De Syria dea

In Surrye, not fer fro the Ryvere Eufrate, is a Cytee that Holy highte and holy is in sothe, for it is of Iuno Assurien. Yit I wene that the cyteene hadde not this name atte firste, whan that it was founded, but of olden tyme it was other, and after,” whan here servys of the Goddesse wex gret, it was their chaunged to this. Touching this cytee I purpos me to seyn alle that is in it, and I schalle speke of the customes that thei folwen in here rytes, and the feste dayes that thei kepen, and the sacrifises that thei perfourmen. And I schalle reherce alle the tales that men tellen of hem that establisschede the holy place, and how that the temple was bylded. And I that write am Assurien, and of that that I devyse you, some partie saughe I with mine owne eyen, and some partie I lerned be informacioun fro _ the prestes, that is to seyn, tho thynges that I descryve that weren beforn min owne tyme.

Of alle peples whereof wee knowen, Egyptyens weren firste, as men seyn, for to taken conceyte of

Goddes, and to stablisschen holy places and closes, and to apoynten feste dayes. And thei firste knewen holy names and maden holy tales. But no long tyme after, Assuryens herden rumour and speche of Egyptyens as touching to goddes, and rereden seyntuaryes and temples, in the whiche thei lette putten ymages and setten symulacres.

But auncientlye amonges Egyptyens weren temples withouten symulacres. And in Surrye ben temples almost als olde as tho in Egypte, of the whiche I have seen the moste, and namely the temple of Hercules in Tyre, not that Hercules that Grekes preysen in here songes, but that oon wherof I speke is moche elder, and is Tyres patroun.

In Phenicye is another grete temple that men of Sidon kepen. Thei seyn, it is of Astarte, and Astarte, I trowe, is Luna the Mone. But oon of the prestes tolde me, it belongeth to Europe, Cadmus suster. Sche was Agenor the Kinges daughter; and after that sche vanisched, Phenicyens yafen hir that temple for worschipe and maden a storie of hir, that sithe sche was fair, love coveytede hir, and transformed his lyknesse in to a bole, and than ravissched hir awey and bar hir on his bac to Crete. That same storie I herde of othere Phenicyens also;

and the moneye that Sidonyes usen hath Europe sittynge on the bole that is Iove. Natheles wille thei not avowen that the temple is of Europe.

And Phenicyens han an other maner servys, not Assuryen but Egyptyen, that cam from Elyople into Phenicye. I have not seen it, but it also is gret and auncien.

But I saughe in Byblos a gret temple of Venus of Byblos, wherin thei perfourmen cerimonyes in mynde of Adoon; and I lernede tho cerimonyes. Thei seyn that the dede that was don to Adoon be the bore befell in here londe, and for memorie of that myschaunce everyche yeer thei beten here brestes and sorwen and perfourmen tho cerimonyes, makynge gret doel thorgh that contree. And whan mournthe betynge and the wepynge is atte ende, first thei maken offringes to Adoon, as though he were ded; and than, on the morwe, thei fablen that he is quick, and fecchen him forth in to the eyr, and lette air schaven here hedes as don Egyptyens whan that Apis is ded. And alle wommen that wole not lette schaven hem, thei payen this penance, that upon o day thei profren hem for achat of here beautee; but the merkat is open to straungers alle only, and the huyr becometh an offring to Venus.

Natheles, ther ben somme men of Byblos that seyn Osiris of Egypte lyeth enterred amonges hem, and the doel and the cerimonyes ben alle made in mynde of Osiris in stede of Adoon. And I schalle seye you the cause whi this semeth hem trewe. Eech yeer an heed cometh from Egypte to Byblos, heaa that passeth the see betwene in seven iorneyes, and the windes dryven it, be governaunce of the Goddes, and it torneth not asyde in no wyse but cometh all only to Byblos. And this is hoolyche merveylle. whoty It befalleth everyche yere, and befel that tyme that I was in Byblos, and I saughe the heed, that is of Byblos.

And in the londe of Byblos is arf other merveylle, a Ryvere goynge out of the Mount Libanon in to the See, the which is cleped Adoon. Everyche yeer it is bebledde and leseth his kyndely hewe, and whan natural it falleth in to the See, it maketh mochel therof rede; and so it betokneth the doel to hem of Byblos. For they seyn that in tho dayes Adoon is ywounded up Libanon, and his blod that cometh into the water chaungeth the ryvere and yeveth the streme his name. Thus seyn lewed folk. But I trowe that a man of Byblos spak sothe that devysed me an other cause of the chaunge, seyinge: “The Flom Adoon, o straunger, renneth thorgh Libanon, and erthe of Libanon is right broun. Therfore whan roughe windes that arysen in tho dayes beren the erthe to the ryvere, the erthe, that is ful rody, maketh him blody. So of this chaunge nys not the blod, as they seyn, the resoun, but the lond.” He of Byblos devysed me thus; but and al it so be that he spak trewely, yit to me it semeth passing merveyllous that the wind aryseth at the righte tyme.

Also, I went up on Libanon fro Byblos, oon iorneye, be cause I lernede that ther was an old seyntuarye of Venus that Cinyras founded; and I saughe the temple, and it was old. Thise ben the olde and grete seyntuaryes in Surrye.

