Chapter 7 |
Index |
Chapter 9
OF THE ISLE OF SICILY; OF THE WAY FROM BABYLON TO THE MOUNT SINAI;
OF THE CHURCH OF SAINT KATHERINE AND OF ALL THE MARVELS THERE
NOW will I return again, ere I proceed any further, for to declare
to you the other ways, that draw toward Babylon, where the sultan
himself dwelleth, that is at the entry of Egypt; for as much as
many folk go thither first and after that to the Mount Sinai, and
after return to Jerusalem, as I have said you here before. For
they fulfil first the more long pilgrimage, and after return again
by the next ways, because that the more nigh way is the more
worthy, and that is Jerusalem; for no other pilgrimage is not like
in comparison to it. But for to fulfil their pilgrimages more
easily and more sikerly, men go first the longer way rather than
the nearer way.
But whoso will go to Babylon by another way, more short from the
countries of the west that I have rehearsed before, or from other
countries next to them - then men go by France, by Burgundy and by
Lombardy. It needeth not to tell you the names of the cities, nor
of the towns that be in that way, for the way is common, and it is
known of many nations. And there be many havens [where] men take
the sea. Some men take the sea at Genoa, some at Venice, and pass
by the sea Adriatic, that is clept the Gulf of Venice, that
departeth Italy and Greece on that side; and some go to Naples,
some to Rome, and from Rome to Brindisi and there they take the
sea, and in many other places where that havens be. And men go by
Tuscany, by Campania, by Calabria, by Apulia, and by the hills of
Italy, by Corsica, by Sardinia, and by Sicily, that is a great isle
and a good.
In that isle of Sicily there is a manner of a garden, in the which
be many diverse fruits; and the garden is always green and
flourishing, all the seasons of the year as well in winter as in
summer. That isle holds in compass about 350 French miles. And
between Sicily and Italy there is not but a little arm of the sea,
that men clepe the Farde of Messina. And Sicily is between the sea
Adriatic and the sea of Lombardy. And from Sicily into Calabria is
but eight miles of Lombardy.
And in Sicily there is a manner of serpent, by the which men assay
and prove, whether their children be bastards or no, or of lawful
marriage: for if they be born in right marriage, the serpents go
about them, and do them no harm, and if they be born in avoutry,
the serpents bite them and envenom them. And thus many wedded men
prove if the children be their own.
Also in that isle is the Mount Etna, that men clepe Mount Gybelle,
and the volcanoes that be evermore burning. And there be seven
places that burn and that cast out diverse flames and diverse
colour: and by the changing of those flames, men of that country
know when it shall be dearth or good time, or cold or hot or moist
or dry, or in all other manners how the time shall be governed.
And from Italy unto the volcanoes ne is but twenty-five mile. And
men say, that the volcanoes be ways of hell.
And whoso goeth by Pisa, if that men list to go that way, there is
an arm of the sea, where that men go to other havens in those
marches. And then men pass by the isle of Greaf that is at Genoa.
And after arrive men in Greece at the haven of the city of Myrok,
or at the haven of Valone, or at the city of Duras; and there is a
Duke at Duras, or at other havens in those marches; and so men go
to Constantinople. And after go men by water to the isle of Crete
and to the isle of Rhodes, and so to Cyprus, and so to Athens, and
from thence to Constantinople. To hold the more right way by sea,
it is well a thousand eight hundred and four score mile of
Lombardy. And after from Cyprus men go by sea, and leave Jerusalem
and all the country on the left hand, unto Egypt, and arrive at the
city of Damietta, that was wont to be full strong, and it sits at
the entry of Egypt. And from Damietta go men to the city of
Alexandria, that sits also upon the sea. In that city was Saint
Catherine beheaded: and there was Saint Mark the evangelist
martyred and buried, but the Emperor Leo made his bones to be
brought to Venice.
