they be of estate. And then after them, +all the prelates of their law, and religious men and others; and +every man giveth him something. And when that all men have thus +presented the emperor, the greatest of dignity of the prelates +giveth him a blessing, saying an orison of their law. + +And then begin the minstrels to make their minstrelsy in divers +instruments with all the melody that they can devise. And when +they have done their craft, then they bring before the emperor, +lions, leopards and other diverse beasts, and eagles and vultures +and other divers fowls, and fishes and serpents, for to do him +reverence. And then come jugglers and enchanters, that do many +marvels; for they make to come in the air, by seeming, the sun and +the moon to every man's sight. And after they make the night so +dark that no man may see nothing. And after they make the day to +come again, fair and pleasant with bright sun, to every man's +sight. And then they bring in dances of the fairest damsels of the +world, and richest arrayed. And after they make to come in other +damsels bringing cups of gold full of milk of diverse beasts, and +give drink to lords and to ladies. And then they make knights to +joust in arms full lustily; and they run together a great random, +and they frussch together full fiercely, and they break their +spears so rudely that the truncheons fly in sprouts and pieces all +about the hall. And then they make to come in hunting for the hart +and for the boar, with hounds running with open mouth. And many +other things they do by craft of their enchantments, that it is +marvel for to see. And such plays of disport they make till the +taking up of the boards. This great Chan hath full great people +for to serve him, as I have told you before. For he hath of +minstrels the number of thirteen cumants, but they abide not always +with him. For all the minstrels that come before him, of what +nation that they be of, they be withholden with him as of his +household, and entered in his books as for his own men. And after +that, where that ever they go, ever more they claim for minstrels +of the great Chan; and under that title, all kings and lords +cherish them the more with gifts and all things. And therefore he +hath so great multitude of them. + +And he hath of certain men as though they were yeomen, that keep +birds, as ostriches, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks, falcons gentle, +lanyers, sakers, sakrets, popinjays well speaking, and birds +singing, and also of wild beasts, as of elephants tame and other, +baboons, apes, marmosets, and other diverse beasts; the mountance +of fifteen cumants of yeomen. + +And of physicians Christian he hath 200, and of leeches that be +Christian he hath 210, and of leeches and physicians that be +Saracens twenty, but he trusteth more in the Christian leeches than +in the Saracen. And his other common household is without number, +and they all have all necessaries and all that them needeth of the +emperor's court. And he hath in his court many barons as +servitors, that be Christian and converted to good faith by the +preaching of religious Christian men that dwell with him; but there +be many more, that will not that men know that they be Christian. + +This emperor may dispend as much as he will without estimation; for +he not dispendeth ne maketh no money but of leather imprinted or of +paper. And of that money is some of greater price and some of less +price, after the diversity of his statutes. And when that money +hath run long that it beginneth to waste, then men bear it to the +emperor's treasury and then they take new money for the old. And +that money goeth throughout all the country and throughout all his +provinces, for there and beyond them they make no money neither of +gold nor of silver; and therefore he may dispend enough, and +outrageously. And of gold and silver that men bear in his country +he maketh cylours, pillars and pavements in his palace, and other +diverse things what him liketh. + +This emperor hath in his chamber, in one of the pillars of gold, a +ruby and a carbuncle of half a foot long, that in the night giveth +so great clearness and shining, that it is as light as day. And he +hath many other precious stones and many other rubies and +carbuncles; but those be the greatest and the most precious. + +This emperor dwelleth in summer in a city that is toward the north +that is clept Saduz; and there is cold enough. And in winter he +dwelleth in a city that is clept Camaaleche, and that is an hot +country. But the country, where he dwelleth in most commonly, is +in Gaydo or in Jong, that is a good country and a temperate, after +that the country is there; but to men of this country it were too +passing hot. + +And when this emperor will ride from one country to another he +ordaineth four hosts of his folk, of the which the first host goeth +before him a day's journey. For that host shall be lodged the +night where the emperor shall lie upon the morrow. And there shall +every man have all manner of victual and necessaries that be +needful, of the emperor's costage. And in this first host is the +number of people fifty cumants, what of horse what of foot, of the +which every cumant amounteth 10,000 as I have told you before. And +another host goeth in the right side of the emperor, nigh half a +journey from him. And another goeth on the left side of him, in +the same wise. And in every host is as much multitude of people as +in the first host. And then after cometh the fourth host, that is +much more than any of the others, and that goeth behind him, the +mountance of a bow draught. And every host hath his journeys +ordained in certain places, where they shall be lodged at night, +and there they shall have all that them needeth. And if it befall +that any of the host die, anon they put another in his place, so +that the number shall evermore be whole. + +And ye shall understand, that the emperor, in his proper person, +rideth not as other great lords do beyond, but if he list to go +privily with few men, for to be unknown. And else, he rides in a +chariot with four wheels, upon the which is made a fair chamber, +and it is made of a certain wood, that cometh out of Paradise +terrestrial, that men clepe lignum aloes, that the floods of +Paradise bring out at divers seasons, as I have told you here +before. And this chamber is full well smelling because of the wood +that it is made of. And all this chamber is covered within of +plate of fine gold dubbed with precious stones and great pearls. +And four elephants and four great destriers, all white and covered +with rich covertures, leading the chariot. And four, or five, or +six, of the greatest lords ride about this chariot, full richly +arrayed and full nobly, so that no man shall neigh the chariot, but +only those lords, but if that the emperor call any man to him that +him list to speak withal. And above the chamber of this chariot +that the emperor sitteth in be set upon a perch four or five or six +gerfalcons, to that intent, that when the emperor seeth any wild +fowl, that he may take it at his own list, and have the disport and +the play of the flight, first with one, and after with another; and +so he taketh his disport passing by the country. And no man rideth +before him of his company, but all after him. And no man dare not +come nigh the chariot, by a bow draught, but those lords only that +be about him. And all the host cometh fairly after him in great +multitude. + +And also such another chariot with such hosts ordained and arrayed +go with the empress upon another side, everych by himself, with +four hosts, right as the emperor did; but not with so great +multitude of people. And his eldest son goeth by another way in +another chariot, in the same manner. So that there is between them +so great multitude of folk that it is marvel to tell it. And no +man should trow the number, but he had seen it. And some-time it +happeth that when he will not go far, and that it like him to have +the empress and his children with him, then they go altogether, and +their folk be all mingled in fere, and divided in four parties +only. + +And ye shall understand, that the empire of this great Chan is +divided in twelve provinces; and every province hath more than two +thousand cities, and of towns without number. This country is full +great, for it hath twelve principal kings in twelve provinces, and +every of those Kings have many kings under them, and all they be +obeissant to the great Chan. And his land and his lordship dureth +so far, that a man may not go from one head to another, neither by +sea ne land, the space of seven year. And through the deserts of +his lordship, there as men may find no towns, there be inns +ordained by every journey, to receive both man and horse, in the +which they shall find plenty of victual, and of all things that +they need for to go by the country. + +And there is a marvellous custom in that country (but it is +profitable), that if any contrarious thing that should be prejudice +or grievance to the emperor in any kind, anon the emperor hath +tidings thereof and full knowledge in a day, though it be three or +four journeys from him or more. For his ambassadors take their +dromedaries or their horses, and they prick in all that ever they +may toward one of the inns. And when they come there, anon they +blow an horn. And anon they of the inn know well enough that there +be tidings to warn the emperor of some rebellion against him. And +then anon they make other men ready, in all haste that they may, to +bear letters, and prick in all that ever they may, till they come +to the other inns with their letters. And then they make fresh men +ready, to prick forth with the letters toward the emperor, while +that the last bringer rest him, and bait his dromedary or his +horse. And so, from inn to inn, till it come to the emperor. And +thus anon hath he hasty tidings of anything that beareth charge, by +his couriers, that run so hastily throughout all the country. And +also when the Emperor sendeth his couriers hastily throughout his +land, every one of them hath a large throng full of small bells, +and when they neigh near to the inns of other couriers that be also +ordained by the journeys, they ring their bells, and anon the other +couriers make them ready, and run their way unto another inn. And +thus runneth one to other, full speedily and swiftly, till the +emperor's intent be served, in all haste. And these couriers be +clept CHYDYDO, after their language, that is to say, a messenger, + +Also when the emperor goeth from one country to another, as I have +told you here before, and he pass through cities and towns, every +man maketh a fire before his door, and putteth therein powder of +good gums that be sweet smelling, for to make good savour to the +emperor. And all the people kneel down against him, and do him +great reverence. And there, where religious Christian men dwell, +as they do in many cities in the land, they go before him with +procession with cross and holy water, and they sing, VENI CREATOR +SPIRITUS! with an high voice, and go towards him. And when he +heareth them, he commandeth to his lords to ride beside him, that +the religious men may come to him. And when they be nigh him with +the cross, then he doth adown his galiot that sits on his head in +manner of a chaplet, that is made of gold and precious stones and +great pearls, and it is so rich, that men prize it to the value of +a realm in that country. And then he kneeleth to the cross. And +then the prelate of the religious men saith before him certain +orisons, and giveth him a blessing with the cross; and he inclineth +to the blessing full devoutly. And then the prelate giveth him +some manner fruit, to the number of nine, in a platter of silver, +with pears or apples, or other manner fruit. And he taketh one. +And then men give to the other lords that be about him. For the +custom is such, that no stranger shall come before him, but if he +give him some manner thing, after the old law that saith, NEMO +ACCEDAT IN CONSPECTU MEO VACUUS. And then the emperor saith to the +religious men, that they withdraw them again, that they be neither +hurt nor harmed of the great multitude of horses that come behind +him. And also, in the same manner, do the religious men that dwell +there, to the empresses that pass by them, and to his eldest son. +And to every of them they present fruit. + +And ye shall understand, that the people that he hath so many hosts +of, about him and about his wives and his soil, they dwell not +continually with him. But always, when him liketh, they be sent +for. And after, when they have done, they return to their own +households, save only they that be dwelling with him in household +for to serve him and his wives and his sons for to govern his +household. And albeit, that the others be departed from him after +that they have performed their service, yet there abideth +continually with him in court 50,000 men at horse and 200,000 men a +foot, without minstrels and those that keep wild beasts and divers +birds, of the which I have told you the number before. + +Under the firmament is not so great a lord, ne so mighty, ne so +rich as is the great Chan; not Prester John, that is emperor of the +high Ind, ne the Soldan of Babylon, ne the Emperor of Persia. All +these ne be not in comparison to the great Chan, neither of might, +ne of noblesse, ne of royalty, ne of riches; for in all these he +passeth all earthly princes. Wherefore it is great harm that he +believeth not faithfully in God. And natheles he will gladly hear +speak of God. And he suffereth well that Christian men dwell in +his lordship, and that men of his faith be made Christian men if +they will, throughout all his country; for he defendeth no man to +hold no law other than him liketh. + +In that country some men hath an hundred wives, some sixty, some +more, some less. And they take the next of their kin to their +wives, save only that they out-take their mothers, their daughters, +and their sisters of the mother's side; but their sisters on the +father's side of another woman they may well take, and their +brothers' wives also after their death, and their step-mothers also +in the same wise. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + + + +OF THE LAW AND THE CUSTOMS OF THE TARTARIANS DWELLING IN CATHAY. +AND HOW THAT MEN DO WHEN THE EMPEROR SHALL DIE, AND HOW HE SHALL BE +CHOSEN + + +THE folk of that country use all long clothes without furs. And +they be clothed with precious cloths of Tartary, and of cloths of +gold. And their clothes be slit at the side, and they be fastened +with laces of silk. And they clothe them also with pilches, and +the hide without; and they use neither cape ne hood. And in the +same manner as the men go, the women go, so that no man may unneth +know the men from the women, save only those women that be married, +that bear the token upon their heads of a man's foot, in sign that +they be under man's foot and under subjection of man. + +And their wives ne dwell not together, but every of them by +herself; and the husband may lie with whom of them that him liketh. +Everych hath his house, both man and woman. And their houses be +made round of staves, and it hath a round window above that giveth +them light, and also that serveth for deliverance of smoke. And +the heling of their houses and the walls and the doors be all of +wood. And when they go to war, they lead their houses with them +upon chariots, as men do tents or pavilions. And they make their +fire in the midst of their houses. + +And they have great multitude of all manner of beasts, save only of +swine, for they bring none forth. And they believe well one God +that made and formed all things. And natheles yet have they idols +of gold and silver, and of tree and of cloth. And to those idols +they offer always their first milk of their beasts, and also of +their meats and of their drinks before they eat. And they offer +often-times horses and beasts. And they clepe the God of kind +YROGA. + +And their emperor also, what name that ever he have, they put +evermore thereto, Chan. And when I was there, their emperor had to +name Thiaut, so that he was clept Thiaut-Chan. And his eldest son +was clept Tossue; and when he shall be emperor, he shall be clept +Tossue-Chan. And at that time the emperor had twelve sons without +him, that were named Cuncy, Ordii, Chadahay, Buryn, Negu, Nocab, +Cadu, [Siban], Cuten, Balacy, Babylan, and Garegan. And of his +three wives, the first and principal, that was Prester John's +daughter, had to name Serioche-Chan, and the tother Borak-Chan, and +the tother Karanke-Chan. + +The folk of that country begin all their things in the new moon, +and they worship much the moon and the sun and often-time kneel +against them. And all the folk of the country ride commonly +without spurs, but they bear always a little whip in their hands +for to chace with their horses. + +And they have great conscience and hold it for a great sin to cast +a knife in the fire, and for to draw flesh out of a pot with a +knife, and for to smite an horse with the handle of a whip, or to +smite an horse with a bridle, or to break one bone with another, or +for to cast milk or any liquor that men may drink upon the earth, +or for to take and slay little children. And the most sin that any +man may do is to piss in their houses that they dwell in, and whoso +that may be found with that sin sikerly they slay him. And of +everych of these sins it behoveth them to be shriven of their +priests, and to pay great sum of silver for their penance. And it +behoveth also, that the place that men have pissed in be hallowed +again, and else dare no man enter therein. And when they have paid +their penance, men make them pass through a fire or through two, +for to cleanse them of their sins. And also when any messenger +cometh and bringeth letters or any present to the emperor, it +behoveth him that he, with the thing that he bringeth, pass through +two burning fires for to purge them, that he bring no poison ne +venom, ne no wicked thing that might be grievance to the Lord. And +also if any man or woman be taken in avoutry or fornication, anon +they slay him. And who that stealeth anything, anon they slay him. + +Men of that country be all good archers and shoot right well, both +men and women, as well on horse-back, pricking, as on foot, +running. And the women make all things and all manner mysteries +and crafts, as of clothes, boots and other things; and they drive +carts, ploughs and wains and chariots; and they make houses and all +manner mysteres, out taken bows and arrows and armours that men +make. And all the women wear breeches, as well as men. + +All the folk of that country be full obeissant to their sovereigns; +ne they fight not, ne chide not one with another. And there be +neither thieves ne robbers in that country. And every man +worshippeth other; but no man there doth no reverence to no +strangers, but if they be great princes. + +And they eat hounds, lions, leopards, mares and foals, asses, rats +and mice and all manner of beasts, great and small, save only swine +and beasts that were defended by the old law. And they eat all the +beasts without and within, without casting away of anything, save +only the filth. And they eat but little bread, but if it be in +courts of great lords. And they have not in many places, neither +pease ne beans ne none other pottages but the broth of the flesh. +For little eat they anything but flesh and the broth. And when +they have eaten, they wipe their hands upon their skirts; for they +use no napery ne towels, but if it be before great lords; but the +common people hath none. And when they have eaten, they put their +dishes unwashen into the pot or cauldron with remnant of the flesh +and of the broth till they will eat again. And the rich men drink +milk of mares or of camels or of asses or of other beasts. And +they will be lightly drunken of milk and of another drink that is +made of honey and of water sodden together; for in that country is +neither wine ne ale. They live full wretchedly, and they eat but +once in the day, and that but little, neither in courts ne in other +places. And in sooth, one man alone in this country will eat more +in a day than one of them will eat in three days. And if any +strange messenger come there to a lord, men make him to eat but +once a day, and that full little. + +And when they war, they war full wisely and always do their +business, to destroy their enemies. Every man there beareth two +bows or three, and of arrows great plenty, and a great axe. And +the gentles have short spears and large and full trenchant on that +one side. And they have plates and helms made of quyrboylle, and +their horses covertures of the same. And whoso fleeth from the +battle they slay him. And when they hold any siege about castle or +town that is walled and defensible, they behote to them that be +within to do all the profit and good, that it is marvel to hear; +and they grant also to them that be within all that they will ask +them. And after that they be yielden, anon they slay them all; and +cut off their ears and souse them in vinegar, and thereof they make +great service for lords. All their lust and all their imagination +is for to put all lands under their subjection. And they say that +they know well by their prophecies, that they shall be overcome by +archers and by strength of them; but they know not of what nation +ne of what law they shall be of, that shall overcome them. And +therefore they suffer that folk of all laws may peaceably dwell +amongst them. + +Also when they will make their idols or an image of any of their +friends for to have remembrance of him, they make always the image +all naked without any manner of clothing. For they say that in +good love should be no covering, that man should not love for the +fair clothing ne for the rich array, but only for the body, such as +God hath made it, and for the good virtues that the body is endowed +with of Nature, not only for fair clothing that is not of kindly +Nature. + +And ye shall understand that it is great dread for to pursue the +Tartars if they flee in battle. For in fleeing they shoot behind +them and slay both men and horses. And when they will fight they +will shock them together in a plump; that if there be 20,000 men, +men shall not ween that there be scant 10,000. And they can well +win land of strangers, but they cannot keep it; for they have +greater lust to lie in tents without than for to lie in castle or +in towns. And they prize nothing the wit of other nations. + +And amongst them oil of olive is full dear, for they hold it for +full noble medicine. And all the Tartars have small eyen and +little of beard, and not thick haired but shear. And they be false +and traitors; and they last nought that they behote. They be full +hardy folk, and much pain and woe may suffer and disease, more than +any other folk, for they be taught thereto in their own country of +youth. And therefore they spend as who saith, right nought. + +And when any man shall die, men set a spear beside him. And when +he draweth towards the death, every man fleeth out of the house +till he be dead. And after that they bury him in the fields. + +And when the emperor dieth, men set him in a chair in midst the +place of his tent. And men set a table before him clean, covered +with a cloth, and thereupon flesh and diverse viands and a cup full +of mare's milk. And men put a mare beside him with her foal, and +an horse saddled and bridled. And they lay upon the horse gold and +silver, great quantity. And they put about him great plenty of +straw. And then men make a great pit and a large, and with the +tent and all these other things they put him in earth. And they +say that when he shall come into another world, he shall not be +without an house, ne without horse, ne without gold and silver; and +the mare shall give him milk, and bring him forth more horses till +he be well stored in the tother world. For they trow that after +their death they shall be eating and drinking in that other world, +and solacing them with their wives, as they did here. + +And after time that the emperor is thus interred no man shall be so +hardy to speak of him before his friends. And yet natheles, +sometime falleth of many that they make him to be interred privily +by night in wild places, and put again the grass over the pit for +to grow; or else men cover the pit with gravel and sand, that no +man shall perceive where, ne know where, the pit is, to that intent +that never after none of his friends shall have mind ne remembrance +of him. And then they say that he is ravished into another world, +where he is a greater lord than he was here. + +And then, after the death of the emperor, the seven lineages +assemble them together, and choose his eldest son, or the next +after him of his blood. And thus they say to him; we will and we +pray and ordain that ye be our lord and our emperor. + +And then he answereth, If ye will that I reign over you as lord, do +everych of you that I shall command him, either to abide or to go; +and whomsoever that I command to be slain, that anon he be slain. + +And they answer all with one voice, Whatsoever ye command, it shall +be done. + +Then saith the emperor, Now understand well, that my word from +henceforth is sharp and biting as a sword. + +After, men set him upon a black steed and so men bring him to a +chair full richly arrayed, and there they crown him. And then all +the cities and good towns send him rich presents. So that at that +journey he shall have more than sixty chariots charged with gold +silver, without jewels of gold and precious stones, that lords gave +him, that be without estimation, and without horses, and cloths of +gold, and of camakas, and tartarins that be without number. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + + + +OF THE REALM OF THARSE AND THE LANDS AND KINGDOMS TOWARDS THE +SEPTENTRIONAL PARTS, IN COMING DOWN FROM THE LAND OF CATHAY + + +THIS land of Cathay is in Asia the deep; and after, on this half, +is Asia the more. The kingdom of Cathay marcheth toward the west +unto the kingdom of Tharse, the which was one of the kings that +came to present our Lord in Bethlehem. And they that be of the +lineage of that king are some Christian. In Tharse they eat no +flesh, ne they drink no wine. + +And on this half, toward the west, is the kingdom of Turkestan, +that stretcheth him toward the west to the kingdom of Persia, and +toward the septentrional to the kingdom of Khorasan. In the +country of Turkestan be but few good cities; but the best city of +that land hight Octorar. There be great pastures, but few corns; +and therefore, for the most part, they be all herdsmen, and they +lie in tents and they drink a manner ale made of honey. + +And after, on this half, is the kingdom of Khorasan, that is a good +land and a plenteous, without wine. And it hath a desert toward +the east that lasteth more than an hundred journeys. And the best +city of that country is clept Khorasan, and of that city beareth +the country his name. The folk of that country be hardy warriors. + +And on this half is the kingdom of Comania, whereof the Comanians +that dwelled in Greece sometime were chased out. This is one of +the greatest kingdoms of the world, but it is not all inhabited. +For at one of the parts there is so great cold that no man may +dwell there; and in another part there is so great heat that no man +may endure it, and also there be so many flies, that no man may +know on what side he may turn him. In that country is but little +arboury ne trees that bear fruit ne other. They lie in tents; and +they burn the dung of beasts for default of wood. This kingdom +descendeth on this half toward us and toward Prussia and toward +Russia. + +And through that country runneth the river of Ethille that is one +of the greatest rivers of the world. And it freezeth so strongly +all years that many times men have fought upon the ice with great +hosts, both parties on foot, and their horses voided for the time, +and what on horse and on foot, more than 200,000 persons on every +side. + +And between that river and the great sea Ocean, that they clepe the +Sea Maure, lie all these realms. And toward the head, beneath, in +that realm is the Mount Chotaz, that is the highest mount of the +world, and it is between the Sea Maure and the Sea Caspian. There +is full strait and dangerous passage for to go toward Ind. And +therefore King Alexander let make there a strong city, that men +clepe Alexandria, for to keep the country that no man should pass +without his leave. And now men clepe that city, the Gate of Hell. + +And the principal city of Comania is clept Sarak, that is one of +the three ways for to go into Ind. But by that way, ne may not +pass no great multitude of people, but if it be in winter. And +that passage men clepe the Derbent. The tother way is for to go +from the city of Turkestan by Persia, and by that way be many +journeys by desert. And the third way is that cometh from Comania +and then to go by the Great Sea and by the kingdom of Abchaz. + +And ye shall understand, that all these kingdoms and all these +lands above-said unto Prussia and to Russia be all obeissant to the +great Chan of Cathay, and many other countries that march to other +coasts. Wherefore his power and his lordship is full great and +full mighty. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + + + +THE EMPEROR OF PERSIA, AND OF THE LAND OF DARKNESS; AND OF OTHER +KINGDOMS THAT BELONG TO THE GREAT CHAN OF CATHAY, AND OTHER LANDS +OF HIS, UNTO THE SEA OF GREECE + + +NOW, since I have devised you the lands and the kingdoms toward the +parts Septentrionals in coming down from the land of Cathay unto +the lands of the Christian, towards Prussia and Russia, - now shall +I devise you of other lands and kingdoms coming down by other +coasts, toward the right side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the +land of Christian men. And, therefore, that after Ind and after +Cathay the Emperor of Persia is the greatest lord, therefore, I +shall tell you of the kingdom of Persia. + +First, where he hath two kingdoms, the first kingdom beginneth +toward the east, toward the kingdom of Turkestan, and it stretcheth +toward the west unto the river of Pison, that is one of the four +rivers that come out of Paradise. And on another side it +stretcheth toward the Septentrion unto the sea of Caspian; and also +toward the south unto the desert of Ind. And this country is good +and plain and full of people. And there be many good cities. But +the two principal cities be these, Boyturra, and Seornergant, that +some men clepe Sormagant. The tother kingdom of Persia stretcheth +toward the river of Pison and the parts of the west unto the +kingdom of Media, and from the great Armenia and toward the +Septentrion to the sea of Caspian and toward the south to the land +of Ind. That is also a good land and a plenteous, and it hath +three great principal cities - Messabor, Saphon, and Sarmassan. + +And then after is Armenia, in the which were wont to be four +kingdoms; that is a noble country and full of goods. And it +beginneth at Persia and stretcheth toward the west in length unto +Turkey. And in largeness it dureth to the city of Alexandria, that +now is clept the Gate of Hell, that I spake of before, under the +kingdom of Media. In this Armenia be full many good cities, but +Taurizo is most of name. + +After this is the kingdom of Media, that is full long, but it is +not full large, that beginneth toward the east to the land of +Persia and to Ind the less; and it stretcheth toward the west, +toward the kingdom of Chaldea and toward the Septentrion, +descending toward the little Armenia. In that kingdom of Media +there be many great hills and little of plain earth. There dwell +Saracens and another manner of folk, that men clepe Cordynes. The +best two cities of that kingdom be Sarras and Karemen. + +After that is the kingdom of Georgia, that beginneth toward the +east to the great mountain that is clept Abzor, where that dwell +many diverse folk of diverse nations. And men clepe the country +Alamo. This kingdom stretcheth him towards Turkey and toward the +Great Sea, and toward the south it marcheth to the great Armenia. +And there be two kingdoms in that country; that one is the kingdom +of Georgia, and that other is the kingdom of Abchaz. And always in +that country be two kings; and they be both Christian. But the +king of Georgia is in subjection to the great Chan. And the king +of Abchaz hath the more strong country, and he always vigorously +defendeth his country against all those that assail him, so that no +man may make him in subjection to no man. + +In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel. For a province of the +country that hath well in circuit three journeys, that men clepe +Hanyson, is all covered with darkness, without any brightness or +light; so that no man may see ne hear, ne no man dare enter into +him. And, natheles, they of the country say, that some-times men +hear voice of folk, and horses neighing, and cocks crowing. And +men wit well, that men dwell there, but they know not what men. +And they say, that the darkness befell by miracle of God. For a +cursed emperor of Persia, that hight Saures, pursued all Christian +men to destroy them and to compel them to make sacrifice to his +idols, and rode with great host, in all that ever he might, for to +confound the Christian men. And then in that country dwelled many +good Christian men, the which that left their goods and would have +fled into Greece. And when they were in a plain that hight Megon, +anon this cursed emperor met with them with his host for to have +slain them and hewn them to pieces. And anon the Christian men +kneeled to the ground, and made their prayers to God to succour +them. And anon a great thick cloud came and covered the emperor +and all his host. And so they endure in that manner that they ne +may not go out on no side; and so shall they evermore abide in that +darkness till the day of doom, by the miracle of God. And then the +Christian men went where them liked best, at their own pleasance, +without letting of any creature, and their enemies enclosed and +confounded in darkness, without any stroke. + +Wherefore we may well say with David, A DOMINO FACTUM EST ISTUD; & +EST MIRABILE IN OCULIS NOSTRIS. And that was a great miracle, that +God made for them. Wherefore methinketh that Christian men should +be more devout to serve our Lord God than any other men of any +other sect. For without any dread, ne were not cursedness and sin +of Christian men, they should be lords of all the world. For the +banner of Jesu Christ is always displayed, and ready on all sides +to the help of his true loving servants. Insomuch, that one good +Christian man in good belief should overcome and out-chase a +thousand cursed misbelieving men, as David saith in the Psalter, +QUONIAM PERSEQUEBATUR UNUS MILLS, & DUO FUGARENT DECEM MILIA; ET +CADENT A LATERE TUO MILLE, & DECEM MILIA A DEXTRIS TUIS. And how +that it might be that one should chase a thousand, David himself +saith following, QUIA MANUS DOMINI FECIT HAEC OMNIA, and our Lord +himself saith, by the prophet's mouth, SI IN VIIS MEIS +AMBULAVERITIS, SUPER TRIBULANTES VOS MISISSEM MANUM MEAM. So that +we may see apertly that if we will be good men, no enemy may not +endure against us. + +Also ye shall understand that out of that land of darkness goeth +out a great river that sheweth well that there be folk dwelling, by +many ready tokens; but no man dare not enter into it. + +And wit well, that in the kingdoms of Georgia, of Abchaz and of the +little Armenia be good Christian men and devout. For they shrive +them and housel them evermore once or twice in the week. And there +be many of them that housel them every day; and so do we not on +this half, albeit that Saint Paul commandeth it, saying, OMNIBUS +DIEBUS DOMINICIS AD COMMUNICANDUM HORTOR. They keep that +commandment, but we ne keep it not. + +Also after, on this half, is Turkey, that marcheth to the great +Armenia. And there be many provinces, as Cappadocia, Saure, +Brique, Quesiton, Pytan, and Gemethe. And in everych of these be +many good cities. This Turkey stretcheth unto the city of Sachala +that sitteth upon the sea of Greece, and so it marcheth to Syria. +Syria is a great country and a good, as I have told you before. +And also it hath, above toward Ind, the kingdom of Chaldea, that +stretcheth from the mountains of Chaldea toward the east unto the +city of Nineveh, that sitteth upon the river of Tigris; and in +largeness it beginneth toward the north to the city of Maraga; and +it stretcheth toward the south unto the sea Ocean. In Chaldea is a +plain country, and few hills and few rivers. + +After is the kingdom of Mesopotamia, that beginneth, toward the +east, to the flom of Tigris, unto a city that is clept Mosul; and +it stretcheth toward the west to the flom of Euphrates unto a city +that is clept Roianz; and in length it goeth to the mount of +Armenia unto the desert of Ind the less. This is a good country +and a plain, but it hath few rivers. It hath but two mountains in +that country, of the which one hight Symar and that other Lyson. +And this land marcheth to the kingdom of Chaldea. + +Yet there is, toward the parts Meridionals many countries and many +regions, as the land of Ethiopia, that marcheth, toward the east to +the great deserts, toward the west to the kingdom of Nubia, toward +the south to the kingdom of Moretane, and toward the north to the +Red Sea. + +After is Moretane, that dureth from the mountains of Ethiopia unto +Lybia the high. And that country lieth along from the sea ocean +toward the south; and toward the north it marcheth to Nubia and to +the high Lybia. (These men of Nubia be Christian.) And it +marcheth from the lands above-said to the deserts of Egypt, and +that is the Egypt that I have spoken of before. + +And after is Lybia the high and Lybia the low, that descendeth down +low toward the great sea of Spain, in the which country be many +kingdoms and many diverse folk. + +Now I have devised you many countries on this half the kingdom of +Cathay, of the which many be obeissant to the great Chan. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + + + +OF THE COUNTRIES AND ISLES THAT BE BEYOND THE LAND OF CATHAY; AND +OF THE FRUITS THERE; AND OF TWENTY-TWO KINGS ENCLOSED WITHIN THE +MOUNTAINS + + +NOW shall I say you, suingly, of countries and isles that be beyond +the countries that I have spoken of. + +Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward the +high Ind and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that men clepe +Caldilhe, that is a full fair country. + +And there groweth a manner of fruit, as though it were gourds. And +when they be ripe, men cut them a-two, and men find within a little +beast, in flesh, in bone, and blood, as though it were a little +lamb without wool. And men eat both the fruit and the beast. And +that is a great marvel. Of that fruit I have eaten, although it +were wonderful, but that I know well that God is marvellous in his +works. And, natheles, I told them of as great a marvel to them, +that is amongst us, and that was of the Bernakes. For I told them +that in our country were trees that bear a fruit that become birds +flying, and those that fell in the water live, and they that fall +on the earth die anon, and they be right good to man's meat. And +hereof had they as great marvel, that some of them trowed it were +an impossible thing to be. + +In that country be long apples of good savour, whereof be more than +an hundred in a cluster, and as many in another; and they have +great long leaves and large, of two foot long or more. And in that +country, and in other countries thereabout, grow many trees that +bear clove-gylofres and nutmegs, and great nuts of Ind, and of +Canell and of many other spices. And there be vines that bear so +great grapes, that a strong man should have enough to do for to +bear one cluster with all the grapes. + +In that same region be the mountains of Caspian that men crepe Uber +in the country. Between those mountains the Jews of ten lineages +be enclosed, that men clepe Goth and Magoth and they may not go out +on no side. There were enclosed twenty-two kings with their +people, that dwelled between the mountains of Scythia. There King +Alexander chased them between those mountains, and there he thought +for to enclose them through work of his men. But when he saw that +he might not do it, ne bring it to an end, he prayed to God of +nature that he would perform that that he had begun. And all were +it so, that he was a paynim and not worthy to be heard, yet God of +his grace closed the mountains together, so that they dwell there +all fast locked and enclosed with high mountains all about, save +only on one side, and on that side is the sea of Caspian. + +Now may some men ask, since that the sea is on that one side, +wherefore go they not out on the sea side, for to go where that +them liketh? + +But to this question, I shall answer; that sea of Caspian goeth out +by land under the mountains, and runneth by the desert at one side +of the country, and after it stretcheth unto the ends of Persia, +and although it be clept a sea, it is no sea, ne it toucheth to +none other sea, but it is a lake, the greatest of the world; and +though they would put them into that sea, they ne wist never where +that they should arrive; and also they can no language but only +their own, that no man knoweth but they; and therefore may they not +go out. + +And also ye shall understand, that the Jews have no proper land of +their own for to dwell in, in all the world, but only that land +between the mountains. And yet they yield tribute for that land to +the Queen of Amazonia, the which that maketh them to be kept in +close full diligently, that they shall not go out on no side but by +the coast of their land; for their land marcheth to those +mountains. + +And often it hath befallen, that some of the Jews have gone up the +mountains and avaled down to the valleys. But great number of folk +ne may not do so, for the mountains be so high and so straight up, +that they must abide there, maugre their might. For they may not +go out, but by a little issue that was made by strength of men, and +it lasteth well a four great mile. + +And after, is there yet a land all desert, where men may find no +water, neither for digging ne for none other thing. Wherefore men +may not dwell in that place, so is it full of dragons, of serpents +and of other venomous beasts, that no man dare not pass, but if it +be strong winter. And that strait passage men clepe in that +country Clyron. And that is the passage that the Queen of Amazonia +maketh to be kept. And though it happen some of them by fortune to +go out, they can no manner of language but Hebrew, so that they +cannot speak to the people. + +And yet, natheles, men say they shall go out in the time of anti- +Christ, and that they shall make great slaughter of Christian men. +And therefore all the Jews that dwell in all lands learn always to +speak Hebrew, in hope, that when the other Jews shall go out, that +they may understand their speech, and to lead them into Christendom +for to destroy the Christian people. For the Jews say that they +know well by their prophecies, that they of Caspia shall go out, +and spread throughout all the world, and that the Christian men +shall be under their subjection, as long as they have been in +subjection of them. + +And if that you will wit how that they shall find their way, after +that I have heard say I shall tell you. + +In the time of anti-Christ a fox shall make there his train, and +mine an hole where King Alexander let make the gates; and so long +he shall mine and pierce the earth, till that he shall pass through +towards that folk. And when they see the fox, they shall have +great marvel of him, because that they saw never such a beast. For +of all other beasts they have enclosed amongst them, save only the +fox. And then they shall chase him and pursue him so strait, till +that he come to the same place that he came from. And then they +shall dig and mine so strongly, till that they find the gates that +King Alexander let make of great stones, and passing huge, well +cemented and made strong for the mastery. And those gates they +shall break, and so go out by finding of that issue. + +From that land go men toward the land of Bacharia, where be full +evil folk and full cruel. In that land be trees that bear wool, as +though it were of sheep, whereof men make clothes and all things +that may be made of wool. + +In that country be many hippotaynes that dwell some-time in the +water and sometime on the land. And they be half man and half +horse, as I have said before. And they eat men when they may take +them. + +And there be rivers of waters that be full bitter, three sithes +more than is the water of the sea. + +In that country be many griffins, more plenty than in any other +country. Some men say that they have the body upward as an eagle +and beneath as a lion; and truly they say sooth, that they be of +that shape. But one griffin hath the body more great and is more +strong than eight lions, of such lions as be on this half, and more +great and stronger than an hundred eagles such as we have amongst +us. For one griffin there will bear, flying to his nest, a great +horse, if he may find him at the point, or two oxen yoked together +as they go at the plough. For he hath his talons so long and so +large and great upon his feet, as though they were horns of great +oxen or of bugles or of kine, so that men make cups of them to +drink of. And of their ribs and of the pens of their wings, men +make bows, full strong, to shoot with arrows and quarrels. + +From thence go men by many journeys through the land of Prester +John, the great Emperor of Ind. And men clepe his realm the isle +of Pentexoire. + + + +CHAPTER XXX + + + +OF THE ROYAL ESTATE OF PRESTER JOHN. AND OF A RICH MAN THAT MADE A +MARVELLOUS CASTLE AND CLEPED IT PARADISE; AND OF HIS SUBTLETY + + +THIS emperor, Prester John, holds full great land, and hath many +full noble cities and good towns in his realm, and many great +diverse isles and large. For all the country of Ind is devised in +isles for the great floods that come from Paradise, that depart all +the land in many parts. And also in the sea he hath full many +isles. And the best city in the Isle of Pentexoire is Nyse, that +is a full royal city and a noble, and full rich. + +This Prester John hath under him many kings and many isles and many +diverse folk of diverse conditions. And this land is full good and +rich, but not so rich as is the land of the great Chan. For the +merchants come not thither so commonly for to buy merchandises, as +they do in the land of the great Chan, for it is too far to travel +to. And on that other part, in the Isle of Cathay, men find all +manner thing that is need to man - cloths of gold, of silk, of +spicery and all manner avoirdupois. And therefore, albeit that men +have greater cheap in the Isle of Prester John, natheles, men dread +the long way and the great perils in the sea in those parts. + +For in many places of the sea be great rocks of stones of the +adamant, that of his proper nature draweth iron to him. And +therefore there pass no ships that have either bonds or nails of +iron within them. And if there do, anon the rocks of the adamants +draw them to them, that never they may go thence. I myself have +seen afar in that sea, as though it had been a great isle full of +tree, and buscaylle, full of thorns and briars, great plenty. And +the shipmen told us, that all that was of ships that were drawn +thither by the adamants, for the iron that was in them. And of the +rotten-ness, and other thing that was within the ships, grew such +buscaylle, and thorns and briars and green grass, and such manner +of thing; and of the masts and the sail-yards; it seemed a great +wood or a grove. And such rocks be in many places thereabout. And +therefore dare not the merchants pass there, but if they know well +the passages, or else that they have good lodesmen. + +And also they dread the long way. And therefore they go to Cathay, +for it is more nigh. And yet it is not so nigh, but that men must +be travelling by sea and land, eleven months or twelve, from Genoa +or from Venice, or he come to Cathay. And yet is the land of +Prester John more far by many dreadful journeys. + +And the merchants pass by the kingdom of Persia, and go to a city +that is Clept Hermes, for Hermes the philosopher founded it. And +after that they pass an arm of the sea, and then they go to another +city that is clept Golbache. And there they find merchandises, and +of popinjays, as great plenty as men find here of geese. And if +they will pass further, they may go sikerly enough. In that +country is but little wheat or barley, and therefore they eat rice +and honey and milk and cheese and fruit. + +This Emperor Prester John taketh always to his wife the daughter of +the great Chan; and the great Chan also, in the same wise, the +daughter of Prester John. For these two be the greatest lords +under the firmament. + +In the land of Prester John be many diverse things and many +precious stones, so great and so large, that men make of them +vessels, as platters, dishes and cups. And many other marvels be +there, that it were too cumbrous and too long to put it in +scripture of books; but of the principal isles and of his estate +and of his law, I shall tell you some part. + +This Emperor Prester John is Christian, and a great part of his +country also. But yet, they have not all the articles of our faith +as we have. They believe well in the Father, in the Son and in the +Holy Ghost. And they be full devout and right true one to another. +And they set not by no barretts, ne by cautels, nor of no deceits. + +And he hath under him seventy-two provinces, and in every province +is a king. And these kings have kings under them, and all be +tributaries to Prester John. And he hath in his lordships many +great marvels. + +For in his country is the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea, that +is all gravel and sand, without any drop of water, and it ebbeth +and floweth in great waves as other seas do, and it is never still +ne in peace, in no manner season. And no man may pass that sea by +navy, ne by no manner of craft, and therefore may no man know what +land is beyond that sea. And albeit that it have no water, yet men +find therein and on the banks full good fish of other manner of +kind and shape, than men find in any other sea, and they be of +right good taste and delicious to man's meat. + +And a three journeys long from that sea be great mountains, out of +the which goeth out a great flood that cometh out of Paradise. And +it is full of precious stones, without any drop of water, and it +runneth through the desert on that one side, so that it maketh the +sea gravelly; and it beareth into that sea, and there it endeth. +And that flome runneth, also, three days in the week and bringeth +with him great stones and the rocks also therewith, and that great +plenty. And anon, as they be entered into the Gravelly Sea, they +be seen no more, but lost for evermore. And in those three days +that that river runneth, no man dare enter into it; but in the +other days men dare enter well enough. + +Also beyond that flome, more upward to the deserts, is a great +plain all gravelly, between the mountains. And in that plain, +every day at the sun-rising, begin to grow small trees, and they +grow till mid-day, bearing fruit; but no man dare take of that +fruit, for it is a thing of faerie. And after mid-day, they +decrease and enter again into the earth, so that at the going down +of the sun they appear no more. And so they do, every day. And +that is a great marvel. + +In that desert be many wild men, that be hideous to look on; for +they be horned, and they speak nought, but they grunt, as pigs. +And there is also great plenty of wild hounds. And there be many +popinjays, that they clepe psittakes their language. And they +speak of their proper nature, and salute men that go through the +deserts, and speak to them as apertly as though it were a man. And +they that speak well have a large tongue, and have five toes upon a +foot. And there be also of another manner, that have but three +toes upon a foot, and they speak not, or but little, for they can +not but cry. + +This Emperor Prester John when he goeth into battle against any +other lord, he hath no banners borne before him; but he hath three +crosses of gold, fine, great and high, full of precious stones, and +every of those crosses be set in a chariot, full richly arrayed. +And for to keep every cross, be ordained 10,000 men of arms and +more than 100,000 men on foot, in manner as men would keep a +standard in our countries, when that we be in land of war. And +this number of folk is without the principal host and without wings +ordained for the battle. And when he hath no war, but rideth with +a privy meinie, then he hath borne before him but one cross of +tree, without painting and without gold or silver or precious +stones, in remembrance that Jesu Christ suffered death upon a cross +of tree. And he hath borne before him also a platter of gold full +of earth, in token that his noblesse and his might and his flesh +shall turn to earth. And he hath borne before him also a vessel of +silver, full of noble jewels of gold full rich and of precious +stones, in token of his lordship and of his noblesse and of his +might. + +He dwelleth commonly in the city of Susa. And there is his +principal palace, that is so rich and so noble, that no man will +trow it by estimation, but he had seen it. And above the chief +tower of the palace be two round pommels of gold, and in everych of +them be two carbuncles great and large, that shine full bright upon +the night. And the principal gates of his palace be of precious +stone that men clepe sardonyx, and the border and the bars be of +ivory. And the windows of the halls and chambers be of crystal. +And the tables whereon men eat, some be of emeralds, some of +amethyst, and some of gold, full of precious stones; and the +pillars that bear up the tables be of the same precious stones. +And the degrees to go up to his throne, where he sitteth at the +meat, one is of onyx, another is of crystal, and another of jasper +green, another of amethyst, another of sardine, another of +cornelian, and the seventh, that he setteth on his feet, is of +chrysolite. And all these degrees be bordered with fine gold, with +the tother precious stones, set with great pearls orient. And the +sides of the siege of his throne be of emeralds, and bordered with +gold full nobly, and dubbed with other precious stones and great +pearls. And all the pillars in his chamber be of fine gold with +precious stones, and with many carbuncles, that give great light +upon the night to all people. And albeit that the carbuncles give +light right enough, natheles, at all times burneth a vessel of +crystal full of balm, for to give good smell and odour to the +emperor, and to void away all wicked airs and corruptions. And the +form of his bed is of fine sapphires, bended with gold, for to make +him sleep well and to refrain him from lechery; for he will not lie +with his wives, but four sithes in the year, after the four +seasons, and that is only for to engender children. + +He hath also a full fair palace and a noble at the city of Nyse, +where that he dwelleth, when him best liketh; but the air is not so +attempre, as it is at the city of Susa. + +And ye shall understand, that in all his country nor in the +countries there all about, men eat not but once in the day, as they +do in the court of the great Chan. And so they eat every day in +his court, more than 30,000 persons, without goers and comers. But +the 30,000 persons of his country, ne of the country of the great +Chan, ne spend not so much good as do 12,000 of our country. + +This Emperor Prester John hath evermore seven kings with him to +serve him, and they depart their service by certain months. And +with these kings serve always seventy-two dukes and three hundred +and sixty earls. And all the days of the year, there eat in his +household and in his court, twelve archbishops and twenty bishops. +And the patriarch of Saint Thomas is there as is the pope here. +And the archbishops and the bishops and the abbots in that country +be all kings. And everych of these great lords know well enough +the attendance of their service. The one is master of his +household, another is his chamberlain, another serveth him of a +dish, another of the cup, another is steward, another is marshal, +another is prince of his arms, and thus is he full nobly and +royally served. And his land dureth in very breadth four month's +journeys, and in length out of measure, that is to say, all isles +under earth that we suppose to be under us. + +Beside the isle of Pentexoire, that is the land of Prester John, is +a eat isle, long and broad, that men clepe Mistorak; and it is in +the lordship of Prester John. In that isle is great plenty of +goods. + +There was dwelling, sometime, a rich man; and it is not long since; +and men clept him Gatholonabes. And he was full of cautels and of +subtle deceits. And he had a full fair castle and a strong in a +mountain, so strong and so noble, that no man could devise a fairer +ne stronger. And he had let mure all the mountain about with a +strong wall and a fair. And within those walls he had the fairest +garden that any man might behold. And therein were trees bearing +all manner of fruits, that any man could devise. And therein were +also all manner virtuous herbs of good smell, and all other herbs +also that bear fair flowers. And he had also in that garden many +fair wells; and beside those wells he had let make fair halls and +fair chambers, depainted all with gold and azure; and there were in +that place many diverse things, and many diverse stories: and of +beasts, and of birds that sung full delectably and moved by craft, +that it seemed that they were quick. And he had also in his garden +all manner of fowls and of beasts that any man might think on, for +to have play or sport to behold them. + +And he had also, in that place, the fairest damsels that might be +found, under the age of fifteen years, and the fairest young +striplings that men might get, of that same age. And all they were +clothed in cloths of gold, full richly. And he said that those +were angels. + +And he had also let make three wells, fair and noble and all +environed with stone of jasper, of crystal, diapered with gold, and +set with precious stones and great orient pearls. And he had made +a conduit under earth, so that the three wells, at his list, one +should run milk, another wine and another honey. And that place he +clept Paradise. + +And when that any good knight, that was hardy and noble, came to +see this royalty, he would lead him into his paradise, and show him +these wonderful things to his disport, and the marvellous and +delicious song of diverse birds, and the fair damsels, and the fair +wells of milk, of wine and of honey, plenteously running. And he +would let make divers instruments of music to sound in an high +tower, so merrily, that it was joy for to hear; and no man should +see the craft thereof. And those, he said, were angels of God, and +that place was Paradise, that God had behight to his friends, +saying, DABO VOBIS TERRAM FLUENTEM LACTE ET MELLE. And then would +he make them to drink of certain drink, whereof anon they should be +drunk. And then would them think greater delight than they had +before. And then would he say to them, that if they would die for +him and for his love, that after their death they should come to +his paradise; and they should be of the age of those damosels, and +they should play with them, and yet be maidens. And after that yet +should he put them in a fairer paradise, where that they should see +God of nature visibly, in his majesty and in his bliss. And then +would he shew them his intent, and say them, that if they would go +slay such a lord, or such a man that was his enemy or contrarious +to his list, that they should not dread to do it and for to be +slain therefore themselves. For after their death, he would put +them into another paradise, that was an hundred-fold fairer than +any of the tother; and there should they dwell with the most +fairest damosels that might be, and play with them ever-more. + +And thus went many diverse lusty bachelors for to slay great lords +in diverse countries, that were his enemies, and made themselves to +be slain, in hope to have that paradise. And thus, often-time, he +was revenged of his enemies by his subtle deceits and false +cautels. + +And when the worthy men of the country had perceived this subtle +falsehood of this Gatholonabes, they assembled them with force, and +assailed his castle, and slew him, and destroyed all the fair +places and all the nobilities of that paradise. The place of the +wells and of the walls and of many other things be yet apertly +seen, but the riches is voided clean. And it is not long gone, +since that place was destroyed. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + + + +OF THE DEVIL'S HEAD IN THE VALLEY PERILOUS. AND OF THE CUSTOMS OF +FOLK IN DIVERSE ISLES THAT BE ABOUT IN THE LORDSHIP OF PRESTER JOHN + + +BESIDE that Isle of Mistorak upon the left side nigh to the river +of Pison is a marvellous thing. There is a vale between the +mountains, that dureth nigh a four mile. And some men clepe it the +Vale Enchanted, some clepe it the Vale of Devils, and some clepe it +the Vale Perilous. In that vale hear men often-time great tempests +and thunders, and great murmurs and noises, all days and nights, +and great noise, as it were sound of tabors and of nakers and of +trumps, as though it were of a great feast. This vale is all full +of devils, and hath been always. And men say there, that it is one +of the entries of hell. In that vale is great plenty of gold and +silver. Wherefore many misbelieving men, and many Christian men +also, go in oftentime for to have of the treasure that there is; +but few come again, and namely of the misbelieving men, ne of the +Christian men neither, for anon they be strangled of devils. + +And in mid place of that vale, under a rock, is an head and the +visage of a devil bodily, full horrible and dreadful to see, and it +sheweth not but the head, to the shoulders. But there is no man in +the world so hardy, Christian man ne other, but that he would be +adread to behold it, and that it would seem him to die for dread, +so is it hideous for to behold. For he beholdeth every man so +sharply with dreadful eyen, that be evermore moving and sparkling +as fire, and changeth and stirreth so often in diverse manner, with +so horrible countenance, that no man dare not neighen towards him. +And from him cometh out smoke and stinking fire and so much +abomination, that unnethe no man may there endure. + +But the good Christian men, that be stable in the faith, enter well +without peril. For they will first shrive them and mark them with +the token of the holy cross, so that the fiends ne have no power +over them. But albeit that they be without peril, yet, natheles, +ne be they not without dread, when that they see the devils visibly +and bodily all about them, that make full many diverse assaults and +menaces, in air and in earth, and aghast them with strokes of +thunder-blasts and of tempests. And the most dread is, that God +will take vengeance then of that that men have misdone against his +will. + +And ye shall understand, that when my fellows and I were in that +vale, we were in great thought, whether that we durst put our +bodies in adventure, to go in or not, in the protection of God. +And some of our fellows accorded to enter, and some not. So there +were with us two worthy men, friars minors, that were of Lombardy, +that said, that if any man would enter they would go in with us. +And when they had said so, upon the gracious trust of God and of +them, we let sing mass, and made every man to be shriven and +houseled. And then we entered fourteen persons; but at our going +out we were but nine. And so we wist never, whether that our +fellows were lost, or else turned again for dread. But we saw them +never after; and those were two men of Greece, and three of Spain. +And our other fellows that would not go in with us, they went by +another coast to be before us; and so they were. + +And thus we passed that perilous vale, and found therein gold and +silver, and precious stones and rich jewels, great plenty, both +here and there, as us seemed. But whether that it was, as us +seemed, I wot never. For I touched none, because that the devils +be so subtle to make a thing to seem otherwise than it is, for to +deceive mankind. And therefore I touched none, and also because +that I would not be put out of my devotion; for I was more devout +then, than ever I was before or after, and all for the dread of +fiends that I saw in diverse figures, and also for the great +multitude of dead bodies, that I saw there lying by the way, by all +the vale, as though there had been a battle between two kings, and +the mightiest of the country, and that the greater part had been +discomfited and slain. And I trow, that unnethe should any country +have so much people within him, as lay slain in that vale as us +thought, the which was an hideous sight to see. And I marvelled +much, that there were so many, and the bodies all whole without +rotting. But I trow, that fiends made them seem to be so whole +without rotting. But that might not be to mine advice that so many +should have entered so newly, ne so many newly slain, with out +stinking and rotting. And many of them were in habit of Christian +men, but I trow well, that it were of such that went in for +covetise of the treasure that was there, and had overmuch +feebleness in the faith; so that their hearts ne might not endure +in the belief for dread. And therefore were we the more devout a +great deal. And yet we were cast down, and beaten down many times +to the hard earth by winds and thunders and tempests. But evermore +God of his grace holp us. And so we passed that perilous vale +without peril and without encumbrance, thanked be Almighty God. + +After this, beyond the vale, is a great isle, where the folk be +great giants of twenty-eight foot long, or of thirty foot long. +And they have no clothing but of skins of beasts that they hang +upon them. And they eat no bread, but all raw flesh; and they +drink milk of beasts, for they have plenty of all bestial. And +they have no houses to lie in. And they eat more gladly man's +flesh than any other flesh. Into that isle dare no man gladly +enter. And if they see a ship and men therein, anon they enter +into the sea for to take them. + +And men said us, that in an isle beyond that were giants of greater +stature, some of forty-five foot, or of fifty foot long, and, as +some men say, some of fifty cubits long. But I saw none of those, +for I had no lust to go to those parts, because that no man cometh +neither into that isle ne into the other, but if he be devoured +anon. And among those giants be sheep as great as oxen here, and +they bear great wool and rough. Of the sheep I have seen many +times. And men have seen, many times, those giants take men in the +sea out of their ships, and brought them to land, two in one hand +and two in another, eating them going, all raw and all quick. + +Another isle is there toward the north, in the sea Ocean, where +that be full cruel and full evil women of nature. And they have +precious stones in their eyen. And they be of that kind, that if +they behold any man with wrath, they slay him anon with the +beholding, as doth the basilisk. + +Another isle is there, full fair and good and great, and full of +people, where the custom is such, that the first night that they be +married, they make another man to lie by their wives for to have +their maidenhead: and therefore they take great hire and great +thank. And there be certain men in every town that serve of none +other thing; and they clepe them cadeberiz, that is to say, the +fools of wanhope. For they of the country hold it so great a thing +and so perilous for to have the maidenhead of a woman, that them +seemeth that they that have first the maidenhead putteth him in +adventure of his life. And if the husband find his wife maiden +that other next night after that she should have been lain by of +the man that is assigned therefore, peradventure for drunkenness or +for some other cause, the husband shall plain upon him that he hath +not done his devoir, in such cruel wise as though the officers +would have slain him. But after the first night that they be lain +by, they keep them so straitly that they be not so hardy to speak +with no man. And I asked them the cause why that they held such +custom: and they said me, that of old time men had been dead for +deflowering of maidens, that had serpents in their bodies that +stung men upon their yards, that they died anon: and therefore +they held that customs to make other men ordained therefore to lie +by their wives, for dread of death, and to assay the passage by +another [rather] than for to put them in that adventure. + +After that is another isle where that women make great sorrow when +their children be y-born. And when they die, they make great feast +and great joy and revel, and then they cast them into a great fire +burning. And those that love well their husbands, if their +husbands be dead, they cast them also in the fire with their +children, and burn them. And they say that the fire shall cleanse +them of all filths and of all vices, and they shall go pured and +clean into another world to their husbands, and they shall lead +their children with them. And the cause why that they weep, when +their children be born is this; for when they come into this world, +they come to labour, sorrow and heaviness. And why they make joy +and gladness at their dying is because that, as they say, then they +go to Paradise where the rivers run milk and honey, where that men +see them in joy and in abundance of goods, without sorrow and +labour. + +In that isle men make their king evermore by election, and they ne +choose him not for no noblesse nor for no riches, but such one as +is of good manners and of good conditions, and therewithal +rightfull, and also that he be of great age, and that he have no +children. In that isle men be full rightfull and they do rightfull +judgments in every cause both of rich and poor, small and great, +after the quantity of the trespass that is mis-done. And the king +may not doom no man to death without assent of his barons and other +men wise of counsel, and that all the court accord thereto. And if +the king himself do any homicide or any crime, as to slay a man, or +any such case, he shall die there for. But he shall not be slain +as another man; but men shall defend, in pain of death, that no man +be so hardy to make him company ne to speak with him, ne that no +man give him, ne sell him, ne serve him, neither of meat ne of +drink; and so shall he die in mischief. They spare no man that +hath trespassed, neither for love, ne for favour ne for riches, ne +for noblesse; but that he shall have after that he hath done. + +Beyond that isle is another isle, where is great multitude of folk. +And they will not, for no thing, eat flesh of hares, ne of hens, ne +of geese; and yet they bring forth enough, for to see them and to +behold them only; but they eat flesh of all other beasts, and drink +milk. In that country they take their daughters and their sisters +to their wives, and their other kinswomen. And if there be ten men +or twelve men or more dwelling in an house, the wife of everych of +them shall be common to them all that dwell in that house; so that +every man may lie with whom he will of them on one night, and with +another, another night. And if she have any child, she may give it +to what man that she list, that hath companied with her, so that no +man knoweth there whether the child be his or another's. And if +any man say to them, that they nourish other men's children, they +answer that so do over men theirs. + +In that country and by all Ind be great plenty of cockodrills, that +is a manner of a long serpent, as I have said before. And in the +night they dwell in the water, and on the day upon the land, in +rocks and in caves. And they eat no meat in all the winter, but +they lie as in a dream, as do the serpents. These serpents slay +men, and they eat them weeping; and when they eat they move the +over jaw, and not the nether jaw, and they have no tongue. + +In that country and in many other beyond that, and also in many on +this half, men put in work the seed of cotton, and they sow it +every year. And then groweth it in small trees, that bear cotton. +And so do men every year, so that there is plenty of cotton at all +times. Item; in this isle and in many other, there is a manner of +wood, hard and strong. Whoso covereth the coals of that wood under +the ashes thereof, the coals will dwell and abide all quick, a year +or more. And that tree hath many leaves, as the juniper hath. And +there be also many trees, that of nature they will never burn, ne +rot in no manner. And there be nut trees, that bear nuts as great +as a man's head. + +There also be many beasts, that be clept orafles. In Arabia, they +be clept gerfaunts. That is a beast, pomely or spotted, that is +but a little more high than is a steed, but he hath the neck a +twenty cubits long; and his croup and his tail is as of an hart; +and he may look over a great high house. And there be also in that +country many camles; that is a little beast as a goat, that is +wild, and he liveth by the air and eateth nought, ne drinketh +nought, at no time. And he changeth his colour often-time, for men +see him often sithes, now in one colour and now in another colour; +and he may change him into all manner colours that him list, save +only into red and white. There be also in that country passing +great serpents, some of six score foot long, and they be of diverse +colours, as rayed, red, green, and yellow, blue and black, and all +speckled. And there be others that have crests upon their heads, +and they go upon their feet, upright, and they be well a four +fathom great, or more, and they dwell always in rocks or in +mountains, and they have alway the throat open, of whence they drop +venom always. And there be also wild swine of many colours, as +great as be oxen in our country, and they be all spotted, as be +young fawns. And there be also urchins, as great as wild swine +here; we clepe them Porcz de Spine. And there be lions all white, +great and mighty. And there be also of other beasts, as great and +more greater than is a destrier, and men clepe them Loerancs; and +some men clepe them odenthos; and they have a black head and three +long horns trenchant in the front, sharp as a sword, and the body +is slender; and he is a full felonious beast, and he chaseth and +slayeth the elephant. There be also many other beasts, full wicked +and cruel, that be not mickle more than a bear, and they have the +head like a boar, and they have six feet, and on every foot two +large claws, trenchant; and the body is like a bear, and the tail +as a lion. And there be also mice as great as hounds, and yellow +mice as great as ravens. And there be geese, all red, three sithes +more great than ours here, and they have the head, the neck and the +breast all black. + +And many other diverse beasts be in those countries, and elsewhere +there-about, and many diverse birds also, of the which it were too +long for to tell you. And therefore, I pass over at this time. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + + + +OF THE GOODNESS OF THE FOLK OF THE ISLE OF BRAGMAN. OF KING +ALEXANDER. AND WHEREFORE THE EMPEROR OF IND IS CLEPT PRESTER JOHN + + +AND beyond that isle is another isle, great and good and plenteous, +where that be good folk and true, and of good living after their +belief and of good faith. And albeit that they be not christened, +ne have no perfect law, yet, natheles, of kindly law they be full +of all virtue, and they eschew all vices and all malices and all +sins. For they be not proud, ne covetous, ne envious, ne wrathful, +ne gluttons, ne lecherous. Ne they do to any man otherwise than +they would that other men did to them, and in this point they +fulfil the ten commandments of God, and give no charge of avoir, ne +of riches. And they lie not, ne they swear not for none occasion, +but they say simply, yea and nay; for they say, he that sweareth +will deceive his neighbour, and therefore, all that they do, they +do it without oath. + +And men clepe that isle the Isle of Bragman, and some men clepe it +the Land of Faith. And through that land runneth a great river +that is clept Thebe. And, in general, all the men of those isles +and of all the marches thereabout be more true than in any other +countries thereabout, and more rightfull than others in all things. +In that isle, is no thief, ne murderer, ne common woman, ne poor +beggar, ne never was man slain in that country. And they be so +chaste, and lead so good life, as that they were religious men, and +they fast all days. And because they be so true and so rightfull, +and so full of all good conditions, they were never grieved with +tempests, ne with thunder, ne with light, ne with hail, ne with +pestilence, ne with war, ne with hunger, ne with none other +tribulation, as we be, many times, amongst us, for our sins. +Wherefore, it seemeth well, that God loveth them and is pleased +with their creaunce for their good deeds. They believe well in +God, that made all things, and him they worship. And they prize +none earthly riches; and so they be all rightfull. And they live +full ordinately, and so soberly in meat and drink, that they live +right long. And the most part of them die without sickness, when +nature faileth them, for eld. + +And it befell in King Alexander's time, that he purposed him to +conquer that isle and to make them to hold of him. And when they +of the country heard it, they sent messengers to him with letters, +that said thus; What may be enough to that man to whom all the +world is insufficient? Thou shalt find nothing in us, that may +cause thee to war against us. For we have no riches, ne none we +covet, and all the goods of our country be in common. Our meat, +that we sustain withal our bodies, is our riches. And, instead of +treasure of gold and silver, we make our treasure of accord and +peace, and for to love every man other. And for to apparel with +our bodies we use a silly little clout for to wrap in our carrion. +Our wives ne be not arrayed for to make no man pleasance, but only +convenable array for to eschew folly. When men pain them to array +the body for to make it seem fairer than God made it, they do great +sin. For man should not devise ne ask greater beauty, than God +hath ordained man to be at his birth. The earth ministereth to us +two things, - our livelihood, that cometh of the earth that we live +by, and our sepulture after our death. We have been in perpetual +peace till now, that thou come to disinherit us. And also we have +a king, not only for to do justice to every man, for he shall find +no forfeit among us; but for to keep noblesse, and for to shew that +we be obeissant, we have a king. For justice ne hath not among us +no place, for we do to no man otherwise than we desire that men do +to us. So that righteousness ne vengeance have nought to do among +us. So that nothing thou may take from us, but our good peace, +that always hath dured among us. + +And when King Alexander had read these letters, he thought that he +should do great sin, for to trouble them. And then he sent them +sureties, that they should not be afeard of him, and that they +should keep their good manners and their good peace, as they had +used before, of custom. And so he let them alone. + +Another isle there is, that men clepe Oxidrate, and another isle, +that men clepe Gynosophe, where there is also good folk, and full +of good faith. And they hold, for the most part, the good +conditions and customs and good manners, as men of the country +abovesaid; but they go all naked. + +Into that isle entered King Alexander, to see the manner. And when +he saw their great faith, and their truth that was amongst them, he +said that he would not grieve them, and bade them ask of him what +that they would have of him, riches or anything else, and they +should have it, with good will. And they answered, that he was +rich enough that had meat and drink to sustain the body with, for +the riches of this world, that is transitory, is not worth; but if +it were in his power to make them immortal, thereof would they pray +him, and thank him. And Alexander answered them that it was not in +his power to do it, because he was mortal, as they were. And then +they asked him why he was so proud and so fierce, and so busy for +to put all the world under his subjection, right as thou were a +God, and hast no term of this life, neither day ne hour, and +willest to have all the world at thy commandment, that shall leave +thee without fail, or thou leave it. And right as it hath been to +other men before thee, right so it shall be to other after thee. +And from hence shalt thou bear nothing; but as thou were born +naked, right so all naked shall thy body be turned into earth that +thou were made of. Wherefore thou shouldest think and impress it +in thy mind, that nothing is immortal, but only God, that made the +thing. By the which answer Alexander was greatly astonished and +abashed, and all confused and departed from them. + +And albeit that these folk have not the articles of our faith as we +have, natheles, for their good faith natural, and for their good +intent, I trow fully, that God loveth them, and that God take their +service to gree, right as he did of Job, that was a paynim, and +held him for his true servant. And therefore, albeit that there be +many diverse laws in the world, yet I trow, that God loveth always +them that love him, and serve him meekly in truth, and namely them +that despise the vain glory of this world, as this folk do and as +Job did also. + +And therefore said our Lord by the mouth of Hosea the prophet, +PONAM EIS MULTIPLICES LEGES MEAS; and also in another place, QUI +TOTUM ORBEM SUBDIT SUIS LEGIBUS. And also our Lord saith in the +Gospel, ALIAS OVES HABEO, QUE NON SUNT EX HOC OVILI, that is to +say, that he had other servants than those that be under Christian +law. And to that accordeth the avision that Saint Peter saw at +Jaffa, how the angel came from heaven, and brought before him +diverse beasts, as serpents and other creeping beasts of the earth, +and of other also, great plenty, and bade him take and eat. And +Saint Peter answered; I eat never, quoth he, of unclean beasts. +And then said the angel, NON DICAS IMMUNDA, QUE DEUS MUNDAVIT. And +that was in token that no man should have in despite none earthly +man for their diverse laws, for we know not whom God loveth, ne +whom God hateth. And for that example, when men say, DE PROFUNDIS, +they say it in common and in general, with the Christian, PRO +ANIMABUS OMNIUM DEFUNCTORUM, PRO QUIBUS SIT ORANDUM. + +And therefore say I of this folk, that be so true and so faithful, +that God loveth them. For he hath amongst them many of the +prophets, and alway hath had. And in those isles, they prophesied +the Incarnation of Lord Jesu Christ, how he should be born of a +maiden, three thousand year or more or our Lord was born of the +Virgin Mary. And they believe well it, the Incarnation, and that +full perfectly, but they know not the manner, how he suffered his +passion and death for us. + +And beyond these isles there is another isle that is clept Pytan. +The folk of that country ne till not, ne labour not the earth, for +they eat no manner thing. And they be of good colour and of fair +shape, after their greatness. But the small be as dwarfs, but not +so little as be the Pigmies. These men live by the smell of wild +apples. And when they go any far way, they bear the apples with +them; for if they had lost the savour of the apples, they should +die anon. They ne be not full reasonable, but they be simple and +bestial. + +After that is another isle, where the folk be all skinned rough +hair, as a rough beast, save only the face and the palm of the +hand. These folk go as well under the water of the sea, as they do +above the land all dry. And they eat both flesh and fish all raw. +In this isle is a great river that is well a two mile and an half +of breadth that is clept Beaumare. + +And from that river a fifteen journeys in length, going by the +deserts of the tother side of the river - whoso might go it, for I +was not there, but it was told us of them of the country, that +within those deserts were the trees of the sun and of the moon, +that spake to King Alexander, and warned him of his death. And men +say that the folk that keep those trees, and eat of the fruit and +of the balm that groweth there, live well four hundred year or five +hundred year, by virtue of the fruit and of the balm. For men say +that balm groweth there in great plenty and nowhere else, save only +at Babylon, as I have told you before. We would have gone toward +the trees full gladly if we had might. But I trow that 100,000 men +of arms might not pass those deserts safely, for the great +multitude of wild beasts and of great dragons and of great serpents +that there be, that slay and devour all that come anent them. In +that country be many white elephants without number, and of +unicorns and of lions of many manners, and many of such beasts that +I have told before, and of many other hideous beasts without +number. + +Many other isles there be in the land of Prester John, and many +great marvels, that were too long to tell all, both of his riches +and of his noblesse and of the great plenty also of precious stones +that he hath. I trow that ye know well enough, and have heard say, +wherefore this emperor is clept Prester John. But, natheles, for +them that know not, I shall say you the cause. + +It was sometime an emperor there, that was a worthy and a full +noble prince, that had Christian knights in his company, as he hath +that is now. So it befell, that he had great list for to see the +service in the church among Christian men. And then dured +Christendom beyond the sea, all Turkey, Syria, Tartary, Jerusalem, +Palestine, Arabia, Aleppo and all the land of Egypt. And so it +befell that this emperor came with a Christian knight with him into +a church in Egypt. And it was the Saturday in Whitsun-week. And +the bishop made orders. And he beheld, and listened the service +full tentively. And he asked the Christian knight what men of +degree they should be that the prelate had before him. And the +knight answered and said that they should be priests. And then the +emperor said that he would no longer be clept king ne emperor, but +priest, and that he would have the name of the first priest that +went out of the church, and his name was John. And so ever-more +sithens, he is clept Prester John. + +In his land be many Christian men of good faith and of good law, +and namely of them of the same country, and have commonly their +priests, that sing the Mass, and make the sacrament of the altar, +of bread, right as the Greeks do; but they say not so many things +at the Mass as men do here. For they say not but only that that +the apostles said, as our Lord taught them, right as Saint Peter +and Saint Thomas and the other apostles sung the Mass, saying the +PATER NOSTER and the words of the sacrament. But we have many more +additions that divers popes have made, that they ne know not of. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + + + +OF THE HILLS OF GOLD THAT PISMIRES KEEP. AND OF THE FOUR FLOODS +THAT COME FROM PARADISE TERRESTRIAL + + +TOWARD the east part of Prester John's land is an isle good and +great, that men clepe Taprobane, that is full noble and full +fructuous. And the king thereof is full rich, and is under the +obeissance of Prester John. And always there they make their king +by election. In that isle be two summers and two winters, and men +harvest the corn twice a year. And in all the seasons of the year +be the gardens flourished. There dwell good folk and reasonable, +and many Christian men amongst them, that be so rich that they wit +not what to do with their goods. Of old time, when men passed from +the land of Prester John unto that isle, men made ordinance for to +pass by ship, twenty-three days, or more; but now men pass by ship +in seven days. And men may see the bottom of the sea in many +places, for it is not full deep. + +Beside that isle, toward the east, be two other isles. And men +clepe that one Orille, and that other Argyte, of the which all the +land is mine of gold and silver. And those isles be right where +that the Red Sea departeth from the sea ocean. And in those isles +men see there no stars so clearly as in other places. For there +appear no stars, but only one clear star that men clepe Canapos. +And there is not the moon seen in all the lunation, save only the +second quarter. + +In the isle also of this Taprobane be great hills of gold, that +pismires keep full diligently. And they fine the pured gold, and +cast away the un-pured. And these pismires be great as hounds, so +that no man dare come to those hills for the pismires would assail +them and devour them anon. So that no man may get of that gold, +but by great sleight. And therefore when it is great heat, the +pismires rest them in the earth, from prime of the day into noon. +And then the folk of the country take camels, dromedaries, and +horses and other beasts, and go thither, and charge them in all +haste that they may; and after that, they flee away in all haste +that the beasts may go, or the pismires come out of the earth. And +in other times, when it is not so hot, and that the pismires ne +rest them not in the earth, then they get gold by this subtlety. +They take mares that have young colts or foals, and lay upon the +mares void vessels made there-for; and they be all open above, and +hanging low to the earth. And then they send forth those mares for +to pasture about those hills, and with-hold the foals with them at +home. And when the pismires see those vessels, they leap in anon: +and they have this kind that they let nothing be empty among them, +but anon they fill it, be it what manner of thing that it be; and +so they fill those vessels with gold. And when that the folk +suppose that the vessels be full, they put forth anon the young +foals, and make them to neigh after their dams. And then anon the +mares return towards their foals with their charges of gold. And +then men discharges them, and get gold enough by this subtlety. +For the pismires will suffer beasts to go and pasture amongst them, +but no man in no wise. + +And beyond the land and the isles and the deserts of Prester John's +lordship, in going straight toward the east, men find nothing but +mountains and rocks, full great. And there is the dark region, +where no man may see, neither by day ne by night, as they of the +country say. And that desert and that place of darkness dure from +this coast unto Paradise terrestrial, where that Adam, our formest +father, and Eve were put, that dwelled there but little while: and +that is towards the east at the beginning of the earth. But that +is not that east that we clepe our east, on this half, where the +sun riseth to us. For when the sun is east in those parts towards +Paradise terrestrial, it is then midnight in our parts on this +half, for the roundness of the earth, of the which I have touched +to you of before. For our Lord God made the earth all round in the +mid place of the firmament. And there as mountains and hills be +and valleys, that is not but only of Noah's flood, that wasted the +soft ground and the tender, and fell down into valleys, and the +hard earth and the rocks abide mountains, when the soft earth and +tender waxed nesh through the water, and fell and became valleys. + +Of Paradise ne can I not speak properly. For I was not there. It +is far beyond. And that forthinketh me. And also I was not +worthy. But as I have heard say of wise men beyond, I shall tell +you with good will. + +Paradise terrestrial, as wise men say, is the highest place of +earth, that is in all the world. And it is so high that it +toucheth nigh to the circle of the moon, there as the moon maketh +her turn; for she is so high that the flood of Noah ne might not +come to her, that would have covered all the earth of the world all +about and above and beneath, save Paradise only alone. And this +Paradise is enclosed all about with a wall, and men wit not whereof +it is; for the walls be covered all over with moss, as it seemeth. +And it seemeth not that the wall is stone of nature, ne of none +other thing that the wall is. And that wall stretcheth from the +south to the north, and it hath not but one entry that is closed +with fire, burning; so that no man that is mortal ne dare not +enter. + +And in the most high place of Paradise, even in the middle place, +is a well that casteth out the four floods that run by divers +lands. Of the which, the first is clept Pison, or Ganges, that is +all one; and it runneth throughout Ind or Emlak, in the which river +be many precious stones, and much of lignum aloes and much gravel +of gold. And that other river is clept Nilus or Gison, that goeth +by Ethiopia and after by Egypt. And that other is clept Tigris, +that runneth by Assyria and by Armenia the great. And that other +is clept Euphrates, that runneth also by Media and Armenia and by +Persia. And men there beyond say, that all the sweet waters of the +world, above and beneath, take their beginning of the well of +Paradise, and out of that well all waters come and go. + +The first river is clept Pison, that is to say in their language +Assembly; for many other rivers meet them there, and go into that +river. And some men clepe it Ganges, for a king that was in Ind, +that hight Gangeres, and that it ran throughout his land. And that +water [is] in some place clear, and in some place troubled, in some +place hot, and in some place cold. + +The second river is clept Nilus or Gison; for it is always trouble; +and Gison, in the language of Ethiopia, is to say, trouble, and in +the language of Egypt also. + +The third river, that is dept Tigris, is as much for to say as, +fast-running; for he runneth more fast than any of the tother; and +also there is a beast, that is clept tigris, that is fast-running. + +The fourth river is clept Euphrates, that is to say, well-bearing; +for there grow many goods upon that river, as corns, fruits and +other goods enough plenty. + +And ye shall understand that no man that is mortal ne may not +approach to that Paradise. For by land no man may go for wild +beasts that be in the deserts, and for the high mountains and great +huge rocks that no man may pass by, for the dark places that be +there, and that many. And by the rivers may no man go. For the +water runneth so rudely and so sharply, because that it cometh down +so outrageously from the high places above, that it runneth in so +great waves, that no ship may not row ne sail against it. And the +water roareth so, and maketh so huge noise and so great tempest, +that no man may hear other in the ship, though he cried with all +the craft that he could in the highest voice that he might. Many +great lords have assayed with great will, many times, for to pass +by those rivers towards Paradise, with full great companies. But +they might not speed in their voyage. And many died for weariness +of rowing against those strong waves. And many of them became +blind, and many deaf, for the noise of the water. And some were +perished and lost within the waves. So that no mortal man may +approach to that place, without special grace of God, so that of +that place I can say you no more; and therefore, I shall hold me +still, and return to that, that I have seen. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + + + +OF THE CUSTOMS OF KINGS AND OTHER THAT DWELL IN THE ISLES COASTING +TO PRESTER JOHN'S LAND. AND OF THE WORSHIP THAT THE SON DOTH TO +THE FATHER WHEN HE IS DEAD + + +FROM those isles that I have spoken of before, in the Land of +Prester John, that be under earth as to us that be on this half, +and of other isles that be more further beyond, whoso will, pursue +them for to come again right to the parts that he came from, and so +environ all earth. But what for the isles, what for the sea, and +what for strong rowing, few folk assay for to pass that passage; +albeit that men might do it well, that might be of power to dress +them thereto, as I have said you before. And therefore men return +from those isles abovesaid by other isles, coasting from the land +of Prester John. + +And then come men in returning to an isle that is clept Casson. +And that isle hath well sixty journeys in length, and more than +fifty in breadth. This is the best isle and the best kingdom that +is in all those parts, out-taken Cathay. And if the merchants used +as much that country as they do Cathay, it would be better than +Cathay in a short while. This country is full well inhabited, and +so full of cities and of good towns inhabited with people, that +when a man goeth out of one city, men see another city even before +them; and that is what part that a man go, in all that country. In +that isle is great plenty of all goods for to live with, and of all +manner of spices. And there be great forests of chestnuts. The +king of that isle is full rich and full mighty, and, natheles, he +holds his land of the great Chan, and is obeissant to him. For it +is one of the twelve provinces that the great Chan hath under him +without his proper land, and without other less isles that he hath; +for he hath full many. + +From that kingdom come men, in returning, to another isle that is +clept Rybothe, and it is also under the great Chan. That is a full +good country, and full plenteous of all goods and of wines and +fruit and all other riches. And the folk of that country have no +houses, but they dwell and lie all under tents made of black fern, +by all the country. And the principal city and the most royal is +all walled with black stone and white. And all the streets also be +pathed of the same stones. In that city is no man so hardy to shed +blood of any man, ne of no beast, for the reverence of an idol that +is worshipped there. And in that isle dwelleth the pope of their +law, that they clepe Lobassy. This Lobassy giveth all the +benefices, and all other dignities and all other things that belong +to the idol. And all those that hold anything of their churches, +religious and other, obey to him, as men do here to the Pope of +Rome. + +In that isle they have a custom by all the country, that when the +father is dead of any man, and the son list to do great worship to +his father, he sendeth to all his friends and to all his kin, and +for religious men and priests, and for minstrels also, great +plenty. And then men bear the dead body unto a great hill with +great joy and solemnity. And when they have brought it thither, +the chief prelate smiteth off the head, and layeth it upon a great +platter of gold and of silver, if so [he] be a rich man. And then +he taketh the head to the son. And then the son and his other kin +sing and say many orisons. And then the priests and the religious +men smite all the body of the dead man in pieces. And then they +say certain orisons. And the fowls of ravine of all the country +about know the custom of long time before, [and] come flying above +in the air; as eagles, gledes, ravens and other fowls of ravine, +that eat flesh. And then the priests cast the gobbets of the flesh +and then the fowls, each of them, taketh that he may, and goeth a +little thence and eateth it; and so they do whilst any piece +lasteth of the dead body. + +And after that, as priests amongst us sing for the dead, SUBVENITE +SANCTI DEI, ETC., right so the priests sing with high voice in +their language; Behold how so worthy a man and how good a man this +was, that the angels of God come for to seek him and for to bring +him into Paradise. And then seemeth it to the son, that he is +highly worshipped, when that many birds and fowls and ravens come +and eat his father; and he that hath most number of fowls is most +worshipped. + +And then the son bringeth home with him all his kin, and his +friends, and all the others to his house, and maketh them a great +feast. And then all his friends make their vaunt and their +dalliance, how the fowls came thither, here five, here six, here +ten, and there twenty, and so forth; and they rejoice them hugely +for to speak thereof. And when they be at meat, the son let bring +forth the head of his father, and thereof he giveth of the flesh to +his most special friends, instead of ENTRE MESSE, or a SUKKARKE. +And of the brain pan, he letteth make a cup, and thereof drinketh +he and his other friends also, with great devotion, in remembrance +of the holy man, that the angels of God have eaten. And that cup +the son shall keep to drink of all his life-time, in remembrance of +his father. + +From that land, in returning by ten journeys throughout the land of +the great Chan, is another good isle and a great kingdom, where the +king is full rich and mighty. + +And amongst the rich men of his country is a passing rich man, that +is no prince, ne duke, ne earl, but he hath more that hold of him +lands and other lordships, for he is more rich. For he hath, every +year, of annual rent 300,000 horses charged with corn of diverse +grains and of rice. And so he leadeth a full noble life and a +delicate, after the custom of the country. For he hath, every day, +fifty fair damosels, all maidens, that serve him evermore at his +meat, and for to lie by him o' night, and for to do with them that +is to his pleasance. And when he is at table, they bring him his +meat at every time, five and five together; and in bringing their +service they sing a song. And after that, they cut his meat, and +put it in his mouth; for he toucheth nothing, ne handleth nought, +but holdeth evermore his hands before him upon the table. For he +hath so long nails, that he may take nothing, ne handle nothing. +For the noblesse of that country is to have long nails, and to make +them grow always to be as long as men may. And there be many in +that country, that have their nails so long, that they environ all +the hand. And that is a great noblesse. And the noblesse of the +women is for to have small feet and little. And therefore anon as +they be born, they let bind their feet so strait, that they may not +grow half as nature would. And this is the noblesse of the women +there to have small feet and little. And always these damosels, +that I spake of before, sing all the time that this rich man +eateth. And when that he eateth no more of his first course, then +other five and five of fair damsels bring him his second course, +always singing as they did before. And so they do continually +every day to the end of his meat. And in this manner he leadeth +his life. And so did they before him, that were his ancestors. +And so shall they that come after him, without doing of any deeds +of arms, but live evermore thus in ease, as a. swine that is fed in +sty for to be made fat. He hath a full fair palace and full rich, +where that he dwelleth in, of the which the walls be, in circuit, +two mile. And he hath within many fair gardens, and many fair +halls and chambers; and the pavement of his halls and chambers be +of gold and silver. And in the mid place of one of his gardens is +a little mountain, where there is a little meadow. And in that +meadow is a little toothill with towers and pinnacles, all of gold. +And in that little toothill will he sit often-time, for to take the +air and to disport him. For the place is made for nothing else, +but only for his disport. + +From that country men come by the land of the great Chan also, that +I have spoken of before. + +And ye shall understand, that of all these countries, and of all +these isles, and of all the diverse folk, that I have spoken of +before, and of diverse laws, and of diverse beliefs that they have, +yet is there none of them all but that they have some reason within +them and understanding, but if it be the fewer, and that have +certain articles of our faith and some good points of our belief, +and that they believe in God, that formed all things and made the +world, and clepe him God of Nature; after that the prophet saith, +ET METUENT EUM OMNES FINES TERRAE, and also in another place, OMNES +GENTES SERVIENT EI, that is to say, 'All folk shall serve him.' + +But yet they cannot speak perfectly (for there is no man to teach +them), but only that they can devise by their natural wit. For +they have no knowledge of the Son, ne of the Holy Ghost. But they +can all speak of the Bible, and namely of Genesis, of the prophet's +saws and of the books of Moses. And they say well, that the +creatures that they worship ne be no gods; but they worship them +for the virtue that is in them, that may not be but only by the +grace of God. And of simulacres and of idols, they say, that there +be no folk, but that they have simulacres. And that they say, for +we Christian men have images, as of our Lady and of other saints +that we worship; not the images of tree or of stone, but the +saints, in whose name they be made after. For right as the books +and the scripture of them teach the clerks how and in what manner +they shall believe, right so the images and the paintings teach the +lewd folk to worship the saints and to have them in their mind, in +whose names that the images be made after. They say also, that the +angels of God speak to them in those idols, and that they do many +great miracles. And they say sooth, that there is an angel within +them. For there be two manner of angels, a good and an evil, as +the Greeks say, Cacho and Calo. This Cacho is the wicked angel, +and Calo is the good angel. But the tother is not the good angel, +but the wicked angel that is within the idols to deceive them and +for to maintain them in their error. + +There be many other divers countries and many other marvels beyond, +that I have not seen. Wherefore, of them I cannot speak properly +to tell you the manner of them. And also in the countries where I +have been, be many more diversities of many wonderful things than I +make mention of; for it were too long thing to devise you the +manner. And therefore, that that I have devised you of certain +countries, that I have spoken of before, I beseech your worthy and +excellent noblesse, that it suffice to you at this time. For if +that I devised you all that is beyond the sea, another man, +peradventure, that would pain him and travail his body for to go +into those marches for to ensearch those countries, might be blamed +by my words in rehearsing many strange things; for he might not say +nothing of new, in the which the hearers might have either solace, +or disport, or lust, or liking in the hearing. For men say always, +that new things and new tidings be pleasant to hear. Wherefore I +will hold me still, without any more rehearsing of diversities or +of marvels that be beyond, to that intent and end, that whoso will +go into those countries, he shall find enough to speak of, that I +have not touched of in no wise. + +And ye shall understand, if it like you, that at mine home-coming, +I came to Rome, and shewed my life to our holy father the pope, and +was assoiled of all that lay in my conscience, of many a diverse +grievous point; as men must needs that be in company, dwelling +amongst so many a diverse folk of diverse sect and of belief, as I +have been. + +And amongst all I shewed him this treatise, that I had made after +information of men that knew of things that I had not seen myself, +and also of marvels and customs that I had seen myself, as far as +God would give me grace; and besought his holy fatherhood, that my +book might be examined and corrected by advice of his wise and +discreet council. And our holy father, of his special grace, +remitted my book to be examined and proved by the advice of his +said counsel. By the which my book was proved for true, insomuch, +that they shewed me a book, that my book was examined by, that +comprehended full much more, by an hundred part, by the which the +MAPPA MUNDI was made after. And so my book (albeit that many men +ne list not to give credence to nothing, but to that that they see +with their eye, ne be the author ne the person never so true) is +affirmed and proved by our holy father, in manner and form as I +have said. + +And I, John Mandevile, knight, abovesaid (although I be unworthy), +that departed from our countries and passed the sea, the year of +grace a thousand three hundred and twenty two, that have passed +many lands and many isles and countries, and searched many full +strange places, and have been in many a full good honourable +company, and at many a fair deed of arms (albeit that I did none +myself, for mine unable insuffisance), now I am come home, maugre +myself, to rest, for gouts artetykes that me distrain, that define +the end of my labour; against my will (God knoweth). + +And thus, taking solace in my wretched rest, recording the time +passed, I have fulfilled these things, and put them written in this +book, as it would come into my mind, the year of grace a thousand +three hundred and fifty six, in the thirty-fourth year, that I +departed from our countries. + +Wherefore, I pray to all the readers and hearers of this book, if +it please them, that they would pray to God for me; and I shall +pray for them. And all those that say for me a PATER NOSTER, with +an AVE MARIA, that God forgive me my sins, I make them partners, +and grant them part of all the good pilgrimages and of all the good +deeds that I have done, if any be to his pleasance; and not only of +those, but of all that ever I shall do unto my life's end. And I +beseech Almighty God, from whom all goodness and grace cometh from, +that he vouchsafe of his excellent mercy and abundant grace, to +fulfil their souls with inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in making +defence of all their ghostly enemies here in earth, to their +salvation both of body and soul; to worship and thanking of him, +that is three and one, without beginning and without ending; that +is without quality, good, without quantity, great; that in all +places is present, and all things containing; the which that no +goodness may amend, ne none evil impair; that in perfect Trinity +liveth and reigneth God, by all worlds, and by all times! + +AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! + +[HERE ENDETH THE BOOK OF JOHN MANDEVILLE.] + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville + diff --git a/old/tosjm10.zip b/old/tosjm10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9248c53 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tosjm10.zip diff --git a/old/tosjm10h.htm b/old/tosjm10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dfb6dae --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tosjm10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7053 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Travels of Sir John Mandeville</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {margin:10%; text-align:justify} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + + +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, by Sir John Mandeville</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville +by Sir John Mandeville + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. 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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville + +Author: Sir John Mandeville + +Release Date: January, 1997 [EBook #782] +[This file was first posted on January 17, 1997] +[Most recently updated: September 17, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII +</pre> +<p> +<a name="startoftext"></a> +<p>Transcribed from the 1900 Macmillan and Co. edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<h1>THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE</h1> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<h2>THE PROLOGUE</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>For as much as the land beyond the sea, that is to say the Holy Land, +that men call the Land of Promission or of Behest, passing all other +lands, is the most worthy land, most excellent, and lady and sovereign +of all other lands, and is blessed and hallowed of the precious body +and blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; in the which land it liked him to +take flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, to environ that holy land with +his blessed feet; and there he would of his blessedness enombre him +in the said blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, and become man, and work +many miracles, and preach and teach the faith and the law of Christian +men unto his children; and there it liked him to suffer many reprovings +and scorns for us; and he that was king of heaven, of air, of earth, +of sea and of all things that be contained in them, would all only be +clept king of that land, when he said, <i>Rex sum Judeorum</i>, that +is to say, ‘I am King of Jews’; and that land he chose before +all other lands, as the best and most worthy land, and the most virtuous +land of all the world: for it is the heart and the midst of all the +world, witnessing the philosopher, that saith thus, <i>Virtus rerum +in medio consistit</i>, that is to say, ‘The virtue of things +is in the midst’; and in that land he would lead his life, and +suffer passion and death of Jews, for us, to buy and to deliver us from +pains of hell, and from death without end; the which was ordained for +us, for the sin of our forme-father Adam, and for our own sins also; +for as for himself, he had no evil deserved: for he thought never evil +ne did evil: and he that was king of glory and of joy, might best in +that place suffer death; because he chose in that land rather than in +any other, there to suffer his passion and his death. For he that +will publish anything to make it openly known, he will make it to be +cried and pronounced in the middle place of a town; so that the thing +that is proclaimed and pronounced, may evenly stretch to all parts: +right so, he that was former of all the world, would suffer for us at +Jerusalem, that is the midst of the world; to that end and intent, that +his passion and his death, that was published there, might be known +evenly to all parts of the world.</p> +<p>See now, how dear he bought man, that he made after his own image, +and how dear he again-bought us, for the great love that he had to us, +and we never deserved it to him. For more precious chattel ne +greater ransom ne might he put for us, than his blessed body, his precious +blood, and his holy life, that he thralled for us; and all he offered +for us that never did sin.</p> +<p>Ah dear God! What love had he to us his subjects, when he that +never trespassed, would for trespassers suffer death! Right well +ought us for to love and worship, to dread and serve such a Lord; and +to worship and praise such an holy land, that brought forth such fruit, +through the which every man is saved, but it be his own default. +Well may that land be called delectable and a fructuous land, that was +be-bled and moisted with the precious blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; +the which is the same land that our Lord behight us in heritage. +And in that land he would die, as seised, to leave it to us, his children.</p> +<p>Wherefore every good Christian man, that is of power, and hath whereof, +should pain him with all his strength for to conquer our right heritage, +and chase out all the misbelieving men. For we be clept Christian +men, after Christ our Father. And if we be right children of Christ, +we ought for to challenge the heritage, that our Father left us, and +do it out of heathen men’s hands. But now pride, covetise, +and envy have so inflamed the hearts of lords of the world, that they +are more busy for to dis-herit their neighbours, more than for to challenge +or to conquer their right heritage before-said. And the common +people, that would put their bodies and their chattels, to conquer our +heritage, they may not do it without the lords. For a sembly of +people without a chieftain, or a chief lord, is as a flock of sheep +without a shepherd; the which departeth and disperpleth and wit never +whither to go. But would God, that the temporal lords and all +worldly lords were at good accord, and with the common people would +take this holy voyage over the sea! Then I trow well, that within +a little time, our right heritage before-said should be reconciled and +put in the hands of the right heirs of Jesu Christ.</p> +<p>And, for as much as it is long time passed, that there was no general +passage ne voyage over the sea; and many men desire for to hear speak +of the Holy Land, and have thereof great solace and comfort; I, John +Mandeville, Knight, albeit I be not worthy, that was born in England, +in the town of St. Albans, and passed the sea in the year of our Lord +Jesu Christ, 1322, in the day of St. Michael; and hitherto been long +time over the sea, and have seen and gone through many diverse lands, +and many provinces and kingdoms and isles and have passed throughout +Turkey, Armenia the little and the great; through Tartary, Persia, Syria, +Arabia, Egypt the high and the low; through Lybia, Chaldea, and a great +part of Ethiopia; through Amazonia, Ind the less and the more, a great +part; and throughout many other Isles, that be about Ind; where dwell +many diverse folks, and of diverse manners and laws, and of diverse +shapes of men. Of which lands and isles I shall speak more plainly +hereafter; and I shall devise you of some part of things that there +be, when time shall be, after it may best come to my mind; and specially +for them, that will and are in purpose for to visit the Holy City of +Jerusalem and the holy places that are thereabout. And I shall +tell the way that they shall hold thither. For I have often times +passed and ridden that way, with good company of many lords. God +be thanked!</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that I have put this book out of Latin into +French, and translated it again out of French into English, that every +man of my nation may understand it. But lords and knights and +other noble and worthy men that con Latin but little, and have been +beyond the sea, know and understand, if I say truth or no, and if I +err in devising, for forgetting or else, that they may redress it and +amend it. For things passed out of long time from a man’s +mind or from his sight, turn soon into forgetting; because that mind +of man ne may not be comprehended ne withholden, for the frailty of +mankind.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>To teach you the Way out of England to Constantinople</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>In the name of God, Glorious and Almighty!</p> +<p>He that will pass over the sea and come to land [to go to the city +of Jerusalem, he may wend many ways, both on sea and land], after the +country that he cometh from; [for] many of them come to one end. +But troweth not that I will tell you all the towns, and cities and castles +that men shall go by; for then should I make too long a tale; but all +only some countries and most principal steads that men shall go through +to go the right way.</p> +<p>First, if a man come from the west side of the world, as England, +Ireland, Wales, Scotland, or Norway, he may, if that he will, go through +Almayne and through the kingdom of Hungary, that marcheth to the land +of Polayne, and to the land of Pannonia, and so to Silesia.</p> +<p>And the King of Hungary is a great lord and a mighty, and holdeth +great lordships and much land in his hand. For he holdeth the +kingdom of Hungary, Sclavonia, and of Comania a great part, and of Bulgaria +that men call the land of Bougiers, and of the realm of Russia a great +part, whereof he hath made a duchy, that lasteth unto the land of Nyfland, +and marcheth to Prussia. And men go through the land of this lord, +through a city that is clept Cypron, and by the castle of Neasburghe, +and by the evil town, that sit toward the end of Hungary. And +there pass men the river of Danube. This river of Danube is a +full great river, and it goeth into Almayne, under the hills of Lombardy, +and it receiveth into him forty other rivers, and it runneth through +Hungary and through Greece and through Thrace, and it entereth into +the sea, toward the east so rudely and so sharply, that the water of +the sea is fresh and holdeth his sweetness twenty mile within the sea.</p> +<p>And after, go men to Belgrade, and enter into the land of Bougiers; +and there pass men a bridge of stone that is upon the river of Marrok. +And men pass through the land of Pyncemartz and come to Greece to the +city of Nye, and to the city of Fynepape, and after to the city of Dandrenoble, +and after to Constantinople, that was wont to be clept Bezanzon. +And there dwelleth commonly the Emperor of Greece. And there is +the most fair church and the most noble of all the world; and it is +of Saint Sophie. And before that church is the image of Justinian +the emperor, covered with gold, and he sitteth upon an horse y-crowned. +And he was wont to hold a round apple of gold in his hand: but it is +fallen out thereof. And men say there, that it is a token that +the emperor hath lost a great part of his lands and of his lordships; +for he was wont to be Emperor of Roumania and of Greece, of all Asia +the less, and of the land of Syria, of the land of Judea in the which +is Jerusalem, and of the land of Egypt, of Persia, and of Arabia. +But he hath lost all but Greece; and that land he holds all only. +And men would many times put the apple into the image’s hand again, +but it will not hold it. This apple betokeneth the lordship that +he had over all the world, that is round. And the tother hand +he lifteth up against the East, in token to menace the misdoers. +This image stands upon a pillar of marble at Constantinople.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Cross and the Crown of our Lord Jesu Christ</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>At Constantinople is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ, and his coat +without seams, that is clept <i>Tunica inconsutilis</i>, and the sponge, +and the reed, of the which the Jews gave our Lord eysell and gall, in +the cross. And there is one of the nails, that Christ was nailed +with on the cross.</p> +<p>And some men trow that half the cross, that Christ was done on, be +in Cyprus, in an abbey of monks, that men call the Hill of the Holy +Cross; but it is not so. For that cross that is in Cyprus, is +the cross, in the which Dismas the good thief was hanged on. But +all men know not that; and that is evil y-done. For for profit +of the offering, they say that it is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that the cross of our Lord was made of four +manner of trees, as it is contained in this verse, - <i>In cruce fit +palma, cedrus, cypressus, oliva</i>. For that piece that went +upright from the earth to the head was of cypress; and the piece that +went overthwart, to the which his hands were nailed, was of palm; and +the stock, that stood within the earth, in the which was made the mortise, +was of cedar; and the table above his head, that was a foot and an half +long, on the which the title was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, +that was of olive.</p> +<p>And the Jews made the cross of these four manner of trees; for they +trowed that our Lord Jesu Christ should have hanged on the cross, as +long as the cross might last. And therefore made they the foot +of the cross of cedar; for cedar may not, in earth nor water, rot, and +therefore they would that it should have lasted long. For they +trowed that the body of Christ should have stunken, they made that piece, +that went from the earth upwards of cypress, for it is well-smelling, +so that the smell of his body should not grieve men that went forby. +And the overthwart piece was of palm, for in the Old Testament it was +ordained, that when one was overcome he should be crowned with palm; +and for they trowed that they had the victory of Christ Jesus, therefore +made they the overthwart piece of palm. And the table of the title +they made of olive; for olive betokeneth peace, as the story of Noe +witnesseth; when that the culver brought the branch of olive, that betokened +peace made between God and man. And so trowed the Jews for to +have peace, when Christ was dead; for they said that he made discord +and strife amongst them. And ye shall understand that our Lord +was y-nailed on the cross lying, and therefore he suffered the more +pain.</p> +<p>And the Christian men, that dwell beyond the sea, in Greece, say +that the tree of the cross, that we call cypress, was of that tree that +Adam ate the apple off; and that find they written. And they say +also, that their scripture saith, that Adam was sick, and said to his +son Seth, that he should go to the angel that kept Paradise, that he +would send him oil of mercy, for to anoint with his members, that he +might have health. And Seth went. But the angel would not +let him come in; but said to him, that he might not have of the oil +of mercy. But he took him three grains of the same tree, that +his father ate the apple off; and bade him, as soon as his father was +dead, that he should put these three grains under his tongue, and grave +him so: and so he did. And of these three grains sprang a tree, +as the angel said that it should, and bare a fruit, through the which +fruit Adam should be saved. And when Seth came again, he found +his father near dead. And when he was dead, he did with the grains +as the angel bade him; of the which sprung three trees, of the which +the cross was made, that bare good fruit and blessed, our Lord Jesu +Christ; through whom, Adam and all that come of him, should be saved +and delivered from dread of death without end, but it be their own default.</p> +<p>This holy cross had the Jews hid in the earth, under a rock of the +mount of Calvary; and it lay there two hundred year and more, into the +time that St. Helen, that was mother to Constantine the Emperor of Rome. +And she was daughter of King Coel, born in Colchester, that was King +of England, that was clept then Britain the more; the which the Emperor +Constance wedded to his wife, for her beauty, and gat upon her Constantine, +that was after Emperor of Rome, and King of England.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the cross of our Lord was eight cubits +long, and the overthwart piece was of length three cubits and a half. +And one part of the crown of our Lord, wherewith he was crowned, and +one of the nails, and the spear head, and many other relics be in France, +in the king’s chapel. And the crown lieth in a vessel of +crystal richly dight. For a king of France bought these relics +some time of the Jews, to whom the emperor had laid them in wed for +a great sum of silver.</p> +<p>And if all it be so, that men say, that this crown is of thorns, +ye shall understand, that it was of jonkes of the sea, that is to say, +rushes of the sea, that prick as sharply as thorns. For I have +seen and beholden many times that of Paris and that of Constantinople; +for they were both one, made of rushes of the sea. But men have +departed them in two parts: of the which, one part is at Paris, and +the other part is at Constantinople. And I have one of those precious +thorns, that seemeth like a white thorn; and that was given to me for +great specially. For there are many of them broken and fallen +into the vessel that the crown lieth in; for they break for dryness +when men move them to show them to great lords that come thither.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that our Lord Jesu, in that night that he +was taken, he was led into a garden; and there he was first examined +right sharply; and there the Jews scorned him, and made him a crown +of the branches of albespine, that is white thorn, that grew in that +same garden, and set it on his head, so fast and so sore, that the blood +ran down by many places of his visage, and of his neck, and of his shoulders. +And therefore hath the white thorn many virtues, for he that beareth +a branch on him thereof, no thunder ne no manner of tempest may dere +him; nor in the house, that it is in, may no evil ghost enter nor come +unto the place that it is in. And in that same garden, Saint Peter +denied our Lord thrice.</p> +<p>Afterward was our Lord led forth before the bishops and the masters +of the law, into another garden of Annas; and there also he was examined, +reproved, and scorned, and crowned eft with a sweet thorn, that men +clepeth barbarines, that grew in that garden, and that hath also many +virtues.</p> +<p>And afterward he was led into a garden of Caiphas, and there he was +crowned with eglantine.</p> +<p>And after he was led into the chamber of Pilate, and there he was +examined and crowned. And the Jews set him in a chair, and clad +him in a mantle; and there made they the crown of jonkes of the sea; +and there they kneeled to him, and scorned him, saying, <i>Ave, Rex</i> +<i>Judeorum</i>! that is to say, ‘Hail, King of Jews!’ +And of this crown, half is at Paris, and the other half at Constantinople. +And this crown had Christ on his head, when he was done upon the cross; +and therefore ought men to worship it and hold it more worthy than any +of the others.</p> +<p>And the spear shaft hath the Emperor of Almayne; but the head is +at Paris. And natheles the Emperor of Constantinople saith that +he hath the spear head; and I have often time seen it, but it is greater +than that at Paris.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the City of Constantinople, and of the Faith of Greeks</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>At Constantinople lieth Saint Anne, our Lady’s mother, whom +Saint Helen let bring from Jerusalem. And there lieth also the +body of John Chrisostome, that was Archbishop of Constantinople. +And there lieth also Saint Luke the Evangelist: for his bones were brought +from Bethany, where he was buried. And many other relics be there. +And there is the vessel of stone, as it were of marble, that men clepe +enydros, that evermore droppeth water, and filleth himself every year, +till that it go over above, without that that men take from within.</p> +<p>Constantinople is a full fair city, and a good, and well walled; +and it is three-cornered. And there is an arm of the sea Hellespont: +and some men call it the Mouth of Constantinople; and some men call +it the Brace of Saint George: and that arm closeth the two parts of +the city. And upward to the sea, upon the water, was wont to be +the great city of Troy, in a full fair plain: but that city was destroyed +by them of Greece, and little appeareth thereof, because it is so long +sith it was destroyed.</p> +<p>About Greece there be many isles, as Calliste, Calcas, Oertige, Tesbria, +Mynia, Flaxon, Melo, Carpate, and Lemnos. And in this isle is +the mount Athos, that passeth the clouds. And there be many diverse +languages and many countries, that be obedient to the emperor; that +is to say, Turcople, Pyncynard, Comange, and many other, as Thrace and +Macedonia, of the which Alexander was king. In this country was +Aristotle born, in a city that men clepe Stagyra, a little from the +city of Thrace. And at Stagyra lieth Aristotle; and there is an +altar upon his tomb. And there make men great feasts for him every +year, as though he were a saint. And at his altar they holden +their great councils and their assemblies, and they hope, that through +inspiration of God and of him, they shall have the better council.</p> +<p>In this country be right high hills, toward the end of Macedonia. +And there is a great hill, that men clepe Olympus, that departeth Macedonia +and Thrace. And it is so high, that it passeth the clouds. +And there is another hill, that is clept Athos, that is so high, that +the shadow of him reacheth to Lemne, that is an isle; and it is seventy-six +mile between. And above at the cop of the hill is the air so clear, +that men may find no wind there, and therefore may no beast live there, +so is the air dry.</p> +<p>And men say in these countries, that philosophers some time went +upon these hills, and held to their nose a sponge moisted with water, +for to have air; for the air above was so dry. And above, in the +dust and in the powder of those hills, they wrote letters and figures +with their fingers. And at the year’s end they came again, +and found the same letters and figures, the which they had written the +year before, without any default. And therefore it seemeth well, +that these hills pass the clouds and join to the pure air.</p> +<p>At Constantinople is the palace of the emperor, right fair and well-dight: +and therein is a fair place for joustings, or for other plays and desports. +And it is made with stages, and hath degrees about, that every man may +well see, and none grieve other. And under these stages be stables +well vaulted for the emperor’s horses; and all the pillars be +of marble.</p> +<p>And within the Church of Saint Sophia, an emperor sometime would +have buried the body of his father, when he was dead. And, as +they made the grave, they found a body in the earth, and upon the body +lay a fine plate of gold; and thereon was written, in Hebrew, Greek, +and Latin, letters that said thus; <i>Jesu Christus nascetur de Virgine +Maria, et ego credo in eum</i>; that is to say, ‘Jesu Christ shall +be born of the Virgin Mary, and I trow in him.’ And the +date when it was laid in the earth, was two thousand year before our +Lord was born. And yet is the plate of gold in the treasury of +the church. And men say, that it was Hermogenes the wise man.</p> +<p>And if all it so be, that men of Greece be Christian yet they vary +from our faith. For they say, that the Holy Ghost may not come +of the Son; but all only of the Father. And they are not obedient +to the Church of Rome, ne to the Pope. And they say that their +Patriarch hath as much power over the sea, as the Pope hath on this +side the sea. And therefore Pope John xxii. sent letters to them, +how Christian faith should be all one; and that they should be obedient +to the Pope, that is God’s Vicar on earth, to whom God gave his +plein power for to bind and to assoil, and therefore they should be +obedient to him.</p> +<p>And they sent again diverse answers; and among others they said thus: +<i>Potentiam tuam summam circa tuos subjectos, firmiter credimus. +Superbiam tuam summam tolerare non possumus. Avaritiam tuam summam +satiare non intendimus. Dominus tecum; quia Dominus nobiscum est</i>. +That is to say: ‘We trow well, that thy power is great upon thy +subjects. We may not suffer thine high pride. We be not +in purpose to fulfil thy great covetise. Lord be with thee; for +our Lord is with us. Farewell.’ And other answer might +he not have of them.</p> +<p>And also they make their sacrament of the altar of Therf bread, for +our Lord made it of such bread, when he made his Maundy. And on +the Shere-Thursday make they their Therf bread, in token of the Maundy, +and dry it at the sun, and keep it all the year, and give it to sick +men, instead of God’s body. And they make but one unction, +when they christen children. And they anoint not the sick men. +And they say that there is no Purgatory, and that souls shall not have +neither joy ne pain till the day of doom. And they say that fornication +is no sin deadly, but a thing that is kindly, and that men and women +should not wed but once, and whoso weddeth oftener than once, their +children be bastards and gotten in sin. And their priests also +be wedded.</p> +<p>And they say also that usury is no deadly sin. And they sell +benefices of Holy Church. And so do men in other places: God amend +it when his will is! And that is great sclaundre, for now is simony +king crowned in Holy Church: God amend it for his mercy!