Mandeville's Travels were originally written in French, perhaps in 1356 or 1357. Their popularity was immediate, and Latin and English translations soon appeared. The English texts published show three forms. The first, imperfect, is the text of the early prints. The second, from Cotton MS. Titus C xvi (about 1400-25), was first printed in 1725, and is followed in the editions by Halliwell, 1839 and 1866, and by Hamelius, 1919. The third, from Egerton MS. 1982 (about 1400-25), has been edited for the Roxburghe Club by G. F. Warner, with the French text, and an excellent apparatus. Our selections follow the Cotton MS.

The Travels fall into two parts: (i) a description of the routes to the Holy Land, and an account of the Holy Places; (ii) a narrative of travel in the more distant parts of Asia. Throughout the author poses as an eyewitness. But in fact the book is a compilation, made without much regard to time or place. For the first part William de Boldensele, who wrote in 1336 an account of a visit to the Holy Land, is the main source. The second part follows the description of an Eastern voyage written by Friar Odoric of Pordenone in 1330. Other materials from the mediaeval encyclopaedists are woven in, and there is so little trace of original observation that it is doubtful whether the author travelled far beyond his library.

In the preface he claims to be Sir John Mandeville, an Englishman born at St. Albans. The people of St. Albans were driven to desperate shifts to explain the absence of his tomb from their abbey; but until 1798 it was actually to be seen at the church of the Guillemins, LiÈge, with this inscription:

'Hic iacet vir nobilis Dom Ioannes de Mandeville, alias dictus ad Barbam, Miles, Dominus de Campdi, natus de Anglia, medicinae professor, devotissimus orator, et bonorum suorum largissimus pauperibus erogator, qui, toto quasi orbe lustrato, Leodii diem vitae suae clausit extremum A.D. MCCCLXXII, mensis Nov. die xvii.'

A LiÈge chronicler, Jean d'Outremeuse (d. 1399), who claims the invidious position of his confidant and literary executor, gives further details: Mandeville was 'chevalier de Montfort en Angleterre'; he was obliged to leave England because he had slain a nobleman; he came to LiÈge in 1343; and was content to be known as 'Jean de Bourgogne dit À la Barbe'.

Now Jean de Bourgogne, with whom Sir John Mandeville is identified by d'Outremeuse, is known as the writer of a tract on the Plague, written at LiÈge in 1365. Further, the Latin text of the Travels mentions that the author met at LiÈge a certain 'Johannes ad Barbam', recognized him as a former physician at the court of the Sultan of Egypt, and took his advice and help in the writing of the Travels.

Again, in 1322, the year in which Sir John Mandeville claims to have left England, a Johan de Burgoyne was given good reason to flee the country, because a pardon, granted to him the previous year for his actions against the Despensers, was then withdrawn. Curiously enough, a John Mandeville was also of the party opposed to the Despensers.

Nothing has come of the attempts to attach the clues—St. Albans, Montfort, Campdi, the arms on the tomb at LiÈge—to the English family of Mandeville. It seems likely that 'Sir John Mandeville' was an alias adopted by Jean de Bourgogne, unless both names cover Jean d'Outremeuse. The Epilogue to the Cotton version shows how early the plausible fictions of the text had infected the history of its composition.

It is clear that the English versions do not come from the hand of the writer of the Travels, who could not have been guilty of such absurdities as the translation of montaignes by 'Þe hille of Aygnes' in the Cotton MS. But whoever the author was, he shows a courtesy and modesty worthy of a knight, begging those with more recent experience to correct the lapses of his memory, and remembering always the interests of later travellers, who might wish to glean some marvels still untold. He might well have pleaded in the fourteenth century that the time had not come when prose fiction could afford to throw off the disguise of truth.

[THE VOIAGE AND TRAVAILE OF SIR IOHN MAUNDEVILE, KT.] British Museum MS. Cotton Titus C xvi (about 1400-25).

From chap. xiv (xviii), f. 65 b.

