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The Voiage And Travayle Of Sir John Maundeville Knight

John Mandeville

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THE VOIAGE AND TRAVAYLE OF SIR JOHN MAUNDEVILLE KNIGHT WHICH TREATETH OF THE WAY TOWARD HIERUSALEM AND OF MARVAYLES OF INDE WITH OTHER ILANDS AND COUNTREYS Edited, Annotated, and Illustrated in Facsimile BY JOHN ASHTON

THE VOIAGE AND TRAVAYLE OF SIR JOHN MAUNDEVILLE KNIGHT WHICH TREATETH OF THE WAY TOWARD HIERUSALEM AND OF MARVAYLES OF INDE WITH OTHER ILANDS AND COUNTREYS Edited, Annotated, and Illustrated in Facsimile BY JOHN ASHTON

Author of "Chap Books of the 18th Century," "Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne," "English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I.," &amp;c. LONDON PICKERING &amp; CHATTO 66, Haymarket 1887 CHISWICK PRESS:—C. WHITTINGHAM AND CO., TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE....

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PREFACE.

PREFACE.

I HAVE edited, and illustrated "The Voiage and Travayle of Syr John Maundeville, Knight," for two reasons. First, that a popular edition has not been published for many years—so much so, that many otherwise well educated people hardly know his name; or, if they do, have never read his book of Marvels. Secondly, a good edition has not yet been published. Putting aside the chap-books of the eighteenth century, which could only cram a small portion of his book into their little duodecimos, the only

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ALIUD.

ALIUD.

"' Hoc iacet in tumulo, cui totus patria vino Orbis erat; totum quem peragrasse ferunt. Anglus Equesque fuit, nunc ille Britannus Vlysses Dicatur, Graio clarus Vlysse magis. Moribus, ingenio, candore, &amp; sanguine clarus Et vere cultor Relligionis erat. Nomen si queras, est Mandevil, Indus, Arabsque Sat notum dicet finibus esse suis. ' "The Churchmen will shew you here his kniues, the furniture of his horse, and his spurres, which he vsed in his trauells." Thus speaks Weever, and nobody do

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The Voiage and Travayle of Syr John Maundeville, Knight.

The Voiage and Travayle of Syr John Maundeville, Knight.

Here beginneth a lyttle treatise or boke, named John Maundevile Knight, borne in England in the towne of Sainct Albone, &amp; speaketh of the wayes to Hierusalem, to Inde, and to the greate Cane, 1 and also to Prester Johns land, &amp; to many other countreys, &amp; also of many marvailes that are in the holy Lande. FOR AS MUCH as the lande over the sea, that is to say, the holy land, that men cal the land of Behest, 2 among all other lands is most worthy &amp; Soveraine, for it

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CAP: I.

CAP: I.

He that will go toward Hierusalem on horse, on foote, or by sea. I N the name of God Almightie. He that will passe over the sea, he may go many wayes both by sea and by lande, after the countreys that he cometh from, and many of them cometh to one ende, but think not that I will tell all the townes, cities &amp; castelles that men shall goe by, for then I should make to long a tale, but only some countries and most principall cities and townes that men shall go by and through to go the right

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CAP: II.

CAP: II.

Of the Ilandes of Grece. A BOUT Grece be many yles that men cal Calastre, 1 Calcas Settygo, Thoysoria, Mynona, Faxton, Molo, Carparte and Lempne, and in this yle is mount Athos that passeth the clowdes &amp; there are divers speaches and many countries that are obedient to the Emperour of Constantinople, that is to say Turcoply, Pyncy, Narde, Comage and many other, Tracy &amp; Macedony, of which Alexander was king. In this countrey was Aristotle borne, in a citie that men call Strages, a

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CAP: III.

CAP: III.

To come againe to Constantinople for to go toward the holy land. N OW come we againe for to know the way from Constantinople. He that will go through Turkey, he goeth through the citie of Nyke, 1 and passeth through the gate of Chivitot that is right highe, and it is a myle and a halfe from Nyke, and who so wyll go by the brache 2 of Sainct George, and by the Greeke sea there as Sainct Nicolas lyeth, and other places. First men come to the yle of Silo, and in that ile groweth mastike upon small

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CAP: IIII.

CAP: IIII.

Yet of the same Dragon. A LSO a young man that wist not of the Dragon, went out of a shippe and went through the yle till he came to a Castell, and came into the cave and went so long till he founde a chamber, and there he saw a damosell that kemde 1 hir heade &amp; loked in a mirrour, and she had much treasure aboute hir, and he trowed 2 she had been a common woman that dwelled ther to kepe men, and he abode 3 the damosel, and the damosel saw the shadowe of him in the mirrour, &amp; she

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CAP: V.

CAP: V.

Of a young man and his lemman. G O unto the tombe of the same woman that you hast lien by &amp; opē it, behold well that which thou hast begotten on hir and if thou let for to go, thou shalt haue a great harme, and he went and opened the tombe and there flew out an head 1 right hideous for to see, the which head flew all about the citie and countrey, and sone after the citie and the countrey sanke downe, &amp; ther are many perilous passages. Fro Rodes to Cipres is five hundred mile and

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CAP: VI.

CAP: VI.

Of the maner of hunting in Cipres. I N Cipres men hunte with Pampeons 1 that be lyke to Leopards, and they take wylde beastes right well and they are somewhat more than lions, and they take more sharply wilde beastes then houndes. In Cipres is a maner that lordes and other men eate upon the earthe, for they make diches within the earth all about the hall depe to the knee, and they pave them, and when they will eate, they goe therein &amp; sit there, this they do to be more freshe, for that l

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CAP. VII.

CAP. VII.

Of the haven of Jaffe also named. W HO so will go lenger upon the sea and come nerer to Hierusalem—you shall go from Cipres by sea to porte Jaffe, for that is the next haven to Hierusalem, for from that haven it is but a days journey &amp; a halfe to Hierusalem And that haven is called Jaffe, and the towne Affe after one of Noyes 1 sonnes that men call Japheth that founded it, and now it is called Jops. And ye shall understand that it is the eldest town of the world, for it was made before N

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CAP: VIII.

CAP: VIII.

Of the haven of Tyre. A ND who arriveth at the first haven of Tyre, or of Surrey beforesayde, may go by land if he will to Hierusalem, and he goeth to the citie of Acon in a day, it was called Tholomayda, and it was a citie of christen men sometime, but it is now destroyed and it is on the sea. And it is from Venice to Acon by the sea two thousand and Lxxx myle of Lombardy &amp; from Calabre or fro Cicill it is to Acon a thousand three hundred miles of Lombardy....

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CAP. IX.

CAP. IX.

Of the hill Carme. A ND the yle of Grece 1 is right in the mid way, and beside this citie of Acon towarde the sea at viii 2 hundred furlonges on the righte hande towarde the southe is the hil Carme 3 where Elias the prophet dwelled, and there was the ordre of Carme 4 fyrst founded. This hyl is not ryghte greate, ne hygh, and at the foote of this hill was sometime a good citie of chrysten men, that was called Cayphas, for Cayphas founded it, but it is nowe all wasted. And at the lyfte syde of the

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CAP. X.

CAP. X.

How Sampson slew the King and his enimies. A LSO from Acon beforesaid, men go three 1 journeys to the citie of Philisten, that now is called Gaza, that is to say the rich citie &amp; it is right fayre and full of folke and it is a little uppon the sea, and from that citie broughte the strong Sampson the gates of the Citie uppon a highe hill, where he was taken in the Citie, and there he slewe the King in his palace, and many thousande more with him, for he made an house to fall on them. And

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CAP. XI.

CAP. XI.

The waye to Babylon whereas the Soudan dwelleth. A ND whoso wyll go through the lande of Babylon where the Soudan 1 dwelleth, to have leave to go more sykerly 2 throughe the Churches &amp; countreys, and to go to mount Sinay before he come to Hierusalem, and then turne agayne by Hierusalem; he shall goe from Gaza to the castell Dayre. And after a man commeth out of Surry, and goeth in the wildernesse, where the waye is full sandy, and the wyldernesse lasteth eyght Journeys, 3 where men finde

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CAP. XII.

CAP. XII.

YET here followeth of the Soudan and of his Kingdomes that he hath conquered, which he holdeth strongly with force. A ND ye shall understand that the Soudan is lorde of v Kingdomes: the which he hath conquered and gotten to him by strength, and these be they—the Kingdome of Canopate ( that is ) the Kingdome of Egipte, the Kingdome of Hierusalem: whereof David and Salomon were Kings, the Kingdome of Surry, of the which the citie of Damas 1 was the chiefe, the Kingdome of Alape in the lande of Dam

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CAP. XIII.

