That is to say Al folke shal serue hym but they can nat speke perfihgtly but as ther kyndly wytte techeth theym nouther of the son nor of the holy gost can they speke â— but they can speke wel of the byble and speciall of Genesys of the bokes of Moyses And they say that those creatures that they worship ar no goddes but they worshyp theym for great vertue that is in theym whyche may nat be wythoute specyall grace of god and of symulacres and ydols they sey that all men haue symulacres and that sey they for vs. cristen men haue Images of oure lady and other but they wote nat that we worshyppe nat the ymages of stone ne of tre but the sayntes of whom they are made for as the letter techethe clerkes howe they shall trowe so ymages paynture techeth leude men they say also that the aungel of god speketh to theym in their ydols do myracles they sey sothe but it is an yll aungell that doth myracles to mayntene them in their ydolatry There are many other countreys where I haue nat ben nor sene and therfore I can natte speke ê“pyrly of theym Also in countrees where I haue ben ar many marueyles that I spake nat of for it were to longe tale and therfore holde you payde at this tyme that I haue sayde for I woll say nomore of marueylie that ar there so that other men that go theder may fynde ynoughe to say that I haue nat tolde ¶ And I Iohn Maunduyle that went oute of my countre passed the sethe yere of oure lorde a M ccc.xxxii I haue passed thorowe many londes and Iles and countrees nowe am come to rest I haue compyled this boke and do wryte it the yere of oure lorde M.ccc.lxvi at xxxiii yere after my departynge fro my countre for as moch as many men trowe nat but that they se with theyriyen or that they may conceyue in their kyndly wytte therfore I made my way to rome in my comynge homwarde to shewe my boke to the holy fader the pope tell hym of the marueylis that I had sene in dyuers countrees so that he with his wise counsell wold examyne it wyth dyuerse folke the ar at rome for there dwell men of al nacions of the worlde and a lytell tyme after whan he hys counseyle had examyned it all thorowe he sayde to me for certeyne that all was sothe for he sayde he had a boke of laten that conteyned all that and moche more of the whych the Mapamundi is made the whych boke I sawe and therfor the holy fader the pope hath ratyfyed confermed my boke in all poyntes And I pray to all those that rede thys boke that they woll pray for me and I shall pray for them and all those that say for me a Pater noster and an Aue maria that god forgyue me my synnes I make them ê‘ceuers and graunt theym part of all my gode pylgrymages and other gode dedes which I euer dyd or shall do to my lyues ende and I pray to god of whom all grace comethe that he woll all the reders and herers that ar cristeÌ„ men fulfyll of his grace and saue them body and soule and brynge theym to his ioy that euer shall last he that is in the trynyte fader son and holy goost that lyuethe and regneth god withoute ende amen ¶ Here endeth the boke of Iohn Maunduyle knyght of wayes to Ierusalem of marueylys of ynde and of other countrees Emprented by Rychard Pynson Richard pynson
patriarke and she dyed as sone as she had borne bemamyn and there she was grauen and Ioâ—ob hir husbonde sette xii greate stones vpon hir in tokenynge that she hadde borne xii children 〈◊〉 this wey to Ierusalem ar many churches crysten by the whyche men goo to Ierusalem FOr to speke of ierusalem ye shall vnderstonde that it standeth fayre amonge hylles and there is nouther ryuer ne well but water comethe by condyte fro Ebron and ye shall wete that men callyd it first Iebus and sythen Was it called Salomee vnto the tyme of kynge dauyd and he sette these two names Samen and called it Iebusalem and than came Salon called it Ierusalem and so is it callyd yet And aboute Ierusalem is the kyngdom of Surrey and therby is the lond of Palestyne and Ascalon but Ierusalem is in the londe of Inde and it is called Indee worldes hathe wrought heele in the myddys of the erthe And also vpon the Roche where the crosse was fyxed is wryten wythin the roche Gros guist basis thou pestes thoy thesmoysy That is to say in laten Quod vides est fundamentum tocius mundi et huius fidei and it is too say that thou seest is grouÌ„de of all the world and of this â—eythe And ye shall vnderstonde that oure lord whan he dyed was xxxii yere olde and thre monethes and the ê“phesy of dauid sayth that he shulde haue .xl. yere whan he sayth thus Quadraginta annis ê“ximus fui generacioni huic That is to say Fourty yere Was I neyghbour to this kynde and thus shulde it seme that prophesy weâ— nat sothe but it is For in olde tyme men called yeres of x. monethes of the whyche marche was the firste and december the laste But Gayus Cesar that was emperoure of rome dyd sette to these two monethes Ianuary and February and ordeyned the yere of xii monethes that is to say ccc dayes wythoute lepe yere the propyr cours of the sonne And thei fpre after the accomptynge of ten monethes to the yere he dyed in fourty yere and after oure yeres of xii monethes is xxxii yere and thre monthes Also within mounte caluary at the right syde is an auter where the Pyller lyethe that oure lorde was bounde too whan he was scourged and there besyde