go to Paradyse besyde is our ladyes bedde nere there is the tombe of saynt Symeon and without the cloyster of the Temple towardes the north is a ryght fayr chirche of sayÌ„t Anne our ladyes moder there was our lady conceyued before that chirche is a grete tree that began to growe that same nyght And as men go downe fro that chirche xxij grees lyeth Ioachym our ladyes fader in a tombe of stone there nere was layde some tyme saynt Anne but saynt Elyne dyde trans late her in to Constantynople In this chirche is a welle in maner of a cysterne that is called Probatica pilcina that had fyue entrynges in that cyster ne was wonte an angell to descende stere the wa ter what man that bathed hym fyrst therin after the mouynge was made hoole that was syke what sykenes so euer he had there was the man of the palsy made hole that was syke xxxviij yere our lorde sayd vnto hym in this maner wyse Tolle grabatuÌ„ tuuÌ„ et ambula That is to saye in Englysshe take thy bedde go And there besyde was the hous ef Pylate a lytell thens was the hous of kyng Herode that dyde slee the Innocentes ¶ Of kyng Herode ca. xxiiij THis kyng Herode was a full wycked man and a felle for he dyde fyrst formest slee his wyf whiche he loued full well for the grete loue that he had to her whan she was deed he behelde her went out of his wytte so was he lon ge tyme afterwarde he came agayne to hymself And sythen he dyde slee his owne childern that he had goten of that wyf after he made slee the other his seconde wyf and a sone that he had goten of that same wyf after he dyde slee his owne moder he wolde also haue slayne his owne broder but his broder deyed sodenly thus he dyde all the yll that he myght And than he felle syke and whan he â—awe that he sholde deye he sente for his syster all the grete lordes of that countree and whan they were there he dyde put all the lordes in to a toure sayd to his syster he wyst well that the men of the couÌ„tree sholde make no sorowe for hym whan he were deed and therfore he made her for to swere vnto hym that she sholde do smyte of the hedes of his lordes euerychone after his deth than sholde men of all the couÌ„tree make sorowe for his deth or ellys they wolde not sorowe and thus he made his testament But his syster fulfylled it not as of that thynge that parteyned vnto the lordes for as soone as he was deed she delyuered the lordes out of the toure sente euerychone home to theyr houses tolde theym what her broder wolde she hadde done with theym And ye shall vnderstande that in that tyme was thre Herodes of grete name This of whome I speke men called hym Herode ascolonyte he that dyde smy te of saynt Iohn baptyst heed was called Herode antypa the thyrde was called Herode agryppa dyde slee sayÌ„t James put sayÌ„t Peter in pryson ¶ Of saynt Saluatours chirche ca. xxv ALytell within the cyte is sayÌ„t Saluatours chirche therin is saynt Iohn crysostoms arme the moost parte of saynt Stephens heed And on the other syde towarde the south as men go to mouÌ„t Syon is a fayre chirche of saynt Iames where his heed was smyten of theris mouÌ„t Syon and there is a fayre chirche of god of our lady where she was dwellynge deyed and there was somtyme an abbey of chanons regulers and fro that place she was borne of the apostles vnto the vale of Iosaphat And there is the stone that the angell bare to our lady fro mouÌ„t Synay it is of that colour that the roche of saynt Katheryne is of there besyde is the gate where our lady whan she was with childe wente thrugh to Bethleem Also at the entrynge of mouÌ„t Syon is a cha pell in that chapell is that stone grete and large with whiche the sepulcre was couered whan Cryste was layde therin the whiche stone the thre Ma ryes sawe torned vpwarde whan they came to the sepulcre there they fouÌ„de an angell that sayd to theym that Cryste was rysen fro deth to lyf And there is a lytell pyece of the pyler to the whiche our lorde was scourged there was Annas hous that was bysshop of the Iewes in that tyme. And in that same place forsoke Saynt Peter our lorde thryes before the cocke crewe And there is a parte of the table on the whiche god made his maunde