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diff --git a/old/tosjm10h.htm b/old/tosjm10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dfb6dae --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tosjm10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7053 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Travels of Sir John Mandeville</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {margin:10%; text-align:justify} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + + +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, by Sir John Mandeville</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville +by Sir John Mandeville + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville + +Author: Sir John Mandeville + +Release Date: January, 1997 [EBook #782] +[This file was first posted on January 17, 1997] +[Most recently updated: September 17, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII +</pre> +<p> +<a name="startoftext"></a> +<p>Transcribed from the 1900 Macmillan and Co. edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<h1>THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE</h1> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<h2>THE PROLOGUE</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>For as much as the land beyond the sea, that is to say the Holy Land, +that men call the Land of Promission or of Behest, passing all other +lands, is the most worthy land, most excellent, and lady and sovereign +of all other lands, and is blessed and hallowed of the precious body +and blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; in the which land it liked him to +take flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, to environ that holy land with +his blessed feet; and there he would of his blessedness enombre him +in the said blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, and become man, and work +many miracles, and preach and teach the faith and the law of Christian +men unto his children; and there it liked him to suffer many reprovings +and scorns for us; and he that was king of heaven, of air, of earth, +of sea and of all things that be contained in them, would all only be +clept king of that land, when he said, <i>Rex sum Judeorum</i>, that +is to say, ‘I am King of Jews’; and that land he chose before +all other lands, as the best and most worthy land, and the most virtuous +land of all the world: for it is the heart and the midst of all the +world, witnessing the philosopher, that saith thus, <i>Virtus rerum +in medio consistit</i>, that is to say, ‘The virtue of things +is in the midst’; and in that land he would lead his life, and +suffer passion and death of Jews, for us, to buy and to deliver us from +pains of hell, and from death without end; the which was ordained for +us, for the sin of our forme-father Adam, and for our own sins also; +for as for himself, he had no evil deserved: for he thought never evil +ne did evil: and he that was king of glory and of joy, might best in +that place suffer death; because he chose in that land rather than in +any other, there to suffer his passion and his death. For he that +will publish anything to make it openly known, he will make it to be +cried and pronounced in the middle place of a town; so that the thing +that is proclaimed and pronounced, may evenly stretch to all parts: +right so, he that was former of all the world, would suffer for us at +Jerusalem, that is the midst of the world; to that end and intent, that +his passion and his death, that was published there, might be known +evenly to all parts of the world.</p> +<p>See now, how dear he bought man, that he made after his own image, +and how dear he again-bought us, for the great love that he had to us, +and we never deserved it to him. For more precious chattel ne +greater ransom ne might he put for us, than his blessed body, his precious +blood, and his holy life, that he thralled for us; and all he offered +for us that never did sin.</p> +<p>Ah dear God! What love had he to us his subjects, when he that +never trespassed, would for trespassers suffer death! Right well +ought us for to love and worship, to dread and serve such a Lord; and +to worship and praise such an holy land, that brought forth such fruit, +through the which every man is saved, but it be his own default. +Well may that land be called delectable and a fructuous land, that was +be-bled and moisted with the precious blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; +the which is the same land that our Lord behight us in heritage. +And in that land he would die, as seised, to leave it to us, his children.</p> +<p>Wherefore every good Christian man, that is of power, and hath whereof, +should pain him with all his strength for to conquer our right heritage, +and chase out all the misbelieving men. For we be clept Christian +men, after Christ our Father. And if we be right children of Christ, +we ought for to challenge the heritage, that our Father left us, and +do it out of heathen men’s hands. But now pride, covetise, +and envy have so inflamed the hearts of lords of the world, that they +are more busy for to dis-herit their neighbours, more than for to challenge +or to conquer their right heritage before-said. And the common +people, that would put their bodies and their chattels, to conquer our +heritage, they may not do it without the lords. For a sembly of +people without a chieftain, or a chief lord, is as a flock of sheep +without a shepherd; the which departeth and disperpleth and wit never +whither to go. But would God, that the temporal lords and all +worldly lords were at good accord, and with the common people would +take this holy voyage over the sea! Then I trow well, that within +a little time, our right heritage before-said should be reconciled and +put in the hands of the right heirs of Jesu Christ.</p> +<p>And, for as much as it is long time passed, that there was no general +passage ne voyage over the sea; and many men desire for to hear speak +of the Holy Land, and have thereof great solace and comfort; I, John +Mandeville, Knight, albeit I be not worthy, that was born in England, +in the town of St. Albans, and passed the sea in the year of our Lord +Jesu Christ, 1322, in the day of St. Michael; and hitherto been long +time over the sea, and have seen and gone through many diverse lands, +and many provinces and kingdoms and isles and have passed throughout +Turkey, Armenia the little and the great; through Tartary, Persia, Syria, +Arabia, Egypt the high and the low; through Lybia, Chaldea, and a great +part of Ethiopia; through Amazonia, Ind the less and the more, a great +part; and throughout many other Isles, that be about Ind; where dwell +many diverse folks, and of diverse manners and laws, and of diverse +shapes of men. Of which lands and isles I shall speak more plainly +hereafter; and I shall devise you of some part of things that there +be, when time shall be, after it may best come to my mind; and specially +for them, that will and are in purpose for to visit the Holy City of +Jerusalem and the holy places that are thereabout. And I shall +tell the way that they shall hold thither. For I have often times +passed and ridden that way, with good company of many lords. God +be thanked!</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that I have put this book out of Latin into +French, and translated it again out of French into English, that every +man of my nation may understand it. But lords and knights and +other noble and worthy men that con Latin but little, and have been +beyond the sea, know and understand, if I say truth or no, and if I +err in devising, for forgetting or else, that they may redress it and +amend it. For things passed out of long time from a man’s +mind or from his sight, turn soon into forgetting; because that mind +of man ne may not be comprehended ne withholden, for the frailty of +mankind.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>To teach you the Way out of England to Constantinople</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>In the name of God, Glorious and Almighty!</p> +<p>He that will pass over the sea and come to land [to go to the city +of Jerusalem, he may wend many ways, both on sea and land], after the +country that he cometh from; [for] many of them come to one end. +But troweth not that I will tell you all the towns, and cities and castles +that men shall go by; for then should I make too long a tale; but all +only some countries and most principal steads that men shall go through +to go the right way.</p> +<p>First, if a man come from the west side of the world, as England, +Ireland, Wales, Scotland, or Norway, he may, if that he will, go through +Almayne and through the kingdom of Hungary, that marcheth to the land +of Polayne, and to the land of Pannonia, and so to Silesia.</p> +<p>And the King of Hungary is a great lord and a mighty, and holdeth +great lordships and much land in his hand. For he holdeth the +kingdom of Hungary, Sclavonia, and of Comania a great part, and of Bulgaria +that men call the land of Bougiers, and of the realm of Russia a great +part, whereof he hath made a duchy, that lasteth unto the land of Nyfland, +and marcheth to Prussia. And men go through the land of this lord, +through a city that is clept Cypron, and by the castle of Neasburghe, +and by the evil town, that sit toward the end of Hungary. And +there pass men the river of Danube. This river of Danube is a +full great river, and it goeth into Almayne, under the hills of Lombardy, +and it receiveth into him forty other rivers, and it runneth through +Hungary and through Greece and through Thrace, and it entereth into +the sea, toward the east so rudely and so sharply, that the water of +the sea is fresh and holdeth his sweetness twenty mile within the sea.</p> +<p>And after, go men to Belgrade, and enter into the land of Bougiers; +and there pass men a bridge of stone that is upon the river of Marrok. +And men pass through the land of Pyncemartz and come to Greece to the +city of Nye, and to the city of Fynepape, and after to the city of Dandrenoble, +and after to Constantinople, that was wont to be clept Bezanzon. +And there dwelleth commonly the Emperor of Greece. And there is +the most fair church and the most noble of all the world; and it is +of Saint Sophie. And before that church is the image of Justinian +the emperor, covered with gold, and he sitteth upon an horse y-crowned. +And he was wont to hold a round apple of gold in his hand: but it is +fallen out thereof. And men say there, that it is a token that +the emperor hath lost a great part of his lands and of his lordships; +for he was wont to be Emperor of Roumania and of Greece, of all Asia +the less, and of the land of Syria, of the land of Judea in the which +is Jerusalem, and of the land of Egypt, of Persia, and of Arabia. +But he hath lost all but Greece; and that land he holds all only. +And men would many times put the apple into the image’s hand again, +but it will not hold it. This apple betokeneth the lordship that +he had over all the world, that is round. And the tother hand +he lifteth up against the East, in token to menace the misdoers. +This image stands upon a pillar of marble at Constantinople.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Cross and the Crown of our Lord Jesu Christ</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>At Constantinople is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ, and his coat +without seams, that is clept <i>Tunica inconsutilis</i>, and the sponge, +and the reed, of the which the Jews gave our Lord eysell and gall, in +the cross. And there is one of the nails, that Christ was nailed +with on the cross.</p> +<p>And some men trow that half the cross, that Christ was done on, be +in Cyprus, in an abbey of monks, that men call the Hill of the Holy +Cross; but it is not so. For that cross that is in Cyprus, is +the cross, in the which Dismas the good thief was hanged on. But +all men know not that; and that is evil y-done. For for profit +of the offering, they say that it is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that the cross of our Lord was made of four +manner of trees, as it is contained in this verse, - <i>In cruce fit +palma, cedrus, cypressus, oliva</i>. For that piece that went +upright from the earth to the head was of cypress; and the piece that +went overthwart, to the which his hands were nailed, was of palm; and +the stock, that stood within the earth, in the which was made the mortise, +was of cedar; and the table above his head, that was a foot and an half +long, on the which the title was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, +that was of olive.</p> +<p>And the Jews made the cross of these four manner of trees; for they +trowed that our Lord Jesu Christ should have hanged on the cross, as +long as the cross might last. And therefore made they the foot +of the cross of cedar; for cedar may not, in earth nor water, rot, and +therefore they would that it should have lasted long. For they +trowed that the body of Christ should have stunken, they made that piece, +that went from the earth upwards of cypress, for it is well-smelling, +so that the smell of his body should not grieve men that went forby. +And the overthwart piece was of palm, for in the Old Testament it was +ordained, that when one was overcome he should be crowned with palm; +and for they trowed that they had the victory of Christ Jesus, therefore +made they the overthwart piece of palm. And the table of the title +they made of olive; for olive betokeneth peace, as the story of Noe +witnesseth; when that the culver brought the branch of olive, that betokened +peace made between God and man. And so trowed the Jews for to +have peace, when Christ was dead; for they said that he made discord +and strife amongst them. And ye shall understand that our Lord +was y-nailed on the cross lying, and therefore he suffered the more +pain.</p> +<p>And the Christian men, that dwell beyond the sea, in Greece, say +that the tree of the cross, that we call cypress, was of that tree that +Adam ate the apple off; and that find they written. And they say +also, that their scripture saith, that Adam was sick, and said to his +son Seth, that he should go to the angel that kept Paradise, that he +would send him oil of mercy, for to anoint with his members, that he +might have health. And Seth went. But the angel would not +let him come in; but said to him, that he might not have of the oil +of mercy. But he took him three grains of the same tree, that +his father ate the apple off; and bade him, as soon as his father was +dead, that he should put these three grains under his tongue, and grave +him so: and so he did. And of these three grains sprang a tree, +as the angel said that it should, and bare a fruit, through the which +fruit Adam should be saved. And when Seth came again, he found +his father near dead. And when he was dead, he did with the grains +as the angel bade him; of the which sprung three trees, of the which +the cross was made, that bare good fruit and blessed, our Lord Jesu +Christ; through whom, Adam and all that come of him, should be saved +and delivered from dread of death without end, but it be their own default.</p> +<p>This holy cross had the Jews hid in the earth, under a rock of the +mount of Calvary; and it lay there two hundred year and more, into the +time that St. Helen, that was mother to Constantine the Emperor of Rome. +And she was daughter of King Coel, born in Colchester, that was King +of England, that was clept then Britain the more; the which the Emperor +Constance wedded to his wife, for her beauty, and gat upon her Constantine, +that was after Emperor of Rome, and King of England.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the cross of our Lord was eight cubits +long, and the overthwart piece was of length three cubits and a half. +And one part of the crown of our Lord, wherewith he was crowned, and +one of the nails, and the spear head, and many other relics be in France, +in the king’s chapel. And the crown lieth in a vessel of +crystal richly dight. For a king of France bought these relics +some time of the Jews, to whom the emperor had laid them in wed for +a great sum of silver.</p> +<p>And if all it be so, that men say, that this crown is of thorns, +ye shall understand, that it was of jonkes of the sea, that is to say, +rushes of the sea, that prick as sharply as thorns. For I have +seen and beholden many times that of Paris and that of Constantinople; +for they were both one, made of rushes of the sea. But men have +departed them in two parts: of the which, one part is at Paris, and +the other part is at Constantinople. And I have one of those precious +thorns, that seemeth like a white thorn; and that was given to me for +great specially. For there are many of them broken and fallen +into the vessel that the crown lieth in; for they break for dryness +when men move them to show them to great lords that come thither.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that our Lord Jesu, in that night that he +was taken, he was led into a garden; and there he was first examined +right sharply; and there the Jews scorned him, and made him a crown +of the branches of albespine, that is white thorn, that grew in that +same garden, and set it on his head, so fast and so sore, that the blood +ran down by many places of his visage, and of his neck, and of his shoulders. +And therefore hath the white thorn many virtues, for he that beareth +a branch on him thereof, no thunder ne no manner of tempest may dere +him; nor in the house, that it is in, may no evil ghost enter nor come +unto the place that it is in. And in that same garden, Saint Peter +denied our Lord thrice.</p> +<p>Afterward was our Lord led forth before the bishops and the masters +of the law, into another garden of Annas; and there also he was examined, +reproved, and scorned, and crowned eft with a sweet thorn, that men +clepeth barbarines, that grew in that garden, and that hath also many +virtues.</p> +<p>And afterward he was led into a garden of Caiphas, and there he was +crowned with eglantine.</p> +<p>And after he was led into the chamber of Pilate, and there he was +examined and crowned. And the Jews set him in a chair, and clad +him in a mantle; and there made they the crown of jonkes of the sea; +and there they kneeled to him, and scorned him, saying, <i>Ave, Rex</i> +<i>Judeorum</i>! that is to say, ‘Hail, King of Jews!’ +And of this crown, half is at Paris, and the other half at Constantinople. +And this crown had Christ on his head, when he was done upon the cross; +and therefore ought men to worship it and hold it more worthy than any +of the others.</p> +<p>And the spear shaft hath the Emperor of Almayne; but the head is +at Paris. And natheles the Emperor of Constantinople saith that +he hath the spear head; and I have often time seen it, but it is greater +than that at Paris.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the City of Constantinople, and of the Faith of Greeks</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>At Constantinople lieth Saint Anne, our Lady’s mother, whom +Saint Helen let bring from Jerusalem. And there lieth also the +body of John Chrisostome, that was Archbishop of Constantinople. +And there lieth also Saint Luke the Evangelist: for his bones were brought +from Bethany, where he was buried. And many other relics be there. +And there is the vessel of stone, as it were of marble, that men clepe +enydros, that evermore droppeth water, and filleth himself every year, +till that it go over above, without that that men take from within.</p> +<p>Constantinople is a full fair city, and a good, and well walled; +and it is three-cornered. And there is an arm of the sea Hellespont: +and some men call it the Mouth of Constantinople; and some men call +it the Brace of Saint George: and that arm closeth the two parts of +the city. And upward to the sea, upon the water, was wont to be +the great city of Troy, in a full fair plain: but that city was destroyed +by them of Greece, and little appeareth thereof, because it is so long +sith it was destroyed.</p> +<p>About Greece there be many isles, as Calliste, Calcas, Oertige, Tesbria, +Mynia, Flaxon, Melo, Carpate, and Lemnos. And in this isle is +the mount Athos, that passeth the clouds. And there be many diverse +languages and many countries, that be obedient to the emperor; that +is to say, Turcople, Pyncynard, Comange, and many other, as Thrace and +Macedonia, of the which Alexander was king. In this country was +Aristotle born, in a city that men clepe Stagyra, a little from the +city of Thrace. And at Stagyra lieth Aristotle; and there is an +altar upon his tomb. And there make men great feasts for him every +year, as though he were a saint. And at his altar they holden +their great councils and their assemblies, and they hope, that through +inspiration of God and of him, they shall have the better council.</p> +<p>In this country be right high hills, toward the end of Macedonia. +And there is a great hill, that men clepe Olympus, that departeth Macedonia +and Thrace. And it is so high, that it passeth the clouds. +And there is another hill, that is clept Athos, that is so high, that +the shadow of him reacheth to Lemne, that is an isle; and it is seventy-six +mile between. And above at the cop of the hill is the air so clear, +that men may find no wind there, and therefore may no beast live there, +so is the air dry.</p> +<p>And men say in these countries, that philosophers some time went +upon these hills, and held to their nose a sponge moisted with water, +for to have air; for the air above was so dry. And above, in the +dust and in the powder of those hills, they wrote letters and figures +with their fingers. And at the year’s end they came again, +and found the same letters and figures, the which they had written the +year before, without any default. And therefore it seemeth well, +that these hills pass the clouds and join to the pure air.</p> +<p>At Constantinople is the palace of the emperor, right fair and well-dight: +and therein is a fair place for joustings, or for other plays and desports. +And it is made with stages, and hath degrees about, that every man may +well see, and none grieve other. And under these stages be stables +well vaulted for the emperor’s horses; and all the pillars be +of marble.</p> +<p>And within the Church of Saint Sophia, an emperor sometime would +have buried the body of his father, when he was dead. And, as +they made the grave, they found a body in the earth, and upon the body +lay a fine plate of gold; and thereon was written, in Hebrew, Greek, +and Latin, letters that said thus; <i>Jesu Christus nascetur de Virgine +Maria, et ego credo in eum</i>; that is to say, ‘Jesu Christ shall +be born of the Virgin Mary, and I trow in him.’ And the +date when it was laid in the earth, was two thousand year before our +Lord was born. And yet is the plate of gold in the treasury of +the church. And men say, that it was Hermogenes the wise man.</p> +<p>And if all it so be, that men of Greece be Christian yet they vary +from our faith. For they say, that the Holy Ghost may not come +of the Son; but all only of the Father. And they are not obedient +to the Church of Rome, ne to the Pope. And they say that their +Patriarch hath as much power over the sea, as the Pope hath on this +side the sea. And therefore Pope John xxii. sent letters to them, +how Christian faith should be all one; and that they should be obedient +to the Pope, that is God’s Vicar on earth, to whom God gave his +plein power for to bind and to assoil, and therefore they should be +obedient to him.</p> +<p>And they sent again diverse answers; and among others they said thus: +<i>Potentiam tuam summam circa tuos subjectos, firmiter credimus. +Superbiam tuam summam tolerare non possumus. Avaritiam tuam summam +satiare non intendimus. Dominus tecum; quia Dominus nobiscum est</i>. +That is to say: ‘We trow well, that thy power is great upon thy +subjects. We may not suffer thine high pride. We be not +in purpose to fulfil thy great covetise. Lord be with thee; for +our Lord is with us. Farewell.’ And other answer might +he not have of them.</p> +<p>And also they make their sacrament of the altar of Therf bread, for +our Lord made it of such bread, when he made his Maundy. And on +the Shere-Thursday make they their Therf bread, in token of the Maundy, +and dry it at the sun, and keep it all the year, and give it to sick +men, instead of God’s body. And they make but one unction, +when they christen children. And they anoint not the sick men. +And they say that there is no Purgatory, and that souls shall not have +neither joy ne pain till the day of doom. And they say that fornication +is no sin deadly, but a thing that is kindly, and that men and women +should not wed but once, and whoso weddeth oftener than once, their +children be bastards and gotten in sin. And their priests also +be wedded.</p> +<p>And they say also that usury is no deadly sin. And they sell +benefices of Holy Church. And so do men in other places: God amend +it when his will is! And that is great sclaundre, for now is simony +king crowned in Holy Church: God amend it for his mercy!</p> +<p>And they say, that in Lent, men shall not fast, ne sing Mass, but +on the Saturday and on the Sunday. And they fast not on the Saturday, +no time of the year, but it be Christmas Even or Easter Even. +And they suffer not the Latins to sing at their altars; and if they +do, by any adventure, anon they wash the altar with holy water. +And they say that there should be but one Mass said at one altar upon +one day.</p> +<p>And they say also that our Lord ne ate never meat; but he made token +of eating. And also they say, that we sin deadly in shaving our +beards, for the beard is token of a man, and gift of our Lord. +And they say that we sin deadly in eating of beasts that were forbidden +in the Old Testament, and of the old Law, as swine, hares and other +beasts, that chew not their cud. And they say that we sin, when +we eat flesh on the days before Ash Wednesday, and of that that we eat +flesh the Wednesday, and eggs and cheese upon the Fridays. And +they accurse all those that abstain them to eat flesh the Saturday.</p> +<p>Also the Emperor of Constantinople maketh the patriarch, the archbishops +and the bishops; and giveth the dignities and the benefices of churches +and depriveth them that be unworthy, when he findeth any cause. +And so is he lord both temporal and spiritual in his country.</p> +<p>And if ye will wit of their A.B.C. what letters they be, here ye +may see them, with the names that they clepe them there amongst them: +Alpha, Betha, Gama, Deltha, εlonge, ε brevis, Epilmon, +Thetha, Iota, Kapda, Lapda, Mi, Ni, Xi, ο brevis, Pi, Coph, +Ro, Summa, Tau, Vi, Fy, Chi, Psi, Othomega, Diacosyn.</p> +<p>And all be it that these things touch not to one way, nevertheless +they touch to that, that I have hight you, to shew you a part of customs +and manners, and diversities of countries. And for this is the +first country that is discordant in faith and in belief, and varieth +from our faith, on this half the sea, therefore I have set it here, +that ye may know the diversity that is between our faith and theirs. +For many men have great liking, to hear speak of strange things of diverse +countries.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>[Of the Way from Constantinople to Jerusalem.] Of Saint John +the Evangelist. And of the Ypocras Daughter, transformed from +a Woman to a Dragon</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now return I again, for to teach you the way from Constantinople +to Jerusalem. He that will through Turkey, he goeth toward the +city of Nyke, and passeth through the gate of Chienetout, and always +men see before them the hill of Chienetout, that is right high; and +it is a mile and an half from Nyke.</p> +<p>And whoso will go by water, by the brace of St. George, and by the +sea where St. Nicholas lieth, and toward many other places - first men +go to an isle that is clept Sylo. In that isle groweth mastick +on small trees, and out of them cometh gum as it were of plum-trees +or of cherry-trees.</p> +<p>And after go men through the isle of Patmos; and there wrote St. +John the Evangelist the Apocalypse. And ye shall understand, that +St. John was of age thirty-two year, when our Lord suffered his passion; +and after his passion, he lived sixty-seven year, and in the hundredth +year of his age he died.</p> +<p>From Patmos men go unto Ephesus, a fair city and nigh to the sea. +And there died St. John, and was buried behind the high altar in a tomb. +And there is a fair church; for Christian men were wont to holden that +place always. And in the tomb of St. John is nought but manna, +that is clept angels’ meat; for his body was translated into Paradise. +And Turks hold now all that place, and the city and the church; and +all Asia the less is y-clept Turkey. And ye shall understand, +that St. John let make his grave there in his life, and laid himself +therein all quick; and therefore some men say, that he died not, but +that he resteth there till the day of doom. And, forsooth, there +is a great marvel; for men may see there the earth of the tomb apertly +many times stir and move, as there were quick things under.</p> +<p>And from Ephesus men go through many isles in the sea, unto the city +of Patera, where St. Nicholas was born, and so to Martha, where he was +chosen to be bishop; and there groweth right good wine and strong, and +that men call wine of Martha. And from thence go men to the isle +of Crete, that the emperor gave sometime to [the] Genoese.</p> +<p>And then pass men through the isles of Colcos and of Lango, of the +which isles Ypocras was lord of. And some men say, that in the +isle of Lango is yet the daughter of Ypocras, in form and likeness of +a great dragon, that is a hundred fathom of length, as men say, for +I have not seen her. And they of the isles call her Lady of the +Land. And she lieth in an old castle, in a cave, and sheweth twice +or thrice in the year, and she doth no harm to no man, but if men do +her harm. And she was thus changed and transformed, from a fair +damosel, into likeness of a dragon, by a goddess that was clept Diana. +And men say, that she shall so endure in that form of a dragon, unto +[the] time that a knight come, that is so hardy, that dare come to her +and kiss her on the mouth; and then shall she turn again to her own +kind, and be a woman again, but after that she shall not live long.</p> +<p>And it is not long sithen, that a knight of Rhodes, that was hardy +and doughty in arms, said that he would kiss her. And when he +was upon his courser, and went to the castle, and entered into the cave, +the dragon lift up her head against him. And when the knight saw +her in that form so hideous and so horrible he fled away. And +the dragon bare the knight upon a rock, maugre his head; and from that +rock, she cast him into the sea. And so was lost both horse and +man.</p> +<p>And also a young man, that wist not of the dragon, went out of a +ship, and went through the isle till that he came to the castle, and +came into the cave, and went so long, till that he found a chamber; +and there he saw a damosel that combed her head and looked in a mirror; +and she had much treasure about her. And he trowed that she had +been a common woman, that dwelled there to receive men to folly. +And he abode, till the damosel saw the shadow of him in the mirror. +And she turned her toward him, and asked him what he would? And +he said, he would be her leman or paramour. And she asked him, +if that he were a knight? And he said, nay. And then she +said, that he might not be her leman; but she bade him go again unto +his fellows, and make him knight, and come again upon the morrow, and +she should come out of the cave before him, and then come and kiss her +on the mouth and have no dread, - for I shall do thee no manner of harm, +albeit that thou see me in likeness of a dragon; for though thou see +me hideous and horrible to look on, I do thee to wit that it is made +by enchantment; for without doubt, I am none other than thou seest now, +a woman, and therefore dread thee nought. And if thou kiss me, +thou shalt have all this treasure, and be my lord, and lord also of +all the isle.</p> +<p>And he departed from her and went to his fellows to ship, and let +make him knight and came again upon the morrow for to kiss this damosel. +And when he saw her come out of the cave in form of a dragon, so hideous +and so horrible, he had so great dread, that he fled again to the ship, +and she followed him. And when she saw that he turned not again, +she began to cry, as a thing that had much sorrow; and then she turned +again into her cave. And anon the knight died. And sithen +hitherward might no knight see her, but that he died anon. But +when a knight cometh, that is so hardy to kiss her, he shall not die; +but he shall turn the damosel into her right form and kindly shape, +and he shall be lord of all the countries and isles abovesaid.</p> +<p>And from thence men come to the isle of Rhodes, the which isle Hospitallers +holden and govern; and that took they some-time from the emperor. +And it was wont to be clept Collos; and so call it the Turks yet. +And Saint Paul in his epistle writeth to them of that isle <i>ad</i> +<i>Colossenses</i>. This isle is nigh eight hundred mile long +from Constantinople.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>[Of diversities in Cyprus; of the Road from Cyprus to Jerusalem, +and of the Marvel of a Fosse full of Sand]</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>And from this isle of Rhodes men go to Cyprus, where be many vines, +that first be red and after one year they become white; and those wines +that be most white, be most clear and best of smell.</p> +<p>And men pass by that way, by a place that was wont to be a great +city, and a great land; and the city was clept Cathailye, the which +city and land was lost through folly of a young man. For he had +a fair damosel, that he loved well to his paramour; and she died suddenly, +and was done in a tomb of marble. And for the great lust that +he had to her, he went in the night unto her tomb and opened it, and +went in and lay by her, and went his way. And when it came to +the end of nine months, there came a voice to him and said, Go to the +tomb of that woman, and open it and behold what thou hast begotten on +her; and if thou let to go, thou shalt have a great harm. And +he yede and opened the tomb, and there flew out an adder right hideous +to see; the which as swithe flew about the city and the country, and +soon after the city sank down. And there be many perilous passages +without fail.</p> +<p>From Rhodes to Cyprus be five hundred mile and more. But men +may go to Cyprus, and come not at Rhodes. Cyprus is right a good +isle, and a fair and a great, and it hath four principal cities within +him. And there is an Archbishop at Nicosea, and four other bishops +in that land. And at Famagost is one of the principal havens of +the sea that is in the world; and there arrive Christian men and Saracens +and men of all nations. In Cyprus is the Hill of the Holy Cross; +and there is an abbey of monks black and there is the cross of Dismas +the good thief, as I have said before. And some men trow, that +there is half the cross of our Lord; but it is not so, and they do evil +that make men to believe so.</p> +<p>In Cyprus lieth Saint Zenonimus, of whom men of that country make +great solemnity. And in the castle of Amours lieth the body of +Saint-Hilarion, and men keep it right worshipfully. And beside +Famagost was Saint Barnabas the apostle born.</p> +<p>In Cyprus men hunt with papyonns, that be like leopards, and they +take wild beasts right well, and they be somewhat more than lions; and +they take more sharply the beasts, and more deliver than do hounds.</p> +<p>In Cyprus is the manner of lords and all other men all to eat on +the earth. For they make ditches in the earth all about in the +hall, deep to the knee, and they do pave them; and when they will eat, +they go therein and sit there. And the skill is for they may be +the more fresh; for that land is much more hotter than it is here. +And at great feasts, and for strangers, they set forms and tables, as +men do in this country, but they had lever sit in the earth.</p> +<p>From Cyprus, men go to the land of Jerusalem by the sea: and in a +day and in a night, he that hath good wind may come to the haven of +Tyre, that is now clept Surrye. There was some-time a great city +and a good of Christian men, but Saracens have destroyed it a great +part; and they keep that haven right well, for dread of Christian men. +Men might go more right to that haven, and come not in Cyprus, but they +go gladly to Cyprus to rest them on the land, or else to buy things, +that they have need to their living. On the sea-side men may find +many rubies. And there is the well of the which holy writ speaketh +of, and saith, <i>Fons ortorum, et puteus aquarum viventium</i>: that +is to say, ‘the well of gardens, and the ditch of living waters.’</p> +<p>In this city of Tyre, said the woman to our Lord, <i>Beatus venter +qui te portavit, et ubera que succisti</i>: that is to say, ‘Blessed +be the body that thee bare, and the paps that thou suckedst.’ +And there our Lord forgave the woman of Canaan her sins. And before +Tyre was wont to be the stone, on the which our Lord sat and preached, +and on that stone was founded the Church of Saint Saviour.</p> +<p>And eight mile from Tyre, toward the east, upon the sea, is the city +of Sarphen, in Sarepta of Sidonians. And there was wont for to +dwell Elijah the prophet; and there raised he Jonas, the widow’s +son, from death to life. And five mile from Sarphen is the city +of Sidon; of the which city, Dido was lady, that was Aeneas’ wife, +after the destruction of Troy, and that founded the city of Carthage +in Africa, and now is clept Sidonsayete. And in the city of Tyre, +reigned Agenor, the father of Dido. And sixteen mile from Sidon +is Beirout. And from Beirout to Sardenare is three journeys and +from Sardenare is five mile to Damascus.</p> +<p>And whoso will go long time on the sea, and come nearer to Jerusalem, +he shall go from Cyprus by sea to Port Jaffa. For that is the +next haven to Jerusalem; for from that haven is not but one day journey +and a half to Jerusalem. And the town is called Jaffa; for one +of the sons of Noah that hight Japhet founded it, and now it is clept +Joppa. And ye shall understand, that it is one of the oldest towns +of the world, for it was founded before Noah’s flood. And +yet there sheweth in the rock, there as the iron chains were fastened, +that Andromeda, a great giant, was bounden with, and put in prison before +Noah’s flood, of the which giant, is a rib of his side that is +forty foot long.</p> +<p>And whoso will arrive at the port of Tyre or of Surrye, that I have +spoken of before, may go by land, if he will, to Jerusalem. And +men go from Surrye unto the city of Akon in a day. And it was +clept some-time Ptolemaïs. And it was some-time a city of +Christian men, full fair, but it is now destroyed; and it stands upon +the sea. And from Venice to Akon, by sea, is two thousand and +four score miles of Lombardy; and from Calabria, or from Sicily to Akon, +by sea, is a 1300 miles of Lombardy; and the isle of Crete is right +in the midway.</p> +<p>And beside the city of Akon, toward the sea, six score furlongs on +the right side, toward the south, is the Hill of Carmel, where Elijah +the prophet dwelled, and there was first the Order of Friars Carmelites +founded. This hill is not right great, nor full high. And +at the foot of this hill was some-time a good city of Christian men, +that men clept Caiffa, for Caiaphas first founded it; but it is now +all wasted. And on the left side of the Hill of Carmel is a town, +that men clepe Saffre, and that is set on another hill. There +Saint James and Saint John were born; and, in worship of them there +is a fair church. And from Ptolemaïs, that men clepe now +Akon, unto a great hill, that is clept Scale of Tyre, is one hundred +furlongs. And beside the city of Akon runneth a little river, +that is clept Belon.</p> +<p>And there nigh is the Foss of Mennon that is all round; and it is +one hundred cubits of largeness, and it is all full of gravel, shining +bright, of the which men make fair verres and clear. And men come +from far, by water in ships, and by land with carts, for to fetch of +that gravel. And though there be never so much taken away thereof +in the day, at morrow it is as full again as ever it was; and that is +a great marvel. And there is evermore great wind in that foss, +that stirreth evermore the gravel, and maketh it trouble. And +if any man do therein any manner metal, it turneth anon to glass. +And the glass, that is made of that gravel, if it be done again into +the gravel, it turneth anon into gravel as it was first. And therefore +some men say, that it is a swallow of the gravelly sea.</p> +<p>Also from Akon, above-said, go men forth four journeys to the city +of Palestine, that was of the Philistines, that now is clept Gaza, that +is a gay city and a rich; and it is right fair and full of folk, and +it is a little from the sea. And from this city brought Samson +the strong the gates upon an high land, when he was taken in that city, +and there he slew in a palace the king and himself, and great number +of the best of the Philistines, the which had put out his eyen and shaved +his head, and imprisoned him by treason of Dalida his paramour. +And therefore he made fall upon them a great hall, when they were at +meat.</p> +<p>And from thence go men to the city of Cesarea, and so to the Castle +of Pilgrims, and so to Ascalon; and then to Jaffa, and so to Jerusalem.</p> +<p>And whoso will go by land through the land of Babylon, where the +soldan dwelleth commonly, he must get grace of him and leave to go more +siker through those lands and countries.</p> +<p>And for to go to the Mount of Sinai, before that men go to Jerusalem, +they shall go from Gaza to the Castle of Daire. And after that, +men come out of Syria, and enter into wilderness, and there the way +is full sandy; and that wilderness and desert lasteth eight journeys, +but always men find good inns, and all that they need of victuals. +And men clepe that wilderness Achelleke. And when a man cometh +out of that desert, he entereth into Egypt, that men clepe Egypt-Canopac, +and after other language, men clepe it Morsyn. And there first +men find a good town, that is clept Belethe; and it is at the end of +the kingdom of Aleppo. And from thence men go to Babylon and to +Cairo.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of many Names of Soldans, and of the Tower of Babylon</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>At Babylon there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled +seven year, when she fled out of the land of Judea for dread of King +Herod. And there lieth the body of Saint Barbara the virgin and +martyr. And there dwelled Joseph, when he was sold of his brethren. +And there made Nebuchadnezzar the king put three children into the furnace +of fire, for they were in the right truth of belief, the which children +men clept Anania, Azariah, Mishael, as the Psalm of <i>Benedicite</i> +saith: but Nebuchadnezzar clept them otherwise, Shadrach, Meshach, and +Abednego, that is to say, God glorious, God victorious, and God over +all things and realms: and that was for the miracle, that he saw God’s +Son go with the children through the fire, as he said.</p> +<p>There dwelleth the soldan in his Calahelyke (for there is commonly +his seat) in a fair castle, strong and great, and well set upon a rock. +In that castle dwell alway, to keep it and to serve the soldan, more +then 6000 persons, that take all their necessaries off the soldan’s +court. I ought right well to know it; for I dwelled with him as +soldier in his wars a great while against the Bedouins. And he +would have married me full highly to a great prince’s daughter, +if I would have forsaken my law and my belief; but I thank God, I had +no will to do it, for nothing that he behight me.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that the soldan is lord of five kingdoms, +that he hath conquered and appropred to him by strength. And these +be the names: the kingdom of Canapac, that is Egypt; and the kingdom +of Jerusalem, where that David and Solomon were kings; and the kingdom +of Syria, of the which the city of Damascus was chief; and the kingdom +of Aleppo in the land of Mathe; and the kingdom Arabia, that was to +one of the three kings, that made offering to our Lord, when he was +born. And many other lands he holdeth in his hand. And therewithal +he holdeth caliphs, that is a full great thing in their language, and +it is as much to say as king.</p> +<p>And there were wont to be five soldans; but now there is no more +but he of Egypt. And the first soldan was Zarocon, that was of +Media, as was father to Saladin that took the Caliph of Egypt and slew +him, and was made soldan by strength. After that was Soldan Saladin, +in whose time the King of England, Richard the First, with many other, +kept the passage, that Saladin ne might not pass. After Saladin +reigned his son Boradin, and after him his nephew. After that, +the Comanians that were in servage in Egypt, felt themselves that they +were of great power, they chose them a soldan amongst them, the which +made him to be clept Melechsalan. And in his time entered into +the country of the kings of France Saint Louis, and fought with him; +and [the soldan] took him and imprisoned him; and this [soldan] was +slain by his own servants. And after, they chose another to be +soldan, that they clept Tympieman; and he let deliver Saint Louis out +of prison for a certain ransom. And after, one of these Comanians +reigned, that hight Cachas, and slew Tympieman, for to be soldan; and +made him be clept Melechmenes. And after another that had to name +Bendochdare, that slew Melechmenes, for to be sultan, and clept himself +Melechdare. In his time entered the good King Edward of England +into Syria, and did great harm to the Saracens. And after, was +this soldan empoisoned at Damascus, and his son thought to reign after +him by heritage, and made him to be clept Melechsache; but another that +had to name Elphy, chased him out of the country and made him soldan. +This man took the city of Tripoli and destroyed many of the Christian +men, the year of grace 1289, and after was he imprisoned of another +that would be soldan, but he was anon slain. After that was the +son of Elphy chosen to be soldan, and clept him Melechasseraff, and +he took the city of Akon and chased out the Christian men; and this +was also empoisoned, and then was his brother made soldan, and was clept +Melechnasser. And after, one that was clept Guytoga took him and +put him in prison in the castle of Mountroyal, and made him soldan by +strength, and clept him Melechadel; and he was of Tartary. But +the Comanians chased him out of the country, and did him much sorrow, +and made one of themself soldan, that had to name Lachin. And +he made him to be clept Melechmanser, the which on a day played at the +chess, and his sword lay beside him; and so befell, that one wrathed +him, and with his own proper sword he was slain. And after that, +they were at great discord, for to make a soldan; and finally they accorded +to Melechnasser, that Guytoga had put in prison at Mountroyal. +And this reigned long and governed so that his eldest son was chosen +after him, Melechmader, the which his brother let slay privily for to +have the lordship, and made him to be clept Melechmadabron, and he soldan +when I departed from those countries.</p> +<p>And wit ye well that the soldan may lead out of Egypt more than 20,000 +men of arms, and out of Syria, and out of Turkey and out of other countries +that he holds, he may arrere more than 50,000. And all those be +at his wages, and they be always at him, without the folk of his country, +that is without number. And every each of them hath by year the +mountance of six score florins; but it behoveth, that every of them +hold three horses and a camel. And by the cities and by towns +be admirals, that have the governance of the people; one hath to govern +four, and another hath to govern five, another more, and another well +more. And as many taketh the admiral by him alone, as all the +other soldiers have under him; and therefore, when the soldan will advance +any worthy knight, he maketh him an admiral. And when it is any +dearth, the knights be right poor, and then they sell both their horse +and their harness.</p> +<p>And the soldan hath four wives, one Christian and three Saracens, +of the which one dwelleth at Jerusalem, and another at Damascus, and +another at Ascalon; and when them list, they remove to other cities, +and when the soldan will he may go to visit them. And he hath +as many paramours as him liketh. For he maketh to come before +him the fairest and the noblest of birth, and the gentlest damosels +of his country, and he maketh them to be kept and served full honourably. +And when he will have one to lie with him, he maketh them all to come +before him, and he beholdeth in all, which of them is most to his pleasure, +and to her anon he sendeth or casteth a ring from his finger. +And then anon she shall be bathed and richly attired, and anointed with +delicate things of sweet smell, and then led to the soldan’s chamber; +and thus he doth as often as him list, when he will have any of them.</p> +<p>And before the soldan cometh no stranger, but if he be clothed in +cloth of gold, or of Tartary or of Camaka, in the Saracens’ guise, +and as the Saracens use. And it behoveth, that anon at the first +sight that men see the soldan, be it in window or in what place else, +that men kneel to him and kiss the earth, for that is the manner to +do reverence to the soldan of them that speak with him. And when +that messengers of strange countries come before him, the meinie of +the soldan, when the strangers speak to him, they be about the soldan +with swords drawn and gisarmes and axes, their arms lifted up in high +with those weapons for to smite upon them, if they say any word that +is displeasance to the soldan. And also, no stranger cometh before +him, but that he maketh him some promise and grant of that the [stranger] +asketh reasonably; by so it be not against his law. And so do +other princes beyond, for they say that no man shall come before no +prince, but that [he be] better, and shall be more gladder in departing +from his presence than he was at the coming before him.</p> +<p>And understandeth, that that Babylon that I have spoken of, where +that the sultan dwelleth, is not that great Babylon where the diversity +of languages was first made for vengeance by the miracle of God, when +the great Tower of Babel was begun to be made; of the which the walls +were sixty-four furlongs of height; that is in the great desert of Arabia, +upon the way as men go toward the kingdom of Chaldea. But it is +full long since that any man durst nigh to the tower; for it is all +desert and full of dragons and great serpents, and full of diverse venomous +beasts all about. That tower, with the city, was of twenty-five +mile in circuit of the walls, as they of the country say, and as men +may deem by estimation, after that men tell of the country.</p> +<p>And though it be clept the Tower of Babylon, yet nevertheless, there +were ordained within many mansions and many great dwelling-places, in +length and breadth. And that tower contained great country in +circuit, for the tower alone contained ten mile square. That tower +founded King Nimrod that was king of that country; and he was the first +king of the world. And he let make an image in the likeness of +his father, and constrained all his subjects for to worship it; and +anon began other lords to do the same, and so began the idols and the +simulacres first.</p> +<p>The town and the city were full well set in a fair country and a +plain that men clepe the country of Samar, of the which the walls of +the city were two hundred cubits in height, and fifty cubits of deepness; +and the river of Euphrates ran throughout the city and about the tower +also. But Cyrus the King of Persia took from them the river, and +destroyed all the city and the tower also; for he departed that river +in 360 small rivers, because that he had sworn, that he should put the +river in such point, that a woman might well pass there, without casting +off of her clothes, forasmuch as he had lost many worthy men that trowed +to pass that river by swimming.</p> +<p>And from Babylon where the soldan dwelleth, to go right between the +Orient and the Septentrion toward the great Babylon, is forty journeys +to pass by desert. But it is not the great Babylon in the land +and in the power of the said soldan, but it is in the power and the +lordship of Persia, but he holdeth it of the great Chan, that is the +greatest emperor and the most sovereign lord of all the parts beyond, +and he is lord of the isles of Cathay and of many other isles and of +a great part of Ind, and his land marcheth unto Prester John’s +Land, and he holdeth so much land, that he knoweth not the end: and +he is more mighty and greater lord without comparison than is the soldan: +of his royal estate and of his might I shall speak more plenerly, when +I shall speak of the land and of the country of Ind.</p> +<p>Also the city of Mecca where Mohammet lieth is of the great deserts +of Arabia; and there lieth [the] body of him full honourably in their +temple, that the Saracens clepen Musketh. And it is from Babylon +the less, where the soldan dwelleth, unto Mecca above-said, into a thirty-two +journeys.</p> +<p>And wit well, that the realm of Arabia is a full great country, but +therein is over-much desert. And no man may dwell there in that +desert for default of water, for that land is all gravelly and full +of sand. And it is dry and no thing fruitful, because that it +hath no moisture; and therefore is there so much desert. And if +it had rivers and wells, and the land also were as it is in other parts, +it should be as full of people and as full inhabited with folk as in +other places; for there is full great multitude of people, whereas the +land is inhabited. Arabia dureth from the ends of the realm of +Chaldea unto the last end of Africa, and marcheth to the land of Idumea +toward the end of Botron. And in Chaldea the chief city is Bagdad. +And of Africa the chief city is Carthage, that Dido, that was Eneas’s +wife, founded; the which Eneas was of the city of Troy, and after was +King of Italy.