And you shall understand that my fellows and I, with our yeomen, served this emperor, and were his soldiers, fifteen months, against the king of Mancy, who was at war with him, because we had great desire to see his nobleness, and the estate of his court, and all his government, to know if it were such as we heard say. And truly we found it more noble, and more excellent and rich, and more marvellous, than ever we heard, insomuch that we would never have believed it had we not seen it. For it is not there as it is here. For the lords here have a certain number of people as they may suffice; but the great chan hath every day people at his cost and expense without number. But the ordinance, nor the expenses in meat and drink, nor the honesty, nor the cleanliness, is not so arranged there as it is here; for all the commons there eat without cloth upon their knees; and they eat all manner of flesh, and little of bread. And after meat they wipe their hands upon their skirts, and they eat but once a day. But the estate of lords is full great, and rich, and noble. And although some men will not believe me, but hold it for fable, to tell them the nobleness of his person, and of his estate, and of his court, and of the great multitude of people that he has, nevertheless I will tell you a little of him and of his people, according as I have seen the manner and order full many a time; and whoever will may believe me, if he will, and whoever will not, may choose.
WHEREFORE HE IS CALLED THE GREAT CHAN.—OF THE STYLE OF HIS LETTERS; AND OF THE SUPERSCRIPTION ABOUT HIS GREAT SEAL AND HIS PRIVY SEAL.
WHEREFORE HE IS CALLED THE GREAT CHAN.—OF THE STYLE OF HIS LETTERS; AND OF THE SUPERSCRIPTION ABOUT HIS GREAT SEAL AND HIS PRIVY SEAL.
First I shall tell you why he was called the great chan. You shall understand that all the world was destroyed by Noah's flood, except only Noah, and his wife, and his children. Noah had three sons, Shem, Cham (i. e. Ham), and Japheth. This Cham was he who saw his father naked when he slept, and showed him to his brethren in scorn, and therefore he was cursed of God. And Japheth turned his face away, and covered him. These three brethren shared all the land; and this Cham, for his cruelty, took the greater and the best part, toward the east, which is called Asia; and Shem took Africa; and Japheth took Europe; and therefore is all the earth parted in these three parts, by these three brethren. Cham was the greatest and most mighty; and of him came more generations than of the others. And of his son Cush was engendered Nimrod the giant, who was the first king that ever was in the world, and he began the foundation of the Tower of Babylon. And that time the fiends of hell came many times and lay with the women of his generation, and engendered on them divers people, as monsters, and people disfigured, some without heads, some with great ears, some with one eye, some giants, some with horses' feet, and many other different shapes contrary to nature. And of that generation of Cham are come the Pagans, and different people that are in islands of the sea about India. And forasmuch as he was the most mighty, and no man might withstand him, he called himself the son of God, and sovereign of all the world. And on account of this Cham, this emperor called himself chan and sovereign of all the world. And of the generation of Shem are come the Saracens. And of the generation of Japheth came the people of Israel. And though we dwell in Europe, this is the opinion that the Syrians and the Samaritans have amongst them, and that they told me before I went towards India; but I found it otherwise. Nevertheless the truth is this—that Tartars, and they that dwell in Greater Asia, came of Cham. But the emperor of Cathay was called not cham, but chan; and I shall tell you how.It is but little more than eight score years since all Tartary was in subjection and servage to other nations about; for they were but herdsmen, and did nothing but keep beasts, and lead them to pastures. But among them they had seven principal nations that were sovereigns of them all, of which the first nation or lineage was called Tartar; and that is the most noble and the most praised. The second lineage is called Tanghot; the third, Eurache; the fourth, Valair; the fifth, Semoche; the sixth, Megly; the seventh, Coboghe. Now it befell that of the first lineage succeeded an old worthy man, that was not rich, who was called Changuys[388]. This man lay one night in bed, and he saw in a vision that there came before him a knight armed all in white, and he sat upon a white horse, and said to him, "Chan, sleepest thou? The immortal God hath sent me to thee; and it is his will that thou go to the seven lineages, and say to them that thou shalt be their emperor; for thou shalt conquer the lands and the countries that are about; and they that march upon you shall be under your subjection, as you have been under theirs; for that is God's immortal will." Changuys arose, and went to the seven lineages, and told them what the white knight had said. And they scorned him, and said that he was a fool; and so he departed from them all ashamed. And the night following, this white knight came to the seven lineages, and commanded them, on behalf of the immortal God, that they should make this Changuys their emperor, and they should be out of subjection, and they should hold all other regions about them in servage, as they had been to them before. And next day they chose him to be their emperor, and set him upon a black chest, and after that lifted him up with great solemnity, and set him in a chair of gold, and did him all manner of reverence; and they called him chan, as the white knight called him. And when he was thus chosen, he would make trial if he might trust in them or not, and whether they would be obedient to him, and then he made many statutes and ordinances, that they callYsya Chan. The first statute was, that they should believe in and obey immortal God, who is almighty, and who would cast them out of servage, and they should at all times call to him for help in time of need.The second statute was, that all manner of men that might bear arms should be numbered, and to every ten should be a master, and to every hundred a master, and to every thousand a master, and to every ten thousand a master. After, he commanded the principals of the seven lineages to leave and forsake all they had in goods and heritage, and from thenceforth to be satisfied with what he would give them of his grace. And they did so immediately. After this he commanded the principals of the seven lineages, that each should bring his eldest son before him, and with their own hands smite off their heads without delay. And immediately his command was performed. And when the chan saw that they made no obstacle to perform his commandment, then he thought that he might well trust in them, and he commanded them presently to make them ready, and to follow his banner. And after this, the chan put in subjection all the lands about him. Afterwards it befell on a day, that the chan rode with a few companies to behold the strength of the country that he had won, and a great multitude of his enemies met with him, and to give good example of bravery to his people, he was the first that fought, and rushed into the midst of his enemies, and there was thrown from his horse, and his horse slain. And when his people saw him on the earth, they were all discouraged, and thought he had been dead, and fled every one; and their enemies pursued them, but they knew not that the emperor was there. And when they were returned from the pursuit, they sought the woods, if any of them had been hid in them; and many they found and slew. So it happened that as they went searching toward the place where the emperor was, they saw an owl sitting on a tree above him; and then they said amongst them that there was no man there, because they saw the bird there, and so they went their way; and thus the emperor escaped death. And then he went secretly by night, till he came to his people, who were very glad of his coming, and gave great thanks to immortal God, and to that bird by which their lord was saved; and therefore, above all fowls of the world, they worship the owl; and when they have any of its feathers, they keep them full preciously, instead of relics, and bear them upon their heads with great reverence; and they hold themselves blessed, and safe from all perils, while they have these feathers on them, and therefore they bear them upon their heads. After all this the chanassembled his people, and went against those who had assailed him before, and destroyed them, and put them in subjection and servage. And when he had won and put all the lands and countries on this side Mount Belian in subjection, the white knight came to him again in his sleep, and said to him, "Chan, the will of immortal God is, that thou pass Mount Belian; and thou shalt win the land, and thou shalt put many nations in subjection; and because thou shalt find no good passage to go toward that country, go to Mount Belian, which is upon the sea, and kneel there nine times towards the east, in the worship of immortal God, and he shall show the way to pass by." And the chan did so. And soon the sea, that touched and was close to the mountain, began to withdraw itself, and exhibited a fair way of nine feet broad; and so he passed with his people, and won the land of Cathay, which is the greatest kingdom in the world. And on account of the nine kneelings, and the nine feet of way, the chan and all the men of Tartary have the number nine in great reverence[389]. And, therefore, he