TRAVELS OF JOSAFA BARBARO. (continued 2)

Nowe shall we beginne to entre into the mountaigne Taurus, whose ende is towards the sea Maggiore, in the ꝓties of Trabisonda, and streccheth east-sowtheast towardes the golfe called Sinus Persicus, at thentree of which mountaigne arr exceeding high, and stype hilles enhabited wᵗʰ a certain people called Corbi,[69] different in languaige from all their neighboʳˢ, exceading crewell, and not so much theevishe as openly given to roberie. They have many townes, buylded vpon bankes and high places, to discover all passaiges that they may robbe them that passe. Wherfore many of those townes have been destroied by the Lordes of the cuntrey for the damaige they have doon to the Carouanes passeng by them. As I for my ꝓte have had some exꝑience of their condicioñs.

Scimetarra is like that we call a fawchon.

Musaico is an excellent kinde of paincteng wᵗʰ golde.

The iiijᵗʰ day of Aprile, the yere 1474, being departed from a towne called Chesan, apꝓteyneng to a Lorde that is subiect to Assambei, about halfe a daies ioʳney from the towne; having in my companie an Ambassadoʳ of the said Assambei, vpon an high hill we were assaulted by these Corbi, who slewe the said Ambassadoʳ and my Secretaire wᵗʰ ij other, and having hurte me and the rest, they tooke our sompters and all that they founde. I being on horsebacke fledde out of the waie all alone, and aftre me came they that were hurte; insomuch that at length we gate us into the company of a Califfo, that is as much to say, as an heade pylgryme, wᵗʰ whom we travailed as well as we coulde. The iijᵈᵉ day folowing we came to Vastan,[70] a citie decaied and yll enhabited, for it hath not above ccc houses. Twoo daies ioʳney thense we founde a towne called Choy,[71] which is also decaied, having about cccc houses, and thinhabitants lyve of handicrafte and tillaige. Being come in maner to thende of the mountaigne Taurus, I determyned to departe from this Califfo; and taking one of his companions for my guyde, wᵗhin three daies ioʳney we came neere to the famouse citie of Thauris, and being in the brode champaigne, we mett wᵗʰ certain Turcomanni, who, wᵗʰ certein Corbi in their companie, came towardes vs, askeng vs whither we went. I answered that I was going towardes the King Assambei wᵗʰ l’res directed vnto him. Than one of them praied me to lett him see them: and because I told him curteyslie it was not convenient, I shulde putt them in his handes, he lyfte vp his fist and strake me such a blowe on the face that the paine thereof lasted me iiij moonethes after; besides that they beate my trowchman unhappely, and so lefte vs yll content, as all men may think. Being come to Thauris, we went into a canostra, that is to weete (after oʳ maner) an Inne, from whense I signified to the King Assambei (being than there present) that I was come, desireng to be brought to his presence. And incontinently the next morneng being sent for, I presented myself vnto him, so yll apparailed that I darr assure yoᵘ all that I had about me was not woʳthe ij ducates. He receaved me curteslie, and than badde me welcome, saieng that he had beene well advertised of the death of his ambassadoʳ and of the other twoo, and also of my roberie, promiseng me to see all redressed in such sorte as we shulde susteigne no losse. Than I presented vnto him my l’res of credence, which I had alwaies carried in my boosome; and bicause there was none about him that coulde reade it, he made me reade it myself, and so to be declared vnto him by an interpretoʳ. And whan he vnderstode the contents of it, he badde me (aftre oʳ own maner) repaire to his counsaill, and to deliver them in writeng what had been taken from me, and further to declare what I had to saie, and so to retoʳne to my lodging till he shulde see tyme to send for me. The place wheare I had this accesse to the King was on this maner. First, it had a gate wᵗhin the which was a quadrant of iiij or v paces square, wheare sate his chief astates that passed not eight or ten in nombre. Than was there an other gate neere to the first, in the which stoode a porter wᵗʰ a little staffe in his hande. Whan I was entered that gate I passed through a grene garden like a meadowe full of trufles, wᵗʰ mudde walles, in the which on the right syde was a pavement. About xxx paces further was there a lodge, volte wise, aftre oʳ maner, iiij or v steppes higher than the foresaid pavement. In the middest of this lodge was a fountaigne like vnto a little gutter, alwaies full of water, and in thentrie of it the king himself sate on a cusshion of cloth of gold, wᵗʰ another at his backe, and besides him was his buckler of the Moresco fac̃on with his scimitarra, and all the lodge was laied wᵗʰ carpettes, his chiefest Princes sitteng round about. The lodge was all wrought of Musaico, not so small as we vse, but great and verie faire of divers coloʳˢ.

The first day I came to hym he had divers syngers and plaiers, wᵗʰ harpes of a yarde longe, which they holde wᵗʰ the sharpe ende vpwardes; and besides that lutes, rebickes, cymbales, and baggepipes, all which plaied agreablie. The next daie he sent me twoo garmentes of sylke, that is, to witt, a straict gowne furred wᵗʰ barco and a jackett, a towell of sylke to girde me, a fyne peece of lynen called bumbasie to putt on my hedde, and xx ducats, sending me worde wᵗhall that I shulde go to Maidan, that is, to witt, to the markett place to see the Tarafuccio,[72] that is, to weete, the plaie. Thither I went on horsebacke, wheare in the markett place I founde about iij horsemen and more than twies as many on foote, besides the King’s children, which were looking out at certein wyndowes. To this place certein wylde wolves were brought, ledde wᵗʰ cordes tied to eche one of their hynder feete, and those wolves were by one and one lett go in the middest of the place. And to the first there came a man appointed vnto it, offering to stryke him. The wolfe flewe streighte towards his throte; but the man, which was nymble, shifted him of in such wise as the wolfe tooke no holde but on his arme, which coulde take no hurte by reason of his sleeves that were prepared for it. The horses fled for feare amongst the prease, and many fell, some in the place and some into the water which renneth through the citie. And whan they had weeried one wolfe than they lett slyppe an other, which kinde of plaie they use every frydaie.

This pastyme being ended, I was brought to the King’s presence into the place before mencioned; and was caused to sit honorably, and likewise others being sett in their places as many as coulde conveniently sytt wᵗhin that lodge, and the rest according to their degrees sitteng vpon carpetts aftre the Morisco maner, table clothes were spredde vpon the carpetts, and every man had sett before hym a sylver basen wᵗʰ a pott of wyne, an ewer of water, and a little dishe all of silver. This meane while there came in certein men sent from a Prince of India, wᵗʰ certein strange beastes; the first whereof was a leonza[73] ledde in a chayne by one that had skyll, which they call in their languaige Babureth. She is like vnto a lyonesse: but she is redde coloured, streaked over all wᵗʰ blacke strykes; her face is redde wᵗʰ certein white and blacke spottes, the bealy white, and tayled like the lyon: seemyng to be a marvailouse fiers beast. Than was there a lyon brought fooʳthe and shewed to the leonza somewhat of. At the sight whereof the leonza soddainely squatted, as it had been a catte, and as though she wolde have leaped on the lyon, if the keeper had not drawen her backe. Aftre this were twoo elephantes brought, which, whan they came forneagainst the kinge aftre certein woordes spoken to them by their leader, looked vp to the kinge and than enclyned their heades wᵗʰ a certein gravitie, as though they did him reverence. The greater of them was brought to a tree in the gardein as bigge as a mannes myddell, which (aftre certein woordes spoken by his keeper) he shaked on thone side wᵗʰ his heade, and then toʳned and did as much on thother side: so that he plucked it vp.

Zibetto is muske.

Aftre this was brought fooʳthe a Giraffa, which they call Girnaffa, a beast as longe legged as a great horse, or rather more; but the hynder legges are halfe a foote shorter than the former, and is cloven footed as an oxe, in maner of a violett coloʳ myngled all over wᵗʰ blacke spottes, great and small according to their places: the bealy white somewhat longe heared, thynne heared on the tayle as an asse, litle hornes like a goate, and the necke more than a pace longe: the tonge a yarde longe, violett and rounde as an eele, wᵗʰ the which he graseth or eateth the leaves from the trees so swiftely that it is skarsely to be ꝓceaved. He is headed like a harte, but more fynely, wᵗʰ the which standing on the grounde he woll reache xv foote high. His brest is broder than the horse, but the croope narowe like an asse; he seemath to be a mervaillouse faire beast, but not like to beare any burden. Aftre these were brought fooʳthe in three cages three paire of doves, white and blacke like vnto ours, saving they were longe necked like a goose: being (as I believe) rare byrdes in those parties, ells they wolde never have brought them fooʳthe. Finally aftre all these there were three popingaies of divers coloʳˢ brought fooʳthe, and twoo of those cattes that make zibetto. Than was I taken vp and brought into a chamber, wheare I dyned, and whan I had doon he that attended on Ambassadoʳˢ badde me farewell and willed me to departe. Nevertheles, immediately aftre I came to my lodging I was sente for againe, and being come to the kinge he asked me why I departed? wherevnto I answered that my governoʳ gave me leave; for the which the king being offended, caused him incontinently to be called, layed flatt, and beaten in his presence. Howbeit, viij daies aftre at my request he was restored into favoʳ. The morowe aftre this man was beaten the King sent for me early: who, being in the place aforesaid, caused me to sytt as I did the other tyme.

Sandalo is the tree that the spice called Saunders is made of.