</p> +<p>Mesopotamia stretcheth also unto the deserts of Arabia, and it is +a great country. In this country is the city of Haran, where Abraham’s +father dwelled, and from whence Abraham departed by commandment of the +angel. And of that city was Ephraim, that was a great clerk and +a great doctor. And Theophilus was of that city also, that our +lady saved from our enemy. And Mesopotamia dureth from the river +of Euphrates, unto the river of Tigris, for it is between those two +rivers.</p> +<p>And beyond the river of Tigris is Chaldea, that is a full great kingdom. +In that realm, at Bagdad above-said, was wont to dwell the caliph, that +was wont to be both as Emperor and Pope of the Arabians, so that he +was lord spiritual and temporal; and he was successor to Mahommet, and +of his generation. That city of Bagdad was wont to be clept Sutis, +and Nebuchadnezzar founded it; and there dwelled the holy prophet Daniel, +and there he saw visions of heaven, and there he made the exposition +of dreams.</p> +<p>And in old time there were wont to be three caliphs, he of Arabia +and of Chaldea dwelt in the city of Bagdad above-said; and at Cairo +beside Babylon dwelt the Caliph of Egypt; and at Morocco, upon the West +Sea, dwelt the Caliph of the people of Barbary and of Africans. +And now is there none of the caliphs, nor nought have been since the +time of the Soldan Saladin; for from that time hither the soldan clepeth +himself caliph, and so have the caliphs lost their name.</p> +<p>Also witeth well, that Babylon the less, where the soldan dwelleth, +and at the city of Cairo that is nigh beside it, be great huge cities +many and fair; and that one sitteth nigh that other. Babylon sitteth +upon the river of Gyson, sometimes clept Nile, that cometh out of Paradise +terrestrial.</p> +<p>That river of Nile, all the year, when the sun entereth into the +sign of Cancer, it beginneth to wax, and it waxeth always as long as +the sun is in Cancer and in the sign of the Lion; and it waxeth in such +manner, that it is sometimes so great, that it is twenty cubits or more +of deepness, and then it doth great harm to the goods that be upon the +land. For then may no man travail to plough the lands for the +great moisture, and therefore is there dear time in that country. +And also, when it waxeth little, it is dear time in that country, for +default of moisture. And when the sun is in the sign of Virgo, +then beginneth the river for to wane and to decrease little and little, +so that when the sun is entered into the sign of Libra, then they enter +between these rivers. This river cometh, running from Paradise +terrestrial, between the deserts of Ind, and after it smiteth unto land, +and runneth long time many great countries under earth. And after +it goeth out under an high hill, that men clepe Alothe, that is between +Ind and Ethiopia the mountance of five months’ journeys from the +entry of Ethiopia; and after it environeth all Ethiopia and Mauritania, +and goeth all along from the land of Egypt unto the city of Alexandria +to the end of Egypt, and there it falleth into the sea. About +this river be many birds and fowls, as sikonies, that they clepen ibes.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Country of Egypt; of the Bird Phoenix of Arabia; of the +City of Cairo; of the Cunning to know Balm and to prove it; and of the +Garners of Joseph</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Egypt is a long country, but it is straight, that is to say narrow, +for they may not enlarge it toward the desert for default of water. +And the country is set along upon the river of Nile, by as much as that +river may serve by floods or otherwise, that when it floweth it may +spread abroad through the country; so is the country large of length. +For there it raineth not but little in that country, and for that cause +they have no water, but if it be of that flood of that river. +And forasmuch as it ne raineth not in that country, but the air is alway +pure and clear, therefore in that country be the good astronomers, for +they find there no clouds to letten them. Also the city of Cairo +is right great and more huge than that of Babylon the less, and it sitteth +above toward the desert of Syria, a little above the river above-said.</p> +<p>In Egypt there be two parts: the height, that is toward Ethiopia, +and the lower, that is toward Arabia. In Egypt is the land of +Rameses and the land of Goshen. Egypt is a strong country, for +it hath many shrewd havens because of the great rocks that be strong +and dangerous to pass by. And at Egypt, toward the east, is the +Red Sea, that dureth unto the city of Coston; and toward the west is +the country of Lybia, that is a full dry land and little of fruit, for +it is overmuch plenty of heat, and that land is clept Fusthe. +And toward the part meridional is Ethiopia. And toward the north +is the desert, that dureth unto Syria, and so is the country strong +on all sides. And it is well a fifteen journeys of length, and +more than two so much of desert, and it is but two journeys in largeness. +And between Egypt and Nubia it hath well a twelve journeys of desert. +And men of Nubia be Christian, but they be black as the Moors for great +heat of the sun.</p> +<p>In Egypt there be five provinces: that one is Sahythe; that other +Demeseer; another Resith, that is an isle in the Nile; another Alexandria; +and another the land of Damietta. That city was wont to be right +strong, but it was twice won of the Christian men, and therefore after +that the Saracens beat down the walls; and with the walls the tower +thereof, the Saracens made another city more far from the sea, and clept +it the new Damietta; so that now no man dwelleth at the rather town +of Damietta. At that city of Damietta is one of the havens of +Egypt; and at Alexandria is that other. That is a full strong +city, but there is no water to drink, but if it come by conduit from +Nile, that entereth into their cisterns; and whoso stopped that water +from them, they might not endure there. In Egypt there be but +few forcelets or castles, because that the country is so strong of himself.</p> +<p>At the deserts of Egypt was a worthy man, that was an holy hermit, +and there met with him a monster (that is to say, a monster is a thing +deformed against kind both of man or of beast or of anything else, and +that is clept a monster). And this monster, that met with this +holy hermit, was as it had been a man, that had two horns trenchant +on his forehead; and he had a body like a man unto the navel, and beneath +he had the body like a goat. And the hermit asked him what he +was. And the monster answered him, and said he was a deadly creature, +such as God had formed, and dwelt in those deserts in purchasing his +sustenance. And [he] besought the hermit, that he would pray God +for him, the which that came from heaven for to save all mankind, and +was born of a maiden and suffered passion and death (as we well know) +and by whom we live and be. And yet is the head with the two horns +of that monster at Alexandria for a marvel.</p> +<p>In Egypt is the city of Heliopolis, that is to say, the city of the +Sun. In that city there is a temple, made round after the shape +of the Temple of Jerusalem. The priests of that temple have all +their writings, under the date of the fowl that is clept phoenix; and +there is none but one in all the world. And he cometh to burn +himself upon the altar of that temple at the end of five hundred year; +for so long he liveth. And at the five hundred years’ end, +the priests array their altar honestly, and put thereupon spices and +sulphur vif and other things that will burn lightly; and then the bird +phoenix cometh and burneth himself to ashes. And the first day +next after, men find in the ashes a worm; and the second day next after, +men find a bird quick and perfect; and the third day next after, he +flieth his way. And so there is no more birds of that kind in +all the world, but it alone, and truly that is a great miracle of God. +And men may well liken that bird unto God, because that there ne is +no God but one; and also, that our Lord arose from death to life the +third day. This bird men see often-time fly in those countries; +and he is not mickle more than an eagle. And he hath a crest of +feathers upon his head more great than the peacock hath; and is neck +his yellow after colour of an oriel that is a stone well shining, and +his beak is coloured blue as ind; and his wings be of purple colour, +and his tail is barred overthwart with green and yellow and red. +And he is a full fair bird to look upon, against the sun, for he shineth +full gloriously and nobly.</p> +<p>Also in Egypt be gardens, that have trees and herbs, the which bear +fruits seven times in the year. And in that land men find many +fair emeralds and enough; and therefore they be greater cheap. +Also when it raineth once in the summer in the land of Egypt, then is +all the country full of great mires. Also at Cairo, that I spake +of before, sell men commonly both men and women of other laws as we +do here beasts in the market. And there is a common house in that +city that is all full of small furnaces, and thither bring women of +the town their eyren of hens, of geese, and or ducks for to be put into +those furnaces. And they that keep that house cover them with +heat of horse dung, without hen, goose or duck or any other fowl. +And at the end of three weeks or of a month they come again and take +their chickens and flourish them and bring them forth, so that all the +country is full of them. And so men do there both winter and summer.</p> +<p>Also in that country and in others also, men find long apples to +sell, in their season, and men clepe them apples of Paradise; and they +be right sweet and of good savour. And though ye cut them in never +so many gobbets or parts, overthwart or endlong, evermore ye shall find +in the midst the figure of the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesu. But +they will rot within eight days, and for that cause men may not carry +of those apples to no far countries; of them men find the mountance +of a hundred in a basket, and they have great leaves of a foot and a +half of length, and they be convenably large. And men find there +also the apple tree of Adam, that have a bite at one of the sides; and +there be also fig trees that bear no leaves, but figs upon the small +branches; and men clepe them figs of Pharaoh.</p> +<p>Also beside Cairo, without that city, is the field where balm groweth; +and it cometh out on small trees, that be none higher than to a man’s +breeks’ girdle, and they seem as wood that is of the wild vine. +And in that field be seven wells, that our Lord Jesu Christ made with +one of his feet, when he went to play with other children. That +field is not so well closed, but that men may enter at their own list; +but in that season that the balm is growing, men put thereto good keeping, +that no man dare be hardy to enter.</p> +<p>This balm groweth in no place, but only there. And though that +men bring of the plants, for to plant in other countries, they grow +well and fair; but they bring forth no fructuous thing, and the leaves +of balm fall not. And men cut the branches with a sharp flintstone, +or with a sharp bone, when men will go to cut them; for whoso cut them +with iron, it would destroy his virtue and his nature.</p> +<p>And the Saracens crepe the wood <i>Enonch-balse</i>, and the fruit, +the which is as cubebs, they clepe <i>Abebissam</i>, and the liquor +that droppeth from the branches they clepe <i>Guybalse</i>. And +men make always that balm to be tilled of the Christian men, or else +it would not fructify; as the Saracens say themselves, for it hath been +often-time proved. Men say also, that the balm groweth in Ind +the more, in that desert where Alexander spake to the trees of the sun +and of the moon, but I have not seen it; for I have not been so far +above upward, because that there be too many perilous passages.</p> +<p>And wit ye well, that a man ought to take good keep for to buy balm, +but if he con know it right well, for he may right lightly be deceived. +For men sell a gum, that men clepe turpentine, instead of balm, and +they put thereto a little balm for to give good odour. And some +put wax in oil of the wood of the fruit of balm, and say that it is +balm. And some distil cloves of gilofre and of spikenard of Spain +and of other spices, that be well smelling; and the liquor that goeth +out thereof they clepe it balm, and they think that they have balm, +and they have none. For the Saracens counterfeit it by subtlety +of craft for to deceive the Christian men, as I have seen full many +a time; and after them the merchants and the apothecaries counterfeit +it eft sones, and then it is less worth, and a great deal worse.</p> +<p>But if it like you, I shall shew how ye shall know and prove, to +the end that ye shall not be deceived. First ye shall well know, +that the natural balm is full clear, and of citron colour and strongly +smelling; and if it be thick, or red or black, it is sophisticate, that +is to say, counterfeited and made like it for deceit. And understand, +that if ye will put a little balm in the palm of your hand against the +sun, if it be fine and good, ye ne shall not suffer your hand against +the heat of the sun. Also take a little balm with the point of +a knife, and touch it to the fire, and if it burn it is a good sign. +After take also a drop of balm, and put it into a dish, or in a cup +with milk of a goat, and if it be natural balm anon it will take and +beclippe the milk. Or put a drop of balm in clear water in a cup +of silver or in a clear basin, stir it well with the clear water; and +if the balm be fine and of his own kind, the water shall never trouble; +and if the balm be sophisticate, that is to say counterfeited, the water +shall become anon trouble; and also if the balm be fine it shall fall +to the bottom of the vessel, as though it were quicksilver, for the +fine balm is more heavy twice than is the balm that is sophisticate +and counterfeited. Now I have spoken of balm.</p> +<p>And now also I shall speak of another thing that is beyond Babylon, +above the flood of the Nile, toward the desert between Africa and Egypt; +that is to say, of the garners of Joseph, that he let make for to keep +the grains for the peril of the dear years. And they be made of +stone, full well made of masons' craft; of the which two be marvellously +great and high, and the tother ne be not so great. And every garner +hath a gate for to enter within, a little high from the earth; for the +land is wasted and fallen since the garners were made. And within +they be all full of serpents. And above the garners without be +many scriptures of diverse languages. And some men say, that they +be sepultures of great lords, that were sometime, but that is not true, +for all the common rumour and speech is of all the people there, both +far and near, that they be the garners of Joseph; and so find they in +their scriptures, and in their chronicles. On the other part, +if they were sepultures, they should not be void within, ne they should +have no gates for to enter within; for ye may well know, that tombs +and sepultures be not made of such greatness, nor of such highness; +wherefore it is not to believe, that they be tombs or sepultures.</p> +<p>In Egypt also there be diverse languages and diverse letters, and +of other manner and condition than there be in other parts. As +I shall devise you, such as they be, and the names how they clepe them, +to such intent, that ye may know the difference of them and of others, +- Athoimis, Bimchi, Chinok, Duram, Eni, Fin, Gomor, Heket, Janny, Karacta, +Luzanin, Miche, Naryn, Oldach, Pilon, Qyn, Yron, Sichen, Thola, Urmron, +Yph and Zarm, Thoit.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Isle of Sicily; of the way from Babylon to the Mount Sinai; +of the Church of Saint Katherine and of all the marvels there</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now will I return again, ere I proceed any further, for to declare +to you the other ways, that draw toward Babylon, where the sultan himself +dwelleth, that is at the entry of Egypt; for as much as many folk go +thither first and after that to the Mount Sinai, and after return to +Jerusalem, as I have said you here before. For they fulfil first +the more long pilgrimage, and after return again by the next ways, because +that the more nigh way is the more worthy, and that is Jerusalem; for +no other pilgrimage is not like in comparison to it. But for to +fulfil their pilgrimages more easily and more sikerly, men go first +the longer way rather than the nearer way.</p> +<p>But whoso will go to Babylon by another way, more short from the +countries of the west that I have rehearsed before, or from other countries +next to them - then men go by France, by Burgundy and by Lombardy. +It needeth not to tell you the names of the cities, nor of the towns +that be in that way, for the way is common, and it is known of many +nations. And there be many havens [where] men take the sea. +Some men take the sea at Genoa, some at Venice, and pass by the sea +Adriatic, that is clept the Gulf of Venice, that departeth Italy and +Greece on that side; and some go to Naples, some to Rome, and from Rome +to Brindisi and there they take the sea, and in many other places where +that havens be. And men go by Tuscany, by Campania, by Calabria, +by Apulia, and by the hills of Italy, by Corsica, by Sardinia, and by +Sicily, that is a great isle and a good.</p> +<p>In that isle of Sicily there is a manner of a garden, in the which +be many diverse fruits; and the garden is always green and flourishing, +all the seasons of the year as well in winter as in summer. That +isle holds in compass about 350 French miles. And between Sicily +and Italy there is not but a little arm of the sea, that men clepe the +Farde of Messina. And Sicily is between the sea Adriatic and the +sea of Lombardy. And from Sicily into Calabria is but eight miles +of Lombardy.</p> +<p>And in Sicily there is a manner of serpent, by the which men assay +and prove, whether their children be bastards or no, or of lawful marriage: +for if they be born in right marriage, the serpents go about them, and +do them no harm, and if they be born in avoutry, the serpents bite them +and envenom them. And thus many wedded men prove if the children +be their own.</p> +<p>Also in that isle is the Mount Etna, that men clepe Mount Gybelle, +and the volcanoes that be evermore burning. And there be seven +places that burn and that cast out diverse flames and diverse colour: +and by the changing of those flames, men of that country know when it +shall be dearth or good time, or cold or hot or moist or dry, or in +all other manners how the time shall be governed. And from Italy +unto the volcanoes ne is but twenty-five mile. And men say, that +the volcanoes be ways of hell.</p> +<p>And whoso goeth by Pisa, if that men list to go that way, there is +an arm of the sea, where that men go to other havens in those marches. +And then men pass by the isle of Greaf that is at Genoa. And after +arrive men in Greece at the haven of the city of Myrok, or at the haven +of Valone, or at the city of Duras; and there is a Duke at Duras, or +at other havens in those marches; and so men go to Constantinople. +And after go men by water to the isle of Crete and to the isle of Rhodes, +and so to Cyprus, and so to Athens, and from thence to Constantinople. +To hold the more right way by sea, it is well a thousand eight hundred +and four score mile of Lombardy. And after from Cyprus men go +by sea, and leave Jerusalem and all the country on the left hand, unto +Egypt, and arrive at the city of Damietta, that was wont to be full +strong, and it sits at the entry of Egypt. And from Damietta go +men to the city of Alexandria, that sits also upon the sea. In +that city was Saint Catherine beheaded: and there was Saint Mark the +evangelist martyred and buried, but the Emperor Leo made his bones to +be brought to Venice.</p> +<p>And yet there is at Alexandria a fair church, all white without paintures; +and so be all the other churches that were of the Christian men, all +white within, for the Paynims and the Saracens made them white for to +fordo the images of saints that were painted on the walls. That +city of Alexandria is well thirty furlongs in length, but it is but +ten on largeness; and it is a full noble city and a fair. At that +city entereth the river of Nile into the sea, as I to you have said +before. In that river men find many precious stones, and much +also of lignum aloes; and it is a manner of wood, that cometh out of +Paradise terrestrial, the which is good for many diverse medicines, +and it is right dear-worth. And from Alexandria men go to Babylon, +where the sultan dwelleth; that sits also upon the river of Nile: and +this way is the most short, for to go straight unto Babylon.</p> +<p>Now shall I say you also the way, that goeth from Babylon to the +Mount of Sinai, where Saint Catherine lieth. He must pass by the +deserts of Arabia, by the which deserts Moses led the people of Israel. +And then pass men by the well that Moses made with his hand in the deserts, +when the people grucched; for they found nothing to drink. And +then pass men by the Well of Marah, of the which the water was first +bitter; but the children of Israel put therein a tree, and anon the +water was sweet and good for to drink. And then go men by desert +unto the vale of Elim, in the which vale be twelve wells; and there +be seventy-two trees of palm, that bear the dates the which Moses found +with the children of Israel. And from that valley is but a good +journey to the Mount of Sinai.</p> +<p>And whoso will go by another way from Babylon, then men go by the +Red Sea, that is an arm of the sea Ocean. And there passed Moses +with the children of Israel, over-thwart the sea all dry, when Pharaoh +the King of Egypt chased them. And that sea is well a six mile +of largeness in length; and in that sea was Pharaoh drowned and all +his host that he led. That sea is not more red than another sea; +but in some place thereof is the gravel red, and therefore men clepen +it the Red Sea. That sea runneth to the ends of Arabia and of +Palestine.</p> +<p>That sea lasteth more than a four journeys, and then go men by desert +unto the Vale of Elim, and from thence to the Mount of Sinai. +And ye may well understand, that by this desert no man may go on horseback, +because that there ne is neither meat for horse ne water to drink; and +for that cause men pass that desert with camels. For the camel +finds alway meat in trees and on bushes, that he feedeth him with: and +he may well fast from drink two days or three. And that may no +horse do.</p> +<p>And wit well that from Babylon to the Mount Sinai is well a twelve +good journeys, and some men make them more. And some men hasten +them and pain them, and therefore they make them less. And always +men find latiners to go with them in the countries, and further beyond, +into time that men con the language: and it behoveth men to bear victuals +with them, that shall dure them in those deserts, and other necessaries +for to live by.</p> +<p>And the Mount of Sinai is clept the Desert of Sin, that is for to +say, the bush burning; because there Moses saw our Lord God many times +in the form of fire burning upon that hill, and also in a bush burning, +and spake to him. And that was at the foot of the hill. +There is an abbey of monks, well builded and well closed with gates +of iron for dread of the wild beasts; and the monks be Arabians or men +of Greece. And there [is] a great convent, and all they be as +hermits, and they drink no wine, but if it be on principal feasts; and +they be full devout men, and live poorly and simply with joutes and +with dates, and they do great abstinence and penances.</p> +<p>There is the Church of Saint Catherine, in the which be many lamps +burning; for they have of oil of olives enough, both for to burn in +their lamps and to eat also. And that plenty have they by the +miracle of God; for the ravens and the crows and the choughs and other +fowls of the country assemble them there every year once, and fly thither +as in pilgrimage; and everych of them bringeth a branch of the bays +or of olive in their beaks instead of offering, and leave them there; +of the which the monks make great plenty of oil. And this is a +great marvel. And sith that fowls that have no kindly wit or reason +go thither to seek that glorious Virgin, well more ought men then to +seek her, and to worship her.</p> +<p>Also behind the altar of that church is the place where Moses saw +our Lord God in a burning bush. And when the monks enter into +that place, they do off both hosen and shoon or boots always, because +that our Lord said to Moses, Do off thy hosen and thy shoon, for the +place that thou standest on is land holy and blessed. And the +monks clepe that place Dozoleel, that is to say, the shadow of God. +And beside the high altar, three degrees of height is the fertre of +alabaster, where the bones of Saint Catherine lie. And the prelate +of the monks sheweth the relics to the pilgrims, and with an instrument +of silver he froteth the bones; and then there goeth out a little oil, +as though it were a manner sweating, that is neither like to oil ne +to balm, but it is full sweet of smell; and of that they give a little +to the pilgrims, for there goeth out but little quantity of the liquor. +And after that they shew the head of Saint Catherine, and the cloth +that she was wrapped in, that is yet all bloody; and in that same cloth +so wrapped, the angels bare her body to the Mount Sinai, and there they +buried her with it. And then they shew the bush, that burned and +wasted nought, in the which our Lord spake to Moses, and other relics +enough.</p> +<p>Also, when the prelate of the abbey is dead, I have understood, by +information, that his lamp quencheth. And when they choose another +prelate, if he be a good man and worthy to be prelate, his lamp shall +light with the grace of God without touching of any man. For everych +of them hath a lamp by himself, and by their lamps they know well when +any of them shall die. For when any shall die, the light beginneth +to change and to wax dim; and if he be chosen to be prelate, and is +not worthy, his lamp quencheth anon. And other men have told me, +that he that singeth the mass for the prelate that is dead - he shall +find upon the altar the name written of him that shall be prelate chosen. +And so upon a day, I asked of the monks, both one and other, how this +befell. But they would not tell me nothing, into the time that +I said that they should not hide the grace that God did them, but that +they should publish it to make the people have the more devotion, and +that they did sin to hide God’s miracle, as me seemed. For +the miracles that God hath done and yet doth every day, be the witness +of his might and of his marvels, as David saith in the Psalter: <i>Mirabilia +testimonia tua, Domine</i>, that is to say, ‘Lord thy marvels +be thy witness.’ And then they told me, both one and other, +how it befell full many a time, but more I might not have of them.</p> +<p>In that abbey ne entereth not no fly, ne toads ne newts, ne such +foul venomous beasts, ne lice ne fleas, by the miracle of God, and of +our Lady. For there were wont to be so many such manner of filths, +that the monks were in will to leave the place and the abbey, and were +from thence upon the mountain above to eschew that place; and our Lady +came to them and bade them turn again, and from thence forwards never +entered such filth in that place amongst them, ne never shall enter +hereafter. Also, before the gate is the well, where Moses smote +the stone, of the which the water came out plenteously.</p> +<p>From that abbey men go up the mountain of Moses, by many degrees. +And there men find first a church of our Lady, where that she met the +monks, when they fled away for the vermin above-said. And more +high upon that mountain is the chapel of Elijah the prophet; and that +place they clepe Horeb, whereof holy writ speaketh, <i>Et ambulavit +in fortitudine cibi illius usque, ad montem Oreb</i>; that is to say, +‘And he went in strength of that meat unto the hill of God, Horeb.’ +And there nigh is the vine that Saint John the Evangelist planted that +men clepe raisins of Staphis. And a little above is the chapel +of Moses, and the rock where Moses fled to for dread when he saw our +Lord face to face. And in that rock is printed the form of his +body, for he smote so strongly and so hard himself in that rock, that +all his body was dolven within through the miracle of God. And +there beside is the place where our Lord took to Moses the Ten Commandments +of the Law. And there is the cave under the rock where Moses dwelt, +when he fasted forty days and forty nights. But he died in the +Land of Promission, and no man knoweth where he was buried. And +from that mountain men pass a great valley for to go to another mountain, +where Saint Catherine was buried of the angels of the Lord. And +in that valley is a church of forty martyrs, and there sing the monks +of the abbey, often-time: and that valley is right cold. And after +men go up the mountain of Saint Catherine, that is more high than the +mount of Moses; and there, where Saint Catherine was buried, is neither +church nor chapel, nor other dwelling place, but there is an heap of +stones about the place, where body of her, was put of the angels. +There was wont to be a chapel, but it was cast down, and yet lie the +stones there. And albeit that the Collect of Saint Catherine says, +that it is the place where our Lord betaught the Ten Commandments to +Moses, and there, where the blessed Virgin Saint Catherine was buried, +that is to understand in one country, or in one place bearing one name; +for both that one and that other is clept the mount of Sinai. +But it is a great way from that one to that other, and a great deep +valley between them.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Desert between the Church of Saint Catherine and Jerusalem. +Of the Dry Tree; and how Roses came first into the World</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now, after that men have visited those holy places, then will they +turn toward Jerusalem. And then will they take leave of the monks, +and recommend themselves to their prayers. And then they give +the pilgrims of their victuals for to pass with the deserts toward Syria. +And those deserts dure well a thirteen journeys.</p> +<p>In that desert dwell many of Arabians, that men clepe Bedouins and +Ascopards, and they be folk full of all evil conditions. And they +have none houses, but tents, that they make of skins of beasts, as of +camels and of other beasts that they eat; and there beneath these they +couch them and dwell in place where they may find water, as on the Red +Sea or elsewhere: for in that desert is full great default of water, +and often-time it falleth that where men find water at one time in a +place it faileth another time; and for that skill they make none habitations +there. These folk that I speak of, they till not the land, and +they labour nought; for they eat no bread, but if it be any that dwell +nigh a good town, that go thither and eat bread sometime. And +they roast their flesh and their fish upon the hot stones against the +sun. And they be strong men and well-fighting; and there so is +much multitude of that folk, that they be without number. And +they ne reck of nothing, ne do not but chase after beasts to eat them. +And they reck nothing of their life, and therefore they fear not the +sultan, ne no other prince; but they dare well war with them, if they +do anything that is grievance to them. And they have often-times +war with the sultan, and, namely, that time that I was with him. +And they bear but one shield and one spear, without other arms; and +they wrap their heads and their necks with a great quantity of white +linen cloth; and they be right felonous and foul, and of cursed kind.</p> +<p>And when men pass this desert, in coming toward Jerusalem, they come +to Bersabe (Beersheba), that was wont to be a full fair town and a delectable +of Christian men; and yet there be some of their churches. In +that town dwelled Abraham the patriarch, a long time. That town +of Bersabe founded Bersabe (Bathsheba), the wife of Sir Uriah the Knight, +on the which King David gat Solomen the Wise, that was king after David +upon the twelve kindreds of Jerusalem and reigned forty year.</p> +<p>And from thence go men to the city of Hebron, that is the mountance +of twelve good mile. And it was clept sometime the Vale of Mamre, +and some-time it was clept the Vale of Tears, because that Adam wept +there an hundred year for the death of Abel his son, that Cain slew. +Hebron was wont to be the principal city of the Philistines, and there +dwelled some time the giants. And that city was also sacerdotal, +that is to say, sanctuary of the tribe of Judah; and it was so free, +that men received there all manner of fugitives of other places for +their evil deeds. In Hebron Joshua, Caleb and their company came +first to aspy, how they might win the land of Behest. In Hebron +reigned first king David seven year and a half; and in Jerusalem he +reigned thirty-three year and a half.</p> +<p>And in Hebron be all the sepultures of the patriarchs, Adam, Abraham, +Isaac, and of Jacob; and of their wives, Eve, Sarah and Rebecca, and +of Leah; the which sepultures the Saracens keep full curiously, and +have the place in great reverence for the holy fathers, the patriarchs +that lie there. And they suffer no Christian man to enter into +that place, but if it be of special grace of the sultan; for they hold +Christian men and Jews as dogs, and they say, that they should not enter +into so holy place. And men clepe that place, where they lie, +Double Spelunk, or Double Cave, or Double Ditch, forasmuch as that one +lieth above that other. And the Saracens clepe that place in their +language, <i>Karicarba</i>, that is to say, ‘The Place of Patriarchs.’ +And the Jews clepe that place <i>Arboth</i>. And in that same +place was Abraham’s house, and there he sat and saw three persons, +and worshipped but one; as holy writ saith, <i>Tres vidit et unum adoravit</i>, +that is to say, ‘He saw three and worshipped one’: and of +those same received Abraham the angels into his house.</p> +<p>And right fast by that place is a cave in the rock, where Adam and +Eve dwelled when they were put out of Paradise; and there got they their +children. And in that same place was Adam formed and made, after +that some men say: (for men were wont for to clepe that place the field +of Damascus, because that it was in the lordship of Damascus), and from +thence was he translated into Paradise of delights, as they say; and +after that he was driven out of Paradise he was there left. And +the same day that he was put in Paradise, the same day he was put out, +for anon he sinned. There beginneth the Vale of Hebron, that dureth +nigh to Jerusalem. There the angel commanded Adam that he should +dwell with his wife Eve, of the which he gat Seth; of which tribe, that +is to say kindred, Jesu Christ was born.</p> +<p>In that valley is a field, where men draw out of the earth a thing +that men clepe cambile, and they eat it instead of spices, and they +bear it to sell. And men may not make the hole or the cave, where +it is taken out of the earth, so deep or so wide, but that it is, at +the year’s end, full again up to the sides, through the grace +of God.</p> +<p>And two mile from Hebron is the grave of Lot, that was Abraham’s +brother.</p> +<p>And a little from Hebron is the mount of Mamre, of the which the +valley taketh his name. And there is a tree of oak, that the Saracens +clepe <i>Dirpe</i>, that is of Abraham’s time: the which men clepe +the Dry Tree. And they say that it hath been there since the beginning +of the world, and was some-time green and bare leaves, unto the time +that our Lord died on the cross, and then it dried: and so did all the +trees that were then in the world. And some say, by their prophecies, +that a lord, a prince of the west side of the world, shall win the Land +of Promission that is the Holy Land with help of Christian men, and +he shall do sing a mass under that dry tree; and then the tree shall +wax green and bear both fruit and leaves, and through that miracle many +Saracens and Jews shall be turned to Christian faith: and, therefore, +they do great worship thereto, and keep it full busily. And, albeit +so, that it be dry, natheles yet he beareth great virtue, for certainly +he that hath a little thereof upon him, it healeth him of the falling +evil, and his horse shall not be a-foundered: and many other virtues +it hath; wherefore men hold it full precious.</p> +<p>From Hebron men go to Bethlehem in half a day, for it is but five +mile; and it is full fair way, by plains and woods full delectable. +Bethlehem is a little city, long and narrow and well walled, and in +each side enclosed with good ditches: and it was wont to be clept Ephrata, +as holy writ saith, <i>Ecce, audivimus eum in Ephrata</i>, that is to +say, ‘Lo, we heard him in Ephrata.’ And toward the +east end of the city is a full fair church and a gracious, and it hath +many towers, pinacles and corners, full strong and curiously made; and +within that church be forty-four pillars of marble, great and fair.</p> +<p>And between the city and the church is the field <i>Floridus</i>, +that is to say, the ‘field flourished.’ For as much +as a fair maiden was blamed with wrong, and slandered that she had done +fornication; for which cause she was demned to death, and to be burnt +in that place, to the which she was led. And, as the fire began +to burn about her, she made her prayers to our Lord, that as wisely +as she was not guilty of that sin, that he would help her and make it +to be known to all men, of his merciful grace. And when she had +thus said, she entered into the fire, and anon was the fire quenched +and out; and the brands that were burning became red rose-trees, and +the brands that were not kindled became white rose-trees, full of roses. +And these were the first rose-trees and roses, both white and red, that +ever any man saw; and thus was this maiden saved by the grace of God. +And therefore is that field clept the field of God flourished, for it +was full of roses.</p> +<p>Also beside the choir of the church, at the right side, as men come +downward sixteen degrees, is the place where our Lord was born, that +is full well dight of marble, and full richly painted with gold, silver, +azure and other colours. And three paces beside is the crib of +the ox and the ass. And beside that is the place where the star +fell, that led the three kings, Jaspar, Melchior and Balthazar: but +men of Greece clepe them thus, <i>Galgalath, Malgalath</i>, and <i>Seraphie</i>, +and the Jews clepe them, in this manner, in Hebrew, <i>Appelius, Amerrius</i>, +and <i>Damasus</i>. These three kings offered to our Lord, gold, +incense and myrrh, and they met together through miracle of God; for +they met together in a city in Ind, that men clepe Cassak, that is a +fifty-three journeys from Bethlehem; and they were at Bethlehem the +thirteenth day; and that was the fourth day after that they had seen +the star, when they met in that city, and thus they were in nine days +from that city at Bethlehem, and that was great miracle.</p> +<p>Also, under the cloister of the church, by eighteen degrees at the +right side, is the charnel of the Innocents, where their bones lie. +And before the place where our Lord was born is the tomb of Saint Jerome, +that was a priest and a cardinal, that translated the Bible and the +Psalter from Hebrew into Latin: and without the minster is the chair +that he sat in when he translated it. And fast beside that church, +a sixty fathom, is a church of Saint Nicholas, where our Lady rested +her after she was lighted of our Lord; and forasmuch as she had too +much milk in her paps, that grieved her, she milked them on the red +stones of marble, so that the traces may yet be seen, in the stones, +all white.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that all that dwell in Bethlehem be Christian +men.</p> +<p>And there be fair vines about the city, and great plenty of wine, +that the Christian men have do let make. But the Saracens ne till +not no vines, ne they drink no wine: for their books of their law, that +Mahomet betoke them, which they clepe their <i>Al Koran</i>, and some +crepe it <i>Mesaph</i>, and in another language it is clept <i>Harme</i>, +and the same book forbiddeth them to drink wine. For in that book, +Mahomet cursed all those that drink wine and all them that sell it: +for some men say, that he slew once an hermit in his drunkenness, that +he loved full well; and therefore he cursed wine and them that drink +it. But his curse be turned on to his own head, as holy writ saith, +<i>Et in virticem ipsius iniquitas ejus descendet</i>, that is for to +say, ‘His wickedness shall turn and fall in his own head.’</p> +<p>And also the Saracens bring forth no pigs, nor they eat no swine’s +flesh, for they say it is brother to man, and it was forbidden by the +old law; and they hold him all accursed that eat thereof. Also +in the land of Palestine and in the land of Egypt, they eat but little +or none of flesh of veal or of beef, but if be so old, that he may no +more travel for old; for it is forbidden, and for because they have +but few of them; therefore they nourish them for to ere their lands.</p> +<p>In this city of Bethlehem was David the king born; and he had sixty +wives, and the first wife was called Michal; and also he had three hundred +lemans.</p> +<p>And from Bethlehem unto Jerusalem is but two mile; and in the way +to Jerusalem half a mile from Bethlehem is a church, where the angel +said to the shepherds of the birth of Christ. And in that way +is the tomb of Rachel, that was Joseph’s mother, the patriarch; +and she died anon after that she was delivered of her son Benjamin. +And there she was buried of Jacob her husband, and he let set twelve +great stones on her, in token that she had born twelve children. +In the same way, half mile from Jerusalem, appeared the star to the +three kings. In that way also be many churches of Christian men, +by the which men go towards the city of Jerusalem.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Pilgrimages in Jerusalem, and of the Holy Places thereabout</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>After, for to speak of Jerusalem the holy city: ye shall understand, +that it stands full fair between hills, and there be no rivers ne wells, +but water cometh by conduit from Hebron. And ye shall understand, +that Jerusalem of old time, unto the time of Melchisadech, was clept +Jebus; and after it was clept Salem, unto the time of King David, that +put these two names together, and clept it Jebusalem; and after that, +King Solomon clept it Jerosolomye; and after that, men clept it Jerusalem, +and so it is clept yet.</p> +<p>And about Jerusalem is the kingdom of Syria. And there beside +is the land of Palestine, and beside it is Ascalon, and beside that +is the land of Maritaine. But Jerusalem is in the land of Judea, +and it is clept Judea, for that Judas Maccabeus was king of that country; +and it marcheth eastward to the kingdom of Arabia; on the south side +to the land of Egypt; and on the west side to the Great Sea; on the +north side, towards the kingdom of Syria and to the sea of Cyprus. +In Jerusalem was wont to be a patriarch; and archbishops and bishops +about in the country. About Jerusalem be these cities: Hebron, +at seven mile; Jericho, at six mile; Beersheba, at eight mile; Ascalon, +at seventeen mile; Jaffa, at sixteen mile; Ramath, at three mile; and +Bethlehem, at two mile. And a two mile from Bethlehem, toward +the south, is the Church of St. Karitot, that was abbot there, for whom +they made much dole amongst the monks when he should die; and yet they +be in mourning in the wise that they made their lamentation for him +the first time; and it is full great pity to behold.</p> +<p>This country and land of Jerusalem hath been in many divers nations’ +hands, and often, therefore, hath the country suffered much tribulation +for the sin of the people that dwell there. For that country hath +been in the hands of all nations; that is to say, of Jews, of Canaanites, +Assyrians, Persians, Medes, Macedonians, of Greeks, Romans, of Christian +men, of Saracens, Barbarians, Turks, Tartars, and of many other divers +nations; for God will not that it be long in the hands of traitors ne +of sinners, be they Christian or other. And now have the heathen +men held that land in their hands forty year and more; but they shall +not hold it long, if God will.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that when men come to Jerusalem, their first +pilgrimage is to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where our Lord was +buried, that is without the city on the north side; but it is now enclosed +in with the town wall. And there is a full fair church, all round, +and open above, and covered with lead; and on the west side is a fair +tower and an high for bells, strongly made.</p> +<p>And in the midst of the church is a tabernacle, as it were a little +house, made with a low little door, and that tabernacle is made in manner +of half a compass, right curiously and richly made of gold and azure +and other rich colours full nobly made. And in the right side +of that tabernacle is the sepulchre of our Lord; and the tabernacle +is eight foot long, and five foot wide, and eleven foot in height. +And it is not long sith the sepulchre was all open, that men might kiss +it and touch it; but for pilgrims that came thither pained them to break +the stone in pieces or in powder, therefore the soldan hath do make +a wall about the sepulchre that no man may touch it: but in the left +side of the wall of the tabernacle is, well the height of a man, a great +stone to the quantity of a man’s head, that was of the holy sepulchre; +and that stone kiss the pilgrims that come thither. In that tabernacle +be no windows, but it is all made light with lamps that hang before +the sepulchre. And there is a lamp that hangeth before the sepulchre, +that burneth light; and on the Good Friday it goeth out by himself, +[and lighteth again by him self] at that hour that our Lord rose from +death to life.</p> +<p>Also within the church, at the right side, beside the choir of the +church, is the mount of Calvary, where our Lord was put on the cross; +and it is a rock of white colour and a little medled with red. +And the cross was set in a mortise in the same rock. And on that +rock dropped the wounds of our Lord when he was pined on the cross. +And that is clept Golgotha.</p> +<p>And men go up to that Golgotha by degrees; and in the place of that +mortise was Adam’s head found after Noah’s flood, in token +that the sins of Adam should be bought in that same place. And +upon that rock made Abraham sacrifice to our Lord. And there is +an altar; and before that altar lie Godefray de Bouillon and Baldwin, +and other Christian kings of Jerusalem.</p> +<p>And there, nigh where our Lord was crucified, is this written in +Greek:</p> +<p>Ο θεος Βασιλευς +ημων προ αιωνων +ειργασατο σωτηριαν +εν μεσω της γης +;</p> +<p>that is to say, in Latin, -</p> +<p><i>Deus Rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem, in medio terrae</i>;</p> +<p>that is to say, -</p> +<p><i>This God our King, before the worlds, hath wrought health</i> +<i>in midst of the earth.</i></p> +<p>And also on that rock, where the cross was set, is written within +the rock these words:</p> +<p>Ο ειδεις, εστι +Βασις της πιστεως +ολης του κοσμου +τουτου; </p> +<p>that is to say, in Latin, -</p> +<p><i>Quod vides, est fundamentum totius fidei mundi hujus</i>;</p> +<p>that is to say, -</p> +<p><i>That thou seest, is the ground of all the faith of this world</i>.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that when our Lord was done upon the cross, +he was thirty-three year and three months of old. And the prophecy +of David saith thus: <i>Quadraginta annis proximus fui generationi huic</i>; +that is to say, ‘Forty year was I neighbour to this kindred.’ +And thus should it seem that the prophecies were not true. But +they be both true; for in old time men made a year of ten months, of +the which March was the first and December was the last. But Gaius, +that was Emperor of Rome, put these two months thereto, January and +February, and ordained the year of twelve months; that is to say, 365 +days, without leap year, after the proper course of the sun. And +therefore after counting of ten months of the year, he died in the fortieth +year, as the prophet said. And after the year of twelve months, +he was of age thirty-three year and three months.</p> +<p>Also, within the mount of Calvary, on the right side, is an altar, +where the pillar lieth that our Lord Jesu was bounden to when he was +scourged. And there beside be four pillars of stone, that always +drop water; and some men say that they weep for our Lord’s death. +And nigh that altar is a place under earth forty-two degrees of deepness, +where the holy cross was found, by the wit of Saint Helen, under a rock +where the Jews had hid it. And that was the very cross assayed; +for they found three crosses, one of our Lord, and two of the two thieves; +and Saint Helen proved them by a dead body that arose from death to +life, when that it was laid on it, that our Lord died on. And +thereby in the wall is the place where the four nails of our Lord were +hid: for he had two in his hands and two in his feet. And, of +one of these, the Emperor of Constantinople made a bridle to his horse +to bear him in battle; and, through virtue thereof, he overcame his +enemies, and won all the land of Asia the less, that is to say, Turkey, +Armenia the less and the more, and from Syria to Jerusalem, from Arabia +to Persia, from Mesopotamia to the kingdom of Aleppo, from Egypt the +high and the low and all the other kingdoms unto the depth of Ethiopia, +and into Ind the less that then was Christian.</p> +<p>And there were in that time many good holy men and holy hermits, +of whom the book of Father’s lives speaketh, and they be now in +Paynims’ and Saracens’ hands: but when God Almighty will, +right as the lands ere lost through sin of Christian men, so shall they +be won again by Christian men through help of God.</p> +<p>And in midst of that church is a compass, in the which Joseph of +Arimathea laid the body of our Lord when he had taken him down off the +cross; and there he washed the wounds of our Lord. And that compass, +say men, is the midst of the world.</p> +<p>And in the church of the sepulchre, on the north side, is the place +where our Lord was put in prison (for he was in prison in many places); +and there is a part of the chain that he was bounden with; and there +he appeared first to Mary Magdalene when he was risen, and she wend +that he had been a gardener.</p> +<p>In the church of Saint Sepulchre was wont to be canons of the order +of Saint Augustine, and had a prior, but the patriarch was their sovereign.</p> +<p>And without the doors of the church, on the right side as men go +upward eighteen grees, said our Lord to his mother, <i>Mulier, ecce +Filius tuus</i>; that is to say, Woman, lo! thy Son! And after +that he said to John, his disciple, <i>Ecce mater tua</i>; that is to +say, Lo! behold thy mother! And these words he said on the cross. +And on these grees went our Lord when he bare the cross on his shoulder. +And under these grees is a chapel, and in that chapel sing priests, +Indians, that is to say, priests of Ind, not after our law, but after +theirs; and alway they make their sacrament of the altar, saying, <i>Pater +Noster</i> and other prayers therewith; with the which prayers they +say the words that the sacrament is made of, for they ne know not the +additions that many popes have made; but they sing with good devotion. +And there near, is the place where that our Lord rested him when he +was weary for bearing of the cross.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that before the church of the sepulchre is +the city more feeble than in any other part, for the great plain that +is between the church and the city. And toward the east side, +without the walls of the city, is the vale of Jehosaphat that toucheth +to the walls as though it were a large ditch. And above that vale +of Jehosaphat, out of the city, is the church of Saint Stephen where +he was stoned to death. And there beside, is the Golden Gate, +that may not be opened, by the which gate our Lord entered on Palm-Sunday +upon an ass: and the gate opened against him when he would go unto the +temple; and yet appear the steps of the ass’s feet in three places +of the degrees that be of full hard stone.</p> +<p>And before the church of Saint Sepulchre, toward the south, at 200 +paces, is the great hospital of Saint John, of which the hospitallers +had their foundation. And within the palace of the sick men of +that hospital be 124 pillars of stone. And in the walls of the +house, without the number above-said, there be fifty-four pillars that +bear up the house. And from that hospital to go toward the east +is a full fair church, that is clept <i>Nôtre Dame la Grande</i>. +And then is there another church right nigh, that is clept <i>Nôtre +Dame de Latine</i>. And there were Mary Cleophas and Mary Magdalene, +and tore their hair when our Lord was pained in the cross.