Secunda pars.
CAPVT. 24.
Persuasio ad non credentes terrarum diuersitates per orben terræ.
Mirabilis Deus mirabilia propter semetipsum creauit, vt scilicet ab intellectualibus creaturis suis intelligeretur, et per hoc diligeretur, atque in hoc ipse creator, et creatura se mutuo fruerentur. Mirabilis est ergo Deus maximè in illo, quòd ipse solus sufficit sibi: et mirabilis in altis Dominus, hoc est, in coelo et in coelestibus: sed et mirabilis in terris, et in terrestribus: tamen si verum indicauerimus, nihil est mirabile, quod mirum videri non debet, si ille qui omnipotens est, fecit quæcunque voluit in coelo et in terra. Sed ecce dum nobis contingit videre rem quam priùs non vidimus, miràtur noster animus, non quòd simpliciter mirum est, sed quod nobis id mirum et nouum. Deus vnus, simplex quidem est, vt creaturæ coelestes quò Deo magis de propinquo sunt eò simpliciores existunt. Terrestres autem quòd in situ remotiori sint, idcircò magis diuersæ, magis contrariæ inter se sunt.
[Sidenote: Reprehensio incredulorum qui nihil credunt, nisi quod domi viderint.] Ergo quicunque sapiens est non stupet animo, dum in terrenis respicit res varias, et diuersas, vel dum diuersa contingunt, seu inueníuntur in partibus terræ diuersis: sed qui intellectum super sensum non eleuant, et magis credunt oculo suo corporeo, quàm spirituali, et qui nunquam à natiuitatis suæ loco recesserunt, isti vix volunt credere, seu possunt alijs vera narrantibus de mundi diuersitatibus.
Attamen tales, si vellent, de facili videre possint suum errorem. Quia quicunque natus in vna ciuitate, vel patria, si tantummodo moueat se ad proximam ciuitatem, inueniet ibi procul dubio aliquam differentiam, vel diuersitatem in idiomate linguæ, vel in modo loquendi, in moribus hominum, in occupationibus, in legibus, in consuetudinibus, vel etiam in agrorom fructibus, in arborum frugibus, seu in his quæ gignuntur in terra, in aere, et in aquis.
Si ergo aliqualiter inueniri possit differentia in proximo, quanto maior sit distantia, tanto maior differentia æstimandi est in remoto, vel in remotiori, seu remotissimo loco. Vnde ego, quia in præcedente parte tractatus narrare coepi aliqua, quæ in his, et in peregrinatione mea vsque in terram promissionis sanctam vidi, de quibus etiam potest, et poterit constare multis, qui in partibus nostris eadem peregrinatione me præcesserunt, et secuti sunt, procedam in describendo aliqua illorum, quæ vidi et percepi in deambulatione mea, qua peragraui multas alias terras, et perlegi multas vndas, vsque in multorum hoc tempus annorum, et propter insipientes, et discredentes non tacebo. Sed nec propter credentes nec sapientes satis mouebor; tamen vt diuersa Dei opera qui respicere non possunt oculo, saltem legant, vel audiant ex hoc scripto. Pauca vtique vidí horum quæ sunt, sed pauca horum quæ vidi, narrabo.
CAPVT. 25.
De Armenia, Persia, et Amazonia.
De regionibus quæ Iudeæ contiguantur, scilicet Arabia, Aegypto et Syria, statui modicum vltra narrare, relinquens hunc locum narrandi alijs peregrinis. Et festinans ad terras remotiores, Armeniam minorem, non per singulas ciuitates, sed celeriter transiens, vidi à remotis amplum cástrum vocatum Dei espoyer de quo mihi sustinui dici, quod sit vastum, et à nemine, habitatum, nisi à fantastica quadam Domina, seruante in medio maioris aulæ super perticam, volucrem rapacem, quæ dicitur Latinè accipiter, vel huiusmodi: quam auem, si aliquis hominum ingrediens se custodire peruigil absque vlla somnolentia per septem continuos dies et noctes posset, ipsa Domina in fine facti apparens concederet illi quantamcunque faceret petitionem terræ, commodi, vel honoris, sed si obdormiret, periret. Huic tamen dicto parùm curaui accommodare aurem, nisi quod communiter dicebatur, in bene transacto tempore prædicta fuisse tentata per duas personas, vnum Regem, et alterum Pastorem. Et Regi quidem quod indebitam fecit petitionem, vile successit negotium, pastori peroptimè successit negotium.
In Armenia maiori, est magna et bona ciuitas Artyron ad dietam prope fluuium Euphratem. Et sunt ibi duo montes euecti valdè, vnus Sabissatele, alter Ararath, quorum vltimus habet per anfractius, et periodos per ascensum viæ, ferè 7. leucas, et quasi omni tempore est plenus niue.
In illo loco fertur quicuisse Arca diluuii, cuius vnicus asser monstratur, in Ecclesia Monachorum ad montis pedem habitantium; attamem nullus hominum pro frigore nimio attentare præsumit ascensum.
Est autem et ibi ciuitas Landania, de qua nonnulli dicunt quòd Noe illam fundauerat, et ciuitas magna Hany, in qua tempore Christianorum mille habebantur Ecclesiæ.
In illa Armenia sub Imperio Persiæ est famosa ciuitas Tauris, vbi de mercimonijs ponderalibus fit inestimabilis mercatura. Hinc ad decem diates ad Orientem habeatur ciuitas Zadona, in ea Imperator Persarum moratur, et est in eodem imperio ciuitas valdè magna Cassach, quæ recto itinere dicitur store ab Hierosolymis 55. dietis. Geth ciuitas imperialis, et melior totius Persiæ in hac terra noscitur esse, cum tamen Carnaa sit satis maior.
Circa fines Persiæ in terra Sennaar, est illa quæ olim dicebatur Babylonia, nec apparet ibi aliquid, quàm ruinæ grandis et vetustæ cuitatis, quæ ab hominibus est deserta, sed à Draconibus inhabitata, et alijs animalibus, et volucribus venenosis. Hanc terram tenet Imperator Persarum, vt suprà dixi. Etiam intra fines Persiæ, est terra, vbi sanctus Iob patiens morabatur, quæ modo dicitur terra Sues, in cuius montanis inuenitur Manna, quod venditur in Apothecis. Hunc terræ Sues contiguatur Chaldæa, quæ non est magna, quamuis nobilis regio habeatur. Et ab ista intratur Amazonia.
Amazonia est modica insula, quam absquæ viris sofæ regunt et inhabitant mulieres: cuius rei prima causa hæc fuit.
Olim cum insula communiter a viris, et mulieribus habitabatur, Rex eius dictus Colopius cum omnibus nobilibus suis in bello contra Regnum Scithiæ occisus fuit. Audientes igitur nobilium vxores ipsius insulæ se viduatas, super his, in doloroso furore animi ad plures congressiones occiderunt et fugauerunt omnes aliarum mulierum maritos, ne scilicet sua ingennitas subiaceret voluntati, et potestati plebis. Et tandem post reformatam inter se pacem mulieres inito consilio statuerum se solas absque viris dominari in terra, atque ex tunc sumi sibi regimen per certam electionis formam quæ robusta, agilis, sapiens, iuuenis, ac valens apparet in armis.
Sciendum tamen est, extra hanc insulam flumen esse, et alias modicas insulas, quarum vna dicitur Carmagite, de quibus licitum est ijs accessire viros, et amasios bis in anno, ita vt nulla moram trahat septem dierum naturalium sub poena indubitata occisionis. Infantem masculum nutrire licet quoadusque per se comedat et gradiatur, tunc transmittendus est in domum paternam. Generosæ natæ puellæ aufertur ignito cultro vber sinistrum pro scuto gerendo, degeneri dextrum, ad sagittandum de arcu Turco.
Regina cum consíliaribus et officialibus suis regit sapienter et benè terràm, et seruat omnes sibi sub districta obedientia, per leges, et poenas, et amendas conscriptas. Et cum circumiacentium insularum Reges contra se ad inuicem proeliari solent, tunc Regina Amazoniæ cum suis Nobilibus ab vna parte pro magno stipendio vocari solet in adiutorium, vbi et inuentæ sunt sapientes in consilijs, probæ in armis, acres in conflictibus, et in omnibus Curiæ actibus bene valentes.
CAPVT. 26.
De Aethiopia, et Diamantibus, et de infima India.
Aethiopia consistit à terra Chaldeorum in Austrum, quæ distinguitur in Orientalem Aethiopiam, et ['and' in source text--KTH] Meridionalem, quarum prima in illis partibus vocatur Cush, propter hominum nigredinem, altera Mauritania. [Sidenote: Mauritania. Regnum Saba.] Et est ibi Regnum Saba, de quo legitur, quod Regi Salomoni Regis Arabum, et Saba, dona et tributa adduxerunt. Eòque Regina Saba venit à finibus, hoc est, à longinquis terræ partibus audire sapientiam Salomonis. Omnes in Aethiopia aquæ in fluuijs et riparijs, et fontibus sapiunt Sal, propter nimium calorem. [Sidenote: Plinius.] Est ibi vnus aquæ fons ita de nocte calidus, vt nemo in eo sustineat manum, et ita de die frigidus, vt bibi vix possit.
Generaliter isti de Mauritania Aethiopes comedunt parum, de facili inebriantur, fluxum ventris patiuntur nec diu viuunt.
[Sidenote: India triplex.] De Aethiopia intratur in Indiam, mediam, nam triplex est videlicet infima, quæ in quibusdam suis partibus est nimis frigida ad inhabitandum: Media quæ satis temperata est, et superior, quæ nimis calida. In India infima propter continuum et graue frigus generatur christallum de aqua per gelu, sicut quidam asserunt. Sed certum est ibi haberi rupes christalli, et in illis gigni optimos Diamantes, quos lingua illius vocant Hamefht. [Sic. 'Hamese' in English version below--KTH.]
Est autem diamas paruus præciosus lapis, magnæ virtutis, sicut pleniùs describitur in lapidariis. Quidam inueniuntur in magnitudine pisi, vel etiam piso minores: alii ad quantitatem fabæ, sed nullus maior auellana, vel nuce. Et dicitur de eo in partibus illis quod si hic qui portat sit continens, et sobrius reddit illum magnanimum et audacem, et iuuat in causis iustis certantem, conseruat substantias corporales, aufert praua somnia, depellit prauorum spirituum illusiones, sortilegia, et incantationes, ac valet contra lunaticam passionem, vt dæmonis obsessionem, et venenosum quod illi appropinquauerit exsudat, et exhumescit.
Optimi Diamantes de India assimulantur in colore multum christallo, sed sunt aliquantulum magis citrini, et pro sui duritie poliri non possunt. Inueniuntur autem ibi nonnulli subnigri ad colorem violæ: Alii nascuntur in Arabia nigri, et tenuiores prædictis, alii in Macedonia, et quidam in Cypro, sed in mineriis auri, dum prima massa in minutias confringitur, interdum reperíuntur. Sciendum enim est, sæpè plures simul crescere, nec non generant, et concipiunt inuicem de rore coeli, quemadmodum et Margaritæ: quod ego pluries tentans, accepi de rupe cespitem cum diamante masculo, et femella, plantans in pratello, et frequentans, focillans madefeci de rore Maii. Et ecce in breui, paruulus ex iis gignebatur, nascebatur, et adolescebat ad debitam quantitatem: fiunt verò omnes per naturam cum pluribus angulis vt trium vel quatuor, aut quinque laterum, et nonnulli cum lateribus senis. E contra omnes margaritæ nascuntur in forma sphærica, seu rotunda.
Et notandum quòd mercatores, pro diamantibus frequenter aliud vendunt: Nam solet commixtio fieri de christallo Crochee, de Saphiro, de Lonpes Citrino, de lapide Yri, et de paruis petris ex murium nidis. Probatio veri diamantis haberi potest his modis.
Primò si ita inuenitur tener, vt se poliri dimittat non est verus.
Item si de eo non potest scindi vitrum cristallum, non est verus.
Item accipe paruum quantitatis lapidem Adamantem, qui solet sibi attrahere acum et ferrum, et pone verum diamantem, super adamantem, túncque si ministraueris adamanti acum, videbis adamantem operari nihil, vero diamante præsente, dum tamen adamas non sit diamante maior.
Item si cultellum laminæ tenuis, habentem in manubrio inclusum vel alligatum verum diamantem in mensa vel assere erexeris, protinus vt ipsi venenum appropinquabit, stabit tremulans atque sudans. Et notandum, quòd per luxuriosum, seu gulosum qui ferret diamantem amitteret virtutem ad tempus.
Terra Indiæ appellatur ab Indo ibi currente fluuio, cuius anguillæ inueniuntur quandoque vltra 20. pedes in longitudine. In media India transitur per multas insulas vsque ad mare Oceanum, in insulam Ormuz, vbi Mercatores Venetiæ sæpè tendunt, sed viri, qui assueti non sunt tantum sustinere calorem, ne exeant perpendicula de corporibus propè ad genua, ibi se contra hoc debitè inuoluunt, et ligant, nec audent ibi transire nauibus ferrum continentibus, ne teneantur de rupibus adamantum.
Hic in aliquibus Aethiopiæ partibus habitant publicè, inhonestorum vtriusque sexus hominum consuetudinem inhonestam gerentes, et in æstu meridiano refrigerandi causa exeunt circa ciuitatem ad riparias iacere, et discurrere nudis prorsus corporibus omni pudore reiecto, ex quo procul dubio inhonesta vitia sequuntur.
Est et non longè ab ista insula regio seu insula Caua vel Chaua, quæ à primo statu multùm est minorata per mare. Hi sunt infidelissimi Paganorum. Nam quidam adorant Solem, alij Lunam, ignem, aquam, et terram, arborem, vel serpentem, vel cui de mane primò obuiant. Ibi magni mures, quos nos dicimus rattas, sunt in quantitate paruorum canum. Et quoniam per cattos capi non possunt, capiuntur per canes maiores.
Corpora mortuoram non sepeliuntur ibi, nec cadauera quælibet bestiarum operiuntur, quòd ad aeris æstum carnes in breui tempore consumuntur, nam et tota insula consistit sub zona torrida. Inde transiri potest per mare in Indiam superiorem, sine maiorem, videlicet Imperium Presbyteri Ioannis ad portum ciuitatis Zarke, quæ est elegans et bona satis. In ea habitant plurimi Catholicæ fidei Christiani: et habentur plurimæ Abbatiæ religiosorum, quas olim Dux Danorum Ogerus constituit, vnde et vsque nunc dicuntur Ecclesiæ Dani, atque ex hoc nauigari potest in terram Lombe.
CAPVT. 27.
De foresto Piperis, et fonte iuuentutis.
Regio seu insula dicta Lombe, spatiosa quidem est, continens forestum dictum aliàs Tombar, longum per dietas 18. In orbe vniuerso non noscimus crescere piper, præterquàm in hoc foresto. In quo et habetur duæ, ciuitates, vna Flandrina, (et illa ciuitas inhabitata est à Iudæis, et Christianis, inter quos sæpè magna seditio oritur) altera Singlant: quas quondam Danus fertur fundasse Ogerus, vocans vnam Flandrinam, nomine auiæ suæ ex parte patris sui, alteram Florentam nomine auiæ ex parte matris suæ, quæ mutato nomine nunc vocatur Singlant.
Sciendum est autem, piper ibi crescere in hunc modum: sicut nos plantamus vites aut quercus arbores robustas, vt vitis cum fructibus se spargat, vt supportetur per ramos, sic coluntur arbusta piperis ad arbores foresti, et sparguntur per ramos, et dependent fructus vt botri. Et venit in eodem arbusto triplex piper in anno.
Primum est quod vocatur longum piper, et venit priusquam nascuntur folia in arbustis, quemadmodum nos in arbore videmus corylo in hyeme ante folia præcedere quasdam caudulas longas, quo circa initium vindemiato, nascuntur cum foliis botri piperis viridis ad similitudinem paruarum vuarum. Quod quidem circa tempus Iulii in eadem viriditate vindemiatum in æstu feruido siccatur ad Solem, vt accipiat nigredinem, et rugarum contractionem.
Posteà exurgit piper album in granis minoribus, et in abundantia satis minori, quo tanquam preciosiori vtuntur in partibus illis et rarò vendunt ad partes istas.
Primum piper appellatur Sorbotyn, secundum Fulful, tertium verò Bauos.
Sunt autem per nemus istud fera animalia, et venenosa, sicut parui serpentes, colubri, et huiusmodi, de quibus nescio quis famam diffundit per nostras partes, quod vindemiatores piperis tales vermes fugant per ignem: sed non est ita, imò vngunt brachia manus, tibias, et pedes cum quodam succo herbæ dictæ Limonse, à quo cito diffugit omne venenum.
In huius foresti capite sub monte Polembo, est ciuitas dicta Bolemba, et sub eodem monte fons qui dicitur Iuuentutis. Aqua huius fontis reddit odorem et saporem quasi de omni genere aromatum, nam singulis penè horis immutat odorem, et saporem. Et quisquis per aliquos dies potat ieiuno stomacho sanatur in breui tempore, à quacunque interiori infirmitate, languore duntaxat mortis excepto: et sanè illorum qui propè sunt, et frequenter bibunt apparet per totum vitæ tempus mira iuuentus. Ego autem ter vel quater bibi, quamobrem et vsque hodiè arbitror potius me corporaliter valere. Putatur enim fons ille immediatè per poros subterraneos eliquari de fonte paradisi terrestris, ita quòd nulla via decurrentium super terram fluentium vitietur. In ista etiam regione, et in insulis circumquaque crescit gingiber valdè bonum, vnde et mercatores sæpè ibi tendunt de Venetia pro emendo pipere et gingibere. Gentes verò huius insulæ peruersæ et stollidissimæ sunt superstitionis adorantes bouem tanquam animal beatissimum, propter eius simplicitatem mansuetudinem, patientiam, et vtilitatem.
Multitudo cuiuslibet ciuitatis vel uillæ vnum specialem nutrit bouem, quem postquam laborauit in aratro per sex annos immolant manducantes pariter cum maxima solemnitate. Et quicunque inde minimam minutiam comedit, reputat se sanctificatum totum.
Porro apud Regem tenetur bos singularis, cuius custos diligentissimè vrinam in uase aureo accipit simpliciter, et de fimo in vase consimili: et quotidie venit summus eorum prælatus quem dicunt Archiprotoplaustum, offert personaliter in prædictis preciosis vasis, Domino Regi de bouis vrina et fimo, atque in vrina, quam appellant Gaul, tingens manus, defricit, et perungit Regis pectus et frontem, deinde similiter de fimo in multa cordis attentione, ad finem vt possint assequi quatuor virtutes bouis præfati.
Post regem cum reuerentia accedunt, et vnguntur Barones, principes, et post ipsos cæteri ordinati quicúnque attingere possint, putantes se sanctificari per rem penitus non valentem, imo nimis foetidam, et inhostem.
Præterea populi isti colunt Idola facta ad medium in forma humana, et ad medium in forma bouis. In quibus permissione Dei per eorum perfidiam maligni spiritus habitant dantes de interrogatis responsa. Et hijs Idolis offerunt infinita donari aquandoque, et sacrificant interdum proprios infantes, ipsorum sanguine Idola respergentes.
Dum hic maritus moritur, vxor comburitur cum marito, nisi de illo habeat sobolem cum quo viuere solet, et vilet. Quæ sibi eligit cum prole superuiuere, non habebitur de cætero fide digna.
Attamen in simili causa, si vir non vult cremari cum vxore mortua, non minuit ei honorem.
Et forte vinum nascitur ibi: quod mulieres bibunt, et non viri, vt sic mulieribus crescant barbæ, sed mulieribus raduntur, et viris minime.
CAPVT. 28.
De Ecclesia et corpore Saneti Thomæ Apostoli.
Hinc Meridiem pluribus exactis Insulis per viam decem dietarum venitur in Regnum Mabron. Illic in ciuitate Calamiæ, seruatur in magno templo corpus beatissimi Thomæ Apostoli Domini nostri Iesu Christi in capsa honorificata. In quo loco et martirizatus fuit, licet dicunt quidam, quod in Edissa ciuitate. Iste populus non est multum tempus transactum, quin fuit totus in fidei religione, sed nunc est ad pessimos Gentilium ritus peruersus, nec attendit, nec veneratur relliquias sancti corporis Apostoli ibidem contentas, quamuis ijs euidens, ac vtile, et mirificum præstare solebat beneficium, quod infra narrabo.
Per certas historias habetur Ducem Danorum Ogerum conquisiuisse has terras, et in exaltatione sanctarum Apostoli relliquiarum fecisse fieri præfatam spectactilem Ecclesiam, ac intra, eum reponi in nobilissimo loculo gemmis auro, argentoque decenter ornato Sanctum corpus, ac deinde post annorum tempus trecentorum Assyrios abstulisse feretrum cum ipso corpore sancto in Edissam ciuitatem Mesopotamiæ, in qua et fuit martyrizatus secundum quosdam, rursumque post sexaginta et tres annos recuperatum corpus in suam fuisse Ecclesiam restitutum, videlicet in Calamia, atque in eiusdem recuperationis signum certum dimiserunt isti, et dimittunt extra feretri loculum dependere brachium dextrum, cum manu quæ tetigisse creditur pia resurgentis vulnera Christi.
Eadem quoque manus solet vsque hodie suæ veræ poenitentiæ tale manifestere miraculum vt dum partes quælibet litigantes velint vtræque suas causas iuramento confirmare, conscriptis hinc inde causis ponantur ambæ cartulæ in Apostili manu. Quæ cuntis [Footnote: Interea dum exirent, Monachi suos dolos potuerunt exercere.] exeuntibus Ecclesiam protinus sub vnius horæ tempore reiecta longius falsitate, veritatem sibi reseruat: sed nunc sicut dicere coepi isti populi huic beneficio Dei ingrati, et diabolica illusione excæcati mirabiliter paganizant.
Nam et in hac ipsa beati Thomæ Ecclesia statuerunt multa miræ magnitudinis simulachra, ex quibus vnum quod maius est multo alijs apparet sedens homo in alto solio adoperto aureis sericis, et lapidibus præciosis, habensque ad collum suspensa pro ornatu multa cinctoria præciose gemmis, et auro contexta. Ad hoc autem Idolum adorandum confluunt peregrini à remotis partibus, et propinquis, in satis maiori copia, et valdè feruentiori deuotione quàm Christiani, ad sanctum Iacobum in Galizia quia multi eorum per totum peregrinationis iter, non audent erigere palpebras oculorum, ne forte propter hoc deuotio intermittatur.
Alij de propè venientes superaddunt labori itinerandi, vt ad tertium vel ad quartum passum semper cadant in genibus. Nonnulli quoque demoniaca inspiratione semetipsos per viam peregrinationis lanceolis, et cultellis nunc minoribus, nunc maioribus sauciant vulneribus per singula corporis loca, et dum ante Idolum perueniunt, excisum frustum de carne propria proijciunt ad Idolum pro offerenda, ac plagis durioribus se castigant, et quandoque spontaneè penitus se occidunt: in solemnitatibus verò, sicut in dedicatione, et sicut in thronizatione simulachrorum, fit conuentis populi, quasi totius Regni. Et ducitur cum processione maius Idolum per circuitum ciuitatis, in curru preciosissimo, modis omnibus perornato, et præcedunt in numero magno puellæ cantantes binæ, et binæ ordinatissimè, succeditque pluralitas Musicorum cum instrumentis varijs simphonizantes, quos continuè subsequitur currus, cuius lateribus coniungit se peregrinorum exercitus, qui et venerunt de remotis.
Ibique cernitur miserabilis actus vltra modum. Nam aliqui victi vltrà modum diabolica deuotione proijciunt se sub rotis currus præcedentis, vt frangantur sibi crura, brachia, latera, dorsa, nec non et colla in reuerentiam Dei sui (vt dicunt) a quo remunerationem sperant, venire ad Paradisum terrestrem.
Et post processionem postquam statuerunt Idolum in templo suo loco, multiplicatur coram simulachris numerus sæpè plangentium, et occidentium vltrà quam credi sit facile. Ita quod quandoque in illa vnica solemnitate inueniuntur ducenta corpora, vel plura occisorum. Et adstantes propinqui amici talium diaboli martyrum, eum magna musicorum melodia decantantes in sua lingua offerunt. Idolis corpora ac demum accenso rogo omnia corpora comburunt in honorem Idolurum, assumentes sibi singuli aliquid de ossibus aut cineribus pro reliquiis, quas putant sibi valituras contra quælibet infortunia, et tempestates. Et habetur ante templum aquæ lacus, velut seruatorium piscium, in quo proijcit populus largissimè suas oblationes, argentum, aurum, gemmas, cyphos, et similia, quibus ministri certis temporibus exhibentes prouident Ecclesiæ, ac simulachro, ac sibi ipsis abundantèr. Quoddam fabulosum scriptum exiuit per partes nostras, quod in prædicta processione circumferatur cumpheretro corpus beati Thomæ, qui et in fine processionis populu compopulo communicaret proprijs manibus de Eucharistæ sacramento, sed non est ita, et nunquam fuit.
CAPVT. 29.
De Iaua, et quibusdam aiijs meridionalibus Insulis, et de farina, melle et piscibus Ogeri Ducis Danorum.
Inde vlterius procedendo in Austrum per multas et mirabiles terras quinquaginta duarum diætarum spacio, habetur magna Insula Lamori. Illic omnes nudi incedunt, et ferè omnia sunt singulis communia, nec vtuntur priuatis clauibus siue seris, imo et omnes mulieres sunt communes omnibus et singulis viris, dummodo violentia non inferatur: Sed et peior est ijs consuetudo, quòd libentèr comedunt teneras carnes humanas: vnde et negotiatores adferunt eis crassos infantes venales: quod si non satis pingues afferuntur, eos saginant sicut nos vitulum, siue porcum.
Hic apparet in bona altitudine polus Antarcticus, et incipit modò apparere in alta Lybia, ita quod in alta Æthiopia eleuatur octodecim gradibus, prout ipse prohaui Astrolabio.
Ad meridiem terræ Lamori est Insula bona, Sumebor, cuius gentes reputant se nobiliores alijs, signantes se in facie certo cauterio. Isti semper guerras geerunt contra præfatus gentes nudas de Lamory.
Ad modicam inde destantiam habetur Insula Rotonigo abundans in bonis pluribus: sed et in Austrum sequuntur aliæ plures regiones et Insulæ, de quibes prolixum narrare fuisset.
Et est valde grandis regio Iaua, habens in circuitu ambitum leucarum duarum millium. Huius rex est valdè potens, et imperans septem insularum vicinarum regibus. Terra ista est populosa valdè, et crescunt in ea species, et abundantia gingiberis, canella, gariofoli, nuces muscata, et mastix cum aromatibus multis. Sed et quod ibi nascatur vinum, non habent: aurum et argentum est ibi in copia immensa, quòd patet in regis Iauæ palatio, cuius palatij nobilitas non est facilè scribenda.
Cuncti gradus ascendentes ad palatij aulas, et aularum cameras, et ad thalamos Camerarum sunt solidi de argento vel auro, sed et omnis stratura pauimentorum in alijs habetur ad similitudinem scacarij, vnam quadratam argenti, alteram auri, laminis valdè crassis, et in ipsis pauimentis, sunt exsculpta gesta, et historiæ diuersæ. In principali verò aula, est plenariè expressa Dani Ducis Ogeri historia, à natiuitate ipsius, quousque in Franciam fantasticè dicatur reuersus, cum tempore Caroli magni regis Franciæ, ipse Ogerus armata manu conquisiuit Christianitati ferè omnes partes transmarinas à Ierosolymis vsque ad arbores solis et Lunæ, ac propè paradisum terrestrem.
Pro hac Regione Iaua, (quæ tangit fines Imperij Tartariæ) sibi subiuganda, Imperator Grand Can multoties pugnauit, sed nunquam valuit expugnare. Hinc per mare venitur ad regnum Thalamassæ, [Footnote: Vel Tholomassi.] quòd et Panchon [Footnote: Vel Paten.] dicitur, in quo habetur magnus numerus bonarum ciuitatum. Intra hanc Insulam, quatuor sunt genera arborum, de quarum vna accipitur farina ad panem, de secunda mel, de tertia vinum, et de quarta pessimum venenum. Extrabitur autem farina de suis arboribus isto modo.
Certo tempore anni percutitur stipes arboris vndique propè terram cum securi, et cortex in locis pluribus vulneratur, de quibus recipitur liquor spissus, qui desiccatus ad solis æstum et contritus reddit farinam albam, ac si de frumento esset confectus, attamen hic panis non est triticei saporis, sed alterius valdè boni.
Simili modo de suis arboribus mel elicitur, et vinum liquitur: excepto quod illa non sicut gramina prima desiccantur. Fertur quoque ibidem, extractionem huius farinæ, mellis, et vini, per Angelum primitus fuisse ostensam prædicto Danorum Duci, illic fame cum suo exercitu laboranti. Contra venenum quod de quarto arboris genere stíllat, solum est intoxicato remedium, vt de proprio fimo per puram aquam distemperato bibat.
