CAPVT. 5.

Via a Francia aut Flandria per solas terras vsque Ierusalem.

Itineribus, quae per terras, et per mare a nostris partibus ducunt in terram promissionis descriptis, restat breuiter dicendum de alia via, per quam omnino mare transeundum non est, videlicet per Almaniam, per Bohemiam, per Prussiam, et hinc per terram Paganorum regni Lituaniae, et sic per longam, et pessimam terram primae Tartariae vsque in Indiam: Dico autem Tartariae primae, quoniam de hac exijt primus Imperator totius Tartariae, qui semper vocatur Grand Can, quo vix maiorem mundus habet terrenum Dominum, excepto Imperatore superioris Indiae, de quibus in secunda et tertia huius tractatus partibus, aliquanto est diffusius narrandum. Cuncti principes huius primae Tartariae, quorum summus semper vocatur Bachu, et moratur in Ciuitate Horda, [Marginal note: Horda est multitudo riuens in agris.] reddunt Imperatore Grand Can, magna tributa. [Sidenote: Mores Tartarorum.] Est autem haec prima Tartaria terra misera et sabulosa, et infructuosa: hoc enim scio, quod per aliquod tempus steti in ea, et perambulaui Insulas, regiones, et terras circumiacentes, scilicet, Russiae, Inflau, Craco, Latton, Restau, et alias nonnullas: crescunt namque in ista Tartaria modica blada, pauca vina, et fructuum, ac frugum parua copia, exceptis herbis pro pastu Bestiarum, quarum ibi est abundantia: nam carnibus illarum vescuntur pro omnibus cibarijs, ius earum sorbentes, et pro potu bibentes lac de omni genere bestiarum. Quin etiam pauperiores manducant canes, lupos, catos, ratos, talpas, ac mures, ac huiusmodi bestiolas omnes: sed nec aliquis Princeps aut praelatus comedit vltra semel in die, et hoc parce, vel parcissime: et sunt homines valde immundi, quia non nisi bene diuites vtuntur mappis, linteaminibus, aut lineis indumentis: sed nec habent copiam lignorum, vnde et fimum boum, ac omnium bestiarum desiccatum ad solem accipiunt pro ignis materia, vbi se calefaciunt, et coquendo coquunt. Aestiuo tempore, cadunt ibi frequenter tempestates, tonitruorum, fulminum, et grandinum, quibus domus, arbores, bestiae, et homines, comburuntur, euelluntur, et occiduntur. Nam et quandoque subrepente oritur ibi calor immoderatus, et improuiso frigus immoderatum. Denique cum terra illa, se multum inclinet ad polum Septentrionalem, fortius ibi gelare solet, et frequentius, ac diutius quam ad partes nostras, vnde et quasi omnes habent ibi stupas, in quibus manducant, et operantur. [Sidenote: Hyeme praecipue iter faciunt per terram.] Nec valet a nostris partibus ingredi ad illam nisi tempore gelicidij, quod ad introitum eius sunt tres dictae, de via molli, aquatica, et profunda, in qua dum viator putaret se stare securum, profunderetur in lutum ad tibias, ad genua, ad femora vel ad renes: hoc ergo sciendum quod paucissimi tendunt per hanc viam in terram promissionis: Nam iter est graue, distortum, longum, et periculosum sicut audistis, imo periculosius quam scribo.

CAPVT. 6.

Via de Cypro vel Ierusalem vsque in Babyloniam AEgypti.

Descripto sicut potui tripliciter itinere in terram sanctam, restat videre de duabus alijs vijs, quae incidenter solent contingere peregrinis: Multi namque illorum ex speciali deuotione desiderant visitare ossa beatissimae Virginis Catharinae in monte Sinay: [Sidenote: Babylonia Aegypti.] Cum igitur ipsis sit necessarius Soldani Babyloniae conductus eo quod Imperator sit, et dominus omnium illarum terrarum, quidam postquam perueniunt in Cyprum tendunt primo in Babyloniam AEgypti, pro impetrando conductu securo, atque inde pergentes in Sinay vadunt in Ierusalem. Quidam vero postquam perfecerunt peregrinationem Hierosolymitanam, pergunt per terras ad Soldanum pro conductu, et tum in Sinay, propter quod vtramque viam breuiter describo. [Sidenote: Damiata portus Aegypti.] De Cypro in AEgyptum itur per mare relinquendo Hierosolymorum terram ad manum sinistram, et accipitur primus portus AEgypti, dictus Damiata: ibi quondam fuit Ciuitas valde munita, sed quod Christiani illam, primi et altera vice ceperunt, Sarraceni vltimo destruxerunt, et aliam remotius a mari eiusdem nominis Ciuitatem aedificauerunt: [Sidenote: Alexandria.] Hinc venitur in portum Alexandriae AEgypti, quae est Ciuitas magna, pulchra, et fortis valde, sed absque aquis potabilibus. Adducit tamen sibi per longos ductus aquam Nili fluminis in cisternis ad potandum. Alexandria nobilis, 30. stadia habet longitudinis decemque in latum. In ea restant adhuc plures Ecclesiae a tempore Christianorum, sed Sarraceni non sustinentes picturas Sanctorum omnes parietes albauerunt. De Alexandria per terras venitur in Babyloniam AEgypti, quae etiam fundata iacet supra praedictum Nilum fluuium: Dicitur autem haec Babylonia minor ad differentiam magnae Babyloniae, siue Babel, vbi Deus linguas confudit olim, quae tendendo inter Orientem et Septentrionem distat ab ista dietas circiter 40. nec est sub potestate Soldani, sed Imperatoris Persarum, qui illam tenet in homagio ab Imperatore Cathay, dicto, Grand Can. [Sidenote: Cayr ciuitas.] Haec autem Babylonia AEgypti est Ciuitas grandis et fortis, tamen valde prope eam est alia maior dicta Cayr, in qua vt saepius residet Soldanus, quanquam Babylonia nomen per seculum diffusius est cognitum: Altera autem via peregrinorum de Hierosolymis pro conducta tendentium ad Soldanum talis esse potest. [Sidenote: Abilech desertum.] Primo tendant de Ierusalem in supra dictam Gazam Palestinorum, inde ad Castellum Dayre, atque ex tunc exitur de terra Syriae, et intratur a superiori parte in desertum longum arenosum, et sterile, prope ad septem dietas, quod lingua eorum vocatur Abilech; tamen per illud inueniantur plura hospitia, vbi haberi possunt ad victum nccessaria. Et qui in eundo rectum iter tenet, veniet in Ciuitatem dictam, Balbes, quae est ad finem Regni Halapiae: Sicque expleto Deserto, intratur terra AEgypti, quam ipsi Canopat vocant, et aliqui Mersur, atque ex tunc in Babyloniam, et Cayr, praefatam: In ista vero Babylonia habetur pulchra Ecclesia Mariae virginis, in loco vbi morabatur cum filio suo, et Ioseph tempore suae fugae, et creditur ibi contineri corpus Virginis Barbarae.

CAPVT. 7.

De Pallatio Soldani, ac numero, et nominibus praeteritorum Soldanorum.

Cayr ciuitas Imperialis et Regalis est valde munita, et grandis, decorata sede propria Sarracenorum Regni, vbi dominus eorum Soldanus communiter residere solet, in suo Calahelick, id est, castro forti, et lato, ac in euecta rupe statuto. Siquidem Soldanus eorum lingua sonat nomen similis maiestatis, quo nos in Latino dicimus Caesarem, aut Imperatorem. Pro custodia huius Castri sunt ibidem omni tempore morantes sex millia personarum, et pro, seruiendo, dum ibi residet, ipsi Soldano, qui omnes de Curia eadem accipiunt necessaria, et donatiua. Iste Imperator Soldanus, est Rex, Dominusque quinque Regnoram magnorum: Canopat, hoc est, AEgypti: totius Iudeae, sicut olim Dauid, et Salomon; Halapiae, in terra Machsyriae, cuius ciuitas Damascus olim erat principalis; Arabiae, quod est regnum valde protensum, et cum his possidet dominatus omnium Caliphorum: ad quod sciendum, quod quaundoque fuerunt tres Caliphorum dominatus: Ex quibus primus Caliphus qui dicebatur Chaldaeorum, et Arabum, cuius erat sedes in Ciuitate Baldac. Alter Barbarorum et Affricorum, cuius erat sedes in Maroco super Mare Hispaniae. Tertius Aegypti: [Sidenote: Caliphus quid sit.] Est autem Caliphus inter eos, velut inter nos Imperator, et Papa simul, scilicet, Dominus temporalium et spiritualium. [Sidenote: Series Soldanorum Aegypti.] Exactis igitur Caliphis circa annum incarnationis Christi 1150, primus Soldanorum fuit nominatus Saracon: secundus filius eius, Saladin, qui anno 1190. cum Turcis totam fere terram promissionis abstulit a Christianis. Et sub quo Richardus Rex Angliae cum alijs principibus Christianis custodiebat passum Rupium, ne ille sicut proposuerat transire, profecisset vltra. Tertius Melachsala, a quo sanctus Ludouicus rex Franciae captiuabatur in bello. Quartus Turquenna, qui Regem praedictum redemi dimisit pro pecunia. Quintus Meleth. Sextus Melethemes. Septimus Melec dayr, sub quo Edwardus Rex Angliae intrauit cum nostris Syriam, damnificans plurimum Sarracenos. [Sidenote: Edwardus princeps Angliae, Regis Hen. 3. filius.] Octauus Melec salle. Nonus Elphi, qui Anno Incarnationis Domini 1289. destruxit in illis partibus enormiter Christianos, et penitus omnes inde fugauit, atque recepit Tripolim Ciuitatem. Decimus Melethasseras: hic cepit Anno Domini 1291. in octaua paschae Accharon, fugatis vel occisis ex ea omnibus Christianis. Exinde amissis succedentium nominibus, sextus decimus dicebatur vel dicitur Melec Mandibron: sub isto steti ego per aliquod tempus stipendiarius in guerris suis contra Bedones, qui ei tunc temporis rebellabant. Horum etiam mores, et continentiam populorum, in sequentibus declarabo: sicut veraciter fateri possum, ipse ad filiam cuiusdam sui Principis me obtulit vxorare, et magnis dotari possessionibus, dummodo Christianitati resignassem: Eumque dimisi Soldanum, quando de partibus illis recessi. [Sidenote: Potentia Soldani Aegypti.] Soldanus praeter homines ad sua castra seruanda deputatos, potest educere quoties velit in exercitum de hominibus de ipsius stipendijs viuentibus et ad eius iugiter mandata paratis, 20. millia armatorum, ex sola AEgypto: Et ex Syria, et Turcia, et alijs terris, 50. millia exceptis ruralibus, et Ciuitatem comitatibus, qui sunt velut innumerabiles. Miles quidem stipendiarius recipit de Curia pro anni Tempore 121. aureos, et sub tali stipendio seruit cum tribus equis et vno Camelo. Quadringenti vel Quingenti horum militum ordinati sunt sub vno rectore, que vocatur Admirabilis: Et ille solus recipit de curia tantum, sicut omnes sibi subditi: Notandum quod nunquam extraneus Nuncius ire permittitur ad Soldanum nisi auratis indutus vestibus, vel panno Tartarico aut camoleoto ad modum nobilium Sarracenorum: [Sidenote: Reuerentia exhibita Soldano.] et oportet vt vbicunque primum nuncius Soldanum aspiciat, siue ad fenestras, siue alibi, vt cadat ad genua, vel protinus osculetur terram, quia talem reuerentiam facere, signum est quod ille desiderat ei loqui. Quamdiu autem tales loquuntur sibi, aut literas ostendunt, circumstant Apparitores extensis brachijs leuatos tenentes mucrones, gladios, gezas, et mackas ad feriendum, et occidendum, si quid dictum vel nunciatum fuerit, quod Imperatori displiceat, quam cito ille signauerit trucidari. Veruntamen sciendum est quod nullius hominis personaliter ab ipso quidquam petentis consueuit repellere preces rationabiles, et contra eorum leges aut mores non venientes. Porro ego in Curia manens, vidi circa Soldanum vnum venerabilem, et expertum medicum, de nostris partibus oriundum: [Marginal note: Cuius nomen erat M. Ioannes ad Barbam.] solet namque circa se retinere diuersarum medicos nationum, et quos nominandae audierit esse famae: Nos tamen raro inuicem conuenimus ad colloquium, eo quod meum seruitium cum suo modicum congruebat: longo autem postea tempore, et ab illo loco remote, videlicet in Leodij ciuitate, composui hortatu et adiutorio eiusdem venerabilis viri hunc tractatum, sicut in fine operis totius enarrabo. Itemque in Cayr ciuitate ducuntur ad forum communitur tam viri quam mulieres aliarum legum, et nationum venales, et ad modum bestiaram venduntur pro pecunia ad seruiendum in suis artificijs. [Sidenote: Mos oua furnis fouendi.] Habetur quoque ibi domus plena furnis paruis, in quibus per custodes domus tam hyeme quam aestate fouentur oua gallinarum, anatum, aucarum, et columbarum, vsque ad procreationem suorum pullorum, et hijs intendunt, pro certo pretio accipiendo a mulierculis illic oua ferentibus.

