iourneyes, men fynden a gret contree and a gret kyngdom, that men clepen
Mancy: and that is in Ynde the more: and it is the beste lond, and on of
the fairest, that may be in alle the world, and the most delectable, and
the most plentifous of all godes, that is in power of man. In that lond
duellen many Cristene men and Sarrazynes: for it is a gode contree and a
gret. And there ben there inne mo than 2000 grete cytees and riche, with
outen other grete townes. And there is more plentee of peple there, than in
ony other partie of Ynde; for the bountee of the contree. In that contree
is no nedy man, ne none that gothe on beggynge. And thei ben fulle faire
folk: but thei ben all pale. And the men han thynne berdes and fewe heres;
but thei ben longe: but unethe hathe ony man passynge 50 heres in his berd;
and on heer sitt here, another there, as the berd of a lyberd or of a catt.
In that lond ben many fairere wommen, than in ony other contree bezonde the
see: and therfore men clepen that lond Albanye; because that the folk ben
whyte. And the chief cytee of that contree is clept Latoryn; and it is a
iourneye from the see: and it is moche more than Parys. In that cytee is a
gret ryvere, berynge schippes, that gon to alle the costes in the see. No
cytee of the world is so wel stored of schippes, as is that. And alle tho
of the cytee and of the contree worschipen ydoles. In that contree ben
double sithes more briddes than ben here. There ben white gees, rede aboute
the nekke, and thei han a gret crest, as a cokkes comb upon hire hedes: and
thei ben meche more there, than thei ben here; and men byen hem there alle
quykke, right gret chepe. And there is gret plentee of neddres, of whom men
maken grete festes, and eten hem at grete sollempnytees. And he that
makethe there a feste, be it nevere so costifous, and he have no neddres,
he hathe no thanke for his travaylle.
Many gode cytees there ben in that contree, and men han gret plentee and
gret chep of alle wynes and vitailles. In that contree ben manye chirches
of religious men, and of here lawe: and in tho chirches been ydoles, als
grete as geauntes. And to theise ydoles thei zeven to ete, at grete
festyfulle dayes, in this manere. Thei bryngen before hem mete alle soden,
als hoot as thei comen fro the fuyr, and thei leten the smoke gon up
towardes the ydoles; and than thei seyn, that the ydoles han eten; and than
the religious men eten the mete aftrewardes. In that contree been white
hennes withouten fetheres: but thei beren white wolle, as scheep don here.
In that contree, wommen that ben unmaryed, thei han tokenes on hire hedes,
lyche coronales, to ben knowen for unmaryed. Also in that contree, ther ben
bestes, taughte of men to gon in to watres, in to ryveres and in to depe
stankes, for to take fysche; the whiche best is but lytille, and men clepen
hem loyres. And whan men casten hem in to the watre, anon thei bringen up
gret fissches, als manye as men wold. And zif men wil have mo, thei cast
hem in azen, and thei bryngen up als many as men list to have.
And fro that cytee, passynge many iourneyes, is another cytee, on of the
grettest of the world, that men clepen Cassay; that is to seyne, the Cytee
of Hevene. That cytee is well a 50 myle aboute, and it is strongliche
enhabyted with peple, in so moche that in on house men maken 10 housholdes.
In that cytee ben 12 princypalle zates; and before every zate, a 3 myle or
a 4 myle in lengthe, is a gret toun, or a gret cytee. That cytee sytt upon
a gret lake on the see; as dothe Venyse. And in that cytee ben mo than
12000 brigges: and upon every brigge, ben stronge toures and gode; in the
whiche duellen the wardeynes, for to kepen the cytee fro the gret Cane. And
on that o part of the cytee, rennethe a gret ryvere alle along the cytee.
And there duellen Cristene men, and many marchauntes and other folk of
dyverse natyouns: be cause that the lond is so gode and so plentifous. And
there growethe fulle gode wyn, that men clepen Bigon, that is fulle myghty
and gentylle in drynkynge. This is a cytee ryalle, where the Kyng of Mancy
was wont to duelle: and there duellen many religious men, as it were of the
order of freres: for thei ben mendyfauntes.
