The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, - Richard Hakluyt
Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
CAPVT. 47.
De Bracmannorum et aliorum Insulis.
Bracmannorum Insula quasi ad medium Imperij consistit Praesbyteri Ioannis.
Hic licet Christiani non sunt, viuunt tamen naturali optimo more. Rudes
enim et incomparati, simplices, et inscij omnis artis apparent. Non cupidi,
superbi, inuidi, iracundi, gulosi, aut luxuriosi nec iurant, fraudant, aut
mentiuntur. Laborant corpora, sed intendunt animo implere quo ad valent
naturale mandatum, hoc facias alijs quod tibi vis fieri: credentes et
adorantes omnium creatorum Deum, et sperantes ab ipso simpliciter
Paradisum.
Sobrij quoque sunt, quapropter et longo tempore viuunt: et si quis ab eorum
moribus degenerat, proscribitur perpetuo sine mora, omnibus nulla posita
differentia personarum, vnde et in iusto Dei iudicio, quod naturalem
exercere iustitiam contendunt, Elementa eis naturaliter obsequuntur, et
raro eos tangit tempestas, aut fames, pestilentia aut gladius.
[Sidenote: Flumen Chene.] Magna riparia dicta Chene currit per Insulam,
ministrans piscium et aquarum copiam: Istos olim Alexander rex Grecorum
debellare cupiens, misit eis literas comminationis, cui inter caetera
notabilia remandauerunt, nihil se habere curiosi, quod Rex tantus deberet
concupiscere, nihilque ita se timere perdituros sicut pacem bonam, quam
hactenus habuerunt inconcussam: sicque diuino nutu est actum vt Rex
truculentus ad alia se verteret, atque in breui postmodum caderet, quia
dissipat Dominus eos, qui bella volunt, et istis manet pax multa
diligentibus eam.
[Sidenote: Pytan.] Pytan Insula breuis continet paucos et breues
habitatores, Pygmaeis modico longiores, qui decoris vultibus nullo vnquam
cibo vescentes, specialis pomi quod secum portant sustentantur odore, quo
si carerent ad parum, color in vultu marcesceret, et die tertia vita
periret.
Discretio et rationabilitas ijs adest modica, nec enim habent laborare nisi
pro vestitu, quem sibi circa arbusta colligunt: Et conficit vnusquisque pro
12 annis vitae suae.
Vltra hanc Insulam siluestres, et fortes habentur homines, sed bestiales,
vestiti per totum corpus proprijs capillis et pilis, exceptis palmis, et
faciebus, qui videntur penitus gubernatione et politia carere: venantur
carnes per siluas, et discurrunt piscantes in aquis, omnia cruda vorantes.
[Sidenote: Fluius Briemer.] Huius ad terrae metas manat fluuius Briemer
latitudinis duarum leucarum, et semis, quem nos transire nequiuimus, nec
ausi fuimus. Quoniam illo transmisso instant deserta 15, aut plurium
diaetatum inhabitata nunc temporis (prout audieramus) diuersis et nobis
ignotis generibus bestiarum, serpentum, draconum, gryphium, aspidum,
dypsarum, et colubrorum in multitudine tanta, vt centum millia armatorum
simul pertingere vsque ad arbores, quae ibi dicuntur solis et lunae, vix
possent. Attamen suo tempore Alexander magnus scribitur pertigisse, et
quaedam ab arboribus fictitia succepisse responsa.
[Sidenote: Balsamum indicum.] Circa has arbores excolitur Balsamum, cuius
liquoris comparatio nusquam scitur contineri sub coelo. Nam ibidem homines,
de istarum arborum fructibus et Balsamo vtentes dicuntur illorum virtute
quadringentis aut pluribus annis viuere.
Peruenit autem et Dux Danus Ogerus, ac manducauit de illis, vnde et
nonnulli prae sensus stoliditate vel fidei leuitate putant ipsum adhuc alibi
viuere in terris. Ego autem quia tantum pro dilatanda Christianitate
laborauit arbitror magis, eum regnare cum Christo in coelis.
