_Of the customs of Isles about Ind_. _Of the difference betwixt Idols
and Simulacres_. _Of three manner growing of Pepper upon one tree_. _Of
the Well that changeth his odour every hour of the day_; _and that is
marvel_
IN Ind be full many diverse countries. And it is clept Ind, for a flom
that runneth throughout the country that is clept Ind. In that flom men
find eels of thirty foot long and more. And the folk that dwell nigh
that water be of evil colour, green and yellow.
In Ind and about Ind be more than 5000 isles good and great that men
dwell in, without those that he inhabitable, and without other small
isles. In every isle is great plenty of cities, and of towns, and of
folk without number. For men of Ind have this condition of kind, that
they never go out of their own country, and therefore is there great
multitude of people. But they be not stirring ne movable, because that
they be in the first climate, that is of Saturn; and Saturn is slow and
little moving, for he tarryeth to make his turn by the twelve signs
thirty year. And the moon passeth through the twelve signs in one month.
And for because that Saturn is of so late stirring, therefore the folk of
that country that be under his climate have of kind no will for to move
ne stir to seek strange places. And in our country is all the contrary;
for we be in the seventh climate, that is of the moon. And the moon is
of lightly moving, and the moon is planet of way; and for that skill it
giveth us will of kind for to move lightly and for to go divers ways, and
to seek strange things and other diversities of the world; for the moon
environeth the earth more hastily than any other planet.
Also men go through Ind by many diverse countries to the great sea Ocean.
And after, men find there an isle that is clept Crues. And thither come
merchants of Venice and Genoa, and of other marches, for to buy
merchandises. But there is so great heat in those marches, and namely in
that isle, that, for the great distress of the heat, men’s ballocks hang
down to their knees for the great dissolution of the body. And men of
that country, that know the manner, let bind them up, or else might they
not live, and anoint them with ointments made therefore, to hold them up.
In that country and in Ethiopia, and in many other countries, the folk
lie all naked in rivers and waters, men and women together, from undern
of the day till it be past the noon. And they lie all in the water, save
the visage, for the great heat that there is. And the women have no
shame of the men, but lie all together, side to side, till the heat be
past. There may men see many foul figure assembled, and namely nigh the
good towns.
In that isle be ships without nails of iron or bonds, for the rocks of
the adamants, for they be all full thereabout in that sea, that it is
marvel to speak of. And if a ship passed by those marches that had
either iron bonds or iron nails, anon he should be perished; for the
adamant of his kind draweth the iron to him. And so would it draw to him
the ship because of the iron, that he should never depart from it, ne
never go thence.
From that isle men go by sea to another isle that is clept Chana, where
is great plenty of corn and wine. And it was wont to be a great isle,
and a great haven and a good; but the sea hath greatly wasted it and
overcome it. The king of that country was wont to be so strong and so
mighty that he held war against King Alexander.
The folk of that country have a diverse law. For some of them worship
the sun, some the moon, some the fire, some trees, some serpents, or the
first thing that they meet at morrow. And some worship simulacres and
some idols. But between simulacres and idols is a great difference. For
simulacres be images made after likeness of men or of women, or of the
sun, or of the moon, or of any beast, or of any kindly thing. And idols
is an image made of lewd will of man, that man may not find among kindly
things, as an image that hath four heads, one of a man, another of an
horse or of an ox, or of some other beast, that no man hath seen after
kindly disposition.
And they that worship simulacres, they worship them for some worthy man
that was sometime, as Hercules, and many other that did many marvels in
their time. For they say well that they be not gods; for they know well
that there is a God of kind that made all things, the which is in heaven.
But they know well that this may not do the marvels that he made, but if
it had been by the special gift of God; and therefore they say that he
was well with God, and for because that he was so well with God,
therefore they worship him. And so say they of the sun, because that he
changeth the time, and giveth heat, and nourisheth all things upon earth;
and for it is of so great profit, they know well that that might not be,
but that God loveth it more than any other thing, and, for that skill,
God hath given it more great virtue in the world. Therefore, it is good
reason, as they say, to do it worship and reverence. And so say they,
and make their reasons, of other planets, and of the fire also, because
it is so profitable.
And of idols they say also that the ox is the most holy beast that is in
earth and most patient, and more profitable than any other. For he doth
good enough and he doth no evil; and they know well that it may not be
without special grace of God. And therefore make they their god of an ox
the one part, and the other half of a man. Because that man is the most
noble creature in earth, and also for he hath lordship above all beasts,
therefore make they the halvendel of idol of a man upwards; and the
tother half of an ox downwards, and of serpents, and of other beasts and
diverse things, that they worship, that they meet first at morrow.
And they worship also specially all those that they have good meeting of;
and when they speed well in their journey, after their meeting, and
namely such as they have proved and assayed by experience of long time;
for they say that thilk good meeting ne may not come but of the grace of
God. And therefore they make images like to those things that they have
belief in, for to behold them and worship them first at morning, or they
meet any contrarious things. And there be also some Christian men that
say, that some beasts have good meeting, that is to say for to meet with
them first at morrow, and some beasts wicked meeting; and that they have
proved oft-time that the hare hath full evil meeting, and swine and many
other beasts. And the sparrow-hawk or other fowls of ravine, when they
fly after their prey and take it before men of arms, it is a good sign;
and if he fail of taking his prey, it is an evil sign. And also to such
folk, it is an evil meeting of ravens.
