plesure in Hawking and hunting a Citie vpon the Sea side called Gloza Good Horses â—alled accorâ—ing to the Countrey Torchâ—manos and good Moyles Goodly rich and faire carpets made heere Cloth of silke of Crimson and other couloures made heere Heere was Brioâ— Blase martyred Heere on a high Mountaâ—ne rested the Arke of Noe after the â—ound Heere be Chrisâ—ians of the sect of the Nestorians and Iacobites Here is a wel that the water is like to Oyle and is occupyed for diuers purposes Heere was King Alexander put backe and could not be suffered to passe In this countrey be many fayre Cities and Townes wher is made great plenty of cloth of gold and of silke Excellente good hawkes Great trade of Merchandise A Monastery of Monckes of the order of S. Bernard A water or lake of syxe hundred miles compasse wherein is no fish but only in the Lent. Euphrates Here is made cloth of golde and silke called Mosulinus Thorough this Citie Bâ—lâ—â—ch goeth a Riuer and entreth into Sinos Pâ—râ—icus Great trade vp and down this Riuer to and from the Indians Here is made cloth of golde and of silke called cloth of Nafiâ—h Câ—lâ—pho is among the Mooâ—es as the Popâ— is in Christâ—dome Tâ—is Citie was wonne in Anno. 1230. by Alâ—n King of the Taâ—tars and he put the Calipho into a Tower among his treasure and so was famished This Citie Totis is a noble Citie and of great trade of merchandise There is made cloth of gold and of silke very rich To this City there commeâ—h Merchants from diuers countreys A great miracle A Mountain remoued froÌ„ one place to another The Calipho became christned and a great nuÌ„ber of his Moores In this Citie Sabba the three Kings met that weÌ„t to worship Christ and heere they were buried The three Kings offered Gold Incense and Myrre A miracle if it be true Heere is great plenty of fayre Horses Moyles and Asses Heere is made great plentie of rich cloth of gold silke Heere they do make gret plentie of cloth of golde and silke Pretious stones as Turkises and others Sadles and bridles and other costly furniture for Horses Cloth of gold and silke Excellent good hawkes Sheepe as great as asses EnchantmeÌ„t Great trade of MerchaÌ„ts When the husband dyeth the wife the friends do â—eep once a day for the space of four yeares Great plenty of salte Good wines and great drinkers For lacke of cloth the people weare skinnes of such beastes aâ— they kil Nâ—gromancers A Citie of 3. days iourney long Sheep that haue hornes of foure or fiue and ten spans long Fortie dayeâ— iourney and haue no habitation Iaspes and Calcedonies The Citie Iob. A rich mouening good cheare Prester Iohn slaine in batteâ— by Chenchis King of the Taâ—tars The first Emperour of the Tartars called Great Cane In this mouÌ„taine Alchay be al the gret Canes buryed The Tartares doe make them Idols of feltes and other baggage The Nobilitie Gentlemen go in cloth of gold and silke furred with rich furres The Tartaâ—es going a warfare carrie with them a thing made in paste of Mares milke and other compounds and do serue for his drinke When any of the Tartares sonnes dye and also a daughter of another then they do marrie these two togither saying they shall be so in the other worlde The voice of euil spirites heard Monsâ—rous greate Oâ—en aâ— biâ—ge as Elâ—pâ—ants Heere is the best Muske in the world I think these be Peacocks Heere be Chamlets made Heere is founde the stone called Lapâ—s â—â—guâ—i wherewith thâ—y do make a syne blâ—we Heere was the imperiall seate of Pâ—ester Iohn Here be Cranes of fiue sorts or colours The wall of this house is gilded Herâ— y Emperor hath great store of Haukes of all sortes Here y Cane doth make sacrifice with milke ro his Idols Al y Mares the great Cane do ride on be white A superstitious beliefe y great Cane hath Here his enchaunters do worke by the Diuel A great Monasâ—erie of Monkes Three hundred thousand fighting men The pollicie of the great Cane A strange kind of death to his cousin The great Cane haâ—h foure wiues and they kepe great Courts The great Cane hath many Concubines The greate Cane had by his foure wiues two and twenty sonnes after his eldest son dyed who should haue bin king His sonne was heyre and kept a great Couâ—t Cambalu This is a goodly Citie and well ordered At euery gate is a thousand mâ—n that do watch No common woman may dwell within the Citie Aboue a thousande Cartes with silke goeth euery daye out of this Line The greate Cane is garded nightly