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. In this Armenia be full many good cities, but
Taurizo is most of name.
After this is the kingdom of Media, that is full long, but it is
not full large, that beginneth toward the east to the land of
Persia and to Ind the less; and it stretcheth toward the west,
toward the kingdom of Chaldea and toward the Septentrion,
descending toward the little Armenia. In that kingdom of Media
there be many great hills and little of plain earth. There dwell
Saracens and another manner of folk, that men clepe Cordynes. The
best two cities of that kingdom be Sarras and Karemen.
After that is the kingdom of Georgia, that beginneth toward the
east to the great mountain that is clept Abzor, where that dwell
many diverse folk of diverse nations. And men clepe the country
Alamo. This kingdom stretcheth him towards Turkey and toward the
Great Sea, and toward the south it marcheth to the great Armenia.
And there be two kingdoms in that country; that one is the kingdom
of Georgia, and that other is the kingdom of Abchaz. And always in
that country be two kings; and they be both Christian. But the
king of Georgia is in subjection to the great Chan. And the king
of Abchaz hath the more strong country, and he always vigorously
defendeth his country against all those that assail him, so that no
man may make him in subjection to no man.
In that kingdom of Abchaz is a great marvel. For a province of the
country that hath well in circuit three journeys, that men clepe
Hanyson, is all covered with darkness, without any brightness or
light; so that no man may see ne hear, ne no man dare enter into
him. And, natheles, they of the country say, that some-times men
hear voice of folk, and horses neighing, and cocks crowing. And
men wit well, that men dwell there, but they know not what men.
And they say, that the darkness befell by miracle of God. For a
cursed emperor of Persia, that hight Saures, pursued all Christian
men to destroy them and to compel them to make sacrifice to his
idols, and rode with great host, in all that ever he might, for to
confound the Christian men. And then in that country dwelled many
good Christian men, the which that left their goods and would have
fled into Greece. And when they were in a plain that hight Megon,
anon this cursed emperor met with them with his host for to have
slain them and hewn them to pieces. And anon the Christian men
kneeled to the ground, and made their prayers to God to succour
them. And anon a great thick cloud came and covered the emperor
and all his host. And so they endure in that manner that they ne
may not go out on no side; and so shall they evermore abide in that
darkness till the day of doom, by the miracle of God. And then the
Christian men went where them liked best, at their own pleasance,
without letting of any creature, and their enemies enclosed and
confounded in darkness, without any stroke.
Wherefore we may well say with David, A DOMINO FACTUM EST ISTUD; &
EST MIRABILE IN OCULIS NOSTRIS. And that was a great miracle, that
God made for them. Wherefore methinketh that Christian men should
be more devout to serve our Lord God than any other men of any
other sect. For without any dread, ne were not cursedness and sin
of Christian men, they should be lords of all the world. For the
banner of Jesu Christ is always displayed, and ready on all sides
to the help of his true loving servants. Insomuch, that one good
Christian man in good belief should overcome and out-chase a
thousand cursed misbelieving men, as David saith in the Psalter,
QUONIAM PERSEQUEBATUR UNUS MILLS, & DUO FUGARENT DECEM MILIA; ET
CADENT A LATERE TUO MILLE, & DECEM MILIA A DEXTRIS TUIS. And how
that it might be that one should chase a thousand, David himself
saith following, QUIA MANUS DOMINI FECIT HAEC OMNIA, and our Lord
himself saith, by the prophet's mouth, SI IN VIIS MEIS
AMBULAVERITIS, SUPER TRIBULANTES VOS MISISSEM MANUM MEAM. So that
we may see apertly that if we will be good men, no enemy may not
endure against us.
Also ye shall understand that out of that land of darkness goeth
out a great river that sheweth well that there be folk dwelling, by
many ready tokens; but no man dare not enter into it.
And wit well, that in the kingdoms of Georgia, of Abchaz and of the
little Armenia be good Christian men and devout. For they shrive
them and housel them evermore once or twice in the week. And there
be many of them that housel them every day; and so do we not on
this half, albeit that Saint Paul commandeth it, saying, OMNIBUS
DIEBUS DOMINICIS AD COMMUNICANDUM HORTOR. They keep that
commandment, but we ne keep it not.
Also after, on this half, is Turkey, that marcheth to the great
Armenia. And there be many provinces, as Cappadocia, Saure,
Brique, Quesiton, Pytan, and Gemethe. And in everych of these be
many good cities. This Turkey stretcheth unto the city of Sachala
that sitteth upon the sea of Greece, and so it marcheth to Syria.
Syria is a great country and a good, as I have told you before.
And also it hath, above toward Ind, the kingdom of Chaldea, that
stretcheth from the mountains of Chaldea toward the east unto the
city of Nineveh, that sitteth upon the river of Tigris; and in
largeness it beginneth toward the north to the city of Maraga; and
it stretcheth toward the south unto the sea Ocean.
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