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[PREFACE]     Here bygynneth The Book of John Maundevile, knyght of Ingelond, that was y- bore in the toun of Seynt Albons and travelide aboute in the worlde in many di- verse contreis to se mervailes and customes of contreis and diversiteis of folkys and diverse shap of men and of beistis. And all the mervailles that he say he wrot and tellith in this book, the which book conteyneth 22 chapiteris. And this knyght wente of Ingelond and passid the see the yer of Our Lord 1332 and passid thorgh many londes, contreis, and iles, and compiled this book and let write hit the yer of Our Lord 1366, at 34 yer after that he wente out of his contré, for 34 yer he was in travelyng. HIC INCIPIT PROLOGUS ISTIUS LIBRI. [Here begins the Prologue of this book.]     For as moche as the lond over the see, that is to say the Holy Lond that men calleth the lond of Bethtony, amonge alle londes hit is most worthi and sovereyn of all other londes, and is y-blessed and y-halwed and sacred of the precious blode of Oure Lord Jhesu Crist. In the which londe hit liked Hym to take flessh and blood of the Virgyn Marie and to honoure that lond with His blessed foot. And ther He wolde do many miracles and preche and teche the feyth and the lawe of us Cristyn men as to His dere children. And ther He wolde suffre many repreves and skornes for us. And He that was kyng of Heven and of eorthe, of eyr and see, and of thynges that beth y-conteyned on hem, He wolde only be callid kyng of that lond whan He seith thus: Rex sum Judeorum. That is to say: "I am kyng of Jewes." For that tyme was [fol. 7r] that londe of Jewes.     And that londe He had y-chose bifore all other londes as the most vertuous and most worthi of the world. And therfore seith the philosofre thus: virtus rerum in medio consistit. That is to say: "vertu of thynges is in the myddel." And in that londe He wolde lede His liff and suffre passion and deth of Jewes for to bigge us and de- livere us fro paynes of Hell and deth withouten eynde, which was ordeyned to us for synne of oure forme fader Adam and for oure owen synnes also. As for Hymself nought, for He hadde noon yvel deserved, for He dide never yll. And He that was kyng of joye, He myght best in that place suffre deth. For whoso wole do eny thyng for the which he wole be knowe opynli, he wole do hit crie opynli in the myddel place of a cité other of a toune, so that hit may be knowe to all parties of that cité other of that toune. So dide He that was kyng of the worlde. He wolde suffre deth at Jerusalem, that is in the middel of the worlde, so that hit myght be knowe to men of all parties of the worlde how dire He bought man that He made to His lick- nys for the gret love that He hadde to us. For more worthy catel myght nought be sette for us than His blessid body and His precious blood which He offred for us.     Lo, dere God, what love He hadde to His sogettes, when He that hadde don no trespas, only for oure trespas suffred deth. Ryght wel ought men to love and drede and worshippe soche a lord, and preise soch a lond so holy that brought forth soch a fruyt, thorgh which every man is saved but hit be his owene defaute. This is the lond that longeth to oure heritage. And in that lond He wolde deyghe and seysed to leve hit to His children. For which every good Cristen man that hath wherof sholde streynth hem for to conquere oure ryght heritage and chace away the myssetrewantes. For we beth called Cristen men of Crist [fol. 7v] Oure Fader. And if we be right children of Crist we aughte then to chalenge the righte heritage of Oure Fader and put hit out of strange men hondes.     But now pryde, covetise, and envye hath enflammed the herte of lordes of the worlde, that they bien more bisy forto deserte her neyghbores than to chalange and conquere here ryght heritage biforeseyd. And comyn peple that wolde put here body and catel to conquere oure heritage may nought do withoute lordes. For asemblé of comyn peple withoute a chief lorde beth as a flock of sheep that hath no shephurd, which they parteth asoundre and woot nought whyder to go. But wolde God that wordli lordis were of good acoord and eche of hem other and also comune peple that they wolde take this holy viage over the see. I trowe then withynne a litel while oure right heritage forsayde sholde be reconsiled and y-putte in handes of the right eyres of Jhesu Crist.     And for as moch as men desireth to hyre speke of the Holy Lond and they have therof greet solas, spoort, and comfort, I shal telle somwhat that I have sey. John Maundevyle knyght, thow Y be nought worthi, that was bore in Engelond in the toun of Seynt Albones and passed the see in the yer of the Incarnacioun of Oure Lord Jhesu Crist 1332 uppon Seynt Michelis day. And sithe hiderward have Y be long tyme over the see, and have Y seye and go thorgh many londes, and Y leygh in many provinces and kyngdomes. I have passed thorgh Turky and Surry, Hermony the Lasse and the More, Tartari, Perce, Arabie, Egipte the Heigh and the Lowe, Libie, Caldee, and a greet party of Ethiope, Amazayn, and a greet partye of Inde the More and the Lasse, and thorgh many other iles that beth aboute Inde, wher that dwelleth many diverse folk of maneris and diverse lawes and shappes. Of which londes and iles Y [fol. 8r] shal speke more plenerly. And Y shal divise a parti of that Y have seye in the worlde as hit may come to my mynde herafter. And speciali of hem that wole and beth in purpos to visite the holy cité of Jerusalem, and the holy places that beth thereaboute, and weyes which men shul holde thider, for Y have many tymes y-passid and ryden to Jerusalem in company of greet lordes and other good companye. EXPLICIT PROLOGUS DE MAUNDEVYLE. [Here ends Mandeville's Prologue.] A WAY TO JERUSALEM. [Chapter 1.]     In the name of God Almyghty, whoso wole passe over the see, he may go by many waies after the contré that he cometh fro, and many of hem cometh to oon eynde. But troweth nought that Y wole telle all the tounes, citees, and castelles that men shul go by, for then sholde Y make a long tale, but sum contreis and most principal stedes that men shul go thorgh to the ryghte way.     Ferst, if a man come fro the west side of the worlde as Ingelonde, Walys, Skot- lond, Irlond, Norway, he may if he wole go thorgh Almayne and the kyngdome of Hungré, that marcheth to the lond of Poyaline and to the lond of Panonye and Alfeigh.     The kyng of Hungré is right a greet lorde and holdeth greet londes and fele, for he holdeth the lond of Hungré, Savoyze, Comayne, a greet party of Bulgarie that men calleth the lond of Bugers, and a greet party of the kyngdome of Rosse, and hit lastith to the lond of Neflond, and hit marcheth to Pruysse. And in the lond of Hungrie, men goon thorgh a cité that men calleth Chipproun and thorgh the castel of Newbow, by the same toun that is toward the eynde of Hungrie. And thenne men passeth by the ryver of Danubye, that is a greet ryver and hit goth to Almayne under the hilles of Lombardy, and hit taketh into hym 40 other ryvers and hit renneth thorgh Hungry, thorgh Grecis, thorgh Tarchie, and goth into the [fol. 8v] see so swiftly that the water is fressh 20 mile in the see.     And then men goth to Belgrave and entre into the lond of Bruges and ther men passith a brugge of stoon that is over the rever of Marrok. And so passith thorgh the lond of Pynceras and cometh to Grece, to the cité of Sternes, and to the cité of Affynpayn, and so to the cité of Bradremple, and thenne to Constantynople, that was sumtyme called Bessamoran, and ther dwelleth comunely the emperour of Grece.     Ther is the beste cherch of the worlde and fairest, and hit is of Seynt Sophie. And byfore this cherch is an image of Justinian the emperour y-gilded uppon an hors y-crouned. And hit was woned to holde an apple rounde in his hond. And men seyn ther that hit is a tockne that the emperour hath i-loste a greet party of his lond, for the appill is fall out of the imageis hond for he lost gret party of his lordship. For he was woned to be emperour of Romayne and Grece and all Asie the Lasse, of Syrrie, and of the lond of Jude, in the which is Jerusalem, and of the lond of Egipt, of Percie, and Arabie; but hit was lost — all but Grece. And men many tymes wolde putte the apple into the imageis hond, but he wolde nought holde hit. And his other hond he holt upward to the west in tockne to manasse mysdowers. This image stondeth uppon a pilour of marbell.     At Constantynople ther is the sponge and the reed of the which the Jewes gaf Oure Lorde to drynke galle uppon the Croys. Som men lyveth that half of the Croys of Crist be in Cipre in an abbey of monkes, that men calleth the hille of the Holy Croys; but hit is nought so, for that crosse that is in Cipre is that crosse that uppon which Dismas, the good theef, was honged. But all men woot nought, and that is nought wel y-do, for they seyn for getyng of offryng [fol. 9r] that hit is the Croys of Our Lord Crist. And ye shal understonde that the Croys of Our Lord was i- makyd of foure maner of trees, and hit is conteyned in this verse: In cruce fit palma, cedrus, cipressus, oliva. For that pece that went upright fro the erthe into the heed was of cipresse; and that pece overthwart into the which the hondes wer nayled was of palme; and the mortais of cedre; and the table above his heed that was a foot and half long, uppon the which the title was wryten in Ebru, Greu, and Latyn, was of olive: Jhesu Nazarenus, rex Judeorum. And the Jewes makid this Cros of these foure maner of trees for they wened that Oure Lord sholde have honged uppon that Cros als longe as that Cros myght have dured. And therfore they maked the foot of cedre, for cedre may nought rote in erthe, nother in water. And for they wente that the body of Crist sholde have stonke, therfore was maked a peece that went fro the erthe upward of cipres: for that tre is wel smellyng, so that the stench of His body shold nought have greved men that passid therby. And that overthwart peece was maked of palme, for in the Olde Testament was ordeyned that when any man hadde victorye he was crouned with palme. And the table of the title was maked of olive, for that tree tokned pees, as the story of Noe witnessith hit, whan the culver brought the branch of olive that bitokneth pees y-maad bytwixt God and man. And so trowed the Jewes to have pees when Crist were deed, for they seide that Crist makid the bate among hem.     And ye shal understonde that Our Lord was nayled to the Cros liggyng, and therfore He suffred the more payn. As Grekes and Cristin men that dwelleth over the see seyn, that the tre of the Cros that we callen cipresse was of the tree that Adam eet of the apple, and so fynde [fol. 9r] they writen. And they sayn that her scripture telleth that Adam was sike and bad his son Seth that he sholde go to Paradis and pray the angel that kepid Paradis that he wolde sende hym of the oyle of mercy to anoynty therwith his membris that he myght have heel. And Seth wente theder, but the angel wold nought lete hym in, but seyde to hym that he myght nought have the oyle of mercy. But tho he toke hym foure graynes of the same tre that Adam eet of the apple and bad hym als so sone as his fader were deed, he sholde put tho graynes under his tonge and grave hym so. And he dide so. And of these foure graynes spronge foure trees, as the angel seyd, which sholde bere a fruyt, thorgh which fruyt Adam sholde be saved. Of which trees was maad the Cros that bare God Jhesu Crist, that sweet fruyt thorgh which Adam and alle that come of hym were saved and deliverid fram eyndelys deth, but hit be here owen defaute. This Holy Cros hadde the Jewes i-hudde in the erthe under the roch of the mount of Calvarie, and hit lay ther 200 yer and more into that tyme that Seynt Eline fond hit. The which Seynt Eline was moder of Constantyn, the emperour of Rome, and sheo was doughter of a kyng, the which was kyng of Ingelond that was that tyme called the Greet Brytayne, when the emperour toke her to wyve for here greet fairnesse when he was in that contré. And ye shal understonde that the Cros of Oure Lord was of leyngthe of eyght cubitis, and that overthwart was of thre cubitis and an half.     A party of the croune of Our Lord, wherwith He was i-crouned, and oon of the nailes, and the speer-heed, and many other relikes beth in Fraunce in the kynges chapel. And the croune beth in a vessel of cristal wel y-dight and richely. For a kyng of Fraunce somtyme boughte these relikis of the Jewes, to wham the em- perour had i-leyd to wedde for a greet somme of goolde and silver. And though [fol. 10r] hit be so that men sayn that hit beth thornes, ye shal understond that His was risshes of the see that beth white, wecle, and priketh as sharply as thornes. For I have sey many tymes that croune of Parys and also of Constantinople, for they beth but of oon y-maked of risshes of the see. But they have departed hem in two parties, of which oon party is at Parys and that other party is at Constantynople. And Y have a poynt therof, and that semeth whit thorn, and that was y-give to me for gret love, for ther beth many broken and fallen in the vessel wher the croun is, as they breken when men stiren the vessel to shewe the croune to greet lordes that cometh thider.     And ye shal understonde that Our Lord, that nyght that He was take, He was lad into a gardeyn and there He was examined sharply. And ther the Jewes skorned Hym and makyd hym a croune of the branche of the albespine that growed in the same gardeyn and sette hit uppon His heed so faste that the blood ran adoun by many places of His visage, and His necke, and His shuldres. And therfor hath the albespyne many vertues. For he that berith a branch uppon hym, ne shal no thundre ne no tempest in no maner hym deer. Ne in the hous that hit is ynne may noon yvel spirit com, ne in place wheer hit is. And in the same gardeyn Seynt Petir deneyd Oure Lord God thries.     And afterward Oure Lord was y-lad byfore the bysshopis of the lawe in another gardeyn of Anne, and ther He was examined and also y-skorned and y-crouned with a whit thorn that men callen barbarines that groweden in the same gardeyn, and that hath als many vertues. And then was He y-lad into the gardeyn of Cay- phas, and ther He was y-crouned with englenter. And then He was y-lad into the chambre of Pilat, and ther He was examined and also y-crouned. And tho the Jewes sette Hym [fol. 10v] on a chayre and clothid Hym in a mantel, and they makyd the croune of rysshes of the see and knelid to Hym and skorned Hym and sayde: Ave, rex Judeorum. That is to say: "Hayl, kyng of Jewes." And of this croune is oon halfen deel at Parys and that other deel at Constantinople. And this croune He hadde uppon His heed when He was doon on the Cros, and therfore hit is most worthi. And the sper shaft hath the emperour of Almayne, but the heed is at Paris. Also at Constantynnople lyth Seynt Anne Our Lady Moder, for Seynt Eline brought hure ther fro Jerusalem. And ther lith also the body of John Crisostom, that was bysshop of Constantinople. And ther lith Seynt Luke the Evangelist, for his bonys were brought fro Bethany wher he was grave. And many other relikes beth ther. And ther is the vestel of ston as hit were marble, which men callen ydrions, that ever more droppeth water and fillith hymself ech yer.    And ye shal understond that Constantinople is right a fair cité and a good, and ryght wel y-walled, and hit is thre cornerid. And ther an arme of the see that men callen Hellesponte, and som callen hit Bouch of Constantynople, and som callen hit Brace de Seynt Gorge. And this water closeth two parties of the cité. And upwarde to the see uppon the water was y-woned to be the greet cité of Troye in a ful fair playn, but that cité was destroyed with men of Grece. And ther beth many iles that men callen thus: Calastre, Calcas, Cetige, Tesbiria, Arynona, Faxton, Molo, Carpate, and Lempne. And in this ile is the Mount Athos that passeth the cloudes. And ther beth many spechis and many contreis the which beth obesshant to the emperour, that is to saye Turcople, Pynornard, Coma, Comange, Trachise, and Macidone, of which Alisaundre was kynge, and many other. [fol. 11r]     In this contré was Aristotle y-bore and in a cité that men callen Strages, a litle fro the cité of Trachye. And at Strages was Aristotle y-grave, and ther is an auter uppon his tumbe. And ther they make a greet feste every yer als though he were a seynt. And uppon his auter they holden greet conseylis. And they troweth that thorgh inspiracioun of God and of hym they shal have the better consail. In that contré beth right hyghe hilles, and toward the eynde of Macedone is a greet hille that men callen Olimpus, that departith Macedone and Trachie and is high up to the cloudes. And that other hille that men calleth Aches is so high that the shade of hym recheth to Olimpus that is neygh 77 myle bytwyne. And above that hille is the eyr so cleir that men may feile no wynd ther. And therfore may no beest lyve ther, for the eyr is so drigh. And men seyn in that contré that philosopheris som tyme wente uppon thilke hill and helde to here nose a sponge i-moisted with water to have the eyr. And above, in the poudre of the hill, they writen letteris with here fyngres, and at the yeris eynde they come ageyn and fyndeth the same lettres with oute eny faute. And at Constantynople the emperouris paleis is right fair and wel y-dight. And therin is a fair paleis for justyng, and hit is uppon stages, that alle men may see the justes, and under thilke stages beth stables vauted for the em perouris hors, and alle the pilouris beth of marbel.     And withinne the cherche of Seynt Sophie a emperour wolde have i-graven his fader when he was deed. And they makid the grave and fond a body in the erthe, and theruppon lay a greet plate of fyn goold. And theruppon was i-writen in Ebru, Gru, and Latyn thus: Jhesu Cristus nascetur de Virgine Maria et ego credo in eum. That is to say: "Jhesu Crist shal be bore of the Virgyn Mari and I belyve on Hym." And the date of this, when hit was leyd in the erthe, was 2000 yer byfore that [fol. 11v] Our Lord was y-bore. And yit is that plate in the tresorie of that cherche. And men seyn that hit was the body of Hermogenes the wise man. And though hit be so that men of Grece beth Cristyn, yit they varieth fro youre feith. For they sey that the Holy Goost com nought of the Sone but fro the Fader, and they beth nought obesshent to the Cherche of Rome, nother to the pope. And they seyn that her patriarch hath als moche power over the see as the pope on this side. And therfore the Pope John the Twelfthe sende lettres to hem how Cristin feyth shold be all oon. And that thei sholde be obesshant to the Cherch of Rome and to the pope, that is Cristis vicar on erthe, to wham God gaf playn power for to bynde and to assoyle, and therfor they sholde be obedient to hym. And they sent agen to hym, the pope, divers let ters and anaswers, and among other thyng they seyde thus: Potenciam tuam summam circa tuos subdiectos firmiter credimus. Superbiam tuam summam tollerare non possumus. Avariciam tuam summam saciare non intendimus. Dominus tecum sit. Quia Dominus nobis- cum est. Vale. This is to say: "We trowe well thi power is greet uppon thy sogettis. We mai nought suffre thi greet pride. We beth nought in purpos to stanche thi greet covetise. Our Lord be with thee, for He is with us. Farwell." And other ans- wers had they non of hem. Also they makith here sacrament of sour loof breed, for Our Lord makid His of whete in tockinyng of the Maundé, and they drien hit by the sonne and kepen hit all the yer, and geven hit to sike instede of Godis body. And they maken but oon unctioun when they cristne children, and they anoynten noon sike man afor his deth. And they seyn that ther is noun Purgatory, and that soules shal have ne joye ne payne into the Day of Dome. And they tellen that sim- ple fornicacioun is no deedly [fol. 12r] synne but a kyndely thyng, and that men and wym- men shul be weddid but ons, and whoso wole be wedded more, her children beth but bastardes and i-gete in synne. And her prestis ben wedded as other ben. And they seyn that oker is noon synne dedly. And they sillen benefis of Holy Cherch, and so doth men in this contré, and that is a greet sclaundre. For now is simonie crouned kyng in Holi Cherche. They seyn also that in Lente men sholde synge no masse but uppon the Saterday and uppon the Soneday. And they fasteth nought the Saterday no tyme in all the yer, but hit be Youle Eve other Pasche Eve. And they suffre no man that cometh fro this side of the see to synge at her auters. But and hit falle that ther do by any happe, they wassh her autres afterward with holy water. And they seyn that ther sholde be said but oon masse at oon autre uppon the day. They seyn that Our Lord ne eet never mete, but He makid tocknyng of etyng. Also they seyn that we synne deedly in chavyng of oure beerdis, for the berd is knowyng a man fro a womman. Also they seyn that we synne in etyng of beestis that were de fendid in the Oolde Lawe, als swyn, hares, and other beestis. And they seyn that we synne in etyng of flessh in the Wennesday, als when we eete cheese other eyron on the Fryday. And they cursen all tho that etyn no flessh uppon the Saturday. Also the emperour of Constantynople maketh alle the patriarkys, archebysshoppes, and bysshoppes, and geveth alle the digniteis and cherches, and he depriveth hem that ben worthi of the pryvacion.     Now thowe hit be so that thes thynges toucheth nought to my way, yyt hit likith to many men to hyre of the condicioun and lawes and maneris of diverse londes and contrees. And [fol. 12v] this is the ferst contré that is discordant agen our feithe, ther- fore I have setten here that ye may wite the diversité that is bytwixt our feith and heres, for many man hath desier to here speke of diverse thynges. AGEYN TO THE WAY. CAPITULUM SECUNDUM. [Chapter 2.]     Now come I ageyn to know the way fro Constantynople. Whoso wole go thorgh Turkye, he goth thorgh the cité of Nyke and passeth thorgh the gate of Thoimtot that is ful hygh, and hit is a myle and an half fro Nyke. And whoso wole may go by the Brace of Seynt George, and by the greet see, ther Seynt Nicholas lith. And ferst men cometh to the ile of Cilo. In that ile groweth mastik uppon smale trees, as plum trees other chery trees. And then men goth thorgh the ile of Pathmos, ther wroot Seynt John the Evaungelist the Apocalips. And when Our Lord deide, Seynt John was of eelde of 32 yer and he levede after the Passion of Crist 62 yer.     Fro Pathmos men goth to Ephesome, a fair cité and neygh to the see, and ther deide Seynt John and was grave byhiende the autre in a tumbe. And ther is a fair cherche in that place that Cristen men were woned holde. But in the tumbe of Seynt John is nothyng elles but manna, for his body was translatid into Paradis. Turkes haldeth now that cité and all Asie the Lasse, and therfor hit is called Turkey. And ye shal understande that Seynt John leet make his grave by his lyve and laide hymself therinne al quyk.     And therfor som seyn that he deide nought but that he restith therynne onto the Day of Dome. And forsothe ther is a greet mervaile, for men may se apartly the erthe of the tumbe many tymes stire and meve, as ther were a quyk thyng ther under. And fro Ephesome men goth thorghe many iles in the see unto the cité of Pathan, wher Seynt Nicholas was bore, and so to Marcha wher he was chose to be bysshop, and ther [fol. 13r] groweth ryght good wyn and strong, that men callen wyn of Marcha. And fro then men may se the iles of Grece, the which the emperour gaff somtyme to Jonays. And then men passen thurgh the iles of Cofos and Lango, of wham Ypocras was lord.     And som sayn that in the ile of Lango is Ypocrasis doughter in maner of a dragon that is a hundred foot long, as men seyn, for I have hit nought seye. And men of the iles callen here ladi of the contrees. And sheo lith in an old castel and shewith her thre tymes a yer. And she doth no man harm but if any man do her harm, and thus she is changed fro a damysel to dragon thorgh a goddas that men callen Diana. And men seyn that she shal dwelle so into the tyme that a knyght come that is so hardy that der go to hure and kysse here mouth. And then shal she turne agen into hure owen kynde and be womman, and therafter heo shal nought lyve longe. And hit is nought ferne ago that a knyght of Rodes, that was doughti and hardy, seyde that he wolde kysse her. And when he was uppon his hors and wente to the castel and entred into the cave, the dragon bygan to lift up his heed agen hym. And when the knyght say the huge beest he fled away. And the dragon folwed and took hym and bare hym maugre his teeth uppon a roch and cast hym into the see and so was he lost.     And also a yong man that wist nought of that dragon went out of a shippe and went thorgh the ile tille he com to that castel and come to that cave. And he went so longe til he fond a chambre. And ther he saw a damisel and she kembid hure heed and lokyde on a myrrour, and sheo hadde moche trosour aboute hure. And he wente that sheo hadde be a comyn womman that dwellid ther to kepe men to dele with here. He abood ther, and tho the damysel saw the shade [fol. 13v] of hym in the merour. She turned her and asked what he wolde, and he seyde he wolde be hure paramour other hure lemman. And she askid hym wher he were a knyght, and he saide nay. And then she saide that she myght nought be his lemman, but she baad hym go ageyn to his felawes and make hym a knyght and come ageyn on the morghe, and she wolde com out of hure cave and baad hym thenne kysse hure on the mouth. And she baad hym that he sholde have no drede. "For Y shal do thee noon harme, for thow thou thenke that Y am hidous," she sayde, "ghit drede thee nought, for hit is don to me by enchauntement. And if thou kysse my mouth, thou shalt se me as thou dost nough. And thou shalt have alle these tresours, and be my lord and lord of these iles." And he departid fro here and come to his felawes to the shippe and ther they makyde hym knyght. And come aghen uppon the morghe to kysse that damsel. And when he saw her come out of her cave in shap of a drag on he hadde so greet drede that he fleyghe to the shippe ayen. And she folwyd hym, and when she saw that he turned nought agen, she bygan to crie as a thyng that hadde gret drede and greet sorwe, and she went agen to hure cave. And anoon this knyght deide. And sithen hiderward myght no knyght se hure but he deyde anoon. But when a knyght cometh that is so hardy to kysse hure mouth, he shal turne that damysel to hure owen shappe, and be lord of the contré byforeseyd.     And fro thenne men cometh to ile of Rodes, whiche that the Hospitalers holden. And that ile was somtyme take fro the Emperour and was woned somtyme be y-called Colles, and so callen the Turkes yit. And Seynt Poule in his pistle wrot to the men of that ile. [fol. 14r] This yle is fer 8 hundred myle fro Constantinople.     And fro this yle of Rodis men goth to Cipre, wher beth many vines that ferst beth reed and after oon yer they wexen all white. And the vines that beth most white beth most cleer and most smellyng.     