Than is there an other yle y e men call Dody it is a grete I le In this yle are many dyuerse maner of men haue euyll maners for the fader eteth the sone and the sone the fader the husbande his wyfe and theâ—wyf her husbonde And yf it so be y e the fader be seke or the moder or ony frende the sone gooth as soone to the preest of the lawe and prayeth hym y â— he wyll aske of the ydoll yf his fader shall deye of that syknesse or not And than the preest the sone kneledowne before the ydoll deâ—outly asketh hym he answereth to theym yf he sayth y t he shall lyue than they kepe hym wel yf he say that he shal dye than come y e preest with the sone or with the wyf or what frende y â— it be vnto hym that is seke they leye ther hondes ouer his mouthe to stoke his brethe so they slee hym and than they smyte all the body in to pyeces and prayeth all his frendes for to come and â—te of hym that is dede and they make a grete feste therof and haue many mynstrelles there and ete hym with grete melody And so whan they haue eten all the flesshe than they take the bones and burye theym all syngynge with grete worshyppe and all those that are of his frendes that were not there at the etynge of hym hath grete shame and velonye soo that they shal neuer more be holden as frendes And the kynge of this yle is a grete lorde and myghty and he hath vnder hym liâ—ij grete yles eche of theym hath a kynge in one of thise yles are men that hath but one eye that is in the myddes of theyr fronte and they ete not but flesshe fysshe rawe And in an other I le dwell men that haue no hedes theyr eyen are in theyr sholders theyr mouth is on theyr breste In an other yle are men y â— haue no hede ne eyen theyr mouth is in theyr sholders And in an other yle are men that haue platte faces without nose and without eyen but they haue two small rounde holes in stede of eyen and they haue a platte mouthe withoute lyppes ¶ And in an oyle are men also that haue theyr faces all platte w t out eyen and withoute mouthe and without nose but they haue theyr eyen and theyr mouthe behynde on theyr sholdres And in another yle are floue men that haue the lyppe aboue the mouthe so grete that whan they slepe in the sonne they couer all theyr face with the lyppe And in an other yle are ly lytell men as dwarfes haue no mouthe but a lytell rounde hole thrughe that hole they ete theyr mete with a pype and they haue noo tonge they speke not but they blowe whysple and so make sygnes one to an other And in as other yle are men with hangynge eeres vnto theyr knees And in an other yle are wylde men with hangynge eeres and haue feete lyke an hors may renne faste and they take wylde bestes ete theym And in an other yle are men that go on theyr hondes feet lyke beestes are all roughe wyll leepe vpon a tree lyke cattes or apes And in an other yle are men that goo euer vpon theyr knees meruayllously and haue on euery fote viij toos And in an other yle is folke that is bothe men women haue membres of bothe for to engender with and whan they wyll they vse bothe on a tyme the other an other tyme they gete chyldren whan they vse the membre of man they bere chyldren whan they vse the membre of womaÌ„ many other maner of folke is thise in yles therabout of whome it were to longe to tell all ¶ Of the kyngedome named Mancy is the best kyngdome of the worlde ca. lxiij TO goo fro this yle towarde the â—est many Iourneys a man shall fynde a kyngdom y t is called Mancy this is in Ynde the more it is moost delectable plente of goodes of all the worlde In this londe dwell crysten men sarasyns for it is a grete londe therin is .ij. M. grete cytees and many other townes In this londe noo man gooth on beggyÌ„ge for there is no poore man y e men haue berdes thynne of heere as it were cattes In this londe are fayre women therfore some men calle y â— londe albany for y e whyte folke theris a cyte y t men call Latorym is more than Parys in y t loÌ„de are byrdes twyes greter than it be here there is good chepe of all maner of vytaylles In this countree are whyte hennes they bere noâ— feders but woll as shepe do in oure londe and women of that countre y â— are wedded bere crownes vpon theyr heedes that they may be knowen by In this countree they take a beest y â— is called Loyres they kenne it to go in to waters or vyâ—ers and as soone he bryngeth