FOr as much as the Land over the see/ that is to say the holy land that men call the land of heting/ among all other lands it is most worthy land and sovereign of other lands/ and it is blessed and hallowed and sacred of the precious blood of our lord Jesus christ. In the which land it liked him to take flesh and blood of the virgin marry/ and to environ that land with his own feet. And there he Would do many miracles/ and preach and teach the faith/ and the law of us christian men as unto his children. And therefore he would suffer many reproves and scorns for us. And he that was king of heaven/ and of earth/ of eyre/ of see/ & of all things that are contained in them would all only be called king of that land when he said. Rex sum judeorum. I am king of jews. For that time was that land of jews/ and that land had he chosen before all other lands as for the best and the most virtuous and for the most worthy of the world/ and as the Phylosofer saith thus. Virtus rerum in medio consistit. That is to say the virtue of things is in the mid. and in that land he Would lead his life and suffer passion and death of the jews for us and for to deliver and buy us fro the pains of hell/ and fro death withouten end. the Which was ordained to us for the sin of our father Adam. and for our own sins also. For as himself he had none evil deserved: for he thought never evil. ne did never evil. And he that was king of glory and joy might best in that place suffer death for he that will do any thing that he will be known openly. He will do cry it openly in the myddyll place of a town/ or of a city so that it may be known to all parties of the city. So he that Was king of all the world would suffer death for us at jerusalem that is in mids of the world so that it might be known to men of all parties of the world how dear he bought man that he had made to his own likeness for the great love that he had to us: for more worthy cattles ne might he have set for us than his own blessed body and his own precious blood/ the which he suffered for us. A dear god what love he had to his subject us. When he that had done no trespass would for trespassers suffer death Right ought men to love and worship and d●ede and serve such a lord and worship and pray see such a holy land that brought forth such fruit through the which every man is saved but if it be his own de●a●te. This is the land hight to us in heritage/ & in that land he would die as sese to leave it to his children. For the Which every good christian man that may and hath Whereof should strength him for to conquer our right heritage and chase out the ilk trowand for We are called christian men of christ our father. & if we be right children of christ we own for to challenge the heritage that our father left us and do it out of strange mens handis. But now pride covetise & envy hath so inflamed the hearts of lords of the World that they are more busy for to disherit their neighbours than for to challenge or conquer there right heritage before said. And the common people that Would put their bodies and cattles for to conquer our heritage they may nat do without lords for assemble of the people without a chief lord is as a flock of sheep that hath no shepherd the which depart asunder/ and wot never whether that they should go. But would go● that the worldly lords were at good accord/ & With other of their common people would take this holy viage over the see. I trow well that Within a little time our right heritage before said should be reconciled & put in the hands of the right heirs of jesus christ: and for as much it is long time that there was no general passage over the see. And many men desire to here speak of the holy land. and have thereof great solare/ and comfort. ¶ john Maundevyle knight. Though it so be that I be nat worthy that was borne in england in the town of saint Albone and passed the see in the year of the Incarnation of our lord Jesus christ M.CCCxxxii on the day of saint Myghell and hyde● w●rde hath be long time over the se and have seen and gone thorough many lands and many provinces and kingdoms & Isles and have passed through Turkey through Ermony the little and the great through Tartary thorough Per●y through Syry thorough/ araby/ through Egypt the high and the low. through lyby thorough Chaldee/ and a great party of ethiop thorough Amo●ome. thorough Ind the less and the more. a great party. and through many other Isles which are a bout Ind Where many divers manners of folk dwell of divers laws and shapes ● of which lands & Isles I shall speak more plainly/ and I shall devise a party of things what they are when time shall be after it may come to mind ● and specially for them that will and are in purpose for to visit the holy city of I●rusa●lem & the holy places that at thereabout & I shall tell ●he Wey that they shall hold thither for I have many times passed and riden it with good company/ and of many lords.  
IN the name of god almighty. He that will pass over the se: he may go many ways both on land and see after the countries that he cometh fro ● and many of them come all to one end: but trowest not that I will tell all the towns and cities & castle lies that men shall go by. for than should I make to long tale but all only some countries and most principal steady that men shall go thorough to go the right weigh. ¶ first if a man come from the west side of the World as England Irlande wales scotland Norwey he may go if he will thorough almain & thorough the kingdom of hungry that marches too the land of poyalme and to the land of pannony and of Allesey. And the king of hungry is a right great lord and a mighty and holdeth great and moche land. for he holdeth the land of hungry and of allesy. Savoy Coma me a great party of Bulgary: that men call the land of Bugers and a great party of the kingdom of rose and that lasteth to the land of Nyflond and marchiss unto Pruysse. and men go this through the land of Hungry through a city that men call Chyppron ● and thorough the castle of Newburgh and by the ille town that is to ward the end of hungry & men by the river of Daunby this is a full great river and goeth into almain. under the hills of lombary and it taketh into him xl. other rivers and it ●enneth through hungry & thorough Gresses▪ and thorough Tracy and goeth into the see so stall worthy and with so great strength that the water is fresh xx. mile within the see. and afterward go men to Belgrave and enter into the land of Bugers & there pass men a Bredge of stone that is over the river Marroke/ & men pass thorough the land of Pynteras & come to Grece to the city of Stemy & to the city of affynpayn & sythyn to the city of Constantynople that was sometime called Bessamorn and there dwelleth commonly the emperor of grece there is the best church of the world and the fairest and it is of saint Sophy/ & before this church is an Image of Ius●in●an the emperor gilt and it is upon an horse and crowned/ and it was wont to hold a round apple in his hand and men say there that it is a token that the emperor hath lost a great party of his land for the apple is fall out of the images hand & also that he hath lost a great party of his lordship ● For he was wont to be emperor of roman of grece and all assy the less of Surry and of the land of I●de/ in the which is jerusalem/ and of the land/ of Egypt ● of Pe●●y and Araby ● but he hath lost all but grece/ & that land that he holdeth all only and men would many times put the apple in the images hand but it would nat hold it This apple betokeneth the lordship that he had over all the World. And the other hand he holdeth lift up again the west in token for to manasse misdoers. This Image standeth upon a pillar of marble at Constantinople. there is the spounge and the reed of the which the jews gave our lord drink gall on the cross and there is one of the nails that christ was nailed with to the cross.  
Some men ween that half of the cross of christ be in cypre in an abbey of monks that men call the hill of the holy cross but it is nat so. for that cross that is in cypre is the cr●sse on the which Dysmas the good thief was hanged but all men wot nat that. and that is ill done but for getting of the offerings they say that it is the cross of our lord Jesus Christ. And ye shall understand that the cross of our lord was made of four manner of trees as it is contained in this verse. In cruce sit palma cedrus ●pr●ssus oliva. For the piece that went right up from the 〈◊〉 unto the heed was of cypress and the piece that went overthwart to the which the hands were nailed was of palm: and the stock that stood within the earth to the which they had made a mortise was of cedar ● & the table above his heed that Was a foot and a half long on the which the title was written in Hebrew/ in grew & in latin that was of olive. And the jews made the cross of these four manner of trees for they trowed that our lord Jesus christ should have hanged upon the cross as long as the cross might last. and therefore made they the foot of cedar. for cedar may nat in earth ne in water rot▪ and they would it should have last long and for they trowed that the body of christ should have stonken▪ that year is made of cypre for it is well smelling: so that the smell of his body should nat grieve to men that come forbye. & that overthwart was mad● of palm ● for in the old testament it was ordained that when any had the victory he was crowned with palm and for they trowed that they had the victory of jesus christ therefore they made the piece that Went overthwart of palm and the table of the title they made of olive. for olive betokeneth peace. as the story of Noah witnesseth. when the dove brought the branch of olive that betokened peace made between god and man Also the jews trowed to have had peace when christ was dead. for they said that he made discord and strife among them. And ye shall understand that our lord Was nailed to the cross lying. and therefore he suffered the more pain. Also in Grece and the christian men that dwell over the see say that the tree of the cross that we call Cypress was of that tree that adam eat the apple and so find they Wretyn. and they say as their scripture saith that adam was sick/ and said to his son Seth that he should go to paradise and pray the angel that keepeth paradise that he would send him of the oil of the tree of mercy for to anoint with his membres that he might have heel. And Seth went but the angel would nat late him come in at the door. but said unto him that he might nat have of the oil of mercy. but he took to him four branches of the same tree that his fader●etee the apple/ and bad him as soon as his father was deed that he should put these grains under his tongue/ and grave him ● and he did so. and of these four branches sprang a tree as the angel said that should bear a fruit thorough which fruit adam should be saved.  
And when Seth came again he fond his father near deed and he did with the grains as the angel bad him. of the which came four trees. of which a cross was made that bare good fruit. That is to say our saviour jesus christ. thorough whom adam and all that came of him were saved and delivered from death Withouten end/ but if it be their own default. This holy cross the jews hid under the earth under the roche of mount Calvary. and it lay there two hundred year and more unto the time that saint Elyne fond it: the which saint Elyne was the mother of Constance the emperor of rome. and she was daughter of king all that was king of england that than Was called the great Bretaygne whom the emperor took to wife for her great fairness when he was in that country. And ye shall understand that the cross of our lord was in length/ viii. cubits. and that overthwart had in length iii cubits and a half. A party of the crown of our lord ihu wherwithe he was crowned and of the nails and the spear heed and many other relics are in france in the chapel of the king of france and the crown lieth in a vessel of crystell well dight and richly. for a king of france bought these relics sometime of the jews. to whom the emperor laid them to wed for a great some of silver. And all if it be so that men say that this crown be of thorns. ye shall understand that it was & is of junks of the see that was white that pryckethe as sharp as any thorns. for I have seen and behold many times that of Paris and that of Constantynople. for they were both of one made of junks of the se but men have departed them in two pieces. the which one party is at paris and the other party is at Constantynople. And I have one point thereof that seemeth a white thorn and that was given to me for great friendship. for there is many of them broken and fallen in the vessel to show the crown to great men that come thither. And ye shall understand that our lord in that night that he was taken he was led into a garden/ and there he was examined sharply. and there the jews scorned him & made him a crown of branches of albespyne that grew in the same garden: and set it on his heed so fast that blood ran down by many places of his visage: and his neck and his shoulders. and therefore hath the albespyne many virtues/ for he that beareth a branch of it upon him/ no thunder/ ne no manner tempest may dear him ne none house that it is in may none evil ghost come in no place there it is. And in that same garden saint Peter denied our lord thrice.  
¶ afterward was our lord led before the bishop and the ministers of the Law in another garden of anne there he was examined also. and scorned and after again with a white thorn that men call barbarens that grew in that garden and that hath as many virtues. ¶ And afterward he Was led into a garden of Cayphas and there he was crowned of one Englent and afterward he was led into a chamber of Pyfates/ and there he was examined and crowned. and the jews set him in a chair and clad him in a mantle and than made they a crown of junks of the see/ And they kneeled unto him saying. ave rex judeorum. That is to say in english. Heyle king of jews. And the crown of the which one half is at paris/ and the other at Constantynople the which christ had upon his heed when he Was done on cross and therefore men shall worship that most and hold it more worthy than any of the other. And that spear shaft hath the emperor of almain. But the heed is at paris and many times saith the emperor of Constantynople that he hath the spear heed. And I have often seen it but it is greater than that of paris. Also at constantinople lieth saint anne our ladis mother whom saint Elyne made bring from Jerusalem And there lieth also the body of saint john crysostom that was bishop of constantinople. And there lieth also saint luke evangelist for his bones were brought fro Bethany. where he was graven and many other relics are there. And there is of the vessels of stone as it were marble the which men call Id●yons that evermore drop water. and fill themself each year. And ye shall weet that constantinople is a right fair city and a good and a well walled and▪ it is three cornered & there is an arm of the see that men call hellespount & some call it the bouche of constantinople. and some call it the brach of saint george. and this water encloseth two parties of the city and upwaide to the see upon the water Was wont to be the great city of troyse in a full fair plain but that city was destroyed with them of grece And there been many Isles that men call Calastre calcas Certege Tesbytta Minona Fayton/ Molo Carpate & sempne. and in this isle is the mount Athos that passeth the clouds and there is many speeches and many countries that are obeisant to the emperor that is to say. Turcople/ Pyncy Narde Comange and many other Trachy and macydone of which Alysander was king. In this country was Aristotle borne in a city that men call sirages. a little fro the city of Trachy and at sirage lieth Aristotle and there is an altar upon his tomb and there make they a great fest every year as he Were a saint and open his altar they hold their great counseylis and assembles and they trow that through inspiration of god & him they shall have the better counsel. In this country are right high hills toward the end of Macidone is a great hill that men call Olymphus that departeth Macidone and Trachy/ & it is high up to the clouds and the other hill that men call Athos is so high that the shadow of him rechethe unto Olymphus that is near lxxvii mile between. And above that hill is the eyre so clear that men may feel no wind there And therefore may no be'st live there so is the eyre dry. And men say in these countries that Phylosofers sometime went up on those hills/ and held to their noses a spounge moist with Water for to have eyre for the eyre Was so dry. And above in the powder of the hill they Wrote letters With their fingers. and at the years end they came again and fond those letters the which they had written the year before without any default. And therefore it seemeth well that those hills pass the clouds to the pure eyre. And at Constantynople the emperors palace is right fair and Well dight/ & therein is a fair palace for jousting/ and it is on stages & each man may Well see and none grieve other. and under these stages are stables vouted for th'emperors horse/ and all the pillars are of marble. and within the church of saint Sophy/ an emperor would have laid the body of his father When he was dead/ and as they made the grave they fond a body in the earth/ and upon that body lay a great plate of fine gold/ and thereupon was written in Hebrew/ in Grew and latin letters that said thus. jesus christus nascetur de virgine maria. et ego credo in eum. That is to say jesus christ shallbe borne of the virgin marry and I trow in him. And the date was it was laid in earth two. M. year before our lord was born. And yet is that plate in the treasury of the church. and men say that it was Ermogynes the wise man. And all if it be so that men of Grece be christian/ yet they vary from our faith. for they say that the holy ghost cometh nat out of the son but all only of the father. and they are nat obeisant to the church of rome ne to the pope/ and they say that their patriarchs have as much power over the se as the pope hath on this side the see. And therefore pope john the xxii sent letters to them how christian faith should be all one and that they should be obeisant to a pope that is crisus vyker in earth to whom god gave plain power for to bind and to assoil and therefore they should be obedient to him. and they sent him divers answers & among other they said thus Potentiam tuam summam circa subiectostuos ●irmiter credimus. Superbiam tuam summam collerare non possumus. Auariciam tuam summam saciare non intendimus. Dns tecum sit. quia dns nobiscum est. vale This is to say. we trow well thy power is great upon thy subjects. we may nat suffer thy pride. we are nat in purpose to staunch thy great covetise. lord be with the for lord is with us. Far well. & other answer might we nat have of them. And also they make their sacrament of the altar of therf breed/ for our lord made it of therf breed when he made his maunde and on sherthursday make they their bred in tokening of the maunde/ were wont to hold that place/ but in the tomb of saint jon is no thing but Manna. for his body was translated into paradise. and Turks hold now that city & that church and all assy the less/ and therefore is assy the less called turkey and ye shall understand that saint john did make his grave there in his life/ and laid himself therein all quick/ and therefore some say that he died nat/ but he resteth there to the day of doom/ and therefore soothly there is a great marvel for men may see there aꝑtly the earth of the tomb many times steer & move as there were a quick thing under. And from Ephesym men go through many yles in the se▪ unto the city of Pateran where saint Nycholas was borne and so to marca where he was chosen to the bishop/ there groweth right good wines and strong/ that men ●alle wine of marca. and fro thence see men Isles of Grece the which the emperor gave sometime to jonays'. And than pass men through the Isles of Cophos and lango of the which Isles hippocras was lord/ and some say that in that I'll of lango is hippocras daughter/ in manner of a dragon that is a hundred foot long as men say for I have nat seen it. and they of the Isles call her the lady of the country/ and shelyeth in an old castle and showeth her thrice in the year. And she doth no man no harm/ & she is thus changed fro a damsel to a dragon thorough a goddess that men call Deane/ & men say that she shall dwell so unto the time that a knight come that is so hardy that dare go to her and kiss her mouth and than shall she turn again to her own kind and be a woman & after that she shall nat live long.  
And it is nat long sithen a knight of roods that was hardy and doughty said that he would kiss her & when the dragon began to life up his heed again him and he saw it was so hydious he fled away▪ and the dragon in his anger bore the knight on a roche and of that roche she kest him into the see and so was he lost. Also a young man that wist nat of that dragon▪ went out of a ship and went thorough the isle till that he came to a castle/ & came into the cave and went so long till he fond a chamber/ and than he saw a damsel that kempt her heed and looked in mirror and she had much treasure about her and h● trowed she had been a common woman that dwelled there to keep men. and he obeyed unto the damsel. & the damsel saw the shadow of him in the mirror/ & she turned toward him/ and asked him what he would and he said he would be paramour or leman. And she asked him if he were a knight. and he said nay. And she said th●● might he nat be her leman. But she bad him go again to his fellows and make him knight and come again on the morrow. and should come out of the cave: and bad him come and kiss her than on the mouth/ and she bade him have no dread for she should do him no harm if all him thought she were hydious to se. she said it was done by enchantment. for she said that she was such as he saw her than and she said that if he kissed her he should have all that treso●re and be her lord. And lord of those yles. and he departed fro her and went to his fellows to ship and made him knight/ and came again upon the morrow for to kiss the damsel. And when he saw her come out of the cave in form of a dragon he had so gréaté dread that he fled too the ship/ and she followed him/ and when she saw that he turned nat again she began to cry as a thing that had moche sorrow ● and she turned again and as soon the knight died. and sithen hitherto ward might no knight see her but he died as soon. But when a knight cometh that is so hardy to kiss her/ he shall nat die but he shall turn that damsel into her right shape/ He shall be lord of the country before said. And fro thence men come to the isle of roads. the which the hospitelers hold and govern/ and that took they sometime fro the Emperor. and it Was wont to be called coles/ and so colles the turks call it yet. ¶ And saint Paul in his Epystelis writeth to them of the isle of Colocenses. This isle is near vin. hundred mile long from Constantynople. and from this isle of roads men go into Cypre where are many wines that first are red. and after a year they wax all white/ and those wines that are most white are most clear and best smelling and as men pass by this weigh by a place where was wont to be a great city that men call Sathalay/ and all the country was lost through folly of a young man for he had a fair damosel that he loved well/ and she died suddenly and was done in a grave of marbil/ and for the great love that he had to her. he went on a night to her Tomb and opened it/ and went and lay by her/ and when he had done/ he went his weigh. and when it came to the end of ix months a voice came unto him and said in this manner of wise. Go unto the tomb of that same woman that thou haste line by/ and open it and behold well that that thou haste gotten of her: and if ●hou let for to go thou shalt have a great harm ● and he went and opened the tomb and there flew out a heed right hideous to see the which as swith flew above the city and the country and soon the city sank down and there is many perilous passages fro Rhodes to Cypre is near v. C. mile and more/ but men may go to Cypre and come nat at Rhodes Cypre is a good Isle and great and there are many good cities and there is an archbishop at Nycosy and iiii other bishops in that land. And at famagost is one of the best haven on the see that is in the world and that are christian men and sarasyns and men of all nations. and in cypre is the hill of the holy cross/ and there is an abbey of monks/ and there is the cross of the good thief Dysmas as I have said before. And some ween that there is the half of the cross of our lord but it is nat so & they do wrong that make men to believe so. In Cypre lieth saint Gononon of whom men of that country make great solemnity and in the castle of Amours lieth the body of saint hyllaryon/ and men keep it full worshipfully. and beside famagost was saint bernard borne men hunt with the pampeons that are like to leopards and they take wild bestis right we● and they are somewhat more than lions/ and they take more sharply wild bes●ys than hounds. In cypre is a manner the lords and other men eat upon the earth▪ For they make dyches in the earth all about the hall deep to the knee/ and they do pain them and when they will eat they go there in and sit there this their manner for to be more fresh for that land is more hot than it is here. And at great festis/ and for strange men they set forms and boards as men do in this country/ but them were levet sit in the earth. from Cypre men go by land to jerusalem/ and by the see/ and in a day and in a night he that hath good wind may come to the haven of tire that now is called Sure/ and also it is at the entry of Surry. there was sometime a fair city of christian men. but sarasyns have destroyed it in great party/ and they keep ● haven right 〈◊〉 for dread that they have of crys●en men Men might go right to that haven and come nat in Cy/ pre but they go gladly to cypre to rest them on the land. or else to buy things that they have need of ●o their living. Upon the see side men may find many rubies and there is the well of the which holy writ speaketh. Fons ortorum et puteus aquarum viuenciu●. That is to say The well of gardens and dyches of waters living in the city of tire said the woman to our lord Beatus venter qui te portavit et ubera que suxisu That is to say blessed be the body that bore thee/ and the pap●pes that thou suck and there our lord forgave too the woman of Canane her sins and before was wont to be the stone on the which our lord sat on/ and preached. And on that stone was found the church of saint saviour. Upon that see is the city of Saphen or Sarept or Sodom. there was wont to dwell Elyas the prophet ● and there was raised jonas the prophet the widows son. And five mile fro Saphen is the city of Sydon of the which city dydo that was Aeneas wife after the destruction of Troy/ and that founded the city of Car●age ●n africa and now is it called Didonsart Dydon is Beruth/ & fro beruth to Sardena is three iou●●e● and from Sardena is five mile to Damas'  
WHo so wol go longer upon the see and come near to jerusalem he shall go fro Cypre by see to port jaffe. For that is the next haven to jerusalem. for fro that haven is nat but a days journey and an half to jerusalem. And that haven is called Jaffa and the town affe. After one of No sons that men called japheth that found it. And now is it called jops and ye shall understand that is the eldest town of the World for that was made before noah's flood/ and there be bones of a giant ●yde that been xl foot long. And who so arryvethe at the first haven of Ty●e or of Surrey before said may go by land if he will to jerusalem. and he goeth to the city of Acon in a day that was called Tholomayda. and it was a city of christian men sometime. but it is now all destroyed. and it is on the se And from venice it is to Acon by se two thousand and four score miles of lambardy and from mambre/ or fro Cycyle it is to Acon. M.ccc. miles of lombary: and the isle of Grece is right in the mydwey. and beside this city of Acon to ward the see at vi. score furlongs on the right side toward the North. there is the hill Carme where Elyas the prophet dwelled. and there Was the order of Carmes' first found. This hill is nat right great ne high. And at the foot of this hill Was sometime a good city of christian men that was called Cayphas. For Cayphas founded it but it is now all wasted.  
