much bruted among the common people, and enuied of the Nobility, especially
of the Earle of Chalons, who thought to haue intrapped him and his company,
as may appeare in the story: but Prince Edward continued foorth his iourney
to Paris, and was there of the French king honourably entertained: and
after certaine dayes he went thence into Gascoine, where he taried till
that he heard of the death of the king his father, at which time he came
home, and was crowned king of England, in the yere of our Lord 1274.
* * * * *
The trauaile of Robert Turneham.
Robertus Turneham Franciscanus, Theologiæ professor insignis, Lynnæ celebri
Irenorum ad ripas Isidis emporio, collegio suorum fratrum magnificè
præfuit. Edwardus Princeps, cognomento Longus, Henrici tertij filius,
bellicam expeditionem contra Saracenos Assyriam incolentes, anno Dom. 1268.
parabat. Ad quam profectionem quæsitus quoque Orator vehemens, qui plebis
in causa religionis animos excitaret, Turnehamus principi visus vel
dignissimus est, qui munus hoc obiret. Sic tanquam signifer constitutus
Assyrios vna cum Anglico exercitu petijt, ac suum non sine laude præstitit
officiuin. Claruit anno salutiferi partus, 1280. varia componens, sub eodem
Edwardo eius nominis primo post Conquestum.
The same in English.
Robert Turneham Franciscan, a notable professor of Diuinitie, was with
great dignitie Prior of the Colledge of his Order in the famous Mart Towne
of Lynne, situate vpon the riuer of Isis in Norfolke. Prince Edward
surnamed the Long, the sonne of Henrie the third, prepared his warlike
voyage against the Saracens dwelling in Syria, in the yeere of our Lord,
1268. For the which expedition some earnest preacher was sought to stirre
vp the peoples minds in the cause of religion. And this Turneham seemed to
the Prince most worthy to performe that office: so that he being appointed
as it were a standard bearer, went into Syria with the English army, and
performed his duety with good commendation. He flourished in the yeere of
Christ 1280, setting forth diuers workes vnder the same King Edward the
first of that name after the Conquest.
* * * * *
The life of Syr Iohn Mandeuill Knight, written by Master Bale.
Ioannes Mandeuil, vir equestris ordinis, ex fano Albini oriundus, ita à
teneris vt aiunt, vnguiculis literarum studijs assueuerat, vt in illis
bonam foelicitatis suæ partem poneret. Nam generis sui stemmata illustria,
nulli vsui futura ducebat, nisi illa clariora doctis artibus redderet.
Quare cum animum Euangelica lectione ritè instituisset, transtulit sua
studia ad rem Medicam, artem imprimis liberali ingenio dignam. Sed inter
alia, ingens quædam cupido videndi Africam, et Asiam, vastioris orbis
partes, eius animum inuaserat. Comparato igitur amplo viatico, peregrè
profectus est, anno à Christo nato, 1332. et domum tanquam alter Vlysses,
post 34. annos rediens, à paucissimis quidem cognitus fuit. Interim
Scythiam, Armeniam, Maiorem et Minorem, Aegyptum, vtramque Lybiam, Arabiam,
Syriam, Mediam, Mesopotamiam, Persiam, Chaldæam, Græciam, Illyrium,
Tartariam, et alia spaciosi orbis regna, laborioso itinere visitauit.
Denique linguarum cognitione præditus, ne tot ac tantarum rerum varietates,
et miracula quæ oculatus testis viderat, memoriæque mandauerat, obliuione
premerentur, in tribus linguis, Anglica, Gallica, et Latina, graphicè
scripsit Itinerarium 33. annorum. Reuersus in Angliam, ac visis sui seculi
malis, vir pius dicebat, nostris temporibus iam verius quàm olim dici
potest, virtus cessat, Ecclesia calcatur, Clerus errat, dæmon regnat,
simonia dominatur, etc. Leodij tandem obijt, anno Domini 1372. die 17.
Nouembris, apud Guilielmitas sepultus.
The same in English.
