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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09829	The most noble and famous trauels of Marcus Paulus, one of the nobilitie of the state of Venice, into the east partes of the world, as Armenia, Persia, Arabia, Tartary, with many other kingdoms and prouinces. No lesse pleasant, than profitable, as appeareth by the table, or contents of this booke. Most necessary for all sortes of persons, and especially tor trauellers. Translated into English; Travels of Marco Polo. English	Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?; Frampton, John, fl. 1577-1596.	1579 (1579)	STC 20092; ESTC S105055	116,899	196

Maugy Maugy Heere is found plenty of golde Their money is made of Corrall Here is cloth of gold cloth of silke and Chamlets made Heere groweth spices Masties as bigge as Asses Plenty of Pearles and precious stones Heere they haue an ill custome Heere is mone● of golde Here is great plenty of Spices Heere is found greate plentye of gold A Riuer into the Seas Heere be many Horses bredde A Sazo of gold is worth eyght of siluer which is an ounce Heere is great plent● of golde The men of this countrey haue theyr teeth couered with gold Heere is a custome that the good man is much made of after hys wife is broughte a bed A Sazo of gold is an ounce and is worth fyue of Si●●er A strange kind of Phisicke Vnicornes Great plen●● of cloth of Gold and Silke Mangi Mangi Mangi The riuer Tnoguron the greatest riuer in the world Fiue thousan̄d vessels on this riuer Seauen thousand bridges of stone Plentie of Rewbarbe Fiue pounde of Ginger for sixe pence Quinsay The nobles● Citie of the worlde it is an hundred miles cōpasse Twelue thousand bridges of stone The manner how they do kil the Lions Good cheape Suger Faire men and women heere Blacke Hen● and fatie without feathers A Riuer of seauen mile broad There be many Ships made This Citie hath the best Hauen in the world For one Shippe that commeth to Al●xan●ria there commeth in ther a hundreth Great custome is payd heere The Iland of Ciampagu is fifteene hundred miles from the mayne lande In this Iland is great plent● of golde The Kings Pallace is couered wyth cleane golde The windowes and pillers thereof is golde Great ●lenty of Precious stones Men hauing stones that were inchanted could not be slaine with weapons of iron but with clubbes The Citie taken by a prettie meanes In this Sea is .7448 Ilands whiche be verye frutefull and pleasant Heere groweth whyte Pepper This King had .325 children A very riche Iland of spices and golde in great plentye Heere is found plentie of golde Great trade for Pepper by reason of the quantity Melibar Plenty of Pepper and Ginger and Turbit A darke land The Introduction FOr that this treatise which I found in the secōd Booke towards the end that Maister Pogio Florētine Secretary vnto Pope Eugenius the fourth wryteth of the varietie or chaunge of fortune it maketh muche vnto the confirmation and proofe of the things that Maister Marcus Paulus writeth in h●s Booke for that by the mouth of two or three as our Redeemer sayth there is proued the truth I thoughte good to translate it out of Eloquent Latine whiche hee did write it in and to communicate it into my rude Castilian and naturall tongue for that ioyntly suche twoo witnesses in thys present worke may make a full or almoste a sure proofe of some things for that it hath not bin seene in our Europa or that in any auntient writing appeareth it may be thoughte harde or difficile credence And the saide Pogio followeth in this manner in the ende of his seconde Booke IT séemeth not vnto me a thing straunge from reason if I decline from the stile that hitherto I haue vsed in this Booke declaring of the harde fortune making an ende counting the diuersities of thinges wherein the heartes of the Readers finde more taste and amiable gladnesse than in those that already I haue written Notwithstanding that also in the cause I will declare appeareth plainelye the force of Fortune in retourning a man vnto Italy oute of the extreame partes of the worlde of the Orient after that he had suffered and passed fiue and twentie yeres such greate fortunes aswell by sea as by lande The olde Authors do write many things of the Indians with the common fame of the whiche the certaine knowlege that since we haue hadde sheweth them to be rather fables than of truth as it appeareth by the referring of one Nicholas a Venetian that after he had trauailed the intrailes of the Indias he came vnto Eugenius the fourth Pope of that name who then was in Florence to reconcile himselfe and to haue pardon for that comming oute of India and ne●re vnto Egipt towards the redde Sea hée was constrayned to renounce and forsake the faith for feare of death more of his wife and children than of hymselfe And for that I hearde by manye that he declared of manye singular things I desired muche to heare hym and not onelye to demaunde of him concerning the things whiche hée hadde séene in the presence of wise Barons and of greate authoritie but also to enforme my selfe wyth hym in myne owne house and to