And men passith by this way by a place where was woned be a greet cité that men callid Satalay. And al that contré was lost thorgh foly of a yong man, for he hadde a fair damysel that he lovede, and she dayde sodenly and was y-do in grave of marble. And for the greet love that he hadde to hure, he wente on the nyght to here grave and oppenyd hit, and lay by here and went his way. And at the 9 monthes ende, a voys come to hym and seyde, "Go to the tumbe of that womman and opene the tumbe and byhold what thow hast gyte on here. And if thow lette for to goo, thee worth greet harm have." And he yede and opened the tumbe, and ther fley an heed ryght parolous to se that fley even aboute the cité. And anoon the cité sanke adoun. And therfore ther beth many parolous passages.     And fro Rodes to Cipre is neyr five hundred myle. But men may go to Cipre, and come nought at Rodes. Cipre is a good ile and a greet, and ther beth many good citeis. And ther is an erchebysshop at Nichosie, and foure other bysshoppis is in that lond. And at Famagost is oon of the best haven uppon the see that is in the worlde. And ther aryveth Cristen men and Sarizynes and many other nacions.     And in Cipre is the hille of the Holy Cros and is an abbey of monokis, and ther is the cros of Dismas the good theef, as I seide byfore. And som men weneth that ther is the half of the Cros of Our Lord, but hit is noght so.     In Cipre lith Genonon of wham men of that contré maketh greet solemnté. And in the castel [fol. 14v] of Amors lith the body of Seynt Hillari. And biside Famagost was Seynt Bernard i-bore. In Cipre men hunteth with paupyons, and tho beth like to libardes, and tho take wylde beestis ryght wel. And they ben sumdel more than lyons.     In Cipre is a maner that lordes and alle other men usen. They opne the erthe, for they maken diches deep in the erthe al aboute the halle to the knee. And they do pave the grounde bynethe. And when they wole ete they go therynne, and sitten ther and eten, for they wold be the more fressh, for that londe is more hatter than here. And at greet festes and also for strange men they setten formes and bordes as men don heer, but hem were levere sitte on the erthe. A WEY BY THE SEE TO JERUSALEM. CAPITULUM TERCIUM. [Chapter 3.]     Fro Cipres men goon by londe to Jerusalem and by see also. And in a day and in a nyght he that hath good wynde may come to the haven of Tire, that is now i- called Sirre. And hit is at the entré of Syrrie, wher was somtyme a fair cité of Cristen men, but Sarizens hath destried hit a gret party therof, and they kepe well that haven for drede of Cristyn men. Men myght go more ryght to that havene and come noght to Cipre, but men goon gladly to Cipre to reste hem in the londe other els to bye hem thyng that hem nedeth. Uppon the seeside bossh many men may fynde. And ther is the well that holy wryt spekith of thus: Fons ortorum puteus aquarum vivencium. That is to say: "well of gardeyns and dike of wateris lyvyng." In the cité of Tire seyde the womman to Our Lord: Beatus venter qui te portavit et ubera que suxisti. That is to say: "I-blessid be the body that thee baar, and the pappes that thow souke." And ther Our Lord forgaf the womman of Canane here synnes. And byfore Tire was woned to be the ston uppon which Our Lord saat to preche. And of that ston was y- [fol. 15r] -founded the cherch of Seynt Savouris.     Uppon that see is the Saphen, Sarepte or Sydonis, ther was woned to dwelle Helias the prophete. And ther raysed Jonas the prophete the wydew sone. And 5 mile fro Saphen is the cité of Cidone, on which cité was Dido dwellyng that was somtyme Enyas wiff after the destruxion of Troye. And she fundide the cité of Cartage in Affrik that now is y-called Didon. And in Tire reyneth Achilles that was Didois fader. And 18 mile fro Didon is the cité of Brenche, and fro Brenche to Sardana is thre journeis, and fro Sardana is 5 mile to Damas.     Whoso wole go lenger wey by see, and come neer to Jerusalem, he shall go fro Cypre by see to port Jaffe, for that is the next haven to Jerusalem, for fro that haven is but a dayes jorney and an half to Jerusalem. That haven is y-called Jaffe, and the toun Affe, after oon of Noeis sones that men callen Japhet that makid hit.     And ye shal understonde that hit is the yldest toun of the worlde, for hit was makyd byfore Noeis floode. And ther beth bones of gyauntes sides that ben fourty foot long. And whoso ryveth at the ferst haven of Tire other of Surrye, they may go by londe to Jerusalem. Then shal they go to the cité of Acon, and hit standith in the see. And fro Venyse hit is to Acon by the see 200 and 80 mile of Lumbardy. And fro Calabre, other Cecile, is Acon 1300 myle of Lumbardy. And byside the cité of Acon toward the see 120 furlang on the right side, toward the south, is the hille of Carme, wher Elias the prophete dwellide. And ther was the order of frere Carmes ferst funded. And at the foot of this hille was somtyme a cité of Cristen men that men called Cayphas, for Cayphas funded hit, but now hyt is y-wasted. And at the lift side of that hille is a toun that men callen Caffere, and that is y-sette uppon another hille. Ther was Seynt Jame and Seynt John ybore. And fro Acon men goon to a greet hille that is y-called Scale de Terreys, that is of an hundred furlang. And therby is the Fosse Ynone all rounde, that [fol. 15v] is nyghe a hundred cubites brode, and hit is ful of gravel shynynge of which maketh good verres and cler. And men comen fer by see and by londe and with cartes to take of that gravel. And thow hit be take never so moche uppon a day, hit is never the lasse uppon the morwe, for hit is ful agen, and that is a greet mervayle. And ther is evermore greet wynd in that fosse that stireth alway that gravel and makith hit troble. And if a man do theron any metal, hit shal wex anoon glas. And that glas that is ymakyd of this gravel, if hit be do ageyn to the gravel hit turneth agen to gravel as hit was ferst. And som men sayn that hit is a swolwyng of the Gravely See. And also fro Acon men goth thre jorneis to the cité of Philistion that now is y-called Gaza, that is to say a riche cité. And hit is a ryght fayr and full of folke, and hit is a lytle in the see. And ther slow Sampson the fort the kyng in his palys, and many thousand with hym, for he makyd the hous falle uppon hem. And fro then, men shul go to the cité of Cesarie, and so to the castel Pellarines, and so to Ascalon and so to Japhet, and so to Jerusalem. THE WAY TO BABYLOYN. CAPITULUM QUARTUM. [Chapter 4.]     Now whoso wole go by lond to Babiloyne wher the soudan dwellith, for to have leve to go the more sikerly and for to go to the Mount Synay or he come to Jeru- salem, he shal go fro Gaza to the castel of Dadayr. And after that a man comth out of Surrye, he goth into wildernysse, wher the wey is ful sondy. And that wildernysse lestith 8 journeys, wher men fyndeth all that hem nedith of vitalles. And men callen that wildernysse Athillok. And when a man comth out of this desert, he entrith into Egipt. And they callen hit Egipt Canaphat, and in another langage, men callen hit Mercyne. And the ferst good toun that men fyndeth is ycalled Beleth, and hit is at the ende of the kyngdom of [fol. 16r] Alape.     And fro thenne men come to Babiloyne, and to Cayr. And in Babiloyn is a fair cherche of Our Lady wher she dwellid 7 yer when she was out of the lond of Jude, for drede of the kyng Herodes. And ther lith the body of Seynt Barbara the virgyn. And ther dwellid Joseph when he was y-sold of his bretherin, and ther Nabu- godonosor let put thre children into the fuyr for they were of ryght feith, the which children ben called Anania, Azaria, and Misael. But Nabugodonosor callid hem thus: Cidrac, Misac, and Abdenago. Ther dwellith the soudan, for ther is a fayr cité and a strong castel wel y-sette uppon a rooch. In that castel is dwellyng allway, to kepe hit and to serve the soudan, more then 8000 persones of folk, whoch taketh alle the necessaries of the soudan. For this is y-knowe wel, for Y dwelled in his courte, and was soudier, and in his werris a greet while agenst the Bedoyns. And he wolde have y-weddid me to a greet princes doghter ful richely, if Y wolde have forsake my byleve.     And ye shal understonde that the soudan is lord of fyve kyngdomis the which he hath conquerid and y-gete by streyngthe. Thes beth tho: Canapate, that is Egipte; the kyngdom of Jerusalem, of the which David and Salomon were kyngs; the kyngdom of Surry, of which the cité of Damas was chief; the kyngdom of Anolpe; and the kyngdom of Arabie, and that was oon of the thre kynges that bar offryng to Our Lord. And many other londes he holdeth on his hond. And the mount of Seynt Katerine is moch heyr than the Mount Moyses. And ther that Seynt Katerine was y-grave is no cherche ne chapel ne non other dwellyng place, but ther is a hille of stones y-gadred togedres with angeles. But ther was woned to be a chaple but hit was destruyd, and yit lith the stones ther. And thow hit be so [fol. 16v] that the orison of Seynt Katerin maketh mencion that hit is on the place wher Our Lord gaf the Lawe to Moyses, and ther Seynt Katerin was y-grave, ye shullith understonde that hit is in oon contré other in oon stede that berith al oon name. For they beth bothe called Synay, but hit is a greet way bytwyne hem and a greet valey. A WEY TO JERUSALEM. CAPITULUM QUINTUM. [Chapter 5.]     Now sithen a man hath y-visited this holy place of Seynt Katerin and he traveyle agen to Jerusalem, he shal take leve of the monkes and recommende hym into here prayers. The which monkes geveth gladly vitaylis to pylgrimes that passith thorgh that wildernisse to Surry, which lasteth ney 12 journeys. And in that desert dwellith many Arabynes, and Bydoynes, and Ascopardes, which ben folk of alle maner yvel condiciouns. And they have noon houses but tentis, which they make of beistis skynnes, as of camels and of other beistis. And they that dwellith ther may have noon water but of the Reede See, for in that greet wildernisse is a greet de- faute of water. And hit fallith ofte tyme wher a man fyndeth water oon tyme, he fyndeth noon another tyme, and therfore they maketh ther none hous but tentis. Thes men tylieth no lond, for they eetith no breed, but hit be eny that dwellith toward any good toun. And they rosteth all here flessh uppon hote stones ageyn the sonne. And they beth strong men and wel fyghtyng, and they doth noght elles but chase wilde deer and beestis for hure sustinaunce. And they tellen noght by her liff, and therfore they dreden noght the soudan, for they beth ofte at werre with hym. And at that same tyme that Y was dwellyng with hym, they bare noght but a shilde and a sper to defende hem with. And they have noon other armure but wyndeth her hedis and here neckis in greet lynnen cloth.     And when men ben passid this wildernisse toward Jerusalem, they comen to Bersabe, that was somtyme a fair toun of Cristen men and yit ther beth some of here cherchis. [fol. 17r] And in that toun dwellid Abraham the patriarch, which toun fund- ede Urie, of whas wyf David engendrid Salomon the wyse, that was kyng of Jeru- salem and of the 12 kingdomes of Israel, and he regned 40 yer.    And fram then men goth to the Vale of Ebron, that is neye fro thenne 12 myle. And som callen hit the Vale of Mambre. Also hit is called the Vale of Teres, for as moche as Adam wept in that valey an 100 yer for the deth of his sone Abel, the which Caim slow. And Ebron was somtyme the principal cité of Philistiens, and ther dwellid gyauntes. Ther Josue, Calofe, and her company com ferst to aspie how thay myghte wynne the Londe of Promission. In Ebron, David regned ferst 7 yer and an half, and in Jerusalem he regned 33 yer and an half.    And in Ebron beth all graves of patriarkes, David, Abraham, Jacob, and her wyves, Eve, Sarra, and Rebecca; and they beth in a hongynge of an hull. And under hem is a wel fayr cherche corneld as a castel, which the Sarasynnes kepeth wel and they worshippeth moch that place for the holy patriarkes that lygen ther. And they suffre noon Cristyn man to come therynne, but they have special leve of the soudan, for thei holden Cristen men and Jewes but houndes that ne sholde come in none holy place. And they callen that place Spelunke other double cave, for that on is on that other. And Sarasynnes hit callith in her langage Cariatharba, that is to say Habrahamis hous. And that was he that sat in his dore and saw thre persones and worshipped oon, as Holy Writ sayth: Tres vidit et unum adoravit. That is to say: "He say thre and oon worsheped." And hym toke Abraham into his hous.    And ryght ney to that place is a cave wher Adam and Eve dwellid in a rooch when they were dryve out of Paradise, and ther gete they her children. And in that same place was Adam makid as som men sayn, for men called that place the felde of Damas, for hit was the lordship of Damas. And fro thenne he was translatyd into Paradis and afterward [fol. 17v] he was dryven out of Paradis and y-put ther agen; for the same day that he was put into Paradys, the same day he was dryven out of Paradis, anoon as he hadde synned.    Ther bygynneth the Vale of Ebron and lasteth ney to Jerusalem. And the angel bad Adam that he sholde dwelle with his wiff and ther engendre Seth, of which kyn Jhesu Crist was y-bore. And in that felde is a place that men draweth a thyng that men callen cambil, and they eten that instede of spyces. And may no man make that place so deep and so wyde that hit is at the yeres ende full agen by the grace of God.    And two myle fro Ebron is a grave of Loth that is Abrahamis brother. And a litle fro Ebron is the Mount Mambre, of which the vale took his name. And ther is a tree of ook that Sarysynis callen dirpe, that is of Abrahamis tyme, that men callen the drie tree. And they say that hit hath be fro the bygynnyng of the worlde, and hit was somtyme grene and bar leves into that tyme that Our Lord deyde. And so dide all the trees in the worlde, other els they fayled here hertes, and yit beth many soch in the worlde.    And som prophecie seith that a prince, lord of the west syde of the worlde, shal come and wynne the Londe of Promission with the help of Cristen men. And he shal do synge a messe under the drie tre, and hit shal wexe grene and bere fruyt and leves. And by that miracle many Sarysynes and Jewes and other shal be turned to Cristen feythe. And therfore they do greet worship therto and kepith hit ful well. And thow hit be drie, hit hath gret vertue, for certayn he that hath a litle therof on hym, hit helith hym of the fallyng yvel. And hit hath many other vertues, and ther- fore hit is y-holde ryght precious.     Fro Ebron men goth to Bethleem on half a day, for hit is but 5 myle bytwyne, and hit is a perlous way and thorgh wodes ryght lykynge. But Bedlem is right a lykyng cité and lytle, [fol. 18r] but hit is long and narwe and wel y-walled and enclosid with dych. And hit was woned to be called Effrata, as Holy Writ seith: Ecce audivimus eum in Effrata. That is to say: "Lo, we have herd hym in Effrata." Toward the ende of that cité toward the est is a fair cherch and a gracious, and hit hath many toures and many pynacles and corneld ful strongly. And in that cherch beth 43 pylers of marble, greet and fayr.    And bytwyne this cherch and this cité is a feyld that is callid Feyld Floridous, that is to seye Feyld Floryshid. For as moche as a fayr mayde was y-blamed falsly that she hadde y-do fornicacioun, for which cause heo was demed to the deth and to be brende in that place to the which she was y-lad. And as the wode bygan to brenne aboute her, she prayed to God: as she was noght gylty of that thing, that He helpe here that hit were y-knowe to alle men. And when she had thus y-sayd, anoon was that fire oute. And the branches that were brennyng bycome ride roses, and the branches that were noght brennyng bycome white rosers and ful of roses. And ther were the ferste roses and rosers that ever were y-seyn afore. And thus was this mayde y-saved.    Also byside the queir of the cherche, at the ryght syde as men cometh doun- ward 17 gres, is a place where God was y-bore, that is now ful wel y-dyght with marble, and gold, and sylver, and asure, and y-peynted with other riche colouris. And a lytle thenne at thre paas is the cribbe of the oxe and the asse. And bysyde is the place wher the sterre fell that ladde the thre kynges: Jaspar, Melchiser, and Balthasar. But men of Grece thes thre kynges thus callen Galgalath, Galgagat, and Saragi. Thes thre kynges offeride to Our Lord ensence, goold, and myrre. And they come togedre thorw Godes grace, for they mette sommen in a cité of Inde that men callen Casak, that is foure journeys fro Bethlem, and they were in Bethlem the ferthe day after they hadde i-seye the sterre.    Also under the cloistre of the cherch, [fol. 18r] 8 gres at the ryght side, is the charnel of the Innocentis wher the bones lyggen. And byfore that place that Crist was y-bore is the tumbe of Seynt Jerom, that was a cardinall that translatid the Bible and the sautre fro Ebru into Latyn. And byside that cherch is a cherche of Seynt Nicholas wher Our Lady rested here when she was delyveryd of childe. And for she hadde so moche mylke in here pappes that hit greved here, she mylkyd hit out uppon the reed stones of marble, so that yit men may see the traces, for they beth y-sene uppon the stones.    And ye shal understonde that alle that dwellith in Bethlem beth Cristen men. And ther beth fair vines aboute the cité and greet plenté of wyn. But here bokes of Macametis lawe forbedeth hem to drynke wyn, for in that book he acurseth all tho that drynketh wyn, for synne that he slow an heremyte that he loved well in his dronknes. But his malys torned to hymself, as Holy Wryt seyth: Et in verticem ipsius iniquitas eius descendet. That is to say: "And his wyckednesse descendid into his owen heed."    Also thes Sarazens bryngeth forth noon gryces, nother they eteth of none, ne of noon swynes flessh, for hit is brother to man and hit was forbode in the Olde Lawe. Also in the lond of Palastine, nother in the lond of Egipte, they eten litle veel other beoff, but hit be so olde that hit ne may namore travayle ne worche. But noght as hit were forbode, but forto kepe hem for telyng of here londe.    Of this cité of Bedlem was David Kyng y-bore, and he hadde 60 wyves and 300 lemans. Fro Bedlem to Jerusalem is bote two myle. At the half myle fro Jerusalem is a cherche wher the angel seyde to the shephurd of the beryng of Cryst. In the way is the tumbe of Rachel, that was Joseph moder the patriarch. And she deyde also sone as she hadde bore Benjamyn, and Jacob here hosebande sette 12 greet stones uppon here in tocknyng that she hadde y-bore 12 children. In this way to Jerusalem beth many Cristen cher[fol. 19r]ches by which men goth to Jerusalem. JERUSALEM. CAPITULUM SEXTUM. [Chapter 6.]    For to speke of Jerusalem, ye shal understonde that hit stondith fayre among hilles, and ther is no ryver but water that cometh by condiht fro Ebron. And men callid hit ferst Jebus and sythe was hit called Solomee into the tyme of Kyng David, and he sette these two names in samen and callid hit Jebusalem. And then come Salomon and callid hit Jerusalem, and so hit is yit y-called.    And aboute Jerusalem is the kyngdom of Syrry, and ther ney is the lond of Pal- astine and Ascalon, but Jerusalem is in the lond Jude. And hit is y-called Jude for Judas Machabeus was kyng of that lond. And hit marcheth estward uppon the kyng- dom of Arabye, on the south syde uppon the lond of Egypte, on the west syde uppon the Gret See, on the north side uppon the kyngdom of Syrry and the see of Cipre.    In Jerusalem was somtyme a patriarch and an erchebysshop, and bisshopes aboute in the contré. Aboute Jerusalem beth thees citeis: Ebron at 7 myle, Jerico at 6 myle, Bersabe at 8 myle, Ascalon at 18 myle, Jaffe at 27 myle, Ramatha at 3 myle, Bethlem at 2 myle. And toward the south is a cherche of Mercaritot, that was abbot of Seynt Mercaritot, for wham they makyd moche sorwe when he sholde deye. And hit is y-peyntyd there how they makyd deol when he deyde.    This lond of Jerusalem hath y-be in hond of diverse nacions, as Jewes, Can- aneus, Assirienes, Perces, Medoynes, Massydoyns, Grecis, Romayns, Cristen men, Sarasyns, Barbaryns, and Turkes, and many other naciouns with hem. For Crist wole noght that hit be longe in hondes of traytouris, nother of synwers, be hit Cristen men other no. And mysbylive men haveth holde that lond in her hond 40 yer and more, but they shul noght holde hit to longe yif God wole.    When men beth at Jerusalem, they goth the ferste pilgrimage to the cherche wher is the holy grave. And that is out of the cité on the north [fol. 19v] syde, but hit is y- closed yn with toun walles. And ther is a fayr cherche round up above and wel y- helid with leed. And on the west syde is a fayr tour and strong for bellys. In the myddel of the cherche is a tabernacle, as a lytle hous, y-makyd in the manere of an half compas, wel rychely of goolde and asure and other colouris. And on the ryght syde is the sepulcre of Our Lord, and that tabernacle is 8 foot long and 5 foot wyde and 11 foot of hythe.    And hit is noght longe siththe the sepulcre was all opne, that men myghte kysse hit and touche hit. But for men that come thyder forfyde hem to breke the stone in pecys, therfore the soudan hath do makyd a wal aboute the sepulcre, that no man may touche hit but on the lyft syde. On that tabernacle is no wyndow, but therynne beth many laumpes lyght. And ther is a laumpe that hongeth afore the sepulcre brennynge, and on the Fryday he goth out by hymself and lyghtith agen by hymself at that oure that Our Lord aroos fram deth to lyff.    Also withynne that cherche on the ryght syde is the mount of Calvarie, wher Crist was don on the Cros. And the Cros was y-sette in a morteyse in the rooch, that is whyte of colour and a lytle reed y-medled therwith. And uppon that rooch droppyd that blood of Cristes woondis when He was pyned on the Cros. And in that mortais was Adamis hed y-fonde after Noeis flood in tocknyng of Adamis synnes sholde be bought in that place. And above makyd Adam sacrifise to Our Lord, and ther is an auter and byfore that auter lith Godfray the Boleyn, and Baudewyn, and other that were Cristyn kynges of Jerusalem.    And ther that Our Lord was doon on Cros is y-wryte in Gru: Otheos basilion ysmon presomas ergaste sothias oys. That is to say in Latyn thus: Hic deus rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem in medio terre. [fol. 20r] That is to say thus: "God, our kyng byfore the worlde, hath makyd hele in the myd of the erthe." Also uppon the roche wher the Cros is pyght is y-wryte withynne the roche in Gru: Gros giust rasis tou pestes toy tesmoysy. That is to say in Latyn thus: Quod vides est fundamentum tocius mundi et huius fidei. That is to say thus: "That thou seist is ground of alle the worlde and of this feith." And ye shal understonde that Our Lord when He deyde was of 32 yer old and thre monthes. And the prophecie of David seyde that He sholde have 40 yer when he seyd thus: Quadraginta annis proximus fui generacioni huic. That is to say: "40 yer was Y neyghbore to this generacioun." And thus sholde hit seme that the prophecie of David were noght trywe. But ye shal understonde that hit is trywe, for in the olde tyme men maked the yer of 10 monthes, of which Mars was first and Decembre was last. But Gayus Cesar, that was emperour of Rome, let sette thes two monthes therto, Janyver and Feverer, and ordeyned the yer of 12 monthes, that is to say 360 and 5 dayes withoute lepe yer. And therfore by a good countes of that ten monthes to yer of Cristes dayes in the 40 yer, and after oure yeres of 12 monthes, He had 32 yer and thre monthis.    Also withynne the mounte of Calvarie at the ryght syde is an auter wher the pylour lith that Crist was bounde to when He was y-skorgid. And ther at 42 gres deep was the very Cros founde by a seynt that was cleped Seynt Elene under a roche wher the Jewes hadde hydde hit. And hit was asayed, for they fonde thre crosses: oon of Our Lord and two of the two theves. For Seynt Elene asayed hem on a deed body, which that aroos anoon as the veray Cros was leyd on hym.     And ther neygh is the place in a wal wher the thre nayles of Our Lord were y- hydde, and He hadde two nayles in His hondes and oon in His feet. And of oon of these nayles the emperour of Constantynople [fol. 20v] let make a brydel to his hors when he rood into batayl, for by vertu therof he overcome his enymyes and wan all the londes of Asy, Turky, Damacyn the More and the Lesse, Sirrye, Jerusalem, Arabie, Perce, Mesopotayne, the kyngdom of Alappe, Egipte the Hyghe and the Lowe, and other kyngdomes many into Ethiope and into Ynde the Lasse, that tho was Cristen. But they ben now in hondes of paynems and Sarasyns. But when God wole, ryght as these londes ben lost by synne of Cristen men, they shal be wonnen agen thorgh help of Almyghty God.    And in the myddel of this cherche is a compas in which Joseph of Barmathia leyd the body of Our Lord when he hadde Hym take doun of the Cros. And that compas, men seyn, hit is in the myddel of the world. And in the cherche of the Sepulcre in the north syde is the place wher Our Lord was don into prison, for He was in prison in many places. And ther is som of the cheyne with the which He was y-bounde. And ther He aperyd first to Marie Maudeleyn after His Uprysynge. In that Cherche of the Sepulcre were y-woned to be chanouns of the ordre of Seynt Benet, and they hadde a priour, but the patriarke was her soverayn.    And withoute the cherche dores at the ryght syde, as men gon up 18 gres, seyd Crist to His moder: Mulier ecce filius tuus. That is to say: "Woman, byhold thy sone." Deinde dicit discipulo, ecce mater tua. That is to say: "Then seyde He to His disciple, byhold thy moder." And these wordes He seyde uppon the Cros.    And under these gres, prestes syngen her Masses, but noght as we don. And they maketh alwey the sacrament on the auter of bred, as we don, seynge the Pater Noster and other thyng also as they sey the wordes of sacrament. But they have noght the addiciouns of the orisons in privité of the Masse. And that is for they know noght the addiciouns that we have.    And ye shal understonde that byfore [fol. 21r] this cherche is the cité feblist, for the gret playn that is bytwyne the cité and the cherche uppon the est syde. Withoute the walles of the cité is the Vale of Josaphat that comth to the walles. In that vale without that cité is a cherche of Seynt Stevene, wher he was stened to the deth. And therby is the Gilden Gate that may noght be opned. Thorgh that gate Crist entred on Palme Sonday on an asse, and that gat opned ageyn Hym. And yyt ben the stappes y-sene in foure places, which were ful of harde stones.    Byfore the Cherche of the Sepulcre 200 pace is a gret hospital of Seynt John, of which Hospitalers hath her foundacioun. And for to go estward fro this hospital is a fair cherch which men callen Nostre Dame le Graunt. And also ther is a cherche that is called Nostre Dame de Vatyns. And ther Marie Cleophe and Marie Magdalene to-drow her her when Crist dayde.    