Et est in hac Insula quoddam mare mortuum, velut lacus foetidus, cuius in plerísque locis fundus, humano ingenio non valet attingi: miræ magnitudinis arundines crescunt super hunc lacum, in altitudine cedrorum aut abietum pedum ducentorum, ita vt viginti socij mecum nequiuimus vnius caput iacentis arundinis subleuare de terra. Minores etiam arundines nascuntur ad fluuii ripam, habentes in terra radices longitudinis trecentorum cubitorum aut plurium, Ad quarum nodos radicum, inueniuntur gemmæ preciosæ, de quibus expertum est, siquis vnam habuerit in pugno suo, ferrum corpori suo non nocebit: vnde si quis ibi pugnans, petat aduersarium, ac inimicum hac gemma munitum aggreditur eum cum fustibus non ferratis.
De hac intratur in Insulam Calanoch, [Marginal note: Vel Alcnak.] magnam et refertam bonorum omnium. Rex eius potens est multum, et licitum est ei, quandocunque, et quibuslibet in regno vti mulieribus, de quibus interdum magnum numerum tenet puerorum. Mille quadringentos habere solet ad præliandum elephantes, quos sibi nutriunt villani per regnum. Elephantes vocant verkes.
In littore maris miraculosè veniunt ibi semel in anno, per tres continuos dies, quasi de omni genere piscium marinorum, in maxima abundantia: et præbent se omnibus liberè capiendos ad manum. Nam et ego ipse cepi quamplures. Vnde notandum, quod eodem tempore anni quo super dicta extrahitur farina, mel, et vinum, conueniunt in hoc isti pisces: qua ambo mirabilia fecit vno tempore Deus olim producere suo Ogero, quæ et in memoria illius, vsque nunc, singulis annis innouantur.
Et sunt in hoc territorio testudines terribilis quantitatis, fitque de maioribus Regi ac nobilibus delicatus ac preciosus cibus: mentior, si non quasdam ibidem viderim testudinum conchas, in quarum vna se tres homines occultarent, suntque omnes multum albi coloris.
Si hic vir vxoratus moritur, sepelitur et vxor vna cum eo, quatenus, sicut ibi credunt, habeant eam statim sociam in seculo altero.
The English version.
And zee schulte undirstonde, that amonges the Sarazines, o part and other, duellen many Cristene men, of many maneres and dyverse names; and alle ben baptized, and han dyverse lawes and dyverse customes: but alle beleven in God the Fadir and the Sone and the Holy Gost: but alle weys fayle thei, in somme articles of oure feythe. Some of theise ben clept Jacobytes: for seynt Jame converted hem, and seynt John baptized hem. They seyn, that a man schal maken his confessioun only to God, and not to a man: for only to Him, scholde man zelden him gylty of alle, that he hathe mys don. Ne God ordeyned not, ne never devysed, ne the prophete nouther, that a man scholde schryven him to another, (as thei seyn) but only to God: as Moyses writethe in the Bible, and as David seythe in the Psawtre boke; _Confitebor tibi, Domine, in toto Corde meo_: and, _Delictum meum tibi cognitum feci_: and, _Deus meus es tu, et confitebor tibi_; and, _Quoniam cogitatio hominis confitebitur tibi_; &c. Fot thei knowen alle the bible, and the psautere: and therfore allegge thei so the lettre: but thei alleggen not the aucthoritees thus in Latyn, but in here langage, fulle appertely; and seyn wel, that David and othere prophetes seyn it. Natheles seynt Austyn and seynt Gregory seyn thus: Augustinus; _Qui scelera sua cogitat, et conversus fuerit, veniam sibi credat_. Gregorious; Dominus potius mentem quam verba respicit. And seynt Hillary seythe; _Longorum temporum crimina, in ictu Oculi pereunt, si Cordis nata fuerit compunctio_. And for suche auctoritees, thei seyn, that only to God schalle a man knouleche his defautes, zeldynge him self gylty, and cryenge him mercy, and behotynge to him to amende him self. And therfore whan thei wil schryven hem, thei taken fyre, and sette it besyde hem, and casten therin poudre of frank encens; and in the smoke therof, thei schryven hem to God, and cryen him mercy. But sothe it is, that this confessioun was first and kyndely: but seynt Petre the apostle, and thei that camen aftre him, han ordeynd to make here confessioun to man; and be gode resoun: for thei perceyveden wel, that no syknesse was curable, by gode medycyne to leye therto, but zif men knewen the nature of the maladye. And also no man may zeven covenable medicyne, but zif he knowe the qualitee of the dede. For o synne may be grettere in o man than in another, and in o place and in o tyme than in another: and therfore it behovethe him, that he knowe the kynde of the dede, and thereupon to zeven him penance.
There ben othere, that ben clept Surienes; and thei holden the beleeve amonges us, and of hem of Grece. And thei usen alle berdes, as men of Grece don: and thei make the sacrament of therf bred: and in here langage, thei usen lettres of Sarrazines; but aftre the misterie of Holy chirche, thei usen lettres of Grece; and thei maken here confessioun, right as the Jacobytes don.
There ben othere, that men clepen Georgyenes, that seynt George converted; and him thei worschipen, more than ony other seynt; and to him thei cryen for help: and thei camen out of the reme of George. Theise folk usen crounes schaven. The clerkes han rounde crounes, and the lewed men han crownes alle square: and thei holden Cristene lawe, as don thei of Grece; of whom I have spoken of before.
Othere there ben, that men clepen Cristene men of Gyrdynge: for thei ben alle gyrt aboven. And ther ben othere, that men clepen Nestoryenes; and summe Arryenes, sume Nubyenes, sume of Grees, same of Ynde, and sume of Prestre Johnes Lond. And alle theise han manye articles of oure feythe, and to othere thei ben varyaunt. And of here variance, were to longe to telle; and go I wil leve, as for the tyme, with outen more spekynge of hem.
Of the Cytee of Damasce. Of 3 Weyes to Jerusalem; on be Londe and be See; another more be Londe than be See; and the thridde Weye to Jerusalem, alle be Londe.
[Sidenote: Chap. XI] Now aftre that I have told zou sum partye of folk, in the contrees before, now wille I turnen azen to my weye, for to turnen azen to this half. Thanne whoso wil go fro the lond of Galilee, of that that I have spoke, for to come azen on this half, men comen azen be Damasce, that is a fulle fayre cytee, and fulle noble, and fulle of alle merchandises, and a 3 journeyes long fro the see, and a 5 journeyes fro Jerusalem. But upon camaylles, mules, hors, dromedaries and other bestes, men caryen here merciandise thidre: and thidre comethe marchauntes with merchandise be see, from Yndee, Persee, Caldee, Ermonye, and of manye othere kyngdomes. This cytee founded Helizeus Damascus, that was Zoman and Despenser of Abraham, before that Ysaac was born: for he thoughte for to have ben Abrahames heir: and he named the toun aftre his surname Damasce. And in that place, where Damasc was founded, Kaym sloughe Abel his brother. And besyde Damasc is the Mount Seyr. In that cytee of Damasce, ther is gret plentee of welles: and with in the cytee and with oute, ben many fayre gardynes, and of dyverse frutes. Non other citee is not lyche in comparisoun to it of faire gardynes, and of faire desportes. The cytee is gret and fulle of peple, and wel walled with double walles. And there ben manye phisicyens. And seint Poul him self was there a physicyen, for to kepen mennes bodies in hele, before he was converted: and aftre that, he was phisicien of soules. And seynt Luke the Evaungelist was Disciple of seynt Poul, for to lerne phisik; and many othere. For seynt Poul held thanne scole of phisik. And neere besyde Damasce, was he converted: and aftre his conversionn, he duelte in that cytee 3 dayes, with outen sight, and with outen mete or drinke. And in tho 3 dayes he was ravisscht to hevene, and there he saughe many prevytees of oure Lord. And faste besyde Damasce, is the Castelle of Arkes, that is bothe fair and strong. From Damasce, men comen azen, be oure Lady of Sardenak, that is a 5 myle on this half Damasce; and it is sytt upon a roche, and it is a fulle faire place, and it semethe a castelle; for there was wont to ben a castelle; but it is now a fulle faire chirche. And there with inne, ben monkes and nonnes Cristene. And there is a vowt, undre the chirche, where that Cristene men duellen also: and thei han many gode vynes. And in the chirche, behynde the high awtere, in the walle, is a table of black wode, on the whiche somtyme was depeynted an ymage of oure Lady, that turnethe into flesche; but now the ymage schewethe but litille: but evermore thorewe the grace of God that table droppeth as hyt were of olyve. And there is a vessel of marbre, undre the table, to resseyve the oyle, thare of thay yeven unto pylgrymes: for it heleth of many sykenesses. And he that kepeth it clanly a yere, aftre that yere, hyt turneth yn to flesche and bloode.
By twyne the cytee of Darke and the cytee of Raphane, ys a ryvere, that men clepen Sabatorye. For on the Saturday, hyt renneth faste; and alle the wooke elles, hyt stondeth stylle, and renneth nouzt or lytel. And there ys a nother ryvere, that upon the nyzt freseth wondur faste; and uppon the day, ys noon frost sene. And so gon men by a cytee, that men clepen Beruche. And thare men gon un to the see, that schal goon un to Cypre. And thay aryve at Porte de Sure or of Tyrye; and than un to Cypre. Or elles men mowen gon from the Porte of Tyrye ryzt welle, and com not yn to Cypre; and aryve at som haven of Grece; and thanne comen men un to theis countrees, by weyes, that I have spoken of by fore.
Now have I tolde you of wayes, by the whyche men gon ferrest and longest; as by Babyloyne and Mounte Synay and other places many, thorewe the whyche londes, men turne azen to the lande of promyssyoun. Now wul y telle the ryzt way to Jerusalem. For som men wyl nouzt passe hyt, som for thay have nouzt despence of hem, for they have noon companye, and other many causes reasonables. And thare fore I telle you schorttely, how a man may goon with lytel costage and schortte tyme. A man that cometh from the londes of the weste, he goth thorewe Fraunce, Borgoyne and Lumbardye, and to Venys and to Geen, or to som other havene of the marches, and taketh a schyppe thare, and gon by see to the Isle of Gryffle; and so aryveth hem yn Grece or in Port Myroche or Valon or Duras, or at som other havene, and gon to londe, for to reste hem; and gon ayen to the see, and aryves in Cypre; and cometh nouzt yn the Ile of Roodes; and aryves at Famegoste, that ys the chefe havene of Cypre, or elles at Lamatoun. And thenne ynto the schyp ayen, and by syde the havene of Tyre, and come nouzt to lande; and so passeth he by alle the havens of that coast, until he come to Jaffe, that ys the neyest haven unto Jerusalem: for it is seven and twenty myle. And from Jaffe men goon to the cytee of Rames: and that ys but lytel thenne, and hyt is a fayre cytee. And by syde Rames, ys a fayre churche of oure Lady, whare oure Lord schewede hym to oure Lady, in thys lykenesse, that he tokeneth the Trynyte. And thare fast by, ys a churche of Seynt George, whare that hys heed was smyten of. And thanne un to the Castel Emaus; and thanne unto Mounte Joye: and from thenne, pylgrymes mowen fyrste se un to Jerusalem. And thanne un to Mount Modeyn: and thanne unto Jerusalem. And at the Mount Modeyn lythe the prophete Machabee. And overe Ramatha, ys the town of Douke; where of Amos the goude prophete was.
A nother way. For alse moche as many men ne may not suffre the savour of the see, but hadden lever to gon by londe, they that hyt be more payne; a man schal soo goon un to on of the havenes of Lumbardye, als Venys or an other; and he schal passe yn to Grece, thorwe Port Moroche, or an other; and so he schal gon un to Constantynople. And he schal so passe the wature, that ys cleped the Brace of Seynt George, that ys an arm of the see. And from thens he schal cum un to Pulveralle; and sythen un to the Castelle of Cynople. And from thens schal he gon unto Capadose, that ys a grete countree, whare that ben many grete hylles. And he schal gon thorewe Turkye, and unto the cytee of Nyke, the whyche they wonne from the Emperoure of Constantynople. And hyt is a fayre cytee, and wounder wel walled: and thare ys a ryvere, that men clepen the laye: and thare men goon by the Alpes of Aryoprynant, and by the Valez of Mallebrynez, and eke the Vale of Ernax; and so un to Anthyoche the lesse, that sytteth on the Ryehay. And there aboute ben many goude hylles and fayre, and many fayre woodes, and eke wylde beestes.
And he that wylle goon by an other way, he mote goon by the playnes of Romayne, costynge the Romayne see. Uppon that cost, ys a woundur fayre castelle, that men clepen Florathe. And whanne that a man ys oute of that ylke hylles, men passen thenne thorewe a cytee, that ys called Maryoche and Arteyse, whare that ys a grete brygge upon a ryvere of Ferne, that men clepen Fassar: and hyt ys a grete ryvere, berynge schyppes. And by syde the cytee of Damas, ys a ryvere that cometh from the mounteyne of Lybane, that men hyt callen Albane. Atte passynge of this ryvere, seynt Eustache loste hys two sones, whanne that he hadde lost hys wyffe. And yt gooth thorewe the playne of Arthadoe; and so un to the Reed See. And so men moten goon un to the cytee of phenne, and so un to the cytee of Ferne. And Antyoche ys a ful fayre cytee and wel walled. For hyt ys two myle longe and eche pylere of the brygge thare ys a goud toure. And thys ys the beest cytee of the kyngdom of Surrye. And from Antyoche, men moten so forth goon un to the cytee of Lacuthe; and thanne un to Geble; and thanne un tyl Tourtous: and thare by ys the lande of Cambre, whare that ys a stronge castelle, that men clepen Maubeke. And from Tourtouse men goon up to Thryple, uppon the see. And uppon the see, men goon unto Deres; and thare ben two weyes un to Jerusalem: Uppon the lyfte way, men goon fyrst un to Damas, by Flome Jordane: uppon the ryzt syde, men goon thorewe the lande of Flagam, and so un to the cytee of Cayphas: of the whiche Cayphas was Lord: and som clepeth hyt the castelle Pellerynez: And from thens ys foure dayes journeyes un to Jerusalem and they goon thorewe Cesarye Phylyppum and Jaffe and Ramys and Emaux, and so unto Jerusalem.
Now have I told yow som of the wayes, by the land, and eke by water, how that men mowen goon unto Jerusalem: they that hyt be so, that there been many other wayes, that men goon by, aftur countrees, that thay comen fram, nevere the lasse they turne alle un tylle an ende. Yet is thare a way, alle by lande, un to Jerusalem, and pass noon see; that ys from Fraunce or Flaundres; but that way ys fulle lange and perylous, of grete travayle; and thare fore fewe goon that ylke way. And who so gooth that, he mote goon thorewe Almayn and Pruys; and so un to Tartarye. This Tartarye ys holden of the great Chan, of whom y schal speke more afterwarde. For thydur lasteth hys Lordschup. And the Lordes of Tartarye yeldeth unto the grete Chan trybute. Thys ys a ful ille lande, and a sondye, and wel lytel fruyt beryng. For thare groweth lytel goude of corne or wyn, ne benes ne pese: but beestes ben thare y nowe, and that ful grete plente. And thare ete thay nought but flesche with outen brede; and thay soupe the brothe there of: and also thay drynke the mylk. And alle manere of wylde beestes they eten, houndes, cattes, ratouns, and alle othere wylde bestes. And thei have no wode, or elle lytylle. And therfore thei warmen and sethen here mete with hors dong and cow dong, and of other bestes dryed azenst the sonne. And princes and othere eten not, but ones in the day; and that but lytille. And thei ben righte foule folk and of evyl kynde. And in somer, be alle the contrees, fallen many tempestes and many hydouse thondres and leytes, and slen meche peple and bestes also, fulle often tyme. And sodeynly is there passynge hete, and sodeynly also passynge cold. And it is the foulest contree, and the most cursed, and the porest, that men knowen. And here prince, that governethe that contree, that thei clepen Batho, duellethe at the cytee of Orda. And treuly no gode man scholde not duellen in that contre. For the lond and the contree is not worthi houndes to dwelle inne. It were a gode contree to sowen inne thristelle and breres and broom and thornes; and for no other thing is it not good. Natheless there is gode londe in sum place; but it is pure litille, as men seyn. I have not ben in that contree, ne be tho weyes: but I have ben at other londes, that marchen to tho contrees; and in the lond of Russye, and in the lond of Nyflan, and in the reme of Crako, and of Letto, and in the reme of Daresten, and in manye other places, that marchen to the costes: but I wente never be that weye to Jerusalem; wherfore I may not wel telle zou the manere. But zif this matiere plese to ony worthi man, that hathe gon be that weye, he may telle it, zif him lyke; to that entent, that tho that wole go by that weye, and maken here viage be tho costes, mowen knowen what weye is there. For no man may passe be that weye godely, but in time of wyntir, for the perilous watres, and wykkede mareyes that ben in tho contrees; that no man may passe, but zif it be strong frost, and snowe aboven. For zif the snow ne were, men myght not gon upon the yse, ne hors ne carre nouther. And it is wel a 3 journeys of suche weye, to passe from Prusse to the lond of Sarazin habitable. And it behovethe to the Cristene men, that schulle werre azen hem every zeer, to bere here vitaylles with hem: for thei schulle fynde there no good. And than most thei let carye here vitaylle upon the yse, with carres that have no wheeles, that thei clepen scleyes. And als longe as here vitaylles lasten, thei may abide there, but no longer. For there schulle they fynde no wight that will selle hem ony vitaille or ony thing. And whan the spyes seen ony Cristene men comen upon hem, thei rennen to the townes, and cryen with a lowd voys, Kerra, Kerra, Kerra; and than anon thei armen hem and assemblen hem to gydere.
And zee schulle undirstonde, that it fresethe more strongly in tho contrees than on this half; and therefore hathe every man stewes in his hous, and in tho stewes thei eten and don here occupatiouns, alle that they may. For that is at the northe parties, that men clepen the septentrionelle, where it is alle only cold. For the sonne is but lytille or non toward tho contreyes: and therefore in the Septentryon, that is verry northe, is the lond so cold, that no man may duelle there: and in the contrarye, toward the southe, it is so hoot, that no man ne may duelle there: because that the sonne, whan he is upon the southe, castethe his bemes alle streghte upon that partye.
Of the Customes of Sarasines, and of hire Lawe; and how the Soudan arresond me, Auctour of this Book. And of the begynnynge of Machomete.
[Sidenote: Cap. XII.] Now because that I have spoken of Sarazines and of here contree, now zif zee wil knowe a party of here lawe and of here beleve, I schalle telle zou, aftre that here book, that is clept Alkaron, tellethe. And sum men clepen that book Meshaf: and sum men clepen it Harme, aftre the dyverse langages of the contree. The whiche book Machamete toke hem. In the whiche boke, among other thinges, is written, as I have often tyme seen and radd, that the gode shulle gon to paradys, and the evele to helle: and that beleven alle Sarazines. And zif a man aske hem, what paradys thei menen; thei seyn, to paradys, that is a place of delytes, where men schulle fynde alle maner of frutes, in alle cesouns, and ryveres rennynge of mylk and hony, and of wyn, and of swete watre; and that thei schulle have faire houses and noble, every man aftre his dissert, made of precyous stones, and of gold, and of sylver; and that every man schalle have 80 wyfes, alle maydenes; and he schalle have ado every day with hem, and zit he schalle fynden hem alle weys maydenes. Also thei beleeven and speken gladly of the Virgine Marie and of the Incarnacioun. And thei seyn, that Marye was taughte of the angel; and that Gabrielle seyde to hire, that sche was forchosen from the begynnynge of the world; and that he schewed to hire the incarnacioun of Jesu Crist; and that sche conceyved and bare child, mayden: and that wytnessethe here boke. And they seyn also, that Jesu Crist spak als sone as he was born; and that he was an holy prophete and a trewe, in woord and dede, and meke and pytous and rightefulle and with outen ony vyce. And thei seyn also, that whan the angel schewed the Incarnacioun of Crist unto Marie, sche was zong, and had gret drede. For there was thanne an enchantour in the contree, that deled with wycche craft, that men clepten Taknia, that he his enchauntementes cowde make him in lyknesse of an angel, and wente often tymes and lay with maydenes: and therfore Marie dredde, lest it hadde ben Taknia, that cam for to desceyve the maydenes. And therfore sche conjured the angel, that he scholde telle hire, zif it were he or no. And the angel answerde and seyde, that sche scholde have no drede of him: for he was verry messager of Jesu Crist. Also here book seythe, that whan that sche had childed undre a palme tree, sche had gret schame, that sche hadde a child; and sche grette, and seyde, that sche wolde that sche hadde ben ded. And anon the child spak to hire and comforted hire, and seyde, Modir, ne dismaye the noughte; for God hathe hidd in the his prevytees, for the salvacioun of the world. And in othere many places seythe here Alkaron, that Jesu Crist spak als sone as he was born. And that book seythe also, that Jesu was sent from God alle myghty, for to ben myrour and ensample and tokne to alle men. And the Alkaron seythe also of the day of doom, how God schal come to deme alle maner of folk; and the gode he schalle drawen on his syde, and putte hem into blisse; and the wykkede he schal condempne to the peynes of helle. And amonges alle prophetes, Jesu was the most excellent and the moste worthi, next God; and that he made the Gospelles, in the whiche is gode doctryne and helefulle, fulle of charitee and sothefastnesse, and trewe prechinge to hem that beleeven in God; and that he was a verry prophete, and more than a prophete; and lyved withouten synne, and zaf syghte to the blynde, and helede the lepres, and reysed dede men, and steyghe to hevene. And whan thei mowe holden the boke of the Gospelles of oure Lord written, and namely, _Missus est Angelus Gabriel_; that Gospel, thei seyn, tho that ben lettred, often tymes in here orisouns, and thei kissen it and worschipen it, with gret devocioun. Thei fasten an hool monethe in the zeer, and eten noughts but be nyghte, and thei kepen hem fro here wyfes alle that monethe: but the seke men be not constreyned to that fast. Also this book spekethe of Jewes; and seythe, that thei ben cursed; for thei wolde not beleven, that Jesu Crist was comen of God; and that thei lyeden falsely on Marie and on hire sone Jesu Crist, seyenge that thei hadden crucyfyed Jesu the sone of Marie: for he was nevere crucyfyed, as thei seyn; but that God made him to stye up to him with outen dethe, and with outen anoye: but he transfigured his lyknesse into Judas Scariothe, and him crucyfyden the Jewes, and wenden that it had ben Jesus: but Jesus steyge to hevenes alle quyk; and therfore thei seyn, that the Cristene men erren and han no gode knowleche of this, and that thei beleeven folyly and falsly, that Jesu Crist was crucyfyed. And they seyn zit, that and he had ben crucyfyed, that God had don azen his rightewisnesse, for to suffre Jesu Crist, that was innocent, to ben put upon the Cros, with outen gylt. And in this article thei seyn, that wee faylen, and that the gret rightewisnesse of God ne myghte not suffre so gret a wrong. And in this, faylethe here feythe. For thei knoulechen wel, that the werkes of Jesu Crist ben gode, and his wordes and his dedes and his doctryne by his Gospelles, weren trewe and his meracles also trewe; and the blessed Virgine Marie is good, and holy mayden, before and aftre the birthe of Jesu Crist; and that alle tho, that beleven perfitely in God, schul ben saved. And because that thei gon so nye oure feythe, thei ben lyghtly converted to Cristene lawe, whan men prechen hem and schewe hem distynctly the lawe of Jesu Crist, and tellen hem of the prophecyes. And also thei seyn, that thei knownen wel, be the prophecyes, that the lawe of Machomete schalle faylen, as the lawe of the Jewes dide, and that the lawe of Cristine peple schalle laste to the day of doom. And zif ony man aske hem, what is here beleeve; thei answeren thus, and in this forme, Wee beleven God formyour of hevene and of erthe and of alle othere things, that he made. And we beleven of the day of doom, and that every man schalle have his meryte, aftre he hathe disserved. And we beleve it for sothe, alle that God hathe seyd be the mouthes of his prophetes. Also Machomet commanded in his Alkaron, that every man scholde have 2 wyfes or 3 or 4; but now thei taken unto 9, and of lemmanes als manye as he may susteyne. And zif ony of here wyfes mys beren hem azenst hire husbonde, he may caste hire out of his house; and departe from him, and take another: but he schalle departe with hire his godes. Also whan men speken to hem, of the Fadre and of the Sone and of the Holy Gost, thei seyn, that thei ben 3 persones; but not o God. For here Alkaron spekethe not of the Trynyte. But thei seyn wel, that God hathe speche, and elle where he dowmb; and God hathe also a Spirit, thei knowen wel, for elle thei seyn, he were not in lyve. And whan men speken to hem of the Incarnacioun, how that be the word of the angel, God sente his wysdom in to erthe, and enumbred him in the Virgyne Marie: and be the Woord of God, schulle the dede ben reysed, at the day of doom; thei seyn, that it is sothe, and that the Woord of God hathe gret strengthe. And thei seyn, that whoso knew not the Woord of God, he scholde not knowe God. And thei seyn also, that Jesu Crist is the Woord of God; and so seythe here Alkaron, where it seythe, that the angel spak to Marie and seyde, Marie, God schalle preche the Gospel be the woord of his mowthe, and his name schalle be clept Jesu Crist. And thei seyn also, that Abraham was frend to God, and that Moyses was famileer spekere with God; and Jesu Crist was the Woord and the Spirit of God; and that Machomete was right messager of God. And thei seyh, that of theise 4, Jesu was the most worthi and the most excellent and the most gret; so that thei han many gode articles of oure feythe, alle be it that thei have no parfite lawe and feythe, as Cristene men han; and therfore ben thei lightly converted; and namely, tho that undirstonden the Scriptures and the prophecyes. For thei han Gospelles and the prophecyes and the Byble, writen in here langage. Wherfore thei conne meche of Holy Wrytt, but thei undirstonde it not, but aftre the lettre: and so don the Jewes; for thei undirstonde not the lettre gostly, but bodyly; and therfore ben thei repreved of the wise, that gostly understonden it. And therfore seythe seynt Poul; _Litera occidit; Spiritus vivificat_. Also the Sarazines seyn, that the Jewes ben cursed: for thei han defouled the lawe, that God sente hem be Moyses. And the Cristene ben cursed also, as thei seyn: for their kepen not the commandementes and the preceptes of the Gospelle, that Jesu Crist taughte hem. And therfore I schalle telle zou, what the Soudan tolde me uppn a day, in his chambre. He leet voyden out of his chambre alle manner of men, lordes aad othere: for he wolde speke with me in conseille. And there he asked me, how the Cristene men governed hem in oure contree. And I seyde him, righte wel: thonked be God. And he seyde me, treulyche, nay: for zee Cristene men ne recthen righte noghte how untrewly to serve God. Ze scholde zeven ensample to the lewed peple, for to do wel; and zee zeven hem ensample to don evylle. For the comownes, upon festyfulle dayes, whan thei scholden gon to chirche to serve God, than gon thei to tavernes, and ben there in glotony, alle the day and alle nyghte, and eten and drynken, as bestes that have no resoun, and wite not whan thei have y now. And also the Cristene men enforcen hem, in alle maneres that thei mowen, for to fighte, and for to desceyven that on that other. And there with alle thei ben so proude, that thei knowen not how to ben clothed; now long, now schort, now streyt, now large, now swerded, now daggered, and in alle manere gyses. Thei scholden ben symple, meke and trewe, and fulle of almes dede, as Jhesu was, in whom thei trowe: but thei ben alle the contrarie, and evere enclyned to the evylle, and to don evylle. And thei ben so coveytous, that for a lytylle sylyer, thei sellen here doughtres, here sustres and here owne wyfes, to putten hem to leccherie. And on with drawethe the wif of another; and non of hem holdethe feythe to another; but thei defoulen here lawe, that Jhesu Crist betook hem to kepe, for here salvacioun. And thus for here synnes, han thei lost alle this lond, that wee holden. For, for hire synnes there God hathe taken hem in to oure hondes, noghte only be strengthe of our self, but for here synnes. For wee knowen wel in verry sothe, that whan zee serve God, God wil hepe zou: and whan he is with zou, no man may be azenst you. And that knowe we wel, be oure prophecyes, that Cristene men schulle wynnen azen this lond out of oure hondes, whan thei serven God more devoutly. But als longe als thei ben of foule and of unclene lyvynge, (as thei ben now) wee have no drede of hem, in no kynde: for here God wil not helpen hem in no wise. And than I asked him, how he knew the state of Cristene men. And he answered me, that he knew alle the state of the comounes also, be his messangeres, that he sente to alle londes, in manere as thei weren marchauntes of precyous stones, of clothes of gold and of othere things; for to knowen the manere of every contree amonges Cristene men. And than he leet clepe in alle the lordes, that he made voyden first out of his chambre; and there he schewed me 4, that weren grete lordes in the contree, that tolden me of my contree, and of many othere Cristene contrees, als wel as thei had ben of the same contree: and thei spak Frensche righte wel; and the Sowdan also, where of I had gret marvaylle. Alas! that it is gret sclaundre to oure feythe and to oure lawe, whan folk that ben with outen lawe, schulle repreven us and undernemen us of oure synnes. And thei that scholden ben converted to Crist and to the lawe of Jhesu, be oure gode ensamples and be oure acceptable lif to God, and so converted to the lawe of Jhesu Crist, ben thorghe oure wykkednesse and evylle lyvynge, fer fro us and straungeres fro the holy and verry beleeve, schulle thus appelen us and holden us for wykkede lyveres and cursed. And treuly thei sey sothe. For the Sarazines ben gode and feythfulle. For thei kepen entierly the commaundement of the holy book Alkaron, that God sente hem be his messager Machomet; to the whiche, as thei seyne, seynt Gabrielle the aungel often tyme tolde the wille of God. And zee schulle undirstonde, that Machamote was born in Arabye, that was first a pore knave, that kept cameles, that wenten with marchantes fur marchandize; and so befelle, that he wente with the marchandes in to Egipt: and thei weren than Cristene, in tho partyes. And at the desertes of Arabye, he wente in to a chapelle, where a Eremyte duelte. And when he entred in to the chapelle, that was but a lytille and a low thing, and had but a lityl dore and a low, than the entree began to wexe so gret and so large and so highe, as thoughe it had ben of a gret mynstre, or the zate of a paleys. And this was the firste myracle, the Sarazins seyn, that Machomete dide in his zouthe. Aftre began he for to wexe wyse and riche; and he was a gret astronomer: and aftre he was governour and prince of the lond of Cozrodane; and he governed it fully wisely, in suche manere, that whan the prince was ded, he toke the lady to wyfe, that highte Gadridge. And Machomete felle often in the grete sikenesse, that men callen the fallynge evylle: wherfore the lady was fulle sorry, that evere sche toke him to husbonde. But Machomete made hire to beleeve, that alle tymes, whan he felle so, Gabriel the angel cam for to speke with him; and for the gret lighte and brightnesse of the angelle, he myghte not susteyne him fro fallynge. And therfore the Sarazines seyn, that Gabriel cam often to speke with him. This Machomete regned in Arabye, the zeer of oure Lord Jhesu Crist 610; and was of the generacioun of Ysmael, that was Abrahames sone, that he gat upon Agar his chamberere. And therfere ther ben Sarazines, that ben clept Ismaelytenes; and summe Agaryenes, of Agar: and the othere propurly ben clept, Sarrazines, of Sarra: and summe ben clept Moabytes, and summe Amonytes; fro the 2 sones of Lothe, Moab and Amon, that he begat on his doughtres, that weren aftirward grete erthely princes. And also Machomete loved wel a gode heremyte, that duelled in the desertes, a myle fro Mount Synay, in the weye that men gon fro Arabye toward Caldee, and toward Ynde, o day journey fro the See, where the marchauntes of Yenyse comen often for marchandise. And so often wente Machomete to this heremyte, that alle his men weren wrothe: for he wolde gladly here this heremyte preche, and make his men wake alle nyghte: and therfore his men thoughten to putte the heremyte to dethe: and so it befelle upon a nyght, that Machomete was dronken of gode wyn, and he felle on slepe; and his men toke Machometes swerd out of his schethe, whils he slepte, and there with thei slowghe this heremyte: and putten his swerd alle blody in his schethe azen. And at morwe, whan he fond the heremyte ded, he was fulle sory and wrothe, and wolde have don his men to dethe: but they alle with on accord seyd, that he him self had slayn him, when he was dronken, and schewed him his swerd alle blody: and he trowed, that thei hadden seyd sothe. And than he cursed the wyn, and alle tho that drynken it. And therfore Sarrazines, that be devout, drynken nevere no wyn: but sume drynken it prevyly. For zif thei dronken it openly, thei scholde ben repreved. But thei drynken gode beverage and swete and norysshynge, that is made of galamelle: and that is that men maken sugar of, that is of righte gode savour: and it is gode for the breest. Also it befallethe sumtyme, that Cristene men becomen Sarazines, outher for povertee, or for symplenesse, or else for here owne wykkednesse. And therfore the archiflamyn or the flamyn, as oure erchebisshop or bisshopp, whan he receyvethe hem, seythe thus, _La ellec, Sila. Machomete rores alla_; that is to seye, _There is no God but on, and Machomete his messager_.