with his dyscyples yet is there the vessell with water out the whiche his dyscyples feet were wasshen therby is saynt Stephens graue theris yâ— awter where our lady herde the angels synge masse and there appyered Cryste fyrste to his dyscyples after his resurreccyon whan the gates were sperde and sayd Pax vobis That is for to saye Peas to you And on that mouÌ„t appyered Cryste to saynt Thomas badde hym assaye his wounde and that was the .viij. daye after his resurreccyon than he byleued parfyghtly and sayd Dominus meus et deus meus That is for to saye in Englysshe My lorde and my god In that same chapell behynde the hygh awter were all the apostles on Wytsondaye whan the holy ghoost descended on theym in lykenesse of fyre and there made god Paske with his dyscyples and there slepte saynt Iohan the Euangelyst on our lordes brest and sawe slepynge many preuy thynges of heuen And the mount Syon is within the cyte it is a lytell hygher than the other syde of the cyte and that cyte is stronger on that one syde than on the other for at the foot of mount Syon is a fayre castell stronge whiche the Soudan dyde do make there on mount Syon was kyng Dauyd buryed and Salomon and many other kynges of Ierusalem And there is the place where Saynt Peter wepte full tenderly whan he had forsaken our lorde and a stone cast from that is an other place where our lorde was Iuged for that tyme was there Cayphas hous Also bytwene the Temple Salomon and mouÌ„t Syon is the place where Cryste reysed the mayden fro deth to lyf Vnder mouÌ„t Syon towarde the vale of Iosaphat is a welle that men calle Natatorye sylo there was our lorde wasshen after that he was baptysed And therby is yâ— tree on the whiche Iudas hanged hymself for dyspayre whan he had solde Cryste And there by is the Synagoge where the bysshops of Iewes the pharysees ca me to holde theyr couÌ„seyll there Iudas cast the xxx pens before theym sayd peccaui tradeÌ„s san guineÌ„ iustuÌ„ That is to saye I haue synned deceyuynge ryghtwysse blood ¶ The felde of Acheldemak whiche was bought with those
there some of theyr chirches in that towne dwelled Abraham the patryarke this towne of Barsabe fouÌ„ded â—ryas wyf of whom Dauyd engendred Salomon the wyse that was kyng of Ierâ—m of xij kyndes of Israell he regned xl yere fro thens go men to the vale of Ebron that is fro thens nere xij myle some calle it the vale of Mambre also it is called the vale of Teres for as moche as Adam in that vale be wepte an hondred yere the deth of his sone Abell that Caym slewe And Ebron was somtyme the pryncypall cyte of Phylystyens ther dwelled geauÌ„tes there it was so free that all men that had do yll in other places whe re there saued In Ebron Iosue Calofe theyr felawshyp came fyrst to aspye how they myght wyÌ„ne the londe of promyssyon In Ebron Dauyd reg ned fyrst vij yere an half in Ierâ—m he regned xxxiij yere an half there are the graues of the patryarkes Adam Abraham Iacob theyr wyues Eue. Sara Rebecca they are in the hangyn ge of the hylle vnder theym is a ryght fayr chit the kyrnelde after the facyon maner as it were a castell the whiche chirche the sarasyns kepe ryght well they haue that place in grete worshyp for the holy patryarkes that lyeth there they suffre no crysten men ne Iewes to come in there but they haue specyall grace of the Soudan for they holde crysten men Iewes but as houÌ„des that sholde co me in no holy place they calle the place spelunke or double caue or double graue for one lyeth on an other the saralyns calle it in theyr langage Caryatharba that is to saye the place of patryarkes the Iewes calle it Arboth and in that same place was Abrahams hous that was the same Abraham the whiche sate in his dore sawe thre persones and worshypped but one as holy wrytte wytnesseth sayenge Tres vidit et vnuÌ„ adorauit That is to saye he sawe thre and worshypped but one hym toke Abraham in to his hous ¶ Here foloweth a lytell of Adam and Eue and other thynges ca. xv ANd ryght nere to that place is a caue in a roche where Adam and Eue dwelled whan they were dryuen out of Paradyse and there gate they theyr childern And in that same place was