deserte he entrethe into Egypt and they call Egipt Canopat in a nother langage men call it Mersyne and the first goode towne that men fynde is callyd Beleth and it is at the ende of the kyngdome of Alape And fro thens men come to Babylony and to kayre and in Babylony is a fayre churche of oure lady where she dwellyd vii yere whan she was in the londe of Iewes for dreede of kynge herode And there lyethe the body of saynt Barbara vngyn there dwellyd Ioseph whan he was selde of his brether there made Nabugodonozor put their children in fyre For they were of ryght trouthe the whiche children men callyd Anania Azaria Mysael as the psalme of benedicite saythe But Nabugodonozor callyd theym thus Sydrac Mysael Abdenago that is to sey God glorious god victorious god ouer all kyngedoms and that was for myracle that he made godde son as he sayde goo with those chyldren thorough the fy re There dwelleth the Soudon for there is a fayre see in a castell stronge and well sette vpon a Roche In the Castell is dwellynge alwey to kepe the Castell and to serue the soudan more than viii thousande ê‘sones of folke that take all their necessaries of the court of the sowdan I shulde well knowe for I dwellyd wyth hym soudeour in his warres a great whyle ageyne the Bedoyns and he wolde haue weddyd me to a great pryncys doughter right rychely and I wolde haue forsaken my trouthe And ye shall vnderstond that the Soudon is lorde of v. kyngdoms the whyche he hathe conquered and goten to hym by strength And this arre they of Canopate that is Egypte the kyngdom of Ierusalem wherof Dauid and Salon were kynges the kyngdome of Surrey of the whych the cyte of Damas was the chef kingdom of anaple in the lond of Dameth the kyngdoÌ„ of arab was to one of the thre kynges that made offerynge to oure lorde whan he was borne and many other londes he holdethe in his hande and also he holdethe Calaphes that is a greate thynge to the Soudan that is to say amonge theym Roys Ile and this vale is full colde and than men goo vp on the mount of saynte Katheryn and that is moche hygher than the mounte Moyses And there as saynt katheryn was grauen is no church ne chapel ne other dwellynge place but there is an hyll of stones gedryd togeder aboute the place there she was grauen of aungellis theâ— was wonte to be a chapell but it is all casten downe yet lye a greate part of the stones there And all it be so that the Collet of saynte katheryn say yâ— it is all one place where oure lorde gaue the law to Moyses And there saynt katheryn was grauen ye shall vnderstonde that it is all in a couÌ„tre or ellys in a stedde that bereth all a name For they are called both mount Synay but it is a greate wey betwene theym and a greate vale NOwe sythen a man hathe vysited this holy place of saynt katheryn and he woll turne to Ierusalem â— he shall first take leue at the monkes and recoÌ„mauÌ„de hym specyally to their prayers and those same monkes gyue wyth goode wyll to pylgryms vetayles to pas wythe thorough wyldernes to Surry and that lastethe wel xiii iournes And in that wyldernesse dwell many arabyns that men call Bedoynes and ascopdes these ar folke that are full of all maner of yll condicyons and they haue no houses but tentys whyche they make of beestys skynnes as of camellys and other bestis the whyche they ete and thervnder lye they and they dwell in places where they may fynde water as on the redde see For in that wyldernesse is greate defaute of water and it falleth oft where a man fyndeth water one tyme he fyndeth it nat another tyme and therfore make they no howses in those countrees These men that I speke of they tyll nat the londe for they ete no brede but if it be any that dwell nere a goode towne and they rost all their fysshes and flesshe vpon hote stones ageyne the son and they ar stronge men and well fightynge and they do no thynge but chase wylde bestis for theyr sustenaunce and they sette nat by theyr lyues and therfore they drede nat the Soudan nor none other prynce of all the worlde And they haue oft werre wyth the Soudan and that same tyme that I was dwellynge wyth hym they bare nat but a sheelde and spere for to defende theym wyth And they holde none other armours but they wynde their hedes and their neckes in a great lynen clothe and they are men of full yll kynde and whanne men are passed this wyldernesse toward Ierusalem they come to Bersabe that was somtyme a fayre and a lykynge towne of crysten men and yet is there soÌ„me of their churches and in that towne dwellyd somtyme abraham the Patryarke This towne of beâ—â—abe foundyd vrrey wyfe of whom Dauyd engendred Salon the wyfe that was kynge of Ierusalem and of xii kyndes of Israel and he reigned xl â–ª yere and from thens go men to the vale of Ebron that is frothens nere xii myle