This daie being holydaie, and for the com̄yng of the Ambassadoʳˢ of India, there were verie great tryomphs made. First his coʳtiers were apparailed in cloth of golde, sylkes and chamlettes of divers coloʳˢ. In the lodge were sett about xlᵗⁱᵉ of the most honourable, and in the entries about an c, wᵗhout thentry about cc, betwene the two gates about Lᵗⁱᵉ, and in the streete wᵗhout about xxᵐ, all readie sett, looking for meate, in the myddest of whom there were about iiijᵐ horses. And standing in this order the twoo Ambassadoʳˢ of India came in, who were made to sytt forneagainst the kinge, and than incontinently were the presents brought fooʳthe, which passed before the king and his companie on this wise. First, the beastes rehersed before. Next, about an c men, one aftre an other, everie man having on his arme v tolpani,[74] that is to saie, v peeces of verie fyne bombasses lynen cloth wᵗʰ the which they make those rolles that they were on their heades being woʳthe v or vij ducates a peece. Than came there vi men, every man wᵗʰ vi peeces of sylke on his arme. Than came there ix, every one of them wᵗʰ a little dishe of sylver full of such pretiouse stones as I shall declare vnto yoʷ hereafter. After them came certein wᵗʰ vessells and disshes of porcellana. Than some wᵗʰ woodde of aloes and great large peeces of sandali. Than came there xxv fardells of spices, caried wᵗʰ cowle stakes[75] by iiij men at every fardell. These things being passed, meate was brought fooʳthe, and every man serued. Aftre dyner the king asked thambassadoʳˢ wheather there were any other king than theirs that was Mossulman (that is to saie, Macomettane), who answered that there were two others, but all the rest were Christians. The morowe aftre the king sent for me, and tolde me that he wolde make me a litle passetyme in shewing me the jewells that were sent him out of India, and first caused to be deliuered vnto me a rynge (that serveth to drawe their bowe) of golde wᵗʰ a rubie in the myddest of twoo carretts, and some dyamands about it. Also ij ringes of golde, wᵗʰ twoo rubies waieng iiij carretts. Three skore threades of perles of v carretts a peece, white, but not rounde. A pointed dyamant of xxᵗⁱᵉ carretts, not verie cleane, but of a good water. Twoo heades of deade byrdes[76] in a camewe,[77] which seemed verie straunge in respect of the fowle of our regions. And having shewed me these jewells, he asked me howe I lyked that present, addeng that a king sent them vnto him from beyonde the seas: that is, to witt, from beyonde the Golfe of Persia. I answered that the present was verie faire and of great value, though not so great but that I esteemed him wooʳthie of a much greater. Well, than, said he, thoʷ shalt also see my jewells. Wherevpon, he com̄aunded a chyldes coyfe of silke to be deliuered vnto me. But I incontinently tooke myne handekerchief to receave it wᵗhall to thentent I wolde not tooʷche it wᵗʰ myne hande: wherewᵗʰ he behelde me, and tornyng to his owne folkes, smylingly said, See the Italian, as though he com̄ended my maner in receaving the coyfe. On the toppe of this coyfe there was a balasse bored through and fac̃oned lyke a date, clene, and of a good coloʳ, waieng an cᵗ carretts, about the which were certein great turcasses, but they were olde, and likewise certein perles also olde. Besides this, he caused me to see certein vessells of Porcellana and Diaspro,[78] very faire.

Cowpe is an whole volted roofe.

Bucasin is a verie fine lynen cloth made of cotton.

An other tyme, com̄yng to him, I founde hym in a chambre vnder a pavylion: and than he asked me howe I lyked it. And wheather they vsed any such in oʳ cuntreyes, I answered him that I lyked it excellently well; and that there was no comparyson to be made of oʳ places vnto his; both bicause his power ferre exceeded ours, and also for that we vsed no such chambers; and truly it was exceading faire. For the tymbre was well wrought aftre the fac̃on of a cowpe:[79] and hanged about wᵗʰ clothes of sylke, embrowderie, and golde and all the floore covered wᵗʰ excellent good carpetts, being about xiiij paces over. Beyonde this chamber was a great square tent embroʷdered, pitched, as it had been, betweene foure trees sett to shadowe it, betweene which and the cowpe there was a pavylion of Bucasin, all wrought and embrowdered wᵗhinfooʳthe. The chambre doore was of the woodde of Sandali entrelaced wᵗʰ threedde of golde and nettes of perle wrought and embrowdered wᵗhinfooʳthe. I founde the king sytteng there with his greatest ꝓsonaiges about him, having before hym a towell folded vp: which he vnfolded, and tooke out of it a threade of twelue balasses, lyke vnto olyves, of very clene coloʳ, betweene L and lxxx carratts a peece. Than tooke he out one sable balasse of twoo ounces and an halfe of a goodley fac̃on, bigge as a fynger, wᵗhout any hole and of excellent coloʳ, in thone corner whereof were certein moresco l’res graven, wᶜʰ moved me to aske what l’res they were, and he answered me that a certein king had caused them there to be graven, syns whose tyme neither his predecessoʳ nor he wolde grave any moore, bicause it shulde deface the whole. Than he asked me what that rubie might be woʳthe. I looked on him and smyled; wherevpon he asked me again, How I lyked it? I tolde him I had never seene the lyke, nor I thought never to finde any that might be a paragone vnto it. And if I shulde valewe it, the balassi, if he had a tongue might aske me wheather ever I had seene the lyke: to the which I shulde be dryven to saye no. So that I belieue he is not to be valewed wᵗʰ golde, but ꝑadventure, some citie might answere him. He looked earnestly on me, and saied Pran cataini cataini. The worlde hath iij eyes, whereof the Cataines haue two and the Franchi one. In dede thoʷ hast said truly. And toʳneng him towardes them that were about him he tolde them howe he had asked me what that balassi might be woʳthe and what answere I had made, rehearsing my woʳds vnto them.

I had before hearde this woʳde Cataini of an ambassadoʳ of Tartarie in his retoʳne from Cataio the yere 1436, who, passeng throwgh Tana wᵗʰ all his trayne, was lodged in my house: I hoping to get some jewell of him. At which time, talking of Cataio, he tolde me howe the chief of that Princes coʳte knewe well what the Franchi were. And vpon my demaunding of him howe it was possible they shulde haue knowledge of the Franchi, he asked me, why shulde they not knowe us? Thoʷ knowest, said he, howe neere we be vnto Capha, and that we practise thither continually; liek as also they reasorte into oʳ Lordo: addeng this further, we Cataini have twoo eyes and yoʷ Franchi one, whereas yoʷ (toʳneng him towards the Tartares that were wiᵗʰ him) haue never a one, which he spake merrylie. So that at this tyme I did the better vnderstande the proverbe, whan the king vsed these woordes vnto me. This doon, he shewed me a rubie, of an once and an halfe, of the fac̃on of a chest nutte, rounde, faire coloʷred, and clene: not bored throwgh and bounde in a cercle of golde, which seemed to me a mervailouse thinge, being so great: he shewed me aftre many balasses, both jewelled and vnjewelled, amongest the which there was one in a square table made aftre the fac̃on of a litle nayle, rounde about the which were v other table balasses, the great one in the middest weying xxx carretts or thereabouts, and the next twenty carrets or thereabouts, betwene the which there were certein great perles and turcasses set not of any great estimac̃on, for they were olde.

These Cassacks are longe and strait, and but half sleeved.

After this he caused certein Cassacks[80] to be brought fooʳthe of clothe of golde, of sylke, and of damaskyne chamlette, lyned wᵗʰ sylke or furred wᵗʰ exceading faire armelynes and sables: telling me these be of the clothes of a towne of Ies.[81] Our apparaill, qd he, is faire; but it waieth a litle to much. Finally, he caused certein sylke carpetts to be brought fooʳthe, which were mervailouse faire.

The morowe aftre, I came to hym againe, and calling me neere, he said vnto me, Thoʷ shalt haue a litle more passetime. And so deliuered me a camewe[82] of the breadeth of a grote, wherein was a womans heade graven; her heare backwarde, and a garlande about her heade. He badde me looke, is not this Mary? I answered, no. Why, who is it than (qᵈ he)? I answered, it was the figure of some of thauncient goddesses that the Burpares[83] woʳshipped, that is, to witt, the Idolaters. He asked me howe I knewe it? I tolde him I knewe it; for these kinde of woʳkes were made before the com̄yng of Jesu Christ. He shaked his heade a litle, and saied no more. Than he shewed me three poincted diamants, one of xxx carretts, very clene both aboue and benethe; and the other betwene x and xij carretts, askeng me wheather there were any such jewells wᵗʰ vs. I tolde him no; wherevpon he tooke vp a masse of perles of xl threades, vpon every one whereof were xxx perles of betwene v and vj carretts a peece: halfe of them rounde, and the rest not unfitt to be iewelled.[84] Than he caused to be putt into a sylver basen about xl perles, like vnto peares and gourdes, of betwene viij and xij carretts a peece, vnbored through and of very faire coloʳ, saieng to me wᵗʰ a smyleng cheere: I coulde shewe the an hoʳse loade of these. This was doon at a bankett by night aftre their maner, at the circumcision of his twoo sonnes.

The daye folowing I repaired to him into a great feelde wᵗhin the towne, wheare wheate had been sowen, the grasse whereof was mowed to make place for the tryomphe and the owners of the grounde satisfied for it. In this place were many pavilions pight,[85] and as sone as he ꝑceaued me he com̄aunded certein of his to go wᵗʰ me, and to shewe me those pavilions, being in nombre about an cᵗʰ, of the which I ꝑvsed xl of the fairest. They all had their chambres wᵗhinfooʳthe, and the roofes all cutt of divers coloʳˢ, the grounde being covered wᵗʰ most beautiful carpetts, betwene which carpetts and those of Cairo and of Borsa[86] (in my iudgement), there is as much difference as betweene the clothes made of Englishe woolles and those of Saint Mathewes. Aftrewardes they caused me to entre into twoo pavylions, which were full of sylke apparaill aftre their fac̃on, and of other sortes of clothes laied on a great heape: on thone side of the which I ꝑceaved to the nombre of xl sadles, trymed wᵗʰ sylver. All which apparaile and sadells they tolde me shulde be given awaie by the king at the tryomphe. They also shewed me twoo great doores of the woodde of Sandali, of vj foote high, a peece sett wᵗʰ golde and moother of perle aftre the woʳke of Tharsia.[87] Than I retoʳned to the king, and took my leafe for that tyme.

The morowe folowing I founde him sitteng in his accustomed place, vnto whom there were brought eight great dishes of woodde: in every of the which was a white sugar loofe made of divers fac̃ons, weying viijˡᵇ a peece, and rounde about it were certein litle disshes wᵗʰ confections of divers coloʳˢ, but for the most parte comfettes. There were also many other disshes brought fooʳthe wᵗʰ other confecc̃ons and frutes. The first eight he appoincted himself to whom they shulde be given: I being the first that was presented wᵗhall, and it was woʳthe betwene iiij and v ducates a peece: the rest was distributed amongest others, according to their degrees.

Camocato is fine Calicut cloth.