with twentie thousande Horsemen The manner of the greate Cane at hys â—inner with his wiues and children Commonly foure thousand persons do sitte in that Hall at a dinner A vessell of fine gold thaâ— will holde tenne Hogsheads of Wine and four of siluer bigger than that Euery one that sitteth at the tables hath a cuppe of gold before him Euery one that bringeth meate or drinke to the Table hath a towell of golde and silke before his mouth Great feast is made euerie yeare the day when the great Cane was borne He giueth a rich Liuerie Euery Liuerie is worth a thousande Markes The Tartares begin their yeare the first day of February Tenne thousand white Horses and Mares presented to the great Cane Al his nobilitie do â—ncle and worshiâ— the Cane as if he were an Idol A great and rich offering The great Cane doth giue liueriâ—s 13. times in a yeare and euery time he changes his colours Four months he doth continue in Camballo No man may hunt no haulâ— nor foule within thirtie days iourney of his Citie Two noble men be maisters of his dogs and they haue ten thousand meÌ„ apeece The greaâ— Cane hath with him ten thousand Faulcons fiue thousand Gerfaulcons They do neuer leese Faulcon nor Gerfaulcon A straunge going a hauking There be at the least ten thousand teÌ„ts and pauilions set vp in the fielde These two tents bee of a good valure Three dayes he doth make great cheare after his hunting is ended The money tâ—at is vsed in those countries He â—hat doth counterâ—aâ—e hys coâ—ne sâ—â—ll â—e destroyed to the tâ—â—râ—e generâ—tion The noble men that doe set order for all the greate Canes affaires Marcus Paulus was made the Emperoures Embassador The riuer Poluisanguis A goodly Bridge and long Here is plentie of cloth of Golde Here is much armor â—â—â—de A King was made a sheephearde by Prester Iohn Cloth of gold and cloth of silke made The inside of the pallace wall is layde on with gold Mâ—ngi a citie Great trade oâ— Merchandâ—se Mâ—ngâ— Here be many Muske cuttes A bridge of a myle long and eight paces brode of marble and housen on it Here be Canes of fifteen paces long and ten spans about No maydens may marrie in this Countrey For lacke of wollen cloth they do wear Canuas and wilde beastes Skynnes
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 theÌ„ 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 Mâ—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 WheÌ„ 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 subiâ—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 â—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 wheÌ„ 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 coÌ„serue 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 maÌ„ could passe to carrie any newes to Nauia and by this meanes not thinking nor staÌ„ding 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 hoâ—res and did sette his Campe hard by the place where as Nauia had his and founde them all vnaâ—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 obedieÌ„t 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 â—iddle stature well fleshte and of good complexion and wel proportioned in al his meÌ„bers 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 meÌ„ 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 theÌ„selues 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
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
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 ladeÌ„ 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 tokâ— and slewe many This playne is towardes the South and is of seauen dayes iourney and at the end of them is a mouÌ„tayne 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 MerchaÌ„ts 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 Mâ—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 peoplâ— 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 â—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 Câ—AP 17. LEauing hers this Citie and not declaring any more of the Indians I retourne to the Northwarâ—â—â— declaring of those prouincâ—s 〈◊〉 â—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 câ—â—untrie whâ—â—â—e is called Ren 〈◊〉 ela vacomare from whome fewe coulde scape buâ— 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 mâ—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 Casteâ—â— 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
