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
thrée parts of the world beforesaid to whiche it may be moste properly iudged to be and lyeth nearest vnto Ethiopia MOreouer you muste note that Ethiopia is a common name to manye Prouinces and Countries inhabited with blacke people called Negros And to begin with the moste Weaste partes the firste is 〈◊〉 that is to saye from Cabâ— Verde or the gréene Cape and following the coâ—st of the Sea to the mouth or streite of the Redde Sea. Al those prouinces be called Ethiopians and of these Ethiopians from Ginney vnto Casâ— Mansa that is to saye the Kings pallace they be of the sect of Mahomet circumcised the most parte of them And the chiefest and most principall of these people be the Iolofos and Mandingos and be moste parte vnder the gouernement of a King called Mandimansa for Mansa is as muche to saye as Senior or Lord and Mandy Mandinga so by this his title he is Lord Mandinga This King is blacke and his abiding is in the prouince of Sertano four hundred leagues within the land in a Citie compassed about with a wall called Iaga which is riche of golde and siluer and of all suche merchaundize as is occupied in Adem and in Meca and from thence forwarde the Ethiopians be Idolators to the cape called Buona Esperanca and there turneth againe to the sect of Mahomet Beyonde these prouinces following vp into the land of Sartanâ— bée greate and highe mountaines or hilles called mountaines of the Moone the toppes of them be alwayes couered with Snow at the foote of theÌ„ springeth the riuer Nilus and this Countrie is called Ethiopia beside Egâ—pt and in Arabia it is called Abas and the inhabitants â—â—hâ—ssmâ—s and be Christians and doe vse to be marked with an yron in the face they be not baptized with fire as some doe saye but as we are but they be Heretikes Iacobites and Hebeyonites They do holde on the olde lawe with the newe and be circumcised and doe kéepe the Sabaoth daye and doe eate no Poâ—ke and some of them doe take manye wiues and be also baptized and doe saye that their King came and descended of King Salomon and of the Quéene Saba and this King hathe continuall warres with the Moores There is another Ethiopia called Asiatica interior which the Arabians call Zenium and these doe extende from the sayd hilles of the Moone and of Nilus to the borders of Barbarie And the saying is that among all Riuers onelie Nilus entereth into two Seas that is to saye one braunche into the East Sea and another braunche into the West Sea. All these Ethiopians bée Moores and theyr laboure and occupation is digging of golde out of the grounde where they doe fynde great plentie There is also another Ethiopia called Tragodytica and thys dothe reache or extende from the foresayde Ethiopia to the streyte or mouth of the redde Sea and these bée somewhat whyter and the King and people bée Moores and came out of Arabia foelix for the Arabians came ouer the streyte of the redde Sea and gotte that Countrey of the Iacobites by force and at this daye there is robbing and stealing among them secretely for the King of the Iacobites is of so greate power that the Souldan of Babilon doth giue him tribute Arabia THat whiche wée doe call Arabia the Arabians doe call Arab and is called Gesyrdelaab That whyche is betwéene the redde Sea and Sinus Perficus is called the Iland of Arabia and thys is called Arabia Foelix by reason of the Incense that groweth there There bée other two Arabias besyde thys the one of them extendyng from the Mount Sinay to the dead Sea where the Children of Israell wente fortye yeares and thys is called Arabia petrea takyng that name of a Citie that is there The other dothe extende betwéene Syria and Euphrates towardes the Citie of Lepâ— and thys they doe call Arabia desan which is as muche to say as of Siria and our Latines doe call it Arabia deserta And wheras the vulgar people and men for the most part do thinke that Antilla or those Ilandes lately found out by commaundemente of the Catholike King Don Fernando and Lady Isabell Quéene be in the Indias they be deceyued therein to call it by the name of the Indias And for bycause that in Spaniola or newe Spayne they do find gold some doe not let to say it is Tharsis and Ophin and Sethin from whence in the time of Salomon they brought gold to Hierusalem And thus augmenting erroures vpon erroures let not to saye that the Prophetes when they sayde that the name of oure Lorde God should be pronounced to people that haue not hearde of it and in places and Countreys very farre off and aparted which is sayd to be vnderstanded by those that be called Indians and by these Ilandes and furthermore doe not let to say to this day that it is to be vnderstanded by the places mentioned in the holy Scripture and the Catholike doctors and that this secret God hath kept hidden all this time and by finding out these Ilands did reueale it I séeing how they are deceyued in their vayne inuentions and greate simplicitie for zeale and good will of the truth and to kill this canker that it créepe no more nor ingender greater erroures will giue light to this errour answering to the said muttering talkers according as to euery of them doth require And first you shall vnderstande that this name India according to all Cosmographers as well Christians as Infidels of old time and of later yeares the name dothe come of a Riuer named Hynde or Hyndo that going towards the East is the beginning of the Indias whiche bée thrée in number that is to say the first is called the lower or nether India the seconde is called the middle India and the third is called the high or vpper India The first or lower India is renamed Caysar and these do extend towards the East from the Riuer India vnto a Porte or Hauen on the Sea side of great traffike and trade called Cambaya And the King of this India and also the most part of the people be Moores and the rest Idolaters The second or middle India is surnamed Mynbar and dothe reache to the borders of Colchico and this hath very faire Hauens and Portes of greate traffike where they doe lade Pepper Ginger and other Spices and Drugges The Portes or Hauens be called Colocud Coulen Hely Fatenâ—r Colnugur and héere be many Christians Heretikes Nestorians and many Indians although towards the North they be Idolaters The thirde India whiche is the hygh India is surnamed Mahabar and dothe extend vnto Cauch whiche is the Riuer Gange Héere groweth plentye of Sinamon and Pearle The King and people of thys Countrey worship the Oxe Besides these thrée Indias whiche lye towardes the rising of the Sunne there can not be found neyther Author nor Man that hathe trauelled the firme land neyther
