THE TABLE.
| CAP. |
|
PAGE |
| |
Preface |
v |
| |
Introduction |
ix |
| I. |
He that wyl go toward Hierusalem on horse, on
foote, or by sea |
4 |
| II. |
Of the Ilands of Greece |
14 |
| III. |
To come againe to Constantinople for to go to the
Holy Land |
19 |
| IV. |
Of a terrible dragon |
22 |
| V. |
Of a yong man and his lemmā |
25 |
| VI. |
Of the maner of hunting in Cipres |
27 |
| VII. |
Of the haven named Jaffe |
29 |
| VIII. |
Of the haven of Tyre |
29 |
| IX. |
Of the Hyll Carme |
30 |
| X. |
How Sampson slew the King and his enemies |
32 |
| XI. |
The way to Bebilon whereas the Sowdan dwelleth |
33 |
| XII. |
Yet here foloweth of the Sowdan & his Kingdomes
that he hath conquered, which he holdeth strongly
with force |
35 |
| XIII. |
For to returne fro Sinay to Hierusalem |
37 |
| XIV. |
As men are passed this wildernesse againe coming
to Hierusalem |
39 |
| XV. |
Here foloweth a little of Adam & Eve and other
things |
41 |
| XVI. |
Of the dry tree |
43 |
| XVII. |
Fro Bethlehem |
44 |
| XVIII. |
Of a fayre mayden that shold be put to death
wrongfully |
45 |
| XIX. |
Of the citie of Hierusalem |
48 |
| XX. |
Yet of ye holy citie of Hierusalem |
50 |
| XXI. |
Of ye church of ye holy sepulchre |
55 |
| XXII. |
Of the temple of God |
57 |
| XXIII. |
Yet of the temple of God |
59 |
| XXIV. |
Of King Herode |
64 |
| XXV. |
Of S. Salvatours church |
66 |
| XXVI. |
The fielde of Acheldemack which was bought
with ye xxx pēce |
69 |
| XXVII. |
Of the mount Joye |
70 |
| XXVIII. |
Of the castell Berthania |
72 |
| XXIX. |
Of Jerico and other things |
72 |
| XXX. |
Of the holy place betwene Bethany and from
Jordan, and other things |
73 |
| XXXI. |
Of Abram and his Generation |
75 |
| XXXII. |
Of the river Jordan |
76 |
| XXXIII. |
Of many other marvailes |
78 |
| XXXIV. |
Of the Samaritanes |
81 |
| XXXV. |
Of Galyle |
82 |
| XXXVI. |
Of the way of Nazareth to ye mount or hyll of
Tabor |
84 |
| XXXVII. |
Of the sea of Galyle |
85 |
| XXXVIII. |
Of the table whereon Christ eate after his resurrection |
85 |
| XXXIX. |
Of straunge maners & divers |
87 |
| XL. |
For to turne againe on this side Galile |
91 |
| XLI. |
How a man may go furdest and longest in those
countreis as hereafter ben rehersed |
93 |
| XLII. |
Of other wayes for to go by lande unto Hierusalem |
95 |
| XLIII. |
Yet an other waye by lande toward the lande of
promission |
97 |
| XLIV. |
Of the faith of the Sarasins and of the booke of
their law, named Alkaron |
99 |
| XLV. |
Yet it treateth more of Mahomet |
101 |
| XLVI. |
Of the byrth of Mahomet |
104 |
| XLVII. |
Of the yles and divers maner of people and of
marvailous beastes |
107 |
| XLVIII. |
Of the haven of Gene, for to go by the Sea into
divers countreys |
109 |
| XLIX. |
Of the country of Job, and of the kingdome of
Caldee |
115 |
| L. |
Of the kingdome of Amazony whereas dwelleth
none but women |
117 |
| LI. |
Of the lande of Ethiope |
119 |
| LII. |
Of Inde the more, and Inde ye lesse, and of
diamonds, and small people and other things |
121 |
| LIII. |
Of divers kingdomes and yles which are in the land
of Inde |
123 |
| LIV. |
Of the kingdome of Mabarō |
130 |
| LV. |
Of a great countrey called Lamozy where the people
