There be also diamonds in Ind that be clept violastres, (for their colour is like violet, or more brown than the violets), that be full hard and full precious.  But yet some men love not them so well as the other; but, in sooth, to me, I would love them as much as the other, for I have seen them assayed.

Also there is another manner of diamonds that be as white as crystal, but they be a little more trouble.  And they be good and of great virtue, and all they be square and pointed of their own kind.  And some be six squared, some four squared, and some three as nature shapeth them.  And therefore when great lords and knights go to seek worship in arms, they bear gladly the diamond upon them.

I shall speak a little more of the diamonds, although I tarry my matter for a time, to the end, that they that know them not, be not deceived by gabbers that go by the country, that sell them.  For whoso will buy the diamond it is needful to him that he know them.  Because that men counterfeit them often of crystal that is yellow and of sapphires of citron colour that is yellow also, and of the sapphire loupe and of many other stones.  But I tell you these counterfeits be not so hard; and also the points will break lightly, and men may easily polish them.  But some workmen, for malice, will not polish them; to that intent, to make men believe that they may not be polished.  But men may assay them in this manner.  First shear with them or write with them in sapphires, in crystal or in other precious stones.  After that, men take the adamant, that is the shipman's stone, that draweth the needle to him, and men lay the diamond upon the adamant, and lay the needle before the adamant; and, if the diamond be good and virtuous, the adamant draweth not the needle to him whiles the diamond is there present.  And this is the proof that they beyond the sea make.

Natheles it befalleth often-time, that the good diamond loseth his virtue by sin, and for incontinence of him that beareth it.  And then it is needful to make it to recover his virtue again, or else it is of little value.

 

 

CHAPTER XVIII. Of the customs of Isles about Ind.  Of the difference betwixt Idols and Simulacres.  Of three manner growing of Pepper upon one tree.  Of the Well that changeth his odour every hour of the day; and that is marvel

 

In Ind be full many diverse countries.  And it is clept Ind, for a flom that runneth throughout the country that is clept Ind.  In that flom men find eels of thirty foot long and more.  And the folk that dwell nigh that water be of evil colour, green and yellow.

In Ind and about Ind be more than 5000 isles good and great that men dwell in, without those that he inhabitable, and without other small isles.  In every isle is great plenty of cities, and of towns, and of folk without number.  For men of Ind have this condition of kind, that they never go out of their own country, and therefore is there great multitude of people.  But they be not stirring ne movable, because that they be in the first climate, that is of Saturn; and Saturn is slow and little moving, for he tarryeth to make his turn by the twelve signs thirty year.  And the moon passeth through the twelve signs in one month.  And for because that Saturn is of so late stirring, therefore the folk of that country that be under his climate have of kind no will for to move ne stir to seek strange places.  And in our country is all the contrary; for we be in the seventh climate, that is of the moon.  And the moon is of lightly moving, and the moon is planet of way; and for that skill it giveth us will of kind for to move lightly and for to go divers ways, and to seek strange things and other diversities of the world; for the moon environeth the earth more hastily than any other planet.

Also men go through Ind by many diverse countries to the great sea Ocean.  And after, men find there an isle that is clept Crues.  And thither come merchants of Venice and Genoa, and of other marches, for to buy merchandises.  But there is so great heat in those marches, and namely in that isle, that, for the great distress of the heat, men's ballocks hang down to their knees for the great dissolution of the body.  And men of that country, that know the manner, let bind them up, or else might they not live, and anoint them with ointments made therefore, to hold them up.

In that country and in Ethiopia, and in many other countries, the folk lie all naked in rivers and waters, men and women together, from undern of the day till it be past the noon.  And they lie all in the water, save the visage, for the great heat that there is.  And the women have no shame of the men, but lie all together, side to side, till the heat be past.  There may men see many foul figure assembled, and namely nigh the good towns.

In that isle be ships without nails of iron or bonds, for the rocks of the adamants, for they be all full thereabout in that sea, that it is marvel to speak of.  And if a ship passed by those marches that had either iron bonds or iron nails, anon he should be perished; for the adamant of his kind draweth the iron to him.  And so would it draw to him the ship because of the iron, that he should never depart from it, ne never go thence.

From that isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Chana, where is great plenty of corn and wine.  And it was wont to be a great isle, and a great haven and a good; but the sea hath greatly wasted it and overcome it.  The king of that country was wont to be so strong and so mighty that he held war against King Alexander.

The folk of that country have a diverse law.  For some of them worship the sun, some the moon, some the fire, some trees, some serpents, or the first thing that they meet at morrow.  And some worship simulacres and some idols.  But between simulacres and idols is a great difference.  For simulacres be images made after likeness of men or of women, or of the sun, or of the moon, or of any beast, or of any kindly thing.  And idols is an image made of lewd will of man, that man may not find among kindly things, as an image that hath four heads, one of a man, another of an horse or of an ox, or of some other beast, that no man hath seen after kindly disposition.

And they that worship simulacres, they worship them for some worthy man that was sometime, as Hercules, and many other that did many marvels in their time.  For they say well that they be not gods; for they know well that there is a God of kind that made all things, the which is in heaven.  But they know well that this may not do the marvels that he made, but if it had been by the special gift of God; and therefore they say that he was well with God, and for because that he was so well with God, therefore they worship him.  And so say they of the sun, because that he changeth the time, and giveth heat, and nourisheth all things upon earth; and for it is of so great profit, they know well that that might not be, but that God loveth it more than any other thing, and, for that skill, God hath given it more great virtue in the world.  Therefore, it is good reason, as they say, to do it worship and reverence.  And so say they, and make their reasons, of other planets, and of the fire also, because it is so profitable.

And of idols they say also that the ox is the most holy beast that is in earth and most patient, and more profitable than any other.  For he doth good enough and he doth no evil; and they know well that it may not be without special grace of God.  And therefore make they their god of an ox the one part, and the other half of a man.  Because that man is the most noble creature in earth, and also for he hath lordship above all beasts, therefore make they the halvendel of idol of a man upwards; and the tother half of an ox downwards, and of serpents, and of other beasts and diverse things, that they worship, that they meet first at morrow.

And they worship also specially all those that they have good meeting of; and when they speed well in their journey, after their meeting, and namely such as they have proved and assayed by experience of long time; for they say that thilk good meeting ne may not come but of the grace of God.  And therefore they make images like to those things that they have belief in, for to behold them and worship them first at morning, or they meet any contrarious things.  And there be also some Christian men that say, that some beasts have good meeting, that is to say for to meet with them first at morrow, and some beasts wicked meeting; and that they have proved oft-time that the hare hath full evil meeting, and swine and many other beasts.  And the sparrow-hawk or other fowls of ravine, when they fly after their prey and take it before men of arms, it is a good sign; and if he fail of taking his prey, it is an evil sign.  And also to such folk, it is an evil meeting of ravens.

In these things and in such other, there be many folk that believe; because it happeneth so often-time to fall after their fantasies.  And also there be men enough that have no belief in them.  And, sith that Christian men have such belief, that be informed and taught all day by holy doctrine, wherein they should believe, it is no marvel then, that the paynims, that have no good doctrine but only of their nature, believe more largely for their simplesse.  And truly I have seen of paynims and Saracens that men clepe Augurs, that, when we ride in arms in divers countries upon our enemies, by the flying of fowls they would tell us the prognostications of things that fell after; and so they did full oftentimes, and proffered their heads to-wedde, but if it would fall as they said.  But natheles, therefore should not a man put his belief in such things, but always have full trust and belief in God our sovereign Lord.

This isle of Chana the Saracens have won and hold.  In that isle be many lions and many other wild beasts.  And there be rats in that isle as great as hounds here; and men take them with great mastiffs, for cats may not take them.  In this isle and many other men bury not no dead men, for the heat is there so great, that in a little time the flesh will consume from the bones.

From thence men go by sea toward Ind the more to a city, that men clepe Sarche, that is a fair city and a good.  And there dwell many Christian men of good faith.  And there be many religious men, and namely of mendicants.

After go men by sea to the land of Lomb.  In that land groweth the pepper in the forest that men clepe Combar.  And it groweth nowhere else in all the world, but in that forest, and that endureth well an eighteen journeys in length.  In the forest be two good cities; that one hight Fladrine and that other Zinglantz, and in every of them dwell Christian men and Jews, great plenty.  For it is a good country and a plentiful, but there is overmuch passing heat.

And ye shall understand, that the pepper groweth in manner as doth a wild vine that is planted fast by the trees of that wood for to sustain it by, as doth the vine.  And the fruit thereof hangeth in manner as raisins.  And the tree is so thick charged, that it seemeth that it would break.  And when it is ripe it is all green, as it were ivy berries.  And then men cut them, as men do the vines, and then they put it upon an oven, and there it waxeth black and crisp.  And there is three manner of pepper all upon one tree; long pepper, black pepper and white pepper.  The long pepper men clepe Sorbotin, and the black pepper is clept Fulfulle, and the white pepper is clept Bano .  The long pepper cometh first when the leaf beginneth to come, and it is like the cats of hazel that cometh before the leaf, and it hangeth low.  And after cometh the black with the leaf, in manner of clusters of raisins, all green.  And when men have gathered it, then cometh the white that is somedeal less than the black.  And of that men bring but little into this country; for they beyond withhold it for themselves, because it is better and more attempre in kind than the black.  And therefore is there not so great plenty as of the black.

In that country be many manner of serpents and of other vermin for the great heat of the country and of the pepper.  And some men say, that when they will gather the pepper, they make fire, and burn about to make the serpents and the cockodrills to flee.  But save their grace of all that say so.  For if they burnt about the trees that bear, the pepper should be burnt, and it would dry up all the virtue, as of any other thing; and then they did themselves much harm, and they should never quench the fire.  But thus they do: they anoint their hands and their feet [with a juice] made of snails and of other things made therefore, of the which the serpents and the venomous beasts hate and dread the savour; and that maketh them flee before them, because of the smell, and then they gather it surely enough.

Also toward the head of that forest is the city of Polombe.  And above the city is a great mountain that also is clept Polombe.  And of that mount the city hath his name.

And at the foot of that mount is a fair well and a great, that hath odour and savour of all spices.  And at every hour of the day he changeth his odour and his savour diversely.  And whoso drinketh three times fasting of that water of that well he is whole of all manner sickness that he hath.  And they that dwell there and drink often of that well they never have sickness; and they seem always young.  I have drunken thereof three or four sithes, and yet, methinketh, I fare the better.  Some men clepe it the well of youth.  For they that often drink thereof seem always young-like, and live without sickness.  And men say, that that well cometh out of Paradise, and therefore it is so virtuous.

By all that country groweth good ginger, and therefore thither go the merchants for spicery.

In that land men worship the ox for his simpleness and for his meekness, and for the profit that cometh of him.  And they say, that he is the holiest beast in earth.  For them seemeth, that whosoever be meek and patient, he is holy and profitable; for then, they say, he hath all virtues in him.  They make the ox to labour six year or seven, and then they eat him.  And the king of the country hath alway an ox with him.  And he that keepeth him hath every day great fees, and keepeth every day his dung and his urine in two vessels of gold, and bring it before their prelate that they clepe Archi-protopapaton.  And he beareth it before the king and maketh there over a great blessing.  And then the king wetteth his hands there, in that they clepe gall, and anointeth his front and his breast.  And after, he froteth him with the dung and with the urine with great reverence, for to be fullfilled of virtues of the ox and made holy by the virtue of that holy thing that nought is worth.  And when the king hath done, then do the lords; and after them their ministers and other men, if they may have any remenant.

In that country they make idols, half man half ox.  And in those idols evil spirits speak and give answer to men of what is asked them.  Before these idols men slay their children many times, and spring the blood upon the idols; and so they make their sacrifice.

And when any man dieth in the country they burn his body in name of penance; to that intent, that he suffer no pain in earth to be eaten of worms.  And if his wife have no child they burn her with him, and say, that it is reason, that she make him company in that other world as she did in this.  But and she have children with him, they let her live with them, to bring them up if she will.  And if that she love more to live with her children than for to die with her husband, men hold her for false and cursed; ne she shall never be loved ne trusted of the people.  And if the woman die, before the husband, men burn him with her, if that he will; and if he will not, no man constraineth him thereto, but he may wed another time without blame or reproof.

In that country grow many strong vines.  And the women drink wine, and men not.  And the women shave their beards, and the men not.

 

 

CHAPTER XIX. Of the Dooms made by St. Thomas's hand.  Of devotion and sacrifice made to Idols there, in the city of Calamye; and of the Procession in going about the city

 

From that country men pass by many marches toward a country, a ten journeys thence, that is clept Mabaron; and it is a great kingdom, and it hath many fair cities and towns.

In that kingdom lieth the body of Saint Thomas the apostle in flesh and bone, in a fair tomb in the city of Calamye; for there he was martyred and buried.  And men of Assyria bare his body into Mesopotamia into the city of Edessa, and after, he was brought thither again.  And the arm and the hand that he put in our Lord's side, when he appeared to him after his resurrection and said to him, Noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis, is yet lying in a vessel without the tomb.  And by that hand they make all their judgments in the country, whoso hath right or wrong.  For when there is any dissension between two parties, and every of them maintaineth his cause, and saith that his cause is rightful, and that other saith the contrary, then both parties write their causes in two bills and put them in the hand of Saint Thomas.  And anon he casteth away the bill of the wrong cause and holdeth still the bill with the right cause.  And therefore men come from far countries to have judgment of doubtable causes.  And other judgment use they none there.

Also the church, where Saint Thomas' lieth, is both great and fair, and all full of great simulacres, and those be great images that they clepe their gods, of the which the least is as great as two men.

And, amongst these other, there is a great image more than any of the other, that is all covered with fine gold and precious stones and rich pearls; and that idol is the god of false Christians that have reneyed their faith.  And it sitteth in a chair of gold, full nobly arrayed, and he hath about his neck large girdles wrought of gold and precious stones and pearls.  And this church is full richly wrought and, all overgilt within.  And to that idol go men on pilgrimage, as commonly and with as great devotion as Christian men go to Saint James, or other holy pilgrimages.  And many folk that come from far lands to seek that idol for the great devotion that they have, they look never upward, but evermore down to the earth, for dread to see anything about them that should let them of their devotion.  And some there be that go on pilgrimage to this idol, that bear knives in their hands, that be made full keen and sharp; and always as they go, they smite themselves in their arms and in their legs and in their thighs with many hideous wounds; and so they shed their blood for love of that idol.  And they say, that he is blessed and holy, that dieth so for love of his god.  And other there be that lead their children for to slay, to make sacrifice to that idol; and after they have slain them they spring the blood upon the idol.  And some there be that come from far; and in going toward this idol, at every third pace that they go from their house, they kneel; and so continue till they come thither: and when they come there, they take incense and other aromatic things of noble smell, and cense the idol, as we would do here God's precious body.  And so come folk to worship this idol, some from an hundred mile, and some from many more.

And before the minster of this idol, is a vivary, in manner of a great lake, full of water.  And therein pilgrims cast gold and silver, pearls and precious stones without number, instead of offerings.  And when the minister of that church need to make any reparation of the church or of any of the idols, they take gold and silver, pearls and precious stones out of the vivary, to quit the costage of such thing as they make or repair; so that that nothing is faulty, but anon it shall be amended.  And ye shall understand, that when [there be] great feasts and solemnities of that idol, as the dedication of the church and the throning of the idol, all the country about meet there together.  And they set this idol upon a car with great reverence, well arrayed with cloths of gold, of rich cloths of Tartary, of Camaka, and other precious cloths.  And they lead him about the city with great solemnity.  And before the car go first in procession all the maidens of the country, two and two together full ordinatly.  And after those maidens go the pilgrims.  And some of them fall down under the wheels of the car, and let the car go over them, so that they be dead anon.  And some have their arms or their limbs all to-broken, and some the sides.  And all this do they for love of their god, in great devotion.  And them thinketh that the more pain, and the more tribulation that they suffer for love of their god, the more joy they shall have in another world.  And, shortly to say you, they suffer so great pains, and so hard martyrdoms for love of their idol, that a Christian man, I trow, durst not take upon him the tenth part the pain for love of our Lord Jesu Christ.  And after, I say you, before the car, go all the minstrels of the country without number, with diverse instruments, and they make all the melody that they can.

And when they have gone all about the city, then they return again to the minster, and put the idol again into his place.  And then for the love and in worship of that idol, and for the reverence of the feast, they slay themselves, a two hundred or three hundred persons, with sharp knives, of the which they bring the bodies before the idol.  And then they say that those be saints, because that they slew themselves of their own good will for love of their idol.  And as men here that had an holy saint of his kin would think that it were to them an high worship, right so then, thinketh there.  And as men here devoutly would write holy saints' lives and their miracles, and sue for their canonizations, right so do they there for them that slay themselves wilfully for love of their idol, and say, that they be glorious martyrs and saints, and put them in their writings and in their litanies, and avaunt them greatly, one to another, of their holy kinsmen that so become saints, and say, I have more holy saints in my kindred, than thou in thine!

And the custom also there is this, that when they that have such devotion and intent for to slay himself for love of his god, they send for all their friends, and have great plenty of minstrels; and they go before the idol leading him that will slay himself for such devotion between them, with great reverence.  And he, all naked, hath a full sharp knife in his hand, and he cutteth a great piece of his flesh, and casteth it in the face of his idol, saying his orisons, recommending him to his god.  And then he smiteth himself and maketh great wounds and deep, here and there, till he fall down dead.  And then his friends present his body to the idol.  And then they say, singing, Holy god! behold what thy true servant hath done for thee.  He hath forsaken his wife and his children and his riches, and all the goods of the world and his own life for the love of thee, and to make thee sacrifice of his flesh and of his blood.  Wherefore, holy god, put him among thy best beloved saints in thy bliss of paradise, for he hath well deserved it.  And then they make a great fire, and burn the body.  And then everych of his friends take a quantity of the ashes, and keep them instead of relics, and say that it is holy thing.  And they have no dread of no peril whiles they have those holy ashes upon them.  And [they] put his name in their litanies as a saint.

 

 

CHAPTER XX. Of the evil customs used in the Isle of Lamary.  And how the earth and the sea be of round form and shape, by proof of the star that is clept Antarctic, that is fixed in the south

 

From that country go men by the sea ocean, and by many divers isles and by many countries that were too long for to tell of.  And a fifty-two journeys from this land that I have spoken of, there is another land, that is full great, that men clepe Lamary.  In that land is full great heat.  And the custom there is such, that men and women go all naked.  And they scorn when they see any strange folk going clothed.  And they say, that God made Adam and Eve all naked, and that no man should shame him to shew him such as God made him, for nothing is foul that is of kindly nature.  And they say, that they that be clothed be folk of another world, or they be folk that trow not in God.  And they say, that they believe in God that formed the world, and that made Adam and Eve and all other things.  And they wed there no wives, for all the women there be common and they forsake no man.  And they say they sin if they refuse any man; and so God commanded to Adam and Eve and to all that come of him, when he said, Crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram.  And therefore may no man in that country say, This is my wife; ne no woman may say, This my husband.  And when they have children, they may give them to what man they will that hath companied with them.  And also all the land is common; for all that a man holdeth one year, another man hath it another year; and every man taketh what part that him liketh.  And also all the goods of the land be common, corns and all other things: for nothing there is kept in close, ne nothing there is under lock, and every man there taketh what he will without any contradiction, and as rich is one man there as is another.

But in that country there is a cursed custom, for they eat more gladly man's flesh than any other flesh; and yet is that country abundant of flesh, of fish, of corns, of gold and silver, and of all other goods.  Thither go merchants and bring with them children to sell to them of the country, and they buy them.  And if they be fat they eat them anon.  And if they be lean they feed them till they be fat, and then they eat them.  And they say, that it is the best flesh and the sweetest of all the world.

