And Ye Shall Understand That No Man That Is Mortal Ne May Not
Approach To That Paradise.
For by land no man may go for wild
beasts that be in the deserts, and for the high mountains and great
huge rocks that no man may pass by, for the dark places that be
there, and that many.
And by the rivers may no man go. For the
water runneth so rudely and so sharply, because that it cometh down
so outrageously from the high places above, that it runneth in so
great waves, that no ship may not row ne sail against it. And the
water roareth so, and maketh so huge noise and so great tempest,
that no man may hear other in the ship, though he cried with all
the craft that he could in the highest voice that he might. Many
great lords have assayed with great will, many times, for to pass
by those rivers towards Paradise, with full great companies. But
they might not speed in their voyage. And many died for weariness
of rowing against those strong waves. And many of them became
blind, and many deaf, for the noise of the water. And some were
perished and lost within the waves. So that no mortal man may
approach to that place, without special grace of God, so that of
that place I can say you no more; and therefore, I shall hold me
still, and return to that, that I have seen.
CHAPTER XXXIV
OF THE CUSTOMS OF KINGS AND OTHER THAT DWELL IN THE ISLES COASTING
TO PRESTER JOHN'S LAND. AND OF THE WORSHIP THAT THE SON DOTH TO
THE FATHER WHEN HE IS DEAD
FROM those isles that I have spoken of before, in the Land of
Prester John, that be under earth as to us that be on this half,
and of other isles that be more further beyond, whoso will, pursue
them for to come again right to the parts that he came from, and so
environ all earth. But what for the isles, what for the sea, and
what for strong rowing, few folk assay for to pass that passage;
albeit that men might do it well, that might be of power to dress
them thereto, as I have said you before. And therefore men return
from those isles abovesaid by other isles, coasting from the land
of Prester John.
And then come men in returning to an isle that is clept Casson.
And that isle hath well sixty journeys in length, and more than
fifty in breadth. 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. And all the streets also be
pathed of the same stones. In that city is no man so hardy to shed
blood of any man, ne of no beast, for the reverence of an idol that
is worshipped there. And in that isle dwelleth the pope of their
law, that they clepe Lobassy. This Lobassy giveth all the
benefices, and all other dignities and all other things that belong
to the idol. And all those that hold anything of their churches,
religious and other, obey to him, as men do here to the Pope of
Rome.
In that isle they have a custom by all the country, that when the
father is dead of any man, and the son list to do great worship to
his father, he sendeth to all his friends and to all his kin, and
for religious men and priests, and for minstrels also, great
plenty. And then men bear the dead body unto a great hill with
great joy and solemnity. And when they have brought it thither,
the chief prelate smiteth off the head, and layeth it upon a great
platter of gold and of silver, if so [he] be a rich man. And then
he taketh the head to the son. And then the son and his other kin
sing and say many orisons. And then the priests and the religious
men smite all the body of the dead man in pieces. And then they
say certain orisons. And the fowls of ravine of all the country
about know the custom of long time before, [and] come flying above
in the air; as eagles, gledes, ravens and other fowls of ravine,
that eat flesh. And then the priests cast the gobbets of the flesh
and then the fowls, each of them, taketh that he may, and goeth a
little thence and eateth it; and so they do whilst any piece
lasteth of the dead body.
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