take a note of his relation for that there mighte remaine a remembraunce of it vnto those that hereafter shoulde come after mée And of a trueth hée tolde so certaynelye so wisely and so attentiuely all hys trauaile made amongest people of so farre Countries the vse manners and custome of the Indians the diuersitie of wilde beastes trées the lynages of Spices and in what place it groweth that it appeared well hée dydde not declare a fained tale but the trueth of that whiche hée hadde séene And as it séemeth this man went so farre as none of the olde tyme hadde béene for he passed the riuer Gangy and wente beyonde the Ilande Taprobana where we reade there came none excepte one Captaine of Alexanders fléete named Onesycrito and a Citizen of Rome that by fortune of tēpest arriued in those parties in the time of Tiberius Cesar. This Nicholas Venetian being yong was as a Merchaunt in the Citie of Damasco in Syria and hauing learned the Arabian tongue he departed from the sayde Citie in the company of .600 Merchantes the whiche company they do call Carouana or Carauana trauailing with his merchaundize through the deserts of Arabia otherwise named Petrea and from thence thoroughe Chaldie he came vnto the greate riuer Euphrates Hée saide that at the going out of the Deserte hée sawe a meruailous thing that aboute midnighte being all at reste he heard a great noise and sound that they thoughte it hadde bin companies of Alarabes wild naked menne or robbers and that they were comming to doe them some hurte and all the whole company arose and were al ready with the feare and they sawe manye battels of horsemen whiche passed harde by their tents much like an hoste dooing vnto them no hurte at all and those that hadde vsed that way said it was certaine companies of fiends which did ouer run in that sorte the Deserts There standeth aboue Euphrates a noble Citie that the walles of it be of fouretéene thousande paces And this Citie was a parte of the olde Babilon and those of that Countrie name it by a newe name Baldachia and Euphrates runneth in the middes of it and they doe passe ouer a bridge that hath fourtéene arches of ech side where appeareth many remembraunces of the olde Babilon and manye edifications throwne downe It hath a strong and

which the great Cane was glad and toke him into his seruice and gaue order to place him in his Court among his Lordes and Gentlemen Here foloweth the discourse of many notable and strange things that the noble and vvorthy Marcus Paulus of the Citie of Venice did see in the East partes of the world ¶ Howe Miser Marco Polo vsed himselfe in the Court of the Great Cane CHAP. 1. MArco Polo learned well not onely the vsed language and conditions of those people but also other thrée languages and coulde write and reade them and by that meanes came in great fauour with the great Cane whose pleasure was to proue what he could do to be sent Embassage and made hym ●is Embassadour in one of his Countreys sixe Monethes ●ourney And he perceyuing the great Cane had greate plea●ure to heare newes and oftentimes would find fault with his Embassadoures and messengers when they coulde not make ●iscourse and tell him newes of the Countreys and places ●hey trauelled into he determined with himselfe to note and ●nderstand in that iourney all that could be spoken as well of ●he Townes Cities and places as also the conditions and ●ualities of the people noting it in writing to be the more ●eadie to make his aunswere if any thing should be demaun●ed of him and at his returne declared to the great Cane the ●unswere of the people of that Countrey to his Embassage ●nd withall declared vnto hym the nature of Countreys ●nd the conditions of the people where he had bin and also ●hat he had heard of other Countreys which pleased well the ●reat Cane and was in great fauoure with him and set great ●ore by him for which cause all the noble men of his Courte ●ad him in great estimation calling him Senior or Lorde He ●as in the greate Canes Court .xvij. yeares and when anye ●reate Embassage or businesse shoulde be done in any of hys Countreys or Prouinces he was alwayes sente wherefore ●iuers great men of the Court did enuie him but he alwayes kepte thys order that whatsoeuer he sawe or heard were 〈◊〉 good or euill hée alwayes wrote it and had it in minde to declare to the great Cane in order The manner and vvayes that the tvvo breethren and Marcus Paulus had for their returne to Venice CHAP. 2. THe sayd Nicholas and Mapheo and Marcus Paulus hauyng bin in the greate Canes Court of a long time demaunded licence for to returne to Venice but he louing and fauouring them so well would not giue them leaue And it fortuned in that time that a Quéene in India dyed whose name was Balgonia and hyr Husbande wa● called Kyng Argon This Quéene ordeyned in hir Testamente that hyr Husbande shoulde not marrie but with one of hyr bloud and kynred and for that cause the sayde Kyng Argon sente hys Embassadors with great honor and companye to the Greate Cane desiring hym to sende hym for to bée hys Wife a Mayde of the lignage of Balgonia his firste Wi●● The names