And soÌ„me call it the vale of MaÌ„bre and also it is called the vale of Teres for as moche as adam grete in that vale a hundred yeere the detthe of his son abel that caym slough And Ebron that was somtyme the pryncipall cyte of Phylistiens and there dwellyd Geauntes and there it was so fre that men toke alle fleers of all other places that hadde done yll In Ebron Iosue Calofe and their felaweshyp came firste to aspye howe they myght wynne the lande of promyssyon In Ebron dauyd reygned first vii yere and halfe and in Ierusalem he reigned xxxiii yere and halfe And there ar the graues of Patryarkes adam abraham Iacob and theyr wyues Eue Sara Rebecca and they are in the hyngynge of the hylle and vnder theym is a right fayre churche kyrnelde after the facyon and maner as it were a castell The whyche churche the sarasyns keepe ryghte well and they haue that place in greate worshyp For the holy patryarkes that lyethe there and they suffre no crysten men ne Iewes come in there but they haue specyall grace of the â—oudan for they holde crysten men Iewes but as houndes that shulde come in no holy place And they call the place spelunke or double caue or double graue for one lyethe on another and the sarasyns cal it on their langage Caryatharba that is to say the place of patryarkes and Iewes call it arboth And in that same place was abrahams howse â— and that was the same the whiche sate in his dore and sawe thre persones and worshypped one as holy wrytte Wetnesseth saynge Tres vidit et vnum adoraunt That is to say he sawe iii. and worshypped one and hym toke abraham to his house And right nere to the place is a caue in a Roche where adam and eue dwellyd
FOr as moche as the Lande ouer the see that is to say the holy lande that men call the lande of hetynge amonge all other landes it is mooste worthy lande and soueraigne of other landes and it is blessyd and halowed and sacred of the precious blode of oure lorde iesu cryst In the whyche lande it lyked hym to take flesshe and blode of the virgyn mary and to enuiron that lande with his owne fete And there he Wold do many myracles and preche and teche the feythe and the lawe of vs cristen men as vnto his childre And ther fore he wolde suffre many reproues and scornes for vs. And he that was kynge of heuen and of erthe of eyre of see of all thynges that are conteyned in them wolde all oonly be callyd kynge of that lande whan he sayde Rex sum iudeorum I am kynge of Iewes For that tyme was that lande of Iewes and that lande had he chosen before all other landes as for the best and the most vertuous and for the most worthy of the worlde and as the Phylosofer saythe thus Virtus rerum in medio consistit That is to say the vertu of thynges is in the myd and in that lande he Wolde lede his lyfe and suffre passion and dethe of the Iewes for vs and for to delyuer and bye vs fro the paynes of hel and fro dethe wythouten ende the Whyche was ordeyned to vs for the synne of oure fader Adam and for oure owne synnes also For as hym self he had none euyll deserued for he thought neuer euyll ne dyd neuer euyll And he that was kynge of glory and ioy myght best in that place suffre dethe for he that woll do any thynge that he woll be knowen openly He woll do crye it openly in the myddyll place of a towne or of a cyte so that it may be knowen to all partyes of the Cyte So he that Was kynge of all the world wold suffre deth for vs at Ierusalem that is in myddis of the worlde so that it myght be knowen to men of all parties of the world howe dere he bought man that he had made to his owne lykenesse for the greate loue that he had to vs for more worthy catell ne might he haue set for vs than his owne blessyd body and his owne precious blode the whych he suffred for vs. A dere god what loue he had to his subget us Whan he that had done no trespas wolde for trespas sours suffre dethe Right ought men to loue and worship and dâ—ede and serue suche a lorde and worshyp and pray se such a holy londe that brought forth suche frute thorough the whych euery man is saued but if it be hys owne deâ—aâ—te This is the lande hight to vs in heritage in that lande he wolde dye as sesed to leue it to his children For the Whiche euery goode crysten man that may and hathe Wherof shulde strength hym for to conquere oure ryght heritage and chase oute the ylke trowand for We ar called cristen men of crist oure fader if we be right childre of crist we owe for to chalenge the heritage that oure fader left vs and do it oute of strauÌ„ge mens handis But now pride couetise enuy hath so enflamed the hertis of lordes of the Worlde that they are more besy for to disherite tâ—eir neyghbours than for to chalenge or conquere ther right herytage before sayde And the comon people that Wolde put their bodyes and