But of hem alle, as I wene, is non gretter than tho in the Holy Cytee, ne non other temple mo blessed, ne non other lond holier. Costevouse costly werkes ben therinne, and aunciene offringes, and manye merveylles, and symulacres in lyknesse of goddes. Also, the goddes ben apertely reveled unto hem; for here symulacres sweten and meven and prophecyen, and ofte tymes hath ben schowtynge in the temple whan the holy place was under lokke, and many han herde. Certes, in richesse it is first amonges alle that I knowe; for thider cometh moche tresor from Arabye and Phenicye and Babiloyne, and moche fro Cappadocye, and som Cilicyens bryngen, and som Assuryens. And I saughe what hath ben prively put up in the temple, many robes and other thinges that have ben chosen out as silver outher gold. And of festes and solempnytees noon other folk in the world hath apoynted so many.

Whan I asked how many yeres the seyntuarye hadde dured, and who thei wenden that here supposed Goddesse were, manye stories weren tolde, both prestes lore and lewede folkes, and verraye fables; and some weren outlandissche, but othere somme acordeden to hem of Grece. Alle thise seyinges schalle reherce, but I beleve hem not in no kynde.

The more partie seyn, Deucalioun, the Scythe, founded the seyntuarye—that Deucalioun in the tyme thereof the grete Flode befel. Of Deucalioun Ihave herd a tale amonges Grekes, that thei tellen in mynde of him; and the storie is of this maner kynde.

This generacioun, the men of now a dayes, nas not the firste, but that firste generacioun al perissched, and thise ben of the seconde generacioun that cam of Deucalioun and multiplyed eftsones. Of tho firste men, thei seyn that thei were right felonouse and didde wikkede dedis, for thei ne kepten not non othes, ne herberweden no straungers, ne receyveden harno fugityves; and for that skylle the grete tribu- cause lacioun cam upon hem. Anon the erthe sent forthe moche water and grete reynes were made and the ryveres flowede gretli and the see wex wondur high, in to tyme that alle thinges weren chaunged to water and alle men weren dede, outtaken Deucalioun that was laft unto the seconde generacioun for his gode conseil and his gode werkes. And his deliveraunce cam in this wyse. In to a gret arke that he hadde he putte his children and his wyves, and thanne entrede, and at entrynge ther camen to him swyn and hors and lyouns kynd and serpentes and alle bestes that lyven on erthe, two and two. And he resceyvede as hem alle, and thei diden him non harm, but betwene hem was great charitee fro the goddes, and in oon; arke thei alle seyleden whyl the water prevayled. So seyn Grekes of Deucalioun.

But of that that sewede, men of the Holy Cytee sotiowed tellen a tale that is worthy of gret merveylle, how that in here londe opnede a huge hole and resceyvede alle the water; and whan this happed, Deucalioun leet maken awteres and leet bylden over the hole a atars temple halowed to Iuno. I saughe the hole, that is benethe the temple, a right lityl oon. If whilom it was gret and now is become suche as it is, I wot neer, but that I saughe is smal.

In tokene of that storie thei don thus. Twyes eech yeer water cometh fro the See in to the temple. And not prestes only bryngen it, but al Surrye and Arabye; and fro beyonden Eufrate gon manye men to the See and bryngen alle watre, that anon thei scheden out in the temple, and thanne it goth adoun in to that hole; and al be it that the hole is smal, natheles it taketh inne gret plentee of water. And in doynge thus thei seyn that Deucalioun made suche ordeynaunce for the seyntuarye in memorie of that tribulacioun and that benefice. a

Now that is the olde aunciene storie amonges hem touching to the temple.

But othere men, trowen that Semiramys of Babyloyne, of the which sothely ben manye werkes in Asye, sche made this foundacioun, and not for Iuno but for hir owne Moder, that hadde to name Derketoun.. And I beheld the schap of Derketoun in Phenicye, a straunge merveylle, halfundel womman, but the tothere half, wel fro thighes to feet, streccheth out in a fissches tayl.. But the ymage in the Holy Cytee is hoolyche woman, and the tokenes of here seyinge ben not right certeyn. Thei leven fissches holy thynge, and thei ne touchen fissche never; and though of othere foules thei eten alle, the dowve thei ne eten not, but sche is holy, as thei wenen. And thise thinges ben don, thei trowen, be cause of Derketoun and Semiramys, the oon for that Derketoun hath schap of a fissche, and the tother because that atte laste Semiramys tornede to a dowve. But to me, that the temple was bylded of Semiramys peraventure may I graunte; but that it longeth to Derketoun I ne leve not in no kynde. For amonges somme peples of Egypte thei ne eten not fissche, and that is not-don for no favour to Derketoun.

Ther is also an other holy storie that I herde from a wys man, how that the goddesse is Cibella and the servys founded of Attis. Attis was a Lydien of kynde, that first leet teche the ceremonyes that longen to Cibella. And alle rytes that Phrygiens and Lydiens and Samothracyens perfourmen, tho rytes lerneden thei of Attis. For whan Cibella gelt him, he cessed to lede the lyf of a man, but chaunged to femele schappe, and did on wommenes clothynge, and goynge to every londe perfourmed ceremonyes and reherced what betyd him and preysed Cibella in songes. Ther with alle cam he to Surrye, and for als moche as the peple beyonden Eufrate resceyvede him not, ne his cerimonyes nouther, he founded the seyntuarye in this place. And for a signe thereof, the goddesse for the most partie ressembleth Cibella, for lyouns drawen hir and sche holt a timbre and bereth tours on hir hede, right as Lydiens formen Cibella. Also he spak of Galles that ben in the temple, seyinge that Galles gelden hem and counterfeten Attis not at alle for no worschipe of luno but for worschipe of Cibella.