[Sidenote: Taprobana Insula, et eius descriptio.] Versus Orientales partes
Indorum consistit magna regio Taprobane exuberans optimis terrenorum
bonorum, in quam nauigio intrauimus in octo vel circa diaetis per aquam
satis tenuem, haud profundam. Ibi, sicut et in alijs multis Insulis, rex
non nascitur sed eligitur per partes terrae: et est haec vna de quindecim
nominatis Regionibus conquisitionis Ogeri. Ista, cum modicum declinet a
circulo terrae sub AEquatore, patitur in anno duas aestates, et duas hyemes,
si tamen hyems aliqua dici debeat, et non magis aestas, quia nullus hic dies
anni caret fructu, flore, germine.
Habitatores sunt discreti, et honesti, vnde et mercatores de remotis
partibus libenter cum ijs communicant: et sparsim per regionem habitant
plurimi diuites Christiani.
[Sidenote: Orilla. Argita.] Hijs iunguntur duae insulae (quas nos vocamus,
Orilla, et Argita), quanquam illa lingua aliter nominentur. In quarum prima
sunt multae mineriae auri, in secunda argenti, et propter quandam
crassitudinem aeris continuam, perpauca apparent sydera, praeter vnum quod
dicunt Canopum, quod aestimo planetam Veneris. [Sidenote: Hunc locum notat
Gerardus Mercator in sua charta generali.] Et quod mirum est valde de omni
lunatione ijs apparet nisi 2. quarta. Cuius rei probabilis ratio effugit
etiam Astronomos valde peritos. Atque per has Insulas quoddam rubrum mare a
mari Oceano segregatur.
Itaque in Orilla in locis multis effoditur, colligitur, et conflatur
optimum auri metallum, per viros, mulieres, et paruulos in hoc instructos,
sed et in nonnullis ibi montibus monstrantur congregationes bestiolarum in
quantitate nostrorum catulorum, in formicarum forma ac natura totali: qui
pro suis viribus effodiunt, purificant, et colligunt cum intenta
occupatione auri minutias, eas reponentes, et repositas retrahentes de
cauernis et specubus in cauernas et specus. Et in conseruando sum
diligentes et acres, vt nemo audeat de facili propinquare, nisi quod
interdum ab illis pausantibus; seu ab aestu se occultantibus, aliqui non
sine periculo in dromedarijs et veredarijs rapiunt, vel furantur.
Solet etiam ab eis obtineri, quod excogitato ingenio super equam quae nuper
foetum ediderit, imponentes homines duas de ligno cistulas, seu cophinos
nouos, vacuos, et apertos a lateribus dependentes prope terram: hanc
famelicam dimittunt vt se pascat ad herbas in montem: Quam formicae videntes
solam salientes et iocantes, colludunt ad eam et ad eius confines pro
nouitate: et quoniam eis est naturale, vt circa se omne vacuum implere
conentur comportant certatim aurum suum in vasculis suis mundis. Cumque
homines a remotis tempus obseruauerint, emittunt pellum equae vt videat
matrem, cuius aspectu iam diu stetit priuatus, ad cuius hinnitum protinus
equa reuertitur onusta de auro. Hijs ergo et similibus modis homines aurum
diripiunt a formicis.
CAPVT. 48.
Aliquid de loco Paradisi terrestris per auditum.
A Finibus Imperij Indiae recta linea in orientem nihil est habitatum vel
habitabile, propter rupium, et montium altitudinem, et asperitatem, et
propter aeris inter Alpes diuersitatem: nam in multis locis, licet
quandoque aer sit serenus, nunc fit spissus nunc fumosus, vel venenosus, et
frequenter die medio tenebrosus. Durantque aut potius aggrauescunt
huiusmodi difficultates, vsque ad illum amaenissimum Paradisi locum, quem
protoplausti per inobedientiam sibi et posteris perdidisse noscuntur, quod
spacium si metiri posset, est multarum vtique diaetarum. Quia iam non
vlterius processi, nec procedere quiui, pauca duntaxat de illo loco referam
verisimilia, quae didici per auditum.
