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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 02

by Richard Hakluyt · English, Latin · Gutenberg #7466 · 533,972 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 02

Author: Richard Hakluyt


        
Release date: February 1, 2005 [eBook #7466]
                Most recently updated: December 30, 2020

Language: English, Latin

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7466

Credits: Produced by Karl Hagen, Juliet Sutherland, and the Online Distributed Proofreading team


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PRINCIPAL NAVIGATIONS, VOYAGES, TRAFFIQUES AND DISCOVERIES OF THE ENGLISH NATION — VOLUME 02 ***




Produced by Karl Hagen, Juliet Sutherland,
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** Transcriber's Notes **

The printed edition from which this e-text has been produced retains the
spelling and abreviations of Hakluyt's 16th-century original. In this
version, the spelling has been retained, but the following manuscript
abbreviations have been silently expanded:

- vowels with macrons = vowel + 'n' or 'm'
- q; = -que (in the Latin)
- y[e] = the; y[t] = that; w[t] = with

This edition contains footnotes and two types of sidenotes. Most footnotes
are added by the editor. They follow modern (19th-century) spelling
conventions. Those that don't are Hakluyt's (and are not always
systematically marked as such by the editor). The sidenotes are Hakluyt's
own. Summarizing sidenotes are labelled [Sidenote: ] and placed before the
sentence to which they apply. Sidenotes that are keyed with a symbol are
labeled [Marginal note: ] and placed at the point of the symbol, except in
poetry, where they are moved to the nearest convenient break in the text.

** End Transcriber's Notes **

THE PRINCIPAL
Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques,
AND
Discoveries
OF
The English Nation.

Collected by
RICHARD HAKLUYT, PREACHER,

AND

Edited by
EDMUND GOLDSMID, F.R.H.S.

VOL. II.

NORTHEASTERN EUROPE, AND ADJACENT COUNTRIES.

Part I.

TARTARY.




THE PRINCIPAL
Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques,
AND
Discoveries
OF
The English Nation.

Collected by
RICHARD HAKLUYT, PREACHER,

AND

Edited by
EDMUND GOLDSMID, F.R.H.S.

EASTERN EUROPE AND THE MUSCOVY COMPANY.




Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries in EASTERN EUROPE


Part of an Epistle written by one Yuo of Narbona vnto the Archbishop of
  Burdeaux, containing the confession of an Englishman as touching the
  barbarous demeanour of the Tartars, which had liued long among them, and
  was drawen along perforce with them in their expedition against Hungarie:
  Recorded by Mathew Paris in the yere of your Lord 1243.

The Lord therefore being prouoked to indignation, by reason of this and
other sinnes committed among vs Christians, is become, as it were, a
destroying enemie, and a dreadful auenger. This I may iustly affirme to be
true, because an huge nation, and a barbarous and inhumane people, whose
law is lawlesse, whose wrath is furious, euen the rod of Gods anger,
ouerrunneth, and vtterly wasteth infinite countreyes, cruelly abolishing
all things where they come, with fire and sword. And this present Summer,
the foresayd nation, being called Tartars, departing out of Hungarie, which
they had surprised by treason, layd siege vnto the very same towne, wherein
I my selfe abode, with many thousands of souldiers: neither were in the
sayd towne on our part aboue 50. men of warre, whom, together with 20.
cros-bowes, the captaine had left in garrison. All these, out of certeine
high places, beholding the enemies vaste armie, and abhorring the beastly
crueltie of Antichrist his complices, signified foorthwith vnto their
gouernour, the hideous lamentations of his Christian subiects, who suddenly
being surprised in all the prouince adioyning, without any difference or
respect of condition, fortune, sexe, or age, were by manifolde cruelties,
all of them destroyed with whose carkeises, the Tartarian chieftains, and
their brutish and sauage followers, glutting themselues, as with delicious
cates, left nothing for vultures but the bare bones. And a strange thing it
is to consider, that the greedie and rauenous vultures disdeined to praye
vpon any of the reliques, which remained. Olde, and deformed women they
gaue, as it were for dayly sustenance, vnto their Canibals; the beautifull
deuoured they not, but smothered them lamenting and scritching, with forced
and vnnaturall rauishments. Like barbarous miscreants, they quelled virgins
vnto death, and cutting off their tender paps to present for deinties vnto
their magistrates, they engorged themselues with their bodies.

Howbeit, their spials in the meane time discrying from the top of an highe
mountaine the Duke of Austria, the king of Bohemia, the Patriarch of
Aquileia, the Duke of Carinthia, and (as some report) the Earle of Baden,
with a mightie power, and in battell aray, approching towards them, that
accursed crew immediately vanished, and all those Tartarian vagabonds
retired themselues into the distressed and vanquished land of Hungarie who
as they came suddenly, so they departed also on the sudden which their
celeritie caused all men to stand in horrour and astonishment of them. But
of the sayd fugitiues the prince of Dalmatia tooke eight, one of which
number the Duke of Austria knew to be an English man, who was perpetually
banished out of the Realme of England, in regard of certaine notorious
crimes by him committed. This fellow, on the behalfe of the most
tyrannicall king of the Tartars, had bene twise, as a messenger and
interpreter, with the king of Hungarie, menacing and plainely foretelling
those mischiefes which afterward happened, vnlesse he would submit himselfe
and his kingdome vnto the Tartars yoke. Well, being allured by our Princes
to confesse the trueth, he made such oathes and protestations, as (I
thinke) the deuill himselfe would haue beene trusted for. First therefore
he reported of himselfe, that presently after the time of his banishment,
namely about the 30. yere of his age, hauing lost all that he had in the
citie of Acon at Dice, euen in the midst of Winter, being compelled by
ignominious hunger, wearing nothing about him but a shirt of sacke, a paire
of shooes, and a haire cappe onely, being shauen like a foole, and vttering
an vncoth noise as if he had bene dumbe, he tooke his iourney, and and so
traueiling many countreyes, and finding in diuers places friendly
entertainment, he prolonged his life in this maner for a season, albeit
euery day by rashnesse of speech, and inconstancie of heart, he endangered
himselfe to the deuill. At length, by reason of extreame trauaile, and
continuall change of aire and of meats in Caldea, he fell into a greuious
sicknesse, insomuch that he was wearie of his life. Not being able
therefore to go forward or backeward, and staying there a while to refreshe
himselfe, he began (being somewhat learned) to commend to writing those
wordes which hee heard spoken, and within a short space, so aptly to
pronounce, and to vtter them himselfe, that he was reputed for a natiue
member of that countrey: and by the same dexteritie he attained to manie
languages. This man the Tartars hauing intelligence of by their spies, drew
him perforce into their societie and being admonished by an oracle or
vision, to challenge dominion ouer the whole earth, they allured him by
many rewards to their faithfull seruice, by reason that they wanted
interpreters. But concerning their maners and superstitions, of the
disposition and stature of their bodies, of their countrey and maner of
fighting &c, he protested the particulars following to be true: namely,
that they were aboue all men, couetous, hasty, deceitfull, and mercilesse:
notwithstanding, by reason of the rigour and extremitie of punishments to
be inflicted vpon them by their superiours, they are restreined from
brawlings, and from mutuall strife and contention. The ancient founders and
fathers of their tribes, they call by the name of gods, and at certaine set
times they doe celebrate solemne feasts vnto them, many of them being
particular, & but foure onely generall. They thinke that all things are
created for themselues alone. They esteeme it none offence to exercise
cruelty against rebels. They be hardie and strong in the breast, leane and
pale-faced, rough and huf-shouldered, hauing flatte and short noses, long
and sharpe chinnes, their vpper iawes are low and declining, their teeth
long and thinne, their eyebrowes extending from their fore-heads downe to
their noses, their eies inconstant and blacke, their countenances writhen
and terrible, their extreame ioynts strong with bones and sinewes, hauing
thicke and great thighes, and short legs, and yet being equall vnto vs in
stature: for that length which is wanting in their legs is supplied in the
vpper parts of their bodies. Their countrey in olde time was a land vtterly
desert and waste, situated far beyond Chaldea, from whence they haue
expelled Lions, Beares, & such like vntamed beasts with their bowes, and
other engines. Of the hides of beasts being tanned, they vse to shape for
themselues light, but yet impenetrable armour. They ride fast bound to
their horses, which are not very great in stature, but exceedingly strong,
and mainteined with little prouender. They vse to fight constantly and
valiantly with iauelines, maces, battle axes, and swords. But specially
they are excellent archers, and cunning warriers with their bowes. Their
backs are slightly armed, that they may not flee. They withdraw not
themselues from the combate, till they see the chiefe Standerd of their
Generall giue backe. Vanquished, they aske no fauour and vanquishing, they
shew no compassion. They all persist in their purpose of subduing the whole
world vnder their owne subiection, as if they were but one man, and yet
they are moe then millions in number. They haue 60000. Courriers, who being
sent before vpon light horses to prepare a place for the armie to incampe
in, will in the space of one night gallop three days iourney. And suddenly
diffusing themselues ouer an whole prouince, and surprising all the people
thereof vnarmed, vnprouided, dispersed, they make such horrible slaughters
that the king or prince of the land inuaded, cannot finde people sufficient
to wage battell against them, and to withstand them. They delude all people
and princes of regions in time of peace, pretending that for a cause which
indeed is no cause. Sometimes they say, that they will make a voyage to
Colen, to fetch home the three wise kings into their owne countrey;
sometimes to punish the auarice and pride of the Romans, who oppressed them
in times past, some times to conquere barbarous and Northren nations;
sometimes to moderate the furie of the Germans with their owne meeke
mildnesse; sometimes to learne warlike feats and stratagems of the French;
sometimes for the finding out of fertile ground to suffice their huge
multitudes; sometimes again in derision they say, that they intend to goe
on pilgrimage to S. Iames of Galicia. In regard of which sleights and
collusions certaine vndiscreet gouernors concluding a league with them,
haue granted them free passage thorow their territories, which leagues
notwithstanding being violated, were an occasion of ruine and destruction
vnto the foresayd gouernours, &c.

       *       *       *       *       *

Libellus historicus Ioannis de Plano Carpini, qui missus est Legatus ad
  Tartaros anno Domini 1246. ab Innocentio quarto Pontifice maximo. Incipit
  Prologus in librum Tartarorum.


Omnibus Christi fidelibus ad quos præsens scriptum peruenerit, frater
Ioannes de Plano Carpini ordinis fratrum minorum, Apostolicæ sedis Legatus,
nuncius ad Tartaros et nationes alias Orientis, Dei gratiam in præsenti, et
gloriam in futuro, et de inimicis suis gloriam triumphalem. Cum ex mandato
sedis apostolicæ iremus ad Tartaros et nationes alias Orientis, et sciremus
Domini Papæ et venerabilium Cardinalium voluntatem, eligimus prius ad
Tartaros profiscisci. Timebamus enimne per eos in proximo ecclesiæ Dei
periculum immineret. Et quamuis à Tartaris et alijs nationibus timeremus
occidi, vel perpetuo captiuari, vel fame, siti, algore, æstu, contumelia,
et laboribus nimijs, et quasi vltra vires affligi (quæ omnia multo plusquam
prius credidimus, excepta morte vel captiuitate perpetua nobis
multipliciter euenerunt) non tamen pepercimus nobis ipsis, vt voluntatem
Dei secundum Domini papæ mandatum adimplere possemus, et vt proficeremus in
aliquo Christianis, vt saltem scita veraciter voluntate et intentione
ipsorum, possemus illam patefacere Christianis, ne forte subito irruentes
inuenirent eos imparatos, sicut peccatis hominum exigentibus alia vice
contigit: et fecerunt magnam stragem in populo Christiano. [Sidenote: Annus
& 4 menses & amplius.] Vnde quæcunque pro vestra vtilitate vobis scribimus
ad cautelam, tanto securius credere debetis, quanto nos cuncta vel ipsi
vidimus oculis nostris, qui per annum et quatuor menses et amplius,
ambulauimus per ipsos et cum ipsis, ac fuimus, inter eos, vel audiuimus à
Christianis qui sunt inter eos captiui, et vt credimus fide dignis.
Mandatum etiam à supremo pontifice habebamus, vt cuncta, perscrutaremur et
videremus omnia diligenter. [Sidenote: Frater Benedictus Polonus comes
Ioannis de Plano Carpini.] Quod tam nos quam frater Benedictus eiusdem
ordinis qui nostræ tribulationis fuit socius et interpres fecimus studiose.


De terra Tartarorum, situ, qualitate & dispositione aeris in eadem. Cap. 1.

Volentes igitur facta scribere Tartaroram, vt lectores facilius valeant
inuenire, hoc modo per capitula describemus. Primo quidem dicemus de terra.
Secundo de hominibus. Tertio de ritu. Quarto de moribus. Quinto de ipsorum
imperio. Sexto de bellis. Septimo de terris quas eorum dominio
subiugauerant. Octauo quomodo bello occurratur eisdem. De terra possumus
hoc modo tractare. In principio quidem dicemus de situ ipsius: secundo de
qualitate: tertio de dispositione aeris in eadem. Terra vero prædicta est
in ea posita parte Orientis in qua oriens sicut credimus coniungitur
Aquiloni. [Sidenote: Al. Solanganorum. Oceauns ab Aquilone.] Ab Oriente
autem est terra posita. Kyraiorum et etiam Solangorum: à meridie sunt terræ
Saracenorum inter Occidentem et Meridiem Huyrorum. Ab Occidente prouincia
Naymanorum; ab Aquilone mari oceano circundatur. Hæc vero in parte aliqua
est nimium montuosa, et in aliqua est campestris, sed fere tota adimxta
glarea, raro argillosa, plurimum est arenosa. In aliqua parte terne sunt
aliquæ modicæ siluæ: alia vero est sine lignis omnino. Cibaria autem sua
decoquunt et sedent tam imperator quàm principes et alij ad ignem factum de
boum stercoribus et equorum. Terra autem prædicta non est in parte
centesima fructuosa: nec etiam potest fructum portare nisi aquis
fluuialibus irrigetur. Sed aqua et riui ibidem sunt pauci: flumina vero
rarissima vnde ibidem villæ sunt paucæ; nec aliquæ ciuitates excepta vna,
quæ esse dicitur satis bona; [Sidenote: Syra orda, curia maior
imperatoris.] nos autem non vidimus illam, sed fuimus prope ad dimidium
diem, cum apud Syram ordam essemus, quæ curia est maior imperatoris eorum.
Et licet aliàs infructuosa sit, quamuis non multum tamen competenter est
alendis pecoribus apta. Aer in ipsa est mirabiliter inordinatus. In media
etiam æstate quando in alijs partibus solet calor maximus abundare; ibi
sunt tonitrua magna et fulgura, ex quibus homines quam plurimi occiduntur.
[Sidenote: Maximæ niues in æstate in Tartaria.] Cadunt etiam ibi eodem
tempore maximæ niues. Ibi sunt etiam frigidissimorum ventorum tam maximes
tempestates, quod cum labore vix possunt homines aliquando equitare. Vnde
cum essemus apud ordam (sic enim stationes imperatoris apud eos et
principum appellantur) iacebamus in terra præ magnitudine venti prostrati,
et propter pulueris multitudinem videre minime poteramus. In ea etiam in
hyeme nusquam pluit, sed in æstate: et tam modicum, quod vix potest
aliquando puluerem et radices graminum madidare. [Sidenote: Grando maxima.]
Grando etiam ibi sæpe maxiina cadit. [Sidenote: Maxima inundatio exubita
grandinis resolutione.] Vnde eo tempore quando fuit electus, et in sede
regni poni debuit imperator, nobis in curia existentibus, tanta cecidit
grando, quod ex subita resolutione sicut plenius intelleximus, plusquam
centum et quadraginta homines in eadem curia fuerunt submersi. Res autem et
habitacula plura deducta fuerunt. Ibi est etiam in æstate subito magnus
calor, et repente maximum frigus. In hyeme vero in aliqua parte cadunt
maximæ niues, in alia autem paruæ. [Sidenote: Iter quinque mensium et
dinudij.] Et vt breuiter de terra concludam, magna est, sed aliter, sicut
vidimus oculis nostris, (quia per ipsam circuendam quinque mensibus et
dimidium ambulauimus) multo vilior est, quàm dicere valeamus.


De formis Tartarorum, de coniugio, vestibus et habitaculis eorum. Cap. 2.

Dicto de terra, de hominibus est dicendum. Primo quidem formas describemus
personarum. Secundò de ipsorum coniugio supponemus. Tertio de vestibus.
Quarto de habitaculis. Quinto de rebus eorum. Forma personarum ab hominibus
alijs est remota. Inter oculos enim et genas plusquam alij homines sunt
lati. Genæ etiam satis prominent à maxillis. Graciles sunt generaliter in
cingulo exceptis quibusdam paucis. Pene omnes sunt mediocris staturæ. Barba
fere omnibus minime crescit. Aliqui tamen in inferiori labio et in barba
modicos habent crines, quos minime tondent. Super verticem capitis in modum
clericorum habent coronas, et ab aure vna vsque ad aliam, ad latitudinem
trium digitorum similiter omnes radunt. Quæ rasuræ coronæ prædictæ
iunguntur. Super frontem etiam ad latitudinem duorum digitorum similiter
omnes radunt. Illos autem capillos qui sunt inter coronam et prætaxatam
rasuram crescere vsque ad supercilia sinunt. Et ex vtraque parte frontis
tondendo plusquam in medio crines faciunt longos: reliquos vero crines
permittunt crescere vt mulieres. De quibus faciunt duas cordas, et ligant
vnamquamque post aurem. Pedes etiam modicos habent. Vxores vero habet
vnusquisque quot potest tenere. Aliquis centum, aliquis quinquaginta,
aliquis decem, aliquis plures vel pauciores: et omnibus parentibus
generaliter iunguntur, excepta matre, filia, vel sorore ex eadem matre,
sororibus etiam ex patre: tamen et vxores patris post mortem ducere
possunt. Vxorem etiam fratris alter frater iunior post mortem vel alius de
parentela iunior ducere tenetur. Reliquas mulieres omnes sine vlla
differentia ducunt in vxores, et emunt eas valde pretiosè à parentibus
suis. Post mortem maritorum de facili ad secunda coniugia non migrant, nisi
quis velit suam nouercam ducere in vxorem. [Sidenote: Vestes.] Vestes autem
tam virorum quàm mulierum sunt vno modo formatæ. Pallijs, cappis vel
capputijs vel pellibus non vtuntur. Tunicas vero portant de Bukeramo,
purpura, vel Baldaquino in hunc modum formatas. A supremo vsque deorsum
sunt scissæ, quia ante pectus dupticantur. A latere vero sinistro vna, et
in dextris tribus ligaturis nectuntur, et in latere et in sinistro vsque ad
brachiale sunt scissæ. Pellicia cuiuscunque sunt generis in eundem modum
formantur: superius tamen pellicium exterius habet pilum, sed à
posterioribus est apertum. Habet autem caudulam vnam vsque ad genua retro.
Mulieres vero quæ sunt maritatæ habent tunicam valde amplam et vsque ad
terram ante scissam. Super caput vero habent vnum quid rotundum de
viminibus vel de cortice factum, quod in longum protenditur ad vnam vlnam,
et in summitate desinit in quadrum: et ab imo vsque ad summum in
amplitudine semper crescit, et in summitate habet virgulam vnam longam et
gracilem de auro vel de argento seu de ligno, vel etiam pennam: et est
assutum super vnum pileolum, quod protenditur vsque ad humeros.
Instrumentum prædictum est tectum de buccaramo, siue purpura vel
baldaquino: sine quo instrumento coram hominibus nunquam vadunt, et per hoc
ab alijs mulieribus cognoscuntur. Virgines autem et iuuenes mulieres cum
magna difficultate à viris suis possunt discerni: quum per omnia vestiuntur
vt viri. Pileola habent alia quàm aliæ nationes, quorum formam
intelligibiliter describere non valemus. [Sidenote: Tabernacula.] Stationes
rotundas habent in modum tentorij præparatas, de virgis et baculis
subtiliter factas. Supra vero in medio rotundam habent fenestram vnde lumen
ingreditur, et vt possit fumus exire: quia semper in medio ignem faciunt.
Parietes autem et tecta filtro sunt cooperta. Ostia etiam de filtro sunt
facta. Quædam stationes sunt magnæ, quædam paruæ, secundum dignitatem et
hominum paruitatem. Quædam soluuntur subito et reparantur et super somarios
deferuntur. Quædam dissolui non possunt, sed in curribus deferuntur.
Minoribus autem in curru ad deferendum vnus bos; maioribus tres vel
quatuor, vel etiam plures, vel quod est magis, sufficiunt ad portandum.
[Sidenote: Opes in pecore.] Quocunque vadunt siue ad bellum, siue alias,
semper illas deferunt secum. In animalibus sunt diuites valde: in camelis,
bobus, ouibus, capris, et equis. Iumentorum tantam habent multitudinem,
quantam non credimus habere totum mundum. Porcos et alias bestias minime
habent.


De cultu et de hijs quæ credunt esse peccata, et de diuinationibus et ritu
  funeris eorum, et de purgationibus suorum peccatorum. Cap. 3.

