The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation
Chapter 44 : The same in English.Of the dueties inioined vnto the Tartarian women, and of their labo

The same in English.

Of the dueties inioined vnto the Tartarian women, and of their labours, and also of their mariages. Chap. 9.

The duties of women are, to driue carts: to lay their houses vpon carts and to take them downe again: to milke kine: to make b.u.t.ter and Gry-vt: to dresse skins and to sow them, which they vsually sowe with thread made of sinewes, for they diuide sinewes into slender threads, and then twine them into one long thread. They make sandals and socks and other garments.

Howbeit they neuer wash any apparel: for they say that G.o.d is then angry, and that dreadful thunder wil ensue, if washed garments be hanged forth to drie: yea, they beat such as wash and take their garments from them. They are wonderfully afraid of thunder: for in the time of thunder they thrust all strangers, out of their houses, and then wrapping themselues in black felt, they lie hidden therein, til the thunder be ouerpast. They neuer wash their dishes or bowles: yea, when their flesh is sodden, they wash the platter wherein it must be put, with scalding hot broth out of the pot, and then powre the said broth into the pot againe. They make felte also, and couer their houses therewith. The duties of the men are to make bowes and arrowes, stirrops, bridles and saddles, to build houses and carts, to keep horses, to milke, mares, to churne Cosmos and mares milke, and to make bags wherein to put it, they keepe camels also and lay burthens vpon them. As for sheepe and goates they tend and milke them, aswell the men as the women. With sheeps milke thicked and salted they dresse and tan their hides. When they wil wash their hands or their heads, they fil their mouthes full of water, and spouting it into their hands by little and little, they sprinckle their haire and wash their heades therwith.

[Footnote: The same custom still exists amongst the inhabitants of the Lena Delta] As touching mariages, your Highnes is to vnderstand, that no man can haue a wife among them till he hath bought her whereupon somtimes their maids are very stale before they be maried, for their parents alwaies keepe them till they can sel them. They keepe the first and second degrees of consanguinitie inuiolable, as we do but they haue no regard of the degrees of affinity: for they wil marrie together, or by succession, two sisters.

Their widowes marie not at al, for this reason: because they beleeue, that al who haue serued them in this life, shall do them seruice in the life to come also. Whereupon they are perswaded, that euery widow after death shal returne vnto her own husband. And herehence ariseth an abominable and filthy custome among them, namely that the sonne marieth somtimes all his fathers wiues except his own mother: For the court or house of the father or mother falleth by inheritance alwaies to the yonger son. Whereupon he is to prouide for all his fathers wiues, because they are part of his inheritance aswel as his fathers possessions. And then if he will he vseth then for his owne wiues: for he thinks it no iniurie or disparagement vnto himselfe, although they returne vnto his father after death. Therfore when any man hath bargained with another for a maid, the father of the said damosel makes him a feast: in the meane while she fleeth vnto some of her kinsfolks to hide her selfe. Then saith her father vnto the bridegrome: Loe, my daughter is yours, take her whersoeuer you can find her. Then he and his friends seek for her till they can find her, and hauing found her hee must take her by force and cary her, as it were, violently vnto his owne house.

De iusticijs eorum et iudicijs, et de morte ac sepultura eorum. Cap. 10.

De iusticijs eorum nouentis, quod quando duo homines pugnant, nemo audet se intermittere. Etiam pater non audet iuuare filium. Sed qui peiorem partem habet, appellat ad curiam domini. Et si alius post appellationem tangat eum, interficitur. Sed oportet quod statim absque dilatione vadat: Et ille qui pa.s.sus est iniuriam ducit eum quasi captiuum. Neminem puniunt capitali sententia, nisi deprehensus fuerit in facto, vel confessus. Sed quum diffamatus est a pluribus, bene torquent eum, vt confiteatur. Homicidium puniunt capitali sententia, et etiam coitum c.u.m non sua. Non suam dico vel vxorem vel famulam: Sua enim sclaua licet vti prout libet. Item enorme furtum puniunt morte. Pro leui furto, sicut pro vno ariete, dummodo non fuerit saepe deprehensus in hoc, verberant crudeliter. Et si dant centum ictus oportet quod habeant centum baculos, de illis dico, qui verberantur sententia curiae. Item falsos nuncios, quia faciunt se nuncios et non sunt, interficiunt. Item sacrilegas, de quibus dicam vobis postea plenius, quia tales reputant veneficas. Quando aliquis moritur plangunt vehementer vlulando: et tunc sunt liberi quod non dant vectigal vsque ad annum. Et si quis interest morti alicuius adulti non ingreditur domum ipsius Mangucham vsque ad annum. Si paruulus est qui moritur, non ingreditur vsque post lunationem. Iuxta sepulturam defuncti semper relinquunt domum vnam. Si est de n.o.bilibus, hoc est de genere Chingis, qui fuit primus pater et domimis eorum, illius qui moritur ignoratur sepultura: et semper circa loca illa vbi sepeliunt n.o.biles suos est vna herbergia hominum custodientium sepulturas. Non intellexi quod ipsi recondunt thesaurum c.u.m mortuis. Comani faciunt magnum tumulum super defunctum et erigunt ei statuam versa facie ad orientem, tenentem ciphum in manu sua ante vmbelic.u.m; fabricant et diuitibus pyramides, id est domunculas acutas: et alicubi vidi magnas turres de tegulis coctis: alicubi lapideas domos, quamuis lapides non inueniantur ibi. Vidi quendam nouiter defunctum, cui suspenderant pelles s.e.xdecem equorum, ad quodlibet latus mundi quatuor inter perticas altas: et apposuerunt ei cosmos vt biberet, et carnes vt comederet: et tamen dicebant de illo quod fuerat baptizatus. Alias vidi sepulturas versus orientem.

