<County: Yorkshire North Riding>
<Code: L0457>
<MS reference: London, BL Egerton 1982>
<Text: Mandeville's Travels>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 18v><line 14>BAbilon ye lesse whar~ ye Sowdann dwelles and
ye citee of Cair~ yt es negh yerby er bathe grete
citee3 and faire . And ye tane yam es sett apon ye
ryuer of Syon yt es also called Nilus . and it commes
oute of peradys terrestr~ // ¶ Yis ryuer ilka 3er~ when~
ye son~ entr~ into ye signe of Cancr~ begynnes for+to flow
and so it flowes continuelly als lang as ye son~ es in
yt signe . And in ye signe of lyon~ it flowes so yat
summ tyme it es . xx . cubites depe . And yan~ it ouerflowe3
<mrg>all</mrg> ye land / and of tyme duse mykill harme . to place3 .
yat ligges ner~ ye ryuer . For yer may na man~ yt tyme
labour aboute tillyng of land . And swa yer falles oft
sithes grete derth of corne in yt cuntree by-cause of
ouermykill wete . And on ye same yer falle3 grete derth .
whenn yt ryuer ryse3 no3t bot lytill by-cause of ouermykil
drught . And when~ ye son~ enters ye signe of virgyn
yan~ begynnes Nilus to decreesse vntil ye sonn entr~
<fol. 19r>in-to ye signe of libr~ . and yan~ it halde3 it wtin ye
bankes ¶ Yis ryuer as J said before commes oute
of peradys and rynnes thurgh ye desertes of Jnde &
yan~ it synkkes doune into ye erthe . and rynnes so
vnder ye erthe a grete cuntree . and commes vp agayne
vnder a mountayne yt hat Alloche . ye whilk es betwix
Jnde and Ethiope : as it war~ fyue moneth iournees
fra ye entree of Ethiope And yan~ it rynnes all aboute
Ethiope & mauritane & so all ye lenth of egipte to ye
citee of Alexander / and yar~ it enters into ye see at ye
end of Egipte ¶ Aboute yis ryuer er grete plentee
of fewles yt er called in latyne Ciconie . or . Jbices .
YE land of egipte es lang ; bot it es narowe
for menn may no3t inhabit it on brede for de
sertes whar~ grete defaute es of water . And yar
fore it es inhabit on lenth endlang ye forsaid
riuer . for yai hafe na moistur~ . bot yat ye forsaid
ryuer ministers For it raynes no3t yar~ . bot ye land
es ower flowed yerwt certayne tymes of ye 3er~ as
J said before . And for yar~ es na trubling of ye aer
thurgh raynes . bot ye aer es yar~ all-way fair~ and
cler~ wtouten cloudes / yerfore yer was wont to be ye
best astronomyers of ye werld . // ¶ Ye forsaid citee of
Cayr~ in ye whilk ye sowdann dwelles ; es be-syde
ye citee of babilonn as J talde before . no3t bot a lytill
fra ye forsaid riuer of Nilus to-ward ye desertes of surry
// ¶ Egipte es diuysed in twa perties / ye ta perty es betwix
Nilus and ethiope . and ye toyer betwix Nilus and Ara
bie // ¶ Jn egipte es ye cuntree of Ramesses & ye cun
tree of Geson . whar~ Jacob ye patriarc & ˆ <mrg>his</mrg> off-spring dwelt
<fol. 19v>Egipte es ri3t a strang cuntree and many perlious
hauens er yerin / For yer lies in ilke a hauenn many grete
cragges of stane in ye entree of yam~ // ¶ Egipte hase
on ye este syde . ye reed see . yt rynnes vnto ye citee
of Coustonn . And on ye wast syde es ye land of liby
ye whilk by-cause of ower mykill hete es barayne
& ber~s na maner of fruyte // ¶ On ye south syde es
Ethiopie / and on ye north . es ye grete desertes yat
laste3 vnto surry // ¶ And yus es egipte strang on ilke
a syde // ¶ Ye land of ˆ <mrg>egipte</mrg> hase on lenth . xv . day iournee .