Dicto de hominibus, dicendum est de ritu: de quo tractabimus in hunc modum.
Primo de cultu: secundo de hijs quæ credunt esse peccata: tertio de
diuinationibus, et purgationibus peccatorum: quarto de ritu funeris. Vnum
Deum credunt, quem credunt esse factorem omnium visibilium et inuisibilium.
Et credunt eum tam bonorum in hoc mundo quam pænarum esse factorem: non
tamen orationibus vel laudibus, aut ritu aliquo ipsum colunt. Nihilommus
habent idola quædam de filtro ad imaginem hominis facta; et illa ponunt et
vtraque parte ostij stationis, et subtus illa ponunt quiddam de filtro in
modum vberis factum, et illa credunt esse pecorum custodes, et eis
beneficium lactis et pullorum præstare. Alia vero faciunt de pannis
sericis, et illa multum honorant. Quidam ponunt illa in pulchro curru tecto
ante ostium stationis: et quicunque aliquid de illo curru furatur, sine
vlla miseratione occiditur. Duces, millenarij, et centenarij vnum semper
habent in medio stationis. Prædictis idolis offerunt primum lac omnis
pecoris et iumenti. Et cum primo comedere et bibere incipiunt, primo
offerunt eis de cibarijs et potu. Et cum bestiam aliquam occidunt, offerunt
cor Idolo quod est in curru in aliquo cypho, et dimittunt vsque mane, et
tunc auferunt de præsentia eius et decoquunt et manducant. Primo etiam
imperatori faciunt idolum, quod ponunt in curru, ante quam stationem
honorifice, sicut vidimus ante ordam imperatoris istius offerunt munera
multa. Equos etiam offerunt ei, quos nullus audet ascendere vsque ad
mortem. Alia etiam animalia eidem offerunt. Quæ vero occidunt ad
manducandum, nullum os ex eis confringunt, sed igni comburunt. Et etiam ad
meridiem tanquam Deo inclinant, et inclinare faciunt alios nobiles, qui se
reddunt eisdem. Vnde nuper contigit quod Michael, qui fuit vnus de magnis
ducibus Russiæ, cum iuisset ad se reddendum Bati, fecerunt eum prius inter
duos ignes transire: Post hoc dixerunt, quod ad meridiem Cyngis inclinaret.
Qui respondit, quod Bati et seruis suis inclinaret libenter, sed imagini
hominis mortui non inclinaret, quia non licet hoc facere Christianis. Et
cum sæpe diceretur, quod inclinaret, et nollet, mandauit ei prædictus per
filium Ieroslai, quod occideretur si non inclinaret. [Sidenote: Martyrium
Michaelis ducis Russiæ.] Qui respondit, quod potius vellet mori, quam hoc
faceret, quia non liceret. At ille satellitem vnum misit, qui tam diu
contra cor eum in ventre calce percussit, quousque deficeret. Tunc quidam
de suis militibus quia astabat confortans eum dixit: Esto robustus quia hæc
poena non diu tibi durabit, et statim sequetur gaudium sempiternum: post
hoc fuit caput eius cultello præcisum. Militi vero prædicto fuit caput
etiam cultello amputatum. Solem igitur lumina et ignem venerantur et
adorant, et aquam et terram, eis cibonim et potus primitias offerentes, et
mane potissime antequam comedant et bibant: quia de cultu Dei nullam legem
obseruant. Neminem cogunt suam fidem vel legem negare. Accidit tamen dum
adhuc nuper essemus in terra quod Andreas dux de Saruogle [Marginal note:
Vel, Sciruogle. Andreas dux Russiæ.] quæ est in Russia fuit apud Bati
accusatus, quod educeret equos Tartarorum de terra et venderet alias, et
cum tamen non esset probatum fuit, occisus: quod audiens iunior frater
eius, venit cum vxore occisi ad ducem prædictum Bati, volens supplicare, ne
terra tolleretur eisdem. Qui dixit par esse, quod vxorem fratris carnalis
prædicti duceret in vxorem: et mulieri præcepit ducere illum in virum
secundum consuetudinem Tartarorum. Qui respondit, quod prius vellet occidi,
quam faceret contra legem. At ille, nihilominous tradidit eam illi, quamuis
renuerat quantum posset: et duxerunt ambo in lecto, et posuerunt puerum
super illam plorantem et clamantem et cogerunt eos commisceri coactione non
conditionali, sed absoluta. [Sidenote: De superstitiosis traditionibus
eorum. [Greek: Ethelothraeskeia.]] Quamuis de iustitia facienda, vel
peccato, cauendo nullam habeant legem, nihilominus tamen habent aliquas
traditiones, quas dicunt esse peccata: quas confinxerunt ipsi et patres
eorum. Vnum est, cultellum figere in igne, vel etiam quocunque modo tangere
cum cultello: vel cum cultello extrahere carnes de caldario: iuxta ignem
etiam incidere cum securi. Credunt etiam quod sic auferri caput debeat
igni. Item appodiare se ad flagellum, cum quo percutitur equus: Ipsi enim
calcaribus non vtuntur. Item tangere flagellis sagittas. Item iuuenes aues
occidere, vel accipere: cum froeno equum percutere, Item os cum osse alio
frangere. Item lac vel aliquem potum vel cibum super terram effundere. In
statione mingere, sed si voluntarie facit occiditur: si autem aliter,
oportet quod pecunia soluatur incantatori, qui purificet eos: faciat etiam
stationem et ea quæ in ipsa sunt inter duos ignes transire. Sed antequam
sic purificetur nullus audet intrare vel aliquid de ipsa portare. Item si
alicui morsus imponitur, et deglutire non potest, et de ore suo eijcit eum,
fit foramen sub statione, et extrahunt per illud foramen, et sine vlla
misericordia occiditur. [Sidenote: [Greek: atheotaes].] Item si aliquis
calcat limen stationis alicuius ducis interficitur eodem modo. Et multa
habent similia, de quibus longum est narrare. Sed homines occidere, aliorum
terras inuadere, res aliorum accipere, quocunque iniusto modo fornicari,
alijs hominibus iniunari, facere contra Dei prohibitiones et Dei præcepta,
nullum est peccatum apud eos. De vita æterna et damnatione perpetua, nihil
sciunt. Credunt tamen quod post mortem in alio seculo viuant, greges
multiplicent, comedant, bibant, et alia faciant, quæ in hoc seculo à
viuentibus hominibus fiunt. Diuinationibus, augurijs, aruspicijs,
veneficijs, incantationibus multum intendunt. Et cum à dæmonibus ipsis
respondetur, credunt quod Deus ipsis loquatur, quem Deum vocant Itoga: sed
Comani Cham, id est, imperatorem ipsum appellant, quem mirabiliter timent
et reuerentur: ac oblationes offerunt multas, et primitias cibi et potus.
Secundum autem responsa ipsius faciunt vniuersa. [Sidenote: Cultus luna.]
In principio etiam lunationis vel plenilunio incipiunt quicquid noui agere
volunt. Vnde illam magnum imperatorem appellant, eique genua flectunt et
deprecantur. Solem dicunt esse matrem lunæ, eo quod lumen à sole recipiat.
Et vt breuiter dicam per ignem credunt omnia purificari. Vnde cum nuncij
veniunt ad eos, vel principes, vel qualescunque personæ, oportet ipsos et
munera quæ portant per duos ignes transire, vt purificentur. Item si cadit
ignis de coelo super pecora, vel super homines, quod ibidem sæpe contingit,
siue aliquid talium euenerit eis, per quod immundos seu infortunatos se
reputant, oportet similiter per incantatores mundari. Et quasi omnem spem
suam in talibus posuerunt. [Sidenote: Ritus funebris.] Quando aliquis eorum
infirmatur, ponitur in statione eius vna hasta, et contra illam filtrum
circumuoluitur nigrum: et ex tunc nullus audet alienus postes stationum
intrare. Et quando incipit agonizare, omnes recedunt ab eo; quoniam nullus
de ijs qui morti eius assistunt, potest ordam alicuius ducis vel
imperatoris vsque ad nouam lunationem intrare. Cum autem mortuus est, si
est de maioribus, sepelitur occultè in campo vbi placuerit: sepelitur autem
cum statione sedendo in medio eius, et ponunt mensam ante eum, et alueum
carnibus plenum, et cyphum lactis iumentini: Sepelitur autem cum eo vnum
iumentum cum pullo, et equus cum fræno et sella: et alium equum comedunt et
stramine corium implent, et super duo vel quatuor ligna altius ponunt, vt
habeat in alio mundo stationem vbi moretur, et iumentum de quo lac habeat,
et, possit sibi equos multiplicare, et equos etiam in quibus valeat
equitare. Aurum et argentum sepeliunt eodem modo cum ipso. Currus in quo
ducitur frangitur, et statio sua destruitur, nec nomen proprium eius vsque
ad tertium generationem audet aliquis nominare. Alius etiam est modus
sepeliendi quosdam maiores. Vaditur in campo occultè, et ibi gramma
remouent cum radicibus et faciunt foueam magnam, et in latere illius foueæ
faciunt vnam sub terra, et illum seruum quem habet dilectum ponunt sub eo,
qui iacet tam diu sub eo donec incipit agonizare, deinde extrahunt eum vt
valeat respirare, et sic faciunt ter. Et si euadet, postea est liber, et
facit quicquid ei placuerit, et est magnus in statione, ac inter parentes
illius. [Sidenote: Idem mos sepeliendi fere in Florida.] Mortuum autem
ponunt in foueam, quæ est in latere facta cum his quæ superius dicta sunt.
Deinde replent foueam quæ est ante foueam suam, et desuper gramina ponunt,
vt fuerant prius, ad hoc, ne locus vlterius vileat inueniri. Alia faciunt
vt dictum est. In terra eorum sunt coemeteria duo. Vnum in quo sepeliuntur
imperatores, duces et nobiles omnes: et vbicunque moriuntur, si congruè
fieri potest, illuc deferuntur. Sepelitur autem cum eis aurum et argentum
multum. Aliud est in quo sepeliuntur illi qui in Hungaria interfecti
fuerunt: multi enim ibidem occisi fuerunt. Ad illa coemeteria nullus audet
accedere præter custodes, qui ad custodiendum positi sunt ibidem. Et si
aliquis accesserit, capitur, spoliatur et verberatur, et valde malè
tractatur. Vnde nos ipsi nescientes intrauimus termmos coemeterij eorum qui
in Hungaria occisi fuerunt, et venerunt super nos sagittæ volantes: sed
quia eramus nuncij consuetudinem terræ nescientes, nos liberos dimiserunt
abire. [Sidenote: Lustrationes ritus.] Parentes autem et omnes alij qui
morantur in stationibus suis oportet purificari per ignem: quæ purificatio
fit hoc modo. Faciunt duos ignes et duas hastas ponunt iuxta ignes et vnam
cordam in summitate hastarum: et ligant super cordam illam quasdam
scissuras de buccharamo: sub qua corda et ligaturis inter illos duos ignes
transeunt homines, bestiæ et stationes: Et sunt duæ mulieres, vna hinc, et
alia inde aquam projicientes, et quædam carmina recitantes. Et si aliqui
currus ibi franguntur, vel etiam res ibi cadunt aliqus, incantatores
accipiunt. Et si aliquis occiditur à tonitruo, omnes illos homines qui
morantur in stationibus illis, oportet prædicto modo ignes transire.
Statio, lectus, filtra, currus, vestes, et quicquid talium habuerint, à
nullo tanguntur, sed tanquam immunda ab omnibus respuuntur.


De consuetudinibus bonis et malis et cibis eorum. Cap. 4.

Dicto de ritu, dicendum est de moribus: de quibus tractabimus hoc modo.
Primo dicemus de bonis, secundo de malis: tertio de consuetudinibus: quarto
de cibis. [Sidenote: Obedientia.] Prædicti homines, scilicet Tartari sunt
magis obedientes Dominis suis quàm aliqui homines in hoc mundo, siue
religiosi, siue seculares: et magis reuerentur eosdem: neque de facili
mentiuntur eis. Verbis ad inuicem rarò aut nunquam contendunt, factis verò
nunquam. Bella, rixæ, vulnera, homicidia inter eos non contingunt.
[Sidenote: Abstinentia.] Prædones et fures magnarum rerum non inueniuntur
inter eos. Vnde stationes et currus eorum, vbi habent thesauram suum setis
aut vectibus non firmantur. Si aliquæ bestiæ perduntur, quicunque inuenent
eas vel dimittit sic esse, vel ducit eas ad homines illos, qui positi sunt
ad hoc. Homines autem quorum sunt bestiæ apud eosdem illas requirunt, et
absque vlla difficultate recipiunt illas. [Sidenote: Comitas.] Vnus alium
satis honorat: et ad inuicem sunt satis familiares: Et cibaria quamuis
inter illos sint pauca, tamen inter se satis competenter communicant illa;
et satis sunt sufferentes. [Sidenote: Temperantia.] Vnde quum ieiunant vno
die vel duobus diebus nihil comedentes omninò de facili non videntur
impatientes, sed cantant et ludunt quasi comederunt bene. In equitando
multum sustinent frigus, et calorem nimium patiuntur. Non sunt homines
delicati. Inuidi ad inuicem non videntur. Inter eos quasi nulla placita
sunt: nullus alium spernit, sed iuuat et promouet quantum congruè potest.
[Sidenote: Castitas mulierum.] Mulieres eorum sunt castæ: nec de
impudicitia earum inter eas aliquid auditur. Verba tamen quædam ex eis in
ioco satis habent turpia et impudica. Seditiones verò inter eas rarò vel
nunquam audiuntur. Et quamuis multum inebrientur, in ebrietate sua tamen
verbis vel facto nunquam contendunt. [Sidenote: Insolencia aduersus
exteros.] Nunc de malis moribus eorum est supponendum. Superbissimi alijs
hominibus sunt, et despiciunt omnes: ideò quasi pro nihilo reputant, siue
nobiles sint, siue ignobiles. Vidimus euim in curia Imperatoris nobilem
virum Ieroslaum. magnum Ducem Russiæ, filium etiam Regis et Reginæ Georgiæ,
et Soldanos multos, duces etiam Soldanorum nullum honorem debitum recipere
inter eos. Sed Tartari qui erant eis assignati, quantumcunque erant viles,
antecedebant eos, et semper primum locum et summum tenebant: immò sæpè
oportebat eos post posteriora sedere. [Sidenote: Iracundia Mendacitas.]
Iracundi multum et indignantis naturæ sunt: et etiam alijs hominibus plus
sunt mendaces, et fere nulla veritas inuenitur in eis. In principio quidem
sunt blandi, sed in fine pungunt vt scorpio. [Sidenote: Fraudulentia
Sordes.] Subdoli sunt et fraudulenti, et se possunt astutia circumueniunt
omnes. Homines sunt immundi, sumendo cibum et potum, et alijs factis suis.
Qui cum volunt aliquid mali facere alijs hominibus, miro modo occultant, vt
præuidere non possint, vel contra eorum astutias remedium inuenire.
[Sidenote: Temulentia.] Ebrietas honorabilis est apud eos: et quum multum
quis bibit, ibidem reijcit, nec propter hoc dimittit quin iterum bibat.
[Footnote: Chief engineer Melville, in his account of the adventures of the
survivors of the "Jeanette" in the Lena Delta, gives a similar description
of the drinking customs of the inhabitants of the _Tundra_.] Valdè sunt
cupidi et auari, exactores maximi ad petendum: tenacissimi retentores, et
parcissimi donatores. Aliorum hominum occisio pro nihilo est apud illos.
[Sidenote: Exortio Crudelitas.] Et, vt breuiter dicam, omnes mali mores
eorum propter prolixitatem in scripto redigi non possunt. [Sidenote: Cibi.]
Cibi eorum sunt omnia quæ mandi possunt. Comedunt canes, lupos, vulpes, et
equos; et in necessitate carnes humanas. Vnde quando pugnauerunt contra
quandam ciuitatem Kytaorum, [Footnote: Query, the inhabitants of the
province of Kutais, on the Euxine, or of Cathay?] vbi morabatur imperator
ipsorum; eam obsederunt tam diu, quod defecerunt ipsis Tartaris omninò
expensæ, Et quia non habebant quòd manducarent omninò, tunc accipiebatur de
decem hominibus vnus ad manducandum. Abluuiones etiam quæ egrediuntur de
iumentis cum pullis manducant. Imo vidimus etiam eos pediculos manducare:
vidimus etiam eos commedere mures. Mensalibus et manutergijs non vtuntur:
panem non habent, nec olera, nec legumina, nec aliquid aliud nisi carnes:
et tam paucas habent, quòd aliæ nationes vix inde viuere possent. Cum
pinguedine carnium multum polluunt manus: quando verò comederunt, tunc
manus ad ocreas suas, vel ad gramina, vel ad aliquid talium tergunt. Solent
etiam honestiores habere aliquos panniculos paruos, cum quibus vltimo
tergunt manus, quando carnes manducarunt. Cibum vnius eorum incidit, et
alius accipit cum puncto cultelli morsellos, et vnicuique prebet, quibusdam
plus, quibusdam minus, secundum quod plus vel minus volunt eos honorare.
Scutellas non lauant, et si aliquando cum brodio lauant carnium, iterum cum
carnibus in olla reponunt. Ollas etiam vel caldaria, vel alia vasa ad hoc
deputata si abluunt, simili modo lauant. Apud eos est magnum peccatum, si
de cibo vel potu perire permittatur aliquid. Vnde ossa, nisi prins
extrahatur medulla, dari canibus non permittunt. Vestes etiam non lauant,
nec lauari permittunt et maximè quo tonitrua ab illa hora incipiunt donec
desinant. Lac iumentinum bibunt in maxima quantitate si habent: bibunt
etiam ouinum, caprinum, vaccinum, et camelorum. Vinum, ceruisiam, et
medonem non habent, nisi ab alijs nationibus mittatur, vel donetur eisdem.
In hyeme, nisi diuites sint, lac iumentinum non habent. Millium cum aqua
decoquunt, quod tam tenue faciunt, quòd non comedere sed bibere possunt. Et
vnus quisque ex eis bibit cyphum vnum vel duos in mane, et nil plus in die
manducant. In sero vnicuique parum de carnibus datur, et brodium de
carnibus bibunt. In æstate autem, quia tunc habent satis de lacte iumentino
carnes rarò manducant, nisi fortè donentur eis, aut venatione aliquam
bestiam ceperint, siue auem. [Sidenote: Poena adulterij.] Legem etiam siue
consuetudinem habent occidendi virum et mulierem quos in adulterio
inuenirent manifestè. Similiter et virginem si fornicata fuerit, mulierem
occidunt et virum. [Sidenote: Furti. Arcani cuulgali.] Si aliquis inuenitur
in præda vel in furto manifesto in terra potestatis eorum sine vlla
miseratione occiditur. Item si aliquis eorum deundat consilium, maximè
quando volunt ire ad bellum; centum plagæ dantur super posteriora, quanto
maiores dare cum baculo magno vnus rusticus potest. Item quando aliqui di
minoribus offendunt in aliquo à suis maioribus non parciter eis, sed
verberibus grauiter affliguntur. Item inter filium concubinæ et vxoris
nulla est differentia, sed dat pater vnicuique eorum quod vult, et si est
de genere ducum, ita est dux filius concubinæ, sicut filius legitimus.
[Sidenote: [Greek: Poligamia.]] Et cum vnus Tartarus habet multas vxores,
vnaquæque per se suam stationem, et familiam habet; et cum vna comedit, et
bibit, et dormit vna die, et altera die cum alia. Vna tamen ex ipsis maior
est inter alias, et frequentius cum illa quam cum alijs commoratur. Et cum
tam multæ sint inter se tamen de facili non contendunt, Viri nihil
operantur omninò exceptis sagittis: et etiam de gregibus aliquantulam
habent curam, sed venantur, et exercent se ad sagittandum: Omnes enim à
paruo vsque ad magnum sagittarij sunt et boni. Et statim pueri eorum, cum
sunt duorum annorum vel trium, incipiunt equitare. Equos eorum regunt et
currunt in eis: et dantur eis arcus secundum suam ætatem, et instruunt ad
sagittandum. Agiles enim sunt et audates valdè. Virgines et mulieres
equitant, et agiliter in equis currunt vt viri. Vidimus enim eas arcus et
pharetras portare. Et tam viri quam mulieres diu in equitando possunt
durare. Breuissimas habent strepas: equos valde custodiunt; imo rerum
omnium sunt magni conseruatores. [Sidenote: Foeminæ Metæ incognitæ eodem
modo vestiuntur.] Mulieres eorum omnia operantur. Pellicia, vestes,
calceos, ocreas, et omnia opera quæ de corio fiunt. Currus etiam ducunt et
reparant camelos onerant, et velocissimæ sunt et strenuæ in omnibus
operibus suis: foemoralibus omnes vtuntur: aliquæ, sicut viri, sagittant.


De ipsorum Imperio. Cap. 5.

Dicto de eorum consuetudinibus, dicendum est de eorum imperio. Et primò de
ipsius principio. Secundò de principibus eius. Tertiò de dominio
Imperatoris et principum. Terra quædam est in partibus Orientis, de qua
dictum est suprà, quæ Mongol nominatur. Hæc terra quondam quatuor populos
habuit. [Sidenote: Tartariæ populi Tartar fluuius.] Et vnus Yeka Mongol, id
est, magni Mongali vocabatur Secundus Sumongol, id est Aquatici Mongali.
Ipsi autem seipsos Tartaros appellabant, à quodam fluuio, qui currit per
terram eorum, qui Tartar nominatur Allius appellatur Merkat, quartus
Metrit. Hij populi omnes vnam formam personarum, et vnam linguam habebant:
quamuis inter se per principes et prouincias essent diuisi. [Sidenote:
Cygnis ortus et res gestæ.] In terra Yeka Mongol fuit qui vocabatur Cyngis.
Iste incepit esse robustus venator coram Domino. Didicit enim homines
furari, rapere, prædari. Ibat autem ad alias terras, et quoscunque potuit
capere, et sibi associare non demittebat homines verò suæ gentis ad se
inclinabat, qui tanquam ducem ipsum sequebantur, ad omnia malefacta. Hic
autem incepit pugnare cum Sumongol, siue Tartaris postquam homines
aggregauerat sibi, et interfecit ducem eorum, e multo bello omnes Tartaros
sibi subiugauit et in suam seruitutem redegit. Post hæc cum omnibus his
pugnauit, cum Merkat, qui erant positi iuxta terram Tartarorum, quos etiam
bello sibi subiecit: Inde procedens pugnauit contra Metritas, et etiam
illos deuicit. [Sidenote: Naymani.] Audientes itaque Naymani, quod Cyngis
erat taliter eleuatus, indignati fuerant. Ipsi enim habuerant Imperatorem,
qui fuerat strenuus valdè, cuidabant tributum omnes nationes prædictæ.
[Sidenote: Fratres discordantes oppressi.] Qui debitum vniuersæ carnis
exsoluens, filij eius successerunt loco eius; sed iuuenes erant et stulti,
et populum nesciebant tenere sed inuicem diuisi erant et scissi: vnde medio
tempore Cyngis erat taliter exaltatus, nihilominus, insultum faciebant in
terras superius annotatas, viros et mulieres et pueros occidebant, et
capiebant prædam eorum. Cyngis hoc audiens, omnes sibi subiectos homines
aggregauit. [Sidenote: Kara Kitai.] Naymani et Kara Kitai, id est nigri
Kitai, ex aduerso in quandam vallem strictam inter montes duos, per quam
nos euntes ad imperatorem eorum transiuimus, similiter conueniunt: et
commissum est prælium, in quo Naymani et Kara Kitai à Mongallis sunt
deuicti, et maior pars eorum occisa: et alij qui euadere non potuerunt in
seruitutem redacti sunt. [Sidenote: Occady-can.] In terra autem prædictorum
Kara Kytaorum Occaday can filius Cyngis can, postquam positus fuit
imperator, quandam ciuitatem, ædificauit, quam Omyl [Marginal note: Vel
Chanyl.] appellauit. [Sidenote: Homines syluestres.] Propè quam ad meridiem
est quoddam desertum magnum, in quo syluestres homines pro certo habitare
dicuntur, qui nulla modo loquuntur, nec in cruribus habent iuncturas: et si
quando cadunt, per se surgere sine adiutorio aliorum minime possunt,
aliquantam tamen habent discretionem. Mongali autem in terram eorum
reuertentes se contra Kytaos in prælium præparauerunt, qui castra mouentes
terram eorum intrauerunt. [Sidenote: De mutua victoria Mongalorum et
Kytaorum. Tartarorum Kytama clades.] Imperator autem Kytaorum hoc audiens
venit contra eos cum exercitu suo; et commissum est prælium durum; in quo
prælio Mongali fuerunt deuicti: et omnes nobiles Mongalorum qui erant in
prædicto exercitu fuerunt occisi vsque ad septem. Cyngis verò et alij qui
remanserunt in tetram suam fugerunt. Et quum aliquantulum quieuisset
Cyngis, præparauit se rursus ad prælium et contra terram Huiyrorum
processit ad bellum. Isti homines Christiani de secta Nestorianorum erant,
quos etiam bello deuicit, et eorum literas acceperunt. Nam prius scripturam
aliquam non habebant. [Sidenote: Nouæ victoriæ literæ.] Nunc autem eandem
literam Mongallorum appellant. Inde processit contra terram Saruiuorum
[Marginal note: Vel Saruiur.], et contra terram Karauitarum [Marginal note:
Vel Karanitarum.], et contra terram Voyrat [Marginal note: Vel Hudirat.],
et contra terram Comana, quas terras omnes deuicit. Inde est in teram suam
reuersus. Et cum aliquantulum quieuisset, conuocans omnibus gentibus
supradictis, contra Kytaos ad bellum processit, et cum diu contra eos
pugnasset, magnam partem terræ Kytaorum vicerunt: Imperatorem autem eorum
concluserunt in sua ciuitate maiori: quam cum tam diu obsiderunt, quod
exercitui defecerunt expensæ, et cum non haberent quod manducarent,
præcipit illis Cyngis can, quod de decem hominibus vnum darent ad
manducandum. Illi autem de ciuitate pugnabant viriliter contra illos
sagittis et machinis: [Sidenote: Argentum loco lapidum in hostem
proiectum.] Et cum deficerent lapides, pro lapidibus proiecerunt argentum,
et maximè liquefactum. Ciuitas enim hæc multis diuitijs erat plena. Et cum
diu pugnassent, et eam bello vincere minimè possent, fecerunt vnam magnam
viam sub terra ab exercitu vsque ad mediam ciuitatem, et aperientes subitò
terram, eis nescientibus prosilierunt in medio ciuitatis, et pugnabant cum
hominibus ciuitatis, et illi qui erant extra simili modo pugnabant, et
concidentes portas intrauerant ciuitatem: [Sidenote: Kytai victi.] et
occidentes Imperatorem et homines plures, ciuitatem possidebant: et aurum
et argentum, et omnes diuitias abstulerunt. Et cum terræ prædictæ Kytaoram
suos homines præfecissent, in terram propriam sunt reuersi. [Sidenote:
Cyngis salutator Imperator. Kyathaiæ pars in mari posita. Kytaorum litera
et religio.] Et tunc Imperatore Kytaoram deuicto factus est Imperator.
Quandam autem partem terræ Kytaorum, quæ posita est in mari, vsque in
hodiernum diem nullatenus deuicerunt. Kytai autem, de quibus superius
diximus, homines sunt Pagani, qui habent literam specialem: et habent nouum
et vetus Testamentum; et habent vitas patrum, et Erimitas et domos quasi
Ecclesias factas, in quibus orant temporibus suis: Et dicunt se quosdam
sanctos, habere. Vnum Deum colunt: Dominum nostram Iesum Christum honorant,
et credunt vitam æternam, sed minimè baptizantur. Scripturam nostram
honorant et reuerentur: Christianos diligunt, et Ecclesias faciunt plures.
Homines benigni et humani satis videntur: barbam non habent, et in
dispositione faciei satis concordant cum Mongalis, non tamen sunt in facie
ita lati. [Sidenote: Opificiorum laus.] Linguam propriam habent: meliores
artifices non inueniuntur in toto mundo in omnibus operibus, in quibus
solent homines Terra eorum est opulenta valdè in frumento, vino, auro,
argento, et serico, et omnibus rebus in quibus solet sustentari humana
natura. Et cum aliquantulum quieuissent, suos exercitus diuiserunt.
[Sidenote: Thossuch can Cyngis filius Comanos deuicit. India minor
debellata.] Vnum de filijs Tossuch nomine, quem etiam Can appellabant, id
est Imperatorem, misit cum exercitu contra Comanos, quos multo bello
deuicit: et postquam vicerat eos in terram suam reuertabatur. Alium etiam
filium misit cum exercitu contra Indos; qui Minorem Indiam deuicerunt. Hij
autem nigri sunt Saraceni, qui Æthiopes nuncupantur. Hic autem exercitus
contra Christianos, qui sint in India maiori in pugnaro processit. Quod
audiens rex terræ illius, qui vulgò Presbyter Iohannes appellatur, venit
contra eos exercitu congregato. [Sidenote: Presbyter Iohannes: eiusdem
stratagema.] Et faciens imagines cupreas hominum in sella posuit super
equos, ponens ignem interius, et posuit hominem cum folle post imaginem
cupream super equum: et cum multis imaginibus, et equis taliter præparatis
venerunt contra prædictos ad pugnandum. Et cum ad locum prælij
peruenissent, istos equos vnum iuxta vnum præmiserunt. Viri autem, qui
erant retro, posuerunt nescio quid super ignem qui erat in prædicta
imagine, et cum follibus fortiter sufflauerunt. Vnde factum est, quod de
fumo illo aer est denigratus. [Sidenote: Victoria de Tartaris. ] Et tunc
super Tartaros iecerunt sagittas, ex quibus multi interfecti et vulnerati
fuerunt. Et sic cum confusione eos de finibus suis eiecerunt: Et nunquam
audiuimus, quod vltra ad eos redierunt. [Sidenote: De monstrosis mulieribus
et canibus monstrosa narratio.] Cum autem per deserta redirent, in quandam
terram venerunt in qua quædam monstra foemineas imagines habentia
reperirunt. Et cum interrogassent eas per multos interpretes vbi essent
viri terræ illius, responderunt quod in illa terra quæcunque foeminæ
nascebantur, habebant formam humanam: Masculi verò formam caninam. Et dum
moram protraherant in terra prædicta, Canes in alia parte conuenerunt in
vnum: Et dum esset hyems asperrima, se omnes proiecerunt in aquam: et post
hæc incontinenti in puluerem mouebantur, et ita puluis admixtus aquæ super
eos congelauit: [Sidenote: Glacies.] et dum sæpè; hoc fecissent, glacies
densa facta est super eos: Vnde cum magno impetu cum Tartaris conuenerunt
ad pugnam. At illi quum sagittas super eos iactabant, ac si super lapides
sagitassent, retro sagittæ redibant: Alia etiam arma eorum in nullo eos
lædere potuerunt. Canes verò insultum facientes in eos morsibus
vulnerauerunt, multos etiam occiderunt, et ita eiecerunt eos de finibus
suis. [Sidenote: Burutabeth regio.] Et dum reuerteretur exercitus ille,
venit ad terram Burutabeth, quos bello vicerunt: qui sunt Pagani. Qui
consuetudinem mirabilem imo potius miserabilem habent. Quia cum aliquis
patrum suorum humanæ naturæ debitum exsoluit, omnem congregant parentelam,
et comedunt eum. [Sidenote: Incolarum mores.] Isti pilos in barba non
habent: immo quoddam ferrum in manibus portant, cum quo barbam semper
depilant, si fortè aliquis crinis crescit in ipsa: et multum etiam deformes
sunt. Inde exercitus ille reuertebatur in terram suam. [Sidenote: Terra
Kergis Orientalis.] Cyngis can etiam eo tempore quo diuisit exercitus
illos, misit in expeditione contra Orientem per terram Kergis, quos bello
non vicit: et vsque ad Caspios montes peruenit, montes autem illi sunt de
lapide adamantino. Vnde eorum sagittas et arma ferrea ad se traxerant.
Homines inter Caspios montes conclusos viderunt, quia iam montem fregerunt:
sed nubes quædam erat posita ante ipsos, ad quam accedere non poterant vllo
modo quia statim moriebantur, cum perueniebant ad illam. [Sidenote: Nota
iter duorum mensium versus Orientem.] Sed antequam peruenirent ad prædictum
montem plusquam per mensem vastam solitudinem transierunt. Inde procedentes
adhuc contra Orientem plusquam per mensem per magnum desertum iuerunt. Et
peruenerunt ad quandam terram, vbi viderunt vias tritas, sed nullum hominem
noterant inuenire. [Sidenote: Troglodytæ.] Sed tantum quæsiuerant per
terram, quod inuenerunt hominem cum vxore sua; quos ante Cyngis can
adduxerunt. Et cum interrogasset vbi essent homines terræ illius,
responderunt quod in terra sub montibus habitarent. At Cyngis can retenta
vxore misit viram illum cum nuncijs suis mandans hominibus illis vt
venirent ad mandatum ipsius. Illi verò euntes ad eos, narrauerunt omnia quæ
Cyngis can mandauerat. Qui responderunt quod tali die venirent ad mandatum
suum faciendum. Medio vero tempore congregauerunt se per vias occultas sub
terra et venerunt contra istos ad pugnandum: et irruentes subitò super eos
plurimos occiderunt. At illi, Cyngis can videlicet et sui fugam ineuntes,
terram exierunt prædictam. Illos tamen homines, virum scilicet et mulierum
secum duxerunt, qui vsque ad mortem in terra Tartarorum fuerunt. [Sidenote:
Videtur hic sonitus fieri, et fragore glaciei, et niuium de montibus.]
Interrogati verò quare sub terra habitarent, dixerunt quod vno tempore anni
quum sol oritur, tantus souitus est, quod homines nulla ratione possunt
sustinere. Immo etiam tunc percutiebant in organis et tympanis, et alijs
instrumentis, vt illum sonitum non audirent. [Sidenote: Cyngis lex.] Et dum
Cyngis de terra illa reuerteretur, defecerunt ei victualia et habebant
maximam famem. Et tunc recentia interiora vnius bestiæ eos contigit
inuenire: quæ accipientes, depositis tamen stercoribus decoxerunt: et coram
Cyngis can portantes cum suis illa comedit. Et ex hoc statutum fuit ab eo,
vt nec sanguis, nec interiora, nec aliquid de bestia quod manducari potest,
exceptis stercoribus, proijciatur. Et deinde in terram propriam est
reuersus: et ibidem leges et statuta multiplicia iecit, quæ Tartari non
violabiliter obseruant. Ex quibus tantum duo dicemus. Vnum est, quod
quicunque in superbia erectus, propria authoritate sine electione principum
esse voluerit imperator, sine vlla miseratione debet occidi. Vnde ante
electionem ipsius Cuynch propter hoc vnus de principibus, nepos ipsius
Cyngis can fuit occissus. Volebat enim sine electione regnare. Aliud
statutum est, quod sibi debent subiugare omnem terram: nec cum aliqua gente
debent pacem habere, nisi prius eis subdatur, quo vsque veniat tempus
occisionis eorum. Debent enim occidi, vt prophetatum est eis: Et illi qui
euadere poterunt, vt dicunt, debent illam legem tenere quam tenent alij,
qui eos bello deuincunt. Statuit etiam quod per millenarios, et centenarios
et Decanos debeat eorum exercitus ordinari. [Sidenote: Interitus.] Post hoc
ab ictu tonitrui esc occisus, peractis suis ordinationibus and statutis.
Hic autem habuit quatuor filios: Vnus vocabatur Occoday, secundus Tossuch
can, tertius Thaaday et nomen quarti ignoramus. [Sidenote: Liberi.] Isti
quatuor filij cum alijs maioribus qui tunc erant, primum filium videlicet
Occoday elegerunt imperatorem, filij autem istius Occoday Cuyne, qui nunc
est imperator, Cocthen et Cyrenen. [Sidenote: Nepotes.] Et si plures
habuerit filios ignoramus. Filij autem Tossuch can Bati: iste est ditior et
potentior post imperatorem: Ordu, iste est senior omnium ducum: Syban,
Bora, Bercuthanth: aliorum filiorum Tossuch can nomina ignoramus. Filij
Thaaday sunt Burin et Chadan, nomina aliorum filiorum nescimus. Alterius
autem filij Cyngis can, cuius nomen nescimus, filiorum nomina sunt hæc.
Vnus vocatur Mengu, cuius mater est Seroctan. Ista domina inter omnes
Tartaros, excepta matre imperatoris, est magis nominata: et potentior est
omnibus excepto Bati. Alius vocatur Becas. Alios filios habuit plures, sed
eorum nomina ignoramus. [Sidenote: Duces.] Hæc sunt ducum nomina. Ordu:
iste fuit in Polonia et in Hungaria: Bati, Cathan, Syban, Bureth. Omnes
isti fuerunt in Hungaria, Cyrpodan iste est adhuc vltra mare contra
Soldanum Damasci. Isti remanserunt in terra: Mangu, Cuthen, Syrennen,
Hybilay, Syremum, Synocur, Thuatamur, Cyragay, Sybedey, senex quidam miles
inter eos, Bora, Berca, Mauci, Choranca: sed iste inter alios est minimus.
Alij verò duces sunt plures, sed eorum nomina ignoramus.