The next daie I founde him sett amongest xv ꝓsons, the principall whereof had canopies over their heades, and v or vj stoode before the prince, whom he comaunded to go and apparaill such and such by name. They therevpon went to those that were named, and taking them vp, ledde them to the pavilion, wheare the garmentes were, and aftre their degrees apparalled them, and to some they gave sadells, and to some other they gave horses, to the nombre of xl, in my iudgement: but they that were so apparailed were aboue ccl, amongest whom I was one. This doon, there came certein women that beganne to daunce and to synge wᵗʰ certein that plaied. And than was there sett on a carpett an hatt fac̃oned like a sugar looofe, having on the toppe cuttes and tassells aftre the maner of the hattes of Zubiari,[88] and a litle from it stoode one waiteng the kinges comaundement, who poincted him on whose heade he shulde sett that hatt. Wherevpon he took it vp and went to the person appoincted: which arose, and putteng of his rolle, putt the hatt on his heade; being so unseemely as suffised to haue disgraced a right goodly man. But he hauing it on, passed fooʳthe, daunceng before the king, as he knewe the guyse. And the king gave a signe to him that wayted, com̄aunding him to give to the dauncer a peece of Camocato. And he taking this peece threwe it about the heade of the dauncer and of other men and women: and useing certein woordes in praiseng the king, threwe it before the mynstrells. This daunceng and throwing of peeces lasted till an howre before sonnesett: in the which, by my rekenyng, what of damaske woʳkes, lynenclothe, chamletts, and other like, there were given awaie aboue ccc peeces and aboue lᵗⁱᵉ horses. This doon, they fell to wrasteling on this wise. Two naked men, wᵗʰ breeches and hoses of leather downe to the ankleys, presented themselfs before the king, and they clasped not acrosse, but sought to take eche other by the nape of the necke, which either of them did his best to defende. But whan thone had goten holde on thothers necke, than he that was so taken having none other shifte wolde stoowpe as lowe as he might, and take the other by the backe, lifteng him vp and seeking to throwe him flatt on his backe; for otherwise it was reckened no fall, howbeit divers of them wolde suffer himself to be almost so throwen, and whan it came to the point wolde nevertheles shifte the others to the fall, and so wynne the price. At leingth there came one of these naked wrestlers before the king, so huge a man that he seemed a gyaunte, being yonge and well proporc̃oned, of xxx yeres of age or thereaboutes: whom the king com̄aunded to wrastle: willeng him to seeke a companion. But he, kneeling, spake certein woordes againe, which I being desirouse to vnderstande, it was tolde me that he had besought the king he might not plaie, bicause in plaieng before he had killed some wᵗʰ strayneng of them; wherefore the king was contented to spare him. Vnto these wrastelers there were divers horses given, and the plaie, aftre I was goon, endured till it was twoo houres wᵗhin night; so that there were many other things given. In this, meane whele, the towne was well decked, and spetially the shoppes; for every man sett fooʳthe his best stuf. And there was also a price apoincted to the kings footemen, whose coʳse to renne was a myle and an halfe, not wᵗhall their power, but a good trotting pace, they being spoyled, naked, and anoynted over wᵗʰ larde for the preservac̃on of their synowes, wᵗʰ a breeche of leather for everie of them. And beginneng at the one ende of the race, whan they came trotting to thother, they receaued (of such as were appoincted) an arrowe for a witnesse to them that were ferre of, and coulde not discerne wheather they arrived at the marke or not, liek as whan he retoʳned againe to thother ende, he receaued there also an other arrowe; and so from the one ende to the other as longe as his legges wolde serue him; so that he which shuld most tymes trye that race shulde haue the price. These for whom this price was prepared were all of the kings footemen; which go barelegged and in maner naked, not styckeng to trotte sometymes x daies ioʳney togither.

These triomphes fynisshed, the king, wᵗʰ all his trayne, determyned, according to their custome, to go into the champaigne; wherefore he asked me wheather I wolde go wᵗʰ him and travaill or tarie behinde and make meery. I answered that I had rather wayte on him wᵗʰ much sorowe and trouble than to be from him wᵗʰ great rest and pleasʳ, which answer me seemed he tooke verie thankefully, and so incontinently sent me an horse, a tente, and mooney. Being thus departed from the citie, he wᵗʰ all his trayne tooke that waie which they knewe fittest to furnishe them of pasture and water: travailing at the beginneng betwene x and xv myles a daye: and wᵗʰ him there went iij of his sonnes.

He that wolde here note all the things woʳthie to be noted, shulde take a diffuse entreprise vpon him and shulde sometimes treate of things almost incredible. Wherefore I shall declare so much only as I thinke convenient, leaving the rest to those writers that shall vse more diligence in it than I haue doon.

Thus being in the champaigne there came to visit the king a sonne of his that soggioʳned in the ꝑties of Bagdath, that is to saie, Babilone, and his mother wᵗʰ him, who presented his father wᵗʰ xx goodly horses, c camells, and certein peeces of sylke. Than were there also presented vnto the king by the barons attending on his sonne a nombre of camells and horses, which in my sight at the verie instant were distributed and given awaie by the king to such as pleased him and than went to dyner. But not long after being in the champaigne newes came that an other sonne of his, called Orgalu mahumeth had taken Syras, a notable great citie of his father’s domynion; which he had doone vpon wooʳde that was brought him of his father’s death, wherevpon he determyned to have that towne for himself. These newes being hearde, the king forthwᵗʰ aroase, and wᵗʰ all his people tooke his waie towards Syras, which from that place was distant cxx miles, and travailed wᵗʰ so much speede that between mydnight and the evenyng of the next daie they went xl myles, so that in iij daies he might have been there. Who coulde believe that so great a nombre of people, men, women, and children, and some in the cradell, shulde make so great a speedie voiage, carieng wᵗʰ them all their baggaige and so good ordre, wᵗʰ so much dignitie and pompe, never wanteng breade and seldome wyne (which they needed not to lacke weare it not that a great nombre of them drynke none), and than such plentie of fleshe and fruictes, and all other thinges necessarie? I that have seen it do not only believe, but also knowe it; and to thende that they which hereaftre may happen to travaill thither (if any happen at all) may iudge whether I write trewe or not, and that they which never mynde to see it may also believe it if it shall please them, I shall heare make a special declaration of it.

The noble and principall men which be wᵗʰ the king, and that carie wᵗʰ them their wiefs and children, men and women servants, and their goodes, arr wonte to have many camells and mooyles, the nombre whereof I shall rehearse hereaftre. These carie the sucking children in their cradells at the pomell of the sadell, so that the moother or the nurse ryding may give them sucke, which cradells arr some fairer than other, according to the qualities of the owners, wᵗʰ their sylkes over them, wrought wᵗʰ golde or sylke. Wᵗʰ the lyfte hand they holde the cradell and the brydell both, and wᵗʰ the right hande they drive the horse, beating him wᵗʰ a whippe bounde to their litle fynger. The other children arr also caried on horsebacke vpon certein cages, covered on both sides, and wrowght according to their degrees. The women also ryde on horsebacke in company togither wᵗʰ their maydens and seruants before them according to their astate. The hable men attende on the King’s ꝓson, and reckenyng all togither, they arr so many in nombre that it is a good halfe daies ioʳney from the one ende of them to the other. The women ryde their faces covered wᵗʰ muflers made of horse heare[89] to defende them from sonne burneng in the cleere weather. At this tyme were the musters taken as well of the people as of the cattell on this wise. There was a verie great champaigne environned wᵗʰ horses, so ordered that eche of them tooᵘched the other’s heade, and the men vpon them were partely armed and partely vnarmed, comprehending about xxx myles in circuite, wᵗhin which ordre they all stoode from the morneng vntill sonnesett. Than passed one surveieng and making a reckenyng of them, not taking any mannes name or the markes of the horses in writeng as we vse in these ꝓties, but only called for the capⁿᵉˢ names, and considered the nombre wheather it were in order, and than passed on, wherefore I tooke my seruʷnt wᵗʰ me, and passed through them apace, rekenyng wᵗʰ beanes what nombres I founde, vseng for every Lᵗⁱᵉ to lett a beane fall into my pockett. And whan the musters were past, I made my reckenyng, and founde the nombres and qualities of those things to be, aftre thordre that I shall describe vnto yoᵘ:

Of pavylions, vjᵐˡ;

Of camells, xxxᵐˡ;

Of cariage mooyles, vᵐˡ;

Of cariage horses, vᵐˡ;

Of asses, ijᵐˡ;

And horses of service, xxᵐˡ;

Of the which there were ijᵐˡ covered wᵗʰ certein armure of yron, made in litle squares and wrought wᵗʰ gold and syluer, tacked togither wᵗʰ small mayle, which hanged downe in maner to the grounde, and vnder the golde it had a frynge. The rest were covered, some wᵗʰ leather aftre oʳ maner, some wᵗʰ silke, and some wᵗʰ quilted woʳke so thicke that an arrowe coulde not haue passed throwgh it. The horsemens armoʳ is of the same sorte before rehearsed. Those armures of yron that I first menc̃oned arr made in Besthene,[90] which in oʳ tonge signifieth the v townes, being of twoo miles compasse, and standeth on an hill wheare no man dwelleth but the craftesmen of that science. And if any straunger be desirouse to lerne it, he is accepted wᵗʰ putting in sureties never to departe thense: but to dwell there wᵗʰ the rest, and to applie that occupation. It is trewe that in other places like woʳks arr made, but no wheare so excellent. Aftre this I nombred ijᵐˡ good mooyles, in heardes of small cattaill xxᵐˡ, and of great ijᵐˡ, leopardes to hunte wᵗʰall an c; fawcons gentle and bastarde, cc, grehounds, iijᵐˡ, houndes, a thousande, goshawkes, Lᵗⁱᵉ, souldeoʳˢ for the swearde, xvᵐˡ sclaves, heardmen, cariers, and other like, with sweardes ij, and archers a mˡ, so that in all there myght be about xxvᵐˡ good horsemen, footemen of villaines and bowes, iijᵐˡ, women of the best and myddell sorte, xᵐˡ, women serūnts, vᵐˡ, children of both kindes, of xij yeres and vnder, vjᵐˡ and other children[91] about that age vᵐˡ. Amongst the horsemen there were about one thowsande speares, targettes vᵐˡ, archers about xᵐˡ. The rest, some wᵗʰ one weapon, and some wᵗʰ an other. Amongst the baggaige arr these things folowing, wᵗʰ their prices and owners. First, tayloʳˢ, showmakers, smythes, sadlers, and fletchers in great nombre, wᵗʰ all things necessarie for the campe. Than arr there victuallers that sell breade, fleshe, fruite, wyne, and other things in exceading good order, which is obserued throwghowtlie, and there be many poticaries also wᵗʰ spices. Their breade costeth litle more than oʳˢ doth in Venice. Their wyne costeth aftre the rate of iiij ducates oʳ hoggesheade, not bicause there is any wante of it in the cuntrey, but bicause for the more parte they vse it not. Fleshe aftre the rate of a peny or three halfe pence the pounde; cheese, 1¼ᵈ; rise, 1¼ᵈ; fruicte of all sortes, 1¼ᵈ; and likewise mellones, of the which some waied betwene xxiiij and xxxˡᵇ a peece.

Horsemeate aftre iijᵈ the daie, and showing aftre xiiᵈ an horse mary;[92] for gyrthers, leather sadells, and other horse harneys, there was great skarsetie. As for horses to be solde, there be none but those nagges that arr woʳthe betwene viij and x ducates a peece, and that come out of Tartarie wᵗʰ the merchauntes (as I have saied before), iiij or v thousande at a clappe:[93] which arr solde for iiij, v, or vj ducates a peece: being litell, and serving onlie for cariaige. Amongst the nombre of camells aboue rehearsed, there be viijᵐˡ, of twoo bunches a peece, which haue their coveringes faire wrought, wᵗʰ belles, dyngles, and beadestones of divers sortes hanging at them. Everie man aftre his degree having some x, some xx, and some xxx, tied one to an others tayle, and be ledde every mannes by themselfs for a pompe, wᵗhout any bodie suffred to ryde vpon them. The other camells, of one bunche, carie the pavylions and their masters apparaill in chests, sackes, and fardelles. In like maner, amongest the mooyles there be about ijᵐˡ that carie nothing, but arr ledde for pompe, trapped wᵗʰ goodly coveringes better wrought than those of the camelles be. And of the same sorte, amongest the horses abouemenc̃oned there be about a thousande thus decked. When they travaill by night wᵗʰ the people those that be of reputac̃on, both men and women, haue lightes borne before them, as we vse, which their men and women serunts do carie. Wheare the Prince rydeth there go before him vᶜ horses and more: which haue also their skowtes before them wᵗʰ certein square enseignes, which, cryeng make roome, make roome! to whom all men give waie. This is one parte of that which I haue seene concerneng the maner, order, dignitie, and pompe that this peeple (whilst they be in the champaigne) vse in attending on their king: being yet much lesse than I coulde saie of them.