CAPVT. 8.

De Campo Balsami in Egypto.

[Sidenote: Balsamum.] Extra hanc ciuitatem Cayr, est Campus seu ager Balsami: circa quod sciendum, quod optimum totius mundi Balsamum in magno crescit Indiae deserto, vbi Alexander Magnus dicitur quondam locutus fuisse arboribus Solis et Lunae, de quo in sequentibus aliquid est scribendum. Illo itaque Indiae Balsamo duntaxat excepto, non est liquor in vniuerso orbe, qui huic creditur comparari. Has arbores seu arbusta Balsami fecit quondam quidam de Caliphis Aegypti de loco Engaddi inter mare mortuum, et Ierico, vbi Domino volente excreuerat, eradicari, et in argo praedicto plantari: est tamen hoc mirandum, quod vbicuncque alibi siue prope, siue remote plantantur, quamuis forte virent, et exurgant, non tamen fructificant. Et e contrario apparet hoc miraculosum, quod in hoc agro Cayr non se permittant coli per Sarracenos, sed solummodo per Christianos, vel aliter non fructificarent: Et dicunt ipsi Sarraceni hoc saepius se tentasse: sunt autem arbusta trium vel quatuor pedem altitudinis, velut vsque ad renes hominis, et lignum eorum aspiciendum, sicut vitis syluestris. Folia non marcescunt, quin prius marcescant fructus, cernitur ad formam Cubebae, et gummi eorum est Balsamum. Ipsi appellant arbores Enochkalse, fructum Abebifau, et liquorum gribalse. Extrahitur vero gummi de arbusculis per hunc modem: De lapide acuto, vel de osse fracto dant scissuras per cortices in ligno, et ex vulneribus Balsamum lachrymatur, quod in vasculis suscipiunt, cauentes quout possunt, ne quid de illo labatur in terram: Nam se de ferro, vel alio metallo fieret incissura, liquor Balsami corrumperetur a sua virtute. [Sidenote: Virtutes veri Balsami.] Veri Balsami virtutes sunt magnae quidem, et innumerosae: nam vix aliquis mortalium scire potuit omnes, quamuis inter Physicos quinquaginta scribantur. Raro vtique Sarraceni vendunt Christianis purum et verum Balsamum, quin prius commisceant, et falsificant sicut ego ipse frequenter vidi. Nam aliqui tertiam, seu quartam partem immiscent terrebynthinae. [Sidenote: Sophisticationes Balsami.] Alii ramusculos arbustarum, et fructus eorum coquunt in oleo, quod vendunt pro Balsamo: et quidam (quod pessimam est) nil Balsami habentes, distillant oleum, per clauos gariophillos, et spicum nardum, et similes odoriferas species, hoc pro Balsamo exponentes, atque aliis pluribus modis deludunt ementes. [Sidenote: Probatio veri Balsami.] Sed et Mercatores inuicem nonnunquam sophisticant altera vice: probatio autem veri Balsaml potest haberi pluribus modis, quorum aliquos hic describo. Est enim Citrini coloris, valde clarum, et purum, et fortissimum in odoris fragrantia: si ergo apparet alterius quam Citrini coloris sciatur non simplicis, sed cuiuscunque commixtae substantiae, vel ita spissum, vt non possit fluere, scitote sophisticatum. Item si posueris modicum veri Balsami in manus palma, non poteris sustinere eam linialiter in feruore splendentis Solis ad spacium recitandae Dominicae orationis. Item si in clara flamma ignis vel candeliae cereae miseris punctum cultelli cum gutta puri Balsami, ipsa gutta de facile comburetur. Item si in scutella munda cum puro lacte caprino posueris modicum veri Balsami, statim, miscebit se, et vnietur cum lacte, ita vt Balsamum non cognoscetur. Item e contra, si posueris verum Balsamum cum aqua Lympida, nunquam miscebit se aquae, etiamsi aquam moueris vehementer, imo Balsamum semper tendit ad fundum vasis, nam est in sui quanitate valde ponderosam, et iuxta quod minus ponderosum inueneris, amplius falsificatum noueris.

CAPVT. 9.

De Nile fluuio, et Aegypti territorio.

Nilus supra dictus fluuius Aegypti appellatus est alio nomine Gyon, cuius origo est a Paradiso terrestri. Hic venit currens per deserta Indiae Maioris, hincque per meatus subterraneos transit plures terras: exiens sub Monte Aloth, inter Indiam et Aethiopiam, et Mauritaniam intra deserta Aegypti, irrigans totam longitudinem Aegypti vsque ad Alexandriam, ibique se perdit in mare. [Sidenote: Inundatio Nilo.] Sole intrante signum Cancri omni anno hoc est, ad quindenam ante Festum Natiuitatis Ioannis Baptistae incipit paulatim fluuius crescere, et inundare, quousque sol intret Virginem, quod est circa Festum Laurentij, atque ex tunc decrescere, et minui, donec Sole veniente in Lybram intra suos alueos se conseruet: Dumque per inundationem nimis effluit, damnificat terrae culturas, et fit Charistia in Aegypto. [Sidenote: Raro in Aegyptio pluuia.] Et similiter dum parum exundat, ingruit esuries, quoniam in Aegypto rarissime pluit, aut apparent nubes, quoniam si quandoque pluerit in aestate, terra muribus adimpleur. [Sidenote: Nubia.] Terra Aegypti continet in longitudine dietas quindecim, in latitudine fere tres, et habet triginta dietas deserti: a finibus Aegypti vsque Nubiam, duodecim sunt dietae. Hi Nubij sunt Christiani, sed nigri, velut Aethiopes, vel Mauri.

[Sidenote: Phoenix visa a Mandeuillo.] Phoenix auis, de qua dicitur, quod semper vnica sit in mundo, viuens per annos quingentos, quae et seipsam comburit, ac de cineribus eius, siue per naturam, siue per miraculum alia creatur, haec interdum apparet in Aegypto, et sicut mihi monstrabatur, vidi duabus vicibus. Modicum est maior Aquila, cristam in capite maiorem pauonis, collum habens croceum, dorsum Indicum, alas purpureas, caudam duobus coloribus, per transuersum croceo et rubeo regulatam, qui singuli colores sunt ad splendorem Solis delectabiliter videntibus resplendentes. In Aegypto multae habentur arbores sexcies aut septies in anno fructificantes, ibique frequenter inueniuntur in terra Smaragdi, et circa oram Nili alij lapides pretiosi. [Sidenote: Mecha.] A Babylonia Aegypti, vsque ad ciuitatem Meccam, (quam Pagani ibidem appellant Iacrib, et est in magnis desertis Arabiae) sunt triginta duae dietae. In ea veneratur detestandum cadauer Machon siue Machometi honorabiliter et reuerenter in Templo eius, quod ibi vocatur Musket, de cuius vita aliquid infra narrabo. Per praedicta itaque apparet, quod Imperator Sarracenorum Soldanus Babyloniae, valde potens est Dominus.

CAPVT. 10.

De couductu Soldani, et via vsque in Sinay.

Prius dictum est de reuerentia Soldani, quando ad ipsum intratur exhibenda. Sciendum ergo, cum ab eo petitur securus conductus, nemini denegare consueuit, sed datur petentibus communiter sigillum eius, in appenditione absque literis: hoc sigillum, pro vexillo in virga aut hasta dum peregrini ferunt, omnes Sarraceni videntes illud flexis genibus in terram se reuerenter inclinant, et portantibus omnem exhibent humanitatem. Verumtamen satis maior fit reuerentia literis Soldani sigillatis, quod et Admirabiles, et quicunque alij Domini, quando eis monstrantur, antequam recipiant, se multum inclinant: Deinde ambabus manibus eas capientes ponunt super propria capita, postea osculantur, et tandem legunt inclinati cum magna veneratione, quibus semel aut bis perlectis, offerunt se promptos ad explendum quicquid ibi iubetur, ac insuper exhibent deferenti, quicquid possint commodi, vel honoris: sed talem conductum per literas Soldani vix quisquam peregrinorum accipit, qui non in Curia illius stetit, vel notitiam apud illum habuerit. [Sidenote: Literae Soldani in gratiam Mandeuilli concessae.] Ego autem habui in recessu meo, in quibus etiam continebatur ad omnes sibi subiectos speciale mandatum, vt me permitterent intrare, et respicere singula loca, pro meae placito voluntatis, et mihi exponerent quorumcunque locorum mysteria distincte et absque vllo velamine veritatis, ac me cum omni sodalitate mea benigne reciperent, et in cunctis rationalibus audirent, requisiti autem si necesse foret de ciuitate conducerent in ciuitatem. Habito itaque peregrinis conductu, ad Montem Sinay potest a Cayr vnam duarum incipere semitarum, vsque vallem Helim, vbi adhuc sunt duodecim fontes aquarum. Nam vna viarum est, vt pertranseat passagium maris rubri, non longe ab eodem loco, vbi olim populus Israel Duce Mose, Deo iubente, siccis pedibus transiit idem mare. [Sidenote: Ratio, cur Rubrum mare sic appellatur.] Quod quidem, licet aqua sit satis clara, dicitur ibi Rubrum propter lapillos, et arenas subrufi coloris: et continet ibi nunc temporis passus maris in latitudine fere sex leucas. Transmissoque mari, ibit super hanc longe ab oris eiusdem per dietas quatuor, atque ex tunc relinquens mare, tendit per deserta sex aut septem dierum, vsque in vallem praefatam. Alia est autem via, vt de Babylonia intret Dyrcen deserta, tendens ad quendam fontem, quem dicitur Moses [Marginal note: Vel Maus.] fecisse: et hinc ad riuulum Marach, qui quondam, Mose imponente lignum, ab amaritudine dulcescebat, et sic tandem in premissam vallem perueniant. Et restat via grandis dietae ad Montem Sinay ab hac valle. Nam a Babylonia vsque in Sinay, aestimatur esse via duodecim dictarum, quamuis nonnulli citius perueniunt. Hoc vere sciendum, neminem peregrinorum per haec deserta sine ductore posse tendere, cui notae sunt viae, sed nec equi valent transire, praecipue quod non inuenirent in desertis quid bibere. [Sidenote: Abstinentia Camelorum ab aquis.] Aliquo tamen modo transitur per Camelos, eo quod se continere possunt de potu duobus aut tribus diebus: Et oportet vt itinerantes ferant secum per viam necessaria ad victum proprium, et Camelorum, nisi quod interdum forte Cameli aliquid sibi abrodere possunt circa cortices arbustorum, et folia ramusculorum.

CAPUT. 11.

De Monasterio Sinay, et reliquijs beatae Catherinae.

