¶ Here beginneth a little treatise or book named johan Maundeuyll knight born in England in the town of saint Albone & speaketh of the ways of the holy land toward Iherusalem/ & of marvels of Ynde & of other diverse countries.  
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 the most worthiest land & sovereign of other lands/ and it is blessed & hallowed & sacred of the precious blood of our lord Ihesu christ. In the which land it l●ed him to take flesh & blood of the virgin Ma●y/ and to environ that land with his own feet. And there he would do many miracles/ and preach & teach the faith & the law of us christian men as unto his children. And therefore he would suffer many reproofs & scorns for us. And he that was king of heaven/ & of earth/ of air/ of see/ and 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/ & that land had he chosen before all other lands as for the best & the most virtuous & for the most worthiest of the world. And as the philosopher saith thus. Virtus rerum in medio consistit. That is to say/ virtue of things is in the mids/ & in that land he would lead his life and suffer passion & death of the jews for us and for to deliver & buy us fro the pains of hell/ & fro death withouten end/ the which was ordained to us for the sin of our father Adam/ & for our own sins also. For as himself he had none evil deserved/ for he thought never evil/ ne died 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 open lie. He will do cry it openly in the middle 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 worthier cattles ne might he have set for us than his own blessed body & his own precious blood/ the which he suffered for us. A dear god what love he had to his subgettts. When he that had done no trespass would for trespassers suffer death. By right ought men to love & worship and dread & serve such a lord/ and worship & praise such a holy land that brought forth such fruit through the which every ma●●s saved but if it be his own default. This is the land behight to us in he ry age/ & in that land would he die as cessed to leave it to his children. For the which every good christian man that may & hath whereof should strength him for to conquer our right heritage & chase out the evil people's hands/ for we are called crysten men of christ our father. And if we be right children of christ we own for to challenge the heritage that our father left us & do it out of strange men's hands. 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 their right heritage before said. And the common people that would put their bodies & cattles for to conquer our heritage/ they may not do without lords/ for assembling of the people without a chief lord is as a flock of sheep that hath no shepherd the which depart asunder/ & wot never whether that they should go. But would god that the worldly lords were at good accord/ and 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 Ihesu christ. And for as much it is long time that there was no general passage over the see/ & many men desire to here speak of the holy land/ and have thereof great solace & comfort. ¶ john maundevyle knight. Though it so be that I be not worthy that was born in England in the town of saint Albone & passed the see in the year of the incarnation of our lord Ihesu christ. M. CCC. xxxij. on the day of saint Myghell & hyderwarde hath be long time over the see & have seen & gone through many lands & many provinces and kingdoms & yles/ and have passed through Turkey/ through At money the little & the great/ through Tartary/ thorough Percy/ through Syry/ through Araby/ through Egypt the high & the low/ through kyby/ through Chaldee/ & a great part of ethiop/ through Amazonie/ through Ynde the less & the more a great part/ and through many other yles which are about Ynde where many diverse people dwelled of diverse laws & shapes/ of 〈◊〉 ●des and isles I shall speak more pla● I shall devise a part of things what they are when time shall be/ after it may come to my mind/ and special for them that will & are in purpose for to visit the holy city of jerusalem & the holy places that are there about/ & I shall tell the way that they shall hold thither/ for I have many times passed & riden it with good company/ & of many lords.  

¶ He that will go toward jerusalem on horse or a foot or by the see. Ca pmun.  
IN the name of god almighty. He that will pass over the see/ he may go many ways both on land & see after the countries that he cometh fro/ and many of them come all to one end/ but trow not that I will tell all the towns & cities & castles that men shall go by/ for than should I make to long tale/ but all only some countries & most principal cities or towns that men shall go through to go the right way. ¶ first if a man come from the west side of the world as Englonde. ireland. Wales. scotland. Norweye/ he may go if he will through Almaigne/ & through the kingdom of Hungry that marches to the land of Poyal me & to the land of Pannony/ & of Allesey. And the king of Hungary is a right great lord and a mighty/ & holdeth great and moche land/ for he holdeth the land of Hungry & of Allesey Coma me & a great part of Bulgary that men call the land of Buggers/ & a great part of the kingdom of Rosse & that lasteth to the land of Nyflonde & marches unto Pruysse/ and men go thus thorough the land of Hungry through a city that men call Cypren/ & beside the castle of Newburgh/ & through the ill town that is toward the end of Hungry/ & so over the river of Danowe/ & this is a full great river & goth in to Almaigne under the hills of Lombary/ & it taketh in to him. xl. other rivers/ & it runneth through Hungry & thorough Grece & through Tartary and goth in to the see so strongly & with so great might that the water is fresh. xl. mile within the see/ & afterward go men to Belgrave and enter in to the land of Buggers & there pass men a bridge of stone that is over the river Marroh/ & men pass through the land of Pynteras & come to Grece to the city of Sterny & to the city of Affynpayn and so to the city of Constantynople that was sometime called● Bessamorn and there dwelled commonly the Emperor of Grece.  
To Constantynople is the best & the fairest church of the world/ & it is of saint Sophy. And before this church is an image of justynpan themperor guilt/ and it is upon an horse & crowned/ & it was wont to hold a round appell in his hand & men say there that it is a token that the Emperor hath lost a great part of his land/ for the appell is fallen out of the images hand & also that he hath lost a great part of his lordship. For he was wont to be Emperor of Rome/ of Grece/ & of all Asyen the less/ of Surry & of the land of Jude in the which is jerusalem/ & of the land of Egypt/ of Percy and Araby/ but he hath lost but Grece & the land that longed thereto all only and men would many times put the appell in the images hand but it would not hold it. This appell betokeneth the lordship that he had over all the world. And the other hand he holdeth life up against the east in token for to manasse misdoers/ & this image standeth upon a pillar of marble.  
At Constantynople is the cross of our lord & his cote without seem the spounge and the reed of the which the jews gave our lord drink gall on the cross & 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 Cypress in an abbey of monks that men call the hill of the holy cross/ but it is not so/ for that cross that is in Cypress is the cross on the which Dysmas the good thee● was hanged/ but all men wot not that/ & that is yll● done/ but for the getting of the offerings they say● that it is the cross of our lord Ihesu christ. And ye shall understand that the cross of our lord was made of four manner of trees as it is contained i● this verse. In cruce sit palma cedrus cipressus oliva  
For the piece that went right up from the earth unto the heed was of cypress/ & the piece that went overthwart to the which the hands were nailed was of palm/ & 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 & a half long on the which the title was written in Hebrew/ in Grew/ & in Latyn that was of olive And the jews made the cross of these four manner of trees for they trowed that our lord Ihesu christ should have hanged so long upon the cross as long as the cross might last/ & therefore made they the foot of calendar/ for cedar may not in the earth ne in water rot/ & they would it should have last long/ & for they trowed that the body of christ should have stonken/ that piece is made of cypre for it is well smelling/ so that the smell of his body should not grieve to man that come forbye. & that overthwart was made 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 Ihesu christ/ therefore they made the piece that went overth wart 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 betokeneth peace made between god and man. Also the jews trowed to have had peace when christ was deed/ for they said that he made discord & strife among them. And ye shall understand that our lord was nailed to the cross dying/ & therefore he suffered the more pain. Also in Grece & the christian men that dwell over the see say that the tree of cross that we call cypress was of that tree that Adam eat the appell & so find they written/ & they say as their scripture saith that when Adam was sick he said to his son Seth that he should go to paradise & pray the angel that keepeth paradise that he would send him of the oil of the tree of mercy for to anoint with his members that he might have heel. And Seth went but the angel would him not late come in at the door but said unto him that he might not have of the oil of mercy/ but he took to him four grains of the same tree that his father eat the appell/ & bad him as soon as his father was deed that he should put this grains under h● tongue & grave him/ & thereof should grow a tree/ & when that tree bare fruit than should Adam be hole. And when Seth came again he found his father deed/ & he died with the grains as the angel ●adde him/ of the which came four trees of the which was a cross made that bare good fr●yte. That is to say our saviour Ihesu christ/ through whom Adam & all that come of him where saved & delyucred from everlasting death but if it be their own default. This holy cross the jews hid under the earth under the roche of mount Calvary/ & it lay there two hundred year & more unto the time that saint Eleyne found it/ the which saint Eleyne was the mother of constance the Emperor of Rome/ & she was daughter of king all that was king of England that than was called the great Brytay ●e whom the Emperor took to wife for her great beauty when he was in that country. And ye shall understand that the cross of our lord was in the length. viij. cubits/ and that overthwart had in length. iij. cubits and an half.  
A part of the crown of our lord ●hu wherewith he was crowned/ & one of the nails/ and the spear heed/ & many other relics are in France to Paris in the chapel of the king of France/ & the crown lieth in a vessel of crystal well dight and richly/ for a king of France bought these relics sometime of the jews to whom th'emperor had laid them to pledge for a great sum of silver. And all if it be so that men say that this crown be of thorns/ ye shall understand that it was and is of junks of the see that was white that pricketh as sharp as any thorns/ for I have see● and behold many times that of Paris & that of Constantynople/ for they were both of one made of junks of the see/ but men have departed them in two pieces/ the which one part is at Paris/ & that other part at Constantynople. And I have one point thereof that seemeth a white thorn and that was given to me for a great frendshyd/ for there is many of them broken and fallen in the vessel when they show the crown to great men or lords that come thither. And ye shall understand that our lord in that night that he was taken he was led in to a garden/ and there he was examined sharply/ and there the jews scorned him and made him a crown of branches of albespyne that grew in the same garden/ & set it on his heed so fast that the 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 maid re him/ ne none house that it is in may none evil ghost come in no place there it is. And in that sa me garden saint Peter denied our lord thrice. afterward was our lord led before the bishop and the ministers of the law in an other garden of Anne/ and there he was examined also and scorned/ and after again with a white thorn that men call barbarens that grew in to the same garden/ and that hath as many virtues. And afterward he was led in to a garden of Cayphas and he was crowned again with Englentyre/ and after he was led in to a chambre of Pylatus and there he was examined and crowned/ and the jews set him in a chair and clad him in a mantel/ and than made they a crown of junks of the see/ and they kneeled unto him saying. ave rex judeorum. That to say in english. Heyle king of jews. And the crown of the which that one half is at Paris/ and that other half at Constantynople the which christ had upon his heed when he was done on the cross and therefore men shall worship that most and hold it more worthier than any of the other. And that spear shaft hath the Emperor of Almaigne/ but the heed of iron which was put in his side 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 Constantynople lieth saint Anne our ladies mother whom saint Eleyne made bring from jerusalem. And there lieth also the body of saint john crysostom that was bishop of Constantynople. There lieth also saint Luke evangelist for his bones were brought fro Bethany where he was graven & many other relics are there. & there is of the vessels of stone as it were merble the which men call I●ryons that evermore dropped water & they fill themself each year once by themself. And ye shall wete that Constantynople is a right fair city & a good and well walled/ & it is three cornered/ & there is an arm of the see that men call Hellespount/ and some call it the bouche of Constantynople/ and some call it the brach of saint George/ & thus this water encloseth two parties of the city/ & upward to the see upon the water was wont to be the great city of Troy in a full fair plain/ but that city was destroyed with them of Grece.   

¶ Of the islands of Grece ca ij.  
 
ABout Grece been mny isles that men call Calastre. Calcos'. Certege. Tesbyria. Minona. Faxton. Molo. Carpate/ and Lempne. And in this isle is the mount Athos that passeth the clouds/ & there is many speeches & many countries that are obeisant to th'emperor of Constantynople/ that is to say. Turcople. Pyncy. Narde. Comange/ & many other Tracy. and Macedon of which Alexander was king. In this country was Aristotle's born in a city that men call Strages a little fro the city of Tracy/ & at Strages is Arystotles buried & upon his tomb is made aij altar & there they make every year a great fest as he were a great saint/ & upon this altar the lords hold their great counseyls & assembles/ and they trow that through inspiration of god & him that they shall have the better counsel. In this country are right high hills/ toward the end of Macedon is a great hill that men call Olymphus that departed Macedon & Trachy/ and it is high up to the clouds/ & the other hill that men call Athos is so high that the shadow of him stretcheth unto Olymphus that is near. lxxvij. mile between/ & above that hill is the air so clear that men may feel no wind there/ & therefore may no best live there by cause it is so dry. And men say in these countries that philosophers sometime went upon those hills & held to their noses a spounge moist with water for to have air/ for the air was so dry. And above in the powder of the hill they wrote letters with their fingers/ & at the years end they came again & found those letters which they had wry ten the year before without any default/ & therefore it seemeth well that those hills pass the clouds to the pure air. And at Constantynople the emperors palace is right fair & well dight/ & therein is a fair palace for jousting/ & it is made about with stage's that each man may well see & none grieve other/ & under these stages are stables vouted for th'emperors horses/ & all the pillars of these stables are of marble. And within the church of say Sophy an Emperor would have laid the body of his father when he was deed/ & as they made the grave they found a body in the earth/ & upon that body lay a great plate of fine gold/ & thereupon was written in Hebrew/ in Grew & in latin letters that said thus. jesus  nascet de virgine maria ct ego credo in eum. That is to say. Ihesu christ shall be borne of the virgin Mary & I believe in him And the date was it was laid in earth two hundred year before our lord was borne/ & yet is that plate in the treasury of the church/ & men say that it was Hermogenes 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 not out of the son/ but all only of the father/ and they are not obeisant to the church of Rome ne to the pope/ & they say that their patryarlres have as much power over the see as the pope hath on this side the see. And therefore pope john the. xxij. sent letters to them how christian faith should be all one and that they should be obeisant to a pope that is Christ's vyher in earth to whom god gave plain power for to bind & to assoil/ and therefore they should be obedient to him. And they sent him diverse answers/ & among other they said thus. P● tentian tuam summam cir●a subiectos tuos firmiter credimus. Supbian tuam summam tollerare non possumus. Auariciam tuam summam satiare non intendimus. Dns tecum sit. quia dns nobiscum est. vale. That is to say We believe well thy power is great upon thy subjects. We may not suffer thy pride. We are not in purpose to fulfil thy covetise. Lord be with thee/ for lord is with us/ far well/ and other answer might we not 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/ & on therthursdaye make they their breed in tokening of the maunde & dry it at the son/ & he●e it all the year/ & give it to sick men in stead of god's body. And they make but one unction when they christian children/ & they anoint no sick men/ & they say there is no purgatory/ and souls shall have neither joy ne pain unto the day of doom. And they say that fornication is no deadly sin/ but a kindly thing/ & that men & women should wed but ones/ and who so wed death more than ones their children are bastards & gotten in sin/ and their priests also are wedded/ & they say that usury or simony is no deadly sin/ & they sell benefices of holy church/ & so died men of other places/ & that is great slander for now is simony king crowned in holy church god may amend it when his will is. And they say that in lente men should not sing mass but on the saturday & on the sunday/ & they fast not the saturday no time in the year/ but if it be the christmas & Eester even. And they suffer no man that is on the side of the great see sing at their altars/ & if it fall that they do through any hap they wash their awters as soon without tarye●▪ ge with holy water/ & they say that there should be but one mass said at one altar on a day. And they say also that our lord eat never meet but h● made token of eating. And also they say that w● sin deadly in shaving of our beards/ for the be● de is token of a man & a gift of our lord/ & they say that we sin in eating of beasts that were defended in the old testament & of the old law/ as swine/ hare's & other beasts. And this they say also that we sin in eating of flesh in the days before ash wednesdaye/ & in eating of flesh on the wednesday/ & when we eat cheese or eggs on the frydaye/ & they curse all those that eat no flesh on the saturday. ¶ Also the Emperor of Constantynople maketh the patriarchs archebyssh●pes & bishops/ and he giveth all the dignities & churches/ & depriveth them that are worthy. And all if it be so that these things touch not the way/ nevertheless they touch to that I have behight to show a part of the customs & manners & diversities of countries/ and for this side the se● the first country that is dyscordaunt in faith & lets for our faith on this side the see/ therefore I have set it that ye may see & weet the diversity that is between our faith & theirs/ for many men have great liking to here speak of strange things.   

¶ To come again to Constantynople for to go toward the holy land. ca iij.  
 
NOw come we again for to know the way fro Constantynople. He that will go through Turkey he gooth toward the city of Nyke and passeth through the gate of Chyvytot that is right high/ and it is a mile and an half fro Nyke/ and who so will go by the brach of Saint George and by the Greek see there as saint Nycholas lieth & other places/ and first men come to the isle of Sylo/ and in that isle groweth mastic upon small trees as plomtrees or cherytrees. And then after men go thorough the isle of Pathmos where saint johan the evangelist wrote the apocalypse/ and I do you to wete when our lord Ihesu christ died saint johan thevangelist was of the age of xxxij year/ and he lived after the passion of christ lxvij year and than died. And fro Pathmos men go to Ephesym a fair city and near to the see and there died saint johan and he was buried behind the altar in a tomb/ and there is a fair church for christian men were wont to hold that place/ but in the tomb of saint johan is no thing but Manna/ for his body was translated in to paradise/ & Turks hold now that city & that church & all Asye the less/ & therefore is Asye the less called Turkey/ & ye shall understand that Saint johan died make his grave there in his life/ and laid himself therein all quick/ and therefore some say that he died not/ but he resteth there to the day of doom/ & therefore soothly there is a great marvel for men may see there apertly 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 see unto the city of Pateran where saint Nycolas was borne. and so to Marca where he by the grace of god bishop was chosen/ and there groweth right good wine and strong that men call wine of Marca And fro thence men go to the isle of Crete which then Emperor gave sometime to jonays'. And than pass men through the yles of Cophos & Lango of the which isles hippocras was lord/ & some say that in that isle of Lango is hippocras daughter in manner of a dragon that is an hundred foot long as men say/ for I have not seen it/ and they o● the yles call her the lady of the country/ and she lieth in an old castle & showeth her thrice in the year/ and she doth no man no harm/ and she is thus changed fro a damosel to a dragon through a goddess that men call Dyana/ and men say that she shall dwell so unto the time that a knight come that is so hardy that dare go to her & kiss her mouth/ and than shall she torn again to her own kind and be a woman/ and after that she shall not live long. And it is not long sithen a knight of Rhodes that was hardy & doughty said that he would kysshe her/ & when the dragon began to life up his heed again him & he saw it was so hideous he fled away/ & the dragon in his anger bore the knight on a roche & of that roche she cast him in to the see and so he was lost.   

¶ Yet of the same dragon. ca iiij.  
 