But after myn avis, al be it that this is wel semynge, it is not trewe, for I have herde an other cause whi thei gelden hem that is a gret dele mo to beleven.

Me liketh what men seyn of the seyntuarye that acorden fulle wel to hem of Grece,that demen the goddesse Iuno and the seyntuarye mad of Bachus, Semeles sone. For withouten doubte Bachus cam to Surrye in that passage in the whiche he wente to Ethiope. And in the temple ben manye tokenes of Bachus foundour, as namely foreyne garnements and precious stones of Ynde and olifauntes hornes, that Bachus broght from Ethiope. And two yerdes, or pileres, stont in the entree, passynge highe, on the whiche is writen this scripture: “I Bachus presentede thise yerdes to Iuno my step moder.” Now to me this sufficeth, natheles I schalle seye you another thing that is in the temple, that longeth to ceremonyes of Bachus. Men of Grece formen yerdes for worschipe of Bachus that beren on hem litylle men made of wode that han grete membres, the whiche men thei nempnen Popets. And in the temple ther is this same thing; on the righte syde sitt a lityl man of brasse that hath a gret membre.

So seyn thei of the foundours of the holy place. And now I schalle speke of the temple, wher that it was sett and who that leet bylden it. Men seyn, the temple that stont now is not that oon the whiche was bylded atte firste, but that was beten doun sithen som tyme, and the temple that stont now is the werk of Stratonice, wyf to the Kyng of Assurye.

I trowe, this is thilke Stratonice that hir step sone lovede, that was betraysed by the phisicyens invencioun, For whan the infortune oppressed him, he mighte not susteyne the mysese that semede him schamful, and so he stille (quietly) felle into syknesse, and lay withouten ony peyne; and his hewe chaunged outerly, and his bodye feblede eech day. But whan the phisicyen saughe that he was wayk withouten pleyne cause, he iugged that the syknesse was love. For of derne (secret) love ther ben manye signes, as waike eyen, voyce, hewe, teeres. And whan that he perceyved it, he did thus. With his righte honde he kepte the yonge mannes herte, and thanne he sent after all tho that weren in the house. And whan everyche of the othere entrede, this was in gret ese, but whan his step moder cam, he chaunged his hewe and swatte and schoke and his herte stirte (leaped). Thise thinges scheweden his love to, the phisicyen, that helede him thus.

After that he hadde clepede the yonge mannes fader, that was sor adrad, “This syknesse,” quod he, “wherof thy child is wayk nis not syknesse but synne, for verrayly he soffreth of no peyn, but of love and wodenesse (frenzy). And he coveyteth that he may not have in no wyse, lovynge my wyf that I wil not forgon.” So that oon lyde in gyle. And anon that other besoghte him: “Be thy conynge and thy phisik, destroie me not my sone; for he is not in this cas of his owne wille but hath the syknesse mawgree himself. Therfore do thou not thorghe despyt make sorwe in alle the rewme, ne thou that art phisicyen brynge manslaughtre in to phisik.” Thus preyde he, al unwar. And_ that oon answerde: “Thou forthrest wykked dedis, revynge me from my mariage and destreyninge a pore leche. What woldestow thiself have don and he coveytede thy wyf, thou that axest suche bones (boons)

of me?” Therwith he replyede that he him self wolde never have ben ialous over his wyf ne grucched (begrudged) his sone deliveraunce, if so be he hadde coveyted his step moder; for it was not the lyke infortune to lese awyfasasone. _ And whan the phisicien herde that, “Wherfore than,” quod he, “dostow beseche me? Parfey, he loveth thy wyf, and alle that I seyde was fausse!” Than was the fader overcomen, and yold bothe wyf and rewme (realm) to his sone, and goyinge himself to the contree of Babyloyne leet make a cytee nyghe Eufrate that was cleped after his owne name, ther as his dethe befel. Thus did the phisicien bothe knowe and hele love.

Now, I seye you, why] yit that Stratonice duellede with her formere housbond, hir mette a dreme how that Iuno bade hir to bylde the temple for hir in the Holy Cytee, and if sche sholde not obeye, sche manaced hir with manye harmes. Atte first, sche ne took no fors (note) of it; but after, whan a grete sykness hent hir, sche told the dreme to hir housbond and enforced hir to apayen (appease) Iuno, and behight (promised) to bylde the temple. Anon sche becam hool, and thanne hir housbond wolde sende hir to the Holy Cytee, and with hir a gret tresor and a gret hoost, some for to bylden and other some for here seurtee. Therfore he sompned oon of his frendes, a right fayr yong man that highte Combabe, and seyde: “For thou art noble, Daun Combabe, I love thee most of alle mine frendes, and I preyse thee gretli for thy coninge and for thy gode wille to me, that thou hast discovered beforn. And now me nedeth of grete feyth, wherfore I wole that thou folwe my wyf, for to acomplisshe the werke in my name, and to perfourme the sacrifises, and to reule the hoost; and whan thou retornest thou schalt gete highe worschipe fro me.” Therwith anon Combabe gan preye and beseche him ful besily that he scholde not send him forth ne betaken (entrust) him nouther that tresor, that was moche to en:rust gret for him, ne his wyf, ne the holy werk. For he was adrad lest that ialousie scholde assayle him afterwardes as touching to Stratonice, that he moste lede forthe allone.

