and of that contree abouten, and of many weyes for to go to that lond, and
to the Mount Synay, and of Babyloyne the more and the lesse, and to other
places, that I have spoken beforn; now is tyme, zif it lyke zou, for to
telle zou of the marches and iles, and dyverse bestes, and of dyverse folk
bezond theise marches. For in tho contrees bezonden, ben many dyverse
contrees, and many grete kyngdomes; that ben departed be the 4 flodes, that
comen from Paradys terrestre. For Mesopotayme and the Kyngdom of Caldee and
Arabye, ben betwene the 2 ryveres of Tygre and of Eufrates. And the kyngdom
of Mede and of Persye, ben betwene the ryveres of Nile and of Tigres. And
the kyngdom of Syrie, where of I have spoken beforn, and Palestyne and
Phenycie, ben betwene Eufrates and the See Medyterrane: the whiche see
durethe in lengthe, fro Mayrok, upon the See of Spayne, unto the grete See;
so that it lastethe bezonde Costantynople 3040 myles of Lombardye. And
toward the see occyan in Ynde, is the kyngdom of Shithie, that is alle
closed with hilles. And aftre undre Schithie, and fro the See of Caspie,
unto the Flom Thainy, is Amazoyne, that is the lond of femynye, where that
no man is, but only alle wommen. And aftre is Albanye, a fulle grete reme.
And it is clept Albanye, because the folk ben whitere there, than in other
marches there abouten. And in that contree ben so gret houndes and so
stronge, that thei assaylen lyouns, and sleu hem. And thanne aftre is
Hircanye, Bactrye, Hiberye, and many other kyngdomes. And betwene the Rede
See and the see occyan, toward the southe, is the kyngdom of Ethiope, and
of Lybye the hyere. The which lond of Lybye, (that is to seyne Libye the
lowe) that begynnethe at the See of Spayne, fro thens where the Pyleres of
Hercules ben, and durethe unto aneyntes Egipt and towards Ethiope. In that
contree of Libye, is the see more highe than the lond; and it semethe that
it wolde covere the erthe, and natheles zit it passethe not his markes. And
men seen in that contre a mountayne, to the whiche no man comethe. In this
lond of Libye, whoso turnethe toward the est, the schadewe of him self is
on the right syde: and here in oure contree, the schadwe is on the left
syde. In that See of Libye, is no fissche: for thei mowe not lyve ne dure,
for the gret hete of the sonne; because that the watre is evermore
boyllynge, for the gret hete. And many othere londes there ben, that it
were to long to tellen or to nombren: but of sum parties I schal speke more
pleynly here aftre.
Whoso wil thanne gon toward Tarterie, toward Persie, toward Caldee, and
toward Ynde, he most entre the see, at Gene or at Venyse or at sum other
havene, that I have told zou before. And than passe men the see, and
arryven at Trapazond, that is a gode cytee; and it was wont to ben the
havene of Pountz. There is the havene of persanes and of medaynes and of
the marches there bezonde. In that cytee lythe Seynt Athanasie, that was
Bishopp of Alisandre, that made the Psalm _Quicunque vult_. This Athanasius
was a gret Doctour of Dyvynytee: and because that he preched and spak so
depely of Dyvynytee and of the Godhede, he was accused to the Pope of Rome,
that he was an Heretyk. Wherfore the Pope sente aftre hym, and putte him in
presoun: and whils he was in presoun, he made that Psalm, and sente it to
the Pope, and seyde: that zif he were an heretyk, that was that heresie;
for that, he seyde, was his beleeve. And whan the Pope saughe it, and had
examyned it, that it was parfite and gode, and verryly oure feythe and oure
beleeve, he made him to ben delyvered out of presoun, and commanded that
Psalm to ben seyd every day at Pryme: and so he held Athanasie a gode man.
But he wolde nevere go to his bisshopriche azen, because that thei accused
him of heresye. Trapazond was wont to ben holden of the Emperour of
Costantynople: but a gret man, that he sente for to kepe the contree azenst
the Turkes, usurped the lond, and helde it to himself, and cleped him
Emperour of Trapazond.