Mons Sinay appellatur ibi desertum Syn: quasi in radice montis istius habetur Coenobium Monachorum pergrande, cuius clausura in circuitu est firmata muris altis, et portis ferreis, pro metu bestiarum deserti. Hi Monachi sunt Arabes, et Graeci, et in magno conuentu multum Deo deuoti: viuunt in magna abstinentia, vtentes simplicibus cibariis, de lotis et dactylis, et huiusmodi, nec vinum potantes, festis acceptis. Illic in Ecclesia Beatae Virginis et matris Catherinae semper lampades plurimae sunt ardentes, nam habetur ibi plena copia olei oliuarum. A posteriori parte magni altaris monstratur locus, vbi Moysi apparuit Dominus in rubo ardente, ipsum rubum adhuc seruans, quem dum monachi intrant, semper se discalceant gratia illias verbi, quo Deus iussit Moysi ibidem, Solue calciamentum de pedibus tuis, locus enim in quo stas, terra sancta est: hunc locum appellant Bezeleel, id est, vmbra Dei. Et prope altare tribus gradibus in altitudine, habetur capsa, seu Tumba Alabastri, sanctissima continens ossa Virginis. Christiani qui ibidem morantur, cum magna reuerentia aduenientibus peregrinis, a Monachorum praelato, seu ab alio in hoc instituto, excipiuntur. Is quodam instrumento argenteo consueuit ossa defricare, siue linire, vt ex iis exeat modicum olei, velut parumper sudoris, quod tamen non apparet in colore sui tanquam olei seu Balsami, sed aliquantulum pluris magnitudinis. Et ex isto traditur interdum aliquid petentibus peregrinis, sed parum, quia nec multum exudat. Ostendere solent et caput ipsius Catherinae cum inuolumento sanguinolento, et multas praeterea sanctas, et venerabiles reliquias, quae omnia intuitus sum diligentur et saepe, oculis indignis. Habent quoque in ista Ecclesia propriam Lampadem quilibet Monachorum, quae imminente illius discessu lumen per diuinum miraculum variat vel extinguit. [Sidenote: Monarchorum sophismata.] Ego etiam curiosius super vno dubio quod prius audieram, plures interrogationes feci ab aliquibus Monachorum, vtrum scilicet praelato eorum decedente semper successor per diuinum signum eligetetur: et vix tandem ab eis recepi responsum, quod per vnum istorum miraculorum habetur successor, videlicit in missa sepulturae defuncti omnibus Monachorum lampadibus extinctis, illius sola Dei nutu reaccenditur, quem fieri vult praelatum, vel de coelo inuenitur missus breuiculus super altare, inscriptum habens nomen praelati futuri. Intra hanc Ecclesiam nunquam musca, vel aranea, aut huiusmodi immundi vermiculi nascuntur, quod similiter per diuinum accidit miraculum: nam ante replebatur Ecclesia talibus immunditiis, et totus conuentus recederet ad construendum Ecclesiam in alio loco. Et ecce Dei genetrix virgo beata eis visibiliter obuiauit, iubens reuerti, et dicens nunquam Ecclesiam similibus infestari. In cuius obuiationis loco in ascensu procliuo huius montis per multos gradus construxerunt Ecclesiam, aedificium excellens, in honorem eiusdem virginis. Et alibuanto altius, per eiusdem montis ascensum est vetus Capella, quam vocant Eliae Prophetae, et locum specialiter appellant Horeb. A cuius latere in montis appendentia colitur vinea, quam nominant Iosuae scophis, de qua quidam putare volunt, quod Sanctus Ioannes Euangelista eam primo plantauit. In superiori vero montis vertice, est Capella, quam dicunt Moysis, et illic rupis seruans adhuc corporis eius formam impressam dum se abscondit, viritus dominum respicere in facie. Locus quoque ibi ostenditur, in quo Deus tradidit ei decem mandata, siue legem proprio digito scriptam, et sub rupe cauerna in qua mansit ieiunus diebus 40. Ab hoc monte qui vocatur Mosi, restat via producta ad quartam Leucae, vsque in montem qui dicitur Sanctae Catherinae per vallem speciosam, ac multum frigidam. Circa eius medium habetur Ecclesia, nomine 40. Martyrum constructa, vbi interdum veniunt Monachi cantare missam: Hic mons est satis altior Monte Moysis, in cuius vertice Angeli Dei pie creduntur attulisse, et sepeliisse corpus sanctissimae Martyris Catherinae cum inuolumento capitis supra dicto. Attamen in ipso certo sepulturae loco, licet quandoque stetit Capella, modo non est habitaculum, sed modicus aceruus petrarum. Notandum, quod vterque horum montium potest vocari mons Sinay, eo quod totus circumiacens locus deserti Sin appellatur. Sur desertum inter mare Rubrum, et solitudinem Sinay. Desertum Sur idem Scriptura quod et Cades. Visitatis igitur a peregrinis his sacrosanctis memorijs, et valefacto Monachis, recommendant se eorum orationibus, et meritis: tuncque solet aliquid victualium offerri peregrinis, pro inchoanda via deserti Syriae versus Ierusalem. Et sicut dixi de priori deserto, sic nec istud secure est peragrandum absque Drogemijs; id est, semitarum ductoribus, propter vastitudinem deserti.

CAPVT. 12.

Iter a deserto Sinay vsque ad Iudeam.

Per istud latum et longum desertum, moratur vel potius vagata maxima multitudo malorum, et incompositorum hominum, qui non manent in domibus, sed sub pellium tabernaculis, quemadmodum et olim filij Israel in eodem deserto ambulauerunt, quoniam aquae non manent ibi diu in locis certis: et ideo mutant tabernacula sequentes aquas: non colunt terras, raro manducant panem, sed tantum carnes bestiarum deserti quas venantur, coquentes super petras calefactas ad Solem: fortes sunt et feroces, et velut desperati de vita propria non curantes, qui licet non habeant arma praeter lanceam, et tarchiam, et caput grandi albo linteolo inuolutum, tamen non verentur exercere guerras, et inire proelia contra Dominum suum Soldanum: nam et ego stipendiarius in expeditione Soldani contra eos saepius fui. Isti sunt quidem Arabes, sed notiori nomine appellantur Bedoyns et Acopars, et quamuis plurima mala agunt per desertum, raro tamen nocent peregrinis beatae Virginis Catharinae. [Sidenote: Ioannes Mandeuil militans contra Arabes. Beersheba.] Itaque peregrinus qui debitum tenuit iter, veniat a finibus deserti in primam ciuitatem Iudeae, quae dicitur Berseba: est vicus grandis Hebron inde miliario vergens ad Austrum: Hieronymus. Notandum, Theros Mons Dei in regione Maglaw iuxta Montem. Notandum similiter, Arabiam in deserto esse, cui iungitur Mons et desertum Sarracenorum, quod vocatur Phaaran. Mihi autem videtur, quod dupliei nomine, nupe Mons Sinay, nunc Oreb vocatur. Hieronymus. Phaaran nunc oppidum trans Oreb, iam iunctum Sarracenis, qui in solitudine vagi pererrant. Hos interfecerunt filij Israel, cum de Monte Sinay castra mouissent. Est ergo, vt dixi, trans Jordanem contra Australem plagam, et distat ab Helyn, contra Orientem, itinere dierum trium. In deserto autem Phaaran, Scriptura commemorat habitasse Ismaelem, vade et Ismaelitae, qui nunc Sarraceni. Legimus quoque Chederlaomer percussisse eos qui erant in deserto Phaaran quod nunc dicitur Ascalon, et circa eam Regio Palestinorum. Hieronymus. Haec Bersheba erat bona et spectabilis, vltimo tempore Christianorum, et adhuc ibi restant nonnullae Ecclesiae.

[Sidenote: Ciuitas Hebron.] Hinc ad Leucas duas venitur in ciuitatem Hebron, et Hebron ab Helyn distat ad Meridianam plagani millibus circiter 39. de qua legitur, quod primis temporibus fuerit habitatio maximorum Gigantium, Regumque, postea Dauidis. In hac est illa spelunca duplex, quae seruat ossa sanctorum Patriarcharum, Abrahae, Isaac, et Jacob, Sarae, et Rebeccae, consistitque ad radicem montis, et habetur super istam cum propugnaculis ad modum castri constructa pulchra Ecclesia. Sarraceni appellant istam speluncam Kariackaba, custodienies locum diligenter ac reuerenter propter honorem Patriarcharum, et non permittentes quenquam Christianorum aut Iudaeorum ingredi, nisi ostenderit super haec specialem gratiam a Soldano. Nam ipsi communiter reputant tam Christianos quam Iudaeos pro canibus, et quando despectiue eos volunt appellare, dicunt Kylp, id est, canis.

[Sidenote: Vallis Mambrae Quercus arida.] Ab Hebron incipit vallis Mambrae, quae protenditur fere vsque Ierusalem: haud remote ad Hebron est mons Mambre, et in ipso monte arbor quercus aridae quae pro antiquitate sui, speciale sibi nomen meruit in mundo vniuerso, vt vocetur arbor sicca: Sarraceni autem eam dicunt Dirp: haec creditur stetisse ante tempora Abrahae, tamen quidam volunt putare a mundi initio, virens donec passionis Christi tempore siccaretur. Hoc autem certum est haberi eam ob omnibus nationibus in venerationem.

[Sidenote: Gambil species Aromatis] In quodam loco praefatae vallis est planicies, vbi per plures fossas effodiunt homines Gambil, quod comeditur loco specierum aromaticarum, et per villas defertur venale, sed et hoc audiui, quod nulla ibi fossa ita valet exhauriri, si dimittatur per annum, quin inueniatur de praedicta Gambil impleta.

Ad duas leucas de Hebron, monstratur sepultura Loth filii fratris Abraham. Item de ciuitate Hebron per quinque leucas amoeni itineris, hoc est in medio die, venitur in Bethleem Iudeae. [Sidenote: Kiriath Arbe.] Notandum, Arbe, id est, quatuor, primum dicum de eo quod ibi tres Patriarchae Abraham, Isac, et Iacob sepulti sunt, et Adam magnus, vt in Iudaeorum libro scriptum est, licet eum quidam conditum in loco Caluariae suspicentur. Corrupte in nostris codicibus Arboth scribitur, alibi erat arbor cum in Hebraeis legatur Arbe, haec est autem eadem Hebron olim Metropolis Philistinorum, ab vno filiorum Caleb sortita vocabulum.

The English Version.

Of the Weye fro Costantynoble to Jerusalem. Of Seynt John the Evaungelist; and of Ypocras Daughter, transformed from a Woman to a Dragoun.

[Sidenote: Cap. IV] Now returne I azen, for to teche zou the way from Costantynoble to Jerusalem. He that wol thorghe Turkye, he gothe toward the cytee of Nyke, and passethe thorghe the gate of Chienetout, and alle weyes men seen before hem the hille of Chienetout, that is righte highe: and it is a myle, and an half from Nyke. And whoso will go be watre, be the brace of Seynt George, and by the see, where Seynt Nycholas lyethe, and toward many other places: first men gothe to an ile, that is clept Sylo. [Footnote: Chios] In that ile growethe mastyck on smale trees: and out of hem comethe gomme, as it were of plombtrees or of cherietrees. And aftre gon men thorghe the ile of Pathmos, and there wrot Seynt John the Evaungelist the Apocalips. And zee schulle undrestonde, that Seynt Johne was of age 32 zeer, whan oure Lord suffred his passioun; and aftre his passioun, he lyvede 67 zeer, and in the 100th zeer of his age he dyede. From Pathmos men gone unto Ephesim, a fair citee and nyghe to the see. And there dyede Seynte Johne and was buryed behynde the highe awtiere, in a toumbe. And there is a fair chirche. For Cristene men weren wont to holden that place alweyes. And in the tombe of Seynt John is noughte but manna, that is clept aungeles mete. For his body was translated into paradys. And Turkes holden now alle that place, and the citee and the chirche. And alle Asie the lesse is y cleped Turkye. And zee schulle undrestonde, that Seynt Johne leet [Footnote: Let.] make his grave there in his lyf, and leyd himself there inne alle quyk. And therefore somme men seyn, that he dyed noughte, but that he restethe there till the day of doom. And forsothe there is a great marveyle: for men may see there the erthe of the tombe apertly many tymes steren and meven, [Footnote: Stir and move.] as there wern quykke thinges undre.