of these Embassadors were called Onlora Apusca and Edilla When these Embassadors arriued at th● Courte they were very well receyued by the Great Ca●● ▪ And after they hadde done theyr message the Greate Ca●● caused to bée called before him a Mayden whiche was called Cozotine of the kindred of Balgonia the whyche was very● fayre and of the age of seauentéene yeares And as she was come before the Great Cane and the Embassadors the great Cane sayde to the Embassadors thys is the Mayden that you demaunde take hyr and carrie hir in a good houre an● wyth thys the Embassadors were very ioyfull and merrie And these Embassadors vnderstandyng of Nicholas and Mapheo and Marcus Paulus Italians which before that tyme ha●● ●one for Embassadors vnto the Indians and were desirous to ●epart from the greate Cane desired hym to gyue them li●ence to goe and accompanye that Lady and the Greate ●ane although not wyth good will but for manners sake and ●lso for honour of the Ladye and for hyr more safegarde in ●assing the Seas bycause they were wise and skilfull menne ●as content they should goe Hovv they sayled to Iaua CHAP. 3. HAuing licence of the Great Cane the sayde Nicholas Mapheo and Marcus Paulus as aforesayde as his custome was gaue them two Tables of golde by the whiche he did signifie that they should passe fréelie through all his prouinces and dominions and that theyr charges should be borne and to be ho●ourably accompanyed And besides this the great Cane sent ●iuers Embassadors to the Pope and to the Frenche King ●nd to the King of Spayne and to many other Prouinces in Christendome and caused to be armed and sette forth foure●éene great Shippes that euery one of them had four Mastes To declare the reason wherefore he did this it were too long ●herefore I let it passe In euery Shippe he put sixe hundreth men and prouision for two yeares In these Shippes wente ●he sayd Embassadors with the Lady and Nicholas and Ma●heo bréethrē and Marcus Paulus aforesayd and sayled thrée Monethes continually and then arriued at an Ilande called ●aua being in the South partes in the which they found mar●ellous and strange things as héereafter shall be declared And departing from this Iland sayling on the Indian Seas ●viij Moneths before they came to the place they would come to founde by the w●y many maruellous and strange things ●s héereafter shall be declared Hovv Nicholas and Mapheo and Marco Polo returned to Venice after they had seene and heard many maruellous thinges CHAP. 4. AFter their arriuall with this foresayde Lady to the Kingdome they went vnto they found that the King Argon was dead and for that cause married that mayde to his sonne and there did gouerne in the roome of the Kyng a Lorde whose name was Archator for bycause the King was very yong And to this Gouernoure or Viceroy was the Embassage declared and of him the two Bréethren and Marco Polo demaunded licence to goe into their Countrey whiche he graunted and withall gaue them foure Tables of gold two of them were to haue Ierfawcons and other Hawkes with them The thirde was to haue Lyons And the fourth was that they shoulde goe frée withoute paying any charges and to be accompanyed and enterteyned as to the Kings owne person And by this commaundement they had company and gard of two hundreth Knightes from Towne to Towne for feare of manye Théeues vppon the wayes and so much they traueiled that they came to Trapesonsia and from thence to Constantinople and so to Nigro Ponte and ●●●al●ie to Venice in the yeare of oure Lord God .1295 This we doe declare for that all men shall knowe that Nicholas and Mapheo bréethren and Marco Polo haue seene hearde and did knowe the maruellous things written in this Booke the which declaring in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost shall be declared as héereafter followeth Of

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 plēty 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 whē 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 strōg that a few mē 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 plēty 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 Monast●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

Kingdome of the Persians of a great and long inheritance In this Countrey they doe finde greate plentie of pretious stones and of Turkies great store in the Mountaynes in the whiche Mountaynes is greate plentie of Vayne or Ore of Stéele and of Calamita In this Citie they do make greate plentie of costly saddles bridles and harnesses for Horses and for noble men Swords bowes and other riche furniture for Horse and man The Women of this Countrey doe nothing but commaunde their Seruauntes They make also there very riche cloth of gold and silke And in those Mountaynes be excéeding good Hawkes valiaunte and swifte of wings that no fewle can scape them And departing from Crerina you shall goe eyght dayes iourney in playne way full of Cities and Townes very faire and there is pleasaunte Hawking by the way great plentie of Partriches And being past the sayd eyght dayes iourney there is a going downe the hil of two