Areas scilicet magnas structas lapidibus, aliquas rotundas, aliquas quadratas, et postea quatuor lapides longos erectos ad quatuor regiones mundi circa aream. Et vbi aliquis infirmatur cubat in lecto et ponit signum super domum suam, quod ibi est infirmus, et quod nullus ingrediatur: vnde nullus visitat infirmum nisi seruiens eius. Quando etiam aliquis de magnis curijs infirmatur, ponunt custodes longe circa curiam, qui infra illos terminos neminem permittunt transire: timent enim ne mali spiritus vel ventus veniant c.u.m ingredientibus. Ipsos diuinatores vocant tanquam sacerdotes suos.

The same in English.

Of their execution of iustice and iudgement: and of their deaths and burials. Chap. 10.

Concerning their lawes or their execution of iustice, your Maiesty is to be aduertised, and when two men fight, no third man dare intrude himself to part them. Yea, the father dare not help his owne sonne. But he that goes by the worst must appeale vnto the court of his lord. And whosoeuer els offereth him any violence after appeale, is put to death. But he must go presently without all delay: and he that hath suffered the iniury, carieth him, as it were captiue. They punish no man with sentence of death, vnles hee bee taken in the deede doing, or confesseth the same. But being accused by the mult.i.tude, they put him vnto extreame torture to make him confesse the trueth. They punish murther with death, and carnall copulation also with any other besides his owne. By his own, I meane his wife or his maid seruant, for he may vse his slaue as he listeth himself. Heinous theft also or felony they punish with death. For a light theft, as namely for stealing of a ram, the party (not being apprehended in the deed doing, but otherwise detected) is cruelly beaten. And if the executioner laies on an 100.

strokes, he must haue an 100. staues, namely for such as are beaten vpon sentence giuen in the court. Also counterfeit messengers, because they feine themselues to be messengers, when as indeed they are none at all, they punish with death. Sacrilegious persons they vse in like manner (of which kind of malefactors your Maiesty shall vnderstand more fully hereafter) because they esteeme such to be witches. When any man dieth, they lament and howle most pitifully for him: and the said mourners are free from paying any tribute for one whole yeare after. Also whosoeuer is present at the house where any one growen to mans estate lieth dead, he must not enter into the court of Mangu-Can til one whole yere be expired.

If it were a child deceased he must not enter into the said court til the next moneth after. Neere vnto the graue of the partie deceased they alwaies leaue one cottage. If any of their n.o.bles (being of the stock of Chingis, who was their first lord and father) deceaseth, his sepulcher is vnknowen.

And alwayes about those places where they interre their n.o.bles, there is one house of men to keep the sepulchers. I could not learn that they vse to hide treasures in the graues of their dead. The Comanians build a great toomb ouer their dead, and erect the image of the dead party thereupon, with his face towards the East, holding a drinking cup in his hand, before his nauel. They erect also vpon the monuments of rich men, Pyramides, that is to say, little sharpe houses or pinacles: and in some places I saw mighty towers made of brick, in other places Pyramides made of stones, albeit there are no stones to be found thereabout. I saw one newly buried, in whose behalfe they hanged vp 16. horse hides, vnto each quarter of the world 4, betweene certain high posts: and they set besides his graue Cosmos for him to drink, and flesh to eat: and yet they sayd that he was baptized.

I beheld other kinds of sepulchers also towards the East: namely large flowres or pauements made of stone, some round and some square, and then 4.

long stones pitched vpright, about the said pauement towards the 4. regions of the world. When any man is sicke, he lieth in his bed, and causeth a signe to be set vpon his house, to signifie that there lieth a sicke person there, to the end that no man may enter into the sayd house: whereupon none at all visit any sicke party but his seruant only. Moreouer, when any one is sicke in their great courts, they appoint watchmen to stand round about the said court, who wil not suffer any person to enter within the precincts thereof. For they feare least euill spirits or winds should come together with the parties that enter in. They esteeme of soothsayers, as of their priests.

Qualiter ingressi sunt inter Tartaros, et de ingrat.i.tudine eorum. Cap. 11.

Quando ergo ingressi sumus inter illos barbaros, visum fuit mihi, vt dixi superius, quod ingrederer aliud seculum. Circ.u.mdederunt enim nos in equis postquam diu fecerant nos expectare sedentes in vmbra sub bigis nigris.

