Armenia he lesser and of many things that there is made CHAP. 5. FIrst and formost I will beginne to declare of the Prouince of Armenia noting suche commodities as there is You shall vnderstand there be two Armenias the greater and the lesser In the lesser there is a King subiect to the Tartar and he dothe maynteyne the Countrey in peace and iustice In this Countrey be many Cities and Townes and greate abundance of all things In thys Countrey they take great pleasure and pastime in Hawking and Hunting as well of wilde beastes as of Fowles of all sortes In that Countrey be many infirmities by reason the ayre is yll there and for that cause the men of that Countrey that were wonte to be valiant and strong in armes bée turned nowe to be vile and giuen to ydlenesse and drunckennesse In this Prouince vpon the Sea side there is a Citie called Gloza wherevnto is greate trade of Merchandise and all Merchantes that doe traffique thither haue their Cellers and Warehouses in that Citie as well Venetians and Ianoueys and all other that do occupye into Leuant Of the Torchomanos in Armenia the lesser CHAP. 6. I Haue declared vnto you of Armenia the lesser and now I will shewe you of Torchomania whiche is a part of Armenia in the which ther be thrée maner of people the one called Torchomanos and those bée Mahomets and speake the Persian language and they liue in the Mountaynes and fieldes whereas they may find pasture for their Cattell for those people liue by the gaines of their Cattell There be very good Horses called Torchomani and good Mayles of great value The other or second maner of people be Armenians and Greekes and those dwell and liue togither and liue by occupations and trade of Merchandises There they doe make very goodly and rich Carpettes large and fayre as you shall finde in any place Also they worke there cloth of Crymson Silke and other goodly couloures The chiefest Cities in that Countrey be Chemo Isiree and Sebasto whereas Saint Blase was martired There be also many Townes of which I make no mention and they bée subiecte to the Tartar of the East and he setteth gouernoures there Of Armenia the greater and of the Arke of Noe. CHAP. 7. ARmenia the greater is a greate Prouince or Countrey In the beginning thereof is a greate Citie called Armenia where they doe make excellente Bochachims or Buckrams In this Citie be very good Bathes naturallye And this Countrey is subiect to the Tartar there is in it many Cities Townes and the most noble Citie is called Archinia which hath ioyning to it two prouinces the one called Archeten the other Arzire In this Citie is a Bishop The people of this Countrey in the sommer time bée in the pastures meddowes but in the winter they can not by reason of the great cold snow waters for then it is so colde the scant the cattell and beastes can liue there and for this cause they do driue their cattel into warmer places wher they haue grasse pleÌ„ty In this gret Armenia is the Arke of Noe on a high Mountain towards the South which doth ioyne to a Prouince towardes the East called Mausill And in that Prouince diuell Christians which be called Iacobites and Nestorians Heretikes of the which hereafter shall be spoken This Countrey towards the North doth ioyne vpon the Georgians of the whych shall be spoken in the next Chapter In this part towards the Georgians there is a well the water wherof is like oyle and is of great abundance quantitie that sometimes they lade .100 Ships with it And this oyle is not good to eate but for Lamps and Candles and to annoint Camels Horses and other beastes that be galled scabbie and haue other infirmities and for this cause it is fetched into diuers places Of the Georgians and of the Tovver and gate of yron CHAP. 8. IN Georgiania is a king called Nand Maliche which is as much to say as Dawnid and is subiect to the Tartar. The saying is that in the olde time the Kings of that Prouince were borne with a token or signe vnder their right shoulder In this Countrey the men be faire of body venterous valiant in armes and good archers and are Christians Gréekes mingled togither they go all with their heare like Priestes This is the Prouince that King Alexander could not passe wheÌ„ he woulde haue come towards the West parts bycause that wayes were dangerous narrow compassed on the one side with that Sea on the other side with high Mountaines that no Horse can passe or go for the space of four leagues for the way is so narrow stroÌ„g that a few meÌ„ be able to kéepe it against al the hostes of the world And K. Alexander perceiuing that by no meanes he coulde passe would likewise make prouision that the people of that Countrey might not passe to him And made there a greate strong Tower which is called the Tower and gate of yron In this Prouince of the Georgians be many Cities and townes there they do make great pleÌ„ty of cloth of gold of silke in great abundance for they haue greate plentie of silke And there doe bréede the goodlyest and best Hawkes in the world And the Countrey is plentifull of all things néedefull They liue there by the trade of Merchandise and by labour of the Countrey Through all this Countrey is greate Mountaynes and the way narrow and strong and many welles and for this cause the Tartars can neuer haue the vpper hand of them There is a Monastâ—rie of Monckes of the order of Saint Bernarde and hard by the Monasterie there is a water that descendeth from the Mountayne in the which they find no fishe but in Lent and then they do take it in greate plentie from the firste day of Lent till Easter euen The place is called Geluchelan and hath sixe hundred Miles compasse and it is from the Sea twelue dayes iourney and this water entreth into Euphrates whyche is one of the foure principall Riuers whiche come from Paradice terrenall and commeth out of India and is deuided into many branches and doth compasse those hilles From thence they bring a silke called Gella Now I haue declared vnto you the partes of Armenia which be towards the North and now I wil declare vnto you of others their neyboures which be towards the South and West Of the parties of Armenia tovvards the South and of the Kingdome of Mosull CHAP. 9. MOsull is a great Kingdome in the which dwell many generations of people called Arabies and all be of the secte of Mahomet although there be some Christians called Iacobites and Nestorians and these haue by themselues a Patriarke called Iacobia and he dothe institute Bishops Archbishops Abbots Priestes and other Religious men There is made cloth of gold and of silke which
