And
Then It Is Needful To Make It To Recover His Virtue Again, Or Else
It Is Of Little Value.
CHAPTER XVIII
OF THE CUSTOMS OF ISLES ABOUT IND. OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWIXT IDOLS
AND SIMULACRES. OF THREE MANNER GROWING OF PEPPER UPON ONE TREE.
OF THE WELL THAT CHANGETH HIS ODOUR EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY; AND THAT
IS MARVEL
IN Ind be full many diverse countries. And it is clept Ind, for a
flom that runneth throughout the country that is clept Ind. In
that flom men find eels of thirty foot long and more. And the folk
that dwell nigh that water be of evil colour, green and yellow.
In Ind and about Ind be more than 5000 isles good and great that
men dwell in, without those that he inhabitable, and without other
small isles. In every isle is great plenty of cities, and of
towns, and of folk without number. For men of Ind have this
condition of kind, that they never go out of their own country, and
therefore is there great multitude of people. But they be not
stirring ne movable, because that they be in the first climate,
that is of Saturn; and Saturn is slow and little moving, for he
tarryeth to make his turn by the twelve signs thirty year. And the
moon passeth through the twelve signs in one month. And for
because that Saturn is of so late stirring, therefore the folk of
that country that be under his climate have of kind no will for to
move ne stir to seek strange places. And in our country is all the
contrary; for we be in the seventh climate, that is of the moon.
And the moon is of lightly moving, and the moon is planet of way;
and for that skill it giveth us will of kind for to move lightly
and for to go divers ways, and to seek strange things and other
diversities of the world; for the moon environeth the earth more
hastily than any other planet.
Also men go through Ind by many diverse countries to the great sea
Ocean. And after, men find there an isle that is clept Crues. And
thither come merchants of Venice and Genoa, and of other marches,
for to buy merchandises. But there is so great heat in those
marches, and namely in that isle, that, for the great distress of
the heat, men's ballocks hang down to their knees for the great
dissolution of the body. And men of that country, that know the
manner, let bind them up, or else might they not live, and anoint
them with ointments made therefore, to hold them up.
In that country and in Ethiopia, and in many other countries, the
folk lie all naked in rivers and waters, men and women together,
from undern of the day till it be past the noon. And they lie all
in the water, save the visage, for the great heat that there is.
And the women have no shame of the men, but lie all together, side
to side, till the heat be past.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 81 of 158
Words from 41830 to 42352
of 81655
