the see, but hadden lever to gon by londe, they that hyt be more payne; a
man schal soo goon un to on of the havenes of Lumbardye, als Venys or an
other; and he schal passe yn to Grece, thorwe Port Moroche, or an other;
and so he schal gon un to Constantynople. And he schal so passe the wature,
that ys cleped the Brace of Seynt George, that ys an arm of the see. And
from thens he schal cum un to Pulveralle; and sythen un to the Castelle of
Cynople. And from thens schal he gon unto Capadose, that ys a grete
countree, whare that ben many grete hylles. And he schal gon thorewe
Turkye, and unto the cytee of Nyke, the whyche they wonne from the
Emperoure of Constantynople. And hyt is a fayre cytee, and wounder wel
walled: and thare ys a ryvere, that men clepen the laye: and thare men goon
by the Alpes of Aryoprynant, and by the Valez of Mallebrynez, and eke the
Vale of Ernax; and so un to Anthyoche the lesse, that sytteth on the
Ryehay. And there aboute ben many goude hylles and fayre, and many fayre
woodes, and eke wylde beestes.
And he that wylle goon by an other way, he mote goon by the playnes of
Romayne, costynge the Romayne see. Uppon that cost, ys a woundur fayre
castelle, that men clepen Florathe. And whanne that a man ys oute of that
ylke hylles, men passen thenne thorewe a cytee, that ys called Maryoche and
Arteyse, whare that ys a grete brygge upon a ryvere of Ferne, that men
clepen Fassar: and hyt ys a grete ryvere, berynge schyppes. And by syde the
cytee of Damas, ys a ryvere that cometh from the mounteyne of Lybane, that
men hyt callen Albane. Atte passynge of this ryvere, seynt Eustache loste
hys two sones, whanne that he hadde lost hys wyffe. And yt gooth thorewe
the playne of Arthadoe; and so un to the Reed See. And so men moten goon un
to the cytee of phenne, and so un to the cytee of Ferne. And Antyoche ys a
ful fayre cytee and wel walled. For hyt ys two myle longe and eche pylere
of the brygge thare ys a goud toure. And thys ys the beest cytee of the
kyngdom of Surrye. And from Antyoche, men moten so forth goon un to the
cytee of Lacuthe; and thanne un to Geble; and thanne un tyl Tourtous: and
thare by ys the lande of Cambre, whare that ys a stronge castelle, that men
clepen Maubeke. And from Tourtouse men goon up to Thryple, uppon the see.
And uppon the see, men goon unto Deres; and thare ben two weyes un to
Jerusalem: Uppon the lyfte way, men goon fyrst un to Damas, by Flome
Jordane: uppon the ryzt syde, men goon thorewe the lande of Flagam, and so
un to the cytee of Cayphas: of the whiche Cayphas was Lord: and som clepeth
hyt the castelle Pellerynez: And from thens ys foure dayes journeyes un to
Jerusalem and they goon thorewe Cesarye Phylyppum and Jaffe and Ramys and
Emaux, and so unto Jerusalem.
