Than is there an other yle y ^e men call Dody & it is a grete yle / In this yle are many dyuerse maner of men & haue euyll maners for the

fader eteth the sone / and the sone the fader / the husbande his wyfe / and the [...]wyf her husbonde. And yf it so be y ^e the fader be seke or the moder or ony frende the sone gooth as soone to the preest of the lawe and prayeth hym y ^• he wyll aske of the ydoll yf his fader shall deye of that syknesse or not. And than the preest & the sone kneledowne before the ydoll de [...]outly & asketh hym / & he answereth to theym / & yf he sayth y ^t he shall lyue / than they kepe hym wel / & yf he say that he shal dye than come y ^e preest with the sone or with the wyf or what frende y ^• it be vnto hym that is seke. & they leye ther hondes ouer his mouthe to stoke his brethe / & so they slee hym / [Page] and than they smyte all the body in to pyeces and prayeth all his frendes for to come and [...]te of hym that is dede / and they make a grete feste therof and haue many mynstrelles there and ete hym with grete melody. And so whan they haue eten all the flesshe / than they take the bones and burye theym all syngynge with grete worshyppe / and all those that are of his frendes that were not there at the etyn­ge of hym hath grete shame and velonye soo that they shal neuer more be holden as frendes. And the kynge of this yle is a grete lorde and myghty / and he hath vnder hym .li [...]ij grete yles & eche of theym hath a kynge / & in one of thise yles are men that

hath but one eye / & that is in the myddes of theyr fronte / and they ete not but flesshe & fysshe rawe / And in an other yle dwell men that haue no hedes [Page]

& theyr eyen are in theyr sholders & theyr mouth is on theyr breste / In an other yle are men y ^• haue no hede ne eyen & theyr mouth is in theyr sholders.

[Page] And in an other yle are men that haue platte faces without nose and without eyen / but they haue two small rounde holes in stede of eyen / and they haue a platte mouthe withoute lyppes. ¶And in an o­yle are men also that haue theyr faces all platte w ^t out eyen and withoute mouthe and without nose / but they haue theyr eyen and theyr mouthe behyn­de on theyr sholdres. And in another yle are floue

men that haue the lyppe aboue the mouthe so gre­te that whan they slepe in the sonne they couer all theyr face with the lyppe. And in an other yle are ly lytell men as dwarfes & haue no mouthe but a lytell rounde hole & thrughe that hole they ete theyr mete with a pype / and they haue noo tonge & they speke not but they blowe & whysple and so make sygnes one to an other. And in as other yle are men with [Page lxxv] hangynge eeres vnto theyr knees. And in an other yle are wylde men with hangynge eeres and haue feete lyke an hors & may renne faste / and they take wylde bestes & ete theym. And in an other yle are men that go on theyr hondes & feet lyke beestes / & are all roughe & wyll leepe vpon a tree lyke cattes / or apes. And in an other yle are men that goo euer vpon theyr knees meruayllously and haue on eue­ry fote / viij toos. And in an other yle is folke that

is bothe men & women & haue membres of bothe for to engender with / and whan they wyll they vse bothe on a tyme & the other an other tyme / & they gete chyldren whan they vse the membre of man­& they bere chyldren whan they vse the membre of womā. many other maner of folke is thise in yles therabout of whome it were to longe to tell all.

TO goo fro this yle towarde the [...]est many Iourneys a man shall fynde a kyngdom y ^t is called Mancy & this is in Ynde the more / & it is moost delectable & plente of goodes of all the worlde. In this londe dwell crysten men & sarasyns / for it is a grete londe / & therin is .ij.M. grete cytees and many other townes. In this londe noo man gooth on beggȳge for there is no poore man / & y ^e men haue berdes thynne of heere as it were cattes. In this londe are fayre women / & therfore some men calle y ^• londe albany for y ^e whyte folke / & theris a cyte y ^t men call Latorym & is more than Parys / & in y ^t lō ­de are byrdes twyes greter than it be here / & there is good chepe of all maner of vytaylles.

[Page lxxvi] In this countree are whyte hennes & they bere no [...] feders but woll as shepe do in oure londe / and women of that countre y ^• are wedded bere crownes vpon theyr heedes that they may be knowen by. In this countree they take a beest y ^• is called Loyres. & they kenne it to go in to waters or vy [...]ers / and as soone he bryngeth oute of the water grete fysshes / & thus they take fysshe as longe as they wyll to y ^t theym nedeth. Fro this cyte men go by many Iourneyes to an other grete cyte y ^t is called Cassay that is the moost cyte of the worlde / & that Cyte is fyfty myle aboute / & there is in y ^• cyte mo than .xij. pryn­cypall gates without. Fro thens within thre myle is an other grete cyte / & within this Cyte are more than .xij. thousande brydges / & vpon eche brydge is a stronge toure where the kepers dwell too kepe it agayne the grete Chane for it marcheth on his londe / & on one syde of the cyte renneth a grete ry­uer / & there dwell crysten men ans other / for it is a good countre & plenteuous & there groweth ryghte good wyne / this is a noble cyte where the kynge of Mancy was wonte to dwelle / & there dwelle rely­gyous men crysten freres / And men goo vpon y ^• [...]y­uer tyll they come to an abbaye of monkes a lytell fro y ^• cyte / & in that abaye is a grete gardyn & fayr & therin is many maner of trees of dyuers fruytes In that gardyn dwell many maner of beestes as baboynes / apes / marmosettes & other / & whan the couent hath eten a monke taketh the relleef & bere [Page] it in to the gardeyne / & smytech ones with a bel of syluer whiche he holde in his hande / & anone come out thyse bestes y ^t I spake of & many moo nere iij. or .iiij. thousande / & he g [...]ueth them to ete of fayre vessels of syluer / & whan they haue eten he smyteth the bell agayne & they goo agayne theyr way. And the monke sayth y ^• those bestes are soules of men y ^t are dede / & those beestes y ^t are fayre are soules of lordes & other ryche men / & those y ^• are foule bestes are soules of other comunes. And I asked theym yf it had not be better to gyue that relefe to poore men & they sayd theris no poore man in y ^e countree & yf there were yet it were more almes to gyue it to tho­se soules y ^e suffre there theyr penaūce & may go no ferder to gete theyr mete than to men y ^e haue wytte & may trauayl for theyr mete. Than come men to a cyte y ^e is called Chybens & there was y ^• fyrst sege of y ^• kyn [...]e of Mancy. In this cyte are .lx. brydges of stone as fayre a they may be.

WHan men passe fro y ^e cyte of Chybens they passe ouer a grete ryuer of fresshe water / & it is nere iiij. myle brode / & than men entre in too the londe of the grete Chane. This Ry­uer gooth thrughe the londe of Pygmeens / & there men are of lytell stature for they are but thre span [Page lxxvij] longe & they are ryght fayre bothe men & women though they be lytell / and they are wedded whan they are halfe a yere olde / & they lyue but .viij. yere & he that lyueth .viij. yere is holden ryght olde / and thyse small men are the best werke men in sylke & of cotton in all maner thynge that are in the worl­de. & thyse small men trauayl [...]ne tyll no londe / but they haue amonge them grete men as we are to trauayle for them / and they haue grete scorne of tho­se grete men as we wolde haue of gyauntes or of theym yf they were amonge vs.

ERo this londe men go thrughe many countrees & cytees and townes tyll they come to a cyte that men call menke. In that cyte is a grete nauy of shyppes & they are as swyte as snowe of kynde of the wood that they are made of / & they are made as it were grete houses w ^t halles & chambres & other esymentes.

ANd from thens men go [...] vpon a ryuer that men call Ceremosan / & this ryuer gooth thrughe Cathay & doth many tymes harme whan it waxeth grete. Caythay is a fayre coūtree & ryche [Page] full of goodes & marchaūdyses / thyder come mar­chauntes euery yere for too fetche spyces and other machaundyses more comunely than they do in to other coūtrees. And ye shall vnderstande that marchauntes that come from Venyce or fro Geene or from other places of Lombardy or of Romayne / they go byse and londe .xi. monethes & more or they may come to Caythay.

