¶ Of the new lamdes and of the people found by the messengers of the king of portyngale name Emanuel.  
Of the .x. dyvers nations christened.  
Of pope Iohn and his lands and of the costly keys and wonders molodyes that in that land is.  
  

  

HEre a foretymes in the year of our lord god. M. CCC.C.xcvi. & so be we with ships of Lusseboene sailed out of Portyngale through the commandment of the king Emanuel So haue we had our viage / For by fortune ylandes over the great see with great charge and danger so haue we at the last found one lordship where we sailed well .ix. C. my lee by the cooste of Selandes there we at the last went a land but that land is not now known for there haue no masters written therof nor it knoweth and it is name Armenica / there we saw many wonders of beasts and fowles that we haue never seen before / the people of this land haue no king nor lord nor their god But all things is comune / this people goeth all naked But the men and women haue on their heed neck / arms / Knees / and feet all with feders bound for there bewtynes & fairness. These folk lyuen like bestes without any reasonableness and the women be also as common. And the men hath conversation with the women / who that they ben or who they first meet / is she his sister his moder / his daughter / or any other kindred. And the women be very hoote and disposed to lecherdnes. And they eat also on a neither The man etethe his wife his children / as we also haue seen and they hang also the bodies or persons fleeshe in the smoke / as men do with us swynes flesh. And that land is right full of folk / for they live commonly .iij. C. year & more as with sickness they die not / they take much fish for they can goen under the water and feche so the fishes out of the water. & they werre also on vpon a neither / for the old men bring the young men thereto / that they gather a great company thereto of towe parties / and comethe on again the other to the field or bateyll / & slay on the other with great hepes. And howe holdeth the field / they take the other innkeepers▪ And they bring them to death and eat them / and as the dead is eaten then slay they the rest And they been than eaten also / or otherwise live they longer times & many yeres more than other people for they haue costly spices & roots / where they themself recover with / and hele them as they be seek.   


GENNEA  Of the black Mores  
AL the first cam we in the land of Canarien / which is. C. & .l. miles from Lyssebone. And ther betwyn been .ij. ylandes. In that one is well made people and men make there much cheese of great wild gootes. also is ther fish and suykere good cheep. That other island is not inhabit ther be little people therein / and they be all a frayed and wild / also ther ayeen lieth the land of Barbera / and is from them in to the Gennea. CC.l. miles. & that is the blacks mores land. and again the begynnyg of this land is one aforemontayen and hooth caput vi ride / and there by is the town Bitsagitsch .v. C. miles from Lussebonen there by be many walefysshes and flying fishes on the on side of Bisagitsche .ij. C. & .l. miles sail men under the sone so far / that men the north sail star or pollumarticum / or the waghen called / no more may be seen / but pollum ante articum or that south laid star saw we fourth with the foresaid More land is. M.iiij. C. miles great / there the people goeth all naked with golden rings on hands and feet.   


IN-ALLAGO   
THat land of Allago is .v. C. miles greater And gothe against the beginning of Arabien and there is that kingdom Safale in this land Allago is the people clothed as above is marked / the were and bear for there clothes skins of wild bestes. The men bear cloaks made of barks of trees & ledder to kyuer their members with. And the women kyuer them with skins of bestes. & take vpon there heads for kerchers skins of oxen or other bestes also pyche the their mennes forehead like as men pitch the ships / and there dwelling is under the earth. There is many cowes. oxen / great sheep and other fair bestes. This is on fair & lusty land of good water & sweet herbs. This people hath a swift hasty speech. There is no money but of iron and that every body take it for there ware they bear white staues there we pyns is lange pikes and stones ther they cast myghtly with. That land is so full of sand that they must go vpon broad trenchers that they fall not and sink. After that cometh men into the land of arabyen.   


