Between those mountains the Jews of ten lineages
be enclosed, that men clepe Goth and Magoth and they may not go out
on no side. There were enclosed twenty-two kings with their
people, that dwelled between the mountains of Scythia. There King
Alexander chased them between those mountains, and there he thought
for to enclose them through work of his men. But when he saw that
he might not do it, ne bring it to an end, he prayed to God of
nature that he would perform that that he had begun. And all were
it so, that he was a paynim and not worthy to be heard, yet God of
his grace closed the mountains together, so that they dwell there
all fast locked and enclosed with high mountains all about, save
only on one side, and on that side is the sea of Caspian.
Now may some men ask, since that the sea is on that one side,
wherefore go they not out on the sea side, for to go where that
them liketh?
But to this question, I shall answer; that sea of Caspian goeth out
by land under the mountains, and runneth by the desert at one side
of the country, and after it stretcheth unto the ends of Persia,
and although it be clept a sea, it is no sea, ne it toucheth to
none other sea, but it is a lake, the greatest of the world; and
though they would put them into that sea, they ne wist never where
that they should arrive; and also they can no language but only
their own, that no man knoweth but they; and therefore may they not
go out.
And also ye shall understand, that the Jews have no proper land of
their own for to dwell in, in all the world, but only that land
between the mountains. And yet they yield tribute for that land to
the Queen of Amazonia, the which that maketh them to be kept in
close full diligently, that they shall not go out on no side but by
the coast of their land; for their land marcheth to those
mountains.
And often it hath befallen, that some of the Jews have gone up the
mountains and avaled down to the valleys. But great number of folk
ne may not do so, for the mountains be so high and so straight up,
that they must abide there, maugre their might. For they may not
go out, but by a little issue that was made by strength of men, and
it lasteth well a four great mile.
And after, is there yet a land all desert, where men may find no
water, neither for digging ne for none other thing.