that will make the chan any present, be it horses, birds, arrows, bows, or fruit, or any other thing, he must always make it of the number nine; and so the presents are more agreeable to him, and better received, than if he were presented with a hundred or two hundred. Also, when the chan of Cathay had won the country of Cathay, and put in subjection many countries about, he fell sick. And when he felt that he should die, he said to his twelve sons, that each of them should bring him one of his arrows, and so they did anon[390]. And then he commanded that they should bind them together in three places, and then he gave them to his eldest son, and bade him break them; and he exerted himself with all his might to break them, but he might not. And then the chan bade his second son break them, and so to the others, one after another; but none of them might break them. And then he bade the youngest son separate them from each other, and break every one by itself; and so he did. And then said the chan to his eldest son, and to allthe others, "Wherefore might you not break them?" And they answered that they might not, because they were bound together. "And wherefore," quoth he, "hath your little youngest brother broke them?" "Because," quoth they, "they were separated from each other." Then said the chan, "My sons, truly thus will it fare with you; for as long as you are bound together in three places, that is to say, in love, truth, and good accord, no man shall have power to grieve you; but if you be divided from these three places, that one of you help not the other, you shall be destroyed and brought to nothing; and if each of you love each other, and help each other, you shall be lords and sovereigns over all other people." And when he had made his ordinances he died: and then, after him, reigned Ecchecha[391]Chan, his eldest son. And his other brethren went to subdue many countries and kingdoms, unto the land of Prussia and Russia, and took the name of chans, but they were all subject to their eldest brother, and therefore was he called great chan. After Ecchecha reigned Guyo[392]Chan, and after him Mango[393]Chan, who was a good Christian man, and baptized and gave letters of perpetual peace to all Christian men, and sent his brother Halaon, with a great multitude of people, to win the Holy Land, and put it into the hands of the Christians, and destroy the law of Mohammed, and take the khalif of Bagdad, who was emperor and lord of all the Saracens. And when this khalif was taken, they found him so rich in treasure, and of so high worship, that in all the rest of the world no man might find a man higher in worship. And then Halaon made him come before him, and said to him, "Why hadst thou not hired with thee more soldiers for a little quantity of treasure, to defend thee and thy country, who art so abundant of treasure and so high in all worship?" And the khalif answered, that he believed he had enough of his own proper men. And then said Halaon, "Thou wert as a god of the Saracens; andit is convenient to a god to eat no meat that is mortal; and, therefore, thou shalt eat only precious stones, rich pearls, and treasure, that thou lovest so much." And then he ordered him to prison, and placed all his treasure about him; and so he died for hunger and thirst. And then after this Halaon won all the Land of Promise, and put it into the hands of the Christians. But the great chan, his brother, died, and that was great sorrow and loss to all Christians. After Mango Chan reigned Cobyla[394]Chan, who was also a Christian, and reigned forty-two years. He founded the great city Igonge in Cathay, which is much larger than Rome. The other great chan who came after him, became a pagan, and all the others since.
The kingdom of Cathay is the greatest realm in the world; and the great chan is the most powerful emperor and greatest lord under the firmament; and so he calls himself in his letters right thus: "Chan, son of the High God, emperor of all who inhabit the earth, and lord of all lords." And the letter of his great seal has the inscription, "God in heaven, chan upon the earth, his fortitude; the seal of the emperor of all men." And the superscription about his little seal is this: "The fortitude of God; the seal of the emperor of all men." And although they are not christened, yet the emperor and all the Tartars believe in immortal God; and when they will threaten any man, they say, "God knoweth well that I shall do thee such a thing," and tell their menace.
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE GREAT CHAN'S COURT, AND WHEN HE MAKES SOLEMN FEASTS.—OF HIS PHILOSOPHERS; AND OF HIS ARRAY WHEN HE RIDES ABROAD.
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE GREAT CHAN'S COURT, AND WHEN HE MAKES SOLEMN FEASTS.—OF HIS PHILOSOPHERS; AND OF HIS ARRAY WHEN HE RIDES ABROAD.
Now shall I tell you the government of the court of the great chan, when he makes solemn feasts, which is principally four times in the year. The first feast is of his birth; the second is of his presentation in their temple, such as they call here moseache (mosque), where they make a kind of circumcision; and the other two feasts are of his idols. The firstfeast of the idol is, when he is first put into their temple and throned. The other feast is, when the idol begins first to speak or work miracles. There are no more solemn feasts, except when he marries one of his children. At each of these feasts he hath great multitudes of people, well ordained and well arrayed, by thousands, by hundreds, and by tens. Every man knoweth well what service he shall do; and every man gives so good heed and so good attendance to his service, that no man finds any fault. There are first appointed four thousand barons, mighty and rich, to govern and make ordinance for the feast, and to serve the emperor. And these solemn feasts are held in halls and tents made full nobly of cloths of gold and of tartaries. All the barons have crowns of gold upon their heads, very noble and rich, full of precious stones and great orient pearls. And they are all clothed in clothes of gold, or of tartaries, or of camakas, so richly and perfectly, that no man in the world can amend it or devise better; and all these robes are embroidered with gold all about, and dubbed full of precious stones and of great orient pearls, full richly. And they may well do so, for cloths of gold and of silk are cheaper there by much, than are cloths of wool. These four thousand barons are divided into four companies, and every thousand is clothed in cloths all of one colour, and so well arrayed, and so richly, that it is marvel to behold. The first thousand, which is of dukes, earls, marquises, and admirals, all in cloths of gold, with tissues of green silk, and bordered with gold, full of precious stones. The second thousand is all in cloths diapered of red silk, all wrought with gold, and the orfrayes set full of great pearls and precious stones, full nobly wrought. The third thousand is clothed in cloths of silk, of purple, or of India. And the fourth thousand is in clothes of yellow. And all their clothes are so nobly and richly wrought with gold and precious stones and rich pearls, that if a man of this country had but one of their robes, he might well say that he should never be poor. For the gold and the precious stones, and the great orient pearls, are of greater value on this side the sea than in those countries. And when they are thus apparelled, they go two and two together, full orderly, before the emperor, without uttering a word, only bowing to him. And each of them carries a tablet of jasper, or ivory, or crystal; and the minstrels gobefore them, sounding their instruments of divers melody. When the first thousand is thus passed, and hath made its muster, it withdraws on the one side; and then enters the second thousand, and proceeds in the same manner of array and countenance as the first; and so the third, and then the fourth; and none of them utters a word. And at one side of the emperor's table sit many philosophers, who are proved for wise men in many divers sciences, as in astronomy, necromancy, geomancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, augury, and many other sciences. And each of them has before him, some, astrolabes of gold, some, spheres, some, the skull of a dead man, some, vessels of gold full of gravel or sand, some, vessels of gold full of burning coals, some, vessels of gold full of water, wine, and oil, and some, horloges (clocks) of gold, made full nobly and richly wrought, and many other sorts of instruments after their sciences. And at certain hours they say to certain officers who stand before them, appointed for the time to fulfil their commands, "Make peace." And then the officers say, "Now peace, listen." And after that another of the philosophers says, "Every man do reverence, and bow to the emperor, who is God's son and sovereign lord of all the world; for now is time." And then every man bows his head towards the earth. And then the same philosopher commands again, "Stand up." And they do so. And at another hour another philosopher says, "Put your little finger in your ears." And anon they do so. And at another hour another philosopher says, "Put your hand before your mouth." And anon they do so. And at another hour another philosopher says, "Put your hand upon your head." And after that he biddeth them to take their hand away, and they do so. And so, from hour to hour, they command certain things. And they say that those things have divers significations. I asked them privately what those things betokened. And one of the masters told me