ength I arriued at a certaine great prouince
called Mancy, being in Latine named India. Concerning this India I inquired
of Christians, of Saracens, and of Idolaters, and of al such as bare any
office vnder the great Can. Who all of them with one consent answered, that
this prouince of Mancy hath mo then 2000. great cities within the precincts
thereof, and that it aboundeth with all plenty of victuals, as namely with
bread, wine, rise, flesh, and fish. All the men of this prouince be
artificers and marchants, who, though they be in neuer so extreme penurie,
so long as they can helpe themselues by the labor of their hands, wil neuer
beg almes of any man. The men of this prouince are of a faire and comely
personage, but somewhat pale, hauing their heads shauen but a litle: but
the women are the most beautiful vnder the sunne. The first city of the
said India which I came vnto, is called Ceuskalon, [Marginal note: Or,
Ceuskala.] which being a daies iourney distant from the sea, stands vpon a
riuer, the water whereof, nere vnto the mouth, where it exonerateth it
selfe into the sea, doth ouerflow the land for the space of 12. daies
iourney. All the inhabitants of this India are worshippers of idols. The
foresaid city of Ceuskalon hath such an huge nauy belonging thereunto, that
no man would beleeue it vnlesse he should see it. In this city I saw 300.
li. of good and new ginger sold for lesse than a groat. There are the
greatest, and the fairest geese, and most plenty of them to be sold in al
the whole world, as I suppose: [Sidenote: He meaneth Pellicans, which the
Spaniards cal Alcatrarzi.] they are as white as milke, and haue a bone vpon
the crowne of their heads as bigge as an egge, being of the colour of
blood: vnder their throat they haue a skin or bag hanging downe halfe a
foot. They are exceeding fat and wel sold. Also they haue ducks and hens in
that country, one as big as two of ours. There be monstrous great serpents
likewise, which are taken by the inhabitants and eaten: whereupon a solemne
feast among them without serpents is not set by: and to be briefe, in this
city there are al kinds of victuals in great abundance. From thence I
passed by many cities, and at length I came vnto a city named Caitan,
[Marginal note: Or, Zaiton.] wherin the friers Minorites haue two places of
aboad, vnto the which I transported the bones of the dead friers, which
suffred martyrdom for the faith of Christ, as it is aboue mentioned. In