IN the prouynce of Caythay towarde the eest is an olde cyte / & besyde that cyte the Tar­tarynes haue made an other Cyte that men calle Cadon that hath .xij. gates / and euer bytwene two gates is a grete myle / soo that those two cytees the olde and the newe is roūde aboute .xx. myle. In this cyte is the palays and sege of the grete Chane in a full fayre place & grete of whyche the walles about is two myle / & within that are many fayre places & in the gardeyne of that palays is a ryghte grete hyll on the whiche is an other palays / and i [...] [...]s the fayrest that may be founde in ony plade / and all a­boute y ^• hylle are many trees berynge dyuers fruy­tes / & aboute that hylle is a grete dyche / and there nere are many vyuers on eche syde / and in those are many wylde foules that he may take & go not out of the palays: Within the halle of that palays are [Page lxxviij] xxiiij. pylers of golde / and all the walles are coue­red with ryche skynnes of beestes that men calle pauters. Those are fayre beestes and well smellynge & of the smell of the skynnes [...]one euyll smelle may come to the palays / those skynnes are as reed as blode / & they shyne so agayne the sonne y ^• vne­thes may [...]en beholde them / and [...]en prayse those skynnes as moche as it were colde. In myddes of that palays is a place made y ^t they call the moun­ture for the grete Chane that is well made with precyous stones & grete perles hangynge aboute / & at the four corners of that mountour are four nedders of golde / & vnder that mountour & aboue are conduytes of beuerage that they drynke in the em­perours courte. And the halle of that palays is ry­chely dyghte & well / And fyrste at the ouer ende of the hall is the throne of the Emperoure ryght hye where he sytteth at mete at a tab [...]e y ^e is well bordured with golde / & that bordure is full of precyous stones & grete perles / and the greces on the whiche he gooth vp are of dyuerse precyous stones bordred w ^t golde. At the left syde of his throne is the syege of his wyfe a degre lower than he sytteth & that is of Iasper bordured with golde / & the syege of his seconde wyfe is a degree lower than the fyrste & that is also of good Iasper bordured with golde / and the syege of the thyrde wyfe is a degree lower than the seconde / for alwaye he hath thre wyues with hym where soeuer he is / besyde thyse wyues on the [Page] same syde sytteth other ladyes of his kynne echone lower than other as they are of degree / & all those that are wedded haue a counterfayte of a mannes fote vpon theyr hedes a cubyte longe & al made w ^t precyous stones / and aboue they are made with shynynge feders of pecockes or suche other in token ȳ ­ge that they are subgeccyon of man and vnder mē fote / and they that are not wedded haue none su­che. And on the ryght syde of the Emperoure syt­teth fyrste his sone that shall be Emperoure after hym / and he sytteth also a degree lower than̄e the Emperoure in suche maner of seges as the Emperoure sytteth / & by hym sytteth other lordes of his kynne echone lower than other as they are of de­gre. And the emperoure hath his table by hymselfe alone that is made of golde and precyous stones or of whyte crystal or yelowe bordred with golde / and echone of his wyues hathe a table by herself. And vnder the Emperours table sytteth foure clerkes at his fete that wryteth al y ^t the Emperour sayth be it good or ylle. And at grete festes aboue the Empe­rours table & all other tables in the halle is a vy­ [...]e made of fyne golde y ^• gooth all aboute the hall & it hath many braūches of grapes lyke to grapes of the vyne / some are white / some are yelowe / so­me reed / some grene / and some blacke / all the reed are of rubyes of cremas or alabaūce / the whyte are of crystale or byrall / the yelowe are of topaces / the grene are of emeraudes & crysolytes / & the blacke [Page lxxix] are of quyches & gerandes / and this vyne is made thus of precyous stones so properly that it semeth as it were a vyne growynge. And before the borde of the Emperour standeth grete lordes / & no man is so hardy to speke to hym but it be mynstrels for to solace themperour. And all the vessell that is serued in his halle or chambres are of precyous stones and namely at tables where grete lordes ete / that is to saye / of Iasper / crystall / amatyst / or fyne golde & the cuppes are of emeraudes / saphyres / topaces / and other many maner of stones / & of syluer haue they noo vessell for they prayse syluer but lytell to make vessell of / but they make of syluer greces pylers and pauymentes of halles & of chambres. And ye shall vnderstande y ^• my felowe & I was in sou­dy with hym .xvi. monethes agayne the kynge of Mancy vpon whome he made warre / & the cause was for we had so grete desyre to se the nobley of his courte yf it were suche as we herde speke of / & forsoth we foūde it more rycher & solempne than euer we herde speke of / & we sholde neuer haue byleude it had we not seen it / but ye shall vnderstan­de y ^• mete & drynke is more honest amonge vs than it is in those coūtrees / for all the comons ete vpon skynnes of beestes on theyr knees & ete but flesshe of all maner bestes / & whan they haue all eten they wype theyr hondes in theyr skyrtes & they ete but ones on the daye & ete but lytell brede / but the esta­te of the lordes is full nobley & full rychely.

ANd ye shall wete why he is called the gre­te Chane / ye wote well that all the worlde was destroyed with Noes flood but Noe & his wyf & his childern. Noe had thre sones Sen Cham and Iapheth. Cham was he y ^t sawe his faders baloc­kes naked whan he slepte & scorned it / and therfore was he cursyd / and Iapheth couered it agayne. Thyse thre brethern had all the londe. Cham to­ke the best parte eestwarde y ^• is called Asia. Sem toke Affryke / & Iapheth to Europe. Cham was the myghtyest & rychest of his brethern / & of hym are come the paynem folke & dyuers maner of men of the yles / some hedles / & other men dysfygured / & for this Cham the Emperour there called hym Cham & lorde of all. But ye shal vnderstande that the Emperour of Cathay is called Chane & not Cham / and for this cause it is not longe gone y ^t all Tartary was in subgeccyon & thrall to other na­cyons about / & they were made herdemen to kepe beestes / & amonge theym was .vij. lynages or kyn­des / the fyrst was called Tartary y ^e is the best / the seconde lynage is called Tanghot / the thyrde Eurace / the fourthe Valayre / the fyfthe Semoth / the sixth Menchy / the seuenth Sobeth. Thyse are all holdynge of the grete Chane of Cathay. Now it befell so y ^t in the fyrst lynage was an olde man & [Page lxxx] he was not ryche & men calle hȳ Changyus. This man laye & slepte on a nyght in his bedde / & there came to hym a knyght all whyte syttynge vpon a whyte hors & sayd to hym. Chane slepest thou / god that is almyghty sente me to the / & it is his wyll y ^• thou saye to the .vij. lynages y ^t thou shalt be theyr Emperour / for ye shall conquere all the londes y ^• are about you & they shall be in your subgeccyon as ye haue be in theyrs. And whan morowe came he rose up & sayd it to the .vij. lynages / and they scorned hym & sayd he was a fole. And the nyght after the same knyght came to the .vij. lynages & badde theym of goddes behalf to make Changyus theyr Emperour & they sholde be out of all subgeccyon. And on the morowe they chose Changyus to Emperour & dyde hym all worshyp y ^t they myght do & called hym Chane as the whyte knyght cal­led hym / and they sayd they wolde do as he badde theym. Than he made many statutes & lawes the whiche he called Ysakan. The fyrste statute was that they sholde be obedyent to god almyghty / & byleue y ^• he sholde delyuer theym out of thraldom / & y ^• they sholde calle on hȳ in all theyr werkes. An other statute was that all men y ^• myght bere armes sholde be nombred & to eche .x. sholde be a mayster & to an hondred a mayster / & to a thousande a mayster. Than he cōmaūded to all the grettest & pryncypalest of the .vij. lynages that they sholde for­sake all that they hadde in herytage or lordshyp / [Page] and that they sholde holde theym payed of that he wolde gyue theym of his grace / and they dyde so And also he badde theym y ^• eche man sholde bryn­ge his eldest sone before hym and slee his owne so­ne with his owne handes and smyte of theyr heedes and as soone they dyde his byddynge. And whan he sawe they made no lettynge of y ^t he badde theym do / than badde he theym folowe his baner / & than he put in subgeccyon all the londes about hym.

ANd it befelle on a daye that the Chane rode with a fewe men to se the londe that he hadde wonne & he mette with a grete multytude of his enmyes and there he was cast downe of his hors and his hors slayne. And whan his men sawe hym at the erthe they wende he had be deed / & fled and the enmyes folowed after / and whan he sawe his enmyes were ferre he hydde hym in a busshe. for the wood was thycke there / and whan they were come agayn fro the chass [...] they wente to seke amonge the wood yf ony were hydde there / & they foūde many. And as they came to y ^e place where he was they sawe a byrde sytte vpon a tree the whiche byrde men calle an oule / & than sayd they y ^• there was no man for that byrde sate there & so wente they a­waye / & thus was the Chane saued fro deth / & so [Page lxxxi] he wente awaye on a nyght to his owne men whiche were gladde of his comynge. And fro that ty­me hyderwardes men of that coūtree haue do grete worshyp to that byrde & for that cause they worshyp that byrde aboue all the byrdes of the worlde And than he assembled all his men & rode vpon his enemyes & destroyed theym. And whan he had wonne all the londes that were about hym he het­de them in subgeccyon. And whan the Chane had wonne all the londes to mount Belyan / the whyte knyght come to hym in a vysyon agayne & sayd vnto hym. Chane the wyll of god is that thou passe the moūt Belyan and thou shalt wynne many londes / & for thou shalt fynde no passage go thou to moūt Belyan that is vpon the see syde & knele ix. tymes theron agaynst the eest in the worshyp of god & he shall shewe the a waye how thou shalt passe / & the Chane dyde so / and anone the see that touched the hylle withdrowe hym and shewed hym a fayre waye of .ix. foot brood bytwene the hylle and the see / and so he passed ryght well with all his men and than he wanne the londe of Cathay that is the moost londe and the grettest of all the worlde / and for those .ix. knelynges & the .ix. foot of waye the Chane and the men of Tartary haue the nombre of .ix. in grete worshyp.