CAP. XIII.

For to returne fro Sinay to Hierusalem. N OW sythen a man hath visited this holy place of Sainct Katheryn and he will torne to Hierusalem, he shall fyrst take leave of the Monkes, and recommend him specially to their prayers, then those Monks will freely giue to Pilgrims victuals to pass through the Wildernesse to Surry &amp; that lasteth well xiii Journeys. And in that wyldernesse dwell many Arabyns that men call Bedoins and Ascoperdes, 1 these are folk that are full of all maner of yll con

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CAP. XIIII.

CAP. XIIII.

As men are passed this wyldernesse againe comming to Hierusalem. A ND when men are passed this wyldernesse towarde Hierusalem they come to Barsabe 1 that was sometime a fayre and a lykyng towne of Christen men, and yet is some of their churches, and in that towne dwelled Abraham the Patryarke. This towne of Barsabe founded Uryas wife, of whom David engendred Salomon the wyse that was Kyng of Hierusalem, and of the xii kindes 2 of Israell, and he raigned xl yeare. And from thence go men to the va

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CAP. XV.

CAP. XV.

Here foloweth a lyttle of Adam &amp; Eve and other things. A ND right nere to that place is a cave in a Roche where Adam and Eve dwelled whan they were dryven out of Paradyse, and there got they theyr chyldren. And in that place was Adam made as some men saye, for men called sometime that place the felde of Damasse, 1 for it was in the worshippe 2 of Damasse; and fro thence he was translated into Paradyse as they saye, and afterwarde he was driven out of Paradyse, and put there agayne, for t

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CAP. XVI.

CAP. XVI.

Of the dry tree . W HEN a lyttle from Ebron is the mounte of Mambre, of the which mount the vale toke his name, and there is the tree of oke that the Sarasins call dypre, 1 that is of Abraham's time, that men call the dry tree. And they say that it hath ben from the beginning of the worlde, and was sometime grene and bare leaves, unto the tyme that our Lorde dyed, and so did all the trees in the worlde, or else they fayled in their heartes, or else they faded, and yet is there many of those in t

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CAP. XVII.

CAP. XVII.

Fro Bethlehem. F ROM Ebron men go to Bethlehem in halfe a daye, for it is but five myle, and it is a fayre waye &amp; thorow 1 woddes full pleasaunt. Bethlem is but a little citie long and narowe, and well walled, and enclosed with a great diche and it was wont to be called Effrata as holy wryte sayth Ecce audivimus eum in Effrata &amp;c., That is to saye, Lo we herde him in Effrata. And toward the ende of the citie toward the East, is a ryght fayre churche and a gracious and it hath man

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CAP. XVIII.

CAP. XVIII.

Of a fayre mayden that should be put to death wrongfully. T HE cause is, for as much as a fayre maiden y t was blamed wyth wrong that she hadde done fornication, for the which cause she was demed 1 to dye and to bee brente 2 in that place to the which she was ledde. And as the woode began to brenne about hir, she made hir prayer to our Lorde as she was not gyltie of that thing, that he would helpe hir that it might be knowne to all men. And whan she had thus sayde, she entred the fyre and anone

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CAP. XIX.

CAP. XIX.

Of the citie of Hierusalem. F OR to speake of Hierusalem, ye shall understande that it standeth fayre among hylles, and there is neither ryver nor well, but water commeth by conduit from Ebron, and ye shall wete that men called it first Jebus and sythen it was called Salem unto the time of King David, and he set those two names togither and called it Hierusalem and so it is called yet. And aboute Hierusalem is the Kingdome of Surry, &amp; thereby is the lande of Palestyne and Askalon, but Hi

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CAP. XX.

CAP. XX.

Yet of the holy citie of Hierusalem. A ND ye shall understand that whan men fyrst come to Hierusalem, they go fyrste a pylgrimage to the Church, where that the holy grave is, the whiche is out of the citie on the North syde, but it is now closed in with the wall of the towne, and there is a full fayre church rounde, all open aboue, and well covered with leede and on the west syde is a fayre toure and a strong for belles. And in the middes of the church is a Tabernacle made like a little house, i

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CAP. XXI.

CAP. XXI.

Of the church of the holy sepulchre. I N that Churche of the sepulcre on the north syde is the place where our Lord was done 1 ( in ) prison, and there is a part of the cheyne with which he was bound, and there he appeared fyrst to Mary Magdeleyne when he was risen from death and she trowed 2 that he had bene a gardeiner. In the Church of the sepulcre was wont to be 3 Chanons of sainct Benet and they had a pryour; but the Patryarke was theyr soveraigne. And without the dores of the Churche on th

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CAP. XXII.

CAP. XXII.

Of the Temple of God. A ND from the churche of the sepulcre towarde the East at xviii 1 paces is Templum Domini . That is a fayre house and it is all rounde and ryghte high &amp; covered with leed, 2 and it is well paved with white marble, but y e Sarasins wyl suffre no christen men ne Jewes to come therein, for they say that so 3 foule men should not come into that holye place, but I came therein and in other places where I woulde, for I had letters of the Soudan, wyth hys great seal, and,

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CAP. XXIII.

CAP. XXIII.

Yet of the temple of God. A ND ye shall understande that this is not the temple that Salomon made, for that temple lasted but a thousand, an hundred and two yeare. For Titus, Vespasianus Son, that was Emperour of Rome that layde syege about Hierusalem for to discomfyte the Jewes, for they hadde put Chryst to death without leave of the Emperour, and when he had taken the citie he did brenne the temple and caste it downe, and toke all the Jewes and put to death CXIM and the other he put in prison,

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CAP. XXIIII.

CAP. XXIIII.

Of Herod the King. T HIS King Herod was a full wycked man and a fell, 1 for he did firste and formost slea his wife which he loved full well, and for the greate love of hir, he went out of his witte, 2 and so was he a long time, and afterwarde he came againe to himselfe. And sythen he did slea his own children that he had gotten of that same wyfe, and after he made slea 3 the other, his second wife &amp; a son that he had gotten of that same wyfe, and after he did slea his owne mother, &

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CAP. XXV.

CAP. XXV.

Of Saynte Salvators church. A LYTTEL within the citie is saynct Salvatours church &amp; therein is Saint Jhon Crysostoms arme, and the most part of Sainct Stephens head. And on the other syde towarde the south as men go to mount Syon is a fayre church of sainct James where his head was smitten of, and there is mounte Syon and there is a fayre church of God and of our Lady where she was dwelling and dyed, and there was sometime an Abbey of Chanons regulers and from that place she was borne o

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CAP. XXVI.

CAP. XXVI.

Of the feelde of Acheldemack 1 which was bought with the xxx pence. O N the other syde of mount Syon towarde the South a stons Cast, is the feeld that was bought with those xxx pence for which Christe was sold, that men call Acheldemack, that is to say the feeld of bloude, in that feelde is many tombes of Chrysten men for there bee many pylgrims graven. 2 And also in Hierusalem toward the weast, is a fayre churche where the tree grew of which the crosse was made and thereby is a fayre churche wh

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CAP. XXVII.

CAP. XXVII.

Of mount Joye. T WO myle from Hierusalem is the mounte Joye that is a fayre place and a liking, &amp; there lieth Samuell the prophete in a fayre tombe, and it is called mount Joye for there many pylgrims se first Hierusalem. And in the middle of the Vale of Josaphat is a lyttle ryver that is called Torrens 1 Cedron, and over thwart this laye a tree, of the which the crosse was made, that men passed over on. Also in y e vale is a churche of our lady, and there is the sepulchre of our lady, a

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CAP. XXVIII.

CAP. XXVIII.

Of the Castell Bethania. T HERE toward the East is a castel, that men call Bethania and there dwelled Symon the lepruse, that harborowed 1 our lord, and them that were Baptysed of his disciples, and he was called Julyan and was made Bishop and that is he that men call on for good harborow. 2 In that same place our lord forgave Mary Magdeleyne hir sinnes, and there she washed his fete with teares &amp; wiped them with hir here &amp; there was Lazarus raised that was foure dayes deade. 1:

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CAP. XXIX.

CAP. XXIX.

