A.D. 



1330. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



with hempe. And I went on bourd into one of them, 

 wherein 1 could not finde any yron at all, and in the 

 Thana.where- space of 28. dayes I arrived at the city of Thana, wherein 

 of Frederick foure of our Friers were martyred for the faith of Christ. 

 mention This countrey is well situate, having abundance of bread 



and wine, and of other victuals therein. This kingdome 

 in olde time was very large and under the dominion of 

 king Porus, who fought a great battel with Aexander the 

 great. The people of this countrey are idolaters wor- 

 shipping fire, serpents and trees. And over all this land 

 the Saracens do beare rule, who tooke it by maine force, 

 and they themselves are in subjection unto king Daldilus. 

 There be divers kinds of beasts, as namely blacke lyons 

 in great abundance, and apes also, and monkeis, and 

 battes as bigge as our doves. Also there are mise as 

 bigge as our countrey dogs, and therefore they are 

 hunted with dogs, because cats are not able to incounter 

 them. Moreover, in the same countrey every man hath 

 a bundle of great boughs standing in a water-pot before 

 his doore, which bundle is as great as a piller, and it will 

 not wither, so long as water is applied thereunto : with 

 many other novelties and strange things, the relation 

 whereof would breed great delight. 



How peper is had : and where it groweth. 



Moreover, that it may be manifest how peper is had, 

 it is to be understood that it groweth in a certaine 

 kingdome whereat I my selfe arrived, being called * Mini- 

 bar, and it is not so plentifull in any other part of the 

 worlde as it is there. For the wood wherein it growes 

 conteineth in circuit 18. dayes journey. And in the said 

 wood or forrest there are two cities, one called * Flan- 

 drina, and the other Cyncilim. In Flandrina both Jewes 

 and Christians doe inhabite, betweene whom there is 

 often contention and warre : howbeit the Christians over- 

 come the Jewes at all times. In the foresaid wood pepper 

 is had after this maner : first it groweth in leaves like 

 unto pot-hearbs, which they plant neere unto great trees 



412 



Malabar, 



Or, Alan- 

 dr'ina. 