dayes iourney whereas there is great plenty of frutes In the olde time there was manye Townes and houses and now there be none but heardmen that kéepe the Cattell in the field From the Citie of Crerina so this going down al the winter is so great cold that although they go very wel clothed they haue ynough to do to liue And being past this going downe two dayes iourney forwarde you shall come into a faire playne way the beginning whereof is a great faire Citie called Camath the whiche was in the old time noble and greate and nowe is not so for that the Tartars haue destroyed it That playne is very hote and that Prouince is called Reobarle There be apples of Paradise and Festucas and Medlars and diuers other goodly frutes in great abundance There be Oxen maruellous great the heare short and soft and the hornes short bigge and sharp and haue a greate rounde bunche betwéene the shoulders of two spannes long And when they will lade these Oxen they do knéele downe on theyr knées like Camels and being ladē do rise and they carrie great weight There the Shéepe be as greate as Asses hauing a greate tayle and thicke that will weigh .32 pound and be maruellous good to eate In that playne be many Cities townes with walles and Towers of a great heigth for the defence of the enimies called Caraones which be certaine Villages The people of that Countrey their Mothers be Indians and their fathers Tartars When that people will go a robbing they worke by enchantment by the Deuill to darken the aire as it were midnight bycause they woulde not bée séene a farre off and this darkenesse endureth seauen dayes And the Théeues that know well all the wayes goe togither withoute making anye noyse and as many as they can take they robbe The olde men they kill and the yong men they sell for slaues Their King is called Hegodar and of a truth I Marcus Paulus do tell you that I escaped very hardly from taking of these 〈◊〉 and that I was not slaine in that darkenesse but it pleased God I escaped to a towne called Ganassalim yet of my companie they tok● and slewe many This playne is towardes the South and is of seauen dayes iourney and at the end of them is a moūtayne called Detustlyno that is eightéene miles long more and is also very daungerous with théeues that do rob Merchauntes and all trauellers At the ende of this mountaine is a faire playne called the goodly playne which is seauen dayes iourney in the which there be many wels and date trées very good and this playne bordereth vpon the Ocean Sea and on the riuer of the sea is a Citie called Carmoe Of the Citie Carmoe and of many maruellous and straunge things that be there CHAP. 16. Carmoe is a greate Citie and is a good porte of the Ocean sea Thither do occupie Merchāts of the Indeas with spices cloth of gold silke and with precious stones and Elephantes téeth and is a Citie of great trade with merchaundize and is heade of that kingdome and the king is called M●nedanocomoyth It is very hote there and the ayre infectious When there doth dye any Merchaunt they doe make hauocke of all his goods In this Citie they do drinke wine made of Dates putting good spices to it yet at the beginning of dinner it is daungerous for those that be not vsed to it for it will make them very soluble streight waye but it is good to purge the body The people of that Countrey do not vse of our victuals for when they eate bread of wheate and fleshe by and by they fall sicke Their victuals is Dates salte Tonny Garlike Onyons The peopl● of that Countrey be blacke and be of the sect of Mahomet And for the great heate in the Sommer they dwell not in the town but in the 〈◊〉 and in gardens and Orchyards There be many riuers and Wels that euery one hath faire water for his garden and there be manye that dwell in a desart wheras is al sande that ioyneth to that playne And those people assoone as they féele the great heate they goe into the waters and there tarrie till the beate of the daye be past In that countrey they do sowe their wheate and corne in Nouember and gather it in Marche And in thys time the fruites be greater than in any place And after March is passe the grasse hearbes and leaues of trées doe drie sauing of Date trées which continue till Maye And in that countrey they haue this custome ●hat when the husband doth dye the wife and hir friendes doe wéepe once a day for the space of foure yeares Of the Citie of Crerima and the death of the Olde man of the Mountaine C●AP 17. LEauing hers this Citie and not declaring any more of the Indians I retourne to the Northwar●●● declaring of those prouinc●s 〈◊〉 ●nother way to the Citie Crerima aforesayde for bycause that way that I would tell of could not be trauelled to Crerima for the crueltie of the king of that c●●untrie wh●●●e is called Ren 〈◊〉 ela vacomare from whome fewe coulde scape bu● eyther were robbed or slayne And for this cause manye kings did paye him tribute and hys name is as muche to saye as the olde man of the mountayne But I wyll nowe declare vnto you howe this cruell King was taken prisoner in the yeare of our Lord .1272 Alan King of the Tartars of the East hearing of the greate crueltie of this olde m●n of the Mountayne that he did sent a great host of men and besette his Castell rounde about and thus continued three yeares and coulde neuer take it till that victuals did sayle them for it was very strong and vnpossible to be gotten At the length Alan toke the Caste●● and the old man of the Mountayne and of al his Souldioures and men be caused the heads to be stricken off and from that time forwarde that way was

