to meet him: and being come nigh vnto him, we
put a crosse vpon wood, I my selfe hauing a censer
in my hand, and began to sing with a loud voice:
Veni creator spiritus. And as we were singing
on this wise, he caused vs to be called, commanding
vs to come vnto him: notwithstanding (as it is
aboue mentioned) that no man dare approach within
a stones cast of his chariot, vnlesse he be called,
but such onely as keepe his chariot. And when
we came neere vnto him, he vailed his hat or bonet
being of an inestimable price, doing reuerance vnto
the crosse. And immediatly I put incense into
the censer, and our bishop taking the censer perfumed
him, and gaue him his benediction. Moreouer,
they that come before the sayd Can do alwayes bring
some oblation to present vnto him, obseruing the antient
law: Thou shall not appeare in my presence with
an empty hand. And for that cause we carried apples
with vs, and offered them in a platter with reuerence
vnto him: and taking out two of them he did eat
some part of one. And then he signified vnto vs,
that we should go apart, least the horses comming
on might in ought offend vs. With that we departed
from him, and turned aside, going vnto certaine of
his barons, which had bene conuerted to the faith
by certeine friers of our order, being at the same
time in his army: and we offered vnto them of
the foresayd apples, who receiued them at our hands
with great ioy, seeming vnto vs to be as glad, as
if we had giuen them some great gift.
All the premisses abouewritten friar William de Solanga
hath put downe in writing euen as the foresayd frier
Odoricus vttered them by word of mouth, in the yeere
of our Lord 1330. in the moneth of May, and in the
place of S. Anthony of Padua. Neither did he
regard to write them in difficult Latine or in an
eloquent stile, but euen as Odoricus himselfe rehearsed
them, to the end that men might the more easily vnderstand
the things reported. I frier Odoricus of Friuli,
of a certaine territory called Portus Vahonis, and
of the order of the minorites, do testifie and beare
wimesse vnto the reuerend father Guidotus minister
of the prouince of S. Anthony, in the marquesate of
Treuiso (being by him required vpon mine obedience
so to doe) that all the premisses aboue written, either
I saw with mine owne eyes, or heard the same reported
by credible and substantiall persons. The common
report also of the countreyes where I was, testifieth
those things, which I saw, to be true. Many other
things I haue omitted, because I beheld them not with
mine owne eyes. Howbeit from day to day I purpose
with my selfe to trauell countreyes or lands, in which
action I dispose myselfe to die or to liue, as it
shall please my God.
Of the death of frier Odoricus.