Prima quaestio fuit, vtrum vnquam fuissemus inter eos; habito quod non: inceperunt impudenter petere de cibarijs nostris, et dedimus de pane biscocto et vino quod attuleramus n.o.bisc.u.m de villa: et potata vna lagena vini, petierunt aliam, dicentes, quod h.o.m.o non ingreditur domum vno pede; non dedimus eis, excusantes nos quod parem haberemus Tunc quaesiuerunt vnde veniremus, et quo vellemus ire; dixi eis superiora verba, quod audieramus de Sartach, quod esset Christia.n.u.s, et quod vellem ire ad eum, quia habebam deferre ei literas vestras. Ipsi diligenter quaesiuerunt, vtrum irem de mea voluntate, vel vtrum mitterer. Ego respondi quod nemo coegit me ad eundum, nec iuissem nisi voluissem: vnde de mea voluntate ibam, et etiam de voluntate superioris me. Bene caui, quod nunquam dixi, me esse nuncium vestrum. Tunc quaesiuerunt quid esset in bigis, vtrum esset aurum vel argentum, vel vestes preciosae, quas deferrem Sartach. Ego respondi, quod Sartach videret quid deferremus ei quando perueniremus ad eum; et quod non intererat eorum ista quaerere: sed facerent me deduci vsque ad capitaneum suum, et ipse si vellet mihi praebere ducatum vsque ad Sartach faceret: sin minus, reuerterer. Erat enim in illa prouincia vnus consanguineus Baatu, nomine Scacatai, cui dominus imperator Constantinopolita.n.u.s mittebat literas deprecatorias, quod me permitteret transire. Tunc ipsi acquieuerunt, praebentes n.o.bis equos et boues et duos homines, qui deducerent nos. Et alij qui adduxerant nos sunt reuersi. Prius tamen antequam praedicta darent, fecerunt nos diu expectare petentes de pane nostro pro paruulis suis: Et omnia quae videbant super famulos nostros, cultellos, chirothecas, bursas, corrigias, omnia admirantes et volentes habere. Excusabam me, quia longa n.o.bis restabat via, nec debebamus ita cito spoliare nos rebus necessarijs ad tantam viam perficiendam. Tunc dicebant quod essem batrator. Verum est quod nihil abstulerint vi: Sed valde importune et impudenter petunt quae vident. Et si dat h.o.m.o eis perdit, quia sunt ingrati. Reputant se dominos mundi, et videtur eis, quod nihil debeat eis negari ab aliquo. Si non dat, et postea indigeat seruicio eorum, male ministrant ei. Dederunt n.o.bis bibere de lacte suo vaccino, a quo contractom erat butirum, acetoso valde, quod ipsi vocant Apram et sic recessimus ab eis. Et visum fuit mihi recte, quod euadissem de manibus daemonum. In crastino peruenimus ad capitaneum. Ex quo recessimus a Soldaia vsque ad Sartach in duobus mensibus nunquam iacuimus in domo nec in tentorio, sed semper sub dio, vel sub bigis nostris, nec vidimus aliquam villam, vel vestigium alicuius aedificij vbi fuisset villa, nisi tumbas Comanorum in maxima mult.i.tudine. Illo sero dedit n.o.bis garcio qui ducebat nos bibere cosmos; ad cuius haustum totus sudaui propter horrorem et nouitatem, quia nunquam biberam de eo; valde tamen sapidum videbatur mihi, sicut vere est.

The same in English.

Of our first entrance among the Tartars, and of their ingrat.i.tude. Chap.

11.

And being come amongst those barbarous people, me thought (as I said before) that I was entred into a new world: for they came flocking about vs on horse back, after they had made vs a long time to awaite for them sitting in the shadow, vnder their black carts. The first question which they demanded was whether we had euer bin with them heretofore, or no? And giuing them answere that we had not, they began impudently to beg our victuals from vs. And we gaue them some of our bisket and wine, which we had brought with vs from the towne of Soldaia. And hauing drunke off one flagon of our wine they demanded another, saying, that a man goeth not into the house with one foote. Howbeit we gaue them no more, excusing our selues that we had but a litle. Then they asked vs, whence we came, and whither we were bound? I answered them with the words aboue mentioned: that we had heard concerning duke Sartach, that he was become a Christian, and that vnto him our determination was to trauel, hauing your Maiesties letters to deliuer vnto him. They were very inquisitiue to know whether I came of mine own accord, or whether I were sent? I answered that no man compelled me to come, neither had I come, vnles I my selfe had bin willing: and that therefore I was come according to mine own wil, and to the will of my superior. I tooke diligent heed neuer to say that I was your Maiesties amba.s.sador. Then they asked what I had in my carts; whether it were gold or siluer, or rich garments to carie vnto Sartach? I answered that Sartach should see what we had brought, when we were once come vnto him, and that they had nothing to do to aske such questions, but rather ought to conduct me vnto their captaine, and that he, if he thought good, should cause me to be directed vnto Sartach: if not, that I would returne. For there was in the same prouince one of Baatu his kinsmen called Scacati, vnto whom my lord the Emperor of Constantinople had written letters of request to suffer me to pa.s.se through his territory. With this answere of ours they were satisfied, giuing vs horses and oxen, and two men to conduct vs. Howbeit before they would allow vs the foresayd neccessaries for our iorney, they made vs to awayt a long whyle, begging our bread for their yong brats, wondering at all things which they sawe about our seruants, as their kniues, gloues, purses, and points, and desiring to haue them. I excused my self that we had a long way to trauel, and that we must in no wise so soon depriue our selues of things necessary, to finish so long a iourney. Then they said that I was a very varlet. True it is, that they tooke nothing by force from me: howbeit they will beg that which they see very importunatly and shamelesly. And if a man bestow ought vpon them, it is but cost lost, for they are thankles wretches. They esteeme themselues lords and think that nothing should be denied them by any man. If a man giues them nought, and afterward stands in neede of their seruice, they will do right nought for him. They gaue vs of their cowes milke to drink after that b.u.t.ter was cherned out of it, being very sower, which they cal Apram. And so we departed from them. And in very deed it seemed to me that we were escaped out of the hands of diuels. On the morrow we were come vnto the captain.

