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The Travels of Sir John Mandeville
The Travels of Sir John Mandeville
The version of the Cotton Manuscript in modern spelling With three narratives , in illustration of it , from Hakluyt’s “ Navigations , Voyages & Discoveries ” London Macmillan and Co. Limited New York: The Macmillan Company 1900 GLASGOW: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE & CO....
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BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
The Travels of Sir John Mandeville were edited anonymously in 1725, in the version for which a ‘Cotton’ manuscript in the British Museum is our only extant authority. From 1499, when they were first printed by Wynkyn de Worde, the Travels had enjoyed great popularity in England, as in the rest of Europe; but the printed editions before 1725 had all followed an inferior translation (with an unperceived gap in the middle of it), which had already gained the upper hand before printing was invented
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THE PROLOGUE
THE PROLOGUE
For as much as the land beyond the sea, that is to say the Holy Land, that men call the Land of Promission or of Behest, passing all other lands, is the most worthy land, most excellent, and lady and sovereign of all other lands, and is blessed and hallowed of the precious body and blood of our Lord Jesu Christ; in the which land it liked him to take flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, to environ that holy land with his blessed feet; and there he would of his blessedness enombre him in the said
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CHAPTER I
CHAPTER I
To teach you the Way out of England to Constantinople In the name of God, Glorious and Almighty! He that will pass over the sea and come to land [to go to the city of Jerusalem, he may wend many ways, both on sea and land], after the country that he cometh from; [for] many of them come to one end. But troweth not that I will tell you all the towns, and cities and castles that men shall go by; for then should I make too long a tale; but all only some countries and most principal steads that men
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CHAPTER II
CHAPTER II
Of the Cross and the Crown of our Lord Jesu Christ At Constantinople is the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ, and his coat without seams, that is clept Tunica inconsutilis , and the sponge, and the reed, of the which the Jews gave our Lord eysell and gall, in the cross. And there is one of the nails, that Christ was nailed with on the cross. And some men trow that half the cross, that Christ was done on, be in Cyprus, in an abbey of monks, that men call the Hill of the Holy Cross; but it is not so
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CHAPTER III
CHAPTER III
Of the City of Constantinople , and of the Faith of Greeks At Constantinople lieth Saint Anne, our Lady’s mother, whom Saint Helen let bring from Jerusalem. And there lieth also the body of John Chrisostome, that was Archbishop of Constantinople. And there lieth also Saint Luke the Evangelist: for his bones were brought from Bethany, where he was buried. And many other relics be there. And there is the vessel of stone, as it were of marble, that men clepe enydros, that evermore droppeth wate
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CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER IV
[ Of the Way from Constantinople to Jerusalem .] Of Saint John the Evangelist . And of the Ypocras Daughter , transformed from a Woman to a Dragon Now return I again, for to teach you the way from Constantinople to Jerusalem. He that will through Turkey, he goeth toward the city of Nyke, and passeth through the gate of Chienetout, and always men see before them the hill of Chienetout, that is right high; and it is a mile and an half from Nyke. And whoso will go by water, by the brace of St. G
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CHAPTER V
CHAPTER V
[ Of diversities in Cyprus ; of the Road from Cyprus to Jerusalem , and of the Marvel of a Fosse full of Sand ] And from this isle of Rhodes men go to Cyprus, where be many vines, that first be red and after one year they become white; and those wines that be most white, be most clear and best of smell. And men pass by that way, by a place that was wont to be a great city, and a great land; and the city was clept Cathailye, the which city and land was lost through folly of a young man. For he h
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CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VI
Of many Names of Soldans , and of the Tower of Babylon At Babylon there is a fair church of our Lady, where she dwelled seven year, when she fled out of the land of Judea for dread of King Herod. And there lieth the body of Saint Barbara the virgin and martyr. And there dwelled Joseph, when he was sold of his brethren. And there made Nebuchadnezzar the king put three children into the furnace of fire, for they were in the right truth of belief, the which children men clept Anania, Azariah, Mi
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CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VII
