_For to returne fro Sinay to Hierusalem._
NOW sythen a man hath visited this holy place of Sainct Katheryn and
he will torne to Hierusalem, he shall fyrst take leave of the Monkes,
and recommend him specially to their prayers, then those Monks will
freely giue to Pilgrims victuals to pass through the Wildernesse to
Surry & that lasteth well xiii Journeys. And in that wyldernesse dwell
many Arabyns that men call Bedoins and Ascoperdes,[1] these are folk
that are full of all maner of yll condycyons, and they have no houses,
but tentes, the wyche they make of beastes skinnes, as of camelles and
other beastes the whyche they eate, and thereunder they lye, and they
dwell in places where they maye fynde water, as on the rede sea, for
in that wildernesse is greate defaute of water, and it faileth ofte
where a man findeth water one time, he fyndeth it not another tyme,
and therefore make they no houses in those countreys. These men that I
speake of tyll not the land, for they eate no breade, but[2] yf it be
anye that dwelleth neare a goode towne. And they rost al theyre fishes
and flesh upon the hote stones agaynst the sonne, and they are stronge
men and well fyghtynge, and they do nothinge but chace wyld beastes
for theyr sustenaunce, and they sette[3] not by theyr lyves, therfore
they dreade not the Soudan nor no prince of all the worlde. And they
haue greate warre wythe the Soudan, and the same tyme that I was
dwelling with him they bare but a shelde and a speare for to defende
them with, and they holde[4] none other armour, but they wynde theyr
heades and neckes in a great lynnen clothe,[5] and they are men of
full yll kynde.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Footnote 1: Or Giants from the Arabic _askhaf_, a tall,
big-boned man. It will be remembered that Sir Bevis of
Southampton brought home a Giant Ascapart--who probably was
one of them.]
[Footnote 2: Unless.]
[Footnote 3: They value not.]
[Footnote 4: Have.]
[Footnote 5: A turban.]