[Page] ANd whan he had wonne the londe of Ca­thay he deyed & than regned after Cythoco the eldest sone of Chane / and his other broders wente to wynne theym londes in other coūtrees / & they wanne the londe of Pruysse & of Russy / and they dyde calle themself Chane / but he of Cathay is the grete Chane and the grettest lorde of all the worlde / & so he called hȳ in his letters & sayth thꝰ. Chan filiꝰ dei excelsi vniuersā terrā colenciū sūmꝰ imꝑator & dn̄s dominātiū. That is to say. Chane goddes sone Emperour of all those y ^t tylle all the londe & lorde of all lordes. And the wrytynge abo­ue his grete seale is. Deus in celo et chan suꝑ terrā eiꝰ fortitudo oīm hoīm imꝑatoris sigillū. That is to saye God in heuen Chane vpon erthe his strengthe the seale of themperour of all men. And y ^• wry­tynge about his preuy seale is. Dei fortitudo oīm hoīm īꝑatoris sigillū. That is to saye. The strengthe of god seale of the Emperour of all men. And all yf it be so y ^t they be not crysten yet themperour and the Tartaryns byleue in god almyghty.

NOw haue I tolde you why he is called the grete Chane. Now shall I telle you of the gouernynge of his courte whan they make grete festes / & he keped four pryncypall festes in the ye­re / [Page lxxxij] the fyrst is of his byrth / the seconde whan he is borne to the Temple to be circūcysed / the thyrde is of his ydols whan they begynne to speke / and the fourth whan the ydoll begynneth fyrst to do myracles / & at those tymes he hath men well arrayed by thousandes and by hondredes / & echone wote well what he shall do. For there is fyrst ordeyned foure thousande ryche barons & myghty for to ordeyne the feest & to serue themperour / & all thyse barons haue crownes of golde well dyght with precyous stones & perles / and they are cladde in clothes of golde and camathas as rychely as they may be made / & they may well haue suche clothes for they are there of lesse pryce than wollen cloth is here. And thyse four thousande barons are departed in four partyes / & eche company is clad in dyuerse colour ryght rychely / & whan y ^e fyrst thousande is passed & hath shewed theym / than come the seconde thousande / & than the thyrde thousande / and than the fourth & none of theym speketh a worde. And on one syde of themperours table sytteth many phy­losophres of many scyences / some of astronomy / nygromancy / geometry / pyromacy / & other many scyences / & some haue before theym astrolabes of golde or of precyous stones full of sonde or of co­les brennynge / some haue orloges well dyght & rychely & other many Instrumentes after theyr scyences / & at a certayne houre whan they se tyme they saye to men y ^e stande before theym make peas / and [Page] than saye those men with a loude voyce to all the halle now be stylle a whyle / & than sayth one of y ^e phylosophres eche man make reuerence & enclyne to themperour y ^t is goddes sone & lorde of the worlde for now is tyme & houre / & than all men enclyne to hym & knele on the erthe / and than byddeth the phylosophre theym ryse vp agayne / & at an o­ther houre an other phylosophre byddeth theȳ all put theyr fynger in theyr eerys & they do so / and at an other houre an other phylosophre byddeth y ^t all men shall laye theyr honde on theyr heed & they do so / & than he byddeth theym take awaye & they do so / and thus fro houre to houre they bydde dyuerse thynges / & I asked pryuely what this sholde mene and one of the maysters sayd y ^t the enclynynge & the knelynge on the erthe at y ^t tyme hath this to­ken / that all those men that kneled so shall euer­more be true to themperour / that for no gyfte ne hetynge they shall neuer be traytours ne fals to hȳ And the puttynge of y ^e fynger in the eere hath this token / y ^• none of those shall here none ylle be spo­ken of the Emperour or his coūseyll. And ye shall vnderstande y ^t men dyght no thynge / clothes / bre­de / drynke / nor none suche thynges to themperour but at certayne houres that the phylosophres telle & yf ony man reyse warre ayenst that Emperour in what countree so it be thyse phylophres wote it soone & tell the Emperour or his counseyll / and he sendeth men thyder for he hath many men. And [Page lxxxiij] he hath many men to kepe byrdes as garfaukons sperhaukes / faucons / gentyls / laners / sacres / popyniayes that are spekynge & many other .x. thou­sande olyfaūtes / baboynes / marmosettes & other / & he hath euer about hym many physycyens more than two hondred that are crysten men and .xx. sarasyns / but trusteth more in crysten men than in sarasyns. And there is in that coūtree many barons & other seruaūtes that are crysten & conuer­ted to the good fayth thorugh prechynge of good crysten men that dwelle there / but there are many that wyll not that men wete that they are crysten.

THis Emperour is a grete lorde for he may dyspende what he wyll without nombre / by cause he spended nother syluer nother golde / & he made no money but of leder or shynnes / and this same money gooth thorugh all his londe / and of the syluer and golde buylded he his palays. And he hath in his chambre a pyler of golde in the whiche is a Ruby and a carbuncle of a foot longe the whiche lyghteth all his chambre by nyght / and he hath many other prycyous stones & rubyes but this is the moost. This Emperour dwelleth in the somer towardes the North in a cyte that men calle Saydus and there it is colde ynough / and in the [Page] wynter he dwelleth in a cyte that men calle Cama­lache and there it is ryght hote / but for the moost parte is he to Cadon that is not ferre thens.

ANd whan this grete Chane shall ryde frō one coūtree to an other they ordeyne four hoostes of people / of whiche the fyrste gooth before a dayes Iourney / for y ^t hoost lyeth at euen where the Emperour shall lye on the morowe / & there is plen [...]e of vytayls. And an other hoost cometh at y ^t ryght syde of hym and an other at the lyfte syde / & in eche hoost is moche folke. And than cometh y ^e fourth hoost behynde hȳ a bowe drawght / & there is more men in than in ony of the other. And ye shal vnderstande that the Emperour rydeth on no hors but whan he wyll go to ony secrete place with a pryue meyne where he wyll not be knowen / but he rydeth in a charyotte with four wheles / & there vpon is a chambre made of a tree that men calle lignū aloes that cometh out of Paradyse terrestre & that chambre is couered with plates of fyne golde and precyous stones & perles / and four olyfaū ­tes & foure oxen all whyte gone there in. And fyue or sixe grete lordes ryden about hym so that none other men shall come nere hym but yf the Empe­rour [Page lxxxiiij] calle ony. And in that same maner with charyotte & suche hoostes rydeth the Empresse by an other syde / & the Emperours eldest sone on the same aray / and they haue so moche people that it is a grete meruayll for to se.

THe londe of the grete Chane is departed in .xij. prouynces / & eche prouynce hath more than two thousande cytees & townes. Also whan themperour rydeth thrugh the coūtree / & he passeth thrugh cytees & townes / eche man maketh a fyre before his hous & casteth therin ensence and other thynges y ^t gyue good smell to themperour. And yf ony men of relygyon y ^t are crysten dwelle nere as themperour cometh they mete hym with processyon with a crosse & holy water / & they synge [...] Veni creator spiritus with a loude voyce. And whan he see theym come he cōmaundeth the lordes y ^t ryde nere hym to make waye y ^t the relygyous men may co­me to hym / & whan he se that crosse he doth of his hatte that is made of precyous stones & grete per­les / & y ^t hatte is so ryche that it is meruayle to telle and than he enclyned to the crosse. And the prelate [Page] of the relygyous men sayth orysons before hym & gyueth hym the benyson with the crosse / & he enclyneth to the benyson full deuoutly / & than the same prelate gyueth hym some fruyte of the nombre of ix. in a plate of golde as peres or apples or other fruyte / & than the Emperour taketh one therof & the other he gyueth to his lordes / for the maner is suche there that no straūge man shall come before themperour, but he gyue hym somwhat after the olde lawe that sayth. Non accedat in [...]spectu meo inanis. That is too saye. No man come in to my syght ydle. And than the Emperour byddeth thyse relygyous men y ^t they shall go forth so that men of his hoost defoule theȳ not. And those relygyous men that dwelle where the Empresse or the Em­perours sone cometh do in the same maner.