From that cytee, men gon be watre, solacynge and disportynge hem, tille
thei come to an abbey of monkes, that is faste bye, that ben gode religious
men, after here feythe and lawe. In that abbeye is a gret gardyn and a
fair, where ben many trees of dyverse manere of frutes: and in this gardyn,
is a lytille hille, fulle of delectable trees. In that hille and in that
gardyn, ben many dyverse bestes, as of apes, marmozettes, babewynes, and
many other dyverse bestes. And every day, whan the covent of this abbeye
hathe eten, the awmener let bere the releef to the gardyn, and he smytethe
on the gardyn zate with a clyket of sylver, that he holdethe in his hond,
and anon alle the bestes of the hille and of dyverse places of the gardyn,
comen out, a 3000 or a 4000; and thei comen in gyse of pore men: and men
zeven hem the releef, in faire vesselles of sylver, clene over gylt. And
whan thei han eten, the monk smytethe eft sones on the gardyn zate with the
clyket; and than anon alle the bestes retornen azen to here places, that
thei come fro. And thei seyn, that theise bestes ben soules of worthi men,
that resemblen in lyknesse of the bestes, that ben faire: and therfore thei
zeve hem mete, for the love of God. And the other bestes that ben foule,
they seyn, ben soules of pore men and of rude comouns. And thus thei
beleeven, and no man may putte hem out of this opynyoun. Theise bestes
aboveseyd, thei let taken, whan thei ben zonge, and norisschen hem so with
almesse; als manye, as thei may fynde. And I asked hem, zif it had not ben
better, to have zoven that releef to pore men, rathere than to the bestes.
And thei answerde me and seyde, that thei hadde no pore men amonges hem, in
that contree: and thoughe it had ben so, that pore men had ben among hem,
zit were it gretter almesse, to zeven it to tho soules, that don there here
penance. Many other marveylles ben in that cytee and in the contree there
aboute, that were to long to telle zou.
Fro that cytee, go men be the contree a 6 iourneyes, to another cytee, that
men clepen Chilenfo: of the whiche cytee, the walles ben 20 myle aboute. In
that cytee ben 60 brigges of ston, so faire, that no man may see fairere.
In that cytee was the firste sege of the Kyng of Mancy: for it is a faire
cytee, and plenteeyous of alle godes.
Aftre passe men overthwart a gret ryvere, that men clepen Dalay: and that
is the grettest ryvere of fressche water, that is in the world. For there,
as it is most narow, it is more than a myle of brede. And thanne entren men
azen into the lond of the grete Chane. That ryvere gothe thorghe the lond
of Pigmaus: where that the folk ben of litylle stature, that ben but 3 span
long: and thei ben right faire and gentylle, aftre here quantytees, bothe
the men and the wommen. And thei maryen hem, whan thei ben half zere of
age, and geten children. And thei lyven not, but 6 zeer or 7 at the moste.
And he that lyvethe 8 zeer men holden him there righte passynge old. Theise
men ben the beste worcheres of gold, sylver, cotoun, sylk, and of alle
suche thinges, of ony other, that be in the world. And thei han often tymes
werre with the briddes of the contree, that thei taken and eten. This
litylle folk nouther labouren in londes ne in vynes. But thei han grete men
amonges hem, of oure stature, that tylen the lond, and labouren amonges the
vynes for hem. And of tho men of oure stature, han thei als grete skorne
and wondre, as we wolde have among us of geauntes, zif thei weren amonges
us. There is a gode cytee, amonges othere, where there is duellynge gret
plentee of tho lytylle folk: and it is a gret cytee and a faire, and the
men ben grete, that duellen amonges hem: but whan thei geten ony children,
thei ben als litylle as the pygmeyes: and therfore thei ben alle, for the
moste part, alle pygmeyes; for the nature of the lond is suche. The grete
Cane let kepe this cytee fulle wel: for it is his. And alle be it, that the
pygmeyes ben lytylle, zit thei ben fulle resonable, aftre here age, and
connen bothen wytt and gode and malice, y now.