And from thens, men gon thorghe litille Ermonye. And in that contree is an
old castelle, that stont upon a roche, the whiche is cleped the Castelle of
the Sparrehawk, that is bezonde the cytee of Layays, beside the town of
Pharsipee, that belongethe to the lordschipe of Cruk; that is a riche lord
and a gode Cristene man; where men fynden a sparehauk upon a perche righte
fair, and righte wel made; and a fayre lady of fayrye, that kepethe it. And
who that wil wake that sparhauk, 7 dayes and 7 nyghtes, and as sum men
seyn, 3 dayes and 3 nyghtes, with outen companye, and with outen sleep,
that faire lady schal zeven him, whan he hathe don, the first wyssche, that
he wil wyssche, of erthely thinges: and that hathe been proved often-tymes.
And o tyme befelle, that a kyng of Ermonye, that was a worthi knyght and
doughty man and a noble prince, woke that hauk som tyme: and at the ende of
7 dayes and 7 nyghtes, the lady cam to him, and bad him wisschen: for he
had wel disserved it. And he answerde, that he was gret Lord y now, and wel
in pees, and hadde y nowghe of worldly ricchesse: and therfore he wolde
wisshe non other thing, but the body of that faire lady, to have it at his
wille. And sche answerde him, that he knew not what he asked; and seyde,
that he was a fool, to desire that he myghte not have; for sche seyde, that
he scholde not aske, but erthely thing: for sche was non erthely thing, but
a gostly thing. And the kyng seyde, that he ne wolde asken non other thing.
And the lady answerde, sythe that I may not withdrawe zou fro zoure lewed
corage, I schal zeve zou with outen wysschinge, and to alle hem that
schulle com of you. Sire kyng, zee schulle have werre withouten pees, and
alle weys to the 9 degree, zee schulle ben in subjeccioun to zoure enemyes;
and zee schulle ben nedy of alle godes. And nevere sithen, nouther the kyng
of Ermoyne, ne the contree, weren never in pees, ne thei hadden never
sithen plentee of godes; and thei han ben sithen alle weyes undre tribute
of the Sarrazines. Also the sone of a pore man woke that hauke, and wisshed
that he myghte cheve wel, and to ben happy to merchandise. And the lady
graunted him. And he becaam the most riche and the most famouse marchaunt,
that myghte ben on see or on erthe. And he becam so riche, that he knew not
the 1000 part of that he hadde: and he was wysere, in wisschynge, than was
the king. Also a knyght of the temple wooke there; and wyssched a purs
evere more fulle of gold: and the lady graunted him. But sche seyde him,
that he had asked the destruccioun of here ordre; for the trust and the
affiance of that purs, and for the grete pryde, that they scholde haven:
and so it was. And therfore loke, he kepe him wel, that schalle wake: for
zif he slepe, he is lost, that nevere man schalle seen him more. This is
not the righte weye for to go to the parties, that I have nempned before;
but for to see the merveyle, that I have spoken of.
And therfore who so wil go right weye, men gon fro Trapazond toward Ermonye
the gret, unto a cytee that is clept Artyroun, that was wont to ben a gode
cytee and a plentyous; but the Turkes han gretly wasted it. There aboute
growethe no wyn ne fruyt, but litylle or elle non. In this lond, is the
erthe more highe than in ony other; and that makethe gret cold. And there
hen many gode watres, and gode welles, that comen undre erthe, fro the flom
of paradys, that is clept Eufrates, that is a jorneye besyde that cytee.
And that ryvere comethe towardes Ynde, undre erthe, and restorethe into the
lond of Altazar. And so passe men be this Ermonie, and entren the see of
Persie. Fro that cytee of Artyroun go men to an hille, that is clept
Sabissocolle. And there besyde is another hille, that men clepen Ararathe:
but the Jewes clepen it Taneez; where Noes schipp rested, and zit is upon
that montayne: and men may seen it a ferr, in cleer wedre: and that
montayne is wel a 7 myle highe. And sum men seyn, that thei han seen and
touched the schipp; and put here fyngeres in the parties, where the feend
went out, whan that Noe seyde _Benedicite_. But thei that seyn suche
wordes, seyn here wille: for a man may not gon up the montayne, for gret
plentee of snow that is alle wayes on that montayne, nouther somer ne
wynter: so that no man may gon up there; ne never man dide, sithe the tyme
of Noe; saf a monk, that, be the grace of God, brought on of the plankes
doun: that zit is in the mynstere, at the foot of the montayne. And besyde
is the cytee of Dayne, that Noe founded. And faste by is the cytee of Any,
in the whiche were 1000 chirches. But upon that montayne, to gon up, this
monk had gret desire; and so upon a day, he wente up: and whan he was
upward the 3 part of the montayne, he was so wery, that he myghte no
ferthere, and so he rested him, and felle o slepe; and whan he awook, he
fonde him self lyggynge at the foot of the montayne. And than he preyede
devoutly to God, that he wolde vouche saf to suffre him gon up. And an
angelle cam to him, and seyde, that he scholde gon up; and so he dide. And
sithe that tyme never non. Wherfore men scholde not beleeve such woordes.