spannes in compasse and fiftéene in length At two iourneys ende strandeth the Citie named Greguy verye noble and greate hauing aboundance of all things néedeful The people are Idolatours and vnder the greate Cane And going from this Citie thrée dayes iourney towarde Solano you shall finde many Cities and townes and many Lyons The people do kill them in this manner the man doth put of his hosen and apparell and putteth on a wéede of Canuas carriyng a certaine thing pitched vpon his shoulders and carrieth a sharpe knife in his handes with a pointe and in this manner he goeth vnto the Lions denne and as the Lion séeth him come he maketh towards him and the man when he is neare casteth vnto him the pitched thyng whyche hée hath vpon his shoulders The Lyon taketh it in hys mouthe thinking that he hath the manne and then the man doth wounde him with the sharpe poynted knife and as soone as the Lyon féeleth hymselfe hurt he runneth away and as soone as the colde entereth into the wounde he dyeth In this maner they do kill many Lyons in that countrey whych is of the prouince of Mangi Of the Citie named Cinaugnary and of many other noble Cities and of the cruelty of the people that inhabit there and of other things CHAP. 101. TRauelling forward foure dayes iourney you come vnto a citie named Cinaugnary a great and a famous Citie standing vppon a Mountayne which parteth a riuer into two partes and trauelling foure dayes iourney forwarde you come vnto a Citie named Signy whiche is vnder the segniorie of Quinsay And after you enter into the Realme of Fuguy and trauelling forward sixe dayes iourney towardes Solano or East and by South through mountaynes and valleys you shall finde many Cities and Townes hauing plenty of all victuals and singular for Hunting and Hawking and plenty of spices and suger so plenty that you may buy forty pound of Suger for a Venice groate There groweth a certayne swéete fruite like vnto Saffron and they vse it instead of Saffron The people of this Countrey eate mans flesh so that he dye not of naturall death When the people of this Countrey go vnto the warres they doe make certayne signes in their forheads to be the better knowen and they go all on foote except their Lorde who rideth on Horsebacke They are very cruell people and vse the speare and sword They do eate the fleshe of those men that they kill and drinke their bloud In the middes of these sixe dayes iourney standeth the Citie named Belimpha whiche hath foure bridges of marble with very fayre pillers of marble Euery bridge of these is a mile in length nine paces in breadth Vnto this Citie there commeth great plenty of Spices Also there is in thys Citie very faire men and more fayre women and there be blacke Hennes and fatte without feathers and verye perfect to eate In this countrey there be Lions and other wilde perillous beasts so that they trauel in this cuntrey in great feare At these sixe dayes iourneys ende standeth the Citie named Vguca where there is made great plentye of suger which is all carried vnto the great Canes court Of the Citie named Friguy and of manie other maruellous things which be there CHAP. 104. PAssing out of the Citie of Vgucu and trauelling fiftéene miles you come vnto the Citie named Friguy which is the head of the Realme of Tonca which is one of the nyne Kingdomes of Mangi Through the middest of this Citie runneth a Riuer of seauen miles in breadth And in this Citie there be made manye Ships and is laden greate plentie of Spices and diuers other Merchandizes that is gathered néere to that Riuer and Precious stones whiche be broughte out of India maior This Citie standeth very néere vnto the Occean Seas and hath abundance of all kind of victuals or any thyng else néedefull Of the Citie named Iaython and of many other things CHAP. 105. GOing from Quinsay and passing the sayd Riuer trauelling fyue dayes iourney towardes Solano or East and by South you find many Cities and Townes hauing abundance of all victuals And at the ende of these fyue dayes iourney standeth a great and a faire City named Iaython whiche hath a good Hauen and thither come many Shippes from the Indyes with many Merchandises and this is one of the best Hauens that is in the world and there commeth Shippes vnto it in such quantitie that for one Shippe that commeth vnto Alexandria there commeth .100 vnto it The great Cane hathe great custome for Merchandises in and out of that Hauen for the Ship that commeth thither payeth tenne in the hundred for