_Of the Kingdome of Talonach, the king thereof hath many wyves._
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THEN is there another yle that men call Talonach, that is a greate
lande, and plenteous of goods & fyshes, as you shall hereafter heare.
And the King of the lande hath as many wives as he will, a thousande
& mo, and lyeth never by one of them but once, and that lande hath a
marvayle that is in no other land, for all maner of fyshes of the sea
cometh there once a yeare, one after another, and lyeth him nere the
lande, sometime on the lande, and so lye three dayes, and men of that
lande come thither and take of them what he will, and then go those
fyshes awaye and another sorte commeth, and lyeth also three dayes and
men take of them, and doe thus all maner of fyshes tyll all haue bene
there, and menne have taken what they wyll. And menne wot[1] not the
cause why it is so. But they of that countrey saye, that those fyshes
come so thyther to do worship to theyr king, for they say he is
the most worthiest king of the worlde for he hath so many wives and
geateth so many children of them. And that same kinge that XIIII M
Olyfauntes or mo which be all tame, and they be all fedde of the men
his countrey, for his pleasure bicause that he may haue them redy to
his hande when he hath any warre against any kyng or prince, and then
he doth put uppon theyr backs castels & men of warre as the use is of
the lande, and lykewyse do other kyngs and princes thereabout.
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[Footnote 1: Know.]
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