it to recover his virtue againe, or else it is lyttle of value.[7] [Footnote 1: Prismatic.] [Footnote 2: Pea.] [Footnote 3: Rocks of Magnetic Loadstone were then firmly believed in.] [Footnote 4: Hazel nuts.] [Footnote 5: Over.] [Footnote 6: Polish.] [Footnote 7: This description of the diamond is largely taken from Pliny, book 37, chap. iv.] CAP. LIII. _Of diverse countreys & Kingdomes & yles of the lande of Inde._ [Illustration] MANY diverse countreys & Kingdoms are in Inde, and it is called Inde of a river that runneth through it, which is called Inde also & there are many precious stones in that river Inde. And in that ryver men finde Eles of xxx foote long & men y^t dwell nere that river are of evill colour, yelowe & grene. In Inde is more than fyve thousande yles that men dwell in good and great, beside those that men dwel not in. And in eche one of those is great plenty of cities and muche people, for men of Inde are of that condicion that they passe not out of theyr lande commonly, for they dwell under a planet that is called Saturne, & that planet maketh his course by the xii signes in xxx[1] yeare and the Mone passeth through the xii signes in a moneth and for that Saturne is of so late sterying,[2] therefore men that dwell under him, & in that clymate have no good will to be much sterying aboute. And in our countrey is it contrary, for we are in a climate that is of the mone, & of light stering and that is the planet of way, & therefore it giveth us will to much moving & steryng and to go into diverse countreys of the world, for it goeth about the worlde more lyghtly than any other planet dothe. Also men passe through Inde by many countreys unto the great Occean Sea. And then they fynde the yle of Hermes where marchaunts of Venis and of Gene and of other diverse partes of christendome come for to by them marchaundise. [Illustration] [Illustration]