Porro ipsum Paradisi locum audiui a tribus plagis, orientali, meridionali, et septentrionali, inaccessibilem tam hominibus quam bestijs, eo quod apparet ripis perpendiculariter abscissa, tanquam inestimabilis altitudinis.  Et ab occidente id est nostra parte tanquam super omnium humanorum intuitum rogus ardens, qui in scripturis rumphea flammea appellator, vt nulli creaturae terrenae ascensus in eum credatur nisi quibusdam volatilibus, prout decreuit iusti iudicij Deus.

Ambulantibus enim illuc siue repentibus hominibus obstarent tenebrae imo rupes, aer infestus, bestiae, serpentes, frigus, et camua.  Nauigare autem contra ictum fluminis nitentes impediret intrinsecus recursus, ac impetuosus et quandoque subterraneus aquae cursus descendentis cum vehementia ab euectissimo, vt dictum est, loco, qui suo quoque strepitu, per petras atque strictos aliosque diuersos cadens gurgites, efficeret surdos, et aeris mutatio caecos, vnde et multi tam nobiles quam ignobiles, fatua sese audacia in isto ponentes periculo perierunt, alijs excoecatis, alijs absurdatis, et nonnullis in ipso accessu subitanea morte peremptis.  Ex quo nimirum credi habetur isto Deum displicere conatum.

Quapropter et ego ex illo loco statui animum ad repatriandum, quatenus Deo propitio, Anglia quae me produxit seculo viuentem, usciperet morientem.

Of the Godenesse of the folk of the Yle of Bragman.  Of Kyng Alisandre:  and
  wherfore the Emperour of Ynde is clept Prestre John.

[Sidenote:  Cap.  XXIX.] And bezonde that yle, is another yle, gret and gode, and, plentyfous, where that ben gode folk and trewe, and of gode lyvynge, aftre hire beleve, and of gode feythe.  And alle be it that thei ben not cristned, ne have no perfyt lawe, zit natheles of kyndely lawe, thei ben fulle of alle vertue, and thei eschewen alle vices and alle malices and alle synnes.  For thei ben not proude ne coveytous ne envyous ne wrathefulle ne glotouns ne leccherous; ne thei don to no man other wise than thei wolde that other men diden to hem:  and in this poynt, thei fullefillen the 10 commandementes of God:  and thei zive no charge of aveer ne of ricchesse:  and thei lye not, ne thei swere not, for non occasioun; but thei seyn symply, ze and nay.  For thei seyn, He that swerethe, wil disceyve his neyghbore:  and therfore alle that thei don, thei don it with outen othe.  And men clepen that yle, the Yle of Bragman:  and somme men clepen it the Lond of Feythe.  And thorgh that lond runnethe a gret ryvere, that is clept Thebe.  And in generalle, alle the men of tho yles and of alle the marches there abouten, ben more trewe than in ony othere contrees there abouten, and more righte fulle than othere, in alle thinges.  In that yle is no thief, ne mordrere, ne comoun woman, ne pore beggere, ne nevere was man slayn in that contree.  And thei ben so chast, and leden so gode lif, as tho thei weren religious men:  and thei fasten alle dayes.  And because thei ben so trewe and so rightfulle and so fulle of