men go thus thorugh the londe of Hungery thrugh a cyte that men calle Cypren besyde the castell of Newburgh thrugh the ylle towne that is towarde the ende of Hungery so ouer the ryuer of Danowe this is a full grete ryuer goth in to Almayne vnder the hylles of Lumbardy it taketh in to hym xl other ryuers it renneth thrugh Hungery thorugh Grece thrugh Tartary and goth in to the see so strongly with so grete myght that the water is fresshe xl myle within the see afterwarde go men to Belgraue and entre in to the londe of Buggers there passe men a brydge of stone that is ouer the ryuer Marroh men passe thrugh the londe of Pynteras come to Grece to the cyte of Sterny to the cyte of Affynpayn and so to the cy te of Constantynople that was somtyme calledâ— Bessamorn and there dwelled comonly the Emperour of Grece To Constantynople is the best the fayrest chirche of the worlde it is of saynt Sophy And before this chirche is an ymage of Iustynpan them perour gylt and it is vpon an hors crowned it was wonte to holde a rouÌ„de appell in his honde men saye there that it is a token that the Emperour hath lost a grete parte of his londe for the appell is fallen out of the ymages hande also that he hath lost a grete parte of his lordshyp For he was wonte to be Emperour of Rome of Grece of all Asyen the lesse of Surry of the londe of Iude in the whiche is Ierusalem of the londe of Egypt of Percy and Araby but he hath lost but Grece the londe that longed therto all only and men wolde many tymes put the appell in the ymages honde but it wolde not holde it This appell beto keneth the lordshyd that he had ouer all the worlde And the other honde he holdeth lyft vp ayenst the eest in token for to manasse mysdoers this ymage standeth vpon a pyler of marble At Constantynople is the crosse of our lorde his cote without seme the spouÌ„ge and the rede of the whiche the Iewes gaue our lorde drynke galle on the crosse there is one of the nayles that Cryste was nayled with to the crosse Some men wene that half of the crosse of Cryste be in Cypres in an abbey of monkes that men call the hylle of the holy crosse but it is not so for that crosse yâ— is in Cypres is the crosse on the whiche Dysmas the good theeâ— was hanged but all men wote not that yâ— is yllâ— done but for yâ— getynge of the offrynges they sayâ— that it is the crosse of our lorde Ihesu cryste And ye shall vnderstande yâ— the crosse of our lorde was made of four maner of trees as it is conteyned iâ— this verse In cruce sit palma cedrus cipressus oliua For the pyece that wente ryght vp from the erthe vnto the heed was of cypres the pyece that went ouerthwart to the whiche the handes were nayled was of palme the stocke yâ— stode within the erthe to the whiche they had made a morteys was of ce dre the table aboue his heed that was a foot a half longe on the whiche the tytle was wryten in Ebrewe in Grewe in Latyn that was of olyue And the Iewes made the crosse of thyse four maner of trees for they trowed that our lorde Ihesu cryste sholde haue hanged so longe vpon the crosse as longe as the crosse myght laste therfore made they the foot of cedre for cedre may not in the erthe ne in water rotte they wolde it sholde haue last longe for they trowed that the body of Cryste sholde haue stonken that pyece is made of cypre for it is well smellynge so that the smelle of his body shold not greue to man that come forby that ouerthwart was made of palme for in the olde testament it was ordeyned that whan ony had the vyctory he was crowned with palme and for they trowed that they had the vyctory of Ihesu cryste therfore they made the pyece that went ouerth wart of palme and the table of the tytle they made of olyue for olyue betokeneth peas as the story of Noe wytnesseth whan the douue brought the brauÌ„che of olyue that betokeneth peas made bytwene god and man Also the Iewes trowed to haue had peas whan Cryste was deed for they sayd that he made dyscorde stryf amonge theyÌ„ And ye shall vnderstande that our lorde was nayled to the crosse lyenge therfore he suffred the more payne Also in Grece the crysten men that dwelle ouer the see saye that the tree of crosse that we calle cypres was of that tree that Adam ete the appell soo fynde they wryten they saye as theyr scrypture sayth that whan Adam was syke he sayd to his sone Seth yâ— he sholde go to paradyse praye the angell that kepeth paradyse that he wolde sende hym of the oyle of the tree of mercy for to anoynt with his meÌ„bres that he myght haue hele And Seth went but the angell wolde hym not late come in at the dore but sayd vnto hym that he myght not haue of the oyle of mercy but he toke to hym four graynes of the same tree that his fader ete the appell badde hyÌ„ as soone as his fader was deed that he sholde put this graynes vnder hâ— tonge graue hym therof sholde growe a tree whan that tree bare fruyt than sholde Adam be hole And whan Seth came agayne he founde his fader deed he dyde with the graynes as the angell â—adde hym of the whiche came four trees of the whiche was a crosse made that bare good frâ—yte That is to saye our sauyour Ihesu cryste thrugh whome Adam all that come of hym where saued delyucred from euerlastynge deth but yf it be theyr owne defaute This holy crosse the Iewes hydde vnder the erthe vnder the roche of mouÌ„t Caluary it laye there two hondred yere more vnto the tyme that saynt Eleyne fouÌ„de it the whiche saynt Eleyne was the moder of Constaunce the Emperour of Rome she was doughter of kyng Alle that was kyng of Englonde that than was called the grete Brytay â—e whom the Emperour toke to wyf for her grete beaute whan he was in that couÌ„tree And ye shall vnderstande that the crosse of our lorde was in the lengthe viij cubytes and that ouerthwart hadde in lengthe iij. cubytes and an half A parte of the crowne of our lorde â—hu wherwith he was crowned one of the nayles and the spere heed many other relyques are in Fraunce to Parys in the chapell of the kyng of FrauÌ„ce the crowne lyeth in a vessell of crystall well dyght and rychely for a kyng of Fraunce bought thyse relyques somtyme of the Iewes to whom themperour had layde theym to
for the whyte folke theris a cyte that men calle Latorym is more than Parys in that londe are byrdes twyes gretter than it be here and there is good chepe of all maner of vytayles In this couÌ„tree are whyte hennes they bere no fethers but wolle as sheep do in our londe women of that couÌ„tree yâ— are wedded bere crownes vp on theyr heedes that they may be knowen by In this couÌ„tree they take a beest yâ— is called 〈◊〉 they kenne it to go in to waters or vyners and as soone he bryngeth out of the water grete fysshes thus take they fysshe as longe as they myll to 〈◊〉 theym nedeth Fro this cyte men go by many Iour neys to an other grete cyte that is called Cassay that is the moost cyte of the worlde that cyte is fyfty myle about there is in that cyte â—o than .xij. pryn cypall gates without Fro thens within thre myle is an other grete cyte within this cyte are more than .xij. thousande brydges vpon eche brydge is a stronge toure where the kepers dwelle to kepe it agayne the grete Chane for it marcheth on his londe on one syde of the cyte renneth a grete ryuer there dwelle crysten men other for it is a good couÌ„tree â—teuous there groweth ryght good wyne this is a noble cyte where the kyng of Mancy was wonte to dwelle there dwelle relygyous men crysten freres And men go vpon yâ— ryuer tyll they come to an abbey of monkes a lytell fro the cyte in that abbey is a grete gardeyn fayr therin is many maner of trees of dyuerse fruytes In that gardeyne dwelle many maner of beestes as baboynes apes marmosettes other whan the couent hath eten a monke taketh the releef bere it in to the gardeyn smyteth ones with a belle of syluer whiche he holde in his honde anone come out thyse bestes that I spake of many mo nere .iij. or .iiij. thousande he gyueth theyÌ„ to ete of fayre vessels of syluer whan they haue eten he smyteth the belle agayne they go agayn theyr waye And the monke sayth that those bestes are soules of men that are deed those beestes that are fayre are soules of lordes other ryche men those that are foule bestes are soules of other comons And I asked theym yf it had not be better to gyue that relef to poore men they sayd theris no poore man in that couÌ„tree and yf there were yet it were more almes to gyue it to tho se soules that suffre there theyr penauÌ„ce may go no ferther to gete theyr mete than to men that haue wyt te may trauayle for theyr mete Than come men to a cyte that is called Chybens and there was the fyrst sege of the kyng of Mancy In this cyte are .lx. brydges of stone as fayre as they may be ¶ Of the londe of Pygmeen wherin dwelled but small people of thre span longe ca. lxiiij WHan men passe fro the cyte of Chybens they passe ouer a grete Ryuer of fresshe water and it is nere four myle brood and than men entre in to the londe of the grete Chane This Ryuer gooth thrugh the londe of Pygmeens there men are of lytell stature for they are but thre span longe they are ryght fayre bothe men women though they be lytell and they are wedded whan they are half a yere olde they lyue but viij yere he that lyued viij yere is holden ryght olde thyse small men are the best werke men of sylke of cotton in all maner thynge that are in the worl de And thyse smale men trauayle not nor tyll no londe but they haue amonge theym grete men as we are to trauayle for theym and they haue grete scorne of those grete men as we wolde haue of grauntes or of theym they were amonge vs. Of the cyte of Menke where a grete nauy is ca. lxv FRo this londe men go thrugh many countres cytees and townes tyll they come to a cyte that men calle Menke In that cyte is a grete nauy of shyppes they are as whyte as snowe of kynde of the wood that they are made of and they are made as it were grete houses with halles and chambres other esymentes ¶ Of the londe named Cathay and the grete rychesses therof ca. lxvi ANd from thens men go vpon a ryuer that men calle Ceremosan this ryuer gooth thrugh Cathay doth many tymes harme whan it waxeth grete Cathay is a fayre couÌ„tree ryche full of goodes marchauÌ„dyses thyder come mar chauntes euery yere for to fetche spyces and other marchauÌ„dyses more comonly than they do in to other couÌ„trees And ye shall vnderstande that marchauntes that come from Denys of fro Geene or from other places of Lombardy or of Romayne they go by see and londe .xi. monethes and more or they may come to Cathay ¶ Of a grete cyte named Cadon where in is the grete Chans palays sege ca. lxvij IN the prouynce of Cathay towarde the eest is an olde cyte besyde that cyte the Tartarynes haue made an other Cyte that men calle Cadon that hath .xij. gates euer bytwene two gates is a grete myle so that those two cytees the olde â—he newe is rouÌ„de about .xx. myle In this cyte is the palays and sege of the grete Chane in a full fayr place grete of whiche the walles about is two myle within that are many fayre places in the gardeyne of that palays is a ryght grete hylle on the whiche is an other palays it is the fayrest that may be fouÌ„de in ony place and all about that hylle are many trees berynge dyuerse fruytes about that hylle is a grete dyche and there nere are many vyuers on eche syde in those are many wylde foules that he may take go not out of the palays Within the halle of that palays are .xxiiij. pylers of golde all the walles are couered with ryche skynnes of beestes that men calle panters Those are fayr beestes well smellynge of the smelle of the skynnes none euyll smelle may come to the palays those skynnes are as reed as blood they shyne so agayne the sonne that vnethes may men beholde theym men prayse those skynnes as moche as it were golde In myddes of that palays is a place made that they calle the mouÌ„tour for the grete Chane that is well made with precyous stones grete perles hangynge about at the four corners of that mouÌ„tour are four nedders of golde vnder that mouÌ„tour aboue are conduytes of beuerage that they drynke in thempeÌ„â—ours courte And the halle of that palays is rychely dyght well and fyrste at the ouer ende of the halle is the throne of the Emperour ryght hye where he sytteth at mete
four oxen all whyte gone there in And fyue or sixe grete lordes ryden about hym so that none other men shall come nere hym but yf the Emperour calle ony And in that same maner with charyotte suche oostes rydeth the Empresse by an other syde the Emperours eldest sone on the same array and they haue so moche people that it is a grete meruayle for to see ¶ How the Empyre of the grete Chane is departed in to xij prouynces and how that they do cast ensence in the fyre where the grete Chane passeth thorugh the cytees and townes in worshyp of the Emperour ca. lxxiiij THe londe of the grete Chane is departed in xij prouynces eche prouynce hath more than two thousande cytees townes Also whan themperour tydeth thrugh the couÌ„tree he passeth thrugh cytees townes eche man maketh a fyre before his hous casteth therin ensence and other thynges that gyue good smell to themperour And yf ony men of relygyon that are crysten dwelle nere as themperour cometh they mete hym with processyon with a crosse holy water they synge Veni crea tor spiritus with a loude voyce And whan he see theym come he coÌ„maundeth the lordes yâ— ryde nere hym to make waye that the relygyous men may come to hym whan he see the crosse he doth of his hatte that is made of precyous stones grete perles that hatte is so ryche that it is meruayle to telle and than he enclyned to the crosse And the prelate of the relygyous men sayth orysons before hym gyueth hym the benyson with the crosse he enclyneth to the benyson full deuoutly than the same prelate gyueth hym some fruyte of the nombre of .ix. in a plate of golde as peres or apples or other fruyte than the Emperour taketh one therof the other he gyueth to his lordes for the maner is su he there that no strauÌ„ge man shall come before themperour but he gyue hym som what after the olde lawe that sayth Non accedat in â—spectu meâ— inanis That is to saye No man come in to my syght ydle And than the Emperour byddeth thyse relygyous men that they shall go forth so that men of his oost defoule them not And those relygyous men that dwelle where the Empresse or the Emperours sone cometh do in the same maner ¶ How that the grete Chane is the myghtyest lorde of all the worlde ca. lxxv THis grete Chane is the myghtyest lorde of the worlde for prester Iohan is not so grete a lorde as he ne the Soudan of Babylon ne the Enperour of Persy In his