Of the Sparrow-hawk, that is beyond the city of Layays
beside the town of Pharsipee, that belongeth to the lordship of
Cruk, that is a rich lord and a good Christian man; where men find
a sparrow-hawk upon a perch right fair and right well made, and a
fair lady of faerie that keepeth it. And who that will watch that
sparrow-hawk seven days and seven nights, and, as some men say,
three days and three nights, without company and without sleep,
that fair lady shall give him, when he hath done, the first wish
that he will wish of earthly things; and that hath been proved
often-times.
And one time befell, that a King of Armenia, that was a worthy
knight and doughty man, and a noble princes watched that hawk some
time. And at the end of seven days and seven nights the lady came
to him and bade him wish, for he had well deserved it. And he
answered that he was great lord enough, and well in peace, and had
enough of worldly riches; and therefore he would wish none other
thing, but the body of that fair lady, to have it at his will. And
she answered him, that he knew not what he asked, and said that he
was a fool to desire that he might not have; for she said that he
should not ask but earthly thing, for she was none earthly thing,
but a ghostly thing. And the king said that he ne would ask none
other thing. And the lady answered; "Sith that I may not withdraw
you from your lewd corage, I shall give you without wishing, and to
all them that shall come of you. Sir king! ye shall have war
without peace, and always to the nine degree, ye shall be in
subjection of your enemies, and ye shall be needy of all goods."
And never since, neither the King of Armenia nor the country were
never in peace; ne they had never sith plenty of goods; and they
have been sithen always under tribute of the Saracens.
Also the son of a poor man watched that hawk and wished that he
might chieve well, and to be happy to merchandise. And the lady
granted him. And he became the most rich and the most famous
merchant that might be on sea or on earth. And he became so rich
that he knew not the thousand part of that he had. And he was
wiser in wishing than was the king.
Also a knight of the Temple watched there, and wished a purse
evermore full of gold. And the lady granted him. But she said him
that he had asked the destruction of their order for the trust and
the affiance of that purse, and for the great pride that they
should have. And so it was. And therefore look he keep him well,
that shall wake. For if he sleep he is lost, that never man shall
see him more.
This is not the right way for to go to the parts that I have named
before, but for to see the marvel that I have spoken of. And
therefore whoso will go right way, men go from Trebizond toward
Armenia the Great unto a city that is clept Erzeroum, that was wont
to be a good city and a plenteous; but the Turks have greatly
wasted it. There-about groweth no wine nor fruit, but little or
else none. In this land is the earth more high than in any other,
and that maketh great cold. And there be many good waters and good
wells that come under earth from the flom of Paradise, that is
clept Euphrates, that is a journey beside that city; and that river
cometh towards Ind under earth, and resorteth into the land of
Altazar. And so pass men by this Armenia and enter the sea of
Persia.
From that city of Erzeroum go men to an hill that is clept
Sabissocolle. And there beside is another hill that men clepe
Ararat, but the Jews clepe it Taneez, where Noah's ship rested, and
yet is upon that mountain. And men may see it afar in clear
weather. And that mountain is well a seven mile high. And some
men say that they have seen and touched the ship, and put their
fingers in the parts where the fiend went out, when that Noah said,
BENEDICITE. But they that say such words, say their will. For a
man may not go up the mountain, for great plenty of snow that is
always on that mountain, neither summer nor winter. So that no man
may go up there, ne never man did, since the time of Noah, save a
monk that, by the grace of God, brought one of the planks down,
that yet is in the minster at the foot of the mountain.
And beside is the city of Dain that Noah founded. And fast by is
the city of Any in the which were wont to be a thousand churches.
But upon that mountain to go up, this monk had great desire. And
so upon a day, he went up. And when he was upward the three part
of the mountain he was so weary that he might no further, and so he
rested him, and fell asleep. And when he awoke he found himself
lying at the foot of the mountain. And then he prayed devoutly to
God that he would vouchsafe to suffer him go up. And an angel came
to him, and said that he should go up. And so he did. And sith
that time never none. Wherefore men should not believe such words.
From that mountain go men to the city of Thauriso that was wont to
be clept Taxis, that is a full fair city and a great, and one of
the best that is in the world for merchandise; thither come all
merchants for to buy avoirdupois, and it is in the land of the
Emperor of Persia.