Fro that montayne go men to the cytee of Thauriso, that was wont to ben
clept Taxis, that is a fulle fair cytee, and a gret, and on of the beste,
that is in the world, for marchandise: and it is in the lond of the
Emperour of Persie. And men seyn, that the Emperour takethe more gode, in
that cytee, for custom of marchandise than dothe the ricchest Cristene kyng
of alle his reme, that livethe. For the tolle and the custom of his
marchantes is with outen estymacioun to ben nombred. Beside that cytee, is
a hille of salt; and of that salt, every man takethe what he will, for to
salte with, to his nede. There duellen many Cristene men, undir tribute of
Sarrazines. And fro that cytee, men passen be many townes and castelles, in
goynge toward Ynde, unto the cytee of Sadonye, that is a 10 journeyes fro
Thauriso; and it is a fulle noble cytee and a gret. And there duellethe the
Emperour of Persie, in somer: for the contree is cold y now. And there ben
gode ryveres, berynge schippes. Aftre go men the weye toward Ynde, be many
iorneyes, and be many contreyes, unto the cytee, that is clept Cassak, that
is a fulle noble cytee, and a plentyous of cornes and wynes, and of alle
other godes. This is the cytee, where the 3 kynges metten to gedre, whan
thei wenten to sechen oure Lord in Bethtem, to worschipe him, and to
presente him with gold, ensence, and myrre. And it is from that cytee to
Bethleem 53 iourneyes. Fro that cytee, men gon to another cytee, that is
clept Bethe, that is a iourneye fro the see, that men clepen the gravely
see. That is the best cytee, that the Emperour of Persie hathe, in alle his
lond. And thei clepen it there Chardabago; and others clepen it Vapa. And
the Paynemes seyn, that no Cristene man may not longe duelle, ne enduren
with the lif, in that cytee: but dyen with in schort tyme; and no man
knowethe not the cause. Aftre gon men, be many cytees and townes, and grete
contrees, that it were to longe to telle, unto the cytee of Cornaa, that
was wont to be so gret, that the walles abouten holden 25 myle aboute. The
walks schewen zit: but it is not alle enhabited. From Cornaa, go men be
many londes, and many cytees and townes, unto the lond of Job: and there
endethe the lond of the Emperour of Persie.
Of the Lond of Job; and of his Age. Of the Aray of men of Caldee. Of the
Lond where Wommen duellen with outen companye of men. Of the knouleche
and vertues of the verray Dyamant.