And at the life side of the hill is a town that men call Saffre. and that is set upon another hill. There was saint james and saint jon borne. and in the worship of them is there a fayrechurche. And for Tholomayda that men call now Acon. to a great hill that men call Ekale de Tyrreyes is a hundred furlongs. and beside the city of acon runneth a little river that men call Belyon/ and there near is the fosse of Mymon all round that is an hundred cubits or shaftmontis long/ and it is all full of gravel shining of such men make good verres and clear.. And men come from far in a ship/ & by land with carts to take of that gravel. and if there be never so much taken thereof on a day/ on the morrow it is as full again as ever it was. and that is great marvel. and there is evermore wind in that fosse that stirreth/ alway the gravel and maketh it trouble.  
And if a man put or do therein any metal as soon as it is in as soon it waxeth glass. and the glass that is made of this gravel if it be done again into the gravel/ it tornethe again to gravel as it was before. and some say that it is a swallow of the see gravel.  
Also from acon before said go men three iournes too the city of Phylistyen that now is called gaza that is to ●ay city rich/ and it is right fair and full of folk and i● is a little upon the see  
And from that city brought Samson the strong gates upon an high land when he was taken in that city and there he slew the king in his palace and many a thousand more with him. For he made a house to fall on them. and fro thence shall men go to the city of Cesare & so to the castle of pylleryns and so to Askalon/ & than to japheth. and so unto jerusalem.  
ANd who so will go through the land of Babylone where the Sultan dwelleth to have leave to go more sickerly to go thorough the churches and countries/ and for to go to mount Synay before he came to Jerusalem/ & than turn again by jerusalem he shall go fro Gasa to the castle Dayr. And after a man cometh out of Surry & goth in wilderness where the weigh is full sondy. and that wilderness lasteth viii. journeys where men find all that them needeth of victuals. and men call that wilderness Archellek/ and when a man cometh out of this desert he entereth into Egypt/ and they call Egypt Canopat/ & in another language men call it Mersyne. and the first good town that men find is called Beleth/ and it is at the end of the kingdom of Alape. And fro thence men come to Babylony and to kayre and in Babylony is a fair church of our lady. where she dwelled seven. year when she was in the land of jews for dread of king Herod. And there lieth the body of saint Barbara ungyn. & there dwelled joseph when he was seld of his brother. & there made Nabugodonozor put their children in fire. For they were of right truth the which children men called Anania Azaria Mysael as the psalm of benedicite saith. But Nabugodonozor called them thus. Sydrac/ Mysael Abdenago. that is to say God glorious god victorious/ god over all kingdoms. and that was for miracle that he made godde son/ as he said go with those children through the fire/ . There dwelleth the Soudon/ for there is a fair see in a castle strong/ and well set upon a Roche. In the castle is dwelling alway to keep the Castle/ and to serve the sultan more than viii thousand persones of folk that take all their necessaries of the court of the sultan. I should well know for I dwelled with him soudeour in his wars a great while again the Bedoyns and he would have wedded me to a great princes daughter right richly and I would have forsaken my truth. And ye shall understand that the Soudon is lord of v. kingdoms the which he hath conquered/ and gotten to him by strength. And this are they of Canopate that is Egypte the kingdom of jerusalem whereof David and Salon were kings: the kingdom of Surrey. of the which the city of Damas' was the chief kingdom of anaple in the land of Dameth/ & the kingdom of arab was to one of the three kings that made offering to our lord when he was borne. and many other lands he holdeth in his hand/ and also he holdeth Calaphes that is a great thing to the Sultan/ that is to say among them Roys isle and this vale is full cold. and than men go up on the mount of saint Katheryn/ and that is moche higher than the mount Moses. And there as saint katheryn was graven is no church ne chapel ne other dwelling place but there is an hill of stones gathered together about the place there she was graven of aungellis. the● was wont to be a chapel. but it is all casten down. & yet lie a great part of the stones there.  
And all it be so that the Collet of saint katheryn say that it is all one place where our lord gave the law to Moses. And there saint katheryn was graven. ye shall understand that it is all in a country or else in a stead that beareth all a name. For they are called both mount Synay. but it is a great weigh between them/ and a great vale.  
Now sithen a man hath visited this holy place of saint katheryn. and he will turn to jerusalem ● he shall first take leave at the monks and recommend him specially to their prayers. and those same monks give with good will to pilgrims vetayles to pass with through wilderness to Surry and that lasteth well xiii: iournes. And in that wilderness dwell many arabyns that men call Bedoynes and ascopdes. these are folk that are full of all manner of ill conditions and they have no houses but tents which they make of beasts skins as of camels and other bestis/ the which they eat and thereunder lie they. and they dwell in places where they may find water as on the red see. For in that wilderness is great default of water and it falleth oft where a man findeth water one time he findeth it nat another time/ and therefore make they no houses in those countries. These men that I speak of they till not the land for they eat no breed. but if it be any that dwell near a good town/ and they roast all their fishes and flesh upon hot stones again the son. and they are strong men and well fighting and they do no thing but chase wild bestis for their sustenance/ and they set nat by their lives. and therefore they dread nat the Sultan nor none other prince of all the world  
And they have oft were with the Sultan. and that same time that I was dwelling with him they bore nat but a shield/ and spear for to defend them with. And they hold none other armours. but they wind their hedes and their necks in a great linen cloth/ and they are men of full ill kind. and when men are passed this wilderness toward jerusalem they come to Bersabe. that was sometime a fair and a liking town of christian men and yet is there some of their churches and in that town dwelled sometime abraham the patriarch. This town of bernabe founded urrey wife of whom david engendered Salon the wife that was king of jerusalem and of xii. kinds of Israel and he reigned xl▪ year. and from thence go men to the vale of Ebron that is fro thens near xii. mile. And some call it the vale of Mambre: and also it is called the vale of Teres/ for as much as adam great in that vale a hundred year the detthe of his son abel that caym slough And Ebron that was sometime the principal city of Phylistiens/ and there dwelled giants and there it was so free that men took all fleers of all other places that had done ill In Ebron joshua Calofe and their felaweshyp came first to espy how they might win the land of promission. In Ebron david reigned first seven year and half and in jerusalem he reigned xxxiii year and half. And there are the graves of patriarchs adam/ abraham/ jacob and their wives/ Eve/ Sara/ Rebecca/ and they are in the hinging of the hill/ and under them is a right fair church kyrnelde after the fashion and manner as it were a castle. The which church the sarasyns keep right well and they have that place in great worship. For the holy patriarchs that lieth there/ and they suffer no christian men ne jews come in there. but they have special grace of the ●oudan. for they hold christian men & jews but as hounds that should come in no holy place. And they call the place spelunke/ or double cave/ or double grave for one lieth on another. and the sarasyns call it on their language. Caryatharba that is to say the place of patriarchs. and jews call it arboth. And in that same place was abrahams' house ● and that was the same the which sat in his door and saw three persons and worshipped one. as holy writ Wetnesseth saying. Tres vidit et unum adoraunt. That is to say he saw three and worshipped one and him took abraham to his house. And right near to the place is a cave in a Roche where adam and eve dwelled when they Were driven out of paradise and there gate they their children. And in that same place was adam made as some men say/ for men called sometime that place the field of Damasse. For it was in the lordship of Damasse and fro thence he was translated into paradise as they say. And afterward he was driven out of paradise and put there a gain/ for the same day that he Was put into pararise the same day he was driven out. for as soon he sinned.  
There beginneth the vale of Ebron that lasteth near to Ierusalē● & the angel bad Adam that he should dwell with his wife. and there they engendered Seth of the which kin jesus christ was borne.  
¶ And in that Vale is a field where men draw out of the earth a thing the which thing men in that country call chambyll and they eat that thing in stead of spice and they bear it to sell and men may nat make it so deep ne so wide but that it is at the years end full again up to the sides through the grace of god. And two mile from Ebron is the grave of loath that was abrahams' brother. and a little from ebron is the mount Marbre of the which the vale took his name. and there is a tree of oak that sarasyns call Dyrpe that is of Abraham's time/ that men call dry tree. and they say that it hath been from the beginning of the world and was sometime green/ and bare leaves unto that time that our lord died and so did all the trees in the world/ or else they failed in their hearts/ or else they faded/ and yet is many of those in the world. And some prophecies say that a lord prince of the west side of the world shall win the land of ꝑmyssion that is the holy land with the help of christian men. and he shall do sing a mess under the dry tree. and than the tree shall wax green and bear fruit and leaves and through that miracle many sarasyns & jews shallbe turned to christian faith/ and therefore they do great worship thereto and keep it right busily. And all if it be dry it beareth a great virtue. for certainly he that beareth a little thereof on him it healeth of the falling evil and many other virtues. and therefore it is holden right precious. from Ebron men go to bethleem on half a day for it is but five mile and it is a pylous weigh & thorough woods full lykand. But bethlehem is a little city long/ and narrow and well walled and enclosed with a dyke and it was wont to be called Effrata. as holy wryttte saith. Ecce audivimus eum in effrata. That is to say. Lo we heard him in effrata toward the end of the city toward the est is a right fair church. and a gracious/ and it hath many towers and pinnacles and kyrnellies full strangely made and within that church is xliiii of marble pillars great & fair. & between this chuche & the city is the field Floudons'/ and it is called the field florysshed. For as much as a fair maiden that was blamed with wrong that she had done fornication. for the which cause she was deemed to the death and to be buried in that place to the which she was led/ And as the Wooed began to burn about her she made her prayer to our lord as she was nat guilty of that thing. that he would help her that it might be known to all men. And when she had thus said she entered the fire and as soon was the fire out. and thoose branches that were brenning bycam red roses and those branches that were not kindled became white rosers full of white roses and thoose were the first roses and rosers that any man saw and thus was the maiden saved thorough the grace of god. And therefore is the field called the field of god flourished for it was full of roses. Also beside the queer of that church at the right side as men come downward xii grease is the place. where our lord was borne that is now full well dight of marble and full richly depainted of gold silver and azure/ and other colours. and a little thence by three paces is the crib of the ox and the ass. And beside that is the place where the star fell that led the three kings jasper Melchior and Balthasar. But men of grece call the kings thus. Galgalath Saraphy Galgalagh. these iii. kings offered to our lord. incense gold and myrrh & they came together through miracle of god for they met together in a city that men call Chasak. that is lui. iournes fro Betheleem/ and there they were at betheleem the fourth day after they had seen the star. And under the cloister of this church xviii grease at the right side of the Charnel of the Innocentis where their bones lie/ and before that place where christ was born is the tomb of saint jerom that Was a priest and a cardinal that translated the bible and the psalter fro Ebron to latin. and beside that church is a church of saint Nycholas where our lady rested her when she was delivered of child. And for as much as she had so moche milk in her paps that grieved her she milked it out upon the red stones or marble. so that yet may the traces be seen white upon the stones. & ye shall understand that all that dwell in betheleem a● christian men and there are fair wines all about the city and great plenty of wine for their books that macho meet betook them. the which they call Alcoran. And some call it alkaron. and some call it Massap. and some call it harm forbiddeth them to drink wines: for in that book machomete curseth all those that drink of that wine & all that sell it for some men said once that he slow a good hermit which he loved much in his drunkenness And therefore he cursed the wine/ and them that drink Wine. but his malison is turned to himself as holy writ saith.  
Et in verticem ipsius iniquitas eius descendet. That is to say in english: His wickedness shall descend in his own heed. And also the Sarasyns bringeth forth no gryse ne they eat no swines flesh/ for they say it is broacher too man and that it was foreboden in the old law. Also in the land of palestine/ ne in the land of egypt they eat but little veal and beef/ but it be so old that it may no more travail ne work nat for it●s forbade but for they keep them for 〈◊〉 of their land. Of this city of bethlehem was david the king borne and he had sixty wives and three hundred lemmas: Fro bethleem. to jerusalem is two mile/ & in the weigh to jerusalem. half a mile from bethlehem is a church where the angel said to the shepherd of the bearing of christ. and in that way is the tomb of ●●chell that was joseph's mother the patriarch and she died as soon as she had borne bemamyn and there she was graven/ and Io●ob her husband set xii. great stones upon her in tokening that she had borne xii: children. 〈◊〉 this weigh to jerusalem are many churches christian by the which men go to jerusalem.  
FOr to speak of Jerusalem ye shall understand that it standeth fair among hills and there is neither river ne well but water cometh by conduit fro Ebron. and ye shall weet that men called it first jebus and sithen Was it called Salomee unto the time of king david: and he set these two names Samen and called it jebusalem. and than came Salon/ & called it jerusalem and so is it called yet. And about jerusalem is the kingdom of Surrey/ and thereby is the land of palestine and Ascalon but jerusalem is in the land of Ind and it is called Inde.  
worlds hath wrought heel in the mids of the earth. And also upon the Roche where the cross was fixed is written within the roche. Gros gift basis thou pests thoy thesmoysy That is to say in latin. Quod vides est fundamentum tocius mundi et huius fidei. and it is too say. that thou seest is ground of all the world and of this ●eythe. And ye shall understand that our lord when he died was xxxii. year old. and three months/ and the prophecy of david saith that he should have xl year when he saith thus. Quadraginta annis ꝓximus fui generacioni huic That is to say. Forty year Was I neighbour to this kind. and thus should it seem that prophecy we● not sooth/ but it is. For in old time men called years of x. months: of the which march was the first. and december the last. But Gayus Cesar that was emperor of rome did set to these two months january and February and ordained the year of xii. months. that is to say ccc. days without leap year. the propyr course of the son. And they fpre after the accounting of ten months to the year he died in forty year: and after our years of xii. months is xxxii. year and three months Also within mount Calvary at the right side is an altar where the Pillar lieth that our lord was bound too when he was scourged/ and there beside at four foot at four stones that alway drop water. and some say that those stones weep for our lords death. and near this altar in a place xlii degrees deep was found the very cross by assent of saint Elyn under a roche where Jews had hid it and it was assayed for they fond three crosses. one of our lord and two of the two thieves  
And saint Elyne assayed them on a deed body that ro/ se as soon as the very cross was laid on. And thereby in the vale is the place where the four nails of our lord was hid▪ for he had two nails in his hands and two in his feet. And of one of these nails the emperor of Constantynople did make a bridle for his horse to bear him in battle. for through virtue thereof he overcame his enemies. And when all lands of assy turkey/ dama●yne more and the less surrey and jerusalem araby/ persy and Messopotany the kingdom of alap●● egypt the high and the low ● and other kingdoms many unto t●enne low in ethiop and also unto Ind the less● that than was christian. and there was in that time many/ good men. and holy hermits of whom the books of the ●ader lives speaketh/ and they are now in paynemes & 〈◊〉 hands but when god wol right as these lands are lost through sin of christian men so shall they be won again by christian men through help of god. And in the mids of this church is a compass in the why the joseph of a●amathy laid the body of our lord when he had taken him of the cross. And that compass men say it is in mids of the World. and that church of the sepulchre on the north side is the place where our lord was done in prison in many places and there is a party of the cheyne with the which he was bound. And there he appeared first to marry magdalen when he was risen and she trowed that he had been a gardyner/ in the church of the sepulchre was wonyd to be canons of the order of saint kenet and they had a prior but the patriarch was their sovereign. and withouten the doors of the church at the right side as men go up xviii degrees said our lord to his mother. Mulier ecce f● ius tuus. That is to say woman behold thy son. Divide dicit discipulo. Ecce matter tua. That is to say. Than said he to his disciple. Behold thy mother. And this word he said upon the cross/ and upon these degrees went our lord when he bore the cross upon his shoulder and under these degrees is achapell where priests sing/ but nat after our law. and alway they make their sacrament of the altar of bred saying Patern●. & other things/ as with the which thing they say the words of whom the sacrament is made. for they know nat of addition that many pope's have made/ but they sing in good devotion. and there near is the place where our lord restydde him when he was weary for bearing of the cross. And ye shall understand that before the church of the sepulchre is the city most wake ● For the great plain that is between that city and the church on the east side without the walls of the city is the Vale of josaphat that cometh to the walls. In that vale of josaphat without the city is the church of ●aynt stephyn where he was stoned to death. and thereby is the gate gyfted that may not be opened. thorough that gate our lord entered on palm sunday upon an ass and the gate opened again him when he would go to the temple and yet are the steppi● of the ass seen in three places the which are full of hard stones. Before the church of the sepulchre two hundred paces is a great hospital of saint john of the which hospitalers half their fundament/ and to go toward the est fro the hospital is a right fair church that men call Nostre Dame de vatynz and there was marry Cleofe/ and marry magdaleyne and drew their here when our lord was done to death. And fro the church of the sepul●●● toward the est at xviii. paces is temple d●● that is a fair house and it is all round and right high. and covered with lead. and it is well paned with white marble. but the sarasyns will suffer no christian men ne jews come therein. for they say that so foul men should nat come into that holy place/ but I came in there and in other places where I would. for I had letters of the Sultan with his great S●ale and commonly other men have but of his signet: and men bear his letter with his seal before them hanging on a spear ● and men do great worship thereto and kneel again/ ●t as we do again God's body/ for those men that it is sent to/ before they take it. they incline them first thereto. and sithen they ●ake it/ & said it upon their heads and afterward they kiss it/ & than read all inclining with great worship/ and than they proffer them to do all that the bringer will and in this temple dni. were wont to be canons regulars/ and they had an abbot to whom they were obedient/ and in this temple was Charlemagne when the angel brought him the pmpuys of our lord when he was circumcised. And after king charles did bear it too paris. And ye shall understand that is nat the temple that solomon made for that temple lasted but a thousand/ an hundred and two year. For Tytus Vaspasiane son that was emperor of rome that ●ayde siege about jerusalem for to discomfit the jews for they had do christ to death without love of the emperor/ and when he had take the city he did bren the temple and kept it down/ and took all the jews and did of them to death xi C.M. and the other he did in prison/ and sold of them thretty for a penny/ for they said that they bought Jesus christ for thirty pens. And sithen gave Iu●yan apostata leave to the jews to make the temple of jerusalem for he hated christian men and yet he was christian. but he forsook his law and when the jews had made the temple came an earth-quave as god would that kest down all that they had made. sithen Adryan emperor that was of them of Troy's made jerusalem again and the Temple in the same manner that Solomon made it and would that no jew should dwell there but all christian men for if all it were so that he was nat christened ●e loved christian men more than any other men. save men of his own sey●he. And this emperor did enclose and wall the church of the holy sepulchre within the city that before was fer with out the city/ and he would have changed the name of jerusalem and called it Helyam/ but that name lasted nat long. And ye shall wete that the sarasyns do great worship to that temple/ and they say that place is right holy/ And when they go thither in/ they go barefoot and kneel many times down.  
¶ And when my fellows and I came thither in we did of our harueyse/ and came barefoot into the temple and thought that we should do as much: or more than they that were mystrowing. and this Temple is three score & three cubits of wydnesse and as much of length and of height vi. and twenty and five cubits/ and it is within all about of pyller● of marble.  
