Demeseer, another Resithe, that is an ile in Nyle, another Alisandre, and
another the lond of Damiete. That cytee was wont to be righte strong; but
it was twyes wonnen of the Cristene men: and therfore after that the
Sarazines beten down the walles. And with the walles and the tour thereof,
the Sarazenes maden another cytee more fer from the see, and clepeden it
the newe Damyete. So that now no man duellethe at the rathere toun of
Damyete. And that cytee of Damyete is on of the havenes of Egypt: and at
Alisandre is that other, that is a fulle strong cytee. But there is no
watre to drynke, but zif it come be condyt from Nyle, that entrethe in to
here cisternes. And who so stopped that watre from hem, thei myghte not
endure there. In Egypt there ben but fewe forcelettes or castelles, be
cause that the contree is so strong of him self. At the desertes of Egyptes
was a worthi man, that was an holy heremyte; and there mette with hym a
monstre, (that is to seyne, a monstre is a thing difformed azen kynde both
of man or of best or of ony thing elles: and that is cleped a monstre). And
this monstre, that mette with this holy heremyte, was as it hadde ben a
man, that hadde 2 hornes trenchant on his forehede; and he hadde a body lyk
a man, unto the nabele; and benethe he hadde the body lyche a goot. And the
heremyte asked him, what he was. And the monstre answerde him, and seyde,
he was a dedly creature, suche as God hadde formed, and duelled in tho
desertes in purchasynge his Sustynance; and besoughte the heremyte, that he
wolde preye God for him, the whiche that cam from Hevene for to saven alle
mankynde, and was born of a Mayden, and suffred passioun and dethe, (as we
well knowen) be whom we lyven and ben. And zit is the hede with the 2
hornes of that monstre at Alisandre for a Marveyle.
In Egypt is the cytee of Elyople, [Footnote: Heliopolis.] that is to seyne,
the cytee of the sonne. In that cytee there is a temple made round, aftre
the schappe of the temple of Jerusalem. The prestes of that temple han alle
here wrytinges, undre the date of the foul that is clept Fenix: and there
is non but on in alle the world. And he comethe to brenne him self upon the
awtere of the temple, at the ende of 5 hundred zeer: for so longe he
lyvethe. And at the 500 zeers ende, the prestes arrayen here awtere
honestly, and putten there upon spices and sulphur vif [Footnote: Live.]
and other thinges, that wolen brenne lightly. And than the brid fenix
comethe, and brennethe him self to ashes. And the first day next aftre, men
fynden in the ashes a worm; and the secunde day next aftre, men fynden a
brid quyk and perfyt; and the thridde day next aftre, he fleethe his wey.
And so there is no mo briddes of that kynde in alle the world, but it
allone. And treuly that is a gret myracle of God. And men may well lykne
that bryd unto God; be cause that there nys no God but on; and also, that
our Lord aroos fro dethe to lyve, the thridde day. This bryd men seen often
tyme, fleen in tho contrees: and he is not mecheles more than an Egle. And
he hathe a crest of fedres upon his hed more gret than the poocock hathe;
and his nekke is zalowe, aftre colour of an orielle, [Footnote: Golden.
From Latin, _Aurea_. Cf. Oriel College, Golden Hall.] that is a ston well
schynynge; and his bek is coloured blew, as ynde; [Footnote: Indigo.] and
his wenges ben of purple colour, and the Taylle is zelow and red, castynge
his taylle azens in travers. And he is a fulle fair brid to loken upon,
azenst the sonne: for he schynethe fully gloriously and nobely.
