The Travels of Marco Polo Volume II Part 111

Sir Henry Yule traces thus the sources of the spurious work: "Even in that part of the book which may be admitted with probability to represent some genuine experience, there are distinct traces that another work has been made use of, more or less, as an aid in the compilation, we might almost say, as a framework to fill up. This is the itinerary of the German knight William of Boldensele, written in 1336 at the desire of Cardinal Talleyrand de Perigord. A cursory comparison of this with Mandeville leaves no doubt of the fact that the latter has followed its thread, using its suggestions, and on many subjects its expressions, though digressing and expanding on every side, and too often eliminating the singular good sense of the German traveller. After such a comparison we may indicate as examples Boldensele's account of Cyprus (_Mandeville, Halliwell's_ ed.

1866, p. 28, and p. 10), of Tyre and the coast of Palestine (_Mandeville_, 29, 30, 33, 34), of the journey from Gaza to Egypt (34), pa.s.sages about Babylon of Egypt (40), about Mecca (42), the general account of Egypt (45), the pyramids (52), some of the particular wonders of Cairo, such as the slave-market, the chicken-hatching stoves, and the apples of Paradise, i.e. plantains (49), the Red Sea (57), the convent on Sinai (58, 60), the account of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (74-76), etc."

He adds: "It is curious that no pa.s.sage in Mandeville can be plausibly traced to Marco Polo, with one exception. This is (_Halliwell's_ ed., p.

163) where he states that at Ormus the people, during the great heat, lie in water,--a circ.u.mstance mentioned by Polo, though not by Odoric. We should suppose it most likely that this fact had been interpolated in the copy of Odoric used by Mandeville; for, if he had borrowed it direct from Polo, he would have borrowed more." (_Encyclopaedia Britannica_, p. 474.)

"Leaving this question, there remains the more complex one whether the book contains, in any measure, facts and knowledge acquired by actual travels and residence in the East. We believe that it may, but only as a small portion of the whole, and that confined entirely to the section of the work which treats of the Holy Land, and of the different ways of getting thither, as well as of Egypt, and in general of what we understand by the Levant." (Ibid. p. 473.)

Dr. Warner deals the final blow in the _National Biography_: "The alphabets which he gives have won him some credit as a linguist, but only the Greek and the Hebrew (which were readily accessible) are what they pretend to be, and that which he calls Saracen actually comes from the _Cosmographia of aethicus_! His knowledge of Mohammedanism and its Arabic formulae impressed even Yule. He was, however, wholly indebted for that information to the _Liber de Statu Saracenorum_ of William of Tripoli (circa 1270), as he was to the _Historiae Orientis_ of Hetoum, the Armenian (1307), for much of what he wrote about Egypt. In the last case, indeed, he shows a rare sign of independence, for he does not, with Hetoum, end his history of the sultanate about 1300, but carries it onto the death of En-Nasir (1341), and names two of his successors. Although his statements about them are not historically accurate, this fact and a few other details suggest that he may really have been in Egypt, if not at Jerusalem, but the proportion of original matter is so very far short of what might be expected that even this is extremely doubtful."

With this final quotation, we may take leave of John of Mandeville, alias John a Beard.

H.C.

[1] "The _raphia_, here called the 'Devil's date,' is celebrated as having the largest leaf in the vegetable Kingdom," etc. In his translation of Lacerda's journey he calls it _Raphia vinifera_.

[2] MANDEVILLE, Jehan de [By Edward Byron Nicholson, M.A., and Colonel Henry Yule, C.B.] Ext. from the _Encyclopaed. Britan._ 9th ed., xv. 1883, ppt. 4to., pp. 4.

[3] _Encyclop. Brit._ xv. p. 473.

[4] British Museum, Harley, 4383, f. 1 _verso_.

[5] _Les Voyages en Asie an XIV'e siecle du Bienheureux frere Odoric de Pordenone_. Paris, 1891, p. cxvi.