Now have I told yow som of the wayes, by the land, and eke by water, how
that men mowen goon unto Jerusalem: they that hyt be so, that there been
many other wayes, that men goon by, aftur countrees, that thay comen fram,
nevere the lasse they turne alle un tylle an ende. Yet is thare a way, alle
by lande, un to Jerusalem, and pass noon see; that ys from Fraunce or
Flaundres; but that way ys fulle lange and perylous, of grete travayle; and
thare fore fewe goon that ylke way. And who so gooth that, he mote goon
thorewe Almayn and Pruys; and so un to Tartarye. This Tartarye ys holden of
the great Chan, of whom y schal speke more afterwarde. For thydur lasteth
hys Lordschup. And the Lordes of Tartarye yeldeth unto the grete Chan
trybute. Thys ys a ful ille lande, and a sondye, and wel lytel fruyt
beryng. For thare groweth lytel goude of corne or wyn, ne benes ne pese:
but beestes ben thare y nowe, and that ful grete plente. And thare ete thay
nought but flesche with outen brede; and thay soupe the brothe there of:
and also thay drynke the mylk. And alle manere of wylde beestes they eten,
houndes, cattes, ratouns, and alle othere wylde bestes. And thei have no
wode, or elle lytylle. And therfore thei warmen and sethen here mete with
hors dong and cow dong, and of other bestes dryed azenst the sonne. And
princes and othere eten not, but ones in the day; and that but lytille. And
thei ben righte foule folk and of evyl kynde. And in somer, be alle the
contrees, fallen many tempestes and many hydouse thondres and leytes, and
slen meche peple and bestes also, fulle often tyme. And sodeynly is there
passynge hete, and sodeynly also passynge cold. And it is the foulest
contree, and the most cursed, and the porest, that men knowen. And here
prince, that governethe that contree, that thei clepen Batho, duellethe at
the cytee of Orda. And treuly no gode man scholde not duellen in that
contre. For the lond and the contree is not worthi houndes to dwelle inne.
It were a gode contree to sowen inne thristelle and breres and broom and
thornes; and for no other thing is it not good. Natheless there is gode
londe in sum place; but it is pure litille, as men seyn. I have not ben in
that contree, ne be tho weyes: but I have ben at other londes, that marchen
to tho contrees; and in the lond of Russye, and in the lond of Nyflan, and
in the reme of Crako, and of Letto, and in the reme of Daresten, and in
manye other places, that marchen to the costes: but I wente never be that
weye to Jerusalem; wherfore I may not wel telle zou the manere. But zif
this matiere plese to ony worthi man, that hathe gon be that weye, he may
telle it, zif him lyke; to that entent, that tho that wole go by that weye,
and maken here viage be tho costes, mowen knowen what weye is there. For no
man may passe be that weye godely, but in time of wyntir, for the perilous
watres, and wykkede mareyes that ben in tho contrees; that no man may
passe, but zif it be strong frost, and snowe aboven. For zif the snow ne
were, men myght not gon upon the yse, ne hors ne carre nouther. And it is
wel a 3 journeys of suche weye, to passe from Prusse to the lond of Sarazin
habitable. And it behovethe to the Cristene men, that schulle werre azen
hem every zeer, to bere here vitaylles with hem: for thei schulle fynde
there no good. And than most thei let carye here vitaylle upon the yse,
with carres that have no wheeles, that thei clepen scleyes. And als longe
as here vitaylles lasten, thei may abide there, but no longer. For there
schulle they fynde no wight that will selle hem ony vitaille or ony thing.
And whan the spyes seen ony Cristene men comen upon hem, thei rennen to the
townes, and cryen with a lowd voys, Kerra, Kerra, Kerra; and than anon thei
armen hem and assemblen hem to gydere.
And zee schulle undirstonde, that it fresethe more strongly in tho contrees
than on this half; and therefore hathe every man stewes in his hous, and in
tho stewes thei eten and don here occupatiouns, alle that they may. For
that is at the northe parties, that men clepen the septentrionelle, where
it is alle only cold. For the sonne is but lytille or non toward tho
contreyes: and therefore in the Septentryon, that is verry northe, is the
lond so cold, that no man may duelle there: and in the contrarye, toward
the southe, it is so hoot, that no man ne may duelle there: because that
the sonne, whan he is upon the southe, castethe his bemes alle streghte
upon that partye.
Of the Customes of Sarasines, and of hire Lawe; and how the Soudan arresond
me, Auctour of this Book. And of the begynnynge of Machomete.