Of the Country of Egypt ; of the Bird Phoenix of Arabia ; of the City of Cairo ; of the Cunning to know Balm and to prove it ; and of the Garners of Joseph Egypt is a long country, but it is straight, that is to say narrow, for they may not enlarge it toward the desert for default of water. And the country is set along upon the river of Nile, by as much as that river may serve by floods or otherwise, that when it floweth it may spread abroad through the country; so is the country large of lengt
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CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER VIII
Of the Isle of Sicily ; of the way from Babylon to the Mount Sinai ; of the Church of Saint Katherine and of all the marvels there Now will I return again, ere I proceed any further, for to declare to you the other ways, that draw toward Babylon, where the sultan himself dwelleth, that is at the entry of Egypt; for as much as many folk go thither first and after that to the Mount Sinai, and after return to Jerusalem, as I have said you here before. For they fulfil first the more long pilgrimage
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CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER IX
Of the Desert between the Church of Saint Catherine and Jerusalem . Of the Dry Tree ; and how Roses came first into the World Now , after that men have visited those holy places, then will they turn toward Jerusalem. And then will they take leave of the monks, and recommend themselves to their prayers. And then they give the pilgrims of their victuals for to pass with the deserts toward Syria. And those deserts dure well a thirteen journeys. In that desert dwell many of Arabians, that men cl
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CHAPTER X
CHAPTER X
Of the Pilgrimages in Jerusalem , and of the Holy Places thereabout After , for to speak of Jerusalem the holy city: ye shall understand, that it stands full fair between hills, and there be no rivers ne wells, but water cometh by conduit from Hebron. And ye shall understand, that Jerusalem of old time, unto the time of Melchisadech, was clept Jebus; and after it was clept Salem, unto the time of King David, that put these two names together, and clept it Jebusalem; and after that, King Solomon
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CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XI
Of the Temple of our Lord . Of the Cruelty of King Herod . Of the Mount Sion . Of Probatica Piscina ; and of Natatorium Siloe And from the church of the sepulchre, toward the east, at eight score paces, is Templum Domini . It is right a fair house, and it is all round and high, and covered with lead. And it is well paved with white marble. But the Saracens will not suffer no Christian man ne Jews to come therein, for they say that none so foul sinful men should not come in so holy place: b
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CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XII
Of the Dead Sea ; and of the Flome Jordan . Of the Head of Saint John the Baptist ; and of the Usages of the Samaritans And from Jericho, a three mile, is the Dead Sea. About that sea groweth much alum and of alkatran. Between Jericho and that sea is the land of Engeddi. And there was wont to grow the balm; but men make draw the branches thereof and bear them to be grafted at Babylon; and yet men clepe them vines of Geddi. At a coast of that sea, as men go from Arabia, is the mount of the M
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CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIII
Of the Province of Galilee , and where Antichrist shall be born . Of Nazareth . Of the age of Our Lady . Of the Day of Doom . And of the customs of Jacobites , Syrians ; and of the usages of Georgians From this country of the Samaritans that I have spoken of before go men to the plains of Galilee, and men leave the hills on that one part. And Galilee is one of the provinces of the Holy Land, and in that province is the city of Nain—and Capernaum, and Chorazin and Bethsaida. In this Bethsaid
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CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XIV
Of the City of Damascus . Of three ways to Jerusalem ; one , by land and by sea ; another , more by land than by sea ; and the third way to Jerusalem , all by land Now after that I have told you some part of folk in the countries before, now will I turn again to my way, for to turn again on this half. Then whoso will go from the land of Galilee, of that that I have spoke for, to come again on this half, men come again by Damascus, that is a full fair city and full noble, and full of all mercha
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CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XV
Of the Customs of Saracens , and of their Law . And how the Soldan reasoned me , Author of this Book ; and of the beginning of Mohammet Now , because that I have spoken of Saracens and of their country—now, if ye will know a part of their law and of their belief, I shall tell you after that their book that is clept Alkaron telleth. And some men clepe that book Meshaf . And some men clepe it Harme , after the diverse languages of the country. The which book Mohammet took them. In the which b
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CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVI
Of the lands of Albania and of Libia . Of the wishings for watching of the Sparrow-hawk ; and of Noah’s ship Now , sith I have told you before of the Holy Land and of that country about, and of many ways for to go to that land and to the Mount Sinai, and of Babylon the more and the less, and to other places that I have spoken before, now is time, if it like you, for to tell you of the marches and isles and diverse beasts, and of diverse folk beyond these marches. For in those countries beyond b