custome and of Precious stones and spices and of any other kind of fine wares they pay thirtie in the hundred and of Pepper .44 of the hundred so that the Merchants in freight tribute and customes pay the one halfe of their goodes In this Countrey and Citie there is great abundance of victuals Of the Ilande named Ciampagu and of things which be found there and how the great Cane would conquer it CHAP. 106. I Will passe from hence vnto the Countreys of India where I Marcus Paulus dwelte a â—ong time and although the things which I will declare séeme not to be beléeued of them that shall heare it but haue it in a certaynetie and of a truth for that I sawe it all with mine owne eyes And now I will beginne of the Iland named Ciampagu whiche standeth in the high Sea towardes the Orient and it is separated from the mayne land .1500 miles The people of this Countrey are fayre and of good maners although they be all Idolaters There is in thys Iland a King franke and frée for he payeth no tribute at all to any Prince The people of this Countrey speake the Persian tong And there is found in this Iland great plenty of golde and they neuer haue it forthe vnto anye place out of the Ilande for that there commeth thyther fewe Shyppes and little Merchandise The Kyng of thys Ilande hathe a maruellous fayre and great Pallace all couered with golde in pasâ—e of the thicknesse of a péece of two Ryals of plate And the windowes and pillers of this Pallace bée all of golde Also there is greate plenty of precious stones And the great Cane knowing of the greate fame and riches of this Iland determined to conquere it and caused to be made great prouision of munition and vittayles and a greate number of Shippes and in them he put many Horsemen and footemen and sent them vnder the gouernance of two of his Captaynes the one was named Abatan and the other Vonsaucin and these two went with this great armie from the Hauen of Iaython and of Glunsay and they went vnto the Iland Ciampagu where they went alande and hauing done great hurt in Mountaynes and valleys there entred suche enuie and hatred betwéene these two Captaynes and so
toppe to the grounde painted verses playing thrée daies vpon certain instrumeÌ„ts of Copper They do giue vnto the poore for Gods sake Other do wéep thrée dayes for the deade and all the kinsfolkes and neighbors goe vnto the deade bodies house and they doe carry victualles but it is not dreste in the dead mans house In these thrée dayes those that haue buried their father or mother do carry a bitter leafe in their mouth and in a whole yere after they doe not chaunge their apparell nor eate not but once a day nor yet cutte theyr nailes nor haire of their heade or bearde The women which wéepe for the dead are many they stande neare vnto the deade bodies bedde being naked vnto the nauell and strike theyr breastes wyth a loude voyce saying alacke alacke and one of them beginneth to praise vertues of the deade bodye and all the reste aunswered vnto hir wordes striking theyr breasts some put in certaine vessels of gold and of siâ—uer The ashes of their Prince they cause to be cast into a lake that they haue saying it is hallowed by their Goddes and that that waye they goe downe vnto their Gods. The Priestes whyche they doe call Bachales eate of no kinde of beastes especially not of the Oxe for they will neither eate nor kill him saying he is verye profitable vnto menne aboue al beastes They doe eate Rice hearbes fruites and such like and haue but one wife whiche is borne with hir husbande when he dyeth laying hir armes aboute his necke receyuing hir death with so so good a wil that she sheweth no signe of paine Through out al India there is founde a lynage of Philosophers named Bramanos whiche studye Astrologie and prognosticate things to come They are apparelled more honestly and liue more holily than the others Nicholas saide Men liue three huÌ„dreth yeares that he hadde séene amongest these men some of .300 yeares and among them it was hadde for a miracle for wheresoeuer that man wente the boyes woulde followe hym as a thing of noueltie and among them is muche vsed the superstition whyche they doe call Geomancia by the whiche they tell thinges to come as thoughe they were present Also they are gyuen vnto inchauntementes so that dyuers tymes they doe moue and cause tâ—mpestes to cease and for this cause manye do eate in secret for that they should be enchaunted by those that