In reuertendo de Cassan, et Riboth, et de diuite Epulone.
[Sidenote: Via per quam Mandeuillus redijt in Angliam.] Ex hinc de illis
quæ in reuertendo vidi scribo cursim pauca, ne modum excedere videatur
materia. [Sidenote: Cassan.] Reuertebar itaque quasi per Aquilonare latus
Imperij Presbyteri Ioannis, et nunc terræ, non mari nos commendantes,
transiuimus Deo Ductore, multas Insulas in multis diaetis, et peruenimus ad
regionem magnam Cassan: haec cum sit vna de quindecim habens longitudinem
diaetarum 60. et latitudinem propè 30. posset esse nominatior omnibus ibi
circa prouincijs, si a nostris frequentaretur.
Notandum. Cassan (secundum Odericum) est melior prouincia de mundo, vbi
strictior est, habet diaetas 50. vbi longior 60, et est vna de 12.
prouincijs Imperij Grand Can. Est ista populosa, distincta ciuitatibus, vt
quisque à quacunque plaga de vna exeat ciuitate nouerit aliam in media
diaeta propinquam. Tenétque istam regionem Cassan rex diues et potens, pro
parte de Imperio Praebyteri Ioannis, et pro parte de Imperio Grand Can.
[Sidenote: Riboth.] De ista in reuersione nostra venimus ad Regnum Riboth,
quod similiter est vnum de quindecim, latum, et speciosum, in quo de multis
bonis, habetur plena copia. Hoc tenetur in toto de Imperio Tartarorum.
[Sidenote: Labassi, summus idolorum pontifex.] Vna est ibi inter et super
omnes ciuitas Sacerdotalis, et Regia, in qua Rex habet suum magnificum
palatium, et summus Idolorum Pontifex quem Labassi appellant, cui omnes
Regni obediunt et populi sicut Domino Papæ nos Christiani quoniam et iubet,
et benedicit, ac confert sacerdotibus beneficia idolorum.
Ciuitatis vndique muri sunt compacti albis et nigris lapidibus conquadratis
ad modum scakarij, omnesque contractæ simili pauimento sunt stratæ. Tanta
est illic reuerentia sacrificiorum vt si quis vel in modica quantitate,
sanguinem hominis, seu immolaticiæ pecudis fudisse deprehensus fuerit,
nequaquam iudicium mortis euadet. Et inter innumeras superstitiones est
illic vna talis.
Haeres cuius pater defungitur, si alicuius vult esse reputationis, mandat
cognatos, amicos, Relligiosos, et sacerdotes pro posse, qui certo Die
conuenientes sub magno Symphoniæ festo, corportant defuncti cadauer, in
montis sublime cacumen. Ibi accedens dignior Praelatorum, funeris caput
abscindit, tradens haeredi in aureo disco decantanti sub deuotione suas
orationes cum suis in propria lingua. Atque interim aues regionis rapaces,
et immundæ, vt corui, vultures, et aquilæ, quæ pro consuetudine optimè
morem norunt, aduolant magno numero in aere: Tuncque Relligiosi cum
sacerdotibus detruncant corpus in frusta velut in macello, proijcientes
pecias in altum auibus, ac decantantes certam ad hoc compositam orationem,
tanquam si nostri sacerdotes cantarent. Subuenite sancti Dei, etc.
Et habet eorum oratio, hunc sensum in sua lingua. Respice quàm iustus et
sanctus extitit homo iste, quem Angeli Dei conueniunt accipere et in
Paradisum deferre. Talique diabolico errore delusi, putant filius, et
amici, quod defunctus sit in Paradisum translatus, viuat illic sempiterne
beatus, quoniam, vbi plures conuenere volucrum, ibi maiorem laetantur et
iactant fuisse numerum Angelorum.
Hinc deinde reuertentes, cum choris, et resonantia Musicorum, filius
paratum praestat omnibus conuiuium, in cuius fine pro extremo ferculo,
tradit singulis particulam, de patris capite summa cum devotione. Hanc
etiam capitis caluariam filius facit postmodum debitè formari et poliri
sibi pro cypho, in quo bibit in conuijs, ob recordationem amantissimi
patris.
Ab hoc Regno decem dietis per potestatem Imperatoris Grand Can, inuenitur
Insula delectabilis, et speciosa satis: cuius Rex est praepotens in gloria,
et in diuitijs superabundans, et de multis quæ illic geruntur admirandis
vnum recito solum.
[Sidenote: Diues Epulo.] Quòd est ibi homo quidam ditissimus nullius
dignitatis nomine honoratus, sed bysso, ac serico adornatus, et splendide
omni tempore epulatus: non ergo vult dici princeps, Dux, comes, miles, aut
huiusmodi, licet superioritatem habeat super marchiones aliquos et barones.