And in mids of the temple is a stage of xxiii. degrees of height. and good pillars all about/ This place the jews called it. Sancta sanctorum. That is to say. Holy of holies/ and in that place cometh none but only their prelate that maketh their sacrifice. and the folk standeth all about in divers stages after they are of dignity and of worship/ and there is four entries to that temple and the doors are of cypress well dight/ and within the east door Our lord said here is jerusalem. ¶ And on the north side within the door is a staunke. but it runneth nat: of the which holy writ speaketh and saith thus. Vidi aquam egredientem de templo. That is to say. I saw water coming out fro the temple. And upon the other side is a roche that men called sometime Morlach but after was it called Belet or the hutch of god with the rylikes of jews. This ark or hutch ga●t Tytus loode with the relics to great room when he had discomfited all the jews. In that same ark was the ten commandments and of aarons wonde/ and of Moses' wonde with which he departed with the red see when the folk of Israel passed through on foot dry/ & with that wonde he did many wonders and there was a vessel of gold full of Manna and clothing and ornaments. and the tabernacle of Aron: and a table square of gold With xii precious stones/ and a boast of jasper green With four figures/ and viii. names of our lord within and seven candylstickes of gold and four censers of gold/ and an altar also of gold and four lions of gold Upon the which they had cherubin of gold. twelve span long and a tabernacle of gold/ and also twelve trompettis of silver/ and a table of silver and seven barley loves. and all other relics that were before the nativity of Ihesu. Also upon this Roche slept jacob when he saw angels go up and down by a stay. and said vere locusiste sanctus est/ et ego ignorabam. That is to say Forsooth this place is holy and I wist nat. And jacob held the angel still that changed his name and called him Israel. and in that place saw David the angel that share the folk With a sword and put it all bloody in the sheath. And in this Roche was saint simeon/ when he received our lord in to the temple. and on this Roche he set him when the jews would have stoned him/ and the roche ryved in two ● in that rift he hid him. and a star came down and gave him light. And on this roche sat our lady and levied her psalter. and there forgave our lord the sins to the woman that was found and taaken in adultery. and there was our lord jesus christ circumcised/ and there the angel denounsed the nativity of saint john baptist. and there offered first Melchysedech bred and wine and water to our lord in tokening of the sacrament that was for to come./ And there fell david praying to our lord/ and the angel that he would have mercy of him and of the folk/ and our lord anon heard his prayer and therefore would he make the temple in that place/ But our lord jesus christ forbade him by an angel For he had done treason/ when he did slay Vry a good/ knight for to have his wife.  
¶ And therefore all that he had ordained for too make the Temple he betook it unto Solomon his son. And he made it and he prayed our lord that all those that prayed in that place devoutly and with good heart that he would here that prayer and grant that they asked righwysly and our Lord granted it. And therefore salamon's son cal●yd it temple of counsel and help of god without the doors of that temple is an autere where/ Jews were wont to offer downs and tyrtilles and in that temple was zachary slain. and on the pinnacle the jews set saint Jame on the earth that first was bishop of jerusalem. a little fro this temple on the right side is a church covered with lead that is called the school of sala/ mon: And toward the south is the temple Salon that i● full fair and a great place. and in this place dwell knights that are called templars and that was the foundement of. and of their order. and in that Temple domini/ dwell canons. from this temple toward the est at xxvi pace in a corner of the city is the bathe of our lord and this bath was wont to go to paradise. and beside is our ladies bede. and near there is the tembe of saint simeon and without the cloister of the temple towards the north is right a fair church of saint An our lady mother. There was our lady conceived. and before that church is a great tree that began to grow that same night. And as men go down fro that church. xxii. grease lieth joachim our ladies father in a tomb of stone. and there near was laid sometime saint an/ but saint Elyn did translate her into Constantynople.  
¶ In this church is a well in manner of a Cysterne that is called Proba●●ca pisana. That had five enterings/ And in that Cithern was wont an angel to descend and steer the water and what man that bathed him first therein after the moving was made hole that was sick What sickness so ever he had And there was the man in the palsy made hole. that was sick xxxviii. year And our lord said unto him in this manner of wise.  
¶ Tolle grabatum tuum et ambula. That is to say in english Take thy bed and go. ¶ And there beside was the house of pilate. and a little thence was the house of herald the king that did slay the Innocentis. Thy● herald was a full wicked man and a fell. For he did first and formest slay his wise which he loved full well And for the great love that he had to her when she was deed he beheld her and went out of his wit and so was he long tyme. and afterward he came again to himself. And sithen he did slay his own children that he had gotten of that wife. and after he made slay the other of his wives. and a son that he had gotten of that same wife and he did all the ill that he might.  
¶ And when he saw that he should die he sent for his sister and all the great lords of that country. and When they were there he put all the lords ●n●o tour and said to his sister He wist well that the men of the country should make no sorrow for him when he were deed. And therefore he made her for to swear unto him that she should do smite of the hedes of his lords everichone after his death. and than should men of all the country make sorrow for his death. and else they would nat sorrow And thus he made his testament. But his sister fulfilled it nat. as that thing that pertained unto the lords for as soon as he was deed she delivered the lord out of the towers and sent everichone home to their houses and told them what her brother would she had done with them. And ye shall understand/ that in that time was three herod's of great name. ¶ This of whom I speak men called him Herod ascolonyte/ he that did smite of saint john's baptist heed was Herode antipa. and Herod agryppa did sle saint James. Also furthermore in the city is the church of the saviour/ and there is the arm of saint john Crysostom. and there is the more party of saint stephen's heed. And on the other side toward the south as men go to mount zion is a fair church of saint james where his heed was smitten of/ & there ●● mount Zion and there is a fair church of god and of our Lady where she was dwelling/ and died and there was sometime an abbey of canons reguler●. and fro that place she was borne of the apostles unto the Dale of josaphat. And there is the stone that the angel bore to our lady fro mount Synay. & it is of the colour that the ro●he of saint katheryn is of ● and there beside is the gate where our lady when she was with child went to Betheleem. Also at the entry of mount Zion is a chapel and in that chapel is that stone great and large with which the sepulchre Was covered when christ was laid therein. the which stone three jews saw turned upward when they came to the sepulchre and there they fonde an angel that said to them the christ was risen fro death to life. And there is a little piece of the pillar/ to the which our lord was scourged. and there was Anne house that was bishop of the jews in that time/ and in that same place forsook saint Peter our lord thryes before the kocke crew. and there is a party of the table on the which god made his maunde with his disciples/ and yet is there the vessel with water/ and thereby is the place where saint stephen was graven and there is the altar where our lady heard the aungellis sing mess. and there appeared christ first to his disciples after his resurrection when the gates were sperde and said. Pax vobis. That is to say. peace to you. And on that mount appeared cryst to saint Thomas/ and bad him assay his wound. and than trowed he first and said. Dominus meus et deus meus. That is to say. My lord and my god/ in that same chapel behind the high altar Were all the appostlis on whitsunday. when the holy ghost descended on them in likeness of fire/ and there made god Paske with his disciples. And there slept saint john the evangelist on our lords knee/ and saw sleeping many privy things of heaven. The mount zion is within the city & it i● little higher than the other side of the city and that city is stronger on that one side than on the other for at the foot of mount sinay is a fair castle & strong/ on mount zion was david king Salon and other many graven/ and there is the place where saint Peter wept full tenderly when he had forsaken our lord and a stone cast from that is another place where our lord was judged/ for that time was there caiphass house/ also between the temple Solomon and mount Zion is the place where erist raised the maiden fro death to life. Under mount zion toward the vale of jasaphat is a well that men call Natatoyr Sylo there was our lord washen after he was baptized. and near there is the tree/ on the which judas hanged himself for despair when he had sold christ and thereby the synagoke where the bishop of jews and sarasyns came. some to hold counsel and there judas cast the thirty. pens before them and said peccavi/ tradens sanguinem justum. That is to say I have sinned deceiving rightwies blood. And on the other side of mount Zion toward the south a stone cast is the field that was bought with those thretty pens for when christ was sold that men call Acheldemak that is to say the field of blood in that field is many tombs of cris●en men. for there be many pilgrims graven▪ and also in jerusalem toward the west is a fair church where the tree grew of the which the cross was made/ and there near is a church and that a fair Where our lady met with ●lysa●ethe when they were both with child and saint john sty●d in his mothers womb and made worship to our lord his maker. And under the altar of the church is a place where saint john was borne/ and thereby is the castle of Emany. And two mile f●o jerusalem is the mount joy that is a fair place and liking and there lieth Samuel the prophet in a fair tomb and it is called mount joy▪ for there many pilgrims first see jerusalem/ and in the middle of the vale of josaphat is a little river that is called Torrens Cedron/ and overthwart this river say a tree of the which the cross was made that men yode over. Also in that vale is a church of our lady and there is the sepulchre of our lady & our lady was of age when she died lxxii. year. and there near/ is the place where our lord forgave saint Peter all his sins and misdeeds that he had done.  
fasted forty days ● and the enemy of hell bare christ and said to him thus. Dic ut lapides isti panes fiant. That is to say that these stones be made loves. and there is an ermytage where dwell a manner of christian men that men call Georgyns ● for saint george converted them. And upon that hill dwelled Abraham a great while. Also as men go to Jericho. In the weigh sat many sick men crying jesus fili david miserere nobis. That is too say. Ihesu david son have mercy on us. Also two mile fro Jericho is flom jordan. and ye shall weet the dead see departeth the land of Inde/ and of araby/ and the water of that see is full bitter/ and this water casteth out a thing that men call aspaltum as great pieces as an horse. and jerusalem is ●c. furlongs from this see/ and so it is called the dead See. for it runneth nat. no man●ne be'st that hath life that is therein may live and that hath been proved many times. for they cast therein men. that are deemed to death/ ne no man may dwell▪ ne drink of that water/ and men cast iron therein it cometh up again. And if a man cast a feather therein it goeth too the ground/ and that is against kind. And there groweth trees that bear fruit of fair colour and seem ripe. but when a man breaketh them or cut in them he findeth nought in them but coals of ashes in tokening the thorough vegeaunce of god. These cities were brent with fire of hell. and some men call that lake. the lake of the alphitedde ● and some call it the flome of the devil/ and some the flome of stynkande. for the water is stinking There sank these five cities thorough wretch of god/ That is to say/ Sodom ● Gomor ● Aldema ● Solo ● me & begor. For the sin of Sodom that reigned in them but Segor through the prayer of Loth was saved a great while for it sat on a hill and yet appeareth moche thereof above the water/ and men may see the walls in clear weather. And there Loath dwelled a great while and was made drunken of his daughters and lay by them. they trowed that god should have destroyed all the world as he did with noah's flood. And therefore they lay by their father. for men should be borne of them into the world. And if he had nat be drunken/ he had nat lain by them And at the right side of this se dwelled loath is wife a stone of salt for that she looked again when the city sank down. ¶ And ye shall understand that Abraham had a son that he called Isaac/ and he was circumcised when he was of viii. days old. and therefore the jews died circumcise them at the age of viii days and he had another son tha● was called Ishmael and he was of xiiii year of age when he was circumcised on a day. and therefore the sarasyns did circumcise them at xiiii. year old And into that deed see runneth the Flom jordan and maketh end there. And this Flom jordan is no great river but there is much good fish them▪ and it cometh from mount Lybany. for two wells that men call jor and Daue. and of them it taketh the name. and upon the one side of that river is mount Gelboe. and there is a fair plain. And on that other side men go by mo●● Lybane to the Desert of Pharaoh/ These hills depa●●e the kingdom of Surry and the country of Phenys. On that hill grow cedars that berelonge apples Which are as much as a man's heed  
¶ This flom jordane departeth Galyle: and the land of Idones and the land of Botron ● and it runneth into a plain that men call Meldane in Sermoys and in that plain is the temple job. In this flom jordan our lord was baptized. and there was the voice of the father herd saying. Hic est silius meus dilectus in quo mihi bene complacu●ipsū audite. That is to say. here is my son that I love in whom I am well paid here him and the holy ghost descended on him in likeness of a down and so was there in his baptizing all the trinity. And through the flom jordan passed the children of Israel all dry and they set stones in the mids of the Water in token of great myrecle▪ & also in that flom Naaman of Surry bathed him that was a mesel and he was hole. and a little thefro is the city of hay. the Which joshua assailed and took. Also in the flom jordan is the vale of Mambre. that is a fair vale and a plenteous.  
ANd ye shall understand that for to go fro the deed see afterward out of the March of the land of promyssionis a strong castle that men call Carras ● or Sermoys. That is to say Real mount in french. This castle did make a king of france that men call/ lid Baudewyn that had conquered all that Land ● and put it into christian men's hands to keep and under that castle is a fair town that men call Sabaoth. theraboute dwell many christian men under tribute. And than go men to Nazareth of the which our lord had his name/ ¶ And from jerusalem unto Na●arethe is three jornes. Men go thorough the province of Galyle though/ rough Ramatha through Sophym and thorough the high hill of Effraym where/ Anna Samuel/ Mother the prophet dwelled and there was the prophet borne/ and after his death he was graven at mount joy as I have said And after came men to Sybola where the Ark of god was kept under Hely the prophet. There made the folk of Ebron their sacrifice to our lord and there spoke our lord first unto Samuel and there ministered god the sacrament/ and there near at the life side is Gabaon and rama bemamin of the which holy write speaketh. And than come men to Sychem/ that some men called Sicar. This is in province of Samarytanes. And there was sometime a church but it was cast down and it is a fair vale and plenteous. and there is a good city that men call Neople. and from thence is a days journey ●o jerusalem there is the well where ou●re lord spoke to the woman Samaritane. Sychem is ten mile fro jerusalem and it is called. Neople that is to say the new town. and there near is the temple joseph jacob son that governed Egypt fro thence were his bones brought and laid in that temple and thither came Jews oft in pilgrimage with great devotion and in that city was jacob's daughter ravished. For when h●● brother slew many men. And there near is the city of garrison where the samarytans make that sacrifice. On this hill would Abraham have sacrified his son Isaac. and there near is the vale of Dotaym. and there is the Cistern where joseph was casten of his brethren before that they sold him. and it is two mile to Sycar fro thence men come to Samary. that men call Sebast. and that is chief city of that country. and of that city were the xii. kindness of Israel. but it is nat so great as it was. There was saint john graven between two prophets Helyseus and Abdon but he was heeded in the castle of Makaryn beside the dead se. and he was trans/ lated of his disciples and graven at Samary but there did julius apostata take his bones and bren them for he was that time emperor ● but the finger with the which he showed our lord: saying. Ecce agnus d●i. That is to said. behold the lamb of god. might nat be brent. and saint Tecle the virgin did saint john's head the baptist be closed in a wall. but the emperor Theosody did take it out. and he fond it lapped in a cloth all bloody ● and so he did bear it to Constantinople and there is yet the one half of the heed ● and the other is at Rome. in the church of saint Sylvester.. and the vessel in the which the heed was laid when it was smitten of is at Geene/ and men of geen do it great worship. Some say that saint john's heed is at Ameas in pycardy/ and some say it is saint Iohn● heed the bishop. I Wot nat but god wot. From Sebast to jerusalem is xii. mile. and between the hills of countries is a well that men call Fons jacob that is to say jacob's Well that changed four times in the year his Colour. for sometime it Was red and sometime clear sometime thick and men that dwell there are called Samaritans. and they Were converted through the apostles/ and their law varieth from christian law and sarazens law also. & fro jews. and paynims that they trow well in one god that all shall dame. and they trow the bible after the letter and they lap their hedes in red linen cloth for difference of other. for sarazens lap their hedes in white cloth/ and crys●en men that dwell there in blue cloth or blue. And jews in yellow And in this country dwell many jews paying tribute as christian men done. and if they will we●e the letter of the jews they are such/ & the names of their letters as they call them. Alpha. for a beth. for b. gimel. ●. he. d. van. ●. zay. f. ex. g. 10th. i. karph k. lamp. l. men. m. sameth. o. ●y. p. phe. q. lad. r. ●oth. s. ●ir. t. sound .v. than ten lours. y. Now shall ye have the figures▪ ⸪ D li xh i● SESSE lin h● N/ sc●hn●●●. ¶ And fro this country that I have spoken of men go to the plain of Galyle. & leave the hills at the one side and Galyle is of the province of the land of promission and in that province is the land of Naym and Capharnaym and Corosaym/ and at▪ besayda was saint Petyr & saint Andrew borne. of Corosaym shall antecryst be borne and as some say he shallbe born in babylony. Therefore saith the prophet. ¶ De babilonia columba eyie● que totum mundum devorabit. That is to say. Of babylon shall a down come out that shall devout all the World. And this antichrist shallbe nourished in Besayda and he shall regne in Corosaym▪ and therefore saith holy wryt thus. We tibi corosaym. We tibi Besay/ da. That is to say. woe be to the corosaym. Woe be to the Bsayda. and the Chan of galyle also is there four mile from Nazareth. Of that city was the woman of chananee of whom the gospel speaketh/ and there our lord did the first miracle at the wedding of Archetryclyne When he converted water into wine. And fro thence men go unto Nazareth that was sometime a great city. but now is there but a little town/ and it is nat walled. & there Was our lady borne: the name took our lord of this city/ but our lady was gotten at jerusalem. at Nazareth took joseph our lady to wife. when she was of xiiii. year of age and there the angel salved her saying ave maria gratia plena dns tecum. That is to say ●eyle marry full of grace lord be with the. and there was some time a great church. and now is there but a little closet to receive the offerings of pilgrims. and there is the well of gabriel where our lord was wont to bathe him when he was little at Nazareth was our lord nourished. And Nazareth is to say. flower of garden. and it may well be called so. for there was nourished the flower of life that Was our lord jesus christ. At half a mile from Nazareth is the blood of our lord. for the jews led him upon an high roche to cast him down and slay him/ but jesus cryst passed through them and leap on a roche where his steps are yet seen. and therefore say some when they dread them of thieves orellies of enemies. they say thus. jesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat. And they say also these verses of the saulter. three times. Irruat super eos formido & pavor in magnitudine brach● tui. Domine f●ant īmobi●es quasi lapis donee ●transeat populus tuus domine & populus iste quem redemisti.  
¶ And so when all this is said a man may go without any letting. ¶ And also ye shall understand and know that our blessed lady bare child when she was of xv year of age. and shelyved with him xxxii. year. & three months. and after his passion she lived xxii. year. And from nazareth to mount Thabor is three mile. and there our lord transfured him before saint Pe/ ter saint john and saint jame. and there they saw ghostly our lord and moyses and Hely the prophets. And therefore said saint Peter Bonum est hic esse saciamus tria tabernacula etc. That is to say. It is good to be her. e make we three tabernacles. & our lord Jesus christ bad that they should say it to no man unto the time that he was risen from death unto life. and upon the same hill shall four angels sownetheyr trumpets. and raise all men that are deed unto life. and than shall come/ in body and soul unto the judgement. but the judgement shallbe in the vale of josaphat on pace day. at such time as our lord rose from death to life. And also a mile from mount Thabor is the mount Ermen. & there was the city of Namy. before the gates of that city our lord raised the Widows son that had no more children. and from thence men go to a city that men call Tybo●●● that sy●t●the on the see. of Galyle. and all if it be called the see Galyle. it is no see ne arm of the Se● for it is but a staumble of fresh Water. and it is more than a hundred furlongs long and forty broad. and there in is many good fish. and on the same see but changeth the name after cities that stand thereupon yode our lord dryefote and there said he to petyr when he came on the water and was near drowned. Modice fidei quare dubitasti. That is to say Thou of little truth. why hadst thou dou●e. In this city of Tyburn is the table that christ eat of with his disciples after his resurrection/ and they knew him in breaking of breed as ho/ lie writ saith. ¶ Et cognoverunt eum in fractonne pa●us. That is to say they knew him by breaking of breed. And ye shall understand that Flom jardon beginneth under the hill of Lyban/ and there beginneth the land of promission and it lasteth unto Bersabe of length to go toward the north and the south. and in breed it holdeth ix. score mile. and of breed from Jericho unto Jaffa it is forty mile: ¶ And ye shall understand that the land of promission is in the kingdom of Surrey. and it lasteth unto the wilderness of Araby. And I do you to wete that among the Sarasyns in many places dwell christian men under tribute and they are in diverse manners/ and divers manners of monks/ and they are all cr●stened and have diverse laws/ But they all trow Well in our lord god the father and in the son/ and in the holy g●ost. but yet they fail in the articles of our faith And they are called jacobynes. For saint james converted them to the faith. and saint john baptized them And they say that men shall only shrive them unto god and not unto man. for they say that god bad nat man shrive him unto another man. And therefore sith Dain the psalter in this manner of wise  
¶ Confitebor tibi domine in toto cord meo etc.  
