make the fede of these preciouse tresour and richesses that thou hast loued so moche in thi lyfe And than Halcon commaunded that the Calyf sholde be put in a close chambre that some of his tresour sholde be layd before hym and that he sholde eate of it yf he wolde And in the same maner the wretched Calyfe endede his lyfe and neuer sythe was Calyfe in Baldache ¶ Whan Halcon had taken the citie of Baldach and the Calyf and all the countreis about He departed the lordships and put in eche of them baylies and gouernours as it plesed hym selfe And he dyd moche honour to the christen men and put the sarasyns in great seruage euer after ¶ A woman that was called Descotacon which was a good christen woman was of the lynage of the thre kynges that came to worship the natiuitie of our lorde IhuÌ„ Christ This sayd woman made to be buylded agayn all the churches of the christen men and caused all the temples of the sarasyns to be put downe and put them in so great seruag subiectyon that they durst nat come abrode ¶ Why Halcon send for the kynge of Armeny for to come to hym WHan HalcoÌ„ had refresshed hym the space of an yer and his men in the cite of Rohais He sende for the kyng of Armeni that he sholde come to hym for he was disposed to go and delyuer the holy lande to restore it agayne into the christen mens handes The kyng of gode remeÌ„brauÌ„ce was full glad of the sayd coÌ„mauÌ„dement gathered a gret hoost of valyant men a fote a horsbacke For in the tyme the realme of Armeny was iprosperyte so that he made .xii. thousaÌ„de horsmen and .xii. thousand afote and that haue I sene in my dayes Whan the kynge of Armeny was come he helde a parlyment couÌ„sell to Halcon vpon the dede of the holy land Than sayd the kyng to Halcon sir the sowdan of Halap holdeth the lordship of the kyng of Anyne of Syrie And syth that ye entende to go to the holy land me thinke it for the best to lay sege first to the cyte of Halap which is the moost strongest cyte in the realm of Syrie For if we may take the cyte of Halap all the other may be lightly takeÌ„ Halcon was well pleased with the kynge of Armenis counsell And than he layd sege to the cyte of Halap which had full strong walles but the tartas toke the cytye by mynes that they had made vnder the grounde and by other craft and ingins that they dyde make they toke the cytie byforce in nyne dayes But there was within the cytie a castell that was so stronge that it defended them that wer within a leuen dayes after that they had take the cytie Great haboundaunce of riches other substaunce founde the tartas Whan they were entred withiÌ„ the cytie of Halape And so Halap was taken and after that all the realme of Syrie ¶ In the yere of our lorde god a thousande two hondred and threskore Whan the soudan of Halap that was at that tyme in the cytie of Damas vnderstod that the cytie of Halap was taken by the tartas And that they had taken his wyfe and his chyldren he knewe nat what to do but yeld hym selfe to the mercy of Halcon thynkinge by that mean that Halcon sholde render to hym his wyfe and his chyldren and parte of his lande Than Halcon dyde send the sowdan his wyfe and his chyldren to the realme of Persy bycause that he might be the more surer of hym ¶ After that Halcone departed great richesse amonge his men to the kyng he gaue a great nombre of goodes And also he gaue hym of his laÌ„des and castels that he had conquered and specially dyuers that were nygh to the realme of Armenie And after the kinge furnysshed the castels with his men Than after that Halcon dyd send for the prince of Antioch which was the kyng of Armenes sonne and dyde hym great grace and honour And dyde gyue hym all the landes and lordships that he had taken from the sarasyns After that Halcon had ordayned all that was nedefull about the cytie of Halap Damasse and the other landes the which they had conquered and taken from the sarasyns As he had thought to entred into the realme of HierusaleÌ„ for to delyuer the holy lande vnto the christen men agayne There came a messangere to hym and brought hym worde that his brotheh was deed and passed oute of this worlde how the barownes fought for to haue made hym emperour ¶ How the Halcon departed oute of the realme of Syrie WHanne Halcon had herde this tidynges he was full sorye for his brothers dethe And by the couÌ„sayle of his meÌ„ he went away left one of his barownes that was called Garboga with .x. thousande tartas for to kepe the realme of Syrie And coÌ„maunded that all the landes that had ben in the estristeÌ„ mens handê sholde be restored agayne After that he went toward the Orient and left one of his soÌ„nes at Thores which was called Agaba and from thens departed Halcon and wente to the realme of Persy And whan that he was com thyder tydingê was brought vnto hym how Cobyla his cosyn was made emperour ¶ WhaÌ„ Halcon vnderstode those newes he wold go no farther but retorned agayn to Thores there as he had left his sonne his housholde and his seruantes As Halcone taryed at Thores there cam newe tydinges vnto hym the Barta whiche at that tyme helde the lordship that Bacho helde Whiche was drowned in the flodde of Austrich as he was cominge to haue eÌ„tred into HalcoÌ„s landê And whaÌ„ Halcon herd that he gathered his hoost togither cam agaynst his ennemys And betwene Halcons men Bartas men was a great batayle vpon a frosen ryuer or an yse and for the great heuynesse of the men and beestes the yse brake there was drowned aboue .xxx. thousand of the tartas And than the bothe parties retorned backe agayne without doyng any more And made great lamentatyon for the dethe of theyr frendes ¶ How Ginboga and the men of Saiectfyll at varyaunce GInboga the which Helcon had left with hym .x. thousand Tartas in the realme of Syri went to the Palestines ê‘te which kept the lande in peace and worshiped and loued moche the christen men For he was of the thre kyngê kynred which cam to Bethelem to honoure the byrth of Christ Ginboga trauayled moche to recouer the Holy lande And than the deuyll put great trouble betwene hym the christen men that were of the partes of Saiect For in the lande of Belfort that was of the lordshyp of Saiect was diuers townes in the which the sarasyns dwelled payd a tribute to the Tartas wherof it came that the men of Saiect and of Belfort came togyder to make a course and robed the sayd townes frome the sayd sarasyns some were slayne and some were
may be delyuerd out of thennemys handes that is the begynnynge of our fayth Nor we haue nat remembred in times passed of suche conuenyent tyme as we haue nowe as god by his pyte and mercy shewed vs in dyuers maners For first god almighty full of mercy hath gyuen vs pastoure and right holy father right christeÌ„ and full of vertue which syth that he was sette in the holy apostolyque sete both night day thought and desyred how he might socour the holy lande forto haue it out of the ennemys of the holy faythes haÌ„des which blamed the name of crist and the holy sepulcre of our lorde And bycause that they may truely beleue that god hath torned his mercyfull eyen to beholde the holyland And hath gyuen him vpon the erth his redemer it is the father apostell In the which dayes by the mercy of god the holy land of HierusaleÌ„ that hath ben long tyme kept vnder the seruage of our ennemys by our synnes shal be delyuered and brought to the fyrst frauÌ„ches to the fyrst power of the christeÌ„men ¶ Why thy go into the holy lande NOw is the tyme conuenyent and acceptable in the which god hath shewed vs clerly that the holy lande shal be delyuerd out of the ennemys power for by the grace of god the kynges the princes of christen landes be now in good state in peace betwene them and haue no more warr nor debate as they were wont to haue in the olde tyme. Wherfore it is lyke that god almyghtie wyll delyuer the holy lande yet all christenmen of dyuers landes and of dyuers realmes by fayth and deuocyon be apparelled to toke the crosse and to passe ouer the see into the holy land Helpe and to put theyr body goodes for the honour reuereÌ„ce of our lorde IhuÌ„ Crist valyauntly with a good wyll ¶ How the ennemis of the christeÌ„ fayth was mynisshed put down NOw it is conuenient tyme and acceptable by that which god shewed to the christen people that the power of the christeÌ„ faithes ennemys is dimynisshed Also by the tartaras warre by the whiche they were ouercome and loste meÌ„ without nombre in batayle Also for this sowdaÌ„ that raigned those dayes in Egypt that was a man of no goodnesse nothyng worth Moreouer all the sarasyns prynces be deed that were woÌ„t to gyue helpe to the sowdan by the power of the tartas And one was lefte alone that was named sowdan de Meredyn the which is tourned lately to the tartas subiectioÌ„ And therfore at this tyme without any daunger or payne the holy lande myght be recouered and the realm of Egipt and of Syrie coÌ„quered And also with all the power of the ennemys might be the more easly brought downe nowe than in tymes passed ¶ How Carbanda kyng of the tartas profered hymselfe and his power to go to the holy lande yEt is coÌ„uenyent tyme that which god shewed to the christeÌ„men bycause that the tartas hath proffered theÌ„ selfe to gyue helpe to the christenmen agaynst the sarasyns And for this reason Carbanda kyng of the tartas sende his messangers profferinge to putte all his power to vndo the ennemys of the christeÌ„land And so in this tyme the holy land myght be recouered by the helpe of the tartas and the realme of Egypt conquered lyghtly without peryll or daunger And so it were nede that the christeÌ„men shuld set vpon the holy lande without any taryenge for in the taryenge is great daunger For fere of Carbanda that is nowe frende shulde fayle and an other might coÌ„e that shulde vse the mahometz wayes that shulde agre with the sarasyns And so it myght tourne to great daÌ„mage and paryll of the christen lande and of the holy lande ouer the see ¶ Before your reuerence holi father I say and confesse that I am nat of sufficyent scyence to gyue counsell without great doyng as the maker of the passage ouer the see to the holy lande But bycause that I haue yet the payne of the inobediente soone I wyll obey to the coÌ„maundement of your holynesse against the which no good christeÌ„men ought to go than requyring first ê‘don of any thyng that I shuld say more or lesse I shall say myne aduysement after my lytell knowlege all as the wysemen counsell ¶ Of the aduersytes prosperiteys of the ennemys TO the hounour of our lorde Ihesu Christe I trust to accoÌ„plyshe my faute I say to the entent that the holy lande may be coÌ„quered with leest payne trouble It is conuenyent that the cristenmen shall entre into the lande and that thei shuld set vpon their ennemys in the sayd tyme that their ennemys shal be troubled of some fortune for if the christeÌ„men wold do this enterprise at that tyme that theyr ennemys shuld be in prosperytie they coude nat fulfyll theyr enterprise without great dauÌ„ger and payne we shall deuyse truely which is the prosperytie whiche is the aduersytie The aduersyte of ennemys is this Whan the sarasyns haue a sowdan and a lord wyse and valyaunt and such that he may without any fere of his rebellynge holde and kepe his lordshippe The other prosperytie of the eÌ„nemys may be whan thei haue ben longe in peace without any warr of the tartas or other meÌ„ And yet whan they haue great haboundauÌ„ce of corne other goodê in the realme of Syrie and yet whan the wayes be sure by the see and by the lande open And such thynges that the ennemys haue ned may be brought to theÌ„ wtout any coÌ„tradit out of strauÌ„ge couÌ„treis yet whan the sarasyns be in peace with Nubiens with the Bednins of Egipt desert so thei moue no warr nor quetell yet whan the truqueniens bednyÌ„s that dwelled in the realme of Egypt Syrie obedyent to the sowdan of Egypt bycause of the aboue sayd thyngeê and prosperites the ennemys power shuld ryse so moch that it shuld be impossible to ouercome them ¶ The names of the .ix. sowdaÌ„s that were slayne poysoned ¶ By the contrary aduersytes it myght come to the ennemys in dyuers maners It is whan the ennemys do ryse and kyll theyr sowdan or lorde as they haue done in tymes past do often tymes For syth the kynred of the Cucumans beganne to haue the lordshippe in Egypt .ix. haue ben ordayned sodans and lordes vpon them And of these .ix. sowdaÌ„s that haue ben in Egypt they haue ben slayne by swerde it is to knowe Turquenien Chocas Lachyn and .ii. other that were poysoned that was BeÌ„docdac and Elsy The two other Melecuaser and Gynboga were putte in exyle And this Melecuaser that is nowe sowdan was ons putte out of his office lordship his lyfe in variaunce tarienge to an yll ende ¶ Prouision agaynst the sowdan of Egypt ITem the ennemyes myght coÌ„e to aduersyte It is whaÌ„ the flude of Nyll riseth nat so moch that they may water the grounde