50. PArting from this Citie and trauelling .iij dayes iorny you shall come to a Citie called Gianorum in the which there is a meruellous goodly Pallace of the great Canes to lodge him and his Court when he commeth to that Citie and in this Citie he is desirous to be with good will for bycause that neare vnto it is a good countrey in the which be great plentie of wyld Géese and Duckes and of Cranes of fiue sortes or manners the first be great and all blacke like Crowes the second all whyte sauing the heades that be all red the thirde al black sauing the heade is white and shyning the fourth gréene with blacke heads they be farre bigger than ours the fifth be little with all their feathers redde Neare vnto this Citie is a great valley where the great Cane hath many wilde beastes great and smal and among thē great plentie of Partridges to serue for his prouision when hée goeth into that Countrey Of a maruellous Citie called Liander and of many maruellous and farre things they haue there CHAP. 51. DEparting thrée dayes iourney from this Citie betwéen the Northeast and the North you shall come to a Citie called Liander which Cublay Cane buylded In this Citie is a maruellous goodlye Pallace made of M●rble and flint stones called pedras viuas al gilded wyth gold and neare to this Pallace is a wall which is in compasse fiftéene miles and within this wall be faire riuers Wels and gréene Meadowes where the great Cane hath plentie of all kinde of wilde foule and beastes for to finde his Hawkes called Faulcons and Gerfaulcons that bée there in mew which he at sometimes more than 40000. that which many times he goeth thyther to sée Whē he doth ride in these Meadowes he carrieth behinde him on the buttockes of his horse a russet or graye Lyon tame and setteth him to the stagges or redde Déere and to other wylde beastes and vppon these beastes do the Gerfaulcons and Faulcons season In the middest of these Meddowes is a great house where the great Cane doth resort to dinner and to banquet and to take his reste and pleasure in when he goeth that waye And this house is compassed about with greate Canes that be gilded and couered with Canes that be varnished and closed all in one in such sort that no water can passe throughteuerye Cane is at the least thrée spannes compasse and from tenne to fiftéen paces long And this house is so made that at al times they maye take it downe and set it vp againe vpon a sodayne It is tyed with aboue 200. cordes of silke after the manner of tentes or pauilions And the greate Cane repayreth thither for his pleasure in Iune Iuly and August and there by commaundement of his Prophets Idolaters maketh sacrifice with milke to his Idols for to preserue and kéepe his wiues and sonnes and daughters and his subi●ctes and seruauntes and cattell and foules corne vines fruite and all other things in his countries All the Mares that the great Cane rideth on be as white as milke Among the which he hath alwayes ten Mares that no body doth drinke of their milke but onlye he and some greate men of his Courte and some others that hée called honourable and noble bycause of a victorie had against the ●nemies of Chenchis the first king of the Tartars Of the sacrifice and other maners of the life of the greate Cane CHAP. 52. WHen the great Cane will make sacrifice he poureth out the Mares milke vpon the ground and in the ayre and the Prophets of his gods say that milke poured out is the holye Ghoste of the which all the Idols be ful and do beléeue that this sacrifice is the cause of his confirmation and of his subiects of al his other things And this sacrifice he doth euery yere the 29. day of August And to those white horses and Mares wheresoeuer they do go they do great reuerence This greate Cane hath in his Court certaine Negromanciers whiche by arte of the Diuel when it is foule troubleseme weather it shal be fayre and cleare weather in his Pallace And do gyue to vnderstande to the people that the clearnesse is ouer the Pallace where the great Cane is only for his deserts and holy life and by vertue of his Idols When anye one is iudged to dye as soone as he is deade they séeth him and eate him but those that dye by natural death be meat for their Idols And besides thys when the great Cane is at hys table these inchaunters doe worke by arte of the Diuel that Cuppes doe rise from the table tenne Cubits into the ayre and do set themselues down again and whē they wyll doe this they demaunde of the greate Cane a blacke shéepe and the wood of Alloe and Incense other swéete spyces wherof there is great plenty bicause their sacrifice séeme the more swéeter and he commaundeth to be deliuered to them