looke vppon them ¶ The saide Nicholas dydde tell for a trueth that hée béeyng patrone and owner of a Shyppe hée hadde a calme seauen dayes and hys marriners fearyng they wente all vnto the mayne maste and sette vppe a Table and after they had made their sacrifices vppon it they leapte and daunced rounde aboute calling manye times the name of their Gods whyche they name Mutia and among these there entred a Féend in a Alarabe or Moore whyche was amongest them he beganne to sing maruellouslye running aboute the Shippe lyke a madde man and afterwardes he came vnto the Table and dydde eate vppe all the meate vnto the bones and fire Also hée didde demaunde a Cocke and killed it and drunke vp the bloude and immediatelye hée demaunded of those of the Shippe what they woulde haue that hée shoulde doe and they demaunded that he shoulde gyue them wind he promised to giue it them within thrée dayes and suche that they shoulde come vnto harborowe and he shewed setting his handes behinde from whence the wind should come and willed them to prepare for the strength that the winde woulde bring and when he hadde thus saide the manne fell downe as halfe deade without anye knowlege or remembraunce of anye thing that he hadde saide and in fewe dayes after they were sette in harborowe Commonly the Indians sayle by the guiding of the Starres of the Pole Antartique for seldome times they doe sée oure North Starre They vse not the Loademans stone as wée doe they doe measure their waye and distaunce of places according as their Poale riseth and falleth and so they doe knowe by this meanes what place they are in Their Pole riseth and falleth They doe make bigger Shippes than wée doe that is to saye of twoo thousande Tunnes wyth fyue sayles and so manye mastes they builde their Shippes wyth thrée planckeâ— one vppon another vnder water that they maye the better resiste the tempestes for there chaunceth many These Shippes are made with Chambers after suche a sorte that if one of them shoulde breake the others maye goe and finish the voyage Throughout al India they doe worshippe Idolles and haue Churches muche like vnto oures painted within with diuers pictures whiche they doe decke with floures at their feasts They haue within Idolles of stone and gold of siluer and of Iuorie some of .60 foote in height They haue among themselues diuers manners in worshipping and sacrifizing When they enter into the Church they wash themselues in cleane water and so they go in the morning and in the afternoone they go in lying along vpon the ground lifting vppe their féete and handes and so praye a whyle then they doe kisse the grounde and sense their Idolles with the smoake of swéete woodde On this side of Gange the Indians vse no belles but in steade of them they doe strike vppon a vessell of Copper and with an other vessel they doe offer victualles vnto their Gods as the Gentiles did and afterwarde doe imparte it to the poore that they maye eate it ¶ In the Cittie whiche they name Cambayta the Priestes preache vnto the people in presence of the Idoll their God declaring howe they shoulde worshippe him howe much it pleaseth their Gods when they do kill themselues for their loue and there stande in presence many that determine to kill themselues for them They haue a hoope of Iron aboute their neckes the vtter parte of the hoope is rounde and within it is sharpe like vnto a Rasar also they doe hang vnto the fore parte of the hoope down theyr breaste a chaine and being sette downe they fasten theyr féete vnto it and béeyng thus as the Prieste sayeth certaine wordes they stretch forth their legges and lifte vp their heades and thus with the sharpenesse of the hoope cutte off their heades in sacrifice of their Idoll yéelding vppe their liues And they that kill themselues in this order are estéemed as Saints In the Citie of Bizenegalia in certaine time of the yeare they doe carry about the Cittie in procession their Idoll betwéene two cartes in the company of muche people and the Damoysellesride in cartes in trimme aray singing in the praise of hym with muche solempnitie and manye induced by the strength of theyr faith do lay themselues vpon the ground that the whéeles of the cartes may goe ouer them to bruse their bones and so to dye saying that that death is acceptable vnto theyr god Others there be that for the better adorning of the carts make holes throgh the sides of their bodies putting a rope throughe it and