Of the Londes of Albanye, and of Libye. Of the Wisshinges, for Wacchinge of the Sperhauk; and of Noes Schippe.
[Sidenote: Cap. XIII.] Now sithe I have told zou beforn of the Holy Lond, and of that contree abouten, and of many weyes for to go to that lond, and to the Mount Synay, and of Babyloyne the more and the lesse, and to other places, that I have spoken beforn; now is tyme, zif it lyke zou, for to telle zou of the marches and iles, and dyverse bestes, and of dyverse folk bezond theise marches. For in tho contrees bezonden, ben many dyverse contrees, and many grete kyngdomes; that ben departed be the 4 flodes, that comen from Paradys terrestre. For Mesopotayme and the Kyngdom of Caldee and Arabye, ben betwene the 2 ryveres of Tygre and of Eufrates. And the kyngdom of Mede and of Persye, ben betwene the ryveres of Nile and of Tigres. And the kyngdom of Syrie, where of I have spoken beforn, and Palestyne and Phenycie, ben betwene Eufrates and the See Medyterrane: the whiche see durethe in lengthe, fro Mayrok, upon the See of Spayne, unto the grete See; so that it lastethe bezonde Costantynople 3040 myles of Lombardye. And toward the see occyan in Ynde, is the kyngdom of Shithie, that is alle closed with hilles. And aftre undre Schithie, and fro the See of Caspie, unto the Flom Thainy, is Amazoyne, that is the lond of femynye, where that no man is, but only alle wommen. And aftre is Albanye, a fulle grete reme. And it is clept Albanye, because the folk ben whitere there, than in other marches there abouten. And in that contree ben so gret houndes and so stronge, that thei assaylen lyouns, and sleu hem. And thanne aftre is Hircanye, Bactrye, Hiberye, and many other kyngdomes. And betwene the Rede See and the see occyan, toward the southe, is the kyngdom of Ethiope, and of Lybye the hyere. The which lond of Lybye, (that is to seyne Libye the lowe) that begynnethe at the See of Spayne, fro thens where the Pyleres of Hercules ben, and durethe unto aneyntes Egipt and towards Ethiope. In that contree of Libye, is the see more highe than the lond; and it semethe that it wolde covere the erthe, and natheles zit it passethe not his markes. And men seen in that contre a mountayne, to the whiche no man comethe. In this lond of Libye, whoso turnethe toward the est, the schadewe of him self is on the right syde: and here in oure contree, the schadwe is on the left syde. In that See of Libye, is no fissche: for thei mowe not lyve ne dure, for the gret hete of the sonne; because that the watre is evermore boyllynge, for the gret hete. And many othere londes there ben, that it were to long to tellen or to nombren: but of sum parties I schal speke more pleynly here aftre.
Whoso wil thanne gon toward Tarterie, toward Persie, toward Caldee, and toward Ynde, he most entre the see, at Gene or at Venyse or at sum other havene, that I have told zou before. And than passe men the see, and arryven at Trapazond, that is a gode cytee; and it was wont to ben the havene of Pountz. There is the havene of persanes and of medaynes and of the marches there bezonde. In that cytee lythe Seynt Athanasie, that was Bishopp of Alisandre, that made the Psalm Quicunque vult. This Athanasius was a gret Doctour of Dyvynytee: and because that he preched and spak so depely of Dyvynytee and of the Godhede, he was accused to the Pope of Rome, that he was an Heretyk. Wherfore the Pope sente aftre hym, and putte him in presoun: and whils he was in presoun, he made that Psalm, and sente it to the Pope, and seyde: that zif he were an heretyk, that was that heresie; for that, he seyde, was his beleeve. And whan the Pope saughe it, and had examyned it, that it was parfite and gode, and verryly oure feythe and oure beleeve, he made him to ben delyvered out of presoun, and commanded that Psalm to ben seyd every day at Pryme: and so he held Athanasie a gode man. But he wolde nevere go to his bisshopriche azen, because that thei accused him of heresye. Trapazond was wont to ben holden of the Emperour of Costantynople: but a gret man, that he sente for to kepe the contree azenst the Turkes, usurped the lond, and helde it to himself, and cleped him Emperour of Trapazond.
And from thens, men gon thorghe litille Ermonye. And in that contree is an old castelle, that stont upon a roche, the whiche is cleped the Castelle of the Sparrehawk, that is bezonde the cytee of Layays, beside the town of Pharsipee, that belongethe to the lordschipe of Cruk; that is a riche lord and a gode Cristene man; where men fynden a sparehauk upon a perche righte fair, and righte wel made; and a fayre lady of fayrye, that kepethe it. And who that wil wake that sparhauk, 7 dayes and 7 nyghtes, and as sum men seyn, 3 dayes and 3 nyghtes, with outen companye, and with outen sleep, that faire lady schal zeven him, whan he hathe don, the first wyssche, that he wil wyssche, of erthely thinges: and that hathe been proved often-tymes. And o tyme befelle, that a kyng of Ermonye, that was a worthi knyght and doughty man and a noble prince, woke that hauk som tyme: and at the ende of 7 dayes and 7 nyghtes, the lady cam to him, and bad him wisschen: for he had wel disserved it. And he answerde, that he was gret Lord y now, and wel in pees, and hadde y nowghe of worldly ricchesse: and therfore he wolde wisshe non other thing, but the body of that faire lady, to have it at his wille. And sche answerde him, that he knew not what he asked; and seyde, that he was a fool, to desire that he myghte not have; for sche seyde, that he scholde not aske, but erthely thing: for sche was non erthely thing, but a gostly thing. And the kyng seyde, that he ne wolde asken non other thing. And the lady answerde, sythe that I may not withdrawe zou fro zoure lewed corage, I schal zeve zou with outen wysschinge, and to alle hem that schulle com of you. Sire kyng, zee schulle have werre withouten pees, and alle weys to the 9 degree, zee schulle ben in subjeccioun to zoure enemyes; and zee schulle ben nedy of alle godes. And nevere sithen, nouther the kyng of Ermoyne, ne the contree, weren never in pees, ne thei hadden never sithen plentee of godes; and thei han ben sithen alle weyes undre tribute of the Sarrazines. Also the sone of a pore man woke that hauke, and wisshed that he myghte cheve wel, and to ben happy to merchandise. And the lady graunted him. And he becaam the most riche and the most famouse marchaunt, that myghte ben on see or on erthe. And he becam so riche, that he knew not the 1000 part of that he hadde: and he was wysere, in wisschynge, than was the king. Also a knyght of the temple wooke there; and wyssched a purs evere more fulle of gold: and the lady graunted him. But sche seyde him, that he had asked the destruccioun of here ordre; for the trust and the affiance of that purs, and for the grete pryde, that they scholde haven: and so it was. And therfore loke, he kepe him wel, that schalle wake: for zif he slepe, he is lost, that nevere man schalle seen him more. This is not the righte weye for to go to the parties, that I have nempned before; but for to see the merveyle, that I have spoken of.
And therfore who so wil go right weye, men gon fro Trapazond toward Ermonye the gret, unto a cytee that is clept Artyroun, that was wont to ben a gode cytee and a plentyous; but the Turkes han gretly wasted it. There aboute growethe no wyn ne fruyt, but litylle or elle non. In this lond, is the erthe more highe than in ony other; and that makethe gret cold. And there hen many gode watres, and gode welles, that comen undre erthe, fro the flom of paradys, that is clept Eufrates, that is a jorneye besyde that cytee. And that ryvere comethe towardes Ynde, undre erthe, and restorethe into the lond of Altazar. And so passe men be this Ermonie, and entren the see of Persie. Fro that cytee of Artyroun go men to an hille, that is clept Sabissocolle. And there besyde is another hille, that men clepen Ararathe: but the Jewes clepen it Taneez; where Noes schipp rested, and zit is upon that montayne: and men may seen it a ferr, in cleer wedre: and that montayne is wel a 7 myle highe. And sum men seyn, that thei han seen and touched the schipp; and put here fyngeres in the parties, where the feend went out, whan that Noe seyde Benedicite. But thei that seyn suche wordes, seyn here wille: for a man may not gon up the montayne, for gret plentee of snow that is alle wayes on that montayne, nouther somer ne wynter: so that no man may gon up there; ne never man dide, sithe the tyme of Noe; saf a monk, that, be the grace of God, brought on of the plankes doun: that zit is in the mynstere, at the foot of the montayne. And besyde is the cytee of Dayne, that Noe founded. And faste by is the cytee of Any, in the whiche were 1000 chirches. But upon that montayne, to gon up, this monk had gret desire; and so upon a day, he wente up: and whan he was upward the 3 part of the montayne, he was so wery, that he myghte no ferthere, and so he rested him, and felle o slepe; and whan he awook, he fonde him self lyggynge at the foot of the montayne. And than he preyede devoutly to God, that he wolde vouche saf to suffre him gon up. And an angelle cam to him, and seyde, that he scholde gon up; and so he dide. And sithe that tyme never non. Wherfore men scholde not beleeve such woordes.
Fro that montayne go men to the cytee of Thauriso, that was wont to ben clept Taxis, that is a fulle fair cytee, and a gret, and on of the beste, that is in the world, for marchandise: and it is in the lond of the Emperour of Persie. And men seyn, that the Emperour takethe more gode, in that cytee, for custom of marchandise than dothe the ricchest Cristene kyng of alle his reme, that livethe. For the tolle and the custom of his marchantes is with outen estymacioun to ben nombred. Beside that cytee, is a hille of salt; and of that salt, every man takethe what he will, for to salte with, to his nede. There duellen many Cristene men, undir tribute of Sarrazines. And fro that cytee, men passen be many townes and castelles, in goynge toward Ynde, unto the cytee of Sadonye, that is a 10 journeyes fro Thauriso; and it is a fulle noble cytee and a gret. And there duellethe the Emperour of Persie, in somer: for the contree is cold y now. And there ben gode ryveres, berynge schippes. Aftre go men the weye toward Ynde, be many iorneyes, and be many contreyes, unto the cytee, that is clept Cassak, that is a fulle noble cytee, and a plentyous of cornes and wynes, and of alle other godes. This is the cytee, where the 3 kynges metten to gedre, whan thei wenten to sechen oure Lord in Bethtem, to worschipe him, and to presente him with gold, ensence, and myrre. And it is from that cytee to Bethleem 53 iourneyes. Fro that cytee, men gon to another cytee, that is clept Bethe, that is a iourneye fro the see, that men clepen the gravely see. That is the best cytee, that the Emperour of Persie hathe, in alle his lond. And thei clepen it there Chardabago; and others clepen it Vapa. And the Paynemes seyn, that no Cristene man may not longe duelle, ne enduren with the lif, in that cytee: but dyen with in schort tyme; and no man knowethe not the cause. Aftre gon men, be many cytees and townes, and grete contrees, that it were to longe to telle, unto the cytee of Cornaa, that was wont to be so gret, that the walles abouten holden 25 myle aboute. The walks schewen zit: but it is not alle enhabited. From Cornaa, go men be many londes, and many cytees and townes, unto the lond of Job: and there endethe the lond of the Emperour of Persie.
Of the Lond of Job; and of his Age. Of the Aray of men of Caldee. Of the Lond where Wommen duellen with outen companye of men. Of the knouleche and vertues of the verray Dyamant.
[Sidenote: Chap. XIV.] Aftre the departynge fro Cornaa, men entren in to the lond of Job, that is a fulle faire contree, and a plentyous of alle godes. And men clepen that lond the lond of Sweze. In that lond is the cytee of Theman. Job was a Payneem, and he was Are of Gosre his sone, and held that lond, as prynce of that contree and he was so riche, that he knew not the hundred part of his godes. And alle thoughe he were a Payneem, natheless he served wel God, aftre his lawe: and oure Lord toke his service to his plesance. And whan he felle in poverte, he was 78 zeer of age. And aftre, whan God had preved his pacyence, and that it was so gret, he broughte him azen to richesse, and to hiere estate than he was before. And aftre that he was kyng of Ydumye, aftre Kyng Esau. And whan he was kyng, he was clept Jobab. And in that kyngdom, he lyvede aftre 170 zere: and so he was of age, whan he dyede, 248 zeer. In that lond of Job, there nys no defaute of no thing, that is nedefulle to mannes body. There ben hilles, where men getten gret plentee of manna, in gretter habundance, than in ony other contree. This manna is clept bred of aungelles; and it is a white thing, that is fulle swete and righte delicyous, and more swete than hony or sugre; and it comethe of the dew of hevene that fallethe upon the herbes, in that contree; and it congelethe and becomethe alle white and swete: and men putten it in medicynes for rich men, to make the wombe lax, and to purge evylle blood: for it clensethe the blode, and puttethe out malencoyle. This lond of Job marchethe to the kyngdom of Caldee. This lond of Caldee is fulle gret: and the langage of that contree is more gret in sownynge, that it is in other parties bezonde the see. Men passen to go bezond, be the Tour of Babiloyne the grete: of the whiche I have told zou before, where that alle the langages weren first chaunged. And that is a 4 jorneyes fro Caldee. In that reme, ben faire men, and thei gon fulle nobely arrayed in clothes of gold, or frayed and apparayled with grete perles and precyous stones, fulle nobely: and the wommen ben righte foule and evylle arrayed; and thei gon alle bare fote, and clothed in evylle garnementes, large and wyde, but thei ben schorte to the knees; and longe sleves doun to the feet, lyche a monkes frokke; and here sleves ben hongyng aboute here schuldres: and thei ben blake women, foule and hidouse; and treuly as foule as thei ben, als evele thei ben. In that kyngdom of Caldee, in a cytee, that is cleped Hur, duelled Thare, Abrahames fadre: and there was Abraham born: and that was in that tyme, that Nunus was Kyng of Babiloyne, of Arabye and of Egypt. This Nunus made the cytee of Nynyvee, the whiche that Noe had begonne before: and be cause that Nunus performed it, he cleped it Nynyve, aftre his owne name. Ther lythe Thobye the prophete, of whom Holy Writt spekethe offe. And fro that cytee of Hur Abraham departed, be the commandement of God, fro thens, aftre the dethe of his fadre; and ladde with him Sarra his wife and Lothe his brotheres sone, because that he hadde no child. And thei wenten to duelle in the lond of Chanaan, in a place, that is clept Sychem. And this Lothe was he, that was saved, whan Sodom and Gomorre and the othere cytees weren brent and sonken doun to helle; where that the dede see is now, as I have told zou before. In that lond of Caldee, thei han here propre langages, and here propre lettres.
Besyde the lond of Caldee, is the lond of Amazoyne. And in that reme is alle wommen, and no man; noght, as summe men seyn, that men mowe not lyve there, but for because that the wommen will not suffre no men amonges hem, to ben here Sovereynes. For sum tyme, ther was a kyng in that contrey; and men maryed, as in other contreyes: and so befelle, that the kyng had werre, with hem of Sithie; the whiche kyng highte Colopeus, that was slayn in bataylle, and alle the gode blood of his reme. And whan the queen and alle the othere noble ladyes sawen, that thei weren alle wydewes, and that alle the rialle blood was lost, thei armed hem, and as creatures out of wytt, thei slowen alle the men of the contrey, that weren laft. For thei wolden, that alle the wommen weren wydewes, as the queen and thei weren. And fro that tyme hiderwardes, thei nevere wolden suffren man to dwelle amonges hem, lenger than 7 dayes and 7 nyghtes; ne that no child that were male, scholde duelle amonges hem, longer than he were noryscht; and thanne sente to his fader. And whan thei wil have ony companye of man, than thei drawen hem towardes the londes marchynge next to hem: and than thei have loves, that usen hem; and thei duellen with hem an 8 dayes or 10; and thanne gon hom azen. And zif thei have ony knave child, thei kepen it a certeyn tyme, and than senden it to the fadir, whan he can gon allone, and eten be him self; or elle thei sleen it: and zif it be a femele, thei don away that on pappe, with an hote hiren; and zif it be a womman of gret lynage, thei don awey the left pappe, that thes may the better beren a scheeld: and zif it be a woman of symple blood, thei don awey the ryght pappe, for to scheeen [sic--KTH] with bowe Turkeys: for thei schote wel with bowes. In that lond thei have a Queen, that governethe alle that lond: and alle thei ben obeyssant to hire. And alweys thei maken here queen by eleccioun, that is most worthy in armes. For thei ben right gode werryoures, and wyse, noble and worthi. And thei gon often tyme in sowd, to help of other kynges in here werres, for gold and sylver, as othere sowdyoures don: and thei meyntenen hem self right vygouresly. This lond of Amazoyne is an Yle, alle envirouned with the see, saf in 2 places, where ben 2 entrees. And bezond that watir, duellen the men, that ben here paramoures, and hire loves, where thei gon to solacen hem, whan thei wole. Besyde Amazoyne, is the lond of Tarmegyte, that is a gret contree and a fulle delectable: and for the godnesse of the contree, kyng Alisandre leet first make there the cytee of Alisandre; and zit he made 12 cytees of the same name: but that cytee is now clept Celsite. And fro that other cost of caldee, to ward the southe, is Ethiope, a gret contree, that strecchethe to the ende of Egypt. Ethiope is departed in 2 princypalle parties; and that is, in the est partie and in the meridionelle partie: the whiche partie meridionelle is clept Moretane. And the folk of that contree ben blake y now, and more blake than in the tother partie; and thei ben clept Mowres. In that partie is a welle, that in the day it is so cold, that no man may drynke there offe; and in the nyght it so hoot, that no man may suffre his hond there in. And bezonde that partie, toward the southe, to passe by the see occean, is a gret lond and a gret contrey: but men may not duelle there, for the fervent brennynge of the sonne; so is it passvnge hoot in that contrey. In Ethiope alle the ryveres and alle the watres ben trouble, and thei ben somdelle salte, for the gret hete that is there. And the folk of that contree ben lyghtly dronken, and han but litille appetyt to mete: and thei han comounly the flux of the wombe: and thei lyven not longe. In Ethiope ben manye dyverse folk: and Ethiope is clept Cusis. In that contree ben folk, that han but o foot: and thei gon so fast, that it is marvaylle: and the foot is so large, that it schadewethe alle the body azen the sonne, whanne thei wole lye and reste hem. In Ethiope, whan the children ben zonge and lytille, thei ben alle zelowe: and whan that thei wexen of age, that zalownesse turnethe to ben alle blak. In Ethiope is the cytee of Saba; and the lond, of the whiche on of the 3 kynges, that presented oure Lord in Bethleem was kyng offe.
Fro Ethiope men gon to Ynde, be manye dyverse contreyes. And men clepen the highe Ynde, Emlak. And Ynde is devyded in 3 princypalle parties; that is, the more, that is a fulle hoot contree; and Ynde the lesse, that is a fulle atempree contrey, that strecchethe to the lond of Mede; and the 3 part toward the Septentrion, is fulle cold; so that for pure cold and contynuelle frost, the watre becomethe cristalle. And upon tho roches of cristalle, growen the gode dyamandes, that ben of trouble colour. Zallow cristalle drawethe colour lyke oylle. And thei ben so harde, that no man may pollysche hem: and men clepen hem dyamandes in that contree, and Hamese in another contree. Othere dyamandes men fynden in Arabye, that ben not so gode; and thei ben more broun and more tendre. And other dyamandes also men fynden in the ile of Cipre, that ben zit more tendre; and hem men may wel pollische. And in the lond of Macedoyne men fynden dyamaundes also. But the beste and the most precyouse ben in Ynde. And men fynden many tymes harde dyamandes in a masse, that comethe out of Gold, whan men puren it and fynen it out of the myne; whan men breken that masse in smale peces. And sum tyme it happenethe, that men fynden summe as grete as a pese, and summe lasse; and thei ben als harde as tho of Ynde. And alle be it that men fynden gode dyamandes in Ynde, zit natheles men fynden hem more comounly upon the roches in the see, and upon hilles where the myne of gold is. And thei growen many to gedre, on lytille, another gret. And ther ben summe of the gretness of a bene, and summe als gret as an haselle note. And thei ben square and poynted of here owne kynde, bothe aboven and benethen, with outen worchinge of mannes hond. And the growen to gedre, male and femele. And thei ben norysscht with the dew of hevene. And thei engendren comounly, and bryngen forthe smale children, that multiplyen and growen alle the zeer. I have often tymes assayed, that zif a man kepe hem with a litylle of the roche, and wete hem with May dew ofte sithes, thei schulle growe everyche zeer; and the smale wole wexen grete. For righte as the fyn perle congelethe and wexethe gret of the dew of hevene, righte so dothe the verray dyamand: and righte as the perl of his owne kynde takethe roundnesse, righte so the dyamand, be vertue of God, takethe squarenesse. And men schalle bere the dyamaund on his left syde: for it is of grettere vertue thanne, than on the righte syde. For the strengthe of here growynge is toward the Northe; that is the left syde of the world; and the left parte of man is, whan he turnethe his face toward the est. And zif zou lyke to knowe the vertues of the dyamand, (as men may fynde in the lapidarye, that many men knowen noght) I schalle telle zou: as thei bezonde the see seyn and affermen, of whom alle science and alle philosophie comethe from. He that berethe the diamand upon him, it zevethe him hardynesse and manhode, and it kepethe the lemes of his body hole. It zevethe him victorye of his enemyes, in plee and in werre; zif his cause be rightefulle: and it kepethe him that berethe it, in gode wytt; and it kepethe him fro strif and riot, fro sorwes and from enchauntementes and from fantasyes and illusiouns of wykked spirites. And zif ony cursed wycche or enchauntour wolde bewycche him, that berethe the dyamand; alle that sorwe and myschance schalle turne to him self, thorghe vertu of that ston. And also no wylde best dar assaylle the man, that berethe it on him. Also the dyamand scholde ben zoven frely, with outen coveytynge and with outen byggynge: and than it is of grettere vertu. And it makethe a man more strong and more sad azenst his enemyes. And it helethe him that is lunatyk, and hem that the fend pursuethe or travaylethe. And zif venym or poysoun be broughte in presence of the dyamand, anon it begynnethe to wexe moyst and for to swete. There ben also dyamandes in Ynde, that ben cept violastres; (for here colour is liche vyolet, or more browne than violettes) that ben fulle harde and fulle precyous; but zit sum men love not hem so wel as the othere: but in sothe to me, I wolde loven hem als moche as the othere; for I have seen hem assayed. Also there is an other maner of dyamandes, that ben als white as cristalle; but thei ben a litylle more trouble: and thei ben gode and of gret vertue, and alle thei ben square and poynted of here owne kynde. And summe ben 6 squared, summe 4 squared, and summe 3, as nature schapethe hem. And therefore whan grete lordes and knyghtes gon to seche worschipe in armes, thei beren gladly the dyamaund upon hem.
I schal speke a litille more of the dyamandes, alle thoughe I tarye my matere for a tyme, to the ende that thei that knowen hem not, be not disceyved be gabberes, that gon be the contree, that sellen hem. For whoso wil bye the dyamande, it is needefulle to him, that he knowe hem; be cause that men counterfeten hem often of cristalle, that is zalow; and of saphires of cytryne colour, that is zalow also; and of the saphire loupe, and of many other stones. But I telle zou, theise contrefetes ben not so harde; and also the poyntes wil breken lightly, and men may easily pollische hem. But summe werkmen, for malice, will not pollische hem, to that entent, to maken men beleve, that thei may not ben pollischt. But men may assaye hem in this manere; first schere with hem or write with hem in saphires, in cristalle or in other precious stones. Aftre that men taken the ademand, that is the schipmannes ston, that drawethe the nedle to him, and men leyn the dyamand upon the ademand, and leyn the nedle before the ademand; and zif the dyamand be gode and vertuous, the ademande drawethe not the nedle to him, while the dyamand is there present. And this is the preef, that thei bezonde the see maken. Natheles it befallethe often tyme, that the gode dyamande losethe his vertue, be synne and for incontynence of him, that berethe it: and thanne it is nedfulle to make it to recoveren his vertue azen, or elle it is of litille value.
Of the customs of Yles abouten Ynde. Of the differences betwixt Ydoles and Simulacres. Of 3 maner growing of Peper upon a Tree. Of the welle, that chaungethe his odour, every hour of the day: and that is mervaylle.
[Sidenote: Cap. XV.] In Ynde ben fulle manye dyverse contrees: and it is cleped Ynde, for a flom, that rennethe thorghe out the contree, that is clept Ynde. In that flomme men fynden eles of 30 fote long and more. And the folk that duellen nyghe that watre, ben of evylle colour, grene and zalow. In Ynde and abouten Ynde, ben mo than 5000 iles, gode and grete, that men duellen in, with outen tho that ben inhabitable, and with outen othere smale iles. In every ile, is gret plentee of cytees and of townes and of folk, with outen nombre. For men of Ynde han this condicioun of kynde, that thei nevere gon out of here owne contree: and therfore is ther gret multitude of peple: but thei ben not sterynge ne mevable, be cause that thei ben in the firste clymat, that is of Saturne. And Saturne is sloughe and litille mevynge: for he taryethe to make his turn be the 12 signes, 30 zeer; and the mone passethe thorghe the 12 signes in o monethe. And for because that Saturne is of so late sterynge, therfore the folk of that contree, that ben undre his clymat, han of kynde no wille for to meve ne stere to seche strange places. And in oure contree is alle the contrarie. For wee ben in the sevenethe climat, that is of the mone. And the mone is of lyghtly mevynge; and the mone is planete of weye: and for that skylle, it zevethe us wille of kynde, for to meve lyghtly, and for to go dyverse weyes, and to sechen strange thinges and other dyversitees of the world. For the mone envyrounethe the erthe more hastyly than ony othere planete.