what they will haue for bycause they beléeue that their Idols doe preserue and kéepe him and all his companie These Prophets and Priestes do cause the flesh to be sodden with spices in presence of their Idols do put incense therin and poure the broth into the ayre they say the Idol taketh of it what pleaseth him and thys they do with gret singing Euery Idol hath his name and to euery one they do this worship on their dayes as we do on our saints dayes They haue many Monasteries deputed to the names of their Idols There is in that countrey one Monasterie as big as a good Citie in the which there be 400. Monkes that goe honestly apparelled and their beardes and heads shauen Vpon their feaste dayes they kepe great solemnity with singing and praysing and lights and some of these religious men haue many wiues and some of them liue chaste the chast do eate the branne and the meale kneaded togither with a little hote water and do fast oftentimes in reuerence of their Idols and do weare garments made of Canuas died blacke or blewe some white and do lye in Almadraques sharpe and harde beds and the other religious that be maried they go well apparelled and do eate and drinke wel and doe saye that those which liue the streight life be Heretickes and fooles bycause they do punish their bodies by meanes whereof they can not honor their Idols as they ought to do and as reason is All the Idols of these married religious men they do name by the name of women bycause they be such leacherous people Of a victorie the great Cane had CHAP. 53. HEre for your better information I wyll declare vnto you of a victory the gret Cane had wherby you shal the better vnderstand and know of his strength and power It was he that now raigneth which was called Cublay Cane whiche is as muche to saye as Lorde of Lordes You shall vnderstande that this

Cublay Cane descended lineally of the imperiall stocke from Chenchis Cane from whence he must descende that shall be Lorde of the Tartares and this Cublay Cane beganne his raigne in the yere of our Lord God .1256 And as Chenchis Cane by his prouidence and wisedome made himselfe the firste Lord of the Tartares as is before declared so likewise this for his wisdome and prouidence contrarie to the good will of his kinred that would haue put him out of it did so cōserue and gouerne his Dominions and Countries til the yeare of our Lord God .1298 so that he raigned two and fortie yeares and was fiue and forty yeares old when he was made Emperor and euerye yeare hadde warres for he was valiant and expert in the warres but he himselfe after he was made Emperour neuer went to the warres but one time but alwayes sent his sonnes or some noble men whom he thought best And the cause wherefore hée went at that time in person was this In the yeare of our Lord God .1286 a nephew of his of the age of thirtie yeares Lord of many prouinces Cities and townes perceyuing himselfe to be subiecte to the greate Cane as his predecessors had ben determined in himself not to be subiect to anye and concorded with another kinseman of the great Canes whyche was called Cardin whyche mighte well make .100000 Horsemen and was mortall enimie to the greate Cane hys vncle and did moue warre both of them with theyr hostes agaynste the great Cane and hée hauyng knowledge thereof dyd not feare for hée was a Prince of maruellous greate power but incontinent he called hys people togither for to go against hys enimies and toke an oth that the crowne shoulde neuer come on his head till that he had cruelly reuenged hymselfe on them as Traytors and Rebels so that within two and twenty days he had ioyned particularly a great host of thrée hundred thousand fighting men of horsemen and footemen and woulde ioyne no greater an host nor haue it published abrode that his enimies shoulde haue knowledge of it and also for that he had many of his men of warre abroade in other places on warfare and coulde not bring them togither in so short a time But you shall vnderstande that when the greate Cane will make his power and take time to doe it he may ioyne so greate a number that it were a greate trouble to number them These thrée hundred thousande of fighting men be not all menne of experience for there were aboue foure thousande Falconers and Seruants and Courtiers that attended vppon the Kings person and serued in his Courts But thus hauing his hosts ioyned he commanded to be called before him his Astrologers and would know of them in what sort and time he shoulde set forward on this enterprise and they answered him that the time was good and that he shoulde haue victorie ouer his enimies and so incontinent set forwarde on his way with his people and came to a playne where as was Nauia with .200000 men tarrying there the comming of Caydu with another hundred thousand of horsemen for to set on the Countreys of the great Cane The Lordes of the great Cane had beset all the wayes and taken all the streytes that neither succoure shoulde come nor his enimies flée bycause he would take them all prisoners Nauia knowing nothing of this or that the great Cane had prepared himselfe for