</p> +<p>And they say, that in Lent, men shall not fast, ne sing Mass, but +on the Saturday and on the Sunday. And they fast not on the Saturday, +no time of the year, but it be Christmas Even or Easter Even. +And they suffer not the Latins to sing at their altars; and if they +do, by any adventure, anon they wash the altar with holy water. +And they say that there should be but one Mass said at one altar upon +one day.</p> +<p>And they say also that our Lord ne ate never meat; but he made token +of eating. And also they say, that we sin deadly in shaving our +beards, for the beard is token of a man, and gift of our Lord. +And they say that we sin deadly in eating of beasts that were forbidden +in the Old Testament, and of the old Law, as swine, hares and other +beasts, that chew not their cud. And they say that we sin, when +we eat flesh on the days before Ash Wednesday, and of that that we eat +flesh the Wednesday, and eggs and cheese upon the Fridays. And +they accurse all those that abstain them to eat flesh the Saturday.</p> +<p>Also the Emperor of Constantinople maketh the patriarch, the archbishops +and the bishops; and giveth the dignities and the benefices of churches +and depriveth them that be unworthy, when he findeth any cause. +And so is he lord both temporal and spiritual in his country.</p> +<p>And if ye will wit of their A.B.C. what letters they be, here ye +may see them, with the names that they clepe them there amongst them: +Alpha, Betha, Gama, Deltha, εlonge, ε brevis, Epilmon, +Thetha, Iota, Kapda, Lapda, Mi, Ni, Xi, ο brevis, Pi, Coph, +Ro, Summa, Tau, Vi, Fy, Chi, Psi, Othomega, Diacosyn.</p> +<p>And all be it that these things touch not to one way, nevertheless +they touch to that, that I have hight you, to shew you a part of customs +and manners, and diversities of countries. And for this is the +first country that is discordant in faith and in belief, and varieth +from our faith, on this half the sea, therefore I have set it here, +that ye may know the diversity that is between our faith and theirs. +For many men have great liking, to hear speak of strange things of diverse +countries.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>[Of the Way from Constantinople to Jerusalem.] Of Saint John +the Evangelist. And of the Ypocras Daughter, transformed from +a Woman to a Dragon</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now return I again, for to teach you the way from Constantinople +to Jerusalem. He that will through Turkey, he goeth toward the +city of Nyke, and passeth through the gate of Chienetout, and always +men see before them the hill of Chienetout, that is right high; and +it is a mile and an half from Nyke.</p> +<p>And whoso will go by water, by the brace of St. George, and by the +sea where St. Nicholas lieth, and toward many other places - first men +go to an isle that is clept Sylo. In that isle groweth mastick +on small trees, and out of them cometh gum as it were of plum-trees +or of cherry-trees.</p> +<p>And after go men through the isle of Patmos; and there wrote St. +John the Evangelist the Apocalypse. And ye shall understand, that +St. John was of age thirty-two year, when our Lord suffered his passion; +and after his passion, he lived sixty-seven year, and in the hundredth +year of his age he died.</p> +<p>From Patmos men go unto Ephesus, a fair city and nigh to the sea. +And there died St. John, and was buried behind the high altar in a tomb. +And there is a fair church; for Christian men were wont to holden that +place always. And in the tomb of St. John is nought but manna, +that is clept angels’ meat; for his body was translated into Paradise. +And Turks hold now all that place, and the city and the church; and +all Asia the less is y-clept Turkey. And ye shall understand, +that St. John let make his grave there in his life, and laid himself +therein all quick; and therefore some men say, that he died not, but +that he resteth there till the day of doom. And, forsooth, there +is a great marvel; for men may see there the earth of the tomb apertly +many times stir and move, as there were quick things under.</p> +<p>And from Ephesus men go through many isles in the sea, unto the city +of Patera, where St. Nicholas was born, and so to Martha, where he was +chosen to be bishop; and there groweth right good wine and strong, and +that men call wine of Martha. And from thence go men to the isle +of Crete, that the emperor gave sometime to [the] Genoese.</p> +<p>And then pass men through the isles of Colcos and of Lango, of the +which isles Ypocras was lord of. And some men say, that in the +isle of Lango is yet the daughter of Ypocras, in form and likeness of +a great dragon, that is a hundred fathom of length, as men say, for +I have not seen her. And they of the isles call her Lady of the +Land. And she lieth in an old castle, in a cave, and sheweth twice +or thrice in the year, and she doth no harm to no man, but if men do +her harm. And she was thus changed and transformed, from a fair +damosel, into likeness of a dragon, by a goddess that was clept Diana. +And men say, that she shall so endure in that form of a dragon, unto +[the] time that a knight come, that is so hardy, that dare come to her +and kiss her on the mouth; and then shall she turn again to her own +kind, and be a woman again, but after that she shall not live long.</p> +<p>And it is not long sithen, that a knight of Rhodes, that was hardy +and doughty in arms, said that he would kiss her. And when he +was upon his courser, and went to the castle, and entered into the cave, +the dragon lift up her head against him. And when the knight saw +her in that form so hideous and so horrible he fled away. And +the dragon bare the knight upon a rock, maugre his head; and from that +rock, she cast him into the sea. And so was lost both horse and +man.</p> +<p>And also a young man, that wist not of the dragon, went out of a +ship, and went through the isle till that he came to the castle, and +came into the cave, and went so long, till that he found a chamber; +and there he saw a damosel that combed her head and looked in a mirror; +and she had much treasure about her. And he trowed that she had +been a common woman, that dwelled there to receive men to folly. +And he abode, till the damosel saw the shadow of him in the mirror. +And she turned her toward him, and asked him what he would? And +he said, he would be her leman or paramour. And she asked him, +if that he were a knight? And he said, nay. And then she +said, that he might not be her leman; but she bade him go again unto +his fellows, and make him knight, and come again upon the morrow, and +she should come out of the cave before him, and then come and kiss her +on the mouth and have no dread, - for I shall do thee no manner of harm, +albeit that thou see me in likeness of a dragon; for though thou see +me hideous and horrible to look on, I do thee to wit that it is made +by enchantment; for without doubt, I am none other than thou seest now, +a woman, and therefore dread thee nought. And if thou kiss me, +thou shalt have all this treasure, and be my lord, and lord also of +all the isle.</p> +<p>And he departed from her and went to his fellows to ship, and let +make him knight and came again upon the morrow for to kiss this damosel. +And when he saw her come out of the cave in form of a dragon, so hideous +and so horrible, he had so great dread, that he fled again to the ship, +and she followed him. And when she saw that he turned not again, +she began to cry, as a thing that had much sorrow; and then she turned +again into her cave. And anon the knight died. And sithen +hitherward might no knight see her, but that he died anon. But +when a knight cometh, that is so hardy to kiss her, he shall not die; +but he shall turn the damosel into her right form and kindly shape, +and he shall be lord of all the countries and isles abovesaid.</p> +<p>And from thence men come to the isle of Rhodes, the which isle Hospitallers +holden and govern; and that took they some-time from the emperor. +And it was wont to be clept Collos; and so call it the Turks yet. +And Saint Paul in his epistle writeth to them of that isle <i>ad</i> +<i>Colossenses</i>. This isle is nigh eight hundred mile long +from Constantinople.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>[Of diversities in Cyprus; of the Road from Cyprus to Jerusalem, +and of the Marvel of a Fosse full of Sand]</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>And from this isle of Rhodes men go to Cyprus, where be many vines, +that first be red and after one year they become white; and those wines +that be most white, be most clear and best of smell.</p> +<p>And men pass by that way, by a place that was wont to be a great +city, and a great land; and the city was clept Cathailye, the which +city and land was lost through folly of a young man. For he had +a fair damosel, that he loved well to his paramour; and she died suddenly, +and was done in a tomb of marble. And for the great lust that +he had to her, he went in the night unto her tomb and opened it, and +went in and lay by her, and went his way. And when it came to +the end of nine months, there came a voice to him and said, Go to the +tomb of that woman, and open it and behold what thou hast begotten on +her; and if thou let to go, thou shalt have a great harm. And +he yede and opened the tomb, and there flew out an adder right hideous +to see; the which as swithe flew about the city and the country, and +soon after the city sank down. And there be many perilous passages +without fail.</p> +<p>From Rhodes to Cyprus be five hundred mile and more. But men +may go to Cyprus, and come not at Rhodes. Cyprus is right a good +isle, and a fair and a great, and it hath four principal cities within +him. And there is an Archbishop at Nicosea, and four other bishops +in that land. And at Famagost is one of the principal havens of +the sea that is in the world; and there arrive Christian men and Saracens +and men of all nations. In Cyprus is the Hill of the Holy Cross; +and there is an abbey of monks black and there is the cross of Dismas +the good thief, as I have said before. And some men trow, that +there is half the cross of our Lord; but it is not so, and they do evil +that make men to believe so.</p> +<p>In Cyprus lieth Saint Zenonimus, of whom men of that country make +great solemnity. And in the castle of Amours lieth the body of +Saint-Hilarion, and men keep it right worshipfully. And beside +Famagost was Saint Barnabas the apostle born.</p> +<p>In Cyprus men hunt with papyonns, that be like leopards, and they +take wild beasts right well, and they be somewhat more than lions; and +they take more sharply the beasts, and more deliver than do hounds.</p> +<p>In Cyprus is the manner of lords and all other men all to eat on +the earth. For they make ditches in the earth all about in the +hall, deep to the knee, and they do pave them; and when they will eat, +they go therein and sit there. And the skill is for they may be +the more fresh; for that land is much more hotter than it is here. +And at great feasts, and for strangers, they set forms and tables, as +men do in this country, but they had lever sit in the earth.</p> +<p>From Cyprus, men go to the land of Jerusalem by the sea: and in a +day and in a night, he that hath good wind may come to the haven of +Tyre, that is now clept Surrye. There was some-time a great city +and a good of Christian men, but Saracens have destroyed it a great +part; and they keep that haven right well, for dread of Christian men. +Men might go more right to that haven, and come not in Cyprus, but they +go gladly to Cyprus to rest them on the land, or else to buy things, +that they have need to their living. On the sea-side men may find +many rubies. And there is the well of the which holy writ speaketh +of, and saith, <i>Fons ortorum, et puteus aquarum viventium</i>: that +is to say, ‘the well of gardens, and the ditch of living waters.’</p> +<p>In this city of Tyre, said the woman to our Lord, <i>Beatus venter +qui te portavit, et ubera que succisti</i>: that is to say, ‘Blessed +be the body that thee bare, and the paps that thou suckedst.’ +And there our Lord forgave the woman of Canaan her sins. And before +Tyre was wont to be the stone, on the which our Lord sat and preached, +and on that stone was founded the Church of Saint Saviour.</p> +<p>And eight mile from Tyre, toward the east, upon the sea, is the city +of Sarphen, in Sarepta of Sidonians. And there was wont for to +dwell Elijah the prophet; and there raised he Jonas, the widow’s +son, from death to life. And five mile from Sarphen is the city +of Sidon; of the which city, Dido was lady, that was Aeneas’ wife, +after the destruction of Troy, and that founded the city of Carthage +in Africa, and now is clept Sidonsayete. And in the city of Tyre, +reigned Agenor, the father of Dido. And sixteen mile from Sidon +is Beirout. And from Beirout to Sardenare is three journeys and +from Sardenare is five mile to Damascus.</p> +<p>And whoso will go long time on the sea, and come nearer to Jerusalem, +he shall go from Cyprus by sea to Port Jaffa. For that is the +next haven to Jerusalem; for from that haven is not but one day journey +and a half to Jerusalem. And the town is called Jaffa; for one +of the sons of Noah that hight Japhet founded it, and now it is clept +Joppa. And ye shall understand, that it is one of the oldest towns +of the world, for it was founded before Noah’s flood. And +yet there sheweth in the rock, there as the iron chains were fastened, +that Andromeda, a great giant, was bounden with, and put in prison before +Noah’s flood, of the which giant, is a rib of his side that is +forty foot long.</p> +<p>And whoso will arrive at the port of Tyre or of Surrye, that I have +spoken of before, may go by land, if he will, to Jerusalem. And +men go from Surrye unto the city of Akon in a day. And it was +clept some-time Ptolemaïs. And it was some-time a city of +Christian men, full fair, but it is now destroyed; and it stands upon +the sea. And from Venice to Akon, by sea, is two thousand and +four score miles of Lombardy; and from Calabria, or from Sicily to Akon, +by sea, is a 1300 miles of Lombardy; and the isle of Crete is right +in the midway.</p> +<p>And beside the city of Akon, toward the sea, six score furlongs on +the right side, toward the south, is the Hill of Carmel, where Elijah +the prophet dwelled, and there was first the Order of Friars Carmelites +founded. This hill is not right great, nor full high. And +at the foot of this hill was some-time a good city of Christian men, +that men clept Caiffa, for Caiaphas first founded it; but it is now +all wasted. And on the left side of the Hill of Carmel is a town, +that men clepe Saffre, and that is set on another hill. There +Saint James and Saint John were born; and, in worship of them there +is a fair church. And from Ptolemaïs, that men clepe now +Akon, unto a great hill, that is clept Scale of Tyre, is one hundred +furlongs. And beside the city of Akon runneth a little river, +that is clept Belon.</p> +<p>And there nigh is the Foss of Mennon that is all round; and it is +one hundred cubits of largeness, and it is all full of gravel, shining +bright, of the which men make fair verres and clear. And men come +from far, by water in ships, and by land with carts, for to fetch of +that gravel. And though there be never so much taken away thereof +in the day, at morrow it is as full again as ever it was; and that is +a great marvel. And there is evermore great wind in that foss, +that stirreth evermore the gravel, and maketh it trouble. And +if any man do therein any manner metal, it turneth anon to glass. +And the glass, that is made of that gravel, if it be done again into +the gravel, it turneth anon into gravel as it was first. And therefore +some men say, that it is a swallow of the gravelly sea.</p> +<p>Also from Akon, above-said, go men forth four journeys to the city +of Palestine, that was of the Philistines, that now is clept Gaza, that +is a gay city and a rich; and it is right fair and full of folk, and +it is a little from the sea. And from this city brought Samson +the strong the gates upon an high land, when he was taken in that city, +and there he slew in a palace the king and himself, and great number +of the best of the Philistines, the which had put out his eyen and shaved +his head, and imprisoned him by treason of Dalida his paramour. +And therefore he made fall upon them a great hall, when they were at +meat.</p> +<p>And from thence go men to the city of Cesarea, and so to the Castle +of Pilgrims, and so to Ascalon; and then to Jaffa, and so to Jerusalem.</p> +<p>And whoso will go by land through the land of Babylon, where the +soldan dwelleth commonly, he must get grace of him and leave to go more +siker through those lands and countries.</p> +<p>And for to go to the Mount of Sinai, before that men go to Jerusalem, +they shall go from Gaza to the Castle of Daire. And after that, +men come out of Syria, and enter into wilderness, and there the way +is full sandy; and that wilderness and desert lasteth eight journeys, +but always men find good inns, and all that they need of victuals. +And men clepe that wilderness Achelleke. And when a man cometh +out of that desert, he entereth into Egypt, that men clepe Egypt-Canopac, +and after other language, men clepe it Morsyn. And there first +men find a good town, that is clept Belethe; and it is at the end of +the kingdom of Aleppo. And from thence men go to Babylon and to +Cairo.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of many Names of Soldans, and of the Tower of Babylon</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>At Babylon there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled +seven year, when she fled out of the land of Judea for dread of King +Herod. And there lieth the body of Saint Barbara the virgin and +martyr. And there dwelled Joseph, when he was sold of his brethren. +And there made Nebuchadnezzar the king put three children into the furnace +of fire, for they were in the right truth of belief, the which children +men clept Anania, Azariah, Mishael, as the Psalm of <i>Benedicite</i> +saith: but Nebuchadnezzar clept them otherwise, Shadrach, Meshach, and +Abednego, that is to say, God glorious, God victorious, and God over +all things and realms: and that was for the miracle, that he saw God’s +Son go with the children through the fire, as he said.</p> +<p>There dwelleth the soldan in his Calahelyke (for there is commonly +his seat) in a fair castle, strong and great, and well set upon a rock. +In that castle dwell alway, to keep it and to serve the soldan, more +then 6000 persons, that take all their necessaries off the soldan’s +court. I ought right well to know it; for I dwelled with him as +soldier in his wars a great while against the Bedouins. And he +would have married me full highly to a great prince’s daughter, +if I would have forsaken my law and my belief; but I thank God, I had +no will to do it, for nothing that he behight me.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that the soldan is lord of five kingdoms, +that he hath conquered and appropred to him by strength. And these +be the names: the kingdom of Canapac, that is Egypt; and the kingdom +of Jerusalem, where that David and Solomon were kings; and the kingdom +of Syria, of the which the city of Damascus was chief; and the kingdom +of Aleppo in the land of Mathe; and the kingdom Arabia, that was to +one of the three kings, that made offering to our Lord, when he was +born. And many other lands he holdeth in his hand. And therewithal +he holdeth caliphs, that is a full great thing in their language, and +it is as much to say as king.</p> +<p>And there were wont to be five soldans; but now there is no more +but he of Egypt. And the first soldan was Zarocon, that was of +Media, as was father to Saladin that took the Caliph of Egypt and slew +him, and was made soldan by strength. After that was Soldan Saladin, +in whose time the King of England, Richard the First, with many other, +kept the passage, that Saladin ne might not pass. After Saladin +reigned his son Boradin, and after him his nephew. After that, +the Comanians that were in servage in Egypt, felt themselves that they +were of great power, they chose them a soldan amongst them, the which +made him to be clept Melechsalan. And in his time entered into +the country of the kings of France Saint Louis, and fought with him; +and [the soldan] took him and imprisoned him; and this [soldan] was +slain by his own servants. And after, they chose another to be +soldan, that they clept Tympieman; and he let deliver Saint Louis out +of prison for a certain ransom. And after, one of these Comanians +reigned, that hight Cachas, and slew Tympieman, for to be soldan; and +made him be clept Melechmenes. And after another that had to name +Bendochdare, that slew Melechmenes, for to be sultan, and clept himself +Melechdare. In his time entered the good King Edward of England +into Syria, and did great harm to the Saracens. And after, was +this soldan empoisoned at Damascus, and his son thought to reign after +him by heritage, and made him to be clept Melechsache; but another that +had to name Elphy, chased him out of the country and made him soldan. +This man took the city of Tripoli and destroyed many of the Christian +men, the year of grace 1289, and after was he imprisoned of another +that would be soldan, but he was anon slain. After that was the +son of Elphy chosen to be soldan, and clept him Melechasseraff, and +he took the city of Akon and chased out the Christian men; and this +was also empoisoned, and then was his brother made soldan, and was clept +Melechnasser. And after, one that was clept Guytoga took him and +put him in prison in the castle of Mountroyal, and made him soldan by +strength, and clept him Melechadel; and he was of Tartary. But +the Comanians chased him out of the country, and did him much sorrow, +and made one of themself soldan, that had to name Lachin. And +he made him to be clept Melechmanser, the which on a day played at the +chess, and his sword lay beside him; and so befell, that one wrathed +him, and with his own proper sword he was slain. And after that, +they were at great discord, for to make a soldan; and finally they accorded +to Melechnasser, that Guytoga had put in prison at Mountroyal. +And this reigned long and governed so that his eldest son was chosen +after him, Melechmader, the which his brother let slay privily for to +have the lordship, and made him to be clept Melechmadabron, and he soldan +when I departed from those countries.</p> +<p>And wit ye well that the soldan may lead out of Egypt more than 20,000 +men of arms, and out of Syria, and out of Turkey and out of other countries +that he holds, he may arrere more than 50,000. And all those be +at his wages, and they be always at him, without the folk of his country, +that is without number. And every each of them hath by year the +mountance of six score florins; but it behoveth, that every of them +hold three horses and a camel. And by the cities and by towns +be admirals, that have the governance of the people; one hath to govern +four, and another hath to govern five, another more, and another well +more. And as many taketh the admiral by him alone, as all the +other soldiers have under him; and therefore, when the soldan will advance +any worthy knight, he maketh him an admiral. And when it is any +dearth, the knights be right poor, and then they sell both their horse +and their harness.</p> +<p>And the soldan hath four wives, one Christian and three Saracens, +of the which one dwelleth at Jerusalem, and another at Damascus, and +another at Ascalon; and when them list, they remove to other cities, +and when the soldan will he may go to visit them. And he hath +as many paramours as him liketh. For he maketh to come before +him the fairest and the noblest of birth, and the gentlest damosels +of his country, and he maketh them to be kept and served full honourably. +And when he will have one to lie with him, he maketh them all to come +before him, and he beholdeth in all, which of them is most to his pleasure, +and to her anon he sendeth or casteth a ring from his finger. +And then anon she shall be bathed and richly attired, and anointed with +delicate things of sweet smell, and then led to the soldan’s chamber; +and thus he doth as often as him list, when he will have any of them.</p> +<p>And before the soldan cometh no stranger, but if he be clothed in +cloth of gold, or of Tartary or of Camaka, in the Saracens’ guise, +and as the Saracens use. And it behoveth, that anon at the first +sight that men see the soldan, be it in window or in what place else, +that men kneel to him and kiss the earth, for that is the manner to +do reverence to the soldan of them that speak with him. And when +that messengers of strange countries come before him, the meinie of +the soldan, when the strangers speak to him, they be about the soldan +with swords drawn and gisarmes and axes, their arms lifted up in high +with those weapons for to smite upon them, if they say any word that +is displeasance to the soldan. And also, no stranger cometh before +him, but that he maketh him some promise and grant of that the [stranger] +asketh reasonably; by so it be not against his law. And so do +other princes beyond, for they say that no man shall come before no +prince, but that [he be] better, and shall be more gladder in departing +from his presence than he was at the coming before him.</p> +<p>And understandeth, that that Babylon that I have spoken of, where +that the sultan dwelleth, is not that great Babylon where the diversity +of languages was first made for vengeance by the miracle of God, when +the great Tower of Babel was begun to be made; of the which the walls +were sixty-four furlongs of height; that is in the great desert of Arabia, +upon the way as men go toward the kingdom of Chaldea. But it is +full long since that any man durst nigh to the tower; for it is all +desert and full of dragons and great serpents, and full of diverse venomous +beasts all about. That tower, with the city, was of twenty-five +mile in circuit of the walls, as they of the country say, and as men +may deem by estimation, after that men tell of the country.</p> +<p>And though it be clept the Tower of Babylon, yet nevertheless, there +were ordained within many mansions and many great dwelling-places, in +length and breadth. And that tower contained great country in +circuit, for the tower alone contained ten mile square. That tower +founded King Nimrod that was king of that country; and he was the first +king of the world. And he let make an image in the likeness of +his father, and constrained all his subjects for to worship it; and +anon began other lords to do the same, and so began the idols and the +simulacres first.</p> +<p>The town and the city were full well set in a fair country and a +plain that men clepe the country of Samar, of the which the walls of +the city were two hundred cubits in height, and fifty cubits of deepness; +and the river of Euphrates ran throughout the city and about the tower +also. But Cyrus the King of Persia took from them the river, and +destroyed all the city and the tower also; for he departed that river +in 360 small rivers, because that he had sworn, that he should put the +river in such point, that a woman might well pass there, without casting +off of her clothes, forasmuch as he had lost many worthy men that trowed +to pass that river by swimming.</p> +<p>And from Babylon where the soldan dwelleth, to go right between the +Orient and the Septentrion toward the great Babylon, is forty journeys +to pass by desert. But it is not the great Babylon in the land +and in the power of the said soldan, but it is in the power and the +lordship of Persia, but he holdeth it of the great Chan, that is the +greatest emperor and the most sovereign lord of all the parts beyond, +and he is lord of the isles of Cathay and of many other isles and of +a great part of Ind, and his land marcheth unto Prester John’s +Land, and he holdeth so much land, that he knoweth not the end: and +he is more mighty and greater lord without comparison than is the soldan: +of his royal estate and of his might I shall speak more plenerly, when +I shall speak of the land and of the country of Ind.</p> +<p>Also the city of Mecca where Mohammet lieth is of the great deserts +of Arabia; and there lieth [the] body of him full honourably in their +temple, that the Saracens clepen Musketh. And it is from Babylon +the less, where the soldan dwelleth, unto Mecca above-said, into a thirty-two +journeys.</p> +<p>And wit well, that the realm of Arabia is a full great country, but +therein is over-much desert. And no man may dwell there in that +desert for default of water, for that land is all gravelly and full +of sand. And it is dry and no thing fruitful, because that it +hath no moisture; and therefore is there so much desert. And if +it had rivers and wells, and the land also were as it is in other parts, +it should be as full of people and as full inhabited with folk as in +other places; for there is full great multitude of people, whereas the +land is inhabited. Arabia dureth from the ends of the realm of +Chaldea unto the last end of Africa, and marcheth to the land of Idumea +toward the end of Botron. And in Chaldea the chief city is Bagdad. +And of Africa the chief city is Carthage, that Dido, that was Eneas’s +wife, founded; the which Eneas was of the city of Troy, and after was +King of Italy.</p> +<p>Mesopotamia stretcheth also unto the deserts of Arabia, and it is +a great country. In this country is the city of Haran, where Abraham’s +father dwelled, and from whence Abraham departed by commandment of the +angel. And of that city was Ephraim, that was a great clerk and +a great doctor. And Theophilus was of that city also, that our +lady saved from our enemy. And Mesopotamia dureth from the river +of Euphrates, unto the river of Tigris, for it is between those two +rivers.</p> +<p>And beyond the river of Tigris is Chaldea, that is a full great kingdom. +In that realm, at Bagdad above-said, was wont to dwell the caliph, that +was wont to be both as Emperor and Pope of the Arabians, so that he +was lord spiritual and temporal; and he was successor to Mahommet, and +of his generation. That city of Bagdad was wont to be clept Sutis, +and Nebuchadnezzar founded it; and there dwelled the holy prophet Daniel, +and there he saw visions of heaven, and there he made the exposition +of dreams.</p> +<p>And in old time there were wont to be three caliphs, he of Arabia +and of Chaldea dwelt in the city of Bagdad above-said; and at Cairo +beside Babylon dwelt the Caliph of Egypt; and at Morocco, upon the West +Sea, dwelt the Caliph of the people of Barbary and of Africans. +And now is there none of the caliphs, nor nought have been since the +time of the Soldan Saladin; for from that time hither the soldan clepeth +himself caliph, and so have the caliphs lost their name.</p> +<p>Also witeth well, that Babylon the less, where the soldan dwelleth, +and at the city of Cairo that is nigh beside it, be great huge cities +many and fair; and that one sitteth nigh that other. Babylon sitteth +upon the river of Gyson, sometimes clept Nile, that cometh out of Paradise +terrestrial.</p> +<p>That river of Nile, all the year, when the sun entereth into the +sign of Cancer, it beginneth to wax, and it waxeth always as long as +the sun is in Cancer and in the sign of the Lion; and it waxeth in such +manner, that it is sometimes so great, that it is twenty cubits or more +of deepness, and then it doth great harm to the goods that be upon the +land. For then may no man travail to plough the lands for the +great moisture, and therefore is there dear time in that country. +And also, when it waxeth little, it is dear time in that country, for +default of moisture. And when the sun is in the sign of Virgo, +then beginneth the river for to wane and to decrease little and little, +so that when the sun is entered into the sign of Libra, then they enter +between these rivers. This river cometh, running from Paradise +terrestrial, between the deserts of Ind, and after it smiteth unto land, +and runneth long time many great countries under earth. And after +it goeth out under an high hill, that men clepe Alothe, that is between +Ind and Ethiopia the mountance of five months’ journeys from the +entry of Ethiopia; and after it environeth all Ethiopia and Mauritania, +and goeth all along from the land of Egypt unto the city of Alexandria +to the end of Egypt, and there it falleth into the sea. About +this river be many birds and fowls, as sikonies, that they clepen ibes.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Country of Egypt; of the Bird Phoenix of Arabia; of the +City of Cairo; of the Cunning to know Balm and to prove it; and of the +Garners of Joseph</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Egypt is a long country, but it is straight, that is to say narrow, +for they may not enlarge it toward the desert for default of water. +And the country is set along upon the river of Nile, by as much as that +river may serve by floods or otherwise, that when it floweth it may +spread abroad through the country; so is the country large of length. +For there it raineth not but little in that country, and for that cause +they have no water, but if it be of that flood of that river. +And forasmuch as it ne raineth not in that country, but the air is alway +pure and clear, therefore in that country be the good astronomers, for +they find there no clouds to letten them. Also the city of Cairo +is right great and more huge than that of Babylon the less, and it sitteth +above toward the desert of Syria, a little above the river above-said.</p> +<p>In Egypt there be two parts: the height, that is toward Ethiopia, +and the lower, that is toward Arabia. In Egypt is the land of +Rameses and the land of Goshen. Egypt is a strong country, for +it hath many shrewd havens because of the great rocks that be strong +and dangerous to pass by. And at Egypt, toward the east, is the +Red Sea, that dureth unto the city of Coston; and toward the west is +the country of Lybia, that is a full dry land and little of fruit, for +it is overmuch plenty of heat, and that land is clept Fusthe. +And toward the part meridional is Ethiopia. And toward the north +is the desert, that dureth unto Syria, and so is the country strong +on all sides. And it is well a fifteen journeys of length, and +more than two so much of desert, and it is but two journeys in largeness. +And between Egypt and Nubia it hath well a twelve journeys of desert. +And men of Nubia be Christian, but they be black as the Moors for great +heat of the sun.</p> +<p>In Egypt there be five provinces: that one is Sahythe; that other +Demeseer; another Resith, that is an isle in the Nile; another Alexandria; +and another the land of Damietta. That city was wont to be right +strong, but it was twice won of the Christian men, and therefore after +that the Saracens beat down the walls; and with the walls the tower +thereof, the Saracens made another city more far from the sea, and clept +it the new Damietta; so that now no man dwelleth at the rather town +of Damietta. At that city of Damietta is one of the havens of +Egypt; and at Alexandria is that other. That is a full strong +city, but there is no water to drink, but if it come by conduit from +Nile, that entereth into their cisterns; and whoso stopped that water +from them, they might not endure there. In Egypt there be but +few forcelets or castles, because that the country is so strong of himself.</p> +<p>At the deserts of Egypt was a worthy man, that was an holy hermit, +and there met with him a monster (that is to say, a monster is a thing +deformed against kind both of man or of beast or of anything else, and +that is clept a monster). And this monster, that met with this +holy hermit, was as it had been a man, that had two horns trenchant +on his forehead; and he had a body like a man unto the navel, and beneath +he had the body like a goat. And the hermit asked him what he +was. And the monster answered him, and said he was a deadly creature, +such as God had formed, and dwelt in those deserts in purchasing his +sustenance. And [he] besought the hermit, that he would pray God +for him, the which that came from heaven for to save all mankind, and +was born of a maiden and suffered passion and death (as we well know) +and by whom we live and be. And yet is the head with the two horns +of that monster at Alexandria for a marvel.</p> +<p>In Egypt is the city of Heliopolis, that is to say, the city of the +Sun. In that city there is a temple, made round after the shape +of the Temple of Jerusalem. The priests of that temple have all +their writings, under the date of the fowl that is clept phoenix; and +there is none but one in all the world. And he cometh to burn +himself upon the altar of that temple at the end of five hundred year; +for so long he liveth. And at the five hundred years’ end, +the priests array their altar honestly, and put thereupon spices and +sulphur vif and other things that will burn lightly; and then the bird +phoenix cometh and burneth himself to ashes. And the first day +next after, men find in the ashes a worm; and the second day next after, +men find a bird quick and perfect; and the third day next after, he +flieth his way. And so there is no more birds of that kind in +all the world, but it alone, and truly that is a great miracle of God. +And men may well liken that bird unto God, because that there ne is +no God but one; and also, that our Lord arose from death to life the +third day. This bird men see often-time fly in those countries; +and he is not mickle more than an eagle. And he hath a crest of +feathers upon his head more great than the peacock hath; and is neck +his yellow after colour of an oriel that is a stone well shining, and +his beak is coloured blue as ind; and his wings be of purple colour, +and his tail is barred overthwart with green and yellow and red. +And he is a full fair bird to look upon, against the sun, for he shineth +full gloriously and nobly.</p> +<p>Also in Egypt be gardens, that have trees and herbs, the which bear +fruits seven times in the year. And in that land men find many +fair emeralds and enough; and therefore they be greater cheap. +Also when it raineth once in the summer in the land of Egypt, then is +all the country full of great mires. Also at Cairo, that I spake +of before, sell men commonly both men and women of other laws as we +do here beasts in the market. And there is a common house in that +city that is all full of small furnaces, and thither bring women of +the town their eyren of hens, of geese, and or ducks for to be put into +those furnaces. And they that keep that house cover them with +heat of horse dung, without hen, goose or duck or any other fowl. +And at the end of three weeks or of a month they come again and take +their chickens and flourish them and bring them forth, so that all the +country is full of them. And so men do there both winter and summer.</p> +<p>Also in that country and in others also, men find long apples to +sell, in their season, and men clepe them apples of Paradise; and they +be right sweet and of good savour. And though ye cut them in never +so many gobbets or parts, overthwart or endlong, evermore ye shall find +in the midst the figure of the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesu. But +they will rot within eight days, and for that cause men may not carry +of those apples to no far countries; of them men find the mountance +of a hundred in a basket, and they have great leaves of a foot and a +half of length, and they be convenably large. And men find there +also the apple tree of Adam, that have a bite at one of the sides; and +there be also fig trees that bear no leaves, but figs upon the small +branches; and men clepe them figs of Pharaoh.</p> +<p>Also beside Cairo, without that city, is the field where balm groweth; +and it cometh out on small trees, that be none higher than to a man’s +breeks’ girdle, and they seem as wood that is of the wild vine. +And in that field be seven wells, that our Lord Jesu Christ made with +one of his feet, when he went to play with other children. That +field is not so well closed, but that men may enter at their own list; +but in that season that the balm is growing, men put thereto good keeping, +that no man dare be hardy to enter.</p> +<p>This balm groweth in no place, but only there. And though that +men bring of the plants, for to plant in other countries, they grow +well and fair; but they bring forth no fructuous thing, and the leaves +of balm fall not. And men cut the branches with a sharp flintstone, +or with a sharp bone, when men will go to cut them; for whoso cut them +with iron, it would destroy his virtue and his nature.</p> +<p>And the Saracens crepe the wood <i>Enonch-balse</i>, and the fruit, +the which is as cubebs, they clepe <i>Abebissam</i>, and the liquor +that droppeth from the branches they clepe <i>Guybalse</i>. And +men make always that balm to be tilled of the Christian men, or else +it would not fructify; as the Saracens say themselves, for it hath been +often-time proved. Men say also, that the balm groweth in Ind +the more, in that desert where Alexander spake to the trees of the sun +and of the moon, but I have not seen it; for I have not been so far +above upward, because that there be too many perilous passages.</p> +<p>And wit ye well, that a man ought to take good keep for to buy balm, +but if he con know it right well, for he may right lightly be deceived. +For men sell a gum, that men clepe turpentine, instead of balm, and +they put thereto a little balm for to give good odour. And some +put wax in oil of the wood of the fruit of balm, and say that it is +balm. And some distil cloves of gilofre and of spikenard of Spain +and of other spices, that be well smelling; and the liquor that goeth +out thereof they clepe it balm, and they think that they have balm, +and they have none. For the Saracens counterfeit it by subtlety +of craft for to deceive the Christian men, as I have seen full many +a time; and after them the merchants and the apothecaries counterfeit +it eft sones, and then it is less worth, and a great deal worse.</p> +<p>But if it like you, I shall shew how ye shall know and prove, to +the end that ye shall not be deceived. First ye shall well know, +that the natural balm is full clear, and of citron colour and strongly +smelling; and if it be thick, or red or black, it is sophisticate, that +is to say, counterfeited and made like it for deceit. And understand, +that if ye will put a little balm in the palm of your hand against the +sun, if it be fine and good, ye ne shall not suffer your hand against +the heat of the sun. Also take a little balm with the point of +a knife, and touch it to the fire, and if it burn it is a good sign. +After take also a drop of balm, and put it into a dish, or in a cup +with milk of a goat, and if it be natural balm anon it will take and +beclippe the milk. Or put a drop of balm in clear water in a cup +of silver or in a clear basin, stir it well with the clear water; and +if the balm be fine and of his own kind, the water shall never trouble; +and if the balm be sophisticate, that is to say counterfeited, the water +shall become anon trouble; and also if the balm be fine it shall fall +to the bottom of the vessel, as though it were quicksilver, for the +fine balm is more heavy twice than is the balm that is sophisticate +and counterfeited. Now I have spoken of balm.</p> +<p>And now also I shall speak of another thing that is beyond Babylon, +above the flood of the Nile, toward the desert between Africa and Egypt; +that is to say, of the garners of Joseph, that he let make for to keep +the grains for the peril of the dear years. And they be made of +stone, full well made of masons' craft; of the which two be marvellously +great and high, and the tother ne be not so great. And every garner +hath a gate for to enter within, a little high from the earth; for the +land is wasted and fallen since the garners were made. And within +they be all full of serpents. And above the garners without be +many scriptures of diverse languages. And some men say, that they +be sepultures of great lords, that were sometime, but that is not true, +for all the common rumour and speech is of all the people there, both +far and near, that they be the garners of Joseph; and so find they in +their scriptures, and in their chronicles. On the other part, +if they were sepultures, they should not be void within, ne they should +have no gates for to enter within; for ye may well know, that tombs +and sepultures be not made of such greatness, nor of such highness; +wherefore it is not to believe, that they be tombs or sepultures.</p> +<p>In Egypt also there be diverse languages and diverse letters, and +of other manner and condition than there be in other parts. As +I shall devise you, such as they be, and the names how they clepe them, +to such intent, that ye may know the difference of them and of others, +- Athoimis, Bimchi, Chinok, Duram, Eni, Fin, Gomor, Heket, Janny, Karacta, +Luzanin, Miche, Naryn, Oldach, Pilon, Qyn, Yron, Sichen, Thola, Urmron, +Yph and Zarm, Thoit.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Isle of Sicily; of the way from Babylon to the Mount Sinai; +of the Church of Saint Katherine and of all the marvels there</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now will I return again, ere I proceed any further, for to declare +to you the other ways, that draw toward Babylon, where the sultan himself +dwelleth, that is at the entry of Egypt; for as much as many folk go +thither first and after that to the Mount Sinai, and after return to +Jerusalem, as I have said you here before. For they fulfil first +the more long pilgrimage, and after return again by the next ways, because +that the more nigh way is the more worthy, and that is Jerusalem; for +no other pilgrimage is not like in comparison to it. But for to +fulfil their pilgrimages more easily and more sikerly, men go first +the longer way rather than the nearer way.</p> +<p>But whoso will go to Babylon by another way, more short from the +countries of the west that I have rehearsed before, or from other countries +next to them - then men go by France, by Burgundy and by Lombardy. +It needeth not to tell you the names of the cities, nor of the towns +that be in that way, for the way is common, and it is known of many +nations. And there be many havens [where] men take the sea. +Some men take the sea at Genoa, some at Venice, and pass by the sea +Adriatic, that is clept the Gulf of Venice, that departeth Italy and +Greece on that side; and some go to Naples, some to Rome, and from Rome +to Brindisi and there they take the sea, and in many other places where +that havens be. And men go by Tuscany, by Campania, by Calabria, +by Apulia, and by the hills of Italy, by Corsica, by Sardinia, and by +Sicily, that is a great isle and a good.</p> +<p>In that isle of Sicily there is a manner of a garden, in the which +be many diverse fruits; and the garden is always green and flourishing, +all the seasons of the year as well in winter as in summer. That +isle holds in compass about 350 French miles. And between Sicily +and Italy there is not but a little arm of the sea, that men clepe the +Farde of Messina. And Sicily is between the sea Adriatic and the +sea of Lombardy. And from Sicily into Calabria is but eight miles +of Lombardy.</p> +<p>And in Sicily there is a manner of serpent, by the which men assay +and prove, whether their children be bastards or no, or of lawful marriage: +for if they be born in right marriage, the serpents go about them, and +do them no harm, and if they be born in avoutry, the serpents bite them +and envenom them. And thus many wedded men prove if the children +be their own.</p> +<p>Also in that isle is the Mount Etna, that men clepe Mount Gybelle, +and the volcanoes that be evermore burning. And there be seven +places that burn and that cast out diverse flames and diverse colour: +and by the changing of those flames, men of that country know when it +shall be dearth or good time, or cold or hot or moist or dry, or in +all other manners how the time shall be governed. And from Italy +unto the volcanoes ne is but twenty-five mile. And men say, that +the volcanoes be ways of hell.</p> +<p>And whoso goeth by Pisa, if that men list to go that way, there is +an arm of the sea, where that men go to other havens in those marches. +And then men pass by the isle of Greaf that is at Genoa. And after +arrive men in Greece at the haven of the city of Myrok, or at the haven +of Valone, or at the city of Duras; and there is a Duke at Duras, or +at other havens in those marches; and so men go to Constantinople. +And after go men by water to the isle of Crete and to the isle of Rhodes, +and so to Cyprus, and so to Athens, and from thence to Constantinople. +To hold the more right way by sea, it is well a thousand eight hundred +and four score mile of Lombardy. And after from Cyprus men go +by sea, and leave Jerusalem and all the country on the left hand, unto +Egypt, and arrive at the city of Damietta, that was wont to be full +strong, and it sits at the entry of Egypt. And from Damietta go +men to the city of Alexandria, that sits also upon the sea. In +that city was Saint Catherine beheaded: and there was Saint Mark the +evangelist martyred and buried, but the Emperor Leo made his bones to +be brought to Venice.</p> +<p>And yet there is at Alexandria a fair church, all white without paintures; +and so be all the other churches that were of the Christian men, all +white within, for the Paynims and the Saracens made them white for to +fordo the images of saints that were painted on the walls. That +city of Alexandria is well thirty furlongs in length, but it is but +ten on largeness; and it is a full noble city and a fair. At that +city entereth the river of Nile into the sea, as I to you have said +before. In that river men find many precious stones, and much +also of lignum aloes; and it is a manner of wood, that cometh out of +Paradise terrestrial, the which is good for many diverse medicines, +and it is right dear-worth. And from Alexandria men go to Babylon, +where the sultan dwelleth; that sits also upon the river of Nile: and +this way is the most short, for to go straight unto Babylon.</p> +<p>Now shall I say you also the way, that goeth from Babylon to the +Mount of Sinai, where Saint Catherine lieth. He must pass by the +deserts of Arabia, by the which deserts Moses led the people of Israel. +And then pass men by the well that Moses made with his hand in the deserts, +when the people grucched; for they found nothing to drink. And +then pass men by the Well of Marah, of the which the water was first +bitter; but the children of Israel put therein a tree, and anon the +water was sweet and good for to drink. And then go men by desert +unto the vale of Elim, in the which vale be twelve wells; and there +be seventy-two trees of palm, that bear the dates the which Moses found +with the children of Israel. And from that valley is but a good +journey to the Mount of Sinai.</p> +<p>And whoso will go by another way from Babylon, then men go by the +Red Sea, that is an arm of the sea Ocean. And there passed Moses +with the children of Israel, over-thwart the sea all dry, when Pharaoh +the King of Egypt chased them. And that sea is well a six mile +of largeness in length; and in that sea was Pharaoh drowned and all +his host that he led. That sea is not more red than another sea; +but in some place thereof is the gravel red, and therefore men clepen +it the Red Sea. That sea runneth to the ends of Arabia and of +Palestine.</p> +<p>That sea lasteth more than a four journeys, and then go men by desert +unto the Vale of Elim, and from thence to the Mount of Sinai. +And ye may well understand, that by this desert no man may go on horseback, +because that there ne is neither meat for horse ne water to drink; and +for that cause men pass that desert with camels. For the camel +finds alway meat in trees and on bushes, that he feedeth him with: and +he may well fast from drink two days or three. And that may no +horse do.</p> +<p>And wit well that from Babylon to the Mount Sinai is well a twelve +good journeys, and some men make them more. And some men hasten +them and pain them, and therefore they make them less. And always +men find latiners to go with them in the countries, and further beyond, +into time that men con the language: and it behoveth men to bear victuals +with them, that shall dure them in those deserts, and other necessaries +for to live by.</p> +<p>And the Mount of Sinai is clept the Desert of Sin, that is for to +say, the bush burning; because there Moses saw our Lord God many times +in the form of fire burning upon that hill, and also in a bush burning, +and spake to him. And that was at the foot of the hill. +There is an abbey of monks, well builded and well closed with gates +of iron for dread of the wild beasts; and the monks be Arabians or men +of Greece. And there [is] a great convent, and all they be as +hermits, and they drink no wine, but if it be on principal feasts; and +they be full devout men, and live poorly and simply with joutes and +with dates, and they do great abstinence and penances.</p> +<p>There is the Church of Saint Catherine, in the which be many lamps +burning; for they have of oil of olives enough, both for to burn in +their lamps and to eat also. And that plenty have they by the +miracle of God; for the ravens and the crows and the choughs and other +fowls of the country assemble them there every year once, and fly thither +as in pilgrimage; and everych of them bringeth a branch of the bays +or of olive in their beaks instead of offering, and leave them there; +of the which the monks make great plenty of oil. And this is a +great marvel. And sith that fowls that have no kindly wit or reason +go thither to seek that glorious Virgin, well more ought men then to +seek her, and to worship her.</p> +<p>Also behind the altar of that church is the place where Moses saw +our Lord God in a burning bush. And when the monks enter into +that place, they do off both hosen and shoon or boots always, because +that our Lord said to Moses, Do off thy hosen and thy shoon, for the +place that thou standest on is land holy and blessed. And the +monks clepe that place Dozoleel, that is to say, the shadow of God. +And beside the high altar, three degrees of height is the fertre of +alabaster, where the bones of Saint Catherine lie. And the prelate +of the monks sheweth the relics to the pilgrims, and with an instrument +of silver he froteth the bones; and then there goeth out a little oil, +as though it were a manner sweating, that is neither like to oil ne +to balm, but it is full sweet of smell; and of that they give a little +to the pilgrims, for there goeth out but little quantity of the liquor. +And after that they shew the head of Saint Catherine, and the cloth +that she was wrapped in, that is yet all bloody; and in that same cloth +so wrapped, the angels bare her body to the Mount Sinai, and there they +buried her with it. And then they shew the bush, that burned and +wasted nought, in the which our Lord spake to Moses, and other relics +enough.</p> +<p>Also, when the prelate of the abbey is dead, I have understood, by +information, that his lamp quencheth. And when they choose another +prelate, if he be a good man and worthy to be prelate, his lamp shall +light with the grace of God without touching of any man. For everych +of them hath a lamp by himself, and by their lamps they know well when +any of them shall die. For when any shall die, the light beginneth +to change and to wax dim; and if he be chosen to be prelate, and is +not worthy, his lamp quencheth anon. And other men have told me, +that he that singeth the mass for the prelate that is dead - he shall +find upon the altar the name written of him that shall be prelate chosen. +And so upon a day, I asked of the monks, both one and other, how this +befell. But they would not tell me nothing, into the time that +I said that they should not hide the grace that God did them, but that +they should publish it to make the people have the more devotion, and +that they did sin to hide God’s miracle, as me seemed. For +the miracles that God hath done and yet doth every day, be the witness +of his might and of his marvels, as David saith in the Psalter: <i>Mirabilia +testimonia tua, Domine</i>, that is to say, ‘Lord thy marvels +be thy witness.’ And then they told me, both one and other, +how it befell full many a time, but more I might not have of them.</p> +<p>In that abbey ne entereth not no fly, ne toads ne newts, ne such +foul venomous beasts, ne lice ne fleas, by the miracle of God, and of +our Lady. For there were wont to be so many such manner of filths, +that the monks were in will to leave the place and the abbey, and were +from thence upon the mountain above to eschew that place; and our Lady +came to them and bade them turn again, and from thence forwards never +entered such filth in that place amongst them, ne never shall enter +hereafter. Also, before the gate is the well, where Moses smote +the stone, of the which the water came out plenteously.</p> +<p>From that abbey men go up the mountain of Moses, by many degrees. +And there men find first a church of our Lady, where that she met the +monks, when they fled away for the vermin above-said. And more +high upon that mountain is the chapel of Elijah the prophet; and that +place they clepe Horeb, whereof holy writ speaketh, <i>Et ambulavit +in fortitudine cibi illius usque, ad montem Oreb</i>; that is to say, +‘And he went in strength of that meat unto the hill of God, Horeb.’ +And there nigh is the vine that Saint John the Evangelist planted that +men clepe raisins of Staphis. And a little above is the chapel +of Moses, and the rock where Moses fled to for dread when he saw our +Lord face to face. And in that rock is printed the form of his +body, for he smote so strongly and so hard himself in that rock, that +all his body was dolven within through the miracle of God. And +there beside is the place where our Lord took to Moses the Ten Commandments +of the Law. And there is the cave under the rock where Moses dwelt, +when he fasted forty days and forty nights. But he died in the +Land of Promission, and no man knoweth where he was buried. And +from that mountain men pass a great valley for to go to another mountain, +where Saint Catherine was buried of the angels of the Lord. And +in that valley is a church of forty martyrs, and there sing the monks +of the abbey, often-time: and that valley is right cold. And after +men go up the mountain of Saint Catherine, that is more high than the +mount of Moses; and there, where Saint Catherine was buried, is neither +church nor chapel, nor other dwelling place, but there is an heap of +stones about the place, where body of her, was put of the angels. +There was wont to be a chapel, but it was cast down, and yet lie the +stones there. And albeit that the Collect of Saint Catherine says, +that it is the place where our Lord betaught the Ten Commandments to +Moses, and there, where the blessed Virgin Saint Catherine was buried, +that is to understand in one country, or in one place bearing one name; +for both that one and that other is clept the mount of Sinai. +But it is a great way from that one to that other, and a great deep +valley between them.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Desert between the Church of Saint Catherine and Jerusalem. +Of the Dry Tree; and how Roses came first into the World</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now, after that men have visited those holy places, then will they +turn toward Jerusalem. And then will they take leave of the monks, +and recommend themselves to their prayers. And then they give +the pilgrims of their victuals for to pass with the deserts toward Syria. +And those deserts dure well a thirteen journeys.</p> +<p>In that desert dwell many of Arabians, that men clepe Bedouins and +Ascopards, and they be folk full of all evil conditions. And they +have none houses, but tents, that they make of skins of beasts, as of +camels and of other beasts that they eat; and there beneath these they +couch them and dwell in place where they may find water, as on the Red +Sea or elsewhere: for in that desert is full great default of water, +and often-time it falleth that where men find water at one time in a +place it faileth another time; and for that skill they make none habitations +there. These folk that I speak of, they till not the land, and +they labour nought; for they eat no bread, but if it be any that dwell +nigh a good town, that go thither and eat bread sometime. And +they roast their flesh and their fish upon the hot stones against the +sun. And they be strong men and well-fighting; and there so is +much multitude of that folk, that they be without number. And +they ne reck of nothing, ne do not but chase after beasts to eat them. +And they reck nothing of their life, and therefore they fear not the +sultan, ne no other prince; but they dare well war with them, if they +do anything that is grievance to them. And they have often-times +war with the sultan, and, namely, that time that I was with him. +And they bear but one shield and one spear, without other arms; and +they wrap their heads and their necks with a great quantity of white +linen cloth; and they be right felonous and foul, and of cursed kind.</p> +<p>And when men pass this desert, in coming toward Jerusalem, they come +to Bersabe (Beersheba), that was wont to be a full fair town and a delectable +of Christian men; and yet there be some of their churches. In +that town dwelled Abraham the patriarch, a long time. That town +of Bersabe founded Bersabe (Bathsheba), the wife of Sir Uriah the Knight, +on the which King David gat Solomen the Wise, that was king after David +upon the twelve kindreds of Jerusalem and reigned forty year.</p> +<p>And from thence go men to the city of Hebron, that is the mountance +of twelve good mile. And it was clept sometime the Vale of Mamre, +and some-time it was clept the Vale of Tears, because that Adam wept +there an hundred year for the death of Abel his son, that Cain slew. +Hebron was wont to be the principal city of the Philistines, and there +dwelled some time the giants. And that city was also sacerdotal, +that is to say, sanctuary of the tribe of Judah; and it was so free, +that men received there all manner of fugitives of other places for +their evil deeds. In Hebron Joshua, Caleb and their company came +first to aspy, how they might win the land of Behest. In Hebron +reigned first king David seven year and a half; and in Jerusalem he +reigned thirty-three year and a half.</p> +<p>And in Hebron be all the sepultures of the patriarchs, Adam, Abraham, +Isaac, and of Jacob; and of their wives, Eve, Sarah and Rebecca, and +of Leah; the which sepultures the Saracens keep full curiously, and +have the place in great reverence for the holy fathers, the patriarchs +that lie there. And they suffer no Christian man to enter into +that place, but if it be of special grace of the sultan; for they hold +Christian men and Jews as dogs, and they say, that they should not enter +into so holy place. And men clepe that place, where they lie, +Double Spelunk, or Double Cave, or Double Ditch, forasmuch as that one +lieth above that other. And the Saracens clepe that place in their +language, <i>Karicarba</i>, that is to say, ‘The Place of Patriarchs.’ +And the Jews clepe that place <i>Arboth</i>. And in that same +place was Abraham’s house, and there he sat and saw three persons, +and worshipped but one; as holy writ saith, <i>Tres vidit et unum adoravit</i>, +that is to say, ‘He saw three and worshipped one’: and of +those same received Abraham the angels into his house.</p> +<p>And right fast by that place is a cave in the rock, where Adam and +Eve dwelled when they were put out of Paradise; and there got they their +children. And in that same place was Adam formed and made, after +that some men say: (for men were wont for to clepe that place the field +of Damascus, because that it was in the lordship of Damascus), and from +thence was he translated into Paradise of delights, as they say; and +after that he was driven out of Paradise he was there left. And +the same day that he was put in Paradise, the same day he was put out, +for anon he sinned. There beginneth the Vale of Hebron, that dureth +nigh to Jerusalem. There the angel commanded Adam that he should +dwell with his wife Eve, of the which he gat Seth; of which tribe, that +is to say kindred, Jesu Christ was born.</p> +<p>In that valley is a field, where men draw out of the earth a thing +that men clepe cambile, and they eat it instead of spices, and they +bear it to sell. And men may not make the hole or the cave, where +it is taken out of the earth, so deep or so wide, but that it is, at +the year’s end, full again up to the sides, through the grace +of God.</p> +<p>And two mile from Hebron is the grave of Lot, that was Abraham’s +brother.</p> +<p>And a little from Hebron is the mount of Mamre, of the which the +valley taketh his name. And there is a tree of oak, that the Saracens +clepe <i>Dirpe</i>, that is of Abraham’s time: the which men clepe +the Dry Tree. And they say that it hath been there since the beginning +of the world, and was some-time green and bare leaves, unto the time +that our Lord died on the cross, and then it dried: and so did all the +trees that were then in the world. And some say, by their prophecies, +that a lord, a prince of the west side of the world, shall win the Land +of Promission that is the Holy Land with help of Christian men, and +he shall do sing a mass under that dry tree; and then the tree shall +wax green and bear both fruit and leaves, and through that miracle many +Saracens and Jews shall be turned to Christian faith: and, therefore, +they do great worship thereto, and keep it full busily. And, albeit +so, that it be dry, natheles yet he beareth great virtue, for certainly +he that hath a little thereof upon him, it healeth him of the falling +evil, and his horse shall not be a-foundered: and many other virtues +it hath; wherefore men hold it full precious.</p> +<p>From Hebron men go to Bethlehem in half a day, for it is but five +mile; and it is full fair way, by plains and woods full delectable. +Bethlehem is a little city, long and narrow and well walled, and in +each side enclosed with good ditches: and it was wont to be clept Ephrata, +as holy writ saith, <i>Ecce, audivimus eum in Ephrata</i>, that is to +say, ‘Lo, we heard him in Ephrata.’ And toward the +east end of the city is a full fair church and a gracious, and it hath +many towers, pinacles and corners, full strong and curiously made; and +within that church be forty-four pillars of marble, great and fair.</p> +<p>And between the city and the church is the field <i>Floridus</i>, +that is to say, the ‘field flourished.’ For as much +as a fair maiden was blamed with wrong, and slandered that she had done +fornication; for which cause she was demned to death, and to be burnt +in that place, to the which she was led. And, as the fire began +to burn about her, she made her prayers to our Lord, that as wisely +as she was not guilty of that sin, that he would help her and make it +to be known to all men, of his merciful grace. And when she had +thus said, she entered into the fire, and anon was the fire quenched +and out; and the brands that were burning became red rose-trees, and +the brands that were not kindled became white rose-trees, full of roses. +And these were the first rose-trees and roses, both white and red, that +ever any man saw; and thus was this maiden saved by the grace of God. +And therefore is that field clept the field of God flourished, for it +was full of roses.