Of Jerico and other things. I N the returning to mount Olivet, is the place where oure Lorde wept uppon Hierusalem and thereby 1 our Lady apeared to Sainct Thomas after hir assumption and gave him hir gyrdell and thereby is the stone on the which our Lorde sat often upon and preched and thereon he shall syt at the day of Judgement, as himselfe sayd. And there is mount Galile where the appostels were gathered when Mary Magdelein tolde them of Christe's rising. Betwene mount Olivet &amp; mount

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CAP. XXX.

CAP. XXX.

Of the holy place betwene Bethany and flom Jordane and other things. A LSO from Bethany men go from Jordan thorow the Wildernesse and it is nere a daies journey betwene. Toward the East is a great hill where our Lord fasted XL dayes &amp; upon this hill was Christ brought of the fende 1 of Hell, &amp; sayd to him thus, Dic ut lapides isti panis fiant . That is to say, Commaund that these stones be made bread. And there is an Hermitage wher dwelled a maner of Christen men called Georgins

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CAP. XXXI.

CAP. XXXI.

Of Abraham and his generation. A ND ye shall understande that Lothe was Arons sone, Abraham's brother, and Sara Abraham's wyfe was Loths syster, and Sara was xc yere olde when she gate Ysaac and Abraham had another son named Ismael that he had gotten on his mayden Ager. And when Ysaac was viii days olde he was circumcised and his other son Ismaell was cyrcumcised the same day and was xiiii yeare of age, therefore the Jewes that be of the generation of Isaac do circumcyse them at the viii day of

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CAP. XXXII.

CAP. XXXII.

Of the river Jordan. T HIS flom Jordan is no great ryver nor depe, but there is much good fishe therein, and it commeth from mount Lybany from two welles, that men call Jor and Dane and of them it taketh the name. And upon the one syde of that river is mount Gelboe, 1 and there is a fayre playne. And on that other syde men goe by mount Lybany, to the desert of Pharon. 2 These hylles departe the kingdome of Surry and the countreys of Phenys. 3 On that hyll grow Cedres that beare longe apples whic

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CAP. XXXIII.

CAP. XXXIII.

Of many other mervailes. A ND ye shall understande, that for to go from the dead sea afterward out of the marche of the land of promissions, is a stronge Castell that men call Carran 1 in Sermoys, that is to saye, the kinges hyll in English. This castell did a King of Fraunce make, that men call Baudewin, that had conquered all that lande, and put it into Christen mens handes to kepe, and under that castell is a fayre towne that men call Sabaoth, and there about dwell many Christen men under tri

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CAP. XXXIIII.

CAP. XXXIIII.

Of the Samaritanes. F ROM Sebasten to Hierusalem is xii myle and betwene the hylles of this countrey is a well, that men call fons Jacob , That is to say Jacobs well, that chaungeth foure times in the yeare his coloure, for sometyme it is redde, sometymes cleare, sometime grene and sometyme thycke, and men that dwell there are called Samarytanes, &amp; they were converted through the Apostles and theyr law varieth from Christen law and Sarasins lawe and also from Jewes &amp; Paynims. The

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CAP. XXXV.

CAP. XXXV.

Of Galyle. F ROM this countrey that I have spoken of, men go to the playne of Galyle and leave the hyll on the one side and Galyle is of the province of the lande of promyssion and in that province is the lande of Naym and Capharnaym and Corasaym and at Bethsayda was Saint Peter &amp; Saint Andrew borne. At Carasaym shall Antechrist be borne, and as some men say he shall be borne in Babilon therefore sayd the Prophet, De babilonia Coluber exiet, qui totum mundum devorabit , That is to say, O

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CAP. XXXVI.

CAP. XXXVI.

The way of Nazareth to the mount or hyll of Tabor. A ND from Nazareth to the mounte Tabor is thre 1 myle, and there our Lord transfygured hym before sainct Peter, sainct Jhon &amp; sainct James. And there they saw ghostly 2 our Lorde and Moyses and Helye the prophetes. And therefore Sainct Peter sayde, Bonum est nos hic esse, faciamus tria tabernacula , That is to say, It is good to us to be here, make we three tabernacles. And our lord Jesu Chryste bad them that they should say it to no man

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CAP. XXXVII.

CAP. XXXVII.

Of the sea of Galyle. A ND from thence men go to a citie that men call Tyberyen, 1 that sitteth 2 on the sea of Galyle, it is no sea ne arme of the sea, for it is but a staumble 3 of fresh water, and it is no more than an hundred furlongs long and XL brode, and therein is many good fyshes. And by that same sea, standeth many good cities, and therefore thys sea chaungeth often his name after the cities that stande thereupon, but it is all one water or sea and upon this sea, our Lorde went dry fot

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CAP. XXXVIII.

CAP. XXXVIII.

Of the table whereon Christ eat after his resurrection. I N this citie of Tiberyen is the table that Christ eat on with his disciples after his resurrection &amp; they knew him in breaking of bread (as holy writ saith) Et cognoverunt eum in fractione Panis . That is to say, they knew him in breaking of bread. And aboute the hyll of Tiberien is the citie where our Lord fed v thousand people with five Barly loves and two fishes, and in that same citie did men cast in anger a fierbrand or burni

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CAP. XXXIX.

CAP. XXXIX.

Of straunge maners and divers. A ND in this countrey &amp; in many other landes over the sea, it is a maner when they have warre and cities or castels beseged so strongly that they may send no messages to any lordes for socour then they write their letters &amp; binde them about the neckes of doves and let them flie their wayes, bicause the dove is of that nature that he will returne againe to the place where he is brought up, and thus they do commonly in that countrey. And ye shal wete

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CAP. XL.

CAP. XL.

For to turne on this syde of Galyle. N OW sythen I haue tolde you of many maners of men, that dwell in the countreys before said, now will I tourne againe to my waye for to tourne uppon this side. Now he that will tourne from the lande of Galyle, that I spake of, to come on this syde, he shall go through Damas that is a fayre citie &amp; full of good marchaundises, and it is three Journeys from the sea and five journeis from Hierusalem, but they cary marchaundises upon camels, mules, horses

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CAP. XLI.

CAP. XLI.

How a man may go furdest and longest in those countreys as heare are rehersed. N OWE have I tolde you of wayes by the whiche men goe furthest and longeste, as by Babylon and mount Synay, and other places many, through the which landes men turne againe to the lande of promission. Now will I tell you the way of Hierusalem, for some men will not passe it, some for they have no company 1 and many other causes resonable and therefore I shall tell you shortely how a man may go with lyttle coste and sh

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CAP. XLII.

CAP. XLII.

Of othar wayes for to go by lande unto Hierusalem. F OR as muche, as many men may not suffer the savour of the sea, &amp; better it is to go by lande even if it be more payne, and a man shall go to one of the havens of Lumberdy as Venys or another, and he shall passe into Grece to port Myroche, or another and shall goe to Constantinople, and shall passe the water that is called the brache of Saynt George that is an arme of the sea. And from thence ye shall come to Pulveral, and then to the c

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CAP. XLIII.

CAP. XLIII.

Yet another way by lande toward the lande of promission. N OW haue I tolde you some wayes by land and by water how men may go to Hierusalem. And if it be so that there be many other wayes that men go by, after the countreys that they come from, neverthelesse they tourne all to one ende, yet is there a way all by land to Hierusalem, &amp; passe no sea from Fraunce or Flaunders, but that way is full longe and perylous &amp; of great travaile, &amp; therefore few go that way, he that go

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CAP. XLIIII.

CAP. XLIIII.

I NASMUCH as I haue told you of the Sarasins and of other landes, if ye will I shall tell you a parte of theyr law, and of theyr beleve, after as theyr boke sayeth, that they call Alkaron, 1 and some call that boke Mysap, 2 some call it Harme 3 in diverse language of countreys, which booke Machomet gave them, in y e which boke he wrote among other things as I have often red and sene, that they that are good shall goe to Paradise, and the evill folkes to hell, and that beleeve all the Sarasyns. A

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CAP. XLV.

CAP. XLV.

Yet it treateth more of Machomet. A LSO Machomet badde in his boke Alkaron, that euery man shoulde haue two wives or three or foure, but now they take nine and as many lemmans as them liketh, &amp; if any of their wives doe amisse against their husbandes, he may driue hir out of his house, and take another, but he must giue to hir part of his goodes. Also when men speake of the Father, and the Sonne, and holy Ghost, they saye they are three persons, but not one God, for their boke Alkoran sp

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CAP. XLVI.

CAP. XLVI.