That is to say in english. Lord I shall shrive me unto the in all mine heart. ¶ And in another place he saith thus ¶ Delictum meum cognitum tibi feci. ¶ That is for to say. My trespass I have made known unto the And in another place. ¶ Deus meus es tu & confitebor tibi. That is to say thou art my god and I shall be shriven of the. and in another place. Quoniam cogitatio hominis confitebitur tibi. That is to say. For thought of man shallbe shriven to the. and they can well the bible. and the psalter. but they leg it not in latin. but in their own language. and saith that David and other prophets say it. But saint Austen and gregory say. Qui scestra sua cogitat et conversus fuerit veniam sibi credat. That is to say. Who so know his sin/ and turned/ he may trow to have forgiveness. and saint gregory say the this Dominus poc●us mentem ꝙ verba considerate. That is to say. our lord taketh more keep to thought than to word.. And hylary saith. Longorum●emporum crimina ●ctu ocusi pe●ent si cord nata fuerit temptatro. That is to say. Sins that are done of old time shall perish in twynkeling of an iye if despising of them be borne in a man's heart. ● thus say they. Men shall shrive them to god all only by these authorities. And this was the shrift in the fi●st tyme. But saint Peter & the apostles and pope's that came sithen have ordained/ that men shall shrive them to priests: men as they are. and this is their skill. For they say that a man that hath a sickness men may give him no good medicine. but they know the kind of the sickness. and so say they a man may give no covenable penance. but if he know the and understand the sin. For there is a manner of sin that is grievouser to a man than too another. and And therefore it is needful that a man know and understand the kind of sin. ¶ And therefore is other men that men call Surryens. they held the law of Grece/ and they have long beerdies▪ and there is other that men call Georgyens whom saint George convertedde. and they do more worship to hallows of heaven than other do and they have their crowns shaven. The clerks have round crowns. and lewd men have crowns square And they hold the law of Greeks/ and other is there that men call christian men of gyrdinge/ for as much as they were gyrdeles underneath. Some other hat Nestorynes some aryens. some Nubians. some Gregours. some Indyns that are of the land of Preter john. and everyone of these have some articles of our truth. But each of them vary from other. and of their variance were to much for to tell  
Now sith I have told you of many manners of men that dwell in countries before said. Now will I turn again to my way. For to turn upon this side now he that wol turn fro the land of Galyle that I spoke of. to come on this side he shall go through damas that is a fair city and full of good merchandises and it is three journes from the see/ and v. journes fro jerusalem. but they carry merchandises upon camels/ Mules horse/ and Dromederies: and other manner of beasts. This city founded Helyseus Damask. that was abrahams servant before that josyas was borne/ and he weened to have be abrahams eyre and therefore he called that city after his name damas. In that place slow Cain his brother Abel. And beside damas is the mount of Syry. and in that city is many a physician/ and that holy man saint Poule was a phesycyen to save men's bodies in heel. before that he was converted. and sithen he was a phesicyen of souls. and men come by a place fro Damas' that is called Nostre dame de sardemarcke. that is five mile from damas. and it is on a roche/ and there is a fair church and there dwell monks and nuns christian in the church. behind the high altar. In the vale is a table of tree on the which the Image of our lady was depainted that many times was turned into flesh but the image is now seen but a little. but ever more thorough grace of god the table droppeth oil as it Were an olive. and there is a vessel of marble under the table to receive the oil. thereof they give to pilgrims for it healeth of many sicknesses/ and he that keepeth it cleanly a year. after the year it turneth into flesh & blood ¶ Between the city of Dark and the city of Rapha●eis a river that men call Sabatory. for on the saturday it runneth fast and all the week else it standeth still and runneth nat orlytell: And there is another river that on the night freezeth fast. and upon the day no frost is seen. And so go men by a city that men call Beruch and there men gone into the see that shall go into dancerre. and they arrive at port of Sur or of Thir●y ● and than go men to cypre or ell●● men go or may go from the port of Thi●●y right and come nat at cypre and arrive at some haven of Grece. and than come men in these countries by ways. that I have spoken of before  

¶ How a man may go ferthest and longest in those countries as hereafter been rehearsed  
Now have I told you of ways/ by the which men go ferthest and longest as by Babylony/ & mount Synay ● and other places many/ thorough the which lands men turn again to the land of promission. ¶ Now wool I tell you the weigh to jerusalem. For some men will nat pass it. some for they have nat to spend. some for they have no company/ and many other causes resonables. & therefore I shall tell you shortly how a man may go with little costage and short time. A man that cometh from the lands of the west he goeth thorough france: burgoyne and lombary and to Denys or to Geene or some other haven of those marches and take there a ship and go by see unto the isle of Gryff/ and so arriveth he in Grece/ or else at port myroche/ or Valon/ or Duras/ or some other haven of those marches/ and go to land for to rest him/ & goeth again to the see and arriveth in Cypre and cometh nat in the isle of roads and arriveth at Famagost that is the chief haven of Cypre or else at lamaton/ and than enter ship again and passeth beside the haven of tire. and come nat to land/ and so passeth he by all the havens of that cost unto he come to Jaffa that is the next haven to jerusalem. for it is xxviii. mile between. And ●roo jaffe men go to the city of Ramos ● and that is but little thence and it is a fair city/ and beside Ramos is a fair church of our lady where our lord showed him unto her in this likeness that betokened the trinity. And there near is a church of saint George where his heed was smitten of. And than to the castle of Chinay/ and than unto mount joy: and fro thence pilgrimage to jerusalem. And than to mount Modyn and than to jerusalem. At mount Modyn lieth the prophet Machabe/ and over Ramatha is the town of Donke Whereof Amos the prophet was.  
FOr as much as many men may nat suffer the savour of the see. but is liefer to go by land if all it be more pain. A man shall go to one of the havens of lombardy as Venice or another. & he shal-passe into grece to port myroche or another and shall go to Constantynople. and shall pass the water that is called the Bra●e of saint geo●ge that is a an arm of the see And from thence he shall come to puluerall/ and sithen to the castle of Synople. And fro thence shall he go unto Capadoce ● that is a great country Where is many great hills. and he shall go through Turkey. and to the city of Nyke the which they won fro the emperor of Constantinople and it is a fair city and well walled/ and there is a river that men call the lay. and there go men by the alpes of Mormant. and by vales of Mallebriuz and the vale of ●max. and so to antyoche the better that sitteth on the rychay. and thereabout is many good hills and fair and many fair woods and wild bestis And he that will go another way he goeth by the plains of roman costande the roman see. On that cost is a fair castle that men call floraghe. And when a man is out of the hills he passeth thorough the city of Moryache and Artois where is a great bridge upon the river. of fer●e that men call fassar. and it is a great river bearing ships ● & beside that city of Damas' is a river that cometh fro the mount of Lybany that men call alban at passing of this river saint Eustache lost his two sons When he had lost his wife. and it goothe thorough the plain of archades. and so to the red see. and so go men to the city of Phenne and so to the city of Ferne. And antioch is a fair city and well wallid for it is two mile long. and at each pylour of the bridge is a good tour. This is the best city of the kingdom of sur●y. from antioch men shall go to the city of Locuth/ and than to Geeble. and than to Tortouse. And thereby is the land of Cambre where is a strange castle that men call Manbek. And fro Tourtouse men go to trypelle on the see. and upon the see men go to Dacres. and there is two ways to jerusalem. on the life way men go first unto Damas' by flom jordan. on the right side men go thorough the land of Flagme/ and so to the city of Cayphas/ of which Cayphas was lord/ and some call it castle pellerinz/ and from thence it is four days journey to jerusalem. and they go thorough Cesary philip and Jaffa and Rames and Emaux. and so to Jerusalem  
Now have▪ I told you some ways by land/ & by water. how men may go to jerusalem. If all it be so that there be many other ways that men go by after countries that they come fro. Nevertheless they turn▪ all to one end▪ yet is there a weigh all by land too jerusalem and pass no see from france or flanders but that weigh is full long & a ꝑylous & of great travail/ & therefore few go that weigh. he that shall go that weigh he goth thorough almaigne and Pruysse. and so unto Tartary This tartary is holden of the great Cane of Whom I shall speak afterward/ for thither lasteth his lordship And the lords of this Tartary yield him Tribute. this is a full evil land and sondy and little fruit bearing. for there groweth little good of corn or wine ne beans ne peasen. but beasts are there great plenty/ and therefore eat they but flesh Without breed/ and they soup the bre and they drink milk of all manner of beasts. They eat cats and all manner wild beasts/ Ratons' and mice/ & they have little wood/ and therefore they dight their meet with horse milk and other beasts When it is dry. Princes and other lords eat but ones on the day/ and right little and they be right foul folk and of evil kind and in summer there is many tempestis & thunders that slayeth many folk & beasts & right suddenly is it there great cold & as suddenly is it right hot. The prince that governeth that land that they call Raco dwelleth at a city that men call O●da and forsooth there will no good man dwell in that land for it is good to sow in thorns and weeds & other good none as I heard say for I was nat that weigh but I have been in other lands marching thereon 〈◊〉 land of Rossye and Nyflande and the kingdom of Grecon and ●ec●owe. and the kingdom of Grasten and many other places but I went never that weigh to jerusalem. & therefore I may nat Well tell it. for I have understand that men may nat well go that weigh but in winter for Waters and marrays that are there that a man may nat pass but he have frost right hard and fast snowing above. for were nat the snow there might no man go And ye shall understand that a man shall go three iournes fro Pruysse to pass this Wey till he come to the land of Sarrasyns that men dwell in. And all if it be that christian men every year posse there they carry their vetayle With them. for they should find no thing there. but a manner of thing that they call Soleys/ and they carry/ their vytalles upon the ice on sledes and chariettes with out wheels. and as long as their vetels last they may dwell there/ but no longer. And when spies of the country see christian men come they run to the towns and cry right loud. kera o kera. and as soon they keep them And ye shall understand that the frost that there is and the ye is harder there than here. and every man hath a stew in his house. and therein eat they and done all things that they may.. and that is at north side of the world Where it is commonly cold. for the son cometh ne shineth but a little in that country/ and that land is in some place so cold that there may no man dwell. And on the south side of the world is in some place so hot that the● may no man dwell for the son giveth so great h●te in those countries  
FOr as much as I have told you of the Sarasyns and of their laws. If ye will I shall tell you a party of their law and of their truth. after their book that they call alkaron saith some call that book Mesap. some harm in diverse language of countries the which book machomete gave them in the why/ che he wrote among other things as I have oft red and seen that they that are good shall go to paradise. and the evil to hell/ and that trow all sarasynes and if a man ask of what paradise they mean/ they say it is a place of delices where a man shall find all manner of fruits in all times and waters & ●yur●s running with milk and honey Wine and fresh water and they shall have fair houses and good as they have deserved. And those houses are made of precious stones gold and silver and every man shall have x. wives and all maidens. and he shall every day ones have to do with them and shall evermore be maidens. Also they speak oft & trow of the virgin marry and say of the Incarnation that mary was served of angels and that Gabryell said to her that she was chosen before all other fro the beginning of the world and that witnesseth well thei● book. And that Gabryell told her of the incarnation of Ihesu c●yst. and that she conceived and bore a child maiden. And they say that christ spoke as soon as he was ●orne. and that he was a very and a holy prophet in word and deed and meek and rightwise to all/ and without any Wit. And they say that when the angel said her of the incarnation she had great dread for she was right young. And there was one in that country that meddled with sorcery that men called Takyna that with enchant/ mentes could make him like an angel and he went oft and lay with maidens and therefore was marry fir for the angel and weened in her mind that it had be Takyna that went with the maidens: and she conjured him that he should say unto her if he was that each Ta●kyna. and the angel bad her have no dread for he was certain messenger of jesus christ.  
¶ Also their book saith she had child under a Palm and than was she shamed/ and great/ and said/ that she Would be deed. and as soon the child spoke and comforted her and said to marry. Ne timeas maria. That is to say. Benatadred marry. and in many other steddes saith their book alkaron. that jesus christ spoke as soon as he was borne. and the book saith that jesus christ was sent fro god almighty to be ensample to all men ● and that god shall dame all men/ the good to heaven and the wicked to hell and that jesus christ i● the best prophet of all other/ and nearest to god and that he was very prophet that gave the blind sight and healed meselliss and raised dead men and went all quick to heaven. and if they may find a book with gospellis and namely Missus est angelus. they do it great worship/ they fast a month in the year. and they eat nat but on the nights/ and than they keep them fro their wives but they that are seek arnat constrained to that. And that book speaketh of jews/ & saith they are wicked folk for they will nat trow that jesus christ is of god. and they say that the jews lie on our lady and her son jesus christ saying that they did him nat on cross. and for sarrasyns trow so near our faith they are lightly converted when men preach the law of jesus christ/ and they say they wot weal by their prophecies that their law of machomete shall fail as doth the law of jews. and that christian men's law shall last unto the worlds end.  
¶ And if a man ask them wherein they trow. & they say that they trow in god almighty the which is maker of heaven and of earth and other things. And without him is no thing done/ and the day of doom when every man shallbe rewarded after his desert/ and that all thing is sooth that christ said through mouths of his prophets. Also Machomete bad in his alkaron that ilk man should have two wives or three or four. but now take they nine. and as many lemons as them like. and if any of their wives do amiss again their husbands. he may drive her out of his house and another but him be hoveth give her of his goods. Also Where men speak of the father and son and holy ghost. they say that they are. three persons and nat one god. For their alkaron speaketh nat thereof/ ne of the trinity. but they say that god spoke or else was he domme. And god hath a ghost or else were he nat in live. and they say that god's word hath a great strength. and so saith their alkaron. and they say that abraham and moyses were well with god for they spoke with him and Machomete was right messenger of god. and they have many good articles of our faith And those that understand the scriptures and prophecies for they have them. And the gospel & the bible is written in their language and so wot they well of holy writ bu● they understand it not. but after the letter and so do the jews for they understand nat the letter ghostly. & therefore saith saint paul. Littera occidit spiritus autem v●●ficat. That is to say. Letter sleeth and ghost maketh quick. And the sarrasyns say that the jews are wicked for they keep nat the law of Moses the which he took to them. And also christian men are ill. for they keep not the commandments of the gaspellies that jesus christ sent unto them. And therefore I shall tell you that the that the sultan told me upon a day in his chamber he did void out all manner of men/ lords/ knights and other and for he would speak with me in counsel. and he asked me how christian men governed them in ou●e country. and I said to him right well thanked be god and he said sickerly nay/ for he said our priests made no force of God's service. for they should give ensample to men to do well and they give ill ensample. And therefore when the people should go on the holy day unto the church to serve god. they go to tavern to be in glote●ny all the day/ & the night/ & eat and drink as beasts that wo●e not when they have Enough. and also christian men he said aforsed them to fight samen/ and everyone to beguile other/ and also they are so proud that they Wo●e nat how they may clothe them/ now long now short now strait/ now wide/ on all manner of wise. They should he said be simple/ meek and soothfast and do alms as Jesus christ did in whom they trow. And they are he said to covetous that for a little silver they sell their children their sisters and their wives/ and one taketh another mamnys wife and none holdeth his faith to other And therefore said he For their sins hath god given these lands to our hands/ & nat through our strength/ but all for your sins/ For we wot well forsooth when ye serve well your god that he will help you so that no man shall win again the land when they serve their god well. but while they live so foully as they do. we have no dread of them for their god shall nat help them. and than I asked him how he knew the state of christian men so. and he said that he knew well both of lords and of commons by his messengers which he sen●e through all countries as it were merchants with precious stones and other merchandises to know the manner of every country. And than he did call again all the lords into the chamber/ and than he showed me four that were great Lords in that country that devised me my country and other as in cristendome all as they had be men of the same country/ and they spoke french right well and the sultan also. And than had I great marvel of this great slander of our faith. and so they that should be ●ourned by our good ensamples to the faith of jesus christ/ they are drawn away thorough our evil living. and therefore it is no wonder if they call us evil for they say sooth/ but the sarrasyns are true for they keep truly the commandments of their alkaron that god sent them by his messangere Machomete/ too Whom they say saint gabriel the angel spoke oft and said him the will of god. And ye shall understand that Machomete was borne in Araby and he was first a po●●●naue and kept horse and went after merchandise. And so he came once into Egypt with merchandise and Egypt was that time christian/ and there was a chapel beside araby and there was an eremite/ and when he come into the chapel that was but a little house/ and a low assoon the entry begins to be as great as it were of a palace gate and that was the first miracle that the sarrasyns say that he did in his youth. After began Machomete to be wise and rich. and he was a great Astronomer and sithen was he keeper of the land of the prince Corodan & governed it full well in the which manner that when the prince was deed. he wedded the lady that men called Quadryge. And Machomete fell oft in the falling evil. wherefore the lady was wroth. that she had taken him to her husband and he made her to understand that every time that he fell so. he said that gabriel the angel spoke to him/ and for the great brightness of the angel he fell down. This Machomete reigned in araby the year of our lord. six hundred xx. and he was of the kind of Dysmael that was abrahams' son. that he gate of Agar and other are properly called Sarrasyns of Sarra/ but some are called Moabites/ and some amo●●tes after two sons of Loth. And also Machomete loved well a good man an hermit that dwelled in wilderness a mile from mount Synay. in the weigh as men go fro araby to Chaldee and ind a days ●ourne fro the se where merchants of venice came. and machomete went so oft to this hermit that all his men were Wroth for he heard gladly the hermit preach ● and did his men wake all the night. and his men thought they would this hermit were dead. So it befell on a night that Machomete was full drunken of good wine and he fell in sleep/ and his men took Machometes sword out of his sheath whiles he lay and slept. and therewith they slew the hermit. and afterward they put the sword up again all bloody. And upon the morrow When they fond this hermit thus dead/ he was in his mind very angry and right wroth/ and would have done his men unto the death/ but they all with one accord and with one will/ said that he himself had slain him when he was drunken. And they showed him his own sword All bloody and than trowed he they said sooth/ and than he cursed the wine and all those that droken it. And therefore sarrasyns that are devout drink no wine openly. they shallbe reproved but they drink good beverage and sweet and nourishing that is made of caramels/ thereof is sugour made. Also it befalleth sometime that christian men became sarrasyns/ either through poverty or simpleness or wickedness. And therefore larcheslevyn when he receiveth them saith thus. Laeles ella Macho meet to ●s ella. That is to say. There is no god but one and machomete his messenger. And sithen I have told you a party of their law and of their customs I shall say you of their letters. that they have with their names First they have for A almo● bethath for b●athi ● ephoti for d delphoy e fo●hy f garophing hechun h iocchi i kathi. ● loth●● l malach m nahalot n orthy o. choziri p zoth q. ●●holat r rou●hi s solathi t chatimus v yrithom x mazot z zatepin & iohetus con these are the names. These four letters they have yet more for diversity of their language for as moche as they spoke so in their throats as we have A in our language and speak in england Two letters may than they have in their abc. That is to say y & z the Which are called thorn and zowx  
ANd sithen I have devised before of the holy land and countries thereabout & many ways thither and to mount Synay to Babylon. and other places of the which I have spoken.  
¶ Now I will tell and speak of yles/ and of diverse beasts and divers folk/ for in those countries is many divers folk. and countries that are departed by the four floods that came out of paradise terrestre. For Mesopotany and the kingdom of Chaldee and araby are between two floods Tiger and Eu●rate. And the kingdom of Mydy and pierce are between two floods Tiger and Nyke and the kingdom of Surrey and Palastyne/ and Funes are between Eufrate and the see mediteran● and it is of length from Maroch on the see of Spain unto the great se and so lasteth it beyond Constantynople. three thousand and forty mile of lombardy. And to the ocean see in ynde is the kingdom of Sychy. that is all closed among hills and ye shall vnde●stonde that in though countries are many yles and lands of the which it were to much to tell all: but of some I shall speak more pleynely afterward. Fer he that will go to Ta●tary or persy or Chaldee/ or ynde. he entereth the see at Geene or Ve●● see or at another haven and so passeth by the see and arriveth at Trapazonde that is a good city. that sometime. men called le port de pounce. There is the kingdom of psans and Medoyns and other marches In this city lieth saint Athanas that was bishop of Alysaunder that made the Psalm Quicunque vult ● This man was a great doctor of divinity and of the godhead/ he was accused/ unto the pope of Rome that he was an heretic And the Pope sent for him and put him into prison and while he was in that same prison he made this Psalm and sent it unto the pope/ and said if that he was heretic than were that heresy/ for that was his troth and his believe And when the Pope saw that he said. therein was all our faith. anon he did deliver him out of prison. And he commanded that psalm to be said every day at prime and so he held athanas for a good christian man: but he Would never go unto his bishopric for they accused him of heresy.  
¶ Topazonde Was sometime holden of the Emperor of Constantynople/ but a great man that he sent to keep that country again the Turks/ and held it too himself and called himself Emperor of Topazonde.  
¶ And from thence men go thorough little armony In that country is an old castle that is on a Roche that men call the castle of S●nere. and there men find an hawk sitting upon a perk right well made ● and a fair lady of fairy that keepeth it.  
¶ And he that will wake this same hawk seven days and seven nyghtis. and some say that it is but three days ●nd three nights. alone withyouten any company/ and withouten sleep. This fair lady shall come unto him at the seven days or three days end. and shall grant unto him the first thing that he will ask of worldly things. and that hath of● be proved.  
¶ And so upon a time it befell that a man which that time was king of Ermony that was a right doughty man waked upon a tyme. and at the seven days end/ the lady came unto him and bade him ask what he would for 〈◊〉 had weal done his devour And the king answered and said that he was a great lord and in god● p●as ● and he was rich so that he would ask no thing but all only the body of the fair lady to have his will of her. ¶ Than this fayrelady answered and said to him that he was a fool for he witted nat what he asked for he might nat have her/ for he should nat ask but worldly thing and she was nat worldly and the king said he would nought else. & she said to him sith he would nat else ask she should grant him ●oure thing and to all that came after him/ and said unto him. Sir king ye shall have war without peace alway unto the ix. degree: and ye shallbe in subjection of your enemies/ and ye shall have grea●e need of good and cattles. and sithen that time all the kings of Ermony have been in war/ and needful and under tribute of sarrasyns. Also a poor man's sons work the a time/ and asked the lady that he might be rich and happy in merchandise/ and the lady granted him. but she said him that he had asked his undoing. for great pride that he should have thereof. But he that shall wake hath need to keep him from sleep. for if he sleep he is lost that he shall never be seen. but that is nat the right weigh. but for the marvel. And from Topa●onde men go to great armony to a city that men call Artyron that was wont to be a good city. but turks have destroyed it▪ for there neither groweth no wine ne fruit. From this artyron men go to an hill that is called Sabyssatoll. and there near is another hill that men call ararach. but the jews call it Thano where Archa Noah rested/ and yet is on that hill/ a man may see it fro far in clear weder/ and the hill is twelve mile of height and some say they have be there at. and put their fingers in the holes where the fiend went out when No said in this manner of wise. Benedicyte.  