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Temple of our Lord. Of the Cruelty of King Herod. +Of the Mount Sion. Of Probatica Piscina; and of Natatorium Siloe</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>And from the church of the sepulchre, toward the east, at eight score +paces, is <i>Templum Domini</i>. It is right a fair house, and +it is all round and high, and covered with lead. And it is well +paved with white marble. But the Saracens will not suffer no Christian +man ne Jews to come therein, for they say that none so foul sinful men +should not come in so holy place: but I came in there and in other places +there I would, for I had letters of the soldan with his great seal, +and commonly other men have but his signet. In the which letters +he commanded, of his special grace, to all his subjects, to let me see +all the places, and to inform me pleinly all the mysteries of every +place, and to conduct me from city to city, if it were need, and buxomly +to receive me and my company, and for to obey to all my requests reasonable +if they were not greatly against the royal power and dignity of the +soldan or of his law. And to others, that ask him grace, such +as have served him, he ne giveth not but his signet, the which they +make to be borne before them hanging on a spear. And the folk +of the country do great worship and reverence to his signet or seal, +and kneel thereto as lowly as we do to <i>Corpus Domini</i>. And +yet men do full greater reverence to his letters; for the admiral and +all other lords that they be shewed to, before or they receive them, +they kneel down; and then they take them and put them on their heads; +and after, they kiss them and then they read them, kneeling with great +reverence; and then they offer them to do all that the bearer asketh.</p> +<p>And in this <i>Templum Domini</i> were some-time canons regulars, +and they had an abbot to whom they were obedient; and in this temple +was Charlemagne when that the angel brought him the prepuce of our Lord +Jesus Christ of his circumcision; and after, King Charles let bring +it to Paris into his chapel, and after that he let bring it to Peyteres, +and after that to Chartres.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that this is not the temple that Solomon +made, for that temple dured not but 1102 year. For Titus, Vespasian’s +son, Emperor of Rome, had laid siege about Jerusalem for to discomfit +the Jews; for they put our Lord to death, without leave of the emperor. +And, when he had won the city, he burnt the temple and beat it down, +and all the city, and took the Jews and did them to death - 1,100,000; +and the others he put in prison and sold them to servage, - thirty for +one penny; for they said they bought Jesu for thirty pennies, and he +made of them better cheap when he gave thirty for one penny.</p> +<p>And after that time, Julian Apostate, that was emperor, gave leave +to the Jews to make the temple of Jerusalem, for he hated Christian +men. And yet he was christened, but he forsook his law, and became +a renegade. And when the Jews had made the temple, came an earthquaking, +and cast it down (as God would) and destroyed all that they had made.</p> +<p>And after that, Adrian, that was Emperor of Rome, and of the lineage +of Troy, made Jerusalem again and the temple in the same manner as Solomon +made it. And he would not suffer no Jews to dwell there, but only +Christian men. For although it were so that he was not christened, +yet he loved Christian men more than any other nation save his own. +This emperor let enclose the church of Saint Sepulchre, and walled it +within the city; that, before, was without the city, long time before. +And he would have changed the name of Jerusalem, and have clept it Aelia; +but that name lasted not long.</p> +<p>Also, ye shall understand, that the Saracens do much reverence to +that temple, and they say, that that place is right holy. And +when they go in they go bare-foot, and kneel many times. And when +my fellows and I saw that, when we came in we did off our shoes and +came in bare-foot, and thought that we should do as much worship and +reverence thereto, as any of the misbelieving men should, and as great +compunction in heart to have.</p> +<p>This temple is sixty-four cubits of wideness, and as many in length; +and of height it is six score cubits. And it is within, all about, +made with pillars of marble. And in the middle place of the temple +be many high stages, of fourteen degrees of height, made with good pillars +all about: and this place the Jews call <i>Sancta Sanctorum</i>; that +is to say, ‘Holy of Hallows.’ And, in that place, +cometh no man save only their prelate, that maketh their sacrifice. +And the folk stand all about, in diverse stages, after they be of dignity +or of worship, so that they all may see the sacrifice. And in +that temple be four entries, and the gates be of cypress, well made +and curiously dight: and within the east gate our Lord said, ‘Here +is Jerusalem.’ And in the north side of that temple, within +the gate, there is a well, but it runneth nought, of the which holy +writ speaketh of and saith, <i>Vidi aquam egredientem de templo</i>; +that is to say, ‘I saw water come out of the temple.’</p> +<p>And on that other side of the temple there is a rock that men clepe +Moriach, but after it was clept Bethel, where the ark of God with relics +of Jews were wont to be put. That ark or hutch with the relics +Titus led with him to Rome, when he had discomfited all the Jews. +In that ark were the Ten Commandments, and of Aaron’s yard, and +Moses’ yard with the which he made the Red Sea depart, as it had +been a wall, on the right side and on the left side, whiles that the +people of Israel passed the sea dry-foot: and with that yard he smote +the rock, and the water came out of it: and with that yard he did many +wonders. And therein was a vessel of gold full of manna, and clothing +and ornaments and the tabernacle of Aaron, and a tabernacle square of +gold with twelve precious stones, and a box of jasper green with four +figures and eight names of our Lord, and seven candlesticks of gold, +and twelve pots of gold, and four censers of gold, and an altar of gold, +and four lions of gold upon the which they bare cherubin of gold twelve +spans long, and the circle of swans of heaven with a tabernacle of gold +and a table of silver, and two trumps of silver, and seven barley loaves +and all the other relics that were before the birth of our Lord Jesu +Christ.</p> +<p>And upon that rock was Jacob sleeping when he saw the angels go up +and down by a ladder, and he said, <i>Vere locus iste sanctus est, et +ego ignorabam</i>; that is to say, ‘Forsooth this place is holy, +and I wist it nought.’ And there an angel held Jacob still, +and turned his name, and clept him Israel. And in that same place +David saw the angel that smote the folk with a sword, and put it up +bloody in the sheath. And in that same rock was Saint Simeon when +he received our Lord into the temple. And in this rock he set +him when the Jews would have stoned him; and a star came down and gave +him light. And upon that rock preached our Lord often-time to +the people. And out that said temple our Lord drove out the buyers +and the sellers. And upon that rock our Lord set him when the +Jews would have stoned him; and the rock clave in two, and in that cleaving +was our Lord hid, and there came down a star and gave light and served +him with clarity. And upon that rock sat our Lady, and learned +her psalter. And there our Lord forgave the woman her sins, that +was found in avowtry. And there was our Lord circumcised. +And there the angels shewed tidings to Zacharias of the birth of Saint +Baptist his son. And there offered first Melchisadech bread and +wine to our Lord, in token of the sacrament that was to come. +And there fell David praying to our Lord and to the angel that smote +the people, that he would have mercy on him and on the people: and our +Lord heard his prayer, and therefore would he make the temple in that +place, but our Lord forbade him by an angel; for he had done treason +when he let slay Uriah the worthy knight, for to have Bathsheba his +wife. And therefore, all the purveyance that he had ordained to +make the temple with he took it Solomon his son, and he made it. +And he prayed our Lord, that all those that prayed to him in that place +with good heart - that he would hear their prayer and grant it them +if they asked it rightfully: and our Lord granted it him, and therefore +Solomon clept that temple the Temple of Counsel and of Help of God.</p> +<p>And without the gate of that temple is an altar where Jews were in +wont to offer doves and turtles. And between the temple and that +altar was Zacharias slain. And upon the pinnacle of that temple +was our Lord brought for to be tempted of the enemy, the fiend. +And on the height of that pinnacle the Jews set Saint James, and cast +him down to the earth, that first was Bishop of Jerusalem. And +at the entry of that temple, toward the west, is the gate that is clept +<i>Porta Speciosa</i>. And nigh beside that temple, upon the right +side, is a church, covered with lead, that is clept Solomon’s +School.</p> +<p>And from that temple towards the south, right nigh, is the temple +of Solomon, that is right fair and well polished. And in that +temple dwell the Knights of the Temple that were wont to be clept Templars; +and that was the foundation of their order, so that there dwelled knights +and in <i>Templo Domini</i> canons regulars.</p> +<p>From that temple toward the east, a six score paces, in the corner +of the city, is the bath of our Lord; and in that bath was wont to come +water from Paradise, and yet it droppeth. And there beside is +our Lady’s bed. And fast by is the temple of Saint Simeon, +and without the cloister of the temple, toward the north, is a full +fair church of Saint Anne, our Lady’s mother; and there was our +Lady conceived; and before that church is a great tree that began to +grow the same night. And under that church, in going down by twenty-two +degrees, lieth Joachim, our Lady’s father, in a fair tomb of stone; +and there beside lay some-time Saint Anne, his wife; but Saint Helen +let translate her to Constantinople. And in that church is a well, +in manner of a cistern, that is clept <i>Probatica</i> <i>Piscina</i>, +that hath five entries. Into that well angels were wont to come +from heaven and bathe them within. And what man, that first bathed +him after the moving of the water, was made whole of what manner of +sickness that he had. And there our Lord healed a man of the palsy +that lay thirty-eight year, and our Lord said to him, <i>Tolle</i> <i>grabatum +tuum et ambula</i>, that is to say, ‘Take thy bed and go.’ +And there beside was Pilate’s house.</p> +<p>And fast by is King Herod’s house, that let slay the innocents. +This Herod was over-much cursed and cruel. For first he let slay +his wife that he loved right well; and for the passing love that he +had to her when he saw her dead, he fell in a rage and out of his wit +a great while; and sithen he came again to his wit. And after +he let slay his two sons that he had of that wife. And after that +he let slay another of his wives, and a son that he had with her. +And after that he let slay his own mother; and he would have slain his +brother also, but he died suddenly. And after that he did all +the harm that he could or might. And after he fell into sickness; +and when he felt that he should die, he sent after his sister and after +all the lords of his land; and when they were come he let command them +to prison. And then he said to his sister, he wist well that men +of the country would make no sorrow for his death; and therefore he +made his sister swear that she should let smite off all the heads of +the lords when he were dead; and then should all the land make sorrow +for his death, and else, nought; and thus he made his testament. +But his sister fulfilled not his will. For, as soon as he was +dead, she delivered all the lords out of prison and let them go, each +lord to his own, and told them all the purpose of her brother’s +ordinance. And so was this cursed king never made sorrow for, +as he supposed for to have been. And ye shall understand, that +in that time there were three Herods, of great name and fame for their +cruelty. This Herod, of which I have spoken of was Herod Ascalonite; +and he that let behead Saint John the Baptist was Herod Antipas; and +he that let smite off Saint James’s head was Herod Agrippa, and +he put Saint Peter in prison.</p> +<p>Also, furthermore, in the city is the church of Saint Saviour; and +there is the left arm of John Chrisostome, and the more part of the +head of Saint Stephen. And on that other side in the street, toward +the south as men go to Mount Sion, is a church of Saint James, where +he was beheaded.</p> +<p>And from that church, a six score paces, is the Mount Sion. +And there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled; and there +she died. And there was wont to be an abbot of canons regulars. +And from thence was she borne of the apostles unto the vale of Jehosaphat. +And there is the stone that the angel brought to our Lord from the mount +of Sinai, and it is of that colour that the rock is of Saint Catherine. +And there beside is the gate where through our Lady went, when she was +with child, when she went to Bethlehem. Also at the entry of the +Mount Sion is a chapel. And in that chapel is the stone, great +and large, with the which the sepulchre was covered with, when Joseph +of Arimathea had put our Lord therein; the which stone the three Marys +saw turn upward when they came to the sepulchre the day of his resurrection, +and there found an angel that told them of our Lord’s uprising +from death to life. And there also is a stone in the wall, beside +the gate, of the pillar that our Lord was scourged at. And there +was Annas’s house, that was bishop of the Jews in that time. +And there was our Lord examined in the night, and scourged and smitten +and villainous entreated. And that same place Saint Peter forsook +our Lord thrice or the cock crew. And there is a part of the table +that he made his supper on, when he made his maundy with his disciples, +when he gave them his flesh and his blood in form of bread and wine.</p> +<p>And under that chapel, thirty-two degrees, is the place where our +Lord washed his disciples’ feet, and yet is the vessel where the +water was. And there beside that same vessel was Saint Stephen +buried. And there is the altar where our Lady heard the angels +sing mass. And there appeared first our Lord to his disciples +after his resurrection, the gates enclosed, and said to them, <i>Pax</i> +<i>vobis</i>! that is to say, ‘Peace to you!’ And +on that mount appeared Christ to Saint Thomas the apostle and bade him +assay his wounds; and then believed he first, and said, <i>Dominus meus +et Deus meus</i>! that is to say ‘My Lord and my God!’ +In the same church, beside the altar, were all the apostles on Whitsunday, +when the Holy Ghost descended on them in likeness of fire. And +there made our Lord his pasque with his disciples. And there slept +Saint John the evangelist upon the breast of our Lord Jesu Christ, and +saw sleeping many heavenly privities.</p> +<p>Mount Sion is within the city, and it is a little higher than the +other side of the city; and the city is stronger on that side than on +that other side. For at the foot of the Mount Sion is a fair castle +and a strong that the soldan let make. In the Mount Sion were +buried King David and King Solomon, and many other kings, Jews of Jerusalem. +And there is the place where the Jews would have cast up the body of +our Lady when the apostles bare the body to be buried in the vale of +Jehosaphat. And there is the place where Saint Peter wept full +tenderly after that he had forsaken our Lord. And a stone’s +cast from that chapel is another chapel, where our Lord was judged, +for that time was there Caiaphas’s house. From that chapel, +to go toward the east, at seven score paces, is a deep cave under the +rock, that is clept the Galilee of our Lord, where Saint Peter hid him +when he had forsaken our Lord. <i>Item</i>, between the Mount +Sion and the Temple of Solomon is the place where our Lord raised the +maiden in her father’s house.</p> +<p>Under the Mount Sion, toward the vale of Jehosaphat, is a well that +is clept <i>Natatorium Siloe</i>. And there was our Lord washed +after his baptism; and there made our Lord the blind man to see. +And there was y-buried Isaiah the prophet. Also, straight from +<i>Natatorium Siloe</i>, is an image, of stone and of old ancient work, +that Absalom let make, and because thereof men clepe it the hand of +Absalom. And fast by is yet the tree of elder that Judas hanged +himself upon, for despair that he had, when he sold and betrayed our +Lord. And there beside was the synagogue, where the bishops of +Jews and the Pharisees came together and held their council; and there +cast Judas the thirty pence before them, and said that he had sinned +betraying our Lord. And there nigh was the house of the apostles +Philip and Jacob Alphei. And on that other side of Mount Sion, +toward the south, beyond the vale a stone’s cast, is Aceldama; +that is to say, the field of blood, that was bought for the thirty pence, +that our Lord was sold for. And in that field be many tombs of +Christian men, for there be many pilgrims graven. And there be +many oratories, chapels and hermitages, where hermits were wont to dwell. +And toward the east, an hundred paces, is the charnel of the hospital +of Saint John, where men were wont to put the bones of dead men.</p> +<p>Also from Jerusalem, toward the west, is a fair church, where the +tree of the cross grew. And two mile from thence is a fair church, +where our Lady met with Elizabeth, when they were both with child; and +Saint John stirred in his mother’s womb, and made reverence to +his Creator that he saw not. And under the altar of that church +is the place where Saint John was born. And from that church is +a mile to the castle of Emmaus: and there also our Lord shewed him to +two of his disciples after his resurrection. Also on that other +side, 200 paces from Jerusalem, is a church, where was wont to be the +cave of the lion. And under that church, at thirty degrees of +deepness, were interred 12,000 martyrs, in the time of King Cosdroe +that the lion met with, all in a night, by the will of God.</p> +<p>Also from Jerusalem, two mile, is the Mount Joy, a full fair place +and a delicious; and there lieth Samuel the prophet in a fair tomb. +And men clepe it Mount Joy, for it giveth joy to pilgrims’ hearts, +because that there men see first Jerusalem.</p> +<p>Also between Jerusalem and the mount of Olivet is the vale of Jehosaphat, +under the walls of the city, as I have said before. And in the +midst of the vale is a little river that men clepe <i>Torrens Cedron</i>, +and above it, overthwart, lay a tree (that the cross was made of) that +men yede over on. And fast by it is a little pit in the earth, where +the foot of the pillar is yet interred; and there was our Lord first +scourged, for he was scourged and villainously entreated in many places. +Also in the middle place of the vale of Jehosaphat is the church of +our Lady: and it is of forty-three degrees under the earth unto the +sepulchre of our Lady. And our Lady was of age, when she died, +seventy-two year. And beside the sepulchre of our Lady is an altar, +where our Lord forgave Saint Peter all his sins. And from thence, +toward the west, under an altar, is a well that cometh out of the river +of Paradise. And wit well, that that church is full low in the +earth, and some is all within the earth. But I suppose well, that +it was not so founded. But for because that Jerusalem hath often-time +been destroyed and the walls abated and beten down and tumbled into +the vale, and that they have been so filled again and the ground enhanced; +and for that skill is the church so low within the earth. And, +natheles, men say there commonly, that the earth hath so been cloven +sith the time that our Lady was there buried; and yet men say there, +that it waxeth and groweth every day, without doubt. In that church +were wont to be monks black, that had their abbot.</p> +<p>And beside that church is a chapel, beside the rock that hight Gethsemane. +And there was our Lord kissed of Judas; and there was he taken of the +Jews. And there left our Lord his disciples, when he went to pray +before his passion, when he prayed and said, <i>Pater, si fieri potest, +transeat a me calix iste</i>; that is to say, ‘Father, if it may +be, do let this chalice go from me’: and, when he came again to +his disciples, he found them sleeping. And in the rock within +the chapel yet appear the fingers of our Lord’s hand, when he +put them in the rock, when the Jews would have taken him.</p> +<p>And from thence, a stone’s cast towards the south, is another +chapel, where our Lord sweat drops of blood. And there, right +nigh, is the tomb of King Jehosaphat, of whom the vale beareth the name. +This Jehosaphat was king of that country, and was converted by an hermit, +that was a worthy man and did much good. And from thence, a bow +draught towards the south, is the church, where Saint James and Zachariah +the prophet were buried.</p> +<p>And above the vale is the mount of Olivet; and it is clept so for +the plenty of olives that grow there. That mount is more high +than the city of Jerusalem is; and, therefore, may men upon that mount +see many of the streets of the city. And between that mount and +the city is not but the vale of Jehosaphat that is not full large. +And from that mount styed our Lord Jesu Christ to heaven upon Ascension +Day; and yet there sheweth the shape of his left foot in the stone. +And there is a church where was wont to be an abbot and canons regulars. +And a little thence, twenty-eight paces, is a chapel; and therein is +the stone on the which our Lord sat, when he preached the eight blessings +and said thus: <i>Beau pauperes spiritu</i>: and there he taught his +disciples the <i>Pater Noster</i>; and wrote with his finger in a stone. +And there nigh is a church of Saint Mary Egyptian, and there she lieth +in a tomb. And from thence toward the east, a three bow shot, +is Bethphage, to the which our Lord sent Saint Peter and Saint James +for to seek the ass upon Palm-Sunday, and rode upon that ass to Jerusalem.</p> +<p>And in coming down from the mount of Olivet, toward the east, is +a castle that is clept Bethany. And there dwelt Simon leprous, +and there harboured our Lord: and after he was baptised of the apostles +and was clept Julian, and was made bishop; and this is the same Julian +that men clepe to for good harbourage, for our Lord harboured with him +in his house. And in that house our Lord forgave Mary Magdalene +her sins: there she washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with +her hair. And there served Saint Martha our Lord. There +our Lord raised Lazarus from death to life, that was dead four days +and stank, that was brother to Mary Magdalene and to Martha. And +there dwelt also Mary Cleophas. That castle is well a mile long +from Jerusalem. Also in coming down from the mount of Olivet is +the place where our Lord wept upon Jerusalem. And there beside +is the place where our Lady appeared to Saint Thomas the apostle after +her assumption, and gave him her girdle. And right nigh is the +stone where our Lord often-time sat upon when he preached; and upon +that same he shall sit at the day of doom, right as himself said.</p> +<p>Also after the mount of Olivet is the mount of Galilee. There +assembled the apostles when Mary Magdalene came and told them of Christ’s +uprising. And there, between the Mount Olivet and the Mount Galilee, +is a church, where the angel said to our Lady of her death.</p> +<p>Also from Bethany to Jericho was sometime a little city, but it is +now all destroyed, and now is there but a little village. That +city took Joshua by miracle of God and commandment of the angel, and +destroyed it, and cursed it and all them that bigged it again. +Of that city was Zaccheus the dwarf that clomb up into the sycamore +tree for to see our Lord, because he was so little he might not see +him for the people. And of that city was Rahab the common woman +that escaped alone with them of her lineage: and she often-time refreshed +and fed the messengers of Israel, and kept them from many great perils +of death; and, therefore, she had good reward, as holy writ saith: <i>Qui +accipit prophetam in nomine meo, mercedem prophetae accipiet</i>; that +is to say, ‘He that taketh a prophet in my name, he shall take +meed of the prophet.’ And so had she. For she prophesied +to the messengers, saying, <i>Novi quod</i> <i>Dominus tradet vobis +terram hanc</i>; that is to say, ‘I wot well, that our Lord shall +betake you this land’: and so he did. And after, Salomon, +Naasson’s son, wedded her, and from that time was she a worthy +woman, and served God well.</p> +<p>Also from Bethany go men to flom Jordan by a mountain and through +desert. And it is nigh a day journey from Bethany, toward the +east, to a great hill, where our Lord fasted forty days. Upon +that hill the enemy of hell bare our Lord and tempted him, and said, +<i>Dic ut lapides isti panes fiant</i>; that is to say, ‘Say, +that these stones be made loaves.’ In that place, upon the +hill, was wont to be a fair church; but it is all destroyed, so that +there is now but an hermitage, that a manner of Christian men hold, +that be clept Georgians, for Saint George converted them. Upon +that hill dwelt Abraham a great while, and therefore men clepe it Abraham’s +Garden. And between the hill and this garden runneth a little +brook of water that was wont to be bitter; but, by the blessing of Elisha +the prophet, it became sweet and good to drink. And at the foot +of this hill, toward the plain, is a great well, that entereth into +from Jordan.</p> +<p>From that hill to Jericho, that I spake of before, is but a mile +in going toward flom Jordan. Also as men go to Jericho sat the +blind man crying, <i>Jesu, Fili David, miserere mei</i>; that is to +say, ‘Jesu, David’s Son, have mercy on me.’ +And anon he had his sight. Also, two mile from Jericho, is flome +Jordan. And, an half mile more nigh, is a fair church of Saint +John the Baptist, where he baptised our Lord. And there beside +is the house of Jeremiah the prophet.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Dead Sea; and of the Flome Jordan. Of the Head of +Saint John the Baptist; and of the Usages of the Samaritans</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>And from Jericho, a three mile, is the Dead Sea. About that +sea groweth much alum and of alkatran. Between Jericho and that +sea is the land of Engeddi. And there was wont to grow the balm; +but men make draw the branches thereof and bear them to be grafted at +Babylon; and yet men clepe them vines of Geddi. At a coast of +that sea, as men go from Arabia, is the mount of the Moabites, where +there is a cave, that men clepe Karua. Upon that hill led Balak, +the son of Beor, Balaam the priest for to curse the people of Israel.</p> +<p>That Dead Sea parteth the land of Ind and of Arabia, and that sea +lasteth from Soara unto Arabia. The water of that sea is full +bitter and salt, and, if the earth were made moist and wet with that +water, it would never bear fruit. And the earth and the land changeth +often his colour. And it casteth out of the water a thing that +men clepe asphalt, also great pieces, as the greatness of an horse, +every day and on all sides. And from Jerusalem to that sea is +200 furlongs. That sea is in length five hundred and four score +furlongs, and in breadth an hundred and fifty furlongs; and it is clept +the Dead Sea, for it runneth nought, but is ever unmovable. And +neither man, ne beast, ne nothing that beareth life in him ne may not +die in that sea. And that hath been proved many times, by men +that have deserved to be dead that have been cast therein and left therein +three days or four, and they ne might never die therein; for it receiveth +no thing within him that beareth life. And no man may drink of +the water for bitterness. And if a man cast iron therein, it will +float above. And if men cast a feather therein, it will sink to +the bottom, and these be things against kind.</p> +<p>And also, the cities there were lost because of sin. And there +beside grow trees that bear full fair apples, and fair of colour to +behold; but whoso breaketh them or cutteth them in two, he shall find +within them coals and cinders, in token that by wrath of God the cities +and the land were burnt and sunken into hell. Some men clepe that +sea the lake Dalfetidee; some, the flome of Devils; and some the flome +that is ever stinking. And into that sea sunk the five cities +by wrath of God; that is to say, Sodom, Gomorrah, Aldama, Zeboim, and +Zoar, for the abominable sin of sodomy that reigned in them. But +Zoar, by the prayer of Lot, was saved and kept a great while, for it +was set upon a hill; and yet sheweth thereof some part above the water, +and men may see the walls when it is fair weather and clear. In +that city Lot dwelt a little while; and there was he made drunk of his +daughters, and lay with them, and engendered of them Moab and Ammon. +And the cause why his daughters made him drunk and for to lie by him +was this: because they saw no man about them, but only their father, +and therefore they trowed that God had destroyed all the world as he +had done the cities, as he had done before by Noah’s flood. +And therefore they would lie by with their father for to have issue, +and for to replenish the world again with people to restore the world +again by them; for they trowed that there had been no more men in all +the world; and if their father had not been drunk, he had not lain with +them.</p> +<p>And the hill above Zoar men cleped it then Edom and after men cleped +it Seir, and after Idumea. Also at the right side of that Dead +Sea, dwelleth yet the wife of Lot in likeness of a salt stone; for that +she looked behind her when the cities sunk into hell. This Lot +was Haran’s son, that was brother to Abraham; and Sarah, Abraham’s +wife, and Milcah, Nahor’s wife, were sisters to the said Lot. +And the same Sarah was of eld four score and ten year when Isaac her +son was gotten on her. And Abraham had another son Ishmael that +he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. And when Isaac his son was eight +days old, Abraham his father let him be circumcised, and Ishmael with +him that was fourteen year old: wherefore the Jews that come of Isaac’s +line be circumcised the eighth day, and the Saracens that come of Ishmael’s +line be circumcised when they be fourteen year of age.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that within the Dead Sea, runneth the flom +Jordan, and there it dieth, for it runneth no further more, and that +is a place that is a mile from the church of Saint John the Baptist +toward the west, a little beneath the place where that Christian men +bathe them commonly. And a mile from flom Jordan is the river +of Jabbok, the which Jacob passed over when he came from Mesopotamia. +This flom Jordan is no great river, but it is plenteous of good fish; +and it cometh out of the hill of Lebanon by two wells that be clept +Jor and Dan, and of the two wells hath it the name. And it passeth +by a lake that is clept Maron. And after it passeth by the sea +of Tiberias, and passeth under the hills of Gilboa; and there is a full +fair vale, both on that one side and on that other of the same river. +And men go [on] the hills of Lebanon, all in length unto the desert +of Pharan; and those hills part the kingdom of Syria and the country +of Phoenicia; and upon those hills grow trees of cedar that be full +high, and they bear long apples, and as great as a man’s head.</p> +<p>And also this flom Jordan departeth the land of Galilee and the land +of Idumea and the land of Betron, and that runneth under earth a great +way unto a fair plain and a great that is clept Meldan in Sarmois; that +is to say, Fair or market in their language, because that there is often +fairs in that plain. And there becometh the water great and large. +In that plain is the tomb of Job.</p> +<p>And in that flom Jordan above-said was our Lord baptised of Saint +John, and the voice of God the Father was heard saying: <i>Hic est Filius +meus dilectus, etc</i>.; that is to say, ‘This is my beloved Son, +in the which I am well pleased; hear him!’ and the Holy Ghost +alighted upon him in likeness of a culver; and so at his baptising was +all the whole Trinity.</p> +<p>And through that flome passed the children of Israel, all dry feet; +and they put stones there in the middle place, in token of the miracle +that the water withdrew him so. Also in that flome Jordan Naaman +of Syria bathed him, that was full rich, but he was mesell; and there +anon he took his health.</p> +<p>About the flome Jordan be many churches where that many Christian +men dwelled. And nigh thereto is the city of Ai that Joshua assailed +and took. Also beyond the flome Jordan is the vale of Mamre, and +that is a full fair vale. Also upon the hill that I spake of before, +where our Lord fasted forty days, a two mile long from Galilee, is a +fair hill and an high, where the enemy the fiend bare our Lord the third +time to tempt him, and shewed him all the regions of the world and said, +<i>Hec omnia tibi dabo, si cadens adoraveris me</i>; that is to say, +‘All this shall I give thee, if thou fall and worship me.’</p> +<p>Also from the Dead Sea to go eastward, out of the marches of the +Holy Land that is clept the Land of Promission, is a strong castle and +a fair, in an hill that is clept Carak in Sarmois; that is to say, Royally. +That castle let make King Baldwin, that was King of France, when he +had conquered that land, and put it into Christian men’s hands +for to keep that country; and for that cause was it clept the Mount +Royal. And under it there is a town that hight Sobach, and there, +all about, dwell Christian men, under tribute.</p> +<p>From thence go men to Nazareth, of the which our Lord beareth the +surname. And from thence there is three journeys to Jerusalem: +and men go by the province of Galilee by Ramath, by Sothim and by the +high hill of Ephraim, where Elkanah and Hannah the mother of Samuel +the prophet dwelled. There was born this prophet; and, after his +death, he was buried at Mount Joy, as I have said you before.</p> +<p>And then go men to Shiloh, where the Ark of God with the relics were +kept long time under Eli the prophet. There made the people of +Hebron sacrifice to our Lord, and they yielded up their vows. +And there spake God first to Samuel, and shewed him the mutation of +Order of Priesthood, and the mystery of the Sacrament. And right +nigh, on the left side, is Gibeon and Ramah and Benjamin, of the which +holy writ speaketh of.</p> +<p>And after men go to Sichem, some-time clept Sichar; and that is in +the province of Samaritans. And there is a full fair vale and +a fructuous; and there is a fair city and a good that men clepe Neople. +And from thence is a journey to Jerusalem. And there is the well, +where our Lord spake to the woman of Samaritan. And there was +wont to be a church, but it is beaten down. Beside that well King +Rehoboam let make two calves of gold and made them to be worshipped, +and put that one at Dan and that other at Bethel. And a mile from +Sichar is the city of Luz; and in that city dwelt Abraham a certain +time. Sichem is a ten mile from Jerusalem, and it is clept Neople; +that is for to say, the New City. And nigh beside is the tomb +of Joseph the son of Jacob that governed Egypt: for the Jews bare his +bones from Egypt and buried them there, and thither go the Jews often-time +in pilgrimage with great devotion. In that city was Dinah, Jacob’s +daughter, ravished, for whom her brethren slew many persons and did +many harms to the city. And there beside is the hill of Gerizim, +where the Samaritans make their sacrifice: in that hill would Abraham +have sacrificed his son Isaac. And there beside is the vale of +Dotaim, and there is the cistern, where Joseph, was cast in of his brethren, +which they sold; and that is two mile from Sichar.</p> +<p>From thence go men to Samaria that men clepe now Sebast; and that +is the chief city of that country, and it sits between the hill of Aygnes +as Jerusalem doth. In that city was the sittings of the twelve +tribes of Israel; but the city is not now so great as it was wont to +be. There was buried Saint John the Baptist between two prophets, +Elisha and Abdon; but he was beheaded in the castle of Macharim beside +the Dead Sea, and after he was translated of his disciples, and buried +at Samaria. And there let Julianus Apostata dig him up and let +burn his bones (for he was at that time emperor) and let winnow the +ashes in the wind. But the finger that shewed our Lord, saying, +<i>Ecce Agnus Dei</i>; that is to say, ‘Lo! the Lamb of God,’ +that would never burn, but is all whole; - that finger let Saint Thecla, +the holy virgin, be born into the hill of Sebast; and there make men +great feast.</p> +<p>In that place was wont to be a fair church; and many other there +were; but they be all beaten down. There was wont to be the head +of Saint John Baptist, enclosed in the wall. But the Emperor Theodosius +let draw it out, and found it wrapped in a little cloth, all bloody; +and so he let it to be born to Constantinople. And yet at Constantinople +is the hinder part of the head, and the fore part of the head, till +under the chin, is at Rome under the church of Saint Silvester, where +be nuns of an hundred orders: and it is yet all broilly, as though it +were half-burnt, for the Emperor Julianus above-said, of his cursedness +and malice, let burn that part with the other bones, and yet it sheweth; +and this thing hath been proved both by popes and by emperors. +And the jaws beneath, that hold to the chin, and a part of the ashes +and the platter that the head was laid in, when it was smitten off, +is at Genoa; and the Genoese make of it great feast, and so do the Saracens +also. And some men say that the head of Saint John is at Amiens +in Picardy; and other men say that it is the head of Saint John the +Bishop. I wot never, but God knoweth; but in what wise that men +worship it, the blessed Saint John holds him a-paid.</p> +<p>From this city of Sebast unto Jerusalem is twelve mile. And +between the hills of that country there is a well that four sithes in +the year changeth his colour, sometime green, sometime red, sometime +clear and sometime trouble; and men clepe that well, Job. And +the folk of that country, that men clepe Samaritans, were converted +and baptized by the apostles; but they hold not well their doctrine, +and always they hold laws by themselves, varying from Christian men, +from Saracens, Jews and Paynims. And the Samaritans lieve well +in one God, and they say well that there is but only one God, that all +formed, and all shall doom; and they hold the Bible after the letter, +and they use the Psalter as the Jews do. And they say that they +be the right sons of God. And among all other folk, they say that +they be best beloved of God, and that to them belongeth the heritage +that God behight to his beloved children. And they have also diverse +clothing and shape to look on than other folk have; for they wrap their +heads in red linen cloth, in difference from others. And the Saracens +wrap their heads in white linen cloth; and the Christian men, that dwell +in the country, wrap them in blue of Ind; and the Jews in yellow cloth. +In that country dwell many of the Jews, paying tribute as Christian +men do. And if ye will know the letters that the Jews use they +be such, and the names be as they clepe them written above, in manner +of their A. B. C.</p> +<p>Aleph Beth Gymel Deleth He Vau +Zay</p> +<p>Heth Thet Joht Kapho Lampd Mem +Num</p> +<p>Sameth Ey Fhee Sade Coph Resch +Son Tau</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Province of Galilee, and where Antichrist shall be born. +Of Nazareth. Of the age of Our Lady. Of the Day of Doom. +And of the customs of Jacobites, Syrians; and of the usages of Georgians</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From this country of the Samaritans that I have spoken of before +go men to the plains of Galilee, and men leave the hills on that one +part.</p> +<p>And Galilee is one of the provinces of the Holy Land, and in that +province is the city of Nain - and Capernaum, and Chorazin and Bethsaida. +In this Bethsaida was Saint Peter and Saint Andrew born. And thence, +a four mile, is Chorazin. And five mile from Chorazin is the city +of Kedar whereof the Psalter speaketh: <i>Et habitavi cum habitantibus +Kedar</i>; that is for to say, ‘And I have dwelled with the dwelling +men in Kedar.’ In Chorazin shall Antichrist be born, as +some men say. And other men say he shall be born in Babylon; for +the prophet saith: <i>De Babilonia coluber exest, qui totum mundum devorabit</i>; +that is to say ‘Out of Babylon shall come a worm that shall devour +all the world.’ This Antichrist shall be nourished in Bethsaida, +and he shall reign in Capernaum: and therefore saith holy writ; <i>Vae +tibi, Chorazin! Vae tibi, Bethsaida! Vae tibi, Capernaum</i>! +that is to say, ‘Woe be to thee, Chorazin! Woe to thee, +Bethsaida! Woe to thee, Capernaum.’ And all these +towns be in the land of Galilee. And also the Cana of Galilee +is four mile from Nazareth: of that city was Simon Chananeus and his +wife Canee, of the which the holy evangelist speaketh of. There +did our Lord the first miracle at the wedding, when he turned water +into wine.</p> +<p>And in the end of Galilee, at the hills, was the Ark of God taken; +and on that other side is the Mount Endor or Hermon. And, thereabout, +goeth the Brook of Torrens Kishon; and there beside, Barak, that was +Abimelech’s son with Deborah the prophetess overcame the host +of Idumea, when Sisera the king was slain of Jael the wife of Heber, +and chased beyond the flome Jordan, by strength of sword, Zeeb and Zebah +and Zalmunna, and there he slew them. Also a five mile from Nain +is the city of Jezreel that sometime was clept Zarim, of the which city +Jezabel, the cursed queen, was lady and queen, that took away the vine +of Naboth by her strength. Fast by that city is the field Megiddo, +in the which the King Joram was slain of the King of Samaria and after +was translated and buried in the Mount Sion.</p> +<p>And a mile from Jezreel be the hills of Gilboa, where Saul and Jonathan, +that were so fair, died; wherefore David cursed them, as holy writ saith: +<i>Montes Gilboae, nec ros nec pluvia, etc</i>.; that is to say, ‘Ye +hills of Gilboa, neither dew ne rain come upon you.’ And +a mile from the hills of Gilboa toward the east is the city of Cyropolis, +that was clept before Bethshan; and upon the walls of that city was +the head of Saul hanged.</p> +<p>After go men by the hill beside the plains of Galilee unto Nazareth, +where was wont to be a great city and a fair; but now there is not but +a little village, and houses abroad here and there. And it is +not walled. And it sits in a little valley, and there be hills +all about. There was our Lady born, but she was gotten at Jerusalem. +And because that our Lady was born at Nazareth, therefore bare our Lord +his surname of that town. There took Joseph our Lady to wife, +when she was fourteen year of age. And there Gabriel greeted our +Lady, saying, <i>Ave gratia plena, Dominus tecum</i>! that is to say, +‘Hail, full of grace, our Lord is with thee!’ And +this salutation was done in a place of a great altar of a fair church +that was wont to be sometime, but it is now all down, and men have made +a little receipt, beside a pillar of that church, to receive the offerings +of pilgrims. And the Saracens keep that place full dearly, for +the profit that they have thereof. And they be full wicked Saracens +and cruel, and more despiteful than in any other place, and have destroyed +all the churches. There nigh is Gabriel’s Well, where our +Lord was wont to bathe him, when he was young, and from that well bare +he water often-time to his mother. And in that well she washed +often-time the clouts of her Son Jesu Christ. And from Jerusalem +unto thither is three journeys. At Nazareth was our Lord nourished. +Nazareth is as much to say as, ‘Flower of the garden’; and +by good skill may it be clept flower, for there was nourished the flower +of life that was Christ Jesu.</p> +<p>And two mile from Nazareth is the city of Sephor, by the way that +goeth from Nazareth to Akon. And an half mile from Nazareth is +the Leap of our Lord. For the Jews led him upon an high rock for +to make him leap down, and have slain him; but Jesu passed amongst them, +and leapt upon another rock, and yet be the steps of his feet seen in +the rock, where he alighted. And therefore say some men, when +they dread them of thieves in any way, or of enemies; <i>Jesus autem +transiens per medium illorum ibat</i>; that is to say, ‘Jesus, +forsooth, passing by the midst of them, he went’: in token and +mind, that our Lord passed through, out the Jews’ cruelty, and +scaped safely from them, so surely may men pass the peril of thieves’. +And then say men two verses of the Psalter three sithes: <i>Irruat super +eos formido & pavor, in magnitudine brachii tui, Domine. Fiant +immobiles, quasi lapis, donec pertranseat populus tuus, Domine; donec +pertranseat populus tuus iste, quem possedisti</i>; and then may men +pass without peril.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that our Lady had child when she was fifteen +year old. And she was conversant with her son thirty-three year +and three months. And after the passion of our Lord she lived +twenty-four year.</p> +<p>Also from Nazareth men go to the Mount Tabor; and that is a four +mile. And it is a full fair hill and well high, where was wont +to be a town and many churches; but they be all destroyed. But +yet there is a place that men clepe the school of God, where he was +wont to teach his disciples, and told them the privities of heaven. +And, at the foot of that hill, Melchisedech that was King of Salem, +in the turning of that hill met Abraham in coming again from the battle, +when he had slain Abimelech. And this Melchisedech was both king +and priest of Salem that now is clept Jerusalem. In that hill +Tabor our Lord transfigured him before Saint Peter, Saint John and Saint +Jame; and there they saw, ghostly, Moses and Elias the prophets beside +them. And therefore said Saint Peter; <i>Domine, bonum est nos +hic esse; faciamus hic tria tabernacula</i>; that is to say, ‘Lord, +it is good for us to be here; make we here three dwelling-places.’ +And there heard they a voice of the Father that say; <i>Hic est Filius +meus dilectus, in quo mihi bene complacui</i>. And our Lord defended +them that they should not tell that avision till that he were risen +from death to life.</p> +<p>In that hill and in that same place, at the day of doom, four angels +with four trumpets shall blow and raise all men that had suffered death, +sith that the world was formed, from death to life; and shall come in +body and soul in judgment, before the face of our Lord in the Vale of +Jehosaphat. And the doom shall be on Easter Day, such time as +our Lord arose. And the doom shall begin, such hour as our Lord +descended to hell and despoiled it. For at such hour shall he +despoil the world and lead his chosen to bliss; and the other shall +he condemn to perpetual pains. And then shall every man have after +his desert, either good or evil, but if the mercy of God pass his righteousness.</p> +<p>Also a mile from Mount Tabor is the Mount Hermon; and there was the +city of Nain. Before the gate of that city raised our Lord the +widow’s son, that had no more children. Also three miles +from Nazareth is the Castle Safra, of the which the sons of Zebedee +and the sons of Alpheus were. Also a seven mile from Nazareth +is the Mount Cain, and under that is a well; and beside that well Lamech, +Noah’s father, slew Cain with an arrow. For this Cain went +through briars and bushes as a wild beast; and he had lived from the +time of Adam his father unto the time of Noah, and so he lived nigh +to 2000 year. And this Lamech was all blind for eld.</p> +<p>From Safra men go to the sea of Galilee and to the city of Tiberias, +that sits upon the same sea. And albeit that men clepe it a sea, +yet is it neither sea ne arm of the sea. For it is but a stank +of fresh water that is in length one hundred furlongs, and of breadth +forty furlongs, and hath within him great plenty of good fish, and runneth +into flom Jordan. The city is not full great, but it hath good +baths within him.</p> +<p>And there, as the flome Jordan parteth from the sea of Galilee, is +a great bridge, where men pass from the Land of Promission to the land +of King Bashan and the land of Gennesaret, that be about the flom Jordan +and the beginning of the sea of Tiberias. And from thence may +men go to Damascus, in three days, by the kingdom of Traconitis, the +which kingdom lasteth from Mount Hermon to the sea of Galilee, or to +the sea of Tiberias, or to the sea of Gennesaret; and all is one sea, +and this the tank that I have told you, but it changeth thus the name +for the names of the cities that sit beside him.</p> +<p>Upon that sea went our Lord dry feet; and there he took up Saint +Peter, when he began to drench within the sea, and said to him, <i>Modice +fidei, quare dubitasti</i>? And after his resurrection our Lord +appeared on that sea to his disciples and bade them fish, and filled +all the net full of great fishes. In that sea rowed our Lord often-time; +and there he called to him Saint Peter, Saint Andrew, Saint James and +Saint John, the sons of Zebedee.</p> +<p>In that city of Tiberias is the table upon the which our Lord ate +upon with his disciples after his resurrection; and they knew him in +breaking of bread, as the gospel saith: <i>Et cognoverunt eum in fractione +panis</i>. And nigh that city of Tiberias is the hill, where our +Lord fed 5000 persons with five barley loaves and two fishes.</p> +<p>In that city a man cast a burning dart in wrath after our Lord. +And the head smote into the earth and waxed green; and it growed to +a great tree. And yet it groweth and the bark thereof is all like +coals.</p> +<p>Also in the head of that sea of Galilee, toward the septentrion is +a strong castle and an high that hight Saphor. And fast beside +it is Capernaum. Within the Land of Promission is not so strong +a castle. And there is a good town beneath that is clept also +Saphor. In that castle Saint Anne our Lady’s mother was +born. And there beneath, was Centurio’s house. That +country is clept the Galilee of Folk that were taken to tribute of Zebulon +and Napthali.</p> +<p>And in again coming from that castle, a thirty mile, is the city +of Dan, that sometime was clept Belinas or Cesarea Philippi; that sits +at the foot of the Mount of Lebanon, where the flome Jordan beginneth. +There beginneth the Land of Promission and dureth unto Beersheba in +length, in going toward the north into the south, and it containeth +well a nine score miles; and of breadth, that is to say, from Jericho +unto Jaffa, and that containeth a forty mile of Lombardy, or of our +country, that be also little miles; these be not miles of Gascony ne +of the Province of Almayne, where be great miles. And wit ye well, +that the Land of Promission is in Syria. For the realm of Syria +dureth from the deserts of Arabia unto Cilicia, and that is Armenia +the great; that is to say, from the south to the north. And, from +the east to the west, it dureth from the great deserts of Arabia unto +the West Sea. But in that realm of Syria is the kingdom of Judea +and many other provinces, as Palestine, Galilee, Little Cilicia, and +many other.</p> +<p>In that country and other countries beyond they have a custom, when +they shall use war, and when men hold siege about city or castle, and +they within dare not send out messengers with letters from lord to lord +for to ask succour, they make their letters and bind them to the neck +of a culver, and let the culver flee. And the culvers be so taught, +that they flee with those letters to the very place that men would send +them to. For the culvers be nourished in those places where they +be sent to, and they send them thus, for to bear their letters. +And the culvers return again whereas they be nourished; and so they +do commonly.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that amongst the Saracens, one part and other, +dwell many Christian men of many manners and diverse names. And +all be baptized and have diverse laws and diverse customs. But +all believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost; but always +fail they in some articles of our faith. Some of these be clept +Jacobites, for Saint James converted them and Saint John baptized them. +They say that a man shall make his confession only to God, and not to +a man; for only to him should man yield him guilty of all that he hath +misdone. Ne God ordained not, ne never devised, ne the prophet +neither, that a man should shrive him to another (as they say), but +only to God. As Moses writeth in the Bible, and as David saith +in the Psalter Book; <i>Confitebor tibi, Domine, in toto corde meo</i>, +and <i>Delictum meum tibi cognitum feci</i>, and <i>Deus meus es tu, +& confitebor tibi</i>, and <i>Quoniam cogitatio hominis confitebitur +tibi</i>, etc. For they know all the Bible and the Psalter. +And therefore allege they so the letter. But they allege not the +authorities thus in Latin, but in their language full apertly, and say +well, that David and other prophets say it.</p> +<p>Natheles, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory say thus:- Augustinus: +<i>Qui scelera sua cogitat, & conversus fuerit, veniam sibi credat</i>. +Gregorius: <i>Dominus potius mentem quam verba respicit</i>. And +Saint Hilary saith: <i>Longorum temporum crimina, in ictu oculi pereunt, +si cordis nata fuerit compunctio</i>. And for such authorities +they say, that only to God shall a man knowledge his defaults, yielding +himself guilty and crying him mercy, and behoting to him to amend himself. +And therefore, when they will shrive them, they take fire and set it +beside them, and cast therein powder of frankincense; and in the smoke +thereof they shrive them to God, and cry him mercy. But sooth +it is, that this confession was first and kindly. But Saint Peter +the apostle, and they that came after him, have ordained to make their +confession to man, and by good reason; for they perceived well that +no sickness was curable, [ne] good medicine to lay thereto, but if men +knew the nature of the malady; and also no man may give convenable medicine, +but if he know the quality of the deed. For one sin may be greater +in one man than in another, and in one place and in one time than in +another; and therefore it behoveth him that he know the kind of the +deed, and thereupon to give him penance.