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For I have seen and beholden many tymes that of Parys and that of Costantynoble: for thei were bothe on, made of russches of the see. But men han departed hem in two parties: of the whiche, o part is at Parys, and the other part is at Costantynoble. And I have on of tho precyouse thornes, that semethe licke a white thorn; and that was zoven to me for gret specyaltee.

And the cuppes ben of emeraudez and of saphires or of topazes, of perydoz, and of many other precyouse stones. Vesselle of sylver is there non: for thei telle no prys there of, to make no vesselle offe: but thei maken ther of grecynges and pileres and pawmentes, to halles and chambres.

And other dyamandes also men fynden in the ile of Cipre, that ben zit more tendre; and hem men may wel pollische. And in the lond of Macedoyne men fynden dyamaundes also. But the beste and the most precyouse ben in Ynde. And men fynden many tymes harde dyamandes in a masse, that comethe out of Gold, whan men puren it and fynen it out of the myne; whan men breken that masse in smale peces.

At that cytee entrethe the ryvere of Nyle in to the see; as I to zou have seyd before. In that ryvere men fynden many precyouse stones, and meche also of lignum aloes: and it is a manere of wode, that comethe out of Paradys terrestre, the whiche is good for manye dyverse medicynes: and it is righte dereworthe.

And summe ther ben, that comme fro ferr, and in goynge toward this ydole, at every thrydde pas, that thei gon fro here hows, thei knelen; and so contynuen tille thei come thidre: and whan thei comen there, thei taken ensense and other aromatyk thinges of noble smelle, and sensen the ydole, as we wolde don here Goddes precyouse body.

And first, at the chief of the halle, is the emperours throne, fulle highe, where he syttethe at the mete: and that is of fyn precyouse stones, bordured alle aboute with pured gold and precyous stones and grete perles. And the grees, that he gothe up to the table, ben of precyous stones, medled with gold.