any warre for the greate Cane had before beset all the wayes and passages that no mā could passe to carrie any newes to Nauia and by this meanes not thinking nor stāding in any doubt thought he might well take his rest that nighte and all his people but the 〈◊〉 Cane was stirring in the morning betimes with all his ho●res and did sette his Campe hard by the place where as Nauia had his and founde them all vna●med and vnprouided not thinking any thing of it and perceyuing it he was in greate feare And the great Cane had made a great frame vpon an Elephant wherin his standerdes were caried and before and behinde and by the sides went his battels of Horsemen and footemen that is to say .25000 in a battell And with these battels be sette all the host of Nauia round and when Nauia sawe thys he lept on horsebacke and caused his trumpets to blowe and set his armie in as good order as he could and so ioyned battell whereas was a great and strong fighte and continued from morning till nighte and greate number slayne on both parties but at the end Nauia and his company were not able any longer to withstande the furie of the greate Canes armed men and beganne to flée in such sort that Nauia was taken prisoner and his people not being able to doe anye good submitted themselues to the great Cane and Nauia being presented aliue to the great Cane he caused him to be bounde vp in a Carpet and so long hée vsed him to bée caried that hée dyed and thys deathe hée gaue hym for that hée woulde not haue the bloud of Nauia béeing of his kindred fall to the grounde nor that the ayre shoulde sée hym dye an euill deathe After that Nauia was deade all his Lordes and other prisoners became sworne to the great Cane to be obediēt to him These foure prouinces were vnder the obedience of Nauia that is to say Furciorcia Guli Baston Scincinguy Now that I haue shewed you of the great Cane howe he paste with Nauia I will also declare vnto you of hys manner condition and person and of his wiues and children and of other things Of the personage of the great Cane and of his wiues and children CHAP. 54. THe great Cane that was called Cubla Cane was a manne of a ●iddle stature well fleshte and of good complexion and wel proportioned in al his mēbers well coloured of face his eyes black his nose well made he hath four that be his Legitimate wiues and his eldest sonne that he hath by his first wife doth kepe Court by himselfe and euerye one of these foure Quéenes haue in their Courtes 300. wayting women and many maydens with also many mē and women that do seruice in the Courtes for euery one of these foure Quéenes haue in their Courtes more than 4000. persons of men women maydens and seruaunts Also the greate Cane hath many Concubines of Tartars which be called Origiathe and be of a good and honest behauiour and of these the greate Cane hath a hundreth maydens chosen out for himselfe which be in a pallace by thēselues and haue auntient women to kéepe them And of these hundreth euery thrée dayes sixe of them doe serue and attend vpon the great Cane in his Chamber and the thrée dayes being past they doe returne to their Pallace agayne and other sixe come for to kéepe the great Canes Chamber And thus they do remoue from thrée dayes to thrée dayes The sayd great Cane had

people and well tilled hauing very notable Cities and also sayde that beyonde that countrey there was the sea but they had not séene it and that neare vnto the spring of Nilus there was a Citie wherein they were borne and it was fiue and twentie myles in compasse full of people and in the night had 1000. watches for to defende the Citie from daunger and alterations that might rise This region is temperate and delectable and plentifull of alll thyngs in so much as 3. times in the yere there springeth new grasse and twice in the yeare it beareth corne It hath abundaunce of broade and wine although the most parte of Ethiopia vse in steade of wine barley sodden in water They haue figges Peaches Orenges and Cucumbers like vnto our Lemmons Sytrons and sauing Almonds They haue al our kinde of fruites ▪ Also they named diuers trées that they had whiche we neuer sawe nor hearde of in our parties and they are difficult to write ●or that the interpreter could not altogither vnderstande the Arabian tongue But of one of those trées I muste néedes rehearse whiche is as thicke as a man maye compasse and as highe as a man It hath many rynes one within another and betwéene those rines hath his fruite like vnto the Chestnut and being ground it becommeth meale and of it they do make pleasant white bread which they do vse in their bākets The leafe of this trée is more than a cubit in breadth and more than two cubits in length They sayd also that towardes the Ilande Meroe the Nilus coulde not be sayled by reason of the number of Rockes that were there and that from Meroe vnto Egipt it was naui●able but they tarrie sixe moneths in the Nauigation for that the riuer giueth manye turnes Those that dwell in that Countrey haue the face of the Sunne towardes the North as we haue it towardes the South and in March they haue it right ouer