Fro that cytee, gon men be the contree, be many cytees and many townes,
unto a cytee, that men clepen Jamchay: and it is a noble cytee and a riche,
and of gret profite to the lord: and thidre go men to sechen marchandise of
alle manere of thing. That cytee is fulle moche worthe zerly to the lord of
the contree. For he hathe every zere to rente of that cytee (as thei of the
cytee seyn) 50000 cumantz of floreyns of gold: for thei cownten there alle
be cumanz: and every cumant is 10000 floryns of gold. Now may men wel
rekene, how moche that it amountethe. The kyng of that contree is fulle
myghty: and zit he is undre the grete Cane. And the gret Cane hathe undre
him 12 such provynces. In that contree, in the gode townes, is a gode
custom. For whoso wille make a feste to ony of his frendes, there ben
certeyn innes in every gode toum; and he that wil make the feste, wil seye
to the hostellere, arraye for me, to morwe, a gode dyner, for so many folk;
and tellethe him the nombre; and devysethe him the viaundes: and he seythe
also, thus moche I wil dispende, and no more. And anon the hostellere
arrayethe for him, so faire and so wel and so honestly, that ther schalle
lakke no thing. And it schalle be don sunnere, and with lasse cost, than
and a man made it in his owne hous.
And a 5 myle fro that cytee, toward the hed of the ryvere of Dalay, is
another cytee, that men clepen Menke. In that cytee is strong navye of
schippes; and alle ben white as snow, of the kynde of the trees, that thei
ben made offe. And thei ben fulle grete schippes, and faire, and wel
ordeyned, and made with halles and chambres, and other eysementes, as
thoughe it were on the lond.
Fro thens go men be many townes and many cytees, thorghe the contree, unto
a cytee, that men clepen Lanteryne: and it is an 8 iourneyes from the cytee
aboveseyd. This cytee sitt upon a faire ryvere, gret and brood, that men
clepen Caramaron. This ryvere passethe thorghe out Cathay: and it dothe
often tyme harm, and that fulle gret, whan it is over gret.
Of the grete Chane of Chatay. Of the Rialtee of his Palays, and how he sitt
at Mete; and of the grete nombre of Officeres, that serven hym.
[Sidenote: Cap. XX.] Chatay is a gret contree and a faire, noble and riche,
and fulle of marchauntes. Thidre gon marchaundes alle zeres, for to sechen
spices and alle manere of marchandises, more comounly than in ony other
partye. And zee schulle undirstonde, that marchaundes, that comen fro Gene
or fro Venyse or fro Romanye, or other partyes of Lombardye, thei gon be
see and be lond 11 monethes, or 12, or more sum tyme, or thei may come to
the yle of Cathay, that is the princypalle regyoun of alle partyes bezonde;
and it is of the grete Cane.
Fro Cathay go men toward the est, be many iourneyes: and than men fynden a
gode cytee, betwene theise othere, that men clepen Sugarmago. That cytee is
on of the beste stored of sylk and other marchandises, that is in the
world. Aftre go men zit to another old cytee, toward the est: and it is in
the provynce of Cathay. And besyde that cytee, the men of Tartarye han let
make another cytee, that is clept Caydon; and it hathe 12 zates: and
betwene the two zates, there is alle weyes a gret myle; so that the 2
cytees, that is to seyne, the olde and the newe, han in circuyt more than
20 myle.
CAPVT. 34.
De pallatio Imperatoris Grand Can.
Palatium Imperatoris Grand Can, quod est in Caydo ciuitate, continet in
circuitu proprij muralis vltrà duas leucas, et sunt in eo aulæ quàm plures,
in forma nobiles, et in materia nobiliores. Aula autem sedis, quæ est
maxime cæterarum, habet intrinsecus pro sui sustentatione 24. aereas
columnas factas opere fusorio, de auro puro, et omnes parietes ab intus
opertas pellibus quorundam animalium, quæ vocantur Pantheres: hæ sanguinei
sunt coloris, et ita remicantes, vt Sole desuper relucente; vix oculus
valeat humanus sufferre splendorem, tantæque fragantiæ, vt illi approximare
non posset aer infectus, vnde et ista opertura parietum appreciatur super
tegmen aurearum laminarum.
