_The Emperor of Persia_, _and of the Land of Darkness_; _and of other
kingdoms that belong to the great Chan of Cathay_, _and other lands of
his_, _unto the sea of Greece_
NOW, since I have devised you the lands and the kingdoms toward the parts
Septentrionals in coming down from the land of Cathay unto the lands of
the Christian, towards Prussia and Russia,—now shall I devise you of
other lands and kingdoms coming down by other coasts, toward the right
side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the land of Christian men. And,
therefore, that after Ind and after Cathay the Emperor of Persia is the
greatest lord, therefore, I shall tell you of the kingdom of Persia.
First, where he hath two kingdoms, the first kingdom beginneth toward the
east, toward the kingdom of Turkestan, and it stretcheth toward the west
unto the river of Pison, that is one of the four rivers that come out of
Paradise. And on another side it stretcheth toward the Septentrion unto
the sea of Caspian; and also toward the south unto the desert of Ind.
And this country is good and plain and full of people. And there be many
good cities. But the two principal cities be these, Boyturra, and
Seornergant, that some men clepe Sormagant. The tother kingdom of Persia
stretcheth toward the river of Pison and the parts of the west unto the
kingdom of Media, and from the great Armenia and toward the Septentrion
to the sea of Caspian and toward the south to the land of Ind. That is
also a good land and a plenteous, and it hath three great principal
cities—Messabor, Saphon, and Sarmassan.
And then after is Armenia, in the which were wont to be four kingdoms;
that is a noble country and full of goods. And it beginneth at Persia
and stretcheth toward the west in length unto Turkey. And in largeness
it dureth to the city of Alexandria, that now is clept the Gate of Hell,
that I spake of before, under the kingdom of Media. In this Armenia be
full many good cities, but Taurizo is most of name.
After this is the kingdom of Media, that is full long, but it is not full
large, that beginneth toward the east to the land of Persia and to Ind
the less; and it stretcheth toward the west, toward the kingdom of
Chaldea and toward the Septentrion, descending toward the little Armenia.
In that kingdom of Media there be many great hills and little of plain
earth. There dwell Saracens and another manner of folk, that men clepe
Cordynes. The best two cities of that kingdom be Sarras and Karemen.
After that is the kingdom of Georgia, that beginneth toward the east to
the great mountain that is clept Abzor, where that dwell many diverse
folk of diverse nations. And men clepe the country Alamo. This kingdom
stretcheth him towards Turkey and toward the Great Sea, and toward the
south it marcheth to the great Armenia. And there be two kingdoms in
that country; that one is the kingdom of Georgia, and that other is the
kingdom of Abchaz. And always in that country be two kings; and they be
both Christian. But the king of Georgia is in subjection to the great
Chan. And the king of Abchaz hath the more strong country, and he always
vigorously defendeth his country against all those that assail him, so
that no man may make him in subjection to no man.
In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel. For a province of the
country that hath well in circuit three journeys, that men clepe Hanyson,
is all covered with darkness, without any brightness or light; so that no
man may see ne hear, ne no man dare enter into him. And, natheles, they
of the country say, that some-times men hear voice of folk, and horses
neighing, and cocks crowing. And men wit well, that men dwell there, but
they know not what men. And they say, that the darkness befell by
miracle of God. For a cursed emperor of Persia, that hight Saures,
pursued all Christian men to destroy them and to compel them to make
sacrifice to his idols, and rode with great host, in all that ever he
might, for to confound the Christian men. And then in that country
dwelled many good Christian men, the which that left their goods and
would have fled into Greece. And when they were in a plain that hight
Megon, anon this cursed emperor met with them with his host for to have
slain them and hewn them to pieces. And anon the Christian men kneeled
to the ground, and made their prayers to God to succour them. And anon a
great thick cloud came and covered the emperor and all his host. And so
they endure in that manner that they ne may not go out on no side; and so
shall they evermore abide in that darkness till the day of doom, by the
miracle of God. And then the Christian men went where them liked best,
at their own pleasance, without letting of any creature, and their
enemies enclosed and confounded in darkness, without any stroke.
Wherefore we may well say with David, _A Domino factum est istud_; _& est
mirabile in oculis nostris_. And that was a great miracle, that God made
for them. Wherefore methinketh that Christian men should be more devout
to serve our Lord God than any other men of any other sect. For without
any dread, ne were not cursedness and sin of Christian men, they should
be lords of all the world. For the banner of Jesu Christ is always
displayed, and ready on all sides to the help of his true loving
servants. Insomuch, that one good Christian man in good belief should
overcome and out-chase a thousand cursed misbelieving men, as David saith
in the Psalter, _Quoniam persequebatur unus mills_, _& duo fugarent decem
milia_; _et cadent a latere tuo mille_, _& decem milia a dextris tuis_.
And how that it might be that one should chase a thousand, David himself
saith following, _Quia manus Domini fecit haec omnia_, and our Lord
himself saith, by the prophet’s mouth, _Si in viis meis ambulaveritis_,
_super tribulantes vos misissem manum meam_. So that we may see apertly
that if we will be good men, no enemy may not endure against us.
Also ye shall understand that out of that land of darkness goeth out a
great river that sheweth well that there be folk dwelling, by many ready
tokens; but no man dare not enter into it.
And wit well, that in the kingdoms of Georgia, of Abchaz and of the
little Armenia be good Christian men and devout. For they shrive them
and housel them evermore once or twice in the week. And there be many of
them that housel them every day; and so do we not on this half, albeit
that Saint Paul commandeth it, saying, _Omnibus diebus dominicis ad
communicandum hortor_. They keep that commandment, but we ne keep it
not.
Also after, on this half, is Turkey, that marcheth to the great Armenia.
And there be many provinces, as Cappadocia, Saure, Brique, Quesiton,
Pytan, and Gemethe. And in everych of these be many good cities. This
Turkey stretcheth unto the city of Sachala that sitteth upon the sea of
Greece, and so it marcheth to Syria. Syria is a great country and a
good, as I have told you before. And also it hath, above toward Ind, the
kingdom of Chaldea, that stretcheth from the mountains of Chaldea toward
the east unto the city of Nineveh, that sitteth upon the river of Tigris;
and in largeness it beginneth toward the north to the city of Maraga; and
it stretcheth toward the south unto the sea Ocean. In Chaldea is a plain
country, and few hills and few rivers.
After is the kingdom of Mesopotamia, that beginneth, toward the east, to
the flom of Tigris, unto a city that is clept Mosul; and it stretcheth
toward the west to the flom of Euphrates unto a city that is clept
Roianz; and in length it goeth to the mount of Armenia unto the desert of
Ind the less. This is a good country and a plain, but it hath few
rivers. It hath but two mountains in that country, of the which one
hight Symar and that other Lyson. And this land marcheth to the kingdom
of Chaldea.
Yet there is, toward the parts Meridionals many countries and many
regions, as the land of Ethiopia, that marcheth, toward the east to the
great deserts, toward the west to the kingdom of Nubia, toward the south
to the kingdom of Moretane, and toward the north to the Red Sea.
After is Moretane, that dureth from the mountains of Ethiopia unto Lybia
the high. And that country lieth along from the sea ocean toward the
south; and toward the north it marcheth to Nubia and to the high Lybia.
(These men of Nubia be Christian.) And it marcheth from the lands
above-said to the deserts of Egypt, and that is the Egypt that I have
spoken of before.
And after is Lybia the high and Lybia the low, that descendeth down low
toward the great sea of Spain, in the which country be many kingdoms and
many diverse folk.
Now I have devised you many countries on this half the kingdom of Cathay,
of the which many be obeissant to the great Chan.