Ethiope is departed in two princypall parties; and Þat is in the Est partie, and in the Meridionall partie, the whiche partie meridionall is clept Moretane. And the folk of Þat contree ben blake ynow, and more blake Þan in the toÞer partie; and Þei ben clept Mowres. In Þat partie is a well, {05} Þat in the day it is so cold Þat no man may drynke Þereoffe; and in the nyght it is so hoot Þat no man may suffre hys hond Þerein. And be?onde Þat partie, toward the South, to passe by the See Occean, is a gret lond and a gret contrey. But men may not duell Þere, for the feruent brennynge of the {10} sonne, so is it passynge hoot in Þat contrey.

In Ethiope all the ryueres and all the watres ben trouble, and Þei ben somdell salte, for the gret hete Þat is Þere. And the folk of Þat contree ben lyghtly dronken, and han but litill appetyt to mete.... {15}

In Ethiope ben many dyuerse folk, and Ethiope is clept 'Cusis.' In Þat contree ben folk Þat han but o foot; and Þei gon so blyue Þat it is meruaylle; and the foot is so large Þat it schadeweth all the body a?en the sonne, whanne Þei wole lye and reste hem. {20}

In Ethiope, whan the children ben ?onge and lytill, Þei ben all ?alowe; and whan Þat Þei wexen of age, Þat ?alownesse turneth to ben all blak. In Ethiope is the cytee of Saba, and the lond of the whiche on of the Þre Kynges, Þat presented oure Lord in Bethleem, was kyng offe. {25}

Fro Ethiope men gon into Ynde be manye dyuerse contreyes. And men clepen the high Ynde 'Emlak'. And Ynde is devyded in Þre princypall parties; Þat is: the more, Þat is a full hoot contree; and Ynde the lesse, Þat is a full atempree contrey, Þat streccheth to the lond of MedÉ; and the Þridde {30} part, toward the Septentrion, is full cold, so Þat for pure cold and contynuell frost the water becometh cristall.

And vpon tho roches of cristall growen the gode dyamandes, Þat ben of trouble colour. ?alow cristall draweth <to> colour lyke oylle. And Þei ben so harde Þat no man may pollysch {35} hem; and men clepen hem 'dyamandes' in Þat contree, and 'hamese' in anoÞer contree. Othere dyamandes men fynden in Arabye, Þat ben not so gode; and Þei ben more broun and more tendre. And oÞer dyamandes also men fynden in the Ile of Cipre, Þat ben ?it more tendre; and hem men may wel {40} pollische. And in the lond of Macedoyne men fynden dyamaundes also. But the beste and the moste precyiouse ben in Ynde.

And men fynden many tyme harde dyamandes in a masse, Þat cometh out of gold, whan men puren it and fynen it out {45} of the myne, whan men breken Þat masse in smale peces. And sum tyme it happeneth Þat men fynden summe as grete as a pese, and summe lasse; and Þei ben als harde as Þo of Ynde.

And all be it Þat men fynden gode dyamandes in Ynde, {50} ?it natheles men fynden hem more comounly vpon the roches in the see, and vpon hilles where the myne of gold is. And Þei growen many togedre, on lytill, another gret. And Þer ben summe of the gretnesse of a bene, and summe als grete as an hasell-note. And Þei ben square and poynted of here owne {55} kynde, boÞe abouen and benethen, withouten worchinge of mannes hond.

And Þei growen togedre, male and femele. And Þei ben norysscht with the dew of heuene. And Þei engendren comounly, and bryngen forth smale children, Þat multiplyen {60} and growen all the ?eer. I haue often tymes assayed Þat ?if a man kepe hem with a lityll of the roche, and wete hem with May dew oftesithes, Þei schull growe eueryche ?eer; and the smale wole wexen grete. For right as the fyn perl congeleth and wexeth gret of the dew of heuene, right so doth the verray {65} dyamand; and right as the perl, of his owne kynde, taketh roundnesse, right so the dyamand, be vertu of God, taketh squarenesse.

And men schall bere the dyamaund on his left syde; for it is of grettere vertue Þanne, Þan on the right syde. For the {70} strengthe of here growynge is toward the North, Þat is the left syde of the world, and the left partie of man is, whan he turneth his face toward the Est.