IN: ARABIA  Arabia ..  
coming in Arabia saw we the people clothed like as here is figured stand. love this kyngdone hath be one of the three holy kyngys. Item ther bind they ther ox son with arabia gold about ther horns / and erys. And also goldyn rings about thyr legs. And for gold take they of marchaundes sylkyng kerchers and linen cloth. Item ther after sewe now .v. ylandes. the first island name Monsabith. sixty miles from Safalen. is leeid the town Quiola that was found of the kings folk of portyngal And they slew there much people and robbed the town. And there without had there king edified on castle that is name saint Iacobis castle there in lieth a. C. bold and hardy men that lieth and keepeth it.   

 
THe seuente miles from Quiola lieth the town Bombassa that they also byrned and robbed that also there they gat much goods From thence now .xxiiij. mile lieth the great town Melida and they befrendes / and there be many sloueynes and fell people out of Geneen From Melinda it is .iiij. score & .x. miles to on Persia there gowe they over the see. For by the town Megha into the island Auxendia There is also one that hath be of the three holy kings of the east. C. miles into the kingdom of Canenor and there begin the spices to grow and from thence fare they forth in to the great land of great Indyen.   

¶ Of great Indyen. 
MAIOR INDIA   
THey gowe from Cananor into great Indyen there the people go all naked but the the kyuer there members with linen cloth and and they be brounde black / with long here and of tho women is not written but on kaute the see saw men many meruelouse people of manereren the women bear there children and their household stuff. Here finde men ginger / pepper / comeyn / and all manner of spices / & costly stones for little money. There be also many maner of fruit figs of good saviour .vij. inches long and .iij. inches broad. There be bulfeldes and coyes but the coyes sleep they not / there groweth good wine / much honeye / rise / costly corn white as wete meal / Ther by standeth the town of Banderana and it is .vij miles into Callienten from thence is .xl. miles there men go for all maner of spices that men were wont to caray and convey over the red see thorowgh Alexander but now is there one new way founden over the the see in Calacutē is many folk out of saint thomas land that also be christened▪ and folk of other lands and nations they go over into that kingdom Kyngryche Gutschyn as hereafter stands written.   

¶ Of Gutschin that kingdom.  
 
ANd than can we in the kingdom of Gutschyn and ther hath the king of portyngale do make .ij. Casteyles from here was the three holy kings. there groeth much pepper & the {pro}perest stapell therof. That kingdom Colē is .xxiiij. miles from there / and there been many krystened men / we finde also great Olyfantes & many dyvers maner and wonders bestes and other things that men cannot wryghte all. gardeynes fruits is there much greater than in our lands of Europa. That island Melaqua is from thence .viij. C. miles / There also is much costly spices. There is now .ij. ylandes the on is Bandan and therein groweth the cloves. That other Tanagora or Narnaria and there groeth not no other wood than white & read sandelen wood / This is fortuned that for a bell of a glass men may haue one handful of peerles. In Gutschin bear some times there king but that do the people of his court and hold obedyance under them one with a nother They do all there things all sleyghtly For as as they be assembled in one gathering / than crieth the captain I will sow / & as the subiectes here their captain cry sow than take they parte of / the seed and no man saith the contrary and letteth the other lie and that takeche the lord with out any body contrary asking / & so do they in all merchaundyse. forth by that kingdom Gutshyn / Colum / Bandan / & Nagaria .xxx. miles in Arsinia there hath the king .xij. kings under him / and there lieth buried saint Thomas apostle.   

 
IN some of these aforsayde written lands ben great and fair fruits & they be greater than in these our lands of Europa In Illa mandra be great high trees for the people of that country hew great steps about to clyme up in to the three to gather the fruits that groweth there on for when they be a thrust to take there of. In Arsinia is great broad fig Trees with great figs well .vij. inches long and .iij. inches broad and the fig tre is so broad of branch and leues that .xl. men may be hid under the foresaid branches and leues for the heat of the son / and there for to rest all to gather at their one pleasure.   

 
WE haue in this viage sailed about the forth parte of the world for to reckon from Lussyngborē which is far equinoccyall scherliniē .xxxix. grades & on half so haue we sailed over the linie equinocciall .l. grades that maketh xc. grades therfore they of Lussbone is under the foresaid linie .xxxix. grade & one half in the high head of the hemels is the breyde of westes / so is them of Lussbone to these folk to sene the .l. grades is over the self line soth cornerwyse .v. grades in perpendicular linia which linie as we stand right of the point the hemls hang vpon our head and these folk in their sides or trespasses and woort set in the maner of on tryanghel 〈◇〉 on drycantyche cornard. therfore it must needs be that the sowth lands be tempered with sweet earth for the north winds can not there blow.   