oute of the water grete fysshes thus they take fysshe as longe as they wyll to y t theym nedeth Fro this cyte men go by many Iourneyes to an other grete cyte y t is called Cassay that is the moost cyte of the worlde that Cyte is fyfty myle aboute there is in y â— cyte mo than .xij. pryncypall gates without Fro thens within thre myle is an other grete cyte within this Cyte are more than .xij. thousande brydges vpon eche brydge is a stronge toure where the kepers dwell too kepe it agayne the grete Chane for it marcheth on his londe on one syde of the cyte renneth a grete ryuer there dwell crysten men ans other for it is a good countre plenteuous there groweth ryghte good wyne this is a noble cyte where the kynge of Mancy was wonte to dwelle there dwelle relygyous men crysten freres And men goo vpon yâ—â—yuer tyll they come to an abbaye of monkes a lytell fro y â— cyte in that abaye is a grete gardyn fayr therin is many maner of trees of dyuers fruytes In that gardyn dwell many maner of beestes as baboynes apes marmosettes other whan the couent hath eten a monke taketh the relleef bere it in to the gardeyne smytech ones with a bel of syluer whiche he holde in his hande anone come out thyse bestes y t I spake of many moo nere iij. or .iiij. thousande he gâ—ueth them to ete of fayre vessels of syluer whan they haue eten he smyteth the bell agayne they goo agayne theyr way And the monke sayth y â— those bestes are soules of men y t are dede those beestes y t are fayre are soules of lordes other ryche men those y â— are foule bestes are soules of other comunes And I asked
with all thyse thynges they put hym therin as the tent hors golde syluer all that is a bout hym ad they say whan he cometh in to an other worlde he shall not be without an house ne horse ne syluer ne golde the mare shal gyue hym mylke brynge forth more horses tyll he be well stored in the other worlde and one of his chamberlaynes or seruauÌ„tes is put with hym in the erthe for to do hym seruyce in the other worlde for they byleue that whan he is dede he shall goo in to an other worlde be a greter lorde there than here And whan y t he is layde in the erthe noman shall be so hardy for to speke of hym before his frendes ¶ Whan the Emperour is dede how they chese make an other ca. lxxviij ANd than whan the Emperour is deed the seuen lynages gader them togyder they touche his sone or the next of his blode they saye thus we wyll and we ordeyne and we praye that thou be our lorde our Emperour And he enquyreth of them sayth yf ye wyll that I regne vpon you so must ye do all that I bydde you to doo And yf he bydde that ony he slayne he shall be slayne And they answere all with one voyce all that ye bydde shall be done Than sayth y â— Emperour fro nowe forth my wordes shall cutte as my â—werde than they sette hym in a chayr crowne hym and than all the good townes theraboute sende to him presentes so moche that he shal haue more than C Camels laden with olde syluer besyde other Iewâ—lles y t he shall haue of lordes of precyous stones golde wtout nombre hors ryche clothes of camacâ—s tartaryns and suche other ¶ What couÌ„trees kyngdoms lye next to y e londe of Cathay the frontes therof ca. lxxix THis londe of Cathay is in Asye the depe this same londe marcheth towarde y â— west vpon the kyngedom of Serâ—y the whiche was somtyme to one of the thre kynges that wente to seke our lorde in Bethleem and all those y t come of his kynne are crysten Thyse men of Tartary drynke no wyne In the londe of Corosaym that is at the north syde of Cathay is ryght grete plente of good but no wyne the whiche hath at the eest syde a grete wyldernesse that lasteth more than an hondred Iourneys and the best cyte of that londe is called Corosaym therafter is the londe soo called and men of this londe are good warryoures hardy therby is the kyngdom of Comayn this is y e moost the gretest kyngedom of the worlde but it is not all Inhabyte for in one place of that londe is soo grete colde y t noo man may dwell there for colde in an â—â—her place is grete hete that no man may dwelle there there are soo many feyghes that a man wote not on what syde he may torne hym in this londe are but fewe trees berynge fruyte In this londe men lye in tentes they brenne dounge of bestes for defaute of wood This londe dyscendeth towarde