At this tyme, bicause I felte myself not well at ease, I departed from the campe, and went out of the waie about halfe a daies ioʳney to Soltania, which in oʳ tonge signifieth Imperiall. This is a citie of the forsaid kinge, which sheweth itself to haue been excellent faire. It is not walled, but it hath a castell walled, though it be decaied, by reason that about iiij years passed it was overthrowen by a lorde called Giusa. The castell is a myle about, and hath wᵗhin it an high churche of iiij iles, and of iiij vaultes high: the great cowpe whereof is bigger than that of San Joanni Paulo in Venice. At thone ende it hath a gate of brasse of iij paces high, wrought letties[94] wise; wᵗhin the which arr divers sepultures of the kings that were in time past. Over against that gate there is an other like vnto it: and on the sides twoo other lesse, one of eche side crosses, so that the great cowpe hath iiij gates, ij great and ij small, the quarters or sydes whereof arr of brasse, iij quarters of a yarde brode and half a yarde thicke, excellently well kerved wᵗʰ leaves and devises aftre their maner; so wrought in wᵗʰ beaten golde and sylver that it is both mervailousle and riche. The letties of those gates haue certein great balles as bigge as loofes, and than certein litell ones like orenges, wᵗʰ branches that knytt loofe to loofe, as I remembre I haue seene it ones graven in woodde in a certein place. The workemanship of the golde and syluer is so excellent that there is no man in oʳ ꝑties that durst take the like in hande wᵗʰout very great tyme. The citie is great enough, conteineng iiij myles in circuite, and is well furnisshed of water. And if it were by none other but by the name only, it appeareth that it hath been very notable. Indede, it is nowe but evill enhabited, having betwene vij and viijᵐˡ people in it; ꝓadventure more.[95]

Whilest I laie in this citie, I had worde that the king, being aduertised, as is aforesaid, that his sonne had taken Syras, removed wᵗʰ all his people on his waie thitherwardes. Wherefore, immediately I departed from Soltania, and went to Chulperchean, which signifieth in oʳ tonge the lordes sklave, a litle towne, though by the rewynes of it, it seemeth to haue had goodly buyldengs, being of ij miles circuite, and conteyneng about vᶜ houses; in which place myne interpretoʳ died. So that, from thensfooʳthe, as longe as I remayned in those ꝓties (for the space of v yeres aftre), I coulde never finde any that vndrestode my langaige. Wherefore I was driven to take the office of interpretoʳ vpon me, contrary to the maner of all other ambassadoʳˢ. Departeng thense I repaired towardes the king, who hasted his ioʳney towardes Syras, in which ioʳney I noted in him one mervailouse poinct of severitie. Amongest others about him there was one Coscadam, an aged man, of lxxx (and yet a lustie man of his person), who had either v or vj sonnes, and all in good reputac̃on wᵗʰ the king. This man being of honoʳ was, by the king, com̄aunded to be taken: bicause he was aduertised that his sonne Ogurlu Mahumeth (who had wonne Syras) had writen certein l’res vnto this Cascadam that were not showed to the king.[96] Wherefore, he caused first his bearde to be shaven, and then made him to be had to the shambles, wheare he was strypped, and had twoo of those hookes, whereon the bocheoʳˢ vse to hange fleshe, driven in behinde his shouldres, on either side one: by the which he was hanged by lowe, wheare the fleshe is wonte to hange, and lyved twoo howres aftre. Nowe, by that I coulde learne, the said Ogurlu Mahumeth, hearing of his fathers coming to Syras, departed thense, and kept himself abroade; writeng vnto an vncle of his to be meane vnto his father for him. Offering to submytt himself and to be in any place wheare it shulde please his father to appoinct him: so that he might haue wherewᵗhall to lyve.[97]

All this region of Persia hitherto, by the waie that we came was verie barayn, drie, sandie, and stonye, having fewe waters, so that wheare water is there be some townes: though for the more parte destroied: every of which townes hath a castell fortified of earthe. Their cornes, vines, and fruictes encrease by force of their water; for wheare water is skarse there is harde dwelling; nevertheles, they vse to conveigh their water vnder earthe iiij and v daies ioʳney from the ryvers, whense they fetche them, and that in this maner. Neere to the ryver they make a pitt like vnto a well, from whense they folowe, diggeng by lyvells towardes the place they meane to bringe it to; so that it may evermore distende chanell wise: which chanell is deeper than the botome of the foresaid pytt, and whan they haue digged about xx paces of this chanell, than digge they an other pitt like to the first,[98] and so from pitt to pitt they conveigh the water alongest these chanells whither they woll. And whan they haue finisshed this worke than open they the skluse of the pitt towardes the ryver, and so letting in the water, convey it to their townes, and whither they woll, fetching that through the botome of mountaignes that is had out of the deepe of the ryvers. For if they did not thus there coulde be no dwelling there; considering that it rayneth very seldome, insomuch that I saied to those of tharmie their cuntrey was very barayne. Whearevnto I was answered that I needed not to mervaile, bicause the waie they tooke was freshe, so that they founde the better pasture and the cuntrey the holsōmer. In those ꝑties arr no woodes nor yet trees, no not so much as one, except it be fruite trees, which they plante, whereas they may water them; for otherwise they wolde not take. The tymber wherewᵗh they buylde arr trees which they sett in watrie places, in such nombre as suffiseth for their necessitie. The rather for that they haue excellent carpenters, who, being constreyned of necessitie to spare woll of one peece of tymber of two spannes in compasse sawed into boordes, make an handesome doore of two paces longe, so well wrought outwardes and so well ioyned, that it is a wonder, aftre which maner they also make their wyndowes and other things meete for their householde. In dede, wᵗhinfooʳthe the peeces of their ioynengs may well be discerned. Of this they also make chestes; and for proofe that there be none other trees, great nor small, neither on hill nor plaine, I have sometimes founde a shrubbe of thorne, on the which, as it were for a myracle, I haue seene certein peeces of cloth and ragges hanging, in token that the feaver and other infirmities arr healed there. And, notwᵗhstanding the great moltitude of people that is in their campe, yet shall yoʷ not heare any one mourning or lamenting; for they arr all meerie: synge, plaie, and laugh.

Folowing on oʳ ioʳney we came to a towne called Spaham,[99] which hath been a notable toune till of late, walled wᵗʰ mudde and diched, hauing about iiij myles in circuyte, and, rekenyng the subvrbes, aboue x myles: in which subvrbes arr no less goodly houses than wᵗhin the walles. I vndrestode that, by reason of the moltytude of the people amongest the which were nombres of good men, being also ryche, sometimes they disobeyed their king. And, about xx yeres passed, one Giansa being King of Persia, came to this towne to reduce the same to obedience, and hauing taken ordre wᵗʰ them, deꝓted. But shortely aftre they rebelled againe; wherevpon he sent an armye thither wᵗʰ com̄aundement, that whan they had sacked and burned the towne, every man at his retoʳne shulde bringe one of thinhabitaunts heades wᵗʰ him: which they fulfilled so exactely that (as I haue hearde some of them reporte which were in that armie) they that coulde not gett mennes heades cutt off womens heades and shaved them, to fulfill the kings comaundement. By reason whereof, they overthrewe and destroied the whole towne; nevertheles, the vjᵗʰ parte of it is nowe enhabited again. It hath many great and notable antiquities, amongest the which the chiefest is a square cisterne, wᵗʰ cleere and sweete water, verie good to drynke, rounde about the which is a goodly wharfe sett wᵗʰ pyllars and vowltes: wheare arr innumerable roomethes[100] and places for merchaunts to bestowe their merchaundizes: which place is alwaies locked in the night for savegarde of the merchaundize. Divers other things and goodly monuments arr in this citie: whereof I woll forbeare to speak, saving that in the tyme rehearsed (as it was saied) there dwelled aboue Lᵐˡ persons. Aftre this, we founde a well enhabited citie called Cassan,[101] wheare for the more parte they make sylkes and fustians in so great quantitie that he who wolde bestowe xᵐˡ ducates in a daie may finde enough of that merchaundise to bestowe it on. It is about iij myles in compasse, walled, and wᵗhoutfooʳthe hath faire and large subvrbes. Than came we to a walled citie called Com, very rudely buylded. It is no towne of craftesmen; for they lyve of tyllaige, having many vineyardes and gardens and excellent good mellons; so great, that some one sholl waie xxxˡᵇ, grene wᵗhout, white wᵗhin, and as sweete as suger; and the towne conteigneth about xxᵐˡ houses.

A resorting place for merchauntes to trafficke in.

From thense, folowinge on oʳ waie we came to Jex,[102] a towne of artificers, as makers of sylkes, fustians, chamletts, and other like. Some may thinke I tell more than trowthe in many things; nevertheles, it is most trewe, as they knowe that have seene it. This towne is walled, of v myles in circuite, wᵗʰ very great subvrbes, and yet in maner they all arr wevers and makers of divers kindes of sylkes which came from Straua,[103] from Azzi, and from the ꝓties towardes Zagatai: towards the sea of Bachu, the best whereof come from Jex, wᶜʰ, wᵗʰ their woʳkes, do aftrewards furnishe a great parte of India, Persia, Zagatai, Cim, and Macim,[104] parte of Catay, of Bursia, and of Turchie; wherefore lett him that woll bie good silkes of Soria, faire and well wrought, take of these. And whan any merchaunt cōmeth to this towne for wares, he goeth into the fondaco, rounde about the which arr certein litle shoppes, and in the middest a litle square place, likewise wᵗʰ shoppes, having twoo gates cheyned (bicause horses shulde not passe through). This merchaunt wᵗʰ his companie, if they be acquainted wᵗʰ any place, resorte thither to sytt: if not, they may sytt wheare pleaseth them in any of those shoppes, being vj foote square a peece. And if they be divers merchaunts, lightly they take eche one a shoppe by himself. An howre aftre the sonne ryseng certein go about wᵗʰ sylkes and other wares on their armes, passeng rounde about wiᵗhout speaking. And the merchaunts, if they see ought that pleaseth them, call the seller; and looke on his wares; the price whereof is writen on a paper sowed vnto it. If he lyketh them and the price, he throweth them into the litle shoppe, and so dispacheth them wᵗhout moore wordes. For he that deliuereth the stuff knoweth the owner of the shoppe, and therefore deꝓteth wᵗhout further question: which markett endureth till noone; and aftre dyner cometh the seller and receaueth his mooney; wheareas, if he fynde none that woll bye at his price one day, than he retoʳneth an other day: and so fooʳthe. They saie that towne requireth every daie twoo sompters of sylkes: which, aftre oʳ maner, amounteth to xᵐˡ weight. As for chamletts, fustians, and such other, I saie nothing; for, by the sylke they make, it may easelie be gessed how much more they make of those.

