In That Land Dwell Many Christian Men And Saracens, For It Is
A Good Country And A Great.
And there be therein more than 2000
great cities and rich, without other great towns.
And there is
more plenty of people there than in any other part of Ind, for the
bounty of the country. In that country is no needy man, ne none
that goeth on begging. And they be full fair folk, but they be all
pale. And the men have thin beards and few hairs, but they be
long; but unnethe hath any man passing fifty hairs in his beard,
and one hair sits here, another there, as the beard of a leopard or
of a cat. In that land be many fairer women than in any other
country beyond the sea, and therefore men clepe that land Albany,
because that the folk be white.
And the chief city of that country is clept Latorin, and it is a
journey from the sea, and it is much more than Paris. In that city
is a great river bearing ships that go to all the coasts in the
sea. No city of the world is so well stored of ships as is that.
And all those of the city and of the country worship idols. In
that country be double sithes more birds than be here. There be
white geese, red about the neck, and they have a great crest as a
cock's comb upon their heads; and they be much more there than they
be here, and men buy them there all quick, right great cheap. And
there is great plenty of adders of whom men make great feasts and
eat them at great solemnities; and he that maketh there a feast be
it never so costly, an he have no adders he hath no thank for his
travail.
Many good cities there be in that country and men have great plenty
and great cheap of all wines and victuals. In that country be many
churches of religious men, and of their law. And in those churches
be idols as great as giants; and to these idols they give to eat at
great festival days in this manner. They bring before them meat
all sodden, as hot as they come from the fire, and they let the
smoke go up towards the idols; and then they say that the idols
have eaten; and then the religious men eat the meat afterwards.
In that country be white hens without feathers, but they bear white
wool as sheep do here. In that country women that be unmarried,
they have tokens on their heads like coronals to be known for
unmarried. Also in that country there be beasts taught of men to
go into waters, into rivers and into deep stanks for to take fish;
the which beast is but little, and men clepe them loirs. And when
men cast them into the water, anon they bring up great fishes, as
many as men will.
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