at foure fote at foure stones that alwey droppe water and soÌ„me say that those stones wepe for oure lordes deth and nere this auter in a place xlii degrees depe was found the very cros by assent of saynt Elyn vnder a roche where Iewes had hydde it and it was assayed for they fonde thre crosses one of oure lorde and two of the two theues And saynt Elyne assayed theym on a dede body that ro se as sone as the very crosse was layde on And therby in the vale is the place where the foure nayles of our lorde was hydde â–ª for he had two nayles in his handes and two in his fete And of one of these nayles the emperour of Constantynople dyd make a brydell for his hors to bere hym in batayle for thorough vertu therof he ouercam his ennemys And whan all londes of assy turky damaâ—yne more and the lesse surrey and Ierusalem araby persy and Messopotany the kyngdom of alapâ—â— egipt the hygh and the lowe â— and other kyngdoms many vnto wâ—lle lowe in Ethyope and alsoo vnto Inde the lessâ— that than was crysten and there was in that tyme ma ny gode men and holy heremytes of whom the bokes of the â—ader lyfes speketh and they ar nowe in paynemes 〈◊〉 handes but whan god Woll ryght as these londes are lost thorough synne of crysten men soo shall they be wonne ageyne by cristen men thorough helpe of god And in the myddis of this church is a compas in the why the Ioseph of aâ—amathy layd the body of oure lord whan he had taken hym of the crosse And that compasse men say it is in myddys of the Worlde and that churche of the sepulcre on the northe syde is the place where oure lorde was done in pryson in many places and there is a party of the â—heyne with the whyche he was bounde And there he apperyd first to mary magdalen whan he was rysen and she trowed that he hadde been a gardyner in the churche of the sepulcre was wonyd to be chanons of the ordre of saynt kenet and they had a pryoure but the patryarke was their soueraigne and withouten the doores of the churche at the right syde as men goo vp .xviii. degrees sayde oure lorde to his moder Mulier ecce fâ— ius tuus That is to say woman beholde thy son Deuide dicit discipulo Ecce mater tua That is to say Than sayde he to his discyple Beholde thy moder And this word he sayde vpon the crosse and vpon these degrees wente oure lorde whan he bare the crosse vpon his shulder and vnder these degrees is achapell where prestis synge but nat after oure lawe and alwey they make ther sacrameÌ„t of the auter of bred saynge Paternâ— other thynges as with the whiche thynge they say the wordes of whom the sacrament is made for they knowe nat of addicyone yâ— many popes haue made but they synge in gode deuocyon and there nere is the place where oure lorde restydde hym whan he was wery for berynge of the crosse And ye shall vnderstonde that before the churche of the sepulâ—re is the cyte moost wake â— For the greate playne that is betwene that cyte and the churche on the est syde without the wallys of the cyte is the Vale of Iosaphat that cometh to the wallys In that vale of Iosaphat withoute the cyte is the churche of â—aynt stephyn where he was stoned to dethe and therby is the gate gyfted that may natte be openyd Thoroughe that gate oure lorde entred on palme sonday vpon an asse and the gate openyd ageyn him whan he wolde go to the temple and yet are the steppiâ— of the asse sene in thre places the whyche are full of harde stones Before the churche of the sepulcre two huÌ„dryd pacys is a greate hospytall of saynt Iohn of the whyche hospytalers halfe their foundement and to go towarde the est fro the hospâ—tall is a right fayre church yâ— men call Nostre Dame de vatynz and there was mary Cleofe and mary magdaleyne and drewe their here whan oure lorde was done to dethe And fro the churche of the sepulâ—â—â— toWarde the est at xviii pacys is temple dâ—â— that is a fayre house and it is all rounde and right high and coueryd with leede and it is well panyd wyth whyte marble but the sarasyns woll suffre no cristen men ne Iewes come therin for they say that so foule men shulde nat come into that holy place but I cam in there and in other places where I wolde for I had letters of the Soudan with his greate Sâ—ale and comonly other men haue but of his signet and men bere his letter with his
ne pesen but bestes are there greate plente and therfore ete they but flesshe Withoute brede and they soupe the bre and they drynke mylke of all maner of beestes They ete cattes and all maner wylde bestes Ratons and myce they haue lytell wode and therfore they dight their mete with hors mylke and other bestes Whan it is drye Prynces and other lordes ete but ones on the day and right lytell and they be right foule folke and of euyll kynde and in somer there is many tempestis thundres that sleth many folk bestes right sodeynly is it there greate colde as sodeynly is it right hote The prynce that gouerneth that londe that they call Raco dwelleth at a cyte that men call Oâ—da and forsoth there woll no gode man dwell in that londe for it is gode to sowe in thornes and wedes other gode none as I herde say for I was nat that wey but I haue ben in other londes marchynge theron 〈◊〉 lond of Rossye and Nyflande and the kyngdom of Grecon and â—ecâ—owe and the kyngdom of Grasten and many other places but I