All my ioʳney hitherto hath been sowtheast, but nowe I shall retoʳne eastwardes, wheare the first towne in my waie was the city of Syras, being very great, of xxᵗⁱᵉ myles compasse, rekenyng the subvrbes wᵗhall. It conteigneth innumerable people, and is full of merchaunts; for all they that come from the vpper parties, that is to saie, frome Ere, Samarcahanth, and Nisu,[105] taking the waie throwgh Persia, do passe by Syras. Hither arr brought many jewelles, sylkes, both great and small, spices, rewbarbe, and semenzina, and is of the King Assambey, his domynion, closed wᵗʰ high mudde walles and deepe dyches, wᵗʰ gates according. It hath a nombre of excellent faire churches and good howses trym̄ed wᵗʰ musaico and other goodly ornaments: and may conteigne ccᵐˡ houses, or ꝑadventure more. In which citie is very sure dwelling wᵗhout any disturbance. Going hense, they departe out of Persia, and take the waie vnto Ere,[106] a towne situate in the region of Zugatai, which towne apꝑteigneth to the sonne of the late Soldan Bosaith, and is very great, though not so bigge by the iijᵈᵉ parte as Syras, wheare they make sylkes and other like woʳkes as they do in Syras. I forbeare to speake of many castells, townes, and villaiges that arr in this waie, bicause there is nothing in them notable. But from thense, somewhat northeastwardes, they travaile xl daies ioʳney through desertes and barayn places, wheare no water is to be had but in such welles only as arr made for the purpose, and whereas is litle grasse and lesse woodde. And than come they in the self same region of Zagatai, to a verie great and well enhabited citie called Sammarcahanth, through the which all the merchaunts and travailers that come out of Cim Macim, and Catay do passe to and fro. The towne is well replenisshed of artificers and merchaunts both. The lordes whereof arr sonnes to Giarda.[107] I went no further this waie, but by that I learned there of others, this Cim and Macinn that I haue before named arr ij verie great provinces, thinhabitants whereof arr idolaters, and there make they vessells and disshes of Porcellana. In these ꝓties is verie great trafficque of merchaundize, specially jewells and clothes, as well of sylke as of other sortes, and from thense they go into the province of Catay. Of the which I shall rehearse as much as I knowe, by the reaporte of an ambassadoʳ of Tartarie that came thense. I, being at Tana, happened one tyme to talke wᵗʰ the saied ambassador tooching the cuntry of Catay, who telled me that in passeng throwgh the places hereafter menc̃oned, aftre he was ones entred into that cuntrey, his charges were borne from place to place, vntill he came to a towne called Cambale,[108] wheare he was honorably receaued, and lodging appoincted vnto him. And (as he said) even so the costes arr borne of all the merchaunts that passe that waie. Than was he brought to the princes presence, wheare, at his comyng to the gate, he was made to kneele wᵗhoutfooʳthe. The place was flatt and plaine, very large and longe. At the vpper ende whereof was a pavement of stone, on the which the Prince sate wᵗʰ his backe to the gatewardes. And on both sides sate iiij of his wᵗʰ their faces towardes the gate; and from the gate vnto these iiij on either side stode certein seruants of armes wᵗʰ syluer staves, making a lane in the myddest. In the which lane, here and there sate certein trowchemen on their heeles, as women do in oʳ parties. The said ambassadoʳ being brought to the gate, wheare he founde the things in thordre aforesaied, was comaunded to declare his messaige: which the trowchemen declared again from one to the other, till it came to the Prince. Wherevpon, it was answered that he was welcome and might retoʳne vnto his lodging, wheare he shulde receaue a further answere: and that he needed no more to retoʳne to the Prince, but only to conferre wᵗʰ such as were therevnto appoincted and sent to his lodging, who to and fro did so travaill, that he was both speedylie and thankefully dispatched. A servaunt of the said ambassadoʳˢ and a companyon of his, who were both wᵗʰ him, tolde me wonders of the justice they vse in those ꝑties. Amongest the which, this was one that being on a daye in Madian[109] which signifieth the markett place, they did see a woman carieng a payle of mylke on her heade, to whom one came that tooke it from her: and beginneng to drynke, she beganne to crye out, Helas! howe can we poore wydowes carie oʳ goodes to sell? Wherevpon, he was incontinently taken, and wᵗʰ a swearde cutt in sonder by the myddest: so that at ones ye shulde haue seene both the bloudde and the mylke gushe out of his bowells which thambassadoʳ himself affirmed aftrewardes to be trewe: addeng further that a certein woman weaving of fustian, had drawen out a shuttell and laied it behinde her; which shuttell, one that by chaunce passed by, tooke awaie and went on. But she, looking backe and mysseng her shuttell, beganne to crie: and being tolde her that he which had it went there, he was incontinently taken, and likewise cutt by the middest. They saie that not only wᵗhin the citie, but also in the high waies abroade, wheare men travaile, if there be anythinge laied on a stone or other place, which, being lost by the owners, hath been founde by others, there is no man so hardie as darreth take it to himself. And further, if any man on the waie aske an other whither he goeth, and that he of whom the question is so asked do either suspect or mistrust the person that moved the question, and therfore woll complaine: it shall behove the questioner to yelde a laufull reason why he asked it; orelles he shalbe punisshed for it: whereby it appeareth this cuntrey is of great freedome and justice. As, toocheng their merchaundize, I learned that all the merchaunt men which reasorte thither bringe their merchaundizes into the fondachi, wheare the officers repaire to see it, and if they finde any thinge meete for the Prince, they take that that pleaseth them, yelding the valewe for it in other things, the rest remayneth at the merchaonts libertie. The small mooney they spende in this place is made of paper, which they yerely chaunge into a newe printe: for tholde mooney at the yeres ende is brought to the mynte wheare the bringer receaueth as much of the faire newe mooney, paieng for it, nevertheles, aftre twoo in the hundred of good sylver; and than is the olde mooney throwen into the fyre. As for the golde and syluer, they sell it by weight, and of those mettalls, they also make certein great peeces of mooney.

As some halles be in London.

I suppose these Cataini be paynems of belief, though divers of Zagatai and of other macons that come thense, saye they be christened; for whan I asked them howe they knowe them to be Christians, they answere, bicause they haue ymages in their churches as we haue. It happened me whilest I was in Tana, the said ambassadoʳ being wᵗʰ me, as I haue said before, there passed an olde man by me, a Venetian, called Nicolo Diedo, who sometimes ware a gowen of cloth, lyned with sendall, open sleved, as in tymes past they vsed in Venice vpon a furred dublett, wᵗʰ an hoode on his shulder and a twoopeny strawen hatt on his heade: whom the said ambassadoʳ wondered at: saieng vnto me, This maner of apparaill vse the Cataini to weare, and they arr like vnto the men of oʳ religion, and arr apparailed as we be. There groweth no wyne in that cuntrey; for the region is very colde, but of other vittaills there is plentie enough. These, wᵗʰ divers other things which I forbeare at this ꝓnt, arr such as I learned of the reapoʳte of the said ambassadoʳ of Tartarie, and of his famyliars, as tooching the province of Catay, wheare I was not myself, and therefore retoʳneng backe towards Tauris, liek as I haue spoken of the wayes east northeast, so shall I nowe declare vnto yoʷ the waie east southeast. First, we founde a citie called Chuerch, passing over those townes that we founde in the waie, of the which there is no notable thinge to be remembered. In this citie there is a pitt like vnto a fountaigne, in the keeping of their Talaftimanni; that is to saie, their priests, the water whereof hath great vertue against the leaprie. Of which infirmitie I haue somewhat seene, not of experience, but of other mennes credulitie. For, at the same tyme there passed a frencheman that waie wᵗʰ certein seruants and guydes, that were moores, which frencheman was infected wᵗʰ the leaprie: and therefore (as we were informed) travailed thither to bathe himself in that water. What became of him I wote not, but the com̄on voice went that many were healed there. For whilest I taried there myself, I vnderstode notable things of the vertue of that water.[110]

Pistacchi is a kynde of delicate nuttes.

This citie Chuerch is but litle; nevertheles, it is a through fare, for all they passe through it that go towardes the Redde Sea; that is to saie, vnto Sinu persico. In which sea there is an ilande that hath a citie called Ormuos, between xviij and xx myles from the mayne lande: the ilande being a lx myles in compasse. That citie is great and well enhabited, but they haue none other than well water and cisterne water; whereof, whan they finde any lacke, they arr faine to sende into the mayne lande for it, from whense they also haue their grayne. It yeldeth tribute to the King Assambei, and thinhabitaunts arr great makers of sylkes. And the merchaunts that travaill either out of India into Persia or out of Persia into India, for the more parte do all arryve in this ilande. The Lorde whereof is called Sultan Sabadin, who vseth to sende his barkes into India to fyshe for oysters of perles, and there looseth many; and whilest I remaigned on this citie there arryved twoo merchaunts out of India with perles, jewells, sylkes, and spices. Into this golfe of Persia falleth the notable ryver Euphrates, vpon the which vj daies ioʳney vpwardes is Bagdath, sometime called Babilone, which was so famouse, as the worlde knowᵗʰ, though at this present it be for the more parte destroyed, not exceading xᵐˡ houses. Nevertheles, it is plentyfully victailed, having abundance of fruictes: as dates, pistacchi, and other like, not only in great quantitie, but also of excellent goodnes: amongest the which arr qwynces of the taste and greatnesse of ours. Nevertheles, they haue qwinces that haue no hardenes wᵗhin them, as oʳˢ haue, but arr most sweete in the eating, as oʳ sweetest peares be. They also haue a kynde of pomegranates, not very great, but for the more parte wᵗʰ a thynne rynde, which they pyll as we pyll oranges: and than may byte it neither more nor lesse than as it were an apple; for they haue none of those cores in the myddest, but even a litell in the botome, and the sweetnes of it is myngled wᵗʰ a litle sharpe. And some there be that wante the litle cornell which oʳˢ hath wᵗhin the graine, and some other haue it so softe that yᵒ shall no more feele of it in yoʳ mowth to spytt out againe, than as if ye did eate of correyns. They also make much suger and ꝓfect confeciones thereof, specially siropes, of the which they furnishe Persia and other places.