londe a man hath hondred wyues some .xl. some more some lesse and they take of theyr kynne to wyues all saue theyr systers of theyr moders but theyr systers of theyr faders other wyues they take also they take also well theyr stepmoder yf theyr fader be deed men women haue all one maner of clothynge so that they may not be knowen but that women that are wedded bere a token on theyr heedes and they dwelle not with theyr husbondes but he may lye by whiche that he wyll They haue plente of all maner of bestes saue swyne for soth they wyll none they byleue well in god that made all thynge yet haue they ydols of golde syluer and to those ydols they offre theyr fyrst mylke of theyr bestes ¶ Yet of other maners of this couÌ„tree ca. lxxvi THis Emperour the grete Chane hath thre wyues the pryncypall wyf was preester Iohans doughter And the people of this couÌ„tree begynne to do all theyr thynges in the newe mone and they worshyp moche the sonne the mone those men ryde comonly without spores and they holde it grete synne to breke a bone with an other to cast mylke on the erthe or other lycour that men may drynke And the moost synne that they may do is to pysse in theyr houses there they dwelle he that pysseth in his hous shall be slayne and of those synnes they shryue theym to theyr preestes for theyr penauÌ„ce they shall gyue syluer the pla ce where men haue pysseth shall be halowed or els may no man come there And whan they haue do theyr penauÌ„ce they shall passe thrugh a fayre fyre or two to wake theym clene of theyr synnes And thou be our lorde our Emperour And he enquyreth of theym sayth yf ye wyll that I regne vpon you so must ye do all that I bydde you to do And yf he bydde that ony be slayne he shall be slayne And they answere all with one voyce all that ye bydde shall be done Than sayth themperour fro now forth my wordes shall cutte as my swerde than they sette hym in a chayre crowne hym and than all the good townes therabout sende to hym presentes soo moche that he shall haue more than hondred Camels laden with golde syluer besyde other Iewels that he shall haue of lordes of precyous stones golde without nombre hors ryhe clothes of camacas tartaryns and suche other ¶ What couÌ„trees kyngdoms laye next to the lon de of Cathay the frontes therof ca. lxxix THis londe of Cathay is in Asye the depe this same londe marcheth towarde the west vpon the kyngdom of Sercy the whiche was some tyme to one of the thre kynges that wente to seke our lorde in Bethleem all those that come of his kynne are crysten Thyse men of Tartary drynke no wyne In the londe of Corosaym that is at the northsyde of Cathay is ryght grete plente of good but no wyne the whiche hath at the eâ—st syde a gre te wyldernesse that lastech more than an hondred Iourneys and the best cyte of that londe is called Corosaym therafter is the londe so called and men of this londe are good warryours hardy therby is the kyngdom of Comayn this the moost the grettest kyngdom of the worlde but it is not all Inhabyte for in one place of that londe is so grete colde that no man may dwelle there for colde in an other place is grete hete that no man may dwelle there there are so many feyghes that a man wote not on what syde he may torne hym in this londe are but fewe trees berynge fruyte In this londe men lye in tentes they brenne douÌ„ge of bestes for defaute of wood This londe descendeth towardes Pruyse Rossy and thorugh this londe renneth the ryuer Echell that is one of the gret test ryuers of the worlde it is frosen so harde euery yere that men fyght theron in grete batayles on hors foot men more than hondred thousande at ones And a lytell fro that ryuer is the grete see of Occean that they calle Maure bytwene this Maure Caspye is a full strayte passage to go towarde Ynde therfore kyng Alexander dyde make there a cyte
without wolle men ete the best and the fruyte also that is a grete meruayle Neuertheles I sayd theym that I helde that for no meruayle for I sayd in my coūtree are trees that bere fruyte that become byrdes fleynge they are good to ete that that falleth in water lyued that that falleth on the erthe deyed they had grete meruayle of this In this londe and many other about ther are trees that bere clowes and nutmygges canell and many other spyc◠▪ and there are vynes that here so grete grapes that a stronge man shall haue ynough to do to bere a cluster of the grapes In that same londe are the hylles of Caspye that men calle Vber amonge those hylles are the Iewes of the .x. hyndes enclo sed within that men calle Gog and Magog and they may not come out on no syde There was en closed .xxij. kynges with theyr folke that dwelled betwene the hylles of Syche and kyng Alexander chased theym thyder amonge those hylles for he trusted to haue enclosed theym there thorugh werkynge of men but he myght not whan he sawe that he myght not he prayed to god that he wolde fulfylle that he had begonne god herde his prayer enclosed the hylles togyder so that the Iewes dwelle there as they were locked in there is hylles all about theym but at that one syde there is the see of Caspye And some men myght aske there is a see on one syde why go they not out there for there to answere I that all yf it be called a see it is no see but a stange standynge amonge hylles it is the grettest stange of all the worlde yf they wente ouer the see they wote not where for to aryue for they can no speche but theyr owne And ye shall vnderstande that the Iewes haue no lawe of theyr owne lawe in all the worlde but they that dwelle in those hylles yet they paye trybute for theyr londe to the quene of Armony And somtyme it is so that some of the Iewes go ouer the hylles but many men may not passe there togyder for the hylles are so grete so hygh Neuertheles men say in that coūtree there by that in the tyme of Antecryste they shall do moche harme to crysten men therfore all the Iewes that dwelle in dyuerse partyes of the worlde lere for to speke Ebrewe for they hope that the Iewes that dwelle amonge the hylles aforsayd shall come out of the hylles they speke all Ebrewe not elles and than shall thyse Iewes speke Ebrewe to theym lede theym in to crystendome for to destroye crysten men For thyse Iewes saye they wote by theyr prophecyes that those Iewes that are amonge those hylles of Caspye shall come out crysten men shall be in theyr subgeccōn as they be vnder crysten men And yf ye wyll wete how they shall fynde the passage out as I haue vn derstande I shall tell you In tyme of Antecryll a foxe shall make his denne in the same place whe re kyng Alexander dyde make the gates he shall dygge in the erthe so longe tyll he perce it thrugh vnto that he come amonge the Iewes And whan they see this foxe they shall haue grete meruayle of hym for they sawe neuer suche beest for other beestes haue they amonge theym many and they shall chase this foxe pursue hym vnto that he be fledde agayne in to his hole that he came fro And than shall they dygge after as he wente vnto they come to the gates that Alexander dyde make of grete stones well dyght with syment they shall 〈◊〉 thyse gates so shall they fynde the yssue ¶ Of the londe of Bactry and of many gryffons and other beestes ca. lxxxv FRom this londe men shall go vnto the londe of Bactry where are many wycked men and fell In that londe are trees that bere wolle as it were shepe of whiche they make clothe In this londe are many Ypotaynes that dwelle somtyme on londe somtyme on water are half man and half hors they ete not but men whan they may gete theym In this londe are many gryffons mo re than in other places some saye they haue the body before as an egle behynde as a lyon and they saye soth for they are made so but the gryffon hath a body gretter than viij lyons and gretter stal worthyer than an hondred egles For certaynly he wyll bere to his nest fleynge an hors a man vpon his backe or two oxen yocked samen as they go at plough for he hath longe nayles on his feet and grete as it were hornes of oxen and of those they make cuppes there to drynke of and of his rybbes they make bowes to shote ¶ Of the waye for to go to prester Iohans londe whiche is Emperour of Ynde ca. lxxxvi ARo this londe of Bactry men goo many a dayes Iourney to the londe of prester Iohn that is a grete Emperour of Ynde and men calle his londe the yle of Pantoxore This Emperour prester Iohan holdeth grete londes many good cytees good townes in his kyngdom many grete yles large For this londe of Ynde is all depar ted in yles by cause of grete flodes that come out of Paradyse also in the see are many grete yles The best cyte that is in the yle of Pantoxore is cal led Nyse for that is a noble cyte ryche Prester Iohan hath vnder hym many kynges many dy uerse people and his londe is good and ryche but not so ryche as the londe of the grete Chane for marchaūtes come not so moche thyder as they do in to the londe of the grete Chane for it is to lon ge a waye And also they fynde in the yle of Cathay all that they haue nede of as spycery clothes of golde and other rychesse And all yf they myght haue better chepe in the londe of preester Iohan than in the londe of Cathay and more fyner neuertheles they wolde lette it for the longe waye grete peryls in the see for there are many places in the see where are grete Roches of a stone that is called adamande the whiche of his owne kynde draweth to hym yron and for as moche that there sholde passe no shyp that had nayles of yron for it sholde drawe it to hym therfore they dare not wende in to that coūtree with shyppes for drede of adamandes I wente ones in that see and sa we as longe as it had ben a grete yle of trees and stockes and braunches growynge and the shypman sayd to me that those was of grete shyppes that were dwellynge there thorugh the vertue of the adamandes and of thynges that were in the shyppes were those trees sprongen and waxen and suche Roches are there many in dyuerse places of that see and therfore dare no shypman passe that waye And an other also
¶ Here begynneth a lytell treatyse or booke named Iohan MauÌ„deuyll knyght born in Englonde in the towne of saynt Albone speketh of the wayes of the holy londe towarde Iherusalem of marueyles of Ynde of other dyuerse couÌ„trees FOr as moche as the londe ouer the see that is to saye the holy londe that men calle the londe of hetynge Amonge all other londes it is the moost worthyest londe souerayn of other londes and it is blessyd halowed sacred of the precyous blood of our lor de Ihesu cryste In the whiche londe it lâ—ed hym to take flesshe blood of the virgyne Maâ—y and to enuyron that londe with his owne feet And the re he wolde do many myracles and preche teche the fayth the lawe of vs crysten men as vnto his childern And therfore he wolde suffre many repro ues scornes for vs. And he that was kyng of heuen of erthe of ayer of see and of all thynges that are conteyned in them wolde all oonly be called kyng of that londe whan he sayd Rex suÌ„ iudeorum I am kyng of Iewes For that tyme was that londe of Iewes that londe had he chosen before all other londes as for the best the moost vertuous for the moost worthyest of the worlde And as the phylosophre sayth thus Virtus rerum in medio consistit That is to saye vertue of thynges is in the myddes in that londe he wolde lede his lyf and suffre passyon deth of the Iewes for vs and for to delyuer bye vs fro the paynes of helle fro deth withouten ende the whiche was ordeyned to vs for the synne of our fader Adam for our owne synnes also For as hymself he had none euyll deserued for he thought neuer euyll ne dyde neuer euyll And he that was kyng of glorye and Ioye myght best in that place suffre deth For he yâ— wyll do ony thynge that he wyll be knowen open ly He wyll do crye it openly in the myddell place of a towne or of a cyte so that it may be knowen to all partyes of the cyte So he that was kyng of all the worlde wolde suffre deth for vs at Ierusalem that is in myddes of the worlde so that it myght be knowen to men of all partyes of the worlde how dere he bought man that he had made to his owne lykenesse for the grete loue that he had to vs for more worthyer catell ne myght he haue set for vs than his owne blessyd body his owne precyoê° blood the whiche he suffred for vs. A dere god what loue he had to his subgettts Whan he that had done no trespas wolde for trespassours suffre deth By ryght ought men to loue worshyp and drede serue suche a lorde and worshyp prayse suche a holy londe that brought forth suche fruyte thrugh the whiche euery maâ—â—s saued but yf it be his ow ne defaute This is the londe behyght to vs in he ry age in that londe wolde he deye as cessed to leue it to his childern For the whiche euery good crysten man that may hath wherof sholde strength hym for to conquere our ryght herytage chace out the euyll peoples handes for we are called cry sten men of Cryste our fader And yf we be ryght childern of Cryste we owe for to chalenge the herytage that our fader lefte vs do it out of strauÌ„ge mens handes But now pryde couetyse enuye hath so enflaÌ„med the hertes of lordes of the worl de that they are more besy for to dysheryte theyr neyghbours than for to chalenge or conquere theyr ryght herytage before sayd And the comon people that wolde put theyr bodyes catell for to conque re our herytage they may not do without lordes for assemblynge of the people without a chyef lorde is as a flocke of sheep that hath no sheepherde the whiche departe asondre wote neuer wheder that they sholde go But wolde god that the worldly lordes were at good accorde and with other of theyr comon people wolde take this holy vyage ouer the see I trowe well that within a lytell tyme our ryght herytage before sayd sholde be reconsyled put in the handes of the ryght eyres of Ihesu cryste And for as moche it is longe tyme that there was no generall passage ouer the see many men desyre to here speke of the holy londe and haue therof grete solace coâ—forte ¶ Iohn mauÌ„deuyle knyght Though it so be that I be not wor thy that was born in Englonde in the towne of saynt Albone passed the see in the yere of the Incarnacyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste M. CCC xxxij on the daye of saynt Myghell hyderwarde hath be longe tyme ouer the see haue seen gone thrugh many londes many prouynces and kyngdomes yles and haue passed thrugh Turky thrugh At mony the lytell the grete thrugh Tartary thorugh Percy thrugh Syry thrugh Araby thrugh Egypt the hygh the lowe thrugh kyby thrugh Caldee a grete parte of Ethyope thrugh Ama zonie thrugh Ynde the lesse the more a grete par te and thrugh many other yles whiche are about Ynde where many dyuerse people dwelled of dyuerse lawes shappes of 〈◊〉 â—des and yles I shall speke more plaâ— I shall deuyse a par te of thynges what they are whan tyme shall be after it may come to my mynde and specyall for theym that wyll are in purpose for to vysyte the holy cyte of Ierusalem the holy places that are there about I shall telle the waye that they shall holde thyder for I haue many tymes passed ryden it with good company of many lordes ¶ He that wyll go towarde Ierusalem on hors or a foot or by the see Ca. pmuÌ„ IN the name of god almyghty He that wyll passe ouer the see he may go many wayes bothe on londe see after the couÌ„trees that he cometh fro and many of theym come all to one ende but trowe not that I wyll telle all the townes cytees castels that men shall go by for than sholde I make to longe tale but all oonly some couÌ„trees moost pryncypall cytees or townes that men shall go thrugh to go the ryght waye ¶ Fyrst yf a man come from the west syde of the worlde as Englon de Irlonde Wales Scotlonde Norweye he may go yf he wyll thrugh Almayne thrugh the kyngdome of Hungery that marches to the londe of Poyal me to the londe of Pannony of Allesey And the kyng of Hungary is a ryght grete lorde and a myghty holdeth grete and moche londe for he holdeth the londe of Hungery of Allesey Coma me a grete parte of Bulgary that men calle the londe of Buggers a grete parte of the kyngdome of Rosse that lasteth to the londe of Nyflon de marches vnto Pruysse and