And from Ephesim men gon throghe many iles in the see, unto the cytee of Paterane, [Footnote: Patera.] where Seynt Nicholas was born, and so to Martha, [Footnote: Myra.] where he was chosen to ben bisschoppe; and there growethe right gode wyn and strong; and that men callen wyn of Martha. And from thens gone men to the ile of Crete, that the Emperour zaf somtyme to Janeweys. [Footnote: The Genoese.] And thanne passen men thorghe the isles of Colos and of Lango; [Footnote: Cos.] of the whiche iles Ypocras [Footnote: Hippocrates.] was lord offe. And some men seyn, that in the ile of Lango is zit the doughtre of Ypocras, in forme and lykeness of a gret dragoun, that is a hundred fadme of lengthe, as men seyn: for I have not seen hire. And thei of the isles callen hire, lady of the lond. And sche lyethe in an olde castelle, in a cave, and schewethe twyes or thryes in the zeer. And sche dothe none harm to no man, but zif men don hire harm. And sche was thus chaunged and transformed, from a fair damysele, into lyknesse of a dragoun, be a goddesse, that was clept Deane. [Footnote: Diana.] And men seyn, that sche schalle so endure in that forme of a dragoun, unto the tyme that a knyghte come, that is so hardy, that dar come to hire and kiss hire on the mouthe: and then schall sche turne azen to hire own kynde, and ben a woman azen: but aftre that sche schalle not liven longe. And it is not long siththen, that a knyghte of the Rodes, that was hardy and doughty in armes, seyde that he wole kyssen hire. And whan he was upon his coursere, and wente to the castelle, and entred into the cave, the dragoun lifte up hire hed azenst him. And whan the knyghte saw hire in that forme so hidous and so horrible, he fleyghe awey. And the dragoun bare the knyghte upon a roche, mawgre his hede; and from that roche, sche caste him in to the see: and so was lost bothe hors and man. And also a zonge man, that wiste not of the dragoun, wente out of a schipp, and wente thorghe the ile, til that he come to the castelle, and cam in to the cave; and wente so longe, til that he fond a chambre, and there he saughe a damysele, that kembed hire hede, and lokede in a myrour: and sche hadde meche tresoure abouten hire: and he trowed, that sche hadde ben a comoun woman, that dwelled there to resceyve men to folye. And he abode, tille the damysele saughe the schadewe of him in the myrour. And sche turned hire toward him, and asked hym, what he wolde. And he seyde, he wolde ben hire limman or paramour. And sche asked him, zif that he were a knyghte. And he seyde, nay. And then sche seyde, that he myghte not ben hire lemman: but sche bad him gon azen unto his fellowes, and make him knyghte, and come azen upon the morwe, and sche scholde come out of the cave before him; and thanne come and kysse hire on the mowthe, and have no drede; for I schalle do the no maner harm, alle be it that thou see me in lyknesse of a dragoun. For thoughe thou see me hidouse and horrible to loken onne, I do the to wytene, [Footnote: Know.] that it is made be enchauntement. For withouten doubte, I am non other than thou seest now, a woman; and therfore drede the noughte. And zif thou kysse me, thou schalt have alle this tresoure, and be my lord, and lord also of alle that ile. And he departed fro hire and wente to his felowes to schippe, and leet make him knyghte, and cam azen upon the morwe, for to kysse this damysele. And whan he saughe hire comen out of the cave, in forme of a dragoun, so hidouse and so horrible, he hadde so grete drede, that he fleyghe azen to the schippe; and sche folewed him. And whan sche saughe, that he turned not azen, sche began to crye, as a thing that hadde meche sorwe: and thanne sche turned azen, in to hire cave; and anon the knyghte dyede. And siththen hidrewards, myghte no knyghte se hire, but that he dyede anon. But whan a knyghte comethe, that is so hardy to kisse hire, he schalle not dye; but he schalle turne the damysele in to hire righte forme and kyndely schapp, and he schal be lord of alle the contreyes and iles aboveseyd.

And from thens men comen to the Ile of Rodes, the whiche ile Hospitaleres holden and governen; and that token thei sumtyme from the Emperour: and it was wont to be clept Collos; and so callen it the Turks zit. And Seynt Poul, in his Epistles, writeth to hem of that Ile, ad Colossenses. [Footnote: The truth is the Epistle was written to the Church of Collosae in Phrygia Major.] This ile is nyghe 800 myle from Costantynoble.

And from this ile of Rodes, men gon to Cipre, where bethe many vynes, that first bene rede, and aftre o zeer, thei becomen white: and theise wynes that ben most white, ben most clere and best of smelle. And men passen be that way, be a place that was wont to ben a gret cytee and a gret lond: and the cytee was clept Cathaillye: the which cytee and lond was lost thorghe folye of a zonge man. For he had a fayr damysele, that he loved wel, to his paramour; and sche dyed sodeynly, and was don in a tombe of marble: and for the grete lust, that he had to hire, he wente in the nyghte unto hire tombe and opened it, and went in and lay be hire, and wente his way. And whan it came to the ende of nine monethes, there com a voys to him, and seyde, Go to the tombe of that woman, and open it and beholde what thou hast begotten on hire: and if thou lette to go, thou schalt have a gret harm. And he zede [Footnote: Went.] and opened the tombe; and there fleyghe out an eddere righte hidous to see; the whiche als swythe fleighe aboute the cytee and the contree; and sone after the cytee sank downe. And there ben manye perilouse passages.

Fro Rodes to Cypre ben 500 myle and more. But men may gon to Cypre, and come not at Rodes. Cypre is righte a gode ile and a fayr and a gret, and it hathe 4 princypalle cytees within him. And there is an erchebysshoppe at Nichosie, and 4 othere byschoppes in that lond. And at Famagost is on of the princypalle havenes of the see, that is in the world: and there arryven Cristene men and Sarazynes and men of alle naciouns. In Cipre is the hille of the Holy Cros; and there is an abbeye of monkis blake; and there is the cros of Dismas the gode theef, as I have seyd before. And summe men trowen, that there is half the crosse of oure Lord: but it is not so: and thei don evylle, that make men to beleeve so. In Cipre lythe Seynt Zenomyne: of whom men of that contree maken gret solempnytee. And in the Castelle of Amours lythe the body of Seynt Hyllarie: and men kepen it right worschipfully. And besyde Famagost was Seynt Barnabee the apostle born. In Cipre men hunten with papyonns, that ben lyche lepardes: and thei taken wylde bestes righte welle, and thei ben somdelle [Footnote: Somewhat.] more than lyouns; and thei taken more scharpely the bestes and more delyverly [Footnote: Deliberately.] than don houndes. In Cipre is the manere of lordis and alle othere men, alle to eten on the erthe. For thei make dyches in the erthe alle aboute in the halle, depe to the knee, and thei do pave hem: and whan thei wil ete, thei gon there in and sytten there. And the skylle is, for thei may ben the more fressche: for that lond is meche more hottere than it is here. And at grete festes and for straungeres, thei setten formes and tables, as men don in this contree: but thei had lever sytten in the erthe.

From Cypre, men gon to the lond of Jerusalem be the see: and in a day and in a nyghte, he that hathe gode wynd may come to the haven of Thire [Footnote: Tyre.], that now is clept Surrye. There was somtyme a gret cytee and a gode, of Crystene men: but Sarazins han destroyed it a gret partye; and thei kepe that havene right welle, for drede of Cristene men. Men myghte go more right to that havene, and come not in Cypre: but thei gon gladly to Cypre, to reste hem on the lond, or elles to bye thingis, that thei have nede to here lyvynge. On the see syde, men may fynde many rubyes. And there is the welle, of the whiche Holy Writt spekethe offe, and seythe, Fons ortorum, et puteus aquarum viventium: that is to seye, The welle of gardyns, and the dyche of lyvynge watres. In this cytee of Thire, seyde the woman to oure Lord, Beatus venter qui te portavit, et ubera quae succisti: that is to seye, Blessed be the body that she baar, and the pappes that thou sowkedest. And there oure Lord forzaf the woman of Chananee hire synnes. And before Tyre was wont to be the ston, on the whiche oure Lord sat and prechede: and on that ston was founded the Chirche of Seynt Savyour.

And 8 myle from Tyre, toward the est, upon the see, is the cytee of Sarphen, in Sarept [Footnote: Zarephath.] of Sydonyeus. And there was wont for to dwelle Helye the prophete; and there reysed he Jonas the wydwes sone from dethe to lyf. And 5 myle fro Sarphen is the cytee of Sydon: of the whiche cytee, Dydo was lady, that was Eneas wyf aftre the destruccioun of Troye; and that founded the cytee of Cartage in Affrick, and now is cleped Dydon Sayete. And in the cytee of Tyre regned Agenore the fadre of Dydo. And 16 myles from Sydon is Beruthe. [Footnote: Beyrout.] And from Beruthe to Sardenare is 3 journeys. And from Sardenar is 5 myle to Damask.

And whoso wil go longe tyme on the see, and come nerrer to Jerusalem, he schal go fro Cipre, be see, to the port Jaff. [Footnote: Jaffa.] For that is the nexte havene to Jerusalem. For fro that havene is not but o day journeye and an half to Jerusalem. And the town is called Jaff; for on of the sones of Noe, that highte Japhet, founded it; and now it is clept Joppe. And zee schulle undrestonde, that it is on of the oldest townes of the world: for it was founded, before Noes flode. And zitt there schewethe in the roche ther, as the irene cheynes were festned, that Andromade, a gret geaunt was bounden with, and put in presoun before Noes flode: of the whiche geaunt is a rib of his syde, that is 40 fote longe. [Footnote: Our author here takes Andromeda for the monster that would have devoured her.]

And whoso wil arryve at the firste port of Thire or Surre, that I have spoken of before, may go be londe, zif he wil, to Jerusalem. And men gothe fro Surre unto the citee of Dacoun [Footnote: St. Jean d'Acre.] in a day. And it was clept somtyme Tholomayde. And it was somtyme a cytee of Cristenemen, fulle fair; but it is now destroyed: and it stont upon the see. And fro Venyse to Akoun, be see, is 2080 myles of Lombardye. And fro Calabre or fro Cecyle to Akoun, be see, is 1300 myles of Lombardye. And the ile of Crete is right in the myd weye. And besyde the cytee of Akoun, toward the see, 120 furlonges on the right syde, toward the southe, is the hylle of Carmelyn, where Helyas the prophete dwellede: and there was first the ordre of Freres Carmes founded. This hille is not right gret, ne fulle highe. And at the fote of this hille was somtyme a gode cytee of Cristene men, that men cleped Cayphas: For Cayphas first founded it: but it is now alle wasted. And on the lift syde of the hille Carmelyn is a town, that men clepen Saffre: and that is sett on another hille. There Seynt James and Seynt Johne were born: and in the worschipe of hem, there is a fair chirche. And fro Tholomayde, that men clepen now Akoun, unto a gret hille, that is clept Scalle of Thires, is 100 furlonges. And besyde the cytee of Akoun renneth a lytille ryvere, that is clept Belon. And there nyghe is the fosse of Mennon, that is alle round: and it is 100 cubytes of largenesse, and it is alle fulle of gravelle, schynynge brighte, of the whiche men maken fair verres [Footnote: Glass.] and clere. And men comen fro fer, by watre in schippes, and be londe with cartes, for to fetten of that gravelle. And thoughe there be nevere so moche taken awey there of, on the day, at Morwe it is as fulle azen as evere it was. And that is a gret mervaille. And there is evermore gret wynd in that fosse, that sterethe everemore the gravelle, and makethe it trouble. And zif ony man do thereinne ony maner metalle, it turnethe anon to glasse. And the glasse, that is made of that grevelle, zif it be don azen in to the gravelle, it turnethe anon in to gravelle as it was first. And therefore somme men seyn, that it was a sweloghe [Footnote: Whirlpool.] of the gravely see.