[Sidenote: Cap. XII.] Now because that I have spoken of Sarazines and of
here contree, now zif zee wil knowe a party of here lawe and of here
beleve, I schalle telle zou, aftre that here book, that is clept Alkaron,
tellethe. And sum men clepen that book Meshaf: and sum men clepen it Harme,
aftre the dyverse langages of the contree. The whiche book Machamete toke
hem. In the whiche boke, among other thinges, is written, as I have often
tyme seen and radd, that the gode shulle gon to paradys, and the evele to
helle: and that beleven alle Sarazines. And zif a man aske hem, what
paradys thei menen; thei seyn, to paradys, that is a place of delytes,
where men schulle fynde alle maner of frutes, in alle cesouns, and ryveres
rennynge of mylk and hony, and of wyn, and of swete watre; and that thei
schulle have faire houses and noble, every man aftre his dissert, made of
precyous stones, and of gold, and of sylver; and that every man schalle
have 80 wyfes, alle maydenes; and he schalle have ado every day with hem,
and zit he schalle fynden hem alle weys maydenes. Also thei beleeven and
speken gladly of the Virgine Marie and of the Incarnacioun. And thei seyn,
that Marye was taughte of the angel; and that Gabrielle seyde to hire, that
sche was forchosen from the begynnynge of the world; and that he schewed to
hire the incarnacioun of Jesu Crist; and that sche conceyved and bare
child, mayden: and that wytnessethe here boke. And they seyn also, that
Jesu Crist spak als sone as he was born; and that he was an holy prophete
and a trewe, in woord and dede, and meke and pytous and rightefulle and
with outen ony vyce. And thei seyn also, that whan the angel schewed the
Incarnacioun of Crist unto Marie, sche was zong, and had gret drede. For
there was thanne an enchantour in the contree, that deled with wycche
craft, that men clepten Taknia, that he his enchauntementes cowde make him
in lyknesse of an angel, and wente often tymes and lay with maydenes: and
therfore Marie dredde, lest it hadde ben Taknia, that cam for to desceyve
the maydenes. And therfore sche conjured the angel, that he scholde telle
hire, zif it were he or no. And the angel answerde and seyde, that sche
scholde have no drede of him: for he was verry messager of Jesu Crist. Also
here book seythe, that whan that sche had childed undre a palme tree, sche
had gret schame, that sche hadde a child; and sche grette, and seyde, that
sche wolde that sche hadde ben ded. And anon the child spak to hire and
comforted hire, and seyde, Modir, ne dismaye the noughte; for God hathe
hidd in the his prevytees, for the salvacioun of the world. And in othere
many places seythe here Alkaron, that Jesu Crist spak als sone as he was
born. And that book seythe also, that Jesu was sent from God alle myghty,
for to ben myrour and ensample and tokne to alle men. And the Alkaron
seythe also of the day of doom, how God schal come to deme alle maner of
folk; and the gode he schalle drawen on his syde, and putte hem into
blisse; and the wykkede he schal condempne to the peynes of helle. And
amonges alle prophetes, Jesu was the most excellent and the moste worthi,
next God; and that he made the Gospelles, in the whiche is gode doctryne
and helefulle, fulle of charitee and sothefastnesse, and trewe prechinge to
hem that beleeven in God; and that he was a verry prophete, and more than a
prophete; and lyved withouten synne, and zaf syghte to the blynde, and
helede the lepres, and reysed dede men, and steyghe to hevene. And whan
thei mowe holden the boke of the Gospelles of oure Lord written, and
namely, _Missus est Angelus Gabriel_; that Gospel, thei seyn, tho that ben
lettred, often tymes in here orisouns, and thei kissen it and worschipen
it, with gret devocioun. Thei fasten an hool monethe in the zeer, and eten
noughts but be nyghte, and thei kepen hem fro here wyfes alle that monethe:
but the seke men be not constreyned to that fast. Also this book spekethe
of Jewes; and seythe, that thei ben cursed; for thei wolde not beleven,