[Sidennote: Imperatoris Tartarorum seruile in omnes imperium.] Imperator
autem Tartarorum habet mirabile dominium super omnes. Nullus audet in
aliqua parte morari, nisi ipse assignet ei. Ipse autem assignat vbi maneant
duces: millenarij centenarijs. Centenarij decanis. Insuper quicquid
præcipitur in quocunque tempore quocunque loco, siue ad bellum, siue ad
mortem, siue ad vitam, sine vlla contradictione obediunt. Etiam si petit
filiam virginem vel sororem, sine contradictione dant ei. Aut singulis
annis, aut intermissis aliquibus annis virgines colligit ex omnibus finibus
Tartarorum. Si ipse vult sibi retinere aliquas retinet: alias dat suis
hominibus, sicut videtur ei expedire. Nuncios quoscunque quotcunque et
vbicunque transmittit, oportet quod dent ei sine mora equos subdititios et
expensas. Vndecunque venerint ei tributa vel nuncij, oportet quod equi,
currus, et expensæ similter dentur eis. [Sidenote: Inhumanitas erga
Legatos.] Nuncij qui veniunt aliunde in magna miseria sunt in victu pariter
et vestitu: quia expensæ viles sunt et paucæ: et maximè cum veniunt ad
principes, et ibi debent moram contrahere. Tunc ita parum datur decem
hominibus, quod inde vix possint viuere duo. Nec etiam in curijs principum,
nec in via datur eis comedere, nisi semel in die, et satis parum. Insuper
si aliquæ iniuriæ sibi fiunt, conqueri de facili minimè possunt. Vnde eos
oportet illa patienter portare. Insuper multa tam à principibus, quam ab
alijs nationibus et minoribus ab eis exiguntur: et si non daretur, vili
pendunt eos, immò quasi pro nihilo habent eos. Et si à magnis viris
mittuntur, nolunt ab eis modicum munus habere: sed dicunt: A magno homine
venistis, et cur modicum datis? et accipere dedignantur. Et si nuncij benè
volunt facere facta sua, oportet eos dare maiora. Idcirco magnam partem
rerum, quæ nobis à fidelibus erant datæ, oportuit nos de necessitate
muneribus dare. Et sciendum, quod ita omnia sunt in manu imperatoris
prædicti, quod nemo audet dicere, hoc est meum vel illius; sed omnia sunt
Imperatoris, res, iumenta, et homines. Et super hoc etiam nuper emanauit
Imperatoris statutum. Idem dominium per omnia habent duces super homines
suos. Diuisi enim sunt homines Tartari, videlicet etiam alij inter duces.
Nuncij etiam ducum, quocunque eos transmittunt, et homines tam Imperatoris
quàm alij omnes equos subdititios et expensas, et qui equos custodiant, et
etiam nuncijs seruiant sine contradictione dare tenentur. Imperatori autem
iumenta vt habeat ex eis lac ad annum vel ad duos, vel ad tres, sicut
placuerit ei, tam duces quàm alij pro redditu dare tenentur. Et homines
ducum idem facere tenentur dominis suis. Inter eos enim nullus est liber.
Et vt breuiter dicam, Quicquid Imperator et duces volunt, et quantum volunt
de rebus suis accipiunt. De personis etiam eorom disponunt per omnia, sicut
volunt. [Sidenote: Occaday secundus Imperator Tartarorum.] Mortuo
Imperatore, sicut superius dictum est, conuenerunt Duces et elegerunt
Occoday filiam Cyngis can prædicti Imperatorem. Qui habito consilio
principum diuisit exercitus. Bati, qui in secundo gradu attinebat ei, misit
contra Altisoldanum, et contra terram Biserminorum. Hij erant Saraceni, et
Komanicum loquebantur. Et cum intrasset terram illorum pugnauit contra eos,
et bello eos sibi subiecit. Quædam autem ciuitas quæ Barthra [Marginal
note: Barthra ciuitas vel Barchin.] dicitur, diu restitit ei, fecerant enim
foueas multas in circuitu ciuitatis et operuerant illas; et quando illi
veniebant cadebant in foueas. Vnde non potuerunt capere ciuitatem, donec
illas foueas replessent. Homines autem de quadam ciuitate quæ vocatur
Iakint [Marginal note: Vel Sarguit.] hæc audientes exierunt obuiam eis, se
sponte in manus eorum tradentes: vnde ciuitas eorum non erat destructa, sed
plures eorum occiderunt, et alios transtulerunt. Et accepto spolio
ciuitatis, ipsam alijs hominibus repleuerunt. [Sidenote: Orna super Don
fluuium.] Et venerunt contra ciuitatem quæ vocatur Orna. Ista ciuitas erat
nimium populosa: Christiani ibi erant plures; Gazari videlicet, Rutheni, et
Alani, et alij: nec non et Saraceni, Saracenorum enim erat dominium
ciuitatis. Hæc autem ciuitas erat diuitijs multum plena. Est enim posita
super fluuium qui vocatur Don, qui intrat in mare. Vnde est quasi portus:
et forum maximum habebant de illa ciuitate alij Saraceni. Et cum non
possent aliter deuincere, præciderunt fluuium, qui ciurrebat per ciutatem,
et illam cum rebus omnibus submerserunt. Quo facto: postea intrauerunt
terram Tortorum, qui similiter sunt Pagani: quam deuincentes, iuerunt
contra Russiam, et fecerunt magnam stragem in terra Russiæ, ciuitates et
castra destruxerunt, et homines occiderunt: [Sidenote: Kiouia ciuitas.]
etiam Kiouiam quæ erat Metropolis Russiæ obsederunt: et cum diu
obsedissent, illam ceperunt, et occiderunt homines ciuitatis. Inde
procedentes pugnando destruxerunt totam Russiam. De Russia autem et Comania
processerunt duces prædicti, et pugnauerent contra Hungaros et Polonos. Ex
quibus Tartaris in Polonia, et in Hungaria plures interfecti fuerunt. Et si
non fugissent, sed viriliter restitissent, Hungari exiuissent Tartari de
finibus suis: quia tunc habuerant timorem, quod omnes fugere attentabant.
Sed Bati vaginato gladio in faciem eis restitit, dicens: Nolite fugere:
quia si fugitis nullus euadet: Et si debemus mori, moriamur omnes: quia
futurum est, vt Cyngis can prædixit, quod interfici debeamus: Et si nunc
est tempus, sustineamus. Et sic animati sunt et remanserunt, et Hungariam
destruxerunt. [Sidenote: Morduanorum terra.] Inde reuertentes iuerunt in
terram Morduanorum, qui sunt Pagani, et bello deuicerunt. [Sidenote:
Bulgaria magna.] Inde procedentes contra Bileros, id est Bulgariam magnam,
et ipsam destruxerunt omnino. [Sidenote: Hungaria magna.] Inde procedentes
ad Aquilonem adhuc contra Bascart, id est, Hungariam magnam, et eos etiam
deuicerant. [Sidenote: Parossitæ.] Inde egredientes iuerunt ad Aquilonem,
et venerunt ad Parossitas qui habent paruos stomachos et os paruulum, nec
manducant, sed decoquunt carnes: quibus decoctis ponunt se inter fumum et
ollam, et recipiunt fumum, et de hoc solo reficiuntur: Sed etiam si aliquid
manducant, hoc valdè modicum est. [Sidenote: Samogedi.] Inde procedentes
venerunt ad Samogedos. Hij autem homines tantum de venationibus viuunt:
tabernacula et vestes habent tantummodo de bestiarum pellibus. [Sidenote:
Oceanus Septentrionails. Similes Frobisheri hominibus.] Inde vltra
procedentes venerunt ad quandam terram super Oceanum, vbi inuenerunt quædam
monstra quæ per omnia formam humanam habebant, sed pedes desinebant in
pedes bouinos, et faciem per omnia habebant vt canis: duo verba loquebantur
more humano et tertio latrabant vt canis: et sic per interualia temporum
latratum interponebant: tum ad naturam suam redibant: et sic intelligi
poterat quod dicebant: Inde redierant in Comaniam, et vsque nunc quidam ex
eis morantur ibidem. [Sidenote: Expeditio Cyrpodanis.] Cyrpodan vero eodem
tempore misit Occoday can cum exercitu ad meridiem contra Kergis, quos
etiam bello deuicit. Hij autem homines sunt pagani, qui pilos in barba non
habent. Quorum consuetudo est talis. Cum pater moritur alicuius, præ dolore
quasi vnam corrigiam in signum lamenti ab aure vsque ad aurem de facie sua
leuant. [Sidenote: Armeni.] Quibus deuictis, ad meridiem iuit contra
Armenos. [Sidenote: Hij videntur sagittasse balistis.] Sed cum per deserta
transiret, etiam quædam monstra effigiem humanam habentia inuenerunt: sed
non nisi vnum brachium cum manu, in medio pectoris, et vnum pedem habebant;
et duo sagittarunt cum vno arcu, et isti ita fortiter currebant, quod equi
eos inuestigare non poterant. Currebant enim saltando super illum vnum
pedem, et cum essent fessi taliter eundo, ibant super manum et pedem,
remouendo se quasi rota; et sic cum essent fessi iterum currebant secundum
modum priorem: aliquos tamen occidebant ex eis. [Sidenote: Georgia.] Inde
procedentes venerunt in Armeniam, quam bello vicerunt, et partem Georgiæ:
et alia pars venit ad mandatum eorum; et quadraginta millia yperperorum
singulis annis dederunt, et adhuc faciunt idem. [Sidenote: Terra Soldani
Deurum.] Inde procedentes ad terram Soldani Deurum, qui erat satis magnus
et potens, cum eo pugnauerunt et deuicerunt. [Sidenote: Terra Soldani
Halapiæ.] Inde procedentes vltra de bellando et vincendo vsque ad terram
Soldani Halapiæ et nunc terram illam impugnant, nec postea vsque in
hodiernum diem in terram suam fuerunt reuersi. Alius exercitus iuit contra
terram Calif de Baldach, quam sibi etiam subdiderunt: Et quadraginta
bisantia exceptis Baldachinis et alijs muneribus omni die dant pro tributi:
Et omni anno pro Calif, vt ad eos veniat, nuncios mittunt: qui cum tributo
munera magna mittit, rogans vt eum supportent. Ipse vero imperator munera
accipit et nihilominus vt veniat mittit pro eo.

Qualiter Tartari se habent in prælijs. Cap. 6.

Dicto de imperio, dicendum est hoc modo de bello. Primo de ordinatione
acierum. Secundo de armis. Tertio de astutijs in congressione, quarto de
crudelitate quam faciunt in captiuos. Quinto de oppugnatione castrorum et
ciuitatum. Sexto de perfidia quam exercent cum hijs qui se reddunt eisdem.
De ordinatione acierum dicemus hoc modo. Cyngis can ordinauit, vt decem
hominibus præponeretur vnus: et ille secundum nos appellatur Decanus. Decem
autem Decanis præponeretur vnus, qui centenarius nuncupatur: Decem vero
Centenarijs præponeretur vnus qui millenarius nuncupatur decem millenarijs
præponeretur vnus, et ille numerus vocatur tenebre apud eos. Cuncto vero
exercitui præponnuntur duo duces vel tres, ita tamen quod habeant respectum
ad vnum. Cum autem omnes sunt in bello si de decem hominibus fugit vnus vel
duo, vel tres, vel etiam plures, omnes occiduntur. Et vt breuiter dicam,
nisi communiter cedant, omnes qui fugiunt occiduntur. Item si vnus vel duo
aut plures audacter ad pugnam accedunt, et decem alij non sequuntur etiam
occiduntur. Item si vnus de decem vel plures capiuntur, et alij socij sui
non liberant eos, etiam occiduntur. Duo arcus vel tres, vel vnum bonum ad
minus, et tres pharetras magnas plenas de sagittis et vnam securim, et
funes ad machinas trahendas habere debet vnusquisque. Diuites autem habent
gladios acutos in fine, ex vna tantum parte incidentes, et aliquantulum
curuos: et habent equum armatum, crura etiam tecta. Galeas et loricas
quidam habent de corio in hunc modum formatas. Habent quasdam corrigias de
boue ad latitudinem vnius manus, et bituminant tres vel quatuor simul, et
ligant illos corrigiolis vel cordis. In corrigia superiori ponunt cordulas
in fine; in inferiori ponunt in medio, et sic faciunt vsque ad finem. Vnde
quum se inclinant in inferiores, corrigiæ superiores ascendunt et sic
duplicantur super corpus, vel triplicantur. De coopertura equi faciunt
quinque partes: ex vna parte faciunt vnam, ex alia parte faciunt aliam,
quam partem ducunt à cauda vsque ad caput: quæ ligantur ad sellam, et post
sellam in dorso et etiam in collo, super renes etiam partem aliam ponunt,
vbi duæ partium ligaturæ iunguntur: in qua pecia faciunt vnum foramen, per
quod caudas exponunt: et ante pectus ponant etiam vnam: quæ omnes
protenduntur vsque ad crurium iuncturas. Et ante frontem laminam ferream
ponunt, quæ ex vtraque parte colli partibus prædictis ligatur. Lorica vero
etiam quatuor partes habet, vna pars protenditur à foemore vsque ad collum;
sed est facta secundum dispositionem humani corporis: quia ante pectus est
stricta; in rotundum obuoluitur circa corpus à brachijs inferius: Super
humeros autem retro ad renes habent aliam peciam, quæ protenditur à collo
vsque ad aliam peciam, quæ reuoluitur circa corpus: Super humeros autem
istæ duæ peciæ anterior videlicet et posterior, ad duas laminas ferreas quæ
sunt in vtroque humero fibulis connectuntur. Et in vtroque brachio vnam
habent peciem, quæ ab humero protenduntur vsque ad manus, quæ etiam
inferius sunt aptæ. Et in vtroque crure vnam habent peciam: quæ peciæ omnes
fibulis coniunguntur. Galea autem superius est ferrea. Sed illud quod
protegit in circuitu collum et gulam de corio fit. Et omnes istæ peciæ de
corio sunt formatæ secundum modum superius annotatum. Quidam autem omnia
quæ superius diximus habent de ferro in hunc modum formata. Vnam laminam
tenuem ad latitudinem vnius digiti faciunt, et ad longitudinem palmæ vnius.
Et in hunc modum faciunt laminas multas: et in vnaquaque lamina octo
foramina paruula faciunt, et interius tres corrigias strictas et fortes
ponunt, et laminas vnam super aliam ponunt, quasi ascendendo per gradus: et
ligant laminas prædictas ad corrigias tenuibus corrigiolis, quas mittunt
per foramina superius annotata: Et in superiori parte consuunt corrigiolam
vnam, vt laminæ prædictæ bene et firmiter cohæreant sibi. Et faciunt ex
laminis quasi corrigiam vnam, et postea ligant per pecias per omnia, sicut
superius dictum est. Et ista faciunt tam ad equorum quam ad hominum
armaturas. Et faciunt illa ita lucere, quod potest homo in eis faciem suam
videre. Aliqui eoram lanceas habent: et in fine ferri lanceæ vnum habent
vncum, cum quo trahunt hominem de sella si possunt. Longitudo saggitarum
est duorum pedum et vnius palmæ, et duorum digitorum. Et quia diuersi sunt
pedes, mensurum pedum geometricam ponimus. Duodecem grana hordei pollicis
transuersio est. Sexdecem pollices transuersi faciunt vnum geometricum
pedem. Ferramenta sagittarum sunt acutissima, et ex vtraque parte
incidentia quasi gladius biceps, et semper portant limas iuxta pharetram ad
acuendum sagittas. Ferramenta prædicta caudam habent acutam ad longitudinem
vnius digiti, quam imponunt in lignum. Scutum habent de viminibus vel de
virgulis factum. Saggitas habent alias ad sagittandum aues bestias et
homines inermes ad trium digitorum latitudinem. Sagittas alias habent
diuersimodas ad aues et bestias sagittandas. Quum ad bellum procedere
volunt præcursores præmittunt, qui nihil secum portant præter filtra sua,
equos et arma. Isti nihil rapiunt, domos non comburunt, bestias non
occidunt: Sed tamen homines vulnerant et mortificant, et si non possunt
aliud mittunt in fugam; multo libentius tamen occidunt, quam fugant, post
istos sequitur exertitus, qui cuncta quæ inuenit accipit, et homines etiam,
si inueniri possunt, accipiunt et occidunt. [Sidenote: Mos tranandi
flumina.] Quum autem ad flumina perueniunt, hoc modo transeunt illa etiamsi
sunt magna. Maiores vnum rotundum et leue corium habent, in quo in
summitate per circuitum crebras faciunt ansas, in quibus funem imponunt, et
stringunt ita quod in circuitu faciunt quendam ventrem, quem replent
vestibus, et alijs rebus, et fortissime comprimunt ad imuicem: post hoc in
medio ponunt sellas et alias res duriores: homines autem in medio sedent:
et ligant et caudam equi nauem hanc taliter præparatam, et vnum hominum qui
equum regat faciunt pariter cum equo ante natare: vel habent aliquando duos
remos, et cum illis remigant vltra aquam, et sic transeunt fluuium. Equos
vero pellunt in aqua, et vnus homo iuxta vnum equum, quem regit, natat: et
alij equi illum sequuntur. Et sic transeunt aquas et flumina magna. Alij
vero pauperiores vnam bursam de corio bene consutam vnusquisque tenetur
habere: in qua bursa vel in quo sacco vestes et omnes res suas imponunt; et
in summitate saccum fortissime ligant, et suspendunt ad caudam equi, et
transeunt, vt suptadictum est. Sciendum est, quod cum vident hostes tunc
vadunt ad eos, et vnusquisque iacit tres saggitas vel quatuor contra
aduersarios: Et si vident quod eos superare non possunt, retro gradiuntur
ad suos: Et hoc faciunt in fraudem, vt aduersarij eos sequantur ad loca vbi
insidias paruerunt: Et si inimici eorum sequuntur ad prædictas insidias,
circumdant eos et sic vulnerant et occidunt. Item si vident quod magnus
exercitus est contra eos, aliquando diuertunt ab eo per vnam dietam vel
duas, et aliam partem terræ inuadunt et spoliant: et interficiunt homines,
et terra destruunt et deuastant. Et si vident quod hoc etiam facere non
possunt, cedunt retro ad decem vel duo decem dietas: aliquando etiam
morantur in loco tuto, quousque aduersariorum exercitus separetur, et tunc
furtim veniunt, et depopulantur totam terram. In bellis etiam astutissimi
sunt: quia iam per quadraginta annos et amplius cum alijs gentibus
dimicarunt. Cum autem volunt ad pugnam accedere, omnes acies ordinant sicut
deberent pugnare. Duces siue principes exercitus bellum non intrant, sed
stant à longe contra inimicorum exercitum, et iuxta se habent pueros in
equis et mulieres et equos. Et faciunt aliquando imagines hominum, et
ponunt super equos. Hoc ideo faciunt, vt multitudo magna bellantium esse
credantur. Contra faciem equorum vnam aciem captiuorum et aliarum gentium
quæ sunt inter eos transmittunt: et forsitan aliqui Tartari vadunt cum eis.
Alias acies fortiorum hominum longe mittunt à dextras et à sinistris, vt
non videantur ab aduersarijs suis: et sic circumdant aduersarios et
colligunt in medium, et pugnare incipiunt ex omni parte. Et cum sunt
aliquando pauci, putantur ab aduersarijs qui circumdati sunt, esse multi.
Et maxime cum videant illos, qui sunt cum duce vel principe exercitus
pueros et mulieres et equos, et homines fictos, vt dictum est supra: quos
credunt esse pugnatores: et per hoc terrentur et confunduntur. Et si forte
aduersarij bene pugnant, faciunt eis viam vt fugiant: et statim cum fugere
incipiunt, ab inuicem separati insequuntur eos, et plures tunc occidunt
fuga, quàm mortificare possent in bello. Sciendum tamen est, quod si aliud
possunt, non libenter congrediuntur, sed homines et equos sagittis
vulnerant et occidunt. Munitiones in hunc modum expugnant. [Sidenote:
Qualiter munitiones obsident.] Si est talis munitio ipsam circumdat, immo
aliquando ita sepiunt, vt nullus ingredi vel exire possit. Expugnant
fortissime machinis et sagittis: et nec die nec nocte cessant à prælio, vt
illi qui sunt in munitionibus non quiescant. Ipsi Tartari quiescunt: quia
acies diuidunt et vna succedit alteri in pugnam vt non nunium fatigentur.
Et si eam taliter habere non possunt græcum proijciunt ignem. Imo solent
aliquando accipere aruinam hominum quos occidunt, et liquefactum proijciunt
super domos: Et vbicunque venit ignis super pinguedinem illam, quasi
inextinguibiliter ardet. Et si ita non præualent, et si ciuitas illa vel
castrum habeat flumen, obstruunt illud, vel faciunt alium alueum et
submergunt illam munitionem si possunt. Si autem non possunt suffodiunt
illam, et sub terræ armati in ipsam ingrediuntur. Et cum iam intrauerunt,
vna pars ignem imponit vt comburatur: et alia pars cum illius munitionis
hominibus pugnat. Si autem nec sic illam vincere possunt, castrum vel
munitionem suam faciunt contra illam, vt ab inimicorum iaculis non
grauentur, et contra illam multo tempore iacent: nisi forte exterius
adiutorium exercitus qui pugnat cum eis adhibeat, et vi remoueant ipsos.
[Sidenote: Punica fides.] Sed cum iacent ante munitionem, blande eis
loquuntur, et multa promittunt, ad hoc vt se in eorum manus tradant: Et si
illi se eis tradiderint, dicunt: Exite, vt secundum morem nostrum vos
muneremus. Et cum illi ad eos exeunt, quærunt qui sunt artifices inter eos,
et illos reseruant: alios autem, exceptis illis quos volunt habere pro
seruis cum securi occidunt. Et si aliquibus alijs parcunt, vt dictum est,
nobilibus et honestis nunquam parcunt. Et si forte aliquo casu contingente
reseruant aliquos nobiles; nec prece nec precio vltra de captiuitate
possunt exire. In bellis autem quoscunque capiunt occidunt, nisi forte
velint aliquos reseruare vt habeant eos pro seruis. Occidendos autem
diuidunt per centenarios, vt cum bipenni interficiantur ab eis. Ipsi vero
post hoc diuidunt captiuos, et vnicuique seruo ad interficiendum dant decem
aut plures vel pauciores, secundum quod maioribus placet.