[6] Bibliographische Untersuchungen uber die Reise-Beschreibung des Sir John Maundeville.--Dem Herrn Samuel Gottfried Reiche, Rector und Professor des Gymnasiums zu St. Elisabet in Breslau und Vice-Prases der Schlesischen Gesellschaft fur Vaterlandische Cultur, Ritter des rothen Adlerordens, zur Feier Seines Amts-Jubelfestes am 30. October 1840 im Namen des Gymnasiums zu St. Maria Magdalena gewidmet von Dr.

Carl. Schonborn, Director, Rector und Professor.--Breslau, gedruckt bei Gra.s.s, Barth und Comp., ppt. 4to. pp. 24.

[7] Bibliographia geographica Palaestinae. Zunachst kritische Uebersicht gedruckter und ungedruckter Beschreibungen der Reisen ins heilige Land. Von t.i.tus Tobler.--Leipzig, Verlag von S. Hirzel. 1867, 8vo., pp. iv.-265.: C. 1336 (1322-1356). Der englische ritter John Maundeville, pp. 36-39.

[8] Bibliotheca geographica Palestinae. Chronologisches Verzeichniss der auf die Geographie des Heiligen Landes bezuglichen Literatur von 333 bis 1878 und Versuch einer Cartographie. Herausgegeben von Reinhold Rohricht. Berlin, H. Reuther, 1890, 8vo, pp. xx-742.

[9] _Bibliotheca Sinica_.--Dictionnaire bibliographique des ouvrages relatif sa l'empire chinois par Henri Cordier. Paris, Ernest Leroux, 1878-1895, 3 vol. 8vo. col. 943-959, 1921-1927, 2201.

[10] Jean de Mandeville. Ext. du _T'oung Pao_, vol. ii. No. 4, Leide, E.J. Brill, 1891, 8vo, pp. 38.

[11] Jch Otto von diemeringen ein || Thumherre zu Metz in Lothoringen. han dises buch verwandelvsz || welschs vnd vsz latin zu tutsch durch das die tutschen lute ouch mogent || dar inne lesen von menigen wunderlichen sachen die dor inne geschribe || sind. von fremden landen vn fremden tieren von fremden luten vnd von || irem glouben von. iren wesen von iren kleidern. vnd vo vil andern wun || deren als hie noch in den capitelen geschriben stat. Und ist das buch in || funf teil geteilt vnd saget das erst buch von den landen vnd von den we || gen vsz tutschen nider landen gen Jerusalem zu varen. vnd zu sant Ka | || therine grab vnd zu dem berg Synai. vnd von den landen vnd von den || wundern die man vnterwegen do zwischen vinden mag. Jtem von des || herren gewalt vnd herrschafft der do heisset der Soldan vnd von sinem || wesen. Das ander buch saget ob ymant wolt alle welt vmbfaren was || lands vnd was wunders er vinden mocht. Jn manchen steten vn in vil || insulen dor inne er kame. vnd saget ouch von den wegen vnd von den la || den vn luten was in des grossen herre land ist. & do heisset zu latin Ma || gnus canis | das ist zu tutsch der grosz hunt. der ist so gar gewaltig vnd || so rich das im vff erden an gold an edlem gestein vnan anderm richtum || niemant gelichen mag. on allein priester Johann von Jndia. Das drit || buch saget von des vor genanten herren des grossen hunds glowben vn || gewonheit vnd wie er von erst her komen ist vnd von andern sachen vil || Das vierde buch saget von jndia vnd von priester Johann vnd von siner || herschafft. von sinem vrsprung vnd von siner heiligkeit von sinem glou | || ben von siner gewonheit vnd vil andern wundern die in sinem lande sind || Das funfft buch saget von manchen heydischen glouben vnd ir gewon | || heit vn ouch von menigerlei cristen glouben die gensit mers sint die doch || nit gar vnsern glouben hand. Jtem von menigerlei Juden glouben vnd || wie vil cristen land sint vnd doch nicht vnsern glouben haltend noch re | || chte cristen sind. Folio; black letter.

[12] Ce liure est eppelle ma // deuille et fut fait i compose // par monsieur iehan de man // deuille cheualier natif dagle // terre de la uille de saict alei // Et parle de la terre de pro // mission cest a.s.savoir de ieru // salem et de pluseurs autres // isles de mer et les diuerses i // estranges choses qui sont es // dites isles.