In that land, ne in many other beyond that, no man may see the Star Transmontane, that is clept the Star of the Sea, that is unmovable and that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star.  But men see another star, the contrary to him, that is toward the south, that is clept Antartic.  And right as the ship-men take their advice here and govern them by the Lode-star, right so do ship-men beyond those parts by the star of the south, the which star appeareth not to us.  And this star that is toward the north, that we clepe the Lode-star, ne appeareth not to them.  For which cause men may well perceive, that the land and the sea be of round shape and form; for the part of the firmament sheweth in one country that sheweth not in another country.  And men may well prove by experience and subtle compassment of wit, that if a man found passages by ships that would go to search the world, men might go by ship all about the world and above and beneath.

The which thing I prove thus after that I have seen.  For I have been toward the parts of Brabant, and beholden the Astrolabe that the star that is clept the Transmontane is fifty-three degrees high; and more further in Almayne and Bohemia it hath fifty-eight degrees; and more further toward the parts septentrional it is sixty-two degrees of height and certain minutes; for I myself have measured it by the Astrolabe.  Now shall ye know, that against the Transmontane is the tother star that is clept Antarctic, as I have said before.  And those two stars ne move never, and by them turneth all the firmament right as doth a wheel that turneth by his axle-tree.  So that those stars bear the firmament in two equal parts, so that it hath as much above as it hath beneath.  After this, I have gone toward the parts meridional, that is, toward the south, and I have found that in Lybia men see first the star Antarctic.  And so far I have gone more further in those countries, that I have found that star more high; so that toward the High Lybia it is eighteen degrees of height and certain minutes (of the which sixty minutes make a degree).  After going by sea and by land toward this country of that I have spoken, and to other isles and lands beyond that country, I have found the Star Antarctic of thirty-three degrees of height and more minutes.  And if I had had company and shipping for to go more beyond, I trow well, in certain, that we should have seen all the roundness of the firmament all about.  For, as I have said to you before, the half of the firmament is between those two stars, the which halvendel I have seen.  And of the tother halvendel I have seen, toward the north under the Transmontane, sixty-two degrees and ten minutes, and toward the part meridional I have seen under the Antarctic, thirty-three degrees and sixteen minutes.  And then, the halvendel of the firmament in all holdeth not but nine score degrees.  And of those nine score, I have seen sixty-two on that one part and thirty-three on that other part; that be, ninety-five degrees and nigh the halvendel of a degree.  And so, there ne faileth but that I have seen all the firmament, save four score and four degrees and the halvendel of a degree, and that is not the fourth part of the firmament; for the fourth part of the roundness of the firmament holds four score and ten degrees, so there faileth but five degrees and an half of the fourth part.  And also I have seen the three parts of all the roundness of the firmament and more yet five degrees and a half.  By the which I say you certainly that men may environ all the earth of all the world, as well under as above, and turn again to his country, that had company and shipping and conduct.  And always he should find men, lands and isles, as well as in this country.  For ye wit well, that they that be toward the Antarctic, they be straight, feet against feet, of them that dwell under the Transmontane; also well as we and they that dwell under us be feet against feet.  For all the parts of sea and of land have their opposites, habitable trepassable, and they of this half and beyond half.

And wit well, that, after that that I may perceive and comprehend, the lands of Prester John, Emperor of Ind, be under us.  For in going from Scotland or from England toward Jerusalem men go upward always.  For our land is in the low part of the earth toward the west, and the land of Prester John is in the low part of the earth toward the east.  And [they] have there the day when we have the night; and also, high to the contrary, they have the night when we have the day.  For the earth and the sea be of round form and shape, as I have said before; and that that men go upward to one coast, men go downward to another coast.

Also ye have heard me say that Jerusalem is in the midst of the world.  And that may men prove, and shew there by a spear, that is pight into the earth, upon the hour of midday, when it is equinox, that sheweth no shadow on no side.  And that it should be in the midst of the world, David witnesseth it in the Psalter, where he saith, Deus operatus est salutem in media terrae.  Then, they, that part from those parts of the west for to go toward Jerusalem, as many journeys as they go upward for to go thither, in as many journeys may they go from Jerusalem unto other confines of the superficiality of the earth beyond.  And when men go beyond those journeys toward Ind and to the foreign isles, all is environing the roundness of the earth and of the sea under our countries on this half.

And therefore hath it befallen many times of one thing that I have heard counted when I was young, how a worthy man departed some-time from our countries for to go search the world.  And so he passed Ind and the isles beyond Ind, where be more than 5000 isles.  And so long he went by sea and land, and so environed the world by many seasons, that he found an isle where he heard speak his own language, calling on oxen in the plough, such words as men speak to beasts in his own country whereof he had great marvel, for he knew not how it might be.  But I say, that he had gone so long by land and by sea, that he had environed all the earth; that he was come again environing, that is to say, going about, unto his own marches, and if he would have passed further, till he had found his country and his own knowledge.  But he turned again from thence, from whence he was come from.  And so he lost much painful labour, as himself said a great while after that he was come home.  For it befell after, that he went into Norway.  And there tempest of the sea took him, and he arrived in an isle.  And, when he was in that isle, he knew well that it was the isle, where he had heard speak his own language before and the calling of oxen at the plough; and that was possible thing.

But how it seemeth to simple men unlearned, that men ne may not go under the earth, and also that men should fall toward the heaven from under.  But that may not be, upon less than we may fall toward heaven from the earth where we be.  For from what part of the earth that men dwell, either above or beneath, it seemeth always to them that dwell that they go more right than any other folk.  And right as it seemeth to us that they be under us, right so it seemeth to them that we be under them.  For if a man might fall from the earth unto the firmament, by greater, reason the earth and the sea that be so great and so heavy should fall to the firmament: but that may not be, and therefore saith our Lord God, Non timeas me, qui suspendi terram ex nihilo?

And albeit that it be possible thing that men may so environ all the world, natheles, of a thousand persons, one ne might not happen to return into his country.  For, for the greatness of the earth and of the sea, men may go by a thousand and a thousand other ways, that no man could ready him perfectly toward the parts that he came from, but if it were by adventure and hap, or by the grace of God.  For the earth is full large and full great, and holds in roundness and about environ, by above and by beneath, 20425 miles, after the opinion of old wise astronomers; and their sayings I reprove nought.  But, after my little wit, it seemeth me, saving their reverence, that it is more.

And for to have better understanding I say thus.  Be there imagined a figure that hath a great compass.  And, about the point of the great compass that is clept the centre, be made another little compass.  Then after, be the great compass devised by lines in many parts, and that all the lines meet at the centre.  So, that in as many parts as the great compass shall be departed, in as many shall be departed the little, that is about the centre, albeit that the spaces be less.  Now then, be the great compass represented for the firmament, and the little compass represented for the earth.  Now then, the firmament is devised by astronomers in twelve signs, and every sign is devised in thirty degrees; that is, 360 degrees that the firmament hath above.  Also, be the earth devised in as many parts as the firmament, and let every part answer to a degree of the firmament.  And wit it well, that, after the authors of astronomy, 700 furlongs of earth answer to a degree of the firmament, and those be eighty-seven miles and four furlongs.  Now be that here multiplied by 360 sithes, and then they be 31,500 miles every of eight furlongs, after miles of our country.  So much hath the earth in roundness and of height environ, after mine opinion and mine understanding.

And ye shall understand, that after the opinion of old wise philosophers and astronomers, our country ne Ireland ne Wales ne Scotland ne Norway ne the other isles coasting to them ne be not in the superficiality counted above the earth, as it sheweth by all the books of astronomy.  For the superficiality of the earth is parted in seven parts for the seven planets, and those parts be clept climates.  And our parts be not of the seven climates, for they be descending toward the west [drawing] towards the roundness of the world.  And also these isles of Ind which be even against us be not reckoned in the climates.  For they be against us that be in the low country.  And the seven climates stretch them environing the world.

 

 

CHAPTER XXI. Of the Palace of the King of the Isle of Java.  Of the Trees that bear meal, honey, wine, and venom; and of other marvels and customs used in the Isles marching thereabout

 

Beside that isle that I have spoken of, there is another isle that is clept Sumobor.  That is a great isle, and the king thereof is right mighty.  The folk of that isle make them always to be marked in the visage with an hot iron, both men and women, for great noblesse, for to be known from other folk; for they hold themselves most noble and most worthy of all the world.  And they have war always with the folk that go all naked.

And fast beside is another isle, that is clept Betemga, that is a good isle and a plenteous.  And many other isles be thereabout, where there be many of diverse folk, of the which it were too long to speak of all.

But fast beside that isle, for to pass by sea, is a great isle and a great country that men clepe Java.  And it is nigh two thousand mile in circuit.  And the king of that country is a full great lord and a rich and a mighty, and hath under him seven other kings of seven other isles about him.  This isle is full well inhabited, and full well manned.  There grow all manner of spicery, more plenteously than in any other country, as of ginger, cloves-gilofre, canell, seedwall, nutmegs and maces.  And wit well, that the nutmeg beareth the maces; for right as the nut of the hazel hath an husk without, that the nut is closed in till it be ripe and that after falleth out, right so it is of the nutmeg and of the maces.  Many other spices and many other goods grow in that isle.  For of all things is there plenty, save only of wine.  But there is gold and silver, great plenty.

And the king of that country hath a palace full noble and full marvellous, and more rich than any in the world.  For all the degrees to go up into halls and chambers be, one of gold, another of silver.  And also, the pavements of halls and chambers be all square, of gold one, and another of silver.  And all the walls within be covered with gold and silver in fine plates, and in those plates be stories and battles of knights enleved, and the crowns and the circles about their heads be made of precious stones and rich pearls and great.  And the halls and the chambers of the palace be all covered within with gold and silver, so that no man would trow the riches of that palace but he had seen it.  And wit well, that the king of that isle is so mighty, that he hath many times overcome the great Chan of Cathay in battle, that is the most great emperor that is under the firmament either beyond the sea or on this half.  For they have had often-time war between them, because that the great Chan would constrain him to hold his land of him; but that other at all times defendeth him well against him.

After that isle, in going by sea, men find another isle, good and great, that men clepe Pathen, that is a great kingdom full of fair cities and full of towns.  In that land grow trees that bear meal, whereof men make good bread and white and of good savour; and it seemeth as it were of wheat, but it is not allinges of such savour.  And there be other trees that bear honey good and sweet, and other trees that bear venom, against the which there is no medicine but [one]; and that is to take their proper leaves and stamp them and temper them with water and then drink it, and else he shall die; for triacle will not avail, ne none other medicine.  Of this venom the Jews had let seek of one of their friends for to empoison all Christianity, as I have heard them say in their confession before their dying: but thanked be Almighty God! they failed of their purpose; but always they make great mortality of people.  And other trees there be also that bear wine of noble sentiment.  And if you like to hear how the meal cometh out of the trees I shall say you.  Men hew the trees with an hatchet, all about the foot of the tree, till that the bark be parted in many parts, and then cometh out thereof a thick liquor, the which they receive in vessels, and dry it at the heat of the sun; and then they have it to a mill to grind and it becometh fair meal and white.  And the honey and the wine and the venom be drawn out of other trees in the same manner, and put in vessels for to keep.

In that isle is a dead sea, that is a lake that hath no ground; and if anything fall into that lake it shall never come up again.  In that lake grow reeds, that be canes, that they clepe Thaby, that be thirty fathoms long; and of these canes men make fair houses.  And there be other canes that be not so long, that grow near the land and have so long roots that endure well a four quarters of a furlong or more; and at the knots of those roots men find precious stones that have great virtues.  And he that beareth any of them upon him, iron ne steel may not hurt him, ne draw no blood upon him; and therefore, they that have those stones upon them fight full hardily both on sea and land, for men may not harm [them] on no part.  And therefore, they that know the manner, and shall fight with them, they shoot to them arrows and quarrels without iron or steel, and so they hurt them and slay them.  And also of those canes they make houses and ships and other things, as we have here, making houses and ships of oak or of any other trees.  And deem no man that I say it but for a trifle, for I have seen of the canes with mine own eyes, full many times, lying upon the river of that lake, of the which twenty of our fellows ne might not lift up ne bear one to the earth.

After this isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Calonak.  And it is a fair land and a plenteous of goods.  And the king of that country hath as many wives as he will.  For he maketh search all the country to get him the fairest maidens that may be found, and maketh them to be brought before him.  And he taketh one one night, and another another night, and so forth continually suing; so that he hath a thousand wives or more.  And he lieth never but one night with one of them, and another night with another; but if that one happen to be more lusty to his pleasance than another.  And therefore the king getteth full many children, some-time an hundred, some-time a two-hundred, and some-time more.  And he hath also into a 14,000 elephants or more that he maketh for to be brought up amongst his villains by all his towns.  For in case that he had any war against any other king about him, then [he] maketh certain men of arms for to go up into the castles of tree made for the war, that craftily be set upon the elephants' backs, for to fight against their enemies.  And so do other kings there-about.  For the manner of war is not there as it is here or in other countries, ne the ordinance of war neither.  And men clepe the elephants Warkes .

And in that isle there is a great marvel, more to speak of than in any other part of the world.  For all manner of fishes, that be there in the sea about them, come once in the year—each manner of diverse fishes, one manner of kind after other.  And they cast themselves to the sea bank of that isle so great plenty and multitude, that no man may unnethe see but fish.  And there they abide three days.  And every man of the country taketh of them as many as him liketh.  And after, that manner of fish after the third day departeth and goeth into the sea.  And after them come another multitude of fish of another kind and do in the same manner as the first did, other three days.  And after them another, till all the diverse manner of fishes have been there, and that men have taken of them that them liketh.  And no man knoweth the cause wherefore it may be.  But they of the country say that it is for to do reverence to their king, that is the most worthy king that is in the world as they say; because that he fulfilleth the commandment that God bade to Adam and Eve, when God said, Crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram.  And for because that he multiplieth so the world with children, therefore God sendeth him so the fishes of diverse kinds of all that be in the sea, to take at his will for him and all his people.  And therefore all the fishes of the sea come to make him homage as the most noble and excellent king of the world, and that is best beloved with God, as they say.  I know not the reason, why it is, but God knoweth; but this, me-seemeth, is the most marvel I saw.  For this marvel is against kind and not with kind, that the fishes that have freedom to environ all the coasts of the sea at their own list, come of their own will to proffer them to the death, without constraining of man.  And therefore, I am siker that this may not be, without a great token.

There be also in that country a kind of snails that be so great, that many persons may lodge them in their shells, as men would do in a little house.  And other snails there be that be full great but not so huge as the other.  And of these snails, and of great white worms that have black heads that be as great as a man's thigh, and some less as great worms that men find there in woods, men make viand royal for the king and for other great lords.  And if a man that is married die in that country, men bury his wife with him all quick; for men say there, that it is reason that she make him company in that other world as she did in this.

From that country men go by the sea ocean by an isle that is clept Caffolos.  Men of that country when their friends be sick they hang them upon trees, and say that it is better that birds, that be angels of God, eat them, than the foul worms of the earth.

From that isle men go to another isle, where the folk be of full cursed kind.  For they nourish great dogs and teach them to strangle their friends when they be sick.  For they will not that they die of kindly death.  For they say, that they should suffer too great pain if they abide to die by themselves, as nature would.  And, when they be thus enstrangled, they eat their flesh instead of venison.

Afterward men go by many isles by sea unto an isle that men clepe Milke.  And there is a full cursed people.  For they delight in nothing more than for to fight and to slay men.  And they drink gladliest man's blood, the which they clepe Dieu.  And the more men that a man may slay, the more worship he hath amongst them.  And if two persons be at debate and, peradventure, be accorded by their friends or by some of their alliance, it behoveth that every of them that shall be accorded drink of other's blood: and else the accord ne the alliance is nought worth: ne it shall not be no reproof to him to break the alliance and the accord, but if every of them drink of others' blood.

And from that isle men go by sea, from isle to isle, unto an isle that is clept Tracoda, where the folk of that country be as beasts, and unreasonable, and dwell in caves that they make in the earth; for they have no wit to make them houses.  And when they see any man passing through their countries they hide them in their caves.  And they eat flesh of serpents, and they eat but little.  And they speak nought, but they hiss as serpents do.  And they set no price by no avoir ne riches, but only of a precious stone, that is amongst them, that is of sixty colours.  And for the name of the isle, they clepe it Tracodon.  And they love more that stone than anything else; and yet they know not the virtue thereof, but they covet it and love it only for the beauty.

After that isle men go by the sea ocean, by many isles, unto an isle that is clept Nacumera, that is a great isle and good and fair.  And it is in compass about, more than a thousand mile.  And all the men and women of that isle have hounds' heads, and they be clept Cynocephales.  And they be full reasonable and of good understanding, save that they worship an ox for their God.  And also every one of them beareth an ox of gold or of silver in his forehead, in token that they love well their God.  And they go all naked save a little clout, that they cover with their knees and their members.  They be great folk and well-fighting.  And they have a great targe that covereth all the body, and a spear in their hand to fight with.  And if they take any man in battle, anon they eat him.

The king of that isle is full rich and full mighty and right devout after his law.  And he hath about his neck 300 pearls orient, good and great and knotted, as paternosters here of amber.  And in manner as we say our Pater Noster and our Ave Maria, counting the Pater Nosters, right so this king saith every day devoutly 300 prayers to his God, or that he eat.  And he beareth also about his neck a ruby orient, noble and fine, that is a foot of length and five fingers large.  And, when they choose their king, they take him that ruby to bear in his hand; and so they lead him, riding all about the city.  And from thence-fromward they be all obeissant to him.  And that ruby he shall bear always about his neck, for if he had not that ruby upon him men would not hold him for king.  The great Chan of Cathay hath greatly coveted that ruby, but he might never have it for war, ne for no manner of goods.  This king is so rightful and of equity in his dooms, that men may go sikerly throughout all his country and bear with them what them list; that no man shall be hardy to rob them, and if he were, the king would justified anon.

From this land men go to another isle that is clept Silha.  And it is well a 800 miles about.  In that land is full much waste, for it is full of serpents, of dragons and of cockodrills, that no man dare dwell there.  These cockodrills be serpents, yellow and rayed above, and have four feet and short thighs, and great nails as claws or talons.  And there be some that have five fathoms in length, and some of six and of eight and of ten.  And when they go by places that be gravelly, it seemeth as though men had drawn a great tree through the gravelly place.  And there be also many wild beasts, and namely of elephants.

In that isle is a great mountain.  And in mid place of the mount is a great lake in a full fair plain; and there is great plenty of water.  And they of the country say, that Adam and Eve wept upon that mount an hundred year, when they were driven out of Paradise, and that water, they say, is of their tears; for so much water they wept, that made the foresaid lake.  And in the bottom of that lake men find many precious stones and great pearls.  In that lake grow many reeds and great canes; and there within be many cocodrills and serpents and great water-leeches.  And the king of that country, once every year, giveth leave to poor men to go into the lake to gather them precious stones and pearls, by way of alms, for the love of God that made Adam.  And all the year men find enough.  And for the vermin that is within, they anoint their arms and their thighs and legs with an ointment made of a thing that is clept lemons, that is a manner of fruit like small pease; and then have they no dread of no cockodrills, ne of none other venomous vermin.  This water runneth, flowing and ebbing, by a side of the mountain, and in that river men find precious stones and pearls, great plenty.  And men of that isle say commonly, that the serpents and the wild beasts of that country will not do no harm ne touch with evil no strange man that entereth into that country, but only to men that be born of the same country.

In that country and others thereabout there be wild geese that have two heads.  And there be lions, all white and as great as oxen, and many other diverse beasts and fowls also that be not seen amongst us.

And wit well, that in that country and in other isles thereabout, the sea is so high, that it seemeth as though it hung at the clouds, and that it would cover all the world.  And that is great marvel that it might be so, save only the will of God, that the air sustaineth it.  And therefore saith David in the Psalter, Mirabiles elationes maris .

