therfore sarrasyns yâ— are deuoute drynke no wyne openly ellys they sholde be repreued but they drynke good beuerage swete and norysshyn ge that is made of Lalamels therof is sugour made Also it befalleth somtyme that crysten men become sarrasyns eyther thrugh pouerte or symplenes or wyckednesse And therfore theyr archebysshop whan he receyueth theym sayth thus Laeles ella Machomet rozes ella That is to saye There is noo god but one and Machomet his messenger And sythen I haue tolde you a parte of theyr lawe and of theyr customes and now I shall saye you of theyr letters that they haue with theyr names Fyrst they haue for A almoy bethath for b. cathi c. ephoti for d. delphoy e. fothy f. garophin g. hechun h. iocchi i. kathi k. lothun l. malach m. nahalot n. orthy o. choziri p. zoth q. rutholat r. routhi s. solathi t. chatimê° v. yrithom x. mazot z. zatepin â— iohetê° â— thyse are the names Thyse foure letters they haue yet more for dyuersyte of theyr langage for as moche as they spake so in theyr throtes as we haue A in our langage and speke in Englonde Two letters may than they haue in theyr a. b. c. That is to saye y and z the whiche are called thorn and zowx ¶ Of the yles and of the meruayllous people and dyuerse beestes ca. xlvij ANd sythen I haue deuysed before of the ho ly londe and countrees there about many wayes thyder and to mouÌ„t Synay to Babylon and other places of the the whiche I haue spoken ¶ And fro thens men goo to a cyte that is called Tanzyâ— and that is a fayre cyte good Besyde that Cyte is an hylle of salte and therof euery man take what he wyll and there dwelled many crysten men vnder trybute of the sarrasyns Fro thens men go thrugh many cytees townes and many castels towarde Ynde and than come to a cyte that men calle Cassage that is a fayre cy se and in that cyte is haâ—ondaunte of corne and wynes and of all maner goodes and there met the thre kynges togyder that wente to make theyr offrynge to our lorde in Bethleem Fro that cyte men go to a cyte that men calle Cardabago and paynyms saye that crysten men may not dwelle there but they deye soone they wote not the cause And fro thens men go thorugh many couÌ„trees cytees townes that it were to longe to telle to the cyte of Carnaa that was wonte to be so grete that the walle about was of xxv myle the walle sheweth yet but it is not now in habyte with men there endeth the londe of the Emperour of Percy ¶ Of the countree of Iob and of the kyngdome of Caldee ca. xlix ON the other syde of that cyte of Carnaa men entre in to the londe of Iob that is a good londe grete plente of all fruytes and men calle that londe the londe of Swere In this londe is the cyte of Thomar Iob was a paynym also he was Cofraas sone and he helde that londe as prynce therof and he was so ryche that he knewe not the hondreth perte of his good and after his pouerte god made hym rycher than euer he was before for after he was kyng of Ydumea after the deth of kyng Esau whan he was kyng he was called Ioab and in that kyngdome he lyued C. yere and. lxx soo that he was of age whan he deyed CC. yere and. xlvin And in this londe of Iob is no defaute of no thynge that is nedefull to manes body There ben hylles where men fynde manna manna is called angels brede that is a whyte thyn ge ryght swete moche swetter than sugour or ho ny that cometh of the dewe of heuen that falleth on the herbes there it congeled waxed whyte men do it in medycynes for ryche men This londe mar ches to the londe of Caldee that is a grete londe and there is full fayre folke well apparaylled and they goo rychely arayed with clothe of golde and with perles and other precyous stones But the woman are ryght foule euyll cladde and go bare foot and bere an ylle cote large wyde and short vnto theyr knees and haue longe sleues downe to the foot and they haue grete blacke here longe hangynge about theyr shulders they are ryght foule for to loke vpon that I dare not telle it all by cause that I am worthy for to haue a grete rewarde for my praysynge of theym In this londe of Caldee aforsayd is a cyte that men calle Hur and in that cyte was Abraham the patryarke borne ¶ Of the kyngdom of Amasony where as dwelled but wymmen ca. l. AFter the londe of Caldee is the londe of Amasony that is a londe where is no man but all wyÌ„men as men say for they wyll suffre no man lyue amonge theym ne to haue lordshyp ouer theym For somtyme was a kyng in that londe men were dwellynge there as dyde in other couÌ„trees had wyues it befelle that the kyng had a grete war re with theym of Sychy he was called Colopiê° and he was slayne in batayll all the good blood of his londe And this quene whan â—he herde that other ladyes of that londe that the kyng the lordes were slayne they gadred theym togyder kylled all the men that were left in theyr londe amonge theym sythen that tyme dwelled no man amon ge theym And whan they wyll haue ony man to lye by them they