go all naked |
134 |
| LVI. |
Of the countrey and yle named Jana which is a
mighty land |
137 |
| LVII. |
Of the kingdome of Pathen or Salmasse which is
a goodly lande |
138 |
| LVIII. |
Of the kingedome of Talonach, the king thereof
hath many wyves |
140 |
| LIX. |
Of the ylande called Raso where men be hanged
as sone as they are sicke |
143 |
| LX. |
Of the ylande of Melke wherein dwelleth evill people |
144 |
| LXI. |
Of an ylande named Macumeran whereas the
people have heads lyke houndes |
146 |
| LXII. |
Of a great yland called Dodin wher are many
divers men of evil condicions |
149 |
| LXIII. |
Of the kingdome named Mancy, which is the best
kingedome of the world |
153 |
| LXIV. |
Of the lande of Pygmeen, wherein dwell but smal
people of three spanne long |
156 |
| LXV. |
Of the citie of Menke wher a great navy is |
158 |
| LXVI. |
Of the lande named Cathay & of ye great riches
thereof |
158 |
| LXVII. |
Of a great citie named Cadon wherein is the great
Caanes palaice and sege |
159 |
| LXVIII. |
Wherfore that the Emperoure of Cathay is called
ye great Caane |
163 |
| LXIX. |
How the great Caane was hid under a tree, and so
escaped his enemies because of a bird |
165 |
| LXX. |
Of the great Caanes letters and the writing about
his seale |
166 |
| LXXI. |
Of the governaunce of the country of the great
Caane |
167 |
| LXXII. |
Of the great riches of ye Emperour and of his
dispending |
170 |
| LXXIII. |
Of the ordinaunce of the Lordes of ye Emperour
when he rideth from one countrey to an
other to warre |
171 |
| LXXIV. |
How the Empyre of the great Caane is departed
into 12 provinces and how that they doe cast
ensense in the fyre wher ye great Caane passeth
thorough the Cities and townes, in worship
of the Emperour |
172 |
| LXXV. |
How the great Caane is the myghtiest lord of
all the world |
173 |
| LXXVI. |
Yet of other maners of his countrey |
174 |
| LXXVII. |
How the Emperour is brought unto his grave
when he is dead |
175 |
| LXXVIII. |
When the Emperour is dead how they chose
and make an other |
176 |
| LXXIX. |
What countries and kingedomes lye next to the
lande of Cathay and the frontes thereof |
177 |
| LXXX. |
Of other wayes comming fro Cathay toward
the Grekes sea, and also of the Emperour of
Percey |
179 |
| LXXXI. |
Of the lande of Armony, which is a good land,
and of the land of Middy |
180 |
| LXXXII. |
Of the Kingdome of George and Abcan and many
marvayles |
181 |
| LXXXIII. |
Of the land of Turkey, and divers other countreys,
and of the lande of Mesopotamy |
182 |
| LXXXIV. |
Of divers countreys, kingdomes and yles, and
marvayles beyond the land of Cathay |
183 |
| LXXXV. |
Of the land of Bactry and of many Griffons and
other beastes |
186 |
| LXXXVI. |
Of the way for to goe to Prester John's lande,
which is Emperour of Inde |
187 |
| LXXXVII. |
Of the fayth and belyefe of Prester John, but
he hath not all the full beliefe as we haue |
190 |
| LXXXVIII. |
Of an other yland where also dwelleth good
people therein and is called Sinople |
191 |
| LXXXIX. |
Of two other yles, one is called Pitan wherein be
little men that eat no meate, and in an other
yle are the men all rough of fethers |
193 |
| XC. |