Pruyse Rossy and thorugh this loÌ„de renneth the ryuer Echell y t is one of the greteste ryuers in the worlde it is frosen soo harde euery yere that men fyght thervpon in grete batayles on horse and fote men more than hondred thousandes at ones And a lytell fro that ryuer is the grete see of Occean that they call Maure and bytwene this Maure Caspye is a full strayte passage too go towarde Ynde therfore kynge Alexander dyde make there a cyte that men calle Alexander for to kepe that passage soo that noo man may passe but yf he haue leue and nowe is that cyte called Porte de fear and the pryncypall cyte of Comayn is called sarachys this is one of y â— thre wayes to go in to Ynde but thrugh this waye may not many men goo but yf it be in wynter and this passage is called Berbent And an other waye is for too goo from the londe of Turkescon thrughe Persy in this waye are many Iourneys in wyldernes And y e thyrde way is that cometh fro Cosmane gooth thrugh the grete cyte and thrughe the kyngdom of Abachare And ye shall vnderstonde that all thyse kyngedomes londes vnto Persy are holden of the grete Chane of Cathay many other therfore he is a full gretelorde of men of londe ¶ Of other wayes comynge from Cathay towarde the Grekes see And also of the Emperoure of Persy ca. lxxxx NOw haue I deuysed you the londes towarde the northe to come fro y â— londes of Cathay to the londes of Pruyse Rossy where crysten men dwell Now shall I deuyse to you other londes and kyngedomes in comynge downe fro Cathay too the Grekes see where crysten men dwelle And for as moche as next the grete Chane of Cathay the Emperour of Persy is the gretest lorde therfore I shall speke of hym and ye shall vnderstonde that he hath two kyngdoms the one begyÌ„neth eestwarde and is the kyngdom of Turkescon and it lasteth westwarde to the see of Caspye southwarde to the londe of Ynde this londe is good playne and well manned good cytees but two moste pryncypall of the cytees are called Bacyryda SormagauÌ„t The other is the kyngdom of Persy lasteth fro the ryuer of Physon vnto the grete Armony northwarde vnto y â— see of Caspy southwarde to the londe of Ynde this is a full plenteuous couÌ„tre good and in this londe are thre pryÌ„cypall cytees Nessabor Saphan and Sarmasse ¶ Of the londe of Armony whiche is a good lond of the londe of Myddy ca. lxxxi THan is y â— londe of Armony in whiche was somtyme thre kyngdoms this is a good loÌ„de plentâ—uous it begynneth at Persy lasteth westwarde to Turky of length in brede lasteth fro the cyte of Alexandee y â— nowe is called Port de fear vnto y â— londe of Myddy In this Armony are many fayr cytees but Canryssy is moost of name Than is the londe of Myddy is full longe not brode begyÌ„neth eestwarde at y â— londe of Persy and ynde the lesse lasteth westwarde to y e kyÌ„gdome of Caldee northwarde to lytell Armony In this Myddy are many grete hylles lytell playne there dwel Sarasyns other maner of men that men call Cordyns Kermen ¶ Of the kyngdom of George of Abcan many meruaylles ca. lxxxij THan next is the kyngdom of Geroge y â— begynneth eestwarde at a grete hylle that men calle Abyor this londe lasteth fro Turky too the grete see the londe of Myddy and the grete Armonye and in this londe are two kynges one of Abcan an other of George but he of George is in subgeccyon to the grete Chane but he of Abcan hath a stronge countree
And whan they se this foxe they shall haue grete meruayle of hym for they sawe neuer suche beest for other beestes haue they amonge theym many and they shall chase this foxe pursue hym vnto that he be fledde agayne in to his hole that he came fro And than shall they dygge after as he wente vnto they come to the gates y t Alexander dyde make of grefe stones well dyght with syment they shall breke thyse gates so shall they fynde the yssue ¶ Of the londe of Bactry and of many gryffons and other beestes ca. lxxxv FRom this londe men shall go vnto the londe of Bactry where are many wycked men and fell In that londe are trees y t bere wolle as it were shepe of whiche they make cloth In this londe are many Ypotaynes that dwelle somtyme on londe somtyme on water are halfe man and halfe hors they ete not but men whan they may gete theym In this londe are many gryffons more than in other places some saye they haue the body before as an agle behynde