ALso a young man that wist ●not of that dragon went out of a ship & went through the isle till that he came to a castle/ & came in to the cave & went so long till he found a chambre/ and than he saw a damosel that kempt her heed & looked in a mirror/ & she had moche treasure abou● her/ & he trowed she had be a common woman that dwelled there to keep men/ & he abode the damoysel & the damosel saw the shadow of him in the mirror & she turned toward him & asked him what he would/ & he said he would be paramour or leman. And she asked him if he were a knight & he said nay/ & she said than might he not be her leman. But she bad him go again to his fellows & make him knight & come again on the morrow & she should come out of the cave & than he should kiss her on the mouth/ & she bad him have no dread/ for she should do him no harm if all him thought she were hideous to see/ she said it was done by enchantment/ for she said that she was such as he saw her than/ & she said that if he kissed he● he should have all that treasure & be her lord/ & lord of those yles. And he departed fro her and went to his fellows to the ship & made him knight & came again upon the morrow for to kiss the damosel. And when he saw her come out of the 〈◊〉 in form of a dragon he had so great dread ● he fled to the ship/ & she followed him/ and wh●n she saw that he turned not again/ she began to 〈◊〉 as a thing that had moche sorrow/ & turned again/ & soon after the knight died/ & sithen hitherto might no knight see her but he died anon. But when a knight cometh that is so hardy to kiss her he shall not die/ but he shall torn that damosel in to her right shape/ & he shall be lord of the country before said. And fro thence men come to the isle of Rhodes/ the which the hospitalers hold & govern/ and that took they sometime fro the Emperor/ & it was wont to be called coles & so yet the Turks call it colles. And saint Poule in his Epysteles writeth to them of the isle of Collooenses. This isle near. C.lxxx. mile from Constantynople. And from this isle of Rhodes men go in to Cypress where are many wines that first are reed/ & after a year they wax all white. and those wines that are most white are most clear & best smelling/ & as men pass by this way by a place where was wont to be a great city that men call Sathalay/ & all the country was lost through folly of a young man/ for he had a fair damosel that he loved well/ & she died suddenly & was buried in a grave of marble/ & for the great love that he had to her he went on a night to her tomb & opened it & went and lay by her/ & when he had done he went his way/ & when it came to the end of. ix. months a voys came unto him & said in this maner wise as in the next chapter following.   

¶ Of a young man & his leman. ca v.  
 
● Oo unto the tomb of that same woman that thou hast lain by/ and open it & behold ●ell that that y● hast begotten on her/ and if thou 〈◊〉 ●or to go thou shalt have a 〈◊〉 harm. And he 〈◊〉 and opened the tomb/ and there flew 〈◊〉 heed right hideous for 〈◊〉 see/ the which 〈◊〉 all about the 〈◊〉 and the country/ 〈◊〉 after the Cy● and the country sank 〈◊〉 and there is many perilous passages. from 〈◊〉 to Cypies is near five h●ndred mile and 〈◊〉 men may go to Cypress and come not at 〈◊〉. Cypies is a good isle and great and there are many good cytess & there is an archbishop at Nychosy and four other bysshop● in that land. And at Famagost is one of the best haven on the see that is in the world/ & that are christian men & sa●asyns & men of all nations. In Cypress is the hill of the holy cross/ & there is an abbey of monks & 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 not so & they do wrong that make men to believe so. In Cypress lieth saint Gononon of whom men of the country make great solemnity/ & in the castle of Amours lieth the body of saint Hyllaryon/ & ●en keep it full worshipfully/ & beside Fama●ost was saint bernard borne.   

¶ Of the manner of hunting in Cypress. ca vi.  
IN Cypress men hunt with the pampeons th● are like to leopards & they take wild b● tes right well & they are somewhat more than 〈◊〉 onhis/ & they take more sharply wild beasts th● hounds. In Cypress is a manner that lords & oath men eat upon the earth/ for they make dyches the earth all about the hall deep to the knee/ a● they do paveye them & when they will eat they● therein & sit there/ this they do to be more fres● for that land is more hotter than it is here. And great festes & for strange men they set forme● boards as men do in this country/ but them w● liefer sit in the earth. from Cypress men go by 〈◊〉 de to jerusalem & by the see/ and in a day & 〈◊〉  
it is to Acon. M. CCC. miles of Lombardy.   

¶ Of the hill Carme. ca ix.  
 
ANd the isle of Grece is right in the midway/ & beside this city of Acon toward the see at. vi. score furlongs on the right side toward the North there is the hill Carme where Elyas the prophet dwelled/ & there was the order of Carmes first founded. This hill is not right great ne high/ & at the foot of this hill was some time 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/ & that is set upon an other hill there was saint james & saint john borne/ & in the worship of them is there a fair chir ●he made. And for Tholomayda that men now call Acon to a great hill that men call Ehale de Tyrreyes' is an hundred furlongs/ & beside the city of Acon runneth a little river that men call Be lion/ & there near is the fosse of Mymon all round that is an hundred cubits or shaftmontes breed/ & it is all full of gravel clear shining/ whereof men make white glass & clear/ and men come fro far countries by ship/ & by land with carts to take of that gravel/ & if there be never so much taken thereof on a day/ on the morrow it is as full again as ever it was/ & that is great marvel/ & there is alway wind in that fossae that stirreth alway the gravel and maketh it trouble. And if a man put or do therein any metal/ as soon as it is therein as soon it waxeth glass/ & the glass that is made of this gravel if it be done again in to the gravel/ it turned again to gravel as it was before/ and some say that it is a swallow of the see gravel.   

¶ How Samson slew the king and his enemies. ca x.  
ALso from Acon before said go men three journeys to the city of Phylystyen that now is called Gaza/ that is to say rich city/ & it is ●ght fair & full of follre & it is a little upon the see. And from that city brought the strong Samson the gates of the city upon an high hill where he was taken in that city/ & there he slew the king in his palace & many a thousand more with him/ for he made an house to fall on them. And fro thence shall men go to the city of Cesaryens and so to the castle of Pylleryns and then to Ashalon and so forth to Japhath/ and so unto the holy city jerusalem.   

¶ The way to Babylon where as the Sultan dwelleth. ca xi.  
 
ANd who so will go thorough the land of Babylon where the Sultan dwelleth to have leave to go more sickerly through the churches & countries/ & for to go to mount Synay before he come to jerusalem & than corn again by jerlm he shall go fro Gasa to the castle Dayr. And after a man cometh out of Surry & goeth in wilderness where the way is full sondy/ & that wilderness lasteth. viij. journeys where men find all that them needeth of victuals/ & men call that wilderness Archellek/ & when a man cometh out of this desert he ent●th in to Egypt/ & they call Egypt Canopat/ & in an other language men call it Mere / & the first good town that men find is call led Beleth/ & it is at the end of the kingdom of Alape. And fro thence men come to Babylon & to Kayre/ & in Babylon is a fair church of our lady where she dwelled. seven. year, when she was out the land of jews for dread of king Herode. And there lieth the body of saint Barbara virgin/ & there dwelled joseph when he was sold of his brethren/ & there made Nabugodonosor put three children in fire/ for they were of right truth/ the which children men called Anania. Azaria. Mi●el. as the psalm of Benedicite saith/ but Na●ugodonosor called them thus. Sydrac. Mysac. 〈◊〉. that is to say. God glorious/ god vyc 〈◊〉 us/ god over all kingdoms/ & that was for my● that he made gods son/ as he said go With 〈◊〉 children through the fire. There dwelled the 〈◊〉 dan/ for there is a fair see in a strong castle & 〈◊〉 set upon a roche. In that castle is alway dwelling to keep the castle & to serve the Sultan more than. viij. thousand persons of folk that take all their necessaries of the soudan's court I should well know it/ for I dwelled with him soudeour in his wars a great while again the Be●oyns/ and he would have wedded me to agree ●e lynxes daughter right richly and I would ha' 〈◊〉 forsaken my faith.   

〈◊〉 of the Sultan. ca xij.  
ANd ye shall ●vnderstande that the Sultan is lord of. vi. kingdoms the which he hath conquered & gotten to him by strength/ & this are they/ the kingdom of Canopate/ the kingdom of Egypte/ the kingdom of jerusalem where david & Salon were kings/ the kingdom 〈◊〉 Surry of the which the city of Damas' was 〈◊〉 chief/ the kingdom of Alape in the land of 〈◊〉meth/ & the kingdom of Araby which was to ne of the three kings that made offering to our the when he was borne/ and many other lands holdeth in his hand/ & also he holdeth Calapl● that is a great thing to the Sultan/ that is to 〈◊〉 among them Roys isle & this vale is full 〈◊〉  
And than men go up on the mount of saint 〈◊〉ryne/ & that is moche higher than the mount 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And there as saint Katherine was graven is 〈◊〉 church ne chapel ne other dwelling place/ 〈◊〉 there is an hill of stones gedred together about the place there she was graven of angels/ there was wont to be a chapel but it is all cast dow●/ and yet lieth there a great part of the stones.  
●ut under the foot of the mount of Synay is a monastery of monks & there is the church of saint Katherine wherein been many lamps brenning/ ● they have oil olive enough for to eat & te burn ● that they have by miracle of god/ theridamas come certain of all manner birds every year once like pylgryns' ● each of them bringeth a branch of olive in to 〈◊〉 of offering whereof they make moche oil.   

¶ For to return fro Synay to jerlm ca xiij.  
NOw sithen a man hath visited this holy place of saint Katherine/ & he will torn to jerusalem/ he shall first take leave at the monks & recommend him specially to their prayers and those same monks give with a good will to pilgrims victuals to pass with through the wilderness to Surry & that lasteth well. xiij. journeys And in that wilderness dwell many Arabyns that men call Bedoynes & Ascoperdes'/ these are fo●●e that are full of all manner of ill conditions/ 〈◊〉 they have no houses but tents which they mak● of beasts shynnes as of camels & other beasts th● which they eat & there under lie they/ and the● dwell in places where they may find water as on the reed see/ for in that wilderness is great de● fault of water/ & it falleth oft where a man findeth water one time he findeth it not an other 〈◊〉 me/ & therefore make they no houses in those countrecs. these men that I speak of till not the land for they eat no breed/ but if it be any that dwelled near a good town/ & they roast all their fishes & flesh upon hot stones again the son/ & they are strong men & well fighting and they do no thing but chase wild beasts for their sustenance & they set not by their lives/ therefore they dread not the Sultan no● no prince of all the world. And they have oft war with the Sultan/ and that same time that I was dwelling with him they bore not but a shield & a spear for to defend them with/ and they hold none other armour/ but they wind their hedes & their necks in a great linen cloth/ and they are men of full ill kind.   

¶ As men are passeth this wilderness again comende to jerusalem. ca xiv.  
ANd when men are passed this wilderness toward Ier●m/ they come to Barsabe that was sometime a fair & a liking town of christian men & yet is there some of their churches/ & in that town dwelled Abraham the patriarch/ this town of Barsabe founded dryas wife of whom david engendered Solomon the wise that was king of Ier●m & of. xij. kinds of Israel/ & he reigned. xl. year/ & fro thence go men to the vale of Ebron that is fro thence near. xij. mile/ & some call it the vale of Mambre/ & also it is called the vale of Teres/ for as much as Adam in that vale be wept an hundred year the death of his son Abel that Cain slew. And Ebron was sometime the principal city of Phylystyens/ & there dwelled giants & there it was so free that all men that had do ill in other places where there saved. In Ebron joshua Calofe & their fellowship came first to espy how they might win the land of promission. In Ebron david reigned first. seven. year & an half/ & in Ier●m he reigned xxxiij. year & an half/ & there are the graves of the patryarkes Adam. Abraham. jacob & their wives Eue. Sara. Rebecca. & they are in the hanging of the hill/ & under them is a right fair chit the kyrnelde after the fashion & manner as it were a castle/ the which church the sarasyns keep right well/ & they have that place in great worship for the holy patriarchs that lieth there/ & they suffer no christian men ne Jews to come in there but they have special grace of the Sultan/ for they hold christian men & jews but as hounds that should come in no holy place/ & they call the place spelunke or double cave or double grave for one lieth on an other/ & the saralyns call it in their language Caryatharba/ that is to say the place of patriarchs/ & the jews call it Arboth/ and in that same place was Abraham's house/ & that was the same Abraham the which sat in his door & saw three persons and worshipped but one/ as holy writ witnesseth saying. Tres vidit et unum adoravit. That is to say/ he saw three and worshipped but one/ & him took Abraham in to his house.  
  

¶ Here followeth a little of Adam and Eve and other things. ca xv.  
ANd right near to that place is a cave in a roche where Adam and Eve dwelled when they were driven out of Paradyse/ and there gate they their children. And in that same place was Adam made as some men say/ for men called some time that place the field of Damasse/ for it was in the lordship of Damasse/ and fro thence he was translated in to Paradyse as they say/ And afterward he was driven out of Paradyse and put there again/ for the same day that he was put in to Paradyse the same day he was driven out/ for as soon he sinned. And there beginneth the vale of Ebron that lasteth near to jerusalem/ and the angel bad Adam that he should dwell with his wife/ and there they engendered Seth of the which kindred Ihesu christ was borne. And in that vale is the field where men draw out of the earth a thing/ the which thing men in that country call Chambyll/ and they eat that thing instead of spice/ and they bear it to sell/ & men may not grave there so deep ne so wide but it is at the years end full again up to the sides through the grace of god/ & two mile from Ebron is the grave of Loath that was Abraham's brodsr.   

¶ Of the dry tree. ca xvi.  
 
THan a little from Ebron is the mount of Mambre of the which mount the vale took his name/ and there is a free of oak that the sarasyns call dyrpe that is of Abraham's time/ that men call the dry tree/ and they say that it hath been from the beginning of the world and was sometime green and bare leaves unto the time that our lord died & so died all the trees in the world or else they failed in their hearts▪ or else they faded/ and yet is there many of those in the world. And some prophecies say that a lord or prince of the west side of the world shall win the land of promission/ that is the holy land with the help of christian men/ and he shall do sing a mass under the dry tree/ and than the tree shall wax green and bear fruit and leaves/ and through that miracle many sarasyns and jews shall be turned to the 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 a sickness called the falling evil and hath also many other virtues/ & therefore it is holden right precious.   

¶ from Bethleem ca xvii.  
FRo Ebron men go to Bethleem on half a day/ for it is but five mile and it is a fair way and thorough woods full pleasant. But Bethleem is but a little city long and narrow and well walled and enclosed with a great ditch/ and it was wont for to be called Effrata as holy writ saith. Ecce audivimus eam in effrata etc. That is to say. Loo we heard him in Effrata/ And toward the end of the city toward the east is a right fair church & a gracious/ and it hath many towers and pinnacles & kernels full strongly made/ and within that church is. xliiii. great and fair pillars made of marble/ and between this church & the city is the field Floridus/ and it is called the field flourished as ye shall here.   

¶ Of a fair maiden that should be put to death wrongfully ca xviii.  
 
THe cause is/ for as moche as a fair maiden that was blamed with wrong that she had done fornication/ for the which cause she was deemed to the death & to be brent in that place to the which she was led. And as the wood began to burn about her/ she made her prayer to our lord as she was not 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/ & anon the fire went out/ and those branches that were brenning became reed roses/ and those branches that were not kindled became white rosers full of white roses/ & those were the first roses & rosers that any man saw/ and thus was the maiden saved through the grace of god. And therefore is that field called the field of god flourished / for it was full of roses. Also beside the quere of that church aforesaid at the right side as men come downward twelve 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 & 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 three kings offered to our lord incense/ gold/ & myrrh & they came together thorough miracle of god/ for they met together in a city that men call Chasak/ that is liij journeys fro Bethleem/ & there they were at Bethleem the fourth day after they had seen the star. And under the cloister of this church xviij grease at the right side is a great pit where the bones of the Innocentes lie/ & before that place where christ was borne is the tomb of Saint jerom that was a priest & a cardinal that translated the Bible & the Sawter fro Hebrew in to latin/ & beside that church is a church of saint Nycholas where our lady rested her when she was delivered of child/ & for as much as she had so much milk in her paps that gryved her she milked it out upon the reed stones or marble/ so that yet may the traces be seen white upon the stones. And ye shall understand that all that dwell in Bethleem are christian men/ & there are fair wines all about the city & great plenty of wine/ for their book that Machomet betook them the which they call Alcoran/ & some call it massap/ & some call it Harm forbiddeth them to drink wine/ for in that book Machomet curseth all those that drink of that wine & all that sell it/ for some men say that he ones slew a good hermit in his drunkenness which he loved much/ & therefore he cursed the wine & them that drink wine/ but his malyson 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 grass ne they eat no swines flesh/ for they say it is brother to man & that it was foreboden in the old law. Also in the land of palestine ne in the land of Egypte they eat but little veal & beef but it be so old that it may no more travel ne work not that it is forboden but they keep them for tyllynge of their ●nde. Of this city of Bethleem was king david borne/ & he had lx wives and ccc lemans. from Bethleem to jerusalem is two mile/ & in the way to jerlm half a mile fro Bethleem is a church where the angel said to the shepherds of the bearing of christ/ & in that way is the tomb of Rachel that was josephys mother the patriarch & she died as soon as she had borne Benyamyn & there she was buried/ & jacob her husband set twelve great stones upon her in tokening that she had borne twelve children. In this way to jerusalem are many christian churches by the which men go to jerusalem.   

¶ Of the city of jerusalem. ca. xix  
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/ & ye shall weet that men called it first jebus & sithen was is called Salome unto the time of king david/ and he set these two names samen & called it jebusalem/ and than came Salon & called it jerusalem & so it is called yet. And about jerusalem is the kingdom of Surrey/ & thereby is the land of Palestine & Ascalon/ but jerusalem is in the land of Jude/ and it is called Judaea/ for judas Machab●us was king of that land/ & also it marcheth afterward on the kingdom of Araby/ on the south side on the land of Egypte▪ on the west side upon the great see/ on the north side upon the kingdom of Surrey & the see of Cypress. In Jerusalem was sometime a patriarch/ & archbishops & bishops about in the country. About Irlm are these cities. Ebron at vij mile. Yeryco at vi mile. Barsabe at eight mile. Ascalon at xviij Jaffa at xxv mile. Ramatha at three mile/ and Bethleem/ and toward the south is a church of saint Markertot that was abbot there for whom they made much sorrow when he should die/ & yet is painted there how they made dole when he died/ & it is a piteous thing to behold. This of jerusalem hath been in many diverse nations honds/ as jews. Cananeus. Assyryens. Perce Medoynes. Massydones. Greeks. romans and christian men. Sarasyns. Barbaryns. Turks and many other nations. For Cryst will that it be long in the hands of traitors no sinners be they christian or other. And now hath the mystrowing men holden that land in their hands lx year & more/ but they shall not hold it long and if god will.   