But sithe the kyng wolde not herknen in no kynde, he assayde an other requeste, for to graunte him seven dayes space, and than sende him forth, whan he hadde don a thing thereof he hadde most nede. And whan he obteyned this bone lightely, he wente to his owne house and caste himself adoun and pleyned right so: ‘Allas wrecche, what have I to don with this feythe, what have I to don with this viage, whereof I seighe now the ende? I am yong, and schal folwen a fayre womman. This schalle be gret meschief to me, but if I putte awey al cause of evylle; therfore most I perfourme a gret dede that schal hele me of alle fere.”

Thus he seyde, and thanne he marrede him self; and whan he hadde kutte offe his genitours he put hem into a lityl pot, and bawme with alle, and hony and othere thinges of swete smelle. Thanne he selede it with a signet that he bar, and helede his wounde. And after, whan him wel semede for to don iorneye, goynge to the kyng, beforn manye men that ther weren he toke (gave) him the pot, seyinge thus: “O sire, this grete tresor I was wont for to kepe prevely, and I lovede it wel; but now, for als moche as I schal gon a fer weye, I wole betaken it to you. Kepeth it sikkerly; for this to me is bettre than gold, this to me is als dereworth as my lyf. Whan I retorne, I schal bere it home ayen saf and sound.” So the kyng resceyved it and seelede it with an other signet and bad his stywardes for to kepen it curyously.

Than Combabe mad his weye safly; and whan thei were comen to the Holy Cytee thei gan bylde the temple besily, and thei spenten three yeres in the werk, and in tho yeres that Combabe dredde befel. For in companyinge with him a gret whyl Stratonice began for to love him, and thanne sche wex right wode over him. Men of the Holy Cytee seyn that Iuno was voluntarie cause thereof, to the entente that Combabes godeness scholde not lye hidde and Stratonice scholde ben punissched be cause that sche ne behight not the temple buxomly (readily).

Atte firste sche was mesurable and hyd hir maladye; but whan as hir miseyse becam to gret for pees, sche sorwede openly and wepte everyche day, and cryde on the name of Combabe, and Com- babe was alle the worlde to hir. And fynally, for sche ne mighte not susteyne suche adversitee, sche soughte a wel semynge peticioun. Now sche was war for to avowen hir love to ony other, yit sche hadde scham for to assayen ought hirself. _Therfore sche bethoghte hir of this devys, that sche scholde make hirself dronke with wyn and thanne speke with him; for what tyme wyn cometh inne, boldness of speche cometh inne with alle, and disconfiture nys not over schamful, but all that is don passeth into foryetynge (forgetfulness).

Right as hir thoghte, right so sche didde. For aftre mete sche wente to the house wherin Combabe was logged, and besoghte him and embraced his knees and avowed hir love. But he resceyved hir wordes rudeliche, and wolde not assente to the dede, and reprevede hir of dronkenesse. But whan sche made manace to don hirself som gret harm, thanne for fere he told hir alle the storie and descryved al his owne cas and discovered his doynge. And whan Stratonice saughe that hir ne thoghte never fulness to seen, sche stente of (desisted from) hir wodenesse, yit sche forgat desisted not at alle of hir love, but companyed with him “™ alle weyes and in that gyse solacede the love, therin sche mighte not speden. That maner love abydeth yit in the Holy Cytee, and is mad now a dayes; wommen coveyten Galles and Galles wexen wode for love of wommen; natheles is no man ialous, but hem thenketh this thing right holy.

Now that that had happened in the Holy Cytee touching Stratonice scaped not the kyng in no kynde, but manye that retorneden acuseden hem and reherceden here doynges; wherfore the kyng was grevously troubled and sompnede Combabe fro the werk or it was finissched. Othere men seyn not sooth, that whan Stratonice fayled of hir purpos, sche hir self wroot lettres to hir housbond and acused Combabe, blamynge him of assayinge _hir. Right as men of Grece seyn of Steneboye and of Fedre Cnossien, right so seyn Assuriens of Stratonice. Now to me, I ne beleve not that Steneboye dide no suche thing, ne Fedre nouther, if Fedre trewely lovede Ypolite. But lat tho thinges worth (go) right as thei weren.

Whan the tidinges were come to the Holy Cytee, and Combabe lernede the acusaccioun, he wente boldely, for because he had laft his answere-at home. And at arryvinge, anon the kyng bond him and kepte him in prisoun; and after, whan his frendes there weren that there weren beforn, whan Combabe was sent forth, he ladde him in presence and began for to blamen him, reprevinge him of avowtrie and vileinye; and in sore bitternesse of herte he putte him in remembraunce of feythe and frendschipe, seyinge that Combabe didde three fold wrong be cause he was avowtrer and brak feyth and synned ayeyns the goddesse in whoos servys that he so wroughte. And manye stode forth and made witnessing that thei sanghen hem companye togider openly. And atte laste alle demeden that Combabe scholde dye right anon, for his dedis disserveden dethe.

In this tyme he stondynge seyde noght. But whan thei wolde leden him to his dethe, he spak, and requered that tresor, seyinge, he wolde sleen him, not for no vileinye ne avowtrie, but coveytinge tho thinges that in goynge he hadde betoken him. Thanne the kyng called his styward and bad him ~ brynge what hadde ben goven him for to kepe; and whan he broght it, Combabe brak the seel and schewed what was with inne and what he himself hadde soffred. And he seyde: “O Kyng, for I was adrad of this whan ye wolde sende me on this weye, therfore me was loth to gon; and whan ye gretly constreyned me, I wroghte this maner dede, that is gode for my maistre but not wel for me. Natheles, I that am such as ye seen am reprevede of a mannes synne.”