Also in Egypt ben gardyns, than han trees and herbes, the whiche beren
frutes 7 tymes in the zeer. And in that lond men fynden many fayre
emeraudes and y nowe. And therefore thei ben there grettere cheep. Also
whan it reynethe ones in the somer, in the lond of Egipt, thanne is alle
the contree fulle of grete myrs. Also at Cayre, that I spak of before,
sellen men comounly bothe men and wommen of other lawe, as we don here
bestes in the markat. And there is a comoun hows in that cytee, that is
alle fulle of smale furneys; and thidre bryngen wommen of the toun here
eyren [Footnote: Eggs.] of hennes, of gees and of dokes, for to ben put in
to tho furneyses. And thei that kepen that hows covern hem with hete of
hors dong, with outen henne, goos or doke or ony other foul; and at the
ende of 3 wekes or of a monethe, they comen azen and taken here chickenes
and norissche hem and bryngen hem forthe: so that alle the contree is fulle
of hem. And so men don there bothe wyntre and somer.
Also in that contree, and in othere also, men fynden longe apples to selle,
in hire cesoun: and men clepen hem apples of paradys; and thei ben righte
swete and of gode savour. [Footnote: Melons.] And thoghe zee kutte hem in
never so many gobettes or parties, overthwart or end longes, evermore zee
schulle fynden in the myddes the figure of the Holy Cros of oure Lord Jesu.
But thei will roten within 8 days: and for that cause men may not carye of
the apples to no fer contrees. And thei han grete leves, of a fote and an
half of lengthe: and thei ben covenably large. And men fynden there also
the appulle tree of Adam, that han a byte at on of the sydes. And there ben
also fyge trees, that baren no leves, but fyges upon the smale braunches;
and men clepen hem figes of Pharoon. Also besyde Cayre, withouten that
cytee, is the feld where bawme growethe: and it cometh out on smale trees,
that ben non hyere than a mannes breek girdle: and thei semen as wode that
is of the wylde vyne. And in that feld ben 7 welles, that oure Lord Jesu
Crist made with on of his feet, whan he wente to pleyen with other
children. That feld is not so well closed, but that men may entren at here
owne list. But in that cesonne, that the bawme is growynge, men put there
to gode kepynge, that no man dar ben hardy to entre. This bawme growethe in
no place, but only there. And thoughe that men bryngen of the plauntes, for
to planten in other contrees, thei growen wel and fayre, but thei bryngen
forthe no fructuous thing: and the leves of bawme ne fallen noughte. And
men kutten the braunches with a scharp flynston or with a scherp bon,
[Footnote: Flintstone and bone.] whan men will go to kutte hem: For who so
kutte hem with iren, it wolde destroye his vertue and his nature. And the
Sarazines clepen the wode Enonch balse; and the fruyt, the whiche is as
Quybybes, thei clepen Abebissam; and the lycour, that droppethe fro the
braunches, thei clepen Guybalse. And men maken alle weys that bawme to ben
tyled [Footnote: Tilled.] of the Cristenemen, or elles it wolde not
fructifye; as the Sarazines seyn hem self: for it hathe ben often tyme
preved. Men seyn also, that the bawme growethe in Ynde the more, in that
desert where the trees of the sonne and of the mone spak to Alisaundre. But
I have not seen it. For I have not ben so fer aboven upward: because that
there ben to many perilouse passages. And wyte zee wel, that a man oughte
to take gode kepe for to bye bawme, but zif he cone knowe it righte wel:
for he may righte lyghtely be discoyved. For men sellen a gome, that men
clepen turbentyne, in stede of bawme; and thei putten there to a littille
bawme for to zeven gode odour. And some putten wax in oyle of the wode of
the fruyt of bawme, and seyn that it is bawme: and sume destyllen clowes of
gylofre and of spykenard of Spayne and of othere spices, that ben well
smellynge; and the lykour that gothe out there of, thei clepe it bawme: and
thei wenen, that thei han bawme; and thei have non. For the Sarazines
counterfeten it be sotyltee of craft, for to disceyven the Cristene men, as
I have sene fulle many a tyme. And after hem, the marchauntis and the
apotecaries countrefeten it eftsones, and that it is lasse worthe, and a
gret del worse. But zif it lyke zou, I schalle schewe, how zee schulle
knowe and preve, to the ende that zee schulle not ben disceyved. First zee
schulle wel knowe, that the naturelle bawme is fulle cleer, and of cytrine
colour, and stronge smellynge; and zif it be thykke, or reed or blak, it is
sophisticate, that is to seyne, contrefeted and made lyke it, for disceyt.