[Sidenote: Descriptio Paradisi.] Paradisus terrestris dicitur locus
spaciosus ad amplitudinem quasi quinque Insularum nostrarum, Angliae,
Normanniae, Hiberniae, Scotiae, et Noruegiae, aut forsan satis plurium. Cuius
situs est pertingens in altitudine ad aeris supremam superficiem, eo quod
illic terra vel terrae orbis sit multum spissior quam alibi per modum
excentricum a vero centro mundi, nec valet hoc deinde ab aliquo experto
refelli, scriptura veritatis clamante, quod ibi sit fons irrigans vniuersam
superficiem terrae: aquae enim est natura semper fluere ad Ima.
Exeunt autem ab illo fonte versus nostri partes hemispherij, hoc est nobis
de illo loco in occidentem quatuor flumina, Pyson, Gyon, Tygris, et
Euphrates, ab ista dimidia parte terrae circa AEquatoris circulum terrae
influentes, quapropter et merito credendum videtur, exire de eodem fonte et
alia quatuor flumina irrigantia terram oppositam, quae est circa alteram
dimidiam partem circuli AEquatoris, quamuis nos eorum fluminum loca,
virtutes, et nomina ignoramus, quod homines habitant ab alia parte
AEquinoctij.
[Sidenote: Gentes ad austrum Aequatoris.] Hoc tamen volo sciri pro vero et
audiui, illic terrae faciem inhabitatam in maxima multitudine ciuitatum,
vrbium, et regionum, quoniam et eorum institores Indiam frequentant, et
nunciant sibi inuicem gentes et principes per literas, ac alijs modis
destinare sunt visi.
[Sidenote: Ganges fluuius.] Vnus nostrorum fluuiorum Pyson currit per
Indiam, et per eius deserta quandoque sub terra, sed saepius supra, qui et
Ganges illic appellatus est, ab illo vltimo Paganitatis rege, quem Dux
Ogerus deuictum cum baptizari renueret in ipso flumine proiectum submersit.
Ad littus huius reperiuntur multi lapides praeciositatis immensae et metalli
grani carissimi, nec non et auri mineriae, multumque descendit in eo natans
lignum Aloes ex Paradiso, quod rebus mirae virtutis inserit Salomon in
Canticis.
Hinc secundus fluuius Gyon, currit per Aethiopiam, vnde dum venit in
AEgyptum, accipit nomen Nilus. Tertius Tygris veniens per Assyriam influit
maiorem Armeniam et Persiam: tandemque fluuij singuli per loca singula se
iactant in mare per quod defluunt vsque ad Nador, id est, ad oppositum
diametrum paradisi: Ideoque merito aestimantur omnes vniuerso orbe aquae
dulces originem capere, a supradicto paradisi fonte, quamuis secundum
distantiam maiorem vel minorem, et secundum naturas rerum per quas meant
diuersos habere inueniuntur sapores, atque virtutes.
Porro ipsum Paradisi locum audiui a tribus plagis, orientali, meridionali,
et septentrionali, inaccessibilem tam hominibus quam bestijs, eo quod
apparet ripis perpendiculariter abscissa, tanquam inestimabilis
altitudinis. Et ab occidente id est nostra parte tanquam super omnium
humanorum intuitum rogus ardens, qui in scripturis rumphea flammea
appellator, vt nulli creaturae terrenae ascensus in eum credatur nisi
quibusdam volatilibus, prout decreuit iusti iudicij Deus.
Ambulantibus enim illuc siue repentibus hominibus obstarent tenebrae imo
rupes, aer infestus, bestiae, serpentes, frigus, et camua. Nauigare autem
contra ictum fluminis nitentes impediret intrinsecus recursus, ac
impetuosus et quandoque subterraneus aquae cursus descendentis cum
vehementia ab euectissimo, vt dictum est, loco, qui suo quoque strepitu,
per petras atque strictos aliosque diuersos cadens gurgites, efficeret
surdos, et aeris mutatio caecos, vnde et multi tam nobiles quam ignobiles,
fatua sese audacia in isto ponentes periculo perierunt, alijs excoecatis,
alijs absurdatis, et nonnullis in ipso accessu subitanea morte peremptis.