¶ Ye● of the holy city of jerusalem. ca. twenty  
ANd ye shall wete that when men first come to jerusalem/ they go first pilgrimage to the church where that the holy grave is/ that is out of the city on the north side/ but it is now closed in with the wall of the town/ and there is a full fair church round all open above and well covered with lead/ and on the west side is a fair tour and a strong for bells/ and in the mids of the church is a tabernacle made like a little house in manner of half a compass right well and richly of gold and azure and other colours well dight/ and on the right side is the sepulchre of our lord/ & the tabernacle is. viij. foot long &. v. foot wide and. xi. foot of height & it is not long sithen the sepulchre was all open that men might kiss it & touch it. but for men that came thither pained them to break the stones in pieces or powder/ therefore the Sultan hath do make a wall about the sepulchre that no man may touch it/ But on the life side is no window but therein is many lamps light/ & there is a lamp that hangeth before the sepulchre light brenning & on the frydaye it goth out by itself & lighteneth again by itself at the hour that our lord rose from death to life. Also within that church upon the right side is the mount Calvary where our lord was done on the cross & the cross was set in a mortise in the roche that is white of colour & a little reed meddled with/ & upon that roche dropped the blood of the wounds of our lord when he was pained on the cross/ & that is called Galgatha/ & men go up to that Galgatha upon greces/ & in that mortise was Adam's heed found after noah's flood in token that the sins of Adam should be bought in the same place/ & above that roche made Abraham sacrifice to our lord/ & there is an altar & before that altar lieth Godfrey of Boleyne. Bawdewyne & other that were christian & kings of jerusalem. And there as our lord was done upon the cross is this written in grew. Otheos/ basylon/ ysmon/ presemas/ ergaste/ sothyas/ oys'. That is to say in latin. Hic deus rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem in medio terre. That is to say. This god our king before worlds hath wrought hele in the mids of the earth. And also upon the roche where the cross was fixed is written within the roche. Gros/ guyst/ basys/ thou/ pests/ thoy/ thesmoysy/ is to say in latin. Quod vides est fundamentum to cius mundi et huius fidei. And it is to say/ that thou seest is ground of all the world & of this faith/ And ye shall understand that our lord when he died was. xxxij. year old & three months/ & the prophecy of david saith that he should have. xl. year when he saith thus. Quadraginta amnis proxi mus fui generacioni huic. That is to say/ forty year was I neighbour to this kind/ & thus should it seem that prophecy were not sooth/ but it is. For in old time men called years of ten months of the which March was the first & December the last/ But Gaius Cezar that was Emperor of Rome died set to these two months Ianuary and February & ordained the year of twelve months/ that is to say. CCC. days without leap year the proper course of the son/ & therefore after the accounting of ten months to the year he died in xl year/ and after our years of twelve months is it xxxij year and three months. ¶ Also within mount Calvary at the right side is an altar where the pillar lieth that our lord was bound to when he was scourged & there beside are three other pillars that alway drop water/ and some say that those pillars weep for our lords death/ and near this altar in a place xlij grease deep was found the very Cross by assent of Saint Eleyne under a roche where the jews had hid it/ and it was assayed for they found three crosses/ one of our lord & two of the two thieves. And saint Eleyne assayed them on a deed body that rose as soon as the very cross of our lord was laid on him. And there by in the vale is the place where the four nails of our lord were hid/ for he had two nails in his hands/ and two in his feet/ & one of those nails the Emperor of Constantynople died make a bridle for his horse to bear him in battle/ for the virtue that it had he overcame his enemies. And when all the lands of Asye Turkey Damasse the more & the less. Surrey and jerusalem. Araby/ Percy/ and Mesopotamy/ the kingdom of Alape Egypte the high & the low/ and other kingdoms many full nigh all unto ethiop the low/ and also unto Ynde the less that than was christian & there was in that time many good men & holy hermits/ of whom the books of the faders lives speaketh/ & they are now in paynynis & sarasyns hands/ but when god will right as these lands are lost through sin of christian men/ so shall they be won again by christian men through the help of god. And in the mids of this church is a compass in the which joseph of aromathy laid the body of our lord when he had taken him of the cross/ and upon the same place died he wash the feet of our lord/ and that compass men say it is in the mids of the world.   

¶ Of the church of the holy sepulchre. ca xxi.  
IN that church of the sepulchre on the north side is the place where our lord was done in prison in many places/ & there is a part of the chain with the which he was bound. And there he appeared first to Mary mawdeleyne when he was risen fro death/ & she trowed that he had been a gardener. In the church of the sepulchre was wont to be canons of saint Benet/ & they had a prior but the patriarch was their sovereign/ & without the doors of the church at the right side as men go up xviij degrees said our lord to his mother. Ecce filius tuus. That is to say. Woman behold thy son. Deinde dicit discipulo. Ecce mater tua. That is to say/ than said he to his dyscyple. Behold thy mother. And this word he said upon the cross/ & upon these grease went our lord when he bore the cross upon his shoulder/ & under these grease is a chapel where priests sing/ but not after our law/ & alway they make their sacrament of the altar of breed saying Pater of. & other prayers/ as with the which thing they say the words of whom the sacrament is made/ for they know not of additions that many pope's have made/ but they sing in good devotion. And there near is the place where our lord rested 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 weak/ for the great plain that is between the 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 saint Stephen where he was stoned to death/ & there by is the gate gylted that may not be opened. Through that gate our lord entered on palm sunday upon an ass/ & the gate opened against him when he would go to the Temple/ & yet are the steps of the ass seen in three places the which stand in full hard stones. Before the church of the sepulchre two hundred paces is a great hospital of saint johan/ in the which hospital be liiij pillars made of stone. And to go toward the east fro the hospital is a right fair church that men call our lady the great/ & than is there an other church after that the men call our lady of the latin/ and there was Mary cleophe & Mary maw deleyne and drew their here when our lord was done to death.   

¶ Templum dei. Of the Temple of god. ca xxij.  
 
And fro the church of the sepulchre toward the east at. xviij. paces is Templum dm. That is a fair house & it is all round and right high & covered with lead. & it is well pavyed with white marble/ but the Sarrasyns will suffer no Lrysten men ne Jews to come therein/ for they say that so foul men should not come in to the holy place/ but I came therein & in other places where I would/ for I had letters of the Sultan with his great Seal/ & commonly other men have but of his signet/ & men bear his letter with his seal before theyin hanging on a sper●/ & men do great worship thereto & kneel again it as ●e do again god's body/ for those men that it is sent to/ before they take it they incline them first there to/ & then they take it and lay it upon their he des & afterward they kiss it/ and than read it all inclining with great worship/ & than they proffer them to do all that the bringer will/ & in this Templum dm were wont to be canons regulars/ and they had an abbot to whom they were obedient/ and in this Temple was charlemain when the angel brought him the prepuys of our lord when he was circumcised/ and after king Charles died bring it to Acon in to our ladies chapel.   

¶ Yet of the Temple of god. ca twenty-three.  
ANd ye shall understand that this is not the Temple that Solomon made for the Temple lasted but a thousand an hundred & two year. For Titus Despasianus son that was Emperor of Rome that laid siege about jerusalem for to discomfit the Jews for they had do christ to death without ●eue of the Emperor/ & when he had ta ken the city he died burn the Temple & cast it down/ & took all the jews & put of them to death xi C.M. and the other he put in prison and sold thirty. for a penny/ for they said that they bought ●hu christ for. thirty. pens. And sithen gaf julyan aposcata leave to the jews to make the Temple of Jerusalem again for he hated christian men/ & yet he was christian but he forsook his law. And when the Jews had made the Temple than came an earth-quave as god would & cast down all that they had made. sithen Adryan th'emperor that was of them of Troy made jerusalem again & the Temple in that same manner that Solomon made it & would that no jew should dwell there but all crysten men/ for if all it were so that he was not christened he loved christian men more than any other men/ save men of his own faith. And this Emperor died enclose & wall the church of the holy sepulchre within the city that before was far with out the city/ & he would have changed the name of jerusalem & called it Helyam/ but the name lasted not long. And ye shall we●e that the sarasyns do great worship to that Temple/ & they say that place is ●ght holy/ & when they go there in they go bare foot & kneel many times down. And when my fellows & I came there in we died of our harness & came hare foot in to the Temple & thought that we should do as much or more than they that were mystrowing/ and this Temple is three score and three cubits of wideness and as much of length and xxxij cubits in the height/ & covered with lead/ & it is within full of pillars of marble. And in mids of the Temple is a stage of 24 grease of height & good pylars all about. This place called the Jews Sancta sanctorum. That is to say. Holy of holies/ & in that place cometh none but only their prelate that maketh their sacrefyce/ & the people standeth all about in diverse stages after they are of dignity & of worship/ and there be four enterings to that Temple & the do res are of cypress well dight/ & within the east door our lord said here is jerusalem. And on the north side within the door is a fountain but it runneth not/ of the which holy writ speaketh & saith thus ●idi 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 Moryach/ but after was it called Belet or the ark of god with the relics of the jews. This ark died Titus carry with him to Rome when he had discomfited all the jews. In that same ark were the ten commandments/ & of Aaron's rod & of Moses' rod with which he departed with the reed see when the people of Israel passed thorough on dry foot/ & with that rod he died many wonders/ & there was a vessel of gold full of Manna/ & clothing & ornaments/ and the taber nacle of Aron/ & a table square of gold with twelve precious stones/ and a box of jaspes green with four figures &. viij. names of our lord within/ and vij candlesticks of gold/ & four censers of gold/ & an altar also of gold/ and four lions of gold/ upon the which they had cherubin of gold. xij. span long/ & a tabernade of gold/ and also. xij. trumpets of silver/ & a table of silver/ and. seven. barley loves/ & all other relyhes that were before the nativity of Ihesu. Also upon this Roche slept jacob when he saw angels go up and dnwne & said. ●ere locus iste sanctus est et ego ignorabā. That is to say. Forsooth this place is holy & I wist it not. And there the angel changed jacob's name & called him Israel. And in that place saw david the angel that slow the people with a sword & put it all bloody in the sheath/ And in this roche was saint simeon when he received our lord in to the Temple/ & on this roche he set him when the jews would have stonedr him/ and the roche ryved in two & in that rift he hid him/ & a star came done & gate him light And on this roche sat our lady & learned her psalter. And there forgave our lord the sins to the woman that was taken & found in adultery/ and there was our lord Ihesu christ cyrcuncysed/ & there the angel denounced to Zacharye the nativity of saint john baptist/ & there offered first Melchysedech breed & wine and water to our lord in tokening of the sacrament that was to come. And there fell david praying to our lord for mercy for him & for his people when he saw the angel slay his people/ and our lord anon heard his prayer/ & therefore would he make the Temple in that place. But our lord Ihesu christ forbade him by an angel/ for he had done treason when he did slay ●ryas a good knight for to have his wife. And therefore all that he hadr ordained for to make the Temple he betook it unto Solomon his son/ and he made it & he prayed our lord that all those that prayed in that place devoutly and with good heart that he would here that prayer & grant that they asked rightwisely/ & our losde grant it/ & therefore salomon's son called it the Temple of counsel & help of god. Without the doors of that Temple is an altar where Jews were wont to offer dou●es & turtylles/ and in the Temple was Zacharye slain/ and on the pinnacle the jews set saint james on the earth that first was bishop of jerusalem/ and a little fro this Temple on the right side is a church covered with lead that is called the school of Solomon. And toward the south is the Temple Salon that is full fair and a great place/ and in this place dwell knights that are called Templars/ & that was the founder thereof and of their order/ and in that Templum dm dwell canons. from this Temple toward the east at. xxvi. paces in a corner of the city is the bathe of our lord & this bathe was won te to go to Paradyse/ & beside is our ladies bed & near there is the tomb of saint simeon/ and without the cloister of the Temple towards the north is a right fair church of saint Anne our ladies mother/ & there was our lady conceived/ & before that church is a great tree that began to grow that same night. And as men go down fro that church. xxij. grease lieth joachim our ladies father in a tomb of stone/ & there near was laid some time saint Anne/ but saint Elyne died translate her in to Constantynople. In this church is a well in manner of a cistern that is called Probatica pilcina/ that had five enterings/ & in that cistern was wont an angel to descend & steer the water/ & what man that bathed him first therein after the moving was made hole that was sick what sickness so ever he had/ & there was the man of the palsy made hole that was sick. xxxviij. year/ & our lord said unto him in this manner wise. Tolle grabatum tuum et ambula. That is to say in english/ take thy bed & go. And there beside was the house of pilate/ & a little thence was the house of king Herod that died slay the Innocentes.   

¶ Of king Herode. ca xxiv.  
THis king Herod was a full wicked man and a fell/ for he died first & formest slay his wife which he loved full well/ & for the great love that he had to her when she was deed he beheld her & went out of his wit & so was he long time/ & afterward he came again to himself And sithen he died slay his own children that he had gotten of that wife/ & after he made slay the other his second wife and a son that he had gotten of that same wife/ & after he died slay his own mother/ & he would also have slain his own brother. but his brother died suddenly/ & thus he died all the ill that he might. And than he fell sick/ and when he ●awe that he should die he sent for his sister & all the great lords of that country/ and when they were there he died put all the lords in to a tour & 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/ & than should men of all the country make sorrow for his death/ or else they would not sorrow/ and thus he made his testament. But his sister fulfilled it not as of that thing that pertained unto the lords/ for as soon as he was deed she delivered the lords out of the tour & sent everichone home to their houses & told them what her brother would she had done with them. And ye shall understand that in that time was three Herodes of great name. This of whom I speak men called him Herod ascolonyte/ & he that died smy te of saint john baptist heed was called Herode antypa/ & the third was called Herode agryppa & died slay saint James & put saint Peter in prison.   

¶ Of saint Salvator's church. ca xxv.  
 
A Lytell within the city is saint Salvator's church & therein is saint john crysostoms arm/ & the most part 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 is mount Zion/ and there is a fair church of god & of our lady where she was dwelling & died/ and there was sometime an abbey of canons regulars/ and fro that place she was borne of the apostles unto the vale of josaphat. And there is the stone that the angel bore to our lady fro mount Synay/ & it is of that colour that the roche of saint Katherine is of/ & there beside is the gate where our lady when she was with child went through to Bethleem. Also at the entering of mount Zion is a & in that chapel is that stone great and large with which the sepulchre was covered when christ was laid therein/ the which stone the three Maries saw turned upward when they came to the sepulchre/ & there they found an angel that said to them that christ was risen fro death to life. And there is a little piece of the pillar to the which our lord was scourged/ & there was Anna's house that was bishop of the jews in that tyme. And in that same place forsook Saint Peter our lord thrice before the cock crew. And there is a part of the table on the which god made his maunde with his disciples/ & yet is there the vessel with water out the which his disciples feet were washen & thereby is saint Stephen's grave/ & there is the altar where our lady heard the angels sing mass/ and there appeared christ first to his disciples after his resurrection when the gates were sperde and said. Pax vobis. That is for to say. peace to you. And on that mount appeared christ to saint Thomas & bad him assay his wound/ and that was the eight day after his resurrection/ & than he believed parfyghtly and said. Dominus meus et deus meus. That is for to say in english. My lord and my god. In that same chapel behind the high altar were all the apostles on Wytsondaye when the holy ghost descended on them in likeness of fire/ and there made god Paske with his disciples/ and there slept saint johan the evangelist on our lords breast/ and saw sleeping many privy things of heaven. And the mount Zion is within the city & it is a 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 Zion is a fair castle & strong which the Sultan died do make there/ on mount Zion was king david buried and Solomon and many other kings of jerusalem And there is the place where Saint Peter wept full tenderly when he had forsaken our lord/ and a stone cast from that is an other place where our lord was judged for that time was there Cayphas house. Also between the Temple Solomon and mount Zion is the place where christ raised the maiden fro death to life. Under mount Zion toward the vale of josaphat is a well that men call Natatorye sylo/ there was our lord washen after that he was baptized. And thereby is the tree on the which judas hanged himself for despair when he had sold christ. And there by is the synagogue where the bishops of jews & the pharisees came to hold their counsel/ & there judas cast the thirty. pens before them & said/ peccavi tradens san guinem justum. That is to say. I have sinned deceiving rightwise blood.   

¶ The field of Acheldemak which was bought with those xxx pens. ca xxvi.  
ON the other side of mount Zion toward the south a stone cast is the field that was bought with▪ those xxx pens for which christ was sold that men call Acheldemak/ that is to say the field of blood/ in that field is many tombs of christian 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/ & there near is a fair church where our lady met▪ with Elyzabeth when they were both with child/ & saint john stirred in his mothers womb & made worship to our lord his maker/ & under the altar of the church is a place where saint john was born/ & thereby is the castle of Emaux.   

¶ Of the mount joy. ca. xxvij  
TWo mile fro jerusalem is the mount joy that is a fair place & liking and there lieth Samuel the prophet in a fair tomb/ & it is called mount joy for there many pilgrims see first jerusalem. And in the middle of the vale of josaphat is a little river that is called Torrens cedron/ & overth wart this river lay 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 lxxij year/ and there near is the place where our lord forgave Saint Peter all his sins & misdeeds that he had done. And beside that is a chapel where judas kissed our lord that men call Getsemay & there he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ken of the jews/ & there left Cryst his disciples before his passion when he went to pray & said Pater si fieri potest transeat a me calix iste. That is for to say in english. father if it may be done late this chalice go from me. And also thereby is a chapel where our lord sweat both blood & water. And there is the tomb of king josaphat of whom the vale had the name. And on the side of that vale is the mount of Olyuete/ & it is called so for there greweth many olive trees there and it is higher than jerusalem/ and therefore fro that hill men may see in to the streets of jerusalem. And between that hill & the city is nothing but the vale of josaphat & that is not full large/ and upon that hill stood our lord when he went in to heaven/ & yet seemeth there the step of his left foot in the stone/ and there is an abbey of black canons that was sometime/ but now is there but a church. And but a little thence xxviij paces is a chapel & there is the stone on the which our lord god sat on when he preached & said thus. Beati pauperes spiritu quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum. That is for to say in english. blessed be they that are poor in spirit/ for theirs is the kyngdo me of heaven/ & there he taught his disciples their Pater noster. There near also is a church of that blessed woman saint Mary Egypcyan and there is she buried. And upon the other side toward the est three boweshottes fro thence standeth Bethphage where our lord Ihesu cryst sent saint Peter and saint james for to fetch an ass on Palm sunday.   