In these things and in such other, there be many folk that believe;
because it happeneth so often-time to fall after their fantasies. And
also there be men enough that have no belief in them. And, sith that
Christian men have such belief, that be informed and taught all day by
holy doctrine, wherein they should believe, it is no marvel then, that
the paynims, that have no good doctrine but only of their nature, believe
more largely for their simplesse. And truly I have seen of paynims and
Saracens that men clepe Augurs, that, when we ride in arms in divers
countries upon our enemies, by the flying of fowls they would tell us the
prognostications of things that fell after; and so they did full
oftentimes, and proffered their heads to-wedde, but if it would fall as
they said. But natheles, therefore should not a man put his belief in
such things, but always have full trust and belief in God our sovereign
Lord.
This isle of Chana the Saracens have won and hold. In that isle be many
lions and many other wild beasts. And there be rats in that isle as
great as hounds here; and men take them with great mastiffs, for cats may
not take them. In this isle and many other men bury not no dead men, for
the heat is there so great, that in a little time the flesh will consume
from the bones.
From thence men go by sea toward Ind the more to a city, that men clepe
Sarche, that is a fair city and a good. And there dwell many Christian
men of good faith. And there be many religious men, and namely of
mendicants.
After go men by sea to the land of Lomb. In that land groweth the pepper
in the forest that men clepe Combar. And it groweth nowhere else in all
the world, but in that forest, and that endureth well an eighteen
journeys in length. In the forest be two good cities; that one hight
Fladrine and that other Zinglantz, and in every of them dwell Christian
men and Jews, great plenty. For it is a good country and a plentiful,
but there is overmuch passing heat.
And ye shall understand, that the pepper groweth in manner as doth a wild
vine that is planted fast by the trees of that wood for to sustain it by,
as doth the vine. And the fruit thereof hangeth in manner as raisins.
And the tree is so thick charged, that it seemeth that it would break.
And when it is ripe it is all green, as it were ivy berries. And then
men cut them, as men do the vines, and then they put it upon an oven, and
there it waxeth black and crisp. And there is three manner of pepper all
upon one tree; long pepper, black pepper and white pepper. The long
pepper men clepe _Sorbotin_, and the black pepper is clept _Fulfulle_,
and the white pepper is clept _Bano_. The long pepper cometh first when
the leaf beginneth to come, and it is like the cats of hazel that cometh
before the leaf, and it hangeth low. And after cometh the black with the
leaf, in manner of clusters of raisins, all green. And when men have
gathered it, then cometh the white that is somedeal less than the black.
And of that men bring but little into this country; for they beyond
withhold it for themselves, because it is better and more attempre in
kind than the black. And therefore is there not so great plenty as of
the black.
In that country be many manner of serpents and of other vermin for the
great heat of the country and of the pepper. And some men say, that when
they will gather the pepper, they make fire, and burn about to make the
serpents and the cockodrills to flee. But save their grace of all that
say so. For if they burnt about the trees that bear, the pepper should
be burnt, and it would dry up all the virtue, as of any other thing; and
then they did themselves much harm, and they should never quench the
fire. But thus they do: they anoint their hands and their feet [with a
juice] made of snails and of other things made therefore, of the which
the serpents and the venomous beasts hate and dread the savour; and that
maketh them flee before them, because of the smell, and then they gather
it surely enough.
Also toward the head of that forest is the city of Polombe. And above
the city is a great mountain that also is clept Polombe. And of that
mount the city hath his name.
And at the foot of that mount is a fair well and a great, that hath odour
and savour of all spices. And at every hour of the day he changeth his
odour and his savour diversely. And whoso drinketh three times fasting
of that water of that well he is whole of all manner sickness that he
hath. And they that dwell there and drink often of that well they never
have sickness; and they seem always young. I have drunken thereof three
or four sithes, and yet, methinketh, I fare the better. Some men clepe
it the well of youth. For they that often drink thereof seem always
young-like, and live without sickness. And men say, that that well
cometh out of Paradise, and therefore it is so virtuous.
By all that country groweth good ginger, and therefore thither go the
merchants for spicery.
In that land men worship the ox for his simpleness and for his meekness,
and for the profit that cometh of him. And they say, that he is the
holiest beast in earth. For them seemeth, that whosoever be meek and
patient, he is holy and profitable; for then, they say, he hath all
virtues in him. They make the ox to labour six year or seven, and then
they eat him. And the king of the country hath alway an ox with him.
And he that keepeth him hath every day great fees, and keepeth every day
his dung and his urine in two vessels of gold, and bring it before their
prelate that they clepe Archi-protopapaton. And he beareth it before the
king and maketh there over a great blessing. And then the king wetteth
his hands there, in that they clepe gall, and anointeth his front and his
breast. And after, he froteth him with the dung and with the urine with
great reverence, for to be fullfilled of virtues of the ox and made holy
by the virtue of that holy thing that nought is worth. And when the king
hath done, then do the lords; and after them their ministers and other
men, if they may have any remenant.
In that country they make idols, half man half ox. And in those idols
evil spirits speak and give answer to men of what is asked them. Before
these idols men slay their children many times, and spring the blood upon
the idols; and so they make their sacrifice.
And when any man dieth in the country they burn his body in name of
penance; to that intent, that he suffer no pain in earth to be eaten of
worms. And if his wife have no child they burn her with him, and say,
that it is reason, that she make him company in that other world as she
did in this. But and she have children with him, they let her live with
them, to bring them up if she will. And if that she love more to live
with her children than for to die with her husband, men hold her for
false and cursed; ne she shall never be loved ne trusted of the people.
And if the woman die, before the husband, men burn him with her, if that
he will; and if he will not, no man constraineth him thereto, but he may
wed another time without blame or reproof.
In that country grow many strong vines. And the women drink wine, and
men not. And the women shave their beards, and the men not.