</p> +<p>Also beside the choir of the church, at the right side, as men come +downward sixteen degrees, is the place where our Lord was born, that +is full well dight of marble, and full richly painted with gold, silver, +azure and other colours. And three paces beside is the crib of +the ox and the ass. And beside that is the place where the star +fell, that led the three kings, Jaspar, Melchior and Balthazar: but +men of Greece clepe them thus, <i>Galgalath, Malgalath</i>, and <i>Seraphie</i>, +and the Jews clepe them, in this manner, in Hebrew, <i>Appelius, Amerrius</i>, +and <i>Damasus</i>. These three kings offered to our Lord, gold, +incense and myrrh, and they met together through miracle of God; for +they met together in a city in Ind, that men clepe Cassak, that is a +fifty-three journeys from Bethlehem; and they were at Bethlehem the +thirteenth day; and that was the fourth day after that they had seen +the star, when they met in that city, and thus they were in nine days +from that city at Bethlehem, and that was great miracle.</p> +<p>Also, under the cloister of the church, by eighteen degrees at the +right side, is the charnel of the Innocents, where their bones lie. +And before the place where our Lord was born is the tomb of Saint Jerome, +that was a priest and a cardinal, that translated the Bible and the +Psalter from Hebrew into Latin: and without the minster is the chair +that he sat in when he translated it. And fast beside that church, +a sixty fathom, is a church of Saint Nicholas, where our Lady rested +her after she was lighted of our Lord; and forasmuch as she had too +much milk in her paps, that grieved her, she milked them on the red +stones of marble, so that the traces may yet be seen, in the stones, +all white.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that all that dwell in Bethlehem be Christian +men.</p> +<p>And there be fair vines about the city, and great plenty of wine, +that the Christian men have do let make. But the Saracens ne till +not no vines, ne they drink no wine: for their books of their law, that +Mahomet betoke them, which they clepe their <i>Al Koran</i>, and some +crepe it <i>Mesaph</i>, and in another language it is clept <i>Harme</i>, +and the same book forbiddeth them to drink wine. For in that book, +Mahomet cursed all those that drink wine and all them that sell it: +for some men say, that he slew once an hermit in his drunkenness, that +he loved full well; and therefore he cursed wine and them that drink +it. But his curse be turned on to his own head, as holy writ saith, +<i>Et in virticem ipsius iniquitas ejus descendet</i>, that is for to +say, ‘His wickedness shall turn and fall in his own head.’</p> +<p>And also the Saracens bring forth no pigs, nor they eat no swine’s +flesh, for they say it is brother to man, and it was forbidden by the +old law; and they hold him all accursed that eat thereof. Also +in the land of Palestine and in the land of Egypt, they eat but little +or none of flesh of veal or of beef, but if be so old, that he may no +more travel for old; for it is forbidden, and for because they have +but few of them; therefore they nourish them for to ere their lands.</p> +<p>In this city of Bethlehem was David the king born; and he had sixty +wives, and the first wife was called Michal; and also he had three hundred +lemans.</p> +<p>And from Bethlehem unto Jerusalem is but two mile; and in the way +to Jerusalem half a mile from Bethlehem is a church, where the angel +said to the shepherds of the birth of Christ. And in that way +is the tomb of Rachel, that was Joseph’s mother, the patriarch; +and she died anon after that she was delivered of her son Benjamin. +And there she was buried of Jacob her husband, and he let set twelve +great stones on her, in token that she had born twelve children. +In the same way, half mile from Jerusalem, appeared the star to the +three kings. In that way also be many churches of Christian men, +by the which men go towards the city of Jerusalem.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Pilgrimages in Jerusalem, and of the Holy Places thereabout</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>After, for to speak of Jerusalem the holy city: ye shall understand, +that it stands full fair between hills, and there be no rivers ne wells, +but water cometh by conduit from Hebron. And ye shall understand, +that Jerusalem of old time, unto the time of Melchisadech, was clept +Jebus; and after it was clept Salem, unto the time of King David, that +put these two names together, and clept it Jebusalem; and after that, +King Solomon clept it Jerosolomye; and after that, men clept it Jerusalem, +and so it is clept yet.</p> +<p>And about Jerusalem is the kingdom of Syria. And there beside +is the land of Palestine, and beside it is Ascalon, and beside that +is the land of Maritaine. But Jerusalem is in the land of Judea, +and it is clept Judea, for that Judas Maccabeus was king of that country; +and it marcheth eastward to the kingdom of Arabia; on the south side +to the land of Egypt; and on the west side to the Great Sea; on the +north side, towards the kingdom of Syria and to the sea of Cyprus. +In Jerusalem was wont to be a patriarch; and archbishops and bishops +about in the country. About Jerusalem be these cities: Hebron, +at seven mile; Jericho, at six mile; Beersheba, at eight mile; Ascalon, +at seventeen mile; Jaffa, at sixteen mile; Ramath, at three mile; and +Bethlehem, at two mile. And a two mile from Bethlehem, toward +the south, is the Church of St. Karitot, that was abbot there, for whom +they made much dole amongst the monks when he should die; and yet they +be in mourning in the wise that they made their lamentation for him +the first time; and it is full great pity to behold.</p> +<p>This country and land of Jerusalem hath been in many divers nations’ +hands, and often, therefore, hath the country suffered much tribulation +for the sin of the people that dwell there. For that country hath +been in the hands of all nations; that is to say, of Jews, of Canaanites, +Assyrians, Persians, Medes, Macedonians, of Greeks, Romans, of Christian +men, of Saracens, Barbarians, Turks, Tartars, and of many other divers +nations; for God will not that it be long in the hands of traitors ne +of sinners, be they Christian or other. And now have the heathen +men held that land in their hands forty year and more; but they shall +not hold it long, if God will.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that when men come to Jerusalem, their first +pilgrimage is to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where our Lord was +buried, that is without the city on the north side; but it is now enclosed +in with the town wall. And there is a full fair church, all round, +and open above, and covered with lead; and on the west side is a fair +tower and an high for bells, strongly made.</p> +<p>And in the midst of the church is a tabernacle, as it were a little +house, made with a low little door, and that tabernacle is made in manner +of half a compass, right curiously and richly made of gold and azure +and other rich colours full nobly made. And in the right side +of that tabernacle is the sepulchre of our Lord; and the tabernacle +is eight foot long, and five foot wide, and eleven foot in height. +And it is not long sith the sepulchre was all open, that men might kiss +it and touch it; but for pilgrims that came thither pained them to break +the stone in pieces or in powder, therefore the soldan hath do make +a wall about the sepulchre that no man may touch it: but in the left +side of the wall of the tabernacle is, well the height of a man, a great +stone to the quantity of a man’s head, that was of the holy sepulchre; +and that stone kiss the pilgrims that come thither. In that tabernacle +be no windows, but it is all made light with lamps that hang before +the sepulchre. And there is a lamp that hangeth before the sepulchre, +that burneth light; and on the Good Friday it goeth out by himself, +[and lighteth again by him self] at that hour that our Lord rose from +death to life.</p> +<p>Also within the church, at the right side, beside the choir of the +church, is the mount of Calvary, where our Lord was put on the cross; +and it is a rock of white colour and a little medled with red. +And the cross was set in a mortise in the same rock. And on that +rock dropped the wounds of our Lord when he was pined on the cross. +And that is clept Golgotha.</p> +<p>And men go up to that Golgotha by degrees; and in the place of that +mortise was Adam’s head found after Noah’s flood, in token +that the sins of Adam should be bought in that same place. And +upon that rock made Abraham sacrifice to our Lord. And there is +an altar; and before that altar lie Godefray de Bouillon and Baldwin, +and other Christian kings of Jerusalem.</p> +<p>And there, nigh where our Lord was crucified, is this written in +Greek:</p> +<p>Ο θεος Βασιλευς +ημων προ αιωνων +ειργασατο σωτηριαν +εν μεσω της γης +;</p> +<p>that is to say, in Latin, -</p> +<p><i>Deus Rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem, in medio terrae</i>;</p> +<p>that is to say, -</p> +<p><i>This God our King, before the worlds, hath wrought health</i> +<i>in midst of the earth.</i></p> +<p>And also on that rock, where the cross was set, is written within +the rock these words:</p> +<p>Ο ειδεις, εστι +Βασις της πιστεως +ολης του κοσμου +τουτου; </p> +<p>that is to say, in Latin, -</p> +<p><i>Quod vides, est fundamentum totius fidei mundi hujus</i>;</p> +<p>that is to say, -</p> +<p><i>That thou seest, is the ground of all the faith of this world</i>.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that when our Lord was done upon the cross, +he was thirty-three year and three months of old. And the prophecy +of David saith thus: <i>Quadraginta annis proximus fui generationi huic</i>; +that is to say, ‘Forty year was I neighbour to this kindred.’ +And thus should it seem that the prophecies were not true. But +they be both true; for in old time men made a year of ten months, of +the which March was the first and December was the last. But Gaius, +that was Emperor of Rome, put these two months thereto, January and +February, and ordained the year of twelve months; that is to say, 365 +days, without leap year, after the proper course of the sun. And +therefore after counting of ten months of the year, he died in the fortieth +year, as the prophet said. And after the year of twelve months, +he was of age thirty-three year and three months.</p> +<p>Also, within the mount of Calvary, on the right side, is an altar, +where the pillar lieth that our Lord Jesu was bounden to when he was +scourged. And there beside be four pillars of stone, that always +drop water; and some men say that they weep for our Lord’s death. +And nigh that altar is a place under earth forty-two degrees of deepness, +where the holy cross was found, by the wit of Saint Helen, under a rock +where the Jews had hid it. And that was the very cross assayed; +for they found three crosses, one of our Lord, and two of the two thieves; +and Saint Helen proved them by a dead body that arose from death to +life, when that it was laid on it, that our Lord died on. And +thereby in the wall is the place where the four nails of our Lord were +hid: for he had two in his hands and two in his feet. And, of +one of these, the Emperor of Constantinople made a bridle to his horse +to bear him in battle; and, through virtue thereof, he overcame his +enemies, and won all the land of Asia the less, that is to say, Turkey, +Armenia the less and the more, and from Syria to Jerusalem, from Arabia +to Persia, from Mesopotamia to the kingdom of Aleppo, from Egypt the +high and the low and all the other kingdoms unto the depth of Ethiopia, +and into Ind the less that then was Christian.</p> +<p>And there were in that time many good holy men and holy hermits, +of whom the book of Father’s lives speaketh, and they be now in +Paynims’ and Saracens’ hands: but when God Almighty will, +right as the lands ere lost through sin of Christian men, so shall they +be won again by Christian men through help of God.</p> +<p>And in midst of that church is a compass, in the which Joseph of +Arimathea laid the body of our Lord when he had taken him down off the +cross; and there he washed the wounds of our Lord. And that compass, +say men, is the midst of the world.</p> +<p>And in the church of the sepulchre, on the north side, is the place +where our Lord was put in prison (for he was in prison in many places); +and there is a part of the chain that he was bounden with; and there +he appeared first to Mary Magdalene when he was risen, and she wend +that he had been a gardener.</p> +<p>In the church of Saint Sepulchre was wont to be canons of the order +of Saint Augustine, and had a prior, but the patriarch was their sovereign.</p> +<p>And without the doors of the church, on the right side as men go +upward eighteen grees, said our Lord to his mother, <i>Mulier, ecce +Filius tuus</i>; that is to say, Woman, lo! thy Son! And after +that he said to John, his disciple, <i>Ecce mater tua</i>; that is to +say, Lo! behold thy mother! And these words he said on the cross. +And on these grees went our Lord when he bare the cross on his shoulder. +And under these grees is a chapel, and in that chapel sing priests, +Indians, that is to say, priests of Ind, not after our law, but after +theirs; and alway they make their sacrament of the altar, saying, <i>Pater +Noster</i> and other prayers therewith; with the which prayers they +say the words that the sacrament is made of, for they ne know not the +additions that many popes have made; but they sing with good devotion. +And there near, is the place where that our Lord rested him when he +was weary for bearing of the cross.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that before the church of the sepulchre is +the city more feeble than in any other part, for the great plain that +is between the church and the city. And toward the east side, +without the walls of the city, is the vale of Jehosaphat that toucheth +to the walls as though it were a large ditch. And above that vale +of Jehosaphat, out of the city, is the church of Saint Stephen where +he was stoned to death. And there beside, is the Golden Gate, +that may not be opened, by the which gate our Lord entered on Palm-Sunday +upon an ass: and the gate opened against him when he would go unto the +temple; and yet appear the steps of the ass’s feet in three places +of the degrees that be of full hard stone.</p> +<p>And before the church of Saint Sepulchre, toward the south, at 200 +paces, is the great hospital of Saint John, of which the hospitallers +had their foundation. And within the palace of the sick men of +that hospital be 124 pillars of stone. And in the walls of the +house, without the number above-said, there be fifty-four pillars that +bear up the house. And from that hospital to go toward the east +is a full fair church, that is clept <i>Nôtre Dame la Grande</i>. +And then is there another church right nigh, that is clept <i>Nôtre +Dame de Latine</i>. And there were Mary Cleophas and Mary Magdalene, +and tore their hair when our Lord was pained in the cross.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Temple of our Lord. Of the Cruelty of King Herod. +Of the Mount Sion. Of Probatica Piscina; and of Natatorium Siloe</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>And from the church of the sepulchre, toward the east, at eight score +paces, is <i>Templum Domini</i>. It is right a fair house, and +it is all round and high, and covered with lead. And it is well +paved with white marble. But the Saracens will not suffer no Christian +man ne Jews to come therein, for they say that none so foul sinful men +should not come in so holy place: but I came in there and in other places +there I would, for I had letters of the soldan with his great seal, +and commonly other men have but his signet. In the which letters +he commanded, of his special grace, to all his subjects, to let me see +all the places, and to inform me pleinly all the mysteries of every +place, and to conduct me from city to city, if it were need, and buxomly +to receive me and my company, and for to obey to all my requests reasonable +if they were not greatly against the royal power and dignity of the +soldan or of his law. And to others, that ask him grace, such +as have served him, he ne giveth not but his signet, the which they +make to be borne before them hanging on a spear. And the folk +of the country do great worship and reverence to his signet or seal, +and kneel thereto as lowly as we do to <i>Corpus Domini</i>. And +yet men do full greater reverence to his letters; for the admiral and +all other lords that they be shewed to, before or they receive them, +they kneel down; and then they take them and put them on their heads; +and after, they kiss them and then they read them, kneeling with great +reverence; and then they offer them to do all that the bearer asketh.</p> +<p>And in this <i>Templum Domini</i> were some-time canons regulars, +and they had an abbot to whom they were obedient; and in this temple +was Charlemagne when that the angel brought him the prepuce of our Lord +Jesus Christ of his circumcision; and after, King Charles let bring +it to Paris into his chapel, and after that he let bring it to Peyteres, +and after that to Chartres.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that this is not the temple that Solomon +made, for that temple dured not but 1102 year. For Titus, Vespasian’s +son, Emperor of Rome, had laid siege about Jerusalem for to discomfit +the Jews; for they put our Lord to death, without leave of the emperor. +And, when he had won the city, he burnt the temple and beat it down, +and all the city, and took the Jews and did them to death - 1,100,000; +and the others he put in prison and sold them to servage, - thirty for +one penny; for they said they bought Jesu for thirty pennies, and he +made of them better cheap when he gave thirty for one penny.</p> +<p>And after that time, Julian Apostate, that was emperor, gave leave +to the Jews to make the temple of Jerusalem, for he hated Christian +men. And yet he was christened, but he forsook his law, and became +a renegade. And when the Jews had made the temple, came an earthquaking, +and cast it down (as God would) and destroyed all that they had made.</p> +<p>And after that, Adrian, that was Emperor of Rome, and of the lineage +of Troy, made Jerusalem again and the temple in the same manner as Solomon +made it. And he would not suffer no Jews to dwell there, but only +Christian men. For although it were so that he was not christened, +yet he loved Christian men more than any other nation save his own. +This emperor let enclose the church of Saint Sepulchre, and walled it +within the city; that, before, was without the city, long time before. +And he would have changed the name of Jerusalem, and have clept it Aelia; +but that name lasted not long.</p> +<p>Also, ye shall understand, that the Saracens do much reverence to +that temple, and they say, that that place is right holy. And +when they go in they go bare-foot, and kneel many times. And when +my fellows and I saw that, when we came in we did off our shoes and +came in bare-foot, and thought that we should do as much worship and +reverence thereto, as any of the misbelieving men should, and as great +compunction in heart to have.</p> +<p>This temple is sixty-four cubits of wideness, and as many in length; +and of height it is six score cubits. And it is within, all about, +made with pillars of marble. And in the middle place of the temple +be many high stages, of fourteen degrees of height, made with good pillars +all about: and this place the Jews call <i>Sancta Sanctorum</i>; that +is to say, ‘Holy of Hallows.’ And, in that place, +cometh no man save only their prelate, that maketh their sacrifice. +And the folk stand all about, in diverse stages, after they be of dignity +or of worship, so that they all may see the sacrifice. And in +that temple be four entries, and the gates be of cypress, well made +and curiously dight: and within the east gate our Lord said, ‘Here +is Jerusalem.’ And in the north side of that temple, within +the gate, there is a well, but it runneth nought, of the which holy +writ speaketh of and saith, <i>Vidi aquam egredientem de templo</i>; +that is to say, ‘I saw water come out of the temple.’</p> +<p>And on that other side of the temple there is a rock that men clepe +Moriach, but after it was clept Bethel, where the ark of God with relics +of Jews were wont to be put. That ark or hutch with the relics +Titus led with him to Rome, when he had discomfited all the Jews. +In that ark were the Ten Commandments, and of Aaron’s yard, and +Moses’ yard with the which he made the Red Sea depart, as it had +been a wall, on the right side and on the left side, whiles that the +people of Israel passed the sea dry-foot: and with that yard he smote +the rock, and the water came out of it: and with that yard he did many +wonders. And therein was a vessel of gold full of manna, and clothing +and ornaments and the tabernacle of Aaron, and a tabernacle square of +gold with twelve precious stones, and a box of jasper green with four +figures and eight names of our Lord, and seven candlesticks of gold, +and twelve pots of gold, and four censers of gold, and an altar of gold, +and four lions of gold upon the which they bare cherubin of gold twelve +spans long, and the circle of swans of heaven with a tabernacle of gold +and a table of silver, and two trumps of silver, and seven barley loaves +and all the other relics that were before the birth of our Lord Jesu +Christ.</p> +<p>And upon that rock was Jacob sleeping when he saw the angels go up +and down by a ladder, and he said, <i>Vere locus iste sanctus est, et +ego ignorabam</i>; that is to say, ‘Forsooth this place is holy, +and I wist it nought.’ And there an angel held Jacob still, +and turned his name, and clept him Israel. And in that same place +David saw the angel that smote the folk with a sword, and put it up +bloody in the sheath. And in that same rock was Saint Simeon when +he received our Lord into the temple. And in this rock he set +him when the Jews would have stoned him; and a star came down and gave +him light. And upon that rock preached our Lord often-time to +the people. And out that said temple our Lord drove out the buyers +and the sellers. And upon that rock our Lord set him when the +Jews would have stoned him; and the rock clave in two, and in that cleaving +was our Lord hid, and there came down a star and gave light and served +him with clarity. And upon that rock sat our Lady, and learned +her psalter. And there our Lord forgave the woman her sins, that +was found in avowtry. And there was our Lord circumcised. +And there the angels shewed tidings to Zacharias of the birth of Saint +Baptist his son. And there offered first Melchisadech bread and +wine to our Lord, in token of the sacrament that was to come. +And there fell David praying to our Lord and to the angel that smote +the people, that he would have mercy on him and on the people: and our +Lord heard his prayer, and therefore would he make the temple in that +place, but our Lord forbade him by an angel; for he had done treason +when he let slay Uriah the worthy knight, for to have Bathsheba his +wife. And therefore, all the purveyance that he had ordained to +make the temple with he took it Solomon his son, and he made it. +And he prayed our Lord, that all those that prayed to him in that place +with good heart - that he would hear their prayer and grant it them +if they asked it rightfully: and our Lord granted it him, and therefore +Solomon clept that temple the Temple of Counsel and of Help of God.</p> +<p>And without the gate of that temple is an altar where Jews were in +wont to offer doves and turtles. And between the temple and that +altar was Zacharias slain. And upon the pinnacle of that temple +was our Lord brought for to be tempted of the enemy, the fiend. +And on the height of that pinnacle the Jews set Saint James, and cast +him down to the earth, that first was Bishop of Jerusalem. And +at the entry of that temple, toward the west, is the gate that is clept +<i>Porta Speciosa</i>. And nigh beside that temple, upon the right +side, is a church, covered with lead, that is clept Solomon’s +School.</p> +<p>And from that temple towards the south, right nigh, is the temple +of Solomon, that is right fair and well polished. And in that +temple dwell the Knights of the Temple that were wont to be clept Templars; +and that was the foundation of their order, so that there dwelled knights +and in <i>Templo Domini</i> canons regulars.</p> +<p>From that temple toward the east, a six score paces, in the corner +of the city, is the bath of our Lord; and in that bath was wont to come +water from Paradise, and yet it droppeth. And there beside is +our Lady’s bed. And fast by is the temple of Saint Simeon, +and without the cloister of the temple, toward the north, is a full +fair church of Saint Anne, our Lady’s mother; and there was our +Lady conceived; and before that church is a great tree that began to +grow the same night. And under that church, in going down by twenty-two +degrees, lieth Joachim, our Lady’s father, in a fair tomb of stone; +and there beside lay some-time Saint Anne, his wife; but Saint Helen +let translate her to Constantinople. And in that church is a well, +in manner of a cistern, that is clept <i>Probatica</i> <i>Piscina</i>, +that hath five entries. Into that well angels were wont to come +from heaven and bathe them within. And what man, that first bathed +him after the moving of the water, was made whole of what manner of +sickness that he had. And there our Lord healed a man of the palsy +that lay thirty-eight year, and our Lord said to him, <i>Tolle</i> <i>grabatum +tuum et ambula</i>, that is to say, ‘Take thy bed and go.’ +And there beside was Pilate’s house.</p> +<p>And fast by is King Herod’s house, that let slay the innocents. +This Herod was over-much cursed and cruel. For first he let slay +his wife that he loved right well; and for the passing love that he +had to her when he saw her dead, he fell in a rage and out of his wit +a great while; and sithen he came again to his wit. And after +he let slay his two sons that he had of that wife. And after that +he let slay another of his wives, and a son that he had with her. +And after that he let slay his own mother; and he would have slain his +brother also, but he died suddenly. And after that he did all +the harm that he could or might. And after he fell into sickness; +and when he felt that he should die, he sent after his sister and after +all the lords of his land; and when they were come he let command them +to prison. And then he said to his sister, he wist well that men +of the country would make no sorrow for his death; and therefore he +made his sister swear that she should let smite off all the heads of +the lords when he were dead; and then should all the land make sorrow +for his death, and else, nought; and thus he made his testament. +But his sister fulfilled not his will. For, as soon as he was +dead, she delivered all the lords out of prison and let them go, each +lord to his own, and told them all the purpose of her brother’s +ordinance. And so was this cursed king never made sorrow for, +as he supposed for to have been. And ye shall understand, that +in that time there were three Herods, of great name and fame for their +cruelty. This Herod, of which I have spoken of was Herod Ascalonite; +and he that let behead Saint John the Baptist was Herod Antipas; and +he that let smite off Saint James’s head was Herod Agrippa, and +he put Saint Peter in prison.</p> +<p>Also, furthermore, in the city is the church of Saint Saviour; and +there is the left arm of John Chrisostome, and the more part of the +head of Saint Stephen. And on that other side in the street, toward +the south as men go to Mount Sion, is a church of Saint James, where +he was beheaded.</p> +<p>And from that church, a six score paces, is the Mount Sion. +And there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled; and there +she died. And there was wont to be an abbot of canons regulars. +And from thence was she borne of the apostles unto the vale of Jehosaphat. +And there is the stone that the angel brought to our Lord from the mount +of Sinai, and it is of that colour that the rock is of Saint Catherine. +And there beside is the gate where through our Lady went, when she was +with child, when she went to Bethlehem. Also at the entry of the +Mount Sion is a chapel. And in that chapel is the stone, great +and large, with the which the sepulchre was covered with, when Joseph +of Arimathea had put our Lord therein; the which stone the three Marys +saw turn upward when they came to the sepulchre the day of his resurrection, +and there found an angel that told them of our Lord’s uprising +from death to life. And there also is a stone in the wall, beside +the gate, of the pillar that our Lord was scourged at. And there +was Annas’s house, that was bishop of the Jews in that time. +And there was our Lord examined in the night, and scourged and smitten +and villainous entreated. And that same place Saint Peter forsook +our Lord thrice or the cock crew. And there is a part of the table +that he made his supper on, when he made his maundy with his disciples, +when he gave them his flesh and his blood in form of bread and wine.</p> +<p>And under that chapel, thirty-two degrees, is the place where our +Lord washed his disciples’ feet, and yet is the vessel where the +water was. And there beside that same vessel was Saint Stephen +buried. And there is the altar where our Lady heard the angels +sing mass. And there appeared first our Lord to his disciples +after his resurrection, the gates enclosed, and said to them, <i>Pax</i> +<i>vobis</i>! that is to say, ‘Peace to you!’ And +on that mount appeared Christ to Saint Thomas the apostle and bade him +assay his wounds; and then believed he first, and said, <i>Dominus meus +et Deus meus</i>! that is to say ‘My Lord and my God!’ +In the same church, beside the altar, were all the apostles on Whitsunday, +when the Holy Ghost descended on them in likeness of fire. And +there made our Lord his pasque with his disciples. And there slept +Saint John the evangelist upon the breast of our Lord Jesu Christ, and +saw sleeping many heavenly privities.</p> +<p>Mount Sion is within the city, and it is a little higher than the +other side of the city; and the city is stronger on that side than on +that other side. For at the foot of the Mount Sion is a fair castle +and a strong that the soldan let make. In the Mount Sion were +buried King David and King Solomon, and many other kings, Jews of Jerusalem. +And there is the place where the Jews would have cast up the body of +our Lady when the apostles bare the body to be buried in the vale of +Jehosaphat. And there is the place where Saint Peter wept full +tenderly after that he had forsaken our Lord. And a stone’s +cast from that chapel is another chapel, where our Lord was judged, +for that time was there Caiaphas’s house. From that chapel, +to go toward the east, at seven score paces, is a deep cave under the +rock, that is clept the Galilee of our Lord, where Saint Peter hid him +when he had forsaken our Lord. <i>Item</i>, between the Mount +Sion and the Temple of Solomon is the place where our Lord raised the +maiden in her father’s house.</p> +<p>Under the Mount Sion, toward the vale of Jehosaphat, is a well that +is clept <i>Natatorium Siloe</i>. And there was our Lord washed +after his baptism; and there made our Lord the blind man to see. +And there was y-buried Isaiah the prophet. Also, straight from +<i>Natatorium Siloe</i>, is an image, of stone and of old ancient work, +that Absalom let make, and because thereof men clepe it the hand of +Absalom. And fast by is yet the tree of elder that Judas hanged +himself upon, for despair that he had, when he sold and betrayed our +Lord. And there beside was the synagogue, where the bishops of +Jews and the Pharisees came together and held their council; and there +cast Judas the thirty pence before them, and said that he had sinned +betraying our Lord. And there nigh was the house of the apostles +Philip and Jacob Alphei. And on that other side of Mount Sion, +toward the south, beyond the vale a stone’s cast, is Aceldama; +that is to say, the field of blood, that was bought for the thirty pence, +that our Lord was sold for. And in that field be many tombs of +Christian men, for there be many pilgrims graven. And there be +many oratories, chapels and hermitages, where hermits were wont to dwell. +And toward the east, an hundred paces, is the charnel of the hospital +of Saint John, where men were wont to put the bones of dead men.</p> +<p>Also from Jerusalem, toward the west, is a fair church, where the +tree of the cross grew. And two mile from thence is a fair church, +where our Lady met with Elizabeth, when they were both with child; and +Saint John stirred in his mother’s womb, and made reverence to +his Creator that he saw not. And under the altar of that church +is the place where Saint John was born. And from that church is +a mile to the castle of Emmaus: and there also our Lord shewed him to +two of his disciples after his resurrection. Also on that other +side, 200 paces from Jerusalem, is a church, where was wont to be the +cave of the lion. And under that church, at thirty degrees of +deepness, were interred 12,000 martyrs, in the time of King Cosdroe +that the lion met with, all in a night, by the will of God.</p> +<p>Also from Jerusalem, two mile, is the Mount Joy, a full fair place +and a delicious; and there lieth Samuel the prophet in a fair tomb. +And men clepe it Mount Joy, for it giveth joy to pilgrims’ hearts, +because that there men see first Jerusalem.</p> +<p>Also between Jerusalem and the mount of Olivet is the vale of Jehosaphat, +under the walls of the city, as I have said before. And in the +midst of the vale is a little river that men clepe <i>Torrens Cedron</i>, +and above it, overthwart, lay a tree (that the cross was made of) that +men yede over on. And fast by it is a little pit in the earth, where +the foot of the pillar is yet interred; and there was our Lord first +scourged, for he was scourged and villainously entreated in many places. +Also in the middle place of the vale of Jehosaphat is the church of +our Lady: and it is of forty-three degrees under the earth unto the +sepulchre of our Lady. And our Lady was of age, when she died, +seventy-two year. And beside the sepulchre of our Lady is an altar, +where our Lord forgave Saint Peter all his sins. And from thence, +toward the west, under an altar, is a well that cometh out of the river +of Paradise. And wit well, that that church is full low in the +earth, and some is all within the earth. But I suppose well, that +it was not so founded. But for because that Jerusalem hath often-time +been destroyed and the walls abated and beten down and tumbled into +the vale, and that they have been so filled again and the ground enhanced; +and for that skill is the church so low within the earth. And, +natheles, men say there commonly, that the earth hath so been cloven +sith the time that our Lady was there buried; and yet men say there, +that it waxeth and groweth every day, without doubt. In that church +were wont to be monks black, that had their abbot.</p> +<p>And beside that church is a chapel, beside the rock that hight Gethsemane. +And there was our Lord kissed of Judas; and there was he taken of the +Jews. And there left our Lord his disciples, when he went to pray +before his passion, when he prayed and said, <i>Pater, si fieri potest, +transeat a me calix iste</i>; that is to say, ‘Father, if it may +be, do let this chalice go from me’: and, when he came again to +his disciples, he found them sleeping. And in the rock within +the chapel yet appear the fingers of our Lord’s hand, when he +put them in the rock, when the Jews would have taken him.</p> +<p>And from thence, a stone’s cast towards the south, is another +chapel, where our Lord sweat drops of blood. And there, right +nigh, is the tomb of King Jehosaphat, of whom the vale beareth the name. +This Jehosaphat was king of that country, and was converted by an hermit, +that was a worthy man and did much good. And from thence, a bow +draught towards the south, is the church, where Saint James and Zachariah +the prophet were buried.</p> +<p>And above the vale is the mount of Olivet; and it is clept so for +the plenty of olives that grow there. That mount is more high +than the city of Jerusalem is; and, therefore, may men upon that mount +see many of the streets of the city. And between that mount and +the city is not but the vale of Jehosaphat that is not full large. +And from that mount styed our Lord Jesu Christ to heaven upon Ascension +Day; and yet there sheweth the shape of his left foot in the stone. +And there is a church where was wont to be an abbot and canons regulars. +And a little thence, twenty-eight paces, is a chapel; and therein is +the stone on the which our Lord sat, when he preached the eight blessings +and said thus: <i>Beau pauperes spiritu</i>: and there he taught his +disciples the <i>Pater Noster</i>; and wrote with his finger in a stone. +And there nigh is a church of Saint Mary Egyptian, and there she lieth +in a tomb. And from thence toward the east, a three bow shot, +is Bethphage, to the which our Lord sent Saint Peter and Saint James +for to seek the ass upon Palm-Sunday, and rode upon that ass to Jerusalem.</p> +<p>And in coming down from the mount of Olivet, toward the east, is +a castle that is clept Bethany. And there dwelt Simon leprous, +and there harboured our Lord: and after he was baptised of the apostles +and was clept Julian, and was made bishop; and this is the same Julian +that men clepe to for good harbourage, for our Lord harboured with him +in his house. And in that house our Lord forgave Mary Magdalene +her sins: there she washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with +her hair. And there served Saint Martha our Lord. There +our Lord raised Lazarus from death to life, that was dead four days +and stank, that was brother to Mary Magdalene and to Martha. And +there dwelt also Mary Cleophas. That castle is well a mile long +from Jerusalem. Also in coming down from the mount of Olivet is +the place where our Lord wept upon Jerusalem. And there beside +is the place where our Lady appeared to Saint Thomas the apostle after +her assumption, and gave him her girdle. And right nigh is the +stone where our Lord often-time sat upon when he preached; and upon +that same he shall sit at the day of doom, right as himself said.</p> +<p>Also after the mount of Olivet is the mount of Galilee. There +assembled the apostles when Mary Magdalene came and told them of Christ’s +uprising. And there, between the Mount Olivet and the Mount Galilee, +is a church, where the angel said to our Lady of her death.</p> +<p>Also from Bethany to Jericho was sometime a little city, but it is +now all destroyed, and now is there but a little village. That +city took Joshua by miracle of God and commandment of the angel, and +destroyed it, and cursed it and all them that bigged it again. +Of that city was Zaccheus the dwarf that clomb up into the sycamore +tree for to see our Lord, because he was so little he might not see +him for the people. And of that city was Rahab the common woman +that escaped alone with them of her lineage: and she often-time refreshed +and fed the messengers of Israel, and kept them from many great perils +of death; and, therefore, she had good reward, as holy writ saith: <i>Qui +accipit prophetam in nomine meo, mercedem prophetae accipiet</i>; that +is to say, ‘He that taketh a prophet in my name, he shall take +meed of the prophet.’ And so had she. For she prophesied +to the messengers, saying, <i>Novi quod</i> <i>Dominus tradet vobis +terram hanc</i>; that is to say, ‘I wot well, that our Lord shall +betake you this land’: and so he did. And after, Salomon, +Naasson’s son, wedded her, and from that time was she a worthy +woman, and served God well.</p> +<p>Also from Bethany go men to flom Jordan by a mountain and through +desert. And it is nigh a day journey from Bethany, toward the +east, to a great hill, where our Lord fasted forty days. Upon +that hill the enemy of hell bare our Lord and tempted him, and said, +<i>Dic ut lapides isti panes fiant</i>; that is to say, ‘Say, +that these stones be made loaves.’ In that place, upon the +hill, was wont to be a fair church; but it is all destroyed, so that +there is now but an hermitage, that a manner of Christian men hold, +that be clept Georgians, for Saint George converted them. Upon +that hill dwelt Abraham a great while, and therefore men clepe it Abraham’s +Garden. And between the hill and this garden runneth a little +brook of water that was wont to be bitter; but, by the blessing of Elisha +the prophet, it became sweet and good to drink. And at the foot +of this hill, toward the plain, is a great well, that entereth into +from Jordan.</p> +<p>From that hill to Jericho, that I spake of before, is but a mile +in going toward flom Jordan. Also as men go to Jericho sat the +blind man crying, <i>Jesu, Fili David, miserere mei</i>; that is to +say, ‘Jesu, David’s Son, have mercy on me.’ +And anon he had his sight. Also, two mile from Jericho, is flome +Jordan. And, an half mile more nigh, is a fair church of Saint +John the Baptist, where he baptised our Lord. And there beside +is the house of Jeremiah the prophet.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Dead Sea; and of the Flome Jordan. Of the Head of +Saint John the Baptist; and of the Usages of the Samaritans</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>And from Jericho, a three mile, is the Dead Sea. About that +sea groweth much alum and of alkatran. Between Jericho and that +sea is the land of Engeddi. And there was wont to grow the balm; +but men make draw the branches thereof and bear them to be grafted at +Babylon; and yet men clepe them vines of Geddi. At a coast of +that sea, as men go from Arabia, is the mount of the Moabites, where +there is a cave, that men clepe Karua. Upon that hill led Balak, +the son of Beor, Balaam the priest for to curse the people of Israel.</p> +<p>That Dead Sea parteth the land of Ind and of Arabia, and that sea +lasteth from Soara unto Arabia. The water of that sea is full +bitter and salt, and, if the earth were made moist and wet with that +water, it would never bear fruit. And the earth and the land changeth +often his colour. And it casteth out of the water a thing that +men clepe asphalt, also great pieces, as the greatness of an horse, +every day and on all sides. And from Jerusalem to that sea is +200 furlongs. That sea is in length five hundred and four score +furlongs, and in breadth an hundred and fifty furlongs; and it is clept +the Dead Sea, for it runneth nought, but is ever unmovable. And +neither man, ne beast, ne nothing that beareth life in him ne may not +die in that sea. And that hath been proved many times, by men +that have deserved to be dead that have been cast therein and left therein +three days or four, and they ne might never die therein; for it receiveth +no thing within him that beareth life. And no man may drink of +the water for bitterness. And if a man cast iron therein, it will +float above. And if men cast a feather therein, it will sink to +the bottom, and these be things against kind.</p> +<p>And also, the cities there were lost because of sin. And there +beside grow trees that bear full fair apples, and fair of colour to +behold; but whoso breaketh them or cutteth them in two, he shall find +within them coals and cinders, in token that by wrath of God the cities +and the land were burnt and sunken into hell. Some men clepe that +sea the lake Dalfetidee; some, the flome of Devils; and some the flome +that is ever stinking. And into that sea sunk the five cities +by wrath of God; that is to say, Sodom, Gomorrah, Aldama, Zeboim, and +Zoar, for the abominable sin of sodomy that reigned in them. But +Zoar, by the prayer of Lot, was saved and kept a great while, for it +was set upon a hill; and yet sheweth thereof some part above the water, +and men may see the walls when it is fair weather and clear. In +that city Lot dwelt a little while; and there was he made drunk of his +daughters, and lay with them, and engendered of them Moab and Ammon. +And the cause why his daughters made him drunk and for to lie by him +was this: because they saw no man about them, but only their father, +and therefore they trowed that God had destroyed all the world as he +had done the cities, as he had done before by Noah’s flood. +And therefore they would lie by with their father for to have issue, +and for to replenish the world again with people to restore the world +again by them; for they trowed that there had been no more men in all +the world; and if their father had not been drunk, he had not lain with +them.</p> +<p>And the hill above Zoar men cleped it then Edom and after men cleped +it Seir, and after Idumea. Also at the right side of that Dead +Sea, dwelleth yet the wife of Lot in likeness of a salt stone; for that +she looked behind her when the cities sunk into hell. This Lot +was Haran’s son, that was brother to Abraham; and Sarah, Abraham’s +wife, and Milcah, Nahor’s wife, were sisters to the said Lot. +And the same Sarah was of eld four score and ten year when Isaac her +son was gotten on her. And Abraham had another son Ishmael that +he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. And when Isaac his son was eight +days old, Abraham his father let him be circumcised, and Ishmael with +him that was fourteen year old: wherefore the Jews that come of Isaac’s +line be circumcised the eighth day, and the Saracens that come of Ishmael’s +line be circumcised when they be fourteen year of age.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that within the Dead Sea, runneth the flom +Jordan, and there it dieth, for it runneth no further more, and that +is a place that is a mile from the church of Saint John the Baptist +toward the west, a little beneath the place where that Christian men +bathe them commonly. And a mile from flom Jordan is the river +of Jabbok, the which Jacob passed over when he came from Mesopotamia. +This flom Jordan is no great river, but it is plenteous of good fish; +and it cometh out of the hill of Lebanon by two wells that be clept +Jor and Dan, and of the two wells hath it the name. And it passeth +by a lake that is clept Maron. And after it passeth by the sea +of Tiberias, and passeth under the hills of Gilboa; and there is a full +fair vale, both on that one side and on that other of the same river. +And men go [on] the hills of Lebanon, all in length unto the desert +of Pharan; and those hills part the kingdom of Syria and the country +of Phoenicia; and upon those hills grow trees of cedar that be full +high, and they bear long apples, and as great as a man’s head.</p> +<p>And also this flom Jordan departeth the land of Galilee and the land +of Idumea and the land of Betron, and that runneth under earth a great +way unto a fair plain and a great that is clept Meldan in Sarmois; that +is to say, Fair or market in their language, because that there is often +fairs in that plain. And there becometh the water great and large. +In that plain is the tomb of Job.</p> +<p>And in that flom Jordan above-said was our Lord baptised of Saint +John, and the voice of God the Father was heard saying: <i>Hic est Filius +meus dilectus, etc</i>.; that is to say, ‘This is my beloved Son, +in the which I am well pleased; hear him!’ and the Holy Ghost +alighted upon him in likeness of a culver; and so at his baptising was +all the whole Trinity.</p> +<p>And through that flome passed the children of Israel, all dry feet; +and they put stones there in the middle place, in token of the miracle +that the water withdrew him so. Also in that flome Jordan Naaman +of Syria bathed him, that was full rich, but he was mesell; and there +anon he took his health.</p> +<p>About the flome Jordan be many churches where that many Christian +men dwelled. And nigh thereto is the city of Ai that Joshua assailed +and took. Also beyond the flome Jordan is the vale of Mamre, and +that is a full fair vale. Also upon the hill that I spake of before, +where our Lord fasted forty days, a two mile long from Galilee, is a +fair hill and an high, where the enemy the fiend bare our Lord the third +time to tempt him, and shewed him all the regions of the world and said, +<i>Hec omnia tibi dabo, si cadens adoraveris me</i>; that is to say, +‘All this shall I give thee, if thou fall and worship me.’</p> +<p>Also from the Dead Sea to go eastward, out of the marches of the +Holy Land that is clept the Land of Promission, is a strong castle and +a fair, in an hill that is clept Carak in Sarmois; that is to say, Royally. +That castle let make King Baldwin, that was King of France, when he +had conquered that land, and put it into Christian men’s hands +for to keep that country; and for that cause was it clept the Mount +Royal. And under it there is a town that hight Sobach, and there, +all about, dwell Christian men, under tribute.</p> +<p>From thence go men to Nazareth, of the which our Lord beareth the +surname. And from thence there is three journeys to Jerusalem: +and men go by the province of Galilee by Ramath, by Sothim and by the +high hill of Ephraim, where Elkanah and Hannah the mother of Samuel +the prophet dwelled. There was born this prophet; and, after his +death, he was buried at Mount Joy, as I have said you before.</p> +<p>And then go men to Shiloh, where the Ark of God with the relics were +kept long time under Eli the prophet. There made the people of +Hebron sacrifice to our Lord, and they yielded up their vows. +And there spake God first to Samuel, and shewed him the mutation of +Order of Priesthood, and the mystery of the Sacrament. And right +nigh, on the left side, is Gibeon and Ramah and Benjamin, of the which +holy writ speaketh of.</p> +<p>And after men go to Sichem, some-time clept Sichar; and that is in +the province of Samaritans. And there is a full fair vale and +a fructuous; and there is a fair city and a good that men clepe Neople. +And from thence is a journey to Jerusalem. And there is the well, +where our Lord spake to the woman of Samaritan. And there was +wont to be a church, but it is beaten down. Beside that well King +Rehoboam let make two calves of gold and made them to be worshipped, +and put that one at Dan and that other at Bethel. And a mile from +Sichar is the city of Luz; and in that city dwelt Abraham a certain +time. Sichem is a ten mile from Jerusalem, and it is clept Neople; +that is for to say, the New City. And nigh beside is the tomb +of Joseph the son of Jacob that governed Egypt: for the Jews bare his +bones from Egypt and buried them there, and thither go the Jews often-time +in pilgrimage with great devotion. In that city was Dinah, Jacob’s +daughter, ravished, for whom her brethren slew many persons and did +many harms to the city. And there beside is the hill of Gerizim, +where the Samaritans make their sacrifice: in that hill would Abraham +have sacrificed his son Isaac. And there beside is the vale of +Dotaim, and there is the cistern, where Joseph, was cast in of his brethren, +which they sold; and that is two mile from Sichar.</p> +<p>From thence go men to Samaria that men clepe now Sebast; and that +is the chief city of that country, and it sits between the hill of Aygnes +as Jerusalem doth. In that city was the sittings of the twelve +tribes of Israel; but the city is not now so great as it was wont to +be. There was buried Saint John the Baptist between two prophets, +Elisha and Abdon; but he was beheaded in the castle of Macharim beside +the Dead Sea, and after he was translated of his disciples, and buried +at Samaria. And there let Julianus Apostata dig him up and let +burn his bones (for he was at that time emperor) and let winnow the +ashes in the wind. But the finger that shewed our Lord, saying, +<i>Ecce Agnus Dei</i>; that is to say, ‘Lo! the Lamb of God,’ +that would never burn, but is all whole; - that finger let Saint Thecla, +the holy virgin, be born into the hill of Sebast; and there make men +great feast.</p> +<p>In that place was wont to be a fair church; and many other there +were; but they be all beaten down. There was wont to be the head +of Saint John Baptist, enclosed in the wall. But the Emperor Theodosius +let draw it out, and found it wrapped in a little cloth, all bloody; +and so he let it to be born to Constantinople. And yet at Constantinople +is the hinder part of the head, and the fore part of the head, till +under the chin, is at Rome under the church of Saint Silvester, where +be nuns of an hundred orders: and it is yet all broilly, as though it +were half-burnt, for the Emperor Julianus above-said, of his cursedness +and malice, let burn that part with the other bones, and yet it sheweth; +and this thing hath been proved both by popes and by emperors. +And the jaws beneath, that hold to the chin, and a part of the ashes +and the platter that the head was laid in, when it was smitten off, +is at Genoa; and the Genoese make of it great feast, and so do the Saracens +also. And some men say that the head of Saint John is at Amiens +in Picardy; and other men say that it is the head of Saint John the +Bishop. I wot never, but God knoweth; but in what wise that men +worship it, the blessed Saint John holds him a-paid.</p> +<p>From this city of Sebast unto Jerusalem is twelve mile. And +between the hills of that country there is a well that four sithes in +the year changeth his colour, sometime green, sometime red, sometime +clear and sometime trouble; and men clepe that well, Job. And +the folk of that country, that men clepe Samaritans, were converted +and baptized by the apostles; but they hold not well their doctrine, +and always they hold laws by themselves, varying from Christian men, +from Saracens, Jews and Paynims. And the Samaritans lieve well +in one God, and they say well that there is but only one God, that all +formed, and all shall doom; and they hold the Bible after the letter, +and they use the Psalter as the Jews do. And they say that they +be the right sons of God. And among all other folk, they say that +they be best beloved of God, and that to them belongeth the heritage +that God behight to his beloved children. And they have also diverse +clothing and shape to look on than other folk have; for they wrap their +heads in red linen cloth, in difference from others. And the Saracens +wrap their heads in white linen cloth; and the Christian men, that dwell +in the country, wrap them in blue of Ind; and the Jews in yellow cloth. +In that country dwell many of the Jews, paying tribute as Christian +men do. And if ye will know the letters that the Jews use they +be such, and the names be as they clepe them written above, in manner +of their A. B. C.</p> +<p>Aleph Beth Gymel Deleth He Vau +Zay</p> +<p>Heth Thet Joht Kapho Lampd Mem +Num</p> +<p>Sameth Ey Fhee Sade Coph Resch +Son Tau</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Province of Galilee, and where Antichrist shall be born. +Of Nazareth. Of the age of Our Lady. Of the Day of Doom. +And of the customs of Jacobites, Syrians; and of the usages of Georgians</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From this country of the Samaritans that I have spoken of before +go men to the plains of Galilee, and men leave the hills on that one +part.</p> +<p>And Galilee is one of the provinces of the Holy Land, and in that +province is the city of Nain - and Capernaum, and Chorazin and Bethsaida. +In this Bethsaida was Saint Peter and Saint Andrew born. And thence, +a four mile, is Chorazin. And five mile from Chorazin is the city +of Kedar whereof the Psalter speaketh: <i>Et habitavi cum habitantibus +Kedar</i>; that is for to say, ‘And I have dwelled with the dwelling +men in Kedar.’ In Chorazin shall Antichrist be born, as +some men say. And other men say he shall be born in Babylon; for +the prophet saith: <i>De Babilonia coluber exest, qui totum mundum devorabit</i>; +that is to say ‘Out of Babylon shall come a worm that shall devour +all the world.’ This Antichrist shall be nourished in Bethsaida, +and he shall reign in Capernaum: and therefore saith holy writ; <i>Vae +tibi, Chorazin! Vae tibi, Bethsaida! Vae tibi, Capernaum</i>! +that is to say, ‘Woe be to thee, Chorazin! Woe to thee, +Bethsaida! Woe to thee, Capernaum.’ And all these +towns be in the land of Galilee. And also the Cana of Galilee +is four mile from Nazareth: of that city was Simon Chananeus and his +wife Canee, of the which the holy evangelist speaketh of. There +did our Lord the first miracle at the wedding, when he turned water +into wine.</p> +<p>And in the end of Galilee, at the hills, was the Ark of God taken; +and on that other side is the Mount Endor or Hermon. And, thereabout, +goeth the Brook of Torrens Kishon; and there beside, Barak, that was +Abimelech’s son with Deborah the prophetess overcame the host +of Idumea, when Sisera the king was slain of Jael the wife of Heber, +and chased beyond the flome Jordan, by strength of sword, Zeeb and Zebah +and Zalmunna, and there he slew them. Also a five mile from Nain +is the city of Jezreel that sometime was clept Zarim, of the which city +Jezabel, the cursed queen, was lady and queen, that took away the vine +of Naboth by her strength. Fast by that city is the field Megiddo, +in the which the King Joram was slain of the King of Samaria and after +was translated and buried in the Mount Sion.</p> +<p>And a mile from Jezreel be the hills of Gilboa, where Saul and Jonathan, +that were so fair, died; wherefore David cursed them, as holy writ saith: +<i>Montes Gilboae, nec ros nec pluvia, etc</i>.; that is to say, ‘Ye +hills of Gilboa, neither dew ne rain come upon you.’ And +a mile from the hills of Gilboa toward the east is the city of Cyropolis, +that was clept before Bethshan; and upon the walls of that city was +the head of Saul hanged.</p> +<p>After go men by the hill beside the plains of Galilee unto Nazareth, +where was wont to be a great city and a fair; but now there is not but +a little village, and houses abroad here and there. And it is +not walled. And it sits in a little valley, and there be hills +all about. There was our Lady born, but she was gotten at Jerusalem. +And because that our Lady was born at Nazareth, therefore bare our Lord +his surname of that town. There took Joseph our Lady to wife, +when she was fourteen year of age. And there Gabriel greeted our +Lady, saying, <i>Ave gratia plena, Dominus tecum</i>! that is to say, +‘Hail, full of grace, our Lord is with thee!’ And +this salutation was done in a place of a great altar of a fair church +that was wont to be sometime, but it is now all down, and men have made +a little receipt, beside a pillar of that church, to receive the offerings +of pilgrims. And the Saracens keep that place full dearly, for +the profit that they have thereof. And they be full wicked Saracens +and cruel, and more despiteful than in any other place, and have destroyed +all the churches. There nigh is Gabriel’s Well, where our +Lord was wont to bathe him, when he was young, and from that well bare +he water often-time to his mother. And in that well she washed +often-time the clouts of her Son Jesu Christ. And from Jerusalem +unto thither is three journeys. At Nazareth was our Lord nourished. +Nazareth is as much to say as, ‘Flower of the garden’; and +by good skill may it be clept flower, for there was nourished the flower +of life that was Christ Jesu.</p> +<p>And two mile from Nazareth is the city of Sephor, by the way that +goeth from Nazareth to Akon. And an half mile from Nazareth is +the Leap of our Lord. For the Jews led him upon an high rock for +to make him leap down, and have slain him; but Jesu passed amongst them, +and leapt upon another rock, and yet be the steps of his feet seen in +the rock, where he alighted. And therefore say some men, when +they dread them of thieves in any way, or of enemies; <i>Jesus autem +transiens per medium illorum ibat</i>; that is to say, ‘Jesus, +forsooth, passing by the midst of them, he went’: in token and +mind, that our Lord passed through, out the Jews’ cruelty, and +scaped safely from them, so surely may men pass the peril of thieves’. +And then say men two verses of the Psalter three sithes: <i>Irruat super +eos formido & pavor, in magnitudine brachii tui, Domine. Fiant +immobiles, quasi lapis, donec pertranseat populus tuus, Domine; donec +pertranseat populus tuus iste, quem possedisti</i>; and then may men +pass without peril.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that our Lady had child when she was fifteen +year old. And she was conversant with her son thirty-three year +and three months. And after the passion of our Lord she lived +twenty-four year.</p> +<p>Also from Nazareth men go to the Mount Tabor; and that is a four +mile. And it is a full fair hill and well high, where was wont +to be a town and many churches; but they be all destroyed. But +yet there is a place that men clepe the school of God, where he was +wont to teach his disciples, and told them the privities of heaven. +And, at the foot of that hill, Melchisedech that was King of Salem, +in the turning of that hill met Abraham in coming again from the battle, +when he had slain Abimelech. And this Melchisedech was both king +and priest of Salem that now is clept Jerusalem. In that hill +Tabor our Lord transfigured him before Saint Peter, Saint John and Saint +Jame; and there they saw, ghostly, Moses and Elias the prophets beside +them. And therefore said Saint Peter; <i>Domine, bonum est nos +hic esse; faciamus hic tria tabernacula</i>; that is to say, ‘Lord, +it is good for us to be here; make we here three dwelling-places.’ +And there heard they a voice of the Father that say; <i>Hic est Filius +meus dilectus, in quo mihi bene complacui</i>. And our Lord defended +them that they should not tell that avision till that he were risen +from death to life.</p> +<p>In that hill and in that same place, at the day of doom, four angels +with four trumpets shall blow and raise all men that had suffered death, +sith that the world was formed, from death to life; and shall come in +body and soul in judgment, before the face of our Lord in the Vale of +Jehosaphat. And the doom shall be on Easter Day, such time as +our Lord arose. And the doom shall begin, such hour as our Lord +descended to hell and despoiled it. For at such hour shall he +despoil the world and lead his chosen to bliss; and the other shall +he condemn to perpetual pains. And then shall every man have after +his desert, either good or evil, but if the mercy of God pass his righteousness.</p> +<p>Also a mile from Mount Tabor is the Mount Hermon; and there was the +city of Nain. Before the gate of that city raised our Lord the +widow’s son, that had no more children. Also three miles +from Nazareth is the Castle Safra, of the which the sons of Zebedee +and the sons of Alpheus were. Also a seven mile from Nazareth +is the Mount Cain, and under that is a well; and beside that well Lamech, +Noah’s father, slew Cain with an arrow. For this Cain went +through briars and bushes as a wild beast; and he had lived from the +time of Adam his father unto the time of Noah, and so he lived nigh +to 2000 year. And this Lamech was all blind for eld.</p> +<p>From Safra men go to the sea of Galilee and to the city of Tiberias, +that sits upon the same sea. And albeit that men clepe it a sea, +yet is it neither sea ne arm of the sea. For it is but a stank +of fresh water that is in length one hundred furlongs, and of breadth +forty furlongs, and hath within him great plenty of good fish, and runneth +into flom Jordan. The city is not full great, but it hath good +baths within him.</p> +<p>And there, as the flome Jordan parteth from the sea of Galilee, is +a great bridge, where men pass from the Land of Promission to the land +of King Bashan and the land of Gennesaret, that be about the flom Jordan +and the beginning of the sea of Tiberias. And from thence may +men go to Damascus, in three days, by the kingdom of Traconitis, the +which kingdom lasteth from Mount Hermon to the sea of Galilee, or to +the sea of Tiberias, or to the sea of Gennesaret; and all is one sea, +and this the tank that I have told you, but it changeth thus the name +for the names of the cities that sit beside him.</p> +<p>Upon that sea went our Lord dry feet; and there he took up Saint +Peter, when he began to drench within the sea, and said to him, <i>Modice +fidei, quare dubitasti</i>? And after his resurrection our Lord +appeared on that sea to his disciples and bade them fish, and filled +all the net full of great fishes. In that sea rowed our Lord often-time; +and there he called to him Saint Peter, Saint Andrew, Saint James and +Saint John, the sons of Zebedee.</p> +<p>In that city of Tiberias is the table upon the which our Lord ate +upon with his disciples after his resurrection; and they knew him in +breaking of bread, as the gospel saith: <i>Et cognoverunt eum in fractione +panis</i>. And nigh that city of Tiberias is the hill, where our +Lord fed 5000 persons with five barley loaves and two fishes.</p> +<p>In that city a man cast a burning dart in wrath after our Lord. +And the head smote into the earth and waxed green; and it growed to +a great tree. And yet it groweth and the bark thereof is all like +coals.</p> +<p>Also in the head of that sea of Galilee, toward the septentrion is +a strong castle and an high that hight Saphor. And fast beside +it is Capernaum. Within the Land of Promission is not so strong +a castle. And there is a good town beneath that is clept also +Saphor. In that castle Saint Anne our Lady’s mother was +born. And there beneath, was Centurio’s house. That +country is clept the Galilee of Folk that were taken to tribute of Zebulon +and Napthali.</p> +<p>And in again coming from that castle, a thirty mile, is the city +of Dan, that sometime was clept Belinas or Cesarea Philippi; that sits +at the foot of the Mount of Lebanon, where the flome Jordan beginneth. +There beginneth the Land of Promission and dureth unto Beersheba in +length, in going toward the north into the south, and it containeth +well a nine score miles; and of breadth, that is to say, from Jericho +unto Jaffa, and that containeth a forty mile of Lombardy, or of our +country, that be also little miles; these be not miles of Gascony ne +of the Province of Almayne, where be great miles. And wit ye well, +that the Land of Promission is in Syria. For the realm of Syria +dureth from the deserts of Arabia unto Cilicia, and that is Armenia +the great; that is to say, from the south to the north. And, from +the east to the west, it dureth from the great deserts of Arabia unto +the West Sea. But in that realm of Syria is the kingdom of Judea +and many other provinces, as Palestine, Galilee, Little Cilicia, and +many other.</p> +<p>In that country and other countries beyond they have a custom, when +they shall use war, and when men hold siege about city or castle, and +they within dare not send out messengers with letters from lord to lord +for to ask succour, they make their letters and bind them to the neck +of a culver, and let the culver flee. And the culvers be so taught, +that they flee with those letters to the very place that men would send +them to. For the culvers be nourished in those places where they +be sent to, and they send them thus, for to bear their letters. +And the culvers return again whereas they be nourished; and so they +do commonly.