And From Babylon Where The Soldan Dwelleth, To Go Right Between The
Orient And The Septentrion Toward The Great Babylon, Is Forty
Journeys To Pass By Desert.
But it is not the great Babylon in the
land and in the power of the said soldan, but
It is in the power
and the lordship of Persia, but he holdeth it of the great Chan,
that is the greatest emperor and the most sovereign lord of all the
parts beyond, and he is lord of the isles of Cathay and of many
other isles and of a great part of Ind, and his land marcheth unto
Prester John's Land, and he holdeth so much land, that he knoweth
not the end: and he is more mighty and greater lord without
comparison than is the soldan: of his royal estate and of his
might I shall speak more plenerly, when I shall speak of the land
and of the country of Ind.
Also the city of Mecca where Mohammet lieth is of the great deserts
of Arabia; and there lieth [the] body of him full honourably in
their temple, that the Saracens clepen Musketh. And it is from
Babylon the less, where the soldan dwelleth, unto Mecca above-said,
into a thirty-two journeys.
And wit well, that the realm of Arabia is a full great country, but
therein is over-much desert. And no man may dwell there in that
desert for default of water, for that land is all gravelly and full
of sand.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 37 of 305
Words from 9722 to 9975
of 81655