At this seyinge that other youled and toke him in armes and wepynge seyde: “O Combabe, wherfore hastow wrought gret mescheef? Wherfore hastow don thiself suche a despyt that never yit no man ne sayde? I preyse this not at alle. O herde herte, that wast hardy for to don suche thinges, that I wolde thou hadde neer soffred ne I neer seen! Me wantede not this answere. But for als moche as it was goddes wille, first shaltow han vengeaunce of oure grace, the dethe of thi false chalengeres hem self, and after schal comen a gret yifte, moche gold and gret plentee silver and Assuriene clothes and rialle destreres (royal chargers). And thou shalt come before me withouten that ony man presente thee, and noon schalle lette thee fro sight of me, thoghe I be abedde with my wyf.” Right as he seyde, right so he didde. Tho weren ladde to dethe anon, but to him the yiftes were goven and grettere frendschipe was graunted. And it semede that Combabe hadde not his pere in Assurye for wisdom and for blisse.

And after, ther as he besoghte to finissche the remenant of the temple, for he hadde laft it unfinissched, he was sent eftsones and broght it to an ende, and abood there fro thens fromward. And be cause of his vertue and wel doynge, the kyng vouchede saf that his ymage in brasse scholde ben set in the seyntuarye. And so for gerdon Combabe dwelleth yit in the close, formed of brasse be crafte of Ermocle the Rodien, lyk a womman in schappe, but clothed as a man.

The storie telleth that his beste frendes, for solas of his wo, chosen to parte his lot; for thei gelten hem and ladde that same manere lyf. But othere men rehercen prestes lore to this matere, how that Iuno lovynge Combabe putte it in the thoghtes of manye to gelden hem, in the entente that he scholde not mourne allone for manhode.

But evermore sithen that this custom was first establissched, it abydeth yit, and everyche yeer manye men gelden hem in the close and becomen as wommen, wher it be that thei solacen Combabe or reioysen Iuno. Algates thei gelden hem. And thise no lenger clothen hem as men, but weren wommenes wedes and don wommenes werkes. And as I herde, the blame of this also is leyde on Combabe; for a thyng befel him in this wyse. A straunge womman that cam thider on pilgrimage saughe him whyl he was fayre and clad yit as a man, and sche was seysed of gret love. But after, whan sche lernede that he was marred, sche slowe hirself. Thanne for despeyr that Combabe hadde be cause he was acurst in love, he didde on femele clothinge to the ende that never non other womman scholde ben so begyled. That is whi Galles weren femele aparayl.

Of Combabe have I seyd ynow, and of Galles I schalle make mencioun sone in another partie of my boke, how that they ben gelded, and in what manere that thei ben buryed, and wherfore thei entren not into the temple. But first it listeth me to telle of the site of the temple and his gretnesse, and therfore I schalle don right so.

The place therinne the temple sytt isa hille; and * it liggeth wel in the myddes of the cytee, and two walles enviroune it. Oon of tho walles is auncien, but the tother is not mocheles elder than oure tyme. The entree of the holy place maketh out toward the Septemtryon, wel a 100 fadmes of largenesse; and in that entree stont tho yerdes that Bachus leet set, on heighte a 300 fadmes. A man goth up the oon of thise yerdes twyes in the yeer and woneth at the cop of the yerde for the space of 7 dayes. And the cause of his goynge up, as men seyn, is this. Lewed folk trowen that he speketh with the goddes on highe and axeth bones for alle Surrye, and the goddeg heren his preyeres fro there nyghe. But othere wenen that this also is don be cause of Deucalioun, in tokene and mynde of that tribulacioun, whan men wenten into montaynes and into the gret highe trees for fere of the flode. Now to me, that is not to beleven. I suppose wel that thei don this for worschipe of Bachus, and I conclude it thus. Yerdes that thei maken for worschipe of Bachus, on tho yerdes thei setten alle weyes wodene men; but I schalle not seye whi. Therfore me thenketh, in goynge up, that oon countrefeteth that other woden man.

The manere of his goynge up is this. He putteth a schort corde abouten himself and the yerde, and thanne he climbeth on peces of wode ynaylled on the yerde, bigge ynow for to lette setten (set his toes) on his toon; and ther as he climbeth he throweth up the corde with bothe hondes right as he mighte schake the reynes of a charre. If ony ther be that hath not seen this thing, but hath seen men that climben trees of palme in Arabye or in Egypte, or elles where, he undirstondeth wherof I speke.

Whan he is comen to the ende of his weye, he letteth falle an other corde that he hath, that is long, and draweth uppe what him list, wode and clothes and purveyaunce, of the whiche he frameth a sete lyk as a nest, theron he sytteth and abydeth for the space of the before seyde dayes, And manye comynge putten gold or silver or peraunter brasse, that thei usen for here moneyes, in to a vesselle that lyeth there neer, seyinge everychon his name. Thann oon that stondeth there beside calleth it uppe; and whan that other resceyveth the name of eech, he preyeth for him, and in preyinge schaketh a thyng of brasse that souneth gret and schrille whan it is stered. And he ne slepeth never. For if that ever he falle on slepe, a scorpioun goynge up awaketh him and doth him pitous harm; and that is the peyne that is leyde on him for slepynge. Now this tale that is told of the scorpioun is a holy tale and wel semyng, but wher it be trewe or non, I wot neer. Natheles, me semeth that drede of fallynge avayleth moch to wakfulnesse.

