remayned no other way but on the side of the Suburbe the which a Riuer compasseth about running all along the side of a bordering Mountaine vpon the which wee caused many bridges to be built for to haue thereby a way for to succour our Souldiers which kept the passages of the Mountaines on the enemies side In this meane time the King of Chinaes Armie approached which was very great as they brought vs word daily the Prince determining to goe in person and meet with the Enemie accompanied with his principall Hors-men and to leaue the greatest part of his Foot-men at the siege whereunto he had a great desire omitting nothing that might wearie the besieged who defended themselues couragiously So the Prince beganne to batter causing his Engines to approach as Rammes and other munitions insomuch as the Citie was assaulted on two sides very couragiously In the end through the valour of Axalla who gaue an assault with twenty thousand of his best Souldiers he wonne the wall and lodged there the Prince hauing so commanded him to doe to stop the heat of the Souldiers from going any further Now the Princes purpose was to compound for the Citie and not to force it for two reasons The first was for that he feared the Citie being great and rich that when the Souldiers should sacke it the Enemie who was but thirty leagues from thence should come vpon them and by this meanes his Armie should be found in disorder also rich Souldiers neuer serue well The other was for that hee would draw out of that Citie which was rich and wealthy those commodities which were necessary for the sure accomplishing of his enterprise seeing it was necessary to haue such a Citie for to make a Store-house of necessary things for the Armie Thus although the wall was won the Enemies wanted not courage yet to defend themselues valiantly looking for ayde according to the newes they had receiued that the Kings Armie marched forward Whilest these things were in doing one of our Engines shooting a bullet slue the Gouernour whereupon they did resolue for to yeeld themselues vnto the Princes mercy sauing their liues and the Souldiers enioying their horse and weapons The conditions were agreed vpon and there came out of the Citie eighteene thousand Souldiers the Inhabitants remayning in a manner all there were therein thirtie thousand Souldiers at the beginning the siege continued two moneths The honour of taking the Citie and the happy successe therein was attributed vnto Axalla to whom was giuen the gouernment of the Citie with the Countrey already conquered But hee beseeched the Prince that it would please him to bestow it vpon some other and for himselfe hee reserued the hope of his Master wherein hee should haue part This answere did greatly content the Prince for hee greatly desired the seruice of Axalla Vpon his refusall this charge was bestowed vpon the Prince of Thanais with the Title of Vice-roy Now as I haue already told you our Prince after hee had giuen such order as was necessary and aduertised his friends in all parts and aboue all the Emperour he marched forward hauing contented his Souldiers and made a generall muster of his Armie as well of the horse as footmen the which hee found to be diminished of ten thousand men onely Now our Prince after he had solemnely called vpon the Immortall Inuincible and Incomprehensible God and spent one whole day in prayer wee enterprised to goe on forward and to goe directly vnto the Enemie who was at Sintehu with all his owne forces and of all his Allies As soone as he receiued newes that our Armie was passed ouer the Riuer of Chulifu the King of China marched directly vnto vs with great magnificence there was nothing to bee seene but gold and precious stones in his Armie hee himselfe was commonly in a Chariot wherein there was such a quantitie of gold and rich stones that euery part was full of Diamonds Rubies and Pearles The King of China was of the age of three and thirtie yeeres who for the most part had beene brought vp in pleasures and not in militarie exercises nor vnder the bloudie ensigne of Mars loden with Iron boysterous and furious not with gold precious stones and with such kinde of riches so as he was very insolent in threatnings brauadoes and in defying vnto the battaile He often said that we had surprised him and had not warned him to prepare himselfe and that we had strucken him without speaking any word for this is the custome of the people in those parts to doe in this manner Hee had two or three Kings also with him his Neighbours and Allies who marched with the same preparation The rumour of these riches gaue great courage to the Souldiers for they were couetous of iust gayne as is that gotten by a battaile So both our Armies went forward each to approch the other and there was a Citie yeelded vnto the Prince called Tunicheuoy the which helped our Armie greatly The next day to the end wee might giue occasion vnto the Enemie for to approch neerer we sent to summon and at the same time to take possession of the Citie of Pannihu the which in aduancing forward wee left a little behinde vs. The King of China had put many men thereinto and it was a Citie sufficiently well fortified from Tiaucheuoy to Paguinuhu there were ten leagues He aduanced his Armie within a league of the Citie Tiaucheuoy about noone the next day they had more certaine aduertisement of the Enemies comming The Prince commanded his Armie to take the place for the battaile which he had chosen in his iudgement with most aduantage and hauing set downe vnto Odmar the order he would haue to be obserued he desired to see the comming of this Armie so sending before him fiue or six thousand Horse as Scouts hee aduanced forward and Calibes with him After he had seene this great confused Armie which continually came forward hee commanded Calibes to retyre himselfe as soone as they drew neere vnto him and bring vnto him this great cloud the which hee hoped soone to disperse So the Prince returned backe vnto his men for to assure them of the battaile hee caused all his footmen to bee placed all along by a great Mountayne so as they had but one head for to doubt And hee planted great store of Artillerie for the guard of his footmen I am of opinion that the Prince had about six-score thousand footmen whereof many were armed after the Christian manner and all they were commanded by sundrie Captaines but all obeyed Axalla who commanded them as Generall Our Horse-men were in battaile array in a great leuell Playne hauing the Footmen on the left hand and on the right was the comming of the Enemie so as vpon the least disfauour that might happen hee would retyre to bee assisted by his footmen Wee had foure score thousand horse
the Mountaine Altai to bee buried the Souldiers accompanying the funerall are reported to haue slayne aboue ten thousand men vpon the foresaid occasion The Tartarean women are most faithfull to their husbands Adulterie is a great shame with them yet it is accounted lawfull and honest that euery one may marrie as many wiues as he is able to maintayne although the first be iudged to be more principall and honorable then the rest These liue together in the same house without one ill word in admirable concord make their merchandises buy and sell and chaffer all things necessarie to their husbands and housholds the men medling with nothing but their hunting hawking and things pertayning to Armes They haue the best Falcons in the World and so they haue of Dogs They liue onely of Flesh and Milke and what they take in hunting They eat Horses Camels Dogs if fat and drinke Mares milke called Chemurs so vsed that it is like white Wine If the father dies the sonne may haue all his wiues except his owne mother and sisters So the brother being dead it is lawfull for the brother who remayneth aliue to marrie the widdow of the brother The husbands receiue no dowrie from the wiues but they themselues assigne dowry to the wiues and their mothers Through the multitude of wiues the Tartars haue many children Nor is the multitude of Wiues very burdensome vnto the Tartars seeing they gaine much through their labours Besides they are very carefull for the gouernement of the familie and preparation of food and with no lesse care execute the other duties of the house But the men apply themselues wholly to hunting fowling and exercise of Armes The Tartars nourish many herds of Oxen flocks of Sheepe and other Beasts and Cattell and abide with them in places of Pasture in the Summer time in the Mountaines and colder places where they finde Pasture and Wood but in the Winter they remoue vnto the hotter Countreyes where they finde Pasture for their Cattell and goe forth-on two or three moneths together Their houses are couered with stickes and felts ordinarily round which they carrie with them on Carts or Waggons of foure wheeles whither soeuer they goe For they can fold and extend them set them vp and take them downe and they turne the doore of them alwaies to the South They haue also neat Carts of two wheeles couered with Felt so well that rayne cannot pierce them drawne by Oxen and Camels wherein they carrie their wiues children and necessarie houshold-stuffe with them and defend them from the iniurie of foule weather and rayne The Tartars if they be rich are clothed with Sables Ermins and Cloth of gold and all their furniture is costly Their Armes are Bowes Swords Polaxes and some Lances but they can best vse their Bowes whereto they are vsed from their childhood They are hardie valorous cruell will continue two dayes and nights on horse-backe armed exceeding patient of difficulties and exceeding obedient to their Lords Their Cattell also are hardie The Law and Faith of the Tartars is this They say that there is a great God high and heauenly of whom with daily incense they desire good vnderstanding and health They haue another which they call Natigay which is like an Image couered with Felt or some other thing which euery one hath in his house To this God they make a wife and children placing the wiues Image at the left hand and the representations of children before his face This they call The God of earthly things which keepeth their Children and their Beasts and Corne and giue it great reuerence Before they eat themselues they anoint the mouthes of the Images with the fat of the sodden Flesh and they cast the broth out of doores in honour of other Spirits saying that their God with his familie haue had their part and after they eate and drinke at pleasure If the sonne of any Tartar die who hath not yet beene married and also the daughter of another die vnmarried the parents of both the deceased parties meet together and make a marriage betweene the dead and making a draughter in writing of that contract they paint men and women for seruants Horses and other creatures with clothes of all sorts and moneyes in paper and burne them together with the writing of contract by the fumes whereof they say that all these things are carried to their children in another world where they are married and the fathers and mothers thinke they are ioyned together through such a bond of affinitie as if those marriages had beene celebrated while the married couple yet liued When the Tartars goe to warre their Prince conducteth about one hundred thousand Horse appointing Heads ouer tens hundreds thousands ten thousands by which orderly subordination commands are easily effected Euery hundred is called a Tuc ten a Toman When they set forth they send out men euery way as Scouts that no Enemie may assault them vnprouided Of Horse and Mares there are for euery man about eighteene They carrie also their like Felt houses vnder the which they shelter themselues in the time of raynâ— When there falls out some important employment they will ride ten dayes together without victuals boyled and liue of the bloud of their Horses cutting a veyne and sucking it They haue Milke dryed like Paste which they make boyling the Milke and taking the Creame which swims on the top put it in another vessell and thereof make Bâ—tter After they set the Milke in the Sunne and drie it and when they goe in the Armie carrie ten pounds thereof and euery morning take halfe a pound and put it into a little Flaske or Bottle of Leather with as much water as he pleaseth which while he rides beats together and this is his dinner When they encounter with their Enemies they ride here and there shooting and sometimes make shew of flight shooting as they flee and finding the Enemies broken redintegrate their forces and pursue the victorie hauing their Horses at command with a signe to turne any way But now the Tartars are mixed in diuers parts and so are their fashions They punish malefacters after this manner If any steale a thing of small value and hath not deserued to be depriued of life he is seauen times beaten with a Cudgell or seauenteene or seauen and twenty or thirty seauen or forty and seauen giuing the strokes according to the measure and qualitie of the offence and that vnto an hundred some doe often times dye through these strokes But if any haue stollen an Horse or another thing for the which hee deserueth to dye he is cut asunder with a Sword in the middle but if hee will redeeme his life he shall restore the theft nine fold Such as haue Horses Oxen or Camels brand them with their markes and send them to the pastures without a keeper Leauing the Citie of Carachoran and the Mountaine Altai
neerest townes vpon the borders I haue forgotten to declare that this Lord who had the charge to conduct fiftie thousand men vnto the frontiers at such time as they which were there had need thereof was soone in a readinesse and came to oppose himselfe against the Princes Armie which entred and being skilfull in the wayes of the countrey troubled much the Armie for a great number of his men were on horsebacke The Prince determined to beate downe all the wals the better to assure his returne as also all the fortresses which were there vpon all the passages all of them hauing yeelded themselues after his victorie shewing himselfe very courteous vnto the people of these mountaines he gaue vnto this Lord a small portion of land wherein there be seuen or eight good townes Archij Ymulij Faliquien Fulij Cohensen Qualij Pulij Quianlu who came and deliuered vp their keyes vnto him being neighbours vnto this Lord and gaue him the gouernment of the frontier prouince of Xianxij shewing himselfe to be a Prince of his word and acknowledging the notable seruices the which this Lord had done him He referred the honouring of his brother vntill he had meanes to doe the same the Prince had receiued newes how that the King of China assembled his forces marched forwards and that he was there in his owne person that he strengthened also his Cities which are sufficiently fortified and vpon these doubts hee thought good to haue the aduice of his Captaines and after sundry opinions his resolution was to leaue nothing behind him and to assault some famous Citie and take it by meanes whereof he may nourish his Armie and secondarily call the enemie vnto battell The which the conqueror should alwaies seeke the defender the latest he can hazard the same For that it is a very doubtfull thing to commit themselues vnto a battell his dutie being rather to delay vndermining the conqueror by lengt hand by wearinesse and light skirmishes then to fight in open field It was concluded and the aduice of euery one was to conquer the Countrey by little and little so as their enterprise was to draw directly vnto Paguinfou which as it was a great Citie and one of the chiefest so is it also strongly fortified and well replenished with people Then he dispatched Odmar with fourteene thousand Horse to aduance forward and summon the same as for to hinder victuals from being conuayed thereinto out of the champaine Countrey to the end that the Cattell remayning in the fields should be a meanes to maintayne and nourish his Armie I had forgotten to tell you that for the acknowledging of the Lord Axalla his seruices the Prince had made him Captaine generall of all his Foot-men which was one of the principall honours of the Armie Hee caused the said Lord Axalla to march after Odmar with all the Foot-men which was very neere a hundred and fifty thousand men well trayned vp in the warres and good expert fighters He marched himselfe immediatly after with all his Horsemen Artilleries Engines and other munitions belonging vnto warre directly vnto Paguinfou Odmar did ride twentie French leagues this day so as he arriued there contrary to their expectation looking rather for the King then for the Enemie and hauing taken much Cattell wherewith the Countrey greatly aboundeth he pitched his Tents leauing the Citie betweene him and vs and stayed for his footmen who marched forwards in the meane space sending continually vnto the warre for to wearie the Enemie This endured three or foure dayes vntill our footmen led by this braue Christian Genuois shewed themselues in the Playne of Paguinfou Then the Citie was summoned to yeeld obedience vnto the Emperour or else they should receiue the Law of the Conquerour They made answere that they were determined to liue and die in the seruice of their Prince Now you must vnderstand that it was fortie yeeres or thereabouts since the Father of the King which raigneth at this present ouer the Chinois had conquered it from the Empire of the Tartarians and hauing driuen out all the Inhabitants they had planted therein new Colonies so thorowly that there were but few of the first remembrance but only they of the flat Countrey and small walled Townes who came from all parts and brought their Keyes most willingly submitting themselues vnto the obedience of the Prince so as there was great abundance of victuals within our Armie and if wee had beene within our owne Countrey there could not haue come greater store a thing which made our Prince hope for a happie successe there being no other difficulty which for the most part can ouerthrow a great Armie as ours was and withdraw them from their enterprise And thus the Citie of Paguinfou is besieged and our footmen camped round about within an Arrowes shot of the walls They within the Citie did vse great endeuour for their defence and our Prince omitted nothing for their offence Axalla hauing viewed a great and strong Suburbe which was in length almost halfe a league supposed that those of the Citie kept no watch there that this must needs bee for that they would not make him obstinate he had a determiâ—ation to winne it in the night and hauing imparted it vnto the Prince vpon the first watch all his men were ready all of them hauing made prouision of Ladders and of such things as are necessary for winning thereof with hand-blowes and hauing assaulted it on sundry parts after the fight had continued two houres Axalla remayned the Conquerour and cut in pieces eight thousand men at the least which were within the same the spoyle was great there were many of Axalla his men slayne of one side which was that by the which they doubted to be assaulted But on the other side by the which it was taken there was scarce any one slayne The taking of this Suburbe did greatly astonish those of the Citie who had marked the lustinesse of our men and beganne to enter into doubt of their safety which vnto this day they accounted as most assured Now you must vnderstand that the situation of the Citie was of hard accesse being seated vpon a Playne the which was enuironed round about with Mountaines one of them onely approaching the Citie which ouerlooked it on front vpon the North side where was a Valley by the which they pâ—ssed and there did runne a Riuer on this side was the Suburbe situated which had been taken so as the meanes to succour the Citie was stopped our Souldiers keeping the passages of these Mountaines the which were in the old time the borders of the Kingdome for Paguinfou was once gouerned by the Tartarians which kept it for a defence against the Chinois but had lost the same and these Mountaines were the limits of China against the aforesaid Tartarians who gouerned Paguinfou at that time so as these Mountaines were of hard accesse and there