sende for theym in a couÌ„tree that is nere to theyr londe the men come are therâ— viij dayes or as the woman lykes than go they agayne and yf they haue men childern they sende theym to theyr faders whan they can ete go â— yf they haue mayde childern they kepe theym â–ª and yf they be of gentyll blood they brenne the lefte pappe a waye for berynge of a shelde yf they be of lytell blood they brenne the ryght pappe awaye for shotynge For those wyÌ„men of that couÌ„tree are good warryours are often in soâ—de with other lordes the quene of that londe gouerneth well that londe this londe is all enuyronned with water Besyde Amasony is the londe of Termagute that is a good londe prouffytable and for goodnesse of that londe kyng Alexander dyde ma ke a cyte there that he called Alexander ¶ Of the londe of Ethyope ca. li. ON the other syde of Caldee towarde yâ— south syde is Ethyope a greâ—e londe In this londe on the south are the folke ryght blacke In that sy de is a welle that on the daye the water is so colde that no man may drynke therof on the nyght it is so hote that no man may suffre to put his honde in it In this londe the ryuers all the waters are troublous somdele salt for the grete hete men of that
at a table that is well bordu red with golde that bordure is full of precyous stones grrete perles and the greces on whiche he gooth vp are of dyuerse precyous stones bordred with golde At the lyfte syde of his throne is the sege of his wyf a degree lower than he sytteth that is of Iasper bordured with golde the sege of his seâ—onde wyf is a degree lower than the fyrst that â—s also of good Iasper bordured with golde and â—he sege of the thyrde wyf is a degree lower than â—he seconde for â—ape he hath thre wyues with â—ym where soeuer he is vesyde thyse wyues on the same syde sytteth other ladyes of his kynne echone lower than other as they are of degree all those that are wedded haue a counterfeet of a mannes foot vpon theyr heedes a cubyte longe all made with precyous stones aboue are they made with shynynge feders of pecoks or suche other in tokenynge that they are in subgeccyon of man vnder mannes foot they that are not wedded haue none suche And on the ryght syde of the Emperour sytteth fyrst his sone that shall be Emperour after hym he sytteth also a degree lower than the Emperour in suche maner of seges as the Emperour sytteth by hym sytteth other lordes of his kynne echone lower than other as they are of degree And themperour hath his table by hymself allone that is made of golde precyous stones or of whyte crystall or yelowe bordred with golde echone of his wyues hath a table by herself And vnder the Emperours table sytteth four clerkes at his feet that wryte all that the Emperour sayth be it good or ylle And at grete festes aboue the Emperours table all other tables in the halle is a vyne made of fyne golde that gooth all about the halle it hath many brauÌ„ches of grapes lyke to grapes of the vyne some are whyte some are yelowe some reed some grene some blacke all the reed are of rubyes of cremas or alabauÌ„ce the whyte arâ— of crystall or by call the yelowe are of topaces thâ— grene are of emeraudes crysolytes the blackâ— are of quyches gerandes and this vyne is made thus of precyous stones so properly that it semeth as iâ— were a vyne growynge And before the borde of the Enperour standeth grete lordes no man is so harde to speke to hym but it be mynstrels for to solace themperour And all the vessell that is seâ— ued in his halle or chambres are of precyous stones namely at tables where grete lordes ete that is to saye of Iasper crystall amatyst or fyne golde the cuppes are of emeraudes saphyres topaces and other many maner of stones of syluer haue they noo vessell for they prayse syluer but lytell to make vessell of but they make of syluer greces py lers pauymentes of halles of chambres And ye shall vnderstande that my felowe I was in soudy with hym .xvi. monethes agayne the kyng of Mancy vpon whom he made warre the cause was for we had so grete desyre to see the nobley of his courte yf it were suche as we herde speke of forsoth we fouÌ„de it more rycher solempne than euer we herde speke of we sholde neuer haue byleued it had we not seen it but ye shall vnderstande that mete drynke is more honest amonge vs than it is in those couÌ„trees for all the comons ete vpon skynnes of bestes on theyr knees ete but flesshe of all maner bestes whan they haue all eten they wype theyr hondes on theyr skyrtes they ete but ones on the daye ete but lytell brede but the esta te of the lordes is full nobley full rychely ¶ Wherfore that the Emperour of Cathay is cal led the grete Chane ca. lxviij ANd ye shall wete why he is called the grete Chane ye wote well that all the worlde was destroyed with Noes flood but Noe his wyf his childern Noe had thre sones Sem Cham Iapheth C ham was he that sawe his faders balockes naked whan he slepte scorned it