But they note well for no man may go on that hill for Snow that is alway upon that hill both Winter/ and summer. that no man may go up and never yode sith Noah was. A monk thorough grace of god brought a plank that is yet at the abbey at the hill foot/ and he had great desire to go upon that hill/ and aforsed him thereto/ and when he was at the third part upward he was so weary that he might no ferther and he rested him and slept and when he awoke than he was down at the hill foot and than prayed he to god devoutly that he would suffer him go upon the hill. and the angel said unto him that he should go upon the hill and so he did. and sithen that time no man came there. And therefore men shall nat ●owe such words. And fro whence men go to a city that is called Tanziro and that is a fair city and good. Beside that city is an hill of salt/ and thereof each man take what he will. there dwell many christian men under tribute of Sarrasyns. fro thence men go by many towns and castles and many ●owarde ynde. and come to a cy●t● that men call Cassage that is a fair city. and there met the three kings together that went to make present to our lord in Bethelem. ●●o that city men go to a city that men call Ca●dabago. and Paynemes say that christian men may nat dwell there but they die soon and they w●●e nat the cause. And from thence men go thorough many countries cities and towns that were to long to tell/ to the city of Carnaa that was wont to be so great that the wall about was of xxv. mile/ the wall showeth yet. but it is nat now in habit with men. and there endeth the land of the emperor of Percy:  
On the other side of that city of Carnaa men enter into the land of job. that is a good land and great plenty of all fruits/ and men call that land the land of Swear In this land is the city of Thomar. job was a paynim and also he was Co●raas son/ and he held the Land as prince thereof/ and he was so rich that he knew nat the hundredth of his good. and after his povert god made him richer than he was before. For after he was king of Idumea: and sithen king of ysan. and when he was king he was called johab and in that kingdom he lived Clxx year/ and so he was of age when he died ccxl viii·s in the land of job is no default of no thing that is needful to a man's body. There been hills where men find manna. and manna is called angels bred that is a white thing right sweet and much sweeter than sugoure or honey. and that cometh of the dew of heaven/ that falleth on the herbs/ and there is coagles and wax white and men do it in medicines. for rich men. This land marcheth to the land of Chaldee that is a great land. and there is full fair folk and well apeyraled and women a● right lay and evil clad and they go bare foot/ and bear a ill cote large wide and short unto the knee: & long slones down to the foot/ & they have great here/ and long hinging about their shoulders. After the land of Chaldee is the land of Amosony that is a land where is no man but all women as men say. for they will suffer no man live among them ne to have lordspyp of them. For sometime was a king in that land and men were dwelling there as did in other countries. and had wives/ & it befell that the king had a great war with them of Sychy and he was called Solopenco/ & he was slain in batayle and all the good blood of his land. And this queen when she heard that/ and other ladies of that land that the king & the lords were slain they gathered them together and slowghe all the men that were left in their land among them/ and sithen that time dwelled no man among them. And when they will have an● man to lie by them they send for them into a country ●hat is near to their land/ and the men come and are there viii. days or as the woman likes and than go they again. and if they have men children/ they send them to their ●aders when they can eat and go. and if they have maid children they keep them and if they be of gentle blood they bren the left pap away for bearing of a shield. and if they be of little blood they bren the right pap away for shooting. For those women of that country are good war●eours and are oft in sonde with other lords and the queen of that land governeth well that land. This land is all enuyrond with water. Beside Amozonde is the land that turmagute that is a good land and profitable. And for goodness of that land king Alysaunder did make a city there that he calledde alysaunder On the other side of Chaldee toward the south side is Ethyops' a great land In this land on the south are the folk right black. In that side is a well that on the day the water is so cold that no man may drink thereof. and on the night it is so hot that no man may suffer to put his hand in it. In this land the rivers and all the waters are trobolous and somedal salt for the great heat. And men of that land are lightly drunken and have little appetite to meet and they have commonly the flix of body and they live nat long. In Ethiope are such men that hath but one foot. and they go so fast that it is a great marvel/ and that is a large foot that maketh shadow and covereth the body fro the son and in Ethiope is a city of Saba of the which one of the three kings that sought our lord was king.  
FRo ethiop men go into ynde through many divers countries and it is called ind the more. And it is departed in three parties that is to say. ynde the more that is a full hot land/ and India the less is a temperet land. and the third party that is towards the north. there is right cold. so that for great cold/ & frost and ice the water becometh crystal. and upon that groweth the good dyamande that is like a trouble colour and that dyamande is so hard that no man may break it Other dyamandes men find in Araby that are nat so good that are more nesshe. and some are in Cypre/ and in Macydony men find also dyamandes. but the best are in ynde. And some are found many times in a mass that cometh out where men find gold fro the mine. when men break the mass in pieces. and sometime men find some of greatness of a pese and some less/ & those are as hard as those of ynde  
And all if it be that men find good dyamandes in ynd upon the roche of crystal. also men find good dyamandes upon the roche of adamande in the see. and on hills as it Were hasyll nots: and they are all square & pointed of their own kind/ and they grow both together male and femmall and are nourished with the dew of haven/ & they engender commonly & bring forth small children that multyplye and grew all the years. I have many times assayed that if a man keep them with a little of the roche and Weet them with many dews oft scythes they shall grow ilk a year. and the small shall wax great/ and a man shall bear the deamand in his lyf●syde/ and than is it of more virtue/ and for the strength of their growing is toward the north that is the left side as men of those countries say. To him that beareth the deamande upon him it giveth him hardiness it keepeth his ●ymmes of his body it giveth victory of enemies if a man's cause be right/ and him that beareth it in good will it keepeth him f●●●●ufe fro riot fro ill dreams/ and sorceries and ●nchauntementes. Also no wild best shall grieve hymn assail him. And also the Deamande should be given ●●ely withouthouten covetise/ and buying and than it is of more virtue. it healeth him that is lunatic. and that is travailed with a devil. & if venom or poison be brought in presence of the deamand as soon it moisteth and beginneth to w●x sweet. and men may well policy them to make men trow that they may nat be polished But men may assay them well in this manner. first shear with them in diverse precious stones as gasyrs/ or other upon crystal and than men take a stone that is called adamande. upon that adamande and lieth a nedyl before that adamand and if the dyamande be good & virtuous the adamand draweth nat the nedyll to him whiles the dyamande is there. And this is the prove that they beyond the se make. but it falleth sometime that the good dyamande loseth his virtue through him that beareth it & therefore it is needful to make it cover his virtue again or else it is little of value/ and there is many other precious stones. and it is called ynde/ In that water men find eels of thirty. foot ling. & men that dwell near that water are of evil colour and yellow and green. In ynde is more than v thousand Isles that men dwell in good and great beside those that men dwell nat in. And in eachone of those is great plenty of cities and much folk for men of ynde are of that condition that they pass nat out of their land commonly for they dwell under a planet that is called Saturn and that planet maketh his course by the xii. signs in xx. year and the moan passeth through the xii. signs in a month. and for that Saturn is of so late steering therefore men that dwell under/ him and in that Climate have no good will to be moche stirring about. And in our country is a contrary/ for we are in a climate that is of the moan/ & of light stirring and that is the planet of way. and therefore it giveth us will to much moving and styringe and go in to divers countries of the world. for it goeth about the world more lightly than another planet doth. Also men pass thorough ynde by many countries unto the great see Occian. And than they find the isle of Hermes whether/ merchants of venice and of Geene and other parties of christendom come to buy merchandise. but it is so warm there in the isle that men's ballokes hang down/ to their shanks for the great dissolving of the body/ And men of the country that know the manner do bind them up full strait and anoint them with oyntemen/ 'tis made therefore for to hlde them up or else they might nat live. ¶ In this land and many other. men/ & women lay them all naked in rivers and waters from undren of the day to it be passed none. And they lie all in water but the face. for the great heat that is there. In this isle are the ships without nails of iron or bond for roches of adamonde that are in the See will draw ships to them. from this isle men go by see to the isle of Cana where is great plenty of corn and of wine/ & the king of this isle was sometime so mighty that he held war with king alys●undre. Men of this isle have divers laws. for some worship the son some the fire/ & some nedyrs some the trees some the f●●st thing they meet in the morning. & some worship simulacres and idols but between simulacres and idols is no difference/ For some sacres are images made to likeness of what thing a man will that is nat kindly for some image hath th●e heads one of a man and an horse and an ox or any other best that no man hath seen. And ye shall understand that they that worship simulcares they worship them for worthy men that were sometime/ as hercules/ & other that did many marvels in their times▪ For they say they wot well they are nat good of kind that made all thing but that they are well with god. for the marvels that they do and therefore they worship them. And so say they of the son for it changeth oft the times sometime giveth great heat to nourish all things on earth And for it is so great profit they wot well it is nat good. but it is well with god and that god loveth it more than any other thing. and therefore they say good skill to worship it. ¶ And so they make skills of other planets and of fire also for it is so profitable and needful  
¶ And of idols they say that the Ox is the holiest best that they may find here in earth and most profitable than any other. for he doth many goods and none ill. And they wot weal that it may nat be without special grace of god and therefore they make their god of an Ox. the one half. and the other half a man for man is the fairest and the best creature of the world. And they make worship to nedders and other beasts that they meet first at morrow and namely those bestis that have good meeting after whom they speed well all day: the which they have proved of long tyme. and therefore they say that this good meeting cometh of god's grace/ and therefore have they do make images like unto those things that they may worship them before they meet any thing ellis/. And yet a●e some christian men that say that some bestis are better for to meet than some for hares and swine and other beasts are ill to meet first as they say. ¶ In this isle of Cana is many wild beasts/ and Ratons of that country are as great as hounds here. and they take them with mastyfes for Cats may nat take them. From thence men come to a city that men call Sarchis and it is a fair and a good city and there dwell many christian men of God's faith/ and there be men of religion. from thence men come to the land of Lombe ● and there is the city of Polomes'. and under that city is an hill that men call Polombe. and thereof taketh the city his name.  
¶ And so at the foot of the same hill is a right fair & a clear well that hath a full good and sweet savour. & it smelleth of all manner sorts of spices. ¶ And also at each hour of the day it changeth his savour diversly and who so drinketh thrice on the day of that well he is made hole of all sickness that he hath. I have sometime drunken of that well. and methynketh yet that I far the better. some call it the well of youth. for they that drink thereof seem to be young alway and live without great sickness. and they say this well cometh from Paradyse terrestre. for it is so virtuous. In that country groweth ginger and thither come many good merchants for spices. In this country men worship the Ox for his great simpleness and meekness and the profit that is in him they make the Ox to travail vi. or seven. year & than men eat them. And the king of that land hath evermore one ox with him. and he that keepeth him every day taketh his fees for the keeping. And also every day he gathereth his v●yne and his dung in a vessel of gold/ and beareth it to the prelete that they call Archiporta papaton. and the prelat● beareth it to the king/ and maketh thereupon a great blessing and than the king putteth his hand therein and than they call it gaul ● and he anoyntethe his ●ro● and his breast therewith and they do it great worship. and say he shall be ●ulfylled with virtue of the ox before said and that he is hallowed through virtue of the holy thing as they say▪ and when the king hath thus done than do other lords and after them other men after they are of degree/ when they may have any remnant An this country their idols are half man and half ox. And in these idols the wicked ghost speaketh to them and giveth answers of what they ask before these idols they s●e their children many times & sprenge the blood on the idols. and so make they sacrifice. and if any man die in that country they bren him in tokening of penance that he should suffer no penance if he were laid/ in the earth of eating of worms and if his wife have no children they bren her with him/ and they say it is good reoson that she make him company in the other world as she did in this and if she have children she may live with them and she will and if the wife die before men burn her and her houshelde as if he will. In this land groweth good wine. and women drink wine and men none. and women shave their berdes and men not. from this land men go many journeys to a country that men call Mabaron/ & this is a great kingdom. There in is many fair cities & towns. In this land lieth saint Thomas in flesh in a fair tomb in the city of Calamy and the a●me and the hand that he put in our lords side when he was risen. When christ said to him. Noli esse m●redulus/ sed sidelis. That is to say/ Be nat of wanhope but believe. that same hand lieth yet with out the tomb bare. and with this hand they gave their domes in that country to wete who hath right. and who nat for if any strife is between two parties they do write their right in two bills and those bills are put in the hand of saint Thomas/ and as soon the hand casteth away the bill that hath wrong and holdeth the other still that hath right and therefore they come fro far to have iugementis of causes that are in doubt. In the church of saint Thomas is a great image that is a symulacre and it is welldight with rich precious stones and pearls and unto that image men come in pilgrimage fro far with great devotion as christian men go to saint jame. And there come some in pylg●ymage that bear sharp knives in their hands and as they go by the weigh they shear their shanks and thighs that the blood may come out for the love of that idol And they say that he is holy that will die for that god's sake. And some is there that fro the time that they go out of their houses at each third pass they kneel to that they come to this idol. & when they come there they have incense ● or such other thing ● to incense the idol as we would do to god's body/ and there is before that minster of this idol a river full of Water. and in that vynere pilgrims cast gold/ silver/ precious stones and pearls. without number in stead of offerings. and therefore when the minster hath need of helping. as soon they go to that vyner & take that they have need to helping of the minster. & ye shall understand when great festes come of that idol as the dedication of the church or of the throning of the idol all the country is assembled th●de●/ and men set this idol with great worship in a chair well dight with rich cloothes & good and other and lead him with gr●ate worship abou●te the city. & before the chair goth first in pression all the maidens of the country two and two together. And after them go the pilgrims that are come fro fe●re countries of which pilgrims some fall down before the chair and lateth all go over them and so are they some slain and some are broken then arms and shanks and this do they for love of the idol and they trow the more pain that they suff●e here for their idol. the more joy shall they have in the other world. and a man shall find few christian men that will suffer so moche penance for our lords sake as they do for their Idol. And nigh before the chair go all mynstrelliss of the country as it were without number with many divers melodies/ And when they are come again to the church. they set up the Idol again in his throne and for worship of the Idol two men or three are slain with sharp knives with their good will. And also a man thinketh in our coutre that he hath a great worship. And he have an holy man in his kin. so say they there that those that are thus slain are holy men and saints. and they are written in their litany and when they are thus deed their friends burn their bodies and they take the ashes and those are kept as relics and they say it is holy thing and that they have doubt of no peril when they have those ashes. from this country l●●. iournes is a country that men call Lamory in that land is great heat and it is custom sith that men and women go all naked and they scorn them that are clad. for they say that god made Adam and Eve all nakid and that men should have no shame of that/ that god made and they believe in god that made Adam/ and Eve/ and all the world/ and there is no woman wedded but women are all common there/ and they forsake no man. And they say that god commanded to Adam and Eve and all that came of them saying.  
¶ Crescyte et multiplicamini et replete terram.  
That is for to say in english ¶ wax and be multyply●ed and fill the earth and no man may say there. This is my wife. Ne woman say. This is my husband. And when they have children they give to whom they will. of men that have dealt with them. Also the land is all comom for that one man hath in one year another man hath it another year. Also all the goods/ and corns of the country are in common for there is no thing under ●o● and as rich is o●● man as another. but they have an ill cus●ume they eat gladlier man's flesh than other thither bring merchants their children to sell and those that are fat they eat them. and the other keep they till they be fat and than are they e●en. Beside this I'll is an isle that men call Somober that is a good isle. men of that I'll do mark them in the visage with an hoot iron men and women for great nobleye and to be know from other. for they hold themself the worthiest of the world. and they have war evermore with those men that are naked that I spoke of before. And there a● many other Isles a●d divers manners. of men of which it were oue●moche for to speak of all. But the●e ●s a great I'll that men call ●ana. And the king of that country hath under him seven. kings for he is full mighty In that I'll groweth all mone● of spices more plenteously than in other places as gynge●●lowes canell nutmegs & other and ye shall understand that the nutmeg beareth the ma●●s all thing them is plenty but wine. The king of this land ●ath a ●i●he palace: and the best that is in the worlie for all the greces in to his hall and chambers been all of gold another of silver and all the walls are covered and plated with gold and silver. and in those places are written stories of knights and battles and ●●e pavement of the hall and chaumbres is of gold & of silver. & there is no man that would trow the riches that is there▪ but if he had seen it. and the king of this I'll is so mighty that he hath many times overcome the great Chane of chatay that is the mightiest Emperor that is in all the world for there is oft war among them for the great Chane would make him hold his land to him and for to go forth by see men find one Isle that is called Salamasse. and some call it paten. that is a great kingdom with many fair cities. In this land grow trees that bear meal. of which men make fair bred & white and of good savour and it seemeth as it were of wheat. And there is other trees that bear venom again which is no medicine. but one. that is to take of the leaves of the same tree and stamped them and temper with water and drink it or else he shall die suddenly for triable may nat help. And if ye will weet how the Trees bear meal I shall say you. men hew▪ with an hatchet about the 〈◊〉 ●●etre by the earth so that no bark be per/ said in many places and than cometh out a liquor thy● which they take in a vessel and put it to the son & dry it and when it is dry they do it unto the mill to grind and so is it fair meal and white/ and honey/ and wine: and venom are draw out of other trees in the same manner and do it in vessels to keep. In that I'll is a dead see/ that is a water that hath no ground/ and if any thing fall therein it shall never be found. beside that see groweth great cans and under their roots men find precious stones of great virtue. for he that beareth one of the stones upon him there may no iron dear him ne draw blood on him. and therefore they that have these stones fight full hardly for there may no quarrel/ ne such thing dear them: therefore they that know the manner of them they make their quarrels without iron and so they sle them And than is another I'll that men call Calonach that is a great land and a plentevous of gods. And the king of that land hath as many wives as he will. for he hath a thousand and more and lieth never by one of them but once. And that land hath a marvel that is in no other land. For all manner of fishes of the see cometh a time of the year every manner after other. and sayeth them near the land and on the land sometime and there they lie three days. and men of the land come thither & take of them what they will. and than go those fishes away ● and cometh another manner and lieth other three days and men take of them. And thus doth every manner of fishes till all have be there: and men have taken of everychone what they will. And me● 〈◊〉 not the cause why it is. But they say there. th●● 〈◊〉 fish co/ me so t●eder to do worship to their king. for as the most worthy king of ●he world for he hath so many wives. and getteth so many children of them. ¶ And than is another I'll that men call Gaffolo●. Men of this I'll when there friends are seek that they trow that they shall die they take & hang him up all quick on a tre● say it is better the birds that are angels of god eat them than worms of the earth from thence men go to an isle therethe men are of ill kind they noryssh hounds for to worow men & when their friends are sick that they hope they shall die/ they do those hounds strangle them for they will nat that they dykyndly death for than should they suffer to great pain as they say & when they are thus dead they eat their flesh for venison ¶ A fro thence men go through many Isles by see unto an isle that men call Melke there is full ill folk for they have none other delight but for to fight and slay men for they drink gladly man's blood which blood they call god. and he that may most slay is of most name among them. And if two men be at strife/ and they be made at one. them behoveth to drink either too other blood ● or else the accord is nought. from this isle men go to an isle that men call Tracota where all men are as beasts and not reasonable and they dwell in caves for they have no wit to make them houses. and they eat edders and they speak nat. but they make such a noise. had edders have one to another/ and they make no force of richesse/ but of a stone that hath forty colours/ and it is call●d Tracony● after that I'll. but they know na● the virtue ●●●of but they covet it for the great fairness Fro that 〈◊〉 go to an isle that men call Natumeran that is a great Isle and a fair/ and men/ and women of that country have hound hedes and they are reasonable and worship an Ox for their god and they go all naked but a little cloth before their privy membres they are good men to fight and they be●e a great targe/ with which they cover all the body and a spear in their hand/ and if they take any man in battle they send him to their king which is a great lord & devout in his faith. for he hath a bou●e his nek on a cord in ●. ꝑles great & orient in manner of Paternr of lambre & as we say Paternt & ave maria. right so the king saith each day in. c. prayers to his god before he eat/ & he beareth also about his nek a Ruby orient fine & good that is near a foot and v. fingers long For when they ●hese▪ ●ey● king/ they give too him that Ruby to bear in his hand/ and so they lead him riding about the city/ and therefore he beareth that Ruby all weigh about his neck. for if he bore nat the ruby/ they would no longer hold him king. and the great Chane of chatay hath moche coveted this Ruby. but he might never have it for war ne for other cattles. and this king is a full true and a rightwies man. for men may go safely/ & like●ly through his land and bear all that he will. for noman is so hardy to let him. And than is another I'll that men call Dodym. that is a great I'll. In this isle are many divers manner of men and have evil manners for the ●adereteth the son and the son the father/ the husband the wife the wife the husband. And if it so be that the ●ad●● be sick or the mother or any friend the son goeth as son● to the priest of the Law and pray him that he will ask of the idol if his father shall die of that syke●esse o● nat. And than the priest and the son kneel down before the idol devoutly and asketh him and he answereth to them ● and if he say that he shall live. than they keep him well▪ and if he say that he shall die than come the priest with the son or with the wife or wha● friend it be unto him that is seek and they say their hand over his mouth to stop his breath/ and so they sle him and than they smite ●ll the body in pieces. and do pray all his friends for to come and eat of him that is deed ● and they make a great fest thereof and have many minstrels there. ¶ And so when they have all e●en the flesh. Than they berry and grave the bones and all those that are of his friends that were nat there at the eating of him hath a great shame and villainy so th●● 〈◊〉 shall never more be holden as friends. And th● 〈◊〉 of this I'll is a great lord and mighty. and he hath under him 〈◊〉 yles and each of them hath a king. and in one of these yles are men that hath but one ●ye and that is in the mids of their front and they eat nat but flesh and fish raw. and in another yle dwell foul men that have no hedes: and their eyen are in their shoulders and their mouth is on their breast. And in another I'll are men that have no heed ne eyen and their mouth is behind in their shoulders And other men is there that have a plat face without nose. and eyen but they have two small holes in stead of eyen: and they have a plat mouth liples. In another I'll are foul men that have the lip above the mouth so great/ that when they sleep in the son they cover all their ●ace with the lip. In another I'll is folk that is both men and women and have membres of both for to engender with and when they will they use both on a time and the other another tyme. and they get children when they use the member of man. and they bear children when the use the member of woman. Many other manner of folk is in yles thereabout of whom/ it Were to long time to tell all. And for to pass forth men come into an isle that men are right small in. and they have a little hole in stead of the mouth. and they may nat eat/ but all that they shall eat or drink they take it through a pipe of a feather or such another thing.  