And toward the est at the 8 score pace fro the cherche of the Sepulcre is Templum Domini, that is a faire hous. And hit is all rounde and ryght hye, and hit is heelyd with bord and y-paved with whit marbel. But Sarizens wole suffre no Cristen man ne Jew come therynne, for they say that so foul men ne sholde come therynne in so holy place. But Y was therynne and in other places wher Y wolde, for Y hadde letters of the soudan with his greet seel, and comonly other men haveth but a synet. And whoso haveth his letter with his greet seel, he hit shal bere afore hym uppon a greet sper hangynge. And men do gret worship therto and knelyn doun agen hit, as we don agen Godis body. For to wham that hit is y-send to, ferst he shal encline therto, and thenne take hit on her heed, and thenne they kysse hit and redith hit enclynyng with greet worschip, and then they profre hem to do al the wyll of the brynger. And in this Templum Domini were y-woned to be canones religious, and they hadde an abbot to wham they were obedyent. And in this temple was Charlemayn when [fol. 21v] the angell brought hym prepuys of Crist when he was circumcised, and sithe Kyng Charles let bryng hit to Parys.    And ye shal understande that this is noght the Temple that Salomon makyde, for that Temple lestid but a 1200 and 2 yer, for Titus, and Vaspasianus son, that was emperour of Rome, that byseged Jerusalem to destroye Jewes, for they slow Crist withoute leve of the emperour. When he had take that cité, he leyt brenne the Temple and cast hit adoun, and took alle the Jewes and slew of hem 1,100,000. And other he put in prison and solde of hem 30 for oo peny, for they seyde they bought Crist for 30 pens.    And sithe Julius Apostata gaf leve to the Jewes to make the Temple of Jeru- salem, for they hatid Cristen men, and yit they were Christen hemself, but they hadde forsake her feith. And whenne the Jewes had makyd the Temple, tho come an erthquake, as God wolde, and cast hit adoun.    And sith Adrian the emperour makyd Jerusalem agen and the Temple in the same maner that Salomon makyd hit. And he wolde that no Jewe sholde dwelle ther but Cristen men, for he thoughte, thow they ne were Cristen men, they loved more Cristen men than eny other men, save men of his owen feith. And this Adrian let close and walle the cherche of the Holy Sepulcre withynne the cité — that byfore was withoute — and wolde have y-chaunged the name of Jerusalem and calle hit Animote holy: that name last noght longe.    Also the Sarizyns doth gret worship to that Temple, for they seyn that place is ryght holy. And when they gon thiderynne, they goon barefoot and knelith adoun many tymes. And when my felawes and Y come thiderin, we dide of oure shone and come barefoot, in tocknynge that we sholde do also moche worship, other more, as they that were in mysbyleve.    And this Temple is of hithe 120 and 5 cubites and of wydnesse 64 cubites and also moch of leynthe, and hit is withynne al aboute ful of pilouris of marbel. And in the myddel of [fol. 22r] this Temple is a stage of 24 grecis of heithe and good pylouris aboute hit. This place is y-called Sancta Sanctorum, that is to say: "Holy of Halwes." And in that place cometh noon other but the prelate which that maketh her sac rifise, and the peple stondeth all aboute in stages as they ben of degré.    And ther beth 4 ontrees to the Temple, and the dores ben of cipresse wel y- dight. And withynne the north dore is a poule of water, of which Holy Wryt spekith and seith thus: Vidi aquam egredientem de templo. That is to say: "I saw water comyng out of the Temple." And on that other syde is the huge roch that somtyme was called Morarche, but afterward hit was y-called Beleth, other Arke of God, with relikes of Jewes. This Arke let Titus lede with the same relikes to Rome when he hadde destruyed the Jewes.    In that Arke were the 10 Commaundemens and som of Aarons yerd and of Moyses yerd, with the which he departyd the Rede See when the peple of Israel passide thorghout foot-dry. And with that yerd he smot the roch, and water com out of hym, and with that yerd he dide many wondres. And ther was a vessel of goold ful of manna, and clothyng, and ornamentes, and the tabernacle of Aaron, and other many relikes. And ther was a table, squar, of goold with 12 precious stones, and a beest of jasper grene with foure figuris, and 8 names of Our Lord withynne, and 7 candelstyckes of goold, and 12 pottes of goold, and 4 ensensures of goold, and an auter of goold, and 4 lyons of goold uppon which they hadde a cherubyn of goold 12 spanne long, and a tabernacle of goold, and 12 trumpes of sylver, and a table of sylver, and 8 holy loves, and other relikes that were byfore.    And uppon that roch that Moyses smote, ther sleep Jacob when he saw angelis go up and doun by a scale, and seyde thus: Vere locus iste sanctus est et ego nesciebam. That is to say: "Forsothe this place is holy, and Y wist hit noght." [fol. 22v] And Jacob heilde stylle ther an angel and chaunged his name and called hym Israel. And in that place saw David the angel that smot the peple with a swerd and put hit al blody on the shethe.    And in the roche He sette Hym when the Jewes wolde have y-stened Hym. And that roch cleff in two, and in that clyft He hydde Hym, and an angel come and gaf Hym lyght. And ther forgaf Our Lord the womman that was y-take in adulteri. And ther the angel denounced the nativité of Seynt John the Baptist. And ther preyde David to Our Lord and to the angel that He wolde have mercy on hym and of his peple. And Our Lord herde hym and his prayer. And therfore he wolde have makyd a temple in that place, but Our Lord forbed hym by a angel, for he hadde y-do treson when he dyde sle Urye, a good knyght, forto have his wiff. And therfore though he hadde ordeyned to make that temple, he lete Salomon his sone to make hit. And he prayed Our Lord that alle thilke that prayed in that place devoutly and with good herte, that He wolde here hyre prayere. And Our Lord graunted hym, and therfor hit was y-called Templum of Counsel and helpe of God. In that temple was Zacary i-slayn. And toward the south is the temple of Salamon, that is a greet place and a fair place. And in this place dwellen knyghtes that ben callid Templers, and that was the foundacion of hem, and her order is withoute the cloystre of the temple.    Toward the north syde is a fayr cherche of Seynt Anne, Our Lady moder. Ther was Our Lady conceyved, and byfore the cherche is a greet tre that bygan to growe that same nyght. And ther neygh lay somtyme Seynt Anne, but Seynt Elene leet translate her to Constantynople. In that cherche is a walle in the maner of a cis- terne that is y-called probatica piscina, that hadde 5 entrees. And in that [fol. 23r] was woned an angel to descende and stere the water. And what man that ferst bathid hym therynne, after that steryng of that water, was y-makyd hool of alle sicknesse that he hadde. And ther was a man in the palasye y-helyd, which was syke 38 yer. And Crist seide thus: Tolle grabatum tuum et ambula. That is to say: "Take thy bed and go."    And a lytel thenne was the hous of Kyng Herodes that let sle the Innocentes. This Herodes was ful wyckyd man and fel, for he leet ferst sle his owen wyff, that he loved wel. And for greet love that he hadde to here, when she was deed he by- held here and waxe out of his wytte, and so was he long. And sithen he come ageyn to hymself, and thenne let he sle his cheldren that he gat by that wyff. And then he let sle that other wyff and a sone that he gat on her.    And when he saw that he sholde deye, he sente for his soster and alle the gret lordes of the contré, and let put all the gret lordes in a tour, and seyde to his soster he wyste well that men of that contré wold make no sorwe for hym when he wer deed. And therfore he leet her swer that she sholde let smyte of the hedes of all the lordes when he were deed, and then sholde al the contré make sorwe for his deth and elles noght. And thus makyd he his testament. But his sostre wolde noght ful- fille hit, for as sone as he was deed, she delyveryd alle the lordes, and bade hem go home to her owen places, and tolde hem what her brother wolde that she hadde y-do with hem.    And ye shal understonde that ther were thre Herodes of greet name. This of wham Y spak now was y-called Ascolonyte. And he that lete smyte of the hede of Seynt John the Baptist was Herodes Antipa. And Herodes Agrippa lete sle Seynt Jame.    Forthermore in the cité is the Cherche of the Saveour and ther is an arme of Seynt John Crisostome. And ther is the most partye of Seynt Steveneis heed. And in the other syde toward the south, a man may go to the Mount of Syon;[fol. 23v] ther is a fayr cherche of Seynt Jame, wher his hed was smyte of. Now go we to the Mount Syon, and ther is a fayr cherch of God and of Oure Lady, wher she deyde. And fro that place, she was y-bore with the aposteles to the Vale Josaphat. And ther is the stone that the angel bare to Our Lady fro the Mount Synay, and hit is of that colour of that roch of Seynt Katerin.    Also at the entré of the Mount Syon is a chapel, and at that chapel is that greet ston, and hit is large, which that covereth the sepulcre when Crist was leyd ther- ynne. And ther is a litle pece of the pilour to which Our Lord was bounde when He was scorged. And ther was a hous that was that tyme the bysshopes of the Lawe. And in that same place Peter forsoke Our Lord 3. And ther is a partye of the table on which God makyd His Maundy. And ther apeyred Crist ferst to His disciples after His Uprysyng, when the gates were shytte, and seyde: Pax vobis. That is to sey: "Pees to yow." And on that mount apered Crist to Seynt Thomas and bad hym asay His woundes, and thenne leved he ferst, and seyde thus: Dominus meus et deus meus. That is to say: "My Lord, my God."    In that same place, byhynde the hyghe auter, were alle the apostoles on Wit Soneday, when the Holy Gost descended on hem in licknes of fire. And ther makyd God Pasche with His disciples. And ther slept John the Evaungelist uppon Our Lordes kne and sey slepyng many prevy thynges of hevene.    This Mount Syon is withynne the cité. And the cité is strengre on that syde than in eny other, for at the foot of Mount Syon is a fair castel and strong. On the Mount Syon was Kyng David and Salomon y-beryed and many other also. And a stones cast fro that castel is another chapel wher Our Lord was jugged, for that tyme was Cayphas hous.    Under Mount Syon toward the Vale of Josaphat is a well that men callen Nata- tori Silo. Ther was Our Lord y-wassh when He was [fol. 24r] y-baptised. And ther neygh is the tre of which Judas honge hymself. And ther nye is the synagoge wher Judas caste the 30 pens byfore the Jewes and Fariseis and seyde thus: Peccavi tradens sanguinem justum. That is to say: "I have synwed, disseyved ryghtfull blood."    And on that other syde of Mount Syon, toward the south a stones cast, is that feeld that was bought with tho 30 pens, which is y-called Acheldemak, that is to say the "Feeld of Blood." In that feeld beth many tumbes of Cristen men, for ther beth many pilgrymes biried. And also toward the west syde of Jerusalem is a fair cherche wher the tre grew of which the Cros was maked. And ther neygh is a cherch wher Our Lady mette with Elizabeth when they were bothe with chylde, and Seynt John stired in his moder wombe and dide worship to Our Lord, his makere. And ther was Seynt John y-bore. And ther neygh is the castel of Emaux.    And two myle fro Jerusalem is Mount Joye, and that is a fayre place and a lykyng. And ther lyth Samuel the prophete in a fayr tumbe. And hit is called Mount Joye, for that may pylgrimes ferst y-se that cometh to Jerusalem. And in the myddel of the Vale of Josaphat is a lytel ryver that is y-called Torrens Cedron. And overtwert that ryver lay that tree, of which that Cros was maked, that men yede over. Also in that vale is a cherch of Our Lady, and ther is the tumbe of Our Lady. And Our Lady was of elde when she deyde 72 yer.     And ney that is a place wher Judas kyssed Our Lord when He was y-take, that men callen Gessamain. And Crist byleved ther His disciples byfore His Passion, when he yede to praye and seyde thus: Pater si fieri potest transeat a me calix iste. That is to say: "Fader, if hit may be, do let this Passion go fro me." And ther is the tumbe of Kyng Josaphat, of wham the vale had his name. And at that oon syde of the vale is Mount Olyvete, and hit is called so for ther greweth many olyve treis. And hit is heyer than Jerusalem, and fro that hille men may se into the stretis of Jerusalem. [fol. 24v] And bytwyne that hille and Jerusalem is noght but the Vale of Josaphat, and hit is noght ful large. And on that hille stood Crist when He went to Hevene, and yit semeth ther the stappes of His lyft foot in the stoon.    And ther is an abbey of blake canons that were somtyme dwellyng ther, but ther is now a cherche. And a lytel then is a chapel, in which chapel is a stoon on which Our Lord satte when He prechid to the peple and sayd thus: Beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum. That is to say: "Blessed be tho that beth poore in spirit, for her is the kyngdome of Hevene." And ther He taughte His disciples her Pater Noster. And a litel then is Besfage, fro whom Crist sent Petre to fecche an asse on Palme Sonday. And toward the est is a chapel that men callen Betonye; ther dwelled Symon lepre, that herborwed Our Lord and tho that were with Hym of His disciples. And he was y-called Julian, and he was makyd bysshop. And that is he that men callen uppon for herborgh.    In that place God forgaff the synnes of Mari Maudeleyn, and ther she wasshid His feet with her teres of her eyen, and wiped hem with her here. And ther was Lazar arered, that was dede four daies. And ther is the place wher Our Lady apered to Seynt Thomas after her Assumpcioun, and she gaf to hym her gerdel. And ther ney is the stoon uppon which Our Lord sat and prechid many tymes; and theruppon shal He sitte on the Day of Dome, as Hymself sayde. And ther ney is the Mount of Galilé wher the aposteles were y-gadered when Mary Maudeleyn tolde hem of Cristis Rysyng. And bytwyne Mount Olivete and Mount Galilé is a chirche wher the angel tolde Our Lady of her deth.    Also fro Betonye to Jerico is 5 mile. Jerico was somtyme a litel cité, but hit was destruyed and now is ther but a litel toun. That toun toke Josue by miracle of God and byddyng of the angel, and destruyed hit and cursyd alle tho that held hit agen. Of that cité was Raab, the comune womman, that receyved the messagers of Israel and kepte hem fro peryles. And therfore she hadde a good reward of God, for Holy [fol 25r] Writte seith thus: Qui accipit prophetam in nomine prophete, mercedem prophete accipiet. That is to sayn: "He that taketh the prophete in the name of the prophete, he shal take mede of a prophete."    Also fro Betanye men goon to Flom Jordan thorgh wyldernesse, and hit is ney a daies journey estward into a greet hille, wher Our Lord fasted 40 dayes. And the devel of Helle temptid Crist and sayde thus: Dic ut lapides isti panes fiat. That is to say: "Say that thes stones ben maked bred." And ther is an hermytage in the which dwelleth a maner of freres that men callen Georgens, for Seynt George funded hem. And uppon that hille dwelled Abraham a greet while. Also as men goon to Jerico, in the way seet syke men cryynge thus: Jhesu, fili David, miserere mei. That is to seyn: "Jhesu, David sone, have mercy on me." And two myle fro Jerico is Flom Jordan.    And ye shal understande that the Dede See departeth the lond of Jude and of Arabye, and that see lasteth fro Sara into Arabie. And that water of that see is ful better, and this water casteth out a thyng that is y-called aspaltoun, as greet pecis as an hors. And Jerusalem is 200 forlang fro this see, and hit is y-called the Dede See, for hit renneth noght; ne noon maner beist may leve therynne, and that hath ben assayed many tymes. And no man may drynke of that water, and if eny men casteth ire therynne, hit cometh up agen; and if eny men casteth fetheris therynne, hit sinketh adoun to gronde, and that is agen kynde.    And for synne agen kynde was the cité loste that stode ther. And ther now grow eth trees and berith fruyt of fair colour and semeth rype, but thorgh venjaunce of God that cité was brent with fire of Helle. And som men callen that water the Lake of Allfetida, and som men callen hit the Flom of Devel, and som men callen hit the Flom Stynkyng. Ther sonke the 5 citeis all doun, Sodom, Gomor, Aldema, Solome, and Segor, for the synnes of sodomyte that regned on hem. But Segor, thorgh prayers of Loth, was y-saved a greet while, for hit stood uppon a hyll. And men may se moche ther above the water, and men may se the [fol. 25v] walles in cler wether.    And ther dwelled Loth a greet while, and his doughtres makid hym dronke, and he delede with hem, for they trowed that God wolde have destruyed all the worlde, as He dede at Noeis flood. And therfore they lay by her fader, for men shold be y-bore of hem into the worlde. And if he hadde y-be noght dronke, he hadde noght deled with hem. And at the ryght syde of the se dwellith Lothis wiff in a greet stoon of salt, for that she lokyd ageyn when the cité sanke doun.    And ye shal understande that Abraham had a sone that heit Ysaac, and he was circumsysed when he was 8 dayes olde. And therfore Jewes lat circumsise her cheldren at the elde of 8 dayes. And he hadde another sone that men called Ismael, and he was of 14 yer old when he was circumsised, for they were bothe circumsysed uppon oon day. And therfore the Sarasynis let circumsyse her cheldren at 14 yer.    Also into the Dede See renneth Flom Jordan, and ther hit eyndith. And this Flom Jordan is noght a ful gret river, but ther is moch good fyssh therynne. And hit cometh fro the Mount Libanye fro 2 welles that men callen Jor and Dan, of which the flom taketh his name. And in that oon syde of the rever is the Mount of Gelboe, and ther is a fair playn. And on that other side men gon to the Mount Liban, and the hyll departeth the kyngdomes of Surrye and the contré of Phenes. On that hylle groweth seedes and that berith long apples, as gret as a manis hede.    This Flom Jordan departeth Galilé, and the lond Idonye and the lond of Barron, and hit renneth into a playn that men calleth Meldane and Sermoys. And on that playn is the Temple Job. On this Flom Jordan Our Lord was baptised, and ther was the voys of the Fader y-herde seynge thus: Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo michi bene complacui ipsium audite. That is to say: "Her is My Sone that Y love, in wham Y am wel payd; herith [fol. 26r] Hym." And the Holy Gost descended uppon Hym in licknesse of a culver, and so was at His baptising the Holy Trinité.    And thorgh the Flom Jordan passid the chyldren of Israel al drye, and they sette stones in the myddel of the water in tocknynge of a myracle. Also in that Flom Jordan was Naaman of Surry i-bathed, that was a mesel, and y-helyd was ther. And a lytel then is the cité of Hay, whoch Josue assayled and toke hit also. In the entré of that flom is the Vale Mambre, a fair contré and a plentouous.    And ye shal understonde, for to go fro the Dede See estward out of the marche of the Londe of Promission is a strong castel, that men callen Garras other Ser- moyns, that is to say Ryal Mount in Frenshe. This castel leet a kyng of Fraunce make, that men callid Baudewyn, that hadde conquered all that londe and hadde y-put hit in hondes of Cristen men to kepe. And under that castel is a fayr toun that is y-called Sabaoth. Ther aboute dwelleth many Cristen men under tribute. And then men goth to Nazareth, of which Our Lord had His name. [ENVIRONS OF JERUSALEM.] CAPITULUM SEPTIMUM. [Chapter 7.]    Fro Jerusalem to Nazareth is thre journeys, for men goth thorgh the province of Galilé, thorgh Ramatha and Sophym and by the heyghe hille of Effraym, wher Anna, Samuelis moder, dwelled, and ther Samuel the prophete y-bore.    And then men goth to Sybole, wher the Ark of God was y-kepte under Elye the prophete. Ther makyd the peple of Ebron her sacrifise to Our Lord, and ther spake Our Lord to Samuel. And ther ney by is Gabon and Rama and Benjamyn, of which Holy Writ spekith.    And then men cometh to Sychem, and some men callen hit Sykar. This is in the province of Samaritane, and ther was somtyme a cherche, but hit is cast adoun. And hit is a fair valey and a plenteuous, and ther is a good cité that men callen Neaple. And fro then is a journey to Jerusalem, and therby is the Temple Joseph, Jacobis sone, that was sold into Egipt, for out of Egipt were his bones y-brought in leed. And thider cometh Jewes ofte in pilgrimage [fol. 26v] with gret devocion. And therby is the cité of Carisoun, wher the Samaritanis maked her sacrifise. And ther nye is the Vale of Dotaym, and ther is the cisterne in which Joseph was y-caste. And hit is 2 myle fro Sykar.    Fro then men goth to Samay, that is y-called Sabaste, which is the chyef cité of that contré. And of that cité were 12 kyndes of Israel. And ther was Seynt John the Baptist graved bytwixte two prophetis, Eliseus and Abdom, but he was byhedid in the castel of Makaryn byside the Dede See. And he was translated with his disciples and y-grave at Samay, but ther Julius Apostata leet take his bones and bren hem, for he was that tyme emperour. But that fynger, the which he shewed Our Lord, seyng thus: Ecce agnus dei; that is to say: "Byhold the Lombe of God"; that myght noght be brend, and Seynt Tecle the virgyne let bere hit into the mount, and ther was y-do therto greet worship.    And ther was the hed of Seynt John the Baptiste y-closed in a wall, but Theodosy the emperour let take hit out and fond hit y-wrapped in a cloth al blody, and so he let hit bere to Constantynople. And so hit is yit, the halfendell of the hede, and that other halfendell is at Rome, in the cherche of Seynt Silvestre. And that vestel in which this hede was leed when hit was smyte of, that is at Gene, and men of Gene doth gret worship therto. And somme seyn that Seynt Johnis hede is at Amyas in Pycardy. And that hit sholde be Seynt Johnis hede the Baptiste, Y wot noght, but God wot.    Fro Sabaste to Jerusalem is 12 myle. And bytwyne the hilles of the contré is a well that men callen Fons Jacob, that is to say "Jacobis Well," which changeth four tymes a yer his colour: somtyme hit is reed, somtyme cleir, somtyme thicke. That men that beth dwellyng therby beth i-called Samaritanis, and they were acounted to the aposteles. And her lawe varieth fro Cristen lawe and Sarasyns, fro Jewes and fro paynemus. And they byleveth wel on God, that all thyng shal deme, and they leve the Byble after the letter. And they wrappeth [fol. 27r] her hedes in reed lynnen cloth for difference of other, for Sarasyns wrappen her hedes in whit lynnen cloth, and Cristen men that dwelleth ther in blew cloth other blak cloth, and Jewes in yelw cloth. In this contré dwelleth many Jewes paynge tribute, as Cristen men doth.    And if ye wole y-wyte the letteris of Jewes, they beth soche. And thes beth the names of her letters, as they callen hem: alphaA, bethB, gimelC, heD, vauE, yauF, exG, iothH, karrykK, lempL, meuM, mM, enN, samethO, elyP, pheO, ladR, sothS, firT, sounU, tauX, loccirsY. Now shal ye have the figures. . . .    And fro this contré that Y spak of, men goth to the playn of Galilé and leveth the hille in that on syde. Galilé is of the province and of the Land of Promission. And in that province is the lond of Nayme and Capharnaum and Corysaym and Bethsayda. And in Bethsayda was Seynt Peter and Seynt Andrew y-bore. And of Corisaym shal Antecrist come and ther y-bore, as som men sayn. And som men sayn he shal be bore in Babiloyn. And therfor seith the prophecie thus: De Babilonia columba exiet que totum mundum devorabit. That is to say: "Of Babyloyn shal a colver come out that shal devoure al the worlde." And this Antecrist shal be norshed in Bethsaida, and he shal regne in Corysaym. And therfore Holy Wryt seith thus: Ve tibi Corisan. Ve tibi Bethsayda. Ve tibi Capharum. That is to say: "Wo be to thee Corysaym! Wo be to thee Bethsayda!" And the Cane of Galilé also is 4 myle fro Nazareth. And of that cité was the womman Cananee of wham the gospel spekith. And ther Our Lord shewed His ferst miracle at the feste of Architriclyne, when He turned water into wyne at Galilé.    And fro thenne men goth to Nazareth, that was somtyme a gret cité but now hit is a lytel toun, and hit is noght walled. And ther was Our Lady bore, but she was y- gete at Jerusalem. At Nazareth, Joseph toke Our Lady to wyve when she was of 14 yer olde. And ther the angel salved her, when he seyde thus: Ave Maria, gratia plena dominus tecum. That is to say: "Hayl be thow, [fol. 27v] Mary, ful of grace; God is with thee." And ther was somtyme a greet cherch, and now is ther but a litel closet to receyve the offryng of pilgrimes. And ther is Gabrielis well, wher Our Lord was woned to be bathed when He was litel. At Nazareth was Our Lord norshed. For Nazareth is to say "flour of gardeyn," and hit may wel be called so, for ther was noryshid the flour of lyff that was Jhesu Crist.    And half a myle fro Nazareth is the blood of Our Lord, for the Jewes lad Hym uppon an highe roch to cast Hym doun to sle Hym. But Jhesu Crist passed fro hem and vanshide away, and uppon that roch beth His stappes yit y-sene. And som men sayn, when they beth agast of theves other of enemyes, on this maner: Jhesu autem transiens per medium illorum ibat. Irruat super eos formido, et cetera. Fiant immobiles, et cetera.    And ye shal understonde that Our Lady had chelde when she was 15 yer olde, and she dwelled with Hym 32 yer and 3 monthes, and after His Passion she leved 24 yer.    And fro Nazareth to Mount Tabor is 3 myle, and ther Our Lord transfigured Hym byfore Seynt Petre, Seynt John, and Seynt Jame. And ther sey they Crist in His Godhede and Moyses and Hely the prophete. And tho seyde Seynt Petre in this wyse: Bonum est hic esse. Faciamus tria tabernacula. And hit is to say: "Hit is good to be her, make we 3 tabernacles." And Crist bade hem sey hit to no man, unto the tyme that He were arise fro deth to lyve. And uppon the same hylle shal foure angels blowe trompes and arere alle men and wymmen that haveth y-be, and beth, and shal be, fro deth to lyve, and they shal come in body and soule to the Dome. But the Dome shal be gyve in the Vale of Josaphat uppon Pasch day, in such tyme as Our Lord roos fram deth to lyve.     Also a myle fro Tabor is the Mount Ermon, and ther was the cité of Naym. Byfore the gates of the cité, Our Lord arered the wyduwe sone, which had no mo cheldren. And fro thenne men goth to [fol. 28r] the cité of Tybourne, that is uppon the See of Galilé. And thow hit be called a see, yit hit is no see, nother noon arme of the see, for hit is a broke of fressh water. And hit is of leyngthe ney an 100 forlonge and 40 of brede, and therynne is moch good fissh. And uppon that same see, Our Lord yede drie foot. Ther He seyde to Peter, when He yede on the water and was neygh sonke: Modice fidei quare dubutasti. That is to say: "Thou of litel feith, whi hast thou doute?"    In this cité of Tibourne is that table that Crist eete upon with His disciples after His Resurexion. Of which risyng Holy Writ seyth thus: Et cognoverunt eum in frac tione panis. That is to say: "And ther they knew Hym in brekyng of breed."    And ye shal understande that Flom Jordan bygynneth under the hille of Lyban, and ther bygynneth the Lond of Promission, and hit lasteth to Bersabee in leyngthe to the south and north. And in brede, hit is neye 180 myle.    