¶ Of the castle Bethania. ca. xxviij  
THere toward the east is a castle that men call Bethania there dwelled simeon the loprouse that herborowed our lord & them that were baptized of our lords disciples/ & he was called julyan & was made bishop/ & that is he that men call on for good herborowe. In that same place our lord forgaf Mary mawdeleyn her sins/ & there she wash his fect with her tears & dried with her here & there was Lazar raised that was four days deed.   

¶ Of Yeryco and other things. ca. xxix  
IN the returning of mount olyvete is that place where our lord wept upon jerlm/ & there by our lady appeared to saint Thomas after her assumption & gaf him her girdle. And thereby is the stone on which our lord sat oft & preached/ & thereon he shall sit that day of doom as himself said And there is mount Galyle where th'apostles were gathered when Mary mawdleyn told them of Cry ●is rising. between mount Olyuete & mount Galy 〈◊〉 is a church where the angel said to our lady when she should die. Also fro Bethany to Yerico is. v. mile. Yeryco was sometime a little city/ but it was wasted/ & now is it but a little town/ that town took joshua through miracle of god & bidding of the angel & destroyed it & cursed all those that builded it again. Of that city was Raah that common woman that received messengers of Israel & kept them fro many perils of death & therefore she had a good reward as holy writ saith. Qm accepit ꝓphetan in nomine meo mercedem ꝓhe accipiet. That is to say. He that taketh a prophet in my name/ he shall take meed of a prophet.   

¶ Of the holy places between Bethanye & flom jordan & other things. ca. xxx  
Also from Bethanye men go to flom jordan through wilderness & it is near a days journey between towards the east unto a great hill where our lord fasted xl days/ & upon this hill was christ brought of the fiend of hell and said to him thus. Dic ut lapides isti panes fiant. That is to say/ that these stones be made breed/ & there is an hermitage where dwell a manner of christian men that men call Georgyns/ for Saint George converted them/ & upon that hill dwelled Abraham a great while. Also as men go to Yeryco in the way sat many sick men crying. jesu fili david miserere nobis. That is to say. Ihesu david's son have mercy on us. Also two mile fro Yeryco is flom jordan/ & ye shall weet the deed see departed the land of Ynde & of Araby/ & the water of that see is full bitter/ & this water casteth out a thing that men call aspaltum as great pieces as an horse/ & jerusalem is. CC. furlongs from this see/ & so it is called the deed see/ for it runneth not nor no man ne be'st that hath life that is therein may live & that hath been proved many times/ for they have cast therein men that are deemed to death/ ne no man may drink of that water/ & men cast iron therein it cometh up again/ & if a man cast a feather therein it gooth to the ground & that is against kind. And there about grown 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 or ashes in tokening that thorough the vengeance of god these cytess were 〈◊〉 te with the fire of hell. And some man call that lake the lake of the Alphytedde/ and some call it the flom of the devil/ and some call it the stinking flom for the water thereof stinketh. There sanken these five cities through the wretch of god. that is to say. Sodom. Gomor. Aldema. Solome & Segor. For the sin of Sodom that reigned in them/ but Segor thorough the prayer of ●oth was saved a great while/ for it sat on an hill/ and yet appeareth moche thereof above the water/ and men may see the walls in clear weather And in this city of Segor Loth dwelleth a great while & there he was made drunken of his dough ●s and lay by them/ they wend that god should have destroyed all the world as he died with noah's flood. And therefore they lay by their father for men should be borne of them in to the world. And if he had not be drunken he had not lain by them. And at the right side of this see dwelled Lot's wife a stone of salt for that she looked agay ●e when the city sank down.   

¶ Of Abraham and his generation. ca xxxi.  
ANd ye shall understand that Loth was Aaron's son Abraham's brother/ and Sara abraham's wife was Lot's sister/ & Sara was. xc. year old when she gate Ysaac/ and Abraham had an other son named Ishmael that he had● gotten on his maiden Agar/ & he was. xiv. year of age when Ysaac was borne/ & when Ysaac was. viij. days old he was circumcised & therefore the jews died circumcise them at the age of. viij. days/ & his other son Ishmael was circumcised that same day & was. xiv. year of age/ and therefore the Saracenes died circumcysetheym at. xiv. year of age/ & therefore the jews that be of the generation of Ysaac do circumcise them at the. viij. day of their age/ and the sarasyns that be of Ismaels' generation do circumcise them at their. xiv. year of age. And in to that deed se● aforesaid runneth the flom jordan & maketh there an end/ & this is within a mile of saint Johan's church/ & a little beneden that same church westward were the christian men wont to bathe them/ & a mile thence is the river of Loath through which jacob went when he came fro Mesopotamyen.   

¶ Of the flom jordane. ca xxxij.  
THis flom jordan is no great river nor deep but there is much good fish therein/ & it cometh from mount Lybany fro two wells tha● men call jor and Dane/ & of them it taketh th● name/ and upon the one side of that river is moū● Gelboe & there is a fair plain. And on that other   

hill of Effraym where Anna samuel's mother the prophet dwelled/ and there was the prophet borne/ and after his death he was buried at mount joy as I have said. And after come men to Sybola where the Ark of god was kept under Hely the prophet. And there made the people of Israel their sacrifice unto our lord. Also there spake our lord first unto Samuel. And there ministered god the sacrament. Also there near at the lift side is Gabaon and Rama Benyamyn of the which holy writ speaketh. After that come men to Sychem that some men call Sycar/ and this is in the province of Samarytanes/ and some time was there a church but it was all casted down/ and it is now a fair vale and that full plenteous/ and there is a good city in that vale that men call Neople/ and so froms thence it is a days journey unto jerusalem/ and there is the well where our lord spoke to the woman samaritan/ and Sychem is ten mile fro jerusalem & it is called Neople/ that is to say the new town. And there near is the Temple joseph Jacob's son that governed Egypte. from thence were his bones brought & laid in that Temple/ and thither came Jews often in pilgrimage with great devotion. Also in that city was jacob's daughter Dyana ravished for whom her brothers slew many me●. and thereby is the city of Garysym where the Samarytanes make their sacrifice.  
¶ On this hill would Abraham have sacrified his son Ysaac/ and there near is the vale of Dotayn & there is the cistern where Io seph was cast in of his brethren before that they sold him/ and it is two mile to Sychar/ & fro thence men come to Samary that men call Sebasten/ & that is the chief city of that country/ & in that city was the seat of the twelve kinds of Israel/ but it is not so great as it was/ & there was saint john baptist buried between two prophets Helyzeus & Abdon/ but he was beheaded in the castle of Makaryn beside the deed see & he was translated of his disciples & buried at Samary/ but there died julius apostata take his bones & brent them/ for he was that time Emperor/ but the finger with the which he showed our lord saying. Ecce agnus dei. That is to say Behold the lamb of god/ & that finger might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●ecla the virgin died bryn and Hely the prophets. And therefore 〈◊〉 say▪ Peter. Bonum est nos hic esse. faciamus tria tabernacula etc. That is to say. It is good to us to be here/ make we three tabernacles. And our lord Ihe so christ bad them that they should say it to no man unto the time that he was risen from death to life And upon the same hill shall four angels sown their trumpets & raise all men that are deed to life/ & than shall they come in body & soul to the judgement/ but the judgement shall be in the vale of josaphat on Eesterdaye at the same time as our lord rose from death to life. And also a mile fro mount Tabor is mount Hermon/ & there was the city of Namy/ before the yates of that city our lord raised the widows son that had no more children.   

¶ Of the see of Galyle. ca xxxvij.  
ANd from thence men go to a city that men call Tyberyens that sitteth on the see of Galyle/ & all if it be called the see of Galyle it is no see ne arm of the see/ for it is but a staumble of fresh water/ & it is more than an hundred furlongs long and xl brood/ & therein is many good fishes. And on the same see standeth many good cities therefore this see changed often his name after the cities that stand thereupon but it is all 〈◊〉 water or see/ and upon this see yode our lord dry● foot/ & there said he to Peter when he came on the water & was near drowned. Modice fidei quare du bitasti. That is to say. Thou of little believe why hadst thou doubt.   

¶ Of the table there christ eat upon after his up rising fro death to life. ca xxxviij.  
IN this city of Tyberyen is the table that Christ eat of with his disciples after his resurrection/ & they knew him in breaking of breed as holy writ saith. Et cognoverunt eum in fractione panis. That is to say. The knew him in breaking of breed. And about the hill of Tyberyen is the city where our lord fed five thousand people with five barley leaves & two fishes.  
And in the same city died men cast in anger a fie-  
not be brent/ & saint Tecla the virgin died bring these finger under the Alphen that been mountains where they do it great worship/ & she died saint john baptist heed closed in a wall/ but th'emperor Theodosyan died take it out & found it lapped in a cloth all bloody & bare it to constantinople & there is yet the one half of the heed/ & the other is at Rome in saint Sylvester's church/ & the vessel wherein his heed was laid when it was smitten of is at G●ene & they do it great worship. Some say that saint Johan's heed is at Amiens in Pycardy/ and some say it is Saint Johan's heed the bishop. I wot not but god wot it.   

¶ Of the Samarytanes. ca xxxiiij.  
 
FRom Sebasten to jerusalem is. xij. mile/ and between the hills of this country is a well that men call Fons jacob/ that it to say jacob's well that changed four times in the year his colour/ for sometime it is reed/ sometime clear/ somty me green/ & sometime thick/ & men that dwell there are called Samarytanes & were converted through the apostles/ & their law varieth from christian la & sarazens law also & fro jews & paynims/ they believe well in one god that all shall dame/ & believe the Bible after the letter/ & they lap their hedes in reed linen cloth for difference of other/ for sarazens lap their hedes in white cloth/ & christian men that dwell there in blue cloth/ & jews in yellow/ & in this country dwellen many jews paying tribute as christian men done. And if they will weet the letters of the jews they are such/ & the names of their letters as they call theym. Alpha for a. beth for b. gimel c. he d. van e. zay f. ex g. ioth i. karph k. lamp l. men m. sameth o. ay p. phe q. lad r. coth s. fir t. sound v. than x. lours y. Now shall ye have the figures.:: D li xh ter S E S li n h R N. f c con h n d ik.   

¶ Of Galyle. ca xxxv.  
FRo this country that I have spoken of men go to the plain of Galyle & leave the hills at the one side/ & Galyle is of the province of the land of promission/ & in that province is the land of Naym & Capharnay & Corosaym/ & at bethsaida was saint Peter & saint Andrew born/ of Corosaym shall Antecryst be born/ & as some say he shall be borne in Babylon/ therefore saith the prophet. De babilonia coluber exiet q̄ totum mundum devorabit. That is to say. Of Babylon shall come a serpent that shall devour all the world. And this antichrist shall be nourished in bethsaida & shall regne in Corosaym/ therefore saith holy wryt thus. We tibi corosaym. We tibi bethsaida. That is to say. Woe be to the Corosaym. Woe be to y● Bethsaida/ & the Chan of Galyle is four mile from Nazareth/ of that city was the womas of Chanane● of whom the gospel speaketh/ & there our lord did the first miracle at the wedding at the Archetryclyne when he converted water in to wine. And fro thence mey go unto Nazareth that was sometime a great city/ but now is there but a little town & it is not walled/ & there was our lady born/ 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. xiv. year of age & there the angel salved her saying. ave gracia plena dnns tecum. That is to say. Heyle full of grace the lord be with thee/ & there was sometime a great church/ & now is there but a little closeth to receive the offerings of pilgrims/ & there is the well of Gabryell where our lord was wont to bathe him in when he was little/ at Nazareth was our lord nourished/ & Nazareth is to say/ flower of garden/ & it may well be called so/ for there was nourished the flower of life that was our lord Ihesu 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 & slay him▪ but Ihesu cryst passed through them & leapt on a roche where his steps are yet seen/ & therefore say some when they dread them of thieves or else of enemies/ they say thus. jesus autem transiens ꝑ medium illorum ibat. And they say also these verses of the psalter three times. Irruat super eos formido et pavor in magnitudine brachij tui. Dne fiant immobiles qua si lapis donec pertranseat ppl's tuus dne et ppl's iste quem redemisti. And so when all this is said a man may go without any letting. Also ye shall understand & know that our blessed lady bare child when she was. xv. year of age/ and she lived with him. xxxij. year & three months/ and after his passion she lived. xxij. year.   

¶ The way of Nazareth to the mount or hill of Tabor. ca xxxvi.  
ANd from Nazareth to mount Tabor is three mile/ & there our lord transfigured him before saint Peter saint john and saint james and there they saw ghostly our lord & Moses'   

ryens & they holden half our faith and half the faith of the Greeks & they have long beards as the Greeks have.  
And there be other that me● call Georgyens whom saint George converted/ & they do more worship to hallows of heaven than other do/ and they have their crowns shaven/ the clerks have round crowns & the lewd have crowns square/ & they hold the Greeks law. And there be other that men call christian of girding/ for as much as they were girdles underneath/ some other call Nestorynes/ some Aryens/ some Nubian/ some Gregours/ & some Indens that are of the land of preter johan/ & everichone of those have some articles of our believe. But each of them vary from other▪ and of their variance were to much for to tell.   

¶ For to torn again on this side Galyle. ca xl.  
NOw sithen I have told 〈◊〉 of many manners of men that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said. Now will I torn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne upon this side/ no● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de of Galyle that I spa● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall go through Dam● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good marchaundy se● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the see/ & five 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carry merchandises upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dromedaries & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thi● city of Damas' founded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ●as ●hams servant before Ysaac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he thought to have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he called that city after his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
And in that place slow Cain his brother Abel/ & beside Damas' is the mount of Syry/ & in that city is many a physician/ & that holy man saint Poule was a physycyen to save men's bodies in hele before that he was converted/ & after he was a physycyen of souls. And fro Damas' men come by a place called our lady of Sardemarche that is five mile from Damas' & it is on a roche/ & there is a fair church & there dwell monks & nuns christian/ in the church behind the high altar is a table of tree on the which the image of our lady was depainted that many times was turned in to flesh/ but the image is now seen but a little/ but evermore through grace of god the table droppeth oil as it were an olive/ & there is a vessel of marble under the table to receive the oil/ thereof they give to pilgrims for it healeth many sicknesses/ & he that keepeth it cleanly a year/ after the year it turned in to flesh & blood. between the city of Dark & the city of Raphane is a river that men call Sabatory for on the saterdaye it runneth fast & all the week else it standeth still & renned not or little. And there is an other river that on the night freezeth fast & upon the day no frost is seen And so men go by a city that men call Berugh/ & there men go in to the see that will go in to Cypres & they arrive at port of Sur or of Thyrry/ and than go men to Cypress/ or else men go or may go from the port of Thyrry right and come not at Cypress & arrive at some haven of Grece/ and than come men in to those countries by ways that I have spoken of before.   

¶ How a man may go ferthest & longest in those countries as hereafter been rehearsed. ca xli.  
NOw have I told you of ways by the which men go ferthest & longest as by Babylon & mount Synay & other places many/ through the which lands men torn again to the land of promission. Now will I tell you the way of jerusalem/ for some men will not pass it/ some for they have not to spend/ some for they have no company/ & many other causes reasonable/ & therefore I shall tell you shortly how a man may go with little cost & short tyme. A man that cometh fro the lands of the west he gooth through France Burgoyne/ & Lombary/ & to venice or to Geene or some other haven of those marches/ & take there a ship & go to the isle of Gryff/ & so arrived he in Grece/ or else at port Myroche/ or Valon/ or Duras/ or some other haven of those marches/ & go to land for to rest him/ & gooth again to to the see & arriveth in Cypress/ and cometh not in the isle of Rhodes/ & arriveth at Famagost that is the chief haven of Cypress/ or else at Lamaton/ and than enter ship again & pass beside the haven of tire & come not 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 fro jaffe men go to the city of Ramos & that is but little thence and it is a fair city/ & beside Ramos is a fair church of our lady where our lord showed him unto her in the shadows that betokeneth the trinity And there near is a church of saint George where his heed was smitten of. And than to the castle of Emaux/ & than unto mount joy/ and fro thence pilgrims see jerusalem/ & than to mount Modyn & than go to jerusalem. At mount Modyn lieth the prophet Machabe/ and over Ramatha is the town of Donke whereof Amos the prophet was   

¶ Yet of other ways for to go by land unto Jerusalem. ca xlii.  
FOr as much as many men may not 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 an other/ & he shall pass into Grece to port Myroche or an other & shall go to Constantynople/ & shall pass the water that is called the brach of Saint George that is an arm of the see. And from thence he shall come to Puluerall/ & than to the castle of Synople. And fro thence shall he go unto Capadoce that is a great country wherein is many great hills/ & he shall go through Turkey & to the city of Nyke the which they wan fro th'emperor of Constantynople/ and it is a fair city & well walled/ & there is a river that men call the Lay. & there go men by the alpes of Mormant/ & thorough the vales of Malebrynys & the vale of Ernax/ & so to Anthyoche the better that sitteth on the river Ryclay/ & there about is many good hills & fair/ and many fair woods & wild beasts/ And he that will go an other way he gooth by the plain of roman cost & the roman see/ on that cost is a fair castle that men call Florage. And when a man is out of the hills he passeth through the city of Moryach and Artois where is a great bridge upon the river of fern that men call Fassar/ & it is a great river bearing ships. And beside the city of Damas' is a river that cometh fro the mount of Lybany & that men call Alban/ at the passing of this river saint Eustache lost his two sons when he had lost his wife/ & it goth through the plain of Archades & so to the reed see and than go men to the city of Fermyne & so to the city of Ferne. And than to antioch & that is a fair city & well walled/ for it is two mile long/ & there is a bridge over the river that hath at each pillar a good tour & is the best city of the kingdom of Surry. from antioch men go to the city of Locuth/ & so to Geble/ & to Tortouse/ & thereby is the land of Cambre & a strong castle that men call Manbek. And fro Tortouse men go to Trypelle on the see/ & 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 through the land of Flagme & so to the city of caiphass of which Cayphas was lord/ & some call it the castle Pelleryns▪ & from thence it is four days journey to jerusalem/ & they go through Cesary Phylypp and Jaffa & Ramires mass and Emaux/ and so to jerusalem.   