De terris quas eorum dominio subiugarunt. Cap. 7.

Scripto quomodo pugnant, dicendum est de terris, quas eorum dominio
subiugarunt. De quo isto modo scribemus. Primo dicemus quomodo faciunt cum
hominibus pacem. Secundo de terrarum nominibus quas sibi subdiderunt.
Tertio de tyrannide quam exercent in eis. Quarto de terris quæ viriliter
restiterunt. Sciendum est quod cum nullis hominibus faciunt pacem, nisi
subdentur eis, quia, vt dictum est supra, Cyngis can habent mandatum, vt
cunctas si possunt sibi subijciant nationes. Et hæc sunt illa quæ petunt ab
eis, vt vadant cum eis in exercitu contra omnem hominem quando placet, et
vt dent decimam de omnibus tam de hominibus, quam de rebus. Computant enim
decem, et vnum accipiunt. De puellis faciunt illud idem, quos in terram
eorum deducunt et tenent eos pro seruis: reliquos numerant et ordinant
secundum morem. Sed quando plene habent dominium super eos, si aliquid
promiserunt eis nihil obseruant: sed quascunque possunt congrue occasiones
inueniunt contra eos. Nam cum essemus in Russia, missus fuit Saracenorum ex
parte Cuynthcan vt dicebatur et Bati et præfectus ille à quolibet homine
qui habebat tres pueros vnum accipiebat: et quicunque viri non habebant
vxores, illos deducebant, et faciebant de mulieribus etiam illud idem quæ
viros legitimos non habebant. Pauperes etiam qui mendicando suum victum
quærebant similiter deportabunt. [Sidenote: Vrsi albi.] Reliquos autem
secundum eorum consuetudinem numerauit, præcipiens vt vnusquisque tam
paruus quam magnus, et infans vnius diei, siue pauper siue diues esset,
tale tributum præberet: vt scilicet daret vnum pellem albi vrsi, et vnum
nigrum castorem, et vnum Zabulum, et vnam nigram pellem cuiusdam animalis
quod in terra latibulum habet, cuius nomen nescio in latinum transferre,
sed Teutonice dicitur illit [Marginal note: Vel Illic.]: [Sidenote:
Dochon.] Poloni autem et Rutheni appellant illam Dochon: et vnam nigram
pellem vulpinam. Et quicunque ista non dat, inter Tartaros debet duci, et
in eorum redigi seruitutem. Mittunt etiam pro principibus terrarum, vt ad
eos veniant sine mora: et cum venerint, debitum honorem nullum recipiunt,
sed habentur vt aliæ viles personæ: et oportet vt eis munera magna
præsentent, tam ducibus quam vxoribus eorum, et officialibus, millenarijs
et centenarijs. Imo omnes generaliter, et ipsi etiam serui ab eis cum magna
importunitate munera quærunt: Et non solum ab ipsis, sed etiam à nuncijs
eorum cum mittuntur. Aliquibus etiam inueniunt occasiones vt eos occidant.
Sicut de Michaele et alijs actum est. Aliquos vero alliciunt, quos
permittunt redire. Aliquos etiam potionibus perimunt vel veneno. Eorum enim
intentio est, vt ipsi soli dominentur in terra. Idcirco quærunt occasiones
contra nobiles, vt eos occidant. Ab illis vero quos redire permittunt
petunt eorum filios aut fratres, quos vlterius nunquam dimittunt. Sicut
factum est de filio Ieroslai, et de quodam duce Alanorum, et alijs
plurimis. Et si moritur pater vel frater siue hæres, filium vel fratrem
nunquam dimittunt: immo illius principatum totaliter accipiunt sibi.
[Sidenote: Solangi. Bascha, vox Tartarica qua vtuntur Turci.] Sicut de
quodam Solangorum vidimus esse factum, Baschathos suos ponunt in terris
eorum quos redire permittunt, quibus oportet vt ad nutum tam duces quam
alij debeant obedire. Et si homines alicuius ciuitatis vel terræ non
faciunt quod volunt, isti Baschathi imponunt eis, quod sunt Tartaris
infideles: et sic ciuitatem illam vel terram destruunt et homines qui sunt
in ea occidunt, per manum validam Tartarorum, qui ex mandato principis
illius cui obedit terra illa veniunt eis nescientibus, et subito irruunt
super eos: sicut nuper contigit cum in terra Tartarorum essemus de quadam
ciuitate. Quod ipsummet de Ruthenis fecerunt in terra Comanorum. Et non
solum princeps Tartarorum qui terram vsurpauit, sed præfectus ipsius, et
quicunque Tartarus per ciuitatem illam siue terram transit quasi dominatur
eidem, et maxime qui maior est apud eos. In super aurum et argentum, et
alia quæ volunt et quando libet ad imperatorem vadant Tartarorum ad
placitandum. Sicut nuper contigit de duobus filijs regis Georgiæ. Vnus enim
erat legitimus, et alter de adulterio natus, qui vocabatur Dauid legitimus
autem Melic vocabatur. Filio adulteræ terræ partem relinquebat pater. Alius
vero, qui iunior erat, veniebat cum matre ad Tartarorum imperatorem, pro eo
quod Dauid prædictus ad ipsum iter arripuerat veniendi. Mater alterius
scilicet Melic regina Georgiæ, per quam maritus tenebat regnum, quia per
foeminas illud regnum tenebatur, mortua fuit in via. Illi autem cum
venerunt dederunt maxima munera: et maxime legitimus filius, qui repetebat
terram quam reliquerat pater filio suo Dauid, cum non deberet habere, quia
adulteræ filius erat. Ille vero respondit: Licet sim filius concubinæ, peto
tamen vt fiat mihi iusticia secundum legem Tartarorum qui nullam
differentiam faciunt inter filios legitimæ et ancillæ: vnde fuit data
sententia contra filium legitimum, vt ille Dauidi qui maior erat subesset,
et terram haberet quiete et pacifice, quam dederat ei pater: et sic donaria
quæ dederat, et causam quam contra fratrem suum Dauid habuerat, amisit. Ab
illis etiam nationibus quæ longe sunt ab eis, et coniunctæ sunt alijs
nationibus quas aliquo modo timent, quæ non sunt eis subiecta, tributum
accipiunt et quasi misercorditer agunt cum eis, vt non adducant exercitum
super eos, vel etiam vt alij non terreantur, se tradere eis. Sicut factum
est de Obesis siue Georgianis, à quibus quinquaginta vel quadraginta
millia, vt dictum est, yperperorum siue Bysantiorum accipiunt pro tributo:
alias ad hoc in pace esse permittunt. Tamen, secundum quod intelleximus ab
eis, rebellare proponunt.

Terrarum nomina quas vicerunt sunt hæc. Kytai, Naymani, Solangi, Kara
Kytai, siue nigri Kytai, Comania, Tumat, Vourat, Caraniti, Huyur, Soboal,
Merkiti, Meniti, Baryhryur, Gosmit, Saraceni, Bisermini, Turcomani, Byleri
magna Bulgaria, Baschare, magna Hungaria, Kergis, Colona, Thorati,
Buritabeth, Parossiti, Sassi, Iacobiti, Alani, siue Assi, Obesi siue
Georgiani, Nestoriani, Armeni, Cangiti, Comani Brutachi, qui sunt Iudæi,
Mordui, Torci, Gazari, Samogedi [Sidenote: Samogedi aquilonares.], Perses,
Thoas, India minor siue Æthiopia, Yrchasi, Rutheni, Baldach, Sarthi: Aliæ
terræ sunt plures, sed earum nomina ignoramus. Vidimus etiam viros et
mulieres fere de omnibus terris supra nominatis. Hæc autem sunt nomina
Terrarum quæ eis viriliter restiterunt, nec sunt adhuc subditæ eis, India
magna, Mangia; [Sidenote: Mangia.] Quædam pars Alanorum, Quædam pars
Kytaorum, Sayi. Quandam enim ciuitatem Sayorum prædictorum obsederunt et
debellare tentauerunt. At ipsi fecerunt machinas contra machinas eorum, et
Tartarorum machinas omnes fregerunt, nec ciuitati appropinquare poterant ad
pugnam contra machinas et balistas. Tandem vnam viam sub terra fecerunt, et
prosiluerunt in ciuitatem, et alij tentabant incendere ciuitatem, alij
pugnabant. Homines autem ciuitatis vnam partem populi ad extinguendum ignem
posuerunt, et alia pars fortiter pugnabat cum hijs qui intrauerunt
ciuitatem, et multos occiderunt ex eis, et alios vulnerauerunt,
compellentes eos ad suos redire. At ipsi videntes quod nihil possent
facere, et multi homines morerentur, recesserunt ab eis. In terra
Saracenorum et aliorum vbi sunt quasi inter eos domini, accipiunt omnes
artifices meliores, et in omnibus operibus suis ponunt. Alij autem
artifices dant eis de opere suo tributum. Segetes omnes condunt in horreis
dominorum: et vnicuique vnum pondus satis modicum dant in die: nihil aliud
nisi ter in septimana modicum quid de carnibus eis prebent. Et illi hoc
tantum artificibus faciunt qui in ciuitatibus commorantur. Item quando
dominis placet iuuenes omnes accipiunt, et post se cum omnibus famulis suis
ire cogunt: qui de cætero certo sunt numero Tartarorum; immo potius de
numero captiuorum: quia etsi inter ipsos sunt numerati, non tamen habentur
in reuerentia sicut Tartari; sed habentur pro seruis, et ad omnia pericula
vt alij captiui mittuntur. Ipsi enim in bello sunt primi: Etiam si debet
palus vel aqua periculosa transiri, eos oportet primo vadum tentare. Ipsos
est etiam necesse operari omnia quæ sunt facienda. Ipsi etiam si in aliquo
offendunt, vel si non obediunt ad nutum, vt asmi verberantur. Et vt
breuiter dicam, modicum quid manducant, et etiam modicum bibunt, et pessime
induuntur; nisi forte aliquid possunt lucrari, nisi sunt aurifabri et alij
artifices boni. Sed aliqui tam malos dominos habent, quod nihil eis
dimittunt, nec hadent tempus præ multitudine operum dominorum, vt sibi
aliquid operentur, nisi furentur sibi tempus, quando forsitan debent
quiescere vel dormire. Et hoc si vxores vel propriam stationem permittuntur
habere. Alij autem qui tenentur in domo pro seruis omni miseria sunt
repleti. Vidi enim eos ire in bracis sæpissime, et toto corpore nudos in
maximo solis ardore. Et in hyeme patiuntur maximum frigus. Vidimus etiam
aliquos pedicas et digitos manuuni de magno frigore perdidisse. Audiuimus
etiam alios esse mortuos, vel etiam de magno algore quasi in omnibus
membris inutiles esse, factos.


Quomodo bello occurratur Tartaris. Cap. 8.

Dicto de terris, quæ obediunt eis, supponendum est quomodo bello occurratur
eisdem. Quod videtur nobis hoc modo dicendum. Primo scribendum est quid
intendunt. Secundo de armis et ordinatione acierum. Tertio quomodo
occurratur astutijs eorum in congressione. Quarto de munitione castrorum et
ciuitatum. Quinto quid faciendum sit de captiuis eorum. Intentio Tartarorum
est subijcere sibi totum mundum si possunt. Et de hoc Cyngischan habent
mandatum, sicut superius dictum est. Idcirco eorum imperator sic in literis
suis scribit: "Dei fortitudo, Omnium imperator." Et in superscriptione
sigilli sui hoc habet: "Dominus in coelo, et Cuynch Chan super terram. Dei
fortitudo, omnium hominum imperatoris sigillum." Et ideo cum nullis
hominibus faciunt pacem, vt dictum est, nisi forte se in eorum manibus
tradunt. Et quia excepta Christianitate nulla est terra in orbe quam
timent, idcirco se ad pugnam præpararunt contra nos. Vnde nouerint vniuersi
quod nobis existentibus in terra eorum in solenni curia, quæ iam ex
pluribus annis indicta erat, fuimus, vbi elegerunt Cuynch imperatorem in
presentia nostra, qui in lingua eorum dicitur Chan. Qui Cuynch Chan
prædictus erexit cum omnibus principibus vexillum contra ecclesiam dei et
Romanum imperium, et contra omnia regna Christianorum et populos
occidentis, nisi forsan facerent ea, quæ mandat Domino Papæ, et potentibus
ac omnibus Christianorum populis Occidentis: quod nulla ratione faciendum
est: tum, propter nimiam seruitutem et intolerabilem, quæ est hactenus
inaudita, quam vidimus oculis nostris, in quam redigunt omnes gentes sibi
subiectas: tum propterea quod nulla in eis est fides: nec potest aliqua
gens confidere in verbis eorum: quia quicquid promittunt non obseruant,
quando vident sibi tempora fauere: et subdoli sunt in omnibus factis et
promissis eorum. Intendunt etiam delere omnes principes, omnes nobiles,
omnes milites de terra, vt superius dictum est: sed hoc faciunt subdole et
artificiosem subditos suos. Tum etiam quia indignum est quod Christiani
subdantur eisdem, propter abominationes eorum, et quia in nihilum redigitur
cultus dei, et animæ pereunt, et corpora vltra quam credi possit
multitudine affliguntur. In primo quidem sunt blandi, sed postea vt scorpio
cruciant et affligunt. Tum quia pauciores sunt numero, et corpore
debiliores quam populi Christiani. In prædicta autem curia sunt bellatores
et principes et exercitus assignati. De decem hominibus mittuntur tres cum
familijs eorum, de omni terra potestatis eorum. Vnius exercitus debet
intrare per Hungariam: secundus per Poloniam. Veniunt autem pugnaturi
continue octodecem annis. Tempus est etiam eis assignatum. In Martio an.
Dom. 1247, si de terra sua mouebunt. Venient autem in tribus vel in quatuor
[Marginal note: Forte mensibus.] annis vsque ad Comaniam. De Comania autem
insultum facient in terras superius annotatas. Hæc omnia firma sunt et
vera, nisi dominus aliquod impedimentum pro sua gratia faciat eis. Sicut
fecit quando venerunt in Hungariam et Poloniam. Debebant enim procedere
tunc pro certo triginta annis. Sed interfectus fuit tunc imperator eoram
veneno: et propter hoc quieuerunt à prelijs vsque nunc. Sed modo, quia
positus est imperator de nouo, iterum se de nouo ad pugnam incipiunt
præparare. [Sidenote: Tartari proponunt inuadere Liuoniam at Prussiam.]
Adhoc sciendum est, quod imperator dixit ore suo, quod vellet mittere
exercitum in Liuoniam et Prussiam. Et quoniam omnem terram volunt delere
vel in seruitutem redigere, quæ seruitus est intolerabilis nostræ genti, et
superius dictum est: Occurrendum est igitur eis in bello. Sed si vna
prouincia non vult alteri opem ferre, terra illa delebitur contra quam
pugnant, et cum illis hominibus quos capiunt pugnabunt contra aliam terram;
et in acie erunt primi. Si male pugnant occidentur ab eis: Si autem bene,
ipsos cum promissis adulationibus tenent: et etiam vt ab ipsis non fugiant
promittunt eis quod facient eos dominos magnos et post hoc quando securi
esse possunt de ipsis, vt non redeant, faciunt eos infoelicissimos seruos.
Ac de mulieribus quas volunt in concubinas tenere pro seruitijs faciunt
illud idem. Et ita cum hominibus deuictæ prouinciæ destruunt aliam terram.
Nec est aliqua prouincia quæ per se possit resistere eis: quia de omni
terra potestatis eorum, vt dictum est homines congregint ad bellum. Vnde si
Christiani seipsos et suam terram et Christanitatem volunt seruare, oportet
quod in vnium conueniant reges, principes et barones, et terrarum rectores,
et mittant de communi consilio homines contra eos ad pugnam, antequam ipsi
incipiunt in terras diffundi. Quoniam postquam incipiunt spargi per terras,
vndique homines quærunt, et nullus congrue auxilium alteri potest præbere:
quoniam ipsi cateruatim vndique quærunt homines et occidunt. Et si claudunt
se in castris, ponunt tria millia vel quatuor millia hominum contra castrum
vel ciuitatem, qui obsideant eam; et ipsi nihilominus diffunduntur per
terras homines occidentes. Quicunque autem volunt pugnare cum eis, hæc arma
debent habere. Arcus bonos et fortes, et balistas quas multum timent, et
sagittas sufficientes: et bonum dolabrum de bono ferro, et scutum cum longo
manubrio. [Sidenote: Temperamentum ferri.] Ferramenta sagittarum de arcu
vel de balista debent, vt Tartari, quando sunt calida, temperari in aqua
cum sale mixta, vt fortia sint ad penetrandum arma eorum. Gladios et etiam
lanceas cum vnco, qui valeant ad trahendum eos de sellis: quia de eis
facillime cadunt; ac cultellos ac loricas duplicatas; quia illos eorum
sagittæ non penetrant; et galeam et arma alia ad protegendum corpus et
equum ab armis et sagittis eorum. Et si aliqui non sunt ita bene armati, vt
dixit; debent ire post alios vt faciunt Tartari: et trahere contra eos de
armis et sagittis. Nec debent parcere pecuniæ, quoniam comparent arma, vt
possint animas et corpora, libertatem et res alias conseruare. Acies debent
ordinari, vt ipsi, per millenarios, centenarios, et decanos et duces
exercitus: qui duces nequaquam debent prælium intrare, sicut nec duces
eorum, sed debent exercitus videre et ordinare: legemque debent ponere vt
simul incedant ad bellum, siue alias, sicut sunt ordinati. Et quicunque
relinquit alium siue ad bellum procedentem, siue pugnantem, vel quicunque
fugerit, nisi omnes communiter cedant, grauissime puniatur: quia tunc pars
bellantium sequitur fugientes, et sagittis eorum occidunt, et pars cum hijs
qui remanent pugnant, et sic confunduntur et occiduntur remanentes et
fugientes. Similiter quicunque conuersus fuerit ad prædam tollendam,
antequam omnino sit exercitus contrariorum deuictus, maxima poena
mulctetur. Talis enim apud Tartaros sine vlla miseratione occiditur. Locus
ad præliandum est eligendus, si fieri potest vt campus sit planus, et
possint vndique videre: et si possunt habeant syluam magnam à tergo vel à
latere. Ita tamen quod non possunt intrare inter ipsos et syluam: nec
debent simul omnes conuenire in vnum, sed facere acies multas, et diuersas
ab inuicem nec tamen multum distantes. Et contra illos qui post veniunt
debent vnam aciem mittere qui eis occurrat. Et si Tartari simulant fugam,
non multum vadant post eos, nisi forte quantum possunt videre, ne forte
ipsos ad paratas insidias trahant, sicut facere solent: Et alia sit parata
ad muandum aciem illam, si fuerit opportunum. [Sidenote: Speculatores.]
Insuper habeant speculatores ex omni parte, vt videant quando veniant aliæ
acies Tartarorum retro, à dextris et à sinistris et semper debent mittere
aciem contra aciem quæ eis occurrat. Ipsi enim semper nituntur concludere
aduersarios eorum in medio, vnde magnam cautelam debent habere ne hoc
facere possint, quia sic exercitus facillime debellatur. Omnes acies hoc
debent cauere, ne diu currant post eos, propter insidias quas solent
præparare: plus enim fraudulentia quàm fortitudine pugnant. Duces exercitus
semper debent esse parati ad mittendum adiutorium, si necesse est, illis
qui sunt in pugna, et propter hoc etiam debent vitare nimium cursum post
eos: ne forte fatigentur equi eorum; quoniam nostri multitudinem equorum
non habent. Sed Tartari illum quem equitant vna die, illum non ascendunt in
tribus vel in quatuor diebus post hoc. Vnde non curant si fatigentur equi
eorum propter multitudinem quam habent. Et si Tartari cedunt, non tamen
nostri debent recedere, vel ab inuicem separari: quia simulando hoc
faciunt, vt exercitus diuidatur, et post hoc terram libere ingrediantur, et
eam destruant. Debent etiam cauere vt non faciant nimias expensas, vt
solent; ne propter penuriam redire compellantur, et dent Tartaris viam, vt
ipsos et alios occidant et destruant omnem terram; et propter eorum
superfluitatem nomen Domini blasphemetur. Et hoc debent facere diligenter
vt si contingat aliquos pugnatores recedere, quod alij loco eorum
succedant. Duces etiam nostri debent die nocteque facere exercitum
custodiri, ne repente et subito irruant super ipsos quia Tartari vt
dæmones, multas excogitant iniquitates et artes nocendi: Immo tam de die
quam de nocte semper debent esse parati: sed nec spoliati debent iacere nec
deliciose ad mensam sedere, ne imparati inueniantur, quia Tartari semper
vigilant, vt possint nocere. Homines vero teræ qui Tartaros expectant, vel
super se timent venire, occultas foueas debent habere, in quibus sagittas,
et alia debent reponere, propter duo: vt videlicet Tartari non possint ea
habere; et si propitius fuerit eis Deus, valeant ea postea inuenire; Eis
fugientibus de terra, debent foenum et stramina comburere, vt equi
Tartarorum ad comedendum minus inueniant. Ciuitates autem et castra si
volunt munire, videant prius qualia sint in situ. Situs enim talis debet
esse in castris, quod machinis et sagittis expugnari non possit: et aquam
habeant sufficientem et lignum, et si fieri potest, quod introitus et
exitus eis tolli non possit: et quod habeant homines sufficientes qui
possint vicissim pugnare. Et debent vigilare diligenter ne aliqua astutia
possint castrum furari. Expensas ad multos annos debent habere
sufficientes: custodiant tamen diligenter illas, et in mensura manducent,
quia nesciunt quanto tempore eos in castris oportet esse inclusos. Quum
enim incipiunt, tunc multis annis obsident vnum castrum. [Sidenote: Obsidio
12 annorum.] Sic fit hodierna die in terra Alanorum de quodam monte, quem,
vt credo, tam obsederunt per duodecem annos; qui viriliter restiterunt, et
multos Tartaros et nobiles occiderunt. Alia autem castra et ciuitates, quæ
talem situm non habent debent fortiter vallari foueis profundis munitis, et
muris bene præparatis; et arcus et sagittas sufficientes: et lapides ac
fundas debent habere. Et debent diligenter cauere, quod non permittant
Tartaros ponere machinas suas; et suis machinis debent eos repellere. Et si
forte aliquo ingenio vel arte erigunt lartari machinas suas, debent eas
destruere machinis suis si possunt. Balistis etiam, fundis et machinis
debent resistere ne ciuitati appropinquent. Aliàs etiam debent esse parati,
vt superius dictum est. De castris et ciuitatibus, quæ sunt in fluminibus
positæ, diligenter debent videre ne possint submergi. Sed ad hoc sciendum
est, quod Tartari plus diligunt, quod homines claudant se in ciuitatibus,
quàm quod pugnent cum eis in campo. Dicunt enim eos esse suos por cellos in
hara conclusos. Vnde ponunt eis custodes, vt supradictum est. Si autem
aliqui Tartari de equis suis in bello proijciuntur, statim sunt capiendi:
quia cum sunt in terra fortiter sagitant, et equos et homines vulnerant et
occidunt. Et si seruantur tales, potest esse, quod habeatur pro eis pax
perpetua, aut pecunia magna redimantur: quoniam se adinuicem satis
diligunt. Sed quomodo Tartari cognoscantur, superius dictum est vbi forma
eorum fuit expressa. Tamen quando capiuntur, si debent seruari, ne fugiant
diligens est custodia adhibenda. Sunt etiam aliæ multæ gentes cum eis, quæ
per formam superius annotatam possunt ab ipsis cognosci. Est etiam hoc
sciendum, quod multi in exercitu eorum sunt, qui si viderent tempus, et
haberent fiduciam, quod nostri non occiderent eos, ex omni parte exercitus,
sicut ipsimet nobis dixerunt, pugnarent cum eis, et plura malá facerent
ipsis, quàm alij, qui sunt eorum aduersarij manifesti.