of your holy painite which sythâ— that it was sette to the sege pastorall by the coÌ„maundment of god of all his hurt desyred procured and laboured How the holy lande that was a rose of the precyous blode of our lord IhuÌ„ Chryst shuld be delyuerd fro the euyll lyuers for this resoÌ„ all cristen kyÌ„ges priÌ„ncê be called to his couÌ„sell to thiÌ„tent that he may haue couÌ„sell be aduertysed vpoÌ„ the helpe of the holy landê passage How beit the out lorde is full of mercy which hath shewed vs by very experieÌ„ce that he wyll delyuer the holy land out of theÌ„nemis handes to the tyme of your holy paternite we ought all to pray huÌ„bly that longe lyfe good gyue hyÌ„ that reigneth in scla sclorum AmeÌ„ ¶ Here endeth the boke of thistoris of thorieÌ„t partes coÌ„pyled by a relygious man frere Hayton frere of PremoÌ„stre order soÌ„tyme lorde of court cosyn german to the kyng of Armeny vpon the passage of the holy lande By the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of the holy fader the apostle of Rome ClemeÌ„t the .v. in the cite of Potiers Which boke I Nicholas Falcon writ first in french as the frere Hayton sayd with his mouth without any note or exaÌ„ple out of freÌ„che I haue traÌ„slated it in latyn For our holy father the pope In the yere of our lorde god M. CCC.vil in the moneth of August Deo grÌ„as ¶ Here begyÌ„neth the boke of al the ê“uiÌ„ces cites of vniuersal world which sheweth the names of all the cytes how many be in euâ—â—y ê“uynce after the knowlege power of the Rhomayns churches ¶ The first part of the boke maketh meÌ„cyon how many churches be in the cyte of Rome as patriarkes other how the cardinallê be intytuled vpon the sayd churches ¶ The second parte of this boke maketh meÌ„cyon how many kingê be in the world their names the which be crowned sacred anoyÌ„ted the names of the christeÌ„men the which be bouÌ„de to pay tribute to the courte of Rhome whiche kynges be chefe heed of the sayde churche of Rhome ¶ The thyrde part sheweth how the noble men of the world be crowned chosen It is to knowe theÌ„perour of Rhome of Constantinople first of Rhome how he is chosen by what prelates princê barownes of Almayn nameth them al sheweth how theÌ„perour is crowned with .iii. crownes how our holy fader the pope crowneth him with a crowne of gold which is the last crowne as it is written in the sayde boke ¶ The .v. parte the last maketh mencyon of all the castels cyties that the sowdan held of the party of Egypt which be of the realme of Iherusalem and sheweth as it is contayned in the sayd boke IN ciuitate Romana suÌ„t quinque ecclie que patriarchales dicuntur et suÌ„t hee Ecclia sancti IohaÌ„nis lateranenÌ„que habet prioreÌ„ et sunt ordinis saÌ„cti Augustini EcclesiasaÌ„cti Petri que habet archipresbyte cum qui debet esse cardinalis diaconus et suÌ„t canonici seculares Ecclesia saÌ„cti Pauli que habet abbatem et sunt monachi nigri ordinis sancti Benedicti Ecclia sancre Marie Maioris que habet ar chipresbyterum et sunt canonici Ecclesia saÌ„cti LaureÌ„cii foris muros que habet abbateÌ„ et sunt monachi nigri ordinis sancti Benedicti Primis auteÌ„ ecclesiis sequeÌ„tes assignatisunt septem episcopi videlicet papa dnÌ„s hostienÌ„ AbbanenÌ„ PortuenÌ„ SabinenÌ„ Tusculanus penestrinus Singulis vero aliis ecclesiis que sunt in vrbe assignati sunt presbyteri cardiles sunt .xxxiii. tituli cardinaltuÌ„ presbiterorum incipiuÌ„t hoc modo ¶ Presbyter cardinalis titulatê° sancti crucis in Heirusalem PbrÌ„ cardi tituli sanctorum Petri Marcellini comes mediolenÌ„ PbrÌ„ cardi tituli sanctorum .iiii. coronatorum PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Pimachii primi PbrÌ„ card tituli sanctorum Iohannis et Pauli PbrÌ„ card tituli sancte Salome PbrÌ„ card tituli scteÌ„ Agnostasie PbrÌ„ card tituli saÌ„cte Salbine PbrÌ„ card tituliscti Stephani In celio monte PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti ClemeÌ„tis PbrÌ„ card tituli sanctorum Nerei et Arclilei PbrÌ„ card tituli saÌ„cte Susanne PbrÌ„ card tituli scteÌ„ PrudaÌ„ciane PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Xirici PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Petri ad vincula PbrÌ„ card tituli sancte Eudoxie PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Martini PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Euzebii PbrÌ„ card tituli saÌ„cti Equinarii PbrÌ„ card tituli sancte Prisce PbrÌ„ card tituli sancte Praredis PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Vitalis PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Ciriaci interminis PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Marci PbrÌ„ card tituli sanctorum Basilice xii appostolorum PbrÌ„ card tituli scti Mercellini PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Laurencii In lucina PbrÌ„ card tituli sancte Sabine PbrÌ„ card tituli sancte Marie in traâ—stibeum PbrÌ„ card tituli sancti Laurencii In damaseo PbrÌ„ card tituli sancte Calixi PbrÌ„ card tituli sancte Cicilie PbrÌ„ card tituli scti Grisogonii ¶ Isti alii sequeÌ„tes sunt diaconi cardinales intitulaÌ„tur alio modo et in aliis ecclesiis que suÌ„t simi liter in vrbe et sunt .xviii. ¶ Diaconus cardinalis sancte Lucie septem solii Diac. card scteÌ„ Marie in aquiro Diac. card sancti Theodori Diac. card scteÌ„ Marie i cosmedi Diac. card sancti Georgi ad vellum aureum Diac. card sctoÌ„rum Cosme Dam. Diac. card sancte Marie noue Diac. card sctoÌ„rum Sergia Bachi Diac. card sanctorum Adriachi Diac. card sancte Marie in vialata Diac. card scteÌ„ Marie i porticu Diac. card sancti angeli Diac. card sancti Nicholai in carcere tuliano Diac. card scteÌ„ Lucie mrÌ„ymagê Diac. card sancti Eustachii Diac. card sancti Vici imercello Diac. card sancte Agathe Diac. card sancte Marie in dompnita ISti sunt episcopi sub Romano pontifice qui noÌ„ sunt sub alterius ê“uincia constituti HostienÌ„ VallectenÌ„ isti sunt coniuÌ„cti PortuenÌ„ ScteÌ„ Ruffine coniunctisunt AlbenenÌ„ Penestrinus SabinenÌ„ Tusculanus Tiburtinus Agnaninus Signinus Ferentinas Alatrinus Verulanus TerratrinenÌ„ Soranus Garetanus Fondanus FurtonenÌ„ AquilenÌ„ coniunctisunt Marecanus ValuenÌ„ Teatinus PenuenÌ„ AdrienÌ„ coniunctisunt Aprutinus Nepesinus Satrinus CuntatenÌ„ Ortanus DalueregenÌ„ Vrbenetanus ViterbienÌ„ TuscanenÌ„ CastienÌ„ PistronenÌ„ Sustulanus SuanenÌ„ Clusinus Prensinus Castelanus Aretinus SenenÌ„ Grossetanus Vulceranus Lucanus PistorienÌ„ Florentinus Fesulanus LunenÌ„ Asisinus Fuliginas Nuterinus Egubinus Spolatenus Reatinus Tudertinus AmelinenÌ„ NariuenÌ„ IterampnenÌ„ Esculanus Fâ—… Camerâ—â—nÌ„ Auxiniamis Humanis Anconitans Esmus vel Esmas SenogalienÌ„ FauenÌ„ PerausienÌ„ FocofinifourienÌ„ Vrbinas CalenÌ„ ArminenÌ„ Ferentinas Rauennas ARchiepiscopus ê‘normitanus hos hêª habet suffraganeos AgrigentinenÌ„ MazarenÌ„ MilenitanÌ„ ¶ Archiepiscopus montis regalis hos habet suffragancos CactanienÌ„ SiricusanÌ„ ¶ ArchiepuÌ„s missanenÌ„ hêª habet s ClephadudenÌ„ PatenÌ„ Sancti Marci MilitenÌ„ ¶ ArchiepuÌ„s reginus hos hêª habet s BonenÌ„ LutrenÌ„ GiratenÌ„ TrepetenÌ„ MilitenÌ„ exemptum SillatenÌ„ NeucastrenÌ„ CacatenÌ„ CotronenÌ„
¶ Here begynneth a lytell Cronycle translated imprinted at the cost charge of Rycharde Pynson by the coÌ„maundement of the ryght high and mighty prince Edwarde duke of Buckingham yerle of Gloucestre Staffarde and of Northamton THis present boke is dyuided in foure partes The first parte speketh of the lande of Asie the which is the thyrde part of the worlde And in the same first part is diuised treated how many realmes be in the same part of Asie How the realme marcheth â—â—ordreth to the other and fynally what maner of people inhabyt the same realmes ⧠¶ The seconde part of this boke speketh of theÌ„perous and kynges which hath ben in the land of Asie sythe the incarnation of our lorde Ihesu Christ of their actes de des iÌ„ their tymes Moreouer how they coÌ„quered their lordshippes How longe tyme ech one of them was lord gouernour we shall folowe the discripcyon hereof as it is found in histories of dyuers nacyons of the orient or Eest part of the worlde wrytten in dyuers letters and langages ⧠¶ The thyrd part treateth of the hystories of the tartaryans how their name began And how they coÌ„quered those landes which thei holde nowe in possessyon In to how many partes their lordshyp is dyuided and who is lord ruler of that part of ther land which is moost nere vnto the holy land ¶ The fourth parte of this boke spâ—keth of the passage into the holy lande beyond the see How thei whiche shall make suche passage ought to demeane behaue them selfe from the begynnyng tyll ende to coÌ„quer the said holy land which processe is written aft the ordring of the symple knowledge vnderstanding of the coÌ„pyler of the boke ¶ Here haue we deuysed a table briffely coÌ„teyning all the tytles of the sayd boke wherby ye may lightly fynde by the folio the thing that ye wolde rede ⧠¶ The realm of Cathay fo pÌ„mo The realme of Tharsay The realme of Turquestan ¶ The realme of Corasme fo ii The realme of Comanie The realme of Inde ¶ The realme of Persey fo iii. The realme of Mede The realme of Armeny ¶ The realme of Georgy fo iiii The realme of Calde The realme of Mesopotamy ¶ The realme of Turkey fo v. The realme of Syrie ¶ How the kyng of Persey was first emê‘our of Asie fo vi ¶ Whan the sarasyns entred into Syrie ¶ How the sarasyns entred into the realme of Mesopotamy ¶ How the sarasyns chose their sowdan fo vii ¶ A cuniuracyon amonge the sarasyns ¶ The first raignyng of the Turkes in Asie ¶ How the Grekes were dryuen out of Asie fo viii ¶ How the christenmen layd sege to Antyoch ¶ How the Corasmyns conquered the realme of Persey ¶ What countrey the tartas inhabyted first fo ix ¶ How Cangius Can was elect emperour of the tartas ¶ How Cangius Can was saued by a byrde fo x. ¶ How and wherfore the tartas wear feders ¶ How Cangius Can fyll sicke ¶ How Cangius Can themperour dyed fo xi ¶ How Hoctoca Can made warre in Asie ¶ Whan the tartas lerned first letters fo xii ¶ Of the batayle that was betwene the sowdan of turky the tartas ¶ How Iochy conquered the realme of Turquestan Persie ¶ How Bacho and a great parte of his men wer drowned in the ryuer of Austrich fo xiii ¶ How Iochy receyued his brother Chacaday ¶ How and whan the kyng of Armeny laft his owne countrey and came to the kynge of the tartas how he required vii peticyons ¶ How themê‘our Mango Can and his barownes agreed to the vii peticyons fo xiiii ¶ How Mango Can was christ ned at the request and desyre of the kyng of Armeny ¶ Why Halcon sende for the kynge of Armeny fo xv ¶ How Halcon departed out of the realme of Syrie fo xvi ¶ How Ginboga and the 〈◊〉 of Saiect fyll at â—ariaunce ¶ How the sowâ—â—n of Egypt droue the taraâ— of Syrie ¶ How Albaga 〈…〉 christen which so â—â—â—ned fo xvii ¶ How Albaga toke the traytour Parnana put hym to deth ¶ How Albaga profered the reâ—…e of turkey to the kynge of Armeny fo xviii ¶ Of the batayle betwene Man 〈◊〉 and the sowdan ¶ How Albaga and his brother was poysoned by their faâ—â—ylyer serâ— fo xix ¶ How the â—…e Mahomet was â—lyâ—e by â—…e Argon ¶ How Kalgato was drowned by his people fo xx ¶ How Casan was deceyued by the traytour Chapchap ¶ How the cytie of Hames was conquered fo xxi ¶ How they of Damas yelded them to Casan ¶ What the kynge of Armeny Cotâ—… to be the 〈◊〉 Hames fo xxii ¶ How the kynge of Armeny went to Caâ—â—â— fo xxiii ¶ How the sowdan made trewse with the kyng of Armeny fo xxiiii ¶ Of the thre kynges that dydâ—â—…our to thyâ—… emê‘â—… ¶ How they of Lices haue knowlege by 〈◊〉 whan any of 〈◊〉 enemyes coÌ„e toward theÌ„ fo xxv ¶ The maner and gyse that the tartas vse amonge them ¶ How a kyng or a prince shulde order them 〈◊〉 fo xxvi ¶ How the so sowdaÌ„ ordreth his barownes knightes fo xxvii ¶ Of the subtyltie of the sowdan of Egypt to conquere cyties ¶ Why they of Egypt yelded theÌ„ to the Sarasyns ¶ How the christeÌ„men were â—â—yuen out of Egypt How Elsy was poysoned xxviii ¶ How Melecuaser was made sowdan of Egypt ¶ How the lande of Egypt was Hatred with the water of flud to Gyon fo xxix ¶ whan tyme is to moue warre fo xxx ¶ why they go into the holy laÌ„de ¶ How the ennemyes of the christen fayth was mynisshed ¶ How Carbanda kynge of the tartas profered hymselfe his power to go to the holy lande ¶ Of the aduersities prosperities of the ennemyes fo xxxi ¶ The names of the .ix. sowdans that were slayne and poysoned ¶ Prouicyon agaynst the sowdan of Egypt ¶ How imbassidours wer sende to Carbanda a kyng of the tartas that the ennemys shuld haue nothiÌ„g brought to theÌ„ fo xxxii ¶ How the sowdaÌ„ of Egypt shuld be brought subget to the christeÌ„ men and to the tartas ¶ Of the generall passage ¶ Finis The lande of Asye THe realm of Cathay is couÌ„ted and holden for the moost noble and rich realm of the world This Realme marcheth on the cost of the Occean see So many yles be there about in the see that men may nat well knowe the nombre of them The people which inhabet this realme of Cathay be called Cathayns amonge theym be founde many fayre and comely men and womeÌ„ after theyr nacion But all haue theyr eyen very smale and lytell heer on their berdes This people in theyr wrytynge haue letters which in beauty and fayrnesse of draught resemble and are moche lyke vnto latten letters and they speke a language which is moche dyuers from other languages of the world The beleue of