[Sidenote: Chap. XIV.] Aftre the departynge fro Cornaa, men entren in to
the lond of Job, that is a fulle faire contree, and a plentyous of alle
godes. And men clepen that lond the lond of Sweze. In that lond is the
cytee of Theman. Job was a Payneem, and he was Are of Gosre his sone, and
held that lond, as prynce of that contree and he was so riche, that he knew
not the hundred part of his godes. And alle thoughe he were a Payneem,
natheless he served wel God, aftre his lawe: and oure Lord toke his service
to his plesance. And whan he felle in poverte, he was 78 zeer of age. And
aftre, whan God had preved his pacyence, and that it was so gret, he
broughte him azen to richesse, and to hiere estate than he was before. And
aftre that he was kyng of Ydumye, aftre Kyng Esau. And whan he was kyng, he
was clept Jobab. And in that kyngdom, he lyvede aftre 170 zere: and so he
was of age, whan he dyede, 248 zeer. In that lond of Job, there nys no
defaute of no thing, that is nedefulle to mannes body. There ben hilles,
where men getten gret plentee of manna, in gretter habundance, than in ony
other contree. This manna is clept bred of aungelles; and it is a white
thing, that is fulle swete and righte delicyous, and more swete than hony
or sugre; and it comethe of the dew of hevene that fallethe upon the
herbes, in that contree; and it congelethe and becomethe alle white and
swete: and men putten it in medicynes for rich men, to make the wombe lax,
and to purge evylle blood: for it clensethe the blode, and puttethe out
malencoyle. This lond of Job marchethe to the kyngdom of Caldee. This lond
of Caldee is fulle gret: and the langage of that contree is more gret in
sownynge, that it is in other parties bezonde the see. Men passen to go
bezond, be the Tour of Babiloyne the grete: of the whiche I have told zou
before, where that alle the langages weren first chaunged. And that is a 4
jorneyes fro Caldee. In that reme, ben faire men, and thei gon fulle nobely
arrayed in clothes of gold, or frayed and apparayled with grete perles and
precyous stones, fulle nobely: and the wommen ben righte foule and evylle
arrayed; and thei gon alle bare fote, and clothed in evylle garnementes,
large and wyde, but thei ben schorte to the knees; and longe sleves doun to
the feet, lyche a monkes frokke; and here sleves ben hongyng aboute here
schuldres: and thei ben blake women, foule and hidouse; and treuly as foule
as thei ben, als evele thei ben. In that kyngdom of Caldee, in a cytee,
that is cleped Hur, duelled Thare, Abrahames fadre: and there was Abraham
born: and that was in that tyme, that Nunus was Kyng of Babiloyne, of
Arabye and of Egypt. This Nunus made the cytee of Nynyvee, the whiche that
Noe had begonne before: and be cause that Nunus performed it, he cleped it
Nynyve, aftre his owne name. Ther lythe Thobye the prophete, of whom Holy
Writt spekethe offe. And fro that cytee of Hur Abraham departed, be the
commandement of God, fro thens, aftre the dethe of his fadre; and ladde
with him Sarra his wife and Lothe his brotheres sone, because that he hadde
no child. And thei wenten to duelle in the lond of Chanaan, in a place,
that is clept Sychem. And this Lothe was he, that was saved, whan Sodom and
Gomorre and the othere cytees weren brent and sonken doun to helle; where
that the dede see is now, as I have told zou before. In that lond of
Caldee, thei han here propre langages, and here propre lettres.
Besyde the lond of Caldee, is the lond of Amazoyne. And in that reme is
alle wommen, and no man; noght, as summe men seyn, that men mowe not lyve
there, but for because that the wommen will not suffre no men amonges hem,
to ben here Sovereynes. For sum tyme, ther was a kyng in that contrey; and
men maryed, as in other contreyes: and so befelle, that the kyng had werre,
with hem of Sithie; the whiche kyng highte Colopeus, that was slayn in
bataylle, and alle the gode blood of his reme. And whan the queen and alle
the othere noble ladyes sawen, that thei weren alle wydewes, and that alle
the rialle blood was lost, thei armed hem, and as creatures out of wytt,
thei slowen alle the men of the contrey, that weren laft. For thei wolden,
that alle the wommen weren wydewes, as the queen and thei weren. And fro
that tyme hiderwardes, thei nevere wolden suffren man to dwelle amonges
hem, lenger than 7 dayes and 7 nyghtes; ne that no child that were male,
scholde duelle amonges hem, longer than he were noryscht; and thanne sente
to his fader. And whan thei wil have ony companye of man, than thei drawen
hem towardes the londes marchynge next to hem: and than thei have loves,
that usen hem; and thei duellen with hem an 8 dayes or 10; and thanne gon
hom azen. And zif thei have ony knave child, thei kepen it a certeyn tyme,
and than senden it to the fadir, whan he can gon allone, and eten be him
self; or elle thei sleen it: and zif it be a femele, thei don away that on
pappe, with an hote hiren; and zif it be a womman of gret lynage, thei don
awey the left pappe, that thes may the better beren a scheeld: and zif it
be a woman of symple blood, thei don awey the ryght pappe, for to scheeen
[sic--KTH] with bowe Turkeys: for thei schote wel with bowes. In that lond
thei have a Queen, that governethe alle that lond: and alle thei ben
obeyssant to hire. And alweys thei maken here queen by eleccioun, that is
most worthy in armes. For thei ben right gode werryoures, and wyse, noble
and worthi. And thei gon often tyme in sowd, to help of other kynges in
here werres, for gold and sylver, as othere sowdyoures don: and thei
meyntenen hem self right vygouresly. This lond of Amazoyne is an Yle, alle
envirouned with the see, saf in 2 places, where ben 2 entrees. And bezond
that watir, duellen the men, that ben here paramoures, and hire loves,
where thei gon to solacen hem, whan thei wole. Besyde Amazoyne, is the lond
of Tarmegyte, that is a gret contree and a fulle delectable: and for the
godnesse of the contree, kyng Alisandre leet first make there the cytee of
Alisandre; and zit he made 12 cytees of the same name: but that cytee is
now clept Celsite. And fro that other cost of caldee, to ward the southe,
is Ethiope, a gret contree, that strecchethe to the ende of Egypt. Ethiope
is departed in 2 princypalle parties; and that is, in the est partie and in
the meridionelle partie: the whiche partie meridionelle is clept Moretane.