the Lettoes or Lituanians in the time of Alexander their Duke hee atchieued rather by aduantage of ciuill Dissentions and Treasons among themselues then by any great policie or force of his owne But all this was lost againe by his Sonne Iuan Vasilowich about eight or nine yeeres past vpon composition with the Polonian King Stepan Batore whereunto he was forced by the aduantages which the Pole had then of him by reason of the foyle hee had giuen him before and the disquietnesse of his owne State at home Onely the Russe Emperour at this time hath left him on that side his Countrey the Cities of Smolensko Vitobsko Cheringo and Beala gorod in Lituonia In Liuonia not a Towne not one foot of ground When Basileus first conquered those Countreyes he suffered the Natiues to keepe their Possessions and to inhabit all their Townes onely paying him a Tribute vnder the Gouernment of his Russe Captaynes But by their Conspiracies and Attempts not long after hee was taught to deale more surely with them And so comming vpon them the second time hee killed and carryed away with him three parts of foure which hee gaue or sold to the Tartars that serued him in those Wars and in stead of them placed there his Russes so many as might ouer-match the rest with certayne Garrisons of strength besides wherein notwithstanding this ouer-sight was committed for that taking away with him the Vp-land or Countrey people that should haue tilled the ground and might easily haue beene kept in order without any danger by other good policies he was driuen afterwards many yeeres together to victual the Countrey especially the great Towne out of his owne Countrey of Russia the soyle lying there in the meane-while waste and vntilled The like fell out at the Port of Narue in Liefland where his Sonne Iuan Vasilowich deuised to build a Towne and a Castle on the other side the Riuer called Iuangorod to keepe the Towne and Countrey in subjection The Castle hee caused to bee so built and fortified that it was thought to be inuincible And when it was finished for reward to the Architect that was a Polonian he put out both his eyes to make him vnable to build the like againe But hauing left the Natiues all within their owne Countrey without abating their number or strength the Towne and Castle not long after was betrayed and surrendred againe to the King of Sweden On the South-east side they haue got the Kingdomes of Cazan and Astracan These were wonne from the Tartar by the late Emperour Iuan Vasilowich Father to the Emperour that now is the one about thirty fiue the other about thirty three yeeres agoe North-ward out of the Countrey of Siberia he hath layed vnto his Realme a great breadth and length of ground from Wichida to the Riuer of Obba about 1000. miles space so that he is bold to write himselfe now The great Commander of Siberia The Countreyes lâ—kewise of Permia and Pechora are a diuers People and Language from the Russe ouercome not long since and that rather by threatning and shaking of the Sword then by any actuall force as being a weake and naked people without meanes to resist THeir Neighbours with whom they haue greatest dealings and intercourse both in Peace and Warre are first the Tartar Secondly the Polonian whom the Russe calleth Laches noting the first Author or Founder of the Nation who was called Laches or Leches whereunto is added Po which signifieth People and so is made Polaches that is the People or Posteritie of Laches which the Latines after their manner of writing call Polanos The third are the Swedens The Polonians and Swedens are better knowne to these parts of Europe then are the Tartars that are farther off from vs as being of Asia and diuided into many Tribes different both in name and gouernment one from another The greatest and mightiest of them is the Chrim Tartar whom some call the Great Cham that lyeth South and South-east-ward from Russia and doth most annoy the Countrey by often Inuasions commonly once euery yeere sometimes entring very farre within the In-land parts In the yeere 1571. he came as farre as the Citie of Mosko with an Armie of 200000. men without any battell or resistance at all for that the Russe Emperour then Iuan Vasilowich leading forth his Armie to encounter with him marched a wrong way but as it was thought of very purpose as not daring to aduenture the field by reason that he doubted his Nobilitie and chiefe Captaynes of a meaning to betray him to the Tartar The Citie he tooke not but fired the Suburbs which by reason of the buildings which is all of Wood without any Stone Bricke or Lime saue certayne out Roomes kindled so quickly and went on with such rage as that it consumed the greatest part of the Citie almost within the space of foure houres being of thirty miles or more of compasse Then might you haue seene a lamentable Spectacle besides the huge and mightie flame of the Citie all on light fire the people burning in their houses and streets but most of all of such as laboured to passe out of the Gates farthest from the Enemie where meeting together in a mighty throng and so pressing euerie man to preuent another wedged themselues so fast within the Gate and streets neere vnto it as that three Rankes walked one vpon the others head the vppermost treading downe those that were lower so that there perished at that time as was said by the fire and the presse the number of 80000. people or more The Chrim thus hauing fired the Citie and fed his eyes with the sight of it all of a light flame returned with his Armie and sent to the Russe Emperour a Knife as was sayd to sticke himselfe withall obrayding this losse and his desperate case as not daring either to meete his Enemie in the field nor to trust his Friends or Subjects at home The principall cause of this continuall quarrell betwixt the Russe and the Chrim is for the right of certayne border parts claimed by the Tartar but possessed by the Russe The Tartar alleadgeth that besides Astracan and Cazan that are the ancient possession of the East Tartar the whole Countrey from his bounds North and Westward so farre as the Citie of Mosko and Mosko it selfe pertayneth to his right Which seemeth to haue beene true by the report of the Russes themselues that tell of a certayne homage that was done by the Russe Emperour euery yeere to the great Chrim or Cham the Russe Emperour standing on foote and feeding the Chrims Horse himselfe sitting on his backe with Oates out of his owne Cap in stead of a Boll or Manger and that within the Castle of Mosko And this homage they say was done till the time of Basileus Grandfather to this man Who surprising the Chrim Emperour by a stratagem done by one of his Nobilitie called Iuan Demetrowich Belschey
the English and Spanish Fleets the Sea flight of the Spanish and miserable disasters in their returne Their lyes The Queenes religious triumph pag. 1895. Squadron of the Galeons of Portugall p. 1898. Don Alonso Peres de Gusman the good Duke of Medina Sidonia Countie of Nebla Marquesse of Casheshe in Africa Lord of the Citie of Saint Lucar Captaine Generall of the Occian Sea of the Coast of Andaluzia and of this Armie of his Maiestie and Knight of the honorable Order of the golden Fleece pag. 1902. The true relation of the successe of the Catholike Armie against their Enemies by the Letters of the Post-master of Logrono of the fourth of September and by Letters from Roan of the 31. of August and by Letters from Paris of the Kings Embassadour there wherein hee declareth the imprisonment of Francis Drake and other great Nobles of England and how the Queene is in the field with an Armie and of a certaine mutinie which was amongst the Queenes Armie with the successe of the said Catholike Armie since they entred in the Groyne till they came on the Coast of England with two Ballets compounded by Christouer Brauo a blinde man of Cordowa printed with licence by Gabriel Ramos Beiarano printer pag. 1913. CHAP. XII A discourse of the Portugall voyage Anno 1589. Sir Iohn Norris and Sir Francis Drake Generalls written as is thought by Colonell Antonie Wingfield imployed in the same voyage formerly published by his friend to whom it was written and here abbreuiated pag. 1914. CHAP. XIII A briefe and true report of the Honourable voyage vnto Cadiz 1596. of the ouerthrow of the Kings Fleet and of the winning of the Citie with other accidents gathered out of Meteranus Master Hackluyt and others pag. 1927. CHAP. XIIII The voyage to the Iles of Azores vnder the conduct of the Right Honorable Earle of Essex 1597. pag. 1935. § 1. The relation thereof by the said Earle and other Commissioners ibid. § 2. A larger relation of the said Iland voyage written by Sir Arthur Gorges Knight collected in the Queenes ship called the Wast Spite wherein he was then Captaine with Marine and Martiall discourses added according to the occurrences pag. 1938. The Conclusion of the Worke with some later aduertisements touching his Maiesties care for Virginia pag. 19â—0 Maps and Peeces cut in Brasse or VVood in the last ten Bookes AMerica p. 857 America Meridionalis p. 882 America Septentrionalis p. 853 Map of the Arctike Pole p. 625 Borussia or Prussia p. 626 Hondius his Map of China p. 361 Purchas his Map of China p. 402 Denmarke p. 622 England p. 1980 Florida p. 689 Great Britaine and Ireland p. 1981 Greenland p. 468 Vlphilas Gottick letters p. 658 Hispaniola p. 861 Island p. 644 Lithuania p. 629 Liuonia p. 627 Magellan Streight p. 900 Mexican hieroglyphic histor cut in 65. peeces p. 1067 c. to 1117. Moscouia p. 778 Norwegia p. 620 Polonia p. 630 Russia p. 220 Noua Scotia p. 1874 New Spaine p. 871 Tartaria p. 234 Taurica Chersonesus p. 632 Virginia p. 1692 PEREGRINATIONS AND DISCOVERIES IN THE REMOTEST NORTH AND EAST PARTS OF ASIA CALLED TARTARIA AND CHINA THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. The Iournall of Frier WILLIAM DE RVBRVQVIS a French-man of the Order of the Minorite Friers vnto the East parts of the World Anno Dom. 1253. TO the most Excellent and most Christian Lord Lewis by Gods grace the Renowmed King of France Frier William de Rubruk the meanest of the Minorites Order wisheth health and continuall Triumph in Christ. It is written in the Booke of Ecclesiasticus concerning the Wiseman He shall trauell into forreine Countries and good and euill shall hee try in all things The very same Action my Lord and King haue I atchieued howbeit I wish that I haue done it like a wise man and not like a Foole. For many there bee that performe the same Action which a wise man doth not wisely but more vndiscreetly of which number I feare my selfe to bee one Notwithstanding howsoeuer I haue done it because you commanded mee when I departed from your Highnesse to write all things vnto you which I should see among the Tartars and you wished me also that I should not feare to write long Letters I haue done as your Maiestie enioyned me yet with feare and reuerence because I want words and Eloquence sufficient to write vnto so great a Maiestie Bee it knowne therefore vnto your Sacred Maiestie that in the yeare of our Lord 1253. about the Nones of May wee entred into the Sea of Pontus which the Bulgarians call the great Sea It contayneth in length as I learned of certayne Merchants one thousand and eight miles and is in a manner diuided into two parts About the midst thereof are two Prouinces one towards the North and another towards the South The South Prouince is called Synopolis and it is the Castle and Port of the Soldan of Turkie but the North Prouince is called of the Latines Gasaria of the Greekes which inhabit vpon the Sea shoare thereof it is called Cassaria that is to say Caesaria And there are certayne head-lands stretching forth into the Sea towards Synopolis Also there are three hundred miles of distance betweene Synopolis and Cassaria Insomuch that the distance from those points or places to Constantinople in length and breadth is about seuen hundred miles and seuen hundred miles also from thence to the East namely to the Countrey of Hiberia which is a Prouince of Georgia At the Prouince of Gasaria or Cassaria wee arriued which Prouince is in a manner three square hauing a Citie on the West part thereof called Kersoua wherein Saint Clement suffered Martyrdome And sayling before the said Citie wee saw an Iland in which a Church is said to be built by the hands of Angels But about the midst of the said Prouince toward the South as it were vpon a sharpe Angle or Point standeth a Citie called Soldaia directly against Synopolis And there doe all the Turkie Merchants which Traffique into the North Countries in their Iourney outward arriue and as they returne home-ward also from Russia and the said Northerne Regions into Turkie The foresaid Merchants transport thither Ermines and gray Furres with other rich and costly Skinnes Others carrie Clothes made of Cotton or Bombast and Silke and diuers kinds of Spices But vpon the East part of the said Prouince standeth a Citie called Matriga where the Riuer Tanais dischargeth his streames into the Sea of Pontus the mouth whereof is twelue miles in breadth For this Riuer before it entreth into the Sea of Pontus maketh a little Sea which hath in breadth and length seuen hundred miles and it it is in no place thereof aboue sixe paces deepe whereupon great Vessels cannot saile ouer it Howbeit the Merchants of Constantinople arriuing at the foresaid Citie of Materta send their Barkes vnto the Riuer of Tanais to buy dryed fishes Sturgeons Thosses Barbils
their men and they promised it to Cublai One morning whiles Naiam was sleeping negligently in his Tent hauing not so much as sent out any scouts to espie Cublai made shew of his Armie vpon a hill to Naiams Hee himselfe sate in a certaine Castle of wood full of Archers and Crosse-bow men borne by foure Elephants on the top whereof was the Royall Standard with the Images of the Sunne and Moone Hee deuided his Armie into three wings of which he sent that on the right hand and the other on the left against Naiams Armie To euery ten thousand Horse were assigned fiue hundred Foot with Lances taught to leape vp behind the horse-men if any occasion of flight happened and suddenly on aduantage to light and slay the enemies horses with their lances Caidu was not yet come The battel 's ioyned and made a cruell fight which continued from morning till noone and then was Naiam taken and brought before Cublai who commanded that he should be sewed betwixt two Carpets which should be tossed vp and downe till the breath were out of his bodie that so the Imperiall blood might not be exposed to the Sunne and the ayre The remainder of his people sware Obedience to Cublai which were foure Nations Ciorza Carli Barscol and Sitingui Naiam was secretly baptised and by profession a Christian but no follower of the workes of Faith and signed his principall Ensigne with the signe of the Crosse hauing with him infinite store of Christians which were all slaine The Iewes and Saracens that were in the Armie of Cublai began to vpbraid the Christians with this disaster of the Crosse who thereupon complained to Cublai Hee then sharply reprouing the Iewes and Saracens turning to the Christians saith Surely your God and his Crosse would not giue any ayde to Naiam but be not you therefore ashamed because God beeing good and iust ought not at all to defend Iniustice and Iniquitie Naiam was a Traytour to his Lord and contrary to all equitie raised rebellion and sought the helpe of your God in his mischieuous purpose But he as a good and vpright God would not fauour his Designes He returned after this with great triumph to Cambalu and stayed there till Easter On that day he called the Christians before him and kissed their Gospels and made his Barons doe the same The like hee doth in the great Feasts of Saracens Iewes and Ethnikes that Sogomamber Can the God of the Idols Mahumet Moses or whosoeuer is greatest in heauen might helpe him Yet he made best shew of liking to the Christian Faith but pretended the ignorance of the Professors and the mightie acts of the Sorcerers to his not professing it Now for rewarding his Souldiers he hath twelue Barons or wise Counsellours which giue him notice of each Captaynes merit who raiseth them command of one hundred to a thousand and from one thousand to ten thousand and so forward giuing them Vessels of Plate and Tablets The Captayne of one hundred hath a Tablet of siluer and the Captayne of one thousand of Gold or siluer gilded the Captayne of ten thousand hath a Tablet of Gold with a Lions head on it the weight of the Tablets differ also according to the worth and weight of the dignitie On the said Tablet is written a command in this manner By the strength and power of the great God and by the Grace which he hath giuen to our Empire the name of Can be blessed and let them all dye and be destroyed which will not obey him All they which haue these Tablets haue priuiledges in writing of all things which they are to doe or demand And the Generals when they ride in publike they haue a cloth borne ouer their heads and when they sit sit on a Chaire of siluer Their Tablet is of three hundred Saggi fiftie ounces of Gold with the Images of the Sunne and Moone They whose Tablet haue a Gerfalcon may take with them for their guard the whole Armie of a great Commander Cublai is a comeley and faire man of a meane stature of a red and white face blacke and goodly eyes well fashioned nose and all the lineaments of his bodie consisting of a due proportion He hath foure wiues which he accounteth lawfull and the first-borne of them succeedeth him in the Kingdome And euery one of these is called Empresse and holdeth a peculiar Court and that Princely in a proper Palace hauing about three hundred chosen Hand-mayds and Mayd-seruant and many Eunuch seruants and at least ten thousand persons in their Family The King hath also many Concubines There is a certaine Nation of faire people Tartars called Vngut whether euery second yeare he sendeth Ambassadors to puruey the fairest Lasses for him of greatest esteeme for beautie which bring him foure or fiue hundred more or lesse as they see cause There are Praysers or Examiners appointed which take view of all their beauties examining Eyes Nose Mouth c. apart and set price on them at sixteene seuenteene eighteene nineteene twentie or more Carrats And they bring those of that rate which their Commission appoints These hee causeth to bee reuiewed by other Examiners and of so many chuseth perhaps thirtie for his Chamber of the chiefe which he puts to some of his Barons Wiues to see if they snore not in their sleepe if in smell or behauiour they be not offensiue Those which are approoued are by fiues diuided each fifth part wayting three dayes and nights in his Chamber by course the other in the next Lodgings preparing whatsoeuer these command them The lesse prized are put to Cookerie and other noble Officers And sometimes the Can bestowes them on Gentlemen with great portions The men of that Countrey esteeme it a grace and credit to haue Daughters worthy his liking and thinke themselues borne vnder an ill Planet if they haue not for his turne Cublai hath two and twentie Sonnes by his foure legitimate Wiues and the first-borne of his first Wife was called Cingis who should haue succeeded him in the Empire if hee had not dyed before his Father He left a Sonne named Temur a valiant man wife and exercised in Armes who is to succeed his Grand-father in the Empire in stead of his deceased Father But by his Hand-mayds and Mayd-seruants he hath fiue and twentie Sonnes all which are daily exercised in feats of Armes and are great Lords Seuen of his Sonnes by his Wiues are Kings of great Prouinces and maintayne their states with great reputation Three moneths of the yeere to wit December Ianuarie and Februarie Cublai remayneth ordinarily in Cambalu which is at the North-east border of Cataio and there on the South part by the new Citie is seated a great Palace First there is a square Wall each square being eight miles with a deep Ditch enuironing and a Gate in the middle of each after which is the space of a mile in circuit where Souldiers stand After this is