be called by the name of the Kingdome Mosulinus and there is greate plentie and abundance of it and also greate plentie of spices and good cheape and of other Merchandise In the Mountaynes of this prouince dwell people calâ—ed Cordos and others called Iacobinos The rest be Moores of the sect of Mahomet and be good men of warre and be all rouers and robbers of Merchants Of Baldach and of many goodly things that be there CHAP. 10. BAldache is a very great Citie in the whych is resident one that is called Calipho whiche is among that Moores as it were chiefe gouernour head Through the middest of the Citie runneth a great Riuer and goeth into the Indian Sea. And there is from this Citie to the place where it entreth into the Sea. xviij dayes iourney From this Citie to the Sea and from the Sea to this Citie there dothe passe dayly by this Riuer in many and diuers vessels diuers kinds of Merchandise and they haue to their neyboure the India And in this Countrey is a Citie called Chisi By thiâ—â—iuer they goe to the Indian Sea. Betwéene Baldach and Chisi vppon the Riuer is a Citie called Barsera compassed with greate Mountaynes of Palmes and Date trées perfect good In Baldach they doe make cloth of golde of diuers sortes and cloth of silke called cloth of Nasich of Chrimson and of diuâ—rs other coloures and fashions There is great plentie of foure footed Beastes and of Fowles This Citie is one of the best and the noblest in the worlde There was in this Citie a Calipho of the Moores wonderfull and maruellous rich of gold and pretious stones And in the yeare of our Lorde God .1230 the King of the Tartars called Alan ioyned a greate company and went and sette vpon this Citie and toke it by force being in the Câ—tie one hundred thousande Horsemen besides infinite number of footemen And there he founde a great Tower full of golde siluer and pretious stones And King Alan séeing this great treasure maruelled much and sent for the Calipho and sayd vnto him I do much maruell of thy auarice that hauing so great treasure didst not giue parte of it to mainteyne valiant men that might defend me from thée knowing that I was thy mortall enimie And perceyuing the Calipho knewe not how to make him an answere said vnto him bycause thou louest this treasure so well I will thou shalte haue thy fill of it and caused him to be shut fast in the same Tower where he liued foure dayes and died miserably for hunger and from that time forwards the Moores woulde haue no more Caliphos in that Citie Of a Citie called Totis and of other notable things CHAP. 11. TOtis is a greate Citie of the Prouince or Countrey of Baldach in the whiche Prouince there be manye Cities and Townes but the most noblest is Totis The people of thys Citie bée Merchantes and hâ—ndycraftes men There they do make cloth of golde and of silke very riche and of greate value And this Citie is sette in so good a place that they doe bryng thyther all Merchandises of India and of Baldach and of Osmaseilli and of Cremes and of many other Cities and Countreys and also of the Latines There is greate plenty of pretious stones and for that cause the Merchants gette muche Thyther trade the Armenians Iacobiteâ— Nestorians Persians and these in a manner bée all Mahomets Rounde aboute this Citie be many fayre Gardens full of singular good frutes although the Moores that there doe dwell be very ill people robbers and killers Of a great miracle that hapned in Mosull CHAP. 12. IN Mosull a Citie in the Prouince of Baldach was a Calipho a great enimie of the Christians whose studie daye and night was how he might destroy them and to make them forsake their faith in Iesus Christ and vpon this ioyned in councell diuers times with hys wise men and in the ende one of them said I will tell you a way how you shal haue good cause to kill or force them to renounce their Faith. Iesus Christ sayth in hys Gospell If you haue so much Faith as the grayne of Mustard seede and saye to thys Mountayne passe from this place to another place it woulde do therefore cause to be called togither all the Christians and commaund them by their beléefe that such a hill doe passe from that place to suche a place truly it is not possible for them to doe it and not doing it you may iustly saye to them that eyther theyr Gospell dothe not saye truth and by that meanes they follow lyes or else they haue not so much Fayth as a grayne of Mustarde séede And thus as well for the one as for the other you maye iustly putte them to death or else force them to forsake theyr Fayth they holde This councell pleased well the Calipho and those of hys sect beléeuing that nowe they hadde good occasion to performe their euill purpose and incontinent he commaunded all the Chrystians that were in hys Countrey to come togither whiche was a great number and they being come before hym he cause theÌ„ to reade those Scriptures of Iesus christ And after that euery one of them had hearde it he asked them if they beléeued that these sayings were true and they answered yea IncoÌ„tinent said the Calipho to them I wil giue you fiftéene days respite to make either yoÌ„der hil to passe to such a place or else to renounce youre fayth in Iesus Christe as false and to turne Moores and if you will not doe this you shall all die And the Christians hearing this cruell sentence were sore troubled yet on the other part they comforted themselues with hope in the faith they had in the truth they beléeued And incontinent the Bishops and Prelates and Ministers that were among the Christians commaunded all the Christians men women and children to fall to continuall Prayer to oure Lorde Iesus Christ that he would helpe and councell them howe to rule and gouerne themselues in that greate trouble and néede And after eyght dayes were past appeared an Angell to a holy Bishop and commaunded him that he should say vnto a Shomaker that was a Christian that had but one onely eye that he should make Prayers to God the which for his fayth and Prayers shoulde make that hill remoue from his place into the place the Calipho had appoynted And incontinente the Bishop sente for that Shomaker and with great desire prayed him to make Prayers to oure Lord God that for hys mâ—rcie and pitie he woulde remoue that hill as the Calipho and Mâ—ores had appoynted The poore Shomâ—ker excused himselfe saying he was a greate Sinner and vnworthy to demaund that grace of God and this excuse he made with great humilitie like a iust and chast man full of vertue and holynesse and a kéeper of Gods commaundements deuoute and a great almes man according to his abilitie You shâ—ll vnderstande
very good for â—ll trauellers What is found in that Countrey CHAP. 18. DEparting from the foresayd Castell you shall come into â— very faire playne full of grâ—sse with all things in it fitte for mans sustenance And this playne dothe last â—ixe dayes iourney in the whiche there is manâ— fayre Cities and Townes The â—â—â—ple of that Countrey â—peake the Persian language and haue greate lacke of water and sometimes they shall fortune to go .40 miles and not finde water Therfore it shall be needefull for those that do trauell that way to carrie wâ—ter with them from placâ—â—o place And being past these sixe dayes iournâ—y there is a Citie called Sempergayme faire and pleasaunte with abundance of victuals There be excellenâ—e good Mellones and the best Hunters for wilde beastes and tâ—king of wilde Fowle that be in the world Of the Citie of Baldach and of many other things CHAP. 19. TRauelling forward in this Countrey you shall come to a Citie called Baldach in the whiche King Alexander married with the daughter of Darius king of the Persians This Citie is of the Kingdome of Persia they do tâ—â—re speake the Persian tong and be all of the sect of Mahomet And this Countrey dothe ioyne with the Tartar of the East betwéene the Northeast and the East And departing from this Citie towardes the Countreys of the said Tartar you shall goe two dayes iourney withoute finding any Towne bycause the people of that Countrey do couet to the strong Mountaynes bycause of the ill people that be there In that Countrey be many waters by reason whereof is greate plenty of wild Fowle and of wylde Beasts and there be manâ— Lions It is néedefull for the trauellers that way to carrie prouision with them that shall be néedefull for themselues and for their Horses those