And the folk of that contree ben blake y now, and more blake than in the
tother partie; and thei ben clept Mowres. In that partie is a welle, that
in the day it is so cold, that no man may drynke there offe; and in the
nyght it so hoot, that no man may suffre his hond there in. And bezonde
that partie, toward the southe, to passe by the see occean, is a gret lond
and a gret contrey: but men may not duelle there, for the fervent brennynge
of the sonne; so is it passvnge hoot in that contrey. In Ethiope alle the
ryveres and alle the watres ben trouble, and thei ben somdelle salte, for
the gret hete that is there. And the folk of that contree ben lyghtly
dronken, and han but litille appetyt to mete: and thei han comounly the
flux of the wombe: and thei lyven not longe. In Ethiope ben manye dyverse
folk: and Ethiope is clept Cusis. In that contree ben folk, that han but o
foot: and thei gon so fast, that it is marvaylle: and the foot is so large,
that it schadewethe alle the body azen the sonne, whanne thei wole lye and
reste hem. In Ethiope, whan the children ben zonge and lytille, thei ben
alle zelowe: and whan that thei wexen of age, that zalownesse turnethe to
ben alle blak. In Ethiope is the cytee of Saba; and the lond, of the whiche
on of the 3 kynges, that presented oure Lord in Bethleem was kyng offe.
Fro Ethiope men gon to Ynde, be manye dyverse contreyes. And men clepen the
highe Ynde, Emlak. And Ynde is devyded in 3 princypalle parties; that is,
the more, that is a fulle hoot contree; and Ynde the lesse, that is a fulle
atempree contrey, that strecchethe to the lond of Mede; and the 3 part
toward the Septentrion, is fulle cold; so that for pure cold and
contynuelle frost, the watre becomethe cristalle. And upon tho roches of
cristalle, growen the gode dyamandes, that ben of trouble colour. Zallow
cristalle drawethe colour lyke oylle. And thei ben so harde, that no man
may pollysche hem: and men clepen hem dyamandes in that contree, and Hamese
in another contree. Othere dyamandes men fynden in Arabye, that ben not so
gode; and thei ben more broun and more tendre. And other dyamandes also men
fynden in the ile of Cipre, that ben zit more tendre; and hem men may wel
pollische. And in the lond of Macedoyne men fynden dyamaundes also. But the
beste and the most precyouse ben in Ynde. And men fynden many tymes harde
dyamandes in a masse, that comethe out of Gold, whan men puren it and fynen
it out of the myne; whan men breken that masse in smale peces. And sum tyme
it happenethe, that men fynden summe as grete as a pese, and summe lasse;
and thei ben als harde as tho of Ynde. And alle be it that men fynden gode
dyamandes in Ynde, zit natheles men fynden hem more comounly upon the
roches in the see, and upon hilles where the myne of gold is. And thei
growen many to gedre, on lytille, another gret. And ther ben summe of the
gretness of a bene, and summe als gret as an haselle note. And thei ben
square and poynted of here owne kynde, bothe aboven and benethen, with
outen worchinge of mannes hond. And the growen to gedre, male and femele.