Of a rich man in Prester John's lād named Catolonapes
and of his gardeine |
194 |
| XCI. |
Of a marvailous valey that is beside the river of
Phison |
196 |
| XCII. |
Of an yland wherin dwell people as great as
gyants of 28 or 30 foote of length and other
things |
198 |
| XCIII. |
Of women which make great sorow as their
children are borne and great joy when they are
dead |
199 |
| XCIV. |
Of an yland where men wed their owne daughters
and kinswomē |
200 |
| XCV. |
Of an other yland wherein dwell full good people
and true |
202 |
| XCVI. |
How King Alexander sent his men thither for to
winne the land |
203 |
| XCVII. |
How the Emperour Prester John when he goeth
to batayle he hath iii Crosses borne before him
of gold |
204 |
| XCVIII. |
Of the most dwelling place of Prester John in a
citie called Suse |
205 |
| XCIX. |
Of the wilderness wherein groweth the trees of
the sonne and the moone |
207 |
| C. |
Of a great yland and Kingdome called Taprobane |
208 |
| CI. |
Of two other yles, one is called Orel, and the other
Argete, where are many gold mynes |
209 |
| CII. |
Of ye darke country and hyls and roches of stone
nigh to Paradise |
210 |
| CIII. |
A little of Paradise Terrestre |
211 |
| CIV. |
How Prester Johns land lieth fote against fote to
England |
213 |
| CV. |
Of the Kingdome of Ryboth |
214 |
| CVI. |
Of a rich man that is neither King, Prince, Duke
ne Erle |
216 |
| CVII. |
How of all these lands, yles, and kingdomes, and
the men thereof afore rehersed haue some of
the articles of our faith |
217 |
| CVIII. |
How John Maundevyl leveth many mervayles unwritten
and the cause therefore |
218 |
| CIX. |
What time John Maundevil departed out of England |
219 |
APPENDIX.
The journall of Frier Odoricus.
—Of the maners of the Chaldeans, and of India.
—How peper is had: and where it groweth.
—Of a strange and uncouth idole: & of certaine customes and ceremonies.
—Of certaine trees yeelding meale, honey, and poyson.
—Of the abundance of fishes which cast themselues upon the shore.
—Of the Island of Sylan: and of the mountaine where Adam mourned for his sonne Abel.
—Of the upper India: and of the province of Mancy.
—Of the citie of Fuco.
—Of a Monastery where many strange beastes of divers kindes doe live upon an hill.
—Of the citie of Cambaleth.
—Of the glory and magnificence of the great Can.
—Of certain Innes or hospitals appointed for traveilers throughout the whole empire.
—Of the foure feasts which the great Can solemnizeth euery yeere in his court.
—Of divers provinces and cities.
—Of a certaine riche man, who is fed and nourished by 50 virgins.
—Of the death of Senex de monte.
—Of the honour and reverence done unto the great Can.
—Of the death of frier Odoricus.
|
221 |
| Extra Plates in Illustration of the Book |
267 |
| List of the Editions in the British Museum |
277 |
The Voiage and Travayle of Syr
John Maundeville, Knight.
Here beginneth a lyttle treatise or boke, named John
Maundevile Knight, borne in England in the towne of
Sainct Albone, & speaketh of the wayes to Hierusalem,
to Inde, and to the greate Cane,1 and also to Prester Johns
land, & to many other countreys, & also of many marvailes
that are in the holy Lande.