THis grete Chane is the myghtyest lorde of the worlde / for prester Iohan is not so grete a lorde as he / ne the Soudan of Babylon ne the Emperour of Persy. In his londe a man hath an hondred wyues / & some .xl. some more some lesse / & they take of theyr kynne to wyues all saue theyr systers of theyr moders / but theyr systers of theyr faders other wyues they take also / & they take al­so well theyr stepmoder yf theyr fader be deed / and [Page lxxxv] men & women haue all one maner of clothynge so that they may not be knowen but y ^• women that are wedded bere a token on theyr heedes / and they dwelle not with theyr husbondes / but he may lye by whiche that he wyl. They haue plente of al maner of bestes saue swyne & forsothe they wyll none & they beleue well in god y ^t made all thynge & yet haue they ydolles of golde & syluer / & to those ydols they offre theyr fyrst mylke of theyr bestes.

THis Emperour the grete Chane hath thre wynes / & y ^e pryncypall wyfe was preester Io [...]s doughter. And the people of this countree begynne too do all theyr thynges in the newe mo­ne / and they worshyp moche the sonne & the mone those men ryde comunely without spores / and they holde it grete synne too breke a bone with an other & to cast mylke on the erthe or other lycoure y ^t men may drynke. And the moost synne that they may doo [...]s to pysse in theyr houses there they dwell / and he that pysseth in his house shall be slayne / and of those synnes they shryue them to theyr prestes / and for theyr penaunce they shal gyue syluer / & the place where they haue pyssed shall be halowed / or els may no man come there. And whan they haue do theyr penaunce they shall passe thrugh a fayr fyre or two too make theym clene of theyr synnes. And [Page] they haue eten they wype theyr handes vpon theyr shyrtes for they haue noo table clothes but it be ry­ghte grete lordes / & whan they haue all eten they put theyr dysshes or doublers not wasshen in y ^• pot or caudron with flesshe that is lefte whan they ha­ue eten vnto they wyll ete an other tyme / and ryche men drȳke mylke of mares or asses or other bestes & other beuerage y ^• is made of mylke & water to­gyder for they haue neyther wyne ne ale. And whā they goo to warre the warre full wysely / and eche man of them bereth two or thre bowes & many a­rowes & a grete hachet / & gentylmen haue shorte swerdes / & he that fleeth in batayll they slee hym / & they are euer in purpose to brynge all londes in subgeccyon to theym / for they say prophecyes saye y ^t they shall be ouercome by shot of archers & y ^t they shall torne theym to theyr lawe / but they wote not what men they shall be / & it is grete peryll to pur­sue the Tartaryns whan they flee / for they wyll sho [...]e behynde & slee men as well as before / & they haue small eyen as lytell byrdes / & they [...] comu­nely false for they holde not y ^• they promyse. And whan a man shall deye amonge theym they st [...]ke a spere in the erthe besyde hym / & whan [...] draweth to the deth they go out of y ^e hous tyll he [...] dede and than they put hym in y ^• erthe in the felde.

[Page lxxxvi] AN whan the Emperour is deed they sette hym in a chayre in y ^• myddes of his tente / and they set before hym a table couered with a clo­the and therupon flesse and other mete and a cup­pe full of mylke of a mare / and they set a mare w ^t a colte by hym and an horse sadled and brydeled / and the lay vpon the horse golde & syluer / and all about hym they make a grete graue / and with all thyse thynges they put hym therin as the tent hors golde & syluer & all that is a bout hym / ad they say whan he cometh in to an other worlde he shall not be without an house ne horse ne syluer ne golde / & the mare shal gyue hym mylke & brynge forth more horses tyll he be well stored in the other worlde and one of his chamberlaynes or seruaūtes is put with hym in the erthe for to do hym seruyce in the other worlde / for they byleue that whan he is dede he shall goo in to an other worlde & be a greter lorde there than here. And whan y ^t he is layde in the erthe noman shall be so hardy for to speke of hym before his frendes.

ANd than whan the Emperour is deed the seuen lynages gader them togyder & they touche his sone or the next of his blode & they saye thus / we wyll and we ordeyne and we praye that [Page] thou be our lorde & our Emperour. And he enquy­reth of them & sayth yf ye wyll that I regne vpon you so must ye do all that I bydde you to doo. And yf he bydde that ony he slayne he shall be slayne / And they answere all with one voyce / all that ye bydde shall be done. Than sayth y ^• Emperour fro nowe forth my wordes shall cutte as my [...]werde / & than they sette hym in a chayr & crowne hym / and than all the good townes theraboute sende to him presentes so moche that he shal haue more than .C Camels laden with olde & syluer besyde other Iew [...]lles y ^t he shall haue of lordes of precyous stones & golde w ^tout nombre / & hors & ryche clothes of ca­mac [...]s & tartaryns and suche other.

THis londe of Cathay is in Asye the depe / & this same londe marcheth towarde y ^• west vpon the kyngedom of Ser [...]y the whiche was somtyme to one of the thre kynges that wente to seke our lorde in Bethleem / and all those y ^t come of his kynne are crysten. Thyse men of Tartary drynke no wyne. In the londe of Corosaym that is at the north syde of Cathay is ryght grete plente of good but no wyne / the whiche hath at the eest syde a grete wyldernesse that lasteth more than an hondred Iourneys / and the best cyte of that londe is called [Page lxxvij] Corosaym & therafter is the londe soo called / and men of this londe are good warryoures & hardy / & therby is the kyngdom of Comayn / this is y ^e moost & the gretest kyngedom of the worlde / but it is not all Inhabyte / for in one place of that londe is soo grete colde y ^t noo man may dwell there for colde / & in an [...]her place is grete hete that no man may dwelle there / & there are soo many feyghes that a man wote not on what syde he may torne hym / & in this londe are but fewe trees berynge fruyte. In this londe men lye in tentes & they brenne dounge of bestes for defaute of wood. This londe dyscen­deth towarde Pruyse & Rossy / and thorugh this lō de renneth the ryuer Echell y ^t is one of the greteste ryuers in the worlde / & it is frosen soo harde euery yere that men fyght thervpon in grete batayles on horse / and fote men more than hondred thousan­des at ones. And a lytell fro that ryuer is the grete see of Occean that they call Maure / and bytwene this Maure & Caspye is a full strayte passage too go towarde Ynde & therfore kynge Alexander dy­de make there a cyte that men calle Alexander for to kepe that passage / soo that noo man may passe but yf he haue leue / and nowe is that cyte called Porte de fear / and the pryncypall cyte of Comayn is called sarachys / this is one of y ^• thre wayes to go in to Ynde / but thrugh this waye may not many men goo but yf it be in wynter. and this passage is called Berbent. And an other waye is for too goo [Page] from the londe of Turkescon thrughe Persy / & in this waye are many Iourneys in wyldernes. And y ^e thyrde way is that cometh fro Cosmane & gooth thrugh the grete cyte and thrughe the kyngdom of Abachare. And ye shall vnderstonde that all thyse kyngedomes & londes vnto Persy are holden of the grete Chane of Cathay & many other / & therfore he is a full gretelorde of men & of londe.

NOw haue I deuysed you the londes towar­de the northe to come fro y ^• londes of Ca­thay to the londes of Pruyse & Rossy where crysten men dwell. Now shall I deuyse to you other londes and kyngedomes in comynge downe fro Cathay too the Grekes see where crysten men dwelle. And for as moche as next the grete Chane of Cathay the Emperour of Persy is the gretest lorde / ther­fore I shall speke of hym / and ye shall vnderston­de that he hath two kyngdoms / the one begȳneth eestwarde and is the kyngdom of Turkescon / and it lasteth westwarde to the see of Caspye / & south­warde to the londe of Ynde / & this londe is good & playne and well manned / good cytees / but two moste pryncypall of the cytees are called Bacyryda & Sormagaūt. The other is the kyngdom of Persy [Page lxxxviij] & lasteth fro the ryuer of Physon vnto the grete Armony / & northwarde vnto y ^• see of Caspy / & southwarde to the londe of Ynde / & this is a full plenteuous coūtre & good / and in this londe are thre prȳ cypall cytees. Nessabor. Saphan. and Sarmasse.

THan is y ^• londe of Armony in whiche was somtyme thre kyngdoms / this is a good lō de & plent [...]uous. & it begynneth at Persy & lasteth westwarde to Turky of length / & in brede lasteth fro the cyte of Alexandee y ^• nowe is called Port de fear vnto y ^• londe of Myddy. In this Armony are many fayr cytees / but Canryssy is moost of name Than is the londe of Myddy & is full longe & not brode / & begȳneth eestwarde at y ^• londe of Persy / and ynde the lesse & lasteth westwarde to y ^e kȳgdome of Caldee / & northwarde to lytell Armony. In this Myddy are many grete hylles & lytell playne & there dwel Sarasyns & other maner of men that men call Cordyns & Kermen.