And ?if ?ou lyke to knowe the vertues of Þe dyamand, as men may fynden in Þe Lapidarye, Þat many men knowen {75} noght, I schall telle ?ou, as Þei be?onde the see seyn and affermen, of whom all science and all philosophie cometh from.

He Þat bereth the dyamand vpon him, it ?eueth him hardynesse and manhode, and it kepeth the lemes of his body hole. {80} It ?eueth him victorye of his enemyes, in plee and in werre, ?if his cause be rightfull; and it kepeth him Þat bereth it in gode wytt; and it kepeth him fro strif and ryot, fro euyll sweuenes, from sorwes, and from enchauntementes, and from fantasyes and illusiouns of wykked spirites. And ?if ony cursed wycche {85} or enchauntour wolde bewycche him Þat bereth the dyamand, all Þat sorwe and myschance schall turne to himself, Þorgh vertue of Þat ston. And also no wylde best dar assaylle the man Þat bereth it on him. Also the dyamand scholde ben ?ouen frely, withouten coueytynge, and withouten byggynge; {90} and Þan it is of grettere vertue. And it maketh a man more strong and more sad a?enst his enemyes. And it heleth him Þat is lunatyk, and hem Þat the fend pursueth or trauayleth. And ?if venym or poysoun be brought in presence of the dyamand, anon it begynneth to wexe moyst, and for to {95} swete.

Þere ben also dyamandes in Ynde Þat ben clept 'violastres',—for here colour is liche vyolet, or more browne Þan the violettes,—Þat ben full harde and full precyous. But ?it sum men loue not hem so wel as the oÞere. But in soth to {100} me, I wolde louen hem als moche as Þe oÞere; for I haue seen hem assayed. Also Þere is anoÞer maner of dyamandes Þat ben als white as cristall, but Þei ben a lityll more trouble; and Þei ben gode and of gret vertue, and all Þei ben square and poynted of here owne kynde. And summe {105} ben six squared, summe four squared, and summe Þre, as nature schapeth hem.

And Þerfore whan grete lordes and knyghtes gon to seche worschipe in armes, Þei beren gladly the dyamaund vpon hem. I schal speke a litill more of the dyamandes, allÞough {110} I tarye my matere for a tyme, to Þat ende Þat Þei Þat knowen hem not be not disceyued be gabberes Þat gon be the contree, Þat sellen hem. For whoso wil bye the dyamand, it is nedefull to him Þat he knowe hem, because Þat men counterfeten hem often of cristall Þat is ?alow; and of saphires of cytryne {115} colour, Þat is ?alow also; and of the saphire loupe; and of many oÞer stones. But, I tell ?ou, theise contrefetes ben not so harde; and also the poyntes wil breken lightly; and men may esily pollissche hem. But summe werkmen, for malice, wil not pollische hem, to Þat entent to maken men beleue Þat Þei may {120} not ben pollisscht. But men may assaye hem in this manere: First schere with hem, or write with hem, in saphires, in cristall, or in oÞer precious stones. After Þat men taken the ademand, Þat is the schipmannes ston, Þat draweth the nedle to him, and men leyn the dyamand vpon the ademand, and leyn the nedle {125} before the ademand; and ?if the dyamand be gode and vertuous, the ademand draweth not the nedle to him, whils the dyamand is Þere present. And this is the preef Þat Þei be?onde the see maken. Natheles it befalleth often tyme Þat the gode dyamand leseth his vertue, be synne and for incontynence of him Þat {130} bereth it. And Þanne is it nedfull to make it to recoueren his vertue a?en, or ell it is of litill value.

Chap. xxvi (xxx), f. 112 a.