is neither beastes nor Serpent and from thence they doe gather that whiche is called Salamandra which is a thréede they doe make cloth of They gather it after this manner they digge a certaine vayne that they doe there finde and afterwardes they beate it in a morter of a lofer and afterwarde washe it and there remaineth small fine théedes faire and cleane and after they haue caste out that which they doe washe it withall they spinne it and weaue it and make table clothes and napkins of it then they caste them into the fire for a certaine time whereas it waxeth as white as snowe and the great Cane once in thrée yeres doth send for some of them that be made of Salamandra And they wer wont for to seÌ„d of these napkins for to hang before the vernacle of oure Lorde Iesus Christ whome the people of Leuant do take for a great prophet Departing from this prouince and going betwéen the Northeast and East you shal trauaile tenne dayes iourney and come to little habitation and at the end of the tenne dayes iourny you shall find a prouince called Sanchur in it be Christians and Idolators subiects to the great Cane The two prouinces beforesaide to say Chamul and Hingnitala be called Tanguth with the prouince of Sachar In all the hilles of this prouince is found greate plentie of Rewbarbe and there the Merchauntes do buy it and carry it to all places to sel. There they doe not vse any occupation but the moste parte doe liue by the laboure of the Countrey Of the Citie called Campion and of many euill vsages there CHAP. 44. CAmpion is a greate Citie and fayre is the heade of the prouince of Tanguth In this Citie be thrée sortes of people that is to say Christians Idolators and Mahomets The ChristiaÌ„s haue thrée great Churches and faire and the Idolators haue also Monasteries Abbeys and religious houses more chaste and comly than the other and they do kil no beast nor fowle there till the fifth day of the Moone and in those fiue days they liue more honest deuout and chast than in any other time of the yeare These Idolators may haue thirtie wiues apéece or more if they be able to maintaine them but the firste wife is chiefe and if anye of them doe not contente him he may put hir away They do mary in kinreds and liue like beastes In this Citie was Mapheo Nicholas and Marcus Paulus seauen yeres vsing the trade of merchaundize Of a Citie called Eusina and of many notable things in Tartaria CHAP. xlj DEparting from the foresayde Cittie Campion and trauailing twelue dayes iorney you shall come to a Citie called Eusina the whyche is in a fielde of the Desert called Sabon toward the North and is of the prouince Targuth In this Citie they bée al Idolators and haue great abundaunce of Camels and other cattell withall they gette their liuing by labouring the ground In this Citie those that do trauaile do prouide them of victualles and other necessaries for fortie dayes iourney whyche they must passe through a great Desert wheras be no towns nor houses nor grasse but in the mountaines about dwel people and also in the valleys beneath the Desert There be many Asses and other wild beasts of the mountaines and greate Pine apple trées At the ende of this Deserte there is a Citie called Catlogoria whiche is towarde the North and of this Citie was the first Prince or Lorde among the Tartars and his name was Catlogoria The Tartars dwel towards the North wheras is but few cities Townes but true it is there be fayre playnes pastures riuers and very good waters There dwell Tartars that haue no King nor Lorde they doe gouerne themselues in common and do pay tribute to Prester Iohn It formned that these Tartars multiplyed to so greate a number that Prester Iohn did feare that they woulde rise against him therefore he determined with himselfe to sende certaine Lordes of his that shoulde be among them to kéepe them asunder and also to kéepe the countrey in good order and to banishe or diminishe parte of them bycause they should not be of so greate a power And the Tartars perceyuyng thys ioyned themselues togither and tooke councell determined to leaue that countrey and to goe and dwell vpon the mountaines and in the deserts by meanes whereof from that time forwarde they stoode in no feare of Prester Iohn nor woulde pay him tribute And at the end of certaine yeares that they were not vnder the obedience of Prester Iohn they did elect and choose among themselues a King whiche they called Chenchis a