that Jesu Crist was comen of God; and that thei lyeden falsely on Marie and
on hire sone Jesu Crist, seyenge that thei hadden crucyfyed Jesu the sone
of Marie: for he was nevere crucyfyed, as thei seyn; but that God made him
to stye up to him with outen dethe, and with outen anoye: but he
transfigured his lyknesse into Judas Scariothe, and him crucyfyden the
Jewes, and wenden that it had ben Jesus: but Jesus steyge to hevenes alle
quyk; and therfore thei seyn, that the Cristene men erren and han no gode
knowleche of this, and that thei beleeven folyly and falsly, that Jesu
Crist was crucyfyed. And they seyn zit, that and he had ben crucyfyed, that
God had don azen his rightewisnesse, for to suffre Jesu Crist, that was
innocent, to ben put upon the Cros, with outen gylt. And in this article
thei seyn, that wee faylen, and that the gret rightewisnesse of God ne
myghte not suffre so gret a wrong. And in this, faylethe here feythe. For
thei knoulechen wel, that the werkes of Jesu Crist ben gode, and his wordes
and his dedes and his doctryne by his Gospelles, weren trewe and his
meracles also trewe; and the blessed Virgine Marie is good, and holy
mayden, before and aftre the birthe of Jesu Crist; and that alle tho, that
beleven perfitely in God, schul ben saved. And because that thei gon so nye
oure feythe, thei ben lyghtly converted to Cristene lawe, whan men prechen
hem and schewe hem distynctly the lawe of Jesu Crist, and tellen hem of the
prophecyes. And also thei seyn, that thei knownen wel, be the prophecyes,
that the lawe of Machomete schalle faylen, as the lawe of the Jewes dide,
and that the lawe of Cristine peple schalle laste to the day of doom. And
zif ony man aske hem, what is here beleeve; thei answeren thus, and in this
forme, Wee beleven God formyour of hevene and of erthe and of alle othere
things, that he made. And we beleven of the day of doom, and that every man
schalle have his meryte, aftre he hathe disserved. And we beleve it for
sothe, alle that God hathe seyd be the mouthes of his prophetes. Also
Machomet commanded in his Alkaron, that every man scholde have 2 wyfes or 3
or 4; but now thei taken unto 9, and of lemmanes als manye as he may
susteyne. And zif ony of here wyfes mys beren hem azenst hire husbonde, he
may caste hire out of his house; and departe from him, and take another:
but he schalle departe with hire his godes. Also whan men speken to hem, of
the Fadre and of the Sone and of the Holy Gost, thei seyn, that thei ben 3
persones; but not o God. For here Alkaron spekethe not of the Trynyte. But
thei seyn wel, that God hathe speche, and elle where he dowmb; and God
hathe also a Spirit, thei knowen wel, for elle thei seyn, he were not in
lyve. And whan men speken to hem of the Incarnacioun, how that be the word
of the angel, God sente his wysdom in to erthe, and enumbred him in the
Virgyne Marie: and be the Woord of God, schulle the dede ben reysed, at the
day of doom; thei seyn, that it is sothe, and that the Woord of God hathe
gret strengthe. And thei seyn, that whoso knew not the Woord of God, he
scholde not knowe God. And thei seyn also, that Jesu Crist is the Woord of
God; and so seythe here Alkaron, where it seythe, that the angel spak to
Marie and seyde, Marie, God schalle preche the Gospel be the woord of his
mowthe, and his name schalle be clept Jesu Crist. And thei seyn also, that
Abraham was frend to God, and that Moyses was famileer spekere with God;
and Jesu Crist was the Woord and the Spirit of God; and that Machomete was
right messager of God. And thei seyh, that of theise 4, Jesu was the most
worthi and the most excellent and the most gret; so that thei han many gode
articles of oure feythe, alle be it that thei have no parfite lawe and
feythe, as Cristene men han; and therfore ben thei lightly converted; and
namely, tho that undirstonden the Scriptures and the prophecyes. For thei
han Gospelles and the prophecyes and the Byble, writen in here langage.