two dayes iourney And being past that you shall come to a Towne called Thaychan a pleasaunt place and well prouided of all vittayles néedefull and the hilles be towâ—rdes the South faire and large That prouince is .xxx. dayes iourney And there is great pleÌ„tie of salt that all the Cities and Townes thereaboutes haue their salt from thence Of that Countrey CHAâ— â–ª 20. DEparting from that towne and trauelling Northeast and to the East for the space of thrée dayes iourney you shall come to faire Cities and Townes well prouided and victuals and frutes in great abundance and these people do speake the Persian language and be Mahomets There be singular good wines and great drinkers and yll people They go bareheaded hauing a Towell knit aboutâ— their browes They weare nothing but skinnes that they do dresse Of the Citie Echasen CHAP. 12. AFter that you haue trauelled forwarde foure dayes iourney you shall come to a Citie called Echasen on a playne and there is not farre from it manie Cities and townes and great plentie of woods about it There goeth through the middest of this Citie a gret riuer There is in that countrie many wilde beastes and when they be disposed to take anye of them they will cast dartes and shootâ— them into the flancks and into the sides The people of that countrey doe speake the Persian tong and the husbandmen with their cattayle do liue in the fieldes and in the woods Of the manner of the Countrie CHAP. 22. DEparting from this Citie you shall trauayle thrée dayes iourney without comming to any towne or finding any victuals eyther to eate or drinke and for thys cause the trauellers do prouide themselues for the time at the end of these thrée days iourney you shal come to a prouince called Ballasia Of the prouince called Ballasia and of the commodities there CHAP. 23. BAllasia is a great prouince they do speake the Persian tong be Mahomets and it is a great kingdome and auncient There did raygne the successours of king Alexander and of Darius king of Persia. And their king is called Culturi which is as much to say as Alexander and is for remembraunce of the great king AlexaÌ„der In this countrey grow the precious stones called Ballasses of greate value And these stones you can not carrie out of the countrey without speciall licence of the king on pain of léesing life and goods And those that he doth let passe be eyther he doth forgiue tribute of some king or else that he doth sell and if they were not so straightlye kept they would be little worth there is such great plentie of them This countrie is very colde and there is found greate plenty of siluer there be very good coursers or horses that be neuer shod bycause they bréede in the mountaines and woods There is great plentie of wilde foule and greate plentie of corne and Mylâ— and Loliâ— In this kingdome be great woods narrow ways strong men and good Archers and for this cause they feare no bodie There is no cloth they apparell themselues with skinnes of beastes that they kil The women do weare wrapped aboute their bâ—dies likâ— the neather part of garments some an hundreth fathom some fourescore of linnen very fine and thinne mâ—de of flaxe and Cotton wool for to séeme great and fayre and they doe weare bréeches very fine of silke with Muske put in them Of the Prouince of Abassia vvhere the people be blacke CHAP. 24. AFter you be departed fâ—oÌ„ Ballasia eyght dayes iourney towards the South you haue a prouince calâ—ed Abassia whose people be blacke and do speake the Persian tong and doe worship Idolles There they do vse Negromancie The men do weare at their heares iewels of golde siluer and pretious stones They be malicious people and leacherous by reason of the great heate of that Countrey and they eate nothing but flesh and Rice Of the Prouince called Thassimur and of many things there CHAP. 25. WIthin the iurisdiction of this Countrey betwéene the East and the South there is a Prouince called Thassymur and the people do speake the Persian tong They be Idolaters and great Negromancers and do call to the Spirits and make them to speake in the Idols and do make their Temples séeme to moue They doe trouble the ayre and doe many other diuelish things From hence they may go to the Indian Sea. The people of that Countrey be blacke and leane and do eate nothing but flesh and Rice The Countrey is temperate In this Countrey be many Cities and Townes and rounde about many hilles and strong wayes to passe And for this cause they feare no body and their King dothe mainteyne them in peace and iustice There be also Hermitâ—s that do kéepe great abstinence in eating drinking And there be Monasteries and many Abbeys with Monkes very deuout in their Idolatrie and naughtinesse Of the saide prouince of Thassymur CHAP. 26. I Minde not now to passe further in this prouince for in passing of it I shâ—uld enter into the Indeas wherof for this time I wil not declare any thing but at the returne I wil
gette victuals by this meanes all are damned vnto Hell. To this banket there is conuited the maisters and ministers of the Idols the inchanters and women that serue in the temple of that Idoll And before they sitte downe to the Table they doe sprincle the broath aboute the house singing and daunsing in the honor of that Idoll And they doe aske the Idoll if he haue forgiuen the sicke man And sometimes the Féende aunswereth that there lacketh such or suche a thing whiche immediately they do prouide and when he answereth that he is pardoned then they do sitte downe to eate and to drinke that sacrifice which is drest with spices and this done they go vnto his house with great ioy If the paciente heale it is good for him but if he dye it is an euerlasting payne for him and if he recouer they do beléeue that the diuelishe Idol hath healed him and if he die they say that the cause of his deathe was for the greate offence that he had done vnto him and so they be lost as brute beasts in all that Countrey Of another Prouince named Machay where there be Vnicornes Elephants and wilde Beastes with many other strange things CHAP. 83. GOing from the Prouince of Charian you go downe a greate penet or hill whiche endureth two dayes iourney without any habitation sauing one towne where they doe kéepe holyday three dayes in the wéeke There they doe take a Sazo of golde for fyue of siluer And past these two dayes iourney you doe comâ— vnto the prouince named Machay whyche lyeth towardes the midde daye or South adioyning vnto the Indias and through this prouince you trauell fiftéene dayes iourney through deserte mountaines where there be many Elephants and other wilde beastes for that the countrey is not inhabited Also there is found Vnicornes When they wil take any Elephant the do compasse him with dogges and so they do hunt him that they make him wearie and so he is faine to rest for wearinesse and his resting is leaning vnto a great trée for that he hath no ioyntes in hys knées so that he can not lye downe nor rise vp The Masties dare not come neare him but barke at him aloofe the Elephante hath neuer his eye off those Masties and then those that be expert and hunt him hurle Dartes and to kil him In this countrey is much gold and silke Of a prouince named Cinguy and of the Citie named Cancasu CHAP. 84. BEyond this prouince Machay there is another prouince named Cinguy and trauelling foure dayes iourney in it you passe manye Cities and townes and at these four daies iournyes ende standeth a greate Citie named