that the bowing of the head at that hour betokened that all those that bowed their heads should evermore after be obedient and true to the emperor. And the putting of the little finger in the ear betokens, as they say, that none of them shall hear any thing spoken contradictory to the emperor, without telling it anon to his council, or discovering it to some men that will make relation to the emperor. And so forth of all other things done by the philosophers. And no man performs any duty tothe emperor, either clothing, or bread, or wine, or bath, or other thing that belongeth to him, but at certain hours, as his philosophers devise well. And if there fall war, anon the philosophers come and give their advice after their calculations, and counsel the emperor by their sciences; so that the emperor does nothing without their council. And when the philosophers have done and performed their commands, then the minstrels begin to do their minstrelsy on their different instruments, each after the other, with all the melody they can devise. And when they have performed a good while, one of the officers of the emperor goes up on a high stage, wrought full curiously, and cries and says with a loud voice, "Make peace." And then every man is still. And then, anon after, all the lords of the emperor's lineage, nobly arrayed in rich clothes of gold, and royally apparelled on white steeds, as many as may well follow him at that time, are ready to make their presents to the emperor. And then says the steward of the court to the lords, by name, "N. of N.," and names first the most noble and the worthiest by name, and says, "Be ye ready with such a number of white horses to serve the emperor your sovereign lord." And, to another lord, he says, "N. of N. be ye ready with such a number to serve your sovereign lord." And to another, right so. And to all the lords of the emperor's lineage, one after the other, as they are of estate. And when they are all called, they enter one after the other, and present the white horses to the emperor, and then go their way. And then, all the other barons, one by one, give him presents, or jewels, or some other thing, according to their rank. And then, after them, all the prelates of their law, and religious men and others; and every man gives him something. And when all men have thus offered to the emperor, the greatest of dignity of the prelates gives him a blessing, saying an orison of their law. And then begin the minstrels to make their minstrelsy on divers instruments, with all the melody that they can devise. When they have done their craft, then they bring in before the emperor lions, leopards, and other divers beasts, and eagles, and vultures, and other divers fowls, and fishes, and serpents, to do him reverence. And then come jugglers and enchanters that do many marvels; for they cause the sun and the moon to come in the air, apparently, to every man's sight. And afterwards they make thenight so dark that no man may see. And after that they make the day to come again, fair and pleasant, with bright sun, to every man's sight. And then they bring in dancers of the fairest damsels in the world, and most richly arrayed. Next they cause to come in other damsels bringing cups of gold full of milk of divers beasts, who give drink to lords and to ladies. And then they make knights to joust in arms full lustily; and they run together and fight full fiercely; and they break their spears so rudely that the fragments fly in pieces all about the hall. And then they cause to come in hunting for the hart and for the boar, with hounds running with open mouth. And many other things they do by craft of their enchantments, which it is marvellous to see. And such plays of sport they make, until the taking up of the boards.
This great chan hath a vast multitude of people to serve him, as I have told you before. For he hath of minstrels the number of thirteen cumants, but they abide not always with him. For all the minstrels that come before him, of whatever nation they are, are retained with him, as of his household, and entered in his books as for his own men. And after that, wherever they go, evermore they rank as minstrels of the great chan; and, under that title, all kings and lords cherish them the more with gifts and all things. And therefore he hath so great multitude of them. And he hath of certain men, as though they were yeomen, that keep birds, as ostriches, gerfaucons, sparrow-hawks, gentle falcons, lanyers, sacres, sacrettes[395], well speaking parrots, and singing birds, and also of wild beasts, as of elephants, tame and others, baboons, apes, monkeys, and other divers beasts, to the number of fifteen cumants of yeomen. And of Christian physicians he has two hundred; and of leeches[396]that are Christians, he has two hundred and ten; and of leeches and physicians that are Saracens, twenty; for he trusts more in the Christian leeches than in the Saracens. And his other common household is without number; all having all necessariesfrom the emperor's court. And he has in his court many barons, as servitors, that are Christians and converted to good faith by the preaching of religious Christian men who dwell with him, and there are many that will not have it known that they are Christians.
This emperor may spend as much as he will, without estimation, for his only money is of leather imprinted, or of paper, of which some is of greater price and some of less, after the diversity of his statutes[397]. And when that money has run so long that it begins to waste, men carry it to the emperor's treasury, and receive new money for the old. And that money passes throughout the country. For there, and beyond them, they make no money of gold or silver. Therefore, he may spend very largely. And of gold and silver that men have in this country, he makes ceilings, pillars, and pavements in his palace, and other divers things. This emperor hath in his chamber, in one of the pillars of gold, a ruby and a carbuncle of half a foot long, which in the night gives so great light and shining, that it is as light as day. And he hath many other precious stones, and many other rubies and carbuncles, but those are the greatest and most precious.
This emperor dwells in summer in a city towards the north, called Saduz, where it is cold; and in winter he dwells in a city called Camaaleche, in a hot country. But the country where he dwells most commonly is in Gaydo, or in Jong, a good and temperate country after the weather that is there; but, to men of our part of the world, it is excessively hot. And when this emperor will ride from one country to another, he appoints four hosts of his people, of the which, the first host goes before him a day's journey, for that host shall be lodged the night where the emperor shall lie upon the morrow. And there shall every man have all manner of victuals and necessaries at the emperor's cost. And in this first host the number of people is fifty cumants of horse and foot, of which every cumant amounts to ten thousand, as I have told you before. And another host goes on the right side of the emperor, nigh half a day's journey from him; and another goes on the left side of him, in the same manner. And in every host is the same number of people.Then after comes the fourth host, which is much greater than any of the other, and goes behind him, the distance of a bow's draught. And every host has its day's journey ordained in certain places, where they shall be lodged at night, and there they shall have all they need. And if it befall that one of the host die, anon they put another in his place, so that the number shall ever be complete. And you shall understand that the emperor, in person, rides not as other great lords do, unless he choose to go privately with few men, to be unknown. Otherwise, he sits in a chariot with four wheels, upon which is made a fair chamber; and it is made of a certain wood that comes out of terrestrial paradise, which they call lignum aloes. And this chamber is full well smelling, because of the wood it is made of; and it is all covered internally with plates of fine gold, dubbed with precious stones and great pearls. And four elephants and four great steeds, all white and covered with rich coverings, draw the chariot. And four, or five, or six of the greatest lords ride about this chariot, full richly and nobly arrayed, so that no man shall approach the chariot except those lords, unless the emperor call any man to him that he wishes to speak with. And above the chamber of this chariot in which the emperor sits, are set upon a perch four, or five, or six gerfaucons, to that intent, that when the emperor sees any wild fowl, he may take it at his own list, and have the sport, first with one and then with another; and so he takes his sport passing through the country. And no man of his company rides before him, but all after him. And no man dare approach within a bow-shot of the chariot, except those lords only that are about him; and all the host come fairly after him, in great multitude. And also such another chariot, with such hosts, ordained and arrayed, go with the empress upon another side, each by itself, with four hosts, right as the emperor did, but not with so great multitude of people. And his eldest son goes by another way in another chariot, in the same manner. So that there is between them so great multitude of folks that it is marvellous to tell it. And sometimes it happens that when he will not go far, and he chooses to have the empress and his children with him, that they go all together; and then the people are mixed in one company, and divided in four parts only.