From the time wherin we departed from Soldaia, till we arriued at the court of Sartach, which was the s.p.a.ce of two moneths, we neuer lay in house or tent, but alwaies vnder the starry canopy, and in the open aire, or vnder our carts. Neither yet saw we any village, nor any mention of building where a village had bin, but the graues of the Comanians in great abundance. The same euening our guide which had conducted vs, gaue vs some Cosmos. After I had drunke thereof I sweat most extreamly for the nouelty and strangenes, because I neuer dranke of it before. Notwithstanding me thought it was very sauory, as indeed it was.

De curia Scacatay, et quod Christiani non bibunt cosmos. Cap. 12.

Mane ergo obuiauimus bigis Scacatay onustis domibus. Et videbatur mihi quod obuiaret mihi ciuitas magna. Mirabar etiam super mult.i.tudine armentorum boum et equorum et gregum ouium: paucos videbam homines qui ista gubernarent; vnde inquisiui quot homines haberet sub se? et dictum fuit mihi, quod non plusquam quingentos, quorum medietatem transiueramus in alia herbergia. Tunc incepit mihi dicere garcio qui ducebat nos, quod aliquid oporteret Scacatay dare: et ipse fecit nos stare, et praecessit nuncians aduentum nostrum. Iam erat hora plusquam tertia, et deposuerunt domos suas iuxta quondam aquam. Et venit ad nos interpres ipsius, qui statim cognito, quod nunquam fueramus inter illos, poposcit de cibis nostris, et dedimus ei, poscebat etiam vestimentum aliquod, quia dicturas erat verb.u.m nostrum ante dominum suum. Excusauimus nos. Quaesiuit quid portaremus domino suo?

Accepimus vnum flasconem de vino, et impleuimus vnum veringal de biscocto et platellum vnum de pomis et aliis fructibus. Sed non placebat ei, quia non ferebamos aliquem pannum pretiosum. Sic tamen ingressi sumus c.u.m timore et verecundia. Sedebat ipse in lecto suo tenens citharulam in manu, et vxor sua iuxta eum: de qua credebam in veritate, quod amputa.s.set sibi nasum inter oculos vt simior esset: nihil enim habebat ibi de naso, et vnxerat loc.u.m ilium quodam vnguento nigro, et etiam supercilia: quod erat turp.i.s.simum in oculis nostris. Tunc dixi ei verba supradicta. [Sidenote: Nota diligenter.] Vbique enim aportebat nos dicere idem verb.u.m. Super hoc enim eramus bene praemoniti ab illis qui fuerant inter illos, quod nunquam mutaremus verba nostra. Rogaui etiam eum vt dignaretur accipere munusculum de manu nostra, excusans me, quia monachus eram, nec erat ordinis nostri possidere aurum, vel argentum, vel vestes preciosas. Vnde non habebam aliquid talium, quod possem ei dare: sed de cibis nostris acciperet pro benedictione. Tunc fecit recipi, et distribuit statim hominibus suis qui conuenerant ad potandum. Dedi etiam ei literas Imperatoris Constantinopolitani: (Hoc fuit in octauis ascensionis). Qui statim eas Soldaiam misit vt ibi interpretarentur: quia erant in Graeco, nec habebat sec.u.m qui sciret literas Graecas. Quaesiuit etiam a n.o.bis, si vellemus bibere cosmos, hoc est, lac iumentinum. Christiani enim Ruteni, Graeci, et Alani, qui sunt inter eos, qui volunt stricte custodire legem suam, non bibunt illud: Imo non reputant se Christianos postquam biberunt. Et sacerdotes eorum reconciliant eos, tanquam nega.s.sent fidem Christianam. Ego respondi, quod habebamus adhuc sufficienter ad bibendum: et c.u.m ille potus deficeret n.o.bis, oporteret nos bibere illud, quod daretur n.o.bis. Quaesiuit etiam quid contineretur in literis nostris, quas mittebatis Sartach. Dixi quod clausae erant bullae nostrae; et quod non erant in eis nisi bona verba et amicabilia.

Quaesiuit et quae verba diceremus Sartach? Respondi, Verba fidei Christianae.