FOR
AS MUCH as the lande over the sea,
that is to say, the holy land, that men cal
the land of Behest,2 among all other lands
is most worthy & Soveraine, for it is
blessed, halowed, and sacred of the precious bloud of
our Lord Jesu Christ, in the which land, it liked
him to take flesh and bloud of the Virgin Mary, &
to environ that lande with his owne feete, and there
he wold do many myracles, preach and teach the fayth
and the law of Christen men, as unto his children, &
there he would suffer many reprouves and scornes for us,
and he that was King of heaven and hell, of ayre, of sea,
of lande, and of all things that are contained in them,
wold alonely3 be called King of that land, when he sayde,
Rex sum Judeorum, I am King of Jewes: For that tyme
was that lande of Jewes, and that lande he chose before
all other landes, as the best & most worthy of vertues
of all the world. And as the Philosopher sayth, Virtus
rerum in medio consistit. That is to say, the vertue of
things is in the midst: and in that lande he would leade
his lyfe, and suffer passion and death of the Jewes for
us, to save and deliver us from the paines of hell, and
from deathe without ende, the which was ordeyned to us
for the sinne of our father Adam, and our owne synnes
also, for as for himself he had none evil done ne4 deserved,
for he never thought ne dyd any evyll, for he that was
King of Glory and of joy might best in that place suffer
death. For he that will do any thinge that he will haue
knowen openly, he wyll proclayme it openly in the
myddle place of a towne or of a citie, so that it may bee
knowne to all parties of the citie, so he that was King of
glory and of all the worlde would suffer death for us at
Hierusalem, which is in the mydst of the worlde, so that
it might be knowen to all nations of the worlde how
deare he bought man, that he made with his handes in
his owne likenesse, for the great loue that he had to us.
Ah dere God, what love he had to his subjects, when he
that had done no trespasse, would for us trespassours
suffer death: for a more worthy catell5 he might not
have sette for us, then his owne blessed bodie and his
owne precious bloud the which he suffered for us: right
wel ought men to love, worship dreade, and serve such
a Lord, and prayse such an holy lande that brought
forth a lord of such fruite, through the which eche man
is saved but if it be his own defaute. This is that
lande prepared for an heritage to us, and in that lande
would he dye as seased,6 to leaue it to his children. For
the which eche good Chrysten man that may & hath
wherewith, should strengthen him for to conquere our
righte heritage, and purchace7 out of the evill peoples
handes: for we are cleped8 christen men of Christ our
father, and if we be the ryght children of Christ, we
oughte to challenge the heritage that our father lefte us
& take it out of straunge mens handes. But now
Pryde, Covetyse and Envy hath so inflamed the hearts
of the lordes of the worlde, that they are more busy for
to disheryte theyr neighbours than to challenge or conquere
their right heritage aforesayde. And the common
people that would put their bodies and theyr catell for
to conquere our heritage, they may not do so without
lordes: for assembling of the people without a chiefe
lorde, is as a flocke of sheepe without a sheepherd, the
which depart asunder, and wot not whether they shall go.
But would9 God, the worldly Lordes were at a good
accorde, and with other of their common people would
take this holy voyage over the sea. I trust well that
within a little tyme our right heritage before sayd should
be reconsiled and put into the hands of the right heires
of Jesu Christ. And for as much as it is long time that
there was any general passage over the sea, and that
many men desire to here speaking of the holy lande,
and have therefore great solace and comfort, therefore
ye shall here by me John Maundevile Knight which
was borne in England in the towne of Saint Albones,
and passed the sea in the yeare of our Lord Jesu
Christ a. MIII.C.10 on the day of Sainct Michael, and
there remained long tyme, and went through many landes,
and many provinces, kingdomes and yles, & have
passed through Turkey, and through Armony11 the lyttle
and the great, through Tartary, Percy,12
Surre,13 Araby,
Egypt the high and the low, through Libie, Caldee and
a great part of Ethiope, through Amazonie through
Inde the lesse & the more a great part, and through
many other yles which are about Inde, where many
people dwelleth of divers lawes and shapes. Of the men
of which landes and yles I shall speake more plainly and
I shall devise14 a parte of the things what they are when
time shall be, after it may best come to my mynde &
specially for them that will, and are in purpose, for to
visite the holy citie of Hierusalem and the holy places
that are there aboute & I shall tell the way that they
shall holde15 thither, for I have many times passed and
ridden it with good company and with many lordes.