/ and on brede bot three . wtouten~ desertes // ¶ Betwix
egipte and ye land yat es called Numid . er . xij .
day iournee3 in desertes // ¶ Ye folk yat wonnes in yat
cuntree er called Numidianes & yai er cristned . bot
yai er blakk of colour . / and yat yai hald a+grete bew
tee / And ay ye blakker yai er ; ye fairer yam~ think
yam~ . And yai say / yat & yai schuld paynt ane
aungell & a+fende ; yai wald paynt ye aungell black
and ye fende qwhite // ¶ And if yai think yam~ no3t
black ynogh whan~ yai er borne ; yai vse certayne
medecynes for+to make yam~ black wt all // Yat cun
tree es wonder hate ; and yt makes ye folk yeroff so
black . // ¶ Jn egipte er v. cuntree3 . / Ane yt es
called Sahic / anoyer Demeser / ye thridd Besich
and it es ane ile in ye riuer of Nilus / ye ferthe es
Alisaunder / ye fift es Damiete ¶ Ye citee of Damy
ete was summ tyme ri3t strang ; bot it was taken~
twys thurgh cristen~ men~ / And yerfore afterwardes ye
sare3enes kest doune ye walles yeroff and of all ye
castelles in yt cuntree / And yai made anoyer citee apon~
<fol. 20r>ye see-syde / and called it new Damyete / At yis ci
te of damyete es ane of ye hauens of egipte / and
anoyer at Alisaunder~ ye whilk es a strang citee and
a wele w<ill><2-3 chars></ill>ed / bot yai hafe na water bot yt commes .
in cundites fra ye riuer of Nilus . And yerfore . and
men~ wtdrew water fra yam ; yai myght na while endur~
Jn egipte er bot fewe castelles . for ye cuntree es strang
ynogh of ye self
YN ye deserte of ye land of <exp>ye</exp> Egipte . a+haly hermite
mette on a tyme a+beste for schapen~ . For it had ye
schappe of a mann fra ye nauel dunward . And fra
yeine vpwardes ye schappe of a gayte wt twa hornes
standand on ye heued / ye hermite asked him in goddes
name what he was / And ye beste answerd & said
J am <a long dash> a creatur~ dedly as godd hase made me . and in
yis deserte J dwell and gase to gete my sustinaunce
/ wharfore J pray yee hermite yt you will pray to godd
for me . yt he yat come fra heuen~ till erthe for ye sal
uacionn of mannes saule / & was borne of <ill><1 letter></ill> mayden~
& sufferd . hard passion~ thurgh whamm we all liffe
stirres and hase beyng ; yat he hafe mercy on me / 3it
es ye heued of yt beste wt ye hornes . halden & keped
at Alisaunder for a miracle .
JN egipte also es a+citee yt es called Eliople yt es als
mykill at say as ye citee of ye sonn Jn yis citee
es a temple round in ye maner of ye temple of ierusalem
Ye preste of ye temple has writen~ in a buke ye date of
a fewle yt men~ calles Fenix And yer es bot ane in
all ye werld . And yis fewle liffes fyue hun<ill><1 char></ill>reth
3ere . And at ye fyue hundreth 3er~ end he commes to
<fol. 20v>ye forsaid temple and apon~ ye awter he brynnes him-self
all to powder / And ye preste of ye temple yt knawes by his
buke . ye tyme of his commyng ; makes ye awter redy . and lays
yeraponn diuerse spiceries and sulphur~ viue . and stikkes of
ye iunipr~ tree . and oyer thinges yat will sone brynne ; and
yan~ ye fewle commes & lightes apon~ ye awter & fanne3 wt
his wenges ay till ye forsaid thinges be sett on fir~
and yar~ he brynnes him-self all till asches . / On ye morne
yai fynd in ye asches as it war~ a+worme / On ye secund
day yat worme es turned till a+fewle perfitely fourmed .
And on ye thridd day . it flies fra yt place . to ye place
whar~ it was wont to dwell / And so yer es neuermar~
bot ane // ¶ Yis ilke fewle betakens our~ lord ihesu criste
in als mykill as yer es bot a godd yt rase on ye thridd
dayy fra deed to lyfe // ¶ Yis forsaid fewle es oft tymes
sene ayr+and aboute . whenn ye weder es fair~ & cler~ .
/ And yai say yar~ . yt when~ yai see yt fewle sore in ye aer
yai sall afterward hafe gude 3er~s & miry . For yai say it
es a fewle of heuen~ . And yis fewle as na mar~ yan~ ane
egle of body <symbol> he has on his heued a+creste as a pacok ;
bot it es mykill mar~ yann ye creste of a+pacok . <symbol> his nekk
es 3alow / & his back es ynde colour / his wenges er reed
and his taile es barred ouerthwert wt grene and 3alowe
and reed // ¶ And in ye sonne he semes wonder fair~ . for yir
er ye colour~s yat er fairest schewand .