Cancasu being verye noble situated towards the mydday or South and this is of the streight of Cataya In thys Citie there is wroughte cloth of Golde and silke greate plentie Of the Citie named Cianglu CHAP. 85. FRom this Citie trauelling fiue dayes iourney you come vnto another Citie named Cianglu which is very noble and great situated towards the midday or south and it is of the streight of Cataya here is made greate plentie of salte and there runneth through this countrey a very great riuer that vp and down this riuer there trauell many ships with merchaundise Of the Citie named Candrafra and of the Citie named Singuymata CHAP. 86. SIxe dayes iourney beyonde the Citie named Cianglu towards the midday of south you come vnto a Citie named Candrafra the which had vnder it before the greate Cane did conquere it twelue Cities In the couÌ„tries aboute this Citie there be faire Gardens and good grounde for corne and silke and beyonde this Citie thrée dayes iourney towards the midday or south there standeth a fayre Citie named Singuymata which hath a great riuer that the Citizens made in two parts the one way runneth towards the east and the other towardes the Occident or Weast through Cataya and vppon this riuer there sayle shippes with Merchaundises in number incredible Of the Riuer Coromoran and of the Citie Choygamum and of another Citie named Cayni CHAP. 87. GOing from Singuymata seuentéen dayes iourney towards the midday or south you passe throughe manye Cities and townes in the whiche there is greate traffique of Merchaundise The people of this countrey are subiectes vnder the greate Cane Their language is Persian and they do honour Idols At the seauentéen dayes iourneys ende there is a greate riuer that commeth from the Countrey of Prester Iohn which is named Coromoran hauing a myle in bredth and it is so déepe that there may sayle any great vessel laden with Merchandise Vpon this riuer the great Cane hath fiftéene great ships for to passe his people vnto his Idols that are in the Occean seas euery shippe of these hath fiftéene horses and fiftéene mariners and al victuals necessarie Vpon this riuer there straÌ„deth two Cities one on the one side and the other one the other The biggest of them in named Choyganguy and the other Caycu and they be both a dayes iourney from the sea Of the noble prouince named Mangi and of many maruellous things that were there and how it was brought vnder the great Canes gouernaunce CHAP. 80. PAssing the saide riuer you enter into the prouince of Mangi where raigneth a king named Fucusur of more power and riches than any King in the worlde sauing the great Cane In this realme there be no men of warre nor horses for the wars for it is situated strongly in a place compassed rounde about with many waters And rounde about his Cities and townes there be verye déepe ditches and caues being brode and full of water The people of this countrey are giuen to féeblenâ—sse they do liue delicately if they were giuen to warres and feats of armes all the worlde could not conquere the prouince of Mangi This king of Mangi was very leacherous but hée had in himselfe two good properties the one was that he maintayned his realme in great iustice and peace that euery one remayned in his place and both day and nighte you myght traffique and trauell surely the other propertie was that he was verye pitifull and did greate almes vnto the poore and euerie yeare he brought vppe twentye poore striplings and he gaue them as sonnes and heires vnto his Barrons and knightes In his Courte he hadde alwayes tenne thousande Squires that serued hym It fortuned that in the yeare of our Lord .1267 Cublay Cane got perforce the countrey of Mangi and the sayde king of this prouince fledde with .1000 shippes vnto his Ilandes that were in the Occean Sea â–ª He lefte the principall Citie of his prouince Mangi named Gaissay vnder the guiding of his Quéene and when she knew that there was entred into hir land Baylayncon Can a Tartarous name which is as much to say in Englishe as a hundreth eyes a Captaine belonging to the greate Cane with a greate hoste and so without any resistance she submitted hir selfe with all hir
cattel and by reason the way is sandie their tracte is soone filled by reason whereof the théeues knowe not howe to follow in that Countrey Of a great deserte and of the Citie called Iob. CHAP. 36. DEparting from Ciarchan you shal trauayle fiue dayes iourney in sande and in the waye fresh and swéete waters and some saltish Being paste these fiue dayes iorney you shal finde a great desert and at the beginning of it a gret Citie called Iob betwéene the Northeast and the Easte They be vnder the obedience of the great Cane be Mahomets And they that wil passe this desert had néede to be in thys Citie a wéeke for to prouide them victuals and other necessaries for them and theyr horses for a moneth for in thys desert you shall finde nothing to eate or drinke and there be many sandie hils and greate After you be entred into it one dayes iourney you shall finde good water but after that neyther good nor badde nor beastes nor foules nor any thing to eate and trauelling that waye by nighte you shall heare in the ayre the sound of Tabers and other instruments to putte the trauellers in feare and to make them lose their way and to depart from their company and loose themselues and by that meanes many doâ— die being deceiued so by euill spirites that make these soundes and also do call diuerse of the trauellers by their names and make them to leaue their companye so that you shall passe this desert with great daunger Of the prouince of Tanguith and of the Citie Sangechian and of many straunge things there CHAP. 37. AFter you be passe the sayde thirtie dayes iourney by the deserte you shall come to a Citie called Sangechian subiect to the greate Cane And this prouince is called Tanguith in the whiche al be Idolaters sauing some be Christians Nestorians and some Mahomets The Idolaters speake the Persian tong and doe liue by the fruites of that Countrey There be among them manye Monasteries of the Idolaters wher with great deuotion they bring their children and with euerie of them a shéepe and do present to their Idols and euerie yeare they come with theyr children and make great reuerence to their Idols bryng with them their shéepe and kill them and séeth them and present them there before their Idols saying to them they must eate their meate the which they can not doe for they haue neyther mouth nor sense and séeing their Idols doâ— not eate it they carrie it home to their houses with greate reuerence and call theyr kyndered togyther and do eate of it as meate sacrificed to their Gods and put the bones in a basket When anye man or woman dieth they burne the body and this they accustome to doe with al the Idolators And in the way that the deade bodies shall passe to be burnte stande all their friendes and kinsfolkes to accompany the body to the sepulchre all clothed in cloth of golde and silke and after the burnte bodye is put into the grounde they cause to be brought thither meate drinke and there they do eate and drinke with greate myrth saying These bodies shall be receiued in the other worlde with like honour When they burne the bodies they do also burne with them diuers papers paynted of men women and beastes sayâ—ng that as many pictures of men women and beastes as they do burne with them so many seruaunts they shall haue in the other world to doe