Also men gon thorghe Ynde be many dyverse contrees, to the grete see occean. And aftre men fynden there an ile, that is clept Crues: and thidre comen marchantes of Venyse and Gene and of other marches, for to byen marchandyses. But there is so grete hete in tho marches, and namely in that ile, that for the grete distresse of the hete, mennes ballokkes hangen doun to here knees, for the gret dissolucioun of the body. And men of that contree, that knowen the manere, lat bynde hem up, or elle myghte thei not lyve; and anoynt hem with oynementes made therfore, to holde hem up. In that contree and in Ethiope and in many other contrees, the folk lyggen alle naked in ryveres and watres, men and wommen to gedre, fro undurne of the day, tille it be passed the noon. And thei lyen alle in the watre, saf the visage, for the gret hete that there is. And the wommen haven no schame of the men; but lyen alle to gidre, syde to syde, tille the hete be past. There may men see many foule figure assembled, and namely nyghe the gode townes. In that ile ben schippes with outen nayles of iren or bonds, for the roches of the Ademandes: for thei ben alle fulle there aboute in that see, that it is merveyle to speken of. And zif a schipp passed be tho marches, that hadde outher iren bondes or iren nayles, anon he scholde ben perisscht. For the Ademand, of his kynde, drawethe the iren to him: and so wolde it drawe to him the schipp, because of the iren: that he scholde never departen fro it, ne never go thens.
Fro that ile, men gon be see to another ile, that is clept Chana, where is gret plentee of corn and wyn: and it was wont to ben a gret ile, and a gret havene and a good; but the see hathe gretly wasted it and overcomen it The kyng of that contree was wont to ben so strong and so myghty, that he helde werre azenst King Alisandre. The folk of that contree han a dyvers lawe: for summe of hem, worschipe the sonne, summe the mone, summe the fuyr, summe trees, summe serpentes, or the first thing that thei meeten at morwen: and summe worschipen symulacres, and summe Ydoles. But betwene symulacres and ydoles, is a gret difference. For symulacres ben ymages made aftre lyknesse of men or of wommen, or of the sonne or of the mone, or of ony best, or of ony kyndely thing: and ydoles, is an ymage made of lewed wille of a man, that man may not fynden among kyndely thinges; as an ymage, that hathe 4 hedes, on of a man, another of an hors, or of an ox, or of sum other best, that no man hathe seyn aftre kyndely disposicioun. And thei that worschipen symulacres, thei worschipen hem for sum worthi man, that was sum tyme, as Hercules and many othere, that diden many marvayles in here tyme. For thei seyn wel, that thei be not goddes: for thei knowen wel, that there is a God of kynde, that made alle thinges; the which is in hevene. But thei knowen wel, that this may not do the marvayles that he made, but zif it had ben be the specyalle zifte of God: and therfore thei seyn, that he was wel with God. And for be cause that he was so wel with God, therfore the worschipe him. And so seyn thei of the sonne; be cause that he chaungethe the tyme and zevethe hete and norisschethe alle thinges upon erthe; and for it is of so gret profite, thei knowe wel, that that myghte not be, but that God lovethe it more than ony other thing. And for that skylle, God hath zoven it more gret vertue in the world: therfore it is gode resoun, as thei seyn, to don it worschipe and reverence. And so seyn thei, that maken here resounes, of othere planetes; and of the fuyr also, because it is so profitable. And of Ydoles, thei seyn also, that the ox is the moste holy best, that is in erthe, and most pacyent and more profitable than ony other. For he dothe good y now, and he dothe non evylle. And thei knowen wel, that it may not be with outen specyalle grace of God; and therfore maken thei here God, of an ox the on part, and the other halfondelle of a man: because that man is the most noble creature in erthe; and also for he hathe lordschipe aboven alle bestes: therfore make thei the halfendel of ydole of a man upwardes, and the tother half of an ox dounwardes: and of serpentes and of other bestes, and dyverse thinges, that thei worschipen, that thei meten first at morwe. And thei worschipen also specyally alle tho that thei han gode meetynge of; and whan thei speden wel in here iorneye, aftre here meetynge; and namely suche as thei han preved and assayed be experience of longe tyme. For thei seyn, that thilke gode meetynge ne may not come, but of the grace of God. And therefore thei maken ymages lyche to tho thinges, that thei han beleeve inne, for to beholden hem and worschipen hem first at morwe, or thei meeten ony contrarious thinges. And there ben also sum Cristene men, that seyn, that summe bestes han gode meetynge, that is to seye, for to meete with hem first at morwe; and summe bestes wykked metynge: and that thei han preved ofte tyme, that the hare hathe fulle evylle meetynge, and swy, and many othere bestes. And the sparhauk and other foules of raveyne, whan thei fleen aftre here praye, and take it before men of armes, it is a gode signe: and zif he fayle of takynge his praye, it is an evylle sygne. And also to suche folk, it is an evylle meetynge of ravenes. In theise thinges and in suche othere, ther ben many folk, that beleeven; because it happenethe so often tyme to falle, aftre here fantasyes. And also ther ben men y nowe, that han no beleve in hem. And sithe that Cristene men han suche beleeve, that ben enformed and taughte alle day, be holy doctryne, where inne thei schold beleeve, it is no marvaylle thanne, that the Paynemes, that han no gode doctryne, but only of here nature, beleeven more largely, for here symplenesse. And treuly I have seen of Paynemes and Sarazines, that men clepen Augurynes, that whan wee ryden in armes in dyverse contrees, upon oure enemyes, be the flyenge of foules, thei wolde telle us the prenosticaciouns of thinges that felle aftre: and so thei diden fulle often tymes, and profreden here hedes to wedde, but zif it wolde falle as thei seyden. But natheles ther fore scholde noght a man putten his beleeve in suche thinges: but always han fulle trust and beleeve in God oure Sovereyn Lord. This ile of Chana, the Sarazines han wonnen and holden. In that ile ben many lyouns, and many othere wylde bestes. And there ben rattes in that ile, als gret as houndes here: and men taken hem with grete mastyfes: for cattes may not take hem. In this ile and many othere, men berye not no dede men: for the hete is there so gret, that in a lityle tyme the flesche wil consume fro the bones.
Fro thens, men gon be see toward Ynde the more, to a cytee that men clepen Sarche, that is a fair cytee and a gode; and there duellen many Cristene men of gode feythe: and ther ben manye religious men, and namely of Mendynantes. Aftre gon men be see, to the lond of Lomb. In that lond growethe the peper, in the forest that men clepen Combar; and it growethe nowhere elle in alle the world, but in that forest: and that dureth wel an 18 iourneyes in lengthe. In the forest ben 2 gode cytees; that on highte Fladrine, and that other Zinglantz. And in every of hem, duellen Cristene men, and Jewes, gret plentee. For it is a gode contree and a plenteyous: but there is over meche passynge hete. And zee schulle undirstonde, that the peper growethe, in maner as dothe a wylde vyne, that is planted faste by the trees of that wode, for to susteynen it by, as dothe the vyne. And the fruyt thereof hangethe in manere as reysynges. And the tree is so thikke charged, that it semethe that it wolde breke: and whan it is ripe, it is all grene as it were ivy beryes; and than men kytten hem, as men don the vynes, and than thei putten it upon an owven, and there it waxethe blak and crisp. And there is 3 maner of peper, all upon o tree; long peper, blak peper, and white peper. The long peper men clepen sorbotyn; and the blak peper is clept fulfulle, and the white peper is clept bano. The long peper comethe first, whanthe lef begynhethe to come; and it is lyche the chattes of Haselle, that comethe before the lef, and it hangethe lowe. And aftre comethe the blake with the lef, in manere of clustres of reysinges, alle grene: and whan men han gadred it, than comethe the white, that is somdelle lasse than the blake; and of that men bryngen but litille into this contree; for thei bezonden with holden it for hem self, be cause it is betere and more attempree in kynde, than the blake: and therfore is ther not so gret plentee as of the blake. In that contree ben manye manere of serpentes and of other vermyn, for the gret hete of the contree and of the peper. And summe men seyn, that whan thei will gadre the peper, thei maken fuyr, and brennen aboute, to make the serpentes and cokedrilles to flee. But save here grace of alle that seyn so. For zif thei brenten abouten the trees, that beren, the peper scholden ben brent, and it wolde dryen up alle the vertue, as of ony other thing: and han thei diden hemself moche harm; and thei scholde nevere quenchen the fuyr. But thus thei don; thei anoynten here hondes and here feet with a juyce made of snayles and of othere thinges, made therfore; of the whiche the serpentes and the venymous bestes haten and dreden the savour: and that makethe hem flee before hem, because of the smelle; and than thei gadren it seurly ynow.
Also toward the heed of that forest, is the cytee of Polombe. And above the cytee is a grete mountayne, that also is clept Polombe: and of that mount, the cytee hathe his name. And at the foot of that mount, is a fayr welle and a gret, that hathe odour and savour of alle spices; and at every hour of the day, he chaungethe his odour and his savour diversely. And whoso drynkethe 3 tymes fasting of that watre of that welle, he is hool of of alle maner sykenesse, that he hathe. And thei that duellen there and drynken often of that welle, thei nevere han sekenesse, and thei semen alle weys zonge. I have dronken there of 3 or 4 sithes; and zit, me thinkethe, I fare the better. Sum men clepen it the Welle of Zouthe: for thei that often drynken there of, semen alle weys zongly, and lyven with outen sykenesse. And men seyn, that that welle comethe out of paradys; and therfore it is so vertuous. Be alle that contree growethe gode gyngevere: and therfore thidre gon the marchauntes for spicerye. In that lond men worschipen the ox, for his symplenesse and for his mekenesse, and for the profite that comethe of him. And thei seyn, that he is the holyest best in erthe. For hem semethe, that whoso evere be meke and paycyent, he is holy and profitable: for thanne thei seyn, he hathe alle vertues in him. Thei maken the ox to laboure 6 zeer or 7, and than thei ete him. And the kyng of the contree hathe alle wey an ox with him: and he that kepethe him, hathe every day grete fees, and kepethe every day his dong and his uryne in 2 vesselles of gold, and bryngen it before here prelate, that thei clepen archiprotopapaton; and he berethe it before the kyng, and makethe there over a gret blessynge; and than the kyng wetethe his hondes there, in that thei clepen gaul, and anyntethe his front and his brest: and aftre he frotethe him with the dong and with the uryne with gret reverence, for to ben fulfilt of vertues of the ox, and made holy be the vertue of that holy thing, that nought is worthe. And whan the kyng hathe don, thanne don the lordes; and aftre hem here mynystres and other men, zif thei may have ony remenant. In that contree thei maken ydoles, half man, half ox; and in tho ydoles, eville spirites speken and zeven answere to men, of what is asked hem. Before theise ydoles, men sleen here children many tymes, and spryngen the blood upon the ydoles; and so thei maken here sacrifise. And whan ony man dyethe in the contree, thei brennen his body in name of penance, to that entent, that he suffre no peyne in erthe, to ben eten of wormes. And zif his wif have no child, thei brenne hire with him; and seyn, that it is resoun, that sche make him companye in that other world, as sche did in this. But and sche have children with him, thei leten hire lyve with hem, to brynge hem up, zif sche wole. And zif that sche love more to lyve with here children, than for to dye with hire husbonde, men holden hire for fals and cursed; ne schee schalle never ben loved ne trusted of the peple. And zif the womman dye before the husbonde, men brennen him with hire, zif that he wole; and zif he wil not, no man constreynethe him thereto; but he may wedde another tyme with outen blame and repreef. In that contree growen manye stronge vynes: and the wommen drynken wyn, and men not: and the wommen schaven hire berdes, and the men not.
Of the Domes made be seynt Thomas. Of Devocyoun and Sacrifice made to Ydoles there, in the Cytee of Calamye; and of the processioun in goynge aboute the Cytee.
[Sidenote: Cap. XVI.] From that contree men passen be many marches, toward a contree, a 10 iourneyes thens, that is clept Mabaron: and it is a gret kyngdom, and it hathe many faire cytees and townes. In that kyngdom lithe the body of Seynt Thomas the apostle, in flesche and bon, in a faire tombe, in the cytee of Calamyee: for there he was martyred and buryed. But men of Assirie beeren his bodye in to mesopatayme, in to the cytee of Edisse: and aftre, he was broughte thidre azen. And the arm and the hoond, (that he putte in oure Lordes syde, whan he appered to him, aftre his resurrexioun, and seyde to him, _Noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis_) is zit lyggynge in a vesselle with outen the tombe. And be that hond thei maken alle here juggementes, in the contree, whoso hathe righte or wrong. For whan ther is ony dissentioun betwene 2 partyes, and every of hem meyntenethe his cause, and seyth, that his cause is rightfulle, and that other seythe the contrarye, thanne bothe partyes writen here causes in 2 billes, and putten hem in the hond of seynt Thomas; and anon he castethe awey the bille of the wrong cause, and holdethe stille the bille with the righte cause. And therfore men comen from fer contrees to have juggement of doutable causes: and other juggement usen thei non there. Also the chirche, where seynt Thomas lythe, is bothe gret and fair, and alle fulle of grete simulacres: and tho ben grete ymages, that thei clepen here goddes; of the whiche, the leste is als gret as 2 men. And among theise othere, there is a gret ymage, more than ony of the othere, that is alle covered with fyn gold and precyous stones and riche perles: and that ydole is the god of false Cristene, that han reneyed hire feythe. And it syttethe in a chayere of gold, fulle nobely arrayed; and he hathe aboute his necke large gyrdles, wroughte of gold and precyous stones and perles. And this chirche is fulle richely wroughte, and alle over gylt with inne. And to that ydole gon men on pylgrimage, als comounly and with als gret devocioun, as Cristene men gon to seynt James, or other holy pilgrimages. And many folk that comen fro fer londes, to seche that ydole, for the gret devocyoun that thei han, thei loken nevere upward, but evere more down to the erthe, for drede to see ony thing aboute hem, that scholde lette hem of here devocyoun. And summe ther ben, that gon on pilgrimage to this ydole, that beren knyfes in hire hondes, that ben made fulle kene and scharpe; and alle weyes, as thei gon, thei smyten hem self in here armes and in here legges and in here thyes, with many hydouse woundes; and so thei scheden here blood, for love of that ydole. And thei seyn that he is blessed and holy, that dyethe so for love of his God. And othere there ben, that leden hire children, for to sle, to make sacrifise to that ydole; and aftre thei han slayn hem, thei spryngen the blood upon the ydole. And summe ther ben, that comme fro ferr, and in goynge toward this ydole, at every thrydde pas, that thei gon fro here hows, thei knelen; and so contynuen tille thei come thidre: and whan thei comen there, thei taken ensense and other aromatyk thinges of noble smelle, and sensen the ydole, as we wolde don here Goddes precyouse body. And so comen folk to worschipe this ydole, sum fro an hundred myle, and summe fro many mo. And before the mynstre of this ydole, is a vyvere, in rmaner of a gret lake, fulle of watre: and there in pilgrymes casten gold and sylver, perles and precyous stones, with outen nombre, in stede of offrynges. And whan the mynystres of that chirche neden to maken ony reparacyoun of the chirche or of ony of the ydoles, thei taken gold and silver, perles and precyous stones out of the vyvere, to quyten the costages of suche thing as thei maken or reparen; so that no thing is fawty, but anon it schalle ben amended. And zee schulle undirstonde, that whan grete festes and solempnytees of that ydole, as the dedicacioun of the chirche, and the thronynge of the ydole bethe, alle the contree aboute meten there to gidere; and thei setten this ydole upon a chare with gret reverence, wel arrayed with clothes of gold, of riche clothes of Tartarye, of Camacca, and other precyous clothes; and thei leden him aboute the cytee with gret solempnytee. And before the chare, gon first in processioun alle the maydenes of the contree, 2 and 2 to gidere, fulle ordynatly. And aftre tho maydenes, gon the pilgrymes. And summe of hem falle doun undre the wheles of the chare, and lat the chare gon over hem; so that thei ben dede anon. And summe han here armes or here lymes alle to broken, and summe the sydes: and alle this don thei for love of hire god, in gret devocioun. And he thinkethe, that the more peyne and the more tribulacioun, that thei suffren for love of here god, the more ioye thei schulle have in another world. And schortly to seye zou; thei suffren so grete peynes and so harde martyrdomes, for love of here ydole, that a Cristene man, I trowe, durst not taken upon him the tenthe part of the peyne, for love of oure Lord Jhesu Crist. And aftre, I seye zou, before the chare, gon alle the mynstrelles of the contrey, with outen nombre, with dyverse instrumentes; and thei maken alle the melodye, that thei cone. And whan thei han gon alle aboute the cytee, thanne thei retournen azen to the mynstre, and putten the ydole azen in to his place. And thanne, for the love and in worschipe of that ydole, and for the reverence of the feste, thei slen himself, a 200 or 300 persones, with scharpe knyfes, of the whiche thei bryngen the bodyes before the ydole; and than thei seyn, that tho ben seyntes, because that thei slowen hemself of here owne gode wille, for love of here ydole. And as men here, that hadde an holy seynt of his kyn, wolde thinke, that it were to hem an highe worschipe, right so hem thinkethe there. And as men here devoutly wolde writen holy seyntes lyfes and here myracles, and sewen for here canonizaciouns, righte so don thei there, for hem that sleen hem self wilfully, for love of here ydole; and seyn, that thei ben gloriouse martyres and seyntes, and putten hem in here wrytynges and letanyes, and avaunten hem gretly on to another of here holy kynnesmen; that so becomen seyntes; and seyn, I have mo holy seyntes in my kynrede, than thou in thin. And the custome also there is this, that whan thei that han such devocioun and entent, for to sle him self, for love of his god, thei senden for alle here frendes, and han gret plentee of mynstrelle, and thei gon before the ydole ledynge him, that wil sle himself for such devocioun, betwene hem with gret reverence. And he alle naked hath a ful scharp knyf in his hond, and he cuttethe a gret pece of his flesche and castethe it in the face of his ydole, seyenge his orysounes, recommendynge him to his god: and than he smytethe himself, and makethe grete woundes and depe here and there, tille he falle doun ded. And than his frendes presenten his body to the ydole: and than thei seyn, syngynge, Holy God, behold what thi trewe servant hath don for the; he hathe forsaken his wif and his children and his ricchesse and alle the godes of the worlde and his owne lyf, for the love of the, and to make the sacrifise of his flesche and of his blode. Wherfore, Holy God, putte him among thi beste belovede seyntes in thi blisse of paradys: for he hathe well disserved it. And than thei maken a gret fuyr, and brennen the body: and thanne everyche of his frendes taken a quantyte of the assches, and kepen hem in stede of relykes, and seyn, that it is a holy thing. And thei have no drede of no perile, whils thei han tho holy assches upon hem. And thei putten his name in here letanyes, as a seynt.
Of the evylle Customs used in the Yle of Lamary: and how the Erthe and the See ben of round Forme and schapp, be pref of the Sterre, that is clept Antartyk, that is fix in the Southe.
[Sidenote: Chap. XVII.] Fro that contree go men be the see occean, and be many dyverse yles, and be many contrees, that were to longe for to telle of. And a 52 iorneyes fro this lond, that I have spoken of, there is another lond, that is fulle gret, that men clepen Lamary. In that lond is fulle gret hete: and the custom there is such, that men and wommen gon alle naked. And thei scornen, whan thei seen ony strange folk goynge clothed. And thei seyn, that God made Adam and Eve alle naked; and that no man scholde schame, that is of kyndely nature. And thei seyn, that thei that ben clothed ben folk of another world, or thei ben folk, that trowen not in God. And thei seyn, that thei beleeven in God, that formede the world, and that made Adam and Eve, and alle other thinges. And thei wedden there no wyfes: for all the wommen there ben commoun, and thei forsake no man. And thei seyn, thei synnen, zif thei refusen ony man: and so God commannded to Adam and Eve, and to alle that comen of him, whan he seyde, _Crescite et multiplicamini, et replete terram_. And therfore may no man in that contree seyn, this is my wyf: ne no womman may seye, this is myn husbonde. And whan thei han children, thei may zeven hem to what man thei wole, that hathe companyed with hem. And also all the lond is comoun: for alle that a man holdethe o zeer, another man hathe it another zeer. And every man takethe what part that him lykthe. And also alle the godes of the lond ben comoun, cornes and alle other thinges: for no thing there is clept in clos, ne no thing there is undur lok; and every man there takethe what he wole, with outen ony contradiccioun: and als riche is o man there, as is another. But in that contree, there is a cursed custom: for thei eten more gladly mannes flesche, than ony other flesche: and zit is that contree habundant of flesche, of fissche, of cornes, of gold and sylver, and of alle other godes. Thidre gone Marchauntes, and bryngen with hem children, to selle to hem of the contree, and thei byzen hem: and zif thei ben fatte, thei eten hem anon; and zif thei ben lene, thei feden hem, tille thei ben fatte, and thanne thei eten hem: and thei seyn, that it is the best flesche and the swettest of alle the world. In that lond, ne in many othere bezonde that, no man may see the sterre transmontane, that is clept the sterre of the see, that is unmevable, and that is toward the northe, that we clepen the lode sterre. But men seen another steere, the contrarie to him, that is toward the south, that is clept Antartyk. And right as the schip men taken here avys here, and governe hem be the lode sterre, right so don schip men bezonde the parties, be the sterre of the southe, the whiche sterre apperethe not to us. And this sterre, that is toward the north, that wee clepen the lode sterre, ne apperethe not to hem. For whiche cause, men may wel perceyve, that the lond and the see ben of rownde schapp and forme. For the partie of the firmament schewethe in o contree, that schewethe not in another contree. And men may well preven be experience and sotyle compassement of wytt, that zif a man fond passages be schippes, that wolde go to serchen the world, MEN MYGHTE GO BE SCHIPPE ALLE ABOUTE THE WORLD, and aboven and benethen. The whiche thing I prove thus, aftre that I have seyn. For I have ben toward the parties of Braban, and beholden the astrolabre, that the sterre that is clept the Transmontayne, is 53 degrees highe. And more forthere in Almayne and Bewme, it hathe 58 degrees. And more forthe toward the parties septemtrioneles, it is 62 degrees of heghte, and certeyn mynutes. For I my self have mesured it by the astrolabre. Now schulle ze knowe, that azen the Transmontayne, is the tother sterre, that is clept Antartyke; as I have seyd before. And tho 2 sterres ne meeven nevere. And be hem turnethe alle the firmament, righte as dothe a wheel, that turnethe be his axille tree; so that tho sterres beren the firmament in 2 egalle parties; so that it hathe als mochel aboven, as it hathe benethen. Aftre this, I have gon toward the parties meridionales, that is toward the southe: and I have founden, that in Lybye, men seen first the sterre Antartyk. And so fer I have gon more forthe in tho contrees, that I have founde that sterre more highe; so that toward the highe Lybye, it is 18 degrees of heghte, and certeyn minutes (of the whiche, 60 minutes maken a degree). After goynge be see and be londe, toward this contree, of that I have spoke, and to other yles and londes bezonde that contree, I have founden the sterre Antartyk of 33 degrees of heghte, and mo mynutes. And zif I hadde had companye and schippynge, for to go more bezonde, I trowe wel in certeyn, that wee scholde have seen alle the roundnesse of the firmament alle aboute. For as I have seyd zou be forn, the half of the firmament is betwene tho 2 sterres: the whiche halfondelle I have seyn. And of the tother halfondelle, I have seyn toward the north, undre Transmontane 62 degrees and 10 mynutes; and toward the partie meridionalle, I have seen undre the Antartyk 33 degrees and 16 mynutes: and thanne the halfondelle of the firmament in alle, ne holdethe not but 180 degrees. And of tho 180, I have seen 62 on that o part, and 33 on that other part, that ben 95 degrees, and nyghe the halfondelle of a degree; and so there ne faylethe but that I have seen alle the firmament, saf 84 degrees and the halfondelle of a degree; and that is not the fourthe part of the firmament. For the 4 partie of the roundnesse of the firmament holt 90 degrees: so there faylethe but 5 degrees and an half, of the fourthe partie. And also I have seen the 3 parties of alle the roundnesse of the firmament, and more zit 5 degrees and an half. Be the which I seye zou certeynly, that men may envirowne alle the erthe of alle the world, as wel undre as aboven, and turnen azen to his contree, that hadde companye and schippynge and conduyt: and alle weyes he scholde fynde men, londes, and yles, als wel as in this contree. For zee wyten welle, that thei that ben toward the Antartyk, thei ben streghte, feet azen feet of hem, that dwellen undre the transmontane; als wel as wee and thei that dwellyn undre us, ben feet azenst feet. For alle the parties of see and of lond han here appositees, habitable or trepassables, and thei of this half and bezond half. And wytethe wel, that aftre that, that I may parceyve and comprehend, the londes of Pestre John, Emperour of Ynde, ben undre us. For in goynge from Scotland or from England toward Jerusalem, men gon upward alweys. For oure lond is in the lowe partie of the erthe, toward the west: and the lond of Prestre John is the lowe partie of the erthe, toward the est: and thei han there the day, whan wee have the nyghte, and also highe to the contrarie, thei han the nyghte, whan wee han the day. For the erthe and the see ben of round form and schapp, as I have seyd beforn. And that that men gon upward to o cost, men gon dounward to another cost. Also zee have herd me seye, that Jerusalem is in the myddes of the world; and that may men preven and schewen there, be a spere, that is pighte in to the erthe, upon the hour of mydday, whan it is equenoxium, that schewethe no schadwe on no syde. And that it scholde ben in the myddes of the world, David wytnessethe it in the psautre, where he seythe, Des operatus est salutem in medie Terre. Thanne thei that parten fro the parties of the west, for to go toward Jerusalem, als many iorneyes as thei gon upward for to go thidre, in als many iorneyes may thei gon fro Jerusalem unto other confynyes of the superficialtie of the erthe bezonde. And whan men gon bezonde tho iourneyes, toward Ynde and to the foreyn yles, alle is envyronynge the roundnesse of this erthe and of the see, undre oure contrees on this half. And therfore hathe it befallen many tymes of o thing, that I have herd cownted, whan I was zong; how a worthi man departed somtyme from oure contrees, for to go serche the world. And so he passed Ynde, and the yles bezonde Ynde, where ben mo than 5000 yles: and so longe he wente be see and lond, and so enviround the world be many seysons, that he fond an yle, where he herde speke his owne langage, callynge an oxen in the plowghe, suche wordes as men speken to bestes in his owne contree: whereof he hadde gret mervayle: for he knewe not how it myghte be. But I seye, that he had gon so longe, be londe and be see, that he had envyround alle the erthe, that he was comen azen envirounynge, that is to seye, goynge aboute, unto his owne marches, zif he wolde have passed forthe, til he had founden his contree and his owne knouleche. Bur he turned azen from thens, from whens he was come fro; and so he loste moche peynefulle labour, as him self seyde, a gret while aftre, that he was comen hom. For it befelle aftre, that he wente in to Norweye; and there tempest of the see toke him; and he arryved in an yle; and whan he was in that yle, he knew wel, that it was the yle, where he had herd speke his owne langage before, and the callynge of the oxen at the plowghe: and that was possible thinge. But how it semethe to symplemen unlerned, that men ne mowe not go undre the erthe, and also that men scholde falle toward the hevene, from undre! But that may not be, upon lesse, than wee mowe falle toward hevene, fro the erthe, where wee ben. For fro what partie of the erthe, that men duelle, outher aboven or benethen, it semethe alweys to hem that duellen, that thei gon more righte than ony other folk. And righte as it semethe to us, that thei ben undre us, righte so it semethe hem, that wee ben undre hem. For zif a man myghte falle fro the erthe unto the firmament: be grettere resoun, the erthe and the see, that ben so grete and so hevy, scholde fallen to the firmament: but that may not be: and therfore seithe oure Lord God, _Non timeas me, qui suspendi Terram ex nichilo?_ And alle be it that it be possible thing, that men may so envyrone alle the world, natheles of a 1000 persones, on ne myghte not happen to returnen in to his contree. For, for the gretnesse of the erthe and of the see, men may go be a 1000 and a 1000 other weyes, that no man cowde redye him perfitely toward the parties that he cam fro, but zif it were be aventure and happ, or be the grace of God. For the erthe is fulle large and fulle gret, and holt in roundnesse and aboute envyroun, be aboven and be benethen 20425 myles, aftre the opynyoun of the olde wise astronomeres. And here seyenges I repreve noughte. But aftre my lytylle wytt, it semethe me, savynge here reverence, that it is more. And for to have bettere understondynge, I seye thus, Be ther ymagyned a figure, that hathe a gret compas, and aboute the poynt of the gret compas, that is clept the centre, be made another litille compas: then aftre, be the gret compas devised be lines in manye parties; and that alle the lynes meeten at the centre; so that in as many parties, as the grete compas schal be departed, in als manye schalle be departed the litille, that is aboute the centre, alle be it that the spaces ben lesse. Now thanne, be the gret compas represented for the firmament, and the litille compas represented for the erthe. Now thanne the firmament is devysed, be astronomeres, in 12 signes; and every signe is devysed in 30 degrees, that is 360 degrees, that the firmament hathe aboven. Also, be the erthe devysed in als many parties as the firmament; and lat every partye answere to a degree of the firmament: and wytethe it wel, that aftre the auctoures of astronomye, 700 fulonges of erthe answeren to a degree of the firmament; and tho ben 87 myles and 4 furlonges. Now be that here multiplyed by 360 sithes; and than thei ben 31500 myles, every of 8 furlonges, aftre myles of oure contree. So moche hathe the erthe in roundnesse, and of heght enviroun, aftre myn opynyoun and myn undirstondynge. And zee schulle undirstonde, that aftre the opynyoun of olde wise philosophres and astronomeres, oure contree ne Irelond ne Wales ne Scotlond ne Norweye ne the other yles costynge to hem, ne ben not in the superficialte cownted aboven the erthe: as it schewethe be alle the bokes of astronomye. For the superficialtee of the erthe is departed in 7 parties, for the 7 planetes: and tho parties ben clept clymates. And oure parties be not of the 7 clymates; for thei ben descendynge toward the west. And also these yles of Ynde, which beth even azenst us, beth noght reckned in the climates; for thei ben azenst us, that ben in the lowe contree. And the 7 clymates strecchen hem envyrounynge the world.