valiaunt and wise man and this was in the yeare of oure Lorde God .1187 and crowned him for King of the Tartars aforesaide And all the Tartars that were in Persia and other Countreys thereâ—boutes came to him and put themselues vnder his gouernement and obeyed him as their King and he receiued them very friendly gouerning them iustely and discréetely And after that Chenchis was confirmed and had the whole gouernment within a short time he made war and in shorte time conquered righte Kingdomes or Prouinces and when he hadde gotten anye Prouince or Citie he did iniurie to no man but lette them remaine wyth their goods sauing to those that were able and fitte menne for him they he tooke with him into the warres and by this meanes he was welbeloued and all men were content to goe with him Of the beginning of the raigne of the Tartars and of many maruellous and straunge thinges CHAP. 42. CHenchis perceyuyng himselfe to be of suche power minding to ioyne himselfe in kindred or stocke with Prester Iohn sente to him his Embassadoures requiring his daughter in marriage and this was in the yeare of oure Lord God .1190 Prester Iohn disdained that Embassage and aunswered that he maruailed muche that Chenchis being his Subiecte shoulde presume to demaunde his Lordes daughter to be his wife saying he woulde rather kil hir so the matter remayned thus Chenchis hearing this aunswere of Prester Iohn was sore troubled and vexed in minde againste hym and incontinent sent him defiaunce saying he woulde warre vppon him and of this Prester Iohn made small reckning saying that the Tartars were but slaues and not menne of warre notwithstanding he made himselfe in a readinesse and came vpon Chenchis who had also made himselfe in a readinesse and came oute againste him and encountred togither in a great plaine called Tanguth where it was appointed the battaile shoulde be of both parties thus ioyned togither in a fierce loÌ„g battel for both parts was strong but in the end Prester Iohn being slaine and many of both parts the field remayned to Chenchis who conquered all the prouince Cities and townes of Prester Iohn and raigned after his death sixe yeares and at the end of sixe yeares laying siege to a Castell was hurte in the knée with an arrowe and of that wounde dyed After the
death of this Chenchis was made Lord of the Tartars one called Cane and this was the firste that was called Emperoure and Greate Cane And after hym raigned Bathe Cane and the fourth was called Chenchis Cane the fifth was Cublay Cane which raigneth nowe This Cublay Cane is the greatest and of most power of anye of al his predessors for among the Christians and Heathen there is not a greater Prince than he is nor of so great a power and that shall you cléerely perceyue hereafter by that which followeth All the Canes successors of the first Chenchis where buâ—yed in a mountaine called Alchay and there dwelled the greate Cane And when the greate Cane dyeth they cary hym to be buryed there Those that do cary him or go with him kill as manye as they méete withall in the waye or stréete and when they kill them they saye Go and serue our Lorde in the other worlde they beléeue certainely that they go and doe him seruice And likewise by this reason when the greate Cane dieth they kill all his Camels Horses and Moyles beléeuing that they seÌ„d them to serue their Lord in the other worlde When Monguy Cane Lorde of the Tartars dyed there was slaine .300000 men that they encountred in the way by those that wente wyth hym to hys buriall to the saide mountaine The habitation of the Tartars in the Winter is in the plaine fieldes where it is warme and good grasse and pasture for their Cattell and in the Sommer in the mountaines and wooddes where it is freshe and pleasaunt aire and they make rounde houses of tymber and couer them with feltes and these houses they carry with them at all times when they do remoue and alwayes they sette their doore in the Sommer time towards the South and in the Winter towardes the North. These Tartars haue theyr cartes of Wagons couered with blacke feltes that neuer any water can passe through and in these Cartes or Wagons go their wiues children and family and their Cammels do drawe these Wagons The Tartars wiues doe buy and sell al manner of things belonging to householde or any thing néedefull their husbands take no care for it but onely in hawking hunting and going on warrefare They do eate all