as a lyon and they saye soth for they are made so but the gryffon hath a body gretter than .viij. lyons and gretter stalworthyer than an hondred egles For certaynly he wyll bere to his nest fleynge an hors and a man vpon his backe or two oxen yocked samen as they go at plough for he hath longe nayles on his feet and grete as it were hornes oâ— oxen and of those they make cuppes there to drynke of and of his rybbes they make bowes to shote ¶ Of the waye for to go to prester Iohans londe whiche is Emperour of Ynde ca. lxxxvi FRo this londe of Bactry men goo many a dayes Iourney to the londe of prester Iohn that is a grete Emperour of Ynde and men calle his londe the yle of Pantoxore This Emperour prester Iohan holdeth grete londe many good cytees good townes in his kyngdom many grete yles large For this londe of Ynde is all departed in yles by cause of grete flodes that come out of Paradyse also in the see are many grete yles The best cyte that is in the yle of Pantoxore is called Nyse for that is a noble cyte and ryche Prester Iohan hath vnder hym many kyngee many dyuerse people and his londe is good and ryche but not so ryche as the londe of the grete Chane for marchauntes come not so moche thyder as they do in to the londe of the grete Chane for it is to longe a waye And also they fynde in the yle of Cathay all that they haue nede of as spycery clothes of golde and other rychesse And all yf they myght haue better chepe in the londe of preester Iohan than in the londe of Cathay and more fyner neuertheles they wolde lette it for the longe waye grete peâ—yls in the see for there are many places in the see where are grete Roches of a stone that is called adamande the whiche of his owne kynde draweth to hym yron and for as moche that there sholde passe no shyp that had nayles of yron for it sholde drawe it to hym therfore they dare not wende in to that countree with shyppes for drede of adamandes I wente ones in that see and sawe as longe as it had ben a grete yle of trees and stockes and braunches growynge and the shypman saydâ— to me that those was of grete shyppes that were dwellynge there thorugh the vertue of the adamandes and of thynges that were in the shyppes were those trees sprongen and waxen and suche Roches are there many in dyuerse places of that see and therfore dare no shypman passe that waye And an other also that they drede the longe waye and therfore they goo moost all to Cathay and that is nerer vnto theym And yet is it not so nere but theym behoueth fro Venys or fro Geene be in see towarde Cathay .xi. or .xij. monethes The londe of prester Iohn is longe marchauÌ„tes passe thyder thorugh the londe of Persy and come vnto a Cyte that men calle Hermes for a phylosophre that men called hermes fouÌ„ded it they passe an arme of the see come to an other cyte that men calle Saboth there fynde they all marchauÌ„dyses popyniayes as grete plente as larkes in our countree In this countree is lytell whete or barley and therfore they ete ryse and mylke chese and other fruytes This Emperour prester Iohan weddeth comonly the doughter of the grete Chane and the grete Chane his doughter In the londe of prester Iohn is many dyuerse thynges many precâ—ous stones so grete so large that they make of theym vessels platers cuppes and many other thynges of whiche it were to longe to telle but som what of his lawe of his fayth shall I telle you ¶ Of the fayth byleue of prester Iohan but he hath not all y e full byleue as we haue ca. lxxxvij THis Emperour prester Iohan is crysten a grete parte of his londe also but they haue not all the artycles of our fayth but they byleue well in the fader the sone and the holy goost and they are full deuoute true one to an other they make no force of catell and he hath vnder hym .lxxij. prouynces couÌ„trees and in echone is a kynge those kynges haue other kynges vnder theym And in this londe are many meruayles for in that londe is the grauelly see y â— is of sonde of grauel no droppe of water and it ebbeth and floweth with ryght grete wawes as an other see doth and it is neuer styll ne neuer in rest no man may passe that londe beyonde it And all yf it so be that there is no water in y t see yet men may fyÌ„de there in ryght good fysshe of other facyon and shape than is in ony other sees and also they are of full good sauour