Of the Palays of the Kyng of the Yle of Java. Of the Trees, that beren Mele, Hony, Wyn and Venym; and of othere Mervayilles and Customes, used in the Yles marchinge thereabouten.
[Sidenote: Cap. XVIII.] Besyde that yle that I have spoken of, there is another yle, that is clept Sumobor, that is a gret yle: and the kyng thereof is righte myghty. The folk of that yle maken hem alweys to ben marked in the visage with an hote yren, bothe men and wommen, for gret noblesse, for to ben knowen from other folk. For thei holden hem self most noble and most worthi of alle the world. And thei han werre alle weys with the folk that gon alle naked. And faste besyde is another yle, that is clept Betemga, that is a gode yle and a plentyfous. And many other yles ben there about; where ther ben many of dyverse folk: of the whiche it were to longe to speke of alle.
But fast besyde that yle, for to passe be see, is a gret yle a gret contree, that men clepen Java: and it is nyghe 2000 myle in circuyt. And the kyng of that contree is a fulle gret lord and a ryche and a myghty, and hathe undre him 7 other kynges of 7 other yles abouten hym. This yle is fulle wel inhabyted, and fulle wel manned. There growen alle maner of spicerie, more plentyfous liche than in ony other contree; as of gyngevere, clowegylofres, canelle, zedewalle, notemuges and maces. And wytethe wel, that the notemuge berethe the maces. For righte as the note of the haselle hathe an husk with outen, that the note is closed in, til it be ripe, and aftre fallethe out; righte so it is of the notemuge and of the maces. Manye other spices and many other godes growen in that yle. For of alle thing is there plenty, saf only of wyn: but there is gold and silver gret plentee. And the kyng of that contree hathe a paleys fulle noble and fulle marveyllous, and more riche than ony in the world. For alle the degrez to gon up into halles and chambres, ben on of gold, another of sylver. And also the pavmentes of halles and chambres ben alle square, on of gold and another of sylver: and alle the walles with inne ben covered with gold and sylver, in fyn plates: and in tho plates ben stories and batayles of knyghtes enleved. And the crounes and the cercles abouten here hedes ben made of precious stones and riche perles and grete. And the halles and the chambres of the palays ben alle covered with inne with gold and sylver: so that no man wolde trowe the richesse of that palays, but he had seen it. And witethe wel, that the kyng of that yle is so myghty, that he hathe many tymes overcomen the grete Cane of Cathay in bataylle, that is the most gret emperour that is undre the firmament, outher bezonde the see or on this half. For thei han had often tyme werre betwene hem, be cause that the grete cane wolde constreynen him to holden his lond of him: but that other at alle tymes defendethe him wel azenst him.
Aftre that yle, in goynge be see, men fynden another yle, gode and gret, that men clepen Pathen, that is a gret kyngdom, fulle of faire cytees and fulle of townes. In that lond growen trees, that beren mele, wherof men maken gode bred and white, and of gode savour; and it semethe as it were of whete, but it is not allynges of suche savour. And there ben other trees, that beren hony, gode and swete: and other trees, that beren venym; azenst the whiche there is no medicyne but on; and that is to taken here propre leves, and stampe hem and tempere hem with watre, and then drynke it: and elle he schalle dye; for triacle will not avaylle, ne non other medicyne. Of this venym, the Jewes had let seche of on of here frendes, for to empoysone alle Cristiantee, as I have herd hem seye in here confessioun, before here dyenge. But thanked be alle myghty God, thei fayleden of hire purpos: but alle weys thei maken gret mortalitee of people. And other trees there ben also, that beren wyn of noble sentement. And zif zou like to here how the mele comethe out of the trees, I shalle seye zou. Men hewen the trees with an hatchet, alle aboute the fote of the tree, tille that the bark be parted in many parties; and than comethe out ther of a thikke lykour, the whiche thei resceyven in vesselles, and dryen it at the hete of the sonne; and than thei han it to a mylle to grynde; and it becomethe faire mele and white. And the hony and the wyn and the venym ben drawen out of other trees, in the same manere, and put in veselles for to kepe. In that yle is a ded see, that is a lake, that hathe no ground. And zif ony thing falle in to that lake, it schalle nevere comen up azen. In that lake growen redes, that ben cannes, that thei clepen thaby, that ben 30 fadme long. And of theise canes men maken faire houses. And ther ben other canes, that ben not so longe, that growen neer the lond, and han so longe rotes, that duren wel a 4 quartres of a furlong or more; and at the knottes of tho rotes, men fynden precious stones, that han gret vertues: and he that berethe ony of hem upon him, yren ne steel ne may not hurt him, ne drawe no blood upon him: and therfore thei that han tho stones upon hem, fighten fulle hardyly, bothe on see and lond: for men may not harmen hem on no partye. And therfore thei that knowen the manere, and schulle fighten with hem, thei schoten to hem arwes and quarrelles with outen yren or steel; and so thei hurten hem and sleen hem. And also of tho cannes, thei maken houses and schippes and other thinges; as wee han here, makynge houses and schippes of oke or of ony other trees. And deme no man, that I seye it, but for a truffulle: for I have seen of the cannes with myn owne eyzen fulle many tymes lyggynge upon the ryvere of that lake: of the whiche, 20 of oure felowes ne myghten not liften up ne beren on to the erthe.
Aftre this yle, men gon be see to another yle, that is clept Calonak: and it is a fair lond and a plentifous of godes. And the kyng of that contrey hath als many wyfes as he wole; for he makethe serche alle the contree, to geten him the fairest maydens that may ben founde, and makethe hem to ben broughte before him; and he takethe on o nyght, and another another nyght, and so forthe contynuelle sewyng; so that he hath a 1000 wyfes or mo. And he liggethe never but o nyght with on of hem, and another nyght with another, but zif that on happene to ben more lusty to his plesance than another. And therfore the kyng getethe fully many children; sum tyme an 100, sum tyme an 200, and sum tyme mo. And he hathe also into a 14000 olifauntz or mo, that he makethe for to ben brought up amonges his vileynes, be alle his townes. For in cas that he had ony werre azenst any other kyng aboute him, thanne he makethe certeyn men of armes for to gon up in to the castelles of tree, made for the werre, that craftily ben sett up on the olifantes bakkes, for to fyghten azen hire enemyes: and so don other kynges there aboute. For the maner of werre is not there, as it is here or in other contrees; ne the ordinance of werre nouther. And men clepen the olifantes, warkes.
And in that yle there is a gret marvayle, more to speke of than in ony other partie of the world. For alle manere of fissches, that ben there in the see abouten hem, comen ones in the zeer, eche manere of dyverse fissches, on maner of kynde aftre other; and thei casten hem self to the see banke of that yle, so gret plentee and multitude, that no man may unnethe see but fissche; and there thei abyden 3 dayes: and every man of the contree takethe of hem, als many as him lykethe: And aftre, that maner of fissche, after the thridde day, departethe and gothe into the see. And aftre hem, comen another multitude of fyssche of another kynde, and don in the same maner as the firste diden other 3 dayes. And aftre hem, another; tille alle the dyverse maner of fissches han ben there, and that men han taken of hem, that hem lykethe. And no man knowethe the cause wherfore it may ben. But thei of the contree seyn, that it is for to do reverence to here kyng, that is the most worthi kyng, that is in the world, as thei seyn; because that he fulfillethe the comandement, that God bad to Adam and Eve, whan God seyde, Crescite et multplicamini et replete terram. And for because that he multipliethe so the world with children, therfore God sendethe him so the fissches of dyverse kyndes, of alle that ben in the see, to taken at his wille, for him and alle his peple. And therfore alle the fissches of the see comen, to maken him homage, as the most noble and excellent kyng of the world, and that is best beloved with God, als thei seyn. I knowe not the resoun, whi it is; but God knowethe. But this, me semethe, is the moste marveylle, that evere I saughe. For this mervaylle is azenst kynde, and not with kynde, that the fissches, that han fredom to enviroun alle the costes of the see, at here owne list, comen of hire owne wille to profren hem to the dethe, with outen constreynynge of man: and therfore I am syker, that this may not ben, with outen a gret tokene.
There ben also in that contree a kynde of snayles, that ben so grete, that many persones may loggen hem in here schelles, as men wolde done in a litylle hous. And other snayles there ben, that ben fulle grete, but not so huge as the other. And of theise snayles, and of gret white wormes, that han blake hedes, that ben als grete as a mannes thighe, and somme lesse, as grete wormes that men fynden there in wodes, men maken vyaunde rialle, for the kyng and for other grete lordes. And zif a man, that is maryed, dye in that contree, men buryen his wif with him all quyk. For men seyn there, that it is resoun, that sche make him companye in that other world, as sche did in this.
CAPVT. 30.
De Regnis Cynocephalorum, et alijs Insulis.
Per mare oceanum potest hinc veniri in Insulam Kaffa: [Marginal note: Vel Caffeles.] quicunque ibi infirmari videtur ad mortem, suspenditur ad arborem, antequam moriatur, vt non ab immundis terræ vermibus, sed a coeli auibus, quas reputant Dei Angelos, comedatur.
In alia insula faciunt suos infirmos ante mortem ab eductis in hoc magnis canibus strangulari, manducantes in conuiuio carnes pro optimo ferculo venationis.
Interpositis quoque multis Insulis, de quibus subticeo gratia breuitatis, habetur Insula Mylke, [Marginal note: Vel Mekke.] et hij videntur omnium hominum crudelissimi; Nam quilibet particularitèr pro leui et modica stimulatione, vulnerat, sauciat, et occidit, proximum, vicinum et amicum: Et si quando dissidentes contigerit concordari, non habebitur pax rata, nisi quisque de alterius sanguine biberit bonum haustum.
Hinc nauigando per multas et diuersas Insulas, qui in singulas intrare, et moram trahere voluerit, stupenda multa videbit, et poterit venire in Insulam Tracoide. [Marginal Note: Vel Traceda.]
Illic sunt homines àbsque vllo ingenio penitus bestiales, serpentibus, vermibusque vescentes, nec inuicem loquentes, sed conceptus suos signis et indicijs ostendentes. Diligunt preciosos lapides tantummodo pulchritudinis gratia, non causa virtutis: et super omnes vnum diligunt lapidem habentem 60. colorum varietates, qui et Tracoides vocatur propter ipsos.
Intratur hinc per Oceanum in regionem Niconoram, vel Nacumeram, habentem in circuitu spacium mille leucarum: omnes ibi geniti homines habent capita ad formam canum, vnde et in Græco Cynocephali dicuntur. Isti etiam incedunt nudis corporibus, excepto parui panniculi operimento, secretiora loca et posteriora retro tegente. Rationabiles tamen multum sunt hij, et plurimum virtuosi, ac de omni forefacto rigidam iustitiam exercentes. Sunt statura elegantes, robusti corpore, in prælijs lanceam cum tergia lata gerentes, virilitérque, et prudentèr pugnantes. Omnes pro deo adorant bouem, vnde et quilibet in fronte argenteam seu auream similitudinem bouis defert, et si quem viuum in prælio ceperint, sine vlla miseratione manducant.
Rex multum est diues et potens, ac deuotus in superstitione. Nam circa collum gestat trecentas orientales margaritas, quibus quotidiè antè commestionem orationes suas colligit, quemadmodum nos colligimus, Pater noster, etc. Ac præterea portat ad collum [Marginal note: Siue carbunculum.] rubetum orientalem, nobilem, purum, pulchrum, resplendentem, et summè preciosum, ad longitudinem pedis humani, quem habet diligentèr seruare, quod dum eo caret non tenetur pro Rege.
Pro isto carbunculo Grand Can Imperator, per ingenium, per insidias, per precium, et per prælium sæpè laborauit, sed nihil profecit. Post istam apparet insula Syllan, habens leucas de circuitu 80. quæ paucos habet homines propter multitudinem draconum, serpentum, crocodilorum in ea. Sunt autem crocodili speciales serpentes, coloris virgulati de croceo et nigro, cum quatuor cruribus, et tibijs et latis pedum vngulis. Aliqui horum habent longitudinem quínque tensarum, aut citrà, qui dum tendunt per arenosa relinquunt signum semitæ, acsi sit ibi tractus grandis arboris truncus.
Item in hac insula habetur nons altus, et in sui vertice satis altus et distentus et magnus aquæ lacus, de quo et stulti homines fabulantur, quòd primi parentes post eiectionem suam, illam aquam primò lacrymauerunt. In huius fundo lacus nascuntur margaritæ, et habentur semper lapides preciosi. Solentque pauperes terræ, accepta à Rege licentia, semel in anno ingredi, ac piscari gemmas, qui intrantes vngunt se succo Lymonsæ, contra hirudines, colubros, et serpentes. Sed et de lacu effluit riuulus per montis descensum, in quo nonnunquam margaritæ inueniuntur, et gemmæ: dicunt etiam ibi nullum venenatum animal nocere aduenis.
Ibi videntur leones albi in mira magnitudine boum nostrorum, et multæ diuersæ bestiæ, et aues, bestiolæ, et auiculæ aliarum specierum quàm in partibus istis. Nam ibi et in nonnullis alijs insulis vidi vnum mirum, de quo prius vix credidissem narranti, videlicet anates cum duobus capitibus.
Et sciatis quòd tam hic quam alibi mare apparet satis altius suo littore, imo qui a remotis aspicit videt suspensum quasi ad nubes. Et de hoc admiratus fuissem, nisi quod scriptum sciui mirabiles elationes maris.
CAPVT. 31.
De multis alijs Insulis Meridionalibus, de quibus et Plinius, et Munsterus.
Versus meridien hinc legendo per mare, inuenitur regio speciosa nomine Doudin: [Marginal note: Vel Doudeia.] cuius rex imperat seu principatur 54. regibus in circuitu insularum.
Dum quis hic infirmatur tendit proximus ad Idolum sciscitans an morietur, et si respondit non, addit et dicere medicinam qua curabitur: si autem responderit moriturum, statim conuocatis amicis occiditur, et cum symphonia, et solemnitate comedunt eius carnes, ossa tantummodò sepelientes. In Insulis verò circumiacentibus, habentur incredibilitèr diuersæ gentes. Nam vna habet homines enormis magnitudinis, cum solo in medio frontis oculo, qui absque vllo condimento manducant carnes et pisces.
Alia Insula habet homines aspectu deformes, nihil autem colli aut capitis ostendentes, vnde et Acephali nuncupantur: oculos autem habent ante ad scapulas, et in loco pectoris os apertum ad formam ferri, quo nostri caballi frænantur.
In alia Insula sunt gentes planis faciebus absque eleuatione nasorum, et palpebratum cum paruis foraminibus oculorum, et scissura modica oris. Et in alia gentes cum superiore oris labio ita lato et amplo, vt, dum velint, totam faciem de illo tegant.
Alia generat homines paruæ saturæ cum oris foramine sic paruo, vt per fistulas alimentum, et potum sumant, et quoniam carent lingua et dentibus, monstrant per naturalia signa conceptus. Et aliqui sunt homines debitæ quidem staturæ, et formæ, nisi quòd habent pedes equínos, quibus ita sunt præpetes, vt syluestres bestias capiant, quas comedunt, et manducant.
In alia homines sunt toti pilosi et hispidi, vsu simiarum manibus et pedibus ambulantes, et ad arbores reptantes, qui quamuis non loquuntur, apparent rationabiles, qui regem habent, et rectores.
Et in alia omnes sunt claudi, qui quamuis pedes habeant, tamen ambulant super genua multum ridiculosè, imò miserabiliter, vt de passu in passum videantur casuri in terrem. Et in quadam, sexum tam masculinum, quàm foeminieum habentes, qui dum masculino vtuntur generant, dum foeminino, impregnantur et pariunt. Atque, in compendio multa concludam, in singulis 54. insularum inueniuntur homines, forma, statura, actibus et moribus singulis ab inuicem differentes, de quibus potest fieri descriptio, quam pertranseo gratia breuitatis, et causa incredulitatis fortè quorundum audientium.
In istis autem meridionalibus partibus apparebat mihi eleuatio poli Antarctici 33. graduum, cum 16. minutis. Et sciendum quod in Bohemia, similitèr in Anglia eleuatur polus Arcticus 52. gradibus vel citra: Et in partibus magis septentrionalibus, vbi sunt Scoti 62. gradibus cum quatuor minutis. Ex quo patet respiciendo ad latitudinem coeli, quæ est de polo ad polum, quod itineratio mea fuit per quartum Horizontis spheræ terræ et vltra, per quinque gradus, cum 20. minutis. Cum ergò secundum Astrologos, totus terræ circuitus sit 31500. milliarium, octo stadijs pro milliario computatis, et septinginta stadia respondeant ad vnum gradum, quod patet ad latitudinem terræ, perambulaui 66733. stadia cum vno tertio, quæ faciunt 4170. leucas Geometricas cum dimidia vel propè.
CAPVT. 32.
De bona Regione Man chus. [Footnote: Mangi.]
Cum igitur tot et talsa in istis Insulis vidimus monstra (quæ si explicarem scribendo vix à legentibus omnia crederentur) non curauimus vlterius procedere sub polo australi, ne in maiora pericula incideremus: sed proptèr auditam et inuisam nobis famositatem potentiæ, nobilitatis, et gloriæ Imperatoris Tartarorum, vertebam faciem cum socijs nauigare magis versus Orientem. Cumque per multas diætas sustinuissemus multa pericula maris, peruenimus in Regnum Manchus, [Marginal Note: Vel Mangi.] quod est in confinibus superioris Indiæ, et iungitur ab vna parte Tartariæ. Hæc Regio Manchus, pro sui quantitate reputatur melior, delectabilior, et omnium bonorum abundantior de cunctis ibi propè Regionibus. Nam et homines bestiæ, et volucres maiores et corpulentiores sunt alijs, et præ vbertate vix inuenirentur in vna ciuitate decem mendici. Formosi sunt viri, sed feminæ formosiores. Sed viri loco barbæ, habent perpaucos pilos, rigidos, et longos ab vtraque oris parte, quemadmodum nostros videmus cattos habere.
Prima quam ingrediebaumer ciuitàs est Lachori, [Marginal Note: Siue Lateryn.] distans vna dieta à mari, et mirabamur, et gauisi sumus nos inuenisse integram ciuitatem Christianæ fidei. Nam et maior pars Regni credit in Christum.
Ibi habetur in leui precio copia rerum omnium, et præcipuè victualium: vnum genus est ibi serpentum in abundantia quod manducant ad omne conuiuium, et nisi pro finali ferculo ministraretur de illis serpentibus, conuiuium quàm modicum diceretur.
Suntque per hoc regnum pleræque ciuitates et Ecclesiæ, et relligiones, quas instituit dux Ogerus, quia hoc est vnum de quindecim regnis quæ quæsiuit, sicut infra dicetur.
Illic sunt elegantes albæ gallinæ, quæ non vestiuntur plumis vt nostraæ, sed optima lana. Canes aquatici, quos nos lutras nominamus, sunt ibi multi edomiti, quòd quoties mittuntur in flumen, exportant domino piscem.
Ab hoc loco per aliquas diætas, venitur ad huius regionis maximam vrbem Cansay, hoc est dicere ciuitatem coeli, imo de vniuerso orbe terrarum putatur hæc maxima Ciuitatum; nam eius circuitus 50. leucis est mensus, nec est facile dicere, quàm, compressè a quamplurimis populis inhabitatur. Hæc sedet in lacu maris, quemadmodum, et Venetiæ: et habentur in ea plures quàm mille ducenti pontes, et in quolibet turres miræ magnitudinis, ac fortitudinis, munitæ peruigíli custodia, et pro vrbe tuenda contra Imperatorem Grand Can.
Multi sunt ibi Christiani, et multæ Religiones Christianorum, sed et de ordinibus Minorum, et prædicatorum, qui tamen ibi non mendicant; est magna pluralitas ex diuersis nationibus Mercatorum. Per Regionem nascitur vinum valdè bonum, quod appellatur Bigon. Et ad leucam extra ciuitatem, Abbatia magna est, non de religione Christiana sed Pagana: et in ea forrestum, siue hortus magnus vndíque circumclusus, consitus arboribus, et arbustis, in cuius etiam medio mons, altus simul et latus, habens hortum vbi solum inhabitant bestiolæ mirabiles, sicut Simiæ, marmotæ, Lanbon, papiones, foreti et huiusmodi ad varia et multa genera, et ad numerum infinitum.
Omni autem die post refectionem conuentus Abbatiæ, qui est valdè monachosus, deferuntur reliquiæ ciborum cum magno additamento, in vasis auro lucentibus ad hunc hortum: et ad sonitum campanæ argenteæ, quam Eleemosynarius manu gestat descendentes, et occurrentes de bestiolis duo millia aut plures sese componunt residere ad circulum more pauperum mendicorum, et traditur singulis per seruos aliquid de his cibarijs, ac denuò audita campana segregando recurrunt: Cumque nos tanquam redarguentes, diceremus, cur hæc non darentur egenis, responderunt, illic pauperes non habentur, quod si inuenirentur, potius tamen dari deberent bestiolis. Habet enim eorum perfidia, et Paganissimus, animas nobilium hominum post mortem ingredi corpora nobilium bestiarum, et animas ignobilium corpora bestiarum ignobilium et vilium, ad luenda videlicet crimina, donec peracta poenitentia transeant in Paradisum: ideoque nutriunt, prout dicunt, has nobiliores bestias, siue bestiolas, quòd a quibusdam nobilibus fundabatur in principio hæc Abbatia. Multa sunt alia mira in hac ciuitate, de quibus sciatis, quod non omnia vobis recitabo.
CAPVT. 33.
De Pygmæis, et de itinere vsque in prouinciam Cathay.
Eundo per Regionem eandem à dicta ciuitate Cansay, ad sex dietas venitur ad nobilem vrbem Tylenso, [Marginal Note: Vel Chezolo.] cuius muri per circuitum tendunt ad spacium 20. leucarum: [Marginal Note: Vel Miliarium.] et sunt 60. petrini pontes, quibus nullos memini pulchriores.
In ista fuit prima sedes regni Mangi, nec immeritò, cum sit munita, delectabilis, et abundans omnibus bonis, ac deinde in predicta Cansay, nunc autem tenetur in quadam alia ciuitate.
Nota, quilibet ignis soluit quolibet anno vnum balis pro tributo, quod valet vnum florenum cum dimidio, sed omnes famuli de domo vna pro vno igne computantur: summa ignium tributalium, octies centum millia. Reliqui verò Christiani mercatores, in isto vico non computantur. Copia est ibi victualium.
Quatuor fratres minores vnum potentem conuertebant apud quem hospitabar, et qui duxit me ad Abbatiam istam, ibi vidi scilicet quod hic narratur.
Ad fines itaque regni Mangi transitur grandis fluuius de Dylay, [Marginal note: Vel de Delay.] maius flumen mundi, vbi strictius est continet septem miliaria Odericus: cuius alueus in loco districtiori continet quatuor leucas. Et ex hoc in breui temporis spacio intratur Imperium Tartarorum, sequendo fluuium vsque in terram Pygmeorum, per cuius medium transit.
Hij Pygmei sunt homines statura breues ad longitudinem nostri brachij, seu trium manuum expansarum. Tam mares quam feminæ formosæ et gratiosæ, et viuunt communiter ad annos sex vel septem: si qui pertingunt ad octo, mire putantur senectutis. Ad dimidiam anni ætatem nubere possunt, in secundo anno parturiunt: rationalis sunt, et sensati iuxta ætatem pusillam, ac satis ingeniosi ad opera de serico, et de lana arboris. Frequentèr præliantur contra aues grandes patriæ, exercitibus congregatis hinc inde, et fit strages vtrimque. Hæc gens tam parua optimè operatur sericum et bombycem. Isti Pygmei venerunt mihi obuiam chorizando. Non laborant terram, prædia, seu vineas, sed morantur inter eos nostræ quantitatis homines, qui eos incolunt, sicut serui, quos et Pygmæi sæpè derident, quia sunt ipsis maiores: et quod ipse non cesso mirari dum dicti homines in illa terra generant vel pariunt, non crescit proles supra Pygmæi staturam: Insula non est protensa, sed fortè 12. ciuitatum. Quarum vna est grandis, et bene munita, et quam Grand Can facit cum fortibus armaturis curiosè seruari, contra regem Mangi.
Hinc proceditur per Imperium Grand Can, ad multas ciuitates, et villas morum mirabiliter diuersorum, vsque in regnum Iamchan, quod est vnum de 12. prouincijs maximis, quibus distinguitur totum Imperium Tartarorum.
Nobilior ciuitas huius Regni seu Prouinciæ dicitur Iamchan, abundans mercimonijs, et diuitijs infinitis, et multa præstans proprio Regi tributa, quoniam sicut illi de ciuitate fatentur, valet annuè regi quinquaginta milia cuman florenorum auri.
Nota. In Iamchan ciuitate est conuentus fratrum minorum: in hac sunt tres Ecclesiæ Monasteriorum: reditus simul ascendit ad 12. cuman. Odericus dixit, Vnus cuman est decem millium. Summa tributi annui, quinquaginta milia millium Florenorum. In illis namque partibus magnus numerorum summas estimant per cuman, numerum 10. millium qui et in Flamingo dicitur laste.
Ad quinque leucas ab hac ciuitate est alia dicta Meke, in qua fiunt de quodam albissimi genere ligni naues maxtimæ cum aulis et thalamis, ac multis ædificijs, tanquam Palatium tellure fundatum.
Inde per idem regnum ad viam octo dietarum per aquam dulcem, multas per ciuitates, et bonas villas, venimus Laucherim, [Marginal note: Siue Lanterin.] (Odericus appellat Leuyim,) vrbem formosam opumque magnarum, sitam super flumen magnum Cacameran. [Marginal note: Vel Caremoron.] Hoc flumen transit per medium Cathay, cui aqua infert damnum, quando nimis inundat, sicut palus in Ferraria, Mogus in Herbipoli: et illud sequentes intrauimus principalem prouinciam Imperij Tartariæ, dictam Cathay Calay: et ista prouincia est multum distenta, ac plena ciuitatibus, et oppidis bonis, et magnis omnibusque referta mercimonijs, maximè sericosis operibus, et aromaticis speciebus.
Nauigando per dictum flumen versus Orientem, et itinerando per hanc Cathay prouinciam ad multas dietas per plurimas vrbes et villas, venitur in ciuitatem Sugarmago, [Marginal note: Engarmago.] abundantiorem omnibus in mercemoniis antedictis, quando sericum est hic vilissimum: quadragintæ libræ habentur ibi pro decem florenis.
Ab hac ciuitate, multis ciuitatibtus peregratis versus Orientem, veni ad ciuitatem Cambalu, quæ est antiqua in prouincia Cathay: Hanc postquam Tartari ceperunt, ad dimidium miliare fecerunt vnam ciuitatem nomine Caydo, et habet duodecim portas, et à porta in portam duo sunt grossa miliaria Lombardica, spacium inter medium istarum ciuitatum habitatoribus plenum est, et circuitus cuiuslibet istarum ambit 60. miliaria Lombardica, quæ faciunt octo Teutonica.
In hac ciuitate Cambalu residet Imperator Magnus Can, Rex Regum terrestrium, et Dominus Dominorum terrestrium. Atque indè vlterius in Orientem intratur vetus vrbs Caydo, vbi communiter tenet suam sedem Imperialem Grand Can in suo palatio. Ambitus autem vrbis Caydo, est viginti ferè leucarum, duodecim habens portas à se distantes ampliùs quàm stadia 24.
The English Version.
From that contree, men gon be the see occean, be an yle that is clept Caffolos. Men of that contree, whan here frendes ben seke, thei hangen hem upon trees; and seyn, that it is bettre, that briddes, that ben angeles of God, eten hem, than the foule wormes of the erthe.
From that yle men gon to another yle, where the folk ben of fulle cursed kynde: for thei norysschen grete dogges, and techen hem to strangle here frendes, whan thei ben syke: for thei wil noughte, that thei dyen of kyndely dethe: for thei seyn, that thei scholde suffren to gret peyne, zif thei abyden to dyen be hem self, as nature wolde: and whan thei ben thus enstrangled, thei eten here flesche, in stede of venysoun.
Aftreward men gon be many yles be see, unto an yle, that men clepen Milke: and there is a fulle cursed peple: for thei delyten in ne thing more, than for to fighten and to sle men. And thei drynken gladlyest mannes blood, the whiche thei clepen dieu. And the mo men that a man may slee, the more worschipe he hathe amonges hem. And zif 2 persones ben at debate, and peraventure ben accorded be here frendes or be sumn of here alliance, it behovethe that every of hem, that schulle ben accorded, drynke of otheres blood: and elle the accord ne the alliance is noghte worthe, ne it schalle not be ne repref to him to breke the alliance and the accord, but zif every of hem drynke of otheres blood.