the sicke singing and making an horrible noyse with their voyces These things being done they aske the possessed againe whether by these things the Idol be appeased If he answer No they presently prepare themselues to fulfill another command of his But if he answer that he is satisfied they sit downe at the Table and eate the flesh offered to the Idoll with great ioy and drinke the confections And dinner being ended and the Magicians payed euery one returneth to his owne home And when the sicke hath thus escaped the disease through the prouidence of God and hath beene restored to health they attribute it to the Idoll whom they sacrificed But if he die then they say the Idoll was defrauded and that some of the Sacrificers tasted thereof first This is not done to all but to the Richer the Deuill deluding their blindnesse §. VII Of the Prouince of Mien and Bengala how they were conquered to the Can Of Cangigu Amu Tholoman Cintigui and some other parts of Cataio And of the Conquest of Mangi ANno Dom. 1272. the Great Can sent an Armie into the Kingdome of Vociam and Carazan to guard it to the number of twelue thousand expert warriors vnder the conduct of Nestardin a wise Captaine As soone as the King of Mien and the King of Bengala heard of their comming assembling their forces they ioyned Horse and Foot together about threescore thousand and about a thousand Elephants beating Castles and in euery Castle twelue or sixteene armed men were placed With this Armie the King of Mien speedily marched towards the Citie Vociam where the Armie of the Tartars rested Nestardin comming forth with a manly courage to fight against the Enemie encamped against a certaine great Wood knowing that the Elephants with those Towres were not able to enter into the Wood. Then the King of Mien marcheth forth to meete them But the Tartarian Horses perceiuing the Elephants to be present which were placed in the first front of the battaile were terrified with so great feare that they could not by any violence or policy be prouoked against the Elephants The Tartars therefore were compelled to alight from their Horses and tying them to the Trees of the Wood they come to fight on foot against the Elephants In the front of the battaile all the Tartars purposely shot a multitude of Arrowes against the Elephants which not able to indure the strokes of the Arrowes speedily betooke themselues to flight and with swift course went all vnto the next Wood and brake their Castles and ouer-threw the armed men sitting in them which the Tartars seeing runne vnto their Horses and getting vp vpon them furiously fall vpon the Kings Armie with great violence and many of either Armie fell at length the King of Mien being put to flight left the victorie to the Tartars who hasten to the Wood and taking many Captiues vsed their helpe to take two hundred of these Elephants And euer since Great Can hath vsed Elephants in his Armies which before hee had not accustomed Hereupon also he vanquished the Countries of the King of Mien and Bengala and subiected them to his Empire Departing from the Prouince of Cardandan is a great descent which continueth two dayes and a halfe nor is there any habitation there but a very large Playne in the which three dayes in the weeke many men meete together for Trading Many descend from the great Mountaines of that Countrey bringing gold with them to change for siluer to wit giuing one ounce of gold for fiue ounces of siluer whereupon many Merchants from forraine Nations come thither who bringing siluer carrie away gold and bring thither merchandises to sell to those people For to those high Mountaines in which they who gather gold in that Countrey dwell no stranger can come seeing the way is vnpassable and intricate When you are past that Playne going toward the South Mien bordereth vpon India and the way lyeth fifteene dayes iourney in places not inhabited and wooddy in which innumerable Elephants Vnicornes and other wild beasts wander After that fifteene dayes is found Mien a great and noble Citie the head of the Kingdome and subiect to Great Can. The Inhabitants thereof haue a peculiar language and are Idolaters In this Citie there was a King who being readie to die commanded that neere to his Sepulchre there should be made two Towres in Pyramide fashion one at the head the other at the feete both of Marble of the heigth of ten fathom On the top was a round Ball. He caused one to bee couered all ouer with gold a finger thicke and the other with siluer And vpon the top round about the Balls many little golden and siluer Bells were hanged which at the blowing of the winde gaue a certaine sound The Moniment or Sepulchre was also couered with Plates partly of gold partly of siluer He commanded this to be made in honor of his Soule and that his memorie should neuer decay among men And when Great Can minded to subdue this Citie hee sent a valiant Captaine and the greatest part of his Armie were Iesters of which his Court is alway furnished These winning the Citie would not violate that Moniment without the Cans knowledge who hearing that the decessed had made it for the honor of his Soule would not suffer it to be stirred for the manner of the Tartars is not to violate those things which belong to the dead In this Prouince are many Elephants wild Oxen great and faire Stagges and Deere and other wild Beasts of diuers kindes The Prouince Bengala bordereth vpon India toward the South which Great Can subdued when Marco Polo liued in his Court The Countrey hath a proper King and peculiar language The Inhabitants thereof are all Idolaters they haue Masters which keepe Schooles and teach Idolatries and Inchantments a thing common to all the great Men of that Countrey They eate Flesh Rice and Milke they haue Cotton in great plentie and by reason thereof much and great trading is exercised there they abound also with Spike Galangal Ginger Sugar and diuers other Spices Huge Oxen also are there comparable with Elephants in height but not in thicknesse Many Eunuches are made in this Prouince which are afterwards sold vnto Merchants This Prouince continueth thirtie dayes iourney in the end whereof going Eastward is the Prouince of Cangigu Cangigu hath his proper King and peculâ—ar language The Inhabitants thereof worship Idols and are Tributaries to Great Can. Their King hath about three hundreth Wiues Much gold is found in this Prouince and many Spices but they cannot easily be transported seeing that countrey is farre distant from the Sea There are also many Elephants in it and much game of many wild Beasts The Inhabitants thereof liue with Flesh Milke and Rice They want Wine but they make good drinke of Rice and Spices Aswell the Men as the Women vse to embroider their Faces
Emperour of Asia namely the King of Georgia But the Kingdome of Albcas being mightie in people and strongly situated and fortified could neuer yet either by the Emperours of Asia or by the Tartarians bee subdued In this Kingdome of Georgia is a maruellous strange Wonder or Miracle which I durst not haue reported or beleeued if I had not seene it with my eyes But because I haue personally beene there and beene made the eye witnesse thereof I say that in those parts there is a Prouince or Countrey called Hamsem being in circuit about three dayes iourney whose whole extent is all couered ouer with such thicke and palpable darknesse that none can see any thing therein neither doe any dare to goe into that Land because they know not the way out againe Those that inhabit neere about it affirme that they haue often heard the sound of mens voices crying of Cockes crowing and the neighing of Horses in the Wood and by the course of a Riuer that runneth out from that place there appeare certaine signes that there are people inhabiting therein 11. The Kingdome of the Chaldaeans beginneth on the East-side from the Mountaynes of Media and reacheth out vnto Niniue The Inhabitants of Chaldaea are called Nestorians because they are followers of the Errour of Nestorius and they haue their peculiar Chaldaean Characters others there are amongst them that vse the Arabian Letters and are of the Sect of the seducer Mahomet 12. The Kingdome of Mesopotamia on the East-side beginneth at the great Citie Mosel called of the Ancients Seleucia which is seated neere the Riuer Tigris and stretcheth out vnto the Riuer Euphrates and the Citie of Robais or Edessa 13. When the Turkes had inuaded the Kingdome of Turkie and possessed themselues thereof they could not preuayle against the Citie of Trapezond nor the Territorie thereof because of their strong Castles and other Fortifications by reason whereof it remayned still vnder the gouernment of the Emperour of Constantinople who vsed yearely to send thither a Ruler or Gouernour as his Deputie there vntill at length one of them rebelling against him made himselfe King in such sort that he which now holdeth that Land is called Emperour of Trapezond The Inhabitants are Greekes In the Kingdome of Turkie are foure Nations inhabiting namely the Greekes Armenians and Iacobines or Iacobites which are Christians liuing on merchandise and manuring the Earth and the Turkes which are Saracens that haue inuaded that Land and gotten the Gouernment from the Greeks Some of them liue on merchandise and labouring of the ground inhabiting in Cities and Townes others keeping in the Woods and Fields both Winter and Summer being Shepherds and very good Bow-men 14. Cilicia at this day is called Armenia by reason that after the enemies of the Christian faith had gotten that Countrey and held it a long time from the Greekes the Armenians endeauoured themselues so well that they wonne it againe from the Pagans In so much that the King of Armenia by the grace of God ruleth ouer Cilicia at this day In the Kingdome of Syria are diuers Nations inhabiting namely Greekes Armenians Iacobites Nestorians and Saracens There are also other Christian Nations namely the Syrians and Maronines or Maronites 16. The Countrey in which the Tartarians first inhabited lieth beyond the great Mountaine Belgian mentioned in the Histories of Alexander And there they liued like brutish People without learning or Religion feeding herds of Beasts and going from place to place to seeke pasture And being not exercised in armes they were despised of other Nations and payed tribute to al. Of these in ancient time there were many Nations which by a common name were called Mogli who vpon their encrease were after diuided into seuen principall sorts esteemed more noble then the rest The first of these Nations was called Tatar from the name of that Prouince wherein they first inhabited The second was named Tangur The third Cunat The fourth Talair The fifth Sonich The sixth Monghi And the seuenth Tebeth And whiles these seuen Nations liued vnder the subiection of their Neighbours as is aboue said it happened that a poore old man being a Smith saw a Vision in his sleepe namely a man armed all in white Armour and mounted on a white Horse which calling him by his name said vnto him Changius It is the will and pleasure of the immortall God that thou be Lord and Ruler ouer these Nations of the Mogli and that by thee they bee deliuered from the Dominion of their Neighbours vnder which they haue long remayned and they shall rule ouer their Neighbours and receiue Tribute of them to whom they formerly paid Tribute Changius hearing this Word of God was replenished with exceeding ioy and made publikely knowne the Vision which he had seene But the Rulers and Commanders would not giue credite to the Vision but rather despised and mocked the old man But the night following they themselues saw the same Vision of the Horse-man armed in white who commanded them from the Immortall God that they should be obedient to Changius and cause all to obey his command Whereupon all the said Chieftaines and Gouernours of the seuen Nations of the Tartarians calling the people together made them to yeeld obedience and reuerence to Changius Then afterwards placing a Chaire for him in the midst of them and spreading a blacke Felt Carpet on the ground they set him thereon and then the seuen chiefe Rulers lifting him vp did place him in the Throne or Chaire of State with great triumph and acclamation calling him Can their first Emperour and doing him solemne reuerence with bowing their knees as to their Lord and Gouernour Now at this solemnitie of the Tartarians and at the simplicitie of their blacke Cloth vsed in the creating of their first Emperour none ought much to wonder either because haply they were not then furnished with any fairer loth of Sâ—ate or else were so rude and ignorant at that time that they knew no better or fairer fashion of Sâ—ate But at this men might rather maruell that the Tartarians hauing since that coâ—quered many Kingdomes and gotten infinite riches and namely commanding ouer the Dominions and wealth of Asia euen to the confines of Hungaria they will not yet leaue their ancient and accustomed manner but at the confirmation of euery Emperour obserue the like order in euery point whereof I can well be a witnesse hauing beene personally present at the ceremonie vsed at the Confirmation of one of their Emperours But to returne to our purpose Changius Can being thus made Emperour by common consent of all the Tartarians determined ere he attempted any thing to make triall whether they would all performe faithfull obedience to him to which end he made certaine Ordinances to be obserued of all The first was That all the Tartarians should beleeue and obey the Immortall God by whose will hee was promoted to the
Imperiall Dignitie which Commandement they obserued and from thenceforth vntill this day haue euer continued to call on the Immortall God in all their occasions Secondly Hee willed that all the men that were able to beare Armes should be numbred and that ouer euery ten should be one appointed and ouer euery ten thousand a great Commander and that also ouer euery thousand should bee a Colonell or Conducter of a Regiment and he called an Armie of ten thousand Souldiers a Regiment He commanded also the seuen Rulers ouer the Nations of the Tartarians that they should forthwith dismisse themselues of their former dignities which they relinquished immediatly But another of his Ordinances was very strange and admirable in which he commanded those seuen chiefe Rulers to bring euery of them his eldest sonne and each with his owne hand to cut off his head Which Commandement appearing to bee most cruell and vniust yet was there none that would any way gainsay it because they knew him to be set ouer them by Gods prouidence and therefore they presently fulfilled it When Changius Can had seene that they were readie to obey him euen vnto death he appointed them all a certaine day in which they should be readie to fight And then they rode against them which bordered next vnto them and subdued them Whereby they which had beene Lords ouer them were brought into subiection vnder them After hee inuaded diuers other Nations which hee conquered with great celeritie For hee did all his exploits with a small troupe of men and was successefull in his enterprises Yet one day it fell out that being accompanied with a small number he was encountred with a great troupe of his Enemies in such sort that the fight being begun betweene them whiles he valiantly defended himselfe his Horse was slaine vnder him And the Tartarians seeing their Lord ouerthrowne betooke themselues to flight so that the Enemies being all busied in pursuing of those that fled and hauing no knowledge of the Emperour whom they had vnhorsed and ouerthrowne he runne and hid himselfe among certaine shrubs for safety of his life Whither when the Enemies were returned with purpose to spoile the dead Carkasses and to seeke out such as were hidden it happened that an Owle came and sate vpon those little trees or shrubs which he had chosen for his couert which when they perceiued they sought no further in that place supposing that the said Bird would not haue sate there if any man had beene hidden vnderneath By which meanes in the dead time of the night he found meanes to escape thence and came by diuers vnfrequented wayes vnto his owne people and discoursed vnto them what had befallen him For which the Tartarians rendred thankes vnto the Immortall God And that Bird which vnder God was held to be the meanes of his escaped hath euer since beene held in such reuerence amongst them that happie is he that can get but a Feather of an Owle which they weare in their heads with great reuerence Which I thought fit to set downe in this Booke that the cause might be knowne for which the Tartarians vse commonly to weare Feathers on their heads But their Emperour Changius Can hauing giuen great thankes to God for his deliuerance out of so great a danger gathered his Armie together and fiercely assaulted his former Enemies againe and brought them all vnder subiection and so became Emperor of all the Countries lying on that side of the Mountaine Belgian and possessed them quietly without disturbance vntill it happened him to haue another Vision as shall after be declared Neither is it any maruell that in these Histories I haue not set downe the certaine time because albeit I haue sought of many to know the certaintie thereof yet could I neuer finde any to instruct me fully therein the reason thereof I take to be because the Tartarians at the first were ignorant of all Learning and knew no letters and so passed ouer the times and memorable accidents without any Record or Register thereof kept whereby they came afterwards to be forgotten §. II. Of CHANGIVS Can his second Vision and Conquests Of HOCCOTA and his three Sonnes expeditions of GINO Can of MANGV Can who was visited by the King of Armenia and baptised of the expedition of his Brother HALOON 17. AFter that Changius Can had subdued all the Kingdomes and Countries on that side of the Mountaine Belgian he saw another Vision in the night For the selfe-same Horsman armed in white Armour appeared vnto him againe saying Changius Can it is the pleasure of the Immortall God that thou passe ouer the Mountaine Belgian and direct thy course Westwards where thou shalt possesse Kingdomes and Countries and subdue many Nations And that thou mayest be assured that the words which I speake vnto thee are from the Immortall God Arise and goe with thy people to the Mountaine Belgian to that part thereof which ioyneth to the Sea there thou shalt alight from thy Horse and kneeling downe nine times towards the East thou shalt worship nine times the Immortall God and he which is Almightie will shew thee the way by which thou mayest easily passe ouer the Mountaine At this Vision Changius reioyced exceedingly and arose without farther doubt or delay because the trueth which he had found in the first Vision gaue him assurance of the other in such sort that he forthwith speedily assembled his people and commanded them to follow him with their wiues and children and all that they had And so they went forwards vntill they came to the place where the great and deepe Sea did beate against the Mountaine so that there appeared no way nor passage for them There presently Changius Can as had beene commanded him by God alighted from his Horse and all his followers in like manner worshipping nine times on their bended knees towards the East they beseeched the Almightie and euerliuing God that of his infinite mercy and grace he would vouchsafe to shew them the way and passage thence where they continued in prayer all that night And in the morning arising they saw that the Sea was departed from the Mountaine and had left them a way of nine feet in bredth to passe Whereat they being all astonished exceedingly and rendring thankes to the Immortall God most deuoutly they passed on the way which they saw before them and directed their steps towards the West But as the Histories of the Tartarians doe mention after they had passed ouer those Mountaines they indured some hunger and thirst for certaine dayes because the land was Desart and the waters were bitter and salt which they could not by any meanes drinke vntill at length they came where they had all necessaries aboundantly In which place they abode many dayes And there it happened by the will of God that Changius Can grew dangerously sicke in such sort that the Physicians despaired of his recouerie By reason