And undrestondethe, that zif zee wil putte a litylle bawme in the pawme of
zoure hond, azen the sonne, zif it be fyn and gode, zee ne schulle not
suffre zoure hand azenst the hete of the sonne. Also takethe a lytille
bawme, with the poynt of a knif, and touche it to the fuyr, and zif it
brenne, it is a gode signe. Aftre take also a drope of bawme, and put it in
to a dissche or in a cuppe with mylk of a goat; and zif it be naturelle
bawme, anon it wole take and beclippe the mylk. Or put a drope of bawme in
clere watre, in a cuppe of sylver or in a clere bacyn, and stere it wel
with the clere watre; and zif that the bawme be fyn and of his owne kynde,
the watre schalle nevre trouble: and zif the bawme be sophisticate, that is
to seyne countrefeted, the watre schalle become anon trouble: And also zif
the bawme be fyn, it schalle falle to the botome of the vesselle, as
thoughe it were Quyksylver: For the fyn bawme is more hevy twyes, than is
the bawme that is sophisticate and countrefeted. Now I have spoken of
Bawme: and now also I schalle speke of an other thing, that is bezonde
Babyloyne, above the flode of Nyle, toward the desert, betwene Affrik and
Egypt: that is to seyn, of the gerneres [Footnote: Granaries.] of Joseph,
that he leet make, for to kepe the greynes for the perile of the dere
zeres. And thei ben made of ston, fulle wel made of massones craft: of the
whiche two ben merveylouse grete and hye; and the tothere ne ben not so
grete. And every gerner hathe a zate, for to entre with inne, a lytille
hyghe fro the erthe. For the lond is wasted and fallen, sithe the gerneres
were made. And with inne thei ben alle fulle of serpentes. And aboven the
gerneres with outen ben many scriptures of dyverse langages. And sum men
seyn, that thei ben sepultures of grete lordes, that weren somtyme; but
that is not trewe: for alle the comoun rymour and speche is of alle the
peple there, bothe and nere, that thei ben the garneres of Joseph. And so
fynden thei in here scriptures and in here cronycles. On that other partie,
zif thei were sepultures, thei scholden not ben voyd with inne. For zee may
well knowe, that tombes and sepultures ne ben not made of suche gretnesse,
ne of such highnesse. Wherfore it is not to believe, that thei ben tombes
or sepultures. In Egypt also there ben dyyerse langages and dyverse
lettres, and of other manere condicioun, than there ben in other parties.
As I schalle devyse zou, suche as thei ben, and the names how thei clepen
hem; to suche entent, that zee mowe knowe the difference of hem and of
othere. Athoimis, Bunchi, Chinok, Durain, Eni, Fin, Gomor, Heket, Janny,
Karacta, Luzanim, Miche, Naryn, Oldache, Piloh, Quyn, Yron, Sichen, Thola,
Urmron, Yph and Yarm, Thoit.
Now will I retourne azen, or I procede ony ferthere, for to declare zou the
othere weyes, that drawen toward Babiloyne, where the Soudan him self
duellethe, that is at the entree of Egypt; for als moche as mony folk gon
thidre first, and aftre that to the Mount Synay, and aftre retournen to
Jerusalem, as I have seyd zou here beforn. For thei fulfillen first the
more long pilgrymage, and aftre retournen azen be the nexte weyes; because
that the more nye weye is the more worthi, and that is Jerusalem. For no
other pylgrymage is not lyk, in comparsoun to it. But for to fulle fylle
here pilgrymages more esily and more sykerly, men gon first the longer
weye. But whoso wil go to Babyloyne be another weye, more schort from the
contrees of the west, that I have reherced before; or from other contrees
next fro hem; than men gon by Fraunce, be Burgoyne and be Lombardye. It
nedethe not to telle zou the names of the cytees, ne of the townes that ben
in that Weye: for the weye is comoun, and it is knowen of many naciouns.