them seruice and when they cary them to bury there goeth before them diuers kinds of instruments playing And wheÌ„ one of these Idolators dieth his friendes incontinentlye declare to the Astrologers the day and the houre hée was borne in and wil not bury him before the day houre the Astrologers doe commaunde by that meanes some they bury straightways and somtimes they tarry ten twenty and thirtie dayes and sometime sixe moneths according as the Astrologers doe commaunde and in the meane time they do sire the body with spices and put it in a coffin and nayle it faste and lay a cloth ouer it and euerye day they set their table ouer the Coffin and there do eate and drinke and pray the dead body to eate with them And when the day appointed is come for to bury him the Astrologers do say that if he hath layne there one month it is not good to take him oute of that place by the iudgement of the Constellations and for that cause muste first remoue him to some other side of the house from thence carry him to bury Of the prouince Chamul and of the euill customes there CHAP. 38. CHamul is a prouince in the whiche be manye Citties and Townes whereof the chiefest is called Chamul and this prouince is towards the winde called Maistral which is Northeast and hath two Deserts on the one side the Deserte is of thrée dayes iorney and on the other side as muche The people of this Countrey worship Idols and doe speake the Persian tongue They liue by their labor in the Countrey and haue plentie of al things néedefull They be people giuen much to their owne pleasure as playing on instrumentes dauncing and singing And if any straunger doe goe to sée their pastime they receiue him and make very much of him with feasting and cheare and the goodman commaundeth his wife to make hym the beste cheare she can and to obey him in al things he will commaunde or desire and so the goodman goeth to his laboure into the fieldes and leaueth the straunger with hys wife willing hir to obey hym as to his owne person and this custome the menne and the women vse there be not ashamed therof The women be very faire there In the time of the greate Cane that is passe for the greate dishonestie hée heard of the people of that countrie and the greate hurte they susteined in their houses commaunded them that they shoulde receiue no straungers into their houses wherewithall the people were sore offended and thinking themselues not well vsed sent Embassadors to the greate Cane requesting him that he woulde not restraine them from their auntient liberties and customes that their anticessors hadde euer vsed and they for their partes woulde continue the same otherwise they shoulde be vnthankefull to their Idolls After the greate Cane hadde hearde their Embassage aunswered them séeyng they had pleasure in suche shamefull vsages and woulde not leaue it he also was contented with it Of the prouince Hingnitala and of the Salamandra that is founde there CHAP. 39. HIngnitala is a prouince set betwéen the North and the Easte and is a long prouince of sixetéene dayes iourney and is subiect to the great Cane and there is manye Cities and Townes There is also in that prouince thrée linages of people to saye Idolators that be Christians Nestorians and Iacobites and the other Mahomets At the ende of this prouince towardes the North is a greate hill on the whiche there
prouince that is in the world standing in the firme land being an excellent regigion There is in thys prouince Margarites verye fayre and great This prouince is diuided into fiue kingdomes wherevpon raigneth fiue brethren legitimate In the first beginning of this prouince standeth the firste kingdome gouerned by one of those fiue brethren named Sendarba and is entituled as king of Nor here is fine great pearles in great number This king hath the tenth of all the pearls whych are founde in his kingdome The fishermen do fish these pearles from the beginning of April vntill the middest of May in a gulfe of the Sea where there is greate plentie of them they are founde in the Oysters The men and women of this realme goe all naked sauing that they do weare a certaine cloth to couer theyr priuities Also the king goeth naked and to be knowen he weareth about his necke a lace full of precious stones whyche are in number a hundereth foure in the remembrance of a hundreth foure prayers that he vseth to say in the honour of his gods morning and euening and on his armes legges féete and téeth he weareth so manye precious Stones that tenne riche Cities be not able to paye for them This king hath fiue hundreth wiues and one of them he toke from his brother In this realme there be verye faire women of themselues also they do vse paynting sâ—tting more beautie vnto their faces and on their bodies Thys king haâ—h alwayes a greate companie with him to serue him when the king dyeth they burne his bodye and with him of their owne voluntarie willes all those that accompanied and serued him in his life time leape into the fire and burne themselues with him saying that they do go to beare their king companie in the other world and liue as they did here in this worlde Yerely this King buyeth tenne thousande horses of the countrey named Cormos at the price of fiue ounces of gold euery horse some more some lesse according vnto the goodnesse and beautie of the horse The merchaunts of Quinsay of Suffer and of Beden sell those horses vnto the merchauntes of this realme These horses lyue not in this prouince aboue one yeare by this meanes that king consumeth a greate part of his treasure in horses In this countrey they doe vse this custome that is when a man is condemned to dy he is begged of the Prince that he maye kill himselfe and when they haue obtayned the kings good will he killeth himselfe in the loue and honour of his Idols After thys wise hauing obtayned the kings grace and fauour the wife of this malefactour and kinred taketh him tying about his necke twelue kniues and in this manner he is carried by them vnto a place of iustice where he crieth as lowde as he may saying I doe kill my selfe in the honour and for the loue of suche an Idoll and with one of these kniues striketh himselfe and then with another vntyll such time as he falleth downe deade this done hys parents with great ioye and gladnesse burne the dead body thinking that he is happy In this countrey euerye man hath as many wiues as he is able to maintain wheÌ„ the husbande dyeth according vnto their custome his bodie is burnt and â—is wiues of their owne frée willes burne themselues with him and shée that leapeth firste into the fire the beholders take hir to be the best They are all Idolaturs and for the more part of them worship the Oxe saying he is a Sainct for that he laboureth and tilleth the grounde where the corne growth and so by no manner of meanes they will eate anye kinde of Oxe fleshe nor yet for all the golde in the world will they kill an Oxe and when any Oxe dyeth with his tallow they do rubbe al the insides of their houses These people descende of those that killed Saint Thomas the Apostle and none of them can enter into Sainct Thomas Churche whiche he edified in that countrey besides this if one will presume to enter into the Temple he falleth streight deade It hath bene proued oftentimes that some of them would enter perforce into the Church and it hath not bin possible for them doe it The king and those of this prouince eate alwayes vpon the ground and if it be demaunded of them