ijs et populo suo, et vicit, ac subiecit cunctos in circuitu Reges, quibus
terra indebitè diù subiacuerat. Quin etiam apparente sibi in visione Angelo
Dei velut milite in albo equo, et candidis armis, et hortante se, vt
transiret Alpes, per montem Beliam, [Marginal note: Vel Belgiam.] et per
brachium maris, ad terram Cathay, et ad alias illic plurimas regiones
transiuit, et coepit com filijs suis aliquas ex illis debellare, et
subijcere, Deo in omnibus adiuuante patentèr. Et quoniam in equo albo ei
Angelus apparuit, qui etiam antè passum prædicti maris nouem orationes Deo
facere iussit, ideò successores vsque hodiè diligunt equos albos, et
nouenarium numerum habent præ cæteris in gratia. Dumque Guis Can morti præ
senio appropinquaret, conuocatos ante se filios hortabatur, et mouebat
exemplo 12. telorum in simul colligatorum, quæ à nullo filiorum paritèr
frangi potuerant, sed dissoluta vnumquodque per se facilè frangebatur, sic
filij (inquit) dilectissimi, si per concordiam vos inuicèm dilexeritis, et
vixeritis seniori fratri obedientes, confido in Deo iuxta promissionem mihi
ab Angelo factam, quòd omnem latissimam istam terram, et optimam illius
imperio subijcietis, quod et post patris discessum strenuissimè, ac
fidelissimè (Deo sibi prosperante) perfecerunt. Et quia cum propriis
nominibus habebant cognomen Can, primogenitus pro differentia obtinuit
nomen Grand Can, id est, Magnus Can, videlicit suprà cæteros fratres, qui
sibi in omnibus obediebant.
Itaque iste secundus Imperator vocabatur Ochoto Can.
Post quem filius eius regnauit dictus Guican.
Quartus autem, qui Mango Can baptizabatur, permansitque fidelis
Christianus, qui etiam misso magno exercitu cum fratre suo Hallaon in
partes Arabiæ et Aegypti mandauit destrui in toto Mahometi superstitionem,
et terram poni in manibus Christianorum. Et fratre procedente, accepit
rumores de fratris sui Imperatoris morte inopinata, quaproptèr et redijt
negotio imperfecto.
Quintus Cobilacan, qui etiam fuit Christianus, et regnauit 42. annis, et
ædificauit magnam ciuitatem Iong, maiorem satis vrbe Roma, in qua et
continetur valdè nobile palatium Imperiale. Hinc vsque hodie omnes
successores paganismo foedantur.
Tempore autem meò erat nomen Imperatoris Echian Can, et primogenitus eius
Cosuecan, præter quem et alios filios habuit 12. de quorum nominibus
conscribendis non est curæ presentis.
Prima vxorum suorum vocabatur Serochan, quæ et est filia Præsbyteri Ioannis
scilicet Imperatoris Indiæ.
Secunda Verouchan.
Tertia Caranthcan.
Istis duobus Imperatoribus non creditur inueniri maior Dominus sub
firmamento Coeli.
In literis quæ huius Imperatoris Tartariæ scribuntur nomine ponitur semper
iste Titulus. Can filius Dei excelsi, omnium vniuersam terram colentium
summus Imperator, et Dominus Dominantium omnium.
Circumferentia magni sui sigilli, continet hoc scriptum.
Deus in Coelo, Can super terram, eius fortitudo. Omnium hominum Imperatoris
sigillum.
Sciendum quoque quod quamuis populi ibi dicuntur, et sunt Pagani, tamen et
rex et omnes credunt in Deum immortalem, et omnipotentem, et iurant per
ipsum appellantes, Yroga, id est, Deum Naturæ. Sed nihilominus colunt et
adorant idola, et simulachra aurea, et argentea, lapidea, lignea, filtria,
lanea, et linea.
The English Version.
Wherefore he is clept the grete Chane. Of the Style of his Lettres, and of
the Superscripcioun abowten his grete Sealle, and his pryvee Sealle.
