Page:Most excellent and delightful history of Fortunatus.pdf/12

 ten thousand crowns in ready money.——In a ship he had hired for his own use he departed, resolving to turn merchant as well as traveller. The first port he touched at was Alexandria, in Egypt, where, as the custom was, he immediately went to make a present to the Soldan, which he did in such rich jewels, that that mighty prince admired it, and therefore entertained him very nobly, sending him in requital very rich merchandize, and left him at liberty to traffic in the good things of Egypt, above the liberty granted to other merchants; so that having richly freighted his ship, he sent it by the master to Cyprus, consigned to the use of his wife and children, resolved with ten servants to travel over land; an so taking his leave of the Soldan, who gave him letters of fate conduct directed to divers princes, he determined to pass over the desarts of Arabia and Persia and so to India, taking Tartary in his way, where he had a view of the great Chain's court at Cathia. From thence he travelled through a vast large forest that leads to India, where he flew a monstrous tyger, that had destroyed many hundreds of people, and left the way almost unfrequented by passengers, which was scattered with the skulls and bones of those that had been devoured. This forest took up two days and two nights' travel; and so passing through many countries, he came to India, where the emperor Preston John reigned,