Ex quo nimirum credi habetur isto Deum displicere conatum.
Quapropter et ego ex illo loco statui animum ad repatriandum, quatenus Deo
propitio, Anglia quae me produxit seculo viuentem, usciperet morientem.
Of the Godenesse of the folk of the Yle of Bragman. Of Kyng Alisandre: and
wherfore the Emperour of Ynde is clept Prestre John.
[Sidenote: Cap. XXIX.] And bezonde that yle, is another yle, gret and gode,
and, plentyfous, where that ben gode folk and trewe, and of gode lyvynge,
aftre hire beleve, and of gode feythe. And alle be it that thei ben not
cristned, ne have no perfyt lawe, zit natheles of kyndely lawe, thei ben
fulle of alle vertue, and thei eschewen alle vices and alle malices and
alle synnes. For thei ben not proude ne coveytous ne envyous ne wrathefulle
ne glotouns ne leccherous; ne thei don to no man other wise than thei wolde
that other men diden to hem: and in this poynt, thei fullefillen the 10
commandementes of God: and thei zive no charge of aveer ne of ricchesse:
and thei lye not, ne thei swere not, for non occasioun; but thei seyn
symply, ze and nay. For thei seyn, He that swerethe, wil disceyve his
neyghbore: and therfore alle that thei don, thei don it with outen othe.
And men clepen that yle, the Yle of Bragman: and somme men clepen it the
Lond of Feythe. And thorgh that lond runnethe a gret ryvere, that is clept
Thebe. And in generalle, alle the men of tho yles and of alle the marches
there abouten, ben more trewe than in ony othere contrees there abouten,
and more righte fulle than othere, in alle thinges. In that yle is no
thief, ne mordrere, ne comoun woman, ne pore beggere, ne nevere was man
slayn in that contree. And thei ben so chast, and leden so gode lif, as tho
thei weren religious men: and thei fasten alle dayes. And because thei ben
so trewe and so rightfulle and so fulle of alle gode condiciouns, thei
weren nevere greved with tempestes ne with thondre ne with leyt ne with
hayl ne with pestylence ne with werre ne with hungre ne with non other
tribulaccioun, as wee ben many tymes amonges us, for our synnes. Wherfore
it semethe wel, that God lovethe hem and is plesed with hire creance, for
hire gode dedes. Thei beleven wel in God, that made alle thinges; and him
thei worschipen. And thei preysen non erthely ricchesse; and so thei ben
alle right fulle. And thei lyven fulle ordynatly, and so sobrely in met and
drynk, that thei lyven right longe. And the most part of hem dyen with
outen syknesse, whan nature faylethe hem for elde. And it befelle in Kyng
Alisandres tyme, that he purposed him to conquere that yle, and to maken
hem to holden of him. And whan thei of the contree herden it, thei senten
messangeres to him with lettres, that seyden thus: What may ben y now to
that man, to whom alle the world is insuffisant: thou schalt fynde no thing
in us, that may cause the to warren azenst us: for wee have no ricchesse,
ne none wee coveyten: and alle the godes of our contree ben in comoun. Oure
mete, that we susteyne with alle oure bodyes, is our richesse: and in stede
of tresoure of gold and sylver, wee maken oure tresoure of accord and pees,
and for to love every man other. And for to apparaylle with oure bodyes,
wee usen a sely litylle clout, for to wrappen in oure carcynes. Oure wyfes
ne ben not arrayed for to make no man plesance, but only connable array,
for to eschewe folye. Whan men peynen hem to arraye the body, for to make
it semen fayrere than God made it, thei don gret synne. For man scholde not
devise no aske grettre beautee, than God hathe ordeyned man to ben at his
birthe. The erthe mynystrethe to us 2 thynges; our liflode, that comethe of
the erthe that wee lyve by, and oure sepulture aftre oure dethe. Wee have
ben in perpetuelle pees tille now, that thou come to disherite us; and also
wee have a kyng, nought for to do justice to every man, for he schalle
fynde no forfete amonge us; but for to kepe noblesse, and for to schewe
that wee ben obeyssant, wee have a kyng. For justice ne hathe not among us
no place: for wee don no man otherwise than wee desiren that man don to us;
so that rightwisnesse ne vengeance han nought to don amonges us; so that no
thing thou may take fro us, but oure god pes, that alle weys hath dured
amonge us. And whan Kyng Alisandre had rad theise lettres, he thoughte that
he scholde do gret synne, for to trouble hem: and thanne he sente hem
surteez, that thei scholde not ben aferd of him, and that thei scholde
kepen hire gode maneres and hire gode pees, as thei hadden used before of
custom; and so he let hem allone.