And from that yle, men gon be see, from yle to yle, unto an yle, that is clept Tracoda; where the folk of that contree ben as bestes and unresonable, and duellen in caves, that thei maken in the erthe; for thei have no wytt to maken hem houses. And whan thei seen ony man passynge thorghe here contrees, thei hyden hem in here caves. And thei eten flesche of serpentes; and thei eten but litille, and thei speken nought; but thei hissen, as serpentes don. And thei sette no prys be no richesse, but only of a precyous ston, that is amonges hem, that is of 60 coloures. And for the name of the yle, thei clepen it Tracodon. And thei loven more that ston, than ony thing elle: and zit thei knowe not the vertue thereof: but thei coveyten it and loven it only for the beautee.
Aftre that yle, men gon be the see occean, be many yles, unto an yle, that is clept Nacumera; that is a gret yle and good and fayr: and it is in kompas aboute, more than a 1000 myle. And alle the men and wommen of that yle han houndes hedes: and thei ben clept Cynocephali: and thei ben fulle resonable and of gode undirstondynge, saf that thei worschipen an ox for here god. And also everyche of hem berethe an ox of gold or of sylver in his forhed, in tokene that thei loven wel here god. And thei gon alle naked, saf a litylle clout, that thei coveren with here knees and hire membres. Thei ben grete folk and wel fyghtynge; and thei han a gret targe, that coverethe alle the body, and a spere in here hond to fighte with. And zif thei taken ony man in bataylle, anon thei eten him. The kyng of that yle is fulle riche and fulle myghty, and righte devout aftre his lawe: and he hathe abouten his nekke 360 perles oryent, gode and grete, and knotted, as Pater Nostres here of amber. And in maner as wee seyn oure Pater Noster and oure Ave Maria, cowntyng the Pater Nosters, right so this kyng seythe every day devoutly 300 preyeres to his god, or that he ete: and he berethe also aboute his nekke a rubye oryent, noble and fyn, that is a fote of lengthe, and fyve fyngres large. And whan thei chesen here kyng, thei taken him that rubye, to beren in his hond, and so thei leden him rydynge alle abouten the cytee. And fro thens fromward, thei ben alle obeyssant to him. And that rubye he schalle bere alle wey aboute his nekke: for zif he hadde not that rubye upon him, men wolde not holden him for kyng. The grete Cane of Cathay hathe gretly coveted that rubye; but he myghte never han it, for werre ne for no maner of godes. This kyng is so rightfulle and of equytee in his doomes, that men may go sykerlyche thorghe out alle his contree, and bere with him what him list, that no man schalle ben hardy to robben hem: and zif he were, the kyng wolde iustifyed anon.
Fro this lond men gon to another yle, that is clept Silha: and it is welle a 800 myles aboute. In that lond is fulle mochelle waste; for it is fulle of serpentes, of dragouns and of cokadrilles; that no man dar duelle there. Theise cocodrilles ben serpentes, zalowe and rayed aboven, and han 4 feet and schorte thyes and grete nayles, as clees or talouns; and there ben somme that han 5 fadme in lengthe, and summe of 6 and of 8, and of 10: and whan thei gon be places, that ben gravelly, it semethe as thoughe men hadde drawen a gret tree thorghe the gravelly place. And there ben also many wylde bestes, and namelyche of olyfauntes. In that yle is a gret mountayne; and in mydd place of the mount, is a gret lake in a fulle faire pleyne, and there is a gret plentee of watre. And thei of the contree seyn, that Adam and Eve wepten upon that mount an 100 zeer, whan thei weren dryven out of Paradys. And that watre, thei seyn, is of here teres: for so moche watre thei wepten, that made the forseyde lake. And in the botme of that lake, men fynden many precious stones and grete perles. In that lake growen many reedes and grete cannes; and there with inne ben many cocodrilles and serpentes and grete watre leches. And the kyng of that contree, ones every zeer, zevethe leve to pore men to gon in to the lake, to gadre hem precyous stones and perles, be weye of alemesse, for the love of God, that made Adam. And alle the zeer, men fynde y nowe. And for the vermyn, that is with inne, thei anoynte here armes and here thyes and legges with an oynement, made of a thing that is clept lymons, that is a manere of fruyt, lyche smale pesen: and thanne have thei no drede of no cocodrilles, ne of non other venymous vermyn. This watre rennethe, flowynge and ebbynge, be a syde of the mountayne: and in that ryver men fynden precious stones and perles, gret plentee. And men of that yle seyn comounly, that the serpentes and the wilde bestes of that contree ne will not don non harm, ne touchen with evylle, no strange man, that entrethe into that contree, but only to men that ben born of the same contree. In that contree and othere there abouten, there ben wylde gees, that han 2 hedes: and there ben lyouns alle white, and als grete as oxen, and many other dyverse bestes, and foules also, that be not seyn amonges us. And witethe wel, that in that contree and in othere yles there abouten, the see is to highe, that it semethe as though it henge at the clowdes, and that it wolde covere alle the world: and that is gret mervaylle, that it myghte be so, saf only the wille of God, that the eyr susteynethe it. And therfore seyth David in the Psautere, Mirabiles elationes Maris.
How men knowen be the Ydole, zif the sike schalle dye or non. Of folk of dyverse schap and merveylously disfigured: And of the Monkes, that zeven hire releef to Babewynes, Apes and Marmesettes and to other Bestes.
[Sidenote: Cap. XIX.] From that yle, in goynge be see, toward the southe, is another gret yle, that is clept Dondun. In that yle ben folk of dyverse kyndes; so that the fadre etethe the sone, the sone the fadre, the husbonde the wif, and the wif the husbonde. And zif it so befall, that the fadre or modre or ony of here frendes ben seke, anon the son gothe to the prest of here law, and preyethe him to aske the ydole, zif his fadre or modre or frend schalle dye on that evylle or non. And than the prest and the sone gone to gydere before the ydole, and knelen fulle devoutly, and asken of the ydole here demande. And zif the devylle, that is with inne, answere, that he schalle lyve, thei kepen him wel: and zif he seye, that he schalle dye, then the prest gothe with the sonne, with the wif of him that is seeke, and thei putten here hondes upon his mouthe, and stoppon his brethe, and so thei sleen him. And aftre that, thei choppen alle the body in smale peces, and preyen alle his frendes to comen and eten of him, that is ded: and thei senden for alle the mynstralle of the contree, and maken a solempne feste. And whan thei han eten the flessche, thei taken the bones, and buryen hem, and syngen and maken gret melodye. And alle tho that ben of his kyn, or pretenden hem to ben his frendes, and thei come not to that feste, thei ben repreved for evere and schamed, and maken gret doel; for nevere aftre schulle thei ben holden as frendes. And thei seyn also, that men eten here flesche, for to delyveren hem out of peyne. For zif the wormes of the erthe eten hem, the soule scholde suffre gret peyne, as thei seyn; and namely, whan the flesche is tendre and megre, thanne seyn here frendes, that thei don gret synne, to leten hem have so long langure, to suffre so moche peyne, with oute resoun. And whan thei fynde the flessche fatte, than thei seyn, that it is wel don, to senden him sone to paradys; and that thei have not suffred him to longe, to endure in peyne. The kyng of this yle is a ful gret lord and a myghty; and hathe undre him 54 grete yles, that zeven tribute to him: and in everyche of theise yles, is a kyng crowned, and alle ben obeyssant to that kyng. And he hathe in tho yles many diverse folk. In one of theise yles ben folk of gret stature, as Geauntes; and thei ben hidouse for to loke upon; and thei han but on eye, and that is in the myddylle of the front; and thei eten no thing but raw flessche and raw fyssche.
And in another yle, toward the southe, duellen folk of foule suture and of cursed kynde, that han no hedes: and here eyen ben in here scholdres.
And in another yle ben folk, that han the face all platt, alle pleyn, with outen nese and with outen mouthe: but thei han 2 smale holes alle round, in stede of hire eyen: and hire mouthe is plait also, with outen lippes.
And in another yle ben folk of foul fasceon and schapp, that han the lippe above the mouthe so gret, that whan thei slepen in the sonne, thei keveren alle the face with that lippe.
And in another yle, ther ben litylle folk, as dwerghes; and thei ben to so meche as the pygmeyes, and thei han no mouthe, but in stede of hire mouthe, thei han a lytylle round hole: and whan thei schulle eten or drynken, thei taken thorghe a pipe or a penne or suche a thing, and sowken it in: for thei han no tonge; and therfore thei speke not, but thei maken a maner of hissynge, as a neddre doth, and thei maken signes on to another, as monkes don; be the whiche, every of hem undirstondethe other.
And in another yle ben folk, that han gret eres and longe, that hangen doun to here knees.
And in another yle ben folk, that han hors feet; and thei ben stronge and myghty and swift renneres; for thei taken wyld bestes with rennyng, and eten hem.
And in another yle ben folk, that gon upon hire hondes and hire feet, as bestes: and thei ben alle skynned and fedred, and thei wolde lepen als lightly in to trees, and fro tree to tree, as it were squyrelles or apes.
And in another yle ben folk that ben bothe man and womman: and thei han kynde of that on and of that other; and thei han but o pappe on the o syde, and on that other non: and thei han membres of generacioun of man and womman; and thei usen bothe, whan hem list, ones that on, and another tyme that other: and thei geten children, whan thei usen the membre of man; and thei bere children, whan thei usen the membre of womman.
And in another yle ben folk, that gon alle weyes upon here knees, ful merveylously; and at every pas that thei gon, it semethe that thei wolde falle: and thei han in every foot, 8 toes.
Many other dyverse folk of dyverse nature ben there in other yles abouten, of the whiche it were to longe to telle: and therfore I passe over schortly.
From theise yles, in passynge be the see occean toward the est, be many iourneyes, men fynden a gret contree and a gret kyngdom, that men clepen Mancy: and that is in Ynde the more: and it is the beste lond, and on of the fairest, that may be in alle the world, and the most delectable, and the most plentifous of all godes, that is in power of man. In that lond duellen many Cristene men and Sarrazynes: for it is a gode contree and a gret. And there ben there inne mo than 2000 grete cytees and riche, with outen other grete townes. And there is more plentee of peple there, than in ony other partie of Ynde; for the bountee of the contree. In that contree is no nedy man, ne none that gothe on beggynge. And thei ben fulle faire folk: but thei ben all pale. And the men han thynne berdes and fewe heres; but thei ben longe: but unethe hathe ony man passynge 50 heres in his berd; and on heer sitt here, another there, as the berd of a lyberd or of a catt. In that lond ben many fairere wommen, than in ony other contree bezonde the see: and therfore men clepen that lond Albanye; because that the folk ben whyte. And the chief cytee of that contree is clept Latoryn; and it is a iourneye from the see: and it is moche more than Parys. In that cytee is a gret ryvere, berynge schippes, that gon to alle the costes in the see. No cytee of the world is so wel stored of schippes, as is that. And alle tho of the cytee and of the contree worschipen ydoles. In that contree ben double sithes more briddes than ben here. There ben white gees, rede aboute the nekke, and thei han a gret crest, as a cokkes comb upon hire hedes: and thei ben meche more there, than thei ben here; and men byen hem there alle quykke, right gret chepe. And there is gret plentee of neddres, of whom men maken grete festes, and eten hem at grete sollempnytees. And he that makethe there a feste, be it nevere so costifous, and he have no neddres, he hathe no thanke for his travaylle.
Many gode cytees there ben in that contree, and men han gret plentee and gret chep of alle wynes and vitailles. In that contree ben manye chirches of religious men, and of here lawe: and in tho chirches been ydoles, als grete as geauntes. And to theise ydoles thei zeven to ete, at grete festyfulle dayes, in this manere. Thei bryngen before hem mete alle soden, als hoot as thei comen fro the fuyr, and thei leten the smoke gon up towardes the ydoles; and than thei seyn, that the ydoles han eten; and than the religious men eten the mete aftrewardes. In that contree been white hennes withouten fetheres: but thei beren white wolle, as scheep don here. In that contree, wommen that ben unmaryed, thei han tokenes on hire hedes, lyche coronales, to ben knowen for unmaryed. Also in that contree, ther ben bestes, taughte of men to gon in to watres, in to ryveres and in to depe stankes, for to take fysche; the whiche best is but lytille, and men clepen hem loyres. And whan men casten hem in to the watre, anon thei bringen up gret fissches, als manye as men wold. And zif men wil have mo, thei cast hem in azen, and thei bryngen up als many as men list to have.
And fro that cytee, passynge many iourneyes, is another cytee, on of the grettest of the world, that men clepen Cassay; that is to seyne, the Cytee of Hevene. That cytee is well a 50 myle aboute, and it is strongliche enhabyted with peple, in so moche that in on house men maken 10 housholdes. In that cytee ben 12 princypalle zates; and before every zate, a 3 myle or a 4 myle in lengthe, is a gret toun, or a gret cytee. That cytee sytt upon a gret lake on the see; as dothe Venyse. And in that cytee ben mo than 12000 brigges: and upon every brigge, ben stronge toures and gode; in the whiche duellen the wardeynes, for to kepen the cytee fro the gret Cane. And on that o part of the cytee, rennethe a gret ryvere alle along the cytee. And there duellen Cristene men, and many marchauntes and other folk of dyverse natyouns: be cause that the lond is so gode and so plentifous. And there growethe fulle gode wyn, that men clepen Bigon, that is fulle myghty and gentylle in drynkynge. This is a cytee ryalle, where the Kyng of Mancy was wont to duelle: and there duellen many religious men, as it were of the order of freres: for thei ben mendyfauntes.
From that cytee, men gon be watre, solacynge and disportynge hem, tille thei come to an abbey of monkes, that is faste bye, that ben gode religious men, after here feythe and lawe. In that abbeye is a gret gardyn and a fair, where ben many trees of dyverse manere of frutes: and in this gardyn, is a lytille hille, fulle of delectable trees. In that hille and in that gardyn, ben many dyverse bestes, as of apes, marmozettes, babewynes, and many other dyverse bestes. And every day, whan the covent of this abbeye hathe eten, the awmener let bere the releef to the gardyn, and he smytethe on the gardyn zate with a clyket of sylver, that he holdethe in his hond, and anon alle the bestes of the hille and of dyverse places of the gardyn, comen out, a 3000 or a 4000; and thei comen in gyse of pore men: and men zeven hem the releef, in faire vesselles of sylver, clene over gylt. And whan thei han eten, the monk smytethe eft sones on the gardyn zate with the clyket; and than anon alle the bestes retornen azen to here places, that thei come fro. And thei seyn, that theise bestes ben soules of worthi men, that resemblen in lyknesse of the bestes, that ben faire: and therfore thei zeve hem mete, for the love of God. And the other bestes that ben foule, they seyn, ben soules of pore men and of rude comouns. And thus thei beleeven, and no man may putte hem out of this opynyoun. Theise bestes aboveseyd, thei let taken, whan thei ben zonge, and norisschen hem so with almesse; als manye, as thei may fynde. And I asked hem, zif it had not ben better, to have zoven that releef to pore men, rathere than to the bestes. And thei answerde me and seyde, that thei hadde no pore men amonges hem, in that contree: and thoughe it had ben so, that pore men had ben among hem, zit were it gretter almesse, to zeven it to tho soules, that don there here penance. Many other marveylles ben in that cytee and in the contree there aboute, that were to long to telle zou.
Fro that cytee, go men be the contree a 6 iourneyes, to another cytee, that men clepen Chilenfo: of the whiche cytee, the walles ben 20 myle aboute. In that cytee ben 60 brigges of ston, so faire, that no man may see fairere. In that cytee was the firste sege of the Kyng of Mancy: for it is a faire cytee, and plenteeyous of alle godes.
Aftre passe men overthwart a gret ryvere, that men clepen Dalay: and that is the grettest ryvere of fressche water, that is in the world. For there, as it is most narow, it is more than a myle of brede. And thanne entren men azen into the lond of the grete Chane. That ryvere gothe thorghe the lond of Pigmaus: where that the folk ben of litylle stature, that ben but 3 span long: and thei ben right faire and gentylle, aftre here quantytees, bothe the men and the wommen. And thei maryen hem, whan thei ben half zere of age, and geten children. And thei lyven not, but 6 zeer or 7 at the moste. And he that lyvethe 8 zeer men holden him there righte passynge old. Theise men ben the beste worcheres of gold, sylver, cotoun, sylk, and of alle suche thinges, of ony other, that be in the world. And thei han often tymes werre with the briddes of the contree, that thei taken and eten. This litylle folk nouther labouren in londes ne in vynes. But thei han grete men amonges hem, of oure stature, that tylen the lond, and labouren amonges the vynes for hem. And of tho men of oure stature, han thei als grete skorne and wondre, as we wolde have among us of geauntes, zif thei weren amonges us. There is a gode cytee, amonges othere, where there is duellynge gret plentee of tho lytylle folk: and it is a gret cytee and a faire, and the men ben grete, that duellen amonges hem: but whan thei geten ony children, thei ben als litylle as the pygmeyes: and therfore thei ben alle, for the moste part, alle pygmeyes; for the nature of the lond is suche. The grete Cane let kepe this cytee fulle wel: for it is his. And alle be it, that the pygmeyes ben lytylle, zit thei ben fulle resonable, aftre here age, and connen bothen wytt and gode and malice, y now.
Fro that cytee, gon men be the contree, be many cytees and many townes, unto a cytee, that men clepen Jamchay: and it is a noble cytee and a riche, and of gret profite to the lord: and thidre go men to sechen marchandise of alle manere of thing. That cytee is fulle moche worthe zerly to the lord of the contree. For he hathe every zere to rente of that cytee (as thei of the cytee seyn) 50000 cumantz of floreyns of gold: for thei cownten there alle be cumanz: and every cumant is 10000 floryns of gold. Now may men wel rekene, how moche that it amountethe. The kyng of that contree is fulle myghty: and zit he is undre the grete Cane. And the gret Cane hathe undre him 12 such provynces. In that contree, in the gode townes, is a gode custom. For whoso wille make a feste to ony of his frendes, there ben certeyn innes in every gode toum; and he that wil make the feste, wil seye to the hostellere, arraye for me, to morwe, a gode dyner, for so many folk; and tellethe him the nombre; and devysethe him the viaundes: and he seythe also, thus moche I wil dispende, and no more. And anon the hostellere arrayethe for him, so faire and so wel and so honestly, that ther schalle lakke no thing. And it schalle be don sunnere, and with lasse cost, than and a man made it in his owne hous.
And a 5 myle fro that cytee, toward the hed of the ryvere of Dalay, is another cytee, that men clepen Menke. In that cytee is strong navye of schippes; and alle ben white as snow, of the kynde of the trees, that thei ben made offe. And thei ben fulle grete schippes, and faire, and wel ordeyned, and made with halles and chambres, and other eysementes, as thoughe it were on the lond.
Fro thens go men be many townes and many cytees, thorghe the contree, unto a cytee, that men clepen Lanteryne: and it is an 8 iourneyes from the cytee aboveseyd. This cytee sitt upon a faire ryvere, gret and brood, that men clepen Caramaron. This ryvere passethe thorghe out Cathay: and it dothe often tyme harm, and that fulle gret, whan it is over gret.
Of the grete Chane of Chatay. Of the Rialtee of his Palays, and how he sitt at Mete; and of the grete nombre of Officeres, that serven hym.
[Sidenote: Cap. XX.] Chatay is a gret contree and a faire, noble and riche, and fulle of marchauntes. Thidre gon marchaundes alle zeres, for to sechen spices and alle manere of marchandises, more comounly than in ony other partye. And zee schulle undirstonde, that marchaundes, that comen fro Gene or fro Venyse or fro Romanye, or other partyes of Lombardye, thei gon be see and be lond 11 monethes, or 12, or more sum tyme, or thei may come to the yle of Cathay, that is the princypalle regyoun of alle partyes bezonde; and it is of the grete Cane.
Fro Cathay go men toward the est, be many iourneyes: and than men fynden a gode cytee, betwene theise othere, that men clepen Sugarmago. That cytee is on of the beste stored of sylk and other marchandises, that is in the world. Aftre go men zit to another old cytee, toward the est: and it is in the provynce of Cathay. And besyde that cytee, the men of Tartarye han let make another cytee, that is clept Caydon; and it hathe 12 zates: and betwene the two zates, there is alle weyes a gret myle; so that the 2 cytees, that is to seyne, the olde and the newe, han in circuyt more than 20 myle.
CAPVT. 34.
De pallatio Imperatoris Grand Can.
Palatium Imperatoris Grand Can, quod est in Caydo ciuitate, continet in circuitu proprij muralis vltrà duas leucas, et sunt in eo aulæ quàm plures, in forma nobiles, et in materia nobiliores. Aula autem sedis, quæ est maxime cæterarum, habet intrinsecus pro sui sustentatione 24. aereas columnas factas opere fusorio, de auro puro, et omnes parietes ab intus opertas pellibus quorundam animalium, quæ vocantur Pantheres: hæ sanguinei sunt coloris, et ita remicantes, vt Sole desuper relucente; vix oculus valeat humanus sufferre splendorem, tantæque fragantiæ, vt illi approximare non posset aer infectus, vnde et ista opertura parietum appreciatur super tegmen aurearum laminarum.
Namque stultorum aliqui Paganorum huiusmodi adorant animalia propter colorum, odorumque virtutem. Proposui retrahere calamum à describenda nobilitate, gubernatione et ministrantium frequentia, atque Imperatoris magnificentia: attamen quia coepi ego, propter incredulos, et nescios, ac inerudibiles, non dimittam in toto. Quicunque enim nihil credunt, nihil sciunt, neque erudiri possunt, Scriptura testante, si non credideritis non intelligetis. Dico ergo, et verè dico, quòd in huius aulæ capite sit thronus, vel sedes Imperialis, excelsus et eminens in ascensu graduum quamplurium, in quo residere solet in plenaria maiestate, in cuius throni toto corpore nihil apparet minùs nobile, auro, margaritis, gemmis, et lapidibus preciosis. Singuli gradus sunt de singulis, ac inter se diuersis magnis lapidibus, vtpote primus de Hæmatisto, alius de Sardio, et alius de Chrysolito, et sic vsque ad supremum gradum, qui singuli ad formam cuiusque gradus sunt circumfusi, et clusorio opere firmati, auro solido, et nihilominùs per superficiem auri, distinctè seminati, firmitèrque inclusi lapilli cari, cum orientalibus Margaritis, summitas autem cum ferculo residentiæ in nobilitate excisionis, et fabrifactura operis tam diuersa est, et mira, vt paruitatem mei ingenij excedat, quamobrem et ei cedo, vlteriusque procedo.
Ad Imperatoris sinistram gradu vno bassior, est sedes suæ primæ coniugis, tota de iaspidibus auro circumfusis, et in superficie aulæ distinctæ gemmulæ cum granellis eodem schemate, et similiter de iaspide. Sed adhuc submissior vno gradu est sedes coniugis secundæ, nec non et sub illa vxoris tertiæ. Nam tres proprias secum habet vxores, Odericus dicit, istas duas concubinas. Itémque resident sub tertia coniuge nobiles mulieres de Imperatoris progenie, iuxta illustriam vniuscuiusque.
Et notandum, quòd per totam patriam singulæ mulieres maritatæ, vt intelligantur maritis subiectæ, et vt discernantur à solutis, gestant in capitis summitate similitudinem pedis viri, longitudinis brachij et dimidij, quadam leui materia operatam: videlicet nobiles de sericosis operibus pannorum, seu alijs raris et pulchris pannis, et preciosis lapillis, et ignobiles iuxta statum suum de materia communiori.
Ad dextram verò sedentis Imperatoris vno gradu submissus residet primogenitus eius filius, et sub ipso ordinatè in consimilibus sedibus nobiles proximi de cognitione Imperiali.
Item super thronum et desuper ante ipsius throni locum, tanquam pro celato seu operimento in throno residentium, et eorum ministrantium, est extensa similitudo vitis operata in palmitibus, et pampinis, de auro puro ad extensionem cubitorum quadraginta, per quadrum, atque per eam dependentes botri vuarum de gemmis, et granellis quinque colorum, quorum albi sunt de christallo et beryllo, et iriscrocei de topazio et fuluo christallo, rubei de rubetorum granis, corallo, et alibandinis, virides de Smaragdis, pyropis, et chrysolytis, nigri, de onichinis, gagetis, et gerateris.
Tempore prandij in hac aula, Imperator et Imperatrices, et quisque de prædictis, habet mensam sibi solam, quarum vilior præualet thesauro grandi.
In solennitatibus ponitur mensa Imperatori de exquisito electro, seu de auro examinato, distincta diamantibus, et nobis ignotis in comparabilibus gemmis, quandóque de christallo perspicuo, seu croceo, circumclusa auro cum gemmis: quandóque de Hæmatisto, quandóque de ebore candido, vel rubicundo: interdum de ligno artificiosè combinato, quod descendit per flumina de Paradiso. Idem dicit Odericus.
His mensis astant Barones, et Principes pro vasallis attentè in suis officijs ministrantes, quorum nec vnus emittere verbum aliqua præsumit audacia, nisi Imperatore annuente, vel ad illum loquente, illis duntaxat exceptis, qui certis interspatijs canunt, aut recitant de principum gestis.
Et notandum, quando in hoc solio Maiestatis diebus solennibus residet Imperator, subsidere ad pedes eius notarios quatuor, qui omne quod Dominus loquitur, singuli ponunt in scriptis: nam quodcunque tunc ex ore illius egreditur, necesse est esse, vel effici, nec valet item ipse verbum suum mutare, nec reuocare, nisi magno consilio conuocato.
Vniuersa vtensilia quibus in solennitate ad has seruitur mensas, sunt de nobilibus petris auro reclusis, Cyphi de Smaragdis, vel Saphyris, topasijs, pyropis, siue gryophis: et priuatioribus diebus, de auro probato etiam in cameris, et cubiculis, nec reputatur ibi claritas argenti, nisi pro pilarijs, columnis, gradibus, et pauimentis.
Istius autem ostia aulæ, dum in ea residet, aut deambulat Imperator, multi Barones ingressum seruant intentè, et ne limen tangatur, quod hoc haberent pro augurio, et benè verberaretur, quia Imperatore præsente, nemo nisi adductus in quacunque camera, vel habitatione intromittitur, donec interrogatus iusserit Imperator.
Latitudinem huius Basilicæ æstimo ad spatium de meis pedibus centum et longitudinem vltrà quatuor centum. In cubiculo autem Regis dormitorio, constat vnus pillarius, seu columna de auro solido et carbunculus conclusus in illo longitudinis pedis vnius, totum habitaculum de nocte perfundens lumine claro. Hic prout ego notaui, non est plenè rubeus, sed subrufus, quasi coloris Hæmatistini. Porrò in vna aularum, circà medium palatii, est alius excelsus ascensus, Odericus dicit pigma, super quem dum placet, stat, vel residet Imperator, ditissimè etiam operatus, ex auro, gemmis, baccis, margaritis, et lapidibus raris, et in quatuor angulis, imagines quatuor serpentum de auro puro.
Huius per tria latera dependent retia seu cortinæ de cordulis sericis, in quibus ad singulos nodos, grossa margarita habetur innexa, quibus cortinis tegitur officina: in eius concauitate tenetur tumba quadrata, in qua conueniunt conductus omnium potuum, qui bibuntur in Curia, et innumera vasorum genera, quibus potus omnibus ministratur.
Prætereà, iuxta palatii ambitum, habetur grandis parci spaciamentum, diuersi generis arboribus repletum, fructus ferentibus varios, et nobis inuisos, et in parte media, aula super excelsum collem de tam mira et pulchra structura, vt eius nobilitas de facili ad præsens, non possit describi. Et vndique, par collis gyrum aquæ fossatum profundum, et latum vltrà quod pons vnicus ducit ad collem. Atque ex duobus montis lateribus, stagnum cum diuersorum copia piscium, et volucrum indomitarum, vt aucarum, anatum, cignorum, ciconiarum, ardearum, et collectorum in magna pluralitate, nec non et per parcum, multæ syluestres bestiæ, et bestiolæ quatenùs per aulæ fenestras possit Dominus pro solatio respicere volucrum aucupationes, bestiarum venationes, et piscium captiones.
Et hoc proculdubio sciendum, quòd in nostris partibus rara sint oppida cum pluribus mansionibus, quàm in isto palatio continentur.
Tota æstate moratur in India terra frigidissima, in hyeme in Cambalu. Odericus.
Præter palatium hoc in Caydo, habet Imperator similitèr tria: vnum in ciuitate Sadus, versus Septentrionem, vbi competens est frigus, ibi moratur in æstate. Cambalu, vbi competens calor, ibi moratur hyeme. Tertium in ciuitate Iongh, in quo et in isto Caydo, vt sæpiùs seruat sedem, eò quòd in istis est aer magis temperatus, quamuis semper calidus videtur Nostratibus.
The English Version.
