And Amongst All I Shewed Him This Treatise, That I Had Made After
Information Of Men That Knew Of Things
That I had not seen myself,
and also of marvels and customs that I had seen myself, as far as
God would give me grace; and besought his holy fatherhood, that my
book might be examined and corrected by advice of his wise and
discreet council. And our holy father, of his special grace,
remitted my book to be examined and proved by the advice of his
said counsel. By the which my book was proved for true, insomuch,
that they shewed me a book, that my book was examined by, that
comprehended full much more, by an hundred part, by the which the
MAPPA MUNDI was made after. And so my book (albeit that many men
ne list not to give credence to nothing, but to that that they see
with their eye, ne be the author ne the person never so true) is
affirmed and proved by our holy father, in manner and form as I
have said.
And I, John Mandevile, knight, abovesaid (although I be unworthy),
that departed from our countries and passed the sea, the year of
grace a thousand three hundred and twenty two, that have passed
many lands and many isles and countries, and searched many full
strange places, and have been in many a full good honourable
company, and at many a fair deed of arms (albeit that I did none
myself, for mine unable insuffisance), now I am come home, maugre
myself, to rest, for gouts artetykes that me distrain, that define
the end of my labour; against my will (God knoweth).
And thus, taking solace in my wretched rest, recording the time
passed, I have fulfilled these things, and put them written in this
book, as it would come into my mind, the year of grace a thousand
three hundred and fifty six, in the thirty-fourth year, that I
departed from our countries.
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