The earliest printed English edition seems to be that by Wynkyn de Worde: "Here Begynneth a lytell treatyse or booke named Johan Mandeuyll Knyght born in Englonde in the towne of saynt Albone, and speketh of the wayes of the holy londe towards Iherrusalem, and of marueyles of Ynde and of other dyuers coūtrees;" colophon: "Here endeth the boke of Johan Maūdeuyll Knyght, of the wayes towarde Jerusalem and of the meruayles of Ynde and of other diverse coūtries. Emprynted at Westmynster by Wynkyn de Worde. Anno dni 1499." But the British Museum possesses earlier editions in other languages—for instance, in French, 1478; Dutch, 1470; and Italian, 1488; which goes to show how universally his work was read.
The original of this book was intended as a guide for pilgrims for Jerusalem. Of Sir John Maundeville, Knight, very little is known but what he tells us—that he set out on his travels in 1323, and returned and wrote the account in 1356. He afterwards went to Liége, and is said to have died there, according to one authority in 1371, and to another in 1382. He either was extremely credulous, and believed everything told him, or he drew very largely upon his imagination for his facts. Anyhow, in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries his work was most popular; and even the marvels contained in the condensed form of a Chap-book are sufficient to satisfy the most rabid craving for literary stimulants. As this history is not well known, it is given in its entirety.
Chap. 1.
Sir John's Travels to the Holy Land; and of the
enchanted Hawke.
I, Sir John Mandeville Knt born in the Old town of St Albans set forward to travel on Michaelmas Day 1322,[*] to the Holy Land; and shall give an account of all the remarkable things in the countries thro' which I passed, as follows; First, In my way to Jerusalem, I passed through Almain, Hungary, and so to Constantinople where before St Stephen's Church is the image of Justinian the Emperor, sitting on horseback crowned, holding an apple in his hand. From thence I passed thro' Turkey, Nika, and several islands, where I beheld men hunting with pampeons like leopards, catching wild beasts quicker than hounds. From thence I passed to Hierusalem and went on a pilgrimage to the Church where is the holy grave; in the middle of the Church is a tabernacle, on the right side of which is the Sepulchre of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the Cross on which he was crucified standing in a Mortis by it. In this mortis, it is said Adam's head was found after the Flood.
Travelling on further I came to a country whereon stands the Castle of Cyprus; where I beheld a curious hawk sitting on a porch, and a beautiful Lady of Fairy Land keeping it; and it is said, he that will watch seven days and seven nights, without company or sleep, this lady will come and grant him the richest of worldly things he shall crave; and the truth of which hath been proved often by experience.
The men here are proper and of fine complection, their cloaths richly beset with rubies and gold; but the women are short, hard favoured, and go for the most part barefooted, their garments poor and short, that it comes but to the middle of their thighs, yet their sleeves, so extraordinary long that they hang down to their toes. Their hair long and lank.
[*] The Chap-book says 1372, but that is a misprint.
Chap. 2.
Description of an Odd sort of People, of India's extraordinary
Eels; and of other remarkable Wonders.
From thence I came to the land of Ethiope, where I beheld many strange things. Here is a well, whose water is so cold in the day, as no man dare drink it, and so hot in the night as you cannot bear your finger in it. There is still one thing remarkable in this place, for there is a sort of men who have one foot, yet so swift as to exceed the deer in running. This foot is so large in compass, as when they are minded to rest, lying on their backs it shelters the body from the heat of the sun or showers of rain—When their Children come first into the world they are of a russet complection; but as they grow up they turn perfect black.—One of the wise men who sought for Our Lord in Bethlehem, was King of this Country.
From thence I went thro' many Islands into India, where there are eels thirty feet in length, and the men who commonly fish there are of different colours, such as green, yellow, blue, &c. In the heat of the day the men and women lay themselves under water, and the women are not ashamed to appear naked before the men.