¶ Yet an other way by land toward the land of promission. ca xliij.  
NOw have I told you some ways by land & by water how men may go to jerusalem. And if it be so that there be many other ways that men go by after the countries that they come fro/ nevertheless they torn all to one end. Yet is there a way all by land to jerusalem & pass no see from France or Flaundres/ but that way is full long & a perilous and of great travail/ & therefore few go that way/ he that shall go that way he gooth through Almaigne & 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 all the lords of Tartary yield him tribute. Tartary is a full evil land & sondy and little fruit bearing/ for there groweth but little corn or wine or fruit/ but beasts are there great plenty/ & therefore eat they but flesh without breed/ & they soup the brotth and they drink milk of all manner of beasts. They eat cats & all manner wild beasts/ rattons and mice/ & they have little wood/ and therefore they dight their meet with horse dung & other beasts when it is dry. Princes & other lords eat but ones on the day & right little/ and they be right foul folk and of evil kind/ & in summer there is many tempests & thunders that sleeth many men and beasts & right suddenly/ and it is there right cold/ & as suddenly it is right hot. The prince that governeth that land they call him Raco & dwelleth at a city that men call Orda/ & forsooth there will no good man dwell in that land/ for it is good to sow in thorns & weeds/ and other good is there none as I heard say/ for I was not that way/ but I have been in other lands marching thereon as the land of Rossye & Nyflonde and the kingdom of Grecon & Lectowe/ and the kyngdo me of Grasten & many other places/ but I went never that way to jerusalem/ & therefore I may not well tell it/ for I have understand that men may not well go that way but in winter/ for waters & marrays that are there that men may not pass are than hard frorens & full of snow above/ for were not the snow there might no man ●o. And ye shall understand that a man shall go three joury may assay them well in this manner/ first cu●e with them in diverse precious stones as sapphires or other upon crystal/ & than men take a stone that is called adamande/ lay a needle before that adamande & if the dyamande be good & virtuous the adamande draweth not the needle to him whiles the dyamande is there. And this is the prove that they make beyond the see. But it falleth sometime that the good dyamande loseth his virtue thorough him that beareth it/ & therefore it is needful for to make it to recover his virtue again or else it is little of value.   

¶ Of diverse kingdoms and yles of the land of Ynde. ca liij.  
 
MAny dyuer● countries & kingdoms are in ynde/ & it is called Ynde of a river that runneth through & is called ynde also▪ and there is many other precious stones in that river ynde. And in that river men find eyes of xxx foot long/ & men that dwell near that river are of evil colour and yellow & green. In ynde is more than five thousand yles that men dwell in good & great beside those that men dwell not in/ & in each one of those is great plenty of cities & moche people/ for men of Ynde are of that condition that they pass not out of their land commonly/ for they dwell under a planet that is called Saturn/ & that planet maketh his course by the twelve signs in twenty year & the moan passeth through the twelve signs in a month & for that Saturn is of so late steering/ therefore men that dwell under him & in that climate have no good will to be much steering about. And in ●ur country is it contrary/ for we are in a climate that is of the moan & of light steering and that is the planet of way/ & therefore it giveth us will to much moving & steering and to go in to diverse countries of the world/ for it gooth about the world more lightly than an other planet doth/ ¶ Also men pass through Ynde by many countries unto the great see Ocean. And than they find the isle of Hermes where merchants of 〈◊〉 and of Geene and of other diverse parties o● cr●endome come for to buy their marchaundys●▪   

there was one in that country that meddled with sorcery that men called Takyna that with enchantments could make him like an angel/ & he wen ●e often & lay with maidens/ and therefore was Mary the more afeard for the angel & thought in her mind that it had be Takyna that went with ●he maidens/ & she conjured him that he should say ●nto her if he was that same Takyna/ & the angel bad her have no dread for he was certain a messenger of Ihesu christ. Also their book of All ●aron saith that she had child under a palm tree & than was she greatly ashamed & said that she would ●e dedd/ and as soon her child spoke & comforted her & said to Mary. Ne timeas maria. That is ●o say. Be not dreaded Mary. And in many other places saith their book Alharon that Ihesu christ spoke as soon as he was borne/ & the book saith ●hat Ihesu christ was sent fro god almighty to ●e ensample to all men/ & that god shall dame all ●en/ the good to heaven & wicked to hell/ & that Ihu ●yst is the best prophet of all other & next to god ● that he was very prophet that gave the blind ●ght & ●eled meselles/ & raised deed men & went ● quick to heaven/ & if they may find a book ●ith gospels & namely Missus est angelus/ they ●o it great worship/ they fast a month in the year they eat not but on the night/ & than they keep teym fro their wives/ but they that are syke are ●ot constrained to that. And that book Alharon speaketh of jews & saith they are wicked people● for they will not believe that Ihesu christ is of god And they say that the jews lie on our lady & her son Ihesu christ saying that they died him not o● the cross/ & for sarasyns believe so near our faith & they are lightly converted when men preach the law of Ihesu christ/ & they say they wot well b● their prophecies that their law of Machomet shal● fail as doth the law of jews/ & that cryst● mens law shall last unto the worlds end. An● if a man ask them wherein they believe/ and the● say that they believe in god almighty the which ● maker of heaven & of earth and other things ● without him is no thing done/ & the day of do● me when every man shall be rewarded after h● deserving/ & that all thing is sooth that christ say● through the mouths of his prophets.   

¶ Yet of Machomet. ca xl●  
ALso Machomet bad in his book Al● run that every man should have two w●ues or three or four/ but now take they. ix. and ● many lemans them liked/ & if any of their ● ve do amiss again their husbands▪ he may d●ue her out of his house & take an other/ but he m● give her a part of his goods. Also where m● speak of the father & son & holy ghost/ they sa● that they are three persons & not one god/ for the● ●he Alcoran speaketh not thereof ne of the Try●te▪ but they say that god spoke or else was he ●be/ & god hath a ghost or else were he not a ●e/ & they say that god's word hath great streng● & so saith their Alcoran/ & they say that Abra●n & Moses were well with god for they spoke ●th him/ & Machomet was right messenger of ●/ & they have many good articles of our faith ●d some understand the scriptures & prophecies ● they have them/ & the gospels & the Bible is ●yten in their language/ & so wot they well of ho dryte/ but they understand it not but after the ●ter & so do the jews/ for they understand not ●e letter ghostly/ & therefore saith saint Poule. ●ttera occidit spiritus autem vivificabit. That is say. Letter sleeth/ & ghost maketh quick. And ●e Sarasyns say that the jews are wicked for ●ey keep not the law of Moses the which he to ● to them. And also christian men are ill for they ●pe not the commandments of the gospels that ●esu cryst sent unto them. And therefore I shall ●le you what the Soundan told me upon a day his chambre/ he died void out all manner of ●en/ lords/ knights/ & other for he would speak ●th me in counsel/ and he asked me how christian ●en governed them in our country/ and I said ●ght well thanked be god/ and he said sickerly ●ay/ for he said that our priests made no force of ●ddes service/ for they should give good eusample to men to do well & they give ill ensample & therefore when the people should go on the ho● days unto the church to serve god/ they go to ● verne to be in gluttony all the day & the night/ ● eat & drink as beasts that wot not when they ha● enough/ & also christian men he said aforsed they● to fight samen/ & everichone to beguile other/ an● also they are so proud y they wot not how th● may clothe them/ now long now short/ now 〈◊〉 te now wide/ on all manner of wise. They shol● be simple meek & soothe fast and do alms as Ihes● christ died in whom they believe/ & he said th● are to covetous that for a little silver they sell they● children their sisters & their wives/ & one take● an other man's wife & none holdeth his faith ● other/ & therefore said he for their sins hath go● given these lands to our hands/ & not thoru● our strength but all for your sins. For we wo● well forsooth when ye serve well your god that h● will help you so that no man shall win agay● the land when they serve their god well/ but wh●le they live so foully as they do/ we have no dreads of them/ for their god shall not help them/ ● than I asked him how he knew the state of Christian men so/ & he said that he knew well both o● lords & of commons by his messengers which h● sent through all countries as it were marchaunt● with precious stones and other merchandises 〈◊〉 know the manner of every country. And than h● died call again all the lords in to the chambre & than he showed me four persons that were great lords in that country that devised me my country and other as in christendom all as they had be men of the same country/ & they spoke french right well & the Sultan also/ and than had I great marvel of this slander of our faith/ & so they that should be turned by our good ensamples to the faith of Ihesu christ/ they are drawn away thorough our evil living/ & therefore it is no wonder if they call us evil for they say soothe/ but the sarasyns are true for they keep truly the commandments of their Alcoran that god sent them by his messengere Machomet/ to whom they say that Gabryell the angel spoke often & said him the will of god.   

¶ Of the birth of Machomet. ca xlvi.  
ANd ye shall understand that Machomet was born in Araby/ & he was first a poor knave & kept horse and went after merchandise And so he came once in to Egypt with marchaun dice/ & Egypt was that same time christian/ and there was a chapel beside Araby & there was an hermit/ & when he came in to the chapel that was but a little house & a low/ as soon the entry begins to be as great as it were of a palace gate/ & that was the first miracle that the sarasyns say that he died in his youth. After began Machomet to be wise & rich/ and he was a great astronomer/ & sithen was he keeper of the land of the prince Lo rodan & governed it full well/ in the which manner that when the prince was deed he wedded the lady that men called Quadryge. And Machomet fell often 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 Gabryell the angel spoke to him/ & for the great brightness of the angel he fell● down. This Machomet reigned in Araby the year of our lord. vi. hundred and. xx. & he was of the kind of Ishmael that was Abra hams son that he gate of Agar/ & other are called Sarrasyns of Sarra/ but some are called Moabites/ and some Amonytes after two sons of Loath And also Machomet loved well a good man an hermit that dwelled in wilderness a mile from mount Synay in the way as men go fro Araby to Laldee & a days journey fro the see where merchants of venice came. And Machomet went so often to this hermit that all his men were wroth/ for he heard gladly the hermit preach/ & died his men walk all the night/ & his men thought they would this hermit were deed. So it befell on a night that Machomet was full drunken of good wine & he fell in sleep/ and his men took Macho mets sword out of his sheath whiles he lay & slept & therewith they slew the hermit/ & afterward they put the sword up again all bloody. And upon the morrow when he found this hermit thus deed/ he was in his mind very angry and right wroth/ & would have done his men unto the death/ but they all with one accord & with one will said that he himself had slain him when he was drunken/ and they showed him his own sword all bloody/ & than believed he that they said sooth/ and than he cursed the wine & all those that drunk it. And therefore sarrasyns that are devout drink no wine openly else they should be reproved/ but they drink good beverage & sweet and norysshynge that is made of Lalamels/ & thereof is sugour made.  
Also it befalleth sometime that christian men become saracens/ either through poverty or simpleness or wickedness. And therefore their archbishop when he receiveth them saith thus. Laeles ella Machomet rozes ella. That is to say. There is no god but one and Machomet his messenger/ And sithen I have told you a part of their law and of their customs/ and now I shall say you of their letters that they have with their names. first they have for A almoy/ bethath for b. cathi c. ephoti for d. delphoy e. fothy f. garophin g. hechun h. iocchi i. kathi k. lothun l. malach m. nahalot n. orthy o. choziri p. zoth q. rutholat r. routhi s. solathi t. chatimus v. yrithom x. mazot z. zatepin ●. iohetus ●. these are the names. these four letters they have yet more for diversity of their language/ for as much 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 a. b. c. That is to say y and z the which are called thorn and zowx.   

¶ Of the yles and of the marvelous people and diverse beasts. ca xlvij.  
ANd sithen I have devised before of the ho lie land and countries there about & many ways thither/ and to mount Synay to Babylon and other places of the the which I have spoken   

¶ And fro thence men go to a city that is called Tanzy●/ and that is a fair city & good. Beside that city is an hill of salt and thereof every man take what he will/ and there dwelled many christian men under tribute of the sarrasyns.  
from thence men go through many cities & towns and many castles toward Ynde/ and than come to a city that men call Cassage that is a fair cy se/ and in that city is ha●ondaunte of corn and wines and of all manner goods/ and there met the three kings together that went to make their offering to our lord in Bethleem. from that city men go to a city that men call Cardabago/ and paynims say that christian men may not dwell there but they die soon & they wot not the cause And fro thence men go thorough many countries cities & towns that it 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 not now in habit with men/  
& there endeth the land of the Emperor of Percy.   

¶ Of the country of job and of the kingdom of Chaldee. ca xlix.  
ON the other side of that city of Carnaa men enter in to the land of job/ that is a good land & 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 & also he was Cofraas son/ and he held that land as prince thereof/ and he was so rich that he knew not the hundreth part of his good/ and after his poverty god made him richer than ever he was before/ for after he was king of Ydumea after the death of king Esau/ & when he was king he was called joab/ and in that kingdom he lived. C. year and. lxx. so that he was of age when he died. CC. year and. xlvin. And in this land of job is no default of no thing that is needful to manes body. There been hills where men find manna & manna is called angels breed that is a white thing right sweet & moche sweeter than sugour or honey & that cometh of the dew of heaven that falleth on the herbs/ & there it congealed & waxed white & men do it in medicines for rich men. This land marches to the land of Chaldee that is a great land and there is full fair folk & well appareled/ and they go richly arrayed with cloth of gold and with pearls and other precious stones. But the woman are right foul & evil clad and go bare foot and bear an ill cote large wide and short unto their knees and have long sleeves down to the foot/ and they have great black here long hanging about their shoulders & they are right foul for to look upon that I dare not tell it all by cause that I am worthy for to have a great reward for my praising of them. In this land of Chaldee aforesaid is a city that men call Hur/ and in that city was Abraham the patriarch borne.   

¶ Of the kingdom of Amasony where as dwelled but women. ca l.  
 
AFter the land of Chaldee is the land of Amasony 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 lordship over them. For sometime was a king in that land & men were dwelling there as died in other countries & had wives/ & it befell that the king had a great war with them of Sychy & he was called Colopius and he was slain in battle & all the good blood of his land. And this queen when ●he heard that & other ladies of that land that the king & the lords were slain/ they gathered them together & killed all the men that were left in their land among them/ & sithen that time dwelled no man among them. And when they will have any man to lie by them they send for them in a country that is near to their land/ & the men come & are ther● viij. days or as the woman likes & than go they again/ and if they have men children they send them to their faders when they can eat & go/ ● if they have maid children they keep them▪ and if they be of gentle blood they bren the left pap a way for bearing of a shield/ & if they be of little blood they bren the right pap away for shooting. For those women of that country are good warriors & are often in so●de with other lords/ & the queen of that land governeth well that land/ this land is all environed with water. Beside Amasony is the land of Termagute that is a good land & profitable/ and for goodness of that land king Alexander died make a city there that he called Alexander.  
  

¶ Of the land of ethiop. ca li.  
ON the other side of Chaldee toward the south side is ethiop a gre●e 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/ & on the night it is so hot that no man may suffer to put his hand in it. In this land the rivers & all the waters are troublous & somedeal salt for the great heat/ & men of that land are lightly drunken & have little appetite to meet/ and they have commonly the flux of body and they live not long.  
In ethiop 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 the shadow thereof covered the body fro the son or rain when they lay upon their backs/ & when their children be first borne they look like russeth/ and when they wax old than they be all black. In ethiop is the land of Saba/ of the which one of the three kings that sought our lord at Bethleem was king.   

¶ Of Ynde the more & Ynde the lass/ and of & small people & other things. ca lij.  
Men of this isle have many manner of believe and faith and have also diverse laws/ for some do worship the son/ some the fire/ some the trees/ and some the serpents or any other thing that them first met in the morning/ and some do worship simulcares and idols/ but between simulcares and idols is no difference/ and that i● to understand images made to likeness of wha● thing a man will that is not kindly for some image hath an heed as an ox/ and some have thr● or four heeds/ one of a man or an horse or an ox● or of any other be'st that no man hath seen. And ye shall understand that they that worship simulcares they worship them as for worthy me● that were sometime/ as Hercules & other that died many marvels in their times. For they say they wot well that they are not god of kind that made all thing/ but that they are well with god for the marvels that they do/ & therefore they worship them. And so say they of the son for it changeth oft-times for it giveth sometime great he 〈◊〉 for to nourish all things on e●the/ and for it is of so great profit they wot well it is not god but it is well with god & that god loveth it more than any other thing/ & for this cause they worship it. And also they say their reasons of other planets and of fire also for it is profitable & needful▪ And of idols they say that the ox is the holiest best that they may find here in earth & most profitable than any other for he doth much good & none ill/ and they wot well that it may not be without special grace of god/ & therefore they make their god of an ox the one half/ and the other half a man/ for man is the fairest & the best creature of the world. And they do worship to serpents & other beasts that they meet first at morrow & namely those beasts that have good meeting after whom they speed well all day after/ the why ●he they have proved of long time/ and therefore they say that this good meeting cometh of god's grace/ & therefore have they do make ymage● like unto those things that they may worship them before they meet any thing else.  
¶ And yet are some christian men that say that some beasts are better for to meet than some/ for hares & swine and other beasts are ill to meet first as they say. In this isle of Cana is many wild beasts/ & rattons of the country are as great as here▪ and they take them with mastytes▪ for cats may not take them. From thence men come to a city that men call Sarchis/ & it is a fair & 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 & in that land wast pepper in a forest that men call Tonber/ & it wast in none other place more in all the world than in that forest/ & that forest is well. l. days journey/ & there by the land of Lombe is the city of Polomes'/ &▪ under that city is an hill that men call Polombe/ & thereof taketh the cy●e his name. And so at the foot of the same hill is a right fair & a clear well that hath a full good & sweet savour/ and it smelleth of all manner sorts of spices. And also at each hour of the day i● changeth his savour diversly/ & who so drinketh thrice on the day of that well he is made hole of all manner sickness that he hath. I have some time drunken of that well/ & me thinketh yet that I fare the better/ some call it the well of youth/ for they that drink thereof seem to be young alway & live without great sickness/ & they say this well cometh fro Paradyse terrestre for it is so virtuous/ & in this land groweth ginger/ and thither come many good merchants for spices. In this country men worship the ox for his great simpleness and meekness & the profit that is in him/ for they maketh ox to travail. vi. or. seven. year & than men do eat him. And the king of that land hath ever more one ox with him/ & he that keepeth him every day taketh his fees for the keeping. And also every day he gathereth his urine & his dung in a vessel of gold & beareth it to the prelate that they call Archiporta papaton/ & the prelate beareth it to the king & maketh thereupon a great blessing. and than the king putteth his hand therein & they call it gaul/ and he anointeth his front & his breast therewith/ and they do it great worship & say he shall be fulfilled with the virtue of the ox before said/ & that he is hallowed through virtue of that holy thing as they say. And when the king hath thus done than do it other lords/ and after them other men after they are of degree if they may have any of the remanant. In this country their idols are half man and half ox as the figure showeth in the second leaf here before/ and out of these idols the wicked ghost speaketh to them & giveth them answer of what thing that they ask him/ and before these idols they slay their children many times & sprenge the blood on the idols & 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 for eating of worms. And if his wife have no children than they burn her with him/ & they say it is a good reason that she keepeth him company in the other world as she died▪ in this/ & if she have children she may live with them and she will/ and if the wife die before she shall be brent & her husband also if he will. In this country groweth good wine ne/ and women drink wine & men none/ and woe man shave their beards & men not.   