Adam made as some men saye for men called some tyme that place the felde of Damasse for it was in the lordshyp of Damasse and fro thens he was translated in to Paradyse as they saye And afterwarde he was dryuen out of Paradyse and put there agayne for the same daye that he was put in to Paradyse the same daye he was dry uen out for as soone he synned And there begynneth the vale of Ebron that lasteth nere to Ierusalem and the angell badde Adam that he sholde dwelle with his wyf and there they engendred Seth of the whiche kynred Ihesu cryst was borne And in that vale is the felde where men drawe ou te of the erthe a thynge the whiche thynge men in that countree calle Chambyll and they ete that thynge instede of spyce and they bere it to selle men may not graue there so depe ne so wyde but it is at the yeres ende full agayne vp to the sydes thrugh the grace of god two myle from Ebron is the graue of Loth that was Abrahams brodsr ¶ Of the drye tree ca. xvi THan a lytell from Ebron is the mount of Mambre of the whiche mount the vale to ke his name and there is a free of oke that the sarasyns calle dyrpe that is of Abrahams tyme that men calle the drye tree and they saye that it hath ben from the begynnynge of the worlde and was somtyme grene and bare leues vnto the tyme that our lorde deyed so dyde all the trees in the worlde or ellys they fayled in theyr hertes â–ª or ellys they faded and yet is there many of those in the worlde And some prophecyes saye that a lorde or pryn ce of the west syde of the worlde shall wynne the londe of promyssyon that is the holy londe with the helpe of crysten men and he shall do synge a masse vnder the drye tree and than the tree shall waxe grene and bere fruyte and leues and thrugh that myracle many sarasyns and Iewes shall be torned to the crysten fayth and therfore they doo grete worshyp therto and kepe it ryght besely And all yf it be drye it bereth a grete vertue for certaynely he that bereth a lytell therof on hym it heleth a sykenes called the fallynge euyll and hath also many other vertues therfore it is holden ryght precyous ¶ Fro Bethleem ca. xvii FRo Ebron men go to Bethleem on half a daye for it is but fyue myle and it is a fay re waye and thorugh woodes full plesaunt But Bethleem is but a lytell Cyte longe and narowe and well walled and enclosed with a grete dyche and it was wonte for to be called Effrata as holy wrytte sayth Ecce audiuimus eam in effrata cÌ„ That is to saye Loo we herde hym in Effrata And towarde the ende of the cyte towarde the eest is a ryght fayre chirche a gracyous and it hath many toures and pynacles kyrnelles full strongely made and within that chirche is xliiii grete and fayre pylers made of marble and bytwene this chirche the cyte is the felde Floridus and it is called the felde florysshed as ye shall here ¶ Of a fayre mayden that sholde be put to deth wrongfully ca. xviii THe cause is for as moche as a fayre mayden that was blamed with wronge that she hadde done fornycacyon for the whiche cause she was demed to the deth to be brente in that place to the whiche she was ledde And as the woode began to brenne about her she made her prayer to our lorde as she was not gylty of that thynge that he wolde helpe her that it myght be knowen to all men And whan she had thus sayd she entred the fyre anone the fyre went out and those braunches that were brennynge became reed roses and those brauÌ„ches that were not kyndled becam whyte rosers full of whyte roses those were the fyrst roses rosers that ony man sawe and thus was the mayden saued thrugh the grace of god And therfore is that felde called the felde of god florysshed for it was full of roses Also besyde the quere of that chirche aforsayd at the ryght syde as men come downewarde .xij. grees is the place where our lorde was borne that is now full well dyght of marble and full rychely depaynted of golde syluer and asure other colours And a lytell thens by thre paces is the crybbe of the oxe and the asse and besyde that is the place where the sterre felle that ledde the thre kynges Iasper Melchior and Balthasar but men of Grece calle