Eius possessionis valor æstimatur in anno 30. cuman de assinarijs bladi, et
risi, nec quærit nisi delitiosè viuere in isto seculo, vt cum diuite
Epulone sepeliatur in inferno. Cum etiam sibi derelictus sit, iste viuendi
modus a retrogenitoribus, eum et ipse posteris derelinquet. Hic tanquam
Imperiali residet palatio, cuius muri ambitus ad tractum leucæ tenditur,
continens arbusta, vineta, rinulos, fontes et stagna, aulas, et cubicula
auro strata depictaque mirè, et sculpta artificiosè, vltra quam vales
explicare, et inter omnia ad medium palatium in celso vertice atrium
amaenum, valdè tamen modico, sed cunctis praeciosius, ædificio, quasi ad
seema nostrarum Ecclesiarium, cum turribus, pilarijs, et columnis, in
quibus nihil prominet indignius auro. Nunquam vel rarò hic exit de suo
palatio cum solis pulchris quos sibi conuocat et conuariat paruis pueris et
puellis, non excedentibus 16. annos ætatis. Tendit dum libet pedibus,
quandoque vectatur equo, interdum ducitur vehiculo, nonnunquam vult ferri
gestatorio, vel certè puellaribus brachijs, et visitat saepissimè praefatum
praeciosius ædificium: atque hijs et modis alijs excogitat delectare visum
pulchris, auditum suauibus, olfactum redolentibus, tactum lenibus, et
gustum pascere delicatis. Electas semper habet praesto 50. puellas ei, et
de proximo exquisitissimè ministrantes tam ad mensam quàm ad cubiculum, et
ad omne libitum.
[Sidenote: Versus.] Hæ ad prandium recumbenti afferunt processionis more
pro singulo ferculo semper 5. genera dapum nobilium cum dulcisonæ
resonantia cantilenæ, quarum aliquæ ei singulos detruncant genu flexo
morsellos, aliquæ ponunt in ore, mundis tergentes comedentis labia mappis.
Nam ipse quidem in mensa continet iacentes manus puras et quietas. Post
deseruitionem ferculi primi, seruitur pro secundo in 5. alijs dapum
generibus modo quo supra, et renouatur in apponendo cantus suauior melodia.
Ista àbsque vlla Domini cura per ministros quotidiè reparantur etiam in
maiori satis quam effor nobilitate, nisi dum ipse pro placito iusserit,
quandoque temperari.
Deliciosius igitur quo vult deducit carnem, non curans animam, sed nec
probitatem curans terrenam, pascit sterilem, et viduæ non benefacit. Et
Quia viuit sicut porcus,
Morientem suscipit orcus.
[Sidenote: Longitudo vnguium. Vtunturetiam in Florida principes longis
vnguibus.] Porrò quod eum dixi manus tenere quietas, noueritis nimirum nil
posse manibus capere vel tenere, propter longitudinem, et recuruitatem
vnguium in digitis, qui sibi nullo tempore praescinduntur. Seruatur enim
hoc pro nobili more patriæ, et viri diuites delicati, qui proprios possunt
habere ministros nunquàm sibi dimittunt vngues resecare, vnde et nonnullis
circumdantur vndique manus, acsi uiderentur armatæ.
[Sidenote: Noua historia Chinensis hoc testatur.] Foeminarum autem mos est
nobilis si habeant paruos pedes, vnde et generosarum in cunis strictissimè
simè obuoluuntur, vt vix ad medium debitæ quantitatis excrescere possint.
The English Version.
Of the Customs of Kynges, and othere that dwellen in the Yles costynge to
Prestre Johnes Lond. And of the Worschipe that the Sone dothe to the
Fader, whan he is dede.