Also for Akoun aboveseyd gon men forthe 4 journees to the citee of Palestyn, that was of the Philistyenes, that now is clept Gaza, that is a gay cytee and a riche; and it is righte fayr, and fulle of folke, and it is a lytillle fro the see. And from this cytee broughte Sampson the stronge the zates upon an highe lond, whan he was taken in that cytee: and there he slowghe in a paleys the king and hymself, and gret nombre of the beste of the Philistienes, the whiche had put out his eyen, and schaven his hed, and enprisound him, be tresoun of Dalida his paramour. And therefore he made falle upon hem a gret halle, whan thei were at mete. And from thens gon men to the cytee of Cesaire, and so to the Castelle of pylgrymes, and so to Ascolonge, and than to Jaffe, and so to Jerusalem.

Of manye Names of Soudans, and of the Tour of Babiloyn.

[Sidenote: Cap. V.] And whoso wille go be londe thorghe the lond of Babyloyne, where the Sowdan dwellethe comonly, he moste gete grace of him and leve, to go more sikerly [Footnote: Surely.] thorghe tho londes and contrees. And for to go to the mount of Synay, before that men gon Jerusalem, thei schalle go fro Gaza to the castelle of Daire. And after that, men comen out of Surrye, and entren in to wyldernesse, and there the weye is sondy. And that wyldernesse and desert lastethe 8 journeyes. But alleweyes men fynden gode innes, and alle that hem nedethe of vytaylle; And men clepen that wyldernesse Achelleke. And whan a man comethe out of that desert, he entrethe in to Egypt, that men clepen Egypt Canopac: and aftre other langage, men clepen it Morsyn. And there first men fynden a gode toun, that is clept Belethe; and it is at the ende of the kyngdom of Halappee. And from thens men gon to Babyloyne and to Cayre.

At Babyloyne there is a faire chirche of oure lady, where sche dwelled 7 zeer, whan sche fleyghe out of the lond of Judee, for drede of Kyng Heroude. And there lythe the body of Seynt Barbre the Virgine and Martyr. And there duelled Josephe whan he was sold of his bretheren. And there made Nabugodonozor the kyng putte three children in to the forneys of fuyr; for thei weren in the righte trouthe of beleeve: the whiche children men cleped, Ananya, Azaria, Mizaelle; as the Psalm of Benedicite seythe. But Nabugodbnozor cleped hem other wise, Sydrak, Misak, and Abdenago: that is to seye, God glorious, God victorious, and God over alle thinges and remes. [Footnote: Realms.] And that was for the myracle, that he soughe Goddes sone go with the children thorghe the fuyr, as he seyde. There duellethe the Soudan in his Calahelyke, (for there is comounly his see) in a fayr castelle strong and gret and wel sett upon a roche. In that castelle duellen alle wey, to kepe it and to serve the Sowdan, mo than 6000 persones, that taken alle here necessaries of the Sowdanes court. I oughte right wel to knowen it; for I duelled with him as Soudyour in his werres a gret while, azen the Bedoynes. And he wolde have maryed me fulle highely, to a gret princes daughtre, zif I wolde han forsaken my lawe and my beleve. But I thanke God, I had no wille to don it, for no thing, that he behighten [Footnote: Promised.] me. And zee schulle undrestonde, that the Soudan is lord of 5 kyngdomes, that he hathe conquered and apropred to him be strengthe: and theise ben the names, the kyngdom of Canapak, that is Egypt; and the kyngdom of Jerusalem, where that David and Salomon were kynges; and the kyngdom of Surrye, of the whiche the cytee of Damasc was chief; and the kyngdom of Alappe, [Footnote: Aleppo.] in the lond of Mathe, and the kyngdom of Arabye, that was to on of the 3 kynges, that made offrying to oure Lord, whan he was born. And many othere londes he holdethe in his hond. And there with alle he holdethe calyffes, that is a fulle gret thing in here langage: and it is als meche to seye as kyng. And there were wont to ben 5 Soudans: but now there is no mo but he of Egypt. And the firste Soudan was Zarocon, that was of Mede, (as was fadre to Sahaladyn) that toke the Califfe of Egypt and sloughe him, and was made Soudan be strengthe. Aftre that was Soudan Sahaladyn, in whoos tyme the Kyng of Englonde, Richarde the firste, with manye othere, kepten the passage, that Sahaladyn ne myghte not passen. Aftre Sahaladyn, regned his sone Boradyn; aftre him his nephewe. Aftre that the Comaynz, that weren in servage in Egypt, felten hem self, that thei weren of gret power, thei chesen hem a Soudain amonges hem: the whiche made him to ben cleped Melethesalan. And in his tyme entred in to the contree, of the kynges of France, Seynt Lowyz, and foughte with him: and the Soudan toke him and enprisound him. And this was slayn of his owne servauntes. And aftre thei chosen an other to be Soudan, that thei cleped Tympieman. And he let delyveren Seynt Lowys out of presoun, for certeyn ransoum. And aftre on theise Comaynz regned, that highte Cachas, and sloughe Tympieman, for to be Soudan: and made him ben cleped Melechemes. And aftre, another that hadde to name Bendochdare, that sloughe Melechemes, for to be Soudan; and cleped himself Melechdare. In his tyme entred the gode Kyng Edward of Englond in Syrye, and dide gret harm to the Sarrazines. And aftre was this Soudan empoysound at Damasce; and his sone thoghte to regne aftre him be heritage, and made him to ben clept Meleschsache. But another, that had to name Elphy, chaced him out of the contree, and made him Soudan. This man toke the cytee of Tripolee and destroyede manye of the Cristene men, the zeer of grace 1289; but he was anon slayn. Aftre that was the sone of Elphy chosen to ben Soldan, and cleped him Mellethasseraff: and he toke the citee of Akoun, and chaced out the Christene men: and this was also empoysond. And than was his brother y made Soudan, and was cleped Melechnasser. And aftre, on that was clept Guytoga, toke him and put him in prisoun, in the Castelle of Mountryvalle; and made him Soudan be strengthe, and cleped him Melechcadelle: and he was of Tartaryne. But the Comaynz chaced him out of the contree, and diden hym meche sorwe; and maden on of hem self Soudan, that hadde to name Lachyn. And he made him to ben clept Melechmanser: the whiche on a day pleyed at the chesse, and his swerd lay besyde him; and so befelle, that on wratthed [Footnote: Provoked.] him, and with his owne propre swerd he was slayn. And aftre that, thei weren at gret discord, for to make a Soudan. And finally thei accordeden to Melechnasser, that Guytoga had put in prisoun at Mountrivalle. And this regnede longe and governed wisely; so that his eldest sone was chosen aftre him, Melechemader; the whiche his brother leet sle prevyly, for to have the lordschipe, and made him to ben clept Melechmadabron. And he was Soudan, whan I departed fro the contrees. And wyte zee wel, that the Soudan may lede out of Egipt mo than 20000 men of armes. And out of Surrye, and out of Turkye, and out of other contrees, that he holt, he may arrere [Footnote: Raise.—Anglo-Saxon, Araeran.] mo than 50000. And alle tho ben at his wages: and thei ben alle weys at him, withouten the folke of his contree, that is withouten nombre. And everyche of hem hath be zere the mountance of 6 score floreynes. But it behovethe, that every of hem holde 3 hors and a cameylle. And be the cytees and be the townes ben amyralles, that han the governance of the peple. On hath to governe 4, and another hath to governe 5, another mo, and another wel mo. And als moche takethe the amyralle be him allone, as alle the other souldyours han undre hym. And therfore whan the Soudan wille avance ony worthi knyghte, he makethe him a amyralle. And whan it is ony derthe, the knyghtes ben right pore, and thanne thei sellen both here hors and here harneys. And the Soudan hath 4 wyfes, on Cristene and 3 Sarazines: of the whiche, on dwellethe at Jerusalem, and another at Damasce, and another at Ascalon. And whan hem lyst, thei remewen to other cytees. And whan the Soudan wille, he may go visite hem. And he hathe as many paramours, as hym lykethe. For he makethe to come before him, the fairest and the nobleste of birthe and the gentylleste damyseles of his contree, and he maketh hem to ben kept and served fulle honourabely, and whan he wole have on to lye withe him, he makethe hem alle to come before him; and he beholdethe in alle, whiche of hem is most to his plesance, and to hire anon he sendethe or castethe a ryng fro his fyngre: And thanne anon sche schalle ben bathed and richely atyred, and anoynted with delicat thinges of swete smelle, and than lad to the Soudanes chambre. And thus he dothe, als often as him list, when he wil have ony of hem. And before the Soudan comethe no strangier, but zif he be clothed in clothe of gold or of Tartarye or of Camaka, in the Sarazines guyse, and as the Sarazines usen. And it behovethe, that anon at the firste sight, that men see the Soudan, be it in wyndowe, or in what place elles, that men knele to him and kysse the erthe: for that is the manere to do reverence to the Soudanne, of hem that speken with him. And whan that messangeres of straunge contrees comen before him, the Meynee of the Soudan, whan the straungeres speken to hym, thei ben aboute the Souldan with swerdes drawen and gysarmez and axes, here armes lift up in highe with the wepenes, for to smyte upon hem, zif thei seye ony woord, that is displeasance to the Soudan. And also, no straungere comethe before him, but that he makethe him sum promys and graunt, of that the straungere asketh resonabely, beso it be not azenst his Lawe. And so don othere prynces bezonden. For thei seyn, that no man schalle come before no prynce, but that he be bettre, and schalle be more gladdere in departynge from his presence, thannie he was at the comynge before hym.

And undirstonde zee, that that Babyloyne that I have spoken offe, where that the Soudan duellethe, is not that gret Babyloyne, where the dyversitee of langages was first made for vengeance, by the myracle of God, when the grete tour of Babel was begonnen to ben made; of the whiche the walles weren 64 furlonges of heighte; that is in the grete desertes of Arabye, upon the weye as men gon toward the kyngdom of Caldee. But it is fulle long, sithe that ony man durste neyhe to the tour; for it is alle deserte and fulle of dragouns and grete serpentes, and fulle of dyverse venymouse bestes alle abouten. That tour, with the cytee, was of 25 myle in cyrcuyt of the walles; as thei of the contree seyn, and as men may demen [Footnote: Judge.] by estymation, aftre that men tellen of the contree. And though it be clept the tour of Babiloyne, zit natheles there were ordeyned with inne many mansiouns and many gret duellynge places, in lengthe and brede: and that tour conteyned gret contree in circuyt: for the tour allone conteyned 10 myle sqware. That tour founded Kyng Nembrothe, that was kyng of that contree: and he was firste kyng of the world. And he leet make an ymage in the lyknesse of his fadre, and constreyned alle his subgettes for to worschipe it. And anon begonnen othere lordes to do the same. And so begonnen the ydoles and symulacres first. The town and the cytee weren fulle wel sett in a fair contree and a playn; that men clepen the contree of Samar: of the whiche the walles of the cytee werein 200 cubytes in heighte, and 50 cubytes in breadthe. And the ryvere of Euphrate ran thorghe out the cytee and aboute the tour also. But Cirus the Kyng of Perse toke from hem the ryvere, and destroyede all the cytee and the tour also. For he departed that ryvere in 360 smale ryveres: because that he had sworn, that he scholde putte the ryvere in suche poynt, that a woman myghte wel passe there, withouten castynge of of hire clothes; for als moche as he hadde lost many worthi men, that trowden to passen that ryvere by swymmynge.

And from Babyloyne, where the Soudan dwellethe, to go right betwene the oryent and the Septemtryon, toward the grete Babyloyne, is 40 journeys to passen be desart. But it is not the grete Babiloyne, in the lond and in the powere of the seyd Soudan; but it is in the power and the lordschipe of Persye. But he holdethe it of the grete Cham, that is the gretteste Emperour and the most sovereyn lord of alle the partes bezonde: and he is lord of the iles of Cathay and of many othere iles, and of a gret partie of Inde. And his lond marchethe unto Prestre Johnes lond; and he holt so moche lond, that he knowethe not the ende. And he is more myghty and grettre lord withoute comparisoun, than is the Soudan. Of his ryalle estate and of his myghte, I schalle speke more plenerly when I schalle speke of the lond and of the contree of Ynde.