deus rex noster ante secula operatus est saluteÌ„ in medio terre That is to saye This god our kyng before worldes hath wrought hele in the myddes of the erthe And also vpon the roche whe re the crosse was fixed is wryten within the roche Gros guyst basys thou pestes thoy thesmoysy is to saye in latyn Quod vides est fundamentuÌ„ to cius mundi et huius fidei And it is to saye that thou seest is grouÌ„de of all the worlde of this fayth And ye shall vnderstande that our lorde whan he deyed was xxxij yere olde thre monethes the prophecy of Dauyd sayth that he sholde haue xl yere whan he sayth thus Quadraginta aÌ„nis proxi mus fui generacioni huic That is to saye fourty yere was I neyghbour to this kynde thus sholde it seme that prophecy were not soth but it is For in olde tyme men called yeres of .x. monethes of the whiche Marche was the fyrst December the last But Gaius Cezar that was Emperour of Rome dyde sette to thyse two monethes Ianua ry and February ordeyned the yere of .xij. monethes that is to saye CCC dayes without lepe ye re the proper cours of the sonne therfore after the accomptynge of .x. monethes to the yere he deyed in .xl. yere and after our yeres of .xij. monethes is it .xxxij. yere and thre monethes ¶ Also within mount Caluary at the ryght syde is an awter whe re the pyler lyeth that our lorde was bounde to whan he was scourged ther besyde are thre other pylers that alwaye droppe water and some saye that those pylers wepe for our lordes deth and nere this awter in a place .xlij. grees depe was founde the very Crosse by assente of Saynt Eleyne vnder a roche where the Iewes had hydde it and it was assayed for they fouÌ„de thre crosses one of our lorde two of the two theues And saynt Eleyne assayed theyÌ„ on a deed body that rose as soone as the very crosse of our lorde was layde on hym And there by in the vale is the place where the foure nayles of our lorde were hydde for he had two nayles in his hondes and two in his feet one of those nayles the Emperour of Constantynople dyde make a brydell for his hors to bere hym in batayll for the vertue that it had he ouercame his enmyes And whan all the londes of Asye Turky Damasse the more the lesse Surrey and Ierusalem Araby Percy and Mesopotamy the kyngdom of Alape Egypte the hyghe the lowe and other kyngdomes many full nygh all vnto Ethyope the lowe and also vnto Ynde the lesse that than was crysten there was in that tyme many good men holy hermytes of whom the bokes of the faders lyues speketh they are now in paynynis sarasyns hondes but whan god wyll ryght as thyse londes are lost thrugh synne of crysten men so shall they be wonne agayne by crysten men thrugh the helpe of god And in the myddes of this chirche is a com pas in the whiche Ioseph of aromathy layde the body of our lorde whan he had taken hym of the crosse and vpon the same place dyde he wasshe the feet of our lorde and that compas men saye it is in the myddes of the worlde ¶ Of the chirche of the holy sepulcre ca. xxi IN that chirche of the sepulcre on the north syde is the place where our lorde was done in pryson in many places there is a parte of the chayne with the whiche he was bouÌ„de And there he appyered fyrst to Mary mawdeleyne whan he was rysen fro deth she trowed that he had ben a gardyner In the chirche of the sepulcre was woned to be chanons of saynt Benet they had a pryour but the patryarke was theyr souerayne without the dores of the chirche at the ryght syde as men go vp .xviij. degrees sayd our lorde to his moder Ecce filius tuus That is to saye Woman beholde thy sone Deinde dicit discipulo Ecce ma ter tua That is to saye than sayd he to his dyscy ple. Beholde thy moder And this worde he sayd vpon the crosse vpon thyse grees went our lorde whan he bare the crosse vpon his sholder vnder thyse grees is a chapell where preestes synge but not after our lawe alwaye they make theyr sacrament of the awter of breed sayenge Pater nf other prayers as with the whiche thynge they saye the wordes of whome the sacrament is made for they knowe not of addycyons that many popes haue made but they synge in good deuocyon And there nere is the place where our lorde