 

 

CHAPTER XXII. How men know by the Idol, if the sick shall die or not.  Of Folk of diverse shape and marvellously disfigured.  And of the Monks that gave their relief to baboons, apes, and marmosets, and to other beasts

 

From that isle, in going by sea toward the south, is another great isle that is clept Dondun.  In that isle be folk of diverse kinds, so that the father eateth the son, the son the father, the husband the wife, and the wife the husband.  And if it so befall, that the father or mother or any of their friends be sick, anon the son goeth to the priest of their law and prayeth him to ask the idol if his father or mother or friend shall die on that evil or not.  And then the priest and the son go together before the idol and kneel full devoutly and ask of the idol their demand.  And if the devil that is within answer that he shall live, they keep him well; and if he say that he shall die, then the priest goeth with the son, with the wife of him that is sick, and they put their hands upon his mouth and stop his breath, and so they slay him.  And after that, they chop all the body in small pieces, and pray all his friends to come and eat of him that is dead.  And they send for all the minstrels of the country and make a solemn feast.  And when they have eaten the flesh, they take the bones and bury them, and sing and make great melody.  And all those that be of his kin or pretend them to be his friends, an they come not to that feast, they be reproved for evermore and shamed, and make great dole, for never after shall they be holden as friends.  And they say also, that men eat their flesh for to deliver them out of pain; for if the worms of the earth eat them the soul should suffer great pain, as they say.  And namely when the flesh is tender and meagre, then say their friends, that they do great sin to let them have so long languor to suffer so much pain without reason.  And when they find the flesh fat, then they say, that it is well done to send them soon to Paradise, and that they have not suffered him too long to endure in pain.

The king of this isle is a full great lord and a mighty, and hath under him fifty-four great isles that give tribute to him.  And in everych of these isles is a king crowned; and all be obeissant to that king.  And he hath in those isles many diverse folk.

In one of these isles be folk of great stature, as giants.  And they be hideous for to look upon.  And they have but one eye, and that is in the middle of the front.  And they eat nothing but raw flesh and raw fish.

And in another isle toward the south dwell folk of foul stature and of cursed kind that have no heads.  And their eyen be in their shoulders.

And in another isle be folk that have the face all flat, all plain, without nose and without mouth.  But they have two small holes, all round, instead of their eyes, and their mouth is plat also without lips.

And in another isle be folk of foul fashion and shape that have the lip above the mouth so great, that when they sleep in the sun they cover all the face with that lip.

And in another isle there be little folk, as dwarfs.  And they be two so much as the pigmies.  And they have no mouth; but instead of their mouth they have a little round hole, and when they shall eat or drink, they take through a pipe or a pen or such a thing, and suck it in, for they have no tongue; and therefore they speak not, but they make a manner of hissing as an adder doth, and they make signs one to another as monks do, by the which every of them understandeth other.

And in another isle be folk that have great ears and long, that hang down to their knees.

And in another isle be folk that have horses' feet.  And they be strong and mighty, and swift runners; for they take wild beasts with running, and eat them.

And in another isle be folk that go upon their hands and their feet as beasts.  And they be all skinned and feathered, and they will leap as lightly into trees, and from tree to tree, as it were squirrels or apes.

And in another isle be folk that be both man and woman, and they have kind; of that one and of that other.  And they have but one pap on the one side, and on that other none.  And they have members of generation of man and woman, and they use both when they list, once that one, and another time that other.  And they get children, when they use the member of man; and they bear children, when they use the member of woman.

And in another isle be folk that go always upon their knees full marvellously.  And at every pace that they go, it seemeth that they would fall.  And they have in every foot eight toes.

Many other diverse folk of diverse natures be there in other isles about, of the which it were too long to tell, and therefore I pass over shortly.

From these isles, in passing by the sea ocean toward the east by many journeys, men find a great country and a great kingdom that men crepe Mancy.  And that is in Ind the more.  And it is the best land and one the fairest that may be in all the world, and the most delectable and the most plenteous of all goods that is in power of man.  In that land dwell many Christian men and Saracens, for it is a good country and a great.  And there be therein more than 2000 great cities and rich, without other great towns.  And there is more plenty of people there than in any other part of Ind, for the bounty of the country.  In that country is no needy man, ne none that goeth on begging.  And they be full fair folk, but they be all pale.  And the men have thin beards and few hairs, but they be long; but unnethe hath any man passing fifty hairs in his beard, and one hair sits here, another there, as the beard of a leopard or of a cat.  In that land be many fairer women than in any other country beyond the sea, and therefore men clepe that land Albany, because that the folk be white.

And the chief city of that country is clept Latorin, and it is a journey from the sea, and it is much more than Paris.  In that city is a great river bearing ships that go to all the coasts in the sea.  No city of the world is so well stored of ships as is that.  And all those of the city and of the country worship idols.  In that country be double sithes more birds than be here.  There be white geese, red about the neck, and they have a great crest as a cock's comb upon their heads; and they be much more there than they be here, and men buy them there all quick, right great cheap.  And there is great plenty of adders of whom men make great feasts and eat them at great solemnities; and he that maketh there a feast be it never so costly, an he have no adders he hath no thank for his travail.

Many good cities there be in that country and men have great plenty and great cheap of all wines and victuals.  In that country be many churches of religious men, and of their law.  And in those churches be idols as great as giants; and to these idols they give to eat at great festival days in this manner.  They bring before them meat all sodden, as hot as they come from the fire, and they let the smoke go up towards the idols; and then they say that the idols have eaten; and then the religious men eat the meat afterwards.

In that country be white hens without feathers, but they bear white wool as sheep do here.  In that country women that be unmarried, they have tokens on their heads like coronals to be known for unmarried.  Also in that country there be beasts taught of men to go into waters, into rivers and into deep stanks for to take fish; the which beast is but little, and men clepe them loirs.  And when men cast them into the water, anon they bring up great fishes, as many as men will.  And if men will have more, they cast them in again, and they bring up as many as men list to have.

And from that city passing many journeys is another city, one the greatest of the world, that men clepe Cassay; that is to say, the 'City of heaven.'  That city is well a fifty mile about, and it is strongly inhabited with people, insomuch that in one house men make ten households.  In that city be twelve principal gates; and before every gate, a three mile or a four mile in length, is a great town or a great city.  That city sits upon a great lake on the sea as doth Venice.  And in that city be more than 12,000 bridges.  And upon every bridge be strong towers and good, in the which dwell the wardens for to keep the city from the great Chan.  And on that one part of the city runneth a great river all along the city.  And there dwell Christian men and many merchants and other folk of diverse nations, because that the land is so good and so plenteous.  And there groweth full good wine that men clepe Bigon, that is full mighty, and gentle in drinking.  This is a city royal where the King of Mancy was wont to dwell.  And there dwell many religious men, as it were of the Order of Friars, for they be mendicants.

From that city men go by water, solacing and disporting them, till they come to an abbey of monks that is fast by, that be good religious men after their faith and law.  In that abbey is a great garden and a fair, where be many trees of diverse manner of fruits.  And in this garden is a little hill full of delectable trees.  In that hill and in that garden be many diverse beasts, as of apes, marmosets, baboons and many other diverse beasts.  And every day, when the convent of this abbey hath eaten, the almoner let bear the relief to the garden, and he smiteth on the garden gate with a clicket of silver that he holdeth in his hand; and anon all the beasts of the hill and of diverse places of the garden come out a 3000, or a 4000; and they come in guise of poor men, and men give them the relief in fair vessels of silver, clean over-gilt.  And when they have eaten, the monk smiteth eftsoons on the garden gate with the clicket, and then anon all the beasts return again to their places that they come from.  And they say that these beasts be souls of worthy men that resemble in likeness of those beasts that be fair, and therefore they give them meat for the love of God; and the other beasts that be foul, they say be souls of poor men and of rude commons.  And thus they believe, and no man may put them out of this opinion.  These beasts above-said they let take when they be young, and nourish them so with alms, as many as they may find.  And I asked them if it had not been better to have given that relief to poor men, rather than to those beasts.  And they answered me and said, that they had no poor men amongst them in that country; and though it had been so that poor men had been among them, yet were it greater alms to give it to those souls that do there their penance.  Many other marvels be in that city and in the country thereabout, that were too long to tell you.

From that city go men by the country a six journeys to another city that men clepe Chilenfo, of the which city the walls be twenty mile about.  In that city be sixty bridges of stone, so fair that no man may see fairer.  In that city was the first siege of the King of Mancy, for it is a fair and plenteous of all goods.

After, pass men overthwart a great river that men clepe Dalay.  And that is the greatest river of fresh water that is in the world.  For there, as it is most narrow, it is more than four mile of breadth.  And then enter men again into the land of the great Chan.

That river goeth through the land of Pigmies, where that the folk be of little stature, that be but three span long, and they be right fair and gentle, after their quantities, both the men and the women.  And they marry them when they be half year of age and get children.  And they live not but six year or seven at the most; and he that liveth eight year, men hold him there right passing old.  These men be the best workers of gold, silver, cotton, silk and of all such things, of any other that be in the world.  And they have oftentimes war with the birds of the country that they take and eat.  This little folk neither labour in lands ne in vines; but they have great men amongst them of our stature that till the land and labour amongst the vines for them.  And of those men of our stature have they as great scorn and wonder as we would have among us of giants, if they were amongst us.  There is a good city, amongst others, where there is dwelling great plenty of those little folk, and it is a great city and a fair.  And the men be great that dwell amongst them, but when they get any children they be as little as the pigmies.  And therefore they be, all for the most part, all pigmies; for the nature of the land is such.  The great Chan let keep this city full well, for it is his.  And albeit, that the pigmies be little, yet they be full reasonable after their age, and can both wit and good and malice enough.

From that city go men by the country by many cities and many towns unto a city that men clepe Jamchay; and it is a noble city and a rich and of great profit to the Lord, and thither go men to seek merchandise of all manner of thing.  That city is full much worth yearly to the lord of the country.  For he hath every year to rent of that city (as they of the city say) 50,000 cumants of florins of gold: for they count there all by cumants, and every cumant is 10,000 florins of gold.  Now may men well reckon how much that it amounteth.  The king of that country is full mighty, and yet he is under the great Chan.  And the great Chan hath under him twelve such provinces.  In that country in the good towns is a good custom: for whoso will make a feast to any of his friends, there be certain inns in every good town, and he that will make the feast will say to the hosteler, array for me to-morrow a good dinner for so many folk, and telleth him the number, and deviseth him the viands; and he saith also, thus much I will dispend and no more.  And anon the hosteler arrayeth for him so fair and so well and so honestly, that there shall lack nothing; and it shall be done sooner and with less cost than an a man made it in his own house.

And a five mile from that city, toward the head of the river of Dalay, is another city that men clepe Menke.  In that city is strong navy of ships.  And all be white as snow of the kind of the trees that they be made of.  And they be full great ships and fair, and well ordained, and made with halls and chambers and other easements, as though it were on the land.

From thence go men, by many towns and many cities, through the country, unto a city that men clepe Lanterine.  And it is an eight journeys from the city above-said.  This city sits upon a fair river, great and broad, that men clepe Caramaron.  This river passeth throughout Cathay.  And it doth often-time harm, and that full great, when it is over great.

 

 

CHAPTER XXIII. Of the great Chan of Cathay.  Of the royalty of his palace, and how he sits at meat; and of the great number of officers that serve him

 

Cathay is a great country and a fair, noble and rich, and full of merchants.  Thither go merchants all years for to seek spices and all manner of merchandises, more commonly than in any other part.  And ye shall understand, that merchants that come from Genoa or from Venice or from Romania or other parts of Lombardy, they go by sea and by land eleven months or twelve, or more some-time, ere they may come to the isle of Cathay that is the principal region of all parts beyond; and it is of the great Chan.

From Cathay go men toward the east by many journeys.  And then men find a good city between these others, that men clepe Sugarmago.  That city is one of the best stored of silk and other merchandises that is in the world.

After go men yet to another old city toward the east.  And it is in the province of Cathay.  And beside that city the men of Tartary have let make another city that is dept Caydon.  And it hath twelve gates, and between the two gates there is always a great mile; so that the two cities, that is to say, the old and the new, have in circuit more than twenty mile.

In this city is the siege of the great Chan in a full great palace and the most passing fair in all the world, of the which the walls be in circuit more than two mile.  And within the walls it is all full of other palaces.  And in the garden of the great palace there is a great hill, upon the which there is another palace; and it is the most fair and the most rich that any man may devise.  And all about the palace and the hill be many trees bearing many diverse fruits.  And all about that hill be ditches great and deep, and beside them be great vivaries on that one part and on that other.  And there is a full fair bridge to pass over the ditches.  And in these vivaries be so many wild geese and ganders and wild ducks and swans and herons that it is without number.  And all about these ditches and vivaries is the great garden full of wild beasts.  So that when the great Chan will have any disport on that, to take any of the wild beasts or of the fowls, he will let chase them and take them at the windows without going out of his chamber.

This palace, where his siege is, is both great and passing fair.  And within the palace, in the hall, there be twenty-four pillars of fine gold.  And all the walls be covered within of red skins of beasts that men clepe panthers, that be fair beasts and well smelling; so that for the sweet odour of those skins no evil air may enter into the palace.  Those skins be as red as blood, and they shine so bright against the sun, that unnethe no man may behold them.  And many folk worship those beasts, when they meet them first at morning, for their great virtue and for the good smell that they have.  And those skins they prize more than though they were plate of fine gold.

And in the midst of this palace is the mountour for the great Chan, that is all wrought of gold and of precious stones and great pearls.  And at four corners of the mountour be four serpents of gold.  And all about there is y-made large nets of silk and gold and great pearls hanging all about the mountour.  And under the mountour be conduits of beverage that they drink in the emperor's court.  And beside the conduits be many vessels of gold, by the which they that be of household drink at the conduit.

And the hall of the palace is full nobly arrayed, and full marvellously attired on all parts in all things that men apparel with any hall.  And first, at the chief of the hall is the emperor's throne, full high, where he sitteth at the meat.  And that is of fine precious stones, bordered all about with pured gold and precious stones, and great pearls.  And the grees that he goeth up to the table be of precious stones mingled with gold.

And at the left side of the emperor's siege is the siege of his first wife, one degree lower than the emperor; and it is of jasper, bordered with gold and precious stones.  And the siege of his second wife is also another siege, more lower than his first wife; and it is also of jasper, bordered with gold, as that other is.  And the siege of the third wife is also more low, by a degree, than the second wife.  For he hath always three wives with him, where that ever he be.

And after his wives, on the same side, sit the ladies of his lineage yet lower, after that they be of estate.  And all those that be married have a counterfeit made like a man's foot upon their heads, a cubit long, all wrought with great pearls, fine and orient, and above made with peacocks' feathers and of other shining feathers; and that stands upon their heads like a crest, in token that they be under man's foot and under subjection of man.  And they that be unmarried have none such.

And after at the right side of the emperor first sitteth his eldest son that shall reign after him.  And he sitteth also one degree lower than the emperor, in such manner of sieges as do the empresses.  And after him sit other great lords of his lineage, every of them a degree lower than the other, as they be of estate.

And the emperor hath his table alone by himself, that is of gold and of precious stones, or of crystal bordered with gold, and full of precious stones or of amethysts, or of lignum aloes that cometh out of paradise, or of ivory bound or bordered with gold.  And every one of his wives hath also her table by herself.  And his eldest son and the other lords also, and the ladies, and all that sit with the emperor have tables alone by themselves, full rich.  And there ne is no table but that it is worth an huge treasure of goods.

And under the emperor's table sit four clerks that write all that the emperor saith, be it good, be it evil; for all that he saith must be holden, for he may not change his word, ne revoke it.

And [at] great solemn feasts before the emperor's table men bring great tables of gold, and thereon be peacocks of gold and many other manner of diverse fowls, all of gold and richly wrought and enamelled.  And men make them dance and sing, clapping their wings together, and make great noise.  And whether it be by craft or by necromancy I wot never; but it is a good sight to behold, and a fair; and it is great marvel how it may be.  But I have the less marvel, because that they be the most subtle men in all sciences and in all crafts that be in the world: for of subtlety and of malice and of farcasting they pass all men under heaven.  And therefore they say themselves, that they see with two eyes and the Christian men see but with one, because that they be more subtle than they.  For all other nations, they say, be but blind in cunning and working in comparison to them.  I did great business for to have learned that craft, but the master told me that he had made avow to his god to teach it to no creature, but only to his eldest son.

Also above the emperor's table and the other tables, and above a great part in the hall, is a vine made of fine gold.  And it spreadeth all about the hall.  And it hath many clusters of grapes, some white, some green, some yellow and some red and some black, all of precious stones.  The white be of crystal and of beryl and of iris; the yellow be of topazes; the red be of rubies and of grenaz and of alabrandines; the green be of emeralds, of perydoz and of chrysolites; and the black be of onyx and garantez.  And they be all so properly made that it seemeth a very vine bearing kindly grapes.

And before the emperor's table stand great lords and rich barons and other that serve the emperor at the meat.  And no man is so hardy to speak a word, but if the emperor speak to him; but if it be minstrels that sing songs and tell jests or other disports, to solace with the emperor.  And all the vessels that men be served with in the hall or in chambers be of precious stones, and specially at great tables either of jasper or of crystal or of amethysts or of fine gold.  And the cups be of emeralds and of sapphires, or of topazes, of perydoz, and of many other precious stones.  Vessels of silver is there none, for they tell no price thereof to make no vessels of: but they make thereof grecings and pillars and pavements to halls and chambers.  And before the hall door stand many barons and knights clean armed to keep that no man enter, but if it be the will or the commandment of the emperor, or but if they be servants or minstrels of the household; and other none is not so hardy to neighen nigh the hall door.

And ye shall understand, that my fellows and I with our yeomen, we served this emperor, and were his soldiers fifteen months against the King of Mancy, that held against him.  And the cause was for we had great lust to see his noblesse and the estate of his court and all his governance, to wit if it were such as we heard say that it was.  And truly we found it more noble and more excellent, and richer and more marvellous, than ever we heard speak of, insomuch that we would never have lieved it had we not seen it.  For I trow, that no man would believe the noblesse, the riches ne the multitude of folk that be in his court, but he had seen it; for it is not there as it is here.  For the lords here have folk of certain number as they may suffice; but the great Chan hath every day folk at his costage and expense as without number.  But the ordinance, ne the expenses in meat and drink, ne the honesty, ne the cleanness, is not so arrayed there as it is here; for all the commons there eat without cloth upon their knees, and they eat all manner of flesh and little of bread, and after meat they wipe their hands upon their skirts, and they eat not but once a day.  But the estate of lords is full great, and rich and noble.

And albeit that some men will not trow me, but hold it for fable to tell them the noblesse of his person and of his estate and of his court and of the great multitude of folk that he holds, natheles I shall say you a part of him and of his folk, after that I have seen the manner and the ordinance full many a time.  And whoso that will may lieve me if he will, and whoso will not, may leave also.  For I wot well, if any man hath been in those countries beyond, though he have not been in the place where the great Chan dwelleth, he shall hear speak of him so much marvellous thing, that he shall not trow it lightly.  And truly, no more did I myself, till I saw it.  And those that have been in those countries and in the great Chan's household know well that I say sooth.  And therefore I will not spare for them, that know not ne believe not but that that they see, for to tell you a part of him and of his estate that he holdeth, when he goeth from country to country, and when he maketh solemn feasts.

 

 

CHAPTER XXIV. Wherefore he is clept the great Chan.  Of the Style of his Letters: and of the Superscription about his great Seal and his Privy Seal

 

First I shall say you why he was clept the great Chan.

Ye shall understand, that all the world was destroyed by Noah's flood, save only Noah and his wife and his children.  Noah had three sons, Shem, Cham, and Japhet.  This Cham was he that saw his father's privy members naked when he slept, and scorned them, and shewed them with his finger to his brethren in scorning wise.  And therefore he was cursed of God.  And Japhet turned his face away and covered them.

These three brethren had seisin in all the land.  And this Cham, for his cruelty, took the greater and the best part, toward the east, that is clept Asia, and Shem took Africa, and Japhet took Europe.  And therefore is all the earth parted in these three parts by these three brethren.  Cham was the greatest and the most mighty, and of him came more generations than of the other.  And of his son Chuse was engendered Nimrod the giant, that was the first king that ever was in the world; and he began the foundation of the tower of Babylon.  And that time, the fiends of hell came many times and lay with the women of his generation and engendered on them diverse folk, as monsters and folk disfigured, some without heads, some with great ears, some with one eye, some giants, some with horses' feet, and many other diverse shape against kind.  And of that generation of Cham be come the Paynims and divers folk that be in isles of the sea by all Ind.  And forasmuch as he was the most mighty, and no man might withstand him, he cleped himself the Son of God and sovereign of all the world.  And for this Cham, this emperor clepeth him Cham, and sovereign of all the world.