The empire of this great chan is divided into twelve provinces;and every province has more than two thousand cities, and towns without number. This country is very extensive, for it has twelve principal kings in twelve provinces; and each of those kings has many kings under him; and they are all subject to the great chan. And his land and lordship extends so far that a man may not go from one end to the other, either by sea or land, in less than seven years. And through the deserts of his lordship, where are no towns, there are inns appointed at every day's journey, to receive both man and horse, in which they shall find plenty of victuals and all things they need in their way.
And there is a marvellous, but profitable, custom in that country, that if there happen any contrary thing that should be prejudicial or grievous to the emperor, in any kind, anon the emperor has tidings thereof and full knowledge in a day, though it be three or four days from him, or more. For his envoys take their dromedaries, or their horses, and they ride as fast as they may towards one of the inns; and when they come there they blow a horn, and anon they of the inn know that there are tidings to warn the emperor of some rebellion against him; and they make other men ready, in all haste that they may, to carry letters, and ride as fast as they may, till they come to the other inns with their letters; and then they make fresh men ready, to ride forth with the letters towards the emperor, while the last bringer rests himself, and baits his dromedary or horse; and so from inn to inn, till it comes to the emperor. And thus anon he has quick tidings of any thing by his couriers, that run so hastily through all the country. And, also, when the emperor sends his couriers in haste throughout his land, each of them has a large thong full of small bells; and when they approach the inns of other couriers, they ring their bells; and anon the other couriers make them ready, and run their way to another inn; and thus one runs to another, full speedily and swiftly, till the emperor's intent be served in all haste. And these couriers are calledchydydo, after their language, that is to say, a messenger.
Also when the emperor goes from one country to another, as I have told you before, and he passes through cities and towns, every man makes a fire before his door, and puts therein powder of good gums, that are sweet smelling, to make good savour to the emperor; and all the people kneel down towards him, and do him great reverence. And there, whereChristian monks dwell, as they do in many cities in the land, they go before him in procession, with cross and holy water; and they singVeni creator spiritus, with a high voice, and go towards him. And when he hears them, he commands his lords to ride beside him, that the religious men may come to him; and when they are nigh him with the cross, then he puts down his galiot, which is placed on his head in the manner of a chaplet, made of gold, and precious stones, and great pearls; and it is so rich that men esteem it the value of a realm in that country; and then he kneels to the cross. And then the prelate of the monks says before him certain orisons, and gives him a blessing with the cross; and he bows to the blessing full devoutly. And then the prelate gives him some sort of fruit, to the number of nine, in a plate of silver; and he takes one; and then men give to the other lords that are about him; for the custom is such that no stranger shall come before him, unless he give him some manner of thing, after the old law, that says,Nemo accedat in conspectu meo vacuus[398]. And then the emperor tells the monks to withdraw themselves again, that they be not hurt by the great multitude of horses that come behind him. And also in the same manner do the monks that dwell there to the empresses that pass by them, and to his eldest son; and to all of them they present fruit.
And you shall understand that this multitude of people dwell not continually with him, but are sent for when he wants them; and after, when they have done, they return to their own households, except those that are dwelling with him in the household to serve him, and his wives, and sons. And although the others are departed from him after they have performed their service, yet there remain continually with him in court fifty thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen, besides minstrels and those who keep wild beasts and birds. There is not, under the firmament, so great a lord, nor so mighty, nor so rich, as the great chan; neither Prester John, who is emperor of Upper India, nor the sultan of Babylon, nor the emperor of Persia. All these, in comparison to the great chan, are neither of might, nobleness, royalty, nor riches; for in all these he surpasses all earthly princes. Wherefore it is great harm that he believes not faithfully in God. And, nevertheless, he will gladly hearspeak of God; and he willingly allows Christian men to dwell in his lordship, and men of his faith to be made Christian men, if they will, throughout all his country; for he forbids no man to hold any faith but what he likes.
In that country some men have one hundred wives, some sixty, some more, and some less. And they take the next of their kin to wife, excepting only their mothers, daughters, and sisters on the mother's side; but their sisters on the father's side, of another woman, they may take; and their brother's wives, also, after their death; and their stepmothers also in the same way.
OF THE LAW AND CUSTOMS OF THE TARTARS IN CATHAY; AND HOW MEN DO WHEN THE EMPEROR SHALL DIE, AND HOW HE SHALL BE CHOSEN.
OF THE LAW AND CUSTOMS OF THE TARTARS IN CATHAY; AND HOW MEN DO WHEN THE EMPEROR SHALL DIE, AND HOW HE SHALL BE CHOSEN.
The people of that country use all long clothes, without furs; and they are clothed with precious cloths of Tartary, and cloths of gold. And their clothes are slit at the side, and fastened with silk lace; and they clothe them also with pilches[399], the hide outside. And they use neither cap nor hood. And the women go in the same dress as the men; so that we can hardly distinguish the men from the women, except only that the women that are married bear upon their heads the token of a man's foot, in sign that they are under man's foot, and under the subjection of man. And their wives dwell not together, but each of them by herself; and the husband may lie with which of them he likes. Each has a separate house, both man and woman; and their houses are made round with staves, with a round window above, which gives them light, and also serves for the escape of smoke. And the roofing of their houses, and the walls, and the doors, are all of wood.
When they go to war, they take their houses with them upon chariots, as men do tents or pavilions. They make their fires in the middle of their houses. And they have a great multitude of all manner of beasts, except swine, which they do not breed. And they believe in one God, who made and formed all things; yet they have idols of gold and silver, and of wood, and of cloth, to which they offer always the first milkof their beasts, and also of their meats and drinks before they eat. And they frequently offer horses and beasts. They call the god of nature Yroga. Their emperor, whatever name he has, they add always to it chan; and, when I was there, their emperor's name was Thiaut, so that he was called Thiaut Chan; and his eldest son was called Tossue; and when he shall be emperor, he shall be called Tossue Chan. And at that time the emperor had twelve other sons, named Cuncy, Ordii, Chahaday, Buryn, Negu, Nocab, Cadu, Siban, Cuten, Balacy, Babylan, and Garegan. And of his three wives, the first and the principal, who was Prester John's daughter, was named Serioche Chan; and the other Borak Chan; and the other Karanke Chan.