is there a waye all by londe to Ierusalem passe no see from FrauÌ„ce or FlauÌ„dres but that waye is full longe a perylous and of grete trauayle therfore fewe go that waye he that shall go that waye he gooth thrugh Almayne Pruysse and so vnto Tartary This Tartary is holden of the grete Cane of whom I shall speke afterwarde for thyder lasteth his lordshyp And all yâ— lordes of Tartary yelde hym trybute Tartary is a full euyll londe sondy and lytell fruyte berynge for there groweth but lytell corne or wyne or fruyte but bestes are there grete plente therfore ete they but flesshe without brede they soupe the brotth and they drynke mylke of all maner of beestes They ete cattes all maner wylde bestes rattons and myce they haue lytell wood and therfore they dyght theyr mete with hors douÌ„ge other beestes whan it is drye Prynces other lordes ete but ones on the daye ryght lytell and they be ryght foule folke and of euyll kynde in somer there is many tempestes thondres that sleeth many men and beestes ryght sodaynly and it is there ryght colde as sodaynly it is ryght hote The prynce that gouerneth that londe they calle hym Raco dwel leth at a cyte that men calle Orda forsoth there wyll noo good man dwelle in that londe for it is good to sowe in thornes wedes and other good is there none as I herde saye for I was not that waye but I haue ben in other londes marchynge theron as the londe of Rossye Nyflonde and the kyngdom of Grecon Lectowe and the kyngdo me of Grasten many other places but I wente neuer that waye to Ierusalem therfore I may not well telle it for I haue vnderstande that men may not well go that waye but in wynter for waters marrays that are there that men may not pas se are than harde froren full of snowe aboue for were not the snowe there myght no man â—o And ye shall vnderstande that a man shall go thre Iourâ— may assaye them well in this maner fyrste cuâ—e with theym in dyuerse precyous stones as saphyrs or other vpon crystall than men take a stone yâ— is called adamande laye a nedell before that adamande yf the dyamande be good vertuous the adamande draweth not the nedell to hym whyles the dyamande is there And this is the proue that they make beyonde the see But it falleth somtyme that the good dyamande loseth his vertue thorugh hym that bereth it therfore it is nedefull for to make it to recouer his vertue agayne or els it is lytell of value ¶ Of dyuerse kyngdomes and yles of the londe of Ynde ca. liij MAny dyuerâ— couÌ„trees kyngdomes are in ynde it is called Ynde of a ryuer that renneth thrugh is called ynde also â–ª and there is ma ny other precyous stones in that ryuer ynde And in that ryuer men fynde eles of .xxx. foot longe men that dwelle nere that ryuer are of euyll colour and yelowe grene In ynde is more than fyue thousande yles that men dwelle in good grete besyde those that men dwelle not in in eche one of those is grete plente of cytees moche people for men of Ynde are of that condycyon that they passe not out of theyr londe comonly for they dwelle vnder a planet that is called Saturne that planet ma keth his cours by the .xij. sygnes in .xx. yere the mone passeth thrugh the .xij. sygnes in a moneth for that Saturne is of so late sterynge therefore men that dwelle vnder hym in that clymate haue no good wyll to be moche sterynge about And in â—ur couÌ„tree is it contrary for we are in a clymate that is of the mone of lyght sterynge and that is the planet of waye therfore it gyueth vs wyll to moche mouynge sterynge and to go in to dyuerse couÌ„trees of the worlde for it gooth about the worlde more lyghtly than an other planet dooth ¶ Also men passe thrugh Ynde by many couÌ„trees vnto the grete see Occean And than they fyndâ— the yle of Hermes where marchauntes of 〈◊〉 and of Geene and of other dyuerse partyes oâ— crâ—endome come for to bye theyr marchaundysâ— â–ª there was one in that couÌ„tree that meddled with sorcery that men called Takyna that with enchauÌ„te mentes coude make hym lyke an angell he wen â—e often laye with maydens and therfore was Mary the more aferde for the angell thought in her mynde that it had be Takyna that wente with â—he maydens she coniured hym that he sholde saye â—nto her yf he was that same Takyna the angell badde her haue no drede for he was certayne a messenger of Ihesu cryste Also theyr boke of Al â—aron sayth that she had childe vnder a palme tree than was she gretely ashamed sayd that she wolde â—e dedd and as soone her childe spake conforted her sayd to Mary Ne timeas maria That is â—o saye Be not adred Mary And in many other places sayth theyr boke Alharon that Ihesu cryst spake as soone as he was borne the boke sayth â—hat Ihesu cryste was sente fro god almyghty to â—e ensample to all men that god shall deme all â—en the good to heuen wycked to helle that Ihu â—yst is the best prophete of all other next to god â— that he was very prophete that gaue the blynde â—ght â—eled meselles reysed deed men wente â— quycke to heuen yf they may fynde a boke â—ith gospelles namely Missus est angelus they â—o it grete worshyp they fast a moneth in the yere they ete not but on the nyght than they kepe â—eym fro theyr wyues but they that are syke are â—ot constrayned to that And that boke Alharon speketh of Iewes sayth they are wycked peopleâ— for they wyll not byleue that Ihesu cryst is of god And they saye that the Iewes lye on our lady her sone Ihesu cryste sayenge that they dyde hym not oâ— the crosse for sarasyns byleue so nere our fayth they are lyghtly conuerted whan men preche the lawe of Ihesu cryste they saye they wote well bâ— theyr prophecyes that theyr lawe of Machomet shalâ— fayle as dooth the lawe of Iewes that crystâ— mens lawe shall last vnto the worldes ende Anâ— yf a man aske theym wherin they byleue and theâ— saye that they byleue in god almyghty the whiche â— maker of heuen of erthe and other thynges â— without hym is no thynge done the daye of doâ— me whan euery man shall be rewarded after hâ— deseruynge that all thynge is soth that Cryst sayâ— thrugh the mouthes of his prophetes ¶ Yet of Machomet ca. xlâ— ALso Machomet badde in his boke Alâ— ron that euery man sholde haue two wâ— ues or thre or
therfore sarrasyns yâ— are deuoute drynke no wyne openly ellys they sholde be repreued but they drynke good beuerage swete and norysshyn ge that is made of Lalamels therof is sugour made Also it befalleth somtyme that crysten men become sarrasyns eyther thrugh pouerte or symplenes or wyckednesse And therfore theyr archebysshop whan he receyueth theym sayth thus Laeles ella Machomet rozes ella That is to saye There is noo god but one and Machomet his messenger And sythen I haue tolde you a parte of theyr lawe and of theyr customes and now I shall saye you of theyr letters that they haue with theyr names Fyrst they haue for A almoy bethath for b. cathi c. ephoti for d. delphoy e. fothy f. garophin g. hechun h. iocchi i. kathi k. lothun l. malach m. nahalot n. orthy o. choziri p. zoth q. rutholat r. routhi s. solathi t. chatimê° v. yrithom x. mazot z. zatepin â— iohetê° â— thyse are the names Thyse foure letters they haue yet more for dyuersyte of theyr langage for as moche as they spake so in theyr throtes as we haue A in our langage and speke in Englonde Two letters may than they haue in theyr a. b. c. That is to saye y and z the whiche are called thorn and zowx ¶ Of the yles and of the meruayllous people and dyuerse beestes ca. xlvij ANd sythen I haue deuysed before of the ho ly londe and countrees there about many wayes thyder and to mouÌ„t Synay to Babylon and other places of the the whiche I haue spoken ¶ And fro thens men goo to a cyte that is called Tanzyâ— and that is a fayre cyte good Besyde that Cyte is an hylle of salte and therof euery man take what he wyll and there dwelled many crysten men vnder trybute of the sarrasyns Fro thens men go thrugh many cytees townes and many castels towarde Ynde and than come to a cyte that men calle Cassage that is a fayre cy se and in that cyte is haâ—ondaunte of corne and wynes and of all maner goodes and there met the thre kynges togyder that wente to make theyr offrynge to our lorde in Bethleem Fro that cyte men go to a cyte that men calle Cardabago and paynyms saye that crysten men may not dwelle there but they deye soone they wote not the cause And fro thens men go thorugh many couÌ„trees cytees townes that it were to longe to telle to the cyte of Carnaa that was wonte to be so grete that the walle about was of xxv myle the walle sheweth yet but it is not now in habyte with men there endeth the londe of the Emperour of Percy ¶ Of the countree of Iob and of the kyngdome of Caldee ca. xlix ON the other syde of that cyte of Carnaa men entre in to the londe of Iob that is a good londe grete plente of all fruytes and men calle that londe the londe of Swere In this londe is the cyte of Thomar Iob was a paynym also he was Cofraas sone and he helde that londe as prynce therof and he was so ryche that he knewe not the hondreth perte of his good and after his pouerte god made hym rycher than euer he was before for after he was kyng of Ydumea after the deth of kyng Esau whan he was kyng he was called Ioab and in that kyngdome he lyued C. yere and. lxx soo that he was of age whan he deyed CC. yere and. xlvin And in this londe of Iob is no defaute of no thynge that is nedefull to manes body There ben hylles where men fynde manna manna is called angels brede that is a whyte thyn ge ryght swete moche swetter than sugour or ho ny that cometh of the dewe of heuen that falleth on the herbes there it congeled waxed whyte men do it in medycynes for ryche men This londe mar ches to the londe of Caldee that is a grete londe and there is full fayre folke well apparaylled and they goo rychely arayed with clothe of golde and with perles and other precyous stones But the woman are ryght foule euyll cladde and go bare foot and bere an ylle cote large wyde and short vnto theyr knees and haue longe sleues downe to the foot and they haue grete blacke here longe hangynge about theyr shulders they are ryght foule for to loke vpon that I dare not telle it all by cause that I am worthy for to haue a grete rewarde for my praysynge of theym In this londe of Caldee aforsayd is a cyte that men calle Hur and in that cyte was Abraham the patryarke borne ¶ Of the kyngdom of Amasony where as dwelled but wymmen ca. l. AFter the londe of Caldee is the londe of Amasony that is a londe where is no man but all wyÌ„men as men say for they wyll suffre no man lyue amonge theym ne to haue lordshyp ouer theym For somtyme was a kyng in that londe men were dwellynge there as dyde in other couÌ„trees had wyues it befelle that the kyng had a grete war re with theym of Sychy he was called Colopiê° and he was slayne in batayll all the good blood of his londe And this quene whan â—he herde that other ladyes of that londe that the kyng the lordes were slayne they gadred theym togyder kylled all the men that were left in theyr londe amonge theym sythen that tyme dwelled no man amon ge theym And whan they wyll haue ony man to lye by them they sende for theym in a couÌ„tree that is nere to theyr londe the men come are therâ— viij dayes or as the woman lykes than go they agayne and yf they haue men childern they sende theym to theyr faders whan they can ete go â— yf they haue mayde childern they kepe theym â–ª and yf they be of gentyll blood they brenne the lefte pappe a waye for berynge of a shelde yf they be of lytell blood they brenne the ryght pappe awaye for shotynge For those wyÌ„men of that couÌ„tree are good warryours are often in soâ—de with other lordes the quene of that londe gouerneth well that londe this londe is all enuyronned with water Besyde Amasony is the londe of Termagute that is a good londe prouffytable and for goodnesse of that londe kyng Alexander dyde ma ke a cyte there that he called Alexander ¶ Of the londe of Ethyope ca. li. ON the other syde of Caldee towarde yâ— south syde is Ethyope a greâ—e londe In this londe on the south are the folke ryght blacke In that sy de is a welle that on the daye the water is so colde that no man may drynke therof on the nyght it is so hote that no man may suffre to put his honde in it In this londe the ryuers all the waters are troublous somdele salt for the grete hete men of that