euerie where he louingly vsed and be preferred to the gouernment of Castles and Cities and the Saracens held vnder streight subiection Haloon had also a Wife called Doncoscaro discended of those Kings that came from the East being guided by the Starre of the Natiuitie of our Lord which Ladie being a most deuout Christian was a great meanes of destroying the Temples of the Saracens and prohibiting the Solemnities and Ceremonies of Mahomet and finally rased their Temples to the ground and brought the Saracens in such subiection that they durst not shew their heads 28. After that Haoloon had rested a yeare he sent to the King of Armenia to meete him at the Citie Robays in the Kingdome of Mesopotamia because he entended to goe towards the Holy Land that hee might restore it to the Christians whereupon the King Haython of famous memorie tooke his Iourney accompanied with a great Armie both of Horsemen and Footmen for at that time the Kingdome of Armenia was in so good estate that it could raâ—se a power of twelue thousand Horse and threescore thousand Footmen whereof beeing an Eye witnesse my selfe I can will giue testimonie thereof when the King of Armenia was come according to this appointment of Haplan and had conference with him touching the Enterprize of the Holy Land he aduised him that because the Soldan of Halappi ruled ouer all the Kingdome of Syria in which the Citie of Ierusalem was seated the way to get the Holy Land was first to besiege the Citie of Halappi being the chiefe Citie of Syria which when he had wonne it would not be difficult for him to subdue all the rest of that Countrey which aduise Haloon liked well and besieged the Citie of Halappi or Aleppo which he found to be of great strength being well walled and inhabited therefore with Mines vnder ground with Slings and other Engines hee begirt it so straightly and assaulted it so manfully on euery side that albeit it seemed impregnable yet in the space of nine dayes he obtayned it In this Citie they found such incredible store of wealth as would hardly be beleeued yet there was a Castle in the midst of the Citie that held out eleuen dayes after the Citie was taken which at length was wonne by vndermining So the Citie Halappi and afterwards the Kingdome of Syria was taken by Haolono in the yeare of our Lord 1240. 29. But when the Soldan of Halappi named Melechnaser being then in the Citie of Damascus vnderstood that the Citie of Halappi with his Wife and Children in it was taken being vtterly destitute of Counsell hee came and cast himselfe at the feet of Haloon hoping thereby that his Wife and Children with some part of his Dominions would bee restored him But the Soldan found himselfe therein deceiued for Haloon sent him with his Wife and Children into Persia that thereby he might enioy the Kingdome of Syria the more securely These things thus disposed Haloon gaue to the King of Armenia a great part of the spoile of Halappi and of the Lands which he had inuaded whereby the King of Armenia was strengthened with many Castles bordering on his Kingdome which he fortified as he thought good and after that Haoloon had setled the affaires of those Cities and Countries which he had wonne intending to goe to Ierusalem to free the Holy Land from Pagans and to restore it to the Christians There came to him a Messenger the third day who brought newes that the Tartarian Empire was vacant by the death of his Brother Mango Can and that his comming was earnestly expected to bee his Successor therein which report made him very sorrowfull In regard whereof hee could now proceed no further in person but left ten thousand Tartars to keepe the Kingdome of Syria vnder the command of a Captayne called Guiboga to whom he gaue order that hee should conquer the Holy Land and restore it to the Christians And so leauing his Sonne at Tauris hee hastened Eastward himselfe by great Iourneyes §. III. Of COBILA CAN the fift Emperour of the Tartarians Of the Warre with BARCHA and Tartarian quarrell with the Christians HAOLAONS death Acts of the Soldan of Egypt Of ABAYA and other Sonnes and Successors of HALOON BVt before he could come to the Kingdom of Persia he heard that the Nobles Princes had placed his Brother Cobila Can in the Imperial Seat of the Tartars which he heard whilst he was at Tauris where he vnderstood that Barcat or Barcha was marching thither with a great Armie purposing to make himselfe Emperour Haoloon therefore assembled his people and met with his Enemies on a certayne Riuer which was frozen where beganne a very great Battaile But the Ice being broken by the great multitude of Horses and Men there was drowned on the one side and on the other thirtie thousand Tartars Insomuch that the Armies on each side returned But Guiboga whom Haoloon had left in the Kingdome of Syria and the Prouince of Palestina held those Countreyes peaceably and loued the Christians well for he was of the Progenie of the three Kings which went to worship the Natiuitie of our Lord. But when he had laboured earnestly to reduce the Holy Land againe vnder the power of the Christians the Deuill sowed the seed of scandall and discord betwixt him and the Christians of those parts which hapned on this manner In the Land of Belforte which is of the Territory of the Citie of Sidon there were sundry Townes and Villages inhabited by Saracens which paid certayne Tribute to the Tartars on whom some of Sidon and Belforte made diuers rodes and spoyles killing sundry of the Saracens and carrying others away Captiue with a great droue of Cattle A Nephew of Guiboga remayning neere thereabouts followed speedily after those Christians that had committed those out-rages to tell them on the behalfe of his Vncle that they should dismisse their bootie But some of them vnwilling to large their prey they had taken ranne vpon him and slue him with diuers other Tartarians that accompanyed him Guiboga hearing that the Christians had slaine his Nephew rode presently and tooke the Citie of Sidon dismanteled the walls thereof and slue some few Christians the rest sauing themselues in an Iland And neuer after would the Tartars trust the Christians of Syria neither durst they put confidence in the Tartars who were afterwards driuen out of the Kingdome of Syria by the Saracens as shall be declared 31. Whiles Haoloon was busie in the warre with Barcat as hath beene said the Soldan of Egypt assembling his Armie came to the Prouince of Palestina and in a place called Hamalech he ioyned battaile with Guiboga and his Tartars where Guiboga was slaine and his Armie defeated The Tartars which escaped went into Armenia and by this meanes the Kingdome of Syria was wholly subdued by the Saracens sauing certayne Cities of the Christians which were seated neere the Sea
When Haloon vnderstood how the Soldan of Egypt had inuaded Syria and driuen thence his people he gathered his Armie and sent to the King of Armenia and to the King of Georgia and the other Christians of the East to prepare themselues against the Soldan of Egypt and the Saracens and when his Armie was in readinesse a sicknesse seized him of which he languished the space of a fortnight and then dyed by whose death the enterprize of the Holy Land had an end Abaga his Sonne held the Dominion of his Father who intreated the Emperour Cobila Can being his Vncle to confirme him therein to which he willingly accorded So he was called Abaga Can and began to reigne in the yeare of our Lord 1264. 32. Abaga was wise and gouerned prosperously in all things two only excepted one that he would not be a Christian as his Father had beene but worshipped Idols beleeuing the Idolatrous Priests The other that he was alwayes in warres with his Neighbours by reason wherof the Soldan was long in quiet and the power of the Saracens much increased Those Tartars or rather Turks which could escape from out the Dominion of the Tartars fled vnto the Soldan seeking to auoid the heauie burthens which the Tartars imposed on them And the Soldan dealt politikely for he sent Messengers by Sea to the Tartars in the Kingdomes of Cumania and Russia and made composition and agreement with them that whensoeuer Abaga should mooue warre against the Land of Egypt then they should inuade his Countrey for which he promised them great gifts by meanes whereof Abaga could not well inuade the Land of Egypt but the Soldan could easily without resistance inuade the Christians in the parts of Syria insomuch that the Christians lost the Citie of Antioch and diuers other places of strength which they held in that Kingdome 33. Moreouer Bendecar the Soldan of Egypt was so fortunate that he much abased the Kingdome of Armenia For it hapned that the King of Armenia with many of his men was gone to the Tartars which the Soldan hearing sent a Captayne of his to inuade the Kingdome of Armenia The Sonnes of the King of Armenia gathering together all that could beare Armes encountred the Egyptians in the Confines of their Kingdome and resisted them couragiously but the Armie of the Armenians being ouerthrowne one of the Kings Sonnes was taken and the other was slaine in battaile So that the Saracens thereby wasted and spoyled all the Kingdome of Armenia and carryed infinite riches thence to the great damage of the Christians whereby the Enemies power was much encreased and the Kingdome of Armenia wondrously weakned The King whose endeauour was wholly bent about the destruction of the Infidels hauing heard this most vnhappie newes of his owne Countrey busied his thoughts night and day how to afflict the Saracens and oft-times very earnestly dealt with Abaga and his Tartars to attempt the ouerthrow of faithlesse Mahomet and the reliefe of the Christians But Abaga excused himselfe by reason of the warres in which he was daily entangled with his Neighbours The King of Armenia seeing that hee could not haue any present ayde of the Tartarians sent and made truce by his Messengers with the Soldan of Egypt that he might redeeme his Sonne which was Prisoner The Soldan also promised him that if he restored him a friend of his called Angoldscar whom the Tartars held captiue and yeelded vp the Castle Tempsach and some holds of the Citie of Halappi which he had gotten in the time of Haoloon hee would set his Sonne at libertie Whereupon the Soldan hauing receiued his friend and the Castle of Tempsacke beeing yeelded and two other Castles throwne downe at his appointment deliuered his Sonne out of Prison and restored him accordingly Then afterwards King Haython of famous memorie hauing reigned fortie fiue yeares and done much good to the Christians yeelded vp his Kingdome and Dominion to his Sonne Liuon whom he had deliuered out of captiuitie and renouncing this Kingdom of the World became professed in Religion and was called Macharius changing his name according to the custome of the Armenians when they enter into Religion and in short time after dyed in peace in the yeare of our Lord 1270. 34. This King of Armenia Liuone was wise and gouerned his Kingdom prouidently and being much beloued by his owne People and by the Tartars he laboured earnestly to destroy the Saracens so that in his time Abaga made peace with al his neighbors who of long time had been his enemies Then the Soldan of Egypt entred the Kingdome of Turkie and slue many of the Tartars and draue them out of many Townes For a Saracen called Paruana being Captaine ouer the Tartars that were in Turkie rebelled against Abaga and sought the destruction of the Tartarians Abaga hearing thereof posted thither so speedily that in fifteene dayes hee rode fortie dayes iourney The Soldan hearing of his comming departed suddenly not daring to make any longer abode Yet could not so speedily withdraw himselfe but that the Tartars following swiftly ouertooke the rereward of his Armie in the entrie of the Kingdome of Egypt in a place called Pasblanke There the Tartarians rushing on them tooke two thousand Horsemen of the Saracens beside much riches and fiue thousand of the Cordines which liued in that Countrie Abaga being come to the Confines of Egypt was perswaded to goe no farther for heat for that Land is very hote and his Tartars and their beasts hauing come speedily from farre could hardly haue indured it by reason whereof hee returned into Turkie and spoiled and wasted all the Countries that had rebelled and yeelded to the Soldan But he caused the Traytor Paruana with his partakers to be cut asunder in the midst after the Tartarian manner and part of his flesh to be serued in all his meats whereof he and his Captaines did eat Such was the reuenge of King Abaga on the Traitor Paruana 35. Abaga hauing effected his desires in Turkie and enriched his Tartars with the spoyles of the rebellious Saracens he called to him the King of Armenia and offered him the kingdome of Turkie in regard that his father and hee had beene euer faithfull to the Tartarians But the King of Armenia being discreet and wise rendred great thankes to Abaga for so great a Present but excused himselfe from the accepting thereof as vnable to gouerne two Kingdomes For the Soldan of Egypt was in his full strength and earnestly bent against the Kingdome of Armenia so that hee had enough to doe to prouide for the defence thereof Yet aduised him to settle and dispose the Kingdome of Turkie in such sort ere his departure that there might bee no feare of Rebellion afterwards and in any case to permit no Saracen to command there Which aduice Abaga accepted of and neuer after suffered any Saracen to beare rule in that Countrey The king of Armenia then
whereby he might easily ouer-come the Tartarians The Soldan who thought to haue expected the Tartars at the Citie of Aman did hereupon change his resolution and with a chosen companie hasted with all speede to assaile Casan at vnawares But his Espials and Scouts giuing him notice of their approach Casan commanded his men presently to be set in order and manfully to resist them He himselfe more bold then a Lion with such companie as hee had about him rode to meete the Saracens who had approached so neere that they could not auoid the battaile Casan seeing that the residue of his companie were spred so farre abroad in the Countrie for the feeding of their Horses that they could not suddenly come to him he commanded those that were with him to dismount from their Horses and placing them in a Circle made as it were a Wall of them and with their Bowes and Arrowes caused his men to expect their Enemies and not to shoote vntill they were sure to reach them by which meanes the Tartars shooting altogether wherein they are very skilfull and readie wounded the foremost Horses of their Enemies in such sort that they fell before the rest whereby the rest following on with great furie and finding the former ouerthrowne fell themselues head-long ouer them insomuch that of all the Saracens there escaped few which were not either ouerthrowne or else wounded to death with the Arrowes of the Tartars The Soldan himselfe being in the Armie fled as fast as hee could which Casan perceiuing made his men get vp on their Horses and manfully to set on their Enemies being himselfe the foremost amongst them that entred the Armie of the Soldan who with some small companie remayning so long sustayned the brunt vntill the Tartars came in Troupes well ordered to fight and then came the whole Armie on both sides to battaile which endured from the Sunne rising till the Ninth houre But in the end the Soldan with his Saracens fled being not able to withstand the courage of Casan who did wonders with his owne hand and pursued them with his people killing on euery side vntill it was darke night and made so great slaughter of the Saracens that the Earth was couered euery where with their dead carkasses That night Casan rested at a place called Caneto reioycing exceedingly at that great victorie which God had giuen him against the Saracens This fell out in the yeere of our Lord 1301. on the Wednâ—â—day before the Feast of the Natiuitie 42. Then Casan sent the King of Armenia and a Leader of the Tartars called Molay with fortie thousand Horse to pursue the Soldan as farre as the Desart of Egypt being twelue dayes iourney distant from the place where the battaile was fought and willed them to expect him or some Messenger from him at the Citie Gazara And they departed speedily before the Sunne rising to follow after the Sâ—ldan But some three dayes after Casan sent for the King of Armenia to returne because he purposed to besiege the Citie of Damascus and willed Molay with the fortie thousand Tartars to pursue with speede after the Saracens and to put what hee could take to the sword Yet the Soldan himselfe flying very swiftly and riding on Dromedaries both night and day in the conduct and companie of certaine Beduini escaped into the Citie of Babylon very strangely But others of the Saracens fled seuerall wayes as they thought they could best saue themselues and a great number of them going by the way of Tripolis were slaine by the Christians which inhabited the Mountayne of Libanus The King of Armenia returning to Casan found that the Citie of Aman had yeelded vnto him so that the whole treasure of the Soldan and his Armie was brought into his presence which was so great that euery one maruailed why the Soldan carried so much treasure with him when he went to fight Casan when he had gathered together all the riches and spoiles which they had gotten bestowed them bountifully amongst the Tartars and the Christians his followers whereby they were all made rich And I Friar Haython the Compiler of this Historie who was present in all Expeditions and Battailes which the Tartars had with the Soldan from the time of Haloon to this day yet did I neuer see nor heare that any of the Tartarian Lords accomplished more in two dayes then did Casan For the first day with a small companie of his owne he ouer-came a great Armie of his Enemies and did such exploits in his Person that he wanne fame and commendations aboue all the rest On the second day such was his largesse and so great this liberalitie of his heart that of all the infinite wealth and treasure which hee got hee kept nothing for himselfe but a Sword and a Purse in which was contayned certaine writings concerning the Land of Egypt and the number of the Soldans Armie And this was most maruailous aboue all the rest how in so little a body and of so bad presence for he seemed like a Monster there could be so much vertue and rigour contayned for among neere two hundred thousand Souldiers there could hardly one of lesse stature or of worse aspect be found Therefore because this Casan liued in our time it is fitting wee made the more ample narration of his Acts. And in regard that the Soldan who was ouerthrowne by Casan is yet liuing at the writing of this Historie they which intend to destroy or any wayes to endamage the Saracens may receiue many aduertisements out of these Collections After some few dayes rest Casan directed his course towards the Citie of Damascus where the Citizens hearing of his approch and fearing lest if hee tooke them by force they should die without mercy by the aduice of the wisest amongst them sent with one consent their Messengers vnto him with offer of their Citie which hee willingly accepted and after a while rode towards the Riuer of Damascus on whose Bankes hee pitched his Tents forbidding any damage to bee done to the Citie Then the Citizens sent him diuers gifts and plentie of victuals for his Armie There Casan made his abode fiue and fortie dayes with all his Followers except those fortie thousand Tartars which were sent with Molay who stayed his comming at the Citie of Gaccara 43 While Casan reposed himselfe neere Damasco there came newes vnto him how a Kinsman of his called Baydo had entred into the Kingdome of Persia and committed great spoile there in his absence and thereupon hee resolued to returne to his owne Leauing therefore his chiefe Captaine Cotolusa with part of his Armie for the custodie of the Kingdome of Syria whom hee willed Molay and the rest of the Tartars to be obedient vnto as to his Lieutenant he set Rulers and Gouernours ouer all the Cities and committed the gouernment of Damascus to the Traytor Calfach being not yet acquainted with his trayterous
