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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +The Travels of Sir John Mandeville +Scanned and proofed by David Price +ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + + +THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE + + + + +THE PROLOGUE + + + +FOR as much as the land beyond the sea, that is to say the Holy +Land, that men call the Land of Promission or of Behest, passing +all other lands, is the most worthy land, most excellent, and lady +and sovereign of all other lands, and is blessed and hallowed of +the precious body and blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; in the which +land it liked him to take flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, to +environ that holy land with his blessed feet; and there he would of +his blessedness enombre him in the said blessed and glorious Virgin +Mary, and become man, and work many miracles, and preach and teach +the faith and the law of Christian men unto his children; and there +it liked him to suffer many reprovings and scorns for us; and he +that was king of heaven, of air, of earth, of sea and of all things +that be contained in them, would all only be clept king of that +land, when he said, REX SUM JUDEORUM, that is to say, 'I am King of +Jews'; and that land he chose before all other lands, as the best +and most worthy land, and the most virtuous land of all the world: +for it is the heart and the midst of all the world, witnessing the +philosopher, that saith thus, VIRTUS RERUM IN MEDIO CONSISTIT, that +is to say, 'The virtue of things is in the midst'; and in that land +he would lead his life, and suffer passion and death of Jews, for +us, to buy and to deliver us from pains of hell, and from death +without end; the which was ordained for us, for the sin of our +forme-father Adam, and for our own sins also; for as for himself, +he had no evil deserved: for he thought never evil ne did evil: +and he that was king of glory and of joy, might best in that place +suffer death; because he chose in that land rather than in any +other, there to suffer his passion and his death. For he that will +publish anything to make it openly known, he will make it to be +cried and pronounced in the middle place of a town; so that the +thing that is proclaimed and pronounced, may evenly stretch to all +parts: right so, he that was former of all the world, would suffer +for us at Jerusalem, that is the midst of the world; to that end +and intent, that his passion and his death, that was published +there, might be known evenly to all parts of the world. + +See now, how dear he bought man, that he made after his own image, +and how dear he again-bought us, for the great love that he had to +us, and we never deserved it to him. For more precious chattel ne +greater ransom ne might he put for us, than his blessed body, his +precious blood, and his holy life, that he thralled for us; and all +he offered for us that never did sin. + +Ah dear God! What love had he to us his subjects, when he that +never trespassed, would for trespassers suffer death! Right well +ought us for to love and worship, to dread and serve such a Lord; +and to worship and praise such an holy land, that brought forth +such fruit, through the which every man is saved, but it be his own +default. Well may that land be called delectable and a fructuous +land, that was be-bled and moisted with the precious blood of our +Lord Jesu Christ; the which is the same land that our Lord behight +us in heritage. And in that land he would die, as seised, to leave +it to us, his children. + +Wherefore every good Christian man, that is of power, and hath +whereof, should pain him with all his strength for to conquer our +right heritage, and chase out all the misbelieving men. For we be +clept Christian men, after Christ our Father. And if we be right +children of Christ, we ought for to challenge the heritage, that +our Father left us, and do it out of heathen men's hands. But now +pride, covetise, and envy have so inflamed the hearts of lords of +the world, that they are more busy for to dis-herit their +neighbours, more than for to challenge or to conquer their right +heritage before-said. And the common people, that would put their +bodies and their chattels, to conquer our heritage, they may not do +it without the lords. For a sembly of people without a chieftain, +or a chief lord, is as a flock of sheep without a shepherd; the +which departeth and disperpleth and wit never whither to go. But +would God, that the temporal lords and all worldly lords were at +good accord, and with the common people would take this holy voyage +over the sea! Then I trow well, that within a little time, our +right heritage before-said should be reconciled and put in the +hands of the right heirs of Jesu Christ. + +And, for as much as it is long time passed, that there was no +general passage ne voyage over the sea; and many men desire for to +hear speak of the Holy Land, and have thereof great solace and +comfort; I, John Mandeville, Knight, albeit I be not worthy, that +was born in England, in the town of St. Albans, and passed the sea +in the year of our Lord Jesu Christ, 1322, in the day of St. +Michael; and hitherto been long time over the sea, and have seen +and gone through many diverse lands, and many provinces and +kingdoms and isles and have passed throughout Turkey, Armenia the +little and the great; through Tartary, Persia, Syria, Arabia, Egypt +the high and the low; through Lybia, Chaldea, and a great part of +Ethiopia; through Amazonia, Ind the less and the more, a great +part; and throughout many other Isles, that be about Ind; where +dwell many diverse folks, and of diverse manners and laws, and of +diverse shapes of men. Of which lands and isles I shall speak more +plainly hereafter; and I shall devise you of some part of things +that there be, when time shall be, after it may best come to my +mind; and specially for them, that will and are in purpose for to +visit the Holy City of Jerusalem and the holy places that are +thereabout. And I shall tell the way that they shall hold thither. +For I have often times passed and ridden that way, with good +company of many lords. God be thanked! + +And ye shall understand, that I have put this book out of Latin +into French, and translated it again out of French into English, +that every man of my nation may understand it. But lords and +knights and other noble and worthy men that con Latin but little, +and have been beyond the sea, know and understand, if I say truth +or no, and if I err in devising, for forgetting or else, that they +may redress it and amend it. For things passed out of long time +from a man's mind or from his sight, turn soon into forgetting; +because that mind of man ne may not be comprehended ne withholden, +for the frailty of mankind. + + + +CHAPTER I + + + +TO TEACH YOU THE WAY OUT OF ENGLAND TO CONSTANTINOPLE + + +IN the name of God, Glorious and Almighty! + +He that will pass over the sea and come to land [to go to the city +of Jerusalem, he may wend many ways, both on sea and land], after +the country that he cometh from; [for] many of them come to one +end. But troweth not that I will tell you all the towns, and +cities and castles that men shall go by; for then should I make too +long a tale; but all only some countries and most principal steads +that men shall go through to go the right way. + +First, if a man come from the west side of the world, as England, +Ireland, Wales, Scotland, or Norway, he may, if that he will, go +through Almayne and through the kingdom of Hungary, that marcheth +to the land of Polayne, and to the land of Pannonia, and so to +Silesia. + +And the King of Hungary is a great lord and a mighty, and holdeth +great lordships and much land in his hand. For he holdeth the +kingdom of Hungary, Sclavonia, and of Comania a great part, and of +Bulgaria that men call the land of Bougiers, and of the realm of +Russia a great part, whereof he hath made a duchy, that lasteth +unto the land of Nyfland, and marcheth to Prussia. And men go +through the land of this lord, through a city that is clept Cypron, +and by the castle of Neasburghe, and by the evil town, that sit +toward the end of Hungary. And there pass men the river of Danube. +This river of Danube is a full great river, and it goeth into +Almayne, under the hills of Lombardy, and it receiveth into him +forty other rivers, and it runneth through Hungary and through +Greece and through Thrace, and it entereth into the sea, toward the +east so rudely and so sharply, that the water of the sea is fresh +and holdeth his sweetness twenty mile within the sea. + +And after, go men to Belgrade, and enter into the land of Bougiers; +and there pass men a bridge of stone that is upon the river of +Marrok. And men pass through the land of Pyncemartz and come to +Greece to the city of Nye, and to the city of Fynepape, and after +to the city of Dandrenoble, and after to Constantinople, that was +wont to be clept Bezanzon. And there dwelleth commonly the Emperor +of Greece. And there is the most fair church and the most noble of +all the world; and it is of Saint Sophie. And before that church +is the image of Justinian the emperor, covered with gold, and he +sitteth upon an horse y-crowned. And he was wont to hold a round +apple of gold in his hand: but it is fallen out thereof. And men +say there, that it is a token that the emperor hath lost a great +part of his lands and of his lordships; for he was wont to be +Emperor of Roumania and of Greece, of all Asia the less, and of the +land of Syria, of the land of Judea in the which is Jerusalem, and +of the land of Egypt, of Persia, and of Arabia. But he hath lost +all but Greece; and that land he holds all only. And men would +many times put the apple into the image's hand again, but it will +not hold it. This apple betokeneth the lordship that he had over +all the world, that is round. And the tother hand he lifteth up +against the East, in token to menace the misdoers. This image +stands upon a pillar of marble at Constantinople. + + + +CHAPTER II + + + +OF THE CROSS AND THE CROWN OF OUR LORD JESU CHRIST + + +AT Constantinople is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ, and his +coat without seams, that is clept TUNICA INCONSUTILIS, and the +sponge, and the reed, of the which the Jews gave our Lord eysell +and gall, in the cross. And there is one of the nails, that Christ +was nailed with on the cross. + +And some men trow that half the cross, that Christ was done on, be +in Cyprus, in an abbey of monks, that men call the Hill of the Holy +Cross; but it is not so. For that cross that is in Cyprus, is the +cross, in the which Dismas the good thief was hanged on. But all +men know not that; and that is evil y-done. For for profit of the +offering, they say that it is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ. + +And ye shall understand that the cross of our Lord was made of four +manner of trees, as it is contained in this verse, - IN CRUCE FIT +PALMA, CEDRUS, CYPRESSUS, OLIVA. For that piece that went upright +from the earth to the head was of cypress; and the piece that went +overthwart, to the which his hands were nailed, was of palm; and +the stock, that stood within the earth, in the which was made the +mortise, was of cedar; and the table above his head, that was a +foot and an half long, on the which the title was written in +Hebrew, Greek and Latin, that was of olive. + +And the Jews made the cross of these four manner of trees; for they +trowed that our Lord Jesu Christ should have hanged on the cross, +as long as the cross might last. And therefore made they the foot +of the cross of cedar; for cedar may not, in earth nor water, rot, +and therefore they would that it should have lasted long. For they +trowed that the body of Christ should have stunken, they made that +piece, that went from the earth upwards of cypress, for it is well- +smelling, so that the smell of his body should not grieve men that +went forby. And the overthwart piece was of palm, for in the Old +Testament it was ordained, that when one was overcome he should be +crowned with palm; and for they trowed that they had the victory of +Christ Jesus, therefore made they the overthwart piece of palm. +And the table of the title they made of olive; for olive betokeneth +peace, as the story of Noe witnesseth; when that the culver brought +the branch of olive, that betokened peace made between God and man. +And so trowed the Jews for to have peace, when Christ was dead; for +they said that he made discord and strife amongst them. And ye +shall understand that our Lord was y-nailed on the cross lying, and +therefore he suffered the more pain. + +And the Christian men, that dwell beyond the sea, in Greece, say +that the tree of the cross, that we call cypress, was of that tree +that Adam ate the apple off; and that find they written. And they +say also, that their scripture saith, that Adam was sick, and said +to his son Seth, that he should go to the angel that kept Paradise, +that he would send him oil of mercy, for to anoint with his +members, that he might have health. And Seth went. But the angel +would not let him come in; but said to him, that he might not have +of the oil of mercy. But he took him three grains of the same +tree, that his father ate the apple off; and bade him, as soon as +his father was dead, that he should put these three grains under +his tongue, and grave him so: and so he did. And of these three +grains sprang a tree, as the angel said that it should, and bare a +fruit, through the which fruit Adam should be saved. And when Seth +came again, he found his father near dead. And when he was dead, +he did with the grains as the angel bade him; of the which sprung +three trees, of the which the cross was made, that bare good fruit +and blessed, our Lord Jesu Christ; through whom, Adam and all that +come of him, should be saved and delivered from dread of death +without end, but it be their own default. + +This holy cross had the Jews hid in the earth, under a rock of the +mount of Calvary; and it lay there two hundred year and more, into +the time that St. Helen, that was mother to Constantine the Emperor +of Rome. And she was daughter of King Coel, born in Colchester, +that was King of England, that was clept then Britain the more; the +which the Emperor Constance wedded to his wife, for her beauty, and +gat upon her Constantine, that was after Emperor of Rome, and King +of England. + +And ye shall understand, that the cross of our Lord was eight +cubits long, and the overthwart piece was of length three cubits +and a half. And one part of the crown of our Lord, wherewith he +was crowned, and one of the nails, and the spear head, and many +other relics be in France, in the king's chapel. And the crown +lieth in a vessel of crystal richly dight. For a king of France +bought these relics some time of the Jews, to whom the emperor had +laid them in wed for a great sum of silver. + +And if all it be so, that men say, that this crown is of thorns, ye +shall understand, that it was of jonkes of the sea, that is to say, +rushes of the sea, that prick as sharply as thorns. For I have +seen and beholden many times that of Paris and that of +Constantinople; for they were both one, made of rushes of the sea. +But men have departed them in two parts: of the which, one part is +at Paris, and the other part is at Constantinople. And I have one +of those precious thorns, that seemeth like a white thorn; and that +was given to me for great specially. For there are many of them +broken and fallen into the vessel that the crown lieth in; for they +break for dryness when men move them to show them to great lords +that come thither. + +And ye shall understand, that our Lord Jesu, in that night that he +was taken, he was led into a garden; and there he was first +examined right sharply; and there the Jews scorned him, and made +him a crown of the branches of albespine, that is white thorn, that +grew in that same garden, and set it on his head, so fast and so +sore, that the blood ran down by many places of his visage, and of +his neck, and of his shoulders. And therefore hath the white thorn +many virtues, for he that beareth a branch on him thereof, no +thunder ne no manner of tempest may dere him; nor in the house, +that it is in, may no evil ghost enter nor come unto the place that +it is in. And in that same garden, Saint Peter denied our Lord +thrice. + +Afterward was our Lord led forth before the bishops and the masters +of the law, into another garden of Annas; and there also he was +examined, reproved, and scorned, and crowned eft with a sweet +thorn, that men clepeth barbarines, that grew in that garden, and +that hath also many virtues. + +And afterward he was led into a garden of Caiphas, and there he was +crowned with eglantine. + +And after he was led into the chamber of Pilate, and there he was +examined and crowned. And the Jews set him in a chair, and clad +him in a mantle; and there made they the crown of jonkes of the +sea; and there they kneeled to him, and scorned him, saying, AVE, +REX JUDEORUM! that is to say, 'Hail, King of Jews!' And of this +crown, half is at Paris, and the other half at Constantinople. And +this crown had Christ on his head, when he was done upon the cross; +and therefore ought men to worship it and hold it more worthy than +any of the others. + +And the spear shaft hath the Emperor of Almayne; but the head is at +Paris. And natheles the Emperor of Constantinople saith that he +hath the spear head; and I have often time seen it, but it is +greater than that at Paris. + + + +CHAPTER III + + + +OF THE CITY OF CONSTANTINOPLE, AND OF THE FAITH OF GREEKS + + +AT Constantinople lieth Saint Anne, our Lady's mother, whom Saint +Helen let bring from Jerusalem. And there lieth also the body of +John Chrisostome, that was Archbishop of Constantinople. And there +lieth also Saint Luke the Evangelist: for his bones were brought +from Bethany, where he was buried. And many other relics be there. +And there is the vessel of stone, as it were of marble, that men +clepe enydros, that evermore droppeth water, and filleth himself +every year, till that it go over above, without that that men take +from within. + +Constantinople is a full fair city, and a good, and well walled; +and it is three-cornered. And there is an arm of the sea +Hellespont: and some men call it the Mouth of Constantinople; and +some men call it the Brace of Saint George: and that arm closeth +the two parts of the city. And upward to the sea, upon the water, +was wont to be the great city of Troy, in a full fair plain: but +that city was destroyed by them of Greece, and little appeareth +thereof, because it is so long sith it was destroyed. + +About Greece there be many isles, as Calliste, Calcas, Oertige, +Tesbria, Mynia, Flaxon, Melo, Carpate, and Lemnos. And in this +isle is the mount Athos, that passeth the clouds. And there be +many diverse languages and many countries, that be obedient to the +emperor; that is to say, Turcople, Pyncynard, Comange, and many +other, as Thrace and Macedonia, of the which Alexander was king. +In this country was Aristotle born, in a city that men clepe +Stagyra, a little from the city of Thrace. And at Stagyra lieth +Aristotle; and there is an altar upon his tomb. And there make men +great feasts for him every year, as though he were a saint. And at +his altar they holden their great councils and their assemblies, +and they hope, that through inspiration of God and of him, they +shall have the better council. + +In this country be right high hills, toward the end of Macedonia. +And there is a great hill, that men clepe Olympus, that departeth +Macedonia and Thrace. And it is so high, that it passeth the +clouds. And there is another hill, that is clept Athos, that is so +high, that the shadow of him reacheth to Lemne, that is an isle; +and it is seventy-six mile between. And above at the cop of the +hill is the air so clear, that men may find no wind there, and +therefore may no beast live there, so is the air dry. + +And men say in these countries, that philosophers some time went +upon these hills, and held to their nose a sponge moisted with +water, for to have air; for the air above was so dry. And above, +in the dust and in the powder of those hills, they wrote letters +and figures with their fingers. And at the year's end they came +again, and found the same letters and figures, the which they had +written the year before, without any default. And therefore it +seemeth well, that these hills pass the clouds and join to the pure +air. + +At Constantinople is the palace of the emperor, right fair and +well-dight: and therein is a fair place for joustings, or for +other plays and desports. And it is made with stages, and hath +degrees about, that every man may well see, and none grieve other. +And under these stages be stables well vaulted for the emperor's +horses; and all the pillars be of marble. + +And within the Church of Saint Sophia, an emperor sometime would +have buried the body of his father, when he was dead. And, as they +made the grave, they found a body in the earth, and upon the body +lay a fine plate of gold; and thereon was written, in Hebrew, +Greek, and Latin, letters that said thus; JESU CHRISTUS NASCETUR DE +VIRGINE MARIA, ET EGO CREDO IN EUM; that is to say, 'Jesu Christ +shall be born of the Virgin Mary, and I trow in him.' And the date +when it was laid in the earth, was two thousand year before our +Lord was born. And yet is the plate of gold in the treasury of the +church. And men say, that it was Hermogenes the wise man. + +And if all it so be, that men of Greece be Christian yet they vary +from our faith. For they say, that the Holy Ghost may not come of +the Son; but all only of the Father. And they are not obedient to +the Church of Rome, ne to the Pope. And they say that their +Patriarch hath as much power over the sea, as the Pope hath on this +side the sea. And therefore Pope John xxii. sent letters to them, +how Christian faith should be all one; and that they should be +obedient to the Pope, that is God's Vicar on earth, to whom God +gave his plein power for to bind and to assoil, and therefore they +should be obedient to him. + +And they sent again diverse answers; and among others they said +thus: POTENTIAM TUAM SUMMAM CIRCA TUOS SUBJECTOS, FIRMITER +CREDIMUS. SUPERBIAM TUAM SUMMAM TOLERARE NON POSSUMUS. AVARITIAM +TUAM SUMMAM SATIARE NON INTENDIMUS. DOMINUS TECUM; QUIA DOMINUS +NOBISCUM EST. That is to say: 'We trow well, that thy power is +great upon thy subjects. We may not suffer thine high pride. We +be not in purpose to fulfil thy great covetise. Lord be with thee; +for our Lord is with us. Farewell.' And other answer might he not +have of them. + +And also they make their sacrament of the altar of Therf bread, for +our Lord made it of such bread, when he made his Maundy. And on +the Shere-Thursday make they their Therf bread, in token of the +Maundy, and dry it at the sun, and keep it all the year, and give +it to sick men, instead of God's body. And they make but one +unction, when they christen children. And they anoint not the sick +men. And they say that there is no Purgatory, and that souls shall +not have neither joy ne pain till the day of doom. And they say +that fornication is no sin deadly, but a thing that is kindly, and +that men and women should not wed but once, and whoso weddeth +oftener than once, their children be bastards and gotten in sin. +And their priests also be wedded. + +And they say also that usury is no deadly sin. And they sell +benefices of Holy Church. And so do men in other places: God +amend it when his will is! And that is great sclaundre, for now is +simony king crowned in Holy Church: God amend it for his mercy! + +And they say, that in Lent, men shall not fast, ne sing Mass, but +on the Saturday and on the Sunday. And they fast not on the +Saturday, no time of the year, but it be Christmas Even or Easter +Even. And they suffer not the Latins to sing at their altars; and +if they do, by any adventure, anon they wash the altar with holy +water. And they say that there should be but one Mass said at one +altar upon one day. + +And they say also that our Lord ne ate never meat; but he made +token of eating. And also they say, that we sin deadly in shaving +our beards, for the beard is token of a man, and gift of our Lord. +And they say that we sin deadly in eating of beasts that were +forbidden in the Old Testament, and of the old Law, as swine, hares +and other beasts, that chew not their cud. And they say that we +sin, when we eat flesh on the days before Ash Wednesday, and of +that that we eat flesh the Wednesday, and eggs and cheese upon the +Fridays. And they accurse all those that abstain them to eat flesh +the Saturday. + +Also the Emperor of Constantinople maketh the patriarch, the +archbishops and the bishops; and giveth the dignities and the +benefices of churches and depriveth them that be unworthy, when he +findeth any cause. And so is he lord both temporal and spiritual +in his country. + +And if ye will wit of their A.B.C. what letters they be, here ye +may see them, with the names that they clepe them there amongst +them: Alpha, Betha, Gama, Deltha, e longe, e brevis, Epilmon, +Thetha, Iota, Kapda, Lapda, Mi, Ni, Xi, o brevis, Pi, Coph, Ro, +Summa, Tau, Vi, Fy, Chi, Psi, Othomega, Diacosyn. + +And all be it that these things touch not to one way, nevertheless +they touch to that, that I have hight you, to shew you a part of +customs and manners, and diversities of countries. And for this is +the first country that is discordant in faith and in belief, and +varieth from our faith, on this half the sea, therefore I have set +it here, that ye may know the diversity that is between our faith +and theirs. For many men have great liking, to hear speak of +strange things of diverse countries. + + + +CHAPTER IV + + + +[Of the Way from Constantinople to Jerusalem.] Of Saint John the +Evangelist. And of the Ypocras Daughter, transformed from a Woman +to a Dragon + + +NOW return I again, for to teach you the way from Constantinople to +Jerusalem. He that will through Turkey, he goeth toward the city +of Nyke, and passeth through the gate of Chienetout, and always men +see before them the hill of Chienetout, that is right high; and it +is a mile and an half from Nyke. + +And whoso will go by water, by the brace of St. George, and by the +sea where St. Nicholas lieth, and toward many other places - first +men go to an isle that is clept Sylo. In that isle groweth mastick +on small trees, and out of them cometh gum as it were of plum-trees +or of cherry-trees. + +And after go men through the isle of Patmos; and there wrote St. +John the Evangelist the Apocalypse. And ye shall understand, that +St. John was of age thirty-two year, when our Lord suffered his +passion; and after his passion, he lived sixty-seven year, and in +the hundredth year of his age he died. + +From Patmos men go unto Ephesus, a fair city and nigh to the sea. +And there died St. John, and was buried behind the high altar in a +tomb. And there is a fair church; for Christian men were wont to +holden that place always. And in the tomb of St. John is nought +but manna, that is clept angels' meat; for his body was translated +into Paradise. And Turks hold now all that place, and the city and +the church; and all Asia the less is y-clept Turkey. And ye shall +understand, that St. John let make his grave there in his life, and +laid himself therein all quick; and therefore some men say, that he +died not, but that he resteth there till the day of doom. And, +forsooth, there is a great marvel; for men may see there the earth +of the tomb apertly many times stir and move, as there were quick +things under. + +And from Ephesus men go through many isles in the sea, unto the +city of Patera, where St. Nicholas was born, and so to Martha, +where he was chosen to be bishop; and there groweth right good wine +and strong, and that men call wine of Martha. And from thence go +men to the isle of Crete, that the emperor gave sometime to [the] +Genoese. + +And then pass men through the isles of Colcos and of Lango, of the +which isles Ypocras was lord of. And some men say, that in the +isle of Lango is yet the daughter of Ypocras, in form and likeness +of a great dragon, that is a hundred fathom of length, as men say, +for I have not seen her. And they of the isles call her Lady of +the Land. And she lieth in an old castle, in a cave, and sheweth +twice or thrice in the year, and she doth no harm to no man, but if +men do her harm. And she was thus changed and transformed, from a +fair damosel, into likeness of a dragon, by a goddess that was +clept Diana. And men say, that she shall so endure in that form of +a dragon, unto [the] time that a knight come, that is so hardy, +that dare come to her and kiss her on the mouth; and then shall she +turn again to her own kind, and be a woman again, but after that +she shall not live long. + +And it is not long sithen, that a knight of Rhodes, that was hardy +and doughty in arms, said that he would kiss her. And when he was +upon his courser, and went to the castle, and entered into the +cave, the dragon lift up her head against him. And when the knight +saw her in that form so hideous and so horrible he fled away. And +the dragon bare the knight upon a rock, maugre his head; and from +that rock, she cast him into the sea. And so was lost both horse +and man. + +And also a young man, that wist not of the dragon, went out of a +ship, and went through the isle till that he came to the castle, +and came into the cave, and went so long, till that he found a +chamber; and there he saw a damosel that combed her head and looked +in a mirror; and she had much treasure about her. And he trowed +that she had been a common woman, that dwelled there to receive men +to folly. And he abode, till the damosel saw the shadow of him in +the mirror. And she turned her toward him, and asked him what he +would? And he said, he would be her leman or paramour. And she +asked him, if that he were a knight? And he said, nay. And then +she said, that he might not be her leman; but she bade him go again +unto his fellows, and make him knight, and come again upon the +morrow, and she should come out of the cave before him, and then +come and kiss her on the mouth and have no dread, - for I shall do +thee no manner of harm, albeit that thou see me in likeness of a +dragon; for though thou see me hideous and horrible to look on, I +do thee to wit that it is made by enchantment; for without doubt, I +am none other than thou seest now, a woman, and therefore dread +thee nought. And if thou kiss me, thou shalt have all this +treasure, and be my lord, and lord also of all the isle. + +And he departed from her and went to his fellows to ship, and let +make him knight and came again upon the morrow for to kiss this +damosel. And when he saw her come out of the cave in form of a +dragon, so hideous and so horrible, he had so great dread, that he +fled again to the ship, and she followed him. And when she saw +that he turned not again, she began to cry, as a thing that had +much sorrow; and then she turned again into her cave. And anon the +knight died. And sithen hitherward might no knight see her, but +that he died anon. But when a knight cometh, that is so hardy to +kiss her, he shall not die; but he shall turn the damosel into her +right form and kindly shape, and he shall be lord of all the +countries and isles abovesaid. + +And from thence men come to the isle of Rhodes, the which isle +Hospitallers holden and govern; and that took they some-time from +the emperor. And it was wont to be clept Collos; and so call it +the Turks yet. And Saint Paul in his epistle writeth to them of +that isle AD COLOSSENSES. This isle is nigh eight hundred mile +long from Constantinople. + + + +CHAPTER V + + + +[Of diversities in Cyprus; of the Road from Cyprus to Jerusalem, +and of the Marvel of a Fosse full of Sand] + + +AND from this isle of Rhodes men go to Cyprus, where be many vines, +that first be red and after one year they become white; and those +wines that be most white, be most clear and best of smell. + +And men pass by that way, by a place that was wont to be a great +city, and a great land; and the city was clept Cathailye, the which +city and land was lost through folly of a young man. For he had a +fair damosel, that he loved well to his paramour; and she died +suddenly, and was done in a tomb of marble. And for the great lust +that he had to her, he went in the night unto her tomb and opened +it, and went in and lay by her, and went his way. And when it came +to the end of nine months, there came a voice to him and said, Go +to the tomb of that woman, and open it and behold what thou hast +begotten on her; and if thou let to go, thou shalt have a great +harm. And he yede and opened the tomb, and there flew out an adder +right hideous to see; the which as swithe flew about the city and +the country, and soon after the city sank down. And there be many +perilous passages without fail. + +From Rhodes to Cyprus be five hundred mile and more. But men may +go to Cyprus, and come not at Rhodes. Cyprus is right a good isle, +and a fair and a great, and it hath four principal cities within +him. And there is an Archbishop at Nicosea, and four other bishops +in that land. And at Famagost is one of the principal havens of +the sea that is in the world; and there arrive Christian men and +Saracens and men of all nations. In Cyprus is the Hill of the Holy +Cross; and there is an abbey of monks black and there is the cross +of Dismas the good thief, as I have said before. And some men +trow, that there is half the cross of our Lord; but it is not so, +and they do evil that make men to believe so. + +In Cyprus lieth Saint Zenonimus, of whom men of that country make +great solemnity. And in the castle of Amours lieth the body of +Saint-Hilarion, and men keep it right worshipfully. And beside +Famagost was Saint Barnabas the apostle born. + +In Cyprus men hunt with papyonns, that be like leopards, and they +take wild beasts right well, and they be somewhat more than lions; +and they take more sharply the beasts, and more deliver than do +hounds. + +In Cyprus is the manner of lords and all other men all to eat on +the earth. For they make ditches in the earth all about in the +hall, deep to the knee, and they do pave them; and when they will +eat, they go therein and sit there. And the skill is for they may +be the more fresh; for that land is much more hotter than it is +here. And at great feasts, and for strangers, they set forms and +tables, as men do in this country, but they had lever sit in the +earth. + +From Cyprus, men go to the land of Jerusalem by the sea: and in a +day and in a night, he that hath good wind may come to the haven of +Tyre, that is now clept Surrye. There was some-time a great city +and a good of Christian men, but Saracens have destroyed it a great +part; and they keep that haven right well, for dread of Christian +men. Men might go more right to that haven, and come not in +Cyprus, but they go gladly to Cyprus to rest them on the land, or +else to buy things, that they have need to their living. On the +sea-side men may find many rubies. And there is the well of the +which holy writ speaketh of, and saith, FONS ORTORUM, ET PUTEUS +AQUARUM VIVENTIUM: that is to say, 'the well of gardens, and the +ditch of living waters.' + +In this city of Tyre, said the woman to our Lord, BEATUS VENTER QUI +TE PORTAVIT, ET UBERA QUE SUCCISTI: that is to say, 'Blessed be +the body that thee bare, and the paps that thou suckedst.' And +there our Lord forgave the woman of Canaan her sins. And before +Tyre was wont to be the stone, on the which our Lord sat and +preached, and on that stone was founded the Church of Saint +Saviour. + +And eight mile from Tyre, toward the east, upon the sea, is the +city of Sarphen, in Sarepta of Sidonians. And there was wont for +to dwell Elijah the prophet; and there raised he Jonas, the widow's +son, from death to life. And five mile from Sarphen is the city of +Sidon; of the which city, Dido was lady, that was Aeneas' wife, +after the destruction of Troy, and that founded the city of +Carthage in Africa, and now is clept Sidonsayete. And in the city +of Tyre, reigned Agenor, the father of Dido. And sixteen mile from +Sidon is Beirout. And from Beirout to Sardenare is three journeys +and from Sardenare is five mile to Damascus. + +And whoso will go long time on the sea, and come nearer to +Jerusalem, he shall go from Cyprus by sea to Port Jaffa. For that +is the next haven to Jerusalem; for from that haven is not but one +day journey and a half to Jerusalem. And the town is called Jaffa; +for one of the sons of Noah that hight Japhet founded it, and now +it is clept Joppa. And ye shall understand, that it is one of the +oldest towns of the world, for it was founded before Noah's flood. +And yet there sheweth in the rock, there as the iron chains were +fastened, that Andromeda, a great giant, was bounden with, and put +in prison before Noah's flood, of the which giant, is a rib of his +side that is forty foot long. + +And whoso will arrive at the port of Tyre or of Surrye, that I have +spoken of before, may go by land, if he will, to Jerusalem. And +men go from Surrye unto the city of Akon in a day. And it was +clept some-time Ptolemais. And it was some-time a city of +Christian men, full fair, but it is now destroyed; and it stands +upon the sea. And from Venice to Akon, by sea, is two thousand and +four score miles of Lombardy; and from Calabria, or from Sicily to +Akon, by sea, is a 1300 miles of Lombardy; and the isle of Crete is +right in the midway. + +And beside the city of Akon, toward the sea, six score furlongs on +the right side, toward the south, is the Hill of Carmel, where +Elijah the prophet dwelled, and there was first the Order of Friars +Carmelites founded. This hill is not right great, nor full high. +And at the foot of this hill was some-time a good city of Christian +men, that men clept Caiffa, for Caiaphas first founded it; but it +is now all wasted. And on the left side of the Hill of Carmel is a +town, that men clepe Saffre, and that is set on another hill. +There Saint James and Saint John were born; and, in worship of them +there is a fair church. And from Ptolemais, that men clepe now +Akon, unto a great hill, that is clept Scale of Tyre, is one +hundred furlongs. And beside the city of Akon runneth a little +river, that is clept Belon. + +And there nigh is the Foss of Mennon that is all round; and it is +one hundred cubits of largeness, and it is all full of gravel, +shining bright, of the which men make fair verres and clear. And +men come from far, by water in ships, and by land with carts, for +to fetch of that gravel. And though there be never so much taken +away thereof in the day, at morrow it is as full again as ever it +was; and that is a great marvel. And there is evermore great wind +in that foss, that stirreth evermore the gravel, and maketh it +trouble. And if any man do therein any manner metal, it turneth +anon to glass. And the glass, that is made of that gravel, if it +be done again into the gravel, it turneth anon into gravel as it +was first. And therefore some men say, that it is a swallow of the +gravelly sea. + +Also from Akon, above-said, go men forth four journeys to the city +of Palestine, that was of the Philistines, that now is clept Gaza, +that is a gay city and a rich; and it is right fair and full of +folk, and it is a little from the sea. And from this city brought +Samson the strong the gates upon an high land, when he was taken in +that city, and there he slew in a palace the king and himself, and +great number of the best of the Philistines, the which had put out +his eyen and shaved his head, and imprisoned him by treason of +Dalida his paramour. And therefore he made fall upon them a great +hall, when they were at meat. + +And from thence go men to the city of Cesarea, and so to the Castle +of Pilgrims, and so to Ascalon; and then to Jaffa, and so to +Jerusalem. + +And whoso will go by land through the land of Babylon, where the +soldan dwelleth commonly, he must get grace of him and leave to go +more siker through those lands and countries. + +And for to go to the Mount of Sinai, before that men go to +Jerusalem, they shall go from Gaza to the Castle of Daire. And +after that, men come out of Syria, and enter into wilderness, and +there the way is full sandy; and that wilderness and desert lasteth +eight journeys, but always men find good inns, and all that they +need of victuals. And men clepe that wilderness Achelleke. And +when a man cometh out of that desert, he entereth into Egypt, that +men clepe Egypt-Canopac, and after other language, men clepe it +Morsyn. And there first men find a good town, that is clept +Belethe; and it is at the end of the kingdom of Aleppo. And from +thence men go to Babylon and to Cairo. + + + +CHAPTER VI + + + +OF MANY NAMES OF SOLDANS, AND OF THE TOWER OF BABYLON + + +AT Babylon there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled +seven year, when she fled out of the land of Judea for dread of +King Herod. And there lieth the body of Saint Barbara the virgin +and martyr. And there dwelled Joseph, when he was sold of his +brethren. And there made Nebuchadnezzar the king put three +children into the furnace of fire, for they were in the right truth +of belief, the which children men clept Anania, Azariah, Mishael, +as the Psalm of BENEDICITE saith: but Nebuchadnezzar clept them +otherwise, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that is to say, God +glorious, God victorious, and God over all things and realms: and +that was for the miracle, that he saw God's Son go with the +children through the fire, as he said. + +There dwelleth the soldan in his Calahelyke (for there is commonly +his seat) in a fair castle, strong and great, and well set upon a +rock. In that castle dwell alway, to keep it and to serve the +soldan, more then 6000 persons, that take all their necessaries off +the soldan's court. I ought right well to know it; for I dwelled +with him as soldier in his wars a great while against the Bedouins. +And he would have married me full highly to a great prince's +daughter, if I would have forsaken my law and my belief; but I +thank God, I had no will to do it, for nothing that he behight me. + +And ye shall understand that the soldan is lord of five kingdoms, +that he hath conquered and appropred to him by strength. And these +be the names: the kingdom of Canapac, that is Egypt; and the +kingdom of Jerusalem, where that David and Solomon were kings; and +the kingdom of Syria, of the which the city of Damascus was chief; +and the kingdom of Aleppo in the land of Mathe; and the kingdom +Arabia, that was to one of the three kings, that made offering to +our Lord, when he was born. And many other lands he holdeth in his +hand. And therewithal he holdeth caliphs, that is a full great +thing in their language, and it is as much to say as king. + +And there were wont to be five soldans; but now there is no more +but he of Egypt. And the first soldan was Zarocon, that was of +Media, as was father to Saladin that took the Caliph of Egypt and +slew him, and was made soldan by strength. After that was Soldan +Saladin, in whose time the King of England, Richard the First, with +many other, kept the passage, that Saladin ne might not pass. +After Saladin reigned his son Boradin, and after him his nephew. +After that, the Comanians that were in servage in Egypt, felt +themselves that they were of great power, they chose them a soldan +amongst them, the which made him to be clept Melechsalan. And in +his time entered into the country of the kings of France Saint +Louis, and fought with him; and [the soldan] took him and +imprisoned him; and this [soldan] was slain by his own servants. +And after, they chose another to be soldan, that they clept +Tympieman; and he let deliver Saint Louis out of prison for a +certain ransom. And after, one of these Comanians reigned, that +hight Cachas, and slew Tympieman, for to be soldan; and made him be +clept Melechmenes. And after another that had to name Bendochdare, +that slew Melechmenes, for to be sultan, and clept himself +Melechdare. In his time entered the good King Edward of England +into Syria, and did great harm to the Saracens. And after, was +this soldan empoisoned at Damascus, and his son thought to reign +after him by heritage, and made him to be clept Melechsache; but +another that had to name Elphy, chased him out of the country and +made him soldan. This man took the city of Tripoli and destroyed +many of the Christian men, the year of grace 1289, and after was he +imprisoned of another that would be soldan, but he was anon slain. +After that was the son of Elphy chosen to be soldan, and clept him +Melechasseraff, and he took the city of Akon and chased out the +Christian men; and this was also empoisoned, and then was his +brother made soldan, and was clept Melechnasser. And after, one +that was clept Guytoga took him and put him in prison in the castle +of Mountroyal, and made him soldan by strength, and clept him +Melechadel; and he was of Tartary. But the Comanians chased him +out of the country, and did him much sorrow, and made one of +themself soldan, that had to name Lachin. And he made him to be +clept Melechmanser, the which on a day played at the chess, and his +sword lay beside him; and so befell, that one wrathed him, and with +his own proper sword he was slain. And after that, they were at +great discord, for to make a soldan; and finally they accorded to +Melechnasser, that Guytoga had put in prison at Mountroyal. And +this reigned long and governed so that his eldest son was chosen +after him, Melechmader, the which his brother let slay privily for +to have the lordship, and made him to be clept Melechmadabron, and +he soldan when I departed from those countries. + +And wit ye well that the soldan may lead out of Egypt more than +20,000 men of arms, and out of Syria, and out of Turkey and out of +other countries that he holds, he may arrere more than 50,000. And +all those be at his wages, and they be always at him, without the +folk of his country, that is without number. And every each of +them hath by year the mountance of six score florins; but it +behoveth, that every of them hold three horses and a camel. And by +the cities and by towns be admirals, that have the governance of +the people; one hath to govern four, and another hath to govern +five, another more, and another well more. And as many taketh the +admiral by him alone, as all the other soldiers have under him; and +therefore, when the soldan will advance any worthy knight, he +maketh him an admiral. And when it is any dearth, the knights be +right poor, and then they sell both their horse and their harness. + +And the soldan hath four wives, one Christian and three Saracens, +of the which one dwelleth at Jerusalem, and another at Damascus, +and another at Ascalon; and when them list, they remove to other +cities, and when the soldan will he may go to visit them. And he +hath as many paramours as him liketh. For he maketh to come before +him the fairest and the noblest of birth, and the gentlest damosels +of his country, and he maketh them to be kept and served full +honourably. And when he will have one to lie with him, he maketh +them all to come before him, and he beholdeth in all, which of them +is most to his pleasure, and to her anon he sendeth or casteth a +ring from his finger. And then anon she shall be bathed and richly +attired, and anointed with delicate things of sweet smell, and then +led to the soldan's chamber; and thus he doth as often as him list, +when he will have any of them. + +And before the soldan cometh no stranger, but if he be clothed in +cloth of gold, or of Tartary or of Camaka, in the Saracens' guise, +and as the Saracens use. And it behoveth, that anon at the first +sight that men see the soldan, be it in window or in what place +else, that men kneel to him and kiss the earth, for that is the +manner to do reverence to the soldan of them that speak with him. +And when that messengers of strange countries come before him, the +meinie of the soldan, when the strangers speak to him, they be +about the soldan with swords drawn and gisarmes and axes, their +arms lifted up in high with those weapons for to smite upon them, +if they say any word that is displeasance to the soldan. And also, +no stranger cometh before him, but that he maketh him some promise +and grant of that the [stranger] asketh reasonably; by so it be not +against his law. And so do other princes beyond, for they say that +no man shall come before no prince, but that [he be] better, and +shall be more gladder in departing from his presence than he was at +the coming before him. + +And understandeth, that that Babylon that I have spoken of, where +that the sultan dwelleth, is not that great Babylon where the +diversity of languages was first made for vengeance by the miracle +of God, when the great Tower of Babel was begun to be made; of the +which the walls were sixty-four furlongs of height; that is in the +great desert of Arabia, upon the way as men go toward the kingdom +of Chaldea. But it is full long since that any man durst nigh to +the tower; for it is all desert and full of dragons and great +serpents, and full of diverse venomous beasts all about. That +tower, with the city, was of twenty-five mile in circuit of the +walls, as they of the country say, and as men may deem by +estimation, after that men tell of the country. + +And though it be clept the Tower of Babylon, yet nevertheless, +there were ordained within many mansions and many great dwelling- +places, in length and breadth. And that tower contained great +country in circuit, for the tower alone contained ten mile square. +That tower founded King Nimrod that was king of that country; and +he was the first king of the world. And he let make an image in +the likeness of his father, and constrained all his subjects for to +worship it; and anon began other lords to do the same, and so began +the idols and the simulacres first. + +The town and the city were full well set in a fair country and a +plain that men clepe the country of Samar, of the which the walls +of the city were two hundred cubits in height, and fifty cubits of +deepness; and the river of Euphrates ran throughout the city and +about the tower also. But Cyrus the King of Persia took from them +the river, and destroyed all the city and the tower also; for he +departed that river in 360 small rivers, because that he had sworn, +that he should put the river in such point, that a woman might well +pass there, without casting off of her clothes, forasmuch as he had +lost many worthy men that trowed to pass that river by swimming. + +And from Babylon where the soldan dwelleth, to go right between the +Orient and the Septentrion toward the great Babylon, is forty +journeys to pass by desert. But it is not the great Babylon in the +land and in the power of the said soldan, but it is in the power +and the lordship of Persia, but he holdeth it of the great Chan, +that is the greatest emperor and the most sovereign lord of all the +parts beyond, and he is lord of the isles of Cathay and of many +other isles and of a great part of Ind, and his land marcheth unto +Prester John's Land, and he holdeth so much land, that he knoweth +not the end: and he is more mighty and greater lord without +comparison than is the soldan: of his royal estate and of his +might I shall speak more plenerly, when I shall speak of the land +and of the country of Ind. + +Also the city of Mecca where Mohammet lieth is of the great deserts +of Arabia; and there lieth [the] body of him full honourably in +their temple, that the Saracens clepen Musketh. And it is from +Babylon the less, where the soldan dwelleth, unto Mecca above-said, +into a thirty-two journeys. + +And wit well, that the realm of Arabia is a full great country, but +therein is over-much desert. And no man may dwell there in that +desert for default of water, for that land is all gravelly and full +of sand. And it is dry and no thing fruitful, because that it hath +no moisture; and therefore is there so much desert. And if it had +rivers and wells, and the land also were as it is in other parts, +it should be as full of people and as full inhabited with folk as +in other places; for there is full great multitude of people, +whereas the land is inhabited. Arabia dureth from the ends of the +realm of Chaldea unto the last end of Africa, and marcheth to the +land of Idumea toward the end of Botron. And in Chaldea the chief +city is Bagdad. And of Africa the chief city is Carthage, that +Dido, that was Eneas's wife, founded; the which Eneas was of the +city of Troy, and after was King of Italy. + +Mesopotamia stretcheth also unto the deserts of Arabia, and it is a +great country. In this country is the city of Haran, where +Abraham's father dwelled, and from whence Abraham departed by +commandment of the angel. And of that city was Ephraim, that was a +great clerk and a great doctor. And Theophilus was of that city +also, that our lady saved from our enemy. And Mesopotamia dureth +from the river of Euphrates, unto the river of Tigris, for it is +between those two rivers. + +And beyond