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that amongst the Saracens, one part and other, +dwell many Christian men of many manners and diverse names. And +all be baptized and have diverse laws and diverse customs. But +all believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost; but always +fail they in some articles of our faith. Some of these be clept +Jacobites, for Saint James converted them and Saint John baptized them. +They say that a man shall make his confession only to God, and not to +a man; for only to him should man yield him guilty of all that he hath +misdone. Ne God ordained not, ne never devised, ne the prophet +neither, that a man should shrive him to another (as they say), but +only to God. As Moses writeth in the Bible, and as David saith +in the Psalter Book; <i>Confitebor tibi, Domine, in toto corde meo</i>, +and <i>Delictum meum tibi cognitum feci</i>, and <i>Deus meus es tu, +& confitebor tibi</i>, and <i>Quoniam cogitatio hominis confitebitur +tibi</i>, etc. For they know all the Bible and the Psalter. +And therefore allege they so the letter. But they allege not the +authorities thus in Latin, but in their language full apertly, and say +well, that David and other prophets say it.</p> +<p>Natheles, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory say thus:- Augustinus: +<i>Qui scelera sua cogitat, & conversus fuerit, veniam sibi credat</i>. +Gregorius: <i>Dominus potius mentem quam verba respicit</i>. And +Saint Hilary saith: <i>Longorum temporum crimina, in ictu oculi pereunt, +si cordis nata fuerit compunctio</i>. And for such authorities +they say, that only to God shall a man knowledge his defaults, yielding +himself guilty and crying him mercy, and behoting to him to amend himself. +And therefore, when they will shrive them, they take fire and set it +beside them, and cast therein powder of frankincense; and in the smoke +thereof they shrive them to God, and cry him mercy. But sooth +it is, that this confession was first and kindly. But Saint Peter +the apostle, and they that came after him, have ordained to make their +confession to man, and by good reason; for they perceived well that +no sickness was curable, [ne] good medicine to lay thereto, but if men +knew the nature of the malady; and also no man may give convenable medicine, +but if he know the quality of the deed. For one sin may be greater +in one man than in another, and in one place and in one time than in +another; and therefore it behoveth him that he know the kind of the +deed, and thereupon to give him penance.</p> +<p>There be other, that be clept Syrians; and they hold the belief amongst +us, and of them of Greece. And they use all beards, as men of +Greece do. And they make the sacrament of therf bread. And +in their language they use letters of Saracens. But after the +mystery of Holy Church they use letters of Greece. And they make +their confession, right as the Jacobites do.</p> +<p>There be other, that men clepe Georgians, that Saint George converted; +and him they worship more than any other saint, and to him they cry +for help. And they came out of the realm of Georgia. These +folk use crowns shaven. The clerks have round crowns, and the +lewd men have crowns all square. And they hold Christian law, +as do they of Greece; of whom I have spoken of before.</p> +<p>Other there be that men clepe Christian men of Girding, for they +be all girt above. And there be other that men clept Nestorians. +And some Arians, some Nubians, some of Greece, some of Ind, and some +of Prester John’s Land. And all these have many articles +of our faith, and to other they be variant. And of their variance +were too long to tell, and so I will leave, as for the time, without +more speaking of them.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the City of Damascus. Of three ways to Jerusalem; one, +by land and by sea; another, more by land than by sea; and the third +way to Jerusalem, all by land</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now after that I have told you some part of folk in the countries +before, now will I turn again to my way, for to turn again on this half. +Then whoso will go from the land of Galilee, of that that I have spoke +for, to come again on this half, men come again by Damascus, that is +a full fair city and full noble, and full of all merchandises, and a +three journeys long from the sea, and a five journeys from Jerusalem. +But upon camels, mules, horses, dromedaries and other beasts, men carry +their merchandise thither. And thither come the merchants with +merchandise by sea from India, Persia, Chaldea, Armenia, and of many +other kingdoms.</p> +<p>This city founded Eliezer Damascus, that was yeoman and dispenser +of Abraham before that Isaac was born. For he thought for to have +been Abraham’s heir, and he named the town after his surname Damascus. +And in that place, where Damascus was founded, Cain slew Abel his brother. +And beside Damascus is the Mount Seir. In that city of Damascus +there is great plenty of wells. And within the city and without +be many fair gardens and of diverse fruits. None other city is +not like in comparison to it of fair gardens, and of fair disports. +The city is great and full of people, and well walled with double walls. +And there be many physicians. And Saint Paul himself was there +a physician for to keep men’s bodies in health, before he was +converted. And after that he was physician of souls. And +Saint Luke the evangelist was disciple of Saint Paul for to learn physic, +and many other; for Saint Paul held then school of physic. And +near beside Damascus was he converted. And after his conversion +ne dwelt in that city three days, without sight and without meat or +drink; and in those three days he was ravished to heaven, and there +he saw many privities of our Lord.</p> +<p>And fast beside Damascus is the castle of Arkes that is both fair +and strong.</p> +<p>From Damascus men come again by our Lady of Sardenak, that is a five +mile on this half Damascus. And it sitteth upon a rock, and it +is a full fair place; and it seemeth a castle, for there was wont to +be a castle, but it is now a full fair church. And there within +be monks and nuns Christian. And there is a vault under the church, +where that Christian men dwell also. And they have many good vines. +And in the church, behind the high altar, in the wall, is a table of +black wood, on the which sometime was depainted an image of our Lady +that turneth into flesh: but now the image sheweth but little, but alway, +by the grace of God, that table evermore drops oil, as it were of olive; +and there is a vessel of marble under the table to receive the oil. +Thereof they give to pilgrims, for it heals of many sicknesses; and +men say that, if it be kept well seven year, afterwards it turns into +flesh and blood. From Sardenak men come through the vale of Bochar, +the which is a fair vale and a plenteous of all manner of fruit; and +it is amongst hills. And there are therein fair rivers and great +meadows and noble pasture for beasts. And men go by the mounts +of Libanus, which lasts from Armenia the more towards the north unto +Dan, the which is the end of the Land of Repromission toward the north, +as I said before. Their hills are right fruitful, and there are +many fair wells and cedars and cypresses, and many other trees of divers +kinds. There are also many good towns toward the head of their +hills, full of folk.</p> +<p>Between the city of Arkez and the city of Raphane is a river, that +is called Sabatory; for on the Saturday it runs fast, and all the week +else it stand still and runs not, or else but fairly. Between +the foresaid hills also is another water that on nights freezes hard +and on days is no frost seen thereon. And, as men come again from +those hills, is a hill higher than any of the other, and they call it +there the High Hill. There is a great city and a fair, the which +is called Tripoli, in the which are many good Christian men, yemand +the same rites and customs that we use. From thence men come by +a city that is called Beyrout, where Saint George slew the dragon; and +it is a good town, and a fair castle therein, and it is three journeys +from the foresaid city of Sardenak. At the one side of Beyrout +sixteen mile, to come hitherward, is the city of Sydon. At Beyrout +enters pilgrims into the sea that will come to Cyprus, and they arrive +at the port of Surry or of Tyre, and so they come to Cyprus in a little +space. Or men may come from the port of Tyre and come not at Cyprus, +and arrive at some haven of Greece, and so come to these parts, as I +said before.</p> +<p>I have told you now of the way by which men go farrest and longest +to Jerusalem, as by Babylon and Mount Sinai and many other places which +ye heard me tell of; and also by which ways men shall turn again to +the Land of Repromission. Now will I tell you the rightest way +and the shortest to Jerusalem. For some men will not go the other; +some for they have not spending enough, some for they have no good company, +and some for they may not endure the long travel, some for they dread +them of many perils of deserts, some for they will haste them homeward, +desiring to see their wives and their children, or for some other reasonable +cause that they have to turn soon home. And therefore I will shew +how men may pass tittest and in shortest time make their pilgrimage +to Jerusalem. A man that comes from the lands of the west, he +goes through France, Burgoyne, and Lumbardy. And so to Venice +or Genoa, or some other haven, and ships there and wends by sea to the +isle of Greff, the which pertains to the Genoans.</p> +<p>And syne he arrives in Greece at Port Mirrok, or at Valoun, or at +Duras, or at some other haven of that country, and rests him there and +buys him victuals and ships again and sails to Cyprus and arrives there +at Famagost and comes not at the isle of Rhodes. Famagost is the +chief haven of Cyprus; and there he refreshes him and purveys him of +victuals, and then he goes to ship and comes no more on land, if he +will, before he comes at Port Jaffa, that is the next haven to Jerusalem, +for it is but a day journey and a half from Jerusalem, that is to say +thirty-six mile. From the Port Jaffa men go to the city of Rames, +the which is but a little thence; and it is a fair city and a good and +mickle folk therein. And without that city toward the south is +a kirk of our Lady, where our Lord shewed him to her in three clouds, +the which betokened the Trinity. And a little thence is another +city, that men call Dispolis, but it hight some time Lidda, a fair city +and a well inhabited: there is a kirk of Saint George, where he was +headed. From thence men go to the castle of Emmaus, and so to +the Mount Joy; there may pilgrims first see Jerusalem. At Mount +Joy lies Samuel the prophet. From thence men go to Jerusalem. +Beside their ways is the city of Ramatha and the Mount Modyn; and thereof +was Matathias, Judas Machabeus father, and there are the graves of the +Machabees. Beyond Ramatha is the town of Tekoa, whereof Amos the +prophet was; and there is his grave.</p> +<p>I have told you before of the holy places that are at Jerusalem and +about it, and therefore I will speak no more of them at this time. +But I will turn again and shew you other ways a man may pass more by +land, and namely for them that may not suffer the savour of the sea, +but is liefer to go by land, if all it be the more pain. From +a man be entered into the sea he shall pass till one of the havens of +Lumbardy, for there is the best making of purveyance of victuals; or +he may pass to Genoa or Venice or some other. And he shall pass +by sea in to Greece to the Port Mirrok, or to Valoun or to Duras, or +some other haven of that country. And from thence he shall go +by land to Constantinople, and he shall pass the water that is called +Brace Saint George, the which is one arm of the sea. And from +thence he shall by land go to Ruffynell, where a good castle is and +a strong; and from therein he shall go to Puluual, and syne to the castle +of Sinope, and from thence to Cappadocia, that is a great country, where +are many great hills. And he shall go though Turkey to the port +of Chiutok and to the city of Nicaea, which is but seven miles thence. +That city won the Turks from the Emperor of Constantinople; and it is +a fair city and well walled on the one side, and on the other side is +a great lake and a great river, the which is called Lay. From +thence men go by the hills of Nairmount and by the vales of Mailbrins +and strait fells and by the town of Ormanx or by the towns that are +on Riclay and Stancon, the which are great rivers and noble, and so +to Antioch the less, which is set on the river of Riclay. And +there abouts are many good hills and fair, and many fair woods and great +plenty of wild beasts for to hunt at.</p> +<p>And he that will go another way, he shall go by the plains of Romany +coasting the Roman Sea. On that coast is a fair castle that men +call Florach, and it is right a strong place. And uppermore amongst +the mountains is a fair city, that is called Tarsus, and the city of +Longemaath, and the city of Assere, and the city of Marmistre. +And when a man is passed those mountains and those fells, he goes by +the city of Marioch and by Artoise, where is a great bridge upon the +river of Ferne, that is called Farfar, and it is a great river bearing +ships and it runs right fast out of the mountains to the city of Damascus. +And beside the city of Damascus is another great river that comes from +the hills of Liban, which men call Abbana. At the passing of this +river Saint Eustace, that some-time was called Placidas, lost his wife +and his two children. This river runs through the plain of Archades, +and so to the Red Sea. From thence men go to the city of Phenice, +where are hot wells and hot baths. And then men go to the city +of Ferne; and between Phenice and Ferne are ten mile. And there +are many fair woods. And then men come to Antioch, which is ten +mile thence. And it is a fair city and well walled about with +many fair towers; and it is a great city, but it was some-time greater +than it is now. For it was some-time two mile on length and on +breadth other half mile. And through the midst of that city ran +the water of Farphar and a great bridge over it; and there was some-time +in the walls about this city three hundred and fifty towers, and at +each pillar of the bridge was a stone. This is the chief city +of the kingdom of Syria. And ten mile from this city is the port +of Saint Symeon; and there goes the water of Farphar into the sea. +From Antioch men go to a city that is called Lacuth, and then to Gebel, +and then to Tortouse. And there near is the land of Channel; and +there is a strong castle that is called Maubek. From Tortouse +pass men to Tripoli by sea, or else by land through the straits of mountains +and fells. And there is a city that is called Gibilet. From +Tripoli go men to Acres; and from thence are two ways to Jerusalem, +the one on the left half and the other on the right half. By the +left way men go by Damascus and by the flum Jordan. By the right +way men go by Maryn and by the land of Flagramy and near the mountains +into the city of Cayphas, that some men call the castle of Pilgrims. +And from thence to Jerusalem are three day journey, in the which men +shall go through Caesarea Philippi, and so to Jaffa and Rames and the +castle of Emmaus, and so to Jerusalem.</p> +<p>Now have I told you some ways by land and by water that men may go +by to the Holy Land after the countries that they come from. Nevertheless +they come all to one end. Yet is there another way to Jerusalem +all by land, and pass not the sea, from France or Flanders; but that +way is full long and perilous and of great travel, and therefore few +go that way. He that shall go that way, he shall go through Almayne +and Prussia and so to Tartary. This Tartary is holden of the great +Caan of Cathay, of whom I think to speak afterward. This is a +full ill land and sandy and little fruit bearing. For there grows +no corn, ne wine, ne beans, ne peas, ne none other fruit convenable +to man for to live with. But there are beasts in great plenty: +and therefore they eat but flesh without bread and sup the broth and +they drink milk of all manner of beasts. They eat hounds, cats, +ratons, and all other wild beasts. And they have no wood, or else +little; and therefore they warm and seethe their meat with horse-dung +and cow-dung and of other beasts, dried against the sun. And princes +and other eat not but once in the day, and that but little. And +they be right foul folk and of evil kind. And in summer, by all +the countries, fall many tempests and many hideous thunders and leits +and slay much people and beasts also full often-time. And suddenly +is there passing heat, and suddenly also passing cold; and it is the +foulest country and the most cursed and the poorest that men know. +And their prince, that governeth that country, that they clepe Batho, +dwelleth at the city of Orda. And truly no good man should not +dwell in that country, for the land and the country is not worthy hounds +to dwell in. It were a good country to sow in thistle and briars +and broom and thorns and briars; and for no other thing is it not good. +Natheles, there is good land in some place, but it is pure little, as +men say.</p> +<p>I have not been in that country, nor by those ways. But I have +been at other lands that march to those countries, as in the land of +Russia, as in the land of Nyflan, and in the realm of Cracow and of +Letto, and in the realm of Daristan, and in many other places that march +to the coasts. But I went never by that way to Jerusalem, wherefore +I may not well tell you the manner.</p> +<p>But, if this matter please to any worthy man that hath gone by that +way, he may tell it if him like, to that intent, that those, that will +go by that way and make their voyage by those coasts, may know what +way is there. For no man may pass by that way goodly, but in time +of winter, for the perilous waters and wicked mareys, that be in those +countries, that no man may pass but if it be strong frost and snow above. +For if the snow ne were not, men might not go upon the ice, ne horse +ne car neither.</p> +<p>And it is well a three journeys of such way to pass from Prussia +to the land of Saracens habitable. And it behoveth to the Christian +men, that shall war against them every year, to bear their victuals +with them; for they shall find there no good. And then must they +let carry their victual upon the ice with cars that have no wheels, +that they clepe sleighs. And as long as their victuals last they +may abide there, but no longer; for there shall they find no wight that +will sell them any victual or anything. And when the spies see +any Christian men come upon them, they run to the towns, and cry with +a loud voice;<i> Kerra, Kerra, Kerra</i>. And then anon they arm +them and assemble them together.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that it freezeth more strongly in those countries +than on this half. And therefore hath every man stews in his house, +and in those stews they eat and do their occupations all that they may. +For that is at the north parts that men clepe the Septentrional where +it is all only cold. For the sun is but little or none toward +those countries. And therefore in the Septentrion, that is very +north, is the land so cold, that no man may dwell there. And, +in the contrary, toward the south it is so hot, that no man ne may dwell +there, because that the sun, when he is upon the south, casteth his +beams all straight upon that part.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Customs of Saracens, and of their Law. And how the +Soldan reasoned me, Author of this Book; and of the beginning of Mohammet</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now, because that I have spoken of Saracens and of their country +- now, if ye will know a part of their law and of their belief, I shall +tell you after that their book that is clept <i>Alkaron</i> telleth. +And some men clepe that book <i>Meshaf</i>. And some men clepe +it <i>Harme</i>, after the diverse languages of the country. The +which book Mohammet took them. In the which book, among other +things, is written, as I have often-time seen and read, that the good +shall go to paradise, and the evil to hell; and that believe all Saracens. +And if a man ask them what paradise they mean, they say, to paradise +that is a place of delights where men shall find all manner of fruits +in all seasons, and rivers running of milk and honey, and of wine and +of sweet water; and that they shall have fair houses and noble, every +man after his desert, made of precious stones and of gold and of silver; +and that every man shall have four score wives all maidens, and he shall +have ado every day with them, and yet he shall find them always maidens.</p> +<p>Also they believe and speak gladly of the Virgin Mary and of the +Incarnation. And they say that Mary was taught of the angel; and +that Gabriel said to her, that she was for-chosen from the beginning +of the world and that he shewed to her the Incarnation of Jesu Christ +and that she conceived and bare child maiden; and that witnesseth their +book.</p> +<p>And they say also, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he was born; +and that he was an holy prophet and a true in word and deed, and meek +and piteous and rightful and without any vice.</p> +<p>And they say also, that when the angel shewed the Incarnation of +Christ unto Mary, she was young and had great dread. For there +was then an enchanter in the country that dealt with witchcraft, that +men clept Taknia, that by his enchantments could make him in likeness +of an angel, and went often-times and lay with maidens. And therefore +Mary dreaded lest it had been Taknia, that came for to deceive the maidens. +And therefore she conjured the angel, that he should tell her if it +were he or no. And the angel answered and said that she should +have no dread of him, for he was very messenger of Jesu Christ. +Also their book saith, that when that she had childed under a palm tree +she had great shame, that she had a child; and she greet and said that +she would that she had been dead. And anon the child spake to +her and comforted her, and said, “Mother, ne dismay thee nought, +for God hath hid in thee his privities for the salvation of the world.” +And in other many places saith their <i>Alkaron</i>, that Jesu Christ +spake as soon as he was born. And that book saith also that Jesu +was sent from God Almighty for to be mirror and example and token to +all men.</p> +<p>And the <i>Alkaron</i> saith also of the day of doom how God shall +come to doom all manner of folk. And the good he shall draw on +his side and put them into bliss, and the wicked he shall condemn to +the pains of hell. And among all prophets Jesu was the most excellent +and the most worthy next God, and that he made the gospels in the which +is good doctrine and healthful, full of clarity and soothfastness and +true preaching to them that believe in God. And that he was a +very prophet and more than a prophet, and lived without sin, and gave +sight to the blind, and healed the lepers, and raised dead men, and +styed to heaven.</p> +<p>And when they may hold the Book of the Gospels of our Lord written +and namely <i>Missus est Angelus Gabriel</i>, that gospel they say, +those that be lettered, often-times in their orisons, and they kiss +it and worship it with great devotion.</p> +<p>They fast an whole month in the year and eat nought but by night. +And they keep them from their wives all that month. But the sick +men be not constrained to that fast.</p> +<p>Also this book speaketh of Jews and saith that they be cursed; for +they would not believe that Jesu Christ was come of God. And that +they lied falsely on Mary and on her son Jesu Christ, saying that they +had crucified Jesu the son of Mary; for he was never crucified, as they +say, but that God made him to sty up to him without death and without +annoy. But he transfigured his likeness into Judas Iscariot, and +him crucified the Jews, and weened that it had been Jesus. But +Jesus styed to heavens all quick. And therefore they say, that +the Christian men err and have no good knowledge of this, and that they +believe folily and falsely that Jesu Christ was crucified. And +they say yet, that and he had been crucified, that God had done against +his righteousness for to suffer Jesu Christ, that was innocent, to be +put upon the cross without guilt. And in this article they say +that we fail and that the great righteousness of God might not suffer +so great a wrong: and in this faileth their faith. For they knowledge +well, that the works of Jesu Christ be good, and his words and his deeds +and his doctrine by his gospels were true, and his miracles also true; +and the blessed Virgin Mary is good, and holy maiden before and after +the birth of Jesu Christ; and that all those that believe perfectly +in God shall be saved. And because that they go so nigh our faith, +they be lightly converted to Christian law when men preach them and +shew them distinctly the law of Jesu Christ, and when they tell them +of the prophecies.</p> +<p>And also they say, that they know well by the prophecies that the +law of Mahomet shall fail, as the law of the Jews did; and that the +law of Christian people shall last to the day of doom. And if +any man ask them what is their belief, they answer thus, and in this +form: “We believe God, former of heaven and of earth, and of all +other things that he made. And without him is nothing made. +And we believe of the day of doom, and that every man shall have his +merit, after he hath deserved. And, we believe it for sooth, all +that God hath said by the mouths of his prophets.”</p> +<p>Also Mahomet commanded in his <i>Alkaron</i>, that every man should +have two wives, or three or four; but now they take unto nine, and of +lemans as many as he may sustain. And if any of their wives mis-bear +them against their husband, he may cast her out of his house, and depart +from her and take another; but he shall depart with her his goods.</p> +<p>Also, when men speak to them of the Father and of the Son and of +the Holy Ghost, they say, that they be three persons, but not one God; +for their <i>Alkaron</i> speaketh not of the Trinity. But they +say well, that God hath speech, and else were he dumb. And God +hath also a spirit they know well, for else they say, he were not alive. +And when men speak to them of the Incarnation how that by the word of +the angel God sent his wisdom in to earth and enombred him in the Virgin +Mary, and by the word of God shall the dead be raised at the day of +doom, they say, that it is sooth and that the word of God hath great +strength. And they say that whoso knew not the word of God he +should not know God. And they say also that Jesu Christ is the +word of God: and so saith their <i>Alkaron</i>, where it saith that +the angel spake to Mary and said: “Mary, God shall preach thee +the gospel by the word of his mouth and his name shall be clept Jesu +Christ.”</p> +<p>And they say also, that Abraham was friend to God, and that Moses +was familiar speaker with God, and Jesu Christ was the word and the +spirit of God, and that Mohammet was right messenger of God. And +they say, that of these four, Jesu was the most worthy and the most +excellent and the most great. So that they have many good articles +of our faith, albeit that they have no perfect law and faith as Christian +men have; and therefore be they lightly converted, and namely those +that understand the scriptures and the prophecies. For they have +the gospels and the prophecies and the Bible written in their language; +wherefore they ken much of holy writ, but they understand it not but +after the letter. And so do the Jews, for they understand not +the letter ghostly, but bodily; and therefore be they reproved of the +wise, that ghostly understand it. And therefore saith Saint Paul: +<i>Litera occidit; spiritus autem vivificat</i>. Also the Saracens +say, that the Jews be cursed; for they have befouled the law that God +sent them by Moses: and the Christian be cursed also, as they say; for +they keep not the commandments and the precepts of the gospel that Jesu +Christ taught them.</p> +<p>And, therefore, I shall tell you what the soldan told me upon a day +in his chamber. He let void out of his chamber all manner of men, +lords and others, for he would speak with me in counsel. And there +he asked me how the Christian men governed them in our country. +And I said him, “Right well, thanked be God!”</p> +<p>And he said me, “Truly nay! For ye Christian men reck +right nought, how untruly to serve God! Ye should give ensample +to the lewd people for to do well, and ye give them ensample to do evil. +For the commons, upon festival days, when they should go to church to +serve God, then go they to taverns, and be there in gluttony all the +day and all night, and eat and drink as beasts that have no reason, +and wit not when they have enough. And also the Christian men +enforce themselves in all manners that they may, for to fight and for +to deceive that one that other. And therewithal they be so proud, +that they know not how to be clothed; now long, now short, now strait, +now large, now sworded, now daggered, and in all manner guises. +They should be simple, meek and true, and full of alms-deeds, as Jesu +was, in whom they trow; but they be all the contrary, and ever inclined +to the evil, and to do evil. And they be so covetous, that, for +a little silver, they sell their daughters, their sisters and their +own wives to put them to lechery. And one withdraweth the wife +of another, and none of them holdeth faith to another; but they defoul +their law that Jesu Christ betook them to keep for their salvation. +And thus, for their sins, have they lost all this land that we hold. +For, for their sins, their God hath taken them into our hands, not only +by strength of ourself, but for their sins. For we know well, +in very sooth, that when ye serve God, God will help you; and when he +is with you, no man may be against you. And that know we well +by our prophecies, that Christian men shall win again this land out +of our hands, when they serve God more devoutly; but as long as they +be of foul and of unclean living (as they be now) we have no dread of +them in no kind, for their God will not help them in no wise.”</p> +<p>And then I asked him, how he knew the state of Christian men. +And he answered me, that he knew all the state of all courts of Christian +kings and princes and the state of the commons also by his messengers +that he sent to all lands, in manner as they were merchants of precious +stones, of cloths of gold and of other things, for to know the manner +of every country amongst Christian men. And then he let clepe +in all the lords that he made void first out of his chamber, and there +he shewed me four that were great lords in the country, that told me +of my country and of many other Christian countries, as well as they +had been of the same country; and they spake French right well, and +the soldan also; whereof I had great marvel.</p> +<p>Alas! that it is great slander to our faith and to our law, when +folk that be without law shall reprove us and undernim us of our sins, +and they that should be converted to Christ and to the law of Jesu by +our good ensamples and by our acceptable life to God, and so converted +to the law of Jesu Christ, be, through our wickedness and evil living, +far from us and strangers from the holy and very belief, shall thus +appeal us and hold us for wicked livers and cursed. And truly +they say sooth, for the Saracens be good and faithful; for they keep +entirely the commandment of the holy book <i>Alkaron</i> that God sent +them by his messenger Mahomet, to the which, as they say, Saint Gabriel +the angel oftentime told the will of God.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that Mahomet was born in Arabia, that was +first a poor knave that kept camels, that went with merchants for merchandise. +And so befell, that he went with the merchants into Egypt; and they +were then Christian in those parts. And at the deserts of Arabia, +he went into a chapel where a hermit dwelt. And when he entered +into the chapel that was but a little and a low thing and had but a +little door and a low, then the entry began to wax so great, and so +large and so high as though it had been of a great minster or the gate +of a palace. And this was the first miracle, the Saracens say, +that Mahomet did in his youth.</p> +<p>After began he for to wax wise and rich. And he was a great +astronomer. And after, he was governor and prince of the land +of Cozrodane; and he governed it full wisely, in such manner, that when +the prince was dead, he took the lady to wife that hight Gadrige. +And Mahomet fell often in the great sickness that men call the falling +evil; wherefore the lady was full sorry that ever she took him to husband. +But Mahomet made her to believe, that all times, when he fell so, Gabriel +the angel came for to speak with him, and for the great light and brightness +of the angel he might not sustain him from falling; and therefore the +Saracens say, that Gabriel came often to speak with him.</p> +<p>This Mahomet reigned in Arabia, the year of our Lord Jesu Christ +610, and was of the generation of Ishmael that was Abraham’s son, +that he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. And therefore there be Saracens +that be clept Ishmaelites; and some Hagarenes, of Hagar. And the +other properly be clept Saracens, of Sarah. And some be clept +Moabites and some Ammonites, for the two sons of Lot, Moab and Ammon, +that he begat on his daughters that were afterward great earthly princes.</p> +<p>And also Mahomet loved well a good hermit that dwelled in the deserts +a mile from Mount Sinai, in the way that men go from Arabia toward Chaldea +and toward Ind, one day’s journey from the sea, where the merchants +of Venice come often for merchandise. And so often went Mahomet +to this hermit, that all his men were wroth; for he would gladly hear +this hermit preach and make his men wake all night. And therefore +his men thought to put the hermit to death. And so it befell upon +a night, that Mahomet was drunken of good wine, and he fell on sleep. +And his men took Mahomet’s sword out of his sheath, whiles he +slept, and therewith they slew this hermit, and put his sword all bloody +in his sheath again. And at morrow, when he found the hermit dead, +he was full sorry and wroth, and would have done his men to death. +But they all, with one accord, said that he himself had slain him, when +he was drunken, and shewed him his sword all bloody. And he trowed +that they had said sooth. And then he cursed the wine and all +those that drink it. And therefore Saracens that be devout drink +never no wine. But some drink it privily; for if they drunk it +openly, they should be reproved. But they drink good beverage +and sweet and nourishing that is made of gallamelle and that is that +men make sugar of, that is of right good savour, and it is good for +the breast.</p> +<p>Also it befalleth some-time, that Christian men become Saracens, +either for poverty or for simpleness, or else for their own wickedness. +And therefore the archflamen or the flamen, as our archbishop or bishop, +when he receiveth them saith thus: <i>La ellec olla Sila, Machomete +rores alla</i>; that is to say, ‘There is no God but one, and +Mahomet his messenger.’</p> +<p>Now I have told you a part of their law and of their customs, I shall +say you of their letters that they have, with their names and the manner +of their figures what they be: Almoy, Bethath, Cathi, Ephoti, Delphoi, +Fothi, Garothi, Hechum, Iotty, Kaythi, Lothum, Malach, Nabaloth, Orthi, +Chesiri, 30ch, Ruth, Holath, Routhi, Salathi, Thatimus, Yrthom, A3a30th, +Arrocchi, 30tipyn, Ichetus. And these be the names of their a. +b. c. Now shall ye know the figures. . . . And four letters they +have more than other for diversity of their language and speech, forasmuch +as they speak in their throats; and we in England have in our language +and speech two letters more than they have in their a. b. c.; and that +is [character which cannot be reproduced] and [character which cannot +be reproduced], which be clept thorn and 30gh.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the lands of Albania and of Libia. Of the wishings for +watching of the Sparrow-hawk; and of Noah’s ship</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now, sith I have told you before of the Holy Land and of that country +about, and of many ways for to go to that land and to the Mount Sinai, +and of Babylon the more and the less, and to other places that I have +spoken before, now is time, if it like you, for to tell you of the marches +and isles and diverse beasts, and of diverse folk beyond these marches.</p> +<p>For in those countries beyond be many diverse countries and many +great kingdoms, that be departed by the four floods that come from paradise +terrestrial. For Mesopotamia and the kingdom of Chaldea and Arabia +be between the two rivers of Tigris and of Euphrates; and the kingdom +of Media and of Persia be between the rivers of Nile and of Tigris; +and the kingdom of Syria, whereof I have spoken before, and Palestine +and Phoenicia be between Euphrates and the sea Mediterranean, the which +sea dureth in length from Morocco, upon the sea of Spain, unto the Great +Sea, so that it lasteth beyond Constantinople 3040 miles of Lombardy.</p> +<p>And toward the sea Ocean in Ind is the kingdom of Scythia, that is +all closed with hills. And after, under Scythia, and from the +sea of Caspian unto the flom of Thainy, is Amazonia, that is the land +of feminye, where that no man is, but only all women. And after +is Albania, a full great realm; and it is clept Albania, because that +the folk be whiter there than in other marches there-about: and in that +country be so great hounds and so strong, that they assail lions and +slay them. And then after is Hircania, Bactria, Hiberia and many +other kingdoms.</p> +<p>And between the Red Sea and the sea Ocean, toward the south is the +kingdom of Ethiopia and of Lybia the higher, the which land of Lybia +(that is to say, Lybia the low) that beginneth at the sea of Spain from +thence where the pillars of Hercules be, and endureth unto anent Egypt +and toward Ethiopia. In that country of Lybia is the sea more +high than the land, and it seemeth that it would cover the earth, and +natheles yet it passeth not his marks. And men see in that country +a mountain to the which no man cometh. In this land of Lybia whoso +turneth toward the east, the shadow of himself is on the right side; +and here, in our country, the shadow is on the left side. In that +sea of Lybia is no fish; for they may not live ne dure for the great +heat of the sun, because that the water is evermore boiling for the +great heat. And many other lands there be that it were too long +to tell or to number. But of some parts I shall speak more plainly +hereafter.</p> +<p>Whoso will then go toward Tartary, toward Persia, toward Chaldea +and toward Ind, he must enter the sea at Genoa or at Venice or at some +other haven that I have told you before. And then pass men the +sea and arrive at Trebizond that is a good city; and it was wont to +be the haven of Pontus. There is the haven of Persians and of +Medians and of the marches there beyond. In that city lieth Saint +Athanasius that was bishop of Alexandria, that made the psalm <i>Quicunque +vult.</i></p> +<p>This Athanasius was a great doctor of divinity. And, because +that he preached and spake so deeply of divinity and of the Godhead, +he was accused to the Pope of Rome that he was an heretic. Wherefore +the Pope sent after him and put him in prison. And whiles he was +in prison he made that psalm and sent it to the Pope, and said, that +if he were an heretic, then was that heresy, for that, he said, was +his belief. And when the Pope saw it, and had examined it that +it was perfect and good, and verily our faith and our belief, he made +him to be delivered out of prison, and commanded that psalm to be said +every day at prime; and so he held Athanasius a good man. But +he would never go to his bishopric again, because that they accused +him of heresy.</p> +<p>Trebizond was wont to be holden of the Emperor of Constantinople; +but a great man, that he sent for to keep the country against the Turks, +usurped the land and held it to himself, and cleped him Emperor of Trebizond.</p> +<p>And from thence men go through Little Armenia. And in that +country is an old castle that stands upon a rock; the which is clept +the castle of the Sparrow-hawk, that is beyond the city of Layays beside +the town of Pharsipee, that belongeth to the lordship of Cruk, that +is a rich lord and a good Christian man; where men find a sparrow-hawk +upon a perch right fair and right well made, and a fair lady of faerie +that keepeth it. And who that will watch that sparrow-hawk seven +days and seven nights, and, as some men say, three days and three nights, +without company and without sleep, that fair lady shall give him, when +he hath done, the first wish that he will wish of earthly things; and +that hath been proved often-times.</p> +<p>And one time befell, that a King of Armenia, that was a worthy knight +and doughty man, and a noble princes watched that hawk some time. +And at the end of seven days and seven nights the lady came to him and +bade him wish, for he had well deserved it. And he answered that +he was great lord enough, and well in peace, and had enough of worldly +riches; and therefore he would wish none other thing, but the body of +that fair lady, to have it at his will. And she answered him, +that he knew not what he asked, and said that he was a fool to desire +that he might not have; for she said that he should not ask but earthly +thing, for she was none earthly thing, but a ghostly thing. And +the king said that he ne would ask none other thing. And the lady +answered; “Sith that I may not withdraw you from your lewd corage, +I shall give you without wishing, and to all them that shall come of +you. Sir king! ye shall have war without peace, and always to +the nine degree, ye shall be in subjection of your enemies, and ye shall +be needy of all goods.” And never since, neither the King +of Armenia nor the country were never in peace; ne they had never sith +plenty of goods; and they have been sithen always under tribute of the +Saracens.</p> +<p>Also the son of a poor man watched that hawk and wished that he might +chieve well, and to be happy to merchandise. And the lady granted +him. And he became the most rich and the most famous merchant +that might be on sea or on earth. And he became so rich that he +knew not the thousand part of that he had. And he was wiser in +wishing than was the king.</p> +<p>Also a knight of the Temple watched there, and wished a purse evermore +full of gold. And the lady granted him. But she said him +that he had asked the destruction of their order for the trust and the +affiance of that purse, and for the great pride that they should have. +And so it was. And therefore look he keep him well, that shall +wake. For if he sleep he is lost, that never man shall see him +more.</p> +<p>This is not the right way for to go to the parts that I have named +before, but for to see the marvel that I have spoken of. And therefore +whoso will go right way, men go from Trebizond toward Armenia the Great +unto a city that is clept Erzeroum, that was wont to be a good city +and a plenteous; but the Turks have greatly wasted it. There-about +groweth no wine nor fruit, but little or else none. In this land +is the earth more high than in any other, and that maketh great cold. +And there be many good waters and good wells that come under earth from +the flom of Paradise, that is clept Euphrates, that is a journey beside +that city; and that river cometh towards Ind under earth, and resorteth +into the land of Altazar. And so pass men by this Armenia and +enter the sea of Persia.</p> +<p>From that city of Erzeroum go men to an hill that is clept Sabissocolle. +And there beside is another hill that men clepe Ararat, but the Jews +clepe it Taneez, where Noah’s ship rested, and yet is upon that +mountain. And men may see it afar in clear weather. And +that mountain is well a seven mile high. And some men say that +they have seen and touched the ship, and put their fingers in the parts +where the fiend went out, when that Noah said, <i>Benedicite</i>. +But they that say such words, say their will. For a man may not +go up the mountain, for great plenty of snow that is always on that +mountain, neither summer nor winter. So that no man may go up +there, ne never man did, since the time of Noah, save a monk that, by +the grace of God, brought one of the planks down, that yet is in the +minster at the foot of the mountain.</p> +<p>And beside is the city of Dain that Noah founded. And fast +by is the city of Any in the which were wont to be a thousand churches.</p> +<p>But upon that mountain to go up, this monk had great desire. +And so upon a day, he went up. And when he was upward the three +part of the mountain he was so weary that he might no further, and so +he rested him, and fell asleep. And when he awoke he found himself +lying at the foot of the mountain. And then he prayed devoutly +to God that he would vouchsafe to suffer him go up. And an angel +came to him, and said that he should go up. And so he did. +And sith that time never none. Wherefore men should not believe +such words.</p> +<p>From that mountain go men to the city of Thauriso that was wont to +be clept Taxis, that is a full fair city and a great, and one of the +best that is in the world for merchandise; thither come all merchants +for to buy avoirdupois, and it is in the land of the Emperor of Persia. +And men say that the emperor taketh more good in that city for custom +of merchandise than doth the richest Christian king of all his realm +that liveth. For the toll and the custom of his merchants is without +estimation to be numbered. Beside that city is a hill of salt, +and of that salt every man taketh what he will for to salt with, to +his need. There dwell many Christian men under tribute of Saracens. +And from that city, men pass by many towns and castles in going toward +Ind unto the city of Sadonia, that is a ten journeys from Thauriso, +and it is a full noble city and a great. And there dwelleth the +Emperor of Persia in summer; for the country is cold enough. And +there be good rivers bearing ships.</p> +<p>After go men the way toward Ind by many journeys, and by many countries, +unto the city that is clept Cassak, and that is a full noble city, and +a plenteous of corns and wines and of all other goods. This is +the city where the three kings met together when they went to seek our +Lord in Bethlehem to worship him and to present him with gold, incense, +and myrrh. And it is from that city to Bethlehem fifty-three journeys. +From that city men go to another city that is clept Gethe, that is a +journey from the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea. That is +the best city that the Emperor of Persia hath in all his land. +And they clepe flesh there Dabago and the wine Vapa. And the Paynims +say that no Christian man may not long dwell ne endure with the life +in that city, but die within short time; and no man knoweth not the +cause.</p> +<p>After go men by many cities and towns and great countries that it +were too long to tell unto the city of Cornaa that was wont to be so +great that the walls about hold twenty-five mile about. The walls +shew yet, but it is not all inhabited. From Cornaa go men by many +lands and many cities and towns unto the land of Job. And there +endeth the land of the Emperor of Persia. And if ye will know +the letters of Persians and what names they have, they be such as I +last devised you, but not in sounding of their words.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the land of Job; and of his age. Of the array of men +of Chaldea. Of the land where women dwell without company of men. +Of the knowledge and virtues of the very diamond</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>After the departing from Cornaa, men enter into the land of Job that +is a full fair country and a plenteous of all goods. And men clepe +that land the Land of Susiana. In that land is the city of Theman.</p> +<p>Job was a paynim, and he was Aram of Gosre, his son, and held that +land as prince of that country. And he was so rich that he knew +not the hundred part of his goods. And although he were a paynim, +nevertheless he served well God after his law. And our Lord took +his service to his pleasane. And when he fell in poverty he was +seventy-eight year of age. And after, when God had proved his +patience and that it was so great, he brought him again to riches and +to higher estate than he was before. And after that he was King +of Idumea after King Esau, and when he was king he was clept Jobab. +And in that kingdom he lived after 170 year. And so he was of +age, when he died, 248 year.</p> +<p>In that land of Job there ne is no default of no thing that is needful +to man’s body. There be hills, where men get great plenty +of manna in greater abundance than in any other country. This +manna is clept bread of angels. And it is a white thing that is +full sweet and right delicious, and more sweet than honey or sugar. +And it cometh of the dew of heaven that falleth upon the herbs in that +country. And it congealeth and becometh all white and sweet. +And men put it in medicines for rich men to make the womb lax, and to +purge evil blood. For it cleanseth the blood and putteth out melancholy. +This land of Job marcheth to the kingdom of Chaldea.</p> +<p>This land of Chaldea is full great. And the language of that +country is more great in sounding than it is in other parts of the sea. +Men pass to go beyond by the Tower of Babylon the Great, of the which +I have told you before, where that all the languages were first changed. +And that is a four journeys from Chaldea. In that realm be fair +men, and they go full nobly arrayed in clothes of gold, orfrayed and +apparelled with great pearls and precious stone’s full nobly. +And the women be right foul and evil arrayed. And they go all +bare-foot and clothed in evil garments large and wide, but they be short +to the knees, and long sleeves down to the feet like a monk’s +frock, and their sleeves be hanging about their shoulders. And +they be black women foul and hideous, and truly as foul as they be, +as evil they be.</p> +<p>In that kingdom of Chaldea, in a city that is clept Ur, dwelled Terah, +Abraham’s father. And there was Abraham born. And +that was in that time that Ninus was king of Babylon, of Arabia and +of Egypt. This Ninus made the city of Nineveh, the which that +Noah had begun before. And because that Ninus performed it, he +cleped it Nineveh after his own name. There lieth Tobit the prophet, +of whom Holy Writ speaketh of. And from that city of Ur Abraham +departed, by the commandment of God, from thence, after the death of +his father, and led with him Sarah his wife and Lot his brother’s +son, because that he had no child. And they went to dwell in the +land of Canaan in a place that is clept Shechem. And this Lot +was he that was saved, when Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities +were burnt and sunken down to hell, where that the Dead Sea is now, +as I have told you before. In that land of Chaldea they have their +proper languages and their proper letters, such as ye may see hereafter.</p> +<p>Beside the land of Chaldea is the land of Amazonia, that is the land +of Feminye. And in that realm is all women and no man; not, as +some men say, that men may not live there, but for because that the +women will not suffer no men amongst them to be their sovereigns.</p> +<p>For sometime there was a king in that country. And men married, +as in other countries. And so befell that the king had war with +them of Scythia, the which king hight Colopeus, that was slain in battle, +and all the good blood of his realm. And when the queen and all +the other noble ladies saw that they were all widows, and that all the +royal blood was lost, they armed them and, as creatures out of wit, +they slew all the men of the country that were left; for they would +that all the women were widows as the queen and they were. And +from that time hitherwards they never would suffer man to dwell amongst +them longer than seven days and seven nights; ne that no child that +were male should dwell amongst them longer than he were nourished; and +then sent to his father. And when they will have any company of +man then they draw them towards the lands marching next to them. +And then they have loves that use them; and they dwell with them an +eight days or ten, and then go home again. And if they have any +knave child they keep it a certain time, and then send it to the father +when he can go alone and eat by himself; or else they slay it. +And if it be a female they do away that one pap with an hot iron. +And if it be a woman of great lineage they do away the left pap that +they may the better bear a shield. And if it be a woman on foot +they do away the right pap, for to shoot with bow turkeys: for they +shoot well with bows.</p> +<p>In that land they have a queen that governeth all that land, and +all they be obeissant to her. And always they make her queen by +election that is most worthy in arms; for they be right good warriors +and orped, and wise, noble and worthy. And they go oftentime in +solde to help of other kings in their wars, for gold and silver as other +soldiers do; and they maintain themselves right vigourously. This +land of Amazonia is an isle, all environed with the sea save in two +places, where be two entries. And beyond that water dwell the +men that be their paramours and their loves, where they go to solace +them when they will.</p> +<p>Beside Amazonia is the land of Tarmegyte that is a great country +and a full delectable. And for the goodness of the country King +Alexander let first make there the city of Alexandria, and yet he made +twelve cities of the same name; but that city is now clept Celsite.</p> +<p>And from that other coast of Chaldea, toward the south, is Ethiopia, +a great country that stretcheth to the end of Egypt. Ethiopia +is departed in two parts principal, and that is in the east part and +in the meridional part; the which part meridional is clept Mauritania; +and the folk of that country be black enough and more black than in +the tother part, and they be clept Moors. In that part is a well, +that in the day it is so cold, that no man may drink thereof; and in +the night it is so hot, that no man may suffer his hand therein. +And beyond that part, toward the south, to pass by the sea Ocean, is +a great land and a great country; but men may not dwell there for the +fervent burning of the sun, so is it passing hot in that country.</p> +<p>In Ethiopia all the rivers and all the waters be trouble, and they +be somedeal salt for the great heat that is there. And the folk +of that country be lightly drunken and have but little appetite to meat. +And they have commonly the flux of the womb. And they live not +long. In Ethiopia be many diverse folk; and Ethiope is clept Cusis. +In that country be folk that have but one foot, and they go so blyve +that it is marvel. And the foot is so large, that it shadoweth +all the body against the sun, when they will lie and rest them. +In Ethiopia, when the children be young and little, they be all yellow; +and, when that they wax of age, that yellowness turneth to be all black. +In Ethiopia is the city of Saba, and the land of the which one of the +three kings that presented our Lord in Bethlehem, was king of.</p> +<p>From Ethiopia men go into Ind by many diverse countries. And +men clepe the high Ind, Emlak. And Ind is divided in three principal +parts; that is, the more that is a full hot country; and Ind the less, +that is a full attempre country, that stretcheth to the land of Media; +and the three part toward the septentrion is full cold, so that, for +pure cold and continual frost, the water becometh crystal. And +upon those rocks of crystal grow the good diamonds that be of trouble +colour. Yellow crystal draweth colour like oil. And they +be so hard, that no man may polish them. And men clepe them diamonds +in that country, and <i>Hamese</i> in another country. Other diamonds +men find in Arabia that be not so good, and they be more brown and more +tender. And other diamonds also men find in the isle of Cyprus, +that be yet more tender, and them men may well polish. And in +the land of Macedonia men find diamonds also. But the best and +the most precious be in Ind.</p> +<p>And men find many times hard diamonds in a mass that cometh out of +gold, when men pure it and refine it out of the mine; when men break +that mass in small pieces, and sometime it happens that men find some +as great as a peas and some less, and they be as hard as those of Ind.</p> +<p>And albeit that men find good diamonds in Ind, yet nevertheless men +find them more commonly upon the rocks in the sea and upon hills where +the mine of gold is. And they grow many together, one little, +another great. And there be some of the greatness of a bean and +some as great as an hazel nut. And they be square and pointed +of their own kind, both above and beneath, without working of man’s +hand. And they grow together, male and female. And they +be nourished with the dew of heaven. And they engender commonly +and bring forth small children, that multiply and grow all the year. +I have often-times assayed, that if a man keep them with a little of +the rock and wet them with May-dew oft-sithes, they shall grow every +year, and the small will wax great. For right as the fine pearl +congealeth and waxeth great of the dew of heaven, right so doth the +very diamond; and right as the pearl of his own kind taketh roundness, +right so the diamond, by virtue of God, taketh squareness. And +men shall bear the diamond on his left side, for it is of greater virtue +then, than on the right side; for the strength of their growing is toward +the north, that is the left side of the world, and the left part of +man is when he turneth his face toward the east.</p> +<p>And if you like to know the virtues of the diamond, (as men may find +in <i>The Lapidary</i> that many men know not), I shall tell you, as +they beyond the sea say and affirm, of whom all science and all philosophy +cometh from. He that beareth the diamond upon him, it giveth him +hardiness and manhood, and it keepeth the limbs of his body whole. +It giveth him victory of his enemies in plea and in war, if his cause +be rightful. And it keepeth him that beareth it in good wit. +And it keepeth him from strife and riot, from evil swevens from sorrows +and from enchantments, and from fantasies and illusions of wicked spirits. +And if any cursed witch or enchanter would bewitch him that beareth +the diamond, all that sorrow and mischance shall turn to himself through +virtue of that stone. And also no wild beast dare assail the man +that beareth it on him. Also the diamond should be given freely, +without coveting and without buying, and then it is of greater virtue. +And it maketh a man more strong and more sad against his enemies. +And it healeth him that is lunatic, and them that the fiend pursueth +or travaileth. And if venom or poison be brought in presence of +the diamond, anon it beginneth to wax moist and for to sweat.</p> +<p>There be also diamonds in Ind that be clept violastres, (for their +colour is like violet, or more brown than the violets), that be full +hard and full precious. But yet some men love not them so well +as the other; but, in sooth, to me, I would love them as much as the +other, for I have seen them assayed.</p> +<p>Also there is another manner of diamonds that be as white as crystal, +but they be a little more trouble. And they be good and of great +virtue, and all they be square and pointed of their own kind. +And some be six squared, some four squared, and some three as nature +shapeth them. And therefore when great lords and knights go to +seek worship in arms, they bear gladly the diamond upon them.</p> +<p>I shall speak a little more of the diamonds, although I tarry my +matter for a time, to the end, that they that know them not, be not +deceived by gabbers that go by the country, that sell them. For +whoso will buy the diamond it is needful to him that he know them. +Because that men counterfeit them often of crystal that is yellow and +of sapphires of citron colour that is yellow also, and of the sapphire +loupe and of many other stones. But I tell you these counterfeits +be not so hard; and also the points will break lightly, and men may +easily polish them. But some workmen, for malice, will not polish +them; to that intent, to make men believe that they may not be polished. +But men may assay them in this manner. First shear with them or +write with them in sapphires, in crystal or in other precious stones. +After that, men take the adamant, that is the shipman’s stone, +that draweth the needle to him, and men lay the diamond upon the adamant, +and lay the needle before the adamant; and, if the diamond be good and +virtuous, the adamant draweth not the needle to him whiles the diamond +is there present. And this is the proof that they beyond the sea +make.</p> +<p>Natheles it befalleth often-time, that the good diamond loseth his +virtue by sin, and for incontinence of him that beareth it. And +then it is needful to make it to recover his virtue again, or else it +is of little value.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the customs of Isles about Ind. Of the difference betwixt +Idols and Simulacres. Of three manner growing of Pepper upon one +tree. Of the Well that changeth his odour every hour of the day; +and that is marvel</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>In Ind be full many diverse countries. And it is clept Ind, +for a flom that runneth throughout the country that is clept Ind. +In that flom men find eels of thirty foot long and more. And the +folk that dwell nigh that water be of evil colour, green and yellow.</p> +<p>In Ind and about Ind be more than 5000 isles good and great that +men dwell in, without those that he inhabitable, and without other small +isles. In every isle is great plenty of cities, and of towns, +and of folk without number. For men of Ind have this condition +of kind, that they never go out of their own country, and therefore +is there great multitude of people. But they be not stirring ne +movable, because that they be in the first climate, that is of Saturn; +and Saturn is slow and little moving, for he tarryeth to make his turn +by the twelve signs thirty year. And the moon passeth through +the twelve signs in one month. And for because that Saturn is +of so late stirring, therefore the folk of that country that be under +his climate have of kind no will for to move ne stir to seek strange +places. And in our country is all the contrary; for we be in the +seventh climate, that is of the moon. And the moon is of lightly +moving, and the moon is planet of way; and for that skill it giveth +us will of kind for to move lightly and for to go divers ways, and to +seek strange things and other diversities of the world; for the moon +environeth the earth more hastily than any other planet.</p> +<p>Also men go through Ind by many diverse countries to the great sea +Ocean. And after, men find there an isle that is clept Crues. +And thither come merchants of Venice and Genoa, and of other marches, +for to buy merchandises. But there is so great heat in those marches, +and namely in that isle, that, for the great distress of the heat, men’s +ballocks hang down to their knees for the great dissolution of the body. +And men of that country, that know the manner, let bind them up, or +else might they not live, and anoint them with ointments made therefore, +to hold them up.</p> +<p>In that country and in Ethiopia, and in many other countries, the +folk lie all naked in rivers and waters, men and women together, from +undern of the day till it be past the noon. And they lie all in +the water, save the visage, for the great heat that there is. +And the women have no shame of the men, but lie all together, side to +side, till the heat be past. There may men see many foul figure +assembled, and namely nigh the good towns.</p> +<p>In that isle be ships without nails of iron or bonds, for the rocks +of the adamants, for they be all full thereabout in that sea, that it +is marvel to speak of. And if a ship passed by those marches that +had either iron bonds or iron nails, anon he should be perished; for +the adamant of his kind draweth the iron to him. And so would +it draw to him the ship because of the iron, that he should never depart +from it, ne never go thence.</p> +<p>From that isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Chana, +where is great plenty of corn and wine. And it was wont to be +a great isle, and a great haven and a good; but the sea hath greatly +wasted it and overcome it. The king of that country was wont to +be so strong and so mighty that he held war against King Alexander.</p> +<p>The folk of that country have a diverse law. For some of them +worship the sun, some the moon, some the fire, some trees, some serpents, +or the first thing that they meet at morrow. And some worship +simulacres and some idols. But between simulacres and idols is +a great difference. For simulacres be images made after likeness +of men or of women, or of the sun, or of the moon, or of any beast, +or of any kindly thing. And idols is an image made of lewd will +of man, that man may not find among kindly things, as an image that +hath four heads, one of a man, another of an horse or of an ox, or of +some other beast, that no man hath seen after kindly disposition.</p> +<p>And they that worship simulacres, they worship them for some worthy +man that was sometime, as Hercules, and many other that did many marvels +in their time. For they say well that they be not gods; for they +know well that there is a God of kind that made all things, the which +is in heaven. But they know well that this may not do the marvels +that he made, but if it had been by the special gift of God; and therefore +they say that he was well with God, and for because that he was so well +with God, therefore they worship him. And so say they of the sun, +because that he changeth the time, and giveth heat, and nourisheth all +things upon earth; and for it is of so great profit, they know well +that that might not be, but that God loveth it more than any other thing, +and, for that skill, God hath given it more great virtue in the world. +Therefore, it is good reason, as they say, to do it worship and reverence. +And so say they, and make their reasons, of other planets, and of the +fire also, because it is so profitable.</p> +<p>And of idols they say also that the ox is the most holy beast that +is in earth and most patient, and more profitable than any other. +For he doth good enough and he doth no evil; and they know well that +it may not be without special grace of God. And therefore make +they their god of an ox the one part, and the other half of a man. +Because that man is the most noble creature in earth, and also for he +hath lordship above all beasts, therefore make they the halvendel of +idol of a man upwards; and the tother half of an ox downwards, and of +serpents, and of other beasts and diverse things, that they worship, +that they meet first at morrow.</p> +<p>And they worship also specially all those that they have good meeting +of; and when they speed well in their journey, after their meeting, +and namely such as they have proved and assayed by experience of long +time; for they say that thilk good meeting ne may not come but of the +grace of God. And therefore they make images like to those things +that they have belief in, for to behold them and worship them first +at morning, or they meet any contrarious things. And there be +also some Christian men that say, that some beasts have good meeting, +that is to say for to meet with them first at morrow, and some beasts +wicked meeting; and that they have proved oft-time that the hare hath +full evil meeting, and swine and many other beasts. And the sparrow-hawk +or other fowls of ravine, when they fly after their prey and take it +before men of arms, it is a good sign; and if he fail of taking his +prey, it is an evil sign. And also to such folk, it is an evil +meeting of ravens.