And yet there is at Alexandria a fair church, all white without
paintures; and so be all the other churches that were of the
Christian men, all white within, for the Paynims and the Saracens
made them white for to fordo the images of saints that were painted
on the walls. That city of Alexandria is well thirty furlongs in
length, but it is but ten on largeness; and it is a full noble city
and a fair. At that city entereth the river of Nile into the sea,
as I to you have said before. In that river men find many precious
stones, and much also of lignum aloes; and it is a manner of wood,
that cometh out of Paradise terrestrial, the which is good for many
diverse medicines, and it is right dear-worth. And from Alexandria
men go to Babylon, where the sultan dwelleth; that sits also upon
the river of Nile: and this way is the most short, for to go
straight unto Babylon.
Now shall I say you also the way, that goeth from Babylon to the
Mount of Sinai, where Saint Catherine lieth. He must pass by the
deserts of Arabia, by the which deserts Moses led the people of
Israel. And then pass men by the well that Moses made with his
hand in the deserts, when the people grucched; for they found
nothing to drink. And then pass men by the Well of Marah, of the
which the water was first bitter; but the children of Israel put
therein a tree, and anon the water was sweet and good for to drink.
And then go men by desert unto the vale of Elim, in the which vale
be twelve wells; and there be seventy-two trees of palm, that bear
the dates the which Moses found with the children of Israel. And
from that valley is but a good journey to the Mount of Sinai.
And whoso will go by another way from Babylon, then men go by the
Red Sea, that is an arm of the sea Ocean. And there passed Moses
with the children of Israel, over-thwart the sea all dry, when
Pharaoh the King of Egypt chased them. And that sea is well a six
mile of largeness in length; and in that sea was Pharaoh drowned
and all his host that he led. That sea is not more red than
another sea; but in some place thereof is the gravel red, and
therefore men clepen it the Red Sea. That sea runneth to the ends
of Arabia and of Palestine.
That sea lasteth more than a four journeys, and then go men by
desert unto the Vale of Elim, and from thence to the Mount of
Sinai. And ye may well understand, that by this desert no man may
go on horseback, because that there ne is neither meat for horse ne
water to drink; and for that cause men pass that desert with
camels. For the camel finds alway meat in trees and on bushes,
that he feedeth him with: and he may well fast from drink two days
or three. And that may no horse do.
And wit well that from Babylon to the Mount Sinai is well a twelve
good journeys, and some men make them more. And some men hasten
them and pain them, and therefore they make them less. And always
men find latiners to go with them in the countries, and further
beyond, into time that men con the language: and it behoveth men
to bear victuals with them, that shall dure them in those deserts,
and other necessaries for to live by.
And the Mount of Sinai is clept the Desert of Sin, that is for to
say, the bush burning; because there Moses saw our Lord God many
times in the form of fire burning upon that hill, and also in a
bush burning, and spake to him. And that was at the foot of the
hill. There is an abbey of monks, well builded and well closed
with gates of iron for dread of the wild beasts; and the monks be
Arabians or men of Greece. And there [is] a great convent, and all
they be as hermits, and they drink no wine, but if it be on
principal feasts; and they be full devout men, and live poorly and
simply with joutes and with dates, and they do great abstinence and
penances.
There is the Church of Saint Catherine, in the which be many lamps
burning; for they have of oil of olives enough, both for to burn in
their lamps and to eat also. And that plenty have they by the
miracle of God; for the ravens and the crows and the choughs and
other fowls of the country assemble them there every year once, and
fly thither as in pilgrimage; and everych of them bringeth a branch
of the bays or of olive in their beaks instead of offering, and
leave them there; of the which the monks make great plenty of oil.
And this is a great marvel. And sith that fowls that have no
kindly wit or reason go thither to seek that glorious Virgin, well
more ought men then to seek her, and to worship her.
Also behind the altar of that church is the place where Moses saw
our Lord God in a burning bush. And when the monks enter into that
place, they do off both hosen and shoon or boots always, because
that our Lord said to Moses, Do off thy hosen and thy shoon, for
the place that thou standest on is land holy and blessed. And the
monks clepe that place Dozoleel, that is to say, the shadow of God.
