CAP. LXIII.
Of the Kingedome named Mancy which is the best kingedome of the worlde.
TO go from this yle toward the east many journies a man shall finde a kingdome that is called Mancy1& this is in Inde the more, & it is yemost delectable and plenty of goods of all the worlde. In this lande dwell christen men and Sarasins, for it is a great lande, and therein areII Mgreat cities & many other townes. In this lande no man goeth a begging, for there is nopore man, and there men haue beardes of heare2as it were cattes. In this lande are faire women, and therefore some men call that lande Albany, for the white folke, and there is a citie that men call Latorim and is more3than Paris, and in that land are birdes twise greater than they be here and there is all maner of vytayles good cheape.4In this countrey are whyte hennes, and they beare no feathers but woll5as shepe doe in our lande; and women of that countrey that are wedded beare crownes uppon theyr heads that they maybe knowne by. In this countrey they take a beast that is called Loyres, and they keepe it to goe in to waters or ryvers, and straighte waye hee bringeth out of the water great fishes, and thus they take fishe as longe as they will, and as them nedeth. Fro this citie men go by many journeys to an other citie that is called Cassay,6that is the fayrest citie of the worlde, and that citie is fifty myle about and there is in that citie mo than xii7principall gates without. From thence within three myle is an other great citie, and within this citie are more than xii thousand bridges and upon eche bridge is a stronge toure where the kepers dwell to kepe it against the great Caane, for it marcheth8on his land. And on one side of the citie runneth a great river, and there dwell christen men & other for it is a good countrey and plentious, & there groweth right good wine. In this noble citie the King of Mancy was wont to dwell and there dwell religious men, as fryers. And men go vpon the river till they come to an Abbey of Monkes a lyttle from the citie & in ytAbbey is a great gardeine, and therein is many maner of trees of divers fruites, in that gardein are divers kindes of beastes, as Baboyns,9Apes, Marmosets and other, & when the covent10haue eaten, a monke taketh the reliefe11& beareth it into the gardein, & smiteth once with a bell of silver which he holdeth in his hand, anone come out these beastes that I speake of and many nereIIorIIIthousand,12and he giveth themto eate of13faire vessels of silver, & when they haue eaten he smyteth the bell againe and they go away, and the monke sayth that those beasts are soules of men that are dead, and those beastes that are fayre are soules of Lordes and other rich men, & those that are foule beastes are soules of other commons, and I asked them if it had not been better to give that relife to pore men, & they sayde there is no pore men in yecountrey and if there were yet were it more almes to give it to those soules ytsuffer there their penaunce & may go no farther to get their meat, than to men that haue wit & may travail for theyr meat. Then come men to a citie ytis called Chibens & there was the first sege14of the King of Mancy. In this citie are LX brydges of stone as fayre as they may be.
In this countrey are whyte hennes, and they beare no feathers but woll
1:Or Manzi, that part of China south of the river Hoang-ho.2:Pynsonhas "berdesthynneof here, as it were cattes."3:Larger.4:Pynsonhere has, "and there is plenty of great neddres (adders) of whyche they make a greate fest and ete theym at great solemnytees. For, if a man make a greate fest, and had gyven them all the mete that he myght gete, and he give theym no neddres, he hath no thanke for all that he doth."5:Wool.6:Hangchow-fu.7:Pynsonsays, "There is in ytcitie mo than VII thousand gates and each of III gate is a good toure where the kepers dwell," &c.8:Borders.9:Baboons.10:Convent.11:What is left over.12:Pynsonsays III Thousand or IIII Thousand.13:Off.14:Seat or settlement.
1:Or Manzi, that part of China south of the river Hoang-ho.
2:Pynsonhas "berdesthynneof here, as it were cattes."
3:Larger.
4:Pynsonhere has, "and there is plenty of great neddres (adders) of whyche they make a greate fest and ete theym at great solemnytees. For, if a man make a greate fest, and had gyven them all the mete that he myght gete, and he give theym no neddres, he hath no thanke for all that he doth."
5:Wool.
6:Hangchow-fu.
7:Pynsonsays, "There is in ytcitie mo than VII thousand gates and each of III gate is a good toure where the kepers dwell," &c.
8:Borders.
9:Baboons.
10:Convent.
11:What is left over.
12:Pynsonsays III Thousand or IIII Thousand.
13:Off.
14:Seat or settlement.