And amonge the Sarasens in many places dwelleth many Cristen men under tribute. And they beth of diverse maners, and ther beth diverse maneris of monkes, and they beth all Cristned and haveth divers lawes, but they all byleveth on God the Fader, Sone, and Holy Goost. And yit they diverseth in her articles of our feith. And they ben called Jacobynes, for Seynt Jame converted hem. And Seynt John Baptist baptised hem. And they seyn that men sholde shryve hem to God and noght to man. For they seyn that God bad noght a man shryve hem to another. For David seith thus: Confiteor tibi domine in toto corde meo. That is to say: "Lord, y-shryve me to Thee in al my herte." And in another place, David seith thus: Delictum meum cognitum tibi feci. That is to say: "My trespas Y have maked knowen to Thee." And in another place, David seith: Deus meus es tu et confitebor tibi. That is to say: "Thou art my God and Y shal shryve me to Thee." And in another place, David seith: Quoniam cogitacio hominis confitebitur tibi. That is to say: "Forwhy a mannes thoght shal [fol. 28v] be shreve to Thee."    And they conne wel the Byble and the Sauter book, but they alegge hit noght in Latyn but in her owen langage. Therfor Seynt Austyn and Seynt Gregore seyth thus: Qui scelera sua cogitat et conversus fuerit, veniam sibi credat. That is to say: "Who that knoweth his synne and is y-turnd, he may hope to heve forgefnesse." And Seynt Gregore seith thus: Dominus pocius mentem quam verba considerat. That is to say: "Our Lord taketh more kepe to thoght than to word." And Hillary seith thus: Longorum temporum crimina in ictu oculi perient si corde fuerit nata contempcio. That is to say: "Synnes that ben of long tyme shal pershe in twynclyng of an eye, if the despisyng of hem be y-bore of a mannes herte."    And thus they sey that men sholde shryve hem to God by His owen auctorité alonliche. And this was the shrift in the ferste tyme, but Seint Peter and the aposteles and popes which come sithe haveth ordeyned that men shul ben shryve to prestes, men as hy beth. And for this skyle: for they sey that to a man that hath a sicknesse, men may geve no good medicyne but they knowe the kynde of the sicknes, and so they sey that men may geve no convenable penaunce but they know the synne.    And ther beth other men that beth called Georgenes, which Seynt George con- verted, and they doth more worship to seyntes of Hevene than other men doth. And they alle haven her crones y-shave, and the clerkes haveth roonde crones and lewed men square crones. And they hold the lawe of Grekis. And other men beth ther that beth called Cristen of girdyng, for they were gerdeles under. And ther beth many that beth called Nideus, and everich of ham hath som article of our feith, but everich varieth fram other. And of her variaunce hit were moche to telle, for ther beth many wonderfull kyndes among hem. A WAY FRO GALILÉ TO JERUSALEM THORGH DAMAS. CAPITULUM OCTAVUM. [Chapter 8.] [fol. 29r]     Now sithe Y have told of many maners of men that dwelleth in diverse contreis, now Y shal telle, who so wole turne fro the lond of Galilé, that Y spake of eer, he shal go another way thorgh Damas, that is a fair cité and full of good, and ther is plenté of marchaundise. And hit is 3 journeis fro the see and 5 journeis fro Jeru- salem. But they carieth her marchaundise uppon camels, mules, hors, and drom- edaries, and other maner of beistis. This cité founded Ebreus Damask, that was Abrahamis servant byfore that Josias was y-bore; and he hoped to be Abrahamis eyr, and therfor he called that cité after his name Damas. In that place Caym slow his brother Abel.    And byside Damas is the Mount Syrie. In that cité beth many fucissions to save mennes bodies. And Seynt Poul was a fisician to hele hem bifore that he was converted, and sithe he was ficissian of mannes soules. And Seynt Luke was his disciple to lerne fusike, and many other men.    And fro Damas men cometh by a place that men calleth Nostre Dame de Sarmany, the which is cleped Gardmarch, that is 5 myle fro Damas. And hit is uppon a roch, and ther is a fair cherch, and ther dwelleth monkes and nonnes, the which beth Cristen. In that cherche byhynde the highe auter in the wall is a table of tre. In the which wall is an ymage of Our Lady was y-peynted, that many tymes turneth into flessh. But that ymage is now y-sey but a lytel, but evermore, thorgh the grace of God, that ymage droppeth oyle, as hit were oyle of olyve. And ther is a vestel of marbel that receyveth that oyle, and they hit geveth to pilgrimes, for hit helith hem of many sicknesses. And if hit be y-kept clene all the yer, at the yeres eynde, hit turneth into flessh and blood.    Bytwyne the cité of Sark and the cité of Raphane is a rever that is y-called Zabatoriye, for on the Saturday hit renneth faste and al the wyke els hit stondeth stille and renneth noght, other els lyte. And ther is another ryver that on the nyght hit fresith [fol. 29v] fast, and on the day no forst is sene.    And so men goth by a cité that is y-called Beruch, and ther men entreth into the see that shal go to Cipre. And they areveth at port de Sure of Tyri and then to Cipre. Other men goth fro the port to Tyri right and cometh noght to Cipre, and then he shal aryve at som haven in Grece, and so come to this contré by wayes of which Y have tolde byfore. THE SHORTEST WAY TO JERUSALEM. CAPITULUM NONUM. [Chapter 9.]    Now Y have told the way lengest and ferrist by which men may go to Baby- loyne, Mount Synay, and many other, and to the Lond of Promission. Now Y wole telle the ryght way and shortest to Jerusalem. For som men wole noght passe hit for the defaute of costages, and som men for the defaute of companye, and many other causes. And therfore Y shal telle shortly how a man may go with litel costage and short tyme.    A man that cometh fro the west, as Ingelond, he that goth thorgh France, Bur- goyne, Lumbardy, and so to Venyse other to Gene, other to som other haven of that marches, and entreth into a shyppe and goth by see to the ile of Griff, and so ryveth in Grece, other at Port Murrok, other Valone, other Duras, other at som other haven, and goth to londe and resteth hym. And then goth agen to see and ryveth in Cipre, and come noght into the ile of Rodes, and aryveth at Famagost, that is the chif haven of Cipre, other ellis at Lamaton. And then entre into the shippe ageyn and passeth bysyde the haven of Tyre and come noght to londe. And so he passeth by alle the havenes of the costes tylle he come to Jafphe, that is the ney haven to Jerusalem, for hit is 27 myle bytwyne.    And so fro Japhe men goth to the cité of Rames, and that is but a lytel thenne, and hit is a fair cité. And bysyde that cité is a cherch of Our Lady, wher Our Lord shewed Hym to her in thre licknes, the which bytockneth the Trinité. And ther neye is a cherch of George, wher his hed was y-smyte of. And then men goth to the castel of Chynay and then to the Mount Joye. And fro [fol. 30r] thenne, pylgrimes may ferst se to Jerusalem, and then to the Mount Madyn and then forth the way to Jerusalem. ANOTHER WAY TO JERUSALEM. CAPITULUM DECIMUM. [Chapter 10.]    For as moche as meny men mowe noght suffre the savour of the see but is lever to go by londe, thow hit be more peyne, a man shal go to oon of thes havenes of Lombardy, as Venyse other another. And he passe to Grece, other to Port Marrok other another, and he shal go to Constantynople. And then he shal passe the water that is called the Bras of Seynt Jorge, and that is an arme of the see. And fro thenne he shal go forth to Pylverall, and so to the castel of Synople, and so to Capados, which is a greet contré, and ther beth many gret hilles. And he shal go thorgh Torkye and to the cité of Nyke, the which they wonne fro the emperour of Constan tynople. And hit is a fair cité and wel y-walled. And ther is a ryver that men callen the Lay. And ther men goth by the alpes of Morraunt, and by the valeys of Molbryn or, and by valeys of Ernax and so to Aunteoch the Betre, that sitteth on the ryght honde. Ther aboute beth many goode hilles and many fair wodes and wilde beestes.     And he that wole go another way, he shal go by the playnes of Romayn, costande by the Romayn See. On that coost is a fayr castel, that men called Florach. And when a man is out of these hilles, he passeth thorgh Marrock and Artoys, wher is a greet brygge over the rever of Ferne, that men callen Fasser.    And bysyde the cité of Damas is a ryver that men callen Albane. At the passage of this ryver, Seynt Eustace lost his two sones when he hadde lost his wyff. And hit goth thorgh the playn of Archades and so to the Reed See. And som men goth to the cité of Phenne, and so to the cité of Ferne. And thenne to Aunteoch, and hit is a fair cité and well y-walled. For hit is two myle longe at eche pylour. And ther is a brygge, and at ech [fol. 30v] pyler of the brygge is a fair tour. This cité is the beste that is in the kyngdome of Surri.    Fro Aunteoch men shal go to the cité of Lacuth, and so to the cité of Gelboe, and so to Turtouse. And therby is the londe of Chaumbre, and ther is a strong castel that is y-called Maubek. And fro Turtouse men goth to Triple on the see, and so to Vacres. And ther beth two weyes to Jerusalem. On the lyft syde men goth thus to Damas by Flom Jordan. And on the ryght syde men goth thorgh the lond of Flagme, and so to the cité Cayphas, of which Cayphas was lord, and som men callen hit the castel of Pyllerynes. And fro thens is 4 dayes jorneis to Jerusalem, for to go thorgh Sesarye Philippum and Japhe and Rames and Emaux, and so to Jerusalem. A WEY ALL BY LOND TO JERUSALEM. CAPITULUM UNDECIMUM. [Chapter 11.]    Now have Y tolde yow som weyes by londe and watres how men may go to Jeru- salem. And thogh hit be so that ther beth many other weyes that men may go by, after the contreis that men cometh fro, and at the laste they cometh to oon eynde. And yit ther is a wey all by londe to Jerusalem, and pass no see out of France other Flandres. But that wey is ful longe and perelous of gret travel, and therfore men goth by that wey ful fewe. And he that wole go by that wey, he shal go thorgh Al- mayne, Spruse, and so to Tartaryse.    This Tartarie is y-holde of the gret Cane, of wham Y shal speke afterward, for thider last his lordship, and the lord of Tartarye payeth tribute to hym. This is a ful wicked lond, and a ful sondy londe, and lytel fruyt-beryng therynne. For ther grow- eth but lytel corne, ne benes, ne wyne, ne pesyn, but bestes beth ther gret plenté. And therfor they etith but flessh withoute brede, and they soupeth the broth, and they drynketh mylk of all maner bestes. And thei etyth cattes, ratons, and meese, and all maner wylde bestes. And they haveth litel wode, for they make her mete with hors mocke [fol 31r] and of other bestes y-dryed. Princes and other lordes etith but ones uppon a day and ryght litel. And they beth foul peple and of yvel kynde.    In somer ther beth many stormes and thondres that sleith moch folk and bestes, and hit cometh sodeynly. Ther is gret colde and as sodeynly gret hete. The prince that governeth that lond is called Raco, and he dwelleth at the cité of Orda. And forsothe ther wole no good man dwelle, for hit is good to sowe neteles and other wedys, but other good non, as Y have herd say — for Y was never ther.    But Y was in londes that marcheth therto, as the londe of Rossye, Nyvelond, the kyngdome of Crokowe, Lettow, and the kyngdom of Grasten, and many other places. But Y went never that way to Jerusalem, for Y have understonde that men may noght go wel that way but in wynter, for water and marys that beth ther, whiche men may noght passe, but yf they have forst right hard and that hit be snow above. For were noght the snow, ther myght no man go.    And ye shal understonde that a man shal go thre journeis fro Pruys to passe this way, tyl he come to the lond of Sarasyns that men dwelleth ynne. And thow hit be so that Cristen men passe eche yer ther forth, they caryeth with hem vitayles, for they shal fynde noon there, but a maner of thyng that is y-called skleys. And they make her cariage uppon dreys. And as longe as her vitayles lasteth, they mowe dwelle ther, but no lenger. But when the spyes of the contré seith that Cristen men cometh, they renneth to toune and crieth loude, "Kerra, Kerra!" And also sone as they kepith hem, they do hem vylonye.    And ye shal understonde that hit is hatter ther than here, and also colder. And therfor every man hath a styve in his hous, and therynne he eetyth and drynketh and doth what hym lyketh. For that londe is at the north syde of the worlde, which comenly is coldest. The sonne cometh noght ther, ne shyneth but litel. And that lond in som place is so cold that ther may no man dwelle ther. [fol. 31v] And at the south syde of the worlde, in som place hit is so hoot that ther may no man dwelle, for the sonne geveth so gret hete in the contrees. TRUTHE OF SARASYNS. CAPITULUM DUODECIMUM. [Chapter 12.]    For as moch as Y tolde of Sarasyns and of her londes, yf ye wole Y shal yow telle a party of her lawes and of her faith, as her book telleth, which is called Akkaron. And som men calleth hit the book Mesap, and som Arne, in dyverse maner of langage. The whiche book Macamete gaf to hem, in which he wrote, among other thynges, as Y have seen and radde many tymes, and hit saith that a man that is good shal go to Paradys, and a man that is wycked shal go to Helle - and that byleveth all the Sarasyns. And if a man aske what thyng Paradys is, they speke and seyn hit is a place ful of delytes, wher a man shal fynde all maner of fruytes of the yer, and ryvers rennyng with mylk and hony and wyne and fressh water. And they shal have ther fair houses, as they have deserved. And thilke houses beth y-maked of precious stones, goolde, and selver. And ech man shal have 10 wyves, all maydens, and he shal lygge by hem, and they shal ever be maydens, and so they byleveth. And they speketh ofte of the Virgyne Marye and of the Incarnacioun that Mary was lerid of an angel. And that Gabriel seyde to her that she was chose of alle other fro the bygynnynge of the world, and that witnesseth her book Ackaron, and that Gabriel tolde to her of the Incarnacion of Jhesu Crist, and that she conceyved and bare a child and was mayde afterward. And they seyde that Jhesu Crist spake as sone as He was bore, and that He was a very prophete in word, in dede: meke and ryghtwys to all men, and withoute vice.    And they sey when the angel told her of the Incarnacion, that she hadde gret drede, for she was yonge. And ther was oon in that contré that delid with sorceryes that was called Tabina, which with enchauntement coude make hymself lyke to [fol. 32r] an angel, and he lay ofte tymes with maydens. And therfore Mari was aferde of the angel, for she wende hit had y-be Tabina. And she conjured the angel and bade hym say if he were Tabina. And the angel bade her that she sholde have no drede, for he was very messager of God.    And also her book seith that she hadde child under a palme tre, and therfore she was ashamed, and gradde, and seyde that she wolde be dede. And so anoon that childe spak and seyde: Ne timeas Maria. That is to say: "Have no drede, Marie." And in many other places speketh her book Ackaron that Jhesu Crist spak also sone as He was born. And that book telleth that Jhesu Crist was God Almyghty to be en- sample to all men, and that God shal deme all men, the goode to Hevene and the wicked to Helle. And that Jhesu Crist was the beste prophete that ever was, and that He was verry prophete, which gaf sight to the blynde and heled mesalles, and reysed dede men, and yede all quyke to Hevene. And if they may fynde a book of gospelles, namely with Missus est angelus Gabriel, they do hit gret worship; and fast- eth oon monthe in that yer, and they eten but on the nyght, and then they kepeth hem fro her wyves. But they that beth sike, they beth noght constrayned to that fast.    And that book speketh of Jewes and seith that they beth wickid folke, for they wole noght byleve that Jhesu Crist is God. And they seith that Jewes lieth on Our Lady and on her Sone Jhesu, seynge that they dede Hym noght on the Cros.    And for Sarasyns byleveth so neygh our fay, they beth lightly converted when men telle hem the lawe of Crist. And they seth they wyteth well by her prophecies that the lawe of Machamete shal be destrued and faile as doth the lawe of Jewes, and that Cristen lawe shal laste unto the worldes eynde. And if a man aske wher ynne thei byleve, they sey thus: how thei byleve in God, maker of Hevene and of erthe and of all other thynges, and withoute Hym is nothyng y-do, and in the [fol. 32v] Day of Dome, when ech man shal be demed after his deservyng, and that al thyng is sooth that Crist seyde by the mouth of the prophetes.    Also Macamete bade in his Ackaron that ech man shold have 2 wyves, other 3, other 4, but now they have 9, and as meny lemmans as they like. And if any of her wyves do amys to her hosebondes, he may put her out of his hous and take another, but hym byhoveth to geve her som of his godes.    Also when men spekith of the Fader, Sone, and Holy Gost, they sey tho beth 3 persons and noght oo God, for her Ackaron spekith noght therof, for he toucheth noght of the Trinité. And they sey that God spake, and elles He was dombe; and that He hath a gost, other elles He were noght on lyve. And they sey that Moyses and Abraham were wel with God, for they speke with Hym. And they say also that Macamete was ryght messager of God. And they have many good articles of our fay, and they knowe moche of Holy Wrytte. For tho that beth understondyng of Scripture and of prophecies, all they hem wryteth in her owen langage. But they hit understonde noght, but after the lettre and noght gostly. And therfore Seynt Poul seith thus: Littera occidit, spiritus autem vivificat. That is to say: "The lettre sleeth and the gost maketh quyke."    And the Sarasens seith that Jewes beth wicked, for they kepe noght her lawe that Moyses toke hem; also Cristen men beth wicked peple, for they kepe noght the 10 Commaundementz that Jhesu Crist sende to hem.    And therfore Y shal telle yow a tale. Y was with the soudan in his chambre uppon a day, and he lete voyde the chambre of all maner men, for he seide that he wolde speke with me in counseil. And he asked of me how Cristen men hem governed in her contré.    And Y seyde, "Ryght well, thanked be God."    And he seyde, "Sikerly, nay, for youre prestes maketh no force of Godis servise. For they sholde geve ensaumple to men to do well, and they gyve wickid ensaumple. And when [fol. 33r] youre peple sholde go to holy cherche on the holy day to serve God, they go to taverne and to marchaundyse, and lyve in glotonye and covetyse day and nyght, and ete and drynke as bestes that wyte noght when they have ynow. Also Cristen men," he seyde, "enforseth hem to fighte togedres and ech to bygyle other. Also," he seyde, "they beth so prout that they wyte noght what thei may werth: now longe clothes, now short clothes, now strait clothes, now wyde clothes.    "And they sholde be symple," he seyde, "and meke and trywe, and do almes dede as Jhesu dyde, in wham they byleveth. And they beth so covetous," he seyde, "that for a lytel sylver, they wole selle wiff and childe and sostre. And a man take another mannes wyf, and no man holdeth wel his feith to other. And for her owen synnes," he seyde, "hath Cristen men lost al the lond the which that we holdeth, and for youre synnes hath your God gyve these londes to us, and noght thorgh oure streyngthe. For we wyte well," he seyde, "when ye serveth well your God, that He wole helpe yow, so that no man shal do ageyn yow. And ye wyte well by youre prophecies that Cristen men shal wynne agen thes londes, when they serveth wel her God. But while they lyven so yvel as they doon, we have no drede of hem, for her God wole noght help hem."    And then Y asked of hym how he wiste the state of Cristen men so well. And he seyde he knew hit ful well, bothe of comens and of lordes by his messagers, whiche he sende thorgh all londes, as they were marchauntes with precious stones and other marchaundises, to knowe the maner of every lond. And thenne he leet calle agen all the lordes into his chambre. And thenne he shewed to me foure that were gret lordes in that contré, the which devised my contré and other contreis of Cristendom, as they had be men of that same contré. And they spak Frenssh ryght wel and the soudan also. And than had Y gret mervayll of that sclaundre of Cristen men. For they that sholde be turned by our good techyng and ensample uppon Cristen feithe, be withdrawe thorgh oure yvel ensample of lyvenge. And therfore [fol. 33v] hit is no wonder that they callen us wicked men. But the Sarasyns beth trywe, for they kepe truly the comaundementz of her Ackaron.    And ye shal understonde that Machamete was y-bore in Arabye, and he was ferst a poore man and kepid hors and ran after marchauntz. And so he cam into Egipt with marchauntz, and Egipt was that tyme Cristen. And ther was a chapel neygh Arabye and ther was an heremyte. And when he com to the chapel that was but a litell hous and lowe, the entré bygan to be as gret as a gate of a paleys. And that was the ferst mervayle that Machamete byfell in his youthe.    Then after bygan Machamete to be ryche and wys, and he was a gret aster- laberer. And sithe he was keper of the lond of the prins Coradan, and he governed hit ful wisly in soch maner that when the prins was dede, he weddid the lady, which men called Quardrich. And Machamete hadde ful ofte the fallyng yvell, wherfore the lady was wroth that she hadde y-take hym to her lord. But he makyde her to understonde that ech tyme that he fyll, so the angel Gabriel spak to hym and for the gret bryghtnes of hym he fyll adoun.     This Machamete regned in Arabye the yer of Our Lord 600 and 20 yer. And he was of the kynde of Ysmael, that was Abrahamis sone, which that he gat of Agar his chamberer. And therfor som Sarasyns beth called Ysmaelites, and som Agariens of Agar. And other beth called properly Sarasyns of Sara, and som beth called Moabites, and som beth called Amonites after two sones of Loth.    And so Machamete loved well a good man, an hermyte, that dwelled in wildernysse a myle fro the mount of Synay in the way as men goth fro Arabye to Galdé and Indee, a dayes journe fro the see wher marchauntes of Venyse cometh. And Machamete wende so ofte to that hermyte that all his men were wroth with hym. For he herde gladly that heremite preche, and he leet all his men walke that nyght. And his men thoughte that they wold that this heremyte wer dede. So hit byfell uppon a nyght that Machamete was ful dronke [fol. 34r] of good wyne, and he fyl on slepe. And his men toke his owne swerde out of his shethe, whiles that he slepe, and slow the heremyte. And then they put up his swerd al blody. And on the morwe, when he fond the heremyte dede, he was ful wroth and wold have y-do his men to deth. But they seyde, all with oon assent, that he hymself slow hym when he was dronke, and they shewed hym his swerd al blody. And then he leved hem that they seyde soth.     And then he cursed wyn and all tho that drynketh wyn. But som drynketh hit prevely; and if he drynke hit openly, he shal be repreved. But they drynk good beverage and swet and noryshynge, which is makid of calamele, of that is sugre y- maked. Also hit falleth somtyme that Cristen men bycometh Sarasyns, other for povert other som other skyll. And therfore Larchesleven, that is receyvour of Cristen men, when he receyveth hem, he seith thus: Ra elles ella Machamete reozes alla. That is to say: "Ther is no God but on, and Machamete his messager."    And sith Y have told yow a party of her lawe and her customes, now shal Y say of her lettres, which Y have, with her names and her maner of figuris, what they beth: almeiA, bethathB, chathiC, ephotiC, delphoyD, fothiF, garaphiG, hochymH, iocchiI, kauthiK, lothymL, malachM, nahabotN, orthiO, pozirP., zothʒ, ruchelatR, salachiS, tathimusT, urthonU, axgrosX, yrthoyY, azotchiZ, iotipyn+, zechetus9. Thes beth the letters, now shal Y telle the figures. . .    And they have in her langage mo lettres than we have, for as moche as they speketh in her throtes. And we have in our langage two lettres in Englyssh mo than they have in her ABC, that is to wyte þ and ʒ, that men calleth thorn and yogh. DYVERSETEIS OF PEPLE AND OF CONTREIS. CAPITULUM TERCIUMDECIMUM. [Chapter 13.]    And sithen Y have devysed byfor the Holy Londe and contrees ther aboute, and many weyes and to the Mount Synay,[fol. 34v] and to Babyloyne, and other places, now wole Y telle of yles and dyverse peple and bestes. For ther beth many diverse peple and bestes and contrees, which beth departed by the foure flodes that cometh out of Paradys Terrestre.    For Mesopotanye and the kyngdom of Caldé and Arabye beth bytwyne the flodes of Tygre and Eufrates. And also the kyngdom of Mody and of Perce beth bytwyne the flode of Tygre and Nyle. The kyngdome of Syrri and Palastyn and Fimes beth bytwyne Eufrates and the See Metterane, and hit is of leyngthe fro Marrok to the see of Spayne and into the Greet See, and so lasteth hit byyonde Constantynople, 43 myle of Lombardye into the Gret See, Occian.    And ye shal understande that in the contré beth many iles and londes, of which hit were moche to telle all. But som Y shal speke. For he that wole go to Tartarye, other Perce, other Caldee, other Inde, he shal entre into the see at Gene, other Venyse, other at another havene by that coste, and so passe the see and aryve at Trapasond, that is a good cité that was somtyme called Le Port de Pounce. And ther is the kyng of Percens and Medoyns and also of many other marches.    In this cité lith Attonas, that was bysshop of Elisaundre that makide the psalme Quicumque vult. This man was a gret doctour and mayster of dyvinité, for he spak so deep in divinité and of the Godhede, he was accused to the pope of Rome that he was an herityk — that was his heresie, for that was his feith. And when the pope saw that, he seyde that therynne was all our feith. He leit delyver hym anoon out of prison. And the pope commaunded that psalme to be seyd every day at prime and helde Atthonas a good Cristen man. But he wolde never go to his bysshoprych agen, for they accused hym of heresye.    Trapasond was somtyme y-holde of the emperour of Constantynople, but a gret man that he send to kepe hit ageyn the Turkes held hit hymself and [fol. 35r] called hym emperour of Trapasond.    And fro then men goth to Litel Admonye. In that contré is an olde castel that is uppon a roch that is y-called the castel of Sperver. And ther men fyndeth an hauke on a perche sittyng right wel y-maked, and a fair lady of fayre kepeth that hauke. And he that wole wake this hauke 7 dayes and 7 nyght (and som seith 3 dayes and 3 nyght) alone withoute companye and withoute slepe, this fayre lady shal come to hym at 7 dayes (other the 3 dayes) eynde, and she wole graunte hym the ferst thyng that he wole aske of worldly thyng. For hit hath y-be ofte asayed and y-preved.    And somtyme hit fill that a kyng of Ermonye, that was a doughty man, waked on a tyme this hauke. And at the 7 dayes ende, the lady com to hym and bade aske, for he hadde wel y-do his dever. And the kyng sayde that he was a gret lorde and in good pees and rych ynow, so that he wolde aske nothyng but the lady, to have his will of her. And she seyde to hym that he was a fole, for he wist noght what he askyd, for she was noght worldly. And the kyng seyde he wolde have nothyng elles. And she seyde to hym, "Siththen that ye wole aske nothyng elles," she wolde graunte hym som other thyng and noght that.    