_How Prester Johns land lyeth foote against[1] foote to
Englande._
THERE yles of the land of Prester John, they are under the earth to
us, & other yles are there whoso wold pursue them for to environ the
earth whoso had grace of God to hold the waye, he mighte come right
to the same countreys that he were come of and come from & so go about
the earth, and for that it asketh so long tyme, & also there are so
many perils to passe that fewe men assay to go so, and yet it might
be done, & therefore men come from these yles to other yles costing of
the lordship of Prester John, & men come in the coming to one yle y^t
men cal Cassoy, & that country is nere Lx journeys long & more than
L of bredth, that is the best land that is in those countreys saue
Cathay & if marchants came thither as commonly as they do to Cathay,
it would be better than Cathay, for it is so thick of cities & towns
y^t when a man goeth out of a citie he seeth another on eche side.
There is great plenty of spices and other goods. Ye king of this ile
is rich & mighty & he holdeth his land of y^e great Caan for y^t is
one of y^e xii princes[2] that the great Caan hath under him beside
his owne lande.
[Footnote 1: Antipodes.]
[Footnote 2: Misprint for provinces.]