The people of that country begin all undertakings in the new moon; and they worship much the moon and the sun, and often kneel towards them. All the people of the country ride commonly without spurs; but they carry always a little whip in their hands to urge their horses. And they hold it for a great sin to cast a knife in the fire, and to draw flesh out of a pot with a knife, and to smite a horse with the handle of a whip, or to smite a horse with a bridle, or to break one bone with another, or to cast milk or any liquor that men may drink upon the earth, or to take and slay little children; and the greatest sin that any man may do is to water in their houses that they dwell in. And whosoever does so, they slay him. And of every one of these sins they must be shriven by their priests, and pay a great sum of silver for their penance. The place they have thus defiled must be purified before any one dare to enter it. And when they have paid their penance, men make them pass through a fire, or through two, to cleanse them of their sins. And also when any messenger comes and brings letters, or any present, to the emperor, he must pass, with the thing that he brings, through two burning fires, to purge them, that he bring no poison nor venom, nor any wicked thing, that might be grievance to the lord. And also, if any man or woman be taken in adultery or fornication, anon they slay them. The people of that country are all good archers, and shoot right well, both men and women, as well on horseback, riding, as on foot, running. And the women do all things, and exercise all manner of trades and crafts, as of clothes, boots, and other things; and they drive carts, ploughs, wagons, and chariots; and make houses, and all manner ofthings, except bows and arrows, and armour, which are made by men. And all the women wear breeches, as well as men. All the people of that country are very obedient to their sovereign, and fight not nor chide with one another. And there are neither thieves nor robbers in that country, but every man respects the other; but no man there doth reverence to strangers, except they are great princes. And they eat dogs, lions, leopards, mares and foals, asses, rats, and mice; and all kinds of beasts, great and small, except only swine, and beasts that were forbidden by the old law. They eat but little bread, except in courts of great lords; and they have not, in many places, either peas or beans, nor any other pottage but the broth of the flesh; for they eat little else but flesh and the broth. And when they have eaten they wipe their hands upon their skirts; for they use no napkins nor towels, except before great lords. And when they have eaten, they put their dishes, unwashed, into the pot or cauldron, with the remnant of the flesh and broth, till they eat again. The rich men drink milk of mares, or camels, or of asses, or other beasts. And they are easily made drunk with milk, or with another drink made of honey and water sodden together; for in that country is neither wine nor ale. They live full wretchedly, and eat but once in the day, and that but little, either in courts or other places. Indeed one man alone, in our country, will eat more in a day than they will eat in three. And if any foreign messenger come there to a lord, men make him to eat but once a day, and that very little.
When they make war they proceed with great prudence, and always do their best to destroy their enemies. Every man there bears two or three bows, and great plenty of arrows, and a great axe; and the gentlemen have short and large spears, very sharp on the one side; and they have plates and helmets made of cuirbouilli[400]; and their horses' coverings are of the same. And whoever flies from battle, they slay him. And when they hold a siege about a castle or town, which is walled and defensible, they promise them that are within to do all the profit and good, that it is marvellous to hear; and they grant also to them that are within all that they will ask them; and after they have surrendered, they slay them all, and cut off their ears, and they pickle them invinegar, and thereof make great service for lords. All their desire, and all their imagination, is to reduce all countries under their subjection; and they say that they know well, by their prophecies, that they shall be overcome by archers; but they know not of what nation, nor of what law, they shall be who shall overcome them.
When they will make their idols, or an image of any one of their friends, to have remembrance of him, they always make the image naked, without any kind of clothing; for they say that in good love there should be no covering, that man should not love for the fair clothing, nor for the rich array, but only for the body such as God hath made it.
And you shall understand that it is very perilous to pursue the Tartars when they fly in battle; for in flying they shoot behind them, and slay both men and horses. And when they fight, they close together in a body, so that, if there be twenty thousand men, you would not think there were ten thousand. They can conquer land of strangers, but they cannot keep it; for they like better to lie in tents without, than in castles or in towns. They despise all other people. Amongst them oil of olives is very dear; for they hold it for a very noble medicine. All the Tartars have small eyes and little beard, and a paucity of hair. They are false and traitorous, never keeping their promises. They are a very hardy people, and able to endure much labour, more than any other people; for they are accustomed thereto in their own country from youth.
And when any man shall die, they set a spear beside him; and when he draws towards death, every man flies out of the house till he is dead; and after that they bury him in the fields. And when the emperor dies, they place him in a chair in the centre of his tent, with a clean table before him, covered with a cloth, and thereon flesh and divers viands, and a cup full of mare's milk. And men put a mare beside him, with her foal, and a horse saddled and bridled; and they lay upon the horse great quantities of gold and silver, and they put about him great plenty of straw, and they make a great and large pit, and, with the tent and all these other things, they put him in the earth; and they say that when he shall come into another world, he shall not be without a house, nor without a horse, nor without gold and silver; and the mare shall give him milk, and bring him forth more horses, till he be well stored in the other world; for they believe that, aftertheir death, they shall be eating and drinking in that other world, and solacing themselves with their wives, as they did here. And after the emperor is thus interred, no man shall be so hardy as to speak of him before his friends. Many cause themselves to be interred privately by night, in wild places, and the grass put again over the pit, to grow; or they cover the pit with gravel and sand, that no man shall perceive where the pit is, to the intent that never after may his friends have mind or remembrance of him. Then they say that he is ravished into another world, where he is a greater lord than he was here. And then, after the death of the emperor, the seven lineages assemble together and choose his eldest son, or the next after him of his blood; and thus they say to him:—"We will, and we pray and ordain, that you be our lord and our emperor." And then he answers, "If you will that I reign over you as lord, each of you do as I shall command him, either to abide or go; and whomsoever I command to be slain, that anon he be slain." And they answer all, with one voice, "Whatsoever you command, it shall be done." Then says the emperor, "Now understand well that my word from henceforth is sharp and biting as a sword." After, they set him upon a black steed, and so bring him to a chair full richly arrayed, and there they crown him. And then all the cities and good towns send him rich presents, so that at that day he shall have more than sixty chariots laden with gold and silver, besides jewels of gold and precious stones, that lords give him, that are beyond estimation; and also horses and cloths of gold, and camakas, and cloth of Tartary, that are innumerable.
OF THE REALM OF THARSE, AND THE LANDS AND KINGDOMS TOWARDS THE NORTH PARTS, IN COMING DOWN FROM THE LAND OF CATHAY.
OF THE REALM OF THARSE, AND THE LANDS AND KINGDOMS TOWARDS THE NORTH PARTS, IN COMING DOWN FROM THE LAND OF CATHAY.
This land of Cathay is in Central Asia; and after, on this side, is Asia the Greater. The kingdom of Cathay borders towards the west on the kingdom of Tharse, of which was one of the kings that came with presents to our Lord in Bethlehem; and some of those who are of the lineage of that king are Christians. In Tharse they eat no flesh, and drink no wine. And on this side, towards the west, is the kingdom of Turkestan, which extends towards the west to the kingdom of Persia; and toward the north to the kingdom of Chorasm. In the centre of Turkestan are but few goodcities; but the best city of that land is called Octorar. There are great pastures, but little corn; and therefore, for the most part, they are all herdsmen; and they lie in tents, and drink a kind of ale made of honey.
And after it, on this side, is the kingdom of Chorasm (Khorasan), which is a good land and a plentiful, but without wine. It has a desert toward the east, which extends more than a hundred days' journey; and the best city of that country is called Chorasm, from which the country takes its name. The people of that country are hardy warriors. And on this side is the kingdom of Comania, whence were driven the Comanians that dwelt in Greece. This is one of the greatest kingdoms of the world, but it is not all inhabited; for in one part there is so great cold, that no man may dwell there; and in another part there is so great heat, that no man can endure it; and also there are so many flies, that no man may know on what side he may turn him. In that country is but little wood or trees bearing fruit, or others. They lie in tents; and they burn the dung of beasts for want of wood.