Of the byrth of Machomet. A ND ye shall understande y t Machomet was borne in Araby, and that he was first a pore drudge &amp; kept horse &amp; went after marchaundise. And so he came once into Egipt with marchaundise &amp; Egipt was the same time Christen, &amp; there was a chappell besyde Araby, &amp; there was an hermite &amp; when he came to the chappell y t was but a lyttle house and a lowe, as sone as he entered, it began to be as great as it were of a palas gate an

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CAP. XLVII.

CAP. XLVII.

Of the yles and divers maner of people and of marvaylous beastes. A ND sithen I have devised before of the holy land and countreys there about, and many wayes thether, and to mount Synay, and to Babilon, and other divers places which I have spoken of, now will I tell &amp; speake of iles and of divers bestes, and divers folke and countreys that be departed 1 by the flouds that came out of Paradise terrestre. For Mesopotame and the kingdome of Calde and Araby are between two floddes, Tigre an

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CAP. XLVIII.

CAP. XLVIII.

Of the haven Gene, for to go by the sea into divers countreys. F OR he that wyll goe to Tartary, Percy, Caldee or Inde, he entreth the sea at Gene or at Venyce, or at any other haven, and so passeth by the sea, and arriveth at Topasonde, 1 that is a good citie, that sometime men call the haven of bridge, and there is the haven of Perce, of Medes, and of other marches. 2 In this citie lieth saint Athanasius, that was bishop of Alexandry, that made the Psalme, Quicunque vult salvus esse . This man

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CAP. XLIX.

CAP. XLIX.

Of the countrey of Job, and of the Kingedome of Caldee. O N the other side of the citie of Carnaa men enter into the land of Job, that is a good lande &amp; great plentie of all fruites &amp; men call that land of Swere. 1 In this lande is the citie of Thomar. Job was a Paynim &amp; also he was Cofraas son &amp; he helde that lande as prince thereof, &amp; he was so riche that he knew not the hondreth parte of his good, and after his povertie God made him richer than ever he

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CAP. L.

CAP. L.

Of the Kingedome of Amazony whereas dwelleth none but women. A FTER the lande of Caldee is the lande of Amazony that is a land where there is no man but all women as men say, for they wil suffer no men to lyve among them nor to haue lordeshippe over them. For sometyme was a kinge in that lande and men were dwelling there as did in other countreys, and had wives, &amp; it befell that the kynge had great warre with them of Sychy, he was called Colopius and hee was slaine in bataill and all the

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CAP. LI.

CAP. LI.

Of the lande of Ethiope. O N the other side of Calde toward the south side is Ethyope a great lande. In this lande on the south are the folke right blacke. In that side is a well that in the daye the water is so colde that no man may drinke thereof, &amp; in the nighte it is so hote that no man may suffer to put his hand in it. In this lande the rivers and all the waters are troublous and some dele salte for the great hete, and men of y t lande are lightly dronken &amp; haue little appet

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CAP. LII.

CAP. LII.

Of Inde the more, &amp; Inde the lesse, &amp; of diamonds, and small people, &amp; other things. F ROM Ethyope men go into Inde through many dyverse countreys, and it is called Inde the more, and it is departed in three parties, that is to say, Inde the more that is a full hote lande, &amp; Inde the lesse is a temperate land, and the thyrde part that is toward the north there it is right cold, so that for greate colde, frost &amp; yce, the water becommeth Cristal &amp; up

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CAP. LIII.

CAP. LIII.

Of diverse countreys &amp; Kingdomes &amp; yles of the lande of Inde. M ANY diverse countreys &amp; Kingdoms are in Inde, and it is called Inde of a river that runneth through it, which is called Inde also &amp; there are many precious stones in that river Inde. And in that ryver men finde Eles of xxx foote long &amp; men y t dwell nere that river are of evill colour, yelowe &amp; grene. In Inde is more than fyve thousande yles that men dwell in good and great, beside tho

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CAP. LIIII.

CAP. LIIII.

Of the Kingedome of Mabaron. F ROM this lande men go many journeys to a countrey that men call Mabaron, 1 and this is a greate Kingdome, therein is many fayre cities &amp; townes. In this lande lyeth Sainct Thomas in a fayre tombe, in fleshe and bones, in the Citie of Calamy, and the arme and hande that hee put in our Lordes syde after his resurrection, when Christ sayde unto hym, Noli esse incredulus sed fidelis: , that is to saye, Be not of vaine hope but beleve; that same hande lyeth yet

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CAP. LV.

CAP. LV.

Of a great countrey called Lamory, where the people go all naked &amp; other things. F ROM this countrey LII journeys is a countrey that men call Lamory, 1 and in that lande is greate heate, and it is the custome there, that men and women go al naked and they scorne all them that are clade, for they say that God made Adam &amp; Eve all naked, and that men shoulde haue no shame of that God made, &amp; they beleve in the same God that made Adam &amp; Eve and all the world, and ther

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CAP. LVI.

CAP. LVI.

Of the countrey and yle named Java, which is a mighty lande. A ND there is also a great yle that men call Java &amp; the kinge of that countrey hath under hym seven kinges, for he is a full mightie prince. In this yle groweth all maner of spyces more plenteously than in any other place, as ginger, clowes, canell 1 nutmyge 2 and other, and ye shall understande that the nutmyge beareth the maces, &amp; of all thing therein is plenty savinge wine. The King of this lande hath a riche palace

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CAP. LVII.

CAP. LVII.

Of the Kingdome of Pathen or Salmasse, which is a goodly lande. A ND for to go forth by the sea, there is an yle that is called Pater, and some call it Salmasse, for it is a great kingedome with many faire cities. In this lande groweth trees that beare meale, of which men make faire bread &amp; white &amp; of good savour, and it seemeth lyke as it were of wheate. And there be other trees that beare venym, 1 againe the which is no medicine but one, that is to take of the leaves of the sam

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CAP. LVIII.

CAP. LVIII.

Of the Kingdome of Talonach, the king thereof hath many wyves. T HEN is there another yle that men call Talonach, that is a greate lande, and plenteous of goods &amp; fyshes, as you shall hereafter heare. And the King of the lande hath as many wives as he will, a thousande &amp; mo, and lyeth never by one of them but once, and that lande hath a marvayle that is in no other land, for all maner of fyshes of the sea cometh there once a yeare, one after another, and lyeth him nere the lande,

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CAP. LIX.

CAP. LIX.

Of the ylande called Raso 1 where men be hanged as sone as they are sicke. A ND from this yle menne go unto another yle that men call Raso, and menne of this yle when that theyr friendes are sicke &amp; that they beleve surely that they shal dye, they take them &amp; hange them al quick on a tree, and say that it is better that byrdes, that are aungels of God, eate them, than wormes of the earthe. Fro thence men go to an yle where the men are of ill kinde, for they nourishe houndes for t

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CAP. LX.

CAP. LX.

Of the ylande of Melke wherein dwelleth evill people. F ROM thence menne go through many yles by sea unto an yle that men call Melke, and there be full yll people, for they haue none other delyte but to fyght and slee men, for they drinke gladly mans blood, which blood they call good, and they that maye most sleay is of moste name amonge them. And if two men there be at stryfe and after bee made at one, it behoveth them to drink eyther others blood, or else the accorde is nought. From this yle m

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CAP. LXI.

CAP. LXI.

Of an yland named Macumeran, whereas the people haue heads lyke houndes. 1 F ROM that yle menne go to an yle that is called Macumeran, whiche is a greate yle and a fayre and the men and women of the countrey haue heads like houndes, they are reasonable &amp; worship an oxe for their god, they go all naked but a little clothe before them, they are good men to fighte, &amp; they beare a great target with which they couer all the body and a speare in theyr hande, and if they take any man in

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CAP. LXII.

CAP. LXII.

Of a great yland called Dodyn, where are many diverse men of evill conditions. T HEN there is another yle that men call Dodyn, &amp; it is a great yle. In this yle are maner diverse maner of men y t haue evyll maners, for the father eateth the son &amp; the son the father the husband his wyfe and the wyfe hir husbande. And if it so be that the father be sicke, or the mother, or any frend, the sonne goeth soone to the priest of the law &amp; prayeth him that he will aske of the ydoll

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CAP. LXIII.

CAP. LXIII.

Of the Kingedome named Mancy which is the best kingedome of the worlde. T O go from this yle toward the east many journies a man shall finde a kingdome that is called Mancy 1 &amp; this is in Inde the more, &amp; it is y e most delectable and plenty of goods of all the worlde. In this lande dwell christen men and Sarasins, for it is a great lande, and therein are II M great cities &amp; many other townes. In this lande no man goeth a begging, for there is no pore man, and there men h

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CAP. LXIIII.