</p> +<p>There be other, that be clept Syrians; and they hold the belief amongst +us, and of them of Greece. And they use all beards, as men of +Greece do. And they make the sacrament of therf bread. And +in their language they use letters of Saracens. But after the +mystery of Holy Church they use letters of Greece. And they make +their confession, right as the Jacobites do.</p> +<p>There be other, that men clepe Georgians, that Saint George converted; +and him they worship more than any other saint, and to him they cry +for help. And they came out of the realm of Georgia. These +folk use crowns shaven. The clerks have round crowns, and the +lewd men have crowns all square. And they hold Christian law, +as do they of Greece; of whom I have spoken of before.</p> +<p>Other there be that men clepe Christian men of Girding, for they +be all girt above. And there be other that men clept Nestorians. +And some Arians, some Nubians, some of Greece, some of Ind, and some +of Prester John’s Land. And all these have many articles +of our faith, and to other they be variant. And of their variance +were too long to tell, and so I will leave, as for the time, without +more speaking of them.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the City of Damascus. Of three ways to Jerusalem; one, +by land and by sea; another, more by land than by sea; and the third +way to Jerusalem, all by land</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now after that I have told you some part of folk in the countries +before, now will I turn again to my way, for to turn again on this half. +Then whoso will go from the land of Galilee, of that that I have spoke +for, to come again on this half, men come again by Damascus, that is +a full fair city and full noble, and full of all merchandises, and a +three journeys long from the sea, and a five journeys from Jerusalem. +But upon camels, mules, horses, dromedaries and other beasts, men carry +their merchandise thither. And thither come the merchants with +merchandise by sea from India, Persia, Chaldea, Armenia, and of many +other kingdoms.</p> +<p>This city founded Eliezer Damascus, that was yeoman and dispenser +of Abraham before that Isaac was born. For he thought for to have +been Abraham’s heir, and he named the town after his surname Damascus. +And in that place, where Damascus was founded, Cain slew Abel his brother. +And beside Damascus is the Mount Seir. In that city of Damascus +there is great plenty of wells. And within the city and without +be many fair gardens and of diverse fruits. None other city is +not like in comparison to it of fair gardens, and of fair disports. +The city is great and full of people, and well walled with double walls. +And there be many physicians. And Saint Paul himself was there +a physician for to keep men’s bodies in health, before he was +converted. And after that he was physician of souls. And +Saint Luke the evangelist was disciple of Saint Paul for to learn physic, +and many other; for Saint Paul held then school of physic. And +near beside Damascus was he converted. And after his conversion +ne dwelt in that city three days, without sight and without meat or +drink; and in those three days he was ravished to heaven, and there +he saw many privities of our Lord.</p> +<p>And fast beside Damascus is the castle of Arkes that is both fair +and strong.</p> +<p>From Damascus men come again by our Lady of Sardenak, that is a five +mile on this half Damascus. And it sitteth upon a rock, and it +is a full fair place; and it seemeth a castle, for there was wont to +be a castle, but it is now a full fair church. And there within +be monks and nuns Christian. And there is a vault under the church, +where that Christian men dwell also. And they have many good vines. +And in the church, behind the high altar, in the wall, is a table of +black wood, on the which sometime was depainted an image of our Lady +that turneth into flesh: but now the image sheweth but little, but alway, +by the grace of God, that table evermore drops oil, as it were of olive; +and there is a vessel of marble under the table to receive the oil. +Thereof they give to pilgrims, for it heals of many sicknesses; and +men say that, if it be kept well seven year, afterwards it turns into +flesh and blood. From Sardenak men come through the vale of Bochar, +the which is a fair vale and a plenteous of all manner of fruit; and +it is amongst hills. And there are therein fair rivers and great +meadows and noble pasture for beasts. And men go by the mounts +of Libanus, which lasts from Armenia the more towards the north unto +Dan, the which is the end of the Land of Repromission toward the north, +as I said before. Their hills are right fruitful, and there are +many fair wells and cedars and cypresses, and many other trees of divers +kinds. There are also many good towns toward the head of their +hills, full of folk.</p> +<p>Between the city of Arkez and the city of Raphane is a river, that +is called Sabatory; for on the Saturday it runs fast, and all the week +else it stand still and runs not, or else but fairly. Between +the foresaid hills also is another water that on nights freezes hard +and on days is no frost seen thereon. And, as men come again from +those hills, is a hill higher than any of the other, and they call it +there the High Hill. There is a great city and a fair, the which +is called Tripoli, in the which are many good Christian men, yemand +the same rites and customs that we use. From thence men come by +a city that is called Beyrout, where Saint George slew the dragon; and +it is a good town, and a fair castle therein, and it is three journeys +from the foresaid city of Sardenak. At the one side of Beyrout +sixteen mile, to come hitherward, is the city of Sydon. At Beyrout +enters pilgrims into the sea that will come to Cyprus, and they arrive +at the port of Surry or of Tyre, and so they come to Cyprus in a little +space. Or men may come from the port of Tyre and come not at Cyprus, +and arrive at some haven of Greece, and so come to these parts, as I +said before.</p> +<p>I have told you now of the way by which men go farrest and longest +to Jerusalem, as by Babylon and Mount Sinai and many other places which +ye heard me tell of; and also by which ways men shall turn again to +the Land of Repromission. Now will I tell you the rightest way +and the shortest to Jerusalem. For some men will not go the other; +some for they have not spending enough, some for they have no good company, +and some for they may not endure the long travel, some for they dread +them of many perils of deserts, some for they will haste them homeward, +desiring to see their wives and their children, or for some other reasonable +cause that they have to turn soon home. And therefore I will shew +how men may pass tittest and in shortest time make their pilgrimage +to Jerusalem. A man that comes from the lands of the west, he +goes through France, Burgoyne, and Lumbardy. And so to Venice +or Genoa, or some other haven, and ships there and wends by sea to the +isle of Greff, the which pertains to the Genoans.</p> +<p>And syne he arrives in Greece at Port Mirrok, or at Valoun, or at +Duras, or at some other haven of that country, and rests him there and +buys him victuals and ships again and sails to Cyprus and arrives there +at Famagost and comes not at the isle of Rhodes. Famagost is the +chief haven of Cyprus; and there he refreshes him and purveys him of +victuals, and then he goes to ship and comes no more on land, if he +will, before he comes at Port Jaffa, that is the next haven to Jerusalem, +for it is but a day journey and a half from Jerusalem, that is to say +thirty-six mile. From the Port Jaffa men go to the city of Rames, +the which is but a little thence; and it is a fair city and a good and +mickle folk therein. And without that city toward the south is +a kirk of our Lady, where our Lord shewed him to her in three clouds, +the which betokened the Trinity. And a little thence is another +city, that men call Dispolis, but it hight some time Lidda, a fair city +and a well inhabited: there is a kirk of Saint George, where he was +headed. From thence men go to the castle of Emmaus, and so to +the Mount Joy; there may pilgrims first see Jerusalem. At Mount +Joy lies Samuel the prophet. From thence men go to Jerusalem. +Beside their ways is the city of Ramatha and the Mount Modyn; and thereof +was Matathias, Judas Machabeus father, and there are the graves of the +Machabees. Beyond Ramatha is the town of Tekoa, whereof Amos the +prophet was; and there is his grave.</p> +<p>I have told you before of the holy places that are at Jerusalem and +about it, and therefore I will speak no more of them at this time. +But I will turn again and shew you other ways a man may pass more by +land, and namely for them that may not suffer the savour of the sea, +but is liefer to go by land, if all it be the more pain. From +a man be entered into the sea he shall pass till one of the havens of +Lumbardy, for there is the best making of purveyance of victuals; or +he may pass to Genoa or Venice or some other. And he shall pass +by sea in to Greece to the Port Mirrok, or to Valoun or to Duras, or +some other haven of that country. And from thence he shall go +by land to Constantinople, and he shall pass the water that is called +Brace Saint George, the which is one arm of the sea. And from +thence he shall by land go to Ruffynell, where a good castle is and +a strong; and from therein he shall go to Puluual, and syne to the castle +of Sinope, and from thence to Cappadocia, that is a great country, where +are many great hills. And he shall go though Turkey to the port +of Chiutok and to the city of Nicaea, which is but seven miles thence. +That city won the Turks from the Emperor of Constantinople; and it is +a fair city and well walled on the one side, and on the other side is +a great lake and a great river, the which is called Lay. From +thence men go by the hills of Nairmount and by the vales of Mailbrins +and strait fells and by the town of Ormanx or by the towns that are +on Riclay and Stancon, the which are great rivers and noble, and so +to Antioch the less, which is set on the river of Riclay. And +there abouts are many good hills and fair, and many fair woods and great +plenty of wild beasts for to hunt at.</p> +<p>And he that will go another way, he shall go by the plains of Romany +coasting the Roman Sea. On that coast is a fair castle that men +call Florach, and it is right a strong place. And uppermore amongst +the mountains is a fair city, that is called Tarsus, and the city of +Longemaath, and the city of Assere, and the city of Marmistre. +And when a man is passed those mountains and those fells, he goes by +the city of Marioch and by Artoise, where is a great bridge upon the +river of Ferne, that is called Farfar, and it is a great river bearing +ships and it runs right fast out of the mountains to the city of Damascus. +And beside the city of Damascus is another great river that comes from +the hills of Liban, which men call Abbana. At the passing of this +river Saint Eustace, that some-time was called Placidas, lost his wife +and his two children. This river runs through the plain of Archades, +and so to the Red Sea. From thence men go to the city of Phenice, +where are hot wells and hot baths. And then men go to the city +of Ferne; and between Phenice and Ferne are ten mile. And there +are many fair woods. And then men come to Antioch, which is ten +mile thence. And it is a fair city and well walled about with +many fair towers; and it is a great city, but it was some-time greater +than it is now. For it was some-time two mile on length and on +breadth other half mile. And through the midst of that city ran +the water of Farphar and a great bridge over it; and there was some-time +in the walls about this city three hundred and fifty towers, and at +each pillar of the bridge was a stone. This is the chief city +of the kingdom of Syria. And ten mile from this city is the port +of Saint Symeon; and there goes the water of Farphar into the sea. +From Antioch men go to a city that is called Lacuth, and then to Gebel, +and then to Tortouse. And there near is the land of Channel; and +there is a strong castle that is called Maubek. From Tortouse +pass men to Tripoli by sea, or else by land through the straits of mountains +and fells. And there is a city that is called Gibilet. From +Tripoli go men to Acres; and from thence are two ways to Jerusalem, +the one on the left half and the other on the right half. By the +left way men go by Damascus and by the flum Jordan. By the right +way men go by Maryn and by the land of Flagramy and near the mountains +into the city of Cayphas, that some men call the castle of Pilgrims. +And from thence to Jerusalem are three day journey, in the which men +shall go through Caesarea Philippi, and so to Jaffa and Rames and the +castle of Emmaus, and so to Jerusalem.</p> +<p>Now have I told you some ways by land and by water that men may go +by to the Holy Land after the countries that they come from. Nevertheless +they come all to one end. Yet is there another way to Jerusalem +all by land, and pass not the sea, from France or Flanders; but that +way is full long and perilous and of great travel, and therefore few +go that way. He that shall go that way, he shall go through Almayne +and Prussia and so to Tartary. This Tartary is holden of the great +Caan of Cathay, of whom I think to speak afterward. This is a +full ill land and sandy and little fruit bearing. For there grows +no corn, ne wine, ne beans, ne peas, ne none other fruit convenable +to man for to live with. But there are beasts in great plenty: +and therefore they eat but flesh without bread and sup the broth and +they drink milk of all manner of beasts. They eat hounds, cats, +ratons, and all other wild beasts. And they have no wood, or else +little; and therefore they warm and seethe their meat with horse-dung +and cow-dung and of other beasts, dried against the sun. And princes +and other eat not but once in the day, and that but little. And +they be right foul folk and of evil kind. And in summer, by all +the countries, fall many tempests and many hideous thunders and leits +and slay much people and beasts also full often-time. And suddenly +is there passing heat, and suddenly also passing cold; and it is the +foulest country and the most cursed and the poorest that men know. +And their prince, that governeth that country, that they clepe Batho, +dwelleth at the city of Orda. And truly no good man should not +dwell in that country, for the land and the country is not worthy hounds +to dwell in. It were a good country to sow in thistle and briars +and broom and thorns and briars; and for no other thing is it not good. +Natheles, there is good land in some place, but it is pure little, as +men say.</p> +<p>I have not been in that country, nor by those ways. But I have +been at other lands that march to those countries, as in the land of +Russia, as in the land of Nyflan, and in the realm of Cracow and of +Letto, and in the realm of Daristan, and in many other places that march +to the coasts. But I went never by that way to Jerusalem, wherefore +I may not well tell you the manner.</p> +<p>But, if this matter please to any worthy man that hath gone by that +way, he may tell it if him like, to that intent, that those, that will +go by that way and make their voyage by those coasts, may know what +way is there. For no man may pass by that way goodly, but in time +of winter, for the perilous waters and wicked mareys, that be in those +countries, that no man may pass but if it be strong frost and snow above. +For if the snow ne were not, men might not go upon the ice, ne horse +ne car neither.</p> +<p>And it is well a three journeys of such way to pass from Prussia +to the land of Saracens habitable. And it behoveth to the Christian +men, that shall war against them every year, to bear their victuals +with them; for they shall find there no good. And then must they +let carry their victual upon the ice with cars that have no wheels, +that they clepe sleighs. And as long as their victuals last they +may abide there, but no longer; for there shall they find no wight that +will sell them any victual or anything. And when the spies see +any Christian men come upon them, they run to the towns, and cry with +a loud voice;<i> Kerra, Kerra, Kerra</i>. And then anon they arm +them and assemble them together.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that it freezeth more strongly in those countries +than on this half. And therefore hath every man stews in his house, +and in those stews they eat and do their occupations all that they may. +For that is at the north parts that men clepe the Septentrional where +it is all only cold. For the sun is but little or none toward +those countries. And therefore in the Septentrion, that is very +north, is the land so cold, that no man may dwell there. And, +in the contrary, toward the south it is so hot, that no man ne may dwell +there, because that the sun, when he is upon the south, casteth his +beams all straight upon that part.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Customs of Saracens, and of their Law. And how the +Soldan reasoned me, Author of this Book; and of the beginning of Mohammet</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now, because that I have spoken of Saracens and of their country +- now, if ye will know a part of their law and of their belief, I shall +tell you after that their book that is clept <i>Alkaron</i> telleth. +And some men clepe that book <i>Meshaf</i>. And some men clepe +it <i>Harme</i>, after the diverse languages of the country. The +which book Mohammet took them. In the which book, among other +things, is written, as I have often-time seen and read, that the good +shall go to paradise, and the evil to hell; and that believe all Saracens. +And if a man ask them what paradise they mean, they say, to paradise +that is a place of delights where men shall find all manner of fruits +in all seasons, and rivers running of milk and honey, and of wine and +of sweet water; and that they shall have fair houses and noble, every +man after his desert, made of precious stones and of gold and of silver; +and that every man shall have four score wives all maidens, and he shall +have ado every day with them, and yet he shall find them always maidens.</p> +<p>Also they believe and speak gladly of the Virgin Mary and of the +Incarnation. And they say that Mary was taught of the angel; and +that Gabriel said to her, that she was for-chosen from the beginning +of the world and that he shewed to her the Incarnation of Jesu Christ +and that she conceived and bare child maiden; and that witnesseth their +book.</p> +<p>And they say also, that Jesu Christ spake as soon as he was born; +and that he was an holy prophet and a true in word and deed, and meek +and piteous and rightful and without any vice.</p> +<p>And they say also, that when the angel shewed the Incarnation of +Christ unto Mary, she was young and had great dread. For there +was then an enchanter in the country that dealt with witchcraft, that +men clept Taknia, that by his enchantments could make him in likeness +of an angel, and went often-times and lay with maidens. And therefore +Mary dreaded lest it had been Taknia, that came for to deceive the maidens. +And therefore she conjured the angel, that he should tell her if it +were he or no. And the angel answered and said that she should +have no dread of him, for he was very messenger of Jesu Christ. +Also their book saith, that when that she had childed under a palm tree +she had great shame, that she had a child; and she greet and said that +she would that she had been dead. And anon the child spake to +her and comforted her, and said, “Mother, ne dismay thee nought, +for God hath hid in thee his privities for the salvation of the world.” +And in other many places saith their <i>Alkaron</i>, that Jesu Christ +spake as soon as he was born. And that book saith also that Jesu +was sent from God Almighty for to be mirror and example and token to +all men.</p> +<p>And the <i>Alkaron</i> saith also of the day of doom how God shall +come to doom all manner of folk. And the good he shall draw on +his side and put them into bliss, and the wicked he shall condemn to +the pains of hell. And among all prophets Jesu was the most excellent +and the most worthy next God, and that he made the gospels in the which +is good doctrine and healthful, full of clarity and soothfastness and +true preaching to them that believe in God. And that he was a +very prophet and more than a prophet, and lived without sin, and gave +sight to the blind, and healed the lepers, and raised dead men, and +styed to heaven.</p> +<p>And when they may hold the Book of the Gospels of our Lord written +and namely <i>Missus est Angelus Gabriel</i>, that gospel they say, +those that be lettered, often-times in their orisons, and they kiss +it and worship it with great devotion.</p> +<p>They fast an whole month in the year and eat nought but by night. +And they keep them from their wives all that month. But the sick +men be not constrained to that fast.</p> +<p>Also this book speaketh of Jews and saith that they be cursed; for +they would not believe that Jesu Christ was come of God. And that +they lied falsely on Mary and on her son Jesu Christ, saying that they +had crucified Jesu the son of Mary; for he was never crucified, as they +say, but that God made him to sty up to him without death and without +annoy. But he transfigured his likeness into Judas Iscariot, and +him crucified the Jews, and weened that it had been Jesus. But +Jesus styed to heavens all quick. And therefore they say, that +the Christian men err and have no good knowledge of this, and that they +believe folily and falsely that Jesu Christ was crucified. And +they say yet, that and he had been crucified, that God had done against +his righteousness for to suffer Jesu Christ, that was innocent, to be +put upon the cross without guilt. And in this article they say +that we fail and that the great righteousness of God might not suffer +so great a wrong: and in this faileth their faith. For they knowledge +well, that the works of Jesu Christ be good, and his words and his deeds +and his doctrine by his gospels were true, and his miracles also true; +and the blessed Virgin Mary is good, and holy maiden before and after +the birth of Jesu Christ; and that all those that believe perfectly +in God shall be saved. And because that they go so nigh our faith, +they be lightly converted to Christian law when men preach them and +shew them distinctly the law of Jesu Christ, and when they tell them +of the prophecies.</p> +<p>And also they say, that they know well by the prophecies that the +law of Mahomet shall fail, as the law of the Jews did; and that the +law of Christian people shall last to the day of doom. And if +any man ask them what is their belief, they answer thus, and in this +form: “We believe God, former of heaven and of earth, and of all +other things that he made. And without him is nothing made. +And we believe of the day of doom, and that every man shall have his +merit, after he hath deserved. And, we believe it for sooth, all +that God hath said by the mouths of his prophets.”</p> +<p>Also Mahomet commanded in his <i>Alkaron</i>, that every man should +have two wives, or three or four; but now they take unto nine, and of +lemans as many as he may sustain. And if any of their wives mis-bear +them against their husband, he may cast her out of his house, and depart +from her and take another; but he shall depart with her his goods.</p> +<p>Also, when men speak to them of the Father and of the Son and of +the Holy Ghost, they say, that they be three persons, but not one God; +for their <i>Alkaron</i> speaketh not of the Trinity. But they +say well, that God hath speech, and else were he dumb. And God +hath also a spirit they know well, for else they say, he were not alive. +And when men speak to them of the Incarnation how that by the word of +the angel God sent his wisdom in to earth and enombred him in the Virgin +Mary, and by the word of God shall the dead be raised at the day of +doom, they say, that it is sooth and that the word of God hath great +strength. And they say that whoso knew not the word of God he +should not know God. And they say also that Jesu Christ is the +word of God: and so saith their <i>Alkaron</i>, where it saith that +the angel spake to Mary and said: “Mary, God shall preach thee +the gospel by the word of his mouth and his name shall be clept Jesu +Christ.”</p> +<p>And they say also, that Abraham was friend to God, and that Moses +was familiar speaker with God, and Jesu Christ was the word and the +spirit of God, and that Mohammet was right messenger of God. And +they say, that of these four, Jesu was the most worthy and the most +excellent and the most great. So that they have many good articles +of our faith, albeit that they have no perfect law and faith as Christian +men have; and therefore be they lightly converted, and namely those +that understand the scriptures and the prophecies. For they have +the gospels and the prophecies and the Bible written in their language; +wherefore they ken much of holy writ, but they understand it not but +after the letter. And so do the Jews, for they understand not +the letter ghostly, but bodily; and therefore be they reproved of the +wise, that ghostly understand it. And therefore saith Saint Paul: +<i>Litera occidit; spiritus autem vivificat</i>. Also the Saracens +say, that the Jews be cursed; for they have befouled the law that God +sent them by Moses: and the Christian be cursed also, as they say; for +they keep not the commandments and the precepts of the gospel that Jesu +Christ taught them.</p> +<p>And, therefore, I shall tell you what the soldan told me upon a day +in his chamber. He let void out of his chamber all manner of men, +lords and others, for he would speak with me in counsel. And there +he asked me how the Christian men governed them in our country. +And I said him, “Right well, thanked be God!”</p> +<p>And he said me, “Truly nay! For ye Christian men reck +right nought, how untruly to serve God! Ye should give ensample +to the lewd people for to do well, and ye give them ensample to do evil. +For the commons, upon festival days, when they should go to church to +serve God, then go they to taverns, and be there in gluttony all the +day and all night, and eat and drink as beasts that have no reason, +and wit not when they have enough. And also the Christian men +enforce themselves in all manners that they may, for to fight and for +to deceive that one that other. And therewithal they be so proud, +that they know not how to be clothed; now long, now short, now strait, +now large, now sworded, now daggered, and in all manner guises. +They should be simple, meek and true, and full of alms-deeds, as Jesu +was, in whom they trow; but they be all the contrary, and ever inclined +to the evil, and to do evil. And they be so covetous, that, for +a little silver, they sell their daughters, their sisters and their +own wives to put them to lechery. And one withdraweth the wife +of another, and none of them holdeth faith to another; but they defoul +their law that Jesu Christ betook them to keep for their salvation. +And thus, for their sins, have they lost all this land that we hold. +For, for their sins, their God hath taken them into our hands, not only +by strength of ourself, but for their sins. For we know well, +in very sooth, that when ye serve God, God will help you; and when he +is with you, no man may be against you. And that know we well +by our prophecies, that Christian men shall win again this land out +of our hands, when they serve God more devoutly; but as long as they +be of foul and of unclean living (as they be now) we have no dread of +them in no kind, for their God will not help them in no wise.”</p> +<p>And then I asked him, how he knew the state of Christian men. +And he answered me, that he knew all the state of all courts of Christian +kings and princes and the state of the commons also by his messengers +that he sent to all lands, in manner as they were merchants of precious +stones, of cloths of gold and of other things, for to know the manner +of every country amongst Christian men. And then he let clepe +in all the lords that he made void first out of his chamber, and there +he shewed me four that were great lords in the country, that told me +of my country and of many other Christian countries, as well as they +had been of the same country; and they spake French right well, and +the soldan also; whereof I had great marvel.</p> +<p>Alas! that it is great slander to our faith and to our law, when +folk that be without law shall reprove us and undernim us of our sins, +and they that should be converted to Christ and to the law of Jesu by +our good ensamples and by our acceptable life to God, and so converted +to the law of Jesu Christ, be, through our wickedness and evil living, +far from us and strangers from the holy and very belief, shall thus +appeal us and hold us for wicked livers and cursed. And truly +they say sooth, for the Saracens be good and faithful; for they keep +entirely the commandment of the holy book <i>Alkaron</i> that God sent +them by his messenger Mahomet, to the which, as they say, Saint Gabriel +the angel oftentime told the will of God.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that Mahomet was born in Arabia, that was +first a poor knave that kept camels, that went with merchants for merchandise. +And so befell, that he went with the merchants into Egypt; and they +were then Christian in those parts. And at the deserts of Arabia, +he went into a chapel where a hermit dwelt. And when he entered +into the chapel that was but a little and a low thing and had but a +little door and a low, then the entry began to wax so great, and so +large and so high as though it had been of a great minster or the gate +of a palace. And this was the first miracle, the Saracens say, +that Mahomet did in his youth.</p> +<p>After began he for to wax wise and rich. And he was a great +astronomer. And after, he was governor and prince of the land +of Cozrodane; and he governed it full wisely, in such manner, that when +the prince was dead, he took the lady to wife that hight Gadrige. +And Mahomet fell often in the great sickness that men call the falling +evil; wherefore the lady was full sorry that ever she took him to husband. +But Mahomet made her to believe, that all times, when he fell so, Gabriel +the angel came for to speak with him, and for the great light and brightness +of the angel he might not sustain him from falling; and therefore the +Saracens say, that Gabriel came often to speak with him.</p> +<p>This Mahomet reigned in Arabia, the year of our Lord Jesu Christ +610, and was of the generation of Ishmael that was Abraham’s son, +that he gat upon Hagar his chamberer. And therefore there be Saracens +that be clept Ishmaelites; and some Hagarenes, of Hagar. And the +other properly be clept Saracens, of Sarah. And some be clept +Moabites and some Ammonites, for the two sons of Lot, Moab and Ammon, +that he begat on his daughters that were afterward great earthly princes.</p> +<p>And also Mahomet loved well a good hermit that dwelled in the deserts +a mile from Mount Sinai, in the way that men go from Arabia toward Chaldea +and toward Ind, one day’s journey from the sea, where the merchants +of Venice come often for merchandise. And so often went Mahomet +to this hermit, that all his men were wroth; for he would gladly hear +this hermit preach and make his men wake all night. And therefore +his men thought to put the hermit to death. And so it befell upon +a night, that Mahomet was drunken of good wine, and he fell on sleep. +And his men took Mahomet’s sword out of his sheath, whiles he +slept, and therewith they slew this hermit, and put his sword all bloody +in his sheath again. And at morrow, when he found the hermit dead, +he was full sorry and wroth, and would have done his men to death. +But they all, with one accord, said that he himself had slain him, when +he was drunken, and shewed him his sword all bloody. And he trowed +that they had said sooth. And then he cursed the wine and all +those that drink it. And therefore Saracens that be devout drink +never no wine. But some drink it privily; for if they drunk it +openly, they should be reproved. But they drink good beverage +and sweet and nourishing that is made of gallamelle and that is that +men make sugar of, that is of right good savour, and it is good for +the breast.</p> +<p>Also it befalleth some-time, that Christian men become Saracens, +either for poverty or for simpleness, or else for their own wickedness. +And therefore the archflamen or the flamen, as our archbishop or bishop, +when he receiveth them saith thus: <i>La ellec olla Sila, Machomete +rores alla</i>; that is to say, ‘There is no God but one, and +Mahomet his messenger.’</p> +<p>Now I have told you a part of their law and of their customs, I shall +say you of their letters that they have, with their names and the manner +of their figures what they be: Almoy, Bethath, Cathi, Ephoti, Delphoi, +Fothi, Garothi, Hechum, Iotty, Kaythi, Lothum, Malach, Nabaloth, Orthi, +Chesiri, 30ch, Ruth, Holath, Routhi, Salathi, Thatimus, Yrthom, A3a30th, +Arrocchi, 30tipyn, Ichetus. And these be the names of their a. +b. c. Now shall ye know the figures. . . . And four letters they +have more than other for diversity of their language and speech, forasmuch +as they speak in their throats; and we in England have in our language +and speech two letters more than they have in their a. b. c.; and that +is [character which cannot be reproduced] and [character which cannot +be reproduced], which be clept thorn and 30gh.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the lands of Albania and of Libia. Of the wishings for +watching of the Sparrow-hawk; and of Noah’s ship</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now, sith I have told you before of the Holy Land and of that country +about, and of many ways for to go to that land and to the Mount Sinai, +and of Babylon the more and the less, and to other places that I have +spoken before, now is time, if it like you, for to tell you of the marches +and isles and diverse beasts, and of diverse folk beyond these marches.</p> +<p>For in those countries beyond be many diverse countries and many +great kingdoms, that be departed by the four floods that come from paradise +terrestrial. For Mesopotamia and the kingdom of Chaldea and Arabia +be between the two rivers of Tigris and of Euphrates; and the kingdom +of Media and of Persia be between the rivers of Nile and of Tigris; +and the kingdom of Syria, whereof I have spoken before, and Palestine +and Phoenicia be between Euphrates and the sea Mediterranean, the which +sea dureth in length from Morocco, upon the sea of Spain, unto the Great +Sea, so that it lasteth beyond Constantinople 3040 miles of Lombardy.</p> +<p>And toward the sea Ocean in Ind is the kingdom of Scythia, that is +all closed with hills. And after, under Scythia, and from the +sea of Caspian unto the flom of Thainy, is Amazonia, that is the land +of feminye, where that no man is, but only all women. And after +is Albania, a full great realm; and it is clept Albania, because that +the folk be whiter there than in other marches there-about: and in that +country be so great hounds and so strong, that they assail lions and +slay them. And then after is Hircania, Bactria, Hiberia and many +other kingdoms.</p> +<p>And between the Red Sea and the sea Ocean, toward the south is the +kingdom of Ethiopia and of Lybia the higher, the which land of Lybia +(that is to say, Lybia the low) that beginneth at the sea of Spain from +thence where the pillars of Hercules be, and endureth unto anent Egypt +and toward Ethiopia. In that country of Lybia is the sea more +high than the land, and it seemeth that it would cover the earth, and +natheles yet it passeth not his marks. And men see in that country +a mountain to the which no man cometh. In this land of Lybia whoso +turneth toward the east, the shadow of himself is on the right side; +and here, in our country, the shadow is on the left side. In that +sea of Lybia is no fish; for they may not live ne dure for the great +heat of the sun, because that the water is evermore boiling for the +great heat. And many other lands there be that it were too long +to tell or to number. But of some parts I shall speak more plainly +hereafter.</p> +<p>Whoso will then go toward Tartary, toward Persia, toward Chaldea +and toward Ind, he must enter the sea at Genoa or at Venice or at some +other haven that I have told you before. And then pass men the +sea and arrive at Trebizond that is a good city; and it was wont to +be the haven of Pontus. There is the haven of Persians and of +Medians and of the marches there beyond. In that city lieth Saint +Athanasius that was bishop of Alexandria, that made the psalm <i>Quicunque +vult.</i></p> +<p>This Athanasius was a great doctor of divinity. And, because +that he preached and spake so deeply of divinity and of the Godhead, +he was accused to the Pope of Rome that he was an heretic. Wherefore +the Pope sent after him and put him in prison. And whiles he was +in prison he made that psalm and sent it to the Pope, and said, that +if he were an heretic, then was that heresy, for that, he said, was +his belief. And when the Pope saw it, and had examined it that +it was perfect and good, and verily our faith and our belief, he made +him to be delivered out of prison, and commanded that psalm to be said +every day at prime; and so he held Athanasius a good man. But +he would never go to his bishopric again, because that they accused +him of heresy.</p> +<p>Trebizond was wont to be holden of the Emperor of Constantinople; +but a great man, that he sent for to keep the country against the Turks, +usurped the land and held it to himself, and cleped him Emperor of Trebizond.</p> +<p>And from thence men go through Little Armenia. And in that +country is an old castle that stands upon a rock; the which is clept +the castle of the Sparrow-hawk, that is beyond the city of Layays beside +the town of Pharsipee, that belongeth to the lordship of Cruk, that +is a rich lord and a good Christian man; where men find a sparrow-hawk +upon a perch right fair and right well made, and a fair lady of faerie +that keepeth it. And who that will watch that sparrow-hawk seven +days and seven nights, and, as some men say, three days and three nights, +without company and without sleep, that fair lady shall give him, when +he hath done, the first wish that he will wish of earthly things; and +that hath been proved often-times.</p> +<p>And one time befell, that a King of Armenia, that was a worthy knight +and doughty man, and a noble princes watched that hawk some time. +And at the end of seven days and seven nights the lady came to him and +bade him wish, for he had well deserved it. And he answered that +he was great lord enough, and well in peace, and had enough of worldly +riches; and therefore he would wish none other thing, but the body of +that fair lady, to have it at his will. And she answered him, +that he knew not what he asked, and said that he was a fool to desire +that he might not have; for she said that he should not ask but earthly +thing, for she was none earthly thing, but a ghostly thing. And +the king said that he ne would ask none other thing. And the lady +answered; “Sith that I may not withdraw you from your lewd corage, +I shall give you without wishing, and to all them that shall come of +you. Sir king! ye shall have war without peace, and always to +the nine degree, ye shall be in subjection of your enemies, and ye shall +be needy of all goods.” And never since, neither the King +of Armenia nor the country were never in peace; ne they had never sith +plenty of goods; and they have been sithen always under tribute of the +Saracens.</p> +<p>Also the son of a poor man watched that hawk and wished that he might +chieve well, and to be happy to merchandise. And the lady granted +him. And he became the most rich and the most famous merchant +that might be on sea or on earth. And he became so rich that he +knew not the thousand part of that he had. And he was wiser in +wishing than was the king.</p> +<p>Also a knight of the Temple watched there, and wished a purse evermore +full of gold. And the lady granted him. But she said him +that he had asked the destruction of their order for the trust and the +affiance of that purse, and for the great pride that they should have. +And so it was. And therefore look he keep him well, that shall +wake. For if he sleep he is lost, that never man shall see him +more.</p> +<p>This is not the right way for to go to the parts that I have named +before, but for to see the marvel that I have spoken of. And therefore +whoso will go right way, men go from Trebizond toward Armenia the Great +unto a city that is clept Erzeroum, that was wont to be a good city +and a plenteous; but the Turks have greatly wasted it. There-about +groweth no wine nor fruit, but little or else none. In this land +is the earth more high than in any other, and that maketh great cold. +And there be many good waters and good wells that come under earth from +the flom of Paradise, that is clept Euphrates, that is a journey beside +that city; and that river cometh towards Ind under earth, and resorteth +into the land of Altazar. And so pass men by this Armenia and +enter the sea of Persia.</p> +<p>From that city of Erzeroum go men to an hill that is clept Sabissocolle. +And there beside is another hill that men clepe Ararat, but the Jews +clepe it Taneez, where Noah’s ship rested, and yet is upon that +mountain. And men may see it afar in clear weather. And +that mountain is well a seven mile high. And some men say that +they have seen and touched the ship, and put their fingers in the parts +where the fiend went out, when that Noah said, <i>Benedicite</i>. +But they that say such words, say their will. For a man may not +go up the mountain, for great plenty of snow that is always on that +mountain, neither summer nor winter. So that no man may go up +there, ne never man did, since the time of Noah, save a monk that, by +the grace of God, brought one of the planks down, that yet is in the +minster at the foot of the mountain.</p> +<p>And beside is the city of Dain that Noah founded. And fast +by is the city of Any in the which were wont to be a thousand churches.</p> +<p>But upon that mountain to go up, this monk had great desire. +And so upon a day, he went up. And when he was upward the three +part of the mountain he was so weary that he might no further, and so +he rested him, and fell asleep. And when he awoke he found himself +lying at the foot of the mountain. And then he prayed devoutly +to God that he would vouchsafe to suffer him go up. And an angel +came to him, and said that he should go up. And so he did. +And sith that time never none. Wherefore men should not believe +such words.</p> +<p>From that mountain go men to the city of Thauriso that was wont to +be clept Taxis, that is a full fair city and a great, and one of the +best that is in the world for merchandise; thither come all merchants +for to buy avoirdupois, and it is in the land of the Emperor of Persia. +And men say that the emperor taketh more good in that city for custom +of merchandise than doth the richest Christian king of all his realm +that liveth. For the toll and the custom of his merchants is without +estimation to be numbered. Beside that city is a hill of salt, +and of that salt every man taketh what he will for to salt with, to +his need. There dwell many Christian men under tribute of Saracens. +And from that city, men pass by many towns and castles in going toward +Ind unto the city of Sadonia, that is a ten journeys from Thauriso, +and it is a full noble city and a great. And there dwelleth the +Emperor of Persia in summer; for the country is cold enough. And +there be good rivers bearing ships.</p> +<p>After go men the way toward Ind by many journeys, and by many countries, +unto the city that is clept Cassak, and that is a full noble city, and +a plenteous of corns and wines and of all other goods. This is +the city where the three kings met together when they went to seek our +Lord in Bethlehem to worship him and to present him with gold, incense, +and myrrh. And it is from that city to Bethlehem fifty-three journeys. +From that city men go to another city that is clept Gethe, that is a +journey from the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea. That is +the best city that the Emperor of Persia hath in all his land. +And they clepe flesh there Dabago and the wine Vapa. And the Paynims +say that no Christian man may not long dwell ne endure with the life +in that city, but die within short time; and no man knoweth not the +cause.</p> +<p>After go men by many cities and towns and great countries that it +were too long to tell unto the city of Cornaa that was wont to be so +great that the walls about hold twenty-five mile about. The walls +shew yet, but it is not all inhabited. From Cornaa go men by many +lands and many cities and towns unto the land of Job. And there +endeth the land of the Emperor of Persia. And if ye will know +the letters of Persians and what names they have, they be such as I +last devised you, but not in sounding of their words.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the land of Job; and of his age. Of the array of men +of Chaldea. Of the land where women dwell without company of men. +Of the knowledge and virtues of the very diamond</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>After the departing from Cornaa, men enter into the land of Job that +is a full fair country and a plenteous of all goods. And men clepe +that land the Land of Susiana. In that land is the city of Theman.</p> +<p>Job was a paynim, and he was Aram of Gosre, his son, and held that +land as prince of that country. And he was so rich that he knew +not the hundred part of his goods. And although he were a paynim, +nevertheless he served well God after his law. And our Lord took +his service to his pleasane. And when he fell in poverty he was +seventy-eight year of age. And after, when God had proved his +patience and that it was so great, he brought him again to riches and +to higher estate than he was before. And after that he was King +of Idumea after King Esau, and when he was king he was clept Jobab. +And in that kingdom he lived after 170 year. And so he was of +age, when he died, 248 year.</p> +<p>In that land of Job there ne is no default of no thing that is needful +to man’s body. There be hills, where men get great plenty +of manna in greater abundance than in any other country. This +manna is clept bread of angels. And it is a white thing that is +full sweet and right delicious, and more sweet than honey or sugar. +And it cometh of the dew of heaven that falleth upon the herbs in that +country. And it congealeth and becometh all white and sweet. +And men put it in medicines for rich men to make the womb lax, and to +purge evil blood. For it cleanseth the blood and putteth out melancholy. +This land of Job marcheth to the kingdom of Chaldea.</p> +<p>This land of Chaldea is full great. And the language of that +country is more great in sounding than it is in other parts of the sea. +Men pass to go beyond by the Tower of Babylon the Great, of the which +I have told you before, where that all the languages were first changed. +And that is a four journeys from Chaldea. In that realm be fair +men, and they go full nobly arrayed in clothes of gold, orfrayed and +apparelled with great pearls and precious stone’s full nobly. +And the women be right foul and evil arrayed. And they go all +bare-foot and clothed in evil garments large and wide, but they be short +to the knees, and long sleeves down to the feet like a monk’s +frock, and their sleeves be hanging about their shoulders. And +they be black women foul and hideous, and truly as foul as they be, +as evil they be.</p> +<p>In that kingdom of Chaldea, in a city that is clept Ur, dwelled Terah, +Abraham’s father. And there was Abraham born. And +that was in that time that Ninus was king of Babylon, of Arabia and +of Egypt. This Ninus made the city of Nineveh, the which that +Noah had begun before. And because that Ninus performed it, he +cleped it Nineveh after his own name. There lieth Tobit the prophet, +of whom Holy Writ speaketh of. And from that city of Ur Abraham +departed, by the commandment of God, from thence, after the death of +his father, and led with him Sarah his wife and Lot his brother’s +son, because that he had no child. And they went to dwell in the +land of Canaan in a place that is clept Shechem. And this Lot +was he that was saved, when Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities +were burnt and sunken down to hell, where that the Dead Sea is now, +as I have told you before. In that land of Chaldea they have their +proper languages and their proper letters, such as ye may see hereafter.</p> +<p>Beside the land of Chaldea is the land of Amazonia, that is the land +of Feminye. And in that realm is all women and no man; not, as +some men say, that men may not live there, but for because that the +women will not suffer no men amongst them to be their sovereigns.</p> +<p>For sometime there was a king in that country. And men married, +as in other countries. And so befell that the king had war with +them of Scythia, the which king hight Colopeus, that was slain in battle, +and all the good blood of his realm. And when the queen and all +the other noble ladies saw that they were all widows, and that all the +royal blood was lost, they armed them and, as creatures out of wit, +they slew all the men of the country that were left; for they would +that all the women were widows as the queen and they were. And +from that time hitherwards they never would suffer man to dwell amongst +them longer than seven days and seven nights; ne that no child that +were male should dwell amongst them longer than he were nourished; and +then sent to his father. And when they will have any company of +man then they draw them towards the lands marching next to them. +And then they have loves that use them; and they dwell with them an +eight days or ten, and then go home again. And if they have any +knave child they keep it a certain time, and then send it to the father +when he can go alone and eat by himself; or else they slay it. +And if it be a female they do away that one pap with an hot iron. +And if it be a woman of great lineage they do away the left pap that +they may the better bear a shield. And if it be a woman on foot +they do away the right pap, for to shoot with bow turkeys: for they +shoot well with bows.</p> +<p>In that land they have a queen that governeth all that land, and +all they be obeissant to her. And always they make her queen by +election that is most worthy in arms; for they be right good warriors +and orped, and wise, noble and worthy. And they go oftentime in +solde to help of other kings in their wars, for gold and silver as other +soldiers do; and they maintain themselves right vigourously. This +land of Amazonia is an isle, all environed with the sea save in two +places, where be two entries. And beyond that water dwell the +men that be their paramours and their loves, where they go to solace +them when they will.</p> +<p>Beside Amazonia is the land of Tarmegyte that is a great country +and a full delectable. And for the goodness of the country King +Alexander let first make there the city of Alexandria, and yet he made +twelve cities of the same name; but that city is now clept Celsite.</p> +<p>And from that other coast of Chaldea, toward the south, is Ethiopia, +a great country that stretcheth to the end of Egypt. Ethiopia +is departed in two parts principal, and that is in the east part and +in the meridional part; the which part meridional is clept Mauritania; +and the folk of that country be black enough and more black than in +the tother part, and they be clept Moors. In that part is a well, +that in the day it is so cold, that no man may drink thereof; and in +the night it is so hot, that no man may suffer his hand therein. +And beyond that part, toward the south, to pass by the sea Ocean, is +a great land and a great country; but men may not dwell there for the +fervent burning of the sun, so is it passing hot in that country.</p> +<p>In Ethiopia all the rivers and all the waters be trouble, and they +be somedeal salt for the great heat that is there. And the folk +of that country be lightly drunken and have but little appetite to meat. +And they have commonly the flux of the womb. And they live not +long. In Ethiopia be many diverse folk; and Ethiope is clept Cusis. +In that country be folk that have but one foot, and they go so blyve +that it is marvel. And the foot is so large, that it shadoweth +all the body against the sun, when they will lie and rest them. +In Ethiopia, when the children be young and little, they be all yellow; +and, when that they wax of age, that yellowness turneth to be all black. +In Ethiopia is the city of Saba, and the land of the which one of the +three kings that presented our Lord in Bethlehem, was king of.