Namque stultorum aliqui Paganorum huiusmodi adorant animalia propter
colorum, odorumque virtutem. Proposui retrahere calamum à describenda
nobilitate, gubernatione et ministrantium frequentia, atque Imperatoris
magnificentia: attamen quia coepi ego, propter incredulos, et nescios, ac
inerudibiles, non dimittam in toto. Quicunque enim nihil credunt, nihil
sciunt, neque erudiri possunt, Scriptura testante, si non credideritis non
intelligetis. Dico ergo, et verè dico, quòd in huius aulæ capite sit
thronus, vel sedes Imperialis, excelsus et eminens in ascensu graduum
quamplurium, in quo residere solet in plenaria maiestate, in cuius throni
toto corpore nihil apparet minùs nobile, auro, margaritis, gemmis, et
lapidibus preciosis. Singuli gradus sunt de singulis, ac inter se diuersis
magnis lapidibus, vtpote primus de Hæmatisto, alius de Sardio, et alius de
Chrysolito, et sic vsque ad supremum gradum, qui singuli ad formam cuiusque
gradus sunt circumfusi, et clusorio opere firmati, auro solido, et
nihilominùs per superficiem auri, distinctè seminati, firmitèrque inclusi
lapilli cari, cum orientalibus Margaritis, summitas autem cum ferculo
residentiæ in nobilitate excisionis, et fabrifactura operis tam diuersa
est, et mira, vt paruitatem mei ingenij excedat, quamobrem et ei cedo,
vlteriusque procedo.
Ad Imperatoris sinistram gradu vno bassior, est sedes suæ primæ coniugis,
tota de iaspidibus auro circumfusis, et in superficie aulæ distinctæ
gemmulæ cum granellis eodem schemate, et similiter de iaspide. Sed adhuc
submissior vno gradu est sedes coniugis secundæ, nec non et sub illa vxoris
tertiæ. Nam tres proprias secum habet vxores, Odericus dicit, istas duas
concubinas. Itémque resident sub tertia coniuge nobiles mulieres de
Imperatoris progenie, iuxta illustriam vniuscuiusque.
Et notandum, quòd per totam patriam singulæ mulieres maritatæ, vt
intelligantur maritis subiectæ, et vt discernantur à solutis, gestant in
capitis summitate similitudinem pedis viri, longitudinis brachij et
dimidij, quadam leui materia operatam: videlicet nobiles de sericosis
operibus pannorum, seu alijs raris et pulchris pannis, et preciosis
lapillis, et ignobiles iuxta statum suum de materia communiori.
Ad dextram verò sedentis Imperatoris vno gradu submissus residet
primogenitus eius filius, et sub ipso ordinatè in consimilibus sedibus
nobiles proximi de cognitione Imperiali.
Item super thronum et desuper ante ipsius throni locum, tanquam pro celato
seu operimento in throno residentium, et eorum ministrantium, est extensa
similitudo vitis operata in palmitibus, et pampinis, de auro puro ad
extensionem cubitorum quadraginta, per quadrum, atque per eam dependentes
botri vuarum de gemmis, et granellis quinque colorum, quorum albi sunt de
christallo et beryllo, et iriscrocei de topazio et fuluo christallo, rubei
de rubetorum granis, corallo, et alibandinis, virides de Smaragdis,
pyropis, et chrysolytis, nigri, de onichinis, gagetis, et gerateris.
Tempore prandij in hac aula, Imperator et Imperatrices, et quisque de
prædictis, habet mensam sibi solam, quarum vilior præualet thesauro grandi.
In solennitatibus ponitur mensa Imperatori de exquisito electro, seu de
auro examinato, distincta diamantibus, et nobis ignotis in comparabilibus
gemmis, quandóque de christallo perspicuo, seu croceo, circumclusa auro cum
gemmis: quandóque de Hæmatisto, quandóque de ebore candido, vel rubicundo:
interdum de ligno artificiosè combinato, quod descendit per flumina de
Paradiso. Idem dicit Odericus.