And of the generation of Shem be come the Saracens.  And of the generation of Japhet is come the people of Israel.  And though that we dwell in Europe, this is the opinion, that the Syrians and the Samaritans have amongst them.  And that they told me, before that I went toward Ind, but I found it otherwise.  Natheles, the sooth is this; that Tartars and they that dwell in the great Asia, they came of Cham; but the Emperor of Cathay clepeth him not Cham, but Can, and I shall tell you how.

It is but little more but eight score year that all Tartary was in subjection and in servage to other nations about.  For they were but bestial folk and did nothing but kept beasts and led them to pastures.  But among them they had seven principal nations that were sovereigns of them all.  Of the which, the first nation or lineage was clept Tartar, and that is the most noble and the most prized.  The second lineage is clept Tanghot, the third Eurache, the fourth Valair, the fifth Semoche, the sixth Megly, the seventh Coboghe.

Now befell it so that of the first lineage succeeded an old worthy man that was not rich, that had to name Changuys.  This man lay upon a night in his bed.  And he saw in avision, that there came before him a knight armed all in white.  And he sat upon a white horse, and said to him, Can, sleepest thou?  The Immortal God hath sent me to thee, and it is his will, that thou go to the seven lineages and say to them that thou shalt be their emperor.  For thou shalt conquer the lands and the countries that be about, and they that march upon you shall be under your subjection, as ye have been under theirs, for that is God's will immortal.

And when he came at morrow, Changuys rose, and went to seven lineages, and told them how the white knight had said.  And they scorned him, and said that he was a fool.  And so he departed from them all ashamed.  And the night ensuing, this white knight came to the seven lineages, and commanded them on God's behalf immortal, that they should make this Changuys their emperor, and they should be out of subjection, and they should hold all other regions about them in their servage as they had been to them before.  And on the morrow, they chose him to be their emperor.  And they set him upon a black fertre, and after that they lift him up with great solemnity.  And they set him in a chair of gold and did him all manner of reverence, and they cleped him Chan, as the white knight called him.

And when he was thus chosen, he would assay if he might trust in them or no, and whether they would be obeissant to him or no.  And then he made many statutes and ordinances that they clepe Ysya Chan.  The first statute was, that they should believe and obey in God Immortal, that is Almighty, that would cast them out of servage, and at all times clepe to him for help in time of need.  The tother statute was, that all manner of men that might bare arms should be numbered, and to every ten should be a master, and to every hundred a master, and to every thousand a master, and to every ten thousand a master.  After he commanded to the principals of the seven lineages, that they should leave and forsake all that they had in goods and heritage, and from thenceforth to hold them paid of that that he would give them of his grace.  And they did so anon.  After he commanded to the principals of the seven lineages, that every of them should bring his eldest son before him, and with their own hands smite off their heads without tarrying.  And anon his commandment was performed.

And when the Chan saw that they made none obstacle to perform his commandment, then he thought well that he might trust in them, and commanded them anon to make them ready and to sue his banner.  And after this, Chan put in subjection all the lands about him.

Afterward it befell upon a day, that the Can rode with a few meinie for to behold the strength of the country that he had won.  And so befell, that a great multitude of enemies met with him.  And for to give good example hardiness to his people, he was the first that fought, and in the midst of his enemies encountered, and there he was cast from his horse, and his horse slain.  And when his folk saw him at the earth, they were all abashed, and weened he had been dead, and flew every one, and their enemies after and chased them, but they wist not that the emperor was there.  And when the enemies were far pursuing the chase, the emperor hid him in a thick wood.  And whet, they were come again from the chase, they went and sought the woods if any of them had been hid in the thick of the woods; and many they found and slew them anon.  So it happened that as they went searching toward the place that the emperor was, they saw an owl sitting upon a tree above him; and then they said amongst them, that there was no man because that they saw that bird there, and so they went their way; and thus escaped the emperor from death.  And then he went privily all by night, till he came to his folk that were full glad of his coming, and made great thankings to God Immortal, and to that bird by whom their lord was saved.  And therefore principally above all fowls of world they worship the owl; and when they have any of their feathers, they keep them full preciously instead of relics, and bear them upon their heads with great reverence; and they hold themselves blessed and safe from all perils while that they have them upon them, and therefore they bear their feathers upon their heads.

After all this the Chan ordained him, and assembled his people, and went upon them that had assailed him before, and destroyed them, and put them in subjection and servage.  And when he had won and put all the lands and countries on this half the Mount Belian in subjection, the white knight came to him again in his sleep, and said to him, Chan! the will of God Immortal is that thou pass the Mount Belian.  And thou shalt win the land and thou shalt put many nations in subjection.  And for thou shalt find no good passage for to go toward that country, go [to] the Mount Belian that is upon the sea, and kneel there nine times toward the east in the worship of God Immortal, and he shall shew the way to pass by.  And the Chan did so.  And anon the sea that touched and was fast to the mount began to withdraw him, and shewed fair way of nine foot breadth large; and so he passed with his folk, and won the land of Cathay that is the greatest kingdom of the world.

And for the nine kneelings and for the nine foot of way the Chan and all the men of Tartary have the number of nine in great reverence.  And therefore who that will make the Chan any present, be it of horses, be it of birds, or of arrows or bows, or of fruit, or of any other thing, always he must make it of the number of nine.  And so then be the presents of greater pleasure to him; and more benignly he will receive them than though he were presented with an hundred or two hundred.  For him seemeth the number of nine so holy, because the messenger of God Immortal devised it.

Also, when the Chan of Cathay had won the country of Cathay, and put in subjection and under foot many countries about, he fell sick.  And when he felt well that he should die, he said to his twelve sons, that everych of them should bring him one of his arrows.  And so they did anon.  And then he commanded that men should bind them together in three places.  And then he took them to his eldest son, and bade him break them all together.  And he enforced him with all his might to break them, but he ne might not.  And then the Chan bade his second son to break them; and so, shortly, to all, each after other; but none of them might break them.  And then he bade the youngest son dissever every one from other, and break everych by himself.  And so he did.  And then said the Chan to his eldest son and to all the others, Wherefore might ye not break them?  And they answered that they might not, because that they were bound together.  And wherefore, quoth he, hath your little youngest brother broken them?  Because, quoth they, that they were parted each from other.  And then said the Chan, My sons, quoth he, truly thus will it fare by you.  For as long as ye be bound together in three places, that is to say, in love, in truth and in good accord, no man shall be of power to grieve you.  But and ye be dissevered from these three places, that your one help not your other, ye shall be destroyed and brought to nought.  And if each of you love other and help other, ye shall be lords and sovereigns of all others.  And when he had made his ordinances, he died.

And then after him reigned Ecchecha Cane, his eldest son.  And his other brethren went to win them many countries and kingdoms, unto the land of Prussia and of Russia, and made themselves to be clept Chane; but they were all obeissant to their elder brother, and therefore was he clept the great Chan.

After Ecchecha reigned Guyo Chan.

And after him Mango Chan that was a good Christian man and baptized, and gave letters of perpetual peace to all Christian men, and sent his brother Halaon with great multitude of folk for to win the Holy Land and for to put it into Christian men's hands, and for to destroy Mahomet's law, and for to take the Caliph of Bagdad that was emperor and lord of all the Saracens.  And when this caliph was taken, men found him of so high worship, that in all the remnant of the world, ne might a man find a more reverend man, ne higher in worship.  And then Halaon made him come before him, and said to him, Why, quoth he, haddest thou not taken with thee more soldiers and men enough, for a little quantity of treasure, for to defend thee and thy country, that art so abundant of treasure and so high in all worship?  And the caliph answered him, For he well trowed that he had enough of his own proper men.  And then said Halaon, Thou wert as a god of the Saracens.  And it is convenient to a god to eat no meat that is mortal.  And therefore, thou shall not eat but precious stones, rich pearls and treasure, that thou lovest so much.  And then he commanded him to prison, and all his treasure about him.  And so he died for hunger and thirst.  And then after this, Halaon won all the Land of Promission, and put it into Christian men's hands.  But the great Chan, his brother, died; and that was great sorrow and loss to all Christian men.

After Mango Chan reigned Cobyla Chan that was also a Christian man.  And he reigned forty-two year.  He founded the great city Izonge in Cathay, that is a great deal more than Rome.

The tother great Chan that came after him became a Paynim, and all the others after him.

The kingdom of Cathay is the greatest realm of the world.  And also the great Chan is the most mighty emperor of the world and the greatest lord under the firmament.  And so he clepeth him in his letters, right thus: Chan!  Filius Dei excelsi, omnium universam terram colentium summus imperator, & dominus omnium dominantium!  And the letter of his great seal, written about, is this; Deus in coelo, Chan super terram, ejus fortitudoOmnium hominum imperatoris sigillum.  And the superscription about his little seal is this; Dei fortitudo, omnium hominum imperatoris sigillum.

And albeit that they be not christened, yet nevertheless the emperor and all the Tartars believe in God Immortal.  And when they will menace any man, then they say, God knoweth well that I shall do thee such a thing, and telleth his menace.

And thus have ye heard, why he is clept the great Chan.

 

 

CHAPTER XXV. Of the Governance of the great Chan's Court, and when he maketh solemn feasts.  Of his Philosophers.  And of his array, when he rideth by the country

 

Now shall I tell you the governance of the court of the great Chan, when he maketh solemn feasts; and that is principally four times in the year.

The first feast is of his birth, that other is of his presentation in their temple that they clepe their Moseache, where they make a manner of circumcision, and the tother two feasts be of his idols.  The first feast of the idol is when he is first put into their temple and throned; the tother feast is when the idol beginneth first to speak, or to work miracles.  More be there not of solemn feasts, but if he marry any of his children.

Now understand, that at every of these feasts he hath great multitude of people, well ordained and well arrayed, by thousands, by hundreds, and by tens.  And every man knoweth well what service he shall do, and every man giveth so good heed and so good attendance to his service that no man findeth no default.  And there be first ordained 4000 barons, mighty and rich, for to govern and to make ordinance for the feast, and for to serve the emperor.  And these solemn feasts be made without in halls and tents made of cloths of gold and of tartaries, full nobly.  And all those barons have crowns of gold upon their heads, full noble and rich, full of precious stones and great pearls orient.  And they be all clothed in cloths of gold or of tartaries or of camakas, so richly and so perfectly, that no man in the world can amend it, ne better devise it.  And all those robes be orfrayed all about, and dubbed full of precious stones and of great orient pearls, full richly.  And they may well do so, for cloths of gold and of silk be greater cheap there a great deal than be cloths of wool.  And these 4000 barons be devised in four companies, and every thousand is clothed in cloths all of one colour, and that so well arrayed and so richly, that it is marvel to behold.

The first thousand, that is of dukes, of earls, of marquises and of admirals, all clothed in cloths of gold, with tissues of green silk, and bordered with gold full of precious stones in manner as I have said before.  The second thousand is all clothed in cloths diapered of red silk, all wrought with gold, and the orfrays set full of great pearl and precious stones, full nobly wrought.  The third thousand is clothed in cloths of silk, of purple or of Ind.  And the fourth thousand is in cloths of yellow.  And all their clothes be so nobly and so richly wrought with gold and precious stones and rich pearls, that if a man of this country had but only one of their robes, he might well say that he should never be poor; for the gold and the precious stones and the great orient pearls be of greater value on this half the sea than they be beyond the sea in those countries.

And when they be thus apparelled, they go two and two together, full ordinately, before the emperor, without speech of any word, save only inclining to him.  And every one of them beareth a tablet of jasper or of ivory or of crystal, and the minstrels going before them, sounding their instruments of diverse melody.  And when the first thousand is thus passed and hath made his muster, he withdraweth him on that one side; and then entereth that other second thousand, and doth right so, in the same manner of array and countenance, is did the first; and after, the third; and then, the fourth; and none of them saith not one word.

And at one side of the emperor's table sit many philosophers that be proved for wise men in many diverse sciences, as of astronomy, necromancy, geomancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, of augury and of many other sciences.  And everych of them have before them astrolabes of gold, some spheres, some the brain pan of a dead man, some vessels of gold full of gravel or sand, some vessels of gold full of coals burning, some vessels of gold full of water and of wine and of oil, and some horologes of gold, made full nobly and richly wrought, and many other manner of instruments after their sciences.

And at certain hours, when them thinketh time, they say to certain officers that stand before them, ordained for the time to fulfil their commandments; Make peace!

And then say the officers; Now peace! listen!

And after that, saith another of the philosophers; Every man do reverence and incline to the emperor, that is God's Son and sovereign lord of all the world!  For now is time!  And then every man boweth his head toward the earth.

And then commandeth the same philosopher again; Stand up!  And they do so.

And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your little finger in your ears!  And anon they do so.

And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand before your mouth!  And anon they do so.

And at another hour, saith another philosopher; Put your hand upon your head!  And after that he biddeth them to do their hand away.  And they do so.

And so, from hour to hour, they command certain things; and they say, that those things have diverse significations.  And I asked them privily what those things betokened.  And one of the masters told me, that the bowing of the head at that hour betokened this; that all those that bowed their heads should evermore after be obeissant and true to the emperor, and never, for gifts ne for promise in no kind, to be false ne traitor unto him for good nor evil.  And the putting of the little finger in the ear betokeneth, as they say, that none of them ne shall not hear speak no contrarious thing to the emperor but that he shall tell it anon to his council or discover it to some men that will make relation to the emperor, though he were his father or brother or son.  And so forth, of all other things that is done by the philosophers, they told me the causes of many diverse things.  And trust right well in certain, that no man doth nothing to the emperor that belongeth unto him, neither clothing ne bread ne wine ne bath ne none other thing that longeth to him, but at certain hours that his philosophers will devise.  And if there fall war in any side to the emperor, anon the philosophers come and say their advice after their calculations, and counsel the emperor of their advice by their sciences; so that the emperor doth nothing without their counsel.

And when the philosophers have done and performed their commandments, then the minstrels begin to do their minstrelsy, everych in their instruments, each after other, with all the melody that they can devise.  And when they have done a good while, one of the officers of the emperor goeth up on a high stage wrought full curiously, and crieth and saith with loud voice; Make Peace!  And then every man is still.

And then, anon after, all the lords that be of the emperor's lineage, nobly arrayed in rich cloths of gold and royally apparelled on white steeds, as many as may well sue him at that time, be ready to make their presents to the emperor.  And then saith the steward of the court to the lords, by name; N. of N.! and nameth first the most noble and the worthiest by name, and saith; Be ye ready with such a number of white horses, for to serve the emperor, your sovereign lord!  And to another lord he saith; N. of N., be ye ready with such a number, to serve your sovereign lord!  And to another, right so, and to all the lords of the emperor's lineage, each after other, as they be of estate.  And when they be all cleped, they enter each after other, and present the white horses to the emperor, and then go their way.  And then after, all the other barons every of them, give him presents or jewels or some other thing, after that they be of estate.  And then after them, all the prelates of their law, and religious men and others; and every man giveth him something.  And when that all men have thus presented the emperor, the greatest of dignity of the prelates giveth him a blessing, saying an orison of their law.

And then begin the minstrels to make their minstrelsy in divers instruments with all the melody that they can devise.  And when they have done their craft, then they bring before the emperor, lions, leopards and other diverse beasts, and eagles and vultures and other divers fowls, and fishes and serpents, for to do him reverence.  And then come jugglers and enchanters, that do many marvels; for they make to come in the air, by seeming, the sun and the moon to every man's sight.  And after they make the night so dark that no man may see nothing.  And after they make the day to come again, fair and pleasant with bright sun, to every man's sight.  And then they bring in dances of the fairest damsels of the world, and richest arrayed.  And after they make to come in other damsels bringing cups of gold full of milk of diverse beasts, and give drink to lords and to ladies.  And then they make knights to joust in arms full lustily; and they run together a great random, and they frussch together full fiercely, and they break their spears so rudely that the truncheons fly in sprouts and pieces all about the hall.  And then they make to come in hunting for the hart and for the boar, with hounds running with open mouth.  And many other things they do by craft of their enchantments, that it is marvel for to see.  And such plays of disport they make till the taking up of the boards.  This great Chan hath full great people for to serve him, as I have told you before.  For he hath of minstrels the number of thirteen cumants, but they abide not always with him.  For all the minstrels that come before him, of what nation that they be of, they be withholden with him as of his household, and entered in his books as for his own men.  And after that, where that ever they go, ever more they claim for minstrels of the great Chan; and under that title, all kings and lords cherish them the more with gifts and all things.  And therefore he hath so great multitude of them.

And he hath of certain men as though they were yeomen, that keep birds, as ostriches, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks, falcons gentle, lanyers, sakers, sakrets, popinjays well speaking, and birds singing, and also of wild beasts, as of elephants tame and other, baboons, apes, marmosets, and other diverse beasts; the mountance of fifteen cumants of yeomen.

And of physicians Christian he hath 200, and of leeches that be Christian he hath 210, and of leeches and physicians that be Saracens twenty, but he trusteth more in the Christian leeches than in the Saracen.  And his other common household is without number, and they all have all necessaries and all that them needeth of the emperor's court.  And he hath in his court many barons as servitors, that be Christian and converted to good faith by the preaching of religious Christian men that dwell with him; but there be many more, that will not that men know that they be Christian.

This emperor may dispend as much as he will without estimation; for he not dispendeth ne maketh no money but of leather imprinted or of paper.  And of that money is some of greater price and some of less price, after the diversity of his statutes.  And when that money hath run long that it beginneth to waste, then men bear it to the emperor's treasury and then they take new money for the old.  And that money goeth throughout all the country and throughout all his provinces, for there and beyond them they make no money neither of gold nor of silver; and therefore he may dispend enough, and outrageously.  And of gold and silver that men bear in his country he maketh cylours, pillars and pavements in his palace, and other diverse things what him liketh.

This emperor hath in his chamber, in one of the pillars of gold, a ruby and a carbuncle of half a foot long, that in the night giveth so great clearness and shining, that it is as light as day.  And he hath many other precious stones and many other rubies and carbuncles; but those be the greatest and the most precious.

This emperor dwelleth in summer in a city that is toward the north that is clept Saduz; and there is cold enough.  And in winter he dwelleth in a city that is clept Camaaleche, and that is an hot country.  But the country, where he dwelleth in most commonly, is in Gaydo or in Jong, that is a good country and a temperate, after that the country is there; but to men of this country it were too passing hot.

And when this emperor will ride from one country to another he ordaineth four hosts of his folk, of the which the first host goeth before him a day's journey.  For that host shall be lodged the night where the emperor shall lie upon the morrow.  And there shall every man have all manner of victual and necessaries that be needful, of the emperor's costage.  And in this first host is the number of people fifty cumants, what of horse what of foot, of the which every cumant amounteth 10,000 as I have told you before.  And another host goeth in the right side of the emperor, nigh half a journey from him.  And another goeth on the left side of him, in the same wise.  And in every host is as much multitude of people as in the first host.  And then after cometh the fourth host, that is much more than any of the others, and that goeth behind him, the mountance of a bow draught.  And every host hath his journeys ordained in certain places, where they shall be lodged at night, and there they shall have all that them needeth.  And if it befall that any of the host die, anon they put another in his place, so that the number shall evermore be whole.

And ye shall understand, that the emperor, in his proper person, rideth not as other great lords do beyond, but if he list to go privily with few men, for to be unknown.  And else, he rides in a chariot with four wheels, upon the which is made a fair chamber, and it is made of a certain wood, that cometh out of Paradise terrestrial, that men clepe lignum aloes, that the floods of Paradise bring out at divers seasons, as I have told you here before.  And this chamber is full well smelling because of the wood that it is made of.  And all this chamber is covered within of plate of fine gold dubbed with precious stones and great pearls.  And four elephants and four great destriers, all white and covered with rich covertures, leading the chariot.  And four, or five, or six, of the greatest lords ride about this chariot, full richly arrayed and full nobly, so that no man shall neigh the chariot, but only those lords, but if that the emperor call any man to him that him list to speak withal.  And above the chamber of this chariot that the emperor sitteth in be set upon a perch four or five or six gerfalcons, to that intent, that when the emperor seeth any wild fowl, that he may take it at his own list, and have the disport and the play of the flight, first with one, and after with another; and so he taketh his disport passing by the country.  And no man rideth before him of his company, but all after him.  And no man dare not come nigh the chariot, by a bow draught, but those lords only that be about him.  And all the host cometh fairly after him in great multitude.