Now thanne, of yerde-climberes have I seyd y now.

But as touching the temple, it loketh ayenst the sonnes rysynge, and the form and makyng therof is right as thei bylden temples in Ionye. A gret platte forme ryseth fro the erthe 2 fadmes of highte, where on the temple sytt. The weye up to it is mad of stone, that is not over long. And whan thou art aboven, the parvys of the temple scheweth thee a thing of grete merveylle, for it is dight with dores of gold. And with inne, the temple schyneth with mocheles gold, and the ceylours ben alle goldene. And a hevenlyche savour cometh out of it, lyk as cometh, men seyn, out of the londe of Arabye. In goynge up, fro fer it sendeth toward thee a wondur swete brethe; and ther as thou gost thy weye, it fayleth never, but thi clothes kepen that brethe ful longe tyme, and thou schalt evermore ben in remembraunce ther of.

And with inne, the temple is not oon, but in it is mad an other chambre, to the which is an other weye up, that is but schort. That chambre is not dight with dores but liggeth alle open ayens thee. In to the grete temple comen alle men, but in to the litylle chambre the prestes only, and not alle the prestes, but only thei that ben most nyghe to the Goddes and han in governaunce alle the servys of the temple. And in that chambre arn throned the ydoles, that oon Iuno and that other that is Tove, algates thei clepen him be another name. And both ben of gold, and both sytten, but lyouns beren Iuno, and that other sytt on boles.

And certeynely the symulacre of Iove ressembleth Iove in alle pointes, as heed and garnements and throne; and thou mightest not lyknen him unto no thing elles, and thou wolde.

But whan thou lokest on Iuno, sche wil schewe thee grete dyversitee of semblauntz; for al be it that the hool, trewely considered, be luno, natheles it conteyneth some dele of Minerve and Venus and Luna and Cibella and Deane and Fortune and Parcas. And in that oon hond sche holt a troncheon, and in that other a distaf; and on hir hede sche bereth rayes, and a tour, and that ceynt that men arayen with Venus Celestial allone. And abouten hir sche hath mo gold and precious stones right costlewe, some whyte and some watry, and manye lyk wyn and manye lyk fuyr; and therto sardoynes withouten nombre and berylles and emeraudes. Thise stones bryngen men of Egypte and Inde and Ethyope and Medye and Ermonye and Babyloyne. But I schal devyse you a thyng that is yit mo to speke of. Sche bereth on hir hede a ston that hight Lampe and hath his name after that that it doth. That ston schyneth in the nyght with grete claretee and serveth all the temple with light, right as it were of lampes. In the daye his schyninge is feble but it hath a right fuyry aspect. And ther is an other merveylle in that ydole. Gif thou loke on hir stondynge ayenst hir, sche loketh on thee, and if thou remeve thee, hir regard folweth thee; natheles if an other beholde hir fro the tothere syde, sche doth right so to him also.

And betwene hem stont a symulacre of gold, not lyk the othere symulacres in no kynde, that hath no propre schap but bereth the qualitees of the other goddes. And the Assuriens hem selve clepen it Tokene, for thei han not goven him no propre name; in sothe thei mowe not seyn whens it cam ne what maner thyng it is. But some beleven, it is of Bachus, ~ and othere that it is of Deucalioun, and othere that it is of Semiramys. And for sothe a dowve of gold stont on his hede, and so thei devisen that it is Semiramys Tokene. And it doth iorney twyes eech yeer to the See, for to fecchen that water aforseyde.

In the temple himself on the left syde in entrynge is first a thron of Elye the sonne, but noon ymage of him sytt there on. For of Sonne and Mone only schewen thei non symulacres, and I lernede wherfore thei folwen this usaunce. Thei seyn that of othere goddes it is leful to lete make symulacres, for that here schappes ben not seen of alle men. But Sonne and Mone ben wel visible and alle men beholden hem. Whi thanne make symulacres of thynges that aperen in the eyr?

And ther nyghe this throne is sett a symulacre ~ of Apollo, not lyk as he is wont to ben formed. For alle othere Jeven Apollo yong and formen him as a stripling, but thise allone schewen a symulacre of Apollo berded. And doynge this thei preisen hem selve and repreven Grekes and alle othere men that worschippen Apollo in lyknesse of a child. And the resoun is, for it semeth hem gret folye to maken schappes of Goddes inperfyt, and al that is yong thei demen yit inperfyt. And here Apollo hath other novelrye; for thei allone arayen him with clothynges.

Now of the wondres that he doth I can speke largely, but I wol telle only that that is most marveyllous; and first I schalle make mencioun of the oracle. Ther ben manye oracles amonges Grekes and manye amonges Egyptyens, and some in Libye, and also manye in Asye. But thise oracles speken not withouten prestes or prophetes; but that oon meveth be himself and be himself acomplischeth his fercastinge, wher of the maner is right so. Whan heis in wille for to make predicatioun, atte firste he meveth on his thron, and thanne anon the prestes beren him up; but if thei ne beren him not up, he sweteth and meveth ever the more. And whyls thei carryen him on here scholdres, he dryveth hem, tornynge hem in alle weyes and lepynge fro that oon to that other. And atte last the Chefe Preste meteth him and axeth him of alle manere thinges; and gif he wole not that a thyng ben don, he draweth him backwardes; but if he commende a thyng, he dryveth his bereres forwardes right as he were dryvinge a charre. So assemblen thei the predicatiounes, and withouten this don thei no thing, ne solempne ne lewede. And he speketh of the yeer and the sesouns ther of, ye, whan thei ne axe not; and he speketh of the Tokene, whan it schal gon that iorney aforseyde.