¶ Of the kingdom of Mabaron. ca liiij.  
And when they come there they have incense/ or such other thing for to incense the idol as we would do to god's body. And there is before that minster or church of this idol a vyver full of water/ and in that vyver pilgrims cast gold/ silver/ pearls/ & other precious stones without number in stead of offerings and therefore when as the master of the minster hath any need of helping/ as soon they go to that vyver and take there out as much as they have need to helping of the minster. And ye shall understand when that any great festes come of that idol as the dedication day of the church or of the throning of the idol all the country there about assembled them there together/ and than men set this idol with great reverence & worship in a chair well dight with rich csothes of gold and other of tapestry/ and so they carry him with great reverence and worship round about the city/ and before the chair gooth first in procession all the maidens of the country two and two together/ and so after them go the pilgrims that are come fro far countries of which pilgrims some fall down before the chair and lateth all go over them & so are they some slain & some are broken their arms & shanks & this do they for love of the idol/ & they believe the more pain that they suffer here for their idol the more joy shall they have in the other world/ & 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 minstrels of the country as if were without number with many diverse 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 country that he hath a great worship & he have an holy man in his kin Like wise say they there that those that are thus slain are holy men & saints/ and they are written in their litany/ and when they are thus deed their friends burn their bodies & they take the ashes and those are kept as relics & they say it is holy thing/ and that they have doubt of no peril when they have of those ashes.   

¶ Of a great country called Lamory where the people go all naked/ & other things. ca lv.  
 
ARo this country. lij. journeys is a country that men call Lamory/ & in that land is great heat/ and it is the custom there that men & women go all naked/ and they scorn all them that are clad/ for they say that god made Adam and Eve all naked and that men should have no shame of that that god made/ and they believe in the same god that made Adam and Eve and all the world/ & there is no woman wedded but woman are all common there/ and the forsake no man. And they say that god commanded to Adam and Eve & all that came of them saying. Crescite ●t multiplicamini et repleti terram. That is to say in english. Wax & be multiplied 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 chil● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me they will of ●en 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also the land is all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he will/ for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 year an other man hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goods as corn beeste● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that country are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thing under lock & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other/ but they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flesh for they eat glad● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nevertheless in that lon● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of flesh of fish of go● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ner of goods. And thyd● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their children for to sell/ and those that are fat they eat them/ and those that be leanly they keep them till they be fat and than are they eaten.  
 
¶ And beside this isle of Lamory is another isle that men call Somober & is a good isle/ men of that isle do mark them in the visage with an ho te iron men & women for great nobleye and to be known from other/ for they hold themself the worthiest of the world/ & they have war evermore with those men that are naked that I spoke of before. And there are many other yles & diverse manners of men of which it were overmuch for ●o speak of all.   

¶ Of the country and isle named jana and is a mighty land. ca lvi.  
ANd there is a great isle that men call jana/ & the king of that country hath vnde● him. seven. kings for he is a full mighty prince.  
¶ In this isle groweth all manners of spices more plenteously than in other places/ as ginger/ clowes/ canell/ nutmegs/ & other/ and ye shall understand that the nutmeg beareth the maces/ & all thing therein is plenty safe wine. The king of this land hath a rich palace & the best that is in the world/ for all the greces in to his hall and chambers been all made one of gold & an other of silver/ and all the walls are covered & picked with gold & silver/ and in those plates are written stories of knights & battles/ and the pavement of the hall & chambers is of gold & of silver/ and there is no ma● that would believe the richesse that is there but if he had seen it/ & the king of this isle 〈◊〉 so mighty that he hath many times overcome the great Chane of Cathay that is the myghtyst Emperor that is in all the world/ for there is often war among them/ for the great Chane would make him hold his land of him.   

¶ Of the kingdom of Paten or Salamasse which is a good land. ca lvij.  
ANd for to go forth by the see men find an isle that is called Paten/ & some call it Sala mass/ & is a great kingdom with many fair cities  
In this land grow trees that bear meal of which men make fair breed and white and of good savour/ and it seemeth like as it were of wheat. And there be other trees that bear venom/ again the which is no medicine but one/ that is to take of the leaves of the same tree and stamped them and tempre them with water & drink it or else he shall die suddenly for treacle may not help. And if ye will weet how the trees bear meal I shall tell you/ men hew with an hatchet about the rote of the tree by the earth so that no bark be pierced in many places/ & than cometh out a liquor thick which they take in a vessel & put it to the son & dry it/ and when it is dry they do it unto the mill to grind & so it is fair meal & white/ and honey & wine and venom are drawn out of other trees in the same manner & do it in vessels to keep. In that isle is a deed see/ that is a water that hath no ground/ & if any thing fall therein it shall never be found/ beside that see groweth great can & under their roots men find precious stones of great ver tue/ for he that beareth one of those stones upon him there may no iron dear him ne draw blood on him & therefore they that have those stones fight full hardly for there may no quarrel ne such thing dear them/ therefore they that know the manner make their quarrels without iron & so they slay them.   

¶ Of the kingdom of Talonach where the king hath many wives. ca lviij.  
THan is there an other isle that men call Talonach that is a great land & plenteous of goods and fishes as ye shall here hereafter.  
¶ And the king of this land hath as many wives as he will a thousand & more/ & lieth never by one of them but ones. And that land hath a marvel that is in no other land. For all manner fishes of thee cometh there ones a year one after other & lieth them near the land/ sometime on the land & so lie three days & men of that land come thither & take of them what he will/ & than go those fishes away & an other manner cometh & lieth also three days & men take of them/ & thus do all manner fishes till all have be there & men have taken what they will. And men wot not the cause why it is. But they of that country say/ that those fishes come so thither to do worship to their king for they say he is the most worthiest king of the world/ for he hath so many wives and getteth so many children of them.  
And that same king hath. xiv. M. elephants or moo which be all tame & they be all fed of the men of his country for his pleasure by cause that he may have them ready to his hand when he hath any war against any other kings or princes/ & than he doth put upon their backs castles & men of war as the use is of that land/ & like wise do other kings & princes there about.   

¶ Of the island called Raso where men be hanged as they are sick. ca lix.  
ANd fro this isle men go unto an other isle that men call Raso/ and men of this isle when that their friends are sick and that they believe surely that they shall die/ they take them and hang him up all quick on a tree/ & say it is better that birds that are angels of god eat them than worms of the earth. from thence men go to an isle there the men are of ill kind/ for the nourish hounds for to strangle men. And when their friends are sick that they hope they shall die/ they do those hounds strangle them for they will not that they die a kindly death for than should they suffer to great pain as they say/ & when they are thus deed they eat their flesh for venison.   

¶ Of the island of Melke where in dwelled ill people. ca lx.  
all men are as beasts & not reasonable/ & they dwell in caves for they have no wit to make them houses/ and they eat adders & they speak not/ but they make such a noise as adders do one to an other▪ & they make no force of richesse/ but of a stone ● hath forty colours & it is called Traconyt after that isle/ but they know not the virtue thereof/ but they covet it for the great fairness.  
And fro this isle men go to an isle that men call Sylo & this isle is more than hundred mile about and there in be many serpents which are great with yellow stripes/ and they have four feet with short legs & great claws/ some be of five fadem of length/ and some of. viij. and some of. x. and some more & some less and be called Cocodrylles and there are also many wild beasts & elephants  
And in this isle and in many isles there about are many wild ghees with two heeds/ and there be also in that country white lions and many other 〈◊〉 marvelous beasts/ and if I should tell 〈◊〉 fall to long.   

〈◊〉 called Dodyn wherein are ma 〈◊〉 evil conditions. ca lxij.  
 
& their eyen are in their shoulders & their mouth is on their breast. another isle are men that have no heed ne eyes & their mouth is behind in their shulds. And in an other isle are men that have plat faces without nose and without eyen/ but they have two small round holes in stead of eyen/ and they have a plat mouth without lips. And in an other isle are men also that have their faces all plat without eyen or mouth and without nose/ but they have their eyen and their mouth behind on their shoulders. And in an other isle are foul men that have the lip above the mouth to great that when they sleep in the son they cover all their face with the lip. And in an other isle are little men as dwarves & have no mouth but a little round hole & through that hole they eat their meet with a pipe/ and they have no tongue & they speak not but they blow & wysple and so make signs one to an other. And in an other isle are men with hanging eeres unto their knees. And in an other isle are wild men with hanging eeres and have feet like an horse & may run fast/ and they take wild beasts & eat them. And in an other isle are men that go on their hands & feet like beasts/ & are all rough & will leap upon a tree like cats or apes. And in an other isle are men that go ever upon their knees marvelously and have on every foot. viij. 〈◊〉. And in an other isle is folk that is both men & women & have membres of both for to engender with/ and when they will they use both on a time & the other an other time/ & they get children when they use the member of man/ & they bear children when they use the member of woman. Many other manner of folk is in this yles thereabout of whom it were to long to tell all.   

¶ Of the kingdom named Mancy & is the best kingdom of the world. ca lxiij.  
TO go fro this isle toward the east many journeys a man shall find a kingdom that is called Mancy & this in Ynde the more/ & it is most delectable & plenty of goods of all the world. In this land dwell christian men & sarazens/ for it is a great land/ & therein is. ij. M. great cities & other many towns. In this land no man goth on begging for there is no power man/ & the men have beards thin of here as it were cats. In this land are fair women & therefore some men call the land Albany for the white folk/ & there is a city that men call Latorym & is more than Paris/ & in that land are birds twice greater than it be here. and there is good cheap of all manner of victuals/ In this country are white hens & they bear no feathers but wool as sheep do in our land/ & women of that country that are wedded bear crowns up on their heeds that they may be known by. In this country they take a be'st that is called 〈◊〉 & they ken it to go in to waters or vyners/ and as soon he bringeth out of the water great fishes/ & thus take they fish as long as they mill to 〈◊〉 them needeth. from this city men go by many journeys to an other great city that is called Cassay that is the most city of the world/ & that city is thirty mile about/ & there is in that city ●o than twelve pryn cypall gates without. from thence within three mile is an other great city/ & within this city are more than twelve thousand bridges/ & upon each bridge is a strong tour where the keepers dwell to keep it again the great Chane for it marcheth on his land/ & on one side of the city runneth a great river/ & there dwell christian men & other/ for it is a good country &. ●teuous & there groweth right good wine/ this is a noble city where the king of Mancy was wont to dwell/ & there dwell religious men christian freres. And men go upon the river till they come to an abbey of monks a little fro the city/ & in that abbey is a great garden & fair & therein is many manner of trees of diverse fruits In that garden dwell many manner of beasts as baboynes/ apes/ marmosettes & other/ & when the covent hath eaten a monk taketh the relief & bear it in to the garden & smiteth once with a bell of silver which he hold in his hand/ & anon come out these beasts that I spoke of & many more near three or four thousand & he giveth them to eat of fair vessels of silver/ & when they have eaten he smiteth the bell again & they go again their way. And the monk saith that those beasts are souls of men that are deed/ & those beasts that are fair are souls of lords & other rich men/ & those that are foul beasts are souls of other commons. And I asked them if it had not be better to give that relief to poor men/ & 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 & may go no ferther to get their meet than to men that have wit/ te & may travail for their meet. Than come men to a city that is called Chybens and there was the first siege of the king of Mancy. In this city are lx bridges of stone as fair as they may be.   

¶ Of the land of Pygmeen wherein dwelled but small people of three span long. ca lxiiij.  
When men pass fro the city of Chybens they pass over a great river of fresh water/ and it is near four mile brood/ and than men enter in to the land of the great Chane. This river gooth through the land of Pygmeens/ & there men are of little stature for they are but three span long & they are right fair both men & women though they be little/ and they are wedded when they are half a year old/ & they live but viij year/ & he that lived. viij. year is holden right old/ & these small men are the best work men of silk & of cotton in all manner thing that are in the world. And these small men travail not nor till no land/ but they have among them great men as we are to travail for them/ and they have great scorn of those great men as we would have of grants or of them & they were among us.   

Of the city of Menke where a great navy is. ca lxv.  
FRo this land men go through many countries & cities and towns till they come to a city that men call Menke. In that city is a great navy of ships & 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 halls and chambers & other esymentes.   

¶ Of the land named Cathay and the great richesses thereof. ca lxvi.  
ANd from thence men go upon a river that men call Ceremosan/ & this river gooth through Cathay & doth many times harm when it waxeth great. Cathay is a fair country & rich full of goods & merchandises/ thither come mar chants every year for to fetch spices and other merchandises more commonly than they do in to other countries. And ye shall understand that merchants that come from Denys of fro Geene or from other places of Lombardy or of roman/ they go by see and land xi months and more or they may come to Cathay.   

¶ Of a great city named Cadon where in is the great Chans palace & siege. ca lxvij.  
IN the province of Cathay toward the east is an old city/ & beside that city the Tartarynes have made an other city that men call Cadon that hath twelve gates/ & ever between two gates is a great mile/ so that those two cities the old & ●he new is round about twenty mile. In this city is the palace and siege of the great Chane in a full fair place & great of which the walls about is two mile/ & within that are many fair places & in the garden of that palace is a right great hill on the which is an other palace/ & it is the fairest that may be found in any place/ and all about that hill are many trees bearing diverse fruits/ & about that hill is a great ditch/ and there near are many vyvers on each side/ & in those are many wild fowls that he may take & go not out of the palace. Within the hall of that palace are xxiiij pillars of gold/ & all the walls are covered with rich skins of beasts that men call panters. Those are fair beasts & well smelling & of the smell of the skins none evil smell may come to the palace/ those skins are as read as blood/ & they shine so again the son that uneaths may men behold them/ & men praise those skins as much as it were gold. In mids of that palace is a place made that they call the mountour for the great Chane that is well made with precious stones & great pearls hanging about/ & at the four corners of that mountour are four nedders of gold/ & under that mountour & above are conduits of beverage that they drink in thempē●ours court. And the hall of that palace is richly dight & 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 bordu red with gold & that bordure is full of precious stones & grrete pearls/ and the greces on which he gooth up are of diverse precious stones bordered with gold. At the lift side of his throne is the siege of his wife a degree lower than he sitteth & that is of jasper bordered with gold/ & the siege of his se●onde wife is a degree lower than the first & that ●s also of good jasper bordered with gold/ and ●he siege of the third wife is a degree lower than ●he second/ for ●ape he hath three wives with ●ym where soever he is/ vesyde these wives on the same side sitteth other ladies of his kin eachone lower than other as they are of degree/ & all those that are wedded have a counterfeets of a man's foot upon their heeds a cubit long & all made with precious stones/ & above are they made with shining feathers of peacocks or such other in tokening that they are in subjection of man & under man's foot/ & they that are not wedded have none such. And on the right side of the Emperor sitteth first his son that shall be Emperor after him/ & he sitteth also a degree lower than the Emperor in such manner of seges as the Emperor sitteth/ & by him sitteth other lords of his kin eachone lower than other as they are of degree. And th'emperor hath his table by himself alone that is made of gold & precious stones or of white crystal or yellow bordered with gold/ & eachone of his wives hath a table by herself. And under the emperors table sitteth four clerks at his feet that write all that the Emperor saith be it good or ill. And at great festes above the emperors table & all other tables in the hall is a vine made of fine gold that gooth all about the hall & it hath many branches of grapes like to grapes of the vine/ some are white/ some are yellow/ some reed/ some green/ & some black/ all the reed are of rubies of cremas or alabaunce/ the white ar● of crystal or by call/ the yellow are of topaces/ th● green are of emeralds & crysolytes/ & the black● are of quyches & gerandes/ and this vine is made thus of precious stones so properly that it seemeth as i● were a vine growing. And before the board of the Enperour standeth great lords/ & no man is so hard to speak to him but it be minstrels for to solace th'emperor. And all the vessel that is se●ued in his hall or chambers are of precious stones & namely at tables where great lords eat/ that is to say/ of jasper/ crystal/ amatyst/ or fine gold & the cups are of emeralds/ sapphires/ topaces. and 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 pillars & pavymentes of halls & of chambers. And ye shall understand that my fellow & I was in soudy with him xvi months again the king of Mancy upon 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 found it more richer & solemn than ever we heard speak of/ & we should never have believed it had we not seen it/ but ye shall understand that meet & drink is more honest among us than it is in those countries/ for all the commons eat upon skins of beasts on their knees & eat but flesh of all manner beasts/ & when they have all eaten they wipe their hands on their skirts & they eat but ones on the day & eat but little breed/ but the esta te of the lords is full nobleye & full richly.   

¶ Wherefore that the Emperor of Cathay is call led the great Chane. ca lxviij.  
ANd ye shall weet why he is called the great Chane/ ye wot well that all the world was destroyed with noah's flood but Noah & his wife & his children. No had three sons Sem Cham & japheth. Chamwas he that saw his faders balockes naked when he slept & scorned it/ & therefore was he cursed/ and japheth covered it again. these three brethren had all the land. Chamtook the best part ecstwarde that is called Asia. Sem took africa. & japheth took Europe. Chamwas the mightiest & richest of his brethren/ & of him are come the paen folk & divers manner of men of the yles/ some hedles'/ & other men disfigured/ & for this Cham the Emperor there called him Cham & lord of all. But ye shall understand that the Emperor of Cathay is called Chane & not Cham▪ & for this cause it is not long gone that all Tartary was in subjection & thrall to other nations about/ & they were made herdsmen to keep beasts/ & among them was. seven. lineages or kin des/ the first was called Tartary that is the best/ the second lineage is called Tanghot/ the third Eurace/ the fourth Valayre/ the fifth Semoth/ the sixth Menchy/ the seventh Sobeth. these are all holding of the great Chane of Cathay. Now it befall so that in the first lineage was an old man & he was not rich & men call him Changyus. This man lay & slept on a night in his bed/ & there came to him a knight all white sitting upon a white horse & said to him. Chane sleepest thou/ god that is almighty sent me to thee/ & it is his will that thou say to the. seven. lineages that thou shalt he their Emperor/ for ye shall conquer all the lands that are about you & they shall be in your subjection as ye have be in theirs. And when morrow came he rose up & said it to the. seven. lineages/ and they scorned him & said he was a fool. And the night after the same knight came to the. seven. lineages & bad them of god's behalf to make Changyus their Emperor & they should be out of all subjection. And on the morrow they chose Changyus to Emperor & died him all worship that they might do & called him Chane as the white knight called him/ and they said they would do as he bad them. Than he made many statutes & laws the which he called Ysakan. The first statute was that they should be obedient to god almighty/ & believe that he should deliver them out of thraldom/ & that they should call on him in all their works. another statute was that all men that might bear arms should be numbered & to each. x. should be a master & to an hundred a master/ & to a thousand a master. Than he commanded to all the greatest & principalest 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 died so And also he bad them that each man should bring his eldest son before him & slay his own son with his own hands & smite of their heeds. & as soon they died his bidding. And when he saw they made no letting of that he bad them do/ than bad he them follow his banner/ & than he put in subjection all the lands about him.   