yeres after they loste the sayde lordshyp as we shall deuyse here after ¶ A cuniuracyon amonge the sarasyns IN that tyme it happed that a great debate fell amonge the Sarasyns which lasted in coÌ„tynuauÌ„ce .xxx. yeres that the sowdans and the lordes of the landes wolde nat obey to the sowdan of Baldache but they rose agaynst hym so the Sarsyns power began to mynisshe In that tyme was in ConstaÌ„tynople a valiant Emperour which was called Diogines the which began valiantly to enter into the landes that the Sarasyns had taken from the cristen men in theÌ„perour Eraclos tyme and to recouer the noble cytyes of Antyoch sylice Mesopotamy the other landes the sarasins kept tyll the tyme that the Turkmens toke it from them as it shal be dyuysed here after ¶ The fyrst reygnynge of the turkes in Asye IN the yere of the Incarnacion of our lorde M.li. began fyrste the Turkmens to haue the lordshyp in Asye in suche maner that whan the TurkmeÌ„s wer multiplyed of men and goodes se the great trouble that was amoÌ„ge the sarasins they thought to haue rysen agayne wherfore they cam togyder and chose amoÌ„ge them a kynge that was Salyoth afore that they had neuer lorde of theyr kinred whaÌ„ they had that done they began so valyantly vpon the sarasyns that in shorte shace they had and ocupyed the lordship of Asye but to the Calyfe of Baldoche they dyde hym no grefe but they yelded hym great honour wherof it cam that the Calyfe more for fere than for loue ordayned Saliothe lorde of the Turkmens But not longe after themperour Salioth dyed after hym was his sonne made lorde which was called Doloryssa this man moued the warre agaynst themê‘our of Constantyple toke dyuers landes castels a Grece And after he send to the realm of Mesopotamy one of his cosyns which was called Artothe vnto the which he gaue men ynow and gaue hym the realme of Mesopotamy and al the other landes that he myght gete ayenst the Grekes than the great Artothe went with a great noÌ„bre of men layde sege to 〈◊〉 cytie of Rohays toke all the lande of Mesopotamy he toke his owne sege in the cytye of MeredyÌ„ there made hymselfe sowdan in that tyme dyed Dolorissa kynge of Persy his sonne which was called AlpasseleÌ„ kept the lordship after hym this Alpasselem had a neuewe that was called SolymaÌ„ which longe tyme had serued his father this Solyman was moche valyaunt in armes wherfore the forsayd kyng of Persy Alpasselem gaue a great nomber of men of warr to his neue we Solyman and send hym to Capadoce and grauÌ„ted hym to hold and kepe all that he coulde take vpoÌ„ the grekes And vpon that wente Solyman entred in the realme of Turky and there toke cytes realmes and castels almoost all the land put them vnder his lordship wherfore he dyd chauÌ„g his name and was called Solymansa and of these men the hystores maketh mencion of Godfray debullayns passage whan he fought with the pylgrimes and dyde them moche harme or they coulde passe the landes of Turky ¶ How the Grekes were dryuen out of Asye AFter that dyed Alpasselem the turkes emperour and thaÌ„ was his sonne made emê‘our which was called Melacaceraf the which send a commaundment to Artoth the sowdan of Mesopotamy and to Solimansa the sowdan of Turky that thei shold go and lay sege to the cyte of Antyoche wherfore they brought togither a great hoost and laid sege to Antyoche the which the grekes kept And not long after thei toke it and so were the grekes dryuen oute of all the landes of Asye by the myght of the enemys of the crysten fayth And than after Melacaceraf themperour of the turkes dyed laft two chyldern the fyrst was called Balryaro the whiche kept the lordshyp after hym but his brother that was more valyaÌ„t in armes ocupyed a great part of the landes of Persy and at that tyme that Godfray de bullen passed the sayd Balryaroth was emperour of Asye and Solymansa was sowdan of Turky and dyde many enterprises to the pylgrems or they coulde passe the landes of Turkey ¶ How the Crysten men layde sege to Antyoche WHan the Emperour of Persy vnderstod that the crysten men had layd sege to the cyte of Antyoche he brough togyder a great people of the realme of Turkey and sende for them for to socour the cyte Or the turkes coulde come that myght of the enemys were so great that they layde sege rounde about the cyte wherfore the cristen men that had layde sege before were themselfe beseged at the later end our pilgrimes fought ayenst this great nomber of enemys so well that by the grace of god the other were all discoÌ„fyted Corberam the chefe captayn slayne they that scaped out of the batayle went agayn into Persy And there the founde that theyr emê‘our Balryarothe was deed than his broder wold haue take the lordship but his enmis dyde rone vpoÌ„ hym kylde hym great trouble was amonge the sarasyns in somoch that neuer sithe they coulde nat agre to make no emê‘our nor generall lorde but they began to make war the one ayenst the other wherfore the Greces the Armenys of the great Armenye entred vpon them and droue theym oute of all the landes of Persye bothe theyr wyues and chyldern and so they went into Turky and there they kept the lordship i great prosperyte tyll the comyng of the Tartas the which ocupyed the lande lordship of Turky as it shal be declared here after ¶ How the Corasmyns coÌ„quered the realme of Persy IN the realme of CorasmyÌ„s was a maner of pepyll that dwelled in the mountayns and in the feldys fedynge theyr beestes the which were bolde men of armes these men vnderstode that the realm of Persy was without a lord wherfore they thought for to conquer it lightly And than thei cam togyder and dyde chose a lorde amoÌ„ge theÌ„ which was called IalaadyÌ„ whan they had so done they went to the noble cytye of Torys without any coÌ„tradictyon of any man and there they dwelled and made theyr lorde Ialaadyn Emperour of Asye for they thought to occupy other realmes of Asye as they had taken the realm of Persy this CorasmyÌ„s rested there certayn dayes and there they were al full of goodes ryches of Persy wherof they toke so great pryde that they entred into the realm of Turkye and thought to haue ocupyed it enioyed it but the sowdan of Turky that was called IalaadyÌ„ gethared his hoost and fought agaynst the Corasmyns and ouer cam them and droue theym out of Turky and Ialaadyn theyr Emperour was slayn in batayle and they that scaped went into the realme of Mesopotamy and than came to gyther into the playne of Royhas there they toke couÌ„sayl betwene them to entre into the realme of Syry which was at that tyme gouerned by a Lady then the Corasmyns cam
brought prysoners One of Ginbogas neuiewes was in that couÌ„trey went after the christen men with a smale coÌ„pany a horsebacke and as he began to blame them of that that thei had done and wold take the prey that they brought Some of the christen men ranne vpon hym and so kylde hym whaÌ„ Ginboga vnderstode that the christen men of Saiect had slayn his neuiewe He rode with his men came to Sarepte and as many christen men as he founde put theÌ„ to the swerde but the peple of Sarepte wente away in the yle but fewe slayne Ginboga dyde putte fyre in the cyte and brake the walles and neuer sythe Ginboga had neuer trust nor loue with the christen men of Syrie nor his men After that the Tartas were dryuen oute of the realme of Syrie by the power of the sowdaÌ„ of Egipt As it shal be declared here after ¶ How the sowdaÌ„ of Egipt droue the Tartas out of Syri IN that tyme the Barca began warre agaynst Helcone as we haue sayd before the sowdan of Egipt gathered his armye and came into the Palestins countreys In a place that is called Haymelot and ther he fought with the Tartas but they coude nat abyde the sowdans power so they fled backe with theyr captayns It was sayd that Gynboga was slayne in the batayle the Tartas that scaped from the said batayle went into Armenie At the tyme the realme of Syrie torned to the sowdans power but some cytes that were by the see that the christen men kept Whan Helcon vnderstode that the sowdan of Egipt was entred into the realme of Syrie and that he had betyn his meÌ„ and kylde them He gathered his hoost and sende to the kynge of Armenie to the kynge of Georgy and to the other christen men of the parties of Syrie that they sholde be redy to go with hym agaynst the sowdan of Egipt And whan Halcon had all his army redy for to go to the realme of Syri a sharpe synenesse toke hym that helde hym .xv. dayes of which he dyed and so his deth lette the goynge into the holy lande After hyÌ„ his sonne Albaca heâ—deÌ„ the lordeshippe of Halcon This Albaga wolde the Ambyla his vncle sholde confirme hym his lordship which thinge he dyde with a good wyll bycause that he knewe well the Albaga was the best and the wysest sonne that Halcon had and so he was called Albaga Can. And began as raygne in the yere of our lorde god a thousand CC.lxiiii ¶ How Albaga wolde nat become christen which fortuned hym yll ALbaga that was moch valyant kept wysely his lordeshyp and was moche fortunat in all maner of thinges saue that he wold nat become christeÌ„ as his father HalcoÌ„ was and so he was any doâ—…er And an other thing was that he made warr vpon his neyghbours whiche caused hym that he coude nat ouercome the sodan of Egipt and bycause of that the â—…dan of Egiptes power encreases moche yet the sowdan of Egipt dyd an other subtyll poynt for he sende his messangers to the taâ—tas that were in the realme of Comany and of Roussy made couenable peace and loue with them And ordayned if Albaga wolde come into the lande of Egipt that they shold inuade his landes and that they shold warre vpon hym And for this coÌ„posicyon the sowdan had great â—y to haue the christeÌ„mens landes of Syri and for that cause the christeÌ„men loste the cyte of Antyoch and many other As it is wryten in the cronicle boke of the holy lande ¶ Bendonedar which was sowdan of Egipt was moche mighty and puysaunt He sende his hoost into Armeny but the kynge was gone to the tartas Than his two sonnes gathared the hoost of Armeny which was at that tyme of great power and came agaynste their ennemys fought with theÌ„ The batayle was great but at the ende the christenmen were ouer come of the two sonnes the one was takeÌ„ prisoner and the other slayn in batayle And than the sarasyns entred in the lande wasted all the playn of Armeny The christeÌ„mens power was moch minyshed bycause of that the puytaunce of the sarasyns power was moche enhaunced Whan the kyng of Armeny vnderstod this tidynges of his sonnes and of the lande he was moch sorowfull thought in his mynde how that he myght do harme to his ennemys Thanne went he to Albaga and to the other tartas desiryng and prayeng theÌ„ that they wolde come to helpe the christeÌ„men The kyng trauayled moch but Albaga wold nat go for bycause that he had warre with his neyghbours The kyng seyng that he coude nat haue helpe so shortly of the tartas send his messaÌ„gers to the sowdan of Egipt and coÌ„firmed peace with hym to thyntent that he myght haue his sonne out of prison And the SowdaÌ„ made poyntment with the kyng that he shuld rendre vnto hym one of his felowes which was called Sangolagar that the tartas kept and that he shold yelde to hym agayn the castell of the lande of Halap that he helde he shulde gyue to hym his sonne agayn The kyng dyde so moch that the tartas gaue hym SaÌ„golagar the sowdans felowe aboue sayd and the kynge yelded to the sayd felowe the castell of Trepessache two other castels that he brake downe at the sowdaÌ„s request And in this maner the king of Armenis sonne Baron Lynon was delyuerd out of the prison of the sarasyns ¶ After that the kyng Hayton of good remeÌ„brauÌ„ce which had donÌ„ grete good to the christeÌ„dom iÌ„ his lyfe gaue his realme lordship to his sonÌ„ Lynon aboue named and left the pryde of this world toke the order of relygion chauÌ„ged his name after the gife of the Armins and was called Macayres than the kyng HaytoÌ„ dyed monke In the yere of oure lorde god a thousande two honderd .lxx. ¶ How Albaga toke the traitour Pernana and put hym to deth THe sonÌ„ of kyng Hayton Baron Lynonâ— was wise and valy 〈◊〉 and gouerned his realme and his lordship wisely He was well beloued of his people the tartas dyde to hym great honour This fayd kyng LynoÌ„ toke moche labour for to graue the sarasyns by the tartas And diuers tymes send his messangers to Albaga that he shold come for to helpe to recouer the holy lande and to confound the power of Egipt At that tyme the sowdan of Egipt entred with his power into the realme of Turky he kyld and drope out all the tartas that were ther toke many landes and countreys By a traitour that Albaga had made chefe captain of Turky that was called Parnana whiche torned was obeydient to the sowdan of Egipt and toke moch labour for to dryue the tartas out of Turky Whan Albaga vnderstod this tydinges He gathered his hoost rodde hastely for of .xl. dayes iornay he made but .xv. and came to Turky WhaÌ„ the sowdan knewe of the tartas
part at the occean see and other part at the lande of Mede In the same party of Persey be also two great cyties the one is named Nezabor the other Spahan the maner and custome of the people of this part of Persey is semblable to shâ—… of the other part aforenamed ¶ Of the realme of Mâ—de THe realme of Mâ—de is â—…ry kinge toward the Eest but it is 〈◊〉 large Towarde the East it beginneth at the 〈◊〉 of Persy at the realme of Inde the lesser in part of the same 〈…〉 deth forth by the Weest part vnto the realme of Calde Towarde the North it begynneth at the realme of Armeny extendeth 〈◊〉 by the South vnto the Aquissan which is on the Occean see and there be found the grettest and thyrest perlys In the realm of Mede be great mountaynes lytell playing rouÌ„de in the realme of Mede be mountaynâ— maner of people the one is called sarasyns and the other Gordyns And in this countrey ben ii gret cyties the one is called Sarras and the other Quereâ— and there they kepe the lawe of Mahumet And vse of Arabyke letters afore they be good archers ¶ Of the realme of Armeny IN the realme of Armeny beÌ„nit realmes of that which one lorde holdeth all the lordship the length of the lande of Armeny begynneth at the realme of Persy and extendeth forth by Oâ—â—edent to the realme of Turkey The brede of Armeny towarde Occedent begynneth at the great cytie which is called Port de ferr that is in englysshe the yren gate the which kinge Alexander coÌ„maunded shuld be shytte for bycause of dyuers nations of people that resorted into the depe Asye that which he wold nat that they shuld passe in the great Asye without his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t The sayd cytie is in the narow of Caspis see recheth to the great mountayn of Cocas The brede of the realme of Armeny from the sayd cytie extendeth forth to the realme of Mede In the realm of Armeny be dyuers gret cyties riche amonge the which Towres is the moost named in the lande of Armeny In Armeny be great mouÌ„tayns brode playnes great waters fluddes salte swete with great plenty of fysshe