of many spices that grow there ca. 108. Of the Iland Iocath and of the other two Ilands and of their coÌ„ditions cap. 109. Of the kingdome Malenir and of the Iland Pencera and of Iaua the lesse cap. 110. Of the kingdome of Baxina and of the Vnicornes and other beasts cap. 111. Of the kingdome Samara cap. 112. Of the kingdome Lambri and of the kingdome â—amphur and of things found there cap. 113. Of two Ilands and of their sluttish and beastly liuing cap. 114. Of the I le Saylan cap. 115. Of the prouince Moahar in the which there be fiue kingdomes cap. 116. Of the kingdomâ— Masuli where Adamants and many serpents be found cap. 117. Of the prouince Labe. cap. 118. Of the kingdome Orbay cap. 119. Of the prouince Châ—man and of the people and verye straungâ— beastes cap. 120. Of the kingdome of Hely and of the straunge beastes whyche are there found cap. 121. Of the kingdome Malibar of the things that be found there cap. 122. Of the kingdome Giesurath and of their euill customs cap. 123. Of the kingdome Thoma and of the kingdom Semebelech which is in India the greater cap. 124 A rehearsal of the things alreadie spoken of cap. 125. Of two Ilands one of men and the other women Christians and how there is much Amber cap. 126. Of the Iland called Escorsia which are Christians and of things that be found there cap. 127. Of the Iland Maydegastar where Elephants and other great nouelties are founde and a birde called Nichia which hath the quilles of his wings of twelue paces in length cap. 128. Of the Iland Tanguibar where there be men like Giants ca. 129 An Epiloge cap. 130. Of Abaxia cap. 131. Of the prouince Aden cap. 132. Of a very mighty king in the North part cap. 133. How the Armynes and other beastes are bought cap. 134. Of the prouince of Russia and of the things that be founde there cap. 135. FINIS TABVLAE The Prologue TO all Princes Lordes Knightes and all other persons that this my Booke shall sée heare or reade health prosperitie and pleasure In thys Booke I do mind to giue knowledge of strange and maruellous things of the world and specially of the partes of Armenia Persia India Tartaria and of many other prouinces and Countreys whiche shall be declared in this worke as they were séene by me Marcus Paulus of the noble Citie of Venice and that which I saw not I declare by report of those that were wise discrete and of good credite but that which I saw I declare as I saw it and that which I knew by others I declare as I heard it And for that this whole worke shall be faithfull and true my intente is not to write any thing but that which is very certaine I do giue you all to vnderstande that sithence the birth of our Sauioure and Lorde Iesus Christ there hathe bin no man Christian nor Heathen that hathe come to the knowledge and sight of so manye diuers maruellous and strange things as I haue séene and hearde whiche I will take in hande the laboure to write as I did sée and heare it For me thinke I shoulde do a great iniurie to the world in not manifesting or declaring the truth And for better information to them that shall reade or heare this worke I do giue you to vnderstand that I trauelled in the foresayd Prouinces and Countreys and did sée those things that I will declare the space of sixe and twentie yeares caused theÌ„ to be written to Mayster Vstacheo of Pisa the yeare of our Lorde God .1298 He and I then being prisoners in Ianua raigning in Constantinople the Emperoure Baldouino and in his time in the yeare of oure Lord .1250 Nicholas my father and Mapheo my vncle his brother Citizens of Venice went to Constantinople with their Merchandises And béeyng there a certayne tyme wyth councell of theyr friendes passed wyth such wares and iewels as they had boughte in the Countrey of the Souldan where they were a long time determining to goe forwarde and trauelling a long iourney came to a Citie of the Lorde of the Tartarians which is called Barcacan who was Lord of a greate parte of Tartaria â—urgaria and Asia And this Lord Barcacan tooke greate pleasure to sée my father Nicholas and my Vncle Mapheo and shewed them greate friendship and they presented to hym such iewels as they broughte with them from Câ—nstantinople who receyued them thankefully and gaue them giftes double the valew whiche they sent into dyuers partes to sell and they remayned in his Courte the space of one yeare in which tyme warres beganne betwéene the sayde Barcacan and Alan Lord of the Tartares of the East and there was betwéene them many great battayles and muche shedding of bloud but in the end the victorie fell to Alan And bycause of these warres my father and vncle coulde not returne the way they went but determined to go forwarde to the Eastward and so to haue returned to Constantinople and following their way came to a Citie in the East partes called Buccata whiche is within the precinct of the East Kingdome And departing from this Citie passed the Riuer which is called Tygris whiche is one of the foure that commeth out of Paradise terrenall and goyng seauentéene dayes iourneys through a Deserte not finding anyâ— Citie or Towne yet méeting with manye companyes of Tartares that went in the fields with their Cattel béeing past thys Desert they came to a great noble Citie called Bocora and the same name hadde that Prouince which the Kyng of that Countrey had and the Citie was called Barache and this is the greatest Citie in Persia. In thys Countrey were these two bréethren thrâ—e yeares And in this time came an Embassadoure from Hamil Lorde of the Easte whiche wente to the greate Alan Lorde of the Tartares that before was spoken of This Alan is otherwise called the greate Cane Thys Embassadoure maruelled muche to sée these two Bréethren béeyng Christians and tooke greate pleasure at them bycause they hadde neuer before that tyme séene any Christians and sayde to them Friends if you wyll followe or take my councell I will shewe you wayes or meanes whereby you shall gette greate riches and renowme Oure Lorde the King of the Tâ—rtares didde neuer sée anye Christians and hathe great desire to sée of them if you will goe with me I will bring you to his presence where you shall â—aue greate profite and friendshippe of hym They hearing thys determined to goe with hym and trauelling the space of one yeare towardes the East Southeast and after turning to the lefte hande towards the Northeast and after towardes the North in fine they came to the Citie of the great Cane in the whyche trauell they sawe manye straunge and â—aruellous things whyche shall be declared in thys Bâ—â—ke And these two bréethren béeyng presented to the great Cane were receyued by him very fauourably shewing
