This Is The Best Isle And The Best Kingdom That
Is In All Those Parts, Out-Taken Cathay.
And if the merchants used
as much that country as they do Cathay, it would be better than
Cathay in a short while.
This country is full well inhabited, and
so full of cities and of good towns inhabited with people, that
when a man goeth out of one city, men see another city even before
them; and that is what part that a man go, in all that country. In
that isle is great plenty of all goods for to live with, and of all
manner of spices. And there be great forests of chestnuts. The
king of that isle is full rich and full mighty, and, natheles, he
holds his land of the great Chan, and is obeissant to him. For it
is one of the twelve provinces that the great Chan hath under him
without his proper land, and without other less isles that he hath;
for he hath full many.
From that kingdom come men, in returning, to another isle that is
clept Rybothe, and it is also under the great Chan. That is a full
good country, and full plenteous of all goods and of wines and
fruit and all other riches. And the folk of that country have no
houses, but they dwell and lie all under tents made of black fern,
by all the country. And the principal city and the most royal is
all walled with black stone and white.
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