could not come to assault them without danger they would not goe forth to fight but remayned in the place where they were and when the Tartars thought without any impediment to haue assailed their Enemies they found a small Riuer betweene them which in some places had no passage ouer by meanes whereof much time was spent before they could passe ouer the Riuer but after they had passed the greatest part ouer the Riuer they set manfully on their Enemies Yet the Soldan stood still and would not remoue from the place he was in betwixt the Lake and the Mountayne which Cotulossa perceiuing because the darke night approached he withdrew his company for that night and lodged them neere the Mountayne only about a thousand Tartars which could not passe the Riuer were not with him that night The day comming the Tartars againe couragiously set vpon the Soldan but as before he would by no meanes come forth to fight but defended himselfe in that place of aduantage So the Tartars continuing their assault from the morning vntill the ninth houre beeing thirstie and ouer-wearie for lacke of water they retyred themselues in good order leauing the Soldan and came to the Plaine of Damascus where they had plentie of pasture and water at will where they determined to abide vntill they had sufficiently reposed themselues and their Horses But the Inhabitants knowing that the Armie of the Tartars was spread abroad in that Plaine opened the Sluces of the Riuer in the night time whereby the waters rose so high in eight houres ouer all the Plaine that the Tartars were constrayned on the sudden to arise and depart so that the night being darke and the Ditches all filled with water and no wayes nor pathes to be seene they were all amazed in such sort that many Horses perished and much Armour was lost insomuch that the King of Armenia endured much losse yet the day comming through the goodnesse of God they escaped the waters but the Bowes and Arrowes of the Tartars being their chiefe weapons which they vse and the rest of their Armour being all wet and vtterly vnseruiceable they were so astonied therewith that if their Enemies had then pursued them they might haue beene taken or slaine Afterwards the Tartars by reason that many had lost their Horses returned softly by small Iournies to the bankes of the Riuer Euphrates yet none of their Enemies durst follow or pursue them but the Riuer beeing risen and swolne through the abundance of raine that fell many of the Armenians as also of Georgians perished therein more then of the Tartars whose Horses knew better to swimme so returned they into Persia ruined and disgraced not by the power of the Enemie but by accident partly partly by euill aduice A great cause whereof was the obstinacie of Cotolusa who would not regard any aduice that was giuen for if he would haue harkened to the counsell of the wise he might easily haue preuented those dangers And I Frier Haython the Compiler of this Historie was present at all these proceedings and if happily I treate more largely thereof then shall be thought conuenient I craue pardon in regard that I doe it to this end that on like occasions happening these courses may bee called to minde For these actions that are ordered by counsell haue commonly good and commendable euents but the rash and improuident Enterprizes doe vsually faile of their wished successe After that the King of Armenia had passed the Riuer Euphrates with some losse he resolued to goe to Casan before he returned to his Kingdome of Armenia and therefore hee went streight to the Citie of Niniue in which Casan then resided He entertayned the King with much honour kindnesse and magnificence and being compassionate of his losses to make him some recompence of especiall fauour vnto him he granted him a thousand Tartarians continually in pay at his charge for the defence of his Kingdome and also granted him out of the Kingdome of Turkie a yeerely pension for the maintenance of another thousand Armenian Horse men yeerely at his pleasure the King thus recompenced hauing taken his leaue returned to the Kingdome of Armenia which Casan had enioyned him to watch warily ouer vntill God pleased to enable him personally to goe to the reliefe of the Holy Land §. V. CASAN dyeth CARBANDA succeedeth his Apostasie The Authors entrance into a Religious Habit. Of TAMOR Can the sixth Emperour and of CHAPAR HOCHTAI and CARBANDA three other Tartarian Kings THe King of Armenia returned safely to his Kingdome but after hee came thither hee found little rest there for after it so pleased God that Casan was surprized with a grieuous infirmitie and hauing gouerned wisely in his life hee was no lesse willing that his wisdome should bee commended in his death Therefore hee made his last Will and Testament appointing his Brother Carbanda or Carbaganda his Heire and Successor and hauing ordered all things concerning the Affaires of his Kingdome and his House in prudent manner he made many good Ordinances and Lawes which for a memoriall he left behind him being at this day inuiolably obserued by the Tartarians Then dyed Casan and his Brother Carbanda succeeded in his Kingdome This Carbanda was the Sonne of a Ladie of famous memorie called Erockcaton who was very deuout and religious in Christianitie while she liued and had euery day Diuine Seruice celebrated before her keeping a Priest and Chappell of her owne so that this Carbanda was baptized and named Nicholas in his Baptisme and continued a professed Christian as long as his Mother liued But after his Mothers death delighting in the societie of Saracens he forsooke the Christian Religion to become a Mahometist The King of Armenia vnderstanding of the death of Casan was much troubled therewith and his Enemies began to lift vp their Crests very high For the Soldan of Babylon thereupon sought by all meanes to endamage him and his people sending all the yeare almost euery moneth great troupes of armed Souldiers which foraged and wasted the Kingdome of Armenia and did more damage and spoyle on the plaine Countrey then they had euer sustayned before in any mans memorie But the Almightie and most mercifull God who neuer forsaketh altogether those that put their trust in him had compassion on the poore afflicted Christians for it fell out that in the moneth of Iuly seuen thousand Saracens of the best Families vnder the Soldan made a roade into the Kingdome of Armenia wasting and spoyling all as farre as the Citie of Tharsus in which the blessed Apostle Saint Paul was borne and when they had committed many spoyles in that Prouince and were vpon their returne the King of Armenia hauing gathered his people together encountred and set vpon them neere the Citie of Giazza where more by Gods goodnesse then our worth they were vtterly ouerthrowne in such sort that of seuen thousand Saracens there escaped not three hundred but
chiefe Leaders not for crueltie but for necessitie knowing very well that the meanes to cut off the Foot of ciuill warres is to punish the Heads of the same for they be Hydras which grow vp too fast §. II. Cataio Cambalu TAMERLANS expedition into China entring the Wall conquering the King and disposing of the Countrey and returne to Cataio AFter this the Armie marched into the Kingdome of Cataio a Countrey rich in grasse and in all kinds of pastures abounding with great quantitie of Beasts and People which knew not what warre meant The Prince gaue commandement that these people should not be accounted as Enemies but his good Subjects that hee would vse all the Cities well as Cangi Sochgi Gonzae Tagni Togara Congu which had reuolted and were come to sue for pardon at his hands in humbling themselues before him the which he granted vnto them enjoyning them onely to prouide sufficient victuals for his Armie which was of no small importance for the appeasing of others who had put all their hope in extremitie which is in losing their owne liues to make others doe the like and especially the Inhabitants of Cambalu had taken this resolution but being informed of the Emperours clemency changed their opinions In the meane while our Armie daily approched and at such time as we came neerest the more did the feare of all the Citie increase insomuch as the Prince was aduertised daily from those which fauoured his side of all things within the Citie and he was assured that euery one determined to obey the Conqueror and to doe whatsoeuer he commanded The which being knowne vnto the Prince he left all his Armie at Gonsa and himselfe went directly vnto the Citie of Cambalu where all things were made quiet by the meanes of thirtie thousand Souldiers being the ordinarie Garrison whom hee caused to enter thereinto before him and two houres after entred into the same himselfe being receiued with great magnificence not yeelding as yet to pronounce the word of pardon referring all vnto the Emperour and to the ordinarie course of Iustice. He stayed for the returne of one of his Fauourites whom he had sent vnto the Emperour to carry him newes of the victorie and of the death of Calix and that the chiefe of this Faction remayned prisoners with him also to know what Iustice the Emperour would appoint to bee inflicted on those Citizens which were the first beginners of the reuolt of this Citie for the Prince being desirous to be esteemed mercifull and to win loue within this great Citie would not execute justice of himselfe nor in his owne name but by the Emperour his Vncle whom hee did gratifie herein leauing the authoritie wholly vnto himselfe and by this meanes hee was not esteemed cruell Thus the Prince after hee had remayned here eight dayes departed He was not many dayes iourney from the Citie before he receiued tydings how the great Cham his Vncle willed that justice should bee executed on them which were the first Moouers of this reuolt the which was executed accordingly in the name of the Emperour and by his speciall ministers in such sort that as the people accused the crueltie of the Emperour they commended the mercy of Tamerlan Thus was this warre brought vnto an end to the great honour and reputation of Tamerlan As soone as our Prince was returned vnto his Army where hee found Odmar who there attended his comming hee was receiued of his Souldiers and with a loud voyce called by all his Captaines and Souldiers Most great Emperour and most victorious as they are accustomed to doe amongst the Tartarians The Prince after he had long discoursed with his Captaines both of the beautie and greatnesse of the Citie of Cambalu hee arriued at his Tent where after hee had declared vnto Odmar in what sort all things had passed at Cambalu he asked his aduice whether hee should goe and visit the Emperour his Vncle. Odmar well perceiued that the Prince desired it and called vnto his remembrance the honour which hee had receiued when hee was at Quinzai and that hee would haue beene very willing to spend the Winter with the Empresse staying for the Spring for to returne vnto the enterprise of China with a long speech disswaded him The Emperour answered him that he had euer knowne his fidelitie and loue and that the cause of his sadnesse was for that hee did not find in himselfe abilitie to recompence the same and that when he thought to giue himselfe some ease then was the time hee must in stead of the delicacies and pleasures of Quinzay make the Desarts of Cipribit the resting place from the trauailes of his new victorie that it was ended and his purposes determined I haue also heard the Prince say that Odmar did not speake vnto him like an earthly but diuine man and that he verily beleeued that God by his meanes did call him back from some misse-hap which would haue light vpon him to make his glorie increase the more Now the rumour was alreadie spread ouer all that the Princes determination was to goe and visit the Emperour his Vncle the which tickled euery man with desire to returne into his Countrey hoping to inioy the sweetnesse of his natiue soyle When as commandement was giuen for a generall reuiew of the whole Armie where the Emperour spake vnto his Souldiers in this manner Wee haue begunne my faithfull Souldiers an enterprise to goe and assault the King of China who hath of late repulsed euen beyond the Mountaynes the Tartarian name but wee were hindered to our great griefe by the foolish rashnesse of Calix and were driuen to turne the bridle for to punish him wherein you haue all assisted mee It grieueth mee that I cannot as well bragge of the fresh spoyles of a stranger as I may vaunt by the meanes of your weapons of those our vnfaithfull Citizens and in times past with your owne selues making tryall of my first Armes against the boldnesse of the fierce Moscouite although for this last ciuill victorie I am further indebted vnto you for your greater endeuour and the hazarding of your persons being much greater so were they our owne people who would not acknowledge vs whereof I cannot speake without shedding of teares desiring rather to burie such a victorie what glorie and honour soeuer wee haue gotten thereby Neither doe I recount these things vnto you but for to manifest that I forget not your faithfulnesse and the great trauaile you haue endured with mee Wee must not therefore bee wearie but must turne our weapons against those which thinke that wee are greatly troubled whereas wee are victorious Wee haue left our Companions who haue temporized to heare the euent and successe of our affaires all our munitions bee there wee must in that place my Souldiers and friendly Followers passe ouer the rest of Winter our Companions looke for vs. The Enemie is secure and looketh not for vs at this
halfe part were passed which was fiftie thousand men good Odmar finding them in very ill order and nothing at all aduertised of the Enemies nearnesse gaue the charge and vtterly ouerthrew them there remayned dead vpon the ground some fiftie thousand men but it was not without great fight strengthened with the fauour of water and a great Marish wherein they were encamped Notwithstanding our Foot-men hauing wonne the banke of the Riuer beganne also to winne the Boats and to seuer them by the meanes of a great Boat the which we with diligence caused to runne downe beeing full of artificiall fire so as at the same very time that they which were within the Boate did draw neere they retyred out of the same hauing first kindled the fire within the Boate the which with a great force rushed against the Bridge of Boats and ouerthrew it and where it was resisted did burne This did greatly astonish them that were passed to see their returne cut off The Kings Brother was not yet passed vnto the other-side of the water and he which first had gone ouer was the King of Cauchina who was slayne at the first charge fighting very valiantly in the fore-front The Kings Brother did see his men slayne and drowned and could not remedie the same This second ouerthrow was of no small importance although it was but the third part of the Kings Brothers Army and that there remayned vnto him as yet a hundred thousand fighting men but there was no great hope that he durst present himselfe before our Army The newes hereof being reported at Quantioufou they desired to make tryall of the Emperours clemency Axalla dispatched one of his faithfull friends of his Countrey vnto the Prince to carry vnto him these good newes which was more welcome vnto the Prince then the ouerthrow he had giuen vnto the Enemy and agreed vnto all that Axalla demanded referring all vnto his sufficiencie and fidelitie The Kings Brother hauing sent to demand safety for to treate the Prince granted so much vnto them for such as would come vnto him In this meane-time Quantoufou yeelded it selfe into the hands of Axalla who caused the Garrison to come out of the same receiued the Inhabitants into the Princes protection and they which would might remayne therein vnarmed and he entred thereinto with the joy of all the Inhabitants who did determine to receiue the Emperour into the same with all the magnificence that might be He caused thirty thousand men of War to enter thereinto vnto whom was money deliuered for to maintayne them there vntill such time as all the Foot-men should receiue pay for three monethes due vnto them whereof the Inhabitants of Quantoufou did furnish the Prince to the summe of eight hundred thousand Tentins the which do amount vnto foure hundred and fifty thousand crownes or therabout The Prince at this present sent me vnto Axalla whom I found feasting of his Captaines and souldiers staying for the commandement that I brought vnto him the which was to remaine within Quantoufou and to cause all his footmen to set forward directly vnto him the which was done by the Prince to the end it should strike a greater terror into the minds of the enemies who seeing all his footmen arriued he supposed they wold nothing doubt Quantoufou being taken but that he would march forward insomuch as he hoped this would greatly aduance his Affaires considering the estate they were in I returned from Quantoufou vnto the Emperour hauing seene a beautifull and great Citie well fortified and wonderfully peopled and round about it there was a fruitfull Countrey Thus the Embassadors being arriued who were of the Kings