by question why they doe so they doe aunsweare for that they doe come of the earth and to the earth they muste and they cannot doe so much honour vnto the Earth as is worthy In thys prouince there groweth nothing else but Rice these people go naked vnto the warres hauing no other weapon but speare and shield and they kill no wilde beastes at all for their eating but they cause some other that is not of their lawe to kill them All the men and women do wash themselues twice aday morning and euening for otherwise they dare neyther eate nor drinke and he that should not kepe this vse among them shoulde be reputed to bée and Hereticke and they do washe themselues in thys manner as we haue rehearsed they goe all naked and so they go vnto the riuer and â—ake of the water and powre it vpon their heads and then one doth helpe to washe another They are good men of warre and verye fewe of them drinke wine and those that doe drinke it are not taken to be as a witnesse nor yet those that go vnto the Sea saying that the Marriners are dronkards They are desperate men and estéeme lecherie to be no sinne This countrey is intollerable hote and the boyes go altogither naked It neuer rayneth in that Countrey sauing in Iune Iuly and August In this Region there be many Philosophers and many that vse Negromancie and verye manie of them that tell fortunes There be Hawkes as blacke as Rauens bigger than ours and good to kill the game Also there be Owles as bigge as Hennes that flye in the ayre all night Many of those men doe offer their children vnto those Idols that they haue most respect vnto and when they worship and feast those Idols they do cause to come before them all the yong men and maydes whiche are offered vnto them and they doe sing and daunce before the Idols and this done they do cause their meate to be broughte thither and they doe eate the flesh saying that the smell of the flesh filleth the Idols Of the Realme named Musuly vvhere there be found Adamants and many Serpents and of the manners of those in that Countrey CHAP. 117. MVsuly is a Region that standeth beyonde Moabar trauelling towards Septentrion which is the North .1000 miles The people of this Realme worship Idols And in the Mountaynes of this Countrey there be found fine Adamants And after they haue had muche rayne the men goe to séeke them in the streames that runne from the Mountaynes and so they do find the Adamants whiche are brought from the Mountaynes in Sommer when the dayes are
the Kingdome named Melibar and of the things found there CHAP. 122. MElibar is a greate Kingdome in India towards the Occidente and the King payeth no tribute All the people of this Countrey be Idolaters Out of thys Realme and the nexte there goe manye Shippes vnto the Sea a rouing whiche robbe all kind of people They do carrie with them their wiues and chyldren and they sayle in all the Sommer a hundred Shippes togither and when they doe come to the shore they roue into the Countrey a hundred miles taking all that they can finde doyng no hurte vnto the people saying vnto them Go and gette more for peraduenture you shall come againe into our hands In this Countrey there is plentye of Pepper of Ginger and of Turbit which is certayne rootes for medicines Of thys Countrey and their conditions I will not rehearse for it would be very tedious therefore I will passe vnto the Realme of Giesurath Of the Kingdome named Giesurath of their euill conditions CHAP. 123. GIesurath is a Kingdome in lawe faith and tong of the Persians standing towards the Occidente All the people are Idolaters FroÌ„ hence you maye playnely sée the North Starre In this kingdome be the worst and cruellest Rouers in the worlde they doe take the Merchantes not onely taking their goodes but setting a price of their ransome for their bodyes and if they do not pay it in a short time they giue them so great tormentes that many dye of it Héere they worke good Leather of all maner of coloures Of the Kingdome named Thoma and of the Kingdome Sembelech which stand in India the great CHAP. 124. GOing from Giesurath towardes the Occidente you come vnto the Kingdomes of Thoma vnto Sembelech In these Realmes there is al kind of Merchandizes And these Realmes haue the language and fayth of Persia and in none of them both there groweth anye other sustenance than Rice They are Realmes and Prouinces of India the great Of the things already declared CHAP. 125. I Haue onely declared of the Prouinces and Kingdomes of India which stande only vpon the Sea coast and haue declared nothyng vnto you of the Prouinces and Kingdomes within the land for then this treatise would be very long and tedious vnto the Readers but yet something of those partes I will not let to declare Of tvvo Ilands the one of men and the other of women Christians and how there is much Amber CHAP. 126. WHen you go from Besmaceian sayling thorough the meane sea towards the midday or South .25 miles you come vnto two Ilandes of Christians the one thirtie miles distant from the other The Iland where there is all men is named Masculine and the other where there is all women is named Feminine The people of those Ilands are as one The men go not vnto the women nor the women vnto the men but thrée monethes in the yeare as to witte August September and October and these thrée moneths the men and women are togither and at the third moneths end they returne vnto their owne houses doing the rest of their businesse by theÌ„selues The children Males tarrie with their mothers vntill they be seauen yeares of age and then they goe vnto their fathers In this Ilande there is greate plentye of Amber by reason of the greate number of Whales that they do take In thys Iland they are good fishers and take greate plentie of fishe and drâ—e it at the sunne hauing great trade with it Here they liue wyth fleshe milke fishe and rice and there increaseth no other sustenaunce Here ruleth and gouerneth a Bishop suffragane of the Archbishop of Discorsia Of the Iland named Discorsia vvhiche are Christians and of the things that be founde there CHAP. 127. GOing from these two Ilandes and sayling towards the middaye 500. myles â–ª you come vnto an Ilande named Discorsia wherein are Christians and haue an Archebishoppe Here is great abundaÌ„ce of Amber Also they do make very faire clothes of Cottenwooll the people goe all naked without any clothing Here is the stall of Rouers and Pirates and the Christians buy with a good wil the goods whiche they bring haue robbed for that these Pyrates do not robbe but only the Moores and Paynims and meddle not with the Christians When a ship sayleth vnder sayle with a prosperous winde a whole day the day following the Pyrates with inchauntmentes of the Diuel cause the shippe to haue a contrarie winde and so take it Of the Ilande named Maydeygastar vvhere Elephantes be founde and other strange things and the foule named Nichas which hâ—th quils on his wings twelue paces in length and of many other conditions CHAP. 128. MAydeygastar is an Ilande standing towardes the midday distaunt from Discorsia about a thousande myles This Ilande is gouerned by foure Moores and hath in compasse a thousand four hundred myles Here is greate trade of Merchaundise for Elephantes téeth for that there is great plentie they eate no other flesh in this Iland but of Elephants and of Cammels Here be many mountaines of redde Sandalos or Saunders trées also there is founde greate plentie of Amber Here is good hunting of