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 â—is Embassadour in one of his Countreys sixe Monethes â—ourney And he perceyuing the great Cane had greate pleaâ—ure to heare newes and oftentimes would find fault with his Embassadoures and messengers when they coulde not make â—iscourse and tell him newes of the Countreys and places â—hey trauelled into he determined with himselfe to note and â—nderstand in that iourney all that could be spoken as well of â—he Townes Cities and places as also the conditions and â—ualities of the people noting it in writing to be the more â—eadie to make his aunswere if any thing should be demaunâ—ed of him and at his returne declared to the great Cane the â—unswere of the people of that Countrey to his Embassage â—nd withall declared vnto hym the nature of Countreys â—nd the conditions of the people where he had bin and also â—hat he had heard of other Countreys which pleased well the â—reat Cane and was in great fauoure with him and set great â—ore by him for which cause all the noble men of his Courte â—ad him in great estimation calling him Senior or Lorde He â—as in the greate Canes Court .xvij. yeares and when anye â—reate Embassage or businesse shoulde be done in any of hys Countreys or Prouinces he was alwayes sente wherefore â—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 waâ— 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 Wiâ—â— The names of these Embassadors were called Onlora Apusca and Edilla When these Embassadors arriued at thâ— Courte they were very well receyued by the Great Caâ—â— â–ª And after they hadde done theyr message the Greate Caâ—â— caused to bée called before him a Mayden whiche was called Cozotine of the kindred of Balgonia the whyche was veryâ— 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 anâ— 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 haâ—â— â—one for Embassadors vnto the Indians and were desirous to â—epart from the greate Cane desired hym to gyue them liâ—ence to goe and accompanye that Lady and the Greate â—ane although not wyth good will but for manners sake and â—lso for honour of the Ladye and for hyr more safegarde in â—assing the Seas bycause they were wise and skilfull menne â—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 hoâ—ourably accompanyed And besides this the great Cane sent â—iuers Embassadors to the Pope and to the Frenche King â—nd to the King of Spayne and to many other Prouinces in Christendome and caused to be armed and sette forth foureâ—éene great Shippes that euery one of them had four Mastes To declare the reason wherefore he did this it were too long â—herefore I let it passe In euery Shippe he put sixe hundreth men and prouision for two yeares In these Shippes wente â—he sayd Embassadors with the Lady and Nicholas and Maâ—heo bréethreÌ„ and Marcus Paulus aforesayd and sayled thrée Monethes continually and then arriued at an Ilande called â—aua being in the South partes in the which they found marâ—ellous and strange things as héereafter shall be declared And departing from this Iland sayling on the Indian Seas â—viij Moneths before they came to the place they would come to founde by the wâ—y many maruellous and strange things â—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 â—â—â—alâ—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
be called by the name of the Kingdome Mosulinus and there is greate plentie and abundance of it and also greate plentie of spices and good cheape and of other Merchandise In the Mountaynes of this prouince dwell people calâ—ed Cordos and others called Iacobinos The rest be Moores of the sect of Mahomet and be good men of warre and be all rouers and robbers of Merchants Of Baldach and of many goodly things that be there CHAP. 10. BAldache is a very great Citie in the whych is resident one that is called Calipho whiche is among that Moores as it were chiefe gouernour head Through the middest of the Citie runneth a great Riuer and goeth into the Indian Sea. And there is from this Citie to the place where it entreth into the Sea. xviij dayes iourney From this Citie to the Sea and from the Sea to this Citie there dothe passe dayly by this Riuer in many and diuers vessels diuers kinds of Merchandise and they haue to their neyboure the India And in this Countrey is a Citie called Chisi By thiâ—â—iuer they goe to the Indian Sea. Betwéene Baldach and Chisi vppon the Riuer is a Citie called Barsera compassed with greate Mountaynes of Palmes and Date trées perfect good In Baldach they doe make cloth of golde of diuers sortes and cloth of silke called cloth of Nasich of Chrimson and of diuâ—rs other coloures and fashions There is great plentie of foure footed Beastes and of Fowles This Citie is one of the best and the noblest in the worlde There was in this Citie a Calipho of the Moores wonderfull and maruellous rich of gold and pretious stones And in the yeare of our Lorde God .1230 the King of the Tartars called Alan ioyned a greate company and went and sette vpon this Citie and toke it by force being in the Câ—tie one hundred thousande Horsemen besides infinite number of footemen And there he founde a great Tower full of golde siluer and pretious stones And King Alan séeing this great treasure maruelled much and sent for the Calipho and sayd vnto