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CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVII
Of the land of Job ; and of his age . Of the array of men of Chaldea . Of the land where women dwell without company of men . Of the knowledge and virtues of the very diamond After the departing from Cornaa, men enter into the land of Job that is a full fair country and a plenteous of all goods. And men clepe that land the Land of Susiana. In that land is the city of Theman. Job was a paynim, and he was Aram of Gosre, his son, and held that land as prince of that country. And he was so ric
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CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XVIII
Of the customs of Isles about Ind . Of the difference betwixt Idols and Simulacres . Of three manner growing of Pepper upon one tree . Of the Well that changeth his odour every hour of the day ; and that is marvel In Ind be full many diverse countries. And it is clept Ind, for a flom that runneth throughout the country that is clept Ind. In that flom men find eels of thirty foot long and more. And the folk that dwell nigh that water be of evil colour, green and yellow. In Ind and about Ind
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CHAPTER XIX
CHAPTER XIX
Of the Dooms made by St. Thomas’s hand . Of devotion and sacrifice made to Idols there , in the city of Calamye ; and of the Procession in going about the city From that country men pass by many marches toward a country, a ten journeys thence, that is clept Mabaron; and it is a great kingdom, and it hath many fair cities and towns. In that kingdom lieth the body of Saint Thomas the apostle in flesh and bone, in a fair tomb in the city of Calamye; for there he was martyred and buried. And men o
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CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XX
Of the evil customs used in the Isle of Lamary . And how the earth and the sea be of round form and shape , by proof of the star that is clept Antarctic , that is fixed in the south From that country go men by the sea ocean, and by many divers isles and by many countries that were too long for to tell of. And a fifty-two journeys from this land that I have spoken of, there is another land, that is full great, that men clepe Lamary. In that land is full great heat. And the custom there is suc
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CHAPTER XXI
CHAPTER XXI
Of the Palace of the King of the Isle of Java . Of the Trees that bear meal , honey , wine , and venom ; and of other marvels and customs used in the Isles marching thereabout Beside that isle that I have spoken of, there is another isle that is clept Sumobor. That is a great isle, and the king thereof is right mighty. The folk of that isle make them always to be marked in the visage with an hot iron, both men and women, for great noblesse, for to be known from other folk; for they hold thems
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CHAPTER XXII
CHAPTER XXII
How men know by the Idol , if the sick shall die or not . Of Folk of diverse shape and marvellously disfigured . And of the Monks that gave their relief to baboons , apes , and marmosets , and to other beasts From that isle, in going by sea toward the south, is another great isle that is clept Dondun. In that isle be folk of diverse kinds, so that the father eateth the son, the son the father, the husband the wife, and the wife the husband. And if it so befall, that the father or mother or a
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CHAPTER XXIII
CHAPTER XXIII
Of the great Chan of Cathay . Of the royalty of his palace , and how he sits at meat ; and of the great number of officers that serve him Cathay is a great country and a fair, noble and rich, and full of merchants. Thither go merchants all years for to seek spices and all manner of merchandises, more commonly than in any other part. And ye shall understand, that merchants that come from Genoa or from Venice or from Romania or other parts of Lombardy, they go by sea and by land eleven months o
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CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Wherefore he is clept the great Chan . Of the Style of his Letters : and of the Superscription about his great Seal and his Privy Seal First I shall say you why he was clept the great Chan. Ye shall understand, that all the world was destroyed by Noah’s flood, save only Noah and his wife and his children. Noah had three sons, Shem, Cham, and Japhet. This Cham was he that saw his father’s privy members naked when he slept, and scorned them, and shewed them with his finger to his brethren in sc
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CHAPTER XXV
CHAPTER XXV
Of the Governance of the great Chan’s Court , and when he maketh solemn feasts . Of his Philosophers . And of his array , when he rideth by the country Now shall I tell you the governance of the court of the great Chan, when he maketh solemn feasts; and that is principally four times in the year. The first feast is of his birth, that other is of his presentation in their temple that they clepe their Moseache, where they make a manner of circumcision, and the tother two feasts be of his idols.