Quaesiuit quae? Quia libenter vellet audire. Tunc exposui ei prout potui per interpretem meum, qui nullius erat ingenij, nec alicuius eloquentiae, symbolum fidei. Quo audito, ipse tacuit et mouit caput. Tunc a.s.signauit n.o.bis duos homines, qui nos custodirent, et equos et boues: et fecit nos bigare sec.u.m, donec reuerteretur nuncius, quem ipse miserat pro interpretatione, literarum imperatoris; et iuimus c.u.m eo vsque in crastinum Pentecostes.

The same in English.

Of the court of Scacatai: and how the Christians drinke no Cosmos. Chap.

12.

On the morrowe after we met with the cartes of Scacatai laden with houses, and me thought that a mighty citie came to meete me. I wondered also at the great mult.i.tude of huge droues of oxen, and horses, and at the flockes of sheepe. I could see but a fewe men that guided all these matters: whereupon I inquired how many men he had vnder him, and they told me that he had not aboue 500. in all, the one halfe of which number we were come past, as they lay in another lodging. Then the seruant which was our guide told me, that I must present somwhat vnto Scacatay: and so he caused vs to stay, going himselfe before to giue notice of our comming. By this time it was past three of the clocke, and they vnladed their houses nere vnto a certain water: And there came vnto vs his interpreter, who being aduertised by vs that wee were neuer there before, demanded some of our victuals, and we yeelded vnto his request. Also he required of vs some garment for a reward, because he was to interpret our sayings vnto his master. Howbeit we excused our selues as well as wee could. Then he asked vs, what we would present vnto his Lord? And we tooke a flagon of wine, and filled a maund with bisket, and a platter with apples and other fruits. But he was not contented therewith, because we brought him not some rich garment.

Notwithstanding we entred so into his presence with feare and bashfulnes.

He sate vpon his bed holding a citron in his hand, and his wife sate by him: who (as I verily thinke) had cut and pared her nose betweene the eyes, that she might seeme to be more flat and saddle-nosed: for she had left her selfe no nose at all in that place, hauing annointed the very same place with a black ointment, and her eye browes also: which sight seemed most vgly in our eies. Then I rehea.r.s.ed vnto him the same wordes, which I had spoken in other places before. For it stoode vs in hand to vse one and the same speech in all places. [Sidenote: A caueat right worthy the noting.]

For we were wel forewarned of this circ.u.mstance by some which had been amongst the Tartars, that we should neuer varie in our tale. Then I besought him, that he would vochsafe to accept that small gifte at our hands, excusing my selfe that I was a Monke, and that it was against our profession to possesse gold, or siluer, or precious garments, and therefore that I had not any such thing to giue him, howbeit he should receiue some part of our victuals instead of a blessing. Hereupon he caused our present to be receiued, and immediately distributed the same among his men, who were mette together for the same purpose, to drinke and make merrie. I deliuered also vnto him the Emperor of Constantinople his letters (this was eight dayes after the feast of Ascension) who sent them forthwith to Soldaia to haue them interpreted there: for they were written in Greeke, and he had none about him that was skilfulle in the Greeke tongue. He asked vs also whether we would drink any Cosmos, that is to say mares milke? (For those that are Christians among them, as namely the Russians, Grecians, and Alanians, who keep their own law very strictly, wil in no case drinke thereof, yea, they accompt themselues no Christians after they haue once drunke of it, and their priests reconcile them vnto the Church as if they had renounced the Christian faith.) I gaue him answere, that we had as yet sufficient of our owne to drinke, and that when our drinke failed vs, we must be constrained to drink such as should be giuen vnto vs. He enquired also what was contained in our letters, which your Maiestie sent vnto Sartach? I answered: that they were sealed vp, and that there was nothing conteined in them, but good and friendly wordes. And he asked what wordes wee would deliuer vnto Sartach? I answered: the words of Christian faith.

He asked again what these words were? For he was very desirous to heare them. Then I expounded vnto him as well as I could, by mine interpretor, (who had no wit nor any vtterance of speech) the Apostles creed. Which after he had heard, holding his peace, he shooke his head. Then hee a.s.signed vnto vs two men, who shoulde giue attendance vpon our selues, vpon our horses, and vpon our Oxen. And hee caused vs to ride in his companie, till the messenger whome hee had sent for the interpretation of the Emperours letters, was returned. And so wee traueiled in his companie till the morowe after Pentecost.

Qualiter Alani venerunt ad eos in vigilia pentecostes. Cap. 13.