The peple that inhabit in the land of Armeny be named by diuerse names after the maner of the couÌ„trei that thei be inhabited and ther they be good men of warr both afore a horsbacke And as for harnes vestmeÌ„t they folowe the maner of the tartas bycause that they haue ben long vnder their lorde Ther letes be dyuers some be named Armonoses the other Alcen In Armeny is a great mountayn the which is the grettest that mouÌ„tayn is named Ararach And ther was set the arcke of Noe after the Deluge but yet ther can no man clyme vpon that mountayn for the great noyse murmure that is ther bothe wnyter somer but in the very toppe of it appereth a great blacke thinge which they say that is the arcke of Noe. ¶ Of the realme of Georgie THe realme of Georgie toward thorient hath agret mountayn which is named Abbers is inhabited with many diuers natioÌ„s of peple And for that cause it is named the countrey Alayne And from thens extendeth the realm of Georgy by thoccydeÌ„t toward SepteÌ„rrion to the prouiÌ„ce of the realme of Turky the length of the realme of Georgie exteÌ„deth all vpon the see toward the South finysshed with the great Armeni this realm of Georgi is deuydyd in two realmes the one is named Georgie the other Abcas The realm of Georgy is vnder the iurisdiction subiection of theÌ„perour of Asye The realm of Abcas is mighty of peple of strong castels was neuer subget to themê‘our of Asie nor to the tartas In the realme of Georgi appered a gret meruayle which I darre nat tell nor reherse yf I hadde nat sene it but for bycause I was ther se I dare say That in Georgi is a ê“uynce which is called Haynsen that which is well of .iii. dayes iourney of length or there about And as long as this sayd prouynce lasteth in euery place is so great obscurite that no man is so harde to coÌ„e into the sayd lande for they cannat cum out agayn And the dwellers within the same lande sayde that often tymes ther cometh noyse of men cockes crowyng horses neynge And by a fuldd that cometh out of that place come tokens appering that ther is resorting of peple Verily they fynd in thistores of Armeny redyng Georgi that ther was a cruell emê‘our in Persy named Sanorelx this emê‘our worshypped the ydols and cruelly persecuted the cristeÌ„men vpoÌ„ a day he coÌ„mauÌ„ded that all they that dwelled in Asye shuld come to do sacrifice to the ydols they that wold nat come shuld be put to deth Among the which it happened that some true cristeÌ„men receyued the martyrdom or thei wold sacrifice the ydols some sacrified for fere of deth for fere of losyng of thir teÌ„porall goodes the other fledd a way into the mountayns In that tyme inhabyted dyuers good cristeÌ„men in a couÌ„trey which is called Morgan which cristeÌ„men for soke their goodes fled away toward Grece And whan thei wer in the contrey abouesayd the sayd cruell emê‘our met with theÌ„ coÌ„maunded that all the sayd cristen men shuld be cut all to peces and thaÌ„ the sayd cristeÌ„meÌ„ made a gret cry to our lord god And sone after came this great darknes that blinded theÌ„perour all his men so the cristeÌ„men scaped the sayd emê‘our with his meÌ„ caryd in the sayd darknes â–ª and ther thei shall abyd as they beleue to the worldê ende ¶ Of the realme of Caldee THe realme of Caldees toward thorient begynneth at the mountayns of Mede exteÌ„deth to the great Ninyue the olde cytie which is nygh to the fludde of Tygres This Ninyue is the cytie of the which the holy scripture speketh And in that which was Ionas the profet sende to prech the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of god This cytie is nowe all wasted but for cause that it is yet well apparauÌ„t it is sene that it is one of the moste grettest cyties of all the world the brebe of the realme of Calde toward SepteÌ„trion begyÌ„neth at a cytie that is called Maraga and exteÌ„deth to the South to thoccean see The grettest cyte in the realme of Calde is called Babylone In this lande Nagabudonosor brought Anthetinoyson the chyldren of Israell whan he toke IherusaleÌ„ In the realme of Calde be great playnes fewe mouÌ„tayÌ„s not moch coÌ„ming waters the people that is inhabyted in Calde be called Nostoryus and vsed of Arabe letters kepe the false lawe of Mahomet ¶ The realme of Mesopotamy THe realme of Mesopotamy toward orâ—â—r begiÌ„neth at the gret cytie Mosell that is nigh to the flud of Tigres exteÌ„deth by thoccydent to the cyte of Rohais which is set vpoÌ„ the flud named Eufrates this
cytie of Rohays was kyng Agers to whoÌ„ our lord sende the veâ—nicle that is no wat Roâ—e nygh to this cytye is the lande of Baram in that which dwelled Abraham his kynred in the old tyme Whan our lorde coÌ„maunded hym that he sholde leue this lande and passe the flode of Eufrates come to the lande of promyssson that is the Holy land as is coÌ„tayned in the bible This is called Grioise the land of Mesop for cause that it is betwene the two great flodes Tygris and Eufrates The brede of the realme begynneth at a mountayn which is called Sanson in Armenie extendeth by mydday to the desert of Arabe the leste in this lande of Mesopota be great playnes aboundant and delectable And great mountayns with great plenty of fruytes of goodê One of the mountaynes is called Symar the other Lysson In the sayd realme is nat moche ronnynge water but the peple of this couÌ„trey drynketh well water out of cesterns In this realm of Mesopotamy inhabet christen men some be Siryens some Armyns and the other sarasyns The syriens and the sarasyns of the sayd countrey medyll with no dede of armes but they be shepardes and labourers of the grounde for the moste part except some that dwelled in a couÌ„trey that is called Meredyn the which be good archers And they ben called Cordyns ¶ The realme of Turky THe realme of Turkey is moche riche ther be mynes of syluer brasse other good ynough And also there is plenty of where wynes and fruytes also there is moche catell good horses his laÌ„de endeth by the gret Armeny towarde the orient and with the realme of Georgy toward the occydent and extendeth to the cyte of Satalie which is vpon the see of grece towarde SeptentrioÌ„ and hath no endes with any other lande And extendeth of length in length vpon the see syde and towarde Midday endeth part with the seconde Armeny and with Sylice and part extendeth to the see of grece and to the syght of the yle of Cipres And the sayd realme of Cipres is called grece of all the peple of the Orient for cause that in the olde tyme themê‘our of grece kept that lande as his owne and ruled all the lande by officers that he sende thyder euery yere And after that the Turkes toke the sayd lordship of Turky They ordayned a lorde amonge them that which they called theyr sowdan from that tyme the Turkes inhabyted in the sayd lande and than it was named Turky And there be many good cities The fyrst ê“uince is called Helcone that is the noblest cyte of Elconye The .ii. is named Capadoce that is the cyte of the great Cesar of grece The thryde prouince is called Saury there is the cyte of Salern The .iiii. is called Briquie and there is the cyte of Lichoe of grece The .v. is called Quisiton and there is the cyte of Effeson The .vi. is called Depictrony there is the cyte of Niquie The .vii. is called Pascagonie there is the cite of Germana polis The .viii. is called Genesti there is the cyte of Trapesonde and this onely prouynce is made a realme within fewe yeres For whan the turkes toke the lordship of turky they coulde nat take the cite of Trapesond nor no place loÌ„gyng therto bycause there wer so many strong castels And so it remayned to themê‘our of Constantinoble the sayd emê‘our had a custome to send a bayly that was called duke to gouerne the sayd land And it fortuned so that one of the dukes rebelled agaynst themperour toke the lordship of Trapesonde for hym selfe and made hym selfe to be called emê‘our all they that dwell in the sayd land be grekê we put Tarpesonde in the nombre of the prouiÌ„ces nat in the nombre of the realmes After as we fynde in the histores of the OrieÌ„t In the realme of turky inhabet .iiii. maner of people that is to say grekes Armyns Iabobins turkes which ben sarasyns And they haue takeÌ„ the lorship of the sayd lande of the grekê thei that be dwellers in the cites ocupied marchaÌ„dise labouryng the grouÌ„d the other sheperdes that dwelled in the feldes in tentes wintur and somer fed their beestes and also they be good men of armes a fote and a horsbacke ¶ The realme of Syrie THe realme of Syrye towarde the Est begynneth at the flode of Eufrates and exteÌ„deth by occident to the cyte of Gaser which is toward the see of grece to the heed of the desert of Egypt the brede of the realme of Syrie towarde SepteÌ„trion begynneth at the cyte of Baruth extendeth to the cricke of mouÌ„t royall toward the Eest it endeth at the realme of Mesopotamy towarde Septentrion with the seconde Armenye and part with the realme of Turky toward Mydday endeth at the see of grece at the desert of Araby the realme of Siry is depared i. iiii prouinces that in the old tyme were realmes in eueri one of theÌ„ was a king The first ê“uince is called Sein the .ii. Palestin in that is the cyte of Heirusalem the .iii. is called Antioquie there be .ii gret cytes Halap Antioch the .iiii. is called Silyce there is the cytie of Tarsot in the which was borne the apostle saynt Paule the sayd Silyce is now called Armeny for syth that the enemies of the cristeÌ„ fayth had taken this land from the grekê handes the Armins traueyled so moche that thei recouerd the realme of Silyce now the kyng of Armeny holdeth it by the grace of god In the realm of Siri inhabet diuers peple grekes armins Iacobyns Nestorins sarasins two other nations that is syrisins Maroins the cristen men holdeth the maner of Greioyse for in the olde tyme they were obedieÌ„t to the church of Rome they speke language Arabyke the seruyce the office of the church is made in letters greioises the Maronyus hold the maner of Iacobyus and haue a langage and letters Arabyke this peple inhabyted about the mount Lyban towardes the partes of Iherusalem they be good men of armes of the siriens be men I now but of the Maroyns be but fewe And amonge them there be valyant men the realme of Siry is .xx. dayes iourney of length fyue in bredthe in some places lesse after as the desert of Arabyk and the see cometh more or lesse ¶ Sythe that we haue spoken of the .xiiii. pryncipall realmes that be in Asye we shall speke after of the emperours of Asye the which hath holden the lordship of Asye after the byrthe of our lord Ihesu Chryst after the rehersynge of the hystores of the Oryent ¶ How the kynge of Persy was fyrst emperour of Asye AS saynt Luke sayth in his gospell the emperour of Rome Cesar Augustus helde the lordshippes of all the worlde in that tyme that oure lorde Ihesu Chryst was borne after that came a kynge of
Persye which was called Cosserossath he rose ayenst the emê‘our of Rome and made hym selfe to be called the emperour of Asye This emê‘our toke the lordeshippe of Persy of Mede of Armeny of Calde his power encerased somoch that he droue themperour of Rome his men from all the foresayd landes And the Persyens reygned in Asye the space of CCC yeres And after the Sarasyns toke the sayde lordship from them as here after shal be declared ¶ Whan the sarasyns entred into Syri IN the yere of the incarnacion of our lorde .vi. C. and xxxii yeres the euyllsede of Mahomet cam into the realme of Syri· And fyrst they toke froÌ„ the grekes handes then oble citie of Damas after they ocupyed all the realme of Sirie After they came be seged the cytye of Antyoche Whan themperour Eracles men were come to a playne that is named Pofferit the sarasyns came and met theym and thrre began a great batayle that lasted longe but at the ende the sarasyns had the victory And so many meÌ„ wer slayne in the same batayle that the bones yet be sene in the felde of the whiche thynge the grekes that kept the citie of Antioch were so a frayed in so moche that they delyuerd the lande into the sarasyns handê by appoyntmeÌ„tes Than the enemys of the holy faythe ocupyed Cylice Capadoce Lyconie and other ryche landes wherof they rose in so great pride that they apparellyd galeys and shippes and went to Constantynople fyrste they aryued in Cipres and there they toke a cytie that was called Constance there was the graue of saynt Barnabe the apostle and whan they had taken all the ryches of the sayd cytie they brake the walles downe to the foundacion and neuer syth the sayd citie was inhabyted And than they departed came to the yle of Rhodes toke it with other dyuers yles of the Rhomayns landes and brought prysoners without nombre And after they went to ConstaÌ„tinople and layd therto sege bothe by see by lande in great fere wer the cytizens in somoche that they cryed our lorde mercy wherof it fortuned god that is mercyfull sende a great tempest of wynd rayne in that somer That all the galeis of the sarasyns were broken and the enemis almoost all drowned and than the sarasyns retorned without doinge any other thynge ¶ How that the sarasyns entred into the realme of Mesopotamy WHan the christen meÌ„ of ConstaÌ„tynople se that they were delyuerd by the grace of god they made a soleÌ„pne day for to worshyp god for the honour of theyr saluatioÌ„ which day is kept euery yere to this day with great worship After that the sarasyns were refresshed a certen tyme after thei thought to gather a great nomber of people to take the realme of Mesopotamy and Calde That were of the lordship of the realme of Persy the kynge of Persy that was called Asobari othe feringe the great myght of the sarasyns sende his messangers to the kyng to the lordes his neyghbours that were at the syde of the flode of Phison and required