Wherfore thei conne meche of Holy Wrytt, but thei undirstonde it not, but
aftre the lettre: and so don the Jewes; for thei undirstonde not the lettre
gostly, but bodyly; and therfore ben thei repreved of the wise, that gostly
understonden it. And therfore seythe seynt Poul; _Litera occidit; Spiritus
vivificat_. Also the Sarazines seyn, that the Jewes ben cursed: for thei
han defouled the lawe, that God sente hem be Moyses. And the Cristene ben
cursed also, as thei seyn: for their kepen not the commandementes and the
preceptes of the Gospelle, that Jesu Crist taughte hem. And therfore I
schalle telle zou, what the Soudan tolde me uppn a day, in his chambre. He
leet voyden out of his chambre alle manner of men, lordes aad othere: for
he wolde speke with me in conseille. And there he asked me, how the
Cristene men governed hem in oure contree. And I seyde him, righte wel:
thonked be God. And he seyde me, treulyche, nay: for zee Cristene men ne
recthen righte noghte how untrewly to serve God. Ze scholde zeven ensample
to the lewed peple, for to do wel; and zee zeven hem ensample to don
evylle. For the comownes, upon festyfulle dayes, whan thei scholden gon to
chirche to serve God, than gon thei to tavernes, and ben there in glotony,
alle the day and alle nyghte, and eten and drynken, as bestes that have no
resoun, and wite not whan thei have y now. And also the Cristene men
enforcen hem, in alle maneres that thei mowen, for to fighte, and for to
desceyven that on that other. And there with alle thei ben so proude, that
thei knowen not how to ben clothed; now long, now schort, now streyt, now
large, now swerded, now daggered, and in alle manere gyses. Thei scholden
ben symple, meke and trewe, and fulle of almes dede, as Jhesu was, in whom
thei trowe: but thei ben alle the contrarie, and evere enclyned to the
evylle, and to don evylle. And thei ben so coveytous, that for a lytylle
sylyer, thei sellen here doughtres, here sustres and here owne wyfes, to
putten hem to leccherie. And on with drawethe the wif of another; and non
of hem holdethe feythe to another; but thei defoulen here lawe, that Jhesu
Crist betook hem to kepe, for here salvacioun. And thus for here synnes,
han thei lost alle this lond, that wee holden. For, for hire synnes there
God hathe taken hem in to oure hondes, noghte only be strengthe of our
self, but for here synnes. For wee knowen wel in verry sothe, that whan zee
serve God, God wil hepe zou: and whan he is with zou, no man may be azenst
you. And that knowe we wel, be oure prophecyes, that Cristene men schulle
wynnen azen this lond out of oure hondes, whan thei serven God more
devoutly. But als longe als thei ben of foule and of unclene lyvynge, (as
thei ben now) wee have no drede of hem, in no kynde: for here God wil not
helpen hem in no wise. And than I asked him, how he knew the state of
Cristene men. And he answered me, that he knew alle the state of the
comounes also, be his messangeres, that he sente to alle londes, in manere
as thei weren marchauntes of precyous stones, of clothes of gold and of
othere things; for to knowen the manere of every contree amonges Cristene
men. And than he leet clepe in alle the lordes, that he made voyden first
out of his chambre; and there he schewed me 4, that weren grete lordes in
the contree, that tolden me of my contree, and of many othere Cristene
contrees, als wel as thei had ben of the same contree: and thei spak
Frensche righte wel; and the Sowdan also, where of I had gret marvaylle.