¶ How the great Chane was hid under a tree & so scaped his enemies by cause of a bird. ca lxix.  
ANd it befell on a day that the Chane rode with a few men to see the land that he had won/ & he met with a great multitude of his enemies & there he was cast down of his horse & his horse slain. And when his men saw him at the earth they wend he had be deed & fled/ & the enemies followed after/ and when he saw his enemies were far he hid him in a bush. for the wood was thick there/ & when they were come again fro the chasse they went to seek among the wood if any were hid there/ & they found many. And as they came to the place where he was/ they saw a bird sit upon a tree the which by'r the men call an owl/ & than said they that there was no man for that bird sat there & so went they away/ & thus was the Chane saved fro death/ & so he went away on a night to his own men which were glad of his coming. And fro that time hyderwardes men of that conutree have do great worship to that bird & for that cause they worship that bird above all the birds of the world And than he assembled all his men & road upon his enemies & destroyed them. And when he had won all the lands that were about him he held them in subjection. And when the Chane had won all the lands to mount Belyan/ the white knight come to him in a vision again & said unto him. Chane the will of god is that thou pass see the mount Belyan and thou shalt win many lands/ & for thou shalt find no passage go thou to mount Belyan that is upon the see side & kneel ix times thereon against the east in the worship of god & he shall show the a way how thou shalt pass/ & the Chane died so/ and anon the see that touched the hill withdrowe him & showed him a fair way of ix foot brood between the hill and the see/ and so he passed right well with all his men and than he wan the land of Cathay that is the most land and the greatest of all the world/ and for those ix kneelings & the ix foot of way the Chane & the men of Tartary have the number of ix in great worship.   

¶ Of the great Chanes' letters and the writing about his seal. ca lxx.  
than say those men with a loud boys to all the hall now he still a while/ & than saith one of the philosophers each man make reverence & incline to th'emperor that is gods son & lord of the world for now is time & hour/ & than all men incline to him & kneel on the earth/ and than biddeth the philosopher them rise up again/ & at an other hour an other philosopher biddeth them all put their finger in their ears & they do so/ & at an other hour an other philosopher biddeth that all men shall lay their hand on their heed & they do so/ & than he biddeth them take away & they do so/ and thus fro hour to hour they bid diverse things/ & I asked privily what this should mean and one of the masters said that the inclining & the kneeling on the earth at that time hath this token/ that all those men that kneeled so shall evermore be true to th'emperor/ that for no gift ne heating they shall never be traitors ne falls to him And the putting of the finger in the ear hath this token/ that none of those shall here none ill be spokey of the Emperor or his counsel. And ye shall understand that men dight no thing/ clothes/ breed/ drink/ nor none such things to th'emperor but at certain hours that the philosophers tell & if any man raise war against that Emperor in what country so it be these philosophers wot it soon & tell the Emperor or his counsel/ and he sendeth men thither for he hath many men. And he hath many men to keep birds as garfaukons sperhaukes/ faucons/ gentles/ lanners/ sacres/ popinjays that are speaking & many other. x. thousand elephants/ baboynes/ marmosettes & other/ & he hath ever about him many physicians more than two hundred that are christian men and. xx. Saracenes/ but he trusteth more in christian men than in sarasyns. And there is in that country many ba rons & other servants that are christian & converted to the good faith thorough preaching of good christian men that dwell there/ but there are many that will not that men weet that they are christian.   

¶ Of the great richesse of this Emperor and of his dispending. ca lxxij.  
THis Emperor is a great lord for he may dispend what he will without number/ by cause he spended neither silver neither gold/ & he made no money but of leader or skins/ and this same money gooth thorough all his land/ and of the silver & gold builded he his palace. And he hath in his chambre a pillar of gold in the which is a Ruby and a carbuncle of a foot long the which lighteth all his chambre by night/ & he hath many other precious stones & rubies but this is the most. This Emperor dwelleth in the summer towards the North in a city that men call Saydus and there it is cold enough/ and in the winter he dwelleth in a city that men call Camalach and there it is right hot/ but for the most part is he to Cadon that is not far thence.   

¶ Of the ordinance of the lords of th'emperor when he rideth from one country to another or to war. ca lxxiij.  
ANd when this great Chane shall tied from one country to an other they ordain four oostes of people/ of which the first goeth before a days journey/ for that host lieth at even where the Emperor shall lie on the morrow/ & there is plenty of victuals. And an other host cometh at the right side of him and an other at the lift side/ & in each host is moche folk. And than cometh the fourth host behind him a bow draft/ & there is more men in than in any of the other. And ye shall understand that the Emperor rideth on no horse but when he will go to any secret place with a prive main where he will not be known/ but he rideth in a chariot with four wheels/ & there upon is a chambre made of a tree that men call lignum aloes that cometh out of Paradyse terrestre & that chambre is covered with plates of fine gold and precious stones & pearls/ and four elephants & four oxen all white gone there in. And five or six great lords riden about him so that none other men shall come near him but if the Emperor call any. And in that same manner with chariot & such oostes rideth the Empress by an other side/ & the emperors eldest son on the same array/ and they have so moche people that it is a great marvel for to see.   

¶ How the Empire of the great Chane is departed in to. xij. provinces/ and how that they do cast incense in the fire where the great Chane passeth thorough the cities and towns in worship of the Emperor. ca lxxiiij.  
THe land of the great Chane is departed in. xij. provinces/ & each province hath more than two thousand cities & towns. Also when th'emperor tydeth through the country/ & he passeth through cities & towns/ each man maketh a fire before his house & casteth therein incense and other things that give good smell to th'emperor. And if any men of religion that are christian dwell near as th'emperor cometh they meet him with procession with a cross & holy water/ & they sing Veni crea tor spiritus with a loud voice. And when he see them come he commandeth the lords that ride near him to make way that the religious men may come to him/ & when he see the cross he doth of his hat that is made of precious stones & great pearls/ & that hat is so rich that it is marvel to tell and than he inclined to the cross. And the prelate of the religious men saith orisons before him & giveth him the benison with the cross/ & he inclineth to the benison full devoutly/ & than the same prelate giveth him some fruit of the number of ix in a plate of gold as peers or apples or other fruit/ & than the Emperor taketh one thereof & the other he giveth to his lords/ for the manner is sum he there that no strange man shall come before th'emperor but he give him some what after the old law that saith. Non accedat in ●spectu me● inanis. That is to say. No man come in to my sight idle. And than the Emperor biddeth these religious men that they shall go forth so that men of his host defoul them not. And those religious men that dwell where the Empress or the Emperors son cometh do in the same manner.   

¶ How that the great Chane is the mightiest lord of all the world. ca lxxv.  
THis great Chane is the mightiest lord of the world/ for prester johan is not so great a lord as he/ ne the Sultan of Babylon ne the Enperour of Persy. In his land a man hath hundred wives/ & some xl some more some less/ and they take of their kin to wives all save their sisters of their moders/ but their sisters of their faders other wives they take also/ & they take also well their stepmother if their father be deed/ & men & women have all one manner of clothing so that they may not be known but that women that are wedded bear a token on their heeds/ and they dwell not with their husbands/ but he may lie by which that he will. They have plenty of all manner of beasts save swine & for sooth they will none/ & they believe well in god that made all thing & yet have they idols of gold & silver/ and to those idols they offer their first milk of their beasts.   

¶ Yet of other manners of this country. ca lxxvi.  
THis Emperor the great Chane hath three wives/ & the principal wife was prester johan's daughter. And the people of this country begin to do all their things in the new moan/ and they worship much the son & the moan those men ride commonly without spurs/ and they hold it great sin to break a bone with an other & to cast milk on the earth or other liquor that men may drink. And the most sin that they may do is to piss in their houses there they dwell/ & he that pisseth in his house shall be slain/ and of those sins they shrive them to their priests/ & for their penance they shall give silver/ & the placece where men have pisseth shall be hallowed/ or else may no man come there. And when they have do their penance they shall pass through a fair fire or two to wake them clean of their sins. And   

thou be our lord & our Emperor. And he inquireth of them & saith if ye will that I regne upon you so must ye do all that I bid you to do. And if he bid that any be slain he shall be slain/ And they answer all with one voice/ all that ye bid shall be done. Than saith th'emperor fro now forth my words shall cut as my sword/ & than they set him in a chair & crown him/ and than all the good towns thereabout send to him presents so much that he shall have more than hundred Camels laden with gold & silver beside other jewels that he shall have of lords of precious stones & gold without number/ & horse & ryhe clothes of camacas & tartaryns and such other.   

¶ What countries & kingdoms lay next to the of Cathay & the frontes thereof. ca lxxix.  
THis land of Cathay is in Asye the deep/ & this same land marcheth toward the west upon the kingdom of Sercy the which was some time to one of the three kings that went to seek our lord in Bethleem/ & all those that come of his kin are christian. these men of Tartary drink no wine. In the land of Corosaym that is at the northside of Cathay is right great plenty of good but no wine/ the which hath at the e●st side a great wilderness that lastech more than an hundred journeys/ and the best city of that land is called Corosaym & thereafter is the land so called/ and men of this land are good warriors & hardy/ & thereby is the kingdom of Comayn/ this the most & the greatest kingdom of the world/ but it is not all Inhabit/ for in one place of that land is so great cold that no man may dwell there for cold/ & in an other place is great heat that no man may dwell there/ & there are so many feyghes that a man wot not on what side he may torn him/ & in this land are but few trees bearing fruit. In this land men lie in tents & they burn dung of beasts for default of wood. This land descendeth towards Pruyse & Rossy/ and thorough this land runneth the river Echell that is one of the great test rivers of the world/ & it is frozen so hard every year that men fight thereon in great battles on horse/ & foot men more than hundred thousand at ones. And a little fro that river is the great see of Ocean that they call Maure/ & between this Maure & Caspye is a full straight passage to go toward Ynde & therefore king Alexander died make there a city that men call Alexander for to keep that passage/ 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 one of three ways to go in to Ynde/ but through this way may not many men go but if it be in winter/ and this passage is called Berbent. And an other way is for to go from the land of Turkescon through Persy/ & in this way are many journeys in wilderness. And the third way is that cometh fro Cosmane & goth through the great city and through the kingdom of Abachare. And ye shall understand that all these kingdoms & lands unto Persy are holden of the great Chane of Cathay & many other/ and therefore he is a full great lord of men & of land.   

¶ Of other ways coming from Cathay toward the Greeks see. And also of the Emperor of Persy. ca lxxx.  
NOw have I devised you the lands towards the north to come fro the lands of Cathay to the lands of Pruyse & Rossy where christian men dwell. Now shall I devise to you other lands & kingdoms in coming down fro Cathay to the Greeks see where christian men dwell. And for as much as next the great Chane of Cathay the Emperor of Persy is the greatest lord/ therefore I shall first speak of him/ and ye shall under stand that he hath two kingdoms/ the one beginneth eastward & is the kingdom of Turkescon/ and it lasteth westward to the see of Caspye/ & southward to the land of Ynde/ & this land is good & plain and well manned/ good cities/ but two most principal of the cities are called Basilius ●yryda & Sormagaunt. The other is the kingdom of Persy/ & lasteth fro the river of Physon unto the great Armony/ & northward unto the see of Caspye/ & southward to the land of Ynde/ & this is a full plenteous country & good/ and in this land are three principal cities. Nessabor. Saphan. and Sarmasse.   

¶ Of the land of Armony which is a good land/ & of the land of Myddy. ca lxxxi.  
THan is the land of Armony in which was sometime three kingdoms/ this is a good land & plenteous/ & it beginneth at Persy & lasteth westward to Turkey of length/ & in breed lasteth fro the city of Alexander that now is called Port de fear unto the land of Myddy. In this Armony are many fair cities/ but Canryssy is most of name Than is the land of mid & is full long & not brood/ & beginneth eastward at the land of Persy and Ynde the less & lasteth westward to the kingdom of Chaldee/ & northward to little Armony. In this Myddy are many great hills and little plain & there dwell Sarasyns & an other manner of men that men call Cordyns & Karmen.   

¶ Of the kingdom of George & of Abcan and many marvels. ca lxxxij.  
THan next is the kingdom of George that begyuneth eastward at a great hill that men call Abyor/ this land lasteth fro Turkey to the great see & the land of Myddy and the great Armony. and in this land are two kings one of Abcan/ and an other of George/ but he of George is in subjection to the great Chane/ but he of Abcan hath a strong country and defendeth him well again his enemies. And in this land of Abcan is a great marvel/ for there is a country in that land that is near three days long and about/ and it is called Hamfon/ and that country is all covered with myrkenes/ so that it hath no light that no man may see there/ & noman dare go in to that coum tree for the myrkenes. And nevertheless men of the country thereby say that they may sometime here therein the voys of men & horse whining & cocks crow & they wot well that men dwell there▪ but they wot not what manner of men/ & they say this myrkenes cometh through miracle of god that he died for christian men there. For there was a wicked Emperor that was of Poy/ & he was called Saures & he pursued sometime all christian men to destroy/ & died them make sacrifice to his false gods▪ and in that country dwelled many christian men the which left all their goods & cattles & richesse & would go in to Grece/ & when they were all in a great plain that is called Megon th'emperor & his men came to slay these christian men/ & than the christian men all set them on their knees & prayed to god/ & anon came a thick cloud & overlapped th'emperor & all his host/ so that he might not go away & so dwell they in myrkenes/ and they came out never after/ & the christian men went where they would/ & therefore they might say thus Adno factum est istud et est mirabile in oculis n●is 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 that men dwell therein.   

¶ Of the land of Turkey and diverse other countries & of the land of mesopotamy. ca lxxxiij.  
THan next is the land of Turkey that marcheth to great Armony/ & therein are many countries as Capadoce. Saure. Bryke. Quesycyon Pytan & Geneth/ in eachone of those countries are many good cities/ and it is a plain land & few hills and few rivers/ and than is the kingdom of mesopotamy that begynnet eastward at flom of Tiger at a city that men call mosel/ and it lasteth westward to the flom of Eufraten to a cy te that men call Rochaym/ & westward fro high Armony unto the wilderness of Ynde the less/ & it is a good land & plain/ but there is few rivers & there is but two hills in that land/ the one is called Symar/ & the other Lyson/ and it marcheth to the land of Chaldee. And ye shall wete that the land of ethiop marcheth eastward to the great wilderness/ westward to the land of Nuby/ southward to the land of Marytane/ and northward to the reed see/ & than is Marytane that lasteth fro that hills of ethiop unto Lyby that high & the low that lasteth to the great see of Spain.   

¶ Of diverse countries & kingdoms & yles & marvels beyond the land of Cathay. ca lxxxiiij.  
NOw have I said & spoken of many on this side of the great kingdom of Cathay of whom many are obeisant to the great Chane/ Now shall I say of some lands & countries & yles that are beyond the land of Cathay. Who so goth fro Cathay to Ynde the high & the low he shall go through a kingdom that men call Cadissen & is a great land/ there groweth a manner of fruit as it were gourds/ & when it is ripe men cut it asunder & men find therein a be'st as it were of flesh of bone & blood as it were a little lamb without wool & 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/ & that that falleth in water lived/ & that that falleth on the earth died & they had great marvel of this. In this land and many other about there are trees that bear clowes and nutmegs & canell and many other spice▪  
and there are wines that here 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 Caspye that men call Vber/ & among those hills are the jews of the ten hinds enclo sed within that men call Gog and Magog and they may not come out on no side. There was enclosed xxij kings with their folk that dwelled between the hills of Syche/ and king Alexander chased them thither among those hills/ for he trusted to have enclosed them there thorough working of men but he might not/ & when he saw that he might not 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 that one side & there is the see of Caspye. And some men might ask/ there is a see on one side why go they not out there/ for there to answer I that all if it be called a see it is no see/ but a strange standing among hills/ & it is the greatest strange of all the world/ & if they went over the see they wot not where for to 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 those 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 not pass there together for the hills are so great & so high. Nevertheless men say in that country there by that in the time of antichrist they shall do moche harm to christian men/ & therefore all the jews that dwell in diverse parties of the world lere for to speak Hebrew/ for they hope that the jews that dwell among the hills aforesaid shall come out of the hills & they speak all Hebrew & not else/ and than shall these Jews speak Hebrew to them & lead them in to christendom for to destroy christian men. For these Jews say they wot by their prophecies that those jews that are among those hills of Caspye shall come out & christian men shall be in their subjection as they be under christian men. And if ye will weet how they shall find the passage out as I have understand I shall tell you. In time of Antecryll a fox shall make his den in the same place where king Alexander died make the gates & he shall dig in the earth so long till he pierce it through 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 be'st/ for other beasts have they among them many/ and they shall chase this fox & pursue him unto that he be fled again in to his hole that he came fro. And than shall they dig after as he went unto they come to the gates that Alexander died make of great stones well dight with syment/ & they shall 〈◊〉 these gates & so shall they find the issue.   

¶ Of the land of Bactry and of many griffons and other beasts. ca lxxxv.  
FRom this land men shall go unto the land of Bactry where are many wicked men and fell. In that land are trees that bear wool as it were sheep of which they make cloth. In this land are many Ypotaynes that dwell sometime on land/ sometime on water & are half man and half horse/ & they eat not but men when they may get them. In this land are many griffons more than in other places/ & some say they have the body before as an eagle & behind as a lion/ and they say sooth for they are made so/ but the griffon hath a body greater than. viij. lions and greater & stall worthier than an hundred eagles. For certainly he will bear to his nest fleeing an horse & a man upon his back or two oxen yocked samen as they go at plough/ for he hath 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.   