And also such another chariot with such hosts ordained and arrayed go with the empress upon another side, everych by himself, with four hosts, right as the emperor did; but not with so great multitude of people.  And his eldest son goeth by another way in another chariot, in the same manner.  So that there is between them so great multitude of folk that it is marvel to tell it.  And no man should trow the number, but he had seen it.  And some-time it happeth that when he will not go far, and that it like him to have the empress and his children with him, then they go altogether, and their folk be all mingled in fere, and divided in four parties only.

And ye shall understand, that the empire of this great Chan is divided in twelve provinces; and every province hath more than two thousand cities, and of towns without number.  This country is full great, for it hath twelve principal kings in twelve provinces, and every of those Kings have many kings under them, and all they be obeissant to the great Chan.  And his land and his lordship dureth so far, that a man may not go from one head to another, neither by sea ne land, the space of seven year.  And through the deserts of his lordship, there as men may find no towns, there be inns ordained by every journey, to receive both man and horse, in the which they shall find plenty of victual, and of all things that they need for to go by the country.

And there is a marvellous custom in that country (but it is profitable), that if any contrarious thing that should be prejudice or grievance to the emperor in any kind, anon the emperor hath tidings thereof and full knowledge in a day, though it be three or four journeys from him or more.  For his ambassadors take their dromedaries or their horses, and they prick in all that ever they may toward one of the inns.  And when they come there, anon they blow an horn.  And anon they of the inn know well enough that there be tidings to warn the emperor of some rebellion against him.  And then anon they make other men ready, in all haste that they may, to bear letters, and prick in all that ever they may, till they come to the other inns with their letters.  And then they make fresh men ready, to prick forth with the letters toward the emperor, while that the last bringer rest him, and bait his dromedary or his horse.  And so, from inn to inn, till it come to the emperor.  And thus anon hath he hasty tidings of anything that beareth charge, by his couriers, that run so hastily throughout all the country.  And also when the Emperor sendeth his couriers hastily throughout his land, every one of them hath a large throng full of small bells, and when they neigh near to the inns of other couriers that be also ordained by the journeys, they ring their bells, and anon the other couriers make them ready, and run their way unto another inn.  And thus runneth one to other, full speedily and swiftly, till the emperor's intent be served, in all haste.  And these couriers be clept Chydydo, after their language, that is to say, a messenger,

Also when the emperor goeth from one country to another, as I have told you here before, and he pass through cities and towns, every man maketh a fire before his door, and putteth therein powder of good gums that be sweet smelling, for to make good savour to the emperor.  And all the people kneel down against him, and do him great reverence.  And there, where religious Christian men dwell, as they do in many cities in the land, they go before him with procession with cross and holy water, and they sing, Veni creator spiritus! with an high voice, and go towards him.  And when he heareth them, he commandeth to his lords to ride beside him, that the religious men may come to him.  And when they be nigh him with the cross, then he doth adown his galiot that sits on his head in manner of a chaplet, that is made of gold and precious stones and great pearls, and it is so rich, that men prize it to the value of a realm in that country.  And then he kneeleth to the cross.  And then the prelate of the religious men saith before him certain orisons, and giveth him a blessing with the cross; and he inclineth to the blessing full devoutly.  And then the prelate giveth him some manner fruit, to the number of nine, in a platter of silver, with pears or apples, or other manner fruit.  And he taketh one.  And then men give to the other lords that be about him.  For the custom is such, that no stranger shall come before him, but if he give him some manner thing, after the old law that saith, Nemo accedat in conspectu meo vacuus.  And then the emperor saith to the religious men, that they withdraw them again, that they be neither hurt nor harmed of the great multitude of horses that come behind him.  And also, in the same manner, do the religious men that dwell there, to the empresses that pass by them, and to his eldest son.  And to every of them they present fruit.

And ye shall understand, that the people that he hath so many hosts of, about him and about his wives and his soil, they dwell not continually with him.  But always, when him liketh, they be sent for.  And after, when they have done, they return to their own households, save only they that be dwelling with him in household for to serve him and his wives and his sons for to govern his household.  And albeit, that the others be departed from him after that they have performed their service, yet there abideth continually with him in court 50,000 men at horse and 200,000 men a foot, without minstrels and those that keep wild beasts and divers birds, of the which I have told you the number before.

Under the firmament is not so great a lord, ne so mighty, ne so rich as is the great Chan; not Prester John, that is emperor of the high Ind, ne the Soldan of Babylon, ne the Emperor of Persia.  All these ne be not in comparison to the great Chan, neither of might, ne of noblesse, ne of royalty, ne of riches; for in all these he passeth all earthly princes.  Wherefore it is great harm that he believeth not faithfully in God.  And natheles he will gladly hear speak of God.  And he suffereth well that Christian men dwell in his lordship, and that men of his faith be made Christian men if they will, throughout all his country; for he defendeth no man to hold no law other than him liketh.

In that country some men hath an hundred wives, some sixty, some more, some less.  And they take the next of their kin to their wives, save only that they out-take their mothers, their daughters, and their sisters of the mother's side; but their sisters on the father's side of another woman they may well take, and their brothers' wives also after their death, and their step-mothers also in the same wise.

 

 

CHAPTER XXVI. Of the Law and the Customs of the Tartarians dwelling in Cathay.  And how that men do when the Emperor shall die, and how he shall be chosen

 

The folk of that country use all long clothes without furs.  And they be clothed with precious cloths of Tartary, and of cloths of gold.  And their clothes be slit at the side, and they be fastened with laces of silk.  And they clothe them also with pilches, and the hide without; and they use neither cape ne hood.  And in the same manner as the men go, the women go, so that no man may unneth know the men from the women, save only those women that be married, that bear the token upon their heads of a man's foot, in sign that they be under man's foot and under subjection of man.

And their wives ne dwell not together, but every of them by herself; and the husband may lie with whom of them that him liketh.  Everych hath his house, both man and woman.  And their houses be made round of staves, and it hath a round window above that giveth them light, and also that serveth for deliverance of smoke.  And the heling of their houses and the walls and the doors be all of wood.  And when they go to war, they lead their houses with them upon chariots, as men do tents or pavilions.  And they make their fire in the midst of their houses.

And they have great multitude of all manner of beasts, save only of swine, for they bring none forth.  And they believe well one God that made and formed all things.  And natheles yet have they idols of gold and silver, and of tree and of cloth.  And to those idols they offer always their first milk of their beasts, and also of their meats and of their drinks before they eat.  And they offer often-times horses and beasts.  And they clepe the God of kind Yroga.

And their emperor also, what name that ever he have, they put evermore thereto, Chan.  And when I was there, their emperor had to name Thiaut, so that he was clept Thiaut-Chan.  And his eldest son was clept Tossue; and when he shall be emperor, he shall be clept Tossue-Chan.  And at that time the emperor had twelve sons without him, that were named Cuncy, Ordii, Chadahay, Buryn, Negu, Nocab, Cadu, [Siban], Cuten, Balacy, Babylan, and Garegan.  And of his three wives, the first and principal, that was Prester John's daughter, had to name Serioche-Chan, and the tother Borak-Chan, and the tother Karanke-Chan.

The folk of that country begin all their things in the new moon, and they worship much the moon and the sun and often-time kneel against them.  And all the folk of the country ride commonly without spurs, but they bear always a little whip in their hands for to chace with their horses.

And they have great conscience and hold it for a great sin to cast a knife in the fire, and for to draw flesh out of a pot with a knife, and for to smite an horse with the handle of a whip, or to smite an horse with a bridle, or to break one bone with another, or for to cast milk or any liquor that men may drink upon the earth, or for to take and slay little children.  And the most sin that any man may do is to piss in their houses that they dwell in, and whoso that may be found with that sin sikerly they slay him.  And of everych of these sins it behoveth them to be shriven of their priests, and to pay great sum of silver for their penance.  And it behoveth also, that the place that men have pissed in be hallowed again, and else dare no man enter therein.  And when they have paid their penance, men make them pass through a fire or through two, for to cleanse them of their sins.  And also when any messenger cometh and bringeth letters or any present to the emperor, it behoveth him that he, with the thing that he bringeth, pass through two burning fires for to purge them, that he bring no poison ne venom, ne no wicked thing that might be grievance to the Lord.  And also if any man or woman be taken in avoutry or fornication, anon they slay him.  And who that stealeth anything, anon they slay him.

Men of that country be all good archers and shoot right well, both men and women, as well on horse-back, pricking, as on foot, running.  And the women make all things and all manner mysteries and crafts, as of clothes, boots and other things; and they drive carts, ploughs and wains and chariots; and they make houses and all manner mysteres, out taken bows and arrows and armours that men make.  And all the women wear breeches, as well as men.

All the folk of that country be full obeissant to their sovereigns; ne they fight not, ne chide not one with another.  And there be neither thieves ne robbers in that country.  And every man worshippeth other; but no man there doth no reverence to no strangers, but if they be great princes.

And they eat hounds, lions, leopards, mares and foals, asses, rats and mice and all manner of beasts, great and small, save only swine and beasts that were defended by the old law.  And they eat all the beasts without and within, without casting away of anything, save only the filth.  And they eat but little bread, but if it be in courts of great lords.  And they have not in many places, neither pease ne beans ne none other pottages but the broth of the flesh.  For little eat they anything but flesh and the broth.  And when they have eaten, they wipe their hands upon their skirts; for they use no napery ne towels, but if it be before great lords; but the common people hath none.  And when they have eaten, they put their dishes unwashen into the pot or cauldron with remnant of the flesh and of the broth till they will eat again.  And the rich men drink milk of mares or of camels or of asses or of other beasts.  And they will be lightly drunken of milk and of another drink that is made of honey and of water sodden together; for in that country is neither wine ne ale.  They live full wretchedly, and they eat but once in the day, and that but little, neither in courts ne in other places.  And in sooth, one man alone in this country will eat more in a day than one of them will eat in three days.  And if any strange messenger come there to a lord, men make him to eat but once a day, and that full little.

And when they war, they war full wisely and always do their business, to destroy their enemies.  Every man there beareth two bows or three, and of arrows great plenty, and a great axe.  And the gentles have short spears and large and full trenchant on that one side.  And they have plates and helms made of quyrboylle, and their horses covertures of the same.  And whoso fleeth from the battle they slay him.  And when they hold any siege about castle or town that is walled and defensible, they behote to them that be within to do all the profit and good, that it is marvel to hear; and they grant also to them that be within all that they will ask them.  And after that they be yielden, anon they slay them all; and cut off their ears and souse them in vinegar, and thereof they make great service for lords.  All their lust and all their imagination is for to put all lands under their subjection.  And they say that they know well by their prophecies, that they shall be overcome by archers and by strength of them; but they know not of what nation ne of what law they shall be of, that shall overcome them.  And therefore they suffer that folk of all laws may peaceably dwell amongst them.

Also when they will make their idols or an image of any of their friends for to have remembrance of him, they make always the image all naked without any manner of clothing.  For they say that in good love should be no covering, that man should not love for the fair clothing ne for the rich array, but only for the body, such as God hath made it, and for the good virtues that the body is endowed with of Nature, not only for fair clothing that is not of kindly Nature.

And ye shall understand that it is great dread for to pursue the Tartars if they flee in battle.  For in fleeing they shoot behind them and slay both men and horses.  And when they will fight they will shock them together in a plump; that if there be 20,000 men, men shall not ween that there be scant 10,000.  And they can well win land of strangers, but they cannot keep it; for they have greater lust to lie in tents without than for to lie in castle or in towns.  And they prize nothing the wit of other nations.

And amongst them oil of olive is full dear, for they hold it for full noble medicine.  And all the Tartars have small eyen and little of beard, and not thick haired but shear.  And they be false and traitors; and they last nought that they behote.  They be full hardy folk, and much pain and woe may suffer and disease, more than any other folk, for they be taught thereto in their own country of youth.  And therefore they spend as who saith, right nought.

And when any man shall die, men set a spear beside him.  And when he draweth towards the death, every man fleeth out of the house till he be dead.  And after that they bury him in the fields.

And when the emperor dieth, men set him in a chair in midst the place of his tent.  And men set a table before him clean, covered with a cloth, and thereupon flesh and diverse viands and a cup full of mare's milk.  And men put a mare beside him with her foal, and an horse saddled and bridled.  And they lay upon the horse gold and silver, great quantity.  And they put about him great plenty of straw.  And then men make a great pit and a large, and with the tent and all these other things they put him in earth.  And they say that when he shall come into another world, he shall not be without an house, ne without horse, ne without gold and silver; and the mare shall give him milk, and bring him forth more horses till he be well stored in the tother world.  For they trow that after their death they shall be eating and drinking in that other world, and solacing them with their wives, as they did here.

And after time that the emperor is thus interred no man shall be so hardy to speak of him before his friends.  And yet natheles, sometime falleth of many that they make him to be interred privily by night in wild places, and put again the grass over the pit for to grow; or else men cover the pit with gravel and sand, that no man shall perceive where, ne know where, the pit is, to that intent that never after none of his friends shall have mind ne remembrance of him.  And then they say that he is ravished into another world, where he is a greater lord than he was here.

And then, after the death of the emperor, the seven lineages assemble them together, and choose his eldest son, or the next after him of his blood.  And thus they say to him; we will and we pray and ordain that ye be our lord and our emperor.

And then he answereth, If ye will that I reign over you as lord, do everych of you that I shall command him, either to abide or to go; and whomsoever that I command to be slain, that anon he be slain.

And they answer all with one voice, Whatsoever ye command, it shall be done.

Then saith the emperor, Now understand well, that my word from henceforth is sharp and biting as a sword.

After, men set him upon a black steed and so men bring him to a chair full richly arrayed, and there they crown him.  And then all the cities and good towns send him rich presents.  So that at that journey he shall have more than sixty chariots charged with gold silver, without jewels of gold and precious stones, that lords gave him, that be without estimation, and without horses, and cloths of gold, and of camakas, and tartarins that be without number.

 

 

CHAPTER XXVII. Of the Realm of Tharse and the Lands and Kingdoms towards the Septentrional Parts, in coming down from the land of Cathay

 

This land of Cathay is in Asia the deep; and after, on this half, is Asia the more.  The kingdom of Cathay marcheth toward the west unto the kingdom of Tharse, the which was one of the kings that came to present our Lord in Bethlehem.  And they that be of the lineage of that king are some Christian.  In Tharse they eat no flesh, ne they drink no wine.

And on this half, toward the west, is the kingdom of Turkestan, that stretcheth him toward the west to the kingdom of Persia, and toward the septentrional to the kingdom of Khorasan.  In the country of Turkestan be but few good cities; but the best city of that land hight Octorar.  There be great pastures, but few corns; and therefore, for the most part, they be all herdsmen, and they lie in tents and they drink a manner ale made of honey.

And after, on this half, is the kingdom of Khorasan, that is a good land and a plenteous, without wine.  And it hath a desert toward the east that lasteth more than an hundred journeys.  And the best city of that country is clept Khorasan, and of that city beareth the country his name.  The folk of that country be hardy warriors.

And on this half is the kingdom of Comania, whereof the Comanians that dwelled in Greece sometime were chased out.  This is one of the greatest kingdoms of the world, but it is not all inhabited.  For at one of the parts there is so great cold that no man may dwell there; and in another part there is so great heat that no man may endure it, and also there be so many flies, that no man may know on what side he may turn him.  In that country is but little arboury ne trees that bear fruit ne other.  They lie in tents; and they burn the dung of beasts for default of wood.  This kingdom descendeth on this half toward us and toward Prussia and toward Russia.

And through that country runneth the river of Ethille that is one of the greatest rivers of the world.  And it freezeth so strongly all years that many times men have fought upon the ice with great hosts, both parties on foot, and their horses voided for the time, and what on horse and on foot, more than 200,000 persons on every side.

And between that river and the great sea Ocean, that they clepe the Sea Maure, lie all these realms.  And toward the head, beneath, in that realm is the Mount Chotaz, that is the highest mount of the world, and it is between the Sea Maure and the Sea Caspian.  There is full strait and dangerous passage for to go toward Ind.  And therefore King Alexander let make there a strong city, that men clepe Alexandria, for to keep the country that no man should pass without his leave.  And now men clepe that city, the Gate of Hell.

And the principal city of Comania is clept Sarak, that is one of the three ways for to go into Ind.  But by that way, ne may not pass no great multitude of people, but if it be in winter.  And that passage men clepe the Derbent.  The tother way is for to go from the city of Turkestan by Persia, and by that way be many journeys by desert.  And the third way is that cometh from Comania and then to go by the Great Sea and by the kingdom of Abchaz.

And ye shall understand, that all these kingdoms and all these lands above-said unto Prussia and to Russia be all obeissant to the great Chan of Cathay, and many other countries that march to other coasts.  Wherefore his power and his lordship is full great and full mighty.

 

 

CHAPTER XXVIII. The Emperor of Persia, and of the Land of Darkness; and of other kingdoms that belong to the great Chan of Cathay, and other lands of his, unto the sea of Greece

 

Now, since I have devised you the lands and the kingdoms toward the parts Septentrionals in coming down from the land of Cathay unto the lands of the Christian, towards Prussia and Russia,—now shall I devise you of other lands and kingdoms coming down by other coasts, toward the right side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the land of Christian men.  And, therefore, that after Ind and after Cathay the Emperor of Persia is the greatest lord, therefore, I shall tell you of the kingdom of Persia.

First, where he hath two kingdoms, the first kingdom beginneth toward the east, toward the kingdom of Turkestan, and it stretcheth toward the west unto the river of Pison, that is one of the four rivers that come out of Paradise.  And on another side it stretcheth toward the Septentrion unto the sea of Caspian; and also toward the south unto the desert of Ind.  And this country is good and plain and full of people.  And there be many good cities.  But the two principal cities be these, Boyturra, and Seornergant, that some men clepe Sormagant.  The tother kingdom of Persia stretcheth toward the river of Pison and the parts of the west unto the kingdom of Media, and from the great Armenia and toward the Septentrion to the sea of Caspian and toward the south to the land of Ind.  That is also a good land and a plenteous, and it hath three great principal cities—Messabor, Saphon, and Sarmassan.

And then after is Armenia, in the which were wont to be four kingdoms; that is a noble country and full of goods.  And it beginneth at Persia and stretcheth toward the west in length unto Turkey.  And in largeness it dureth to the city of Alexandria, that now is clept the Gate of Hell, that I spake of before, under the kingdom of Media.  In this Armenia be full many good cities, but Taurizo is most of name.

After this is the kingdom of Media, that is full long, but it is not full large, that beginneth toward the east to the land of Persia and to Ind the less; and it stretcheth toward the west, toward the kingdom of Chaldea and toward the Septentrion, descending toward the little Armenia.  In that kingdom of Media there be many great hills and little of plain earth.  There dwell Saracens and another manner of folk, that men clepe Cordynes.  The best two cities of that kingdom be Sarras and Karemen.

After that is the kingdom of Georgia, that beginneth toward the east to the great mountain that is clept Abzor, where that dwell many diverse folk of diverse nations.  And men clepe the country Alamo.  This kingdom stretcheth him towards Turkey and toward the Great Sea, and toward the south it marcheth to the great Armenia.  And there be two kingdoms in that country; that one is the kingdom of Georgia, and that other is the kingdom of Abchaz.  And always in that country be two kings; and they be both Christian.  But the king of Georgia is in subjection to the great Chan.  And the king of Abchaz hath the more strong country, and he always vigorously defendeth his country against all those that assail him, so that no man may make him in subjection to no man.