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CHAPTER XXVI
CHAPTER XXVI
Of the Law and the Customs of the Tartarians dwelling in Cathay . And how that men do when the Emperor shall die , and how he shall be chosen The folk of that country use all long clothes without furs. And they be clothed with precious cloths of Tartary, and of cloths of gold. And their clothes be slit at the side, and they be fastened with laces of silk. And they clothe them also with pilches, and the hide without; and they use neither cape ne hood. And in the same manner as the men go, th
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CHAPTER XXVII
CHAPTER XXVII
Of the Realm of Tharse and the Lands and Kingdoms towards the Septentrional Parts , in coming down from the land of Cathay This land of Cathay is in Asia the deep; and after, on this half, is Asia the more. The kingdom of Cathay marcheth toward the west unto the kingdom of Tharse, the which was one of the kings that came to present our Lord in Bethlehem. And they that be of the lineage of that king are some Christian. In Tharse they eat no flesh, ne they drink no wine. And on this half, towar
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CHAPTER XXVIII
CHAPTER XXVIII
The Emperor of Persia , and of the Land of Darkness ; and of other kingdoms that belong to the great Chan of Cathay , and other lands of his , unto the sea of Greece Now , since I have devised you the lands and the kingdoms toward the parts Septentrionals in coming down from the land of Cathay unto the lands of the Christian, towards Prussia and Russia,—now shall I devise you of other lands and kingdoms coming down by other coasts, toward the right side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the land o
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CHAPTER XXIX
CHAPTER XXIX
Of the Countries and Isles that be beyond the Land of Cathay ; and of the fruits there ; and of twenty-two kings enclosed within the mountains Now shall I say you, suingly, of countries and isles that be beyond the countries that I have spoken of. Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward the high Ind and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that men clepe Caldilhe, that is a full fair country. And there groweth a manner of fruit, as though it were gourds. And when they be
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CHAPTER XXX
CHAPTER XXX
Of the Royal Estate of Prester John . And of a rich man that made a marvellous castle and cleped it Paradise ; and of his subtlety This emperor, Prester John, holds full great land, and hath many full noble cities and good towns in his realm, and many great diverse isles and large. For all the country of Ind is devised in isles for the great floods that come from Paradise, that depart all the land in many parts. And also in the sea he hath full many isles. And the best city in the Isle of Pe
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CHAPTER XXXI
CHAPTER XXXI
Of the Devil’s Head in the Valley Perilous . And of the Customs of Folk in diverse Isles that be about in the Lordship of Prester John Beside that Isle of Mistorak upon the left side nigh to the river of Pison is a marvellous thing. There is a vale between the mountains, that dureth nigh a four mile. And some men clepe it the Vale Enchanted, some clepe it the Vale of Devils, and some clepe it the Vale Perilous. In that vale hear men often-time great tempests and thunders, and great murmurs a
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CHAPTER XXXII
CHAPTER XXXII
Of the goodness of the folk of the Isle of Bragman . Of King Alexander . And wherefore the Emperor of Ind is clept Prester John And beyond that isle is another isle, great and good and plenteous, where that be good folk and true, and of good living after their belief and of good faith. And albeit that they be not christened, ne have no perfect law, yet, natheles, of kindly law they be full of all virtue, and they eschew all vices and all malices and all sins. For they be not proud, ne coveto
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CHAPTER XXXIII
CHAPTER XXXIII
Of the Hills of Gold that Pismires keep . And of the four Floods that come from Paradise Terrestrial Toward the east part of Prester John’s land is an isle good and great, that men clepe Taprobane, that is full noble and full fructuous. And the king thereof is full rich, and is under the obeissance of Prester John. And always there they make their king by election. In that isle be two summers and two winters, and men harvest the corn twice a year. And in all the seasons of the year be the g
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CHAPTER XXXIV
CHAPTER XXXIV
Of the Customs of Kings and other that dwell in the Isles coasting to Prester John’s Land . And of the Worship that the Son doth to the Father when he is dead From those isles that I have spoken of before, in the Land of Prester John, that be under earth as to us that be on this half, and of other isles that be more further beyond, whoso will, pursue them for to come again right to the parts that he came from, and so environ all earth. But what for the isles, what for the sea, and what for str
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