manner of fleshe and drinke milke of all kinde of beastes and mares The Tartars maye take as manye wiues as they will and maye marry with anye of their kinred excepting no degrée but their firste wife is the chiefest and is moste made of the women doe gyue their dowries to their husbandes There is none of them will haue conuersation with an other mannes wife And when the father dyeth his eldest sonne doeth marry wyth his mother in lawe and when the sonne dyeth his brother marryeth with hys sister in lawe and for the time do kéep great solemnitie and feastes at the wedding Of the custome orders faith and honoring the great Cane and howe he goeth to the warres CHAP. 43. THe Greate Cane Emperour of the Tartars doth worshippe for his God and Idoll called Nochygay and they saye and beléeue that he is the eternall God that taketh care to preserue hym hys wiues children familie cattell and corne and hathe him in great reuerence and euery one hath the figure of that Idoll in his house And this Idoll is made of feltes or of other cloth and of the same felte or cloth they doe make wiues and children for their Idols and the women be sette on the lefte side of the Idols and the children before them When they thinke it dinner tyme then they doe annoynte the mouthes and lippes of theyr Idols and wiues and children with the fatte of the sodden flesh and do poure out the broath vpon the floore saying that theyr Idols their wiues and children doe fill themselues with it and they do eate the sodden flesh and their drinke is the milke of Mares trimmed with spices that it is like white wine and it is very good and is called with them Cheminis The Lordes and men of power and riches goe apparelled in cloth of golde and cloth of silke furred with riche furres Their harnesse is the Hydes of Buffe or other thicke and strong Skynnes The Tartares be valiant men of armes and strong to abyde any trauell or laboure and can well suffer hunger and thirst for in the warres they be many times one moneth and eate nothing but of wylde beastes they doe kill in the field and drinke Mares Milke When they be in the field day and night they be on Horsebacke and the bridle in their hands they giue the Horses meate When their King setteth forward with his host before and on euery side of him they do set foure battels of the best and most valiant men for bycause their King shoulde not bée put in feare And when he goeth a warrefare a farre off he caryeth nothing with hym but hys armoure and a thing to couer him when it doth rayne and two flaggons with Milke for to drinke and a Potte to séeth his meate in when néede is In a tyme of néede hée will ride tenne days iourney without eating any sodden meate For his drinke they will carrie Milke made like dry paste and when hée is disposed to drinke he will take a little of that paste and dissolue it in fayre water and so drinke it and when thys shall fayle hym and that he can gette no other drinke hée letteth hys Horse bloud and drinketh of it When the Tartares wyll skyrmishe wyth theyr enâ—mies they hyde their Sallets secretely and as they doe beginne to skyrmishe streightway they shewe as though they woulde runne away and that they were ouercome of theyr enimies and thus fléeing putte on theyr Sallets and streyght way they returne valiantly vpon their enimies and by this meanes commonly they doe breake the a ray of theyr enimies The Tartares haue thys custome that if one of theyr sonnes dye being yong and also of another man his daughter after they be dead they marrie them saying they shall be maried in the other worlde And of thys Matrimonie they doe make a publike writing and this writing they burne saying to the dead that as the smoke thereof ascendeth on high so doe they sende them that writing declaring theyr mariage And at suche mariages they make great feasting and solemnitie and do séeth muche victuals and poure out the broath vppon the floore saying that those which be dead in this world and maried in the other do eate of the victuals prepared for the wedding And besides all this they cause to be painted the figure of the sonne and daughter vppon the backside of the foresayde writing and withall the pictures of manye Camels and other diuers beasts and apparell and money and many other things saying that as that writing dothe burne all those things therein goe straight way to their chyldren after the smoke as aforesayde and the fathers and mothers of these