wilde beasts and hauking of foules and hither come many shippes with Merchaundise Also there is very great plentie of wilde Boares There was sente from hence vnto the greate Cane the Iawe of a wilde Boare which wayghed twentie fiue poundes In some times of the yeare there is founde in this Ilande a certaine foule named Nichas which is so big that the quill of his wings is of twelue paces long and he is of suche bignesse and strength that he with his talents taketh an Elephante and carrieth him vp into the ayre and so killeth him and the Elephant so being dead he letteth him fal and leapeth vpon him and so féedeth at his pleasure Of the Iland named Tanguybar vvhere there be men like Gyants CHAP. 129. TAnguybar is an Ilande of great nobility being tenne thousand myles in compasse and the people of this countrey are Idolatours and so bigge and grosse that they séeme like Giants One of them wil bear a burthen as waightie as sixe of our men may beare They are all black and go naked without any couer These men are fearefull to beholde hauing greate mouthes and a great redde nose great eares and bygge eyes horrible in sight The women are filthy and euil fauoured There is great trade of Merchandise These people are bigge of their bodies strong and great fighters and estéeme not their liues The wilde beastes of thys Iland differ much from other wilde beastes of other IlaÌ„ds and countries Of the things rehearsed CHAP. 130. YOu shall vnderstande that all whyche I haue declared of India is only of the noble and great prouinces bordering vppon the sea coastes and I doe beléeue that there was neuer man Christian nor Iew nor Paynim that hath séene so much of the leuaunt parties as I Marcus paulus haue séene for I
more pleasant There be in that Countrey daungerous Serpents of sixe cubites in length and as thicke as a man hauing no féete The people of that Country haue great delight in eating of those Serpēts rosted Also they do eate a certayne redde Ante as bigge as a crabbe estéeming it much drest with Pepper Also there is a certaine Beast hauing a head like vnto a Hogge the tayle lyke vnto an Oxe and a horne in his forehead like vnto a Vnicorne but smaller by a cubite He is couloure and bignesse like vnto the Elephante He is an enimie to the Elephant The vtter part of his hornes is good for medicines against poyson and for this cause he is had in great price and estimation At the end of this Region towards Catay there be Oren both blacke and white had in great estimation They haue a mane and a tayle lyke vnto a Horse but more hearie and reacheth vnto their féete The heares of their tailes be very fine and like vnto feathers and they be sold by weight and therof they do make Moscaderos or Table clothes for the Altares of their Gods or for to couer the Table of their King or for to trimme them with gold and siluer to couer the buttocks or breasts of their Horses for beautyfulnesse they estéeme thē for principall ornaments Also the Knightes hang of these heares fast by the yron of their Speares in token among them of singular nobilite Beyond the sayde Marcino there is another Prouince more principall than the others which is named Cataya Cataya and he is Lord of it that is named the great Cane whych is as muche to saye in their tong as Emperoure The great Cane and the City royall which is .28 miles in compasse four square is named Cymbalechya There standeth in the middest thereof a very faire and strong Pallace that serueth for the king At euery corner standeth a round fortresse of .4 miles compasse whiche serue for houses of all manner of armoure and necessarie engines for the warre and combat against any Citie And from the Pallace royall there runneth a wall with arches vnto euery one of these fortresses whereon the King may go vnto any of them if in case they would rise against him in the Citie From thys Citie fiftéene dayes iourney there standeth another Citie newly edifyed by the great Cane and is named Nentay It is in compasse thirtie miles and is most populous of all the rest And this Nicholas affirmeth that the houses and Pallaces and all other policies of these two Cities séemed much like vnto those of Italy the men béeing modest and curteous and of more riches thā the other be Going from Aua vpon a small riuer seauentene dayes iourney he came vnto a Hauen Citie being very greate named Zeitano and from thence he entred into another Riuer and in tenne dayes he came vnto another greate and populous Citie whiche is in comapasse .12000 paces whiche is called Paconya where he remayned foure monethes In this Citie he founde Vines though they were few for all India lacketh Vines and Wine nor they make no wine of the Grapes This Grape groweth among the trées and after the Grape is cut the first thing of all if they do not sacrifice with it vnto their Gods it is by and by auoyded out of their sight Also there be in this Countrey Pines Aberrycocks Chestnuttes and Mellons although they be small and gréene Héere is whyte Sandales or Saunders and Camphora or Camphire There is in India farre within almost at the furthest end of the world two Ilandes and both of them are named Laua the one is of two miles in length and the other of thrée towards the Orient and they are knowen in the name for the one is called the greate and the other the lesse And turning vnto the Sea he went vnto them béeing distant from the mayne land a monethes sayling and the one is a hundred miles distāt from the other He was in these with his wife and children nine moneths for in all his pilgrimage he had them euer with him The dwellers in these Ilands are the most cruell and vncharitable people in the world They eate Rattes Cattes Dogges and other viler beastes They estéeme it nothing to kill a man and he that doth any crime hathe no penaltie and the debters be giuen to be as slaues vnto the creditors and some debters will rather dye than serue and take a Sword and kill those that are weaker than they till they find one that is of more strength than themselfe who killeth them then they carrie the creditor of that murtherer before the Iudge and cause him to pay the debtes of the debler If any of them do buy a new Sword or knife he proueth it vpon the body of the firste that he méeteth and there is no penaltie for it Those that come by looke vpon the wound and prayse the hardinesse of him that did it if it be a great wound They take as many wiues as they list They do vse much the game of Cockfighting and they that bring them as well as the lokers on lay wagers whiche Cocke shall ouercome and winne the game In Laua the great there is a Fowle like vnto a Doue which hath no féete his feathers light and a long tayle he resteth alwayes on the trées hys flesh is not eaten the skinne and tayle are estéemed for they do vse to weare them on their heads Sayling fiftéene dayes beyond these two Ilandes towards the Orient you come vnto two other Ilands the one is named Sanday where there is Nutmegges and Almaxiga or Masticke The other is called Bandan where Cloues grow and from thence it is caryed vnto the Ilands named Clauas In Bandan there be thrée kinds of Popiniayes or Parrets with redde feathers and yellowe billes and others of diuers couloures whiche are called Noros that is to say cleare They are as bigge as doues There be other white ones as bigge as Hennes named Cachos that is to say better for they excéede the others and they speake like men in so muche that they doe aunswere vnto the things that they are asked of The people of these two Ilandes are blacke by reason of the greate heate Beyond these Ilands there is a mayne Sea but the contrary winds will not suffer men to trauell on it Leauing these sayde Ilands and hauing done his Merchandise he toke his waye towards the Occidente or Weste and came vnto a Citie named Cyampa hauing abundaunce of Aloes and of Camphora or Camphire and of golde and in so muche time as he came hither whiche was a moneth he came vnto a Citie named Coloen whiche is a noble Citie of thrée miles compasse where there is Ginger named Conbobo and Pepper and Vergino and Sinamon which is named Gruessa Thys Prouince is named Melibarya Also there be Serpents of sixe cubites in length and fearefull to behold but they do no hurt except they receyue hurt