Now schall I seye ?ou sewyngly of contrees and yles Þat ben be?onde the contrees Þat I haue spoken of. Wherfore {135} I seye ?ou, in passynge be the lond of Cathaye toward the high Ynde, and toward Bacharye, men passen be a kyngdom Þat men clepen 'Caldilhe', Þat is a full fair contrÉ. And Þere groweth a maner of fruyt, as Þough it weren gowrdes; and whan Þei ben rype, men kutten hem ato, and men fynden {140} withinne a lytyll best, in flesch, in bon, and blode as Þough it were a lytill lomb, withouten wolle. And men eten bothe the frut and the best: and Þat is a gret merueylle. Of Þat frute I haue eten, allÞough it were wondirfull: but Þat I knowe wel, Þat God is merueyllous in his werkes. And natheles I tolde {145} hem of als gret a merueyle to hem, Þat is amonges vs: and Þat was of the Bernakes. For I tolde hem Þat in oure contree weren trees Þat baren a fruyt Þat becomen briddes fleeynge; and Þo Þat fellen in the water lyuen; and Þei Þat fallen on the erthe dyen anon; and Þei ben right gode to mannes mete. And hereof {150} had Þei als gret meruaylle Þat summe of hem trowed it were an inpossible thing to be. In Þat contrÉ ben longe apples of gode sauour, whereof ben mo Þan an hundred in a clustre, and als manye in another: and Þei han grete longe leves and large, of two fote long or more. And in Þat contree, and in {155} oÞer contrees Þere abouten, growen many trees, Þat beren clowe gylofres, and notemuges, and grete notes of Ynde, and of canell, and of many oÞer spices. And Þere ben vynes Þat beren so grete grapes Þat a strong man scholde haue ynow to done for to bere o clustre with all the grapes. In {160} Þat same regioun ben the mountaynes of Caspye Þat men clepen 'Vber' in the contree. Betwene Þo mountaynes the Iewes of ten lynages ben enclosed, Þat men clepen Goth and Magoth; and Þei mowe not gon out on no syde. Þere weren enclosed twenty two kynges with hire peple, Þat dwelleden {165} betwene the mountaynes of Sythye. Þere Kyng Alisandre chacede hem betwene Þo mountaynes; and Þere he thoughte for to enclose hem Þorgh werk of his men. But whan he saugh Þat he myghte not don it, ne bryng it to an ende, he preyed to God of Nature Þat He wolde parforme Þat Þat he {170} had begonne. And all were it so Þat he was a payneme, and not worthi to ben herd, ?it God of His grace closed the mountaynes togydre; so Þat Þei dwellen Þere, all faste ylokked and enclosed with high mountaynes alle aboute, saf only on o syde; and on Þat syde is the See of Caspye. Now {175} may sum men asken: sith Þat the see is on Þat o syde, wherfore go Þei not out on the see syde, for to go where Þat hem lyketh? But to this questioun I schal answere: Þat See of Caspye goth out be londe, vnder the mountaynes, and renneth be the desert at o syde of the contree; and after it streccheth vnto the endes {180} of Persie. And allÞough it be clept a see, it is no see, ne it toucheth to non oÞer see; but it is a lake, the grettest of the world. And Þough Þei wolden putten hem into Þat see, Þei ne wysten neuer where Þat Þei scholde arryuen. And also Þei conen no langage but only hire owne, Þat no man {185} knoweth but Þei: and Þerfore mowe Þei not gon out. And also ?ee schull vnderstonde Þat the Iewes han no propre lond of hire owne, for to dwellen inne, in all the world, but only Þat lond betwene the mountaynes. And ?it Þei ?elden tribute for Þat lond to the queen of Amazoine, the whiche Þat {190} maketh hem to ben kept in cloos full diligently, Þat Þei schull not gon out on no syde, but be the cost of hire lond. For hire lond marcheth to Þo mountaynes. And often it hath befallen Þat summe of Þe Iewes han gon vp the mountaynes, and avaled down to the valeyes: but gret nombre of folk ne {195} may not do so. For the mountaynes ben so hye, and so streght vp, Þat Þei moste abyde Þere, maugree hire myght. For Þei mowe not gon out, but be a litill issue Þat was made be strengthe of men; and it lasteth wel a four grete myle. And after is Þere ?it a lond all desert, where men {200} may fynde no water, ne for dyggynge, ne for non other Þing: wherfore men may not dwellen in Þat place. So is it full of dragounes, of serpentes, and of oÞer venymous bestes, Þat no man dar not passe, but ?if it be be strong wynter. And Þat streyt passage men clepen in Þat contree 'Clyron'. And Þat {205} is the passage Þat the Queen of Amazoine maketh to ben kept. And Þogh it happene sum of hem, be fortune, to gon out, Þei conen no maner of langage but Ebrew, so Þat Þei can not speke to the peple. And ?it natheles, men seyn Þei schull gon out in the tyme of Antecrist, and Þat Þei schull maken {210} gret slaughter of Cristene men. And Þerfore all the Iewes Þat dwellen in all londes lernen allweys to speken Ebrew, in hope Þat whan the oÞer Iewes schull gon out, Þat Þei may vnderstonden hire speche, and to leden hem into Cristendom, for to destroye the Cristene peple. For the Iewes seyn Þat {215} Þei knowen wel be hire prophecyes Þat Þei of Caspye schull gon out and spreden Þorghout all the world; and Þat the Cristene men schull ben vnder hire subieccioun als longe as Þei han ben in subieccioun of hem. And ?if Þat ?ee wil wyte how Þat Þei schull fynden hire weye, after Þat I haue herd {220} seye, I schall tell ?ou. In the tyme of Antecrist, a fox schall make Þere his †trayne†, and mynen an hole, where Kyng Alisandre leet make the ?ates: and so longe he schall mynen and percen the erthe, til Þat he schall passe Þorgh towardes Þat folk. And whan Þei seen the fox, they schull {225} haue gret merueylle of him, because Þat Þei saugh neuer such a best. For of all oÞere bestes Þei han enclosed amonges hem, saf only the fox. And Þanne Þei schulle chacen him and pursuen him so streyte, till Þat he come to the same place Þat he cam fro. And Þanne Þei schulle {230} dyggen and mynen so strongly, till Þat Þei fynden the ?ates Þat King Alisandre leet make of grete stones and passynge huge, wel symented and made stronge for the maystrie. And Þo ?ates Þei schull breken, and so gon out, be fyndynge of Þat issue. {235}

