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The International Prester John Project: How A Global Legend Was Created Across Six Centuries

Jordanus (Catalini) of Sévérac

Jordanus of Sévérac (fl. 1280-1330) was a Dominican missionary, explorer, and late in his life (1328), the first bishop of the first Catholic diocese in India. Jordanus spent the final ten years of his life reviving Christianity in the Indies. His Mirabilia records his journey to and experiences in India.

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Book of Marvels
Mirabilia descripta (1340)

Around the time of Dulcert’s map, Friar Jordanus locates Prester John in Ethiopia. His Mirabilia descripta has the following to say about the priest king:

VI.
1. Of India Tertia I will say this, that I have not indeed seen its many marvels, not having been there, but have heard them from trustworthy persons. For example, there be dragons in the greatest abundance, which carry on their heads the lustrous stones which be called carbuncles. These animals have their lying-place upon golden sands, and grow exceeding big, and cast forth from the mouth a most fetid and infections breath, like the thickest smoke rising from fire. These animals come together at the destined time, develop wings, and begin to raise themselves in the air and then, by the judgment of God, being too heavy, they drop into a certain river which issues from Paradise, and perish there.
2. But all the regions round about watch for the time of the dragons, and when they see that one has fallen, they wait for lxx days, and then go down and find the bare bones of the dragon, and take the carbuncle which is rooted in the top of his head, and carry it to the emperor of the Aethiopans, whom you call Prestre John.

VII.

4. “Of Aethiopia, I say that it is a very great land, and a very hot. There are many monsters there, such as gryphons that guard the golden mountains which be there. Here, too, be serpents and other venomous beasts, of vast size and venomous exceedingly.
5. There, too, are many pretious stones. The lord of that land I believe to be more potent than any man in the world, and richer in gold and silver and in pretious stones. He is said to have under him fifty-two kings, rich and potent. He ruleth over all his neighbours towards the south and west.
6. In this Aethiopia are two burning mountains, and between a mountain of gold. The people of the country are all Christians, but heretics. I have seen and known many folk from those parts.

7. To that emperor the Soldan of Babylon giveth every year 500,000 ducats of tribute as ‘tis said.
8. I can tell nothing more of Aethiopia, not having been there.