Iohn Mandeuil Knight, borne in the towne of S. Albons, was so well giuen to
the studie of learning from his childhood, that he seemed to plant a good
part of his felicitie in the same: for he supposed that the honour of his
birth would nothing auaile him, except he could render the same more
honourable by his knowledge in good letters. Hauing therefore well grounded
himselfe in religion by reading the Scriptures, he applied his studies to
the arte of Physicke, a profession worthy a noble wit: but amongst other
things, he was rauished with a mightie desire to see the greater partes of
the world, as Asia, and Africa. Hauing therefore prouided all things
necessarie for his iourney he departed from his countrey in the yeere of
Christ, 1332, and as another Vlysses returned home, after the space of 34.
yeeres, and was then knowen to a very fewe. In the time of his trauaile he
was in Scythia, the greater and lesse Armenia, Egypt, both Lybias, Arabia,
Syria, Media, Mesopotamia, Persia, Chaldæa, Greece, Illyrium, Tartarie, and
diuers other kingdomes of the world: and hauing gotten by this meanes the
knowledge of the languages, least so many and great varieties, and things
miraculous, whereof himselfe had bene an eie witnes, should perish in
obliuion, he committed his whole trauell of 33. yeeres to writing in three
diuers tongues, English, French and Latine. Being arriued againe in
England, and hauing seene the wickednes of that age, he gaue out this
speach. In our time (sayd he) it may be spoken more truely then of olde,
that vertue is gone, the Church is vnder foote, the Clergie is in errour,
the deuill raigneth, and Simonie beareth the sway, &c.
He died at Leege, in the yeere 1311. the 17. day of Nouember, being there
buried in the Abbie of the Order of the Guilielmites.
* * * * *
The Tombe and Epitaph of Sir Iohn Mandeuil, in the citie of Leege, spoken
of by Ortelius, in his booke called Itinerarium Belgiæ, in this sort.
[Sidenote: Fol. 15, 16.] Magna et populosa Leodij suburbia, ad collium
radices, in quorum iugis multa sunt, et pulcherrima monasteria, inter quæ
magnificum illud, ac nobile D. Laurentio dicatum, ab Raginardo Episcopo.
Est in hac quoque regione, vel suburbijs Leodij, Guilielmitarum Coenobium,
in quo Epitaphium hoc Ioannis à Mandeuille, excepimus.
[Sidenote: Epitaphìum.] Hic iacet vir nobilis, D. Ioannes de Mandeuille,
aliter dictus ad Barbam, Miles, Dominus de Campdi, natus de Anglia,
Medicinæ professor, deuotissimus, orator, et bonorum largissimus pauperibus
erogator, qui toto quasi orbe lustrato, Leodij diem vitæ suæ clausit
extremum. Anno Dom. 1371. Mensis Nouembris, Die 17.
Hæc in lapide: in quo cælata viri armati imago, Leonem calcantis, barba
bifurcata, ad caput manus benedicens, et vernacula hæc verba: Vos qui
paseis sor mi, pour l'amour deix proïes por mi. Clipeus erat vacuus, in quo
olim fuisse dicebant laminam æream, et eius in ea itidem cælata insignia,
Leonem videlicet argenteum, cui ad pectus lunula rubea in campo cæruleo,
quem Limbus ambiret denticulatus ex auro. Eius nobis ostendebant, et
cultros, ephipiáque, et calcaria quibus vsum fuisse asserebant, in
peragrando toto ferè terrarum orbe, vt clariùs testatur eius Itinerarium,
quod typis etiam excusum passim habetur.
* * * * *
Tabvla Præsentis Libri Ioannes Mandevil, singvla per ordinem capitula, et
in eorum quolibet quid agitur, notificat euidenter.
Capvt. 1 Commendatio breuis terræ Hierosolymltanæ.
2 Iter ab Anglia tam per terras quàm per aquas, vsque in Constantinopolim.
3 De vrbe Constantinopoli, et reliquijs ibidem contentis.
4 Via tam per terras quàm per aquas, à Constantinopoli vsque Acharon, vel
Acon.