 
AFter this maner of form is the king of Gutschyin born with the nobleste of his land / And before him is born many instruments of music as trumpets & other and .iiij. of the nobleste beareth the canopy over his head lest that the soon should burn him / and this king is beloved of all his estates and common people.   

¶ Of the .x. dyuerce cristened nations.  
IT is to know that the people of crystindom is divided and ben in .x. nations. That is to understand the latin / greeks / Indien / Jacobites / nestorijnes / moronites / Armenes / georgianes / Surianes / mororabes / whereof the most deyle is ketters and kyt of / of the holy Romes church.  

¶ The first nation.  
 
first nation is the latins and they haue to their lord the Emperour of Almaigne and many kings as the king of castylyan / of arragon / of portyngale / of nauaryen / and these kings is for spaynnes nation In that nation of the french land is one king of France and many dukes and Erles. In the nation of Italian is the king of Cicylian / the king of Naples and many dukes and Erles and there is also many lordships as Veneyse Florence seven Ienuen.  
IN the nation of Germanien is now many kings with out the emperor / as the king of england / of Scotlande / of Vngerien / of Bohemē / of Polen / of denmark / of sweden / of Northwegen / of Dalmacyen / and there is many Dukes and Erles &c. In that island of Sypers is the king of Sypers / All these a fore written is under the obeyisaunce or the church of Rome.   

¶ The second nation.  
THe greeks haue spyrytually the Patriarcke of Constantynnoplen / & many Archebysshops / bishops / and abbots. And in the temperalte haue they one Emperour and many dukes and erles / and there is but few of thē that be christened / For the Agarenen & Turkes hath now the most parte of greeks / & is not obedient to the church of Rome. And they haue a great err for they say that the holy ghost can not of the sone but alone of the father. And they say also that there is no purgatory / that is all a yenste our belief.   

¶ The third nation.  
 
THey of Indyen hath one prince and that is pope Iohn whose myghtynes & rychedome amounteth above all princes of the world for he hath under him .lxxij. kings and as pope Iohn daily rideth he bear a fore him one cross of wode for to think on at all times & remember vpon the passions of Ihū and to the battle doth he bear .xij. crosses of gold made and set with precious stones for his banners / in this land is the body of saint Thomas.   

¶ The fourth nation.  
IAcobyten name also of on ketter jacob 〈◇〉 was be one dyssyple of the Patryarche of Alexandryne / and this held the one great land in Oryenten and Asyen and is name that land of Mambrone and it is by Egypten and go the to Echyopen and into Indien to / and hath under him well .xl. kings rychedom / these be kytte and chrystened with a byrnynge yren for they branue the token of the holy cross in their forehead / vpon the breast / vpon the arm / they confess them to god alone and none priests / & they say that in christo is alone the godhead without the manhood / & some of them speaketh Caldesche some Arabier / some other speeches after their language of the land / and these been condemned of the holy church in that counsel of Ceden.   

¶ The fifth nation.  
THere be also Nestorijnē name of the ketter Nestorinus that was one bishop of the byssops of Constantynenoplen and they set ij. persons in christo that is the godhead and the persons / and they forsake that maria is the mother of god / but they believe well of Ihū. & their writing is in caldenssher speech and they make the sacrament in brown breed and there be great multitude of them & they dwell in Tartarien and in great Indyen / and their land is as great as a thousand of Italy / and these ketters be condamned in that thyrde counsel of Ephesyn & is departed of the holy Romes church & abide in their opinion.   