</p> +<p>From Ethiopia men go into Ind by many diverse countries. And +men clepe the high Ind, Emlak. And Ind is divided in three principal +parts; that is, the more that is a full hot country; and Ind the less, +that is a full attempre country, that stretcheth to the land of Media; +and the three part toward the septentrion is full cold, so that, for +pure cold and continual frost, the water becometh crystal. And +upon those rocks of crystal grow the good diamonds that be of trouble +colour. Yellow crystal draweth colour like oil. And they +be so hard, that no man may polish them. And men clepe them diamonds +in that country, and <i>Hamese</i> in another country. Other diamonds +men find in Arabia that be not so good, and they be more brown and more +tender. And other diamonds also men find in the isle of Cyprus, +that be yet more tender, and them men may well polish. And in +the land of Macedonia men find diamonds also. But the best and +the most precious be in Ind.</p> +<p>And men find many times hard diamonds in a mass that cometh out of +gold, when men pure it and refine it out of the mine; when men break +that mass in small pieces, and sometime it happens that men find some +as great as a peas and some less, and they be as hard as those of Ind.</p> +<p>And albeit that men find good diamonds in Ind, yet nevertheless men +find them more commonly upon the rocks in the sea and upon hills where +the mine of gold is. And they grow many together, one little, +another great. And there be some of the greatness of a bean and +some as great as an hazel nut. And they be square and pointed +of their own kind, both above and beneath, without working of man’s +hand. And they grow together, male and female. And they +be nourished with the dew of heaven. And they engender commonly +and bring forth small children, that multiply and grow all the year. +I have often-times assayed, that if a man keep them with a little of +the rock and wet them with May-dew oft-sithes, they shall grow every +year, and the small will wax great. For right as the fine pearl +congealeth and waxeth great of the dew of heaven, right so doth the +very diamond; and right as the pearl of his own kind taketh roundness, +right so the diamond, by virtue of God, taketh squareness. And +men shall bear the diamond on his left side, for it is of greater virtue +then, than on the right side; for the strength of their growing is toward +the north, that is the left side of the world, and the left part of +man is when he turneth his face toward the east.</p> +<p>And if you like to know the virtues of the diamond, (as men may find +in <i>The Lapidary</i> that many men know not), I shall tell you, as +they beyond the sea say and affirm, of whom all science and all philosophy +cometh from. He that beareth the diamond upon him, it giveth him +hardiness and manhood, and it keepeth the limbs of his body whole. +It giveth him victory of his enemies in plea and in war, if his cause +be rightful. And it keepeth him that beareth it in good wit. +And it keepeth him from strife and riot, from evil swevens from sorrows +and from enchantments, and from fantasies and illusions of wicked spirits. +And if any cursed witch or enchanter would bewitch him that beareth +the diamond, all that sorrow and mischance shall turn to himself through +virtue of that stone. And also no wild beast dare assail the man +that beareth it on him. Also the diamond should be given freely, +without coveting and without buying, and then it is of greater virtue. +And it maketh a man more strong and more sad against his enemies. +And it healeth him that is lunatic, and them that the fiend pursueth +or travaileth. And if venom or poison be brought in presence of +the diamond, anon it beginneth to wax moist and for to sweat.</p> +<p>There be also diamonds in Ind that be clept violastres, (for their +colour is like violet, or more brown than the violets), that be full +hard and full precious. But yet some men love not them so well +as the other; but, in sooth, to me, I would love them as much as the +other, for I have seen them assayed.</p> +<p>Also there is another manner of diamonds that be as white as crystal, +but they be a little more trouble. And they be good and of great +virtue, and all they be square and pointed of their own kind. +And some be six squared, some four squared, and some three as nature +shapeth them. And therefore when great lords and knights go to +seek worship in arms, they bear gladly the diamond upon them.</p> +<p>I shall speak a little more of the diamonds, although I tarry my +matter for a time, to the end, that they that know them not, be not +deceived by gabbers that go by the country, that sell them. For +whoso will buy the diamond it is needful to him that he know them. +Because that men counterfeit them often of crystal that is yellow and +of sapphires of citron colour that is yellow also, and of the sapphire +loupe and of many other stones. But I tell you these counterfeits +be not so hard; and also the points will break lightly, and men may +easily polish them. But some workmen, for malice, will not polish +them; to that intent, to make men believe that they may not be polished. +But men may assay them in this manner. First shear with them or +write with them in sapphires, in crystal or in other precious stones. +After that, men take the adamant, that is the shipman’s stone, +that draweth the needle to him, and men lay the diamond upon the adamant, +and lay the needle before the adamant; and, if the diamond be good and +virtuous, the adamant draweth not the needle to him whiles the diamond +is there present. And this is the proof that they beyond the sea +make.</p> +<p>Natheles it befalleth often-time, that the good diamond loseth his +virtue by sin, and for incontinence of him that beareth it. And +then it is needful to make it to recover his virtue again, or else it +is of little value.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the customs of Isles about Ind. Of the difference betwixt +Idols and Simulacres. Of three manner growing of Pepper upon one +tree. Of the Well that changeth his odour every hour of the day; +and that is marvel</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>In Ind be full many diverse countries. And it is clept Ind, +for a flom that runneth throughout the country that is clept Ind. +In that flom men find eels of thirty foot long and more. And the +folk that dwell nigh that water be of evil colour, green and yellow.</p> +<p>In Ind and about Ind be more than 5000 isles good and great that +men dwell in, without those that he inhabitable, and without other small +isles. In every isle is great plenty of cities, and of towns, +and of folk without number. For men of Ind have this condition +of kind, that they never go out of their own country, and therefore +is there great multitude of people. But they be not stirring ne +movable, because that they be in the first climate, that is of Saturn; +and Saturn is slow and little moving, for he tarryeth to make his turn +by the twelve signs thirty year. And the moon passeth through +the twelve signs in one month. And for because that Saturn is +of so late stirring, therefore the folk of that country that be under +his climate have of kind no will for to move ne stir to seek strange +places. And in our country is all the contrary; for we be in the +seventh climate, that is of the moon. And the moon is of lightly +moving, and the moon is planet of way; and for that skill it giveth +us will of kind for to move lightly and for to go divers ways, and to +seek strange things and other diversities of the world; for the moon +environeth the earth more hastily than any other planet.</p> +<p>Also men go through Ind by many diverse countries to the great sea +Ocean. And after, men find there an isle that is clept Crues. +And thither come merchants of Venice and Genoa, and of other marches, +for to buy merchandises. But there is so great heat in those marches, +and namely in that isle, that, for the great distress of the heat, men’s +ballocks hang down to their knees for the great dissolution of the body. +And men of that country, that know the manner, let bind them up, or +else might they not live, and anoint them with ointments made therefore, +to hold them up.</p> +<p>In that country and in Ethiopia, and in many other countries, the +folk lie all naked in rivers and waters, men and women together, from +undern of the day till it be past the noon. And they lie all in +the water, save the visage, for the great heat that there is. +And the women have no shame of the men, but lie all together, side to +side, till the heat be past. There may men see many foul figure +assembled, and namely nigh the good towns.</p> +<p>In that isle be ships without nails of iron or bonds, for the rocks +of the adamants, for they be all full thereabout in that sea, that it +is marvel to speak of. And if a ship passed by those marches that +had either iron bonds or iron nails, anon he should be perished; for +the adamant of his kind draweth the iron to him. And so would +it draw to him the ship because of the iron, that he should never depart +from it, ne never go thence.</p> +<p>From that isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Chana, +where is great plenty of corn and wine. And it was wont to be +a great isle, and a great haven and a good; but the sea hath greatly +wasted it and overcome it. The king of that country was wont to +be so strong and so mighty that he held war against King Alexander.</p> +<p>The folk of that country have a diverse law. For some of them +worship the sun, some the moon, some the fire, some trees, some serpents, +or the first thing that they meet at morrow. And some worship +simulacres and some idols. But between simulacres and idols is +a great difference. For simulacres be images made after likeness +of men or of women, or of the sun, or of the moon, or of any beast, +or of any kindly thing. And idols is an image made of lewd will +of man, that man may not find among kindly things, as an image that +hath four heads, one of a man, another of an horse or of an ox, or of +some other beast, that no man hath seen after kindly disposition.</p> +<p>And they that worship simulacres, they worship them for some worthy +man that was sometime, as Hercules, and many other that did many marvels +in their time. For they say well that they be not gods; for they +know well that there is a God of kind that made all things, the which +is in heaven. But they know well that this may not do the marvels +that he made, but if it had been by the special gift of God; and therefore +they say that he was well with God, and for because that he was so well +with God, therefore they worship him. And so say they of the sun, +because that he changeth the time, and giveth heat, and nourisheth all +things upon earth; and for it is of so great profit, they know well +that that might not be, but that God loveth it more than any other thing, +and, for that skill, God hath given it more great virtue in the world. +Therefore, it is good reason, as they say, to do it worship and reverence. +And so say they, and make their reasons, of other planets, and of the +fire also, because it is so profitable.</p> +<p>And of idols they say also that the ox is the most holy beast that +is in earth and most patient, and more profitable than any other. +For he doth good enough and he doth no evil; and they know well that +it may not be without special grace of God. And therefore make +they their god of an ox the one part, and the other half of a man. +Because that man is the most noble creature in earth, and also for he +hath lordship above all beasts, therefore make they the halvendel of +idol of a man upwards; and the tother half of an ox downwards, and of +serpents, and of other beasts and diverse things, that they worship, +that they meet first at morrow.</p> +<p>And they worship also specially all those that they have good meeting +of; and when they speed well in their journey, after their meeting, +and namely such as they have proved and assayed by experience of long +time; for they say that thilk good meeting ne may not come but of the +grace of God. And therefore they make images like to those things +that they have belief in, for to behold them and worship them first +at morning, or they meet any contrarious things. And there be +also some Christian men that say, that some beasts have good meeting, +that is to say for to meet with them first at morrow, and some beasts +wicked meeting; and that they have proved oft-time that the hare hath +full evil meeting, and swine and many other beasts. And the sparrow-hawk +or other fowls of ravine, when they fly after their prey and take it +before men of arms, it is a good sign; and if he fail of taking his +prey, it is an evil sign. And also to such folk, it is an evil +meeting of ravens.</p> +<p>In these things and in such other, there be many folk that believe; +because it happeneth so often-time to fall after their fantasies. +And also there be men enough that have no belief in them. And, +sith that Christian men have such belief, that be informed and taught +all day by holy doctrine, wherein they should believe, it is no marvel +then, that the paynims, that have no good doctrine but only of their +nature, believe more largely for their simplesse. And truly I +have seen of paynims and Saracens that men clepe Augurs, that, when +we ride in arms in divers countries upon our enemies, by the flying +of fowls they would tell us the prognostications of things that fell +after; and so they did full oftentimes, and proffered their heads to-wedde, +but if it would fall as they said. But natheles, therefore should +not a man put his belief in such things, but always have full trust +and belief in God our sovereign Lord.</p> +<p>This isle of Chana the Saracens have won and hold. In that +isle be many lions and many other wild beasts. And there be rats +in that isle as great as hounds here; and men take them with great mastiffs, +for cats may not take them. In this isle and many other men bury +not no dead men, for the heat is there so great, that in a little time +the flesh will consume from the bones.</p> +<p>From thence men go by sea toward Ind the more to a city, that men +clepe Sarche, that is a fair city and a good. And there dwell +many Christian men of good faith. And there be many religious +men, and namely of mendicants.</p> +<p>After go men by sea to the land of Lomb. In that land groweth +the pepper in the forest that men clepe Combar. And it groweth +nowhere else in all the world, but in that forest, and that endureth +well an eighteen journeys in length. In the forest be two good +cities; that one hight Fladrine and that other Zinglantz, and in every +of them dwell Christian men and Jews, great plenty. For it is +a good country and a plentiful, but there is overmuch passing heat.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the pepper groweth in manner as doth +a wild vine that is planted fast by the trees of that wood for to sustain +it by, as doth the vine. And the fruit thereof hangeth in manner +as raisins. And the tree is so thick charged, that it seemeth +that it would break. And when it is ripe it is all green, as it +were ivy berries. And then men cut them, as men do the vines, +and then they put it upon an oven, and there it waxeth black and crisp. +And there is three manner of pepper all upon one tree; long pepper, +black pepper and white pepper. The long pepper men clepe <i>Sorbotin</i>, +and the black pepper is clept <i>Fulfulle</i>, and the white pepper +is clept <i>Bano</i>. The long pepper cometh first when the leaf +beginneth to come, and it is like the cats of hazel that cometh before +the leaf, and it hangeth low. And after cometh the black with +the leaf, in manner of clusters of raisins, all green. And when +men have gathered it, then cometh the white that is somedeal less than +the black. And of that men bring but little into this country; +for they beyond withhold it for themselves, because it is better and +more attempre in kind than the black. And therefore is there not +so great plenty as of the black.</p> +<p>In that country be many manner of serpents and of other vermin for +the great heat of the country and of the pepper. And some men +say, that when they will gather the pepper, they make fire, and burn +about to make the serpents and the cockodrills to flee. But save +their grace of all that say so. For if they burnt about the trees +that bear, the pepper should be burnt, and it would dry up all the virtue, +as of any other thing; and then they did themselves much harm, and they +should never quench the fire. But thus they do: they anoint their +hands and their feet [with a juice] made of snails and of other things +made therefore, of the which the serpents and the venomous beasts hate +and dread the savour; and that maketh them flee before them, because +of the smell, and then they gather it surely enough.</p> +<p>Also toward the head of that forest is the city of Polombe. +And above the city is a great mountain that also is clept Polombe. +And of that mount the city hath his name.</p> +<p>And at the foot of that mount is a fair well and a great, that hath +odour and savour of all spices. And at every hour of the day he +changeth his odour and his savour diversely. And whoso drinketh +three times fasting of that water of that well he is whole of all manner +sickness that he hath. And they that dwell there and drink often +of that well they never have sickness; and they seem always young. +I have drunken thereof three or four sithes, and yet, methinketh, I +fare the better. Some men clepe it the well of youth. For +they that often drink thereof seem always young-like, and live without +sickness. And men say, that that well cometh out of Paradise, +and therefore it is so virtuous.</p> +<p>By all that country groweth good ginger, and therefore thither go +the merchants for spicery.</p> +<p>In that land men worship the ox for his simpleness and for his meekness, +and for the profit that cometh of him. And they say, that he is +the holiest beast in earth. For them seemeth, that whosoever be +meek and patient, he is holy and profitable; for then, they say, he +hath all virtues in him. They make the ox to labour six year or +seven, and then they eat him. And the king of the country hath +alway an ox with him. And he that keepeth him hath every day great +fees, and keepeth every day his dung and his urine in two vessels of +gold, and bring it before their prelate that they clepe Archi-protopapaton. +And he beareth it before the king and maketh there over a great blessing. +And then the king wetteth his hands there, in that they clepe gall, +and anointeth his front and his breast. And after, he froteth +him with the dung and with the urine with great reverence, for to be +fullfilled of virtues of the ox and made holy by the virtue of that +holy thing that nought is worth. And when the king hath done, +then do the lords; and after them their ministers and other men, if +they may have any remenant.</p> +<p>In that country they make idols, half man half ox. And in those +idols evil spirits speak and give answer to men of what is asked them. +Before these idols men slay their children many times, and spring the +blood upon the idols; and so they make their sacrifice.</p> +<p>And when any man dieth in the country they burn his body in name +of penance; to that intent, that he suffer no pain in earth to be eaten +of worms. And if his wife have no child they burn her with him, +and say, that it is reason, that she make him company in that other +world as she did in this. But and she have children with him, +they let her live with them, to bring them up if she will. And +if that she love more to live with her children than for to die with +her husband, men hold her for false and cursed; ne she shall never be +loved ne trusted of the people. And if the woman die, before the +husband, men burn him with her, if that he will; and if he will not, +no man constraineth him thereto, but he may wed another time without +blame or reproof.</p> +<p>In that country grow many strong vines. And the women drink +wine, and men not. And the women shave their beards, and the men +not.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Dooms made by St. Thomas’s hand. Of devotion +and sacrifice made to Idols there, in the city of Calamye; and of the +Procession in going about the city</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From that country men pass by many marches toward a country, a ten +journeys thence, that is clept Mabaron; and it is a great kingdom, and +it hath many fair cities and towns.</p> +<p>In that kingdom lieth the body of Saint Thomas the apostle in flesh +and bone, in a fair tomb in the city of Calamye; for there he was martyred +and buried. And men of Assyria bare his body into Mesopotamia +into the city of Edessa, and after, he was brought thither again. +And the arm and the hand that he put in our Lord’s side, when +he appeared to him after his resurrection and said to him, <i>Noli esse +incredulus, sed fidelis</i>, is yet lying in a vessel without the tomb. +And by that hand they make all their judgments in the country, whoso +hath right or wrong. For when there is any dissension between +two parties, and every of them maintaineth his cause, and saith that +his cause is rightful, and that other saith the contrary, then both +parties write their causes in two bills and put them in the hand of +Saint Thomas. And anon he casteth away the bill of the wrong cause +and holdeth still the bill with the right cause. And therefore +men come from far countries to have judgment of doubtable causes. +And other judgment use they none there.</p> +<p>Also the church, where Saint Thomas’ lieth, is both great and +fair, and all full of great simulacres, and those be great images that +they clepe their gods, of the which the least is as great as two men.</p> +<p>And, amongst these other, there is a great image more than any of +the other, that is all covered with fine gold and precious stones and +rich pearls; and that idol is the god of false Christians that have +reneyed their faith. And it sitteth in a chair of gold, full nobly +arrayed, and he hath about his neck large girdles wrought of gold and +precious stones and pearls. And this church is full richly wrought +and, all overgilt within. And to that idol go men on pilgrimage, +as commonly and with as great devotion as Christian men go to Saint +James, or other holy pilgrimages. And many folk that come from +far lands to seek that idol for the great devotion that they have, they +look never upward, but evermore down to the earth, for dread to see +anything about them that should let them of their devotion. And +some there be that go on pilgrimage to this idol, that bear knives in +their hands, that be made full keen and sharp; and always as they go, +they smite themselves in their arms and in their legs and in their thighs +with many hideous wounds; and so they shed their blood for love of that +idol. And they say, that he is blessed and holy, that dieth so +for love of his god. And other there be that lead their children +for to slay, to make sacrifice to that idol; and after they have slain +them they spring the blood upon the idol. And some there be that +come from far; and in going toward this idol, at every third pace that +they go from their house, they kneel; and so continue till they come +thither: and when they come there, they take incense and other aromatic +things of noble smell, and cense the idol, as we would do here God’s +precious body. And so come folk to worship this idol, some from +an hundred mile, and some from many more.</p> +<p>And before the minster of this idol, is a vivary, in manner of a +great lake, full of water. And therein pilgrims cast gold and +silver, pearls and precious stones without number, instead of offerings. +And when the minister of that church need to make any reparation of +the church or of any of the idols, they take gold and silver, pearls +and precious stones out of the vivary, to quit the costage of such thing +as they make or repair; so that that nothing is faulty, but anon it +shall be amended. And ye shall understand, that when [there be] +great feasts and solemnities of that idol, as the dedication of the +church and the throning of the idol, all the country about meet there +together. And they set this idol upon a car with great reverence, +well arrayed with cloths of gold, of rich cloths of Tartary, of Camaka, +and other precious cloths. And they lead him about the city with +great solemnity. And before the car go first in procession all +the maidens of the country, two and two together full ordinatly. +And after those maidens go the pilgrims. And some of them fall +down under the wheels of the car, and let the car go over them, so that +they be dead anon. And some have their arms or their limbs all +to-broken, and some the sides. And all this do they for love of +their god, in great devotion. And them thinketh that the more +pain, and the more tribulation that they suffer for love of their god, +the more joy they shall have in another world. And, shortly to +say you, they suffer so great pains, and so hard martyrdoms for love +of their idol, that a Christian man, I trow, durst not take upon him +the tenth part the pain for love of our Lord Jesu Christ. And +after, I say you, before the car, go all the minstrels of the country +without number, with diverse instruments, and they make all the melody +that they can.</p> +<p>And when they have gone all about the city, then they return again +to the minster, and put the idol again into his place. And then +for the love and in worship of that idol, and for the reverence of the +feast, they slay themselves, a two hundred or three hundred persons, +with sharp knives, of the which they bring the bodies before the idol. +And then they say that those be saints, because that they slew themselves +of their own good will for love of their idol. And as men here +that had an holy saint of his kin would think that it were to them an +high worship, right so then, thinketh there. And as men here devoutly +would write holy saints’ lives and their miracles, and sue for +their canonizations, right so do they there for them that slay themselves +wilfully for love of their idol, and say, that they be glorious martyrs +and saints, and put them in their writings and in their litanies, and +avaunt them greatly, one to another, of their holy kinsmen that so become +saints, and say, I have more holy saints in my kindred, than thou in +thine!</p> +<p>And the custom also there is this, that when they that have such +devotion and intent for to slay himself for love of his god, they send +for all their friends, and have great plenty of minstrels; and they +go before the idol leading him that will slay himself for such devotion +between them, with great reverence. And he, all naked, hath a +full sharp knife in his hand, and he cutteth a great piece of his flesh, +and casteth it in the face of his idol, saying his orisons, recommending +him to his god. And then he smiteth himself and maketh great wounds +and deep, here and there, till he fall down dead. And then his +friends present his body to the idol. And then they say, singing, +Holy god! behold what thy true servant hath done for thee. He +hath forsaken his wife and his children and his riches, and all the +goods of the world and his own life for the love of thee, and to make +thee sacrifice of his flesh and of his blood. Wherefore, holy +god, put him among thy best beloved saints in thy bliss of paradise, +for he hath well deserved it. And then they make a great fire, +and burn the body. And then everych of his friends take a quantity +of the ashes, and keep them instead of relics, and say that it is holy +thing. And they have no dread of no peril whiles they have those +holy ashes upon them. And [they] put his name in their litanies +as a saint.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the evil customs used in the Isle of Lamary. And how +the earth and the sea be of round form and shape, by proof of the star +that is clept Antarctic, that is fixed in the south</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From that country go men by the sea ocean, and by many divers isles +and by many countries that were too long for to tell of. And a +fifty-two journeys from this land that I have spoken of, there is another +land, that is full great, that men clepe Lamary. In that land +is full great heat. And the custom there is such, that men and +women go all naked. And they scorn when they see any strange folk +going clothed. And they say, that God made Adam and Eve all naked, +and that no man should shame him to shew him such as God made him, for +nothing is foul that is of kindly nature. And they say, that they +that be clothed be folk of another world, or they be folk that trow +not in God. And they say, that they believe in God that formed +the world, and that made Adam and Eve and all other things. And +they wed there no wives, for all the women there be common and they +forsake no man. And they say they sin if they refuse any man; +and so God commanded to Adam and Eve and to all that come of him, when +he said, <i>Crescite et</i> <i>multiplicamini et replete terram</i>. +And therefore may no man in that country say, This is my wife; ne no +woman may say, This my husband. And when they have children, they +may give them to what man they will that hath companied with them. +And also all the land is common; for all that a man holdeth one year, +another man hath it another year; and every man taketh what part that +him liketh. And also all the goods of the land be common, corns +and all other things: for nothing there is kept in close, ne nothing +there is under lock, and every man there taketh what he will without +any contradiction, and as rich is one man there as is another.</p> +<p>But in that country there is a cursed custom, for they eat more gladly +man’s flesh than any other flesh; and yet is that country abundant +of flesh, of fish, of corns, of gold and silver, and of all other goods. +Thither go merchants and bring with them children to sell to them of +the country, and they buy them. And if they be fat they eat them +anon. And if they be lean they feed them till they be fat, and +then they eat them. And they say, that it is the best flesh and +the sweetest of all the world.</p> +<p>In that land, ne in many other beyond that, no man may see the Star +Transmontane, that is clept the Star of the Sea, that is unmovable and +that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star. But men +see another star, the contrary to him, that is toward the south, that +is clept Antartic. And right as the ship-men take their advice +here and govern them by the Lode-star, right so do ship-men beyond those +parts by the star of the south, the which star appeareth not to us. +And this star that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star, +ne appeareth not to them. For which cause men may well perceive, +that the land and the sea be of round shape and form; for the part of +the firmament sheweth in one country that sheweth not in another country. +And men may well prove by experience and subtle compassment of wit, +that if a man found passages by ships that would go to search the world, +men might go by ship all about the world and above and beneath.</p> +<p>The which thing I prove thus after that I have seen. For I +have been toward the parts of Brabant, and beholden the Astrolabe that +the star that is clept the Transmontane is fifty-three degrees high; +and more further in Almayne and Bohemia it hath fifty-eight degrees; +and more further toward the parts septentrional it is sixty-two degrees +of height and certain minutes; for I myself have measured it by the +Astrolabe. Now shall ye know, that against the Transmontane is +the tother star that is clept Antarctic, as I have said before. +And those two stars ne move never, and by them turneth all the firmament +right as doth a wheel that turneth by his axle-tree. So that those +stars bear the firmament in two equal parts, so that it hath as much +above as it hath beneath. After this, I have gone toward the parts +meridional, that is, toward the south, and I have found that in Lybia +men see first the star Antarctic. And so far I have gone more +further in those countries, that I have found that star more high; so +that toward the High Lybia it is eighteen degrees of height and certain +minutes (of the which sixty minutes make a degree). After going +by sea and by land toward this country of that I have spoken, and to +other isles and lands beyond that country, I have found the Star Antarctic +of thirty-three degrees of height and more minutes. And if I had +had company and shipping for to go more beyond, I trow well, in certain, +that we should have seen all the roundness of the firmament all about. +For, as I have said to you before, the half of the firmament is between +those two stars, the which halvendel I have seen. And of the tother +halvendel I have seen, toward the north under the Transmontane, sixty-two +degrees and ten minutes, and toward the part meridional I have seen +under the Antarctic, thirty-three degrees and sixteen minutes. +And then, the halvendel of the firmament in all holdeth not but nine +score degrees. And of those nine score, I have seen sixty-two +on that one part and thirty-three on that other part; that be, ninety-five +degrees and nigh the halvendel of a degree. And so, there ne faileth +but that I have seen all the firmament, save four score and four degrees +and the halvendel of a degree, and that is not the fourth part of the +firmament; for the fourth part of the roundness of the firmament holds +four score and ten degrees, so there faileth but five degrees and an +half of the fourth part. And also I have seen the three parts +of all the roundness of the firmament and more yet five degrees and +a half. By the which I say you certainly that men may environ +all the earth of all the world, as well under as above, and turn again +to his country, that had company and shipping and conduct. And +always he should find men, lands and isles, as well as in this country. +For ye wit well, that they that be toward the Antarctic, they be straight, +feet against feet, of them that dwell under the Transmontane; also well +as we and they that dwell under us be feet against feet. For all +the parts of sea and of land have their opposites, habitable trepassable, +and they of this half and beyond half.</p> +<p>And wit well, that, after that that I may perceive and comprehend, +the lands of Prester John, Emperor of Ind, be under us. For in +going from Scotland or from England toward Jerusalem men go upward always. +For our land is in the low part of the earth toward the west, and the +land of Prester John is in the low part of the earth toward the east. +And [they] have there the day when we have the night; and also, high +to the contrary, they have the night when we have the day. For +the earth and the sea be of round form and shape, as I have said before; +and that that men go upward to one coast, men go downward to another +coast.</p> +<p>Also ye have heard me say that Jerusalem is in the midst of the world. +And that may men prove, and shew there by a spear, that is pight into +the earth, upon the hour of midday, when it is equinox, that sheweth +no shadow on no side. And that it should be in the midst of the +world, David witnesseth it in the Psalter, where he saith, <i>Deus operatus +est salutem in media terrae</i>. Then, they, that part from those +parts of the west for to go toward Jerusalem, as many journeys as they +go upward for to go thither, in as many journeys may they go from Jerusalem +unto other confines of the superficiality of the earth beyond. +And when men go beyond those journeys toward Ind and to the foreign +isles, all is environing the roundness of the earth and of the sea under +our countries on this half.</p> +<p>And therefore hath it befallen many times of one thing that I have +heard counted when I was young, how a worthy man departed some-time +from our countries for to go search the world. And so he passed +Ind and the isles beyond Ind, where be more than 5000 isles. And +so long he went by sea and land, and so environed the world by many +seasons, that he found an isle where he heard speak his own language, +calling on oxen in the plough, such words as men speak to beasts in +his own country whereof he had great marvel, for he knew not how it +might be. But I say, that he had gone so long by land and by sea, +that he had environed all the earth; that he was come again environing, +that is to say, going about, unto his own marches, and if he would have +passed further, till he had found his country and his own knowledge. +But he turned again from thence, from whence he was come from. +And so he lost much painful labour, as himself said a great while after +that he was come home. For it befell after, that he went into +Norway. And there tempest of the sea took him, and he arrived +in an isle. And, when he was in that isle, he knew well that it +was the isle, where he had heard speak his own language before and the +calling of oxen at the plough; and that was possible thing.</p> +<p>But how it seemeth to simple men unlearned, that men ne may not go +under the earth, and also that men should fall toward the heaven from +under. But that may not be, upon less than we may fall toward +heaven from the earth where we be. For from what part of the earth +that men dwell, either above or beneath, it seemeth always to them that +dwell that they go more right than any other folk. And right as +it seemeth to us that they be under us, right so it seemeth to them +that we be under them. For if a man might fall from the earth +unto the firmament, by greater, reason the earth and the sea that be +so great and so heavy should fall to the firmament: but that may not +be, and therefore saith our Lord God, <i>Non timeas me, qui suspendi +terram ex nihilo</i>?</p> +<p>And albeit that it be possible thing that men may so environ all +the world, natheles, of a thousand persons, one ne might not happen +to return into his country. For, for the greatness of the earth +and of the sea, men may go by a thousand and a thousand other ways, +that no man could ready him perfectly toward the parts that he came +from, but if it were by adventure and hap, or by the grace of God. +For the earth is full large and full great, and holds in roundness and +about environ, by above and by beneath, 20425 miles, after the opinion +of old wise astronomers; and their sayings I reprove nought. But, +after my little wit, it seemeth me, saving their reverence, that it +is more.</p> +<p>And for to have better understanding I say thus. Be there imagined +a figure that hath a great compass. And, about the point of the +great compass that is clept the centre, be made another little compass. +Then after, be the great compass devised by lines in many parts, and +that all the lines meet at the centre. So, that in as many parts +as the great compass shall be departed, in as many shall be departed +the little, that is about the centre, albeit that the spaces be less. +Now then, be the great compass represented for the firmament, and the +little compass represented for the earth. Now then, the firmament +is devised by astronomers in twelve signs, and every sign is devised +in thirty degrees; that is, 360 degrees that the firmament hath above. +Also, be the earth devised in as many parts as the firmament, and let +every part answer to a degree of the firmament. And wit it well, +that, after the authors of astronomy, 700 furlongs of earth answer to +a degree of the firmament, and those be eighty-seven miles and four +furlongs. Now be that here multiplied by 360 sithes, and then +they be 31,500 miles every of eight furlongs, after miles of our country. +So much hath the earth in roundness and of height environ, after mine +opinion and mine understanding.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that after the opinion of old wise philosophers +and astronomers, our country ne Ireland ne Wales ne Scotland ne Norway +ne the other isles coasting to them ne be not in the superficiality +counted above the earth, as it sheweth by all the books of astronomy. +For the superficiality of the earth is parted in seven parts for the +seven planets, and those parts be clept climates. And our parts +be not of the seven climates, for they be descending toward the west +[drawing] towards the roundness of the world. And also these isles +of Ind which be even against us be not reckoned in the climates. +For they be against us that be in the low country. And the seven +climates stretch them environing the world.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Palace of the King of the Isle of Java. Of the Trees +that bear meal, honey, wine, and venom; and of other marvels and customs +used in the Isles marching thereabout</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Beside that isle that I have spoken of, there is another isle that +is clept Sumobor. That is a great isle, and the king thereof is +right mighty. The folk of that isle make them always to be marked +in the visage with an hot iron, both men and women, for great noblesse, +for to be known from other folk; for they hold themselves most noble +and most worthy of all the world. And they have war always with +the folk that go all naked.</p> +<p>And fast beside is another isle, that is clept Betemga, that is a +good isle and a plenteous. And many other isles be thereabout, +where there be many of diverse folk, of the which it were too long to +speak of all.</p> +<p>But fast beside that isle, for to pass by sea, is a great isle and +a great country that men clepe Java. And it is nigh two thousand +mile in circuit. And the king of that country is a full great +lord and a rich and a mighty, and hath under him seven other kings of +seven other isles about him. This isle is full well inhabited, +and full well manned. There grow all manner of spicery, more plenteously +than in any other country, as of ginger, cloves-gilofre, canell, seedwall, +nutmegs and maces. And wit well, that the nutmeg beareth the maces; +for right as the nut of the hazel hath an husk without, that the nut +is closed in till it be ripe and that after falleth out, right so it +is of the nutmeg and of the maces. Many other spices and many +other goods grow in that isle. For of all things is there plenty, +save only of wine. But there is gold and silver, great plenty.</p> +<p>And the king of that country hath a palace full noble and full marvellous, +and more rich than any in the world. For all the degrees to go +up into halls and chambers be, one of gold, another of silver. +And also, the pavements of halls and chambers be all square, of gold +one, and another of silver. And all the walls within be covered +with gold and silver in fine plates, and in those plates be stories +and battles of knights enleved, and the crowns and the circles about +their heads be made of precious stones and rich pearls and great. +And the halls and the chambers of the palace be all covered within with +gold and silver, so that no man would trow the riches of that palace +but he had seen it. And wit well, that the king of that isle is +so mighty, that he hath many times overcome the great Chan of Cathay +in battle, that is the most great emperor that is under the firmament +either beyond the sea or on this half. For they have had often-time +war between them, because that the great Chan would constrain him to +hold his land of him; but that other at all times defendeth him well +against him.</p> +<p>After that isle, in going by sea, men find another isle, good and +great, that men clepe Pathen, that is a great kingdom full of fair cities +and full of towns. In that land grow trees that bear meal, whereof +men make good bread and white and of good savour; and it seemeth as +it were of wheat, but it is not allinges of such savour. And there +be other trees that bear honey good and sweet, and other trees that +bear venom, against the which there is no medicine but [one]; and that +is to take their proper leaves and stamp them and temper them with water +and then drink it, and else he shall die; for triacle will not avail, +ne none other medicine. Of this venom the Jews had let seek of +one of their friends for to empoison all Christianity, as I have heard +them say in their confession before their dying: but thanked be Almighty +God! they failed of their purpose; but always they make great mortality +of people. And other trees there be also that bear wine of noble +sentiment. And if you like to hear how the meal cometh out of +the trees I shall say you. Men hew the trees with an hatchet, +all about the foot of the tree, till that the bark be parted in many +parts, and then cometh out thereof a thick liquor, the which they receive +in vessels, and dry it at the heat of the sun; and then they have it +to a mill to grind and it becometh fair meal and white. And the +honey and the wine and the venom be drawn out of other trees in the +same manner, and put in vessels for to keep.</p> +<p>In that isle is a dead sea, that is a lake that hath no ground; and +if anything fall into that lake it shall never come up again. +In that lake grow reeds, that be canes, that they clepe Thaby, that +be thirty fathoms long; and of these canes men make fair houses. +And there be other canes that be not so long, that grow near the land +and have so long roots that endure well a four quarters of a furlong +or more; and at the knots of those roots men find precious stones that +have great virtues. And he that beareth any of them upon him, +iron ne steel may not hurt him, ne draw no blood upon him; and therefore, +they that have those stones upon them fight full hardily both on sea +and land, for men may not harm [them] on no part. And therefore, +they that know the manner, and shall fight with them, they shoot to +them arrows and quarrels without iron or steel, and so they hurt them +and slay them. And also of those canes they make houses and ships +and other things, as we have here, making houses and ships of oak or +of any other trees. And deem no man that I say it but for a trifle, +for I have seen of the canes with mine own eyes, full many times, lying +upon the river of that lake, of the which twenty of our fellows ne might +not lift up ne bear one to the earth.</p> +<p>After this isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Calonak. +And it is a fair land and a plenteous of goods. And the king of +that country hath as many wives as he will. For he maketh search +all the country to get him the fairest maidens that may be found, and +maketh them to be brought before him. And he taketh one one night, +and another another night, and so forth continually suing; so that he +hath a thousand wives or more. And he lieth never but one night +with one of them, and another night with another; but if that one happen +to be more lusty to his pleasance than another. And therefore +the king getteth full many children, some-time an hundred, some-time +a two-hundred, and some-time more. And he hath also into a 14,000 +elephants or more that he maketh for to be brought up amongst his villains +by all his towns. For in case that he had any war against any +other king about him, then [he] maketh certain men of arms for to go +up into the castles of tree made for the war, that craftily be set upon +the elephants’ backs, for to fight against their enemies. +And so do other kings there-about. For the manner of war is not +there as it is here or in other countries, ne the ordinance of war neither. +And men clepe the elephants <i>Warkes</i>.</p> +<p>And in that isle there is a great marvel, more to speak of than in +any other part of the world. For all manner of fishes, that be +there in the sea about them, come once in the year - each manner of +diverse fishes, one manner of kind after other. And they cast +themselves to the sea bank of that isle so great plenty and multitude, +that no man may unnethe see but fish. And there they abide three +days. And every man of the country taketh of them as many as him +liketh. And after, that manner of fish after the third day departeth +and goeth into the sea. And after them come another multitude +of fish of another kind and do in the same manner as the first did, +other three days. And after them another, till all the diverse +manner of fishes have been there, and that men have taken of them that +them liketh. And no man knoweth the cause wherefore it may be. +But they of the country say that it is for to do reverence to their +king, that is the most worthy king that is in the world as they say; +because that he fulfilleth the commandment that God bade to Adam and +Eve, when God said, <i>Crescite et multiplicamini et replete</i> <i>terram</i>. +And for because that he multiplieth so the world with children, therefore +God sendeth him so the fishes of diverse kinds of all that be in the +sea, to take at his will for him and all his people. And therefore +all the fishes of the sea come to make him homage as the most noble +and excellent king of the world, and that is best beloved with God, +as they say. I know not the reason, why it is, but God knoweth; +but this, me-seemeth, is the most marvel I saw. For this marvel +is against kind and not with kind, that the fishes that have freedom +to environ all the coasts of the sea at their own list, come of their +own will to proffer them to the death, without constraining of man. +And therefore, I am siker that this may not be, without a great token.</p> +<p>There be also in that country a kind of snails that be so great, +that many persons may lodge them in their shells, as men would do in +a little house. And other snails there be that be full great but +not so huge as the other. And of these snails, and of great white +worms that have black heads that be as great as a man’s thigh, +and some less as great worms that men find there in woods, men make +viand royal for the king and for other great lords. And if a man +that is married die in that country, men bury his wife with him all +quick; for men say there, that it is reason that she make him company +in that other world as she did in this.</p> +<p>From that country men go by the sea ocean by an isle that is clept +Caffolos. Men of that country when their friends be sick they +hang them upon trees, and say that it is better that birds, that be +angels of God, eat them, than the foul worms of the earth.</p> +<p>From that isle men go to another isle, where the folk be of full +cursed kind. For they nourish great dogs and teach them to strangle +their friends when they be sick. For they will not that they die +of kindly death. For they say, that they should suffer too great +pain if they abide to die by themselves, as nature would. And, +when they be thus enstrangled, they eat their flesh instead of venison.</p> +<p>Afterward men go by many isles by sea unto an isle that men clepe +Milke. And there is a full cursed people. For they delight +in nothing more than for to fight and to slay men. And they drink +gladliest man’s blood, the which they clepe Dieu. And the +more men that a man may slay, the more worship he hath amongst them. +And if two persons be at debate and, peradventure, be accorded by their +friends or by some of their alliance, it behoveth that every of them +that shall be accorded drink of other’s blood: and else the accord +ne the alliance is nought worth: ne it shall not be no reproof to him +to break the alliance and the accord, but if every of them drink of +others’ blood.</p> +<p>And from that isle men go by sea, from isle to isle, unto an isle +that is clept Tracoda, where the folk of that country be as beasts, +and unreasonable, and dwell in caves that they make in the earth; for +they have no wit to make them houses. And when they see any man +passing through their countries they hide them in their caves. +And they eat flesh of serpents, and they eat but little. And they +speak nought, but they hiss as serpents do. And they set no price +by no avoir ne riches, but only of a precious stone, that is amongst +them, that is of sixty colours. And for the name of the isle, +they clepe it Tracodon. And they love more that stone than anything +else; and yet they know not the virtue thereof, but they covet it and +love it only for the beauty.</p> +<p>After that isle men go by the sea ocean, by many isles, unto an isle +that is clept Nacumera, that is a great isle and good and fair. +And it is in compass about, more than a thousand mile. And all +the men and women of that isle have hounds’ heads, and they be +clept Cynocephales. And they be full reasonable and of good understanding, +save that they worship an ox for their God. And also every one +of them beareth an ox of gold or of silver in his forehead, in token +that they love well their God. And they go all naked save a little +clout, that they cover with their knees and their members. They +be great folk and well-fighting. And they have a great targe that +covereth all the body, and a spear in their hand to fight with. +And if they take any man in battle, anon they eat him.</p> +<p>The king of that isle is full rich and full mighty and right devout +after his law. And he hath about his neck 300 pearls orient, good +and great and knotted, as paternosters here of amber. And in manner +as we say our <i>Pater Noster</i> and our <i>Ave Maria</i>, counting +the <i>Pater</i> <i>Nosters</i>, right so this king saith every day +devoutly 300 prayers to his God, or that he eat. And he beareth +also about his neck a ruby orient, noble and fine, that is a foot of +length and five fingers large. And, when they choose their king, +they take him that ruby to bear in his hand; and so they lead him, riding +all about the city. And from thence-fromward they be all obeissant +to him. And that ruby he shall bear always about his neck, for +if he had not that ruby upon him men would not hold him for king. +The great Chan of Cathay hath greatly coveted that ruby, but he might +never have it for war, ne for no manner of goods. This king is +so rightful and of equity in his dooms, that men may go sikerly throughout +all his country and bear with them what them list; that no man shall +be hardy to rob them, and if he were, the king would justified anon.</p> +<p>From this land men go to another isle that is clept Silha. +And it is well a 800 miles about. In that land is full much waste, +for it is full of serpents, of dragons and of cockodrills, that no man +dare dwell there. These cockodrills be serpents, yellow and rayed +above, and have four feet and short thighs, and great nails as claws +or talons. And there be some that have five fathoms in length, +and some of six and of eight and of ten. And when they go by places +that be gravelly, it seemeth as though men had drawn a great tree through +the gravelly place. And there be also many wild beasts, and namely +of elephants.