And thei ben norysscht with the dew of hevene. And thei engendren comounly,
and bryngen forthe smale children, that multiplyen and growen alle the
zeer. I have often tymes assayed, that zif a man kepe hem with a litylle of
the roche, and wete hem with May dew ofte sithes, thei schulle growe
everyche zeer; and the smale wole wexen grete. For righte as the fyn perle
congelethe and wexethe gret of the dew of hevene, righte so dothe the
verray dyamand: and righte as the perl of his owne kynde takethe
roundnesse, righte so the dyamand, be vertue of God, takethe squarenesse.
And men schalle bere the dyamaund on his left syde: for it is of grettere
vertue thanne, than on the righte syde. For the strengthe of here growynge
is toward the Northe; that is the left syde of the world; and the left
parte of man is, whan he turnethe his face toward the est. And zif zou lyke
to knowe the vertues of the dyamand, (as men may fynde in the lapidarye,
that many men knowen noght) I schalle telle zou: as thei bezonde the see
seyn and affermen, of whom alle science and alle philosophie comethe from.
He that berethe the diamand upon him, it zevethe him hardynesse and
manhode, and it kepethe the lemes of his body hole. It zevethe him victorye
of his enemyes, in plee and in werre; zif his cause be rightefulle: and it
kepethe him that berethe it, in gode wytt; and it kepethe him fro strif and
riot, fro sorwes and from enchauntementes and from fantasyes and illusiouns
of wykked spirites. And zif ony cursed wycche or enchauntour wolde bewycche
him, that berethe the dyamand; alle that sorwe and myschance schalle turne
to him self, thorghe vertu of that ston. And also no wylde best dar
assaylle the man, that berethe it on him. Also the dyamand scholde ben
zoven frely, with outen coveytynge and with outen byggynge: and than it is
of grettere vertu. And it makethe a man more strong and more sad azenst his
enemyes. And it helethe him that is lunatyk, and hem that the fend
pursuethe or travaylethe. And zif venym or poysoun be broughte in presence
of the dyamand, anon it begynnethe to wexe moyst and for to swete. There
ben also dyamandes in Ynde, that ben cept violastres; (for here colour is
liche vyolet, or more browne than violettes) that ben fulle harde and fulle
precyous; but zit sum men love not hem so wel as the othere: but in sothe
to me, I wolde loven hem als moche as the othere; for I have seen hem
assayed. Also there is an other maner of dyamandes, that ben als white as
cristalle; but thei ben a litylle more trouble: and thei ben gode and of
gret vertue, and alle thei ben square and poynted of here owne kynde. And
summe ben 6 squared, summe 4 squared, and summe 3, as nature schapethe hem.
And therefore whan grete lordes and knyghtes gon to seche worschipe in
armes, thei beren gladly the dyamaund upon hem.
I schal speke a litille more of the dyamandes, alle thoughe I tarye my
matere for a tyme, to the ende that thei that knowen hem not, be not
disceyved be gabberes, that gon be the contree, that sellen hem. For whoso
wil bye the dyamande, it is needefulle to him, that he knowe hem; be cause
that men counterfeten hem often of cristalle, that is zalow; and of
saphires of cytryne colour, that is zalow also; and of the saphire loupe,
and of many other stones. But I telle zou, theise contrefetes ben not so
harde; and also the poyntes wil breken lightly, and men may easily
pollische hem. But summe werkmen, for malice, will not pollische hem, to
that entent, to maken men beleve, that thei may not ben pollischt. But men
may assaye hem in this manere; first schere with hem or write with hem in
saphires, in cristalle or in other precious stones. Aftre that men taken
the ademand, that is the schipmannes ston, that drawethe the nedle to him,
and men leyn the dyamand upon the ademand, and leyn the nedle before the
ademand; and zif the dyamand be gode and vertuous, the ademande drawethe
not the nedle to him, while the dyamand is there present. And this is the
preef, that thei bezonde the see maken. Natheles it befallethe often tyme,
that the gode dyamande losethe his vertue, be synne and for incontynence of
him, that berethe it: and thanne it is nedfulle to make it to recoveren his
vertue azen, or elle it is of litille value.
Of the customs of Yles abouten Ynde. Of the differences betwixt Ydoles and
Simulacres. Of 3 maner growing of Peper upon a Tree. Of the welle, that
chaungethe his odour, every hour of the day: and that is mervaylle.