¶ The sixth nation.  
BY the ketter Moren they be name Moroniten they say alone in christo is one understand and one will and those dwell by Lybien in the land of Phenicen and there be great multitude and they be bold and hardey men. and great warryars with the bow / And they haue their bishops clothed as the latins with the bishops mitre on his head & with the croysers staff and rings / These hath ben some time under the obeyissaunce of the church of Rome whan Innocentius was pope / but afterward Cain they again in their opinion and there a bide in their opinion.   

¶ The seventh nation.  
ARmenuyten is also name for that they dwell in the land of Armeneten nere unto Anthiochyen and there is whryttyn service of the masses. & their other tides is all in their one common speech so that they all mey understand it what they sing or rede / & they haue their head or father to whom they do reverence as we do the pope. And they fast the lenten with greater devotion than we do / for they eat in the lenten no fish / nor they drink no wyue / but they eat flesh vpon fridays.  
  

¶ The eight nation.  
THis nation is name Georgidni of saint George for they haue him in their batelles for their patron / and they dwell in the land of Oryenten / and they be fair / lusty / and strong pepyll / and they be sore a dread of the Medon perssen Assiryen there they about dwell And they haue their scyrpture in the Greekes speech and they haue their sacramentes as the greeks / and the clerks haue round crownes / and they seek the holy grave to jerusalem with open or spread banners. And they give the sarasons no tribute for the sarasons feareth those folk very sore / there women bear harness like the men and they haue also beards as the men and they bear vpon their heads and vpon hye cubettes hye hats and as the write to the Sodan than giveth he them that they dyssyre.   

¶ The ninth nation.  
THe Surianē is name after their town Surie that is the greatest in all Suryē or Assyryen their scripture & service of god in the greeks speech but they speak sarasons speech and they hold the manner of the greeks / and haue bishops that in all things be obedient and they make their sacrament of brown breed & they haue the opinion of the greeks again the latins there be some christened that in the holy land is name Samerytanes that were converted in the time that the apostels prithee but they understand thē nor well in the crystē believe.   

¶ The tenth nation.  
MOzoraben so called after the latem for they hold & use the maner of the christian of Arbien / and of these were wont to be many people in Affrijken and in Spaengnien but now is there little in the telling / They haue in their service of god lateyne as we do / And they be under the obeyisaunce of the church of Rome. And the latins prelates but in many things ben they diverse departed for also the day hath xxiiij. houres / Also many times hymns and psalms and other orasouns haue they and verylonge / And that that the Latyns rede in the beginning of their service that rede they in the middle or in the last end. And that sacrament of the auter breaketh some of them in .vij. partes & some in .x. parties / and these people be very devout and they mareye but ones in their life & as the women hath lost their first husband so doth they meddle no more with no man / but a bide fro thensfourth in chastity.  
O For .ij. causes cometh the departing of the christian nations. The first cause is that men in old time might the christian haue only haue general consilium / Therfore as the ketters stood up again the crystē belief so was there no body turned nor sought counsel there again. The other cause was the ferswynmygnes of the oppressed pope of the school of Rome that no messengere nor learned should to the krysten thow that were come in seek lodyng / for had they do that they should haue be converted to the right belief. Thorowsth which right belief bring us to the highest glory the father the sone the holy ghost three persons and one god. Amen.    

Pope Iohn by the grace of god the most mighty stekynge above all kyngys of the world give saluyte the Emperour of Rome. & also the king of france.  
our well belouyd frynde We late you under stand and know of our land And the maner of our living & of our people beasts and fowls. ¶ And you say that we believe not in god and pray not to him as you do. So late we you understand that we believe in god the father. in god the sonne. and in god the holy ghost. The which be vnpartyble and one very god. and is allthynge mighty.  
And also certify you with our lettres sealed and do you knowledge of our folk or people and of our land. And yf there be ony thing the we kan do for you. send us word & we shall it do with good heart & will. And yf it please ony of you to come in our land we shall give they in gold and silver to thyr necessity / & make them great lordis. and give to them also land and good to live on. & do to hem worship and honor. For the goodness that we haue herde say of you. And we do you knowledge that we haue the richeste crown of the world as of gold & silver & of precious stones in great multitude And we haue also under us mighty .xlij. king{is}domes and al good cristen people. and we keep also the poure people with our alms alle that cometh be it stronger or of our own people through the love of almighty god our lord Ihesu christ.  
¶ Item our land is partend in .iiij. For the lands of Indien / there be two. and in that greatest Indien is the body of saint Thomas. And this same Indien is partiner of the coste of orient for it lieth beside a tour the which is caalled babel / & it id not far fro Babilonyen. And also that other parte of Indien is about Septentrion. and there is great plenty of wine / bred & all maner of victual  
¶ Item aso in our land be gryffons / and it is a great bird and a mighty. for he will well carry in his nest an ore / or an horse for his young birds to eat. Also in Saxen is a town which is called Grounzwyk ther is one of the claws that which is well as great as an horn of an ox.  
¶ In our land be elephants / dromedaries / wild oxes the which haue .vij. horns. also Beeres and lions of dyvers colours / as the red / green / black / & whit ¶ Item and also be wild asses the which haue long eeres / and haue two small horns. &c.   