Another yle there is, that men clepen Oxidrate; and another yle, that men
clepen Gynosophe, where there is also gode folk, and fulle of gode feythe:
and thei holden for the most partye the gode condiciouns and customs and
gode maneres, as men of the contree above seyd: but thei gon alle naked. In
to that yle entred Kyng Alisandre, to see the manere. And when he saughe
hire gret feythe and hire trouthe, that was amonges hem, he seyde that he
wolde not greven hem: and bad hem aske of him, what that they wolde have of
hym, ricchesse or ony thing elles; and thei scholde have it with gode
wille. And thei answerden, that he was riche y now, that hadde mete and
drynke to susteyne the body with. For the ricchesse of this world, that is
transitorie, is not worthe: but zif it were in his power to make hem
immortalle, there of wolde thei preyen him, and thanken him. And Alisandre
answerde hem, that it was not in his powere to don it, because he was
mortelle, as thei were. And thanne thei asked him, whi he was so proud and
so fierce and so besy, for to putten alle the world undre his subieccioun,
righte as thou were a god; and hast no terme of this lif, neither day ne
hour; and wylnest to have alle the world at thi commandement, that schalle
leve the with outen fayle, or thou leve it. And righte as it hathe ben to
other men before the, right so it schalle ben to othere aftre the: and from
hens schal thou bere no thyng; but as thou were born naked, righte so alle
naked schalle thi body ben turned in to erthe, that thou were made of.
Wherfore thou scholdest thenke and impresse it in thi mynde, that nothing
is immortalle, but only God, that made alle thing. Be the whiche answere,
Alisandre was gretly astoneyed and abayst; and alle confuse departe from
hem. And alle be it that theyse folk han not the articles of oure feythe,
as wee han, natheles for hire gode feythe naturelle, and for hire gode
entent, I trowe fulle, that God lovethe hem, and that God take hire servyse
to gree, right as he did of Job, that was a Paynem, and held him for his
trewe servaunt. And therfore alle be it that there ben many dyverse lawes
in the world, zit I trowe, that God lovethe alweys hem that loven him, and
serven him mekely in trouthe; and namely, hem that dispysen the veyn glorie
of this world; as this folk don, and as Job did also: and therfore seyde
oure Lorde, be the mouthe of Ozee the prophete, _Ponam eis multiplices
leges meas_. And also in another place, _Qui totum orbem subdit suis
legibus_. And also our Lord seythe in the Gospelle, _Alias oves habeo, que
non sunt ex hoc ovili_; that is to seyne, that he hadde othere servauntes,
than tho that ben undre Cristene lawe. And to that acordethe the avisioun,
that Seynt Petir saughe at Jaffe, how the aungel cam from Hevene, and
broughte before him diverse bestes, as serpentes and other crepynge bestes
of the erthe, and of other also gret plentee, and bad him take and ete. And
Seynt Petir answerde; I ete never, quoth he, of unclene bestes. And thanne
seyde the aungelle, _Non dices immunda, que Deus mundavit_. And that was in
tokene, that no man scholde have in despite non erthely man, for here
diverse lawes: for wee knowe not whom God lovethe, ne whom God hatethe. And
for that ensample, whan men seyn _De profundis_, thei seyn it in comoun and
in generalle, with the Cristene, _pro animabus omnium defunctorum, pro
quibus sit orandum_. And therfore seye I of this folk, that ben so trewe
and so feythefulle, that God lovethe hem. For he hathe amonges hem many of
the prophetes, and alle weye hathe had. And in tho yles, thei prophecyed
the incarnacioun of oure Lord Jesu Crist, how he scholde ben born of a
mayden; 3000 zeer or more or oure Lord was born of the Virgyne Marie. And
thei beleeven wel in the incarnacioun, and that fulle perfitely: but thei
knowe not the manere, how be suffred his passioun and dethe for us.