</p> +<p>In that isle is a great mountain. And in mid place of the mount +is a great lake in a full fair plain; and there is great plenty of water. +And they of the country say, that Adam and Eve wept upon that mount +an hundred year, when they were driven out of Paradise, and that water, +they say, is of their tears; for so much water they wept, that made +the foresaid lake. And in the bottom of that lake men find many +precious stones and great pearls. In that lake grow many reeds +and great canes; and there within be many cocodrills and serpents and +great water-leeches. And the king of that country, once every +year, giveth leave to poor men to go into the lake to gather them precious +stones and pearls, by way of alms, for the love of God that made Adam. +And all the year men find enough. And for the vermin that is within, +they anoint their arms and their thighs and legs with an ointment made +of a thing that is clept lemons, that is a manner of fruit like small +pease; and then have they no dread of no cockodrills, ne of none other +venomous vermin. This water runneth, flowing and ebbing, by a +side of the mountain, and in that river men find precious stones and +pearls, great plenty. And men of that isle say commonly, that +the serpents and the wild beasts of that country will not do no harm +ne touch with evil no strange man that entereth into that country, but +only to men that be born of the same country.</p> +<p>In that country and others thereabout there be wild geese that have +two heads. And there be lions, all white and as great as oxen, +and many other diverse beasts and fowls also that be not seen amongst +us.</p> +<p>And wit well, that in that country and in other isles thereabout, +the sea is so high, that it seemeth as though it hung at the clouds, +and that it would cover all the world. And that is great marvel +that it might be so, save only the will of God, that the air sustaineth +it. And therefore saith David in the Psalter, <i>Mirabiles elationes +maris</i>.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>How men know by the Idol, if the sick shall die or not. +Of Folk of diverse shape and marvellously disfigured. And of the +Monks that gave their relief to baboons, apes, and marmosets, and to +other beasts</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From that isle, in going by sea toward the south, is another great +isle that is clept Dondun. In that isle be folk of diverse kinds, +so that the father eateth the son, the son the father, the husband the +wife, and the wife the husband. And if it so befall, that the +father or mother or any of their friends be sick, anon the son goeth +to the priest of their law and prayeth him to ask the idol if his father +or mother or friend shall die on that evil or not. And then the +priest and the son go together before the idol and kneel full devoutly +and ask of the idol their demand. And if the devil that is within +answer that he shall live, they keep him well; and if he say that he +shall die, then the priest goeth with the son, with the wife of him +that is sick, and they put their hands upon his mouth and stop his breath, +and so they slay him. And after that, they chop all the body in +small pieces, and pray all his friends to come and eat of him that is +dead. And they send for all the minstrels of the country and make +a solemn feast. And when they have eaten the flesh, they take +the bones and bury them, and sing and make great melody. And all +those that be of his kin or pretend them to be his friends, an they +come not to that feast, they be reproved for evermore and shamed, and +make great dole, for never after shall they be holden as friends. +And they say also, that men eat their flesh for to deliver them out +of pain; for if the worms of the earth eat them the soul should suffer +great pain, as they say. And namely when the flesh is tender and +meagre, then say their friends, that they do great sin to let them have +so long languor to suffer so much pain without reason. And when +they find the flesh fat, then they say, that it is well done to send +them soon to Paradise, and that they have not suffered him too long +to endure in pain.</p> +<p>The king of this isle is a full great lord and a mighty, and hath +under him fifty-four great isles that give tribute to him. And +in everych of these isles is a king crowned; and all be obeissant to +that king. And he hath in those isles many diverse folk.</p> +<p>In one of these isles be folk of great stature, as giants. +And they be hideous for to look upon. And they have but one eye, +and that is in the middle of the front. And they eat nothing but +raw flesh and raw fish.</p> +<p>And in another isle toward the south dwell folk of foul stature and +of cursed kind that have no heads. And their eyen be in their +shoulders.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that have the face all flat, all plain, +without nose and without mouth. But they have two small holes, +all round, instead of their eyes, and their mouth is plat also without +lips.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk of foul fashion and shape that have the +lip above the mouth so great, that when they sleep in the sun they cover +all the face with that lip.</p> +<p>And in another isle there be little folk, as dwarfs. And they +be two so much as the pigmies. And they have no mouth; but instead +of their mouth they have a little round hole, and when they shall eat +or drink, they take through a pipe or a pen or such a thing, and suck +it in, for they have no tongue; and therefore they speak not, but they +make a manner of hissing as an adder doth, and they make signs one to +another as monks do, by the which every of them understandeth other.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that have great ears and long, that hang +down to their knees.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that have horses’ feet. And +they be strong and mighty, and swift runners; for they take wild beasts +with running, and eat them.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that go upon their hands and their feet +as beasts. And they be all skinned and feathered, and they will +leap as lightly into trees, and from tree to tree, as it were squirrels +or apes.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that be both man and woman, and they +have kind; of that one and of that other. And they have but one +pap on the one side, and on that other none. And they have members +of generation of man and woman, and they use both when they list, once +that one, and another time that other. And they get children, +when they use the member of man; and they bear children, when they use +the member of woman.</p> +<p>And in another isle be folk that go always upon their knees full +marvellously. And at every pace that they go, it seemeth that +they would fall. And they have in every foot eight toes.</p> +<p>Many other diverse folk of diverse natures be there in other isles +about, of the which it were too long to tell, and therefore I pass over +shortly.</p> +<p>From these isles, in passing by the sea ocean toward the east by +many journeys, men find a great country and a great kingdom that men +crepe Mancy. And that is in Ind the more. And it is the +best land and one the fairest that may be in all the world, and the +most delectable and the most plenteous of all goods that is in power +of man. In that land dwell many Christian men and Saracens, for +it is a good country and a great. And there be therein more than +2000 great cities and rich, without other great towns. And there +is more plenty of people there than in any other part of Ind, for the +bounty of the country. In that country is no needy man, ne none +that goeth on begging. And they be full fair folk, but they be +all pale. And the men have thin beards and few hairs, but they +be long; but unnethe hath any man passing fifty hairs in his beard, +and one hair sits here, another there, as the beard of a leopard or +of a cat. In that land be many fairer women than in any other +country beyond the sea, and therefore men clepe that land Albany, because +that the folk be white.</p> +<p>And the chief city of that country is clept Latorin, and it is a +journey from the sea, and it is much more than Paris. In that +city is a great river bearing ships that go to all the coasts in the +sea. No city of the world is so well stored of ships as is that. +And all those of the city and of the country worship idols. In +that country be double sithes more birds than be here. There be +white geese, red about the neck, and they have a great crest as a cock’s +comb upon their heads; and they be much more there than they be here, +and men buy them there all quick, right great cheap. And there +is great plenty of adders of whom men make great feasts and eat them +at great solemnities; and he that maketh there a feast be it never so +costly, an he have no adders he hath no thank for his travail.</p> +<p>Many good cities there be in that country and men have great plenty +and great cheap of all wines and victuals. In that country be +many churches of religious men, and of their law. And in those +churches be idols as great as giants; and to these idols they give to +eat at great festival days in this manner. They bring before them +meat all sodden, as hot as they come from the fire, and they let the +smoke go up towards the idols; and then they say that the idols have +eaten; and then the religious men eat the meat afterwards.</p> +<p>In that country be white hens without feathers, but they bear white +wool as sheep do here. In that country women that be unmarried, +they have tokens on their heads like coronals to be known for unmarried. +Also in that country there be beasts taught of men to go into waters, +into rivers and into deep stanks for to take fish; the which beast is +but little, and men clepe them loirs. And when men cast them into +the water, anon they bring up great fishes, as many as men will. +And if men will have more, they cast them in again, and they bring up +as many as men list to have.</p> +<p>And from that city passing many journeys is another city, one the +greatest of the world, that men clepe Cassay; that is to say, the ‘City +of heaven.’ That city is well a fifty mile about, and it +is strongly inhabited with people, insomuch that in one house men make +ten households. In that city be twelve principal gates; and before +every gate, a three mile or a four mile in length, is a great town or +a great city. That city sits upon a great lake on the sea as doth +Venice. And in that city be more than 12,000 bridges. And +upon every bridge be strong towers and good, in the which dwell the +wardens for to keep the city from the great Chan. And on that +one part of the city runneth a great river all along the city. +And there dwell Christian men and many merchants and other folk of diverse +nations, because that the land is so good and so plenteous. And +there groweth full good wine that men clepe Bigon, that is full mighty, +and gentle in drinking. This is a city royal where the King of +Mancy was wont to dwell. And there dwell many religious men, as +it were of the Order of Friars, for they be mendicants.</p> +<p>From that city men go by water, solacing and disporting them, till +they come to an abbey of monks that is fast by, that be good religious +men after their faith and law. In that abbey is a great garden +and a fair, where be many trees of diverse manner of fruits. And +in this garden is a little hill full of delectable trees. In that +hill and in that garden be many diverse beasts, as of apes, marmosets, +baboons and many other diverse beasts. And every day, when the +convent of this abbey hath eaten, the almoner let bear the relief to +the garden, and he smiteth on the garden gate with a clicket of silver +that he holdeth in his hand; and anon all the beasts of the hill and +of diverse places of the garden come out a 3000, or a 4000; and they +come in guise of poor men, and men give them the relief in fair vessels +of silver, clean over-gilt. And when they have eaten, the monk +smiteth eftsoons on the garden gate with the clicket, and then anon +all the beasts return again to their places that they come from. +And they say that these beasts be souls of worthy men that resemble +in likeness of those beasts that be fair, and therefore they give them +meat for the love of God; and the other beasts that be foul, they say +be souls of poor men and of rude commons. And thus they believe, +and no man may put them out of this opinion. These beasts above-said +they let take when they be young, and nourish them so with alms, as +many as they may find. And I asked them if it had not been better +to have given that relief to poor men, rather than to those beasts. +And they answered me and said, that they had no poor men amongst them +in that country; and though it had been so that poor men had been among +them, yet were it greater alms to give it to those souls that do there +their penance. Many other marvels be in that city and in the country +thereabout, that were too long to tell you.</p> +<p>From that city go men by the country a six journeys to another city +that men clepe Chilenfo, of the which city the walls be twenty mile +about. In that city be sixty bridges of stone, so fair that no +man may see fairer. In that city was the first siege of the King +of Mancy, for it is a fair and plenteous of all goods.</p> +<p>After, pass men overthwart a great river that men clepe Dalay. +And that is the greatest river of fresh water that is in the world. +For there, as it is most narrow, it is more than four mile of breadth. +And then enter men again into the land of the great Chan.</p> +<p>That river goeth through the land of Pigmies, where that the folk +be of little stature, that be but three span long, and they be right +fair and gentle, after their quantities, both the men and the women. +And they marry them when they be half year of age and get children. +And they live not but six year or seven at the most; and he that liveth +eight year, men hold him there right passing old. These men be +the best workers of gold, silver, cotton, silk and of all such things, +of any other that be in the world. And they have oftentimes war +with the birds of the country that they take and eat. This little +folk neither labour in lands ne in vines; but they have great men amongst +them of our stature that till the land and labour amongst the vines +for them. And of those men of our stature have they as great scorn +and wonder as we would have among us of giants, if they were amongst +us. There is a good city, amongst others, where there is dwelling +great plenty of those little folk, and it is a great city and a fair. +And the men be great that dwell amongst them, but when they get any +children they be as little as the pigmies. And therefore they +be, all for the most part, all pigmies; for the nature of the land is +such. The great Chan let keep this city full well, for it is his. +And albeit, that the pigmies be little, yet they be full reasonable +after their age, and can both wit and good and malice enough.</p> +<p>From that city go men by the country by many cities and many towns +unto a city that men clepe Jamchay; and it is a noble city and a rich +and of great profit to the Lord, and thither go men to seek merchandise +of all manner of thing. That city is full much worth yearly to +the lord of the country. For he hath every year to rent of that +city (as they of the city say) 50,000 cumants of florins of gold: for +they count there all by cumants, and every cumant is 10,000 florins +of gold. Now may men well reckon how much that it amounteth. +The king of that country is full mighty, and yet he is under the great +Chan. And the great Chan hath under him twelve such provinces. +In that country in the good towns is a good custom: for whoso will make +a feast to any of his friends, there be certain inns in every good town, +and he that will make the feast will say to the hosteler, array for +me to-morrow a good dinner for so many folk, and telleth him the number, +and deviseth him the viands; and he saith also, thus much I will dispend +and no more. And anon the hosteler arrayeth for him so fair and +so well and so honestly, that there shall lack nothing; and it shall +be done sooner and with less cost than an a man made it in his own house.</p> +<p>And a five mile from that city, toward the head of the river of Dalay, +is another city that men clepe Menke. In that city is strong navy +of ships. And all be white as snow of the kind of the trees that +they be made of. And they be full great ships and fair, and well +ordained, and made with halls and chambers and other easements, as though +it were on the land.</p> +<p>From thence go men, by many towns and many cities, through the country, +unto a city that men clepe Lanterine. And it is an eight journeys +from the city above-said. This city sits upon a fair river, great +and broad, that men clepe Caramaron. This river passeth throughout +Cathay. And it doth often-time harm, and that full great, when +it is over great.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the great Chan of Cathay. Of the royalty of his palace</i>, +<i>and how he sits at meat; and of the great number of</i> <i>officers +that serve him</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Cathay is a great country and a fair, noble and rich, and full of +merchants. Thither go merchants all years for to seek spices and +all manner of merchandises, more commonly than in any other part. +And ye shall understand, that merchants that come from Genoa or from +Venice or from Romania or other parts of Lombardy, they go by sea and +by land eleven months or twelve, or more some-time, ere they may come +to the isle of Cathay that is the principal region of all parts beyond; +and it is of the great Chan.</p> +<p>From Cathay go men toward the east by many journeys. And then +men find a good city between these others, that men clepe Sugarmago. +That city is one of the best stored of silk and other merchandises that +is in the world.</p> +<p>After go men yet to another old city toward the east. And it +is in the province of Cathay. And beside that city the men of +Tartary have let make another city that is dept Caydon. And it +hath twelve gates, and between the two gates there is always a great +mile; so that the two cities, that is to say, the old and the new, have +in circuit more than twenty mile.</p> +<p>In this city is the siege of the great Chan in a full great palace +and the most passing fair in all the world, of the which the walls be +in circuit more than two mile. And within the walls it is all +full of other palaces. And in the garden of the great palace there +is a great hill, upon the which there is another palace; and it is the +most fair and the most rich that any man may devise. And all about +the palace and the hill be many trees bearing many diverse fruits. +And all about that hill be ditches great and deep, and beside them be +great vivaries on that one part and on that other. And there is +a full fair bridge to pass over the ditches. And in these vivaries +be so many wild geese and ganders and wild ducks and swans and herons +that it is without number. And all about these ditches and vivaries +is the great garden full of wild beasts. So that when the great +Chan will have any disport on that, to take any of the wild beasts or +of the fowls, he will let chase them and take them at the windows without +going out of his chamber.</p> +<p>This palace, where his siege is, is both great and passing fair. +And within the palace, in the hall, there be twenty-four pillars of +fine gold. And all the walls be covered within of red skins of +beasts that men clepe panthers, that be fair beasts and well smelling; +so that for the sweet odour of those skins no evil air may enter into +the palace. Those skins be as red as blood, and they shine so +bright against the sun, that unnethe no man may behold them. And +many folk worship those beasts, when they meet them first at morning, +for their great virtue and for the good smell that they have. +And those skins they prize more than though they were plate of fine +gold.</p> +<p>And in the midst of this palace is the mountour for the great Chan, +that is all wrought of gold and of precious stones and great pearls. +And at four corners of the mountour be four serpents of gold. +And all about there is y-made large nets of silk and gold and great +pearls hanging all about the mountour. And under the mountour +be conduits of beverage that they drink in the emperor’s court. +And beside the conduits be many vessels of gold, by the which they that +be of household drink at the conduit.</p> +<p>And the hall of the palace is full nobly arrayed, and full marvellously +attired on all parts in all things that men apparel with any hall. +And first, at the chief of the hall is the emperor’s throne, full +high, where he sitteth at the meat. And that is of fine precious +stones, bordered all about with pured gold and precious stones, and +great pearls. And the grees that he goeth up to the table be of +precious stones mingled with gold.</p> +<p>And at the left side of the emperor’s siege is the siege of +his first wife, one degree lower than the emperor; and it is of jasper, +bordered with gold and precious stones. And the siege of his second +wife is also another siege, more lower than his first wife; and it is +also of jasper, bordered with gold, as that other is. And the +siege of the third wife is also more low, by a degree, than the second +wife. For he hath always three wives with him, where that ever +he be.</p> +<p>And after his wives, on the same side, sit the ladies of his lineage +yet lower, after that they be of estate. And all those that be +married have a counterfeit made like a man’s foot upon their heads, +a cubit long, all wrought with great pearls, fine and orient, and above +made with peacocks’ feathers and of other shining feathers; and +that stands upon their heads like a crest, in token that they be under +man’s foot and under subjection of man. And they that be +unmarried have none such.</p> +<p>And after at the right side of the emperor first sitteth his eldest +son that shall reign after him. And he sitteth also one degree +lower than the emperor, in such manner of sieges as do the empresses. +And after him sit other great lords of his lineage, every of them a +degree lower than the other, as they be of estate.</p> +<p>And the emperor hath his table alone by himself, that is of gold +and of precious stones, or of crystal bordered with gold, and full of +precious stones or of amethysts, or of lignum aloes that cometh out +of paradise, or of ivory bound or bordered with gold. And every +one of his wives hath also her table by herself. And his eldest +son and the other lords also, and the ladies, and all that sit with +the emperor have tables alone by themselves, full rich. And there +ne is no table but that it is worth an huge treasure of goods.</p> +<p>And under the emperor’s table sit four clerks that write all +that the emperor saith, be it good, be it evil; for all that he saith +must be holden, for he may not change his word, ne revoke it.</p> +<p>And [at] great solemn feasts before the emperor’s table men +bring great tables of gold, and thereon be peacocks of gold and many +other manner of diverse fowls, all of gold and richly wrought and enamelled. +And men make them dance and sing, clapping their wings together, and +make great noise. And whether it be by craft or by necromancy +I wot never; but it is a good sight to behold, and a fair; and it is +great marvel how it may be. But I have the less marvel, because +that they be the most subtle men in all sciences and in all crafts that +be in the world: for of subtlety and of malice and of farcasting they +pass all men under heaven. And therefore they say themselves, +that they see with two eyes and the Christian men see but with one, +because that they be more subtle than they. For all other nations, +they say, be but blind in cunning and working in comparison to them. +I did great business for to have learned that craft, but the master +told me that he had made avow to his god to teach it to no creature, +but only to his eldest son.</p> +<p>Also above the emperor’s table and the other tables, and above +a great part in the hall, is a vine made of fine gold. And it +spreadeth all about the hall. And it hath many clusters of grapes, +some white, some green, some yellow and some red and some black, all +of precious stones. The white be of crystal and of beryl and of +iris; the yellow be of topazes; the red be of rubies and of grenaz and +of alabrandines; the green be of emeralds, of perydoz and of chrysolites; +and the black be of onyx and garantez. And they be all so properly +made that it seemeth a very vine bearing kindly grapes.</p> +<p>And before the emperor’s table stand great lords and rich barons +and other that serve the emperor at the meat. And no man is so +hardy to speak a word, but if the emperor speak to him; but if it be +minstrels that sing songs and tell jests or other disports, to solace +with the emperor. And all the vessels that men be served with +in the hall or in chambers be of precious stones, and specially at great +tables either of jasper or of crystal or of amethysts or of fine gold. +And the cups be of emeralds and of sapphires, or of topazes, of perydoz, +and of many other precious stones. Vessels of silver is there +none, for they tell no price thereof to make no vessels of: but they +make thereof grecings and pillars and pavements to halls and chambers. +And before the hall door stand many barons and knights clean armed to +keep that no man enter, but if it be the will or the commandment of +the emperor, or but if they be servants or minstrels of the household; +and other none is not so hardy to neighen nigh the hall door.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that my fellows and I with our yeomen, we +served this emperor, and were his soldiers fifteen months against the +King of Mancy, that held against him. And the cause was for we +had great lust to see his noblesse and the estate of his court and all +his governance, to wit if it were such as we heard say that it was. +And truly we found it more noble and more excellent, and richer and +more marvellous, than ever we heard speak of, insomuch that we would +never have lieved it had we not seen it. For I trow, that no man +would believe the noblesse, the riches ne the multitude of folk that +be in his court, but he had seen it; for it is not there as it is here. +For the lords here have folk of certain number as they may suffice; +but the great Chan hath every day folk at his costage and expense as +without number. But the ordinance, ne the expenses in meat and +drink, ne the honesty, ne the cleanness, is not so arrayed there as +it is here; for all the commons there eat without cloth upon their knees, +and they eat all manner of flesh and little of bread, and after meat +they wipe their hands upon their skirts, and they eat not but once a +day. But the estate of lords is full great, and rich and noble.</p> +<p>And albeit that some men will not trow me, but hold it for fable +to tell them the noblesse of his person and of his estate and of his +court and of the great multitude of folk that he holds, natheles I shall +say you a part of him and of his folk, after that I have seen the manner +and the ordinance full many a time. And whoso that will may lieve +me if he will, and whoso will not, may leave also. For I wot well, +if any man hath been in those countries beyond, though he have not been +in the place where the great Chan dwelleth, he shall hear speak of him +so much marvellous thing, that he shall not trow it lightly. And +truly, no more did I myself, till I saw it. And those that have +been in those countries and in the great Chan’s household know +well that I say sooth. And therefore I will not spare for them, +that know not ne believe not but that that they see, for to tell you +a part of him and of his estate that he holdeth, when he goeth from +country to country, and when he maketh solemn feasts.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Wherefore he is clept the great Chan. Of the Style of his +Letters: and of the Superscription about his great Seal and his Privy +Seal</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>First I shall say you why he was clept the great Chan.</p> +<p>Ye shall understand, that all the world was destroyed by Noah’s +flood, save only Noah and his wife and his children. Noah had +three sons, Shem, Cham, and Japhet. This Cham was he that saw +his father’s privy members naked when he slept, and scorned them, +and shewed them with his finger to his brethren in scorning wise. +And therefore he was cursed of God. And Japhet turned his face +away and covered them.</p> +<p>These three brethren had seisin in all the land. And this Cham, +for his cruelty, took the greater and the best part, toward the east, +that is clept Asia, and Shem took Africa, and Japhet took Europe. +And therefore is all the earth parted in these three parts by these +three brethren. Cham was the greatest and the most mighty, and +of him came more generations than of the other. And of his son +Chuse was engendered Nimrod the giant, that was the first king that +ever was in the world; and he began the foundation of the tower of Babylon. +And that time, the fiends of hell came many times and lay with the women +of his generation and engendered on them diverse folk, as monsters and +folk disfigured, some without heads, some with great ears, some with +one eye, some giants, some with horses’ feet, and many other diverse +shape against kind. And of that generation of Cham be come the +Paynims and divers folk that be in isles of the sea by all Ind. +And forasmuch as he was the most mighty, and no man might withstand +him, he cleped himself the Son of God and sovereign of all the world. +And for this Cham, this emperor clepeth him Cham, and sovereign of all +the world.</p> +<p>And of the generation of Shem be come the Saracens. And of +the generation of Japhet is come the people of Israel. And though +that we dwell in Europe, this is the opinion, that the Syrians and the +Samaritans have amongst them. And that they told me, before that +I went toward Ind, but I found it otherwise. Natheles, the sooth +is this; that Tartars and they that dwell in the great Asia, they came +of Cham; but the Emperor of Cathay clepeth him not Cham, but Can, and +I shall tell you how.</p> +<p>It is but little more but eight score year that all Tartary was in +subjection and in servage to other nations about. For they were +but bestial folk and did nothing but kept beasts and led them to pastures. +But among them they had seven principal nations that were sovereigns +of them all. Of the which, the first nation or lineage was clept +Tartar, and that is the most noble and the most prized. The second +lineage is clept Tanghot, the third Eurache, the fourth Valair, the +fifth Semoche, the sixth Megly, the seventh Coboghe.</p> +<p>Now befell it so that of the first lineage succeeded an old worthy +man that was not rich, that had to name Changuys. This man lay +upon a night in his bed. And he saw in avision, that there came +before him a knight armed all in white. And he sat upon a white +horse, and said to him, Can, sleepest thou? The Immortal God hath +sent me to thee, and it is his will, that thou go to the seven lineages +and say to them that thou shalt be their emperor. For thou shalt +conquer the lands and the countries that be about, and they that march +upon you shall be under your subjection, as ye have been under theirs, +for that is God’s will immortal.</p> +<p>And when he came at morrow, Changuys rose, and went to seven lineages, +and told them how the white knight had said. And they scorned +him, and said that he was a fool. And so he departed from them +all ashamed. And the night ensuing, this white knight came to +the seven lineages, and commanded them on God’s behalf immortal, +that they should make this Changuys their emperor, and they should be +out of subjection, and they should hold all other regions about them +in their servage as they had been to them before. And on the morrow, +they chose him to be their emperor. And they set him upon a black +fertre, and after that they lift him up with great solemnity. +And they set him in a chair of gold and did him all manner of reverence, +and they cleped him Chan, as the white knight called him.</p> +<p>And when he was thus chosen, he would assay if he might trust in +them or no, and whether they would be obeissant to him or no. +And then he made many statutes and ordinances that they clepe <i>Ysya +Chan</i>. The first statute was, that they should believe and +obey in God Immortal, that is Almighty, that would cast them out of +servage, and at all times clepe to him for help in time of need. +The tother statute was, that all manner of men that might bare arms +should be numbered, and to every ten should be a master, and to every +hundred a master, and to every thousand a master, and to every ten thousand +a master. After he commanded to the principals of the seven lineages, +that they should leave and forsake all that they had in goods and heritage, +and from thenceforth to hold them paid of that that he would give them +of his grace. And they did so anon. After he commanded to +the principals of the seven lineages, that every of them should bring +his eldest son before him, and with their own hands smite off their +heads without tarrying. And anon his commandment was performed.</p> +<p>And when the Chan saw that they made none obstacle to perform his +commandment, then he thought well that he might trust in them, and commanded +them anon to make them ready and to sue his banner. And after +this, Chan put in subjection all the lands about him.</p> +<p>Afterward it befell upon a day, that the Can rode with a few meinie +for to behold the strength of the country that he had won. And +so befell, that a great multitude of enemies met with him. And +for to give good example hardiness to his people, he was the first that +fought, and in the midst of his enemies encountered, and there he was +cast from his horse, and his horse slain. And when his folk saw +him at the earth, they were all abashed, and weened he had been dead, +and flew every one, and their enemies after and chased them, but they +wist not that the emperor was there. And when the enemies were +far pursuing the chase, the emperor hid him in a thick wood. And +whet, they were come again from the chase, they went and sought the +woods if any of them had been hid in the thick of the woods; and many +they found and slew them anon. So it happened that as they went +searching toward the place that the emperor was, they saw an owl sitting +upon a tree above him; and then they said amongst them, that there was +no man because that they saw that bird there, and so they went their +way; and thus escaped the emperor from death. And then he went +privily all by night, till he came to his folk that were full glad of +his coming, and made great thankings to God Immortal, and to that bird +by whom their lord was saved. And therefore principally above +all fowls of world they worship the owl; and when they have any of their +feathers, they keep them full preciously instead of relics, and bear +them upon their heads with great reverence; and they hold themselves +blessed and safe from all perils while that they have them upon them, +and therefore they bear their feathers upon their heads.</p> +<p>After all this the Chan ordained him, and assembled his people, and +went upon them that had assailed him before, and destroyed them, and +put them in subjection and servage. And when he had won and put +all the lands and countries on this half the Mount Belian in subjection, +the white knight came to him again in his sleep, and said to him, Chan! +the will of God Immortal is that thou pass the Mount Belian. And +thou shalt win the land and thou shalt put many nations in subjection. +And for thou shalt find no good passage for to go toward that country, +go [to] the Mount Belian that is upon the sea, and kneel there nine +times toward the east in the worship of God Immortal, and he shall shew +the way to pass by. And the Chan did so. And anon the sea +that touched and was fast to the mount began to withdraw him, and shewed +fair way of nine foot breadth large; and so he passed with his folk, +and won the land of Cathay that is the greatest kingdom of the world.</p> +<p>And for the nine kneelings and for the nine foot of way the Chan +and all the men of Tartary have the number of nine in great reverence. +And therefore who that will make the Chan any present, be it of horses, +be it of birds, or of arrows or bows, or of fruit, or of any other thing, +always he must make it of the number of nine. And so then be the +presents of greater pleasure to him; and more benignly he will receive +them than though he were presented with an hundred or two hundred. +For him seemeth the number of nine so holy, because the messenger of +God Immortal devised it.</p> +<p>Also, when the Chan of Cathay had won the country of Cathay, and +put in subjection and under foot many countries about, he fell sick. +And when he felt well that he should die, he said to his twelve sons, +that everych of them should bring him one of his arrows. And so +they did anon. And then he commanded that men should bind them +together in three places. And then he took them to his eldest +son, and bade him break them all together. And he enforced him +with all his might to break them, but he ne might not. And then +the Chan bade his second son to break them; and so, shortly, to all, +each after other; but none of them might break them. And then +he bade the youngest son dissever every one from other, and break everych +by himself. And so he did. And then said the Chan to his +eldest son and to all the others, Wherefore might ye not break them? +And they answered that they might not, because that they were bound +together. And wherefore, quoth he, hath your little youngest brother +broken them? Because, quoth they, that they were parted each from +other. And then said the Chan, My sons, quoth he, truly thus will +it fare by you. For as long as ye be bound together in three places, +that is to say, in love, in truth and in good accord, no man shall be +of power to grieve you. But and ye be dissevered from these three +places, that your one help not your other, ye shall be destroyed and +brought to nought. And if each of you love other and help other, +ye shall be lords and sovereigns of all others. And when he had +made his ordinances, he died.</p> +<p>And then after him reigned Ecchecha Cane, his eldest son. And +his other brethren went to win them many countries and kingdoms, unto +the land of Prussia and of Russia, and made themselves to be clept Chane; +but they were all obeissant to their elder brother, and therefore was +he clept the great Chan.</p> +<p>After Ecchecha reigned Guyo Chan.</p> +<p>And after him Mango Chan that was a good Christian man and baptized, +and gave letters of perpetual peace to all Christian men, and sent his +brother Halaon with great multitude of folk for to win the Holy Land +and for to put it into Christian men’s hands, and for to destroy +Mahomet’s law, and for to take the Caliph of Bagdad that was emperor +and lord of all the Saracens. And when this caliph was taken, +men found him of so high worship, that in all the remnant of the world, +ne might a man find a more reverend man, ne higher in worship. +And then Halaon made him come before him, and said to him, Why, quoth +he, haddest thou not taken with thee more soldiers and men enough, for +a little quantity of treasure, for to defend thee and thy country, that +art so abundant of treasure and so high in all worship? And the +caliph answered him, For he well trowed that he had enough of his own +proper men. And then said Halaon, Thou wert as a god of the Saracens. +And it is convenient to a god to eat no meat that is mortal. And +therefore, thou shall not eat but precious stones, rich pearls and treasure, +that thou lovest so much. And then he commanded him to prison, +and all his treasure about him. And so he died for hunger and +thirst. And then after this, Halaon won all the Land of Promission, +and put it into Christian men’s hands. But the great Chan, +his brother, died; and that was great sorrow and loss to all Christian +men.</p> +<p>After Mango Chan reigned Cobyla Chan that was also a Christian man. +And he reigned forty-two year. He founded the great city Izonge +in Cathay, that is a great deal more than Rome.</p> +<p>The tother great Chan that came after him became a Paynim, and all +the others after him.</p> +<p>The kingdom of Cathay is the greatest realm of the world. And +also the great Chan is the most mighty emperor of the world and the +greatest lord under the firmament. And so he clepeth him in his +letters, right thus: <i>Chan! Filius Dei excelsi, omnium universam +terram</i> <i>colentium summus imperator, & dominus omnium dominantium</i>! +And the letter of his great seal, written about, is this; <i>Deus in +coelo, Chan super terram, ejus fortitudo</i>. <i>Omnium hominum +imperatoris sigillum</i>. And the superscription about his little +seal is this; <i>Dei fortitudo, omnium</i> <i>hominum imperatoris sigillum.</i></p> +<p>And albeit that they be not christened, yet nevertheless the emperor +and all the Tartars believe in God Immortal. And when they will +menace any man, then they say, God knoweth well that I shall do thee +such a thing, and telleth his menace.</p> +<p>And thus have ye heard, why he is clept the great Chan.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Governance of the great Chan’s Court, and when he +maketh solemn feasts. Of his Philosophers. And of his array, +when he rideth by the country</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now shall I tell you the governance of the court of the great Chan, +when he maketh solemn feasts; and that is principally four times in +the year.</p> +<p>The first feast is of his birth, that other is of his presentation +in their temple that they clepe their Moseache, where they make a manner +of circumcision, and the tother two feasts be of his idols. The +first feast of the idol is when he is first put into their temple and +throned; the tother feast is when the idol beginneth first to speak, +or to work miracles. More be there not of solemn feasts, but if +he marry any of his children.</p> +<p>Now understand, that at every of these feasts he hath great multitude +of people, well ordained and well arrayed, by thousands, by hundreds, +and by tens. And every man knoweth well what service he shall +do, and every man giveth so good heed and so good attendance to his +service that no man findeth no default. And there be first ordained +4000 barons, mighty and rich, for to govern and to make ordinance for +the feast, and for to serve the emperor. And these solemn feasts +be made without in halls and tents made of cloths of gold and of tartaries, +full nobly. And all those barons have crowns of gold upon their +heads, full noble and rich, full of precious stones and great pearls +orient. And they be all clothed in cloths of gold or of tartaries +or of camakas, so richly and so perfectly, that no man in the world +can amend it, ne better devise it. And all those robes be orfrayed +all about, and dubbed full of precious stones and of great orient pearls, +full richly. And they may well do so, for cloths of gold and of +silk be greater cheap there a great deal than be cloths of wool. +And these 4000 barons be devised in four companies, and every thousand +is clothed in cloths all of one colour, and that so well arrayed and +so richly, that it is marvel to behold.</p> +<p>The first thousand, that is of dukes, of earls, of marquises and +of admirals, all clothed in cloths of gold, with tissues of green silk, +and bordered with gold full of precious stones in manner as I have said +before. The second thousand is all clothed in cloths diapered +of red silk, all wrought with gold, and the orfrays set full of great +pearl and precious stones, full nobly wrought. The third thousand +is clothed in cloths of silk, of purple or of Ind. And the fourth +thousand is in cloths of yellow. And all their clothes be so nobly +and so richly wrought with gold and precious stones and rich pearls, +that if a man of this country had but only one of their robes, he might +well say that he should never be poor; for the gold and the precious +stones and the great orient pearls be of greater value on this half +the sea than they be beyond the sea in those countries.</p> +<p>And when they be thus apparelled, they go two and two together, full +ordinately, before the emperor, without speech of any word, save only +inclining to him. And every one of them beareth a tablet of jasper +or of ivory or of crystal, and the minstrels going before them, sounding +their instruments of diverse melody. And when the first thousand +is thus passed and hath made his muster, he withdraweth him on that +one side; and then entereth that other second thousand, and doth right +so, in the same manner of array and countenance, is did the first; and +after, the third; and then, the fourth; and none of them saith not one +word.</p> +<p>And at one side of the emperor’s table sit many philosophers +that be proved for wise men in many diverse sciences, as of astronomy, +necromancy, geomancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, of augury and of many other +sciences. And everych of them have before them astrolabes of gold, +some spheres, some the brain pan of a dead man, some vessels of gold +full of gravel or sand, some vessels of gold full of coals burning, +some vessels of gold full of water and of wine and of oil, and some +horologes of gold, made full nobly and richly wrought, and many other +manner of instruments after their sciences.</p> +<p>And at certain hours, when them thinketh time, they say to certain +officers that stand before them, ordained for the time to fulfil their +commandments; Make peace!</p> +<p>And then say the officers; Now peace! listen!</p> +<p>And after that, saith another of the philosophers; Every man do reverence +and incline to the emperor, that is God’s Son and sovereign lord +of all the world! For now is time! And then every man boweth +his head toward the earth.</p> +<p>And then commandeth the same philosopher again; Stand up! And +they do so.</p> +<p>And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your little finger +in your ears! And anon they do so.</p> +<p>And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand before +your mouth! And anon they do so.</p> +<p>And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand upon +your head! And after that he biddeth them to do their hand away. +And they do so.</p> +<p>And so, from hour to hour, they command certain things; and they +say, that those things have diverse significations. And I asked +them privily what those things betokened. And one of the masters +told me, that the bowing of the head at that hour betokened this; that +all those that bowed their heads should evermore after be obeissant +and true to the emperor, and never, for gifts ne for promise in no kind, +to be false ne traitor unto him for good nor evil. And the putting +of the little finger in the ear betokeneth, as they say, that none of +them ne shall not hear speak no contrarious thing to the emperor but +that he shall tell it anon to his council or discover it to some men +that will make relation to the emperor, though he were his father or +brother or son. And so forth, of all other things that is done +by the philosophers, they told me the causes of many diverse things. +And trust right well in certain, that no man doth nothing to the emperor +that belongeth unto him, neither clothing ne bread ne wine ne bath ne +none other thing that longeth to him, but at certain hours that his +philosophers will devise. And if there fall war in any side to +the emperor, anon the philosophers come and say their advice after their +calculations, and counsel the emperor of their advice by their sciences; +so that the emperor doth nothing without their counsel.</p> +<p>And when the philosophers have done and performed their commandments, +then the minstrels begin to do their minstrelsy, everych in their instruments, +each after other, with all the melody that they can devise. And +when they have done a good while, one of the officers of the emperor +goeth up on a high stage wrought full curiously, and crieth and saith +with loud voice; Make Peace! And then every man is still.</p> +<p>And then, anon after, all the lords that be of the emperor’s +lineage, nobly arrayed in rich cloths of gold and royally apparelled +on white steeds, as many as may well sue him at that time, be ready +to make their presents to the emperor. And then saith the steward +of the court to the lords, by name; N. of N.! and nameth first the most +noble and the worthiest by name, and saith; Be ye ready with such a +number of white horses, for to serve the emperor, your sovereign lord! +And to another lord he saith; N. of N., be ye ready with such a number, +to serve your sovereign lord! And to another, right so, and to +all the lords of the emperor’s lineage, each after other, as they +be of estate. And when they be all cleped, they enter each after +other, and present the white horses to the emperor, and then go their +way. And then after, all the other barons every of them, give +him presents or jewels or some other thing, after that they be of estate. +And then after them, all the prelates of their law, and religious men +and others; and every man giveth him something. And when that +all men have thus presented the emperor, the greatest of dignity of +the prelates giveth him a blessing, saying an orison of their law.</p> +<p>And then begin the minstrels to make their minstrelsy in divers instruments +with all the melody that they can devise. And when they have done +their craft, then they bring before the emperor, lions, leopards and +other diverse beasts, and eagles and vultures and other divers fowls, +and fishes and serpents, for to do him reverence. And then come +jugglers and enchanters, that do many marvels; for they make to come +in the air, by seeming, the sun and the moon to every man’s sight. +And after they make the night so dark that no man may see nothing. +And after they make the day to come again, fair and pleasant with bright +sun, to every man’s sight. And then they bring in dances +of the fairest damsels of the world, and richest arrayed. And +after they make to come in other damsels bringing cups of gold full +of milk of diverse beasts, and give drink to lords and to ladies. +And then they make knights to joust in arms full lustily; and they run +together a great random, and they frussch together full fiercely, and +they break their spears so rudely that the truncheons fly in sprouts +and pieces all about the hall. And then they make to come in hunting +for the hart and for the boar, with hounds running with open mouth. +And many other things they do by craft of their enchantments, that it +is marvel for to see. And such plays of disport they make till +the taking up of the boards. This great Chan hath full great people +for to serve him, as I have told you before. For he hath of minstrels +the number of thirteen cumants, but they abide not always with him. +For all the minstrels that come before him, of what nation that they +be of, they be withholden with him as of his household, and entered +in his books as for his own men. And after that, where that ever +they go, ever more they claim for minstrels of the great Chan; and under +that title, all kings and lords cherish them the more with gifts and +all things. And therefore he hath so great multitude of them.</p> +<p>And he hath of certain men as though they were yeomen, that keep +birds, as ostriches, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks, falcons gentle, lanyers, +sakers, sakrets, popinjays well speaking, and birds singing, and also +of wild beasts, as of elephants tame and other, baboons, apes, marmosets, +and other diverse beasts; the mountance of fifteen cumants of yeomen.</p> +<p>And of physicians Christian he hath 200, and of leeches that be Christian +he hath 210, and of leeches and physicians that be Saracens twenty, +but he trusteth more in the Christian leeches than in the Saracen. +And his other common household is without number, and they all have +all necessaries and all that them needeth of the emperor’s court. +And he hath in his court many barons as servitors, that be Christian +and converted to good faith by the preaching of religious Christian +men that dwell with him; but there be many more, that will not that +men know that they be Christian.</p> +<p>This emperor may dispend as much as he will without estimation; for +he not dispendeth ne maketh no money but of leather imprinted or of +paper. And of that money is some of greater price and some of +less price, after the diversity of his statutes. And when that +money hath run long that it beginneth to waste, then men bear it to +the emperor’s treasury and then they take new money for the old. +And that money goeth throughout all the country and throughout all his +provinces, for there and beyond them they make no money neither of gold +nor of silver; and therefore he may dispend enough, and outrageously. +And of gold and silver that men bear in his country he maketh cylours, +pillars and pavements in his palace, and other diverse things what him +liketh.</p> +<p>This emperor hath in his chamber, in one of the pillars of gold, +a ruby and a carbuncle of half a foot long, that in the night giveth +so great clearness and shining, that it is as light as day. And +he hath many other precious stones and many other rubies and carbuncles; +but those be the greatest and the most precious.