him I do much maruell of thy auarice that hauing so great treasure didst not giue parte of it to mainteyne valiant men that might defend me from thée knowing that I was thy mortall enimie And perceyuing the Calipho knewe not how to make him an answere said vnto him bycause thou louest this treasure so well I will thou shalte haue thy fill of it and caused him to be shut fast in the same Tower where he liued foure dayes and died miserably for hunger and from that time forwards the Moores woulde haue no more Caliphos in that Citie Of a Citie called Totis and of other notable things CHAP. 11. TOtis is a greate Citie of the Prouince or Countrey of Baldach in the whiche Prouince there be manye Cities and Townes but the most noblest is Totis The people of thys Citie bée Merchantes and hâ—ndycraftes men There they do make cloth of golde and of silke very riche and of greate value And this Citie is sette in so good a place that they doe bryng thyther all Merchandises of India and of Baldach and of Osmaseilli and of Cremes and of many other Cities and Countreys and also of the Latines There is greate plenty of pretious stones and for that cause the Merchants gette muche Thyther trade the Armenians Iacobiteâ— Nestorians Persians and these in a manner bée all Mahomets Rounde aboute this Citie be many fayre Gardens full of singular good frutes although the Moores that there doe dwell be very ill people robbers and killers Of a great miracle that hapned in Mosull CHAP. 12. IN Mosull a Citie in the Prouince of Baldach was a Calipho a great enimie of the Christians whose studie daye and night was how he might destroy them and to make them forsake their faith in Iesus Christ and vpon this ioyned in councell diuers times with hys wise men and in the ende one of them said I will tell you a way how you shal haue good cause to kill or force them to renounce their Faith. Iesus Christ sayth in hys Gospell If you haue so much Faith as the grayne of Mustard seede and saye to thys Mountayne passe from this place to another place it woulde do therefore cause to be called togither all the Christians and commaund them by their beléefe that such a hill doe passe from that place to suche a place truly it is not possible for them to doe it and not doing it you may iustly saye to them that eyther theyr Gospell dothe not saye truth and by that meanes they follow lyes or else they haue not so much Fayth as a grayne of Mustarde séede And thus as well for the one as for the other you maye iustly putte them to death or else force them to forsake theyr Fayth they holde This councell pleased well the Calipho and those of hys sect beléeuing that nowe they hadde good occasion to performe their euill purpose and incontinent he commaunded all the Chrystians that were in hys Countrey to come togither whiche was a great number and they being come before hym he cause theÌ„ to reade those Scriptures of Iesus christ And after that euery one of them had hearde it he asked them if they beléeued that these sayings were true and they answered yea IncoÌ„tinent said the Calipho to them I wil giue you fiftéene days respite to make either yoÌ„der hil to passe to such a place or else to renounce youre fayth in Iesus Christe as false and to turne Moores and if you will not doe this you shall all die And the Christians hearing this cruell sentence were sore troubled yet on the other part they comforted themselues with hope in the faith they had in the truth they beléeued And incontinent the Bishops and Prelates and Ministers that were among the Christians commaunded all the Christians men women and children to fall to continuall Prayer to oure Lorde Iesus Christ that he would helpe and councell them howe to rule and gouerne themselues in that greate trouble and néede And after eyght dayes were past appeared an Angell to a holy Bishop and commaunded him that he should say vnto a Shomaker that was a Christian that had but one onely eye that he should make Prayers to God the which for his fayth and Prayers shoulde make that hill remoue from his place into the place the Calipho had appoynted And incontinente the Bishop sente for that Shomaker and with great desire prayed him to make Prayers to oure Lord God that for hys mâ—rcie and pitie he woulde remoue that hill as the Calipho and Mâ—ores had appoynted The poore Shomâ—ker excused himselfe saying he was a greate Sinner and vnworthy to demaund that grace of God and this excuse he made with great humilitie like a iust and chast man full of vertue and holynesse and a kéeper of Gods commaundements deuoute and a great almes man according to his abilitie You shâ—ll vnderstande
that thys Shomaker dyd pull out his eye by this meanes He hadde hearde manye timâ—s this saying in the Gospell If thy eye offende thee pull it out and cast it from thee He being a simple man thought that so corporally and mâ—terially the Scriptures shoulde be vnâ—erstanded For it chanced on a time there came a Mâ—yde into his Shoppe to bespeake a payre of Shoes and to take the measure of his foote put off hir hose and he withall was tempted to lye with hir remembring himselfe and â—hinking vpon his sinne and yll intent sent hir away without discouering any thing of his yll thoughte and intente and remembring the saying of the holy Gospell being ouercome with zeale and yet not hauing the true knowledge plucked out his eye And so this Shomaker being so desired by the Bishop and other Christians did graunt and promised to praye vnto our Lord God for the sayd cause And the time of the .xv. dayes being come that the Calipho had appoynted he caused to come togither all the Christians whiche came in Procession with their Crosse into a faire playne hard by the hill and Mountayne And to that place came the Calipho with muche people armed with intention that streight way if the Mountayne did not remoue to kill them all Incontinente the Shomaker knéeled downe vppon the earth vpon his bare knées and very deuoutely prayed to oure Lorde lifting vp his hearte and handes to Heauen praying to Iesus Christe to succour and helpe them his Christians that they shoulde not perishe and for that his faith was cléere makyng an end of his Prayer the power of the Almightie God Iesus