[Sidenote: Chap. XXI.] First I schalle seye zou, whi he was clept the gret
Chane. Zee schulle undirstonde, that alle the world was destroyed by Noes
flood, saf only Noe and his wif and his children. Noe had 3 sones, Sem,
Cham and Japhethe. This Cham was he that saughe his fadres prevy membres
naked, whan he slepte, and scorned hem and schewed hem with his finger, to
his brethren, in scornynge wise: and ther fore he was cursed of God. And
Japhethe turned his face away, and covered hem. Theise 3 bretheren had
cesoun in alle the lond: and this Cham, for his crueltee, toke the gretter
and the beste partie, toward the est, that is clept Asye: and Sem toke
Affryk: and Japhethe toke Europe. And therfore is alle the erthe departed
in theise 3 parties, be theise 3 bretheren. Cham was the grettest, and the
most myghty: and of him camen mo generaciouns, than of the othere. And of
his sone Chuse, was engendred Nembrothe the geaunt, that was the firste
kyng, that ever was in the world: and he began the foundacion of the Tour
of Babyloyne. And that tyme, the fendes of helle camen many tymes, and
leyen with the wommen of his generacioun, and engendered on hem dyverse
folk, as monstres, and folk disfigured, summe with outen hedes, summe with
gret eres, summe with on eye, summe geauntes, summ with hors feet, and many
other dyverse schapp, azenst kynde. And of that generacioun of Cham, ben
comen the Paynemes, and dyverse folk, that ben in yles of the see, be alle
Ynde. And for als moche as he was the moste myghty, and no man myghte
withstonde him, he cleped himself the sone of God, and sovereyn of alle the
world. And for this Cham, this emperour clepeth him Cham and sovereyn of
all the world. And of the generacioun of Sem, ben comen the Sarrazines, And
of the generacioun of Japhethe, is comen the peple of Israel. And thoughe
that wee duellen in Europe, this is the opynyoun, that the Syryenes and the
Samaritanes, han amonges hem; and that thei told me, before that I wente
toward Ynde: but I fond it otherwise. Natheles the sothe is this, that
Tartarynes and thei that duellen in the grete Asye, thei camen of Cham. But
the emperour of Cathay clepeth him not Cham, but Can: and I schalle telle
zou how. It is but litylle more but 8 score zeer, that alle Tartarye was in
subiectioun and in servage to othere nacyouns abouten: for thei weren but
bestyalle folk, and diden no thing but kepten bestes, and lad hem to
pastures. But among hem, thei hadden 7 princypalle nacyouns, that weren
soveraynes of hem alle: of the whiche, the firste nacyoun or lynage was
clept Tartar; and that is the most noble and the most preysed. The seconde
lynage is clept Tanghot; the thridde Eurache; the 4 Valair; the 5 Semoche;
the 6 Megly; the 7 Coboghe. Now befelle it so, that of the firste lynage
succeeded an old worthi man, that was not riche, that hadde to name
Changuys. This man lay upon a nyght in his bed, and he sawhe in a visioun,
that there cam before him a knyght armed alle in white, and he satt upon a
white hors, and seyd to him, Can, slepest thou? The inmortalle God hathe
sent me to the; and it is his wille, that thou go to the 7 lynages, and
seye to hem, that thou schalt ben here emperour. For thou schalt conquere
the londs and the contrees, that ben abouten: and thei that marchen upon
zou, schulle ben undre zoure subieccioun, as zee han ben undre hires: for
that is Goddes wille inmortalle. And whan he cam at morwe, Changuys roos,
and wente to the 7 lynages, and tolde hem how the white knyght had seyd.