And there ben many havenes, that men taken the see. Sume men taken the see
at Gene, some at Venyce, and passen by the see Adryatyk, that is clept the
Goulf of Venyse; that departethe [Footnote: Separates.] Ytaylle and Greece
on that syde. And some gon to Naples, some to Rome, and from Rome to
Brandys, [Footnote: Brindisi.] and there thei taken the see: and in many
othere places, where that havenes ben. And men gon be Tussye, be Champayne,
be Calabre, be Appuille, and be the hilles of Ytaylle, Chorisqe, be
Sardyne, and be Cycile, that is a gret ile and a gode. In that ile of
Cycile there ys a maner of a gardyn, in the whiche ben many dyverse frutes.
And the gardyn is alweys grene and florisshing, alle the cesouns of the
zeer, als wel in wyntre es in somer. That yle holt in compas aboute 350
Frensche myles. And betwene Cycele and Itaylle there is not but a lytille
arm of the see, that men clepen the farde of Mescyne. And Cycile is betwene
the See Adryatyk and the See of Lombardye. And fro Cycyle in to Calabre is
but 8 myles of Lombardye. And in Cycile there is a manere of serpentes, be
the whiche men asseyen and preven, where here children ben bastardis or
none, or of lawefulle mariage. For zif thei ben born in righte mariage, the
serpentes gon aboute hem, and don hem non harm: and zif thei ben born in
Avowtrie, the serpentes byten hem and envenyme hem. And thus manye wedded
men preve, zif the children ben here owne. Also in that ile is the Mount
Ethna, that men clepen Mount Gybelle; and the Vulcanes that ben evermore
brennynge. And ther ben 7 places that brennen and that casten out dyverse
flawmes and dyverse colour. And be the chaungynge of tho flawmes, men of
that contree knowen, whanne it schalle be derthe or gode tyme, or cold or
hoot, or moyst or drye, or in alle othere maneres, how the tyme schalle be
governed. And from Itaille unto the Vulcanes nys bat 25 Myle. And men seyn,
that the Vulcanes ben weyes of Helle.
Also whoso gothe be Pyse, zif that men list to go that weye, there is an
arm of the see, where that men gon to othere havenes in tho marches. And
that men passen be the Ile of Greaf, that is at Gene: and aftre arryvethe
men in Grece at the havene of the cytee of Myrok, or at the havene of
Valone, or at the cytee of Duras: and there is a duk at Duras, or at othere
havenes in tho marces: and so men gon to Costantynoble. And aftre gon men
be watre to the Ile of Crete, and to the Ile of Rodes, ond so to Cypre, and
so to Athens, and fro thens to Costantynoble.
To holde the more righte weye be see, it is wel a 1880 myle of Lombardye.
And aftre fro Cipre men gon be see, and leven Jerusalem and alle the
contree on the left hond, onto Egypt, and arryven at the cytee of Damyete,
that was wont to be fulle strong, and it sytt at the entree of Egypt. And
fro Damyete gon men to the cytee of Alizandre, that sytt also upon the see.
In that cytee was seynte Kateryne beheded. And there was seynt Mark the
Evangelist martyred and buryed. But the Emperour Leoun made his bones to
ben broughte to Venyse. And zit there is at Alizandre a faire chirche, alle
white withouten peynture: and so ben alle the othere chirches, that weren
of the Cristene men, alle white with inne. For the Panemes and the
Sarrazynes madem hem white, for to fordon [Footnote: To destroy.--
Anglo-Saxon, _for-don_.] the ymages of seyntes, that weren peynted on the
walles. That cytee of Alizandre is wel 30 furlonges in lengthe: but it is
but 10 on largenesse. And it is a full noble cytee and a fayr. At that
cytee entrethe the ryvere of Nyle in to the see; as I to zou have seyd
before. In that ryvere men fynden many precyouse stones, and meche also of
lignum aloes: and it is a manere of wode, that comethe out of Paradys
terrestre, the whiche is good for manye dyverse medicynes: and it is righte
dereworthe. And fro Alizandre men gon to Babyloyne, where the Soudan
dwellethe; that sytt also upon the ryvere of Nyle. And this wey is most
schort, for to go streyghte unto Babiloyne.