their heads All Ethiopia hath one manner of letters although they haue diuers languages according vnto the greatnesse of the prouinces Some of them that dwell in the regions towards the Sea coast and in the hart of the India there was very much Ginger Cloues Nutmegs and Suger Betwéene Ethiopia and Egipt there be desertes of .50 dayes iourney and they trauell so farre hauing with them prouision of meate and drinke vpon Cammels It hath dangerous passages in many places by reason of the wilde men that go naked in those deserts like wild beastes riding vppon Cammels whose flesh and milke they do eate They doe robbe the Cammels and prouision that the trauellers carie so that many dye for hunger and for this cause there passe fewe that way vnto vs The Ethiopians most commonly are of longer life than we for many liue vntil .120 yeares and .150 yeares and in some places they liue tyll 200. yeares It is a Countrey much inhabited and neuer hath the plage nor other infirmities so with this with their long liues their multitude is much encreased They haue diuers customes according to the diuersitie of the Countrey They haue no wooll but weare linnen and silk both men and women And in some places the women weare long traines and a girdle of a spanne breade trimmed with gold and precious stones Some of them weare vpon their heads a Lawne weaued with gold and some weare their heare loose and some wound vp in a lace hanging downe at their backes They haue more plentye of gold and precious stones than we The men vse to weare rings and the women braselets wrought of gold and precious stones From Christmas vnto Lent they feast euerie day eating and daunsing They do vse little Tables so that two or thrée may sitte at one of them and do couer them with table clothes as we do They haue but one King whiche is entituled King of Kings after or vnder God and they saye he hath many Kings vnder him and that they haue diuers kinds of beastes The Oxen are crooke backed like vnto Camels with hornes of thrée cubites in length bending vpon their backes so that vppon one of their hornes they do carrie a Rundlet of wine Their dogges are of the bignesse of our Asses and there is some of them that may do more than a Lion and hunt with them They haue very great Elephants and bring vp some of them for their pleasure for hostilitie some for the warres They bring them vp of yong ones tame them and then kill the old Their téeth are of sixe cubites in length Also they do tame and bring vp Lions and to shew them for a magnificēce and ostentation Also there is a kind of beastes of diuers couloures like vnto the Elephant but they haue not suche a tronke and snoute they do call him Belus They haue féete like vnto a Camell and two very sharp hornes each of a cubit in length the one standeth in his forehead and the other vpon his nose Also there is another beast somewhat lōger thā a Hare but in all proportions like whiche they name Zebet and hath such a strong smell that if at any time he rubbe himselfe againste any small trée he leaueth behinde hym such a swéete sauour that those that trauell and smell it ●utt● off that part of the trée where the sent is and carrie it with them and in small 〈◊〉 sell it déerer th● 〈◊〉 Also they reported that there is another kinde of Beast of nine cubits in length and sixe foote in height hauyng clouen féete like vnto an Oxe Their body is a cubit in compasse and much like in haire vnto the Libard headed like vnto a Camell and hathe a necke of four cubites in length His tayle is very thicke and muche estéemed for the women do worke with it emb●odering it with precious stones hanging them at their armes They haue another wild beast which they do take hunting and he is to be eaten He is as bigge as an Asse striped with couloures redde and gréene and hathe wreathed hornes vpward of thrée cubites in length Also there is another much like vnto a Hare with little hornes and of coulour redde whiche giueth a greate leape There is another muche like vnto a Goate with his hornes vpon his buttockes more than two cubites pending and for that the smoke of them healeth Feauers they are solde for more than fortie Duckets a péece There is another much like vnto this Beast sauing that he hathe no hornes His hayre is redde hauing a necke of two cubites in length There is another bodyed lyke vnto a Camell and of the couloure of a Lybarde hauing a necke of fire cubites in length They sayd he had a head like vnto a Déere Also they sayd they had a bird of the heigth from the ground of sixe cubites small legges féete like a Goose the necke and visage like vnto a Henne This bird flyeth little but runneth faster than a Horse Many other things they told me whiche I leaue vnwritten for that I finde my selfe wéerie And they sayd that there were Serpents in the Desertes without féete of fiftie cubits in length hauing a Scorpions tayle and swallow a whole Cau●fe at once And in these things almost they did all agrée and it séemed vnto me that they made no lie séeing they had no cause why for to lye and I thought good to write it for the profit of those the lis● to re●e FINIS