In this cytee is the Sege of the grete Cane in a fulle gret palays, and the most passynge fair in alle the world: of the whiche the walles ben in circuyt more than 2 myle: and within the walles, it is alle fulle of other palays. And in the gardyn of the grete palays, there is a gret hille, upon the whiche there is another palays; and it is the most fair and the most riche, that ony man may devyse. And all aboute the palays and the hille, ben many trees, berynge many dyverse frutes. And alle aboute that hille, ben dyches grete and depe: and besyde hem, ben grete vyneres, on that o part and on that other. And there is a fulle fair brigge to passe over the dyches. And in theise vyneres, ben so many wylde gees and gandres and wylde dokes and swannes and heirouns, that it is with outen nombre. And alle aboute theise dyches and vyneres, is the grete gardyn, fulle of wylde bestes; so that, whan the gret Cane wil have ony desport on that, to taken ony of tho wylde bestes or of the foules, he wil lete chace hem and taken hem at the wyndowes, with outen goynge out of his chambre. This palays, where his sege is, is bothe gret and passynge fair. And with in the palays, in the halle, there ben 24 pyleres of fyn gold: and alle the walles ben covered with inne, of rede skynnes of bestes, that men clepen panteres; that ben faire bestes, and well smellyng: so that for the swete odour of tho skynnes, non evylle ayr may entre in to the palays. Tho skynnes ben als rede as blode, and thei schynen so brighte azen the sonne, that unethes no man may beholden hem. And many folk worschipen tho bestes, whan thei meeten hem first at morwe, for here gret vertue and for the gode smelle that thei han: and tho skynnes thei preysen more than thoughe thei were plate of fyn gold. And in the myddes of this palays is the mountour for the grete Cane, that is alle wrought of gold and of precyous stones and grete perles: and at 4 corneres of the mountour, been 4 serpentes of gold: and alle aboute ther is y made large nettes of sylk, and gold and grete perles hangynge alle aboute the mountour. And undre the mountour, ben condytes of beverage, that thei drynken in the emperours court. And besyde the condytes, ben many vesselles of gold, be the whiche, thei that ben of houshold, drynken at the condyt. And the halle of the palays is fulle nobelyche arrayed, and fulle merveylleousely atyred on all parteys, in alle thinges, that men apparayle with ony halle. And first, at the chief of the halle, is the emperours throne, fulle highe, where he syttethe at the mete: and that is of fyn precyouse stones, bordured alle aboute with pured gold and precyous stones and grete perles. And the grees, that he gothe up to the table, ben of precyous stones, medled with gold. And at the left syde of the emperoures sege, is the sege of his firste wif, o degree lowere than the emperour: and it is of jaspere, bordured with gold and preciouse stones. And the sege of his seconde wif is also another sege, more lowere than his firste wif: and it is also of jaspere, bordured with gold, as that other is. And the sege of the thridde wif is also more lowe, be a degree, than the seconde wif. For he hathe alweys 3 wifes with him, where that evere he be. And aftre his wyfes, on the same syde, sytten the ladyes of his lynage, zit lowere, aftre that thei ben of estate. And alle tho that ben maryed, han a countrefete, made lyche a mannes foot, upon here hedes, a cubyte long, alle wrought with grete perles, fyne and oryent, and aboven, made with pecokes fedres and of other schynynge fedres; and that stont upon here hedes, like a crest, in tokene that thei ben undre mannes fote and undre subiectioun of man. And thei that ben unmaryed, han none suche. And aftre, at the right syde of the Emperour, first syttethe his eldest sone, that schalle regne aftre him: and he syttethe also o degree lowere than the emperour, in suche manere of seges, as don the emperesses. And aftre him, sytten other grete lordes of his lynage, every of hem a Degree lowere than other, as thei ben of estate. And the emperour hathe his table allone be him self, that is of gold, and of precious stones, or of cristalle, bordured with gold, and fulle of precious stones or of amatystes or of lignum aloes, that comethe out of paradys, or of ivory, bounden or bordured with gold. And everyche of his wyfes hathe also hire table be hire self. And his eldest sone, and the other lordes also, and the ladyes, and alle that sitten with the emperour, han tables allone be hem self, fulle riche. And there nys no table, but that it is worthe an huge tresour of gode. And undre the emperoures table, sitten 4 clerkes, that writen alle, that the emperour seythe, be it good, be it evylle. For alle that he seythe, moste ben holden; for he may not chaungen his word, ne revoke it. At grete solempne festes, before the emperoures table, men bryngen grete tables of gold, and there on ben pecokes of gold, and many other maner of dyverse foules, alle of gold, and richely wrought and enameled; and men maken hem dauncen and syngen, clappynge here wenges to gydere, and maken gret noyse: and where it be by craft or be nygromancye, I wot nere; but it is a gode sight to beholde, and a fair; and it is gret marvayle how it may be. But I have the lasse marvaylle, be cause that thei ben the moste sotyle men in alle sciences and in alle craftes, that ben in the world. For of sotyltee and of malice and of fercastynge, thei passen alle men undre hevene. And therfore thei seyn hem self, that thei seen with 2 eyen; and the Cristene men see but with on: be cause that thei ben more sotylle than thei. For alle other naciouns, thei seyn, ben but blynde in conynge and worchynge in comparisoun to hem. I did gret besynesse, for to have lerned that craft: but the maistre tolde me, that he had made a vow to his God, to teche it to no creature, but only to his eldeste sone. Also above the emperours table and the othere tables, and aboven a gret partie in the halle, is a vyne, made of fyn gold: and it spredethe alle aboute the halle; and it hath many clustres of grapes, somme white, somme grene, summe zalowe and somme rede and somme blake, alle of precious stones: the white ben of cristalle and of berylle and of iris; the zalowe ben of topazes; the rede ben of rubies, and of grenaz and of alabraundynes; the grene ben of emeraudes, of perydos and of crisolytes; and the blake ben of onichez and garantez. And thei ben alle so propurlyche made, that it semethe a verry vyne, berynge kyndely grapes. And before the emperoures table, stonden grete lordes, and riche barouns and othere, that serven the emperour at the mete. And no man is so hardy, to speke a word, but zif the emperour speke to him; but zif it be mynstrelles, that syngen songes, and tellen gestes or other desportes, to solace with the emperour. And alle the vesselle, that men ben served with, in the halle or in chambres, ben of precious stones; and specially at grete tables; outher of jaspre or of cristalle or of amatystez or of fyn gold. And the cuppes ben of emeraudez and of saphires or of topazes, of perydoz, and of many other precyouse stones. Vesselle of sylver is there non: for thei telle no prys there of, to make no vesselle offe: but thei maken ther of grecynges and pileres and pawmentes, to halles and chambres. And before the halle dore, stonden manye barounes, and knyghtes clene armed, to kepe that no man entre, but zif it be the wille or the commandement of the emperour, or but zif thei ben servauntes or mynstralle of the houshold: and other non is not so hardy, to neighen nye the halle dore.
CAPVT. 35.
De quatuor solennitatibus, quas Magnus Can celebrat in anno.
Sciatis quòd ego, meíque sodales, pro fama magnificentiæ huius Imperatoris, tradidimus nos stipendiarios esse in guerris, contra Regem Mangi prænominatum. Et fuimus apud ipsum 15. mensibus, et certè inuenimus multò maiorem partem hominum, in mediam partem nobis non fuisse relatam: hominum (exceptis custodibus bestiarum et volucrum,) qui intra palatium certa gerunt ministeria est numerus decem cuman.
Nota. Traxi moram in Cambalu tribus annis: fratres nostri locum habent in Curia sua specialiter, et festis diebus statutis dant benedictionem, Odericus. Et quoniam Imperator habet satis plures quàm decem mille Elephantes edomitos, et velut vltrà numerum alias bestias, (quarum quædam tenentur in caueis, stabulis mirabilibus, vel catenis) nec non et aues rapaces, et accipitres, falcones, ostrones, gryfandos gentiles, Laueroys, et Satyros, sed et auiculas loquentes, et papingos, et similes, aliásque cantantes: reputatur numerus hominum de istis curam et laborem gerentium, vltrà sex cuman, et prætereà iugiter ad Curiam equites cum plenarijs armaturis, quinque cuman, et de peditibus cum præliandi armaturis, cuman decem. Sed et omnes de natione quacunque mundi venientes, qui petunt describi pro Curia recipiuntur. Sic enim iussit Imperator.
Habet et medicos Paganos viginti, et totidem Physicos, atque sine his Medicos Christianos ducentos, et totidem Physicos, quoniam iste Grand Can maiorem gerit confidentiam in Medicis Christianis, quàm in suæ propriæ nationis medicis.
Hoc ergò firmiter scias, quod de Curia Regis accipiunt necessaria sua iugitèr vltrà triginta cuman hominum, præter expensas animalium et volucrum, cùm tamen in festis maioribus sint homines propè in duplo tanti. Nec valet hic dominus defectum vllum pati pecuniæ, eò quòd in terra sua non currit moneta de argento, vel auro, alióue metallo, sed tantùm de corio vel papyro: horum enim forma denariorum signo Imperatoris impressorum preciatur minoris aut maioris valoris, secundum diuersitatem impressionis, qui per visitationem, detriti vel rupti, cùm ad Regis thesaurarios deferuntur, protinùs dantur pro illis noui.
Quatèr in anno celebrat Imperator festiuitates solennes.
Primam de die propriæ Natiuitatis.
Secundam de die suæ primæ præsentationis in eorum Templo, quod appellant Moseath, vbi et fit ijs, nescio quod genus circumcisionis.
Tertiam in thronizatione sui Idoli in Templo.
Quartam de die quo Idolum cepit dare responsum, seu facere diabolica mira. Plures enim in anno non tenet solennitates, nisi si quando nuptias filij aut filiæ celebrat.
Itaque in istis solennitatibus est populi multitudo absque numero, omnes tamen in ordine debito, et singuli intendentes proprio ministerio, nam ad hoc ordinandum, et disponendum, electa sunt quatuor Baronum nobilium genera, ex quibus nonnulli sunt Reges, et alij Equites potentes, Duces, et Marchiones, omnes induti holosericis, quibus inserti cum certa disseminatione sunt vbique preciosi lapides, miræ virtutis, et aurifigia speciosa, vt si quis in his partibus vnum de talibus haberet mutatorijs, dici non posset pauper imò prædiues. Et habet quodlibet millenariorum in his vestibus colorem sibi proprium: primum viridem, secundum vermiculum, tertium croceum, quartum purpureum, seu indicum. Ergo in die solenni, dum de mane Maiestatis thronum conscenderit, veniunt se præsentari hoc modo Regi.
Ante primum millenarium procedit copiosa symphonia dulcis chordarum, sicut de violis, cytharis, lyris, et psalterijs, non autem de tubis aut tympanis: et præcedunt Baronis per transuersum Aulæ coram residente Domino ordinatè bini, et bini sub silentio, ferentes ambabus manibus ante pectus tabulam de Iaspide, ebore, christallo, pyropo, vel Hæmatisto, et ante faciem throni inclinant se Imperatori profundè.
Illísque pertranseuntibus, succedit simili modo millenarius secundus, et tertius, atque quartus, nec auditur à quoquam vnicum verbum. Hac præsentatione cum debita maturitate perfecta, resident in basso à latere throni ad proprias mensas, multi Philosophi, seu Artistæ, sicut de Astronomia, Geomantia, Pyromantia, Hydromantia, Chiromantia, Necromantia, auguriis, ac aruspiciis, et huiusmodi, tenentes coram instrumenta suæ artis, alii Astrolabium, et Sphæras de auro, alii in aureis vasis arenam, prunas ardentes, aquam, vinum, oleum, et caluarias mortuorum, loquentes et respondentes, nec non de auro horologia ad minùs duo: et ad cunctas horas secundum cursum horologiorum innuunt Philosophi seruis sibi ad hoc deputatis, vt faciant præstari auditum per aulam, quorum vnus aut duo conscendentes scallum, alta voce proclamant, audite, auscultate, et omnibus intendentibus dicit Philosophorum vnus: Quilibet nunc faciat reuerentiam Imperatori, qui est filius Dei excelsi, Dominus et superior omnium Dominorum Mundi, quia ecce hæc est hora. Et mox singuli in aula inclinato corpore et capite se inclinant maiestati manentes accliui, donec idem philosophus dicat, leuate. Atque protinùs super hoc factum, Musici suis instrumentis, suauem personant melodiam.
Posteà ad aliquantam moram simili modo dicit alias philosophorum, minimus digitus in aure: et ecce hoc omnes faciunt, donec dicat, sufficit: sic in aliam horam, seu moram dicit, manus vestra super os, et posteà manus super caput. Atque in hunc modum iuxta temporis cursum imponunt facienda signa diuersa. Innuunt in eis latere magna mysteria, et quodlibet horum factorum melodia terminat Musicorum. Et sciatis me quandoque in tempore opportuno ab eis interrogasse de his signis, qui responderunt quòd inclinare caput Domino ad illius horæ momentum, foret confirmatio omnibus diebus vitæ suæ, ad obediendum ipsi et fidelitatem obseruandam imperio, nec posse corrumpi promissionibus siue donis, quódque digitum in auricula imponere, obturatio est auditus contra omnia Imperatori, et Imperio contraria. Et sic de singulis factis singula mysteria confingentes decipiunt audientes: horum itaque fraudulento ingenio, iste Grand Can festiuatus, non nisi ad talium iudicium parari permittit cibaria, aut fieri indumenta pro suo corpore.
Dura autem est visum Curiæ gubernatoribus satis de prædictis auditum, faciunt proclamatores silentium imperari, et incipit fieri offerenda Imperatori hoc modo. Intrant omnes qui sunt de cognatione Imperatoris Barones adornati nobilissimè pro cuiusque decentia balteis, et indumentis, quorum primus cum resonante symphonia præmittit ad oblationem quotquot valet de dextrarijs albis, et inclinans ante thronum pertransit, atque per eundem modum singuli Baronum offerentes aliquid dignum iocale inclinant transeuntes, silentio firmè seruato. Post hos intrantes simili modo prælati et Abbates, de iurisdictionibus et religionibus Paganorum offerunt singuli pro suo statu se reuerentèr inclinantes maiestati, et maior prælatorum benedicit Regi, et suis ac Curiæ quadam suæ legis oratione.
Deinde introducuntur elephantes, leones, pardi, simiæ, marmotæ, et diuersæ bestiæ, quarum ductores singuli transeuntes inclinant reuerenter, et intentè. Postremò afferuntur aquilæ, struthiones, gryphandi, accipitres, et papingi, cum diuersis auibus et auiculis, nec non serpentes ac pisces, quorum portitores inclinant profundè, quoniam dicunt omnes terrenas creaturas debere adorationem Imperatori Grand Can filio Dei excelsi: et his perfectis,
Musicæ Camenæ persoluunt debita plenè.
Nos igitur intendamus hoc loco quæso quomodo veraciter Pagani in tenebris ambulant: diabolica inuolutione mens eorum obtenebrata non videt quomodò, cùm Imperator sit homo mortalis nuper natus, et similiter sicut illi infirmitate circundatus, atque in breui cum ipsis moriturus, quem etiam non dubitant sub Deo, clamant eum non Deum, sed Dei filium, vbi vtique prorsus ignorant illum non esse laudandum, nec adorandum, sed eum non intendunt alium filium, filium increatum et connaturalem, qui et ipsos et eum creauit, solum superlaudabilem in secula.
Et hoc alto corde considerantes, laudemus, adoremus, glorificemus, et superexaltemus totis viribus Deum, qui nos filios lucis esse voluit, et salutis, nasci, baptizari, educari, erudiri sub sinceritate fidei Christianæ, excluso schismate et errore, atque sub instituto sacrosanctæ matris Ecclesiæ, in qua sola penè ab omni circumferentia orbis terræ fides, quæ saluat, et per dilectionem operatur nunc remansit.
Et oremus instantèr pro ipsis Paganis, vt agnita veritatis luce videre possint quò ambulant, vt perueniant ad Iesum Christuro coæqualem Dei filium, atque in ipso, et per ipsum laudare et adorare solum vnum verum Deum.
CAPVT. 36.
De ludis et præstigijs in suo festo, et de suo comitatu.
Celebrato post hoc prandio satis morosè, quia nunquam est vltrà semel edendum in die, de quo et eius administratione nunc longum est scribere, adsunt gesticulatores, mira visu, suauiáque auditu pedibus, manibus, brachijs, humeris, capitibus, et toto corpore, ac ad singulos gestus, correspondentes debito vocis sono. Et semper finem horum mirabilium cantilena subsequitur musicorum. Ex hoc ioculatores præstò sunt, et Magi, qui suis incantationibus præstant præstigia multa.
Imprimis faciunt videri Solem et Lunam, oriendo, descendendo consuetum diei intra Basilicam peragere cursum, cum tanta nimietate splendoris, vt vix se inuicem homines valeant recognoscere præ fulgore, dicentes et mentientes, Solem et Lunam coeli hanc mittere reuerentiam Imperatori.
Hinc pari ludo comparent speciosæ puellæ ducere semitas et choreas, nobili gestu nobilissimum ferre poculum lactis equarum in aureis vasis, de quo, ponentes se in genibus, tradunt potum dominis et dominabus.
Tunc portantur et milites in equis, et armis quoque pleni atque parati, qui feruentibus sonipedibus se inuicem cuspidibus ad fragorem magnum configentes lanceas comminuunt, et fragmenta per mensas, et pauimenta discurrunt. Ac deindè fantasticè venantur per aulam, cum canibus et papionibus, ad ceruos, lupos, vrsos, et apros, ad lepores, et marmotas. Quæ singula cùm ad horam pascant vana delectatione sensus corporeos, miseriam tamen inserunt piæ menti, quòd tot et tanti homines, neglecta prorsus animi salute, his diabolicis operationibus se dederunt in toto. Nam certò non ita sine dæmonum consolatione et familiaritate præmissa confingi dicerem.
Nota: à Cambalu ad viginti dietas, est pulchrum nemus girans octo dietas in circuitu, in quo sunt omnia genera animalium: custodes habet circa eum. Triennio vel quadriennio visitat illud Imperator, et cum multa gente nemus circumdat, canes emittuntur et aues, cum multo clamore, et feras congregant in medio nemoris, ad planiciem sibi sitam. Tunc Imperator priùs iacit quinque sagittas, posteà alij: tunc Imperator dicit, Eya, hoc est, mina bestijs, et sicut quilibet capit sagittam suam signatam, percussam, aliis recedentibus ad sua loca. Odericus.
Prætereà ante Imperatoris mensam eriguntur tabulæ latæ aureæ cum sculptis, ac si viuerent, imaginibus gallorum, pauonum ac diuersarum volucrum artificiosè, quas præstigiator facit pro libitu sine apprehensione manus ire, tripudiare, chorizare, tremere, compugnare, bibere, manducare, sed et cantare: quod quidem inter cætera mihi videbatur mirabilius et aspectu delectabilius. Nullus istud plenè intueri potuit, nisi qui erat in throno vel circa: et me oportet hoc loco fateri stultitiam propriam, quòd hac delectatione tractus, magnam adhibui apud Artistam diligentiam, verbis blandis, et quibuscunque munusculis, ac melioribus promissis, quod de tali mihi traderet artem, qui sagax simul et fallax imprimis, spem meam trahebat sponsionum funibus: sed at vltimum penitùs abscindebat, dicens se vouisse Deo immortali, ne cuiquam doceret nisi proprio filio seniori, ac per hoc me Deus ab illo malo conseruauit inuitum, et gratias nunc reddentem.
Certum est illic homines esse subtiles ad quasdam humanas artes, et ingeniosos ad fraudes super omnes, quas noui mundi partes, vnde et inter se dicunt prouerbium, se solos videre duobus oculis, et Christianos vno, cæteros autem homines cæecos: sed mentitur iniquitas sibi, quoniam ipsi vident solo oculo terrena et transitoria, et nos Christiani duobus, quia cum terrenis videmus spiritualia, et mansura: percussit enim Naas, [Marginal Note: I Sam. 11. 2.] id est, humani generis hostis cum illis foedus, vt erueret omnibus oculos dextros, scilicet spirituales.
Cùm itaque narrata de præmissis debeant sufficere, quando Imperator Grand Can de vno quatuor palatiorum ad aliud transire velit, vel fortè gratia visitationis aut ardui negotii per Imperium de Regno ad Regnum tendit per comitatus, quatuor exercitibus antè et retrò, et ex ambobus lateribus.
Primus exercitus præcedit personam Regis per vnam de suis dietis, vt semper in hospitium de quo recessit exercitus Rex intret nocte sequenti, et est hic primus comitatus descriptus, et statutus de numero quinquaginta cuman virorum, hoc est, quingentorum millium, sempérque præuisum, et prouisum est, vt inueniant necessaria in locis, vbi habent quiescere, vel tardare siue in hospitiis, siue in tentoriis.
Secundus et tertius comitatus sunt eiusdem numeri virorum cum primo, quorum vnus ad dextram tendit Imperatoris, alius ad sinistrum in distantia ab ipso ad trium vel duarum leucarum.
Quartus autem qui maior est omnibus, subsequitur Imperatorem quasi ad spatium iactus balistæ. Et ad hoc sciendum est, quòd personæ horum comitatuum sunt sigillatim, et summatim omnes descriptæ, vt dum vna moritur vel recedit, protinùs alia inscribatur, et numerus non minuatur. Ipse verò Imperator tendit residens in cella seu camera ædificata super currum grandem forma, fortem robore, nobilem in structura, est cella de ligno Aloes optimi odoris, et parietes cellæ operti in quibusdam locis laminis aureis, quæ et ipsæ distinguuntur gemmis variis, et margaritis.
Est autem currus quatuor rotarum duntaxat, quem trahunt quatuor Elephantes ad hoc curiosè instructi, cum quatuor hippis albis equæ doctis et ipsi cooperti ditissimis tegumentis, ac præter aurigas nobiliter indutos, qui currum cautissimè ducunt, adsunt et quatuor de maioribus palatii Dominis, indè ad vehiculum habentes iugem curam, de minatione eius, et ne vltimo exercitu appropriet infra iactum (vt dixi) sagittæ. Ipse autem interdum pro sodalitate iubet secum ascendere quam vult personam, sed minimè vltrà duos. In cellæ quoque culmine, quod aperiri valet et claudi, astant in pertica quatuor grifandi, vel ostiones. Odericus: duodecim Girfalcones, vt si fortè Imperator in ære aquilam, vulturum, ardeam, vel collectorem cerneret, citò dimitteret istorum duas aut plures ad aucupandum.
Nota, per Dromedarios, et cursores, et veloces, qui de hospitio ad hospitium permutantur, scit de remotis noua. Cursor enim appropinquans cornu sonat, et tunc alius præparat, et vlteriùs currit. Odericus. Sciendumque tam primogenitum Regis, quàm singulas de tribus vxoribus ducere similem apparatum in itinerando post ipsum; scilicet cum quatuor comitatibus, antè, et retrò, et à lateribus, sed in valdè minori numero personarum pro placito, et in singulis curribus sequentibus se inuicem per vnam dietam.
Præmissa omnia sic fiunt, dum Imperatori tendendum est remotè, aliàs autem minuuntur, et distinguuntur comitatus, iuxta quod decet, vt nonnunquam omnes Imperatores etiam cum filio simul tendant, cum vna comitatuum distinctione. Transeunte autem sic Imperatore per ciuitates et villas quilibet ante fores proprias præparato igne iactat poluerem aromata redolentem, stans genibus flexis ad reuerentiam illi. Et sciatis vbi propè transitum illius habentur Christianæ Abbatiæ, quas olim constituit Dux Ogerus, exeunt obuiam illi in processione cum vexillis, et sancta cruce, et aqua benedicta, et thuribulo, hymnum, Veni Creator spiritus decantantes.
Nota: Ego semel cum Episcopo nostro, et alijs fratribus, uimus obuiam per duas dietas, et portaui thuribulum. Odericus. Quos ipse à remotis videns, consueuit ad se appellare, et ad crucem suum galeatum deponere, ac reuerentèr nudo capite inclinare: et prælatus dicens super cum aliquam orationem signat cruce, et aqua benedicta aspergit. Et quoniam necesse est, vt quisque extraneus ante Regem apparens, offerat ei aliquid, prælatus in disco præsentat ei fructus, et poma, vel pyra, et hoc in numero nouenario, (ratio ponitur primo capitullo proximo, quod iste numerus est plus cæteris acceptus,) de quibus Imperator vnum sibi sumens, reliqua tradit Dominis præsentibus: quo facto habent relligiosi recedere citò, ne opprimantur multitudine populi subsequentis.
Præfatum Domini galeatum, est ita intextum auro, diamantibus, gemmunculis, et orientalibus margaritis, granellis, et dubletis, et prædiues in materia et artificio, vt ei non sit æquandus magni in partibus istis Regis thesaurus. Item sicut hæc fiunt transeunti Imperatori, fiunt et Imperatricibus, et filio seniori.
The English Version.
And zee schulle undirstonde, that my felawes and I, with oure zomen, we serveden this emperour, and weren his soudyoures, 15 monethes, azenst the Kyng of Mancy, that held werre azenst him. And the cause was, for we hadden gret lust to see his noblelesse and the estat of his court and alle his governance, to write zif it were suche, as wee herde seye, that it was. And treuly, we fond it more noble and more excellent and ricchere and more marveyllous, than ever we herde speke offe; in so moche, that we wolde never han leved it, had wee not seen it. For I trowe, that no man wolde beleve the noblesse, the ricchesse, ne the multytude of folk that ben in his court, but he had seen it. For it is not there, as it is here. For the lordes here han folk of certeyn nombre, als thei may suffise: but the grete Chane hathe every day folke at his costages and expenses, as with outen nombre. But the ordynance, ne the expenses in mete and drynk, ne the honestee ne the clennesse, is not so arrayed there, as it is here: for alle the comouns there eten withouten clothe upon here knees; and thei eten alle maner of flessche, and litylle of bred. And aftre mete, thei wypen here hondes upon here skyrtes: and thei eten not but ones a day. But the estat of lordes is fulle gret and riche and noble. And alle be it, that sum men wil not trow me; but holden it for fable, to telle hem the noblesse of his persone and of his estate and of his court and of the gret multytude of folk, that he holt, natheles I schalle seye zou, a partye of him and of his folk, aftre that I have seen, the manere and the ordynance, fulle many a tyme. And whoso that wole, may leve me, zif he wille; and who so wille not, may chuse. For I wot wel, zif ony man hathe ben in tho contrees bezonde, thoughe he have not ben in the place, where the grete Chane duellethe, he schalle here speke of him so meche merveylouse thing, that he schalle not trowe it lightly: and treuly, no more did I my self, til I saughe it. And tho that han ben in tho contrees and in the gret Canes houshold, knowen wel, that I seye sothe. And therfore I wille not spare, for hem that knowe not, ne beleve not, but that that thei seen, for to telle zou a partie of him and of his estate, that he holt, whan he gothe from contree to contree, and whan he makethe solempne festes.
CAPVT. 37.
Qua de causa dicitur Grand Gan.
Si placet audire, dicam cur hic Imperator sit appellatus Grand Can. Audieram ego in partibus Ierosolymorum hunc esse sic dictum, à filio Noe, Cham: sed in terra Cathay accepi et aliam, et meram huius rei veritatem. Nam et scribendo hæc duo nomina habent differentiam, quòd filius Noe Cham scribitur quatuor elementis, quorum vltimum est M. et iste Can tribus tantùm, quorum vltimum est N.
Post annos Christi 1100. illa prima Tartaria (de qua suprà scripsi in prima parte, capitulo quinto) fuit nimis oppressa seruitute sub Regibus circumiacentium sibi nationum. Quandò autem Deo placuit, maiores illius Tartariæ eleuauerunt de seipsis sibi Regem dictum Guis Can, cui et promiserunt subiectissimam obedientiam.
Idem cùm esset prudens strenuus 12. viriles habens filios, debellauit cum ijs et populo suo, et vicit, ac subiecit cunctos in circuitu Reges, quibus terra indebitè diù subiacuerat. Quin etiam apparente sibi in visione Angelo Dei velut milite in albo equo, et candidis armis, et hortante se, vt transiret Alpes, per montem Beliam, [Marginal note: Vel Belgiam.] et per brachium maris, ad terram Cathay, et ad alias illic plurimas regiones transiuit, et coepit com filijs suis aliquas ex illis debellare, et subijcere, Deo in omnibus adiuuante patentèr. Et quoniam in equo albo ei Angelus apparuit, qui etiam antè passum prædicti maris nouem orationes Deo facere iussit, ideò successores vsque hodiè diligunt equos albos, et nouenarium numerum habent præ cæteris in gratia. Dumque Guis Can morti præ senio appropinquaret, conuocatos ante se filios hortabatur, et mouebat exemplo 12. telorum in simul colligatorum, quæ à nullo filiorum paritèr frangi potuerant, sed dissoluta vnumquodque per se facilè frangebatur, sic filij (inquit) dilectissimi, si per concordiam vos inuicèm dilexeritis, et vixeritis seniori fratri obedientes, confido in Deo iuxta promissionem mihi ab Angelo factam, quòd omnem latissimam istam terram, et optimam illius imperio subijcietis, quod et post patris discessum strenuissimè, ac fidelissimè (Deo sibi prosperante) perfecerunt. Et quia cum propriis nominibus habebant cognomen Can, primogenitus pro differentia obtinuit nomen Grand Can, id est, Magnus Can, videlicit suprà cæteros fratres, qui sibi in omnibus obediebant.
Itaque iste secundus Imperator vocabatur Ochoto Can.