THan next is the kyngdom of Geroge y ^• begynneth [Page] eestwarde at a grete hylle that men calle Abyor / this londe lasteth fro Turky too the grete see & the londe of Myddy and the grete Armonye. and in this londe are two kynges / one of Abcan / & an other of George / but he of George is in subgeccyon to the grete Chane / but he of Abcan hath a stronge countree and defendeth hym well agaynste his ennemyes / And in thi [...] londe of Abcan is a grete meruaylle / for there is a countre in this lon­de that is nere thre dayes longe and aboute / and it is called Hamfon / and that countree is all coue­red with derkenesse / soo that it hath no lyght y ^t no man may se there / & no man dare go in to that coū tree for the derkenesse. And neuertheles men of the con̄tree thereby saye that they may somtyme here therin the voyce of men & hors whynynge & cockes crowe & they wote well that men dwell there / but they wote not what maner of men / and they saye this darkenesse came thrughe myracle of god that he dyde for crysten men there. For there was a wycked Emperour that was of Poy / & he was called Saures & he pursued somtyme all crysten men too destroye / & dyde them make sacryfyce to theyr false goddes / and in that countree dwelled many crysten men the whiche lefte all theyr goodes & catelles & rychesse & wolde go in to Grece / & whan they were all in a grete [...]ayn y ^t is called Megon y ^• Emperoure & his men came to sle y ^• crysten men / and than y ^• crysten men al set them vpon theyr knees & prayed [Page lxxxix] to god / & anone came a thycke cloude & ouerlap­ped y ^• Emperour & all his hoost / so that he myght not go away / & so dwelled they in derkenes / & they came out neuer after / & the crysten went where as they wolde / & therfore they myght say thus / Adn̄o factū est istud & est mirabile ī oculis nostris. That is to saye▪ Of our lorde is this done & it is wonder­full in our eyen. Also out of this derke londe cometh a ryuer y ^• men may se by good token y ^• men dwell therin.

THan next is the londe of Turky that marcheth to grete Armony / & therin are many coūtrees as Capadoce. Sau [...]e. Bryke. Quesycyon Pytan & Geneth / in echone of thyse countrees are many good cytees / & it is a playne loude and fewe hylles and fewe ryuers / and than is the kyngdome of Mesopotamye that begȳneth eestwarde at flom of Tygre at a Cyte that men calle Mosell / and it lasteth westwarde to the flom of Eufraten to a cy­te that men call Rochaym / & westwarde fro hyghe Armony vnto the wyldernesse of Inde the lesse / & it is a good londe & playne / but there is fewe ry­uers & there is but two hylles in that loude / the one is called Symar / & the other Lyson / aud it mar­cheth vnto the londe of Caldee. And ye shall wete [Page] that the londe of Ethyope marcheth eestwarde to y ^e grete wyldernesse / westwarde to y ^• londe of Nuby southwarde to y ^• londe of Marytan / & northwarde to y ^e reed see / & than is Marytane y ^• lasteth fro y ^• hylles of Ethyope vnto Lyby y ^e hygh & y ^e lowe y ^t la­steth to the grete see of Spayne.

NOw haue I sayd & spoken of many thȳgꝭ on this syde of y ^• grete kingdom of Cathay of whome many are obeysaunt to y ^e grete Chane / Now shall I saye of some londes & coūtrees & yles y ^t are beyonde the londe of Cathay. Who so gooth fro Cathay to Ynde. the hyghe & the lowe he shall go thrughe a kyngdom y ^• men call Cadissen & is a grete londe / there groweth a maner of fruyte as it were gourdes / & whan it is rype men cutte it asonder & men fynde therin a beest as it were of flesshe of bone & bloode as it were a lytell lambe without wolle & men ete the beest & the fruyte also and that is a grete meruayl. Neuertheles I sayd to them y ^t I helde that for no mernayle / for I sayd y ^• in my coū tree are trees that bere fruyte that become byrdes fleynge & they are good to ete / & that y ^• falleth in water lyued / & tthat that falleth on the erthe deyed & they had grete meruayle of this. In this londe & mani other about there are trees that bere clowes [Page lxxxx] and nutmygges & canell and many other spyces.

And there are vynes that bere so grete grapes that a stronge man shall haue ynoughe to do to bere a cluster of the grapes. In that same londe are the hylles of Caspye that men call Vber / and amonge those hylles are the Iewes of the .x. kyndes enclo­sed within that men calle Gog and Magog and they may not come out on no syde. There was enclosed .xxij. kyngꝭ with theyr folke y ^• dwelled bytwene the hylles of [...] kynge Alexander cha­sed theym thyder amonge those hylles / for he tru­sted for to haue enclosed theym there thorugh w [...]r­kynge of men but he myght not / & whan he sawe that he m [...]t not he prayed to god that he wolde fulfyll tha [...] he had begonne / & god herde his prayer & enclosed the hylles togyder so y ^t the Iewes dwell [Page] there as they were locked in / & there is hylles all about them hat at the one syde / & there is the see of Caspye. And some men myght aske / there is a see on one syde why go they not out there / for there to answere I that all yf it be called a see it is noo se / but a stange stondynge amonge hylles / a [...]d it is the gretest stange of all the world [...] / and yf they wente ouer the see they wote not where for too aryue / for they can noo speche but theyr owne. And ye shall vnderstande that the Iewes haue no lawe of theyr owne lawe in all the worlde / but they that dwelle in those hylles / and yet they paye trybute for theyr londe to the quene of Armony. And somtyme it is so that some of the Iewes goo ouer the hylles / but [...]any men may not passe there too gyder for the hylles are so grete & hyghe. Neuerthelesse men saye in that countree there by that in the tyme of Ante­cryst they shall doo moche harme to crysten men [...] & therfore all the Iewes that dwelle in dyuerse par­tyes of the worlde lerne for too speke Ebrewe / fo [...] they hope that the Iewes that dwelle amonge the hylles aforesayd shal co [...]e out of the hylles & they speke all Ebrewe & not ell [...] / and than shall thyse Iewes speke Ebrewe to theym & leede theym in to crystendome for to destroye crysten men. For thyse Iewes saye they wote by theyr prophecyes y ^t those Iewes that are amōge those hylles of Caspy shall come out & crysten men shall be in theyr [...]bgeccōn as they be vnder crysten men. And yf ye wyll w [...]te [Page lxxxxi] how they shall fynde the passage out as I haue vnderstande I shall telle you. In tyme of Antecryste a foxe shall make his denne in the same place where kynge Alexander dyde make the gates & he shall dygge in the erthe so longe tyll he perce it thorugh vnto that he come amonge the Iewes. And whan they se this foxe they shall haue grete meruayle of hym / for they sawe neuer suche beest / for other beestes haue they amonge theym many / and they shall chase this foxe & pursue hym vnto that he be fledde agayne in to his hole that he came fro. And than shall they dygge after as he wente vnto they come to the gates y ^t Alexander dyde make of grefe stones well dyght with syment / & they shall breke thyse gates & so shall they fynde the yssue.

FRom this londe men shall go vnto the londe of Bactry where are many wycked men and fell. In that londe are trees y ^t bere wolle as it were shepe of whiche they make cloth. In this londe are many Ypotaynes that dwelle somtyme on londe / somtyme on water & are halfe man and halfe hors / & they ete not but men whan they may gete theym. In this londe are many gryffons more than in other places / & some saye they haue the body before as an agle & behynde as a lyon / and [Page] they saye soth for they are made so / but the gryffon hath a body gretter than .viij. lyons and gretter & stalworthyer than an hondred egles. For certaynly he wyll bere to his nest fleynge an hors and a man vpon his backe or two oxen yocked samen as they go at plough / for he hath longe nayles on his feet and grete as it were hornes o [...] oxen / and of those they make cuppes there to drynke of / and of his rybbes they make bowes to shote.