IN our land be also fowles the which that haue the maystery of all birds of the world / and haue a colour like the fire / and his wyngis kyt like a razor. and this birds ben called Ilerion. and in alle the world is nomore than two. & they lyuen .iij. score year & thenne they lay eggis and sit vpon them .xl. dayes / & as sone as they haue yonges they flee away / father and moder to the see and ther they drown theym self. and alle tho birds that come against them do them company to the see. and as sone as the be drowned all the other birds turn again to the nest there they young birds ben left / and give them meet & drink to the time that the can flee and nurter themself. &c.  
¶ Yet ben there other birds the which ben called tigris / and they be so strong that they will bear or carry in their nest a man sitting vpon an horse all armyd fro the hede to the foot.  
¶ Item In our land is also a grete desert or foreste therein dweleth people both men & wymmen the which haue nomore than one eye afore. and behind they haue .iij. or .iiij. eyen  
¶ Yet is in our land an other maner of people the which eat none other than raw flesh. & they care not yf it were of man or woman or of beestis & also the care not of ther own death. and as sone as there one of them dieth the ere them alle raw / both there one father or moeder. And they say that mans fleyshe is good and naturly to eat raw / for they say that they do it for parte of penance for there sins And they be also cursed of god / and they be called Gog and Magog And of them be no more than one maner of people of this world & they shall be dystributed or partend through all the world when Antechryst shall come. and these same were the people or folk the which that had put in prison or in hold the great king Alexander of Macedonien. But for all that he went his way And of this people shalbe no judgment at the dreadful day of doom like the prophet saith. ¶ Nescio quis. &c.  
But nevertheless thunder and lytenynge shall come fro heaven and bourne them all in poder And when that we haue ony enemies joanne give we them licence to put them down & eat them that be ayensse us and then make we them to turn again into there own land. For if they should abide long with us they should undo us all & eat us like as they do there own proper folk.  
¶ And yet is there another manner of people / the which hath rownde feet like an horse / & also they haue .iiij. sharp claws behind at there Heles. Wherewt they strongly fight that there is no manner thing can grind against them / nether harnayse / yrone / nor steel they pass all thorowth / & this people give unto us great tribute. & they be also without dowte great labourers.  
¶ Yet is there a neither small land in a parte of that same foreste aforesaid / and it is .xlij. dayes journeys long. And it is called Feminie the great. And in that same land there be three queens without all other lands / thowe that holden there been of these queens foresaid And when these queens shall go to field / then each of thē hath .iij. hondered. M. women and all in harness / with out all the other women the which that caray victual with cart horse and also with olyfauntes. And these women be very manly in fytynge and hardy. ¶ And in this same land may come no men but .ix. dayes in the year and no longer / and than they haue conversation and felysshyp with the men and nomore of the hole year. For if the men there wolde abide the women should them slay all.  
¶ And this same land is closed all about with a water called Cyphon coming our of paradise And in this same land may come no man without a great ship or a great bark.   

¶ Of the people name Pygnies.  
 