Fro Þat lond gon men toward the lond of Bacharie, where ben full yuele folk and full cruell. In Þat lond ben trees Þat beren wolle, as Þogh it were of scheep; whereof men maken clothes, and all Þing Þat may ben made of wolle. In Þat contree ben many ipotaynes, Þat dwellen som tyme in the {240} water, and somtyme on the lond: and Þei ben half man and half hors, as I haue seyd before; and Þei eten men, whan Þei may take hem. And Þere ben ryueres and watres Þat ben fulle byttere, Þree sithes more Þan is the water of the see. In Þat contrÉ ben many griffounes, more plentee Þan in ony {245} other contree. Sum men seyn Þat Þei han the body vpward as an egle, and benethe as a lyoun: and treuly Þei seyn soth Þat Þei ben of Þat schapp. But o griffoun hath the body more gret, and is more strong, Þanne eight lyouns, of suche lyouns as ben o this half; and more gret and strongere Þan an {250} hundred egles, suche as we han amonges vs. For o griffoun Þere wil bere fleynge to his nest a gret hors, ?if he may fynde him at the poynt, or two oxen ?oked togidere, as Þei gon at the plowgh. For he hath his talouns so longe and so large and grete vpon his feet, as Þough Þei weren hornes of grete oxen, or of {255} bugles, or of ky?n; so Þat men maken cuppes of hem, to drynken of. And of hire ribbes, and of the pennes of hire wenges, men maken bowes full stronge, to schote with arwes and quarell.

From Þens gon men be many iourneyes Þorgh the lond of Prestre Iohn, the grete emperour of Ynde. And men clepen {260} his roialme the Yle of Pentexoire.

EPILOGUE.

