But, After My Little Wit, It Seemeth Me, Saving Their
Reverence, That It Is More.
And for to have better understanding I say thus.
Be there imagined
a figure that hath a great compass. And, about the point of the
great compass that is clept the centre, be made another little
compass. Then after, be the great compass devised by lines in many
parts, and that all the lines meet at the centre. So, that in as
many parts as the great compass shall be departed, in as many shall
be departed the little, that is about the centre, albeit that the
spaces be less. Now then, be the great compass represented for the
firmament, and the little compass represented for the earth. Now
then, the firmament is devised by astronomers in twelve signs, and
every sign is devised in thirty degrees; that is, 360 degrees that
the firmament hath above. Also, be the earth devised in as many
parts as the firmament, and let every part answer to a degree of
the firmament. And wit it well, that, after the authors of
astronomy, 700 furlongs of earth answer to a degree of the
firmament, and those be eighty-seven miles and four furlongs. Now
be that here multiplied by 360 sithes, and then they be 31,500
miles every of eight furlongs, after miles of our country. So much
hath the earth in roundness and of height environ, after mine
opinion and mine understanding.
And ye shall understand, that after the opinion of old wise
philosophers and astronomers, our country ne Ireland ne Wales ne
Scotland ne Norway ne the other isles coasting to them ne be not in
the superficiality counted above the earth, as it sheweth by all
the books of astronomy. For the superficiality of the earth is
parted in seven parts for the seven planets, and those parts be
clept climates. And our parts be not of the seven climates, for
they be descending toward the west [drawing] towards the roundness
of the world. And also these isles of Ind which be even against us
be not reckoned in the climates. For they be against us that be in
the low country. And the seven climates stretch them environing
the world.
CHAPTER XXI
OF THE PALACE OF THE KING OF THE ISLE OF JAVA. OF THE TREES THAT
BEAR MEAL, HONEY, WINE, AND VENOM; AND OF OTHER MARVELS AND CUSTOMS
USED IN THE ISLES MARCHING THEREABOUT
BESIDE that isle that I have spoken of, there is another isle that
is clept Sumobor. That is a great isle, and the king thereof is
right mighty. The folk of that isle make them always to be marked
in the visage with an hot iron, both men and women, for great
noblesse, for to be known from other folk; for they hold themselves
most noble and most worthy of all the world. And they have war
always with the folk that go all naked.
And fast beside is another isle, that is clept Betemga, that is a
good isle and a plenteous. And many other isles be thereabout,
where there be many of diverse folk, of the which it were too long
to speak of all.
But fast beside that isle, for to pass by sea, is a great isle and
a great country that men clepe Java. And it is nigh two thousand
mile in circuit. And the king of that country is a full great lord
and a rich and a mighty, and hath under him seven other kings of
seven other isles about him. This isle is full well inhabited, and
full well manned. There grow all manner of spicery, more
plenteously than in any other country, as of ginger, cloves-
gilofre, canell, seedwall, nutmegs and maces. And wit well, that
the nutmeg beareth the maces; for right as the nut of the hazel
hath an husk without, that the nut is closed in till it be ripe and
that after falleth out, right so it is of the nutmeg and of the
maces. Many other spices and many other goods grow in that isle.
For of all things is there plenty, save only of wine. But there is
gold and silver, great plenty.
And the king of that country hath a palace full noble and full
marvellous, and more rich than any in the world. For all the
degrees to go up into halls and chambers be, one of gold, another
of silver. And also, the pavements of halls and chambers be all
square, of gold one, and another of silver. And all the walls
within be covered with gold and silver in fine plates, and in those
plates be stories and battles of knights enleved, and the crowns
and the circles about their heads be made of precious stones and
rich pearls and great. And the halls and the chambers of the
palace be all covered within with gold and silver, so that no man
would trow the riches of that palace but he had seen it. And wit
well, that the king of that isle is so mighty, that he hath many
times overcome the great Chan of Cathay in battle, that is the most
great emperor that is under the firmament either beyond the sea or
on this half. For they have had often-time war between them,
because that the great Chan would constrain him to hold his land of
him; but that other at all times defendeth him well against him.
After that isle, in going by sea, men find another isle, good and
great, that men clepe Pathen, that is a great kingdom full of fair
cities and full of towns. In that land grow trees that bear meal,
whereof men make good bread and white and of good savour; and it
seemeth as it were of wheat, but it is not allinges of such savour.
And there be other trees that bear honey good and sweet, and other
trees that bear venom, against the which there is no medicine but
[one]; and that is to take their proper leaves and stamp them and
temper them with water and then drink it, and else he shall die;
for triacle will not avail, ne none other medicine.
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