ANd yet is there a neither small land and also another river called Pyconye that is .x. dayes journey long / and .vij. broad and this people of this foresaid land be not great / but they be like children of .vij. year of age and they haue horseys as great as a great dog & they be good christened folk and they haue no war against noman / But they haue war against the fowles every year / when they shall haue in there fruit and corn And than the king putteth on his harness. and than they fight against the birds. And than there be slain on both parties many on / and also they be great labourers / and when the field is don than the birds flee a way fro them.  
¶ Also in our land been the Sagittary. the which bē fro the middle upward like men / and fro the middle donwarde ben they like the half neder parte of an horse and they bear bows and arrows. And the shute stronger than ony other nation of people.  
¶ And in our land be also vnicornes and they been of the manner with black and green / and these vnicornes slay many lions. and the lion slayeth the unicorn with subtylnes. when the unicorn hath put him to rest at a three / & than cometh the lion and ronnyth about the three and after him than ronnyth the vnycorne and wolde fain slay him / & than he ronnyth himself into the three with his horn so hard that he cannot pull it out again. than cometh the lion and hath the mastery vpon the unicorn.  
¶ Item there is a neither parte of a foreste therein dwelleth another maner of folk / and this people ben .xx. Cubettes of heythe But they were in time paste to be of the heyth of .xl. Cubettes. And they haue not the poor to come out of that desert or forest and all is thorough the might of almighty god. For if they should come out by there strength & hardiness the wolde conquere all the world.  
¶ Here begynnith of the bird the which is called Fenix.  
¶ In our land is also a bird the which is called phoenix and is the fairest bird of all the world & there is nomore than one in all the course of nature. and he liveth C. year. and then flieth he so high that the son set the fire in his wings / & thenne cometh he don again to his nest and there he burneth to pudre and of the ashes cometh a worm / & within. C dayes after growyth there out another bird as fair as ever that other was.  
¶ Item Also in our land is plenty of wine bred / flesh. And that is necessary for mannys body  
¶ Item In our land may come none venyn beeste on that one side  
¶ Item between our land and the Turkes land is a river ronnynge and is called Sydō it cometh out of paradise of the earth / and is full of precious stones  
¶ And also in our land ben ronnyge many small riuers the which that come out of this foresaid river. and they also ben full of precious stones. As Ysmaraddus Iaspis Saphyr{is} Scobassus Dyamant Topasius / Carbonkel. ruby. and yet more other they which I not all can rehearse.  
¶ Also in our land groweth on herb and is called Parmanabel / and that same herb is so mighty ever so who that same herb beryth a bout him he may coniure the devil of hell and do him say what so ever he will axe of hȳ and therfore the devil dare not come in to our land.  
Item also in our land groweth pepper in forestis full of snakes and other venom beasts. & when it is ripe than send we for our folk and they put that fire ther in / & than they venom beestys flee away▪ than we gather it & carried to our houses and washed in two or .iij. waters / and than we drey it again / and also it waxed black & good  
¶ Item about this passage is a fonteyne or a conduit / so who of this watere drinked .iij. times he shall wax young / and also yf a man have had a sickness .xxx. year and drynked of this same water he shall therof be hole and sonde.  
And also as a man therof drinked him seemeth that he had occupied the beste meet and drink of the world. and this same fonteyne is full of the grace of the holy ghost. & who sow in this same water washed his body he shall become young of .xxx. year.  
And ye shall know that I am haloweth in my moder womb / and I am old .v. C.lxij. year. and I haue me wesshed .vi. times in that same water.  
¶ Item In our land is also a see very peruulyous / and there can we haue noo passage with noo maner of shyppyng and than do we us carry there over with our gryffous.  
¶ Item at that one side of this see ronnyth a small ryuere and therein be many precious stones. and also ther growyth a certain herb that is good to all maner of medicine.  