In vigilia Pentecostes venerunt ad nos quidam Alani, qui ibi dic.u.n.tur [Marginal note: Vel Akas.] Acias, Christiani secundum ritum Graecorum; habentes literas Graecas et sacerdotes Graecos: tamen non sunt schismatici sicut Graeci; sed sine acceptione personarum venerantur omnem Christianum: et detulerunt n.o.bis carnes coctas, rogantes vt comedremus de cibo eorum, et oraremus pro quodam defuncto eorum. Tunc dixi quod vigilia erat tantae solennitatis, quod illa die non comederemus carnes. Et exposui eis de solennitate, super quo fuerunt multum gauisi; quia omnia ignorabant quae spectant ad ritum Christianum, solo nomine Christi excepto. Quaesiuerunt et ipsi et alij multi Christiani, Ruteni et Hungari, vtrum possent saluari, quia oportebat eos bibere cosmos, et comedere morticinia et interfecta a Saracenis et alijs infidelibus: quae etiam ipsi Graeci et Ruteni sacerdotes reputant quasi morticinia vel idolis immolata: quia ignorabant tempora ieiunij: nec poterant custodire etiam si cognouissent. Tunc rectificabar eos prout potui, docens et confortans in fide. Carnes quas detulerant reseruauimus vsque ad diem festum: nihil enim inueniebamus venale pro auro et argento, nisi pro telis et alijs [Marginal note: Nota diligentissime.]

pannis: et illos non habebamus. Quum famuli nostri offerebant eis ipperpera, ipsi fricabant digitis, et ponebant ad nares, vt odore, sentirent, vtrum essent cuprum. Nec dabant n.o.bis cib.u.m nisi lac vaccinum acre valde et foetidum. Vinum iam deficiebat n.o.bis. Aqua ita turbabatur ab equis, quod non erat potabilis. Nisi fuisset biscoctum quod habebamus, et gratia Dei, forte fuissemus mortui.

The same in English.

Howe the Alanians came vnto vs on Pentecost or Whitson euen. Chap. 13.

Vpon the euen of Pentecost, there came vnto vs certaine Alanians, wno are called [Marginal note: Or Akas.] Acias, being Christians after the maner of the Grecians, vsing greeke bookes and Grecian priests: howbeit they are not schismatiques as the Grecians are, but without acception of persons, they honour al Christians. And they brought vnto vs sodden flesh, requesting vs to eat of their meat, and to pray for one of their company being dead. Then I sayd, because it was the euen of so great and so solemne a feast day, that we would not eate any flesh for that time. And I expounded vnto them the solemnitie of the sayd feast, whereat they greatly reioyced: for they were ignorant of all things appertayning to Christian religion, except only the name of Christ. They and many other Christians, both Russians, and Hungarians demanded of vs, whether they might be saued or no, because they were constrained to drinke Cosmos, and to eate the dead carkases of such things, as were slaine by the Saracens, and other infidels? Which euen the Greeke and Russian priests themselues also esteeme as things strangled or offered vnto idoles: because they were ignorant of the times of fasting, neither could they haue obserued them albeit they had knowen them. Then instructed I them as well as I could and strengthened them in the faith. As for the flesh which they had brought we reserued it vntill the feast day.

[Sidenote: Cloth is the chiefe marchandise in Tartarie.] For there was nothing to be sold among the Tartars for gold and siluer, but only for cloth and garments of the which kind of marchandise wee had none at all.

When our seruants offered them any coine called Yperpera, they rubbed it with their fingers, and put it vnto their noses, to try by the smell whether it were copper or no. Neither did they allow vs any foode but cowes milke onely which was very sowre and filthy. There was one thing most necessary greatly wanting vnto vs. For the water was so foule and muddy by reason of their horses, that it was not meete to be drunk. And but for certaine bisket, which was by the goodnes of G.o.d remaining vnto vs, we had vndoubtedly perished.

De Saraceno qui dixit se velle baptizari, et de hominibus qui apparent leprosi. Cap. 14.

In die pentecostes venit ad nos quidam Saracenus, qui c.u.m loqueretur n.o.bisc.u.m, incepimus exponere fidem. Qui audiens beneficia Dei exhibita humano generi in incarnatione Christi, et resurrectionem mortuorum, et indicium futurum, et quod ablutio peccatorum esset in baptismo: dixit se velle baptizari. Et c.u.m pararemus nos ad baptizandum eum, ipse subito ascendit equum suum, dicens se iturum domum et habiturum consilium c.u.m vxore sua. Qui in crastino loquens n.o.bisc.u.m, dixit quod nullo modo auderet accipere baptisma, quia tunc non biberet cosmos. Christiani enim illius loci hoc dicebant, quod nullus verus Christia.n.u.s deberet bibere: et sine potu illo non posset viuere in solitudine illa. A qua opinione nullo modo potui diuertere illum. Vnde noueritis pro certo quod multum elongantur a fide propter illam opinionem quae iam viguit inter illos per Rutenos, quorum maxima mult.i.tude est inter eos. Illa die dedit n.o.bis ille capitaneus vnum hominem, qui nos deduceret vsque ad Sartach et duos qui ducerent nos vsque ad proximam herbergiam; quae inde distabat quinque dietas prout boues poterant ire. Dederunt etiam n.o.bis vnam capram pro cibo et plures vtres lactis vaccini, et de cosmos parum: quia illud preciosum est inter illos.

