But by that way, ne may not
pass no great multitude of people, but if it be in winter. And
that passage men clepe the Derbent. The tother way is for to go
from the city of Turkestan by Persia, and by that way be many
journeys by desert. And the third way is that cometh from Comania
and then to go by the Great Sea and by the kingdom of Abchaz.
And ye shall understand, that all these kingdoms and all these
lands above-said unto Prussia and to Russia be all obeissant to the
great Chan of Cathay, and many other countries that march to other
coasts. Wherefore his power and his lordship is full great and
full mighty.
CHAPTER XXVIII
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 devised you the lands and the kingdoms toward the
parts Septentrionals in coming down from the land of Cathay unto
the lands of the Christian, towards Prussia and Russia, - now shall
I devise you of other lands and kingdoms coming down by other
coasts, toward the right side, unto the sea of Greece, toward the
land of Christian men. And, therefore, that after Ind and after
Cathay the Emperor of Persia is the greatest lord, therefore, I
shall tell you of the kingdom of Persia.
First, where he hath two kingdoms, the first kingdom beginneth
toward the east, toward the kingdom of Turkestan, and it stretcheth
toward the west unto the river of Pison, that is one of the four
rivers that come out of Paradise. And on another side it
stretcheth toward the Septentrion unto the sea of Caspian; and also
toward the south unto the desert of Ind. And this country is good
and plain and full of people. And there be many good cities. But
the two principal cities be these, Boyturra, and Seornergant, that
some men clepe Sormagant. The tother kingdom of Persia stretcheth
toward the river of Pison and the parts of the west unto the
kingdom of Media, and from the great Armenia and toward the
Septentrion to the sea of Caspian and toward the south to the land
of Ind. That is also a good land and a plenteous, and it hath
three great principal cities - Messabor, Saphon, and Sarmassan.
And then after is Armenia, in the which were wont to be four
kingdoms; that is a noble country and full of goods. And it
beginneth at Persia and stretcheth toward the west in length unto
Turkey. And in largeness it dureth to the city of Alexandria, that
now is clept the Gate of Hell, that I spake of before, under the
kingdom of Media.