</p> +<p>In these things and in such other, there be many folk that believe; +because it happeneth so often-time to fall after their fantasies. +And also there be men enough that have no belief in them. And, +sith that Christian men have such belief, that be informed and taught +all day by holy doctrine, wherein they should believe, it is no marvel +then, that the paynims, that have no good doctrine but only of their +nature, believe more largely for their simplesse. And truly I +have seen of paynims and Saracens that men clepe Augurs, that, when +we ride in arms in divers countries upon our enemies, by the flying +of fowls they would tell us the prognostications of things that fell +after; and so they did full oftentimes, and proffered their heads to-wedde, +but if it would fall as they said. But natheles, therefore should +not a man put his belief in such things, but always have full trust +and belief in God our sovereign Lord.</p> +<p>This isle of Chana the Saracens have won and hold. In that +isle be many lions and many other wild beasts. And there be rats +in that isle as great as hounds here; and men take them with great mastiffs, +for cats may not take them. In this isle and many other men bury +not no dead men, for the heat is there so great, that in a little time +the flesh will consume from the bones.</p> +<p>From thence men go by sea toward Ind the more to a city, that men +clepe Sarche, that is a fair city and a good. And there dwell +many Christian men of good faith. And there be many religious +men, and namely of mendicants.</p> +<p>After go men by sea to the land of Lomb. In that land groweth +the pepper in the forest that men clepe Combar. And it groweth +nowhere else in all the world, but in that forest, and that endureth +well an eighteen journeys in length. In the forest be two good +cities; that one hight Fladrine and that other Zinglantz, and in every +of them dwell Christian men and Jews, great plenty. For it is +a good country and a plentiful, but there is overmuch passing heat.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the pepper groweth in manner as doth +a wild vine that is planted fast by the trees of that wood for to sustain +it by, as doth the vine. And the fruit thereof hangeth in manner +as raisins. And the tree is so thick charged, that it seemeth +that it would break. And when it is ripe it is all green, as it +were ivy berries. And then men cut them, as men do the vines, +and then they put it upon an oven, and there it waxeth black and crisp. +And there is three manner of pepper all upon one tree; long pepper, +black pepper and white pepper. The long pepper men clepe <i>Sorbotin</i>, +and the black pepper is clept <i>Fulfulle</i>, and the white pepper +is clept <i>Bano</i>. The long pepper cometh first when the leaf +beginneth to come, and it is like the cats of hazel that cometh before +the leaf, and it hangeth low. And after cometh the black with +the leaf, in manner of clusters of raisins, all green. And when +men have gathered it, then cometh the white that is somedeal less than +the black. And of that men bring but little into this country; +for they beyond withhold it for themselves, because it is better and +more attempre in kind than the black. And therefore is there not +so great plenty as of the black.</p> +<p>In that country be many manner of serpents and of other vermin for +the great heat of the country and of the pepper. And some men +say, that when they will gather the pepper, they make fire, and burn +about to make the serpents and the cockodrills to flee. But save +their grace of all that say so. For if they burnt about the trees +that bear, the pepper should be burnt, and it would dry up all the virtue, +as of any other thing; and then they did themselves much harm, and they +should never quench the fire. But thus they do: they anoint their +hands and their feet [with a juice] made of snails and of other things +made therefore, of the which the serpents and the venomous beasts hate +and dread the savour; and that maketh them flee before them, because +of the smell, and then they gather it surely enough.</p> +<p>Also toward the head of that forest is the city of Polombe. +And above the city is a great mountain that also is clept Polombe. +And of that mount the city hath his name.</p> +<p>And at the foot of that mount is a fair well and a great, that hath +odour and savour of all spices. And at every hour of the day he +changeth his odour and his savour diversely. And whoso drinketh +three times fasting of that water of that well he is whole of all manner +sickness that he hath. And they that dwell there and drink often +of that well they never have sickness; and they seem always young. +I have drunken thereof three or four sithes, and yet, methinketh, I +fare the better. Some men clepe it the well of youth. For +they that often drink thereof seem always young-like, and live without +sickness. And men say, that that well cometh out of Paradise, +and therefore it is so virtuous.</p> +<p>By all that country groweth good ginger, and therefore thither go +the merchants for spicery.</p> +<p>In that land men worship the ox for his simpleness and for his meekness, +and for the profit that cometh of him. And they say, that he is +the holiest beast in earth. For them seemeth, that whosoever be +meek and patient, he is holy and profitable; for then, they say, he +hath all virtues in him. They make the ox to labour six year or +seven, and then they eat him. And the king of the country hath +alway an ox with him. And he that keepeth him hath every day great +fees, and keepeth every day his dung and his urine in two vessels of +gold, and bring it before their prelate that they clepe Archi-protopapaton. +And he beareth it before the king and maketh there over a great blessing. +And then the king wetteth his hands there, in that they clepe gall, +and anointeth his front and his breast. And after, he froteth +him with the dung and with the urine with great reverence, for to be +fullfilled of virtues of the ox and made holy by the virtue of that +holy thing that nought is worth. And when the king hath done, +then do the lords; and after them their ministers and other men, if +they may have any remenant.</p> +<p>In that country they make idols, half man half ox. And in those +idols evil spirits speak and give answer to men of what is asked them. +Before these idols men slay their children many times, and spring the +blood upon the idols; and so they make their sacrifice.</p> +<p>And when any man dieth in the country they burn his body in name +of penance; to that intent, that he suffer no pain in earth to be eaten +of worms. And if his wife have no child they burn her with him, +and say, that it is reason, that she make him company in that other +world as she did in this. But and she have children with him, +they let her live with them, to bring them up if she will. And +if that she love more to live with her children than for to die with +her husband, men hold her for false and cursed; ne she shall never be +loved ne trusted of the people. And if the woman die, before the +husband, men burn him with her, if that he will; and if he will not, +no man constraineth him thereto, but he may wed another time without +blame or reproof.</p> +<p>In that country grow many strong vines. And the women drink +wine, and men not. And the women shave their beards, and the men +not.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Dooms made by St. Thomas’s hand. Of devotion +and sacrifice made to Idols there, in the city of Calamye; and of the +Procession in going about the city</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From that country men pass by many marches toward a country, a ten +journeys thence, that is clept Mabaron; and it is a great kingdom, and +it hath many fair cities and towns.</p> +<p>In that kingdom lieth the body of Saint Thomas the apostle in flesh +and bone, in a fair tomb in the city of Calamye; for there he was martyred +and buried. And men of Assyria bare his body into Mesopotamia +into the city of Edessa, and after, he was brought thither again. +And the arm and the hand that he put in our Lord’s side, when +he appeared to him after his resurrection and said to him, <i>Noli esse +incredulus, sed fidelis</i>, is yet lying in a vessel without the tomb. +And by that hand they make all their judgments in the country, whoso +hath right or wrong. For when there is any dissension between +two parties, and every of them maintaineth his cause, and saith that +his cause is rightful, and that other saith the contrary, then both +parties write their causes in two bills and put them in the hand of +Saint Thomas. And anon he casteth away the bill of the wrong cause +and holdeth still the bill with the right cause. And therefore +men come from far countries to have judgment of doubtable causes. +And other judgment use they none there.</p> +<p>Also the church, where Saint Thomas’ lieth, is both great and +fair, and all full of great simulacres, and those be great images that +they clepe their gods, of the which the least is as great as two men.</p> +<p>And, amongst these other, there is a great image more than any of +the other, that is all covered with fine gold and precious stones and +rich pearls; and that idol is the god of false Christians that have +reneyed their faith. And it sitteth in a chair of gold, full nobly +arrayed, and he hath about his neck large girdles wrought of gold and +precious stones and pearls. And this church is full richly wrought +and, all overgilt within. And to that idol go men on pilgrimage, +as commonly and with as great devotion as Christian men go to Saint +James, or other holy pilgrimages. And many folk that come from +far lands to seek that idol for the great devotion that they have, they +look never upward, but evermore down to the earth, for dread to see +anything about them that should let them of their devotion. And +some there be that go on pilgrimage to this idol, that bear knives in +their hands, that be made full keen and sharp; and always as they go, +they smite themselves in their arms and in their legs and in their thighs +with many hideous wounds; and so they shed their blood for love of that +idol. And they say, that he is blessed and holy, that dieth so +for love of his god. And other there be that lead their children +for to slay, to make sacrifice to that idol; and after they have slain +them they spring the blood upon the idol. And some there be that +come from far; and in going toward this idol, at every third pace that +they go from their house, they kneel; and so continue till they come +thither: and when they come there, they take incense and other aromatic +things of noble smell, and cense the idol, as we would do here God’s +precious body. And so come folk to worship this idol, some from +an hundred mile, and some from many more.</p> +<p>And before the minster of this idol, is a vivary, in manner of a +great lake, full of water. And therein pilgrims cast gold and +silver, pearls and precious stones without number, instead of offerings. +And when the minister of that church need to make any reparation of +the church or of any of the idols, they take gold and silver, pearls +and precious stones out of the vivary, to quit the costage of such thing +as they make or repair; so that that nothing is faulty, but anon it +shall be amended. And ye shall understand, that when [there be] +great feasts and solemnities of that idol, as the dedication of the +church and the throning of the idol, all the country about meet there +together. And they set this idol upon a car with great reverence, +well arrayed with cloths of gold, of rich cloths of Tartary, of Camaka, +and other precious cloths. And they lead him about the city with +great solemnity. And before the car go first in procession all +the maidens of the country, two and two together full ordinatly. +And after those maidens go the pilgrims. And some of them fall +down under the wheels of the car, and let the car go over them, so that +they be dead anon. And some have their arms or their limbs all +to-broken, and some the sides. And all this do they for love of +their god, in great devotion. And them thinketh that the more +pain, and the more tribulation that they suffer for love of their god, +the more joy they shall have in another world. And, shortly to +say you, they suffer so great pains, and so hard martyrdoms for love +of their idol, that a Christian man, I trow, durst not take upon him +the tenth part the pain for love of our Lord Jesu Christ. And +after, I say you, before the car, go all the minstrels of the country +without number, with diverse instruments, and they make all the melody +that they can.</p> +<p>And when they have gone all about the city, then they return again +to the minster, and put the idol again into his place. And then +for the love and in worship of that idol, and for the reverence of the +feast, they slay themselves, a two hundred or three hundred persons, +with sharp knives, of the which they bring the bodies before the idol. +And then they say that those be saints, because that they slew themselves +of their own good will for love of their idol. And as men here +that had an holy saint of his kin would think that it were to them an +high worship, right so then, thinketh there. And as men here devoutly +would write holy saints’ lives and their miracles, and sue for +their canonizations, right so do they there for them that slay themselves +wilfully for love of their idol, and say, that they be glorious martyrs +and saints, and put them in their writings and in their litanies, and +avaunt them greatly, one to another, of their holy kinsmen that so become +saints, and say, I have more holy saints in my kindred, than thou in +thine!</p> +<p>And the custom also there is this, that when they that have such +devotion and intent for to slay himself for love of his god, they send +for all their friends, and have great plenty of minstrels; and they +go before the idol leading him that will slay himself for such devotion +between them, with great reverence. And he, all naked, hath a +full sharp knife in his hand, and he cutteth a great piece of his flesh, +and casteth it in the face of his idol, saying his orisons, recommending +him to his god. And then he smiteth himself and maketh great wounds +and deep, here and there, till he fall down dead. And then his +friends present his body to the idol. And then they say, singing, +Holy god! behold what thy true servant hath done for thee. He +hath forsaken his wife and his children and his riches, and all the +goods of the world and his own life for the love of thee, and to make +thee sacrifice of his flesh and of his blood. Wherefore, holy +god, put him among thy best beloved saints in thy bliss of paradise, +for he hath well deserved it. And then they make a great fire, +and burn the body. And then everych of his friends take a quantity +of the ashes, and keep them instead of relics, and say that it is holy +thing. And they have no dread of no peril whiles they have those +holy ashes upon them. And [they] put his name in their litanies +as a saint.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the evil customs used in the Isle of Lamary. And how +the earth and the sea be of round form and shape, by proof of the star +that is clept Antarctic, that is fixed in the south</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From that country go men by the sea ocean, and by many divers isles +and by many countries that were too long for to tell of. And a +fifty-two journeys from this land that I have spoken of, there is another +land, that is full great, that men clepe Lamary. In that land +is full great heat. And the custom there is such, that men and +women go all naked. And they scorn when they see any strange folk +going clothed. And they say, that God made Adam and Eve all naked, +and that no man should shame him to shew him such as God made him, for +nothing is foul that is of kindly nature. And they say, that they +that be clothed be folk of another world, or they be folk that trow +not in God. And they say, that they believe in God that formed +the world, and that made Adam and Eve and all other things. And +they wed there no wives, for all the women there be common and they +forsake no man. And they say they sin if they refuse any man; +and so God commanded to Adam and Eve and to all that come of him, when +he said, <i>Crescite et</i> <i>multiplicamini et replete terram</i>. +And therefore may no man in that country say, This is my wife; ne no +woman may say, This my husband. And when they have children, they +may give them to what man they will that hath companied with them. +And also all the land is common; for all that a man holdeth one year, +another man hath it another year; and every man taketh what part that +him liketh. And also all the goods of the land be common, corns +and all other things: for nothing there is kept in close, ne nothing +there is under lock, and every man there taketh what he will without +any contradiction, and as rich is one man there as is another.</p> +<p>But in that country there is a cursed custom, for they eat more gladly +man’s flesh than any other flesh; and yet is that country abundant +of flesh, of fish, of corns, of gold and silver, and of all other goods. +Thither go merchants and bring with them children to sell to them of +the country, and they buy them. And if they be fat they eat them +anon. And if they be lean they feed them till they be fat, and +then they eat them. And they say, that it is the best flesh and +the sweetest of all the world.</p> +<p>In that land, ne in many other beyond that, no man may see the Star +Transmontane, that is clept the Star of the Sea, that is unmovable and +that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star. But men +see another star, the contrary to him, that is toward the south, that +is clept Antartic. And right as the ship-men take their advice +here and govern them by the Lode-star, right so do ship-men beyond those +parts by the star of the south, the which star appeareth not to us. +And this star that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star, +ne appeareth not to them. For which cause men may well perceive, +that the land and the sea be of round shape and form; for the part of +the firmament sheweth in one country that sheweth not in another country. +And men may well prove by experience and subtle compassment of wit, +that if a man found passages by ships that would go to search the world, +men might go by ship all about the world and above and beneath.</p> +<p>The which thing I prove thus after that I have seen. For I +have been toward the parts of Brabant, and beholden the Astrolabe that +the star that is clept the Transmontane is fifty-three degrees high; +and more further in Almayne and Bohemia it hath fifty-eight degrees; +and more further toward the parts septentrional it is sixty-two degrees +of height and certain minutes; for I myself have measured it by the +Astrolabe. Now shall ye know, that against the Transmontane is +the tother star that is clept Antarctic, as I have said before. +And those two stars ne move never, and by them turneth all the firmament +right as doth a wheel that turneth by his axle-tree. So that those +stars bear the firmament in two equal parts, so that it hath as much +above as it hath beneath. After this, I have gone toward the parts +meridional, that is, toward the south, and I have found that in Lybia +men see first the star Antarctic. And so far I have gone more +further in those countries, that I have found that star more high; so +that toward the High Lybia it is eighteen degrees of height and certain +minutes (of the which sixty minutes make a degree). After going +by sea and by land toward this country of that I have spoken, and to +other isles and lands beyond that country, I have found the Star Antarctic +of thirty-three degrees of height and more minutes. And if I had +had company and shipping for to go more beyond, I trow well, in certain, +that we should have seen all the roundness of the firmament all about. +For, as I have said to you before, the half of the firmament is between +those two stars, the which halvendel I have seen. And of the tother +halvendel I have seen, toward the north under the Transmontane, sixty-two +degrees and ten minutes, and toward the part meridional I have seen +under the Antarctic, thirty-three degrees and sixteen minutes. +And then, the halvendel of the firmament in all holdeth not but nine +score degrees. And of those nine score, I have seen sixty-two +on that one part and thirty-three on that other part; that be, ninety-five +degrees and nigh the halvendel of a degree. And so, there ne faileth +but that I have seen all the firmament, save four score and four degrees +and the halvendel of a degree, and that is not the fourth part of the +firmament; for the fourth part of the roundness of the firmament holds +four score and ten degrees, so there faileth but five degrees and an +half of the fourth part. And also I have seen the three parts +of all the roundness of the firmament and more yet five degrees and +a half. By the which I say you certainly that men may environ +all the earth of all the world, as well under as above, and turn again +to his country, that had company and shipping and conduct. And +always he should find men, lands and isles, as well as in this country. +For ye wit well, that they that be toward the Antarctic, they be straight, +feet against feet, of them that dwell under the Transmontane; also well +as we and they that dwell under us be feet against feet. For all +the parts of sea and of land have their opposites, habitable trepassable, +and they of this half and beyond half.</p> +<p>And wit well, that, after that that I may perceive and comprehend, +the lands of Prester John, Emperor of Ind, be under us. For in +going from Scotland or from England toward Jerusalem men go upward always. +For our land is in the low part of the earth toward the west, and the +land of Prester John is in the low part of the earth toward the east. +And [they] have there the day when we have the night; and also, high +to the contrary, they have the night when we have the day. For +the earth and the sea be of round form and shape, as I have said before; +and that that men go upward to one coast, men go downward to another +coast.</p> +<p>Also ye have heard me say that Jerusalem is in the midst of the world. +And that may men prove, and shew there by a spear, that is pight into +the earth, upon the hour of midday, when it is equinox, that sheweth +no shadow on no side. And that it should be in the midst of the +world, David witnesseth it in the Psalter, where he saith, <i>Deus operatus +est salutem in media terrae</i>. Then, they, that part from those +parts of the west for to go toward Jerusalem, as many journeys as they +go upward for to go thither, in as many journeys may they go from Jerusalem +unto other confines of the superficiality of the earth beyond. +And when men go beyond those journeys toward Ind and to the foreign +isles, all is environing the roundness of the earth and of the sea under +our countries on this half.</p> +<p>And therefore hath it befallen many times of one thing that I have +heard counted when I was young, how a worthy man departed some-time +from our countries for to go search the world. And so he passed +Ind and the isles beyond Ind, where be more than 5000 isles. And +so long he went by sea and land, and so environed the world by many +seasons, that he found an isle where he heard speak his own language, +calling on oxen in the plough, such words as men speak to beasts in +his own country whereof he had great marvel, for he knew not how it +might be. But I say, that he had gone so long by land and by sea, +that he had environed all the earth; that he was come again environing, +that is to say, going about, unto his own marches, and if he would have +passed further, till he had found his country and his own knowledge. +But he turned again from thence, from whence he was come from. +And so he lost much painful labour, as himself said a great while after +that he was come home. For it befell after, that he went into +Norway. And there tempest of the sea took him, and he arrived +in an isle. And, when he was in that isle, he knew well that it +was the isle, where he had heard speak his own language before and the +calling of oxen at the plough; and that was possible thing.</p> +<p>But how it seemeth to simple men unlearned, that men ne may not go +under the earth, and also that men should fall toward the heaven from +under. But that may not be, upon less than we may fall toward +heaven from the earth where we be. For from what part of the earth +that men dwell, either above or beneath, it seemeth always to them that +dwell that they go more right than any other folk. And right as +it seemeth to us that they be under us, right so it seemeth to them +that we be under them. For if a man might fall from the earth +unto the firmament, by greater, reason the earth and the sea that be +so great and so heavy should fall to the firmament: but that may not +be, and therefore saith our Lord God, <i>Non timeas me, qui suspendi +terram ex nihilo</i>?</p> +<p>And albeit that it be possible thing that men may so environ all +the world, natheles, of a thousand persons, one ne might not happen +to return into his country. For, for the greatness of the earth +and of the sea, men may go by a thousand and a thousand other ways, +that no man could ready him perfectly toward the parts that he came +from, but if it were by adventure and hap, or by the grace of God. +For the earth is full large and full great, and holds in roundness and +about environ, by above and by beneath, 20425 miles, after the opinion +of old wise astronomers; and their sayings I reprove nought. But, +after my little wit, it seemeth me, saving their reverence, that it +is more.</p> +<p>And for to have better understanding I say thus. Be there imagined +a figure that hath a great compass. And, about the point of the +great compass that is clept the centre, be made another little compass. +Then after, be the great compass devised by lines in many parts, and +that all the lines meet at the centre. So, that in as many parts +as the great compass shall be departed, in as many shall be departed +the little, that is about the centre, albeit that the spaces be less. +Now then, be the great compass represented for the firmament, and the +little compass represented for the earth. Now then, the firmament +is devised by astronomers in twelve signs, and every sign is devised +in thirty degrees; that is, 360 degrees that the firmament hath above. +Also, be the earth devised in as many parts as the firmament, and let +every part answer to a degree of the firmament. And wit it well, +that, after the authors of astronomy, 700 furlongs of earth answer to +a degree of the firmament, and those be eighty-seven miles and four +furlongs. Now be that here multiplied by 360 sithes, and then +they be 31,500 miles every of eight furlongs, after miles of our country. +So much hath the earth in roundness and of height environ, after mine +opinion and mine understanding.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that after the opinion of old wise philosophers +and astronomers, our country ne Ireland ne Wales ne Scotland ne Norway +ne the other isles coasting to them ne be not in the superficiality +counted above the earth, as it sheweth by all the books of astronomy. +For the superficiality of the earth is parted in seven parts for the +seven planets, and those parts be clept climates. And our parts +be not of the seven climates, for they be descending toward the west +[drawing] towards the roundness of the world. And also these isles +of Ind which be even against us be not reckoned in the climates. +For they be against us that be in the low country. And the seven +climates stretch them environing the world.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Palace of the King of the Isle of Java. Of the Trees +that bear meal, honey, wine, and venom; and of other marvels and customs +used in the Isles marching thereabout</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Beside that isle that I have spoken of, there is another isle that +is clept Sumobor. That is a great isle, and the king thereof is +right mighty. The folk of that isle make them always to be marked +in the visage with an hot iron, both men and women, for great noblesse, +for to be known from other folk; for they hold themselves most noble +and most worthy of all the world. And they have war always with +the folk that go all naked.</p> +<p>And fast beside is another isle, that is clept Betemga, that is a +good isle and a plenteous. And many other isles be thereabout, +where there be many of diverse folk, of the which it were too long to +speak of all.</p> +<p>But fast beside that isle, for to pass by sea, is a great isle and +a great country that men clepe Java. And it is nigh two thousand +mile in circuit. And the king of that country is a full great +lord and a rich and a mighty, and hath under him seven other kings of +seven other isles about him. This isle is full well inhabited, +and full well manned. There grow all manner of spicery, more plenteously +than in any other country, as of ginger, cloves-gilofre, canell, seedwall, +nutmegs and maces. And wit well, that the nutmeg beareth the maces; +for right as the nut of the hazel hath an husk without, that the nut +is closed in till it be ripe and that after falleth out, right so it +is of the nutmeg and of the maces. Many other spices and many +other goods grow in that isle. For of all things is there plenty, +save only of wine. But there is gold and silver, great plenty.</p> +<p>And the king of that country hath a palace full noble and full marvellous, +and more rich than any in the world. For all the degrees to go +up into halls and chambers be, one of gold, another of silver. +And also, the pavements of halls and chambers be all square, of gold +one, and another of silver. And all the walls within be covered +with gold and silver in fine plates, and in those plates be stories +and battles of knights enleved, and the crowns and the circles about +their heads be made of precious stones and rich pearls and great. +And the halls and the chambers of the palace be all covered within with +gold and silver, so that no man would trow the riches of that palace +but he had seen it. And wit well, that the king of that isle is +so mighty, that he hath many times overcome the great Chan of Cathay +in battle, that is the most great emperor that is under the firmament +either beyond the sea or on this half. For they have had often-time +war between them, because that the great Chan would constrain him to +hold his land of him; but that other at all times defendeth him well +against him.</p> +<p>After that isle, in going by sea, men find another isle, good and +great, that men clepe Pathen, that is a great kingdom full of fair cities +and full of towns. In that land grow trees that bear meal, whereof +men make good bread and white and of good savour; and it seemeth as +it were of wheat, but it is not allinges of such savour. And there +be other trees that bear honey good and sweet, and other trees that +bear venom, against the which there is no medicine but [one]; and that +is to take their proper leaves and stamp them and temper them with water +and then drink it, and else he shall die; for triacle will not avail, +ne none other medicine. Of this venom the Jews had let seek of +one of their friends for to empoison all Christianity, as I have heard +them say in their confession before their dying: but thanked be Almighty +God! they failed of their purpose; but always they make great mortality +of people. And other trees there be also that bear wine of noble +sentiment. And if you like to hear how the meal cometh out of +the trees I shall say you. Men hew the trees with an hatchet, +all about the foot of the tree, till that the bark be parted in many +parts, and then cometh out thereof a thick liquor, the which they receive +in vessels, and dry it at the heat of the sun; and then they have it +to a mill to grind and it becometh fair meal and white. And the +honey and the wine and the venom be drawn out of other trees in the +same manner, and put in vessels for to keep.</p> +<p>In that isle is a dead sea, that is a lake that hath no ground; and +if anything fall into that lake it shall never come up again. +In that lake grow reeds, that be canes, that they clepe Thaby, that +be thirty fathoms long; and of these canes men make fair houses. +And there be other canes that be not so long, that grow near the land +and have so long roots that endure well a four quarters of a furlong +or more; and at the knots of those roots men find precious stones that +have great virtues. And he that beareth any of them upon him, +iron ne steel may not hurt him, ne draw no blood upon him; and therefore, +they that have those stones upon them fight full hardily both on sea +and land, for men may not harm [them] on no part. And therefore, +they that know the manner, and shall fight with them, they shoot to +them arrows and quarrels without iron or steel, and so they hurt them +and slay them. And also of those canes they make houses and ships +and other things, as we have here, making houses and ships of oak or +of any other trees. And deem no man that I say it but for a trifle, +for I have seen of the canes with mine own eyes, full many times, lying +upon the river of that lake, of the which twenty of our fellows ne might +not lift up ne bear one to the earth.</p> +<p>After this isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Calonak. +And it is a fair land and a plenteous of goods. And the king of +that country hath as many wives as he will. For he maketh search +all the country to get him the fairest maidens that may be found, and +maketh them to be brought before him. And he taketh one one night, +and another another night, and so forth continually suing; so that he +hath a thousand wives or more. And he lieth never but one night +with one of them, and another night with another; but if that one happen +to be more lusty to his pleasance than another. And therefore +the king getteth full many children, some-time an hundred, some-time +a two-hundred, and some-time more. And he hath also into a 14,000 +elephants or more that he maketh for to be brought up amongst his villains +by all his towns. For in case that he had any war against any +other king about him, then [he] maketh certain men of arms for to go +up into the castles of tree made for the war, that craftily be set upon +the elephants’ backs, for to fight against their enemies. +And so do other kings there-about. For the manner of war is not +there as it is here or in other countries, ne the ordinance of war neither. +And men clepe the elephants <i>Warkes</i>.</p> +<p>And in that isle there is a great marvel, more to speak of than in +any other part of the world. For all manner of fishes, that be +there in the sea about them, come once in the year - each manner of +diverse fishes, one manner of kind after other. And they cast +themselves to the sea bank of that isle so great plenty and multitude, +that no man may unnethe see but fish. And there they abide three +days. And every man of the country taketh of them as many as him +liketh. And after, that manner of fish after the third day departeth +and goeth into the sea. And after them come another multitude +of fish of another kind and do in the same manner as the first did, +other three days. And after them another, till all the diverse +manner of fishes have been there, and that men have taken of them that +them liketh. And no man knoweth the cause wherefore it may be. +But they of the country say that it is for to do reverence to their +king, that is the most worthy king that is in the world as they say; +because that he fulfilleth the commandment that God bade to Adam and +Eve, when God said, <i>Crescite et multiplicamini et replete</i> <i>terram</i>. +And for because that he multiplieth so the world with children, therefore +God sendeth him so the fishes of diverse kinds of all that be in the +sea, to take at his will for him and all his people. And therefore +all the fishes of the sea come to make him homage as the most noble +and excellent king of the world, and that is best beloved with God, +as they say. I know not the reason, why it is, but God knoweth; +but this, me-seemeth, is the most marvel I saw. For this marvel +is against kind and not with kind, that the fishes that have freedom +to environ all the coasts of the sea at their own list, come of their +own will to proffer them to the death, without constraining of man. +And therefore, I am siker that this may not be, without a great token.</p> +<p>There be also in that country a kind of snails that be so great, +that many persons may lodge them in their shells, as men would do in +a little house. And other snails there be that be full great but +not so huge as the other. And of these snails, and of great white +worms that have black heads that be as great as a man’s thigh, +and some less as great worms that men find there in woods, men make +viand royal for the king and for other great lords. And if a man +that is married die in that country, men bury his wife with him all +quick; for men say there, that it is reason that she make him company +in that other world as she did in this.</p> +<p>From that country men go by the sea ocean by an isle that is clept +Caffolos. Men of that country when their friends be sick they +hang them upon trees, and say that it is better that birds, that be +angels of God, eat them, than the foul worms of the earth.</p> +<p>From that isle men go to another isle, where the folk be of full +cursed kind. For they nourish great dogs and teach them to strangle +their friends when they be sick. For they will not that they die +of kindly death. For they say, that they should suffer too great +pain if they abide to die by themselves, as nature would. And, +when they be thus enstrangled, they eat their flesh instead of venison.</p> +<p>Afterward men go by many isles by sea unto an isle that men clepe +Milke. And there is a full cursed people. For they delight +in nothing more than for to fight and to slay men. And they drink +gladliest man’s blood, the which they clepe Dieu. And the +more men that a man may slay, the more worship he hath amongst them. +And if two persons be at debate and, peradventure, be accorded by their +friends or by some of their alliance, it behoveth that every of them +that shall be accorded drink of other’s blood: and else the accord +ne the alliance is nought worth: ne it shall not be no reproof to him +to break the alliance and the accord, but if every of them drink of +others’ blood.</p> +<p>And from that isle men go by sea, from isle to isle, unto an isle +that is clept Tracoda, where the folk of that country be as beasts, +and unreasonable, and dwell in caves that they make in the earth; for +they have no wit to make them houses. And when they see any man +passing through their countries they hide them in their caves. +And they eat flesh of serpents, and they eat but little. And they +speak nought, but they hiss as serpents do. And they set no price +by no avoir ne riches, but only of a precious stone, that is amongst +them, that is of sixty colours. And for the name of the isle, +they clepe it Tracodon. And they love more that stone than anything +else; and yet they know not the virtue thereof, but they covet it and +love it only for the beauty.</p> +<p>After that isle men go by the sea ocean, by many isles, unto an isle +that is clept Nacumera, that is a great isle and good and fair. +And it is in compass about, more than a thousand mile. And all +the men and women of that isle have hounds’ heads, and they be +clept Cynocephales. And they be full reasonable and of good understanding, +save that they worship an ox for their God. And also every one +of them beareth an ox of gold or of silver in his forehead, in token +that they love well their God. And they go all naked save a little +clout, that they cover with their knees and their members. They +be great folk and well-fighting. And they have a great targe that +covereth all the body, and a spear in their hand to fight with. +And if they take any man in battle, anon they eat him.</p> +<p>The king of that isle is full rich and full mighty and right devout +after his law. And he hath about his neck 300 pearls orient, good +and great and knotted, as paternosters here of amber. And in manner +as we say our <i>Pater Noster</i> and our <i>Ave Maria</i>, counting +the <i>Pater</i> <i>Nosters</i>, right so this king saith every day +devoutly 300 prayers to his God, or that he eat. And he beareth +also about his neck a ruby orient, noble and fine, that is a foot of +length and five fingers large. And, when they choose their king, +they take him that ruby to bear in his hand; and so they lead him, riding +all about the city. And from thence-fromward they be all obeissant +to him. And that ruby he shall bear always about his neck, for +if he had not that ruby upon him men would not hold him for king. +The great Chan of Cathay hath greatly coveted that ruby, but he might +never have it for war, ne for no manner of goods. This king is +so rightful and of equity in his dooms, that men may go sikerly throughout +all his country and bear with them what them list; that no man shall +be hardy to rob them, and if he were, the king would justified anon.</p> +<p>From this land men go to another isle that is clept Silha. +And it is well a 800 miles about. In that land is full much waste, +for it is full of serpents, of dragons and of cockodrills, that no man +dare dwell there. These cockodrills be serpents, yellow and rayed +above, and have four feet and short thighs, and great nails as claws +or talons. And there be some that have five fathoms in length, +and some of six and of eight and of ten. And when they go by places +that be gravelly, it seemeth as though men had drawn a great tree through +the gravelly place. And there be also many wild beasts, and namely +of elephants.</p> +<p>In that isle is a great mountain. And in mid place of the mount +is a great lake in a full fair plain; and there is great plenty of water. +And they of the country say, that Adam and Eve wept upon that mount +an hundred year, when they were driven out of Paradise, and that water, +they say, is of their tears; for so much water they wept, that made +the foresaid lake. And in the bottom of that lake men find many +precious stones and great pearls. In that lake grow many reeds +and great canes; and there within be many cocodrills and serpents and +great water-leeches. And the king of that country, once every +year, giveth leave to poor men to go into the lake to gather them precious +stones and pearls, by way of alms, for the love of God that made Adam. +And all the year men find enough. And for the vermin that is within, +they anoint their arms and their thighs and legs with an ointment made +of a thing that is clept lemons, that is a manner of fruit like small +pease; and then have they no dread of no cockodrills, ne of none other +venomous vermin. This water runneth, flowing and ebbing, by a +side of the mountain, and in that river men find precious stones and +pearls, great plenty. And men of that isle say commonly, that +the serpents and the wild beasts of that country will not do no harm +ne touch with evil no strange man that entereth into that country, but +only to men that be born of the same country.</p> +<p>In that country and others thereabout there be wild geese that have +two heads. And there be lions, all white and as great as oxen, +and many other diverse beasts and fowls also that be not seen amongst +us.</p> +<p>And wit well, that in that country and in other isles thereabout, +the sea is so high, that it seemeth as though it hung at the clouds, +and that it would cover all the world. And that is great marvel +that it might be so, save only the will of God, that the air sustaineth +it. And therefore saith David in the Psalter, <i>Mirabiles elationes +maris</i>.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>How men know by the Idol, if the sick shall die or not. +Of Folk of diverse shape and marvellously disfigured. And of the +Monks that gave their relief to baboons, apes, and marmosets, and to +other beasts</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From that isle, in going by sea toward the south, is another great +isle that is clept Dondun. In that isle be folk of diverse kinds, +so that the father eateth the son, the son the father, the husband the +wife, and the wife the husband. And if it so befall, that the +father or mother or any of their friends be sick, anon the son goeth +to the priest of their law and prayeth him to ask the idol if his father +or mother or friend shall die on that evil or not. And then the +priest and the son go together before the idol and kneel full devoutly +and ask of the idol their demand. And if the devil that is within +answer that he shall live, they keep him well; and if he say that he +shall die, then the priest goeth with the son, with the wife of him +that is sick, and they put their hands upon his mouth and stop his breath, +and so they slay him. And after that, they chop all the body in +small pieces, and pray all his friends to come and eat of him that is +dead. And they send for all the minstrels of the country and make +a solemn feast. And when they have eaten the flesh, they take +the bones and bury them, and sing and make great melody. And all +those that be of his kin or pretend them to be his friends, an they +come not to that feast, they be reproved for evermore and shamed, and +make great dole, for never after shall they be holden as friends. +And they say also, that men eat their flesh for to deliver them out +of pain; for if the worms of the earth eat them the soul should suffer +great pain, as they say. And namely when the flesh is tender and +meagre, then say their friends, that they do great sin to let them have +so long languor to suffer so much pain without reason. And when +they find the flesh fat, then they say, that it is well done to send +them soon to Paradise, and that they have not suffered him too long +to endure in pain.</p> +<p>The king of this isle is a full great lord and a mighty, and hath +under him fifty-four great isles that give tribute to him. And +in everych of these isles is a king crowned; and all be obeissant to +that king. And he hath in those isles many diverse folk.</p> +<p>In one of these isles be folk of great stature, as giants. +And they be hideous for to look upon. And they have but one eye, +and that is in the middle of the front. And they eat nothing but +raw flesh and raw fish.</p> +<p>And in another isle toward the south dwell folk of foul stature and +of cursed kind that have no heads. And their eyen be in their +shoulders.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that have the face all flat, all plain, +without nose and without mouth. But they have two small holes, +all round, instead of their eyes, and their mouth is plat also without +lips.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk of foul fashion and shape that have the +lip above the mouth so great, that when they sleep in the sun they cover +all the face with that lip.</p> +<p>And in another isle there be little folk, as dwarfs. And they +be two so much as the pigmies. And they have no mouth; but instead +of their mouth they have a little round hole, and when they shall eat +or drink, they take through a pipe or a pen or such a thing, and suck +it in, for they have no tongue; and therefore they speak not, but they +make a manner of hissing as an adder doth, and they make signs one to +another as monks do, by the which every of them understandeth other.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that have great ears and long, that hang +down to their knees.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that have horses’ feet. And +they be strong and mighty, and swift runners; for they take wild beasts +with running, and eat them.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that go upon their hands and their feet +as beasts. And they be all skinned and feathered, and they will +leap as lightly into trees, and from tree to tree, as it were squirrels +or apes.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that be both man and woman, and they +have kind; of that one and of that other. And they have but one +pap on the one side, and on that other none. And they have members +of generation of man and woman, and they use both when they list, once +that one, and another time that other. And they get children, +when they use the member of man; and they bear children, when they use +the member of woman.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that go always upon their knees full +marvellously. And at every pace that they go, it seemeth that +they would fall. And they have in every foot eight toes.</p> +<p>Many other diverse folk of diverse natures be there in other isles +about, of the which it were too long to tell, and therefore I pass over +shortly.</p> +<p>From these isles, in passing by the sea ocean toward the east by +many journeys, men find a great country and a great kingdom that men +crepe Mancy. And that is in Ind the more. And it is the +best land and one the fairest that may be in all the world, and the +most delectable and the most plenteous of all goods that is in power +of man. In that land dwell many Christian men and Saracens, for +it is a good country and a great. And there be therein more than +2000 great cities and rich, without other great towns. And there +is more plenty of people there than in any other part of Ind, for the +bounty of the country. In that country is no needy man, ne none +that goeth on begging. And they be full fair folk, but they be +all pale. And the men have thin beards and few hairs, but they +be long; but unnethe hath any man passing fifty hairs in his beard, +and one hair sits here, another there, as the beard of a leopard or +of a cat. In that land be many fairer women than in any other +country beyond the sea, and therefore men clepe that land Albany, because +that the folk be white.</p> +<p>And the chief city of that country is clept Latorin, and it is a +journey from the sea, and it is much more than Paris. In that +city is a great river bearing ships that go to all the coasts in the +sea. No city of the world is so well stored of ships as is that. +And all those of the city and of the country worship idols. In +that country be double sithes more birds than be here. There be +white geese, red about the neck, and they have a great crest as a cock’s +comb upon their heads; and they be much more there than they be here, +and men buy them there all quick, right great cheap. And there +is great plenty of adders of whom men make great feasts and eat them +at great solemnities; and he that maketh there a feast be it never so +costly, an he have no adders he hath no thank for his travail.</p> +<p>Many good cities there be in that country and men have great plenty +and great cheap of all wines and victuals. In that country be +many churches of religious men, and of their law. And in those +churches be idols as great as giants; and to these idols they give to +eat at great festival days in this manner. They bring before them +meat all sodden, as hot as they come from the fire, and they let the +smoke go up towards the idols; and then they say that the idols have +eaten; and then the religious men eat the meat afterwards.</p> +<p>In that country be white hens without feathers, but they bear white +wool as sheep do here. In that country women that be unmarried, +they have tokens on their heads like coronals to be known for unmarried. +Also in that country there be beasts taught of men to go into waters, +into rivers and into deep stanks for to take fish; the which beast is +but little, and men clepe them loirs. And when men cast them into +the water, anon they bring up great fishes, as many as men will. +And if men will have more, they cast them in again, and they bring up +as many as men list to have.</p> +<p>And from that city passing many journeys is another city, one the +greatest of the world, that men clepe Cassay; that is to say, the ‘City +of heaven.’ That city is well a fifty mile about, and it +is strongly inhabited with people, insomuch that in one house men make +ten households. In that city be twelve principal gates; and before +every gate, a three mile or a four mile in length, is a great town or +a great city. That city sits upon a great lake on the sea as doth +Venice. And in that city be more than 12,000 bridges. And +upon every bridge be strong towers and good, in the which dwell the +wardens for to keep the city from the great Chan. And on that +one part of the city runneth a great river all along the city. +And there dwell Christian men and many merchants and other folk of diverse +nations, because that the land is so good and so plenteous. And +there groweth full good wine that men clepe Bigon, that is full mighty, +and gentle in drinking. This is a city royal where the King of +Mancy was wont to dwell. And there dwell many religious men, as +it were of the Order of Friars, for they be mendicants.</p> +<p>From that city men go by water, solacing and disporting them, till +they come to an abbey of monks that is fast by, that be good religious +men after their faith and law. In that abbey is a great garden +and a fair, where be many trees of diverse manner of fruits. And +in this garden is a little hill full of delectable trees. In that +hill and in that garden be many diverse beasts, as of apes, marmosets, +baboons and many other diverse beasts. And every day, when the +convent of this abbey hath eaten, the almoner let bear the relief to +the garden, and he smiteth on the garden gate with a clicket of silver +that he holdeth in his hand; and anon all the beasts of the hill and +of diverse places of the garden come out a 3000, or a 4000; and they +come in guise of poor men, and men give them the relief in fair vessels +of silver, clean over-gilt. And when they have eaten, the monk +smiteth eftsoons on the garden gate with the clicket, and then anon +all the beasts return again to their places that they come from. +And they say that these beasts be souls of worthy men that resemble +in likeness of those beasts that be fair, and therefore they give them +meat for the love of God; and the other beasts that be foul, they say +be souls of poor men and of rude commons. And thus they believe, +and no man may put them out of this opinion. These beasts above-said +they let take when they be young, and nourish them so with alms, as +many as they may find. And I asked them if it had not been better +to have given that relief to poor men, rather than to those beasts. +And they answered me and said, that they had no poor men amongst them +in that country; and though it had been so that poor men had been among +them, yet were it greater alms to give it to those souls that do there +their penance. Many other marvels be in that city and in the country +thereabout, that were too long to tell you.</p> +<p>From that city go men by the country a six journeys to another city +that men clepe Chilenfo, of the which city the walls be twenty mile +about. In that city be sixty bridges of stone, so fair that no +man may see fairer. In that city was the first siege of the King +of Mancy, for it is a fair and plenteous of all goods.</p> +<p>After, pass men overthwart a great river that men clepe Dalay. +And that is the greatest river of fresh water that is in the world. +For there, as it is most narrow, it is more than four mile of breadth. +And then enter men again into the land of the great Chan.</p> +<p>That river goeth through the land of Pigmies, where that the folk +be of little stature, that be but three span long, and they be right +fair and gentle, after their quantities, both the men and the women. +And they marry them when they be half year of age and get children. +And they live not but six year or seven at the most; and he that liveth +eight year, men hold him there right passing old. These men be +the best workers of gold, silver, cotton, silk and of all such things, +of any other that be in the world. And they have oftentimes war +with the birds of the country that they take and eat. This little +folk neither labour in lands ne in vines; but they have great men amongst +them of our stature that till the land and labour amongst the vines +for them. And of those men of our stature have they as great scorn +and wonder as we would have among us of giants, if they were amongst +us. There is a good city, amongst others, where there is dwelling +great plenty of those little folk, and it is a great city and a fair. +And the men be great that dwell amongst them, but when they get any +children they be as little as the pigmies. And therefore they +be, all for the most part, all pigmies; for the nature of the land is +such. The great Chan let keep this city full well, for it is his. +And albeit, that the pigmies be little, yet they be full reasonable +after their age, and can both wit and good and malice enough.</p> +<p>From that city go men by the country by many cities and many towns +unto a city that men clepe Jamchay; and it is a noble city and a rich +and of great profit to the Lord, and thither go men to seek merchandise +of all manner of thing. That city is full much worth yearly to +the lord of the country. For he hath every year to rent of that +city (as they of the city say) 50,000 cumants of florins of gold: for +they count there all by cumants, and every cumant is 10,000 florins +of gold. Now may men well reckon how much that it amounteth. +The king of that country is full mighty, and yet he is under the great +Chan. And the great Chan hath under him twelve such provinces. +In that country in the good towns is a good custom: for whoso will make +a feast to any of his friends, there be certain inns in every good town, +and he that will make the feast will say to the hosteler, array for +me to-morrow a good dinner for so many folk, and telleth him the number, +and deviseth him the viands; and he saith also, thus much I will dispend +and no more. And anon the hosteler arrayeth for him so fair and +so well and so honestly, that there shall lack nothing; and it shall +be done sooner and with less cost than an a man made it in his own house.</p> +<p>And a five mile from that city, toward the head of the river of Dalay, +is another city that men clepe Menke. In that city is strong navy +of ships. And all be white as snow of the kind of the trees that +they be made of. And they be full great ships and fair, and well +ordained, and made with halls and chambers and other easements, as though +it were on the land.</p> +<p>From thence go men, by many towns and many cities, through the country, +unto a city that men clepe Lanterine. And it is an eight journeys +from the city above-said. This city sits upon a fair river, great +and broad, that men clepe Caramaron. This river passeth throughout +Cathay. And it doth often-time harm, and that full great, when +it is over great.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the great Chan of Cathay. Of the royalty of his palace</i>, +<i>and how he sits at meat; and of the great number of</i> <i>officers +that serve him</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Cathay is a great country and a fair, noble and rich, and full of +merchants. Thither go merchants all years for to seek spices and +all manner of merchandises, more commonly than in any other part. +And ye shall understand, that merchants that come from Genoa or from +Venice or from Romania or other parts of Lombardy, they go by sea and +by land eleven months or twelve, or more some-time, ere they may come +to the isle of Cathay that is the principal region of all parts beyond; +and it is of the great Chan.</p> +<p>From Cathay go men toward the east by many journeys. And then +men find a good city between these others, that men clepe Sugarmago. +That city is one of the best stored of silk and other merchandises that +is in the world.</p> +<p>After go men yet to another old city toward the east. And it +is in the province of Cathay. And beside that city the men of +Tartary have let make another city that is dept Caydon. And it +hath twelve gates, and between the two gates there is always a great +mile; so that the two cities, that is to say, the old and the new, have +in circuit more than twenty mile.</p> +<p>In this city is the siege of the great Chan in a full great palace +and the most passing fair in all the world, of the which the walls be +in circuit more than two mile. And within the walls it is all +full of other palaces. And in the garden of the great palace there +is a great hill, upon the which there is another palace; and it is the +most fair and the most rich that any man may devise. And all about +the palace and the hill be many trees bearing many diverse fruits. +And all about that hill be ditches great and deep, and beside them be +great vivaries on that one part and on that other. And there is +a full fair bridge to pass over the ditches. And in these vivaries +be so many wild geese and ganders and wild ducks and swans and herons +that it is without number. And all about these ditches and vivaries +is the great garden full of wild beasts. So that when the great +Chan will have any disport on that, to take any of the wild beasts or +of the fowls, he will let chase them and take them at the windows without +going out of his chamber.</p> +<p>This palace, where his siege is, is both great and passing fair. +And within the palace, in the hall, there be twenty-four pillars of +fine gold. And all the walls be covered within of red skins of +beasts that men clepe panthers, that be fair beasts and well smelling; +so that for the sweet odour of those skins no evil air may enter into +the palace. Those skins be as red as blood, and they shine so +bright against the sun, that unnethe no man may behold them. And +many folk worship those beasts, when they meet them first at morning, +for their great virtue and for the good smell that they have. +And those skins they prize more than though they were plate of fine +gold.</p> +<p>And in the midst of this palace is the mountour for the great Chan, +that is all wrought of gold and of precious stones and great pearls. +And at four corners of the mountour be four serpents of gold. +And all about there is y-made large nets of silk and gold and great +pearls hanging all about the mountour. And under the mountour +be conduits of beverage that they drink in the emperor’s court. +And beside the conduits be many vessels of gold, by the which they that +be of household drink at the conduit.</p> +<p>And the hall of the palace is full nobly arrayed, and full marvellously +attired on all parts in all things that men apparel with any hall. +And first, at the chief of the hall is the emperor’s throne, full +high, where he sitteth at the meat. And that is of fine precious +stones, bordered all about with pured gold and precious stones, and +great pearls. And the grees that he goeth up to the table be of +precious stones mingled with gold.</p> +<p>And at the left side of the emperor’s siege is the siege of +his first wife, one degree lower than the emperor; and it is of jasper, +bordered with gold and precious stones. And the siege of his second +wife is also another siege, more lower than his first wife; and it is +also of jasper, bordered with gold, as that other is. And the +siege of the third wife is also more low, by a degree, than the second +wife. For he hath always three wives with him, where that ever +he be.</p> +<p>And after his wives, on the same side, sit the ladies of his lineage +yet lower, after that they be of estate. And all those that be +married have a counterfeit made like a man’s foot upon their heads, +a cubit long, all wrought with great pearls, fine and orient, and above +made with peacocks’ feathers and of other shining feathers; and +that stands upon their heads like a crest, in token that they be under +man’s foot and under subjection of man. And they that be +unmarried have none such.</p> +<p>And after at the right side of the emperor first sitteth his eldest +son that shall reign after him. And he sitteth also one degree +lower than the emperor, in such manner of sieges as do the empresses. +And after him sit other great lords of his lineage, every of them a +degree lower than the other, as they be of estate.</p> +<p>And the emperor hath his table alone by himself, that is of gold +and of precious stones, or of crystal bordered with gold, and full of +precious stones or of amethysts, or of lignum aloes that cometh out +of paradise, or of ivory bound or bordered with gold. And every +one of his wives hath also her table by herself. And his eldest +son and the other lords also, and the ladies, and all that sit with +the emperor have tables alone by themselves, full rich. And there +ne is no table but that it is worth an huge treasure of goods.</p> +<p>And under the emperor’s table sit four clerks that write all +that the emperor saith, be it good, be it evil; for all that he saith +must be holden, for he may not change his word, ne revoke it.</p> +<p>And [at] great solemn feasts before the emperor’s table men +bring great tables of gold, and thereon be peacocks of gold and many +other manner of diverse fowls, all of gold and richly wrought and enamelled. +And men make them dance and sing, clapping their wings together, and +make great noise. And whether it be by craft or by necromancy +I wot never; but it is a good sight to behold, and a fair; and it is +great marvel how it may be. But I have the less marvel, because +that they be the most subtle men in all sciences and in all crafts that +be in the world: for of subtlety and of malice and of farcasting they +pass all men under heaven. And therefore they say themselves, +that they see with two eyes and the Christian men see but with one, +because that they be more subtle than they. For all other nations, +they say, be but blind in cunning and working in comparison to them. +I did great business for to have learned that craft, but the master +told me that he had made avow to his god to teach it to no creature, +but only to his eldest son.</p> +<p>Also above the emperor’s table and the other tables, and above +a great part in the hall, is a vine made of fine gold. And it +spreadeth all about the hall. And it hath many clusters of grapes, +some white, some green, some yellow and some red and some black, all +of precious stones. The white be of crystal and of beryl and of +iris; the yellow be of topazes; the red be of rubies and of grenaz and +of alabrandines; the green be of emeralds, of perydoz and of chrysolites; +and the black be of onyx and garantez. And they be all so properly +made that it seemeth a very vine bearing kindly grapes.</p> +<p>And before the emperor’s table stand great lords and rich barons +and other that serve the emperor at the meat. And no man is so +hardy to speak a word, but if the emperor speak to him; but if it be +minstrels that sing songs and tell jests or other disports, to solace +with the emperor. And all the vessels that men be served with +in the hall or in chambers be of precious stones, and specially at great +tables either of jasper or of crystal or of amethysts or of fine gold. +And the cups be of emeralds and of sapphires, or of topazes, of perydoz, +and of many other precious stones. Vessels of silver is there +none, for they tell no price thereof to make no vessels of: but they +make thereof grecings and pillars and pavements to halls and chambers. +And before the hall door stand many barons and knights clean armed to +keep that no man enter, but if it be the will or the commandment of +the emperor, or but if they be servants or minstrels of the household; +and other none is not so hardy to neighen nigh the hall door.