This kingdom descends on this side towards us, and towards Prussia and Russia. And through that country runs the river Ethille, which is one of the greatest rivers in the world; and it freezes so strongly all year, that many times men have fought upon the ice with great armies, both parties on foot, having quitted their horses for the time; and what on horse and on foot, more than 200,000 persons on every side. And between that river and the great Sea of Ocean, which they call the Maure Sea[401], lie all these kingdoms. And towards the head beneath in that realm is the mountain of Chotaz, which is the highest mountain in the world; and it is between the Maure Sea and the Caspian Sea. There is a very narrow and dangerous passage to go towards India; and therefore king Alexander made there a strong city, which they call Alexandria, to guard the country, that no man should pass without his leave; and now men call that city the Gate of Hell. And the principal city of Comania is called Sarak, which is one of the three ways to go into India; but by this way no great multitude of people can pass unless it be in winter; and that passage men call the Derbent. The other way is from the city of Turkestan, by Persia; and by that way are many days'journey by desert; and the third way is from Comania, by the great sea, and by the kingdom of Abchaz.
And you shall understand that all these kingdoms and lands above mentioned, unto Prussia and Russia, are all subject to the great chan of Cathay, and many other countries that border on them.
OF THE EMPEROR OF PERSIA, AND OF THE LAND OF DARKNESS, AND OF OTHER KINGDOMS THAT BELONG TO THE GREAT CHAN OF CATHAY, AND OTHER LANDS OF HIS, UNTO THE SEA OF GREECE.
OF THE EMPEROR OF PERSIA, AND OF THE LAND OF DARKNESS, AND OF OTHER KINGDOMS THAT BELONG TO THE GREAT CHAN OF CATHAY, AND OTHER LANDS OF HIS, UNTO THE SEA OF GREECE.
Now, since I have spoken of the lands and the kingdoms towards the north part, in coming down from the land of Cathay unto the lands of the Christians, towards Prussia and Russia, I will speak of other lands and kingdoms coming down towards the right side, unto the Sea of Greece, towards the land of the Christians. And since, after India and Cathay, the emperor of Persia is the greatest lord, I will tell you of the kingdom of Persia. He hath two kingdoms; the first begins towards the east, towards the kingdom of Turkestan, and extends towards the west to the river Pison, which is one of the four rivers that come out of Paradise. And on another side it extends toward the north to the Caspian Sea, and toward the south to the desert of India. And this country is good, and pleasant, and full of people, and contains many good cities. But the two principal cities are Boycurra and Seornergant, that some men call Sormagant[402]. The other kingdom of Persia extends towards the river Pison, and the parts of the west, to the kingdom of Media, and from the Great Armenia toward the north to the Caspian Sea, and towards the south to the land of India. That is also a good and rich land, and it hath three great principal cities, Messabor, Caphon, and Sarmassane.
And then after is Armenia, in which were formerly four kingdoms; it is a noble country, and full of goods. And it begins at Persia, and extends towards the west in length unto Turkey, and in breadth it extends to the city of Alexandria[403], that now is called the Gate of Hell, that I spoke of before, under the kingdom of Media. In this Armenia are many good cities, but Taurizo[404]is most of name.
After this is the kingdom of Media, which is very long, but not broad, beginning, towards the east, with the land of Persia, and India the Less; and it extends towards the west to the kingdom of Chaldea, and towards the north towards Little Armenia. In that kingdom of Media are many great hills and little of level ground. Saracens dwell there, and another kind of people called Cordines[405]. The two best cities of that kingdom are Sarras and Karemen.
After that is the kingdom of Georgia, which commences towards the east, at the great mountain called Abzor, and contains many people of different nations. And men call the country Alamo. This kingdom extends towards Turkey, and towards the Great Sea; and towards the south it borders on the Greater Armenia. And there are two kingdoms in that country, the kingdom of Georgia and the kingdom of Abchaz; and always in that country are two kings, both Christians; but the king of Georgia is in subjection to the great chan. And the king of Abchaz has the stronger country, and he always vigorously defends his country against all who assail him, so that no man may reduce him to subjection. In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel; for a province of the country, that has well in circuit three days, which they call Hanyson, is all covered with darkness, without any brightness or light, so that no man can see there, nor no man dare enter into it. And, nevertheless, they of the country say that sometimes men hear voices of people, and horses neighing, and cocks crowing; and men know well that men dwell there, but they know not what men. And they say that the darkness befell by miracle of God; for a cursed emperor of Persia, named Saures, pursued all the Christians to destroy them, and to compel them to make sacrifice to his idols, and rode with a great host, in all that ever he might, to confound the Christians. And then, in that country, dwelt many good Christians, who left their goods, and would have fled into Greece; and when they were in a plain, called Megon, anon this cursed emperor met with them with his host, to have slain them and cut them to pieces. And the Christians kneeled to the ground, and made their prayers to God to succour them; and anon a great thick cloud came, and covered the emperor and all his host; and so they remain in that manner, that they may go out on no side; and so shall theyever more abide in darkness till doomsday, by the miracles of God. And then the Christians went where they liked at their own pleasure, without hindrance of any creature. And you shall understand that out of that land of darkness issues a great river, that shows well there are people dwelling there, by many ready tokens; but no man dare enter into it.
And know well that in the kingdoms of Georgia, Abchaz, and the Little Armenia, are good and devout Christians; for they shrive and housel[406]themselves always once or twice in the week; and many housel themselves every day.
Also after, on this side, is Turkey, which borders on the Great Armenia. And there are many provinces, as Cappadocia, Saure, Brique, Quesiton, Pytan, and Gemethe; and in each of these are many good cities. This Turkey extends to the city of Sathala, that sitteth upon the Sea of Greece, and so it borders on Syria. Syria is a great and a good country, as I have told you before. And also it has, towards Upper India, the kingdom of Chaldea, extending from the mountains of Chaldea towards the east to the city of Nineveh, on the river Tigris; in breadth it begins towards the north, at the city of Maraga, and extends towards the south to the Sea of Ocean. Chaldea is a level country, with few hills and few rivers.
After is the kingdom of Mesopotamia, which begins towards the east, at the river Tigris, at a city called Moselle[407], and extends towards the west to the river Euphrates, to a city called Roianz; and in length it extends from the mountain of Armenia to the desert of India the Less. This is a good and level country; but it has few rivers. There are but two mountains in that country, of which one is called Symar, the other Lyson. This land borders on the kingdom of Chaldea.
There are also, towards the south parts, many countries and regions, as the land of Ethiopia, which borders towards the east on the great deserts, towards the west on the kingdom of Nubia, towards the south on the kingdom of Mauritania, and towards the north on the Red Sea. After is Mauritania, which extends from the mountains of Ethiopia to Upper Lybia. And that country lies along from the Ocean Sea towards the south, and towards the north it borders on Nubia and Upper Lybia. The men of Nubia are Christians. And it extends from the lands above mentioned to the deserts of Egypt, of which I have spoken before. And after is Upper and Lower Lybia, whichdescends low down, towards the great sea of Spain, in which country are many kingdoms and different people.
OF THE COUNTRIES AND ISLANDS BEYOND THE LAND OF CATHAY, AND OF THE FRUITS THERE; AND OF TWENTY-TWO KINGS INCLOSED WITHIN THE MOUNTAINS.