CAP. LXIIII.

Of the lande of Pygmen, 1 wherein dwell but smal people of three spanne long. W HEN men passe from that citie of Chibens, they passe over a great river of freshe water, and it is nere IIII mile brode &amp; then men enter into the lande of the great Caan. This river goeth through the land of Pigmeens, and there men are of little stature for they are but three span long, and they are right fayre bothe men and women, though they bee little, and they are wedded when they are halfe a yere olde, a

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CAP. LXV.

CAP. LXV.

Of the citie of Menke where is a great navy. F ROM this land men go through many countreys cities &amp; towns, till they come to a citie that men call Menke. In that citie is a great navy of ships and they are as white as snow of the kind of the wod that they are made of &amp; they are made as it were great houses with halles and chambres and other easements. 1 1: Conveniences....

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CAP. LXVI.

CAP. LXVI.

Of the land named Cathay and of the great riches thereof. A ND from thence men go uppon a river that men call Ceremosan, and this river goeth throughe Cathay 1 &amp; doth many times harme when it waxeth great. Cathay is a faire countrey &amp; rich, ful of goods and merchandises, thether come marchauntes everye yeare for to fetch spices and other marchandises more commonly than they do in other countreys. And ye shall understand that marchaunts that come from Venice or from Gene or from o

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CAP. LXVII.

CAP. LXVII.

Of a great citie named Cadon therein is the great Caanes palaice and sege. I N the province of Cathay towards the East, is an olde citie &amp; beside that citie the Tartariens have made an other citie that men call Cadon, 1 y t hathe xii 2 gates, and betwene eche two gates is a great myle, so those two cities the olde and the new is round about xx myle. In this citie is the palaice and sege of y e great Caane in a full faire place and great, of which the wals about is two myle, and within th

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CAP. LXVIII.

CAP. LXVIII.

Wherefore that the Emperour of Cathay is called the great Caane. A ND ye shall understande why he is called y e great Caane, ye knowe y t all the worlde was destroied with Noes floud but Noe his wife &amp; children. Noe had three sons, Sem, Cham &amp; Japhet. Cham when he saw his father naked when he slept, scorned him &amp; therefore he was cursed and Japhet covered him againe. These three brethrene hadde all the land. Cham toke the best parte eastward that is called Asia. Sem toke

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CAP. LXIX.

CAP. LXIX.

How the great Caane was hid under a tree, and so escaped his enimies bicause of a byrd. A ND it befell on a day that the Caane rode with a fewe men to see the lande that he had wonne, and he met with a greate multitude of his enimies and there he was caste downe of his horse, and his horse slayne, and when his men saw him at y e earth 1 they went 2 he had been deade, and fledde, &amp; the ennimies folowed after, and when he sawe his ennimies were fer, 3 he hid him in a bushe, for the wod was

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CAP. LXX.

CAP. LXX.

Of the great Caanes letters and the wryting about his seale. N OW when he had wonne the lande of Cathay he dyed, and then raigned after Cythoco 1 the eldest sonne of Caane, &amp; his other brothers went to winne them landes in other countreys, and they wan the land of Pruisse, and of Russy &amp; they dyd cal themselfe Caane, but he of Cathay is the greatest lorde of all the worlde and so he called him in his letters and sayth thus, Caane filius dei excelsi, universam terram coulentium su

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CAP. LXXI.

CAP. LXXI.

Of the governaunce of the countrey of the great Caane. N OW haue I tolde you why he is called the great Caane, now shall I tell you of the governinge of his courte when they make great feastes, and he kepeth foure principall feastes in the yeare, the fyrste of his byrth, the seconde when he is borne to the Temple to be circumcised, the third is of his ydoles when they begin to speake, and the fourth when the ydole beginneth fyrst to do myracles, &amp; at those tymes he hath men well arayed b

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CAP. LXXII.

CAP. LXXII.

Of the great ryches of the Emperour and of his dispending. T HIS Emperour is a great lorde, for he may dispend what he will without nombre, bicause he spendeth nother sylver nor golde &amp; maketh no money but of lether or skynnes, and this same money goeth through all his lande, and of the sylver &amp; gold buylded he his palaces. And he hath in his chambre a piller of golde in the which is a Ruby, and carbuncle of a foote 1 long, the which lighteth all his chambre by night &amp; he

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CAP. LXXIII.

CAP. LXXIII.

Of the ordynaunce of the lordes of the Emperour when he rideth from one countrey to another to warre. A ND when this great Caane shall ryde from one countrey to another they ordeyne foure hostes of people, of which the fyrst goeth before a daies journey; for that hoste lyeth at even where the Emperour shall lye on the morow, and there is plenty of vitailes. And another host commeth at the right side of hym and an other at the left side, and in eche hoste is muche folke. And then commeth the four

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CAP. LXXIIII.

CAP. LXXIIII.

How the empyre of the great Caane is departed 1 into xii provinces &amp; how that they do cast ensence in the fyre where the great Caane passeth through the cities &amp; townes in worship of the Emperour. T HE land of the great Caane is departed in xii provinces, and euery province hath more than two thousande cities and townes. And when the Emperour rideth through the countrey, &amp; he passeth through cities &amp; townes, eche man maketh a fyre before his house, &amp; caste

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CAP. LXXV.

CAP. LXXV.

How the great Caan is the mightiest lord of all the worlde. T HIS great Caane is the myghtiest lorde of the worlde, for prester 1 John is not so great a lorde as he, nor the Sowdan of Babilon, ne y e Emperour of Percy. In this lande a man hath a hundred wives &amp; some xi, 2 some more some lesse, &amp; they take of their kin to wives, all saue their sisters, their mothers &amp; daughters and they take also wel theyr stepmother if their father be dead, and men &amp; women haue al

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CAP. LXXVI.

CAP. LXXVI.

Of other maners of this countrey. T HIS Emperour the great Caane hath three wives, and the principall wife was Prester Johns daughter. And the people of this countrey begin to doe all theyr thinges in the newe Moone, and they worshippe muche the Sonne and the Moone, those men ryde commonly without spoores, &amp; they holde it a great sinne to breake one bone 1 with another, and to spyll mylke on the grounde, or any other lycour y t men may drinke. 2 And when they haue eaten they wipe their h

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CAP. LXXVII.

CAP. LXXVII.

How the Emperour is brought unto his grave when he is dead. A ND when the Emperour is dead, they set him into a carte 1 in the middes of his tente, and they set before him a table covered with a cloth, &amp; there upon they set flesh and other meat &amp; a cup full of milke of a mare, and they set a mare with a colte by him, &amp; a horse sadled &amp; bridled, and they lay upon the horse golde &amp; silver, and all about him they make a greate grave, and with all the things t

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CAP. LXXVIII.

CAP. LXXVIII.

When the Emperour is dead how they chose and make an other. A ND then when the Emperour is dead the seaven linages gather them togither, and they touch his son or the next of his blood, &amp; they say thus, We wyll, and we ordeyne, and we pray thee that thou wilt be our lord &amp; Emperour, and he enquireth of them and sayth, if ye will that I raigne upon you, then must ye doe all that I bidde you to doe. And if he bid that any shal be slaine, he shal be slaine, &amp; they aunswere a

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CAP. LXXIX.

CAP. LXXIX.

What countreys and kingdomes lye next to the land of Cathay and the frontes thereof. T HIS lande of Cathay is in Asia the depe, 1 and this same lande marcheth toward the west upon the kingdome of Sercy, 2 the which was sometyme to one of the three kings that went to seke our Lord in Bethlem and all those that come of his kin are christen men. These men of Tartary drinke no wine. In y e land of Corosaym, 3 y t is at the north side of Cathay is right great plenty of goods, but no wine, the which h

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CAP. LXXX.

CAP. LXXX.

Of other wayes comming from Cathay toward the Grekes sea &amp; also of the emperour of Percy. N OW I haue devysed you the landes towardes the North, to come from the lands of Cathay to the lands of Pruse &amp; Rossy where Christen men dwel. Now shall I devise unto you other lands &amp; kingdoms, in comming down from Cathay to the Grekes sea wher Christen men dwell, and for as muche as next the great Caane of Cathay the Emperour of Percy is the greatest lorde, therefore I shall speake

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CAP. LXXXI.

CAP. LXXXI.