did cause the Mountayne to remoue and goe from the place it stoode into the place the Calipho and his Councell hadde commaunded And the Moores séeyng thys greate and manyfest miracle stoode wonderfully amazed saying Great is the God of the Christians and the Calipho with a great number of the same Moores became Christned And after this Calipho dyed the Moores that were not Christned would not consente that this Calipho should be buried wheras the other Caliphoes were buried for bycause that after that myracle he lyued and dyed like a true and faythfull Christian. Of Persia and of the Countreys of the Magos and of other good things that be in them CHAP. 13. PErsia is a noble Prouince or Countrey although it was much more in the old time than it is at this present for it was destroyed by the Tartars In Persia is a Citie called Sabba from the which the saying is the thrée Kings departed that went to Iesus Christ that was newly borne in Bethleem In this citie there are Sepulchres very faire and beautifull and I Marcus Paulus was in that Citie and asked of the people of that Countrey what they could say or knewe of the thrée Kings to the which they could say nothing but that they were buried in those thrée Sepulchres But the other people out of the Citie thrée dayes iourney talked of this matter in thys maner following for the which you shal vnderstaÌ„d that thrée days iourney froÌ„ the Citie Sabba is a Towne which is called Calassa Tapeziston which in our language is as much as to say the Towne of them that worship the fire for their god And these people say that wheÌ„ the thrée Kings departed froÌ„ the prouince for to go to the land of the Iewes which was Bethleem to worship the great Prophet there newly borne they carried with theÌ„ Golde Incense and Myrre and when they came to Bethleem in Iudea found a child lately borne and did worshippe him for God and presented to him the foresaide thrée things and that the said child did giue theÌ„ a little Boxe closed or shut fast commanding theÌ„ they should not open it But they after they had trauelled a long iourney it came in their mindes to sée what they carried in the said Boxe and opened it and fouÌ„d nothing in it but only a stone and they taking it in ill parte that they sawe nothing else did cast it into a well and by and by descended fire from Heauen and burnt all the Well wyth the stone And the Kings séeing this each of them toke of the same fire and carried it into their Countreys and for thys cause they do worship the fire as god And when it chanceth in any place in that Countrey that they lacke fire they goe to séeke it in another place where they caÌ„ get of it and so do light their Lampes And sometimes they goe and séeke it eyght or tenne dayes iourney and not finding of it they goe ofttymes to the Well aforesayd to haue of the same fire Of all this before written you shall take that which doth agrée with the holy Gospell in saying the thrée Kings went to worship our Lord Iesu and did offer those giftes aforesaide All that is declared besides that be erroures and reacheth not to the truth but augmeÌ„ted with lyes vpon lyes as the vulgar people without knowledge are accustomed to do Of eyght Kingdomes in Persia and the commodities of them CHAP. 14. IN the Prouince of Persia be eyght Kingdomes the first is called Casun the second which is towardes the South is Curdistan the third Lore the fourth Ciestan the fifth Iustanth the sixth Iciagi the seauenth Corchara the eyght Tunchay All these Kingdomes be in Persia in the partes towards the South sauing Tunchay In these Kingdomes be very faire Horses and Moyles coursers of great value and Asses the greatest in the worlde of great price that wil go and runne very swiftely and these the Merchants of India do commonly buy in the Cities of Atrisâ— of Arcones which do ioyne by Sea vpon the India and do sel theÌ„ as Merchandise In this Kingdome Tunchay be very cruell meÌ„ that wil kill one another If it were not for feare of the Tartar of the East which is their Lord and King neyther Merchant nor other could passe but should be eyther robbed or taken prisoner They be strong people and be of the sect of Mahomet There they do worke and make greate plentie of cloth of gold and silke in great abundance and rich In that Countrey grâ—weth greate plentie of Cotten wooll Also there is grâ—ate abundance of Wheate Barly Dates and â—ther grayne and Wine and Oyles and frutes Of Iasoy and of many maruellous things there CHAP. 15. IAsoy is a goodly Citie and bigge full of Merchants There they do make great abundance of cloth of gold and silke They be called accordyng to the Citie Iasoy The people of this Countrey be of the sect of Martin Pinol that is Mahomet and do speake another language than the Persians And going forward eyght dayes iourney from this Citie through a playne Countrey but not peopled or anye Towne sauing Mountaynes where is great plentie of Partriches and wild Asses at the ende of this is the Kingdome of the Crerina that is a
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
by his sayd wiues two and twentie Sonnes the eldest of them is called Chinchis in remembrance of the first King of Tartares and also to renue that name this firste sonne is called Chinchis Cane and shoulde haue succéeded his father in the Kingdome but bycause he dyed before his father his eldest sonne called Themur Cane and this his sonnes sonne bycause he should raigne after him kepte a greate Court by himselfe Of a greate Citie called Cambalu and of all the goodly and maruellous things that be done there CHAP. 55. NOw I will declare vnto you of the worthy and noble Citie called Cambalu the whiche is in the prouince of Cathaya This Citie is foure and twenty myles compasse and is fouresquare that is to euery quarter sixe miles compasse The wall is very strong of twenty paces high and battlements of thrée paces high The wall is fiue paces thicke This Citie hathe twelue gates and at euery gate is a very faire pallace And vpon the toppe of euery corner of the said wal is also a faire pallace and in all these pallaces ioyning to the wall be many people appoynted for to watch and kéepe the Citie And in those pallaces be all maner of armour and