chiefest Vassals Tamerlan receiued them with all humanitie causing his greatnesse to appeare vnto them and therewithall the agilitie of his Horsemen to make them see with their eyes that it would be the destruction of the Chinois name if he proceeded any further So hauing saluted the Emperour with all reuerence they vttered their Embassage vnto him which was that the Kings Brother had sent them vnto him to treat for two causes the one was for the liberty of their King the other for preseruation of their Countrey The Prince hauing heard them answered them that they had reason to trust vnto his mildnesse and seeing at this present they desired it he would yeeld thereunto Thereupon the Prince rose vp and caused to be said vnto them that they should deliuer their offers in writing and that present answere should bee made thereunto Thus went they out of the Princes presence with great joy and as it were assured of Peace and to recouer their former prosperities The conditions which they offered were to leaue Paguinfou and all the Countrey beyond it with all the Fortresses of the Mountaynes that they would pay all the charges of his Army since the day of answere made vnto his Embassadors that they would giue two Millions of Gold for their King This being presented vnto the Lord hee made answere thereunto which was that he would keepe that which hee had conquered within the Countrey which was his owne justly seeing his armes had giuen it vnto him that hee would haue the Riuer where he was now encamped to be his Frontier stretched vnto Hochioy Tahaucezug Cauchio Lulun euen vnto Poschio bordering vpon the Sea that the King of China should pay vnto him yearely three hundred thousand Crownes the which should bee deliuered at Paguinfou for acknowledgement of submission vnto the Empire as well for his Successors as himselfe that they should pay fiue hundred thousand Crownes in ready money for the charge of the Army that the King of China should be deliuered and all the Chinois Prisoners should pay ransom vnto particular men that took them except those which carryed the name of Kings who should pay one hundred thousand Crownes for peace with his Armes that no Chinois should bee kept as slaue nor sold for such hereafter beeing vnder the Princes obedience that Traffique and Entercourse of Merchants should be free betweene both the Nations that the King of China should deliuer his Brother as Prisoner and two Kings named with twelue principall men of the Countrey for assurance of the peace They accepted of such conditions of peace as pleased the Conquerour hoping that time would bring againe vnto them their ancient liberty and that for a time it behooued them to beare with patience the yoke of their bondage Now the Prince had sent two thousand Horse to fetch the King of China to the end that being at liberty he might sweare to the peace solemnly the which he hauing performed at Quantoufou whither the Prince caused him for to come he brought with him vnto Paguin all the pledges and amongst the rest the Kings eldest Sonne and his Brother The King beeing departed for to performe his promise according to the Treaty by him confirmed he was receiued and as it were worshipped within his Countrey with all the
the Emperour would wholly gratifie Axalla hauing receiued this commandement from the Prince so hee caused them to sweare fidelitie vnto Emanuel The great Armie of Baiazet thought to haue surprised our men within Sennas which they had taken but as soone as they drew neere our men set it on fire and the greatest part retyring there remayned some hundred Horse to performe the same who retyred themselues in very great disorder Now the Prince of Ciarcan had diuided his men into two troupes and giuen commandement vnto the first troupe that as soone as they perceiued the Enemies to pursue the hundred Horse they should receiue them and retyre ioyntly together Now hee had the rest of his power in a valley neere vnto a Wood and hauing suffered some two thousand of the Enemies Horse Turkes Auant-currers to passe by him he charged them behind and fought with them they not fighting but fleeing as soone as they did see themselues pressed many were slayne and many were taken prisoners This was the first time wee fought and carried away the victorie all the prisoners were sent vnto the Prince amongst the rest the Bassa of Natolia who led this troupe The next day Baiazet his Armie drew neere vnto the sight of ours the which marched two leagues and wee encamped within a league the one of the other All the night long you might haue heard such noyse of Horses as it seemed the heauens were full of voyces the aire did so resound and euery one was desirous to haue the night passed for to come each one vnto the triall of his valour Vnto the Scythian Nation the which is desirous of goods they propounded the great riches they should get by the victorie ouer the Ottomans Vnto the Parthian Nation ambitious of rule the honour and glorie of the Nation being Conquerours of them who onely were able to take from them the Empire of Asia The Christians who made the fourth part thereof assured themselues to conquer their greatest Enemie Behold now euery one spake during the night time according to his humour The Prince this night went through his Campe hearing all this and was very glad to see the hope that euery one of his Souldiers did conceiue already of the victorie and I being neere him he did me the honour to tell me that at the time he fought the battell against the Moscouite he did heare all the night long all kindes of songs the which resounded in his Campe seeing in a manner no bodie sleepe I hoped then said hee to haue some good hap and I trust to receiue the like now Now after the second watch the Prince returned vnto his lodging and casting himselfe vpon a Carpet hee meant to sleepe but the desire of dâ—y would not suffer him he then commanded me to giue him a booke wherein he did reade therein was contayned the liues of his Father and Grandfather and of other valiant Knights the which he did ordinarily reade he called me hauing light vpon in reading the discourse of a battell that his Grandfather had lost against the Persians the which he had thought to haue gotten very vndiscreetly hauing assaulted his Enemie many aduantages being propounded vnto him whereof he might haue made good vse all which he neglected trusting vnto his owne valour and that of his Souldiers And hauing ended his speech he commanded mee to reade the same before him and said vnto me I alwaies reade this before I beginne a battell to the end I should not so much trust vnto the Lions skin wherein I wrap my arme that I should not serue my selfe with the Foxes to wrap therewith my head for thus said he my Grandfather was in a place of aduantage and he went out of it to seeke his Enemie who was lodged strongly and whatsoeuer his men said to him hee went on headlong shutting his eares against all the counsell and aduise of his seruants Seeing the Turkish Foot-men march whom they doe call Ianizaries the which were placed in the middest and vpon the two fronts two great squadrons of Horse-men the which seemed to be thirty thousand Horse and another which aduanced and couered the battalion of the Ianizaries Hee thought this order to be very good and hard to breake and turning himselfe vnto Axalla who was neere vnto him he said I had thought to haue fought on foot but it behooueth me this day to fight on horsebacke for to giue courage vnto my Souldiers to open the great battalion and my will is that they come forward vnto mee as soone as they may for I will aduance forward an hundred thousand Foot-men fifty thousand vpon each of my two wings and in the middest of them forty thousand of my best Horse My pleasure is that after they haue tryed the force of those men that they come vnto my Auant-guard of whom I will dispose and fifty thousand Horse more in three bodies whom thou shalt command the which I will assist with fourescore thousand Horse wherein shall be mine owne person hauing an hundred thousand Foot-men behind me who shall march in two troupes and for my Arere-ward forty thousand Horse and fifty thousand Foot-men who shall not march but vnto my ayde I will make choise of ten thousand of the best Horse whom I will send into euery part where I shall thinke needfull within my Armie for to impart my commandements Ouer the first forty thousand the Prince Ciarcian commanded ouer the foremost footmen was the Lord Synopes a Genuois kinsman vnto Axalla and he which was his Lieutenant ouer the footmen a Captaine of great estimation That ouer which the Prince Axalla commanded consisted of fiue squadrons of horsemen Baiazet his Armie seemed faire and great which was aduanced continually forward towards vs who stirred not one whit from the place of the battaile There were many light horsemen as well Scythians Parthians as Moscouites who left their rankes and shot Arrowes and brake Lances betweene the two Armies There was a Spie who brought word that Baiazet was on foot in the middest of his Ianizaries where he meant to fight that hee did not forget to mount on horse-back giuing order ouer all for the wants of his Armie but purposed to fight in the middest of those Ianizaries who are a number of trusty men brought vp in exercises from their youth to all manner of warfare and chosen out of al Nations the fairest and strongest men so as they are inuincible By this bringing vp the which they haue had together they doe fight with a great force and courage for their Prince and Lord who being in the middest of them they are as in a halfe circle within the Armie Now they were thirty thousand men in this order wherein Baiazet put his principall hope he had many other footmen but gathered together of all sorts His battaile of horse was very faire amounting vnto the number of an hundred and fortie thousand horse well exercised
in all manner of fights The Soldan of Egypt hauing ayded him with thirty thousand Mammolues very good horse-men and with thirty thousand footmen Their Armie in that order seemed almost as great as ours for they were not so knit together as we were our forces being directly one after the other and theirs all in a front So the Enemies Armie aduanced forward continually with an infinite number of cryes and ours was in great silence After that common prayer was ended the Emperour himselfe aduanced continually forward beholding the first charge giuen and caused Axalla to set forward after he returned into his order continually exhorting his men before hee left them There could not be seene a more furious charge giuen then was performed by the Ottomans vpon the Prince of Ciarcian who had commandement not to fight before they came vnto him there could not haue beene chosen a fairer Playne and where the skilfull choise of the place was of lesse aduantage for the one then for the other but that wee had the Riuer on our left hand the which was some aduantage for the Emperour hauing giuen commandement that in any case they should not lose the same and that the Enemies whatsoeuer came thereof should not win it this hee did for to haue the aduantage of the hand in fight The Emperour who aboue all Maximes of warre did vse to deale in such manner that the Enemie might bee the first Assaulter hee had straightly commanded them which were appointed for the first charge to suffer the Enemie for to giue the on-set Now as I haue already declared this young Prince of Ciarcian with his forty thousand horse was almost wholly ouerthrowne hauing fought as much as hee could but hee entred euen into the middest of the Ianizaries where the person of Baiazet was putting them in disorder where he was slaine About this time Axalla set vpon them with the Auantguard where as he was not in any such danger for hauing surprised one of the enemies wings hee cut it all in pieces and his footmen comming to ioyne with him as they had beene commanded hee faced the Battalion of the Ianizaries The Prince seeing the charge Axalla had vpon his arme sent ten thousand horse from his battaile for to succour him and knit together the mayne battaile of Axalla and to giue once againe a charge vpon another Battalion of footmen the which did shew it selfe and came to ioyne with and strengthen that of the Ianizaries who behaued themselues valiantly for the safetie of their Prince This fight continued one houre and yet you could not haue seene any scattered fighting resolutely the one against the other You might haue seene the Mountaynes of horses rush one against another the men die crie lament and threaten at one very time The Prince had patience to see this fight ended and when hee did perceiue that his men did giue place hee sent ten thousand of his Horse to joyne againe with the ten thousand appointed for the Arierward and commanded them to assist him at such time as hee should haue need thereof At this very time the Emperour chargeth and made them giue him roome causing the footmen to assault ouer whom the Prince of Thanais commanded who gaue a furious on-set vpon the Battalion of the Ianizaries wherein was yet the person of Baiazet who had sustayned a great burthen But the multitude and not valour did preuaile for as much as might bee done in fight was by the Ianizaries performed for to preserue the person of their Prince But in the end the Horse-men wherein was the Emperours person gaue a new charge and his Auantguard was wholly knit againe vnto him hee renewed another forcing and was fully victorious Baiazet hauing retyred on horse-back out of the troupe of Ianizaries wounded fell aliue into the hands of Axalla vnto whom hee yeelded himselfe supposing it had beene Tamerlan then Axalla seeing him so followed being for a time not knowne but for some great Lord of the Ottomans twentie thousand horse did not fight at all but onely in pursuing the victorie and they made a great slaughter The Prince had his horse slaine vnder him with the blow of a Lance but he was soone remounted againe on horse-back This day the wisdome of the Emperor gaue the victorie vnto his Souldiers for the iudgment which he had in tyring of the strong forces of the Ottomans was the safeguard of his For if all had gone vnto the battaile in one front surely the multitude had put it selfe into a confusion but this manner of aiding his men made euerie one profitable The Emperour iudging like a great Captaine of the need that euery one of his souldiers had so that this manner of proceeding was the getting of the victory They accounted threescore thousand men slaine of the Ottomans and twentie thousand of ours The Prince of Tirzis was slaine as I haue said the head of the Georgians slaine Calibes was verie sorrie hee had so easie a reckoning in his Arier-ward being very couragious and a gentle Knight the Despote of Seruia was taken prisoner who did accompanie Baiazet and was a Christian they gaue him this day of battaile much reputation The Emperour gaue vnto him very good entertainment reproouing him for that hee did accompany Baiazet against him who did come in fauour of his Emperour Hee answered him that it was not according to his dutie but the prosperitie of Baiazet vnto whom it seemed that all the world did bend for to subict it selfe vnto him and that his safetie had caused him to set forward The Emperour presently thereupon gaue him leaue to depart at his pleasure Hee tooke care to get into his hands Baiazet his children hee gaue commandement that Baiazet should bee cured and after brought before him who at such time as hee was there neuer made any shew of humilitie The Emperour saying vnto him that it lay in him to cause him to lose his life he answered Do it that losse shall be my happinesse And demanding of him what made him so rash for to enterprise to bring into subiection so noble a Prince as was the Emperour of the Greekes Hee answered him the desire of glorie and rule Wherefore doest thou said the Emperour vnto him vse so great crueltie towards men so farre foorth that neither thou nor thine doe pardon either sex or age This doe I answered hee to giue the greater terrour to my enemies Then said the Emperour so shalt thou receiue the like reward and causing him to bee conueyed againe out of his presence hee turned vnto his followers and said behold a proud and fierce countenance hee deserueth to be punished with crueltie and it is necessarie that hee bee made an exemplarie punishment to all the cruell of the world of the iust wrath of God against them I acknowledge that God hath this day deliuered into my hands a great enemy wee must giue thankes vnto God for the same
the which was performed being yet day for the battaile was wonne at foure of the clocke and there was as yet fiue houres of day-light The children of Baiazet were brought before him hee caused them to bee vsed curteously and as the children of an Emperour The next day hee commanded the dead to bee buried they found the Prince of Tirzis dead in the middest of the Ianizaries where he remained enclosed The Emperour did greatly lament this young Prince who was his kinsman and would haue beene one day worthie for to doe him great seruice In that battaile there died manie Captaines almost the chiefe Ottomans This was a great Battaile the which was fought from seuen vnto foure of the clocke in such sort that they knew not vnto whom the victorie did incline Our Armie stayed vntill the next day euery one causing his friends to bee buried The Prince of Tirzis was emblamed and conueyed with two thousand horse vnto Samarcand vntill the Emperour returned All the other dead bodies were buried at Sanas with all the honour that might be Axalla was much grieued for his kinsman because hee was verie well beloued of the Prince his charge was giuen vnto one of his brethren who was verie famous in fighting this same day we might iudge the euents of the matters of the world Behold this Emperour Baiazet who was as hee thought superiour to fortune which in an instant found himselfe and his estate by one battaile onely ouerthrowne euen vnto the lowest place and at such time as hee thought least thereof Hee vsed to say that hee was iustly punished for despising the multitude we had for the assurance that hee had in the valour of his horsmen and especially of his Ianizaries Hee was three dayes as they report before he could bee pacified as a desperate man seeking after death and calling for it The Empeour did not vse him at all curteously but caused small account to bee made of him and for to manifest that he knew how to punish the proud vpon festiuall dayes when as hee mounted on horseback they brought this proud man vnto him and he serued him in stead of a foot-stoole this did he for to manifest the folly and arrogancie of men and how iustly God had humbled him The next day the Prince marched directly towardes Bursia whither all the remainder of Baiazet his Armie was retired with the Bassa Mustapha All the countrie yeelded vnto vs and the Prince caused all the holdes and fortresses to bee ouerthrowne and destroyed and punished all those which were so euill aduised as to stay vntill they were besieged I had forgotten to declare how hee caused the Prince of Tirzis bodie to bee accompanied with diuers prisoners chained and tied together whom hee did send vnto Samarcand the which the Prince had determined to make great for a perpetuall memorie of his greatnesse Euen so had hee greatly peopled with people of China which had beene taken in the Battailes and of those likewise which were taken out of the two great Cities Paguinfou and Quantoufou Now this battaâ—le did bring great astonishment vnto all the countries possessed by Baiazet and