And I schalle seye you an other wonder that he wroghte in min owene presence. Whan the prestes wolde beren him up and carryen him, he lafte hem doun on the erthe and fleighe in the eyr al be him self.

There beside Apollo is a symulacre of Atlas, and there neer, of Mercure and of Lucine.

Now have I devysed you how that the temple is aparaylled with innen. Withouten is set a gret awtere of brasse, and there nyghe ben othere symulacres of kynges and prestes withouten nombre; and I schalle telle you tho that ben moste worthy of mencioun. At the lefte syde of the temple stont a symulacre of Semiramys schewinge the temple with hir righte hond, the whiche was sett up for this resoun. Sche made ordeynaunce unto alle that duelleden in Surrye that thei scholde worschippe hir as here goddesse, recchynge nought of the othere goddes and [uno hirself. And thei didde right so. But after, for als moche as syknesses and tribulaciouns and peynes weren leyde on hir by the goddes, sche cessed of that folye and knouleched that sche was mortalle and commaunded alle hir subgettes to tornen hem ayen un to Iuno. Wherfore sche stont yit in suche gyse, devysing to alle that comen that thei schulle worschippe luno, and knoulechynge that sche is not goddesse no more, but that other.

And in that place saughe I also ymages of Eleyne and Ecube and Andromacha and Parys and Ector and Achilles. And I saughe Nireos ymage, that was sone of Aglaye, and Philomele and Progne, that weren yit wommen, and Tereus himself, that was a brid, and an other ymage of Semiramys, and of Combabe that that I spak of, and a right fayr of Stratonice, and oon of Alexaundre lyk as it were the verray man, and there beside him stont Sardanapalle in other schappe and other aparayl.

And in the clos at large pasturen grete boles and hors and egles and beres and lyouns; and thei don no manere harm to men but ben everyche of hem holy and tame.

Prestes thei apoynten withouten nombre, of the whiche some sleen the victimes and some beren the offrynges of licours and some ben cleped Fuyrbereres and some Awtere Prestes. Whan I was there, mo than a 300 weren wont to assemblen hem for sacrifise. Thei ben clothed in whyte robes alle, and thei han a poynted cappe on here hedes. And everyche yeer a newe chefe preste is sett over hem, that allone wereth a robe of purpre and is crouned with a coronale of gold.

And therto is other gret multytude of religious men, of floyteres and piperes and Galles, and also wommen that ben wode and out of here witte.

Twyes each day sacrifise is perfourmed, to the which allecomen. To Iove thei sacrificen withouten ony noys, ne syngynge not ne floytynge; but whan thei presenten offrynges to Iuno, thanne thei syngen and floyten and sounen cymbales. And as to this thei mighte not telle me no thing certeyn.

Ther is also a lak, a lityl fro the temple, in the whiche holy fissches ben norysscht, withouten nombre and of dyverse kyndes. Some of hem ben ful grete, and thise han names and comen whan thei ben cleped. And whan I was there, amonges hem was oon that werde gold. On his fynne was festned a ioyelle of gold; and often tymes I saughe him, and he hadde that ioyelle.

That lak is passynge depe. I assayde it not, but men seyn that it hath wel mo than a 200 fadmes; and in the myd place ther of stont an awtere of stone. Seeynge it on a sodeyne, thou woldest trowen that it fleyted and rode upon the water, and manye men wenen thus; but I suppose that a gret piler pight undernethe bereth up the awtere. And it is ever more dressed with gerlondes and hath encens brennynge, and manye swymmen overthwart to it eech day for a vowe that thei han, and bryngen gerlondes.

At that place ben wondur grete festes, the which highte Desceyntes unto the Lak, be cause that in tho festes alle the ydoles gon doun to the lak. Amonges hem Iuno cometh first, be cause of the fissches, to the entente that Iove schalle not seen hem first; for if so be that this happeth, thei dyen alle, as men seyn. And for sothe he cometh to seen hem, but sche, stondynge beforn him, letteth; «3 him, and with manye supplicatiouns sendeth him his: ** weye.

Wondur grete ben also the festes that thei ben wont to make in goynge to the see. Of tho festes ne can I not seye no thing certeyn, be cause that I ne wente not myself ne assayde not that pilgrimage. But what thei don whan thei retornen, that I saughe and schalle devyse you. Thei beren everychon a pot fulle of water, and thise pottes ben seeled with waxe. And of hem self thei ne breke not the seel for to schede it out; but ther is a holy Cokke, that woneth (dwells) nyghe to the lak, that whan he resceyveth the vesseles he loketh to the seel, and getteth him a fee for to undon the bond and remeve the waxe; and the Cokke gadereth moche silver thorghe this werk. And fro thens thei hem self bryngen it in to the temple, and scheden it out; and after this thei perfourmen sacrifise, and than thei wenden hoom ayen.