_Ends recto_ f. 88: Cy finist ce tres plaisant // liure nome Mandeville par // lanc moult autentiquement // du pays et terre d'oultre mer // Et fut fait La Mil cccc // lx.x.x le iiii lour dauril, s.l., without any printer's name; small folio; ff. 88; sig. _a_ (7 ff.)--l. (9 ff.); others 8 ff.--Grenville Library, 6775.

[13] F. 1 _recto_: Ce liure est appelle // mandeuille et fut fait et // compose par monsieur // iehan de mandeuille che // ualier natif dangleterre // de la uille de sainct alein // Et parle de la terre de // promission cest a.s.savoir // de iherusalem et de plu // seurs autres isles de mer // et les diuerses et estran // ges choses qui sont esd'

// isles.--_Ends verso_ f. 93: Cy finist ce tresplay // sant liure nome Mande // cccclx.x.x le viii iour de // freuier a la requeste de // Maistre Bartholomieu // Buyer bourgoys du dit // lyon. Small folio.

[14] F. 1 _recto_. Jtinerarius domi//ni Johanis de ma//deville militis.--F. 2 _recto_: Tabula capitulorum in // itinerarium ad partes Jhe=// rosolimitanas. & ad vlterio // res trasmarinas domini Jo//hannis de Mandeville mili//tis Jncipit feliciter.--F. 4.

_recto_: Jncipit Itinerarius a ter//ra Anglie in ptes Jherosoli =//mitanas. & in vlteriores tras//marinas. editus primo in li//gua gallicana a milite suo au//tore Anno incarnatonis dni //M. ccc. lv. in ciuitate Leodi // ensi. & paulo post in eade ciui//tate traslatus in hanc forma // latinam. //

_Ends_ f. 71 _verso_: Explicit itinerarius domini // Johannis de Mandeville // militis. Small 4to, black letter, ff. 71 on a col., sig. _a-i_ iij; _a-h_ by 8 = 64 ff.; _i_, 7 ff.

[15] Reysen.--s.l.n.d., without printer's name; fol. 108 ff. on 2 col.

black letter, without sig., etc.

F. 1 _recto_: Dit is die tafel van // desen boecke // (D)at eerste capittel van // desen boeck is Hoe dat Jan va//mandauille schyet wt enghe//lat.... f. 108 v 26th line: regneert in allen tiden // Amen // -- _Laus deo in altissimo_ //.

See Campbell, supra, p. 599.

[16] F. 1 _verso_: Tractato de le piu marauegliose cosse e piu notabile che // se trouano in le parte del modo redute & collecte soto bre//uita in el presente copedio dal strenuissimo caualer spero // doro Johanne de Mandauilla anglico nato ne la Cita // de sancto albano el quale secodo dio prncialmente uisi // tato quali tute le parte habitabel de el modo cossi fidelm // te a notato tute quelle piu degne cosse che la trouato e ve//duto in esse parte & chi bene discorre qsto libro auerra p // fecta cognitione de tuti li reami puincie natione e popu//li gente costumi leze hystorie & degne antiquitate co bre//uitade le quale pte da altri non sono tractate & parte piu // cosusamete dalchu gran ualente homini son state tocate & amagiore fede el psato auctore in psona e stato nel 1322. in//yerusalem Jn Asia menore chiamata Turchia i Arme//nia grande e in la picola. Jn Scythia zoe in Tartaria in // persia Jn Syria o uero suria Jn Arabia in egipto alto // & in lo inferiore in libia in la parte grande de ethiopia in // Caldea in amazonia in india mazore in la meza & in la // menore in div'se sette de latini greci iudei e barbari chri//stiani & infideli & i molte altre prouincie como appare nel // tractato de sotto.--_Ends_ f. 114 _verso_: Explicit Johannes d'Madeuilla impressus Medio//lani ductu & auspicijs Magistri Petri de corneno pre // die Callendas augusti M.CCCCLx.x.x. Joha//ne Galeazo Maria Sfortia Vicecomitte Duce no // stro inuictissimo ac principe Jucondissimo. Small 4to; ff. 114; sig. _a-o_ 8 = 112 ff.; 1 f. between _a_ and _b_.