And bezonde theise yles, there is another yle, that is clept Pytan. The
folk of that contree ne tyle not, ne laboure not the erthe: for thei eten
no manere thing: and thei ben of gode colour, and of faire schap, aftre
hire gretnesse: but the smalle ben as dwerghes: but not so litylle, as ben
the pigmeyes. Theise men lyven be the smelle of wylde apples, and whan thei
gon ony fer weye, thei beren the apples with hem. For zif the hadde lost
the savour of the apples, thei scholde dyen anon. Thei ne ben not fulle
resonable: but thei ben symple and bestyalle.
Aftre that, is another yle, where the folk ben alle skynned, roughe heer,
as a rough best, saf only the face and the pawme of the hond. Theise folk
gon als wel undir the watir of the see, as thei don above the lond, alle
drye. And thei eten bothe flessche and fissche alle raughe. In this yle is
a great ryvere, that is wel a 2 myle and an half of brede, that is clept
Beumare. And fro that rivere a 15 journeyes in lengthe, goynge be the
desertes of the tother syde of the ryvere, (whoso myght gon it, for I was
not there: but it was told us of hem of the contree, that with inne tho
desertes) weren the trees of the sonne, and of the mone, that spaken to
Kyng Alisandre, and warned him of his dethe. And men seyn, that the folk
that kepen tho trees, and eten of the frute and of the bawme that growethe
there, lyven wel 400 zeere or 500 zere, be vertue of the frut and of the
bawme. For men seyn, that bawme growethe there in gret plentee, and no
where elles, saf only at Babyloyne, as I have told zou before. Wee wolde
han gon toward the trees fulle gladly, zif wee had myght: but I trowe, that
100000 men of armes myghte not passen the desertes safly, for the gret
multytude of wylde bestes, and of grete dragouns, and of grete multytude
serpentes, that there ben, that slen and devouren alle that comen aneyntes
hem. In that contre ben manye white olifantes with outen nombre, and of
unycornes, and of lyouns of many maneres, and many of suche bestes, that I
have told before, and of many other hydouse bestes with outen nombre.
Many other yles there ben in the lond of Prestre John, and many grete
marveyles, that weren to long to tellen alle, bothe of his ricchesse and of
his noblesse, and of the gret plentee also of precious stones, that he
hathe. I trow that zee knowe wel y now, and have herd seye, wherefore the
Emperour is clept Prestre John. But nathales for hem that knowen not, I
schalle seye zou the cause. It was somtyme an Emperour there, that was a
worthi and a fulle noble prynce, that hadde Cristene knyghtes in his
companye, as he hathe that is how. So it befelle, that he hadde gret list
for to see the service in the chirche, among Cristen men. And than dured
Cristendom bezonde the zee, alle Turkye, Surrye, Tartarie, Jerusalem,
Palestyne, Arabye, Halappee, and alle the lond of Egypte. So it befelle,
that this emperour cam, with a Cristene knyght with him, into a chirche in
Egypt: and it was the Saterday in Wyttson woke. And the bishop made ordres.