[Sidenote: Cap. XXXI.] From tho yles, that I have spoken of before, in the
lond of Prestre John, that ben undre erthe as to us, that ben o this half,
and of other yles, that ben more furthere bezonde; who so wil, pursuen hem,
for to comen azen right to pursuen hem, for to comen azen right to the
parties that he cam fro; and so environne alle erthe: but what for the
yles, what for the see, and what for strong rowynge, fewe folk assayen for
to passen that passage; alle be it that men myghte don it wel, that myght
ben of power to dresse him thereto; as I have seyd zou before. And therfore
men returnen from tho yles aboveseyd, be other yles costynge fro the lond
of Prestre John. And thanne comen men in returnynge to an yle, that is
clept Casson: and that yle hathe wel 60 jorrneyes in lengthe, and more than
50 in brede. This is the beste yle, and the beste kyngdom, that is in alle
tho partyes, out taken Cathay. And zif the merchauntes useden als moche
that contre an thei don Cathay, it wolde ben better than Cathay, in a
schort while. This contree is fulle well enhabyted, and so fulle of cytees,
and of gode townes, and enhabyted with peple, that whan a man gothe out of
o cytee, men seen another cytee, evene before hem: and that is what partye
that a man go, in alle that contree. In that yle is gret plentee of alle
godes for to lyve with, and of alle manere of spices. And there ben grete
forestes of chesteynes. The kyng of that yle is fulle ryche and fulle
myghty: and natheles he holt his lond of the grete Chane, and is obeyssant
to hym. For it is on of the 12 provynces, that the grete Chane hathe undre
him, with outen his propre lond, and with outen other lesse yles, that he
hathe: for he hathe fulle manye.
From that kyngdom comen men, in returnynge, to another yle, that is clept
Rybothe: and it is also under the grete Chane. That is a fulle gode
contree, and fulle plentefous of alle godes and of wynes and frut, and alle
other ricchesse. And the folk of that contree han none houses: but thei
dwellen and lyggen all under tentes, made of black ferne, by alle the
contree. And the princypalle cytee, and the most royalle, is alle walled
with black ston and white. And alle the stretes also ben pathed of the same
stones. In that cytee is no man so hardy, to schede Blode of no man, ne of
no best, for the reverence of an ydole, that is worschipt there. And in
that yle dwellethe the pope of hire lawe, that they clepen Lobassy. This
Lobassy zevethe alle the benefices, and alle other dignytees, and all other
thinges, that belongen to the ydole. And alle tho that holden ony thing of
hire chirches, religious and othere, obeyen to him; as men don here to the
Pope of Rome.
In that yle thei han a custom, be alle the contree, that whan the fader is
ded of ony man, and the sone list to do gret worchipe to his fader, he
sendethe to alle his frendes, and to all his kyn, and for religious men and
preestes, and for mynstralle also, gret plentee. And thanne men beren the
dede body unto a gret hille, with gret joye and solempnyte. And when thei
han brought it thider, the chief prelate smytethe of the hede, and leythe
it upon a gret platere of Gold and of sylver, zif so be he be a riche man;
and than he takethe the hede to the sone; and thanne the sone and his other
kyn syngen and seyn manye orisouns: and thanne the prestes, and the
religious men, smyten alle the body of the dede man in peces: and thanne
thei seyn certeyn orisouns. And the fowles of raveyne of alle the contree
abouten knowen the custom of long tyme before, and comen fleenge aboyen in
the eyr, as egles, gledes, ravenes and othere foules of raveyne, that eten
flesche. And than the preestes casten the gobettes of the flesche; and than
the foules eche of hem takethe that he may, and gothe a litille thens and
etethe it: and so thei don whils ony pece lastethe of the dede body. And
aftre that, as preestes amonges us syngen for the dede, _Subvenite sancti
Dei_, &c. right so the preestes syngen with highe voys in hire langage,
beholdethe how so worthi a man, and how gode a man this was, that the
aungeles of God comen for to sechen him, and for to bryngen him in to
paradys. And thanne semethe in to the sone, that he is highliche worschipt,
whan that many briddes and foules and raveyne comen and eten his fader. And
he that hathe most nombre of foules, is most worschiped. Thanne the sone
bryngethe hoom with him alle his kyn, and his frendes, and alle the othere
to his hows, and makethe hem a gret feste. And thanne alle his frendes
maken hire avaunt and hire dalyance, how the fowles comen thider, here 5,
here 6, here 10, and there 20, and so forthe: and thei rejoyssen hem hugely
for to speke there of. And whan thei ben at mete, the sone let brynge
forthe the hede of his fader, and there of he zevethe of the flesche to his
most specyalle frendes, in stede of entre messe, or a sukkarke. And of the
brayn panne, he letethe make a cuppe, and there of drynkethe he and his
other frendes also, with great devocioun, in remembrance of the holy man,
that the aungeles of God han eten. And that cuppe the sone schalle kepe to
drynken of, alle his lif tyme, in remembrance of his fadir.
