o the
grete Chane of Cathay; and many othere contrees, that marchen to other
costes. Wherfore his powere and his lordschipe is fulle gret, and fulle
myghty.
Of the Emperour of Persye, and of the lond of darknesse and of other
Kyngdomes, that belongen to the grete Chane of Cathay, and other Londes
of his, unto the See of Greece.
[Sidenote: Cap. XXV.] Now sithe I have devysed zou the londes and the
kyngdoms toward the parties septentrionales, in comynge down from the lond
of Cathay, unto the londes of the Cristene, towardes Pruysse and Rossye;
now schalle I devyse zou of other londes and kyngdomes, comynge doun be
other costes, toward the right syde, unto the see of Grece, toward the lond
of Cristene men: and therfore that, aftre Ynde and aftre Cathay, the
Emperour of Persie is the gretteste lord. Therfore I schalle telle zou of
the kyngdom of Persie. First, where he hathe 2 kyngdomes; the firste
kyngdom begynnethe toward the est, toward the kyngdom of Turquesten, and it
strecchethe toward the west, unto the ryyere of Phison, that is on of the 4
ryveres, that comen out of paradys. And on another syde, it strecchethe
toward the septemtrion, unto the see of Caspye: and also toward the southe,
unto the desert of Ynde. And this contree is gode and pleyn and fulle of
peple. And there ben manye gode cytees. But the 2 princypalle cytees ben
theise, Boyturra and Seornergant, that sum men clepen Sormagant. The tother
kyngdom of Persie strecchethe toward the ryvere of Phison, and the parties
of the west, unto the kyngdom of Mede: and fro the grete Armenye, and
toward the septemtrion, to the see of Caspie; and toward the southe, to the
land of Ynde. That is also a gode lond and a plentefous; and it hath 3
grete princypalle cytees, Messabor, Caphon and Sarmassane.
And thanne aftre is Armenye, in the which weren wont to ben 4 kyngdomes:
that is a noble contree, and fulle of godes. And it begyinnethe at Persie,
and strecchethe toward the west in lengthe, unto Turkye. And in largenesse,
it durethe to the cytee of Alizandre, that now is clept the Zate of Helle,
that I spak offe beforn, undre the kyngdom of Mede. In this Armenye ben
fulle manye gode cytees: but Tanrizo is most of name.
Aftre this, is the kyngdom of Mede, that is fulle long: but it is not fulle
large, that begynnethe toward the est, to the land of Persie, and to Ynde
the lesse. And it strecchethe toward the west, toward the kyngdom of
Caldee, and toward the se
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