the river of Tigris is Chaldea, that is a full great +kingdom. In that realm, at Bagdad above-said, was wont to dwell +the caliph, that was wont to be both as Emperor and Pope of the +Arabians, so that he was lord spiritual and temporal; and he was +successor to Mahommet, and of his generation. That city of Bagdad +was wont to be clept Sutis, and Nebuchadnezzar founded it; and +there dwelled the holy prophet Daniel, and there he saw visions of +heaven, and there he made the exposition of dreams. + +And in old time there were wont to be three caliphs, he of Arabia +and of Chaldea dwelt in the city of Bagdad above-said; and at Cairo +beside Babylon dwelt the Caliph of Egypt; and at Morocco, upon the +West Sea, dwelt the Caliph of the people of Barbary and of +Africans. And now is there none of the caliphs, nor nought have +been since the time of the Soldan Saladin; for from that time +hither the soldan clepeth himself caliph, and so have the caliphs +lost their name. + +Also witeth well, that Babylon the less, where the soldan dwelleth, +and at the city of Cairo that is nigh beside it, be great huge +cities many and fair; and that one sitteth nigh that other. +Babylon sitteth upon the river of Gyson, sometimes clept Nile, that +cometh out of Paradise terrestrial. + +That river of Nile, all the year, when the sun entereth into the +sign of Cancer, it beginneth to wax, and it waxeth always as long +as the sun is in Cancer and in the sign of the Lion; and it waxeth +in such manner, that it is sometimes so great, that it is twenty +cubits or more of deepness, and then it doth great harm to the +goods that be upon the land. For then may no man travail to plough +the lands for the great moisture, and therefore is there dear time +in that country. And also, when it waxeth little, it is dear time +in that country, for default of moisture. And when the sun is in +the sign of Virgo, then beginneth the river for to wane and to +decrease little and little, so that when the sun is entered into +the sign of Libra, then they enter between these rivers. This +river cometh, running from Paradise terrestrial, between the +deserts of Ind, and after it smiteth unto land, and runneth long +time many great countries under earth. And after it goeth out +under an high hill, that men clepe Alothe, that is between Ind and +Ethiopia the mountance of five months' journeys from the entry of +Ethiopia; and after it environeth all Ethiopia and Mauritania, and +goeth all along from the land of Egypt unto the city of Alexandria +to the end of Egypt, and there it falleth into the sea. About this +river be many birds and fowls, as sikonies, that they clepen ibes. + + + +CHAPTER VII + + + +OF THE COUNTRY OF EGYPT; OF THE BIRD PHOENIX OF ARABIA; OF THE CITY +OF CAIRO; OF THE CUNNING TO KNOW BALM AND TO PROVE IT; AND OF THE +GARNERS OF JOSEPH + + +EGYPT is a long country, but it is straight, that is to say narrow, +for they may not enlarge it toward the desert for default of water. +And the country is set along upon the river of Nile, by as much as +that river may serve by floods or otherwise, that when it floweth +it may spread abroad through the country; so is the country large +of length. For there it raineth not but little in that country, +and for that cause they have no water, but if it be of that flood +of that river. And forasmuch as it ne raineth not in that country, +but the air is alway pure and clear, therefore in that country be +the good astronomers, for they find there no clouds to letten them. +Also the city of Cairo is right great and more huge than that of +Babylon the less, and it sitteth above toward the desert of Syria, +a little above the river above-said. + +In Egypt there be two parts: the height, that is toward Ethiopia, +and the lower, that is toward Arabia. In Egypt is the land of +Rameses and the land of Goshen. Egypt is a strong country, for it +hath many shrewd havens because of the great rocks that be strong +and dangerous to pass by. And at Egypt, toward the east, is the +Red Sea, that dureth unto the city of Coston; and toward the west +is the country of Lybia, that is a full dry land and little of +fruit, for it is overmuch plenty of heat, and that land is clept +Fusthe. And toward the part meridional is Ethiopia. And toward +the north is the desert, that dureth unto Syria, and so is the +country strong on all sides. And it is well a fifteen journeys of +length, and more than two so much of desert, and it is but two +journeys in largeness. And between Egypt and Nubia it hath well a +twelve journeys of desert. And men of Nubia be Christian, but they +be black as the Moors for great heat of the sun. + +In Egypt there be five provinces: that one is Sahythe; that other +Demeseer; another Resith, that is an isle in the Nile; another +Alexandria; and another the land of Damietta. That city was wont +to be right strong, but it was twice won of the Christian men, and +therefore after that the Saracens beat down the walls; and with the +walls the tower thereof, the Saracens made another city more far +from the sea, and clept it the new Damietta; so that now no man +dwelleth at the rather town of Damietta. At that city of Damietta +is one of the havens of Egypt; and at Alexandria is that other. +That is a full strong city, but there is no water to drink, but if +it come by conduit from Nile, that entereth into their cisterns; +and whoso stopped that water from them, they might not endure +there. In Egypt there be but few forcelets or castles, because +that the country is so strong of himself. + +At the deserts of Egypt was a worthy man, that was an holy hermit, +and there met with him a monster (that is to say, a monster is a +thing deformed against kind both of man or of beast or of anything +else, and that is clept a monster). And this monster, that met +with this holy hermit, was as it had been a man, that had two horns +trenchant on his forehead; and he had a body like a man unto the +navel, and beneath he had the body like a goat. And the hermit +asked him what he was. And the monster answered him, and said he +was a deadly creature, such as God had formed, and dwelt in those +deserts in purchasing his sustenance. And [he] besought the +hermit, that he would pray God for him, the which that came from +heaven for to save all mankind, and was born of a maiden and +suffered passion and death (as we well know) and by whom we live +and be. And yet is the head with the two horns of that monster at +Alexandria for a marvel. + +In Egypt is the city of Heliopolis, that is to say, the city of the +Sun. In that city there is a temple, made round after the shape of +the Temple of Jerusalem. The priests of that temple have all their +writings, under the date of the fowl that is clept phoenix; and +there is none but one in all the world. And he cometh to burn +himself upon the altar of that temple at the end of five hundred +year; for so long he liveth. And at the five hundred years' end, +the priests array their altar honestly, and put thereupon spices +and sulphur vif and other things that will burn lightly; and then +the bird phoenix cometh and burneth himself to ashes. And the +first day next after, men find in the ashes a worm; and the second +day next after, men find a bird quick and perfect; and the third +day next after, he flieth his way. And so there is no more birds +of that kind in all the world, but it alone, and truly that is a +great miracle of God. And men may well liken that bird unto God, +because that there ne is no God but one; and also, that our Lord +arose from death to life the third day. This bird men see often- +time fly in those countries; and he is not mickle more than an +eagle. And he hath a crest of feathers upon his head more great +than the peacock hath; and is neck his yellow after colour of an +oriel that is a stone well shining, and his beak is coloured blue +as ind; and his wings be of purple colour, and his tail is barred +overthwart with green and yellow and red. And he is a full fair +bird to look upon, against the sun, for he shineth full gloriously +and nobly. + +Also in Egypt be gardens, that have trees and herbs, the which bear +fruits seven times in the year. And in that land men find many +fair emeralds and enough; and therefore they be greater cheap. +Also when it raineth once in the summer in the land of Egypt, then +is all the country full of great mires. Also at Cairo, that I +spake of before, sell men commonly both men and women of other laws +as we do here beasts in the market. And there is a common house in +that city that is all full of small furnaces, and thither bring +women of the town their eyren of hens, of geese, and or ducks for +to be put into those furnaces. And they that keep that house cover +them with heat of horse dung, without hen, goose or duck or any +other fowl. And at the end of three weeks or of a month they come +again and take their chickens and flourish them and bring them +forth, so that all the country is full of them. And so men do +there both winter and summer. + +Also in that country and in others also, men find long apples to +sell, in their season, and men clepe them apples of Paradise; and +they be right sweet and of good savour. And though ye cut them in +never so many gobbets or parts, overthwart or endlong, evermore ye +shall find in the midst the figure of the Holy Cross of our Lord +Jesu. But they will rot within eight days, and for that cause men +may not carry of those apples to no far countries; of them men find +the mountance of a hundred in a basket, and they have great leaves +of a foot and a half of length, and they be convenably large. And +men find there also the apple tree of Adam, that have a bite at one +of the sides; and there be also fig trees that bear no leaves, but +figs upon the small branches; and men clepe them figs of Pharaoh. + +Also beside Cairo, without that city, is the field where balm +groweth; and it cometh out on small trees, that be none higher than +to a man's breeks' girdle, and they seem as wood that is of the +wild vine. And in that field be seven wells, that our Lord Jesu +Christ made with one of his feet, when he went to play with other +children. That field is not so well closed, but that men may enter +at their own list; but in that season that the balm is growing, men +put thereto good keeping, that no man dare be hardy to enter. + +This balm groweth in no place, but only there. And though that men +bring of the plants, for to plant in other countries, they grow +well and fair; but they bring forth no fructuous thing, and the +leaves of balm fall not. And men cut the branches with a sharp +flintstone, or with a sharp bone, when men will go to cut them; for +whoso cut them with iron, it would destroy his virtue and his +nature. + +And the Saracens crepe the wood ENONCH-BALSE, and the fruit, the +which is as cubebs, they clepe ABEBISSAM, and the liquor that +droppeth from the branches they clepe GUYBALSE. And men make +always that balm to be tilled of the Christian men, or else it +would not fructify; as the Saracens say themselves, for it hath +been often-time proved. Men say also, that the balm groweth in Ind +the more, in that desert where Alexander spake to the trees of the +sun and of the moon, but I have not seen it; for I have not been so +far above upward, because that there be too many perilous passages. + +And wit ye well, that a man ought to take good keep for to buy +balm, but if he con know it right well, for he may right lightly be +deceived. For men sell a gum, that men clepe turpentine, instead +of balm, and they put thereto a little balm for to give good odour. +And some put wax in oil of the wood of the fruit of balm, and say +that it is balm. And some distil cloves of gilofre and of +spikenard of Spain and of other spices, that be well smelling; and +the liquor that goeth out thereof they clepe it balm, and they +think that they have balm, and they have none. For the Saracens +counterfeit it by subtlety of craft for to deceive the Christian +men, as I have seen full many a time; and after them the merchants +and the apothecaries counterfeit it eft sones, and then it is less +worth, and a great deal worse. + +But if it like you, I shall shew how ye shall know and prove, to +the end that ye shall not be deceived. First ye shall well know, +that the natural balm is full clear, and of citron colour and +strongly smelling; and if it be thick, or red or black, it is +sophisticate, that is to say, counterfeited and made like it for +deceit. And understand, that if ye will put a little balm in the +palm of your hand against the sun, if it be fine and good, ye ne +shall not suffer your hand against the heat of the sun. Also take +a little balm with the point of a knife, and touch it to the fire, +and if it burn it is a good sign. After take also a drop of balm, +and put it into a dish, or in a cup with milk of a goat, and if it +be natural balm anon it will take and beclippe the milk. Or put a +drop of balm in clear water in a cup of silver or in a clear basin, +stir it well with the clear water; and if the balm be fine and of +his own kind, the water shall never trouble; and if the balm be +sophisticate, that is to say counterfeited, the water shall become +anon trouble; and also if the balm be fine it shall fall to the +bottom of the vessel, as though it were quicksilver, for the fine +balm is more heavy twice than is the balm that is sophisticate and +counterfeited. Now I have spoken of balm. + +And now also I shall speak of another thing that is beyond Babylon, +above the flood of the Nile, toward the desert between Africa and +Egypt; that is to say, of the garners of Joseph, that he let make +for to keep the grains for the peril of the dear years. And they +be made of stone, full well made of masons' craft; of the which two +be marvellously great and high, and the tother ne be not so great. +And every garner hath a gate for to enter within, a little high +from the earth; for the land is wasted and fallen since the garners +were made. And within they be all full of serpents. And above the +garners without be many scriptures of diverse languages. And some +men say, that they be sepultures of great lords, that were +sometime, but that is not true, for all the common rumour and +speech is of all the people there, both far and near, that they be +the garners of Joseph; and so find they in their scriptures, and in +their chronicles. On the other part, if they were sepultures, they +should not be void within, ne they should have no gates for to +enter within; for ye may well know, that tombs and sepultures be +not made of such greatness, nor of such highness; wherefore it is +not to believe, that they be tombs or sepultures. + +In Egypt also there be diverse languages and diverse letters, and +of other manner and condition than there be in other parts. As I +shall devise you, such as they be, and the names how they clepe +them, to such intent, that ye may know the difference of them and +of others, - Athoimis, Bimchi, Chinok, Duram, Eni, Fin, Gomor, +Heket, Janny, Karacta, Luzanin, Miche, Naryn, Oldach, Pilon, Qyn, +Yron, Sichen, Thola, Urmron, Yph and Zarm, Thoit. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + + +OF THE ISLE OF SICILY; OF THE WAY FROM BABYLON TO THE MOUNT SINAI; +OF THE CHURCH OF SAINT KATHERINE AND OF ALL THE MARVELS THERE + + +NOW will I return again, ere I proceed any further, for to declare +to you the other ways, that draw toward Babylon, where the sultan +himself dwelleth, that is at the entry of Egypt; for as much as +many folk go thither first and after that to the Mount Sinai, and +after return to Jerusalem, as I have said you here before. For +they fulfil first the more long pilgrimage, and after return again +by the next ways, because that the more nigh way is the more +worthy, and that is Jerusalem; for no other pilgrimage is not like +in comparison to it. But for to fulfil their pilgrimages more +easily and more sikerly, men go first the longer way rather than +the nearer way. + +But whoso will go to Babylon by another way, more short from the +countries of the west that I have rehearsed before, or from other +countries next to them - then men go by France, by Burgundy and by +Lombardy. It needeth not to tell you the names of the cities, nor +of the towns that be in that way, for the way is common, and it is +known of many nations. And there be many havens [where] men take +the sea. Some men take the sea at Genoa, some at Venice, and pass +by the sea Adriatic, that is clept the Gulf of Venice, that +departeth Italy and Greece on that side; and some go to Naples, +some to Rome, and from Rome to Brindisi and there they take the +sea, and in many other places where that havens be. And men go by +Tuscany, by Campania, by Calabria, by Apulia, and by the hills of +Italy, by Corsica, by Sardinia, and by Sicily, that is a great isle +and a good. + +In that isle of Sicily there is a manner of a garden, in the which +be many diverse fruits; and the garden is always green and +flourishing, all the seasons of the year as well in winter as in +summer. That isle holds in compass about 350 French miles. And +between Sicily and Italy there is not but a little arm of the sea, +that men clepe the Farde of Messina. And Sicily is between the sea +Adriatic and the sea of Lombardy. And from Sicily into Calabria is +but eight miles of Lombardy. + +And in Sicily there is a manner of serpent, by the which men assay +and prove, whether their children be bastards or no, or of lawful +marriage: for if they be born in right marriage, the serpents go +about them, and do them no harm, and if they be born in avoutry, +the serpents bite them and envenom them. And thus many wedded men +prove if the children be their own. + +Also in that isle is the Mount Etna, that men clepe Mount Gybelle, +and the volcanoes that be evermore burning. And there be seven +places that burn and that cast out diverse flames and diverse +colour: and by the changing of those flames, men of that country +know when it shall be dearth or good time, or cold or hot or moist +or dry, or in all other manners how the time shall be governed. +And from Italy unto the volcanoes ne is but twenty-five mile. And +men say, that the volcanoes be ways of hell. + +And whoso goeth by Pisa, if that men list to go that way, there is +an arm of the sea, where that men go to other havens in those +marches. And then men pass by the isle of Greaf that is at Genoa. +And after arrive men in Greece at the haven of the city of Myrok, +or at the haven of Valone, or at the city of Duras; and there is a +Duke at Duras, or at other havens in those marches; and so men go +to Constantinople. And after go men by water to the isle of Crete +and to the isle of Rhodes, and so to Cyprus, and so to Athens, and +from thence to Constantinople. To hold the more right way by sea, +it is well a thousand eight hundred and four score mile of +Lombardy. And after from Cyprus men go by sea, and leave Jerusalem +and all the country on the left hand, unto Egypt, and arrive at the +city of Damietta, that was wont to be full strong, and it sits at +the entry of Egypt. And from Damietta go men to the city of +Alexandria, that sits also upon the sea. In that city was Saint +Catherine beheaded: and there was Saint Mark the evangelist +martyred and buried, but the Emperor Leo made his bones to be +brought to Venice. + +And yet there is at Alexandria a fair church, all white without +paintures; and so be all the other churches that were of the +Christian men, all white within, for the Paynims and the Saracens +made them white for to fordo the images of saints that were painted +on the walls. That city of Alexandria is well thirty furlongs in +length, but it is but ten on largeness; and it is a full noble city +and a fair. At that city entereth the river of Nile into the sea, +as I to you have said before. In that river men find many precious +stones, and much also of lignum aloes; and it is a manner of wood, +that cometh out of Paradise terrestrial, the which is good for many +diverse medicines, and it is right dear-worth. And from Alexandria +men go to Babylon, where the sultan dwelleth; that sits also upon +the river of Nile: and this way is the most short, for to go +straight unto Babylon. + +Now shall I say you also the way, that goeth from Babylon to the +Mount of Sinai, where Saint Catherine lieth. He must pass by the +deserts of Arabia, by the which deserts Moses led the people of +Israel. And then pass men by the well that Moses made with his +hand in the deserts, when the people grucched; for they found +nothing to drink. And then pass men by the Well of Marah, of the +which the water was first bitter; but the children of Israel put +therein a tree, and anon the water was sweet and good for to drink. +And then go men by desert unto the vale of Elim, in the which vale +be twelve wells; and there be seventy-two trees of palm, that bear +the dates the which Moses found with the children of Israel. And +from that valley is but a good journey to the Mount of Sinai. + +And whoso will go by another way from Babylon, then men go by the +Red Sea, that is an arm of the sea Ocean. And there passed Moses +with the children of Israel, over-thwart the sea all dry, when +Pharaoh the King of Egypt chased them. And that sea is well a six +mile of largeness in length; and in that sea was Pharaoh drowned +and all his host that he led. That sea is not more red than +another sea; but in some place thereof is the gravel red, and +therefore men clepen it the Red Sea. That sea runneth to the ends +of Arabia and of Palestine. + +That sea lasteth more than a four journeys, and then go men by +desert unto the Vale of Elim, and from thence to the Mount of +Sinai. And ye may well understand, that by this desert no man may +go on horseback, because that there ne is neither meat for horse ne +water to drink; and for that cause men pass that desert with +camels. For the camel finds alway meat in trees and on bushes, +that he feedeth him with: and he may well fast from drink two days +or three. And that may no horse do. + +And wit well that from Babylon to the Mount Sinai is well a twelve +good journeys, and some men make them more. And some men hasten +them and pain them, and therefore they make them less. And always +men find latiners to go with them in the countries, and further +beyond, into time that men con the language: and it behoveth men +to bear victuals with them, that shall dure them in those deserts, +and other necessaries for to live by. + +And the Mount of Sinai is clept the Desert of Sin, that is for to +say, the bush burning; because there Moses saw our Lord God many +times in the form of fire burning upon that hill, and also in a +bush burning, and spake to him. And that was at the foot of the +hill. There is an abbey of monks, well builded and well closed +with gates of iron for dread of the wild beasts; and the monks be +Arabians or men of Greece. And there [is] a great convent, and all +they be as hermits, and they drink no wine, but if it be on +principal feasts; and they be full devout men, and live poorly and +simply with joutes and with dates, and they do great abstinence and +penances. + +There is the Church of Saint Catherine, in the which be many lamps +burning; for they have of oil of olives enough, both for to burn in +their lamps and to eat also. And that plenty have they by the +miracle of God; for the ravens and the crows and the choughs and +other fowls of the country assemble them there every year once, and +fly thither as in pilgrimage; and everych of them bringeth a branch +of the bays or of olive in their beaks instead of offering, and +leave them there; of the which the monks make great plenty of oil. +And this is a great marvel. And sith that fowls that have no +kindly wit or reason go thither to seek that glorious Virgin, well +more ought men then to seek her, and to worship her. + +Also behind the altar of that church is the place where Moses saw +our Lord God in a burning bush. And when the monks enter into that +place, they do off both hosen and shoon or boots always, because +that our Lord said to Moses, Do off thy hosen and thy shoon, for +the place that thou standest on is land holy and blessed. And the +monks clepe that place Dozoleel, that is to say, the shadow of God. +And beside the high altar, three degrees of height is the fertre of +alabaster, where the bones of Saint Catherine lie. And the prelate +of the monks sheweth the relics to the pilgrims, and with an +instrument of silver he froteth the bones; and then there goeth out +a little oil, as though it were a manner sweating, that is neither +like to oil ne to balm, but it is full sweet of smell; and of that +they give a little to the pilgrims, for there goeth out but little +quantity of the liquor. And after that they shew the head of Saint +Catherine, and the cloth that she was wrapped in, that is yet all +bloody; and in that same cloth so wrapped, the angels bare her body +to the Mount Sinai, and there they buried her with it. And then +they shew the bush, that burned and wasted nought, in the which our +Lord spake to Moses, and other relics enough. + +Also, when the prelate of the abbey is dead, I have understood, by +information, that his lamp quencheth. And when they choose another +prelate, if he be a good man and worthy to be prelate, his lamp +shall light with the grace of God without touching of any man. For +everych of them hath a lamp by himself, and by their lamps they +know well when any of them shall die. For when any shall die, the +light beginneth to change and to wax dim; and if he be chosen to be +prelate, and is not worthy, his lamp quencheth anon. And other men +have told me, that he that singeth the mass for the prelate that is +dead - he shall find upon the altar the name written of him that +shall be prelate chosen. And so upon a day, I asked of the monks, +both one and other, how this befell. But they would not tell me +nothing, into the time that I said that they should not hide the +grace that God did them, but that they should publish it to make +the people have the more devotion, and that they did sin to hide +God's miracle, as me seemed. For the miracles that God hath done +and yet doth every day, be the witness of his might and of his +marvels, as David saith in the Psalter: MIRABILIA TESTIMONIA TUA, +DOMINE, that is to say, 'Lord thy marvels be thy witness.' And +then they told me, both one and other, how it befell full many a +time, but more I might not have of them. + +In that abbey ne entereth not no fly, ne toads ne newts, ne such +foul venomous beasts, ne lice ne fleas, by the miracle of God, and +of our Lady. For there were wont to be so many such manner of +filths, that the monks were in will to leave the place and the +abbey, and were from thence upon the mountain above to eschew that +place; and our Lady came to them and bade them turn again, and from +thence forwards never entered such filth in that place amongst +them, ne never shall enter hereafter. Also, before the gate is the +well, where Moses smote the stone, of the which the water came out +plenteously. + +From that abbey men go up the mountain of Moses, by many degrees. +And there men find first a church of our Lady, where that she met +the monks, when they fled away for the vermin above-said. And more +high upon that mountain is the chapel of Elijah the prophet; and +that place they clepe Horeb, whereof holy writ speaketh, ET +AMBULAVIT IN FORTITUDINE CIBI ILLIUS USQUE, AD MONTEM OREB; that is +to say, 'And he went in strength of that meat unto the hill of God, +Horeb.' And there nigh is the vine that Saint John the Evangelist +planted that men clepe raisins of Staphis. And a little above is +the chapel of Moses, and the rock where Moses fled to for dread +when he saw our Lord face to face. And in that rock is printed the +form of his body, for he smote so strongly and so hard himself in +that rock, that all his body was dolven within through the miracle +of God. And there beside is the place where our Lord took to Moses +the Ten Commandments of the Law. And there is the cave under the +rock where Moses dwelt, when he fasted forty days and forty nights. +But he died in the Land of Promission, and no man knoweth where he +was buried. And from that mountain men pass a great valley for to +go to another mountain, where Saint Catherine was buried of the +angels of the Lord. And in that valley is a church of forty +martyrs, and there sing the monks of the abbey, often-time: and +that valley is right cold. And after men go up the mountain of +Saint Catherine, that is more high than the mount of Moses; and +there, where Saint Catherine was buried, is neither church nor +chapel, nor other dwelling place, but there is an heap of stones +about the place, where body of her, was put of the angels. There +was wont to be a chapel, but it was cast down, and yet lie the +stones there. And albeit that the Collect of Saint Catherine says, +that it is the place where our Lord betaught the Ten Commandments +to Moses, and there, where the blessed Virgin Saint Catherine was +buried, that is to understand in one country, or in one place +bearing one name; for both that one and that other is clept the +mount of Sinai. But it is a great way from that one to that other, +and a great deep valley between them. + + + +CHAPTER IX + + + +OF THE DESERT BETWEEN THE CHURCH OF SAINT CATHERINE AND JERUSALEM. +OF THE DRY TREE; AND HOW ROSES CAME FIRST INTO THE WORLD + + +NOW, after that men have visited those holy places, then will they +turn toward Jerusalem. And then will they take leave of the monks, +and recommend themselves to their prayers. And then they give the +pilgrims of their victuals for to pass with the deserts toward +Syria. And those deserts dure well a thirteen journeys. + +In that desert dwell many of Arabians, that men clepe Bedouins and +Ascopards, and they be folk full of all evil conditions. And they +have none houses, but tents, that they make of skins of beasts, as +of camels and of other beasts that they eat; and there beneath +these they couch them and dwell in place where they may find water, +as on the Red Sea or elsewhere: for in that desert is full great +default of water, and often-time it falleth that where men find +water at one time in a place it faileth another time; and for that +skill they make none habitations there. These folk that I speak +of, they till not the land, and they labour nought; for they eat no +bread, but if it be any that dwell nigh a good town, that go +thither and eat bread sometime. And they roast their flesh and +their fish upon the hot stones against the sun. And they be strong +men and well-fighting; and there so is much multitude of that folk, +that they be without number. And they ne reck of nothing, ne do +not but chase after beasts to eat them. And they reck nothing of +their life, and therefore they fear not the sultan, ne no other +prince; but they dare well war with them, if they do anything that +is grievance to them. And they have often-times war with the +sultan, and, namely, that time that I was with him. And they bear +but one shield and one spear, without other arms; and they wrap +their heads and their necks with a great quantity of white linen +cloth; and they be right felonous and foul, and of cursed kind. + +And when men pass this desert, in coming toward Jerusalem, they +come to Bersabe (Beersheba), that was wont to be a full fair town +and a delectable of Christian men; and yet there be some of their +churches. In that town dwelled Abraham the patriarch, a long time. +That town of Bersabe founded Bersabe (Bathsheba), the wife of Sir +Uriah the Knight, on the which King David gat Solomen the Wise, +that was king after David upon the twelve kindreds of Jerusalem and +reigned forty year. + +And from thence go men to the city of Hebron, that is the mountance +of twelve good mile. And it was clept sometime the Vale of Mamre, +and some-time it was clept the Vale of Tears, because that Adam +wept there an hundred year for the death of Abel his son, that Cain +slew. Hebron was wont to be the principal city of the Philistines, +and there dwelled some time the giants. And that city was also +sacerdotal, that is to say, sanctuary of the tribe of Judah; and it +was so free, that men received there all manner of fugitives of +other places for their evil deeds. In Hebron Joshua, Caleb and +their company came first to aspy, how they might win the land of +Behest. In Hebron reigned first king David seven year and a half; +and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three year and a half. + +And in Hebron be all the sepultures of the patriarchs, Adam, +Abraham, Isaac, and of Jacob; and of their wives, Eve, Sarah and +Rebecca, and of Leah; the which sepultures the Saracens keep full +curiously, and have the place in great reverence for the holy +fathers, the patriarchs that lie there. And they suffer no +Christian man to enter into that place, but if it be of special +grace of the sultan; for they hold Christian men and Jews as dogs, +and they say, that they should not enter into so holy place. And +men clepe that place, where they lie, Double Spelunk, or Double +Cave, or Double Ditch, forasmuch as that one lieth above that +other. And the Saracens clepe that place in their language, +KARICARBA, that is to say, 'The Place of Patriarchs.' And the Jews +clepe that place ARBOTH. And in that same place was Abraham's +house, and there he sat and saw three persons, and worshipped but +one; as holy writ saith, TRES VIDIT ET UNUM ADORAVIT, that is to +say, 'He saw three and worshipped one': and of those same received +Abraham the angels into his house. + +And right fast by that place is a cave in the rock, where Adam and +Eve dwelled when they were put out of Paradise; and there got they +their children. And in that same place was Adam formed and made, +after that some men say: (for men were wont for to clepe that +place the field of Damascus, because that it was in the lordship of +Damascus), and from thence was he translated into Paradise of +delights, as they say; and after that he was driven out of Paradise +he was there left. And the same day that he was put in Paradise, +the same day he was put out, for anon he sinned. There beginneth +the Vale of Hebron, that dureth nigh to Jerusalem. There the angel +commanded Adam that he should dwell with his wife Eve, of the which +he gat Seth; of which tribe, that is to say kindred, Jesu Christ +was born. + +In that valley is a field, where men draw out of the earth a thing +that men clepe cambile, and they eat it instead of spices, and they +bear it to sell. And men may not make the hole or the cave, where +it is taken out of the earth, so deep or so wide, but that it is, +at the year's end, full again up to the sides, through the grace of +God. + +And two mile from Hebron is the grave of Lot, that was Abraham's +brother. + +And a little from Hebron is the mount of Mamre, of the which the +valley taketh his name. And there is a tree of oak, that the +Saracens clepe DIRPE, that is of Abraham's time: the which men +clepe the Dry Tree. And they say that it hath been there since the +beginning of the world, and was some-time green and bare leaves, +unto the time that our Lord died on the cross, and then it dried: +and so did all the trees that were then in the world. And some +say, by their prophecies, that a lord, a prince of the west side of +the world, shall win the Land of Promission that is the Holy Land +with help of Christian men, and he shall do sing a mass under that +dry tree; and then the tree shall wax green and bear both fruit and +leaves, and through that miracle many Saracens and Jews shall be +turned to Christian faith: and, therefore, they do great worship +thereto, and keep it full busily. And, albeit so, that it be dry, +natheles yet he beareth great virtue, for certainly he that hath a +little thereof upon him, it healeth him of the falling evil, and +his horse shall not be a-foundered: and many other virtues it +hath; wherefore men hold it full precious. + +From Hebron men go to Bethlehem in half a day, for it is but five +mile; and it is full fair way, by plains and woods full delectable. +Bethlehem is a little city, long and narrow and well walled, and in +each side enclosed with good ditches: and it was wont to be clept +Ephrata, as holy writ saith, ECCE, AUDIVIMUS EUM IN EPHRATA, that +is to say, 'Lo, we heard him in Ephrata.' And toward the east end +of the city is a full fair church and a gracious, and it hath many +towers, pinacles and corners, full strong and curiously made; and +within that church be forty-four pillars of marble, great and fair. + +And between the city and the church is the field FLORIDUS, that is +to say, the 'field flourished.' For as much as a fair maiden was +blamed with wrong, and slandered that she had done fornication; for +which cause she was demned to death, and to be burnt in that place, +to the which she was led. And, as the fire began to burn about +her, she made her prayers to our Lord, that as wisely as she was +not guilty of that sin, that he would help her and make it to be +known to all men, of his merciful grace. And when she had thus +said, she entered into the fire, and anon was the fire quenched and +out; and the brands that were burning became red rose-trees, and +the brands that were not kindled became white rose-trees, full of +roses. And these were the first rose-trees and roses, both white +and red, that ever any man saw; and thus was this maiden saved by +the grace of God. And therefore is that field clept the field of +God flourished, for it was full of roses. + +Also beside the choir of the church, at the right side, as men come +downward sixteen degrees, is the place where our Lord was born, +that is full well dight of marble, and full richly painted with +gold, silver, azure and other colours. And three paces beside is +the crib of the ox and the ass. And beside that is the place where +the star fell, that led the three kings, Jaspar, Melchior and +Balthazar: but men of Greece clepe them thus, GALGALATH, +MALGALATH, and SERAPHIE, and the Jews clepe them, in this manner, +in Hebrew, APPELIUS, AMERRIUS, and DAMASUS. These three kings +offered to our Lord, gold, incense and myrrh, and they met together +through miracle of God; for they met together in a city in Ind, +that men clepe Cassak, that is a fifty-three journeys from +Bethlehem; and they were at Bethlehem the thirteenth day; and that +was the fourth day after that they had seen the star, when they met +in that city, and thus they were in nine days from that city at +Bethlehem, and that was great miracle. + +Also, under the cloister of the church, by eighteen degrees at the +right side, is the charnel of the Innocents, where their bones lie. +And before the place where our Lord was born is the tomb of Saint +Jerome, that was a priest and a cardinal, that translated the Bible +and the Psalter from Hebrew into Latin: and without the minster is +the chair that he sat in when he translated it. And fast beside +that church, a sixty fathom, is a church of Saint Nicholas, where +our Lady rested her after she was lighted of our Lord; and +forasmuch as she had too much milk in her paps, that grieved her, +she milked them on the red stones of marble, so that the traces may +yet be seen, in the stones, all white. + +And ye shall understand, that all that dwell in Bethlehem be +Christian men. + +And there be fair vines about the city, and great plenty of wine, +that the Christian men have do let make. But the Saracens ne till +not no vines, ne they drink no wine: for their books of their law, +that Mahomet betoke them, which they clepe their AL KORAN, and some +crepe it MESAPH, and in another language it is clept HARME, and the +same book forbiddeth them to drink wine. For in that book, Mahomet +cursed all those that drink wine and all them that sell it: for +some men say, that he slew once an hermit in his drunkenness, that +he loved full well; and therefore he cursed wine and them that +drink it. But his curse be turned on to his own head, as holy writ +saith, ET IN VIRTICEM IPSIUS INIQUITAS EJUS DESCENDET, that is for +to say, 'His wickedness shall turn and fall in his own head.' + +And also the Saracens bring forth no pigs, nor they eat no swine's +flesh, for they say it is brother to man, and it was forbidden by +the old law; and they hold him all accursed that eat thereof. Also +in the land of Palestine and in the land of Egypt, they eat but +little or none of flesh of veal or of beef, but if be so old, that +he may no more travel for old; for it is forbidden, and for because +they have but few of them; therefore they nourish them for to ere +their lands. + +In this city of Bethlehem was David the king born; and he had sixty +wives, and the first wife was called Michal; and also he had three +hundred lemans. + +And from Bethlehem unto Jerusalem is but two mile; and in the way +to Jerusalem half a mile from Bethlehem is a church, where the +angel said to the shepherds of the birth of Christ. And in that +way is the tomb of Rachel, that was Joseph's mother, the patriarch; +and she died anon after that she was delivered of her son Benjamin. +And there she was buried of Jacob her husband, and he let set +twelve great stones on her, in token that she had born twelve +children. In the same way, half mile from Jerusalem, appeared the +star to the three kings. In that way also be many churches of +Christian men, by the which men go towards the city of Jerusalem. + + + +CHAPTER X + + + +OF THE PILGRIMAGES IN JERUSALEM, AND OF THE HOLY PLACES THEREABOUT + + +AFTER, for to speak of Jerusalem the holy city: ye shall +understand, that it stands full fair between hills, and there be no +rivers ne wells, but water cometh by conduit from Hebron. And ye +shall understand, that Jerusalem of old time, unto the time of +Melchisadech, was clept Jebus; and after it was clept Salem, unto +the time of King David, that put these two names together, and +clept it Jebusalem; and after that, King Solomon clept it +Jerosolomye; and after that, men clept it Jerusalem, and so it is +clept yet. + +And about Jerusalem is the kingdom of Syria. And there beside is +the land of Palestine, and beside it is Ascalon, and beside that is +the land of Maritaine. But Jerusalem is in the land of Judea, and +it is clept Judea, for that Judas Maccabeus was king of that +country; and it marcheth eastward to the kingdom of Arabia; on the +south side to the land of Egypt; and on the west side to the Great +Sea; on the north side, towards the kingdom of Syria and to the sea +of Cyprus. In Jerusalem was wont to be a patriarch; and +archbishops and bishops about in the country. About Jerusalem be +these cities: Hebron, at seven mile; Jericho, at six mile; +Beersheba, at eight mile; Ascalon, at seventeen mile; Jaffa, at +sixteen mile; Ramath, at three mile; and Bethlehem, at two mile. +And a two mile from Bethlehem, toward the south, is the Church of +St. Karitot, that was abbot there, for whom they made much dole +amongst the monks when he should die; and yet they be in mourning +in the wise that they made their lamentation for him the first +time; and it is full great pity to behold. + +This country and land of Jerusalem hath been in many divers +nations' hands, and often, therefore, hath the country suffered +much tribulation for the sin of the people that dwell there. For +that country hath been in the hands of all nations; that is to say, +of Jews, of Canaanites, Assyrians, Persians, Medes, Macedonians, of +Greeks, Romans, of Christian men, of Saracens, Barbarians, Turks, +Tartars, and of many other divers nations; for God will not that it +be long in the hands of traitors ne of sinners, be they Christian +or other. And now have the heathen men held that land in their +hands forty year and more; but they shall not hold it long, if God +will. + +And ye shall understand, that when men come to Jerusalem, their +first pilgrimage is to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where our +Lord was buried, that is without the city on the north side; but it +is now enclosed in with the town wall. And there is a full fair +church, all round, and open above, and covered with lead; and on +the west side is a fair tower and an high for bells, strongly made. + +And in the midst of the church is a tabernacle, as it were a little +house, made with a low little door, and that tabernacle is made in +manner of half a compass, right curiously and richly made of gold +and azure and other rich colours full nobly made. And in the right +side of that tabernacle is the sepulchre of our Lord; and the +tabernacle is eight foot long, and five foot wide, and eleven foot +in height. And it is not long sith the sepulchre was all open, +that men might kiss it and touch it; but for pilgrims that came +thither pained them to break the stone in pieces or in powder, +therefore the soldan hath do make a wall about the sepulchre that +no man may touch it: but in the left side of the wall of the +tabernacle is, well the height of a man, a great stone to the +quantity of a man's head, that was of the holy sepulchre; and that +stone kiss the pilgrims that come thither. In that tabernacle be +no windows, but it is all made light with lamps that hang before +the sepulchre. And there is a lamp that hangeth before the +sepulchre, that burneth light; and on the Good Friday it goeth out +by himself, [and lighteth again by him self] at that hour that our +Lord rose from death to life. + +Also within the church, at the right side, beside the choir of the +church, is the mount of Calvary, where our Lord was put on the +cross; and it is a rock of white colour and a little medled with +red. And the cross was set in a mortise in the same rock. And on +that rock dropped the wounds of our Lord when he was pined on the +cross. And that is clept Golgotha. + +And men go up to that Golgotha by degrees; and in the place of that +mortise was Adam's head found after Noah's flood, in token that the +sins of Adam should be bought in that same place. And upon that +rock made Abraham sacrifice to our Lord. And there is an altar; +and before that altar lie Godefray de Bouillon and Baldwin, and +other Christian kings of Jerusalem. + +And there, nigh where our Lord was crucified, is this written in +Greek: + +[Greek text which cannot be reproduced] + +that is to say, in Latin, - + +DEUS REX NOSTER ANTE SECULA OPERATUS EST SALUTEM, IN MEDIO TERRAE; + +that is to say, - + +THIS GOD OUR KING, BEFORE THE WORLDS, HATH WROUGHT HEALTH IN MIDST +OF THE EARTH. + +And also on that rock, where the cross was set, is written within +the rock these words: + +[Greek text which cannot be reproduced] + +that is to say, in Latin, - + +QUOD VIDES, EST FUNDAMENTUM TOTIUS FIDEI MUNDI HUJUS; + +that is to say, - + +THAT THOU SEEST, IS THE GROUND OF ALL THE FAITH OF THIS WORLD. + +And ye shall understand, that when our Lord was done upon the +cross, he was thirty-three year and three months of old. And the +prophecy of David saith thus: QUADRAGINTA ANNIS PROXIMUS FUI +GENERATIONI HUIC; that is to say, 'Forty year was I neighbour to +this kindred.' And thus should it seem that the prophecies were +not true. But they be both true; for in old time men made a year +of ten months, of the which March was the first and December was +the last. But Gaius, that was Emperor of Rome, put these two +months thereto, January and February, and ordained the year of +twelve months; that is to say, 365 days, without leap year, after +the proper course of the sun. And therefore after counting of ten +months of the year, he died in the fortieth year, as the prophet +said. And after the year of twelve months, he was of age thirty- +three year and three months. + +Also, within the mount of Calvary, on the right side, is an altar, +where the pillar lieth that our Lord Jesu was bounden to when he +was scourged. And there beside be four pillars of stone, that +always drop water; and some men say that they weep for our Lord's +death. And nigh that altar is a place under earth forty-two +degrees of deepness, where the holy cross was found, by the wit of +Saint Helen, under a rock where the Jews had hid it. And that was +the very cross assayed; for they found three crosses, one of our +Lord, and two of the two thieves; and Saint Helen proved them by a +dead body that arose from death to life, when that it was laid on +it, that our Lord died on. And thereby in the wall is the place +where the four nails of our Lord were hid: for he had two in his +hands and two in his feet. And, of one of these, the Emperor of +Constantinople made a bridle to his horse to bear him in battle; +and, through virtue thereof, he overcame his enemies, and won all +the land of Asia the less, that is to say, Turkey, Armenia the less +and the more, and from Syria to Jerusalem, from Arabia to Persia, +from Mesopotamia to the kingdom of Aleppo, from Egypt the high and +the low and all the other kingdoms unto the depth of Ethiopia, and +into Ind the less that then was Christian. + +And there were in that time many good holy men and holy hermits, of +whom the book of Father's lives speaketh, and they be now in +Paynims' and Saracens' hands: but when God Almighty will, right as +the lands ere lost through sin of Christian men, so shall they be +won again by Christian men through help of God. + +And in midst of that church is a compass, in the which Joseph of +Arimathea laid the body of our Lord when he had taken him down off +the cross; and there he washed the wounds of our Lord. And that +compass, say men, is the midst of the world. + +And in the church of the sepulchre, on the north side, is the place +where our Lord was put in prison (for he was in prison in many +places); and there is a part of the chain that he was bounden with; +and there he appeared first to Mary Magdalene when he was risen, +and she wend that he had been a gardener. + +In the church of Saint Sepulchre was wont to be canons of the order +of Saint Augustine, and had a prior, but the patriarch was their +sovereign. + +And without the doors of the church, on the right side as men go +upward eighteen grees, said our Lord to his mother, MULIER, ECCE +FILIUS TUUS; that is to say, Woman, lo! thy Son! And after that he +said to John, his disciple, ECCE MATER TUA; that is to say, Lo! +behold thy mother! And these words he said on the cross. And on +these grees went our Lord when he bare the cross on his shoulder. +And under these grees is a chapel, and in that chapel sing priests, +Indians, that is to say, priests of Ind, not after our law, but +after theirs; and alway they make their sacrament of the altar, +saying, PATER NOSTER and other prayers therewith; with the which +prayers they say the words that the sacrament is made of, for they +ne know not the additions that many popes have made; but they sing +with good devotion. And there near, is the place where that our +Lord rested him when he was weary for bearing of the cross. + +And ye shall understand that before the church of the sepulchre is +the city more feeble than in any other part, for the great plain +that is between the church and the city. And toward the east side, +without the walls of the city, is the vale of Jehosaphat that +toucheth to the walls as though it were a large ditch. And above +that vale of Jehosaphat, out of the city, is the church of Saint +Stephen where he was stoned to death. And there beside, is the +Golden Gate, that may not be opened, by the which gate our Lord +entered on Palm-Sunday upon an ass: and the gate opened against +him when he would go unto the temple; and yet appear the steps of +the ass's feet in three places of the degrees that be of full hard +stone. + +And before the church of Saint Sepulchre, toward the south, at 200 +paces, is the great hospital of Saint John, of which the +hospitallers had their foundation. And within the palace of the +sick men of that hospital be 124 pillars of stone. And in the +walls of the house, without the number above-said, there be fifty- +four pillars that bear up the house. And from that hospital to go +toward the east is a full fair church, that is clept NOTRE DAME LA +GRANDE. And then is there another church right nigh, that is clept +NOTRE DAME DE LATINE. And there were Mary Cleophas and Mary +Magdalene, and tore their hair when our Lord was pained in the +cross. + + + +CHAPTER XI + + + +OF THE TEMPLE OF OUR LORD. OF THE CRUELTY OF KING HEROD. OF THE +MOUNT SION. OF PROBATICA PISCINA; AND OF NATATORIUM SILOE + + +AND from the church of the sepulchre, toward the east, at eight +score paces, is TEMPLUM DOMINI. It is right a fair house, and it +is all round and high, and covered with lead. And it is well paved +with white marble. But the Saracens will not suffer no Christian +man ne Jews to come therein, for they say that none so foul sinful +men should not come in so holy place: but I came in there and in +other places there I would, for I had letters of the soldan with +his great seal, and commonly other men have but his signet. In the +which letters he commanded, of his special grace, to all his +subjects, to let me see all the places, and to inform me pleinly +all the mysteries of every place, and to conduct me from city to +city, if it were need, and buxomly to receive me and my company, +and for to obey to all my requests reasonable if they were not +greatly against the royal power and dignity of the soldan or of his +law. And to others, that ask him grace, such as have served him, +he ne