And so she sayde thus: "Sire kyng, to thee, and to all other that cometh after thee, ye shul have werre withoute pees unto the nynthe degré,    And ye shal be in subjeccioun of youre enemyes,    And ye shal have gret nede to good and to catell. For ye aske thyng out of reson, for ye may have me noght, for Y am a spyritte." And fro that tyme all kynges of Ermonye have y-be in werre and needfull and under tribute of Sarasyns.    Also a pore man somtyme wold wake that hauke, and he askid of the lady that he myght be ryche and happy in catell and marchaundyse. And the lady graunted hym, but she seyde that he askyd his undoyng, for greet pruyde that he shold have therof. But he that shal wake hath gret nede to kepe hym fro slep, for if he slepeth, he [fol. 35v] is lost. But this is noght the right way but for that mervayll.    And fra Trapasond men goth to the Gret Ermonye, to a cité that men calle Artyron. And so to a hille that is y-called Sabissatel, and ther is another hille that men calle Airach, but the Jewes calle hit Thane, and ther resteth Archa Noe, and yit hit is uppon that hille. And a man may see hit in fair wether and cler. And that hille is 7 myle heygh. And som men seyth that they have be ther and put her fyngres in the hole wher the devel went out when Noe seyde Benedicité. But a man may noght wel go theder uppon that hille for snow that lith alway uppon that hille wynter and somer. For ther cometh never man sithe Noe was, but a monk that thorgh the grace of God went thider and broughte a plancke, that is yit at the abbey at the hille foot. For he hadde gret desyre to go uppon that hille, and he aforsed hym therto. And when he was at the thrydde part of the hylle upward, he was so wery he myght no ferther, and restyd hym ther and slepte. And when he woke he was doun at the hille foot. And thenne he prayde to God devoutly that He wolde suffre hym go uppe. And an angel seyde to hym that he sholde go uppe, and so he dide and broughte the planke. And suche com never man ther, and therfore they that seith that they have y-be ther, they gabbe.     Fro thenne men goth to a cité that men calleth Tauzyre, and that is a fayr cité and a good. And bysyde that cité is an hille of salt, and therof ech man taketh what he wol. And ther dwelleth many Cristen men under tribute of Sarasyns. Fro thenne men goth to many tounes, citeis, and castelles many journeys toward Ynde, and cometh to a cité that is y-called Cassache. And ther mette thre kynges togedre and went to make present to Our Lord. And fro that cité men goth to a cité that is y- called Cardabago. And paynemys saith that Cristen men may noght dwelle ther, but they deye sone and they wyte noght why.    And fro thenne men goth thorgh many contreis, citeis, and tounes, of which hit were moch to telle, [fol. 36r] tyl they come to a cité that is called Carnaa, that was woned to be so gret that the walles aboute were of 25 myle. And the walles beth y-sene yit, but hit is noght inhabited with men. And ther eyndeth the londe of the emperure of Peryse. On the ryght syde of that cité of Carnaa men entreth into the lond of Job, which is a good londe and a plenteuous.    In this lond is the cité of Thomar. Job was a paynym, and he was Coffraces sone, and he held that lond as prince therof. And he was so ryche that he knew noght the hundred part of his good. And sithe he was so pore that he hadde no good but the grace of God. And afterward God makyd hym so ryche than he ever was byfore. And afterward he was kyng of Ydoyne and of Ysau. And thenne he was called Jobab and lyved kyng an 180 yer, and Job when he deyde was of elde 248 yer. And ther beth hilles wher men fyndeth manna, that is y-called bred of angelys that is a white thyng, ryght swete and more swetter than sugre other hony. And hit cometh of the dewe of hevene and falleth on the herbes and congelith and wexeth white.    This lond of Job marcheth to the lond of Caldee, that is a gret lond and full of peple. And wymmen beth ther ryght lothlych and yvel y-clothed. And they go barfoot with an yvel cote, large and wyde and short to the kneys, and long slevys to the foot. And they have gret here and hangeth long aboute her sholdres.    And then is a lond of Amasoyn. In that lond dwelleth no man but all wymmen, as men sayn, for they wole have no lordship of no man. For somtyme was a kyng in that lond, and men dwellid ther as men dede in other contreis. And he hadde a wyff. And hit byfell that the kyng made werre with hem of Zechie, and he was y -called Solopenuce, and he was slayn in batayll and all the good blood of his lond. And the quene, when she herde that and other ladyes also, that the kyng and her lordes wer slayn, they gadred hem togedre and slow all the other men that were left at hom in the lond, and syth that tyme [fol. 36v] dwelled no man ther.    And when they wole have company of men, they sendeth for hem into another contré that is neygh to her lond. And then men cometh and beth ther 7 other 8 dayes, other also long as the wymmen liketh, and then they go agen. And if they have knave chyldren, they sendeth hem to her fadres when they con eete, go, and speke. And if they have mayde cheldryn, they kepe hem wel. And tho that beth of gentil blood, they brenne the left pappe awey, for beryng of a shyld. And if they be of lower blood, they brenne the ryght pappe, for shetyng with a bowe. For the wymmen of that lond beth all good werryours and beth ofte y-souded with other lordes. And the quene governeth that lond well, for that lond is all closed with water.    Byside Amasoyne is a good lond and profetable that is y-called Turmaget. And for the greet profyte therof, Kyng Alysaundre let make ther a cité, that is y-called Alysaundre.    And in the other syde of Caldee, toward the south, is Ethiope, a gret lond. In this lond in the south syde the peple is ryght black. In that side is a welle, that on the day the water is so colde that no man may drynk hit, and on the nyght hit is so hoot that no man may suffre hit. In this lond revers and waters beth all trobel and somdel salt for the gret heet.    In Ethiope beth soch peple that han but oon foot, and they goo so faste that hit is mervayl. And that foot is so large that hit maketh shade and covert to his body for the sonne. In that lond is the cité of Saba, of which oon of the thre kynges was that soughte Our Lord. He was kyng ther.    Fro Ethiop men goth to Ynde, and hit is y-called Ynde the Gretter, and hit is departed in thre parties, that is to say, Ynde the Moore, that is a full hot londe. And Ynde the Lasse that is a tempered londe. And the thridde party is toward the north, and ther hit is aryght colde. So that for gret forst the water wexith into cristal, and uppon that wexeth the good dyamaunde, that is a trobul colour. And that dyamaunde is so hard that no man may breke hym. Other diamaundes men fyndeth in Arabye, that beth noght so goode, that beth [fol. 37r] more nessh. And some beth in Cipre, and somme beth in Macydoyn, but the beste beth in Ynde. And somme beth y-founde in a mas, ther men fyndeth goolde fro the myne, and tho beth as hard as eny in Ynde.    Also men fyndeth good dyamaundes uppon the roche of adamaundes in the see, as hit were hasel notes. And tho beth all square and poynted of her owen kynde, and they groweth togodres, the maule and the femaule. And they beth noryshed with the dewe of hevene, and they engendreth comunely and bryngeth forth other smale dyamaundes, that multeplieth and groweth all yeres. And Y have many tymes asayd that if a man kepe hem with a lytel of the roch, which he groweth uppon, and wete hym with Mayis dewe, they shal growe ech yer, and the smale shal wexe greet. And a man shal bere a dyamaunde uppon his lyft syde, and thenne hit is more vertu than elles, for the streyngthe of her growyng is toward the north, and that is the lift syde of the worlde.     And if ye wole knowe the vertu of the dyamaund, Y shal telle yow, as men of that contré sayn. To hym that berith this dyamaund aboute hym, hit geveth hym hardynesse, hit kepith the lymes of his body hole. And hit gyveth victorye of his enemyes, and a mannes cause be trywe. Hit saveth a mannes wytte. Hit kepith a man fro stryff, fro ryot, fro yvell dremes, and fro soceryes and enchauntementz. Also none wylde bestes shal greve hym, ne assayle hym.    Also the dyamaund shal be geve frely, withoute coveytyng other beggyng, and then hit is of more vertu. Hit helith hym that is lunatyk and hym that is y-traveyled with a devell, of venym and of poyson, if a man be brought in presens of the dya maund. And if eny other stoon be y-brought in presens of the dyamaund, anoon hit wexith moist and bygynneth to swete.    And also a man may asay hym wel in this maner. Tak a stoon that is y-cleped adamaund, that is the shipmanis stone, that draweth the nedel to hym. And men ley the dyamaund uppon the adamaund, and then ley a nedle byfore the ada maund, and if the dyamaund [fol. 37v] be good and vertuous, the adamant may noght drawe the nedle to hym whiles the dyamaunt lith ther. And this is the preve that they doth byyonde see. But hit falleth ofte that the good dyamant losith his vertu many tymes, and they conne make his vertu com agen.    Ther is a water that renneth thorgh the lond that men calleth Ynde; in that water men fyndeth elys of 20 foot long. In Ynde beth mo than 5 mille yles that men dwelleth ynne. And in ech of tho beth many citeis and moch peple, for men of Ynde beth of condicioun that they passeth noght out of her lond comonlych. For they dwelleth under a planete that men clepith Saturne, and that planete maketh his torn by the 12 signes in a monthe. And for Saturne is of so late steryng, therfore men that dwelleth under hym and that clymate haveth no good wyll to mech styryng aboute. And in our contré is all the contrarye, for we beth in a clymate that is of the mone and of leyght styryng, and that is the planete of way. And therfore hit gyveth us wyll to be moch steryng and to go into diverse contreis of the worlde, for hit passeth aboute the worlde more leyghtlych than another planete.    Also thorgh Ynde men goth to the Gret See, that is y-called Oxean, and they fynde ther the yle of Ermes, whider marchauntz of Venyse, and of Gene, and of partyes of Cristendom cometh to bygge marchaundise. And hit is so hoot ther that mennys ballockys hongeth doun to her shankes. And men of that contré byndeth hem full straytly uppe, and they do hem anoynte with oynementz y-maked therfore, other elles myght they noght lyve in that lond.     And other men and wymmen lyen al naked in ryvers and wateris fro undren of the day tyl hit be passed noon. And they lye all in water but her face, for gret hete that is ther. In this yle beth shippes withoute nayles of yre other bondes of yre, for the roch of the adamaund that beth in that see wolde drawe the shippes to hem.    Fro this yle men goth by the see to the yle of Cana, wher is gret plenté of corne and wyne. And the kyng of this yle was somtyme so myghty that he helde [fol. 38r] werre with Kyng Alysaundre. And men of this yle han dyverse lawes, for somme worship peth the sonne, and somme the fyre, and somme addres, and som trees, and som the ferst thyng that they mete on the morwenynge, and som worshippeth simu lacres and som ydoles. For bytwyne simulacres and ydoles is differens, for sim ulacres beth ymages y-maked to licknes of what thyng a man wol. For som ymage hath thre hedes: on of man, another of an hors, and on of an oxe or other best that a man wole.    And ye shal understande that they that worshipeth simulacres, they worshipe hem for som worthy men that were somtyme, as Hercules, other soch other whiche dede many mervayles in her tymes. For they seyn they woot wel they beth noght God of kynde, that maked all thyng, but they beth ryght wel with God for mer vayles that they doth. And so they sayn of the sonne, for hit chaungeth ofte tymes of the yer and geveth hete to norssh all thynges of the erthe. And for hit is of so gret profyte, they sey they wot well that hit is wel with God, and that God loveth hit wel more than eny other, and therfore they worshippeth hit. And thus saith thay of fure, for hit is profitable. And thus maketh thay skyles why they worshipe other planetes and thynges.    And ydoles beth of alle quyke bestes. And of alle ydoles they sayn the oxe is best and holiest that is in the erthe, and most profitable than eny other best. And therfore they make her god that oon half man and that other half an oxe, for man is the best creature that ever God makyd. And they do worship to eddres and to other bestes that they mete ferst on the morwe.    In this yle of Cana beth many wylde bestes and ratons. Ratons of that contré beth also gret as houndes her, and they take hem with mastyves, for cattes may noght take hem. Fro thenne men goon to a cité that is called Sarchie, and hit is a good cité and wel y-dyght.    And fro thenne to the londe of Bomk and ther is the cité of Polomee, and under that cité is an hille that men callen [fol. 38v] Polombe, and therof taketh that cité his name. And at the foot of this hille is a fair well and hath a swet savour of all maner of spices, and ech oure of the day hit changeth his savour diversly. And whoso drynketh thries a day of that well, he shal be maked hole of alle maner sycknesses that he hath. For Y have dronke of that well, and me thynketh yit Y fare the better. Som men callen hit the well of youthe, for they that drynketh therof semeth evermore yonge and leven withoute gret syknesse. And they say that the well cometh fro Paradise, for hit is vertuous. In that contré groweth gyngyner, and thyder cometh marchauntz for spyces.    In this contré men worshipeth the oxe for his gret meknesse and profyt that is on hym. And they make the oxe to travayle but 6 other 7 yer, and then they ete hym. And the kyng of that lond hath evermore an oxe with hym. And he that kepith hym, taketh his fees for his kepyng, and also he gadreth his uryne and his donge in a vestel of goold and berith hit to her prelate, that they calleth Archi protapaton. And the prelate bereth hit to the kyng and maketh theron a gret blessyng. And then the kyng putteth his hondes therynne, and thenne they calle hit gaule gaule. And he anoyneth his frount and his brest therwith. And they do therto moch worship and seyn that they shal be fulfeld thorgh vertu of the oxe, and that he is y-makyd holy thorgh the vertu of the oxe. And when the kyng hath thus y-do, then do other lordes so, and then other men, as they ben of degré. When they may have eny remanent y-left therof, they doth hit into tresorye.    In this lond her ydoles beth half man and half oxe. In these ydoles beth wycked gostes and speketh to hem and geveth to hem answer of all thyng that they aske. Byfore these ydoles they sleyn her cheldren and sprengeth her blood uppon the ydoles and so make they sacrifyse.    And if any man dey in that lond they brenne hym in toknyng of penaunce, and he were y-layd in the erthe he sholde suffre no penaunce for etyng of wormes. And [fol. 39r] if hys wyff have none cheldren, they brenne her with hym. And they seyn that hit is good resoun that she make hym companye in the other worlde, as she dede in this worlde. And if she have cheldren, she shal lyve with hem, if that she wole. And if the wyff deye byfore the man, they brenne her and the man, if that he wole.    Fro this londe men goth many contreis and journees to a contré that is y-called Mabaron. And that is a gret contré and a gret kyngdome, and ther beth many fair citees and tounes. In this londe lyth Seynt Thomas in flessh in a fair tumbe in the cité of Calamye and the arme with the honde that he putte in Our Lordes syde when He was y-ryse fro deth to lyve, when Crist seyde thus: Noli esse incredulus sed fidelis. That is to say: "Be thow noght of wanhope but trywe." That same honde lyth yit withoute the tumbe al bare ther, and with that hand they geve ther her juge ment and her domes in that contré. For if stryff other debate be bytwyne two parties, they lete wryte her ryght and her mater in two bylles, and they beth putte in Seynt Thomas hande. And anoon the hand cast away that bylle that is fals and holdeth that other that is ryghtfull. And therfore men cometh fro ferre contrees to have jugementz of causes that beth in doute.    In the cherche of Seynt Thomas is a greet ymage and that is a simulacre, and hit is wel y-dyght with precious stones and perles. And to that ymage men cometh fro ferre contrees with gret devocioun in pylgrimage. And som of tho that cometh in pylgrimage bereth sharp knyves in her hondes, and as they goth by the way they kytte her owen shankes and her thyes, that the blood may com out for the love of that ymage. And thay sey that he is holy that wole deye for his goddes sake. And som of tho pylgrymes, fro that tyme that they goon out of her hous, at ech thrydde pase they knelith adoun tyl they come to this ymage. And when they come ther, they have ensense, other som other sweet thyng, to ensense therwith that ymage, as we wole do to Goddis body.    And byfore the cherche of this ymage [fol. 39v] is a stocke ful of water, and in that stock the pylgrimes casten her goold and selver, precious stones, and perles withoute nombre instede of her offrynges. And when the cherche hath nede of helpe, anoon they take hit up of that stock to amendement of the cherch.    And ye shal understonde, when gret festes beth of this ydole, as dedicacioun of the cherch other the crounyng of the ydole, all the contré is assembled theder. And men setteth this ydole in gret worship in a chayre, with precious stones wel y- dyght with ryche clothes of goolde. And other, that ledith hym with solempnité aboute the cité, thay beth rychely aparayled. And byfore this chare goth ferst in processioun all the maydenes of the contré, two and two togedre. And after hem goth pylgrimes that beth y-come fro ferre contrees, of which pylgrimes, som falle adoun byfore that chare and lete the wheles go over hem, and so they beth dede, and som have ther her armes and sholdres to-broke. And this doth they for love of her ydole, that they sholde have the more joye.    And overthwert and nexte byfore the chare goth all the mynstralles of that contré, as hit were withoute nombre, with many diverse melodyes. And when they ben come agayn to the cherch, they sette uppe the ydole in his trone. And for worship of this ydole two men, other thre, ben slayn with sharp knyves and with her good wylle. And as a man thenketh in our contré that he hath gret worship if he have a holy man to his kyn, so they say that tho that ben slayn ben seyntes, and they beth wryten in her letenyes. And when they ben thus dede, her frendes leet brenne her bodyes, and let take the askes, and let kepe hem ful welle as relykes. For they seyn that hit is holy thyng, and they have no doute of no peryle the whyle they have tho askes.    For to go fro this londe and this contré 52 journeys, ther is a londe that men callen Lamoryse. And ther is gret hete, and the custome ther of men and wymmen goon all naked. And they skorneth hem that goth clothed. For they say that God maked Adam and Eve naked and that men sholde [fol. 40r] have no shame of that thyng that God makyd, for nothyng is foull that He makyde. And they belyve in God that makyde all the worlde. And ther is no womman y-wedded, but beth all in comune. And they say that God comaunded to Adam and Eve and to all that come of hem and seyde thus: Crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram. That is to say: "wexeth and be multeplied and fulfyll the erthe." And no man may say "this is my wyff," ne no womman, "this is myn husbonde." And when they have chyldren, they geve hem to wham they wole of men haveth delyd with hem.     Also that lond is all in comune, for that a man hath in oon yer another man hath another yer. Also all goodes and cornes of that contré beth in comune, for ther is nothyng under loke. As ryche is oon man as another. But they have an yvel custome: they eten gladloker mannes flessh than other flessh, and thyder bryngeth marchauntes her cheldren to selle. And tho that ben fatte, they ete hem, and the other they kepe and fede hem tylle they ben fatte, and then they ete hem.    In this lond nother in many other aboute, men may noght se the sterre that is y-clepid Transmontane, which standeth evene north and stereth never, by which shipmen beth y-lad, for hit is noght seyn toward the south. But ther is another sterre, which is y-clepid Anteryke, and that is evene agenst that other sterre. And by that sterre shipmen beth y-ladde toward the south, for that is noght y-seye toward the north. And therfore men may wel se that the lond and the see ys all round, for partyes of the firmament which sheweth in oo place and apereth noght in another place. And that may men preve thus: for yf a man myght fynde shypyng and men wolde go to see, men myght go all aboute the worlde above and bynethe. And preve Y thus after that Y have y-seye. For Y have be in Braban and y-seye the astrelabre of the sterre Transmontayne, and hit is 54 degreez hey in Almayne, and toward Beme hit hath 59 degreez, and more north hit hath 62 degreez in heyth and som munytes.    And ye shal understonde that agenst the sterre in the north is the sterre An teryke. These two sterres styreth nevermore, and by hem turneth [fol. 40v] the firmament as a wheel in a extre, so that thees two sterres departeth all the firmament in two partyes. And thenne went Y toward the south and Y fond that in Lybie hit hath in heythe 18 degreez and somme munytes, of which munytes 60 maketh a degree. And so passyng by lond and by see toward contrees that Y have spoke byfore, and other londes and yles agenst hem, they fond this Anteryke of 33 degreez and 16 munytes. This beth 4 score and 15 degreez and ney half a munyte. And so hit lacketh bote 80 and ner half degré: thenne have Y sen all the firmament.    And therfore Y sey sykerly that a man myght go all the worlde aboute, above and bynethe, and com agen to his owen contré, he that hadde shipyng, and alway he sholde fynde many londes and yles as beth in thylke contré. For ye wot wel that thes men that dwelleth ryght under Anteryke beth foot agenst foot of these that dwelleth under Transmontayn as wel as we. And thes men that dwelleth agenst us beth foot agenst foot, for alle partyes of the erthe have her contraryes of thynges which beth agenst hem.    And ye shal understonde that the lond of Prester John, emperour of Ynde, is under us. For if a man shal go fro Skotlond other Ingelond toward Jerusalem, he shal go ever upward, for our londe is in the lowest partye of the west, and the lond of Prester John is in the lowest partye of the est. And they have day when we have nyght, and nyght when we have day. And as moch as a man ryseth upward out of our contré toward Jerusalem, as moche shal he go donward toward the lond of Prester John fro Jerusalem, and that is for all the erthe is round.     Now ye have y-hurd telle that Jerusalem is in the myddel of the worlde, and that may wel be y-preved thus: for and a man ther take a sper and set hit evene in the erthe at mydday, when the nyght and the day is y-lyche longe, the sper maketh no shadowe. And David bereth wytnesse when he seyth thus: Deus operatus est salu tem in medio terre. That is to say: "God hath [fol. 41r] y-wrought hele in the myddel of the erthe." And therfore they that goth out of oure contrees of the west toward Jeru- salem, as many journeyes as they make to go theder upward, as many journeys shal they make to go into the lond of Prester John donward fro Jerusalem. And so he may go into thes yles, evene round all the roundnesse of the erthe and of the see, tyl he come evene under us.    And therfore Y have y-thought many tymes of a tale that Y hurde when Y was yong, how a worthy man of oure contré wente a tyme to se the worlde. And he passyde Ynde and these iles byyonde Ynde, where beth mo than 5000. And he wende so longe by londe and by see seynge aboute the worlde, and he fonde an yle where he herde his owen speche, and dryvynge beestys saynge soch wordes as men dyde in his owen contré, of whych he hadde gret mervayle for he wiste noght how that myghte be. But Y say he hadde y-go so longe on londe and see, goynge aboute the worlde, that he was y-come into his owen marches. But for he myghte have no passage ferther, he turned agayn as he com, and so he hadde a gret travayl. And hit byfyl afterward that he wente into Northway in a tempest of wynde on the see, and droff hym so that he aryved in an yle. And when he was ther, hym thoughte that hit was the yle the whych he hadde y-be on byfore, where he hurde speke his owen speche as the men drof beestys. And that myghte ryght wel be, of all hyt be that simple men of connyng trowe hit nought, that men may go under the erthe.    For as us thinketh that thes beth under us, so thenketh hem that we beth under hem. For if a man myghte falle fro the erthe into the firmament, by more skyle the erthe and the see that beth so hevy sholde falle into the firmament, but that may noght be. And therfore God saith thus: Non timeas me suspendi terram ex nihilo. That is to say: "Have no drede that Y have the erthe honged of noght."    And if be al possible that a man may go al aboute the erthe, neverthelasse of 1000 men, oon ne sholde noght take the nexte way to his owen contré, for ther beth so many wayes [fol. 41v] that a man myght fayle, but if hit were the special grace of God. For the erthe is gret and long, and hit holdeth in roundnesse aboute, above and bynethe, 20,400 and 25 myle, after the opynion of olde wyse men that seyn hit, which Y wole noght repreve. But after my lytel wyt, me thenkyth, save her grace, that hit is more aboute.    And for to understonde better that Y wol say, Y ymagine a figure wher is a gret compas, and aboute the poynt of that compas, that is y-cleped centre, by another lytel compas departed by lymes in many partyes, and that thes lymes meteth to — gadre on the centre, so that as manye partyes other lemes as al the greet compas hath be on lytel compas, thow al the space be the lasse.    Now by the greet compas set forth the firmament, the which by astronomyers is departed in 12 signes, and ech signe is departed in 30 degrees. This is 300 and 60 degres that is aboute. Now be the erthe departed in as meny partyes as the firmament and everych of these annswereth to a degré of the firmament. Thes beth in al 700 and 20. Now be thes in all multiplie 300 tymes and 60, and hit shal amounte in al 21,000 myle and 5, ech myle of 8 forlanges, as myles beth in other contrees. And also moche hath the erthe in compas and in roundenysse al aboute, after myn opynyon and myn understondyng.    And ye shal understonde, after opyn- ion of olde wyse philosofres and astronomers, that Ingelond, Skotlond, Walys, ne Yrlond beth noght rekened in the heythe of the erthe, as hit semeth wel by all bookes of astronomye. For the heythe of the erthe is departed in 7 planetes, whiche beth y-clepid clymates. And these cuntreez that Y spake of beth not in these clymates, for they beth dounnward so toward the west. And also thes yles of Ynde which beth evene agenst us beth noght reckned in tho climates, for they beth toward the est so lowe. And climates goth aboute al the worlde.     And ney thes yle of Lamory, which Y spak of, is another yle that men clepeth Somaber. Men of that yle and wymmen leet merke hem in the visage [fol. 42r] with an hoot yre that they beth knowe fro other peple, for they holdeth hemself the worthiest of the worlde. And they have werre evermore with tho men that beth naked, of which Y spake afore.    