theÌ„ of helpe and socoure promysinge great gyftes to all theym that shold come And vpon that thei came togyther to the realme of Turky aboute foure thousande men of armes that were called Turkmens and thei moued for to com helpe the kinge of Persy agaynst the sarasyns and so they passed ouer the flode of Physon But for cause it is the maner of that peple to cary wyues and chyldern with theym where so euer they go they coude nat take great iourneis The sarasyns that were in the realme of Calde that had taken the sayd realme thought that yf the hoost of the Turkmens shold come to gether with the hoost of Persy they sholde not lightly acoÌ„plyssh there owne men of the realme of Persy and toke counsayle to sende to the kyng of Persy the kyng of Persy that coude nat chuse put hyÌ„ ayenst theÌ„ And therby a cytye that is called Maraga began a great batayle which lasted loÌ„ge in that which was of bothe partes many men slayn and at the later ende the kinge was slayne in the batayle and so dyed this was in the yere of our lorde god .vi. C. and .xxxiii. ¶ How the sarasyns chose theyr sowdan AFter that the Sarasyns had taken the lordshyp of Persye and dyuers realmes in Asye they chose there amonge them a lorde the which they called the Sowdan that is to say kynge in latten tonge the foresayd Sarasyns toke the lordshyppe of the lande of the great Asye except the realme of Abcas that is in Georgy and a countray in the realme of Armeny that is called GlaÌ„segarfordis these two countreys holden agaynst the Sarazyns so well that they coude neuer haue the lordship of it And there the crysteÌ„ men fledde a way for fere of theyr enemys of the Turkmens that came for to helpe the kyng of Persy we shall say some thynge shortely bycause that their hystory shall be of more clere vnderstandyng the abouesayd Turkemens came to a lande that is called Corasten and there they herde tydinges of the vndoynge of the Persyens of the kynges deth wherfore they wold go no farther but they thought to holde this sayde lande of Corasten for them selfe and thought that they shold kepe it well ayenst the sayd Sarasyns wherof it hapened that the Sarasyns brought a great hoost togyder and came agaynst theÌ„ the TurkmeÌ„s feryng the batayle dyde send theyr messeÌ„gers to the Calyfe of baldach ê“ferynge them to his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t the which thinge pleased moche the sayd Calyfe to the sarsyns and so the receyued the Turkmens to a trust and chased theym out of the sayde lande of Corasten and put them out to dwell iÌ„ a nother land where that they sholde nat fere their rebellion and ordayned that they sholde pay euery yere a tribute to the lordeshyp And in this maner abode the Turkemens vnder the lordshyp of the Sarasyns longe tyme to the tyme that the sarasyns toke the lordshyp of Persy Mede and of Calde And there they turned all to the false lawe of Mahomet And after it fortuned that the Calyfe of baldach coÌ„maunded to come before hym all the moost old wysest men of the Turkmens desyred them that they sholde beleue in Mahometes lawe And that they shold teche the other Turkmens to beleue so and promysed them to do them great grace honour yf they wolde do his commaundment the Turkmens that had no lawe were lightly consentynge to the Calyfes wyll wherof it came that the Turkemens that were .lxiiii. nacions were made all sarasyns except two kynredes that were deceyued of the others And thaÌ„ thei began to loue the Turkmens to do them honoure grace And so longe dwelled ther the TurkmeÌ„s that they multiplyed of goodes people and there humbly wysely kept themselfe And the sarasyÌ„s kept the lordshyppe of Asye .iiii. C. and .xviii.
brought togyther agayne the hoost entred in to Siry And this noble Lady brought her men togyder in the cyte of Halap nygh to the flode of Eufrates cam to mete the Corasmyns fought there great was the batayle but at the later ende the Corasmyns were ouercome and fled awaye towarde the desert of Arabe and after they passed ouer the flod of Eufrates nygh to a castell that was called Racabe entred into the realme of Syry and cam to the prouince of Palastyne that is in the realme of HyerusaleÌ„ and dyde great damage to the cristen meÌ„ as it apereth in the historis of the passage of Godfray debullayn at the last this Corasmins began to murmure wolde not obey to theyr lorde and than they departed so that some went to the sowdan of Harmes and to other sowdans Which were .v. in Syry Whan that the Corasmins duke that was called Beretall se that his men were wasted send his messaÌ„gere to the sowdan of Babilon profered hym his seruice wherof the sowdan was ryght glad and receyued hym with a good wyll dyde great honour to the duke and to them that came with hym and departed the Corasmyns by all his landes bycause that he wolde nat haue theym all togyther And because of that the sowdans power of Babylon rose moche for the coÌ„myng of the Corasmyns that before was ryght smale And in conclusyon in short tyme the natyon of the Corasmyns cam to nought And then after the Tartas began to haue the lordshippe ¶ What couÌ„tray the Tartas inhabited fyrste THe lande countrey there as the Tartas dwelled fyrst is betwene the grete mouÌ„tayne of Beligian of this mountayn speketh the hystores of Alexander there as he maketh meÌ„cyon of the wylde men that he founde In that couÌ„trey dwelled fyrst the Tartas as beestysshe men that had no faythe nor lawe But went from place to place as beestes fedynge And of other natyons they were kept subgettes to the which they were seruauÌ„tes to dyuers natyoÌ„s of Tartas that wer named Malgothz came togyther ordayned captayns gouernours amonge theym And so they multyplied so moche that they were departed in vii nations And to this day these nations be taken more noble then the other The fyrst of this nation is called Tartar the second TaÌ„gothe the thryde Curach the .iiii. Iason the .v. Sonithe the syxte Mangly and the .vii. Tebethe And as it happened that these .vii nations dwelled in the subgectioÌ„ of theyr neyghbours as is before sayd It fortuned a poore olde maÌ„ that was called Cangius sawe in dremynge a visyon the which to hym semyng was a knyght in armour vpon a white horse that called hym by his name And sayde vnto hym Cangius that wyll of thy immortall god is suche that he oweth to beshortli gouernor made vpon the .vii. natyons of the Tartas that ben called Malgothz and that by hym they shal be delyuerd oute of the saruage that thei had longe ben in shall haue worship vpon theyr neighbours Cangius rose vp merily herynge the worde of Christ and rehersed the vision that he se to all the gentilmen but they wold nat beleue but skorned hym wherfore it fortuned the night folowynge the captayns of the .vii. nations se the white horse in visioÌ„ as Cangius had rehersed Which coÌ„maunded by the immortall god the they sholde obey all to CaÌ„gius and that they sholde kepe all his coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes wherfore the .vii. captayns abouesaid brought the people togyther and dyde make obesaunce and reuerence to Cangius And they them selfe dyde so as to theyr naturall lorde ¶ How Cangius was elect emperour of the Tartas AFter that the Tartas ordayned a seat in the myddes of them all putte there vpon the grouÌ„de a blacke carpet and made Cangius to syt therupon And the vii captayns of the .vii. natyons reysed hym vp with the sayd carpet set hym vpon the seate And named hym Can and with knelinge dyde hym all honour and reuerence as to theyr owne lorde ¶ Of the solempnyte that the Tartas dyde to theyr lorde In the tyme sholde no man maruayle of it for ê‘aduenture they coulde do no better or they had no fayrer clothe to set hym on but for that they wold nat change theyr first vsage It is marueyle seynge that they haue conquered so many landes and realmes yet they kepe theyr fyrst maner for thei wyll chuse their lorde and twyse haue I ben at thelectyoÌ„ of the Tartas emperour they assemble togyther in a great felde he that sholde be theyr lorde they caused hym to sytte vpon a blacke carpet and put a ryche seate in the myddes of them all And than after cam the noble men and the chefe of his kynred and lyft hym vp on hye and set hym vpon the seate after dyde hym all honour reuerence as to theyr naturall lorde for al the lordship or riches that they haue conquered they wode neuer chauÌ„ge theyr fyrst gyse And after that CaÌ„gius Can was made emperour by the coÌ„men wyll and coÌ„sent of all the Tartas First of all or Cang Can wold do any other thinge he wolde knowe if they all wolde be obedient vnto hym and than he coÌ„maunded .iii. coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes The fyrst coÌ„maundemeÌ„t was that they sholde all beleue worshyp one god immortall by the which he was made emê‘our And forthe withall the Tartas began to beleue and worship god and reclamed the name of god in all theyr warkes and dedes The seconde coÌ„maundemeÌ„t was that they shold viewe and nombre all them that were able to bere harnes and ordayned that vpon euery .x. sholde be a captayn ouer C. a captayn and ouer .x. M. was a captayn they called the company of the .x. thousande Thoman ¶ After that he coÌ„mauÌ„ded to the captayns of the .vii. natyons and lynages of the Tartas that they sholde yelde vp all theyr armes lordships And that they sholde hold and pay vnto hym as he sholde or dayn them The .iii. commauÌ„demeÌ„t that CaÌ„gius Can made was thought moche cruell to them all for he coÌ„maunded to the foresayd vii great captains that euery one sholde brynge his eldest sonne before hym and whan they had so done He coÌ„mauÌ„ded them that euery captayn sholde stryke of his sonnes heed the which coÌ„maundmeÌ„t they thought was moche felon not for because that they shold fere the people But bycause that they knew well that Cangius Can was made emperour by coÌ„maundement of the immortall god And so euery one of the .vii. captayns strake of his sonnes heed And than whan CaÌ„gius Can knewe the good wyll of his people and se that they wolde obey hym vnto the dethe Than he coÌ„maunded that they sholde be apperylled in knyghtes armour with hym ¶ How Cangius Can was saued by a byrde WHan Cangius Can had ordayned well wyselye his batayle he entred into the laÌ„des of theÌ„ that had loÌ„ge tyme kept the Tartas
.ix. knelynges and of the .ix. fote that the see went backe from the coost and made way of .ix. fote Where they passed all they mountayn of Belgyan by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god the Tartas haue the noÌ„bre of .ix. in great reuereÌ„ce Wherfore he that wyll present any thinge to his lorde and wolde that his present sholde be receyued graciously He must present the nombre of ix and so is the vsage of the Tartas vnto this day ¶ How Hoctoca Can made war in Asie HOctoca Can that was emê‘oure of the Tartas after the deth of his father CaÌ„gius CaÌ„ which was valyaÌ„t good and wyse also his people loued hym well were to hym faythfull and true euermore Hoctoca Can thought to conquere all the lande of Asie and before that he deê‘ted from the lande ther as he was he wolde knowe the power of all the kynges that were in Asie wold knowe which was the moost pusaunt Purposynge to fyght fyrst with hym for he thought that he sholde lightly ouercome the other if he might coÌ„quer the moost mighty ThaÌ„ Hoctoca Can send a wise and a valiant captayn which was named Gebesabada and sende with hym .x. thousande fightynge men and coÌ„mauÌ„ded them that they shold entre into the landes of Asie And to viewe the state and condicyon of the sayd lande and if thei fouÌ„d any mighty lorde whom thei wer nat able to resyst they shold shortly retorne backe agayn As Hoctoca Can coÌ„maunded it was acomplysshed for the sayd captayn with his x. thousand Tartas entred sodeÌ„lye into the landes of Asie there he toke cyties and landes Or the inhabitauntes were ware or before that thei coude make them redy to batayle or defende theÌ„ they kylde all the men of armes but they dyde no harme to the people They toke horse harnes vitayle and all suche thynges that they neded and went so farre in the land that they came to the mouÌ„tayn of Cocas For this mouÌ„tayn of Cocas one can nat passe the depe of Asie into great Asie but by the lycence of the peple of a cyte that the kynge Alexander closed vpon a narowe see that toucheth the mouÌ„tayne of Cocas This sayd cytye was taken by these .x. thousande Tartas in suche maner that the inhabytantes of the sayd cyte had no space nor tyme to defend them selfe And than they toke this cyte and all that was therin and put all the meÌ„ and women to the swerd And after that they brake downe all the walles of the cyte bycause that whaÌ„ they sholde come agayn they shold fynde nothing agaynst them This cytie was in the olde tyme called Alexander but nowe it is called porte de ferre The renowne of the Tartas was sprede ouer all the countreis and landes wherof it fortuned that the kynge of Georgi which was caled ynaims brought his hoost togyder came agaynst the tartas fought with them in a playne that is called Morgam The batayle lasted longe but at th ende the Georgyens were constrayned to fle away as discomfyt The tartas passed so ferre that they came to a cyte of turkey that is called Arseon and than they vnderstod that the sowdan of turkey was nere and how he had assembled his hoost togyder Therfore the tartas durst go no farther seynge that they were nat able to encounter agaynst the sowdaÌ„ of turkey they went backe agayne by an other way to theyr lorde The which they founde in a cyte that is called Amelect and tolde hym all that they had done and founde in the lande of Asie ¶ Whan the tartas lerned fyrst letters WHan Hoctoca Can vnderstode the maner condicyon of