therfore was he cursyd and Iapheth couered it agayne Thyse thre brethern had all the londe C ham toke the best parte ecstwarde that is called Asia Sem toke Affryke Iapheth toke Europe C ham was the myghtyest rychest of his brethern of hym are come the paen folke dyuers maner of men of the yles some hedles other men dysfygured for this Cham the Emperour there called hym Cham lorde of all But ye shall vnderstande that the Emperour of Cathay is called Chane not Cham â–ª for this cause it is not longe gone that all Tartary was in subgeccyon thrall to other nacyons about they were made herdemen to kepe beestes amonge theym was vij lynages or kyn des the fyrst was called Tartary that is the best the seconde lynage is called Tanghot the thyrde Eu race the fourthe Valayre the fyfthe Semoth the sixth Menchy the seuenth Sobeth Thyse are all holdynge of the grete Chane of Cathay Now it befelle so that in the fyrst lynage was an olde man he was not ryche men calle hyÌ„ Changyus This man laye slept on a nyght in his bedde there came to hym a knyght all whyte syttynge vpon a whyte hors sayd to hym Chane slepest thou god that is almyghty sent me to the it is his wyll that thou saye to the. vij lynages that thou shalt he theyr Emperour for ye shall conquere all the londes that are about you they shall be in your subgeccyon as ye haue be in theyrs And whan morowe came he rose vp sayd it to the. vij lynages and they scorned hym sayd he was a fole And the nyght after the same knyght came to the. vij lynages badde theym of goddes behalf to make Changyus theyr Emperour they sholde be out of all subgec cyon And on the morowe they chose Changyus to Emperour dyde hym all worshyp that they myght do called hym Chane as the whyte knyght called hym and they sayd they wolde do as he badde theym Than he made many statutes lawes the whiche he called Ysakan The fyrst statute was that they sholde be obedyent to god almyghty byleue that he sholde delyuer theym out of thraldom that they sholde call on hym in al theyr werkes An other statute was that all men that myght bere armes sholde be nombred to eche x. sholde be a mayster to an hondred a mayster to a thousande a mayster Than he coÌ„mauÌ„ded to all the grettest pryn cypalest of the. vij lygnages that they sholde forsake all that they hadde in herytage or lordshyp and that they sholde holde theym payed of that he wolde gyue theym of his grace and they dyde so And also he badde theym that eche man
sholde brynge his eldest sone before hym slee his owne sone with his owne hondes smyte of theyr heedes as soone they dyde his byddynge And whan he sawe they made no lettynge of that he badde theym do than badde he theym folowe his baner than he put in subgeccyon all the londes about hym ¶ How the grete Chane was hydde vnder a tree so scaped his enmyes by cause of a byrde ca. lxix ANd it befelle on a daye that the Chane ro de with a fewe men to see the londe that he hadde wonne he met with a grete multytude of his enemyes there he was cast downe of his hors his hors slayne And whan his men sawe hym at the erthe they wende he had be deed fled the enemyes folowed after and whan he sawe his enemyes were ferre he hydde hym in a busshe for the wood was thycke there whan they were come agayn fro the chasse they went to seke amon ge the wood yf ony were hydde there they foūde many And as they came to the place where he was they sawe a byrde sytte vpon a tree the whiche by r de men calle an oule than sayd they that there was no man for that byrde sate there so went they awaye thus was the Chane saued fro deth so he wente awaye on a nyght to his owne men whiche were gladde of his comynge And fro that tyme hyderwardes men of that cōutree haue do gre te worshyp to that byrde for that cause they wor shyp that byrde aboue all the byrdes of the worlde And than he assembled all his men rode vpon his enemyes destroyed theym And whan he had wonne all the londes that were about hym he helde them in subgeccyon And whan the Chane had wonne all the londes to moūt Belyan the whyte knyght come to hym in a vysyon agayne sayd vnto hym Chane the wyll of god is that thou pas se the moūt Belyan and thou shalt wynne many londes for thou shalt fynde no passage go thou to moūt Belyan that is vpon the see syde knele .ix. tymes theron agaynst the eest in the worshyp of god he shall shewe the a waye how thou shalt passe the Chane dyde so and anone the see that touched the hylle withdrowe hym shewed hym a fayre waye of .ix. foot brood bytwene the hylle and the see and so he passed ryght well with all his men and than he wanne the londe of Cathay that is the moost londe and the grettest of all the worlde and for those .ix. knelynges the .ix. foot of waye the Chane the men of Tartary haue the nombre of .ix. in grete worshyp ¶ Of the grete Chanes letters and the wrytynge about his seale ca. lxx than saye those men with a loude boys to all the halle now he