[1:] Other editions say 60 chariots.
[2:] See footnote, ante, p. [168]1.
[3:] Tartarins, a kind of silken fabric.
CAP. LXXIX.
What countreys and kingdomes lye next to the land of Cathay and the frontes thereof.
THIS lande of Cathay is in Asia the depe,[1] and this same lande marcheth toward the west upon the kingdome of Sercy,[2] the which was sometyme to one of the three kings that went to seke our Lord in Bethlem and all those that come of his kin are christen men. These men of Tartary drinke no wine. In ye land of Corosaym,[3] yt is at the north side of Cathay is right great plenty of goods, but no wine, the which hath at the east side a great wildernesse, that lasteth more than an hundred journeys, and the best citie of that land is called Corasaym, & after the name of that citie is the lande called after, and men of this lande are good warriors and hardy, and thereby is the Kingedome of Comayne, this is the most & the greatest kingedome of the world, but it is not all inhabited, for in one place of the lande is so great cold, that no man may dwel ther for colde, and in an other place is so great heat, that no man may dwell there, & there are so many faithes[4] that a man wot not on what side hee may turne him, & in this lande are fewe trees bering fruite. In thys lande men ly in tentes, and they burne donge[5] of beastes for defaut of wood. This lande descendeth toward Pruse & Rossy & through this land runneth the river Echell,[6] that is one of the greatest rivers in ye world & it is frosen so hard euery yeare that men fight thereupon in great battayles on horse and footemen more than a C.M[7] at once. And a lyttle from ye river is the great sea of Occyan, that they cal Maure[8] and betwene this Maure & Caspy[9] is a full straight passage to go towarde Inde and therefore King Alexander did make there a citie yt men call Alexander, for to kepe that passage, so that no man may passe but if he haue leave, & now is that citie called Port de fear,[10] and the principall citie of Comayne is called Sarachis,[11] this is one of the thre ways to go to Inde, but through this way may not many men go but if it be in winter, & this passage is called Berbent.[12] And another way is to go from ye land of Turkescon[13] through Percy, & in this way are many journeys in wildernesse. And ye third way is that cometh from Cosmane & goeth through ye great citie & through ye Kingedome of Abachare.[14] And ye shall understand yt all these kingedomes & lords unto Percy are holden of ye great Caan & many other & therefore he is a great lorde of men & of lande.
[1:] Lower Asia.
[2:] Others write it Tharse.
[3:] ? Khorassan.
[4:] A misprint for flies.
[5:] The usual fuel in an unwooded Asiatic country.
[6:] Volga.
[7:] Others say 200,000.
[8:] The Black Sea.
[9:] The Caspian Sea.
[10:] Port de Fer, or Iron Gate. Other editions have it "Gate of Hell."
[11:] Sarai, or Sara, on the Volga. Chaucer, in "Cambuscan," speaks of it thus:—
"At Sarra in the Londe of Tartarie
There dwelt a King that werriëd Russie."
[12:] The Pass of Derbend, still called in Turkish Demir Kapi, or the Iron Gate.
[13:] Turkestan.
[14:] Variously written Abcaz or Abkhas.
CAP. LXXX.
Of other wayes comming from Cathay toward the Grekes sea & also of the emperour of Percy.
NOW I haue devysed you the landes towardes the North, to come from the lands of Cathay to the lands of Pruse & Rossy where Christen men dwel. Now shall I devise unto you other lands & kingdoms, in comming down from Cathay to the Grekes sea wher Christen men dwell, and for as muche as next the great Caane of Cathay the Emperour of Percy is the greatest lorde, therefore I shall speake of him, & ye shall understande that he hath two kingdomes, the one beginneth eastward and it is the kingdome of Turkescon & it lasteth westward to the sea of Caspy & southward to the lande of Inde. This lande is good & playne and well manned,[1] with good cities but two most principal, ye which are called Bacirida & Sormagaunt.[2] The other is the kingedome of Percy, and lasteth from the river of Phison[3] unto great Armony,[4] & northward unto the sea of Caspy & southward to the land of Inde & this is a full plenteous countrey and good. In this lande are three principall cities Nessabor, Saphan, & Sermesse.[5]
[1:] Peopled.
[2:] Bokhara and Samarcand.
[3:] Pison.
[4:] Armenia
[5:] Otherwise spelt Messabor, Caphon, and Sarmassane.