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168 CRITICAL NOTICES OP NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



hoom with him alle his kyn and his frends and alle the othere of his hows, 

 and makethe hem a grete feste. And whan thei ben at mete, the sone let 

 brynge forthe the hede of his fader and there of he zevethe of the flesehe to 

 his most specyalle frendes in stede of Entre Messe or a sukkarke. And of 

 the brayn panne he lettethe make a cuppe and there of drynkethe he, and 

 his othere frendes also, with grete devocioun, in remembraunce of the holy 

 man that the aungeles of God han eten ; and that cuppe the sone schalle 

 kepe to drynken of alle his lif tyme, in remembraunce of his fader.'* 



Another of the islands is represented as being a great kingdom 

 where the king is full rich and mighty ; and, amongst the rich men 

 of the country, there is a passing rich man that hath every year an 

 annual rent of three hundred thousand horse charged with corn, rice 

 and diflferent kinds of grain. Now, this wealthy personage leadeth a 

 noble and delicate life ; for, says the historian, 



'♦ He hathe every day fifty fair damyseles, alle maydens, that serven him 

 everemore at his mete ; and whan he is at table, thei bryngen him hys mete 

 at every tyme, 5 and 5 to gedre ; and in bryngynge hire servyse thei syngen 

 a song ; and after that thei kutten his mete and putten it in his mouth ; for 

 he touchethe no thinge, he handlethe nought, but holden evere more his 

 bonds before him upon the table. For he hathe so longe nayles that he may 



take no thinge, ne handle no thinge. For the noblesse of that contree is to 

 have longe nayles, and to make hem growen alle weys to bend as longe as men 

 may. And there ben manye in that contree that han hire nayles so longe 

 that thei environne alle the bond ; and that is a gret noblesse. And the 

 noblesse of the women is for to haven smale feet and littille ; and therfore 

 anon as thei ben born, thei leet bynde hire feet so streyte that thei may not 

 growen half as nature wolde. And arile weys theise damyseles, that I spak oi 