But ther is another gret yle that men calleth Java, and the kyng of that contré hath under hym 7 kynges, for he is myghty and stronge. In that yle groweth alle maner of spices more plenté than in another place, as gyngyner, clowes, canel, notemyge, maces, and other spyces,    And ye shal understonde that the notemyge bereth the maces. Al thyng is ther in plenté save wyn.    The kyng of this londe hath a riche palays, for alle the greces in the halle and in the chambre, oon is goold, another is sylver, and all the walles ben y-coveryd and y-plated with goold and sylver. And in the plates ben y-write storyes of kynges and of knyghtes and batayles. And the pavement of the chambre is of goold and sylver. And no man wole trowe the rychesse that is ther but if he hadde y-seyn hit.    The kyng of this yle is so myghty that he hath overcome the Gret Cane of Catay, that is the myghtiest emperour of the worlde. For they beth moch at werre, for the Cane wolde make hym holde of hym his londes and to be his soget under hym, and he wole noght.     And for to go forth by see, men fyndeth an yle that is y-called Salamasse. And som men callen hit Patro, that is a gret kyngdome with many faire citees. In this lond groweth trees that bereth meele, of which men maketh brede fayr and white and of good savoure, and hit semeth as hit were of whete. And ther also beth other trees that bereth fenym, agayn which is no medicyne but oon, and that is to take the leves of that same tre and stampe hem with water and drynke hit, other elles he shal be dede sodeynly, for tryacle may noght help hym. And if ye wole wyte how the trees bereth meele, Y shal yow telle. Ferst men heweth hit with an ax aboute the foot of the tree, doun by the erthe, so that the rynde be pershid in many places. And then cometh out a lycour that is thicke, which they take in a vestell [fol. 42v] and set hit in the sonne to dryghe, and when hit is dryghe they do hit to the mylle to grynde hit, and then hit is fayr meele and whyte. And hony and fenym is y-drawe out of trees in the same maner and y-do into a vestell.    In that ile is a dede see that is a water that hath no ground. And if anythinge falleth therynne, hit shal never be founde. By that see groweth grete cannes that beth soch reedes, and under her rootes men may fynde many precious stones of vertu. For he that bereth oon of thes stones uppon hym, ther may non yre der hym ne drawe blood of hym. And therfore tho that haven of thylke stones fighteth ryght hardely. And her enemyes that knoweth hem and the maneres of hem, they maketh hem quarelles sharp withoute yre, and so they slee hem.    Than is ther another ile that is y-called Calonache, which is a good londe and plenteuous. And the kyng of that londe hath as many wyves as he wole, and he lyth never by oon of hem but oons. And that lond hath a mervayle that is noght in another lond: for alle the maner fisshes of the see cometh oon tyme of the yer, ech maner of fissh after other, and leith hem neygh the londe and som on the londe, and ther they lyen 3 dayes. And men of that londe cometh and taketh of hem what hem lyst, and then goth that maner of fyssh away. And then cometh another maner of fyssh and lyth ther other thre dayes, and men taketh of hem also. And thus doth alle maner of fysshes tylle all have ben ther, and so men taketh of hem what they wole. And men wot noght what is the cause, but they say that tho fysshes cometh theder to do worship to the kynge, as for most worthy kynge of the worlde, for he hath so many wyves and geteth so many chyldren.    Also ther beth snayles so greet that in somme of her shelles men may be y- herborwed, as in a lytel hous. And if a man deye on that contré, they grave his wyff with hym al quyke, and saith hit is good skyle that heo make company in the other worlde, as she dude in this.    Than is ther another ile that men callen Goffalles. Men of that yle, when her fren[fol.43r]des beth syke that they wene that he shal deye, they take hym and hong hym al quyke an a tree, and sayn that hit is beter that bryddes that beth angelys of God ete hym than wormes ete hym.    Fro thenne men gon to an ile, and tho beth men of wicked kynde for they norsheth houndes to strangly men. And when her frendes beth sike and they hope that he shal deye, they lete houndes strangly hem. For hy wole noght that they deye kyndely deeth, for than sholde he suffre to greet penaunce, as they say. And when they beth thus strangled, than ete they his flessh instede of ffeneson.    And then men goon to the ile of Melke. And ther men ben of wicked kynde, for they have no delyte but for to fyghte and sle men, for they drynkyn gladly mannes bloode. And he that may sle most men, he is at most name among hem. And if two men be at the debate and they be makyd at oon, hem byhoveth to drynke every otheris blood other elles the acoorde is noght.    Than is ther another ile that is y-called Tracota, wher men beth as beestes and noght resenable, for they eten eddres and they speke noght but make soch noyse as eddres don.    And they make noon fors of no rychesse, but of oon stone that hath 40 colouris that is y-called traconyghte. And they knowe noght the vertu of that stone, but they coveyte hym for the gret fayrenesse of hym.    Fro that ile men goon to another yle that is y-called Natumeran. Men and wymmen of that contré hath houndes hedes, and they ben resonable. And they worshipeth an oxe for her god, and they gon all naked save a lytel cloth byfore her prevyteis. And they ben good men to fyght, and they beren a gret targe with wham they coveryn all her body, and a sper in her honde. And if they take any man in batayl, they sende hym to her kyng, which is a gret lord and devout in his faith. For he hath aboute his necke on a corde thre hundred perlys orient in maner of pater-noster of aumbre. And as we say oure Pater Noster and Ave Maria, so this kyng saith ech day 300 prayers byfore his god or he ete any mete. And he bereth also aboute his necke a rubye orient fyne and good that is neye a foot long. For whenne they chese her kyng they geveth [fol. 43v] hym that rubye to bere in his hond, and so they lede hym rydyng all aboute the cité. And therfore he bereth that rubye evermore aboute his necke, for if he bare noght that rubye hy ne wolde no lenger hold hym kyng. And the Greet Cane of Catay hath moch coveyted that rubye, but he myght never have hit for no werre ne for no catelle.    And then is ther another ile that men callen Dodyn, that is a gret yle. And ther beth many diversytees of men, and they have wicked maneres, for the fadres eteth the sones, and the sones the fadres, and the housbond the wyff, and the wyff the housbond, and ech so of other. And if hit be so that the fader be syke, other the moder, other any of her frendes, the sone anoon goth to the prest of the lawe and prayeth hym that he aske of the god, that is her ydole, if his fader other moder shal deye of that sycknesse other lyve. And then the prest and the sone knelith adoun byfore the ydole devoutly and asken of hym and he annswerith hem. And if he say that he shal lyve, thenne they kepe hym wel. And if he sey that he shal deyghe, then cometh the prest with the sone and with the wyff other with what frend hit be to hym that is syke, and they ley her hondes over his mouth to stop his breth. And so they sle hym, and then they hewe his body all to peeces. They preye all his frendes to come and ete of hym that is dede and they maketh a greet feste. And when they have y-ete his flessh, they berieth the bones. And all tho of his frendes that were noght ther to ete of hym haven gret vylonye, so that they never- more ben y-holde his frendes.    The kyng of that ile is a gret lord and myghty, and he hath under hym 54 iles, and ech of hem hath a kyng. And in som of thes yles beth men that haveth but oon eye, and that is in the myddes of her forhede, and they ete noght but raw flessh. And in another ile dwelleth men that haveth noon heed, and her eyen beth in her shuldres, and her mouth in her brest.    And in another ile beth men that haveth a plat visage withoute nose and eye, but they have two smale holes instede of eyen, and [fol. 44r] they have a plat mouth lyples.    And in another ile beth peple that beth bothe man and womman, and have membres of bothe. And when they wole they use bothe, that on at on tyme and that other at another tyme. And they gete children when they usen the mannes membres, and they bereth children when they use the membre of the womman.    Many other maner of peple beth theraboute, of wham hit were to moche to telle. And for to passe forth, men cometh into an ile wher men beth ryght smale, and they have a litel hole instede of her mouth, and they mowe noght ete. But when they sholde ete other drynke, they souke hit thorgh a pype that is holgh thorghout. THE LAND OF MANCY. CAPITULUM QUARTUMDECIMUM. [Chapter 14.]    For to go fro this ile toward the see of Occian estward many journeys, a man shal fynde the kyngdome of Mancy, and that is in Ynde. And hit is the best lond, and most delitable, and most plenteuous of alle good that is in the power of man. In this lond dwelleth Cristen men and Sarasyns, for hit is a gret londe, for ther- ynne beth two thousand citees and other many tounes. Ther goth no man on beg- gynge, for ther is no poure man. And tho men have thynne beerdes as cattes. And ther beth fayre wymmen, and therfore som men callen hit the lond of Albanye, for the whyte peple that is therynne. And ther is a gret cité that is y-called Latorym, and hit is moche more than Parys.    In that lond ben breddes twyes as moche as in any other place of the worlde. And ther is good chepe of vitayles, and ther is gret plenté of gret eddres, of which they make gret festes and ete hem in gret solempnytees. For though a man make a feste and dyghte all maner of metes that beth most deynté, but he ordeyne some eddres and geve hem to mete, they have no thanke for all her feste.    In this contré beth white hennes, but they have no fetheris but woll, as sheep in our lond. And wymmen that beth y-wedded bereth crounes uppon her hede to be knowe fro other.    Fro this cité men goth many journeyes to another cité that is y-called Cessay, that is the most cité of the worlde. For hit is 50 myle a[fol. 44v]boute the walles and ther beth many good gates, and at every gate is a good tour in which men dwelleth to kepe hit fro the Gret Cane, for hit marcheth uppon his lond. And at that oon syde of that cité renneth a good rever. And ther dwelleth Cristen men and other many, for ther is a good contré and a plenteuous. And ther groweth right good wyne that men callen begoun. In this cité was woned the kyng of Mancy for to dwelle.     And so men goth by this ryver tyl they come to an abbey of monkes a lytel fro that cité. And that abbey is a gret gardeyn and a fair, in the which beth many trees of diverse frutes. And ther beth many mervelous herbes and other thynges that Y shal telle of. In that gardeyn beth many bestes, as baboyn, marmesettes, apes, and other. And when the covent hath ete among hem, they take the relyfe and bere hit to the garden and smyteth ons with a cleket of sylver which he holdeth in his honde. And sone therafter cometh the beestes out and any other, neygh 3000 other 4000, and he geveth hit hem in fair sylver fessel. And when they have ete, he smyteth that cleket agayn, and all the beestes goon agayn wher they come fro.    And they say that thilke beestes beth soules of men that beth dede. And the fair beestes beth soules of lordes, and the foule beestes beth soules of other men. And Y asked hym if hit were noght betre to geve that relyve to pore men. And they seyde ther was no pore man in that contré, and though yit were hit more almes to geve hit to thilke soules that suffred ther her penaunce than to hem that may go and travayle for her mete.    And fro thenne cometh men to the cité of Chibence, wher was ferst the sege of the kyng of Mancy. In this cité beth 40 brygges of stoon bothe fair and good. THE LONDE OF THE GRET CANE OF CATAY. CAPITULUM QUINTUMDECIMUM. [Chapter 15.]    Fro the cité of Chibence they passen over a gret ryver of fressh water, and hit is ney 3 myle brood. And then men entren into the londe of the Gret Cane. This ryver goth thorgh the lond of pegmans, wher men beth of litel stature, for they ben but thre spanne longe. And they beth [fol. 45r] ryght fair, and they beth weddede when they beth but half yeres olde. These smale men travelen noght, but they have among hem gret men, as we beth, to travele for hem. And they have greet skorne of gret men, as we have of hem. And they lyveth but 8 yer, and he that lyveth so longe is y-holde ryght oolde ther.    And thenne men goth thorgh many contreis to a ryver that is y-called Caro- masan, which renneth thorgh Catay and doth many tymes moche harme when he waxeth greet. And Catay is a gret contré and good, and ful of good and of mar chaundise. Theder cometh marchaundes every yer to fecche spices and other marchaundises, more comunely than they doth to another contré.    And ye shal understonde that marchauntes that cometh fro Venyse and fro Gene, other fro eny other places of Lumbardie other Romayn, they goth by see. And by londe hit is 11 monthes and more or they come to Catay.    And toward the est is an old cité in the province of Catay. And byside that cité the Tartaryns haveth y-maked another cité that they callen Cadom, that hath 12 gates, and bytwyne two gates evermore is a myle, so that the two citees, the olde and the nywe, is aboute more than 14 myle. In this cité is the sege of the Gret Cane in a ryght fair palays. And the garden is uppon an hille uppon which is a fair palays, and hit is the fairest that may be founde in any contré. And aboute that hille beth many trees berynge many diverse of fruytes. And aboute the hille is a gret ryver and a gret diche. And ther fast by beth many ryvers and vynes uppon ech syde. And in tho vyne and ryvers beth gret plenté of fissh and of wilde foules, which the Gret Cane may take with his haukes and go noght out of his palays.    The halle of that palays is rychely dight, for withynne the halle beth 24 pylers of goolde, and alle the walles beth y-covered with rych skynnes of beestes that men callen panters, which ben fair and well smellyng. And for tho skynnes smelleth so well, no wicked smel may come in that palays. And tho skynnes ben as [fol. 45v] reed as blood, and they shyneth so agayn the sonne that unnethe any man may beholde hem. And men preesen tho skynnes for as moche hit were goold.    And at the over eynde of the halle is a trone of the emperour, right heygh. And ther he sitte at his mete, at a table that is well y-bordured with goolde, and that bor dure is ful of precious stones and gret perles. And the greces the which he goth uppon to his trone beth of diverse precious stones bordured with goolde. And at the lift syde of his trone is the sege of his wiff, a gre lower than he sitteth, and that is of jasper bordured with goolde. And the sege of his secunde wyff is a gre lowere than his ferst wyff, and that is also bordured with goolde. And the sege of the thridde wyff is a gre lower than the secunde, for alway he hath thre wyves with hym, wherso he be. Besyde thes wyves on the same syde sitteth ladyes of kynne, ech lower than other as they beth wedded and of degré. And all tho that beth y-wedded haveth a contrefeit of a mannes foot uppon her hedes, half a foot longe and all y-maked with precious stones wel and rychely, in tocknyng that they ben in subjeccioun to man and under mannes foot. And they that beth noght wedded have no soch tocknynge.     And in the right side of the emperour sytteth ferst his eldest sone, that shal be his eyre. And also he sitteth a degré lower than the emperour, in soch maner as the emperes sitteth, and by hym other lordes of kynne, ech lower than other as they ben of degré. And the emperour hath his table by hymself, that is of goolde and of precious stones and of white cristall other of yolgh bordured with goold. And ech of his wyves haveth a table by herself. And under the emperouris table sitteth 4 clerkes, and writeth al that he saith, good other ylle.    And at gret festes, above the emperouris table and all the other tables in the hall, is a vyne y-maked of fyn goold [fol. 46r] that goth aboute the halle. And hit hath many branches y-like to the grapes of a vyne. Som beth white, som beth yolgh, som beth reed, som beth black. All the rede beth rubyes other cremans other alabans, the white beth of byrrel other cristall, the yolghe beth of topaces, the grene beth of emeraudes and crisolites, the blacke beth of oniches and geraundes.    And this vine is thus y-maked of precious stones as properly that hit semeth that hit were a vyne growynge of the erthe. And byfore the borde of the emperour stondeth gret lordes, and no man so hardy to speke to hym but if he speke ferst, but hit be mynstralles to make solas to the emperour. And all the vessel, the which is y-served in halle and chambre, beth of precious stones, and namely at that table ther the lord sitteth: that is to say of jasper, cristal, amatist, and of fyne goold. And the coppes ben of emeraudes, sapheres, topaces, pydos and other maner stones. They have no deynté of sylver vessel, but they make of sylver greces, pylers, pament to halle and to chambre.    And ye shal understonde that myne felawes and Y were soudeours with hym 16 monthes agayn the kyng of Mancy. And the cause was for Y hadde gret desyre to se the nobleye of the contré, if hit were y-shewed as we herde speke of. And for- sothe we fond hit rycchere and nobleour and more solempne than was told to us. And we sholde never have y-leved hit but if we hadde y-sey hit.    But ye shal understonde that the mete and the drynke is more honeste in that contré than in any other, for alle the comons eteth noght elles but flessh of all maner beestes. And whan they have ete, they wype her hondes uppon her lappes, and they ete but ons a day. WHY HE IS Y-CLEPED THE GRET CANE. CAPITULUM SEXTUMDECIMUM. [CHAPTER 16.]    And why he was called the Gret Cane Y shal telle yow. For ye wyte well that al the worlde was destruyed with Noeis flood, outtake Noe and his wyff and his chil dren. Noe had 3 children: Sem, [fol. 46v] Cham and Japhet. And Cham was he that un keverede his fader and skorned hym when he slepe, and therfore he was acursed. And Japhet covered his fader agayn. Thes thre bretheryn hadde all the londe for to parte. Cham toke the best partie estwarde that is called Assye, and Sem toke Affrik, and Japhet toke Europe. Cham was the myghtiest and the richest of his brethren, and of hym bycom the paynymes and the dyverse maner of men of yles, som hedles and other men defigured. And for this Cham, the emperour called hem after hym "Cham," and lord of all.    But ye shal understonde that the emperour of Cathay is called "Cana" and noght "Cham," and for this skyle. Hit is noght longe that al Tartarye was in sub- jeccioun to other naciouns aboute, and they were maked herdmen to kepe beestes. And among hem were 7 lynages of diverse kyndes. The ferst was called Tartarye and that is the beste. The secunde lynage is y-cleped Tangoth, the 3 Eurace, the 4 Valayr, the 5 Semeth, the 6 Menchi, the 7 Sobeth. Thes ben holde of the Gret Cane of Cathay.    Now byfill hit so that in the ferst lynage was an old man, and he was noght ryche, and men called hym Changyse. This man lay and slepe uppon a bed in a nyght, and ther com to hym a knyght all white, sittynge uppon a white stede, and seyde to hym, "Chane, slepest thow? God that is almyghty sende me to thee, and hit is His will that thow seye to thyn 7 lynages that thow be her emperour, for to conquere alle the londes that ben aboute yow. And they shal be in youre subjec- cioun, as ye have be in heres." And when hit was day he roos up and wente to his 7 lynages and sayde thes wordes, and they skorned hym and sayde he was a fole. And the secunde nyght the same knyght com to the 7 lynages and bad hem in Goddes byhalf to make Chaungise her emperour, "   And ye shal be out of all subjec cioun,    And ye shal have other londes aboute yow in subjeccioun." And uppon the morwe they chese Chaungice to her emperour, and dede to hym all worship that they myght do, and called hym Chane, as the white knyghte sayde. They wolde do all that he bad hem do.    And tho he makede many statutes and lawes which he cal[fol. 47r]led Isacan. The ferste statute was that they sholde be obedient to Almyghty God and lyve that He shal delyvere hem out of all thraldom, and that they sholde calle uppon Hym in all her nede. Another statute was that alle men that myghte armes bere sholde be armed and numbred, and to every 20 sholde be a mayster, and to every 100 a maister, and to every 1000 a mayster. And thenne he commaunded to alle the grettest of principalles of the 7 lynages that they sholde forsake all that they hadde in heri tage and lordship, and they sholde be wel payed if that he wolde geve hem of his grace. And they dede so. Anoon he bade that every man sholde brynge his eldest sone byfor hym, and that every man sle his owene sone with his owene hondes and smyte of her hedes. And anoon they dede so. And when he sey they maked no lettyng of that he bade hem do, thenne he bade hem folwe his baner. And so he put in subjeccioun alle the londes aboute hym.    And hit byfell uppon a day that the Chane rode with a fewe of his men to se the londe that he had wonne, and he mette with a gret companye of his enemyes. And ther he was cast adoun of his hors and his hors y-slayn. And when his men saw hym at the erthe, they wende he hadde be ded, and fled away, and her enemyes pur sued after. And when the Chane saw his enemyes wer fer he yede and hyd hym in a bossh, for the wode was thicke. And his enemyes come agayn fro that chace. They sought among the wode and they fond many men, but hym noght. And as they come by the place ther he was, they saw a bryd sitte uppon a tre, which bryd men callen an oule. And he sat above his hed uppon that tre, and then they sayde ther was no man for the bryd was ther, and so went thay away. And thus was the Chane y-saved fro the deeth, and so wente he away by nyghte to his owen men, which were fayn of his comynge. And fro that tyme hyderward men of that contré have y-do gret worship to that bryd, and more than to any other.    And thenne he assembled all his men and rood uppon his enemyes and de struyed hem. And when [fol. 47v] he hadde wonne all the londes to Mount Belyan, the white knyght come to hym in a vision and sayde, "Chane, the wyll of God is that thow passe the Mount Belyan, and thow shalt wynne many londes. And for ther is no ryght passage, go thow to Mount Belyan that is uppon the see and knele 9 tymes theruppon agayn the est in the worship of God, and He wole shewe to thee a way how thow shalt passe." And the Cane dede so, and anoon the see that touchid the hille withdrow hym and shewed a fair way of 9 foot brode bytwyne the hille and the see. And so he passed and alle his men, and so wan he the lond of Cathay, that is the most lond of the worlde. And for tho 9 knelynges and the 9 foot of way, the Chane and the men of Tartarye haveth the numbre of 9 in gret worship.    And when he had y-wonne the lond of Cathay, he deyde. And thenne regned after hym Chicoto Chane, his eldest sone. And his eldest brother went to wynne hym lond in other contrees. And they wonne the londe of Spruys and Russyghe and het hym Chane also. But they of Chatay is the grettest Cane, for he is the grettest lord of the worlde. And so he calleth hym in his lettres when he seith thus: Chane filius dei excelsi universam terram colencium summus imperator et dominus domin ancium. That is to say: "Chane, Goddes sone, emperour of alle tho that tylieth lond, and lord of all lordes." And the wryting aboute his gret seel saith thus: Deus in celo, Chanus super terram eius fortitudo omnium hominum imperator. That is to say: "God in Hevene, Chane uppon erthe His strengthe, emperour of all men." And the writyng aboute his prevy seel is this: Dei fortitudo omnium hominum imperatoris sigillum. That is to say: "The streynthe of God, seel of His pryvé seel, the emperour of alle men." And thow hit be so that they be noght Cristen, yit the Chane and the Tartaryns byleveth on Allmyghty God. ARAY OF THE COURT OF THE GRET CHANE. CAPITULUM SEPTIMUMDECIMUM. [Chapter 17.]    Now Y have told yow why he is cleped the Gret Chane. Now shal Y telle yow the governaynge of his court when they make gret festes, and that is principaly at 4 tymes of the yer. The ferste feste is of his berynge, [fol. 48r] the secunde is when he was bore to the temple to be circumcised, the thrid is of his ydoles when they bygan ferst to speke, the 4 when his ydoles bygan ferst to do miracles. And at thes tymes he hath his men wel araed by thousandes and hundredes, and every man woot wel what he shal do. For ther beth ferst ordeyned 4000 riche barones to ordeyne the feste and to serve the emperoure. And thes barones haveth crounes of goolde wel y-dyght with perles and precious stones, and they beth all y-clothed in clothes of goold and cammaka ful richely. And they may wel have soch clothes, for ther they beth of lasse prys then wollen clothes ben her. And thes 4000 barones beth de parted on 4 parties, and every party is y-clothed in dyverse colour ful richely. And when the ferst 1000 is passed and haveth shewed hem, then cometh the secunde 1000, and so the thridde, and so the ferthe. And noon of hem speketh a word.    And by that emperouris syde at the emperouris table sitteth many philosophers and of many sciences, of astronomye, nigromancy, geometrye, piromancy, and other many sciences and som haveth after hem astrelabers of goold and of pre- cious stones full of sond other coles brennyng. Som have orlages wel y-dight and richely, and other maner instrumentes of her sciences. And at certeyn oures when they seith tyme, they say to men that stondeth byfore hem, "Maketh pees," and then tho men that stondeth byfore crieth loude, that all tho in the hall may here, "Now beth stylle a while!" And then speketh oon of the philosophers and saeth thus: "Every man do reverence and loute to the emperour, that is Goddes sone and lord of all lordes and of all the worlde, for now hit is tyme." And then all men louteth and kneleth to hym on the erthe. And then byddeth the philosophers hem aryse up agayn. And at other oures other philosophers biddeth hem all put her fynger in her earis, and they do so. And at another oure, another philosophere byddeth that alle men sholde ley her hondes on her mouth, [fol. 48v] and they do so. And so after he byddeth hem take away, and they do so. And thus fro oure to oure they byddeth diverse thynges.    And Y asked prevyly what hit sholde mene. And oon of tho maystres sayde that the loutynge and the knelynge on erthe at that tyme was tockne that all tho men that kneled so sholde evermore be trywe to the emperour: that for no geftes, ne for no heste they sholde never be traytour to hym. And the puttyng of the fynger in the earis hath this tocknynge: that never oon of tho men sholde her noon yvell y-spoke of the emperour, of fader ne of of moder ne of noon other, but he telle hit to the emperour other to his consayle.    And ye shal understonde that no man dightteth nothyng to the emperour, ne breed, ne drynke, ne clothes, ne noon other thyng necessarye, but at certeyn tymes and oures whoche philosophers telleth. And if any man wole werry ageyn the em- perour, in what contré so hit be, these philosophers wite hit sone and telleth the emperour and his consaile, and sendeth men thyder to make an eynde.    