Of the lande of Armony, which is a good land &amp; of the lande of Middy. 1 T HEN is the lande of Armony, in the which was sometime three kingdomes, this is a good land and a plentious, &amp; it beginneth at Percy, &amp; lasteth westward to Turkey of length, and in breadth lasteth from the citie of Alexander (that is now called Port de fear) unto the lande of Myddy. In this Armony are many fayre cities, but Cauryssy 2 is most of name. Then is the land of Myddy, and it is full long an

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CAP. LXXXII.

CAP. LXXXII.

Of the Kingdome of George &amp; Abcan, and many marvayles. T HEN next is the kingdome of George, 1 that beginneth eastward at a great hil that men call Abiorz, 2 this land lasteth to Turkey to the great sea, &amp; to the land of Myddy, and great Armony &amp; in this land are two kynges, one of Abcan, and another of George but he of George is in subjection of the great Caane, but he of Abcan hath a strong countrey, and defendeth him well against his enimies, &amp; in this land of

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CAP. LXXXIII.

CAP. LXXXIII.

Of the land of the land of Turky &amp; divers other countreys and of the land of Mesopotamy. T HEN next is the land of Turky, that marcheth to Great Armony and therein are many countreys as Capadoce, Saure, 1 Bryke, Quecion, Patan &amp; Genethe, in eche one of the countreys are many good cities, and it is a plaine land, &amp; few hills and few rivers, and then is the kingdome of Mesopotamy that beginneth eastwarde at flom of Tygre 2 at a citie that men call Mosell, 3 and it lasteth w

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CAP. LXXXIIII.

CAP. LXXXIIII.

Of divers countreys kingedomes &amp; yles, and marvayles beyond the land of Cathay. N OW haue I sayd and spoken of many things on this side of the great Kingedome of Cathay, of whome many are obeysant 1 to the great Caane. Now shall I tell of some landes, countreys &amp; yles that are beyond the lande of Cathay. Whoso goeth from Cathay to Inde the high and the low, he shal go through a kingdome that men call Cadissen 2 &amp; it is a great lande, there groweth a maner of fruite as it

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CAP. LXXXV.

CAP. LXXXV.

Of the land of Bactry, and of many Griffons and other beastes. F ROM this land men shal go unto the land of Bactry, 1 where are many wicked men &amp; fell, 2 in that land are trees that beare wol, 3 as it were shepe, of which they make cloth. In this land are ypotains 4 that dwel sometime on land, sometime on water, and are halfe a man and halfe a horse, and they eate not but men, when they may get them. In this land are many gryffons, more than in other places, and some say they haue the bo

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CAP. LXXXVI.

CAP. LXXXVI.

Of the way for to go to prester Johns land which is Emperour of Inde. F ROM this lande of Bactry men goe many dayes Jorneyes to the lande of Prester John, that is a great Emperour of Inde, and men call his lande the yle of Pantoroze. 1 This Emperour Prester John holdeth great land, &amp; many good cities, and good townes, in his kingedome is many great yles &amp; large for this land of Ynde is departed in yles because of great flods that come out of Paradise, and also in the sea are many

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CAP. LXXXVII.

CAP. LXXXVII.

Of the faith and belyfe of Prester John, but he hath not all the full beliefe as we haue. T HIS Emperour prester John is christen &amp; a great part of his lande also, but they haue not all the articles of our fayth, but they beleve well in the Father, the Sonne, &amp; the Holy Ghost, &amp; they are full devout and true to one another, &amp; they make no force of Catal, 1 and he hath under him Lxxii provinces and countries, and in eche one is a king, &amp; those kings haue ot

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CAP. LXXXVIII.

CAP. LXXXVIII.

Of an other ylande where also dwelleth good people therein, and is called Sinople. T HEN is there an other yland that is called Synople, wherein also are good people and true, &amp; full of good faith, &amp; they are much lyke in their living to y e men before sayd, and they go all naked. Into that Iland came King Alexander, &amp; when he saw their good faith and trouth, and theyr good belefe, he said that he wold do them no harme and bad them aske of him riches and nought 1 else, an

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CAP. LXXXIX.

CAP. LXXXIX.

Of two other iles, the one is called Pitan where in be little men that eate no meat, and in that other ile are the men all rough of fethers. T HERE is another yle that men call Pitan, men of this lande till no lande, for they eate nought and they are smal, but not so smal as Pigmes. These men liue with smell of wild aples, 1 &amp; when they go far out of the countrey, they beare apples with them, for anon as they lose that savour of apples they dye, they are not reasonable but as wyld beaste

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CAP. XC.

CAP. XC.

Of a rich man in Prester Johan's lande named Catolonapes and of his gardeine. I N an yle of Prester Johans land y t men call Miscorach, there was a rich man y t was called Catolonapes, he was ful rich &amp; had a fair castel on a hil &amp; strong, &amp; he made a wal all about ye hill right strong &amp; fayre, within he had a faire gardeine wherein were many trees bearing all maner of fruits y t he might find, &amp; he had planted therein al maner of herbes of good smel and t

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CAP. XCI.

CAP. XCI.

Of a marvelous vale that is beside the river of Physon. A ND a lyttle from that place, on the left syde besyde the river of Physon is a great marvaile. There is a vale betwene two hils, and that is foure myle longe, and some men call it the valay enchaunted, some y e valey of Divels, some the valey perylous, 1 and in that valey are many tempests &amp; a great noyse very hydeous bothe day &amp; night &amp; sound as it were a noise of Taburines 2 of nakers 3 &amp; of trumpets as it

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CAP. XCII.

CAP. XCII.

Of an yland wherein dwell people as great as giants of xxviii or xxx fote of length &amp; other things. A ND beyond that valey is a great yle, where people as great as giaunts of xxviii fote long &amp; they haue no clothinge but beasts skyns that hang on them, &amp; they eate no bread but flesh raw and they drink milke, &amp; they haue no houses, &amp; they eat gladlyer fleshe of men, than other, &amp; men saye to us, that beyond that yle is a yle where are greater giaunt

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CAP. XCIII.

CAP. XCIII.

Of women which make great sorow as theyr children are borne &amp; great joy when they are dead. A N other yle there is, where women make great sorow when theyr children be borne &amp; when they are dead they make great joy and caste them in a great fier and burne them, and they that loue well theyr husbands, when they are dead they cast them in a fyer to burn them, for they say that fyer shall make them clean of all filth &amp; vices &amp; they shall be cleane in another world, a

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CAP. XCIIII.

CAP. XCIIII.

Of an yland where men wed theyr owne daughters &amp; kinswomen. T HERE is another yle where there is great plenty of people &amp; they eate neuer flesh of hares, nor of hens, nor geese, yet is there many of them but they eate of all other beastes, and they drink mylk, in this countrey they wed theyr owne daughters and other of theyr kyn as them liketh, and if there be x or xii men in one house, eche one of theyr wyves shal be comon to other, &amp; at night shal one haue one of y e wi

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CAP. XCV.

CAP. XCV.

Of an ylande wherein dwell full good people and true. T HERE is another yland good and great, and plentiouse, where are good men and true and of godly lyfe after their faith, &amp; all if they be not christen neverthelesse of kinde they are full of good vertues and they fly all vices, and all sinne and malice, for they are not envious, proud, covetous, lecherous nor glotenus, and they do not unto another man but that they wold he did to them, and they fulfill the x commaundementes and they m

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CAP. XCVI.

CAP. XCVI.

How King Alexander sent his men thither for to winne that lande. A ND King Alexander sometime sent his men to win that lande, and they sent him letters that sayde thus, What behoveth a man to have all the worlde, that is not content therewithal: thou shalt fynde nothing at al in us, why that thou shouldest make warre upon us, for we haue no ryches nor treasure, and all the cattell of our countrey are common, our meates that we eate are our riches, and instede of gold and silver, we make our trea

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CAP. XCVII.

CAP. XCVII.

How the Emperour Prester John when he goeth to batayle, he hath three crosses borne before him of fine gold. T HIS Emperour Prester John, when he goeth to batayle, he hath no baner borne before him, but he hath borne before him three crosses of fine gold, &amp; those are large &amp; great, and well set with precious stones, &amp; for to kepe eche crosse, is ordeyned a thousand 1 men of armes, in maner as men kepe a standerde in other countreys, and he hath men without number when he

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CAP. XCVIII.

CAP. XCVIII.

Of the moste 1 dwelling place of Prester John in a citie called Suse. A ND he dwelleth commonly at the citie of Suse, &amp; there is his principall palaice that is so riche that marvayle is to tell, &amp; about the principall toure of the palaice are two pomels 2 of gold all round, and eche one of those hath two carbuncles great &amp; large, y t shine ryght clere in the night, and y e principal gates of this palaice are of precious stones that men call Saraine 3 &amp; the borders

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CAP. XCIX.