¶ Of the way for to go to prester Johan's land which is Emperor of Ynde. ca lxxxvi.  
ARo this land of Bactry men go many a days journey 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 johan holdeth great lands & many good cities & good towns in his kingdom/ many great yles & large. For this land of Ynde is all departed in yles by cause of great floods that come out of Paradyse/ & also in the see are many great yles. The best city that is in the isle of Pantoxore is call led Nyse/ for that is a noble city & rich. Prester johan hath under him many kings & many thy verse people/ and his land is good and rich but not so rich as the land of the great Chane/ for merchants come not so much thither as they do in to the land of the great Chane for it is to long a way. And also they find in the isle of Cathay all that they have need of/ as spycery clothes of gold and other richesse. And all if they might have better cheap in the land of prester johan than in the land of Cathay and more finer/ nevertheless they would let it for the long way & great perils in the see/ for there are many places in the see where are great Roches of a stone that is called adamande/ 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 not wend in to that country with ships for dread of adamandes. I went once in that see and sa we as long as it had been a great isle of trees and stocks and branches growing/ and the shipman said to me that those was of great ships that were dwelling there thorough the virtue of the adamandes and of things that were in the ships were those trees sprungen and waxed/ and such Roches are there many in diverse places of that see and therefore dare no shipman pass that way. And an other also that they dread the long way/ and therefore they go most all to Cathay and that is nearer unto them. And yet is it not so near but them behoveth fro venice or fro Geene be in see toward Cathay. xi. or. xij. months. The land of prester john is long & merchants pass thither thorough the land of Persy▪ and come unto a city that men call Hermes/ for a philosopher that men called Hermes founded it/ & they pass an arm of the see & come to an other city that men call Saboth & there find they all merchandises & popinjays as great plenty as larks in our coum tree. In this country is little wheat or barley and therefore they eat rise and milk & cheese and other fruits. This Emperor priest johan weddeth commonly the daughter of the great Chane/ & the great Chane his daughter. In the land of prester john is many diverse things & many precious stones so great & so large that they make of them vessels platters & cups and many other things of which it were to long to tell/ but somewhat of his law & of his faith shall I tell you.   

¶ Of the faith & believe of prester johan/ but he hath not all the full believe as we have. ca lxxxvij.  
THis Emperor prester johan is christian & a great part of his land also/ but they have not all the articles of our faith/ but they believe well in the father & the son and the holy ghost and they are full devout & true one to an other/ & they make no force of cattles/ and he hath under him. lxxij. provinces & countries and in eachone is a king/ & 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 & of gravel & no drop of water/ and it ebbeth & floweth with right great wawes as an other see doth and it is never still ne never in rest & no man may pass that land beyond it. And all if it so be that there is no water in that see/ yet men may find there in right good fish & of other fashion and shape than is in any other sees/ and also they are of full good savour & sweet and good to eat. And at three journeys fro that see are great hills through which runneth a great flood that cometh fro Parady se & it is full of precious stones and no drop of water/ & it runneth with great wawes in to the gravelly see. And this flood runneth three days in the week so fast & steereth great stones of the roches with him that make moche noise/ & as soon as they come in to the gravelly see they are no more seen/ & in those three days when it runneth thus no man dare come in it/ but the other days men may go therein where they will. And also beyond that flood toward the wilderness is a great plain all sondy & gravelly among hills/ and in that plain grow trees that at the rising of the son each day begin to grow/ & so grow they to midday & bear fruits but no man dare eat of that fruit/ for it is a manner of iron/ & after midday it turned again in to the earth/ so that when t e son gooth down it is no thing seen/ & so doth it every day And there is in that wilderness many wild men with horns on their hedes & right hideous/ and they speak not but grunt as swine. And in that country are many popinjays that they call in their language pystak & they speak through their own kind as apertly as a man/ & those that speak well have long tongues & large & on every foot five toes. there are some that have but three toes and though same speak nought or very little.   

¶ How the Emperor prester johan when he goth to battle hath three crosses borne before him of fine gold. ca lxxxviij.  
THis Emperor prester johan when he gooth to battle he hath no banner borne before him/ but he hath born before him three crosses of fine gold & those are great and large & well dight with precious stones/ & for to keep each cross is ordained a thousand men of arms & more than an hundred thousand on foot in manner as men keep a standard in battle in other places & he hath men without number when he goth to any battle against 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 not painted & without gold & precious stones & all plain in token that our lord Inu christ suffered death on a cross of tree. And also he hath born before him a plate of gold full of earth in token that his lordship & nobleye shall torn to nought & his flesh shall torn to earth. And also he hath borne before him an other vessel full of jewels & gold and precious stones in token of his nobleye & his might.   

¶ Of the most dwelling place of prester john in a city called Suse. ca lxxxix.  
ANd he dwelled commonly at the city of Suse & there is his principal palace that is so rich that marvel is to tell/ & above the pryn cypall tour of the palace are two pommels of gold all round/ & each one of those hath two carbuncles great & large that shine right clear on the night And the principal gates of this palace are of precious stones that men call Sardyn/ & the borders of the bars are of ivory/ & the windows of the hall & chambers are of crystal. And tables that they eat of some are of Emeralds some are of mastic some of gold & precious stones/ and the pillars that bear the tables are of such stones also & the greces on which the Emperor goth to his see where he sitteth at meet one is of mastic an other of crystal an other of jaspy green an other of dyasper an other of sardyn an other of cormlyn another of sempton/ and that he setteth his foot up on is of crysolytes & all these greces are bordered with fine gold and well dight with great pearls & other precious stones/ and the sides of his siege are emeralds bordered with gold & with precy●us stones/ the pillars in his chambre are of fine gold with many carbuncles & other such stones that give great light on the night/ and all if the carbuncles give great light nevertheless there brenneth each night. xij. great vessels of crystal full of bame to give good smell and to drive away wicked air. The form of his bed is all of sapphire well bound with gold to make him to sleep well & for to destroy lechery/ for he will not lie by his wives but thrice in the year after the sesons and all only for getting of children. And he hath also a fair palace at the city of Nyse where he dwelleth when he will but the air there is not so well tempered as it is at the city of Suse. And he hath every day in his course more than. thirty. thousand men without comers & goers/ but. thirty. thousand there & in the country of the great Chane spend not so much as. xij. thousand in our country/ he hath evermore. seven. kings in his court to serve him/ & eachone of them serveth a month & with these kings serve alway. lxxij. dukes &. CCC. earls/ and every day eat in his court. xij. archbishops and. xx. bishops. The patriarch of saint Thomas is as he were a pope/ & archbishops & bishops & abbots all are kings in that country/ & some of the lords is master of the hall some of the chambre/ some steward/ some marshal & some other officers & therefore he is full richly served/ & his land lasteth in breed four months journey/ and it is of length without measure.   

¶ Of a rich man in prester john land named Catolonabes & of his garden. ca lxxxx.  
IN an isle of prester Johan's land that men call Myscorach & therein is great plenty of goods & moche riches and many precious stones In that land was a rich man not long agone that men called there Catolonabes/ he was full rich & he had a fair castle on an hill & strong/ and he had made a wall all about the hill right strong & fair within that he had a fair garden wherein were many trees bearing all maner of fruits that he might find/ & he died plant therein all manner of herbs of good smell & that bare flowers/ & there was many fair wells and by them was made many fair halls & chambers well dight with gold & azure/ and he had made there diverse stories & beasts and birds that song & turned by engine and orbage as they had be all quick/ & he had in his garden that he might find to make a man solace & comfort/ and he had also there in that garden maidens with in the age of. xv. year the fairest that he might find & men children of the same age/ & they were clad with clothes of gold & he said that the same were angels/ & he had do make three hills fair and good all enclosed about with precious stones of ●aspye and crystal & well bound with gold and pearls & other manner of stones/ and he had made a conduit under the earth so that when he ●olde the walls ran sometime with milk sometime with wine sometime with honey/ & this place is called Paradyse. And when any young bachelor of that country knight or squire cometh to him for solace & disport/ he leadeth him in to his Paradyse & showed unto him all these diverse things/ & diverse songs of birds and also of his damosels & his wells/ and he died strike diverse Instruments of music in an high tour that might be seen & said those were angels of god/ and that place was Paradyse that god hath granted to though see that believed when he said. Dabo vo●is terram fluentem lac et mel. That is to say. I shall give you land flowing milk & honey. And than this rich man died these men drink a manner of drink of which they were drunken & he said to them if they would die for his sake that when they were deed they should come in to his Paradyse/ and they should be of the age of those maidens & should dwell alway with them/ and he should put them in a fair Paradyse where they should see god in his joy & in his majesty/ and than they granted to do what he would/ and he bad them go & slay such a lord or a man of the country that he was wroth with/ & that they should have no of no man/ and if they were slain themselves for his sake he should put them in his Paradyse when they were deed. And so went those bachelors to slay great lords of the country/ and were slain themselves in hope to have that Paradyse/ & thus he was avenged of his enemies thorough his desert. And when rich men of the country perceived this malice and cautel & the will of this Catolonabes they gathered them together & assailed the castle and slew him & destroyed all his goods and his fair places & richesse that were in his Paradyse/ the place of the walls is there yet and some other things/ but richesse is not there and it is not long ago sith he was destroyed.   

¶ Of a marvelous vale that is beside the river of Physon. ca lxxxxi.  
ANd a little fro that place on the lift side beside the river of Physon is a great marvel. There is a vale between two hills & that is four mile long/ and some men call it the valley enchanted/ some the valley of devils/ same the valley perilous/ & in that valley are many tempests and a great noise and hideous every day and night/ and sometime as it were a noise of Taburynes of nakers and of trumpets as it were at a great fest. This valley is all full of devils & hath been alway/ & men say there that it is an entry to hell. In this valley is moche gold and   

and reasonable & many christian men among them that are full rich/ & the water between the land of prester johan and this isle is not full deep for men may see the ground in many places.   

¶ Of two other isles one is called orel/ & that other Argete where are many gold mines. ca C. I.  
THere are more eastward two other isles the one is called orel/ & the other Argete of whom all the land is mine of gold & silver. In those yles may men see no stars clear shining/ but one star that is called Canapos/ & there may not men see the moan but in the last quarter. In that isle is a great hill of gold that pismires keep & they do the fine gold from the other that is not fine gold/ & 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 not work in that gold ne get thereof but by subtlety/ and therefore when it is right hot the pismires hide them in the earth from undern to none of the day/ & than men of the country take camels & dromedaries & other beasts & go thither & charge them with gold & go away fast or the pismires come out of the earth. And other times when it is not so hot that the pismires hide them not they take meres that have fools/ & they lay upon these meres two long vessels as it were two small barrels and the mouth upwards & drive them thither & hold their fools at home/ & when the pismires seen these vessels/ they spring therein for they have of kind to leave no hole nor pit open/ & anon fill these vessels of gold/ & when men trow that the vessels are full they take the fools & bring them as near as they dare & they whine/ & the meres here them & anon they come to their fool's/ & so men take the gold/ for these pismires will suffer beasts for to go among them but no men.   

¶ Of the dark country & hills and roches of st●ne nigh to the paradise terrestre. ca C. ij.  
Beyond the yles of the land of prester johan & his lordship of wilderness to go right east men shall not find but hills great roches & other murk land where no man may see a day nor night as men of the country say/ & this wilderness & murk land lasteth to paradise terrestre where Adam & Eve were set/ but they were there but a little while/ & that is toward the east at beginning of the earth/ but that is not our east that we call where the son riseth in those countries toward paradise/ & than it is midnight in our country for the roundenesse of the earth/ for our lord made the earth all round in mids of the firmament. Of paradise can I not speak properly/ for I have not be there & that angreth me/ but that I have herd I shall say you. Men say that paradise terrestre is the highest land of the world/ & it is so high that it toucheth near to the circle of the moan for it is so high that noah's flood might not come there to the which covered all the earth about.   

¶ A little of paradise terrrestre. ca C. iij.  
THis paradise terrestre is enclosed all about with a wall/ & that wall is all covered with moss as it seemeth that men may see no stone ne no thing ●ls whereof it is/ & the highest place of paradise in the mids of it is a well that casteth out the four floods that run through diverse lands. The first flood is called Physon or Ganges & that runneth through Ynde/ in that river are many precious stones & moche lignum aloes/ & gravel of gold. An other is called Nilus or Gyron & that rennth through Ethiop & Egypte. The third is called Tiger & that runneth through Assyry & Armony the great. And the fourth is called Eufrates that runneth through Armony & Persy/ and men say that all the sweet and fresh waters of the world take their of them. The first river is called Physon that is to say a gathering of many rivers together & fall in to that river/ and some call it Ganges for a king that was in Ynde that men called Gangeras' for it runneth through his land. And this river is in some places clear in some places trouble in some place hot in some place told. The second river is called Nilus or Gyron/ for it is ever trouble/ for Gyron is to say trouble. The third river is called Tygrys/ that is to say fast running for it runneth faster than any of the other/ & so is a best that men call tigers for he runneth fast. The fourth river is called Eufrates/ that is to say well brenning/ for there groweth many good things upon that river. And ye shall understand that no man living may go unto that paradise/ for by land he may not go for wild beasts which are in the wilderness/ & for hills & roches where noman may pass. Ne by those rivers may no man pass for they come with so great course & so great wawes that no ship may go ne sail against them. Many great lords have assayed many times to go by those Rivers to paradise/ but they might not speed in their way/ for some died for weariness of rowing/ some wax blind & some deaf for noise of the waters so noman may pass there but through special grace of god/ & for I can tell you no more of that place I shall say you of that I have seen.   

¶ How prester Johan's land lieth foot against foot to England. ca C. iiij.  
IN this yles of the land of prester johan & they are under the earth to us/ & other yles are there who so would pursue them for to environ the earth who so had grace of god to hold the way he might come right to the same countries that he were come of & come fro and so go about the earth & for it were to long time & also many perils to pass few men assay to go so/ & yet it might be done/ & therefore men came fro these isles to other isles coasting of the lordship of prester johan. & men come in the coming to one isle that men call Cassoy/ & that country is near lx journeys long & more than l of breed that is the best land that is in those countries save Cathay/ & if merchants came thither as commonly as they do unto Cathay it should be better than Cathay/ for it is so thick of cities & towns that when a man goth out of a cy te he seeth anon another on each side/ there is great plenty of spices & other goods. The king of this isle is full rich & mighty and he holdeth his land of the great Chane for that is one of the twelve provinces that the great Chane hath under him without his own land.   

¶ Of the kingdom of Ryboth. ca C. v.  
FRo this isle men go to an other kingdom that men call Ryboth/ & that is also under the great Chane/ this is a good country & plenteous of corn wine & other things/ men of this land have none houses/ but they dwell in tents made of tree. And the principal city of that country is all black made of black stones & white/ and all the streets are paved with such stones/ & 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 dwelled the pope of their law that they call Lobassy & he giveth all dignities & benefices that fall to the mammet. And men of religion & 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 through 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 & other many/ and they bear the body to an hill with great joy & mirth/ and when it is thet the greatest prelate smiteth of his heed & layeth it upon a great plate of gold or silver & he giveth it to his son/ & the son taketh it to his other friends singing & saying many orisons/ and than the priests & the religious cut the flesh of the body in pieces & say orisons/ and the birds of the country come thither/ for they know well the custo me/ & they fly above them as they were eagles & other birds that eat flesh. And the priests cast the pieces unto them/ & they bear it away a little from thence & than they eat it/ and as priests in our coum tree sing for souls Subuenite sancti dei and so forth. So those priests there sing with high voice in their language in this manner wise. See & behold how good & gracious a man this was that the angels of god come for to fet him & bear him into paradise. And than thinketh the son of the same man that he is greatly worshipped when birds have eaten his father/ & where are most plenty of birds there is most worship. And than cometh the son home with all his friends & maketh them a great feast/ & the son maketh clean his faders heed and giveth them drink thereof/ & the flesh of the heed he cutted of & giveth it to his most special fren des some a little & some a little for deynte. And in remembrance of this holy man that the birds have eaten/ and of the scalp of the heed the son doth make a cup & thereof drinketh he all his life in remembrance of his father.   

¶ Of a rich man which is neither king prince duke nor earl. ca C. vi.  
ANd from thence to go ten journeys through the land of the great Chane is a full good isle & a great kingdom/ & the king is full mighty And in this isle is a rich man which is nor king prince duke nor earl/ but he hath each year. CCC. thousand horses charged with rice & corn/ & he hath a noble & a rich life after the manner of the country/ for he hath l damosels that serve him every day at his meet & bed & do what he will And when he sitteth at the table they bring him meet/ & at each time five meases together/ & they   

speak properly of them. Also in countries where I have been are many marvels that I spoke not of for it were to long tale/ & therefore hold you paid at this time that I have said/ for I will say no more of marvels that are there/ ●o that other men that go thither may find enough for to say that I have not told.   

¶ What time Johan Maundeuyll departed out of England. ca C. ix.  
ANd I Johan Maundeuyll that went out of my country & passed the see the year of our lord a. M. CCC. xxxij. and I have passed through many lands & yles and countries/ & now a● come to rest I have compiled this book & do write it the year of our lord. M. CCC. lxvi. at. xxxiij. year after my departing fro my country/ & for as much as many men believe not but that they see with their eyen 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 marvels that I had seen in diverse countries so that he with his wise counsel would examine it with diverse folk that are at Rome for there dwell men of all nations ●f the world/ & a little time after when he & his o●eyll had examined it all thorough/ he said to 〈◊〉 for certain that all was true/ for he said he had a book of latin that contained all that & moche more of the which the Mapa mund is made/ the which book I ●we/ & therefore our holy father the pope hath 〈◊〉 & confirmed my book in all ●oyntes. And I pray to all those that read this book that they will pray for me and I shall pray for them/ & all those that say for me a Pater noster and an ave maria that god forgive me my sins. I make them partners & grant them part of all my good pilgrimages & other good deeds which I ever died or shall do to my lives end/ and I pray to god of whom all grace cometh that he will all the readers & 〈◊〉 that are 〈◊〉 fulfil of his grace/ & save them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & bring them to his joy that ever shall last he that is in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉/ 〈◊〉/ & holy ghost that liveth & reigneth god without end 〈◊〉.   
¶ Here endeth the book of Johan Maundeuyll knight of the way●● to●●rde ●●erusalem/ & of marvels of Ynde & of other counties   

imprinted at the 〈◊〉 by winken de word. Anno dm. M. CCCC. lxxxxix.