stylle a whyle than sayth one of y◠phylosophres eche man make reuerence enclyne to themperour that is goddes sone lorde of the worl de for now is tyme houre than all men enclyne to hym knele on the erthe and than byddeth the phylosophre theym ryse vp agayne at an other houre an other phylosophre byddeth theȳ all put theyr fynger in theyr eerys they do so at an other houre an other phylosophre byddeth that all men shall laye theyr honde on theyr heed they do so than he byddeth theym take awaye they do so and thus fro houre to houre they bydde dyuerse thynges I asked pryuely what this sholde mene and one of the maysters sayd that the enclynynge the knelynge on the erthe at that tyme hath this token that all those men that kneled so shall euermore be true to themperour that for no gyfte ne hetynge they shall neuer be traytours ne fals to hȳ And the puttynge of y◠fynger in the eere hath this token that none of those shall here none ylle be spokey of the Emperour or his coūseyll And ye shall vnderstande that men dyght no thynge clothes brede drynke nor none suche thynges to themperour but at certayne houres that the phylosophres telle yf ony man reyse warre ayenst that Emperour in what coūtree so it be thyse phylosophres wote it soone tell the Emperour or his coūseyll and he sendeth men thyder for he hath many men And he hath many men to kepe byrdes as garfaukons sperhaukes faucons gentyls laners sacres popyniayes that are spekynge many other x. thousande olyfaūtes baboynes marmosettes other he hath euer about hym many physycyens more than two hondred that are crysten men and. xx sa rasyns but he trusteth more in crysten men than in sarasyns And there is in that coūtree many ba rons other seruaūtes that are crysten conuerted to the good fayth thorugh prechynge of good crysten men that dwelle there but there are many that wyll not that men wete that they are crysten ¶ Of the grete rychesse of this Emperour and of his dyspendynge ca. lxxij THis Emperour is a grete lorde for he may dyspende what he wyll without nombre by cause he spended nother syluer nother golde he made no moneye but of leder or skynnes and this same moneye gooth thorugh all his londe and of the syluer golde buylded he his palays And he hath in his chambre a pyler of golde in the whiche is a Ruby and a carbuncle of a foot longe the whiche lyghteth all his chambre by nyght he hath many other precyous stones rubyes but this is the moost This Emperour dwelleth in the somer towardes the North in a cyte that men calle Saydus and there it is colde ynough and in the wynter he dwelleth in a cyte that men calle Camalach and there it is ryght hote but for the moost parte is he to Cadon that is not ferre thens ¶ Of the ordynaūce of the lordes of themperour whan he rydeth from one coūtree to another or to warre ca. lxxiij ANd whan this grete Chane shall tyde frō one coūtree to an other they ordeyne four oostes of people of whiche the fyrst gooth before a dayes Iourneye for that oost lyeth at euen where the Emperour shall lye on the morowe there is plente of vytayls And an other oost cometh at the ryght syde of hym and an other at the lyfte syde in eche oost is moche folke And than cometh the fourth oost behynde hym a bowe draught there is more men in than in ony of the other And ye shall vnderstande that y◠Emperour rydeth on no hors but whan he wyll go to ony secrete place with a pryue meyne where he wyll not be knowen but he rydeth in a charyotte with four wheles there vpon is a chambre made of a tree that men calle lignū aloes that cometh out of Paradyse terrestre that chambre is couered with plates of fyne golde and precyous stones perles and four olyfaūtes
without wolle men ete the best and the fruyte also that is a grete meruayle Neuertheles I sayd theym that I helde that for no meruayle for I sayd in my coūtree are trees that bere fruyte that become byrdes fleynge they are good to ete that that falleth in water lyued that that falleth on the erthe deyed they had grete meruayle of this In this londe and many other about ther are trees that bere clowes and nutmygges canell and many other spyc◠▪ and there are vynes that here so grete grapes that a stronge man shall haue ynough to do to bere a cluster of the grapes In that same londe are the hylles of Caspye that men calle Vber amonge those hylles are the Iewes of the .x. hyndes enclo sed within that men calle Gog and Magog and they may not come out on no syde There was en closed .xxij. kynges with theyr folke that dwelled betwene the hylles of Syche and kyng Alexander chased theym thyder amonge those hylles for he trusted to haue enclosed theym there thorugh werkynge of men but he myght not whan he sawe that he myght not he prayed to god that he wolde fulfylle that he had begonne god herde his prayer enclosed the hylles togyder so that the Iewes dwelle there as they were locked in there is hylles all about theym but at that one syde