giveth not but his signet, the which they make to be borne +before them hanging on a spear. And the folk of the country do +great worship and reverence to his signet or seal, and kneel +thereto as lowly as we do to CORPUS DOMINI. And yet men do full +greater reverence to his letters; for the admiral and all other +lords that they be shewed to, before or they receive them, they +kneel down; and then they take them and put them on their heads; +and after, they kiss them and then they read them, kneeling with +great reverence; and then they offer them to do all that the bearer +asketh. + +And in this TEMPLUM DOMINI were some-time canons regulars, and they +had an abbot to whom they were obedient; and in this temple was +Charlemagne when that the angel brought him the prepuce of our Lord +Jesus Christ of his circumcision; and after, King Charles let bring +it to Paris into his chapel, and after that he let bring it to +Peyteres, and after that to Chartres. + +And ye shall understand, that this is not the temple that Solomon +made, for that temple dured not but 1102 year. For Titus, +Vespasian's son, Emperor of Rome, had laid siege about Jerusalem +for to discomfit the Jews; for they put our Lord to death, without +leave of the emperor. And, when he had won the city, he burnt the +temple and beat it down, and all the city, and took the Jews and +did them to death - 1,100,000; and the others he put in prison and +sold them to servage, - thirty for one penny; for they said they +bought Jesu for thirty pennies, and he made of them better cheap +when he gave thirty for one penny. + +And after that time, Julian Apostate, that was emperor, gave leave +to the Jews to make the temple of Jerusalem, for he hated Christian +men. And yet he was christened, but he forsook his law, and became +a renegade. And when the Jews had made the temple, came an +earthquaking, and cast it down (as God would) and destroyed all +that they had made. + +And after that, Adrian, that was Emperor of Rome, and of the +lineage of Troy, made Jerusalem again and the temple in the same +manner as Solomon made it. And he would not suffer no Jews to +dwell there, but only Christian men. For although it were so that +he was not christened, yet he loved Christian men more than any +other nation save his own. This emperor let enclose the church of +Saint Sepulchre, and walled it within the city; that, before, was +without the city, long time before. And he would have changed the +name of Jerusalem, and have clept it Aelia; but that name lasted +not long. + +Also, ye shall understand, that the Saracens do much reverence to +that temple, and they say, that that place is right holy. And when +they go in they go bare-foot, and kneel many times. And when my +fellows and I saw that, when we came in we did off our shoes and +came in bare-foot, and thought that we should do as much worship +and reverence thereto, as any of the misbelieving men should, and +as great compunction in heart to have. + +This temple is sixty-four cubits of wideness, and as many in +length; and of height it is six score cubits. And it is within, +all about, made with pillars of marble. And in the middle place of +the temple be many high stages, of fourteen degrees of height, made +with good pillars all about: and this place the Jews call SANCTA +SANCTORUM; that is to say, 'Holy of Hallows.' And, in that place, +cometh no man save only their prelate, that maketh their sacrifice. +And the folk stand all about, in diverse stages, after they be of +dignity or of worship, so that they all may see the sacrifice. And +in that temple be four entries, and the gates be of cypress, well +made and curiously dight: and within the east gate our Lord said, +'Here is Jerusalem.' And in the north side of that temple, within +the gate, there is a well, but it runneth nought, of the which holy +writ speaketh of and saith, VIDI AQUAM EGREDIENTEM DE TEMPLO; that +is to say, 'I saw water come out of the temple.' + +And on that other side of the temple there is a rock that men clepe +Moriach, but after it was clept Bethel, where the ark of God with +relics of Jews were wont to be put. That ark or hutch with the +relics Titus led with him to Rome, when he had discomfited all the +Jews. In that ark were the Ten Commandments, and of Aaron's yard, +and Moses' yard with the which he made the Red Sea depart, as it +had been a wall, on the right side and on the left side, whiles +that the people of Israel passed the sea dry-foot: and with that +yard he smote the rock, and the water came out of it: and with +that yard he did many wonders. And therein was a vessel of gold +full of manna, and clothing and ornaments and the tabernacle of +Aaron, and a tabernacle square of gold with twelve precious stones, +and a box of jasper green with four figures and eight names of our +Lord, and seven candlesticks of gold, and twelve pots of gold, and +four censers of gold, and an altar of gold, and four lions of gold +upon the which they bare cherubin of gold twelve spans long, and +the circle of swans of heaven with a tabernacle of gold and a table +of silver, and two trumps of silver, and seven barley loaves and +all the other relics that were before the birth of our Lord Jesu +Christ. + +And upon that rock was Jacob sleeping when he saw the angels go up +and down by a ladder, and he said, VERE LOCUS ISTE SANCTUS EST, ET +EGO IGNORABAM; that is to say, 'Forsooth this place is holy, and I +wist it nought.' And there an angel held Jacob still, and turned +his name, and clept him Israel. And in that same place David saw +the angel that smote the folk with a sword, and put it up bloody in +the sheath. And in that same rock was Saint Simeon when he +received our Lord into the temple. And in this rock he set him +when the Jews would have stoned him; and a star came down and gave +him light. And upon that rock preached our Lord often-time to the +people. And out that said temple our Lord drove out the buyers and +the sellers. And upon that rock our Lord set him when the Jews +would have stoned him; and the rock clave in two, and in that +cleaving was our Lord hid, and there came down a star and gave +light and served him with clarity. And upon that rock sat our +Lady, and learned her psalter. And there our Lord forgave the +woman her sins, that was found in avowtry. And there was our Lord +circumcised. And there the angels shewed tidings to Zacharias of +the birth of Saint Baptist his son. And there offered first +Melchisadech bread and wine to our Lord, in token of the sacrament +that was to come. And there fell David praying to our Lord and to +the angel that smote the people, that he would have mercy on him +and on the people: and our Lord heard his prayer, and therefore +would he make the temple in that place, but our Lord forbade him by +an angel; for he had done treason when he let slay Uriah the worthy +knight, for to have Bathsheba his wife. And therefore, all the +purveyance that he had ordained to make the temple with he took it +Solomon his son, and he made it. And he prayed our Lord, that all +those that prayed to him in that place with good heart - that he +would hear their prayer and grant it them if they asked it +rightfully: and our Lord granted it him, and therefore Solomon +clept that temple the Temple of Counsel and of Help of God. + +And without the gate of that temple is an altar where Jews were in +wont to offer doves and turtles. And between the temple and that +altar was Zacharias slain. And upon the pinnacle of that temple +was our Lord brought for to be tempted of the enemy, the fiend. +And on the height of that pinnacle the Jews set Saint James, and +cast him down to the earth, that first was Bishop of Jerusalem. +And at the entry of that temple, toward the west, is the gate that +is clept PORTA SPECIOSA. And nigh beside that temple, upon the +right side, is a church, covered with lead, that is clept Solomon's +School. + +And from that temple towards the south, right nigh, is the temple +of Solomon, that is right fair and well polished. And in that +temple dwell the Knights of the Temple that were wont to be clept +Templars; and that was the foundation of their order, so that there +dwelled knights and in TEMPLO DOMINI canons regulars. + +From that temple toward the east, a six score paces, in the corner +of the city, is the bath of our Lord; and in that bath was wont to +come water from Paradise, and yet it droppeth. And there beside is +our Lady's bed. And fast by is the temple of Saint Simeon, and +without the cloister of the temple, toward the north, is a full +fair church of Saint Anne, our Lady's mother; and there was our +Lady conceived; and before that church is a great tree that began +to grow the same night. And under that church, in going down by +twenty-two degrees, lieth Joachim, our Lady's father, in a fair +tomb of stone; and there beside lay some-time Saint Anne, his wife; +but Saint Helen let translate her to Constantinople. And in that +church is a well, in manner of a cistern, that is clept PROBATICA +PISCINA, that hath five entries. Into that well angels were wont +to come from heaven and bathe them within. And what man, that +first bathed him after the moving of the water, was made whole of +what manner of sickness that he had. And there our Lord healed a +man of the palsy that lay thirty-eight year, and our Lord said to +him, TOLLE GRABATUM TUUM ET AMBULA, that is to say, 'Take thy bed +and go.' And there beside was Pilate's house. + +And fast by is King Herod's house, that let slay the innocents. +This Herod was over-much cursed and cruel. For first he let slay +his wife that he loved right well; and for the passing love that he +had to her when he saw her dead, he fell in a rage and out of his +wit a great while; and sithen he came again to his wit. And after +he let slay his two sons that he had of that wife. And after that +he let slay another of his wives, and a son that he had with her. +And after that he let slay his own mother; and he would have slain +his brother also, but he died suddenly. And after that he did all +the harm that he could or might. And after he fell into sickness; +and when he felt that he should die, he sent after his sister and +after all the lords of his land; and when they were come he let +command them to prison. And then he said to his sister, he wist +well that men of the country would make no sorrow for his death; +and therefore he made his sister swear that she should let smite +off all the heads of the lords when he were dead; and then should +all the land make sorrow for his death, and else, nought; and thus +he made his testament. But his sister fulfilled not his will. +For, as soon as he was dead, she delivered all the lords out of +prison and let them go, each lord to his own, and told them all the +purpose of her brother's ordinance. And so was this cursed king +never made sorrow for, as he supposed for to have been. And ye +shall understand, that in that time there were three Herods, of +great name and fame for their cruelty. This Herod, of which I have +spoken of was Herod Ascalonite; and he that let behead Saint John +the Baptist was Herod Antipas; and he that let smite off Saint +James's head was Herod Agrippa, and he put Saint Peter in prison. + +Also, furthermore, in the city is the church of Saint Saviour; and +there is the left arm of John Chrisostome, and the more part of the +head of Saint Stephen. And on that other side in the street, +toward the south as men go to Mount Sion, is a church of Saint +James, where he was beheaded. + +And from that church, a six score paces, is the Mount Sion. And +there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled; and there +she died. And there was wont to be an abbot of canons regulars. +And from thence was she borne of the apostles unto the vale of +Jehosaphat. And there is the stone that the angel brought to our +Lord from the mount of Sinai, and it is of that colour that the +rock is of Saint Catherine. And there beside is the gate where +through our Lady went, when she was with child, when she went to +Bethlehem. Also at the entry of the Mount Sion is a chapel. And +in that chapel is the stone, great and large, with the which the +sepulchre was covered with, when Joseph of Arimathea had put our +Lord therein; the which stone the three Marys saw turn upward when +they came to the sepulchre the day of his resurrection, and there +found an angel that told them of our Lord's uprising from death to +life. And there also is a stone in the wall, beside the gate, of +the pillar that our Lord was scourged at. And there was Annas's +house, that was bishop of the Jews in that time. And there was our +Lord examined in the night, and scourged and smitten and villainous +entreated. And that same place Saint Peter forsook our Lord thrice +or the cock crew. And there is a part of the table that he made +his supper on, when he made his maundy with his disciples, when he +gave them his flesh and his blood in form of bread and wine. + +And under that chapel, thirty-two degrees, is the place where our +Lord washed his disciples' feet, and yet is the vessel where the +water was. And there beside that same vessel was Saint Stephen +buried. And there is the altar where our Lady heard the angels +sing mass. And there appeared first our Lord to his disciples +after his resurrection, the gates enclosed, and said to them, PAX +VOBIS! that is to say, 'Peace to you!' And on that mount appeared +Christ to Saint Thomas the apostle and bade him assay his wounds; +and then believed he first, and said, DOMINUS MEUS ET DEUS MEUS! +that is to say 'My Lord and my God!' In the same church, beside +the altar, were all the apostles on Whitsunday, when the Holy Ghost +descended on them in likeness of fire. And there made our Lord his +pasque with his disciples. And there slept Saint John the +evangelist upon the breast of our Lord Jesu Christ, and saw +sleeping many heavenly privities. + +Mount Sion is within the city, and it is a little higher than the +other side of the city; and the city is stronger on that side than +on that other side. For at the foot of the Mount Sion is a fair +castle and a strong that the soldan let make. In the Mount Sion +were buried King David and King Solomon, and many other kings, Jews +of Jerusalem. And there is the place where the Jews would have +cast up the body of our Lady when the apostles bare the body to be +buried in the vale of Jehosaphat. And there is the place where +Saint Peter wept full tenderly after that he had forsaken our Lord. +And a stone's cast from that chapel is another chapel, where our +Lord was judged, for that time was there Caiaphas's house. From +that chapel, to go toward the east, at seven score paces, is a deep +cave under the rock, that is clept the Galilee of our Lord, where +Saint Peter hid him when he had forsaken our Lord. ITEM, between +the Mount Sion and the Temple of Solomon is the place where our +Lord raised the maiden in her father's house. + +Under the Mount Sion, toward the vale of Jehosaphat, is a well that +is clept NATATORIUM SILOE. And there was our Lord washed after his +baptism; and there made our Lord the blind man to see. And there +was y-buried Isaiah the prophet. Also, straight from NATATORIUM +SILOE, is an image, of stone and of old ancient work, that Absalom +let make, and because thereof men clepe it the hand of Absalom. +And fast by is yet the tree of elder that Judas hanged himself +upon, for despair that he had, when he sold and betrayed our Lord. +And there beside was the synagogue, where the bishops of Jews and +the Pharisees came together and held their council; and there cast +Judas the thirty pence before them, and said that he had sinned +betraying our Lord. And there nigh was the house of the apostles +Philip and Jacob Alphei. And on that other side of Mount Sion, +toward the south, beyond the vale a stone's cast, is Aceldama; that +is to say, the field of blood, that was bought for the thirty +pence, that our Lord was sold for. And in that field be many tombs +of Christian men, for there be many pilgrims graven. And there be +many oratories, chapels and hermitages, where hermits were wont to +dwell. And toward the east, an hundred paces, is the charnel of +the hospital of Saint John, where men were wont to put the bones of +dead men. + +Also from Jerusalem, toward the west, is a fair church, where the +tree of the cross grew. And two mile from thence is a fair church, +where our Lady met with Elizabeth, when they were both with child; +and Saint John stirred in his mother's womb, and made reverence to +his Creator that he saw not. And under the altar of that church is +the place where Saint John was born. And from that church is a +mile to the castle of Emmaus: and there also our Lord shewed him +to two of his disciples after his resurrection. Also on that other +side, 200 paces from Jerusalem, is a church, where was wont to be +the cave of the lion. And under that church, at thirty degrees of +deepness, were interred 12,000 martyrs, in the time of King Cosdroe +that the lion met with, all in a night, by the will of God. + +Also from Jerusalem, two mile, is the Mount Joy, a full fair place +and a delicious; and there lieth Samuel the prophet in a fair tomb. +And men clepe it Mount Joy, for it giveth joy to pilgrims' hearts, +because that there men see first Jerusalem. + +Also between Jerusalem and the mount of Olivet is the vale of +Jehosaphat, under the walls of the city, as I have said before. +And in the midst of the vale is a little river that men clepe +TORRENS CEDRON, and above it, overthwart, lay a tree (that the +cross was made of) that men yede over on. And fast by it is a +little pit in the earth, where the foot of the pillar is yet +interred; and there was our Lord first scourged, for he was +scourged and villainously entreated in many places. Also in the +middle place of the vale of Jehosaphat is the church of our Lady: +and it is of forty-three degrees under the earth unto the sepulchre +of our Lady. And our Lady was of age, when she died, seventy-two +year. And beside the sepulchre of our Lady is an altar, where our +Lord forgave Saint Peter all his sins. And from thence, toward the +west, under an altar, is a well that cometh out of the river of +Paradise. And wit well, that that church is full low in the earth, +and some is all within the earth. But I suppose well, that it was +not so founded. But for because that Jerusalem hath often-time +been destroyed and the walls abated and beten down and tumbled into +the vale, and that they have been so filled again and the ground +enhanced; and for that skill is the church so low within the earth. +And, natheles, men say there commonly, that the earth hath so been +cloven sith the time that our Lady was there buried; and yet men +say there, that it waxeth and groweth every day, without doubt. In +that church were wont to be monks black, that had their abbot. + +And beside that church is a chapel, beside the rock that hight +Gethsemane. And there was our Lord kissed of Judas; and there was +he taken of the Jews. And there left our Lord his disciples, when +he went to pray before his passion, when he prayed and said, PATER, +SI FIERI POTEST, TRANSEAT A ME CALIX ISTE; that is to say, 'Father, +if it may be, do let this chalice go from me': and, when he came +again to his disciples, he found them sleeping. And in the rock +within the chapel yet appear the fingers of our Lord's hand, when +he put them in the rock, when the Jews would have taken him. + +And from thence, a stone's cast towards the south, is another +chapel, where our Lord sweat drops of blood. And there, right +nigh, is the tomb of King Jehosaphat, of whom the vale beareth the +name. This Jehosaphat was king of that country, and was converted +by an hermit, that was a worthy man and did much good. And from +thence, a bow draught towards the south, is the church, where Saint +James and Zachariah the prophet were buried. + +And above the vale is the mount of Olivet; and it is clept so for +the plenty of olives that grow there. That mount is more high than +the city of Jerusalem is; and, therefore, may men upon that mount +see many of the streets of the city. And between that mount and +the city is not but the vale of Jehosaphat that is not full large. +And from that mount styed our Lord Jesu Christ to heaven upon +Ascension Day; and yet there sheweth the shape of his left foot in +the stone. And there is a church where was wont to be an abbot and +canons regulars. And a little thence, twenty-eight paces, is a +chapel; and therein is the stone on the which our Lord sat, when he +preached the eight blessings and said thus: BEAU PAUPERES SPIRITU: +and there he taught his disciples the PATER NOSTER; and wrote with +his finger in a stone. And there nigh is a church of Saint Mary +Egyptian, and there she lieth in a tomb. And from thence toward +the east, a three bow shot, is Bethphage, to the which our Lord +sent Saint Peter and Saint James for to seek the ass upon Palm- +Sunday, and rode upon that ass to Jerusalem. + +And in coming down from the mount of Olivet, toward the east, is a +castle that is clept Bethany. And there dwelt Simon leprous, and +there harboured our Lord: and after he was baptised of the +apostles and was clept Julian, and was made bishop; and this is the +same Julian that men clepe to for good harbourage, for our Lord +harboured with him in his house. And in that house our Lord +forgave Mary Magdalene her sins: there she washed his feet with +her tears, and wiped them with her hair. And there served Saint +Martha our Lord. There our Lord raised Lazarus from death to life, +that was dead four days and stank, that was brother to Mary +Magdalene and to Martha. And there dwelt also Mary Cleophas. That +castle is well a mile long from Jerusalem. Also in coming down +from the mount of Olivet is the place where our Lord wept upon +Jerusalem. And there beside is the place where our Lady appeared +to Saint Thomas the apostle after her assumption, and gave him her +girdle. And right nigh is the stone where our Lord often-time sat +upon when he preached; and upon that same he shall sit at the day +of doom, right as himself said. + +Also after the mount of Olivet is the mount of Galilee. There +assembled the apostles when Mary Magdalene came and told them of +Christ's uprising. And there, between the Mount Olivet and the +Mount Galilee, is a church, where the angel said to our Lady of her +death. + +Also from Bethany to Jericho was sometime a little city, but it is +now all destroyed, and now is there but a little village. That +city took Joshua by miracle of God and commandment of the angel, +and destroyed it, and cursed it and all them that bigged it again. +Of that city was Zaccheus the dwarf that clomb up into the sycamore +tree for to see our Lord, because he was so little he might not see +him for the people. And of that city was Rahab the common woman +that escaped alone with them of her lineage: and she often-time +refreshed and fed the messengers of Israel, and kept them from many +great perils of death; and, therefore, she had good reward, as holy +writ saith: QUI ACCIPIT PROPHETAM IN NOMINE MEO, MERCEDEM +PROPHETAE ACCIPIET; that is to say, 'He that taketh a prophet in my +name, he shall take meed of the prophet.' And so had she. For she +prophesied to the messengers, saying, NOVI QUOD DOMINUS TRADET +VOBIS TERRAM HANC; that is to say, 'I wot well, that our Lord shall +betake you this land': and so he did. And after, Salomon, +Naasson's son, wedded her, and from that time was she a worthy +woman, and served God well. + +Also from Bethany go men to flom Jordan by a mountain and through +desert. And it is nigh a day journey from Bethany, toward the +east, to a great hill, where our Lord fasted forty days. Upon that +hill the enemy of hell bare our Lord and tempted him, and said, DIC +UT LAPIDES ISTI PANES FIANT; that is to say, 'Say, that these +stones be made loaves.' In that place, upon the hill, was wont to +be a fair church; but it is all destroyed, so that there is now but +an hermitage, that a manner of Christian men hold, that be clept +Georgians, for Saint George converted them. Upon that hill dwelt +Abraham a great while, and therefore men clepe it Abraham's Garden. +And between the hill and this garden runneth a little brook of +water that was wont to be bitter; but, by the blessing of Elisha +the prophet, it became sweet and good to drink. And at the foot of +this hill, toward the plain, is a great well, that entereth into +from Jordan. + +From that hill to Jericho, that I spake of before, is but a mile in +going toward flom Jordan. Also as men go to Jericho sat the blind +man crying, JESU, FILI DAVID, MISERERE MEI; that is to say, 'Jesu, +David's Son, have mercy on me.' And anon he had his sight. Also, +two mile from Jericho, is flome Jordan. And, an half mile more +nigh, is a fair church of Saint John the Baptist, where he baptised +our Lord. And there beside is the house of Jeremiah the prophet. + + + +CHAPTER XII + + + +OF THE DEAD SEA; AND OF THE FLOME JORDAN. OF THE HEAD OF SAINT +JOHN THE BAPTIST; AND OF THE USAGES OF THE SAMARITANS + + +AND from Jericho, a three mile, is the Dead Sea. About that sea +groweth much alum and of alkatran. Between Jericho and that sea is +the land of Engeddi. And there was wont to grow the balm; but men +make draw the branches thereof and bear them to be grafted at +Babylon; and yet men clepe them vines of Geddi. At a coast of that +sea, as men go from Arabia, is the mount of the Moabites, where +there is a cave, that men clepe Karua. Upon that hill led Balak, +the son of Beor, Balaam the priest for to curse the people of +Israel. + +That Dead Sea parteth the land of Ind and of Arabia, and that sea +lasteth from Soara unto Arabia. The water of that sea is full +bitter and salt, and, if the earth were made moist and wet with +that water, it would never bear fruit. And the earth and the land +changeth often his colour. And it casteth out of the water a thing +that men clepe asphalt, also great pieces, as the greatness of an +horse, every day and on all sides. And from Jerusalem to that sea +is 200 furlongs. That sea is in length five hundred and four score +furlongs, and in breadth an hundred and fifty furlongs; and it is +clept the Dead Sea, for it runneth nought, but is ever unmovable. +And neither man, ne beast, ne nothing that beareth life in him ne +may not die in that sea. And that hath been proved many times, by +men that have deserved to be dead that have been cast therein and +left therein three days or four, and they ne might never die +therein; for it receiveth no thing within him that beareth life. +And no man may drink of the water for bitterness. And if a man +cast iron therein, it will float above. And if men cast a feather +therein, it will sink to the bottom, and these be things against +kind. + +And also, the cities there were lost because of sin. And there +beside grow trees that bear full fair apples, and fair of colour to +behold; but whoso breaketh them or cutteth them in two, he shall +find within them coals and cinders, in token that by wrath of God +the cities and the land were burnt and sunken into hell. Some men +clepe that sea the lake Dalfetidee; some, the flome of Devils; and +some the flome that is ever stinking. And into that sea sunk the +five cities by wrath of God; that is to say, Sodom, Gomorrah, +Aldama, Zeboim, and Zoar, for the abominable sin of sodomy that +reigned in them. But Zoar, by the prayer of Lot, was saved and +kept a great while, for it was set upon a hill; and yet sheweth +thereof some part above the water, and men may see the walls when +it is fair weather and clear. In that city Lot dwelt a little +while; and there was he made drunk of his daughters, and lay with +them, and engendered of them Moab and Ammon. And the cause why his +daughters made him drunk and for to lie by him was this: because +they saw no man about them, but only their father, and therefore +they trowed that God had destroyed all the world as he had done the +cities, as he had done before by Noah's flood. And therefore they +would lie by with their father for to have issue, and for to +replenish the world again with people to restore the world again by +them; for they trowed that there had been no more men in all the +world; and if their father had not been drunk, he had not lain with +them. + +And the hill above Zoar men cleped it then Edom and after men +cleped it Seir, and after Idumea. Also at the right side of that +Dead Sea, dwelleth yet the wife of Lot in likeness of a salt stone; +for that she looked behind her when the cities sunk into hell. +This Lot was Haran's son, that was brother to Abraham; and Sarah, +Abraham's wife, and Milcah, Nahor's wife, were sisters to the said +Lot. And the same Sarah was of eld four score and ten year when +Isaac her son was gotten on her. And Abraham had another son +Ishmael that he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. And when Isaac his +son was eight days old, Abraham his father let him be circumcised, +and Ishmael with him that was fourteen year old: wherefore the +Jews that come of Isaac's line be circumcised the eighth day, and +the Saracens that come of Ishmael's line be circumcised when they +be fourteen year of age. + +And ye shall understand, that within the Dead Sea, runneth the flom +Jordan, and there it dieth, for it runneth no further more, and +that is a place that is a mile from the church of Saint John the +Baptist toward the west, a little beneath the place where that +Christian men bathe them commonly. And a mile from flom Jordan is +the river of Jabbok, the which Jacob passed over when he came from +Mesopotamia. This flom Jordan is no great river, but it is +plenteous of good fish; and it cometh out of the hill of Lebanon by +two wells that be clept Jor and Dan, and of the two wells hath it +the name. And it passeth by a lake that is clept Maron. And after +it passeth by the sea of Tiberias, and passeth under the hills of +Gilboa; and there is a full fair vale, both on that one side and on +that other of the same river. And men go [on] the hills of +Lebanon, all in length unto the desert of Pharan; and those hills +part the kingdom of Syria and the country of Phoenicia; and upon +those hills grow trees of cedar that be full high, and they bear +long apples, and as great as a man's head. + +And also this flom Jordan departeth the land of Galilee and the +land of Idumea and the land of Betron, and that runneth under earth +a great way unto a fair plain and a great that is clept Meldan in +Sarmois; that is to say, Fair or market in their language, because +that there is often fairs in that plain. And there becometh the +water great and large. In that plain is the tomb of Job. + +And in that flom Jordan above-said was our Lord baptised of Saint +John, and the voice of God the Father was heard saying: HIC EST +FILIUS MEUS DILECTUS, ETC.; that is to say, 'This is my beloved +Son, in the which I am well pleased; hear him!' and the Holy Ghost +alighted upon him in likeness of a culver; and so at his baptising +was all the whole Trinity. + +And through that flome passed the children of Israel, all dry feet; +and they put stones there in the middle place, in token of the +miracle that the water withdrew him so. Also in that flome Jordan +Naaman of Syria bathed him, that was full rich, but he was mesell; +and there anon he took his health. + +About the flome Jordan be many churches where that many Christian +men dwelled. And nigh thereto is the city of Ai that Joshua +assailed and took. Also beyond the flome Jordan is the vale of +Mamre, and that is a full fair vale. Also upon the hill that I +spake of before, where our Lord fasted forty days, a two mile long +from Galilee, is a fair hill and an high, where the enemy the fiend +bare our Lord the third time to tempt him, and shewed him all the +regions of the world and said, HEC OMNIA TIBI DABO, SI CADENS +ADORAVERIS ME; that is to say, 'All this shall I give thee, if thou +fall and worship me.' + +Also from the Dead Sea to go eastward, out of the marches of the +Holy Land that is clept the Land of Promission, is a strong castle +and a fair, in an hill that is clept Carak in Sarmois; that is to +say, Royally. That castle let make King Baldwin, that was King of +France, when he had conquered that land, and put it into Christian +men's hands for to keep that country; and for that cause was it +clept the Mount Royal. And under it there is a town that hight +Sobach, and there, all about, dwell Christian men, under tribute. + +From thence go men to Nazareth, of the which our Lord beareth the +surname. And from thence there is three journeys to Jerusalem: +and men go by the province of Galilee by Ramath, by Sothim and by +the high hill of Ephraim, where Elkanah and Hannah the mother of +Samuel the prophet dwelled. There was born this prophet; and, +after his death, he was buried at Mount Joy, as I have said you +before. + +And then go men to Shiloh, where the Ark of God with the relics +were kept long time under Eli the prophet. There made the people +of Hebron sacrifice to our Lord, and they yielded up their vows. +And there spake God first to Samuel, and shewed him the mutation of +Order of Priesthood, and the mystery of the Sacrament. And right +nigh, on the left side, is Gibeon and Ramah and Benjamin, of the +which holy writ speaketh of. + +And after men go to Sichem, some-time clept Sichar; and that is in +the province of Samaritans. And there is a full fair vale and a +fructuous; and there is a fair city and a good that men clepe +Neople. And from thence is a journey to Jerusalem. And there is +the well, where our Lord spake to the woman of Samaritan. And +there was wont to be a church, but it is beaten down. Beside that +well King Rehoboam let make two calves of gold and made them to be +worshipped, and put that one at Dan and that other at Bethel. And +a mile from Sichar is the city of Luz; and in that city dwelt +Abraham a certain time. Sichem is a ten mile from Jerusalem, and +it is clept Neople; that is for to say, the New City. And nigh +beside is the tomb of Joseph the son of Jacob that governed Egypt: +for the Jews bare his bones from Egypt and buried them there, and +thither go the Jews often-time in pilgrimage with great devotion. +In that city was Dinah, Jacob's daughter, ravished, for whom her +brethren slew many persons and did many harms to the city. And +there beside is the hill of Gerizim, where the Samaritans make +their sacrifice: in that hill would Abraham have sacrificed his +son Isaac. And there beside is the vale of Dotaim, and there is +the cistern, where Joseph, was cast in of his brethren, which they +sold; and that is two mile from Sichar. + +From thence go men to Samaria that men clepe now Sebast; and that +is the chief city of that country, and it sits between the hill of +Aygnes as Jerusalem doth. In that city was the sittings of the +twelve tribes of Israel; but the city is not now so great as it was +wont to be. There was buried Saint John the Baptist between two +prophets, Elisha and Abdon; but he was beheaded in the castle of +Macharim beside the Dead Sea, and after he was translated of his +disciples, and buried at Samaria. And there let Julianus Apostata +dig him up and let burn his bones (for he was at that time emperor) +and let winnow the ashes in the wind. But the finger that shewed +our Lord, saying, ECCE AGNUS DEI; that is to say, 'Lo! the Lamb of +God,' that would never burn, but is all whole; - that finger let +Saint Thecla, the holy virgin, be born into the hill of Sebast; and +there make men great feast. + +In that place was wont to be a fair church; and many other there +were; but they be all beaten down. There was wont to be the head +of Saint John Baptist, enclosed in the wall. But the Emperor +Theodosius let draw it out, and found it wrapped in a little cloth, +all bloody; and so he let it to be born to Constantinople. And yet +at Constantinople is the hinder part of the head, and the fore part +of the head, till under the chin, is at Rome under the church of +Saint Silvester, where be nuns of an hundred orders: and it is yet +all broilly, as though it were half-burnt, for the Emperor Julianus +above-said, of his cursedness and malice, let burn that part with +the other bones, and yet it sheweth; and this thing hath been +proved both by popes and by emperors. And the jaws beneath, that +hold to the chin, and a part of the ashes and the platter that the +head was laid in, when it was smitten off, is at Genoa; and the +Genoese make of it great feast, and so do the Saracens also. And +some men say that the head of Saint John is at Amiens in Picardy; +and other men say that it is the head of Saint John the Bishop. I +wot never, but God knoweth; but in what wise that men worship it, +the blessed Saint John holds him a-paid. + +From this city of Sebast unto Jerusalem is twelve mile. And +between the hills of that country there is a well that four sithes +in the year changeth his colour, sometime green, sometime red, +sometime clear and sometime trouble; and men clepe that well, Job. +And the folk of that country, that men clepe Samaritans, were +converted and baptized by the apostles; but they hold not well +their doctrine, and always they hold laws by themselves, varying +from Christian men, from Saracens, Jews and Paynims. And the +Samaritans lieve well in one God, and they say well that there is +but only one God, that all formed, and all shall doom; and they +hold the Bible after the letter, and they use the Psalter as the +Jews do. And they say that they be the right sons of God. And +among all other folk, they say that they be best beloved of God, +and that to them belongeth the heritage that God behight to his +beloved children. And they have also diverse clothing and shape to +look on than other folk have; for they wrap their heads in red +linen cloth, in difference from others. And the Saracens wrap +their heads in white linen cloth; and the Christian men, that dwell +in the country, wrap them in blue of Ind; and the Jews in yellow +cloth. In that country dwell many of the Jews, paying tribute as +Christian men do. And if ye will know the letters that the Jews +use they be such, and the names be as they clepe them written +above, in manner of their A. B. C. + +Aleph Beth Gymel Deleth He Vau Zay + +Heth Thet Joht Kapho Lampd Mem Num + +Sameth Ey Fhee Sade Coph Resch Son Tau + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + + +OF THE PROVINCE OF GALILEE, AND WHERE ANTICHRIST SHALL BE BORN. OF +NAZARETH. OF THE AGE OF OUR LADY. OF THE DAY OF DOOM. AND OF THE +CUSTOMS OF JACOBITES, SYRIANS; AND OF THE USAGES OF GEORGIANS + + +FROM this country of the Samaritans that I have spoken of before go +men to the plains of Galilee, and men leave the hills on that one +part. + +And Galilee is one of the provinces of the Holy Land, and in that +province is the city of Nain - and Capernaum, and Chorazin and +Bethsaida. In this Bethsaida was Saint Peter and Saint Andrew +born. And thence, a four mile, is Chorazin. And five mile from +Chorazin is the city of Kedar whereof the Psalter speaketh: ET +HABITAVI CUM HABITANTIBUS KEDAR; that is for to say, 'And I have +dwelled with the dwelling men in Kedar.' In Chorazin shall +Antichrist be born, as some men say. And other men say he shall be +born in Babylon; for the prophet saith: DE BABILONIA COLUBER +EXEST, QUI TOTUM MUNDUM DEVORABIT; that is to say 'Out of Babylon +shall come a worm that shall devour all the world.' This +Antichrist shall be nourished in Bethsaida, and he shall reign in +Capernaum: and therefore saith holy writ; VAE TIBI, CHORAZIN! VAE +TIBI, BETHSAIDA! VAE TIBI, CAPERNAUM! that is to say, 'Woe be to +thee, Chorazin! Woe to thee, Bethsaida! Woe to thee, Capernaum.' +And all these towns be in the land of Galilee. And also the Cana +of Galilee is four mile from Nazareth: of that city was Simon +Chananeus and his wife Canee, of the which the holy evangelist +speaketh of. There did our Lord the first miracle at the wedding, +when he turned water into wine. + +And in the end of Galilee, at the hills, was the Ark of God taken; +and on that other side is the Mount Endor or Hermon. And, +thereabout, goeth the Brook of Torrens Kishon; and there beside, +Barak, that was Abimelech's son with Deborah the prophetess +overcame the host of Idumea, when Sisera the king was slain of Jael +the wife of Heber, and chased beyond the flome Jordan, by strength +of sword, Zeeb and Zebah and Zalmunna, and there he slew them. +Also a five mile from Nain is the city of Jezreel that sometime was +clept Zarim, of the which city Jezabel, the cursed queen, was lady +and queen, that took away the vine of Naboth by her strength. Fast +by that city is the field Megiddo, in the which the King Joram was +slain of the King of Samaria and after was translated and buried in +the Mount Sion. + +And a mile from Jezreel be the hills of Gilboa, where Saul and +Jonathan, that were so fair, died; wherefore David cursed them, as +holy writ saith: MONTES GILBOAE, NEC ROS NEC PLUVIA, ETC.; that is +to say, 'Ye hills of Gilboa, neither dew ne rain come upon you.' +And a mile from the hills of Gilboa toward the east is the city of +Cyropolis, that was clept before Bethshan; and upon the walls of +that city was the head of Saul hanged. + +After go men by the hill beside the plains of Galilee unto +Nazareth, where was wont to be a great city and a fair; but now +there is not but a little village, and houses abroad here and +there. And it is not walled. And it sits in a little valley, and +there be hills all about. There was our Lady born, but she was +gotten at Jerusalem. And because that our Lady was born at +Nazareth, therefore bare our Lord his surname of that town. There +took Joseph our Lady to wife, when she was fourteen year of age. +And there Gabriel greeted our Lady, saying, AVE GRATIA PLENA, +DOMINUS TECUM! that is to say, 'Hail, full of grace, our Lord is +with thee!' And this salutation was done in a place of a great +altar of a fair church that was wont to be sometime, but it is now +all down, and men have made a little receipt, beside a pillar of +that church, to receive the offerings of pilgrims. And the +Saracens keep that place full dearly, for the profit that they have +thereof. And they be full wicked Saracens and cruel, and more +despiteful than in any other place, and have destroyed all the +churches. There nigh is Gabriel's Well, where our Lord was wont to +bathe him, when he was young, and from that well bare he water +often-time to his mother. And in that well she washed often-time +the clouts of her Son Jesu Christ. And from Jerusalem unto thither +is three journeys. At Nazareth was our Lord nourished. Nazareth +is as much to say as, 'Flower of the garden'; and by good skill may +it be clept flower, for there was nourished the flower of life that +was Christ Jesu. + +And two mile from Nazareth is the city of Sephor, by the way that +goeth from Nazareth to Akon. And an half mile from Nazareth is the +Leap of our Lord. For the Jews led him upon an high rock for to +make him leap down, and have slain him; but Jesu passed amongst +them, and leapt upon another rock, and yet be the steps of his feet +seen in the rock, where he alighted. And therefore say some men, +when they dread them of thieves in any way, or of enemies; JESUS +AUTEM TRANSIENS PER MEDIUM ILLORUM IBAT; that is to say, 'Jesus, +forsooth, passing by the midst of them, he went': in token and +mind, that our Lord passed through, out the Jews' cruelty, and +scaped safely from them, so surely may men pass the peril of +thieves'. And then say men two verses of the Psalter three sithes: +IRRUAT SUPER EOS FORMIDO & PAVOR, IN MAGNITUDINE BRACHII TUI, +DOMINE. FIANT IMMOBILES, QUASI LAPIS, DONEC PERTRANSEAT POPULUS +TUUS, DOMINE; DONEC PERTRANSEAT POPULUS TUUS ISTE, QUEM POSSEDISTI; +and then may men pass without peril. + +And ye shall understand, that our Lady had child when she was +fifteen year old. And she was conversant with her son thirty-three +year and three months. And after the passion of our Lord she lived +twenty-four year. + +Also from Nazareth men go to the Mount Tabor; and that is a four +mile. And it is a full fair hill and well high, where was wont to +be a town and many churches; but they be all destroyed. But yet +there is a place that men clepe the school of God, where he was +wont to teach his disciples, and told them the privities of heaven. +And, at the foot of that hill, Melchisedech that was King of Salem, +in the turning of that hill met Abraham in coming again from the +battle, when he had slain Abimelech. And this Melchisedech was +both king and priest of Salem that now is clept Jerusalem. In that +hill Tabor our Lord transfigured him before Saint Peter, Saint John +and Saint Jame; and there they saw, ghostly, Moses and Elias the +prophets beside them. And therefore said Saint Peter; DOMINE, +BONUM EST NOS HIC ESSE; FACIAMUS HIC TRIA TABERNACULA; that is to +say, 'Lord, it is good for us to be here; make we here three +dwelling-places.' And there heard they a voice of the Father that +say; HIC EST FILIUS MEUS DILECTUS, IN QUO MIHI BENE COMPLACUI. And +our Lord defended them that they should not tell that avision till +that he were risen from death to life. + +In that hill and in that same place, at the day of doom, four +angels with four trumpets shall blow and raise all men that had +suffered death, sith that the world was formed, from death to life; +and shall come in body and soul in judgment, before the face of our +Lord in the Vale of Jehosaphat. And the doom shall be on Easter +Day, such time as our Lord arose. And the doom shall begin, such +hour as our Lord descended to hell and despoiled it. For at such +hour shall he despoil the world and lead his chosen to bliss; and +the other shall he condemn to perpetual pains. And then shall +every man have after his desert, either good or evil, but if the +mercy of God pass his righteousness. + +Also a mile from Mount Tabor is the Mount Hermon; and there was the +city of Nain. Before the gate of that city raised our Lord the +widow's son, that had no more children. Also three miles from +Nazareth is the Castle Safra, of the which the sons of Zebedee and +the sons of Alpheus were. Also a seven mile from Nazareth is the +Mount Cain, and under that is a well; and beside that well Lamech, +Noah's father, slew Cain with an arrow. For this Cain went through +briars and bushes as a wild beast; and he had lived from the time +of Adam his father unto the time of Noah, and so he lived nigh to +2000 year. And this Lamech was all blind for eld. + +From Safra men go to the sea of Galilee and to the city of +Tiberias, that sits upon the same sea. And albeit that men clepe +it a sea, yet is it neither sea ne arm of the sea. For it is but a +stank of fresh water that is in length one hundred furlongs, and of +breadth forty furlongs, and hath within him great plenty of good +fish, and runneth into flom Jordan. The city is not full great, +but it hath good baths within him. + +And there, as the flome Jordan parteth from the sea of Galilee, is +a great bridge, where men pass from the Land of Promission to the +land of King Bashan and the land of Gennesaret, that be about the +flom Jordan and the beginning of the sea of Tiberias. And from +thence may men go to Damascus, in three days, by the kingdom of +Traconitis, the which kingdom lasteth from Mount Hermon to the sea +of Galilee, or to the sea of Tiberias, or to the sea of Gennesaret; +and all is one sea, and this the tank that I have told you, but it +changeth thus the name for the names of the cities that sit beside +him. + +Upon that sea went our Lord dry feet; and there he took up Saint +Peter, when he began to drench within the sea, and said to him, +MODICE FIDEI, QUARE DUBITASTI? And after his resurrection our Lord +appeared on that sea to his disciples and bade them fish, and +filled all the net full of great fishes. In that sea rowed our +Lord often-time; and there he called to him Saint Peter, Saint +Andrew, Saint James and Saint John, the sons of Zebedee. + +In that city of Tiberias is the table upon the which our Lord ate +upon with his disciples after his resurrection; and they knew him +in breaking of bread, as the gospel saith: ET COGNOVERUNT EUM IN +FRACTIONE PANIS. And nigh that city of Tiberias is the hill, where +our Lord fed 5000 persons with five barley loaves and two fishes. + +In that city a man cast a burning dart in wrath after our Lord. +And the head smote into the earth and waxed green; and it growed to +a great tree. And yet it groweth and the bark thereof is all like +coals. + +Also in the head of that sea of Galilee, toward the septentrion is +a strong castle and an high that hight Saphor. And fast beside it +is Capernaum. Within the Land of Promission is not so strong a +castle. And there is a good town beneath that is clept also +Saphor. In that castle Saint Anne our Lady's mother was born. And +there beneath, was Centurio's house. That country is clept the +Galilee of Folk that were taken to tribute of Zebulon and Napthali. + +And in again coming from that castle, a thirty mile, is the city of +Dan, that sometime was clept Belinas or Cesarea Philippi; that sits +at the foot of the Mount of Lebanon, where the flome Jordan +beginneth. There beginneth the Land of Promission and dureth unto +Beersheba in length, in going toward the north into the south, and +it containeth well a nine score miles; and of breadth, that is to +say, from Jericho unto Jaffa, and that containeth a forty mile of +Lombardy, or of our country, that be also little miles; these be +not miles of Gascony ne of the Province of Almayne, where be great +miles. And wit ye well, that the Land of Promission is in Syria. +For the realm of Syria dureth from the deserts of Arabia unto +Cilicia, and that is Armenia the great; that is to say, from the +south to the north. And, from the east to the west, it dureth from +the great deserts of Arabia unto the West Sea. But in that realm +of Syria is the kingdom of Judea and many other provinces, as +Palestine, Galilee, Little Cilicia, and many other. + +In that country and other countries beyond they have a custom, when +they shall use war, and when men hold siege about city or castle, +and they within dare not send out messengers with letters from lord +to lord for to ask succour, they make their letters and bind them +to the neck of a culver, and let the culver flee. And the culvers +be so taught, that they flee with those letters to the very place +that men would send them to. For the culvers be nourished in those +places where they be sent to, and they send them thus, for to bear +their letters. And the culvers return again whereas they be +nourished; and so they do commonly. + +And ye shall understand that amongst the Saracens, one part and +other, dwell many Christian men of many manners and diverse names. +And all be baptized and have diverse laws and diverse customs. But +all believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost; but +always fail they in some articles of our faith. Some of these be +clept Jacobites, for Saint James converted them and Saint John +baptized them. They say that a man shall make his confession only +to God, and not to a man; for only to him should man yield him +guilty of all that he hath misdone. Ne God ordained not, ne never +devised, ne the prophet neither, that a man should shrive him to +another (as they say), but only to God. As Moses writeth in the +Bible, and as David saith in the Psalter Book; CONFITEBOR TIBI, +DOMINE, IN TOTO CORDE MEO, and DELICTUM MEUM TIBI COGNITUM FECI, +and DEUS MEUS ES TU, & CONFITEBOR TIBI, and QUONIAM COGITATIO +HOMINIS CONFITEBITUR TIBI, etc. For they know all the Bible and +the Psalter. And therefore allege they so the letter. But they +allege not the authorities thus in Latin, but in their language +full apertly, and say well, that David and other prophets say it. + +Natheles, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory say thus:- Augustinus: +QUI SCELERA SUA COGITAT, & CONVERSUS FUERIT, VENIAM SIBI CREDAT. +Gregorius: DOMINUS POTIUS MENTEM QUAM VERBA RESPICIT. And Saint +Hilary saith: LONGORUM TEMPORUM CRIMINA, IN ICTU OCULI PEREUNT, SI +CORDIS NATA FUERIT COMPUNCTIO. And for such authorities they say, +that only to God shall a man knowledge his defaults, yielding +himself guilty and crying him mercy, and behoting to him to amend +himself. And therefore, when they will shrive them, they take fire +and set it beside them, and cast therein powder of frankincense; +and in the smoke thereof they shrive them to God, and cry him +mercy. But sooth it is, that this confession was first and kindly. +But Saint Peter the apostle, and they that came after him, have +ordained to make their confession to man, and by good reason; for +they perceived well that no sickness was curable, [ne] good +medicine to lay thereto, but if men knew the nature of the malady; +and also no man may give convenable medicine, but if he know the +quality of the deed. For one sin may be greater in one man than in +another, and in one place and in one time than in another; and +therefore it behoveth him that he know the kind of the deed, and +thereupon to give him penance. + +There be other, that be clept Syrians; and they hold the belief +amongst us, and of them of Greece. And they use all beards, as men +of Greece do. And they make the sacrament of therf bread. And in +their language they use letters