Et sic arripientes iter recte in aquilonem, visum fuit mihi quod vnam portam inferni transissemus. Garciones qui ducebant nos, incipiebant n.o.bis audacter furari, quia videbant nos parum cautos. Tandem amissis pluribus vexatio dabat n.o.bis intellectum Peruenimus tandem ad extremitatem illius prouincae, quae clauditur vno fossato ab vno mari vsque ad aliud: extra quam erat herbergia eorum apud quos intra.s.semus: videbantur n.o.bis leprosi omnes: [Sidenote: Salinae.] quia erant viles homines ibi collocati, vt reciperent tributum ab accipientibus sal a salinis superius dictis. Ab illo loco, vt dicebant, oportebat nos ambulare quindecim diebus, quibus non inueniremus populum. c.u.m illis bibimus cosmos: et dedimus illis vnum veringal plenum fructibus et panem biscoctum. [Sidenote: Decem dietae.] Qui dederunt n.o.bis octo boues, vnam captram pro tanto itinere, et nescio quot vtres plenos lacte vaccino. Sic mutatis bobus arripuimus iter, quod perfecimus decem diebus vsque ad aliam herbergiam: nec inuenimus aquam in ilia via nisi in fossis in conuallibus factis, exceptis duobus paruis fluminibus. Et tendebamus recte in orientem ex quo exiuimus praedictam prouinciam Gasariae, habentes mare ad meridiem et vastam solitudinem ad aquilonem: quae durat per viginti dietas alicubi in lat.i.tudine; In qua nulla est sylua, nullus mons, nullus lapis. Herba est optima. In hac solebant pascere Comani, qui dic.u.n.tur Capchat. A Teutonicis ver dic.u.n.tur Valani, et prouincia Valania.

Ab Isidoro vero dicitur a flumine Tanai vsque ad paludes Meotidis et Danubium Alania. Et durat ista terra in longitudine a Danubio vsque Tanaim; qui est terminus Asiae; et Europae, itinere duorum mensium velociter equitando prout equitant Tartari: [Sidenote: Comania longitudo.] Quae tota inhabitabatur a Comanis Capchat, et etiam vltra a Tanai vsque [Marginal note: Etilia quae et Volga flumen.] Etiliam: Inter quae flumina sunt decem diete magnae. [Sidenote: Russia.] Ad aquilonem ver istius prouinciae iacet Russia, quae vbique syluas habet, et protenditur a Polonia et Hungaria vsque Tanaim: quae tota vastata est a Tartaris, et adhuc quotidie vastatur.

Praeponunt enim Rutenis, quia sunt Christiani, Saracenos: et c.u.m non possunt amplius dare aurum vel argentum, duc.u.n.t eos et paruulos eorum tanquam greges ad solitudinem vt custodiant animalia eorum. [Sidenote: Prussia.]

Vltra Russiam ad aquilonem est Prussia, quam nuper subiugauerunt totam fratres Teutonici. Et certe de facili acquierent Russiam, si apponerent manum. Si enim Tartari audirent, quod magnus sacerdos, hoc est, Papa faceret cruce signari contra eos, omnes fugerunt ad solitudines suas.

The same in English.

Of a Saracen which said that he would be baptized: and of certaine men which seemed to be lepers. Chap. 14.

Vpon the day of Pentecost there came vnto vs a certain Saracen, vnto whome, as hee talked with vs, we expounded the Christian faith. Who (hearing of G.o.d's benefits exhibited vnto mankind by the incarnation of our Sauior Christ, and the resurrection of the dead, and the iudgement to come, and that in baptisme was a was.h.i.+ng away of sinnes) sayd that hee would be baptized. But when we prepared our selues to the baptising of him, he suddenly mounted on horsebacke, saying that he would goe home and consult with his wife what were best to be done. And on the morrow after he told vs, that he durst in no case receiue baptisme, because then he should drinke no more Cosmos. For the Christians of that place affirme that no true Christians ought to drinke thereof: and that without the said liquor he could not liue in that desert From which opinion, I could not for my life remoue him. Wherefore be it knowen of a certainty vnto your highnes, that they are much estranged from the Christian faith by reason of that opinion which hath bin broached and confirmed among them by the Russians, of whom there is a great mult.i.tude in that place. The same day Scacatay the captaine aforesayd gaue vs one man to conduct vs to Sartach, and two other to guide vs vnto the next lodging, which was distant from that place fiue dayes iourney for oxen to trauell. They gaue vnto vs also a goate for victuals, and a great many bladders of cowes milke, and but a little Cosmos, because it is of so great estimation among them. And so taking our iourney directly toward the North, me thought that wee had pa.s.sed through one of h.e.l.l gates. The seruants which conducted vs began to play the bold theeues with vs, seeing vs take so little heed vnto our selues. At length hauing lost much by their theeuery, harme taught vs wisdome. And then we came vnto the extremity of that prouince, which is fortified with a ditch from one sea vnto another: without the bounds wherof their lodging was situate. Into the which, so soone as we had entred, al the inhabitants there seemed vnto vs to be infected with leprosie: [Sidenote: Salt pits.]