</p> +<p>This emperor dwelleth in summer in a city that is toward the north +that is clept Saduz; and there is cold enough. And in winter he +dwelleth in a city that is clept Camaaleche, and that is an hot country. +But the country, where he dwelleth in most commonly, is in Gaydo or +in Jong, that is a good country and a temperate, after that the country +is there; but to men of this country it were too passing hot.</p> +<p>And when this emperor will ride from one country to another he ordaineth +four hosts of his folk, of the which the first host goeth before him +a day’s journey. For that host shall be lodged the night +where the emperor shall lie upon the morrow. And there shall every +man have all manner of victual and necessaries that be needful, of the +emperor’s costage. And in this first host is the number +of people fifty cumants, what of horse what of foot, of the which every +cumant amounteth 10,000 as I have told you before. And another +host goeth in the right side of the emperor, nigh half a journey from +him. And another goeth on the left side of him, in the same wise. +And in every host is as much multitude of people as in the first host. +And then after cometh the fourth host, that is much more than any of +the others, and that goeth behind him, the mountance of a bow draught. +And every host hath his journeys ordained in certain places, where they +shall be lodged at night, and there they shall have all that them needeth. +And if it befall that any of the host die, anon they put another in +his place, so that the number shall evermore be whole.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the emperor, in his proper person, +rideth not as other great lords do beyond, but if he list to go privily +with few men, for to be unknown. And else, he rides in a chariot +with four wheels, upon the which is made a fair chamber, and it is made +of a certain wood, that cometh out of Paradise terrestrial, that men +clepe lignum aloes, that the floods of Paradise bring out at divers +seasons, as I have told you here before. And this chamber is full +well smelling because of the wood that it is made of. And all +this chamber is covered within of plate of fine gold dubbed with precious +stones and great pearls. And four elephants and four great destriers, +all white and covered with rich covertures, leading the chariot. +And four, or five, or six, of the greatest lords ride about this chariot, +full richly arrayed and full nobly, so that no man shall neigh the chariot, +but only those lords, but if that the emperor call any man to him that +him list to speak withal. And above the chamber of this chariot +that the emperor sitteth in be set upon a perch four or five or six +gerfalcons, to that intent, that when the emperor seeth any wild fowl, +that he may take it at his own list, and have the disport and the play +of the flight, first with one, and after with another; and so he taketh +his disport passing by the country. And no man rideth before him +of his company, but all after him. And no man dare not come nigh +the chariot, by a bow draught, but those lords only that be about him. +And all the host cometh fairly after him in great multitude.</p> +<p>And also such another chariot with such hosts ordained and arrayed +go with the empress upon another side, everych by himself, with four +hosts, right as the emperor did; but not with so great multitude of +people. And his eldest son goeth by another way in another chariot, +in the same manner. So that there is between them so great multitude +of folk that it is marvel to tell it. And no man should trow the +number, but he had seen it. And some-time it happeth that when +he will not go far, and that it like him to have the empress and his +children with him, then they go altogether, and their folk be all mingled +in fere, and divided in four parties only.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the empire of this great Chan is divided +in twelve provinces; and every province hath more than two thousand +cities, and of towns without number. This country is full great, +for it hath twelve principal kings in twelve provinces, and every of +those Kings have many kings under them, and all they be obeissant to +the great Chan. And his land and his lordship dureth so far, that +a man may not go from one head to another, neither by sea ne land, the +space of seven year. And through the deserts of his lordship, +there as men may find no towns, there be inns ordained by every journey, +to receive both man and horse, in the which they shall find plenty of +victual, and of all things that they need for to go by the country.</p> +<p>And there is a marvellous custom in that country (but it is profitable), +that if any contrarious thing that should be prejudice or grievance +to the emperor in any kind, anon the emperor hath tidings thereof and +full knowledge in a day, though it be three or four journeys from him +or more. For his ambassadors take their dromedaries or their horses, +and they prick in all that ever they may toward one of the inns. +And when they come there, anon they blow an horn. And anon they +of the inn know well enough that there be tidings to warn the emperor +of some rebellion against him. And then anon they make other men +ready, in all haste that they may, to bear letters, and prick in all +that ever they may, till they come to the other inns with their letters. +And then they make fresh men ready, to prick forth with the letters +toward the emperor, while that the last bringer rest him, and bait his +dromedary or his horse. And so, from inn to inn, till it come +to the emperor. And thus anon hath he hasty tidings of anything +that beareth charge, by his couriers, that run so hastily throughout +all the country. And also when the Emperor sendeth his couriers +hastily throughout his land, every one of them hath a large throng full +of small bells, and when they neigh near to the inns of other couriers +that be also ordained by the journeys, they ring their bells, and anon +the other couriers make them ready, and run their way unto another inn. +And thus runneth one to other, full speedily and swiftly, till the emperor’s +intent be served, in all haste. And these couriers be clept <i>Chydydo</i>, +after their language, that is to say, a messenger,</p> +<p>Also when the emperor goeth from one country to another, as I have +told you here before, and he pass through cities and towns, every man +maketh a fire before his door, and putteth therein powder of good gums +that be sweet smelling, for to make good savour to the emperor. +And all the people kneel down against him, and do him great reverence. +And there, where religious Christian men dwell, as they do in many cities +in the land, they go before him with procession with cross and holy +water, and they sing, <i>Veni creator spiritus</i>! with an high voice, +and go towards him. And when he heareth them, he commandeth to +his lords to ride beside him, that the religious men may come to him. +And when they be nigh him with the cross, then he doth adown his galiot +that sits on his head in manner of a chaplet, that is made of gold and +precious stones and great pearls, and it is so rich, that men prize +it to the value of a realm in that country. And then he kneeleth +to the cross. And then the prelate of the religious men saith +before him certain orisons, and giveth him a blessing with the cross; +and he inclineth to the blessing full devoutly. And then the prelate +giveth him some manner fruit, to the number of nine, in a platter of +silver, with pears or apples, or other manner fruit. And he taketh +one. And then men give to the other lords that be about him. +For the custom is such, that no stranger shall come before him, but +if he give him some manner thing, after the old law that saith, <i>Nemo +accedat in</i> <i>conspectu meo vacuus</i>. And then the emperor +saith to the religious men, that they withdraw them again, that they +be neither hurt nor harmed of the great multitude of horses that come +behind him. And also, in the same manner, do the religious men +that dwell there, to the empresses that pass by them, and to his eldest +son. And to every of them they present fruit.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that the people that he hath so many hosts +of, about him and about his wives and his soil, they dwell not continually +with him. But always, when him liketh, they be sent for. +And after, when they have done, they return to their own households, +save only they that be dwelling with him in household for to serve him +and his wives and his sons for to govern his household. And albeit, +that the others be departed from him after that they have performed +their service, yet there abideth continually with him in court 50,000 +men at horse and 200,000 men a foot, without minstrels and those that +keep wild beasts and divers birds, of the which I have told you the +number before.</p> +<p>Under the firmament is not so great a lord, ne so mighty, ne so rich +as is the great Chan; not Prester John, that is emperor of the high +Ind, ne the Soldan of Babylon, ne the Emperor of Persia. All these +ne be not in comparison to the great Chan, neither of might, ne of noblesse, +ne of royalty, ne of riches; for in all these he passeth all earthly +princes. Wherefore it is great harm that he believeth not faithfully +in God. And natheles he will gladly hear speak of God. And +he suffereth well that Christian men dwell in his lordship, and that +men of his faith be made Christian men if they will, throughout all +his country; for he defendeth no man to hold no law other than him liketh.</p> +<p>In that country some men hath an hundred wives, some sixty, some +more, some less. And they take the next of their kin to their +wives, save only that they out-take their mothers, their daughters, +and their sisters of the mother’s side; but their sisters on the +father’s side of another woman they may well take, and their brothers’ +wives also after their death, and their step-mothers also in the same +wise.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Law and the Customs of the Tartarians dwelling in Cathay. +And how that men do when the Emperor shall die, and how he shall be +chosen</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>The folk of that country use all long clothes without furs. +And they be clothed with precious cloths of Tartary, and of cloths of +gold. And their clothes be slit at the side, and they be fastened +with laces of silk. And they clothe them also with pilches, and +the hide without; and they use neither cape ne hood. And in the +same manner as the men go, the women go, so that no man may unneth know +the men from the women, save only those women that be married, that +bear the token upon their heads of a man’s foot, in sign that +they be under man’s foot and under subjection of man.</p> +<p>And their wives ne dwell not together, but every of them by herself; +and the husband may lie with whom of them that him liketh. Everych +hath his house, both man and woman. And their houses be made round +of staves, and it hath a round window above that giveth them light, +and also that serveth for deliverance of smoke. And the heling +of their houses and the walls and the doors be all of wood. And +when they go to war, they lead their houses with them upon chariots, +as men do tents or pavilions. And they make their fire in the +midst of their houses.</p> +<p>And they have great multitude of all manner of beasts, save only +of swine, for they bring none forth. And they believe well one +God that made and formed all things. And natheles yet have they +idols of gold and silver, and of tree and of cloth. And to those +idols they offer always their first milk of their beasts, and also of +their meats and of their drinks before they eat. And they offer +often-times horses and beasts. And they clepe the God of kind +<i>Yroga.</i></p> +<p>And their emperor also, what name that ever he have, they put evermore +thereto, Chan. And when I was there, their emperor had to name +Thiaut, so that he was clept Thiaut-Chan. And his eldest son was +clept Tossue; and when he shall be emperor, he shall be clept Tossue-Chan. +And at that time the emperor had twelve sons without him, that were +named Cuncy, Ordii, Chadahay, Buryn, Negu, Nocab, Cadu, [Siban], Cuten, +Balacy, Babylan, and Garegan. And of his three wives, the first +and principal, that was Prester John’s daughter, had to name Serioche-Chan, +and the tother Borak-Chan, and the tother Karanke-Chan.</p> +<p>The folk of that country begin all their things in the new moon, +and they worship much the moon and the sun and often-time kneel against +them. And all the folk of the country ride commonly without spurs, +but they bear always a little whip in their hands for to chace with +their horses.</p> +<p>And they have great conscience and hold it for a great sin to cast +a knife in the fire, and for to draw flesh out of a pot with a knife, +and for to smite an horse with the handle of a whip, or to smite an +horse with a bridle, or to break one bone with another, or for to cast +milk or any liquor that men may drink upon the earth, or for to take +and slay little children. And the most sin that any man may do +is to piss in their houses that they dwell in, and whoso that may be +found with that sin sikerly they slay him. And of everych of these +sins it behoveth them to be shriven of their priests, and to pay great +sum of silver for their penance. And it behoveth also, that the +place that men have pissed in be hallowed again, and else dare no man +enter therein. And when they have paid their penance, men make +them pass through a fire or through two, for to cleanse them of their +sins. And also when any messenger cometh and bringeth letters +or any present to the emperor, it behoveth him that he, with the thing +that he bringeth, pass through two burning fires for to purge them, +that he bring no poison ne venom, ne no wicked thing that might be grievance +to the Lord. And also if any man or woman be taken in avoutry +or fornication, anon they slay him. And who that stealeth anything, +anon they slay him.</p> +<p>Men of that country be all good archers and shoot right well, both +men and women, as well on horse-back, pricking, as on foot, running. +And the women make all things and all manner mysteries and crafts, as +of clothes, boots and other things; and they drive carts, ploughs and +wains and chariots; and they make houses and all manner mysteres, out +taken bows and arrows and armours that men make. And all the women +wear breeches, as well as men.</p> +<p>All the folk of that country be full obeissant to their sovereigns; +ne they fight not, ne chide not one with another. And there be +neither thieves ne robbers in that country. And every man worshippeth +other; but no man there doth no reverence to no strangers, but if they +be great princes.</p> +<p>And they eat hounds, lions, leopards, mares and foals, asses, rats +and mice and all manner of beasts, great and small, save only swine +and beasts that were defended by the old law. And they eat all +the beasts without and within, without casting away of anything, save +only the filth. And they eat but little bread, but if it be in +courts of great lords. And they have not in many places, neither +pease ne beans ne none other pottages but the broth of the flesh. +For little eat they anything but flesh and the broth. And when +they have eaten, they wipe their hands upon their skirts; for they use +no napery ne towels, but if it be before great lords; but the common +people hath none. And when they have eaten, they put their dishes +unwashen into the pot or cauldron with remnant of the flesh and of the +broth till they will eat again. And the rich men drink milk of +mares or of camels or of asses or of other beasts. And they will +be lightly drunken of milk and of another drink that is made of honey +and of water sodden together; for in that country is neither wine ne +ale. They live full wretchedly, and they eat but once in the day, +and that but little, neither in courts ne in other places. And +in sooth, one man alone in this country will eat more in a day than +one of them will eat in three days. And if any strange messenger +come there to a lord, men make him to eat but once a day, and that full +little.</p> +<p>And when they war, they war full wisely and always do their business, +to destroy their enemies. Every man there beareth two bows or +three, and of arrows great plenty, and a great axe. And the gentles +have short spears and large and full trenchant on that one side. +And they have plates and helms made of quyrboylle, and their horses +covertures of the same. And whoso fleeth from the battle they +slay him. And when they hold any siege about castle or town that +is walled and defensible, they behote to them that be within to do all +the profit and good, that it is marvel to hear; and they grant also +to them that be within all that they will ask them. And after +that they be yielden, anon they slay them all; and cut off their ears +and souse them in vinegar, and thereof they make great service for lords. +All their lust and all their imagination is for to put all lands under +their subjection. And they say that they know well by their prophecies, +that they shall be overcome by archers and by strength of them; but +they know not of what nation ne of what law they shall be of, that shall +overcome them. And therefore they suffer that folk of all laws +may peaceably dwell amongst them.</p> +<p>Also when they will make their idols or an image of any of their +friends for to have remembrance of him, they make always the image all +naked without any manner of clothing. For they say that in good +love should be no covering, that man should not love for the fair clothing +ne for the rich array, but only for the body, such as God hath made +it, and for the good virtues that the body is endowed with of Nature, +not only for fair clothing that is not of kindly Nature.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that it is great dread for to pursue the +Tartars if they flee in battle. For in fleeing they shoot behind +them and slay both men and horses. And when they will fight they +will shock them together in a plump; that if there be 20,000 men, men +shall not ween that there be scant 10,000. And they can well win +land of strangers, but they cannot keep it; for they have greater lust +to lie in tents without than for to lie in castle or in towns. +And they prize nothing the wit of other nations.</p> +<p>And amongst them oil of olive is full dear, for they hold it for +full noble medicine. And all the Tartars have small eyen and little +of beard, and not thick haired but shear. And they be false and +traitors; and they last nought that they behote. They be full +hardy folk, and much pain and woe may suffer and disease, more than +any other folk, for they be taught thereto in their own country of youth. +And therefore they spend as who saith, right nought.</p> +<p>And when any man shall die, men set a spear beside him. And +when he draweth towards the death, every man fleeth out of the house +till he be dead. And after that they bury him in the fields.</p> +<p>And when the emperor dieth, men set him in a chair in midst the place +of his tent. And men set a table before him clean, covered with +a cloth, and thereupon flesh and diverse viands and a cup full of mare’s +milk. And men put a mare beside him with her foal, and an horse +saddled and bridled. And they lay upon the horse gold and silver, +great quantity. And they put about him great plenty of straw. +And then men make a great pit and a large, and with the tent and all +these other things they put him in earth. And they say that when +he shall come into another world, he shall not be without an house, +ne without horse, ne without gold and silver; and the mare shall give +him milk, and bring him forth more horses till he be well stored in +the tother world. For they trow that after their death they shall +be eating and drinking in that other world, and solacing them with their +wives, as they did here.</p> +<p>And after time that the emperor is thus interred no man shall be +so hardy to speak of him before his friends. And yet natheles, +sometime falleth of many that they make him to be interred privily by +night in wild places, and put again the grass over the pit for to grow; +or else men cover the pit with gravel and sand, that no man shall perceive +where, ne know where, the pit is, to that intent that never after none +of his friends shall have mind ne remembrance of him. And then +they say that he is ravished into another world, where he is a greater +lord than he was here.</p> +<p>And then, after the death of the emperor, the seven lineages assemble +them together, and choose his eldest son, or the next after him of his +blood. And thus they say to him; we will and we pray and ordain +that ye be our lord and our emperor.</p> +<p>And then he answereth, If ye will that I reign over you as lord, +do everych of you that I shall command him, either to abide or to go; +and whomsoever that I command to be slain, that anon he be slain.</p> +<p>And they answer all with one voice, Whatsoever ye command, it shall +be done.</p> +<p>Then saith the emperor, Now understand well, that my word from henceforth +is sharp and biting as a sword.</p> +<p>After, men set him upon a black steed and so men bring him to a chair +full richly arrayed, and there they crown him. And then all the +cities and good towns send him rich presents. So that at that +journey he shall have more than sixty chariots charged with gold silver, +without jewels of gold and precious stones, that lords gave him, that +be without estimation, and without horses, and cloths of gold, and of +camakas, and tartarins that be without number.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Realm of Tharse and the Lands and Kingdoms towards the +Septentrional Parts, in coming down from the land of Cathay</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>This land of Cathay is in Asia the deep; and after, on this half, +is Asia the more. The kingdom of Cathay marcheth toward the west +unto the kingdom of Tharse, the which was one of the kings that came +to present our Lord in Bethlehem. And they that be of the lineage +of that king are some Christian. In Tharse they eat no flesh, +ne they drink no wine.</p> +<p>And on this half, toward the west, is the kingdom of Turkestan, that +stretcheth him toward the west to the kingdom of Persia, and toward +the septentrional to the kingdom of Khorasan. In the country of +Turkestan be but few good cities; but the best city of that land hight +Octorar. There be great pastures, but few corns; and therefore, +for the most part, they be all herdsmen, and they lie in tents and they +drink a manner ale made of honey.</p> +<p>And after, on this half, is the kingdom of Khorasan, that is a good +land and a plenteous, without wine. And it hath a desert toward +the east that lasteth more than an hundred journeys. And the best +city of that country is clept Khorasan, and of that city beareth the +country his name. The folk of that country be hardy warriors.</p> +<p>And on this half is the kingdom of Comania, whereof the Comanians +that dwelled in Greece sometime were chased out. This is one of +the greatest kingdoms of the world, but it is not all inhabited. +For at one of the parts there is so great cold that no man may dwell +there; and in another part there is so great heat that no man may endure +it, and also there be so many flies, that no man may know on what side +he may turn him. In that country is but little arboury ne trees +that bear fruit ne other. They lie in tents; and they burn the +dung of beasts for default of wood. This kingdom descendeth on +this half toward us and toward Prussia and toward Russia.</p> +<p>And through that country runneth the river of Ethille that is one +of the greatest rivers of the world. And it freezeth so strongly +all years that many times men have fought upon the ice with great hosts, +both parties on foot, and their horses voided for the time, and what +on horse and on foot, more than 200,000 persons on every side.</p> +<p>And between that river and the great sea Ocean, that they clepe the +Sea Maure, lie all these realms. And toward the head, beneath, +in that realm is the Mount Chotaz, that is the highest mount of the +world, and it is between the Sea Maure and the Sea Caspian. There +is full strait and dangerous passage for to go toward Ind. And +therefore King Alexander let make there a strong city, that men clepe +Alexandria, for to keep the country that no man should pass without +his leave. And now men clepe that city, the Gate of Hell.</p> +<p>And the principal city of Comania is clept Sarak, that is one of +the three ways for to go into Ind. But by that way, ne may not +pass no great multitude of people, but if it be in winter. And +that passage men clepe the Derbent. The tother way is for to go +from the city of Turkestan by Persia, and by that way be many journeys +by desert. And the third way is that cometh from Comania and then +to go by the Great Sea and by the kingdom of Abchaz.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that all these kingdoms and all these lands +above-said unto Prussia and to Russia be all obeissant to the great +Chan of Cathay, and many other countries that march to other coasts. +Wherefore his power and his lordship is full great and full mighty.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>The Emperor of Persia, and of the Land of Darkness; and of other +kingdoms that belong to the great Chan of Cathay, and other lands of +his, unto the sea of Greece</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now, since I have devised you the lands and the kingdoms toward the +parts Septentrionals in coming down from the land of Cathay unto the +lands of the Christian, towards Prussia and Russia, - now shall I devise +you of other lands and kingdoms coming down by other coasts, toward +the right side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the land of Christian +men. And, therefore, that after Ind and after Cathay the Emperor +of Persia is the greatest lord, therefore, I shall tell you of the kingdom +of Persia.</p> +<p>First, where he hath two kingdoms, the first kingdom beginneth toward +the east, toward the kingdom of Turkestan, and it stretcheth toward +the west unto the river of Pison, that is one of the four rivers that +come out of Paradise. And on another side it stretcheth toward +the Septentrion unto the sea of Caspian; and also toward the south unto +the desert of Ind. And this country is good and plain and full +of people. And there be many good cities. But the two principal +cities be these, Boyturra, and Seornergant, that some men clepe Sormagant. +The tother kingdom of Persia stretcheth toward the river of Pison and +the parts of the west unto the kingdom of Media, and from the great +Armenia and toward the Septentrion to the sea of Caspian and toward +the south to the land of Ind. That is also a good land and a plenteous, +and it hath three great principal cities - Messabor, Saphon, and Sarmassan.</p> +<p>And then after is Armenia, in the which were wont to be four kingdoms; +that is a noble country and full of goods. And it beginneth at +Persia and stretcheth toward the west in length unto Turkey. And +in largeness it dureth to the city of Alexandria, that now is clept +the Gate of Hell, that I spake of before, under the kingdom of Media. +In this Armenia be full many good cities, but Taurizo is most of name.</p> +<p>After this is the kingdom of Media, that is full long, but it is +not full large, that beginneth toward the east to the land of Persia +and to Ind the less; and it stretcheth toward the west, toward the kingdom +of Chaldea and toward the Septentrion, descending toward the little +Armenia. In that kingdom of Media there be many great hills and +little of plain earth. There dwell Saracens and another manner +of folk, that men clepe Cordynes. The best two cities of that +kingdom be Sarras and Karemen.</p> +<p>After that is the kingdom of Georgia, that beginneth toward the east +to the great mountain that is clept Abzor, where that dwell many diverse +folk of diverse nations. And men clepe the country Alamo. +This kingdom stretcheth him towards Turkey and toward the Great Sea, +and toward the south it marcheth to the great Armenia. And there +be two kingdoms in that country; that one is the kingdom of Georgia, +and that other is the kingdom of Abchaz. And always in that country +be two kings; and they be both Christian. But the king of Georgia +is in subjection to the great Chan. And the king of Abchaz hath +the more strong country, and he always vigorously defendeth his country +against all those that assail him, so that no man may make him in subjection +to no man.</p> +<p>In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel. For a province +of the country that hath well in circuit three journeys, that men clepe +Hanyson, is all covered with darkness, without any brightness or light; +so that no man may see ne hear, ne no man dare enter into him. +And, natheles, they of the country say, that some-times men hear voice +of folk, and horses neighing, and cocks crowing. And men wit well, +that men dwell there, but they know not what men. And they say, +that the darkness befell by miracle of God. For a cursed emperor +of Persia, that hight Saures, pursued all Christian men to destroy them +and to compel them to make sacrifice to his idols, and rode with great +host, in all that ever he might, for to confound the Christian men. +And then in that country dwelled many good Christian men, the which +that left their goods and would have fled into Greece. And when +they were in a plain that hight Megon, anon this cursed emperor met +with them with his host for to have slain them and hewn them to pieces. +And anon the Christian men kneeled to the ground, and made their prayers +to God to succour them. And anon a great thick cloud came and +covered the emperor and all his host. And so they endure in that +manner that they ne may not go out on no side; and so shall they evermore +abide in that darkness till the day of doom, by the miracle of God. +And then the Christian men went where them liked best, at their own +pleasance, without letting of any creature, and their enemies enclosed +and confounded in darkness, without any stroke.</p> +<p>Wherefore we may well say with David, <i>A Domino factum est istud; +& est mirabile in oculis nostris</i>. And that was a great +miracle, that God made for them. Wherefore methinketh that Christian +men should be more devout to serve our Lord God than any other men of +any other sect. For without any dread, ne were not cursedness +and sin of Christian men, they should be lords of all the world. +For the banner of Jesu Christ is always displayed, and ready on all +sides to the help of his true loving servants. Insomuch, that +one good Christian man in good belief should overcome and out-chase +a thousand cursed misbelieving men, as David saith in the Psalter, <i>Quoniam +persequebatur unus mills, & duo fugarent decem milia; et cadent +a latere tuo mille, & decem milia a dextris tuis</i>. And +how that it might be that one should chase a thousand, David himself +saith following, <i>Quia manus Domini fecit haec omnia</i>, and our +Lord himself saith, by the prophet’s mouth, <i>Si in viis meis +ambulaveritis, super tribulantes vos misissem manum meam</i>. +So that we may see apertly that if we will be good men, no enemy may +not endure against us.</p> +<p>Also ye shall understand that out of that land of darkness goeth +out a great river that sheweth well that there be folk dwelling, by +many ready tokens; but no man dare not enter into it.</p> +<p>And wit well, that in the kingdoms of Georgia, of Abchaz and of the +little Armenia be good Christian men and devout. For they shrive +them and housel them evermore once or twice in the week. And there +be many of them that housel them every day; and so do we not on this +half, albeit that Saint Paul commandeth it, saying, <i>Omnibus diebus +dominicis ad communicandum hortor</i>. They keep that commandment, +but we ne keep it not.</p> +<p>Also after, on this half, is Turkey, that marcheth to the great Armenia. +And there be many provinces, as Cappadocia, Saure, Brique, Quesiton, +Pytan, and Gemethe. And in everych of these be many good cities. +This Turkey stretcheth unto the city of Sachala that sitteth upon the +sea of Greece, and so it marcheth to Syria. Syria is a great country +and a good, as I have told you before. And also it hath, above +toward Ind, the kingdom of Chaldea, that stretcheth from the mountains +of Chaldea toward the east unto the city of Nineveh, that sitteth upon +the river of Tigris; and in largeness it beginneth toward the north +to the city of Maraga; and it stretcheth toward the south unto the sea +Ocean. In Chaldea is a plain country, and few hills and few rivers.</p> +<p>After is the kingdom of Mesopotamia, that beginneth, toward the east, +to the flom of Tigris, unto a city that is clept Mosul; and it stretcheth +toward the west to the flom of Euphrates unto a city that is clept Roianz; +and in length it goeth to the mount of Armenia unto the desert of Ind +the less. This is a good country and a plain, but it hath few +rivers. It hath but two mountains in that country, of the which +one hight Symar and that other Lyson. And this land marcheth to +the kingdom of Chaldea.</p> +<p>Yet there is, toward the parts Meridionals many countries and many +regions, as the land of Ethiopia, that marcheth, toward the east to +the great deserts, toward the west to the kingdom of Nubia, toward the +south to the kingdom of Moretane, and toward the north to the Red Sea.</p> +<p>After is Moretane, that dureth from the mountains of Ethiopia unto +Lybia the high. And that country lieth along from the sea ocean +toward the south; and toward the north it marcheth to Nubia and to the +high Lybia. (These men of Nubia be Christian.) And it marcheth +from the lands above-said to the deserts of Egypt, and that is the Egypt +that I have spoken of before.</p> +<p>And after is Lybia the high and Lybia the low, that descendeth down +low toward the great sea of Spain, in the which country be many kingdoms +and many diverse folk.</p> +<p>Now I have devised you many countries on this half the kingdom of +Cathay, of the which many be obeissant to the great Chan.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Countries and Isles that be beyond the Land of Cathay</i>; +<i>and of the fruits there; and of twenty-two kings enclosed</i> <i>within +the mountains</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Now shall I say you, suingly, of countries and isles that be beyond +the countries that I have spoken of.</p> +<p>Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward the +high Ind and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that men clepe Caldilhe, +that is a full fair country.</p> +<p>And there groweth a manner of fruit, as though it were gourds. +And when they be ripe, men cut them a-two, and men find within a little +beast, in flesh, in bone, and blood, as though it were a little lamb +without wool. And men eat both the fruit and the beast. +And that is a great marvel. Of that fruit I have eaten, although +it were wonderful, but that I know well that God is marvellous in his +works. And, natheles, I told them of as great a marvel to them, +that is amongst us, and that was of the Bernakes. For I told them +that in our country were trees that bear a fruit that become birds flying, +and those that fell in the water live, and they that fall on the earth +die anon, and they be right good to man’s meat. And hereof +had they as great marvel, that some of them trowed it were an impossible +thing to be.</p> +<p>In that country be long apples of good savour, whereof be more than +an hundred in a cluster, and as many in another; and they have great +long leaves and large, of two foot long or more. And in that country, +and in other countries thereabout, grow many trees that bear clove-gylofres +and nutmegs, and great nuts of Ind, and of Canell and of many other +spices. And there be vines that bear so great grapes, that a strong +man should have enough to do for to bear one cluster with all the grapes.</p> +<p>In that same region be the mountains of Caspian that men crepe Uber +in the country. Between those mountains the Jews of ten lineages +be enclosed, that men clepe Goth and Magoth and they may not go out +on no side. There were enclosed twenty-two kings with their people, +that dwelled between the mountains of Scythia. There King Alexander +chased them between those mountains, and there he thought for to enclose +them through work of his men. But when he saw that he might not +do it, ne bring it to an end, he prayed to God of nature that he would +perform that that he had begun. And all were it so, that he was +a paynim and not worthy to be heard, yet God of his grace closed the +mountains together, so that they dwell there all fast locked and enclosed +with high mountains all about, save only on one side, and on that side +is the sea of Caspian.</p> +<p>Now may some men ask, since that the sea is on that one side, wherefore +go they not out on the sea side, for to go where that them liketh?</p> +<p>But to this question, I shall answer; that sea of Caspian goeth out +by land under the mountains, and runneth by the desert at one side of +the country, and after it stretcheth unto the ends of Persia, and although +it be clept a sea, it is no sea, ne it toucheth to none other sea, but +it is a lake, the greatest of the world; and though they would put them +into that sea, they ne wist never where that they should arrive; and +also they can no language but only their own, that no man knoweth but +they; and therefore may they not go out.</p> +<p>And also ye shall understand, that the Jews have no proper land of +their own for to dwell in, in all the world, but only that land between +the mountains. And yet they yield tribute for that land to the +Queen of Amazonia, the which that maketh them to be kept in close full +diligently, that they shall not go out on no side but by the coast of +their land; for their land marcheth to those mountains.</p> +<p>And often it hath befallen, that some of the Jews have gone up the +mountains and avaled down to the valleys. But great number of +folk ne may not do so, for the mountains be so high and so straight +up, that they must abide there, maugre their might. For they may +not go out, but by a little issue that was made by strength of men, +and it lasteth well a four great mile.</p> +<p>And after, is there yet a land all desert, where men may find no +water, neither for digging ne for none other thing. Wherefore +men may not dwell in that place, so is it full of dragons, of serpents +and of other venomous beasts, that no man dare not pass, but if it be +strong winter. And that strait passage men clepe in that country +Clyron. And that is the passage that the Queen of Amazonia maketh +to be kept. And though it happen some of them by fortune to go +out, they can no manner of language but Hebrew, so that they cannot +speak to the people.</p> +<p>And yet, natheles, men say they shall go out in the time of anti-Christ, +and that they shall make great slaughter of Christian men. And +therefore all the Jews that dwell in all lands learn always to speak +Hebrew, in hope, that when the other Jews shall go out, that they may +understand their speech, and to lead them into Christendom for to destroy +the Christian people. For the Jews say that they know well by +their prophecies, that they of Caspia shall go out, and spread throughout +all the world, and that the Christian men shall be under their subjection, +as long as they have been in subjection of them.</p> +<p>And if that you will wit how that they shall find their way, after +that I have heard say I shall tell you.</p> +<p>In the time of anti-Christ a fox shall make there his train, and +mine an hole where King Alexander let make the gates; and so long he +shall mine and pierce the earth, till that he shall pass through towards +that folk. And when they see the fox, they shall have great marvel +of him, because that they saw never such a beast. For of all other +beasts they have enclosed amongst them, save only the fox. And +then they shall chase him and pursue him so strait, till that he come +to the same place that he came from. And then they shall dig and +mine so strongly, till that they find the gates that King Alexander +let make of great stones, and passing huge, well cemented and made strong +for the mastery. And those gates they shall break, and so go out +by finding of that issue.</p> +<p>From that land go men toward the land of Bacharia, where be full +evil folk and full cruel. In that land be trees that bear wool, +as though it were of sheep, whereof men make clothes and all things +that may be made of wool.</p> +<p>In that country be many hippotaynes that dwell some-time in the water +and sometime on the land. And they be half man and half horse, +as I have said before. And they eat men when they may take them.</p> +<p>And there be rivers of waters that be full bitter, three sithes more +than is the water of the sea.</p> +<p>In that country be many griffins, more plenty than in any other country. +Some men say that they have the body upward as an eagle and beneath +as a lion; and truly they say sooth, that they be of that shape. +But one griffin hath the body more great and is more strong than eight +lions, of such lions as be on this half, and more great and stronger +than an hundred eagles such as we have amongst us. For one griffin +there will bear, flying to his nest, a great horse, if he may find him +at the point, or two oxen yoked together as they go at the plough. +For he hath his talons so long and so large and great upon his feet, +as though they were horns of great oxen or of bugles or of kine, so +that men make cups of them to drink of. And of their ribs and +of the pens of their wings, men make bows, full strong, to shoot with +arrows and quarrels.</p> +<p>From thence go men by many journeys through the land of Prester John, +the great Emperor of Ind. And men clepe his realm the isle of +Pentexoire.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXX</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Royal Estate of Prester John. And of a rich man that +made a marvellous castle and cleped it Paradise; and of his subtlety</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>This emperor, Prester John, holds full great land, and hath many +full noble cities and good towns in his realm, and many great diverse +isles and large. For all the country of Ind is devised in isles +for the great floods that come from Paradise, that depart all the land +in many parts. And also in the sea he hath full many isles. +And the best city in the Isle of Pentexoire is Nyse, that is a full +royal city and a noble, and full rich.</p> +<p>This Prester John hath under him many kings and many isles and many +diverse folk of diverse conditions. And this land is full good +and rich, but not so rich as is the land of the great Chan. For +the merchants come not thither so commonly for to buy merchandises, +as they do in the land of the great Chan, for it is too far to travel +to. And on that other part, in the Isle of Cathay, men find all +manner thing that is need to man - cloths of gold, of silk, of spicery +and all manner avoirdupois. And therefore, albeit that men have +greater cheap in the Isle of Prester John, natheles, men dread the long +way and the great perils in the sea in those parts.</p> +<p>For in many places of the sea be great rocks of stones of the adamant, +that of his proper nature draweth iron to him. And therefore there +pass no ships that have either bonds or nails of iron within them. +And if there do, anon the rocks of the adamants draw them to them, that +never they may go thence. I myself have seen afar in that sea, +as though it had been a great isle full of tree, and buscaylle, full +of thorns and briars, great plenty. And the shipmen told us, that +all that was of ships that were drawn thither by the adamants, for the +iron that was in them. And of the rotten-ness, and other thing +that was within the ships, grew such buscaylle, and thorns and briars +and green grass, and such manner of thing; and of the masts and the +sail-yards; it seemed a great wood or a grove. And such rocks +be in many places thereabout. And therefore dare not the merchants +pass there, but if they know well the passages, or else that they have +good lodesmen.</p> +<p>And also they dread the long way. And therefore they go to +Cathay, for it is more nigh. And yet it is not so nigh, but that +men must be travelling by sea and land, eleven months or twelve, from +Genoa or from Venice, or he come to Cathay. And yet is the land +of Prester John more far by many dreadful journeys.</p> +<p>And the merchants pass by the kingdom of Persia, and go to a city +that is Clept Hermes, for Hermes the philosopher founded it. And +after that they pass an arm of the sea, and then they go to another +city that is clept Golbache. And there they find merchandises, +and of popinjays, as great plenty as men find here of geese. And +if they will pass further, they may go sikerly enough. In that +country is but little wheat or barley, and therefore they eat rice and +honey and milk and cheese and fruit.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John taketh always to his wife the daughter +of the great Chan; and the great Chan also, in the same wise, the daughter +of Prester John. For these two be the greatest lords under the +firmament.</p> +<p>In the land of Prester John be many diverse things and many precious +stones, so great and so large, that men make of them vessels, as platters, +dishes and cups. And many other marvels be there, that it were +too cumbrous and too long to put it in scripture of books; but of the +principal isles and of his estate and of his law, I shall tell you some +part.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John is Christian, and a great part of his country +also. But yet, they have not all the articles of our faith as +we have. They believe well in the Father, in the Son and in the +Holy Ghost. And they be full devout and right true one to another. +And they set not by no barretts, ne by cautels, nor of no deceits.</p> +<p>And he hath under him seventy-two provinces, and in every province +is a king. And these kings have kings under them, and all be tributaries +to Prester John. And he hath in his lordships many great marvels.</p> +<p>For in his country is the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea, that +is all gravel and sand, without any drop of water, and it ebbeth and +floweth in great waves as other seas do, and it is never still ne in +peace, in no manner season. And no man may pass that sea by navy, +ne by no manner of craft, and therefore may no man know what land is +beyond that sea. And albeit that it have no water, yet men find +therein and on the banks full good fish of other manner of kind and +shape, than men find in any other sea, and they be of right good taste +and delicious to man’s meat.</p> +<p>And a three journeys long from that sea be great mountains, out of +the which goeth out a great flood that cometh out of Paradise. +And it is full of precious stones, without any drop of water, and it +runneth through the desert on that one side, so that it maketh the sea +gravelly; and it beareth into that sea, and there it endeth. And +that flome runneth, also, three days in the week and bringeth with him +great stones and the rocks also therewith, and that great plenty. +And anon, as they be entered into the Gravelly Sea, they be seen no +more, but lost for evermore. And in those three days that that +river runneth, no man dare enter into it; but in the other days men +dare enter well enough.</p> +<p>Also beyond that flome, more upward to the deserts, is a great plain +all gravelly, between the mountains. And in that plain, every +day at the sun-rising, begin to grow small trees, and they grow till +mid-day, bearing fruit; but no man dare take of that fruit, for it is +a thing of faerie. And after mid-day, they decrease and enter +again into the earth, so that at the going down of the sun they appear +no more. And so they do, every day. And that is a great +marvel.</p> +<p>In that desert be many wild men, that be hideous to look on; for +they be horned, and they speak nought, but they grunt, as pigs. +And there is also great plenty of wild hounds. And there be many +popinjays, that they clepe psittakes their language. And they +speak of their proper nature, and salute men that go through the deserts, +and speak to them as apertly as though it were a man. And they +that speak well have a large tongue, and have five toes upon a foot. +And there be also of another manner, that have but three toes upon a +foot, and they speak not, or but little, for they can not but cry.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John when he goeth into battle against any other +lord, he hath no banners borne before him; but he hath three crosses +of gold, fine, great and high, full of precious stones, and every of +those crosses be set in a chariot, full richly arrayed. And for +to keep every cross, be ordained 10,000 men of arms and more than 100,000 +men on foot, in manner as men would keep a standard in our countries, +when that we be in land of war. And this number of folk is without +the principal host and without wings ordained for the battle. +And when he hath no war, but rideth with a privy meinie, then he hath +borne before him but one cross of tree, without painting and without +gold or silver or precious stones, in remembrance that Jesu Christ suffered +death upon a cross of tree. And he hath borne before him also +a platter of gold full of earth, in token that his noblesse and his +might and his flesh shall turn to earth. And he hath borne before +him also a vessel of silver, full of noble jewels of gold full rich +and of precious stones, in token of his lordship and of his noblesse +and of his might.</p> +<p>He dwelleth commonly in the city of Susa. And there is his +principal palace, that is so rich and so noble, that no man will trow +it by estimation, but he had seen it. And above the chief tower +of the palace be two round pommels of gold, and in everych of them be +two carbuncles great and large, that shine full bright upon the night. +And the principal gates of his palace be of precious stone that men +clepe sardonyx, and the border and the bars be of ivory. And the +windows of the halls and chambers be of crystal. And the tables +whereon men eat, some be of emeralds, some of amethyst, and some of +gold, full of precious stones; and the pillars that bear up the tables +be of the same precious stones. And the degrees to go up to his +throne, where he sitteth at the meat, one is of onyx, another is of +crystal, and another of jasper green, another of amethyst, another of +sardine, another of cornelian, and the seventh, that he setteth on his +feet, is of chrysolite. And all these degrees be bordered with +fine gold, with the tother precious stones, set with great pearls orient. +And the sides of the siege of his throne be of emeralds, and bordered +with gold full nobly, and dubbed with other precious stones and great +pearls. And all the pillars in his chamber be of fine gold with +precious stones, and with many carbuncles, that give great light upon +the night to all people. And albeit that the carbuncles give light +right enough, natheles, at all times burneth a vessel of crystal full +of balm, for to give good smell and odour to the emperor, and to void +away all wicked airs and corruptions. And the form of his bed +is of fine sapphires, bended with gold, for to make him sleep well and +to refrain him from lechery; for he will not lie with his wives, but +four sithes in the year, after the four seasons, and that is only for +to engender children.</p> +<p>He hath also a full fair palace and a noble at the city of Nyse, +where that he dwelleth, when him best liketh; but the air is not so +attempre, as it is at the city of Susa.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that in all his country nor in the countries +there all about, men eat not but once in the day, as they do in the +court of the great Chan. And so they eat every day in his court, +more than 30,000 persons, without goers and comers. But the 30,000 +persons of his country, ne of the country of the great Chan, ne spend +not so much good as do 12,000 of our country.</p> +<p>This Emperor Prester John hath evermore seven kings with him to serve +him, and they depart their service by certain months. And with +these kings serve always seventy-two dukes and three hundred and sixty +earls. And all the days of the year, there eat in his household +and in his court, twelve archbishops and twenty bishops. And the +patriarch of Saint Thomas is there as is the pope here. And the +archbishops and the bishops and the abbots in that country be all kings. +And everych of these great lords know well enough the attendance of +their service. The one is master of his household, another is +his chamberlain, another serveth him of a dish, another of the cup, +another is steward, another is marshal, another is prince of his arms, +and thus is he full nobly and royally served. And his land dureth +in very breadth four month’s journeys, and in length out of measure, +that is to say, all isles under earth that we suppose to be under us.</p> +<p>Beside the isle of Pentexoire, that is the land of Prester John, +is a eat isle, long and broad, that men clepe Mistorak; and it is in +the lordship of Prester John. In that isle is great plenty of +goods.</p> +<p>There was dwelling, sometime, a rich man; and it is not long since; +and men clept him Gatholonabes. And he was full of cautels and +of subtle deceits. And he had a full fair castle and a strong +in a mountain, so strong and so noble, that no man could devise a fairer +ne stronger. And he had let mure all the mountain about with a +strong wall and a fair. And within those walls he had the fairest +garden that any man might behold. And therein were trees bearing +all manner of fruits, that any man could devise. And therein were +also all manner virtuous herbs of good smell, and all other herbs also +that bear fair flowers. And he had also in that garden many fair +wells; and beside those wells he had let make fair halls and fair chambers, +depainted all with gold and azure; and there were in that place many +diverse things, and many diverse stories: and of beasts, and of birds +that sung full delectably and moved by craft, that it seemed that they +were quick. And he had also in his garden all manner of fowls +and of beasts that any man might think on, for to have play or sport +to behold them.