And Therefore All The
Fishes Of The Sea Come To Make Him Homage As The Most Noble And
Excellent King Of The World, And That Is Best Beloved With God, As
They Say.
I know not the reason, why it is, but God knoweth; but
this, me-seemeth, is the most marvel I saw.
For this marvel is
against kind and not with kind, that the fishes that have freedom
to environ all the coasts of the sea at their own list, come of
their own will to proffer them to the death, without constraining
of man. And therefore, I am siker that this may not be, without a
great token.
There be also in that country a kind of snails that be so great,
that many persons may lodge them in their shells, as men would do
in a little house. And other snails there be that be full great
but not so huge as the other. And of these snails, and of great
white worms that have black heads that be as great as a man's
thigh, and some less as great worms that men find there in woods,
men make viand royal for the king and for other great lords. And
if a man that is married die in that country, men bury his wife
with him all quick; for men say there, that it is reason that she
make him company in that other world as she did in this.
From that country men go by the sea ocean by an isle that is clept
Caffolos. Men of that country when their friends be sick they hang
them upon trees, and say that it is better that birds, that be
angels of God, eat them, than the foul worms of the earth.
From that isle men go to another isle, where the folk be of full
cursed kind. For they nourish great dogs and teach them to
strangle their friends when they be sick. For they will not that
they die of kindly death. For they say, that they should suffer
too great pain if they abide to die by themselves, as nature would.
And, when they be thus enstrangled, they eat their flesh instead of
venison.
Afterward men go by many isles by sea unto an isle that men clepe
Milke. And there is a full cursed people. For they delight in
nothing more than for to fight and to slay men. And they drink
gladliest man's blood, the which they clepe Dieu. And the more men
that a man may slay, the more worship he hath amongst them. And if
two persons be at debate and, peradventure, be accorded by their
friends or by some of their alliance, it behoveth that every of
them that shall be accorded drink of other's blood: and else the
accord ne the alliance is nought worth: ne it shall not be no
reproof to him to break the alliance and the accord, but if every
of them drink of others' blood.
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