In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel.  For a province of the country that hath well in circuit three journeys, that men clepe Hanyson, is all covered with darkness, without any brightness or light; so that no man may see ne hear, ne no man dare enter into him.  And, natheles, they of the country say, that some-times men hear voice of folk, and horses neighing, and cocks crowing.  And men wit well, that men dwell there, but they know not what men.  And they say, that the darkness befell by miracle of God.  For a cursed emperor of Persia, that hight Saures, pursued all Christian men to destroy them and to compel them to make sacrifice to his idols, and rode with great host, in all that ever he might, for to confound the Christian men.  And then in that country dwelled many good Christian men, the which that left their goods and would have fled into Greece.  And when they were in a plain that hight Megon, anon this cursed emperor met with them with his host for to have slain them and hewn them to pieces.  And anon the Christian men kneeled to the ground, and made their prayers to God to succour them.  And anon a great thick cloud came and covered the emperor and all his host.  And so they endure in that manner that they ne may not go out on no side; and so shall they evermore abide in that darkness till the day of doom, by the miracle of God.  And then the Christian men went where them liked best, at their own pleasance, without letting of any creature, and their enemies enclosed and confounded in darkness, without any stroke.

Wherefore we may well say with David, A Domino factum est istud; & est mirabile in oculis nostris.  And that was a great miracle, that God made for them.  Wherefore methinketh that Christian men should be more devout to serve our Lord God than any other men of any other sect.  For without any dread, ne were not cursedness and sin of Christian men, they should be lords of all the world.  For the banner of Jesu Christ is always displayed, and ready on all sides to the help of his true loving servants.  Insomuch, that one good Christian man in good belief should overcome and out-chase a thousand cursed misbelieving men, as David saith in the Psalter, Quoniam persequebatur unus mills, & duo fugarent decem milia; et cadent a latere tuo mille, & decem milia a dextris tuis.  And how that it might be that one should chase a thousand, David himself saith following, Quia manus Domini fecit haec omnia, and our Lord himself saith, by the prophet's mouth, Si in viis meis ambulaveritis, super tribulantes vos misissem manum meam.  So that we may see apertly that if we will be good men, no enemy may not endure against us.

Also ye shall understand that out of that land of darkness goeth out a great river that sheweth well that there be folk dwelling, by many ready tokens; but no man dare not enter into it.

And wit well, that in the kingdoms of Georgia, of Abchaz and of the little Armenia be good Christian men and devout.  For they shrive them and housel them evermore once or twice in the week.  And there be many of them that housel them every day; and so do we not on this half, albeit that Saint Paul commandeth it, saying, Omnibus diebus dominicis ad communicandum hortor.  They keep that commandment, but we ne keep it not.

Also after, on this half, is Turkey, that marcheth to the great Armenia.  And there be many provinces, as Cappadocia, Saure, Brique, Quesiton, Pytan, and Gemethe.  And in everych of these be many good cities.  This Turkey stretcheth unto the city of Sachala that sitteth upon the sea of Greece, and so it marcheth to Syria.  Syria is a great country and a good, as I have told you before.  And also it hath, above toward Ind, the kingdom of Chaldea, that stretcheth from the mountains of Chaldea toward the east unto the city of Nineveh, that sitteth upon the river of Tigris; and in largeness it beginneth toward the north to the city of Maraga; and it stretcheth toward the south unto the sea Ocean.  In Chaldea is a plain country, and few hills and few rivers.

After is the kingdom of Mesopotamia, that beginneth, toward the east, to the flom of Tigris, unto a city that is clept Mosul; and it stretcheth toward the west to the flom of Euphrates unto a city that is clept Roianz; and in length it goeth to the mount of Armenia unto the desert of Ind the less.  This is a good country and a plain, but it hath few rivers.  It hath but two mountains in that country, of the which one hight Symar and that other Lyson.  And this land marcheth to the kingdom of Chaldea.

Yet there is, toward the parts Meridionals many countries and many regions, as the land of Ethiopia, that marcheth, toward the east to the great deserts, toward the west to the kingdom of Nubia, toward the south to the kingdom of Moretane, and toward the north to the Red Sea.

After is Moretane, that dureth from the mountains of Ethiopia unto Lybia the high.  And that country lieth along from the sea ocean toward the south; and toward the north it marcheth to Nubia and to the high Lybia.  (These men of Nubia be Christian.)  And it marcheth from the lands above-said to the deserts of Egypt, and that is the Egypt that I have spoken of before.

And after is Lybia the high and Lybia the low, that descendeth down low toward the great sea of Spain, in the which country be many kingdoms and many diverse folk.

Now I have devised you many countries on this half the kingdom of Cathay, of the which many be obeissant to the great Chan.

 

 

CHAPTER XXIX. Of the Countries and Isles that be beyond the Land of Cathay; and of the fruits there; and of twenty-two kings enclosed within the mountains

 

Now shall I say you, suingly, of countries and isles that be beyond the countries that I have spoken of.

Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward the high Ind and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that men clepe Caldilhe, that is a full fair country.

And there groweth a manner of fruit, as though it were gourds.  And when they be ripe, men cut them a-two, and men find within a little beast, in flesh, in bone, and blood, as though it were a little lamb without wool.  And men eat both the fruit and the beast.  And that is a great marvel.  Of that fruit I have eaten, although it were wonderful, but that I know well that God is marvellous in his works.  And, natheles, I told them of as great a marvel to them, that is amongst us, and that was of the Bernakes.  For I told them that in our country were trees that bear a fruit that become birds flying, and those that fell in the water live, and they that fall on the earth die anon, and they be right good to man's meat.  And hereof had they as great marvel, that some of them trowed it were an impossible thing to be.

In that country be long apples of good savour, whereof be more than an hundred in a cluster, and as many in another; and they have great long leaves and large, of two foot long or more.  And in that country, and in other countries thereabout, grow many trees that bear clove-gylofres and nutmegs, and great nuts of Ind, and of Canell and of many other spices.  And there be vines that bear so great grapes, that a strong man should have enough to do for to bear one cluster with all the grapes.

In that same region be the mountains of Caspian that men crepe Uber in the country.  Between those mountains the Jews of ten lineages be enclosed, that men clepe Goth and Magoth and they may not go out on no side.  There were enclosed twenty-two kings with their people, that dwelled between the mountains of Scythia.  There King Alexander chased them between those mountains, and there he thought for to enclose them through work of his men.  But when he saw that he might not do it, ne bring it to an end, he prayed to God of nature that he would perform that that he had begun.  And all were it so, that he was a paynim and not worthy to be heard, yet God of his grace closed the mountains together, so that they dwell there all fast locked and enclosed with high mountains all about, save only on one side, and on that side is the sea of Caspian.

Now may some men ask, since that the sea is on that one side, wherefore go they not out on the sea side, for to go where that them liketh?

But to this question, I shall answer; that sea of Caspian goeth out by land under the mountains, and runneth by the desert at one side of the country, and after it stretcheth unto the ends of Persia, and although it be clept a sea, it is no sea, ne it toucheth to none other sea, but it is a lake, the greatest of the world; and though they would put them into that sea, they ne wist never where that they should arrive; and also they can no language but only their own, that no man knoweth but they; and therefore may they not go out.

And also ye shall understand, that the Jews have no proper land of their own for to dwell in, in all the world, but only that land between the mountains.  And yet they yield tribute for that land to the Queen of Amazonia, the which that maketh them to be kept in close full diligently, that they shall not go out on no side but by the coast of their land; for their land marcheth to those mountains.

And often it hath befallen, that some of the Jews have gone up the mountains and avaled down to the valleys.  But great number of folk ne may not do so, for the mountains be so high and so straight up, that they must abide there, maugre their might.  For they may not go out, but by a little issue that was made by strength of men, and it lasteth well a four great mile.

And after, is there yet a land all desert, where men may find no water, neither for digging ne for none other thing.  Wherefore men may not dwell in that place, so is it full of dragons, of serpents and of other venomous beasts, that no man dare not pass, but if it be strong winter.  And that strait passage men clepe in that country Clyron.  And that is the passage that the Queen of Amazonia maketh to be kept.  And though it happen some of them by fortune to go out, they can no manner of language but Hebrew, so that they cannot speak to the people.

And yet, natheles, men say they shall go out in the time of anti-Christ, and that they shall make great slaughter of Christian men.  And therefore all the Jews that dwell in all lands learn always to speak Hebrew, in hope, that when the other Jews shall go out, that they may understand their speech, and to lead them into Christendom for to destroy the Christian people.  For the Jews say that they know well by their prophecies, that they of Caspia shall go out, and spread throughout all the world, and that the Christian men shall be under their subjection, as long as they have been in subjection of them.

And if that you will wit how that they shall find their way, after that I have heard say I shall tell you.

In the time of anti-Christ a fox shall make there his train, and mine an hole where King Alexander let make the gates; and so long he shall mine and pierce the earth, till that he shall pass through towards that folk.  And when they see the fox, they shall have great marvel of him, because that they saw never such a beast.  For of all other beasts they have enclosed amongst them, save only the fox.  And then they shall chase him and pursue him so strait, till that he come to the same place that he came from.  And then they shall dig and mine so strongly, till that they find the gates that King Alexander let make of great stones, and passing huge, well cemented and made strong for the mastery.  And those gates they shall break, and so go out by finding of that issue.

From that land go men toward the land of Bacharia, where be full evil folk and full cruel.  In that land be trees that bear wool, as though it were of sheep, whereof men make clothes and all things that may be made of wool.

In that country be many hippotaynes that dwell some-time in the water and sometime on the land.  And they be half man and half horse, as I have said before.  And they eat men when they may take them.

And there be rivers of waters that be full bitter, three sithes more than is the water of the sea.

In that country be many griffins, more plenty than in any other country.  Some men say that they have the body upward as an eagle and beneath as a lion; and truly they say sooth, that they be of that shape.  But one griffin hath the body more great and is more strong than eight lions, of such lions as be on this half, and more great and stronger than an hundred eagles such as we have amongst us.  For one griffin there will bear, flying to his nest, a great horse, if he may find him at the point, or two oxen yoked together as they go at the plough.  For he hath his talons so long and so large and great upon his feet, as though they were horns of great oxen or of bugles or of kine, so that men make cups of them to drink of.  And of their ribs and of the pens of their wings, men make bows, full strong, to shoot with arrows and quarrels.

From thence go men by many journeys through the land of Prester John, the great Emperor of Ind.  And men clepe his realm the isle of Pentexoire.

 

 

CHAPTER XXX. Of the Royal Estate of Prester John.  And of a rich man that made a marvellous castle and cleped it Paradise; and of his subtlety

 

This emperor, Prester John, holds full great land, and hath many full noble cities and good towns in his realm, and many great diverse isles and large.  For all the country of Ind is devised in isles for the great floods that come from Paradise, that depart all the land in many parts.  And also in the sea he hath full many isles.  And the best city in the Isle of Pentexoire is Nyse, that is a full royal city and a noble, and full rich.

This Prester John hath under him many kings and many isles and many diverse folk of diverse conditions.  And this land is full good and rich, but not so rich as is the land of the great Chan.  For the merchants come not thither so commonly for to buy merchandises, as they do in the land of the great Chan, for it is too far to travel to.  And on that other part, in the Isle of Cathay, men find all manner thing that is need to man—cloths of gold, of silk, of spicery and all manner avoirdupois.  And therefore, albeit that men have greater cheap in the Isle of Prester John, natheles, men dread the long way and the great perils in the sea in those parts.

For in many places of the sea be great rocks of stones of the adamant, that of his proper nature draweth iron to him.  And therefore there pass no ships that have either bonds or nails of iron within them.  And if there do, anon the rocks of the adamants draw them to them, that never they may go thence.  I myself have seen afar in that sea, as though it had been a great isle full of tree, and buscaylle, full of thorns and briars, great plenty.  And the shipmen told us, that all that was of ships that were drawn thither by the adamants, for the iron that was in them.  And of the rotten-ness, and other thing that was within the ships, grew such buscaylle, and thorns and briars and green grass, and such manner of thing; and of the masts and the sail-yards; it seemed a great wood or a grove.  And such rocks be in many places thereabout.  And therefore dare not the merchants pass there, but if they know well the passages, or else that they have good lodesmen.

And also they dread the long way.  And therefore they go to Cathay, for it is more nigh.  And yet it is not so nigh, but that men must be travelling by sea and land, eleven months or twelve, from Genoa or from Venice, or he come to Cathay.  And yet is the land of Prester John more far by many dreadful journeys.

And the merchants pass by the kingdom of Persia, and go to a city that is Clept Hermes, for Hermes the philosopher founded it.  And after that they pass an arm of the sea, and then they go to another city that is clept Golbache.  And there they find merchandises, and of popinjays, as great plenty as men find here of geese.  And if they will pass further, they may go sikerly enough.  In that country is but little wheat or barley, and therefore they eat rice and honey and milk and cheese and fruit.

This Emperor Prester John taketh always to his wife the daughter of the great Chan; and the great Chan also, in the same wise, the daughter of Prester John.  For these two be the greatest lords under the firmament.

In the land of Prester John be many diverse things and many precious stones, so great and so large, that men make of them vessels, as platters, dishes and cups.  And many other marvels be there, that it were too cumbrous and too long to put it in scripture of books; but of the principal isles and of his estate and of his law, I shall tell you some part.

This Emperor Prester John is Christian, and a great part of his country also.  But yet, they have not all the articles of our faith as we have.  They believe well in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Ghost.  And they be full devout and right true one to another.  And they set not by no barretts, ne by cautels, nor of no deceits.

And he hath under him seventy-two provinces, and in every province is a king.  And these kings have kings under them, and all be tributaries to Prester John.  And he hath in his lordships many great marvels.

For in his country is the sea that men clepe the Gravelly Sea, that is all gravel and sand, without any drop of water, and it ebbeth and floweth in great waves as other seas do, and it is never still ne in peace, in no manner season.  And no man may pass that sea by navy, ne by no manner of craft, and therefore may no man know what land is beyond that sea.  And albeit that it have no water, yet men find therein and on the banks full good fish of other manner of kind and shape, than men find in any other sea, and they be of right good taste and delicious to man's meat.

And a three journeys long from that sea be great mountains, out of the which goeth out a great flood that cometh out of Paradise.  And it is full of precious stones, without any drop of water, and it runneth through the desert on that one side, so that it maketh the sea gravelly; and it beareth into that sea, and there it endeth.  And that flome runneth, also, three days in the week and bringeth with him great stones and the rocks also therewith, and that great plenty.  And anon, as they be entered into the Gravelly Sea, they be seen no more, but lost for evermore.  And in those three days that that river runneth, no man dare enter into it; but in the other days men dare enter well enough.

Also beyond that flome, more upward to the deserts, is a great plain all gravelly, between the mountains.  And in that plain, every day at the sun-rising, begin to grow small trees, and they grow till mid-day, bearing fruit; but no man dare take of that fruit, for it is a thing of faerie.  And after mid-day, they decrease and enter again into the earth, so that at the going down of the sun they appear no more.  And so they do, every day.  And that is a great marvel.

In that desert be many wild men, that be hideous to look on; for they be horned, and they speak nought, but they grunt, as pigs.  And there is also great plenty of wild hounds.  And there be many popinjays, that they clepe psittakes their language.  And they speak of their proper nature, and salute men that go through the deserts, and speak to them as apertly as though it were a man.  And they that speak well have a large tongue, and have five toes upon a foot.  And there be also of another manner, that have but three toes upon a foot, and they speak not, or but little, for they can not but cry.

This Emperor Prester John when he goeth into battle against any other lord, he hath no banners borne before him; but he hath three crosses of gold, fine, great and high, full of precious stones, and every of those crosses be set in a chariot, full richly arrayed.  And for to keep every cross, be ordained 10,000 men of arms and more than 100,000 men on foot, in manner as men would keep a standard in our countries, when that we be in land of war.  And this number of folk is without the principal host and without wings ordained for the battle.  And when he hath no war, but rideth with a privy meinie, then he hath borne before him but one cross of tree, without painting and without gold or silver or precious stones, in remembrance that Jesu Christ suffered death upon a cross of tree.  And he hath borne before him also a platter of gold full of earth, in token that his noblesse and his might and his flesh shall turn to earth.  And he hath borne before him also a vessel of silver, full of noble jewels of gold full rich and of precious stones, in token of his lordship and of his noblesse and of his might.

He dwelleth commonly in the city of Susa.  And there is his principal palace, that is so rich and so noble, that no man will trow it by estimation, but he had seen it.  And above the chief tower of the palace be two round pommels of gold, and in everych of them be two carbuncles great and large, that shine full bright upon the night.  And the principal gates of his palace be of precious stone that men clepe sardonyx, and the border and the bars be of ivory.  And the windows of the halls and chambers be of crystal.  And the tables whereon men eat, some be of emeralds, some of amethyst, and some of gold, full of precious stones; and the pillars that bear up the tables be of the same precious stones.  And the degrees to go up to his throne, where he sitteth at the meat, one is of onyx, another is of crystal, and another of jasper green, another of amethyst, another of sardine, another of cornelian, and the seventh, that he setteth on his feet, is of chrysolite.  And all these degrees be bordered with fine gold, with the tother precious stones, set with great pearls orient.  And the sides of the siege of his throne be of emeralds, and bordered with gold full nobly, and dubbed with other precious stones and great pearls.  And all the pillars in his chamber be of fine gold with precious stones, and with many carbuncles, that give great light upon the night to all people.  And albeit that the carbuncles give light right enough, natheles, at all times burneth a vessel of crystal full of balm, for to give good smell and odour to the emperor, and to void away all wicked airs and corruptions.  And the form of his bed is of fine sapphires, bended with gold, for to make him sleep well and to refrain him from lechery; for he will not lie with his wives, but four sithes in the year, after the four seasons, and that is only for to engender children.

He hath also a full fair palace and a noble at the city of Nyse, where that he dwelleth, when him best liketh; but the air is not so attempre, as it is at the city of Susa.

And ye shall understand, that in all his country nor in the countries there all about, men eat not but once in the day, as they do in the court of the great Chan.  And so they eat every day in his court, more than 30,000 persons, without goers and comers.  But the 30,000 persons of his country, ne of the country of the great Chan, ne spend not so much good as do 12,000 of our country.

This Emperor Prester John hath evermore seven kings with him to serve him, and they depart their service by certain months.  And with these kings serve always seventy-two dukes and three hundred and sixty earls.  And all the days of the year, there eat in his household and in his court, twelve archbishops and twenty bishops.  And the patriarch of Saint Thomas is there as is the pope here.  And the archbishops and the bishops and the abbots in that country be all kings.  And everych of these great lords know well enough the attendance of their service.  The one is master of his household, another is his chamberlain, another serveth him of a dish, another of the cup, another is steward, another is marshal, another is prince of his arms, and thus is he full nobly and royally served.  And his land dureth in very breadth four month's journeys, and in length out of measure, that is to say, all isles under earth that we suppose to be under us.

Beside the isle of Pentexoire, that is the land of Prester John, is a eat isle, long and broad, that men clepe Mistorak; and it is in the lordship of Prester John.  In that isle is great plenty of goods.

There was dwelling, sometime, a rich man; and it is not long since; and men clept him Gatholonabes.  And he was full of cautels and of subtle deceits.  And he had a full fair castle and a strong in a mountain, so strong and so noble, that no man could devise a fairer ne stronger.  And he had let mure all the mountain about with a strong wall and a fair.  And within those walls he had the fairest garden that any man might behold.  And therein were trees bearing all manner of fruits, that any man could devise.  And therein were also all manner virtuous herbs of good smell, and all other herbs also that bear fair flowers.  And he had also in that garden many fair wells; and beside those wells he had let make fair halls and fair chambers, depainted all with gold and azure; and there were in that place many diverse things, and many diverse stories: and of beasts, and of birds that sung full delectably and moved by craft, that it seemed that they were quick.  And he had also in his garden all manner of fowls and of beasts that any man might think on, for to have play or sport to behold them.

And he had also, in that place, the fairest damsels that might be found, under the age of fifteen years, and the fairest young striplings that men might get, of that same age.  And all they were clothed in cloths of gold, full richly.  And he said that those were angels.