rested hym whan he was wery for berynge of the crosse And ye shall vnderstande that before the chirche of the sepulcre is the cyte moost weyke for the grete playne that is bytwene the cyte and the chirche on the eest syde without the walles of the cyte is the vale of Iosaphat that cometh to the walles In that vale of Iosaphat without the cyte is the chirche of saynt Stephen where he was stoned to deth there by is the gate gylted that may not be opened Thrugh that gate our lorde entred on palme sondaye vpon an asse the gate opened agaynst hym whan he wolde go to the Temple yet are the steppes of the asse seen in thre places the whiche stande in full harde stones Before the chirche of the sepulcre two hondred paces is a grete hospy talle of saynt Iohan in the whiche hospytall be .liiij. pylers made of stone And to go towarde the eest fro the hospytall is a ryght fayre chirche that men calle our lady the grete than is there an other chirche after that yâ— men calle our lady of the latyn and there was Mary cleophe Mary maw deleyne and drewe theyr here whan our lorde was done to deth ¶ TempluÌ„ dei Of the Temple of god ca. xxij And fro the chirche of the sepulcre towarde the eest at xviij pa ces is TempluÌ„ dmÌ„ That is a fayr hous it is all rounde and ryght hygh co uered with leed it is well pauyed with whyte marble but the Sarrasyns wyll suffre noo Lrysten men ne Iewes to come therin for they saye yâ— so foule men sholde not come in to yâ— holy place but I came therin in other places where I wolde for I had letters of the Soudan with his grete Seale comonly other men haue but of his sygnet men bere his letter with his seale before theyin hangynge on a sperâ— men do grete worshypp therto knele agayne it as â—e do agayne goddes body for those men yâ— it is sent to before they take it they enclyne theyin fyrst ther to thenne they take it and laye it vpon theyr he des afterwarde they kysse it and than rede it all enclynynge with grete worshyp than they profer theym to do all that
.xxx. pens ca. xxvi ON the other syde of mount Syon towarde the south a stone caste is the felde that was bought with â–ª those .xxx. pens for whiche Cryst was solde that men calle Acheldemak that is to saye the felde of blood in that felde is many tombes of crysten men for there be many pylgryms grauen And also in Ierusalem towarde the west is a fayr chirche where the tree grewe of the whiche the crosse was made there nere is a fayre chirche where our la dy mette â–ª with Elyzabeth whan they were both with childe saynt Iohn styred in his moders wombe made worshyp to our lorde his maker vnder the awter of the chirche is a place where sayÌ„t Iohn was born therby is the castell of Emaux ¶ Of the mount Ioye ca .xxvij. TWo myle fro Ierusalem is the mouÌ„t Ioye that is a fayre place lykynge and there lyeth Samuell the prophete in a fayre tombe it is called mouÌ„t Ioye for there many pylgryms see fyrst Ierusalem And in the myddell of the vale of Iosaphat is a lytell ryuer that is called Torrens cedron ouerth wart this ryuer laye a tree of the whiche the crosse was made that men yode ouer Also in that vale is a chirche of our lady and there is the sepulcre of our lady our lady was of age whan she deyed .lxxij. yere and there nere is the place where our lorde forgaue Saynt Peter all his synnes mysdedes that he had done And besyde that is a chapell where Iudas kyssed our lorde that men calle Getsemay there he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ken of the Iewes there lefte Cryst his dyscyples before his passyon whan he wente to praye sayd Pater si fieri potest transeat a me calix iste That is for to saye in Englysshe Fader yf it may be done late this chalyce go from me And also therby is a chapell where our lorde swette bothe blood water And there is the tombe of kyng Iosaphat of whom the vale had the name And on the syde of that vale is the mouÌ„t of Olyuete it is called so for there greweth many olyue trees there and it is hygher than Ierusalem and therfore fro that hylle men may see in to the stretes of Ierusalem And bytwene that hylle the cyte is nothynge but the vale of Iosaphat that