Þere ben manye oÞer dyuerse contrees and many oÞer merueyles be?onde, Þat I haue not seen: wherfore of hem I can not speke propurly, to tell ?ou the manere of hem. And also in the contrees where I haue ben, ben manye {265} mo dyuersitees of many wondirfull thinges Þanne I make mencioun of, for it were to longe thing to deuyse ?ou the manere. And Þerfore Þat Þat I haue deuysed ?ou of certeyn contrees, Þat I haue spoken of before, I beseche ?oure worthi and excellent noblesse Þat it suffise to ?ou at this tyme. For {270} ?if Þat I deuysed ?ou all Þat is be?onde the see, another man peraunter, Þat wolde peynen him and trauaylle his body for to go into Þo marches for to encerche Þo contrees, myghte ben blamed be my wordes, in rehercynge manye straunge thinges; for he myghte not seye no thing of newe, in the {275} whiche the hereres myghten hauen ouÞer solace or desport or lust or lykyng in the herynge. For men seyn allweys Þat newe thinges and newe tydynges ben plesant to here. Wherfore I wole holde me stille, withouten ony more rehercyng of dyuersitee? or of meruaylles Þat ben be?onde, to Þat entent {280} and ende Þat whoso wil gon into Þo contrees, he schall fynde ynowe to speke of, Þat I haue not touched of in no wyse.

And ?ee schull vndirstonde, ?if it lyke ?ou, Þat at myn hom comynge I cam to Rome, and schewed my lif to oure {285} holy fadir the Pope, and was assoylled of all Þat lay in my conscience, of many a dyuerse greuous poynt, as men mosten nedes Þat ben in company, dwellyng amonges so many a dyuerse folk of dyuerse secte and of beleeve, as I haue ben. And amonges all, I schewed hym this tretys, Þat I had made {290} after informacioun of men Þat knewen of thinges Þat I had not seen myself; and also of merueyles and customes Þat I hadde seen myself, as fer as God wolde ?eue me grace: and besoughte his holy fadirhode Þat my boke myghte ben examyned and corrected be avys of his wyse and discreet {295} conseill. And oure holy fader, of his special grace, remytted my boke to ben examyned and preued be the avys of his seyd conseill. Be the whiche my boke was preeued for trewe; in so moche Þat Þei schewed me a boke, Þat my boke was examynde by, Þat comprehended full moche more be an {300} hundred part; be the whiche the Mappa Mundi was made after. And so my boke (all be it Þat many men ne list not to ?eue credence to no Þing, but to Þat Þat Þei seen with hire eye, ne be the auctour ne the persone neuer so trewe) is affermed and preued be oure holy fader, in maner and forme {305} as I haue seyd.

And I Iohn Maundevyll knyght aboueseyd, (allÞough I be vnworthi) Þat departed from oure contrees and passed the see the ?eer of grace 1322, Þat haue passed many londes and manye yles and contrees, and cerched manye full {310} strange places, and haue ben in many a full gode honourable companye, and at many a faire dede of armes, all be it Þat I dide none myself, for myn vnable insuffisance; and now I am comen hom, mawgree myself, to reste, for gowtes artetykes Þat me distreynen, Þat diffynen the ende of my labour, a?enst {315} my will, God knoweth. And Þus takynge solace in my wrechched reste, recordynge the tyme passed, I haue fulfilled Þeise thinges and putte hem wryten in this boke, as it wolde come into my mynde, the ?eer of grace 1356 in the 34th ?eer Þat I departede from oure contrees. Wherfore I preye to all {320} the rederes and hereres of this boke, ?if it plese hem, Þat Þei wolde preyen to God for me, and I schall preye for hem. And alle Þo Þat seyn for me a Paternoster, with an Aue Maria, Þat God for?eue me my synnes, I make hem parteneres and graunte hem part of all the gode pilgrymages, {325} and of all the gode dedes Þat I haue don, ?if ony ben to his plesance; and noght only of Þo, but of all Þat euere I schall do vnto my lyfes ende. And I beseche Almyghty God, fro whom all godenesse and grace cometh fro, Þat He vouchesaf of His excellent mercy and habundant grace to {330} fullfylle hire soules with inspiracioun of the Holy Gost, in makynge defence of all hire gostly enemyes here in erthe, to hire saluacioun, bothe of body and soule; to worschipe and thankynge of Him Þat is Þree and on, withouten begynnynge and withouten endyng; Þat is withouten qualitee good, {335} withouten quantytee gret; Þat in alle places is present, and all thinges conteynynge; the whiche Þat no goodnesse may amende, ne non euell empeyre; Þat in perfyte Trynytee lyueth and regneth God, be alle worldes and be all tymes. Amen, Amen, Amen. {340}