Alas! that it is gret sclaundre to oure feythe and to oure lawe, whan folk
that ben with outen lawe, schulle repreven us and undernemen us of oure
synnes. And thei that scholden ben converted to Crist and to the lawe of
Jhesu, be oure gode ensamples and be oure acceptable lif to God, and so
converted to the lawe of Jhesu Crist, ben thorghe oure wykkednesse and
evylle lyvynge, fer fro us and straungeres fro the holy and verry beleeve,
schulle thus appelen us and holden us for wykkede lyveres and cursed. And
treuly thei sey sothe. For the Sarazines ben gode and feythfulle. For thei
kepen entierly the commaundement of the holy book Alkaron, that God sente
hem be his messager Machomet; to the whiche, as thei seyne, seynt Gabrielle
the aungel often tyme tolde the wille of God. And zee schulle undirstonde,
that Machamote was born in Arabye, that was first a pore knave, that kept
cameles, that wenten with marchantes fur marchandize; and so befelle, that
he wente with the marchandes in to Egipt: and thei weren than Cristene, in
tho partyes. And at the desertes of Arabye, he wente in to a chapelle,
where a Eremyte duelte. And when he entred in to the chapelle, that was but
a lytille and a low thing, and had but a lityl dore and a low, than the
entree began to wexe so gret and so large and so highe, as thoughe it had
ben of a gret mynstre, or the zate of a paleys. And this was the firste
myracle, the Sarazins seyn, that Machomete dide in his zouthe. Aftre began
he for to wexe wyse and riche; and he was a gret astronomer: and aftre he
was governour and prince of the lond of Cozrodane; and he governed it fully
wisely, in suche manere, that whan the prince was ded, he toke the lady to
wyfe, that highte Gadridge. And Machomete felle often in the grete
sikenesse, that men callen the fallynge evylle: wherfore the lady was fulle
sorry, that evere sche toke him to husbonde. But Machomete made hire to
beleeve, that alle tymes, whan he felle so, Gabriel the angel cam for to
speke with him; and for the gret lighte and brightnesse of the angelle, he
myghte not susteyne him fro fallynge. And therfore the Sarazines seyn, that
Gabriel cam often to speke with him. This Machomete regned in Arabye, the
zeer of oure Lord Jhesu Crist 610; and was of the generacioun of Ysmael,
that was Abrahames sone, that he gat upon Agar his chamberere. And therfere
ther ben Sarazines, that ben clept Ismaelytenes; and summe Agaryenes, of
Agar: and the othere propurly ben clept, Sarrazines, of Sarra: and summe
ben clept Moabytes, and summe Amonytes; fro the 2 sones of Lothe, Moab and
Amon, that he begat on his doughtres, that weren aftirward grete erthely
princes. And also Machomete loved wel a gode heremyte, that duelled in the
desertes, a myle fro Mount Synay, in the weye that men gon fro Arabye
toward Caldee, and toward Ynde, o day journey fro the See, where the
marchauntes of Yenyse comen often for marchandise. And so often wente
Machomete to this heremyte, that alle his men weren wrothe: for he wolde
gladly here this heremyte preche, and make his men wake alle nyghte: and
therfore his men thoughten to putte the heremyte to dethe: and so it
befelle upon a nyght, that Machomete was dronken of gode wyn, and he felle
on slepe; and his men toke Machometes swerd out of his schethe, whils he
slepte, and there with thei slowghe this heremyte: and putten his swerd
alle blody in his schethe azen. And at morwe, whan he fond the heremyte
ded, he was fulle sory and wrothe, and wolde have don his men to dethe: but
they alle with on accord seyd, that he him self had slayn him, when he was
dronken, and schewed him his swerd alle blody: and he trowed, that thei
hadden seyd sothe. And than he cursed the wyn, and alle tho that drynken
it. And therfore Sarrazines, that be devout, drynken nevere no wyn: but
sume drynken it prevyly. For zif thei dronken it openly, thei scholde ben
repreved. But thei drynken gode beverage and swete and norysshynge, that is
made of galamelle: and that is that men maken sugar of, that is of righte
gode savour: and it is gode for the breest. Also it befallethe sumtyme,
that Cristene men becomen Sarazines, outher for povertee, or for
symplenesse, or else for here owne wykkednesse. And therfore the
archiflamyn or the flamyn, as oure erchebisshop or bisshopp, whan he
receyvethe hem, seythe thus, _La ellec, Sila. Machomete rores alla_; that
is to seye, _There is no God but on, and Machomete his messager_.
Of the Londes of Albanye, and of Libye. Of the Wisshinges, for Wacchinge of
the Sperhauk; and of Noes Schippe.