¶ Also ye shall understand that between us & the Iewes ronnyth a great river that is full of precious stones and it is so strong in here ronnyng that noman ther over can pass / except the saterdaye / & than partend shehere & took with here all that she findeth in here way. And this same land most we strongly keep for our enemies. an up these costs haue we .xlij. strong castles none stronger in the world. & ben well kept of people. To understand .x. M. knights on horseback .vi. M. cross bows .xv. M. long bows. & .xl. M. other men on horseback well armed. that which these castles haue in kyping by cause that the great king of Israhel shall not ther pass with his people. For he is twice as strong as I am. And his land is twice as grete as all Crystence and turkey. For he hath in his keeping the second parte of the world And the great king of Israhel hath under hȳ iij. C. kings .iiij. M. princes. deuces. erles. barons knights / squires without nombre. and all these be subgette to the great king of Israhel. But yf he might pass over this foresaid river with his people they should slay both Christian and turkes. And ye shall know that we all saterdaye late pass .viij. C. or M. men for beye such manner good or merchandise as they will haue. but we late them not come with in the walls of this castles. for they bye it with out the walls of this fortresses. and they pay ther merchandises with platis of silver or of gold for they haue none other money. & when they haue don ther business they turn home again in their own land. and these foresaid castles be sete to guider within a bow shot.  
And ye shall understand that within a mile of these castles is a great city and a fair and it is the strongest of all the world. the which city is in our keeping of one of our juuenis. and he receiveth tribute of the great king of Israhel. And also giveth us every year .ij. C. horses laden with gold / silver / and precious stones. Except alle charges and costs that men doth in the city and in these foresaid castles. And when that we haue war against them / than slay we them alle and late noman alive. & therefore they will keep no war against vs. and the wymmen of the Iewes be very fair none fairer in earth now a dayes living. And by this foresaid river is a see ther noman may pass / but whan the wind blowyth fro beneath strongly than partend she here / and joanne the pass with great hast. and than they take with hȳ all maner of precious stones. but they may sell none therof for that wee haue taken therof our choose.  
¶ In a parte of our land is an hill there noman may dwell for heat of the son▪ & there bee worms many on without fire can not live. And by this same hill we keep .xl. M. people that no thing ells but make fire / and whan this worms feel the fire than they come out of the earth and go in too that fire. and there they spin like the worms that the silk spynneth And of that same spynnyng we make our clotynge that we were on feast dayes. and when they be foul / than they be cast in to the fire & they become as fair as ever they were afore  
And ye shall understand that saint Thomas doth more miracles than ony saint in heaven For he cometh bodily every year in his church and doth a sermon / and also in a palace there ye here after of him shall here  
¶ And ye shall also know that there be dyvers of people of fason in our land / also there be people that haue the body of a man & the hede like a dog and they be good takers of fish. and they be good to understand of their speech. & they will go in to the see a hole day long to the time that they haue taken such as they wolde haue / and than the come again charged with fish. and bear them in to the houses / for they haue there dwelling places under earth. and thenne take we part of there fishes that us beste liketh▪ and they do great harm among our bee thow that be wild. and they fight also against our archers. &c.  
¶ In our land is also one manner of birds and lay ther eggis in the see .xxi. and ther out grown young birds▪ and than the flee away and we take sometime of theȳ for they bee good for to eat whan they be young For yf their were ony man that hath lost his nature and eat of this same bird he sholl it gete again and become as strong as ever he was afore.  
¶ Also in our land is that same three / ther that holy christendom or olye our ronnith. and this three is dreye / and ther is a great serpent which that three hath in keeping all the hole year night & day but alone up saint Iohnns day & night & than slepyth the serpent or dragon. and than go we to the three & take that crisma. and of this same is nomore than iij. pond. & than turn we again secretly with great dread & fear that he us not see / for ells he will slay vs. & this same three is a dayes journey fro the paradys of the earth but whan this serpent is a waked than maked he great mone and sorrow. & this dragon hath .ix. hedes and .ij. wings. and is as great as two horses. But for all that it followeth us still till we ben come to the see again. and than turned it again. & thenne bear we that crisma to the patriarch of saint thomas & he haloweth it / & ther with they make us al christian. & the remnant send we to the patriarch of jerusalem. & he send it forth to the Pope of rome. & he puth ther to olyet of life and than halowyth it / & then̄ he sendeth̄ all crystente thorough ¶ Also ye shall understand when we shall go to war than do we afore us bear with xiiij kings .xiiij. rofers with gold & silver really wrought with precious stones. and the other kings come after us with grete streamers and banners of silk & syndale very richly wrought. Ye shall know also that afore us gone .xl. M. clerkis / & also many knyghtis. and men a foot there be .ij. C.M. without carriers and carriers tho that go with the olyphantes and carry our harneys and vitales.  