Nowe, retoʳneng to Ormuos, I shall somewhat saie of the places that arr forneagainst it on the other syde of the foresaid golfe northewardes, which is of the coste of Persia. These places arr enhabited wᵗʰ Macomettanes, and this golfe in itself is ccc myles broade, and the places on the other syde of the golfe arr vnder the domynion of iii princes, Macomettanes. Comyng to lande eastsoutheast, as the golfe goeth, at thende of it there is a citie called Calicuth, of verie great fame, being, as it were, a staple or a receipt of merchaunts of divers places, as who wolde saye of those that come out of the golfe of Catay and from all those partes: so that alwaies ye shall finde a nombre of shippes—yea, and great shippes there. Bicause there seldome happeneth any great tempest. The citie is a passaige haunted wᵗʰ merchaundise of all sortes, and is both great and well peopled.

Half relieuo is thymage, wᵗh the foreparte full grauen and the back flatt.

Retoʳneng alongest the coste, forneagainst Ormuos there is a towne called Lar, a great and a good towne of merchaundise, about ijᵐˡ houses: and is a passaige for those that go and come through this golfe lyghtely lande at this towne. Than is there Syras, of the which I haue spoken before; and so folowing the waye yoʷ come to a great towne called Camara.[111] And from thense, a daies ioʳney, ye come to a great bridge vpon the Byndamyr, which is a notable great ryver. This bridge they saie Salomon caused to be made at the towne of Camara, and there appeareth a rounde hyll which on thone side seemeth to be cutt and made in a fronte of vj paces high: on the toppe whereof is a plaine, and rounde about xl pillers called Cilminar,[112] which in their tongue signifieth xl pillers, every one whereof is xx yardes longe and as thicke as iij men can embrace; but some of them arr decaied. Nevertheles, by that which remayneth it appereth to haue been a very faire monument; for, vpon this plaine there is a mightie stone of one peece, on the which arr many ymages of men graven as great as gyaunts, and aboue all the rest one ymage like vnto that that we resemble to God the Father in a cercle, who in either hande holdeth a globe, vnder whom arr other litle ymages, and before hym the image of a man leanyng on an arche, which they saie was the fygure of Salomon. Vnder them arr many other ymages, which seeme to susteigne those that be aboue. Amongest whom there is one that seemeth to haue a Popes myter on his hedde, holding vp his hande open as though he ment to blesse all that arr vnder him; liek as they looking towardes hym seeme also to gape for his blisseng. A litle further there is a great ymage on horsbacke, seemyng to be of a boysterouse[113] man: who they saie was Sampson; about the which arr many other ymages apparailed of the frenche fac̃on, wᵗʰ longe heares, and all those ymages arr of halfe relieuo. Two daies ioʳney from this place is a towne called Thimar, and from thense two daies ioʳney an other towne, in the which is a sepulture that they affirme to be the tombe of Salomons moother, and over the same a litle churche: whearein certein Arabike l’res is writen, as they saie Mater Suleimen, that is to saye, the moother of Salomon: the gate whereof is towardes the East. From thense, iij daies ioʳney, yoʷ come to a towne called Dehebeth, wheare they vse tillaige and making of fustians. Twoo daies ioʳney further ye com̄e to a place called Vargari,[114] which in tyme past hath been a great and a faire towne; but at this pñt it maketh not aboue mˡ houses, in the which they also vse tillaige and making of fustians, as is aforesaid.

Foure daies ioʳney thense ye come to a towne called Deiser,[115] and iij daies ioʳney further an other towne called Taste, from whense folowing that waie an other daies ioʳney ye come to Jex, of the which I haue made sufficient menc̃on before. Thense ye go to Meruth, a litle towne, and twoo daies ioʳney further is a towne called Guerde, in the which there dwell certein men called Abraini, which in myne opinion either be descended of Abraham orells haue Abrahams faith, and they weare longe heare. Twoo daies ioʳney further there is a toune called Naim, evill enhabited, not exceading vᶜ houses; and twoo daies ioʳney thense is a towne called Naistan, and from thense twoo other daies ioʳney is Hardistan, a litle towne that maketh a vᶜ howses.

Three daies ioʳney thense ye come to Cassan, which I haue spoken of before, and from thense iij other daies ioʳney is Com, before named, and beyonde that one other daies ioʳney is Saua, having about mˡ houses. In all which places they vse tyllaige and making of fustians. Three daies ioʳney from Saua is a litle towne called Euchar,[116] from whense in iij other daies ioʳney ye come to Soltania, before named, and vij daies ioʳney thense is Tauris. Nowe, he that wolde departe thense to travaile towardes the sea of Bachu eastwardes, being of the region of Zagatai, shulde fynde these townes folowing, from Thauris to Soltania; viz., from Soltania to Euchar, iij ioʳneys; from Euchar to Saua, iiij ioʳneys; from Saua to Choi, a litle towne, vj joʳneys; from Choi[117] to Sarri, a litle towne, also iij ioʳneys; from Sarri to Lindan,[118] a litle towne, iiij ioʳneys; from Lindan to Tremigan, a litle towne, iij ioʳneys; from Tremigan to Bilan, vj ioʳneys; and than come ye to Straua.[119] Of the which the sylkes called Strauatine take this name. This towne is neere to the sea of Bachu, and standeth not very holsomely. There groweth litle wheate, wherefore they feede of ryse; of the which they make their breade. In this towne, and in all the villaiges vnder it, whereas any water is to be had, they spynne and make course sylkes, and alongest the bankes of those ryvers they haue their bowthes wᵗʰ their cawldrons for sylkes; for they keepe great nombres of sylke wormes and haue plentye of white mulberie trees. In these quarters arr innumerable pertriches, in such sorte, that whan the prince or other great ꝑsonaige maketh any feast, they booyle of these ꝓtriches and give everie man a dishe of ryse podaige, and than pertriches; so that all the people eateth; which to them arr not deynteth.[120]

Alongest the coste of the said sea arr many townes; that is, to witt, Straua, Lanzibeuth, Madrandani, and others; whereof, for this tyme, I speake not, but in those townes arr the best sylkes made that come out of these quarters.

And nowe, being come neere, me seemeth it not amysse to speake some what of the waie from Trabisonda to Thauris, going southwest; wherefore, first tooching Trabisonda, I saie that it hath been both a good and a great towne vpon the sea Maggiore. The lorde wheroof in tymes past hath had the tytle of Emperoʳ; for he was brother to Themperoʳ of Constantinople, and wolde also be called Emperoʳ himself, whereof all his successoʳˢ (though they were no emperours bretherne) did, nevertheles, from one to an other vse, or rather vsurpe, this tytle of Emperoʳ. As for the towne, I shall neede to saie no more of it: bicause it is sufficiently knowen over all. But, going thense towards Thauris, as I haue said, southwest, ye shall finde many villaiges and litle castells, and besides that ye shall travaill throwgh hilles and woodes, disenhabited, till ye com̄e to Baiburth, the first notable place that waie being a castell, standing in a plaine valley, environned wᵗʰ hylles, stronge, and walled, and in a plentyfull sooyle, the towne vnder the castell conteyneng mˡvᶜ howses, and is wᵗhin the domynion of the King Assambei. Five daies ioʳney further ye come to Arsengan, which hath been a great citie, but for the more ꝓte decaied at this ꝑnt. Going on west southwest ij myles further ye come to the notable ryver Euphrates, over the which ye passe on a faire great bridge of bricke, of xvij arches. Than come ye to a towne called Carpurth,[121] v ioʳneys from Arsengan. In this place soggioʳned the wief of the King Assambei, she that was doughter to Themoʳ of Trabisonda.[122] The place is stronge, and is for the more parte enhabited by Greekes[123] attending on the said Queene. Following on, ye finde many litle townes and castelletts, till ye come to Moschone, from thense to Halla, and so to Thene, which three arr stronge castells, and well walled, eche of them having about vᶜ howses vnder them: wᵗʰ a great ryver rennyng alongest, which cometh not ferre from Carpurth, aboue menc̃oned, and hath passaiges by boates. All the people enhabiteng these places vnder the iurisdic̃on of these castells arr called Coinari, which in oʳ tonge signifieth heardemen. Than going eastwarde ye come to a walled castell standeng on a rocke, called Pallu, the towne vnder it having about ccc houses vnder the which passeth a certein ryver. Travaileng, than, still eastwarde, iiij ioʳneys further ye come to a castell called Amus, standing in a champaigne, yll enhabited. All the countrey of Trabisonda, wᵗʰ the confynes, breedeth plentie of wyne, and the vynes growe vp alongest their trees wᵗhout any cutteng, so that contynually in those ꝑties one of our hoggesheades of wyne is lesse woʳthe than a ducate. Their woodes arr full of nutte trees of the kinde of Puglia,[124] and many other good fruictes they haue, and in some partes they make certein wynes called Zamora. From thense ye enter into Turcomania, which heretofore was called Armenia; but now those that arr there borne arr called Caracoilu; that is, to wete, blacke ewes, liek as they of the provinces of Persia and Zagatai arr called Accoilu, wᶜʰ signifieth white ewes: being names of ꝑties amongest them, as who wolde saie amongest vs, Guelfi and Ghibellini, orells Zamberlani and Mastruccieri, vnder which titles arr great ꝑte takinges. After this ye come to a litle stronge castell called Mus, standing on an hyll amongest certein mountaignes, having a citie vnderneth it of iij myles compasse, very well enhabited. Three ioʳneys further is a faire, stronge castell, in a place called Allarch,[125] standing vpon a lake clᵗⁱᵉ myles longe, and in the brodest lᵗⁱᵉ myles brode. From which lake, xv myles northewardes, is an other lake of iiijˣˣ myles in compasse, wᵗʰ certein castells about it. Under Allarch is a towne of about mˡ houses, and in both these lakes arr many shippes that make their voyages into the sea. There is also vpon this seconde lake a towne called Ceus, a good walled towne. One ioʳney further costeng the sea, there is a towne called Herzil,[126] wᵗʰ a ryver and a bridge of v arches over it, and between Ceus and Herzil arr iiij other like bridges to passe over the ryver. In Herzil is the sepulture of the mother of Giansa, which was King of Persia and Zagatai. Five myles distant from this place ye come to Orias, a stronge castell standing on a litle hill. And so folowing eastwardes half a daies ioʳney, ye come to Coi, not that which I named before, but an other of the same name, and five ioʳneys thense ye enter into a champaigne, in the which is a great citie heretofore destroied by Zamberlan.[127] Than shall ye finde divers villaiges, and aftre that an other lake of cc myles longe and xxx myles brode: in the which arr certein ilandes enhabited. Finally, ye come to twoo cities, Tessu[128] and Zerister,[129] which betwene both may make iijᵐˡ fyres. Other notable things I haue seene none in these ꝓties, saving that generally they make fustians, lynen clothes, fryses, many rugges, and a litell sylke. They haue plentie of fleshe (specially of mutton), wynes, and other fruictes enough, which they conveigh into the sea Maggiore and to the townes about; wherefore, retoʳneng ones againe to beginne at Thauris, and going east northeast, sometyme toʳneng north and tooʷching a litle of northwest, passing over also dyvers places by the waie of small accompt, not woʳthie to be spoken of, I saie that xij ioʳneys thense ye shall finde Sammachi,[130] a citie in Media in the region of Thezichia, the lorde whereof is called Siruanza,[131] which citie at a neede wolde make betwene viiij and xᵐˡ horseman. It confyneth towardes the sea of Bachu, wᵗhin vj ioʳneys, which sea is on the right hande of it, and on the lyfte hande is Mengrelia, towards the sea Maggiore, and Caitacchi, that inhabite about the mountaigne Caspio. This is a very good citie; it hath betwene iiij and vᵐˡ houses, and maketh sylkes, fustians, and other thinges aftre their maner. It standeth in the great Armenia, and a goode parte of thinhabitants arr Armeniens. Departeng thens ye come to Derbenth, a towne, as they saie, buylded by Alexander, standeng vpon the sea of Bachu, a myle distant from the mountaigne, on which mountaigne it hath a castell that descendeth wᵗʰ twoo whynges; that is to saie walles, even into the water; so that the height of the walles arr twoo paces vnder water. The towne, from the one gate to the other, is halfe a myle brode: and the walles thereof arr of great stone, aftre the Romayn buyldeng.