From that lond, in returnynge be 10 jorneyes thorghe out the lond of the
grete Chane, is another gode yle, and a gret kyngdom, where the kyng is
fulle riche and myghty. And amonges the riche men of his contree, is a
passynge riche man, that is no prince, ne duke ne erl; but he hathe mo that
holden of him londes and other lordschipes: for he is more riche. For he
hathe every zeer of annuelle rente 300000 hors charged with corn of dyverse
greynes and of ryzs: and so he ledethe a fulle noble lif, and a delycate,
aftre the custom of the contree. For he hathe every day, 50 fair damyseles,
alle maydenes, that serven him everemore at his mete, and for to lye be hem
o nyght, and for to do with hem that is to his pleasance. And whan he is at
the table, they bryngen him hys mete at every tyme, 5 and 5 to gedre. And
in bryngynge hire servyse, thei syngen a song. And aftre that, thei kutten
his mete, and putten it in his mouthe; for he touchethe no thing ne
handlethe nought, but holdethe evere more his hondes before him, upon the
table. For he hathe so long nayles, that he may take no thing, ne handle no
thing. For the noblesse of that contree is to have longe nayles, and to
make hem growen alle weys to ben as longe as men may. And there ben manye
in that contree, that han hire nayles so longe, that thei envyronne alle
the hond: and that is a gret noblesse. And the noblesse of the wommen, is
for to haven smale feet and litille: and therfore anon as thei ben born,
they leet bynde hire feet so streyte, that thei may not growen half as
nature wolde; and alle weys theise damyseles, that I spak of beforn, syngen
alle the tyme that this riche man etethe: and whan that he etethe no more
of his firste cours, than other 5 and 5 of faire damyseles bryngen him his
seconde cours, alle weys syngynge, as thei dide beforn. And so thei don
contynuelly every day, to the ende of his mete. And in this manere he
ledethe his lif. And so dide thei before him, that weren his auncestres;
and so schulle thei that comen aftre him, with outen doynge of ony dedes of
armes: but lyven evere more thus in ese, as a swyn, that is fedde in sty,
for to ben made fatte. He hathe a fulle fair palays and fulle riche, where
that he dwellethe inne: of the whiche, the walles ben in circuyt 2 myle:
and he hathe with inne many faire gardynes, and many faire halles and
chambres, and the pawment of his halles and chambres ben of gold and
sylver. And in the myd place of on of his gardynes, is a lytylle mountayne,
wher there is a litylle medewe: and in that medewe, is a litylle toothille
with toures and pynacles, alle of gold: and in that litylle toothille wole
he sytten often tyme, for to taken the ayr and to desporten hym: for that
place is made for no thing elles, but only for his desport.
Fro that contree men comen be the lond of the grete Chane also, that I have
spoken of before.
And ze schulle undirstonde, that of alle theise contrees, and of alle
theise yles, and of alle the dyverse folk, that I have spoken of before,
and of dyverse lawes, and of dyverse beleeves that thei han; zit is there
non of hem alle, but that thei han sum resoun with in hem and
undirstondynge, but zif it be the fewere: and that han certeyn articles of
oure feithe and summe gode poyntes of oure beleeve: and that thei beleeven
in God, that formede alle thinges and made the world; and clepen him God of
Nature, aftre that the prophete seythe, _Et metuent cum omnes fines terre_:
and also in another place, _Omnes gentes servient ei_; that is to seyn,
_Alle folke schalle serven Him_. But zit thei cone not speken perfytly;
(for there is no man to techen hem) but only that thei cone devyse be hire
naturelle wytt. For thei han no knouleche of the Sone, ne of the Holy Gost:
but thei cone alle speken of the Bible: and namely of Genesis, of the
prophetes lawes, and of the Bokes of Moyses. And thei seyn wel, that the
creatures, that thei worschipen, ne ben no goddes: but thei worschipen hem,
for the vertue that is in hem, that may not be, but only be the grace of
God. And of simulacres and of ydoles, thei seyn, that there ben no folk,
but that thei han simulacres: and that thei seyn, for we Cristene men han
ymages, as of Oure Lady, and of othere seyntes, that wee worschipen; nohte
the ymages of tree or of ston, but the seyntes, in whoos name thei ben made
aftre. For righte as the bokes of the Scripture of hem techen the clerkes,
how and in what manere thei schulle beleeven, righte so the ymages and the
peyntynges techen the lewed folk to worschipen the seyntes, and to have hem
in hire mynde, in whoos name that the ymages ben made aftre. Thei seyn
also, that the aungeles of God speken to hem in tho ydoles, and that thei
don manye grete myracles. And thei seyn sothe, that there is an aungele
with in hem: for there ben 2 maner of aungeles, a gode and an evelle; as
the Grekes seyn, Cacho and Calo; this Cacho is the wykked aungelle, and
Calo is the gode aungelle: but the tother is not the gode aungelle, but the
wykked aungelle, that is with inne the ydoles, for to disceyven hem, and
for to meyntenen hem in hire errour.