Now schall I seye zou also the weye, that gothe fro Babiloyne to the Mount
of Synay, where Seynte Kateryne lythe. He moste passe be the desertes of
Arabye; be the whiche descries Moyses ladde the peple of Israel: and thanne
passe men be the welle, that Moyses made with his hond in the desertes,
whan the people grucched, [Footnote: Grumbled.] for thei fownden no thing
to drynke. And than passe men be the welle of Marache, of the whiche the
watre was first byttre: but the children of Israel putten there inne a
tree; and anon the watre was swete and gode for to drynke. And thanne gon
men be desart unto the Vale of Elyn; in the whiche vale be 12 welles: and
there ben 72 trees of palme, that beren the dates, the whiche Moyses fond
with the children of Israel. And fro that valeye is but a gode journeye to
the Mount of Synay.
And whoso wil go be another weye fro Babiloyne, than men gothe be the Rede
See, that is an arm of the see occean. And there passed Moyses, with the
children of Israel, overthwart the see, alle drye, whan Pharao the Kyng of
Egypt chaced hem. And that see is wel a 6 myle of largenesse in bredthe.
And in that see was Pharao drowned and alle his hoost, that he ladde. That
see is not more reed than another see; but in some place thereof is the
gravelle reede: and therfore men clepen it the Rede See. That see reunethe
to the endes of Arabye and of Palestyne. That see lastethe more than 4
journeyes. And then gon men be desert unto the Vale of Elyn: and fro thens
to the Mount of Synay. And zee may wel undirstonde, that be this desert, no
man may go on hors back, be cause that there nys nouther mete for hors ne
watre to drynke. And for that cause men passen that desert with camelle.
For the camaylle fynt alle wey mete in trees and on busshes, that he
fedethe him with. And he may well faste fro drynk 2 dayes or 3: and that
may non hors don.
And wyte wel, that from Babiloyne to the Mount Synay is wel a 12 gode
journeyes: and some men maken hem more: and some men hasten hem and peynen
hem; and therefore thei maken hem lesse. And alle weys fynden men latyneres
[Footnote: Men who speak Latin.] to go with hem in the contrees, and
ferthere bezonde, in to tyme that men conne [Footnote: Know.] the langage.
And it behovethe men to here vitaille with hem, that schalle duren hem in
tho desertes, and other necessaries for to lyve by.