Also the cytee of Methone [Footnote: Mecca.] where Machomet lythe, is of the grete desertes of Arabye. And there lithe the body of hym fulle honourabely in here temple, that the Sarazines clepen Muskethe. And it is fro Babyloyne the lesse, where the Soudan duellethe, onto Methon aboveseyd, in to a 32 journeyes. And wytethe wel, that the rewme of Arabye is a fulle gret contree: but there in is over moche dysert. And no man may dwelle there in that desert, for defaute of watre. For that lond is alle gravelly and fulle of sond. And it is drye and nothing fructuous; because that it hathe no moysture: and therefore is there so meche desart. And ziff it hadde ryveres and welles, and the lond also were, as it is in other parties, it scholde ben als fulle of peple and als fulle enhabyted with folk, as in other places. For there is fulle gret multitude of peple, where as the lond is enhabyted. Arabye durethe fro the endes of the reme of Caldee, unto the laste ende of Affryk, and marchethe to the lond of Ydumee, toward the ende of Botron. And in Caldee, the chief cytee is Baldak. [Footnote: Bagdad.] And of Affryk, the chief cytee is Cartage, that Dydo, that was Eneas wyf, founded. The whiche Eneas was of the cytee of Troye, and aftre was Kyng of Itaylle. Mesopotamye strecchethe also unto the Desertes of Arabye; and it is a gret contree. In this contree is the cytee of Araym, where Abrahames fadree duelled, and from whens Abraham departed, be commandement of the aungelle. And of that cytee was Effraym, that was a gret clerk and a gret doctour. And Theophylus was of that cytee also, that oure ladye savede from oure enemye. And Mesopotame durethe fro the ryvere of Eufrates, unto the ryvere of Tygris. For it is betwene tho 2 ryveres. And bezonde the ryvere of Tygre, is Caldee, that is a fulle gret kyngdom. In that Rewyme, at Baldac aboveseyd, was wont to duelle the Calyffeez, that was wont to ben bothe as Emperour and Pope of the Arabyenez; so that he was lord spirituelle and temporelle. And he was successour to Machomete, and of his generatioun; That cytee of Baldak was wont to ben cleped Sutis: [Footnote: Susa.] and Nabugodonozor founded it. And there duelled the holy prophete Daniel; and there he saughe vissiones of Hevene; and there he made the expositioun of dremes. And in old tyme, there were ['wene' in source text—KTH] wont to be 3 Calyffez; and thei dwelleden in the cytee of Baldak aboveseyd.

And at Cayre besides Babyloyne duelled the Calyffee of Egypt. And at Marrok, upon the west see, duelte the Calyffee of Barbaryenes and of Affrycanes. And now is there non of the Calyffeez, ne noughte han ben, sithe the tyme of Sowdan Sahaladyn. For from that tyme hidre, the Sowdan clepethe him self Calyffee. And so han the Calyffeez y lost here name. Also wytethe wel, that Babylone the lesse, where the Soudan duellethe, and at the cytee of Cayr, that is nyghe besyde it, ben grete huge cytees manye and fayr; and that on sytt nyghe that other. Babyloyne sytt upon the ryvere of Gyson, somtyme clept Nyle, that comethe out of Paradys terrestre. That ryvere of Nyle, alle the zeer, whan the sonne entrethe in to the signe of Cancer, it begynnethe to wexe; and it wexethe alle weys, als longe as the sonne is in Cancro, and in the signe of Lyoune. And it wexethe in suche manere, that it is somtyme so gret, that it is 20 cubytes or more of depnesse; and thanne it doth gret harm to the godes, that ben upon the lond. For thanne may no man travaylle to ere [Footnote: Plough.] the londes, for the grete moystness: and therefore is there dere tyme in that contree. And also whan it waxethe lytylle, it is dere tyme in that contree: for defaute of moysture. And whan the sonne is in the signe of Virgo, thanne begynnethe the ryvere for to wane and to decrece lytyl and lytylle; so that whan the sonne is entred into the signe of Libra, thanne thei entren betwene theise ryveres. This ryvere comethe rennynge from Paradys terrestre, betwene the desertes of Ynde; and aftre it smytt unto londe, and rennethe longe tyme many grete contrees undre erthe: and aftre it gothe out undre an highe hille, that men clepen Alothe, that is betwene Ynde and Ethiope, the distance of five moneths journeyes fro the entree of Ethiope. And aftre it envyronnethe alle Ethiope and Morekane, and gothe alle along fro the Lond of Egipte; unto the cytee of Alisandre, to the ende of Egipte; and there it fallethe into the See. Aboute this ryvere, ben manye briddes and foules, as sikonyes, that thei clepen ibes.

Egypt is a long contree; but it is streyt, that is to seye narow; for thei may not enlargen it toward the desert, for defaute of watre. And the contree is sett along upon the ryvere of Nyle; be als moche as that ryvere may serve be flodes or otherwise, that whanne it flowethe, it may spreden abrood thorghe the contree: so is the contree large of lengthe. For there it reyneth not but litylle in that contree: and for that cause, they have no watre, but zif it be of that flood of that ryvere. And for als moche as it ne reynethe not in that contree, but the eyr is alwey pure and cleer, therfore in that contree ben the gode astronomyeres; for thei fynde there no cloudes, to letten hem. Also the cytee of Cayre is righte gret, and more huge than that of Babyloyne the lesse: and it sytt aboven toward the desert of Syrye, a lytille above the ryvere aboveseyd. In Egipt there ben 2 parties; the Heghte, that is toward Ethiope; and the Lowenesse, that is towardes Arabye. In Egypt is the lond of Ramasses and the lond of Gessen. Egipt is a strong contree: for it hathe manye schrewede havenes, because of the grete Roches, that ben stronge and daungerouse to passe by. And at Egipt, toward the est, is the rede see, that durethe unto the cytee of Coston: and toward the west, is the contree of Lybye, that is a fulle drye lond, and litylle of fruyt: for it is over moche plentee of hete. And that lond is clept Fusthe. And toward the partie Meridionalle is Ethiope. And toward the Northe is the desart, that durethe unto Syrye: and so is the contree strong on alle sydes. And it is wel a 15 journeyes of lengthe, and more than two so moche of desert: and it is but two journeyes in largenesse. And between Egipt and Nubye, it hathe wel a 12 journees of desert. And men of Nubye ben Cristene: but thei ben blake as the Mowres, for grete hete of the sonne.

In Egipt there ben 5 provynces; that on highte Sahythe, that other highte Demeseer, another Resithe, that is an ile in Nyle, another Alisandre, and another the lond of Damiete. That cytee was wont to be righte strong; but it was twyes wonnen of the Cristene men: and therfore after that the Sarazines beten down the walles. And with the walles and the tour thereof, the Sarazenes maden another cytee more fer from the see, and clepeden it the newe Damyete. So that now no man duellethe at the rathere toun of Damyete. And that cytee of Damyete is on of the havenes of Egypt: and at Alisandre is that other, that is a fulle strong cytee. But there is no watre to drynke, but zif it come be condyt from Nyle, that entrethe in to here cisternes. And who so stopped that watre from hem, thei myghte not endure there. In Egypt there ben but fewe forcelettes or castelles, be cause that the contree is so strong of him self. At the desertes of Egyptes was a worthi man, that was an holy heremyte; and there mette with hym a monstre, (that is to seyne, a monstre is a thing difformed azen kynde both of man or of best or of ony thing elles: and that is cleped a monstre). And this monstre, that mette with this holy heremyte, was as it hadde ben a man, that hadde 2 hornes trenchant on his forehede; and he hadde a body lyk a man, unto the nabele; and benethe he hadde the body lyche a goot. And the heremyte asked him, what he was. And the monstre answerde him, and seyde, he was a dedly creature, suche as God hadde formed, and duelled in tho desertes in purchasynge his Sustynance; and besoughte the heremyte, that he wolde preye God for him, the whiche that cam from Hevene for to saven alle mankynde, and was born of a Mayden, and suffred passioun and dethe, (as we well knowen) be whom we lyven and ben. And zit is the hede with the 2 hornes of that monstre at Alisandre for a Marveyle.

In Egypt is the cytee of Elyople, [Footnote: Heliopolis.] that is to seyne, the cytee of the sonne. In that cytee there is a temple made round, aftre the schappe of the temple of Jerusalem. The prestes of that temple han alle here wrytinges, undre the date of the foul that is clept Fenix: and there is non but on in alle the world. And he comethe to brenne him self upon the awtere of the temple, at the ende of 5 hundred zeer: for so longe he lyvethe. And at the 500 zeers ende, the prestes arrayen here awtere honestly, and putten there upon spices and sulphur vif [Footnote: Live.] and other thinges, that wolen brenne lightly. And than the brid fenix comethe, and brennethe him self to ashes. And the first day next aftre, men fynden in the ashes a worm; and the secunde day next aftre, men fynden a brid quyk and perfyt; and the thridde day next aftre, he fleethe his wey. And so there is no mo briddes of that kynde in alle the world, but it allone. And treuly that is a gret myracle of God. And men may well lykne that bryd unto God; be cause that there nys no God but on; and also, that our Lord aroos fro dethe to lyve, the thridde day. This bryd men seen often tyme, fleen in tho contrees: and he is not mecheles more than an Egle. And he hathe a crest of fedres upon his hed more gret than the poocock hathe; and his nekke is zalowe, aftre colour of an orielle, [Footnote: Golden. From Latin, Aurea. Cf. Oriel College, Golden Hall.] that is a ston well schynynge; and his bek is coloured blew, as ynde; [Footnote: Indigo.] and his wenges ben of purple colour, and the Taylle is zelow and red, castynge his taylle azens in travers. And he is a fulle fair brid to loken upon, azenst the sonne: for he schynethe fully gloriously and nobely.

Also in Egypt ben gardyns, than han trees and herbes, the whiche beren frutes 7 tymes in the zeer. And in that lond men fynden many fayre emeraudes and y nowe. And therefore thei ben there grettere cheep. Also whan it reynethe ones in the somer, in the lond of Egipt, thanne is alle the contree fulle of grete myrs. Also at Cayre, that I spak of before, sellen men comounly bothe men and wommen of other lawe, as we don here bestes in the markat. And there is a comoun hows in that cytee, that is alle fulle of smale furneys; and thidre bryngen wommen of the toun here eyren [Footnote: Eggs.] of hennes, of gees and of dokes, for to ben put in to tho furneyses. And thei that kepen that hows covern hem with hete of hors dong, with outen henne, goos or doke or ony other foul; and at the ende of 3 wekes or of a monethe, they comen azen and taken here chickenes and norissche hem and bryngen hem forthe: so that alle the contree is fulle of hem. And so men don there bothe wyntre and somer.