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that my fellows and I with our yeomen, we +served this emperor, and were his soldiers fifteen months against the +King of Mancy, that held against him. And the cause was for we +had great lust to see his noblesse and the estate of his court and all +his governance, to wit if it were such as we heard say that it was. +And truly we found it more noble and more excellent, and richer and +more marvellous, than ever we heard speak of, insomuch that we would +never have lieved it had we not seen it. For I trow, that no man +would believe the noblesse, the riches ne the multitude of folk that +be in his court, but he had seen it; for it is not there as it is here. +For the lords here have folk of certain number as they may suffice; +but the great Chan hath every day folk at his costage and expense as +without number. But the ordinance, ne the expenses in meat and +drink, ne the honesty, ne the cleanness, is not so arrayed there as +it is here; for all the commons there eat without cloth upon their knees, +and they eat all manner of flesh and little of bread, and after meat +they wipe their hands upon their skirts, and they eat not but once a +day. But the estate of lords is full great, and rich and noble.</p> +<p>And albeit that some men will not trow me, but hold it for fable +to tell them the noblesse of his person and of his estate and of his +court and of the great multitude of folk that he holds, natheles I shall +say you a part of him and of his folk, after that I have seen the manner +and the ordinance full many a time. And whoso that will may lieve +me if he will, and whoso will not, may leave also. For I wot well, +if any man hath been in those countries beyond, though he have not been +in the place where the great Chan dwelleth, he shall hear speak of him +so much marvellous thing, that he shall not trow it lightly. And +truly, no more did I myself, till I saw it. And those that have +been in those countries and in the great Chan’s household know +well that I say sooth. And therefore I will not spare for them, +that know not ne believe not but that that they see, for to tell you +a part of him and of his estate that he holdeth, when he goeth from +country to country, and when he maketh solemn feasts.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Wherefore he is clept the great Chan. Of the Style of his +Letters: and of the Superscription about his great Seal and his Privy +Seal</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>First I shall say you why he was clept the great Chan.</p> +<p>Ye shall understand, that all the world was destroyed by Noah’s +flood, save only Noah and his wife and his children. Noah had +three sons, Shem, Cham, and Japhet. This Cham was he that saw +his father’s privy members naked when he slept, and scorned them, +and shewed them with his finger to his brethren in scorning wise. +And therefore he was cursed of God. And Japhet turned his face +away and covered them.</p> +<p>These three brethren had seisin in all the land. And this Cham, +for his cruelty, took the greater and the best part, toward the east, +that is clept Asia, and Shem took Africa, and Japhet took Europe. +And therefore is all the earth parted in these three parts by these +three brethren. Cham was the greatest and the most mighty, and +of him came more generations than of the other. And of his son +Chuse was engendered Nimrod the giant, that was the first king that +ever was in the world; and he began the foundation of the tower of Babylon. +And that time, the fiends of hell came many times and lay with the women +of his generation and engendered on them diverse folk, as monsters and +folk disfigured, some without heads, some with great ears, some with +one eye, some giants, some with horses’ feet, and many other diverse +shape against kind. And of that generation of Cham be come the +Paynims and divers folk that be in isles of the sea by all Ind. +And forasmuch as he was the most mighty, and no man might withstand +him, he cleped himself the Son of God and sovereign of all the world. +And for this Cham, this emperor clepeth him Cham, and sovereign of all +the world.</p> +<p>And of the generation of Shem be come the Saracens. And of +the generation of Japhet is come the people of Israel. And though +that we dwell in Europe, this is the opinion, that the Syrians and the +Samaritans have amongst them. And that they told me, before that +I went toward Ind, but I found it otherwise. Natheles, the sooth +is this; that Tartars and they that dwell in the great Asia, they came +of Cham; but the Emperor of Cathay clepeth him not Cham, but Can, and +I shall tell you how.</p> +<p>It is but little more but eight score year that all Tartary was in +subjection and in servage to other nations about. For they were +but bestial folk and did nothing but kept beasts and led them to pastures. +But among them they had seven principal nations that were sovereigns +of them all. Of the which, the first nation or lineage was clept +Tartar, and that is the most noble and the most prized. The second +lineage is clept Tanghot, the third Eurache, the fourth Valair, the +fifth Semoche, the sixth Megly, the seventh Coboghe.</p> +<p>Now befell it so that of the first lineage succeeded an old worthy +man that was not rich, that had to name Changuys. This man lay +upon a night in his bed. And he saw in avision, that there came +before him a knight armed all in white. And he sat upon a white +horse, and said to him, Can, sleepest thou? The Immortal God hath +sent me to thee, and it is his will, that thou go to the seven lineages +and say to them that thou shalt be their emperor. For thou shalt +conquer the lands and the countries that be about, and they that march +upon you shall be under your subjection, as ye have been under theirs, +for that is God’s will immortal.</p> +<p>And when he came at morrow, Changuys rose, and went to seven lineages, +and told them how the white knight had said. And they scorned +him, and said that he was a fool. And so he departed from them +all ashamed. And the night ensuing, this white knight came to +the seven lineages, and commanded them on God’s behalf immortal, +that they should make this Changuys their emperor, and they should be +out of subjection, and they should hold all other regions about them +in their servage as they had been to them before. And on the morrow, +they chose him to be their emperor. And they set him upon a black +fertre, and after that they lift him up with great solemnity. +And they set him in a chair of gold and did him all manner of reverence, +and they cleped him Chan, as the white knight called him.</p> +<p>And when he was thus chosen, he would assay if he might trust in +them or no, and whether they would be obeissant to him or no. +And then he made many statutes and ordinances that they clepe <i>Ysya +Chan</i>. The first statute was, that they should believe and +obey in God Immortal, that is Almighty, that would cast them out of +servage, and at all times clepe to him for help in time of need. +The tother statute was, that all manner of men that might bare arms +should be numbered, and to every ten should be a master, and to every +hundred a master, and to every thousand a master, and to every ten thousand +a master. After he commanded to the principals of the seven lineages, +that they should leave and forsake all that they had in goods and heritage, +and from thenceforth to hold them paid of that that he would give them +of his grace. And they did so anon. After he commanded to +the principals of the seven lineages, that every of them should bring +his eldest son before him, and with their own hands smite off their +heads without tarrying. And anon his commandment was performed.</p> +<p>And when the Chan saw that they made none obstacle to perform his +commandment, then he thought well that he might trust in them, and commanded +them anon to make them ready and to sue his banner. And after +this, Chan put in subjection all the lands about him.</p> +<p>Afterward it befell upon a day, that the Can rode with a few meinie +for to behold the strength of the country that he had won. And +so befell, that a great multitude of enemies met with him. And +for to give good example hardiness to his people, he was the first that +fought, and in the midst of his enemies encountered, and there he was +cast from his horse, and his horse slain. And when his folk saw +him at the earth, they were all abashed, and weened he had been dead, +and flew every one, and their enemies after and chased them, but they +wist not that the emperor was there. And when the enemies were +far pursuing the chase, the emperor hid him in a thick wood. And +whet, they were come again from the chase, they went and sought the +woods if any of them had been hid in the thick of the woods; and many +they found and slew them anon. So it happened that as they went +searching toward the place that the emperor was, they saw an owl sitting +upon a tree above him; and then they said amongst them, that there was +no man because that they saw that bird there, and so they went their +way; and thus escaped the emperor from death. And then he went +privily all by night, till he came to his folk that were full glad of +his coming, and made great thankings to God Immortal, and to that bird +by whom their lord was saved. And therefore principally above +all fowls of world they worship the owl; and when they have any of their +feathers, they keep them full preciously instead of relics, and bear +them upon their heads with great reverence; and they hold themselves +blessed and safe from all perils while that they have them upon them, +and therefore they bear their feathers upon their heads.</p> +<p>After all this the Chan ordained him, and assembled his people, and +went upon them that had assailed him before, and destroyed them, and +put them in subjection and servage. And when he had won and put +all the lands and countries on this half the Mount Belian in subjection, +the white knight came to him again in his sleep, and said to him, Chan! +the will of God Immortal is that thou pass the Mount Belian. And +thou shalt win the land and thou shalt put many nations in subjection. +And for thou shalt find no good passage for to go toward that country, +go [to] the Mount Belian that is upon the sea, and kneel there nine +times toward the east in the worship of God Immortal, and he shall shew +the way to pass by. And the Chan did so. And anon the sea +that touched and was fast to the mount began to withdraw him, and shewed +fair way of nine foot breadth large; and so he passed with his folk, +and won the land of Cathay that is the greatest kingdom of the world.</p> +<p>And for the nine kneelings and for the nine foot of way the Chan +and all the men of Tartary have the number of nine in great reverence. +And therefore who that will make the Chan any present, be it of horses, +be it of birds, or of arrows or bows, or of fruit, or of any other thing, +always he must make it of the number of nine. And so then be the +presents of greater pleasure to him; and more benignly he will receive +them than though he were presented with an hundred or two hundred. +For him seemeth the number of nine so holy, because the messenger of +God Immortal devised it.</p> +<p>Also, when the Chan of Cathay had won the country of Cathay, and +put in subjection and under foot many countries about, he fell sick. +And when he felt well that he should die, he said to his twelve sons, +that everych of them should bring him one of his arrows. And so +they did anon. And then he commanded that men should bind them +together in three places. And then he took them to his eldest +son, and bade him break them all together. And he enforced him +with all his might to break them, but he ne might not. And then +the Chan bade his second son to break them; and so, shortly, to all, +each after other; but none of them might break them. And then +he bade the youngest son dissever every one from other, and break everych +by himself. And so he did. And then said the Chan to his +eldest son and to all the others, Wherefore might ye not break them? +And they answered that they might not, because that they were bound +together. And wherefore, quoth he, hath your little youngest brother +broken them? Because, quoth they, that they were parted each from +other. And then said the Chan, My sons, quoth he, truly thus will +it fare by you. For as long as ye be bound together in three places, +that is to say, in love, in truth and in good accord, no man shall be +of power to grieve you. But and ye be dissevered from these three +places, that your one help not your other, ye shall be destroyed and +brought to nought. And if each of you love other and help other, +ye shall be lords and sovereigns of all others. And when he had +made his ordinances, he died.</p> +<p>And then after him reigned Ecchecha Cane, his eldest son. And +his other brethren went to win them many countries and kingdoms, unto +the land of Prussia and of Russia, and made themselves to be clept Chane; +but they were all obeissant to their elder brother, and therefore was +he clept the great Chan.</p> +<p>After Ecchecha reigned Guyo Chan.</p> +<p>And after him Mango Chan that was a good Christian man and baptized, +and gave letters of perpetual peace to all Christian men, and sent his +brother Halaon with great multitude of folk for to win the Holy Land +and for to put it into Christian men’s hands, and for to destroy +Mahomet’s law, and for to take the Caliph of Bagdad that was emperor +and lord of all the Saracens. And when this caliph was taken, +men found him of so high worship, that in all the remnant of the world, +ne might a man find a more reverend man, ne higher in worship. +And then Halaon made him come before him, and said to him, Why, quoth +he, haddest thou not taken with thee more soldiers and men enough, for +a little quantity of treasure, for to defend thee and thy country, that +art so abundant of treasure and so high in all worship? And the +caliph answered him, For he well trowed that he had enough of his own +proper men. And then said Halaon, Thou wert as a god of the Saracens. +And it is convenient to a god to eat no meat that is mortal. And +therefore, thou shall not eat but precious stones, rich pearls and treasure, +that thou lovest so much. And then he commanded him to prison, +and all his treasure about him. And so he died for hunger and +thirst. And then after this, Halaon won all the Land of Promission, +and put it into Christian men’s hands. But the great Chan, +his brother, died; and that was great sorrow and loss to all Christian +men.</p> +<p>After Mango Chan reigned Cobyla Chan that was also a Christian man. +And he reigned forty-two year. He founded the great city Izonge +in Cathay, that is a great deal more than Rome.</p> +<p>The tother great Chan that came after him became a Paynim, and all +the others after him.</p> +<p>The kingdom of Cathay is the greatest realm of the world. And +also the great Chan is the most mighty emperor of the world and the +greatest lord under the firmament. And so he clepeth him in his +letters, right thus: <i>Chan! Filius Dei excelsi, omnium universam +terram</i> <i>colentium summus imperator, & dominus omnium dominantium</i>! +And the letter of his great seal, written about, is this; <i>Deus in +coelo, Chan super terram, ejus fortitudo</i>. <i>Omnium hominum +imperatoris sigillum</i>. And the superscription about his little +seal is this; <i>Dei fortitudo, omnium</i> <i>hominum imperatoris sigillum.</i></p> +<p>And albeit that they be not christened, yet nevertheless the emperor +and all the Tartars believe in God Immortal. And when they will +menace any man, then they say, God knoweth well that I shall do thee +such a thing, and telleth his menace.</p> +<p>And thus have ye heard, why he is clept the great Chan.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Governance of the great Chan’s Court, and when he +maketh solemn feasts. Of his Philosophers. And of his array, +when he rideth by the country</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now shall I tell you the governance of the court of the great Chan, +when he maketh solemn feasts; and that is principally four times in +the year.</p> +<p>The first feast is of his birth, that other is of his presentation +in their temple that they clepe their Moseache, where they make a manner +of circumcision, and the tother two feasts be of his idols. The +first feast of the idol is when he is first put into their temple and +throned; the tother feast is when the idol beginneth first to speak, +or to work miracles. More be there not of solemn feasts, but if +he marry any of his children.</p> +<p>Now understand, that at every of these feasts he hath great multitude +of people, well ordained and well arrayed, by thousands, by hundreds, +and by tens. And every man knoweth well what service he shall +do, and every man giveth so good heed and so good attendance to his +service that no man findeth no default. And there be first ordained +4000 barons, mighty and rich, for to govern and to make ordinance for +the feast, and for to serve the emperor. And these solemn feasts +be made without in halls and tents made of cloths of gold and of tartaries, +full nobly. And all those barons have crowns of gold upon their +heads, full noble and rich, full of precious stones and great pearls +orient. And they be all clothed in cloths of gold or of tartaries +or of camakas, so richly and so perfectly, that no man in the world +can amend it, ne better devise it. And all those robes be orfrayed +all about, and dubbed full of precious stones and of great orient pearls, +full richly. And they may well do so, for cloths of gold and of +silk be greater cheap there a great deal than be cloths of wool. +And these 4000 barons be devised in four companies, and every thousand +is clothed in cloths all of one colour, and that so well arrayed and +so richly, that it is marvel to behold.</p> +<p>The first thousand, that is of dukes, of earls, of marquises and +of admirals, all clothed in cloths of gold, with tissues of green silk, +and bordered with gold full of precious stones in manner as I have said +before. The second thousand is all clothed in cloths diapered +of red silk, all wrought with gold, and the orfrays set full of great +pearl and precious stones, full nobly wrought. The third thousand +is clothed in cloths of silk, of purple or of Ind. And the fourth +thousand is in cloths of yellow. And all their clothes be so nobly +and so richly wrought with gold and precious stones and rich pearls, +that if a man of this country had but only one of their robes, he might +well say that he should never be poor; for the gold and the precious +stones and the great orient pearls be of greater value on this half +the sea than they be beyond the sea in those countries.</p> +<p>And when they be thus apparelled, they go two and two together, full +ordinately, before the emperor, without speech of any word, save only +inclining to him. And every one of them beareth a tablet of jasper +or of ivory or of crystal, and the minstrels going before them, sounding +their instruments of diverse melody. And when the first thousand +is thus passed and hath made his muster, he withdraweth him on that +one side; and then entereth that other second thousand, and doth right +so, in the same manner of array and countenance, is did the first; and +after, the third; and then, the fourth; and none of them saith not one +word.</p> +<p>And at one side of the emperor’s table sit many philosophers +that be proved for wise men in many diverse sciences, as of astronomy, +necromancy, geomancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, of augury and of many other +sciences. And everych of them have before them astrolabes of gold, +some spheres, some the brain pan of a dead man, some vessels of gold +full of gravel or sand, some vessels of gold full of coals burning, +some vessels of gold full of water and of wine and of oil, and some +horologes of gold, made full nobly and richly wrought, and many other +manner of instruments after their sciences.</p> +<p>And at certain hours, when them thinketh time, they say to certain +officers that stand before them, ordained for the time to fulfil their +commandments; Make peace!</p> +<p>And then say the officers; Now peace! listen!</p> +<p>And after that, saith another of the philosophers; Every man do reverence +and incline to the emperor, that is God’s Son and sovereign lord +of all the world! For now is time! And then every man boweth +his head toward the earth.</p> +<p>And then commandeth the same philosopher again; Stand up! And +they do so.</p> +<p>And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your little finger +in your ears! And anon they do so.</p> +<p>And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand before +your mouth! And anon they do so.</p> +<p>And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand upon +your head! And after that he biddeth them to do their hand away. +And they do so.</p> +<p>And so, from hour to hour, they command certain things; and they +say, that those things have diverse significations. And I asked +them privily what those things betokened. And one of the masters +told me, that the bowing of the head at that hour betokened this; that +all those that bowed their heads should evermore after be obeissant +and true to the emperor, and never, for gifts ne for promise in no kind, +to be false ne traitor unto him for good nor evil. And the putting +of the little finger in the ear betokeneth, as they say, that none of +them ne shall not hear speak no contrarious thing to the emperor but +that he shall tell it anon to his council or discover it to some men +that will make relation to the emperor, though he were his father or +brother or son. And so forth, of all other things that is done +by the philosophers, they told me the causes of many diverse things. +And trust right well in certain, that no man doth nothing to the emperor +that belongeth unto him, neither clothing ne bread ne wine ne bath ne +none other thing that longeth to him, but at certain hours that his +philosophers will devise. And if there fall war in any side to +the emperor, anon the philosophers come and say their advice after their +calculations, and counsel the emperor of their advice by their sciences; +so that the emperor doth nothing without their counsel.</p> +<p>And when the philosophers have done and performed their commandments, +then the minstrels begin to do their minstrelsy, everych in their instruments, +each after other, with all the melody that they can devise. And +when they have done a good while, one of the officers of the emperor +goeth up on a high stage wrought full curiously, and crieth and saith +with loud voice; Make Peace! And then every man is still.</p> +<p>And then, anon after, all the lords that be of the emperor’s +lineage, nobly arrayed in rich cloths of gold and royally apparelled +on white steeds, as many as may well sue him at that time, be ready +to make their presents to the emperor. And then saith the steward +of the court to the lords, by name; N. of N.! and nameth first the most +noble and the worthiest by name, and saith; Be ye ready with such a +number of white horses, for to serve the emperor, your sovereign lord! +And to another lord he saith; N. of N., be ye ready with such a number, +to serve your sovereign lord! And to another, right so, and to +all the lords of the emperor’s lineage, each after other, as they +be of estate. And when they be all cleped, they enter each after +other, and present the white horses to the emperor, and then go their +way. And then after, all the other barons every of them, give +him presents or jewels or some other thing, after that they be of estate. +And then after them, all the prelates of their law, and religious men +and others; and every man giveth him something. And when that +all men have thus presented the emperor, the greatest of dignity of +the prelates giveth him a blessing, saying an orison of their law.</p> +<p>And then begin the minstrels to make their minstrelsy in divers instruments +with all the melody that they can devise. And when they have done +their craft, then they bring before the emperor, lions, leopards and +other diverse beasts, and eagles and vultures and other divers fowls, +and fishes and serpents, for to do him reverence. And then come +jugglers and enchanters, that do many marvels; for they make to come +in the air, by seeming, the sun and the moon to every man’s sight. +And after they make the night so dark that no man may see nothing. +And after they make the day to come again, fair and pleasant with bright +sun, to every man’s sight. And then they bring in dances +of the fairest damsels of the world, and richest arrayed. And +after they make to come in other damsels bringing cups of gold full +of milk of diverse beasts, and give drink to lords and to ladies. +And then they make knights to joust in arms full lustily; and they run +together a great random, and they frussch together full fiercely, and +they break their spears so rudely that the truncheons fly in sprouts +and pieces all about the hall. And then they make to come in hunting +for the hart and for the boar, with hounds running with open mouth. +And many other things they do by craft of their enchantments, that it +is marvel for to see. And such plays of disport they make till +the taking up of the boards. This great Chan hath full great people +for to serve him, as I have told you before. For he hath of minstrels +the number of thirteen cumants, but they abide not always with him. +For all the minstrels that come before him, of what nation that they +be of, they be withholden with him as of his household, and entered +in his books as for his own men. And after that, where that ever +they go, ever more they claim for minstrels of the great Chan; and under +that title, all kings and lords cherish them the more with gifts and +all things. And therefore he hath so great multitude of them.</p> +<p>And he hath of certain men as though they were yeomen, that keep +birds, as ostriches, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks, falcons gentle, lanyers, +sakers, sakrets, popinjays well speaking, and birds singing, and also +of wild beasts, as of elephants tame and other, baboons, apes, marmosets, +and other diverse beasts; the mountance of fifteen cumants of yeomen.</p> +<p>And of physicians Christian he hath 200, and of leeches that be Christian +he hath 210, and of leeches and physicians that be Saracens twenty, +but he trusteth more in the Christian leeches than in the Saracen. +And his other common household is without number, and they all have +all necessaries and all that them needeth of the emperor’s court. +And he hath in his court many barons as servitors, that be Christian +and converted to good faith by the preaching of religious Christian +men that dwell with him; but there be many more, that will not that +men know that they be Christian.</p> +<p>This emperor may dispend as much as he will without estimation; for +he not dispendeth ne maketh no money but of leather imprinted or of +paper. And of that money is some of greater price and some of +less price, after the diversity of his statutes. And when that +money hath run long that it beginneth to waste, then men bear it to +the emperor’s treasury and then they take new money for the old. +And that money goeth throughout all the country and throughout all his +provinces, for there and beyond them they make no money neither of gold +nor of silver; and therefore he may dispend enough, and outrageously. +And of gold and silver that men bear in his country he maketh cylours, +pillars and pavements in his palace, and other diverse things what him +liketh.</p> +<p>This emperor hath in his chamber, in one of the pillars of gold, +a ruby and a carbuncle of half a foot long, that in the night giveth +so great clearness and shining, that it is as light as day. And +he hath many other precious stones and many other rubies and carbuncles; +but those be the greatest and the most precious.</p> +<p>This emperor dwelleth in summer in a city that is toward the north +that is clept Saduz; and there is cold enough. And in winter he +dwelleth in a city that is clept Camaaleche, and that is an hot country. +But the country, where he dwelleth in most commonly, is in Gaydo or +in Jong, that is a good country and a temperate, after that the country +is there; but to men of this country it were too passing hot.</p> +<p>And when this emperor will ride from one country to another he ordaineth +four hosts of his folk, of the which the first host goeth before him +a day’s journey. For that host shall be lodged the night +where the emperor shall lie upon the morrow. And there shall every +man have all manner of victual and necessaries that be needful, of the +emperor’s costage. And in this first host is the number +of people fifty cumants, what of horse what of foot, of the which every +cumant amounteth 10,000 as I have told you before. And another +host goeth in the right side of the emperor, nigh half a journey from +him. And another goeth on the left side of him, in the same wise. +And in every host is as much multitude of people as in the first host. +And then after cometh the fourth host, that is much more than any of +the others, and that goeth behind him, the mountance of a bow draught. +And every host hath his journeys ordained in certain places, where they +shall be lodged at night, and there they shall have all that them needeth. +And if it befall that any of the host die, anon they put another in +his place, so that the number shall evermore be whole.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the emperor, in his proper person, +rideth not as other great lords do beyond, but if he list to go privily +with few men, for to be unknown. And else, he rides in a chariot +with four wheels, upon the which is made a fair chamber, and it is made +of a certain wood, that cometh out of Paradise terrestrial, that men +clepe lignum aloes, that the floods of Paradise bring out at divers +seasons, as I have told you here before. And this chamber is full +well smelling because of the wood that it is made of. And all +this chamber is covered within of plate of fine gold dubbed with precious +stones and great pearls. And four elephants and four great destriers, +all white and covered with rich covertures, leading the chariot. +And four, or five, or six, of the greatest lords ride about this chariot, +full richly arrayed and full nobly, so that no man shall neigh the chariot, +but only those lords, but if that the emperor call any man to him that +him list to speak withal. And above the chamber of this chariot +that the emperor sitteth in be set upon a perch four or five or six +gerfalcons, to that intent, that when the emperor seeth any wild fowl, +that he may take it at his own list, and have the disport and the play +of the flight, first with one, and after with another; and so he taketh +his disport passing by the country. And no man rideth before him +of his company, but all after him. And no man dare not come nigh +the chariot, by a bow draught, but those lords only that be about him. +And all the host cometh fairly after him in great multitude.</p> +<p>And also such another chariot with such hosts ordained and arrayed +go with the empress upon another side, everych by himself, with four +hosts, right as the emperor did; but not with so great multitude of +people. And his eldest son goeth by another way in another chariot, +in the same manner. So that there is between them so great multitude +of folk that it is marvel to tell it. And no man should trow the +number, but he had seen it. And some-time it happeth that when +he will not go far, and that it like him to have the empress and his +children with him, then they go altogether, and their folk be all mingled +in fere, and divided in four parties only.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the empire of this great Chan is divided +in twelve provinces; and every province hath more than two thousand +cities, and of towns without number. This country is full great, +for it hath twelve principal kings in twelve provinces, and every of +those Kings have many kings under them, and all they be obeissant to +the great Chan. And his land and his lordship dureth so far, that +a man may not go from one head to another, neither by sea ne land, the +space of seven year. And through the deserts of his lordship, +there as men may find no towns, there be inns ordained by every journey, +to receive both man and horse, in the which they shall find plenty of +victual, and of all things that they need for to go by the country.</p> +<p>And there is a marvellous custom in that country (but it is profitable), +that if any contrarious thing that should be prejudice or grievance +to the emperor in any kind, anon the emperor hath tidings thereof and +full knowledge in a day, though it be three or four journeys from him +or more. For his ambassadors take their dromedaries or their horses, +and they prick in all that ever they may toward one of the inns. +And when they come there, anon they blow an horn. And anon they +of the inn know well enough that there be tidings to warn the emperor +of some rebellion against him. And then anon they make other men +ready, in all haste that they may, to bear letters, and prick in all +that ever they may, till they come to the other inns with their letters. +And then they make fresh men ready, to prick forth with the letters +toward the emperor, while that the last bringer rest him, and bait his +dromedary or his horse. And so, from inn to inn, till it come +to the emperor. And thus anon hath he hasty tidings of anything +that beareth charge, by his couriers, that run so hastily throughout +all the country. And also when the Emperor sendeth his couriers +hastily throughout his land, every one of them hath a large throng full +of small bells, and when they neigh near to the inns of other couriers +that be also ordained by the journeys, they ring their bells, and anon +the other couriers make them ready, and run their way unto another inn. +And thus runneth one to other, full speedily and swiftly, till the emperor’s +intent be served, in all haste. And these couriers be clept <i>Chydydo</i>, +after their language, that is to say, a messenger,</p> +<p>Also when the emperor goeth from one country to another, as I have +told you here before, and he pass through cities and towns, every man +maketh a fire before his door, and putteth therein powder of good gums +that be sweet smelling, for to make good savour to the emperor. +And all the people kneel down against him, and do him great reverence. +And there, where religious Christian men dwell, as they do in many cities +in the land, they go before him with procession with cross and holy +water, and they sing, <i>Veni creator spiritus</i>! with an high voice, +and go towards him. And when he heareth them, he commandeth to +his lords to ride beside him, that the religious men may come to him. +And when they be nigh him with the cross, then he doth adown his galiot +that sits on his head in manner of a chaplet, that is made of gold and +precious stones and great pearls, and it is so rich, that men prize +it to the value of a realm in that country. And then he kneeleth +to the cross. And then the prelate of the religious men saith +before him certain orisons, and giveth him a blessing with the cross; +and he inclineth to the blessing full devoutly. And then the prelate +giveth him some manner fruit, to the number of nine, in a platter of +silver, with pears or apples, or other manner fruit. And he taketh +one. And then men give to the other lords that be about him. +For the custom is such, that no stranger shall come before him, but +if he give him some manner thing, after the old law that saith, <i>Nemo +accedat in</i> <i>conspectu meo vacuus</i>. And then the emperor +saith to the religious men, that they withdraw them again, that they +be neither hurt nor harmed of the great multitude of horses that come +behind him. And also, in the same manner, do the religious men +that dwell there, to the empresses that pass by them, and to his eldest +son. And to every of them they present fruit.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the people that he hath so many hosts +of, about him and about his wives and his soil, they dwell not continually +with him. But always, when him liketh, they be sent for. +And after, when they have done, they return to their own households, +save only they that be dwelling with him in household for to serve him +and his wives and his sons for to govern his household. And albeit, +that the others be departed from him after that they have performed +their service, yet there abideth continually with him in court 50,000 +men at horse and 200,000 men a foot, without minstrels and those that +keep wild beasts and divers birds, of the which I have told you the +number before.</p> +<p>Under the firmament is not so great a lord, ne so mighty, ne so rich +as is the great Chan; not Prester John, that is emperor of the high +Ind, ne the Soldan of Babylon, ne the Emperor of Persia. All these +ne be not in comparison to the great Chan, neither of might, ne of noblesse, +ne of royalty, ne of riches; for in all these he passeth all earthly +princes. Wherefore it is great harm that he believeth not faithfully +in God. And natheles he will gladly hear speak of God. And +he suffereth well that Christian men dwell in his lordship, and that +men of his faith be made Christian men if they will, throughout all +his country; for he defendeth no man to hold no law other than him liketh.</p> +<p>In that country some men hath an hundred wives, some sixty, some +more, some less. And they take the next of their kin to their +wives, save only that they out-take their mothers, their daughters, +and their sisters of the mother’s side; but their sisters on the +father’s side of another woman they may well take, and their brothers’ +wives also after their death, and their step-mothers also in the same +wise.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Law and the Customs of the Tartarians dwelling in Cathay. +And how that men do when the Emperor shall die, and how he shall be +chosen</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>The folk of that country use all long clothes without furs. +And they be clothed with precious cloths of Tartary, and of cloths of +gold. And their clothes be slit at the side, and they be fastened +with laces of silk. And they clothe them also with pilches, and +the hide without; and they use neither cape ne hood. And in the +same manner as the men go, the women go, so that no man may unneth know +the men from the women, save only those women that be married, that +bear the token upon their heads of a man’s foot, in sign that +they be under man’s foot and under subjection of man.</p> +<p>And their wives ne dwell not together, but every of them by herself; +and the husband may lie with whom of them that him liketh. Everych +hath his house, both man and woman. And their houses be made round +of staves, and it hath a round window above that giveth them light, +and also that serveth for deliverance of smoke. And the heling +of their houses and the walls and the doors be all of wood. And +when they go to war, they lead their houses with them upon chariots, +as men do tents or pavilions. And they make their fire in the +midst of their houses.</p> +<p>And they have great multitude of all manner of beasts, save only +of swine, for they bring none forth. And they believe well one +God that made and formed all things. And natheles yet have they +idols of gold and silver, and of tree and of cloth. And to those +idols they offer always their first milk of their beasts, and also of +their meats and of their drinks before they eat. And they offer +often-times horses and beasts. And they clepe the God of kind +<i>Yroga.</i></p> +<p>And their emperor also, what name that ever he have, they put evermore +thereto, Chan. And when I was there, their emperor had to name +Thiaut, so that he was clept Thiaut-Chan. And his eldest son was +clept Tossue; and when he shall be emperor, he shall be clept Tossue-Chan. +And at that time the emperor had twelve sons without him, that were +named Cuncy, Ordii, Chadahay, Buryn, Negu, Nocab, Cadu, [Siban], Cuten, +Balacy, Babylan, and Garegan. And of his three wives, the first +and principal, that was Prester John’s daughter, had to name Serioche-Chan, +and the tother Borak-Chan, and the tother Karanke-Chan.</p> +<p>The folk of that country begin all their things in the new moon, +and they worship much the moon and the sun and often-time kneel against +them. And all the folk of the country ride commonly without spurs, +but they bear always a little whip in their hands for to chace with +their horses.</p> +<p>And they have great conscience and hold it for a great sin to cast +a knife in the fire, and for to draw flesh out of a pot with a knife, +and for to smite an horse with the handle of a whip, or to smite an +horse with a bridle, or to break one bone with another, or for to cast +milk or any liquor that men may drink upon the earth, or for to take +and slay little children. And the most sin that any man may do +is to piss in their houses that they dwell in, and whoso that may be +found with that sin sikerly they slay him. And of everych of these +sins it behoveth them to be shriven of their priests, and to pay great +sum of silver for their penance. And it behoveth also, that the +place that men have pissed in be hallowed again, and else dare no man +enter therein. And when they have paid their penance, men make +them pass through a fire or through two, for to cleanse them of their +sins. And also when any messenger cometh and bringeth letters +or any present to the emperor, it behoveth him that he, with the thing +that he bringeth, pass through two burning fires for to purge them, +that he bring no poison ne venom, ne no wicked thing that might be grievance +to the Lord. And also if any man or woman be taken in avoutry +or fornication, anon they slay him. And who that stealeth anything, +anon they slay him.</p> +<p>Men of that country be all good archers and shoot right well, both +men and women, as well on horse-back, pricking, as on foot, running. +And the women make all things and all manner mysteries and crafts, as +of clothes, boots and other things; and they drive carts, ploughs and +wains and chariots; and they make houses and all manner mysteres, out +taken bows and arrows and armours that men make. And all the women +wear breeches, as well as men.</p> +<p>All the folk of that country be full obeissant to their sovereigns; +ne they fight not, ne chide not one with another. And there be +neither thieves ne robbers in that country. And every man worshippeth +other; but no man there doth no reverence to no strangers, but if they +be great princes.</p> +<p>And they eat hounds, lions, leopards, mares and foals, asses, rats +and mice and all manner of beasts, great and small, save only swine +and beasts that were defended by the old law. And they eat all +the beasts without and within, without casting away of anything, save +only the filth. And they eat but little bread, but if it be in +courts of great lords. And they have not in many places, neither +pease ne beans ne none other pottages but the broth of the flesh. +For little eat they anything but flesh and the broth. And when +they have eaten, they wipe their hands upon their skirts; for they use +no napery ne towels, but if it be before great lords; but the common +people hath none. And when they have eaten, they put their dishes +unwashen into the pot or cauldron with remnant of the flesh and of the +broth till they will eat again. And the rich men drink milk of +mares or of camels or of asses or of other beasts. And they will +be lightly drunken of milk and of another drink that is made of honey +and of water sodden together; for in that country is neither wine ne +ale. They live full wretchedly, and they eat but once in the day, +and that but little, neither in courts ne in other places. And +in sooth, one man alone in this country will eat more in a day than +one of them will eat in three days. And if any strange messenger +come there to a lord, men make him to eat but once a day, and that full +little.</p> +<p>And when they war, they war full wisely and always do their business, +to destroy their enemies. Every man there beareth two bows or +three, and of arrows great plenty, and a great axe. And the gentles +have short spears and large and full trenchant on that one side. +And they have plates and helms made of quyrboylle, and their horses +covertures of the same. And whoso fleeth from the battle they +slay him. And when they hold any siege about castle or town that +is walled and defensible, they behote to them that be within to do all +the profit and good, that it is marvel to hear; and they grant also +to them that be within all that they will ask them. And after +that they be yielden, anon they slay them all; and cut off their ears +and souse them in vinegar, and thereof they make great service for lords. +All their lust and all their imagination is for to put all lands under +their subjection. And they say that they know well by their prophecies, +that they shall be overcome by archers and by strength of them; but +they know not of what nation ne of what law they shall be of, that shall +overcome them. And therefore they suffer that folk of all laws +may peaceably dwell amongst them.</p> +<p>Also when they will make their idols or an image of any of their +friends for to have remembrance of him, they make always the image all +naked without any manner of clothing. For they say that in good +love should be no covering, that man should not love for the fair clothing +ne for the rich array, but only for the body, such as God hath made +it, and for the good virtues that the body is endowed with of Nature, +not only for fair clothing that is not of kindly Nature.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that it is great dread for to pursue the +Tartars if they flee in battle. For in fleeing they shoot behind +them and slay both men and horses. And when they will fight they +will shock them together in a plump; that if there be 20,000 men, men +shall not ween that there be scant 10,000. And they can well win +land of strangers, but they cannot keep it; for they have greater lust +to lie in tents without than for to lie in castle or in towns. +And they prize nothing the wit of other nations.</p> +<p>And amongst them oil of olive is full dear, for they hold it for +full noble medicine. And all the Tartars have small eyen and little +of beard, and not thick haired but shear. And they be false and +traitors; and they last nought that they behote. They be full +hardy folk, and much pain and woe may suffer and disease, more than +any other folk, for they be taught thereto in their own country of youth. +And therefore they spend as who saith, right nought.</p> +<p>And when any man shall die, men set a spear beside him. And +when he draweth towards the death, every man fleeth out of the house +till he be dead. And after that they bury him in the fields.</p> +<p>And when the emperor dieth, men set him in a chair in midst the place +of his tent. And men set a table before him clean, covered with +a cloth, and thereupon flesh and diverse viands and a cup full of mare’s +milk. And men put a mare beside him with her foal, and an horse +saddled and bridled. And they lay upon the horse gold and silver, +great quantity. And they put about him great plenty of straw. +And then men make a great pit and a large, and with the tent and all +these other things they put him in earth. And they say that when +he shall come into another world, he shall not be without an house, +ne without horse, ne without gold and silver; and the mare shall give +him milk, and bring him forth more horses till he be well stored in +the tother world. For they trow that after their death they shall +be eating and drinking in that other world, and solacing them with their +wives, as they did here.</p> +<p>And after time that the emperor is thus interred no man shall be +so hardy to speak of him before his friends. And yet natheles, +sometime falleth of many that they make him to be interred privily by +night in wild places, and put again the grass over the pit for to grow; +or else men cover the pit with gravel and sand, that no man shall perceive +where, ne know where, the pit is, to that intent that never after none +of his friends shall have mind ne remembrance of him. And then +they say that he is ravished into another world, where he is a greater +lord than he was here.</p> +<p>And then, after the death of the emperor, the seven lineages assemble +them together, and choose his eldest son, or the next after him of his +blood. And thus they say to him; we will and we pray and ordain +that ye be our lord and our emperor.</p> +<p>And then he answereth, If ye will that I reign over you as lord, +do everych of you that I shall command him, either to abide or to go; +and whomsoever that I command to be slain, that anon he be slain.</p> +<p>And they answer all with one voice, Whatsoever ye command, it shall +be done.</p> +<p>Then saith the emperor, Now understand well, that my word from henceforth +is sharp and biting as a sword.</p> +<p>After, men set him upon a black steed and so men bring him to a chair +full richly arrayed, and there they crown him. And then all the +cities and good towns send him rich presents. So that at that +journey he shall have more than sixty chariots charged with gold silver, +without jewels of gold and precious stones, that lords gave him, that +be without estimation, and without horses, and cloths of gold, and of +camakas, and tartarins that be without number.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Realm of Tharse and the Lands and Kingdoms towards the +Septentrional Parts, in coming down from the land of Cathay</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>This land of Cathay is in Asia the deep; and after, on this half, +is Asia the more. The kingdom of Cathay marcheth toward the west +unto the kingdom of Tharse, the which was one of the kings that came +to present our Lord in Bethlehem. And they that be of the lineage +of that king are some Christian. In Tharse they eat no flesh, +ne they drink no wine.</p> +<p>And on this half, toward the west, is the kingdom of Turkestan, that +stretcheth him toward the west to the kingdom of Persia, and toward +the septentrional to the kingdom of Khorasan. In the country of +Turkestan be but few good cities; but the best city of that land hight +Octorar. There be great pastures, but few corns; and therefore, +for the most part, they be all herdsmen, and they lie in tents and they +drink a manner ale made of honey.</p> +<p>And after, on this half, is the kingdom of Khorasan, that is a good +land and a plenteous, without wine. And it hath a desert toward +the east that lasteth more than an hundred journeys. And the best +city of that country is clept Khorasan, and of that city beareth the +country his name. The folk of that country be hardy warriors.</p> +<p>And on this half is the kingdom of Comania, whereof the Comanians +that dwelled in Greece sometime were chased out. This is one of +the greatest kingdoms of the world, but it is not all inhabited. +For at one of the parts there is so great cold that no man may dwell +there; and in another part there is so great heat that no man may endure +it, and also there be so many flies, that no man may know on what side +he may turn him. In that country is but little arboury ne trees +that bear fruit ne other. They lie in tents; and they burn the +dung of beasts for default of wood. This kingdom descendeth on +this half toward us and toward Prussia and toward Russia.</p> +<p>And through that country runneth the river of Ethille that is one +of the greatest rivers of the world. And it freezeth so strongly +all years that many times men have fought upon the ice with great hosts, +both parties on foot, and their horses voided for the time, and what +on horse and on foot, more than 200,000 persons on every side.</p> +<p>And between that river and the great sea Ocean, that they clepe the +Sea Maure, lie all these realms. And toward the head, beneath, +in that realm is the Mount Chotaz, that is the highest mount of the +world, and it is between the Sea Maure and the Sea Caspian. There +is full strait and dangerous passage for to go toward Ind. And +therefore King Alexander let make there a strong city, that men clepe +Alexandria, for to keep the country that no man should pass without +his leave. And now men clepe that city, the Gate of Hell.</p> +<p>And the principal city of Comania is clept Sarak, that is one of +the three ways for to go into Ind. But by that way, ne may not +pass no great multitude of people, but if it be in winter. And +that passage men clepe the Derbent. The tother way is for to go +from the city of Turkestan by Persia, and by that way be many journeys +by desert. And the third way is that cometh from Comania and then +to go by the Great Sea and by the kingdom of Abchaz.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that all these kingdoms and all these lands +above-said unto Prussia and to Russia be all obeissant to the great +Chan of Cathay, and many other countries that march to other coasts. +Wherefore his power and his lordship is full great and full mighty.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>The Emperor of Persia, and of the Land of Darkness; and of other +kingdoms that belong to the great Chan of Cathay, and other lands of +his, unto the sea of Greece</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now, since I have devised you the lands and the kingdoms toward the +parts Septentrionals in coming down from the land of Cathay unto the +lands of the Christian, towards Prussia and Russia, - now shall I devise +you of other lands and kingdoms coming down by other coasts, toward +the right side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the land of Christian +men. And, therefore, that after Ind and after Cathay the Emperor +of Persia is the greatest lord, therefore, I shall tell you of the kingdom +of Persia.</p> +<p>First, where he hath two kingdoms, the first kingdom beginneth toward +the east, toward the kingdom of Turkestan, and it stretcheth toward +the west unto the river of Pison, that is one of the four rivers that +come out of Paradise. And on another side it stretcheth toward +the Septentrion unto the sea of Caspian; and also toward the south unto +the desert of Ind. And this country is good and plain and full +of people. And there be many good cities. But the two principal +cities be these, Boyturra, and Seornergant, that some men clepe Sormagant. +The tother kingdom of Persia stretcheth toward the river of Pison and +the parts of the west unto the kingdom of Media, and from the great +Armenia and toward the Septentrion to the sea of Caspian and toward +the south to the land of Ind. That is also a good land and a plenteous, +and it hath three great principal cities - Messabor, Saphon, and Sarmassan.</p> +<p>And then after is Armenia, in the which were wont to be four kingdoms; +that is a noble country and full of goods. And it beginneth at +Persia and stretcheth toward the west in length unto Turkey. And +in largeness it dureth to the city of Alexandria, that now is clept +the Gate of Hell, that I spake of before, under the kingdom of Media. +In this Armenia be full many good cities, but Taurizo is most of name.</p> +<p>After this is the kingdom of Media, that is full long, but it is +not full large, that beginneth toward the east to the land of Persia +and to Ind the less; and it stretcheth toward the west, toward the kingdom +of Chaldea and toward the Septentrion, descending toward the little +Armenia. In that kingdom of Media there be many great hills and +little of plain earth. There dwell Saracens and another manner +of folk, that men clepe Cordynes. The best two cities of that +kingdom be Sarras and Karemen.</p> +<p>After that is the kingdom of Georgia, that beginneth toward the east +to the great mountain that is clept Abzor, where that dwell many diverse +folk of diverse nations. And men clepe the country Alamo. +This kingdom stretcheth him towards Turkey and toward the Great Sea, +and toward the south it marcheth to the great Armenia. And there +be two kingdoms in that country; that one is the kingdom of Georgia, +and that other is the kingdom of Abchaz. And always in that country +be two kings; and they be both Christian. But the king of Georgia +is in subjection to the great Chan. And the king of Abchaz hath +the more strong country, and he always vigorously defendeth his country +against all those that assail him, so that no man may make him in subjection +to no man.</p> +<p>In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel. For a province +of the country that hath well in circuit three journeys, that men clepe +Hanyson, is all covered with darkness, without any brightness or light; +so that no man may see ne hear, ne no man dare enter into him. +And, natheles, they of the country say, that some-times men hear voice +of folk, and horses neighing, and cocks crowing. And men wit well, +that men dwell there, but they know not what men. And they say, +that the darkness befell by miracle of God. For a cursed emperor +of Persia, that hight Saures, pursued all Christian men to destroy them +and to compel them to make sacrifice to his idols, and rode with great +host, in all that ever he might, for to confound the Christian men. +And then in that country dwelled many good Christian men, the which +that left their goods and would have fled into Greece. And when +they were in a plain that hight Megon, anon this cursed emperor met +with them with his host for to have slain them and hewn them to pieces. +And anon the Christian men kneeled to the ground, and made their prayers +to God to succour them. And anon a great thick cloud came and +covered the emperor and all his host. And so they endure in that +manner that they ne may not go out on no side; and so shall they evermore +abide in that darkness till the day of doom, by the miracle of God. +And then the Christian men went where them liked best, at their own +pleasance, without letting of any creature, and their enemies enclosed +and confounded in darkness, without any stroke.</p> +<p>Wherefore we may well say with David, <i>A Domino factum est istud; +& est mirabile in oculis nostris</i>. And that was a great +miracle, that God made for them. Wherefore methinketh that Christian +men should be more devout to serve our Lord God than any other men of +any other sect. For without any dread, ne were not cursedness +and sin of Christian men, they should be lords of all the world. +For the banner of Jesu Christ is always displayed, and ready on all +sides to the help of his true loving servants. Insomuch, that +one good Christian man in good belief should overcome and out-chase +a thousand cursed misbelieving men, as David saith in the Psalter, <i>Quoniam +persequebatur unus mills, & duo fugarent decem milia; et cadent +a latere tuo mille, & decem milia a dextris tuis</i>. And +how that it might be that one should chase a thousand, David himself +saith following, <i>Quia manus Domini fecit haec omnia</i>, and our +Lord himself saith, by the prophet’s mouth, <i>Si in viis meis +ambulaveritis, super tribulantes vos misissem manum meam</i>. +So that we may see apertly that if we will be good men, no enemy may +not endure against us.</p> +<p>Also ye shall understand that out of that land of darkness goeth +out a great river that sheweth well that there be folk dwelling, by +many ready tokens; but no man dare not enter into it.</p> +<p>And wit well, that in the kingdoms of Georgia, of Abchaz and of the +little Armenia be good Christian men and devout. For they shrive +them and housel them evermore once or twice in the week. And there +be many of them that housel them every day; and so do we not on this +half, albeit that Saint Paul commandeth it, saying, <i>Omnibus diebus +dominicis ad communicandum hortor</i>. They keep that commandment, +but we ne keep it not.</p> +<p>Also after, on this half, is Turkey, that marcheth to the great Armenia. +And there be many provinces, as Cappadocia, Saure, Brique, Quesiton, +Pytan, and Gemethe. And in everych of these be many good cities. +This Turkey stretcheth unto the city of Sachala that sitteth upon the +sea of Greece, and so it marcheth to Syria. Syria is a great country +and a good, as I have told you before. And also it hath, above +toward Ind, the kingdom of Chaldea, that stretcheth from the mountains +of Chaldea toward the east unto the city of Nineveh, that sitteth upon +the river of Tigris; and in largeness it beginneth toward the north +to the city of Maraga; and it stretcheth toward the south unto the sea +Ocean. In Chaldea is a plain country, and few hills and few rivers.</p> +<p>After is the kingdom of Mesopotamia, that beginneth, toward the east, +to the flom of Tigris, unto a city that is clept Mosul; and it stretcheth +toward the west to the flom of Euphrates unto a city that is clept Roianz; +and in length it goeth to the mount of Armenia unto the desert of Ind +the less. This is a good country and a plain, but it hath few +rivers. It hath but two mountains in that country, of the which +one hight Symar and that other Lyson. And this land marcheth to +the kingdom of Chaldea.</p> +<p>Yet there is, toward the parts Meridionals many countries and many +regions, as the land of Ethiopia, that marcheth, toward the east to +the great deserts, toward the west to the kingdom of Nubia, toward the +south to the kingdom of Moretane, and toward the north to the Red Sea.</p> +<p>After is Moretane, that dureth from the mountains of Ethiopia unto +Lybia the high. And that country lieth along from the sea ocean +toward the south; and toward the north it marcheth to Nubia and to the +high Lybia. (These men of Nubia be Christian.) And it marcheth +from the lands above-said to the deserts of Egypt, and that is the Egypt +that I have spoken of before.</p> +<p>And after is Lybia the high and Lybia the low, that descendeth down +low toward the great sea of Spain, in the which country be many kingdoms +and many diverse folk.</p> +<p>Now I have devised you many countries on this half the kingdom of +Cathay, of the which many be obeissant to the great Chan.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Countries and Isles that be beyond the Land of Cathay</i>; +<i>and of the fruits there; and of twenty-two kings enclosed</i> <i>within +the mountains</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now shall I say you, suingly, of countries and isles that be beyond +the countries that I have spoken of.</p> +<p>Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward the +high Ind and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that men clepe Caldilhe, +that is a full fair country.</p> +<p>And there groweth a manner of fruit, as though it were gourds. +And when they be ripe, men cut them a-two, and men find within a little +beast, in flesh, in bone, and blood, as though it were a little lamb +without wool. And men eat both the fruit and the beast. +And that is a great marvel. Of that fruit I have eaten, although +it were wonderful, but that I know well that God is marvellous in his +works. And, natheles, I told them of as great a marvel to them, +that is amongst us, and that was of the Bernakes. For I told them +that in our country were trees that bear a fruit that become birds flying, +and those that fell in the water live, and they that fall on the earth +die anon, and they be right good to man’s meat. And hereof +had they as great marvel, that some of them trowed it were an impossible +thing to be.</p> +<p>In that country be long apples of good savour, whereof be more than +an hundred in a cluster, and as many in another; and they have great +long leaves and large, of two foot long or more. And in that country, +and in other countries thereabout, grow many trees that bear clove-gylofres +and nutmegs, and great nuts of Ind, and of Canell and of many other +spices. And there be vines that bear so great grapes, that a strong +man should have enough to do for to bear one cluster with all the grapes.</p> +<p>In that same region be the mountains of Caspian that men crepe Uber +in the country. Between those mountains the Jews of ten lineages +be enclosed, that men clepe Goth and Magoth and they may not go out +on no side. There were enclosed twenty-two kings with their people, +that dwelled between the mountains of Scythia. There King Alexander +chased them between those mountains, and there he thought for to enclose +them through work of his men. But when he saw that he might not +do it, ne bring it to an end, he prayed to God of nature that he would +perform that that he had begun. And all were it so, that he was +a paynim and not worthy to be heard, yet God of his grace closed the +mountains together, so that they dwell there all fast locked and enclosed +with high mountains all about, save only on one side, and on that side +is the sea of Caspian.</p> +<p>Now may some men ask, since that the sea is on that one side, wherefore +go they not out on the sea side, for to go where that them liketh?</p> +<p>But to this question, I shall answer; that sea of Caspian goeth out +by land under the mountains, and runneth by the desert at one side of +the country, and after it stretcheth unto the ends of Persia, and although +it be clept a sea, it is no sea, ne it toucheth to none other sea, but +it is a lake, the greatest of the world; and though they would put them +into that sea, they ne wist never where that they should arrive; and +also they can no language but only their own, that no man knoweth but +they; and therefore may they not go out.</p> +<p>And also ye shall understand, that the Jews have no proper land of +their own for to dwell in, in all the world, but only that land between +the mountains. And yet they yield tribute for that land to the +Queen of Amazonia, the which that maketh them to be kept in close full +diligently, that they shall not go out on no side but by the coast of +their land; for their land marcheth to those mountains.</p> +<p>And often it hath befallen, that some of the Jews have gone up the +mountains and avaled down to the valleys. But great number of +folk ne may not do so, for the mountains be so high and so straight +up, that they must abide there, maugre their might. For they may +not go out, but by a little issue that was made by strength of men, +and it lasteth well a four great mile.</p> +<p>And after, is there yet a land all desert, where men may find no +water, neither for digging ne for none other thing. Wherefore +men may not dwell in that place, so is it full of dragons, of serpents +and of other venomous beasts, that no man dare not pass, but if it be +strong winter. And that strait passage men clepe in that country +Clyron. And that is the passage that the Queen of Amazonia maketh +to be kept. And though it happen some of them by fortune to go +out, they can no manner of language but Hebrew, so that they cannot +speak to the people.</p> +<p>And yet, natheles, men say they shall go out in the time of anti-Christ, +and that they shall make great slaughter of Christian men. And +therefore all the Jews that dwell in all lands learn always to speak +Hebrew, in hope, that when the other Jews shall go out, that they may +understand their speech, and to lead them into Christendom for to destroy +the Christian people. For the Jews say that they know well by +their prophecies, that they of Caspia shall go out, and spread throughout +all the world, and that the Christian men shall be under their subjection, +as long as they have been in subjection of them.</p> +<p>And if that you will wit how that they shall find their way, after +that I have heard say I shall tell you.</p> +<p>In the time of anti-Christ a fox shall make there his train, and +mine an hole where King Alexander let make the gates; and so long he +shall mine and pierce the earth, till that he shall pass through towards +that folk. And when they see the fox, they shall have great marvel +of him, because that they saw never such a beast. For of all other +beasts they have enclosed amongst them, save only the fox. And +then they shall chase him and pursue him so strait, till that he come +to the same place that he came from. And then they shall dig and +mine so strongly, till that they find the gates that King Alexander +let make of great stones, and passing huge, well cemented and made strong +for the mastery. And those gates they shall break, and so go out +by finding of that issue.