5 Via à Francia et Flandria, per solas terras vsque in Hierusalem.
6 Via de Cypro vel de Hierusalem, vsque in Babyloniam Egypti.
7 De Pallatio Soldani, et nominibus præteritorum Soldanorum.
8 De Campo Balsami in Egypto.
9 De Nilo fluuio, et Egypti territorio.
10 De conductu Soldani.
11 De Monasterio Sinay.
12 Iter per desertum Sinay, vsque in Iudeam.
13 De ciuitate Bethleem, et semita, vsque in Ierusalem.
14 De Ecclesia gloriosi sepulchri Domini in vrbe Ierusalem.
15 De tribus alijs Ecclesiis, et specialiter de Templo Domini.
16 De pluribus locis sacris extra vrbem.
17 De sacris locis extra muros ciuitatis.
18 De alijs locis notabilibus.
19 De Nazareth et Samaria.
20 De Territorio Galileæ et Samariæ.
21 De secta detestabili Sarracenorum.
22 De vita Mahometi.
23 De colloquio Authoris cum Soldano.
24 Persuasio ad non credentes terrarum diuersitates per orbem terræ.
25 De Armenia, et Persia.
26 De Ethiopia et diamantibus, ac de infima et media India.
27 De foresto piperis.
28 De Ecclesia beati Thomæ Apostoli.
29 De quibusdam meridionalibus insulis, et farina et melle.
30 De Regno Cynocephalorum, et alijs Insulis.
31 De multis alijs insulis Meridionalibus.
32 De bona regione Mangi.
33 De Pygmeis, et itinere vsque prouinciam Cathay.
34 De pallacio Imperatoris magni Chan.
35 De quatuor solemnitatibus, quas magnus Chan celebrat in Anno.
36 De præstigijs in festo, et de comitatu Imperatoris.
37 Qua de causa dicitur magnus Chan.
38 De territorio Cathay, et moribus Tartarorum.
39 De sepultura Imperatoris magni Chan, et de creatione successoris.
40 De multis regionibus Imperio Tartariæ subiectis.
41 De magnificentia Imperatoris Indiæ.
42 De frequentia Palatij, et comitatu Imperatoris præsbiteri Ioannis.
43 De quisbusdam miris per Regiones Imperij Indiæ.
44 De loco et dispositione Vallis infaustæ.
45 De quibusdam alijs admirandis, per Indorum insulas.
46 De periculis et tormentis in valle infausta.
47 De Bragmannorum insulis, et aliorum.
48 Aliquíd de loco Paradisi terrestris per auditum.
49 In reuertendo de Regnis Cassam, et Riboth, de Diuite Epulone, vel
consimili.
50 De compositione huius tractatus in Ciuitate Leodiensi.
Liber Præsens, Cvivs Avthor est Ioannes Mandevil militaris ordinis, agit de
diuersis patrijs, Regionibus, Prouincijs, et insulis, Turcia, Armenia
maiore et minore, Ægypto, Lybia bassa et alta, Syria, Arabia, Persia,
Chaldæa, Tartaria, India, et de infinitis insulis, Ciuitatibus, villis,
castris, et locis, quæ gentes, legum, morum, ac rituum inhabitant
diuersorum.
DEDICATIO LIBRI.
Principi excellentissimo, præ cunctis mortalibus præcipuè venerando, Domino
Edwardo eius nominis tertio, diuina prouidentia Francorum et Anglorum Regi
Serenissimo, Hiberniæ Domino, Aquitainiæ Duci, mari ac eius insulis
occidentalibus dominanti, Christianorum encomio et ornatui, vniuersorumque
arma gerentium Tutori, ac Probitatis et strenuitatis exemplo, principi
quoque inuicto, mirabilis Alexandri Sequaci, ac vniuerso orbi tremendo, cum
reuerentia non qua decet, cum ad talem, et tantam reuerentiam minùs
sufficientes extiterint, sed qua paruitas, et possibilitas mittentis ac
offerentis se extendunt, contenta tradantur.
