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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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