</p> +<p>From that land go men toward the land of Bacharia, where be full +evil folk and full cruel. In that land be trees that bear wool, +as though it were of sheep, whereof men make clothes and all things +that may be made of wool.</p> +<p>In that country be many hippotaynes that dwell some-time in the water +and sometime on the land. And they be half man and half horse, +as I have said before. And they eat men when they may take them.</p> +<p>And there be rivers of waters that be full bitter, three sithes more +than is the water of the sea.</p> +<p>In that country be many griffins, more plenty than in any other country. +Some men say that they have the body upward as an eagle and beneath +as a lion; and truly they say sooth, that they be of that shape. +But one griffin hath the body more great and is more strong than eight +lions, of such lions as be on this half, and more great and stronger +than an hundred eagles such as we have amongst us. For one griffin +there will bear, flying to his nest, a great horse, if he may find him +at the point, or two oxen yoked together as they go at the plough. +For he hath his talons so long and so large and great upon his feet, +as though they were horns of great oxen or of bugles or of kine, so +that men make cups of them to drink of. And of their ribs and +of the pens of their wings, men make bows, full strong, to shoot with +arrows and quarrels.</p> +<p>From thence go men by many journeys through the land of Prester John, +the great Emperor of Ind. And men clepe his realm the isle of +Pentexoire.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Royal Estate of Prester John. And of a rich man that +made a marvellous castle and cleped it Paradise; and of his subtlety</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>This emperor, Prester John, holds full great land, and hath many +full noble cities and good towns in his realm, and many great diverse +isles and large. For all the country of Ind is devised in isles +for the great floods that come from Paradise, that depart all the land +in many parts. And also in the sea he hath full many isles. +And the best city in the Isle of Pentexoire is Nyse, that is a full +royal city and a noble, and full rich.</p> +<p>This Prester John hath under him many kings and many isles and many +diverse folk of diverse conditions. And this land is full good +and rich, but not so rich as is the land of the great Chan. For +the merchants come not thither so commonly for to buy merchandises, +as they do in the land of the great Chan, for it is too far to travel +to. And on that other part, in the Isle of Cathay, men find all +manner thing that is need to man - cloths of gold, of silk, of spicery +and all manner avoirdupois. And therefore, albeit that men have +greater cheap in the Isle of Prester John, natheles, men dread the long +way and the great perils in the sea in those parts.</p> +<p>For in many places of the sea be great rocks of stones of the adamant, +that of his proper nature draweth iron to him. And therefore there +pass no ships that have either bonds or nails of iron within them. +And if there do, anon the rocks of the adamants draw them to them, that +never they may go thence. I myself have seen afar in that sea, +as though it had been a great isle full of tree, and buscaylle, full +of thorns and briars, great plenty. And the shipmen told us, that +all that was of ships that were drawn thither by the adamants, for the +iron that was in them. And of the rotten-ness, and other thing +that was within the ships, grew such buscaylle, and thorns and briars +and green grass, and such manner of thing; and of the masts and the +sail-yards; it seemed a great wood or a grove. And such rocks +be in many places thereabout. And therefore dare not the merchants +pass there, but if they know well the passages, or else that they have +good lodesmen.</p> +<p>And also they dread the long way. And therefore they go to +Cathay, for it is more nigh. And yet it is not so nigh, but that +men must be travelling by sea and land, eleven months or twelve, from +Genoa or from Venice, or he come to Cathay. And yet is the land +of Prester John more far by many dreadful journeys.</p> +<p>And the merchants pass by the kingdom of Persia, and go to a city +that is Clept Hermes, for Hermes the philosopher founded it. And +after that they pass an arm of the sea, and then they go to another +city that is clept Golbache. And there they find merchandises, +and of popinjays, as great plenty as men find here of geese. And +if they will pass further, they may go sikerly enough. In that +country is but little wheat or barley, and therefore they eat rice and +honey and milk and cheese and fruit.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John taketh always to his wife the daughter +of the great Chan; and the great Chan also, in the same wise, the daughter +of Prester John. For these two be the greatest lords under the +firmament.</p> +<p>In the land of Prester John be many diverse things and many precious +stones, so great and so large, that men make of them vessels, as platters, +dishes and cups. And many other marvels be there, that it were +too cumbrous and too long to put it in scripture of books; but of the +principal isles and of his estate and of his law, I shall tell you some +part.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John is Christian, and a great part of his country +also. But yet, they have not all the articles of our faith as +we have. They believe well in the Father, in the Son and in the +Holy Ghost. And they be full devout and right true one to another. +And they set not by no barretts, ne by cautels, nor of no deceits.</p> +<p>And he hath under him seventy-two provinces, and in every province +is a king. And these kings have kings under them, and all be tributaries +to Prester John. And he hath in his lordships many great marvels.</p> +<p>For in his country is the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea, that +is all gravel and sand, without any drop of water, and it ebbeth and +floweth in great waves as other seas do, and it is never still ne in +peace, in no manner season. And no man may pass that sea by navy, +ne by no manner of craft, and therefore may no man know what land is +beyond that sea. And albeit that it have no water, yet men find +therein and on the banks full good fish of other manner of kind and +shape, than men find in any other sea, and they be of right good taste +and delicious to man’s meat.</p> +<p>And a three journeys long from that sea be great mountains, out of +the which goeth out a great flood that cometh out of Paradise. +And it is full of precious stones, without any drop of water, and it +runneth through the desert on that one side, so that it maketh the sea +gravelly; and it beareth into that sea, and there it endeth. And +that flome runneth, also, three days in the week and bringeth with him +great stones and the rocks also therewith, and that great plenty. +And anon, as they be entered into the Gravelly Sea, they be seen no +more, but lost for evermore. And in those three days that that +river runneth, no man dare enter into it; but in the other days men +dare enter well enough.</p> +<p>Also beyond that flome, more upward to the deserts, is a great plain +all gravelly, between the mountains. And in that plain, every +day at the sun-rising, begin to grow small trees, and they grow till +mid-day, bearing fruit; but no man dare take of that fruit, for it is +a thing of faerie. And after mid-day, they decrease and enter +again into the earth, so that at the going down of the sun they appear +no more. And so they do, every day. And that is a great +marvel.</p> +<p>In that desert be many wild men, that be hideous to look on; for +they be horned, and they speak nought, but they grunt, as pigs. +And there is also great plenty of wild hounds. And there be many +popinjays, that they clepe psittakes their language. And they +speak of their proper nature, and salute men that go through the deserts, +and speak to them as apertly as though it were a man. And they +that speak well have a large tongue, and have five toes upon a foot. +And there be also of another manner, that have but three toes upon a +foot, and they speak not, or but little, for they can not but cry.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John when he goeth into battle against any other +lord, he hath no banners borne before him; but he hath three crosses +of gold, fine, great and high, full of precious stones, and every of +those crosses be set in a chariot, full richly arrayed. And for +to keep every cross, be ordained 10,000 men of arms and more than 100,000 +men on foot, in manner as men would keep a standard in our countries, +when that we be in land of war. And this number of folk is without +the principal host and without wings ordained for the battle. +And when he hath no war, but rideth with a privy meinie, then he hath +borne before him but one cross of tree, without painting and without +gold or silver or precious stones, in remembrance that Jesu Christ suffered +death upon a cross of tree. And he hath borne before him also +a platter of gold full of earth, in token that his noblesse and his +might and his flesh shall turn to earth. And he hath borne before +him also a vessel of silver, full of noble jewels of gold full rich +and of precious stones, in token of his lordship and of his noblesse +and of his might.</p> +<p>He dwelleth commonly in the city of Susa. And there is his +principal palace, that is so rich and so noble, that no man will trow +it by estimation, but he had seen it. And above the chief tower +of the palace be two round pommels of gold, and in everych of them be +two carbuncles great and large, that shine full bright upon the night. +And the principal gates of his palace be of precious stone that men +clepe sardonyx, and the border and the bars be of ivory. And the +windows of the halls and chambers be of crystal. And the tables +whereon men eat, some be of emeralds, some of amethyst, and some of +gold, full of precious stones; and the pillars that bear up the tables +be of the same precious stones. And the degrees to go up to his +throne, where he sitteth at the meat, one is of onyx, another is of +crystal, and another of jasper green, another of amethyst, another of +sardine, another of cornelian, and the seventh, that he setteth on his +feet, is of chrysolite. And all these degrees be bordered with +fine gold, with the tother precious stones, set with great pearls orient. +And the sides of the siege of his throne be of emeralds, and bordered +with gold full nobly, and dubbed with other precious stones and great +pearls. And all the pillars in his chamber be of fine gold with +precious stones, and with many carbuncles, that give great light upon +the night to all people. And albeit that the carbuncles give light +right enough, natheles, at all times burneth a vessel of crystal full +of balm, for to give good smell and odour to the emperor, and to void +away all wicked airs and corruptions. And the form of his bed +is of fine sapphires, bended with gold, for to make him sleep well and +to refrain him from lechery; for he will not lie with his wives, but +four sithes in the year, after the four seasons, and that is only for +to engender children.</p> +<p>He hath also a full fair palace and a noble at the city of Nyse, +where that he dwelleth, when him best liketh; but the air is not so +attempre, as it is at the city of Susa.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that in all his country nor in the countries +there all about, men eat not but once in the day, as they do in the +court of the great Chan. And so they eat every day in his court, +more than 30,000 persons, without goers and comers. But the 30,000 +persons of his country, ne of the country of the great Chan, ne spend +not so much good as do 12,000 of our country.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John hath evermore seven kings with him to serve +him, and they depart their service by certain months. And with +these kings serve always seventy-two dukes and three hundred and sixty +earls. And all the days of the year, there eat in his household +and in his court, twelve archbishops and twenty bishops. And the +patriarch of Saint Thomas is there as is the pope here. And the +archbishops and the bishops and the abbots in that country be all kings. +And everych of these great lords know well enough the attendance of +their service. The one is master of his household, another is +his chamberlain, another serveth him of a dish, another of the cup, +another is steward, another is marshal, another is prince of his arms, +and thus is he full nobly and royally served. And his land dureth +in very breadth four month’s journeys, and in length out of measure, +that is to say, all isles under earth that we suppose to be under us.</p> +<p>Beside the isle of Pentexoire, that is the land of Prester John, +is a eat isle, long and broad, that men clepe Mistorak; and it is in +the lordship of Prester John. In that isle is great plenty of +goods.</p> +<p>There was dwelling, sometime, a rich man; and it is not long since; +and men clept him Gatholonabes. And he was full of cautels and +of subtle deceits. And he had a full fair castle and a strong +in a mountain, so strong and so noble, that no man could devise a fairer +ne stronger. And he had let mure all the mountain about with a +strong wall and a fair. And within those walls he had the fairest +garden that any man might behold. And therein were trees bearing +all manner of fruits, that any man could devise. And therein were +also all manner virtuous herbs of good smell, and all other herbs also +that bear fair flowers. And he had also in that garden many fair +wells; and beside those wells he had let make fair halls and fair chambers, +depainted all with gold and azure; and there were in that place many +diverse things, and many diverse stories: and of beasts, and of birds +that sung full delectably and moved by craft, that it seemed that they +were quick. And he had also in his garden all manner of fowls +and of beasts that any man might think on, for to have play or sport +to behold them.</p> +<p>And he had also, in that place, the fairest damsels that might be +found, under the age of fifteen years, and the fairest young striplings +that men might get, of that same age. And all they were clothed +in cloths of gold, full richly. And he said that those were angels.</p> +<p>And he had also let make three wells, fair and noble and all environed +with stone of jasper, of crystal, diapered with gold, and set with precious +stones and great orient pearls. And he had made a conduit under +earth, so that the three wells, at his list, one should run milk, another +wine and another honey. And that place he clept Paradise.</p> +<p>And when that any good knight, that was hardy and noble, came to +see this royalty, he would lead him into his paradise, and show him +these wonderful things to his disport, and the marvellous and delicious +song of diverse birds, and the fair damsels, and the fair wells of milk, +of wine and of honey, plenteously running. And he would let make +divers instruments of music to sound in an high tower, so merrily, that +it was joy for to hear; and no man should see the craft thereof. +And those, he said, were angels of God, and that place was Paradise, +that God had behight to his friends, saying, <i>Dabo vobis terram</i> +<i>fluentem lacte et melle</i>. And then would he make them to +drink of certain drink, whereof anon they should be drunk. And +then would them think greater delight than they had before. And +then would he say to them, that if they would die for him and for his +love, that after their death they should come to his paradise; and they +should be of the age of those damosels, and they should play with them, +and yet be maidens. And after that yet should he put them in a +fairer paradise, where that they should see God of nature visibly, in +his majesty and in his bliss. And then would he shew them his +intent, and say them, that if they would go slay such a lord, or such +a man that was his enemy or contrarious to his list, that they should +not dread to do it and for to be slain therefore themselves. For +after their death, he would put them into another paradise, that was +an hundred-fold fairer than any of the tother; and there should they +dwell with the most fairest damosels that might be, and play with them +ever-more.</p> +<p>And thus went many diverse lusty bachelors for to slay great lords +in diverse countries, that were his enemies, and made themselves to +be slain, in hope to have that paradise. And thus, often-time, +he was revenged of his enemies by his subtle deceits and false cautels.</p> +<p>And when the worthy men of the country had perceived this subtle +falsehood of this Gatholonabes, they assembled them with force, and +assailed his castle, and slew him, and destroyed all the fair places +and all the nobilities of that paradise. The place of the wells +and of the walls and of many other things be yet apertly seen, but the +riches is voided clean. And it is not long gone, since that place +was destroyed.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Devil’s Head in the Valley Perilous. And of +the Customs of Folk in diverse Isles that be about in the Lordship of +Prester John</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Beside that Isle of Mistorak upon the left side nigh to the river +of Pison is a marvellous thing. There is a vale between the mountains, +that dureth nigh a four mile. And some men clepe it the Vale Enchanted, +some clepe it the Vale of Devils, and some clepe it the Vale Perilous. +In that vale hear men often-time great tempests and thunders, and great +murmurs and noises, all days and nights, and great noise, as it were +sound of tabors and of nakers and of trumps, as though it were of a +great feast. This vale is all full of devils, and hath been always. +And men say there, that it is one of the entries of hell. In that +vale is great plenty of gold and silver. Wherefore many misbelieving +men, and many Christian men also, go in oftentime for to have of the +treasure that there is; but few come again, and namely of the misbelieving +men, ne of the Christian men neither, for anon they be strangled of +devils.</p> +<p>And in mid place of that vale, under a rock, is an head and the visage +of a devil bodily, full horrible and dreadful to see, and it sheweth +not but the head, to the shoulders. But there is no man in the +world so hardy, Christian man ne other, but that he would be adread +to behold it, and that it would seem him to die for dread, so is it +hideous for to behold. For he beholdeth every man so sharply with +dreadful eyen, that be evermore moving and sparkling as fire, and changeth +and stirreth so often in diverse manner, with so horrible countenance, +that no man dare not neighen towards him. And from him cometh +out smoke and stinking fire and so much abomination, that unnethe no +man may there endure.</p> +<p>But the good Christian men, that be stable in the faith, enter well +without peril. For they will first shrive them and mark them with +the token of the holy cross, so that the fiends ne have no power over +them. But albeit that they be without peril, yet, natheles, ne +be they not without dread, when that they see the devils visibly and +bodily all about them, that make full many diverse assaults and menaces, +in air and in earth, and aghast them with strokes of thunder-blasts +and of tempests. And the most dread is, that God will take vengeance +then of that that men have misdone against his will.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that when my fellows and I were in that +vale, we were in great thought, whether that we durst put our bodies +in adventure, to go in or not, in the protection of God. And some +of our fellows accorded to enter, and some not. So there were +with us two worthy men, friars minors, that were of Lombardy, that said, +that if any man would enter they would go in with us. And when +they had said so, upon the gracious trust of God and of them, we let +sing mass, and made every man to be shriven and houseled. And +then we entered fourteen persons; but at our going out we were but nine. +And so we wist never, whether that our fellows were lost, or else turned +again for dread. But we saw them never after; and those were two +men of Greece, and three of Spain. And our other fellows that +would not go in with us, they went by another coast to be before us; +and so they were.</p> +<p>And thus we passed that perilous vale, and found therein gold and +silver, and precious stones and rich jewels, great plenty, both here +and there, as us seemed. But whether that it was, as us seemed, +I wot never. For I touched none, because that the devils be so +subtle to make a thing to seem otherwise than it is, for to deceive +mankind. And therefore I touched none, and also because that I +would not be put out of my devotion; for I was more devout then, than +ever I was before or after, and all for the dread of fiends that I saw +in diverse figures, and also for the great multitude of dead bodies, +that I saw there lying by the way, by all the vale, as though there +had been a battle between two kings, and the mightiest of the country, +and that the greater part had been discomfited and slain. And +I trow, that unnethe should any country have so much people within him, +as lay slain in that vale as us thought, the which was an hideous sight +to see. And I marvelled much, that there were so many, and the +bodies all whole without rotting. But I trow, that fiends made +them seem to be so whole without rotting. But that might not be +to mine advice that so many should have entered so newly, ne so many +newly slain, with out stinking and rotting. And many of them were +in habit of Christian men, but I trow well, that it were of such that +went in for covetise of the treasure that was there, and had overmuch +feebleness in the faith; so that their hearts ne might not endure in +the belief for dread. And therefore were we the more devout a +great deal. And yet we were cast down, and beaten down many times +to the hard earth by winds and thunders and tempests. But evermore +God of his grace holp us. And so we passed that perilous vale +without peril and without encumbrance, thanked be Almighty God.</p> +<p>After this, beyond the vale, is a great isle, where the folk be great +giants of twenty-eight foot long, or of thirty foot long. And +they have no clothing but of skins of beasts that they hang upon them. +And they eat no bread, but all raw flesh; and they drink milk of beasts, +for they have plenty of all bestial. And they have no houses to +lie in. And they eat more gladly man’s flesh than any other +flesh. Into that isle dare no man gladly enter. And if they +see a ship and men therein, anon they enter into the sea for to take +them.</p> +<p>And men said us, that in an isle beyond that were giants of greater +stature, some of forty-five foot, or of fifty foot long, and, as some +men say, some of fifty cubits long. But I saw none of those, for +I had no lust to go to those parts, because that no man cometh neither +into that isle ne into the other, but if he be devoured anon. +And among those giants be sheep as great as oxen here, and they bear +great wool and rough. Of the sheep I have seen many times. +And men have seen, many times, those giants take men in the sea out +of their ships, and brought them to land, two in one hand and two in +another, eating them going, all raw and all quick.</p> +<p>Another isle is there toward the north, in the sea Ocean, where that +be full cruel and full evil women of nature. And they have precious +stones in their eyen. And they be of that kind, that if they behold +any man with wrath, they slay him anon with the beholding, as doth the +basilisk.</p> +<p>Another isle is there, full fair and good and great, and full of +people, where the custom is such, that the first night that they be +married, they make another man to lie by their wives for to have their +maidenhead: and therefore they take great hire and great thank. +And there be certain men in every town that serve of none other thing; +and they clepe them cadeberiz, that is to say, the fools of wanhope. +For they of the country hold it so great a thing and so perilous for +to have the maidenhead of a woman, that them seemeth that they that +have first the maidenhead putteth him in adventure of his life. +And if the husband find his wife maiden that other next night after +that she should have been lain by of the man that is assigned therefore, +peradventure for drunkenness or for some other cause, the husband shall +plain upon him that he hath not done his devoir, in such cruel wise +as though the officers would have slain him. But after the first +night that they be lain by, they keep them so straitly that they be +not so hardy to speak with no man. And I asked them the cause +why that they held such custom: and they said me, that of old time men +had been dead for deflowering of maidens, that had serpents in their +bodies that stung men upon their yards, that they died anon: and therefore +they held that customs to make other men ordained therefore to lie by +their wives, for dread of death, and to assay the passage by another +[rather] than for to put them in that adventure.</p> +<p>After that is another isle where that women make great sorrow when +their children be y-born. And when they die, they make great feast +and great joy and revel, and then they cast them into a great fire burning. +And those that love well their husbands, if their husbands be dead, +they cast them also in the fire with their children, and burn them. +And they say that the fire shall cleanse them of all filths and of all +vices, and they shall go pured and clean into another world to their +husbands, and they shall lead their children with them. And the +cause why that they weep, when their children be born is this; for when +they come into this world, they come to labour, sorrow and heaviness. +And why they make joy and gladness at their dying is because that, as +they say, then they go to Paradise where the rivers run milk and honey, +where that men see them in joy and in abundance of goods, without sorrow +and labour.</p> +<p>In that isle men make their king evermore by election, and they ne +choose him not for no noblesse nor for no riches, but such one as is +of good manners and of good conditions, and therewithal rightfull, and +also that he be of great age, and that he have no children. In +that isle men be full rightfull and they do rightfull judgments in every +cause both of rich and poor, small and great, after the quantity of +the trespass that is mis-done. And the king may not doom no man +to death without assent of his barons and other men wise of counsel, +and that all the court accord thereto. And if the king himself +do any homicide or any crime, as to slay a man, or any such case, he +shall die there for. But he shall not be slain as another man; +but men shall defend, in pain of death, that no man be so hardy to make +him company ne to speak with him, ne that no man give him, ne sell him, +ne serve him, neither of meat ne of drink; and so shall he die in mischief. +They spare no man that hath trespassed, neither for love, ne for favour +ne for riches, ne for noblesse; but that he shall have after that he +hath done.</p> +<p>Beyond that isle is another isle, where is great multitude of folk. +And they will not, for no thing, eat flesh of hares, ne of hens, ne +of geese; and yet they bring forth enough, for to see them and to behold +them only; but they eat flesh of all other beasts, and drink milk. +In that country they take their daughters and their sisters to their +wives, and their other kinswomen. And if there be ten men or twelve +men or more dwelling in an house, the wife of everych of them shall +be common to them all that dwell in that house; so that every man may +lie with whom he will of them on one night, and with another, another +night. And if she have any child, she may give it to what man +that she list, that hath companied with her, so that no man knoweth +there whether the child be his or another’s. And if any +man say to them, that they nourish other men’s children, they +answer that so do over men theirs.</p> +<p>In that country and by all Ind be great plenty of cockodrills, that +is a manner of a long serpent, as I have said before. And in the +night they dwell in the water, and on the day upon the land, in rocks +and in caves. And they eat no meat in all the winter, but they +lie as in a dream, as do the serpents. These serpents slay men, +and they eat them weeping; and when they eat they move the over jaw, +and not the nether jaw, and they have no tongue.</p> +<p>In that country and in many other beyond that, and also in many on +this half, men put in work the seed of cotton, and they sow it every +year. And then groweth it in small trees, that bear cotton. +And so do men every year, so that there is plenty of cotton at all times. +Item; in this isle and in many other, there is a manner of wood, hard +and strong. Whoso covereth the coals of that wood under the ashes +thereof, the coals will dwell and abide all quick, a year or more. +And that tree hath many leaves, as the juniper hath. And there +be also many trees, that of nature they will never burn, ne rot in no +manner. And there be nut trees, that bear nuts as great as a man’s +head.</p> +<p>There also be many beasts, that be clept orafles. In Arabia, +they be clept gerfaunts. That is a beast, pomely or spotted, that +is but a little more high than is a steed, but he hath the neck a twenty +cubits long; and his croup and his tail is as of an hart; and he may +look over a great high house. And there be also in that country +many camles; that is a little beast as a goat, that is wild, and he +liveth by the air and eateth nought, ne drinketh nought, at no time. +And he changeth his colour often-time, for men see him often sithes, +now in one colour and now in another colour; and he may change him into +all manner colours that him list, save only into red and white. +There be also in that country passing great serpents, some of six score +foot long, and they be of diverse colours, as rayed, red, green, and +yellow, blue and black, and all speckled. And there be others +that have crests upon their heads, and they go upon their feet, upright, +and they be well a four fathom great, or more, and they dwell always +in rocks or in mountains, and they have alway the throat open, of whence +they drop venom always. And there be also wild swine of many colours, +as great as be oxen in our country, and they be all spotted, as be young +fawns. And there be also urchins, as great as wild swine here; +we clepe them Porcz de Spine. And there be lions all white, great +and mighty. And there be also of other beasts, as great and more +greater than is a destrier, and men clepe them Loerancs; and some men +clepe them odenthos; and they have a black head and three long horns +trenchant in the front, sharp as a sword, and the body is slender; and +he is a full felonious beast, and he chaseth and slayeth the elephant. +There be also many other beasts, full wicked and cruel, that be not +mickle more than a bear, and they have the head like a boar, and they +have six feet, and on every foot two large claws, trenchant; and the +body is like a bear, and the tail as a lion. And there be also +mice as great as hounds, and yellow mice as great as ravens. And +there be geese, all red, three sithes more great than ours here, and +they have the head, the neck and the breast all black.</p> +<p>And many other diverse beasts be in those countries, and elsewhere +there-about, and many diverse birds also, of the which it were too long +for to tell you. And therefore, I pass over at this time.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the goodness of the folk of the Isle of Bragman. Of King +Alexander. And wherefore the Emperor of Ind is clept Prester John</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>And beyond that isle is another isle, great and good and plenteous, +where that be good folk and true, and of good living after their belief +and of good faith. And albeit that they be not christened, ne +have no perfect law, yet, natheles, of kindly law they be full of all +virtue, and they eschew all vices and all malices and all sins. +For they be not proud, ne covetous, ne envious, ne wrathful, ne gluttons, +ne lecherous. Ne they do to any man otherwise than they would +that other men did to them, and in this point they fulfil the ten commandments +of God, and give no charge of avoir, ne of riches. And they lie +not, ne they swear not for none occasion, but they say simply, yea and +nay; for they say, he that sweareth will deceive his neighbour, and +therefore, all that they do, they do it without oath.</p> +<p>And men clepe that isle the Isle of Bragman, and some men clepe it +the Land of Faith. And through that land runneth a great river +that is clept Thebe. And, in general, all the men of those isles +and of all the marches thereabout be more true than in any other countries +thereabout, and more rightfull than others in all things. In that +isle, is no thief, ne murderer, ne common woman, ne poor beggar, ne +never was man slain in that country. And they be so chaste, and +lead so good life, as that they were religious men, and they fast all +days. And because they be so true and so rightfull, and so full +of all good conditions, they were never grieved with tempests, ne with +thunder, ne with light, ne with hail, ne with pestilence, ne with war, +ne with hunger, ne with none other tribulation, as we be, many times, +amongst us, for our sins. Wherefore, it seemeth well, that God +loveth them and is pleased with their creaunce for their good deeds. +They believe well in God, that made all things, and him they worship. +And they prize none earthly riches; and so they be all rightfull. +And they live full ordinately, and so soberly in meat and drink, that +they live right long. And the most part of them die without sickness, +when nature faileth them, for eld.</p> +<p>And it befell in King Alexander’s time, that he purposed him +to conquer that isle and to make them to hold of him. And when +they of the country heard it, they sent messengers to him with letters, +that said thus; What may be enough to that man to whom all the world +is insufficient? Thou shalt find nothing in us, that may cause +thee to war against us. For we have no riches, ne none we covet, +and all the goods of our country be in common. Our meat, that +we sustain withal our bodies, is our riches. And, instead of treasure +of gold and silver, we make our treasure of accord and peace, and for +to love every man other. And for to apparel with our bodies we +use a silly little clout for to wrap in our carrion. Our wives +ne be not arrayed for to make no man pleasance, but only convenable +array for to eschew folly. When men pain them to array the body +for to make it seem fairer than God made it, they do great sin. +For man should not devise ne ask greater beauty, than God hath ordained +man to be at his birth. The earth ministereth to us two things, +- our livelihood, that cometh of the earth that we live by, and our +sepulture after our death. We have been in perpetual peace till +now, that thou come to disinherit us. And also we have a king, +not only for to do justice to every man, for he shall find no forfeit +among us; but for to keep noblesse, and for to shew that we be obeissant, +we have a king. For justice ne hath not among us no place, for +we do to no man otherwise than we desire that men do to us. So +that righteousness ne vengeance have nought to do among us. So +that nothing thou may take from us, but our good peace, that always +hath dured among us.</p> +<p>And when King Alexander had read these letters, he thought that he +should do great sin, for to trouble them. And then he sent them +sureties, that they should not be afeard of him, and that they should +keep their good manners and their good peace, as they had used before, +of custom. And so he let them alone.</p> +<p>Another isle there is, that men clepe Oxidrate, and another isle, +that men clepe Gynosophe, where there is also good folk, and full of +good faith. And they hold, for the most part, the good conditions +and customs and good manners, as men of the country abovesaid; but they +go all naked.</p> +<p>Into that isle entered King Alexander, to see the manner. And +when he saw their great faith, and their truth that was amongst them, +he said that he would not grieve them, and bade them ask of him what +that they would have of him, riches or anything else, and they should +have it, with good will. And they answered, that he was rich enough +that had meat and drink to sustain the body with, for the riches of +this world, that is transitory, is not worth; but if it were in his +power to make them immortal, thereof would they pray him, and thank +him. And Alexander answered them that it was not in his power +to do it, because he was mortal, as they were. And then they asked +him why he was so proud and so fierce, and so busy for to put all the +world under his subjection, right as thou were a God, and hast no term +of this life, neither day ne hour, and willest to have all the world +at thy commandment, that shall leave thee without fail, or thou leave +it. And right as it hath been to other men before thee, right +so it shall be to other after thee. And from hence shalt thou +bear nothing; but as thou were born naked, right so all naked shall +thy body be turned into earth that thou were made of. Wherefore +thou shouldest think and impress it in thy mind, that nothing is immortal, +but only God, that made the thing. By the which answer Alexander +was greatly astonished and abashed, and all confused and departed from +them.</p> +<p>And albeit that these folk have not the articles of our faith as +we have, natheles, for their good faith natural, and for their good +intent, I trow fully, that God loveth them, and that God take their +service to gree, right as he did of Job, that was a paynim, and held +him for his true servant. And therefore, albeit that there be +many diverse laws in the world, yet I trow, that God loveth always them +that love him, and serve him meekly in truth, and namely them that despise +the vain glory of this world, as this folk do and as Job did also.</p> +<p>And therefore said our Lord by the mouth of Hosea the prophet, <i>Ponam +eis multiplices leges meas</i>; and also in another place, <i>Qui totum +orbem subdit suis legibus</i>. And also our Lord saith in the +Gospel, <i>Alias oves habeo, que non sunt ex hoc ovili</i>, that is +to say, that he had other servants than those that be under Christian +law. And to that accordeth the avision that Saint Peter saw at +Jaffa, how the angel came from heaven, and brought before him diverse +beasts, as serpents and other creeping beasts of the earth, and of other +also, great plenty, and bade him take and eat. And Saint Peter +answered; I eat never, quoth he, of unclean beasts. And then said +the angel, <i>Non dicas</i> <i>immunda, que Deus mundavit</i>. +And that was in token that no man should have in despite none earthly +man for their diverse laws, for we know not whom God loveth, ne whom +God hateth. And for that example, when men say, <i>De profundis</i>, +they say it in common and in general, with the Christian, <i>Pro animabus +omnium defunctorum, pro quibus</i> <i>sit orandum.</i></p> +<p>And therefore say I of this folk, that be so true and so faithful, +that God loveth them. For he hath amongst them many of the prophets, +and alway hath had. And in those isles, they prophesied the Incarnation +of Lord Jesu Christ, how he should be born of a maiden, three thousand +year or more or our Lord was born of the Virgin Mary. And they +believe well it, the Incarnation, and that full perfectly, but they +know not the manner, how he suffered his passion and death for us.</p> +<p>And beyond these isles there is another isle that is clept Pytan. +The folk of that country ne till not, ne labour not the earth, for they +eat no manner thing. And they be of good colour and of fair shape, +after their greatness. But the small be as dwarfs, but not so +little as be the Pigmies. These men live by the smell of wild +apples. And when they go any far way, they bear the apples with +them; for if they had lost the savour of the apples, they should die +anon. They ne be not full reasonable, but they be simple and bestial.</p> +<p>After that is another isle, where the folk be all skinned rough hair, +as a rough beast, save only the face and the palm of the hand. +These folk go as well under the water of the sea, as they do above the +land all dry. And they eat both flesh and fish all raw. +In this isle is a great river that is well a two mile and an half of +breadth that is clept Beaumare.</p> +<p>And from that river a fifteen journeys in length, going by the deserts +of the tother side of the river - whoso might go it, for I was not there, +but it was told us of them of the country, that within those deserts +were the trees of the sun and of the moon, that spake to King Alexander, +and warned him of his death. And men say that the folk that keep +those trees, and eat of the fruit and of the balm that groweth there, +live well four hundred year or five hundred year, by virtue of the fruit +and of the balm. For men say that balm groweth there in great +plenty and nowhere else, save only at Babylon, as I have told you before. +We would have gone toward the trees full gladly if we had might. +But I trow that 100,000 men of arms might not pass those deserts safely, +for the great multitude of wild beasts and of great dragons and of great +serpents that there be, that slay and devour all that come anent them. +In that country be many white elephants without number, and of unicorns +and of lions of many manners, and many of such beasts that I have told +before, and of many other hideous beasts without number.</p> +<p>Many other isles there be in the land of Prester John, and many great +marvels, that were too long to tell all, both of his riches and of his +noblesse and of the great plenty also of precious stones that he hath. +I trow that ye know well enough, and have heard say, wherefore this +emperor is clept Prester John. But, natheles, for them that know +not, I shall say you the cause.</p> +<p>It was sometime an emperor there, that was a worthy and a full noble +prince, that had Christian knights in his company, as he hath that is +now. So it befell, that he had great list for to see the service +in the church among Christian men. And then dured Christendom +beyond the sea, all Turkey, Syria, Tartary, Jerusalem, Palestine, Arabia, +Aleppo and all the land of Egypt. And so it befell that this emperor +came with a Christian knight with him into a church in Egypt. +And it was the Saturday in Whitsun-week. And the bishop made orders. +And he beheld, and listened the service full tentively. And he +asked the Christian knight what men of degree they should be that the +prelate had before him. And the knight answered and said that +they should be priests. And then the emperor said that he would +no longer be clept king ne emperor, but priest, and that he would have +the name of the first priest that went out of the church, and his name +was John. And so ever-more sithens, he is clept Prester John.</p> +<p>In his land be many Christian men of good faith and of good law, +and namely of them of the same country, and have commonly their priests, +that sing the Mass, and make the sacrament of the altar, of bread, right +as the Greeks do; but they say not so many things at the Mass as men +do here. For they say not but only that that the apostles said, +as our Lord taught them, right as Saint Peter and Saint Thomas and the +other apostles sung the Mass, saying the <i>Pater Noster</i> and the +words of the sacrament. But we have many more additions that divers +popes have made, that they ne know not of.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Hills of Gold that Pismires keep. And of the four +Floods that come from Paradise Terrestrial</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Toward the east part of Prester John’s land is an isle good +and great, that men clepe Taprobane, that is full noble and full fructuous. +And the king thereof is full rich, and is under the obeissance of Prester +John. And always there they make their king by election. +In that isle be two summers and two winters, and men harvest the corn +twice a year. And in all the seasons of the year be the gardens +flourished. There dwell good folk and reasonable, and many Christian +men amongst them, that be so rich that they wit not what to do with +their goods. Of old time, when men passed from the land of Prester +John unto that isle, men made ordinance for to pass by ship, twenty-three +days, or more; but now men pass by ship in seven days. And men +may see the bottom of the sea in many places, for it is not full deep.</p> +<p>Beside that isle, toward the east, be two other isles. And +men clepe that one Orille, and that other Argyte, of the which all the +land is mine of gold and silver. And those isles be right where +that the Red Sea departeth from the sea ocean. And in those isles +men see there no stars so clearly as in other places. For there +appear no stars, but only one clear star that men clepe Canapos. +And there is not the moon seen in all the lunation, save only the second +quarter.</p> +<p>In the isle also of this Taprobane be great hills of gold, that pismires +keep full diligently. And they fine the pured gold, and cast away +the un-pured. And these pismires be great as hounds, so that no +man dare come to those hills for the pismires would assail them and +devour them anon. So that no man may get of that gold, but by +great sleight. And therefore when it is great heat, the pismires +rest them in the earth, from prime of the day into noon. And then +the folk of the country take camels, dromedaries, and horses and other +beasts, and go thither, and charge them in all haste that they may; +and after that, they flee away in all haste that the beasts may go, +or the pismires come out of the earth. And in other times, when +it is not so hot, and that the pismires ne rest them not in the earth, +then they get gold by this subtlety. They take mares that have +young colts or foals, and lay upon the mares void vessels made there-for; +and they be all open above, and hanging low to the earth. And +then they send forth those mares for to pasture about those hills, and +with-hold the foals with them at home. And when the pismires see +those vessels, they leap in anon: and they have this kind that they +let nothing be empty among them, but anon they fill it, be it what manner +of thing that it be; and so they fill those vessels with gold. +And when that the folk suppose that the vessels be full, they put forth +anon the young foals, and make them to neigh after their dams. +And then anon the mares return towards their foals with their charges +of gold. And then men discharges them, and get gold enough by +this subtlety. For the pismires will suffer beasts to go and pasture +amongst them, but no man in no wise.</p> +<p>And beyond the land and the isles and the deserts of Prester John’s +lordship, in going straight toward the east, men find nothing but mountains +and rocks, full great. And there is the dark region, where no +man may see, neither by day ne by night, as they of the country say. +And that desert and that place of darkness dure from this coast unto +Paradise terrestrial, where that Adam, our formest father, and Eve were +put, that dwelled there but little while: and that is towards the east +at the beginning of the earth. But that is not that east that +we clepe our east, on this half, where the sun riseth to us. For +when the sun is east in those parts towards Paradise terrestrial, it +is then midnight in our parts on this half, for the roundness of the +earth, of the which I have touched to you of before. For our Lord +God made the earth all round in the mid place of the firmament. +And there as mountains and hills be and valleys, that is not but only +of Noah’s flood, that wasted the soft ground and the tender, and +fell down into valleys, and the hard earth and the rocks abide mountains, +when the soft earth and tender waxed nesh through the water, and fell +and became valleys.</p> +<p>Of Paradise ne can I not speak properly. For I was not there. +It is far beyond. And that forthinketh me. And also I was +not worthy. But as I have heard say of wise men beyond, I shall +tell you with good will.</p> +<p>Paradise terrestrial, as wise men say, is the highest place of earth, +that is in all the world. And it is so high that it toucheth nigh +to the circle of the moon, there as the moon maketh her turn; for she +is so high that the flood of Noah ne might not come to her, that would +have covered all the earth of the world all about and above and beneath, +save Paradise only alone. And this Paradise is enclosed all about +with a wall, and men wit not whereof it is; for the walls be covered +all over with moss, as it seemeth. And it seemeth not that the +wall is stone of nature, ne of none other thing that the wall is. +And that wall stretcheth from the south to the north, and it hath not +but one entry that is closed with fire, burning; so that no man that +is mortal ne dare not enter.</p> +<p>And in the most high place of Paradise, even in the middle place, +is a well that casteth out the four floods that run by divers lands. +Of the which, the first is clept Pison, or Ganges, that is all one; +and it runneth throughout Ind or Emlak, in the which river be many precious +stones, and much of lignum aloes and much gravel of gold. And +that other river is clept Nilus or Gison, that goeth by Ethiopia and +after by Egypt. And that other is clept Tigris, that runneth by +Assyria and by Armenia the great. And that other is clept Euphrates, +that runneth also by Media and Armenia and by Persia. And men +there beyond say, that all the sweet waters of the world, above and +beneath, take their beginning of the well of Paradise, and out of that +well all waters come and go.</p> +<p>The first river is clept Pison, that is to say in their language +Assembly; for many other rivers meet them there, and go into that river. +And some men clepe it Ganges, for a king that was in Ind, that hight +Gangeres, and that it ran throughout his land. And that water +[is] in some place clear, and in some place troubled, in some place +hot, and in some place cold.</p> +<p>The second river is clept Nilus or Gison; for it is always trouble; +and Gison, in the language of Ethiopia, is to say, trouble, and in the +language of Egypt also.</p> +<p>The third river, that is dept Tigris, is as much for to say as, fast-running; +for he runneth more fast than any of the tother; and also there is a +beast, that is clept tigris, that is fast-running.</p> +<p>The fourth river is clept Euphrates, that is to say, well-bearing; +for there grow many goods upon that river, as corns, fruits and other +goods enough plenty.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that no man that is mortal ne may not approach +to that Paradise. For by land no man may go for wild beasts that +be in the deserts, and for the high mountains and great huge rocks that +no man may pass by, for the dark places that be there, and that many. +And by the rivers may no man go. For the water runneth so rudely +and so sharply, because that it cometh down so outrageously from the +high places above, that it runneth in so great waves, that no ship may +not row ne sail against it. And the water roareth so, and maketh +so huge noise and so great tempest, that no man may hear other in the +ship, though he cried with all the craft that he could in the highest +voice that he might. Many great lords have assayed with great +will, many times, for to pass by those rivers towards Paradise, with +full great companies. But they might not speed in their voyage. +And many died for weariness of rowing against those strong waves. +And many of them became blind, and many deaf, for the noise of the water. +And some were perished and lost within the waves. So that no mortal +man may approach to that place, without special grace of God, so that +of that place I can say you no more; and therefore, I shall hold me +still, and return to that, that I have seen.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Customs of Kings and other that dwell in the Isles coasting +to Prester John’s Land. And of the Worship that the Son +doth to the Father when he is dead</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From those isles that I have spoken of before, in the Land of Prester +John, that be under earth as to us that be on this half, and of other +isles that be more further beyond, whoso will, pursue them for to come +again right to the parts that he came from, and so environ all earth. +But what for the isles, what for the sea, and what for strong rowing, +few folk assay for to pass that passage; albeit that men might do it +well, that might be of power to dress them thereto, as I have said you +before. And therefore men return from those isles abovesaid by +other isles, coasting from the land of Prester John.</p> +<p>And then come men in returning to an isle that is clept Casson. +And that isle hath well sixty journeys in length, and more than fifty +in breadth. This is the best isle and the best kingdom that is +in all those parts, out-taken Cathay. And if the merchants used +as much that country as they do Cathay, it would be better than Cathay +in a short while. This country is full well inhabited, and so +full of cities and of good towns inhabited with people, that when a +man goeth out of one city, men see another city even before them; and +that is what part that a man go, in all that country. In that +isle is great plenty of all goods for to live with, and of all manner +of spices. And there be great forests of chestnuts. The +king of that isle is full rich and full mighty, and, natheles, he holds +his land of the great Chan, and is obeissant to him. For it is +one of the twelve provinces that the great Chan hath under him without +his proper land, and without other less isles that he hath; for he hath +full many.</p> +<p>From that kingdom come men, in returning, to another isle that is +clept Rybothe, and it is also under the great Chan. That is a +full good country, and full plenteous of all goods and of wines and +fruit and all other riches. And the folk of that country have +no houses, but they dwell and lie all under tents made of black fern, +by all the country. And the principal city and the most royal +is all walled with black stone and white. And all the streets +also be pathed of the same stones. In that city is no man so hardy +to shed blood of any man, ne of no beast, for the reverence of an idol +that is worshipped there. And in that isle dwelleth the pope of +their law, that they clepe Lobassy. This Lobassy giveth all the +benefices, and all other dignities and all other things that belong +to the idol. And all those that hold anything of their churches, +religious and other, obey to him, as men do here to the Pope of Rome.</p> +<p>In that isle they have a custom by all the country, that when the +father is dead of any man, and the son list to do great worship to his +father, he sendeth to all his friends and to all his kin, and for religious +men and priests, and for minstrels also, great plenty. And then +men bear the dead body unto a great hill with great joy and solemnity. +And when they have brought it thither, the chief prelate smiteth off +the head, and layeth it upon a great platter of gold and of silver, +if so [he] be a rich man. And then he taketh the head to the son. +And then the son and his other kin sing and say many orisons. +And then the priests and the religious men smite all the body of the +dead man in pieces. And then they say certain orisons. And +the fowls of ravine of all the country about know the custom of long +time before, [and] come flying above in the air; as eagles, gledes, +ravens and other fowls of ravine, that eat flesh. And then the +priests cast the gobbets of the flesh and then the fowls, each of them, +taketh that he may, and goeth a little thence and eateth it; and so +they do whilst any piece lasteth of the dead body.</p> +<p>And after that, as priests amongst us sing for the dead, <i>Subvenite +Sancti Dei, etc</i>., right so the priests sing with high voice in their +language; Behold how so worthy a man and how good a man this was, that +the angels of God come for to seek him and for to bring him into Paradise. +And then seemeth it to the son, that he is highly worshipped, when that +many birds and fowls and ravens come and eat his father; and he that +hath most number of fowls is most worshipped.</p> +<p>And then the son bringeth home with him all his kin, and his friends, +and all the others to his house, and maketh them a great feast. +And then all his friends make their vaunt and their dalliance, how the +fowls came thither, here five, here six, here ten, and there twenty, +and so forth; and they rejoice them hugely for to speak thereof. +And when they be at meat, the son let bring forth the head of his father, +and thereof he giveth of the flesh to his most special friends, instead +of <i>entre messe</i>, or a <i>sukkarke</i>. And of the brain +pan, he letteth make a cup, and thereof drinketh he and his other friends +also, with great devotion, in remembrance of the holy man, that the +angels of God have eaten. And that cup the son shall keep to drink +of all his life-time, in remembrance of his father.</p> +<p>From that land, in returning by ten journeys throughout the land +of the great Chan, is another good isle and a great kingdom, where the +king is full rich and mighty.</p> +<p>And amongst the rich men of his country is a passing rich man, that +is no prince, ne duke, ne earl, but he hath more that hold of him lands +and other lordships, for he is more rich. For he hath, every year, +of annual rent 300,000 horses charged with corn of diverse grains and +of rice. And so he leadeth a full noble life and a delicate, after +the custom of the country. For he hath, every day, fifty fair +damosels, all maidens, that serve him evermore at his meat, and for +to lie by him o’ night, and for to do with them that is to his +pleasance. And when he is at table, they bring him his meat at +every time, five and five together; and in bringing their service they +sing a song. And after that, they cut his meat, and put it in +his mouth; for he toucheth nothing, ne handleth nought, but holdeth +evermore his hands before him upon the table. For he hath so long +nails, that he may take nothing, ne handle nothing. For the noblesse +of that country is to have long nails, and to make them grow always +to be as long as men may. And there be many in that country, that +have their nails so long, that they environ all the hand. And +that is a great noblesse. And the noblesse of the women is for +to have small feet and little. And therefore anon as they be born, +they let bind their feet so strait, that they may not grow half as nature +would. And this is the noblesse of the women there to have small +feet and little. And always these damosels, that I spake of before, +sing all the time that this rich man eateth. And when that he +eateth no more of his first course, then other five and five of fair +damsels bring him his second course, always singing as they did before. +And so they do continually every day to the end of his meat. And +in this manner he leadeth his life. And so did they before him, +that were his ancestors. And so shall they that come after him, +without doing of any deeds of arms, but live evermore thus in ease, +as a. swine that is fed in sty for to be made fat. He hath a full +fair palace and full rich, where that he dwelleth in, of the which the +walls be, in circuit, two mile. And he hath within many fair gardens, +and many fair halls and chambers; and the pavement of his halls and +chambers be of gold and silver. And in the mid place of one of +his gardens is a little mountain, where there is a little meadow. +And in that meadow is a little toothill with towers and pinnacles, all +of gold. And in that little toothill will he sit often-time, for +to take the air and to disport him. For the place is made for +nothing else, but only for his disport.</p> +<p>From that country men come by the land of the great Chan also, that +I have spoken of before.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that of all these countries, and of all +these isles, and of all the diverse folk, that I have spoken of before, +and of diverse laws, and of diverse beliefs that they have, yet is there +none of them all but that they have some reason within them and understanding, +but if it be the fewer, and that have certain articles of our faith +and some good points of our belief, and that they believe in God, that +formed all things and made the world, and clepe him God of Nature; after +that the prophet saith, <i>Et metuent eum omnes fines terrae</i>, and +also in another place, <i>Omnes gentes servient ei</i>, that is to say, +‘All folk shall serve him.’</p> +<p>But yet they cannot speak perfectly (for there is no man to teach +them), but only that they can devise by their natural wit. For +they have no knowledge of the Son, ne of the Holy Ghost. But they +can all speak of the Bible, and namely of Genesis, of the prophet’s +saws and of the books of Moses. And they say well, that the creatures +that they worship ne be no gods; but they worship them for the virtue +that is in them, that may not be but only by the grace of God. +And of simulacres and of idols, they say, that there be no folk, but +that they have simulacres. And that they say, for we Christian +men have images, as of our Lady and of other saints that we worship; +not the images of tree or of stone, but the saints, in whose name they +be made after. For right as the books and the scripture of them +teach the clerks how and in what manner they shall believe, right so +the images and the paintings teach the lewd folk to worship the saints +and to have them in their mind, in whose names that the images be made +after. They say also, that the angels of God speak to them in +those idols, and that they do many great miracles. And they say +sooth, that there is an angel within them. For there be two manner +of angels, a good and an evil, as the Greeks say, Cacho and Calo. +This Cacho is the wicked angel, and Calo is the good angel. But +the tother is not the good angel, but the wicked angel that is within +the idols to deceive them and for to maintain them in their error.</p> +<p>There be many other divers countries and many other marvels beyond, +that I have not seen. Wherefore, of them I cannot speak properly +to tell you the manner of them. And also in the countries where +I have been, be many more diversities of many wonderful things than +I make mention of; for it were too long thing to devise you the manner. +And therefore, that that I have devised you of certain countries, that +I have spoken of before, I beseech your worthy and excellent noblesse, +that it suffice to you at this time. For if that I devised you +all that is beyond the sea, another man, peradventure, that would pain +him and travail his body for to go into those marches for to ensearch +those countries, might be blamed by my words in rehearsing many strange +things; for he might not say nothing of new, in the which the hearers +might have either solace, or disport, or lust, or liking in the hearing. +For men say always, that new things and new tidings be pleasant to hear. +Wherefore I will hold me still, without any more rehearsing of diversities +or of marvels that be beyond, to that intent and end, that whoso will +go into those countries, he shall find enough to speak of, that I have +not touched of in no wise.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, if it like you, that at mine home-coming, +I came to Rome, and shewed my life to our holy father the pope, and +was assoiled of all that lay in my conscience, of many a diverse grievous +point; as men must needs that be in company, dwelling amongst so many +a diverse folk of diverse sect and of belief, as I have been.</p> +<p>And amongst all I shewed him this treatise, that I had made after +information of men that knew of things that I had not seen myself, and +also of marvels and customs that I had seen myself, as far as God would +give me grace; and besought his holy fatherhood, that my book might +be examined and corrected by advice of his wise and discreet council. +And our holy father, of his special grace, remitted my book to be examined +and proved by the advice of his said counsel. By the which my +book was proved for true, insomuch, that they shewed me a book, that +my book was examined by, that comprehended full much more, by an hundred +part, by the which the <i>Mappa Mundi</i> was made after. And +so my book (albeit that many men ne list not to give credence to nothing, +but to that that they see with their eye, ne be the author ne the person +never so true) is affirmed and proved by our holy father, in manner +and form as I have said.</p> +<p>And I, John Mandevile, knight, abovesaid (although I be unworthy), +that departed from our countries and passed the sea, the year of grace +a thousand three hundred and twenty two, that have passed many lands +and many isles and countries, and searched many full strange places, +and have been in many a full good honourable company, and at many a +fair deed of arms (albeit that I did none myself, for mine unable insuffisance), +now I am come home, maugre myself, to rest, for gouts artetykes that +me distrain, that define the end of my labour; against my will (God +knoweth).</p> +<p>And thus, taking solace in my wretched rest, recording the time passed, +I have fulfilled these things, and put them written in this book, as +it would come into my mind, the year of grace a thousand three hundred +and fifty six, in the thirty-fourth year, that I departed from our countries.</p> +<p>Wherefore, I pray to all the readers and hearers of this book, if +it please them, that they would pray to God for me; and I shall pray +for them. And all those that say for me a <i>Pater Noster</i>, +with an <i>Ave Maria</i>, that God forgive me my sins, I make them partners, +and grant them part of all the good pilgrimages and of all the good +deeds that I have done, if any be to his pleasance; and not only of +those, but of all that ever I shall do unto my life’s end. +And I beseech Almighty God, from whom all goodness and grace cometh +from, that he vouchsafe of his excellent mercy and abundant grace, to +fulfil their souls with inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in making defence +of all their ghostly enemies here in earth, to their salvation both +of body and soul; to worship and thanking of him, that is three and +one, without beginning and without ending; that is without quality, +good, without quantity, great; that in all places is present, and all +things containing; the which that no goodness may amend, ne none evil +impair; that in perfect Trinity liveth and reigneth God, by all worlds, +and by all times!</p> +<p><i>Amen</i>! <i>Amen</i>! <i>Amen</i>!</p> +<p>[HERE ENDETH THE BOOK OF JOHN MANDEVILLE.]</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<p>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE ***</p> +<pre> + +******This file should be named tosjm10h.htm or tosjm10h.zip****** +Corrected EDITIONS of our EBooks get a new NUMBER, tosjm11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, tosjm10ah.htm + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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