FOr to go fro this isle toward the see that is called ocean toward the est many iournes/ a man shall find a kingdom that is called Mancy/ and this in ynde the most & the jest & most delictable/ and of most plenty of all gods that is in power of man In this land dwell christian men and sarrasyns for it is a great land. therein is two thousand cytee● great & other many towns. In this land no man goth on begging for there is no poor man/ and the men have beards thin of here as it were cats. In this land are fair women and therefore some men call that land albany for the white folk. and there is a city that men call latorym and it is more than Paryse. In that city is a fair water bearing ships and in that land are birds twice so great as in any other place of the world and there is good cheap of vetayles and there is plenty of great neddies. of which they make great fest and eat them at great solemnytees▪ For if a man make a great fest and had given them all the meet that he might get and he give them no neddies he hath no thank for all that he doth. ¶ In this count●e are hens white and they bear no feathers/ but wool as sheep do in our land. and women of that count●e that are wedded bear crowns upon their hedes that they may be known by. In this country they take a vest that is called Loyrys and they ●en it to go into waters or vyners: and as soon he bringeth out of the water great fishes and thus take they fyssh as long as they will to that them needeth. from this city men go by many iournes ●a another great city that is called Cassay/ that is the most city of the world. and that city is l mile about & there is in that city more than xii. thosaund gates & each gate is a good to●●e where the keepers dwell to keep it again the great ●han for it marcheth on his land & on one side of the city runneth a great river. & there dwell crimson men & other many. for there is a good country 〈◊〉 plenteous/ and there groweth right good wine/ that men call bygon/ this is a noble city where the king of M●cy was wont to dwell. and there dwell religious men crys●en freres. and men go upon that river till they come to an abbey of monks a little fro the city and there in that abbey is a great garden and fair/ and therein is many manner of trees of diverse fruits. In that garden dwell many manner of beasts as baboynes/ apes/ marmosettes and other and when the covent hath eaten a monk taketh the relyf and do bear it into the garden and smiteth once with a clyket of silver which he hold in his hand. and soon after cometh out these beasts that I spoke of and other many near three thousand or iiii thousand and he giveth them to eat of fair veseels of silver/ and when they have eaten he smiteth the clyket again and they go again there they came from. And the monk saith that those bestis are souls of men that are dead and those beasts that are fair are souls of lords/ and other rich men/ & those that are ●oule beasts are souls of other commons. and I asked them if it had nat be better to give that relef to poor men and they said there is no poor man in that country. And if there were/ yet it were more alms to give it to those souls that suffer there their penance and may go no further to get their meet than to men that have wit and may travail for their meet. Than come men to a city that is called Chibens and there was the first siege of the king of Mancy. jy this city is lie. bridges of stone as fair as they may be.  
When men pass fro the city of Chybense they pa● over a great river of fresh water/ and it is near four mile broad. and than men enter into the land of the great Chan. This river goth thorough the land of pegmaus/ there men are of little stature for they are but three span long and they are right fair men give all they be little and they are wedded when they are half a year old/ and they live but viii. year and he that live viii. year is hold right old. These small men travail not but they have among them great men as we are to travail for them. & have great scorn of those great men as we would have of giants that were among us. Fro this land men go through many countries and cities and towns till they come to a city that men call Men●. In that city is a great Navy of ships/ and they are as white as snow of kind of the wood that they are made of and they are made as it were great houses with hal●es and chambers and other esementies. From thence men go upon a river that men call Ceromosan This river goeth through Chatay ● and doth many times harm when it wexeth great. Chatay is a fair country good and rich full of gods and merchandises thither come merchants every year for to fetch spices and other merchandises more commonly than they do in other countries. And ye shall understand that merchants that come fro venice or fro Geene or other places of lombary or roman/ they go by see and land. xi. months and more or they may come to Chatay. & toward the est is an old city in the province of Chatay and beside that city the Tartarynes have made another rite that men call Cadom that hath seven gates and ever between two gates is a great mile. so that those two cities the old and the new is about than xx. mile. In this city is the siege of the great chain in a full fair place and great of which the walls about it is two mile. and within that are many fair places/ and in the garden of that palace is a right great hill/ on the which is another palace and it is the fairest that may be found in any place. and all about that hill are many trees bearing divers fruits. and about that hill is a great dyche and there are near many rivers and vyners on each side. And in those are many wild fowls that he may take and go nat out of the palace. without the hall of that palace is xxiiii. pillars of gold and all the walls are covered with rich skins of beasts that men call panters Those are fair beasts and well smelling/ & of the smell of the skins none evil smell may come to the paleis those skins are as red as blood. and they shine so again the son that uneaths may men behold them. and men praise those skins as much as it were fine gold. In mids of that palace is a place made that they call the mountoure for the great chain that is made well with pricious stones and great pearls hanging about and at four corners of that mountour are four nedders of gold/ and under that mountour and above are condytes of beverage that they drink in the emperors court and the hall of that palace is richly dight/ and well. and first at the over end of the hall is the throne of the emperor right high where he sitteth at meet at a table that is well bordered with gold & that bordure is full of precious stones & great pearls and the greces on the which he go/ the up are of divers precious stones bordered with gold At the life side of his throne is the siege of his wife a degree lower than he sitteth and that is of jasper bordered with gold/ and the siege of his second wife is a degree lower than the first and that is also of good jasper bordered with gold. and the siege of the third wife is a degree lower than the second. for alway he hath three wives With him where so he is beside these wives on the s●me side sitteth other ladies on his kin eachone lower than other as they are of degree. And all those that are wed did have a counterfe●e of a man's foot upon their hedes a shaf●●on long and all made with precious stones. & above are they made with shining fedyrs of Pecok/ or such other in token that they are in subjection to man and under man's foot and they that are nat wedded have none such. And the right side of the emperor sitteth first his son that shallbe emperor after him/ and he sitteth also a degree lower than th'emperor in such manner of seges as the emperor sitteth/ and by him sitteth other lords of his kin eachone lower than other as they are of degree And the emperor hath his table by him one that is of gold and precious stones or of white crystal or yellow bordered with gold. and each one of his wives hath a table by herself and under the emperors table sitteth 〈◊〉. clerks at his feet that write all that the emperor saith be it good or ill. And at great festes above themperors table & all other tables In the hall is a vine made of fine gold that goth all about the hall & it hath many branches of grapes like to grapes of the vine. some are white some are yellow some red/ & some black. all the red are of rubies of cremas or alabaunce/ the white are of cry/ stall or byrall the yellow are of Topaces the green are of Emeralds & crysolitises ● & the black are of quyches & gerandes. & this vine is made thus of precious stones so properly that it seemeth as it were a vine growing. and before the board of the emperor standeth great lords & no man is so hardy to speak to him but if it be myn●●trellis for to solace the emperor. & all the vessel that is served in his hall or chambers are of precious stones and ●●mely at tables where great Lords et●. that is to say/ of jasper crystal ama●yst or fine gold/ & the cups are of Emeralds sapphires topaces pydoes/ & other many manner of stones/ of silver have they no vessel/ for they praise silver but little to make vessel of/ but they make of silver greces pylleris & pavements of halls/ & of chambers. And ye shall understand that my fellow & I was in favour with him xvi months again the king of Mancy of whom he made war/ & the cause was for we had so great desire to see the nobleye of his court if it were such as we heard speak of & forsooth we fond it more rich & more solemn than ever we herd speak of/ & we should never have trowed it had we nat seen it: but ye shall understand that meet & drink is more honest among us than in those countries/ for all the commons eat nat but flesh of all manner beasts/ & when they have all eat they wipe their hands on their skirtis & they eat but ones on the day/ & ye shall weet why he is called the great khan ye/ wit well that all the world was destroyed with no's flood but noe & his wife & his children Noah had in sons sem came & japhet saw his faders balockes naked when he slept and scorned it. and therefore was he cursed and japheth covered it again. These three brethren had all the land. Chamtook the best party estward. that is called as●y. Sem took africa. and japheth took Europe. Chamwas the mightiest and richest of his brethren and of him are cometh paen folk and divers manner of men of the isles some hedles and other men disfigured. & for this Cham the emperor there calleth him Cham and lord of all. but ye shall understand that the emperor of Chatay is called Chane and not cham. and for this skill it is nat yet viii. year gone that all Tartary was in subjection. and thrall to other nations about and they were made herdsmen to keep beasts and among them was seven lineages or kinds. the first was called Tartary. that is the bes●. The second lineage is called Tanghot. The third Eurace. the forth Valayre. the fift Seemeth. the vi. Menchi. the seventh Sobeth. These are all holding of the great chain of chatay. Now it befell so that in the first lineage was an old man and he was nat rich and men called him Changuys. This man lay and slept on a night in a bed and there came to him a knight all white sitting upon a white horse and said to him Chan slepes● thou god that is almighty sent me to thee/ and it is his will that thou say to the seven. lineages that thou shalt be their emperor for ye shall conquer all the lands that are about you & they shallbe in your subjection as ye have be in theirs & when morrow came he rose up & said to the seven. lineages & they scorned him & said he was a fool & the night after the same knight came to same lineage/ & bad them of god's behalf to make Changuys their emperor/ & they should be out of all subjection/ and on the morrow they chase changuys to emperor/ & did him all worship that they might do and called him Chane as the white knight called him. and they said they would do as he bade them ● and he made than many statutes and laws the which he called Isakan. and the first statute was that they should be obedient to god all mighty/ & trow that he should deliver them out of thraldom & that they should call on him in all their myster. Another statute was that all men that might bear arms should be numbered & to each x. should be a master. and a C. a master and to a thousand a master/ and than he commanded to all the greatest and pryncypallis of the seven lineages that they should forsake all that they had in heritage or lordship and that they should hold them paid of that he would give them of his grace and they did so. And also he bade them that each man should bring his eldest son before him and slay his own son with his own hands & smite of their hedes and as soon they did his bidding And when he saw they made no letting of that he bad they●● do. than bade he them follow his banner. and than he put in subjection all the lands about him. And it befell on a day that the chain road wtyh a few men to see the land that he had won/ and he met with a great multitude of his enemies and there was he cast down of his horse and his horse slain. and when his men saw him at the earth they trowed he had be dead and fled. and the enemies followed after/ and when he saw the enemies were far he hid him in a bush. for the wood was thick there and when they were come again from the chasse they went to seek among the wood if any were hid there ● and they fond many and as they came to the place there he was. they saw a bird sit upon a tree the which bird men call an owl and than said they that there/ was no man for that bird sat there and so went they away. and thus was the chain saved fro death/ and so he went away on a night to his own men which were fain of him. And fro that time hyderwardes men of that country have do great worship to that bird and therefore before all birds of the World they worship that manner of bud. and than he assembled all his men and road upon his enemies and destroyed them. and when he had Won all the lands that were about him he held them in subjection. And when the chain had Won all the lands to mount Belyan. the white knight came to him in a vision again and said unto him. Chane the will of god is that thou pass the mount Belyan/ & thou shal● win many lands and for that thou shalt find no passage. go thou to mount Belyan that is upon the see side and knele●y times thereon again the Est in the worship of god and he shall show the a weigh how thou shalt pass. and the chain did so. and as soon the see that couched to the hill withd●owe him and showed a fair weigh of nine foot broad between the hill/ and the See. and so passed the right well with all his men. and so he wan the land of chatay that is the most land & greatest of the world. and for those ix. kneelings and the ix. foot of weigh the chain and men of tartary have the number of ix. in great worship. & when he had won the land of Chatay he died/ and than reigned after Cythoco Chane his eldest son ● and his other brother went to win them lands in other countries. and they won the land of pruys and of russy. and they did call themself chain▪ but he of chatay is the great chain the greatest lord of all the world and so he calleth him in his letters and saith thus. Chan filius de● excelse universam terram colencium summus imꝑator et dominus dominancium. That is for to say Chane gods son emperor of all those that till all the land and lord of all lords. and the writing above his great seal is Deus in celo. Chan super terram enis fortitudo oim hoīm imꝑatoris sigillum. That is to say thus God in heaven. chan upon earth his strength. The seal of the emperor of all men/ and the writing a bout his privy seal is thus. Dei fortitudo omni hoīm imꝑatoris sigil/ lun. That is to say the strength of god seal of the emperor of all men. And all if it be so that they be nat christian: yet th'emperor & the tartaryns trow in god almighty  
Now have I told you why he is called the great chain. Now shall I tell you of the governing of his court when they make great festes & the principal four times in the year. the first feast is of his bearing. the second when he is borne to the temple to be circumcised. the third is of his idols when they begin to speak. & the forth when the idol beginneth first to do miracles & at those times he hath men well arrayed by thousands & by hundres & eachone wot well what he shall do for there is first ordained iiii. thousand rich barons/ and mighty for to ordain the fest and to serve the Emperor/ and all these barons have crowns of gold well dight with precious stones and pearls and they are clad in clothes of gold and camathas as richly as they may be made ● and they may well have such clothes for they are there of less price than woollen cloth is here. And these iiii. thousand barons are departed in iiii. parties & each company is clad in divers colour right richly. & when the first thousand is passed and hath showed them/ than come the second thousand/ and than the third/ and than the forth and none of them speaketh a word. And on o side of the emperor's table sitteth many philosophers of many sciences. some of astronomy nigromancy/ geometry/ pyromacy/ and other many sciences. and some have before them astrolabes of gold or of precious stones full of sand or of cools brenning. some have orlages well dight and richly and other many instruments ●●ter their sciences. & at a certain hour when they see time they say to men that stand before them make p●●s. & than say those men with a loud voys to all the hall ●owe be s●yll a while. and than saith one of the philosophers ●●he man make reverence and bow and lou●e to th'emperor that is god's son and lord of the world for now is time & hour. and than all men lout to him/ & kneel on the earth. and than biddeth the philosopher them rise up again. and at one other hour another philosopher bid them all put their singers in their ears and they do so. and at another hour biddeth another philosopher that all men shall lay their hand on their heed and they do so and than he biddeth them take away and they do so. & thus fro hour to hour they bid divers things: & I asked privily what this should mean. & one of the masters said that the louting and the kneeling on the earth at that time hath this token. that all those men that kneeled so shall evermore be true to themperor/ that for no gift/ ne heting they shall never be traitor's/ ne falls to him. And the putting of the finger in the ere hath this token. that none of those shall here none ill be spoken of them/ peroure or his counsel. And ye shall understand that men dight no thing/ clothes/ bred/ drink/ nor non such things to the emperor but at certain hours that the Philosophers tell/ and if any man raise war again that emperor in what country so it be/ these philosophers Woteit son and tell the emperor or his council and he sendeth men thither for he hath many men. And he hath many men to keep birds as garfaukons/ sparhawks/ faucons gentles/ lanners/ sacres/ popymayes that are speaking/ and other many ten thousand Olyfantes baboyns: marmosettis and other. and he hath many fie/ sycien●●f the which he hath. CC. of them that are christian men. and xx. sarrasyns but he trusteth more in christian men than in sarrasyns. and there is in the country many barons and other servants that are christian and converted to the good faith thorough preaching of good christian men that dwell there. but there are many that will nat that men weet that they are christian. And he is a full great lord for he may dispend what he will. and he hath in his chamber a pillar of gold in the which is a Ruby and a carbuncle of a foot long the which lyghtethe all the chamber upon night/ and he hath other many precious stones and rubeis: but this is the most. This Emperor dwelleth in the summer towards the north in a city that men call Sarduz and there is cold enough and in winter he dwelleth in a city that men call Camalach there is right hot land and there dwell he for the most party. And when this great chain shall ride from one country to another they ordain four ostes of folk. of which the first goth before a days journey. for that oft lieth at even where the Emperor shall lie on the morrow and there is plenty of vetayles. And another oft cometh at the right side of him and another at the life side and in each oft is many folk. and than cometh the forth oft behind him a bow draft. and there is mo● men than in any of the other. And ye shall understand that the emperor rideth on no horse but if he will wend to any place with prive main but he ●ydeth in a charette with four wheels. and thereupon is a chamber made of a tree that men call ligmin aloes that cometh out of para/ d●se terrestre and that chamber is covered with plates of fine gold and precious stones and pearls and four Olyfauntes and fou●e s●●des gone there in. And v. or vi great lords ridden about him so that none other men shall come near him but if the emperor call any. and that same manner with cha●iottes and such ostes rideth the Empress by another side and the emperors eldest son on the same array. and they have so many folks that it is a great marvel to see. And also the land of the great Chane is departed in twelve provinces. and each province hath more than two thousand kings. Also when the emperor rideth t●r●owe the country. and he passeth through cities and towns. each man maketh a fire before his house and casteth therein incense and other things that give good smell to the emperor/ and if m●● of religion that are christian dwell near as the emperor cometh they meet him with procession with a cross and holy water. and they sing Veni creator spiritus with a loude/ voice. And when he see them come he conwaundethe to the lords that ride near him to make weigh that the religious men may come to him. and when he see the cross de doth of his hat that is made of precious stones and great pearls. and that hat is so rich that marvel it is to tell. and than he lowteth to the cross. And the prelate of the religious men say orisons before him/ and give him the benison with the cross. and he lowteth to the benison full devoutly. and than the same prelate giveth him some froyte of the numbered of ix. in a plate of gold for the manner is such there that no strange man shall come before the emperor but he give him somewhat after the old law that saith. Nemo accedat in conspectu meo vanuis. That is to say. No man come in my sight to me. And than the emperor biddeth these religious men that they shall go forth so that men of his oft defoul them not. and those religious that dwell where th'empress or the emperors son cometh do in the same manner. for this great chain is the greatest lord of the world. for prester john is nat so great a lord as he. ne the sultan of Babylon ne the emperor of ꝑsy. In his land a man hath a C wives & some xl. some more some les & they take of their kin to wives all but their moders sons and dough●s & men & women have all o manner of clothing so that tehy may nat be know but the women that are wedded bear a token on their hedes & they dwell not with their husbands but he may lie by which that he will. They have plenty of all manner of beasts but swine. forthose Wol they non and they trow well in god that made all thing and yet have they idols of gold and silver/ and to these idols they offer the first milk of their beasts. And this empeperoure the great chain hath three wives. and the principal wife was prestyr john's daughter/ The folk of this country begin to do all their things in the new moan/ and they worship much the son and the moan and those men ride commonly without spurs and they hold it great sin to break a bone with another and to cast milk on the earth or any other liquor that men may drink. And the most sin that they may do is to piss in their houses there they dwell and he that pisseth in his house shallbe slain and of these sins they shrive them to their priests and for their penance they shall give silver & the place where men have pissed shallbe hallowed o● else may no man come there. and when they have do their penance. they shall pass thorough a fair fire or too to make them clean of their sins. and when they have eaten they wipe their hands on their skyrt●s for they have no bordclothes but it be right great lo●des & when they have all eaten they put their dishes or doublers. n●t washen in the pot or cauldron with the flesh that leveche when they have e●en unto they will eat another tyme. and rich men drink milk of meres/ or asses/ or other beasts and other beverage that is made of milk/ and water together for they have neither wine ne ale and when they go to war they were full wisely and each man of them beareth two bows or three. and many arrows and a great hachet/ and gentle men have short swords/ and he that fighteth in battle they sle him/ & they are ever in purpose to bring all lands in subjection to them for they say prophecies say that they shallbe over come by shot of archers and that they shall turn them to their law/ but they wot never what men they shall be & it is great peril to pursue the Tartaryns when they flee. for they wol shoot behind and slay men as well as before. and hold oil of Oil for a good medicine. and they have small eyen as little birds and they are commonly false for they hold nat ●hat they heat. And when a man shall die among them they st●ke a spear in the earth beside him: and when he draweth to the death/ they go out of the house till he be deed and than they put him in the earth in the field. And when the Emperor is dead they set him in a chair in mids of a tent. and they set before him a table with a cloth and flesh and other meet/ and a cup full of milk of a mere/ and they set a mere with a fool by him and an horse saddled and bridled/ and they lay upon the horse gold and silver: and all about him they make a great grave/ and put him in. And tent to all other things they put in the earth together/ and they say when he cometh into another world he shall nat be without an house ne horse ne silver and the mere shall give him milk and bring forth more horse till he be well stored in the other world/ for they trow that when they are dead they shall go into another world & eat & drink and have solace with their wives as they have here. ¶ And when that he is laid in the earth no man shall be so hardy for to speak of him before his friends. And than when the emperor is deed the vii lineages geder them together: and they touch his son or the next of his blood/ and they say thus we will and we ordain and we pray that thou bo our lord and our emperor and he inquireth if ye will that I regne upon you echo ne will do that I bid him. And if he bid that any be slain he shallbe slain. And they answer all with one voice/ all that ye bid shallbe done. Than saith the emperor fro now forth my word shallbe shearing as my sword. and than they set him in a chair and crowned him. and than all the good towns sent him presents so that he shall have more than a cart full of gold●● silver and other many juellies that he shall have o● lords of precious stones and gold without noumbr●●●d horse/ and rich clothes of camacas and tartaryn● 〈◊〉 such o/ ther. This land of Chatay in assy the deep. and the land of chatay marcheth toward the west upon the kingdom of Se●●y the which was sometime to one of the three kings that went to seek our lord in Betheleem These men of Ta●tary drink no wine. In the land of Cor●saym that is at the north side of chatay is right great plenty of good but no wy●e. the which hath at the east side a great wilderness that lasteth more than a hundred journeys and the best city of that land is called Corosaym. and thereafter is the land so called Men of this land are good warreour● and ha●dy. And thereby is the kingdom of Comayn. This is the most and the greatest king/ dom of the world/ but it is nat all inhabit. for in one place of that land is so great cold that no man may dwell therefore cold▪ and in another place is so great heat that no man may dwell there. and there are so many faith/ ghes that a man wot nat on what side he may turn him In this land are but few trees bearing fruit. In this land men lie in tents and they bren dung of beasts/ for default of wood. This land descendeth towards Pruyse and rosy. and through this land runneth the river Echel that is one of the greatest rivers of the world and it is frozen so hard each year that men fight thereon in great battles on horse. and foot men more than an hundred thousand at ones. And a little fro that river is the great see of occian that they call Maure. And between this Maure and the Caspy is a full strait passage too go toward ynde and therefore king alysaunder did make there a city that men call alysaundre to keep that pas/ sage so that no man may pass but if he have leave. And now is that city called Port de fear. and the principal city of Comayn is called Sarachys. this is one of three ways to go into ynde but through this way may nat many men go but if it be in winter. And this passage is called Berbent. and another weigh is for to go from the land of turkeston thoro●●●sy/ and in this weigh are many iournes in wilderness and the third way is that cometh fro Cosmane and that goth thorough the great city and thorough the kingdom of abachare. And ye shall understand that all these kingdoms and lands unto ꝑsy are holden of the great chain of chatay and many other & therefore he is full great lord of men and of lands.  