Derbenth signifieth in oʳ tonge a straict; in somuch, that many which vnderstande the nature of that place do call it Temircapi; that is to saie, the gate of yron. And, truly, he that named it so, had very good reason: considering that this towne divideth Media from Scythia; so that they which woll travaile out of Persia, Turchie, Soria, and the other lowe cuntreys, to passe into Scythia, must needes enter in at thone gate of this towne, and yssue at the other, which to him that vnderstandeth not the site of those places shulde seeme mervailouse and almost impossible; but thoccasion is this. From the sea of Bachu vnto the sea Maggiore, the streight waie, as it were, by line, is vᶜ myles. All which grounde is full of mountaignes and valleys, in some places well enhabited by certein Lordes of it (throwgh whose territories no man darr passe for feare of robbyng); but, for the more parte, it is disenhabited. And, if any man wolde determyn to passe that waie, leaving Derbenth, he shulde be constregned first to go through Giorgiana, and than through Mengrelia, on the cost of the sea Maggiore, at a castell called Aluathi, wheare is a mountaigne of so great height that it shall behove him to leave his horse and to clymbe vp afoote by the rockes, so that betwene ascending and descending he shulde travaill two ioʳneys, and than entre into Circassia, of the wᶜʰ I haue spoken in the beginneng, and that passaige is only vsed by them that dwell neere it, besides the which in all the said distance there is no passaige knowen, by reason of the difficultie of the places, wherefore retoʳneng to the purpose: the cause of this straict is, that the sea eateth even to the verie mountaigne, wheare Derbenth standeth. And from that forwardes it is all rocke, wᵗʰ very litle earthe. So that this straict endureth about lx myles; nevertheles, the waie is somewhat apte to be travailed on horsebacke. From thense, torneng backwarde on the lyfte hande the mountaigne torneth, so that it may be travailed: the same being it that aunciently was called Monte Caspio: wheare arr certein gray freeres and some priestes aftre oʳ Romayn fac̃on. The people there enhabiteng arr called Caitacchi, as it is said before. They speake languaiges different one from an other, and many of them arr Christians: some aftre the Greekes, some aftre the Armenians, and some aftre the Catholike. Vpon this syde of the sea there is an other citie called Bachu, wherof the sea of Bachu taketh name, neere vnto which citie there is a mountaigne that casteth fooʳthe blacke oyle, stynkeng horryblye, which they, nevertheles, vse for furnissheng of their lightes, and for the anoynteng of their camells twies a yere. For if they were not anoynted they wolde become skabbie. Over the champaigne of the mountaigne Caspio ruleth one Tumembi, that signifieth in oʳ tonge lorde of xᵐˡ, throughout whose domynion they vse to make their houses coffyn-wise, even like to those houses that I made menc̃on of in the first parte of this treatise, the principall being made of a cercle of woodde bored wᵗʰ holes rounde about: the diameter being a pace and an halfe, in the which they fasten certein litle staves that arr drawen into a litle cercle in the toppe; which they cover wᵗʰ felte or cloth, according to their degrees, and whan they arr weery of dwelling in one place, then trusse they their houses on carts and remove to another place. Whan I retoʳned to this lorde there arryved a sonne of the Emperoʳ of Tartarie, which had maried a doughter of this lordes: whose father was than lately expelled out of his astate. This yonge Prince was entred into one of these houses, and was sett on the grounde, wheare he was viseted by some of his cuntreymen and by some other also of the cuntrey wheare he was. The maner of wᶜʰ visitac̃on was, that whan they came wᵗhin a stones cast of the gate, if they had any weapons they laied them on the grounde, and than marcheng certein paces towards the gate they kneeled doune, which they did twoo or iij tymes, marcheng alwaies forwarde, till they came wᵗhin x paces at the neerest, wheare they declared their matter. And having receaved their answer, retoʳned backewarde, never torneng their backes to the Prince.

I was divers tymes wᵗʰ this lorde Tumembei, whose lief (by that I coulde ꝓceave) was bent to be in contynuall dronkenes, wᵗʰ drinkeng of wyne made of honey.

And sothens[132] we haue spoken of the things of the mountaigne Caspio and of the nature of those that dwell thereaboutes, me seemeth it not amysse to recyte also an historie, which I lately hearde of one Vincent, a blacke freere, borne in Capha, who for certein affaires was sent into those ꝑties: and departed about x moonethes past, the rehersall whereof serueth to good purpose for oʳ religion. This freere reaported that out of the Soldanes cuntrey there came a certein secte of Macomettanes, cryeng wᵗʰ an extreme fervencie in their faith: Downe to death wᵗʰ these Christians: and the more they approached vnto Persia the greater their nombre encreased. These rybauldes tooke their waie towardes the sea of Bachu, and came to Sammachi, and so to Derbenth, and into Tumen, being a mervailouse great nombre, though partely wᵗhout armoʳ. And whan they were arryved at a ryver called Terch, which is in the province of Tezechia,[133] and about the mountaigne Caspio, wheare arr many Catholike Christians, they slewe them all, wheare so ever they founde them, men, women, and children. Aftre this, they overranne the cuntrey of Gog and Magog, which arr also Christians (though aftre the Greekish rites), and handled them likewise. Than retoʳned they towardes Circassia, taking their waie towardes Chippiche and Charbatri, which arr both towards the Sea Maggiore, and there delte they likewise; never ceasing till they of Titarcassa and Chremuch wᵗʰstode them, fought wᵗʰ them, and so discompfited them that there eskaped not xx of the hundreth which fledde wᵗʰ a mischief towards their owne cuntrey. So that we may well consider what miserable astate the poore Christen men thereabouts do endure. This happened the yere of oʳ Lorde 1486.

Of Derbenth I shall tell yoʷ one mervailouse matter. Going from the one gate towardes this place, even till ye come vnder the walles, ye shall finde grapes and fruictes of all sortes, specially almons. On the other ꝓte there arr neither fruictes nor any trees, except it be certein wilde qwynces; and so it endureth x, xv, or xx myle of that side. And further, being there, I did see in a seller ij ankers of viijᶜl a peece, and more: which declareth that in tyme past they haue vsed in those p̄ties very great shippes: whereas, nowe, the greatest ankers thei haue arr betwene cl and ccl a peece.

Having hitherto declared that that apꝑteigneth vnto those regions, partely by heresaye, but most by that I haue seene; nowe, retoʳneng to Thauris, I shall showe what I did wᵗʰ the King Assambei, whan, at his departing from Thauris, he bruted that he wolde go against Ottomanno, though by divers tokens that I ꝑceaued, I beliued it not. He had in all as ferrefooʳthe[134] as I coulde esteeme betwene xx and xxiiijᵐˡ good horsemen: and the rest that came for the furnyture of the campe were about vjᵐˡ men. As for women, children, and serūnts, I shall neede to saie no more, bicause I haue sufficiently spoken of them before. Whan we had travailed vij daies we torned on the right hande towards Giorgiana, in the confynes of the sea Maggiore, into the wᶜʰ cuntrey we entred. For the king mynded to spooyle it, and therefore sent his skowtes afore aftre their maner: being about vᵐˡ horses: which cleered the waie, the best they coulde, by felling and burneng the woodes; for their passaige laye through mightie mountaignes and very great woodes. So that we might see the fyre aferre of, and thereby knowe what waie to keepe. And thus was the waie readie made twoo daies ioʳney into Giorgiana, wheare we arryved at Tifilis, the which being habandoned (as the rest of all the hither parte of that region was) we tooke wᵗhout resistance. And passing from thens we came to Gory and to certein other places thereabouts; which were all putt to sacke, as the like was doon to a great parte of that region. At leingth, the King Assambei fell to composic̃on wᵗʰ the King Pancratio, King of Giorgiana, and wᵗʰ Giurgura, who confyneth wᵗʰ the same king that they shulde give him xvjᵐˡ ducates, and that he shulde leave all the cuntrey to them except Tefilis. Wherevpon the King Pancratio and Giurgura, myndeng to paie this mooney, sent vnto Assambei iiij balasses, reasonable good, but neither so great nor so faire as those that arr wonte to be shewed on Saint Markes aulter in Venice. So that whan the King Assambei had receaued these iiij balasses, he sent for me to praise and to valewe them. But first, er I came at him, those ambassadoʳˢ of the said King Pancratio and of Giurgura (that had brought the balasses) sent to me, praieng me to valewe them well, considering they also were Christen men. Whan I was come to the king, he caused these balasses to be delivered unto me, and as I looked substancially on one of them, the King Assambei demaunded of me what it was woʳthe: wherevnto, answering that I thought him woʳthe iiijᵐˡ ducates, he fell on a lawghing, saieng, O they arr very deere in thy cuntrey. I woll no balasses, but I woll haue mooney. As the voice went there were at that tyme caried awaie out of those cuntreys betwene iiij and vᵐˡ p̄sons: and the places which we overranne were on the lyfte hande towardes the region of Giurgura. Cotathis,[135] belonging to the King Pancratio, is a litle towne standing on a litle hyll, wᵗʰ a ryver vnder it:[136] over the which they passe a verie great bridge of stone, and so go towardes Schender, a meetely stronge castell, wᵗʰ a great ryver rennyng throwgh it, and is iiij ioʳneys from Gory. Than, passeng one other mountaigne, yoʷ descende into the cuntrey of Assambei, in great Armenye. From whense, iij daies ioʳney, ye come to the castel Loreo, and iiij daies ioʳney thens shall ye fynde the mountaigne wheare Noe, aftre the great flowdde, rested wᵗʰ his arke, being a mervailouse high hyll wᵗʰ a great plaine vndernethe it, and is about ij daies ioʳney of circuite: on the which, both wynter and somer, the snowe contynually remaigneth. And joyneng vnto it there is an other litell hyll, likewise laden wᵗʰ snowe. Two ioʳneys further is a castell called Cagri, enhabited rounde about by Armeniens, which celebrate aftre the Catholike maner, and haue twoo monasteries, the p̄ncipall whereof is called Alengia, conteyneng lᵗⁱᵉ monkes, observants of Saint Benetts Ordre, that celebrate their masses aftre oʳ maner in their owne languaige. Their Prioʳ, aftre my retoʳne to Venice, died, and one of that house came thither, who arryved at San Giovanni Paolo, in Venice, and came to my house to haue my com̄endac̃on towardes oʳ most excellent Signoria, and the Busshop of Rome, that he might be made Prior of that house, being brother to the deade Prior.