catell for to conquere oure heritage they may nat do withoute lordes for assemble of the people Wythoute a cheef lorde is as a flocke of shepe that hathe no shepeherde the whiche departe asonder and wote neuer wheder that they shulde go But wolde goâ— that the worldly lordes were at good accorde Wyth other of their comon people wolde take thys holy vyage ouer the see I trowe well that Wythin a lytell tyme oure right heritage before sayde shulde be reconsyled put in the handes of the right eyres of Iesu cryst and for as moche it is longe tyme that there was no generall passage ouer the see And many men desyre to heere speke of the holy londe and haue therof greate solare and comforthe ¶ Iohn Maundeuyle knyght Thoughe it so be that I be nat worthy that was borne in englonde in the towne of saynt Albone and passed the see in the yere of the Incarnacion of oure lorde iesu crist M.CCCxxxii on the day of saynt Myghell and hydeâ— wâ—rde hathe be longe tyme ouer the se and haue sene and gone thorowe many landes and many prouynces and kyngdomes Iles and haue passed thorough Turky thorough Ermony the lytell and the greate thorough Tartary Thoroughe Perâ—y thorough Syry thoroughe araby thorough Egypt the hygh and the lowe thorough lyby thoroughe Caldee and a great party of Ethyope thorowe Amoâ—ome thoroughe Inde the lesse and themore a greate party and thorough many other Iles whych are a boute Inde Where many dyuers maners of folke dwell of dyuers lawes and shappes â— of whyche londes Iles I shall speke more playnly and I shall deuyse a party of thynges what they are whan tyme shall be after it may come to mynde â— and specyally for theym that woll and are in purpos for to vysite the holy cyte of Iâ—rusaâ—lem the holy places that at theraboute I shall tell â—he Wey that they shall holde thyder for I haue many tymes passyd and ryden it wyth good company and of many lordes IN the name of god almyghty He that woll passe ouer the se he may go many weyes bothe on londe and see after the countrees that he comethe fro â— and many of theym come all to one ende but trow est nat that I woll tell all the townes and cytes castel lys that men shall go by for than shulde I make to longe tale but all only soÌ„me countres and moost pryncypall steddiâ— that men shall goo thoroughe to go the right wey ¶ Fyrste if a man come from the west syde of the Worlde as Englonde Irlande wales Scotlonde Norwey he may go if he woll thorough almayne thorowe the kyngdome of hungery that marchys too the lande of poyalme and to the londe of pannony and of Allesey And the kynge of hungery is a right greate lorde and a myghty and holdeth greate and moche londe for he holdeth the londe of hungery and of allesy Sauoy Coma me a greate party of Bulgary that men calle the londe of Bugers and a greate party of the kyngdom of rosse and yâ— lasteth to the londe of Nyflond and marchis vnto Pruysse and men go this thorough the londe of Hungry thorough a cyte that men call Chyppron â— and thoroughe the castell of Newburgh and by the ille towne that is to warde the ende of hungry men by the ryuer of Daunby this is a full greate ryuer and gothe into almaygne vnder the hyllys of lumbardy and it taketh
my swerde and than they sette hym in a chayre and crowned hym and than all the gode townes sent hym presentes so that he shall haue more than a cart full of goldâ—â— syluer and other many Iuellys that he shall haue oâ— lordes of precyous stones and golde withoute noumbrâ—â—â—d horse and ryche clothes of camacas and tartaryn◠〈◊〉 suche o ther. This londe of Chatay in assy the depe and the londe of chatay marcheth towaâ—de the west vpon the kyngdom of Seâ—â—y the which was somtyme to one of the thre kynges that went to seke oure lorde in Betheleem These men of Taâ—tary drynke no wyne In the londe of Corâ—saym that is at the northe syde of chatay is ryghte greate plente of gode but no wyâ—e the whych hath at the est syde a greate wildernesse that lasteth more than a hundred iourneis and the best cyte of that londe is called Corosaym and therafter is the londe so called Men of this londe ar gode warreourâ— and haâ—dy And therby is the kingdom of Comayn This is the most and the grettest king dom of the worlde but it is nat all inhabyte for in one place of that londe is so greate colde that no man maye dwell therefor cold â–ª and in another place is so greate hete that no man may dwell there and there ar so many fey ghes that a man wote nat on what syde he may turne hiÌ„ In this londe ar but fewe trees berynge frute In thys londe men lye in tentes and they brenne dunge of bestes for defaute of wode This londe descendethe towardys Pruyse and rosy and thorough this londe renneth the ryuere Echel that is one of the grettest ryuers of the world and it is frosen