Now have I devised you the lands toward the north to come fro the lands of chatay to the lands of Pruys and Rosy where christian men dwell. Now shall I devise to you other lands and kingdoms in coming down fro Chatay to the greeks see where christian men dwell. And for as much as next the great chain of chatay the emperor of ꝑcy is the greatest lord. therefore I shall first speak of him and ye shall understand that he hath two kingdoms the one beginneth eastward and the kingdom of Turkescon and it lesteth westward to the see of Caspy. and southward to the land of ynde and this land is good and plain and well manned good cities. but two most principal of the cities are called Bacirida and Sorinaguiit. The other kingdom of pcy lasteth fro the river of Physon unto the great Ermony and Northward unto the see of Caspy and southward to the land of ynde. and this is a full plenteous country/ and good. and in this city is three principal cities. Nessabor Saphan and Sarmasse. & than is the land of Ermony in which was sometime three kingdoms/ This is a good land and plenteous and it beginneth at pcy and lasteth westward to Turkey of length and in breed it lasteth fro the city of alysaundre that now is called Port de fea● unto the land of Myddy. In this Ermony are many fair cities but Canryssy is most of name. Than is the land of Myddy that is full long but na● broad. that beginneth eastward at the land of ꝑcy and ind the less and lasteth westward to the kingdom of Chaldee and Northward to little Ermony. In this Myddy are many great hills and lytel plain and there dwell Sarrasyns and another manner of men that men call Cordynz and karmen. Than is next the kingdom of George that beginneth eastward at a great hill that men call Abior. this land lasteth fro Turkey to the great see and the land of myddy and the great Armony. and in this land are two kings one of Abeaz/ and another of George/ but he of george is in subjection to the great chan but the abeacaz hath a strong country & defendeth him well again his enemies. And in this land of abcaz is a great marvel for there is a country in that land that is near three days journey long and about/ & it is called hamfon. and that country is all covered with myrkenes so that it hath no light that no man may see there. and no man dare go into that country for the myrkenes. and nevertheless men of the country thereby say that they may sometime here therein the voice of men and horse whining and cocks crow and they wot well that men dwell there but they wot nat what manner of men. & they say this myrkenesse cometh through miracle of god that he did for christian men there. For there was a wicked emperor that was of Poy. and he was called Saures and he pursued sometime all christian men to destroy/ and did them make sacrifice to his false gods and in that country dwelled many christian men/ the which left all their gods and cattles and riches and would go into grece and when they were all in a great plain that men call Megon th'emperor & his men came for to slay these christian men/ and than the christian men all set them on their knees/ & prayed to god. & as soon came a thick cloud/ & overlapped the emperor & all his oft/ so that he might nat go away & so dwell they in myrkenes/ & they came out never sith & the cristommen went where they would & therefore they might say thus. A dno factum est istud & est mirabile in oculis 〈◊〉 That is to say of our lord is this done & it is wonderful in our eyen. Also out of this murk land cometh a river that men may see by good token the men dwell therein. Than next is this land of Turkey that marcheth to great armony. and therein are many countries as capadoce saure Bryke/ quesition/ Pytan/ and geneth/ In each one of these are many good cities/ and it is a plain land/ and few hills/ and few rivers. and than is the king of Messopotayne that beginneth eastward at Flom of Tiger at a city that men call Mosel. & it lasteth westward to the floin of Eufraten to a city that men call Rochayz & westward fro high Ermony unto the wyldr●es of ynde the less & it is a good land ● a plain/ but there is few rivers and there is but two hills in that land. the one is called Symar & the other lyson and it marcheth to the land of Called. And ye shall wete that the land ethiop marcheth eastward to the great wilderness westward to the land of Nuby southward to the land of Maritane & northward to the red se & than is marytane that lasteth fro the hills of Ethiope unto lyby the high & the low that lasteth to the great se of spain.  
Now have I sa●de & spoken of many on this side of the great kingdom of Chatay of Whom many are obeisant to the great chain. Now shall I say of some lands & countries & Isle's that are beyond the land of chatay. who so goth fro chatay to ind the high & the low he shall go through a kingdom that men call caldishe that is a great land/ there groweth a manner of fruit as it were gourds. and when it is ripe men shear asunder and they find therein a best as it were of flesh of bone and blood as it were a little lamb without wool and men eat the best and the fruit also & that is a great marvel. Nevertheless I said them that I held that for no marvel. For I said in my country are trees that bear fruit that become birds fleeing & they are good to eat and that that falleth in waterlyveth and that that falleth on the earth dieth & they had great marvel of this. In this land and many other about there are trees that bear clowes and nutmegs and canel and many other spices & there are wines that beer so great grapes that a strong man shall have enough to do to bear a cluster of the grapes. In that same land are the hills of Caspe that men call Uber. & among those hills that are there/ the jews of the x. kinds enclosed that men call Gog & magog and they may nat come out on no side. There was enclosed xxii. kings with their folk that dwelled before between the hills of Syche and the king alysaunder chased them thither among those hills for he trowed to have enclosed them there thorough working of men but he might nat. but when he saw that he might nat/ he prayed to god that he would fulfil that he had begun/ & god heard his prayer & enclosed the hills together so that the jews dwell there as they were locked in/ & there is hills all about them. but at one side & there is see of gaspy. And some men might ask. there is a see on one side/ Why go they nat out there. for thereto answer I that all if it be called a see. It is no see/ but a strange standing among hills/ and it is the greatest strange of all the world. And if they went over the see they wot nat where forto arrive. for they can no speech but their own. and ye shall understand that the jews have no law of their own law in all the world. but they that dwell in these hills/ & yet they pay tribute for their land to the queen of armony. And sometime it is so that some of the jews go over the hills but many men may nat pass there samen for the hills are so great and so high. Nevertheless men say in that country there by that in the time of antichrist they shall do moche harm to christian men. And therefore all the jews that dwell in diverse parties of the world lere for to speak Hebrew for they that the jews that dwell among the hills beforesaid shall come out of the hills and they speak all ebrewe and not else. and than shall these jews speak ebrewe to them and lead them into christendom for to destroy christian men. For these jews say they Wot by their prophecies that those jews that are among those hills of Caspy shall come out & crys●●n men shallbe in their subjection as they be under christian men. & if ye will w●te how they shall find the passage out as I have understand I shall tell you. In time of an 〈◊〉 a fox s●all make his de● in the same place where king alysaundre did make the gates and he shall so in their earth and pierce it thorough unto that he come among the jews. And when they see this fox they shall have great marvel of him for they saw never such best. for other bes●es have they among them many. and they shall cease this fox & pursue him unto that he be fled again into his hole that he came fro. and than shall they grave after as he went unto they come to the gates that Alysaundre did make of great stones well dight with symont. and they shall break these gates and so shall they find the issue. From this land men shall go unto the land of Bakary where are many wicked men and fell. In that land are trees that bear will as is it were sheep of which they make cloth. In this land are many Ipotaynes that dwell sometime on land/ sometime on water and are half man and half horse & they eat nat but men when they may get them. In this land are many griffons more than in another place. and some say they have the body before as an eagle/ and behind as a lion. And they say sooth. for they are made so/ but the griffon hath a body greater than viii. lions and greater and stalworthyer than an hundred eagles. For certainly he will bear to his nest flying an horse and a man upon his back or two oxen yocked samen as they go at plough for he ha/ the long nails on his feet and great as it were horns of oxen and of those they make cups there to drink of and of his rib they make bows to shoot  
FRo this land of Bakary men go thorough many journeys to the land of Prester john that is a great emperor of ynde and men call his land/ the isle of Pantoxore. This emperor Prester john holdeth great lands and many and good cities/ & good towns in his his kingdom many great Isles and large. For this land of ynde is all departed in Isles because of great floods that come out of paradise. and also in the see are many great Iles. The best city that is in the I'll of Pentoxore is called Nyse for that is a noble city and rich. Prester john hath under him many kings. and many divers folk/ and his land is good and rich but not so rich as the land of the great chain. for merchants come nat so much thither as they do into the land of the great chan for it is so long weigh. And also they find in the isle of Chatey all that they have mister of/ as spicery clothes of gold and other richesse. And all if they might have better cheap in the land of prester john nevertheless they let for the long weigh and great per/ yllis in the see. for there is many places in the see where are great roches of a stone that is called adamonde. the which of his own kind draweth to him iron and for as much that there should pass no ship that had nails of iron. for it should draw it to him. therefore they dare nat wend into that country with ships for dread of adamandes. I went once in that se and saw as long as it had been a great isle of trees & stocks/ and branches. growing/ and the shipman said that those was of great ships that were dwelling there thorough virtue of the adamandes and of things that were in the ships were those trees sprungen and waxed.  
¶ And such roches are in many places in that see. and therefore dare no shipmen pass that weigh. and another also they dread the long weigh. and therefore they wend too Chatay that is near unto them. and yet is it nat so near that them behoveth fro venice or fro Geene be in see toward Chatay xi. or xii. months.  
The land of Prester john is long/ and merchants pass thither through the land of Persy and come unto a city that men call Ermes. for a Philosopher that men called Ermes founded it/ and they pass an arm of the see and cometh to another city that men call Saboth and there find they all merchandises and popinjays as great plenty as larks in our country. In this country is little wheat or barley. and therefore they eat rise & milk and cheese and other fruits. This emperor prester john weddeth commonly the daughter of the great chain. And the great khan his daughter. In the land of prester▪ john is many divers things/ and many precious stones so great and so large that they make of them vessel/ platters' and cups/ and many other things/ of which it were to long to tell: but somewhat of his law and of his faith shall I tell you. This emperor prester john is christian and great party of his land. Also but they have nat all the articles of our faith but they trow well in the father and the son and the holy ghost. and they are full devout and true one to another. and they make no force of cattles. and he hath under him lxxii. provinces. and countries and in each one is a king/ and those kings have other kings under them. and in this land are many marvels. For in that land is the gravelly see that is of sand and of gravel & no drop of Water. and it ebbeth and floweth with right great wawes/ as another see doth/ and it is never still ne never in rest and no man may pass that land beyond it. And all if it so be that there be no water in that see. yet men may find fish right good and of other fasyon and shape/ than is in any other sees. and also they are of full good savour/ and sweet and good to eat. And at three iournes from that see are great hills thorough which cometh a great flood that cometh fro paradise and it is full of precious stones and no drop of water and it runneth with great wawes into the gravelly see. And this flodethre days runneth so fast and steereth great stones of the roches with him that make moche noise. & as soon they come into the gravelly see they are no more seen. & in those three days when ●●renneth thus noman dare come in it. but the other daye● men may go therein where they will: and also beyond that flood toward the wilderness is a great plain all sondy and gravelly among hills/ and in that plain grow trees that at the rising of the son each day begin to grow and so grow they to midday. and bein flutes but no man dare eat of the fruit for it is a manner of iron and after midday i● turneth again into the earth. so that when the son goth down it is no thing seen: And so doth it every day. and there is in that wilderness many wild men with horns on their hedes/ and right hideous and they speak n●t but grunt as swine. And in that country are many popymayes that they call in their language pysta● and they speak through their own kind as aptly as a man. and those that speak well have long tongues and large & on every foot five tose. there are some that hath but three tose. and though same speak nought or very little  
¶ This emperor Prester john when he goeth to battle he hath no banner borne before him but he hath borne before him in. crosses of fine gold & those are great and large and well dight with precious stones and for to keep each a cross is ordained a thousand men of arms and more than an hundred thousand on foot in manner as men keep a standard in battle in other places and he hath men withouten ●oumbre when he goth to any battle again any other lord. And when he hath no battle but rideth with privy company▪ than doth he bear before him but a cross of tree nat painted and without gold and precious stones & all plain in token that our lord jesus cryst suffered death on a cross of tree. And also he hath borne before him a plate of gold full of earth in token that ●is lordship and nobleye shall turn to nought & his flesh shall turn to earth. And there before him also another v●ssell full of jewels and gold and precious stones in token of nobleye & his might. And he dwell commonly at the city of Suse/ and there is his principal palaces that is so rich that marvel is to tell. and above the principal tour of the palaces are two pomelles of gold all round. and each one of those hath two Carbuncles great and large that shine right clear on the night. And the principal gates of this palaces are of precious stones that men call Sardyn. and the borders of the bars are of evory. and the windows of the hall and chambers are of crystal. And tables that they eat of some are of emeralds some are of mastic/ some of gold and precious stones & the pillars that bear the tables are of such stones also and the greases on the which the emperor goth to his see/ where he setteth at meet one is of mas●y● andother of cystall/ another of jasby green. another of dyasꝑ. another of sardyn. another of Corinlyn. another of Sempton. And that he setteth upon his foot is of crysolites and all these gr●ses are bordured with fine gold & well dight with great pearls & other precious stones/ and the sides of his siege are emeralds bordered with gold & with precious stones. the pillars in his chamber are of fine gold with many carbuncles & other such stones that give great light on the night. & all if the charbuncles give great light. Nevertheless there brenneth each night xii. great vessels of crystal full of bame to give good smell/ & to drive away wicked eyre. The form of his bed is all of sapphire well bound with gold to make him to sleep well & for to stroy lechery. for he will nat lie by his wives but thrice in the year after the sesons & all only for getting of children And he hath also a fair palaces at the city of Nyse where he dwelleth when he will but the eyre there is nat so well tempered as it is at the city of Suse. & he hath each day in his court more than thirty. thousand men without comers ● goers. but thirty. thousand there. And in the country of the great chain spend nat so much as xii. thousand in our country. he hath evermore seven. kings in his court to serve him▪ & eachone of they●● serveth a month. & with these kings serve alway. lxxii. dukes & ccc. earls/ & each day they eat in his court xii. archbishops & xx. bishops The patriarch of saint Thomas is as he were a pope. and archbishops and bishops/ and abbots all are kings in that country. And some of the lords is master of the hall. some of the chamber. some steward. & some marshal: & some other officers & therefore he his full richly served. & his land lasteth in breed four months journey and it is of length without measure In this isle of of prester john is great plenty of gods & moche riches & many precious stones In that land was a rich man nat long sith that men called there Catolonabes/ he was full rich and he had a fair castle in an hill & strong and he had made a wall all about the hill right strong and fair within that he had a fair garden wherein were many trees bearing all manner of fruits that he might find/ & he did plant therein all manner of erbes of good smell and that bare flowers. and there was many fair wells/ and by them was made many fair halls and chambers dight with gold & azure & he had made there divers stories & beasts & birds that song & turned by engine & orbage as they had be all quick/ & he had in his garden that he might find to make a man solace/ & comfort. & he had also there in that garden maidens within the age of xv. year the foyrest he might find. & men children of the same age. and they were clad with clothes/ of gold and he said that though same were aungellis and he had do made three hills fair and good all enclosed about with precious stones of jaspy and crystal & well bound with gold and pearls/ and other manner of stones. and he had made a conduit under the earth so that when he would the walls ran sometime with milk. sometime with wine sometime with honey. & this place is called Paradyse. ¶ And when any young bachel●re of the country knight/ or squire cometh to him for solace and disport. he leadeth him into his Paradyse and show unto him all these divers things/ and diverse songs of birds and also of his damoiselles/ and his wells. and he did strike divers instruments of music in an high ●oure that might be seen and said those were angels of god and that place was paradise that god hath granted to those that beloved when he said. ¶ Dabo vobis teriam fluentemla● et mel. That is to say I shall give you land flowing milk and honey. And than this rich man did these men drink a manner of drink of which they were drunken and he said to them if they would die for his sake that when they were deed they should come into his paradise. and they should be of the age of those maidens and should dwell alway with them and he should put them in a fair paradise where they should see god in his joy and in his majesty/ and than they granted to do all that he would and ●han he bad them go and slay such a lord or a man of the country that he was wroth with. and that they should have no dread of no man. and if they were slain themself for his sake he should put them in his paradise when they we/ ●● deed. and so went these bachelors to slay great lords. of the count●e. and were slain themself in hope to have that paradise. and thus he venged of his enemies through his desert. and when rich men of the country pseyved this malice and cautel and the wile of this Catolonabes they gathered them together & assailed the Castle and slow him and destroyed all his gods and his fair places and ●●chesse that were in his Paradyse the place of the walls is there yet & some other things. but richesse is nat there. and it is nat long sith he was destroyed. A little fro that place on the lyf●e side beside the river of Physon is a great marvel. There is a vale between two hills that four mile is long. some call it the valley Enchanted: some the valley of devils. some the valley ꝑylous and in that valley are many tempests and great noise & hideous every day and night. and sometime as it were a noise of Tabu●nes of nakers and of trumpets as it were at a great fest. This valley is all full of devils and hath been alway and men say there that it is an entry to hell. In this valley is moche gold & silver. wherefore many christian men and other go thither for covetise to have of that gold/ and silver. but few of them come out again for they are as soon strangled of devils. and in middle of that vale upon a Roche is a visage and the heed of a fiend bodily right hideous in dreadful to se. and there is no thing seen but the heed. to the shoulders. but there is no man cr●sten in the world ne other so hardy that he ne should have great dread for to behold it/ for he beholdeth each man so sharply and so felly. and his eyen are so stirring & so sprenkeling as fire and he changeth so oft his countenance that no man dare come near for all the world and out of his mouth and his nose cometh great plenty of fire of diverse colours. and sometime is the fire so stinking that no man may suffer it. but alway a good christian man and that is stable in the faith may go therein without harm if they shrive them well and bliss them with the token of the cross than shall the devils have no power of them. And ye shall understand that when my fellows and I were in that valley we had full great thought if we should put our bodies in adventure to go thorough it/ and some of my fellows accorded thereto. and some would nat accord thereto. and there was in our company two freres minors of lombary & they said if any of us would go in they would go also. and when they had said so/ upon trust on them we said that we would go. & we ●yd sing a mess and we were shriven and houseled & we went in xiiii. and when we came out we were but x. and we wise nat whether our fellows were lost there or they ●urned again but we saw no more of them other of our fellows that w●ld nat go with us in went about by another weigh for to be before us & so they were and we went through the Valley and saw there many marvelous things/ gold▪ silver/ and precious stones & jewels great plenty on many sides as us thought 〈◊〉 it was as it seemed I wot nat for I touched them n●●. for the devils are so subtle and quaint that make many ●ymes a thing to seem that it is nat for to descey●● men. & therefore ● would touch no thing for dread of 〈◊〉 that I saw in many likenesses what of dead 〈◊〉 that I saw lie in the valley/ but I dare nat say ● th●y were nat all bodies but they seemed bodies thorough making of devils. and we were oft casten down to the earth through wend and thunder and tempests/ but god helped us alway and so passed we thorough that valley without peril and harm thanked be god almighty that us kept well. And beyond that valley is a great Isle Where folk are as great as g●auntes of xxviii. foot or thirty. foot long. and they have no clothing but beasts skins that hang on them and they eat no breed but flesh raw and drink milk and they have no houses & they eat gladlier flesh of men than of other. & men said us that beyond that isle is one isle where are greater giants as of xlv. or l. foot long. & some say of l. cubits long but I saw nat them. & among those giants are great sheep as it were young oxen & they bear great wol these sheep have I seen many times. Another isle is there occian in the see where are many ill & fell women & they have precious stones in theiriyens. & they have such kind that if they behold any man With wretch they sle them of the beholding as the baselyk doth. another I'll is there of fair folk & good where the custom is such that the first night that they are wedded they take a certain man that is ordained therefore. & do him lie by their wives to have their maidenhead/ & they give him great reward for his travail/ & those men are called gadlibirie●. for men of that country hold it a great thing to make a woman no maydon & if it be so that the husband find her a maydon the night after. for peradventure he that lay by her was drunken or for any other skill the husband shall plain of 〈◊〉 to the law that he hath nat do his devour ● & he shall grievously be punished & chastised/ but after the first night they keep their wives well that they speak nat with those men & I asked what was the cause why they had tha● custom & they said sometime men lay with their wives first & none other. & their wives had edders in their bodies and stonged their husband on their yard & their bodies ● so was many man slain.  