Post quem filius eius regnauit dictus Guican.
Quartus autem, qui Mango Can baptizabatur, permansitque fidelis Christianus, qui etiam misso magno exercitu cum fratre suo Hallaon in partes Arabiæ et Aegypti mandauit destrui in toto Mahometi superstitionem, et terram poni in manibus Christianorum. Et fratre procedente, accepit rumores de fratris sui Imperatoris morte inopinata, quaproptèr et redijt negotio imperfecto.
Quintus Cobilacan, qui etiam fuit Christianus, et regnauit 42. annis, et ædificauit magnam ciuitatem Iong, maiorem satis vrbe Roma, in qua et continetur valdè nobile palatium Imperiale. Hinc vsque hodie omnes successores paganismo foedantur.
Tempore autem meò erat nomen Imperatoris Echian Can, et primogenitus eius Cosuecan, præter quem et alios filios habuit 12. de quorum nominibus conscribendis non est curæ presentis.
Prima vxorum suorum vocabatur Serochan, quæ et est filia Præsbyteri Ioannis scilicet Imperatoris Indiæ.
Secunda Verouchan.
Tertia Caranthcan.
Istis duobus Imperatoribus non creditur inueniri maior Dominus sub firmamento Coeli.
In literis quæ huius Imperatoris Tartariæ scribuntur nomine ponitur semper iste Titulus. Can filius Dei excelsi, omnium vniuersam terram colentium summus Imperator, et Dominus Dominantium omnium.
Circumferentia magni sui sigilli, continet hoc scriptum.
Deus in Coelo, Can super terram, eius fortitudo. Omnium hominum Imperatoris sigillum.
Sciendum quoque quod quamuis populi ibi dicuntur, et sunt Pagani, tamen et rex et omnes credunt in Deum immortalem, et omnipotentem, et iurant per ipsum appellantes, Yroga, id est, Deum Naturæ. Sed nihilominus colunt et adorant idola, et simulachra aurea, et argentea, lapidea, lignea, filtria, lanea, et linea.
The English Version.
Wherefore he is clept the grete Chane. Of the Style of his Lettres, and of the Superscripcioun abowten his grete Sealle, and his pryvee Sealle.
[Sidenote: Chap. XXI.] First I schalle seye zou, whi he was clept the gret Chane. Zee schulle undirstonde, that alle the world was destroyed by Noes flood, saf only Noe and his wif and his children. Noe had 3 sones, Sem, Cham and Japhethe. This Cham was he that saughe his fadres prevy membres naked, whan he slepte, and scorned hem and schewed hem with his finger, to his brethren, in scornynge wise: and ther fore he was cursed of God. And Japhethe turned his face away, and covered hem. Theise 3 bretheren had cesoun in alle the lond: and this Cham, for his crueltee, toke the gretter and the beste partie, toward the est, that is clept Asye: and Sem toke Affryk: and Japhethe toke Europe. And therfore is alle the erthe departed in theise 3 parties, be theise 3 bretheren. Cham was the grettest, and the most myghty: and of him camen mo generaciouns, than of the othere. And of his sone Chuse, was engendred Nembrothe the geaunt, that was the firste kyng, that ever was in the world: and he began the foundacion of the Tour of Babyloyne. And that tyme, the fendes of helle camen many tymes, and leyen with the wommen of his generacioun, and engendered on hem dyverse folk, as monstres, and folk disfigured, summe with outen hedes, summe with gret eres, summe with on eye, summe geauntes, summ with hors feet, and many other dyverse schapp, azenst kynde. And of that generacioun of Cham, ben comen the Paynemes, and dyverse folk, that ben in yles of the see, be alle Ynde. And for als moche as he was the moste myghty, and no man myghte withstonde him, he cleped himself the sone of God, and sovereyn of alle the world. And for this Cham, this emperour clepeth him Cham and sovereyn of all the world. And of the generacioun of Sem, ben comen the Sarrazines, And of the generacioun of Japhethe, is comen the peple of Israel. And thoughe that wee duellen in Europe, this is the opynyoun, that the Syryenes and the Samaritanes, han amonges hem; and that thei told me, before that I wente toward Ynde: but I fond it otherwise. Natheles the sothe is this, that Tartarynes and thei that duellen in the grete Asye, thei camen of Cham. But the emperour of Cathay clepeth him not Cham, but Can: and I schalle telle zou how. It is but litylle more but 8 score zeer, that alle Tartarye was in subiectioun and in servage to othere nacyouns abouten: for thei weren but bestyalle folk, and diden no thing but kepten bestes, and lad hem to pastures. But among hem, thei hadden 7 princypalle nacyouns, that weren soveraynes of hem alle: of the whiche, the firste nacyoun or lynage was clept Tartar; and that is the most noble and the most preysed. The seconde lynage is clept Tanghot; the thridde Eurache; the 4 Valair; the 5 Semoche; the 6 Megly; the 7 Coboghe. Now befelle it so, that of the firste lynage succeeded an old worthi man, that was not riche, that hadde to name Changuys. This man lay upon a nyght in his bed, and he sawhe in a visioun, that there cam before him a knyght armed alle in white, and he satt upon a white hors, and seyd to him, Can, slepest thou? The inmortalle God hathe sent me to the; and it is his wille, that thou go to the 7 lynages, and seye to hem, that thou schalt ben here emperour. For thou schalt conquere the londs and the contrees, that ben abouten: and thei that marchen upon zou, schulle ben undre zoure subieccioun, as zee han ben undre hires: for that is Goddes wille inmortalle. And whan he cam at morwe, Changuys roos, and wente to the 7 lynages, and tolde hem how the white knyght had seyd. And thei scorned him, and seyden, that he was a fool; and so he departed fro hem alle aschamed. And the nyght sewynge, this white knyght cam to the 7 lynages, and commaunded hem, on Goddes behalve inmortalle, that thei scholde make this Changuys here emperour; and thei scholde ben out of subieccioun; and thei scholde holden alle other regiounes aboute hem in here servage, as thei had ben to hem beforn. And on the morwe, thei chosen him to ben here emperour: and thei setten him upon a blak fertre; and aftre that, thei liften him op with gret solempnytee, and thei setten him in a chayer of gold, and diden hym alle maner of reverence; and thei cleped him, Chan, as the white knyght called him. And whan he was thus chosen, he wolde assayen, zif he myghte trust in hem or non, and whether thei wolde ben obeyssant to him or non. And thanne he made many statutes and ordinances, that thei clepen Ysya Chan. The first statute was, that thei scholde beleeven and obeyen in God inmortalle, that is allemyghty, that wolde casten hem out of servage; and at alle tymes clepe to him for help, in tyme of nede. The tother statute was, that alle maner of men that myghte beren armes, scholden ben nombred: and to every 10 scholde ben a maystre, and to every 100 a maystre, and to every 1000 a maystre, and to every 10000 a maystre. Aftre he commanded to the princypales of the 7 lynages, that thei scholde leven and forsaken alle that thei hadden in godes and heritage; and fro thens forthe to holden hem payd, of that that be wolde zeve hem of his grace. And thei diden so anon. Aftre he commanded to the princypales of the 7 lynages, that every of hem scholde brynge his eldest sone before him, and with here owne handes smyten of here hedes, with outen taryenge. And anon his commandement was performed. And whan the Chane saghe, that thei made non obstacle to performen his commandement, thanne he thoughte wel, that he myghte trusten in hem, and commanded hem anon to make hem redy, and to sewen his banere. And aftre this, Chane putt in subieccioun alle the londes aboute him. Aftreward it befelle upon a day, that the Cane rood with a fewe meynee, for to beholde the strengthe of the contree, that he had wonnen: and so befelle, that a gret multytude of his enemyes metten with hem; and for to zeven gode ensample of hardynesse to his peeple, he was the firste that faughte, and in the myddes of his enemyes encountred; and there he was cast from his hors, and his hors slayn. And whan his folk saughe him at the erthe, thei weren alle abasscht, and wenden he had ben ded, and flowen everych one; and hire enemyes aftre, and chaced hem: but thei wiste not, that the emperour was there. And whan thei weren comen azen fro the chace, thei wenten and soughten the wodes, zif ony of hem had ben hid in the thikke of the wodes: and manye thei founden and slowen hem anon. So it happend, that as thei wenten serchinge, toward the place that the emperour was, thei saughe an owle sittynge upon a tree aboven hym; and than thei seyden amonges hem, that there was no man, be cause that thei saughe that brid there: and to thei wenten hire wey; and thus escaped the emperour from dethe. And thanne he wente prevylly, alle be nyghte, tille he cam to his folk, that weren fulle glad of his comynge, and maden grete thankynges to God immortalle, and to that bryd, be whom here lord was saved. And therfore princypally aboven alle foules of world, thei worschipen the owle: and whan thei han ony of here fedres, thei kepen hem fulle precyously, in stede of relykes, and beren hem upon here hedes with gret reverence: and thei holden hem self blessed and saf from alle periles, while that thei han hem upon hem; and therfore thei beren here fedres upon here hedes. Aftre alle this the Cane ordeyned him, and assembled his peple, and wente upon hem that hadden assayled hym before, and destroyed hem, and put hem in subieccioun and servage. And whan he had wonnen and putt alle the londes and contrees, on this half the Mount Belyan, in subieccioun, the whyte knyght cam to him azen in his sleep, and seyde to him, Chan, the wille of God immortalle is, that thou passe the Mount Belyan; and thou schalt wynne the lond, and thou schalt putten many nacyouns in subieccioun: and for thou schalt fynde no gode passage for to go toward that contree, go to the Mount Belyan, that is upon the see, and knele there 9 tymes toward the est, in the worschipe of God immortalle; and he schal schewe the weye to passe by. And the Chane dide so. And anon the see, that touched and was fast to the mount, began to withdrawe him, and schewed fair weye of 9 fote brede large; and so he passed with his folk, and wan the lond of Cathay, that is the grettest kyngdom of the world. And for the 9 knelynges, and for the 9 fote of weye, the Chane and alle the men of Tartarye han the nombre of 9 in gret reverence. And therfore who that wole make the Chane ony present, be it of hors, be it of bryddes, or of arwes, or bowes, or of frute, or of ony other thing, alweys he most make it of the nombre of 9. And so thanne ben the presentes of grettere plesance to him, and more benygnely he wil resceyven hem, than though he were presented with an 100 or 200. For hym semethe the nombre of 9 so holy, be cause the messagre of God immortalle devised it. Also whan the Chane of Cathay hadde wonen the contree of Cathay, and put in subieccioun and undre fote many contrees abouten, he felle seek. And whan he felte wel, that he scholde dye, he seyde to his 12 sones, that everyche of hem scholde brynge him on of his arewes; and so thei diden anon. And thanne he commanded, that men scholde bynden hem to gedre, in 3 places; and than he toke hem to his eldest sone, and bad him breke hem alle to gedre. And he enforced hem with alle his myght to breken hem: but he ne myghte not. And than the Chane bad his seconde sone to breke hem; and so schortly too alle, eche aftre other: but non of hem myght breke hem. And than be bad the zongest sone dissevere everyche from other, and breken everyche be him self: and so he dide. And than seyde the Chane to his eldest sone, and to alle the othere, Wherfore myght zee not breke hem? And thei answereden, that thei myght not, be cause that thei weren bounden to gydre. And wherfore, quothe he, hathe zoure litylle zongest brother broken hem? Because, quothe thei, that thei weren departed eche from other. And thanne seyde the Chane, My sones, quoth he, treuly thus wil it faren be zou. For als longe as zee ben bounden to gedere, in 3 places, that is to seyne, in love, in trouthe and in gode accord, no man schalle ben of powere to greve zou; but and zee ben disevered fro theise 3 places, that zoure on helpe not zoure other, zee schulle be destroyed and brought to nought: and zif eche of zou love other, and helpe othere, ze schulle be lordes and sovereynes of alle othere. And whan he hadde made his ordynances, he dyed. And thanne after hym, regned Ecchecha Cane his eldest sone. And his othere bretheren wenten to wynnen hem many contrees and kyngdomes, unto the lond of Pruysse and of Rossye, and made hem to ben cleped Chane: but thei weren all obeyssant to hire eldre brother: and therfore was he clept grete Chane. Aftre Ecchecha, regned Guyo Chane: and aftre him, Mango Chan, that was a gode Cristene man, and baptized, and zaf lettres of perpetuelle pes to alle Cristene men, and sente his brother Halaon with gret multytude of folk, for to wynnen the Holy Lond, and for to put it in to Cristene mennes hondes, and for to destroye Machametes lawe, and for to take the Calyphee of Baldak, that was emperour and lord of alle the Sarazines. And whan this Calyphee was taken, men fownden him of so highe worschipe, that in alle the remenant of the world, ne myghte a man fynde a more reverent man, ne highere in worschippe. And then Halaon made him come before him, and seyde to hym: Why, quoth be, haddest thow not taken with the mo sowdyoures, and men y nowe, for a lytille quantytee of thresour, for to defende the and thi contree, that art so habundant of tresore and so high in alle worschipe? And the Calyphee answered him, For he wel trowede, that he hadde y nowe of his owne propre men. And than seyde Halaon, Thou were as a god of the Sarazines: and it is convenyent to a god, to ete no mete, that is mortalle; and therfore thou schalt not ete, but precyous stones, riche perles, and tresour, that thou lovest so moche. And then he commanded him to presoun, and alle his tresoure aboute him; and so he dyed for hungre, and threst. And than aftre this, Halaon wan alle the lond of promyssioun, and putte it in to Cristene mennes hondes. But the grete Chane his brother dyede; and that was gret sorwe and losse to alle Cristen men.
Aftre Mango Chan, regned Coblya Chan, that was also a Cristene man: and he regnede 42 zere. He founded the grete cytee Izonge in Cathay, that is a gret del more than Rome.
The tother gret Chane, that cam aftre him, becam a Payneme, and alle the other aftre him.
The kyngdom of Cathay is the grettest reme of the world. And also the gret Chan is the most myghty emperour of the world, and the grettest lord undre the firmament; and so he clepethe him in his lettres, right thus, _Chan, filius Dei excelsi, omnium universam Terram colentium summus Imperatur, et Dominus omnium Dominantium_. And the lettre of his grete seel, writen abouten, is this, _Deus in Celo, Chan super Terram, ejus fortitudo. Omnium hominum Imperatoris Sigillum_. And the superscripcioun aboute his litylle seel is this, _Dei Fortitudo omnium hominum. Imperatoris Sigillum_. And alle be it that thei be not cristned, zit natheles the emperour and alle the Tarterynes beleeven in God immortalle. And whan thei wille manacen ony man thanne thei seyn, God knowethe wel, that I schalle do the suche a thing, and tellethe his menace. And thus have zee herd, whi he is clept the grete Chane.
Of the governance of the grete Chanes Court, and whan he makethe solempne Festes. Of his Philosophres. And of his Array, whan he riddethe be the contre.
[Sidenote: Cap. XXIII.] Now schalle I telle zou the governance of the court of the grete chane, whan he makethe solempne festes: and that is princypally 4 tymes in the zeer. The firste feste is of his byrthe: that other is of his presentacioun in here temple, that thei clepen here Moscache, where thei maken a manere of circumsicioun: and the tother 2 festes ben of his ydoles. The firste feste of the ydole is, whan he is first put in to hire temple and throned. The tother feste is, whan the ydole begynnethe first to speke or to worche myracles. Mo ben there not of solempne festes, but zif he marye ony of his children. Now undirstondethe, that at every of theise festes, he hathe gret multytude of peple, well ordeyned and wel arrayed, be thousandes, be hundredes and be tenthes. And every man knowethe wel, what servyse he schalle do. And every man zevethe so gode hede and so gode attendance to his servyse, that no man fyndethe no defaute. And there ben first ordeyned 4000 baronnes myghty and riche, for to gouerne and to make ordynance for the feste, and for to serve the emperour. And theise solempne festes ben made with outen, in hales and tentes made of clothes of gold and of tartaries, fulle nobely. And alle tho barouns han crounes of gold upon hire hedes, fulle noble and riche, fulle of precious stones and grete perles oryent. And thei ben alle clothed in clothes of gold or of tartaries or of camokas, so richely and so perfytly, that no man in the world can amenden it, ne better devisen it. And alle tho robes ben orfrayed alle abouten, and dubbed fulle of precious stones and of grete oryent perles, fulle richely. And thei may wel do so; for clothes of gold and of sylk ben gretter chep there a gret del, than ben clothes of wolle. And theise 4000 barouns ben devised in 4 companyes: and every thousand is clothed in clothes alle of o colour; and that so wel arrayed and so richely, that it is marveyle to beholde. The firste thousand, that is of Dukes, of Erles, of Marquyses and of Amyralles, alle clothed in clothes of gold, with tysseux of grene silk, and bordured with gold, fulle of preciouse stones, in maner as I have seyd before. The secounde thousand is alle clothed in clothes dyapred of red silk, alle wroughte with gold, and the orfrayes sett fulle of gret perl and precious stones, fulle nobely wroughte. The 3 thousand is clothed in clothes of silk, of purpre of Ynde. And the 4 thousand is in clothes of zalow. And alle hire clothes ben so nobely and so richely wroughte with gold and precious stones and riche perles, that zif a man of this contree hadde but only on of hire robes, he myghte wel seye, that he sholde nevere be pore. For the gold and the precious stones and the grete oryent perles ben of gretter value, on this half the see, than thei ben bezond the see, in tho contrees. And whan thei ben thus apparaylled, thei gon 2 and 2 togedre, fulle ordynatly before the emperour, withouten speche of ony woord, saf only enclynynge to him. And everyche of hem berethe a tablett of jaspere or of ivory or of cristalle; and the mynstralle goynge before hem, sownyng here instrumentes of dyverse melodye. And whan the firste thousand is thus passed, and hathe made his mostre, he withdrawethe him on that o syde. And than entrethe that other secunde thousand, and dothe right so, in the same manere of array and contenance, as did the firste; and aftre the thridde, and than the fourthe; and non of hem seythe not o word. And at o syde of the emperours table, sitten many philosofres, that ben preved for wise men, in many dyverse scyences; as of astronomye, nigromancye, geomancye, pyromancye, ydromancye, of augurye and of many other scyences. And everyche of hem han before hem astrolabes of gold; sum speres, summe the brayn panne of a ded man, summe vesselles of gold fulle of gravelle or sond, summe vesseles of gold fulle of coles brennynge, sume veselle of gold fulle of watre and of wyn and of oyle, and summe oriloges of gold, mad ful nobely and richely wroughte, and many other maner of instrumentes aftre hire sciences. And at certeyn houres, whan hem thinkethe time, thei seyn to certeyn officeres, that stonden before hem, ordeynd for the tyme, to fulfille hire commaudemenes, Makethe pees. And than seyn the officeres, Now pees lystenethe. And aftre that, seyth another of the philosophres, Every man do reverence, and enclyne to the emperour, that is Goddes sone and soverayn lord of alle the world; for now is tyme. And thanne every man bowethe his hed toward the erthe. And thanne commandethe the same philosophre azen, Stondethe up. And thei don so. And at another hour, seythe another philosophre, Puttethe zoure litille fynger in zoure eres. And anon thei don so. And at another hour, seythe another philosophre, Puttethe zoure honde before zoure mouthe. And anon thei don so. And at another hour, seithe another philosophre, Puttethe zoure honde upon zoure hede. And aftre that, he byddethe hem to don here hond a wey; and thei don so. And so from hour to hour, thei commanden certeyn thinges. And thei seyn, that tho thinges han dyverse significaciouns. And I asked hem prevyly, what tho thinges betokened. And on of the maistres told me, that the bowynge of the hed at that hour betokened this, that alle tho that boweden here hedes, scholden evere more aftre ben obeyssant and trewe to the emperour: and nevere for ziftes, ne for promys in no kynde, ben fals ne traytour unto him for gode ne evylle. And the puttynge of the litylle fynger in the ere, betokenethe, as thei seyn, that none of hem ne schalle not here speke no contrarious thing to the emperour, but that he schalle telle it anon to his conseille, or discovere it to sum men that wille make relacioun to the emperour; thoughe he were his fadre or brother or sone. And so forthe of alle other thtnges, that is don be the philosophres, thei tolde me the causes of many dyverse thinges. And trustethe righte wel in certyn, that no man dothe no thing to the emperour, that belongethe unto him, nouther clothinge, ne bred, ne wyn, ne bathe, ne non other thing, that longethe to hym, but at certeyn houres, that his philosopheres wille devysen. And zif there falle werre in ony syde to the emperour, anon the philosophres comen, and seyn here avys aftre her calculaciouns, and conseylen the emperour of here avys, be here sciences; so that the emperour dothe no thing with outen here conseille. And whan the philosophres han don and perfourmed here commandementes, thanne the mynstralle begynnen to don here mynstralcye, everyche in hire instrumentes, eche aftre other, with alle the melodye that thei can devyse. And whan thei han don a gode while, on of the officers of the emperour gothe up on an highe stage wroughte fulle curyously, and cryethe and seythe with lowde voys, Makethe pees. And than every man is stille. And thanne anon aftre, alle the lordes, that ben of the emperours lynage, nobely arrayed in riche clothes of gold, and ryally apparayled on white stedes, als manye as may wel sewen hem at that tyme, ben redy to maken here presentes to the emperour. And than seythe the styward of the court to the lordes be name, N. of N. and nempnethe first the most enoble and the worthieste be name, and seythe, be zee redy with suche a nombre of white hors, for to serve the emperour, zoure sovereyn lord. And to another lord, he seythe, N. of N. be zee redy with suche a nombre, to serve zoure sovereyn lord. And so another, right so. And to alle the lordes of the emperoures lynage, eche aftre other, as ben of estate. And whan thei ben alle cleped, thei entren eche aftre other, and presentenen the white hors to the emperour; and than gon hire wey. And than aftre, alle the other barouns every of hem zeven hem presentes, or juelle, or sum other thing, aftre that thei ben of estate. And than aftre hem, alle the prelates of hire lawe, and religiouse men and other; and every man zevethe him sum thing. And whan that alle men han thus presented the emperour, the greetest of dignytee of the prelates zevethe hem a blessynge, seyenge an orisoun of hire lawe. And than begynnen the mynstrelle to maken hire mynstralcye, in dyverse instrumentes, with alle the melodye that thei can devyse. And whan thei han don hire craft, than thei bryngen before the emperour, lyouns, libardes and other dyverse bestes; and egles and veutours, and other dyverse foules; and fissches, and serpentes; for to don him reverence. And than comen jogulours and enchauntoures, that don many marvaylles: for thei maken to come in the ayr, the sonne and the mone, be semynge, to every mannes sight. And aftre thei maken the day to come azen, fair and plesant with bright sonne, to every mannes sight. And than thei bryngen in daunces of the faireste damyselles of the world, and richest arrayed. And aftre thei maken to come in, other damyselles, bryngynge coupes of gold, fulle of mylk of dyverse bestes, and zeven drynke to lordes and to ladyes. And than thei make knyghtes to jousten in armes fulle lustyly; and thei rennen to gidre a gret randoum; and thei frusschen to gidere fulle fiercely; and thei breken here speres so rudely, that the tronchouns flen in sprotes and peces alle aboute the halle. And than thei make to come in huntyng, for the hert and for the boor, with houndes rennynge with open mouthe. And many other thinges thei don, be craft of hire enchauntementes; that it is marveyle for to see. And suche pleyes of desport thei make, til the takynge up of the boordes.
This gret Chan hathe fulle gret peple for to serve him, as I have told zou before. For he hathe of mynstralles the nombre of 13 cumanez: but thei abyde not alle weys with hym. For alle the mynstrelle that comen before hym, of what nacyoun that thei ben of, thei ben withholden with him, as of his houshold, and entred in his bokes, as for his owne men. And aftre that, where that evere thei gon, ever more thei cleymen for mynstralle of the grete Chane: and undre that tytle, alle kynges and lordes, cherisschen hem the more with ziftes and alle thing. And therefore he hathe so gret multytude of hem. And he hathe of certeyn men, as thoughe thei were zomen, that kepen bryddes, as ostrycches, gerfacouns, sparehaukes, faukons gentyls, lanyeres, sacres, sacrettes, papyngayes wel spekynge, and briddes syngynge. And also of wylde bestes, as of olifauntz, tame and othere, babewynes, apes, marmesettes, and othere dyverse bestes; the mountance of 15 cumanez of zomen. And of Phisicyens Cristene, he hathe 200. And of leches, that ben Cristene, he hathe 210. And of leches and Phisicyens, that ben Sarrazines 20: but he trustethe more in the Cristene leches, than in the Sarrazines. And his other comoun houshold is with outen nombre: and thei alle han alle necessaries, and alle that hem nedethe, of the emperoures court. And he hathe in his court many barouns, as servytoures, that ben Cristene and converted to gode feythe, be the prechynge of religiouse Cristen men, that dwellen with him: but there ben manye mo, that wil not, that men knowen that thei ben Cristene.
This emperour may dispenden als moche as he wille, with outen estymacioun. For he despendethe not, he makethe no money, but of lether emprented, or of papyre. And of that moneye, is som of gretter prys, and som of lasse prys, aftre the dyversitee of his statutes. And whan that money hathe ronne so longe, that it begynnethe to waste, than men beren it to the emperoures tresorye: and than thei taken newe money for the olde. And that money gothe thorghe out alle the contree, and thorghe out alle his provynces. For there and bezonde hem, thei make no money, nouther of gold nor of sylver. And therfore he may despende y now, and outrageously. And of gold and sylver, that men beren in his contree, he makethe cylours, pyleres and paumentes in his palays, and other dyverse thinges, what him lykethe. This emperour hathe in his chambre, in on of the pyleres of gold, a rubye and a charboncle of half a fote long, that in the nyght zevethe so gret clartee and schynynge, that it is als light as day. And he hathe many other precyous stones, and many other rubyes and charboncles: but tho ben the grettest and the moste precyous.
This emperour duellethe in somer in a cytee, that is toward the northe, that is cleped Saduz: and there is cold y now. And in wyntre, he duellethe in a cytee, that is clept Camaaleche: and that is an hote contree. But the contree, where he duellethe in most comounly, is in Caydo or in Jong, that is a gode contree and a tempree, aftre that the contree is there: but to men of this contree, it were to passyng hoot. And whan this emperour wille ryde from o contree to another, he ordeynethe 4 hostes of his folk; of the whiche, the firste hoost gothe before him, a dayes iourneye. For that hoost schalle ben logged the nyght, where the emperour schalle lygge upon the morwe. And there schalle every man have alle maner of vytaylle and necessaryes, that ben nedefulle, of the emperoures costages. And in this firste hoost is the nombre of peple 50 cumaunez; what of hors, what of fote: of the whiche every cumanez amounten to 10000, as I have told zou before. And another hoost gothe in the right syde of the emperour, nygh half a journeye fro him. And another gothe on the left syde of him, in the same wise. And in every hoost, is as moche multytude of peple, as in the first hoost. And thanne aftre comethe the 4 hoost, that is moche more than ony of the othere, and that gothe behynden him, the mountance of a bowe draught. And every hoost hathe his iourneyes ordeyned in certeyn places, where thei schulle be logged at nyght; and there thei schulle have alle, that hem nedethe. And zif it befalle, that ony of the hoost dye, anon thei putten another in his place; so that the nombre schal evere more ben hool. And zee schulle undirstonde, that the emperour, in his propre persone, rydethe not as othere gret lordes don bezonde; but zif him liste to go prevyly with fewe men, for to ben unknowen. And elle he rytt in a charett with 4 wheles, upon the whiche is made a faire chambre; and it is made of a certeyn wode, that comethe out of paradys terrestre, that men clepen lignum aloes, that the flodes of paradys bryngen out at dyverse cesouns, as I have told zou here beforn. And this chambre is fulle wel smellynge, be cause of the wode, that it is made offe. And alle this chambre is covered with inne of plate of fyn gold, dubbed with precious stones and grete perles. And 4 olifauntz and 4 grete destreres alle white, and covered with riche covertoures ledynge the chariot. And 4 or 5 or 6 of the grettest lordes ryden aboute the charyot, fulle richely arrayed and fulle nobely; so that no man schalle nyghe the charyot, but only tho lordes, but zif that the emperour calle ony man to him, that him list to speke with alle. And above the chambre of this chariot, that the emperour sittethe inne, ben sett upon a perche 4 or 5 or 6 gerfacouns; to that entent, that whan the emperour seethe ony wylde foul, that he may take it at his owne list, and have the desport and the pley of the flight; first with on, and aftre with another: and so he takethe his desport passynge be the contree. And no man rydethe before him of his companye; but alle aftre him. And no man dar not come nyghe the chariot by a bowe draught, but tho lordes only, that ben about him: and alle the hoost cometh fayrely aftre him, in gret multitude. And also suche another charyot, with suche hoostes, ordeynd and arrayd, gon with the empresse, upon another syde, everyche be him self, with 4 hoostes, right as the emperour dide; but not with so gret multytude of peple. And his eldest sone gothe be another weye in another chariot, in the same manere. So that there is betwene hem so gret multitude of folk, that it is marveyle to telle it. And no man scholde trowe the nombre, but he had seen it. And sum tyme it happethe, that whan he wil not go fer; and that it lyke him to have the emperesse and his children with him; than thei gon alle to gydere; and here folk ben alle medled in fere, and devyded in 4 parties only.
END OF VOL. VIII.
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