His mensis astant Barones, et Principes pro vasallis attentè in suis
officijs ministrantes, quorum nec vnus emittere verbum aliqua præsumit
audacia, nisi Imperatore annuente, vel ad illum loquente, illis duntaxat
exceptis, qui certis interspatijs canunt, aut recitant de principum gestis.
Et notandum, quando in hoc solio Maiestatis diebus solennibus residet
Imperator, subsidere ad pedes eius notarios quatuor, qui omne quod Dominus
loquitur, singuli ponunt in scriptis: nam quodcunque tunc ex ore illius
egreditur, necesse est esse, vel effici, nec valet item ipse verbum suum
mutare, nec reuocare, nisi magno consilio conuocato.
Vniuersa vtensilia quibus in solennitate ad has seruitur mensas, sunt de
nobilibus petris auro reclusis, Cyphi de Smaragdis, vel Saphyris, topasijs,
pyropis, siue gryophis: et priuatioribus diebus, de auro probato etiam in
cameris, et cubiculis, nec reputatur ibi claritas argenti, nisi pro
pilarijs, columnis, gradibus, et pauimentis.
Istius autem ostia aulæ, dum in ea residet, aut deambulat Imperator, multi
Barones ingressum seruant intentè, et ne limen tangatur, quod hoc haberent
pro augurio, et benè verberaretur, quia Imperatore præsente, nemo nisi
adductus in quacunque camera, vel habitatione intromittitur, donec
interrogatus iusserit Imperator.
Latitudinem huius Basilicæ æstimo ad spatium de meis pedibus centum et
longitudinem vltrà quatuor centum. In cubiculo autem Regis dormitorio,
constat vnus pillarius, seu columna de auro solido et carbunculus conclusus
in illo longitudinis pedis vnius, totum habitaculum de nocte perfundens
lumine claro. Hic prout ego notaui, non est plenè rubeus, sed subrufus,
quasi coloris Hæmatistini. Porrò in vna aularum, circà medium palatii, est
alius excelsus ascensus, Odericus dicit pigma, super quem dum placet, stat,
vel residet Imperator, ditissimè etiam operatus, ex auro, gemmis, baccis,
margaritis, et lapidibus raris, et in quatuor angulis, imagines quatuor
serpentum de auro puro.
Huius per tria latera dependent retia seu cortinæ de cordulis
sericis, in quibus ad singulos nodos, grossa margarita habetur
innexa, quibus cortinis tegitur officina: in eius concauitate tenetur
tumba quadrata, in qua conueniunt conductus omnium potuum,
qui bibuntur in Curia, et innumera vasorum genera, quibus potus
omnibus ministratur.
Prætereà, iuxta palatii ambitum, habetur grandis parci spaciamentum,
diuersi generis arboribus repletum, fructus ferentibus varios, et nobis
inuisos, et in parte media, aula super excelsum collem de tam mira et
pulchra structura, vt eius nobilitas de facili ad præsens, non possit
describi. Et vndique, par collis gyrum aquæ fossatum profundum, et latum
vltrà quod pons vnicus ducit ad collem. Atque ex duobus montis lateribus,
stagnum cum diuersorum copia piscium, et volucrum indomitarum, vt aucarum,
anatum, cignorum, ciconiarum, ardearum, et collectorum in magna
pluralitate, nec non et per parcum, multæ syluestres bestiæ, et bestiolæ
quatenùs per aulæ fenestras possit Dominus pro solatio respicere volucrum
aucupationes, bestiarum venationes, et piscium captiones.
Et hoc proculdubio sciendum, quòd in nostris partibus rara sint oppida cum
pluribus mansionibus, quàm in isto palatio continentur.
Tota æstate moratur in India terra frigidissima, in hyeme in Cambalu.
Odericus.
Præter palatium hoc in Caydo, habet Imperator similitèr tria: vnum in
ciuitate Sadus, versus Septentrionem, vbi competens est frigus, ibi moratur
in æstate. Cambalu, vbi competens calor, ibi moratur hyeme. Tertium in
ciuitate Iongh, in quo et in isto Caydo, vt sæpiùs seruat sedem, eò quòd in
istis est aer magis temperatus, quamuis semper calidus videtur Nostratibus.
The English Version.