And zee schulle undirstonde, that no man that is mortelle, ne may not approchen to that paradys.  For be londe no man may go for wylde bestes, that ben in the desertes, and for the highe mountaynes and gret huge roches, that no man may passe by, for the derke places that ben there, and that manye:  and be the ryveres may no man go; for the water rennethe so rudely and so scharply, because that it comethe doun so outrageously from the highe places aboven, that it rennethe in so grete wawes, that no schipp may not rowe ne seyle azenes it:  and the watre rorethe so, and makethe so huge noyse, and so gret tempest, that no man may here other in the schipp, thoughe he cryede with alle the craft that he cowde, in the hyeste voys that he myghte.  Many grete lordes han assayed with gret wille many tymes for to passen be tho ryveres toward paradys, with fulle grete companyes:  but thei myghte not speden in hire viage; and manye dyeden for werynesse of rowynge azenst tho stronge wawes; and many of hem becamen blynde, and many deve, for the noyse of the water:  and summe weren perisscht and loste, with inne the wawes:  so that no mortelle man may approche to that place, with outen specyalle grace of God:  so that of that place I can seye zou no more.  And therfore I schall holde me stille, and retornen to that that I have seen.

CAPVT. 49.

In reuertendo de Cassan, et Riboth, et de diuite Epulone.

[Sidenote:  Via per quam Mandeuillus redijt in Angliam.] Ex hinc de illis quae in reuertendo vidi scribo cursim pauca, ne modum excedere videatur materia. [Sidenote:  Cassan.] Reuertebar itaque quasi per Aquilonare latus Imperij Presbyteri Ioannis, et nunc terrae, non mari nos commendantes, transiuimus Deo Ductore, multas Insulas in multis diaetis, et peruenimus ad regionem magnam Cassan:  haec cum sit vna de quindecim habens longitudinem diaetarum 60. et latitudinem prope 30. posset esse nominatior omnibus ibi circa prouincijs, si a nostris frequentaretur.

Notandum.  Cassan (secundum Odericum) est melior prouincia de mundo, vbi strictior est, habet diaetas 50. vbi longior 60, et est vna de 12. prouincijs Imperij Grand Can.  Est ista populosa, distincta ciuitatibus, vt quisque a quacunque plaga de vna exeat ciuitate nouerit aliam in media diaeta propinquam.  Tenetque istam regionem Cassan rex diues et potens, pro parte de Imperio Praebyteri Ioannis, et pro parte de Imperio Grand Can.

[Sidenote:  Riboth.] De ista in reuersione nostra venimus ad Regnum Riboth, quod similiter est vnum de quindecim, latum, et speciosum, in quo de multis bonis, habetur plena copia.  Hoc tenetur in toto de Imperio Tartarorum.

[Sidenote:  Labassi, summus idolorum pontifex.] Vna est ibi inter et super omnes ciuitas Sacerdotalis, et Regia, in qua Rex habet suum magnificum palatium, et summus Idolorum Pontifex quem Labassi appellant, cui omnes Regni obediunt et populi sicut Domino Papae nos Christiani quoniam et iubet, et benedicit, ac confert sacerdotibus beneficia idolorum.