there is the see of Caspye And some men myght aske there is a see on one syde why go they not out there for there to answere I that all yf it be called a see it is no see but a stange standynge amonge hylles it is the grettest stange of all the worlde yf they wente ouer the see they wote not where for to aryue for they can no speche but theyr owne And ye shall vnderstande that the Iewes haue no lawe of theyr owne lawe in all the worlde but they that dwelle in those hylles yet they paye trybute for theyr londe to the quene of Armony And somtyme it is so that some of the Iewes go ouer the hylles but many men may not passe there togyder for the hylles are so grete so hygh Neuertheles men say in that coūtree there by that in the tyme of Antecryste they shall do moche harme to crysten men therfore all the Iewes that dwelle in dyuerse partyes of the worlde lere for to speke Ebrewe for they hope that the Iewes that dwelle amonge the hylles aforsayd shall come out of the hylles they speke all Ebrewe not elles and than shall thyse Iewes speke Ebrewe to theym lede theym in to crystendome for to destroye crysten men For thyse Iewes saye they wote by theyr prophecyes that those Iewes that are amonge those hylles of Caspye shall come out crysten men shall be in theyr subgeccōn as they be vnder crysten men And yf ye wyll wete how they shall fynde the passage out as I haue vn derstande I shall tell you In tyme of Antecryll a foxe shall make his denne in the same place whe re kyng Alexander dyde make the gates he shall dygge in the erthe so longe tyll he perce it thrugh vnto that he come amonge the Iewes And whan they see this foxe they shall haue grete meruayle of hym for they sawe neuer suche beest for other beestes haue they amonge theym many and they shall chase this foxe pursue hym vnto that he be fledde agayne in to his hole that he came fro And than shall they dygge after as he wente vnto they come to the gates that Alexander dyde make of grete stones well dyght with syment they shall 〈◊〉 thyse gates so shall they fynde the yssue ¶ Of the londe of Bactry and of many gryffons and other beestes ca. lxxxv FRom this londe men shall go vnto the londe of Bactry where are many wycked men and fell In that londe are trees that bere wolle as it were shepe of whiche they make clothe In this londe are many Ypotaynes that dwelle somtyme on londe somtyme on water are half man and half hors they ete not but men whan they may gete theym In this londe are many gryffons mo re than in other places some saye they haue the body before as an egle behynde as a lyon and they saye soth for they are made so but the gryffon hath a body gretter than viij lyons and gretter stal worthyer than an hondred egles For certaynly he wyll bere to his nest fleynge an hors a man vpon his backe or two oxen yocked samen as they go at plough for he hath longe nayles on his feet and grete as it were hornes of oxen and of those they make cuppes there to drynke of and of his rybbes they make bowes to shote ¶ Of the waye for to go to prester Iohans londe whiche is Emperour of Ynde ca. lxxxvi ARo this londe of Bactry men goo many a dayes Iourney to the londe of prester Iohn that is a grete Emperour of Ynde and men calle his londe the yle of Pantoxore This Emperour prester Iohan holdeth grete londes many good cytees good townes in his kyngdom many grete yles large For this londe of Ynde is all depar ted in yles by cause of grete flodes that come out of Paradyse also in the see are many grete yles The best cyte that is in the yle of Pantoxore is cal led Nyse for that is a noble cyte ryche Prester Iohan hath vnder hym many kynges many dy uerse people and his londe is good and ryche but not so ryche as the londe of the grete Chane for marchaūtes come not so moche thyder as they do in to the londe of the grete Chane for it is to lon ge a waye And also they fynde in the yle of Cathay all that they haue nede of as spycery clothes of golde and other rychesse And all yf they myght haue better chepe in the londe of preester Iohan than in the londe of Cathay and more fyner neuertheles they wolde lette it for the longe waye grete peryls in the see for there are many places in the see where are grete Roches of a stone that is called adamande the whiche of his owne kynde draweth to hym yron and for as moche that there sholde passe no shyp that had nayles of yron for it sholde drawe it to hym therfore they dare not wende in to that coūtree with shyppes for drede of adamandes I wente ones in that see and sa we as longe as it had ben a grete yle of trees and stockes and braunches growynge and the shypman sayd to me that those was of grete shyppes that were dwellynge there thorugh the vertue of the adamandes and of thynges that were in the shyppes were those trees sprongen and waxen and suche Roches are there many in dyuerse places of that see and therfore dare no shypman passe that waye And an other also