¶ ye shall understand also as we go to field than put we our land in the keeping of the patriarch of saint thomas. And when we pecesably ride than do we bear afore us a cross of wood in worship of our lord Ihesu christ. Also in the incomynge of every city stand .iij. crosses made of wood / for to remember the passion of our lord Ihesu christ. And when we ride pecesably than do we also bear afore us a basin full of earth to remember that we be come of earth and that we shall wax earth again. and we do also bear for us another basin full of fine gold to a token that wee be the nobleste & mightyest juuenis of all the world.  
¶ There is also in our land noman so hardy that dare break his wedloke .. but yf he dyde he should be incontinent be burnyd. For our lord himself hath ordyned wedlok therfore it should be kept by reason yf tbat we loved our lord Ihesu christ. For it is one of the sacramentes of the holy church  
¶ Also there dare noman make a lie in our land. for of he dyde he should incontinent bee sleyn & we be feythful in our saying & doying ¶ Also ye shall understand that we every year go visit the holy body of the prophet danyel in our foreste / and we take with us .xM. clerkis and as many knyghtys. and. CC. castles. made vpon Olyphantes / fore to keep us fro the dragons the which haue .vij. hedes. the which that haue their dwelling in that foreste.  
¶ And there bee also in that same place dates the winter and summer hang on the trees fair and green. And the forest is great a. C. & .xxx. dayes journey. and the .ij. patriarchs ben before us at table for they haue the might of the pope of rome. And we haue twice as many abbots in our land as there be dayes in a year .xv. more And euerich one of them cometh ones in the year and saythe mass vpon saint Thomas auter. And I myself say also mass in the grete festis dayes of the year. and ther for I am called pope Iohn. For I priste after the outshewyng of sacrifice of the auters. & king after outshewing of Iusticie. ¶ And I pope Iohn was halowid afore I was born. for our lord send his angel to my father and said to him make a pallays the which shall be of the grace of god and a chamber of that paradise for your son coming For hi shall be the greatest king of the world. and he shall a long time live. So who that in this pallays cometh he shall haue no hongre nor thryste. & he shall not deye and as sone as my father was a wakyd he was very merry / and incontinent he began to make this pallays like ye shall here. At first of the incoming of this pallays is made of crystal & the covering of it is of precious stones and with in really wrought with stars like yf it were the heaven. & that paving is also of crystal & within this same pallays be none windows. & within this same pallays be .xxiiij. pyllers of fine gold & of precious stones of all maner sorts. & ther am I at great feast dayes of the year and saint Thomas prechyth in middle of this pallays to the people. And whithin this same pallays is a conduit or a fonteyne is like wine in drinking / so who thereof drincketh he desired none other meet nor drink and noman can tell fro whence it cometh or whither it gothe. Also ther is another great merueyll in this same pallays when we shall go to our dinner / so is there no maner of meet made redy for us / not ther is no maner of instruments to make meet redy with all. but there cometh before us all maner of delicious meet / that cometh there clothe the holy ghost. And it is not well possible to writ all maner of goodness they which that be in our land. And ye shall understand that we writ nothing to you but that true is .. For if we should write lies to you / god and saint thomas should punish us / for we should lese all our dignity and our worshypp.  
And we pray you that ye will writ us again with the berer of this letter. and send to us again a good knight of the generation of france  
And we pray the king of france that he will us recommend to the mighty king of england. and also to all other kings the which that dwell beyond the see thow that bē christened and we pray god that he you will give the grace of the holy ghost Amen. Written in our holy pallays in the birth of myself .v. hundred. and seven   

Emprenteth by me Iohn of Doesborowe:.  

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