of Saracens. But after the mystery +of Holy Church they use letters of Greece. And they make their +confession, right as the Jacobites do. + +There be other, that men clepe Georgians, that Saint George +converted; and him they worship more than any other saint, and to +him they cry for help. And they came out of the realm of Georgia. +These folk use crowns shaven. The clerks have round crowns, and +the lewd men have crowns all square. And they hold Christian law, +as do they of Greece; of whom I have spoken of before. + +Other there be that men clepe Christian men of Girding, for they be +all girt above. And there be other that men clept Nestorians. And +some Arians, some Nubians, some of Greece, some of Ind, and some of +Prester John's Land. And all these have many articles of our +faith, and to other they be variant. And of their variance were +too long to tell, and so I will leave, as for the time, without +more speaking of them. + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + + +OF THE CITY OF DAMASCUS. OF THREE WAYS TO JERUSALEM; ONE, BY LAND +AND BY SEA; ANOTHER, MORE BY LAND THAN BY SEA; AND THE THIRD WAY TO +JERUSALEM, ALL BY LAND + + +NOW after that I have told you some part of folk in the countries +before, now will I turn again to my way, for to turn again on this +half. Then whoso will go from the land of Galilee, of that that I +have spoke for, to come again on this half, men come again by +Damascus, that is a full fair city and full noble, and full of all +merchandises, and a three journeys long from the sea, and a five +journeys from Jerusalem. But upon camels, mules, horses, +dromedaries and other beasts, men carry their merchandise thither. +And thither come the merchants with merchandise by sea from India, +Persia, Chaldea, Armenia, and of many other kingdoms. + +This city founded Eliezer Damascus, that was yeoman and dispenser +of Abraham before that Isaac was born. For he thought for to have +been Abraham's heir, and he named the town after his surname +Damascus. And in that place, where Damascus was founded, Cain slew +Abel his brother. And beside Damascus is the Mount Seir. In that +city of Damascus there is great plenty of wells. And within the +city and without be many fair gardens and of diverse fruits. None +other city is not like in comparison to it of fair gardens, and of +fair disports. The city is great and full of people, and well +walled with double walls. And there be many physicians. And Saint +Paul himself was there a physician for to keep men's bodies in +health, before he was converted. And after that he was physician +of souls. And Saint Luke the evangelist was disciple of Saint Paul +for to learn physic, and many other; for Saint Paul held then +school of physic. And near beside Damascus was he converted. And +after his conversion ne dwelt in that city three days, without +sight and without meat or drink; and in those three days he was +ravished to heaven, and there he saw many privities of our Lord. + +And fast beside Damascus is the castle of Arkes that is both fair +and strong. + +From Damascus men come again by our Lady of Sardenak, that is a +five mile on this half Damascus. And it sitteth upon a rock, and +it is a full fair place; and it seemeth a castle, for there was +wont to be a castle, but it is now a full fair church. And there +within be monks and nuns Christian. And there is a vault under the +church, where that Christian men dwell also. And they have many +good vines. And in the church, behind the high altar, in the wall, +is a table of black wood, on the which sometime was depainted an +image of our Lady that turneth into flesh: but now the image +sheweth but little, but alway, by the grace of God, that table +evermore drops oil, as it were of olive; and there is a vessel of +marble under the table to receive the oil. Thereof they give to +pilgrims, for it heals of many sicknesses; and men say that, if it +be kept well seven year, afterwards it turns into flesh and blood. +From Sardenak men come through the vale of Bochar, the which is a +fair vale and a plenteous of all manner of fruit; and it is amongst +hills. And there are therein fair rivers and great meadows and +noble pasture for beasts. And men go by the mounts of Libanus, +which lasts from Armenia the more towards the north unto Dan, the +which is the end of the Land of Repromission toward the north, as I +said before. Their hills are right fruitful, and there are many +fair wells and cedars and cypresses, and many other trees of divers +kinds. There are also many good towns toward the head of their +hills, full of folk. + +Between the city of Arkez and the city of Raphane is a river, that +is called Sabatory; for on the Saturday it runs fast, and all the +week else it stand still and runs not, or else but fairly. Between +the foresaid hills also is another water that on nights freezes +hard and on days is no frost seen thereon. And, as men come again +from those hills, is a hill higher than any of the other, and they +call it there the High Hill. There is a great city and a fair, the +which is called Tripoli, in the which are many good Christian men, +yemand the same rites and customs that we use. From thence men +come by a city that is called Beyrout, where Saint George slew the +dragon; and it is a good town, and a fair castle therein, and it is +three journeys from the foresaid city of Sardenak. At the one side +of Beyrout sixteen mile, to come hitherward, is the city of Sydon. +At Beyrout enters pilgrims into the sea that will come to Cyprus, +and they arrive at the port of Surry or of Tyre, and so they come +to Cyprus in a little space. Or men may come from the port of Tyre +and come not at Cyprus, and arrive at some haven of Greece, and so +come to these parts, as I said before. + +I have told you now of the way by which men go farrest and longest +to Jerusalem, as by Babylon and Mount Sinai and many other places +which ye heard me tell of; and also by which ways men shall turn +again to the Land of Repromission. Now will I tell you the +rightest way and the shortest to Jerusalem. For some men will not +go the other; some for they have not spending enough, some for they +have no good company, and some for they may not endure the long +travel, some for they dread them of many perils of deserts, some +for they will haste them homeward, desiring to see their wives and +their children, or for some other reasonable cause that they have +to turn soon home. And therefore I will shew how men may pass +tittest and in shortest time make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A +man that comes from the lands of the west, he goes through France, +Burgoyne, and Lumbardy. And so to Venice or Genoa, or some other +haven, and ships there and wends by sea to the isle of Greff, the +which pertains to the Genoans. + +And syne he arrives in Greece at Port Mirrok, or at Valoun, or at +Duras, or at some other haven of that country, and rests him there +and buys him victuals and ships again and sails to Cyprus and +arrives there at Famagost and comes not at the isle of Rhodes. +Famagost is the chief haven of Cyprus; and there he refreshes him +and purveys him of victuals, and then he goes to ship and comes no +more on land, if he will, before he comes at Port Jaffa, that is +the next haven to Jerusalem, for it is but a day journey and a half +from Jerusalem, that is to say thirty-six mile. From the Port +Jaffa men go to the city of Rames, the which is but a little +thence; and it is a fair city and a good and mickle folk therein. +And without that city toward the south is a kirk of our Lady, where +our Lord shewed him to her in three clouds, the which betokened the +Trinity. And a little thence is another city, that men call +Dispolis, but it hight some time Lidda, a fair city and a well +inhabited: there is a kirk of Saint George, where he was headed. +From thence men go to the castle of Emmaus, and so to the Mount +Joy; there may pilgrims first see Jerusalem. At Mount Joy lies +Samuel the prophet. From thence men go to Jerusalem. Beside their +ways is the city of Ramatha and the Mount Modyn; and thereof was +Matathias, Judas Machabeus father, and there are the graves of the +Machabees. Beyond Ramatha is the town of Tekoa, whereof Amos the +prophet was; and there is his grave. + +I have told you before of the holy places that are at Jerusalem and +about it, and therefore I will speak no more of them at this time. +But I will turn again and shew you other ways a man may pass more +by land, and namely for them that may not suffer the savour of the +sea, but is liefer to go by land, if all it be the more pain. From +a man be entered into the sea he shall pass till one of the havens +of Lumbardy, for there is the best making of purveyance of +victuals; or he may pass to Genoa or Venice or some other. And he +shall pass by sea in to Greece to the Port Mirrok, or to Valoun or +to Duras, or some other haven of that country. And from thence he +shall go by land to Constantinople, and he shall pass the water +that is called Brace Saint George, the which is one arm of the sea. +And from thence he shall by land go to Ruffynell, where a good +castle is and a strong; and from therein he shall go to Puluual, +and syne to the castle of Sinope, and from thence to Cappadocia, +that is a great country, where are many great hills. And he shall +go though Turkey to the port of Chiutok and to the city of Nicaea, +which is but seven miles thence. That city won the Turks from the +Emperor of Constantinople; and it is a fair city and well walled on +the one side, and on the other side is a great lake and a great +river, the which is called Lay. From thence men go by the hills of +Nairmount and by the vales of Mailbrins and strait fells and by the +town of Ormanx or by the towns that are on Riclay and Stancon, the +which are great rivers and noble, and so to Antioch the less, which +is set on the river of Riclay. And there abouts are many good +hills and fair, and many fair woods and great plenty of wild beasts +for to hunt at. + +And he that will go another way, he shall go by the plains of +Romany coasting the Roman Sea. On that coast is a fair castle that +men call Florach, and it is right a strong place. And uppermore +amongst the mountains is a fair city, that is called Tarsus, and +the city of Longemaath, and the city of Assere, and the city of +Marmistre. And when a man is passed those mountains and those +fells, he goes by the city of Marioch and by Artoise, where is a +great bridge upon the river of Ferne, that is called Farfar, and it +is a great river bearing ships and it runs right fast out of the +mountains to the city of Damascus. And beside the city of Damascus +is another great river that comes from the hills of Liban, which +men call Abbana. At the passing of this river Saint Eustace, that +some-time was called Placidas, lost his wife and his two children. +This river runs through the plain of Archades, and so to the Red +Sea. From thence men go to the city of Phenice, where are hot +wells and hot baths. And then men go to the city of Ferne; and +between Phenice and Ferne are ten mile. And there are many fair +woods. And then men come to Antioch, which is ten mile thence. +And it is a fair city and well walled about with many fair towers; +and it is a great city, but it was some-time greater than it is +now. For it was some-time two mile on length and on breadth other +half mile. And through the midst of that city ran the water of +Farphar and a great bridge over it; and there was some-time in the +walls about this city three hundred and fifty towers, and at each +pillar of the bridge was a stone. This is the chief city of the +kingdom of Syria. And ten mile from this city is the port of Saint +Symeon; and there goes the water of Farphar into the sea. From +Antioch men go to a city that is called Lacuth, and then to Gebel, +and then to Tortouse. And there near is the land of Channel; and +there is a strong castle that is called Maubek. From Tortouse pass +men to Tripoli by sea, or else by land through the straits of +mountains and fells. And there is a city that is called Gibilet. +From Tripoli go men to Acres; and from thence are two ways to +Jerusalem, the one on the left half and the other on the right +half. By the left way men go by Damascus and by the flum Jordan. +By the right way men go by Maryn and by the land of Flagramy and +near the mountains into the city of Cayphas, that some men call the +castle of Pilgrims. And from thence to Jerusalem are three day +journey, in the which men shall go through Caesarea Philippi, and +so to Jaffa and Rames and the castle of Emmaus, and so to +Jerusalem. + +Now have I told you some ways by land and by water that men may go +by to the Holy Land after the countries that they come from. +Nevertheless they come all to one end. Yet is there another way to +Jerusalem all by land, and pass not the sea, from France or +Flanders; but that way is full long and perilous and of great +travel, and therefore few go that way. He that shall go that way, +he shall go through Almayne and Prussia and so to Tartary. This +Tartary is holden of the great Caan of Cathay, of whom I think to +speak afterward. This is a full ill land and sandy and little +fruit bearing. For there grows no corn, ne wine, ne beans, ne +peas, ne none other fruit convenable to man for to live with. But +there are beasts in great plenty: and therefore they eat but flesh +without bread and sup the broth and they drink milk of all manner +of beasts. They eat hounds, cats, ratons, and all other wild +beasts. And they have no wood, or else little; and therefore they +warm and seethe their meat with horse-dung and cow-dung and of +other beasts, dried against the sun. And princes and other eat not +but once in the day, and that but little. And they be right foul +folk and of evil kind. And in summer, by all the countries, fall +many tempests and many hideous thunders and leits and slay much +people and beasts also full often-time. And suddenly is there +passing heat, and suddenly also passing cold; and it is the foulest +country and the most cursed and the poorest that men know. And +their prince, that governeth that country, that they clepe Batho, +dwelleth at the city of Orda. And truly no good man should not +dwell in that country, for the land and the country is not worthy +hounds to dwell in. It were a good country to sow in thistle and +briars and broom and thorns and briars; and for no other thing is +it not good. Natheles, there is good land in some place, but it is +pure little, as men say. + +I have not been in that country, nor by those ways. But I have +been at other lands that march to those countries, as in the land +of Russia, as in the land of Nyflan, and in the realm of Cracow and +of Letto, and in the realm of Daristan, and in many other places +that march to the coasts. But I went never by that way to +Jerusalem, wherefore I may not well tell you the manner. + +But, if this matter please to any worthy man that hath gone by that +way, he may tell it if him like, to that intent, that those, that +will go by that way and make their voyage by those coasts, may know +what way is there. For no man may pass by that way goodly, but in +time of winter, for the perilous waters and wicked mareys, that be +in those countries, that no man may pass but if it be strong frost +and snow above. For if the snow ne were not, men might not go upon +the ice, ne horse ne car neither. + +And it is well a three journeys of such way to pass from Prussia to +the land of Saracens habitable. And it behoveth to the Christian +men, that shall war against them every year, to bear their victuals +with them; for they shall find there no good. And then must they +let carry their victual upon the ice with cars that have no wheels, +that they clepe sleighs. And as long as their victuals last they +may abide there, but no longer; for there shall they find no wight +that will sell them any victual or anything. And when the spies +see any Christian men come upon them, they run to the towns, and +cry with a loud voice; KERRA, KERRA, KERRA. And then anon they arm +them and assemble them together. + +And ye shall understand that it freezeth more strongly in those +countries than on this half. And therefore hath every man stews in +his house, and in those stews they eat and do their occupations all +that they may. For that is at the north parts that men clepe the +Septentrional where it is all only cold. For the sun is but little +or none toward those countries. And therefore in the Septentrion, +that is very north, is the land so cold, that no man may dwell +there. And, in the contrary, toward the south it is so hot, that +no man ne may dwell there, because that the sun, when he is upon +the south, casteth his beams all straight upon that part. + + + +CHAPTER XV + + + +OF THE CUSTOMS OF SARACENS, AND OF THEIR LAW. AND HOW THE SOLDAN +REASONED ME, AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK; AND OF THE BEGINNING OF MOHAMMET + + +NOW, because that I have spoken of Saracens and of their country - +now, if ye will know a part of their law and of their belief, I +shall tell you after that their book that is clept ALKARON telleth. +And some men clepe that book MESHAF. And some men clepe it HARME, +after the diverse languages of the country. The which book +Mohammet took them. In the which book, among other things, is +written, as I have often-time seen and read, that the good shall go +to paradise, and the evil to hell; and that believe all Saracens. +And if a man ask them what paradise they mean, they say, to +paradise that is a place of delights where men shall find all +manner of fruits in all seasons, and rivers running of milk and +honey, and of wine and of sweet water; and that they shall have +fair houses and noble, every man after his desert, made of precious +stones and of gold and of silver; and that every man shall have +four score wives all maidens, and he shall have ado every day with +them, and yet he shall find them always maidens. + +Also they believe and speak gladly of the Virgin Mary and of the +Incarnation. And they say that Mary was taught of the angel; and +that Gabriel said to her, that she was for-chosen from the +beginning of the world and that he shewed to her the Incarnation of +Jesu Christ and that she conceived and bare child maiden; and that +witnesseth their book. + +And they say also, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he was born; +and that he was an holy prophet and a true in word and deed, and +meek and piteous and rightful and without any vice. + +And they say also, that when the angel shewed the Incarnation of +Christ unto Mary, she was young and had great dread. For there was +then an enchanter in the country that dealt with witchcraft, that +men clept Taknia, that by his enchantments could make him in +likeness of an angel, and went often-times and lay with maidens. +And therefore Mary dreaded lest it had been Taknia, that came for +to deceive the maidens. And therefore she conjured the angel, that +he should tell her if it were he or no. And the angel answered and +said that she should have no dread of him, for he was very +messenger of Jesu Christ. Also their book saith, that when that +she had childed under a palm tree she had great shame, that she had +a child; and she greet and said that she would that she had been +dead. And anon the child spake to her and comforted her, and said, +"Mother, ne dismay thee nought, for God hath hid in thee his +privities for the salvation of the world." And in other many +places saith their ALKARON, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he +was born. And that book saith also that Jesu was sent from God +Almighty for to be mirror and example and token to all men. + +And the ALKARON saith also of the day of doom how God shall come to +doom all manner of folk. And the good he shall draw on his side +and put them into bliss, and the wicked he shall condemn to the +pains of hell. And among all prophets Jesu was the most excellent +and the most worthy next God, and that he made the gospels in the +which is good doctrine and healthful, full of clarity and +soothfastness and true preaching to them that believe in God. And +that he was a very prophet and more than a prophet, and lived +without sin, and gave sight to the blind, and healed the lepers, +and raised dead men, and styed to heaven. + +And when they may hold the Book of the Gospels of our Lord written +and namely MISSUS EST ANGELUS GABRIEL, that gospel they say, those +that be lettered, often-times in their orisons, and they kiss it +and worship it with great devotion. + +They fast an whole month in the year and eat nought but by night. +And they keep them from their wives all that month. But the sick +men be not constrained to that fast. + +Also this book speaketh of Jews and saith that they be cursed; for +they would not believe that Jesu Christ was come of God. And that +they lied falsely on Mary and on her son Jesu Christ, saying that +they had crucified Jesu the son of Mary; for he was never +crucified, as they say, but that God made him to sty up to him +without death and without annoy. But he transfigured his likeness +into Judas Iscariot, and him crucified the Jews, and weened that it +had been Jesus. But Jesus styed to heavens all quick. And +therefore they say, that the Christian men err and have no good +knowledge of this, and that they believe folily and falsely that +Jesu Christ was crucified. And they say yet, that and he had been +crucified, that God had done against his righteousness for to +suffer Jesu Christ, that was innocent, to be put upon the cross +without guilt. And in this article they say that we fail and that +the great righteousness of God might not suffer so great a wrong: +and in this faileth their faith. For they knowledge well, that the +works of Jesu Christ be good, and his words and his deeds and his +doctrine by his gospels were true, and his miracles also true; and +the blessed Virgin Mary is good, and holy maiden before and after +the birth of Jesu Christ; and that all those that believe perfectly +in God shall be saved. And because that they go so nigh our faith, +they be lightly converted to Christian law when men preach them and +shew them distinctly the law of Jesu Christ, and when they tell +them of the prophecies. + +And also they say, that they know well by the prophecies that the +law of Mahomet shall fail, as the law of the Jews did; and that the +law of Christian people shall last to the day of doom. And if any +man ask them what is their belief, they answer thus, and in this +form: "We believe God, former of heaven and of earth, and of all +other things that he made. And without him is nothing made. And +we believe of the day of doom, and that every man shall have his +merit, after he hath deserved. And, we believe it for sooth, all +that God hath said by the mouths of his prophets." + +Also Mahomet commanded in his ALKARON, that every man should have +two wives, or three or four; but now they take unto nine, and of +lemans as many as he may sustain. And if any of their wives mis- +bear them against their husband, he may cast her out of his house, +and depart from her and take another; but he shall depart with her +his goods. + +Also, when men speak to them of the Father and of the Son and of +the Holy Ghost, they say, that they be three persons, but not one +God; for their ALKARON speaketh not of the Trinity. But they say +well, that God hath speech, and else were he dumb. And God hath +also a spirit they know well, for else they say, he were not alive. +And when men speak to them of the Incarnation how that by the word +of the angel God sent his wisdom in to earth and enombred him in +the Virgin Mary, and by the word of God shall the dead be raised at +the day of doom, they say, that it is sooth and that the word of +God hath great strength. And they say that whoso knew not the word +of God he should not know God. And they say also that Jesu Christ +is the word of God: and so saith their ALKARON, where it saith +that the angel spake to Mary and said: "Mary, God shall preach +thee the gospel by the word of his mouth and his name shall be +clept Jesu Christ." + +And they say also, that Abraham was friend to God, and that Moses +was familiar speaker with God, and Jesu Christ was the word and the +spirit of God, and that Mohammet was right messenger of God. And +they say, that of these four, Jesu was the most worthy and the most +excellent and the most great. So that they have many good articles +of our faith, albeit that they have no perfect law and faith as +Christian men have; and therefore be they lightly converted, and +namely those that understand the scriptures and the prophecies. +For they have the gospels and the prophecies and the Bible written +in their language; wherefore they ken much of holy writ, but they +understand it not but after the letter. And so do the Jews, for +they understand not the letter ghostly, but bodily; and therefore +be they reproved of the wise, that ghostly understand it. And +therefore saith Saint Paul: LITERA OCCIDIT; SPIRITUS AUTEM +VIVIFICAT. Also the Saracens say, that the Jews be cursed; for +they have befouled the law that God sent them by Moses: and the +Christian be cursed also, as they say; for they keep not the +commandments and the precepts of the gospel that Jesu Christ taught +them. + +And, therefore, I shall tell you what the soldan told me upon a day +in his chamber. He let void out of his chamber all manner of men, +lords and others, for he would speak with me in counsel. And there +he asked me how the Christian men governed them in our country. +And I said him, "Right well, thanked be God!" + +And he said me, "Truly nay! For ye Christian men reck right +nought, how untruly to serve God! Ye should give ensample to the +lewd people for to do well, and ye give them ensample to do evil. +For the commons, upon festival days, when they should go to church +to serve God, then go they to taverns, and be there in gluttony all +the day and all night, and eat and drink as beasts that have no +reason, and wit not when they have enough. And also the Christian +men enforce themselves in all manners that they may, for to fight +and for to deceive that one that other. And therewithal they be so +proud, that they know not how to be clothed; now long, now short, +now strait, now large, now sworded, now daggered, and in all manner +guises. They should be simple, meek and true, and full of alms- +deeds, as Jesu was, in whom they trow; but they be all the +contrary, and ever inclined to the evil, and to do evil. And they +be so covetous, that, for a little silver, they sell their +daughters, their sisters and their own wives to put them to +lechery. And one withdraweth the wife of another, and none of them +holdeth faith to another; but they defoul their law that Jesu +Christ betook them to keep for their salvation. And thus, for +their sins, have they lost all this land that we hold. For, for +their sins, their God hath taken them into our hands, not only by +strength of ourself, but for their sins. For we know well, in very +sooth, that when ye serve God, God will help you; and when he is +with you, no man may be against you. And that know we well by our +prophecies, that Christian men shall win again this land out of our +hands, when they serve God more devoutly; but as long as they be of +foul and of unclean living (as they be now) we have no dread of +them in no kind, for their God will not help them in no wise." + +And then I asked him, how he knew the state of Christian men. And +he answered me, that he knew all the state of all courts of +Christian kings and princes and the state of the commons also by +his messengers that he sent to all lands, in manner as they were +merchants of precious stones, of cloths of gold and of other +things, for to know the manner of every country amongst Christian +men. And then he let clepe in all the lords that he made void +first out of his chamber, and there he shewed me four that were +great lords in the country, that told me of my country and of many +other Christian countries, as well as they had been of the same +country; and they spake French right well, and the soldan also; +whereof I had great marvel. + +Alas! that it is great slander to our faith and to our law, when +folk that be without law shall reprove us and undernim us of our +sins, and they that should be converted to Christ and to the law of +Jesu by our good ensamples and by our acceptable life to God, and +so converted to the law of Jesu Christ, be, through our wickedness +and evil living, far from us and strangers from the holy and very +belief, shall thus appeal us and hold us for wicked livers and +cursed. And truly they say sooth, for the Saracens be good and +faithful; for they keep entirely the commandment of the holy book +ALKARON that God sent them by his messenger Mahomet, to the which, +as they say, Saint Gabriel the angel oftentime told the will of +God. + +And ye shall understand, that Mahomet was born in Arabia, that was +first a poor knave that kept camels, that went with merchants for +merchandise. And so befell, that he went with the merchants into +Egypt; and they were then Christian in those parts. And at the +deserts of Arabia, he went into a chapel where a hermit dwelt. And +when he entered into the chapel that was but a little and a low +thing and had but a little door and a low, then the entry began to +wax so great, and so large and so high as though it had been of a +great minster or the gate of a palace. And this was the first +miracle, the Saracens say, that Mahomet did in his youth. + +After began he for to wax wise and rich. And he was a great +astronomer. And after, he was governor and prince of the land of +Cozrodane; and he governed it full wisely, in such manner, that +when the prince was dead, he took the lady to wife that hight +Gadrige. And Mahomet fell often in the great sickness that men +call the falling evil; wherefore the lady was full sorry that ever +she took him to husband. But Mahomet made her to believe, that all +times, when he fell so, Gabriel the angel came for to speak with +him, and for the great light and brightness of the angel he might +not sustain him from falling; and therefore the Saracens say, that +Gabriel came often to speak with him. + +This Mahomet reigned in Arabia, the year of our Lord Jesu Christ +610, and was of the generation of Ishmael that was Abraham's son, +that he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. And therefore there be +Saracens that be clept Ishmaelites; and some Hagarenes, of Hagar. +And the other properly be clept Saracens, of Sarah. And some be +clept Moabites and some Ammonites, for the two sons of Lot, Moab +and Ammon, that he begat on his daughters that were afterward great +earthly princes. + +And also Mahomet loved well a good hermit that dwelled in the +deserts a mile from Mount Sinai, in the way that men go from Arabia +toward Chaldea and toward Ind, one day's journey from the sea, +where the merchants of Venice come often for merchandise. And so +often went Mahomet to this hermit, that all his men were wroth; for +he would gladly hear this hermit preach and make his men wake all +night. And therefore his men thought to put the hermit to death. +And so it befell upon a night, that Mahomet was drunken of good +wine, and he fell on sleep. And his men took Mahomet's sword out +of his sheath, whiles he slept, and therewith they slew this +hermit, and put his sword all bloody in his sheath again. And at +morrow, when he found the hermit dead, he was full sorry and wroth, +and would have done his men to death. But they all, with one +accord, said that he himself had slain him, when he was drunken, +and shewed him his sword all bloody. And he trowed that they had +said sooth. And then he cursed the wine and all those that drink +it. And therefore Saracens that be devout drink never no wine. +But some drink it privily; for if they drunk it openly, they should +be reproved. But they drink good beverage and sweet and nourishing +that is made of gallamelle and that is that men make sugar of, that +is of right good savour, and it is good for the breast. + +Also it befalleth some-time, that Christian men become Saracens, +either for poverty or for simpleness, or else for their own +wickedness. And therefore the archflamen or the flamen, as our +archbishop or bishop, when he receiveth them saith thus: LA ELLEC +OLLA SILA, MACHOMETE RORES ALLA; that is to say, 'There is no God +but one, and Mahomet his messenger.' + +Now I have told you a part of their law and of their customs, I +shall say you of their letters that they have, with their names and +the manner of their figures what they be: Almoy, Bethath, Cathi, +Ephoti, Delphoi, Fothi, Garothi, Hechum, Iotty, Kaythi, Lothum, +Malach, Nabaloth, Orthi, Chesiri, 30ch, Ruth, Holath, Routhi, +Salathi, Thatimus, Yrthom, A3a30th, Arrocchi, 30tipyn, Ichetus. +And these be the names of their a. b. c. Now shall ye know the +figures. . . . And four letters they have more than other for +diversity of their language and speech, forasmuch as they speak in +their throats; and we in England have in our language and speech +two letters more than they have in their a. b. c.; and that is +[character which cannot be reproduced] and [character which cannot +be reproduced], which be clept thorn and 30gh. + + + +CHAPTER XVI + + + +OF THE LANDS OF ALBANIA AND OF LIBIA. OF THE WISHINGS FOR WATCHING +OF THE SPARROW-HAWK; AND OF NOAH'S SHIP + + +NOW, sith I have told you before of the Holy Land and of that +country about, and of many ways for to go to that land and to the +Mount Sinai, and of Babylon the more and the less, and to other +places that I have spoken before, now is time, if it like you, for +to tell you of the marches and isles and diverse beasts, and of +diverse folk beyond these marches. + +For in those countries beyond be many diverse countries and many +great kingdoms, that be departed by the four floods that come from +paradise terrestrial. For Mesopotamia and the kingdom of Chaldea +and Arabia be between the two rivers of Tigris and of Euphrates; +and the kingdom of Media and of Persia be between the rivers of +Nile and of Tigris; and the kingdom of Syria, whereof I have spoken +before, and Palestine and Phoenicia be between Euphrates and the +sea Mediterranean, the which sea dureth in length from Morocco, +upon the sea of Spain, unto the Great Sea, so that it lasteth +beyond Constantinople 3040 miles of Lombardy. + +And toward the sea Ocean in Ind is the kingdom of Scythia, that is +all closed with hills. And after, under Scythia, and from the sea +of Caspian unto the flom of Thainy, is Amazonia, that is the land +of feminye, where that no man is, but only all women. And after is +Albania, a full great realm; and it is clept Albania, because that +the folk be whiter there than in other marches there-about: and in +that country be so great hounds and so strong, that they assail +lions and slay them. And then after is Hircania, Bactria, Hiberia +and many other kingdoms. + +And between the Red Sea and the sea Ocean, toward the south is the +kingdom of Ethiopia and of Lybia the higher, the which land of +Lybia (that is to say, Lybia the low) that beginneth at the sea of +Spain from thence where the pillars of Hercules be, and endureth +unto anent Egypt and toward Ethiopia. In that country of Lybia is +the sea more high than the land, and it seemeth that it would cover +the earth, and natheles yet it passeth not his marks. And men see +in that country a mountain to the which no man cometh. In this +land of Lybia whoso turneth toward the east, the shadow of himself +is on the right side; and here, in our country, the shadow is on +the left side. In that sea of Lybia is no fish; for they may not +live ne dure for the great heat of the sun, because that the water +is evermore boiling for the great heat. And many other lands there +be that it were too long to tell or to number. But of some parts I +shall speak more plainly hereafter. + +Whoso will then go toward Tartary, toward Persia, toward Chaldea +and toward Ind, he must enter the sea at Genoa or at Venice or at +some other haven that I have told you before. And then pass men +the sea and arrive at Trebizond that is a good city; and it was +wont to be the haven of Pontus. There is the haven of Persians and +of Medians and of the marches there beyond. In that city lieth +Saint Athanasius that was bishop of Alexandria, that made the psalm +QUICUNQUE VULT. + +This Athanasius was a great doctor of divinity. And, because that +he preached and spake so deeply of divinity and of the Godhead, he +was accused to the Pope of Rome that he was an heretic. Wherefore +the Pope sent after him and put him in prison. And whiles he was +in prison he made that psalm and sent it to the Pope, and said, +that if he were an heretic, then was that heresy, for that, he +said, was his belief. And when the Pope saw it, and had examined +it that it was perfect and good, and verily our faith and our +belief, he made him to be delivered out of prison, and commanded +that psalm to be said every day at prime; and so he held Athanasius +a good man. But he would never go to his bishopric again, because +that they accused him of heresy. + +Trebizond was wont to be holden of the Emperor of Constantinople; +but a great man, that he sent for to keep the country against the +Turks, usurped the land and held it to himself, and cleped him +Emperor of Trebizond. + +And from thence men go through Little Armenia. And in that country +is an old castle that stands upon a rock; the which is clept the +castle of the Sparrow-hawk, that is beyond the city of Layays +beside the town of Pharsipee, that belongeth to the lordship of +Cruk, that is a rich lord and a good Christian man; where men find +a sparrow-hawk upon a perch right fair and right well made, and a +fair lady of faerie that keepeth it. And who that will watch that +sparrow-hawk seven days and seven nights, and, as some men say, +three days and three nights, without company and without sleep, +that fair lady shall give him, when he hath done, the first wish +that he will wish of earthly things; and that hath been proved +often-times. + +And one time befell, that a King of Armenia, that was a worthy +knight and doughty man, and a noble princes watched that hawk some +time. And at the end of seven days and seven nights the lady came +to him and bade him wish, for he had well deserved it. And he +answered that he was great lord enough, and well in peace, and had +enough of worldly riches; and therefore he would wish none other +thing, but the body of that fair lady, to have it at his will. And +she answered him, that he knew not what he asked, and said that he +was a fool to desire that he might not have; for she said that he +should not ask but earthly thing, for she was none earthly thing, +but a ghostly thing. And the king said that he ne would ask none +other thing. And the lady answered; "Sith that I may not withdraw +you from your lewd corage, I shall give you without wishing, and to +all them that shall come of you. Sir king! ye shall have war +without peace, and always to the nine degree, ye shall be in +subjection of your enemies, and ye shall be needy of all goods." +And never since, neither the King of Armenia nor the country were +never in peace; ne they had never sith plenty of goods; and they +have been sithen always under tribute of the Saracens. + +Also the son of a poor man watched that hawk and wished that he +might chieve well, and to be happy to merchandise. And the lady +granted him. And he became the most rich and the most famous +merchant that might be on sea or on earth. And he became so rich +that he knew not the thousand part of that he had. And he was +wiser in wishing than was the king. + +Also a knight of the Temple watched there, and wished a purse +evermore full of gold. And the lady granted him. But she said him +that he had asked the destruction of their order for the trust and +the affiance of that purse, and for the great pride that they +should have. And so it was. And therefore look he keep him well, +that shall wake. For if he sleep he is lost, that never man shall +see him more. + +This is not the right way for to go to the parts that I have named +before, but for to see the marvel that I have spoken of. And +therefore whoso will go right way, men go from Trebizond toward +Armenia the Great unto a city that is clept Erzeroum, that was wont +to be a good city and a plenteous; but the Turks have greatly +wasted it. There-about groweth no wine nor fruit, but little or +else none. In this land is the earth more high than in any other, +and that maketh great cold. And there be many good waters and good +wells that come under earth from the flom of Paradise, that is +clept Euphrates, that is a journey beside that city; and that river +cometh towards Ind under earth, and resorteth into the land of +Altazar. And so pass men by this Armenia and enter the sea of +Persia. + +From that city of Erzeroum go men to an hill that is clept +Sabissocolle. And there beside is another hill that men clepe +Ararat, but the Jews clepe it Taneez, where Noah's ship rested, and +yet is upon that mountain. And men may see it afar in clear +weather. And that mountain is well a seven mile high. And some +men say that they have seen and touched the ship, and put their +fingers in the parts where the fiend went out, when that Noah said, +BENEDICITE. But they that say such words, say their will. For a +man may not go up the mountain, for great plenty of snow that is +always on that mountain, neither summer nor winter. So that no man +may go up there, ne never man did, since the time of Noah, save a +monk that, by the grace of God, brought one of the planks down, +that yet is in the minster at the foot of the mountain. + +And beside is the city of Dain that Noah founded. And fast by is +the city of Any in the which were wont to be a thousand churches. + +But upon that mountain to go up, this monk had great desire. And +so upon a day, he went up. And when he was upward the three part +of the mountain he was so weary that he might no further, and so he +rested him, and fell asleep. And when he awoke he found himself +lying at the foot of the mountain. And then he prayed devoutly to +God that he would vouchsafe to suffer him go up. And an angel came +to him, and said that he should go up. And so he did. And sith +that time never none. Wherefore men should not believe such words. + +From that mountain go men to the city of Thauriso that was wont to +be clept Taxis, that is a full fair city and a great, and one of +the best that is in the world for merchandise; thither come all +merchants for to buy avoirdupois, and it is in the land of the +Emperor of Persia. And men say that the emperor taketh more good +in that city for custom of merchandise than doth the richest +Christian king of all his realm that liveth. For the toll and the +custom of his merchants is without estimation to be numbered. +Beside that city is a hill of salt, and of that salt every man +taketh what he will for to salt with, to his need. There dwell +many Christian men under tribute of Saracens. And from that city, +men pass by many towns and castles in going toward Ind unto the +city of Sadonia, that is a ten journeys from Thauriso, and it is a +full noble city and a great. And there dwelleth the Emperor of +Persia in summer; for the country is cold enough. And there be +good rivers bearing ships. + +After go men the way toward Ind by many journeys, and by many +countries, unto the city that is clept Cassak, and that is a full +noble city, and a plenteous of corns and wines and of all other +goods. This is the city where the three kings met together when +they went to seek our Lord in Bethlehem to worship him and to +present him with gold, incense, and myrrh. And it is from that +city to Bethlehem fifty-three journeys. From that city men go to +another city that is clept Gethe, that is a journey from the sea +that men clepe the Gravelly Sea. That is the best city that the +Emperor of Persia hath in all his land. And they clepe flesh there +Dabago and the wine Vapa. And the Paynims say that no Christian +man may not long dwell ne endure with the life in that city, but +die within short time; and no man knoweth not the cause. + +After go men by many cities and towns and great countries that it +were too long to tell unto the city of Cornaa that was wont to be +so great that the walls about hold twenty-five mile about. The +walls shew yet, but it is not all inhabited. From Cornaa go men by +many lands and many cities and towns unto the land of Job. And +there endeth the land of the Emperor of Persia. And if ye will +know the letters of Persians and what names they have, they be such +as I last devised you, but not in sounding of their words. + + + +CHAPTER XVII + + + +OF THE LAND OF JOB; AND OF HIS AGE. OF THE ARRAY OF MEN OF +CHALDEA. OF THE LAND WHERE WOMEN DWELL WITHOUT COMPANY OF MEN. OF +THE KNOWLEDGE AND VIRTUES OF THE VERY DIAMOND + + +AFTER the departing from Cornaa, men enter into the land of Job +that is a full fair country and a plenteous of all goods. And men +clepe that land the Land of Susiana. In that land is the city of +Theman. + +Job was a paynim, and he was Aram of Gosre, his son, and held that +land as prince of that country. And he was so rich that he knew +not the hundred part of his goods. And although he were a paynim, +nevertheless he served well God after his law. And our Lord took +his service to his pleasane. And when he fell in poverty he was +seventy-eight year of age. And after, when God had proved his +patience and that it was so great, he brought him again to riches +and to higher estate than he was before. And after that he was +King of Idumea after King Esau, and when he was king he was clept +Jobab. And in that kingdom he lived after 170 year. And so he was +of age, when he died, 248 year. + +In that land of Job there ne is no default of no thing that is +needful to man's body. There be hills, where men get great plenty +of manna in greater abundance than in any other country. This +manna is clept bread of angels. And it is a white thing that is +full sweet and right delicious, and more sweet than honey or sugar. +And it cometh of the dew of heaven that falleth upon the herbs in +that country. And it congealeth and becometh all white and sweet. +And men put it in medicines for rich men to make the womb lax, and +to purge evil blood. For it cleanseth the blood and putteth out +melancholy. This land of Job marcheth to the kingdom of Chaldea. + +This land of Chaldea is full great. And the language of that +country is more great in sounding than it is in other parts of the +sea. Men pass to go beyond by the Tower of Babylon the Great, of +the which I have told you before, where that all the languages were +first changed. And that is a four journeys from Chaldea. In that +realm be fair men, and they go full nobly arrayed in clothes of +gold, orfrayed and apparelled with great pearls and precious +stone's full nobly. And the women be right foul and evil arrayed. +And they go all bare-foot and clothed in evil garments large and +wide, but they be short to the knees, and long sleeves down to the +feet like a monk's frock, and their sleeves be hanging about their +shoulders. And they be black women foul and hideous, and truly as +foul as they be, as evil they be. + +In that kingdom of Chaldea, in a city that is clept Ur, dwelled +Terah, Abraham's father. And there was Abraham born. And that was +in that time that Ninus was king of Babylon, of Arabia and of +Egypt. This Ninus made the city of Nineveh, the which that Noah +had begun before. And because that Ninus performed it, he cleped +it Nineveh after his own name. There lieth Tobit the prophet, of +whom Holy Writ speaketh of. And from that city of Ur Abraham +departed, by the commandment of God, from thence, after the death +of his father, and led with him Sarah his wife and Lot his +brother's son, because that he had no child. And they went to +dwell in the land of Canaan in a place that is clept Shechem. And +this Lot was he that was saved, when Sodom and Gomorrah and the +other cities were burnt and sunken down to hell, where that the +Dead Sea is now, as I have told you before. In that land of +Chaldea they have their proper languages and their proper letters, +such as ye may see hereafter. + +Beside the land of Chaldea is the land of Amazonia, that is the +land of Feminye. And in that realm is all women and no man; not, +as some men say, that men may not live there, but for because that +the women will not suffer no men amongst them to be their +sovereigns. + +For sometime there was a king in that country. And men married, as +in other countries. And so befell that the king had war with them +of Scythia, the which king hight Colopeus, that was slain in +battle, and all the good blood of his realm. And when the queen +and all the other noble ladies saw that they were all widows, and +that all the royal blood was lost, they armed them and, as +creatures out of wit, they slew all the men of the country that +were left; for they would that all the women were widows as the +queen and they were. And from that time hitherwards they never +would suffer man to dwell amongst them longer than seven days and +seven nights; ne that no child that were male should dwell amongst +them longer than he were nourished; and then sent to his father. +And when they will have any company of man then they draw them +towards the lands marching next to them. And then they have loves +that use them; and they dwell with them an eight days or ten, and +then go home again. And if they have any knave child they keep it +a certain time, and then send it to the father when he can go alone +and eat by himself; or else they slay it. And if it be a female +they do away that one pap with an hot iron. And if it be a woman +of great lineage they do away the left pap that they may the better +bear a shield. And if it be a woman on foot they do away the right +pap, for to shoot with bow turkeys: for they shoot well with bows. + +In that land they have a queen that governeth all that land, and +all they be obeissant to her. And always they make her queen by +election that is most worthy in arms; for they be right good +warriors and orped, and wise, noble and worthy. And they go +oftentime in solde to help of other kings in their wars, for gold +and silver as other soldiers do; and they maintain themselves right +vigourously. This land of Amazonia is an isle, all environed with +the sea save in two places, where be two entries. And beyond that +water dwell the men that be their paramours and their loves, where +they go to solace them when they will. + +Beside Amazonia is the land of Tarmegyte that is a great country +and a full delectable. And for the goodness of the country King +Alexander let first make there the city of Alexandria, and yet he +made twelve cities of the same name; but that city is now clept +Celsite. + +And from that other coast of Chaldea, toward the south, is +Ethiopia, a great country that stretcheth to the end of Egypt. +Ethiopia is departed in two parts principal, and that is in the +east part and in the meridional part; the which part meridional is +clept Mauritania; and the folk of that country be black enough and +more black than in the tother part, and they be clept Moors. In +that part is a well, that in the day it is so cold, that no man may +drink thereof; and in the night it is so hot, that no man may +suffer his hand therein. And beyond that part, toward the south, +to pass by the sea Ocean, is a great land and a great country; but +men may not dwell there for the fervent burning of the sun, so is +it passing hot in that country. + +In Ethiopia all the rivers and all the waters be trouble, and they +be somedeal salt for the great heat that is there. And the folk of +that country be lightly drunken and have but little appetite to +meat. And they have commonly the flux of the womb. And they live +not long. In Ethiopia be many diverse folk; and Ethiope is clept +Cusis. In that country be folk that have but one foot, and they go +so blyve that it is marvel. And the foot is so large, that it +shadoweth all the body against the sun, when they will lie and rest +them. In Ethiopia, when the children be young and little, they be +all yellow; and, when that they wax of age, that yellowness turneth +to be all black. In Ethiopia is the city of Saba, and the land of +the which one of the three kings that presented our Lord in +Bethlehem, was king of. + +From Ethiopia men go into Ind by many diverse countries. And men +clepe the high Ind, Emlak. And Ind is divided in three principal +parts; that is, the more that is a full hot country; and Ind the +less, that is a full attempre country, that stretcheth to the land +of Media; and the three part toward the septentrion is full cold, +so that, for pure cold and continual frost, the water becometh +crystal. And upon those rocks of crystal grow the good diamonds +that be of trouble colour. Yellow crystal draweth colour like oil. +And they be so hard, that no man may polish them. And men clepe +them diamonds in that country, and HAMESE in another country. +Other diamonds men find in Arabia that be not so good, and they be +more brown and more tender. And other diamonds also men find in +the isle of Cyprus, that be yet more tender, and them men may well +polish. And in the land of Macedonia men find diamonds also. But +the best and the most precious be in Ind. + +And men find many times hard diamonds in a mass that cometh out of +gold, when men pure it and refine it out of the mine; when men +break that mass in small pieces, and sometime it happens that men +find some as great as a peas and some less, and they be as hard as +those of Ind. + +And albeit that men find good diamonds in Ind, yet nevertheless men +find them more commonly upon the rocks in the sea and upon hills +where the mine of gold is. And they grow many together, one +little, another great. And there be some of the greatness of a +bean and some as great as an hazel nut. And they be square and +pointed of their own kind, both above and beneath, without working +of man's hand. And they grow together, male and female. And they +be nourished with the dew of heaven. And they engender commonly +and bring forth small children, that multiply and grow all the +year. I have often-times assayed, that if a man keep them with a +little of the rock and wet them with May-dew oft-sithes, they shall +grow every year, and the small will wax great. For right as the +fine pearl congealeth and waxeth great of the dew of heaven, right +so doth the very diamond; and right as the pearl of his own kind +taketh roundness, right so the diamond, by virtue of God, taketh +squareness. And men shall bear the diamond on his left side, for +it is of greater virtue then, than on the right side; for the +strength of their growing is toward the north, that is the left +side of the world, and the left part of man is when he turneth his +face toward the east. + +And if you like to know the virtues of the diamond, (as men may +find in THE LAPIDARY that many men know not), I shall tell you, as +they beyond the sea say and affirm, of whom all science and all +philosophy cometh from. He that beareth the diamond upon him, it +giveth him hardiness and manhood, and it keepeth the limbs of his +body whole. It giveth him victory of his enemies in plea and in +war, if his cause be rightful. And it keepeth him that beareth it +in good wit. And it keepeth him from strife and riot, from evil +swevens from sorrows and from enchantments, and from fantasies and +illusions of wicked spirits. And if any cursed witch or enchanter +would bewitch him that beareth the diamond, all that sorrow and +mischance shall turn to himself through virtue of that stone. And +also no wild beast dare assail the man that beareth it on him. +Also the diamond should be given freely, without coveting and +without buying, and then it is of greater virtue. And it maketh a +man more strong and more sad against his enemies. And it healeth +him that is lunatic, and them that the fiend pursueth or +travaileth. And if venom or poison be brought in presence of the +diamond, anon it beginneth to wax moist and for to sweat. + +There be also diamonds in Ind that be clept violastres, (for their +colour is like violet, or more brown than the violets), that be +full hard and full precious. But yet some men love not them so +well as the other; but, in sooth, to me, I would love them as much +as the other, for I have seen them assayed. + +Also there is another manner of diamonds that be as white as +crystal, but they be a little more trouble. And they be good and +of great virtue, and all they be square and pointed of their own +kind. And some be six squared, some four squared, and some three +as nature shapeth them. And therefore when great lords and knights +go to seek worship in arms, they bear gladly the diamond upon them. + +I shall speak a little more of the diamonds, although I tarry my +matter for a time, to the end, that they that know them not, be not +deceived by gabbers that go by the country, that sell them. For +whoso will buy the diamond it is needful to him that he know them. +Because that men counterfeit them often of crystal that is yellow +and of sapphires of citron colour that is yellow also, and of the +sapphire loupe and of many other stones. But I tell you these +counterfeits be not so hard; and also the points will break +lightly, and men may easily polish them. But some workmen, for +malice, will not polish them; to that intent, to make men believe +that they may not be polished. But men may assay them in this +manner. First shear with them or write with them in sapphires, in +crystal or in other precious stones. After that, men take the +adamant, that is the shipman's stone, that draweth the needle to +him, and men lay the diamond upon the adamant, and lay the needle +before the adamant; and, if the diamond be good and virtuous, the +adamant draweth not the needle to him whiles the diamond is there +present. And this is the proof that they beyond the sea make. + +Natheles it befalleth often-time, that the good diamond loseth his +virtue by sin, and for incontinence of him that beareth it. And +then it is needful to make it to recover his virtue again, or else +it is of little value. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + + + +OF THE CUSTOMS OF ISLES ABOUT IND. OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWIXT IDOLS +AND SIMULACRES. OF THREE MANNER GROWING OF PEPPER UPON ONE TREE. +OF THE WELL THAT CHANGETH HIS ODOUR EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY; AND THAT +IS MARVEL + + +IN Ind be full many diverse countries. And it is clept Ind, for a +flom that runneth throughout the country that is clept Ind. In +that flom men find eels of thirty foot long and more. And the folk +that dwell nigh that water be of evil colour, green and yellow. + +In Ind and about Ind be more than 5000 isles good and great that +men dwell in, without those that he inhabitable, and without other +small isles. In every isle is great plenty of cities, and of +towns, and of folk without number. For men of Ind have this +condition of kind, that they never go out of their own country, and +therefore is there great multitude of people. But they be not +stirring ne movable, because that they be in the first climate, +that is of Saturn; and Saturn is slow and little moving, for he +tarryeth to make his turn by the twelve signs thirty year. And the +moon passeth through the twelve signs in one month. And for +because that Saturn is of so late stirring, therefore the folk of +that country that be under his climate have of kind no will for to +move ne stir to seek strange places. And in our country is all the +contrary; for we be in the seventh climate, that is of the moon. +And the moon is of lightly moving, and the moon is planet of way; +and for that skill it giveth us will of kind for to move lightly +and for to go divers ways, and to seek strange things and other +diversities of the world; for the moon environeth the earth more +hastily than any other planet. + +Also men go through Ind by many diverse countries to the great sea +Ocean. And after, men find there an isle that is clept Crues. And +thither come merchants of Venice and Genoa, and of other marches, +for to buy merchandises. But there is so great heat in those +marches, and namely in that isle, that, for the great distress of +the heat, men's ballocks hang down to their knees for the great +dissolution of the body. And men of that country, that know the +manner, let bind them up, or else might they not live, and anoint +them with ointments made therefore, to hold them up. + +In that country and in Ethiopia, and in many other countries, the +folk lie all naked in rivers and waters, men and women together, +from undern of the day till it be past the noon. And they lie all +in the water, save the visage, for the great heat that there is. +And the women have no shame of the men, but lie all together, side +to side, till the heat be past. There may men see many foul figure +assembled, and namely nigh the good towns. + +In that isle be ships without nails of iron or bonds, for the rocks +of the adamants, for they be all full thereabout in that sea, that +it is marvel to speak of. And if a ship passed by those marches +that had either iron bonds or iron nails, anon he should be +perished; for the adamant of his kind draweth the iron to him. And +so would it draw to him the ship because of the iron, that he +should never depart from it, ne never go thence. + +From that isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Chana, +where is great plenty of corn and wine. And it was wont to be a +great isle, and a great haven and a good; but the sea hath greatly +wasted it and overcome it. The king of that country was wont to be +so strong and so mighty that he held war against King Alexander. + +The folk of that country have a diverse law. For some of them +worship the sun, some the moon, some the fire, some trees, some +serpents, or the first thing that they meet at morrow. And some +worship simulacres and some idols. But between simulacres and +idols is a great difference. For simulacres be images made after +likeness of men or of women, or of the sun, or of the moon, or of +any beast, or of any kindly thing. And idols is an image made of +lewd will of man, that man may not find among kindly things, as an +image that hath four heads, one of a man, another of an horse or of +an ox, or of some other beast, that no man hath seen after kindly +disposition. + +And they that worship simulacres, they worship them for some worthy +man that was sometime, as Hercules, and many other that did many +marvels in their time. For they say well that they be not gods; +for they know well that there is a God of kind that made all +things, the which is in heaven. But they know well that this may +not do the marvels that he made, but if it had been by the special +gift of God; and therefore they say that he was well with God, and +for because that he was so well with God, therefore they worship +him. And so say they of the sun, because that he changeth the +time, and giveth heat, and nourisheth all things upon earth; and +for it is of so great profit, they know well that that might not +be, but that God loveth it more than any other thing, and, for that +skill, God hath given it more great virtue in the world. +Therefore, it is good reason, as they say, to do it worship and +reverence. And so say they, and make their reasons, of other +planets, and of the fire also, because it is so profitable. + +And of idols they say also that the ox is the most holy beast that +is in earth and most patient, and more profitable than any other. +For he doth good enough and he doth no evil; and they know well +that it may not be without special grace of God. And therefore +make they their god of an ox the one part, and the other half of a +man. Because that man is the most noble creature in earth, and +also for he hath lordship above all beasts, therefore make they the +halvendel of idol of a man upwards; and the tother half of an ox +downwards, and of serpents, and of other beasts and diverse things, +that they worship, that they meet first at morrow. + +And they worship also specially all those that they have good +meeting of; and when they speed well in their journey, after their +meeting, and namely such as they have proved and assayed by +experience of long time; for they say that thilk good meeting ne +may not come but of the grace of God. And therefore they make +images like to those things that they have belief in, for to behold +them and worship them first at morning, or they meet any +contrarious things. And there be also some Christian men that say, +that some beasts have good meeting, that is to say for to meet with +them first at morrow, and some beasts wicked meeting; and that they +have proved oft-time that the hare hath full evil meeting, and +swine and many other beasts. And the sparrow-hawk or other fowls +of ravine, when they fly after their prey and take it before men of +arms, it is a good sign; and if he fail of taking his prey, it is +an evil sign. And also to such folk, it is an evil meeting of +ravens. + +In these things and in such other, there be many folk that believe; +because it happeneth so often-time to fall after their fantasies. +And also there be men enough that have no belief in them. And, +sith that Christian men have such belief, that be informed and +taught all day by holy doctrine, wherein they should believe, it is +no marvel then, that the paynims, that have no good doctrine but +only of their nature, believe more largely for their simplesse. +And truly I have seen of paynims and Saracens that men clepe +Augurs, that, when we ride in arms in divers countries upon our +enemies, by the flying of fowls they would tell us the +prognostications of things that fell after; and so they did full +oftentimes, and proffered their heads to-wedde, but if it would +fall as they said. But natheles, therefore should not a man put +his belief in such things, but always have full trust and belief in +God our sovereign Lord. + +This isle of Chana the Saracens have won and hold. In that isle be +many lions and many other wild beasts. And there be rats in that +isle as great as hounds here; and men take them with great +mastiffs, for cats may not take them. In this isle and many other +men bury not no dead men, for the heat is there so great, that in a +little time the flesh will consume from the bones. + +From thence men go by sea toward Ind the more to a city, that men +clepe Sarche, that is a fair city and a good. And there dwell many +Christian men of good faith. And there be many religious men, and +namely of mendicants. + +After go men by sea to the land of Lomb. In that land groweth the +pepper in the forest that men clepe Combar. And it groweth nowhere +else in all the world, but in that forest, and that endureth well +an eighteen journeys in length. In the forest be two good cities; +that one hight Fladrine and that other Zinglantz, and in every of +them dwell Christian men and Jews, great plenty. For it is a good +country and a plentiful, but there is overmuch passing heat. + +And ye shall understand, that the pepper groweth in manner as doth +a wild vine that is planted fast by the trees of that wood for to +sustain it by, as doth the vine. And the fruit thereof hangeth in +manner as raisins. And the tree is so thick charged, that it +seemeth that it would break. And when it is ripe it is all green, +as it were ivy berries. And then men cut them, as men do the +vines, and then they put it upon an oven, and there it waxeth black +and crisp. And there is three manner of pepper all upon one tree; +long pepper, black pepper and white pepper. The long pepper men +clepe SORBOTIN, and the black pepper is clept FULFULLE, and the +white pepper is clept BANO. The long pepper cometh first when the +leaf beginneth to come, and it is like the cats of hazel that +cometh before the leaf, and it hangeth low. And after cometh the +black with the leaf, in manner of clusters of raisins, all green. +And when men have gathered it, then cometh the white that is +somedeal less than the black. And of that men bring but little +into this country; for they beyond withhold it for themselves, +because it is better and more attempre in kind than the black. And +therefore is there not so great plenty as of the black. + +In that country be many manner of serpents and of other vermin for +the great heat of the country and of the pepper. And some men say, +that when they will gather the pepper, they make fire, and burn +about to make the serpents and the cockodrills to flee. But save +their grace of all that say so. For if they burnt about the trees +that bear, the pepper should be burnt, and it would dry up all the +virtue, as of any other thing; and then they did themselves much +harm, and they should never quench the fire. But thus they do: +they anoint their hands and their feet [with a juice] made of +snails and of other things made therefore, of the which the +serpents and the venomous beasts hate and dread the savour; and +that maketh them flee before them, because of the smell, and then +they gather it surely enough. + +Also toward the head of that forest is the city of Polombe. And +above the city is a great mountain that also is clept Polombe. And +of that mount the city hath his name. + +And at the foot of that mount is a fair well and a great, that hath +odour and savour of all spices. And at every hour of the day he +changeth his odour and his savour diversely. And whoso drinketh +three times fasting of that water of that well he is whole of all +manner sickness that he hath. And they that dwell there and drink +often of that well they never have sickness; and they seem always +young. I have drunken thereof three or four sithes, and yet, +methinketh, I fare the better. Some men clepe it the well of +youth. For they that often drink thereof seem always young-like, +and live without sickness. And men say, that that well cometh out +of Paradise, and therefore it is so virtuous. + +By all that country groweth good ginger, and therefore thither go +the merchants for spicery. + +In that land men worship the ox for his simpleness and for his +meekness, and for the profit that cometh of him. And they say, +that he is the holiest beast in earth. For them seemeth, that +whosoever be meek and patient, he is holy and profitable; for then, +they say, he hath all virtues in him. They make the ox to labour +six year or seven, and then they eat him. And the king of the +country hath alway an ox with him. And he that keepeth him hath +every day great fees, and keepeth every day his dung and his urine +in two vessels of gold, and bring it before their prelate that they +clepe Archi-protopapaton. And he beareth it before the king and +maketh there over a great blessing. And then the king wetteth his +hands there, in that they clepe gall, and anointeth his front and +his breast. And after, he froteth him with the dung and with the +urine with great reverence, for to be fullfilled of virtues of the +ox and made holy by the virtue of that holy thing that nought is +worth. And when the king hath done, then do the lords; and after +them their ministers and other men, if they may have any remenant. + +In that country they make idols, half man half ox. And in those +idols evil spirits speak and give answer to men of what is asked +them. Before these idols men slay their children many times, and +spring the blood upon the idols; and so they make their sacrifice. + +And when any man dieth in the country they burn his body in name of +penance; to that intent, that he suffer no pain in earth to be +eaten of worms. And if his wife have no child they burn her with +him, and say, that it is reason, that she make him company in that +other world as she did in this. But and she have children with +him, they let her live with them, to bring them up if she will. +And if that she love more to live with her children than for to die +with her husband, men hold her for false and cursed; ne she shall +never be loved ne trusted of the people. And if the woman die, +before the husband, men burn him with her, if that he will; and if +he will not, no man constraineth him thereto, but he may wed +another time without blame or reproof. + +In that country grow many strong vines. And the women drink wine, +and men not. And the women shave their beards, and the men not. + + + +CHAPTER XIX + + + +OF THE DOOMS MADE BY ST. THOMAS'S HAND. OF DEVOTION AND SACRIFICE +MADE TO IDOLS THERE, IN THE CITY OF CALAMYE; AND OF THE PROCESSION +IN GOING ABOUT THE CITY + + +FROM that country men pass by many marches toward a country, a ten +journeys thence, that is clept Mabaron; and it is a great kingdom, +and it hath many fair cities and towns. + +In that kingdom lieth the body of Saint Thomas the apostle in flesh +and bone, in a fair tomb in the city of Calamye; for there he was +martyred and buried. And men of Assyria bare his body into +Mesopotamia into the city of Edessa, and after, he was brought +thither again. And the arm and the hand that he put in our Lord's +side, when he appeared to him after his resurrection and said to +him, NOLI ESSE INCREDULUS, SED FIDELIS, is yet lying in a vessel +without the tomb. And by that hand they make all their judgments +in the country, whoso hath right or wrong. For when there is any +dissension between two parties, and every of them maintaineth his +cause, and saith that his cause is rightful, and that other saith +the contrary, then both parties write their causes in two bills and +put them in the hand of Saint Thomas. And anon he casteth away the +bill of the wrong cause and holdeth still the bill with the right +cause. And therefore men come from far countries to have judgment +of doubtable causes. And other judgment use they none there. + +Also the church, where Saint Thomas' lieth, is both great and fair, +and all full of great simulacres, and those be great images that +they clepe their gods, of the which the least is as great as two +men. + +And, amongst these other, there is a great image more than any of +the other, that is all covered with fine gold and precious stones +and rich pearls; and that idol is the god of false Christians that +have reneyed their faith. And it sitteth in a chair of gold, full +nobly arrayed, and he hath about his neck large girdles wrought of +gold and precious stones and pearls. And this church is full +richly wrought and, all overgilt within. And to that idol go men +on pilgrimage, as commonly and with as great devotion as Christian +men go to Saint James, or other holy pilgrimages. And many folk +that come from far lands to seek that idol for the great devotion +that they have, they look never upward, but evermore down to the +earth, for dread to see anything about them that should let them of +their devotion. And some there be that go on pilgrimage to this +idol, that bear knives in their hands, that be made full keen and +sharp; and always as they go, they smite themselves in their arms +and in their legs and in their thighs with many hideous wounds; and +so they shed their blood for love of that idol. And they say, that +he is blessed and holy, that dieth so for love of his god. And +other there be that lead their children for to slay, to make +sacrifice to that idol; and after they have slain them they spring +the blood upon the idol. And some there be that come from far; and +in going toward this idol, at every third pace that they go from +their house, they kneel; and so continue till they come thither: +and when they come there, they take incense and other aromatic +things of noble smell, and cense the idol, as we would do here +God's precious body. And so come folk to worship this idol, some +from an hundred mile, and some from many more. + +And before the minster of this idol, is a vivary, in manner of a +great lake, full of water. And therein pilgrims cast gold and +silver, pearls and precious stones without number, instead of +offerings. And when the minister of that church need to make any +reparation of the church or of any of the idols, they take gold and +silver, pearls and precious stones out of the vivary, to quit the +costage of such thing as they make or repair; so that that nothing +is faulty, but anon it shall be amended. And ye shall understand, +that when [there be] great feasts and solemnities of that idol, as +the dedication of the church and the throning of the idol, all the +country about meet there together. And they set this idol upon a +car with great reverence, well arrayed with cloths of gold, of rich +cloths of Tartary, of Camaka, and other precious cloths. And they +lead him about the city with great solemnity. And before the car +go first in procession all the maidens of the country, two and two +together full ordinatly. And after those maidens go the pilgrims. +And some of them fall down under the wheels of the car, and let the +car go over them, so that they be dead anon. And some have their +arms or their limbs all to-broken, and some the sides. And all +this do they for love of their god, in great devotion. And them +thinketh that the more pain, and the more tribulation that they +suffer for love of their god, the more joy they shall have in +another world. And, shortly to say you, they suffer so great +pains, and so hard martyrdoms for love of their idol, that a +Christian man, I trow, durst not take upon him the tenth part the +pain for love of our Lord Jesu Christ. And after, I say you, +before the car, go all the minstrels of the country without number, +with diverse instruments, and they make all the melody that they +can. + +And when they have gone all about the city, then they return again +to the minster, and put the idol again into his place. And then +for the love and in worship of that idol, and for the reverence of +the feast, they slay themselves, a two hundred or three hundred +persons, with sharp knives, of the which they bring the bodies +before the idol. And then they say that those be saints, because +that they slew themselves of their own good will for love of their +idol. And as men here that had an holy saint of his kin would +think that it were to them an high worship, right so then, thinketh +there. And as men here devoutly would write holy saints' lives and +their miracles, and sue for their canonizations, right so do they +there for them that slay themselves wilfully for love of their +idol, and say, that they be glorious martyrs and saints, and put +them in their writings and in their litanies, and avaunt them +greatly, one to another, of their holy kinsmen that so become +saints, and say, I have more holy saints in my kindred, than thou +in thine! + +And the custom also there is this, that when they that have such +devotion and intent for to slay himself for love of his god, they +send for all their friends, and have great plenty of minstrels; and +they go before the idol leading him that will slay himself for such +devotion between them, with great reverence. And he, all naked, +hath a full sharp knife in his hand, and he cutteth a great piece +of his flesh, and casteth it in the face of his idol, saying his +orisons, recommending him to his god. And then he smiteth himself +and maketh great wounds and deep, here and there, till he fall down +dead. And then his friends present his body to the idol. And then +they say, singing, Holy god! behold what thy true servant hath done +for thee. He hath forsaken his wife and his children and his +riches, and all the goods of the world and his own life for the +love of thee, and to make thee sacrifice of his flesh and of his +blood. Wherefore, holy god, put him among thy best beloved saints +in thy bliss of paradise, for he hath well deserved it. And then +they make a great fire, and burn the body. And then everych of his +friends take a quantity of the ashes, and keep them instead of +relics, and say that it is holy thing. And they have no dread of +no peril whiles they have those holy ashes upon them. And [they] +put his name in their litanies as a saint. + + + +CHAPTER XX + + + +OF THE EVIL CUSTOMS USED IN THE ISLE OF LAMARY. AND HOW THE EARTH +AND THE SEA BE OF ROUND FORM AND SHAPE, BY PROOF OF THE STAR THAT +IS CLEPT ANTARCTIC, THAT IS FIXED IN THE SOUTH + + +FROM that country go men by the sea ocean, and by many divers isles +and by many countries that were too long for to tell of. And a +fifty-two journeys from this land that I have spoken of, there is +another land, that is full great, that men clepe Lamary. In that +land is full great heat. And the custom there is such, that men +and women go all naked. And they scorn when they see any strange +folk going clothed. And they say, that God made Adam and Eve all +naked, and that no man should shame him to shew him such as God +made him, for nothing is foul that is of kindly nature. And they +say, that they that be clothed be folk of another world, or they be +folk that trow not in God. And they say, that they believe in God +that formed the world, and that made Adam and Eve and all other +things. And they wed there no wives, for all the women there be +common and they forsake no man. And they say they sin if they +refuse any man; and so God commanded to Adam and Eve and to all +that come of him, when he said, CRESCITE ET MULTIPLICAMINI ET +REPLETE TERRAM. And therefore may no man in that country say, This +is my wife; ne no woman may say, This my husband. And when they +have children, they may give them to what man they will that hath +companied with them. And also all the land is common; for all that +a man holdeth one year, another man hath it another year; and every +man taketh what part that him liketh. And also all the goods of +the land be common, corns and all other things: for nothing there +is kept in close, ne nothing there is under lock, and every man +there taketh what he will without any contradiction, and as rich is +one man there as is another. + +But in that country there is a cursed custom, for they eat more +gladly man's flesh than any other flesh; and yet is that country +abundant of flesh, of fish, of corns, of gold and silver, and of +all other goods. Thither go merchants and bring with them children +to sell to them of the country, and they buy them. And if they be +fat they eat them anon. And if they be lean they feed them till +they be fat, and then they eat them. And they say, that it is the +best flesh and the sweetest of all the world. + +In that land, ne in many other beyond that, no man may see the Star +Transmontane, that is clept the Star of the Sea, that is unmovable +and that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star. But men +see another star, the contrary to him, that is toward the south, +that is clept Antartic. And right as the ship-men take their +advice here and govern them by the Lode-star, right so do ship-men +beyond those parts by the star of the south, the which star +appeareth not to us. And this star that is toward the north, that +we clepe the Lode-star, ne appeareth not to them. For which cause +men may well perceive, that the land and the sea be of round shape +and form; for the part of the firmament sheweth in one country that +sheweth not in another country. And men may well prove by +experience and subtle compassment of wit, that if a man found +passages by ships that would go to search the world, men might go +by ship all about the world and above and beneath. + +The which thing I prove thus after that I have seen. For I have +been toward the parts of Brabant, and beholden the Astrolabe that +the star that is clept the Transmontane is fifty-three degrees +high; and more further in Almayne and Bohemia it hath fifty-eight +degrees; and more further toward the parts septentrional it is +sixty-two degrees of height and certain minutes; for I myself have +measured it by the Astrolabe. Now shall ye know, that against the +Transmontane is the tother star that is clept Antarctic, as I have +said before. And those two stars ne move never, and by them +turneth all the firmament right as doth a wheel that turneth by his +axle-tree. So that those stars bear the firmament in two equal +parts, so that it hath as much above as it hath beneath. After +this, I have gone toward the parts meridional, that is, toward the +south, and I have found that in Lybia men see first the star +Antarctic. And so far I have gone more further in those countries, +that I have found that star more high; so that toward the High +Lybia it is eighteen degrees of height and certain minutes (of the +which sixty minutes make a degree). After going by sea and by land +toward this country of that I have spoken, and to other isles and +lands beyond that country, I have found the Star Antarctic of +thirty-three degrees of height and more minutes. And if I had had +company and shipping for to go more beyond, I trow well, in +certain, that we should have seen all the roundness of the +firmament all about. For, as I have said to you before, the half +of the firmament is between those two stars, the which halvendel I +have seen. And of the tother halvendel I have seen, toward the +north under the Transmontane, sixty-two degrees and ten minutes, +and toward the part meridional I have seen under the Antarctic, +thirty-three degrees and sixteen minutes. And then, the halvendel +of the firmament in all holdeth not but nine score degrees. And of +those nine score, I have seen sixty-two on that one part and +thirty-three on that other part; that be, ninety-five degrees and +nigh the halvendel of a degree. And so, there ne faileth but that +I have seen all the firmament, save four score and four degrees and +the halvendel of a degree, and that is not the fourth part of the +firmament; for the fourth part of the roundness of the firmament +holds four score and ten degrees, so there faileth but five degrees +and an half of the fourth part. And also I have seen the three +parts of all the roundness of the firmament and more yet five +degrees and a half. By the which I say you certainly that men may +environ all the earth of all the world, as well under as above, and +turn again to his country, that had company and shipping and +conduct. And always he should find men, lands and isles, as well +as in this country. For ye wit well, that they that be toward the +Antarctic, they be straight, feet against feet, of them that dwell +under the Transmontane; also well as we and they that dwell under +us be feet against feet. For all the parts of sea and of land have +their opposites, habitable trepassable, and they of this half and +beyond half. + +And wit well, that, after that that I may perceive and comprehend, +the lands of Prester John, Emperor of Ind, be under us. For in +going from Scotland or from England toward Jerusalem men go upward +always. For our land is in the low part of the earth toward the +west, and the land of Prester John is in the low part of the earth +toward the east. And [they] have there the day when we have the +night; and also, high to the contrary, they have the night when we +have the day. For the earth and the sea be of round form and +shape, as I have said before; and that that men go upward to one +coast, men go downward to another coast. + +Also ye have heard me say that Jerusalem is in the midst of the +world. And that may men prove, and shew there by a spear, that is +pight into the earth, upon the hour of midday, when it is equinox, +that sheweth no shadow on no side. And that it should be in the +midst of the world, David witnesseth it in the Psalter, where he +saith, DEUS OPERATUS EST SALUTEM IN MEDIA TERRAE. Then, they, that +part from those parts of the west for to go toward Jerusalem, as +many journeys as they go upward for to go thither, in as many +journeys may they go from Jerusalem unto other confines of the +superficiality of the earth beyond. And when men go beyond those +journeys toward Ind and to the foreign isles, all is environing the +roundness of the earth and of the sea under our countries on this +half. + +And therefore hath it befallen many times of one thing that I have +heard counted when I was young, how a worthy man departed some-time +from our countries for to go search the world. And so he passed +Ind and the isles beyond Ind, where be more than 5000 isles. And +so long he went by sea and land, and so environed the world by many +seasons, that he found an isle where he heard speak his own +language, calling on oxen in the plough, such words as men speak to +beasts in his own country whereof he had great marvel, for he knew +not how it might be. But I say, that he had gone so long by land +and by sea, that he had environed all the earth; that he was come +again environing, that is to say, going about, unto his own +marches, and if he would have passed further, till he had found his +country and his own knowledge. But he turned again from thence, +from whence he was come from. And so he lost much painful labour, +as himself said a great while after that he was come home. For it +befell after, that he went into Norway. And there tempest of the +sea took him, and he arrived in an isle. And, when he was in that +isle, he knew well that it was the isle, where he had heard speak +his own language before and the calling of oxen at the plough; and +that was possible thing. + +But how it seemeth to simple men unlearned, that men ne may not go +under the earth, and also that men should fall toward the heaven +from under. But that may not be, upon less than we may fall toward +heaven from the earth where we be. For from what part of the earth +that men dwell, either above or beneath, it seemeth always to them +that dwell that they go more right than any other folk. And right +as it seemeth to us that they be under us, right so it seemeth to +them that we be under them. For if a man might fall from the earth +unto the firmament, by greater, reason the earth and the sea that +be so great and so heavy should fall to the firmament: but that +may not be, and therefore saith our Lord God, NON TIMEAS ME, QUI +SUSPENDI TERRAM EX NIHILO? + +And albeit that it be possible thing that men may so environ all +the world, natheles, of a thousand persons, one ne might not happen +to return into his country. For, for the greatness of the earth +and of the sea, men may go by a thousand and a thousand other ways, +that no man could ready him perfectly toward the parts that he came +from, but if it were by adventure and hap, or by the grace of God. +For the earth is full large and full great, and holds in roundness +and about environ, by above and by beneath, 20425 miles, after the +opinion of old wise astronomers; and their sayings I reprove +nought. But, after my little wit, it seemeth me, saving their +reverence, that it is more. + +And for to have better understanding I say thus. Be there imagined +a figure that hath a great compass. And, about the point of the +great compass that is clept the centre, be made another little +compass. Then after, be the great compass devised by lines in many +parts, and that all the lines meet at the centre. So, that in as +many parts as the great compass shall be departed, in as many shall +be departed the little, that is about the centre, albeit that the +spaces be less. Now then, be the great compass represented for the +firmament, and the little compass represented for the earth. Now +then, the firmament is devised by astronomers in twelve signs, and +every sign is devised in thirty degrees; that is, 360 degrees that +the firmament hath above. Also, be the earth devised in as many +parts as the firmament, and let every part answer to a degree of +the firmament. And wit it well, that, after the authors of +astronomy, 700 furlongs of earth answer to a degree of the +firmament, and those be eighty-seven miles and four furlongs. Now +be that here multiplied by 360 sithes, and then they be 31,500 +miles every of eight furlongs, after miles of our country. So much +hath the earth in roundness and of height environ, after mine +opinion and mine understanding. + +And ye shall understand, that after the opinion of old wise +philosophers and astronomers, our country ne Ireland ne Wales ne +Scotland ne Norway ne the other isles coasting to them ne be not in +the superficiality counted above the earth, as it sheweth by all +the books of astronomy. For the superficiality of the earth is +parted in seven parts for the seven planets, and those parts be +clept climates. And our parts be not of the seven climates, for +they be descending toward the west [drawing] towards the roundness +of the world. And also these isles of Ind which be even against us +be not reckoned in the climates. For they be against us that be in +the low country. And the seven climates stretch them environing +the world. + + + +CHAPTER XXI + + + +OF THE PALACE OF THE KING OF THE ISLE OF JAVA. OF THE TREES THAT +BEAR MEAL, HONEY, WINE, AND VENOM; AND OF OTHER MARVELS AND CUSTOMS +USED IN THE ISLES MARCHING THEREABOUT + + +BESIDE that isle that I have spoken of, there is another isle that +is clept Sumobor. That is a great isle, and the king thereof is +right mighty. The folk of that isle make them always to be marked +in the visage with an hot iron, both men and women, for great +noblesse, for to be known from other folk; for they hold themselves +most noble and most worthy of all the world. And they have war +always with the folk that go all naked. + +And fast beside is another isle, that is clept Betemga, that is a +good isle and a plenteous. And many other isles be thereabout, +where there be many of diverse folk, of the which it were too long +to speak of all. + +But fast beside that isle, for to pass by sea, is a great isle and +a great country that men clepe Java. And it is nigh two thousand +mile in circuit. And the king of that country is a full great lord +and a rich and a mighty, and hath under him seven other kings of +seven other isles about him. This isle is full well inhabited, and +full well manned. There grow all manner of spicery, more +plenteously than in any other country, as of ginger, cloves- +gilofre, canell, seedwall, nutmegs and maces. And wit well, that +the nutmeg beareth the maces; for right as the nut of the hazel +hath an husk without, that the nut is closed in till it be ripe and +that after falleth out, right so it is of the nutmeg and of the +maces. Many other spices and many other goods grow in that isle. +For of all things is there plenty, save only of wine. But there is +gold and silver, great plenty. + +And the king of that country hath a palace full noble and full +marvellous, and more rich than any in the world. For all the +degrees to go up into halls and chambers be, one of gold, another +of silver. And also, the pavements of halls and chambers be all +square, of gold one, and another of silver. And all the walls +within be covered with gold and silver in fine plates, and in those +plates be stories and battles of knights enleved, and the crowns +and the circles about their heads be made of precious stones and +rich pearls and great. And the halls and the chambers of the +palace be all covered within with gold and silver, so that no man +would trow the riches of that palace but he had seen it. And wit +well, that the king of that isle is so mighty, that he hath many +times overcome the great Chan of Cathay in battle, that is the most +great emperor that is under the firmament either beyond the sea or +on this half. For they have had often-time war between them, +because that the great Chan would constrain him to hold his land of +him; but that other at all times defendeth him well against him. + +After that isle, in going by sea, men find another isle, good and +great, that men clepe Pathen, that is a great kingdom full of fair +cities and full of towns. In that land grow trees that bear meal, +whereof men make good bread and white and of good savour; and it +seemeth as it were of wheat, but it is not allinges of such savour. +And there be other trees that bear honey good and sweet, and other +trees that bear venom, against the which there is no medicine but +[one]; and that is to take their proper leaves and stamp them and +temper them with water and then drink it, and else he shall die; +for triacle will not avail, ne none other medicine. Of this venom +the Jews had let seek of one of their friends for to empoison all +Christianity, as I have heard them say in their confession before +their dying: but thanked be Almighty God! they failed of their +purpose; but always they make great mortality of people. And other +trees there be also that bear wine of noble sentiment. And if you +like to hear how the meal cometh out of the trees I shall say you. +Men hew the trees with an hatchet, all about the foot of the tree, +till that the bark be parted in many parts, and then cometh out +thereof a thick liquor, the which they receive in vessels, and dry +it at the heat of the sun; and then they have it to a mill to grind +and it becometh fair meal and white. And the honey and the wine +and the venom be drawn out of other trees in the same manner, and +put in vessels for to keep. + +In that isle is a dead sea, that is a lake that hath no ground; and +if anything fall into that lake it shall never come up again. In +that lake grow reeds, that be canes, that they clepe Thaby, that be +thirty fathoms long; and of these canes men make fair houses. And +there be other canes that be not so long, that grow near the land +and have so long roots that endure well a four quarters of a +furlong or more; and at the knots of those roots men find precious +stones that have great virtues. And he that beareth any of them +upon him, iron ne steel may not hurt him, ne draw no blood upon +him; and therefore, they that have those stones upon them fight +full hardily both on sea and land, for men may not harm [them] on +no part. And therefore, they that know the manner, and shall fight +with them, they shoot to them arrows and quarrels without iron or +steel, and so they hurt them and slay them. And also of those +canes they make houses and ships and other things, as we have here, +making houses and ships of oak or of any other trees. And deem no +man that I say it but for a trifle, for I have seen of the canes +with mine own eyes, full many times, lying upon the river of that +lake, of the which twenty of our fellows ne might not lift up ne +bear one to the earth. + +After this isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept +Calonak. And it is a fair land and a plenteous of goods. And the +king of that country hath as many wives as he will. For he maketh +search all the country to get him the fairest maidens that may be +found, and maketh them to be brought before him. And he taketh one +one night, and another another night, and so forth continually +suing; so that he hath a thousand wives or more. And he lieth +never but one night with one of them, and another night with +another; but if that one happen to be more lusty to his pleasance +than another. And therefore the king getteth full many children, +some-time an hundred, some-time a two-hundred, and some-time more. +And he hath also into a 14,000 elephants or more that he maketh for +to be brought up amongst his villains by all his towns. For in +case that he had any war against any other king about him, then +[he] maketh certain men of arms for to go up into the castles of +tree made for the war, that craftily be set upon the elephants' +backs, for to fight against their enemies. And so do other kings +there-about. For the manner of war is not there as it is here or +in other countries, ne the ordinance of war neither. And men clepe +the elephants WARKES. + +And in that isle there is a great marvel, more to speak of than in +any other part of the world. For all manner of fishes, that be +there in the sea about them, come once in the year - each manner of +diverse fishes, one manner of kind after other. And they cast +themselves to the sea bank of that isle so great plenty and +multitude, that no man may unnethe see but fish. And there they +abide three days. And every man of the country taketh of them as +many as him liketh. And after, that manner of fish after the third +day departeth and goeth into the sea. And after them come another +multitude of fish of another kind and do in the same manner as the +first did, other three days. And after them another, till all the +diverse manner of fishes have been there, and that men have taken +of them that them liketh. And no man knoweth the cause wherefore +it may be. But they of the country say that it is for to do +reverence to their king, that is the most worthy king that is in +the world as they say; because that he fulfilleth the commandment +that God bade to Adam and Eve, when God said, CRESCITE ET +MULTIPLICAMINI ET REPLETE TERRAM. And for because that he +multiplieth so the world with children, therefore God sendeth him +so the fishes of diverse kinds of all that be in the sea, to take +at his will for him and all his people. And therefore all the +fishes of the sea come to make him homage as the most noble and +excellent king of the world, and that is best beloved with God, as +they say. I know not the reason, why it is, but God knoweth; but +this, me-seemeth, is the most marvel I saw. For this marvel is +against kind and not with kind, that the fishes that have freedom +to environ all the coasts of the sea at their own list, come of +their own will to proffer them to the death, without constraining +of man. And therefore, I am siker that this may not be, without a +great token. + +There be also in that country a kind of snails that be so great, +that many persons may lodge them in their shells, as men would do +in a little house. And other snails there be that be full great +but not so huge as the other. And of these snails, and of great +white worms that have black heads that be as great as a man's +thigh, and some less as great worms that men find there in woods, +men make viand royal for the king and for other great lords. And +if a man that is married die in that country, men bury his wife +with him all quick; for men say there, that it is reason that she +make him company in that other world as she did in this. + +From that country men go by the sea ocean by an isle that is clept +Caffolos. Men of that country when their friends be sick they hang +them upon trees, and say that it is better that birds, that be +angels of God, eat them, than the foul worms of the earth. + +From that isle men go to another isle, where the folk be of full +cursed kind. For they nourish great dogs and teach them to +strangle their friends when they be sick. For they will not that +they die of kindly death. For they say, that they should suffer +too great pain if they abide to die by themselves, as nature would. +And, when they be thus enstrangled, they eat their flesh instead of +venison. + +Afterward men go by many isles by sea unto an isle that men clepe +Milke. And there is a full cursed people. For they delight in +nothing more than for to fight and to slay men. And they drink +gladliest man's blood, the which they clepe Dieu. And the more men +that a man may slay, the more worship he hath amongst them. And if +two persons be at debate and, peradventure, be accorded by their +friends or by some of their alliance, it behoveth that every of +them that shall be accorded drink of other's blood: and else the +accord ne the alliance is nought worth: ne it shall not be no +reproof to him to break the alliance and the accord, but if every +of them drink of others' blood. + +And from that isle men go by sea, from isle to isle, unto an isle +that is clept Tracoda, where the folk of that country be as beasts, +and unreasonable, and dwell in caves that they make in the earth; +for they have no wit to make them houses. And when they see any +man passing through their countries they hide them in their caves. +And they eat flesh of serpents, and they eat but little. And they +speak nought, but they hiss as serpents do. And they set no price +by no avoir ne riches, but only of a precious stone, that is +amongst them, that is of sixty colours. And for the name of the +isle, they clepe it Tracodon. And they love more that stone than +anything else; and yet they know not the virtue thereof, but they +covet it and love it only for the beauty. + +After that isle men go by the sea ocean, by many isles, unto an +isle that is clept Nacumera, that is a great isle and good and +fair. And it is in compass about, more than a thousand mile. And +all the men and women of that isle have hounds' heads, and they be +clept Cynocephales. And they be full reasonable and of good +understanding, save that they worship an ox for their God. And +also every one of them beareth an ox of gold or of silver in his +forehead, in token that they love well their God. And they go all +naked save a little clout, that they cover with their knees and +their members. They be great folk and well-fighting. And they +have a great targe that covereth all the body, and a spear in their +hand to fight with. And if they take any man in battle, anon they +eat him. + +The king of that isle is full rich and full mighty and right devout +after his law. And he hath about his neck 300 pearls orient, good +and great and knotted, as paternosters here of amber. And in +manner as we say our PATER NOSTER and our AVE MARIA, counting the +PATER NOSTERS, right so this king saith every day devoutly 300 +prayers to his God, or that he eat. And he beareth also about his +neck a ruby orient, noble and fine, that is a foot of length and +five fingers large. And, when they choose their king, they take +him that ruby to bear in his hand; and so they lead him, riding all +about the city. And from thence-fromward they be all obeissant to +him. And that ruby he shall bear always about his neck, for if he +had not that ruby upon him men would not hold him for king. The +great Chan of Cathay hath greatly coveted that ruby, but he might +never have it for war, ne for no manner of goods. This king is so +rightful and of equity in his dooms, that men may go sikerly +throughout all his country and bear with them what them list; that +no man shall be hardy to rob them, and if he were, the king would +justified anon. + +From this land men go to another isle that is clept Silha. And it +is well a 800 miles about. In that land is full much waste, for it +is full of serpents, of dragons and of cockodrills, that no man +dare dwell there. These cockodrills be serpents, yellow and rayed +above, and have four feet and short thighs, and great nails as +claws or talons. And there be some that have five fathoms in +length, and some of six and of eight and of ten. And when they go +by places