the lande of Asie He thought that there was no prynce that was able to withstand hym And than he called thre sonnes that he had and gaue them great ryches with a great nombre of men of armes And coÌ„mauÌ„ded them to entre into the lande of Asie conquering all the realmes landes And coÌ„maunded to his sonÌ„ Iochi that he sholde go toward the parties of Occident vnto the flode of Physon And to his second sonne that was called Bacho he coÌ„mauÌ„ded that he shold kepe his way towarde SepteÌ„trion and to the leest that was called Chasada coÌ„mauÌ„ded that he sholde ryde toward the South In this maner he departed his thre chyldren and send theÌ„ for to conquer these landes prouynces After that Hoctoca Can sprede his hoost abrode by the couÌ„treis so moche that the fore fronte of his hoost rought to the realme of Cathay the other front to the realme of Trase In those partes the tartas lerned leters for before that tyme thei had no letters and therfore the dwellers of the sayde couÌ„trey were all ydolatours The tartas began to honour the ydols but many of them confessed the immortall god gretter than the other ¶ After that themê‘our Hoctoca Can gaue to his eldest sonne that was called Bacho .xxx. thousande tartas that were called Tanachy that is to say conquerers and coÌ„maunded that they shold go that way that the .x. thousaÌ„d tartas kept and that they shold tary in no lande tyll they sholde come into the realm of Turky more ouer he coÌ„mauÌ„ded that thei shold proue if thei wer able to fyght agaynst the sowdan of Turky if that they dyde se that the sowdans power wer to great they sholde nat fyght with hym but they sholde do so moche to one of his chyldren which sholde be next them that he wolde gyue them helpe and men of warr And than after they met began the batayle of Bacho with .xxx. thousand tartas went so moche by theyr iourneis that they came to the realme of Turkey there he vnderstode that the sowdan that had dryued away the .x. M. tartas was deed After hym one of his sonÌ„es that was called Giriacadyn was made lorde this sodan was in great fere for the tartas coÌ„mynge and than he gathered and waged all maner of men that he coude haue as Barbarins and Latyns that had two captayns of the which one was called Iohn de la limynate which was of the ple of Cipre And the other was called Bonyface de moulins and he was of the cyte of Venyse ¶ Of the batayle the was betwene the sowdan of Turky the tartas WHan the sowdan of Turky had gathered his hoost of all the parties He came fought with the tartas in a place that is called Asadache the batell was grete and many men slain of bothe parties but at the laterend the tartas had the victory entred into the landes of Turky coÌ„quered the sayd landes In the yer of our lorde god M.CC.xliii And than nat longe tyme after Hoctoca Can themê‘our of the tartas dyed And after hym one of his sonnes was made lorde which was called Guyot CaÌ„ this Guyot CaÌ„ lyued nat long after hym One of his cosyns was made lord which was called MaÌ„go Can the which was moche valyant
wyse conquered many landes lordships but at the ende as a man that hath a great hert he entred vpon the see And as he layde sege to an yle the which he wold haue takeÌ„ by the see syde The men of that lande that were subtyll send for men that coud swym vnder the water which meÌ„ entred vnder the vessel in the which Mango Can was in And there they taryed so longe vnder the water that they brake the vessell iÌ„ dyuers places so moche the the water entred into the sayd vessell of the which thing MaÌ„go Can toke no hede tyll the sayd vessell was well nygh full began to synke vnder the water And so was MaÌ„go CaÌ„ themê‘our of the tartas drowned his meÌ„ went home agayn made his brother lorde that was called Cobila Can the which kept the lordship of the tartas .xlii. yeres And made them christen men closed a cyte which is called Ioing that is gretter than Rhome And in this cytie dwelled Cobila Can which was the .v. emê‘our of the tartas tyll the last ende of his dayes We shall leue to speke of MaÌ„go Can and shall retorne to speke of Hoctoca Cans chyldren of Halcon of his heyres and of his warkes ¶ How Iochy conquered the realme of Turquestan Persy IOchy the first sonne of Hoctoca CaÌ„ rode toward OccydeÌ„t with all his men that his father had gyueÌ„ hyÌ„ And conquered the realm of Turquestan and of Persy the left and than he went to the flodde of Physon and there he founde the couÌ„treis full of all goodes and dwelled in the sayde countrey in rest and peace and multiplied in gret richesse And vnto this day the heyres of the foresayd Iochy holde the lordeship of the sayd lande And there be two lordes that holde the lordshippe of the sayd lande The one is called Chapar and the other Thochay they be brethern and lyue in rest and peace ¶ How Bacho and a great parte of his men wer drowned in the ryuer of Austrich BAcho the seconde sonÌ„ of Hoctoca CaÌ„ with the men that his father had gyuen vnto hym rode towarde the partyes of Septentrion dyde so moche that he cam to the realm of Comany The kyng of Comany thinkynge well for to defende his lande gathered his hoost and fought agaynst the tartas but at th ende the Comayns were discoÌ„fyt And they droue theÌ„ Comains vnto the realme of Hongrye and yet vnto this day be many Comayns dwellyng in Hongry ¶ After that Bacho had dryuen the Comayns oute of the realme of Comany He entred into the realme of Roussy and toke it and he conquered the realme of Gezere and the realme of Bulgary And after he rode to the realme of Hongry and ther he found some Comayns and toke them After that the tartas passed toward Almayn dyde so moch that they came to the ryuer syd the ran by Almain by the duchy of Austrych the tartas thought to passe by a bridge that was ther but the duke of Austrych caused the brydge to be garnysshed so that the tartas coude nat passe ouer whan Bacho se that he coude nat passe ouer the brydge Herydde into the water with his horse and dyde begynne to swym and than he commaunded to his men that they shold passe ouer swymming Wherin he put hym selfe and his men in great danger For before that they coude passe ouer theyr horses was so wery that they coude swymme no lengar And so Bacho and a great parte of his men were drowned in the foresayd ryuer of Austrych or they coude pas ouer or come to the other syde ¶ wHan the other Tartas that were nat entred into the water se theyr lorde Bacho theyr other company drowned Full sory and heuy they daê‘ted and went backe to the realme of Roussi and of Comany And neuer after the Tartas entred into Almayn ¶ The heyres of the sayd Bacho holde the lordshippe of the realme of Corasme the realme of Comany and the realm of Roussy And he that is nowe lorde was Hoctoca Canâ— thyrde sonne which was called Chacaday ¶ How Iochy receyued his broder Chacaday CHacaday the thyrde sonÌ„ of Hoctoca Can with his meÌ„ that his father had gyuen vnto him rode toward the Southe tyll he came to the ê‘ties of Inde the leest And there he founde moche voyd lande and no men dwellynge therin And so he coude nat passe but he lost his men and many of his beestes After that he went towarde the Occydent and dyde so moche that he came to his brother Iochy and rehersed to hym all his fortune ¶ Iochy receyued his brother his company full humbly gaue vnto them part of his landes that he had coÌ„quered And in contineÌ„t were the two brothers to gyder there men in good peace and rest And he that is nowe lorde is called Baretath ¶ How and whan the kynge of Armeny laft his owne countrey came to the kynge of the Tartas And how he required .vii. peticyons of hym IN the yere of our lord god a thousand two houderde and thre fyfti Hayton the king of Armeny of good remembraunce seyng that the tartas hadde conquered all the countreys and realmes to the realm of Turkey He toke counsayle for to go to the kyng of the Tartas to take with hym his goodes his frendes The king of Armeny by the counsell of his barownes send before for his brother sir Symme Batat constable of the realme of Armeny And than the constable went to the realme of the Tartas and to the lord Mango Can and brought hym many riche presentes and was courtesly receyued ¶ And whan he had accomplysshed well all his besynesses for the whiche his brother the kynge of Armeny had sende hym for Veryli he taryed foure yeres or that he came agayn into Armeny and whan he had tolde to his brother the kynge what he had done and founde By and by the kynge apparylled hym and his men of armens and wente pryuely he and his men by Turky for that that he wolde nat be knowen And he merre with a captayn of the Tartas the whiche had ouer come the sowdan of Turkey the kynge of Armeny gaue him knowlege and tolde to hym how that he was goynge to themperour of the tartas And than the sayd captayne gaue hym company to bryng hym to the port de ferr And after that the king found other company that brought hym to the cytye of Maleth and there was Mango Can themê‘our of the Tartas the which was eyght gladde of the kynge of Armenes coÌ„myng And receyued hyÌ„ honorably gaue hym great gyfâ—es and great graces After that the kynge of Armeny had taryed certayn dayes he made his requestes and required of themperour seuen thinges ¶ The first thing that the kynge required of theÌ„perour was that he and his men sholde becom cristen men and that they sholde be baptised The seconde that
For cause that they coude nat fynde pasture for theyr horses tyll many dayes iourneys ende for this couÌ„trey is dry and barr And so or thei coud coÌ„e to they good landes theyr horses shulde dye for lacke of meate And with a small company of eÌ„nemys they that shulde passe myght lese theyr lyues by the other way at the ende Totays meÌ„ myght entre iÌ„to CarbaÌ„das landê .vi. monethes in the yer in the wynter tyme. but Albaga dyde make a dayes iourney of length lysses dykes and thynges iÌ„ a place that is called Cyba now there be men of warr forto kepe the passages Totays men haue many tymes proued forto passe priuily but they coude nat For they must passe by a playne that is called Mongan In this playne be euer in wynter a maner of wylde-foule that they call Seyserach these byrdes be as great as fesaÌ„tes and with feyre feders And whan any men coÌ„e into this playn these byrdes fle away and passe the Lyces toward the playn of Mongan by the token of these byrdes commyng The kepars of the sayd Lices knowe the coÌ„myng of theyr ennemys and than they puruey for them for the kepynge of the sayde passage By the other way toward the maior see they durst nat entre for they shuld be fayn to entre and passe by the realme of Dabcas Which is garnysshed with men stronge landes so they can nat passe And by this maner CarbaÌ„da his auncetours haue defeÌ„ded theyr laÌ„des from the great myght of theyr ennemys neyghbours ¶ The maner and gyse that the tartar vse amonge them yEt shall we say some thyÌ„ge of the tartas maner custome The tartas be moche dyuers of maner and custome It is nat possible to reherse the dyuersite of them the Tartas beleue in god and name god onely they saye that god is immortall And none other reuereÌ„ce thei do to god nother by praier fasting aflictions nor none other good dedê The tartas thyÌ„ke no synne to haue kylde a man if the byt was in the horse mouth they thinke to haue syÌ„ned deedly The tartas thinke that the deed of lechery is no synne they haue dyuerse wyues by theyr guyse custome after the dethe of theyr father the sonÌ„ must take for his wyfe his mother in lawe And the brother the wyfe that was his brothers wyfe and make theyr beddes togyder The tartas be good meÌ„ of armes to theyr lordes they be obedyent more thaÌ„ any other nation Ther lorde gyueth them no wages but he may take from theÌ„ what it please hym Nor for cost or ridynge theyr lorde is nat bounde to gyue them any thing but they be fayne to lyue on their pray hauÌ„tyng that thei take vpon their eÌ„nemies whaÌ„ the tartas ryd passe by a passage ther as they thinke to fynd no vitayles they bringe with theÌ„ great plenty of beestes kyne mares lyue of the mylke of the flesshe of these beestes ete it say that it is good flesshe The tartas be moch light in dede of armes a horsbake but a fote they be nat moche worth for they can nat go a fote whaÌ„ thei be ordayned forto fyght they vnderstande shortly theyr captayns wyll and knowe what they haue to do Wherfore the captayns rule theyr men lightly without any labour the Tartas be subtyll forto take townes and castels The tartas seke euer ther aduaÌ„tage vpoÌ„ theyr ennemys in batayle wyll do none other thynge to theyr profet The tartas haue more vauntage than other men for if they be in a felde togyder forto fyght agaynst theyr ennemys if it please theÌ„ thei shall fight if the batayle pleased nat theÌ„ theyr eÌ„nemis can nat fyght agaynst theÌ„ nor come nygh theÌ„ The tartas batayle is moche mortall for in one lytell batayle of the tartas ther shuld be more meÌ„ slayne wounded than in a great batayle of other men and that is for the bowes arowes that they ocupyed whan the tartas be ouer com they ronÌ„ all togyther as nigh as it can be possible is a peryllous thinge to folowe them for in goyng they kyll with their bowes horses meÌ„ shote backward as thei do forward if thei se that their ennemys folowed folysshely they torne vpon them And somtyme it happened that they that ran after them by kylled slayne The tartas hoste is nat of grete mustre bycause that they go nygh one with an other so nygh that .x. housaÌ„de tartas shewe nat .v. hunderd the tartas be of fayre speking to their hoostes and courtesly they spende theyr meate And lykewise that they shulde ben done with them or els they wolde take some parforce the tartas can well conquer the straÌ„ge thinges but they can nat kepe it For they loued better to be in tentes and in the feldes thanne in the townes the tartas be moche couytouse and occupied moche to take other mennes goodes and they caÌ„ nat kepe theyr owne and nought thei wyll spend whan the tartas be in coÌ„pany ther as they may be maisters they be of great corage and proude And whaÌ„ they se that thei caÌ„ nat haue the mastry thei be courtes honest the tartas wyll euer take thingê to theyr ê“fet shortly they be vp and in .ii. thinges they dar nat make a lye nor say that they had done any good dede of armes yf they had nat done nor deny theyr euyll dedes if they had done any The other before the lorde or the Iuge in iugmeÌ„t he dare nat deny the trouth though he shuld be coÌ„deÌ„pned or lese his lyfe as moche as is sufficyent that tartas speketh ¶ The maner howe a kynge or a prince shlud order theÌ„ to warr REason requireth that who so euer wyll moue warr agaynst his ennemys ought to coÌ„sidre .iiii. thinges First he ought to haue Iust resonable cause or good lytell to moue the warr these conde thyng that he ought to se to his power if he be sufficient for all the cost furnyssh other thyngê belongyng to the warr to begynne maynteyn and finysshe the thyrd is that he ought wisely enquer of the coÌ„dicyon and maner of his ennemis the fourth is that he ought to begyn warr in a coÌ„uenyent sea son and tyme. And frere Hayton that by the coÌ„maundement of our lorde the apostle ought to speke of this matter I may say truely that the christeÌ„men haue Iust and resonable cause to moue warr agaynst the sarasyns to the valyaunt kynred of Mahomet For they haue occupyed theyr owne herytage that is the holy lande the whiche almyghti god promysed to the cristenmen And ther they fynde the sepulture of our lorde Ihesu that is the begynnynge of the christen fayth And for the great dishonesty and great losse of blode that the cristeÌ„men haue had by the sarasyns and euyll lyuers in tyme passed for other dyuers reasons that shulde