no bodie resâ—sted vs euen vnto Bursia whither this Armie was fled and therein were also two sonnes of Baiazet verie young Axalla being alwaies aduanced forward before our Armie with fortie thousand Horse and an hundred thousand Foot-men without any carriages who hindred the Enemies from joyning themselues againe together and hee made a cruell Warre vpon the Ottomans deliuering the Graecians from the tyrannie of Baiazet Hee approached neere vnto Bursia where the Ottomans did not stay the comming of Axallas Armie but only they which could not runne remayned behind Baiazet his two Sonnes were sent vnto the Greekish Emperour for to bring them vp and to haue mercie vpon them the rest went vnto Gallipoli for to goe vnto Andrinopoli the which they held hauing conquered it from the Graecians Now the Prince for to returne vnto my purpose dispatched towards the Emperour his Vncle and vnto the Empresse his Wife one of his Familiars called Lieban Captayne of his Chamber for to carrie him newes of this Victorie and to ioyne it also vnto all the rest He sent vnto him Baiazet his Sword and Bow and the Caparisons of his Horse the which was esteemed to be worth aboue two hundred thousand Duckets You may easily thinke that Prince Lieban was well entertayned of the old Emperour and of the young Princesse bringing word vnto them that all the World did bend it selfe to make our Prince victorious who surely receiued these Victories from God without insolencie and at such time as hee sent him most glory then did his men note him to be least puffed vp He was neuer bold but in the day of battaile and on the Eeue for to command seuerely and with greater Majesty To tell you what he was in aduersitie I did neuer see him in that estate but it is to be thought that they which bee not insolent in prosperitie are not faint-hearted in aduersitie So our victorious Prince marched directy vnto Bursia loaden with Spoyles and Trophees which hee daily got departing from the Cities which did come and yeeld themselues vnto him therein obseruing the same manner of proceeding the which we did in the Conquest of China they which did yeeld vnto him without fighting were well vsed and the obstinate well punished the Prince knowing that reward and punishment are the Moderators of Common-wealthes the one to bee vsed towards the good and the other towards the euill In the end we receiued newes by Axalla that he had receiued Bursia in the Emperours name and how the Inhabitants thereof had punished the Garrisons of Baiazet hauing driuen them away and slaine many But I dare not follow our Author any further from Tartaria for whose sake I haue entertayned him Leauing therefore his agreement with the Greeke Emperour and secret visiting Constantinople his comming to Ierusalem and Expedition against the Soldan With his Exploits in Egypt Syria Persia we will returne with him to Samarcand §. IIII. Encrease of Samarcand Affaires of China Funerals of the Can comming to Quinza and description thereof His disposition of his estate and death PErsia as long as he liued was much affected vnto him which greatly serued him for the keeping as well of Syria as of the Soldans Empire leauing continually men there and drawing out Colonies the better to settle his Affaires in those places So the Emperour leauing the Prince of Thanais with his Army to attend his pleasure he marched with the rest of his forces into his owne Countrey with all the Ioyes and Triumphes that might be possible the chiefest Prisoners marching before the Emperour amongst the which was Baiazet Emperour of the Turkes all chayned and was a Spectacle vnto all the World of Fortunes inconstancy hee continued notwithstanding in the same fiercenesse was woont to be in him So wheresoeuer the
thousand The Horse-men are all Archers with such Bowes as the Turkes haue and they ride short as doe the Turkes Their Armour is a Coate of Plate with a skull on their heads Some of their Coates are couered with Veluet or Cloth of God their desire is to be sumptuous in the field and especially the Nobles and Gentlemen as I haue heard their trimming is very costly and partly I haue seene it or else I would scarcely haue beleeued it but the Duke himselfe is richly attyred aboue all measure his Pauilion is couered eyther with Cloth of Gold or Siluer and so set with stones that it is wonderfull to see it I haue seene the Kings Maiesties of England and the French Kings Pauilions which are faire yet not like vnto his And when they be sent into farre or strange Countries or that strangers come to them they be very gorgeous Else the Duke himselfe goeth but meanly in apparell and when hee goeth betwixt one place and another hee is but reasonably apparelled ouer other times In the while that I was in Mosco the Duke sent two Ambassadours to the King of Pâ—leland which had at the left fiue hundred Horses their sumptuousnesse was aboue measure not onely in themselues but also in their Horses as Veluet Cloth of Gold and Cloth of Siluer set with Pearles and not scant What shall I further say I neuer heard of nor saw men so sumptuous but it is no daily guize for when they haue not occasion as I said before all their doing is but meane And now to the effect of their Warres They are men without all order in the field For they run hurling on heaps and for the most part they neuer giue battayle to their Enemies but that which they do they do it all by stealth But I beleeue they be such men for hard liuing as are not vnder the Sunne for no cold will hurt them Yea and though they lye in the field two moneths at such time as it shall freeze more then a yard thicke the common Souldier hath neither Tent nor any thing else ouer his head the most defence they haue against the weather is a Felt which is set against the wind and weather and when Snow commeth he doth cast it off and maketh him a fire and layeth him downe thereby Thus doe the most of all his men except they be Gentlemen which haue other prouision of their owne Their lying in the field is not so strange as is their hardnesse for euery man must carrie and make prouision for himselfe and his Horse for a moneth or two which is very wonderfull For hee himselfe shall liue vpon water and Oate-meale mingled together cold and drinke water thereto his Horse shall eate greene wood and such like baggage and shall stand open in the cold field without couert and yet will hee labour and serue him right well I pray you amongst all our boasting Warriours how many should we find to endure the field with them but one moneth I know no such Region about vs that beareth that name for man and beast Now what might bee made of these men if they were trayned and broken to order and knowledge of Ciuill Warres if this Prince had within his Countries such men as could make them to vnderstand the things aforesaid I doe beleeue that two of the best or greatst Princes in Christendome were not well able to match with him considering the greatnesse of his power and the hardnesse of his people and straight liuing both of people and Horse and the small charges which his Wars stand him in for he giueth no wages except to strangers They haue a yearely stipend and not much As for his owne Countreymen euery one serueth of his owne proper costs and charges sauing that hee giueth to his Harquebusiers certayne allowance for Powder and shot or else no man in all his Countrey hath one penie wages But if any man hath done very good seruice he giueth him a Ferme or a piece of Land for the which he is bound at all times to be readie with so many men as the Duke shall appoint who considereth in his minde what that Land or Ferme is well able to find and so many shall he be bound to furnish at all and euery such time as Warres are holden in any of the Dukes Dominions For there is no man of liuing but he is bound likewise whether the Duke call for eyther Souldier or Labourer to furnish them with all such necessaries as to them belong Also if any Gentleman or man of liuing doe dye without Issue Male immediately after his death the Duke entreth his Land notwithstanding he haue neuer so many Daughters and peraduenture giueth it forth-with to another man except a small portion that he spareth to marry the Daughters withall Also if there be a Rich man a Fermour or man of Liuing which is stricken in age or by chance is maymed and be not able to doe the Duke seruice some other Gentleman that is not able to liue and more able to doe seruice will come to the Duke and complaine saying your Grace hath such an one which is vnmeete to doe seruice to your Highnesse who hath great abundance of wealth and likewise your Grace hath many Gentlemen which are poore and lacke liuing and we that lacke are well able to doe good seruice your Grace might doe well to looke vpon him and make him to helpe those that want Immediately the Duke sendeth forth to inquire of his wealth and if it be so proued hee shall be called before the Duke and it shall bee said vnto him Friend you haue too much liuing and are vnseruiceable to your Prince lesse will serue you and the rest will serue other men that are more able to serue Whereupon immediately his liuing shall be taken away from him sauing a little to find himselfe and his Wife on and he may not once repine thereat but for answere hee will say that hee hath nothing but it is Gods and the Dukes Graces and cannot say as wee the common people in England say if wee haue any thing that it is Gods and our owne Men may say that these men are in wonderfull great awe and obedience that thus one must giue and grant his goods which he hath beene scraping and scratching for all his life to be at his Princes pleasure and commandement Oh that our sturdie Rebels were had in the like subiection to know their dutie toward their Princes They may not say as some Snudges in England say I would find the Queene a man to serue in my place or make his Friends tarrie at home if many haue the vpper hand No no it is not so in this Countrey for he shall make humble sute to serue the Duke And whom he sendeth most to the Warres hee thinketh he is most in his fauour and yet as I before haue said he giueth no wages If they knew
trade betwixt the Countries of Cathay and Boghar and when the way is cleare it is nine moneths iourney To speake of the said Countrey of Cathay and of such newes as I haue heard thereof I haue thought it best to reserue it to our meeting I hauing made my solace at Boghar in the winter time and hauing learned by much inquisition the trade thereof as also of all the other Countries thereto adioyning and the time of the yeere being come for all Carauans to depart and also the King being gone to the warres and newes come that hee was fled and I aduertised by the Metropolitan himselfe that I should depart because the Towne was like to bee besieged I thought it good and meete to take my iourney some way and determined to haue gone from thence into Persia and to haue seene the trade of that Countrey although I had informed my selfe sufficiently therof as well at Astracan as at Boghar and perceiued well the trades not to be much vnlike the trades of Tartaria but when I should haue taken my iourney that way it was let by diuers occasions the one was the great warres that did newly begin betwixt the Sophie and the Kings of Tartaria whereby the wayes were destroyed and there was a Carauan destroyed with rouers and theeues which came out of India and Persia by safe conduct and about ten dayes iourney from Boghar they were robbed and a great part slaine Also the Metropolitan of Boghar who is greater then the King tooke the Emperours letters of Russia from me without which I should haue beene taken Slaue in euery place also all such wares as I had receiued in barter for Cloath and as I tooke perforce of the King and other his Nobles in payment of money due vnto me were not vendible in Persia for which causes and diuers others I was constrained to come backe againe to Mare Caspium the same way I went so that the eight of March 1559. wee departed out of the said Citie of Boghar being a Carauan of sixe hundred Camels and if wee had not departed when we did I and my companie had beene in danger to haue lost life and goods For ten dayes after our departure the King of Samarcand came with an armie and besieged the said Citie of Boghar the King being absent and gone to the warres against another Prince his kinsman as the like chanceth in those Countries once in two or three yeeres For it is maruell if a King raigne there aboue three or foure yeeres to the great destruction of the Countrey and Merchants The fiue and twentieth of March we came to the foresaid Towne of Vrgence and escaped the danger of foure hundred rouers which lay in wayte for vs backe againe being the most of them of kindred to that companie of theeues which wee met with going foorth as we perceiued by foure spyes which were taken There were in my companie and committed to my charge two Ambassadors the one from the King of Boghar the other from the King of Balke and were sent vnto the Emperour of Russia And after hauing tarried at Vrgence and the Castle of Sellysure eight dayes for the assembling and making ready our Carauan the second of Aprill wee departed from thence hauing foure moe Ambassadours in our companie sent from the King of Vrgence and other Sultans his brethren vnto the Emperour of Russia with answer of such Letters as I brought them and the same Ambassadours were also committed vnto my charge by the said Kings and Princes to whom I promised most faithfully and swore by our Law that they should bee well vsed in Rusland and suffered to depart from thence againe in safetie according as the Emperour had written also in his letters for they somewhat doubted because there had none gone out of Tartaria into Russia of long time before The three and twentieth of Aprill wee arriued at the Mare Caspium againe where we found our Barke which wee came in but neither Anchor Cable Cocke nor Sayle neuerthelesse we brought Hempe with vs and spun a Cable our selues with the rest of our tackling and made vs a sayle of cloath of Cotton-wooll and rigged our Barke as well as wee could but boate or anchor we had none In the meane time being deuising to make an anchor of wood of a Cart-wheele there arriued a Barke which came from Astracan with Tartars and Russes which had two Anchors with whom I agreed for the one and thus being in a readinesse wee set sayle and departed I and the two Iohnsons being Master and Mariners our selues hauing in our Barke the said sixe Ambassadours and twentie fiue Russes which had beene Slaues a long time in Tartaria nor euer had before my comming libertie or meanes to get home and these Slaues serued to row when need was Thus sayling sometimes along the coast and sometimes out of sight of land The thirteenth day of May hauing a contrary winde we came to an anchor being three leagues from the shoare and there arose a sore storme which continued fortie foure houres and our cable being of our owne spinning brake and lost our anchor and being off a lee shoare and hauing no boate to helpe vs wee hoysed our sayle and bare roomer with the said shoare looking for present death but as God prouided for vs we ranne into a creeke full of Oze and so saued our selues with our Barke and liued in great discomfort for a time For although wee should haue escaped with our liues the danger of the sea yet if our barke had perished we knew we should haue been either destroyed or taken slaues by the people of that Countrey who liue wildly in the field like beasts without house or habitation Thus when the storme was seased wee went out of the creeke againe and hauing set the land with our Compasse and taken certayn markes of the same during the time of the tempest whilest we rid at our anchor wee went directly to the place where we rid with our Barke againe and found our anchor which we lost whereat the Tartars much maruelled how we did it While wee were in the creeke we made an anchor of wood of Cart wheeles which we had in our Barke which we threw away when we had found our Iron anchor againe Within two dayes after there arose another great storme at the North-east and we lay a trie being driuen farre into the sea and had much adoe to keepe our Barke from sinking the billow was so great but at the last hauing faire weather wee tooke the Sunne and knowing how the Land lay from vs we fell with the Riuer Yaik according to our desire whereof the Tartars were very glad fearing that wee should haue beene driuen to the coast of Persia whose people were vnto them great enemies Note that during the time of our Nauigation we set vp the red Crosse of Saint George in our flagges for honour of the
and by reason of a Rebellious Portugall Captayne hee was taken as a Spye with twelue others so beaten that fiue dyed the other seuen sundred to diuers places where they dyed in misery only Vasco Caluo being now left aliue Her Father she said was banished to this Towne and there marryed with her Mother hauing somewhat to mayntaine her and by him made a Christian. They liued together many yeares like good Catholikes and conuerued many to the Faith of Christ in that Citie three hundred assembled on Sundayes to her house to their holies She shewed vs an Oratorie in which was a Crosse of wood gilded with a Candlesticke and siluer Lampe Wee asked her what they did when they came there and shee said nothing but kneele before that Crosse with their hands and eyes lifted to Heauen and say Lord Iesus Christ as it is true that thou art the true Sonne of God conceiued by the Holy Ghost in the wombe of the Holy Virgin Mary for the saluation of Sinners so pardon our sins that wee may obtayne to see thy face in the glory of thy Kingdome where thou sittest at the right hand of the Highest Our Father which art in Heauen hallowed be thy Name In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen And so kissing the Crosse â—hey embraced one another and went home alway liuing friendly with each other Her Father she said had left other Prayers written which the Chinois had stolne away so that now they could say no more Whereupon we promised to leaue her other Prayers and taught the Christians seuen times there and Christopher Borrall writ in China Letters the Lords Prayer Aue Mary Creed Salue Regina Tenne Commandements and other good Prayers Shee had giuen a Present to Chifus Wife to deale with her Husband to giue vs this leaue and to vse vs kindly and the Christians there gaue vs fiftie Taeis of Siluer and Inez de Leiria other fiftie closely deâ—â—ring vs to remember her in our Prayers We continued our journey vp the Batampina to a place called Lequimpau of tenne or twelue thousand Houses Neere to the wall stood a long house with thirtie Furnaces for the purifying of siluer which was taken out of a Hill fiue leagues distant called Tuxenguim in which Mines the Chinois told vs there continually laboured one thousand men and that it yeeled to the King yearely fiue thousand Pikes of siluer We departed thence in the Euening and the next Euening anchored betwixt two small Cities standing ouer against one another one named Pacan the other Nacau both well walled and builded These two Cities occasion mee to recite what I haue heard often heard read in the thirteenth Chapter of the first Chronicle of the fourescore which they haue of the Kings of China that sixe hundred thirtie nine yeares after the Floud there was a Land called Guantipocau in which liued a pettie Prince called Turban which had by his Concubine Nancaa three Sonnes refusing to marry and entring into Religion of the Idoll Gizom still much esteemed in Iapon China Cauchin-china Camboia