that they drede the longe waye and therfore they goo moost all to Cathay and that is nerer vnto theym And yet is it not so nere but theym behoueth fro Venys or fro Geene be in see towarde Cathay xi or xij monethes The londe of prester Iohn is longe marchauÌ„ts passe thyder thorugh the londe of Persy â–ª and come vnto a Cyte that men calle Hermes for a phylosophre that men called Hermes fouÌ„ded it they passe an arme of the see come to an other cyte that men calle Saboth there fynde they all marchauÌ„dyses popyniayes as grete plente as larkes in our couÌ„ tree In this couÌ„tree is lytell whete or barley and therfore they ete ryse and mylke chese and other fruytes This Emperour preest Iohan weddeth comonly the doughter of the grete Chane the grete Chane his doughter In the londe of prester Iohn is many dyuerse thynges many precyous stones so grete so large that they make of theym vessels platers cuppes and many other thynges of whiche it were to longe to telle but somwhat of his lawe of his fayth shall I telle you ¶ Of the fayth byleue of prester Iohan but he hath not all the full byleue as we haue ca. lxxxvij THis Emperour prester Iohan is crysten a grete parte of his londe also but they ha ue not all the artycles of our fayth but they byleue well in the fader the sone and the holy goost and they are full deuoute true one to an other they make no force of catell and he hath vnder hym lxxij prouynces couÌ„trees and in echone is a kynge those kynges haue other kynges vnder theym And in this londe are many meruayles for in that londe is the grauelly see that is of sonde of grauell no drope of water and it ebbeth floweth with ryght grete wawes as an other see doth and it is neuer styll ne neuer in rest no man may passe that londe beyonde it And all yf it so be that there is no water in that see yet men may fyÌ„de there in ryght good fysshe of other facyon and shape than is in ony other sees and also they are of full good sauour swete and good to ete And at thre Iourneys fro that see are grete hylles thrugh whi che renneth a grete flood that cometh fro Parady se it is full of precyous stones and no drope of water it renneth with grete wawes in to the gra uelly see And this flood renneth thre dayes in the weke so fast stereth grete stones of the roches with hym that make moche noyse as soone as they come in to the grauelly see they are nomore seen in those thre dayes whan it renneth thus no man dare come in it but the other dayes men may go therin where they wyll And also beyonde that flood towarde the wyldernesse is a grete playne all sondy grauelly amonge hylles and in that playne gro we trees that at the rysynge of the sonne eche daye begynne to growe so growe they to myddaye bere fruytes but no man dare ete of that fruyte for it is a maner of yron after myddaye it torned agayne in to the erthe so that whan t e sonne gooth downe it is no thynge seen so doth it euery daye And there is in that wyldernesse many wylde men with hornes on theyr hedes ryght hydeous and they speke not but grunt as swyne And in that couÌ„tree are many popyniayes that they calle in theyr lan gage pystak they speke thrugh theyr owne kynde as apertly as a man those that speke well ha ue longe tonges large on euery foot fyue toos there are some that haue but thre toos and tho same speke nought or very lytell ¶ How the Emperour preester Iohan whan he goth to batayll hath thre crosses borne before hym of fyne golde ca. lxxxviij THis Emperour preester Iohan whan he gooth to batayll he hath noo baner borne before hym but he hath born before hyÌ„ thre crosses of fyne golde those are grete and large well dyght with precyous stones for to kepe eche crosse is ordeyned a thousande men of armes mo than an hondred thousande on foot in maner as men ke pe a standarde in batayll in other places he hath men without nombre whan he goth to ony batayll ayenst ony other lorde And whan he hath no batayll but rydeth with preuy company than dooth he bere before hym but a crosse of tree not paynted without golde precyous stones all playne in token that our lorde Inu cryst suffred deth on a crosse of tree And also he hath born before hym a plate of golde full of erthe in token that his lordshyp nobley shall torne to nought his flesshe shall torne to erthe And also he hath borne before hym an other vessell full of Iewellys golde and precyous stones in token of his nobley his myght ¶ Of the moost dwellynge place of prester Iohn in a cyte called Suse ca. lxxxix ANd he dwelled comonly at the cyte of Su se there is his pryncypall palays that is so ryche that meruayle is to tell aboue the pryn cypall toure of the palays are two pomels of gol de all rouÌ„de eche one of those hath two carbuÌ„cles grete large that shyne ryght clere on the nyght And the pryncypall gates of this palays are of pre cyous stones that men calle Sardyn the borders of the barres are of yuory the wyndowes of the halle chambres are of crystall And tables that they ete of some are of Emeraudes some are of mastyk some of golde precyous stones and the pylers that bere the tables are of suche stones also the greces on whiche the Emperour goth to his see where he sytteth at mete one is of mastyk an other of crystall an other of Iaspy grene an other of dyasper an other of sardyn an other of cormlyn a nother of sempton and that he setteth his foot vp on is of crysolytes all thyse greces are bordured with fyne golde and well dyght with grete perles other precyous stones and the sydes of his sege are emeraudes bordured with golde with precyâ—us stones the pylers in his chambre are of fyne golde with many carbuncles other suche stones that gyue grete lyght on the nyght and all yf the carbuncles gyue grete lyght neuertheles there bren neth eche nyght xij grete vessels of crystall full of bame to gyue good smell and to dryue awaye wycked ayre The forme of his bedde is all of sa phyre well bouÌ„de with golde to make hym to slepe well for to destroy lechery for he wyll not lye by his wyues but thryes in the yere after the sesons and all only for getynge of children And he hath also a fayre palays at the cyte of Nyse where he dwelleth
power ouer the see as the pope hath on this syde the see And therfore pope Iohn the. xxij sente lettres to theyÌ„ how crysten fayth sholde be all one and that they sholde be obeysauÌ„t to a pope that is Crystys vyher in erthe to whome god gaf playne power for to bynde to assoyle and therfore they sholde be obedyent to hym And they sent hym dyuerse answers amonge other they sayd thus Pâ— tentiaÌ„ tuaÌ„ suÌ„maÌ„ cirâ—a subiectos tuos firmiter credimus SupbiaÌ„ tuaÌ„ suÌ„maÌ„ tollerare noÌ„ possumus AuariciaÌ„ tuaÌ„ suÌ„maÌ„ satiare noÌ„ intendimus DnÌ„s tecuÌ„ sit quia dnÌ„s nobiscuÌ„ est vale That is to saye We byleue well thy power is grete vpon thy subgettes We may not suffre thy pryde We are not in purpose to fulfyll thy couetyse Lorde be with the for lorde is with vs fare well and other answere myght we not haue of theym And also they make theyr sacrament of the awter of therf brede for our lorde made it of therf brede whan he made his mauÌ„de on therthursdaye make they theyr brede in tokenynge of the mauÌ„de drye it at the sonne heâ—e it all the yere gyue it to syke men in stede of goddes body And they make but one vnccyon whan they crysten childern they anoynte no syke men they saye there is no purgatory and soules shall haue neyther Ioye ne payne vnto the daye of dome And they saye that fornycacyon is no dedly synne but a kyndly thynge that men wyÌ„men sholde wedde but ones and who so wed deth more than ones theyr childern are bastardes goten in synne and theyr preestes also are wedded they saye that vsury or symony is no dedly synne they selle benefyces of holy chirche so dyde men of other places that is grete sclauÌ„der for now is symony kyng crowned in holy chirche god may amende it whan his wyll is And they saye that in lente men sholde not synge masse but on the saterdaye on the sondaye they faste not the saterdaye no tyme in the yere but yf it be the Crystmasse Eester euen And they suffre no man that is on the syde of the grete see synge at theyr awters yf it fall that they do thrugh ony happe they wasshe theyr awters as soone without taryeâ— â–ª ge with holy water they saye that there sholdâ— be but one masse sayd at one awter on a daye And they saye also that our lorde ete neuer mete but hâ— made token of etynge And also they saye that wâ— synne dedly in shauynge of our berdes for the beâ— de is token of a man a yefte of our lorde they saye that we synne in etynge of beestes that were defended in the olde testament of the olde lawe as swyne hares other bestes And this they saye also that we synne in etynge of flesshe in the dayes before asshe wednesdaye in etynge of flesshe on the wednesdaye whan we ete chese or egges on yâ— frydaye they curse all those that ete no flesshe on the saterdaye ¶ Also the Emperour of Constantynople maketh the patryarkes archebysshâ—pes bysshopes and he gyueth all the dygnytees chirches depryueth theym that are worthy And all yf it be soo that thyse thynges touche not the waye neuerthelesse they touche to that I haue behyght to shewe a parte of the customes maners dyuersytees of couÌ„trees and for this syde the seâ— the fyrst couÌ„tree that is dyscordauÌ„t in fayth leâ—teth for our fayth on this syde the see therfore I haue sette it that ye may see wete the dyuersyte that is bytwene our fayth theyrs for many men haue grete lykynge to here speke of strauÌ„ge thynges ¶ To come agayne to Constantynople for to go towarde the holy londe ca. iij. NOw come we agayne for to knowe the waye fro Constantynople He that wyll go thrugh Turky he gooth towarde the cyte of Nyke and passeth thrugh the yate of Chyuytot that is ryght hyghe and it is a myle and an half fro Nyke and who soo wyll goo by the brache of Saynt George and by the Greke see there as saynt Nycholas lyeth other places and fyrst men come to the yle of Sylo and in that yle groweth mastyke vpon smale trees as plomtrees or cherytrees And thenne after men go thorugh the yle of Pathmos where saynt Iohan the euangelyst wrote the apocalyps and I do you to wete whan our lorde Ihesu cryste deyed saynt Iohan theuangelyst was of the age of .xxxij. yere and he lyued after the passyon of Cryst .lxvij. yere and than deyed And fro Pathmos men go to Ephesym a fayr cyte and nere to the see and there deyed saynt Iohan and he was buryed behynde the awter in a tombe and there is a fayre chirche for crysten men were wonte to holde that place but in the tombe of saynt Iohan is no thynge but Manna for his body was translated in to paradyse Turkes holde now that cyte that chirche all Asye the lesse therfore is Asye the lesse called Turky ye shall vnderstande that Saynt Iohan dyde make his graue there in his lyf and layd hymself therin all quycke and therfore some sayen that he deyed not but he resteth there to the daye of dome therfore sothely there is a grete merueyle for men may see there apertly the erthe of the tombe many tymes stere moue as there were a quyck thynge vnder And from Ephesym men go thrugh many yles in the see vnto the cyte of Pateran where saynt Nycolas was borne and so to Marca where he by the grace of god bys shop was chosen and there groweth ryght good wyne and stronge that men calle wyne of Marca And fro thens men go to the yle of Crete whiche theÌ„ Emperour gaf somtyme to Ionays And than passe men thrugh the yles of Cophos Lango of the whiche yles Ypocras was lorde some saye that in that yle of Lango is Ypocras doughter in maner of a dragon that is an hondred foot longe as men saye for I haue not seen it and they oâ— the yles calle her the lady of the countree and she lyeth in an olde castell sheweth her thryes in the yere and she doth no man no harme and she is thus chauÌ„ged fro a damoysell to a dragon thrugh a goddesse that men calle Dyana and men saye that she shall dwelle so vnto the tyme that a knyght come that is so hardy that dare go to her kysse her mouth and than shall she torne agayne to her owne kynde and be a woman and after that she shall not lyue longe And it is not longe sythen a knyght of Rodes that was hardy doughty sayd that he wolde kysshe her whan the dragon began to lyft vp his heed agayne hym he sawe it was so hydeous he fledde awaye the dragon in his angre bare the
knyght on a roche of that roche she cast hym in to the see and so he was lost ¶ Yet of the same dragon ca. iiij ALso a yonge man that wyst â—not of that dragon went out of a shyp went thrugh the yle tyll that he came to a castell came in to the caue went so longe tyll he fouÌ„de a chambre and than he sawe a damoysell that kempt her heed loked in a myrrour she had moche tresour abouâ— her he trowed she had be a comon woman that dwelled there to kepe men he abode yâ— damoysel the damoysell sawe the shadowe of hym in the myrrour she torned towarde hym asked hym what he wolde he sayd he wolde be paramoure or leÌ„man And she asked hym yf he were a knyght he sayd nay she sayd than myght he not be her leÌ„man But she badde hym go agayne to his felawes make hym knyght come ayen on the morowe she sholde come out of the caue than he sholde kysse her on the mouth she badde hym haue no drede for she sholde do hym no harme yf all hym thought she were hydeous to see she sayd it was done by enchauÌ„tement for she sayd that she was suche as he sawe her than she sayd that yf he kyssed heâ— he sholde haue all that tresour be her lor de lorde of those yles And he departed fro her and went to his felawes to the shyp made hym knyght came ayen vpon the morowe for to kysse the damoysell And whan he sawe her come out of the 〈◊〉 in forme of a dragon he had so grete drede â— he fledde to the shyp she folowed hym and whâ—n she sawe that he torned not ayen she began to 〈◊〉 as a thynge that had moche sorowe torned agayne soone after the knyght deyed sythen hytherto myght no knyght se her but he deyed anone But whan a knyght cometh that is so hardy to kysse her he shall not deye but he shall torne that damoysell in to her ryght shappe he shall be lor de of the couÌ„tree before sayd And fro thens men come to the yle of Rodes the whiche the hospytalers holde gouerne and that toke they somtyme fro the Emperour it was wonte to be called Colles so yet the Turkes calle it colles And saynt Pou le in his Epysteles wryteth to theym of the yle of Collooenses This yle nere C.lxxx myle from Constantynople And from this yle of Rodes men go in to Cypres where are many vynes that fyrst are reed after a yere they wexe all whyte and those vynes that are moost whyte are moost clere best smellynge as men passe by this waye by a place where was wonte to be a grete cyte that men calle Sathalay all the couÌ„tree was lost thrugh foly of a yonge man for he had a fayr damoysell that he loued well she deyed sodeynly was buryed in a graue of marbell for the grete loue that he had to her he wente on a nyght to her tombe opened it went and laye by her whan he had done he went his waye whan it came to the ende of ix monethes a voys cam vnto hym sayd in this ma ner wyse as in the next chapytre folowynge ¶ Of a yonge man his lemman ca. v. â— Oo vnto the tombe of that same woman that thou hast lyen by and open it behol de â—ell that that yâ— hast begoten on her and yf thou 〈◊〉 â—or to go thou shalt haue a 〈◊〉 harme And he 〈◊〉 and opened the tombe and there flewe 〈◊〉 heed ryght hydeous for 〈◊〉 see the whiche 〈◊〉 all about the 〈◊〉 and the countree 〈◊〉 after the Cyâ— and the countree sanke 〈◊〉 and there is many peryllous passages Fro 〈◊〉 to Cypies is nere fyue hâ—ndred myle and 〈◊〉 men may go to Cypres and come not at 〈◊〉 Cypies is a good yle and grete and there are many good cytess there is an archebysshopp at Nychosy and foure other bysshopâ— in that londe And at Famagost is one of the best hauen on the see that is in the worlde that are crysten men saâ—asyns men of all nacyons In Cypres is the hylle of the holy crosse there is an abbey of monkes there is the crosse of the good theef Dysmas as I haue sayd before And some wene that there is the half of the crosse of our lorde but it is not so they do wronge that make men to byleue so In Cypres lyeth saynt Gononon of whome men of yâ— couÌ„tree make grete solempnyte in the castell of Amours lyeth the body of saynt Hyllaryon â—en kepe it full worshypfully besyde Famaâ—ost was saynt Bernarde borne ¶ Of the maner of huntynge in Cypres ca. vi IN Cypres men hunte with the pampeons thâ— are lyke to leopardes they take wylde bâ— tes ryght well they are somwhat more than 〈◊〉 on s they take more sharpely wylde bestes thâ— houÌ„des In Cypres is a maner that lordes oth men ete vpon the erthe for they make dyches the erthe all about the halle depe to the knee aâ— they do paueye them whan they wyll ete theyâ— therin sytte there this they do to be more fresâ— for that londe is more hoter than it is here And grete festes for strauÌ„ge men they sette formeâ— bordes as men do in this couÌ„tree but theym wâ— leuer sytte in the erthe Fro Cypres men go by 〈◊〉 de to Ierusalem by the see and in a daye 〈◊〉 it is to Acon M. CCC myles of Lombardy ¶ Of the hylle Carme ca. ix ANd the yle of Grece is ryght in the mydwaye besyde this cyte of Acon towarde the see at vi score forlonges on the ryght syde towarde the North there is the hylle Carme where Elyas the prophete dwelled there was the ordre of Carmes fyrst fouÌ„ded This hylle is not ryght grete ne hyghe at the foot of this hylle was some tyme a good cyte of crysten men that was called Cayphas for Cayphas fouÌ„ded it but it is now all wasted And at the lyft syde of the hylle is a towne that men calle Saffre that is sette vpon an other hylle there was saynt Iames saynt Iohn borne in the worshyp of them is ther a fayr chir â—he made And for Tholomayda that men now calle Acon to a grete hylle that men calle Ehale de Tyrreyes is an hondred forlonges besyde the cyte of Acon renneth a lytell ryuer that men calle Be lyon there nere is the fosse of Mymon all rouÌ„de that is an hondred cubytes or shaftmontes breed it is all full of grauell clere shynynge wherof men make whyte glasse clere and men come fro ferre couÌ„trees by shyppe by londe with cartes to take of that grauell yf there be neuer
so moche taken therof on a daye on the morowe it is as full agayne as euer it was that is grete merueyll theris alwaye wynde in that fosse that styreth alwaye the grauell and maketh it trouble And yf a man put or do therin ony metall as soone as it is therin as soone it waxeth glasse the glasse that is made of this grauell yf it be done agayne in to the grauell it torned agayne to grauell as it was before and some saye that it is a swalowe of the see grauell ¶ How Sampson slewe the kyng and his enemyes ca. x. ALso from Acon before sayd goo men thre Iourneys to the cyte of Phylystyen that now is called Gaza that is to saye ryche cyte it is â—ght fayr full of follre it is a lytell vpon yâ— see And from that cyte brought the stronge Samson the gates of the cyte vpon an hygh hylle where he was taken in that cyte there he slewe the kyng in his palays many a thousande more with hym for he made an house to falle on theym And fro thens shall men go to the cyte of Cesaryen and so to the castell of Pylleryns and thenne to Ashalon and so forth to Japhath and so vnto the holy cy tâ— Ierusalem ¶ The waye to Babylon where as the Soudan dwellyth ca. xi ANd who so wyll goo thorugh the londe of Babylon where the Soudan dwelleth to haue leue to go more sykerly thrugh the chirches couÌ„trees for to go to mouÌ„t Synay before he come to Ierusalem than corne agayne by Ierlm he shall go fro Gasa to the castell Dayr And after a man cometh out of Surry gooth in wylder nesse where the waye is full sondy that wyldernesse lasteth viij Iourneys where men fynde all that theym nedeth of vytayles men calle that wylder nesse Archellek whan a man cometh out of this deserte he entâ—th in to Egypt they calle Egypt Canopat in an other langage men calle it Mer synâ— the fyrst good towne that men fynde is cal led Beleth it is at the ende of the kyngdome of Alape And fro thens men come to Babylon to Kayre in Babylon is a fayr chirche of our lady where she dwelled vij yere whan she was out the londe of Iewes for drede of kyng Herode And there lyeth the body of saynt Barbara virgyn there dwelled Ioseph whan he was solde of his brethern there made Nabugodonosor put thre childern in fyre for they were of ryght trouthe the whiche childern men called Anania Azaria Miâ—el as the psalme of Benedicite sayth but Naâ—ugodonosor called theym thus Sydrac Mysac 〈◊〉 that is to saye God gloryous god vyc 〈◊〉 us god ouer all kyngdoms that was for myâ— that he made goddes sone as he sayd go with 〈◊〉 childern thrugh the fyre There dwelled the 〈◊〉 dan for theris a fayr see in a stronge castell 〈◊〉 sette vpon a roche In that castell is alwaye dwellynge to kepe the castell to serue the Soudan more than viij thousande persones of folke that take all theyr necessaryes of the Soudans court I sholde well knowe it for I dwelled with hym soudeour in his warres a grete whyle agayne the Beâ—oyns and he wolde haue wedded me to a gre â—e â—ynces doughter ryght rychely and I wolde ha 〈◊〉 forsaken my fayth 〈◊〉 of the Soudan ca. xij ANd ye shall â—vnderstande that the Soudan is lorde of vi kyngdomes the whiche he hath conquered goten to hym by strength this are they the kyngdom of Canopate the kyngdom of Egypte the kyngdom of Ierusalem where Dauyd Salon were kynges the kyngdom 〈◊〉 Surry of the whiche the cyte of Damas was 〈◊〉 chyef the kyngdom of Alape in the londe of 〈◊〉 meth the kyngdom of Araby whiche was to ne of the thre kynges that made offrynge to our de whan he was borne and many other londes holdeth in his honde also he holdeth Calaplâ— that is a grete thynge to the Soudan that is to 〈◊〉 amonge theym Roys yle this vale is full 〈◊〉 And than men go vp on the mouÌ„t of saynt 〈◊〉 ryne that is moche hygher than the mouÌ„t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And there as saynt Katheryne was grauen is 〈◊〉 chirche ne chapell ne other dwellynge place 〈◊〉 there is an hylle of stones gedred togyder abou 〈◊〉 the place there she was grauen of angels there was wonte to be a chapell but it is all cast dowâ— and yet lyeth there a grete parte of the stones â—ut vnder the foot of the mount of Synay is a monastery of monkes there is the chirche of sayÌ„t Katheryne wherin ben many lampes brennynge â— they haue oyle olyue ynough for to ete te breÌ„ne â— that they haue by myracle of god ther com certayn of all maner byrdes euery yere ones lyke pylgryÌ„s â— eche of theym bryngeth a brauÌ„che of olyue in to 〈◊〉 of offrynge wherof they make moche oyle ¶ For to retorne fro Synay to Ierlm ca. xiij NOw sythen a man hath vysyted this holy place of saynt Katheryne he wyll torne to Ierusalem he shall fyrst take leue at the monkes recoÌ„mauÌ„de hym specyally to theyr prayers and those same monkes gyue with a good wyll to pylgryms vytayls to passe with thrugh the wyldeâ— nes to Surry that lasteth well xiij Iourneys And in that wyldernes dwelle many Arabyns tha men calle Bedoynes Ascoperdes thyse are foâ—â—e that are full of all maner of ylle condycyons 〈◊〉 they haue no houses but tentes whiche they makâ— of bestes shynnes as of camelles other bestes thâ— whiche they ete there vnder lye they and theâ— dwelle in places where they may fynde water as on the reed see for in that wyldernes is grete deâ— faute of water it falleth ofte where a man fyndeth water one tyme he fyndeth it not an other 〈◊〉 me therfore make they no houses in those couÌ„trecs Thyse men that I speke of tyll not the londe for they ete no brede but yf it be ony that dwelled nere a good towne they rost all theyr fysshes flesshe vpon hote stones agayne the sonne they are stronge men well fyghtynge and they do no thynge but chace wylde bestes for theyr sustenauÌ„ce they sette not by theyr lyues therfore they drede not the Soudan noâ— no prynce of all the worlde And they haue ofte warre with the Soudan and that same tyme that I was dwellynge with hym they bare not but a shelde a spere for to defende theyÌ„ with and they holde none other armour but they wynde theyr hedes theyr neckes in a grete lynen clothe and they are men of full ylle kynde ¶ As men are passeth this wyldernesse agayne comende to Ierusalem ca. xiiij ANd whan men are passed this wyldernesse towarde Ierâ—m they come to Barsabe that was somtyme a fayr a lykynge towne of crysten men yet is
foure but now take they ix and â— many leÌ„mans theym lyked yf ony of theyr â— ues do amys agayne theyr husbondes â–ª he may dâ— ue her out of his hous take an other but he mâ— gyue her a parte of his goodes Also where mâ— speke of the fader sone holy ghoost they saâ— that they are thre persones not one god for theâ— â—he Alkaron speketh not therof ne of the Tryâ—te â–ª but they saye that god spake or ellys was he â—be god hath a ghoost or ellys were he not a â—e they saye that goddes worde hath grete strengâ— so sayth theyr Alkaron they saye that Abraâ—n Moyses were well with god for they spake â—th hym Machomet was ryght messenger of â— they haue many good artycles of our fayth â—d some vnderstande the scryptures ê“phecyes â— they haue theym the gospels the Byble is â—yten in theyr langage so wote they well of ho â—ryte but they vnderstande it not but after the â—ter so do the Iewes for they vnderstande not â—e letter ghoostly therfore sayth saynt Poule â—ttera occidit spiritus auteÌ„ viuificabit That is saye Letter sleeth goost maketh quycke And â—e Sarasyns saye that the Iewes are wycked for â—ey kepe not the lawe of Moyses the whiche he to â— to theym And also crysten men are ylle for they â—pe not the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of the gospelles that â—esu cryst sente vnto theym And therfore I shall â—le you what the Soundan tolde me vpon a daye his chambre he dyde voyde out all maner of â—en lordes knyghtes other for he wolde speke â—th me in couÌ„seyll and he asked me how crysten â—en gouerned theym in our couÌ„tree and I sayd â—ght well thanked be god and he sayd sykerly â—ay for he sayd that our preestes made no force of â—ddes seruyce for they sholde gyue good eusample to men to do well they gyue ylle ensample therfore whan the people sholde go on the hoâ— dayes vnto the chirche to serue god they go to â— uerne to be in glotony all the daye the nyght â— ete drynke as beestes that wote not whan they haâ— ynough also crysten men he sayd aforsed theyâ— to fyght samen euerychone to begyle other anâ— also they are so proude y y they wote not how thâ— may cloth theym now longe now short now 〈◊〉 te now wyde on all maner of wyse They sholâ— be symple meke soth fast and do almes as Ihesâ— cryste dyde in whom they byleue he sayd thâ— are to couetous that for a lytell syluer they selle theyâ— childern theyr systers theyr wyues one takeâ— an other mannes wyf none holdeth his fayth â— other therfore sayd he for theyr synnes hath goâ— gyuen thyse londes to our hondes not thoruâ— our strength but all for your synnes For we woâ— well forsoth whan ye serue well your god that hâ— wyll helpe you so that no man shall wynne agayâ— the londe whan they serue theyr god well but whâ— le they lyue so fouly as they do we haue no dredâ— of theym for theyr god shall not helpe theym â— than I asked hym how he knewe the state of â—ry sten men so he sayd that he knewe well bothe oâ— lordes of comons by his messengers whiche hâ— sente thrugh all couÌ„trees as it were marchauntâ— with precyous stones and other marchauÌ„dyses 〈◊〉 knowe the maner of euery countree And than hâ— dyde calle agayne all the lordes in to the chambre than he shewed me foure persones that were grete lordes in that couÌ„tre that deuysed me my couÌ„tree and other as in crystendome all as they had be men of the same couÌ„tree they spake Frensshe ryght well the Soudan also and than had I grete meruayle of this sclauÌ„der of our fayth so they that sholde be torned by our good ensamples to the fayth of Ihesu cryste they are drawen awaye thorugh our euyll lyuynge therfore it is no wonder yf they calle vs euyll for they saye soth but the sarasyns are trewe for they kepe truly the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of theyr Alkaron that god sente theym by his messengere Machomet to whom they saye that Gabryell the angell spake often sayd hym the wyll of god ¶ Of the byrthe of Machomet ca. xlvi ANd ye shall vnderstande that Machomet was born in Araby he was fyrst a poore knaue kepte hors and wente after marchauÌ„dyse And so he came ones in to Egypt with marchauÌ„ dyse Egypt was that same tyme crysten and there was a chapell besyde Araby there was an hermyte whan he came in to the chapell that was but a lytell hous a lowe as soone the entre began to be as grete as it were of a paleys gate that was the fyrst myracle that the sarasyns saye that he dyde in his youthe After began Machomet to be wyse ryche and he was a grete astronomer sythen was he keper of the londe of the prynce Lo rodan gouerned it full well in the whiche maner that whan the prynce was deed he wedded the lady that men called Quadryge And Machomet felle often in the fallynge euyll wherfore the lady was wrothe that she had taken hym to her husbon de And he made her to vnderstande that euery tyme that he felle so he sayd that Gabryell the angell spake to hym for the grete bryghtnes of the angell he fellâ— downe This Machomet regned in Araby the yere of our lorde vi hondred and. xx he was of the kynde of Ismaell that was Abra hams sone that he gate of Agar other are called Sarrasyns of Sarra but some are called Moaby tes and some Amonytes after two sones of Loth And also Machomet loued well a good man an hermyte that dwelled in wyldernesse a myle from mouÌ„t Synay in the waye as men go fro Araby to Laldee a dayes Iourney fro the see where marchauÌ„tes of Venys came And Machomet wente so often to this hermyte that all his men were wrothe for he herde gladly the hermyte preche dyde his men walke all the nyght his men thought they wolde this hermyte were deed Soo it befell on a nyght that Machomet was full dronken of good wyne he felle in slepe and his men toke Macho mets swerde out of his shethe whyles he lay slep te therwith they slewe the hermyte afterwarde they put the swerde vp agayne all blody And vpon the morowe whan he founde this hermyte thus deed he was in his mynde very angry and ryght wroth wolde haue done his men vnto the deth but they all with one accorde with one wyll sayd yâ— he hymself had slayne hym whan he was dronken and they shewed hym his owne swerde all blody than byleued he that they sayd sothe and than he cursed the wyne all those that dron ke it And
londe are lyghtly dronken haue lytell appetyte to mete and they haue comonly the flixe of body and they lyue not longe In Ethyope are suche men that hath but one foot and they goo soo fast that it is a grete meruaylle and that is a large foot that the shadowe therof couered the body fro the sonne or rayne whan they laye vpon theyr backes whan theyr childern be fyrst borne they loke lyke russeth and whan they waxe olde than they be all blacke In Ethyope is the londe of Saba of the whiche one of the thre kynges that sought our lorde at Bethleem was kyng ¶ Of Ynde the more Ynde the lasse and of dya mandes small people other thynges ca. lij Men of this yle haue many maner of byleue and fayth and haue also dyuerse lawes for some do worshyp the sonne some the fyre some the trees and some the serpentes or ony other thynge that theyin fyrst mette in the mornynge and some doo worshyp symulacres and ydolles but bytwene symulacres and ydolles is no dyfference and that iâ— to vnderstande ymages made to lyknesse of whaâ— thynge a man wyll that is not kyndely for some ymage hath an heed as an oxe and some haue thrâ— or foure heedes one of a man or an hors or an oxâ— or of ony other beest that no man hath seen And ye shall vnderstande that they that worshyp symulacres they worshyp theym as for worthy meâ— that were somtyme as Hercules other that dyde many meruayles in theyr tymes For they say they wote well that they are not god of kynde that ma de all thynge but that they are well with god for the meruayles that they do therfore they worshyp theym And soo saye they of the sonne for it chauÌ„geth oftymes for it gyueth somtyme grete he 〈◊〉 for to nourysshe all thynges on eâ—the and for it is of so grete profyte they wote well it is not god but it is well with god that god loueth it more than ony other thynge for this cause they worshyp it And also they saye theyr reasons of other planetes and of fyre also for it is profytable nedefull â–ª And of ydolles they saye that the oxe is the holyest best that they may fynde here in erthe moost profytable than ony other for he doth moche good none ylle and they wote well that it may not be without specyall grace of god therfore they ma ke theyr god of an oxe the one half and the other half a man for man is the fayrest the best creature of the worlde And they do worshyp to serpen tes other beestes that they mete fyrst at morowe namely those beestes that haue good metynge after whom they spede well all daye after the whi â—he they haue proued of longe tyme and therfore they saye that this good metynge cometh of goddes grace therfore haue they do make ymageâ— lyke vnto those thynges that they may worshyppe theym before they mete ony thynge ellys ¶ And yet are some crysten men that saye that some bestes are better for to mete than some for hares swyne and other bestes are ylle to mete fyrst as they saye In this yle of Cana is many wylde beestes rattons of yâ— couÌ„tree are as grete as houÌ„ des here â–ª and they take theym with mastytes â–ª for cattes may not take theym From thens men come to a cyte that men calle Sarchis it is a fayre a good cyte and there dwelle many crysten men of goddes fayth and there be men of relygyon Fro thens men come to the londe of Lombe in that londe wast peper in a forest that men calle Tonber it wast in none other place more in all the worlde than in that forest that forest is well l. dayes Iourney there by the londe of Lombe is the cyte of Polomes â–ª vnder that cyte is an hylle that men calle Polombe therof taketh the cyâ—e his name And so at the foot of the same hylle is a ryght fayre a clere welle that hath a full good swete sauour and it smelleth of all maner sortes of spyces And also at eche houre of the daye iâ— chauÌ„geth his sauour dyuersly who so drynketh thryes on the daye of that welle he is made hole of all maner sykenes that he hath I haue some tyme dronken of that welle me thynketh yet that I fa re the better some calle it the welle of youth for they that drynke therof seme to be yonge alwaye ly ue without grete sykenes they saye this welle co meth fro Paradyse terrestre for it is so vertuous in this londe groweth gynger and thyder come many good marchauÌ„tes for spyces In this couÌ„tre men worshyp the oxe for his grete symplenes and mekenes the profyte that is in hym for they ma ke the oxe to trauayle vi or vij yere than men do ete hym And the kyng of that londe hath euer more one oxe with hym he that kepeth hym euery daye taketh his fees for the kepynge And also euery daye he gadreth his vryne his douÌ„ge in a vessell of golde bereth it to the prelate that they calle Archiporta papaton the prelate bereth it to the kyng maketh therupon a grete blessynge and than the kyng putteth his honde therin they calle it gaule and he anoynteth his fronte his brest therwith and they do it grete worshyp saye he shall be fulfylled with the vertue of the oxe before sayd that he is halowed thrugh vertue of that holy thynge as they saye And whan the kyng hath thus done than do it other lordes and after theym other men after they are of degree yf they may haue ony of the remenauÌ„te In this couÌ„tree theyr ydolles are half man and half oxe as the fygure sheweth in the seconde leef here before and out of thyse ydolles the wycked ghoost speketh to theym gyueth theym answere of what thynge yâ— they aske hym and before thyse ydolles they slee theyr childern many tymes sprenge the blood on the ydolles so make they sacrefyce And yf ony man deye in that countree they brenne hym in tokenynge of penaunce that he sholde suffre no penauÌ„ce yf he were layde in the erthe for etynge of wormes And yf his wyf haue noo childern than they brenne her with hym they saye it is a good reason that she kepeth hym company in the other worlde as she dyde â–ª in this yf she haue childern she may lyue with theym and she wyll and yf the wyf deye before she shall be brente her husbonde also yf he wyll In this couÌ„tree groweth good wy ne and women drynke wyne men none and wo man shaue theyr berdes men not ¶ Of the kyngdom of Mabaron ca. liiij And whan they come there they haue ensence or suche other thynge for to ensence the
ydoll as we wolde do to goddes body And there is before that mynster or chirche of this ydoll a vyuer full of water and in that vyuer pylgryms cast golde syluer perles other precyous stones without nombre in stede of offrynges and therfore whan as the mayster of the mynster hath ony nede of helpynge as soone they go to that vyuer and take there out as moche as they haue nede to helpynge of the mynster And ye shall vnderstande whan that ony grete festes come of that ydoll as the dedycacyon daye of the chirche or of the thronynge of the ydoll all the couÌ„tree there about assembled theym there togyder and than men sette this ydoll with grete reuerence worshyp in a chayre well dyght with ryche csothes of golde and other of tapestry and so they carye hym with grete reuerence and worshyp rounde about the cyte and before the chayre gooth fyrste in processyon all the maydens of the countree two and two togyder and so after theym go the pylgryms that are come fro ferre countrees of whiche pylgryms some falle downe before the chayre and lateth all go ouer theym so are they some slayne some are broken theyr armes shan kes this do they for loue of the ydoll they byleue the more payne that they suffre here for theyr ydoll the more Ioye shall they haue in the other worlde a man shall fynde fewe crysten men that wyll suffre so moche penauÌ„ce for our lordes sake as they do for theyr ydoll And nyghe before the chayre go all mynstrelles of the couÌ„tree as if were without nombre with many dyuerse melodyes ¶ And whan they are come agayne to the chirche they sette vp the ydoll agayne in his throne and for worshyp of the ydoll two men or thre are slayne with sharpe knyues with theyr good wyll And also a man thynketh in our countree that he hath a grete worshyp he haue an holy man in his kyn Lyke wyse saye they there that those that are thus slayne are holy men sayntes and they are wryten in theyr letany and whan they are thus deed theyr frendes brenne theyr bodyes they take the asshes and those are kepte as relykes they saye it is holy thynge and that they haue doubte of no peryll whan they haue of those asshes ¶ Of a grete couÌ„tre called Lamory where the peo ple go all naked other thyngeâ— ca. lv ARo this countree lij Iourneys is a couÌ„tree that men calle Lamory in that londe is grete hete and it is the custome there that men wyÌ„men goo all naked and they scorne all theym that are cladde for they saye that god made Adam and Eue all naked and that men sholde haue no shame of that that god made and they byleue in the same god that made Adam and Eue and all the worlde there is no woman wedded but woman are all comon there and the forsake no man And they saye that god coÌ„maunded to Adam and Eue all that came of theym sayenge Crescite â—t multiplicamini et repleti terraÌ„ That is to saye in Englysshe Wexe be multeplyed and fylle the â—rthe and no man may saye there This is my wyf Ne woman saye This is my husbonde And whan they haue chil◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me they wyll of â—en 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also the londe is all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he wyll for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yere an other man hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goodes as corn beeste◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that countree are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thynge vnder locke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other but they haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flesshe for they ete glad◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neuertheles in that lon◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of flesshe of fysshe of go◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ner of goodes And thyd◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theyr childern for to selle and those that are fatte they ete theym and those that be lene they kepe theym tyll they be fatte and than are they eten ¶ And besyde this yle of Lamory is another yle that men calle Somober is a good yle men of that yle do marke theym in the vysage with an ho te yron men wyÌ„men for grete nobley and to be knowen from other for they holde theym self the worthyest of the worlde they haue warre euermo â—e with those men that are naked that I spake of before And there are many other yles dyuerse maners of men of whiche it were ouermoche for â—o speke of all ¶ Of the couÌ„tree and yle named Iana and is a myghty londe ca. lvi ANd there is a grete yle that men calle Iana the kyng of that couÌ„tree hath vndeâ— hym vij kynges for he is a full myghty prynce ¶ In this yle groweth all maners of spyces more plenteuously than in other places as gynger clowes canell nutmygges other and ye shall vnderstande that the nutmygge bereth the maces all thynge therin is plente sauf wyne The kyng of this londe hath a ryche palays the best that is in the worlde for all the greces in to his halle and chambres ben all made one of golde an other of syluer and all the walles are couered plated with golde syluer and in those plates are wryten storyes of knyghtes bataylles and yâ— pauyment of the halle chambres is of golde of syluer and there is no maâ— yâ— wolde byleue the rychesse yâ— is there but yf he had seen it the kyng of this yle 〈◊〉 so myghty yâ— he hath many tymes ouercome the grete Chane of Cathay that is the myghtyst Em perour that is in all the worlde for there is often warre amonge theym for the grete Chane wolde make hym holde his londe of hym ¶ Of the kyngdom of Paten or Salamasse whiche is a good londe ca. lvij ANd for to go forth by the see men fynde an yle that is called Paten some calle it Sala masse is a grete kyngdom with many fayr cytees In this londe growe trees that bere mele of whiche men make fayre brede and whyte and of good sauour and it semeth lyke as it were of whete And there be other trees that bere venym agayne the whiche is no medycyne but one that is to take of the leues of the same tree and stampte theym and tempre theym with water drynke it or ellys he shall deye sodaynly for tryacle may not helpe And yf ye wyll wete how the trees bere mele I shall tell you men hewe with an hachet about the rote of the tree by the erthe so that no berke be perced in many places than cometh out a lycoure thycke whiche they take in a vessell put it to the sonne drye it and whan it is drye they do it vnto the mylle to grynde so it is fayre
mele whyte and hony wyne and venym are drawen out of other trees in the same maner do it in vessels to kepe In that yle is a deed see that is a water that hath no groūde yf ony thynge falle therin it shall neuer be foūde besyde that see groweth grete canne vnder theyr rotes men fynde precyous stones of grete ver tue for he that bereth one of those stones vpon hym ther may no yron dere hȳ ne drawe blood on hym therfore they that haue those stones fyght full hardely for there may no quarell ne suche thynge dere theym therfore they that knowe the maner make theyr quarels without yron so they slee theym ¶ Of the kyngdom of Talonach where the kyng hath many wyues ca. lviij THan is there an other yle that men calle Talonach that is a grete londe plenteuous of goodes and fysshes as ye shall here herafter ¶ And the kyng of this londe hath as many wyues as he wyll a thousande mo lyeth neuer by one of theym but ones And that londe hath a meruayle that is in no other londe For all maner fysshes of thee cometh there ones a yere one after other lyeth theym nere the londe somtyme on the londe so lye thre dayes men of that londe come thyd take of theym what he wyll than go those fysshes awaye an other maner cometh lyeth also thre dayes men take of theȳ thus do all maner fysshes tyll al haue be there men haue taken what they wyll And men wote not the cause why it is But they of that coūtree saye that those fysshes come so thyder to doo worshyp to theyr kyng for they saye he is the moost worthyest kyng of the worlde for he hath so many wyues and geteth so many childern of theym And that same kynge hath xiiij M. olyfaūtes or moo whiche be all tame they be all fedde of the men of his coūtree for his pleasure by cause that he may haue theym redy to his honde whan he hath ony warre ayenst ony other kynges or prynces than he doth put vpon theyr backes castels men of warre as the vse is of that londe lyke wyse do other kynges prynces there about ¶ Of the ylonde called Raso where men be hanged as they are syke ca. lix ANd fro this yle men go vnto an other yle that men calle Raso and men of this yle whan that theyr frendes are syke and that they byleue surely that they shall deye they take theym and hange hym vp all quycke on a tree saye it is better that byrdes that are angels of god ete them than wormes of the erthe Fro thens men go to an yle there the men are of ylle kynde for the nourys she hoūdes for to strangle men And whan theyr frendes are syke that they hope they shall deye they do those hoūdes strangle theym for they wyll not that they deye a kyndly deth for than sholde they suffre to grete payne as they saye whan they are thus deed they ete theyr flesshe for veneson ¶ Of the ylonde of Melke where in dwelled ylle people ca. lx all men are as bestes not resonable they dwell in caues for they haue no wytte to make theȳ hou ses and they ete adders they speke not but they make suche a noyse as adders do one to an other ▪ they make no force of rychesse but of a stone ◠hath fourty colours it is called Traconyt after that yle but they knowe not the vertue therof but they coueyte it for the grete fayrenes And fro this yle men go to an yle that men calle Sylo this yle is more than hondred myle about and there in be many serpentes whiche are grete with yelowe strypes and they haue four feet with short legges grete clawes some be of fyue fadem of lengthe and some of viij and some of x. and some more some lesse and be called Cocodrylles and there are also many wylde bestes olyfaūtes And in this yle and in many yles there about are many wylde ghees with two heedes and there be also in that countree whyte lyons and many other 〈◊〉 meruayllous beestes and yf I sholde telle 〈◊〉 fall to longe 〈◊〉 called Dodyn wherin are ma 〈◊〉 euyll condycyons ca. lxij theyr eyen are in theyr shulders theyr mouth is on theyr brest An other yle are men that haue no heed ne eyen theyr mouth is behynde in theyr shulds And in an other yle are men that haue platte faces without nose and without eyen but they haue two smale rounde holes in stede of eyen and they haue a platte mouth without lyppes And in an other yle are men also that haue theyr faces all platte without eyen or mouth and without nose but they haue theyr eyen and theyr mouth behynde on theyr shulders And in an other yle are foule men that haue the lyppe aboue the mouth to grete that whan they slepe in the sonne they couer all theyr face with the lyppe And in an other yle are lytell men as dwarfs haue no mouth but a lytell roūde hole thrugh that hole they ete theyr mete with a pype and they haue no tonge they speke not but they blowe wysple and so make sygnes one to an other And in an other yle are men with hangynge eeres vnto theyr knees And in an other yle are wylde men with hangynge eeres and haue feet lyke an hors may renne fast and they take wylde beestes ete theym And in an other yle are men that go on theyr hondes feet lyke beestes are all rough wyll lepe vpon a tree lyke cattes or apes And in an other yle are men that go euer vpon theyr knees merueylously and haue on euery foot viij 〈◊〉 And in an other yle is folke that is bothe men women haue membres of bothe for to engendre with and whan they wyll they vse both on a tyme the other an other tyme they gete childern whan they vse the membre of man they bere childern whan they vse the membre of woman Many other maner of folke is in this yles therabout of whom it were to longe to telle all ¶ Of the kyngdome named Mancy is the best kyngdome of the worlde ca. lxiij TO goo fro this yle towarde the eest many Iourneys a man shall fynde a kyngdom that is called Mancy this in Ynde the more it is moost delectable plente of goodes of all the worl de In this londe dwell crysten men sarasyns for it is a grete londe therin is ij M. grete cytees other many townes In this londe no man goth on beggynge for theris no power man the men ha ue berdes thynne of here as it were cattes In this londe are fayre women therfore some men calle y◠londe Albany
sholde brynge his eldest sone before hym slee his owne sone with his owne hondes smyte of theyr heedes as soone they dyde his byddynge And whan he sawe they made no lettynge of that he badde theym do than badde he theym folowe his baner than he put in subgeccyon all the londes about hym ¶ How the grete Chane was hydde vnder a tree so scaped his enmyes by cause of a byrde ca. lxix ANd it befelle on a daye that the Chane ro de with a fewe men to see the londe that he hadde wonne he met with a grete multytude of his enemyes there he was cast downe of his hors his hors slayne And whan his men sawe hym at the erthe they wende he had be deed fled the enemyes folowed after and whan he sawe his enemyes were ferre he hydde hym in a busshe for the wood was thycke there whan they were come agayn fro the chasse they went to seke amon ge the wood yf ony were hydde there they foūde many And as they came to the place where he was they sawe a byrde sytte vpon a tree the whiche by r de men calle an oule than sayd they that there was no man for that byrde sate there so went they awaye thus was the Chane saued fro deth so he wente awaye on a nyght to his owne men whiche were gladde of his comynge And fro that tyme hyderwardes men of that cōutree haue do gre te worshyp to that byrde for that cause they wor shyp that byrde aboue all the byrdes of the worlde And than he assembled all his men rode vpon his enemyes destroyed theym And whan he had wonne all the londes that were about hym he helde them in subgeccyon And whan the Chane had wonne all the londes to moūt Belyan the whyte knyght come to hym in a vysyon agayne sayd vnto hym Chane the wyll of god is that thou pas se the moūt Belyan and thou shalt wynne many londes for thou shalt fynde no passage go thou to moūt Belyan that is vpon the see syde knele .ix. tymes theron agaynst the eest in the worshyp of god he shall shewe the a waye how thou shalt passe the Chane dyde so and anone the see that touched the hylle withdrowe hym shewed hym a fayre waye of .ix. foot brood bytwene the hylle and the see and so he passed ryght well with all his men and than he wanne the londe of Cathay that is the moost londe and the grettest of all the worlde and for those .ix. knelynges the .ix. foot of waye the Chane the men of Tartary haue the nombre of .ix. in grete worshyp ¶ Of the grete Chanes letters and the wrytynge about his seale ca. lxx than saye those men with a loude boys to all the halle now he stylle a whyle than sayth one of y◠phylosophres eche man make reuerence enclyne to themperour that is goddes sone lorde of the worl de for now is tyme houre than all men enclyne to hym knele on the erthe and than byddeth the phylosophre theym ryse vp agayne at an other houre an other phylosophre byddeth theȳ all put theyr fynger in theyr eerys they do so at an other houre an other phylosophre byddeth that all men shall laye theyr honde on theyr heed they do so than he byddeth theym take awaye they do so and thus fro houre to houre they bydde dyuerse thynges I asked pryuely what this sholde mene and one of the maysters sayd that the enclynynge the knelynge on the erthe at that tyme hath this token that all those men that kneled so shall euermore be true to themperour that for no gyfte ne hetynge they shall neuer be traytours ne fals to hȳ And the puttynge of y◠fynger in the eere hath this token that none of those shall here none ylle be spokey of the Emperour or his coūseyll And ye shall vnderstande that men dyght no thynge clothes brede drynke nor none suche thynges to themperour but at certayne houres that the phylosophres telle yf ony man reyse warre ayenst that Emperour in what coūtree so it be thyse phylosophres wote it soone tell the Emperour or his coūseyll and he sendeth men thyder for he hath many men And he hath many men to kepe byrdes as garfaukons sperhaukes faucons gentyls laners sacres popyniayes that are spekynge many other x. thousande olyfaūtes baboynes marmosettes other he hath euer about hym many physycyens more than two hondred that are crysten men and. xx sa rasyns but he trusteth more in crysten men than in sarasyns And there is in that coūtree many ba rons other seruaūtes that are crysten conuerted to the good fayth thorugh prechynge of good crysten men that dwelle there but there are many that wyll not that men wete that they are crysten ¶ Of the grete rychesse of this Emperour and of his dyspendynge ca. lxxij THis Emperour is a grete lorde for he may dyspende what he wyll without nombre by cause he spended nother syluer nother golde he made no moneye but of leder or skynnes and this same moneye gooth thorugh all his londe and of the syluer golde buylded he his palays And he hath in his chambre a pyler of golde in the whiche is a Ruby and a carbuncle of a foot longe the whiche lyghteth all his chambre by nyght he hath many other precyous stones rubyes but this is the moost This Emperour dwelleth in the somer towardes the North in a cyte that men calle Saydus and there it is colde ynough and in the wynter he dwelleth in a cyte that men calle Camalach and there it is ryght hote but for the moost parte is he to Cadon that is not ferre thens ¶ Of the ordynaūce of the lordes of themperour whan he rydeth from one coūtree to another or to warre ca. lxxiij ANd whan this grete Chane shall tyde frō one coūtree to an other they ordeyne four oostes of people of whiche the fyrst gooth before a dayes Iourneye for that oost lyeth at euen where the Emperour shall lye on the morowe there is plente of vytayls And an other oost cometh at the ryght syde of hym and an other at the lyfte syde in eche oost is moche folke And than cometh the fourth oost behynde hym a bowe draught there is more men in than in ony of the other And ye shall vnderstande that y◠Emperour rydeth on no hors but whan he wyll go to ony secrete place with a pryue meyne where he wyll not be knowen but he rydeth in a charyotte with four wheles there vpon is a chambre made of a tree that men calle lignū aloes that cometh out of Paradyse terrestre that chambre is couered with plates of fyne golde and precyous stones perles and four olyfaūtes
that men calle Alexander for to kepe that passage so that no man may passe but yf he haue leue and now is that cyte called Port de fear and the pryncypall cyte of Comayn is called Sarachys this one of thre wayes to go in to Ynde but thrugh this waye may not many men go but yf it be in wynter and this passage is called Berbent And an other waye is for to go from the londe of Turkescon thrugh Persy in this waye are many Iourneys in wyldernes And the thyrde waye is that cometh fro Cosmane goth thrugh the grete cyte and thrugh the kyngdom of Abachare And ye shall vnderstande that all thyse kyngdoms londes vnto Persy are holden of the grete Chane of Cathay many other and therfore he is a full grete lorde of men of londe ¶ Of other wayes comynge from Cathay towar de the Grekes see And also of the Emperour of Persy ca. lxxx NOw haue I deuysed you the londes towar des the north to come fro the londes of Cathay to the londes of Pruyse Rossy where crysten men dwelle Now shall I deuyse to you other lon des kyngdoms in comynge downe fro Cathay to the Grekes see where crysten men dwelle And for as moche as next the grete Chane of Cathay the Emperour of Persy is the grettest lorde therfore I shall fyrst speke of hym and ye shall vnder stande that he hath two kyngdoms the one begyÌ„neth eestwarde is the kyngdom of Turkescon and it lasteth westwarde to the see of Caspye southwarde to the londe of Ynde this londe is good playne and well manned good cytees but two moost pryncypall of the cytees are called Ba â—yryda SormagauÌ„t The other is the kyngdom of Persy lasteth fro the ryuer of Physon vnto the grete Armony northwarde vnto the see of Caspye southwarde to the londe of Ynde this is a full plenteuous couÌ„tree good and in this lon de are thre pryncypall cytees Nessabor Saphan and Sarmasse ¶ Of the londe of Armony whiche is a good londe of the londe of Myddy ca. lxxxi THan is the londe of Armony in whiche was somtyme thre kyngdoms this is a good loÌ„ de plenteuous it begynneth at Persy lasteth westwarde to Turky of length in breed lasteth fro the cyte of Alexander that now is called Port de fear vnto the londe of Myddy In this Armony are many fayr cytees but Canryssy is moost of name Than is the londe of Mydde is full longe not brood begynneth eestwarde at the londe of Persy and Ynde the lesse lasteth westwarde to the kyngdom of Caldee northwarde to lytell Armony In this Myddy are many grete hylles and lytell playne there dwelle Sarasyns an other maner of men that men calle Cordyns Karmen ¶ Of the kyngdom of George of Abcan and many meruayles ca. lxxxij THan next is the kyngdom of George yâ— begyuneth eestwarde at a grete hylle that men calle Abyor this londe lasteth fro Turky to the grete see the londe of Myddy and the grete Armony and in this londe are two kynges one of Abcan and an other of George but he of George is in subgeccyon to the grete Chane but he of Abcan hath a stronge couÌ„tree and defendeth hym well agayne his enemyes And in this londe of Abcan is a grete meruayle for there is a couÌ„tree in that lon de that is nere thre dayes longe and about and it is called Hamfon and that couÌ„tree is all couered with myrkenes so that it hath no lyght that no man may see there noman dar go in to that couÌ„ tree for the myrkenes And neuertheles men of the couÌ„tree therby saye that they may somtyme here therin the voys of men hors whynynge cockes crowe they wote well that men dwelle there â–ª but they wote not what maner of men they saye this myrkenes cometh thrugh myracle of god that he dyde for crysten men there For there was a wyc ked Emperour that was of Poy he was called Saures he pursued somtyme all crysten men to destroye dyde theym make sacrefyce to his fals goddes â–ª and in that couÌ„tree dwelled many crysten men the