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.