weapons for the defence and strength of the Citie The stréetes of this Citie be so faire and streight that you may sée a Candle or fire from the one ende to the other In this Citie be manye fayre Pallaces and houses And in the middest of it is a notable greate and faire Pallace in the whiche there is a great Toure wherein there is a greate Bell and after that Bell is tolled thrée times no body may goe abroade in the Citie but the watchmen that be appoynted for to kéepe the Citie and the nurses that doe kéepe children newly borne and Phisitions that goe to visit the sicke and these may not go without light At euery gate nightlye there is a thousand men to watch not for feare of any enimies but to auoyde théeues and robbers in the Citie which many times do chance in the Citie And this great watche the greate Cane doth cause to conserue and kéepe hâ—s people and subiects that no man should do them hurt Without this Citie be twelue suburbes very greate and euery one of theÌ„ answereth to his gate of the Citie And in these be many Merchantes and men of occupations and thyther do resort all people that come out of the Countreys and such Lordes as haue to do with the King or his Courtes And in these suburbes be moe than twentye thousande single or common women and neuer a one of them maye dwell within the Citie on payne of burning Out of this Citie goeth euery daye aboue a thousande Cartes with silke The great Cane is garded euery night with twentie thousande Gentlemen on Horsebacke not for any feare but for dignitie They be called Chisitanos which is as much to say as Knightes for the body or trustie Knights The manner of the great Cane for his dinner is this They make ready all the Tables rounde about the Hall and in the middest of the Hall is made ready the Table for the greate Cane setting his backe towardes the North and his face towardes the South His firste wife sitteth next vnto him on hys lefte hande and his other wiues following orderly On his other side do sitte his sonnes and his sonnes children one after another according to his age Those that be of the imperiall lignage do sitte downe afterward at another table more lower And the other Lords and their wiues do sitte at other Tables more lower according to their degrées dignities offices estates and age At the saide Tablâ—s commonly do sitte foure thousand persons or very néere and euery one may sée the great Cane as he sitteth at his dinner In the middest of the Hall is a very greate vessell or cesterne of fine gold that will holde tenne Hoggesheads which is alwayes kept full of perfect good drinke And néere vnto that vessell be other foure vessels of siluer bigger than that full of good wine with many other vessels and pottes by them of gold and of siluer which may be of pottels a péece or as muche as will serue foure men for a dinner At dinner out of the vessell of golde wyth pottes of golde they drawe wine for to serue the greate Cane his Table for him his wiues children and kindred and out of the vesselles of siluer with Iars and Pottes of siluer they drawe wine to serue the Lordes and the Ladies and all others sitting at the Tables as well wemen as men And euery one that sitteth at the tables hathe a cuppe of golde before hym to drinke in And euery one that bringeth anye seruice to the greate Canes Table hathe a towell of golde and silke before his mouth bycause his breath shall not come vppon the meate and drinke they bring When the great Cane will drinke all the Musitians that bée in the Hall doe play and euery one that serueth knéeleth downe tyll hée haue drunke In the Hall be alwayes Iesters Iuglers and fooles attending vpon the Tables to make pastime all dynner tyme and after Dinner is done and the Tables taken vppe euerie man goeth aboute his businesse All the Tartares kéepe greate feasting and chéere euery yeare on the daye that Cublay Cane was borne which was on the eight and twentith day of September and that is the greatest feast they make in all the yeare saue one that héereafter shall be spoken of The greate Cane doth apparell himselfe that day he was borne on in cloth of golde maruellous rich and .12000 BaroÌ„s be apparelled with him after the same sorte touching the cloth of gold but not so rich and preciouse and euery one of theÌ„ hath a great girdle of gold and that apparell and girdles the great Cane giueth them And there is neuer a one of those garments with the girdle but it is worth .10000 Bisancios of golde whiche may be a thousand Markes By this you may perceyue that he is of great power and riches And on the sayde day all the Tartares and Merchantes and subiects and those that dwell in his Countreys be bounde to presente vnto hym euery one somethyng according to his degrée and abilitie in knowledging him to be their Lorde And whatsoeuer he be that doth begge any office or gift of him must giue him a present according to the gift he doth aske And all his Subiects and Merchantes and trauellers or anye other that be founde in his Countreys or Prouinces be vsually bounde to pray for the greate Cane to hys Idols to preserue hym and hys Countreys whether they be Tartares or Christiane or Iewes or Moores The Tartares begin their yeare the firste day of February and do kéepe a great feast that day And the greate Cane and hys Barons with all the rest of the Citie doe apparell themselues in white that daye
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