that be gravelly, it seemeth as though men had drawn a +great tree through the gravelly place. And there be also many wild +beasts, and namely of elephants. + +In that isle is a great mountain. And in mid place of the mount is +a great lake in a full fair plain; and there is great plenty of +water. And they of the country say, that Adam and Eve wept upon +that mount an hundred year, when they were driven out of Paradise, +and that water, they say, is of their tears; for so much water they +wept, that made the foresaid lake. And in the bottom of that lake +men find many precious stones and great pearls. In that lake grow +many reeds and great canes; and there within be many cocodrills and +serpents and great water-leeches. And the king of that country, +once every year, giveth leave to poor men to go into the lake to +gather them precious stones and pearls, by way of alms, for the +love of God that made Adam. And all the year men find enough. And +for the vermin that is within, they anoint their arms and their +thighs and legs with an ointment made of a thing that is clept +lemons, that is a manner of fruit like small pease; and then have +they no dread of no cockodrills, ne of none other venomous vermin. +This water runneth, flowing and ebbing, by a side of the mountain, +and in that river men find precious stones and pearls, great +plenty. And men of that isle say commonly, that the serpents and +the wild beasts of that country will not do no harm ne touch with +evil no strange man that entereth into that country, but only to +men that be born of the same country. + +In that country and others thereabout there be wild geese that have +two heads. And there be lions, all white and as great as oxen, and +many other diverse beasts and fowls also that be not seen amongst +us. + +And wit well, that in that country and in other isles thereabout, +the sea is so high, that it seemeth as though it hung at the +clouds, and that it would cover all the world. And that is great +marvel that it might be so, save only the will of God, that the air +sustaineth it. And therefore saith David in the Psalter, MIRABILES +ELATIONES MARIS. + + + +CHAPTER XXII + + + +HOW MEN KNOW BY THE IDOL, IF THE SICK SHALL DIE OR NOT. OF FOLK OF +DIVERSE SHAPE AND MARVELLOUSLY DISFIGURED. AND OF THE MONKS THAT +GAVE THEIR RELIEF TO BABOONS, APES, AND MARMOSETS, AND TO OTHER +BEASTS + + +FROM that isle, in going by sea toward the south, is another great +isle that is clept Dondun. In that isle be folk of diverse kinds, +so that the father eateth the son, the son the father, the husband +the wife, and the wife the husband. And if it so befall, that the +father or mother or any of their friends be sick, anon the son +goeth to the priest of their law and prayeth him to ask the idol if +his father or mother or friend shall die on that evil or not. And +then the priest and the son go together before the idol and kneel +full devoutly and ask of the idol their demand. And if the devil +that is within answer that he shall live, they keep him well; and +if he say that he shall die, then the priest goeth with the son, +with the wife of him that is sick, and they put their hands upon +his mouth and stop his breath, and so they slay him. And after +that, they chop all the body in small pieces, and pray all his +friends to come and eat of him that is dead. And they send for all +the minstrels of the country and make a solemn feast. And when +they have eaten the flesh, they take the bones and bury them, and +sing and make great melody. And all those that be of his kin or +pretend them to be his friends, an they come not to that feast, +they be reproved for evermore and shamed, and make great dole, for +never after shall they be holden as friends. And they say also, +that men eat their flesh for to deliver them out of pain; for if +the worms of the earth eat them the soul should suffer great pain, +as they say. And namely when the flesh is tender and meagre, then +say their friends, that they do great sin to let them have so long +languor to suffer so much pain without reason. And when they find +the flesh fat, then they say, that it is well done to send them +soon to Paradise, and that they have not suffered him too long to +endure in pain. + +The king of this isle is a full great lord and a mighty, and hath +under him fifty-four great isles that give tribute to him. And in +everych of these isles is a king crowned; and all be obeissant to +that king. And he hath in those isles many diverse folk. + +In one of these isles be folk of great stature, as giants. And +they be hideous for to look upon. And they have but one eye, and +that is in the middle of the front. And they eat nothing but raw +flesh and raw fish. + +And in another isle toward the south dwell folk of foul stature and +of cursed kind that have no heads. And their eyen be in their +shoulders. + +And in another isle be folk that have the face all flat, all plain, +without nose and without mouth. But they have two small holes, all +round, instead of their eyes, and their mouth is plat also without +lips. + +And in another isle be folk of foul fashion and shape that have the +lip above the mouth so great, that when they sleep in the sun they +cover all the face with that lip. + +And in another isle there be little folk, as dwarfs. And they be +two so much as the pigmies. And they have no mouth; but instead of +their mouth they have a little round hole, and when they shall eat +or drink, they take through a pipe or a pen or such a thing, and +suck it in, for they have no tongue; and therefore they speak not, +but they make a manner of hissing as an adder doth, and they make +signs one to another as monks do, by the which every of them +understandeth other. + +And in another isle be folk that have great ears and long, that +hang down to their knees. + +And in another isle be folk that have horses' feet. And they be +strong and mighty, and swift runners; for they take wild beasts +with running, and eat them. + +And in another isle be folk that go upon their hands and their feet +as beasts. And they be all skinned and feathered, and they will +leap as lightly into trees, and from tree to tree, as it were +squirrels or apes. + +And in another isle be folk that be both man and woman, and they +have kind; of that one and of that other. And they have but one +pap on the one side, and on that other none. And they have members +of generation of man and woman, and they use both when they list, +once that one, and another time that other. And they get children, +when they use the member of man; and they bear children, when they +use the member of woman. + +And in another isle be folk that go always upon their knees full +marvellously. And at every pace that they go, it seemeth that they +would fall. And they have in every foot eight toes. + +Many other diverse folk of diverse natures be there in other isles +about, of the which it were too long to tell, and therefore I pass +over shortly. + +From these isles, in passing by the sea ocean toward the east by +many journeys, men find a great country and a great kingdom that +men crepe Mancy. And that is in Ind the more. And it is the best +land and one the fairest that may be in all the world, and the most +delectable and the most plenteous of all goods that is in power of +man. In that land dwell many Christian men and Saracens, for it is +a good country and a great. And there be therein more than 2000 +great cities and rich, without other great towns. And there is +more plenty of people there than in any other part of Ind, for the +bounty of the country. In that country is no needy man, ne none +that goeth on begging. And they be full fair folk, but they be all +pale. And the men have thin beards and few hairs, but they be +long; but unnethe hath any man passing fifty hairs in his beard, +and one hair sits here, another there, as the beard of a leopard or +of a cat. In that land be many fairer women than in any other +country beyond the sea, and therefore men clepe that land Albany, +because that the folk be white. + +And the chief city of that country is clept Latorin, and it is a +journey from the sea, and it is much more than Paris. In that city +is a great river bearing ships that go to all the coasts in the +sea. No city of the world is so well stored of ships as is that. +And all those of the city and of the country worship idols. In +that country be double sithes more birds than be here. There be +white geese, red about the neck, and they have a great crest as a +cock's comb upon their heads; and they be much more there than they +be here, and men buy them there all quick, right great cheap. And +there is great plenty of adders of whom men make great feasts and +eat them at great solemnities; and he that maketh there a feast be +it never so costly, an he have no adders he hath no thank for his +travail. + +Many good cities there be in that country and men have great plenty +and great cheap of all wines and victuals. In that country be many +churches of religious men, and of their law. And in those churches +be idols as great as giants; and to these idols they give to eat at +great festival days in this manner. They bring before them meat +all sodden, as hot as they come from the fire, and they let the +smoke go up towards the idols; and then they say that the idols +have eaten; and then the religious men eat the meat afterwards. + +In that country be white hens without feathers, but they bear white +wool as sheep do here. In that country women that be unmarried, +they have tokens on their heads like coronals to be known for +unmarried. Also in that country there be beasts taught of men to +go into waters, into rivers and into deep stanks for to take fish; +the which beast is but little, and men clepe them loirs. And when +men cast them into the water, anon they bring up great fishes, as +many as men will. And if men will have more, they cast them in +again, and they bring up as many as men list to have. + +And from that city passing many journeys is another city, one the +greatest of the world, that men clepe Cassay; that is to say, the +'City of heaven.' That city is well a fifty mile about, and it is +strongly inhabited with people, insomuch that in one house men make +ten households. In that city be twelve principal gates; and before +every gate, a three mile or a four mile in length, is a great town +or a great city. That city sits upon a great lake on the sea as +doth Venice. And in that city be more than 12,000 bridges. And +upon every bridge be strong towers and good, in the which dwell the +wardens for to keep the city from the great Chan. And on that one +part of the city runneth a great river all along the city. And +there dwell Christian men and many merchants and other folk of +diverse nations, because that the land is so good and so plenteous. +And there groweth full good wine that men clepe Bigon, that is full +mighty, and gentle in drinking. This is a city royal where the +King of Mancy was wont to dwell. And there dwell many religious +men, as it were of the Order of Friars, for they be mendicants. + +From that city men go by water, solacing and disporting them, till +they come to an abbey of monks that is fast by, that be good +religious men after their faith and law. In that abbey is a great +garden and a fair, where be many trees of diverse manner of fruits. +And in this garden is a little hill full of delectable trees. In +that hill and in that garden be many diverse beasts, as of apes, +marmosets, baboons and many other diverse beasts. And every day, +when the convent of this abbey hath eaten, the almoner let bear the +relief to the garden, and he smiteth on the garden gate with a +clicket of silver that he holdeth in his hand; and anon all the +beasts of the hill and of diverse places of the garden come out a +3000, or a 4000; and they come in guise of poor men, and men give +them the relief in fair vessels of silver, clean over-gilt. And +when they have eaten, the monk smiteth eftsoons on the garden gate +with the clicket, and then anon all the beasts return again to +their places that they come from. And they say that these beasts +be souls of worthy men that resemble in likeness of those beasts +that be fair, and therefore they give them meat for the love of +God; and the other beasts that be foul, they say be souls of poor +men and of rude commons. And thus they believe, and no man may put +them out of this opinion. These beasts above-said they let take +when they be young, and nourish them so with alms, as many as they +may find. And I asked them if it had not been better to have given +that relief to poor men, rather than to those beasts. And they +answered me and said, that they had no poor men amongst them in +that country; and though it had been so that poor men had been +among them, yet were it greater alms to give it to those souls that +do there their penance. Many other marvels be in that city and in +the country thereabout, that were too long to tell you. + +From that city go men by the country a six journeys to another city +that men clepe Chilenfo, of the which city the walls be twenty mile +about. In that city be sixty bridges of stone, so fair that no man +may see fairer. In that city was the first siege of the King of +Mancy, for it is a fair and plenteous of all goods. + +After, pass men overthwart a great river that men clepe Dalay. And +that is the greatest river of fresh water that is in the world. +For there, as it is most narrow, it is more than four mile of +breadth. And then enter men again into the land of the great Chan. + +That river goeth through the land of Pigmies, where that the folk +be of little stature, that be but three span long, and they be +right fair and gentle, after their quantities, both the men and the +women. And they marry them when they be half year of age and get +children. And they live not but six year or seven at the most; and +he that liveth eight year, men hold him there right passing old. +These men be the best workers of gold, silver, cotton, silk and of +all such things, of any other that be in the world. And they have +oftentimes war with the birds of the country that they take and +eat. This little folk neither labour in lands ne in vines; but +they have great men amongst them of our stature that till the land +and labour amongst the vines for them. And of those men of our +stature have they as great scorn and wonder as we would have among +us of giants, if they were amongst us. There is a good city, +amongst others, where there is dwelling great plenty of those +little folk, and it is a great city and a fair. And the men be +great that dwell amongst them, but when they get any children they +be as little as the pigmies. And therefore they be, all for the +most part, all pigmies; for the nature of the land is such. The +great Chan let keep this city full well, for it is his. And +albeit, that the pigmies be little, yet they be full reasonable +after their age, and can both wit and good and malice enough. + +From that city go men by the country by many cities and many towns +unto a city that men clepe Jamchay; and it is a noble city and a +rich and of great profit to the Lord, and thither go men to seek +merchandise of all manner of thing. That city is full much worth +yearly to the lord of the country. For he hath every year to rent +of that city (as they of the city say) 50,000 cumants of florins of +gold: for they count there all by cumants, and every cumant is +10,000 florins of gold. Now may men well reckon how much that it +amounteth. The king of that country is full mighty, and yet he is +under the great Chan. And the great Chan hath under him twelve +such provinces. In that country in the good towns is a good +custom: for whoso will make a feast to any of his friends, there +be certain inns in every good town, and he that will make the feast +will say to the hosteler, array for me to-morrow a good dinner for +so many folk, and telleth him the number, and deviseth him the +viands; and he saith also, thus much I will dispend and no more. +And anon the hosteler arrayeth for him so fair and so well and so +honestly, that there shall lack nothing; and it shall be done +sooner and with less cost than an a man made it in his own house. + +And a five mile from that city, toward the head of the river of +Dalay, is another city that men clepe Menke. In that city is +strong navy of ships. And all be white as snow of the kind of the +trees that they be made of. And they be full great ships and fair, +and well ordained, and made with halls and chambers and other +easements, as though it were on the land. + +From thence go men, by many towns and many cities, through the +country, unto a city that men clepe Lanterine. And it is an eight +journeys from the city above-said. This city sits upon a fair +river, great and broad, that men clepe Caramaron. This river +passeth throughout Cathay. And it doth often-time harm, and that +full great, when it is over great. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + + + +OF THE GREAT CHAN OF CATHAY. OF THE ROYALTY OF HIS PALACE, AND HOW +HE SITS AT MEAT; AND OF THE GREAT NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT SERVE HIM + + +CATHAY is a great country and a fair, noble and rich, and full of +merchants. Thither go merchants all years for to seek spices and +all manner of merchandises, more commonly than in any other part. +And ye shall understand, that merchants that come from Genoa or +from Venice or from Romania or other parts of Lombardy, they go by +sea and by land eleven months or twelve, or more some-time, ere +they may come to the isle of Cathay that is the principal region of +all parts beyond; and it is of the great Chan. + +From Cathay go men toward the east by many journeys. And then men +find a good city between these others, that men clepe Sugarmago. +That city is one of the best stored of silk and other merchandises +that is in the world. + +After go men yet to another old city toward the east. And it is in +the province of Cathay. And beside that city the men of Tartary +have let make another city that is dept Caydon. And it hath twelve +gates, and between the two gates there is always a great mile; so +that the two cities, that is to say, the old and the new, have in +circuit more than twenty mile. + +In this city is the siege of the great Chan in a full great palace +and the most passing fair in all the world, of the which the walls +be in circuit more than two mile. And within the walls it is all +full of other palaces. And in the garden of the great palace there +is a great hill, upon the which there is another palace; and it is +the most fair and the most rich that any man may devise. And all +about the palace and the hill be many trees bearing many diverse +fruits. And all about that hill be ditches great and deep, and +beside them be great vivaries on that one part and on that other. +And there is a full fair bridge to pass over the ditches. And in +these vivaries be so many wild geese and ganders and wild ducks and +swans and herons that it is without number. And all about these +ditches and vivaries is the great garden full of wild beasts. So +that when the great Chan will have any disport on that, to take any +of the wild beasts or of the fowls, he will let chase them and take +them at the windows without going out of his chamber. + +This palace, where his siege is, is both great and passing fair. +And within the palace, in the hall, there be twenty-four pillars of +fine gold. And all the walls be covered within of red skins of +beasts that men clepe panthers, that be fair beasts and well +smelling; so that for the sweet odour of those skins no evil air +may enter into the palace. Those skins be as red as blood, and +they shine so bright against the sun, that unnethe no man may +behold them. And many folk worship those beasts, when they meet +them first at morning, for their great virtue and for the good +smell that they have. And those skins they prize more than though +they were plate of fine gold. + +And in the midst of this palace is the mountour for the great Chan, +that is all wrought of gold and of precious stones and great +pearls. And at four corners of the mountour be four serpents of +gold. And all about there is y-made large nets of silk and gold +and great pearls hanging all about the mountour. And under the +mountour be conduits of beverage that they drink in the emperor's +court. And beside the conduits be many vessels of gold, by the +which they that be of household drink at the conduit. + +And the hall of the palace is full nobly arrayed, and full +marvellously attired on all parts in all things that men apparel +with any hall. And first, at the chief of the hall is the +emperor's throne, full high, where he sitteth at the meat. And +that is of fine precious stones, bordered all about with pured gold +and precious stones, and great pearls. And the grees that he goeth +up to the table be of precious stones mingled with gold. + +And at the left side of the emperor's siege is the siege of his +first wife, one degree lower than the emperor; and it is of jasper, +bordered with gold and precious stones. And the siege of his +second wife is also another siege, more lower than his first wife; +and it is also of jasper, bordered with gold, as that other is. +And the siege of the third wife is also more low, by a degree, than +the second wife. For he hath always three wives with him, where +that ever he be. + +And after his wives, on the same side, sit the ladies of his +lineage yet lower, after that they be of estate. And all those +that be married have a counterfeit made like a man's foot upon +their heads, a cubit long, all wrought with great pearls, fine and +orient, and above made with peacocks' feathers and of other shining +feathers; and that stands upon their heads like a crest, in token +that they be under man's foot and under subjection of man. And +they that be unmarried have none such. + +And after at the right side of the emperor first sitteth his eldest +son that shall reign after him. And he sitteth also one degree +lower than the emperor, in such manner of sieges as do the +empresses. And after him sit other great lords of his lineage, +every of them a degree lower than the other, as they be of estate. + +And the emperor hath his table alone by himself, that is of gold +and of precious stones, or of crystal bordered with gold, and full +of precious stones or of amethysts, or of lignum aloes that cometh +out of paradise, or of ivory bound or bordered with gold. And +every one of his wives hath also her table by herself. And his +eldest son and the other lords also, and the ladies, and all that +sit with the emperor have tables alone by themselves, full rich. +And there ne is no table but that it is worth an huge treasure of +goods. + +And under the emperor's table sit four clerks that write all that +the emperor saith, be it good, be it evil; for all that he saith +must be holden, for he may not change his word, ne revoke it. + +And [at] great solemn feasts before the emperor's table men bring +great tables of gold, and thereon be peacocks of gold and many +other manner of diverse fowls, all of gold and richly wrought and +enamelled. And men make them dance and sing, clapping their wings +together, and make great noise. And whether it be by craft or by +necromancy I wot never; but it is a good sight to behold, and a +fair; and it is great marvel how it may be. But I have the less +marvel, because that they be the most subtle men in all sciences +and in all crafts that be in the world: for of subtlety and of +malice and of farcasting they pass all men under heaven. And +therefore they say themselves, that they see with two eyes and the +Christian men see but with one, because that they be more subtle +than they. For all other nations, they say, be but blind in +cunning and working in comparison to them. I did great business +for to have learned that craft, but the master told me that he had +made avow to his god to teach it to no creature, but only to his +eldest son. + +Also above the emperor's table and the other tables, and above a +great part in the hall, is a vine made of fine gold. And it +spreadeth all about the hall. And it hath many clusters of grapes, +some white, some green, some yellow and some red and some black, +all of precious stones. The white be of crystal and of beryl and +of iris; the yellow be of topazes; the red be of rubies and of +grenaz and of alabrandines; the green be of emeralds, of perydoz +and of chrysolites; and the black be of onyx and garantez. And +they be all so properly made that it seemeth a very vine bearing +kindly grapes. + +And before the emperor's table stand great lords and rich barons +and other that serve the emperor at the meat. And no man is so +hardy to speak a word, but if the emperor speak to him; but if it +be minstrels that sing songs and tell jests or other disports, to +solace with the emperor. And all the vessels that men be served +with in the hall or in chambers be of precious stones, and +specially at great tables either of jasper or of crystal or of +amethysts or of fine gold. And the cups be of emeralds and of +sapphires, or of topazes, of perydoz, and of many other precious +stones. Vessels of silver is there none, for they tell no price +thereof to make no vessels of: but they make thereof grecings and +pillars and pavements to halls and chambers. And before the hall +door stand many barons and knights clean armed to keep that no man +enter, but if it be the will or the commandment of the emperor, or +but if they be servants or minstrels of the household; and other +none is not so hardy to neighen nigh the hall door. + +And ye shall understand, that my fellows and I with our yeomen, we +served this emperor, and were his soldiers fifteen months against +the King of Mancy, that held against him. And the cause was for we +had great lust to see his noblesse and the estate of his court and +all his governance, to wit if it were such as we heard say that it +was. And truly we found it more noble and more excellent, and +richer and more marvellous, than ever we heard speak of, insomuch +that we would never have lieved it had we not seen it. For I trow, +that no man would believe the noblesse, the riches ne the multitude +of folk that be in his court, but he had seen it; for it is not +there as it is here. For the lords here have folk of certain +number as they may suffice; but the great Chan hath every day folk +at his costage and expense as without number. But the ordinance, +ne the expenses in meat and drink, ne the honesty, ne the +cleanness, is not so arrayed there as it is here; for all the +commons there eat without cloth upon their knees, and they eat all +manner of flesh and little of bread, and after meat they wipe their +hands upon their skirts, and they eat not but once a day. But the +estate of lords is full great, and rich and noble. + +And albeit that some men will not trow me, but hold it for fable to +tell them the noblesse of his person and of his estate and of his +court and of the great multitude of folk that he holds, natheles I +shall say you a part of him and of his folk, after that I have seen +the manner and the ordinance full many a time. And whoso that will +may lieve me if he will, and whoso will not, may leave also. For I +wot well, if any man hath been in those countries beyond, though he +have not been in the place where the great Chan dwelleth, he shall +hear speak of him so much marvellous thing, that he shall not trow +it lightly. And truly, no more did I myself, till I saw it. And +those that have been in those countries and in the great Chan's +household know well that I say sooth. And therefore I will not +spare for them, that know not ne believe not but that that they +see, for to tell you a part of him and of his estate that he +holdeth, when he goeth from country to country, and when he maketh +solemn feasts. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + + + +WHEREFORE HE IS CLEPT THE GREAT CHAN. OF THE STYLE OF HIS LETTERS, +AND OF THE SUPERSCRIPTION ABOUT HIS GREAT SEAL AND HIS PRIVY SEAL + + +FIRST I shall say you why he was clept the great Chan. + +Ye shall understand, that all the world was destroyed by Noah's +flood, save only Noah and his wife and his children. Noah had +three sons, Shem, Cham, and Japhet. This Cham was he that saw his +father's privy members naked when he slept, and scorned them, and +shewed them with his finger to his brethren in scorning wise. And +therefore he was cursed of God. And Japhet turned his face away +and covered them. + +These three brethren had seisin in all the land. And this Cham, +for his cruelty, took the greater and the best part, toward the +east, that is clept Asia, and Shem took Africa, and Japhet took +Europe. And therefore is all the earth parted in these three parts +by these three brethren. Cham was the greatest and the most +mighty, and of him came more generations than of the other. And of +his son Chuse was engendered Nimrod the giant, that was the first +king that ever was in the world; and he began the foundation of the +tower of Babylon. And that time, the fiends of hell came many +times and lay with the women of his generation and engendered on +them diverse folk, as monsters and folk disfigured, some without +heads, some with great ears, some with one eye, some giants, some +with horses' feet, and many other diverse shape against kind. And +of that generation of Cham be come the Paynims and divers folk that +be in isles of the sea by all Ind. And forasmuch as he was the +most mighty, and no man might withstand him, he cleped himself the +Son of God and sovereign of all the world. And for this Cham, this +emperor clepeth him Cham, and sovereign of all the world. + +And of the generation of Shem be come the Saracens. And of the +generation of Japhet is come the people of Israel. And though that +we dwell in Europe, this is the opinion, that the Syrians and the +Samaritans have amongst them. And that they told me, before that I +went toward Ind, but I found it otherwise. Natheles, the sooth is +this; that Tartars and they that dwell in the great Asia, they came +of Cham; but the Emperor of Cathay clepeth him not Cham, but Can, +and I shall tell you how. + +It is but little more but eight score year that all Tartary was in +subjection and in servage to other nations about. For they were +but bestial folk and did nothing but kept beasts and led them to +pastures. But among them they had seven principal nations that +were sovereigns of them all. Of the which, the first nation or +lineage was clept Tartar, and that is the most noble and the most +prized. The second lineage is clept Tanghot, the third Eurache, +the fourth Valair, the fifth Semoche, the sixth Megly, the seventh +Coboghe. + +Now befell it so that of the first lineage succeeded an old worthy +man that was not rich, that had to name Changuys. This man lay +upon a night in his bed. And he saw in avision, that there came +before him a knight armed all in white. And he sat upon a white +horse, and said to him, Can, sleepest thou? The Immortal God hath +sent me to thee, and it is his will, that thou go to the seven +lineages and say to them that thou shalt be their emperor. For +thou shalt conquer the lands and the countries that be about, and +they that march upon you shall be under your subjection, as ye have +been under theirs, for that is God's will immortal. + +And when he came at morrow, Changuys rose, and went to seven +lineages, and told them how the white knight had said. And they +scorned him, and said that he was a fool. And so he departed from +them all ashamed. And the night ensuing, this white knight came to +the seven lineages, and commanded them on God's behalf immortal, +that they should make this Changuys their emperor, and they should +be out of subjection, and they should hold all other regions about +them in their servage as they had been to them before. And on the +morrow, they chose him to be their emperor. And they set him upon +a black fertre, and after that they lift him up with great +solemnity. And they set him in a chair of gold and did him all +manner of reverence, and they cleped him Chan, as the white knight +called him. + +And when he was thus chosen, he would assay if he might trust in +them or no, and whether they would be obeissant to him or no. And +then he made many statutes and ordinances that they clepe YSYA +CHAN. The first statute was, that they should believe and obey in +God Immortal, that is Almighty, that would cast them out of +servage, and at all times clepe to him for help in time of need. +The tother statute was, that all manner of men that might bare arms +should be numbered, and to every ten should be a master, and to +every hundred a master, and to every thousand a master, and to +every ten thousand a master. After he commanded to the principals +of the seven lineages, that they should leave and forsake all that +they had in goods and heritage, and from thenceforth to hold them +paid of that that he would give them of his grace. And they did so +anon. After he commanded to the principals of the seven lineages, +that every of them should bring his eldest son before him, and with +their own hands smite off their heads without tarrying. And anon +his commandment was performed. + +And when the Chan saw that they made none obstacle to perform his +commandment, then he thought well that he might trust in them, and +commanded them anon to make them ready and to sue his banner. And +after this, Chan put in subjection all the lands about him. + +Afterward it befell upon a day, that the Can rode with a few meinie +for to behold the strength of the country that he had won. And so +befell, that a great multitude of enemies met with him. And for to +give good example hardiness to his people, he was the first that +fought, and in the midst of his enemies encountered, and there he +was cast from his horse, and his horse slain. And when his folk +saw him at the earth, they were all abashed, and weened he had been +dead, and flew every one, and their enemies after and chased them, +but they wist not that the emperor was there. And when the enemies +were far pursuing the chase, the emperor hid him in a thick wood. +And whet, they were come again from the chase, they went and sought +the woods if any of them had been hid in the thick of the woods; +and many they found and slew them anon. So it happened that as +they went searching toward the place that the emperor was, they saw +an owl sitting upon a tree above him; and then they said amongst +them, that there was no man because that they saw that bird there, +and so they went their way; and thus escaped the emperor from +death. And then he went privily all by night, till he came to his +folk that were full glad of his coming, and made great thankings to +God Immortal, and to that bird by whom their lord was saved. And +therefore principally above all fowls of world they worship the +owl; and when they have any of their feathers, they keep them full +preciously instead of relics, and bear them upon their heads with +great reverence; and they hold themselves blessed and safe from all +perils while that they have them upon them, and therefore they bear +their feathers upon their heads. + +After all this the Chan ordained him, and assembled his people, and +went upon them that had assailed him before, and destroyed them, +and put them in subjection and servage. And when he had won and +put all the lands and countries on this half the Mount Belian in +subjection, the white knight came to him again in his sleep, and +said to him, Chan! the will of God Immortal is that thou pass the +Mount Belian. And thou shalt win the land and thou shalt put many +nations in subjection. And for thou shalt find no good passage for +to go toward that country, go [to] the Mount Belian that is upon +the sea, and kneel there nine times toward the east in the worship +of God Immortal, and he shall shew the way to pass by. And the +Chan did so. And anon the sea that touched and was fast to the +mount began to withdraw him, and shewed fair way of nine foot +breadth large; and so he passed with his folk, and won the land of +Cathay that is the greatest kingdom of the world. + +And for the nine kneelings and for the nine foot of way the Chan +and all the men of Tartary have the number of nine in great +reverence. And therefore who that will make the Chan any present, +be it of horses, be it of birds, or of arrows or bows, or of fruit, +or of any other thing, always he must make it of the number of +nine. And so then be the presents of greater pleasure to him; and +more benignly he will receive them than though he were presented +with an hundred or two hundred. For him seemeth the number of nine +so holy, because the messenger of God Immortal devised it. + +Also, when the Chan of Cathay had won the country of Cathay, and +put in subjection and under foot many countries about, he fell +sick. And when he felt well that he should die, he said to his +twelve sons, that everych of them should bring him one of his +arrows. And so they did anon. And then he commanded that men +should bind them together in three places. And then he took them +to his eldest son, and bade him break them all together. And he +enforced him with all his might to break them, but he ne might not. +And then the Chan bade his second son to break them; and so, +shortly, to all, each after other; but none of them might break +them. And then he bade the youngest son dissever every one from +other, and break everych by himself. And so he did. And then said +the Chan to his eldest son and to all the others, Wherefore might +ye not break them? And they answered that they might not, because +that they were bound together. And wherefore, quoth he, hath your +little youngest brother broken them? Because, quoth they, that +they were parted each from other. And then said the Chan, My sons, +quoth he, truly thus will it fare by you. For as long as ye be +bound together in three places, that is to say, in love, in truth +and in good accord, no man shall be of power to grieve you. But +and ye be dissevered from these three places, that your one help +not your other, ye shall be destroyed and brought to nought. And +if each of you love other and help other, ye shall be lords and +sovereigns of all others. And when he had made his ordinances, he +died. + +And then after him reigned Ecchecha Cane, his eldest son. And his +other brethren went to win them many countries and kingdoms, unto +the land of Prussia and of Russia, and made themselves to be clept +Chane; but they were all obeissant to their elder brother, and +therefore was he clept the great Chan. + +After Ecchecha reigned Guyo Chan. + +And after him Mango Chan that was a good Christian man and +baptized, and gave letters of perpetual peace to all Christian men, +and sent his brother Halaon with great multitude of folk for to win +the Holy Land and for to put it into Christian men's hands, and for +to destroy Mahomet's law, and for to take the Caliph of Bagdad that +was emperor and lord of all the Saracens. And when this caliph was +taken, men found him of so high worship, that in all the remnant of +the world, ne might a man find a more reverend man, ne higher in +worship. And then Halaon made him come before him, and said to +him, Why, quoth he, haddest thou not taken with thee more soldiers +and men enough, for a little quantity of treasure, for to defend +thee and thy country, that art so abundant of treasure and so high +in all worship? And the caliph answered him, For he well trowed +that he had enough of his own proper men. And then said Halaon, +Thou wert as a god of the Saracens. And it is convenient to a god +to eat no meat that is mortal. And therefore, thou shall not eat +but precious stones, rich pearls and treasure, that thou lovest so +much. And then he commanded him to prison, and all his treasure +about him. And so he died for hunger and thirst. And then after +this, Halaon won all the Land of Promission, and put it into +Christian men's hands. But the great Chan, his brother, died; and +that was great sorrow and loss to all Christian men. + +After Mango Chan reigned Cobyla Chan that was also a Christian man. +And he reigned forty-two year. He founded the great city Izonge in +Cathay, that is a great deal more than Rome. + +The tother great Chan that came after him became a Paynim, and all +the others after him. + +The kingdom of Cathay is the greatest realm of the world. And also +the great Chan is the most mighty emperor of the world and the +greatest lord under the firmament. And so he clepeth him in his +letters, right thus: CHAN! FILIUS DEI EXCELSI, OMNIUM UNIVERSAM +TERRAM COLENTIUM SUMMUS IMPERATOR, & DOMINUS OMNIUM DOMINANTIUM! +And the letter of his great seal, written about, is this; DEUS IN +COELO, CHAN SUPER TERRAM, EJUS FORTITUDO. OMNIUM HOMINUM +IMPERATORIS SIGILLUM. And the superscription about his little seal +is this; DEI FORTITUDO, OMNIUM HOMINUM IMPERATORIS SIGILLUM. + +And albeit that they be not christened, yet nevertheless the +emperor and all the Tartars believe in God Immortal. And when they +will menace any man, then they say, God knoweth well that I shall +do thee such a thing, and telleth his menace. + +And thus have ye heard, why he is clept the great Chan. + + + +CHAPTER XXV + + + +OF THE GOVERNANCE OF THE GREAT CHAN'S COURT, AND WHEN HE MAKETH +SOLEMN FEASTS. OF HIS PHILOSOPHERS. AND OF HIS ARRAY, WHEN HE +RIDETH BY THE COUNTRY + + +NOW shall I tell you the governance of the court of the great Chan, +when he maketh solemn feasts; and that is principally four times in +the year. + +The first feast is of his birth, that other is of his presentation +in their temple that they clepe their Moseache, where they make a +manner of circumcision, and the tother two feasts be of his idols. +The first feast of the idol is when he is first put into their +temple and throned; the tother feast is when the idol beginneth +first to speak, or to work miracles. More be there not of solemn +feasts, but if he marry any of his children. + +Now understand, that at every of these feasts he hath great +multitude of people, well ordained and well arrayed, by thousands, +by hundreds, and by tens. And every man knoweth well what service +he shall do, and every man giveth so good heed and so good +attendance to his service that no man findeth no default. And +there be first ordained 4000 barons, mighty and rich, for to govern +and to make ordinance for the feast, and for to serve the emperor. +And these solemn feasts be made without in halls and tents made of +cloths of gold and of tartaries, full nobly. And all those barons +have crowns of gold upon their heads, full noble and rich, full of +precious stones and great pearls orient. And they be all clothed +in cloths of gold or of tartaries or of camakas, so richly and so +perfectly, that no man in the world can amend it, ne better devise +it. And all those robes be orfrayed all about, and dubbed full of +precious stones and of great orient pearls, full richly. And they +may well do so, for cloths of gold and of silk be greater cheap +there a great deal than be cloths of wool. And these 4000 barons +be devised in four companies, and every thousand is clothed in +cloths all of one colour, and that so well arrayed and so richly, +that it is marvel to behold. + +The first thousand, that is of dukes, of earls, of marquises and of +admirals, all clothed in cloths of gold, with tissues of green +silk, and bordered with gold full of precious stones in manner as I +have said before. The second thousand is all clothed in cloths +diapered of red silk, all wrought with gold, and the orfrays set +full of great pearl and precious stones, full nobly wrought. The +third thousand is clothed in cloths of silk, of purple or of Ind. +And the fourth thousand is in cloths of yellow. And all their +clothes be so nobly and so richly wrought with gold and precious +stones and rich pearls, that if a man of this country had but only +one of their robes, he might well say that he should never be poor; +for the gold and the precious stones and the great orient pearls be +of greater value on this half the sea than they be beyond the sea +in those countries. + +And when they be thus apparelled, they go two and two together, +full ordinately, before the emperor, without speech of any word, +save only inclining to him. And every one of them beareth a tablet +of jasper or of ivory or of crystal, and the minstrels going before +them, sounding their instruments of diverse melody. And when the +first thousand is thus passed and hath made his muster, he +withdraweth him on that one side; and then entereth that other +second thousand, and doth right so, in the same manner of array and +countenance, is did the first; and after, the third; and then, the +fourth; and none of them saith not one word. + +And at one side of the emperor's table sit many philosophers that +be proved for wise men in many diverse sciences, as of astronomy, +necromancy, geomancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, of augury and of many +other sciences. And everych of them have before them astrolabes of +gold, some spheres, some the brain pan of a dead man, some vessels +of gold full of gravel or sand, some vessels of gold full of coals +burning, some vessels of gold full of water and of wine and of oil, +and some horologes of gold, made full nobly and richly wrought, and +many other manner of instruments after their sciences. + +And at certain hours, when them thinketh time, they say to certain +officers that stand before them, ordained for the time to fulfil +their commandments; Make peace! + +And then say the officers; Now peace! listen! + +And after that, saith another of the philosophers; Every man do +reverence and incline to the emperor, that is God's Son and +sovereign lord of all the world! For now is time! And then every +man boweth his head toward the earth. + +And then commandeth the same philosopher again; Stand up! And they +do so. + +And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your little +finger in your ears! And anon they do so. + +And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand +before your mouth! And anon they do so. + +And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand upon +your head! And after that he biddeth them to do their hand away. +And they do so. + +And so, from hour to hour, they command certain things; and they +say, that those things have diverse significations. And I asked +them privily what those things betokened. And one of the masters +told me, that the bowing of the head at that hour betokened this; +that all those that bowed their heads should evermore after be +obeissant and true to the emperor, and never, for gifts ne for +promise in no kind, to be false ne traitor unto him for good nor +evil. And the putting of the little finger in the ear betokeneth, +as they say, that none of them ne shall not hear speak no +contrarious thing to the emperor but that he shall tell it anon to +his council or discover it to some men that will make relation to +the emperor, though he were his father or brother or son. And so +forth, of all other things that is done by the philosophers, they +told me the causes of many diverse things. And trust right well in +certain, that no man doth nothing to the emperor that belongeth +unto him, neither clothing ne bread ne wine ne bath ne none other +thing that longeth to him, but at certain hours that his +philosophers will devise. And if there fall war in any side to the +emperor, anon the philosophers come and say their advice after +their calculations, and counsel the emperor of their advice by +their sciences; so that the emperor doth nothing without their +counsel. + +And when the philosophers have done and performed their +commandments, then the minstrels begin to do their minstrelsy, +everych in their instruments, each after other, with all the melody +that they can devise. And when they have done a good while, one of +the officers of the emperor goeth up on a high stage wrought full +curiously, and crieth and saith with loud voice; Make Peace! And +then every man is still. + +And then, anon after, all the lords that be of the emperor's +lineage, nobly arrayed in rich cloths of gold and royally +apparelled on white steeds, as many as may well sue him at that +time, be ready to make their presents to the emperor. And then +saith the steward of the court to the lords, by name; N. of N.! and +nameth first the most noble and the worthiest by name, and saith; +Be ye ready with such a number of white horses, for to serve the +emperor, your sovereign lord! And to another lord he saith; N. of +N., be ye ready with such a number, to serve your sovereign lord! +And to another, right so, and to all the lords of the emperor's +lineage, each after other, as they be of estate. And when they be +all cleped, they enter each after other, and present the white +horses to the emperor, and then go their way. And then after, all +the other barons every of them, give him presents or jewels or some +other thing, after that they be of estate. And then after them, +all the prelates of their law, and religious men and others; and +every man giveth him something. And when that all men have thus +presented the emperor, the greatest of dignity of the prelates +giveth him a blessing, saying an orison of their law. + +And then begin the minstrels to make their minstrelsy in divers +instruments with all the melody that they can devise. And when +they have done their craft, then they bring before the emperor, +lions, leopards and other diverse beasts, and eagles and vultures +and other divers fowls, and fishes and serpents, for to do him +reverence. And then come jugglers and enchanters, that do many +marvels; for they make to come in the air, by seeming, the sun and +the moon to every man's sight. And after they make the night so +dark that no man may see nothing. And after they make the day to +come again, fair and pleasant with bright sun, to every man's +sight. And then they bring in dances of the fairest damsels of the +world, and richest arrayed. And after they make to come in other +damsels bringing cups of gold full of milk of diverse beasts, and +give drink to lords and to ladies. And then they make knights to +joust in arms full lustily; and they run together a great random, +and they frussch together full fiercely, and they break their +spears so rudely that the truncheons fly in sprouts and pieces all +about the hall. And then they make to come in hunting for the hart +and for the boar, with hounds running with open mouth. And many +other things they do by craft of their enchantments, that it is +marvel for to see. And such plays of disport they make till the +taking up of the boards. This great Chan hath full great people +for to serve him, as I have told you before. For he hath of +minstrels the number of thirteen cumants, but they abide not always +with him. For all the minstrels that come before him, of what +nation that they be of, they be withholden with him as of his +household, and entered in his books as for his own men. And after +that, where that ever they go, ever more they claim for minstrels +of the great Chan; and under that title, all kings and lords +cherish them the more with gifts and all things. And therefore he +hath so great multitude of them. + +And he hath of certain men as though they were yeomen, that keep +birds, as ostriches, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks, falcons gentle, +lanyers, sakers, sakrets, popinjays well speaking, and birds +singing, and also of wild beasts, as of elephants tame and other, +baboons, apes, marmosets, and other diverse beasts; the mountance +of fifteen cumants of yeomen. + +And of physicians Christian he hath 200, and of leeches that be +Christian he hath 210, and of leeches and physicians that be +Saracens twenty, but he trusteth more in the Christian leeches than +in the Saracen. And his other common household is without number, +and they all have all necessaries and all that them needeth of the +emperor's court. And he hath in his court many barons as +servitors, that be Christian and converted to good faith by the +preaching of religious Christian men that dwell with him; but there +be many more, that will not that men know that they be Christian. + +This emperor may dispend as much as he will without estimation; for +he not dispendeth ne maketh no money but of leather imprinted or of +paper. And of that money is some of greater price and some of less +price, after the diversity of his statutes. And when that money +hath run long that it beginneth to waste, then men bear it to the +emperor's treasury and then they take new money for the old. And +that money goeth throughout all the country and throughout all his +provinces, for there and beyond them they make no money neither of +gold nor of silver; and therefore he may dispend enough, and +outrageously. And of gold and silver that men bear in his country +he maketh cylours, pillars and pavements in his palace, and other +diverse things what him liketh. + +This emperor hath in his chamber, in one of the pillars of gold, a +ruby and a carbuncle of half a foot long, that in the night giveth +so great clearness and shining, that it is as light as day. And he +hath many other precious stones and many other rubies and +carbuncles; but those be the greatest and the most precious. + +This