<Tranche 2>

<fol. 54v><line 18>FOr als mykill as J hafe spoken~ of Sar3enes and
of yair~ landes ; J will now tell 3ow a+party of
yair~ lawe and yair~ belefe after yt it es contende
in ye buke of yair~ lawe yt es called Alkaron . and
summ calle3 it messaph . and summ . harme after lang
age3 of diuerse cuntree3 . ye whilk buke Machamete
gafe to yamm . ¶ Jn yt buke amanges oyer thinges es contende
as J hafe oft tymes redd yerin and sene ; yt gude menn
when~ yai er deed sall ga vnto peradys / and yai yt er
wikked sall ga to ye payne of hell . And yis trowe3 sted
fastly all sar3enes ¶ And if a+mann ask yamm . of whilk
paradys yai mene ; yai say it es a+place of delyte3
whar~ a+mann schall fynd all maner of fruyte3 all tymes
<fol. 55r>of ye 3er~ . and riuers rynnand . with wyne / mylke & hony
and fresch water ¶ And yai schall hafe fair~ palayce3 &
grete and fair~ house3 and gude after yai hafe disserued
And yase palace3 & house3 er made of precious stanes . gold
and siluer . And ilk a+mann sall hafe .iiijxxx . wyfes of
fair~ damiselles / And he schall hafe at do wt yamm ay
when~ him list . and he sall euermar~ fynd yamm maydens .
Yis trowe yai all yat yai sall hafe in peradys / and yis
es agayne our~ lawe ¶ Also ye sar3enes trowe3 ye in
carnacionn and gladly will yai speke of ye virgin mary
and saise yt scho was lerned by ye aungell / and yt ye
aungell gabriell said to hir yat scho was chosenn of
godd before ye begynnyng of ye werld for+to consayfe
ihesu criste and for+to bere him / wham scho bare and scho
maydenn efter as scho was before ; And yis witnesse3
wele ye buke of Alkaron ¶ And yai say yat criste spak
alssone as he was borne / and yat he was & es a+ha
ly prophete and a+verray in worde and in dede & meke
and ri3twise to all / and wtouten~ vice ¶ Yai afferme also
yt whenn ye aungell grette our~ lady . and talde hir of ye
incarnacionn . by-cause scho was 3ung . scho was grete
ly aschamed ˆ [and] astonayd of his wordes / and principally
as yai say by-cause of a mysdoer yt was yt tyme in
yat cuntree ye whilk hight Takyna . yat delt wt sorce
ry and thurgh his enchauntement3 feyned him ane aun
gell / and begyled 3ung damyselles oft sythes and lay
by yam ./ And yerfore was marie fered and coniured ye
aungell yt he suld say hir wheyer he war~ Takyna
or no3t ./ And ye aungell answerd hir / and bad hir hafe
na drede for he was verray messanger of godd .
<fol. 55v>// ¶ Also yair~ buke of Alkaronn saise yt when mary
was delyuer of hir childe vnder a palme tree ; scho
was gretely aschamed / and weped and said scho
wald scho ware deed and alssone ye childe spakk &
comforthed hir / and said . Be no3t affered . for in ye
godd hase his sacrement for ye saluacion~ of yis werld
And in many oyer place3 witnesse3 yair~ buke of Al
karon . yt ihesu christe spakk alssone as he was borne
¶ And yt buke saise yt criste was sent fra godd all
myghty in til erthe for+to be ensaumple & mirrour~
til all men~ // ¶ Yat buke also speke3 of ye day of dome
how yt godd schall comme and deme all men~ . Ye gude
he sall drawe on his perty / and glorifie yamm in ioy
wtouten end / And ye wikked he sall dampne till ay
lastand paynes of hell // ¶ Amanges all prophetes
yai say yt criste es ye best ye worthiest . and next
to godd . / and yt he made ye ewangels . in ye whilk es
helefull teching & sothefastnes . and preching til yaim
yt trowes in godd ./ and yat he was mar~ yan~ prophete
liffand wtouten syn~ yt gafe sight to ye blynd / & heled
meselles / and raised men~ fra deed to lyfe / and went
all qwikk in-to heuen~ / And when~ yai may ˆ <mrg>get</mrg> ye gospels
writenn . yai do grete wirschepe to yamm . and namely
ye gospell of <lat>Missus est</lat> / whilk gospell yai yt er lettred
amanges yamm kisse3 wt grete deuocion~ and saise it
oft tymes amanges yair~ praiers ¶ Yai fast ilk a+3er~
a hale moneth . and ete3 na mete bot at euen~ . and
Abstene3 yamm fra yair~ wyfe3 all yt moneth . Bot yai
yat er seke er no3t constreyned to yt fast // ¶ Also ye
buke of Alkaron speke3 of ye Jewes & saise yt yai
er iwilled & cursene<?> for yai will no3t trowe yat
<fol. 56r>ihesus was sent fra godd // ¶ And yt yai lye falsly on mary
and hir sonn ihesu criste . when~ yai say yat yai didd him
on ye crosse ; for yai crucified no3t ihesus / as yai say / for
godd tuke him vp til him wtouten deed . and transfigured ye
fourme and ye likness of his body in-to Judas yscarioth
and him didd ye iews on ye crosse . and wend it had bene
Jhesus . Bot Jhesus was taken~ all qwikk / yai say in til heuenn .