Mamalukes were the Soldane of Egiptes men of armes.

Whan the King Assambei had concluded wᵗʰ the King Pancratio and the forenamed Giurgura, and receaved the xvjᵐ ducates, he determyned to retoʳne vnto Thauris: wherefore, seing he ment nothing lesse than to make warre on Ottomanno, I tooke my leave of hym, entending to retoʳne homewards throwgh Tartarie, and entred into the company of an ambassadoʳ of the foresaid King Assambei, accompanied wᵗʰ many merchaunts of Tartarie. Of whom I learned that, as I haue writen in the beginneng, Hagmeth, sonne of Edelmugh, nephiewe to Thempoʳ of Tartarie, was aftre his fathers death growen great about the foresaid Emperoʳ, which Hagmeth was by his owne father given me as my sonne, wherefore I was the more desyrouse to keepe on that waie, assuring myself to haue founde much curtesye at his hands. But the warres were so great in those p̄ties, that I durst not folowe my ioʳney; and, being constrained to alter my purpose, retoʳned therefore to Thauris in the yere of oʳ Lorde 1478; wheare, at myne arryvall, I founde the King Assambei so sycke, that the night of the Epiphanie folowing he died, leaving iiij sonnes, iij by one mother and one by an other. The same night the iij whole bretherne strangled the iiijᵗʰ halfe brother, being a yonge man of xx yeres, and than departed thastate amongest them. Than did the seconde brother cause theldest to be slayne; and so remayned he king, in such sorte that he raigneth even to this present; wherfore, seeing all things brooyleng, I that by the fathers lief had taken good leave, both of the father and the sonnes, fell into the company of an Armenien that went to Assengan,[137] wheare he dwelled. And I had wᵗʰ me a boye of Sclavonie, which was onely lefte me of all those that I brought into that cuntrey wᵗʰ me. I apparailed myself wᵗʰ such poore and miserable clothes as I had, and rode both continually and speedylie for feare of those alterac̃ons, which aftre the death of such princes most com̄only do happen. The xxixᵗʰ of Aprile I came to Assengan, wheare I taried a mooneth, waiteng for the Carovana that shulde go to Aleppo. Departeng from hense we founde Cymis,[138] Casseg, and Arapchir,[139] which be litell townes. Than came we to a good citie of merchaundise called Malathea, vnder the Soldans domynion; from Assengan to this towne arr many mountaignes and valleys, yll and stonie waie; though, in dede, there be certein houses by the waie and places not much enhabited. Being in this citie, at the custome house, amongest those of the Carouana, wᵗʰ whom I had accompanied myself: the customer there went vp and downe pervsing them that shulde paie. And while I kept myself a loofe looking whan the Carouana shulde departe, one of the same Carouana came vnto me, askeng me: What doest thoʷ? The customer woll haue v ducates of the: bicause it is tolde him thoʷ goest to Coz,[140] which in oʳ tonge signifieth Hierusalem. Wherfor go excuse thyself. I went to hym, and, fyndeng him sitteng on a sacke, asked him what he wolde wᵗʰ me. He badde me go paie v ducates, and notwᵗʰstanding that all they of the Carouana witnessed for me (as I had told them before), that I went to Syo to seeke my sonne, and wolde therewᵗʰ haue excused me, yet wolde he needes that I shulde paie. Syo is a place much spoken of in Persia and in all those p̄ties, and is called Seghex,[141] which signifieth mastike. For there groweth mastike, which in their p̄ties is very much occupied. This, meane while, one that (as I tooke him) was some famyliar of the customers, said, O lett him go; but he p̄severed, saieng, Still thoʷ shalt paie; hangeng his heade towardes the grounde. Wherevpon, the other chopped him wᵗʰ his fyste vnder the nose: saieng, The Devill go wᵗʰ the; that the bloudde sprange out. So that the customer cried, Thou foole, thoʷ wolt ever be a foole, and therevpon ridde me out of the prease,[142] and badde me farewell. I tooke my horse and went wᵗʰ the Carouano, and so travaileng founde divers castells, townes, and faire cuntreys, and being past the ryver of Euphrates arryved in Aleppo. Of the wᶜʰ I shall neede to write nothing, considering it is a place well enough knowen over all; howbeit, it is a notable great citie and very well traded wᵗʰ merchandise. Departing thense our merchaunts deliuered me a Muchario;[143] that is to saie, a guyde, wᵗʰ whom I and my serūnt departed to come towardes the sea costes; that is, to witt, to Baruto.[144] And, being on the sea side forneagainst Tripoli, we founde a great rowte of Mammalucchi a shooteng, and certein of them ꝑceaving my guyde, drewe their horses togither to cutt my waie; but I (ꝑceaving they were disposed to do me displeasʳ) badde my boye go on wᵗʰ the guyde, and I folowed faire and softelie, till I overtooke them, they having passed on twoo boweshootes before me. And whan I came neere I rode a litle besides the waie; wherevpon, one of them called me, howe father herken? I, wᵗʰ a good countenaunce approched, and asked him what he wolde? He again asked me whither I went? I tolde him I went wheare as myne evill fortune ledde me. He asked me what I ment by those words. Mary (qᵈ I), a xij moonthes past, I solde a trusse of sylkes to a merchaunt man, whom I haue sought in Aleppo to haue had my mooney, wheare I haue myssed him. And nowe it is tolde me that he is goon to Baruto, I am faine to go aftre to seeke my povertie: which answere moved him so to pitie me, that he badde me, Go on, poore man, a Godds name. I folowed my waie, and overtooke my guyde: who, as soone as he sawe me, beganne to laughe, saieng, Hay, hay, hay, meaneng that I had handled the matter well to escape out of the Mamalukes hands. For he coulde speake no Turkishe, nor I no Moresco. On this wise, I came to Baruti, wheare a fewe daies aftre arryved a shippe of Candia: on the which, at her retoʳne, I passed into Cyprus; and from thense, by the helpe of Almightie God, came to Venice. And, seing I haue tolde the things belonging to the waies, me thinketh it reasonable to tell also the things app̄teyneng some vnto their superstitions, some to their dissemblings of religion, and some vnto the yll entreatie that the Christians haue in those p̄ties that I haue travailed.

Comeng towardes Samachi, I laie in a litle hospital, wheare was a sepulture vnder an arche of stone, by the which was a man of yeres, wᵗʰ a longe bearde and heares, naked all, saving that a litle before and behinde he was covered wᵗʰ a certein skynne; and he sate on a peece of a matt vpon the grounde. I greeted him and asked what he did? He answered me, that he watched his father. I asked him againe, who was his father? Wherevnto, he answered that he is a father that doth good to his neighboʳ, as this man did that lieth there buried. Addeng, further, that he had kept him company xxx yeres, by his lief tyme, and was so determyned also to do aftre his death. And whan I die (said he), here woll I also be buried. Furthermore, he saied, I haue seene enough of the worlde, and nowe am determyned thus to remaigne till my death.

Drauis are madde men esteemed to haue hollie spirites.

An other tyme, being in Thauris on Alsowles daie, which in like maner was than celebrated wᵗʰ them, not that it is their ordinarie daye; but that so it happened then: being in the place of buriall and standing somewhat of, I did see one sytt neere vnto a sepulture wᵗʰ many byrdes about hym, specially crowes and chowghes: and believing that it was a dead corps, I asked them that were by what it might be? Wherevnto, they answered, it was a living saint, the like whereof was not in all that cuntrey; saieng further vnto me, See yoʷ those byrdes, every daye they feede there: and whan he calleth one of them, he cometh streight, for he is a saint: praieng me to go neere and see it. We drewe neere, wᵗhin lesse than a stones cast: and there might see that he had certein disshes of meate and other foode, so that these birdes wolde flee even to the face of him to be fedde; but he putt them of wᵗʰ his hands, and some tymes wolde give some of them a litell meate. Of whom they tolde me many myracles aftre their opinions, which, nevertheles, to men of good iudgement may appeare expresse madnesse. An other tyme I did see one of these Drauis that folowed the king and fedde in the Coʳte, whilest the King Assambei was in the great Armenia, nowe called Turcomania, who, as the king was removing to come into Persia, to go vnto the citie of Here against Giansa, then King of Persia and Zagatai, threwe a staffe that he had in his hande amongest the disshes wheare they were eating, and vseng a fewe woordes, brake them all. And this foole was counted a good foole. The king asked what he had saied, and it was answered by them that vnderstoode it, that the king shulde obteigne the victorie; and discompfite his enemye even as he had broken the disshes. Is it true, qd the king? Which being confirmed by them that had spoken it, he com̄aunded him to be well governed till his retoʳne: promiseng to honoʳ him and to make much of him. The king went fooʳthe, discompfited, and slewe his enemye, tooke all Persia, even to Here, and reduced all the cuntrey about vnto his obedience. And aftrewarde, not forgetting his promise, caused this foole to be brought vnto him and to be honorably entreated. Eight moonethes aftre this victorie I was present myself, and did see the maner of his entreatie. This man dayly caused all them to be fedde that came to his house at a dewe howre: howe many so ever they were. Causeng them first to sytt in a cercle: which (rekenyng them one tyme with an other) were never lesse than cc nor aboue vᶜ. And he everie day had both to lyve and to apparaill himself right well. Whan the king shulde ride into the champaigne he was put on a mooyle wᵗʰ a cassacke on his backe and his handes bounde before him vnder his cassacke. For divers tymes he was wonte to plaie peryllouse madde partes; wherefore there were many other of these Drauis that went by him a foote. And being one daie in a pavylion of a Turke, my freende, there came in one of these Drauis, of whom this Turke asked howe this Drauis did? wheather he raged, spake, or wolde eate? To the which, he answered, that as he was accustomed, sometyme he madded aftre[145] the moone, and sometime he wolde not eate in twoo or three daies, and wolde so rage, that they were constrayned to bynde him; and that he spake well, but ferre out of purpose, and that he wolde eate such as was given him. But some tymes he wolde rent his clothes, wᵗʰ other like ꝓtes. And of this felowe, learned I the storie of his throwing the staffe amongest the disshes, who, in dede, tolde it me smylengly. The Turke, my frende, asked him, howe they did for mooney? mainteyneng so great a chardge; wherevnto, he answered that there was a certein sum assigned vnto them, and if they needed more, more they had. So that it is to be concluded madde men arr in good cace amongest them, and that wᵗʰ litle laboʳ and lesse good woʳkes the meyney may attaigne to be taken for saintes.