is not full large and vpon that hylle stode our lorde whan he wente in to heuen yet semeth there the steppe of his lefte foot in the stone and there is an abbey of blacke chanons that was somtyme but now is there but a chirche And but a lytell thens .xxviij. paces is a chapell there is the stone on the whiche our lorde god sate on whan he preched sayd thus Beati pauperes spiritu quoniaÌ„ ipsorum est regnuÌ„ celorum That is for to saye in Englysshe Blessyd be they that are poore in spyryte for theyrs is the kyngdo me of heuen there he taught his dyscyples theyr Pater noster There nere also is a chirche of that blessyd woman saynt Mary Egypcyan and there is she buryed And vpon the other syde towarde the est thre boweshottes fro thens standeth Bethphage where our lorde Ihesu cryst sente saynt Peter and saynt Iames for to fetche an asse on Palme sondaye ¶ Of the castell Bethania ca .xxviij. THere towarde the eest is a castell that men calle Bethania there dwelled Symeon the loprouse that herborowed our lorde theym that were baptysed of our lordes dyscyples he was called Iulyan was made bysshop that is he that men calle on for good herborowe In that same place our lorde forgaf Mary mawdeleyn her synnes there she wesshe his fect with her teeres dryed with her here there was Lazar reysed that was four dayes deed ¶ Of Yeryco and other thynges ca .xxix. IN the retornynge of mouÌ„t Olyuete is that pla ce where our lorde wept vpon Ierlm there by our lady appyered to saynt Thomas after her assumpcyon gaf hym her gyrdell And therby is the stone on whiche our lorde sate oft preched theron he shall sytte that daye of dome as hyÌ„self sayd And there is mouÌ„t Galyle where thapostles were gadred whan Mary mawdleyn tolde theyÌ„ of Cry â—is rysynge bytwene mouÌ„t Olyuete mouÌ„t Galy 〈◊〉 is a chirche where the angell sayd to our lady whan she sholde deye Also fro Bethany to Yerico is v. myle Yeryco was somtyme a lytell cyte but it was wasted now is it but a lytell towne that towne toke Iosue thrugh myracle of god byddynge of the angell destroyed it cursed all tho se that buylded it agayne Of that cyte was Raah that comon woman that receyued messengers of Israell kepte theym fro many peryls of deth therfore she had a good rewarde as holy wrytte sayth QmÌ„ accepit ê“phetaÌ„ in noiÌ„e meo mercedeÌ„ ê“he accipiet That is to saye He that taketh a prophete in my name he shall take mede of a prophete ¶ Of the holy places bytwene Bethanye flom Iordan other thynges ca .xxx. Also from Bethanye men go to flom Iordan thrugh wyldernes it is nere a dayes Iourney bytwene towardes the eest vnto a grete hylle where our lorde fasted .xl. dayes vpon this hylle was Cryst brought of the fende of helle and sayd to hym thus Dic vt lapides isti panes fiant That is to saye that thyse stones be made brede there is an hermytage where dwelle a maner of crysten men that men calle Georgyns for Saynt George conuerted theym vpon that hylle dwelled Abraham a grete whyle Also as men go to Yeryco in the waye sate many syke men cryenge Iesu fili dauid miserere nobis That is to saye Ihesu Dauyds sone haue mercy on vs. Also two myle fro Yeryco is flom Iordan ye shall wete the deed see departed the londe of Ynde of Araby the water of that see is full bytter this water casteth out a thynge that men calle aspaltuÌ„ as grete pyeces as an hors Ierusalem is CC. furlonges froÌ„ this see so it is called the deed see for it renneth not nor no man ne beest that hath lyf that is therin may lyue that hath ben proued many tymes for they ha ue cast therin men that are demed to deth ne no man may drynke of that water men cast yron therin it cometh vp agayne yf a man cast a fether therin it gooth to the grouÌ„de that is ayenst kynde And there about growen trees that bere fruyte of fayre colour and seme rype but whan a man breketh theym or cutte in theym he fyndeth nought in them but coles or asshes in tokenynge that thorugh the vengeauÌ„ce of god thyse cytess were 〈◊〉 te with the fyre of helle And some man calle that lake the lake of the Alphytedde and some calle it the flom of the
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