       *       *       *       *       *

The long and wonderful voyage of Frier Iohn de Plano Carpini, sent
  ambassadour by Pope Innocentius the iiii. An. Do. 1246. to the great
  CAN of Tartaria; wherin he passed through Bohemia, Polonia, Russia,
  and so to the citie of Kiow vpon Boristhenes, and from thence rode
  continually post for the space of sixe moneths through Comania, ouer
  the mighty and famous riuers of Tanais, Volga, and Iaic, and through
  the countries of the people called Kangittæ, Bisermini, Kara-Kitay,
  Naimani, and so to the natiue countrie of the Mongals or Tartars,
  situate in the extreme Northeasterne partes of all Asia: and thence
  backe againe the same way to Russia, and Polonia, and so to Rome;
  spending in the whole voyage among the sayd Tartars one whole yeere
  and aboue foure moneths. Taken out of the 32. booke of Vincentius
  Beluacensis his Speculum historiale.

LIBRI XXXII.

De prima missione Fratrum Prædicatorum et Minorum ad Tartaros. Cap. 2.

[Sidenote: Ascelinus.] Hoc etiam tempore misit Innocentius IIII. Papa Fr.
Ascelinum de ordine Prædicatorum cum tribus alijs Fratribus, auctoritate,
qua fungebantur, de diuersis ordinis sui conuentibus sibi associatis, cum
literis Apostolicis ad exercitum Tartarorum, in quibus hortabatur eos, vt
ab hominum strage desisterent, et fidei veritatem reciperent. [Marginal
note: Vide Mechouium lib. I cap. 5.] [Sidenote: Simon Sanquintinianus.] Et
ego quidem ab vno Fratrum Prædicatorum, videlicet à Fr. Simone de S.
Quintino, iam ib illo itinere regresso, gesta Tartarorum accepi, illa
duntaxat, quæ superius per diuersa loca iuxta congruentiam temporum huic
operi inserui. [Sidenote: Ioannes de Plano Carpini.] Siquidem et eo tempore
quidam Frater ordinis Minorum, videlicet Fr. Iohannes de Plano Carpini, cum
quibusdam alijs missus fuit ad Tartaros, qui etiam, vt ipse testatur, per
annum et quatuor menses et amplius cum eis mansit, et inter eos ambulauit.
[Sidenote: Benedictus Polonus.] A summo namque Pontifice mandatum, vt
omnia, quæ apud eos erant, diligenter scrutaretur, acceperat, tam ipse,
quàm Fr. Bendictus Polonus eiusdem ordinis, qui suæ tribulationis particeps
et socius erat. [Sidenote: Libellus historialis Iohannis de Plano Carpini.]
Et hic ergo Fr Ioannes de his, quæ apud Tartaros vel oculis proprijs vidit,
vel à Christianis fide dignis, qui inter illos captiui erant, audiunt,
libellum historialem conscripsit qui et ipse ad manus nostras peruenit. De
quo etiam hic quasi per epilogum inserere libet aliqua, videlicet ad
supplementum eorum, quæ desunt in prædicta Fr Simoms historia.


The same in English.

The voyage of Iohannes de Plano Carpini vnto the Northeast parts of
  the world in the yeere of our Lord, 1246.

Of the first sending of certaine Friers Prædicants and Minorites vnto the
  Tartars, taken out of the 32 Booke of Vincentius Beluacensis [Footnote:
  Vincentius Belvacensis, or of Beauvais who died in 1264 was a favourite
  of Louis IX of France, who supplied him with whatever books he required.
  He thus obtained plenty of material for his _Speculum Majus_ (printed at
  Douay in 1624, 10 vols. in 4, folio), a badly chosen and ill-arranged
  collection of extracts of all kinds. It is in four parts the first called
  _Speculum naturale_ the second, _Speculum doctrinale_, the third
  _Speculum morale_ and the fourth _Speculum Historiale_.] his Speculum
  Historiale beginning at the second Chapter.

[Sidenote: Ascellinus.] About this time also, Pope Innocentius the
fourth sent Frier Ascelline being one of the order of the Prædicants,
together with three other Friers (of the same authoritie whereunto
they were called) consorted with him out of diuers Conuents of their
order, with letters Apostolicall vnto the Tartars campe: wherein hee
exhorted them to giue ouer their bloudie slaughter of mankinde, and to
receiue the Christian faith. [Sidenote: Simon Quintinianus.] And I in
verie deede, receuied the relations concerning the deedes of the
Tartars onelie, (which, according to the congruence of times, I haue
aboue inserted into this my woorke) from a Frier Minorite called Simon
de Sanct. Quintin who lately returned from the same voyage. [Sidenote:
Iohn de Plano Carpini.] And at that verie time also, there was a
certaine other Frier Minorite, namely Frier Iohn de Plano Carpini,
sent with certaine associates vnto the Tartars, who likewise (as
himselfe witnesseth) abode and conuersed with them a yeere and three
moneths at the least. [Sidenote: Benedictus Polonus.] For both he and
one Frier Benedict a Poloman being of the same order, and a partaker
of all his miserie and tribulation, receiued straight commaundement
from the Pope that both of them shoulde diligently searche out all
things that concerned the state of the Tartars. And therefore this
Frier Iohn hath written a litle Historie (which is come to our hands)
of such things, as with his owne eyes hee sawe among the Tartars, or
which he heard from diuers Christians worthy of credit, remaining
there in captiuitie. Out of which historie I thought good by way of
conclusion, to insert somewhat for the supply of those things which
are wanting in the said Frier Simon.


De situ et qualitate terræ Tartarorum. Cap. 3.

Iohannes de Plano Carpini.

[Sidenote: Tartariæ descriptio.] Est in partibus Orientis terra, quæ
Mongal siue Tartaria dicitur, in ea scilicet parte sita, in qua Oriens
Aquiloni coniungi creditur. Ab Oriente quidem habet terram Kythaorum
et etiam Salangorum, à meredie verò terram Sarracenorum. Inter
Orientem [Marginal note: Vel Occidentem.] et meridiem terram Huynorum,
et ab Occidente prouinciam Naymanorum, ab Aquilone verò circundatur
Oceano. In parte aliqua nimium est montuosa, et in aliqua campestris,
sed tota ferè admixta glarea plurimum arenosa, nec est in centesima
parte fructuosa. Nec enim potest fructum portare, nisi aquis
fluuialibus irrigetur, quæ ibi sunt rarissimæ. Vnde nec villæ nec
aliquæ ciuitates ibidem reperiuntur, excepta vna, quæ Cracurim
appellatur, et satis bona esse dicitur. [Sidenote: Syra orda.] Nos
quidem illam non vidimus, sed ad dimidiam dietam prope fuimus, cum
apud Syram ordam, quæ curia maior Imperatoris, eorum est, essemus.
Licet autem aliàs infructifera sit illa terra, tamen alendis pecoribus
est apta. In aliqua eius parte sunt aliquæ syluæ modicæ, alia verò
sine lignis est omninô. [Sidenote: Aëris intemperies.] Itaque tam
Imperator quàm Principes, et omnes alij sedent, et cibaria sua
decoquunt ad focum, de boum et equorum stercoribus factum. Ipse quoque
aër inordinatus est ibidem mirabiliter. In media siquidem æstate ibi
tonitrua magna et fulgura fiunt, ex quibus plurimi occiduntur homines,
et eodem quoque tempore cadunt ibidem maximæ niues. [Sidenote: Orda
quid.] Sunt et ibi ventorum frigidissimorum tam maximæ tempestates,
quòd aliquando vix possunt equitare homines. Vnde cùm ante ordam
essemus (sic enim apud eos stationes Imperatoris et Principum
appellantur) præ venti magnitudine in terra prostrati iacebamus, et
videre propter pulueris magnitudinem minimè poteramus. Nunquam ibi
pluit in hyeme, sed frequenter in æstate, et tam modicum, vt vix
posset aliquando puluerem et radicem graminum madefacere. Ibi quoque
maxima grando cadit sæpè. Vnde cum Imperator electus in sede regni
debuit poni, nobis in curia tunc existentibus, tanta cecidit grando,
quod ex subita resolutione plusquam CLX. homines in eadem curia
fuerunt submersi. Res etiam et habitacula plura fuerunt deducta. Ibi
etiam est in æstate subito calor magnus, et repentè maximum frigus.


The same in English.

Of the situation and qualitie of the Tartars land, by Iohannes de
  Plano Carpini. Chap. 3.

[Sidenote: A description of Tartaria.] There is towards the East a
land which is called Mongal or Tartaria, lying in that parte of the
worlde which is thought to be most North Easterly. On the East part it
hath the countrey of Kythay [Footnote: Or Cathay.] and of the people
called Solangi: on the South part the countrey of the Saracens: on the
South east the land of the Huini: and on the West the prouince of
Naimani: [Sidenote: The North Ocean.] but on the North side it is
inuironed with the Ocean Sea. In some part thereof it is full of
mountaines, and in other places plaine and smoothe grounde, but euerie
where sandie and barren, neither is the hundreth part thereof
fruitefull. For it cannot beare fruite vnlesse it be moistened with
riuer waters, which bee verie rare in that countrey. Whereupon they
haue neither villages, nor cities among them, except one which is
called Cracurim, and is said to be a proper towne. [Sidenote: Syra
Orda.] We our selues sawe not this towne, but were almost within halfe
a dayes iourney thereof, when we remained at Syra Orda, which is the
great court of their Emperour. And albeit the foresaid lande is
otherwise vnfruitfull, yet it is very commodious for the bringing vp
of cattell. In certaine places thereof are some small store of trees
growing, but otherwise it is altogether destitute of woods. Therefore
the Emperour, and his noble men and all other warme themselues, and
dresse their meate with fires made of the doung of oxen, and horses.
[Sidenote: The intemperature of the aire.] The ayre also in that
countrey is verie intemperate. For in the midst of Sommer there be
great thunders and lightnings, by the which many men are slaine, and
at the same time there falleth great abundance of snowe. There bee
also such mightie tempestes of colde windes, that sometimes men are
not able to sitte on horsebacke. [Sidenote: What Orda signifieth.]
Whereupon, being neere vnto the Orda (for by this name they call the
habitations of their Emperours and noble men) in regarde of the great
winde we were constrained to lye groueling on the earth, and could not
see by reason of the dust. There is neuer any raine in Winter, but
onely in Sommer, albeit in so little quantitie, that sometimes it
scarcely sufficeth to allay the dust, or to moysten the rootes of the
grasse. There is often times great store of haile also. Insomuch that
when the Emperour elect was to be placed in his Emperiall throne (my
selfe being then present) there fell such abundance of haile, that,
vpon the sudden melting thereof, more than 160 persons were drowned in
the same place: there were manie tentes and other thinges also carried
away. Likewise, in the Sommer season there is on the sudden extreame
heate, and suddenly againe intolerable colde.


De forma et habitu et victu eorum. Cap. 4.

[Sidenote: Tartarorum species.] Mongalorum autem siue Tartarorum forma ab
omnibus alijs hominibus est remota. Inter oculos enim, et inter genas, lati
sunt plus cæteris, genæ quoque satis prominent à maxillis. Nasum habent
planum et modicum, oculos etiam paruos, et palpebras vsque ad supercilia
eleuatas, ac super verticem in modum Clericorum coronas. [Sidenote:
Tonsura.] Ex vtraque parte frontis tondendo, plusquam in medio crines
longos faciunt, reliquos autem sicut mulieres crescere permittunt. De
quibus duas cordas faciunt, et vnamquamque post aurem ligant. Pedes quoque
modicos habent. [Sidenote: Habitus.] Vestes tam virorum quàm mulierum vno
modo formatæ sunt. Pallijs vel cappis vel caputus non vtuntur. Tunicas verò
miro modo formatas portant de buccaramo, vel purpurato, vel baldaquino.
Pellicium habet pilos exterius, sed apertum est à posterioribus. Habet
tamen caudulam vnam vsque ad genua retrò. [Sidenote: Vestes retro caudatæ.]
Vestes suas non lauant, nec lauari permittunt, et maximè à tempore, quo
tonitrua incipiunt vsquequo desinat illud tempus. [Sidenote: Tabernacula.]
Stationes habent rotundas in modum tentorij de virgulis et baculis
subtilibus præparatas. Supra vero in medio rotundam habent fenestram, vnde
ingrediatur lumen, et fumus exire possit: quia semper in medio faciunt
ignem: parietes autem et tecta filtro sunt operta Ostia quoque de filtro
sunt facta Harum quædam subitò soluuntur, et reparantur, et super summarios
deferuntur: quædam verò dissolui non possunt sed in curribus portantur. Et
quocunque siue ad bellum siue aliàs vadunt, semper illas secum deferunt.
[Sidenote: Opes in pecore.] In animalibus valde diuites sunt, vt in Camelis
et bobus capris et ouibus. Iumenta et equos habent in tanta multitudine
quantam non credimus totum mundi residuum habere. Porcos autem et alias
bestias non habent. Imperator ac Duces atque alij magnates in auro et
argento ac serico et gemmis abundant. Cibi eorum sunt omnia, quæ mandi
possunt. [Sidenote: Victus.] Vidimus eos etiam manducare pediculos. Lac
bibunt animalium, et in maxima quantitate, si habent, iumentinum. Porro in
hyeme, quia nisi diuites sint, lac iumentinum non habent, millium cum aqua
decoquunt, quod tam tenue faciunt, vt illud bibere valeant. Vnde quilibet
eorum scyphum bibit vnum vel duos in mane, et quandoque nihil amplius
manducant in die. In sero autem vnicuique datur de carnibus modicum, et
bibunt ex eis brodium. Porrò in æstate quando satis habent de lacte
iumentino carnes comedunt rarò, nisi fortè donentur eisdem, aut venatione
bestiam aliquam ceperint vel auem.


The same in English.

Of their forme, habite, and manner of liuing. Chap. 4.

The Mongols or Tartars, in outward shape, are vnlike, to all other people.
[Sidenote: The shape of the Tartars.] For they are broader betweene the
eyes and the balles of their cheekes, then men of other nations bee. They
haue flat and small noses, litle eyes and eye liddes standing streight
vpright, they are shauen on the crownes like priests. They weare their
haire somewhat longer about their eares, then vpon their foreheads: but
behinde they let it growe long like womans haire, whereof they braide two
lockes binding eche of them behind either eare. They haue short feet also.
[Sidenote: Their habite.] The garments, as well of their men, as of their
women are all of one fashion. They vse neither cloakes, hattes, nor cappes.
But they weare Iackets framed after a strange manner, of buckeram, skarlet,
or Baldakines. [Sidenote: Like vnto Frobishers men.] Their shoubes or
gownes are hayrie on the outside, and open behinde, with tailes hanging
downe to their hammes. They vse not to washe their garments, neither will
in any wise suffer them to bee washed, especially in the time of thunder.
[Sidenote: Their tabernacles.] Their habitations bee rounde and cunningly
made with wickers and staues in manner of a tent. But in the middest of the
toppes thereof, they haue a window open to conuey the light in and the
smoake out. For their fire is alwayes in the middest. Their walles bee
couered with felt. Their doores are made of felte also. Some of these
Tabernacles may quickely be taken asunder, and set together againe, and are
caried vpon beastes backes. Other some cannot be taken insunder, but are
stowed vpon carts. And whithersoeuer they goe, be it either to warre, or to
any other place, they transport their tabernacles with them. [Sidenote:
Their cattell.] They are very rich in cattel, as in camels, oxen, sheep,
and goats. And I thinke they haue more horses and mares then all the world
besides. But they haue no swine nor other beasts. Their Emperors, Dukes,
and other of their nobles doe abound with silk, gold, siluer, and precious
stones. [Sidenote: Their victuals.] Their victuals are al things that may
be eaten: for we saw some of them eat lice. They drinke milke in great
quantitie, but especially mares milke, if they haue it: They seeth Mill
also in water, making it so thinne, that they may drinke thereof. Euery one
of them drinkes off a cup full or two in a morning, and sometime they eate
nought else all the day long. But in the euening each man hath a little
flesh, giuen him to eate, and they drinke the broath thereof. Howbeit in
summer time; when they haue mares milk enough, they seldome eate flesh,
vnles perhaps it be giuen them, or they take some beast or bird in hunting.


De moribus eorum bonis et malis. Cap. 5.

Habent autem mores quosdam quidem commendabiles, et quosdam detestabiles.
[Sidenote: [Greek: peitharchia].] Magis quippe sunt obedientes Dominis
suis, quàm aliqui qui in mundo sint homines, siue religiosi siue seculares.
Nam eos maximè reuerentur, nec illis de facili mentiuntur verbis factisue:
rarò vel nunquam ad inuicem contendunt, belláque vel rixæ, vulnera vel
homicidia nunquam inter eos contingunt. [Sidenote: Abstinentia.] Prædones
etiam ac fures rerum magnarum ibi nequaquam inueniuntur, ideoque stationes
et currus eorum, vbi thesauros habent, seris aut vectibus non firmantur. Si
aliqua bestia perdita fuerit, quicunque inuenit eam vel dimittit, vel ad
illos, qui ad hoc positi sum, eam ducit. [Sidenote: Comitas. Temperantia.]
Apud quos ille, cuius est bestia, illam requirit, et absque vlla
difficultate recipit. Vnus alium satis honorat, et familiaritatem ac
cibaria, quamuis apud eos sint pauca, liberaliter satis communicat. Satis
etiam sunt sufferentes, nec cùm ieiunauerint vno die, vel duobus, omninò
sine cibo, videntur impatientes, sed cantant et ludunt, ac si bene
comedissent. In equitando multum sustinent frigus, calorem quoque nimium
patiuntur. Inter eos quasi nulla placita sunt, et quamuis multum
inebrientur, tamen in ebrietate sua nunquam contendunt. Nullus alium
spernit, sed iuuat et promouet, quantum congruè potest. [Sidenote:
Castitas.] Castæ sunt eorum mulieres, nec aliquid inter eos auditur de
ipsarum impudicitia. Quædam tamen turpia satis habent et impudica.
[Sidenote: Insolentia aduersus exteros.] Porrò erga cæteros homines ijdem
Tartari superbissimi sunt, omnesque nobiles et ignobiles quasi pro nihilo
reputantes despiciunt. Vnde vidimus in curia Imperatoris magnum Russiæ
ducem, et filuim regis Georgianorum, ac Soldanos multos et magnos nullum
honorem debitum recipere apud eos. [Sidenote: Iracundia.] Quinetiam Tartari
eisdem assignati, quantumcunque viles essent illos antecedebant, sempérque
primum locum et summum tenebant, imò etiam sæpè oportebat illos post eorum
posteriora sedere. Præterea iracundi sunt, et indignantis naturæ multum
erga cæteros homines, et vltra modum erga eosdem mendaces. In principio
quidem blandi sunt, sed postmodum vt Scorpiones pungunt. [Sidenote:
Fraudulentia.] Subdoli enim et fraudulenti sunt, et omnes homines si
possunt astutia circumueniunt. [Sidenote: Sordes. Temulentia.] Quicquid
mali volunt eis facere, miro modo occultant, vt sibi non possint prouidere,
vel contra eorum astutias remedium inuenire. Immundi quoque sunt in cibo et
potu sumendis, et in cæteris factis suis. Ebrietas apud illos est
honorabilis: cùmque multum aliquis biberit, ibidèmque reijcit, non ideo
cessat, quin iterim bibat. [Sidenote: [Greek: dorodoxia.]] Ad petendum
maximi sunt exactores, tenacissimi retentores, parcissimi donatores.
Aliorum hominum occisio apud illos est pro nihilo.


The same in English.

Of their manners both good and bad. Chap. 5.

[Sidenote: Their obedience.] Their manners are partly prayse-worthie, and
partly detestable: For they are more obedient vnto their lords and masters,
then any other either clergie or laie-people in the whole world. For they
doe highly reuerence them, and will deceiue them, neither in wordes nor
deedes. They seldom or neuer fall out among themselues, and, as for
fightings or brawlings, wounds or manslaughters, they neuer happen among
them. [Sidenote: Their abstinence] There are neither theeues nor robbers of
great riches to be found, and therefore the tabernacles and cartes of them
that haue any treasures are not strengthened with lockes or barres. If any
beast goe astray, the finder thereof either lets it goe, or driueth it to
them that are put in office for the same purpose, at whose handes the owner
of the said beast demaundeth it, and without any difficultie receiueth it
againe. [Sidenote: Their courtesie.] One of them honoureth another
exceedingly, and bestoweth banquets very familiarly and liberally,
notwithstanding that good victuals are daintie and scarce among them. They
are also very hardie, and when they haue fasted a day or two without any
maner of sustenance, they sing and are merry as if they had eaten their
bellies full. In riding, they endure much cold and extreme heat. There be,
in a maner, no contentions among them, and although they vse commonly to be
drunken, yet doe they not quarrell in their drunkennes. Noe one of them
despiseth another but helpeth and furthereth him, as much as conueniently
he can. [Sidenote: Their chastity.] Their women are chaste, neither is
there so much as a word vttered concerning their dishonestie. Some of them
will notwithstanding speake filthy and immodest words. [Sidenote: Their
insolencie against strangers.] But towards other people, the said Tartars
be most insolent, and they scorne and set nought by all other noble and
ignoble persons whatsoeuer. For we saw in the Emperours court the great
duke of Russia, the kings sonne of Georgia, and many great Soldanes
receiuing no due honour and estimation among them. So that euen the very
Tartars assigned to giue attendance vnto them, were they neuer so base,
would alwaies goe before them, and take the vpper hand of them, yea, and
sometimes would constraine them to sit behinde their backes. Moreouer they
are angrie and of a disdainfull nature vnto other people, and beyond all
measure deceitfull, and treacherous towards them. They speake fayre in the
beginning, but in conclusion, they sting like scorpions. For craftie they
are, and full of falshood, circumuenting all men whom they are able, by
their sleights. Whatsoeuer mischiefe they entend to practise against a man
they keepe it wonderfully secrete so that he may by no meanes prouide for
himselfe, nor find a remedie against their conspiracies. They are vnmanerly
also and vncleanly in taking their meat and their drinke, and in other
actions. Drunkennes is honourable among them, and when any of them hath
taken more drinke then his stomacke can well beare, hee casteth it vp and
falles to drinking againe. They are most intollerable exacters, most
couetous possessours, and most nigardly giuers. The slaughter of other
people is accompted a matter of nothing with them.


De legibus et consuetudinibus eorum. Cap. 6.

[Sidenote: Poena adulterij.] Hoc autem habent in lege siue consuetudine, vt
occidant viros et mulieres, si quando inueniantur in adulterio manifestè.
Similiter etiam virginem, si fornicata fuerit cum aliquo, occidunt eam cum
eo. [Sidenote: Furti.] Præterea si aliquis in præda vel furto manifesto
inuenitur, sine vlla miseratione occiditur. Item si quis denudauit
consilia, maximè quando volunt ad bellum procedere, dantur ei super
posteriora centum plagæ, quanto maiores vnus rusticus cum magno baculo
potest dare. [Sidenote: Arcani euulgati.] Similiter cum aliqui de minoribus
offendunt in aliquo, non eis à maioribus suis parcitur, sed verberibus
grauiter affliguntur. Matrimonio autem generaliter coniunguntur omnibus,
etiam propinquis carne, excepta matre et filia et sorore ex eadem matre.
Nam sororem tantùm ex patre, et vxorem quoque patris, post eius mortem
solent ducere. Vxorem etiam fratris alius frater iunior, post eius mortem,
vel alius de parentela, tenetur ducere. [Sidenote: Andreas Dux Russiæ. Vide
Herbersteinium de rebus Moschoui. pag. 8. b.] Vnde, dum adhuc essemus in
terra, Dux quidam Russiæ, Andreas nomine, apud Baty, quòd equos Tartarorum
de terra educeret, et alijs venderet, accusatus est: quod licet non esset
probatum, occisus est. Hoc audiens iunior frater, et vxor, occisi, pariter
venerunt ad præfatum Ducem, supplicare volentes, ne terra auferretur
eisdem. At ille paruo præcepit, vt fratris defuncti duceret vxorem, mulieri
quoque vt ilium in virum duceret, secundum Tartarorum consuetudinem. Quæ
respondit, se potius occidi velle, quàm sic contra legem facere. At ille
nihilominus eam illi tradidit quamuis ambo renuerunt, quantum possent.
Itàque ducentes eos in lectum, clamantem puerum et plorantem super illam
posuerunt, ipsosque commisceri pariter coëgerunt. Deníque post mortem
maritorum, vxores. Tartarorum non de facili solent ad secunda coniugia
transire, nisi fortè quis velit soronam aut noueream suam ducere. Nullo
verò differentia est apud eos inter filium vxoris et concubinæ, sed dat
pater quod vult vnicuique Itàque si sunt etiam ex Ducum genere, ita fit Dux
filius concubinæ, sicut filius vxoris legitmæ. [Sidenote: Melich et Dauid
fratres Georgiani.] Vnde cùm rex Georgiæ duos filios nuper, vnum scilicet
nomine Melich legitimum alterum verò Dauid ex adulterio natum haberet,
moriensque terræ partem adulteræ filio reliquisset, Melich, cui etiam ex
parte matris regnum obuenerat, quia per foeminas tenebatur, perrexit ad
Imperatorem Tartarorum, eo quòd et Dauid iter arripuerat ad ilium Ambobus
igitur ad curiam venientibus, datísque maximis muneribus petebat adulteræ
filius, vt fieret ei iustitia secundum morem Tartarorum. [Sidenote: [Greek:
polygamia.]] Datáque est sententia contra Melich, vt Dauid, qui maior erat
natu, subesset, ac terram à patre sibi concessam quietè ac pacificè
possideret. Cùmque Tartarorum vnus habet vxorum multitudinem, vnaquæque per
se suam habet familiam et stationem. Et vna die Tartarus comedit et bibit
et dormit cum vna, altera die cum alia. Vna tamen inter cæteras maior
habetur cum qua frequentius quam cum alijs commoratur Et licet vt dictum
est, sint multæ, nunquam tamen de facili contendunt inter se.