Also he hath many men to kepe bryddes, as gerfaucons, sperhaukes, faucon gentel, laurettes, sacres, paupenjayes spekyng, and other maner of foules. And he hath 11,000 olyfauntz and baboynes, marmusettes. And he hath fusicions to loke urines, of which 3000 ben Cristen men and 20 Sarasens. But he tretith more with Cristen men than with Sarasyns, and therwith in his court beth many barones and other that beth Cristen, and other that beth converted to our faith thorghe prech- ynge of good Cristen men that dwelleth ther. But ther beth many that wole noght that men wite that they ben Cristen men. And he hath in his chambre a pyler of goold, in which is a rubye and a charbocle which is a foot long, and that geveth lyght all nyght to all the chambre. And he hath many other precious stones and rubyes, but that is the grettest and the beste.    This emperour dwelleth in the somer toward the north, in a cité that men callen Camelat. Ther is ryght an hoot londe, and ther dwellith he for the most partye. And when this Gret Cane shal ryde [fol. 49r] fro oon contré to another they or deyneth 4 ostes of peple, of which the ferst goth afore hym a dayes journey. For that oste lith a nyght ther he shal lye another morwe, and ther is good plenté of vitayles. And another gooth on the ryght syde, and another on the lift syde, and on every oste is moch peple. And then cometh the ferthe oste byhynde hym a bowe draught, and therin beth mo men than of eny of the other.    And ye shal understonde that the emperour rydeth uppon an hors, but if he wole wende to any place with privé mayne he rydeth in a chare with 4 whelys. And theruppon is y-maked a chambre of tre that men calleth lignum aloes, that cometh out of Paradys Terrestre, and that chamber is covered withynne with plates of fyn goold and precious stones and perles. And foure olefantes and 4 stedes goth ther ynne. And 5 other 6 gret lordes rydeth aboute the chare so that noon other man shal com ney hym but he calle hem. And on the same maner rydeth the quene with an ost by another syde, and the emperouris sone in the same aray. And they have so moch peple that hit is mervayle to se.    Also the lond of the Gret Chane is departed in 12 provinces, and every prov ince hath mo than 2000 citees and other good tounes many. And every province hath a kyng. Also when the emperour rideth thorwe the contré and passeth thorgh citees and tounes, every man maketh fire byfore his dore in the street, and they caste encense other som other good thyng to geve good smell to the emperour. And if men of religion which ben Cristen dwelle ney wher he shal passe, they mete hym with procession. And they have a crosse and holy water byfore hem, and they synge thus, Veni creator spiritus, with a loud vois. And when he seeth hem come, he commaundeth the lordes that rydeth ney hym to make way, that the religious men may come to hym. And when he seeth the cros, he dooth of his hatte, whiche is wel maked and rychely with precious stones and gret perles, and then he louteth to the cros. And he that is priour other prelat [fol. 49v] of that religious goth and seith orisons byfore hym and geveth hym his beneson with the crosse, and he louteth to his beneson devoutly.    And then the same prelate geveth hym of som fruyt of the numbre of 9 in a plate of goold. For the maner is so ther, that no strange man shal come byfore the emperour but he geve hym somthyng, after the olde lawe that seith thus: Nemo accedat in conspectu meo vacuus. That is to say: "No man come in my sight voyde." And thes religious men goon forth fro the emperour, so that no man of the oste defouleth hem. Also the religious men that dwelleth ney wher the emperesse other the emperouris sone shal come and do in the same manere, for this Gret Chane is the grettest lord of the worlde. For Prester John is noght so gret as he, ne the soudan of Babyloyn, ne the emperour of Perce ne of Grece.    This peple byleveth on God that makide all the worlde, and yit have they idoles of goold and sylver. And to thes idoles they offre the formest mylk of her beestes. And this Gret Chane hath 3 wyves, and the ferst most principal was Prester Johnis doughter.    Also men of this contré bygynnen to do all her thynges in the nywe mone, and they worship moche the sonne and the mone. And they hold hit gret synne to breke a bone with another, and to shede mylk on the erthe other any other licour that men may drynke. And the most synne that they may do is to pisse in house wher they dwellen. And he that pissith on his hous shal be slayn. And of all thes synnes they shryve hem to her prestes, and for her penaunce they geve sylver. And that place wher men haveth thus y-pissed byhoveth to be halwed, other elles may they noght come ther. And when they han doon her penaunce, they shal passe thorgh a fyre, for to make hem clene of her synnes.    And when men of that contré have eten, they wype her hondes on her lappes, for they have none bordes but byfore gret lordes. Also when they have eten, they put her disshes and her doblers [fol. 50r] unwassh into the potte other caudren. And the flessh they leven when they have eten, till they ete another tyme. They leve hit stylle in the crocke. And rich men drynken mylke of mares other asses and other beestes. And another drynke ther is that is maked of mylke and water togedre, for they have no wyne nother ale.    And when thay goon to werre, ful wysly every of hem bereth two bowes other thre, and many arwes, and a gret axe. And knyghtes and gentyles have shorte swerdes. And whoso fleith on batayle, they sle hym. And they beth ever aboute to brynge all londes in subjeccioun to hem. For they saith that her prophecies seyth that they shal be overcome by shot of archers, and that they shull be turnd to her lawe, but they wyte never what men tho sholde be.    And that is gret peryle to pursue the Tartaryns when they flee, for they wole shet byhynde hem and sle also well as byfore. For they have smale eyen and litel berdes, and they comunely ben fals, for they holdeth noght that they byheit.    And when a man shal deie among hem, they stryke a sper on the erthe bysides hym. And when he draweth to the deeth, thei goon alle out of the house tyll he be deed, and then they putte hym in the erthe in the feld. And when the emperour the Gret Chane is dede, they sette hym in a chaire amyddes the toun and setteth byfore hym a table y-helid with a cloth, and flessh theruppon and other metys, and a coppe full of mylke of a mare. And they set a mare with her fole bysyde hem, and an hors y-sadelid and brydelid. And they leggen uppon the hors goold and selver. And then they make a gret grave, and hym and all these other thynges they putte ynne the grave togedre. And they say when he cometh to another worlde, he shal noght be withoute an hous, an hors, and other thynges. And the mare shal geve hym mylke and bryng forth mo hors, tylle he be wel astored in the other worlde. For they byleve when they ben dede that they sholde ete and drynke in another worlde, and have solas of her wyves as they have. And after that hit is layd on erthe, no man be hardy to speke of hym byfore [fol. 50v] his frendes.    And when the emperour the Gret Chane is thus dede, the 7 lynages goth to- gedre, and they chese his sone other the nexte of his blood, and they sey thus: "We wole and we praye and we ordeyn that thow be our lord and our emperour." And he answereth thus: "If ye wole that Y regne uppon yow, every of yow that Y commaunde shal do, and if Y bydde that eny shal be slayn he shal be slayn anoon." And they answeren all with oon vois, and saeth thus: "All that ye bydde shal be doon." Then saeth the Chane the emperour: "Fro this tyme now herafter, myn word shal be sheryng as my swerd." And then they sette hym on a chaire and crouneth hym. And then all the citees and good tounes senden hym presentes, so that he shal have that same day more then a cartfull of goold and selver and pre- cious stones, and other many jewelles. And lordes seyndeth hym hors and riche clothes of camacas and tartaryns and many other.    This lond of Chatay is in Asye the Depe, and this lond marcheth westward uppon the kyngdom of Percey, the which was somtyme oon of the 3 kynges that went to present Our Lord in Bethleem.    In the lond of Corasen, which is in the lond of Catay on the north syde, is gret plenté of good but ther is no wyne, which lond hath at the est syde a gret wilder- nesse that lasteth more than 100 journeys. And the leste cité of that lond is called Corasayn, and after that cité is that lond called. And men of this contré beth good werryours and ryght hardy.    And ther ney is the kyngdom of Coman, that is the most kyngdome of the worlde. But hit is noght habited, for on a place in that lond is so gret cold that no man may dwelle ther, and in another place is so gret hete that no man ther may dwelle. And ther beth so many flyen that a man woot noght in what syde he may turne hym. In this lond men lyen in tentes, and they brenne mucke of beestes for defaute of wode. This lond descendeth toward Spruys and Rossye and Turkye. In this lond renneth the ryver of Ethel, which is oon of the grettest [fol. 51r] ryvers of the worlde. And hit is every yer y-froze so hard that men fight theruppon in gret batayle both on hors and on foote, mo than 100,000 of men at ones. And a lytel fro that ryver is the Gret See of Oxean, that men calle Maure, and in this Maure is gret plenté of fyssh.    And then to Caspize, and at Caspyze beth ful strayte passages to go toward Ynde. And therfore Kyng Alisaundre let make ther a cité that is y-called Alisaun- dre, to kepe that passage so that no man shal passe but he have leve. And now that cité is called Port de Feare.    And the principal cité of Coman is called Sarochize. This is oon of the 3 wayes that gooth to Inde, bot in this way may noght many men go togedre but in wynter. This passage is called Barkent. And another way is for to go to the londe Turkes- ton thorgh Perce, and in this way beth many journeyes and wildernesse. And the 3 way that comth fro Cosmanne and gooth thorgh the Gret See and the kyngdom of Abcare.    And ye shal understonde that alle thes kyngdomes and londes into Pers ben y-holde of the Gret Chan of Chatay, and other many mo. And therfore he is a gret lord of men and of londes. THE LOND OF PERS. CAPITULUM OCTAVUMDECIMUM. [Chapter 18.]    Now Y have devised the londes and the kyngdomes toward the north to com fro the lond of Cathay unto the londes of Spruys, wher Cristen men dwelleth. Now shal Y telle of other londes and kyngdoms comyng fro Chatay, comyng fro the Gregyssh See wher Cristen men dwelleth. And for as moche as hit is nexte to the Gret Chane of Chatay, the emperour of Perce is grettest lord, therfore Y shal speke of hym. And ye shal understonde that he hath two kyngdoms. That oon bygynneth toward the est, toward the kyngdom of Turkeston, and hit lasteth estward to the see of Caspise, and southward to the lond of Ynde. And this lond is good and playn and wel y-manned and of many citeis, but the two citees that ben most principale ben y-cleped Battria and Sorman Gramang. And that other kyngdom [fol. 51v] of Perce lasteth fro the rever of Fyson to the Gret Ermonye, and northward to the see of Caspyse, and so forth to the lond of Ynde. And this is aplentuous lond and good. And in this kyngdom beth thre principal citees: Nessabor, Saphan, and Sarmasse.    And Sarmasse is in the lond of Ermonye, in which wer somtyme foure kyng- doms. And Perce lasteth westward to Turky in leyngthe, and in brede lesteth fro the cité of Alisaundre, that now is y-called Port de Feare, unto the lond of Medy. In this Ermonye beth many fayre citees, but ther Canryssy is most of name.    This lond of Medy is a lond but noght brood, that bygynneth estward to the lond of Perce and Inde the Lasse, and lasteth toward the kyngdom of Caldee, and northward lasteth to the Lytel Ermonye. The beste citees of that lond ben y-called Garaghe and Karmen.    And then is the kyngdom of Gorge, that bygynneth estward at the gret hylle that is y-called Abyor. This lasteth fro Turky to the Gret See and this lond of Medy and of the Gret Ermonye. And in this lond beth two kynges, on of Akas and another of Gorge. But he of Gorge is in subjeccioun to the Gret Chane, but he of Akas hath a strong contré, and he defendith hym wel fro his enemyes.    In this lond of Akas is a gret mervayl, for ther is a gret contré that is ney 3 journeys aboute, and hit is y-called Hamson. And that contré is covered al with derknes so that is no lyght. And men ther der noght go in that contré for hit is so derke. And yit men of that contré that beth ther sayen that they may here somtyme therynne voys of men, and of hors, and of cockes crowyng, and therfore men wyteth wel that men dwellen therynne. And they say that hit is derknesse that cometh thorgh miracle of God that He shewed for Cristen men. For hit was som tyme a wicked emperour of Perce that men called him Saures, and he pursued Cristen men to destruye hem, and for to make hem do sacrifise to his fals goddes. And at that tyme in that contré dwelled many Cristen men, which forsooke her [fol. 52r] good and her catell and all rychesses, and wolde go into Grece. And when they were all on a gret playn that men callen Megone, the emperour and his men pur sued hem so faste that alle the Cristen men setten hem on her kneys and prayed to God that He wolde help hem. Afterward ther come a thicke cloude, and over clapped hem, the emperour and all his oste, so that they myght never go away, and somme dwelleth ther yit in that derknesse. And the Cristen men went wher they wolde, and therfore they myghte sey thus: A Domino factum est istud et est mirabile in oculis nostris. That is to say: "Of Our Lorde this is y-do, and that is mervayl in our eyen." Also out of this derk londe comth a ryver, that men may se by takyng of good that men dwelleth therynne.    And then the nexte is the lond of Turkye, that marcheth to the Gret Ermonye. And therynne beth many contrees, as Capas, Saure, Brike, Quecissioun, Pytan, and Geneth. In ech of these beth many good citees. And hit is a playn lond and fewe hilles and fewe ryvers, and hit is plenteuous of vuryk and rychasse. Than is the kyngdome of Mesopotayn, that bygynneth estward at the flum of Tygre at a cité that men calleth Morcelle. And hit lasteth westward to the Fame Eufrates, to a cité that men callen Rochaus, and fro the Heye Ermonye unto the Lasse. And hit is a good lond and a playn, and hit marcheth to the lond of Caldee. And the lond of Ethiope marcheth estward to the gret wyldernesse, and westward to the lond of Nubyse, and southward to the kyngdome of Maritane, and northward to the Rede See. And this Maritane, that lasteth fro the hilles of Ethiope into Lybye the Heye, and hit marcheth into Nubye wher dwellen Cristen men. And then is Nubye the Heye and the Lowe, which that lasteth to the gret see of Spayne. THE KYNDOM OF CALDEE. CAPITULUM NOVEMDECIMUM. [Chapter 19.]    Now have Y spoke and y-told of many contreis of this side and of the kyngdom Catay, of which many beth obesshant to the Gret Chane. Now then Y shal speke of londes and of contrees and yles that beth yende Catay. And [fol. 52v] whoso shal goo fro Chatay to Ynde the Heye and the Lowe, he shal go thorgh a kyngdom that men callen Caldee, and that is a gret lond. And ther groweth fruyt as hit were goordes. And when hit is rype, men sher hit asondre. And they fynde therynne as hit were a beest of flessh, blod, and boon, and as hit were a lytel lombe withouten wolle. And they eten that beest and the fruyt also, and that is a gret mervayle. Neverthe les Y seyde to hem that Y helde that no gret mervayle, for Y sayde that in my contré beth trees that bereth fruyt that bycometh bryddes fleynge, and tho beth good to ete. And they had gret mervayle of this. In this lond and in many other aboute beth trees that berith clowes and notemyges, canel and other spices. And ther beth vynes that bereth gret grapes, that a strong man shal be besy to bere a clustre therof.    In that same lond, Jewes ben enclosid in the hilles of Caspyze, that men callen Uber. And thilke Jewes ben of the kynde of Gog Magog, and they may noght com out at no syde. Ther wer enclosed 22 kynges with other peple that dwelled byfore bytwyne the hilles of Siche. For the kyng Alisaundre chased hem thider among thilke hilles, for he trowed to have enclosed hem ther thorgh worchyng of men, but he myght noght. And tho he prayde to God that He wolde fulfylle that he hadde bygonne, and God herd his prayer and enclosed the hilles togedre so that the Jewes dwelleth ther as they were y-loke in a castel. And ther beth hilles alle aboute hem but at oon syde, and ther is the see of Caspize. And som man myght aske, "Syth ther is a see at oon syde, why go they noght out ther?" But that Y answer and say, though hit be so y-called a see, hit is no see but a stonk stondyng among hilles, and hit is the grettest stonk of alle the worlde. And if they went over that see, they wyte noght wher to aryve, for they conne noght speke but her owen langage.    And somtyme hit is so that som of the Jewes gon over the hilles. But many may noght passe ther togedre, for the hilles beth so gret and so heye. And men say in the [fol. 53r] contré aboute that in the tyme of Antecrist thay shulleth do mych harme to Cristen men. And therfore all the Jewes that dwelleth aboute in the worlde lerneth to speke Ebreu, for thilke Jewes that dwelleth among thilke spekith none thyng but Ebreu. And then shal these Jewes speke Ebreu to hem as Y trowe, and lede hem to Cristendome for to destruye men of Cristendom. For these Jewes sayen they wyte wel that the Jewes that dwelleth among thilke hilles shulleth come oute, and Cristen men shal be in her subjeccioun as they ben now under Cristen men.    And if ye wole wyte how they shal fynde the passage out, as Y have understonde Y shal say yow. In the tyme of Antecrist, a fox shal make his den in the same place wher Kyng Alisaundre leet make the gates. And he shal worche in the erthe that he shal go thorgh out tyl that he come among the Jewes. And when they seyn this fox they shal have gret mervayle of hym, for they sawe never none soch a beest. And they shul chace this fox and pursue hym til he be fled into his hole that he come fro. And then shul the Jewes grave after hym as he went til they fynde the gates, which ben makyd with gret stones wel y-dight with sement. And they shal breke these gates, and so shal thay come out.    Then is the lond of Bakarie wher beth wicked men and felle. In that lond beth trees that bereth wolle as hit were of sheep, of which they make hem clothis. In this lond beth many griffons, mo than in other londes. And som men sayen that they have the body byfore as an egle and byhynde as a lyon, and hit is so. But the grif fons haveth a body gretter than 8 and strenger than an 100 [fol. 53v] egles, for he wole bere fleynge to his neste a gret horse and a man uppon hym y-armed, other two oxen y-yoked togedre as they go at the plow. And he hath gret nayles and long on his feet, as hit were hornes of oxen, and of thilke nayles they make coppes to drynke of, and of his rybbes they make bowes to shet with. THE LOND OF PRESTER JOHN. CAPITULUM VICESIMUM. [Chapter 20.]    Fro this lond of Bacarie, men goon many journeys to the lond of Prester John, that is the emperour of Ynde, that men callen his lond Pentoxorie. This emperour Prester John hath many good citees and tounes and many gret iles and large, for the lond of Ynde is departed in iles by cause of the gret floodes that cometh out of Paradis. And also in the see beth many gret iles. And the best cité of Pentoxorie is y-called Nyse, for that is a noble cité and a ryche.    Prester John hath under hym many kynges and many diverse peeple. And his lond is good and ryche, but noght so ryche as the lond of the Gret Chane. For marchauntes cometh noght so moche thider as they doon to the lond of the Gret Chane, for hit is longer way. And also they fyndeth in the ile of Catay all that they have nede to, as spices, clothes of goolde, and of other thyng. And thow hit be beter chepe in the lond of Prester John, yit they leve hit for the lenger way and gret periles of the see. For in the see beth many places wher ben many roches of adamaundes, which of his owene kynde draweth yre to hym. For Y went ones in that see, and Y say as hit had y-be a gret ile of trees growyng as stockes. And oure shipmen sayde that thilke trees were of shippes [fol. 54r] mastes that sayled on the see, and so abode the shippes ther thorgh vertu of the adamaund.    The lond of Prester John is longe, and marchauntes cometh thider thorgh the lond of Perce and cometh to a cité that is y-called Ermes, for a philosopher that men called Ermes founded hit. And then is another cité that is y-called Soboth. And ther is lytel whete and barlich, and therfore they eten ryse and mylke and chese and other fruytes. And ther ben gret plenté of popynjayes, as ben in other contreyes of larkes.    This emperour Prester John weddeth communely the doghter of the Gret Chane, and the Gret Chane his doghter. In this lond beth many precious stones so gret and brode that they make vessel therof, as platers, coppes, and other thynges. This Prester John is Cristen and a gret party of his lond also, but they have noght alle the articles of our feith. For they byleve wel on the Fader, Sone, and Holy Gost, and they make noon fors of no catel. And Prester John hath under hym 72 provinces other contreys, and ech hath a kynge, and thilke kynges haveth other kynges under hem.    And in this lond beth many mervailes, for in that lond is the Gravel See, that is al sonde and gravel and no water, and ebbeth and floweth with gret wawes as the see dooth. And hit resteth never, ne no man may passe that see with shippe neyther noon other wyse. And in that see men fyndeth good fissh of other shap than is in other sees, and of good savour and good to ete. In that contré is a playn among hilles. In the playn groweth trees that at sonne rysing every day bygynneth to growe. And so they groweth til mydday and berith fruyt, but men der noght ete therof for hit is maner of ire. And after mydday hit turneth agayn to the erthe, so that when the sonne is doune hit is nothyng y-sene.    In that contré beth [fol. 54v] many popinjayes spekyng, the which spekith of her owen kynde as pertly as doth men.    When this emperour Prester John weyndith to batayle he hath no baner tofore hym. But he hath thre crosses y-bore byfore hym, oon of fyne goold, and thilke beth wel y-dight with precious stones. And for kepyng of every crosse beth ordeyned a thousand men of armes and mo than 100,000 of foot men, in the maner as men kepeth a standard in batayle. And when he rideth in another maner in lond of pees, then hath he y-bore byfore hym a crosse of tree, noght y-peynted and withoute goold and sylver and precious stones. And hit is all playn in tokneynge that Our Lord deyed on a crosse of tre. And also he hath y-bore byfore hym a plate of goold full of erthe, in tokenynge that his lordship and his noble aray is noght and shal turne into erthe agayne. And also another vessel is y-bore byfore hym ful of jewels and goold and precious stones, in tocknynge of his nobley and his myght.    Prester John dwelleth at the cité of Suse, and ther is his chief palays. And above the chief tour beth two pomelles of goolde all rounde, and eyther of tho hath two charbocles gret and large that shyneth ryght cleer uppon the nyght. And the chief gates of that palays beth of precious stones that men calle sardyn, and the bordure of barres beth of yvour, and the wyndowes of the halle and chamber of cristal. And the tables which they ete uppon beth of emeraudes somme, and som of mastyk, and somme of goold and other precious stones. And the pelers that bereth these tables beth also of precious stones.    And the greces uppon the which he goth to his mete and to his sege wher he sitteth, oon is of mastyk, another of cristal, another of [fol. 55r] jaspe, and other precious stones. And alle the greces ben y-bordured with fyne goolde and wel y-dyght with gret pyleres and precious stones. The pylers in the chambre beth of fyne goold with many charbocles that geveth gret lyght, and ther brenneth also in his cham bre every nyght 12 gret vesselles of cristal ful of baume, to geve good smel in the chambre. The forme of his bed is ful of safyres and wel y-boonde with goolde, to make hym slepe wel and to destruye lecherye. For he wole noght lye by his wyves but thries in the yer, and all for getyng of children. ARAY OF THE COURT OF PRESTER JOHN. CAPITULUM VICESIMUM PRIMUM. [Chapter 21.]    Also he hath a faire palays at the cité of Nyse, wher he dwelleth when hym liketh. And he hath every day in his court mo than 30,000 persones, withoute stran- gers that cometh and gooth. But 30,000 ther is, and in the coort of the Gret Chane of Cathay spendeth noght so moche as hys doth, for 12,000 men he hath evermore. And he hath 7 kynges in his court to serve hym and every of ham serveth a monthe aboute. And with every kyng serveth every day 72 dukes and 300 erles. And every day eteth in his court 12 erchebysshoppes and 12 other bysshoppes. The patriarke of Seynt Thomas is as he were a pope and erchebysshop, bysshop, and abbot, and ther beth alle the kynges. And som of these lordes ben maistres of the halle, and som of chambre, som stywardes, som marchalles, and som other offecers, and therfore he is ful ryal.    In this lond was somtyme a ryche man that men called Catholonabeus, and he had a fayre castel uppon an hylle and a strong. And he had y-lete make a good walle all aboute the hille, and withynne was a fair gardeyn in which were many fair trees beryng all maner fruyt that he myghte fynde. And he let plante therynne of alle maner herbes and of good smel. And ther were many fayre [fol. 55v] welles therby, and by hem were y-maked many fayre halles and chambres, wel y-dyght with goold and asure. And he hadde y-leet make bryddes and beestis that turned aboute by gynne in an orlage, and songe as they had be quyke. And he had in his gardeynes may dens of 15 yer olde, the fairest that he myghte fynde, and knave children of the same elde, and they were clothed in clothes of goolde and he sayde that thay were angeles. And he had y-maked a condite under erthe so that when he wolde, that condyte shold renne somtyme mylke, somtyme wyne, and somtyme hony. And this place is called Paradis. And when any yong bacheler of that contré, knyght other squyer, cometh to hym for to solacy hym and disporte hym, he ledith hym into his Paradis and showeth hym all these diverse thynges and his damyselles and hys welles, and he dyd smyte hys instrumentz of musyke in a heye tour that may noght be seye, and he seyde they were angeles of God and that place is Paradys that God graunted to hym that beleved, when He sayde thus: Dabo vobis terram fluentem lac et mel. That is to say: "I shal gyve yow londe flowyng mylke and hony."    