Pars prima, continens Capita 23.
CAPVT. 1.
Commendatio breuis terræ Hierosolimitanæ.
Cum terra Hierosolimitana, terra promissionis filiorum Dei, dignior cunctis
mundi terris sit habenda multis ex causis, et præcipuè illâ, quod Deus
conditor coeli et mundi, ipsam tanti dignatus fuit æstimare, vt in eo
proprinm filium saluatorem mundi, Christum exhibuerit generi humano per
incarnationem ex intemerata Virgine, et per eius conuersationem humillimam
in eadem, ac per dolorosam mortis suæ consummationem ibidem, átque indè per
eius admirandam resurrectionem, ac ascensionem in coelum, et postremò quia
creditur illic in fine seculi reuersurus, et omnia iudicaturus: certum est,
quòd ab omnibus qui Christiano nomine à Christo dicuntur, sit tanquam à
suis proprijs hæredibus diligenda, et pro cuiúsque potestate ac modulo
honoranda. [Sidenote: Loquitur secundum tempora in quibus vixit.] A
principibus quidem, et potentibus vt ipsam conentur de infidelium manibus
recuperare, qui eam iam pridem à nobis, nostris exigentibus meritis,
abstulerunt, et per annos heu plurimos possederunt: a mediocribus antem et
valentibus, vt per peregrinationem deuotam loca tam pia, et vestigia
Christi ac discipolorum tam Sancta, principaliter in remissionem visitent
delictorum. Ab impotentibus verò, et impeditis, quatenus supradictos vel
hortentur, vel in aliquo modo iuuent, seu certè fideles fondant orationes.
Verum quia iam nostris temporibus verius quàm olim dici potest,
Virtus, Ecclesia, Clerus, dæmon, symonia,
Cessat, calcatur, errat, regnat, dominatur,
ecce iusto Dei iudicio, credita est terra tam inclyta, et sacrosancta
impiorum manibus Saracenorum, quod non est absque dolore pijs mentibus
audiendum, et recolendum. EGO Ioannes Mandeuill militaris ordinis saltem
gerens nomen, natus et educatus in terra Angliæ, in villa sancti Albani,
ducebar in Adolescentia mea tali inspiratione, vt quamuis non per
potentiam, nec per vires proprias possem præfatam terram suis hæredibus
recuperare, irem tamen per aliquod temporis spacium peregrinari ibidem, et
salutarem aliquantulum de propinquo. [Sidenote: Ioannis Mandiuilli
peregrinatio, per tres et triginta annos continuata.] Vnde in anno ab
Incarnatione Domini 1322. imposui me nauigationi Marsiliensis maris et
vsque in hoc temporis, Anni 1355. scilicet, per 33. annos in transmarinis
partibus mansi, peregrinatus sum, ambulaui, et circuiui multas, ac diuersas
patrias, regiones, prouincias, et insulas, Turciam, Armeniam maiorem, et
minorem, Ægyptum, Lybiam bassam et altam, Syriam, Arabiam, Persiam,
Chaldeam, Æthiopiæ partem magnam, Tartariam, Amazoniam, Indiam minorem, et
mediam, ac partem magnam de maiori, et in istis, et circum istas regiones,
multas insulas, Ciuitates, vrbes, castra, villas, et loca, vbi habitant
variæ gentes, aspectuum, morum, legum, ac rituum, diuersorum: Attamen quia
summo desiderio in terra promissionis eram, ipsam diligentius per loca
vestigiorum filij Dei perlustrare curaui, et diutius in illa steti.
Quapropter et in hac prima parte huius operis iter tam peregrinandi, quam
nauigandi, à partibus Angliæ ad ipsam describo, et loca notabiliter sancta,
quæ intra eandem sunt breuiter commemoro et diligenter, quatenus peregrinis
tam in itinere quam in prouentione valeat hæc descriptio in aliquo
deseruire.