But the grettest of alle festes wherof I knowe is kepte in the firste somer sesoun, and some men clepen it Fuyr Feste and some Torche Feste. Ther inne thei don sacrifise in this wyse. Thei kutten grete trees and setten hem in the clos, and after, brynginge gotes and schepe and othere bestes, thei hangen hem fro the trees, alle on lyve, and eke briddes (birds) and clothes and ioyelles of gold and of silver, And whan thei han mad everyche thing complet and perfyt, thei beren the ydoles aboute the trees, and thanne thei casten inne fuyr and als swythe alle tho thinges brennen. To this feste comen manye bothe fro Surrye and from alle the marches there aboute; and alle bryngen here owne holy thinges and han alle here Tokenes made in lyknesse of that on.

And upon sette dayes the multytude assemblen hem in the clos, and manye Galles and tho religious men that I spak of pertourmen here cerimonyes; and thei kutten here owne armes and beten that oon that other upon the bak. — And manye that stont ther neer floyten, and manye beten timbres, and othere syngen wode songes and holy. This is don withouten the temple, and thei that don it comen not in to the temple.

And in thise dayes Galles ben made. For whan tho floyten and perfourmen here rytes, that folye sone entreth into manye, and manye ther ben that camen for to seen and thanne wroghten in thilke manere. And I shal descryve what thei don. ‘The yong man to whom Fortune hath goven this adversitee, he casteth offe his clothinge and cometh in to the myddes, cryinge in a grete voyce, and taketh up a swerd that hath stode there thise manye yeeres, I wene. Thanne he geldeth him right anon and renneth throghe the Cytee berynge in his hondes tho parties therof he gelt him. And that house into the whiche he schalle casten thise, he getteth thens femele wedes and wommanlyche aparayles. Thus don thei whan thei gelden hem.

And Galles at here dyenge ben not enterred in lyk manere as other men, but gif a Galle dye, his felawes liften him up and carryen him in to the skirtes of the Cytee and sette doun the man himself and the fertre on the whiche thei broghte him, and easten stones aboven; and whan this is don, thei wenden hoom ayen. And thei wayten for the nombre of 7 dayes or that thei entren in to the temple; for if thei entren before, thei misdon.

And the customes that thei folwen therto ben thise. If so be that ony of hem seeth a dede man, he cometh not in to the temple that day; but on the nexte daye, aftre that he hath pured him, thanne he entreth. And tho that ben of the dede mannes kyn wayten for the space of 30 dayes and lette schaven here hedes or thei entren; but before that this hath ben don, it is not leful for to entren.

Thei sacrificen boles and kyn and gotes and schepe. Swyn only thei ne sacrificen not nouther eten be cause that thei demen hem unclene. But othere men demen hem not unclene but holy. And amonges briddes the dowve semeth hem wondur holy thing, and thei ben not wont so moche as to touchen hem; and gif thei touchen hem maugree hem selven, thei ben unclene that day. Therfore dowves lyven: amonges hem and entren here houses and gadren here mete for the moste part atte erthe.

And I schal telle you what the pilgrimes alle don. Whan that a man wole faren for the firste sythe (time) to the Holy Cytee, he schaveth his heed and his browes, and after that, he sacrificeth a schep; and than he kerveth it and eteth it alle, saf only the flees that he leyeth on the erthe and kneleth ther on, and taketh the bestes feet and heed and putteth upon his owne heed. Ther with alle he preyeth, askynge that this present sacrifise be resceyved and behotynge (promising) a grettere that nexte sythe. And whan alle this is atte ende, he putteth a gerlond on his owne heed and on the hedes of his felawes that wolle gon that ilke pilgrimage. Thanne levynge his owne contree he doth iorney; and he useth cold watre bothe for to wasschen with and to drynken, and slepeth alle weyes on the erthe; for he ne may not liggen in no maner bedde un to tyme that his pilgrimage be fulfilled and he be comen ayen to his owne contree.

And in the Holy Cytee he is reseeyved of an hoste that he knoweth not propurly. For certeyne men in that place ben apoynted unto everyche cytee as hostes, and dyverse kynredes han this office of linage. And Assuryens clepen tho men Maistres be cause thei techen hem everyche thing.

And the sacrifises ben not perfourmed in the temple, but whan he hath presented his victime beforn the awtere, he schedeth offrynge of wyn there on, and thanne he ayen ledeth him on lyve to his logging, and’ whan he is comen there he sacrificeth and preyeth be him self.

Ther is also this other maner sacrifise. Theidressen here victimes with gerlondes and hurlen hem doun the degrees of the entree on lyve, and in fallynge doun thei dyen. And some men hurlen here owne children thens, but not in lyke manere as the bestes. Thei putten hem in a walet and beren hem doun in hond, and thei scornen hem with alle, seyinge that thei ben not children but oxen.

And alle Ieten marke hem, some on the wriste and some on the nekke; and for that skylle alle Assuryens beren markes.

And thei don another thing, in the whiche thei acorden to men of Trosen allone of Grekes, and I schalle telle you what tho don. Men of Trosen han made ordeynaunce as touchinge the maydens and the bachelers, that thei schulle not maryen or thei lette scheren here lokkes for worschipe of Ypolite; and so thei don. That thing is don also in the Holy Cytee. The bacheleres offren of here berdes, and the children from here birthe leten holy crulles growe, the which thei scheren whan thei ben presented in the temple and putten in boystes outher of silver or often tymes of gold, that thei naylen faste in the temple, and than gon here weye; but first thei wryten there on here names everychon. Whan I was yong, I fulfilled that ryte; and bothe my crulle and my name ben yit in the seyntuarye.