And thei scorned him, and seyden, that he was a fool; and so he departed
fro hem alle aschamed. And the nyght sewynge, this white knyght cam to the
7 lynages, and commaunded hem, on Goddes behalve inmortalle, that thei
scholde make this Changuys here emperour; and thei scholde ben out of
subieccioun; and thei scholde holden alle other regiounes aboute hem in
here servage, as thei had ben to hem beforn. And on the morwe, thei chosen
him to ben here emperour: and thei setten him upon a blak fertre; and aftre
that, thei liften him op with gret solempnytee, and thei setten him in a
chayer of gold, and diden hym alle maner of reverence; and thei cleped him,
Chan, as the white knyght called him. And whan he was thus chosen, he wolde
assayen, zif he myghte trust in hem or non, and whether thei wolde ben
obeyssant to him or non. And thanne he made many statutes and ordinances,
that thei clepen _Ysya Chan_. The first statute was, that thei scholde
beleeven and obeyen in God inmortalle, that is allemyghty, that wolde
casten hem out of servage; and at alle tymes clepe to him for help, in tyme
of nede. The tother statute was, that alle maner of men that myghte beren
armes, scholden ben nombred: and to every 10 scholde ben a maystre, and to
every 100 a maystre, and to every 1000 a maystre, and to every 10000 a
maystre. Aftre he commanded to the princypales of the 7 lynages, that thei
scholde leven and forsaken alle that thei hadden in godes and heritage; and
fro thens forthe to holden hem payd, of that that be wolde zeve hem of his
grace. And thei diden so anon. Aftre he commanded to the princypales of the
7 lynages, that every of hem scholde brynge his eldest sone before him, and
with here owne handes smyten of here hedes, with outen taryenge. And anon
his commandement was performed. And whan the Chane saghe, that thei made
non obstacle to performen his commandement, thanne he thoughte wel, that he
myghte trusten in hem, and commanded hem anon to make hem redy, and to
sewen his banere. And aftre this, Chane putt in subieccioun alle the londes
aboute him. Aftreward it befelle upon a day, that the Cane rood with a fewe
meynee, for to beholde the strengthe of the contree, that he had wonnen:
and so befelle, that a gret multytude of his enemyes metten with hem; and
for to zeven gode ensample of hardynesse to his peeple, he was the firste
that faughte, and in the myddes of his enemyes encountred; and there he was
cast from his hors, and his hors slayn. And whan his folk saughe him at the
erthe, thei weren alle abasscht, and wenden he had ben ded, and flowen
everych one; and hire enemyes aftre, and chaced hem: but thei wiste not,
that the emperour was there. And whan thei weren comen azen fro the chace,
thei wenten and soughten the wodes, zif ony of hem had ben hid in the
thikke of the wodes: and manye thei founden and slowen hem anon. So it
happend, that as thei wenten serchinge, toward the place that the emperour
was, thei saughe an owle sittynge upon a tree aboven hym; and than thei
seyden amonges hem, that there was no man, be cause that thei saughe that
brid there: and to thei wenten hire wey; and thus escaped the emperour from
dethe. And thanne he wente prevylly, alle be nyghte, tille he cam to his
folk, that weren fulle glad of his comynge, and maden grete thankynges to
God immortalle, and to that bryd, be whom here lord was saved. And therfore
princypally aboven alle foules of world, thei worschipen the owle: and whan
thei han ony of here fedres, thei kepen hem fulle precyously, in stede of
relykes, and beren hem upon here hedes with gret reverence: and thei holden
hem self blessed and saf from alle periles, while that thei han hem upon
hem; and therfore thei beren here fedres upon here hedes. Aftre alle this
the Cane ordeyned him, and assembled his peple, and wente upon hem that
hadden assayled hym before, and destroyed hem, and put hem in subieccioun
and servage. And whan he had wonnen and putt alle the londes and contrees,
on this half the Mount Belyan, in subieccioun, the whyte knyght cam to him
azen in his sleep, and seyde to him, Chan, the wille of God immortalle is,
that thou passe the Mount Belyan; and thou schalt wynne the lond, and thou
schalt putten many nacyouns in subieccioun: and for thou schalt fynde no
gode passage for to go toward that contree, go to the Mount Belyan, that is
upon the see, and knele there 9 tymes toward the est, in the worschipe of
God immortalle; and he schal schewe the weye to passe by. And the Chane
dide so. And anon the see, that touched and was fast to the mount, began to
withdrawe him, and schewed fair weye of 9 fote brede large; and so he
passed with his folk, and wan the lond of Cathay, that is the grettest
kyngdom of the world. And for the 9 knelynges, and for the 9 fote of weye,
the Chane and alle the men of Tartarye han the nombre of 9 in gret
reverence. And therfore who that wole make the Chane ony present, be it of
hors, be it of bryddes, or of arwes, or bowes, or of frute, or of ony other
thing, alweys he most make it of the nombre of 9. And so thanne ben the
presentes of grettere plesance to him, and more benygnely he wil resceyven
hem, than though he were presented with an 100 or 200. For hym semethe the
nombre of 9 so holy, be cause the messagre of God immortalle devised it.
Also whan the Chane of Cathay hadde wonen the contree of Cathay, and put in
subieccioun and undre fote many contrees abouten, he felle seek. And whan
he felte wel, that he scholde dye, he seyde to his 12 sones, that everyche
of hem scholde brynge him on of his arewes; and so thei diden anon. And
thanne he commanded, that men scholde bynden hem to gedre, in 3 places; and
than he toke hem to his eldest sone, and bad him breke hem alle to gedre.