The English Version. [Footnote: This English version (for the variations
from the Latin are so great that it cannot be called a _translation_) was
published in 1725 from a MS. of the end of the 14th or beginning of the
15th century, in the Cottonian Library, marked Titus. C. xvi.
Instead of being divided into 50 chapters like the Latin, it contains only
33, but I have thought it best to make it correspond as nearly with the
Latin as possible, merely indicating where the various chapters begin in
the English version. From the last paragraph of the introductory chapter,
it would seem that the English version was written by Mandeville
himself.--E. G.]
[Sidenote: The Prologue] For als moche as the Lond bezonde the See, that is
to seye, the Holy Lond, that men callen the Lond of Promyssioun, or of
Beheste, passynge alle othere Londes, is the most worthi Lond, most
excellent, and Lady and Sovereyn of alle othere Londes, and is blessed and
halewed of the precyous Body and Blood of oure Lord Jesu Crist; in the
whiche Lond it lykede him to take Flesche and Blood of the Virgyne Marie,
to envyrone that holy Lond with his blessede Feet; and there he wolde of
his blessednesse enoumbre him in the seyd blessed and gloriouse Virgine
Marie, and become Man, and worche many Myracles, and preche and teche the
Feythe and the Lawe of Cristene Men unto his Children; and there it lykede
him to suffre many Reprevinges and Scornes for us; and he that was Kyng of
Hevene, of Eyr, of Erthe, of See and of alle thinges that ben conteyned in
hem, wolde alle only ben cleped Kyng of that Lond, whan he seyde, "_Rex sum
Judeorum_," that is to seyne, "I am Kyng of Jewes;" and that Lond he chees
before alle other. Londes, as the beste and most worthi Lond, and the most
vertouse lond of alle the world: For it is the herte and the myddes of all
the world; wytnessynge the philosophere, that seythe thus; "_Vertus rerum
in medio consistit:_" That is to seye, "The vertue of thinges is in the
myddes;" and in that Lond he wolde lede his lyf, and suffre passioun and
dethe of Jewes, for us; for to bye and to delyvere us from peynes of helle,
and from dethe withouten ende; the whiche was ordeyned for us, for the
synne of oure formere fader Adam, and for oure owne synnes also: for as for
himself, he hadde non evylle deserved: For he thoughte nevere evylle ne dyd
evylle: And he that was kyng of glorie and of joye myghten best in that
place suffre dethe; because he ches in that lond, rathere than in ony
othere, there to suffre his passioun and his dethe: For he that wil
pupplische ony thing to make it openly knowen, he wil make it to ben cryed
and pronounced, in the myddel place of a town; so that the thing that is
proclamed and pronounced, may evenly strecche to alle parties: Righte so,
he that was formyour of alle the world, wolde suffre for us at Jerusalem;
that is the myddes of the world; to that ende and entent, that his passioun
and his dethe, that was pupplischt there, myghte ben knowen evenly to alle
the parties of the world. See now how dere he boughte man, that he made
after his owne ymage, and how dere he azen boghte us, for the grete love
that he hadde to us; and we nevere deserved it to him. For more precyous
catelle ne gretter ransoum, ne myghte he put for us, than his blessede
body, his precyous blood, and his holy lyf, that he thralled for us; and
alle he offred for us, that nevere did synne. A dere God, what love hadde
he to his subjettes, whan he that nevere trespaced, wolde for trespassours
suffre dethe! Righte wel oughte us for to love and worschipe, to drede and
serven suche a Lord; and to worschipe and preyse suche an holy lond, that
broughte forthe suche fruyt, thorghe the whiche every man is saved, but it
be his owne defaute. Wel may that lond be called delytable and a fructuous
lond, that was bebledd [Footnote: Coloured with blood] and moysted with the
precyouse blode of oure Lord Jesu Crist; the whiche is the same lond, that
oure lord behighten us in heritage. And in that lond he wolde dye, as
seised, for to leve it to us his children. Wherfore every gode Cristene
man, that is of powere, and hathe whereof, scholde peynen him with all his
strengthe for to conquere oure righte heritage, and chacen out alle the
mysbeleevynge men. For wee ben clept cristene men, aftre Crist our Fadre.