emperor dwelleth in summer in a city that is toward the north +that is clept Saduz; and there is cold enough. And in winter he +dwelleth in a city that is clept Camaaleche, and that is an hot +country. But the country, where he dwelleth in most commonly, is +in Gaydo or in Jong, that is a good country and a temperate, after +that the country is there; but to men of this country it were too +passing hot. + +And when this emperor will ride from one country to another he +ordaineth four hosts of his folk, of the which the first host goeth +before him a day's journey. For that host shall be lodged the +night where the emperor shall lie upon the morrow. And there shall +every man have all manner of victual and necessaries that be +needful, of the emperor's costage. And in this first host is the +number of people fifty cumants, what of horse what of foot, of the +which every cumant amounteth 10,000 as I have told you before. And +another host goeth in the right side of the emperor, nigh half a +journey from him. And another goeth on the left side of him, in +the same wise. And in every host is as much multitude of people as +in the first host. And then after cometh the fourth host, that is +much more than any of the others, and that goeth behind him, the +mountance of a bow draught. And every host hath his journeys +ordained in certain places, where they shall be lodged at night, +and there they shall have all that them needeth. And if it befall +that any of the host die, anon they put another in his place, so +that the number shall evermore be whole. + +And ye shall understand, that the emperor, in his proper person, +rideth not as other great lords do beyond, but if he list to go +privily with few men, for to be unknown. And else, he rides in a +chariot with four wheels, upon the which is made a fair chamber, +and it is made of a certain wood, that cometh out of Paradise +terrestrial, that men clepe lignum aloes, that the floods of +Paradise bring out at divers seasons, as I have told you here +before. And this chamber is full well smelling because of the wood +that it is made of. And all this chamber is covered within of +plate of fine gold dubbed with precious stones and great pearls. +And four elephants and four great destriers, all white and covered +with rich covertures, leading the chariot. And four, or five, or +six, of the greatest lords ride about this chariot, full richly +arrayed and full nobly, so that no man shall neigh the chariot, but +only those lords, but if that the emperor call any man to him that +him list to speak withal. And above the chamber of this chariot +that the emperor sitteth in be set upon a perch four or five or six +gerfalcons, to that intent, that when the emperor seeth any wild +fowl, that he may take it at his own list, and have the disport and +the play of the flight, first with one, and after with another; and +so he taketh his disport passing by the country. And no man rideth +before him of his company, but all after him. And no man dare not +come nigh the chariot, by a bow draught, but those lords only that +be about him. And all the host cometh fairly after him in great +multitude. + +And also such another chariot with such hosts ordained and arrayed +go with the empress upon another side, everych by himself, with +four hosts, right as the emperor did; but not with so great +multitude of people. And his eldest son goeth by another way in +another chariot, in the same manner. So that there is between them +so great multitude of folk that it is marvel to tell it. And no +man should trow the number, but he had seen it. And some-time it +happeth that when he will not go far, and that it like him to have +the empress and his children with him, then they go altogether, and +their folk be all mingled in fere, and divided in four parties +only. + +And ye shall understand, that the empire of this great Chan is +divided in twelve provinces; and every province hath more than two +thousand cities, and of towns without number. This country is full +great, for it hath twelve principal kings in twelve provinces, and +every of those Kings have many kings under them, and all they be +obeissant to the great Chan. And his land and his lordship dureth +so far, that a man may not go from one head to another, neither by +sea ne land, the space of seven year. And through the deserts of +his lordship, there as men may find no towns, there be inns +ordained by every journey, to receive both man and horse, in the +which they shall find plenty of victual, and of all things that +they need for to go by the country. + +And there is a marvellous custom in that country (but it is +profitable), that if any contrarious thing that should be prejudice +or grievance to the emperor in any kind, anon the emperor hath +tidings thereof and full knowledge in a day, though it be three or +four journeys from him or more. For his ambassadors take their +dromedaries or their horses, and they prick in all that ever they +may toward one of the inns. And when they come there, anon they +blow an horn. And anon they of the inn know well enough that there +be tidings to warn the emperor of some rebellion against him. And +then anon they make other men ready, in all haste that they may, to +bear letters, and prick in all that ever they may, till they come +to the other inns with their letters. And then they make fresh men +ready, to prick forth with the letters toward the emperor, while +that the last bringer rest him, and bait his dromedary or his +horse. And so, from inn to inn, till it come to the emperor. And +thus anon hath he hasty tidings of anything that beareth charge, by +his couriers, that run so hastily throughout all the country. And +also when the Emperor sendeth his couriers hastily throughout his +land, every one of them hath a large throng full of small bells, +and when they neigh near to the inns of other couriers that be also +ordained by the journeys, they ring their bells, and anon the other +couriers make them ready, and run their way unto another inn. And +thus runneth one to other, full speedily and swiftly, till the +emperor's intent be served, in all haste. And these couriers be +clept CHYDYDO, after their language, that is to say, a messenger, + +Also when the emperor goeth from one country to another, as I have +told you here before, and he pass through cities and towns, every +man maketh a fire before his door, and putteth therein powder of +good gums that be sweet smelling, for to make good savour to the +emperor. And all the people kneel down against him, and do him +great reverence. And there, where religious Christian men dwell, +as they do in many cities in the land, they go before him with +procession with cross and holy water, and they sing, VENI CREATOR +SPIRITUS! with an high voice, and go towards him. And when he +heareth them, he commandeth to his lords to ride beside him, that +the religious men may come to him. And when they be nigh him with +the cross, then he doth adown his galiot that sits on his head in +manner of a chaplet, that is made of gold and precious stones and +great pearls, and it is so rich, that men prize it to the value of +a realm in that country. And then he kneeleth to the cross. And +then the prelate of the religious men saith before him certain +orisons, and giveth him a blessing with the cross; and he inclineth +to the blessing full devoutly. And then the prelate giveth him +some manner fruit, to the number of nine, in a platter of silver, +with pears or apples, or other manner fruit. And he taketh one. +And then men give to the other lords that be about him. For the +custom is such, that no stranger shall come before him, but if he +give him some manner thing, after the old law that saith, NEMO +ACCEDAT IN CONSPECTU MEO VACUUS. And then the emperor saith to the +religious men, that they withdraw them again, that they be neither +hurt nor harmed of the great multitude of horses that come behind +him. And also, in the same manner, do the religious men that dwell +there, to the empresses that pass by them, and to his eldest son. +And to every of them they present fruit. + +And ye shall understand, that the people that he hath so many hosts +of, about him and about his wives and his soil, they dwell not +continually with him. But always, when him liketh, they be sent +for. And after, when they have done, they return to their own +households, save only they that be dwelling with him in household +for to serve him and his wives and his sons for to govern his +household. And albeit, that the others be departed from him after +that they have performed their service, yet there abideth +continually with him in court 50,000 men at horse and 200,000 men a +foot, without minstrels and those that keep wild beasts and divers +birds, of the which I have told you the number before. + +Under the firmament is not so great a lord, ne so mighty, ne so +rich as is the great Chan; not Prester John, that is emperor of the +high Ind, ne the Soldan of Babylon, ne the Emperor of Persia. All +these ne be not in comparison to the great Chan, neither of might, +ne of noblesse, ne of royalty, ne of riches; for in all these he +passeth all earthly princes. Wherefore it is great harm that he +believeth not faithfully in God. And natheles he will gladly hear +speak of God. And he suffereth well that Christian men dwell in +his lordship, and that men of his faith be made Christian men if +they will, throughout all his country; for he defendeth no man to +hold no law other than him liketh. + +In that country some men hath an hundred wives, some sixty, some +more, some less. And they take the next of their kin to their +wives, save only that they out-take their mothers, their daughters, +and their sisters of the mother's side; but their sisters on the +father's side of another woman they may well take, and their +brothers' wives also after their death, and their step-mothers also +in the same wise. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + + + +OF THE LAW AND THE CUSTOMS OF THE TARTARIANS DWELLING IN CATHAY. +AND HOW THAT MEN DO WHEN THE EMPEROR SHALL DIE, AND HOW HE SHALL BE +CHOSEN + + +THE folk of that country use all long clothes without furs. And +they be clothed with precious cloths of Tartary, and of cloths of +gold. And their clothes be slit at the side, and they be fastened +with laces of silk. And they clothe them also with pilches, and +the hide without; and they use neither cape ne hood. And in the +same manner as the men go, the women go, so that no man may unneth +know the men from the women, save only those women that be married, +that bear the token upon their heads of a man's foot, in sign that +they be under man's foot and under subjection of man. + +And their wives ne dwell not together, but every of them by +herself; and the husband may lie with whom of them that him liketh. +Everych hath his house, both man and woman. And their houses be +made round of staves, and it hath a round window above that giveth +them light, and also that serveth for deliverance of smoke. And +the heling of their houses and the walls and the doors be all of +wood. And when they go to war, they lead their houses with them +upon chariots, as men do tents or pavilions. And they make their +fire in the midst of their houses. + +And they have great multitude of all manner of beasts, save only of +swine, for they bring none forth. And they believe well one God +that made and formed all things. And natheles yet have they idols +of gold and silver, and of tree and of cloth. And to those idols +they offer always their first milk of their beasts, and also of +their meats and of their drinks before they eat. And they offer +often-times horses and beasts. And they clepe the God of kind +YROGA. + +And their emperor also, what name that ever he have, they put +evermore thereto, Chan. And when I was there, their emperor had to +name Thiaut, so that he was clept Thiaut-Chan. And his eldest son +was clept Tossue; and when he shall be emperor, he shall be clept +Tossue-Chan. And at that time the emperor had twelve sons without +him, that were named Cuncy, Ordii, Chadahay, Buryn, Negu, Nocab, +Cadu, [Siban], Cuten, Balacy, Babylan, and Garegan. And of his +three wives, the first and principal, that was Prester John's +daughter, had to name Serioche-Chan, and the tother Borak-Chan, and +the tother Karanke-Chan. + +The folk of that country begin all their things in the new moon, +and they worship much the moon and the sun and often-time kneel +against them. And all the folk of the country ride commonly +without spurs, but they bear always a little whip in their hands +for to chace with their horses. + +And they have great conscience and hold it for a great sin to cast +a knife in the fire, and for to draw flesh out of a pot with a +knife, and for to smite an horse with the handle of a whip, or to +smite an horse with a bridle, or to break one bone with another, or +for to cast milk or any liquor that men may drink upon the earth, +or for to take and slay little children. And the most sin that any +man may do is to piss in their houses that they dwell in, and whoso +that may be found with that sin sikerly they slay him. And of +everych of these sins it behoveth them to be shriven of their +priests, and to pay great sum of silver for their penance. And it +behoveth also, that the place that men have pissed in be hallowed +again, and else dare no man enter therein. And when they have paid +their penance, men make them pass through a fire or through two, +for to cleanse them of their sins. And also when any messenger +cometh and bringeth letters or any present to the emperor, it +behoveth him that he, with the thing that he bringeth, pass through +two burning fires for to purge them, that he bring no poison ne +venom, ne no wicked thing that might be grievance to the Lord. And +also if any man or woman be taken in avoutry or fornication, anon +they slay him. And who that stealeth anything, anon they slay him. + +Men of that country be all good archers and shoot right well, both +men and women, as well on horse-back, pricking, as on foot, +running. And the women make all things and all manner mysteries +and crafts, as of clothes, boots and other things; and they drive +carts, ploughs and wains and chariots; and they make houses and all +manner mysteres, out taken bows and arrows and armours that men +make. And all the women wear breeches, as well as men. + +All the folk of that country be full obeissant to their sovereigns; +ne they fight not, ne chide not one with another. And there be +neither thieves ne robbers in that country. And every man +worshippeth other; but no man there doth no reverence to no +strangers, but if they be great princes. + +And they eat hounds, lions, leopards, mares and foals, asses, rats +and mice and all manner of beasts, great and small, save only swine +and beasts that were defended by the old law. And they eat all the +beasts without and within, without casting away of anything, save +only the filth. And they eat but little bread, but if it be in +courts of great lords. And they have not in many places, neither +pease ne beans ne none other pottages but the broth of the flesh. +For little eat they anything but flesh and the broth. And when +they have eaten, they wipe their hands upon their skirts; for they +use no napery ne towels, but if it be before great lords; but the +common people hath none. And when they have eaten, they put their +dishes unwashen into the pot or cauldron with remnant of the flesh +and of the broth till they will eat again. And the rich men drink +milk of mares or of camels or of asses or of other beasts. And +they will be lightly drunken of milk and of another drink that is +made of honey and of water sodden together; for in that country is +neither wine ne ale. They live full wretchedly, and they eat but +once in the day, and that but little, neither in courts ne in other +places. And in sooth, one man alone in this country will eat more +in a day than one of them will eat in three days. And if any +strange messenger come there to a lord, men make him to eat but +once a day, and that full little. + +And when they war, they war full wisely and always do their +business, to destroy their enemies. Every man there beareth two +bows or three, and of arrows great plenty, and a great axe. And +the gentles have short spears and large and full trenchant on that +one side. And they have plates and helms made of quyrboylle, and +their horses covertures of the same. And whoso fleeth from the +battle they slay him. And when they hold any siege about castle or +town that is walled and defensible, they behote to them that be +within to do all the profit and good, that it is marvel to hear; +and they grant also to them that be within all that they will ask +them. And after that they be yielden, anon they slay them all; and +cut off their ears and souse them in vinegar, and thereof they make +great service for lords. All their lust and all their imagination +is for to put all lands under their subjection. And they say that +they know well by their prophecies, that they shall be overcome by +archers and by strength of them; but they know not of what nation +ne of what law they shall be of, that shall overcome them. And +therefore they suffer that folk of all laws may peaceably dwell +amongst them. + +Also when they will make their idols or an image of any of their +friends for to have remembrance of him, they make always the image +all naked without any manner of clothing. For they say that in +good love should be no covering, that man should not love for the +fair clothing ne for the rich array, but only for the body, such as +God hath made it, and for the good virtues that the body is endowed +with of Nature, not only for fair clothing that is not of kindly +Nature. + +And ye shall understand that it is great dread for to pursue the +Tartars if they flee in battle. For in fleeing they shoot behind +them and slay both men and horses. And when they will fight they +will shock them together in a plump; that if there be 20,000 men, +men shall not ween that there be scant 10,000. And they can well +win land of strangers, but they cannot keep it; for they have +greater lust to lie in tents without than for to lie in castle or +in towns. And they prize nothing the wit of other nations. + +And amongst them oil of olive is full dear, for they hold it for +full noble medicine. And all the Tartars have small eyen and +little of beard, and not thick haired but shear. And they be false +and traitors; and they last nought that they behote. They be full +hardy folk, and much pain and woe may suffer and disease, more than +any other folk, for they be taught thereto in their own country of +youth. And therefore they spend as who saith, right nought. + +And when any man shall die, men set a spear beside him. And when +he draweth towards the death, every man fleeth out of the house +till he be dead. And after that they bury him in the fields. + +And when the emperor dieth, men set him in a chair in midst the +place of his tent. And men set a table before him clean, covered +with a cloth, and thereupon flesh and diverse viands and a cup full +of mare's milk. And men put a mare beside him with her foal, and +an horse saddled and bridled. And they lay upon the horse gold and +silver, great quantity. And they put about him great plenty of +straw. And then men make a great pit and a large, and with the +tent and all these other things they put him in earth. And they +say that when he shall come into another world, he shall not be +without an house, ne without horse, ne without gold and silver; and +the mare shall give him milk, and bring him forth more horses till +he be well stored in the tother world. For they trow that after +their death they shall be eating and drinking in that other world, +and solacing them with their wives, as they did here. + +And after time that the emperor is thus interred no man shall be so +hardy to speak of him before his friends. And yet natheles, +sometime falleth of many that they make him to be interred privily +by night in wild places, and put again the grass over the pit for +to grow; or else men cover the pit with gravel and sand, that no +man shall perceive where, ne know where, the pit is, to that intent +that never after none of his friends shall have mind ne remembrance +of him. And then they say that he is ravished into another world, +where he is a greater lord than he was here. + +And then, after the death of the emperor, the seven lineages +assemble them together, and choose his eldest son, or the next +after him of his blood. And thus they say to him; we will and we +pray and ordain that ye be our lord and our emperor. + +And then he answereth, If ye will that I reign over you as lord, do +everych of you that I shall command him, either to abide or to go; +and whomsoever that I command to be slain, that anon he be slain. + +And they answer all with one voice, Whatsoever ye command, it shall +be done. + +Then saith the emperor, Now understand well, that my word from +henceforth is sharp and biting as a sword. + +After, men set him upon a black steed and so men bring him to a +chair full richly arrayed, and there they crown him. And then all +the cities and good towns send him rich presents. So that at that +journey he shall have more than sixty chariots charged with gold +silver, without jewels of gold and precious stones, that lords gave +him, that be without estimation, and without horses, and cloths of +gold, and of camakas, and tartarins that be without number. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + + + +OF THE REALM OF THARSE AND THE LANDS AND KINGDOMS TOWARDS THE +SEPTENTRIONAL PARTS, IN COMING DOWN FROM THE LAND OF CATHAY + + +THIS land of Cathay is in Asia the deep; and after, on this half, +is Asia the more. The kingdom of Cathay marcheth toward the west +unto the kingdom of Tharse, the which was one of the kings that +came to present our Lord in Bethlehem. And they that be of the +lineage of that king are some Christian. In Tharse they eat no +flesh, ne they drink no wine. + +And on this half, toward the west, is the kingdom of Turkestan, +that stretcheth him toward the west to the kingdom of Persia, and +toward the septentrional to the kingdom of Khorasan. In the +country of Turkestan be but few good cities; but the best city of +that land hight Octorar. There be great pastures, but few corns; +and therefore, for the most part, they be all herdsmen, and they +lie in tents and they drink a manner ale made of honey. + +And after, on this half, is the kingdom of Khorasan, that is a good +land and a plenteous, without wine. And it hath a desert toward +the east that lasteth more than an hundred journeys. And the best +city of that country is clept Khorasan, and of that city beareth +the country his name. The folk of that country be hardy warriors. + +And on this half is the kingdom of Comania, whereof the Comanians +that dwelled in Greece sometime were chased out. This is one of +the greatest kingdoms of the world, but it is not all inhabited. +For at one of the parts there is so great cold that no man may +dwell there; and in another part there is so great heat that no man +may endure it, and also there be so many flies, that no man may +know on what side he may turn him. In that country is but little +arboury ne trees that bear fruit ne other. They lie in tents; and +they burn the dung of beasts for default of wood. This kingdom +descendeth on this half toward us and toward Prussia and toward +Russia. + +And through that country runneth the river of Ethille that is one +of the greatest rivers of the world. And it freezeth so strongly +all years that many times men have fought upon the ice with great +hosts, both parties on foot, and their horses voided for the time, +and what on horse and on foot, more than 200,000 persons on every +side. + +And between that river and the great sea Ocean, that they clepe the +Sea Maure, lie all these realms. And toward the head, beneath, in +that realm is the Mount Chotaz, that is the highest mount of the +world, and it is between the Sea Maure and the Sea Caspian. There +is full strait and dangerous passage for to go toward Ind. And +therefore King Alexander let make there a strong city, that men +clepe Alexandria, for to keep the country that no man should pass +without his leave. And now men clepe that city, the Gate of Hell. + +And the principal city of Comania is clept Sarak, that is one of +the three ways for to go into Ind. But by that way, ne may not +pass no great multitude of people, but if it be in winter. And +that passage men clepe the Derbent. The tother way is for to go +from the city of Turkestan by Persia, and by that way be many +journeys by desert. And the third way is that cometh from Comania +and then to go by the Great Sea and by the kingdom of Abchaz. + +And ye shall understand, that all these kingdoms and all these +lands above-said unto Prussia and to Russia be all obeissant to the +great Chan of Cathay, and many other countries that march to other +coasts. Wherefore his power and his lordship is full great and +full mighty. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + + + +THE EMPEROR OF PERSIA, AND OF THE LAND OF DARKNESS; AND OF OTHER +KINGDOMS THAT BELONG TO THE GREAT CHAN OF CATHAY, AND OTHER LANDS +OF HIS, UNTO THE SEA OF GREECE + + +NOW, since I have devised you the lands and the kingdoms toward the +parts Septentrionals in coming down from the land of Cathay unto +the lands of the Christian, towards Prussia and Russia, - now shall +I devise you of other lands and kingdoms coming down by other +coasts, toward the right side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the +land of Christian men. And, therefore, that after Ind and after +Cathay the Emperor of Persia is the greatest lord, therefore, I +shall tell you of the kingdom of Persia. + +First, where he hath two kingdoms, the first kingdom beginneth +toward the east, toward the kingdom of Turkestan, and it stretcheth +toward the west unto the river of Pison, that is one of the four +rivers that come out of Paradise. And on another side it +stretcheth toward the Septentrion unto the sea of Caspian; and also +toward the south unto the desert of Ind. And this country is good +and plain and full of people. And there be many good cities. But +the two principal cities be these, Boyturra, and Seornergant, that +some men clepe Sormagant. The tother kingdom of Persia stretcheth +toward the river of Pison and the parts of the west unto the +kingdom of Media, and from the great Armenia and toward the +Septentrion to the sea of Caspian and toward the south to the land +of Ind. That is also a good land and a plenteous, and it hath +three great principal cities - Messabor, Saphon, and Sarmassan. + +And then after is Armenia, in the which were wont to be four +kingdoms; that is a noble country and full of goods. And it +beginneth at Persia and stretcheth toward the west in length unto +Turkey. And in largeness it dureth to the city of Alexandria, that +now is clept the Gate of Hell, that I spake of before, under the +kingdom of Media. In this Armenia be full many good cities, but +Taurizo is most of name. + +After this is the kingdom of Media, that is full long, but it is +not full large, that beginneth toward the east to the land of +Persia and to Ind the less; and it stretcheth toward the west, +toward the kingdom of Chaldea and toward the Septentrion, +descending toward the little Armenia. In that kingdom of Media +there be many great hills and little of plain earth. There dwell +Saracens and another manner of folk, that men clepe Cordynes. The +best two cities of that kingdom be Sarras and Karemen. + +After that is the kingdom of Georgia, that beginneth toward the +east to the great mountain that is clept Abzor, where that dwell +many diverse folk of diverse nations. And men clepe the country +Alamo. This kingdom stretcheth him towards Turkey and toward the +Great Sea, and toward the south it marcheth to the great Armenia. +And there be two kingdoms in that country; that one is the kingdom +of Georgia, and that other is the kingdom of Abchaz. And always in +that country be two kings; and they be both Christian. But the +king of Georgia is in subjection to the great Chan. And the king +of Abchaz hath the more strong country, and he always vigorously +defendeth his country against all those that assail him, so that no +man may make him in subjection to no man. + +In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel. For a province of the +country that hath well in circuit three journeys, that men clepe +Hanyson, is all covered with darkness, without any brightness or +light; so that no man may see ne hear, ne no man dare enter into +him. And, natheles, they of the country say, that some-times men +hear voice of folk, and horses neighing, and cocks crowing. And +men wit well, that men dwell there, but they know not what men. +And they say, that the darkness befell by miracle of God. For a +cursed emperor of Persia, that hight Saures, pursued all Christian +men to destroy them and to compel them to make sacrifice to his +idols, and rode with great host, in all that ever he might, for to +confound the Christian men. And then in that country dwelled many +good Christian men, the which that left their goods and would have +fled into Greece. And when they were in a plain that hight Megon, +anon this cursed emperor met with them with his host for to have +slain them and hewn them to pieces. And anon the Christian men +kneeled to the ground, and made their prayers to God to succour +them. And anon a great thick cloud came and covered the emperor +and all his host. And so they endure in that manner that they ne +may not go out on no side; and so shall they evermore abide in that +darkness till the day of doom, by the miracle of God. And then the +Christian men went where them liked best, at their own pleasance, +without letting of any creature, and their enemies enclosed and +confounded in darkness, without any stroke. + +Wherefore we may well say with David, A DOMINO FACTUM EST ISTUD; & +EST MIRABILE IN OCULIS NOSTRIS. And that was a great miracle, that +God made for them. Wherefore methinketh that Christian men should +be more devout to serve our Lord God than any other men of any +other sect. For without any dread, ne were not cursedness and sin +of Christian men, they should be lords of all the world. For the +banner of Jesu Christ is always displayed, and ready on all sides +to the help of his true loving servants. Insomuch, that one good +Christian man in good belief should overcome and out-chase a +thousand cursed misbelieving men, as David saith in the Psalter, +QUONIAM PERSEQUEBATUR UNUS MILLS, & DUO FUGARENT DECEM MILIA; ET +CADENT A LATERE TUO MILLE, & DECEM MILIA A DEXTRIS TUIS. And how +that it might be that one should chase a thousand, David himself +saith following, QUIA MANUS DOMINI FECIT HAEC OMNIA, and our Lord +himself saith, by the prophet's mouth, SI IN VIIS MEIS +AMBULAVERITIS, SUPER TRIBULANTES VOS MISISSEM MANUM MEAM. So that +we may see apertly that if we will be good men, no enemy may not +endure against us. + +Also ye shall understand that out of that land of darkness goeth +out a great river that sheweth well that there be folk dwelling, by +many ready tokens; but no man dare not enter into it. + +And wit well, that in the kingdoms of Georgia, of Abchaz and of the +little Armenia be good Christian men and devout. For they shrive +them and housel them evermore once or twice in the week. And there +be many of them that housel them every day; and so do we not on +this half, albeit that Saint Paul commandeth it, saying, OMNIBUS +DIEBUS DOMINICIS AD COMMUNICANDUM HORTOR. They keep that +commandment, but we ne keep it not. + +Also after, on this half, is Turkey, that marcheth to the great +Armenia. And there be many provinces, as Cappadocia, Saure, +Brique, Quesiton, Pytan, and Gemethe. And in everych of these be +many good cities. This Turkey stretcheth unto the city of Sachala +that sitteth upon the sea of Greece, and so it marcheth to Syria. +Syria is a great country and a good, as I have told you before. +And also it hath, above toward Ind, the kingdom of Chaldea, that +stretcheth from the mountains of Chaldea toward the east unto the +city of Nineveh, that sitteth upon the river of Tigris; and in +largeness it beginneth toward the north to the city of Maraga; and +it stretcheth toward the south unto the sea Ocean. In Chaldea is a +plain country, and few hills and few rivers. + +After is the kingdom of Mesopotamia, that beginneth, toward the +east, to the flom of Tigris, unto a city that is clept Mosul; and +it stretcheth toward the west to the flom of Euphrates unto a city +that is clept Roianz; and in length it goeth to the mount of +Armenia unto the desert of Ind the less. This is a good country +and a plain, but it hath few rivers. It hath but two mountains in +that country, of the which one hight Symar and that other Lyson. +And this land marcheth to the kingdom of Chaldea. + +Yet there is, toward the parts Meridionals many countries and many +regions, as the land of Ethiopia, that marcheth, toward the east to +the great deserts, toward the west to the kingdom of Nubia, toward +the south to the kingdom of Moretane, and toward the north to the +Red Sea. + +After is Moretane, that dureth from the mountains of Ethiopia unto +Lybia the high. And that country lieth along from the sea ocean +toward the south; and toward the north it marcheth to Nubia and to +the high Lybia. (These men of Nubia be Christian.) And it +marcheth from the lands above-said to the deserts of Egypt, and +that is the Egypt that I have spoken of before. + +And after is Lybia the high and Lybia the low, that descendeth down +low toward the great sea of Spain, in the which country be many +kingdoms and many diverse folk. + +Now I have devised you many countries on this half the kingdom of +Cathay, of the which many be obeissant to the great Chan. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + + + +OF THE COUNTRIES AND ISLES THAT BE BEYOND THE LAND OF CATHAY; AND +OF THE FRUITS THERE; AND OF TWENTY-TWO KINGS ENCLOSED WITHIN THE +MOUNTAINS + + +NOW shall I say you, suingly, of countries and isles that be beyond +the countries that I have spoken of. + +Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward the +high Ind and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that men clepe +Caldilhe, that is a full fair country. + +And there groweth a manner of fruit, as though it were gourds. And +when they be ripe, men cut them a-two, and men find within a little +beast, in flesh, in bone, and blood, as though it were a little +lamb without wool. And men eat both the fruit and the beast. And +that is a great marvel. Of that fruit I have eaten, although it +were wonderful, but that I know well that God is marvellous in his +works. And, natheles, I told them of as great a marvel to them, +that is amongst us, and that was of the Bernakes. For I told them +that in our country were trees that bear a fruit that become birds +flying, and those that fell in the water live, and they that fall +on the earth die anon, and they be right good to man's meat. And +hereof had they as great marvel, that some of them trowed it were +an impossible thing to be. + +In that country be long apples of good savour, whereof be more than +an hundred in a cluster, and as many in another; and they have +great long leaves and large, of two foot long or more. And in that +country, and in other countries thereabout, grow many trees that +bear clove-gylofres and nutmegs, and great nuts of Ind, and of +Canell and of many other spices. And there be vines that bear so +great grapes, that a strong man should have enough to do for to +bear one cluster with all the grapes. + +In that same region be the mountains of Caspian that men crepe Uber +in the country. Between those mountains the Jews of ten lineages +be enclosed, that men clepe Goth and Magoth and they may not go out +on no side. There were enclosed twenty-two kings with their +people, that dwelled between the mountains of Scythia. There King +Alexander chased them between those mountains, and there he thought +for to enclose them through work of his men. But when he saw that +he might not do it, ne bring it to an end, he prayed to God of +nature that he would perform that that he had begun. And all were +it so, that he was a paynim and not worthy to be heard, yet God of +his grace closed the mountains together, so that they dwell there +all fast locked and enclosed with high mountains all about, save +only on one side, and on that side is the sea of Caspian. + +Now may some men ask, since that the sea is on that one side, +wherefore go they not out on the sea side, for to go where that +them liketh? + +But to this question, I shall answer; that sea of Caspian goeth out +by land under the mountains, and runneth by the desert at one side +of the country, and after it stretcheth unto the ends of Persia, +and although it be clept a sea, it is no sea, ne it toucheth to +none other sea, but it is a lake, the greatest of the world; and +though they would put them into that sea, they ne wist never where +that they should arrive; and also they can no language but only +their own, that no man knoweth but they; and therefore may they not +go out. + +And also ye shall understand, that the Jews have no proper land of +their own for to dwell in, in all the world, but only that land +between the mountains. And yet they yield tribute for that land to +the Queen of Amazonia, the which that maketh them to be kept in +close full diligently, that they shall not go out on no side but by +the coast of their land; for their land marcheth to those +mountains. + +And often it hath befallen, that some of the Jews have gone up the +mountains and avaled down to the valleys. But great number of folk +ne may not do so, for the mountains be so high and so straight up, +that they must abide there, maugre their might. For they may not +go out, but by a little issue that was made by strength of men, and +it lasteth well a four great mile. + +And after, is there yet a land all desert, where men may find no +water, neither for digging ne for none other thing. Wherefore men +may not dwell in that place, so is it full of dragons, of serpents +and of other venomous beasts, that no man dare not pass, but if it +be strong winter. And that strait passage men clepe in that +country Clyron. And that is the passage that the Queen of Amazonia +maketh to be kept. And though it happen some of them by fortune to +go out, they can no manner of language but Hebrew, so that they +cannot speak to the people. + +And yet, natheles, men say they shall go out in the time of anti- +Christ, and that they shall make great slaughter of Christian men. +And therefore all the Jews that dwell in all lands learn always to +speak Hebrew, in hope, that when the other Jews shall go out, that +they may understand their speech, and to lead them into Christendom +for to destroy the Christian people. For the Jews say that they +know well by their prophecies, that they of Caspia shall go out, +and spread throughout all the world, and that the Christian men +shall be under their subjection, as long as they have been in +subjection of them. + +And if that you will wit how that they shall find their way, after +that I have heard say I shall tell you. + +In the time of anti-Christ a fox shall make there his train, and +mine an hole where King Alexander let make the gates; and so long +he shall mine and pierce the earth, till that he shall pass through +towards that folk. And when they see the fox, they shall have +great marvel of him, because that they saw never such a beast. For +of all other beasts they have enclosed amongst them, save only the +fox. And then they shall chase him and pursue him so strait, till +that he come to the same place that he came from. And then they +shall dig and mine so strongly, till that they find the gates that +King Alexander let make of great stones, and passing huge, well +cemented and made strong for the mastery. And those gates they +shall break, and so go out by finding of that issue. + +From that land go men toward the land of Bacharia, where be full +evil folk and full cruel. In that land be trees that bear wool, as +though it were of sheep, whereof men make clothes and all things +that may be made of wool. + +In that country be many hippotaynes that dwell some-time in the +water and sometime on the land. And they be half man and half +horse, as I have said before. And they eat men when they may take +them. + +And there be rivers of waters that be full bitter, three sithes +more than is the water of the sea. + +In that country be many griffins, more plenty than in any other +country. Some men say that they have the body upward as an eagle +and beneath as a lion; and truly they say sooth, that they be of +that shape. But one griffin hath the body more great and is more +strong than eight lions, of such lions as be on this half, and more +great and stronger than an hundred eagles such as we have amongst +us. For one griffin there will bear, flying to his nest, a great +horse, if he may find him at the point, or two oxen yoked together +as they go at the plough. For he hath his talons so long and so +large and great upon his feet, as though they were horns of great +oxen or of bugles or of kine, so that men make cups of them to +drink of. And of their ribs and of the pens of their wings, men +make bows, full strong, to shoot with arrows and quarrels. + +From thence go men by many journeys through the land of Prester +John, the great Emperor of Ind. And men clepe his realm the isle +of Pentexoire. + + + +CHAPTER XXX + + + +OF THE ROYAL ESTATE OF PRESTER JOHN. AND OF A RICH MAN THAT MADE A +MARVELLOUS CASTLE AND CLEPED IT PARADISE; AND OF HIS SUBTLETY + + +THIS emperor, Prester John, holds full great land, and hath many +full noble cities and good towns in his realm, and many great +diverse isles and large. For all the country of Ind is devised in +isles for the great floods that come from Paradise, that depart all +the land in many parts. And also in the sea he hath full many +isles. And the best city in the Isle of Pentexoire is Nyse, that +is a full royal city and a noble, and full rich. + +This Prester John hath under him many kings and many isles and many +diverse folk of diverse conditions. And this land is full good and +rich, but not so rich as is the land of the great Chan. For the +merchants come not thither so commonly for to buy merchandises, as +they do in the land of the great Chan, for it is too far to travel +to. And on that other part, in the Isle of Cathay, men find all +manner thing that is need to man - cloths of gold, of silk, of +spicery and all manner avoirdupois. And therefore, albeit that men +have greater cheap in the Isle of Prester John, natheles, men dread +the long way and the great perils in the sea in those parts. + +For in many places of the sea be great rocks of stones of the +adamant, that of his proper nature draweth iron to him. And +therefore there pass no ships that have either bonds or nails of +iron within them. And if there do, anon the rocks of the adamants +draw them to them, that never they may go thence. I myself have +seen afar in that sea, as though it had been a great isle full of +tree, and buscaylle, full of thorns and briars, great plenty. And +the shipmen told us, that all that was of ships that were drawn +thither by the adamants, for the iron that was in them. And of the +rotten-ness, and other thing that was within the ships, grew such +buscaylle, and thorns and briars and green grass, and such manner +of thing; and of the masts and the sail-yards; it seemed a great +wood or a grove. And such rocks be in many places thereabout. And +therefore dare not the merchants pass there, but if they know well +the passages, or else that they have good lodesmen. + +And also they dread the long way. And therefore they go to Cathay, +for it is more nigh. And yet it is not so nigh, but that men must +be travelling by sea and land, eleven months or twelve, from Genoa +or from Venice, or he come to Cathay. And yet is the land of +Prester John more far by many dreadful journeys. + +And the merchants pass by the kingdom of Persia, and go to a city +that is Clept Hermes, for Hermes the philosopher founded it. And +after that they pass an arm of the sea, and then they go to another +city that is clept Golbache. And there they find merchandises, and +of popinjays, as great plenty as men find here of geese. And if +they will pass further, they may go sikerly enough. In that +country is but little wheat or barley, and therefore they eat rice +and honey and milk and cheese and fruit. + +This Emperor Prester John taketh always to his wife the daughter of +the great Chan; and the great Chan also, in the same wise, the +daughter of Prester John. For these two be the greatest lords +under the firmament. + +In the land of Prester John be many diverse things and many +precious stones, so great and so large, that men make of them +vessels, as platters, dishes and cups. And many other marvels be +there, that it were too cumbrous and too long to put it in +scripture of books; but of the principal isles and of his estate +and of his law, I shall tell you some part. + +This Emperor Prester John is Christian, and a great part of his +country also. But yet, they have not all the articles of our faith +as we have. They believe well in the Father, in the Son and in the +Holy Ghost. And they be full devout and right true one to another. +And they set not by no barretts, ne by cautels, nor of no deceits. + +And he hath under him seventy-two provinces, and in every province +is a king. And these kings have kings under them, and all be +tributaries to Prester John. And he hath in his lordships many +great marvels. + +For in his country is the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea, that +is all gravel and sand, without any drop of water, and it ebbeth +and floweth in great waves as other seas do, and it is never still +ne in peace, in no manner season. And no man may pass that sea by +navy, ne by no manner of craft, and therefore may no man know what +land is beyond that sea. And albeit that it have no water, yet men +find therein and on the banks full good fish of other manner of +kind and shape, than men find in any other sea, and they be of +right good taste and delicious to man's meat. + +And a three journeys long from that sea be great mountains, out of +the which goeth out a great flood that cometh out of Paradise. And +it is full of precious stones, without any drop of water, and it +runneth through the desert on that one side, so that it maketh the +sea gravelly; and it beareth into that sea, and there it endeth. +And that flome runneth, also, three days in the week and bringeth +with him great stones and the rocks also therewith, and that great +plenty. And anon, as they be entered into the Gravelly Sea, they +be seen no more, but lost for evermore. And in those three days +that that river runneth, no man dare enter into it; but in the +other days men dare enter well enough. + +Also beyond that flome, more upward to the deserts, is a great +plain all gravelly, between the mountains. And in that plain, +every day at the sun-rising, begin to grow small trees, and they +grow till mid-day, bearing fruit; but no man dare take of that +fruit, for it is a thing of faerie. And after mid-day, they +decrease and enter again into the earth, so that at the going down +of the sun they appear no more. And so they do, every day. And +that is a great marvel. + +In that desert be many wild men, that be hideous to look on; for +they be horned, and they speak nought, but they grunt, as pigs. +And there is also great plenty of wild hounds. And there be many +popinjays, that they clepe psittakes their language. And they +speak of their proper nature, and salute men that go through the +deserts, and speak to them as apertly as though it were a man. And +they that speak well have a large tongue, and have five toes upon a +foot. And there be also of another manner, that have but three +toes upon a foot, and they speak not, or but little, for they can +not but cry. + +This Emperor Prester John when he goeth into battle against any +other lord, he hath no banners borne before him; but he hath three +crosses of gold, fine, great and high, full of precious stones, and +every of those crosses be set in a chariot, full richly arrayed. +And for to keep every cross, be ordained 10,000 men of arms and +more than 100,000 men on foot, in manner as men would keep a +standard in our countries, when that we be in land of war. And +this number of folk is without the principal host and without wings +ordained for the battle. And when he hath no war, but rideth with +a privy meinie, then he hath borne before him but one cross of +tree, without painting and without gold or silver or precious +stones, in remembrance that Jesu Christ suffered death upon a cross +of tree. And he hath borne before him also a platter of gold full +of earth, in token that his noblesse and his might and his flesh +shall turn to earth. And he hath borne before him also a vessel of +silver, full of noble jewels of gold full rich and of precious +stones, in token of his lordship and of his noblesse and of his +might. + +He dwelleth commonly in the city of Susa. And there is his +principal palace, that is so rich and so noble, that no man will +trow it by estimation, but he had seen it. And above the chief +tower of the palace be two round pommels of gold, and in everych of +them be two carbuncles great and large, that shine full bright upon +the night. And the principal gates of his palace be of precious +stone that men clepe sardonyx, and the border and the bars be of +ivory. And the windows of the halls and chambers be of crystal. +And the tables whereon men eat, some be of emeralds, some of +amethyst, and some of gold, full of precious stones; and the +pillars that bear up the tables be of the same precious stones. +And the degrees to go up to his throne, where he sitteth at the +meat, one is of onyx, another is of crystal, and another of jasper +green, another of amethyst, another of sardine, another of +cornelian, and the seventh, that he setteth on his feet, is of +chrysolite. And all these degrees be bordered with fine gold, with +the tother precious stones, set with great pearls orient. And the +sides of the siege of his throne be of emeralds, and bordered with +gold full nobly, and dubbed with other precious stones and great +pearls. And all the pillars in his chamber be of fine gold with +precious stones, and with many carbuncles, that give great light +upon the night to all people. And albeit that the carbuncles give +light right enough, natheles, at all times burneth a vessel of +crystal full of balm, for to give good smell and odour to the +emperor, and to void away all wicked airs and corruptions. And the +form of his bed is of fine sapphires, bended with gold, for to make +him sleep well and to refrain him from lechery; for he will not lie +with his wives, but four sithes in the year, after the four +seasons, and that is only for to engender children. + +He hath also a full fair palace and a noble at the city of Nyse, +where that he dwelleth, when him best liketh; but the air is not so +attempre, as it is at the city of Susa. + +And ye shall understand, that in all his country nor in the +countries there all about, men eat not but once in the day, as they +do in the court of the great Chan. And so they eat every day in +his court, more than 30,000 persons, without goers and comers. But +the 30,000 persons of his country, ne of the country of the great +Chan, ne spend not so much good as do 12,000 of our country. + +This Emperor Prester John hath evermore seven kings with him to +serve him, and they depart their service by certain months. And +with these kings serve always seventy-two dukes and three hundred +and sixty earls. And all the days of the year, there eat in his +household and in his court, twelve archbishops and twenty bishops. +And the patriarch of Saint Thomas is there as is the pope here. +And the archbishops and the bishops and the abbots in that country +be all kings. And everych of these great lords know well enough +the attendance of their service. The one is master of his +household, another is his chamberlain, another serveth him of a +dish, another of the cup, another is steward, another is marshal, +another is prince of his arms, and thus is he full nobly and +royally served. And his land dureth in very breadth four month's +journeys, and in length out of measure, that is to say, all isles +under earth that we suppose to be under us. + +Beside the isle of Pentexoire, that is the land of Prester John, is +a eat isle, long and broad, that men clepe Mistorak; and it is in +the lordship of Prester John. In that isle is great plenty of +goods. + +There was dwelling, sometime, a rich man; and it is not long since; +and men clept him Gatholonabes. And he was full of cautels and of +subtle deceits. And he had a full fair castle and a strong in a +mountain, so strong and so noble, that no man could devise a fairer +ne stronger. And he had let mure all the mountain about with a +strong wall and a fair. And within those walls he had the fairest +garden that any man might behold. And therein were trees bearing +all manner of fruits, that any man could devise. And therein were +also all manner virtuous herbs of good smell, and all other herbs +also that bear fair flowers. And he had also in that garden many +fair wells; and beside those wells he had let make fair halls and +fair chambers, depainted all with gold and azure; and there were in +that place many diverse things, and many diverse stories: and of +beasts, and of birds that sung full delectably and moved by craft, +that it seemed that they were quick. And he had also in his garden +all manner of fowls and of beasts that any man might think on, for +to have play or sport to behold them. + +And he had also, in that place, the fairest damsels that might be +found, under the age of fifteen years, and the fairest young +striplings that men might get, of that same age. And all they were +clothed in cloths of gold, full richly. And he said that those +were angels. + +And he had also let make three wells, fair and noble and all +environed with stone of jasper, of crystal, diapered with gold, and +set with precious stones and great orient pearls. And he had made +a conduit under earth, so that the three wells, at his list, one +should run milk, another wine and another honey. And that place he +clept Paradise. + +And when that any good knight, that was hardy and noble, came to +see this royalty, he would lead him into his paradise, and show him +these wonderful things to his disport, and the marvellous and +delicious song of diverse birds, and the fair damsels, and the fair +wells of milk, of wine and of honey, plenteously running. And he +would let make divers instruments of music to sound in an high +tower, so merrily, that it was joy for to hear; and no man should +see the craft thereof. And those, he said, were angels of God, and +that place was Paradise, that God had behight to his friends, +saying, DABO VOBIS TERRAM FLUENTEM LACTE ET MELLE. And then would +he make them to drink of certain drink, whereof anon they should be +drunk. And then would them think greater delight than they had +before. And then would he say to them, that if they would die for +him and for his love, that after their death they should come to +his paradise; and they should be of the age of those damosels, and +they should play with them, and yet be maidens. And after that yet +should he put them in a fairer paradise, where that they should see +God of nature visibly, in his majesty and in his bliss. And then +would he shew them his intent, and say them, that if they would go +slay such a lord, or such a man that was his enemy or contrarious +to his list, that they should not dread to do it and for to be +slain therefore themselves. For after their death, he would put +them into another paradise, that was an hundred-fold fairer than +any of the tother; and there should they dwell with the most +fairest damosels that might be, and play with them ever-more. + +And thus went many diverse lusty bachelors for to slay great lords +in diverse countries, that were his enemies, and made themselves to +be slain, in hope to have that paradise. And thus, often-time, he +was revenged of his enemies by his subtle deceits and false +cautels. + +And when the worthy men of the country had perceived this subtle +falsehood of this Gatholonabes, they assembled them with force, and +assailed his castle, and slew him, and destroyed all the fair +places and all the nobilities of that paradise. The place of the +wells and of the walls and of many other things be yet apertly +seen, but the riches is voided clean. And it is not long gone, +since that place was destroyed. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + + + +OF THE DEVIL'S HEAD IN THE VALLEY PERILOUS. AND OF THE CUSTOMS OF +FOLK IN DIVERSE ISLES THAT BE ABOUT IN THE LORDSHIP OF PRESTER JOHN + + +BESIDE that Isle of Mistorak upon the left side nigh to the river +of Pison is a marvellous thing. There is a vale between the +mountains, that dureth nigh a four mile. And some men clepe it the +Vale Enchanted, some clepe it the Vale of Devils, and some clepe it +the Vale Perilous. In that vale hear men often-time great tempests +and thunders, and great murmurs and noises, all days and nights, +and great noise, as it were sound of tabors and of nakers and of +trumps, as though it were of a great feast. This vale is all full +of devils, and hath been always. And men say there, that it is one +of the entries of hell. In that vale is great plenty of gold and +silver. Wherefore many misbelieving men, and many Christian men +also, go in oftentime for to have of the treasure that there is; +but few come again, and namely of the misbelieving men, ne of the +Christian men neither, for anon they be strangled of devils. + +And in mid place of that vale, under a rock, is an head and the +visage of a devil bodily, full horrible and dreadful to see, and it +sheweth not but the head, to the shoulders. But there is no man in +the world so hardy, Christian man ne other, but that he would be +adread to behold it, and that it would seem him to die for dread, +so is it hideous for to behold. For he beholdeth every man so +sharply with dreadful eyen, that be evermore moving and sparkling +as fire, and changeth and stirreth so often in diverse manner, with +so horrible countenance, that no man dare not neighen towards him. +And from him cometh out smoke and stinking fire and so much +abomination, that unnethe no man may there endure. + +But the good Christian men, that be stable in the faith, enter well +without peril. For they will first shrive them and mark them with +the token of the holy cross, so that the fiends ne have no power +over them. But albeit that they be without peril, yet, natheles, +ne be they not without dread, when that they see the devils visibly +and bodily all about them, that make full many diverse assaults and +menaces, in air and in earth, and aghast them with strokes of +thunder-blasts and of tempests. And the most dread is, that God +will take vengeance then of that that men have misdone against his +will. + +And ye shall understand, that when my fellows and I were in that +vale, we were in great thought, whether that we durst put our +bodies in adventure, to go in or not, in the protection of God. +And some of our fellows accorded to enter, and some not. So there +were with us two worthy men, friars minors, that were of Lombardy, +that said, that if any man would enter they would go in with us. +And when they had said so, upon the gracious trust of God and of +them, we let sing mass, and made every man to be shriven and +houseled. And then we entered fourteen persons; but at our going +out we were but nine. And so we wist never, whether that our +fellows were lost, or else turned again for dread. But we saw them +never after; and those were two men of Greece, and three of Spain. +And our other fellows that would not go in with us, they went by +another coast to be before us; and so they were. + +And thus we passed that perilous vale, and found therein gold and +silver, and precious stones and rich jewels, great plenty, both +here and there, as us seemed. But whether that it was, as us +seemed, I wot never. For I touched none, because that the devils +be so subtle to make a thing to seem otherwise than it is, for to +deceive mankind. And therefore I touched none, and also because +that I would not be put out of my devotion; for I was more devout +then, than ever I was before or after, and all for the dread of +fiends that I saw in diverse figures, and also for the great +multitude of dead bodies, that I saw there lying by the way, by all +the vale, as though there had been a battle between two kings, and +the mightiest of the country, and that the greater part had been +discomfited and slain. And I trow, that unnethe should any country +have so much people within him, as lay slain in that vale as us +thought, the which was an hideous sight to see. And I marvelled +much, that there were so many, and the bodies all whole without +rotting. But I trow, that fiends made them seem to be so whole +without rotting. But that might not be to mine advice that so many +should have entered so newly, ne so many newly slain, with out +stinking and rotting. And many of them were in habit of Christian +men, but I trow well, that it were of such that went in for +covetise of the treasure that was there, and had overmuch +feebleness in the faith; so that their hearts ne might not endure +in the belief for dread. And therefore were we the more devout a +great deal. And yet we were cast down, and beaten down many times +to the hard earth by winds and thunders and tempests. But evermore +God of his grace holp us. And so we passed that perilous vale +without peril and without encumbrance, thanked be Almighty God. + +After this, beyond the vale, is a great isle, where the folk be +great giants of twenty-eight foot long, or of thirty foot long. +And they have no clothing but of skins of beasts that they hang +upon them. And they eat no bread, but all raw flesh; and they +drink milk of beasts, for they have plenty of all bestial. And +they have no houses to lie in. And they eat more gladly man's +flesh than any other flesh. Into that isle dare no man gladly +enter. And if they see a ship and men therein, anon they enter +into the sea for to take them. + +And men said us, that in an isle beyond that were giants of greater +stature, some of forty-five foot, or of fifty foot long, and, as +some men say, some of fifty cubits long. But I saw none of those, +for I had no lust to go to those parts, because that no man cometh +neither into that isle ne into the other, but if he be devoured +anon. And among those giants be sheep as great as oxen here, and +they bear great wool and rough. Of the sheep I have seen many +times. And men have seen, many times, those giants take men in the +sea out of their ships, and brought them to land, two in one hand +and two in another, eating them going, all raw and all quick. + +Another isle is there toward the north, in the sea Ocean, where +that be full cruel and full evil women of nature. And they have +precious stones in their eyen. And they be of that kind, that if +they behold any man with wrath, they slay him anon with the +beholding, as doth the basilisk. + +Another isle is there, full fair and good and great, and full of +people, where the custom is such, that the first night that they be +married, they make another man to lie by their wives for to have +their maidenhead: and therefore they take great hire and great +thank. And there be certain men in every town that serve of none +other thing; and they clepe them cadeberiz, that is to say, the +fools of wanhope. For they of the country hold it so great a thing +and so perilous for to have the maidenhead of a woman, that them +seemeth that they that have first the maidenhead putteth him in +adventure of his life. And if the husband find his wife maiden +that other next night after that she should have been lain by of +the man that is assigned therefore, peradventure for drunkenness or +for some other cause, the husband shall plain upon him that he hath +not done his devoir, in such cruel wise as though the officers +would have slain him. But after the first night that they be lain +by, they keep them so straitly that they be not so hardy to speak +with no man. And I asked them the cause why that they held such +custom: and they said me, that of old time men had been dead for +deflowering of maidens, that had serpents in their bodies that +stung men upon their yards, that they died anon: and therefore +they held that customs to make other men ordained therefore to lie +by their wives, for dread of death, and to assay the passage by +another [rather] than for to put them in that adventure. + +After that is another isle where that women make great sorrow when +their children be y-born. And when they die, they make great feast +and great joy and revel, and then they cast them into a great fire +burning. And those that love well their husbands, if their +husbands be dead, they cast them also in the fire with their +children, and burn them. And they say that the fire shall cleanse +them of all filths and of all vices, and they shall go pured and +clean into another world to their husbands, and they shall lead +their children with them. And the cause why that they weep, when +their children be born is this; for when they come into this world, +they come to labour, sorrow and heaviness. And why they make joy +and gladness at their dying is because that, as they say, then they +go to Paradise where the rivers run milk and honey, where that men +see them in joy and in abundance of goods, without sorrow and +labour. + +In that isle men make their king evermore by election, and they ne +choose him not for no noblesse nor for no riches, but such one as +is of good manners and of good conditions, and therewithal +rightfull, and also that he be of great age, and that he have no +children. In that isle men be full rightfull and they do rightfull +judgments in every cause both of rich and poor, small and great, +after the quantity of the trespass that is mis-done. And the king +may not doom no man to death without assent of his barons and other +men wise of counsel, and that all the court accord thereto. And if +the king himself do any homicide or any crime, as to slay a man, or +any such case, he shall die there for. But he shall not be slain +as another man; but men shall defend, in pain of death, that no man +be so hardy to make him company ne to speak with him, ne that no +man give him, ne sell him, ne serve him, neither of meat ne of +drink; and so shall he die in mischief. They spare no man that +hath trespassed, neither for love, ne for favour ne for riches, ne +for noblesse; but that he shall have after that he hath done. + +Beyond that isle is another isle, where is great multitude of folk. +And they will not, for no thing, eat flesh of hares, ne of hens, ne +of geese; and yet they bring forth enough, for to see them and to +behold them only; but they eat flesh of all other beasts, and drink +milk. In that country they take their daughters and their sisters +to their wives, and their other kinswomen. And if there be ten men +or twelve men or more dwelling in an house, the wife of everych of +them shall be common to them all that dwell in that house; so that +every man may lie with whom he will of them on one night, and with +another, another night. And if she have any child, she may give it +to what man that she list, that hath companied with her, so that no +man knoweth there whether the child be his or another's. And if +any man say to them, that they nourish other men's children, they +answer that so do over men theirs. + +In that country and by all Ind be great plenty of cockodrills, that +is a manner of a long serpent, as I have said before. And in the +night they dwell in the water, and on the day upon the land, in +rocks and in caves. And they eat no meat in all the winter, but +they lie as in a dream, as do the serpents. These serpents slay +men, and they eat them weeping; and when they eat they move the +over jaw, and not the nether jaw, and they have no tongue. + +In that country and in many other beyond that, and also in many on +this half, men put in work the seed of cotton, and they sow it +every year. And then groweth it in small trees, that bear cotton. +And so do men every year, so that there is plenty of cotton at all +times. Item; in this isle and in many other, there is a manner of +wood, hard and strong. Whoso covereth the coals of that wood under +the ashes thereof, the coals will dwell and abide all quick, a year +or more. And that tree hath many leaves, as the juniper hath. And +there be also many trees, that of nature they will never burn, ne +rot in no manner. And there be nut trees, that bear nuts as great +as a man's head. + +There also be many beasts, that be clept orafles. In Arabia, they +be clept gerfaunts. That is a beast, pomely or spotted, that is +but a little more high than is a steed, but he hath the neck a +twenty cubits long; and his croup and his tail is as of an hart; +and he may look over a great high house. And there be also in that +country many camles; that is a little beast as a goat, that is +wild, and he liveth by the air and eateth nought, ne drinketh +nought, at no time. And he changeth his colour often-time, for men +see him often sithes, now in one colour and now in another colour; +and he may change him into all manner colours that him list, save +only into red and white. There be also in that country passing +great serpents, some of six score foot long, and they be of diverse +colours, as rayed, red, green, and yellow, blue and black, and all +speckled. And there be others that have crests upon their heads, +and they go upon their feet, upright, and they be well a four +fathom great, or more, and they dwell always in rocks or in +mountains, and they have alway the throat open, of whence they drop +venom always. And there be also wild swine of many colours, as +great as be oxen in our country, and they be all spotted, as be +young fawns. And there be also urchins, as great as wild swine +here; we clepe them Porcz de Spine. And there be lions all white, +great and mighty. And there be also of other beasts, as great and +more greater than is a destrier, and men clepe them Loerancs; and +some men clepe them odenthos; and they have a black head and three +long horns trenchant in the front, sharp as a sword, and the body +is slender; and he is a full felonious beast, and he chaseth and +slayeth the elephant. There be also many other beasts, full wicked +and cruel, that be not mickle more than a bear, and they have the +head like a boar, and they have six feet, and on every foot two +large claws, trenchant; and the body is like a bear, and the tail +as a lion. And there be also mice as great as hounds, and yellow +mice as great as ravens. And there be geese, all red, three sithes +more great than ours here, and they have the head, the neck and the +breast all black. + +And many other diverse beasts be in those countries, and elsewhere +there-about, and many diverse birds also, of the which it were too +long for to tell you. And therefore, I pass over at this time. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + + + +OF THE GOODNESS OF THE FOLK OF THE ISLE OF BRAGMAN. OF KING +ALEXANDER. AND WHEREFORE THE EMPEROR OF IND IS CLEPT PRESTER JOHN + + +AND beyond that isle is another isle, great and good and plenteous, +where that be good folk and true, and of good living after their +belief and of good faith. And albeit that they be not christened, +ne have no perfect law, yet, natheles, of kindly law they be full +of all virtue, and they eschew all vices and all malices and all +sins. For they be not proud, ne covetous, ne envious, ne wrathful, +ne gluttons, ne lecherous. Ne they do to any man otherwise than +they would that other men did to them, and in this point they +fulfil the ten commandments of God, and give no charge of avoir, ne +of riches. And they lie not, ne they swear not for none occasion, +but they say simply, yea and nay; for they say, he that sweareth +will deceive his neighbour, and therefore, all that they do, they +do it without oath. + +And men clepe that isle the Isle of Bragman, and some men clepe it +the Land of Faith. And through that land runneth a great river +that is clept Thebe. And, in general, all the men of those isles +and of all the marches thereabout be more true than in any other +countries thereabout, and more rightfull than others in all things. +In that isle, is no thief, ne murderer, ne common woman, ne poor +beggar, ne never was man slain in that country. And they be so +chaste, and lead so good life, as that they were religious men, and +they fast all days. And because they be so true and so rightfull, +and so full of all good conditions, they were never grieved with +tempests, ne with thunder, ne with light, ne with hail, ne with +pestilence, ne with war, ne with hunger, ne with none other +tribulation, as we be, many times, amongst us, for our sins. +Wherefore, it seemeth well, that God loveth them and is pleased +with their creaunce for their good deeds. They believe well in +God, that made all things, and him they worship. And they prize +none earthly riches; and so they be all rightfull. And they live +full ordinately, and so soberly in meat and drink, that they live +right long. And the most part of them die without sickness, when +nature faileth them, for eld. + +And it befell in King Alexander's time, that he purposed him to +conquer that isle and to make them to hold of him. And when they +of the country heard it, they sent messengers to him with letters, +that said thus; What may be enough to that man to whom all the +world is insufficient? Thou shalt find nothing in us, that may +cause thee to war against us. For we have no riches, ne none we +covet, and all the goods of our country be in common. Our meat, +that we sustain withal our bodies, is our riches. And, instead of +treasure of gold and silver, we make our treasure of accord and +peace, and for to love every man other. And for to apparel with +our bodies we use a silly little clout for to wrap in our carrion. +Our wives ne be not arrayed for to make no man pleasance, but only +convenable array for to eschew folly. When men pain them to array +the body for to make it seem fairer than God made it, they do great +sin. For man should not devise ne ask greater beauty, than God +hath ordained man to be at his birth. The earth ministereth to us +two things, - our livelihood, that cometh of the earth that we live +by, and our sepulture after our death. We have been in perpetual +peace till now, that thou come to disinherit us. And also we have +a king, not only for to do justice to every man, for he shall find +no forfeit among us; but for to keep noblesse, and for to shew that +we be obeissant, we have a king. For justice ne hath not among us +no place, for we do to no man otherwise than we desire that men do +to us. So that righteousness ne vengeance have nought to do among +us. So that nothing thou may take from us, but our good peace, +that always hath dured among us. + +And when King Alexander had read these letters, he thought that he +should do great sin, for to trouble them. And then he sent them +sureties, that they should not be afeard of him, and that they +should keep their good manners and their good peace, as they had +used before, of custom. And so he let them alone. + +Another isle there is, that men clepe Oxidrate, and another isle, +that men clepe Gynosophe, where there is also good folk, and full +of good faith. And they hold, for the most part, the good +conditions and customs and good manners, as men of the country +abovesaid; but they go all naked. + +Into that isle entered King Alexander, to see the manner. And when +he saw their great faith, and their truth that was amongst them, he +said that he would not grieve them, and bade them ask of him what +that they would have of him, riches or anything else, and they +should have it, with good will. And they answered, that he was +rich enough that had meat and drink to sustain the body with, for +the riches of this world, that is transitory, is not worth; but if +it were in his power to make them immortal, thereof would they pray +him, and thank him. And Alexander answered them that it was not in +his power to do it, because he was mortal, as they were. And then +they asked him why he was so proud and so fierce, and so busy for +to put all the world under his subjection, right as thou were a +God, and hast no term of this life, neither day ne hour, and +willest to have all the world at thy commandment, that shall leave +thee without fail, or thou leave it. And right as it hath been to +other men before thee, right so it shall be to other after thee. +And from hence shalt thou bear nothing; but as thou were born +naked, right so all naked shall thy body be turned into earth that +thou were made of. Wherefore thou shouldest think and impress it +in thy mind, that nothing is immortal, but only God, that made the +thing. By the which answer Alexander was greatly astonished and +abashed, and all confused and departed from them. + +And albeit that these folk have not the articles of our faith as we +have, natheles, for their good faith natural, and for their good +intent, I trow fully, that God loveth them, and that God take their +service to gree, right as he did of Job, that was a paynim, and +held him for his true servant. And therefore, albeit that there be +many diverse laws in the world, yet I trow, that God loveth always +them that love him, and serve him meekly in truth, and namely them +that despise the vain glory of this world, as this folk do and as +Job did also. + +And therefore said our Lord by the mouth of Hosea the prophet, +PONAM EIS MULTIPLICES LEGES MEAS; and also in another place, QUI +TOTUM ORBEM SUBDIT SUIS LEGIBUS. And also our Lord saith in the +Gospel, ALIAS OVES HABEO, QUE NON SUNT EX HOC OVILI, that is to +say, that he had other servants than those that be under Christian +law. And to that accordeth the avision that Saint Peter saw at +Jaffa, how the angel came from heaven, and brought before him +diverse beasts, as serpents and other creeping beasts of the earth, +and of other also, great plenty, and bade him take and eat. And +Saint Peter answered; I eat never, quoth he, of unclean beasts. +And then said the angel, NON DICAS IMMUNDA, QUE DEUS MUNDAVIT. And +that was in token that no man should have in despite none earthly +man for their diverse laws, for we know not whom God loveth, ne +whom God hateth. And for that example, when men say, DE PROFUNDIS, +they say it in common and in general, with the Christian, PRO +ANIMABUS OMNIUM DEFUNCTORUM, PRO QUIBUS SIT ORANDUM. + +And therefore say I of this folk, that be so true and so faithful, +that God loveth them. For he hath amongst them many of the +prophets, and alway hath had. And in those isles, they prophesied +the Incarnation of Lord Jesu Christ, how he should be born of a +maiden, three thousand year or more or our Lord was born of the +Virgin Mary. And they believe well it, the Incarnation, and that +full perfectly, but they know not the manner, how he suffered his +passion and death for us. + +And beyond these isles there is another isle that is clept Pytan. +The folk of that country ne till not, ne labour not the earth, for +they eat no manner thing. And they be of good colour and of fair +shape, after their greatness. But the small be as dwarfs, but not +so little as be the Pigmies. These men live by the smell of wild +apples. And when they go any far way, they bear the apples with +them; for if they had lost the savour of the apples, they should +die anon. They ne be not full reasonable, but they be simple and +bestial. + +After that is another isle, where the folk be all skinned rough +hair, as a rough beast, save only the face and the palm of the +hand. These folk go as well under the water of the sea, as they do +above the land all dry. And they eat both flesh and fish all raw. +In this isle is a great river that is well a two mile and an half +of breadth that is clept Beaumare. + +And from that river a fifteen journeys in length, going by the +deserts of the tother side of the river - whoso might go it, for I +was not there, but it was told us of them of the country, that +within those deserts were the trees of the sun and of the moon, +that spake to King Alexander, and warned him of his death. And men +say that the folk that keep those trees, and eat of the fruit and +of the balm that groweth there, live well four hundred year or five +hundred year, by virtue of the fruit and of the balm. For men say +that balm groweth there in great plenty and nowhere else, save only +at Babylon, as I have told you before. We would have gone toward +the trees full gladly if we had might. But I trow that 100,000 men +of arms might not pass those deserts safely, for the great +multitude of wild beasts and of great dragons and of great serpents +that there be, that slay and devour all that come anent them. In +that country be many white elephants without number, and of +unicorns and of lions of many manners, and many of such beasts that +I have told before, and of many other hideous beasts without +number. + +Many other isles there be in the land of Prester John, and many +great marvels, that were too long to tell all, both of his riches +and of his noblesse and of the great plenty also of precious stones +that he hath. I trow that ye know well enough, and have heard say, +wherefore this emperor is clept Prester John. But, natheles, for +them that know not, I shall say you the cause. + +It was sometime an emperor there, that was a worthy and a full +noble prince, that had Christian knights in his company, as he hath +that is now. So it befell, that he had great list for to see the +service in the church among Christian men. And then dured +Christendom beyond the sea, all Turkey, Syria, Tartary, Jerusalem, +Palestine, Arabia, Aleppo and all the land of Egypt. And so it +befell that this emperor came with a Christian knight with him into +a church in Egypt. And it was the Saturday in Whitsun-week. And +the bishop made orders. And he beheld, and listened the service +full tentively. And he asked the Christian knight what men of +degree they should be that the prelate had before him. And the +knight answered and said that they should be priests. And then the +emperor said that he would no longer be clept king ne emperor, but +priest, and that he would have the name of the first priest that +went out of the church, and his name was John. And so ever-more +sithens, he is clept Prester John. + +In his land be many Christian men of good faith and of good law, +and namely of them of the same country, and have commonly their +priests, that sing the Mass, and make the sacrament of the altar, +of bread, right as the Greeks do; but they say not so many things +at the Mass as men do here. For they say not but only that that +the apostles said, as our Lord taught them, right as Saint Peter +and Saint Thomas and the other apostles sung the Mass, saying the +PATER NOSTER and the words of the sacrament. But we have many more +additions that divers popes have made, that they ne know not of. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + + + +OF THE HILLS OF GOLD THAT PISMIRES KEEP. AND OF THE FOUR FLOODS +THAT COME FROM PARADISE TERRESTRIAL + + +TOWARD the east part of Prester John's land is an isle good and +great, that men clepe Taprobane, that is full noble and full +fructuous. And the king thereof is full rich, and is under the +obeissance of Prester John. And always there they make their king +by election. In that isle be two summers and two winters, and men +harvest the corn twice a year. And in all the seasons of the year +be the gardens flourished. There dwell good folk and reasonable, +and many Christian men amongst them, that be so rich that they wit +not what to do with their goods. Of old time, when men passed from +the land of Prester John unto that isle, men made ordinance for to +pass by ship, twenty-three days, or more; but now men pass by ship +in seven days. And men may see the bottom of the sea in many +places, for it is not full deep. + +Beside that isle, toward the east, be two other isles. And men +clepe that one Orille, and that other Argyte, of the which all the +land is mine of gold and silver. And those isles be right where +that the Red Sea departeth from the sea ocean. And in those isles +men see there no stars so clearly as in other places. For there +appear no stars, but only one clear star that men clepe Canapos. +And there is not the moon seen in all the lunation, save only the +second quarter. + +In the isle also of this Taprobane be great hills of gold, that +pismires keep full diligently. And they fine the pured gold, and +cast away the un-pured. And these pismires be great as hounds, so +that no man dare come to those hills for the pismires would assail +them and devour them anon. So that no man may get of that gold, +but by great sleight. And therefore when it is great heat, the +pismires rest them in the earth, from prime of the day into noon. +And then the folk of the country take camels, dromedaries, and +horses and other beasts, and go thither, and charge them in all +haste that they may; and after that, they flee away in all haste +that the beasts may go, or the pismires come out of the earth. And +in other times, when it is not so hot, and that the pismires ne +rest them not in the earth, then they get gold by this subtlety. +They take mares that have young colts or foals, and lay upon the +mares void vessels made there-for; and they be all open above, and +hanging low to the earth. And then they send forth those mares for +to pasture about those hills, and with-hold the foals with them at +home. And when the pismires see those vessels, they leap in anon: +and they have this kind that they let nothing be empty among them, +but anon they fill it, be it what manner of thing that it be; and +so they fill those vessels with gold. And when that the folk +suppose that the vessels be full, they put forth anon the young +foals, and make them to neigh after their dams. And then anon the +mares return towards their foals with their charges of gold. And +then men discharges them, and get gold enough by this subtlety. +For the pismires will suffer beasts to go and pasture amongst them, +but no man in no wise. + +And beyond the land and the isles and the deserts of Prester John's +lordship, in going straight toward the east, men find nothing but +mountains and rocks, full great. And there is the dark region, +where no man may see, neither by day ne by night, as they of the +country say. And that desert and that place of darkness dure from +this coast unto Paradise terrestrial, where that Adam, our formest +father, and Eve were put, that dwelled there but little while: and +that is towards the east at the beginning of the earth. But that +is not that east that we clepe our east, on this half, where the +sun riseth to us. For when the sun is east in those parts towards +Paradise terrestrial, it is then midnight in our parts on this +half, for the roundness of the earth, of the which I have touched +to you of before. For our Lord God made the earth all round in the +mid place of the firmament. And there as mountains and hills be +and valleys, that is not but only of Noah's flood, that wasted the +soft ground and the tender, and fell down into valleys, and the +hard earth and the rocks abide mountains, when the soft earth and +tender waxed nesh through the water, and fell and became valleys. + +Of Paradise ne can I not speak properly. For I was not there. It +is far beyond. And that forthinketh me. And also I was not +worthy. But as I have heard say of wise men beyond, I shall tell +you with good will. + +Paradise terrestrial, as wise men say, is the highest place of +earth, that is in all the world. And it is so high that it +toucheth nigh to the circle of the moon, there as the moon maketh +her turn; for she is so high that the flood of Noah ne might not +come to her, that would have covered all the earth of the world all +about and above and beneath, save Paradise only alone. And this +Paradise is enclosed all about with a wall, and men wit not whereof +it is; for the walls be covered all over with moss, as it seemeth. +And it seemeth not that the wall is stone of nature, ne of none +other thing that the wall is. And that wall stretcheth from the +south to the north, and it hath not but one entry that is closed +with fire, burning; so that no man that is mortal ne dare not +enter. + +And in the most high place of Paradise, even in the middle place, +is a well that casteth out the four floods that run by divers +lands. Of the which, the first is clept Pison, or Ganges, that is +all one; and it runneth throughout Ind or Emlak, in the which river +be many precious stones, and much of lignum aloes and much gravel +of gold. And that other river is clept Nilus or Gison, that goeth +by Ethiopia and after by Egypt. And that other is clept Tigris, +that runneth by Assyria and by Armenia the great. And that other +is clept Euphrates, that runneth also by Media and Armenia and by +Persia. And men there beyond say, that all the sweet waters of the +world, above and beneath, take their beginning of the well of +Paradise, and out of that well all waters come and go. + +The first river is clept Pison, that is to say in their language +Assembly; for many other rivers meet them there, and go into that +river. And some men clepe it Ganges, for a king that was in Ind, +that hight Gangeres, and that it ran throughout his land. And that +water [is] in some place clear, and in some place troubled, in some +place hot, and in some place cold. + +The second river is clept Nilus or Gison; for it is always trouble; +and Gison, in the language of Ethiopia, is to say, trouble, and in +the language of Egypt also. + +The third river, that is dept Tigris, is as much for to say as, +fast-running; for he runneth more fast than any of the tother; and +also there is a beast, that is clept tigris, that is fast-running. + +The fourth river is clept Euphrates, that is to say, well-bearing; +for there grow many goods upon that river, as corns, fruits and +other goods enough plenty. + +And ye shall understand that no man that is mortal ne may not +approach to that Paradise. For by land no man may go for wild +beasts that be in the deserts, and for the high mountains and great +huge rocks that no man may pass by, for the dark places that be +there, and that many. And by the rivers may no man go. For the +water runneth so rudely and so sharply, because that it cometh down +so outrageously from the high places above, that it runneth in so +great waves, that no ship may not row ne sail against it. And the +water roareth so, and maketh so huge noise and so great tempest, +that no man may hear other in the ship, though he cried with all +the craft that he could in the highest voice that he might. Many +great lords have assayed with great will, many times, for to pass +by those rivers towards Paradise, with full great companies. But +they might not speed in their voyage. And many died for weariness +of rowing against those strong waves. And many of them became +blind, and many deaf, for the noise of the water. And some were +perished and lost within the waves. So that no mortal man may +approach to that place, without special grace of God, so that of +that place I can say you no more; and therefore, I shall hold me +still, and return to that, that I have seen. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + + + +OF THE CUSTOMS OF KINGS AND OTHER THAT DWELL IN THE ISLES COASTING +TO PRESTER JOHN'S LAND. AND OF THE WORSHIP THAT THE SON DOTH TO +THE FATHER WHEN HE IS DEAD + + +FROM those isles that I have spoken of before, in the Land of +Prester John, that be under earth as to us that be on this half, +and of other isles that be more further beyond, whoso will, pursue +them for to come again right to the parts that he came from, and so +environ all earth. But what for the isles, what for the sea, and +what for strong rowing, few folk assay for to pass that passage; +albeit that men might do it well, that might be of power to dress +them thereto, as I have said you before. And therefore men return +from those isles abovesaid by other isles, coasting from the land +of Prester John. + +And then come men in returning to an isle that is clept Casson. +And that isle hath well sixty journeys in length, and more than +fifty in breadth. This is the best isle and the best kingdom that +is in all those parts, out-taken Cathay. And if the merchants used +as much that country as they do Cathay, it would be better than +Cathay in a short while. This country is full well inhabited, and +so full of cities and of good towns inhabited with people, that +when a man goeth out of one city, men see another city even before +them; and that is what part that a man go, in all that country. In +that isle is great plenty of all goods for to live with, and of all +manner of spices. And there be great forests of chestnuts. The +king of that isle is full rich and full mighty, and, natheles, he +holds his land of the great Chan, and is obeissant to him. For it +is one of the twelve provinces that the great Chan hath under him +without his proper land, and without other less isles that he hath; +for he hath full many. + +From that kingdom come men, in returning, to another isle that is +clept Rybothe, and it is also under the great Chan. That is a full +good country, and full plenteous of all goods and of wines and +fruit and all other riches. And the folk of that country have no +houses, but they dwell and lie all under tents made of black fern, +by all the country. And the principal city and the most royal is +all walled with black stone and white. And all the streets also be +pathed of the same stones. In that city is no man so hardy to shed +blood of any man, ne of no beast, for the reverence of an idol that +is worshipped there. And in that isle dwelleth the pope of their +law, that they clepe Lobassy. This Lobassy giveth all the +benefices, and all other dignities and all other things that belong +to the idol. And all those that hold anything of their churches, +religious and other, obey to him, as men do here to the Pope of +Rome. + +In that isle they have a custom by all the country, that when the +father is dead of any man, and the son list to do great worship to +his father, he sendeth to all his friends and to all his kin, and +for religious men and priests, and for minstrels also, great +plenty. And then men bear the dead body unto a great hill with +great joy and solemnity. And when they have brought it thither, +the chief prelate smiteth off the head, and layeth it upon a great +platter of gold and of silver, if so [he] be a rich man. And then +he taketh the head to the son. And then the son and his other kin +sing and say many orisons. And then the priests and the religious +men smite all the body of the dead man in pieces. And then they +say certain orisons. And the fowls of ravine of all the country +about know the custom of long time before, [and] come flying above +in the air; as eagles, gledes, ravens and other fowls of ravine, +that eat flesh. And then the priests cast the gobbets of the flesh +and then the fowls, each of them, taketh that he may, and goeth a +little thence and eateth it; and so they do whilst any piece +lasteth of the dead body. + +And after that, as priests amongst us sing for the dead, SUBVENITE +SANCTI DEI, ETC., right so the priests sing with high voice in +their language; Behold how so worthy a man and how good a man this +was, that the angels of God come for to seek him and for to bring +him into Paradise. And then seemeth it to the son, that he is +highly worshipped, when that many birds and fowls and ravens come +and eat his father; and he that hath most number of fowls is most +worshipped. + +And then the son bringeth home with him all his kin, and his +friends, and all the others to his house, and maketh them a great +feast. And then all his friends make their vaunt and their +dalliance, how the fowls came thither, here five, here six, here +ten, and there twenty, and so forth; and they rejoice them hugely +for to speak thereof. And when they be at meat, the son let bring +forth the head of his father, and thereof he giveth of the flesh to +his most special friends, instead of ENTRE MESSE, or a SUKKARKE. +And of the brain pan, he letteth make a cup, and thereof drinketh +he and his other friends also, with great devotion, in remembrance +of the holy man, that the angels of God have eaten. And that cup +the son shall keep to drink of all his life-time, in remembrance of +his father. + +From that land, in returning by ten journeys throughout the land of +the great Chan, is another good isle and a great kingdom, where the +king is full rich and mighty. + +And amongst the rich men of his country is a passing rich man, that +is no prince, ne duke, ne earl, but he hath more that hold of him +lands and other lordships, for he is more rich. For he hath, every +year, of annual rent 300,000 horses charged with corn of diverse +grains and of rice. And so he leadeth a full noble life and a +delicate, after the custom of the country. For he hath, every day, +fifty fair damosels, all maidens, that serve him evermore at his +meat, and for to lie by him o' night, and for to do with them that +is to his pleasance. And when he is at table, they bring him his +meat at every time, five and five together; and in bringing their +service they sing a song. And after that, they cut his meat, and +put it in his mouth; for he toucheth nothing, ne handleth nought, +but holdeth evermore his hands before him upon the table. For he +hath so long nails, that he may take nothing, ne handle nothing. +For the noblesse of that country is to have long nails, and to make +them grow always to be as long as men may. And there be many in +that country, that have their nails so long, that they environ all +the hand. And that is a great noblesse. And the noblesse of the +women is for to have small feet and little. And therefore anon as +they be born, they let bind their feet so strait, that they may not +grow half as nature would. And this is the noblesse of the women +there to have small feet and little. And always these damosels, +that I spake of before, sing all the time that this rich man +eateth. And when that he eateth no more of his first course, then +other five and five of fair damsels bring him his second course, +always singing as they did before. And so they do continually +every day to the end of his meat. And in this manner he leadeth +his life. And so did they before him, that were his ancestors. +And so shall they that come after him, without doing of any deeds +of arms, but live evermore thus in ease, as a. swine that is fed in +sty for to be made fat. He hath a full fair palace and full rich, +where that he dwelleth in, of the which the walls be, in circuit, +two mile. And he hath within many fair gardens, and many fair +halls and chambers; and the pavement of his halls and chambers be +of gold and silver. And in the mid place of one of his gardens is +a little mountain, where there is a little meadow. And in that +meadow is a little toothill with towers and pinnacles, all of gold. +And in that little toothill will he sit often-time, for to take the +air and to disport him. For the place is made for nothing else, +but only for his disport. + +From that country men come by the land of the great Chan also, that +I have spoken of before. + +And ye shall understand, that of all these countries, and of all +these isles, and of all the diverse folk, that I have spoken of +before, and of diverse laws, and of diverse beliefs that they have, +yet is there none of them all but that they have some reason within +them and understanding, but if it be the fewer, and that have +certain articles of our faith and some good points of our belief, +and that they believe in God, that formed all things and made the +world, and clepe him God of Nature; after that the prophet saith, +ET METUENT EUM OMNES FINES TERRAE, and also in another place, OMNES +GENTES SERVIENT EI, that is to say, 'All folk shall serve him.' + +But yet they cannot speak perfectly (for there is no man to teach +them), but only that they can devise by their natural wit. For +they have no knowledge of the Son, ne of the Holy Ghost. But they +can all speak of the Bible, and namely of Genesis, of the prophet's +saws and of the books of Moses. And they say well, that the +creatures that they worship ne be no gods; but they worship them +for the virtue that is in them, that may not be but only by the +grace of God. And of simulacres and of idols, they say, that there +be no folk, but that they have simulacres. And that they say, for +we Christian men have images, as of our Lady and of other saints +that we worship; not the images of tree or of stone, but the +saints, in whose name they be made after. For right as the books +and the scripture of them teach the clerks how and in what manner +they shall believe, right so the images and the paintings teach the +lewd folk to worship the saints and to have them in their mind, in +whose names that the images be made after. They say also, that the +angels of God speak to them in those idols, and that they do many +great miracles. And they say sooth, that there is an angel within +them. For there be two manner of angels, a good and an evil, as +the Greeks say, Cacho and Calo. This Cacho is the wicked angel, +and Calo is the good angel. But the tother is not the good angel, +but the wicked angel that is within the idols to deceive them and +for to maintain them in their error. + +There be many other divers countries and many other marvels beyond, +that I have not seen. Wherefore, of them I cannot speak properly +to tell you the manner of them. And also in the countries where I +have been, be many more diversities of many wonderful things than I +make mention of; for it were too long thing to devise you the +manner. And therefore, that that I have devised you of certain +countries, that I have spoken of before, I beseech your worthy and +excellent noblesse, that it suffice to you at this time. For if +that I devised you all that is beyond the sea, another man, +peradventure, that would pain him and travail his body for to go +into those marches for to ensearch those countries, might be blamed +by my words in rehearsing many strange things; for he might not say +nothing of new, in the which the hearers might have either solace, +or disport, or lust, or liking in the hearing. For men say always, +that new things and new tidings be pleasant to hear. Wherefore I +will hold me still, without any more rehearsing of diversities or +of marvels that be beyond, to that intent and end, that whoso will +go into those countries, he shall find enough to speak of, that I +have not touched of in no wise. + +And ye shall understand, if it like you, that at mine home-coming, +I came to Rome, and shewed my life to our holy father the pope, and +was assoiled of all that lay in my conscience, of many a diverse +grievous point; as men must needs that be in company, dwelling +amongst so many a diverse folk of diverse sect and of belief, as I +have been. + +And amongst all I shewed him this treatise, that I had made after +information of men that knew of things that I had not seen myself, +and also of marvels and customs that I had seen myself, as far as +God would give me grace; and besought his holy fatherhood, that my +book might be examined and corrected by advice of his wise and +discreet council. And our holy father, of his special grace, +remitted my book to be examined and proved by the advice of his +said counsel. By the which my book was proved for true, insomuch, +that they shewed me a book, that my book was examined by, that +comprehended full much more, by an hundred part, by the which the +MAPPA MUNDI was made after. And so my book (albeit that many men +ne list not to give credence to nothing, but to that that they see +with their eye, ne be the author ne the person never so true) is +affirmed and proved by our holy father, in manner and form as I +have said. + +And I, John Mandevile, knight, abovesaid (although I be unworthy), +that departed from our countries and passed the sea, the year of +grace a thousand three hundred and twenty two, that have passed +many lands and many isles and countries, and searched many full +strange places, and have been in many a full good honourable +company, and at many a fair deed of arms (albeit that I did none +myself, for mine unable insuffisance), now I am come home, maugre +myself, to rest, for gouts artetykes that me distrain, that define +the end of my labour; against my will (God knoweth). + +And thus, taking solace in my wretched rest, recording the time +passed, I have fulfilled these things, and put them written in this +book, as it would come into my mind, the year of grace a thousand +three hundred and fifty six, in the thirty-fourth year, that I +departed from our countries. + +Wherefore, I pray to all the readers and hearers of this book, if +it please them, that they would pray to God for me; and I shall +pray for them. And all those that say for me a PATER NOSTER, with +an AVE MARIA, that God forgive me my sins, I make them partners, +and grant them part of all the good pilgrimages and of all the good +deeds that I have done, if any be to his pleasance; and not only of +those, but of all that ever I shall do unto my life's end. And I +beseech Almighty God, from whom all goodness and grace cometh from, +that he vouchsafe of his excellent mercy and abundant grace, to +fulfil their souls with inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in making +defence of all their ghostly enemies here in earth, to their +salvation both of body and soul; to worship and thanking of him, +that is three and one, without beginning and without ending; that +is without quality, good, without quantity, great; that in all +places is present, and all things containing; the which that no +goodness may amend, ne none evil impair; that in perfect Trinity +liveth and reigneth God, by all worlds, and by all times! + +AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! + +[HERE ENDETH THE BOOK OF JOHN MANDEVILLE.] + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville + |