FOr as moche as the Lande ouer the see / that is to say the holy lande that men call the lande of hetynge / amonge all other landes it is mooste worthy lande and soueraigne of other landes / and it is blessyd and halowed and sacred of the precious blode of oure lorde iesu cryst. In the whyche lande it lyked hym to take flesshe and blode of the virgyn mary / and to enuiron that lande with his owne fete. And there he Wold do many myracles / and preche and teche the feythe / and the lawe of vs cristen men as vnto his childre. And ther fore he wolde suffre many reproues and scornes for vs. And he that was kynge of heuen / and of erthe / of eyre / of see / & of all thynges that are conteyned in them wolde all oonly be callyd kynge of that lande whan he sayde. Rex sum iudeo (rum). I am kynge of Iewes. For that tyme was that lande of Iewes / and that lande had he chosen before all other landes as for the best and the most vertuous and for the most worthy of the worlde / and as the Phylosofer saythe thus. Virtus re (rum) in medio consistit. That is to say the vertu of thynges is in the myd. and in that lande he Wolde lede his lyfe and suffre passion and dethe of the Iewes for vs and for to delyuer and bye vs fro the paynes of hel / and fro dethe wythouten ende. the Whyche was ordeyned to vs for the synne of oure fader Adam. and for oure owne synnes also. For as hym self he had none euyll deserued: for he thought neuer euyll. ne dyd neuer euyll. And he that was kynge of glory and ioy myght best in that place suffre dethe for he that woll do any thynge that he woll be knowen openly. He woll do crye it openly in the myddyll place of a towne / or of a [Page] cyte so that it may be knowen to all partyes of the Cyte. So he that Was kynge of all the world wold suffre deth for vs at Ierusalem that is in myddis of the worlde so y t it myght be knowen to men of all parties of the world howe dere he bought man that he had made to his owne lykenesse for the greate loue that he had to vs: for more worthy catell ne might he haue set for vs than his owne blessyd body and his owne precious blode / the whych he suffred for vs. A dere god what loue he had to his subget us. Whan he that had done no trespas wolde for trespas sours suffre dethe Right ought men to loue and worship and d [...]ede and serue suche a lorde and worshyp and pray se such a holy londe y t brought forth suche frute thorough the whych euery man is saued but if it be hys owne de [...]a [...]te. This is the lande hight to vs in heritage / & in that lande he wolde dye as sesed to leue it to his children. For the Whiche euery goode crysten man that may and hathe Wherof shulde strength hym for to conquere oure ryght heritage and chase oute the ylke trowand for We ar called cristen men of crist oure fader. & if we be right childre of crist we owe for to chalenge the heritage that oure fader left vs and do it oute of straūge mens handis. But now pride couetise & enuy hath so enflamed the hertis of lordes of the Worlde that they are more besy for to disherite t [...]eir neyghbours than for to chalenge or conquere ther right herytage before sayde. And the comon people that Wolde put their bodyes and catell for to conquere oure heritage they may nat do withoute lordes for assemble of the people Wythoute a cheef lorde is as a flocke of shepe that hathe no shepeherde the whiche departe asonder / [Page] and wote neuer wheder that they shulde go. But wolde go [...] that the worldly lordes were at good accorde / & Wyth other of their comon people wolde take thys holy vyage ouer the see. I trowe well that Wythin a lytell tyme oure right heritage before sayde shulde be reconsyled & put in the handes of the right eyres of Iesu cryst: and for as moche it is longe tyme that there was no generall passage ouer the see. And many men desyre to heere speke of the holy londe. and haue therof greate solare / and comforthe. ¶Iohn Maundeuyle knyght. Thoughe it so be that I be nat worthy that was borne in englonde in the towne of saynt Albone and passed the see in the yere of the Incarnacion of oure lorde iesu crist M.CCCxxxii on the day of saynt Myghell and hyde [...] w [...]rde hathe be longe tyme ouer the se and haue sene and gone thorowe many landes and many prouynces and kyngdomes & Iles and haue passed thorough Turky thorough Ermony the lytell and the greate thorough Tartary Thoroughe Per [...]y thorough Syry thoroughe / araby / thorough Egypt the hygh and the lowe. thorough lyby thoroughe Caldee / and a great party of Ethyope thorowe Amo [...]ome. thoroughe Inde the lesse and themore. a greate party. and thorough many other Iles whych are a boute Inde Where many dyuers maners of folke dwell of dyuers lawes and shappes [...] of whyche londes & Iles I shall speke more playnly / and I shall deuyse a party of thynges what they are whan tyme shall be after it may come to mynde [...] and specyally for theym that woll and are in purpos for to vysite the holy cyte of I [...]rusa [...]lem & the holy places y t at theraboute & I shall tell [...]he [Page] Wey that they shall holde thyder for I haue many tymes passyd and ryden it wyth good company / and of many lordes.
IN the name of god almyghty. He that woll passe ouer the se: he may go many weyes bothe on londe and see after the countrees that he comethe fro [...] and many of theym come all to one ende: but trow est nat that I woll tell all the townes and cytes & castel lys that men shall go by. for than shulde I make to longe tale but all only sōme countres and moost pryncypall steddi [...] that men shall goo thoroughe to go the right wey. ¶Fyrste if a man come from the west syde of the Worlde as Englonde Irlande wales Scotlonde Norwey he may go if he woll thorough almayne & thorowe the kyngdome of hungery that marchys too the lande of poyalme and to the londe of pannony and of Allesey. And the kynge of hungery is a right greate lorde and a myghty and holdeth greate and moche londe. for he holdeth the londe of hungery and of allesy. Sauoy Coma me a greate party of Bulgary: that men calle the londe of Bugers and a greate party of the kyngdom of rosse and y • lasteth to the londe of Nyflond and marchis vnto Pruysse. and men go this thorough the londe of Hungry thorough a cyte that men call Chyppron [...] and thoroughe the castell of Newburgh and by the ille towne that is to warde the ende of hungry & men by the ryuer of Daunby this is a full greate ryuer and gothe into almaygne. vnder the hyllys of lumbardy and it taketh into hym xl. other ryuer [...] and it [...]enneth thorough hungry & thorowe Gresses▪ and thoroughe Tracy and gothe into the see so [Page] stal worthly and with so greate strength that the water is fresshe xx. myle within the see. and afterwarde go men to Belgraue and entre into the londe of Bugers & there passe men a Bredge of stone that is ouer the ryuer Marroke / & men pas thorugh the londe of Pynteras & com to Grece to the cyte of Stemy & to the cyte of affynpayn & sythyn to the cyte of Constantynople that was somtyme called Bessamorn and there dwelleth comonly the emperoure of grece there is the best churche of the worlde and the fayrest and it is of saynt Sophy / & before this churche is an Image of Ius [...]in [...]an the emperoure gilt and it is vpon an horse and crowned / and it was wonte to hold a rounde appyll in his hande and men say there that it is a token that the emperoure hath lost a greate party of his londe for the appyll is fall oute of the ymages hande & also that he hathe loste a great party of his lordship [...] For he was wonte to be emperoure of romayn of grece and all assy the lesse of Surry and of the londe of I [...]de / in the whych is Ierusalem / and of the londe / of Egypt [...] of Pe [...]y and Araby [...] but he hathe lost all but grece / & that londe that he holdethe all only and men wolde many tymes put the appyll in the ymages hande but it wold nat holde it This appyll betokenethe the lordshyp that he had ouer all the Worlde. And the other hand he holdeth lyfte vp ageyne the west in token for to manasse mysdoers. This Image standeth vpon a pyller of marble at Constantynoble. there is the spounge and the rede of the whiche the Iewes gaue oure lorde drynke gall on the crosse and there is one of the nayles that cryst was nailed with to the crosse.
[Page]Sōme men wene that halfe of the crosse of crist be in cypre in an abbey of munkes that men call the hyll of the holy crosse but it is nat so. for that crosse that is in cypre is the cr [...]sse on the whyche Dysmas the good theef was hangyd but all men wote nat that. and that is yll done but for getynge of the offringes they say that it is the cros of oure lorde iesu criste. And ye shall vnderstande that the cros of oure lorde was made of foure maner of trees as it is conteyned in this verse. In cruce sit palma cedrus [...]pr [...]ssus oliua. For the pece that went right vp from the [...] vnto the hede was of cypres and the pece that went ou [...]rthwa [...]t to the which the handes were nayled was of palme: and the stocke that stoode within the erthe to the whyche they had made a morteys was of cedre [...] & the table aboue his hede that Was a fote and a halfe longe on the whyche the tytle was wreten in Ebrewe / in grewe & in laten that was of olyue. And the iewes made the cros of these foure maner of trees for they trowed that oure lorde iesu crist shulde haue hanged vpon the cros as long as the crosse myght laste. and therfore made they the fote of cedre. for cedre may nat in erthe ne in water rotte▪ and they wolde it shulde haue last longe and for they trowed that the body of crist shulde haue stonken▪ that yere is made of cypre for it is well smellyng: soo that the smell of his body shulde nat greue to men that come forby. & that ouerthwart was mad [...] of palme [...] for in the olde testamēt it was ordeyned that whan any had the vyctory he was crowned with palme and for they trowed y t they had the victory of Iesu crist therfore they made the pece y t Went ouerthwart of palme and the table of the tytle they made [Page] of Olyue. for olyue betokenethe pees. as the story of Noe wytnesseth. whan the doue brought the braunche of olyue that betokenyd pees made betwene god and man Also the Iewes trowed to haue had pees whan crist was dedde. for they sayde that he made discorde and stryfe amonge theym. And ye shall vnderstande that oure lorde Was nayled to the cros lyinge. and therfore he suffred the more peyne. Also in Grece and the crysten men y t dwell ouer the see say that the tree of the crosse that we call Cypresse was of that tree that adam ete the appyll and soo fynde they Wretyn. and they say as their scripture seyth that adam was sycke / and sayde to his son Seth that he shulde go to paradyse and pray the aungell that kepethe paradyse that he wolde sende hym of the oyle of the tree of mercy for to anoynt with his membres that he myght haue heele. And Seth went but the aungell wolde nat late hym come in at the dore. but sayde vnto hym that he myght nat haue of the oyle of mercy. but he toke to hym foure braunches of the same tree that hys fader [...]etee the apple / and bad hym as sone as his fader was dede that he shulde put these graynes vnder his tonge / and graue hym [...] and he dyd so. and of these foure braunches sprange a tre as the aungell sayde that shulde bere a frute thoroughe whyche frute adam shulde be saued.
And whan Seth came ageyne he fonde hys fader nere dede and he dyd wyth the graynes as the aungell badde hym. of the whyche came foure trees. of whyche a crosse was made that bare goode frute. That is to say oure saueoure Iesu cryst. Thoroughe whome adam and all that came of hym were saued and delyuered from dethe [Page] Withouten ende / but if it be their owne defaute. This holy crosse the iewes hydde vnder the erthe vnder the roche of mount caluary. and it lay there two hundred yere and more vnto the tyme that saynt Elyne fonde it: the whyche saynt Elyne was the moder of Constance the emperoure of rome. and she was doughter of kynge Alle that was kynge of englonde that than Was called the greate Bretaygne whom the emperoure toke to wife for hir greate fayrenesse whan he was in that countre. And ye shal vnderstonde that the crosse of oure lorde was in lengthe / viii. cubites. and that ouerthwart had in length .iii. cubytes and a halfe. A party of the crowne of oure lorde ihū wherwithe he was crowned and of the nayles and the spere hede and many other relyques ar in fraunce in the chapell of the kynge of fraunce and the crowne lyethe in a vessell of crystell well dight and richely. for a kynge of fraunce bought theyse relyques somtyme of the Iewes. to whom the emperoure layde theym to wedde for a gret some of syluer. And all if it be so that men say that this crowne be of thornes. ye shall vnderstonde that it was & is of Ionkes of the see that was whyte that pryckethe as sharpe as any thornes. for I haue sene and behold many tymes that of Parys and that of Constantynople. for they were bothe of one made of Ionkes of the se but men haue departed theym in two peces. the whyche one party is at parys and the other party is at Constantynople. And I haue one poynt therof that semethe a whyte thorne and that was gyuen to me for greate frendshype. for there is many of theym broken and fallen in the vessell to shewe the crowne to greate men that com thedyr. [Page] And ye shall vnderstand that oure lord in that night y t he was taken he was led into a gardeyne / and there he was examyned sharply. and there the Iewes scorned hym & made hym a crowne of braunches of albespyne y t grew in the same gardeyne: and sette it on his hede so fast that blode ranne downe by many places of his vysage: and his necke and his shulders. and therfore hathe the albespyne many vertues / for he that bereth a braunche of it vpon hym / no thunder / ne no maner tempeste may dere hym ne none house that it is in may none euyll gost come in no place there it is. And in that same garden saynt Peter denyed oure lorde thryes.
¶Afterwarde was oure lorde ledde before the bysshope and the mynysters of the Lawe in another gardeyne of anne there he was examyned also. and scorned and after ageyne wyth a white thorne that men call barbarens that grewe in that gardeyne and that hath as many vertues. ¶And afterwarde he Was ledde into a gardeyne of Cayphas and there he was crowned of one Englent and afterwarde he was ledde into a chaumber of Pyfates / and there he was examyned and crowned. and the Iewes sette hym in a chayre and cladde hym in a mantill and than made they a crowne of Ionkes of the see / And they knelyd vnto hym saynge. Aue rex iudeorum. That is to say in Englysshe. Heyle kynge of Iewes. And the crowne of the wyich one half is at parys / and the other at Constantynople the which crist had vpon his hede whan he Was done on crosse and therfore men shall Worshype that most and holde it more worthy than any of the other. And that spere shafte hathe the emperoure of almaygne. [Page] But the hede is at parys and many tymes sayth the emperoure of Constantynople that he hathe the spere hede. And I haue often sene it but it is gretter than that of parys. Also at constantynople lyeth saynt anne oure ladis moder whom saynt Elyne made brynge from Ierusalē And there lyethe also the body of saynte Iohn crysostom that was bysshop of constantynople. And there lyeth also saynt luke Euāgelyst for his bones were brought fro Bethany. where he was grauen and many other relyques are there. And there is of the vessellis of stone as it were marble the whych men call Id [...]yons that euermore droppe water. and fyll theym sylfe eche yere. And ye shall wete that constantynople is a right fayre cyte and a gode and a well walled and▪ it is thre cornered & there is an arme of the see that men call hellespount & sōme call it the bouche of constantynople. and sōme call it the brache of saynt george. and this water enclosethe two ꝑtyes of the cyte and vpwaide to the see vpon the water Was wonte to be the greate cyte of troyse in a full fayre playne but that cyte was destroyed wyth theym of grece And there ben many Iles that men call Calastre calcas Certege Tesbytta Minona Fayton / Molo Carpate & sempne. and in this yle is the mount Athos that passeth the clowdes and there is many speches and many coū trees that are obeysaunt to the emperoure that is to say. Turcople / Pyncy Narde Comange and many other Trachy and macydone of whyche Alysander was kynge. In this countre was arystotyll borne in a Cyte that men call sirages. a lytell fro the cyte of Trachy and at sirage lyethe arystotyll and there is an aulter vpon hys [Page] tombe and there make they a greate fest euery yere as he Were a saynt and open hys auter they holde their greate counseylis and assembles and they trowe that thorough inspyracion of god & hym they shall haue the better coū seyle. In this countre ar right hygh hylles towarde the ende of Macidone is a greate hyll that men call Olymphus that departeth Macidone and Trachy / & it is highe vp to the clowdes and the other hill that men call Athos is so highe that the shadowe of hym rechethe vnto Olymphus that is nere lxxvii myle bytwene. And aboue that hill is the eyre so clere that men may fele no wynde there And therfore may no beest lyue there so is the eyre drye. And men say in these countres that Phylosofers somtyme wente vp on those hyllys / and helde to their noses a spounge moyst wyth Water for to haue eyre for the eyre Was so drye. And aboue in the powder of the hyll they Wrote letters Wyth their fyngers. and at the yeres ende they came ageyne and fonde those letters the which they had wreten the yere before wythoute any defaute. And therfore it semeth well that those hilles passe the cloudes to the pure eyre. And at Constantynople the Emꝑours paleys is right fayre and Well dighte / & therin is a fayre paleys for iustynge / and it is on stages & eche man may Well se and none greue other. and vnder these stages ar stables vouted for themperours hors / and all the pillers ar of marble. and within the church of saynt Sophy / an emꝑoure wolde haue layde the body of hys fader Whan he was dedde / and as they made the graue they fonde a body in the erthe / and vpon that body lay a greate plate of fyne golde / and therupon was wreten in Ebrewe / in [Page] Grewe and laten letters that sayde thus. Iesus cristus nascetur de virgine maria. et ego credo in eum. That is to say Iesu crist shalbe borne of the virgyn mary and I trowe in hym. And the date was it was layde in erthe ii. M. yere before oure lorde was born. And yet is that plate in the tresory of the churche. and men say that it was Ermogynes the wyse man. And all if it be so that men of Grece be cristen / yet they vary from oure feythe. for they say that the holy gost cometh nat oute of the son but all only of the fader. and they are nat obeysaunt to the churche of rome ne to the pope / and they say that their patriarkes haue as moche power ouer the se as the pope hathe on this syde the see. And therfore pope Iohn the xxii sent letters to theym howe crysten feithe shuld be all one and that they shulde be obeysaunt to a pope that is crisus vyker in erthe to whome god gaue playne power for to bynde and to assoyle and therfore they shulde be obedyent to him. and they sent hym dyuers answers & amonge other they saide thus Potentiam tuam sūmam circa subiectostuos [...]irmiter credimus. Suꝑbiam tuam sūmam collerare nō possumus. Auariciā tuā sūmā saciare non intendimus. Dn̄ [...] tecum sit. quia dn̄s nobiscū est. vale This is to sey. we trowe well thy power is greate vpon thy subgettis. we may nat suffre thy pryde. we ar nat in purpos to staunche thy grete couetyse. lorde be wyth the for lorde is wyth vs. Fare well. & other answere myght we nat haue of theym. And also they make their sacrament of the auter of therf brede / for oure lorde made it of therf brede whan he made his maūde and on sherthursday make they their bredde in tokenynge of the maunde / [Page] were wonte to holde that place / but in the tombe of seynt Ion is no thynge but Manna. for his body was translatyd into paradyse. and Turkes holde nowe that cyte & that churche and all assy the lesse / and therfore is assy the lesse called turky and ye shall vnderstonde that saynte Iohn dyd make hys graue there in hys lyfe / and layde hym selfe therin all quycke / and therfore some sayn that he dyed nat / but he restethe there to the day of dome / and therfore sothely there is a greate marueyle for men may se there aꝑtly the erthe of the tombe many tymes stere & moue as there were a quycke thynge vnder. And from Ephesym men go thorough many yles in the se▪ vnto the cyte of Pateran where saynt Nycholas was borne and so to marca where he was chosen to the bysshoppe / there growethe right good wynes and stronge / that men [...]alle wyne of marca. and fro thens se men Iles of Grece the whyche the emperoure gaue somtyme to Ionays. And than passe men thorough the Iles of Cophos and lango of the whyche Iles Ipocras was lorde / and som say that in that Ile of lango is Ipocras doughter / in maner of a dragon that is a hundred fote longe as men sayn for I haue nat sene it. and they of the Iles call hir the lady of the countre / and shelyeth in an olde castell and shewethe hir thryes in the yere. And she dothe no man no harme / & she is thus chaunged fro a damsell to a dragon thorugh a goddesse that men call Deane / & men say that she shal dwell so vnto the tyme that a knyght come that is so hardy that dare go to hir and kysse hir mouth and than shal she turne ageyne to hir owne kynde and be a woman & after that she shall nat lyue longe.
[Page]And it is nat longe sythen a knyght of Roodes that was hardy and doughty sayde that he wolde kysse hir & whan the dragon began to lyft vp his hede ageyne hym and he sawe it was so hydious he fledde awey▪ and the dragon in his angre bare the knyght on a roche and of that roche she kest hym into the see and so was he lost. Also a yonge man that wyst nat of that dragon▪ went oute of a shyppe and went thoroughe the yle tyll that he cam to a castell / & cam into the caue and went so longe till he fonde a chamber / and than he sawe a damsel that kempt hir hede and loked in myrroure and she had moch tresoure aboute hir and h [...] trowed she had ben a comon woman that dwelled there to kepe men. and he obeyde vnto the damsell. & the damsell sawe the shadowe of hym in the myrroure / & she turned towarde hym / and asked hym what he wolde and he sayde he wolde be paramoure or lemman. And she asked hym if he were a knyght. and he sayde nay. And she sayde th [...] myght he nat be hyr lemman. But she badde hym go ageyne to his felawes and make hym knyght and come ageyne on the morowe. and shulde come oute of the caue: and badde hym come and kysse hyr than on the mouthe / and she bad hym haue no drede for she shulde do hym no harme if all hym thought she were hydious to se. she sayde it was done by enchauntement. for she sayde that she was suche as he sawe hir than and she sayde that if he kyst hir he shulde haue all that treso [...] re and be hir lorde. And lorde of those yles. and he departed fro hir and went to his felawes to ship and made him knyght / and came ageyne vpon the morowe for to kysse the damsell. And whan he sawe hir come oute of the caue [Page] in forme of a dragon he hadde so gréaté drede that he fledde too the shyp / and she folowed hym / and whan she sawe that he tourned nat ageyne she begane to crye as a thynge that had moche sorowe [...] and she tourned ageyne and as sone the knyght dyed. and sythen hytherto warde myght no knyght se hir but he dyed as sone. But whan a knyght cometh y t is so hardy to kysse hir / he shall nat dy but he shall turne that damsell into hir right shappe / He shall be lorde of the countre before sayde. And fro thens men come to the yle of rodes. the whyche the hospitelers holde and gouerne / and that tooke they somtyme fro the Emperoure. and it Was wonte to be called Colles / and so colles the turkes call it yet. ¶And saynt Paule in his Epystelis wryteth to theym of the yle of Colocenses. This yle is nere vin. hundred myle longe from Constantynople. and from this yle of rodes men go into Cypre where ar many vynes that first ar redde. and after a yere they wexe all whyte / and those vynes that are moost whyte are moost cleere and beste smellynge and as men pas by this wey by a place where was wont to be a grete cyte that men calle Sathalay / and all the countre was lost thorough foly of a yonge man for he hadde a fayre damosell that he loued well / and she dyed sodeynly and was done in a graue of marbil / and for the great loue y t he had to hir. he went on a night to hir Tombe and openyd it / and went and lay by hir / and whan he had done / he went his wey. and whan it came to the ende of ix monethes a voyce cam vnto hym and sayde in this maner of wyse. Goo vnto the tombe of that same woman that thou haste lyne by / and opyn it and beholde well y t that [Page] thou haste goten of hir: and if [...]hou lette for to goo thou shalt haue a greate harme [...] and he went and openyd the tombe and there flewe oute a hede right hydous to se the whyche as swythe flewe aboue the cyte and the countre and sone the cyte sanke downe and there is many ꝑilous passages fro Rodes to Cypre is nere v.C. myle and more / but men may go to Cypre and come nat at Rodes Cypre is a gode Ile and greate and there are many gode cytees and there is an archebysshop at Nycosy and iiii other bysshops in that londe. And at famagost is one of the best hauen on the see that is in the worlde and that ar crysten men and sarasyns and men of all nacions. and in cypre is the hyll of the holy crosse / and there is an abbey of monkes / and there is the crosse of the gode theefe Dysmas as I haue sayde before. And sōme wene that there is the halfe of the crosse of oure lord but it is nat so & they do wronge y t make men to byleue so. In Cypre lyethe saynt Gononon of whom men of that countre make greate solemnyte and in the castell of Amou [...]s lyeth the body of saynt hyllaryon / and men kepe it full worshypfully. and besyde famagost was saynte Bernarde borne men hunt with the pampeons that are lyke to leopardes and they take wylde bestis right we [...] and they ar somwhat more than lyons / and they take more sharply wylde bes [...]ys than houndes. In cypre is a maner y e lordes and other men ete vpon the erthe▪ For they make dyches in the erthe all aboute the hall depe to the knee / and they do peyne them and whan they woll ete they go there in and sytte there this their maner for to be more fresshe for that londe is more hote than it is here. And at greate [Page] festis / and for straunge men they sette formes and bordes as men do in this countre / but theym were leuet syt in the erthe. Fro Cypre men go by londe to Ierusalem / and by the see / and in a day and in a nyght he that hathe gode wynde may come to the hauen of Tyre that nowe is callyd Sure / and also it is at the entre of Surry. there was somtyme a fayre cyte of crysten men. but sarasyns haue destroyed it in greate party / and they kepe [...] hauen right [...] for drede that they haue of crys [...]en men Men myght go right to that hauen and come nat in Cy / pre but they go gladly to cypre to rest theym on the londe. or ellis to bye thynges that they haue neede of [...]o their lyuynge. Vpon the see syde men may fynde many rubies and there is the well of the whyche holy wrytte spekethe. Fons orto (rum) et puteus aquarum viuenciu [...]. That is to say The well of gardeyns and dyches of waters lyuynge in the cyte of Tyre sayde the woman to oure lorde Beatus venter qui te portauit et vbera que suxisu That is to say Blessyd be the body that bare the / and the pap [...]pes that thou souke and there oure lorde forgaue too the woman of Canane hir synnes and before was wonte to be the stone on the whyche oure lorde sate on / and preched. And on that stone was founde the churche of saynt Saueoure. Vpon that see is the cyte of Saphen or Sarept or Sodom. there was wonte to dwell Elyas the ꝓphete [...] and there was reysed Ionas the prophete the wydowes son. And fyue myle fro Saphen is the Cyte of Sydon of the whyche Cyte dydo that was Eneas wyf after the destructyon of Troy / and that foundyd the cyte of Car [...]age [...]n Affryke and nowe is it callyd Didonsart [Page] Dydon is Beruth / & fro beruth to Sardena is iii. iou [...]e [...] and from Sardena is fyue myle to Damas
WHo so Woll go lenger vpon the see and come nere to Ierusalem he shall go fro Cypre by see to port Iaffe. For that is the next hauen to Ierusalem. for fro that hauen is nat but a dayes iourney and an halfe to Ierusalem. And that hauen is callyd Iaffe and the towne affe. After one of Noe sōnes that men called Iapheth that founde it. And nowe is it callyd Iops and ye shall vnderstonde that is the eldeste towne of the Worlde for that was made before Noes flode / and there be bones of a geaunt [...]yde that ben .xl. fote longe. And who so arryuethe at the first hauen of Ty [...]e or of Surrey before sayde may go by londe if he woll to Ierusalem. and he gothe to the cyte of Acon in a day that was callyd Tholomayda. and it was a cyte of crysten men somtyme. but it is nowe all destroyed. and it is on the se And from Venys it is to Acon by se two thousande and foure score myles of lambardy and from calabre / or fro Cycyle it is to Acon. M.ccc. myles of lumbardy: and the Ile of Grece is right in the mydwey. and besyde this cyte of Acon to warde the see at vi. score forlonges on the ryght syde towarde the North. there is the hyll Carme where Elyas the prophete dwellyd. and there Was the ordre of carmes first founde. This hyll is nat right greate ne highe. And at the fote of this hyll Was somtyme a goode cyte of crysten men that was called Cayphas. For Cayphas foundyd it but it is nowe all wastyd.
[Page]And at the lyft syde of the hyll is a towne that men calle Saffre. and that is sette vpon another hyll. There was saynt Iames and saynt Ion borne. and in the worshyp of theym is there a fayrechurche. And for Tholomayda that men call nowe Acon. to a greate hyll that men call Ekale de Tyrreyes is a hundred forlonges. and besyde the cyte of acon renneth a lytell ryuer that men call Belyon / and there nere is the fosse of Mymon all rounde y t is an hundred cubytes or shaftmontis longe / and it is all full of grauell shynynge of suche men make gode verres and clere.. And men come from ferre in a shyppe / & by lande wyth cartes to take of that grauell. and if there be neuer so moche taken therof on a day / on the morowe it is as full ageyne as euer it was. and that is great merueyle. and there is euermore wynde in that fosse that sty / rethe alwey the grauell and makethe it trouble.
And if a man put or do therin any metal as sone as it is in as sone it waxethe glasse. and the glasse that is made of this grauell if it be done ageyne into the grauell / it tornethe ageyne to grauell as it was before. and som saye that it is a swolowe of the see grauell.
Also from acon before sayde go men thre iournes too the cyte of Phylistyen that nowe is callyd gaza that is to [...]ay cyte ryche / and it is right fayre and full of folke and i [...] is a lytell vpon the see
And from that cyte brought Samson the stronge gates vpon an high lande whan he was taken in that cyte and there he slewe the kynge in his paleys and many a thowsande more wyth hym. For he made a house to falle on theym. and fro thens shall men go to the cyte of Cesare [Page] & so to the castel of pylleryns and so to Askalon / & than to Iapheth. and so vnto Ierusalem.
ANd who so woll go thorough the londe of Babylone where the Soudan dwelleth to haue leue to go more sykerly to go thoroughe the churches and countrees / and for to go to mount Synay byfore he came to Ierusalē / & than turne ageyne by Ierusalem he shal go fro Gasa to the castell Dayr. And after a man cometh oute of Surry & goth in wildernes where the wey is ful sondy. and that wyldernesse lasteth viii. iourneys where men fynde all that theym nedethe of vytayles. and men call that wyldernes Archellek / and whan a man cometh oute of this deserte he entrethe into Egypt / and they call Egipt Canopat / & in a nother langage men call it Mersyne. and the first goode towne that men fynde is callyd Beleth / and it is at the ende of the kyngdome of Alape. And fro thens men come to Babylony and to kayre and in Babylony is a fayre churche of oure lady. where she dwellyd vii. yere whan she was in the londe of Iewes for dreede of kynge herode. And there lyethe the body of saynt Barbara vngyn. & there dwellyd Ioseph whan he was selde of his brether. & there made Nabugodonozor put their children in fyre. For they were of ryght trouthe the whiche children men callyd Anania Azaria Mysael as the psalme of benedicite saythe. But Nabugodonozor callyd theym thus. Sydrac / Mysael Abdenago. that is to sey God glorious god victorious / god ouer all kyngedoms. and that was for myracle that he made godde son / as he sayde goo with those chyldren thorough the fy / [Page] re. There dwelleth the Soudon / for there is a fayre see in a castell stronge / and well sette vpon a Roche. In y e Castell is dwellynge alwey to kepe the Castell / and to serue the soudan more than viii thousande ꝑsones of folke that take all their necessaries of the court of the sowdan. I shulde well knowe for I dwellyd wyth hym soudeour in his warres a great whyle ageyne the Bedoyns and he wolde haue weddyd me to a great pryncys doughter right rychely and I wolde haue forsaken my trouthe. And ye shall vnderstond that the Soudon is lorde of v. kyngdoms the whyche he hathe conquered / and goten to hym by strength. And this arre they of Canopate that is Egypte the kyngdom of Ierusalem wherof Dauid and Salon were kynges: the kyngdome of Surrey. of the whych the cyte of Damas was the chef kingdom of anaple in the lond of Dameth / & the kyngdō of arab was to one of the thre kynges that made offerynge to oure lorde whan he was borne. and many other londes he holdethe in his hande / and also he holdethe Calaphes that is a greate thynge to the Soudan / that is to say amonge theym Roys Ile and this vale is full colde. and than men goo vp on the mount of saynte Katheryn / and that is moche hygher than the mounte Moyses. And there as saynt katheryn was grauen is no church ne chapel ne other dwellynge place but there is an hyll of stones gedryd togeder aboute the place there she was grauen of aungellis. the [...] was wonte to be a chapell. but it is all casten downe. & yet lye a greate part of the stones there.
And all it be so that the Collet of saynte katheryn say y • it is all one place where oure lorde gaue the law to Moyses. [Page] And there saynt katheryn was grauen. ye shall vnderstonde that it is all in a coūtre or ellys in a stedde that bereth all a name. For they are called both mount Synay. but it is a greate wey betwene theym / and a greate vale.
NOwe sythen a man hathe vysited this holy place of saynt katheryn. and he woll turne to Ierusalem [...] he shall first take leue at the monkes and recōmaū de hym specyally to their prayers. and those same monkes gyue wyth goode wyll to pylgryms vetayles to pas wythe thorough wyldernes to Surry and that lastethe wel xiii: iournes. And in that wyldernesse dwell many arabyns that men call Bedoynes and ascopdes. these ar folke that are full of all maner of yll condicyons and they haue no houses but tentys whyche they make of beestys skynnes as of camellys and other bestis / the whyche they ete and thervnder lye they. and they dwell in places where they may fynde water as on the redde see. For in that wyldernesse is greate defaute of water and it falleth oft where a man fyndeth water one tyme he fyndeth it nat another tyme / and therfore make they no howses in those countrees. These men that I speke of they tyll nat the londe for they ete no brede. but if it be any that dwell nere a goode towne / and they rost all their fysshes and flesshe vpon hote stones ageyne the son. and they ar stronge men and well fightynge and they do no thynge but chase wylde bestis for theyr sustenaunce / and they sette nat by theyr lyues. and therfore they drede nat the Soudan nor none other prynce of all the worlde
[Page]And they haue oft werre wyth the Soudan. and that same tyme that I was dwellynge wyth hym they bare nat but a sheelde / and spere for to defende theym wyth. And they holde none other armours. but they wynde their hedes and their neckes in a great lynen clothe / and they are men of full yll kynde. and whanne men are passed this wyldernesse toward Ierusalem they come to Bersabe. that was somtyme a fayre and a lykynge towne of crysten men and yet is there sōme of their churches and in y t towne dwellyd somtyme abraham the Patryarke. This towne of be [...]abe foundyd vrrey wyfe of whom Dauyd engendred Salon the wyfe that was kynge of Ierusalem and of xii. kyndes of Israel and he reigned xl▪ yere. and from thens go men to the vale of Ebron that is frothens nere xii. myle. And sōme call it the vale of Mā bre: and also it is called the vale of Teres / for as moche as adam grete in that vale a hundred yeere the detthe of his son abel that caym slough And Ebron that was somtyme the pryncipall cyte of Phylistiens / and there dwellyd Geauntes and there it was so fre that men toke alle fleers of all other places that hadde done yll In Ebron Iosue Calofe and their felaweshyp came firste to aspye howe they myght wynne the lande of promyssyon. In Ebron dauyd reygned first vii yere and halfe and in Ierusalem he reigned xxxiii yere and halfe. And there ar the graues of Patryarkes adam / abraham / Iacob and theyr wyues / Eue / Sara / Rebecca / and they are in the hyngynge of the hylle / and vnder theym is a right fayre churche kyrnelde after the facyon and maner as it were a castell. The whyche churche the sarasyns keepe ryghte [Page] well and they haue that place in greate worshyp. For the holy patryarkes that lyethe there / and they suffre no crysten men ne Iewes come in there. but they haue specyall grace of the [...]oudan. for they holde crysten men & Iewes but as houndes that shulde come in no holy place. And they call the place spelunke / or double caue / or double graue for one lyethe on another. and the sarasyns cal it on their langage. Caryatharba that is to say the place of patryarkes. and Iewes call it arboth. And in that same place was abrahams howse [...] and that was the same the whiche sate in his dore and sawe thre persones and worshypped one. as holy wrytte Wetnesseth saynge. Tres vidit et vnum adoraunt. That is to say he sawe iii. and worshypped one and hym toke abraham to his house. And right nere to the place is a caue in a Roche where adam and eue dwellyd whan they Were dryuen oute of paradyse and there gate they their chyldren. And in that same place was adam made as some men say / for men callyd somtyme that place the felde of Damasse. For it was in the lordshyp of Damasse and fro thens he was translatyd into paradyse as they say. And afterward he was dryuen oute of paradyse and put there a geyne / for the same day that he Was put into pararise the same day he was dryuen oute. for as sone he synned.
There begynneth the vale of Ebron y t lasteth nere to Ierusalē [...] & the aūgel bad Adam y t he shulde dwell with his wyfe. and there they engendred Seth of the whiche kyn Iesu cryste was borne.
¶And in that Vale is a feelde where men drawe oute of the erthe a thynge the whyche thynge men in y t countre [Page] call chambyll and they ete that thynge in stedde of spyce and they bere it to sell and men may nat make it so depe ne so wyde but y t it is at the yeres ende full ageyne vp to the sydes thorough the grace of god. And two myle from Ebron is the graue of loth that was abrahams brother. and a litell from ebron is the mount Marbre of the whyche the vale toke his name. and there is a tree of oke that sarasyns call Dyrpe that is of Abrams tyme / that men call drye tree. and they say that it hathe ben from the begynnynge of the worlde and was somtyme greene / and bare leues vnto that tyme that oure lord dyed and so dyd all the trees in the worlde / or ellis they fayled in their hertes / or ellys they faded / and yet is many of thoose in the worlde. And sōme prophesies say that a lorde prynce of the west syde of the worlde shall wynne the londe of ꝑmyssion that is the hooly londe wyth the helpe of crysten men. and he shall do synge a messe vnder the drye tree. and than the tre shall waxe grene and bere frute and leues and thorough that myracle many sarasyns & iewes shalbe tourned to crysten feyth / and therfore they do greate worshyp therto and kepe it ryght besyly. And all if it be drye it bereth a greate vertue. for certeynly he that berethe a lytell therof on hym it heleth of the fallynge euyl and many other vertues. and therfore it is holden ryght precious. Fro Ebron men go to bethleem on halfe a day for it is but fyue myle and it is a pylous wey & thorugh wodes full lykand. But bethleem is a lytell cyte longe / and narowe and well wallyd and enclosyd wyth a dyke and it was wonte to be called Effrata. as hooly wryttte sayth. Ecce audiuimus eum in effrata. That is to say. [Page] Lo we herde hym in effrata towarde the ende of the cyte towarde the est is a right fayre churche. and a gracious / and it hathe many toures and pynnacles and kyrnellys full straungely made and within that churche is .xliiii. of marble pylers great & fayre. & betwene thys chuche & the cyte is the felde Floudons / and it is called the feld florysshed. For as moche as a fayre mayden that was blamed with wronge that she had done fornycacion. for the whyche cause she was demyd to the dethe and to be buryed in that place to the whyche she was ledde / And as the Wode beganne to brenne aboute hir she made hir prayer to oure lorde as she was nat gyltye of that thynge. that he wolde helpe hir that it myght be knowen to all men. And whan she had thus sayde she entred the fyre and as soone was the fyre oute. and thoose braunches that were brennynge bycam redde roses and those braunches that were not kyndled becam whyte rosers full of whyte roses and thoose were the fyrst roses and rosers that any man sawe and thus was the mayden saued thoroughe the grace of god. And therfore is the felde called the feld of god florysshed for it was full of rooses. Also besyde the queere of that churche at the righte syde as men come downeward .xii. grees is the place. where oure lord was borne that is nowe full well dight of marble and full rychely depeyntyd of golde syluer and asure / and other colours. and a lytell thens by thre pacys is the Crybbe of the oxe and the asse. And besyde that is the place where the sterre fell that ledde the thre kynges Iasper Melchior and Balthasar. But men of grece call the kynges thus. Galgalath Saraphy Galgalagh. Theyse iii. kynges [Page] offred to oure lorde. Encense gold and myrre & they cam togeder thorough myracle of god for they mette togeder ī a cyte that men call Chasak. that is lui. iournes fro Betheleem / and there they were at betheleem the fourth day after they hadde sene the sterre. And vnder the cloyster of this churche xviii grees at the righte syde of the Charnel of the Innocentis where their bones lye / and before that place where crist was born is the tombe of saynt Ierom that Was a prest and a cardynall that translatyd the byble and the sauter fro Ebron to latyn. and besyde y t churche is a churche of saynt Nycholas where oure lady restyd hir whan she was delyuered of chylde. And for as moche as she had so moche mylke in hir pappes that greuyd hir she mylked it oute vpon the redde stones or marble. so that yet may the traces be sene whyte vpon the stoones. & ye shall vnderstonde that all that dwell in betheleem a [...] crysten men and there are fayre wynes all aboute the cyte and greate plente of wyne for their bokes that macho mete betoke theym. the whyche they calle Alkaron. And sōme call it alkaron. and sōme call it Massap. and som call it harme forbedeth theym to drynke wynes: for ī that boke machomete cursethe all those that drynke of y t wyne & all that sell it for sōme men sayde ones that he slow a good heremyte whyche he loued moch in his dronkenes And therfore he cursed the wyne / and theym that drynke Wyne. but his malison is turned to hym self as holy writ saythe.
Et in verticem ipsius iniquitas eius descendet. That is to say in englysshe: His wyckednes shall descende in hys owne hede. And also the Sarasyns bryngethe forth no [Page] gryse ne they ete no swynes flesshe / for they say it is brocher too man and that it was forboden in the olde lawe. Also in the londe of Palestyne / ne in the londe of egypte they ete but lytell veale and beefe / but it be so olde that it may nomore trauaile ne work nat for it [...]s forbode but for they kepe theym for [...] of their londe. Of thys cyte of bethleem was dauyd the kynge borne and he had syxty wyues and thre hundred lemmas: Fro bethleem. to Ierusalem is two myle / & in the wey to Ierusalem. halfe a myle from bethleem is a churche where the aungell sayde to the shepeherde of the berynge of cryste. and in that way is the tombe of [...]chell that was Iosephs moder the patriarke and she dyed as sone as she had borne bemamyn and there she was grauen / and Io [...]ob hir husbonde sette xii. greate stones vpon hir in tokenynge that she hadde borne xii: children. [...] this wey to Ierusalem ar many churches crysten by the whyche men goo to Ierusalem.
FOr to speke of ierusalem ye shall vnderstonde that it standeth fayre amonge hylles and there is nouther ryuer ne well but water comethe by condyte fro Ebron. and ye shall wete that men callyd it first Iebus and sythen Was it called Salomee vnto the tyme of kynge dauyd: and he sette these two names Samen and called it Iebusalem. and than came Salon / & called it Ierusalem and so is it callyd yet. And aboute Ierusalem is the kyngdom of Surrey / and therby is the lond of Palestyne and Ascalon but Ierusalem is in the londe of Inde and it is called Indee.
[Page]worldes hathe wrought heele in the myddys of the erthe. And also vpon the Roche where the crosse was fyxed is wryten wythin the roche. Gros guist basis thou pestes thoy thesmoysy That is to say in laten. Quod vides est fundamentum tocius mundi et huius fidei. and it is too say. that thou seest is groūde of all the world and of this [...]eythe. And ye shall vnderstonde that oure lord whan he dyed was xxxii. yere olde. and thre monethes / and the ꝓphesy of dauid sayth that he shulde haue .xl. yere whan he sayth thus. Quadraginta annis ꝓximus fui generacioni huic That is to say. Fourty yere Was I neyghbour to this kynde. and thus shulde it seme that prophesy we [...] nat sothe / but it is. For in olde tyme men called yeres of x. monethes: of the whyche marche was the firste. and december the laste. But Gayus Cesar that was emperoure of rome dyd sette to these two monethes Ianuary and February and ordeyned the yere of xii. monethes. y t is to say ccc. dayes wythoute lepe yere. the propyr cours of the sonne. And thei fpre after the accomptynge of ten monethes to the yere he dyed in fourty yere: and after oure yeres of xii. monethes is xxxii. yere and thre monthes Also within mounte caluary at the right syde is an auter where the Pyller lyethe that oure lorde was bounde too whan he was scourged / and there besyde at foure fote at foure stones that alwey droppe water. and sōme say that those stones wepe for oure lordes deth. and nere this auter in a place xlii degrees depe was found the very cros by assent of saynt Elyn vnder a roche where Iewes had hydde it and it was assayed for they fonde thre crosses. one of oure lorde and two of the two theues
[Page]And saynt Elyne assayed theym on a dede body that ro / se as sone as the very crosse was layde on. And therby in the vale is the place where the foure nayles of our lorde was hydde▪ for he had two nayles in his handes and two in his fete. And of one of these nayles the emperour of Constantynople dyd make a brydell for his hors to bere hym in batayle. for thorough vertu therof he ouercam his ennemys. And whan all londes of assy turky / dama [...]yne more and the lesse surrey and Ierusalem araby / persy and Messopotany the kyngdom of alap [...] egipt the hygh and the lowe [...] and other kyngdoms many vnto w [...]lle lowe in Ethyope and alsoo vnto Inde the less [...] that than was crysten. and there was in that tyme ma / ny gode men. and holy heremytes of whom the bokes of the [...]ader lyfes speketh / and they ar nowe in paynemes & [...] handes but whan god Woll ryght as these londes are lost thorough synne of crysten men soo shall they be wonne ageyne by cristen men thorough helpe of god. And in the myddis of this church is a compas in the why the Ioseph of a [...]amathy layd the body of oure lord whan he had taken hym of the crosse. And that compasse men say it is in myddys of the Worlde. and that churche of the sepulcre on the northe syde is the place where oure lorde was done in pryson in many places and there is a party of the [...]heyne with the whyche he was bounde. And there he apperyd first to mary magdalen whan he was rysen and she trowed that he hadde been a gardyner / in the churche of the sepulcre was wonyd to be chanons of the ordre of saynt kenet and they had a pryoure but the patryarke was their soueraigne. and withouten the doores [Page] of the churche at the right syde as men goo vp .xviii. degrees sayde oure lorde to his moder. Mulier ecce f [...] ius tuus. That is to say woman beholde thy son. Deuide dicit discipulo. Ecce mater tua. That is to say. Than sayde he to his discyple. Beholde thy moder. And this word he sayde vpon the crosse / and vpon these degrees wente oure lorde whan he bare the crosse vpon his shulder and vnder these degrees is achapell where prestis synge / but nat after oure lawe. and alwey they make ther sacramēt of the auter of bred saynge Patern [...]. & other thynges / as with the whiche thynge they say the wordes of whom the sacrament is made. for they knowe nat of addicyone y • many popes haue made / but they synge in gode deuocyon. and there nere is the place where oure lorde restydde hym whan he was wery for berynge of the crosse. And ye shall vnderstonde that before the churche of the sepul [...]re is the cyte moost wake [...] For the greate playne that is betwene that cyte and the churche on the est syde without the wallys of the cyte is the Vale of Iosaphat that cometh to the wallys. In that vale of Iosaphat withoute the cyte is the churche of [...]aynt stephyn where he was stoned to dethe. and therby is the gate gyfted that may natte be openyd. Thoroughe that gate oure lorde entred on palme sonday vpon an asse and the gate openyd ageyn him whan he wolde go to the temple and yet are the steppi [...] of the asse sene in thre places the whyche are full of harde stones. Before the churche of the sepulcre two hūdryd pacys is a greate hospytall of saynt Iohn of the whyche hospytalers halfe their foundement / and to go towarde the est fro the hosp [...]tall is a right fayre church y • men call [Page] Nostre Dame de vatynz and there was mary Cleofe / and mary magdaleyne and drewe their here whan oure lorde was done to dethe. And fro the churche of the sepul [...] toWarde the est at xviii. pacys is temple d [...] that is a fayre house and it is all rounde and right high. and coueryd with leede. and it is well panyd wyth whyte marble. but the sarasyns woll suffre no cristen men ne Iewes come therin. for they say that so foule men shulde nat come into that holy place / but I cam in there and in other places where I wolde. for I had letters of the Soudan with his greate S [...]ale and comonly other men haue but of his signet: and men bere his letter with his seale before theym hangynge on a spere [...] and men do greate worship therto and knele ageyne / [...]t as we do ageyne goddis body / for those men that it is sent to / befoore they take it. they enclyne theym first therto. and sythen they [...]ake it / & sayde it vpon their hedys and afterwarde they kysse it / & than rede all enclynynge with greate worshyp / and than they profer theym to do all that the brynger woll and in this temple dn̄i. were wonte to be chanons regulers / and they had an abbotte to whom they were obedyent / and in this temple was Charlemayne whan the aungell brought hym the p̄puys of oure lorde whan he was circumcised. And after kynge charles dyd bere it too parys. And ye shall vnderstonde that is nat the temple that salamon made for that temple lasted but a thousande / an hūdred and two yere. For Tytus Vaspasiane son that was emperoure of rome that [...]ayde syege aboute Ierusalem for to discomf [...]te the Iewes for they hadde doo cryst to dethe withoute loue of the emperoure / and whan he had take [Page] the cyte he dyd bren the temple and kept it down / and toke all the Iewes and dyd of theym to dethe .xi. C.M. and the other he dyd in pryson / and solde of theym thretty for a peny / for they sayde that they bought iesu cryst for xxx pens. And sythen gaue Iu [...]yan apostata leue to the Iewes to make the temple of Ierusalem for he hated crysten men and yet he was crysten. but he forsoke his lawe and whan the Iewes hadde made the temple came an erthe quaue as god wolde that kest downe all that they hadde made. Sythen Adryan emperoure that was of them of Troys made Ierusalem ageyne and the Temple in the same maner that Salamon made it and wolde that no Iewe shulde dwell there but all crysten men for if all it were so that he was nat crystened [...]e loued crysten men more than any other men. saue men of his owne sey [...]he. And this emperoure dyd enclose and wall the churche of the holy sepulcre within the cyte that before was fer with oute the cyte / and he wolde haue chaunged the name of Ierusalem and callyd it Helyam / but that name lasted nat longe. And ye shall wete that the sarasyns do greate worshyp to that temple / and they say that place is ryghte holy / And whan they go theder in / they go barefote and knele many tymes downe.
¶And whan my felowes and I came theder in we dyd of oure harueyse / and cam barefote into the temple and thought that we shulde doo as moche: or more than they that were mystrowynge. and this Temple is thre score & thre cubytes of wydnesse and as moche of length and of heyght vi. and twenty and fyue cubytes / and it is wythin all aboute of pyller [...] of marble.
[Page]And in myddes of the temple is a stage of xxiii. degrees of height. and goode pyllers all aboute / Thys place the Iewes called it. Sancta sancto (rum). That is to say. Holy of holyes / and in that place cometh none but only theyr prelate that maketh their sacryfice. and the folke standethe all aboute in dyuers stages after they are of dignyte and of worshyp / and there is foure entres to that temple and the dores are of cypres well dight / and within the est dore Oure lorde sayde here is Ierusalem. ¶And on the Northe syde within the dore is a staunke. but it rennethe nat: of the whyche holy wrytte speketh and sayth thus. Vidi aquam egredientem de templo. That is to say. I sawe water comynge oute fro the temple. And vpon the other syde is a roche that men called somtyme Mo [...]ach but after was it called Belet or the hutche of god wythe the rylikes of Iewes. Thys arke or hutche ga [...]t Tytus loode with the relykes to greate rome whan he had dyscomfyted all the Iewes. In that same arke was the ten cōmaundementis and of arons wonde / and of Moyses wonde with whiche he departyd with the redde see whan the folke of Israel passed thorough on fote drye / & wyth that wonde he dyd many wonders and there was a vessell of golde full of Manna and clothynge and ornamentes. and the tabernacle of Aron: and a table square of golde With xii precious stones / and a bost of Iasper grene With foure [...]ygures / and viii. names of oure lord within and vii candylstickes of golde and foure censers of golde / and an aulter also of gold and foure lyons of golde Vpon the whyche they hadde Cherubyn of golde. twelue span longe and a tabernacle of golde / and also [Page] twelue trompettis of syluer / and a table of syluer and seuen barly loues. and all other relykes that were before the Natiuyte of Ihesu. Also vpon this Roche slepte Iacob whan he sawe aungellys goo vp and downe by a stey. and sayde vere locusiste sanctus est / et ego ignorabam. That is to say Forsothe this place is holy and I wyst nat. And Iacob helde the aungell styll that chaunged his name and callyd hym Israel. and in that place sawe Dauid the aūgell that share the folke With a swerde and put it all bloody in the shethe. And in this Roche was saynt Symeon / whan he resceyued oure lorde in to the temple. and on this Roche he set hym whan the Iewes wolde haue stoned hym / and the roche ryued in two [...] in that ryft he hyd hym. and a sterre came downe and gaue hym light. And on this roche sate oure lady and leuied hir sauter. and there forgaue oure lorde the synnes to the woman that was founde and taaken in aduoutrye. and there was oure lorde Iesu cryste circumcysed / and there the aungell denounsed the Natiuite of saynt Iohn baptyst. and there offred first Melchysedech bredde and wyne and water to oure lorde in tokenynge of the sacramēt that was for to come. / And there felle dauid praynge to oure lorde / and the aungell that he wolde haue mercy of hym and of the folke / and oure lorde anon herde his prayer and therfore wolde he make the temple in that place / But oure lorde Iesu cryst forbadde hym by an aungell For he hadde done treason / whanne he dyd sle Vry a go / de knyght for to haue his wyfe.
¶And therfore all that he hadde ordeyned for too make the Temple he betoke it vnto Salamon hys son. And [Page] he made it and he prayed oure lorde that all those y t pray / ed in that place deuoutly and with good hert that he wolde here that prayer and graunt that they asked righwysly and oure Lorde grauntyd it. And therfore Salamons son cal [...]yd it temple of counseyle and helpe of god withoute the dores of that temple is an autere where / Iewes were wont to offre downes and tyrtilles and in that temple was zachary slayne. and on the pynnacle the Iewes sette saynt Iame on the erthe that first was bysshoppe of Ierusalem. a lytell fro this temple on the right syde is a churche coueryd wyth lede that is called the scole of sala / mon: And towarde the southe is the temple Salon that i [...] full fayre and a greate place. and in this place dwelle knyghtes that are called templers and that was the foū / dement of. and of their ordre. and in that Temple Dm̄ / dwell chanons. Fro this temple towarde the est at xxvi pace in a corner of the cyte is the bathe of oure lorde and this bath was wonte to go to paradyse. and besyde is oure ladyes bede. and nere there is the tembe of saynt Symeon and withoute the cloyster of the temple towardes the northe is right a fayre churche of saynt An oure lady moder. There was oure lady conceyued. and before that churche is a greate tre that began to growe that same nyght. And as men go downe fro that churche. xxii. grees lyeth Ioachym oure ladyes fader in a tombe of stoone. and there nere was layde somtyme saynt an / but saynte Elyn dyd translate hir into Constantynople.
¶In this churche is a well in maner of a Cysterne that is callyd Proba [...]ca pisana. That hadde fyue entringes / And in that Cy [...]erne was wonte an aungell to descende [Page] and stere the water and what man that bathed hym first therin after the mouynge was made hole that was syke What sykenesse so euer he hadde And there was the man in the palsy made hole. that was syke xxxviii. yere And oure lorde sayde vnto hym in this maner of wyse.
¶Tolle grabatum tuum et ambula. That is to say in englysshe Take thy bedde and goo. ¶And there besyde was the hous of pylate. and a litell thens was the hous of heraude the kynge that dyd slee the Innocentis. Thy [...] Heraude was a full wyckyd man and a fell. For he dyd first and formest sle his wyse whyche he loued full welle And for the greate loue that he had to hir whan she was dede he behelde hyr and went oute of his wyt and so was he longe tyme. and afterwarde he came ageyne to hym selfe. And sythen he dyd sle his owne children that he had goten of that wyfe. and after he made sle the other of his wyues. and a son that he hadde goten of that same wyfe and he dyd all the yll that he myght.
¶And whan he sawe that he shulde dye he sent for hys suster and all the greate lordes of that coūtre. and Whan they were there he putte all the lordes [...]n [...]o toure and say / de to his suster He wyste well that the men of the countre shulde make no sorowe for hym whan he were dede. And therfore he made hir for to swere vnto hym that she shulde do smyte of the hedes of his lordes euerychone after hys dethe. and than shulde men of all the countre make sorowe for his dethe. and ellys they wolde nat sorowe And thus he made his testament. But his suster fulfyllyd it nat. as that thynge that parteyned vnto the lordys for as sone as he was dede she deliuered the lorde oute of [Page] the toures and sent euerychone home to their houses and tolde theym what hir brother wolde she hadde done wyth theym. And ye shall vnderstonde / that in that tyme was thre herodes of greate name. ¶This of whom I speke men called hym Herode ascolonyte / he that dyd smyte of saynt Iohns Baptyst hede was Herode antipa. and herode agryppa dyd sle saynt Iames. Also ferthermore in the cyte is the churche of the saueoure / and there is the arme of saynt Iohn Crysostom. and there is the more party of saynt stephens hede. And on the other syde towarde the Southe as men go to mount syon is a fayre churche of saynt Iames where his hede was smyten of / & there [...] mount Syon and there is a fayre church of god and of oure Lady where she was dwellynge / and dyed and there was somtyme an abbey of chanons reguler [...]. and fro that place she was borne of the apostles vnto the Dale of Iosaphat. And there is the stone that the aungel bare to oure lady fro mounte Synay. & it is of y • colour y • the ro [...]he of saynt katheryn is of [...] and there besyde is the gate where oure lady whan she was wyth chylde wente to Betheleem. Also at the entre of mount Syon is a chapell and in that chapell is that stone great and large wyth whiche the sepulcre Was couered whan cryst was lay / de therin. the whyche stone thre Iewes sawe turned vpwarde whan they cam to the sepulcre and there they fon / de an aungell that sayde to theym y e cryste was rysen fro deth to lyfe. And there is a lytell pece of the pyller / to the whyche oure lorde was scourged. and theere was Anne house that was bysshop of the Iewes in that tyme / and in that same place forsoke saynt Peter oure lorde thrye [...] [Page] before the kocke crewe. and there is a party of the table on the whyche god made his maunde with his discyples / and yet is there the vessell with water / and therby is the place where saynt stephen was grauen and theere is the auter where oure lady herde the aungellis synge messe. and there apperid cryst firste to his discyples after his resurrection whan the gates were sperde and sayde. Pax vobis. That is to say. Peas to you. And on that moūte apperyd cryst to saynt Thomas / and bad hym assay hys wounde. and than trowed he firste and sayde. Dominꝰ meus et deus meus. That is to say. My lorde and my god / in that same chapell behynde the hygh aulter Were all the appostlis on wytsonday. whan the holy goost descēdyd on theym in lykenesse of fyre / and there made god Paske with his disciples. And there slepte saynte Iohn the Euangelyst on oure lordes kne / and sawe slepynge many preuy thynges of heuen. The moūt syon is within the cyte & it i [...] lytell higher than the other syde of the cyte and that cyte is stronger on that one side than on the other for at the fote of mounte synay is a fayre castell & stronge / on mount syon was dauyd kynge Salon and other many grauen / and there is the place where saynte Peter wept full tenderly whan he had forsaken oure lorde and a stone cast from that is another place where oure lorde was Iuged / for that tyme was there cayphas hous / also betwene the temple Salamon and mounte Syon is the place where er ist reysed the mayden fro deth to lyfe. Vnder mount syon toward the vale of Iasaphat is a well that men calle Natatoyr Sylo there was oure lord wasshen after he was baptysed. and nere there is the tere / on [Page] the whyche Iudas hangyd hym selfe for despayre whan he had solde cryst and therby the synagoke where the bysshop of Iewes and sarasyns came. som to holde counseyle and there Iudas cast the xxx. pens before theym and sayde peccaui / tradens sanguinem iustū. That is to say I haue synned deceyuynge rightwys blode. And on the other syde of mount Syon toward the southe a stone cast is the feld y t was bought with those thretty pens for whan cryst was solde that men call Acheldemak that is to say the felde of blode in that felde is many tombes of cris [...]en men. for there be many pylgrymes grauen▪ and also in Ierusalem toward the west is a fayre churche where the tree grewe of the whyche the crosse was made / and there nere is a churche and that a fayre Where oure lady mette wyth [...]lysa [...]ethe whan they were bothe wyth chylde and saynt Iohn sty [...]d in his moders wombe and made worshyppe to oure lorde his maker. And vnder the aulter of the churche is a place where saynt Iohn was borne / and therby is the castell of Emany. And two myle f [...]o Ierusalem is the mount ioy that is a fayre place and lykynge and there lyethe Samuel the prophete in a fayre tombe and it is called mount ioy▪ for there many pylgryms first see Ierusalem / and in the myddell of the vale of Iosaphat is a lytell ryuer that is called Torrens Cedron / and ouerthwart this ryuer say a tre of the which the cros was made that men yode ouer. Also in that vale is a churche of oure lady and there is the sepulcre of oure lady & oure lady was of age whan she dyed lxxii. yere. and there ne / re is the place where oure lorde forgaue saynte Peter all his synnes and mysdedis that he had done.
[Page] [...] fastyd fourty dayes [...] and the ennemy of hell bare cryste and sayde to hym thus. Dic vt lapides isti panes fiant. That is to say that these stones be made loues. and ther̄ is an ermytage where dwell a maner of crysten men y t men call Georgyns [...] for saynt george conuerted theym. And vpon that hyll dwellyd Abraham a greate whyle. Also as men go to Ieryco. In the wey sate many sycke men cryinge Iesu fili dauid miserere nobis. That is too say. Ihesu dauid son haue mercy on vs. Also two myle fro Ierico is flom Iordan. and ye shall wete the dedde see departeth the londe of Indee / and of araby / and the water of that see is full bytter / and thys water castethe oute a thynge that men call aspaltū as great peces as an horse. and Ierusalem is [...]c. forlonges from this see / and so it is called the dedde See. for it renneth nat. no man [...]ne beest that hathe lyfe that is therin may lyue and that hathe ben proued many tymes. for they cast therin men. that are demyd to dethe / ne no man may dwell▪ ne drynke of that water / and men cast yron therin it comethe vp ageyne. And if a man cast a fether therin it gothe too the grounde / and that is ageynst kynde. And there groweth trees that bere frute of fayre coloure and seme rype. but whan a man brekethe theym or cutte in theym he fyndeth nought in theym but coles of asshes in tokenynge y e thoroughe vegeaunce of god. These cytees were brent with fyre of helle. and sōme men call that lake. the lake of the alphitedde [...] and sōme call it the flome of the deuyll / and sōme the flome of stynkande. for the water is stynkyng There sanke these fyue cytees thoroughe wreche of god / That is to say / Sodom [...] Gomor [...] Aldema [...] Solo [...] me & [Page] [...]egor. For the synne of Sodom that reigned in theym but Segor thorough the prayere of Loth was sauyd a greate whyle for it sate on a hyll and yet appereth moche therof aboue the water / and men may see the walles in clere wedyr. And there Loth dwellyd a grete whyle and was made dronken of his doughters and lay by theym. they trowed that god shulde haue destroyed all the world as he dyd with Noes flode. And therfore they lay by their fader. for men shulde be borne of theym into the worlde. And if he had nat be dronken / he hadde nat lyen by them And at the right syde of this se dwellyd loth is wyfe a stone of salte for that she loked ageyne whan the cyte sanke downe. ¶And ye shall vnderstonde that Abraham had a son that he called Isaac / and he was circūcysed whan he was of viii. dayes olde. and therfore the Iewes dyde circumcyse theym at the age of .viii. dayes and he hadde another son tha [...] was called Ismael and he was of xiiii yere of age whan he was circumcysed on a day. and therfore the sarasyns dyd circumcyse theym at xiiii. yere olde And into that dede see renneth the Flom Iordan and maketh ende there. And this Flom Iordan is no great ryuer but there is moche gode fysshe theim▪ and it comethe from mount Lybany. for two welles that men call Ior and Daue. and of theym it takethe the name. and vpon the one syde of that ryuer is mount Gelboe. and there is a fayre pl [...]yne. And on that other syde men go by mo [...] Lybane to the Desart of Pharao / These hylles depa [...]e the kyngdom of Surry and the countre of Phenys. On that hyll growe Cedres that berelonge apples Whych ar as moche as a mannys hede
[Page]¶This flom Iordane departeth Galyle: and the londe of Idones and the londe of Botron [...] and it renneth into a playne that men call Meldane in Sermoys and in that playne is the temple Iob. In this flom Iordan oure lorde was baptysed. and there was the voyce of the fader herde saynge. Hic est silius meus dilectus in quo mihi bene complacu [...]ipsū audite. That is to say. here is my son that I loue in whom I am well payde here hym and the holy goost descendyd on hym in lykenesse of a downe and so was there in his baptysynge all the Trynite. And thorough the flom Iordan passed the chyldren of Israel all drye and they sette stones in the myddes of the Water in token of greate myrecle▪ & also in that flom Naaman of Surry bathed hym that was a mesell and he was hole. and a lytell thefro is the cyte of hay. the Whych Iosue assayled and toke. Also in the flom Iordan is the vale of Mambre. that is a fayre vale and a plenteuous.
ANd ye shall vnderstonde that for to go fro the ded see afterwarde oute of the Marche of the lond of promyssionis a stronge castell that men call Carras [...] or Sermoys. That is to say Reale mount in frenche. This castell dyd make a kynge of fraunce that men cal / lyd Baudewyn that had conqueryd all that Londe [...] and put it into crysten mennys handes to kepe and vnder that castell is a fayre towne that men call Sabaoth. theraboute dwell many cristen men vnder trybute. And than go men to Nazareth of the whyche oure lorde hadde hys name / ¶And from Ierusalem vnto Na [...]arethe is thre [Page] Iornes. Men go thoroughe the prouynce of Galyle tho / rough Ramatha thorough Sophym and thoroughe the highe hyll of Effraym where / Anna Samuel / Moder the prophete dwellyd and there was the prophete borne / and after his dethe he was grauen at mount Ioy as I haue sayde And after came men to Sybola where the Arke of god was kepte vnder Hely the prophete. There made the folke of Ebron their sacrafyce to oure lord and there spake oure lorde first vnto Samuel and there mynystred god the sacrament / and there nere at the lyft syde is Gabaon and rama bemamin of the whyche holy wryte spekethe. And than come men to Sychem / that some men callyd Sicar. This is in prouynce of Samarytanes. And there was somtyme a churche but it was cast downe and it is a fayre vale and plenteuous. and there is a gode cyte that men call Neople. and from thens is a dayes iourney [...]o Ierusalem there is the well where ou [...]re lorde spake to the woman Samaritane. Sychem is ten myle fro Ierusalem and it is callyd. Neople that is to say the newe towne. and there nere is the temple Ioseph Iacob son that gouerned Egypt fro thens were his bones brought and layde in that temple and theder came Iewes oft in pylgrymage with greate deuocion and in that cyte was Iacobs doughter rauysshed. For whan h [...] brother slewe many men. And there nere is the Cyte of Garryson where the samarytans make that sacryfice. On this hyll wolde Abraham haue sacrifyed his sonne Isaac. and there nere is the vale of Dotaym. and theere is the Cesterne where Ioseph was casten of his brethern before that they solde hym. and it is two myle to Sycar [Page] fro thens men come to Samary. that men call Sebast. and that is cheef cyte of that countre. and of that cyte were the xii. kyndnes of Israel. but it is nat so greate as it was. There was saynt Iohn grauen betwene two prophetes Helyseus and Abdon but he was heded in the castell of Makaryn besyde the dedde se. and he was trans / lated of his disciples and grauen at Samary but there dyd Iulius apostata take his bones and bren theym for he was that tyme emperour [...] but the fynger with the whyche he shewed oure lorde: saynge. Ecce agnus d [...]i. That is to sayde. beholde the lambe of god. myght nat be brente. and saynt Tecle the virgyn dyd seynt Iohns hedde the baptyst be closed in a wall. but the emperoure Theosody dyd take it oute. and he fonde it lappyd in a clothe all blody [...] and so he dyd bere it to Constantynoble and there is yet the one halfe of the hede [...] and the other is at Rome. in the churche of saynt Syluester.. and the vessell in the whiche the hede was layde whan it was smytten of is at Geene / and men of geen do it greate worshype. Some say that saynt Iohns hede is at Ameas in pycardy / and sōme say it is saynt Iohn [...] hede the bysshop. I Wote nat but god wote. From Sebast to Ierusalem is xii. myle. and betwene the hylles of countrees is a welle that men call Fons Iacob that is to say Iacobs Well that chaunged foure tymes in the yere his Coloure. for somtyme it Was redde and somtyme clere somtyme thycke and men that dwell there are called Samaritans. and they Were conuerted thorough the apostles / and their lawe varyeth from crysten lawe and sarasyns lawe also. & fro Iewes. and paynymes that they trowe well in one god that [Page] all shall deme. and they trowe the byble after the letter and they lappe their hedes en redde lynnen clothe for difference of other. for sarasyns lappe their hedes in whyte clothe / and crys [...]en men that dwell there in blewe cloth or blo. And Iewes in yelowe And ī this countre dwelle many Iewes paynge tribute as crysten men done. and if they woll we [...]e the letter of the Iewes they ar suche / & the names of their letters as they call them. Alpha. for a beth. for b. gimel. [...]. he. d. van. [...]. zay. f. ex. g. 10th. i. karph k. lamp. l. men. m. sameth. o. [...]y. p. phe. q. lad. r. [...]oth. s. [...]ir. t. soun .v. than .x. lours. y. Nowe shall ye haue the fygu [...]es▪ ⸪ D li xh i [...] SES lin h [...] N / sc [...]hn [...]. ¶And fro ths countre that I haue spoken of men go to the playne of Galyle. & leue the hylles at the one syde and Galyle is of the prouynce of the londe of promyssion and in that ꝓuynce is the lond of Naym and Capharnaym and Corosaym / and at▪ besayda was saynt Petyr & saynt Andrewe borne. of Corosaym shall antecryst be borne and as some say he shalbe born in babylony. Therfore saythe the prophete. ¶ De babilonia colūba eyie [...] que totū mundū deuorabit. That is to say. Of babylon shall a downe come oute that shall deuoute all the Worlde. And this antecryst shalbe norysshed in Besayda and he shall regne in Corosaym▪ and therfore sayth holy wryt thus. Ve tibi corosaym. Ve tibi Besay / da. That is to say. wo be to the corosaym. Woo be to the Bsayda. and the Chan of galyle also is there foure myle from Nazareth. Of that cyte was the woman of chananee of whom the gospell speketh / and there oure lorde dyd the fyrst myracle at the weddynge of Archetryclyne [Page] Whan he conuerted water into wyne. And fro thens men go vnto Nazareth that was somtyme a greate cyte. but nowe is there but a lytell towne / and it is nat wallyd. & there Was oure lady borne: the name toke oure lorde of this cyte / but oure lady was goten at Ierusalem. at Nazareth toke Ioseph oure lady to wyfe. whan she was of xiiii. yere of age· and there the aungell salued hir sayng Aue maria gratia plena dn̄s tecum. That is to say [...]eyle mary full of grace lorde be with the. and there was som tyme a greate churche. and nowe is there but a lytell closet to resceyue the offerynges of pylgrymes. and there is the well of gabryell where oure lorde was wonte to bathe hym whan he was lytell at Nazareth was oure lorde norysshed. And Nazareth is to say. floure of gardeyne. and it may well be called so. for there was norysshed the floure of lyfe that Was oure lorde Iesu cryst. At halfe a myle from Nazareth is the blode of oure lorde. for the Iewes ledde hym vpon an highe roche to cast hym down and slee hym / but Iesu cryst passed thorough theym and lepe on a roche where his steppes are yet sene. and therfore say sōme whan they drede theym of theues orellys of ennemyes. they say thus. Iesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat. And they say also these verses of the saulter. thre tymes. Irruat super eos formido & pauor in magnitudine brach [...] tui. Domine f [...]ant īmobi [...]es quasi lapis donee [...]transeat populus tuus domine & populus iste quem redemisti.
¶And so whan all this is sayde a man may goo wythoute any lettynge. ¶And also ye shall vnderstonde and knowe that oure blessed lady bare chylde whan she was [Page] of xv yere of age. and shelyued with hym xxxii. yere. & thre monethes. and after his passyon she lyued xxii. yere. And from Nazarethe to mount Thabor is thre myle. and there oure lorde transfured hym before seynt Pe / ter saynt Iohn and saynte Iame. and there they sawe goostly oure lorde and moyses and Hely the prophetys. And therfore sayde saynt Peter Bonum est hic esse saciamus tria tabernacula &c. That is to say. It is gode to be her. e make we thre tabernacles. & oure lord iesu cryst badde that they shulde say it to noo man vnto the tyme y • he was rysen from dethe vnto lyfe. and vpon the same hyll shall foure aungellys sownetheyr trompettes. and reyse all men that are dede vnto lyfe. and than shall co / me in body and soule vnto the Iugement. but the Iugement shalbe in the vale of Iosaphat on pase day. at suche tyme as oure lorde rose from deth to lyfe. And also a myle from mount Thabor is the mount Ermen. & there was the cyte of Namy. before the gates of that cyte oure lorde raysed the Wydowes son that hadd nomore chyldren. and from thens men go to a cyte that men calle Tybo [...] that sy [...]t [...]the on the see. of Galyle. and all if it be called the see Galyle. it is no see ne arme of the Se [...] for it is but a staumble of fresshe Water. and it is more than a hūdred forlonges longe and fourty brode. and ther in is many gode [...]ysshes. and on the same see but chaungeth the name after cytees that stande therupon yode oure lorde dryefote and there sayde he to petyr whan he came on the water and was nere drownyd. Modice fidei quare dubitasti. That is to say Thou of lytell trowthe. why haddest thou dou [...]e. In this cyte of Tyborne is the [Page] table that cryste ete of with his discyples after his resurrection / and they knewe hym in brekynge of brede as ho / ly writte saythe. ¶Et cognouerunt eum in fractōne pa [...]us. That is to say they knewe hym by brekynge of brede. And ye shall vnderstande that Flom Iardon begynnethe vnder the hyll of Lyban / and there begynnethe the londe of promyssion and it lasteth vnto Bersabe of lengthe to go towarde the Northe and the southe. and in brede it holdeth ix. score myle. and of brede from Ierico vnto Iaffe it is fourty myle: ¶And ye shall vnderstond that the londe of Promyssion is in the kyngdom of Surrey. and it lastethe vnto the wyldernesse of Araby. And I do you to wete that amonge the Sarasyns in many places dwell crysten men vnder tribute and they are in dyuerse maners / and dyuers maners of monkes / and they ar all cr [...]stened and haue dyuerse lawes / But they all trowe Well in oure lorde god the fader and in the son / and in the holy g [...]ost. but yet they fayle in the articles of oure feyth And they are callyd Iacobynes. For saynt Iames conuerted theym to the feyth. and saynt Iohn baptysed them And they say that men shall only shryue theym vnto god and nat vnto man. for they say that god badde nat man shryue hym vnto another man. And therfore sythe Dain the sauter in this maner of wyse
¶Confitebor tibi domine in toto corde meo &c.
That is to say in englysshe. Lorde I shall shryue me vnto the in all myn herte. ¶And in another place he saythe thus ¶ Delictum meum cognitum tibi feci. ¶That is for to say. My trespas I haue made knowen vnto the And in another place. ¶Deus meus es tu & confitebor [Page] tibi. That is to say thou art my god and I shall be shryuen of the. and in another place. Quoniam cogitatio hominis confitebitur tibi. That is to say. For thoughte of man shalbe shryuen to the. and they can well the byble. and the sauter. but they legge it nat in laten. but in their owne langage. and sayth that Dauid and other prophetes say it. But saynt Austen and gregory say. Qui scestra sua cogitat et conuersus fuerit veniam sibi credat. That is to say. Who so knowe his synne / and turned / he may trowe to haue forgyuenesse. and saynt gregory say the thys Dominus poc [...]us mentem ꝙ verba considerat. That is to say. oure lorde takethe more kepe to thoughte than to worde.. And Hyllary sayth. Longo (rum) [...]empo (rum) crimina [...]ctu ocusi pe [...]ent si corde nata fuerit temptatro. That is to say. Synnes that are done of olde tyme shal perysshe in twynkelynge of an iye if despysinge of them be borne in a mannys herte. [...] thus say they. Men shall shryue theym to god all only by theyse auctorytees. And this was the shryft in the fi [...]st tyme. But saynt Peter & the apostles and popes that came sythen haue ordeyned / that men shall shryue theym to prestes: men as they are. and this is their skyll. For they say that a man that hath a sykenesse men may gyue hym no gode medycyne. but they knowe the kynde of the sykenesse. and so say they a man may gyue no couenable penaunce. but if he knowe the and vnderstonde the synne. For there is a maner of synne that is greuouser to a man than too a nother. and And therfore it is nedefull that a man knowe and vnderstonde the kynde of synne. ¶And therfore is other men that men call Surryens. they helde the lawe of Grece / [Page] and they haue longe beerdys▪ and there is other that men call Georgyens whom saynt George conuertedde. and they do more worshyp to halowes of heuen than other do and they haue theyr crownes shauen. The clerkes haue rounde crownes. and lewde men haue crownes square And they holde the lawe of Grekes / and other is there y t men call crysten men of gyrdinge / for as moche as they were gyrdeles vnderneth. Som outher hatte Nestorynes sōme aryens. sōme Nubyens. som Gregours. som Indyns that are of the londe of Preter Iohn. and euerichone of these haue sōme articles of oure trouthe. But eche of theym vary from other. and of their variaunce were to moche for to tell
NOwe syth I haue tolde you of many maners of men that dwell in countrees before sayde. Nowe woll I turne ageyne to my way. For to turne vpon this syde nowe he that Woll turne fro the londe of Galyle y t I spake of. to come on this syde he shall go thorough damas that is a fayre cyte and full of goode marchaundyses and it is thre Iournes from the see / and v. Iournes fro Ierusalem. but they cary marchaundyses vpon Camelles / Mules hors / and Dromederies: and other maner of bestes. This cyte founded Helyseus Damaske. y t was abrahams seruaunt before that Iosyas was borne / and he wenyd to haue be abrams eyre and therfore he called that cyte after his name damas. In that place slowe Caym his brother Abel. And besyde damas is the moūt of Syry. and in that cyte is many a physycien / and that holy man saynt Poule was a phesycyen to saue mēnys [Page] bodyes in hele. before that he was conuerted. and sythen he was a phesicyen of soules. and men come by a place fro Damas that is callyd Nostre dame de sardemarcke. that is fyue myle from damas. and it is on a roche / and there is a fayre churche and there dwell monkes and nō nes crysten in the churche. behynde the high auter. In the vale is a table of tree on the whyche the Image of oure lady was depeyntyd that many tymes was tourned into flesshe but the ymage is nowe sene but a lytell. but euer more thorough grace of god the table droppeth oyle as it Were an Olyue. and there is a vessell of marble vnder the table to receyue the oyle. therof they gyue to pylgrymes for it heleth of many sykenesses / and he that kepethe it clenly a yere. after the yere it turneth into flesshe & blode ¶Betwene the cyte of Darke and the cyte of Rapha [...]eis a ryuer that men call Sabatory. for on the saturday it renneth fast and all the weke ellys it standeth still and renneth nat orlytell: And there is another ryuer that on the nyght freseth fast. and vpon the day no frost is sene. And so goo men by a cyte that men call Beruch and there men gone into the see that shall go into cypre. and they arryue at port of Sur or of Thir [...]y [...] and than go men to cypre or ell [...] men go or may go from the port of Thi [...]y right and come nat at cypre and arryue at som hauen of Grece. and than come men in these countrees by wayes. that I haue spoken of before
¶Howe a man may go ferthest and lengest in those countrees as herafter ben rehersed
[Page]NOwe haue I tolde you of weyes / by the whyche men go ferthest and lengest as by Babylony / & mounte Synay [...] and other places many / thoroughe the whiche londes men turne ageyne to the londe of promyssyon. ¶Nowe wolle I tell you the wey to Ierusalem. For sōme men woll nat passe it. sōme for they haue nat to spende. sōme for they haue no company / and many other causes resonables. & therfore I shall tell you shortly howe a man may go with lytell costage and short tyme. A man that cometh from the londes of the weste he gothe thoroughe fraunce: burgoyne and lumbardy and to Denys or to Geene or som other hauen of those marches and take there a shyp and go by see vnto the Ile of Gryff / and so arryueth he in Grece / or ellys at port myroche / or Valon / or Duras / or som other hauen of those ma [...]ches / and go to londe for to rest hym / & gothe ageyne to the see and arryueth in Cypre and comethe nat in the Ile of rodes and arryueth at Famagost that is the chef hauen of Cypre or ellis at lamaton / and than entre ship ageyne and passeth beside the hauen of Tyre. and come nat to londe / and so passeth he by all the hau [...]ns of that cost vnto he come to Iaffe that is the next hauen to Ierusalem. for it is xxviii. myle betwene. And [...]roo Iaffe men go to the cyte of Ramos [...] and that is but litell thens and it is a fayre cyte / and besyde Ramos is a fayre churche of oure lady where oure lorde shewed hym vnto hyr in this lykenesse that betokened the trynite. And there nere is a churche of saynt George where his hede was smyten of. And than to the castell of Chinay / and than vnto mount Ioy: and fro thens pylgrymage to Ierusalem. [Page] And than to mount Modyn and than to Ierusalem. At mount Modyn lyeth the prophete Machabe / and ouer Ramatha is the towne of Donke Wherof Amos the prophete was.
FOr as moche as many men may nat suffre the sauoure of the see. but is leuer to go by lande if all it be more peyne. A man shall goo to one of the hauens of lombardy as venys or another. & he shal-passe into grece to port myroche or another and shall go to Constantynople. and shall passe the water that is called the Bra [...]e of saynt geo [...]ge that is a an arme of the see And from thens he shall come to puluerall / and sithen to the castell of Synople. And fro thens shall he go vnto Capadoce [...] that is a greate countre Where is many grete hylles. and he shall go thorough Turky. and to the cyte of Nyke the whyche they wan fro the emperoure of constantynoble and it is a fayre cyte and well wallyd / and there is a ryuer that men call the lay. and there goo men by the alpes of Mormant. and by vales of Mallebriuz and the vale of [...]max. and so to antyoche the better y • sytteth on the rychay. and theraboute is many good hylles and fayre and many fayre wodes and wylde bestis And he that woll go another way he gothe by the playnes of Romayn costande the romayn see. On that coste is a fayre castell that men call floraghe. And whanne a man is oute of the hylles he passethe thoroughe the cyte of Moryache and Artoyse where is a greate brydge vpon the Ryuer. of fer [...]e that men call fassar. and it is a greate ryuer beringe shyppes [...] & besyde that cyte of Damas is [Page] a ryuer that cometh fro the mount of Lybany that men call alban at passinge of this ryuer saynt Eustache lost his two sōnes Whan he had lost his wyffe. and it goothe thoroughe the playne of archades. and so to the redde see. and so go men to the cyte of Phenne and so to the cyte of Ferne. And antyoche is a fayre cyte and well wallid for it is two myle longe. and at eche pylour of the brydge is a gode toure. This is the best cyte of the kyngdom of sur [...]y. Fro antyoche men shall go to the cyte of Locuth / and than to Geeble. and than to Tortouse. And therby is the londe of Cambre where is a straunge castell y t men call Manbek. And fro Tourtouse men go to trypelle on the see. and vpon the see men go to Dacres. and there is two weyes to Ierusalem. on the lyft way men go first vnto Damas by flom Iordan. on the right syde men go thoroughe the londe of Flagme / and so to the Cyte of Cayphas / of whiche Cayphas was lorde / and sōme calle it castell pellerinz / and from thens it is foure dayes Iourne to Ierusalem. and they go thoroughe Cesary Phylyp and Iaffe and Rames and Emaux. and so to Ierusalē
NOwe haue▪ I tolde you sōme wayes by londe / & by water. howe men may go to Ierusalem. If all it be so that there be many other wayes that men goo by after countrees that they come fro. Neuertheles they turne▪ all to one ende▪ yet is there a wey all by londe too Ierusalem and passe no see from fraunce or flaunders but y t wey is full longe & a ꝑylous & of gret trauayle / & therfore fewe go y t wey. he that shal go that wey he goth [Page] thoroughe almaigne and Pruysse. and so vnto Tartary This tartary is holden of the greate Cane of Whome I shall speke afterwarde / for theder lasteth his lordshyppe And the lordes of this Tartary yelde hym Trybute. this is a full euyll londe and sondy and lytell frute berynge. for there groweth lytell goode of corne or wyne ne benes ne pesen. but bestes are there greate plente / and therfore ete they but flesshe Withoute brede / and they soupe the bre and they drynke mylke of all maner of beestes. They ete cattes and all maner wylde bestes / Ratons and myce / & they haue lytell wode / and therfore they dight their mete with hors mylke and other bestes Whan it is drye. Prynces and other lordes ete but ones on the day / and right lytell and they be right foule folke and of euyll kynde and in somer there is many tempestis & thundres y t sleth many folk & bestes & right sodeynly is it there greate colde & as sodeynly is it right hote. The prynce that gouerneth y t londe that they call Raco dwelleth at a cyte that men call O [...]da and forsoth there woll no gode man dwell in that londe for it is gode to sowe in thornes and wedes & other gode none as I herde say for I was nat that wey but I haue ben in other londes marchynge theron [...] lond of Rossye and Nyflande and the kyngdom of Grecon and [...]ec [...]owe. and the kyngdom of Grasten and many other places but I went neuer that wey to Ierusalem. & therfore I may nat Well tell it. for I haue vnderstonde that men may nat well goo that wey but in wynter for Waters and marrays that are there that a man may nat passe but he haue frost right harde and fast snowynge aboue. for were nat the snowe there myght no man go [Page] And ye shall vnderstonde that a man shall go thre iournes fro Pruysse to passe this Wey tyll he come to the londe of Sarrasyns that men dwell in. And all if it be that crysten men euery yere posse there they cary their vetayle With theym. for they shulde fynde no thynge there. but a maner of thynge that they call Soleys / and they cary / their vytalles vpon the yce on sledes and chariettes with oute wheles. and as longe as their vetels last they may dwell there / but no lenger. And whan spyes of the countre see cristen men come they renne to the townes and cry right loude. kera kera kera. and as sone they kepe theym And ye shall vnderstonde that the frost that there is and the yee is harder there than here. and euery man hathe a stewe in his house. and therin ete they and done all thynges that they may.. and that is at northe syde of the world Where it is comonly colde. for the sonne cōmeth ne shynethe but a lytell in that countre / and that londe is in som place so colde that there may no man dwell. And on the southe syde of the worlde is in som place so hote that the [...] may no man dwell for the sonne gyueth so greate h [...]te in those countrees
FOr as moche as I haue tolde you of the Sarasyns and of their lawes. If ye woll I shall tel you a party of their lawe and of their trouthe. after their boke that they call alkaron sayth sōme call y t boke Mesap. som harme in diuerse langage of countrees the which boke machomete gaue theym in the why / che he wrote amonge other thynges as I haue oft redde and sene that they that are gode shall go to paradyse. and the euyll to hell / and that trowe all sarasynes and if [Page] a man aske of what paradyse they mene / they say it is a place of delyces where a man shall fynde all maner of frutes in all tymes and waters & [...]yur [...]s rennynge with mylke and hony Wyne and fresshe water and they shal haue fayre houses and gode as they haue deserued. And those howses ar made of precious stones gold and siluer and euery man shall haue x. wyues and all maydens. and he shall euery day ones haue to doo with theym and shall euermore be maydens. Also they speke oft & trowe of the virgyn mary and say of the Incarnacion that mary was serued of aungellis and that Gabryell sayde to hir that she was chosen before all other fro the begynnynge of the worlde and that wytnesseth well thei [...] boke. And that Gabryell tolde hir of the incarnacion of Ihesu c [...]yst. and that she conceyued and bare a chylde mayden. And they say that cryst spake as sone as he was [...]orne. and that he was a very and a holy prophete in word and dede and meke and rightwys to all / and wythoute any Wyte. And they say that whan the aungell sayde hyr of the Incarnacyon she hadde grete drede for she was right yonge. And there was one in that countre that medlyd with sorcery that men called Takyna that with enchaūt / mentes coude make hym lyke an aungell and he wente oft and lay with maydens and therfore was mary ferd for the aungell and wenyd in hir mynde that it hadde be Takyna that wente with the maydens: and she cōiured hym that he shulde say vnto hir if he was that eche Ta [...]kyna. and the aungell badde hyr haue noo drede for he was certeyne messenger of Iesu cryst.
[Page]¶Also their boke sayth she hadde chylde vnder a Palme and than was she shamed / and grete / and sayde / that she Wolde be dede. and as sone the chylde spake and conforted hir and sayde to mary. Ne timeas maria. That is to say. Benatadred mary. and in many other steddes sayth their boke alkaron. that Iesu crist spake as sone as he was borne. and the boke sayth that Iesu crist was sente fro god almyghty to be ensample to all men [...] and y t god shall deme all men / the gode to heuen and the wycked to hell and that Iesu cryst i [...] the best prophete of all other / and nerest to god and that he was very prophete that gaue the blynde syght and helyd mesellis and reysed dedde men and went all quycke to heuen. and if they may fynde a boke with gospellis and namely Missus est angelus. they do it greate worshyp / they fast a monethe in the yere. and they ete nat but on the nyghtys / and than they kepe theym fro their wyues but they that are seke arnat constreyned to that. And that boke speketh of Iewes / & sayth they ar wycked folke for they woll nat trowe that Iesu crist is of god. and they say that the Iewes lye on oure lady and hyr son Iesu cryst saynge that they dydde hym nat on crosse. and for sarrasyns trowe so nere oure feyth they are lyghtly conuerted whanne men preche the lawe of Iesu cryst / and they say they wote wele by their prophesies that their lawe of machomete shall fayle as doth the lawe of Iewes. and that cristen mens lawe shal last vnto the worldes ende.
¶And if a man aske theym wherin they trowe. & they say that they trowe in god almyghty the whych is maker of heuen and of erthe and other thynges. And withoute [Page] hym is no thinge done / and the day of dome whan euery man shalbe rewarded after his desert / and that all thynge is soth that cryst sayde thorough mouthes of his ꝓphetes. Also Machomete bad in his alkaron that ylke man shulde haue two wyues or thre or foure. but nowe take they nyne. and as many lemans as theym lyke. and if any of their wyues do amys ageyne their husbondes. he may dryue hir oute of his house and another but hym be houeth yeue hir of his goodes. Also Where men speke of the fader and son and holy goost. they say that they are. thre persones and nat one god. For their alkaron spekethe nat therof / ne of the trynite. but they say that god spake or elles was he domme. And god hath a goost or elles were he nat in lyue. and they say y t goddes worde hath a greate strength. and so sayth their alkaron. and they say that abraham and moyses were well wyth god for they spake with hym and Machomete was right messanger of god. and they haue many gode articles of oure feythe And those that vnderstande the scriptures and ꝓphesyes for they haue theym. And the gospell & the byble is wreten in their langage and so wote they well of holy writ bu [...] they vnderstonde it nat. but after the letter and so do the Iewes for they vnderstonde nat the letter gos [...]ly. & therfore sayth saynt poule. Littera occidit spiritus autem v [...]ficat. That is to say. Letter sleeth and gost maketh quycke. And the sarrasyns say that the Iewes ar wiked for they kepe nat the lawe of Moyses the which he toke to theym. And also crysten men ar yll. for they kepe natt the cōmaundementis of the gaspellys that Iesu Cryste sent vnto theym. And therfore I shall telle you that the [Page] that the soudan tolde me vpon a day in his chaumber he dyd voyde oute all maner of men / lordes / knyghtys and other and for he wolde speke with me in counseyle. and he asked me howe crysten men gouerned theym in ou [...]e countre. and I sayde to hym right well thanked be god and he sayde sykerly nay / for he sayde oure prestis made no force of goddis seruyce. for they shulde gyue ensaumple to men to do well and they gyue yll ensample. And therfore whan the people shulde go on the holy day vnto the church to serue god. they go to tauerne to be in glote [...]ny all the day / & the nyght / & ete and drynke as beestes y t wo [...]e nat whan they haue Inough. and also crysten men he sayde aforsed theym to fight samen / and euerychon to begyle other / and also they are so proude that they Wo [...]e nat howe they may cloth theym / nowe longe nowe short nowe streyte / nowe wyde / on all maner of wyse. They shulde he sayde be symple / meke and sothefast and do almes as iesu cryst dyd in whom they trowe. And they are he sayde to couetous that for a lytell syluer they sell their chyldren theyr susters and theyr wyues / and one takethe another mānys wife and none holdeth his feyth to other And therfore sayde he For their synnes hathe god gyuen these londes to oure handes / & nat thorough oure strengthe / but all for your synnes / For we wote well forsothe whan ye serue well youre god y t he woll helpe you so y t no man shall wynne ageyne the londe whan they serue their god well. but while they lyue so fouly as they do. we haue no drede of theym for their god shall nat helpe them. and than I asked hym howe he knewe the state of crysten men so. and he sayde that he knewe well both of [Page] lordes and of comons by his messangers which he sen [...]e thorough all countrees as it were marchauntis with precious stones and other marchaundises to knowe the maner of euery countre. And than he dydde call ageyne all the lordes into the chamber / and than he shewed me .iiii. that were greate Lordes in that countre that deuysed me my countre and other as in cristendome all as they hadde be men of the same countre / and they spake french right well and the soudan also. And than had I greate maruayle of this great s [...]launder of oure feyth. and so they that shulde be [...]ourned by oure goode ensaumples to the feyth of Iesu cryst / they are drawen awey thorowe oure euyll lyuynge. and therfore it is no wonder if they calle vs euyll for they say sothe / but the sarrasyns are trewe for they kepe truly the cōmaundementes of their alkaron that god sent theym by his messangere Machomete / too Whom they say seynt gabryell the aungell spake oft and sayde hym the wyll of god. And ye shall vnderstond that Machomete was borne in Araby and he was first a po [...] [...]naue and kept horse and went after marchaundyse. And so he cam ones into Egypt with marchaundise and Egypt was that tyme crysten / and there was a chapelle besyde araby and there was an Eremyte / and whan he come into the chapell that was but a lytell house / and a lowe assone the entre began to be as greate as it were of a paleys gate and that was the fyrste myracle that the sarrasyns say that he dyd in his youthe. After began Machomete to be wyse and ryche. and he was a great Astronomer and sythen was he keper of the londe of the prynce Corodan & gouerned it full well in the whych maner [Page] that whan the prynce was dede. he weddyd the lady that men called Quadryge. And Machomete fell oft in the fallynge euyll. wherfore the lady was wrothe. that she had taken hym to hir husbonde and he made hir to vnderstonde that euery tyme that he fell so. he sayde that gabryell the aungell spake to hym / and for the great brightnes of the aungell he fell downe. This Machomete regned in araby the yere of oure lorde. syx hundred xx. and he was of the kynde of Dysmael that was abrahams son. that he gate of Agar and other ar properly called Sarrasyns of Sarra / but sōme are called Moabites / and som amo [...]tes after two sonnes of Loth. And also Machomete loued well a gode man an heremyte that dwellyd in wyldernesse a myle from mount Synay. in the wey as men go fro araby to Caldee and ynde a dayes [...]ourne fro the se where marchauntes of Venys came. and ma / chomete went so oft to this heremyte that all his men were Wroth for he hard gladly the heremyte preche [...] and dyd his men wake all the nyght. and hys men thoughte they wolde this heremyte were dedde. So it befel on a night that Machomete was full dronken of gode wyne and he fell in slepe / and his men toke Machometes swerde out of his shethe whyles he lay and slepte. and therwyth they slewe the heremyte. and afterwarde they put the swerde vp ageyne all blody. And vpon the morowe Whan they fonde thys heremyte thus dedde / he was in his mynde very angry and right wroth / and wolde haue done his men vnto the deth / but they all with one accorde and with one wylle / sayde that he hym selfe hadde slayne hym whan he was dronken. And they shewed hym his owne swerd [Page] All blody and than trowed he they sayde sothe / and than he cursed the wyne and all those that droken it. And therfore sarrasyns that ar deuoute drynke no wyne openly. they shalbe reproued but they drynke gode beuerage and swete and norysshynge that is made of Calamels / therof is sugour made. Also it befalleth somtyme that crysten men became sarrasyns / outher thorough pouerte or symplenesse or wyckednesse. And therfore larchesleuyn whan he receueth theym seyth thus. Laeles ella Macho mete to [...]s ella. That is to say. There is no god but one and machomete his messanger. And sythen I haue told you a party of their lawe and of their customes I shall say you of their letters. that they haue with their names First they haue for A almo [...] bethath for b [...]athi [...] ephoti for d delphoy e fo [...]hy f garophin g hechun h iocchi i kathi. [...] loth [...] l malach m nahalot n orthy o. choziri p zoth q. [...]holat r rou [...]hi s solathi t chatimꝰ v yrithom x mazot z zatepin & iohetꝰ ꝯ these are the names. These foure letters they haue yet more for diuersite of their langage for as moche as they spake so in their throtes as we haue A in oure langage and speke in englond Two letters may than they haue in their abc. That is to say y & z the Which are called thorn and zowx
ANd sythen I haue deuysed before of the holy londe and countrees theraboute & many wayes theder and to mounte Synay to Babilon. and other places of the whyche I haue spoken.
¶Nowe I woll tell and speke of yles / and of dyuerse [Page] bestes and dyuers folke / for in those countres is many diuers folke. and countres that are departed by the fowre flodes that came oute of paradyse terrestre. For Mesopotany and the kyngdom of Caldee and araby ar betwene two flodes Tygre and Eu [...]rate. And the kyngdom of Mydy and Perse ar betwene two flodes Tigre and Nyke and the kyngdome of Surrey and Palastyne / and Funes ar betwene Eufrate and the see mediteran [...] and it is of length from Maroch on the se of Spayne vnto the greate se and so lasteth it beyonde Constantynople. thre thousand and fourty myle of lomba [...]dy. And to the occean see in ynde is the kyngdom of Sychy. that is alle closed amonge hylles and ye shall vnde [...]stonde that ī tho countres ar many yles and londes of the whyche it were to moche to tell all: but of some I shall speke more pleynely afterward. Fer he that woll go to Ta [...]tary or persy or Caldee / or ynde. he entrethe the see at Geene or Ve [...] se or at another hauen and so passeth by the see and arryueth at Trapazonde that is a gode cyte. that somtyme. men called le port de pounce. There is the kyngdome of psans and Medoyns and other marches In this cyte lyeth saynt Athanas that was bisshop of Alysaunder that made the Psalme Quicū (que) vult [...] This man was a greate Doctoure of diuinyte and of the godhede / he was ac / cused vnto the pope of Rome that he was an heretyke And the Pope sent for hym and put hym into pryson and whyle he was in that same pryson he made this Psalme and sent it vnto the pope / and sayde if that he was heretyke than were that heresy / for that was his trouth and his byleue And whan the Pope sawe y t he sayde. therin was [Page] all oure feyth. anone he dyd delyuer hym oute of pryson. And he cōmaunded that psalme to be sayde euery day at pryme and so he helde athanas for a goode crysten man: but he Wolde neuer go vnto his bysshopryche for they accused hym of heresy.
¶Topazonde Was somtyme holden of the Emperour of Constantynople / but a great man that he sent to kepe that countre ageyne the Turkes / and helde it too hym selfe and called hym selfe Emperoure of Topazonde.
¶And from thens men go thoroughe lytell armony In that countre is an olde castell that is on a Roche that men call the castell of S [...]nere. and there men fynde an hawke syttynge vpon a perke ryght well made [...] and a fayre lady of fary that kepeth it.
¶And he that woll wake this same hauke seuen dayes and seuen nyghtis. and some say that it is but thre dayes [...]nd thre nyghtes. alone withyouten any companye / and wythouten slepe. This fayre lady shall come vnto hym at the seuen dayes or thre dayes ende. and shall graunte vnto hym the fyrste thynge that he woll aske of worldly t [...]ynges. and that hath of [...] be proued.
¶And so vpon a tyme it befell that a man whyche that tyme was kynge of Ermony that was a ryght doughty man waked vpon a tyme. and at the seuen dayes ende / the lady cam vnto hym and bad hym aske what he wold for [...] hadde wele done his deuoure And the kynge answered and sayde that he was a greate lorde and in god [...] p [...]as [...] and he was ryche so that he wolde aske no thynge but all only the body of the fayre lady to haue his wyll of hir. ¶Than this fayrelady answered and sayde to [Page] hym y • he was a fole for he wist nat what he asked for he myght nat haue hir / for he shuld nat aske but wordly thynge and she was nat worldly and the kynge sayde he wold nought ellys. & she sayde to hym syth he wold nat ellys aske she shulde graunt hym [...]oure thynge and to al that came after hym / and sayde vnto hym. Syr kynge ye shall haue warre withoute peas alwey vnto the ix. degre: and ye shalbe in subiection of youre ennemyes / and ye shall haue grea [...]e nede of gode and catell. and sythen that tyme all the kynges of Ermony haue ben in warre / and nedefull and vnder tribute of sarrasyns. Also a pore mans sons woke the a tyme / and asked the lady that he myght be ryche and happy in marchaundyse / and the lady graunted hym. but she sayde hym that he had asked his vndoynge. for greate pryde that he shulde haue therof. But he that shall wake hathe nede to kepe hym from slepe. for if he slepe he is lost that he shall neuer be sene. but that is nat the right wey. but for the meruayle. And from Topa [...]onde men go to greate armony to a cyte that men call Artyron that was wonte to be a gode cyte. but turkes haue destroied it▪ for there neyther groweth no wyne ne frute. From this artyron men go to an hyll that is called Sabyssatoll. and there nere is a nother hylle that men calle ararach. but the Iewes calle it Thano where Archa Noe rested / and yet is on that hyll / a man may se it fro ferre in clere weder / and the hyll is twelue myle of heyght and sōme say they haue be there at. and put their fyngers in the holes where the fende went oute whanne Noe sayde in this maner of wyse. Benedicyte.
But they note well for no man may go on that hyll for [Page] Snowe that is alwey vpon that hylle both Wynter / and somer. that no man may go vp and neuer yode syth Noe was. A monke thoroughe grace of god brought a planke that is yet at the abbey at the hyll fote / and he had greate desyre to go vpon that hyll / and aforsed hym therto / and whan he was at the thyrd part vpward he was so wery that he myght no ferther and he rested him and slept and whan he awoke than he was downe at the hill fote and than prayde he to god deuoutly that he wolde suffre hym go vpon the hyll. and the aungell sayd vnto hym that he shulde go vpon the hyll and so he dyd. and sythen that tyme noo man came there. And therfore men shall nat [...]owe suche wordes. And fro [...]hens men go to a cyte that is called Tanziro and that is a fayre cyte and gode. Besyde that cyte is an hill of salt / and therof eche man take what he woll. there dwell many crysten men vnder trybute of Sarrasyns. fro thens men go by many townes and castellys and many [...]owarde ynde. and come to a cy [...]t [...] that men call Cassage that is a fayre Cyte. and there met the thre kynges togeder that went to make present to oure lorde in Bethelem. [...]o that cyte men goo to a cyte y t men calle Ca [...]dabago. and Paynemes say that crysten men may nat dwell there but they dye sone and they w [...] [...]e nat the cause. And from thens men go thorugh many countrees cytes and townes that were to longe to tell / to the cyte of Carnaa that was wont to be so great that the wall aboute was of xxv. myle / the Walle sheweth yet. but it is nat nowe in habyte with men. and there endeth the londe of the emperoure of Percy:
On the other syde of y t cyte of Carnaa men entre into the [Page] londe of Iob. that is a gode londe and greate plente of all frutes / and men call that londe the londe of Swere In this lond is the cyte of Thomar. Iob was a paynym and also he was Co [...]raas son / and he helde the Londe as prynce therof / and he was so ryche that he knewe nat the hundreth of his gode. and after his pouert god made hym rycher than he was before. For after he was kynge of Idumea: and sithen kinge of ysan. and whan he was kynge he was callyd Iohab and in that kyngdom he lyued Clxx yere / and so he was of age whan he dyed ccxl viii· in the londe of Iob is no defaute of no thynge that is nedefull to a mannys body. There ben hylles where men fynde māna. and māna is called aungellys bredde that is a white thinge right swete and moch swetter than sugoure or hony. and that cometh of the dewe of heuen / that falleth on the herbes / and there is coagles and wex whyte and men do it in medecynes. for riche men. Thys londe marcheth to the londe of Caldee that is a gret londe. and there is full fayre folke and well apeyraled and women a [...] right layth and euyll cladde and they go bare fote / and bere a yll cote large wyde and shorte vnto the kne: & longe slones downe to the fote / & they haue great here / and longe hyngynge aboute their shulders. After the lond of Caldee is the londe of Amosony that is a londe where is no man but all women as men say. for they woll suffre no man lyue amonge theym ne to haue lordspyp of theym. For somtyme was a kynge in that londe and men were dwellynge there as dyd in other coūtrees. and had wyues / & it befell y t the kynge had a gret warre with theym of Sychy and he was called Solopenco / & [Page] he was slayne in bat [...]yle and all the gode blode of hys londe. And this quene whan she herde that / and other ladyes of that londe that the kynge & the lordes were slayn they gadred theym togeder and slowghe all the men that were left in their londe amonge theym / and sithen that tyme dwelled no man amonge them. And whan they woll haue an [...] man to ly by theym they sende for theym into a countre [...]hat is nere to their londe / and the men come and ar there viii. dayes or as the woman lykes and than goo they ageyne. and if they haue men chyldren / they sende theym to their [...]aders whan they can ete and goo. and if they haue mayde chyldren they kepe theym and if they be of gentyll blode they brenne the left pappe away for berynge of a shelde. and if they be of lytell blode they bren the right pappe away for shotynge. For those women of that countre ar gode war [...]eours and ar oft in sonde with other lordes and the quene of that londe gouerneth well that londe. This londe is all enuyrond with water. Besyde Amozonde is the londe that turmagute that is a gode londe and profitable. And for goodnesse of that lond kynge Alysaunder dyd make a cyte there that he calledde alysaunder On the other syde of Caldee toward the southe syde is Ethyops a greate londe In this londe on the southe ar the folke right blacke. In that syde is a well y t on the day the water is so colde that no man may drynk therof. and on the night it is so hote that no man may suffre to put his hande in it. In this londe the ryuers and al the waters ar trobolous and somdell salt for the grete hete. And men of that londe are lightly dronken and haue lytell appetyte to mete and they haue comonly the flyx [Page] of body and they lyue nat longe. In Ethiope are suche men that hath but one fote. and they go so fast that it is a greate marueyle / and that is a large fote that maketh shadowe and couereth the body fro the sonne and in ethyope is a cyte of Saba of the whiche one of the thre kynges that sought oure lorde was kynge.
FRo Ethyope men go into ynde thorough many diuers countrees and it is called ynde the more. And it is departed in thre partyes that is to say. ynde the more that is a full hote londe / and ynde the lesse is a temperet londe. and the third party that is towardys the northe. there is right colde. so that for greate colde / & frost and yce the water becometh crystall. and vpon that groweth the gode dyamande that is lyke a troble coloure and that dyamande is so harde that no man may breke it Other dyamandes men fynde in Araby that are nat so gode that ar more nesshe. and somme are in Cypre / and in Macydony men fynde also dyamandes. but the best are in ynde. And sōme ar founde many tymes in a mas that cometh oute where men fynde golde fro the myne. whan men breke the masse in peces. and somtyme men fynde sōme of gretnesse of a pese and sōme lesse / & those are as harde as those of ynde
And all if it be that men fynde good dyamandes in ynd vpon the roche of crystall. also men fynde gode dyamā des vpon the roche of adamande in the see. and on hylles as it Were hasyll nottes: and they ar all square & poynted of their owne kynde / and they growe both togeder male and femmall and ar norysshed with the dewe of hauen / & they engender comonly & bringe forth smal childre that [Page] multyplye and grewe all the yeres. I haue many tymes assayed that if a man kepe them with a litell of the roche and Wete theym with many dewes oft sythes they shalle growe ylke a yere. and the small shall wexe great / and a man shall bere the deamand in his lyf [...]syde / and than is it of more vertue / and for the strength of their growynge is towarde the northe that is the left syde as men of those countrees say. To hym that berethe the deamande vpon hym it gyueth hym hardynes it kepeth his [...]ymmes of his body it gyueth vyctory of ennemys if a mannys cause be right / and hym that bereth it in gode wyll it kepeth hym f [...] [...]ufe fro ryot fro yll dremes / and sorceryes and [...]nchauntementes. Also no wylde best shall greue hymne assayle hym. And also the Deamande shulde be gyuen [...]ely withouthouten couetyse / and byinge and than it is of more vertue. it heleth hym that is lunatyke. and that is t [...]a [...]ayled with a deuyll. & if venym or poyson be brought in presence of the deamand as sone it moysteth and begynneth to w [...]x swete. and men may wel polyce them to make men trowe y t they may nat be polisshed But men may assay them well in this maner. first shere with theym in diuerse precious stones as gasyrs / or other vpon crystalle and than men take a stone that is called adamande. vpon that adamande and lyeth a nedyl before that adamand and if the dyamande be gode & vertuous the adamand draweth nat the nedyll to hym whyles the dyamande is there. And this is the proue that they beyonde the se make. but it falleth somtyme that the gode dyamande loseth his vertue thorough hym that bereth it & therfore it is nedefull to make it couer his vertue ageyn [Page] or ellys it is lytell of value / and there is many other precious stones. and it is called ynde / In that water men fynde elys of xxx. fote lynge. & men that dwell nere that water ar of euyll coloure and yelowe and grene. In ynde is more than v thousande Iles y t men dwel in goode and greate beside those that men dwelle nat in. And in echone of those is greate plente of cytes and moch folke for men of ynde ar of that condicion that they pas nat oute of their londe comonly for they dwell vnder a planet that is called Saturne and that planet makethe his cours by the xii. signes in xx. yere and the mone passeth thorough the xii. signes in a moneth. and for y t Saturne is of so late sterynge the [...]fore men that dwell vn / der hym and in that Clymate haue no goode wyll to be moche styrynge aboute. And in oure countre is a contra / ry for we ar in a clymate that is of the mone / & of lyght styrynge and that is the planet of way. and therfore it gyueth vs wyll to moche mouynge and styringe and go in to dyuers countres of the worlde. for it gothe aboute the worlde more lightly than another planet doth. Also men passe thoroughe ynde by many countrees vnto the greate see Occian. And than they fynde the yle of Hermes whe / der marchauntes of Venys and of Geene and other partyes of crystendome come to bye marchaundyse. but it is so warme there in y e yle that mens ballokes hange dow / ne to ther shankes for the great dyssoluynge of the body / And men of the countre that knowe the maner do bynde theym vp full streyte and anoynte them with oyntemen / tis made therfore for to hlde theym vp or ellys they myghte nat lyue. ¶In this londe and many other. men / & [Page] women ley theym all naked in ryuers and waters from vndren of the day to it be passed none. And they lye all in water but the face. for the greate hete that is there. In this yle are the shyppes withoute nayles of yron or bond for roches of adamonde that are in the See woll drawe shyppes to theym. Fro this Ile men go by see to the Ile of Cana where is greate plente of corne and of wyne / & the kynge of this Ile was somtyme so myghty y t he held warre with kynge alys [...]undre. Men of this yle haue dyuers lawes. for som worshyp the sonne som the fyre / & som nedyrs som the trees som the f [...]st thynge they mete in the mornynge. & som worshyp simulacres and ydollis but bytwene simulacres and ydols is no difference / For som sacres are ymages made to lykenesse of what thynge a man woll that is nat kyndly for som ymage hathe th [...]e hedes one of a man and an horse and an ox or any other best that no man hath sene. And ye shall vnderstonde that they that worshyp symulacres they worshyp them for worthy men that were somtyme / as hercules / & other that dydde many marueyles in their tymes▪ For they say they wote well they are nat gode of kynde that made all thyng but y t they are well with god. for the maruayles y t they do and therfor they worshyp theym. And so say they of the son for it chaungeth oft the tymes somtyme gyuethe greate hete to norysshe all thynges on erthe And for it is so greate profyte they wote well it is nat gode. but it is well wyth godde and that god loueth it more than any other thynge. and therfore they say gode skyll to worshyp it. ¶And so they make skylles of other planettes and of fyre also for it is so profitable and nedefull
[Page]¶And of ydols they say that the Oxe is the holyest best that they may fynd here in erthe and most ꝓfytable than any other. for he doth many goodes and none ylle. And they wote wele that it may nat be withoute specyall grace of god and therfore they make their god of an Oxe. the one halfe. and the other halfe a man for man is the fayrest and the best creature of the worlde. And they make worshyp to nedders and other bestes that they mete firste at mo [...]owe and namely those bestis that haue goode metynge after whom they spede well all day: the whych they haue proued of longe tyme. and therfore they say y t this gode metynge cometh of goddes grace / and therfore haue they do make ymages lyke vnto those thynges that they may worshyp theym before they mete any thynge el / lis. And yet a [...]e som crysten men that say that som bestis are better for to mete than som for hares and swyne and other bestes are yll to mete first as they say. ¶In thys yle of Cana is many wylde bestes / and Ratons of that countre are as greate as houndes here. and they take thē wyth mastyfes for Cattes may nat take theym. From thens men come to a cyte that men calle Sarchis and it is a fayre and a gode cyte and there dwell many crysten men of goddys feyth / and there be men of religion. Fro thens men come to the londe of Lombe [...] and there is the cyte of Polomes. and vnder that cyte is an hyll that mē call Polombe. and therof taketh the cyte his name.
¶And so at the fote of the same hyll is a righte fayre & a clere well that hath a full gode and swete sauoure. & it smelleth of all maner sortes of spyces. ¶And also at [Page] eche houre of the day it chaungeth his sauoure dyuersly and who so drynketh thryes on the day of that well he is made hole of all sykenes that he hath. I haue somtyme dronken of that welle. and methynketh yet y t I fare the better. sōme call it the well of youth. for they that drynk therof seme to be yonge alwey and lyue withoute greate sykenesse. and they say this well cometh froo Paradyse terres [...]re. for it is so vertuous. In that countre growethe gynger and theder come many goode marchauntes for spices. In this countre men worshyp the Ox for his grete symplenesse and mekenesse and the profyte that is in hym they make the Ox to trauale vi. or vii. yere & than men ete theym. And the kynge of that londe hath euermo [...]e one ox with hym. and he that kepeth hym euery day taketh his fees for the kepynge. And also euery day he gadereth his v [...]yne and his donge in a vessell of golde / and bereth it to the prelete that they call Archiporta papaton. and the prelat [...] bereth it to the kynge / and maketh therupon a greate blessynge and than the kynge putteth his hande therin and than they calle it gaule [...] and he anoyntethe his [...]ro [...] and his brest therwith and they do it great worshyp. and say he shall be [...]ulfylled with vertue of the ox before sayde and that he is halowed thorough vertue of y • holy thynge as they say▪ and whan the kinge hath thus done than do other lordes and after them other men after they ar of degre / whan they may haue any remenaunte An this countre their ydols ar halfe man and halfe oxe. And in these ydols the wycked gost speketh to theym and gyueth answeres of what they aske before these ydollis they s [...]e theyr child [...]e many tymes & sprenge the blode on [Page] the ydols. and so make they sacryfyce. and if any man dye in that countre they brenne hym in tokenynge of penaunce that he shulde suffre no penaunce if he were lay / de in the erthe of etynge of wormes and if his wife haue no chyldren they bren hir with hym / and they say it is gode reoson that she make hym company in the other world as she dyd in this and if she haue children she may lyue with theym and she woll and if the wyfe dye before men brenne hir and hir houshelde as if he woll. In this lond groweth gode wyne. and women drynke wyne and men none. and women shaue t [...]eir be [...]des and men nat. Fro this londe men go many iourneys to a countre that men call Mabaron / & this is a greate kyngdom. There in is many fayre cytees & townes. In this londe lyeth saynte Thomas in flesshe in a fayre tombe in the cyte of Calamy and the a [...]me and the hande that he put in oure Lordes syde whan he was rysen. Whan cryst sayde to hym. Noli esse m [...]redulus / sed sidelis. That is to say / Be nat of wanhope but byleue. that same hande lyeth yet wyth oute the tombe bare. and with this hande they gaue their domes in that countre to wete who hath ryght. and who nat for if any strife is betwene two partyes they do wryte their right in two bylles and those bylles ar put in the hande of saynt Thomas / and as sone the hande castethe away the byll that hath wronge and holdethe the other styll that hathe right and therfore they come fro ferre to haue iugementis of causes that ar in doute. In the churche of saynt Thomas is a greate ymage that is a symulacre and it is welldight with riche precious stones and perles and vnto that ymage men come in pylgrymage [Page] fro ferre with greate deuocion as cristen men go to saynt Iame. And there come som in pylg [...]ymage y t bere sharp knyues in their handes and as they goo by the wey they shere ther shankes and thighes that the bloode may come oute for the loue of that ydoll And they say that he is holy that woll dye for that goddes sake. And som is there y t fro the tyme that they go oute of their houses at eche thirde pas they knele to that they come to this ydol. & whan they come there they haue ensence [...] or suche other thynge [...] to ensence the ydoll as we wolde do to goddes body / and there is before that Mynster of this ydoll a ryuer ful of Water. and in that vynere pylgrymes cast golde / syluer / precious stones and perles. without noumbre in stedde of offrynges. and therfore whan the mynster hathe nede of helpynge. as sone they go to that vyner & take y t they haue nede to helpynge of the mynster. & ye shall vnderstōd whan greate festes come of that ydoll as the dedycacion of the churche or of the thronynge of the ydoll all the contrey is assembled th [...]de [...] / and men set this ydoll with greate worshyp in a chayre well dight with ryche cloothes & gode and other and lede hym with gr [...]ate worshyp abou [...]te the [...]yte. & before the chayre goth first in p [...]ession all the maydens of the countre two and two togeder. And after theym go the pylgrymes that are come fro fe [...]re coūtrees of whyche pylgrymes som fall downe before the chayre and lateth all go ouer theym and so are they som slayne and som ar broken then armes and shankes and thys do they for loue of the ydol and they trowe the more peyne that they suff [...]e here for their ydoll. the more Ioye shalle they haue in the other worlde. and a man shall fynde fewe [Page] crysten men that woll suffre so moche penaunce for oure lordes sake as they do for their Idol. And nygh before the chayer go all mynstrellis of the countre as it wer̄ withoute noumber with many dyuers melodyes / And whan they ar come ageyne to the churche. they set vp the Idol ageyne in his throne and for worshyp of the Idoll two men or thre ar slayne with sharpe knyues with ther gode wyll. And also a man thynketh in oure coutre that he hathe a greate worshyp. And he haue an holy man in his kyn. so say they there that those that ar thus slayn ar holy men and sayntes. and they ar wreten in their letany and whan they ar thus dede their frendes brenne their bodyes and they take the asshes and those ar kept as relikes and they say it is hooly thynge and that they haue doute of no peryll whan they haue those asshes. Fro this countre l [...]. iournes is a countre that men call Lamory ī that londe is greate hete and it is custome syth that men and women go all naked and they scorne theym that ar clad. for they say that god made Adam and Eue al nakid and that men shulde haue no shame of that / that god made and they byleue in god that made Adam / and Eue / and all the worlde / and there is no woman weddyd but women ar all comon there / and they forsake no man. And they say that god cōmaunded to Adam and Eue and all that came of theym saynge.
¶Crescyte et multiplicamini et replete terram.
That is for to say in englysshe ¶wex and be multyply [...] ed and fyll the erthe and no man may say there. Thys is my wyfe. Ne woman say. This is my husbond. And whan they haue chyldren they gyue to whom they woll. [Page] of men that haue delt with theym. Also the londe is alle comom for that one man hathe in one yere another man hath it another yere. Also all the goodes / and cornes of the countre ar in comon for there is no thynge vnder [...]o [...] and as riche is o [...] man as another. but they haue an yll cus [...]ume they ete gladlyer mans flesshe than other Theder brynge marchauntes their children to sell and those that are fatte they ete theym. and the other kepe they tyll they be fatte and than are they e [...]en. Besyde thys Ile is an Ile that men call Somober that is a gode yle. men of that Ile do marke theym in the visage with an hoote yron men and women for great nobley and to be know from other. for they holde theym self the worthyest of the worlde. and they haue warre euermore wyth those men that ar naked that I spake of before. And there a [...] many other Iles a [...]d dyuers maners. of men of whyche it were oue [...]moche for to speke of all. But the [...]e [...]s a great Ile that men call [...]ana. And the kynge of that countre hath vnder hym vii. kynges for he is full mighty In that Ile groweth all mone [...] of spices more plēteuously than in other places as gynge [...] [...]lowes canell nutmygges & other and ye shall vnderstonde that the nutmygge bereth the ma [...]s all thynge them is plente but wyne. The kynge of this londe [...]ath a [...]i [...]he paleys: and the best that is in the worl [...]e for all the greces in to his hall and chambers ben all of golde another of syluer and all the walles ar couered and plated with golde and syluer. and in those pla [...]es ar wreten s [...]oryes of knyghtes and batayles and [...]e pauement of the hall and chaumbres is of golde & of siluer. & there is no man y t wold trowe the ryches y t [Page] is there▪ but if he had sene it. and the kynge of thys Ile is so myghty that he hath many tymes ouercome the greate Chane of chatay that is the myghtyest Emperour y t is in all the worlde for there is oft warre amonge theym for the greate Chane wolde make hym holde his lond to hym and for to go furth by see men fynde one Ile that is called Salamasse. and som call it paten. that is a great kyngdom with many fayre cytees. In this londe growe trees that bere mele. of which men make fayre bredde & whyte and of gode sauoure and it semethe as it were of whete. And there is other trees that bere venym ageyne which is no medecyne. but one. that is to take of the leues of the same tre and stampt theym and temper wyth water and drynke it or elles he shall dye sodeynly for trya [...]le may nat helpe. And if ye woll wete howe the Trees bere mele I shall say you. men hewe▪ wyth an hachet aboute the [...] [...]etre by the erth so that no berke be per / sed in many places and than cometh oute a lycoure thy [...] which they take in a vessell and put it to the sonne & drye it and whan it is drye they do it vnto the mylle to grynde and so is it fayre mele and whyte / and hony / and wyne: and venym ar drawe oute of other trees in the same maner and do it in vessels to kepe. In that Ile is a ded see / that is a water that hath no grounde / and if any thynge fall therin it shall neuer be founde. besyde that see groweth greate cannes and vnder their rotes men fynde precyous stones of greate vertue. for he that bereth one of tho stones vpon hym there may no yron dere hym ne drawe blode on him. and therfore they y t haue these stones fighte ful hardely for there may no quarel / ne such thynge dere [Page] theym: therfore they that knowe the maner of them they make their quarels withoute yron and so they sle theym And than is another Ile that men call Calonach that is a greate londe and a plen [...]euous of godes. And the kynge of y t londe hath as many wyues as he woll. for he hathe a thousande and mo and lyethe neuer by one of them but ones. And that londe hathe a maruayle that is in no other londe. For all maner of fysshes of the see comethe a tyme of the yere euery maner after other. and sayethe theym nere the londe and on the londe somtyme and there they lye thre dayes. and men of the londe come theder & take of theym what they woll. and than go those fysshes awey [...] and comethe another maner and lyethe other thre dayes and men take of theym. And thus doth euery maner of fysshes tyll all haue be there: and men haue taken of euery [...]hone what they woll. And me [...] [...] nat the cause why it is. But they sey there. th [...] [...] [...]ysshes co / me so t [...]eder to do worship to their kynge. for as the most worthy kynge of [...]he worlde for he hath so many wyues. and geteth so many children of theym. ¶And than is a nother Ile that men call Gaffolo [...]. Men of thys Ile whan ther frendis ar seke that they trowe y t they shal dye they take & hange hym vp all quyk on a tre [...] say it is better y • birdes y t ar aūgellis of god ete theym than wormes of the erth Fro thens men go to an yle therethe men ar of yll kynd they noryssh hoūdes for to worow men & whan theyr frendes are syke y t they hope they shall dye / they do those hoūdes strangle thē for they wol nat y t they dykyndly deth for than shuld they suffre to gret peyne as they sey & when they ar thus ded they ete their flessh for venyson [Page] ¶A fro thens men go thorough many Iles by see vnto an Ile that men call Melke there is full yll folke for they haue none other delyte but for to fyght and sle men for they drynke gladly mannys blode whiche blode they call god. and he that may moost sle is of moost name amonge theym. And if two men be at stryfe / and they be made at one. theym behoueth to drynke eyther too other blode [...] or ellys the accorde is noughte. Fro this Ile men go to an Ile that men call Tracota where all men are as bestes and nat resonable and they dwell in caues for they haue no wytte to make theym howses. and they ete edders and they speke nat. but they make suche a noyse. had edders haue one to another / and they make no force of rychesse / but of a stone that hath fourty colours / and it is call [...]d Tracony [...] after that Ile. but they knowe na [...] the vertue [...]of but they couet it for the greate fayrenes Fro that [...] go to an Ile that men call Natumeran that is a greate Ile and a fayre / and men / and women of that countre haue hounde hedes and they ar resonable and worshyp an Ox for their god and they go all naked but a lytell clothe before their preuy membres they ar gode men to fight and they be [...]e a greate targe / with whych they couer all the body and a spere in their hande / and if they take any man in batayle they send hym to their king which is a great lorde & deuout in his feyth. for he hath a bou [...]e his nek on a cord in [...]. ꝑles great & orient in maner of Paternr of lambre & as we say Paternt & Aue maria. right so the kynge sayth eche day in. c. prayers to hys god before he ete / & he bereth also aboute his nek a Ruby orient fyne & gode that is nere a fote and v. fyngers long [Page] For whan they [...]hese▪ [...]ey [...] kynge / they gyue too hym that Ruby to bere in his hande / and so they lede hym ridynge aboute the cyte / and therfore he bereth that Ruby al wey aboute his necke. for if he bare nat the ruby / they wolde no lenger holde hym kynge. and the great Chane of chatay hathe moche coueted this Ruby. but he myght neuer haue it for warre ne for other catell. and this kynge is a full true and a rightwys man. for men may go safly / & like [...]ly thorough his londe and bere all that he woll. for noman is so hardy to lette hym. And than is another Ile that men call Dodym. that is a greate Ile. In this Ile ar many dyuers maner of men and haue euyll maners for the [...]adereteth the son and the son the fader / the husbonde the wyfe the wyfe the husbonde. And if it so be y t the [...]ad [...] be syke or the moder or any frende the son gothe as son [...] to the preest of the Lawe and pray hym that he woll aske of the ydoll if his fader shall dye of that syke [...]esse o [...] nat. And than the preest and the son knele down before the ydoll deuoutly and asketh hym and he answereth to theym [...] and if he say that he shall lyue. than they kepe hym well▪ and if he say that he shall dye than come the prest with the son or with the wife or wha [...] frende it be vnto hym that is seke and they say their hande ouer hys mouthe to stoppe his breth / and so they sle hym and than they smyte [...]ll the body in peces. and do pray all his frendes for to come and ete of hym that is dede [...] and they make a greate fest therof and haue many mynstrels there. ¶And so Whanne they haue all e [...]en the flesshe. Than they bery and graue the bones and all those that are of his frendes that were nat there at the etynge of hym hath [Page] a greate shame and velany so th [...] [...] shall neuer more be holden as frendes. And th [...] [...] of thys Ile is a greate lorde and myghty. and he hath vnder hym [...] yles and eche of theym hath a kynge. and in one of these yles ar men that hath but one [...]ye and that is in the myddes of their front and they ete nat but flesshe and fysshe rawe. and in another yle dwell foule men that haue no hedes: and their iyen are in their shulders and their mouth is on their brest. And in another Ile ar men that haue no hede ne iyen and their mouth is behynde in their shulders And other men is there that haue a platte face withoute nose. and iyen but they haue two smale holes in sted of iyen: and they haue a plat mouth liples. In another Ile are foule men that haue the lyppe aboue the mouthe so gret / that whan they slepe in the sonne they couer all their [...]ace with the lyppe. In another Ile is folke that is both men and women and haue membres of bothe for to engender with and whan they woll they vse bothe on a tyme and the other another tyme. and they gete childre whan they vse the membre of man. and they bere children whanne the vse the membre of woman. Many other maner of folke is in yles theraboute of whom / it Were to longe tyme to tell all. And for to passe forth men come into an yle that men ar right small in. and they haue a lytell hole in stedde of the mouthe. and they may nat ete / but all that they shall ete or drynke they take it thorough a pype of a fether or suche a nother thynge.
FOr to go fro this Ile toward the see that is called occean toward the est many iournes / a man shal fynde a kyngdom y t is called Mancy / and [Page] this in ynde the most & the lest & moost delictable / and of most plente of all godes that is in power of man In this londe dwell cristen men and sarrasyns for it is a greate londe. therin is two thousande cytee [...] greate & other many townes. In this londe no man goth on beggynge for there is no pore man / and the men haue berdes thynne of here as it were cattes. In this londe ar fayre women and therfore som men call that lond albany for the whyte folke. and there is a cyte that men call latorym and it is more than Paryse. In that Cyte is a fayre water berynge shyppes and in that londe ar birdes twyes so great as in any other place of the worlde and there is gode chepe of vetayles and there is plente of greate nedd [...]es. of whyche they make greate fest and ete theym at great solemnytees▪ For if a man make a greate fest and hadde gyuen theym all the mete that he myght gete and he gyue theym no nedd [...]es he hath no thanke for all that he doth. ¶In this count [...]e are hennes whyte and they bere no fethers / but wolle as shepe do in oure londe. and women of that count [...]e that are weddyd bere crownes vpon their hedes that they may be knowen by. In thys countre they take a vest that is callyd Loyrys and they [...]en it to go into waters or vyners: and as sone he bryngeth oute of the water greate fysshes and thus take they fyssh as longe as they woll to that theym nedeth. Fro this cyte men go by many iournes [...]a another greate cyte that is called Cassay / that is the most cyte of the worlde. and that cyte is .l. myle aboute & there is in y t cyte mo than xii. thosaund gates & eche gate is a gode to [...]e where the kepers dwell to kepe it ageyne the great [...]han for it marcheth on his londe & [Page] on one syde of the cyte rēneth a great ryuer. & there dwel cry [...]en mē & other many. for there is a gode countre [...] plenteuous / and there groweth right gode wyne / y • men call bygon / this is a noble cyte where the kynge of M [...] cy was wonte to dwell. and there dwell religyous men crys [...]en freres. and men go vpon that ryuer tyll they come to an abbey of monkes a lytell fro the cyte and there in that abbey is a great gardeyne and fayre / and therin is many maner of trees of dyuerse frutes. In that gardeyne dwell many maner of bestes as baboynes / apes / marmosettes and other and whan the couent hath eten a monke taketh the relyf and do bere it into the gardeyne and smyteth ones with a clyket of syluer which he holde in his hande. and sone after comethe oute theyse bestes y t I spake of and other many nere iii. thousand or iiii thousand and he gyueth theym to ete of fayre vessellys of siluer / and whan they haue eten he smyteth the clyket ageyn and they goo ageyne there they cam froo. And the monke sayth that those bestis ar soules of men that ar dedde and those bestes that ar fayre are soules of lordes / and other ryche men / & those that ar [...]oule bestes ar soules of other comons. and I asked theym if it had nat be better to gyue that relef to pore men and they sayde there is no pore man in that countre. And if there were / yet it were more almes to gyue it to those soules that suffre there their penaunce and may go no forther to gete their mete than to men that haue wytte and may trauayle for their mete. Than come men to a cyte that is callid Chibens and ther̄ was the first syege of the kynge of Mancy. Iy thys cyte is ly. brydges of stone as fayre as they may be.
[Page]WHan men passe fro the cyte of Chybēse they pa [...] ouer a great ryuer of fressh water / and it is nere foure myle brode. and than men entre into the londe of the greate Chan. This ryuer goth thoroughe the londe of pegmaus / there men ar of lytell stature for they ar but thre span longe and they are right fayre men gyf all they be lytell and they ar wedded whan they ar half a yere olde / and they lyue but viii. yere and he that lyue viii. yere is holde right olde. These smale men trauayle nat but they haue amonge theym greate men as we are to trauayle for theym. & haue greate scorne of those grete men as we wolde haue of geauntes that were amonge vs. Fro this londe men go thorough many countres and cytees and townes tyll they come to a cyte that men calle Men [...]. In that cyte is a greate Nauy of shyppes / and they are as whyte as snowe of kynde of the wode y t they ar made of and they are made as it were greate houses with hal [...]es and chaumbers and other esementys. From thens men go vpon a ryuer that men call Ceromosan This ryuer gothe thorough Chatay [...] and doth many tymes harme whan it wexethe greate. Chatay is a fayre countre goode and ryche full of godes and marchaundises theder come marchauntis euery yere for to fetche spyces and other marchaundises more comonly than they do in other countrees. And ye shall vnderstonde that marchauntes that come fro Venys or fro Geene or other places of lumbardy or romayne / they goo by see and londe. xi. monethes and more or they may come to Chatay. & towarde the est is an olde cyte in the prouynce of Chatay and beside that cyte the Tartarynes haue made another [Page] rite that men call Cadom that hath seuen gates and euer betwene two gates is a great myle. so that those two cytees the olde and the newe is aboute than xx. myle. In this cyte is the sege of the great chane in a full fayre place and greate of whiche the walles aboute it is two myle. and within that ar many fayre places / and in the gardeyne of that paleys is a right greate hyll / on the whych is another paleys and it is the fayrest that may be foūd in any place. and all aboute that hyll are many trees berynge dyuers frutes. and aboute that hyll is a great dyche and there ar nere many ryuers and vyners on eche syde. And in those are many wylde foules that he may take and go nat oute of the paleys. withoute the hall of y t paleys is xxiiii. pillers of gold and all the walles ar couered with riche skynnes of bestes that men call panters Those ar fayre bestes and well smellynge / & of the smel of the skynnes none euyll smell may come to the paleis those skynnes ar as redde as blode. and they shyne so ageyne the sonne that vnnethes may men beholde theym. and men preyse those skynnes as moche as it were fyne golde. In myddes of that paleys is a place made y t they call the mountoure for the greate chane that is made wel with pricious stones and greate perles hangynge aboute and at foure corners of that mountour ar foure nedders of golde / and vnder that mountour and aboue ar condytes of beuerage that they drynke in the emperours courte and the hall of that palys is richely dight / and well. and first at the ouer ende of the hall is the throne of the emperoure right hye where he sitteth at mete at a table that is wel bordured with golde & that bordure is full of p̄cious [Page] stones & greate perles and the greces on the whych he go / the vp ar of dyuers precious stones bordured with golde At the lyft syde of his throne is the sege of his wyfe a degre lower than he sitteth and that is of Iasper bordured with golde / and the sege of his secounde wyfe is a degre lower than the firste and that is also of gode Iasper bordured with golde. and the sege of the thyrd wyfe is a degre lower than the secounde. for alwey he hath thre wyues Wyth hym where soo he is besyde these wyues on the s [...]me syde sitteth other ladyes on his kynne echone lower than other as they ar of deg [...]e. And all those that ar wed dyd haue a counterfe [...]e of a mānys fote vpon their hedes a shaf [...]on longe and all made with precious stoones. & aboue ar they made wyth shynynge fedyrs of Pecok / or such other in token y t they ar in subieccion to man and vnder mannys fote and they that ar nat wedded haue none such. And the right syde of the emperoure sitteth first his son that shalbe emperoure after hym / and he sytteth also a degre lower than themperoure in suche maner of seges as the emperoure sitteth / and by hym sytteth other lordes of his kyn echone lower than other as they ar of degre And the emperoure hath his table by hym one that is of golde and precious stones or of whyte cristall or yelowe bordered with golde. and eche one of his wyues hathe a table by hir selfe and vnder the emperours table sitteth [...]. clerkes at his fete that wryte all that the emperoure sayth be it gode or yll. And at greate festes aboue themꝑuors table & all other tables In the hall is a vyne made of fyne golde y t goth all aboute the hall & it hath many braunches of grapes like to grapes of the vyne. some are [Page] whyte som ar yelowe som red / & som blacke. all the red ar of rubyes of cremas or alabaūce / the whyte ar of cry / stall or byrall the yelowe ar of Topaces the grene ar of Emeraudes & crysolitis [...] & the blake ar of quyches & gerandes. & this vyne is made thus of precious stones so ꝓpyrly that it semethe as it were a vyne growynge. and before the borde of the emperoure standeth greate lordes & no man is so hardy to speke to him but if it be myn [...]trellis for to solace the emꝑoure. & all the vessell that is serued in his hall or chambers ar of precious stones and [...] mely at tables where greate Lordes et [...]. that is to say / of Iasper crystall ama [...]yst or fyne golde / & the cuppes are of Emeraudes Saphyres topaces pydos / & other many maner of stones / of syluer haue they no vessell / for they preyse syluer but lytell to make vessell of / but they make of syluer greces pylleris & pauementes of halles / & of chaumbers. And ye shall vnderstonde that my felawe & I was in fauoure with hym xvi monethes ageyne the kynge of Mancy of whome he made warre / & the cause was for we had so gret desire to se the nobley of his court if it were such as we herde speke of & forsoth we fonde it more rych & more solempne than euer we herd speke of / & we shuld neuer haue trowed it had we nat sene it: but ye shal vnderstond y t mete & drinke is more honest amonge vs than in those countres / for all the comons ete nat but flessh of all maner bestes / & whan they haue al ete they wype ther hādes on ther skirtis & they ete but ones on the day / & ye shall wete why he is called the gret chan ye wo / te wel y t al the world was destroyd w t noes flode but noe & his wif & his childre Noe had in sōnes sem cam & iaphet [Page] sawe his faders balockes naked whan he slept and scorned it. and therfore was he cursed and Iapheth couered it ageyne. These thre bretherne had all the londe. Cham toke the best party es [...]wa [...]d. that is called as [...]y. Sem toke affryke. and Iapheth toke Europe. Cham was the myghtyest and rychest of his brethern and of hym ar comethe paen folke and dyuers maner of men of the yles some hedles and other men disfigured. & for this Cham the emperoure there calleth hym Cham and lorde of all. but ye shall vnderstonde that the emperoure of Chatay is called Chane and nat cham. and for this skyll it is nat yet viii. yere gone that all Tartary was in subieccyon. and thrall to other nacions aboute and they were made herdmen to kepe bestes and amonge theym was seuen lynages or kyndes. the first was called Tartary. that is the bes [...]. The secounde lynage is called Tanghot. The thyrd Eurace. the forth Valayre. the fyft Semeth. the vi. Menchi. the seuenth Sobeth. These ar all holding of the greate chane of chatay. Nowe it befel so that in the first lynage was an olde man and he was nat ryche and men called hym Changuys. This man lay and slept on a nyght in a bed and there cam to hym a knyght al whyte syttinge vpon a whyte horse and sayde to hym Chan slepes [...] thou god y t is almyghty sent me to the / and it is hys will y t thou say to the vii. lynages y t thou shalt be ther emꝑoure for ye shal conquere all the londes that ar aboute you & they shalbe in your subieccōn as ye haue be ī theirs & whan morowe cam he rose vp & sayde to the vii. lynages & they scorned hym & sayd he was a fole & the nyght after the same knyght cam to same lynage / & bad theym [Page] of goddes behalfe to make Changuys their emꝑoure / & they shulde be oute of all subiection / and on the morowe they chase changuys to emꝑoure / & dyd hym all worship that they myght do and called hym Chane as the whyte knyght called hym. and they sayde they wolde doo as he bad theym [...] and he made than many statutes and lawes the which he called Isakan. and the firste statute was y t they shuld be obedient to god all myghty / & trowe that he shulde delyuer theym oute of thraldom & that they shulde calle on hym in all their myster. Another statute was y t all men that myght bere armes shulde be noumbred & to eche x. shulde be a mayster. and a C. a mayster and to a thousand a mayster / and than he cōmaunded to all the grettest and pryncypallis of the seuen lynages that they shulde forsake all that they had in herytage or lordshype and that they shulde holde theym payde of that he wold gyue theym of his grace and they dydde so. And also he bad theym that eche man shulde brynge his eldest son before hym and sle his owne son with hys owne handes & smyte of their hedes and as sone they dyd his byddynge And whan he sawe they made no lettynge of that he bad they [...] [...] do. than bad he theym folowe his baner. and than he put in subieccion all the londes aboute hym. And it befell on a day that the chane rode wtyh a fewe men to see the londe that he had wonne / and he mette with a greate multytude of his ennemyes and there was he cast down of his hors and his hors slayne. and whan his men sawe hym at the erthe they trowed he had be ded and fled. and the ennemyes folowed after / and whan he sawe the ennemyes were ferre he hyd hym in a busshe. for the wode [Page] was thycke there and whan they were come ageyne froo the chasse they went to seke amonge the wode if any were hyd there [...] and they fonde many and as they cam to the place there he was. they sawe a byrde sitte vpon a tre the whiche byrde men call an oule and than sayde they y t the / re was no man for that byrd sate there and so went they away. and thus was the chane saued fro deth / and so he went awey on a nyght to his owne men which were fayne of hym. And fro that tyme hyderwardes men of that countre haue do greate worshyp to that byrde and therfore before all byrdes of the Worlde they worshyp that maner of bud. and than he assembled all his men and rode vpon his ennemyes and destroyed theym. and whan he had Wonne all the londes that were aboute hym he held theym in subieccion. And whan the chane had Wonne al the londes to mount Belyan. the whyte knyght came to hym in a vision ageyne and sayde vnto hym. Chane the wyll of god is that thou passe the mount Belyan / & thou shal [...] wynne many londes and for that thou shalt fynde no passage. go thou to mounte Belyan that is vpon the see syde and knele [...]y tymes theron ageyne the Est in the worshyp of god and he shall shewe the a wey howe thou shalt passe. and the chane dyd so. and as sone the see that [...]owched to the hyll withd [...]owe hym and shewed a fayre wey of nyne fote brode betwene the hylle / and the See. and so passed the righte well wyth all hys men. and so he wanne the londe of chatay that is the most lond & grettest of the worlde. and for those ix. knelynges and the ix. fote of wey the chane and men of tartary haue the noumbre of ix. in gret worship. & whan he had won the lond of [Page] Chatay he dyed / and than regned after Cythoco Chane his eldest son [...] and his other brother went to wynne them londes in other contres. and they wan the londe of pruys and of russy. and they dyd call them self chane▪ but he of chatay is the great chane the grettest lord of all the world and so he calleth hym in his letters and saith thus. Chan filius de [...] excels [...] vniuersam terram colenciū sūmus imꝑator et dominus dominanciū. That is for to say Chane goddes son Emꝑoure of all those that tyll all the londe and lorde of all lordes. and the wrytynge aboue his greate seale is Deus in celo. Chan suꝑ terram enis fortitudo oim hoīm imꝑatoris sigillū. That is to say thus God in heuen. chan vpon erthe his strength. The seale of the emꝑoure of all men / and the wrytynge a boute his preuy seale is thus. Dei fortitudo oīm hoīm imꝑatoris sigil / lū. That is to say the strength of god seale of the emperoure of all men. And all if it be so that they be nat crysten: yet themperour & the tartaryns trowe ī god almyghty
NOWe haue I tolde you why he is called the greate chane. Nowe shall I tell you of the gouernynge of his courte whan they make gret festes & the pryncipall foure tymes in the yere. the fyrst feste is of his berynge. the secoūd whan he is borne to the temple to be circūcised. the third is of his ydols whan they begyn to speke. & the forth whan the ydol begynneth firste to do myracles & at those tymes he hath men well arrayed by thousādis & by hūdres & echone wote well what he shall do for there is first ordeyned iiii. thousande riche barons / and myghty for to ordeyne the fest and to serue the Emperoure / and all these barons haue crownes of gold wel [Page] dight with precious stones and perles and they ar cladde in clothes of golde and camathas as richely as they may be made [...] and they may well haue suche clothes for they ar there of lesse pryce than wollen cloth is here. And these iiii. thousande barons ar departed in iiii. partyes & eche company is clad in dyuers coloure right richely. & whan the first thousande is passed and hath shewed them / than come the secounde thosand / and than the thyrde / and than the forth and none of theym spekethe a worde. And on o syde of the [...]mperours table sytteth many phylosophers of many sciences. som of astronomy nygromancy / geometry / pyromacy / and other many scyences. and som haue before theym astrolabes of gold or of precious stones full of sonde or of cooles brennynge. som haue orlages well dight and richely and other many instrumentes [...] ter their scyences. & at a certeyne houre whan they see tyme they sey to men that stande before them make p [...]s. & than say those mē with a loude voys to al the hall [...]owe be s [...]yll a whyle. and than sayth one of the phylosophers [...]he man make reuerence and bowe and lou [...]e to themperoure that is goddes son and lorde of the world for nowe is tyme & houre. and than all men loute to hym / & knele on the erthe. and than byddeth the phylosopher them ryse vp ageyne. and at one other houre another phylosopher byd theym all put their syngers in their erys and they do so. and at another houre byddeth another phylosopher y t all men shall lay their hande on ther hede and they do so and than he byddeth theym take away and they do so. & thus fro houre to houre they byd dyuers thynges: & I asked pryuely what this shuld mene. & one of the maysters [Page] sayde that the loutynge and the knelynge on the erthe at that tyme hath this token. that all those men that knelyd so shall euermore be true to themꝑoure / that for no gift / ne hetynge they shall neuer be tratours / ne fals to hym. And the puttynge of the fynger in the ere hath this token. that none of those shall here none yll be spoken of them / peroure or his counsayle. And ye shall vnderstonde that men dight no thynge / clothes / bred / drynke / nor non suche thynges to the emperoure but at certeyne houres that the Phylosophers tell / and if any man reyse warre ageyne that emperoure in what countre so it be / theyse phylosophers Woteit sone and tell the emperoure or his counseyl and he sendeth men theder for he hathe many men. And he hath many men to kepe byrdes as garfaukons / sperhaukes / faucons gentyls / laners / sacres / popymayes y t ar spekynge / and other many .x. thousande Olyfantes baboyns: marmosettis and other. and he hath many fy / sycien [...] [...]f the which he hathe. CC. of theym that are crysten men. and xx. sarrasyns but he trusteth more in crysten men than in sarrasyns. and there is in the coūtre many barons and other seruauntes that ar crysten and conuerted to the good feyth thorowe prechynge of goode crysten men that dwell there. but there are many that woll nat that men wete that they ar cristen. And he is a ful greate lorde for he may despende what he woll. and he hath in his chaumber a pyller of golde in the which is a Ruby and a carbuncle of a fote longe the whyche lyghtethe all the chamber vpon nyght / and he hath other many precyous stones and rubeis: but this is the most. Thys Emperoure dwelleth in the somer towardys the Northe in a [Page] cyte that men call Sarduz and there is colde ynough and in wynter he dwelleth in a cyte that men call Camalach there is right hote londe and there dwelle he for the most party. And whan this greate chane shall ryde from one countre to another they ordeyne foure ostes of folke. of whych the first goth before a dayes iourney. for that ost lyeth at euyn where the Emperoure shall lye on the morowe and there is plente of vetayles. And another ost cometh at the right syde of hym and another at the lyft syde and in eche ost is many folke. and than cometh the forth ost behynde hym a bowe draught. and there is mo [...] men than in any of the other. And ye shall vnderstonde that the emperoure rideth on no horse but if he woll wende to any place with pryue meyne but he [...]ydeth in a charette with foure wheles. and therupon is a chamber made of a tre that men call ligmī alo [...]s that cometh oute of para / d [...]se terrestre and that chaumber is couered with plates of fyne golde and precyous stones and p [...]rles and foure Olyfauntes and fou [...]e s [...]des gone there in. And v. or vi greate lordes riden aboute hym so that none other men shall come nere hym but if the emperoure call any. and that same maner with cha [...]iottes and suche ostes ridethe the Empres by another syde and the Emperours eldest son on the same array. and they haue so many folkes y t it is a greate maruayle to see. And also the londe of the greate Chane is departed in twelue prouynces. and eche prouynce hathe more than two thousande kynges. Also whan the emperoure rideth t [...]r [...]owe the countre. and he passeth thorough cytees and townes. eche man maketh a fyre before his hous and casteth therin ensence and other [Page] thynges that gyue gode smel to the emꝑoure / and if m [...] of religion that ar cristen dwell nere as the emꝑoure cometh they mete hym with procession with a crosse and holy water. and they synge Veni creator spiritꝰ with a lou / de voyce. And whan he see theym come he cōwaundethe to the lordes that ryde nere hym to make wey y t the relygyous men may come to hym. and whan he se the crosse de dothe of his hatte that is made of precious stones and greate perles. and that hat is so ryche that marueyle it is to tell. and than he lowteth to the crosse. And the prelate of the relygious men say orysons before hym / and gyue hym the benyson with the crosse. and he lowteth to the benyson full deuoutly. and than the same prelate gyuethe hym som froyte of the noumbre of ix. in a plate of gold for the maner is such there that no straunge man shalle come before the emperour but he gyue hym somwhat after the olde lawe that sayth. Nemo accedat in conspectu meo vanuis. That is to say. No man come in my sight to me. And than the emperoure byddeth these religyous men that they shall go forth so that men of his ost defoule theym nat. and those religious that dwell where themperesse or the emperours son cometh do in the same maner. for this gret chane is the grettest lorde of the worlde. for prester Iohn is nat so greate a lorde as he. ne the soudan of Babylon ne the emꝑoure of ꝑsy. In his londe a mā hath a C wyues & som xl. som mo som les & they take of ther kyn to wyues all but ther moders sonnes and dough [...]s & mē & womē haue al o maner of clothing so y t tehy may nat be knowe but y e womē y t ar wedded bere a token on ther hedes & they dwel nat with ther husbondes [Page] but he may lye by whych that he woll. They haue plente of all maner of bestes but swyne. forthose Wol they non and they trowe well in god that made all thynge and yet haue they ydols of golde and syluer / and to these ydollis they offre the first mylke of their bestes. And thys empeperoure the greate chane hath thre wyues. and the pryncypall wyfe was prestyr Iohns doughter / The folke of this countre begyn to do all their thinges in the newe mone / and they worshyp moch the sonne and the mone and those men ryde comonly withoute spores and they holde it greate synne to breke a bone with a nother and to cast mylke on the erthe or any other lycoure y t men may drynke. And the most synne that they may do is to pys ī their houses there they dwell and he that pisseth in his howse shalbe slayne and of these synnes they shryue theym to their prestes and for their penaunce they shall gyue syluer & the place where men haue pyssed shalbe halowed o [...] ellys may no man come there. and whan they haue do their penaunce. they shall passe thorowe a fayre fyre or [...]wo to make theym clene of their synnes. and whan they haue eten they wype their handes on ther skyrt [...]s for they haue no bordclothes but it be right great lo [...]des & whan they haue all eten they putte theyr dysshes or doublers. n [...]t wasshen in the potte or cawdron with the flessh that leue [...]he whan they haue e [...]en vnto they woll ete another tyme. and riche men drynke mylke of meres / or asses / or other bestes and other beuerage that is made of mylke / and water togeder for they haue nother wyne ne ale and whan they go to warre they werre full wysely and eche man of theym berethe two bowes or thre. and many [Page] arowes and a greate hachet / and gentyll men haue short swerdys / and he that fighteth in batayle they sle hym / & they ar euer in purpos to brynge all londes in subieccōn to theym for they say ꝓphesyes say that they shalbe ouer come by shot of archers and that they shall turne theym to their lawe / but they wote neuer what men they shall be & it is greate peryll to pursue the Tartaryns whanne they flee. for they Woll shote behynd and sle men as wel as before. and holde oyle of Oyle for a gode medycyne. and they haue small iyen as lytel byrdes and they are comonly false for they holde nat [...]hat they hete. And whan a man shall dye amonge theym they st [...]ke a spere in the erthe besyde hym: and whan he draweth to the deth / they go oute of the house tyl he be dede and than they put him in the erthe in the felde. And whan the Emperoure is ded they sette hym in a chayre in myddes of a tente. and they set before hym a table with a cloth and flesshe and other mete / and a cuppe full of mylke of a mere / and they set a mere with a fole by hym and an horse sadlyd and brydelyd / and they lay vpon the hors golde and syluer: and all aboute hym they make a greate graue / and put hym in. And tent to all other thynges they put in the erth to geder / and they say whan he cometh into another world he shall nat be withoute an house ne horse ne syluer and the mere shall gyue hym mylke and brynge forth more hors til he be well stored in the other worlde / for they trowe y t whan they ar ded they shal go into another worlde & ete & drynke and haue solace wyth theyr wyues as they haue here. ¶And whan that he is leyde in the erthe no man shall be so hardy for to speke of hym before his frendes. [Page] And than whan the emperoure is dede the .vii. lynages geder theym togeder: and they touche hys son or the next of his blode / and they say thus we woll and we ordeyne and we pray that thou bo oure lorde and oure emꝑoure and he enquyreth if ye woll that I regne vpon you echo ne woll do that I byd hym. And if he bydd that any be slayne he shalbe slayne. And they answere all wyth one voyce / all that ye byd shalbe done. Than sayth the emperoure fro nowe forth my word shalbe sherynge as my swerde. and than they sette hym in a chayre and crowned hym. and than all the gode townes sent hym presentes so that he shall haue more than a cart full of gold [...] [...] syluer and other many Iuellys that he shall haue o [...] lordes of precyous stones and golde withoute noumbr [...] [...]d horse / and ryche clothes of camacas and tartaryn [...] [...] suche o / ther. This londe of Chatay in assy the depe. and the londe of chatay marcheth towa [...]de the west vpon the kyngdom of Se [...]y the which was somtyme to one of the thre kynges that went to seke oure lorde in Betheleem These men of Ta [...]tary drynke no wyne. In the londe of Cor [...] saym that is at the northe syde of chatay is ryghte greate plente of gode but no wy [...]e. the whych hath at the est syde a greate wildernesse that lasteth more than a hundred iourneis and the best cyte of that londe is called Corosaym. and therafter is the londe so called Men of this londe ar gode warreour [...] and ha [...]dy. And therby is the kingdom of Comayn. This is the most and the grettest king / dom of the worlde / but it is nat all inhabyte. for in one place of that londe is so greate colde that no man maye dwell therefor cold▪ and in another place is so greate hete [Page] that no man may dwell there. and there ar so many fey / ghes that a man wote nat on what syde he may turne hī In this londe ar but fewe trees berynge frute. In thys londe men lye in tentes and they brenne dunge of bestes / for defaute of wode. This londe descendethe towardys Pruyse and rosy. and thorough this londe renneth the ryuere Echel that is one of the grettest ryuers of the world and it is frosen so harde eche yere that men fight theron ī greate batayles on hors. and fote men more than an hū dred thousand at ones. And a lytell fro that Ryuer is the greate see of occian that they call Maure. And betwene this Maure and the Caspy is a full streyte passage too go towarde ynde and therfore kynge alysaunder dyd make there a cyte that men call alysaundre to kepe that pas / sage so that no man may passe but if he haue leue. And nowe is that cyte called Port de fear. and the pryncipall cyte of Comayn is called Sarachys. thys is one of thre wayes to go into ynde but thorough this way may nat many men go but if it be in wynter. And this passage is called Berbent. and another wey is for to go from the londe of turkeston thoro [...] [...]sy / and in thys wey ar ma / ny iournes in wyldernesse and the third way is that cometh fro Cosmane and that goth thorowe the great cyte and thorowe the kyngdom of abachare. And ye shal vnderstonde that all these kyngdoms and londes vnto ꝑsy ar holden of the great chane of chatay and many other & therfore he is full greate lorde of men and of londes.
NOwe haue I deuysed you the londes towarde the north to com fro the lōdes of chatay to the londes [Page] of Pruys and Rosy where crysten men dwelle. Nowe shall I deuyse to you other londes and kyngdoms in comynge downe fro Chatay to the grekes see where cristen men dwell. And for as moche as next the greate chane of chatay the emperoure of ꝑcy is the grettest lorde. therfore I shall first speke of hym and ye shall vnderstonde that he hath two kyngdoms the one begynneth Estward and the kyngdom of Turkescon and it lesteth westward to the see of Caspy. and southward to the londe of ynde and this londe is gode and pleyne and well mannyd gode cytees. but two most pryncipall of the cytees ar called Bacirida and Sorinaguiit. The other kyngdom of pcy lasteth fro the ryuer of Physon vnto the great Ermony and Northward vnto the see of Caspy and southwarde to the londe of ynde. and this is a full plenteuous coun / tre and goode. and in this cyte is thre pryncypall cytees. Nessabor Saphan and Sarmasse. & than is the lond of Ermony in whyche was somtyme thre kyngedoms / This is a gode londe and plenteuous and it begynneth at pcy and lasteth westward to Turky of lengthe and in brede it lasteth fro the cyte of alysaundre that nowe is called Port de fea [...] vnto the londe of Myddy. In thys Ermony are many fayre cytees but Canryssy is most of name. Than is the londe of Myddy that is full longe but na [...] brode. that begynneth Estwarde at the londe of ꝑcy and ynde the lesse and lasteth westward to the kyngdom of Caldee and Northwarde to lytell Ermony. In thys Myddy ar many great hilles and lytel pleyne and there dwell Sarrasyns and another maner of men that men call Cordynz and karmen. Than is next the kyngedom [Page] of George that begynneth estward at a greate hyll that men call Abior. this londe lasteth fro Turky to the grete see and the londe of myddy and the great Armony. and in this londe ar two kinges one of Abeaz / and another of George / but he of george is in subieccion to the gret chan but the abeacaz hath a stronge countre & defendeth hym wel ageyne his ennemyes. And in this londe of abcaz is a great marueyle for there is a countre in that londe y t is nere thre dayes iourney longe and aboute / & it is called hamfon. and that countre is all couered with myrkenes so that it hath no light that no man may se there. and no man dare go into that countre for the myrkenes. and neuerthelesse men of the countre therby say that they may somtyme here therin the voyce of men and hors whynynge and cockes crowe and they wote well that men dwell there but they wote nat what maner of men. & they say this myrkenesse cometh thorough myracle of god that he dyd for crysten men there. For there was a wycked emperoure that was of Poy. and he was called Saures and he pursued somtyme all crysten men to destroy / and dyd theym make sacrifice to his false goddes and in that coū tre dwelled many cristen men / the whych left all ther godes and catellys and riches and wolde go into grece and whan they were all in a great playne y t men call Megon themꝑour & his men cam for to sle these cristen men / and than the cristen men all set them on ther knees / & prayed to god. & as sone cam a thycke cloude / & ouerlapped the emperour & all his ost / so that he myght nat go away & so dwell they in myrkenes / & they came oute neuer sythe & the cristōmē wēt where they wold & therfor they myght [Page] say thus. A dn̄o factū est istud & est mirabile ī oculis [...] That is to say of oure lord is this done & it is wonderful in oure iyen. Also oute of this myrke londe cometh a ryuer that men may se by gode token y e men dwell therin. Than next is this londe of Turky that marcheth to gret armony. and therin ar many coūtrees as capadoce saure Bryke / quesicion / Pytan / and geneth / In eche one of these ar many gode cytees / and it is a playne londe / and fewe hylles / and fewe ryuers. and than is the kynge of Messopotayne that begynneth estward at Flom of Tygre at a cyte that men call Mosel. & it lasteth westward to the floin of Eufraten to a cyte y t men call Rochayz & westward fro high Ermony vnto the wyldr [...]es of ynde the lesse & it is a gode londe [...] a playne / but there is fewe ryuers and there is but two hylles in that londe. the one is called Symar & the other lyson and it marcheth to the londe of Calde. And ye shall wete y • the londe Ethyope marcheth estward to the great wyldernesse westward to the londe of Nuby southward to the londe of Maritane & northward to the red se & than is marytane y t lasteth fro the hylles of Ethiope vnto lyby the high & the lowe that lasteth to the greate se of spayne.
NOwe haue I sa [...]de & spoken of many on this side of the great kingdom of Chatay of Whom many ar obeysaunt to the greate chane. Nowe shall I say of som londes & countres & Iles that ar beyonde the londe of chatay. who so goth fro chatay to ynde the hyghe & the lowe he shal go thorough a kingdom y t men call caldishe that is a great londe / there groweth a maner of frute as [Page] it were goordes. and whan it is rype men shere asonder and they fynde therin a best as it were of flesshe of bone and blode as it were a lytel lambe withoute wolle and men ete the best and the frute also & that is a great marueyle. Neuerthelesse I sayde them that I helde that for no marueyle. For I sayde in my countre ar trees y t bere frute that becom birdes fleynge & they ar gode to ete and y t that falleth in waterlyueth and y t that fallethe on the erth dyethe & they had greate maruayle of this. In thys lond and many other aboute there ar trees y t bere clowes and nutmygges and canel and many oter spyces & there ar vynes that beere so greate grapes that a stronge man shall haue ynough to do to bere a cluster of the grapes. In that same londe ar the hylles of Caspe that men call vber. & amonge those hylles that ar there / the Iewes of the x. kyndes enclosed that men call Gog & magog and they may nat come oute on no syde. There was enclosed xxii. kynges with their folke that dwelled before betwene the hylles of Syche and the kynge alysaunder chased theym theder amonge those hylles for he trowed to haue enclosed theym there thoroughe workynge of men but he myght nat. but whan he sawe y t he myght nat / he prayed to god y t he wolde fulfyll y t he had begon / & god herde his prayer & enclosed the hilles togeder so y t the Iewes dwell there as they were locked in / & there is hylles all aboute theym. but at one syde & there is see of gaspy. And some men myght aske. there is a see on one syde / Why go they nat oute there. for therto answere I that all if it be called a see. It is no see / but a stange standynge amonge hylles / and it is the gretteste stange of all the worlde. And if [Page] they went ouer the see they wote nat where forto aryue. for they can no speche but their owne. and ye shall vnderstonde that the Iewes haue no lawe ef their owne lawe in all the world. but they that dwell in these hylles / & yet they pay trybute for their londe to the quene of armony. And somtyme it is so y t som of the iewes go ouer the hylles but many men may nat passe there samen for the hilles ar so greate and so high. Neuertheles men say in that countre there by that in the tyme of antecryst they shal do moche harme to crysten men. And therfore all the Iewes that dwell in diuerse partyes of the worlde lere for to speke Ebrewe for they that the Iewes that dwell amonge the hylles beforesayde shall come oute of the hylles and they speke all ebrewe and nat elles. and than shall these Iewes speke ebrewe to them and lede theym into cristendom for to destroy cristen men. For these Iewes say they Wote by their prophesies that those Iewes that ar amonge those hylles of Caspy shall come oute & crys [...]n men shalbe in their subiec [...]ion as they be vnder crysten men. & if ye woll w [...]te howe they shall fynde the passage oute as I haue vnderstonde I shall tell you. In tyme of an [...] a fox s [...]all make his de [...] in the same place where kynge alysaundre dyd make the gates and he shall so in ther erthe and perse it thorough vnto that he come amōg the Iewes. And whan they see this fox they shall haue greate maruayle of hym for they sawe neuer such beste. for other bes [...]es haue they amonge them many. and they shall c [...]ase this fox & pu [...]sue hym vnto that he be fled ageyne into his hole that he cam fro. and than shall they graue after as he wente vnto they come to the gates that [Page] Alysaundre dyd make of greate stones well dight with symont. and they shal breke these gates and so shal they fynde the yssue. From this londe men shall go vnto the londe of Bakary where ar many wycked men and fell. In that londe ar trees that bere woll as is it were shepe of whych they make clothe. In this londe ar many Ipotaynes that dwell somtyme on londe / somtyme on water and ar halfe man and half hors & they ete nat but mē whan they may gete theym. In this londe ar many gryffons more than in another place. and som say they haue the body before as an egle / and behynde as a lyon. And they say soth. for they ar made so / but the gryffon hathe a body gretter than viii. lyons and gretter and stalworthyer than an hundred egles. For certeynly he woll bere to his nest flyinge an horse and a man vpon his backe or two oxen yocked samen as they go at ploughe for he ha / the longe nayles on his fete and greate as it were hornes of oxen and of those they make cuppes there to drynk of and of his rybbes they make bowes to shote
FRo this londe of Bakary men go thorowe many iourneys to the londe of Prester Iohn that is a great emꝑoure of ynde and men call his lon / de the Ile of Pantoxore. This emꝑoure Prester Iohn holdeth greate londes and many and gode cytees / & gode townes in his his kyngdom many greate Iles and large. For this londe of ynde is all departed in Iles bicause of greate flodes that come oute of paradyse. and also in the see ar many greate Iles. The beste cyte that is in the [Page] Ile of Pentoxore is called Nyse for that is a noble cyte and ryche. Prester Iohn hath vnder hym many kynges. and many dyuers folke / and his londe is gode and rych but nat so ryche as the londe of the great chane. for marchauntes com nat so moche theder as they do into the londe of the grete chan for it is so longe wey. And also they fynde in the Ile of Chatey all that they haue myster of / as spicery clothes of golde and other rychesse. And all if they myght haue better chepe in the lond of prester Iohn neuerthelesse they lette for the longe wey and greate per / yllis in the see. for there is many places in the see where ar greate roches of a stone that is called adamonde. the whiche of his owne kynde draweth to hym yron and for as moche that there shulde passe no ship that had nayles of yron. for it shulde drawe it to hym. therfore they dare nat wende into that countre with shippes for drede of adamandes. I went ones in that se and sawe as longe as it had bene a great yle of trees & stockes / and braunches. growynge / and the shypman sayde that those was of greate shyppes that were dwellynge there thoroughe vertue of the adamandes and of thynges that were in the shyppes were those trees sprongen and waxen.
¶And suche roches are in many places in that see. and therfore dare no shypmen passe that wey. and another also they drede the longe wey. and therfore they wende too Chatay that is nere vnto theym. and yet is it nat so nere that theym behoueth fro Venys or fro Geene be in see towarde Chatay xi. or xii. monethes.
The londe of Prester Iohn is longe / and marchauntes passe theder thorough the londe of Persy and come vnto [Page] a cyte that men call Ermes. for a Phylosopher that men called Ermes foundyd it / and they passe an arme of the see and cometh to another cyte that men call Saboth and there fynde they all marchaundyses and popyniayes as greate plente as larkes in oure countre. In thys countre is lytell whete or barly. and therfore they ete ryse & mylke and chese and other frutes. This emperoure prester Iohn weddeth comonly the doughter of the greate chane. And the greate chan his doughter. In the lond of prester▪ Iohn is many dyuers thynges / and many precious stoones so greate and so large that they make of theym vessell pla / ters and cuppes / and many other thynges / of whyche it were to longe to tel: but somwhat of his lawe and of his feyth shall I tell you. This emperoure prester Iohn is crysten and greate party of his londe. Also but they haue nat all the artycles of oure feyth but they trowe wel in the fader and the son and the holy goost. and they are full deuoute and true one to another. and they make no force of catell. and he hath vnder hym lxxii. prouynces. and countrees and in eche one is a kynge / and those kynges haue other kynges vnder them. and in this londe are many marueyles. For in that londe is the grauelly see y t is of sonde and of grauell & no drop of Water. and it ebbethe and floweth with right greate wawes / as another see doth / and it is neuer styll ne neuer in rest and no mā may passe that londe beyonde it. And all if it so be that there be noo water in that see. yet men may fynde fysshe right gode and of other fasyon and shappe / than is in any other sees. and also they are of full goode sauoure / [Page] and swete and gode to ete. And at thre iournes froo that see ar greate hylles thorowe whyche cometh a greate flode that cometh fro paradyse and it is full of precious stones and no drop of water and it renneth with gret wawes into the grauelly see. And this flodethre dayes rēneth so fast and stereth greate stones of the roches wyth hym that make moche noyse. & as sone they come into the grauelly see they ar nomore sene. & in those thre dayes whan [...]renneth thus noman dare come in it. but the other daye [...] men may go therin where they woll: and also beyonde that flode towarde the wyldernesse is a greate pleyne all sondy and grauelly amonge hylles / and in that pleyne growe trees that at the rysinge of the son eche day begynne to growe and so growe they to mydday. and beī f [...]utes but no man dar ete of y e frute for it is a maner of yron and after mydday i [...] turneth ageyne into the erthe. so that whan the sonne goth downe it is no thynge seene: And so doth it euery day. and there is in that wyldernes many wylde men with hornes on their hedes / and ryghte hydous and they speke n [...]t but grunt as swyne. And in that countre ar many popymayes that they calle in theyr langage pysta [...] and they speke thorough ther owne kynde as aptly as a man. and those that speke well haue longe tonges and large & on euery fote fyue tose. there are som that hath but thre tose. and tho same speke noughte or very lytell
¶This emperoure Prester Iohn whan he gothe to batayle he hath no baner borne before hym but he hath borne before hym in. crosses of fyne golde & those are great [Page] and large and wel dight with precious stones and for to kepe eche a crosse is ordeyned a thousande men of armes and mo than an hundred thousande on fote in maner as men kepe a standard in bataile in other places and he hathe men withouten [...]oumbre whan he goth to any batayle ageyne any other lord. And whan he hathe no batayle but rydeth with preuy company▪ than doth he bere before hym but a cros of tre nat paynted and withoute golde and precyous stones & all playne in token that oure lord Iesu cryst suffr [...]d deth on a c [...]osse of tre. And also he hathe borne before hym a plate of golde full of erthe in token that [...]is lordship and nobley shall turne to nought & his flesshe shall turne to erthe. And there before hym also another v [...]ssell full of iewellys and golde and precyous stones in token of nobley & his myght. And he dwell comonly at the cyte of Suse / and there is hys pryncipall palys that is so riche that ma [...]ueyle is to tell. and aboue the princypal toure of the palys ar two pomelles of gold all rounde. and eche one of those hath two Carbuncles greate and large that shyne right clere on the nyght. And the pryncipal gates of this palys ar of precyous stones y t men calle Sardyn. and the borders of the barres are of euory. and the wyndowes of the hall and chambers ar of crystal. And tables y t they ete of som ar of emeraudes som ar of mastyk / som of gold and precious stones & the pyllers that bere the tables ar of such stones also and the greses on the whyche the emꝑoure goth to his see / where he setteth at mete one is of mas [...]y [...] andother of cystall / another of Iasby grene. another of dyasꝑ. another of sardyn. another of Corinlyn. another of Sempton. And [Page] that he setteth vpon his fote is of crysolites and all these gr [...]ses ar bordure [...] with fyne golde & wel dight with greate perles & other precious stones / and the sydes of his sege ar emeraudes bordured with gold & with p̄cious stones. the pyllers in his chamber ar of fyne gold with many carbuncles & other such stones y t gyue greate lyght on the nyght. & all if the charbuncles gyue great lyght. Neuertheles there brenneth eche nyght xii. great vessellis of crystall full of bame to gyue gode smel / & to dryue awey wycked eyre. The forme of his bed is all of saphyre wel bounde with golde to make him to slepe wel & for to stroy lechery. for he woll nat lye by hys wyues but thryes in the yere after the sesons & all only for getynge of childre And he hath also a fayre palys at the cyte of Nyse wher̄ he dwelleth whan he wol but the eyre there is nat so wel tempered as it is at the cyte of Suse. & he hath eche day ī his court mo than xxx. thousand men withoute comers [...] goers. but xxx. thousand there. And in the coūtre of the greate chane spende nat so moche as xii. thousand in our countre. he hath euermore vii. kynges in his court to serue hym▪ & echone of they [...] serueth a moneth. & with these kynges serue alwey. lxxii. dukes & ccc. erles / & eche day they ete in his court xii. archebysshoppes & xx. bysshops The patryarke of saynt Thomas is as he were a pope. and archebysshops and bysshopes / and abbottes all are kynges in that countre. And som of the lordes is mayster of the hall. som of the chamber. som stywarde. & sōme marshal: & som other officers & therfore he his ful richely serued. & his londe lastethe in brede foure monethes iourney and it is of length withoute mesure In this Ile of [Page] of prester Iohn is greate plente of godes & moche riches & many precious stones In that londe was a riche man nat longe syth y t men called there Catolonabes / he was full riche and he had a fayre castell in an hyll & stronge and he had made a wall all aboute the hyll right strong and fayre within that he had a fayre gardeyne wherein were many trees beringe all maner of frutes y t he might fynde / & he dyd plant therin all maner of erbes of goode smell and that bare floures. and there was many fayre welles / and by them was made many fayre halles and chambers dight with gold & asure & he had made there diuers storyes & bestes & birdes that songe & turned by engyne & orbage as they had be al quyk / & he had in his gardeyne that he myght fynde to make a man solace / & comfort. & he had also there in that gardeyne maydens wythin the age of xv. yere the foyrest he myght fynde. & men chyldren of the same age. and they were cladde with clo / thes of golde and he sayde that tho same were aungellis and he had do made thre hylles fayre and gode all enclosed aboute with precious stones of Iaspy and crystall & well bounde with golde and perles / and other maner of stones. and he had made a condyte vnder the erthe so y t whan he wolde the walles ran somtyme with mylk. sō tyme with wyne somtyme with hony. & this place is called Paradyse. ¶And whanne any yonge bachel [...]re of the countre knyght / or Squyer cometh to hym for solace and disport. he ledeth hym into his Paradyse and shewe vnto hym all these dyuers thynges / and dyuerse songes of byrdes and also of his damoselles / and hys welles. and he dyd stryke dyuers instrumentes of musyke in an [Page] hygh [...]oure that myght be sene and sayde those were aungelles of god and that place was paradise that god hath graunted to those that beloued whan he sayde. ¶Dabo vobis teriam fluentemla [...] et mel. That is to say I shal gyue you londe flowynge mylke and hony. And thāne thys riche man dyd these men drynke a maner of drynke of which they were dronken and he sayde to them if they wolde dye for his sake that whanne they were dede they shulde come into his paradyse. and they shulde be of the age of those maydens and shulde dwell alwey with thē and he shulde put theym in a fayre paradyse where they shulde see god in his ioy and in his mageste / and thanne they graunted to do all that he wolde and [...]han he badde theym go and sle suche a lorde or a man of the countre y t he was wroth with. and that they shulde haue no drede of no man. and if they were slayne theym selfe for hys sake he shulde put theym in his paradyse whan they we / [...] dede. and so went these bachelers to sle greate lordes. of the count [...]e. and were slayne theym self in hope to haue that paradyse. and thus he venged of hys ennemyes thorough his desert. and whan ryche men of the countre pseyued this malice and cautele and the wyle of this Catolonabes they gadred theym togeder & assayled the Castell and slowe hym and destroyed all his godes and his fayre places and [...]chesse that were in his Paradyse the place of the walles is there yet & som other thynges. but rychesse is nat there. and it is nat longe syth he was destroyed. A litell fro that place on the lyf [...]e syde besyde the ryuer of Physon is a greate maruayle. There is a vale betwene two hylles that foure myle is longe. som call it [Page] the valey Enchanted: som the valey of deuylles. som the valey ꝑylous and in that valey ar many tempestes and greate noyse & hydous euery day and nyght. and somtyme as it were a noyse of Tabu [...]nes of nakers and of trompettes as it were at a greate fest. This valey is all full of deuyllis and hath ben alwey and men say there that it is an entre to hell. In this valey is moche golde & syluer. wherfore many crysten men and other go theder for couetyse to haue of that golde / and syluer. but fewe of theym come oute ageyne for they ar as sone strangled of deuylles. and in myddell of that vale vpon a Roche is a vysage and the hede of a fende bodily right hidous ī dredefull to se. and there is no thynge sene but the hede. to the shulders. but there is no man cr [...]sten in the worlde ne other so hardy that he ne shulde haue greate drede for to behold it / for he beholdeth eche man so sharply and so felly. and his iyen ar so styrynge & so sprenkelynge as fyre and he chaungeth so oft his coūtenaunce that no man dare come nere for all the worlde and oute of his mouth and his nose cometh greate plente of fyre of dyuerse coloures. and somtyme is the fyre so stynkynge y t no man may suffre it. but alwey a gode crysten man and that is stable in the feyth may go therin withoute harme if they shryue theym well and blysse them wyth the token of the crosse than shall the deuyllis haue no power of theym. And ye shall vnderstonde that whan my felowes and I were in y t valey we had full greate thought if we shulde put oure bodyes in auenture to go thoroughe it / and som of my felowes accorded therto. and som wolde nat accorde therto. and there was in oure company two freres [Page] Mynours of lumbardy & they sayde if any of vs wold go in they wolde go also. and whan they had sayde soo / vpon trust on theym we sayde that we wolde goo. & we [...]yd synge a messe and we were shryuen and houseled & we went in xiiii. and whan we came oute we were but x. and we wyse nat Wheder oure felowes were lost there or they [...]urned ageyne but we sawe nomore of theym other of oure felawes that w [...]ld nat go with vs in went aboute by another wey for to be before vs & so they were and we went thorough the Valey and sawe there many maruelous thynges / golde▪ syluer / and precious stones & Iewellys greate plente on many sydes as vs thoughte [...] it was as it semed I wote nat for I touched thē n [...]. for the deuylles ar so subtell and queynt that make many [...]ymes a thynge to seme that it is nat for to descey [...] men. & therfore [...] wolde touche no thynge for drede of [...] that I sawe in many lykenesses what of ded [...] that I sawe lye in the valey / but I dare nat say [...] th [...]y were nat all bodies but they semed bodies thorow makynge of deuyllys. and we were oft casten downe to the erthe thorough wende and thonder and tempestes / but god helped vs alwey and so passed we thorowe that valey withoute ꝑyll and harme thanked be god almyghty that vs kept well. And beyonde that valey is a gret Ile Where folke are as greate as g [...]auntes of xxviii. fote or xxx. fote longe. and they haue no clothynge but beestys skynnes that hange on theym and they ete no brede but flesshe rawe and drynke mylke and they haue no houses & they ete gladlyer flessh of men than of other. & mē sayd vs y t beyonde y t yle is one yle where ar gretter geauntes [Page] as of xlv. or l. fote longe. & som say of l. cubytes longe but I sawe nat theym. & amonge those geaūtes ar gret shepe as it were yonge oxen & they bere great Woll these shepe haue I sene many tymes. Another yle is there occian in the see where ar many yll & fell women & they haue precious stones in theiriyen. & they haue suche kynde y t if they behold any man With wreth they sle theym of the beholdynge as the baselyk doth. another Ile is there of fayre folke & gode where the custume is such y t the fyrste nyght y t they ar wedded they take a certeyne man y • is ordeyned therfore. & do hym ly by their wyues to haue their maydenhede / & they gyue hym greate reward for his trauayle / & those men ar called gadlibirie [...]. for men of that countre holde it a great thynge to make a womā no maydon & if it be so y t the husbonde fynde hyr a maydon the nyght after. for ꝑauenture he y t lay by hir was dronken or for any other skyll the husbonde shall pleyne of [...] to the lawe y t he hath nat do his deuoure [...] & he shall greuously be punysshed & chastysed / but after the first night they kepe ther wyues well y t they speke nat with those mē & I asked what was the cause why they had tha [...] custom & they sayde somtyme men lay wyth their wyues first & none other. & their wyues had edders in their bodyes and stonged their husbonde on their yerde & their bodyes [...] so was many man slayne.
¶And therfore hadde they that custom to lete other men haue their m [...]ydenhede for drede of the d [...]the And thus they suffre theym to assay the passage or they put the [...]m vnto auenture.
[Page]¶Another is there where women make moche sorowe whan their childre ar borne. and whan they ar dede they make greate ioy and cast theym in a greate fyre & brēne theym. and they that loue well their husbondes whanne they ar dede they cast theym in a fyre to brenne also. for they say that fyre shall make theym clene of all fylthe & vyces and they shalbe cleene in another worlde. and the cause why they w [...]pe and make sorowe whan their chyldren are bo [...]ne. and that they make ioy at theyr deth. they say a chylde whan he is borne he cometh into this worlde for to traueyle and sorowe and heuynesse. and whanne they ar dede they go to paradyse where ryuers ar of mylke and hony. and there is lyfe and Ioy and plente of godes withoute trauayle and sorowe. In this Ile they make they [...] kynges by chesynge. and they chese hym nat for hi [...] [...]ych [...]sse [...] his no [...]ley but hym that is of gode condycyons and most rightwys and trewe that Iugethe eche man truly lytell and moche after their trespas. And the kynge may iuge no man to dethe wythoute counseyle of his batons and that all they assent. And if so be that the kynge do a greate trespasse as slee a man or suche other [...]e shalbe dede▪ but he shalbe slayne. but they shall defende & forbede that no man be so hardy to make hym company ne to speke wyth hym ne gyue hym mete ne drynke and thus he shall dye. they spare no man that hath done trespas for loue n [...] for lordshyp ne [...]ychesse nor nobley y t men do hym right after that he hathe done. And there is another Ile where is greate plente of folke. and they ete neuer flesshe of hares ne of [...]ennes: ne of goose / but yet there is many of theym but they ete gladly flesshe of all [Page] other bestes and they drynke mylke. In this countre they wedde their doughters and other of their kyn as theym lyketh. and if there be ten or twelue men in an house echon of their wyues shalbe comon to other. And a nyght shal one haue one of the wyues and another nyghte another / and if she haue any chylde. she may gyue to which of thē she woll. so that no man wote if it be his or nat. In this londe and many other places of ynde ar many Cokadrilles that is a maner of a longe nedder and a nyghtis they dwelle on water / and on dayes they dwell on londe and roches and they ete nat in wynter. This nedder slee men and eteth theym gretande and they haue no tonge. In this countre and many other men cast sede of coton and sowe it eche yere and it groweth as it were smale trees that be / re coton. In araby is many byrdes / and som men calle Gyrsantis that is a full fayre best that is hygher than a greate courser or a stede / but his necke is nere xx. cubites longe. and his croupe and his tayle is lyke to an herte / & he may loke ouer an hyghe hous. and there is many Camylions that is a lytell best and he etethe / and drynkethe neuer and he chaungeth oft hys coloure. for somtyme he is of one coloure and somtyme of another. and he maye chaunge hym into all colours that he woll but blacke & reede. There ar many wylde swyne of many colours / & as greate as oxen. and they ar spotted as it were smale fawnes and there ar lyons all whyte. and there be other [...]estes as great as grete stedes that men call Lonhorans and som men call theym Tontes and their hede is blak / and thre longe hornes in his fronte as cuttynge as a sharpe swerde. and he chaseth and woll sle the Olyfaunte. [Page] and there is many other maner of bestes of whom it wer̄ [...]o longe to wryte. and there is another Ile gode & great and plenteuous where ar gode men and true and of gode lyfe after theyr feythe. and if all they be nat crysten. neuerthelesse of kynde they ar full of gode vertues / and they sle all vyces and all synne and malyce for they are nat enuyous ne proude ne couetous ne lecherous ne glotenous / and they do nat vnto another man but that they wolde he dyd do theym / and they fulfyll the x. cōmaun / dementes / and they make no force of rychesse / ne of hauynge. and they swe [...]e nat but say nay / and ye. for they say he that swereth he woll disceyue his neygboure. and som men call this the Ile of Bragamen and som call it the londe of feyth and thorough it renneth a greate ryuer that men call Thebe. and generally all men in those I / l [...]s and other therby ar trewer and rightwyser than are in other countrees. In this Ile are no theues ne murderers ne comon women ne beggers. and for as moch they are so true and so gode that there is no tempest ne thunder ne warre ne hunger ne other tribulacions. and thus semeth well that god loueth theym well and is well payde of their trouth and their dedes and they trowe in god that made all thynge and hym worshyp they and they ly / ne so ordynatly in mete and drynke that they lyue ryghte longe and many of them dye withoute sykenesse y e kynde fayleth theym for age. And kynge alysaunder somtyme sent his men to wynne that londe. and they sent hym letters that sayde thus. What behouethe a man to haue all the worlde may n [...]t suffyse thou shalt finde no thynge in vs why thou shuldest warrey vs for we haue no ryches. [Page] ne tresoure. and all the godes and catell of oure countre ar comon. oure metes that we ete ar oure rychesse. And in sted of tresoure of golde and syluer we make oure tresoure peas and accord of loue. and nought haue we but a clothe vpon oure bodyes. oure wyues are nat arrayed rychely to plesynge. for we holde it a greate foly a man to dyght his body to make it seme fayrer than god made it. we haue be euermore in peas tyll nowe that thou wilt disherite vs. We haue a kinge amonge vs nat for to law ne deme no man. for there is no trespassoure among vs but all only to lere vs to be obedyent to him and so may thou nought take fro vs but oure gode peas. And whan alysaunder sawe this Letter. hym thoughte thus that he shulde do to moche harme if he troubled theym. and sent to theym that they shulde kepe well their gode maners / & haue no drede of hym. Another Ile is there that is called Synople where also ar gode folke and true / and full of gode feythe / and they ar moch lyke in lyuygge to men before sayde and they go all naked. and into that Ile cam kynge alysaunder. and whan he sawe their gode feythe and trouthe he sayde he shulde do theym noo harme and badde theym aske of hym rychesse and nought elles and they shulde haue.
And they answered that they had ryches ynoughe whan they hadde mete and drynke to susteyne their bodyes and they sayde richesse of this worlde is nought worth but if it were so that he myght graunte theym that they shulde neuer dye that wolde they pray him. & alysaūder sayde y t might he nat do for he was dedly & shuld dy as they shuld [Page] Than sayde they why art thou so proude & wold wynne all the worlde and haue in thy subieccōn as it were a god and thou hast no terme of thy lyfe / and thou wylte haue all rychesse of the worlde the whyche shall forsake the [...] or thou forsake it and thou shalt bere noo thynge with the. but it shall dwell to other but as thou was borne naked: so shalt thou be done in erthe. And alysaunder was gretly astonyed of this answere. and if it be so that they haue nat the artycles of oure feyth. Neuertheles I trowe that god loueth theym well and their gode entencion and that he taketh their seruyce to gre as he dyd of Iob that was a peyne the whyche he helde for his trewe seruaunt / & many other. I trowe well that god loueth Well all those y t loue hym and serue hym mek [...]ly and trewly and that despyse the vayne glory of the worlde as these men do and as Iob dyd. and the [...]fore sayde oure lorde thoroughe the mouth of Isay the prophete thus. Ponam eis multiplices leges meas. That is to say I shall put to theym my lawes in many maners. [...] the gospell sayth thus. Alias o [...]e [...] ha [...]o que non sunt ex hoc outli. That is to say. I haue other shepe that ar nat of this folde and therto accordeth the anysion that saynt Peter sawe at Iaffe how the aungell [...]am fro heuen and brought with hym of all maner of bestes and nedders and foules in all maner. and sayde to saynt peter Take and ete [...] and saynt Peter answe [...]ed. I ete neuer of bestes vnclene / and the aūgel sayde to hym. Nō dicas īmūda que deus mūdauit. That is to say Call thou nat those thynges vnclene y • god hath [...]lensed. this was done ī token y • men shuld nat haue many mē in despite for ther diuers lawes▪ for we wote neuer [Page] whom god loueth. and whom god hateth. And there is a nother Ile that men call Pytan. Men of thys lond tyll no londe for they ete nought. and they ar smale men but nat so smale as pegmanes. These men lyue with smell of wylde apples. And whan they go ferre oute of the coū tre they bere apples with theym. for as sone they lese the sauoure of apples they dye / they are nat full resonable / but as it were bestes. And than is there another Ile where the folke ar all feders▪ but the face and the pames of their handes. These men go as well aboue the see as on the londe and they ete flesshe and fysshe all [...]awe. ¶In this Ile is a greate ryuer that is two myle brode & halfe that men call Renemar. and beyonde that ryuer is great wyldernesse as men that haue be there say. In such wyldernesse as men say, ar the trees of the son and the mone y t spake to kynge alysander and tolde hym of his dethe & men say that folke that kepe these trees and ete of the fru [...] of theym. they lyfe CCCC. or fyue hundred yere tho [...]ugh vertue of the frute. and we wold gladly haue go heder. but I trowe that an hundred thousande men of irmes shulde nat passe the wyldernesse for greate plente of wyld bes [...]es as dragons and edders that sle men whā they haue any. In this londe is many Olyfauntes all white and blewe withoute noumbre and vnycornes and lyons of many maners. Many other yles ar in the lond of Prester Iohn that were to longe to tell and moche ry / chesse and nobley of precyous stones in greate plente. I trowe that we haue herde say whys thy Emperoure is called Prester Iohn. but for those that wote nat I shall say. ¶There was somtyme an Emperoure that was [Page] a noble prynce and doughty [...] and he hadde many crysten knyghtes with hym. and the emꝑoure thought he wolde se the maner of seruyce in crysten churches / & than was churches of cristendom in turky surry and tartary Ierusalem Palestyn araby harap and all the londes of egypt And this emꝑoure cam with a cristen knight into a churche of egypt & it was on a Satu [...]day after wytsonday whan the bysshop made orders and he behelde to the seruyce and he asked of the knyght what folke those shulde be that stode before the bisshop and the knyght sayd they shulde be prestes. and he sayde he wolde nomore be called kynge ne emperoure but prest and he wolde haue the name of hym that cam first oute of the prestes [...] & he was call [...]d Iohn and so haue all themperours sythen be cal / led prest [...]e Iohn. In that londe ar many crysten men of gode feyth and gode lawe [...] and they haue prestes to sing messe and they make the sacrament as men of grece doo but they say nat so many thynges as oure prestes do so they sey nat but that the apostles sayde as saynt Peter [...] saynt Thomas and other apostles whanne they sange m [...]sse and sayde Pater noster. And the wordes with the whyche goddis body is sacred. we haue many addycōns of popes that haue ben ordeyned of whyche men of thos [...] [...]untrees knowe nat.
¶Towarde the Est syde of the londe of prester Iohn is [...]n Ile that men call Tabrobane that is right gode and f [...]ouse. and there is a greate kynge and a ryche and he is obedyent vnto prester Iohn [...] and that kynge is alwey made by chesynge. ¶In this Ile ar two wynters [Page] and two somers: and they shere corne [...]wyes in the yere. And all tymes in the yere ar gardeyns florysshed. There dwell gode folke and resonable and many crysten folke amonge theym that ar full ryche. and the water betwene the londe of prestre Iohn and this Ile is nat full depe for men may see the grounde in many places. & there ar more Estwarde two other Iles. the one is called Or [...]ell and the other Argete of whom all the londe is myne of golde and syluer. In those Iles may men see no sterres clere shinynge. but one sterre that is called Canapos And there may nat men se the mone but in the last quar / ter. In that Ile is a greate hyll of golde that pyssmyres kepe and they do the [...]yne golde from the other that is nat fyne golde and the pyssmyres ar as gret as houndes so that no man dare come there for drede of pyssmyres that shulde assayle theym so that men may nat werke in that golde ne gete therof but queyntyse / and therfore whan it i [...] right hote the pyssmy [...]es hyde theym in the erthe from [...]nderne to none of the day. And than men of the countre [...]ake camellys and dromaderyes and other bestes / & goo theder and charge theym With golde and go awey fast or the pyssmyres come oute of the erthe. And other tymes whan it is nat so hote that the pissmyres hyde them nat they take meres that haue foles. and they lay vpon these Meres [...]wo vesselles as it were two smale barelis tome and the mouthe vpwardes and dryue theym theder / and holden their foles at home.
[Page]And whan the pyssmyres sene theyse vesselles. for they haue of kynde to leue no thynge to me. They fylle these vesselles of golde. and whan men trowe y t the vesselles ar full they take the foles and brynge theym as nere as they dare and they whyne and the meres here theym and as sone they come to ther foles. and so men take the gold so than for these pyssemyres woll suffre bestes to goo amonge theym but no men. Beyonde the Iles of the lond of Prester Iohn and his lordship of wyldernesse to goo right est men shall nat fynde but hylles great roches and other myrke londe where no man may see on day ne on nyght as men of the countre say. and this wyldernes and myrke londe lasteth to paradyse terresire where Adam & eue were se [...]te / but they were there but a lytell whyle & y t is towarde the est at begynnynge of the erthe / but that is nat oure est that we call where the sonne rysethe in those countrees towarde paradyse. than it is mydnight in ou [...]e countre. for the roundnesse of the erthe for oure lord made the erthe all rounde in myddes of firmament. Of pa [...]adyse can I nat speke ꝓpuly. for I haue nat be there. and that angoreth me. but that I haue herde I shal say you. Men say that paradyse terrestre is the hyghest londe of the worlde and it is so high that it toucheth nere to the se [...]le of the mone / for it is so highe y t Noes flode myght nat come therto. the whyche couered all the erthe aboute. ¶And this Paradyse terrestre is enclosed all aboute w t a walle. and that wall is all couered with mosse as it semethe that men mayse no s [...]one ne no thynge ellis wherof it is. [...] the hyghest place of paradyse in the mydes of it [Page] is one wall that casteth oute the foure flodes that renne thorowe dyuers londes. The first flode is called physon or ga [...]ges: & that renneth thorough ynde in y t ryuer are many precious stones and moche lignū aloes / & grauell of golde. Another is called Nylus or Gyron and y t ren / nethe thorough Ethiope and egypt. The thirde is called Tygre and that renneth thorough Assary and Ermony the grete. And the forth is called Eufrates that rennethe thorough Ermony and Persy / & men say y t all the swete and fresshe water of the world take theyr springynge of theym. The first ryuer is called Physon that is to say a gaderynge of many ryuers to geder & falle into that ryuer. & som call it Langes for a kynge that was in ynde y t men called Tangeras for it renneth thorough hys lond And this ryuere is in som place clere in som place troble in som place hote in som place colde. The secon̄de ryuere is called Nylus or Gyron for it is euer troble. for gyron is to say troble. The third ryuer is called Tygris. That is to say fast rennynge. for it renneth faster than any of the other. and so is a best that men call tygrys for he ren / neth fast. The forth ryuer is called Eufrates / that is to say well brennynge / for there groweth many gode thynges vpon the ryuer / & ye shall vnderstonde that no man lyuynge may go vnto that Paradyse. For by londe he may nat go for wylde bestes which ar in the wyldernes and for hylles and roches where no man may passe. Ne by those ryuers may no man passe for they come with so greate course and so great wawes that no shyp may go / ne sayle ageyne theym. Many greate lordes haue asayed many tymes to go by those ryuers to Paradyse but they [Page] myght nat spede in their wey / for som dyed for wery of rowynge som wex blynde / and som deefe for noyse of the waters. so no man may passe there but thorough special grace of god. And for I can tell you nomore of that place I shall say you of that I haue sene in these Iles of the londe of prester Iohn and they ar vnder the erthe / to vs. and other Iles ar there who so wolde pursue thē for to enuiron the erthe who so had grace of god to holde the wey he myght come right too the same countrees that he were come of and come fro and so go aboute the erthe and for it were to longe tyme and also many ꝑylles too pas fewe men assay to go so / & yet might be done & therfore men came fro these Iles to other Iles coostynge of the lordshyp of Prester Iohn. And men come in the comynge to one Ile that men call Cassoy. and y t countre is nere sexty iournes longe / and more than .l. of brede y t is the best londe that is in those countrees saue chatay. & if marchauntes come theder as comonly as they do vnto chatay. it shuld be better than chatay for it is so thyk of cytees and townes that whan a man gothe oute of a cyte he seth as sone another on eche syde there is greate plente of spyces and other godes.
¶ The kynge of this yle is full ryche and myghty / & he holdeth his londe of the great chane / for that is one of the xii. prouynces that the greate cha [...]e hath vnder hym with oute his owne londe Fro thys Ile men goo to another kyngdom that men calle Ryboth. and that is also vnder the greate chane this is a gode countre and plenteuous of corne / Wyne and other thynges. men of this londe haue none houses. but they dwell in tentes made of tre. [Page] And the pryncipall cyte is all blacke made of blake stones and whyte. And all the stretes are paued with suche stones / and in that cyte is no man so hardy to spyll blode of man ne beest. for worshyp of a mawmet that is worshypped there. In that cyte dwelle the pope of their lawe that they call lobassy and he gyueth all dignytee and benefyses that fall to the mawmet. And men of relygyon and men that haue churches in that countre ar obedyente to hym as men ar here to the pope. In this Ile they haue a custume thoroughe all the countre that whan a mās fader is dede they woll do hym greate worship. they send after all his frendes religious prestes and other many. and they bere the body to an hyll with greate ioy & myrth and whan it is there the grettest prelate smyteth of his he / de and sayeth it vpon a greate plate of golde or syluer / & he gyueth it to his son / and the son takethe it too his other frendes syngynge and saynge many orysons. and than the prestys and the rel [...]gyous cutte the flesshe of the body in peces and say orysons. & the byrdes of the countre come theder. For they knowe Well the custome. and they flye aboue theym as they were Egles and other byrdes: that ete flesshe. And the preestys cast the peces vnto them And they bere it awey a lytell from thens and than they ete it and as prestes in oure countre synge for soules. Subuenite sancti dei and so forth. So those prestes there synge with highe voyce in their langage in this maner of wyse. Se and beholde howe goode / and gracyous a man this was that the aungellys of god come for to fett hym and bere hym into paradyse.
And than thinketh the son of the same man y t he is gretly [Page] worshypped whan byrdes haue eten his fader and where ar most plente of byrdes there is most worshyp / & thāne cometh the son home with all his frendes [...] and makethe them a great feest and the son maketh clene hys faders hede and gyueth at drynke therof and the flesshe of the hede he shereth and gyueth to his most specyall frendes. som a lytell & som a lytell for a deynte / & in remēberaūce of this holy man that the byrdes haue eten. & of the scalpe of the hede the son doth make a cup & therof drynketh he all his lyfe in rememberaūce of his fader. And from thens to go x. iournes thoroughe the londe of the greate chane is a full gode Ile & a great kyngdom / & the kynge is full myghty for he hath eche yere CCC. hors charged with rys & other tentes & he hath a noble and a rych lyfe after the maner of the countre / for he hath l. damsellis y • serue hym eche day at his mete & bed & do what he woll. & whan he sitteth at the table they brynge hym mete [...] & at eche tyme v. meases togeder & they synge in the bryngynge a songe & they cut his mete & put it in his mouth [...] and they haue right longe nayles on their handes / y t is a gret nobley in y e cou [...]t [...]e & therfore they late their nayles growe as longe as they may [...] & som late growe soo longe y t they come aboute their handes & that is a greate nobley: and gentry / & the gentry of women is to haue smale fete and therfore as sone as they ar borne: they bynde their fete so streyte y t they may nat wex halfe as they shulde. And he hath a full fayre paleys & riche where he dwelleth of the which the wall is ii. myle aboute & therin is many faire gardeyns. & all the pament of the hall & chambers is of golde & syluer. And in the myddes of one of theyse gardeynes [Page] is a lytell hyll wheron is a place made with toures & pynnacles all of golde / and there woll he syt oft to take the ayre & disport for it is made for no thynge ellys. Fro this londe men may go thorough the londe of the greate chane and ye shall vnderstonde that all these men & folke that haue reason that I haue spoken of haue some artycles of oure feyth if all they be of dyuers lawes and dyuers trowynges they haue som gode poyntes of oure trouth and they trowe in god of kynde as their prophesye sayth. Et metuent eū oes fines terre That is to say / and all endes of erth shall drede hym. And in another place. Omnes gentes sermente [...]. That is to say. Al folke shal serue hym / but they can nat speke perfihgtly but as ther kyndly wytte techeth theym nouther of the son nor of the holy gost can they speke [...] but they can speke wel of the byble and speciall of Genesys & of the bokes of Moyses. And they say that those creatures that they worship ar no goddes / but they worshyp theym for great vertue that is in theym whyche may nat be wythoute specyall grace of god. and of symulacres and ydols / they sey that all men haue symulacres and that sey they for vs. cristen men haue Images of oure lady / and other. but they wote nat y t we worshyppe nat the ymages of stone ne of tre / but the sayntes of whom they are made for as the letter techethe clerkes. howe they shall trowe so ymages & paynture techeth leude men / they say also that the aungel of god speketh to theym in their ydols & do myracles. they sey sothe but it is an yll aungell that doth myracles to mayntene them in their ydolatry. There are many other countreys where I haue nat ben nor sene. and therfore I can natte [Page] speke ꝓpyrly of theym. Also in countrees where I haue ben ar many marueyles that I spake nat of for it were to longe tale. and therfore holde you payde at this tyme that I haue sayde. for I woll say nomore of marueylie that ar there. so that other men that go theder may fynde ynoughe to say that I haue nat tolde. ¶And I Iohn Maunduyle that went oute of my countre & passed the sethe yere of oure lorde a M ccc.xxxii. & I haue passed thorowe many londes and Iles and countrees / & nowe am come to rest I haue compyled this boke and do wryte it the yere of oure lorde M.ccc.lxvi. at xxxiii. yere after my departynge fro my countre. & for as moch as many men trowe nat but that they se with theyriyen or y t they may conceyue in their kyndly wytte therfore I made my way to rome in my comynge homwarde to shewe my boke to the holy fader the pope & tell hym of the marueylis that I had sene in dyuers countrees so that he with his wise counsell wold examyne it wyth dyuerse folke y e ar at rome for there dwell men of al nacions of the worlde. and a lytell tyme after whan he / & hys counseyle had examyned it all thorowe he sayde to me for certeyne that all was sothe. for he sayde he had a boke of laten y t conteyned all that and moche more of the whych the Mapamundi is made the whych boke I sawe. and therfor the holy fader the pope hath ratyfyed & confermed my boke in all poyntes. And I pray to all those that rede thys boke that they woll pray for me / and I shall pray for them and all those that say for me a Pater noster and an Aue maria that god forgyue me my synnes. I make them ꝑceuers and graunt theym part of all my gode pylgrymages [Page] and other gode dedes which I euer dyd or shall do to my lyues ende and I pray to god of whom all grace comethe that he woll all the reders and herers that ar cristē men fulfyll of his grace / and saue them body and soule and brynge theym to his ioy that euer shall last he that is in the trynyte fader / son / and holy goost that lyuethe and regneth god withoute ende amen