The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427Schiltberger, Johannes
History
The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427
Schiltberger, Johannes
Timur, 1336-1405 -- Early works to 1800; Turkey -- History -- Bayezid I, 1389-1403; Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800
There was also at that same time on a mountain near Rome, a dragon and
a unicorn, that did much harm to the people in the streets, so that
none could pass. Then the holy father, Saint Silvester, asked the king
of Armenia, as he was a powerful man, whether he would not try, with
God’s will, to kill the dragon and also the unicorn; the king went
alone, and saw where they were, and when he got there, he saw them
biting each other, and he looked at them until the dragon escaped,
and the unicorn chased him to a hole in the rock; the dragon turned
himself in the hole, and defended himself against the unicorn. The
unicorn struck at the dragon with his tongue, and tried to draw him
outside. The dragon seized the unicorn, and they struggled together,
until the unicorn pulled the dragon out as far as his neck, and the
one would not let the other go. At that moment, the king ran up and
cut the dragon’s neck, and with the tugging that the unicorn gave it,
the head rolled down the rock; the king then sprang up and killed the
unicorn also. He then returned to Rome, and ordered that the heads
should be brought; now the waggon had enough to do to carry the head
of the dragon; and so the King Derthat delivered the Romans of the
reptiles, for which the city, and especially the holy father, shewed
him great honour. Then Gregory went to the Pope, and asked him for
the articles which belonged to the faith, which he gave him, and then
they returned to their own country, and Gregory taught the Christian
faith as he received it from the Pope, which they do not hold any more,
as is above stated.(1) Now, they themselves elect their patriarch,
and when they wish to make one, twelve bishops and four archbishops
must be present, and he is elected. Many of the articles that Gregory
brought from Rome, have been changed, and they are now separated from
the church of Rome. Their priests make the sacrament with unleavened
bread, and nobody else prepares the bread, but the priest who is to
celebrate the Mass, and he prepares one only. Whilst he is making it,
other priests must read the psalter right through, and if there are
no priests, then he must say it himself, right through.(2) They say
that it is a great sin that a man or woman should make the bread for
the Holy Sacrament; they also say that it is not right to sell this
bread like other bread. They communicate the Holy Sacrament with wine,
and not with water. When they want to have the Mass, they all stand
together, and none communicate until he who is at the high altar has
communicated, so that they all communicate together. They also read the
gospel [looking] towards the rising of the sun, and whichever priest
celebrates the Mass, does not dare to sleep that day after midnight;
and for three nights previously, and one night after, he must separate
himself from his wife. They do not allow any deacon or any of a lower
grade to be at the altar, only the priest; and no man or woman can
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