Also in that contree, and in othere also, men fynden longe apples to selle, in hire cesoun: and men clepen hem apples of paradys; and thei ben righte swete and of gode savour. [Footnote: Melons.] And thoghe zee kutte hem in never so many gobettes or parties, overthwart or end longes, evermore zee schulle fynden in the myddes the figure of the Holy Cros of oure Lord Jesu. But thei will roten within 8 days: and for that cause men may not carye of the apples to no fer contrees. And thei han grete leves, of a fote and an half of lengthe: and thei ben covenably large. And men fynden there also the appulle tree of Adam, that han a byte at on of the sydes. And there ben also fyge trees, that baren no leves, but fyges upon the smale braunches; and men clepen hem figes of Pharoon. Also besyde Cayre, withouten that cytee, is the feld where bawme growethe: and it cometh out on smale trees, that ben non hyere than a mannes breek girdle: and thei semen as wode that is of the wylde vyne. And in that feld ben 7 welles, that oure Lord Jesu Crist made with on of his feet, whan he wente to pleyen with other children. That feld is not so well closed, but that men may entren at here owne list. But in that cesonne, that the bawme is growynge, men put there to gode kepynge, that no man dar ben hardy to entre. This bawme growethe in no place, but only there. And thoughe that men bryngen of the plauntes, for to planten in other contrees, thei growen wel and fayre, but thei bryngen forthe no fructuous thing: and the leves of bawme ne fallen noughte. And men kutten the braunches with a scharp flynston or with a scherp bon, [Footnote: Flintstone and bone.] whan men will go to kutte hem: For who so kutte hem with iren, it wolde destroye his vertue and his nature. And the Sarazines clepen the wode Enonch balse; and the fruyt, the whiche is as Quybybes, thei clepen Abebissam; and the lycour, that droppethe fro the braunches, thei clepen Guybalse. And men maken alle weys that bawme to ben tyled [Footnote: Tilled.] of the Cristenemen, or elles it wolde not fructifye; as the Sarazines seyn hem self: for it hathe ben often tyme preved. Men seyn also, that the bawme growethe in Ynde the more, in that desert where the trees of the sonne and of the mone spak to Alisaundre. But I have not seen it. For I have not ben so fer aboven upward: because that there ben to many perilouse passages. And wyte zee wel, that a man oughte to take gode kepe for to bye bawme, but zif he cone knowe it righte wel: for he may righte lyghtely be discoyved. For men sellen a gome, that men clepen turbentyne, in stede of bawme; and thei putten there to a littille bawme for to zeven gode odour. And some putten wax in oyle of the wode of the fruyt of bawme, and seyn that it is bawme: and sume destyllen clowes of gylofre and of spykenard of Spayne and of othere spices, that ben well smellynge; and the lykour that gothe out there of, thei clepe it bawme: and thei wenen, that thei han bawme; and thei have non. For the Sarazines counterfeten it be sotyltee of craft, for to disceyven the Cristene men, as I have sene fulle many a tyme. And after hem, the marchauntis and the apotecaries countrefeten it eftsones, and that it is lasse worthe, and a gret del worse. But zif it lyke zou, I schalle schewe, how zee schulle knowe and preve, to the ende that zee schulle not ben disceyved. First zee schulle wel knowe, that the naturelle bawme is fulle cleer, and of cytrine colour, and stronge smellynge; and zif it be thykke, or reed or blak, it is sophisticate, that is to seyne, contrefeted and made lyke it, for disceyt. And undrestondethe, that zif zee wil putte a litylle bawme in the pawme of zoure hond, azen the sonne, zif it be fyn and gode, zee ne schulle not suffre zoure hand azenst the hete of the sonne. Also takethe a lytille bawme, with the poynt of a knif, and touche it to the fuyr, and zif it brenne, it is a gode signe. Aftre take also a drope of bawme, and put it in to a dissche or in a cuppe with mylk of a goat; and zif it be naturelle bawme, anon it wole take and beclippe the mylk. Or put a drope of bawme in clere watre, in a cuppe of sylver or in a clere bacyn, and stere it wel with the clere watre; and zif that the bawme be fyn and of his owne kynde, the watre schalle nevre trouble: and zif the bawme be sophisticate, that is to seyne countrefeted, the watre schalle become anon trouble: And also zif the bawme be fyn, it schalle falle to the botome of the vesselle, as thoughe it were Quyksylver: For the fyn bawme is more hevy twyes, than is the bawme that is sophisticate and countrefeted. Now I have spoken of Bawme: and now also I schalle speke of an other thing, that is bezonde Babyloyne, above the flode of Nyle, toward the desert, betwene Affrik and Egypt: that is to seyn, of the gerneres [Footnote: Granaries.] of Joseph, that he leet make, for to kepe the greynes for the perile of the dere zeres. And thei ben made of ston, fulle wel made of massones craft: of the whiche two ben merveylouse grete and hye; and the tothere ne ben not so grete. And every gerner hathe a zate, for to entre with inne, a lytille hyghe fro the erthe. For the lond is wasted and fallen, sithe the gerneres were made. And with inne thei ben alle fulle of serpentes. And aboven the gerneres with outen ben many scriptures of dyverse langages. And sum men seyn, that thei ben sepultures of grete lordes, that weren somtyme; but that is not trewe: for alle the comoun rymour and speche is of alle the peple there, bothe and nere, that thei ben the garneres of Joseph. And so fynden thei in here scriptures and in here cronycles. On that other partie, zif thei were sepultures, thei scholden not ben voyd with inne. For zee may well knowe, that tombes and sepultures ne ben not made of suche gretnesse, ne of such highnesse. Wherfore it is not to believe, that thei ben tombes or sepultures. In Egypt also there ben dyyerse langages and dyverse lettres, and of other manere condicioun, than there ben in other parties. As I schalle devyse zou, suche as thei ben, and the names how thei clepen hem; to suche entent, that zee mowe knowe the difference of hem and of othere. Athoimis, Bunchi, Chinok, Durain, Eni, Fin, Gomor, Heket, Janny, Karacta, Luzanim, Miche, Naryn, Oldache, Piloh, Quyn, Yron, Sichen, Thola, Urmron, Yph and Yarm, Thoit.

Now will I retourne azen, or I procede ony ferthere, for to declare zou the othere weyes, that drawen toward Babiloyne, where the Soudan him self duellethe, that is at the entree of Egypt; for als moche as mony folk gon thidre first, and aftre that to the Mount Synay, and aftre retournen to Jerusalem, as I have seyd zou here beforn. For thei fulfillen first the more long pilgrymage, and aftre retournen azen be the nexte weyes; because that the more nye weye is the more worthi, and that is Jerusalem. For no other pylgrymage is not lyk, in comparsoun to it. But for to fulle fylle here pilgrymages more esily and more sykerly, men gon first the longer weye. But whoso wil go to Babyloyne be another weye, more schort from the contrees of the west, that I have reherced before; or from other contrees next fro hem; than men gon by Fraunce, be Burgoyne and be Lombardye. It nedethe not to telle zou the names of the cytees, ne of the townes that ben in that Weye: for the weye is comoun, and it is knowen of many naciouns. And there ben many havenes, that men taken the see. Sume men taken the see at Gene, some at Venyce, and passen by the see Adryatyk, that is clept the Goulf of Venyse; that departethe [Footnote: Separates.] Ytaylle and Greece on that syde. And some gon to Naples, some to Rome, and from Rome to Brandys, [Footnote: Brindisi.] and there thei taken the see: and in many othere places, where that havenes ben. And men gon be Tussye, be Champayne, be Calabre, be Appuille, and be the hilles of Ytaylle, Chorisqe, be Sardyne, and be Cycile, that is a gret ile and a gode. In that ile of Cycile there ys a maner of a gardyn, in the whiche ben many dyverse frutes. And the gardyn is alweys grene and florisshing, alle the cesouns of the zeer, als wel in wyntre es in somer. That yle holt in compas aboute 350 Frensche myles. And betwene Cycele and Itaylle there is not but a lytille arm of the see, that men clepen the farde of Mescyne. And Cycile is betwene the See Adryatyk and the See of Lombardye. And fro Cycyle in to Calabre is but 8 myles of Lombardye. And in Cycile there is a manere of serpentes, be the whiche men asseyen and preven, where here children ben bastardis or none, or of lawefulle mariage. For zif thei ben born in righte mariage, the serpentes gon aboute hem, and don hem non harm: and zif thei ben born in Avowtrie, the serpentes byten hem and envenyme hem. And thus manye wedded men preve, zif the children ben here owne. Also in that ile is the Mount Ethna, that men clepen Mount Gybelle; and the Vulcanes that ben evermore brennynge. And ther ben 7 places that brennen and that casten out dyverse flawmes and dyverse colour. And be the chaungynge of tho flawmes, men of that contree knowen, whanne it schalle be derthe or gode tyme, or cold or hoot, or moyst or drye, or in alle othere maneres, how the tyme schalle be governed. And from Itaille unto the Vulcanes nys bat 25 Myle. And men seyn, that the Vulcanes ben weyes of Helle.

Also whoso gothe be Pyse, zif that men list to go that weye, there is an arm of the see, where that men gon to othere havenes in tho marches. And that men passen be the Ile of Greaf, that is at Gene: and aftre arryvethe men in Grece at the havene of the cytee of Myrok, or at the havene of Valone, or at the cytee of Duras: and there is a duk at Duras, or at othere havenes in tho marces: and so men gon to Costantynoble. And aftre gon men be watre to the Ile of Crete, and to the Ile of Rodes, ond so to Cypre, and so to Athens, and fro thens to Costantynoble.

To holde the more righte weye be see, it is wel a 1880 myle of Lombardye. And aftre fro Cipre men gon be see, and leven Jerusalem and alle the contree on the left hond, onto Egypt, and arryven at the cytee of Damyete, that was wont to be fulle strong, and it sytt at the entree of Egypt. And fro Damyete gon men to the cytee of Alizandre, that sytt also upon the see. In that cytee was seynte Kateryne beheded. And there was seynt Mark the Evangelist martyred and buryed. But the Emperour Leoun made his bones to ben broughte to Venyse. And zit there is at Alizandre a faire chirche, alle white withouten peynture: and so ben alle the othere chirches, that weren of the Cristene men, alle white with inne. For the Panemes and the Sarrazynes madem hem white, for to fordon [Footnote: To destroy.— Anglo-Saxon, for-don.] the ymages of seyntes, that weren peynted on the walles. That cytee of Alizandre is wel 30 furlonges in lengthe: but it is but 10 on largenesse. And it is a full noble cytee and a fayr. At that cytee entrethe the ryvere of Nyle in to the see; as I to zou have seyd before. In that ryvere men fynden many precyouse stones, and meche also of lignum aloes: and it is a manere of wode, that comethe out of Paradys terrestre, the whiche is good for manye dyverse medicynes: and it is righte dereworthe. And fro Alizandre men gon to Babyloyne, where the Soudan dwellethe; that sytt also upon the ryvere of Nyle. And this wey is most schort, for to go streyghte unto Babiloyne.

Now schall I seye zou also the weye, that gothe fro Babiloyne to the Mount of Synay, where Seynte Kateryne lythe. He moste passe be the desertes of Arabye; be the whiche descries Moyses ladde the peple of Israel: and thanne passe men be the welle, that Moyses made with his hond in the desertes, whan the people grucched, [Footnote: Grumbled.] for thei fownden no thing to drynke. And than passe men be the welle of Marache, of the whiche the watre was first byttre: but the children of Israel putten there inne a tree; and anon the watre was swete and gode for to drynke. And thanne gon men be desart unto the Vale of Elyn; in the whiche vale be 12 welles: and there ben 72 trees of palme, that beren the dates, the whiche Moyses fond with the children of Israel. And fro that valeye is but a gode journeye to the Mount of Synay.

And whoso wil go be another weye fro Babiloyne, than men gothe be the Rede See, that is an arm of the see occean. And there passed Moyses, with the children of Israel, overthwart the see, alle drye, whan Pharao the Kyng of Egypt chaced hem. And that see is wel a 6 myle of largenesse in bredthe. And in that see was Pharao drowned and alle his hoost, that he ladde. That see is not more reed than another see; but in some place thereof is the gravelle reede: and therfore men clepen it the Rede See. That see reunethe to the endes of Arabye and of Palestyne. That see lastethe more than 4 journeyes. And then gon men be desert unto the Vale of Elyn: and fro thens to the Mount of Synay. And zee may wel undirstonde, that be this desert, no man may go on hors back, be cause that there nys nouther mete for hors ne watre to drynke. And for that cause men passen that desert with camelle. For the camaylle fynt alle wey mete in trees and on busshes, that he fedethe him with. And he may well faste fro drynk 2 dayes or 3: and that may non hors don.

And wyte wel, that from Babiloyne to the Mount Synay is wel a 12 gode journeyes: and some men maken hem more: and some men hasten hem and peynen hem; and therefore thei maken hem lesse. And alle weys fynden men latyneres [Footnote: Men who speak Latin.] to go with hem in the contrees, and ferthere bezonde, in to tyme that men conne [Footnote: Know.] the langage. And it behovethe men to here vitaille with hem, that schalle duren hem in tho desertes, and other necessaries for to lyve by.