[17] _Gesta Pont. Leodiensium_.--Vita Radvlphi de Rivo ex eius scriptis: "Obijt Radulphus anno, 1483."

[18] This pa.s.sage is not to be found in the Egerton MS. 1982, nor in the Latin versions.

[19] _Bib. Untersuchungen_.

[20] Altenglische Sprachproben nebst einem Worterbuche unter Mitwirkung von Karl Goldbeck herausgegeben von Eduard Matzner. Erster Band: Sprachproben. Zweite Abtheilung: Prosa. Berlin. Weidmannsche Buchhandlung. (Vol. i. 1869, large 8vo, pp. 415; vol. i., _John Maundeville_, pp. 152-221.)

[21] _Encyclopaedia. Brit._, p. 475.

[22] _Nat. Biog._ p. 23-24.

[23] _The Academy_, x. p. 477.--_Encyclopaedia Britannica_, 9th ed., XV., p. 475.

[24] The // Voiage // and // Travaile // of // Sir John Maundevile, kt.

// Which Treateth of the // Way to Hierusalem; and of // Marvayles of Inde, // With other // Ilands and Countryes. //--Now publish'd entire from an Original MS. // in the Cotton Library. //--London: // Printed for J. Woodman, and D. Lyon, in // Russel-Street, Covent-Garden, and C. Davis, // in Hatton-Garden. 1725, 8vo, 5. ff. n.

c.+pp. xvi.--384+4 ff. n. c.

[25] The Voiage and Travayle of Sir John Maundeville Knight which treateth of the way towards Hierosallun and of marvayles of Inde with other ilands and countreys. Edited, Annotated, and Ill.u.s.trated in Facsimile by John Ashton.... London, Pickering & Chatto, 1887, large 8vo., pp.

xxiv.-289.

[26] L.c. p. vi.

[27] The Voiage and Travaile of Sir John Maundevile, Kt. which treateth of the way to Hierusalem; and of Marvayles of Inde, with other ilands and countryes. Reprinted from the Edition of A.D. 1725. With an introduction, additional notes, and Glossary. By J.O. Halliwell.

Esq., F.S.A., F.R.A.S. London: Published by Edward Lumley, M.D.CCC.x.x.xIX., 8vo, pp. xvii.-xii.-326.

The Voiage and Travaille of Sir John Maundevile ... By J.O.

Halliwell, London: F.S. Ellis, MDCCCLXVI., 8vo, pp x.x.xi.-326.

[28] The Buke of John Maundeuill being the Travels of sir John Mandeville, knight 1322-1356 a hitherto unpublished English version from the unique copy (Egerton Ms. 1982) in the British Museum edited together with the French text, notes, and an introduction by George F. Warner, M.A., F.S.A., a.s.sistant-keeper of Ma.n.u.scripts in the British Museum.

Ill.u.s.trated with twenty-eight miniatures reproduced in facsimile from the additional MS. 24,189. Printed for the Roxburghe Club.

Westminster, Nichols and Sons.... MDCCCLx.x.xIX., large 4to, pp.

xlvi.+232+28 miniatures.

[29] There are in the British Museum twenty-nine MSS. of Mandeville, of which ten are French, nine English, six Latin, three German, and one Irish. Cf. _Warner_, p. x.

[30] Cf. _Warner_, p. 61.

[31] Mayence, Chapter's Library: "Incipit Itinerarius fidelis Fratris ODERICI, _socii Militis Mendavil_, per Indiam."--Wolfenb.u.t.tel, Ducal Library, No. 40, Weissemburg: "Incipit itinerarius fratris ODERICI socii militis Mandauil per Indiam."--HENRI CORDIER, _Odoric de Pordenone_, p. lxxii. and p. lxxv.

[32] _Purchas, His Pilgrimes_, 3rd Pt., London, 1625: "and, O that it were possible to doe as much for our Countriman Mandeuil, who next (if next) was the greatest Asian Traueller that euer the World had, & hauing falne amongst theeues, neither Priest, nor Leuite can know him, neither haue we hope of a Samaritan to releeue him."