And zif wee ben righte children of Crist, we oughte for to chalenge the
heritage, that oure Fadre lafte us, and do it out of hethene mennes hondes.
But nowe pryde, covetyse and envye han so enflawmed the hertes of lordes of
the world, that thei are more besy for to disherite here neyghbores, more
than for to chalenge or to conquere here righte heritage before seyd. And
the comoun peple, that wolde putte here bodyes and here catelle, for to
conquere oure heritage, thei may not don it withouten the lordes. For a
semblee of peple withouten a cheventeyn, [Footnote: Chieftain.] or a chief
lord, is as a flock of scheep withouten a schepperde; the whiche departeth
and desparpleth, [Footnote: Disperseth.] and wyten never whidre to go. But
wolde God, that the temporel lordes and all worldly lordes weren at gode
accord, and with the comen peple woulden taken this holy viage over the
see. Thanne I trowe wel, that within a lytyl tyme, our righte heritage
before seyd scholde be reconsyled and put in the hondes of the right heires
of Jesu Crist.
And for als moche as it is longe tyme passed, that there was no generalle
passage ne vyage over the see; and many men desiren for to here speke of
the holy lond, and han thereof great solace and comfort; I John
Maundevylle, Knyght, alle be it I be not worthi, that was born in Englond,
in the town of Scynt Albones, passed the see in the zeer of our Lord Jesu
Crist MCCCXXII, in the day of Seynt Michelle; and hidre [Footnote: There.]
to have ben longe tyme over the see, and have seyn and gon thorghe manye
dyverse londes, and many provynces and Kingdomes and iles, and have passed
thorghe Tartarye, Percye, Ermonye [Footnote: Armenia.] the litylle and the
grete; thorghe Lybye, Caldee, and a gret partie of Ethiope; thorghe
Amazoyne, Inde the lasse and the more, a gret partie; and thorghe out many
othere iles, that ben abouten Inde; where dwellen many dyverse folkes, and
of dyverse manneres and lawes, and of dyverse schappes of men. Of which
londes and iles, I schall speake more pleynly hereaftre. And I schall
devise zou sum partie of thinges that there ben, whan time schalle ben,
aftre it may best come to my mynde; and specially for hem, that wylle and
are in purpos for to visite the holy citee of Jerusalem, and the holy
places that are thereaboute. And I schalle telle the weye, that thei
schulle holden thidre. For I have often tymes passed and ryden the way,
with gode companye of many lordes: God be thonked.
And zee schulle undirstonde, that I have put this boke out of Latyn into
Frensche, and translated it azen out of Frensche into Englyssche, that
every man of my nacioun may undirstonde it. But lordes and knyghtes and
othere noble and worthi men, that conne Latyn but litylle, and han ben
bezonde the see, knowen and undirstonden, zif I erre in devisynge, for
forzetynge, [Footnote: Forgetting.] or elles; that thei mowe redresse it
and amende it. For thinges passed out of longe tyme from a mannes mynde or
from his syght, turnen sone into forzetynge: Because that mynde of man ne
may not ben comprehended ne witheholden, for the freeltee of mankynde.
To teche zou the Weye out of Englond to Constantinoble.
[Sidenote: Cap I.] In the name of God Glorious and Allemyghty. He that wil
passe over the see, to go to the city of Jerusalem, he may go by many
wayes, bothe on see and londe, aftre the contree that hee cometh fro; manye
of hem comen to on ende. But troweth not that I wil telle zou alle the
townes and cytees and castelles, that men schulle go by; for than scholde I
make to longe a tale; but alle only summe contrees and most princypalle
stedes, that men schulle gone thorgh, to gon the righte way.
CAPVT. 2.
Iter ab Anglia tam per terras quam per aquas vsque in Constantinopolim.