¶ And therefore had they that custom to let other men have their m●ydenhede for dread of the dathe And thus they suffer them to assay the passage or they put them unto adventure.  
¶ Another is there where women make moche sorrow when their children are borne. and when they are deed they make great joy and cast them in a great fire & brenne them. and they that love well their husbands when they are deed they cast them in a fire to burn also. for they say that fire shall make them clean of all filth & vices and they shallbe clean in another world. and the cause why they w●pe and make sorrow when their children are bo●ne. and that they make joy at their death. they say a child when he is borne he cometh into this world for to travail and sorrow and heaviness. and when they are deed they go to paradise where rivers are of milk and honey. and there is life and joy and plente of gods without travail and sorrow. In this isle they make they● kings by choosing. and they cheese him nat for hi●●ych●sse 〈◊〉 his no●ley but him that is of good conditions and most rightwies and true that jugethe each man truly little and moche after their trespass. And the king may judge no man to death without counsel of his barons and that all they assent. And if so be that the king do a great trespass as slay a man or such other ●e shallbe deed▪ but he shallbe slain. but they shall defend & forbid that no man be so hardy to make him company ne to speak with him ne give him meet ne drink and thus he shall die. they spare no man that hath done trespass for love n● for lordship ne ●ychesse nor nobleye that men do him right after that he hath done. And there is another I'll where is great plenty of folk. and they eat never flesh of hares ne of ●ennes: ne of goose/ but yet there is many of them but they eat gladly flesh of all other beasts and they drink milk. In this country they wed their daughters and other of their kin as them liketh. and if there be ten or twelve men in an house echon of their wives shallbe common to other. And a night shall one have one of the wives and another night another/ and if she have any child. she may give to which of them she will. so that no man wot if it be his or nat. In this land and many other places of ynde are many Cokadrilles that is a manner of a long nedder and a nights they dwell on water/ and on days they dwell on land and roches and they eat nat in winter. This nedder slay men and eateth them gretande and they have no tongue. In this country and many other men cast seed of cotton and sow it each year and it groweth as it were small trees that be/ re cotton. In araby is many birds/ and some men call Gyrsantis that is a full fair best that is higher than a great courser or a stead/ but his neck is near xx. cubits long. and his croupe and his tail is like to an heart/ & he may look over an high house. and there is many chameleons that is a little best and he eateth/ and drinketh never and he changeth oft his colour. for sometime he is of one colour and sometime of another. and he may change him into all colours that he will but black & reed. There are many wild swine of many colours/ & as great as oxen. and they are spotted as it were small fawns and there are lions all white. and there be other ●estes as great as great steeds that men call Lonhorans and some men call them Tontes and their heed is black/ and three long horns in his front as cutting as a sharp sword. and he chaseth and will slay the Olyfaunte. and there is many other manner of beasts of whom it wer̄●o long to write. and there is another I'll good & great and plenteous where are good men and true and of good life after their faith. and if all they be nat christian. nevertheless of kind they are full of good virtues/ and they slay all vices and all sin and malice for they are nat envious ne proud ne covetous ne lecherous ne gluttonous/ and they do nat unto another man but that they would he did do them/ and they fulfil the x. commandments// and they make no force of richesse/ ne of having. and they swe●e nat but say nay/ and ye. for they say he that sweareth he will deceive his neighbour. and some men call this the isle of Bragamen and some call it the land of faith and through it runneth a great river that men call Thebes. and generally all men in those I/ l●s and other thereby are truer and rightwyser than are in other countries. In this isle are no thieves ne murderers ne common women ne beggars. and for as much they are so true and so good that there is no tempest ne thunder ne war ne hunger ne other tribulations. and thus seemeth well that god loveth them well and is well paid of their troth and their deeds and they trow in god that made all thing and him worship they and they lie/ ne so ordinately in meet and drink that they live right long and many of them die without sickness the kind faileth them for age. And king alysaunder sometime sent his men to win that land. and they sent him letters that said thus. What behooveth a man to have all the world may n●t suffice thou shalt find no thing in us why thou shouldest warray us for we have no riches. ne treasure. and all the gods and cattles of our country are common. our meats that we eat are our richesse. And in stead of treasure of gold and silver we make our treasure peace and accord of love. and nought have we but a cloth upon our bodies. our wives are nat arrayed richly to pleasing. for we hold it a great folly a man to dight his body to make it seem fairer than god made it. we have be evermore in peace till now that thou wilt disherit us. We have a king among us not for to law ne dame no man. for there is no trespassoure among us but all only to lere us to be obedient to him and so may thou nought take fro us but our good peace. And when alysaunder saw this Letter. him thought thus that he should do to much harm if he troubled them. and sent to them that they should keep well their good manners/ & have no dread of him. Another I'll is there that is called Synople where also are good folk and true/ and full of good faiths/ and they are much like in lyvygge to men before said and they go all naked. and into that I'll came king alysaunder. and when he saw their good faith and truth he said he should do them no harm and bad them ask of him richesse and nought else and they should have.  
And they answered that they had riches enough when they had meet and drink to sustain their bodies and they said richesse of this world is nought worth but if it were so that he might grant them that they should never die that would they pray him. & alysaunder said that might he nat do for he was deadly & should die as they should Than said they why art thou so proud & would win all the world and have in thy subjection as it were a god and thou hast no term of thy life/ and thou wilt have all richesse of the world the which shall forsake the ● or thou forsake it and thou shalt bear no thing with the. but it shall dwell to other but as thou was borne naked: so shalt thou be done in earth. And alysaunder was greatly astonied of this answer. and if it be so that they have nat the articles of our faith. Nevertheless I trow that god loveth them well and their good intention and that he taketh their service to 'gree as he did of job that was a pain the which he held for his true servant/ & many other. I trow well that god loveth Well all those that love him and serve him mek●ly and truly and that despise the vain glory of the world as these men do and as job did. and therefore said our lord thorough the mouth of Isay the prophet thus. Ponam eis multiplices leges meas. That is to say I shall put to them my laws in many manners. ● the gospel saith thus. Alias o●e● ha●●●o que non sunt ex hoc outli. That is to say. I have other sheep that are nat of this fold and thereto accordeth the anysion that saint Peter saw at Jaffa how the angel ●am fro heaven and brought with him of all manner of beasts and nedders and fowls in all manner. and said to saint peter Take and eat ● and saint Peter answered. I eat never of beasts unclean/ and the angel said to him. Non dicas immunda que deus mundavit. That is to say Call thou nat those things unclean that god hath cleansed. this was done in token that men should nat have many men in despite for their divers laws▪ for we wot never whom god loveth. and whom god hateth. And there is another I'll that men call Pytan. Men of this land till no land for they eat nought. and they are small men but not so small as pegmanes. These men live with smell of wild apples. And when they go far out of the country they bear apples with them. for as soon they lose the savour of apples they die/ they are nat full reasonable/ but as it were beasts. And than is there another I'll where the folk are all feathers▪ but the face and the pames of their hands. These men go as well above the see as on the land and they eat flesh and fish all ●awe. ¶ In this isle is a great river that is two mile broad & half that men call Renemar. and beyond that river is great wilderness as men that have be there say. In such wilderness as men say, are the trees of the son and the moan that spoke to king alysander and told him of his death & men say that folk that keep these trees and eat of the fru●● of them. they life CCCC. or five hundred year through virtue of the fruit. and we would gladly have go hither. but I trow that an hundred thousand men of irmes should nat pass the wilderness for great plenty of wild bes●es as dragons and edders that sle men when they have any. In this land is many Olyfauntes all white and blue without number and unicorns and lions of many manners. Many other yles are in the land of Prester john that were to long to tell and much ry/ chess and nobleye of precious stones in great plenty. I trow that we have herd say whies thy Emperor is called Prester john. but for those that wot nat I shall say. ¶ There was sometime an Emperor that was a noble prince and doughty ● and he had many christian knights with him. and the emperor thought he would see the manner of service in christian churches/ & than was churches of christendom in turkey surry and tartary jerusalem Palestyn araby harap and all the lands of egypt And this emperor came with a christian knight into a church of egypt & it was on a Satu●day after whitsunday when the bishop made orders and he beheld to the service and he asked of the knight what folk those should be that stood before the bishop and the knight said they should be priests. and he said he would no more be called king ne emperor but priest and he would have the name of him that came first out of the priests ● & he was call●d john and so have all th'emperors sithen be cal/led prest●e john. In that land are many christian men of good faith and good law ● and they have priests to sing mess and they make the sacrament as men of grece do but they say nat so many things as our priests do so they say not but that the apostles said as saint Peter ● saint Thomas and other apostles when they sang m●sse and said Pater noster. And the words with the which God's body is sacred. we have many additions of pope's that have been ordained of which men of thos●●●untrees know nat.  
¶ Toward the Est side of the land of prester john is ●n I'll that men call Tabrobane that is right good and farmhouse. and there is a great king and a rich and he is obedient unto prester john ● and that king is alway made by choosing. ¶ In this isle are two winters and two summer's: and they shear corn twyes in the year. And all times in the year are gardens flourished. There dwell good folk and reasonable and many christian folk among them that are full rich. and the water between the land of prestre john and this isle is nat full deep for men may see the ground in many places. & there are more eastward two other Iles. the one is called Or●ell and the other Argete of whom all the land is mine of gold and silver. In those Isles may men see no stars clear shining. but one star that is called Canapos And there may nat men see the moan but in the last quar/ ter. In that I'll is a great hill of gold that pismires keep and they do the ●yne gold from the other that is nat fine gold and the pismires are as great as hounds so that no man dare come there for dread of pismires that should assail them so that men may nat work in that gold ne get thereof but quaintise/ and therefore when it i● right hot the pyssmy●es hide them in the earth from ●nderne to none of the day. And than men of the country ●ake camels and dromaderyes and other beasts/ & go thither and charge them With gold and go away fast or the pismires come out of the earth. And other times when it is nat so hot that the pissmyres hide them nat they take meres that have fools. and they lay upon these Meres too vessels as it were two small barelis tome and the mouth upwards and drive them thither/ and holden their fools at home.  
And when the pismires seen these vessels. for they have of kind to leave no thing to me. They fill these vessels of gold. and when men trow that the vessels are full they take the fools and bring them as near as they dare and they whine and the meres here them and as soon they come to their fools. and so men take the gold so than for these pyssemyres will suffer beasts to go among them but no men. Beyond the Isles of the land of Prester john and his lordship of wilderness to go rightest men shall nat find but hills great roches and other murk land where no man may see on day ne on night as men of the country say. and this wilderness and murk land lasteth to paradise terresire where Adam & eve were se●te/ but they were there but a little while & that is toward the est at beginning of the earth/ but that is nat our est that we call where the son riseth in those countries toward paradise. than it is midnight in ou●e country. for the roundness of the earth for our lord made the earth all round in mids of firmament. Of pa●adyse can I nat speak ꝓpuly. for I have nat be there. and that angoreth me. but that I have herd I shall say you. Men say that paradise terrestre is the highest land of the world and it is so high that it toucheth near to the se●●le of the moan/ for it is so high that noah's flood might nat come thereto. the which covered all the earth about. ¶ And this Paradyse terrestre is enclosed all about with a wall. and that wall is all covered with moss as it seemeth that men may se no s●one ne no thing elliss whereof it is. ● the highest place of paradise in the mydes of it is one wall that casteth out the four floods that run thorough divers lands. The first flood is called physon or ga●ges: & that runneth through ynde in that river are many precious stones and moche lignum aloes/ & gravel of gold. Another is called Nilus or Gyron and that runneth/ through Ethiope and egypt. The third is called Tiger and that runneth through Assary and Ermony the great. And the forth is called Eufrates that runneth through Ermony and Persy/ & men say that all the sweet and fresh water of the world take their springing of them. The first river is called Physon that is to say a gathering of many rivers together & fall into that river. & some call it Langes for a king that was in ynde that men called Tangeras' for it runneth through his land And this river is in some place clear in some place trouble in some place hot in some place cold. The second river is called Nilus or Gyron for it is ever trouble. for giron is to say trouble. The third river is called Tigris. That is to say fast running. for it runneth faster than any of the other. and so is a best that men call tigers for he runneth/ fast. The forth river is called Eufrates/ that is to say well brenning/ for there groweth many good things upon the river/ & ye shall understand that no man living may go unto that Paradyse. For by land he may nat go for wild beasts which are in the wilderness and for hills and roches where no man may pass. Ne by those rivers may no man pass for they come with so great course and so great wawes that no ship may go/ ne sail again them. Many great lords have asayed many times to go by those rivers to Paradyse but they might nat speed in their weigh/ for some died for weary of rowing some wax blind/ and some deefe for noise of the waters. so no man may pass there but through special grace of god. And for I can tell you no more of that place I shall say you of that I have seen in these Isles of the land of prester john and they are under the earth/ to us. and other Isles are there who so would pursue them for to environ the earth who so had grace of god to hold the weigh he might come right too the same countries that he were come of and come fro and so go about the earth and for it were to long time and also many ꝑylles too pass few men assay to go so/ & yet might be done & therefore men came fro these Isles to other Isle's coasting of the lordship of Prester john. And men come in the coming to one Isle that men call Cassoy. and that country is near sexty iournes long/ and more than l of breed that is the best land that is in those countries save chatay. & if merchants come thither as commonly as they do unto chatay. it should be better than chatay for it is so thick of cities and towns that when a man goeth out of a city he seth as soon another on each side there is great plenty of spices and other gods.  
¶ The king of this isle is full rich and mighty/ & he holdeth his land of the great chain/ for that is one of the xii. provinces that the great cha●●e hath under him with out his own land Fro this Isle men go to another kingdom that men call Ryboth. and that is also under the great chain this is a good country and plenteous of corn/ Wine and other things. men of this land have none houses. but they dwell in tents made of tree. And the principal city is all black made of black stones and white. And all the streets are paved with such stones/ and in that city is no man so hardy to spill blood of man ne be'st. for worship of a mammet that is worshipped there. In that city dwell the pope of their law that they call lobassy and he giveth all dignity and benefyses that fall to the mammet. And men of religion and men that have churches in that country are obedient to him as men are here to the pope. In this isle they have a custom thorough all the country that when a man's father is deed they will do him great worship. they send after all his friends religious priests and other many. and they bear the body to an hill with great joy & mirth and when it is there the greatest prelate smiteth off his hede/ and sayeth it upon a great plate of gold or silver/ & he giveth it to his son/ and the son taketh it too his other friends singing and saying many orisons. and than the priests and the rel●gyous cut the flesh of the body in pieces and say orisons. & the birds of the country come thither. For they know Well the custom. and they fly above them as they were Eagles and other birds: that eat flesh. And the priests cast the pieces unto them And they bear it away a little from thence and than they eat it and as priests in our country sing for souls. Subuenite sancti dei and so forth. So those priests there sing with high voice in their language in this manner of wise. See and behold how good/ and gracious a man this was that the angels of god come for to fett him and bear him into paradise.  
And than thinketh the son of the same man that he is greatly worshipped when birds have eaten his father and where are most plenty of birds there is most worship/ & than cometh the son home with all his friends ● and maketh them a great feast and the son maketh clean his faders heed and giveth at drink thereof and the flesh of the heed he sheareth and giveth to his most special friends. some a little & some a little for a dainty/ & in remembrance of this holy man that the birds have eaten. & of the scalp of the heed the son doth make a cup & thereof drinketh he all his life in remembrance of his father. And from thence to go x. iournes thorough the land of the great chain is a full good Isle & a great kingdom/ & the king is full mighty for he hath each year CCC. horse charged with ries & other tents & he hath a noble and a rich life after the manner of the country/ for he hath l. damselliss that serve him each day at his meet & bed & do what he will. & when he sitteth at the table they bring him meet ● & at each time v. meases together & they sing in the bringing a song & they cut his meet & put it in his mouth ● and they have right long nails on their hands/ that is a great nobleye in the cou●t●e & therefore they late their nails grow as long as they may ● & some late grow so long that they come about their hands & that is a great nobleye: and gentry/ & the gentry of women is to have small feet and therefore as soon as they are borne: they bind their feet so strait that they may nat wax half as they should. And he hath a full fair palace & rich where he dwelleth of the which the wall is two. mile about & therein is many fair gardens. & all the pavement of the hall & chambers is of gold & silver. And in the mids of one of these gardens is a little hill whereon is a place made with towers & pinnacles all of gold/ and there will he sit oft to take the air & disport for it is made for no thing else. from this land men may go through the land of the great chain and ye shall understand that all these men & folk that have reason that I have spoken of have some articles of our faith if all they be of divers laws and divers trowynges they have some good points of our troth and they trow in god of kind as their prophesy saith. Et metuent eum oes fines terre That is to say/ and all ends of earth shall dread him. And in another place. Omnes gentes sermente●. That is to say. All folk shall serve him/ but they can nat speak perfihgtly but as there kindly wit teacheth them neither of the son nor of the holy ghost can they speak ● but they can speak well of the bible and special of genesis & of the books of Moses. And they say that those creatures that they worship are no gods/ but they worship them for great virtue that is in them which may nat be without special grace of god. and of simulcares and idols/ they say that all men have simulcares and that say they for us. christian men have Images of our lady/ and other. but they wot nat that we worship nat the images of stone ne of tree/ but the saints of whom they are made for as the letter teacheth clerks. how they shall trow so images & painture teacheth lewd men/ they say also that the angel of god speaketh to them in their idols & do miracles. they say sooth but it is an ill angel that doth miracles to maintain them in their idolatry. There are many other countries where I have nat been nor seen. and therefore I can not speak properly of them. Also in countries where I have been are many marvels that I spoke nat of for it were to long tale. and therefore hold you paid at this time that I have said. for I will say no more of marueylie that are there. so that other men that go thither may find enough to say that I have nat told. ¶ And I john Maunduyle that went out of my country & passed the seethe year of our lord a M ccc.xxxii. & I have passed thorough many lands and Isles and countries/ & now am come to rest I have compiled this book and do write it the year of our lord M.ccc.lxvi. at xxxiii. year after my departing fro my country. & for as much as many men trow nat but that they see with theyriyen or that they may conceive in their kindly wit therefore I made my way to rome in my coming homeward to show my book to the holy father the pope & tell him of the marueylis that I had seen in divers countries so that he with his wise counsel would examine it with diverse folk the are at rome for there dwell men of all nations of the world. and a little time after when he/ & his counsel had examined it all thorough he said to me for certain that all was sooth. for he said he had a book of latin that contained all that and moche more of the which the Mapamundi is made the which book I saw. and therefore the holy father the pope hath ratified & confirmed my book in all points. And I pray to all those that read this book that they will pray for me/ and I shall pray for them and all those that say for me a Pater noster and an ave maria that god forgive me my sins. I make them ꝑcevers and grant them part of all my good pilgrimages and other good deeds which I ever did or shall do to my lives end and I pray to god of whom all grace cometh that he will all the readers and hearers that are christen men fulfil of his grace/ and save them body and soul and bring them to his joy that ever shall last he that is in the trinity father/ son/ and holy ghost that liveth and reigneth god without end amen   
¶ Here endeth the book of john Maunduyle. knight of ways to jerusalem & of marvels of ynde and of other countries.   

Emprented by Richard Pynson.  

Richard pynson