And the Mount of Synay is clept the Desert of Syne, that is for to seyne
the bussche brennynge: because there Moyses sawghe oure Lord God many
tymes, in forme of fuyr brennynge upon that hille; and also in a bussche
brennynge; and spak to him. And that was at the foot of the hille. There is
an abbeye of monks, wel bylded and wel closed with zates of iren, for drede
of the wylde bestes. And the monkes ben Arrabyenes, or men of Greece: and
there is a grot covent; and alle thei ben as heremytes; and thei drynken no
wyn, but zif it be on principalle festes: and thei ben fulle devoute men,
and lyven porely and sympely, with joutes [Footnote: The original note
reads 'Gourds', but joutes are actually herbs--KTH.] and with dates: and
thei don gret absteynence and penaunce. There is the Chirche of Seynt
Kateryne, in the whiche ben manye lampes brennynge. For thei han of oyle of
olyves y now, bothe for to brenne in here lampes, and to ete also: and that
plentee have thei be the myracle of God. For the ravenes and the crowes and
the choughes, and other foules of the contree assemblen hem there every
zeer ones, and fleen thider as in pilgrymage: and eyeryche of hem bringethe
a braunche of the bayes or of olyve, in here bekes, in stede of offryng,
and leven hem there; of the whiche the monkes maken gret plentee of oyle;
and this is a gret marvaylle. And sithe that foules, that han no kyndely
wytt ne resoun, gon thidre to seche that gloriouse virgyne; wel more
oughten men than to seche hire and to worschipen hire. Also behynde the
awtier of that chirche is the place where Moyses saughe oure Lord God in a
brennynge bussche. And whanne the monkes entren in to that place, thei don
of bothe hosen and schoon or botes alweys; be cause that oure Lord seyde to
Moyses, _Do of thin hosen and thi schon: for the place that thou stondest
on is lond holy and blessed._ And the monkes clepen that place Bezeleel,
that is to seyne, the schadew of God. And besyde the highe awtiere, 3
degrees of heighte, is the fertre [Footnote: Bier.] of alabastre, where the
bones of Seynte Kateryne lyzn. And the prelate of the monkes schewethe the
relykes to the pilgrymes. And with an instrument of sylver, he frothethe
the bones; [Footnote: Rubbeth.] and thanne ther gothe out a lytylle oyle,
as thoughe it were a maner swetynge, that is nouther lyche to oyle ne to
bawme; but it is fulle swete of smelle: And of that thei zeven a litylle to
the pilgrymes; for there gothe out but litylle quantitee of the likour. And
aftre that thei schewen the heed of Seynte Kateryne, and the clothe that
sche was wrapped inne, that is zit alle blody. And in that same clothe so y
wrapped, the aungeles beren hire body to the Mount Synay, and there thei
buryed hire with it. And thanne thei schewen the bussche, that brenned and
wasted nought, in the whiche oure Lord spak to Moyses, and othere relikes y
nowe. Also whan the prelate of the abbeye is ded, I have undirstonden, be
informacioun, that his lampe quenchethe. And whan thei chesen another
prelate, zif he be a gode man and worthi to be prelate, his lampe schal
lighte, with the grace of God, withouten touchinge of ony man. For everyche
of hem hathe a lampe be him self. And be here lampes thei knowen wel whan
ony of hem schalle dye. For whan ony schalle dye, the lyghte begynnethe to
chaunge and to wexe dym. And zif he be chosen to ben prelate, and is not
worthi, his lampe quenchethe anon. And other men han told me, that he that
syngethe the masse for the prelate that is ded, he schalle fynde upon the
awtier the name writen of him that schalle be prelate chosen. And so upon a
day I asked of the monkes, bothe on and other, how this befelle. But thei
wolde not telle me no thing, in to the tyme that I seyde, that thei scholde
not hyde the grace, that God did hem; but that thei scholde publissche it,
to make the peple to have the more devocioun; and that thei diden synne, to
hide Goddis myracle, as me seemed. For the myracles, that God hathe don,
and zit dothe every day, ben the wytnesse of his myghte and of his
merveylles; as Dayid sethe in the Psaultere; _Mirabilia testimonia tua,
Domine_: that is to seyn, _Lord, thi merveyles ben thi wytnesse_. And
thanne thei tolde me, bothe on and other, how it befelle fulle many a tyme:
but more I myghte not have of hem. In that abbeye ne entrethe not no flye
ne todes ne ewtes, ne suche foule venymouse bestes, ne lyzs ne flees, be
the myracle of God and of oure lady. For there were wont to ben many suche
manere of filthes, that the monkes werein in wille to leve the place and
the Abbeye, and weren gon fro thens, upon the mountayne aboven, for to
eschewe that place. And oure lady cam to hem, and bad hem tournen azen: and
fro this forewardes nevere entred suche filthe in that place amonges hem,
ne nevere schalle entre here aftre. Also before the zate is the welle,
where Moyses smot the ston, of the whiche the watre cam out plenteously.