And a lytel fro that place, on the lyft syde by the ryver of Fison, is a gret mer vayle. Ther is a valeye bytwyxte two hilles that is 4 myle long. Som men calle hit the Valeye Enchaunted, and som men calle hit the Valey of Fendes, and som men calle hit the Valey Perlous. And that valey beth many gret tempestes and gret noyses and thondres every day and every nyght. This valey is all full of develes and hath y-be allway. And men say ther that hit is an entré to Helle. In this valey is moche goold and sylver, wherfore many Cristen men and other gooth theder for covetyse, to have of that goold and sylver. But fewe of hem cometh out agayn, for they beth anoon astrangled [fol. 56r] with fendes.    And in the myddel of that valeye uppon a roch is a visage and the heed of the devel bodylich, ryght hydous and dredful to se. And ther is nothyng y-sene but the hede to the shuldres, but ther is no man in the worlde, Cristen ne other, so hardy but that he sholde have gret drede to se hit. And his eyen beth so staryng and sprynclynge of fire of diverse coloures and he chaungeth so ofte his contenaunce that no man der come nye hym for all the worldes good. And out of his mouth and his nose cometh gret plenté of fyre. But alway a good Cristen man that is stable in his feith may go thorghout that valey wel ynow withoute harme, if he be clene y- shryve and blesse hym with the signe of the crosse.    And when my felawes and Y were in that valey we had ful gret drede and som of myn felawes acorded to go that way and som noght. And ther were in oure company 2 freres menoures of Lumbardye, and they sayde if eny of us wolde go theryn they wolde also. And then uppon trist of hem we sayde that we wolde go. And we leet synge a Messe, and were y-shryve and houseled, and so went we yn 14. And when we come out we were but 10, and wiste noght whoder oure felawes were y-lost other turned agen, for we saw no more of hem. And som of oure felawes that wolde noght go yn with us went aboute by another way and were ther byfore us.    And we say many wonder syghtes in that valey: goold, sylver, precious stones, gret plenté as us thoughte. But whether hit was as we semed we wyte noght, for Y touched none. For the fendes beth so sotel that they make many tyme thynges to seme other then they ben. And we were ofte y-cast adoun into the erthe with wynde and thondre and tempestes. But God halpe us alway and so [fol. 56v] that we passed thorgh the valey withoute harm, thanked be Our Lord God.    And byyonde that valey is a gret ile wher that peple ben as gret as gyauntes of 28 other 30 foot longe. And they have no clothyng but beestes skynnes. And tho ete no breed but raw flessh, and drynketh mylke, and they eteth gladloker flessh of men than of other. And men sayde that byyonde that yle was another yle wher beth gretter gyauntz, for they beth of 45 other 50 foot longe, and som seyde of 50 cubites longe, but Y sey hem noght.    And another ile is ther wher ben wicked and lither wymmen. And tho have stones in her eyen, and tho han soch a kynde that if they byholdeth any man with wrathe, they sleeth hym with her lokynge.    Another ile is ther of faire peple, wher the custome is soche that the ferste nyght that they ben y-wedded they telleth that hit is y-ordeyned therto a man, and let hym lye by her wyves to have her maydenhode. And they geve hym gret hire for his travayle. And thilke men ben called gadlybyriens. For men of that contré holden hit a gret peryle to have a wommanis maydenhod. And if hit be so that her hos bande fynde her a mayde when he cometh to her, the hosband shal playne hym to the lawe that he hath noght do his dever, and he shal be gryvouslich pursued. After oon nyght they kepen her wyves well, that they speke noght with thilke man.    And Y asked what was the cause why they had that costome, and they seyde somtyme men lay by her wyves ferst, and som of tho wyves had eddres in her bodies that touched her hosbandes yerd in her bodyes. So were many men slayn. Therfore leet thay other men have her maydenhode for drede of deth, or thei put hemself in aventure.    Another ile is ther wher they chesen the kyng and they chesen hym noght for his ry[fol. 57r]chesse ne for his nobleye, but he that is of good condiciouns and most ryghtwys and trywest to juge every man of his trespas, litel other mochel, riche other poore. And that kyng may do no man to deth withoute conseil of his barons and that they alle be assent therto. And if hit be so that the kyng do a gret trespas, as to sle a man other soch another, he shal be dede. But he shal noght be slayne, but they shal defende and forbede that no man be so hardy to make hym com panye, and nother speke with hym, nother come to hym, ne gyve hym no mete ne drynke, and thus he shal deighe.    In this lond and many other of Inde beth many cocthrylles, that is a maner of a long eddre. And on the nyght they dwell in wateres, and uppon the day in the londe amonge roches. These eddres sleeth men and eteth hem gryntynge, and they have no tonge.    In this contré and many other, they sowen the seed of coton every yer. And hit groweth as hit were smale trees and bereth coton.    In Arabye beth many bryddes and som men callen hem gyrsaunt, that is a wel fayr beest, and hit is heyer than a gret courser other a stede, but his necke is neygh 20 cubites longe, and his cruper and his tayle is lyke to an hert and he may loke over an high hous. And ther beth many camelions, that is a lytel beest that eteth ne drynketh never. And he changeth his coloures ofte, for somtyme he is of oo colour and somtyme of another. And he may chaunge hym into alle colouris but blak and reed. And ther beth many wilde swyn of many colouris, and as gret as an oxe, and hy beth all splotted as hit were founes. And ther beth lyons al white, and ther beth other beestes as gret as stedes that men callen [fol. 57v] lonhorauns, and som men callen hem tontys. And they beth blake, and they have 3 long hornes in her front as sheryng as a sharp swerd, and he chasseth and sleeth the olyfaunt. And ther beth many other beestes.    And ther is another gret ile and plenteuous where beth good men and trywe and of good lyff after her feith. And though they be noght Cristen, yit of lawe of kynde they beth full of good vertues. And they fleeth alle vices of synnes and of malis, for they beth noght envyous, ne proute, ne covetous, ne glotons, nother lechours. And they do to no man but as they wolde they dede to hym. And they fulfelleth the 10 Commaundementes. They make noon fors of no rychesse. They swereth noght but ye and nay, for they say tho that swereth, he wole bygyle his neyghbore. And som calle this ile Bragme, and som men calle hit the Ile of Feith. And thorgh this yle renneth a gret ryver, the which men calle Tebe. And gen erallich alle men in this yle and other neygh beth ryght trewe, and trewer and ryghtwyser than in another contré.    In this ile ben none thefes, none morthereres, nother comen wymmen, no lechoures, ne beggeres. And for they beth so trywe and so good, ther is no tempest, ne no werre, no hunger, ne none other tribulacioun. And so hit semeth wel that God loveth hem, and that He is wel apayed of her levynge. And they leven so honestly in mete and drynke that they lyven ryght longe, and many of hem deyen withoute sycknesse, for kynde fayleth hem for ylde.    And Kyng Alisaundre sende somtyme thider for to wynne that londe, and they sende hym letteres agayn and seyde thus: "What is ynow to a man that all the worlde may noght suffyse? Thow shalt fynde nothyng in us why thow sholdest werre on us, when we have no rychesse nother tresour, and all the catel and goodes [fol. 58r] of our contré ben in comune. Our mete and our drynke is our tresour and ryches ses. And instede of goold and sylver, we have pees and acorde and good lyff alone. And we have but oon cloth uppon us, and our wyves beth noght araed rychely to pleysyng of men, for we hold hit a gret foly a man to dyght his body to make hym seme fayrere than hit is. We have evermore y-be in pees til now that thow wylt desert us. We have a kyng among us, noght for lawe ne for demyng of no man, for ther is no trespas among us, but al onlich to lere us and to be obedient to hym. And so myght thow noght take noght fro us but our good pees." And when Kyng Alisaunder saw this letter, he thoughte that he sholde do moche harm if he sturbled hem, and so he sende to hem that they sholde kepe wel her good maners and have no drede of hym.    Another ile ther is that is y-called Synople, wher also beth good peple and trywe and ful of good feith, and beth moch lyke of lyveng to the peple byforesayde. And they goth all naked. And into that ile com Kyng Alisaundre, and when he saw her good feith and trywe, he sayde he wolde do hem no harme, and bade hem asken of hym what they wolde have. And they answered that they had rychesse ynow when they had mete and drynke to susteyne her bodyes. And they seyde the rychesse of the worlde is noght worth. But if hit were so that he myght graunte hem that they sholde never deye, of that they wolde pray hym. And Kyng Alis aundre seyde he myght noght do that, for he was dedelych hymself and sholde deye as they sholde.    Then sayde they, "Why art thow so proute and woldest wynne all the worlde and have in thyn subjeccioun as hit were a god, and thow hast no terme [fol. 58v] of thyn lyf? And thow wolt have all the rychasse of the worlde, which shal forsake thee or thow forsake hit. And thow shalt bere noght with thee, but hit shal by leve byhynde thee to other. But as thow were y-bore naked, thow shalt be y-do yn erthe." And so Kyng Alisaundre was gretly astoned of this aunswer.    Although hit be so that they have noght alle the articles of our feith, yit Y trowe that God love hem neverthelasse for her good purpoos, and that they take her the same degré as He dide of Jope that was a paynem, the which He helde hym for His triwe servaunt, and many other. And Y trowe that God loveth all thilke that loveth Hym and serveth Hym meckly and trywly, and despised vaynglory of the worlde as thes men dide, and as Jope dyde.    And therfor Our Lord saeth thus: Ponam eis multiplices leges meas. That is to say: "I shal put to hem my lawes manyfold." And the godespell saeth thus: Alias oves habeo que non sunt ex hoc ovili. That is to say: "I have other sheep that beth noght of this foold."    And therto acordeth a visioun of Seynt Petre which he saw at Japhe, when the angel com fro Hevene and brought with hym of alle maner of beestis, eddres, and briddes, and seyde to Seynt Petre, "Tak and ete." And Petre sayde, "I ate never of bestes unclene." And tho the angel saide thus: Non dicas inmunda que deus mundavit. That is to say: "Calle thow noght thilke thinges unclene which God hath clensed." This was y-do in tocknyng that men sholde have no man in dispite for hire diverse lyvenge, for we wyteth noght wham God loveth most, and wham he hateth most.    And another ile is ther which they calle Pytan. Men of this ile tylyeth no corn lond, for they [fol. 59r] ete noght. And they ben smale men, but noght so smale as ben pigmans. These men lyven with the smel and savour of wild apples. And when they goth fer out of contré they berith apples with hem, for also sone as they leveth the savour of the apples they deye. And they ben noght ful resonable, but as bestes. And then is another ile wher the peple ben all in fetheris as bryddes, but the face and the palmes of her hondes. These men goth as well uppon the see as uppon the londe. And they eten flessh all raw. In this ile is a gret ryver that is two myle brod and an half, that men callen Ranymar.    And byyende that is a gret wyldernesse, as men sayn that han be ther, in the which men sayn ben trees of the sonne and of the mone that spake to Kyng Alisaundre and told hym of his dedes. And men sayn that peple that kepith thes trees and eteth of the fruyt, they lyven 400 other 500 yeres, thorgh myght of that fruyt. And we wold have go theder, but Y trowe a hundred thousand men of armes sholde noght passe that wyldernesse for wylde bestes, as dragones and other.    In this yle beth many olyfauntz white and blew withoute nombre, unicornes, and lyons of many coloures. Many other yles beth in the lond of Prester John that were to longe to telle, and ther is myche rychesse and many precious stones. WHY HE IS Y-CLIPED PRESTER JOHN. CAPITULUM VICESIMUM SECUNDUM. [Chapter 22.]    I trowe som of yow have y-herd telle whi he is y-called Prester John, but for tho that wyte noght, Y shal say. Ther was somtyme an emperour that was a noble prince and a doughty, and he hadde many Cristen knyghtes with hym. And this emperour thought he wolde y-se the maner of Cristen men and the servise in cherche of Cristen men. And tho was Cristendome and Cristen cherches in Tur- kye, Surry, Tartarye, Jerusalem, Palestyne, Araby, and [fol. 59v] all the lond of Egypte. And this emperour come with a Cristen knyght into a cherche of Egipte uppon the Saturday uppon Witsoneday, when the bysshope makyde orders, and he byheld the servise. And he asked of the knyght what peple tho sholde be that stood byfore the bysshope. And the knyght seyde tho sholde be prestes. And tho he seyde he wolde no more be called "kyng," ne "emperour," but "prest." And also he wolde have the name of hym that come out ferst at the dore of the prestes, which man was y-called John. And so he wold be called "Prester John," and so haveth all the emperoures sithe be y-called.    In that lond ben Cristen men of good feith, and they have prestes to syng her Masse, and they make her sacrament as men of Grece doth. But they say noght so many thinges as our prestes doth, for they say noght but as the aposteles, Seynt Petre and Seynt Thomas and other, sayde. When they synge Messes, they seith ferst Pater Noster and the wordes which Goddes body is makid with. For we have many addiciouns which that popes han y-ordeynd, which men of that contré know- eth noght.    And more estward beth two yles. That oon is y-called Orrel and that other is y- called Argete, of wham all the lond is myne of goold and sylver. In this ile men may se none sterres cler shynyng but a sterre that is y-called Canapos. And ther men may noght se the mone but in the laste quarter.    In that ile is a gret hille of goold that pismeres kepeth, and they fynyth the goold. And the pismeres beth as gret as houndes her, so that no man may come ther for drede of hem, so that men may gete of that goolde but by queyntise. Therfore when hit is ryght warme tho pismeres hideth hem in the erthe fro undre of the day to none, and then [Pynson] men of the countré take camellys and dromaderyes and other bestes, and goo theder and charge theym with golde and go awey fast or the pyssmyres come oute of the erthe. And other tymes whan it is nat so hote, that the pissmyres hyde them nat, they take meres that have foles, and they lay upon these meres two vesselles as it were two smale barelis tome and the mouthe upwardes and dryve theym theder, and holden their foles at home. And whan the pyssmyres sene theyse vesselles, for they have of kynde to leve nothynge tome, they fylle these vesselles of golde. And whan men trowe that the vesselles ar full, they take the foles and brynge theym as nere as they dare, and they whyne and the meres here theym. And as sone they come to ther foles, and so men take the gold so than. For these pyssemyres woll suffre bestes to goo amonge theym but no men.    Beyonde the iles of the lond of Prester John and his lordship of wyldernesse, to goo right est men shall nat fynde but hylles, great roches, and other myrke londe where no man may see on day ne on nyght, as men of the countré say. And this wyldernes and myrke londe lasteth to Paradyse Terrestre where Adam and Eve were sette, but they were there but a lytell whyle. And that is towarde the est at be- gynnynge of the erthe, but that is nat oure est that we call where the sonne rysethe in those countrees towarde Paradyse. Than it is mydnight in oure countré, for the roundnesse of the erthe. For Oure Lord made the erthe all rounde in myddes of firmament.    Of Paradyse can I nat speke propirly for I have nat be there, and that angoreth me. But that I have herde I shal say you. Men say that Paradyse Terrestre is the hyghest londe of the worlde, and it is so high that it toucheth nere to the sercle of the mone, for it is so highe that Noes flode myght nat come therto, the whyche covered all the erthe aboute. And this Paradyse Terrestre is enclosed all aboute with a walle, and that wall is all covered with mosse, as it semethe that men may se no stone ne nothynge ellis wherof it is. And the hyghest place of Paradyse, in the mydes of it, is one wall that casteth oute the foure flodes that renne thorowe dyvers londes. The first flode is called Physon or Ganges, and that renneth thorough Ynde. In that ryver are many precious stones and moche lignum aloes and gravell of golde. Another is called Nylus or Gyron, and that rennethe thorough Ethiope and Egypt. The thirde is called Tygre, and that renneth thorough Assary and Er- mony the Grete. And the forth is called Eufrates, that rennethe thorough Ermony and Persy. And men say that all the swete and fresshe water of the world take theyr springynge of theym.    The first ryver is called Physon: that is to say a gaderynge of many ryvers togeder and falle into that ryver. And som call it Canges, for a kynge that was in Ynde that men called Tangeras, for it renneth thorough hys lond. And this ryvere is in som place clere, in som place troble, in som place hote, in som place colde. The secounde ryvere is called Nylus or Gyron, for it is ever troble. For Gyron is to say "troble." The third ryver is called Tygris. That is to say "fast rennynge," for it renneth faster than any of the other, and so is a best that men call tygrys for he renneth fast. The forth ryver is called Eufrates, that is to say "well brennynge," for there groweth many gode thynges upon the ryver.    And ye shall understonde that no man lyvynge may go unto that Paradyse. For by land he may nat go for wylde bestes which ar in the wyldernes, and for hylles and roches where no man may passe. Ne by those ryvers may no man passe, for they come with so greate course and so great wawes that no shyp may go ne sayle ageyne theym. Many greate lordes have asayed many tymes to go by those ryvers to Paradyse, but they myght nat spede in their wey. For som dyed for wery of rowynge, som wex blynde, and som deefe for noyse of the waters. So no man may passe there but thorough special grace of God.    And for I can tell you no more of that place I shall say you of that I have sene in these Iles of the londe of Prester John, and they ar under the erthe to us. And other iles ar there, whoso wolde pursue them, for to environ the erthe whoso had grace of God to holde the wey, he myght come right too the same countrees that he were come of and come fro, and so go aboute the erthe. And for it were to longe tyme and also many perylles too pas, fewe men assay to go so, and yet might be done.    And therfore men came fro these iles to other iles coostynge of the lordshyp of Prester John. And men come in the comynge to one ile that men call Cassoy. And that countré is nere sexty journes longe, and more than 50 of brede. That is the best londe that is in those countrees save Chatay. And if marchauntes come theder as comonly as they do unto Chatay it shuld be better than Chatay, for it is so thyk of cytees and townes that whan a man gothe oute of a cyté he seth as sone another on eche syde. There is greate plenté of spyces and other godes. The kynge of this yle is full ryche and myghty, and he holdeth his londe of the Great Chane, for that is one of the 12 provynces that the Greate Chane hath under hym withoute his owne londe.    Fro thys Ile men goo to another kyngdom that men call Ryboth, and that is also under the Greate Chane. This is a gode countré and plenteuous of corne, wyne, and other thynges. Men of this londe have none houses, but they dwell in tentes made of tre. And the pryncipall cyté is all blacke, made of blake stones and whyte, and all the stretes are paved with suche stones. And in that cyté is no man so hardy to spyll blode of man ne beest, for worshyp of a mawmet that is worshypped there. In that cyté dwelle the pope of their lawe that they call Lobassy, and he gyveth all dignytee and benefyses that fall to the mawmet. And men of relygyon and men that have churches in that countré ar obedyente to hym as men ar here to the pope.    In this Ile they have a custume thoroughe all the countré that whan a mans fader is dede they woll do hym greate worship. They send after all his frendes, re- ligious prestes, and other many, and they bere the body to an hyll with greate joy and myrth. And whan it is there the grettest prelate smyteth of his hede and layeth it upon a greate plate of golde or sylver and he gyveth it to his son, and the son takethe it too his other frendes, syngynge and saynge many orysons. And than the prestys and the religyous cutte [fol. 60r] the flessh of the body into peces and sayeth orisones. And briddes of the contré cometh thider, for they knoweth the custome, and they flieth aboute hem as egles and other briddes eteth, and eteth the flesshe. And the prestes casteth the flessh to hem, and they berith hit a little thenne and eteth hit. And as prestes in oure contré as her among us singes for soules Subvenite sancti dei, that is to say, "Helpeth Sentes of God," so thes prestes singen ther with heye vois in her langage, "Byholdeth how good a man this was, that angels of God cometh to fecche hym and berith hym to Paradys." And thenketh the sone that he is gretly y-worshiped when bryddes have y-yete his fader. And wher beth most plenté of thes briddes, he hath most worship.    And then cometh the sone hom with alle his frendes and maketh hem a gret feste. And the sone leteth make clene his fadir his heed. And the flessh of the heed, he sherith hit and yif hit to his moste special frendes, every man a litel, for a gret denté. And of the skulle of the hed the sone leteth make a coppe, and therof drynketh he al his lyfftyme in rememoraunce of his fader.    And fro thenne to go 10 journeys thorgh the lond of the Gret Chane is a wel good ile and a gret kyngdom. And the kyng is ful myghty and he hath a ful noble lyvyng and ryche, after the maner of the contré. For he hath 50 damesels to serve hym every day at his mete and abedde, and doth what he wole. And when he sittith at the table, they bringeth hym his mete, and everi tyme fyve messes togedre, and singeth in the bryngyng a good song. And they kytteth his meete and put hit in his mouth, for he kytteth noght, but holdeth his hondes byfore hym uppon the table, for he hath so longe nayles that he may noght holde.    And hit is a gret nobleye in that contré [fol. 60v] to have longe nayles, and therfore they letteth her nayles growe as longe as they wolleth. And som leteth hem growe so longe til they wole come al aboute her hondes, and that thenketh hem a gret nobley and gret gentrise. And the gentrise of a womman ther is to have smale feet, and therfor also sone as they beth y-bore, they byndeth her feet so strayt that they may noght wexe as they sholde.    And this kyng hath a wel fair palays and a riche wher he dwelleth, of which the walle is two myle aboute. And therin beth many faire gardens. And all the pave- ment of the halle and chambre is of goold and sylver. And in the myddel of oon of the gardens is a litel hulle wheruppon is a litel place y-maked with toures and pynacles al of goold. And ther he wole sytte ofte to take the eyr and disport, for hit is y-maked for noght elles.    Fro this lond may men go thorgh the lond of the Gret Chane. And ye shal under stonde that alle thes men that Y have spoke of that beth resonable haveth some ar ticles of our feith. And they troweth in God of kynde that maked all the worlde, and Him clipe they "God of kynde" as her prophecie saieth: Et metuant eum omnes fines terre. That is to say: "And alle eyndes of the erthe shal drede Hym." And in another place thus: Omnes gentes servient ei. That is to say: "All people shal serve to Hym."    But they conne noght propurly speke of God but as her kyndely witte techith hem, for they spekith noght of the Sone nother the Holy Goost as they sholde do. But they kunne wel speke of the Bible, and specialich of Genesis and of the booke of Moyses. And they sayeth thes thynges which thei worshepith beth none godes, but they worshipe hem for the gret [fol. 61r] vertues that beth on hem, whiche thei say may noght be withoute special grace of God.    And of simulacres and mamettes that they saith that alle men haveth simulacres and mamettes, for they saith that Cristen men haveth images of Our Lady and of other. But they wit noght that we worshipeth noght thes images of stoon nother of tre for hemself, but the seyntes for wham they beth y-maked. For as the letter techith clerkes how thei shal trowe, so images and pentours techeth lewed men to worshipe the seyntes for wham they beth y-maked.    They saith also that the angel of God spekith to hem in her mametis, and that they doth miracles. They say sooth. They haveth an angel wythynne hem, but ther beth two maner of angels, the gode and the wickede: as men of Grece saith, Chaco and Calo. Chaco is yvel and Calo is good. But this is no good angel but yvel, that is in the mamettis to bygile hem and for to maynteyne hem in her mametrye.    Ther beth many other contrees and mervayles which Y have noght y-seye, and therfor Y can noght speke propurly of hem. And also on contrees wher Y have y-be beth many mervailes of which Y speke noght, for hit were to longe tale. And also Y wole say no more of mervayles that beth ther, so that other men that wendeth theder may fynde many nywe thynges to say, of whiche Y have noght tolde nother y-spoke. For many man hath gret likyng and desire to hyre nywe thynges. And Y, John Maundevyle, knyght, that wente out of my contré and passide the see the yer of Our Lord 1332 — and Y have y-passed thorgh many londes, contrees, and iles and am now come to reste — Y have compyled this book and lat write [fol. 61v] hit the yer of Our Lord 1366, at 24 yer after my departyng fro my contré, for Y was travelynge 34 yer.    And for as moche as many man troweth noght but that they se with her owen eye other that they may conseyve with her kyndely witte, therfore Y maked my way in my tornyng homwarde to Rome to showe my book to the holy fader, the pope, and telle to hym mervayles whoch Y hadde y-seye in diverse contrees, so that he, with his wise consayl wolde examine hit with diverse peple that beth in Rome. For ther beth in Rome evermore men dwellynge of diverse nacions of the worlde. And a litel tyme after, when he and his conseil hadde examined hit al thorgh, he sayde me for certayn that all was soath that was therynne. For he sayde he hadde a book uppon Latyn that conteyned that and moch more, after which book the mappa mundi ys y-maked, which book he shewed to me. And therfore the holi fader, the pope, hath ratefied and confermed my book in alle poyntes.    And Y praye to alle these that redith this book other hureth hit y-rad, that they wolde pray for me, and Y shal pray for hem. And alle thes that saith for me a Pater Noster and an Ave, that God forgif me my synnes, Y make hem partyners and graunt hem part of alle my good pilgremage and other good dedes that Y have do and y-wrought and do sithe to my lifis eynde. And Y pray to God, of wham all graces cometh, that He wole alle tho that redith other hureth this book that beth Cristen men fulfille of His grace, and save hem bothe body and soule, and brynge hem [Pynson] to His joy that ever shall last: He that is in the Trynyté Fader, Son, and Holy Goost, that lyvethe and regneth, God withoute ende. Amen.