And he enforced hem with alle his myght to breken hem: but he ne myghte
not. And than the Chane bad his seconde sone to breke hem; and so schortly
too alle, eche aftre other: but non of hem myght breke hem. And than be bad
the zongest sone dissevere everyche from other, and breken everyche be him
self: and so he dide. And than seyde the Chane to his eldest sone, and to
alle the othere, Wherfore myght zee not breke hem? And thei answereden,
that thei myght not, be cause that thei weren bounden to gydre. And
wherfore, quothe he, hathe zoure litylle zongest brother broken hem?
Because, quothe thei, that thei weren departed eche from other. And thanne
seyde the Chane, My sones, quoth he, treuly thus wil it faren be zou. For
als longe as zee ben bounden to gedere, in 3 places, that is to seyne, in
love, in trouthe and in gode accord, no man schalle ben of powere to greve
zou; but and zee ben disevered fro theise 3 places, that zoure on helpe not
zoure other, zee schulle be destroyed and brought to nought: and zif eche
of zou love other, and helpe othere, ze schulle be lordes and sovereynes of
alle othere. And whan he hadde made his ordynances, he dyed. And thanne
after hym, regned Ecchecha Cane his eldest sone. And his othere bretheren
wenten to wynnen hem many contrees and kyngdomes, unto the lond of Pruysse
and of Rossye, and made hem to ben cleped Chane: but thei weren all
obeyssant to hire eldre brother: and therfore was he clept grete Chane.
Aftre Ecchecha, regned Guyo Chane: and aftre him, Mango Chan, that was a
gode Cristene man, and baptized, and zaf lettres of perpetuelle pes to alle
Cristene men, and sente his brother Halaon with gret multytude of folk, for
to wynnen the Holy Lond, and for to put it in to Cristene mennes hondes,
and for to destroye Machametes lawe, and for to take the Calyphee of
Baldak, that was emperour and lord of alle the Sarazines. And whan this
Calyphee was taken, men fownden him of so highe worschipe, that in alle the
remenant of the world, ne myghte a man fynde a more reverent man, ne
highere in worschippe. And then Halaon made him come before him, and seyde
to hym: Why, quoth be, haddest thow not taken with the mo sowdyoures, and
men y nowe, for a lytille quantytee of thresour, for to defende the and thi
contree, that art so habundant of tresore and so high in alle worschipe?
And the Calyphee answered him, For he wel trowede, that he hadde y nowe of
his owne propre men. And than seyde Halaon, Thou were as a god of the
Sarazines: and it is convenyent to a god, to ete no mete, that is mortalle;
and therfore thou schalt not ete, but precyous stones, riche perles, and
tresour, that thou lovest so moche. And then he commanded him to presoun,
and alle his tresoure aboute him; and so he dyed for hungre, and threst.
And than aftre this, Halaon wan alle the lond of promyssioun, and putte it
in to Cristene mennes hondes. But the grete Chane his brother dyede; and
that was gret sorwe and losse to alle Cristen men.
Aftre Mango Chan, regned Coblya Chan, that was also a Cristene man: and he
regnede 42 zere. He founded the grete cytee Izonge in Cathay, that is a
gret del more than Rome.
The tother gret Chane, that cam aftre him, becam a Payneme, and alle the
other aftre him.
The kyngdom of Cathay is the grettest reme of the world. And also the gret
Chan is the most myghty emperour of the world, and the grettest lord undre
the firmament; and so he clepethe him in his lettres, right thus, _Chan,
filius Dei excelsi, omnium universam Terram colentium summus Imperatur, et
Dominus omnium Dominantium_. And the lettre of his grete seel, writen
abouten, is this, _Deus in Celo, Chan super Terram, ejus fortitudo. Omnium
hominum Imperatoris Sigillum_. And the superscripcioun aboute his litylle
seel is this, _Dei Fortitudo omnium hominum. Imperatoris Sigillum_. And
alle be it that thei be not cristned, zit natheles the emperour and alle
the Tarterynes beleeven in God immortalle. And whan thei wille manacen ony
man thanne thei seyn, God knowethe wel, that I schalle do the suche a
thing, and tellethe his menace. And thus have zee herd, whi he is clept the
grete Chane.
Of the governance of the grete Chanes Court, and whan he makethe solempne
Festes. Of his Philosophres. And of his Array, whan he riddethe be the
contre.