be long to reherse The second reson I say that no man ought to be in doute for the holy church of rome which is lady maisters of all the world hath wyll power by the grace of god and with the helpe of the good kynges and princes of the cristen fayth And the seruauntes of Christ to delyuer the sepulture the holy lande from the sarasyns power the which lande they hold and occupy by our synnes Of the thyrde reason the fourth I speke it is to knowe the maner and condicion of his eÌ„nemys and to chose tyme place and season conuenyeÌ„t forto begyn warre I must speke more at length for a good surgyen that ought to knowe the syckenes of that which he wyll gyue helth Likewyse a kyng or a priÌ„ce ought te enquer thintent condicyon and state of his ennemys to thintent that he may begyn his warre wisely maynteyn and bringe to a good end To a prince in dedes of war the secrete of his ennemys ought nat to be hydde from him For the thynges that be proued before hand can do no grefe and in the maters vnpurueyed somtymes trouble Many meÌ„ coragious is dedes of armes and bataylles whan they haue no tyme nor rome to beware of the people and dangers that be redy to come in all other maner of warkes A remedy may be found except in batayle if it be any faute in for soone after the payn foloweth aft the cost wherfore to thiÌ„tent that more euydent vnderstaÌ„dyng shuld be vpon oursayeng we shal speke of the passage of the holy land And also we shall say some thingê of the state condicyon of the lande of Egipt the hoost of Babylon of the ennemys power ¶ How the sowdan ordereth his barownes and his knyghtes THe sowdan that holdeth nowe the realm of Egypt and of Syrie is named Melcuaser is a Cumany by his natyon The knyghtes and the hoost of Egypt be men of dyuers partê and of strauÌ„ge landes for the men of that countrei be nought bowed a fote nor an horsbacke nother by see nor land The sowdaÌ„ of Egiptes power of fotemeÌ„ is nat great but of horsmen is mighty Verily the moost part of theÌ„ be Sclauys that haue ben bought solde the which the euyl cristeÌ„men brought there forto sell them for couetise of money And other be they that were takeÌ„ in batayle which be coÌ„strayned to forsake the lawe of Christ But the Sclauys that be solde be more praysed and more honoured and dyuerse tymes it happened that many wolde be sold bycause that they shall be the better beloued of theyr lord and maister The sowdaÌ„ of Egypt is euer in great dout and suspection of his men for thei be of such coÌ„dicyon that they euer take the lordshyppe of their pryÌ„ce And by reason of that many sowdans hath ben slayne The hoost of Egypt may be about .xx. thousand knyghtes and some of them be good warryours vsed to do verily the grettest parte is but of small price whan the sowdaÌ„ goeth with his hoost he taketh with hym a great quantyte of stoffe and of laden horses for the warre They haue resonably of goodes lyght forto ronne theyr horses and mules be but small nor they caÌ„ nat do moch labour and thei haue great nede of good kepyng The hoost of Egypt is euer redy and apparylled to the sowdans coÌ„maundement for all they inhabit in the cyte of Cayre The condicyon of the hoost of Egypt is suche euery maÌ„ of armes hath his wages whiche passeth nat .vi. skore floryns and euery man is bounde to kepe .iii. horses and a camell forto bere his stoffe And whan the sowdan bringeth his men out of the realme of Egypt he gyueth them somwhat more if it please hym The sowdaÌ„ departeth his wages and offices and gyue them in kepynge to his barownes that he called Admiralles to some he gyueth a hunderd to some .ii. honderd more lesse After that he wyll do more honor and profet to one than to an other For if the sowdan gyue power to one admyrall to kepe an hunderd or two honderd knightes he shall gyue hym for all the hole wagê as moche as it shall come to in a hole somÌ„e And by reason of this the sodan hath great faure iÌ„ his seruice For this Admyrall that gyue seruyce to an huÌ„derd or two huÌ„derd knyghtê thei be SclauoÌ„s of their owne money delyuerd harnes horses and put them in seruyce for men of warre and receyued theyr wagis And sykemeÌ„ of small price and gaue them some thinges and delyuerd them horses and harnes And receyue wages for them all the remenaÌ„t thei put iÌ„ their purses Wherfore diuerse tymes amonge sur he men is found but fewe valyant men ¶ Of the subtyltie of the sowdan of Egypt to conquer cyties THe myght of the sowdaÌ„ in the realme of Syrie may well be .v. M. knightes that haue theyr lyueng vpon the rentes of the lande yet there is a great noÌ„bre of Bednyns turkmens that be woodmen do great helpe to the sowdan Whan he wyll put sege to any lande for if he wyll without any wages but gyueng them some He may haue them forto go in batayle or forto defende his lande The aboue sayd BednyÌ„s turkmens wolde do nothyng for the sodan without great wages and yf the sowdan wolde cause theÌ„ to do byforce they shuld go away The turkmeÌ„s ioyned to the mouÌ„tayns and the Bednyns ioyned to the desertê of Arabe yet the sowdaÌ„ hath a sergeantre a fote in the couÌ„treis of Moyllebech about the mouÌ„t Lyban in the lande of the AssasyÌ„s And myght haue helpe of theÌ„ to put the sege to a cyte or to a castell or forto kepe the lande in their couÌ„trey But out of theyr couÌ„trey they wolde nat go for the sowdan nor he can nat constrayn them for the great mouÌ„tayns ther as they be The sowdaÌ„ of Egypt is moch subtyll for to take cytyes castels and iÌ„ diuers maners they set vpoÌ„ the landes Forby trosbowes stones mynes vnder the grounde and by fyre that caÌ„ nat be put out And by other maner that thei take the landes lyghtly without any ê‘yll ¶ Why they of Egypt yelded theÌ„ to the sarasyns THemê‘our of Grece kept the lordshyp of Egypt And gouerned the lande by dukes and by officers that he sende euery yer to receyue the rentes of the landes and sende them to theÌ„perour of ConstaÌ„tinople and so the lordshyppe of the grekes was in the lande of Egypt tyll in the yere of our lorde god .vii. C. hunderde .iiii. They of the lande of Egypt coude nat suffre the wronges that the Grekes dyd vnto theÌ„ and than they yelde them to the sarasyns and chose a lorde amonge them of Mahometz kynred named hym Calyfe and all theyr lordes were called Calyfe And kept the lordshippe of Egypt those of Mahometz kynred CCC.xlvii
yeres After that the sarasyns toke the landê and the Medyens that be called Cordins ocupied the lordshyppe of Egypt as we shall say here after ¶ How the christenmen were driuen out of Egypt IN the yere of our lord god a thousand .liii. kyng Almaur kynge of HierusaleÌ„ of good mynd gathered his hoost in all the lande of Hierusalem and entred into Egypt and conquered many landes and cytes as it is wrytten in the boke of the holy lande conquestes The Calyfe seynge that he coude abyde agayn the christeÌ„meÌ„s power send his messangers to the sowdan of Halap that kept Mahometez lawe And thought to haue a great treasour of the Calyfe that was called Saraton he and a great coÌ„pany of men a war came to helpe the Calyfe those men dyd so moch that they droue the christeÌ„men out of the lande of Egypt riche and delectable And the power of the Calyf was smale the sowdan coueyted the lordship wherfore he toke hym and put hyÌ„ in pryson than after he set vpon the lande valyantly and put it in his subiection and made hym sodan and lorde of Egypt this Paraton was of the Corasmyns nacion and was the fyrst lorde in Egypt of his nation ¶ After the dethe of SaratoÌ„ one of his sonnes was made lorde of Egipt that was called Salzadin And this Salzadyn dyd so moch that he vndyde the kyng of Hierusalem and toke his cyties byforce and toke dyuers other landes of the christeÌ„mens as it apperith by the boke of the coÌ„questes of the holy lande After the deth of Salzadyn his brother and one of his neuiewes one after an other kept the lordship of Egypt tyll the sowdaÌ„s tyme that was called Mellecasa This Mellecasa was sowdan of Egypt at that tyme that the Tartas toke the realme of Cumany the sowdan herde say that the tartas solde the Cumayns that they had takeÌ„ to a good shyppe And thaÌ„ he sende dyuers marchauntes with a great quantite of good for to by some of the sayd Cumayns and iÌ„ specylly of the yongest and many of them was brought into Egypt Malacasa dyde norysshed them loued them moche and lerned theÌ„ to ryde and to the armes and tru sted them well and kept them euer nygh him And in that tyme that the kyng of Fraunce Loys passed ouer the see and was taken of the sarasyns the aboue sayd CucumaÌ„s that were bought and solde kylde there lorde Malecasa and made one of them lorde that was called Turkmen and by the reason of this the kyng of Fraunce and his brother that were in the sarasyns pryson were the soner bought agayn and delyuerd out of pryson In this maner began the CucumaÌ„s to haue lordship in Egypt this kinred of the CucumaÌ„s is called chapchap into the OrieÌ„t partê nat many dayes after one of this Sclauons which was called Cochos kylled the sayd TurkemeÌ„t made hym sowdan and was called Melomees This man went into the realme of Syrie and driued out Gynbago and .x. thousaÌ„d tartas the which Halcon had left for to kepe the lande of Syrie As he retorned to Egypt an other of the sayde Cucumans kylde hym Which was called BeÌ„docdar and made hym sowdaÌ„ and made hym calle Meldaer This was moche wise and valyant to the armes to his power he rose moche the sarasyns power in the realme of Sirie and Egypt And toke many cyties and landes that the christenmen kept And toke byforce the noble cyte of Antyoch In the yere of our lorde god M.CC.lxviii ¶ In the realme of Cucumanie this maÌ„ dyde moch harme in this Bendocdar dayes Whan syr Edwarde kyng of Englande passed ouer the see The sowdaÌ„ thought to haue kylde hym by an Assasyn by the which Assasyn the kyng was hurt with a knyfe that was poysoned but he was hole agayne by the grace of god ThaÌ„ after it happened that the sowdan had a drinke with mortall venym and dyed in the cyte of Damas. After his deth his sonne that was called Melecsart was mad sowdaÌ„ but he kept nat long the lordshippe of Egypt for an other Cucumant that was called Elsy dryue hym oute of the lordship and the lande of Egypt made him sodan This Elsy was he that layd sege before the cyte of Triple and toke it byforce In the yere of our lorde god a thousand two hondred foureskore nyne ¶ How Elsy was poysoned IN the yer after the sayd Elsy brought all his power to gyder nygh Babylone taryenge forto put sege afore Acre Vpon a day as he put hym in a pleasaunte place for to ease hym selfe yt fortuned that a seruaunt the whiche he trusted well and had made hym constable of his hoost gaue hym poyson to drynke and dyed soone after This coÌ„stable occupyed the lordshyp but the other ran vpon hym and cutte hym all in pecys After that one of Elsy soÌ„nes was made sowdan that was named Melecasseraph the which toke the cytie of Acre and put out of the landes of Syrie all the christenmen This was in the yere of our lorde god a thousande CC. lxxxxi ¶ How Melcuaser was made sowdan of Egypt WHaÌ„ Melecasseraph was retorned into Egipt vpoÌ„ a day he went a huntyng and ther a seruaunt kylde hym in the wode and soone after the seruaunt was kylde by the other And after that he that is sowdan nowe was made sowdan in Egypt that is called Melcuaser which was Melecasseraph brother And bycause that this Melecuaser was yonge he was put vnder an ouersear which was of the tartas nacion and was called Ginboga this Gynboga putte away this chyld Melecuase and put hym inward into the crake of mouÌ„t royall and toke the lordship made hymselfe sowdan and was called Melecadell In this Melechadels dayes was so grete nede of vitayles that all the sarasyns dyed for hunger if it had nat ben for the false christenmen that brought them vitayle Inough for couytes of money Aft that it happened the tidynges came of the tartas coÌ„mynge thaÌ„ Ginboga gathered his hoste went into the realme of Syrie forto defend the lande agaynst the tartas This Ginboga honoured moch those that had beÌ„ tartas kept theÌ„ nere hym of this the CucumaÌ„s had great enuy Wherfore it happed that as Ginboga retorned to Egypt the Cucumans put hym out of his lordeship and made one of thaÌ„ sowdan that was called Lachyn was called after Melecuaser This Lachyn wold nat kyll Gynboga bycause that he wolde be his felowe but gaue him a couÌ„trey that was called Sarta and after that he gaue hym the lordshyp of Haman but he wolde nat suffre that Ginboga shuld dwell in Egypt This sowdan taryed .iii. yeres in the castell of Cayre for fere of his men except a day that he came downe to the playn and came there to play at the foreball his horse fyll vnder hym and brake his legge After it happed that vpon a day this sowdan Lachyn played at cheker had putte his