for certain base fellowes were placed there to receiue tribute of al such as tooke salt out of the salt pits aforesaid. From that place they told vs that we must trauel fifteen daies iourney, before we shuld find any other people. With them wee dranke Cosmos, and gaue vnto them a basket full of fruites and of bisket. And they gaue vnto vs eight oxen and one goate, to sustaine vs in so great a iourney, and I knowe not how many bladders of milke. [Sidenote: Ten dayes iorney.] And so changing our oxen, we tooke our iourney which we finished in tenne dayes, arriuing at another lodging: neither found wee any water all that way, but onely in certane ditches made in the valleys, except two small riuers. And from the time wherein wee departed out of the foresaid prouince of Gasaria, we trauailed directly Eastward, hauing a Sea on the South side of vs, and a waste desert on the North, which desert, in some places, reacheth twenty dayes iourney in breadth, and there is neither tree, mountaine, nor stone therein. And it is most excellent pasture. Here the Comanians, which were called Capthac, were wont to feede their cattell. Howbeit by the Dutch men they are called Valani, and the prouince it selfe Valania. [Sidenote: The length of Comania.] But Isidore calleth all that tract of land stretching from the riuer of Tanais to the lake of Maeotis, and so along as farre as Danubius, the countrey of Alania. And the same land contunueth in length from Danubius vnto Tanais (which diuideth Asia from Europe) for the s.p.a.ce of two moneths iourney, albeit a man should ride poste as fast as the Tartars vse to ride: and it was all ouer inhabited by the Comanians, called Capthac: yea and beyond Tanais, as farre as the riuer Edil or Volga: the s.p.a.ce betweene the two which riuers is a great and long iourney to bee trauailed in ten dayes. [Sidenote: Russia.] To the North of the same prouince lieth Russia, which is full of wood in all places, and stretcheth from Polonia and Hungaria, euen to the riuer of Tanais: and it hath bene wasted all ouer by the Tartars, and as yet is daily wasted by them. They preferre the Saracens before the Russians, because they are Christians, and when they are able to giue them no more golde or siluer, they driue them and their children like flockes of sheepe into the wildernes, constraining them to keepe their cattell there. [Sidenote: Prussia.] Beyond Russia lieth the countrey of Prussia, which the Dutch knights of the order of Saint Maries hospitall of Ierusalem haue of late wholly conquered and subdued. And in very deede they might easily winne Russia, if they would put to their helping hand. For if the Tartars should but once know, that the great Priest, that is to say, the Pope did cause the ensigne of the crosse to bee displaied against them, they would flee all into their desert and solitarie places. [Footnote: There is some confusion in original edition, which I have here corrected.]

De tedijs quae patiebantur, et de sepultura Comanorum. Cap. 15.

Ibamus ergo versus orientem, nihil videntes nisi coelum et terram, et aliquando mare ad dextram, quod dicitur Mare Tanais, et etiam sepulturas Comanorum, quae apparebant n.o.bis a duabus leucis secundum quod solebant parentelae eorum sepeliri simul. Quam diu eramus in solitudine bene erat n.o.bis: qud taedium quod patiebar quum veniebamus ad mansiones eorum non possem exprimere verbis. Volebat enim dux noster, quod ad quoslibet capitaneos ingrederer c.u.m xenio: et ad hoc non sufficiebant expensae.

Quotidie enim eramus octo personae comedentes viatic.u.m nostrum exceptis seruientibus, qui omnes volebant comedere n.o.bisc.u.m. Nos enim eramus quinqui, et ipsi tres qui ducebant nos: duo ducentes bigas, et vnus iturus n.o.bisc.u.m vsque ad Sartach. Carnes quas dabant non sufficiebant; nec inueniebamus aliquid venale pro moneta. [Sidenote: Calor maximus ibi in aestate.] Et c.u.m sedebamus sub bigis notris pro vmbra, quia calor erat ibi maximus illo tempore, ipsi ita importune ingerebant se n.o.bis, quod conculcabant nos, volentes omnia nostra videre. Si arripiebat eos appet.i.tus purgandi ventrem, non elongabant se a n.o.bis, quam possit faba iactari. Imo iuxta nos colloquentes mutu faciebant immunditias suas: et multa alia faciebant quae erant supra modum taediosa. Super omnia grauabat me, quod c.u.m volebam dicere eis aliquod verb.u.m aedificationis, interpres meus dicebat, non facietis me praedicare: quia nescio talia verba dicere. Et verum dicebat. Ego enim perpendi postea, quum incepi aliquantulum intelligere idioma, quod quum dicebam vnum, ipse totum aliud dicebat, secundum quod ei occurrebat. Tunc videns periculum loquendi per ipsum, elegi magis facere.

[Sidenote: Tanais fluuius.] Ambulauimus ergo c.u.m magno labore de mansione in mansionem: ita quod paucis diebus ante festum beatae Mariae Magdalenae veni ad fluuium magnum Tanais: qui diuidit Asiam ab Europa, sicut Nilus fluuius aegypti, Asiam ab Africa. [Sidenote: Casale Rutenorum.] In illo loco quo applicuimus fecerunt Baatu et Sartach fieri quoddam casale de Rutenis in ripa orientali, qui transferant nuncios et mercatores c.u.m nauiculis. Ipsi transtulerunt nos primo et postea bigas ponentes vnam rotam in vna barca et aliam in alia, ligantes barcas ad inuicem; et sic remigantes transibant.