so harde eche yere that men fight theron iÌ„ greate batayles on hors and fote men more than an huÌ„dred thousand at ones And a lytell fro that Ryuer is the greate see of occian that they call Maure And betwene this Maure and the Caspy is a full streyte passage too go towarde ynde and therfore kynge alysaunder dyd make there a cyte that men call alysaundre to kepe that pas sage so that no man may passe but if he haue leue And nowe is that cyte called Port de fear and the pryncipall cyte of Comayn is called Sarachys thys is one of thre wayes to go into ynde but thorough this way may nat many men go but if it be in wynter And this passage is called Berbent and another wey is for to go from the londe of turkeston thoroâ—â—â—sy and in thys wey ar ma ny iournes in wyldernesse and the third way is that cometh fro Cosmane and that goth thorowe the great cyte and thorowe the kyngdom of abachare And ye shal vnderstonde that all these kyngdoms and londes vnto ê‘sy ar holden of the great chane of chatay and many other therfore he is full greate lorde of men and of londes NOwe haue I deuysed you the londes towarde the north to com fro the loÌ„des of chatay to the londes of Pruys and Rosy where crysten men dwelle Nowe shall I deuyse to you other londes and kyngdoms in comynge downe fro Chatay to the grekes see where cristen men dwell And for as moche as next the greate chane of chatay the emperoure of ê‘cy is the grettest lorde therfore I shall first speke of hym and ye shall vnderstonde that he hath two kyngdoms the one begynneth Estward and the kyngdom of Turkescon and it lesteth westward to the see of Caspy and southward to the londe of ynde and this londe is gode and pleyne and well mannyd gode cytees but two most pryncipall of the cytees ar called Bacirida and Sorinaguiit The other kyngdom of pcy lasteth fro the ryuer of Physon vnto the great Ermony and Northward vnto the see of Caspy and southwarde to the londe of ynde and this is a full plenteuous coun tre and goode and in this cyte is thre pryncypall cytees Nessabor Saphan and Sarmasse than is the lond of Ermony in whyche was somtyme thre kyngedoms This is a gode londe and plenteuous and it begynneth at pcy and lasteth westward to Turky of lengthe and in brede it lasteth fro the cyte of alysaundre that nowe is called Port de feaâ— vnto the londe of Myddy In thys Ermony are many fayre cytees but Canryssy is most of name Than is the londe of Myddy that is full longe but naâ— brode that begynneth Estwarde at the londe of ê‘cy and ynde the lesse and lasteth westward to the kyngdom of Caldee and Northwarde to lytell Ermony In thys Myddy ar many great hilles and lytel pleyne and there dwell Sarrasyns and another maner of men that men call Cordynz and karmen Than is next the kyngedom of George that begynneth estward at a greate hyll that men call Abior this londe lasteth fro Turky to the grete see and the londe of myddy and the great Armony and in this londe ar two kinges one of Abeaz and another of George but he of george is in subieccion to the gret chan but the abeacaz hath a stronge countre defendeth hym wel ageyne his ennemyes And in this londe of abcaz is a great marueyle for there is a countre in that londe that is nere thre dayes iourney longe and aboute it is called hamfon and that countre is all couered with myrkenes so that it hath no light that no man may se there and no man dare go into that countre for the myrkenes and neuerthelesse men of the countre therby say that they may somtyme here therin the voyce of men and hors whynynge and cockes crowe and they wote well that men dwell there but they wote nat what maner of men they say this myrkenesse cometh thorough myracle of god that he dyd for crysten men there For there was a wycked emperoure that was of Poy and he was called Saures and he pursued somtyme all crysten men to destroy and dyd theym make sacrifice to his false goddes and in that couÌ„tre dwelled many cristen men the whych left all ther godes and catellys and riches and wolde go into grece and whan they were all in a great playne that men call Megon themê‘our his men cam for to sle these cristen men and than the cristen men all set them on ther knees prayed to god as sone cam a thycke cloude ouerlapped the emperour all his ost so that he myght nat go away so dwell they in myrkenes they came oute neuer sythe the cristoÌ„meÌ„ weÌ„t where they wold therfor they myght say thus A dnÌ„o factuÌ„ est istud est mirabile iÌ„ oculis 〈◊〉 That is to say of oure lord is this done it is wonderful in oure iyen Also oute of this myrke londe cometh a ryuer that men may se by gode token the men dwell therin Than next is this londe of Turky that marcheth to gret armony and therin ar many couÌ„trees as capadoce saure Bryke quesicion Pytan and geneth