knewe this gathered a great hoste and went against thys citie and tooke it perforce and caused to be killed all those that he founâ— in the citie men women and children small and gret in the reuenging of his Christians Of the Citie named Singuy and of mano other things there CHAP. 99. SInguy is a very great and a noble citie whiche is .40 miles in compasse There is in this citie people innumerable where you may beléeue that if the people of Mangi were exercised in the feate of warre all the worlde coulde not winne it but they be all Philosophers Phisitions Merchaunts and Artificers very cunning in all artes There be in this Citie .7000 bridges of stone very faire wroughte and vnder any of these bridges there may rowe a Galley and vnder some twoo Galleys maye rowe togither In the mountaines of this Citie groweth Rewbarbe greate plentie and so muche Ginger that for sixe pence they doe giue more than fiue pound of Ginger Vnder this Citie there be .17 Cities greate and fayre In this Citie they do worke greate plentie of cloth of golde silke for that the Citizens there delighte muche to weare suche cloth and of many coloures Of the Citie named Quinsay that is to say the Citie of Heauen which is a hundred miles in compasse hauing twelue thousand Bridges and fourteene Bathes and many other thinges of wonder CHAP. 97. GOing from Singuy and traueling fiue dayes iorney you come vnto a noble and famous Citie named Quinsay that is to say the citie of Heauen This is the noblest Citie of the worlde and the heade Citie of the prouince of Mangi And I Marcus Paulus was in this citie and did learne the customes of it and it was declared vnto me that it was one hundred miles in compasse and 12000. bridges of stone with vaultes and arches so highe that a greate shippe mighte passe vnder and this Citie standeth vppon the water as Veâ—iâ—e doth and the people of this citie euery one of them must vse the science of his fathers and of his predecessors In this Cittie there standeth a lake whiche is in compasse thyrtie myles and in this lake there is builte the fairest Pallaces that euer I saw And in the mids of this lake standeth two Pallacâ—s wherein they do celebrate all the weddings of that Citie and euer there remayneth within them all the things necessary whiche belong vnto the weddings Also there is rounde aboute this Citie other Cities but they be small ones In this Citie they doe vse money of Tartaria to wit of a Mulbery trée as it is vsed in the great Canes Court and as it is afore mentioned Vppon euerye one of these 12000. bridges of stone continually there standeth watch and warde bycause there shall be no euill done and that the Citie doe not rebell In this citie there is an highe mountaine and vppon it there standeth a very highe Tower and vppon it there is a thing to sounde vppon and it is sounded when there is anye fyre or anye rumour in the Countrey There is be this citie fourtéene Bathes and the great Cane hath great watch and ward in this Citie Of the Citie named Gansu CHAP. 99. BEyâ—nde Quinsay fiftéene myles bordereth the Occean sea betwéene east and North and there standâ—th a Citie named Gansu which hath a fayre porte or hauen and thyther come many ships out of the Indias betwéen the Citie and the Sea runneth a great riuer that passeth through many countries and out that way there go many ships vnto the sea Of the diuision vvhich the great Cane made of the prouince Mangi CHAP. 100. THe prouince Mangi was diuided into 8. kingdomes by the greate Cane and of euery kingdome there is aboute .140 Cities vnder a king There is in all the prouince of Mangi .1202 Cities al subiect vnto the great Cane and al those whiche be borne in this prouince of Mangi are written by dayes and houres that the prouince may knowe the number of that people and that they may not rebel When they do goe on any iourney they consult with the Astrologers and when any dieth the parents do cloth the deade in Canuas and burne the bodies with papers wherevpon is paynted mony horses slaues beastes for their houses apparell wyth all other things for they doe saye that the deade vseth all this in the other worlde and that with the smoke of the deade bodie and of those papers whereon there is paynted all those things rehearsed beléeuing that it goeth all with him into the other world and whâ—n they burne those bodies they sing and playe vpon al kinde of instrumentes and musicke that they can finde and saye that in that order and pleasure theyr Gods doe receyue them in the other worlde In this Citie standeth the greate Pallace of Estnâ—fogi which was Lorde and King of that prouince of Mangi This Pallace is made after this wise it is square and strongly walled tenne myles in compasse It is high and fayre with faire chambers Hals Gardens fruites fountainâ—s and a lake with many fishes In this Pallace there is twentie Halles wherin there may sitte downe at meales twentie thousand persons by this it may be comprehended how bigge this Citie is In this Citie there is a famous Churche or Temple of Christians Nestorians and euerye one that dwelleth in this Citie hath written his name and of his wife Children menne seruauntes and women seruauntes and horses that he hath in hys house ouer the Porth of his doore Also when there is anye that goeth to another Citie it behoueth that the Inholders that lodge straungers doe bryng a Register vnto the officers appoynted giuyng relation howe long they doe remayne and when they goe away Of the rent vvhich the great Cane hath of the prouince of Quynsay CHAP. 101. SEing I haue declared vnto you of the City and prouince of Quinsay now I wil declare you what rent the greate Cane hath yearely out of this prouince only of the salt euery yere 4500. Hanegs or bushels of Gold and to euery measure goeth 18000. Sazos and euery Sazo of Gold is worth seauen Duckets and of the other rentes ouer and aboue the salte he hath euerye yeare 10000. hanegs of gold Of the Citie named Thampinguy and of many other maruellous things CHAP. 102. GOing from Quinsay trauelling towardes Solano a dayes iourney you do goe by Cities and townes and manye Gardens and at the ende you come vnto the Citie named Thampinguy which is faire and gret hauing abundaunce of all things and it is vnder the Seigniorie of the greate Cane the people are Idolaters and passing other 3. days iourney you come vnto an other citie named Vguy going two days iourney beyond towards Salano or east and by South there is so many Cities townes that he that trauelleth thinketh that he neuer goeth out of townes there is great plentie of all prouision there is Canes great and thicke of foure