swete and good to ete And at thre Iourneys fro that see are grete hylles thrugh whiche renneth a grete flood that cometh fro Parady se and it is full of precyous stones and no drope of water it renneth with grete wawes in to the grauelly see And this flood renneth thre dayes in the weke so fast stereth grete stones of the rockes w t hym that make moche noyse as soone as they come in to the grauelly see they are nomore seen in those thre dayes whan it renneth thus no man dare come in it but the other dayes men may goo therin where they wyll And also beyonde y â— flood towarde the wyldernesse is a grete playne also sâ—ndy grauelly amonge hylles and in y t playne gro we trees that at the rysynge of the sonne eche daye begynne to growe so grewe they to myddaye bere fruytes but no man dare ete of that fruyte for it is a maner of yron â–ª and after myddaye it torned agayne in
to theym y â— they sholde kepe well theyr good maners haue no drede of hym ¶ Of an other ylonde where also dwelleth good people in is called Synople ca. lxxxxvij THan is there an other ylonde that is called Synople where in also are good people trewe and full of good fayth and they are moche lyke in theyr lyuynge to the men before sayd and they go all naked And in to that ylonde came kynge Alexander And whan that he sawe theyr good faythe and trouthe and theyr good byleue he sayd that he sholde doo to theym noo harme and badde theym aske of hym rychesse and nought elles and they sholde haue it And they answered that they hadde ryches ynoughe whan they hadde mete and drynke to susteyne theyr bodyes and they sayd also that rychesse of this worlde is nought worth but yf it were so that he myght graunte theym that they sholde neuer deye that wolde they praye hym And Alexander sayd y â— myght he not do for he was dedely and sholde dey as they sholde Than sayd they why art y u so proude wolde wynne all the worlde haue in thy subgeccyon as it were a god y u hast no terme of thy lyf and y u wylt haue all rychesse of the worlde the whiche shall forsake the or y u forsake it y u shalt bere no thynge with the but it shal dwelle to other but as y u was borne naked so shalt y u be done in erthe And Alexander was gretly astonyed of this answere yf it be so y â— they haue not the artycles of our fayth neuertheles I byleue that god loueth theym well theyr good entencyon y t he taketh theyr seruyce to gree as he dyde of Iob y t was a paynym the whiche he helde for his true seruauÌ„t many other I byleue well y t god loueth all those y â— loue hym serue hym mekely truly y t despyse the vayne glorye of the worlde as thyse â—en do as Iob dyde and therfore sayd our lorde thorugh the mouth of Ysaye the prophete thus PonaÌ„ eis multiplices leges meas That is to saye I shall put to theym my lawes in many maners the gospell sayth thus Alias oues habeo que noÌ„ suÌ„tex hoc ouili That is to saye I haue other she pe y â— are not of this folde and there to accordeth the vysyon that Saynt Peter sawe at Iaffe how the angell came fro heuen brought with hym of all maner of beestes as serpentes foules in all maner and sayd to saynt Peter Take ete And sayÌ„t Peter answered I ete neuer of vnclene beste And the auÌ„gell sayd to hym Non dâ—â—as iÌ„n unda qÌ„deus muÌ„dauit That is to saye Calle thou not those thynges vnclene that god hath clensed This was done in token that men sholde not haue many men in despyte for theyr dyuerse lawes for we wote neuer whome god loueth and whome god hateth ¶ Of other two yles y t one is called Pytan wherin be lytel men y t ete no mete and in that other yle are the men all rough of fethers ca. lxxxxviii THere is an other yle that men callle Pytan men of this londe tylle no londe for they ete nought they are smale men but not so smale as Pygmeens Thyse men lyue with smell of wyl de apples whan they go ferre out of the countree they bere apples w t theym for anone as they lese y â— sauour of apples they deye they are not resonable but as it were bestes And there is an other yle where the people are all fethers but the face the palmes of theyr hondes Thyse men go as well aboue these as on the londe they ete flesshe fysshe all rawe In this yle is a grete ryuer that is two myle brode an halfe that men calle Renemar ¶ Of the wyldernesse wherin that growe the trees of the sonne of the mone