And beside the high altar, three degrees of height is the fertre of
alabaster, where the bones of Saint Catherine lie. And the prelate
of the monks sheweth the relics to the pilgrims, and with an
instrument of silver he froteth the bones; and then there goeth out
a little oil, as though it were a manner sweating, that is neither
like to oil ne to balm, but it is full sweet of smell; and of that
they give a little to the pilgrims, for there goeth out but little
quantity of the liquor. And after that they shew the head of Saint
Catherine, and the cloth that she was wrapped in, that is yet all
bloody; and in that same cloth so wrapped, the angels bare her body
to the Mount Sinai, and there they buried her with it. And then
they shew the bush, that burned and wasted nought, in the which our
Lord spake to Moses, and other relics enough.
Also, when the prelate of the abbey is dead, I have understood, by
information, that his lamp quencheth. And when they choose another
prelate, if he be a good man and worthy to be prelate, his lamp
shall light with the grace of God without touching of any man. For
everych of them hath a lamp by himself, and by their lamps they
know well when any of them shall die. For when any shall die, the
light beginneth to change and to wax dim; and if he be chosen to be
prelate, and is not worthy, his lamp quencheth anon. And other men
have told me, that he that singeth the mass for the prelate that is
dead - he shall find upon the altar the name written of him that
shall be prelate chosen. And so upon a day, I asked of the monks,
both one and other, how this befell. But they would not tell me
nothing, into the time that I said that they should not hide the
grace that God did them, but that they should publish it to make
the people have the more devotion, and that they did sin to hide
God's miracle, as me seemed. For the miracles that God hath done
and yet doth every day, be the witness of his might and of his
marvels, as David saith in the Psalter: MIRABILIA TESTIMONIA TUA,
DOMINE, that is to say, 'Lord thy marvels be thy witness.' And
then they told me, both one and other, how it befell full many a
time, but more I might not have of them.
In that abbey ne entereth not no fly, ne toads ne newts, ne such
foul venomous beasts, ne lice ne fleas, by the miracle of God, and
of our Lady. For there were wont to be so many such manner of
filths, that the monks were in will to leave the place and the
abbey, and were from thence upon the mountain above to eschew that
place; and our Lady came to them and bade them turn again, and from
thence forwards never entered such filth in that place amongst
them, ne never shall enter hereafter. Also, before the gate is the
well, where Moses smote the stone, of the which the water came out
plenteously.
From that abbey men go up the mountain of Moses, by many degrees.
And there men find first a church of our Lady, where that she met
the monks, when they fled away for the vermin above-said. And more
high upon that mountain is the chapel of Elijah the prophet; and
that place they clepe Horeb, whereof holy writ speaketh, ET
AMBULAVIT IN FORTITUDINE CIBI ILLIUS USQUE, AD MONTEM OREB; that is
to say, 'And he went in strength of that meat unto the hill of God,
Horeb.' And there nigh is the vine that Saint John the Evangelist
planted that men clepe raisins of Staphis. And a little above is
the chapel of Moses, and the rock where Moses fled to for dread
when he saw our Lord face to face. And in that rock is printed the
form of his body, for he smote so strongly and so hard himself in
that rock, that all his body was dolven within through the miracle
of God. And there beside is the place where our Lord took to Moses
the Ten Commandments of the Law. And there is the cave under the
rock where Moses dwelt, when he fasted forty days and forty nights.
But he died in the Land of Promission, and no man knoweth where he
was buried. And from that mountain men pass a great valley for to
go to another mountain, where Saint Catherine was buried of the
angels of the Lord. And in that valley is a church of forty
martyrs, and there sing the monks of the abbey, often-time: and
that valley is right cold. And after men go up the mountain of
Saint Catherine, that is more high than the mount of Moses; and
there, where Saint Catherine was buried, is neither church nor
chapel, nor other dwelling place, but there is an heap of stones
about the place, where body of her, was put of the angels. There
was wont to be a chapel, but it was cast down, and yet lie the
stones there. And albeit that the Collect of Saint Catherine says,
that it is the place where our Lord betaught the Ten Commandments
to Moses, and there, where the blessed Virgin Saint Catherine was
buried, that is to understand in one country, or in one place
bearing one name; for both that one and that other is clept the
mount of Sinai. But it is a great way from that one to that other,
and a great deep valley between them.
Chapter 7 |Index | Chapter 9