FRo this londe of Bactry men goo many a dayes Iourney to the londe of prester Iohn that is a grete Emperour of Ynde / and men calle his londe the yle of Pantoxore. This Emperour prester Iohan holdeth grete londe & many good cytees & good townes in his kyngdom / many grete yles & large. For this londe of Ynde is all departed in yles by cause of grete flodes that come out of Paradyse / & also in the see are many grete yles The best cyte that is in the yle of Pantoxore is called Nyse / for that is a noble cyte and ryche. Prester Iohan hath vnder hym many kyngee & many dyuerse people / and his londe is good and ryche but not so ryche as the londe of the grete Chane / for marchauntes come not so moche thyder as they do in to the londe of the grete Chane for it is to longe [Page lxxxxii] a waye. And also they fynde in the yle of Ca­thay all that they haue nede of / as spycery clothes of golde and other rychesse. And all yf they myght haue better chepe in the londe of preester Iohan than in the londe of Cathay and more fyner / ne­uertheles they wolde lette it for the longe waye & grete pe [...]yls in the see / for there are many places in the see where are grete Roches of a stone that is called adamande / the whiche of his owne kyn­de draweth to hym yron / and for as moche that there sholde passe no shyp that had nayles of yron for it sholde drawe it to hym / therfore they dare not wende in to that countree with shyppes for drede of adamandes. I wente ones in that see and sa­we as longe as it had ben a grete yle of trees and stockes and braunches growynge / and the shyp­man sayd [...] to me that those was of grete shyppes that were dwellynge there thorugh the vertue of the adamandes and of thynges that were in the shyppes were those trees sprongen and waxen / and suche Roches are there many in dyuerse places of that see and therfore dare no shypman passe that waye. And an other also that they drede the longe waye / and therfore they goo moost all to Cathay and that is nerer vnto theym. And yet is it not so nere but theym behoueth fro Venys or fro Geene be in see towarde Cathay .xi. or .xij. monethes. The londe of prester Iohn is longe & marchaūtes passe thyder thorugh the londe of Persy and come vnto [Page] a Cyte that men calle Hermes / for a phylosophre that men called hermes foūded it / & they passe an arme of the see & come to an other cyte that men calle Saboth & there fynde they all marchaūdyses & popyniayes as grete plente as larkes in our countree. In this countree is lytell whete or barley and therfore they ete ryse and mylke & chese and other fruytes. This Emperour prester Iohan weddeth comonly the doughter of the grete Chane and the grete Chane his doughter. In the londe of prester Iohn is many dyuerse thynges & many prec [...]ous stones so grete & so large that they make of theym vessels platers & cuppes and many other thynges of whiche it were to longe to telle / but som what of his lawe & of his fayth shall I telle you.

THis Emperour prester Iohan is crysten & a grete parte of his londe also / but they haue not all the artycles of our fayth / but they byleue well in the fader & the sone and the holy goost and they are full deuoute & true one to an other / & they make no force of catell / and he hath vnder hym .lxxij. prouynces & coūtrees and in echone is a kynge / & those kynges haue other kynges vnder theym. And in this londe are many meruayles / for in that londe is the grauelly see y ^• is of sonde & of [Page lxxxxiij] grauel & no droppe of water / and it ebbeth and flo­weth with ryght grete wawes as an other see doth and it is neuer styll ne neuer in rest & no man may passe that londe beyonde it. And all yf it so be that there is no water in y ^t see / yet men may fȳde there in ryght good fysshe & of other facyon and shape than is in ony other sees / and also they are of full good sauour & swete and good to ete. And at thre Iourneys fro that see are grete hylles thrugh whiche renneth a grete flood that cometh fro Parady se and it is full of precyous stones and no drope of water / & it renneth with grete wawes in to the grauelly see. And this flood renneth thre dayes in the weke so fast & stereth grete stones of the rockes w ^t hym that make moche noyse / & as soone as they come in to the grauelly see they are nomore seen / & in those thre dayes whan it renneth thus no man dare come in it / but the other dayes men may goo therin where they wyll. And also beyonde y ^• flood towarde the wyldernesse is a grete playne also s [...]ndy & grauelly amonge hylles / and in y ^t playne gro we trees that at the rysynge of the sonne eche daye begynne to growe / & so grewe they to myddaye & bere fruytes but no man dare ete of that fruyte / for it is a maner of yron▪ and after myddaye it torned agayne in to the e [...]the / so y ^t whan the sonne gooth downe it is no thynge seen / & so doth it euery daye And there is in y ^t wyldernesse many wylde men w ^t hornes on theyr heedes & ryght hydeous / and they [Page] speke not but grunt as swyne. And in that coūtree are many popyniayes that they calle in theyr langage pystak & they speke thrugh theyr [...] owne kyn­de as apertly as a man / & those that speke well haue longe tonges & large & on euery foot fyue toos▪ there are some that haue but thre toos and tho sa­me speke nought or very lyteli.

THis Emperour preester Iohan whan he gooth to batayll he hath no baner borne bef [...]re hym / but he hath born before hȳ thre crosses of fyne golde & those are grete and large and well dyght w ^t precyous stones / & for to kepe eche crosse is ordeyned a thousande men of armes & mo than an hondred thousande on foot in maner as men keye a standarde in batayll in other places & he hath men without nombre whan he goth to ony batayll ayenst ony other lorde. And whan he hath no ba­tayll but rydeth with preuy company than dooth he bere before hym but a crosse of tree not paynted & without golde & precyous stones & all playne in token y ^• our lorde Ihu cryste suffeed deth on a crosse of tree. And also he hath born before hym a plate of golde full of erthe in token that his lordshyp & [...]ey shall torne to nought & his flesshe shall tor­ne [Page lxxxxiiij] to erthe. And also he hath borne before hym an other vessell full of Iewelles & golde and precyous stones in token of his nobley & his myght.

ANd he dwelleth comonly at the cyte of Su­se & there is his pryncypall palays that is so ryche that meruayle is to tell / & aboue the pryncypall toure of the palays are two pomels of gol­de all roūde / & eche one of those hath two carbun­cles grete & large y ^t shyne ryght clere on the nyght And the pryncypall gates of this palays are of precyous stones that men calle Sardyn / & the borders of the barres are of yuory / & the wyndowes of the hal [...]e & chambres are of crystall. And tables that they ete of some are of Emeraudes some are of mastyk / some of golde & precyous stones / and the [...]ylers that bere the tables are of suche stones also & the greces on whiche the Emperour gooth to his see where he sytteth at mete one is of mastyk an o­ther of crystall an other of Iaphy grene an other of dyasper an other of sardyn an other of cormlyn a nother of sempton / and that he setteth his foot vp on is of crysolytes & all thyse greces are bordured with fyne golde and well dyght with grete perles & other precyous stones / and the sydes of his sege are Emeraudes bordured with golde & with precyous [Page] stones / the pylers in his chambre are of fyne golde with many carbuncles & other suche stones that gyue grete lyght on the nyght / and all yf the carbuncles gyue grete lyght neuertheles there brenneth eche nyght .xij. grete vessels of crystall full of bame to gyue good smell and to dryue awaye wycked ayre. The forme of his bedde is all of sa­phyre well boūde with golde to make hym to sle­pe well & for to destroye lechery / for he wyll not lye by his wyues but thryes in the yere after the sesons and all only for getynge of childern. And he hath also a fayre palays at the cyte of Nyse where he dwelleth whan he wyll but the ayer there is not soo well tempred as it is at the cyte of Suse. And he hath euery daye in his courte more that .xxx. th [...]usande men without comers & goers / but .xxx. thousande there & in the coūtree of the grete Cha­ne spende not so moche as .xij. thousande in our countree / he hath euermore .vij. kynges in his court to serue hym / & echone of theym serueth a moneth and with thyse kynges serue alwaye .lxxij. dukes & CCC. Erles / and euery daye ete in his courte .xij. archebysshops and .xx. bysshops. The patrya [...]ke of saynt Thomas is as he were a pope / & arc [...]ebys­shops & bysshops & abbottes all are kynges in y ^t countree / & some of the lordes is mayster of y ^• halle some of y ^• chambre / some stuarde / some marshall & some other offycers & therfore he is full rychely serued & his londe lasteth in brede foure monethes [Page lxxxv] Iourney / and it is of length without mesure.

IN an yle of prester Iohans londe that men calle Myscorach & therin is grete plente of goodes & moche ryches and many precyous stones In that londe was a ryche man not longe agone that men called there Catolonabes / he was full ryche & he had a fayre castell on an hylle & stron­ge / and he hadde made a walle all about the hylle ryght stronge & fayre within that he had a fayre gardeyne wherin were many trees berynge all mane [...] of fruytes y ^• he myght fynde / & he dyde plante therin all maner of herbes of good smell & that bare floures / & there was many fayre welles and by theym was made many fayre halles & chambres well dyght with golde & asure / and he had made there dyuerse storyes & beestes and byrdes y ^• songe & torned by engyne and orbage as they had be all quycke / & he had in his gardayne that he myght fynde to make a man solace & comfort / and he had also there in that gardeyne maydens within the age of .xv. yere the fayrest that he myght fynde & men childern of the same age / & they were cladde with clothes of golde & he sayd that the same we­re angels / & he had do make thre hylles fayre and good all enclosed aboute with precyous stones of [Page] Iaspye and crystall & well boūde with golde and perles & other maner of stones / and he had made a conduyte vnder the erthe so y ^t whan he wolde the walles ranne somtyme with mylke somtyme with wyne somtyme with hony / & this place is called Paradyse. And whan ony yonge bachelere of that countree knyght or squyer cometh to hym for sola­ce & dysporte / he ledeth hym in to his Paradyse & sheweth vnto hym all thyse dyuerse thynges / & dyuerse songes of byrdes and also of his damoysels and his welles / and he dyde stryke dyuerse Instru­mentes of musyke in an hyghe toure that myght be seen & sayd those were aungels of god / and that plac [...] was Paradyse that god hath graūted to those that byleued whan he sayd. Dabo vobis terrā fluentē lac et mel. That is to saye. I shall gyue you londe flowynge mylke & hony. And than this ryche man dyde thyse men drynke a maner of drynke of whiche they were dronken & he sayd to them yf they wolde deye for his sake that whan they were deed they sholde come in to his Paradyse / an [...] they sholde be of the age of those maydens & shol­de dwelle alwaye with theym / and he sholde put theym in a fayre Paradyse where they sholde se god in his Ioye & in his mageste / and than they graunted to do what he wolde / and he badde them go & slee suche a lorde or a man of the coūtre that he was wroth with / & that they sholde haue no drede of no man / and yf they were slayne themselfe [Page lxxxvi] for his sake he sholde put theym in his Paradyse whan they were deed. And so wente those bache­lers to slee grete lordes of the countree / and were slayne themselfe in hope to haue that Paradyse / & thus he was auenged of his enemyes thorugh his deserte. And whan ryche men of the countree per­ceyued this malyce and cautele & the wyll of this Catolonabes they gadred theym togyder & assay­led the castell and slewe hym and destroyed all his goodes and his fayre places & rychesse that were in his Paradyse / the place of the walles is there yet and some other thȳges / but y ^t rychesse is not there and it is not longe ago syth he was destroyed.