swerde nygh hym one of his owne seruauntes toke the swerde and strake hym sone after the other ran vpon hym that had done the dede cut hym all in pecis and after that the sarasyns wer in great debate for to make a sowdan but iÌ„ th end they agreyd and put Melecuaser aforesayd in the lordship the which Ginboga had last in the crake of mount royall This sowdan is he that ouercame Casan in the felde is yet sowdan of Egipt It shal be forgyuen me yf I speke to lange of the Cucumans that be subgettes bought solde of the sowdans of theyr kinred for I do to shewe that the sarasins can nat be long without such a fortune shuld come vnto theÌ„ by the whiche they might nat coÌ„e out of Egipt nor go with an hoost in an other lande ¶ How the lande of Egypt is watred with the water of flud Gyon THe realm of Egipt is moche riche delyctable It is .xv. dayes iourney of length thre dayes iourney in brede The land of Egipt is a yle for by both the sydes is desertes sand is and of the other part is the see of grece toward thorient is more nygh of the lande of Syrie than of any other lande Verily betwene the .ii. realmes is well .viii. dayes iourney of way all landes towarde thoccydent finysshed to one of the Barbare prouynce that is called Darta betwene these two landê is well .xv. dayes iourney of desertes toward mydday fynisshed with the realme of Nabye which be cristeÌ„men and all blacke for the hete of the sonne And bytwene the two landes is well .xii. dayes iourney and all sandes In the realm of Egypt be .v. prouinces The first is called Sayth the seconde Meser the thyrde Alexander the .iiii. Rychy This couÌ„trey is closed of the see and fluddes of an yle and the other Damyette The chefe cytie of the realme of Egypt is called Cayre and is nygh of an olde cytie that is called Meser These two cyties be vpon the fuld of Nyll syde which roÌ„neth by the lande of Egypt that is called Gion This fludde is moch ê“fitable for it watreth all the landes ther as it passeth and maketh all the laÌ„des fruit full and habondaunte of all maner of goodê In the flud of Nyll be fysshes ynough and bere great shippes for it is great depe and aboue all the fluddes the Nyll may be prased yf it were nat that there is a maner of beestes that be called dragons deuoured horses men that be vpon the water vpoÌ„ the see whan thei may haue them These beestes be called Cocalx the fludd of Nyll riseth ones in a yer and begynneth to ryse at myddes of August so risynge tyll saynt Michaels day And whan it is so high that it can no more the meÌ„ of the countrey let the water ron by bykes smale ryuers so that they water all the countrey And so the water tarieth there .xl. dayes and whan the gound is dry the peple sowe set all the ground And bycause of the sayd watryng all maner of goodes growe in the lande for in these partes is neuer rayne nor snowe nor ye ran nat knowe the winter from the somer yet the habytauntes of Egypt hath put a colombe of Marble in the myddê of the flude of Nyll in a lytell yle that is called meser haue made tokeÌ„s in the sayd colombe And whaÌ„ the fludde is flowen as moche as it may they loke vpoÌ„ the colombe tokens after the risyng of the water they shall knowe yf they shall haue great plenty of goodes that yere or toskant And vpon that thei set price vpon theyr marchauÌ„dyse The water of the fludde of Nyll is holsome to drinke but whan it is taken out of the fludde it is to hote But they put it in a vessell of yerth than it is clere colde holsome In the realme of Egypt be two see portes or hauens the one is called Alexander and the other Damyette In Alexanders porte may well come in shippes galyes the cyte is strong well walled The waters that they drinke in Alexandre cometh in cundittes from the flude of Nyll of that which they fylled their cesterns that thei haue ynough in the cyte They haue none other water that thei might drynke Wherefore yf the water that ronned in the cundytes myght be stopped they shuld be in great payne long they coude nat lyue by any other wise it shuld be hard to take Alexander biforce The cytie of Damyette is vpon the flude of Nyll which was well closed in the olde tyme but it was taken twyse by the christeÌ„meÌ„ Ones by the kyng of Hierusalem by the other crysteÌ„men of thorient And the other tyme by the kyng of Fraunce sayÌ„t Loys and bycause of that the sarasins brake it downe and transported ferre from the see they made no walles nor stronge place called this newe lande newe Damy ette And the old Damyette is all wasted with the portes of Alexandre and Damyette The sowdan hath great goodes the lande of Egypt yelde great haboundance of socour of almaner of goodê they haue nat moch wines but the wyne that groweth there is very good the sarasyns dare nat drinke wyn because that it is for bydden them by theyr lawe moten heÌ„nes and gottes thei haue ynough but thei haue nat moch befe And ere hors flesshe in the realme of Egypt be some christeÌ„men dwellynge ther that be called kepty hold the maner of the Iacobyns And in that parties they haue dyuers abbeys holde them fre and in peace and these Keptys were the oldest heyres of the lande of Egypt for the sarasyns began to inheryt the land sythe that they had the lordship the thynges that they can nat fynd in Egypt that the EgipcieÌ„s coude nat fynd if they shuld nat haue of other men they shuld haue great nede as yron other thinges bycause faute of that thei coud nat lyue longe in all the realme of Egypt is no cytie nor castell walled but the cyte of Alexandre that which is well walled The sowdan dwelled in the castell of Cayre whiche was nat stronge all the lande of Egypt is kept defended by knightes Than syth the hoost of Egipt was ouercome the land might be shortly coÌ„qÌ„red wtout any daÌ„ger ¶ Whan tyme is to moue warr IN fewe wordes I say that I may say these wordê Ecce nunc tempus acceptabile ecce nunc dies salutis For verily it is coÌ„uenyent tyme acceptable and counable tyme to moue warre agaynst his eÌ„nemys of the holy faith Nowe is tyme couenable to gyue helpe to the holy lande the which hath ben longe in the euyll beleuers handes nowe is tyme conuenyeÌ„t in the which the corages of Christes louers ought to be in mynde to the holy landes passage to thin tent that the holy sepulture of our lorde
as nede is Than the sarasyns of Egypt shuld haue gret nede and hunger and yet it is nat longe that it came so moch that yf it had nat ben for christenmen that brought them by the see for couytouse of money they had ben deed for hunger And whan suche a nede shulde coÌ„e to thennemys they shuld be come poore and shuld be fayne forto sell theyr horses brynge away theyr chyldren and seruauntes And by this reason they shulde nat haue power to depart out of Egipt nor come iÌ„to Syrie Euery one must cary with hym all suche thynges and baggage that they haue nede of for vlii dayes for hym selfe his beestes and his housholde for thei fynde but sandes and downes in the sayd .viii. dayes iourney Wherfore he that shuld nat haue horses nor camels shuld nat haue power to departe out of Egypt And by this maner the sowdan shulde be so troubled that he coude nat com to socoure the realme of Syrie yet whan thennemys haue had longe tyme warre yet great aduersytes and thoughtfull to thennemys yf the wayes vpon the see were kept that nothynge shulde be brought into theyr countrey of suche thinges as they haue moste ned to as yron stele and other thinges that they coud nat haue but it wer brought vnto theym out of straunge countreis And without such thinges they coude nat longe endure yet whan the Nubyens or the Bednyns moued warre to the Sowdan he myght be by suche warre so troubled that he coude nat depart out of Egipt nor go in Syrie yet whan the lande of Syrie hath nede nat good seasoÌ„ by drynes or by warr of the tartas or in other maner for if the wayes shuld fayle the hoost of Egipt coud nat come forto dwell in Syre for out of Egipt other landes their coud bringe nothinge into Syrie and by this reason the hoost of thennemys coude nat departe out of Egipt Than if theÌ„nemys shuld haue some of these aduersytes without any faute they coude nat deê‘t out of Egypt forto come to Syrie Than the christeÌ„ men myght occupy the realme of Hierusalem and myght repare the cyties castels and garnysshe them in suche maner that they shuld neuer fere the power of theyr ennemys ¶ How imbassadours wer send to Carbanda a kynge of the tartas that the ennemys shuld haue nothinge brought to them SIth that we haue resonably spoken deuised of the prosperites and aduersities that myght come to thennemys We shall say in this party the begynnynge of the passage of the holy lande I thinke for the suerti and the profet of the passage that at begynnynge a certayn nombre of horsmen fotemen myght knowe the power of thennemys as me semeth For this present tyme it shulde be sufficient to the nombre of a thousand knyghtes .x. galeys and thre thousande dykers vpoÌ„ this men shulde be sende a legate by the church and a wyse captayn and a valyaunt that shulde passe with them ouer the see to the yle of Cypres in the realme of Armeny as they shuld thinke the best to do Aft that without any tarienge by the kyng of Armenys couÌ„sell they shulde sende messangers to Carbanda a kyng of the tartas requiring two thynges The one shuld be that Carbanda shuld defende in all his landes that nothyng shuld be brought in the lande of the ennemis The other was that he shuld sende his messaÌ„gers of his men a warr into the countreis of Meletur that they shulde ronÌ„ waste Halaps landes After that we pylgrims them of the realm of Cypres of Armeny by see by land we shuld moue warre and vndertake valyantly the ennemys landes and that they shulde take payne to kepe the see in suche maner that nothynge shulde be brought into the ennemys landes yet our christeÌ„men myght garnysshe the yle of Corcose which is in a good place for to receyue the galleys ther they myght do a great dammage to the eÌ„nemis Now verily I shall leue to speke of the maner of the begynnynge of warre and to sette vpon the ennemys for after the condicyon and state of the ennemys shulde be nedys to chauÌ„ge couÌ„sell vse by the wysemeÌ„s couÌ„sell that shuld be present to the dede The profettê the goodes the might come of this first vyage passage I shall shortly herafter declare ¶ How the sowdaÌ„ of Egypt shuld be brought subget to the christenmen and to the Tartas THe first profet shuld befor this fyrste passage might be ordayned so that theÌ„nemis myght be so sore troubled by the helpe of the other christeÌ„men that be in the parties of thorieÌ„t and by the tartas that thei coude haue no rest but they shulde suffre great thoughtes great damages for if by the christeÌ„men and by the tartas the warr was done to the sowdan of Egypt by see and by lande into the realme of Syrie The sowdaÌ„ shulde be fayne to sende his men forto kepe and defende the passages and cyties that be nygh of the see and all other that myght be assayled And if by the tartas the war was moued in the parties of Meleton in the landes of Halap the sowdaÌ„s men shuld befaynt to coÌ„e where it is well .xxv. dayes iourney And that they shulde come from Babylone to this seruice shuld be in short tyme a fote and shuld lose their horses theyr harnes And shuld be so wery so trobled that they coude nat endure In .iii. or foure maners thennemys shulde lese theyr goodes and shuld suffre many great daÌ„mages yet by the fyrst passage the ennemys myght haue moch trouble for with the coÌ„mynge of the .x. galeys of the passage with the helpe of these that myght be arryued of the realme of Armeny and of Cipres theÌ„nemys landes myght be roned all And the galeys myght retorne safe into the yle of Corcose And if the sowdaÌ„ wolde kepe and defende the sayd landes he shuld befayn to come hymselfe in person with hym all his power of Babylon iÌ„ Syrie or he coud haue sufficieÌ„tly men to giue helpe to all the landes that be nygh of the see The coÌ„myng out of the realm of Egypt to come in Syrie shuld by ê‘yllous and damageable to the sowdan for fere of his men traysoÌ„ full of enuy For by the setynge of the christenmen they myght be so troubled that they shulde haue no rest damageable For he shuld coÌ„sume and wast all his tresoure so moche that it was hard to beleue the great some of good that the sodan and his men spende and consumed euery tyme that they came out of Egypt landes forto come iÌ„ Syrie yet by the sayd galeys the wayes and the portes of the sayde see myght be kept in suche maner that it shuld be brought nothinge to theÌ„nemys of such thyngê that they haue more nede that they coude nat endure long without as yron stele and other thinges