OF THE COUNTRIES AND ISLANDS BEYOND THE LAND OF CATHAY, AND OF THE FRUITS THERE; AND OF TWENTY-TWO KINGS INCLOSED WITHIN THE MOUNTAINS.
In passing by the land of Cathay towards Upper India, and towards Bucharia, men pass by a kingdom called Caldilhe, which is a very fair country. And there grows a kind of fruit like gourds, which, when they are ripe, men cut in two, and find within a little beast, in flesh, bone, and blood, as though it were a little lamb, without wool. And men eat both the fruit and the beast, and that is a great marvel. Of that fruit I have eaten; and I told them of as great a marvel to them that is amongst us, and that was of the barnacles. For I told them that in our country were trees that bear a fruit that becomes flying birds; and those that fall in the water live; and those that fall on the earth die anon; and they are right good for man's meat. And thereof had they also great marvel, that some of them thought it was an impossibility. In that country are long apples, of good flavour, whereof there are more than a hundred in a cluster; and they have great long leaves and large, of two feet long or more. And in that country, and in other countries thereabout, grow many trees that bear clove-gylofres and nutmegs, and great nuts of India, and of canelle, and many other spices. And there are vines which bear grapes so large, that a strong man would have enough to do to carry one cluster. In that same region are the mountains of Caspia, which are called Uber in the country. Between those mountains are inclosed the Jews of ten lineages, who are called Gog and Magog; and they may not go out on any side. There were inclosed twenty-two kings, with their people, that dwelt between the mountains of Scythia. King Alexander drove them between those mountains, and there he thought to inclose them through work of his men. But when he saw that he might not do it, nor bring it to an end, he prayed to the God of Nature that he would perform that which he had begun. And although he was a Pagan, and not worthy to be heard, yet God of his grace closed the mountains together, sothat they dwell there fast locked and inclosed with high mountains all about, except only on one side, and on that side is the Caspian Sea. Men say they shall come out in the time of Antichrist, and that they shall make great slaughter of the Christians; and therefore all the Jews that dwell in all lands learn always to speak Hebrew, in hope that when the other Jews shall go out, that they may understand their speech, and so lead them into Christendom, to destroy the Christians. For the Jews say that they know well, by their prophecies, that they of Caspia shall go out, and spread through all the world, and that the Christians shall be under subjection as long as they have been in subjection to them. And if you will know how they shall find their way, after what I have heard say I will tell you. In the time of Antichrist, a fox shall make there his trail, and burrow a hole where king Alexander made the gates; and so long he shall burrow and pierce the earth, till he shall pass through, towards that people. And when they see the fox, they shall have great wonder of him, because they never saw such a beast; for of all other beasts they have some inclosed among them, except the fox. And then they shall hunt him, and pursue him so close, till he arrive at the same place he came from; and then they shall dig and burrow so strongly, till they find the gates that king Alexander made of immense stones, well cemented and made strong for the mastery; and those gates they shall break, and so go out, by finding that issue.
From that land men go towards the land of Bucharia, where are very evil and cruel people. In that land are trees that bear wool[408], as though it were of sheep, whereof men make clothes, and all things that may be made of wool. In that country are many ipotaynes, that dwell sometimes in the water and sometimes on the land; and they are half man and half horse, as I have said before; and they eat men, when they may take them. And there are rivers of water that are very bitter, three times more than is the water of the sea. In that country are many griffins, more abundant than in any other country. Some men say that they have the body upward of an eagle, and beneath of a lion; and that is true. But one griffin has a greater body and is stronger than eight lions, and greater and stronger than a hundred eagles. For one griffin there will carry, flying to his nest, agreat horse, or two oxen yoked together as they go at the plough. For he has his talons so long, and so large and great, as though they were horns of great oxen, or of bulls, or of kine, so that men make cups of them to drink out of[409]; and of their ribs, and of the feathers of their wings, men make bows full strong, to shoot with arrows and darts. From thence men go, by many days, through the land of Prester John, the great emperor of India. And they call his kingdom the isle of Pentexoire.
OF THE ROYAL ESTATE Of PRESTER JOHN; AND OF A RICH MAN THAT MADE A MARVELLOUS CASTLE, AND CALLED IT PARADISE, AND OF HIS CUNNING.
OF THE ROYAL ESTATE Of PRESTER JOHN; AND OF A RICH MAN THAT MADE A MARVELLOUS CASTLE, AND CALLED IT PARADISE, AND OF HIS CUNNING.
This emperor, Prester John[410], possesses very extensive territory, and has many very noble cities and good towns in his realm, and many great and large isles. For all the country of India is divided into isles, by the great floods that come from Paradise, that separate all the land into many parts. And also in the sea he has full many isles. And the best city in the isle of Pentexoire is Nyse, a very royal city, noble and very rich. This Prester John has under him many kings, andmany isles, and many divers people of divers conditions. And this land is full good and rich, but not so rich as the land of the great chan. For the merchants come not thither so commonly to buy merchandise, as they do in the land of the great chan, for it is too far. And on the other side, in the isle of Cathay, men find all things needful to man, cloths of gold, of silk, and spicery. And therefore, although men have them cheap in the isle of Prester John, they dread the long way and the great perils in the sea. For in many places of the sea are great rocks of stone of adamant (loadstone), which of its nature draws iron to it; and therefore there pass no ships that have either bonds or nails of iron in them; and if they do, anon the rocks of adamant draw them to them, that they may never go thence. I myself have seen afar in that sea, as though it had been a great isle full of trees and bushes, full of thorns and briers, in great plenty; and the shipmen told us that all that was of ships that were drawn thither by the adamants, for the iron that was in them. And of the rottenness and other things that were within the ships, grew such bushes, and thorns, and briers, and green grass, and such kinds of things; and of the masts and the sail-yards, it seemed a great wood or a grove. And such rocks are in many places there about. And therefore merchants dare not pass there, except they know well the passages, or unless they have good pilots. And also they dread the long way, and, therefore, they go to Cathay, because it is nearer; and yet it is not so nigh but men must travel by sea and land eleven or twelve months, from Genoa or from Venice, to Cathay. And yet is the land of Prester John more far, by many dreadful days' journey. And the merchants pass by the kingdom of Persia, and go to a city called Hermes[411], because Hermes the philosopher founded it. And after that they pass an arm of the sea, and then they go to another city called Golbache; and there they find merchandise, and as great abundance of parrots as men find here of geese. In that country is but little wheat or barley, and therefore they eat rice and honey, milk, cheese, and fruit.
This emperor, Prester John, takes always to wife the daughter of the great chan; and the great chan also in thesame wise the daughter of Prester John. For they two are the greatest lords under the firmament.
In the land of Prester John are many divers things and many precious stones, so great and so large, that men make of them plates, dishes, cups, &c. And many other marvels are there, that it were too long to put in a book. But I will tell you of his principal isles, and of his estate, and of his law. This emperor Prester John is a Christian, and a great part of his country also; but they have not all the articles of our faith. They believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and they are very devout and true to one another. And he has under him seventy-two provinces, and in every province is a king, all which kings are tributary to Prester John. And in his lordships are many great marvels, for in his country is the sea called the Gravelly Sea, which is all gravel and sand, without a drop of water; and it ebbs and flows in great waves, as other seas do, and it is never still. And no man can pass that sea with ships, and, therefore, no man knows what land is beyond that sea. And although it has no water, men find therein, and on the banks, very good fish, of different nature and shape from what is found in any other sea; and they are of very good taste, and delicious to eat.