ANd a lytell fro that place on the lyfte fy­de besyde the Ryuer of Physon is a grete [...]teruayle. There is a vale bytwene two hylles & that is foure myle longe / and some men calle it the valay enchaunted / some the valey of deuy [...]les / some the valey peryllous / & in that valey are ma­ny tempestes and a grete noyse and hydeous euery daye and nyght / and somtyme as it were a noyse of Taburynes of [...]akers and of trompettes as it were at a grete feest. This valey is all full of de­uylles & hath ben alwaye / & men saye there y ^t it is an entre to helle. In this valey is moche golde and [Page] syluer / wherfore many crysten men & other go thy der for couetyse of that golde & syluer / but fewe of theym come out agayne for they are anone stran­gled with deuylles / & in myddes of that vale vpon a roche is a vysage & the heed of a fende bodyly ryght hydeous & dredefull to se / & there is no thynge seen but the heed to the sholders / but there is no crysten man in the worlde no other soo hardy that he ne sholde haue grete drede for to beholde it / for he beholdeth eche man so sharpely & so felly / & his eyen are so sterynge & so sprenkelynge as fyre, and he chaungeth so often his coūtenaūce that no man dare come nere for all the worlde / and out of his mouth & his nose cometh grete plente of fyre of dyuerse colours / & somtyme is the fyre so stynkynge that no man may suffre it / but alwaye a good cry­sten man & that is stable in the fayth may go there in without harme yf they shryue theym well and blysse theym with the token of the crosse than shall the deuylles haue no power of theym. And ye shall vnderstande y ^t whan my felowes & I were in tha [...] valey we had full grete thought yf we sholde put our bodyes in auenture to go thrugh it / & some of my felowes accorded therto / & some wolde not ac­corde therto / & there was in our company two fre­res mynours of Lombardy & they sayd yf ony of vs wolde go in they wolde also / as they had sayd so vpon truste of theym we sayd that we wolde go and we dyde synge a masse & we were shryuen & [Page lxxxxvij] houseled and we wente in .xiiij. and whan he came out we were but .x. and we wyste not wheder our felowes were lost there or y ^t they torned agayne but we sawe nomore of theym / other of our felowes y ^t wolde not go in with vs w [...]nte about [...]p an other waye for to be before vs & so they were / & we wente thrugh the valey & sawe there many meruayllous thynges / golde syluer & precyous stones & Iewelys grete plente on many sydes as vs thought / wheder it was as it semed I wote not for I touched theym not / for the deuylles are so subtyll & queynt y ^t ma­ke many tymes a thynge to seme y ^• it is not for to deceyue men / & therfore I wolde touche no thynge for drede of enemyes y ^• I sawe in many lykenesses what of deed bodyes y ^t I sawe lye in the valey / but I dare not saye that they were not all bodyes but they semed bodyes thrugh makynge of deuylles / & we were often casted downe to y ^• erthe thrugh wynde & thonder & tempests / but god he [...]ped as alway & so passed we thrugh y ^• valey without peryll & harme thanked be god almyghty y ^• kepte vs well.

ANd beyonde that valey is a grete yle whe­re people are as grete as geaūtes of .xxviij. foot or .xxx. foot longe / & they haue no clothynge [Page] but bestes skynnes that hange on thém / & they ete no brede but flesshe rawe & drynke mylke / & they haue no honses & they ete gladlyer flesshe of men than of other / & men sayd vs that beyonde y ^t yle is one yle where are gretter geaūtes as of .xlv. or .l. foot longe / & some saye of .l. cubytes longe but I sawe not theym / & amonge those geaūtes are gre­te sheep as it were yonge oxen and they bere grete wolle / thyse sheep haue I seen many tymes. An o­ther yle is there northwarde where are many yil & felle women & they haue precyous stones in theyr eyen / & they haue suche kynde y ^t yf they beholde o­ny man with wrath they slee theym of the behol­dynge as the baselyske doth. An other yle is there of fayre folke & good where the custome is suche y ^t the fyrst nyght y ^t they are wedded they take a cer­tayne man that is ordeyned therfore & do hym lye by theyr wyues to haue theyr maydenhede & they gyue hym grete rewarde for his trauayle / & those men are called Gadlybyryem / for men of y ^• coūtr [...] holde it a grete thynge to make a woman no mayden / & yf it be so y ^t the husbonde fynde her a mayden the next nyght after / for perauenture he that laye by her was dronken or for ony other cause the husbonde shall playne of hym to the lawe that he hath not done his deuoure / & he shall greuously be punysshed & chastysed / but after y ^• fyrst nyght they kepe theyr wyues well y ^• ther speke not with those men / & I asked what was the cause why they had [Page lxxxxviij] that custome / & they sayd somtyme men laye with theyr wyues fyrst & none other & theyr wyues had serpentes in theyr bodyes & stonged theyr husbonde on theyr yerde & theyr bodyes & so was many man slayne / & therfore had they y ^t custome to lete other men haue theyr maydenhede for drede of the deth & thus they suffre theym to assaye the passage or they put theym vnto auenture.

ANd other yle there is where women make grete sorowe whan theyr childern are born & whan they are deed they make grete Ioye & cast theym in a grete fyre & brenne theym / & they y ^t loue well theyr husbondes whan they are deed they cast theym in a fyre to brenne also / for they saye y ^t fyre shall make theym clene of all fylth & vyces & they shall be clene in an other wo [...]lde / & the cause why they wepe whan theyr childern are born & y ^t they make Ioye at theyr deth / they saye, a childe whan he is borne cometh in to this worlde to haue trauayle & sorowe & heuyne [...] / & whan they are deed they go to paradyse where [...]yuers are of mylke & hony and there is lyf & Ioye & plente of goodes without trauayle and sorowe. In this yle they make theyr kynges by chesynge / and they che [...]e hym not for [Page] his rychesse ne his nobley but hym that is of good condycyons & moost ryghtwys & true y ^t Iuged euery man truly lytell & moche after theyr trespas / & the kynge may Iuge no man to deth without coū ­seyll of his barons & y ^• all they assent. And yf so b [...] that the kynge do a grete trespas as slee a man o [...] suche other he shall deye also / but he shall not b [...] slayne / but they shall defende & forbede y ^t noman be so hardy to make hym company ne to speke w ^t hym ne gyue hym mete ne drynke & thus he shall deye / they spare noman that hath done trespas for loue ne for lordeshyp ne rychesse nor nobley but they do hym ryght after that he hath deserued.

THere is an other yle where is grete plent [...] of people / & they ete neuer flesshe of hares ne of hennes ne of goos yet is there many of the [...] but they ete gladly flesse of all other beestes & they drynke mylke. In this countree they wedde theyr owne doughters & other of theyr kynne as theym lyketh / & yf there be .x. or .xij. then in one hous echo ne of theyr wyues shall be comen to other / and at nyght shall one haue one of the wyues & an other nyght an other / & yf she haue ony childe she may gyue to whiche of theym she wyll so y ^t noman wo te yf it be his or not. In this londe & many other [Page lxxxxix] places of Y [...]de are many cocodrylles that is a maner of a longe serpent & on nyghtes they dwell on water & on dayes they dwel on londe and roches & they ete not in wynter. Thyse serpentes slee men & ete theym wypēde & they haue no tonge. In this coūtree & many other men cast sede of cotton & so­we it ech [...] yere & it groweth as it were smalle trees and they berecotton. In Araby is many byrdes /

that some men call Gyrsantes that is a full fayre beest and is hygher than a grete courser or a stede but his necke is nere .xx cubytes longe / & his crou­pe and his tayle is lyke an herte / and he may loke ouer an hygh house / & there is many camylyons y ^t is a lytell beest & he eteth ne drynketh neuer / and he chaungeth often his coloure / for somtyme he is of one coloure & somtyme of an other / & he may chaū ge [Page] hym in to all colours that he wyll saue blacke & reed. There are many wylde swyne of many coloures and as grete as oxen / and they are spotted as it were small fawnes / & there are lyons all whyte / & there be other beestes as grete as grete stedes y ^t men call Lonhorans & some men call them Tontes & theyr hede is blacke / & thre longe hornes i [...] his fronte as cuttynge as sharpe swerdes / and he chaseth & wyll slee the olyfauntes. And there is many other maner of bestes of whome it were to longe for too wryte all.