CAP. XCIX.

Of the wildernesse wherein groweth the trees of the sonne &amp; the Moone. A ND beyond that river is a great wildernesse as men that haue ben there say. In this Wildernesse as men saye are the trees of the Sonne and of the Mone that spake to Kyng Alexander and tolde him of his death, and men saye that folke that kepe these trees &amp; eate of the fruits of them, they live foure or five hundred yeare through vertue of the fruite, and we woulde gladly haue gone thyther, but I beleve that a

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CAP. C.

CAP. C.

Of a great yland and kingedome called Taprobane. 1 T OWARDE the East side of Prester John's lande is an yle that men call Taprobane, &amp; is right good and fructuous, 2 and there is a great Kyng and a rych, and he is obedient unto Prester John &amp; the King is alway made by eleccion. In this yle is ii wynters and two somers, and they shere 3 corne twise in the yere, all times in the yeare gardeins florysheth. There dwelleth good people and reasonable and many Christen men among them th

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CAP. CI.

CAP. CI.

Of two other yles, one is called Orel, &amp; the other Argete where are many gold mines. T HERE are more eastward two other yles—y e one is called Orell and the other Argete of whom all the land is mine of gold &amp; silver. In those yles many men se no sters 1 clere shining, but one starre y t is called Canapos 2 and there many men se not y e Mone but in the last quarter. In that yle is a great hyll of golde that pismyres 3 kepe, &amp; they do fine golde from the other that is not f

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CAP. CII.

CAP. CII.

Of the darke countrey and hils and roches of stone nigh to Paradise. B EYOND the yles of the lande of Prester John and his lordeship of wildernesse to go right East, men shall not finde but hils, great rocks and other myrke 1 lande, where no man may see a day or night as men of the countrey say, and this wildernesse and myrke land lasteth to Paradise terrestre, where Adam and Eve were sette, but they were there but a lyttle while, and that is toward the East at the beginning of the earth, but th

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CAP. CIII.

CAP. CIII.

A lyttle of Paradise terrestre. T HIS Paradise terrestre is enclosed al about with a wall, and that wall is all covered with mosse as it semeth, y t men may see no stone nor nothing else whereof it is, and in the highest place of Paradise in the middest of it is a well that casteth out the foure flouds that run through divers landes. The first floud is called Phison or Ganges, and that runneth through Inde, in that river are many precious stones and much Lignum Aloes &amp; gravel of golde. A

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CAP. CIIII.

CAP. CIIII.

How Prester Johns land lyeth foote against 1 foote to Englande. T HERE yles of the land of Prester John, they are under the earth to us, &amp; other yles are there whoso wold pursue them for to environ the earth whoso had grace of God to hold the waye, he mighte come right to the same countreys that he were come of and come from &amp; so go about the earth, and for that it asketh so long tyme, &amp; also there are so many perils to passe that fewe men assay to go so, and yet it might

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CAP. CV.

CAP. CV.

Of the Kingedome of Ryboth. F ROM this yle men go another kyngdome that is called Riboth, and that is also under y e great Caan. This is a good countrey and plentious of corne, wine &amp; other things, men of this lande haue no houses but they dwell in tentes made of tree. And the principall citie of the countrey is all blacke made of black stones and white and all the streetes are paved with such stones and in the citie is no man so hardy to spil blood of man ne beast, for worship of a mawm

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CAP. CVI.

CAP. CVI.

Of a rych man that is neyther king, prince, duke nor erle. A ND from this men go ten journeys through the land of the great Caan, which is a full good yle &amp; a great kingdom &amp; the king is ful mighty. And in this yle is a rich man which is no king, prince, Duke nor Erle, but he hath eche yere cccc 1 thousand horses charged 2 with ryce and corne, and he hath a noble &amp; a rich life after the maner of the countrey, for he hath L damosels that serve him every day at his meate &a

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CAP. CVII.

CAP. CVII.

How all these landes yles and kingdomes, and the men therof afore rehersed, haue some of the articles of our faith. A ND ye shall understand that all these men &amp; folke that haue reason y t I haue spoken of, haue some articles of our faith, all 1 if they be of divers lawes and divers beleves, yet they haue some good poynts of our fayth, &amp; they beleve in God of kinde as theyr prophecie sayth, Et metuent eum omnes fines terræ , That is to say, And all endes of the earth shall dread

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CAP. CVIII.

CAP. CVIII.

How John Maundevyl leveth many mervailes unwrytten &amp; the cause wherefore. T HERE are many other countreys where I haue not yet ben nor sene &amp; therefore I can not speke properly of them. Also in countreys where I haue bene are many marvailes that I speke not of, for it were to long a tale and therefore hold you payd at this time y t I haue sayd, for I will say no more of mervailes that are there, so that other men that go thither may fynde ynough for to say that I haue not tolde..

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Here beginneth the journall of Frier Odoricus, one of the order of the Minorites, concerning strange things which hee sawe among the Tartars of the East.

Here beginneth the journall of Frier Odoricus, one of the order of the Minorites, concerning strange things which hee sawe among the Tartars of the East.

ALBEIT many and sundry things are reported by divers authors concerning the fashions and conditions of this world: notwithstanding I frier Odoricus of Friuli, de portu Vahonis being desirous to travel unto the foreign and remote nations of infidels, sawe and heard great and miraculous things, which I am truly able to avouch. First of al therefore sayling from Pera by Constantinople, I arrived at Trapesunda. 1 This place is right commodiously situate, as being an haven for the Persians and Medes,

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Of the maners of the Chaldeans, and of India.

Of the maners of the Chaldeans, and of India.

F ROM thence I traveled into Chaldæa, which is a great kingdome and I passed by the tower of Babel. This region hath a language peculiar unto itselfe, and there are beautiful men and deformed women. The men of the same countrey used to haue their haire kempt, and trimmed like unto our women: and they weare golden turbants upon their heads richly set with pearle, and pretious stones. The women are clad in a course smock onely reaching to their knees and having long sleeves hanging downe to the gr

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How peper is had: and where it groweth.

How peper is had: and where it groweth.

M OREOUER, that it may be manifest how peper is had, it is to be understood that it groweth in a certaine kingdome whereat I myself arrived, being called Minibar, 1 and it is not so plentifull in any other part of the worlde as it is there. For the wood wherein it growes conteineth in circuit 18 dayes journey. And in the said wood or forrest there are two cities one called Flandrina, 2 and the other Cyncilim. In Flandrina both Jewes &amp; Christians doe inhabite, betweene whom there is often

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Of a strange and uncouth idole: & of certaine customes and ceremonies.

Of a strange and uncouth idole: & of certaine customes and ceremonies.

I N the kingdome of Mobar there is a wonderfull strange idole, being made after the shape and resemblance of a man, as big as the image of our Christopher, &amp; consisting all of most pure and glittering gold. And about the necke thereof hangeth a silke riband, ful of most rich &amp; precious stones, some one of which is of more value than a whole kingdome. The house of this idol is all of beaten gold, namely the roofe, the pavement, and the sieling of the wall within and without. Unto

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Of certaine trees yeelding meale, honey, and poyson.

Of certaine trees yeelding meale, honey, and poyson.

N EERE unto the said Iland is another countrey called Panten, or Tathalamasin. 1 And the king of the same countrey hath many Ilands under his dominion. In this land there are trees yeelding meale, hony, &amp; wine &amp; the most deadly poison in all y e whole world: for against it there is but one only remedy: &amp; that is this: if any man hath taken of y e poyson, &amp; would be delivered from the danger thereof, let him temper the dung of a man in water, &amp; so drinke a

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Of the abundance of fishes, which cast themselues upon the shore.

Of the abundance of fishes, which cast themselues upon the shore.

I N this countrey there is one strange thing to be observed, y t euery several kind of fishes in those seas come swimming towards the said countrey in such abundance, that, for a great distance into the sea, nothing can be seene but the backes of fishes: which casting themselues upon the shore when they come neere unto it, do suffer men, for the space of 3 daies to come &amp; take as many of them as they please, &amp; then they return again to the sea. After that kind of fishes comes ano

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Of the Island of Sylan: and of the mountaine where Adam mourned for his sonne Abel.

Of the Island of Sylan: and of the mountaine where Adam mourned for his sonne Abel.