The same in English.

Of their lawes and customes. Chap. 6.

[Sidenote: Punishments of adultery.] Moreouer, they haue this law or
custome, that whatsoeuer manor woman be manifestly taken in adultery, they
are punished with death. A virgine likewise that hath committed
fornication, they slay together with her mate. [Sidenote: Of theft. Of
secretes disclosed.] Whosoeuer be taken in robberie or theft, is put to
death without all pitie. Also, if any man disclose their secrets,
especially in time of warre, he receiueth an hundreth blowes on the backe
with a bastinado, layd on by a tall fellow. In like sort when any
inferiours offend in ought, they finde no fauour at their superiours
handes, but are punished with grieuous stripes. [Sidenote: Lawes of
matrimonie.] They are ioyned in matrimony to all in generall, yea, euen to
their neare kinsfolkes except their mother, daughter and sister by the
mothers side. For they vse to marrie their sister by the fathers side
onely, and also the wife of their father after his decease. The yonger
brother also, or some other of his kindred, is bound to marry the wife of
his elder brother deceased. [Sidenote: Andreas duke of Russia.] For, at the
time of our aboad in the countrey, a certaine duke of Russia named Andreas,
was accused before duke Baty for conueying the Tartars horses out of the
land, and for selling them to others: and although it could not be prooued,
yet was he put to death. His yonger brother and the wife of the party
deceased hearing this, came and made their supplication vnto the forenamed
duke, that the dukedome of Russia might not be taken from them. But he
commanded the youth to marrie his deceased brothers wife, and the woman
also to take him vnto her husband, according to the custome of the Tartars.
She answered, that she had rather die, than so haynously transgresse the
law. Howbeit, hee deliuered her vnto him, although they both refused as
much as they could. Wherefore carying them to bed, they constrained the
youth, lamenting and weeping, to lie down and commit incest with his
brothers wife. To be short, after the death of their husbands, the Tartars
wiues vse very seldome to marrie the second time, vnlesse perhaps some man
takes his brothers wife or his stepmother in marriage. They make no
difference betweene the sonne of their wife and of their concubine, but the
father giues what he pleaseth vnto each one: [Sidenote: Melich and Dauid
two brothers.] For of late the king of Georgia hauing two sonnes, one
lawfully begotten call Melich; but the other Dauid, borne in adulterie, at
his death left part of his lande vnto his base sonne. Hereupon Melich (vnto
whome the kingdome fell by right of his mother, because it was gouerned
before time by women) went vnto the Emperour of the Tartars, Dauid also
hauing taken his iourney vnto him. Nowe bothe of them commmg to the court
and proffering large giftes, the sonne of the harlot made suite, that he
might haue iustice, according to the custome of the Tartars. Well, sentence
passed against Melich, that Dauid being his elder brother should haue
superioritie ouer him, and should quietly and peaceably possesse the
portion of land granted vnto him by his father. Whensoeuer a Tartar hath
many wiues, each one of them hath her family and dwelling place by her
selfe. And sometime the Tartar eateth, drinketh and lieth with one, and
sometime with another. One is accompted chiefe among the rest, with whom
hee is oftener conuersant, then with the other. And notwithstanding (as it
hath bin said) they are many, yet do they seldome fal out among themselues.


De superstitiosis traditionibus ipsorum. Cap. 7.

[Sidenote: [Greek: ethelothræskeia].] Quibusdam verò traditionibus
indifferentia quædam esse peccata dicunt, quas vel ipsi vel antecessores
eorum confinxerunt. Vnum est, cultellum in ignem figere, vel quocunque modo
ignem cultello tangere, vel etiam de caldaria cum cultello carnes
extrahere, vel cum securi iuxta ignem incidere. Credunt enim, quòd sic
auferri debeat caput igni. Aliud est appodiare se ad flagellum, quo
percutitur equus: ipsi enim non vtuntur calcaribus. Item flagello sagittas
tangere, iuuenes aues capere vel occidere, cum fræno equum peroutere, os
cum osse alio frangere. Itémque lac, vel aliquem potum aut cibum super
terram effundere, in statione mingere. Quod si voluntariè facit, occiditur,
si autem aliter, oportet quòd pecuniam multam incantatori soluat, à quo
purificetur. Qui etiam faciat, vt statio cum omnibus, quæ in ipsa sunt,
inter duos ignes transeat. Antequam sic purificetur, nullus audet intrare,
nec aliquid de illa exportare. Præterea si alicui morsellus imponitur, quem
deglutire non possit, et ilium de ore suo eijcit, foramen sub statione fit,
per quod extrahitur, ac sine vlla miseratione occiditur. [Sidenote: [Greek:
atheotaes].] Iterum si quis caleat super limen stationis Ducis alicuius,
interficitur. Multa etiam habent his similia, quæ reputant peccata. At
homines occidere, aliorum terras inuadere, ac res illorum diripere, et
contra Dei præcepta vel prohibitiones facere, nullum apud eos est peccatum.
De vita æterna et damnatione perpetua nihil sciunt. Credunt tamen, quòd
post mortem in alio seculo viuant, gregesque multiplicent, comedant et
bibant, et pætera faciant, quæ hic à viuentibus fiunt. [Sidenote: Cultus
lunæ.] In principio lunationis vel in plenilunio incipiunt, quicquid noui
agere volunt, ipsamque Lunam Imperatorem magnum apellant, eàmque
deprecantes genua flectunt. Omnes, qui morantur in stationibus suis,
oportet per ignem purificari. [Sidenote: Lustrationis ritus.] Quæ scilicet
purificatio fit hoc modo. Duos quidem ignes faciunt, et duas hastas iuxta
eos, vnamque cordam in summitate hastarum ponunt. Ligantque super cordam
illam quasdam de Bucaramo scissiones, sub qua scilicet corda et ligaturis
inter illos ignes transeunt homines, ac bestiæ ac stationes. Sunt etiam duæ
mulieres, vna hinc, et alia inde aquam proijcientes, ac quædam carmina
recitantes. Cæterum si aliquis à fulgure occiditur, oportet prædicto modo
per ignes transire omnes illos, qui in illis stationibus morantur. Statio
siquidem ac lectus et currus, filtra et vestes, et quicquid talium habent,
à nullo tanguntur, sed ab hominibus tanquam immunda respuuntur. [Sidenote:
Ignis super stitiosa efficacitas.] Et vt breuiter dicam, omnia purificari
credunt per ignem. Vnde quando veniunt ad eos nuncij, vel Principes, aut
qualescunque personæ, oportet ipsos et munera sua per duos ignes, vt
purificentur, transire, ne fortè veneficia fecerint, aut venenum seu
aliquid mali attulerint.


The same in English.

Of their superstitious traditions. Chap. 7.

[Sidenote: Ridiculous traditions. ] But by reason of traditions, which
either they or their predecessors haue deuised, they accompt some things
indifferent to be faults. One is to thrust a knife into the fire, or any
way to touch the fire with a knife, or with their knife to take flesh out
of the cauldron, or to hewe with an hatchet neare vnto the fire. For they
think by that means to take away the head or force from the fire. Another
is to leane vpon the whip, wherewith they beate their horses: for they ride
not with spurs. Also, to touch arrowes with a whip, to take or kill yong
birds, to strike an horse with the raine of their bridle, and to breake one
bone against another. Also, to powre out milke, meate, or any kinde of
drinke vpon the ground or to make water within their tabernacle: which
whosoeuer doth willingly, he is slaine, but otherwise he must pay a great
summe of money to the inchanter to be purified. Who likewise must cause the
tabernacle with all things therein, to passe betweene two fiers. Before it
be on this wise purified, no man dare once enter into it, nor conueigh any
thing thereout. Besides, if any man hath a morsell giuen him, which he is
not able to swallow, and for that cause casteth it out of his mouth, there
is an hole made vnder his tabernacle, by which hee is drawen forth and
slaine without all compassion. Likewise, whosoeuer treads vpon the
threshold of any of their dukes tabernacles, he is put to death. Many other
things there be, like vnto these, which they take for heinous offences. But
to slay men, to inuade the dominions of other people, and to rifle their
goods, to transgresse the commaundements and prohibitions of God, are with
them no offences at all. They know nothing concerning eternall life, and
euerlasting damnation, and yet they thinke, that after death they shall
liue in another world, that they shall multiply their cattell, that they
shal eate and drinke and doe other things which liuing men performe here
vpon earth. [Sidenote: The Tartars worship the moone.] At a new moone, or a
full moone, they begin all enterprises that they take in hand, and they
call the moone the Great Emperour, and worship it vpon their knees. All men
that abide in their tabernacles must be purified with fire: Which
purification is on this wise. [Sidenote: Their custome of purifying.] They
kindle two fires, and pitch two Iauelines into the ground neere vnto the
said fires, binding a corde to the tops of the Iauelines. And about the
corde they tye certaine iagges of buckram, vnder which corde, and betweene
which fires, men, beastes, and tabernacles do passe. There stand two women
also, one on the right side, and another on the left casting water, and
repeating certaine charmes. If any man be slaine by lightning, all that
dwell in the same tabernacle with him must passe by fire in maner
aforesaid. For their tabernacles, beds, and cartes, their feltes and
garments, and whatsoeuer such things they haue, are touched by no man, yea,
and are abandoned by all men as things vncleane. And to bee short, they
think that all things are to be purged by fire. Therefore, when any
ambassadours, princes, or other personages whatsoeuer come vnto them, they
and their giftes must passe betweene two fires to be purified, lest
peraduenture they haue practised some witchcraft, or haue brought some
poyson or other mischiefe with them.


De initio imperij siue Principatus eorum. Cap. 8.

[Sidenote: Tartariæ populi.] Terra quidem ilia Orientalis, de qua dictum
est suprà, quæ Mongal nominatur, quatuor quondam habuisse populos
memoratur. Vnus eorum Yeka Mongal, id est, magni Mongali vocabantur.
Secundus Sumongal, id est, aquatici Mongali, qui seipsos appellabant
Tartaros, à quodam fluuio per eorem terram currente, qui Tartar nominatur.
Tertius appellabatur Merkat. Quartus verò Metrit. Omnes vnam personarum
formam et vnam linguam habebant hi populi, quamuis inter se per Principes
ac prouincias essent diuisi. [Sidenote: Chingis ortus et res gestæ.] In
terra Yeka Mongal quidam fuit, qui vocabatur Chingis. Iste coepit robustus
venator esse: didicit enim homines furari, et prædam capere. Ad alias
terras ibat, et quoscunque poterat, captiuabat, sibíque associabat. Homines
quoque suæ gentis inclinauit ad se, qui tanquam Ducem sequebantur ipsum ad
malè agendum. Coepit autem pugnare cum Sumongal, siue cum Tartaris, et
Ducem eorem interfecit, multòque bello sibi Tartaros omnes subiecit, et in
seruitutem redigit. Post hæc cum istis omnibus contra Merkatas, iuxta tenam
positos Tartarorum pugnauit, quos etiam bello sibi subiecit. [Sidenote:
Naymani. Infra cap. 25.] Inde procedens contra Metritas pugnam exercuit, et
illos etiam obtinuit. Audientes Naymani, quòd Chingis taliter eleuatus
esset, indignati sunt. Ipsi enim habuerant Imperatorem strenuum valdè, cui
dabant tributum cunctæ nationes prædictæ. [Sidenote: Fratres discordantes
oppressi.] Qui cùm esset mortuus, filij eius successerunt loco ipsius. Sed
quia iuuenes ac stulti erant, populum tenere nesciebant, sed ad inuicem
diuisi ac scissi erant. Vnde Chingi prædicto modo iam exaltato, nihilominus
in terras prædictas faciebant insultum, et habitatores occidebant, ac
diripiebant prædam eorum. Quod audiens Chingis, omnes sibi subiectos
congregauit. Naymani et Karakytay ex aduerso similiter in quandam vallem
strictam conuenerunt, et commissum est prælium, in quo Naymani et Karakytay
à Mongalis deuicti sunt. Qui etiam pro maiori parte occisi fuerunt, et
alij, qui euadere non potuerunt, in seruitutem redacti sunt. [Sidenote:
Occoday Cham.] In terra prædictorum Karakytaorum Occoday Cham, filius
Chingischam, postquam imperator fuit positus, quandam ciuitatem ædificauit,
quam Chanyl appellauit. [Sidenote: Homines syluestres.] Prope quam ad
Meridiem est quoddam desertum magnum, in quo pro certo syluestres homines
habitare dicuntur, qui nullatenus loquuntur, nec iuncturas in cruribus
habent, et si quando cadunt, per se surgere non valent. Sed tamen
discretionem tantam habent, quod filtra de lana Camelorum quibus
vestiuntur, faciunt et contra ventum ponunt. Et si quando Tartari pergentes
ad eos vulnerant eos sagittis, gramina in vulneribus ponunt, et fortiter
ante ipsios fugiunt.


The same in English.

Of the beginning of their empire or gouernment. Chap. 8.

[Sidenote: The people of Tartarie. ]

The East countrie, whereof wee haue entreated, which is called Mongal, is
reported to haue had of olde time foure sortes of people. One of their
companions was called Yeka Mongal, that is the great Mongals. The second
company was called Sumongal, that is, the Water-Mongals, who called
themselues Tartars of a certaine riuer running through their countrey named
Tartar. The third was called Merkat, and the fourth Metrit. All these
people had one and the same person, attire of body and language, albeit
they were diuided by princes and prouinces. [Sidenote: The original and the
exploits of Chingis.] In the prouince of Yeka Mongol, there was a certaine
man called Chingis. This man became a mighty hunter. For he learned to
steale men, and take them for a pray. He ranged into other countries taking
as many captiues as he could, and ioining them vnto himselfe. Also hee
allured the men of his owne countrey vnto him, who followed him as their
captaine and ringleader to doe mischiefe. Then began he to make warre vpon
the Sumongals or Tartars, and slewe their captaine, and after many
conflicts, subdued them vnto himselfe, and brought them all into bondage.
Afterwards he vsed their helpe to fight against the Merkats, dwelling by
the Tartars, whom also hee vanquished in battell. Proceeding from thence,
he fought against the Metrites, and conquered them also. [Sidenote: The
Naimani.] The Naimani hearing that Chingis was thus exalted, greatly
disdeined thereat. For they had a mighty and puissant Emperour, vnto whom
all the foresaid nations payed tribute. Whose sonnes, when he was dead,
succeeded him in his Empire. [Sidenote: The discord of brethren.] Howbeit,
being young and foolish, they knew not howe to gouerne the people, but were
diuided, and fell at variance among themselues. Now Chingis being exalted,
as is aforesaid, they neuerthelesse inuaded the forenamed countries, put
the inhabitants to the sword, and carried away their goods for a pray.
Which Chingis hauing intelligence of, gathered all his subiects together.
The Naimani also, and the people called Karakitay assembled and banded
themselues at a certaine straight valley, where, after a battell foughten
they were vanquished by the Mongals. And being thus vanquished, they were,
the greater part of them, slaine; and others, which could not escape, were
carried into captiuitie. [Sidenote: Occoday Cham.] In the land of the
foresayd Karakytayans, Occoday Cham, the sonne of Chingis Cham, after he
was created Emperour, built a certaine citie, which he called Chanyl. Neare
vnto which citie, on the South side, there is an huge desert, wherein wilde
men are certainely reported to inhabite, which cannot speake at all, and
are destitute of ioynts in their legges, so that if they fall, they cannot
rise alone by themselues. Howbeit, they are of discretion to make feltes of
Camels haire, wherewith they clothe themselues, and which they holde
against the winde. And if at any time, the Tartars pursuing them, chance to
wound them with their arrowes, they put herbes into their wounds and flye
strongly before them.


De mutua victoria ipsorum et Kythaorum. Cap. 9.

Mongali autem in terram suam reuertentes, se contra [Marginal note:
Haythono et Paulo Veneto sunt Cathay.] Kythaos ad prælium parauerunt, et
castra mouentes, eorum terram intrauerunt. [Sidenote: Tartarorum Cathayna
clades.] Quod audiens eorum Imperator, vnit cum exercitu suo contra illos,
et commissum est prælium durum, in quo Mongali sunt deuicti, omnésque
nobiles eorum, qui erant in exercitu, præter septem occisi sunt. Vnde cùm
illis volentibus aliquam impugnare regionem, minatur aliquis stragem, adhuc
respondent: Olim etiam occisi non nisi septem remansimus, et tamen modò
creuimus in multitudinem magnam, ideóque non terremur de talibus. Chingis
autem et alij, qui remanserunt, in terram suam fugerunt. Cúmque quieuisset
aliquantulum, præparauit se rursus ad prælium, et processit contra terram
Huyrorum. Isti sunt homines Christiani de secta Nestorianorum. [Sidenote:
Nouæ victoriæ. Literæ.] Et hos etiam Mongali deuicerunt, eorumque literam
acceperunt; prius enim scripturam non habebant, nunc autem eandem
Mongalorem literam appellant. Inde contra terram Saruyur, et contra terram
Karanitarum, et contra terram Hudirat processit, quos omnes bello deuicit.
Inde in terram suam redijt, et aliquantulum quieuit. Deinde conuocatis
omnibus hominibus suis, contra Kythaos pariter processerunt, diúque contra
illos pugnantes, magnam partem terræ illorum vicerunt, eorumque Imperatorem
in ciuitatem suam maiorem concluserunt. Quam et tam longo tempore
obsederunt, quod exercitus expensæ omninò, defecerunt. Cúmque iam quod
manducarent, penitus non haberent, præcipit Chingischam suis, vt de decem
hominibus vnum ad manducandum darent. [Sidenote: Argentum loco lapidum in
hostem proiectum.] Illi verò de ciuitate machinis et sagittis viriliter
contra istos pugnabant et cum deficerent lapides, argentum et maximè
liquefactum proijciebant. Ciuitas siquidem illa multis erat diuitijs plena.
Cúmque diu Mongali pugnassent, et eam bello vincere non possent, vnam
magnam sub terra viam ab exercitu vsque ad medium ciuitatis fecerunt, et
prosilientes in medium eius, contra ciues pugnauerunt. Illi quoque qui
extra remanserant, eodem modo contra illos pugnabant. Denique concidentes
portas ciuitatis intrauerunt, et imperatorem cum pluribus occidentes vrbem
possederunt, aurumque et argentum, et omnes eius diuitias abstulerunt.
[Sidenote: Chingis salutatur Imperator.] Et cùm aliquos terræ suos homines
nuntios præficissent, in terram propriam reuersi sunt. Tunc primum
Imperatore Kythaorum deuncto, factus est Chingischam imperator Quandam
tamen partem illius terræ, quia posita erat in mari nullatenus deuicerunt
vsque hodie. [Sidenote: Cathaynorum literæ et religio.] Sunt autem Kitai
homines pagani, habentes literam specialem, et etiam vt dicitur, veteris et
noui Testamenti scripturam. Habent etiam vitas patrum et eremitas et domes,
in quibus orant temporibus suis, ad modum Ecclesiarum facias. Quosdam etiam
sanctos habere se dicunt, et vnum Deum colunt. Christum IESVM Dominum
venerantur, et credunt vitam æternam, sed non baptizantur. Scripturam
nostram honorant ac reuerentur. Christianos diligunt, et eleemosynas plures
faciunt, homines benigni satis et humani videntur. Barbam non habent, et in
dispositione faciei cum Mongalis in parte concordant. [Sidenote:
Opificiorum [Greek: exochae].] Meliores artifices in mundo non inueniuntur
in omnibus operibus, in quibus homines exercentur. Terra eonira est
opulenta numis in frumento et vino, auro et serico ac rebus cæteris.


The same in English

Of the mutuall victories betweene them, and the pepole of Kythay. Chap. 9.

But the Mongals returning home into their owne countrey prepared themselues
to battell against the Kythayans: [Marginal note: Haython [1] and Paulus
Venetus [2] call them Cathayans. [Footnote 1: Bishop of Basle, was sent by
Charlemagne as ambassador to Nicephorus Emperor of Constantinople, in 811.
He published an account of his journey which he called his _Itinerarium_.
There is a curious capitulary of his, inserted in Lucas of Acheri's
_Spicilegium_.] [Footnote 2: Better known as Fra Paolo, or Paul Sarpi, the
citizen monk of Venice who has been said to have been "a Catholic in
general, but a Protestant in particular". His attempted assassination on
the Piazza of St Mark at Venice by order of Paul V, the Pope is still one
of the fauourite legends of the City of Gondolas. He is said to have
discouered the circulation of the blood. He died in 1623. (See _Native
Races of America_, in Goldsmid's _Bibliothica Curiosa_, p 17).]] Which
their Emperour hearing, set forward against them with his armie, and they
fought a cruell battell, wherein the Mongals were ouercome, and all their
nobles in the armie, except seuen, were slaine. And for this cause, when
they, purposing to inuade anie region, are threatned by the inhabitants
thereof to be slaine, they doe, to this day, answere: in old time also our
whole number besides being slaine, we remayned but seuen of vs aliue, and
yet notwithstanding we are now growen vnto a great multitude, thinke not
therefore to daunt vs with such brags. [Sidenote: New victories.] But
Chingis and the residue that remained aliue, fled home into their countrey:
And hauing breathed him a little, he prepared himselfe to warre, and went
forth against the people called Huyri: These men were Christians of the
sect of Nestorius. [Sidenote: Letters.] And these also the Mongals
ouercame, and receiued letters or learning from them: for before that time
they had not the arte of writing, and nowe they call it the hand or letters
of the Mongals. Immediately after, hee marched against the countrey of
Saruyur, and of the Karanites, and against the land of Hudirat; all which
he vanquished. Then returned he home into his owne countrey, and breathed
himselfe. Afterward, assembling his warlike troupes, they marched with one
accord against the Kythayans, and waging warre with them a long time, they
conquered, a great part of their land, and shut vp their Emperour into his
greatest citie: which citie they had so long time besieged, that they began
to want necessary prouision for their armie. And when they had no victuals
to feede vpon, Chingis Cham commaunded his souldiers that they should eate
euery tenth man of the companie. [Sidenote: Siluer cast at the enemie
instead of stones.] But they of the citie fought manfully against them,
with engines, dartes, and arrowes, and when stones wanted they threw
siluer, and especially melted siluer: for the same citie abounded with
great riches. Also, when the Mongals had fought a long time and could not
preuale by warre, they made a great trench vnderneath the ground from the
armie vnto the middest of the citie, and there issuing foorth they fought
against the citizens, and the remnant also without the walles fought in
like manner. At last, breaking open the gates of the citie, they entred,
and putting the Emperour, with many other to the sworde, they tooke
possession thereof and conueighed away the golde, siluer, and all the
riches therein. And hauing appointed certaine deputies ouer the countrey,
they returned home into their owne lande. [Sidenote: Chigis Cham proclaimed
Emperour.] This is the first time, when the Emperour of the Kythayans being
vanquished, Chingis Cham obtayned the Empire. [Sidenote: Part of Cathay in
the sea.] But some parte of the countrey, because it lyeth within the sea,
they could by no meanes conquere vnto this day. [Sidenote: The letters and
the religion of the Cathayans.] The men of Kytay are Pagans, hauing a
speciall kinde of writing by themselues, and (as it is reported) the
Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament. They haue also recorded in
hystories the liues of their forefathers and they haue Eremites, and
certaine houses made after the manner of our Churches. which in those dayes
they greatly resorted vnto. They say that they haue diuers Saints also, and
they worship one God. They adore and reuerence CHRIST IESUS our Lorde, and
beleeue the article of eternall life, but are not baptized. They doe also
honourably esteeme and reuerence our Scriptures. They loue Christians, and
bestowe much almes, and are a very courteous and gentle people. They haue
no beardes, and they agree partly with the Mongals in the disposition of
their countenance. [Sidenote: Their excelent workmanship.] In all
occupations which men practise, there are not better artificers in the
whole worlde. Their countrey is exceeding rich, in corne, wine, golde,
silke, and other commodities.


De pugna ipsorum contra Indiam minorem et maiorem. Cap. 10.

Cum autem Mongali cum Imperatore suo Chingischam post præfatam victoriam
aliquantulum quieuissent, exercitus suos diuiserunt. [Sidenote: Thossut
Can, Chingis F.] Imperator siquidem vnum de filijs suis nomine Thosut, quem
etiam Can, id est, Imperatorem, appellabant, cum exercitu contra Comanos
misit, quos ille multo bello deuicit, et postmodum in terram suam redijt.
[Sidenote: India minor debellata.] Alium verò filium cum exercitu contra
Indos misit, qui et minorem Indiam subiecit. Hi sunt nigri Sarraceni, qui
Æthiopes sunt vocati. Hic autem excercitus ad pugnam contra Christianos,
qui sunt in India maiori, processit. [Sidenote: Regis maioris Indiæ
stratagema.] Quod audiens Rex illus terræ, qui vulgò [Marginal note: Vide
scolion in lib 1. cap. 51. M. Pauli Veneti.] Presbyter Iohannes appellatur,
contra illos venit exercitu congregato. Et faciens imagines cupreas
hominum, vnamquanque posuit in sella super equum. Posuit et interius ignem,
et hominem cum folle super equum post imaginem. Itàque cum multis equis et
imaginibus, taliter præparatis, ad pugnam contra Mongalos seu Tartaros
processerunt. Et cùm ad locum prælij peruenissent equos istos vnum iuxta
alium præmiserunt. Viri autem qui erant retrò, nescio quid super ignem, qui
erat intra imagines, posuerunt, et cum follibus fortiter sufflauerunt. Vnde
factum est, vt ex Græco igne homines et equi comburerentur, et etiam aër ex
fumo denigrantur. [Sidenote: Victoria.] Tùmque super Tartaros sagittas
iecerunt Indi, ex quibus multi vulnerati fuerunt et interfecti. Sícque
eiecerunt illos cum magna confusione de suis finibus, nec vnquam, quod ad
ipsos vltra redierint audiuimus.


The same in English.

Of their warre against India maior and minor. Chap. 10.