THere is an other ylonde good and grete and plenteuous where are good men and true & of goodly lyfe after theyr fayth / and all yf they be not crysten. Neuertheles of kynde they are full of good vertues & they fle all vyces and all synne and malyce / for they are not enuyous ne proude ne co­uytous ne lecherous ne glotenous / and they do not vnto an other man but that they wolde he dyde too them / & they fulfyll the .x. cōmaundementes / and they make no force of rychesse ne of hauynge / and they swere not but saye ye & naye / for they saye he that [...]wereth he wyll dysceyue his neyghbour / and some men call this the yle of Bragamen / & some calle it the londe of fayth / & thorughe it renneth a [Page C] grete ryuer that men calle Thebe / and generally all men in those yles & other thereby are truer and ryghtwyser than are in other coūtrees. In this yle are no theues ne murderers ne comune woman ne beggers / and for as moche they are so true and so good that there is no tempest ne thonder ne warre ne hunge [...] ne other trybulacyons / & thus it semeth well that god loued theym well & is well payde of theyr trouth & theyr dedes / and they byleue in god that made all thynge & hym they worshyp & they lyue so ordynatly in mete & drynke y ^t they lyue ryght longe / & many of theym deye without sykenesse y ^t kynde faylleth them for aege.

ANd kynge Alexander somtyme sente his men to wynne that londe. And they sente hym lettres that sayd thus. What behoueth a man to haue all the worlde y ^• is not contente there with / thou shalte fynde no thynge in vs why thou shol­dest make warre vpon vs / for we haue no rychesse ne tresoure / and all the goodes & catell of our countree are comune / our metes that we ete are oure ry­chesse. And in stede of tresoure of golde & syluer we make our tresoure peas & accorde of loue / and we haue nought but a cloth vpon our bodyes / our wyues are not arrayed rychely too pleasynge / for we [Page] holde it a grete fooly a man to dygh [...]e his body to make it to seme fayrer than god made it. We haue ben euermore in peas tyll now that thou wylte dysheryte vs. We haue a kynge amonge vs not for ne­de of the lawe ne to deme no man / fo [...] [...] are no trespassours amonge vs but all on [...] ( [...] to be obedyent to hym / and soo mayste [...] not take from vs but our good peas. And whan kynge Alexander sawe this lettre / hȳ thought al thus y ^t he sholde do to moche harme yf he troubled them & sent to theym y ^• they sholde kepe well theyr good maners & haue no drede of hym.

THan is there an other ylonde that is called Synople where in also are good people & trewe and full of good fayth / and they are moche lyke in theyr lyuynge to the men before sayd / and they go all naked. And in to that ylonde came kynge Alexander. And whan that he sawe theyr good faythe and trouthe and theyr good byleue / he sayd that he sholde doo to theym noo harme / and badde theym aske of hym rychesse and nought elles and they sholde haue it. And they answered that they hadde ryches ynoughe whan they hadde mete and drynke to susteyne theyr bodyes / and they sayd also that rychesse of this worlde is nought worth but yf [Page CI] it were so that he myght graunte theym that they sholde neuer deye that wolde they praye hym. And Alexander sayd y ^• myght he not do for he was de­dely and sholde dey as they sholde. Than sayd they why art y ^u so proude & wolde wynne all the worlde & haue in thy subgeccyon as it were a god & y ^u hast no terme of thy lyf / and y ^u wylt haue all rychesse of the worlde the whiche shall forsake the or y ^u forsa­ke it / & y ^u shalt bere no thynge with the / but it shal dwelle to other / but as y ^u was borne naked so shalt y ^u be done in erthe. And Alexander was gretly astonyed of this answere / & yf it be so y ^• they haue not the artycles of our fayth / neuertheles I byleue that god loueth theym well & theyr good entencyon & y ^t he taketh theyr seruyce to gree as he dyde of Iob y ^t was a paynym the whiche he helde for his true seruaūt & many other. I byleue well y ^t god loueth all those y ^• loue hym & serue hym mekely & truly & y ^t despyse the vayne glorye of the worlde as thyse [...]en do & as Iob dyde / and therfore sayd our lorde thorugh the mouth of Ysaye the prophete thus. Ponā eis multiplices leges meas. That is to saye I shall put to theym my lawes in many maners / & the gospell sayth thus. Alias oues habeo que nō sūtex hoc ouili. That is to saye. I haue other she pe y ^• are not of this folde / and there to accordeth the vysyon that Saynt Peter sawe at Iaffe how the angell came fro heuen & brought with hym of all maner of beestes as serpentes & foules in all maner [Page] and sayd to saynt Peter. Take & ete. And saȳt Peter answered. I ete neuer of vnclene beste. And the aūgell sayd to hym. Non d [...]as īn. unda q̄deus mū dauit. That is to saye. Calle thou not those thyn­ges vnclene that god hath clensed. This was do­ne in token that men sholde not haue many men in despyte for theyr dyuerse lawes / for we wote neuer whome god loueth and whome god hateth.

THere is an other yle that men callle Pytan men of this londe tylle no londe for they ete nought / & they are smale men but not so smale as Pygmeens. Thyse men lyue with smell of wyl de apples / & whan they go ferre out of the countree they bere apples w ^t theym / for anone as they lese y ^• sauour of apples they deye / they are not resonable but as it were bestes. And there is an other yle where the people are all fethers but the face & the pal­mes of theyr hondes. Thyse men go as well aboue these as on the londe & they ete flesshe & fysshe all rawe. In this yle is a grete ryuer that is two my­le brode & an halfe that men calle Renemar.

[Page Cij] ANd beyonde that ryuer is a grete wylder­nesse as men that haue ben there saye. In this wyldernesse as men saye are the trees of the sonne & of the mone y ^t spake to kynge Alexander & tolde hym of his deth / & men saye that folke y ^t ke­pe thyse trees & ete of the fruytes of theym they ly­ue. four or fyue hondred yere thrugh vertue of the fruyte / & we wolde gladly haue gone thyder / but I byleue that an hondred thousande men of armes sholde not passe they wyldernesse for prete plente of wylde b [...]stes as dragons & serpentes that slee men whan they haue ony. In this londe is many olyfaū tes all whyte & blewe without nombre / and vny­cornes and lyons of many maners. Many other yles are in the londe of prestes Iohan that were to longe to telle & moche rychesse and nobley of pre­cyous stones in grete plente. I byleue that we haue herde saye why this Emperous is called preester Iohan / but for those that wote it not I shall saye There was somtyme an Emperour that was a noble prynce & doughty / and he had many crysten knyghtes with hym / and the Emperour thought he wolde see the maner of seruyce in crysten chir­ches & than was chirches of crystendom in Turky Surry & Tartary Ierusalem Palestyn Araby & Alapy & all the londes of Egypt. And this Emperour came with a crysten knyght in to a chirche of Egypt & it was on a saterdaye after Wytsondaye whan the bysshop made ordres / and he behelde the [Page] seruyce & he asked of the knyght what folke those sholde be y ^t stode before the bysshop / & the knyght sayd they sholde be preestes & he sayd he wolde no more be called kynge ne Emperour but preest & he wolde haue the name of hym y ^t came fyrst out of the preestes / & he was called Iohan & so haue all the Emperours sythen be called preester Iohan. In that londe are many crysten men of good fayth & good lawe / and they haue preestes to synge masse and they make y ^• sacrament as men of Grece do but they saye not so many thynges as o [...]r prestes do for they saye not but y ^t the apostles sayd as saȳt Peter & saynt Thomas and other apostles whan they [...]ange masse & sayd Pater n [...]. And the wordes with the whiche goddes body is sacred / we haue many addycyons of popes that haue ben ordeyned of whiche men of those coūtrees knowe not.

TOwarde the eest syde of preester Iohans londe is an yle y ^t men calle Taprobane / & is ryght good & fructuous / & there is a grete kynge & a ryche and he is obedyent vnto prester Iohan and y ^t kynge is alwaye made by eleccyon. In this yle are two wynters & two somers / and they shere corne twyes in the yere / & all tymes in the yere are gardeyns florysshed. There dwelleth good people