I PASSED by also another island called Sylan, 1 which conteineth in compasse aboue ii M miles, wherin are an infinit number of serpents, &amp; great store of lions, beares, &amp; al kinds of ravening &amp; wild beasts, and especially of elephants. In the said countrey there is an huge mountaine, whereupon the inhabitants of that region do report that Adam mourned for his son Abel y e space of 500 yeres. In the midst of this mountaine there is a most beautiful plain, wherin is a lit

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Of the upper India: and of the province of Mancy.1

Of the upper India: and of the province of Mancy.1

F IRST of al therefore, having traveled many dayes journey upon the Ocean-sea towards the East, at length I arrived at a certaine great province called Mancy, being in Latine named India. Concerning this India I inquired of Christians, of Saracens, &amp; of Idolaters, and of al such as bare an office under the great Can; who all of them with one consent answered, that this province of Mancy hath mo then 2000 great cities within the precincts thereof &amp; that it aboundeth with all plent

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Of the citie of Fuco.

Of the citie of Fuco.

T RAVELING more eastward, I came unto a city named Fuco, 1 which containeth 30 miles in circuit, wherein be exceeding great &amp; faire cocks, and al their hens are as white as the very snow, having wool in stead of feathers, like unto sheep . It is a most stately &amp; beautiful city &amp; standeth up the sea. Then I went 18 daies journey on further, &amp; passed by many provinces &amp; cities, and in the way I went over a certain great mountaine, upon ye one side whereof I

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Of a Monastery where many strange beastes of divers kindes doe live upon an hill.

Of a Monastery where many strange beastes of divers kindes doe live upon an hill.

I N the foresaide citie foure of our friers had converted a mighty and rich man unto the faith of Christ, at whose house I continually abode, for so long time as I remained in the citie, Who upon a certain time said unto me: Ara, that is to say, Father, will you go and behoulde the citie? And I said, yea. Then embarked we ourselves, and directed our course unto a certaine great Monastery: where being arrived, he called a religious person with whom he was acquainted, saying unto him concerning me

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Of the citie of Cambaleth.

Of the citie of Cambaleth.

T RAVELING eight dayes journey further by divers territories and cities, at length I came by fresh water unto a certaine citie named Leucyn, standing upon a river of Karavoran 1 which runneth through the midst of Cataie, and doeth great harme in the countrey when it overfloweth the bankes, or breaketh foorth of the chanell. From thence passing along the river Eastward, after many dayes travell, and the sight of divers cities, I arrived at a citie called Sumakoto, 2 which aboundeth more with silk

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Of the glory and magnificence of the great Can.

Of the glory and magnificence of the great Can.

M OREOVER, when the great emperour Can sitteth on his imperiall throne of estate, on his lefte hand sitteth his queene or empresse and upon another inferior seate there sit two other women, which are to accompany the emperour, when his spouse is absent, but in the lowest place of all, there sit all the ladies of his kinred. All the married women weare upon their heads a kind of ornament in shape like unto a man's foote of a cubite and a halfe in length, and the lower part of the said foote is ad

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Of certaine Innes or hospitals appointed for traveilers throughout the whole empire.

Of certaine Innes or hospitals appointed for traveilers throughout the whole empire.

T HE foresayd Emperor (to the end that travailers may haue all things necessary throughout his whole empire) hath caused certaine Innes to be provided in sundry places upon the highwayes, where all things pertaining unto victuals are in a continuall readinesse. And when any alteration or newes happen in any part of his Empire, if he chance to be farre absent from that part, his ambassadors upon horses or dromedaries ride post unto him, and when themselves and their beaste are weary, they blowe t

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Of the foure feasts which the great Can solemnizeth euery yeere in his court.

Of the foure feasts which the great Can solemnizeth euery yeere in his court.

F OURE great feasts in a yeere doeth the emperor Can celebrate: namely the feast of his birth, the feast of his circumcision, the feast of his coronation, and the feast of his mariage. And unto these feasts he inviteth all his Barons, his stage players, and all such as are of his kinred. Then the great Can sitting in his throne, all his Barons present themselves before him, with wreaths and crowns upon their heads, being diversely attired, for some of them are in greene, namely the principall: t

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Of divers provinces & cities,

Of divers provinces & cities,

A ND after three yeeres I departed out of the empire of Cataie, traveiling fiftie dayes journey towards the West. And at length I came unto the empire of Pretegoani, 1 whose principall citie is Kasan, which hath many cities under it. From thence passing many dayes travel I came unto a province called Casan, which is for good commodities, one of the onely provinces under the Sunne, &amp; is very well inhabited, insomuch that when we depart out of the gates of one city we may beholde the gates

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Of a certaine riche man, who is fed and nourished by 50 virgins.

Of a certaine riche man, who is fed and nourished by 50 virgins.

W HILE I was in the province of Mancy, I passed by the palace of a certaine famous man, which hath fifty virgin damosels continually attending upon him, feeding him euery meale as a bird feeds her yoong ones. Also he hath sundry kinds of meat served in at his table and three dishes of ech kinde: and when the said virgins feed him, they singe most sweetly. This man hath in yeerely revenues thirty thuman of tagars of rise, euery of which thuman yeeldeth tenne thousand tagars, and one tagar is the

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Of the death of Senex de monte.

Of the death of Senex de monte.

A ND when the Tartars had subdued a great part of the world, they came unto the sayd olde man, and tooke from him the custody of his paradise: who being incensed thereat, sent abroad divers desperate and resolute persons out of his forenamed paradise, and caused many of the Tartarian nobles to be slaine. The Tartars seeing this, went and beseiged the citie wherein the sayd olde man was, tooke him, and put him to a most cruell and ignominious death. The friers in that place haue this special gift

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Of the honour and reverence done unto the great Can.

Of the honour and reverence done unto the great Can.

I WILL report one thing more, which I saw, concerning the great Can. It is an usuall custome in those parts, that when the foresayd Can traveileth thorow any countrey, his subjects kindle fires before their doores, casting spices thereinto to make a perfume, that their lord passing by may smell the sweet and delectable odours thereof, and much people come forth to meet him. And upon a certaine time when he was comming towardes Cambaleth, the fame of his approch being published, a bishop of ours

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Of the death of frier Odoricus.

Of the death of frier Odoricus.

I N the yeere therefore of our Lord 1331 the foresayd frier Odoricus preparing himselfe for the performance of his intended journey, that his travel and labour might be to greater purpose, he determined to present himselfe unto Pope John the two and twentieth, whose benediction and obedience being received, he with a certaine number of friers willing to beare him company might convey himselfe unto all the countreys of infidels. And as he was travelling toward the pope, and not farre distant from

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WOODCUTS SELECTED FROM OTHER EDITIONS SHOWING THE DIFFERENT TREATMENT OF THE SAME SUBJECTS.

WOODCUTS SELECTED FROM OTHER EDITIONS SHOWING THE DIFFERENT TREATMENT OF THE SAME SUBJECTS.

Of the Voyages and Travels of Sir John Mandeville now (1884) in the British Museum. Chronologically Arranged. EGERTON MSS. 672. Johannis de Maundevilla Itinerarium ad partes Ierusolumitanas, &amp;c. Vellum, 14 Cent., small 4 o . Grenville XXXIX. A 14 Cent. MS. fol. on vellum in double columns, which evidently has belonged to one of the French Royal Libraries, as the binding testifies. It commences "Ci comence le liure qui parle des diuersités des pais qui sunt par universe monde: le quel

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MSS.

MSS.

EGERTON MSS. 672. Johannis de Maundevilla Itinerarium ad partes Ierusolumitanas, &amp;c. Vellum, 14 Cent., small 4 o . Grenville XXXIX. A 14 Cent. MS. fol. on vellum in double columns, which evidently has belonged to one of the French Royal Libraries, as the binding testifies. It commences "Ci comence le liure qui parle des diuersités des pais qui sunt par universe monde: le quel liure fut compile par mesire Jehan Mandeuille chlr ne dangleterre de la uille con dit Saint Albain." Harl. 39

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PRINTED EDITIONS.

PRINTED EDITIONS.

Grenville, 6774. Hie hebt sich an das püch ( sic ) des Ritters herz Hannsen von Monte Villa. Gedrucht zü Augspurg von hannsen schönsperger am freitag nach Galli. Anno domini ( mcccclxxxii ). Fol. Grenville, 6773. Johannes von Mondeuilla, Ritter. Getruckt zü Strassburg Johannes Prüssz. 1484. Fol. B. L. This is a very rare German edition, and is attributed to Michelfeld or Michelfelser. Grenville, 6728/3. Explicit Itinerarius a terra Anglie in partes Ierosolymitanas et in vlteriore

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