went neuer that wey to Ierusalem therfore I may nat Well tell it for I haue vnderstonde that men may nat well goo that wey but in wynter for Waters and marrays that are there that a man may nat passe but he haue frost right harde and fast snowynge aboue for were nat the snowe there myght no man go And ye shall vnderstonde that a man shall go thre iournes fro Pruysse to passe this Wey tyll he come to the londe of Sarrasyns that men dwell in And all if it be that crysten men euery yere posse there they cary their vetayle With theym for they shulde fynde no thynge there but a maner of thynge that they call Soleys and they cary their vytalles vpon the yce on sledes and chariettes with oute wheles and as longe as their vetels last they may dwell there but no lenger And whan spyes of the countre see cristen men come they renne to the townes and cry right loude kera kera kera and as sone they kepe theym And ye shall vnderstonde that the frost that there is and the yee is harder there than here and euery man hathe a stewe in his house and therin ete they and done all thynges that they may and that is at northe syde of the world Where it is comonly colde for the sonne coÌ„meth ne shynethe but a lytell in that countre and that londe is in som place so colde that there may no man dwell And on the southe syde of the worlde is in som place so hote that theâ— may no man dwell for the sonne gyueth so greate hâ—te in those countrees FOr as moche as I haue tolde you of the Sarasyns and of their lawes If ye woll I shall tel you a party of their lawe and of their trouthe after their boke that they call alkaron sayth soÌ„me call that boke Mesap som harme in diuerse langage of countrees the which boke machomete gaue theym in the why che he wrote amonge other thynges as I haue oft redde and sene that they that are gode shall go to paradyse and the euyll to hell and that trowe all sarasynes and if a man aske of what paradyse they mene they say it is a place of delyces where a man shall fynde all maner of frutes in all tymes and waters â—yurâ—s rennynge with mylke and hony Wyne and fresshe water and they shal haue fayre houses and gode as they haue deserued And those howses ar made of precious stones gold and siluer and euery man shall haue x. wyues and all maydens and he shall euery day ones haue to doo with theym and shall euermore be maydens Also they speke oft trowe of the virgyn mary and say of the Incarnacion that mary was serued of aungellis and that Gabryell sayde to hir that she was chosen before all other fro the begynnynge of the worlde and that wytnesseth well theiâ— boke And that Gabryell tolde hir of the incarnacion of Ihesu câ—yst and that she conceyued and bare a chylde mayden And they say that cryst spake as sone as he was â—orne and that he was a very and a holy prophete in word and dede and meke and rightwys to all and wythoute any Wyte And they say that whan the aungell sayde hyr of the Incarnacyon she hadde grete drede for she was right yonge And there was one in that countre that medlyd with sorcery that men called Takyna that with enchauÌ„t mentes coude make hym lyke an aungell and he wente oft and lay with maydens and therfore was mary ferd for the aungell and wenyd in hir mynde that it hadde be Takyna that wente with the maydens and she coÌ„iured hym that he shulde say vnto hir if he was that eche Taâ—kyna and the aungell badde hyr haue noo drede for he was certeyne messenger of Iesu cryst ¶ Also their boke sayth she hadde chylde vnder a Palme and than was she shamed and grete and sayde that she Wolde be dede and as sone the chylde spake and conforted hir and sayde to mary Ne timeas maria That is to say Benatadred mary and in many other steddes sayth their boke alkaron that Iesu crist spake as sone as he was borne and the boke sayth that Iesu crist was sente fro god almyghty to be ensample to all men â— and that god shall deme all men the gode to heuen and the wycked to hell and that Iesu cryst iâ— the best prophete of all other and nerest to god and that he was very prophete that gaue the blynde syght and helyd mesellis and reysed dedde men and went all quycke to heuen and if they may fynde a boke with gospellis and namely Missus est angelus they do it greate worshyp they fast a monethe in the yere and they ete nat but on the nyghtys and than they kepe theym fro their wyues but they that are seke arnat constreyned to that And that boke speketh of Iewes sayth they ar wycked folke for they woll nat trowe that Iesu crist is of god and they say that the Iewes lye on oure lady and hyr son Iesu cryst saynge that they dydde hym nat on crosse and for sarrasyns trowe so nere oure feyth they are lyghtly conuerted whanne men preche the lawe of Iesu cryst and they say they wote wele by their prophesies that their lawe of machomete shall fayle as doth the lawe of Iewes and that cristen mens lawe shal last vnto the worldes ende ¶ And if a man aske theym wherin they trowe they say that they trowe in god almyghty the whych is maker of heuen and of erthe and other thynges And withoute hym is no thinge done and the day of dome whan euery man shal be rewarded after his desert and that all thynge is soth that cryst sayde thorough mouthes of his ê“phetes Also Machomete bad in his alkaron that ylke man shulde