ca. lxxxxix ANd beyonde that ryuer is a grete wyldernesse as men that haue ben there saye In this wyldernesse as men saye are the trees of the sonne of the mone y t spake to kynge Alexander tolde hym of his deth men saye that folke y t kepe thyse trees ete of the fruytes of theym they lyue four or fyue hondred yere thrugh vertue of the fruyte we wolde gladly haue gone thyder but I byleue that an hondred thousande men of armes sholde not passe they wyldernesse for prete plente of wylde bâ—stes as dragons serpentes that slee men whan they haue ony In this londe is many olyfauÌ„tes all whyte blewe without nombre and vnycornes and lyons of many maners Many other yles are in the londe of prestes Iohan that were to longe to telle moche rychesse and nobley of precyous stones in grete plente I byleue that we haue herde saye why this Emperous is called preester Iohan but for those that wote it not I shall saye There was somtyme an Emperour that was a noble prynce doughty and he had many crysten knyghtes with hym and the Emperour thought he wolde see the maner of seruyce in crysten chirches than was chirches of crystendom in Turky Surry Tartary Ierusalem Palestyn Araby Alapy all the londes of Egypt And this Emperour came with a crysten knyght in to a chirche of Egypt it was on a saterdaye after Wytsondaye whan the bysshop made ordres and he behelde the seruyce he asked of the knyght what folke those sholde be y t stode before the bysshop the knyght sayd they sholde be preestes he sayd he wolde no more be called kynge ne Emperour but preest he wolde haue the name of hym y t came fyrst out of the preestes he was called Iohan so haue all the Emperours sythen be called preester Iohan. In that londe are many crysten men of good fayth good lawe and they haue preestes to synge masse and they make y â— sacrament as men of Grece do but they saye not so many thynges as oâ—r prestes do for they saye not but y t the apostles sayd as sayÌ„t Peter saynt Thomas and other apostles whan they â—ange masse sayd Pater nâ— And the wordes with the whiche goddes body is sacred we haue many addycyons of popes that haue ben ordeyned of whiche men of those couÌ„trees knowe not ¶ Of a grete ylonde and kyngedom called Taprobane ca. C. TOwarde the eest syde of preester Iohans londe is an yle y t men calle Taprobane is ryght good fructuous there is a grete kynge a ryche and he is obedyent vnto prester Iohan and y t kynge is alwaye made by eleccyon In this yle are two wynters two somers and they shere corne twyes in the yere all tymes in the yere are gardeyns florysshed There dwelleth good people
y t custome to lete other men haue theyr maydenhede for drede of the deth thus they suffre theym to assaye the passage or they put theym vnto auenture ¶ Of women whiche make grete sorowe as theyr childern are borne and grete Ioye whan they aâ—â— deed ca. lxxxxiii ANd other yle there is where women make grete sorowe whan theyr childern are born whan they are deed they make grete Ioye cast theym in a grete fyre brenne theym they y t loue well theyr husbondes whan they are deed they cast theym in a fyre to brenne also for they saye y t fyre shall make theym clene of all fylth vyces they shall be clene in an other woâ—lde the cause why they wepe whan theyr childern are born y t they make Ioye at theyr deth they saye a childe whan he is borne cometh in to this worlde to haue trauayle sorowe heuyneâ—â— whan they are deed they go to paradyse where â—yuers are of mylke hony and there is lyf Ioye plente of goodes without trauayle and sorowe In this yle they make theyr kynges by chesynge and they cheâ—e hym not for his rychesse ne his nobley but hym that is of good condycyons moost ryghtwys true y t Iuged euery man truly lytell moche after theyr trespas the kynge may Iuge no man to deth without couÌ„seyll of his barons y â— all they assent And yf so bâ— that the kynge do a grete trespas as slee a man oâ— suche other he shall deye also but he shall not bâ— slayne but they shall defende forbede y t noman be so hardy to make hym company ne to speke w t hym ne gyue hym mete ne drynke thus he shall deye they spare noman that hath done trespas for loue ne for lordeshyp ne rychesse nor nobley but they do hym ryght after that he hath deserued ¶ Of an ylonde where a men wedde theyr owne doughters kynnes women