Three days from that sea are great mountains, out of which runs a great river which comes from Paradise, and it is full of precious stones, without a drop of water, and it runs through the desert, on one side, so that it makes the Gravelly Sea where it ends. And that river runs only three days in the week, and brings with it great stones and the rocks also therewith, and that in great plenty. And when they are entered into the Gravelly Sea they are seen no more. And in those three days that that river runneth, no man dare enter into it, but in the other days men dare enter well enough. Beyond that river, more up towards the deserts, is a great plain all gravelly between the mountains; and in that plain, every day at sun-rise, small trees begin to grow, and they grow till mid-day, bearing fruit; but no man dare take of that fruit, for it is a thing of fairie. And after mid-day they decrease and enter again into the earth, so that at sun-set they appear no more; and so they do every day.
In that desert are many wild men, hideous to look on, and horned; and they speak nought, but grunt like pigs. Andthere is also great plenty of wild dogs. And there are many parrots, which speak of their own nature, and salute men that go through the deserts, and speak to them as plainly as though it were a man. And they that speak well have a large tongue, and have five toes upon each foot. And there are also others which have but three toes upon each foot, and they speak but little.
This emperor Prester John, when he goes to battle against any other lord, has no banners borne before him; but he has three large crosses of gold full of precious stones; and each cross is set in a chariot full richly arrayed. And to keep each cross are appointed ten thousand men of arms, and more than one hundred thousand footmen. And this number of people is independent of the chief army. And when he has no war, but rides with a private company, he has before him but one plain cross of wood, in remembrance that Jesus Christ suffered death upon a wooden cross. And they carry before him also a platter of gold full of earth, in token that his nobleness, and his might, and his flesh, shall turn to earth. And he has borne before him also a vessel of silver, full of noble jewels of gold and precious stones, in token of his lordship, nobility, and power. He dwells commonly in the city of Susa, and there is his principal palace, which is so rich and noble that no man can conceive it without seeing it. And above the chief tower of the palace are two round pommels of gold, in each of which are two large carbuncles, which shine bright in the night. And the principal gates of his palace are of the precious stones called sardonix; and the border and bars are of ivory; and the windows of the halls and chambers are of crystal; and the tables, on which men eat, some are of emeralds, some of amethyst, and some of gold, full of precious stones; and the pillars that support the tables are of the same precious stones. Of the steps approaching his throne, where he sits at meat, one is of onyx, another crystal, another green jasper, another amethyst, another sardonix, another cornelian, and the seventh, on which he sets his feet, is of crysolite. All these steps are bordered with fine gold, with the other precious stones, set with great orient pearls. The sides of the seat of his throne are of emeralds, and bordered full nobly with gold, and dubbed with other precious stones and great pearls. All the pillars in his chamber are of fine gold with precious stones, and with manycarbuncles, which give great light by night to all people. And although the carbuncle gives light enough, nevertheless at all times a vessel of crystal, full of balm, is burning, to give good smell and odour to the emperor, and to expel all wicked airs and corruptions. The frame of his bed is of fine sapphires blended with gold, to make him sleep well, and to refrain him from lechery. For he will not lie with his wives but four times in the year, after the four seasons. He hath also a very fair and noble palace in the city of Nice, where he dwells when he likes; but the air is not so temperate as it is at the city of Susa. And you shall understand that in his country, and in the countries surrounding, men eat but once in the day, as they do in the court of the great chan. And more than thirty thousand persons eat every day in his court, besides goers and comers, but these thirty thousand persons spend not so much as twelve thousand of our country. This emperor Prester John has evermore seven kings with him, to serve him, who share their service by certain months; and with these kings serve always seventy-two dukes and three hundred and sixty earls. And all the days of the year, twelve archbishops and twenty bishops eat in his household and in his court. And the patriarch of St. Thomas is there what the pope is here. And the archbishops, and the bishops, and the abbots in that country, are all kings. And each of these great lords knows well the attendance of his service. One is master of his household, another is his chamberlain, another serveth him with a dish, another with a cup, another is steward, another is marshal, another is prince of his arms; and thus is he full nobly and royally served. And his land extends in extreme breadth four months' journey, and in length out of measure, including all the isles under earth, that we suppose to be under us.
Near the isle of Pentexoire, which is the land of Prester John, is a great isle, long and broad, called Milsterak, which is in the lordship of Prester John. That isle is very rich. There was dwelling not long since a rich man, named Gatholonabes, who was full of tricks and subtle deceits. He had a fair and strong castle in a mountain, so strong and noble that no man could devise a fairer or a stronger. And he had caused the mountain to be all walled about with a strong and fair wall, within which walls he had the fairest garden that might be imagined; and therein were trees bearing allmanner of fruits, all kinds of herbs of virtue and of good smell, and all other herbs also that bear fair flowers. And he had also in that garden many fair wells, and by them he had made fair halls and fair chambers, painted all with gold and azure, representing many divers things and many divers stories. There were also beasts and birds which sung full delectably, and moved by craft, that it seemed that they were alive. And he had also in his garden all kinds of birds and beasts, that men might have play or sport to behold them. And he had also in that place the fairest damsels that might be found under the age of fifteen years, and the fairest young striplings that men might get of that same age; and they were all clothed full richly in clothes of gold; and he said they were angels. And he had also caused to be made three fair and noble wells, all surrounded with stone of jasper and crystal, diapered with gold, and set with precious stones and great orient pearls. And he had made a conduit under the earth, so that the three wells, at his will, should run one with milk, another with wine, and another with honey. And that place he called Paradise. And when any good knight, who was hardy and noble, came to see this royalty, he would lead him into Paradise, and show him these wonderful things, for his sport, and the marvellous and delicious song of divers birds, and the fair damsels, and the fair wells of milk, wine, and honey, running plentifully. There he would let divers instruments of music sound in a high tower, so merrily that it was joy to hear, and no man should see the craft thereof; and those he said were angels of God, and that place was Paradise, that God had promised to his friends, saying "I will give you a land flowing with milk and honey." And then he would make them drink of certain drink, whereof anon they should be drunk; after which they seemed to have greater delight than they had before. And then would he say to them, that if they would die for him and for his love, after their death they should come to his paradise; and they should be of the age of the damsels, and they should play with them and yet they would remain maidens. And after that he would put them in a fairer paradise, where they should see the God of Nature visibly, in his majesty and bliss. And then would he show them his intent, and tell them, if they would go and slay such a lord or such a man who was his enemy, or disobedient to his will, they should not fear to do it, or to be slain themselves in doing it;for after their death he would put them into another paradise that was a hundred fold fairer than any of the others; and there should they dwell with the fairest damsels that might be, and play with them evermore. And thus went many divers lusty bachelors to slay great lords in divers countries, that were his enemies, in hopes to have that paradise. And thus he was often revenged of his enemies by his subtle deceits and false tricks. But when the worthy men of the country had perceived this subtle falsehood of this Gatholonabes, they assembled with force, and assailed his castle, and slew him, and destroyed all the fair places of that paradise. The place of the wells and of the walls and of many other things are yet clearly to be seen, but the riches are clean gone. And it is not long ago since that place was destroyed.