And when the Mongals with their emperour Chingis Cham had a while rested
themselues after the foresayd victorie, they diuided their armies.
[Sidenote: Thossut Can son of Chingis.] For the Emperour sent one of his
sonnes named Thossut (whom also they called Can, that is to say, Emperour)
with an armie against the people of Comania, whom he vanquished with much
warre, and afterward returned into his owne country. [Sidenote: India minor
subdued.] But he sent his other sonne with an armie against the Indians,
who also subdued India minor. These Indians are the blacke Saracens, which
are also called Æthiopians. But here the armie marched forward to fight
against Christians dwelling in India maior. Which the King of that countrey
hearing (who is commonly called Presbiter Iohn) gathered his souldiers
together, and came foorth against them. And making mens images of copper,
he set each of them vpon a saddle on horsebacke, and put fire within them,
and placed a man with a paire of bellowes on the horse backe behinde euery
image. [Sidenote: The stratagem of the king of India.] And so with many
horses and images in such sorte furnished, they marched on to fight against
the Mongals or Tartars. And comming neare vnto the place of the battell,
they first of all sent those horses in order one after another. But the men
that sate behind laide I wote not what vpon the fire within the images, and
blew strongly with their bellowes. Whereupon it came to passe, that the men
and the horses were burnt with wilde fire, and the ayre was darkened with
smoake. Then the Indians cast dartes vpon the Tartars, of whom many were
wounded and slain. And so they expelled them out of their dominions with
great confusion, neither did we heare, that euer they returned thither
againe.


Qualiter ab hominibus caninis repulsi, Burithabethinos vicerunt. Cap. 11.

[Sidenote: De monstrosis mulieribus et canibus monstrosa narratio. Forsam
totem videri allegorica allusio possit ad Canibales de quibus Petrus [1]
Martyr Mediolan de rebus Occatucis. [Footnote 1: Born at Florence in 1500,
he entered the church very young, but the reading of the works of Zwingler
and Bucer led him to join the reformers. He withdrew to Basle, where he
married a young nun. He passed over to England in 1547, and obtained a
chair of Theology at Oxford, but Mary caused him to be expelled. He
withdrew to Augsburg, and thence to Zurich, where he died in 1562. His real
name was Pietro Vermigli.]] Cum autem per deserta redirent, in quandam
terram venerunt, in qua, sicut nobis apud Imperatoris curiam per clericos
Ruthenos, et alios, qui diu fuerant inter ipsos, firmiter asserendo
referebatur, monstra quædam, imaginem foemineam habentia, repererunt. Quas
cùm per multos interpretes interrogassent, vbi viri terræ illius essent,
responderunt, quòd in illa terra quænunque foeminæ nascebantur, habebant
formam humanam, masculi vero speciem caninam. Dumque moram in terra illa
protraherent, Canes in alia fluuij parte conuenerunt. Et cùm esset hyems
asperrima omnes se in aquam proiecerunt. Post hæc incontinenti sponte in
puluerem voluebantur, sícque puluis admixtus aquæ super eos corugelabatur,
et vt ita pluries fecerunt, glacie super eos depressata, cum impetu magno
contra Tartaros ad pugnam conuenerunt. At verò cum illi sagittas super eos
iaciebant, ac si super lapides sagittassent, retrò sagittæ redibant. Alia
quoque arma eorum in nullo eos ledere poterant. Ipsi verò Canes insultum in
Tartaros iacientes, morsibus vulnerauerunt multos, et occiderunt sícque
illos de suis finibus eiecerunt. Vnde adhuc inter illos est prouerbium de
hoc facto, quod dicunt ad inuicem ridendo: Pater meus vel frater meus à
Canibus fuit occisus. Mulieres autem illorum, quas ceperant, ad terram suam
duxerunt, et vsque ad diem mortis eorum ibidem fuerunt. [Sidenote:
Burithabeth regio. Incolarum mores.] Cùm autem exercitus ille Mongalorum
rediret, venit ad terram Burithabeth, cuius habitatores pagani sunt, et hos
Tartari bello vicerunt. Hi consuetudinem habent mirabilem, imò potius
miserabilem. Cùm enim alicuius pater humanæ naturæ soluit debitum,
congregant omnem parentelam, et comedunt eum. Hi pilos in barba non habent,
imò ferrum quoddam in manibus, sicut vidimus, portant, cum quo semper
barbam, si forte crinis aliquis in ea crescit, depilant. Multi etiam
deformes sunt. Inde verò ille Tartarorum exercitus in terram suam est
reuersus.


The same in English

How being repelled by monstrous men shapen like dogs, they ouercame the
  people of Burithabeth. Chap. 11.

[Sidenote: A strange report of certain monstrous women and dogs.] But
returning through the deserts, they came vnto a certaine countrey, wherein
(as it was reported vnto vs in the Emperours court, by certaine clergie men
of Russia and others, who were long time among them, and that by strong and
stedfast affirmation) they found certaine monsters resembling women who
being asked by many interpreters, where the men of that land were, they
answered, that whatsoeuer women were borne there, were indued with the
shape of mankinde, but the males were like vnto dogges. And delaying the
time, in that countrey they met with the said dogges on the other side of
the riuer. And in the midst of sharpe winter, they cast themselues into the
water: Afterward they wallowed in the dust vpon the maine land and so the
dust being mingled with water, was frozen to their backes, and hauing often
times so done, the ice being strongly frozen vpon them, with great fury
they came to fight against the Tartars. And when the Tartars threwe their
dartes, or shot their arrowes among them, they rebounded backe againe, as
if they had lighted vpon stones. And the rest of their weapons coulde by no
meanes hurt them. Howbeit the Dogges made an assault vpon the Tartars, and
wounding some of them with their teeth, and slaying others at length they
draue them out of their countries. And thereupon they haue a Prouerbe of
the same matter, as yet rife among them, which they speake in iesting sorte
one to another: My father or my brother was slaine of Dogges. The women
which they tooke they brought into their owne countrey, who remayned there
till their dying day. [Sidenote: The region of Burithabeth.] And in
traueling homewardes, the sayd armie of the Mongals came vnto the lande of
Burithabeth (the inhabitants whereof are Pagans) and conquered the people
in battell. These people haue a strange or rather a miserable kinde of
custome. [Sidenote: The manners of the people.] For when anie man's father
deceaseth, he assembleth all his kindred and they eate him. These men haue
no beards at all, for we saw them carie a certaine iron instrument in their
hands wherewith, if any haires growe vpon their chinne, they presently
plucke them out. They are also very deformed. From thence the Tartars army
returned to their owne home.


Qualiter à montibus Caspijs, et ab hommibus subterraneis repulsi sunt.
  Cap. 12.

[Sidenote: Alia Chingis expeditio.]

Chingischam etiam illo tempore, quo dimisit alios exercitus contra
Orientem, per terram Kergis cum cxpeditione perrexit, quos tamen tunc bello
non vicit et vt nobis dicebatur, ibidem vsque ad montes Caspios peruenit.
At illi montes in ea parte, ad quam applicauerunt, de lapide Adamantino
sunt: ideóque sagittas et arma ferrea illorum ad se traxerunt. Homines
autem inter Caspios montes conclusi clamorem exercitus, vt creditur,
audientes, montem frangere coeperunt, et cùm alio tempore post decem annos
redirent Tartari, montem confractum inuenerunt. Cúmque ad illos accedere
attentassent, minimè potuerunt: quia nubes quædam erat posita ante ipsos,
vltra quam ire nullatenus poterant. Omninò quippe visum amittebant, statim
vt ad illam perueniebant. [Marginal note: Vide an Hamsem regionem dicat de
qua Haythonus cap. 10.] Illi autem ex aduerso credentes, quod Tartari ad
illos accedere formidarent, insultum contra eos fecerunt, sed statim vt
peruenerunt ad nubem propter causam prædictam, procedere non potuerunt. Ac
verò antequam ad montes prædictos peruenirent Tartari, plusquam per mensem
per vastam solitudinem transierunt, et inde procedentes adhuc contra
Orientem, plusquàm per mensem per magnum desertum perrexerunt. Itáque
peruenerunt ad quandam terram, in qua vias quidem tritas videbant, sed
neminem inuenire poterant. Tandem quærentes, vnum hominem cum vxore sua
repererunt, quos in præsentiam Chingischam adduuerunt. [Sidenote:
Troglodytæ.] Qui cùm interrogasset illos vbi homines allius terræ essent,
responderunt, quòd in terra sub montibus habitarent. Tunc Chingischam
retenta vxore, misit ad eos virum illum, mandans illis, vt venirent ad
ipsius mandatum. Qui pergens ad illos, omnia narrauit, quæ Chingischam eis
mandauit. Illi verò respondentes dixerunt, quod die tali venirent ad ipsum,
vt facerent eius mandatum. Ac ipsi medio tempore per vias occultas sub
terra se congregantes, ad pugnam contra illos venerunt, et subitò super eos
irruentes, plurimos occiderunt. [Sidenote: Fabulosus Solis orientis
sonitus.] Solis quoque sonitus in ortu suo sustinere non poterant, imò
tempore, quo oriebatur, oportebat eos vnam aurem ad terram ponere, et
superiorem fortiter obturare, ne sonum illum terribilem audirent. Nec sic
tamen cauere poterant, quin hac de causa plurimi ex eis interirent. Videns
ergo Chingischam et sui, quòd nihil proficerent, sed potius homines suos
perderent, fugerunt, ac terra illa exierunt. Illum tamen virum cum vxore
sua secum deduxerunt, qui etiam vsque ad mortem in terra eorum fuerunt.
Interrogati verò, cur in regione sua sub terra soleant habitare, dixerunt,
quòd ibi quodam tempore anni, cùm oritur Sol, tantus fit sonitus, vt
homines nulla ratione valeant sustmere. Quin etiam tunc in organis et
tympanis cæterisque musicis instrumentis percutere solent, vt sonitum illum
non audiant.


The same in English.

How they had the repulse at the Caspian mountaynes, and were driuen backe
  by men dwelling in caues. Chap 12.

[Sidenote: Another expedition of Chingis.] Moreouer Chingis Cham, at the
same time when he sent other armies against the East, hee himselfe marched
with a power into the lande of Kergis, which notwithstanding, he conquered
not in that expedition and as it was reported vnto vs, he went on forward
euen to the Caspian mountaines. But the mountaines on that part where they
encamped themselues, were of adamant, and therefore they drew vnto them
their arrowes, and weapons of iron. And certaine men contained within those
Caspian mountaynes, hearing as it was thought, the noyse of the armie, made
a breach through, so that when the Tartars returned vnto the same place
tenne yeeres after, they found the mountaine broken. And attempting to goe
vnto them, they could not: for there stood a cloud before them, beyond
which they were not able to passe, being depriued of their sight so soone
as they approached thereunto. But they on the contrary side thinking that
the Tartars durst not come nigh them gaue the assault, and when they came
at the cloud, they could not proceed for the cause aforesaid. Also the
Tartars, before they came vnto the said mountaines, passed for the space of
a moneth and more, through a vast wildernes, and departing thence towards
the East, they were aboue a moneth traueiling through another huge desert.
At length, they came vnto a land wherin they saw beaten waies, but could
not find any people. Howbeit at the last, diligently seeking, they found a
man and his wife, whom they presented before Chingis Cham: and demanding of
them where the people of that countrey were, they answered, that the people
inhabited vnder the ground in mountains. Then Chingis Cham keeping still
the woman, sent her husband vnto them, giuing them charge to come at his
command. And going vnto them, he declared all things that Chingis Cham had
commanded them. But they answered, that they would vpon such a day visite
him, to satisfie his desire. And in the meane season by blinde and hidden
passages vnder the earth, assembling themselues they came against the
Tartars in warlike manner, and suddenly issuing forth, they slewe a great
number of them. [Sidenote: A fabulous narration of the sun rising.] This
people were not able to endure the terrible noise, which in that place the
Sunne made at his vprising: for at the time of the Sunne rising, they were
inforced to lay one eare vpon the ground, and to stoppe the other close,
least they should heare that dreadfull sound. Neither could they so escape,
for by this meanes many of them were destroyed. Chingis Cham therefore and
his company, seeing that they preuailed not, but continually lost some of
their number, fled and departed out of that land. But the man and his wife
aforesaid they caried along with them, who all their life time continued in
the Tartars countrey. Being demaunded why the men of their countrey doe
inhabite vnder the ground, they sayd, that at a certeine time of the yeare,
when the sunne riseth, there is such an huge noyse, that the people cannot
endure it. Moreouer, they vse to play vpon cymbals, drums, and other
musicall instruments, to the ende they may not heare that sounde.


De statutis Chingischam, et morte ipsius, et filijs ac Ducibus. Cap. 13.

Cum autem de terra illa reuerteretur Chingischam, defecerunt eis victualia,
famemque patiebantur maximam. Tunc interiora vnius bestiæ recentia casu
inuenerunt: quæ accipientes, depositis tantum stercoribus, decoxerunt, et
coram Chingischam deportata pariter comederunt. [Sidenote: Chingis lex.]
Ideoque statuit Chingischam, vt nec sanguis, nec interiora, nec aliquid de
bestia, quæ manducari potest, proijciatur, exceptis stercoribus. Inde ergò
in terram propriam reuersus est, ibique leges et statuta edidit, quæ
Tartari inuiolabiliter obseruant, de quibus scilicet iam aliàs superiùs
dictum est. Post hoc ab ictu tonitrui occissus est. [Sidenote: Liberi.]
Habuit autem quatuor filios: Occoday vocobatur primus, Thossut Can
secundus, Thiaday Tertius, quarti nomen ignoramus. Ab his iiij.
descenderunt omnes Duces Mongalorum. Primus filiorum Occoday est Cuyne, qui
nunc est Imperator. [Sidenote: Nepotes.] Huius fratres Cocten et Chyrenen.
Ex filijs autem Thossut Can sunt Bathy, Ordu, Siba, Bora. Bathy post
Imperatorem omnibus ditior est ac potentior. Ordu verò omnium Ducum senior.
Filij Thiaday, sunt Hurin et Cadan. Filij autem alterius filij Chingischam,
cuius ignoramus nomen, sunt, Mengu et Bithat et alij plures. Huius Mengu
mater Seroctan est, Domina magna inter Tartaros. excepta Imperatoris matre
plus nominata, omnibusque potentior, excepto Bathy. [Sidenote: Duces.] Hæc
autem sunt nomina Ducum: Ordu, qui fuit in Polonia, et Hungaria, Bathy
quoque et Huryn et Cadan et Syban et Ouygat, qui omnes fuerunt in Hungaria.
Sed et Cyrpodan, qui adhuc est vltra mare contra quosdam Soldanos
Sarracenorum, et alios habitatores terræ transmarinæ. Alij verò remanserunt
in terra, scilicet Mengu. Chyrenen, Hubilai, Sinocur, Cara, Gay, Sybedey,
Bora, Berca, Corrensa. Alij quoque Duces eorum plures sunt, quorum nomina
nobis ignota sunt.


The same in English.

Of the statutes of Chingis Cham, of his death, of his sonnes, and of his
  dukes. Chap. 13.

But as Chingis Cham returned out of that countrey, his people wanted
victuals, and suffered extreme famin. Then by chance they found the fresh
intrails of a beast: which they tooke, and casting away the dung therof,
caused it to be sodden, brought it before Chingis Cham, and did eat therof.
[Sidenote: The lawe of Chingis.] And hereupon Chingis Cham enacted: that
neither the blood, nor the intrails, nor any other part of a beast which
might be eaten, should be cast away, saue onely the dunge. Wherefore he
returned thence into his owne land, and there he ordayned lawes and
statutes, which the Tartars doe most strictly and inuiolably obserue, of
the which we haue before spoken. [Sidenote: The death of Chingis. His
sonnes.] He was afterward slaine by a thunderclap. He had foure sonnes: the
first was called Occoday, the second Thossut Can, the third Thiaday: the
name of the fourth is vnknowen. From these foure descended all the dukes of
the Mongals. [Sidenote: His graund children.] The first sonne of Occoday is
Cuyne, who is now Emperour: his brothers be Cocten and Chyrinen. The sons
of Thossut Can are Bathy, Ordu, Siba, and Bora Bathy, next vnto the
Emperour, is richer and mightier then all the rest. But Ordu is the
seignior of all the dukes. The sonnes of Thiaday be Hurin and Cadan. The
sonnes of Chingis Cham his other sonne, whose name is vnknowen, are Mengu,
Bithat and certaine others. The mother of Mengu was named Seroctan, and of
all others most honoured among the Tartars, except the Emperors mother, and
mightier than any subiect except Bathy. [Sidenote: The Tartarian Dukes.]
These be the names of the dukes: Ordu, who was in Poland and in Hungarie:
Bathy also and Hurin and Cadan, and Siban, and Ouygat, all which were in
Hungarie. In like maner Cyrpodan, who is as yet beyond the sea, making war
against certaine Soldans of the Saracens, and other inhabitants of farre
countries. Others remained in the land, as namely Mengu, Chyrinen, Hubilai,
Sinocur, Caray, Gay, Sybedey, Bora, Berca, Corrensa. There be many other of
their dukes, whose names are vnknowen vnto vs.


De postestate Imperatoris et Ducum eius. Cap. 14.

[Sidenote: Imperatoris Tartarorum seruile in omnes imperium.]

Porrò Imperator eorum, scilicet Tartarorum, super omnes habet mirabile
dominium. Nullus enim audet in aliqua morari parte, nisi vbi assignauerit
ipse. Et ipse quidem assignat Ducibus vbi maneant. Duces autem loca
Millenarijs assignant, Millenarij verò Centenarijs et Centenarij Decanis.
Quicquid autem eis præcipitur, quocunque tempore, quocunque loco, siue, ad
bellum, siue ad mortem, vel vbicunque sine vlla obediunt contradictione.
Nam etsi petit alicuius filiam virginem, vel sororem, mox ei sine
contradictione exponunt eam, imò frequenter colligit virgines ex omnibus
Tartarorum finibus, et si vult aliquas retinere, sibi retinet, alias verò
dat suis homimbus. Nuncios etiam quoscunque et vbicunque transmittat,
oportet quòd dent ei sine mora equos et expensas. Similiter vndecunque
veniant ei tributa vel nuncij, oportet equos et currus et expensas tribui.
[Sidenote: Inhumanitas erga Legatos.] Ac verò nuncij, qui aliunde veniunt,
in magna miseria, et victus et vestitus penuria sunt. Maximeque quando
veniunt ad Principes, et ibi debent moram contrahere. Tunc adeò parum datur
decem hominibus, quòd vix inde possent duo viuere. Insuper et si aliquæ
illis iniuriæ fiunt, minimè conqueri facile possunt. Multa quoque munera
tam à principibus quàm à cæteris ab illis petuntur: quæ si non dederint,
vilipenduntur, et quasi pro nihilo reputantur. Hinc et nos magnam partem
rerum, quæ nobis pro expensis à fidelibus erant datæ, de necessitate
oportuit in muneribus dare. Denique sic omnia sunt in manu Imperatoris,
quod nemo audet dicere, Hoc meum est vel illius, sed omnia, scilicet res et
iumenta ac homines, sunt ipsius. Super hoc etiam nuper emanauit statutum
eiusdem. Idem quoque per omnia dominium habent Duces super sibi subditos
homines.


The same in English.

Of the authoritie of the Emperour, and of his dukes. Chap. 14.

[Sidenote: The absolute and lordly dominion of the Tartarian Emperour ouer
his subiects] Moreouer, the Emperour of the Tartars hath a wonderful
dominion ouer all his subiects. For no man dare abide in any place, vnles
he hath assigned him to be there. Also he himselfe appointeth to his dukes
where they should inhabite. Likewise the dukes assigne places vnto euery
Millenarie, or conductor of a thousand souldiers, the Millenaries vnto each
captaine of an 100. the captaines vnto euery corporall of ten. Whatsoeuer
is giuen them in charge, whensoeuer, or whersoeuer, be it to fight or to
lose their liues, or howsoeuer it be, they obey without any gainsaying. For
if he demandeth any mans daughter, or sister being a virgine, they
presently deliuer her vnto him without all contradiction: yea, often times
he makes a collection of virgines throughout all the Tartars dominions, and
those whom he meanes to keepe, he retaineth vnto himselfe, others he
bestoweth vpon his men. Also, whatsoeuer messenger he sendeth, or
whithersoeuer his subiects must without delay hnde them horses and other
necessaries. In like sorte, from what countrey soeuer tribute payers, or
ambassadours come vnto him, they must haue horses, carriages, and expenses
allowed them. [Sidenote: Their barbarous inhumanitie towards ambassadours.]
Notwithstanding ambassadours comming from other places do suffer great
misery, and are in much wante both of victuals, and of apparel: especially
when they come to any of the dukes, and there they are constrayned to make
some lingering abode. Then ten men are allowed so little sustenance, that
scarcely two could liue thereof. Likewise, if any iniuries be offered them,
they cannot without danger make complaint. Many gifts also are demaunded of
them, both by dukes and others, which if they do not bestow, they are
basely esteemed, and set at nought. And hereupon, wee were of necessitie
enforced to bestowe in giftes a great part of those things which were giuen
vs by well disposed people, to defray our charges. To be short, all things
are so in the power and possession of the Emperour, that no man dare say,
This is mine, or, this is my neighbours, but all, both goods, cattell and
men are his owne. Concerning this matter also he published a statute of
late. The very same authority and iurisdiction doe the dukes in like sorte
exercise vpon their subiects.


De electione Imperatoris Occoday, et legatione Ducis Bathy. Cap. 15.

[Sidenote: Occoday surrogatur patri. Bathy eiusque expeditio.] Mortuo, vt
suprà dictum est, Cyngischam conuenerunt Duces, et elegerunt Occoday,
filium eius Imperatorem. Qui habito consilio Principum, diuisit exercitus.
Misitque Bathy, qui in secundo gradu attingebat eum, contra terram
Altissodan et contra terram Bisminorum, qui Sarraceni erant, sed
loquebantur Comanicum. Qui terram illorum ingressus, cum eis pugnauit,
eósque sibi bello subiecit. [Sidenote: Barchin ciuitas.] Quædam autem
ciuitas, nomine Barchin, diu restitit eis. Ciues enim in circuitu ciuitatis
foueas multas fecerant, propter quas non poterant à Tartaris capi, donec
illas repleuissent. [Sidenote: Sarguit ciuitas.] Ciues autem vrbis Sarguit
hoc audientes, exierunt obuiam eis, spontè in manus eoram se tradentes.
Vnde ciuitas eorum destructa non fuit, sed plures eorum occiderunt, et
alios transtulerunt, acceptisque spolijs, vrbem alijs hominibus
repleuerunt, et contra ciuitatem Orna perrexerunt. [Sidenote: Orna
ciuitas.] Hæc erat nimium populosa et diuitijs copiosa. Erant enim ibi
plures Christiani, videlicet Gasari et Rutheni, et Alani, et alij nec non
et Sarraceni. Erátque Sarracenorum ciuitatis dominium. Est etiam posita
super quendam magnum fluuium, et est quasi portus, habens forum maximum.
Cumque Tartari non possent eos aliter vincere, fluuium qui per vrbem
currebat, præciderunt, et illam cum rebus et hominibus submerserunt. Quo
facto, contra Russiam perrexerunt, et magnam stragem in ea fecerunt,
ciuitates et castra destruxerunt, et homines occiderunt. Kiouiam, Russiæ
metropolin, diu obsederunt, et tandem ceperunt, ac ciues interfecerunt.
[Sidenote: Vide Mechouium lib. 1. cap. 3.] Vnde quando per illam terram
ibamus, innumerabilia capita et ossa hominum mortuorum, iacentia super
campum, inueniebamus. Fuerat enim vrbs valdè magna et populosa, nunc quasi
ad nihilum est redacta: vix enim domus ibi remanserunt ducentæ, quarum
etiam habitatores tenentur in maxime seruitute. Porrò de Russia et de
Comania Tartari contra Hungaros et Polonos processerunt, ibíque plures ex
ipsis interfecti fuerunt, et vt iam superius dictum est, si Hungari
viriliter restitissent, Tartari ab eis confusi recessissent. [Sidenote:
Morduani.] Inde reuertentes in terram Morduanorum, qui sunt Pagani,
venerunt, eósque bello vicerunt. [Sidenote: Bulgaria magna.] Inde contra
Byleros, id est, contra Bulgariam magnam profecti sunt, et ipsam omninò
destruxerunt. [Sidenote: Hungaria magna. Parossitæ.] Hinc ad Aquilonem
adhuc contra Bastarcos, id est Hungariam magnam processerunt, et illos
etiam deuicerunt. Hinc ampliùs ad Aquilonem pergentes, ad Parossitas
venerunt, qui paruos habentes stomachos et os paruum, non manducant sed
carnes decoquunt, quibus decoctis, se super ollam ponunt, et fumum
recipiunt, et de hoc solo reficiuntur, vel si aliquid manducant, hoc valde
modicum est. [Sidenote: Samogetæ.] Hinc et ad Samogetas venerunt qui tantum
de venationibus viuunt, et tabernacula vestésque tantum habent de pellibus
bestiarum. [Sidenote: Monstra aquilinaria.] Inde ad quandam terram super
Oceanum peruenerunt, vbi monstra quædam inuenerunt, quæ per omnia formam
humanam habebant, sed pedes bouinos, et caput quidem humanum, sed faciem vt
canis. Duo verba loquebantur vt homines tertiò latrabant vt canes. Hinc
redierunt in Comaniam, et vsque nunc ibi morantur ex eis quidam.

+ De his regionibus Herbersteinius pag. 8. b. et 91. b. Paret enim hodie
  vtraque Moscuorum Principi. Item de Bulgaria Guaguinus pag. 106. b.


The same in English.

Of the election of Emperour Occoday, and of the expedition of duke Bathy.
  Chap. 15.