vnto Carras a Citie in Egipt with his wife foure sonnes and as many seruaunts In this Citie his wife two sonnes and his seruauntes died of the plague and finallye after long perilous and daungerous pilgrimages he came vnto Venice his own countrey Pogio. I Demaunding him of the life and customes of the Indians he gaue me aunsweare that all India was diuided into thrée parts the one from Persia vnto the riuer Indo another from the riuer Indo vnto the riuer Gange and the other staÌ„deth beyond these and excéedeth the others in riches humanitie and pollicie and are equal vnto vs in customes life and pollicie for they haue sumptuous and neate houses â–ª and all their vessels and housholde stuffe very cleane they estéeme to liue as noble people auoyded of all villanie and crueltie being courteous people riche Merchauntes in so muche that there is one merchaunte hauing fortie shippes for his owne trade and euery one of them is estéemed in 50000. Duckets These only vse as we do tables couered with table clothes and haue theyr Cupboardes of plate for the other Indians eate vppon a thing layde vppon the grounde The Indians haue neyther vines nor Wine they doe make their drinke of grounde Rice mingled with water putting vnto it a certaine redde coloure all tempered with the iuyce of a certayne trée Also they make their pottage like vnto their Wine In the Ilande named Taprobana they doe cutte the braunches of a certaine trée whiche is named Tall and leaue them hanging and out of them there runneth a swéete licour whiche they vse to drinke Also there is a lake betwéene the riuers Indo and Gange of a maruellous sauerie and pleasaunt water to drinke and al those that dwell there about drink of it and also farre off for they haue set horse from place to place â—or the purpose so that they haue it brought fresh euery daye they haue all want of breade they liue vppon Farre or Rice fleshe milke and chéese They haue gret plentie of Hennes Capons Partridges Feysauntes and manye other wildefoules They doe vse much fowling and hunting They shaue their beardes and nourishe a Heare tayle and some tye their haire wyth a silken lace behinde their shoulders like a tayle and so they weare them vnto the warres They haue Barbars as we haue they are tall of bodye as we be and also in their time of life they doe lye in sumptuous beddes and couered with quilles of Cotten Their apparell is diuerse according vnto the diuersitie of the countrey They haue all scante of woollen cloth they do vse cloth of lyne and of cruell and make apparell of it As well the men as the women couer their secréetes vnto their hammes with a péece of linnen vpon it they put a vesture of linnen or of silke for the greate heate will not suffer them to weare more apparell and therefore they doe goe so single tyed with Crimson lace and of gold tyed as we do sée the painters make on the auntient pictures The women vse certaine thinne shoes of leather trimmed wyth Golde and cruell Also they doe weare for gallauntnesse Hoopes of golde on their armes and about their neckes about their breastes and on their legges the waight of thrée pounde set with precious stones the common women kepe theyr houses as baudes there be manye and easie to finde for they are almost in euery stréet the which with perfumes and soft oyntmentes with their tender age and beautie prouoke muche the menne for in that countrey they are muche inclyned vnto those women and for thys cause the Indians knowe not what thyng is that abhominable sinne Of manye wayes they doe dresse theyr heades but commonlye moste of them vse to couer their heades with fine lawnes wreaâ—hed and their haire laced with a silken lace in some other pâ—aces they binde theyr haire vp to their heades in manner like vnto a peare and on the knot aboue on their haire they set a pinnâ— of golde whereby they do hang certaine cordes of golde being of diuerse colours hanging betwéene the haires Some women vse commonly blacke haire and among them it is most estéemed Some women couer theyr heades wyth certaine painted leaues of trées and they doe not paynte their faces but those inhabiting the prouince named Cataya doe In the India within they do not consent to a man to haue but one wife In the others they haue as manye as their carnall lust wil sauing the Christian Hereticke Nâ—storians which dwel scattered throughout all the Indias for they take but one woman The maner of their tombes is not as one in all the Indias for the moste India excéedeth other in diligence and sumptuousnesse for they doe make caues vnder grounde in trimming it with a fine wal and laye in the deade body in a precious bedde trimmed wyth Ornaments of Golde setting certaine baskettes round about wyth his moste precious apparell and put on rings as though the deade bodye shoulde enioye those things in Hell. They close the mouth of the caue very strongly that none may enter and vpon it they do make a sumptuous and rich tombe strong to abide rayne and to be the more durable but in the middle India they doe burne the deade bodies and most commonly they do burne their wiues alyue with the deade body one or manye according as hée had They doe by law burn the first wife with him although it be but one Also they doe take other wiues on this condition for to honoure him in death burning hir selfe with him and this among them is no little honour They do laye the deade bodie in a bedde trimmed with the beste apparell that he hath They do make a fyre rounde about with swéete wood and when it burneth his wife is trunly drest with hir beste aray and comming with Trumpets and Shawmes and songs merily as thoughe she did sing she goeth rounde about the fire At this there is presente the Prieste whiche they name Bachale in a Pulpit preaching vnto hir howe she muste not estéeme the life nor death saying that she shall haue in the other worlde with hir husband muche pleasure and shall possesse greate riches honour and apparell she inflamed with those words that he telleth hir after that she hath gone a certaine time rounde about the fire shée standeth nigher the Priestes Chayre or Pulpit and putteth off all hir apparell putteth on a white linnen shéete and leapeth into the fyre If some of them be fearefull for they haue séene the lyke of some that lamenteth and striueth with death after that she hath leapte in then the standers by doe throwe hir in wheather shée will or no. After they be burnte they gather the ashes and putte them into pottes and some into the graue ¶ They doe wéepe for the deade after diuers manners The inner Indians couer theyr heades with a sacke and some putte boughes of trées in the highe wayes and doe hang from the