And he beheld and listend the servyse fulle tentyfly: and he askede the
Cristene knight, what men of degree thei scholden ben prestes. And than the
emperour seyde, that he wolde no longer ben clept kyng ne emperour, but
preest; and that he wolde have the name of the first preest, that went out
of the chirche: and his name was John. And so evere more sithens, he is
cleped Prestre John.
In his lond ben manye Cristene men of gode feythe and of gode lawe; and
namely of hem of the same contree; and han comounly hire prestes, that
syngen the messe, and maken the sacrement of the awtier of bred, right as
the Grekes don: but thei seyn not so many thinges as the messe, as men don
here. For thei seye not but only that, that the apostles seyden, as oure
Lord taughte hem: righte as seynt Peter and seynt Thomas and the other
apostles songen the messe, seyenge the Pater-noster, and the wordes of the
sacrement. But wee have many mo addiciouns, that dyverse popes han made,
that thei ne knowe not offe;
Of the Hilles of Gold, that Pissemyres kepen: and of the 4 Flodes, that
comen fro Paradys terrestre.
[Sidenote: Cap. XXX.] Toward the est partye of Prestre Johnes lond, is an
yle gode an gret, that men clepen Taprobane, that is fulle noble and fulle
fructuous: and the kyng thereof is fulle ryche, and is undre the obeyssance
of Prestre John. And alle weys there thei make hire king be eleccyoun. In
that ile ben 2 someres and 2 wyntres; and men harvesten the corn twyes a
zeer. And in alle the cesouns of the zeer ben the gardynes florisht. There
dwellen gode folke and resonable, and manye Cristene men amonges hem, that
ben so riche, that thei wyte not what to done with hire godes. Of olde
tyme, whan men passed from the lond of Prestre John unto that yle, men
maden ordynance for to passe by schippe, 23 dayes or more: but now men
passen by schippe in 7 dayes. And men may see the botme of the see in many
places: for it is not fulle depe.
Besyde that yle, toward the est, ben 2 other yles: and men clepen that on
Orille, and that other Argyte; of the whiche alle the lond is myne of gold
and sylver. And tho yles ben right where that the Rede See departethe fro
the see occean. And in tho yles men seen ther no sterres so clerly as in
other places: for there apperen no sterres, but only o clere sterre, that
men clepen Canapos. And there is not the mone seyn in alle the lunacioun,
saf only the seconde quarteroun. In the yle also of this Taprobane ben gret
hilles of gold, that Pissemyres kepen fulle diligently. And thei fynen the
pured gold, and casten away the unpured. And theise Pissemyres ben gret as
houndes: so that no man dar come to tho hilles: for the Pissemyres wolde
assaylen hem and devouren hem anon; so that no man may gete of that gold,
but be gret sleighte. And therfore whan it is gret hete, the Pissemyres
resten hem in the erthe, from pryme of the day in to noon: and than the
folk of the con tree taken camayles, dromedaries and hors and other bestes
and gon thidre, and chargen hem in alle haste that thei may. And aftre that
thei fleen away, in alle haste that the bestes may go, or the Pissemyres
comen out of the erthe. And in other tymes, whan it is not so hote, and
that he Pissemyres ne resten hem not in the erthe, than thei geten gold be
this sotyltee: thei taken mares, that han zonge coltes or foles, and leyn
upon the mares voyde vesselles made therfore; and thei ben alle open
aboven, and hangynge lowe to the erthe: and thanne thei sende forth tho
mares for to pasturen aboute the hilles, and with holden the foles with hem
at home. And whan the Pissemyres sen tho vesselles, thei lepen in anon, and
thei han this kynde, that thei lete no thing ben empty among hem, but anon
thei fillen it, be it what maner of thing that it be: and so thei fillen
tho vesselles with gold. And whan that the folk supposen, that the vesselle
ben fulle, thei putten forthe anon the zonge foles, and maken hem to nyzen
aftre hire dames; and than anon the mares retornen towardes hire foles,
with hire charges of gold; and than men dischargen hem, and geten gold y
now be this sotyltee. For the Pissemyres wole suffren bestes to gon and
pasturen amonges hem; but no man in no wyse.