[Sidenote: Occoday succeedeth his father. The expedition of Bathy.] After
the death of Chingis Cham aforesayd, the dukes assembled themselues and
chose Occoday his sonne to be their Emperour. And he, entering into
consultation with his nobles, diuided his armies, and sent duke Bathy his
nephew against the countrie of Altisoldan, and against the people called
Bisermini, who were Saracens, but spake the language of Comania. The
Tartars inuading their countrey, fought with them and subdued them in
battel. [Sidenote: The citie of Barchin.] But a certeine citie called
Barchin resisted them a long time. For the citizens had cast vp many
ditches and trenches about their citie, in regard whereof the Tartars could
not take it till they had filled the said ditches. But the citizens of
Sarguit hearing this, came foorth to meete them, yeelding themselues vnto
them of their owne accord. Whereupon their citie was not destroyed, but
they slue manie of them and others they carried away captiue, and taking
spoyles, they filled the citie with other inhabitants, and so marched
foorth against the citie of Orna. [Sidenote: Orna.] This towne was very
populous and exceeding rich. For there were many Christians therein, as
namely Gasarians, Russians, and Alanians, with others, and Saracens also.
The gouernment of the citie was in the Saracens hande. It standeth vpon a
mighty riuer, and is a kinde of porte towne, hauing a great marte exercised
therein. And when the Tartars could not otherwise ouercome it, they turned
the said riuer, running through the citie, out of his chanell, and so
drowned the citie with the inhabitantes and their goods. Which being done,
they set forward against Russia, and made foule hauocke there, destroying
cities and castles and murthering the people. They laid siege a long while
vnto Kiow the chiefe citie of Russia, and at length they tooke it and slue
the citizens. Whereupon, traueiling through that countrey, wee found an
innumerable multitude of dead mens skulles and bones lying vpon the earth.
For it was a very large and a populous citie, but it is nowe in a maner
brought to nothing for there doe scarce remaine 200 houses, the inhabitants
whereof are kept in extreame bondage. Moreouer, out of Russia and Comania,
they proceeded forward against the Hungarians, and the Polonians and there
manie of them were slaine, as is aforesaid and had the Hungarians manfully
withstood them, the Tartars had beene confounded and driuen backe.
[Sidenote: The Morduans.] Returning from thence, they inuaded the countrey
of the Morduans being pagans, and conquered them in battell. [Sidenote:
Bulgaria magna.] Then they marched against the people called Byleri, or
Bulgaria magna, and vtterly wasted the countrey. [Sidenote: Hungaria
magna.] From hence they proceeded towards the North against the people
called Bastarci or Hungaria magna, and conquered them also. [Sidenote:
Parossitæ.] And so going on further North, they came vnto the Parossitæ,
who hauing little stomacks and small mouthes, eate not any thing at all,
but seething flesh they stand or sitte ouer the potte, and receiuing the
steame or smoke thereof, are therewith onely nourished, and if they eate
anie thing it is very little. [Sidenote: Samogetæ.] From hence the came
they came to the Samogetæ, who liue onely vpon hunting, and vse to dwell in
tabernacles onely, and to weare garments made of beastes skinnes.
[Sidenote: The North Ocean.] From thence they proceeded vnto a countrey
lying vpon the Ocean sea, where they found certaine monsters, who in all
things resembled the shape of men, sauing that their feete were like the
feete of an oxe, and they had in deede mens heads but dogges faces.
[Sidenote: Northerne monsters.] They spake, as it were, two words like men,
but at the third they barked like dogges. From hence they retired into
Comania, and there some of them remaine vnto this day.


De legatione Cyrpodan Ducis. Cap. 16.

[Sidenote: Expeditius Cyrpodanis.] Eo tempore misit Occoday Can Cyrpodan
Ducem cum exercitu ad meridiem contra Kergis, qui et illos bello superauit.
Hi homines sunt Pagani, qui pilos in barba non habent. Quorum consuetudo
talis est, vt cum alicuius pater moritur, præ dolore quasi vnam corrigiam
in signum lamenti ab aure vsque aurem de facie sua leuet. His autem
deuicus, Dux Cyrpodan contra Armenios iuit ad meridiem cum suis. Qui cùm
transirent per deserta quædam, monstra inuenerunt effigiem humanam
habentia, quæ non nisi vnum brachium cum manu in medio pectoris, et vnum
pedem habebant, et duo cum vno arco sagittabant, adeóque fortiter
currebant, quòd equi eos inuestitare non poterant. Currebant autem super
vnum pedem illum saltando, et cùm essent fatigati, taliter eundo ibant
super manum et pedem, se tanquam in circulo reuoluendo. Cúmque sic etiam
fessi essent, iterum secundum priorem modum currebant. [Sidenote:
Cyclopedes.] Hos Isidorus Cyclopedes appellat. Et ex eis Tartari non nullus
occiderunt. Et sicut nobis à Ruthenis Clericis in curia dicebatur, qui
morantur cum Imperatore prædicto plures ex eis nuncij venerunt in legatione
ad curiam Imperatoris superius annotati, vt possent habere pacem cum illo.
[Sidenote: Armenia et Georgia subacta.] Inde procedentes venerunt in
Armeniam, quam bello deuicerunt, et etiam Georgiæ partem. Alia vero pars
venit ad mandatum eorum, et singulis annis dederunt, et adhuc dant ei pro
tributo xx millia Yperperarum. Hinc ad terram Soldam Deurum potentis et
magni, processerunt, cum quo etiam pugnantes, ipsum deuicerunt. [Sidenote:
Soklanus Halapiæ.] Denique processerunt vlterius debellando ac vincendo
vsque ad terram Soldani Halapiæ, et nunc etiam terram obtinent, alias
quoque terras vltra illas proponentes impuguare: nec postea reuersi sunt in
terram suam vsque hodie. [Sidenote: Calipha Baldacensis.] Idémque exercitus
contra terram Caliphi Baldach perrexit, quam etiam sibi subdidit, et vt
CCCC Byzantios, exceptis Baldekinis cæterísque muneribus, ei quotidiè pro
tributo daret, obtinuit. Sed et quolibet anno mittunt nuncios ad Caliphum,
vt ad eos veniat. Qui cum tributo munera magna trasmittens, vt eum
supportent, rogat. Ipse autem Imperator Tartarorum munera quidem accipit,
et nihilommus vt veniat, pro eo mittit.


The same in English.

Of the expedition of duke Cyrpodan. Chap. 16.

[Sidenote: Kergis.] At the same time Occoday Can sent duke Cyrpodan with an
armie against Kergis, who also subdued them in battell. These men are
Pagans, hauing no beardes at all. They haue a custome when any of their
fathers die, for griefe and in token of lamentation to drawe as it were, a
leather thong ouerthwart their faces, from one eare to the other. This
nation being conquered, duke Cyrpodan marched with his forces Southward
against the Armenians. And trauailing through certain desert places, they
found monsters in the shape of men, which had each of them but one arme and
one hand growing out of the midst their breast, and but one foote. Two of
them vsed to shoote in one bowe, and they ran so swiftly, that horses could
not ouertake them. They ran also vpon that one foote by hopping and
leaping, and being weary of such walking, they went vpon their hand and
their foote, turning themselues round, as it were in a circle. And being
wearie of so doing, they ran againe according to their wonted manner.
[Sidenote: Cyclopodes.] Isidore calleth them Cyclopedes. And as it was told
vs in court, by the clergie men of Russia, who remaine with the foresayd
Emperour, many ambassadours were sent from them vnto the Emperours court,
to obtaine Peace. [Sidenote: Armenia and Georgia conquered.] From thence
they proceeded forth into Armenia, which they conquered in battell, and
part also of Georgia. And the other part is, vnder their iurisdiction,
paying as yet euery yeare vnto them for tribute, 20000. pieces of coyne
called Yperpera. [Sidenote: The Soldan of Aleppo his land.] From thence
they marched into the dominions of the puissant and mighty Soldan called
Deurum, whom also they vanquished in fight. And to be short, they went on
farther sacking and conquering, euen vnto the Soldan of Aleppo his
dominions, and now they haue subdued that land also, determining to inuade
other countries beyond it: neither returned they afterward into their owne
land vnto this day. [Sidenote: The Caliph of Baldach.] Likewise the same
armie marched forward against the Caliph of Baldach his countrey, which
they subdued also, and exacted as his handes the daylie tribute of 400.
Byzantines, besides Balkakines and other giftes. Also euery yeare they send
messenters vnto the Caliph mouing him to come vnto them. Who sending back
great gifts together with his tribute beseecheth them to be fauourable vnto
him. Howbeit the Tartarian Emperour receiueth al his gifts, and yet still
neuertheles sends for him, to haue him come.


Qualiter Tartari se habent in prælijs. Cap. 17.

Ordinauit Chingischam Tartaros per Decanos et centenarios et millenarios.
[Sidenote: Tartarorum militaris disciplina.] Decem quoque millenarijs
præponunt vnum, cunctóque nihilominus exercitui duos aut tres Duces, ita
tamen vt ad vnum habeant respectum. Cúmque in bello contra aliquos
congrediuntur nisi communiter cedant, omnes qui fugiunt, occiduntur. Et si
vnus aut duo vel plures ex decem audacter accedunt ad pugnam, alij verò ex
illo Denario non sequuntur similiter occiduntur. Sed etiam si vnus ex decem
vel plures capiuntur, socij eorum si non eos liberant, ipsi etiam
occiduntur. Porò arma debent habere tallia. Duos arcus vel vnum bonum ad
minus. [Sidenote: Armatura.] Trésque pharetras sagittis plenas, et vnam
securim et funes ad machinas trahendas. Diuites autem habent gladios in
fine acutos, ex vna parte tantum incidentes, et aliquantulum curuos. Habent
et equos armatos, crura etiam tecta, galeas et loricas. Verùm loricas et
equorum cooperturas quidam habent de corio, super corpus artificiosè
duplicato vel etiam triplicato. Galea verò superius est de chalybe, vel de
ferro: sed illud, quod in circuitu protegit collum et gulam, est de corio.
Quidam autem de ferro habent omnia supradicta, in hunc modum formata.
Laminas multas tenues ad vnius digni latitudinem et palmæ longitudinem
faciunt, et in qualibet octo foramina paruula facientes, interius tres
corrgias strictas et fortes ponunt. Sicque laminas, vnam alij quasi per
gradus ascendendo, supponunt. Itáque laminas ad corrigias, tenuibus
corrigiolis per foramina prædicta immissis, ligant, et in superiori parte
corrigiolam vnam ex vtraque parte duplicatam cum alia corrigiola consuunt,
vt laminæ simul benè firmitérque cohæreant. Hæc faciunt tam ad cooperturas
equorum, quàm ad armaturas hominum. Adeóque faciunt ilia lucere, quod in
eis potest homo faciem suam videre. Aliqui verò in collo ferri lanceæ vncum
habent, cum quo de sella, si possunt, hominem detrahant. Sagittarum eorum
ferramenta sunt acutissima, ex vtraque parte quasi gladius biceps
incidentia, sempérque iuxta pharetram portant limas ad acuendum sagittas.
Habent verò scuta de viminibus, aut de virgulis facta. Sed non credimus,
quod ea soleant portare, nisi id castra et ad custodiam Imperatoris ac
principum, et hoc tantùm de nocte. [Sidenote: Vsas bellorum.] In bellis
astutissimi sunt: quia per annos xlij. cum cæteris gentibus dimicarunt.
[Sidenote: Mos tranandi flumina.] Cùm autem ad flumim peruenerunt, maiores
habent rotundum ac letie corium, in cuius summitate per circuitum ansas
erebras facientes funem imponunt ac stringunt, ita quod in circuitu quasi
ventrem efficiunt, quem vestibus ac rebus cæteris replent, fortissimeque ad
inuicem comprimunt. In medio autem ponunt sellas et alias res duriores: ibi
quoque sedent homines. Huiusmodi nauim ad equi caudam ligant, et hominem,
qui equum regat, pariter natare faciunt, vel habent aliquando duos remos,
cum quibus remigant. Equo igitur in aquam impulso, omnes alij equi
sequuntur illum, et sic transeunt fluuium. Pauperior autem quilibet vnam
bursam vel saccum de corio bene consutum habet, in quo res suas omnes
imponit, et in summitate fortiter ligatum, ad equi caudam suspendit, sicque
modo prædicto transit.


The same in English.

How the Tartars behaue themselues in warre. Chap. 17.

[Sidenote: The military discipline of the Tartars] Chingis Cham diuided his
Tartars by captaines of ten, captaines of an 100, and captaines of a 1000.
And ouer ten Millenaries or captains of a 1000, he placed, as it were, one
Colonel, and yet notwithstanding ouer one whole army he authorised two or
three dukes, but yet so that all should haue especiall regart vnto one of
the said dukes. And when they ioine battel against any other nation, vnles
they do all with one consent giue backe, euery man that flies is put to
death. And if one or two, or more of ten proceed manfully to the battel,
but the residue of those ten draw backe and follow not the company, they
are in like manner slaine. Also, if one among ten or more bee taken, their
fellowes, if they rescue them not, are punished with death. [Sidenote:
Their weapons.] Moreouer they are enioined to haue these weapons following.
Two long bowes or one good one at the least, three quiuers full of arrowes,
and one axe, and ropes to draw engines withal. But the richer sort haue
single edged swords, with sharpe points, and somewhat crooked. They haue
also armed horses with their shoulders and breasts defenced, they haue
helmets and brigandines. Some of them haue iackes, and caparisons for their
horses made of leather artificially doubled or trebled vpon their bodies.
The vpper part of their helmet is of iron or steele, but that part which
compasseth about the necke and the throate is of leather. Howbeit some of
them haue of the foresaide furniture of iron trimed in maner following.
They beate out many thinne plates a finger broad and a handful long, and
making in euery one of them eight littel holes, they put thereunto three
strong and straight leather thongs. So they bind the plates one to another,
as it were, ascending by degrees. Then they tie the plates vnto the said
thongs with other small and slender thongs drawen through the holes
aforesaid, and in the vppper part, on each side therof, they fasten one
small doubled thong vnto another, that the plates may firmely be knit
together. These they make as well for their horses caparisons, as for the
armour of their men: And they skowre them so bright that a man may behold
his face in them. Some of them vpon the necke of their launce haue an
hooke, wherewithall they attempt to pull men out of their saddles. The
heads of their arrowes are exceedingly sharpe cutting both wayes like a two
edged sworde, and they alwaies carie a file in their quiuers to whet their
arrowheads. They haue targets made of wickers, or of small reddes. Howbeit
they doe not (as we suppose) accustome to carrie them, but onely about the
tents or in the Emperours or dukes guards, and that only in the night
season. [Sidenote: Their experience and cunning in warres.] They are most
politique in warres, hauing bene exercised therein with other nations for
the of these 42. yeres. [Sidenote: Their maner of passing ouer riuers.]
When they come at any riuers the chiefe men of the company haue a round and
light piece of leather, about the borders whereof making many loopes, they
put a rope into them to draw it together like a purse, and so bring it into
the round forme of a ball, which leather they fill with their garments and
other necessities trussing it vp most strongly. But vpon the midst of the
vpper parte thereof, they lay their saddles and other hard things there,
also doe the men themselues sit. This their boate they tye vnto an horse
tayle, causing a man to swimme before, and to guide ouer the horse, or
sometime they haue two oares to row themselues ouer. The first horse
therefore being driuen into the water all the other horses of the company
followe him, and so they passe through the riuer. But the poorer sorte of
common souldiers haue euery man his leather bag or sachell well sown
together, wherin he packs vp all his trinkets, and strongly trussing it vp
hangs it at his horses tayle, and so passeth ouer in maner aforesaid.


Qualiter resistendum sit eis. Cap 18

Nullam æstimo prouinciam esse quæ per se possit eis resistere: quia de omni
terra potestatis suæ solent homines ad bellum congregare. Et siquidem
vicina prouincia non vult eis opem ferre, quam impugnant, delentes illum
cum hominibus, quos ex illa capiunt, contra aliam pugnant. [Sidenote:
[Greek: Harainesis] de bello contra Tartaros gerendo.] Et illos quidem in
acie primos ponunt et si malè pugnant, ipsos occidunt. Itaque si Christiani
eis resistere volunt oportet quòd Principes ac rectores terrarum in vnum
conueniant, ac de communi consilio eis resistant Habeántque pugnatores
arcus fortes et balistais, quas multùm timent sagittásque sufficientes
dolabrum quoque de bono ferro, vel securim cum manubrio longo. [Sidenote:
Ferri temperamentum.] Ferramenta verò sagittarum more Tartarorum, quando
sunt calida, temperare debent in aqua, cum sale mixta, vt fortia sint ad
penetrandum illorum arma. Gladios etiam et lanceas cum vncis habeant, qui
volunt, ad detrahendum illos de sella, de qua facillimè cadunt. Habeant et
galeas et arma catera, ad protegendum corpus et equum ab armis et saggitis
eorum, et si qui non ita sunt armati, debent more illorum post alios ire,
et contra ipsos arcubus vel balistis traijcere. Et sicut dictum est suprà
de Tartaris, debent acies suas ordinare, ac legem pugnantibus imponere.
Quicunque conuersus fuerit ad prædam ante victoriam maximam debet poenam
subire: talis enim apud illos occiditur absque miseratione. Locus ad
prælium, si fieri potest, eligendus est planus, vt vndíque possint videre,
nec omnes debent in vnum conuenire, sed acies multas et diuisas, nec tamen
nimis distantes ab inuicem facere. Contra illos qui primò veniunt, debent
vnam aciem mittere, et alia parata sit ad iuuandum illam opportuno tempore.
Habeant et speculatores ex omni parte, qui videant, quando veniunt acies
cætere. Nam ideò semper debent aciem contra aciem, vt ei occurrant,
mittere, quoniam illi semper nituntur aduersarios in medio concludere. Hoc
autem acies caueant, ne si etiam illi fugere videantur, diu post illos
currant, ne fortè, sicut facere solent, ipsos ad paratas insidias trahent:
quia plus fraudulentia quàm fortitudine pugnant. Et iterum ne fatigentur
equi eorum: quia nostri multitudinem non habent equorum. Tartari verò quos
equitant die vna, non ascendunt tribus diebus, vel quatuor postea. Prætera
si cedunt Tartari, non ideò debent nostri recedere, vel ab inuicem
separari: quoniam hoc simulando faciunt, vt exercitus diuidatur, et sic ad
terræ destructionem liberè ingrediantur. Cæterùm Duces nostri die noctúque
facere debent exercitum custodiri: nec iacere spoliati, sed semper ad
pugnam parati: quia Tartari quasi Dæmones semper vigilant, excogitantes
artem nocendi. Porrò si aliqui Tartarorum in bello de suis equis
proijciuntur, statim capiendi sunt, quia quando sunt in terra fortiter
sagittant, et equos hominésque vulnerant.


The same in English.

Howe they may be resisted. Chap. 18.

I deeme not any one kingdome or prouince able to resist them because they
vse to take vp souldiers out of euery countrey of their dominions. And if
so be the neighbour prouince which they inuade, wil not aide them, vtterly
wasting it, with the inhabitants therof, whom they take from thence with
them, they proceed on to fight against another countrey. And placing their
captiues in the forefront of the battell, if they fight not couragiously,
they put them to the sworde. [Sidenote: Counsel how to wage warre against
the Tartar.] Wherefore, if Christians would withstande them, it is
expediennt, that the prouinces and gouernours of countreies should agree in
one, and so by common counsell, should giue them resistance. Their
souldiers also must be furnished with strong hand-bowes and cros-bowes,
which they greatly dread, and with sufficient arrowes, with maces also of
good iron, or an axe with a long handle or staffe. [Sidenote: A notable
temper of iron or steele.] When they make their arrow heads they must
(according to the Tartars custome) dip them red-hot into water mingled with
salte, that they may be strong to pierce the enemies armour. They that wil
may haue swords also and lances with hooks at the ends, to pull them from
their saddles, out of which they are easilie remoued. They must haue
helmets likewise and other armour to defend themselues and their horses
from the Tartars weapons and arrowes, and they that are vnarmed, must
(according to the Tartars custome) march behinde their fellowes, and
discharge at the enemie with long bowes and cros-bowes. And (as it is aboue
said of the Tartars) they must orderly dispose their bandes and troupes,
and ordeine lawes for their souldiers. Whosoeuer runneth to the pray or
spoyle, before the victorie be achieued, must vndergoe a most seuere
punishment. For such a fellow is put to death among the Tartars without all
pitie or mercie. The place of battel must be chosen, if it be possible, in
a plaine fielde, where they may see round about, neither must all be in one
company, but in manie and seuerall bandes, not very farre distant one from
another. They which giue the first encounter must send one band before, and
must haue another in a readynesse to relieue and second the former in time
conuenient. They must haue spies also on euery side to giue them notice
when the rest of the enemies bandes approch. For therefore ought they
alwayes to send forth band against band and troupe against troupe, because
the Tartar euer practiseth to gette his enemie in the midst and so to
enuiron him. Let our bands take this caveat also, if the enemie retire, not
to make any long pursuit after him, lest peraduenture (according to his
custome) he might draw them into some secret ambush: for the Tartar fights
more by policie than by maine force. Those horses which the Tartars vse one
day, they ride not vpon three or foure dayes after. Moreouer, if the
Tartars draw homeward, our men must not therefore depart and casseir their
bandes, or separate themselues asunder: because they doe this vpon policie,
namely to haue our armie diuided, that they may more securely inuade and
waste the countrey. And in very deede, our captaines ought both day and
night to keepe their armie in a readines: and not to lie out of their
armour, but at all assayes, to bee prouided for battell. For the Tartars
like deuils are alwaies watching and deuising howe to practise mischiefe.
Furthermore, if in battell any of the Tartars be cast off their horse
backes, they must presently bee layd holde on and taken, for being on foote
they shoote strongly, wounding and killing both horses and men.


De itinere Fratris Iohannis de Plano carpini vsque ad primam custodiam
  Tartarorum. Cap. 19.

Nos igitur ex mandato sedis Apostolicæ cùm iremus ad Orientis nationes,
elegimus prius ad Tartaros proficisci: quia timebamus, ne per illos in
proximo Ecclesiæ Dei periculum immineret. [Sidenote: Itinarium Iohann. et
sociorum legatorum.] Itaque pergentes, ad regem Boëmorum peruenimus: qui
cum esset nobis familiaris, consuluit, vt per Poloniam et Russiam iter
ageremus. Habebat enim consanguineos in Polinia, quorum auxilo Russiam
intrare possemus. [Sidenote: Boleslaus Dux Silesiæ.] Datísque literis et
bono conductu, fecit et expensas nobis dari per curias et ciuitates eius,
quo vsque ad Ducem Silesiæ Bolezlaum, nepotem eius, veniremus, qui etiam
erat nobis familiaris et notus. Hinc et ipse nobis similiter fecit, donec
veniremus ad Conradum, Ducem [Marginal note: Mazouiæ.] Lautisciæ, ad quem
tunc, Dei gratia nobis fauente, venerat Dominus Wasilico, Dux Russiæ, à quo
etiam plenius de facto audiuimus Tartarorum: quia nuncios illuc miserat,
qui iam redierant ad ipsum. Audito autem, quòd opporteret nos illis munera
dare, quasdam pelles castorum et aliorum animalium fecimus emi, de hoc,
quod datum nobis fuerat in eleemosynam ad subsidium viæ. Quod agnoscentes
Dux Conradus et [Marginal note: Grimislaua vt Mechouius lib. 1. cap. 9.]
Ducissa Cracouiæ, et Episcopus et quidam milites, plures etiam nobis
dederunt huiusmodi pelles. Denique Dux Wasilico à Duce Cracouiæ, et
Episcopo atque Baronibus pro nobis attentè rogatus, secum nos in terram
suam duxit, et vt aliquantulum quiesceremus aliquot diebus nos in expensis
suis detinuit. [Sidenote: Literæ Papa ad Russos.] Et cùm rogatus à nobis,
fecisset Episcopos suos venire, legimus eis literas Domini Papæ, monentis
eos, ad sanctæ matris Ecclesiæ vnitatem redire. Ad idem quoque nos ipsi
monuimus eos, et induximus, quantum potuimus, tam Ducem quàm Episcopos et
alios. [Sidenote: Daniel, frater Basilij.] Sed quia Dux Daniel, frater
Wasiliconis prædicti, præsens non erat, quoniam ad Baty profectus erat, non
potuerunt eo tempore finaliter respondere. Post hæc Dux Wasilico transmisit
nos vsque in Kiouiam metropolin Russiæ, cum seruiente vno. [Sidenote:
Lituani.] Ibamus tamen in periculo capitis semper propter Lituanos, qui
sæpè faciebant insultum super terram Russiæ et in illis maximè locis, per
quos debebamus transire. At per prædictum seruientem eramus securi à
Ruthenis, quorum etiam maxima pars occisa vel captiuata erat à Tartaris.
Porrò in Danilone vsque ad mortem tunc infirmati fuimus. Nihilominus tamen
in vehiculo per niuem et frigus magnum trahi nos fecimus. Cum ergò Kiouiam
peruenimus, habuimus de via nostra consilium cum millenario ac cæteris
ibidem nobilibus. [Sidenote: Pabulum equorum Tartario.] Qui responderunt
nobis, quòd si duceremus equos illos, quos tunc habebamus, ad Tortaros, cùm
essent magnæ niues, morerentur omnes: qui nescirent herbam fodere sub niue,
sicut equi faciunt Tartarorum, nec inueniri posset aliquod pro eis ad
manducandum, cùm Tartari nec stramina nec foenum habeant, nec pabulum.
Itaque decreuimus eos illic dimittere cum duobus pueris, deputatis eorum
custodiæ. Ideóque nos oportuit millenario dare munera, vt ipsum haberemus
propitium, ad dandum nobis equos subductitios et conductum. Secundo igitur
die post festum Purificationis cepto itinere, venimus ad villam Canouæ, quæ
sub Tartaris erat immediatè. [Sidenote: Micheas [Greek: pankakos].] Cuius
præfectus nobis dedit equos et conductum vsque ad aliam, in qua reperimus
præfectum Micheam omni malitia plenum. Qui tamen acceptis à nobis muneribus
secundum velle suum, duxit nos vsque ad primam custodiam Tartarorum.


The same in English.

Of the iourney of frier [Marginal note: Iohannes de plano Carpini.] Iohn
  vnto the first guard of the Tartars. Chap. 19.

[Sidenote: The iourney of frier Iohn and his fellow Legates.] We therefore
by the commaundement of the sea apostolique setting foorth towards the
nations of the East, chose first to trauel vnto the Tartars, because we
feared that there might be great danger imminent vpon the Church of God
next vnto them, by their inuasions. [Sidenote: B

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