ca. lxxxxiiij THere is an other yle where is grete plentâ— of people they ete neuer flesshe of hares ne of hennes ne of goos yet is there many of theâ— but they ete gladly flesse of all other beestes they drynke mylke In this countree they wedde theyr owne doughters other of theyr kynne as theym lyketh yf there be .x. or .xij. then in one hous echo ne of theyr wyues shall be comen to other and at nyght shall one haue one of the wyues an other nyght an other yf she haue ony childe she may gyue to whiche of theym she wyll so y t noman wo te yf it be his or not In this londe many other places of Yâ—de are many cocodrylles that is a maner of a longe serpent on nyghtes they dwell on water on dayes they dwel on londe and roches they ete not in wynter Thyse serpentes slee men ete theym wypeÌ„de they haue no tonge In this couÌ„tree many other men cast sede of cotton sowe it echâ— yere it groweth as it were smalle trees and they berecotton In Araby is many byrdes that some men call Gyrsantes that is a full fayre beest and is hygher than a grete courser or a stede but his necke is nere .xx cubytes longe his croupe and his tayle is lyke an herte and he may loke ouer an hygh house there is many camylyons y t is a lytell beest he eteth ne drynketh neuer and he chaungeth often his coloure for somtyme he is of one coloure somtyme of an other he may chauÌ„ge hym in to all colours that he wyll saue blacke reed There are many wylde swyne of many coloures and as grete as oxen and they are spotted as it were small fawnes there are lyons all whyte there be other beestes as grete as grete stedes y t men call Lonhorans some men call them Tontes theyr hede is blacke thre longe hornes iâ— his fronte as cuttynge as sharpe swerdes and he chaseth wyll slee the olyfauntes And there is many other maner of bestes of whome it were to longe for too wryte all ¶ Of an other ylonde where in dwelleth full good people and true ca. lxxxxv THere is an other ylonde good and grete and plenteuous where are good men and true of goodly lyfe after theyr fayth and all yf they be not crysten Neuertheles of kynde they are full of good vertues they fle all vyces and all synne and malyce for they are not enuyous ne proude ne couytous ne lecherous ne glotenous and they do not vnto an other man but that they wolde he dyde too them they fulfyll the .x. coÌ„maundementes and they make no force of rychesse ne of hauynge and they swere not but saye ye naye for they saye he that â—wereth he wyll dysceyue his neyghbour and some men call this the yle of Bragamen some calle it the londe of fayth thorughe it renneth a grete ryuer that men calle Thebe and generally all men in those yles other thereby are truer and ryghtwyser than are in other couÌ„trees In this yle are no theues ne murderers ne comune woman ne beggers and for as moche they are so true and so good that there is no tempest ne thonder ne warre ne hungeâ— ne other trybulacyons thus it semeth well that god loued theym well is well payde of theyr trouth theyr dedes and they byleue in god that made all thynge hym they worshyp they lyue so ordynatly in mete drynke y t they lyue ryght longe many of theym deye without sykenesse y t kynde faylleth them for aege ¶ How kynge Alexander sent his men thyder for to wynne that londe ca. lxxxxvi ANd kynge Alexander somtyme sente his men to wynne that londe And they sente hym lettres that sayd thus What behoueth a man to haue all the worlde y â— is not contente there with thou shalte fynde no thynge in vs why thou sholdest make warre vpon vs for we haue no rychesse ne tresoure and all the goodes catell of our countree are comune our metes that we ete are oure rychesse And in stede of tresoure of golde syluer we make our tresoure peas accorde of loue and we haue nought but a cloth vpon our bodyes our wyues are not arrayed rychely too pleasynge for we holde it a grete fooly a man to dyghâ—e his body to make it to seme fayrer than god made it We haue ben euermore in peas tyll now that thou wylte dysheryte vs. We haue a kynge amonge vs not for nede of the lawe ne to deme no man fo◠〈◊〉 are no trespassours amonge vs but all onâ—◠〈…〉 to be obedyent to hym and soo mayste 〈◊〉 not take from vs but our good peas And whan kynge Alexander sawe this lettre hyÌ„ thought al thus y t he sholde do to moche harme yf he troubled them sent