_Of the Kingedome named Mancy which is the best kingedome of
the worlde._
TO go from this yle toward the east many journies a man shall finde a
kingdome that is called Mancy[1] & this is in Inde the more, & it is
y^e most delectable and plenty of goods of all the worlde. In this
lande dwell christen men and Sarasins, for it is a great lande, and
therein are II M great cities & many other townes. In this lande no
man goeth a begging, for there is no pore man, and there men haue
beardes of heare[2] as it were cattes. In this lande are faire women,
and therefore some men call that lande Albany, for the white folke,
and there is a citie that men call Latorim and is more[3] than Paris,
and in that land are birdes twise greater than they be here and there
is all maner of vytayles good cheape.[4] In this countrey are whyte
hennes, and they beare no feathers but woll[5] as shepe doe in our
lande; and women of that countrey that are wedded beare crownes uppon
theyr heads that they may be knowne by. In this countrey they take a
beast that is called Loyres, and they keepe it to goe in to waters or
ryvers, and straighte waye hee bringeth out of the water great fishes,
and thus they take fishe as longe as they will, and as them nedeth.
Fro this citie men go by many journeys to an other citie that is
called Cassay,[6] that is the fayrest citie of the worlde, and that
citie is fifty myle about and there is in that citie mo than xii[7]
principall gates without. From thence within three myle is an other
great citie, and within this citie are more than xii thousand bridges
and upon eche bridge is a stronge toure where the kepers dwell to kepe
it against the great Caane, for it marcheth[8] on his land. And on one
side of the citie runneth a great river, and there dwell christen men
& other for it is a good countrey and plentious, & there groweth right
good wine. In this noble citie the King of Mancy was wont to dwell and
there dwell religious men, as fryers. And men go vpon the river till
they come to an Abbey of Monkes a lyttle from the citie & in y^t Abbey
is a great gardeine, and therein is many maner of trees of divers
fruites, in that gardein are divers kindes of beastes, as Baboyns,[9]
Apes, Marmosets and other, & when the covent[10] haue eaten, a monke
taketh the reliefe[11] & beareth it into the gardein, & smiteth once
with a bell of silver which he holdeth in his hand, anone come out
these beastes that I speake of and many nere II or III thousand,[12]
and he giveth them to eate of[13] faire vessels of silver, & when they
haue eaten he smyteth the bell againe and they go away, and the monke
sayth that those beasts are soules of men that are dead, and those
beastes that are fayre are soules of Lordes and other rich men, &
those that are foule beastes are soules of other commons, and I asked
them if it had not been better to give that relife to pore men, & they
sayde there is no pore men in y^e countrey and if there were yet
were it more almes to give it to those soules y^t suffer there their
penaunce & may go no farther to get their meat, than to men that haue
wit & may travail for theyr meat. Then come men to a citie y^t is
called Chibens & there was the first sege[14] of the King of Mancy. In
this citie are LX brydges of stone as fayre as they may be.
[Illustration]
[Footnote 1: Or Manzi, that part of China south of the river
Hoang-ho.]
[Footnote 2: _Pynson_ has "berdes _thynne_ of here, as it were
cattes."]
[Footnote 3: Larger.]
[Footnote 4: _Pynson_ here has, "and there is plenty of great
neddres (_adders_) of whyche they make a greate fest and ete
theym at great solemnytees. For, if a man make a greate fest,
and had gyven them all the mete that he myght gete, and he
give theym no neddres, he hath no thanke for all that he
doth."]
[Footnote 5: Wool.]
[Footnote 6: Hangchow-fu.]
[Footnote 7: _Pynson_ says, "There is in y^t citie mo than VII
thousand gates and each of III gate is a good toure where the
kepers dwell," &c.]
[Footnote 8: Borders.]
[Footnote 9: Baboons.]
[Footnote 10: Convent.]
[Footnote 11: What is left over.]
[Footnote 12: _Pynson_ says III Thousand or IIII Thousand.]
[Footnote 13: Off.]
[Footnote 14: Seat or settlement.]