whiche lefte all theyr goodes catelles rychesse wolde go in to Grece whan they were all in a grete playn that is called Megon themperour his men came to slee thyse crysten men than the crysten men all sette theyÌ„ on theyr knees prayed to god anone came a thycke cloude ouerlapped themperour all his oost soo that he myght not go awaye so dwelle they in myrkenes and they came out neuer after the crysten men went where they wolde therfore they myght saye thê° AdnÌ„o factuÌ„ est istud et est mirabile in oculis nâ—is That is to saye Of our lorde is this done it is wonderfull in our eyen Also out of this myrke lon de cometh a Ryuer that men may see by good token that men dwelle therin ¶ Of the londe of Turky and dyuerse other couÌ„trres of the londe of Mesopotamye ca. lxxxiij THan next is the londe of Turky that mar cheth to grete Armony therin are many couÌ„trees as Capadoce Saure Bryke Quesycyon Pytan Geneth in echone of those couÌ„trees are many good cytees and it is a playne londe fewe hylles and fewe ryuers and than is the kyngdom of Mesopotamye that begynnet estwarde at flom of Tygre at a cyte that men calle Mosell and it lasteth westwarde to the flom of Eufraten to a cy te that men calle Rochaym westwarde fro hygh Armony vnto the wyldernesse of Ynde the lesse it is a good londe playne but there is fewe ryuers there is but two hylles in that londe the one is called Symar the other Lyson and it marcheth to the londe of Caldee And ye shall wete that the londe of Ethyope marcheth eestwarde to the grete wyldernesse westwarde to the londe of Nuby southwarde to the londe of Marytane and northwarde to the reed see than is Marytane that lasteth fro that hylles of Ethyope vnto Lyby that hygh the lowe that lasteth to the grete see of Spayne ¶ Of dyuerse couÌ„trees kyngdoms yles mer uayles beyonde the londe of Cathay ca. lxxxiiij NOw haue I sayd spoken of many on this syde of the grete kyngdome of Cathay of whome many are obeysaunt to the grete Chane Now shall I saye of some londes couÌ„trees yles that are beyonde the londe of Cathay Who so goth fro Cathay to Ynde the hygh the lowe he shall go thrugh a kyngdom that men calle Cadissen is a grete londe there groweth a maner of fruyte as it were goordes whan it is rype men cutte it asonder men fynde therin a beest as it were of flesshe of bone blood as it were a lytell lambe
whan he wyll but the ayer there is not so well tempred as it is at the cyte of Suse And he hath euery daye in his course more than xxx thousande men without comers goers but. xxx thousande there in the couÌ„tree of the grete Chane spende not so moche as xij thousande in our couÌ„tree he hath euermore vij kynges in his court to serue hym echone of theym serueth a moneth with thyse kynges serue alwaye lxxij dukes CCC erles and euery daye ete in his court xij archebysshops and. xx bysshops The patryarke of saynt Thomas is as he were a pope archebysshops bysshops abbottes all are kynges in that couÌ„tree some of the lordes is mayster of the halle some of the chambre some stewarde some marshall some other offycers therfore he is full rychely serued his londe lasteth in brede four monethes Iourney and it is of length without mesure ¶ Of a ryche man in prester Iohn londe named Catolonabes of his gardeyne ca. lxxxx IN an yle of prester Iohans londe that men calle Myscorach therin is grete plente of goodes moche ryches and many precyous stones In that londe was a ryche man not longe agone that men called there Catolonabes he was full ryche he had a fayre castell on an hylle stronge and he had made a walle all about the hylle ryght stronge fayre within that he had a fayre gardeyne wherin were many trees berynge all ma ner of fruytes that he myght fynde he dyde plante therin all maner of herbes of good smell that ba re floures there was many fayre welles and by theym was made many fayre halles chambres well dyght with golde asure and he had made there dyuerse storyes beestes and byrdes that songe torned by engyne and orbage as they had be all quycke he had in his gardeyne that he myght fynde to make a man solace comfort and he had also there in that gardeyne maydens with in the age of xv yere the fayrest that he myght fynde men childern of the same age they were cladde with clothes of golde he sayd that the same were angels he had do make thre hylles fayre and good all enclosed about with precyous stones of â—aspye and crystall well bouÌ„de with golde and perles other maner of stones and he had made a conduyte vnder the erthe so that whan he â—olde the walles ranne somtyme with mylke somtyme with wyne somtyme with hony this place is called Paradyse And whan ony yonge bachelere of that couÌ„tree knyght or squyer cometh to hym for solace dysporte he ledeth hym in to his Paradyse shewed vnto hym all thyse dyuerse thynges dyuerse songes of byrdes and also of his damoysels his welles and he dyde stryke dyuerse Instrumentes of musyke in an hyghe toure that myght be seen sayd those were angels of god and that place was Paradyse that god hath grauÌ„ted to tho se that byleued whan he sayd Dabo voâ—is terraÌ„ fluenteÌ„ lac et mel That is to saye I shall gyue you londe flowynge mylke hony And than this ryche man dyde thyse men drynke a maner of dryn ke of whiche they were dronken he sayd to them yf they wolde deye for his sake that whan they we re deed they sholde come in to his Paradyse and they sholde be of the age of those maydens shol de dwelle alwaye with theym and he sholde put theym in a fayre Paradyse where they sholde see god in his Ioye in his mageste and than they grauÌ„ted to do what he wolde and he badde theym go slee suche a lorde or a man of the couÌ„tree that he was wroth with that they sholde haue no dre de of no man and yf they were slayne themself for his sake he sholde put theym in his Paradyse whan they were deed And so wente those bachelers to slee grete lordes of the countree and were slayne themself in hope to haue that Paradyse thus he was auenged of his enemyes thorugh his deserte And whan ryche men of the countree perceyued this malyce and cautele the wyll of this Catolonabes they gadred theym togyder assayled the castell and slewe hym destroyed all his goodes and his fayre places rychesse that were in his Paradyse the place of the walles is there yet and some other thynges but rychesse is not there and it is not longe ago syth he was destroyed ¶ Of a meruaylous vale that is besyde the ryuer of Physon ca. lxxxxi ANd a lytell fro that place on the lyfte syde besyde the Ryuer of Physon is a grete meruayle There is a vale bytwene two hylles that is foure myle longe and some men calle it the valey enchauÌ„ted some the valey of deuylles same the valey peryllous in that valey are many tempestes and a grete noyse and hydeous euery daye and nyght and somtyme as it were a noyse of Taburynes of nakers and of trompettes as it were at a grete fest This valey is all full of deuylles hath ben alwaye men saye there that it is an entre to helle In this valey is moche golde and and resonable many crysten men amonge theym that are full ryche the water bytwene the londe of prester Iohan and this yle is not full depe for men may see the grounde in many places ¶ Of two other yles one is called Orell that other Argete where are many golde mynes ca. C. I. THere are more estwarde two other yles the one is called Orell the other Argete of whom all the londe is myne of golde syluer In those yles may men see no sterres clere shynynge but one sterre that is called Canapos there may not men see the mone but in the last quarter In that yle is a grete hylle of golde that pyssmyres kepe they do the fyne golde from the other that is not fyne golde the pyssmyres are as grete as houÌ„des so that no man dare come there for drede of pyssmyres that shol de assayle theym so that men may not werke in that golde ne gete therof but by subtylte and therfore whan it is ryght hote the pyssmyres hyde theym in the erthe from vndern to none of the daye than men of the couÌ„tree take camels dromedaryes other bestes go thyder charge them with golde go awaye fast or the pyssmyres come out of the erthe And other tymes whan it is not so hote that the pyssmyres hyde theym not they take meres that haue foles they laye vpon thyse meres two longe vessels as it were two smale barelles and the mouth vpwardes dryue theym thyder holde theyr foles at home whan the pyssmyres seen thyse vessels they sprynge therin for they haue of kynde to leue no hole nor pytte open anone fylle thyse vessels of
golde whan men trowe that the vessels are full they take the foles brynge theym as nere as they dare they whyne the meres here theyÌ„ anone they come to theyr foles so men take the golde for thyse pyssmyres wyll suffre beestes for to go amonge theym but no men ¶ Of the derke couÌ„tree hylles and roches of stâ—ne nyghe to the paradyse terrestre ca. C. ij BEyonde the yles of the londe of prester Iohan his lordshyp of wyldernes to go ryght eest men shall not fynde but hylles grete roches other myrke londe where no man may see a daye nor nyght as men of the couÌ„tree saye this wyldernes myrke londe lasteth to paradyse terrestre where Adam Eue were sette but they were there but a lytell whyle that is towarde the eest at begynnynge of the erthe but that is not our eest that we calle where the sonne ryseth in those couÌ„trees towarde paradyse than it is mydnyght in our couÌ„tree for the rouÌ„denesse of the erthe for our lorde made the erthe all rouÌ„de in myddes of the fyrmament Of paradyse can I not speke properly for I haue not be there that angreth me but that I haue herde I shall saye you Men saye that paradyse terrestre is the hyghest londe of the worlde it is so hygh that it toucheth nere to the cercle of the mone for it is so hygh that Noes flood myght not come ther to the whiche couered all the erthe about ¶ A lytell of paradyse terrrestre ca. C. iij. THis paradyse terrestre is enclosed all about with a walle that walle is all couered with mosse as it semeth that men may see no stone ne no thynge â—ls wherof it is the hyghest place of paradyse in the myddes of it is a welle that casteth out the foure floodes that renne thrugh dyuerse londes The fyrst flood is called Physon or Ganges that renneth thrugh Ynde in that ryuer are many precyous stones moche lignuÌ„ aloes grauell of golde An other is called Nylus or Gyron that rennth thrugh Ethio pe Egypte The thyrde is called Tygre that renneth thrugh Assyry Armony the grete And the fourth is called Eufrates that renneth thrugh Armony Persy and men saye that all the swete and fresshe waters of the worlde take theyr spryn gynge of theym The fyrst ryuer is called Physon that is to saye a gaderynge of many ryuers togy der falle in to that ryuer and some calle it Gan ges for a kyng that was in Ynde that men called Gangeras for it renneth thrugh his londe And this ryuer is in some places clere in some places trouble in some place hote in some place tolde The secon de ryuer is called Nylus or Gyron for it is euer trouble for Gyron is to saye trouble The thyrde ryuer is called Tygrys that is to saye fast rennynge for it renneth faster than ony of the other so is a best that men calle Tygrys for he renneth fast The fourth ryuer is called Eufrates that is to saye well breÌ„nynge for there groweth many good thyn ges vpon that ryuer And ye shall vnderstande that no man lyuynge may go vnto that paradyse for by lon de he may not go for wylde beestes whiche are in the wyldernes for hylles roches where noman may passe Ne by those ryuers may no man passe for they come with so grete course so grete wawes that no shyp may go ne sayle ayenst theym Many gre te lordes haue assayed many tymes to go by those Ryuers to paradyse but they myght not spede in theyr waye for some deyed for werynes of rowynge some wexe blynde some deef for noyse of the waters so noman may passe there but thrugh specyal grace of god for I can tell you nomore of that place I shall saye you of that I haue seen ¶ How prester Iohans londe lyeth foot agaynst foot to Englonde ca. C. iiij IN this yles of the londe of prester Iohan they are vnder the erthe to vs other yles are there who so wolde pursue them for to enuyron the erthe who so had grace of god to holde the waye he myght come ryght to the same couÌ„trees yâ— he we re come of come fro and so go about the erthe for it were to longe tyme also many perylles to passe fewe men assaye to go so yet it myght be done therfore men came fro thyse yles to other yles coostynge of the lordshyp of preester Iohan. men come in the comynge to one yle that men calle Cassoy that couÌ„tree is nere .lx. Iourneys longe more than .l. of brede that is the best londe that is in those couÌ„trees saue Cathay yf marchauÌ„tes came thyder as comonly as they do vnto Cathay it sholde be better than Cathay for it is so thycke of cytees townes that whan a man goth out of a cy te he seeth anone another on eche syde there is gre te plente of spyces other goodes The kyng of this yle is full ryche myghty and he holdeth his londe of the grete Chane for that is one of the .xij. prouynces that the grete Chane hath vnder hym without his owne londe ¶ Of the kyngdom of Ryboth ca. C. v. FRo this yle men go to an other kyngdom yâ— men calle Ryboth that is also vnder the grete Chane this is a good couÌ„tree plenteuous of corne wyne other thynges men of this londe haue none houses but they dwelle in tentes made of tree And the pryncypall cyte of that couÌ„tree is all blacke made of blacke stones whyte and all the stretes are paued with suche stones in that cyte is no man so hardy to spyll blood of man ne beest for worshyp of a mawmet that is worshyped there In that cyte dwelled the pope of theyr lawe that they calle Lobassy he gyueth all dygnytees benefyces that falle to the mawmet And men of relygyon men that haue chirches in that couÌ„tree are obedyent to hym as men are here to the pope In this yle they haue a custome thrugh all the couÌ„tree that whan a mans fader is deed they wyll do hym grete worshyp they sende after all his frendes relygyous prestes other many and they bere the body to an hylle with grete Ioye myrthe and whan it is thet the grettest prelate smyteth of his heed layeth it vpon a grete plate of golde or syluer he gyueth it to his sone the sone taketh it to his other frendes syngynge sayenge many orysons and than the prestes the relygyous cutte the flesshe of the body in peces saye orysons and the byrdes of the couÌ„tree come thyder for they knowe well the custo me they flye aboue theym as they were egles other byrdes that ete flesshe And the preestes cast the peces vnto theym they bere it