And he had also let make three wells, fair and noble and all environed with stone of jasper, of crystal, diapered with gold, and set with precious stones and great orient pearls.  And he had made a conduit under earth, so that the three wells, at his list, one should run milk, another wine and another honey.  And that place he clept Paradise.

And when that any good knight, that was hardy and noble, came to see this royalty, he would lead him into his paradise, and show him these wonderful things to his disport, and the marvellous and delicious song of diverse birds, and the fair damsels, and the fair wells of milk, of wine and of honey, plenteously running.  And he would let make divers instruments of music to sound in an high tower, so merrily, that it was joy for to hear; and no man should see the craft thereof.  And those, he said, were angels of God, and that place was Paradise, that God had behight to his friends, saying, Dabo vobis terram fluentem lacte et melle.  And then would he make them to drink of certain drink, whereof anon they should be drunk.  And then would them think greater delight than they had before.  And then would he say to them, that if they would die for him and for his love, that after their death they should come to his paradise; and they should be of the age of those damosels, and they should play with them, and yet be maidens.  And after that yet should he put them in a fairer paradise, where that they should see God of nature visibly, in his majesty and in his bliss.  And then would he shew them his intent, and say them, that if they would go slay such a lord, or such a man that was his enemy or contrarious to his list, that they should not dread to do it and for to be slain therefore themselves.  For after their death, he would put them into another paradise, that was an hundred-fold fairer than any of the tother; and there should they dwell with the most fairest damosels that might be, and play with them ever-more.

And thus went many diverse lusty bachelors for to slay great lords in diverse countries, that were his enemies, and made themselves to be slain, in hope to have that paradise.  And thus, often-time, he was revenged of his enemies by his subtle deceits and false cautels.

And when the worthy men of the country had perceived this subtle falsehood of this Gatholonabes, they assembled them with force, and assailed his castle, and slew him, and destroyed all the fair places and all the nobilities of that paradise.  The place of the wells and of the walls and of many other things be yet apertly seen, but the riches is voided clean.  And it is not long gone, since that place was destroyed.

 

 

CHAPTER XXXI. Of the Devil's Head in the Valley Perilous.  And of the Customs of Folk in diverse Isles that be about in the Lordship of Prester John

 

Beside that Isle of Mistorak upon the left side nigh to the river of Pison is a marvellous thing.  There is a vale between the mountains, that dureth nigh a four mile.  And some men clepe it the Vale Enchanted, some clepe it the Vale of Devils, and some clepe it the Vale Perilous.  In that vale hear men often-time great tempests and thunders, and great murmurs and noises, all days and nights, and great noise, as it were sound of tabors and of nakers and of trumps, as though it were of a great feast.  This vale is all full of devils, and hath been always.  And men say there, that it is one of the entries of hell.  In that vale is great plenty of gold and silver.  Wherefore many misbelieving men, and many Christian men also, go in oftentime for to have of the treasure that there is; but few come again, and namely of the misbelieving men, ne of the Christian men neither, for anon they be strangled of devils.

And in mid place of that vale, under a rock, is an head and the visage of a devil bodily, full horrible and dreadful to see, and it sheweth not but the head, to the shoulders.  But there is no man in the world so hardy, Christian man ne other, but that he would be adread to behold it, and that it would seem him to die for dread, so is it hideous for to behold.  For he beholdeth every man so sharply with dreadful eyen, that be evermore moving and sparkling as fire, and changeth and stirreth so often in diverse manner, with so horrible countenance, that no man dare not neighen towards him.  And from him cometh out smoke and stinking fire and so much abomination, that unnethe no man may there endure.

But the good Christian men, that be stable in the faith, enter well without peril.  For they will first shrive them and mark them with the token of the holy cross, so that the fiends ne have no power over them.  But albeit that they be without peril, yet, natheles, ne be they not without dread, when that they see the devils visibly and bodily all about them, that make full many diverse assaults and menaces, in air and in earth, and aghast them with strokes of thunder-blasts and of tempests.  And the most dread is, that God will take vengeance then of that that men have misdone against his will.

And ye shall understand, that when my fellows and I were in that vale, we were in great thought, whether that we durst put our bodies in adventure, to go in or not, in the protection of God.  And some of our fellows accorded to enter, and some not.  So there were with us two worthy men, friars minors, that were of Lombardy, that said, that if any man would enter they would go in with us.  And when they had said so, upon the gracious trust of God and of them, we let sing mass, and made every man to be shriven and houseled.  And then we entered fourteen persons; but at our going out we were but nine.  And so we wist never, whether that our fellows were lost, or else turned again for dread.  But we saw them never after; and those were two men of Greece, and three of Spain.  And our other fellows that would not go in with us, they went by another coast to be before us; and so they were.

And thus we passed that perilous vale, and found therein gold and silver, and precious stones and rich jewels, great plenty, both here and there, as us seemed.  But whether that it was, as us seemed, I wot never.  For I touched none, because that the devils be so subtle to make a thing to seem otherwise than it is, for to deceive mankind.  And therefore I touched none, and also because that I would not be put out of my devotion; for I was more devout then, than ever I was before or after, and all for the dread of fiends that I saw in diverse figures, and also for the great multitude of dead bodies, that I saw there lying by the way, by all the vale, as though there had been a battle between two kings, and the mightiest of the country, and that the greater part had been discomfited and slain.  And I trow, that unnethe should any country have so much people within him, as lay slain in that vale as us thought, the which was an hideous sight to see.  And I marvelled much, that there were so many, and the bodies all whole without rotting.  But I trow, that fiends made them seem to be so whole without rotting.  But that might not be to mine advice that so many should have entered so newly, ne so many newly slain, with out stinking and rotting.  And many of them were in habit of Christian men, but I trow well, that it were of such that went in for covetise of the treasure that was there, and had overmuch feebleness in the faith; so that their hearts ne might not endure in the belief for dread.  And therefore were we the more devout a great deal.  And yet we were cast down, and beaten down many times to the hard earth by winds and thunders and tempests.  But evermore God of his grace holp us.  And so we passed that perilous vale without peril and without encumbrance, thanked be Almighty God.

After this, beyond the vale, is a great isle, where the folk be great giants of twenty-eight foot long, or of thirty foot long.  And they have no clothing but of skins of beasts that they hang upon them.  And they eat no bread, but all raw flesh; and they drink milk of beasts, for they have plenty of all bestial.  And they have no houses to lie in.  And they eat more gladly man's flesh than any other flesh.  Into that isle dare no man gladly enter.  And if they see a ship and men therein, anon they enter into the sea for to take them.

And men said us, that in an isle beyond that were giants of greater stature, some of forty-five foot, or of fifty foot long, and, as some men say, some of fifty cubits long.  But I saw none of those, for I had no lust to go to those parts, because that no man cometh neither into that isle ne into the other, but if he be devoured anon.  And among those giants be sheep as great as oxen here, and they bear great wool and rough.  Of the sheep I have seen many times.  And men have seen, many times, those giants take men in the sea out of their ships, and brought them to land, two in one hand and two in another, eating them going, all raw and all quick.

Another isle is there toward the north, in the sea Ocean, where that be full cruel and full evil women of nature.  And they have precious stones in their eyen.  And they be of that kind, that if they behold any man with wrath, they slay him anon with the beholding, as doth the basilisk.

Another isle is there, full fair and good and great, and full of people, where the custom is such, that the first night that they be married, they make another man to lie by their wives for to have their maidenhead: and therefore they take great hire and great thank.  And there be certain men in every town that serve of none other thing; and they clepe them cadeberiz, that is to say, the fools of wanhope.  For they of the country hold it so great a thing and so perilous for to have the maidenhead of a woman, that them seemeth that they that have first the maidenhead putteth him in adventure of his life.  And if the husband find his wife maiden that other next night after that she should have been lain by of the man that is assigned therefore, peradventure for drunkenness or for some other cause, the husband shall plain upon him that he hath not done his devoir, in such cruel wise as though the officers would have slain him.  But after the first night that they be lain by, they keep them so straitly that they be not so hardy to speak with no man.  And I asked them the cause why that they held such custom: and they said me, that of old time men had been dead for deflowering of maidens, that had serpents in their bodies that stung men upon their yards, that they died anon: and therefore they held that customs to make other men ordained therefore to lie by their wives, for dread of death, and to assay the passage by another [rather] than for to put them in that adventure.

After that is another isle where that women make great sorrow when their children be y-born.  And when they die, they make great feast and great joy and revel, and then they cast them into a great fire burning.  And those that love well their husbands, if their husbands be dead, they cast them also in the fire with their children, and burn them.  And they say that the fire shall cleanse them of all filths and of all vices, and they shall go pured and clean into another world to their husbands, and they shall lead their children with them.  And the cause why that they weep, when their children be born is this; for when they come into this world, they come to labour, sorrow and heaviness.  And why they make joy and gladness at their dying is because that, as they say, then they go to Paradise where the rivers run milk and honey, where that men see them in joy and in abundance of goods, without sorrow and labour.

In that isle men make their king evermore by election, and they ne choose him not for no noblesse nor for no riches, but such one as is of good manners and of good conditions, and therewithal rightfull, and also that he be of great age, and that he have no children.  In that isle men be full rightfull and they do rightfull judgments in every cause both of rich and poor, small and great, after the quantity of the trespass that is mis-done.  And the king may not doom no man to death without assent of his barons and other men wise of counsel, and that all the court accord thereto.  And if the king himself do any homicide or any crime, as to slay a man, or any such case, he shall die there for.  But he shall not be slain as another man; but men shall defend, in pain of death, that no man be so hardy to make him company ne to speak with him, ne that no man give him, ne sell him, ne serve him, neither of meat ne of drink; and so shall he die in mischief.  They spare no man that hath trespassed, neither for love, ne for favour ne for riches, ne for noblesse; but that he shall have after that he hath done.

Beyond that isle is another isle, where is great multitude of folk.  And they will not, for no thing, eat flesh of hares, ne of hens, ne of geese; and yet they bring forth enough, for to see them and to behold them only; but they eat flesh of all other beasts, and drink milk.  In that country they take their daughters and their sisters to their wives, and their other kinswomen.  And if there be ten men or twelve men or more dwelling in an house, the wife of everych of them shall be common to them all that dwell in that house; so that every man may lie with whom he will of them on one night, and with another, another night.  And if she have any child, she may give it to what man that she list, that hath companied with her, so that no man knoweth there whether the child be his or another's.  And if any man say to them, that they nourish other men's children, they answer that so do over men theirs.

In that country and by all Ind be great plenty of cockodrills, that is a manner of a long serpent, as I have said before.  And in the night they dwell in the water, and on the day upon the land, in rocks and in caves.  And they eat no meat in all the winter, but they lie as in a dream, as do the serpents.  These serpents slay men, and they eat them weeping; and when they eat they move the over jaw, and not the nether jaw, and they have no tongue.

In that country and in many other beyond that, and also in many on this half, men put in work the seed of cotton, and they sow it every year.  And then groweth it in small trees, that bear cotton.  And so do men every year, so that there is plenty of cotton at all times.  Item; in this isle and in many other, there is a manner of wood, hard and strong.  Whoso covereth the coals of that wood under the ashes thereof, the coals will dwell and abide all quick, a year or more.  And that tree hath many leaves, as the juniper hath.  And there be also many trees, that of nature they will never burn, ne rot in no manner.  And there be nut trees, that bear nuts as great as a man's head.

There also be many beasts, that be clept orafles.  In Arabia, they be clept gerfaunts.  That is a beast, pomely or spotted, that is but a little more high than is a steed, but he hath the neck a twenty cubits long; and his croup and his tail is as of an hart; and he may look over a great high house.  And there be also in that country many camles; that is a little beast as a goat, that is wild, and he liveth by the air and eateth nought, ne drinketh nought, at no time.  And he changeth his colour often-time, for men see him often sithes, now in one colour and now in another colour; and he may change him into all manner colours that him list, save only into red and white.  There be also in that country passing great serpents, some of six score foot long, and they be of diverse colours, as rayed, red, green, and yellow, blue and black, and all speckled.  And there be others that have crests upon their heads, and they go upon their feet, upright, and they be well a four fathom great, or more, and they dwell always in rocks or in mountains, and they have alway the throat open, of whence they drop venom always.  And there be also wild swine of many colours, as great as be oxen in our country, and they be all spotted, as be young fawns.  And there be also urchins, as great as wild swine here; we clepe them Porcz de Spine.  And there be lions all white, great and mighty.  And there be also of other beasts, as great and more greater than is a destrier, and men clepe them Loerancs; and some men clepe them odenthos; and they have a black head and three long horns trenchant in the front, sharp as a sword, and the body is slender; and he is a full felonious beast, and he chaseth and slayeth the elephant.  There be also many other beasts, full wicked and cruel, that be not mickle more than a bear, and they have the head like a boar, and they have six feet, and on every foot two large claws, trenchant; and the body is like a bear, and the tail as a lion.  And there be also mice as great as hounds, and yellow mice as great as ravens.  And there be geese, all red, three sithes more great than ours here, and they have the head, the neck and the breast all black.

And many other diverse beasts be in those countries, and elsewhere there-about, and many diverse birds also, of the which it were too long for to tell you.  And therefore, I pass over at this time.

 

 

CHAPTER XXXII. Of the goodness of the folk of the Isle of Bragman.  Of King Alexander.  And wherefore the Emperor of Ind is clept Prester John

 

And beyond that isle is another isle, great and good and plenteous, where that be good folk and true, and of good living after their belief and of good faith.  And albeit that they be not christened, ne have no perfect law, yet, natheles, of kindly law they be full of all virtue, and they eschew all vices and all malices and all sins.  For they be not proud, ne covetous, ne envious, ne wrathful, ne gluttons, ne lecherous.  Ne they do to any man otherwise than they would that other men did to them, and in this point they fulfil the ten commandments of God, and give no charge of avoir, ne of riches.  And they lie not, ne they swear not for none occasion, but they say simply, yea and nay; for they say, he that sweareth will deceive his neighbour, and therefore, all that they do, they do it without oath.

And men clepe that isle the Isle of Bragman, and some men clepe it the Land of Faith.  And through that land runneth a great river that is clept Thebe.  And, in general, all the men of those isles and of all the marches thereabout be more true than in any other countries thereabout, and more rightfull than others in all things.  In that isle, is no thief, ne murderer, ne common woman, ne poor beggar, ne never was man slain in that country.  And they be so chaste, and lead so good life, as that they were religious men, and they fast all days.  And because they be so true and so rightfull, and so full of all good conditions, they were never grieved with tempests, ne with thunder, ne with light, ne with hail, ne with pestilence, ne with war, ne with hunger, ne with none other tribulation, as we be, many times, amongst us, for our sins.  Wherefore, it seemeth well, that God loveth them and is pleased with their creaunce for their good deeds.  They believe well in God, that made all things, and him they worship.  And they prize none earthly riches; and so they be all rightfull.  And they live full ordinately, and so soberly in meat and drink, that they live right long.  And the most part of them die without sickness, when nature faileth them, for eld.

And it befell in King Alexander's time, that he purposed him to conquer that isle and to make them to hold of him.  And when they of the country heard it, they sent messengers to him with letters, that said thus; What may be enough to that man to whom all the world is insufficient?  Thou shalt find nothing in us, that may cause thee to war against us.  For we have no riches, ne none we covet, and all the goods of our country be in common.  Our meat, that we sustain withal our bodies, is our riches.  And, instead of treasure of gold and silver, we make our treasure of accord and peace, and for to love every man other.  And for to apparel with our bodies we use a silly little clout for to wrap in our carrion.  Our wives ne be not arrayed for to make no man pleasance, but only convenable array for to eschew folly.  When men pain them to array the body for to make it seem fairer than God made it, they do great sin.  For man should not devise ne ask greater beauty, than God hath ordained man to be at his birth.  The earth ministereth to us two things,—our livelihood, that cometh of the earth that we live by, and our sepulture after our death.  We have been in perpetual peace till now, that thou come to disinherit us.  And also we have a king, not only for to do justice to every man, for he shall find no forfeit among us; but for to keep noblesse, and for to shew that we be obeissant, we have a king.  For justice ne hath not among us no place, for we do to no man otherwise than we desire that men do to us.  So that righteousness ne vengeance have nought to do among us.  So that nothing thou may take from us, but our good peace, that always hath dured among us.

And when King Alexander had read these letters, he thought that he should do great sin, for to trouble them.  And then he sent them sureties, that they should not be afeard of him, and that they should keep their good manners and their good peace, as they had used before, of custom.  And so he let them alone.

Another isle there is, that men clepe Oxidrate, and another isle, that men clepe Gynosophe, where there is also good folk, and full of good faith.  And they hold, for the most part, the good conditions and customs and good manners, as men of the country abovesaid; but they go all naked.

Into that isle entered King Alexander, to see the manner.  And when he saw their great faith, and their truth that was amongst them, he said that he would not grieve them, and bade them ask of him what that they would have of him, riches or anything else, and they should have it, with good will.  And they answered, that he was rich enough that had meat and drink to sustain the body with, for the riches of this world, that is transitory, is not worth; but if it were in his power to make them immortal, thereof would they pray him, and thank him.  And Alexander answered them that it was not in his power to do it, because he was mortal, as they were.  And then they asked him why he was so proud and so fierce, and so busy for to put all the world under his subjection, right as thou were a God, and hast no term of this life, neither day ne hour, and willest to have all the world at thy commandment, that shall leave thee without fail, or thou leave it.  And right as it hath been to other men before thee, right so it shall be to other after thee.  And from hence shalt thou bear nothing; but as thou were born naked, right so all naked shall thy body be turned into earth that thou were made of.  Wherefore thou shouldest think and impress it in thy mind, that nothing is immortal, but only God, that made the thing.  By the which answer Alexander was greatly astonished and abashed, and all confused and departed from them.

And albeit that these folk have not the articles of our faith as we have, natheles, for their good faith natural, and for their good intent, I trow fully, that God loveth them, and that God take their service to gree, right as he did of Job, that was a paynim, and held him for his true servant.  And therefore, albeit that there be many diverse laws in the world, yet I trow, that God loveth always them that love him, and serve him meekly in truth, and namely them that despise the vain glory of this world, as this folk do and as Job did also.

And therefore said our Lord by the mouth of Hosea the prophet, Ponam eis multiplices leges meas; and also in another place, Qui totum orbem subdit suis legibus.  And also our Lord saith in the Gospel, Alias oves habeo, que non sunt ex hoc ovili, that is to say, that he had other servants than those that be under Christian law.  And to that accordeth the avision that Saint Peter saw at Jaffa, how the angel came from heaven, and brought before him diverse beasts, as serpents and other creeping beasts of the earth, and of other also, great plenty, and bade him take and eat.  And Saint Peter answered; I eat never, quoth he, of unclean beasts.  And then said the angel, Non dicas immunda, que Deus mundavit.  And that was in token that no man should have in despite none earthly man for their diverse laws, for we know not whom God loveth, ne whom God hateth.  And for that example, when men say, De profundis, they say it in common and in general, with the Christian, Pro animabus omnium defunctorum, pro quibus sit orandum.

And therefore say I of this folk, that be so true and so faithful, that God loveth them.  For he hath amongst them many of the prophets, and alway hath had.  And in those isles, they prophesied the Incarnation of Lord Jesu Christ, how he should be born of a maiden, three thousand year or more or our Lord was born of the Virgin Mary.  And they believe well it, the Incarnation, and that full perfectly, but they know not the manner, how he suffered his passion and death for us.

And beyond these isles there is another isle that is clept Pytan.  The folk of that country ne till not, ne labour not the earth, for they eat no manner thing.  And they be of good colour and of fair shape, after their greatness.  But the small be as dwarfs, but not so little as be the Pigmies.  These men live by the smell of wild apples.  And when they go any far way, they bear the apples with them; for if they had lost the savour of the apples, they should die anon.  They ne be not full reasonable, but they be simple and bestial.

After that is another isle, where the folk be all skinned rough hair, as a rough beast, save only the face and the palm of the hand.  These folk go as well under the water of the sea, as they do above the land all dry.  And they eat both flesh and fish all raw.  In this isle is a great river that is well a two mile and an half of breadth that is clept Beaumare.