And the Mount of Synay is clept the Desert of Syne, that is for to seyne the bussche brennynge: because there Moyses sawghe oure Lord God many tymes, in forme of fuyr brennynge upon that hille; and also in a bussche brennynge; and spak to him. And that was at the foot of the hille. There is an abbeye of monks, wel bylded and wel closed with zates of iren, for drede of the wylde bestes. And the monkes ben Arrabyenes, or men of Greece: and there is a grot covent; and alle thei ben as heremytes; and thei drynken no wyn, but zif it be on principalle festes: and thei ben fulle devoute men, and lyven porely and sympely, with joutes [Footnote: The original note reads 'Gourds', but joutes are actually herbs—KTH.] and with dates: and thei don gret absteynence and penaunce. There is the Chirche of Seynt Kateryne, in the whiche ben manye lampes brennynge. For thei han of oyle of olyves y now, bothe for to brenne in here lampes, and to ete also: and that plentee have thei be the myracle of God. For the ravenes and the crowes and the choughes, and other foules of the contree assemblen hem there every zeer ones, and fleen thider as in pilgrymage: and eyeryche of hem bringethe a braunche of the bayes or of olyve, in here bekes, in stede of offryng, and leven hem there; of the whiche the monkes maken gret plentee of oyle; and this is a gret marvaylle. And sithe that foules, that han no kyndely wytt ne resoun, gon thidre to seche that gloriouse virgyne; wel more oughten men than to seche hire and to worschipen hire. Also behynde the awtier of that chirche is the place where Moyses saughe oure Lord God in a brennynge bussche. And whanne the monkes entren in to that place, thei don of bothe hosen and schoon or botes alweys; be cause that oure Lord seyde to Moyses, Do of thin hosen and thi schon: for the place that thou stondest on is lond holy and blessed. And the monkes clepen that place Bezeleel, that is to seyne, the schadew of God. And besyde the highe awtiere, 3 degrees of heighte, is the fertre [Footnote: Bier.] of alabastre, where the bones of Seynte Kateryne lyzn. And the prelate of the monkes schewethe the relykes to the pilgrymes. And with an instrument of sylver, he frothethe the bones; [Footnote: Rubbeth.] and thanne ther gothe out a lytylle oyle, as thoughe it were a maner swetynge, that is nouther lyche to oyle ne to bawme; but it is fulle swete of smelle: And of that thei zeven a litylle to the pilgrymes; for there gothe out but litylle quantitee of the likour. And aftre that thei schewen the heed of Seynte Kateryne, and the clothe that sche was wrapped inne, that is zit alle blody. And in that same clothe so y wrapped, the aungeles beren hire body to the Mount Synay, and there thei buryed hire with it. And thanne thei schewen the bussche, that brenned and wasted nought, in the whiche oure Lord spak to Moyses, and othere relikes y nowe. Also whan the prelate of the abbeye is ded, I have undirstonden, be informacioun, that his lampe quenchethe. And whan thei chesen another prelate, zif he be a gode man and worthi to be prelate, his lampe schal lighte, with the grace of God, withouten touchinge of ony man. For everyche of hem hathe a lampe be him self. And be here lampes thei knowen wel whan ony of hem schalle dye. For whan ony schalle dye, the lyghte begynnethe to chaunge and to wexe dym. And zif he be chosen to ben prelate, and is not worthi, his lampe quenchethe anon. And other men han told me, that he that syngethe the masse for the prelate that is ded, he schalle fynde upon the awtier the name writen of him that schalle be prelate chosen. And so upon a day I asked of the monkes, bothe on and other, how this befelle. But thei wolde not telle me no thing, in to the tyme that I seyde, that thei scholde not hyde the grace, that God did hem; but that thei scholde publissche it, to make the peple to have the more devocioun; and that thei diden synne, to hide Goddis myracle, as me seemed. For the myracles, that God hathe don, and zit dothe every day, ben the wytnesse of his myghte and of his merveylles; as Dayid sethe in the Psaultere; Mirabilia testimonia tua, Domine: that is to seyn, Lord, thi merveyles ben thi wytnesse. And thanne thei tolde me, bothe on and other, how it befelle fulle many a tyme: but more I myghte not have of hem. In that abbeye ne entrethe not no flye ne todes ne ewtes, ne suche foule venymouse bestes, ne lyzs ne flees, be the myracle of God and of oure lady. For there were wont to ben many suche manere of filthes, that the monkes werein in wille to leve the place and the Abbeye, and weren gon fro thens, upon the mountayne aboven, for to eschewe that place. And oure lady cam to hem, and bad hem tournen azen: and fro this forewardes nevere entred suche filthe in that place amonges hem, ne nevere schalle entre here aftre. Also before the zate is the welle, where Moyses smot the ston, of the whiche the watre cam out plenteously.

Fro that abbeye men gon up the mountayne of Moyses, be many degrees: and there men fynden first a Chirche of oure Lady, where that sche mette the monkes, whan thei fledden awey for the vermyn aboveseyd. And more highe upon that mountayne is the chapelle of Helye the prophete. And that place thei clepen Oreb, where of Holy Writt spekethe. Et ambulavit in fortisudine cibi illius usque ad Montem Oreb: that is to seyne, And he wente in strength of that mete, unto the hille of God, Oreb. And there nyghe is the vyne that Seynt John the Evaungeliste planted, that men elepen reisins, staphis. And a lytille aboven is the Chapelle of Moyses, and the roche where Moyses fleghe to, for drede, when he saughe oure Lord face to face. And in that roche is prented the forme of his body; for he smot so strongly and so harde him self in that roche, that alle his body was dolven with inne, thorghe the myracle of God. And there besyde is the place where oure Lorde toke to Moyses the 10 commandementes of the lawe. And there is the cave undre the roche, where Moyses duelte, whan he fasted 40 dayes and 40 nyghtes. And from that mountayne men passen a gret valeye, for to gon to another mountayne, where Seynt Kateryne was buryed of the aungeles of oure Lord. And in that valey is a chirche of 40 martyres; and there singen the monkes of the abbeye often tyme. And that valey is right cold. And aftre men gon up the mountayne of Seynt Kateryne, that is more highe then the mount of Moyses. And there, where Seynt Kateryne was buryed, is nouther chirche ne chapelle, ne other duellynge place: but there is an heep of stones aboute the place, where the body of hire was put of the aungeles. There was wont to ben a chapelle: but it was casten downe, and zit lyggen the stones there. And alle be it that the collect of Seynte Kateryne seye, that it is the place where oure Lord betaughten the Ten Comandementes to Moyses, and there where the blessed virgyne Seynte Kateryne was buryed; that is to undrestonde, in o contree, or in o place berynge o name. For bothe that on and that othre is clept the Mount of Synay. But there is a grete weye from that on to that othre, and a gret deep valeye betwene hem.

Of the desert bet wen e the chirche of Seynte Kateryne and Jerusalem. Of the drie Tre; and how roses cam first in the world.

[Sidenote: Cap. VI.] Now aftre that men had visited tho holy places, thanne will thei turnen toward Jerusalem. And than wil thei take leve of the monkes, and recommenden hem to here preyeres. And than thei zeven the pilgrimes of here vitaylle, for to passe with the desertes, toward Surrye. And tho desertes duren wel it 13 journeyes. In that desert duellyn manye of Arrabyenes, that men clepen Bedoynes and Ascopardes. And thei ben folke fulle of alle evylle condiciouns. And thei have none houses, but tentes; that thei maken of skynnes of bestes, as of camaylles and of othere bestes, that thei eten; and there benethe thei couchen hem and duellen, in place, where thei may fynden watre, as on the Rede See or elles where For in that desert is fulle gret defaute of watre: and often time it fallethe, that where men fynden watre at o tyme in a place, it faylethe another tyme. And for that skylle, thei make none habitaciouns there. Theise folk, that I speke of, thei tylen not the lond, ne thei laboure noughte; for thei eten no bred, but zif it be ony that dwellen nyghe a gode toun, that gon thidre and eten bred som tyme. And thei rosten here flesche and here fische upon the hote stones azenst the sonne. And thei ben stronge men and wel fyghtynge. And there is so meche multytude of that folk, that thei ben withouten nombre. And thei ne recchen of no thing, ne don not, but chacen afere bestes, to eten hem. And thei recchen no thing of here lif: and therefore thei dowten not the Sowdan, ne non othre prince; but thei dar wel werre with hem, zif thei don ony thing that is grevance to hem. And thei han often tyme werre with the Soudan; and namely, that tyme that I was with him. And thei beren but o scheld and o spere, with outen other armes. And thei wrappen here hedes and here necke with a gret quantytee of white lynnen clothe. And thei ben righte felonouse and foule, and of cursed kynde.

And whan men passen this desert, in comynge toward Jerusalem, thei comen to Bersabee, that was wont to ben a fulle fair town and a delytable of Cristene men: and zit there ben summe of here chirches. In that town dwelled Abraham the patriark, a long tyme. In that toun of Bersabee, founded Bersabee the wife of Sire Urye, the knyghte; on the whiche Kyng David gatt Salomon the wyse, that was king aftre David, upon the 12 kynredes of Jerusalem, and regned 40 zeer. And fro thens gon men to the cytee of Ebron, that is the montance [Footnote: Amount.] of a gode myle. And it was clept somtyme the Vale of Mambree, and sumtyme it was clept the Vale of Teres, because that Adam wepte there, an 100 zeer, for the dethe of Abelle his sone, that Cayn slowghe. Ebron was wont to ben the princypalle cytee of Philistyenes; and there duelleden somtyme the geauntz. And that cytee was also Sacerdotalle, that is to seyne, seyntuarie, of the tribe of Juda: and it was so fre, that men resceyved there alle manere of fugityfes of other places, for here evyl dedis. In Ebron, Josue, Calephe, and here companye comen first to aspyen, how thei myghte wynnen the lond of Beheste. In Ebron regned first Kyng David, 7 zeer and an half: and in Jerusalem he regnede 33 zeer and an half. And in Ebron ben alle the sepultures of the patriarkes, Adam, Abraham, Ysaac, and of Jacob; and of here wyfes, Eve, Sarre, and Rebekke, and of Lya: the whiche sepultures the Sarazines kepen fulle curyously, and han the place in gret reverence, for the holy fadres, the patriarkes, that lyzen there. And thei suffre no Cristene man entre in to that place, but zif it be of specyalle grace of the Soudan. For thei holden Cristen men and Jewes as dogges. And thei seyn, that thei scholde not entre in to so holy place. And men clepen that place, where thei lyzn, double spelunke, or double cave or double dyche; for als meche as that on lyethe above that other. And the Sarazines clepen that place in here langage Karicarba; that is to seyn, the place of patriarkes. And the Jewes clepen that place Arbothe. And in that same place was Abrahames hous: and there he satt and he saughe 3 persones, and worschipte but on; as Holy Writt seyethe, Tres vidit et unum adoravit: that is to seyne, He soughe 3, and worschiped on: and of tho same resceyved Abraham the aungeles in to his hous. And righte faste by that place is a cave in the roche, where Adam and Eve duelleden, whan thei weren putt out of Paradyse; and there goten thei here children. And in thai same place, was Adam formed and made; aftre that that sum men seyn. For men werein wont for to clepe that place, the feld of Damasce; because that it was in the lordschipe of Damask. And fro thens was he translated in to paradys of delytes, as thei seyn: and aftre that he was dryven out of Paradys, he was there left. And the same day that he was putt in Paradys, the same day he was putt autt: for anon he synned. There begynnethe the Vale of Ebron, that durethe nyghe to Jerusalem. There the Aungelle commaunded Adam, that he scholde duelle with his wyf Eve: of the whiche he gatt Sethe; of whiche tribe, that is to seyn, kynrede, Jesu Crist was born. In that valeye is a feld, where men drawen out of the erthe a thing, that men clepen cambylle: and thei ete it in stede of spice, and thei bere it to selle. And men may not make the hole ne the cave, where it is taken out of the erthe, so depe ne so wyde, but that it is, at the zeres ende, fulle azen up to the sydes, thorgh the grace of God.