and so sall he comme to deme all ye werld . And yis
wate no3t cristen~ men~ / and yerfore yai say yai er no3t
right belefand . when~ yai trowe yt ihesu criste was done
on ye crosse // ¶ All yir poyntes er contende in ye buke of
Alkaron // ¶ Ye sar3enes saise also . yt if ihesu criste had
bene crucified ; godd yan~ had done agayne his ri3t
wisness . for+to suffer swilk ane Jnnocent die wtouten
gylt /. And in yt yai say we err~ . neuer ˆ <mrg>ye les</mrg> in yt err~ yai . //
// ¶ Yai graunt wele yt all ye werkes of criste / and all his
wordes / and his techings and his+ewaungelles er gude
and trewe / and his myracles verray and clere / and yt
ye virgyne mary was a gude maydenn and a+haly be
fore ye birth of criste and efter also and vnwemmed / &
yt yase yt trowes perfitely in godd sall be sauf // ¶ And
for als mykill as yai ga yus ner~ our~ faith in yir pointes
and many oyer ; me think yt mykill ye titter and ye light
lier yai schuld be conuerted till our~ lawe thurgh preching
and teching of cristen~ men~ // ¶ Yai say yai wate wele
and finde3 by yair~ prophecies yt machometes lawe ˆ <mrg>sall faile</mrg> as
ye iewe3 lawe es failed / and yt ye cristen~ lawe schall
last to ye werldes end . ¶ And if a+mann ask yamm
of yair~ beleue / and how yai trowe / yai answer~
and saise / we trowe in godd yat made heuen and
<fol. 56v>oyer thinges of noght . and wtouten him es na thing
made / And we trowe ye day of dome schall comme .
whar~ ilk mann schall hafe his mede after his disserte
// ¶ we trowe also verraily yt all es sothe yat godd
has spoken thurgh ye mouthes of his haly prophete3
whils yai welk in erthe // ¶ Also yai say yt Macho
mete bad & commaundid in ye buke of Alkaron . yt ilk a
mann schuld hafe three or four~ wyfes . Bot now
take yai ma . For summ of yam hase nyne . / Bot of
concubines ilke man~ takes als many . as he may sustene .
of his gudes // ¶ And if any of yair~ wyfes do amisse
agaynes hir husband and lat anoyer man~ lye by hir ;
yan~ is it leuefull till hir husband to putte hir
away fra him / and take anoyer in hir steed / bot him behufe3 gyffe hir a porcionn of his gudes // ¶ Also when~ menn spekes
to yamm of ye trinytee ; yai say yai er three persones .
bot no3t a godd / for yair~ buke of Alkaron spekes
no3t of trinitee // ¶ Neueryeles yai graunt & sais yt godd
has worde . and elles war~ he dummbe / and yat he
hase a spirit and yt elles behufed him be wtouten
lyf . // ¶ And when~ men~ spekes to yamm of criste3 incarna
cionn . how by ye worde of ye aungell godd sent wisdomm
in til erthe / and lightid in virgin mary / and thurgh
ye worde of godd yai yt er deed . schall be raised aponn
ye day~ of dome . yai say yt all yis es sothe / and all
yis yai trowe / and yt goddes worde has grete vertu
and he yt knawe3 no3t goddes worde he knawe3 no3t
godd // ¶ Yai say also yt criste was goddes worde . and
so saise yair~ Alkaron . yar~ it saise . yt ye aungell spakk
to mary & said . Mary godd sall send to ye worde of
<fol. 57r>his mouth / and his name sall be called ihesu criste