And from that river a fifteen journeys in length, going by the deserts of the tother side of the river—whoso might go it, for I was not there, but it was told us of them of the country, that within those deserts were the trees of the sun and of the moon, that spake to King Alexander, and warned him of his death.  And men say that the folk that keep those trees, and eat of the fruit and of the balm that groweth there, live well four hundred year or five hundred year, by virtue of the fruit and of the balm.  For men say that balm groweth there in great plenty and nowhere else, save only at Babylon, as I have told you before.  We would have gone toward the trees full gladly if we had might.  But I trow that 100,000 men of arms might not pass those deserts safely, for the great multitude of wild beasts and of great dragons and of great serpents that there be, that slay and devour all that come anent them.  In that country be many white elephants without number, and of unicorns and of lions of many manners, and many of such beasts that I have told before, and of many other hideous beasts without number.

Many other isles there be in the land of Prester John, and many great marvels, that were too long to tell all, both of his riches and of his noblesse and of the great plenty also of precious stones that he hath.  I trow that ye know well enough, and have heard say, wherefore this emperor is clept Prester John.  But, natheles, for them that know not, I shall say you the cause.

It was sometime an emperor there, that was a worthy and a full noble prince, that had Christian knights in his company, as he hath that is now.  So it befell, that he had great list for to see the service in the church among Christian men.  And then dured Christendom beyond the sea, all Turkey, Syria, Tartary, Jerusalem, Palestine, Arabia, Aleppo and all the land of Egypt.  And so it befell that this emperor came with a Christian knight with him into a church in Egypt.  And it was the Saturday in Whitsun-week.  And the bishop made orders.  And he beheld, and listened the service full tentively.  And he asked the Christian knight what men of degree they should be that the prelate had before him.  And the knight answered and said that they should be priests.  And then the emperor said that he would no longer be clept king ne emperor, but priest, and that he would have the name of the first priest that went out of the church, and his name was John.  And so ever-more sithens, he is clept Prester John.

In his land be many Christian men of good faith and of good law, and namely of them of the same country, and have commonly their priests, that sing the Mass, and make the sacrament of the altar, of bread, right as the Greeks do; but they say not so many things at the Mass as men do here.  For they say not but only that that the apostles said, as our Lord taught them, right as Saint Peter and Saint Thomas and the other apostles sung the Mass, saying the Pater Noster and the words of the sacrament.  But we have many more additions that divers popes have made, that they ne know not of.

 

 

CHAPTER XXXIII. Of the Hills of Gold that Pismires keep.  And of the four Floods that come from Paradise Terrestrial

 

Toward the east part of Prester John's land is an isle good and great, that men clepe Taprobane, that is full noble and full fructuous.  And the king thereof is full rich, and is under the obeissance of Prester John.  And always there they make their king by election.  In that isle be two summers and two winters, and men harvest the corn twice a year.  And in all the seasons of the year be the gardens flourished.  There dwell good folk and reasonable, and many Christian men amongst them, that be so rich that they wit not what to do with their goods.  Of old time, when men passed from the land of Prester John unto that isle, men made ordinance for to pass by ship, twenty-three days, or more; but now men pass by ship in seven days.  And men may see the bottom of the sea in many places, for it is not full deep.

Beside that isle, toward the east, be two other isles.  And men clepe that one Orille, and that other Argyte, of the which all the land is mine of gold and silver.  And those isles be right where that the Red Sea departeth from the sea ocean.  And in those isles men see there no stars so clearly as in other places.  For there appear no stars, but only one clear star that men clepe Canapos.  And there is not the moon seen in all the lunation, save only the second quarter.

In the isle also of this Taprobane be great hills of gold, that pismires keep full diligently.  And they fine the pured gold, and cast away the un-pured.  And these pismires be great as hounds, so that no man dare come to those hills for the pismires would assail them and devour them anon.  So that no man may get of that gold, but by great sleight.  And therefore when it is great heat, the pismires rest them in the earth, from prime of the day into noon.  And then the folk of the country take camels, dromedaries, and horses and other beasts, and go thither, and charge them in all haste that they may; and after that, they flee away in all haste that the beasts may go, or the pismires come out of the earth.  And in other times, when it is not so hot, and that the pismires ne rest them not in the earth, then they get gold by this subtlety.  They take mares that have young colts or foals, and lay upon the mares void vessels made there-for; and they be all open above, and hanging low to the earth.  And then they send forth those mares for to pasture about those hills, and with-hold the foals with them at home.  And when the pismires see those vessels, they leap in anon: and they have this kind that they let nothing be empty among them, but anon they fill it, be it what manner of thing that it be; and so they fill those vessels with gold.  And when that the folk suppose that the vessels be full, they put forth anon the young foals, and make them to neigh after their dams.  And then anon the mares return towards their foals with their charges of gold.  And then men discharges them, and get gold enough by this subtlety.  For the pismires will suffer beasts to go and pasture amongst them, but no man in no wise.

And beyond the land and the isles and the deserts of Prester John's lordship, in going straight toward the east, men find nothing but mountains and rocks, full great.  And there is the dark region, where no man may see, neither by day ne by night, as they of the country say.  And that desert and that place of darkness dure from this coast unto Paradise terrestrial, where that Adam, our formest father, and Eve were put, that dwelled there but little while: and that is towards the east at the beginning of the earth.  But that is not that east that we clepe our east, on this half, where the sun riseth to us.  For when the sun is east in those parts towards Paradise terrestrial, it is then midnight in our parts on this half, for the roundness of the earth, of the which I have touched to you of before.  For our Lord God made the earth all round in the mid place of the firmament.  And there as mountains and hills be and valleys, that is not but only of Noah's flood, that wasted the soft ground and the tender, and fell down into valleys, and the hard earth and the rocks abide mountains, when the soft earth and tender waxed nesh through the water, and fell and became valleys.

Of Paradise ne can I not speak properly.  For I was not there.  It is far beyond.  And that forthinketh me.  And also I was not worthy.  But as I have heard say of wise men beyond, I shall tell you with good will.

Paradise terrestrial, as wise men say, is the highest place of earth, that is in all the world.  And it is so high that it toucheth nigh to the circle of the moon, there as the moon maketh her turn; for she is so high that the flood of Noah ne might not come to her, that would have covered all the earth of the world all about and above and beneath, save Paradise only alone.  And this Paradise is enclosed all about with a wall, and men wit not whereof it is; for the walls be covered all over with moss, as it seemeth.  And it seemeth not that the wall is stone of nature, ne of none other thing that the wall is.  And that wall stretcheth from the south to the north, and it hath not but one entry that is closed with fire, burning; so that no man that is mortal ne dare not enter.

And in the most high place of Paradise, even in the middle place, is a well that casteth out the four floods that run by divers lands.  Of the which, the first is clept Pison, or Ganges, that is all one; and it runneth throughout Ind or Emlak, in the which river be many precious stones, and much of lignum aloes and much gravel of gold.  And that other river is clept Nilus or Gison, that goeth by Ethiopia and after by Egypt.  And that other is clept Tigris, that runneth by Assyria and by Armenia the great.  And that other is clept Euphrates, that runneth also by Media and Armenia and by Persia.  And men there beyond say, that all the sweet waters of the world, above and beneath, take their beginning of the well of Paradise, and out of that well all waters come and go.

The first river is clept Pison, that is to say in their language Assembly; for many other rivers meet them there, and go into that river.  And some men clepe it Ganges, for a king that was in Ind, that hight Gangeres, and that it ran throughout his land.  And that water [is] in some place clear, and in some place troubled, in some place hot, and in some place cold.

The second river is clept Nilus or Gison; for it is always trouble; and Gison, in the language of Ethiopia, is to say, trouble, and in the language of Egypt also.

The third river, that is dept Tigris, is as much for to say as, fast-running; for he runneth more fast than any of the tother; and also there is a beast, that is clept tigris, that is fast-running.

The fourth river is clept Euphrates, that is to say, well-bearing; for there grow many goods upon that river, as corns, fruits and other goods enough plenty.

And ye shall understand that no man that is mortal ne may not approach to that Paradise.  For by land no man may go for wild beasts that be in the deserts, and for the high mountains and great huge rocks that no man may pass by, for the dark places that be there, and that many.  And by the rivers may no man go.  For the water runneth so rudely and so sharply, because that it cometh down so outrageously from the high places above, that it runneth in so great waves, that no ship may not row ne sail against it.  And the water roareth so, and maketh so huge noise and so great tempest, that no man may hear other in the ship, though he cried with all the craft that he could in the highest voice that he might.  Many great lords have assayed with great will, many times, for to pass by those rivers towards Paradise, with full great companies.  But they might not speed in their voyage.  And many died for weariness of rowing against those strong waves.  And many of them became blind, and many deaf, for the noise of the water.  And some were perished and lost within the waves.  So that no mortal man may approach to that place, without special grace of God, so that of that place I can say you no more; and therefore, I shall hold me still, and return to that, that I have seen.

 

 

CHAPTER XXXIV. Of the Customs of Kings and other that dwell in the Isles coasting to Prester John's Land.  And of the Worship that the Son doth to the Father when he is dead

 

From those isles that I have spoken of before, in the Land of Prester John, that be under earth as to us that be on this half, and of other isles that be more further beyond, whoso will, pursue them for to come again right to the parts that he came from, and so environ all earth.  But what for the isles, what for the sea, and what for strong rowing, few folk assay for to pass that passage; albeit that men might do it well, that might be of power to dress them thereto, as I have said you before.  And therefore men return from those isles abovesaid by other isles, coasting from the land of Prester John.

And then come men in returning to an isle that is clept Casson.  And that isle hath well sixty journeys in length, and more than fifty in breadth.  This is the best isle and the best kingdom that is in all those parts, out-taken Cathay.  And if the merchants used as much that country as they do Cathay, it would be better than Cathay in a short while.  This country is full well inhabited, and so full of cities and of good towns inhabited with people, that when a man goeth out of one city, men see another city even before them; and that is what part that a man go, in all that country.  In that isle is great plenty of all goods for to live with, and of all manner of spices.  And there be great forests of chestnuts.  The king of that isle is full rich and full mighty, and, natheles, he holds his land of the great Chan, and is obeissant to him.  For it is one of the twelve provinces that the great Chan hath under him without his proper land, and without other less isles that he hath; for he hath full many.

From that kingdom come men, in returning, to another isle that is clept Rybothe, and it is also under the great Chan.  That is a full good country, and full plenteous of all goods and of wines and fruit and all other riches.  And the folk of that country have no houses, but they dwell and lie all under tents made of black fern, by all the country.  And the principal city and the most royal is all walled with black stone and white.  And all the streets also be pathed of the same stones.  In that city is no man so hardy to shed blood of any man, ne of no beast, for the reverence of an idol that is worshipped there.  And in that isle dwelleth the pope of their law, that they clepe Lobassy.  This Lobassy giveth all the benefices, and all other dignities and all other things that belong to the idol.  And all those that hold anything of their churches, religious and other, obey to him, as men do here to the Pope of Rome.

In that isle they have a custom by all the country, that when the father is dead of any man, and the son list to do great worship to his father, he sendeth to all his friends and to all his kin, and for religious men and priests, and for minstrels also, great plenty.  And then men bear the dead body unto a great hill with great joy and solemnity.  And when they have brought it thither, the chief prelate smiteth off the head, and layeth it upon a great platter of gold and of silver, if so [he] be a rich man.  And then he taketh the head to the son.  And then the son and his other kin sing and say many orisons.  And then the priests and the religious men smite all the body of the dead man in pieces.  And then they say certain orisons.  And the fowls of ravine of all the country about know the custom of long time before, [and] come flying above in the air; as eagles, gledes, ravens and other fowls of ravine, that eat flesh.  And then the priests cast the gobbets of the flesh and then the fowls, each of them, taketh that he may, and goeth a little thence and eateth it; and so they do whilst any piece lasteth of the dead body.

And after that, as priests amongst us sing for the dead, Subvenite Sancti Dei, etc., right so the priests sing with high voice in their language; Behold how so worthy a man and how good a man this was, that the angels of God come for to seek him and for to bring him into Paradise.  And then seemeth it to the son, that he is highly worshipped, when that many birds and fowls and ravens come and eat his father; and he that hath most number of fowls is most worshipped.

And then the son bringeth home with him all his kin, and his friends, and all the others to his house, and maketh them a great feast.  And then all his friends make their vaunt and their dalliance, how the fowls came thither, here five, here six, here ten, and there twenty, and so forth; and they rejoice them hugely for to speak thereof.  And when they be at meat, the son let bring forth the head of his father, and thereof he giveth of the flesh to his most special friends, instead of entre messe, or a sukkarke.  And of the brain pan, he letteth make a cup, and thereof drinketh he and his other friends also, with great devotion, in remembrance of the holy man, that the angels of God have eaten.  And that cup the son shall keep to drink of all his life-time, in remembrance of his father.

From that land, in returning by ten journeys throughout the land of the great Chan, is another good isle and a great kingdom, where the king is full rich and mighty.

And amongst the rich men of his country is a passing rich man, that is no prince, ne duke, ne earl, but he hath more that hold of him lands and other lordships, for he is more rich.  For he hath, every year, of annual rent 300,000 horses charged with corn of diverse grains and of rice.  And so he leadeth a full noble life and a delicate, after the custom of the country.  For he hath, every day, fifty fair damosels, all maidens, that serve him evermore at his meat, and for to lie by him o' night, and for to do with them that is to his pleasance.  And when he is at table, they bring him his meat at every time, five and five together; and in bringing their service they sing a song.  And after that, they cut his meat, and put it in his mouth; for he toucheth nothing, ne handleth nought, but holdeth evermore his hands before him upon the table.  For he hath so long nails, that he may take nothing, ne handle nothing.  For the noblesse of that country is to have long nails, and to make them grow always to be as long as men may.  And there be many in that country, that have their nails so long, that they environ all the hand.  And that is a great noblesse.  And the noblesse of the women is for to have small feet and little.  And therefore anon as they be born, they let bind their feet so strait, that they may not grow half as nature would.  And this is the noblesse of the women there to have small feet and little.  And always these damosels, that I spake of before, sing all the time that this rich man eateth.  And when that he eateth no more of his first course, then other five and five of fair damsels bring him his second course, always singing as they did before.  And so they do continually every day to the end of his meat.  And in this manner he leadeth his life.  And so did they before him, that were his ancestors.  And so shall they that come after him, without doing of any deeds of arms, but live evermore thus in ease, as a. swine that is fed in sty for to be made fat.  He hath a full fair palace and full rich, where that he dwelleth in, of the which the walls be, in circuit, two mile.  And he hath within many fair gardens, and many fair halls and chambers; and the pavement of his halls and chambers be of gold and silver.  And in the mid place of one of his gardens is a little mountain, where there is a little meadow.  And in that meadow is a little toothill with towers and pinnacles, all of gold.  And in that little toothill will he sit often-time, for to take the air and to disport him.  For the place is made for nothing else, but only for his disport.

From that country men come by the land of the great Chan also, that I have spoken of before.

And ye shall understand, that of all these countries, and of all these isles, and of all the diverse folk, that I have spoken of before, and of diverse laws, and of diverse beliefs that they have, yet is there none of them all but that they have some reason within them and understanding, but if it be the fewer, and that have certain articles of our faith and some good points of our belief, and that they believe in God, that formed all things and made the world, and clepe him God of Nature; after that the prophet saith, Et metuent eum omnes fines terrae, and also in another place, Omnes gentes servient ei, that is to say, 'All folk shall serve him.'

But yet they cannot speak perfectly (for there is no man to teach them), but only that they can devise by their natural wit.  For they have no knowledge of the Son, ne of the Holy Ghost.  But they can all speak of the Bible, and namely of Genesis, of the prophet's saws and of the books of Moses.  And they say well, that the creatures that they worship ne be no gods; but they worship them for the virtue that is in them, that may not be but only by the grace of God.  And of simulacres and of idols, they say, that there be no folk, but that they have simulacres.  And that they say, for we Christian men have images, as of our Lady and of other saints that we worship; not the images of tree or of stone, but the saints, in whose name they be made after.  For right as the books and the scripture of them teach the clerks how and in what manner they shall believe, right so the images and the paintings teach the lewd folk to worship the saints and to have them in their mind, in whose names that the images be made after.  They say also, that the angels of God speak to them in those idols, and that they do many great miracles.  And they say sooth, that there is an angel within them.  For there be two manner of angels, a good and an evil, as the Greeks say, Cacho and Calo.  This Cacho is the wicked angel, and Calo is the good angel.  But the tother is not the good angel, but the wicked angel that is within the idols to deceive them and for to maintain them in their error.

There be many other divers countries and many other marvels beyond, that I have not seen.  Wherefore, of them I cannot speak properly to tell you the manner of them.  And also in the countries where I have been, be many more diversities of many wonderful things than I make mention of; for it were too long thing to devise you the manner.  And therefore, that that I have devised you of certain countries, that I have spoken of before, I beseech your worthy and excellent noblesse, that it suffice to you at this time.  For if that I devised you all that is beyond the sea, another man, peradventure, that would pain him and travail his body for to go into those marches for to ensearch those countries, might be blamed by my words in rehearsing many strange things; for he might not say nothing of new, in the which the hearers might have either solace, or disport, or lust, or liking in the hearing.  For men say always, that new things and new tidings be pleasant to hear.  Wherefore I will hold me still, without any more rehearsing of diversities or of marvels that be beyond, to that intent and end, that whoso will go into those countries, he shall find enough to speak of, that I have not touched of in no wise.

And ye shall understand, if it like you, that at mine home-coming, I came to Rome, and shewed my life to our holy father the pope, and was assoiled of all that lay in my conscience, of many a diverse grievous point; as men must needs that be in company, dwelling amongst so many a diverse folk of diverse sect and of belief, as I have been.

And amongst all I shewed him this treatise, that I had made after information of men that knew of things that I had not seen myself, and also of marvels and customs that I had seen myself, as far as God would give me grace; and besought his holy fatherhood, that my book might be examined and corrected by advice of his wise and discreet council.  And our holy father, of his special grace, remitted my book to be examined and proved by the advice of his said counsel.  By the which my book was proved for true, insomuch, that they shewed me a book, that my book was examined by, that comprehended full much more, by an hundred part, by the which the Mappa Mundi was made after.  And so my book (albeit that many men ne list not to give credence to nothing, but to that that they see with their eye, ne be the author ne the person never so true) is affirmed and proved by our holy father, in manner and form as I have said.

And I, John Mandevile, knight, abovesaid (although I be unworthy), that departed from our countries and passed the sea, the year of grace a thousand three hundred and twenty two, that have passed many lands and many isles and countries, and searched many full strange places, and have been in many a full good honourable company, and at many a fair deed of arms (albeit that I did none myself, for mine unable insuffisance), now I am come home, maugre myself, to rest, for gouts artetykes that me distrain, that define the end of my labour; against my will (God knoweth).

And thus, taking solace in my wretched rest, recording the time passed, I have fulfilled these things, and put them written in this book, as it would come into my mind, the year of grace a thousand three hundred and fifty six, in the thirty-fourth year, that I departed from our countries.

Wherefore, I pray to all the readers and hearers of this book, if it please them, that they would pray to God for me; and I shall pray for them.  And all those that say for me a Pater Noster, with an Ave Maria, that God forgive me my sins, I make them partners, and grant them part of all the good pilgrimages and of all the good deeds that I have done, if any be to his pleasance; and not only of those, but of all that ever I shall do unto my life's end.  And I beseech Almighty God, from whom all goodness and grace cometh from, that he vouchsafe of his excellent mercy and abundant grace, to fulfil their souls with inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in making defence of all their ghostly enemies here in earth, to their salvation both of body and soul; to worship and thanking of him, that is three and one, without beginning and without ending; that is without quality, good, without quantity, great; that in all places is present, and all things containing; the which that no goodness may amend, ne none evil impair; that in perfect Trinity liveth and reigneth God, by all worlds, and by all times!

AmenAmenAmen!

[HERE ENDETH THE BOOK OF JOHN MANDEVILLE.]