</p> +<p>And he had also, in that place, the fairest damsels that might be +found, under the age of fifteen years, and the fairest young striplings +that men might get, of that same age. And all they were clothed +in cloths of gold, full richly. And he said that those were angels.</p> +<p>And he had also let make three wells, fair and noble and all environed +with stone of jasper, of crystal, diapered with gold, and set with precious +stones and great orient pearls. And he had made a conduit under +earth, so that the three wells, at his list, one should run milk, another +wine and another honey. And that place he clept Paradise.</p> +<p>And when that any good knight, that was hardy and noble, came to +see this royalty, he would lead him into his paradise, and show him +these wonderful things to his disport, and the marvellous and delicious +song of diverse birds, and the fair damsels, and the fair wells of milk, +of wine and of honey, plenteously running. And he would let make +divers instruments of music to sound in an high tower, so merrily, that +it was joy for to hear; and no man should see the craft thereof. +And those, he said, were angels of God, and that place was Paradise, +that God had behight to his friends, saying, <i>Dabo vobis terram</i> +<i>fluentem lacte et melle</i>. And then would he make them to +drink of certain drink, whereof anon they should be drunk. And +then would them think greater delight than they had before. And +then would he say to them, that if they would die for him and for his +love, that after their death they should come to his paradise; and they +should be of the age of those damosels, and they should play with them, +and yet be maidens. And after that yet should he put them in a +fairer paradise, where that they should see God of nature visibly, in +his majesty and in his bliss. And then would he shew them his +intent, and say them, that if they would go slay such a lord, or such +a man that was his enemy or contrarious to his list, that they should +not dread to do it and for to be slain therefore themselves. For +after their death, he would put them into another paradise, that was +an hundred-fold fairer than any of the tother; and there should they +dwell with the most fairest damosels that might be, and play with them +ever-more.</p> +<p>And thus went many diverse lusty bachelors for to slay great lords +in diverse countries, that were his enemies, and made themselves to +be slain, in hope to have that paradise. And thus, often-time, +he was revenged of his enemies by his subtle deceits and false cautels.</p> +<p>And when the worthy men of the country had perceived this subtle +falsehood of this Gatholonabes, they assembled them with force, and +assailed his castle, and slew him, and destroyed all the fair places +and all the nobilities of that paradise. The place of the wells +and of the walls and of many other things be yet apertly seen, but the +riches is voided clean. And it is not long gone, since that place +was destroyed.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXI</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Devil’s Head in the Valley Perilous. And of +the Customs of Folk in diverse Isles that be about in the Lordship of +Prester John</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Beside that Isle of Mistorak upon the left side nigh to the river +of Pison is a marvellous thing. There is a vale between the mountains, +that dureth nigh a four mile. And some men clepe it the Vale Enchanted, +some clepe it the Vale of Devils, and some clepe it the Vale Perilous. +In that vale hear men often-time great tempests and thunders, and great +murmurs and noises, all days and nights, and great noise, as it were +sound of tabors and of nakers and of trumps, as though it were of a +great feast. This vale is all full of devils, and hath been always. +And men say there, that it is one of the entries of hell. In that +vale is great plenty of gold and silver. Wherefore many misbelieving +men, and many Christian men also, go in oftentime for to have of the +treasure that there is; but few come again, and namely of the misbelieving +men, ne of the Christian men neither, for anon they be strangled of +devils.</p> +<p>And in mid place of that vale, under a rock, is an head and the visage +of a devil bodily, full horrible and dreadful to see, and it sheweth +not but the head, to the shoulders. But there is no man in the +world so hardy, Christian man ne other, but that he would be adread +to behold it, and that it would seem him to die for dread, so is it +hideous for to behold. For he beholdeth every man so sharply with +dreadful eyen, that be evermore moving and sparkling as fire, and changeth +and stirreth so often in diverse manner, with so horrible countenance, +that no man dare not neighen towards him. And from him cometh +out smoke and stinking fire and so much abomination, that unnethe no +man may there endure.</p> +<p>But the good Christian men, that be stable in the faith, enter well +without peril. For they will first shrive them and mark them with +the token of the holy cross, so that the fiends ne have no power over +them. But albeit that they be without peril, yet, natheles, ne +be they not without dread, when that they see the devils visibly and +bodily all about them, that make full many diverse assaults and menaces, +in air and in earth, and aghast them with strokes of thunder-blasts +and of tempests. And the most dread is, that God will take vengeance +then of that that men have misdone against his will.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that when my fellows and I were in that +vale, we were in great thought, whether that we durst put our bodies +in adventure, to go in or not, in the protection of God. And some +of our fellows accorded to enter, and some not. So there were +with us two worthy men, friars minors, that were of Lombardy, that said, +that if any man would enter they would go in with us. And when +they had said so, upon the gracious trust of God and of them, we let +sing mass, and made every man to be shriven and houseled. And +then we entered fourteen persons; but at our going out we were but nine. +And so we wist never, whether that our fellows were lost, or else turned +again for dread. But we saw them never after; and those were two +men of Greece, and three of Spain. And our other fellows that +would not go in with us, they went by another coast to be before us; +and so they were.</p> +<p>And thus we passed that perilous vale, and found therein gold and +silver, and precious stones and rich jewels, great plenty, both here +and there, as us seemed. But whether that it was, as us seemed, +I wot never. For I touched none, because that the devils be so +subtle to make a thing to seem otherwise than it is, for to deceive +mankind. And therefore I touched none, and also because that I +would not be put out of my devotion; for I was more devout then, than +ever I was before or after, and all for the dread of fiends that I saw +in diverse figures, and also for the great multitude of dead bodies, +that I saw there lying by the way, by all the vale, as though there +had been a battle between two kings, and the mightiest of the country, +and that the greater part had been discomfited and slain. And +I trow, that unnethe should any country have so much people within him, +as lay slain in that vale as us thought, the which was an hideous sight +to see. And I marvelled much, that there were so many, and the +bodies all whole without rotting. But I trow, that fiends made +them seem to be so whole without rotting. But that might not be +to mine advice that so many should have entered so newly, ne so many +newly slain, with out stinking and rotting. And many of them were +in habit of Christian men, but I trow well, that it were of such that +went in for covetise of the treasure that was there, and had overmuch +feebleness in the faith; so that their hearts ne might not endure in +the belief for dread. And therefore were we the more devout a +great deal. And yet we were cast down, and beaten down many times +to the hard earth by winds and thunders and tempests. But evermore +God of his grace holp us. And so we passed that perilous vale +without peril and without encumbrance, thanked be Almighty God.</p> +<p>After this, beyond the vale, is a great isle, where the folk be great +giants of twenty-eight foot long, or of thirty foot long. And +they have no clothing but of skins of beasts that they hang upon them. +And they eat no bread, but all raw flesh; and they drink milk of beasts, +for they have plenty of all bestial. And they have no houses to +lie in. And they eat more gladly man’s flesh than any other +flesh. Into that isle dare no man gladly enter. And if they +see a ship and men therein, anon they enter into the sea for to take +them.</p> +<p>And men said us, that in an isle beyond that were giants of greater +stature, some of forty-five foot, or of fifty foot long, and, as some +men say, some of fifty cubits long. But I saw none of those, for +I had no lust to go to those parts, because that no man cometh neither +into that isle ne into the other, but if he be devoured anon. +And among those giants be sheep as great as oxen here, and they bear +great wool and rough. Of the sheep I have seen many times. +And men have seen, many times, those giants take men in the sea out +of their ships, and brought them to land, two in one hand and two in +another, eating them going, all raw and all quick.</p> +<p>Another isle is there toward the north, in the sea Ocean, where that +be full cruel and full evil women of nature. And they have precious +stones in their eyen. And they be of that kind, that if they behold +any man with wrath, they slay him anon with the beholding, as doth the +basilisk.</p> +<p>Another isle is there, full fair and good and great, and full of +people, where the custom is such, that the first night that they be +married, they make another man to lie by their wives for to have their +maidenhead: and therefore they take great hire and great thank. +And there be certain men in every town that serve of none other thing; +and they clepe them cadeberiz, that is to say, the fools of wanhope. +For they of the country hold it so great a thing and so perilous for +to have the maidenhead of a woman, that them seemeth that they that +have first the maidenhead putteth him in adventure of his life. +And if the husband find his wife maiden that other next night after +that she should have been lain by of the man that is assigned therefore, +peradventure for drunkenness or for some other cause, the husband shall +plain upon him that he hath not done his devoir, in such cruel wise +as though the officers would have slain him. But after the first +night that they be lain by, they keep them so straitly that they be +not so hardy to speak with no man. And I asked them the cause +why that they held such custom: and they said me, that of old time men +had been dead for deflowering of maidens, that had serpents in their +bodies that stung men upon their yards, that they died anon: and therefore +they held that customs to make other men ordained therefore to lie by +their wives, for dread of death, and to assay the passage by another +[rather] than for to put them in that adventure.</p> +<p>After that is another isle where that women make great sorrow when +their children be y-born. And when they die, they make great feast +and great joy and revel, and then they cast them into a great fire burning. +And those that love well their husbands, if their husbands be dead, +they cast them also in the fire with their children, and burn them. +And they say that the fire shall cleanse them of all filths and of all +vices, and they shall go pured and clean into another world to their +husbands, and they shall lead their children with them. And the +cause why that they weep, when their children be born is this; for when +they come into this world, they come to labour, sorrow and heaviness. +And why they make joy and gladness at their dying is because that, as +they say, then they go to Paradise where the rivers run milk and honey, +where that men see them in joy and in abundance of goods, without sorrow +and labour.</p> +<p>In that isle men make their king evermore by election, and they ne +choose him not for no noblesse nor for no riches, but such one as is +of good manners and of good conditions, and therewithal rightfull, and +also that he be of great age, and that he have no children. In +that isle men be full rightfull and they do rightfull judgments in every +cause both of rich and poor, small and great, after the quantity of +the trespass that is mis-done. And the king may not doom no man +to death without assent of his barons and other men wise of counsel, +and that all the court accord thereto. And if the king himself +do any homicide or any crime, as to slay a man, or any such case, he +shall die there for. But he shall not be slain as another man; +but men shall defend, in pain of death, that no man be so hardy to make +him company ne to speak with him, ne that no man give him, ne sell him, +ne serve him, neither of meat ne of drink; and so shall he die in mischief. +They spare no man that hath trespassed, neither for love, ne for favour +ne for riches, ne for noblesse; but that he shall have after that he +hath done.</p> +<p>Beyond that isle is another isle, where is great multitude of folk. +And they will not, for no thing, eat flesh of hares, ne of hens, ne +of geese; and yet they bring forth enough, for to see them and to behold +them only; but they eat flesh of all other beasts, and drink milk. +In that country they take their daughters and their sisters to their +wives, and their other kinswomen. And if there be ten men or twelve +men or more dwelling in an house, the wife of everych of them shall +be common to them all that dwell in that house; so that every man may +lie with whom he will of them on one night, and with another, another +night. And if she have any child, she may give it to what man +that she list, that hath companied with her, so that no man knoweth +there whether the child be his or another’s. And if any +man say to them, that they nourish other men’s children, they +answer that so do over men theirs.</p> +<p>In that country and by all Ind be great plenty of cockodrills, that +is a manner of a long serpent, as I have said before. And in the +night they dwell in the water, and on the day upon the land, in rocks +and in caves. And they eat no meat in all the winter, but they +lie as in a dream, as do the serpents. These serpents slay men, +and they eat them weeping; and when they eat they move the over jaw, +and not the nether jaw, and they have no tongue.</p> +<p>In that country and in many other beyond that, and also in many on +this half, men put in work the seed of cotton, and they sow it every +year. And then groweth it in small trees, that bear cotton. +And so do men every year, so that there is plenty of cotton at all times. +Item; in this isle and in many other, there is a manner of wood, hard +and strong. Whoso covereth the coals of that wood under the ashes +thereof, the coals will dwell and abide all quick, a year or more. +And that tree hath many leaves, as the juniper hath. And there +be also many trees, that of nature they will never burn, ne rot in no +manner. And there be nut trees, that bear nuts as great as a man’s +head.</p> +<p>There also be many beasts, that be clept orafles. In Arabia, +they be clept gerfaunts. That is a beast, pomely or spotted, that +is but a little more high than is a steed, but he hath the neck a twenty +cubits long; and his croup and his tail is as of an hart; and he may +look over a great high house. And there be also in that country +many camles; that is a little beast as a goat, that is wild, and he +liveth by the air and eateth nought, ne drinketh nought, at no time. +And he changeth his colour often-time, for men see him often sithes, +now in one colour and now in another colour; and he may change him into +all manner colours that him list, save only into red and white. +There be also in that country passing great serpents, some of six score +foot long, and they be of diverse colours, as rayed, red, green, and +yellow, blue and black, and all speckled. And there be others +that have crests upon their heads, and they go upon their feet, upright, +and they be well a four fathom great, or more, and they dwell always +in rocks or in mountains, and they have alway the throat open, of whence +they drop venom always. And there be also wild swine of many colours, +as great as be oxen in our country, and they be all spotted, as be young +fawns. And there be also urchins, as great as wild swine here; +we clepe them Porcz de Spine. And there be lions all white, great +and mighty. And there be also of other beasts, as great and more +greater than is a destrier, and men clepe them Loerancs; and some men +clepe them odenthos; and they have a black head and three long horns +trenchant in the front, sharp as a sword, and the body is slender; and +he is a full felonious beast, and he chaseth and slayeth the elephant. +There be also many other beasts, full wicked and cruel, that be not +mickle more than a bear, and they have the head like a boar, and they +have six feet, and on every foot two large claws, trenchant; and the +body is like a bear, and the tail as a lion. And there be also +mice as great as hounds, and yellow mice as great as ravens. And +there be geese, all red, three sithes more great than ours here, and +they have the head, the neck and the breast all black.</p> +<p>And many other diverse beasts be in those countries, and elsewhere +there-about, and many diverse birds also, of the which it were too long +for to tell you. And therefore, I pass over at this time.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the goodness of the folk of the Isle of Bragman. Of King +Alexander. And wherefore the Emperor of Ind is clept Prester John</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>And beyond that isle is another isle, great and good and plenteous, +where that be good folk and true, and of good living after their belief +and of good faith. And albeit that they be not christened, ne +have no perfect law, yet, natheles, of kindly law they be full of all +virtue, and they eschew all vices and all malices and all sins. +For they be not proud, ne covetous, ne envious, ne wrathful, ne gluttons, +ne lecherous. Ne they do to any man otherwise than they would +that other men did to them, and in this point they fulfil the ten commandments +of God, and give no charge of avoir, ne of riches. And they lie +not, ne they swear not for none occasion, but they say simply, yea and +nay; for they say, he that sweareth will deceive his neighbour, and +therefore, all that they do, they do it without oath.</p> +<p>And men clepe that isle the Isle of Bragman, and some men clepe it +the Land of Faith. And through that land runneth a great river +that is clept Thebe. And, in general, all the men of those isles +and of all the marches thereabout be more true than in any other countries +thereabout, and more rightfull than others in all things. In that +isle, is no thief, ne murderer, ne common woman, ne poor beggar, ne +never was man slain in that country. And they be so chaste, and +lead so good life, as that they were religious men, and they fast all +days. And because they be so true and so rightfull, and so full +of all good conditions, they were never grieved with tempests, ne with +thunder, ne with light, ne with hail, ne with pestilence, ne with war, +ne with hunger, ne with none other tribulation, as we be, many times, +amongst us, for our sins. Wherefore, it seemeth well, that God +loveth them and is pleased with their creaunce for their good deeds. +They believe well in God, that made all things, and him they worship. +And they prize none earthly riches; and so they be all rightfull. +And they live full ordinately, and so soberly in meat and drink, that +they live right long. And the most part of them die without sickness, +when nature faileth them, for eld.</p> +<p>And it befell in King Alexander’s time, that he purposed him +to conquer that isle and to make them to hold of him. And when +they of the country heard it, they sent messengers to him with letters, +that said thus; What may be enough to that man to whom all the world +is insufficient? Thou shalt find nothing in us, that may cause +thee to war against us. For we have no riches, ne none we covet, +and all the goods of our country be in common. Our meat, that +we sustain withal our bodies, is our riches. And, instead of treasure +of gold and silver, we make our treasure of accord and peace, and for +to love every man other. And for to apparel with our bodies we +use a silly little clout for to wrap in our carrion. Our wives +ne be not arrayed for to make no man pleasance, but only convenable +array for to eschew folly. When men pain them to array the body +for to make it seem fairer than God made it, they do great sin. +For man should not devise ne ask greater beauty, than God hath ordained +man to be at his birth. The earth ministereth to us two things, +- our livelihood, that cometh of the earth that we live by, and our +sepulture after our death. We have been in perpetual peace till +now, that thou come to disinherit us. And also we have a king, +not only for to do justice to every man, for he shall find no forfeit +among us; but for to keep noblesse, and for to shew that we be obeissant, +we have a king. For justice ne hath not among us no place, for +we do to no man otherwise than we desire that men do to us. So +that righteousness ne vengeance have nought to do among us. So +that nothing thou may take from us, but our good peace, that always +hath dured among us.</p> +<p>And when King Alexander had read these letters, he thought that he +should do great sin, for to trouble them. And then he sent them +sureties, that they should not be afeard of him, and that they should +keep their good manners and their good peace, as they had used before, +of custom. And so he let them alone.</p> +<p>Another isle there is, that men clepe Oxidrate, and another isle, +that men clepe Gynosophe, where there is also good folk, and full of +good faith. And they hold, for the most part, the good conditions +and customs and good manners, as men of the country abovesaid; but they +go all naked.</p> +<p>Into that isle entered King Alexander, to see the manner. And +when he saw their great faith, and their truth that was amongst them, +he said that he would not grieve them, and bade them ask of him what +that they would have of him, riches or anything else, and they should +have it, with good will. And they answered, that he was rich enough +that had meat and drink to sustain the body with, for the riches of +this world, that is transitory, is not worth; but if it were in his +power to make them immortal, thereof would they pray him, and thank +him. And Alexander answered them that it was not in his power +to do it, because he was mortal, as they were. And then they asked +him why he was so proud and so fierce, and so busy for to put all the +world under his subjection, right as thou were a God, and hast no term +of this life, neither day ne hour, and willest to have all the world +at thy commandment, that shall leave thee without fail, or thou leave +it. And right as it hath been to other men before thee, right +so it shall be to other after thee. And from hence shalt thou +bear nothing; but as thou were born naked, right so all naked shall +thy body be turned into earth that thou were made of. Wherefore +thou shouldest think and impress it in thy mind, that nothing is immortal, +but only God, that made the thing. By the which answer Alexander +was greatly astonished and abashed, and all confused and departed from +them.</p> +<p>And albeit that these folk have not the articles of our faith as +we have, natheles, for their good faith natural, and for their good +intent, I trow fully, that God loveth them, and that God take their +service to gree, right as he did of Job, that was a paynim, and held +him for his true servant. And therefore, albeit that there be +many diverse laws in the world, yet I trow, that God loveth always them +that love him, and serve him meekly in truth, and namely them that despise +the vain glory of this world, as this folk do and as Job did also.</p> +<p>And therefore said our Lord by the mouth of Hosea the prophet, <i>Ponam +eis multiplices leges meas</i>; and also in another place, <i>Qui totum +orbem subdit suis legibus</i>. And also our Lord saith in the +Gospel, <i>Alias oves habeo, que non sunt ex hoc ovili</i>, that is +to say, that he had other servants than those that be under Christian +law. And to that accordeth the avision that Saint Peter saw at +Jaffa, how the angel came from heaven, and brought before him diverse +beasts, as serpents and other creeping beasts of the earth, and of other +also, great plenty, and bade him take and eat. And Saint Peter +answered; I eat never, quoth he, of unclean beasts. And then said +the angel, <i>Non dicas</i> <i>immunda, que Deus mundavit</i>. +And that was in token that no man should have in despite none earthly +man for their diverse laws, for we know not whom God loveth, ne whom +God hateth. And for that example, when men say, <i>De profundis</i>, +they say it in common and in general, with the Christian, <i>Pro animabus +omnium defunctorum, pro quibus</i> <i>sit orandum.</i></p> +<p>And therefore say I of this folk, that be so true and so faithful, +that God loveth them. For he hath amongst them many of the prophets, +and alway hath had. And in those isles, they prophesied the Incarnation +of Lord Jesu Christ, how he should be born of a maiden, three thousand +year or more or our Lord was born of the Virgin Mary. And they +believe well it, the Incarnation, and that full perfectly, but they +know not the manner, how he suffered his passion and death for us.</p> +<p>And beyond these isles there is another isle that is clept Pytan. +The folk of that country ne till not, ne labour not the earth, for they +eat no manner thing. And they be of good colour and of fair shape, +after their greatness. But the small be as dwarfs, but not so +little as be the Pigmies. These men live by the smell of wild +apples. And when they go any far way, they bear the apples with +them; for if they had lost the savour of the apples, they should die +anon. They ne be not full reasonable, but they be simple and bestial.</p> +<p>After that is another isle, where the folk be all skinned rough hair, +as a rough beast, save only the face and the palm of the hand. +These folk go as well under the water of the sea, as they do above the +land all dry. And they eat both flesh and fish all raw. +In this isle is a great river that is well a two mile and an half of +breadth that is clept Beaumare.</p> +<p>And from that river a fifteen journeys in length, going by the deserts +of the tother side of the river - whoso might go it, for I was not there, +but it was told us of them of the country, that within those deserts +were the trees of the sun and of the moon, that spake to King Alexander, +and warned him of his death. And men say that the folk that keep +those trees, and eat of the fruit and of the balm that groweth there, +live well four hundred year or five hundred year, by virtue of the fruit +and of the balm. For men say that balm groweth there in great +plenty and nowhere else, save only at Babylon, as I have told you before. +We would have gone toward the trees full gladly if we had might. +But I trow that 100,000 men of arms might not pass those deserts safely, +for the great multitude of wild beasts and of great dragons and of great +serpents that there be, that slay and devour all that come anent them. +In that country be many white elephants without number, and of unicorns +and of lions of many manners, and many of such beasts that I have told +before, and of many other hideous beasts without number.</p> +<p>Many other isles there be in the land of Prester John, and many great +marvels, that were too long to tell all, both of his riches and of his +noblesse and of the great plenty also of precious stones that he hath. +I trow that ye know well enough, and have heard say, wherefore this +emperor is clept Prester John. But, natheles, for them that know +not, I shall say you the cause.</p> +<p>It was sometime an emperor there, that was a worthy and a full noble +prince, that had Christian knights in his company, as he hath that is +now. So it befell, that he had great list for to see the service +in the church among Christian men. And then dured Christendom +beyond the sea, all Turkey, Syria, Tartary, Jerusalem, Palestine, Arabia, +Aleppo and all the land of Egypt. And so it befell that this emperor +came with a Christian knight with him into a church in Egypt. +And it was the Saturday in Whitsun-week. And the bishop made orders. +And he beheld, and listened the service full tentively. And he +asked the Christian knight what men of degree they should be that the +prelate had before him. And the knight answered and said that +they should be priests. And then the emperor said that he would +no longer be clept king ne emperor, but priest, and that he would have +the name of the first priest that went out of the church, and his name +was John. And so ever-more sithens, he is clept Prester John.</p> +<p>In his land be many Christian men of good faith and of good law, +and namely of them of the same country, and have commonly their priests, +that sing the Mass, and make the sacrament of the altar, of bread, right +as the Greeks do; but they say not so many things at the Mass as men +do here. For they say not but only that that the apostles said, +as our Lord taught them, right as Saint Peter and Saint Thomas and the +other apostles sung the Mass, saying the <i>Pater Noster</i> and the +words of the sacrament. But we have many more additions that divers +popes have made, that they ne know not of.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Hills of Gold that Pismires keep. And of the four +Floods that come from Paradise Terrestrial</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Toward the east part of Prester John’s land is an isle good +and great, that men clepe Taprobane, that is full noble and full fructuous. +And the king thereof is full rich, and is under the obeissance of Prester +John. And always there they make their king by election. +In that isle be two summers and two winters, and men harvest the corn +twice a year. And in all the seasons of the year be the gardens +flourished. There dwell good folk and reasonable, and many Christian +men amongst them, that be so rich that they wit not what to do with +their goods. Of old time, when men passed from the land of Prester +John unto that isle, men made ordinance for to pass by ship, twenty-three +days, or more; but now men pass by ship in seven days. And men +may see the bottom of the sea in many places, for it is not full deep.</p> +<p>Beside that isle, toward the east, be two other isles. And +men clepe that one Orille, and that other Argyte, of the which all the +land is mine of gold and silver. And those isles be right where +that the Red Sea departeth from the sea ocean. And in those isles +men see there no stars so clearly as in other places. For there +appear no stars, but only one clear star that men clepe Canapos. +And there is not the moon seen in all the lunation, save only the second +quarter.</p> +<p>In the isle also of this Taprobane be great hills of gold, that pismires +keep full diligently. And they fine the pured gold, and cast away +the un-pured. And these pismires be great as hounds, so that no +man dare come to those hills for the pismires would assail them and +devour them anon. So that no man may get of that gold, but by +great sleight. And therefore when it is great heat, the pismires +rest them in the earth, from prime of the day into noon. And then +the folk of the country take camels, dromedaries, and horses and other +beasts, and go thither, and charge them in all haste that they may; +and after that, they flee away in all haste that the beasts may go, +or the pismires come out of the earth. And in other times, when +it is not so hot, and that the pismires ne rest them not in the earth, +then they get gold by this subtlety. They take mares that have +young colts or foals, and lay upon the mares void vessels made there-for; +and they be all open above, and hanging low to the earth. And +then they send forth those mares for to pasture about those hills, and +with-hold the foals with them at home. And when the pismires see +those vessels, they leap in anon: and they have this kind that they +let nothing be empty among them, but anon they fill it, be it what manner +of thing that it be; and so they fill those vessels with gold. +And when that the folk suppose that the vessels be full, they put forth +anon the young foals, and make them to neigh after their dams. +And then anon the mares return towards their foals with their charges +of gold. And then men discharges them, and get gold enough by +this subtlety. For the pismires will suffer beasts to go and pasture +amongst them, but no man in no wise.</p> +<p>And beyond the land and the isles and the deserts of Prester John’s +lordship, in going straight toward the east, men find nothing but mountains +and rocks, full great. And there is the dark region, where no +man may see, neither by day ne by night, as they of the country say. +And that desert and that place of darkness dure from this coast unto +Paradise terrestrial, where that Adam, our formest father, and Eve were +put, that dwelled there but little while: and that is towards the east +at the beginning of the earth. But that is not that east that +we clepe our east, on this half, where the sun riseth to us. For +when the sun is east in those parts towards Paradise terrestrial, it +is then midnight in our parts on this half, for the roundness of the +earth, of the which I have touched to you of before. For our Lord +God made the earth all round in the mid place of the firmament. +And there as mountains and hills be and valleys, that is not but only +of Noah’s flood, that wasted the soft ground and the tender, and +fell down into valleys, and the hard earth and the rocks abide mountains, +when the soft earth and tender waxed nesh through the water, and fell +and became valleys.</p> +<p>Of Paradise ne can I not speak properly. For I was not there. +It is far beyond. And that forthinketh me. And also I was +not worthy. But as I have heard say of wise men beyond, I shall +tell you with good will.</p> +<p>Paradise terrestrial, as wise men say, is the highest place of earth, +that is in all the world. And it is so high that it toucheth nigh +to the circle of the moon, there as the moon maketh her turn; for she +is so high that the flood of Noah ne might not come to her, that would +have covered all the earth of the world all about and above and beneath, +save Paradise only alone. And this Paradise is enclosed all about +with a wall, and men wit not whereof it is; for the walls be covered +all over with moss, as it seemeth. And it seemeth not that the +wall is stone of nature, ne of none other thing that the wall is. +And that wall stretcheth from the south to the north, and it hath not +but one entry that is closed with fire, burning; so that no man that +is mortal ne dare not enter.</p> +<p>And in the most high place of Paradise, even in the middle place, +is a well that casteth out the four floods that run by divers lands. +Of the which, the first is clept Pison, or Ganges, that is all one; +and it runneth throughout Ind or Emlak, in the which river be many precious +stones, and much of lignum aloes and much gravel of gold. And +that other river is clept Nilus or Gison, that goeth by Ethiopia and +after by Egypt. And that other is clept Tigris, that runneth by +Assyria and by Armenia the great. And that other is clept Euphrates, +that runneth also by Media and Armenia and by Persia. And men +there beyond say, that all the sweet waters of the world, above and +beneath, take their beginning of the well of Paradise, and out of that +well all waters come and go.</p> +<p>The first river is clept Pison, that is to say in their language +Assembly; for many other rivers meet them there, and go into that river. +And some men clepe it Ganges, for a king that was in Ind, that hight +Gangeres, and that it ran throughout his land. And that water +[is] in some place clear, and in some place troubled, in some place +hot, and in some place cold.</p> +<p>The second river is clept Nilus or Gison; for it is always trouble; +and Gison, in the language of Ethiopia, is to say, trouble, and in the +language of Egypt also.</p> +<p>The third river, that is dept Tigris, is as much for to say as, fast-running; +for he runneth more fast than any of the tother; and also there is a +beast, that is clept tigris, that is fast-running.</p> +<p>The fourth river is clept Euphrates, that is to say, well-bearing; +for there grow many goods upon that river, as corns, fruits and other +goods enough plenty.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand that no man that is mortal ne may not approach +to that Paradise. For by land no man may go for wild beasts that +be in the deserts, and for the high mountains and great huge rocks that +no man may pass by, for the dark places that be there, and that many. +And by the rivers may no man go. For the water runneth so rudely +and so sharply, because that it cometh down so outrageously from the +high places above, that it runneth in so great waves, that no ship may +not row ne sail against it. And the water roareth so, and maketh +so huge noise and so great tempest, that no man may hear other in the +ship, though he cried with all the craft that he could in the highest +voice that he might. Many great lords have assayed with great +will, many times, for to pass by those rivers towards Paradise, with +full great companies. But they might not speed in their voyage. +And many died for weariness of rowing against those strong waves. +And many of them became blind, and many deaf, for the noise of the water. +And some were perished and lost within the waves. So that no mortal +man may approach to that place, without special grace of God, so that +of that place I can say you no more; and therefore, I shall hold me +still, and return to that, that I have seen.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p><i>Of the Customs of Kings and other that dwell in the Isles coasting +to Prester John’s Land. And of the Worship that the Son +doth to the Father when he is dead</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>From those isles that I have spoken of before, in the Land of Prester +John, that be under earth as to us that be on this half, and of other +isles that be more further beyond, whoso will, pursue them for to come +again right to the parts that he came from, and so environ all earth. +But what for the isles, what for the sea, and what for strong rowing, +few folk assay for to pass that passage; albeit that men might do it +well, that might be of power to dress them thereto, as I have said you +before. And therefore men return from those isles abovesaid by +other isles, coasting from the land of Prester John.</p> +<p>And then come men in returning to an isle that is clept Casson. +And that isle hath well sixty journeys in length, and more than fifty +in breadth. This is the best isle and the best kingdom that is +in all those parts, out-taken Cathay. And if the merchants used +as much that country as they do Cathay, it would be better than Cathay +in a short while. This country is full well inhabited, and so +full of cities and of good towns inhabited with people, that when a +man goeth out of one city, men see another city even before them; and +that is what part that a man go, in all that country. In that +isle is great plenty of all goods for to live with, and of all manner +of spices. And there be great forests of chestnuts. The +king of that isle is full rich and full mighty, and, natheles, he holds +his land of the great Chan, and is obeissant to him. For it is +one of the twelve provinces that the great Chan hath under him without +his proper land, and without other less isles that he hath; for he hath +full many.</p> +<p>From that kingdom come men, in returning, to another isle that is +clept Rybothe, and it is also under the great Chan. That is a +full good country, and full plenteous of all goods and of wines and +fruit and all other riches. And the folk of that country have +no houses, but they dwell and lie all under tents made of black fern, +by all the country. And the principal city and the most royal +is all walled with black stone and white. And all the streets +also be pathed of the same stones. In that city is no man so hardy +to shed blood of any man, ne of no beast, for the reverence of an idol +that is worshipped there. And in that isle dwelleth the pope of +their law, that they clepe Lobassy. This Lobassy giveth all the +benefices, and all other dignities and all other things that belong +to the idol. And all those that hold anything of their churches, +religious and other, obey to him, as men do here to the Pope of Rome.</p> +<p>In that isle they have a custom by all the country, that when the +father is dead of any man, and the son list to do great worship to his +father, he sendeth to all his friends and to all his kin, and for religious +men and priests, and for minstrels also, great plenty. And then +men bear the dead body unto a great hill with great joy and solemnity. +And when they have brought it thither, the chief prelate smiteth off +the head, and layeth it upon a great platter of gold and of silver, +if so [he] be a rich man. And then he taketh the head to the son. +And then the son and his other kin sing and say many orisons. +And then the priests and the religious men smite all the body of the +dead man in pieces. And then they say certain orisons. And +the fowls of ravine of all the country about know the custom of long +time before, [and] come flying above in the air; as eagles, gledes, +ravens and other fowls of ravine, that eat flesh. And then the +priests cast the gobbets of the flesh and then the fowls, each of them, +taketh that he may, and goeth a little thence and eateth it; and so +they do whilst any piece lasteth of the dead body.</p> +<p>And after that, as priests amongst us sing for the dead, <i>Subvenite +Sancti Dei, etc</i>., right so the priests sing with high voice in their +language; Behold how so worthy a man and how good a man this was, that +the angels of God come for to seek him and for to bring him into Paradise. +And then seemeth it to the son, that he is highly worshipped, when that +many birds and fowls and ravens come and eat his father; and he that +hath most number of fowls is most worshipped.</p> +<p>And then the son bringeth home with him all his kin, and his friends, +and all the others to his house, and maketh them a great feast. +And then all his friends make their vaunt and their dalliance, how the +fowls came thither, here five, here six, here ten, and there twenty, +and so forth; and they rejoice them hugely for to speak thereof. +And when they be at meat, the son let bring forth the head of his father, +and thereof he giveth of the flesh to his most special friends, instead +of <i>entre messe</i>, or a <i>sukkarke</i>. And of the brain +pan, he letteth make a cup, and thereof drinketh he and his other friends +also, with great devotion, in remembrance of the holy man, that the +angels of God have eaten. And that cup the son shall keep to drink +of all his life-time, in remembrance of his father.</p> +<p>From that land, in returning by ten journeys throughout the land +of the great Chan, is another good isle and a great kingdom, where the +king is full rich and mighty.</p> +<p>And amongst the rich men of his country is a passing rich man, that +is no prince, ne duke, ne earl, but he hath more that hold of him lands +and other lordships, for he is more rich. For he hath, every year, +of annual rent 300,000 horses charged with corn of diverse grains and +of rice. And so he leadeth a full noble life and a delicate, after +the custom of the country. For he hath, every day, fifty fair +damosels, all maidens, that serve him evermore at his meat, and for +to lie by him o’ night, and for to do with them that is to his +pleasance. And when he is at table, they bring him his meat at +every time, five and five together; and in bringing their service they +sing a song. And after that, they cut his meat, and put it in +his mouth; for he toucheth nothing, ne handleth nought, but holdeth +evermore his hands before him upon the table. For he hath so long +nails, that he may take nothing, ne handle nothing. For the noblesse +of that country is to have long nails, and to make them grow always +to be as long as men may. And there be many in that country, that +have their nails so long, that they environ all the hand. And +that is a great noblesse. And the noblesse of the women is for +to have small feet and little. And therefore anon as they be born, +they let bind their feet so strait, that they may not grow half as nature +would. And this is the noblesse of the women there to have small +feet and little. And always these damosels, that I spake of before, +sing all the time that this rich man eateth. And when that he +eateth no more of his first course, then other five and five of fair +damsels bring him his second course, always singing as they did before. +And so they do continually every day to the end of his meat. And +in this manner he leadeth his life. And so did they before him, +that were his ancestors. And so shall they that come after him, +without doing of any deeds of arms, but live evermore thus in ease, +as a. swine that is fed in sty for to be made fat. He hath a full +fair palace and full rich, where that he dwelleth in, of the which the +walls be, in circuit, two mile. And he hath within many fair gardens, +and many fair halls and chambers; and the pavement of his halls and +chambers be of gold and silver. And in the mid place of one of +his gardens is a little mountain, where there is a little meadow. +And in that meadow is a little toothill with towers and pinnacles, all +of gold. And in that little toothill will he sit often-time, for +to take the air and to disport him. For the place is made for +nothing else, but only for his disport.</p> +<p>From that country men come by the land of the great Chan also, that +I have spoken of before.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, that of all these countries, and of all +these isles, and of all the diverse folk, that I have spoken of before, +and of diverse laws, and of diverse beliefs that they have, yet is there +none of them all but that they have some reason within them and understanding, +but if it be the fewer, and that have certain articles of our faith +and some good points of our belief, and that they believe in God, that +formed all things and made the world, and clepe him God of Nature; after +that the prophet saith, <i>Et metuent eum omnes fines terrae</i>, and +also in another place, <i>Omnes gentes servient ei</i>, that is to say, +‘All folk shall serve him.’</p> +<p>But yet they cannot speak perfectly (for there is no man to teach +them), but only that they can devise by their natural wit. For +they have no knowledge of the Son, ne of the Holy Ghost. But they +can all speak of the Bible, and namely of Genesis, of the prophet’s +saws and of the books of Moses. And they say well, that the creatures +that they worship ne be no gods; but they worship them for the virtue +that is in them, that may not be but only by the grace of God. +And of simulacres and of idols, they say, that there be no folk, but +that they have simulacres. And that they say, for we Christian +men have images, as of our Lady and of other saints that we worship; +not the images of tree or of stone, but the saints, in whose name they +be made after. For right as the books and the scripture of them +teach the clerks how and in what manner they shall believe, right so +the images and the paintings teach the lewd folk to worship the saints +and to have them in their mind, in whose names that the images be made +after. They say also, that the angels of God speak to them in +those idols, and that they do many great miracles. And they say +sooth, that there is an angel within them. For there be two manner +of angels, a good and an evil, as the Greeks say, Cacho and Calo. +This Cacho is the wicked angel, and Calo is the good angel. But +the tother is not the good angel, but the wicked angel that is within +the idols to deceive them and for to maintain them in their error.</p> +<p>There be many other divers countries and many other marvels beyond, +that I have not seen. Wherefore, of them I cannot speak properly +to tell you the manner of them. And also in the countries where +I have been, be many more diversities of many wonderful things than +I make mention of; for it were too long thing to devise you the manner. +And therefore, that that I have devised you of certain countries, that +I have spoken of before, I beseech your worthy and excellent noblesse, +that it suffice to you at this time. For if that I devised you +all that is beyond the sea, another man, peradventure, that would pain +him and travail his body for to go into those marches for to ensearch +those countries, might be blamed by my words in rehearsing many strange +things; for he might not say nothing of new, in the which the hearers +might have either solace, or disport, or lust, or liking in the hearing. +For men say always, that new things and new tidings be pleasant to hear. +Wherefore I will hold me still, without any more rehearsing of diversities +or of marvels that be beyond, to that intent and end, that whoso will +go into those countries, he shall find enough to speak of, that I have +not touched of in no wise.</p> +<p>And ye shall understand, if it like you, that at mine home-coming, +I came to Rome, and shewed my life to our holy father the pope, and +was assoiled of all that lay in my conscience, of many a diverse grievous +point; as men must needs that be in company, dwelling amongst so many +a diverse folk of diverse sect and of belief, as I have been.</p> +<p>And amongst all I shewed him this treatise, that I had made after +information of men that knew of things that I had not seen myself, and +also of marvels and customs that I had seen myself, as far as God would +give me grace; and besought his holy fatherhood, that my book might +be examined and corrected by advice of his wise and discreet council. +And our holy father, of his special grace, remitted my book to be examined +and proved by the advice of his said counsel. By the which my +book was proved for true, insomuch, that they shewed me a book, that +my book was examined by, that comprehended full much more, by an hundred +part, by the which the <i>Mappa Mundi</i> was made after. And +so my book (albeit that many men ne list not to give credence to nothing, +but to that that they see with their eye, ne be the author ne the person +never so true) is affirmed and proved by our holy father, in manner +and form as I have said.</p> +<p>And I, John Mandevile, knight, abovesaid (although I be unworthy), +that departed from our countries and passed the sea, the year of grace +a thousand three hundred and twenty two, that have passed many lands +and many isles and countries, and searched many full strange places, +and have been in many a full good honourable company, and at many a +fair deed of arms (albeit that I did none myself, for mine unable insuffisance), +now I am come home, maugre myself, to rest, for gouts artetykes that +me distrain, that define the end of my labour; against my will (God +knoweth).</p> +<p>And thus, taking solace in my wretched rest, recording the time passed, +I have fulfilled these things, and put them written in this book, as +it would come into my mind, the year of grace a thousand three hundred +and fifty six, in the thirty-fourth year, that I departed from our countries.</p> +<p>Wherefore, I pray to all the readers and hearers of this book, if +it please them, that they would pray to God for me; and I shall pray +for them. And all those that say for me a <i>Pater Noster</i>, +with an <i>Ave Maria</i>, that God forgive me my sins, I make them partners, +and grant them part of all the good pilgrimages and of all the good +deeds that I have done, if any be to his pleasance; and not only of +those, but of all that ever I shall do unto my life’s end. +And I beseech Almighty God, from whom all goodness and grace cometh +from, that he vouchsafe of his excellent mercy and abundant grace, to +fulfil their souls with inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in making defence +of all their ghostly enemies here in earth, to their salvation both +of body and soul; to worship and thanking of him, that is three and +one, without beginning and without ending; that is without quality, +good, without quantity, great; that in all places is present, and all +things containing; the which that no goodness may amend, ne none evil +impair; that in perfect Trinity liveth and reigneth God, by all worlds, +and by all times!</p> +<p><i>Amen</i>! <i>Amen</i>! <i>Amen</i>!</p> +<p>[HERE ENDETH THE BOOK OF JOHN MANDEVILLE.]</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<p>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE ***</p> +<pre> + +******This file should be named tosjm10h.htm or tosjm10h.zip****** +Corrected EDITIONS of our EBooks get a new NUMBER, tosjm11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, tosjm10ah.htm + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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