much discord that loke what the one would haue done the other did againe say it and through this meanes they toke neyther Citie nor Towne but only one and they killed all them that they founde therein for that they would not yéeld sauing eyght men whyche could not be killed with any iron for that eache of them had a precioâ—s stone enchanted in his righte arme betwéene the fleshe and the skynne and these stones did defend theÌ„ from death to be killed with yron and knowing of it these two Captaynes procured to kill these eyghte men with clubs of wodde and toke those stones for them selues and in that instant there arose suche a tempest of wind of Septentrion or North so terrible and doubting that their Shippes would breake they hoysed vp Sayle and went vnto another Iland tenne miles distant off froÌ„ this and the wind was so terrible that it opened many of their Ships and manye were forced to make backe towards their owne Countrey againe and about .30000 of them fledde by land of these they thought that they were all killed And as soone as it was caulme on the Sea the King of this Iland which had bin so spoyled wente with a great armie of Shippes vnto the other Ilande where as they were gone to haue taken them that were fledde and as soone as hée was on lande with his men the Tartares like wise and politike men retired backe by the Ilande and went vnto the Shyppes of this King whiche they had lefte without strength entred in hoysed vp the Sayles with the Auncientes and Flagges of that King whiche they left behinde in the Ilande and sayled vnto the first Iland where they were receyued and the gates opened thinking it had bin their owne king And in thys manner the Tartares tooke that Citie wherein the King had his habitation and ransacked it And as soone as the King of this Ilande knewe of it he caused many other Shippes to be prepared and with the men that hée had and many of her that hée tooke of new enuironed his proper Citie hauyng it beséeged seauen moneths And finallye the abouesayd Tartares hopyng for no succoure delyuered vp the Citie vnto the right King conditionally to let them go with their liues bagge and baggage Thys hapned in the yeare of our Lorde .1248 In this Ilande there bée Idols that some haue heads like Wolues some heads like Hogges some like Shéepe some like Dogs some haue one head and foure faces some thrée heads hauing one only necke and onely one right hande some haue onely one lefte hande some haue foure handes and some tenne and the Idoll that hath most handes is taken to be the most beautifull and to him that demaundeth of them wherefore they haue so many Idols they doe gyue no other reason sauing that so did their predecessors WheÌ„ the people of this Iland do take in battell any stranger if he doe not caunsome himselfe for money they kill him drinke his bloud and eate his flesh This Ilande is enuironed round about with the Occean sea The portes are frée for themselues The Marriners which vse that Sea say that there is in it .7448 Ilandes There is no trée there but he is of a swéete odoure frutefull and of greate profite In this Iland groweth the white Pepper From the Prouince of Mangi vnto the India and home is a yeares sayling the reason is for that there raygneth two stedfast windes the one in the winter and the other in the Sommer contrary the one vnto the other Of the Prouince named Ciabane and of that King who hath .325 sonnes and daughters of his owne There be many Elephants and much spices CHAP. 107. WHen you do go from Iaython whych is vnder the segniorie of the greate Cane towardes the Occidente and somewhat declining towarde the midday fiue dayes iourney you come vnto a Countrey named Cyaban wherein there is a Citie riche great and famous subiect vnto a King that he and his subiects speake the Persian tong And in the yeare of our Lord .1248 the greate Cane sente thither a great Baron named Sagato with a greate armie to conquere that Prouince and hée coulde do nothing but destroy muche of that Countrey and for that he should do no more hurt that King became tributarie vnto the greate Cane and euery yeare he sente him his tribute And I Marcus Paulus was in this countrey in the yeare of our Lord .1275 and I found this King very olde He had many wiues and amongst sonnes and daughters he had .325 Among his sonnes he hadde .25 of them that were very valiante men of armes In thys Countrey there be many Elephants and Lyons greate plenty and great Mountaynes of blacke Ebbante Of the great Iland named Iaua and of many Spices that grow there CHAP. 108. GOing from Ciaban sayling betwéene the midday and Solano or East and by South 1400. miles you come vnto a greaâ—e Ilande named Iaua whiche is in compasse thrée thousand miles In this Iland there be seauen crowned Kings frée paying no tribute at all In this Ilande there is great abundance of victuals and greate riches hauing very muche Pepper Cinamon Cloues and many other singular Spices in great quantitie The people do honour the Idols The great Cane could neuer make himselfe Lord of it Of the Iland named Iocath and of other two Ilands their conditions and properties CHAP. 109. SAyling seauentéene myles from Iaua betwéene the midday and Solano or East and by South you come vnto two Ilands the one is named Sondure and the other Condur And beyond these two Ilands almost two hundreth miles standeth the Countrey name Iocathe great and rich They speake the Persian tong and worship Idols They pay no kinde of tribute to any man for there is no man that can do them hurt There is found greate plentye of gold and a greate number of the small white shels of the Sea whyche is vsed in some places in stead of money as before it is rehearsed Also there be many Elephantes Vnto this Ilande there commeth very fewe Strangers for that it standeth out of the way Of the Kingdome named Malenir and of the Ilande named Pentera and of Iaua the lesse and of their customes CHAP 110. SAyling beyond Iocath fiue miles towardes the midday you come vnto the Iland named Penthera full of Mountaynes And in the middes of this Iland about forty miles there is but foure passes of water therefore the great Shippes do take off their Rudders and being paste these fiue miles towards the midday you come vnto a Realme named Malenir The Citie and the Iland is named Pepethan where there is plentie of Spices And going forwarde sayling by Solano or East and by South a hundred miles you come vnto the Ilande named Iaua the lesse which is in compasse two hundred miles In this Iland there is eyghte Kings euery one hauing his Kyngdome by himselfe They doe all