Siam of which I haue seene many Temples appointing his oldest Sonne by the said Nancaa his heire His Mother then liuing was against this and marryed herselfe with Silau a Priest and slue Turban wherevpon Nancaa and her children fled downe the Riuer seuentie leagues and fortified a place which she called Pilaunera that is the refuge of the poore Fiue yeares after Silau prepared a Fleet of thirtie Barkes to destroy her and all her faction thinking that her Sons comming of age might dispossesse him But she hauing Intelligence hauing of men women and children not aboue one thousand and three hundred persons and but three or foure Boats not sufficient to conueigh away those few by common consent and aduice appointed a three dayes Fast therein to begge suâ—cour of God in all which time none might eate aboue once in paine of death This Fast ended they cast Lots and the Lot fell on a Boy of seuen yeares old which was also named Silau whom after all Ceremonies ended they bid lift vp his hands to Heauen and tell them some remedie to these dangers Who prophesied Victory to her ouer the Tyrant Silau commanding her to embarke hers in her Enemies Barkes and at the sound of the waters to runne along the Land till God shewed where shee should found a habitation of great name which through all times should send out his mercy with voyces and bloud of strange Nations after which words the Boy fell downe dead The thirty Barkes came saith the Storie fiue dayes after without any people therein for at a place called Catebasoy a blacke Cloud arose ouer them which rayned on them scalding drops which destroyed them all Nancaa with teares and thankes embarked her three Sonnes and the rest and went downe the Riuer conducted by the sound fortie seuen dayes and then came to the place where Pequim now stands Fiue dayes after they came aland was the first stone layd thereof by Pequim eldest Sonne of Nancaa and the Citie called by his owne name And a siluer shield hangeth on the Arch of the chiefe gate Pommicotay and hath this inscribed in which are fortie Warders and in the rest ordinarily but foure The day also of the foundation beeing the third of August is kept with great Solemnitie and thereon the King vseth to shew himselfe to the people The later Kings also haue made a Law that no Strangers except Embassadours and Slaues should enter the Kingdome The two other Brethren founded these two Cities called by their owne names Pacan and Nacau and their Mother founded Nanquin which tooke the name of hers IN the fift Booke of the chiefe places of that Empire is written that King Crisnagol which reigned as we may accord our computation with theirs about the yeare of our Lord 528. builded the wall the people contributing ten thousand Pikes of siluer which are fifteene Millions of Cruzados and two hundred and fiftie thousand men thirtie thousand Officers and the rest Labourers which was continued seuen and twentie yeares and then finished being saith that Booke the length of seuentie Iaons euery Iaon is foure leagues and an halfe which make three hundred and fifteene leagues The Priests and Iles are said to contribue as many and the King and Officers another third so that seuen hundred and fiftie thousand men laboured therein This wall I haue seene and measured being generally sixe fathomes high and fortie spannes thicke and foure fathomes runneth a kind of Rampire twice as thicke as the wall strengthened with a Bituminous substance on the out-side like Potters worke and in stead of Bulwarkes it hath houses of two lofts with beames of blacke wood called Caubesy that is Iron-wood seeming stronger then if they were of stone-worke This wall or Chanfacau so they call it that is strong resistance runneth with an equall course till it
that were within the Towne could be fully perswaded the rumour to be true the Enemies had set fire vpon his house and slue him and all that were within At this â—ime by the order of his Maiestie was elected for Gouernour of these Ilands Philippinas Guido de Labacates after the death of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi who vnderstanding the great fleet and power of Lymahon the Rouer and the smaâ—l resistance and defence that was in the Citie of Manilla with as much speed as was possible he did call together all their Captaines and dwellers therein and with a generall consent they spared no person of what qualitie and degree soeuer he was but that his hand was to helpe all that was possible the which endured two dayes and two nights for so long the Rouer kept his ships and came not abroad In which time of their continuall labour they made a Fort with Pipes and Boards filled with sand and other necessaries thereto belonging such as the time would permit them they put in carriages foure excellent Peeces of Artillerie that were in the Citie All the which being put in order they gathered all the people of the Citie into that little Fort. The night before the Enemie did giue assault vnto the Citie came thither the Captaine Iohn de Salzedo Lieutenant vnto the Gouernour The Rouer in the morning following before the breake of the day which was the second after he gaue the first assault was with all his fleet right against the Port and did put a-lâ—nd sixe hundred Souldiers who at that instant did set vpon the Citie the which at their pleasure they did sacke and burne They did assault the Fort with great cruelty as men fleshed with the last slaughter thinking that their resistance was but small But it fell not out as they did beleeue for hauing continued in the fight almost all the day with the losse of two hundred men that were slaine in the assault and many other hurt he straightwaies departed from thence and returned the same way that he came till they arriued in a mightie Riuer fortie leagues from the Citie of Manilla that is called Pangasinan the which place or soyle did like him very well and where he thought he might be sure from them who by the commandement of the King went for to seeke him There hee determined to remayne and to make himselfe Lord ouer all that Countrey the which he did with little trauell and built himselfe a Fort one league within the Riuer whereas he remayned certaine dayes receiuing tribute of the Inhabitants thereabouts as though he were their true and naturall Lord and at times went forth with his ships robbing and spoyling all that he met vpon the coast And spred abroad that he had taken to himselfe the Ilands Philippinas and how that all the Spaniards that were in them were either slayne or fled away With this consideration they entred into counsell and did determine to ioyne together all the people they could and being in good order to follow and seeke the Rouer Then the Gouernours commanded to be called together all the people bordering thereabouts and to come vnto the Citie whereas hee was Likewise at that time hee did giue aduice vnto such as were Lords and Gouernours of the Ilands called Pintados commanding them to come thither with such ships as they could spare as well Spaniards as the naturall people of the Countrey The Generall of the field with the people aforesaid did depart from Manilla the three and twentieth day of March Anno 1575. and arriued at the mouth of the Riuer Pagansinan vpon tenable Wednesday in the morning next following without being discouered of any Then straightwaies at that instant the Generall did put a-land all his people and foure Peeces of Artillerie leauing the mouth of the Riuer shut vp with his shipping in chayning the one to the other in such sort that none could enter in neither yet goe forth to giue any aduice vnto the Rouer of his arriuall he commanded some to goe and discouer the fleet of the Enemie and the place whereas he was fortified and charged them very much to doe it in such secret sort that they were not espied for therein consisted all their whole worke Hee commanded the Captaine Gabriel de Ribera that straightwaies he should depart by Land and that vpon a sudden he should strike alarme vpon the Enemie with the greatest tumult that was possible Likewise he commanded the Captaines Pedro de Caues and Lorenso Chacon that either of them with forty Souldiers should goe vp the Riuer in small ships and light and to measure the time in such sort that as well those that went by land as those that went by water should at one instant come vpon the Fort and to giue alarme both together the better to goe thorow with their pretence and he himselfe did remayne with all the rest of the people to watch occasion and time for to aide and succour them if need be required This their purpose came so well to passe that both the one and the other came to good effect for those that went by water did set fire on all the fleet of the Enemie and those that went by land at that instant had taken and set fire on a Trench made of timber that Limahon had caused to bee made for the defence of his people and the Fort and with that furie they slue more then one hundred Chinos and tooke prisoners seuenty women which they found in the same Trench but when that Limahon vnderstood the rumour hee tooke himselfe straightwaies to his Fort which hee had made for to defend himselfe from the Kings Nauie if they should happen to finde him out The next day following the Generall of the field did bring his Souldiers into a square battell and beganne to march towards the Fort with courage to assault it if occasion did serue thereunto hee did pitch his Campe within two hundred paces of the Fort and found that the Enemie did all that night fortifie himselfe very well and in such sort that it was perillous to assault him for that he had placed vpon his Fort three Peeces of Artillerie and many Bases besides other Engines of fire-worke Seeing this and that his Peeces of Artillerie that hee brought were very small for to batter and little store of munition for that they had spent all at the assault which the Rouer did giue them at Manilla the Generall of the field and the Captaines concluded amongst themselues that seeing the Enemie had no ships to escape by water neither had he any great store of victuals for that all was burnt in the ships it was the best and most surest way to besiege the Fort and to remayne there in qâ—iet vntill that hunger did constraine them either to yeeld or come to some conclusion which rather they will then to perish with hunger This determination was liked well of
the left hand an Arab Dagger on the right the other part of their habite Iaponian The pompe of all sorts and the Ordnance attended them to the Vatican there the Italian Garrison and Heluetian Guard with their Peeces and military Musicke receiued them Then were they lead into the Hall and after all things there finished the Legates carried the Popes traine at his departure And on the fiue and twentieth day festiuall for the Annuntiation the Pope going on solemne Procession these Legates rode in the last place What should I say more sayth our Authour it cannot be told how all magnifie the mercy of God which brings farre more at this time from the East and West to the Catholike Church then the Deuill hath seduced in the North. These Iaponian Lords returned into India 1586. as Valignanus writeth and were much endangered by a tempest Their returne into Iapon is signified by the Letters of Michael to the Archbishop of Ebora testifying their arriuall the one and twentieth of Iuly 1590. at Nangasach with the said Valignanus and by the Letter of Don Sancius Sonne and Successour to Bartholmew Prince of Omur to Pope Xistus the fifth with thankes for the wood of the Crosse and the Sword sent his Father which should be kept amongst his principall Iewels Protasius also the King of Arima wrote to the Great and most holy Pope Xistus or Sixtus in this manner On the sixteenth of the sixth Moone which was the one and twentieth of Iuly 1690. heere arriued the Father Visitour of the Societie of Iesus with Cingiua Don Michael my kins-man Don Mancius and other companions which I had sent to Rome to put their heads vnder your Holinesse feet Whose comming did as much reioyce me as if a thousand Autumnes had comne to me and ten thousand yeeres had beene added to my life Don Michael related with what honour and fauour hee was entertayned of your Holinesse of King Philip and other Catholike Princes for which I render those thankes which Pen and Paper cannot expresse He deliuered me Letters also which your Holinesse vouchsafed mee fauourably reckoning mee amongst the Christian Kings Hee brought me also part of the holy Wood of the true Crosse a Hat and a Sword which your Holinesse is wont to send to Christian Kings and Princes Which fauour and studies are such and so esteemed of mee that I haue determined to consecrate them to eternall memory and to place them amongst my chiefe Treasures and the Ornaments and Monuments of my posteritie And this honour conferred on mee is such that greater cannot be in this life and it redounds vnto a future good life I had determined according to the order prescribed of your H. in his Letters and as the fauour and so great benefits bestowed on mee deserued to haue receiued the said Presents with all the celebritie and pompe that might be in my Kingdome but the Father Visitour shewed mee that respect was to be had of the tyrannie and great hatred wherewith Quabacondono the Lord of all Iapon persecuteth the Fathers and Christians these three yeeres together and this feast to be deferred till he returneth from Meaco whither hee is going in Embassage from the Vice-roy of India to Quabacondono c. The ninth yeere of the Era called Tenscio the tenth of the eighth Moone which is the two and twentieth of September An. 1590. At your Highnesse feet Arimano Sciurino Daibu Don Protasius This Quabacondono as L. Froes writeth was now growne the greatest Monarch that euer Iapon had hauing ascended thereunto from a base estate which was as hee hath diuers times with his owne mouth confessed to cut wood and to carrie it to the Market to sell for his daily food Nobunanga his Predecessor had growne to great height such as many ages had not there seene In Frenoiama eight hundred yeeres before a King of Iapon had builded 3800. Temples with houses adioyned for the Bonziâ— which employed themselues in the studie of the Lawes and Sects for whose quietnesse he remoued the Husbandmen and builded them two streets allowing to their maintenance about the third part of the Customes or Rents of the Vomen Kingdome Thus became it a fountaine of their superstitions In time those Temples dispersed in sixteene Vallies were lessened to 800. and the Bonzian discipline and studies melted into pleasures hardned into Armes and ranged into robberies so that they fired Meaco with great slaughter and opposed Nobunanga who hauing destroyed the Militarie Bonzi called â—coxos and taken away their Castles inuaded Frenoiama professing he feared not their Gods On the top of a Hill was the Temple of Quanon to whom prayers and pilgrimages were made for health wealth and long life and yeerely solemnities and Playes with huge pompe and cost were made in his honour to which the Gibon feast at Meaco succeeded with frequency of men deuices of work-men and such order that it may appeare that Satan there imitates the anniuersary solemnitie of Corpus Christi amongst vs. Thither the Bonzi had gotten but it and they and their streets were destroyed and foure hundred Temples with their furniture burned At Facusangin also were a thousand houses of the Bonzi by themselues besides Monasteries which he destroyed Xinguea the King of Cainochun had forced his Father to exile and imprisoned his elder Brother and then seized on the Kingdome after which he shaued his beard and haire and became a Bonzo and would needs repaire Frenoiama and stiling himselfe Chiefe in the house of the Kings and of Religions gathered an Armie Nabunanga wrote to him calling himselfe Tamer of Deuils and enemie of Sects Hee proceeded first against the Bonzi with these terrours and after would needs himselfe be worshipped but eighteene dayes after in a conspiracy of his owne against him he was slaine and his dispersed Quabacondono succeeded and in greatnesse of attempts and ambition exceeded This Quabacondono is a title which Faxiba assumed and is as much as Treasurer These titles are giuen by the Vo or Dairi descended of the ancient Kings and now enioying a strange Empire which is to giue titles of honour for which all great men haue their Factors with him and is esteemed as a God not suffered to tread on the ground that were deposition nor often seene and gets much treasure out of those Titles which he so often changeth that the King of Bungo was by the Iesuites obserued foure and thirty times to haue altered his appellations There is a high Priest who with Papall power authorizeth Sects confirmeth and consecrateth the Tundi or Bishops which are nominated by the Kings and enioyeth Royall reuenues The Quingue is the third person and hath power ouer Iudgements and Warres But the Lords of Tensa that is such as haue power to get into their hands Meaco and the Region adioyning are really chiefe Lords and command the State though in seeming ceremonie as the Turkes to
about the yeere 990. Vlodomirus Duke of Russia married one Anne Sister to Basilius and Constantinus Brothers and Emperours of Constantinople Whereupon the Russe receiued the Faith and Profession of Christ. Which though it be somewhat more ancient then the time noted before out of the Russe Report yet it falleth out all to one reckoning touching this point viz. in what truth and sinceritie of Doctrine the Russe receiued the first stampe of Religion for asmuch as the Greeke Church at that time also was many wayes infected with errour and superstition At my being there the yeere 1588. came vnto the Mosko the Patriarch of Constantinople or Sio called Hieronimo being banished as some sayd by the Turke as some other reported by the Greeke Clergie depriued The Emperour being giuen altogether to superstitious deuotions gaue him great entertaynment Before his comming to Mosko hee had beene in Italy with the Pope as was reported there by some of his company His arrand was to consult with the Emperour concerning these points First about a League to passe betwixt him and the King of Spaine as the meetest Prince to joyne with him in opposition against the Turke To which purpose also Ambassages had passed betwixt the Russe and the Persian Likewise from the Georgians to the Emperour of Russia to joyne league together for the inuading of the Turke on all sides of his Dominion taking the aduantage of the simple qualitie of the Turke that now is This treatie was helped forward by the Emperours Ambassadour of Almayne sent at the same time to solicite an inuasion vpon the parts of Polonia that lye towards Rusland and to borrow money of the Russe Emperour to pursue the warre for his Brother Maximilian against the Swedens sonne now King of Poland But this consultation concerning a league betwixt the Russe and the Spaniard which was in some forwardnesse at my comming to Mosko and already one appointed for Ambassage into Spaine was marred by meanes of the ouerthrow giuen to the Spanish King by her Majestie the Queene of England this last yeere Which made the Russe Emperour and his Councell to giue a sadder countenance to the English Ambassadour at that time for that they were disappointed of so good a policie as was this conjunction supposed to bee betwixt them and the Spanish His second purpose whereto the first serued as an introduction was in reuenge of the Turke and the Greeke Clergie that had thrust him from his seate to treate with them about the reducing of the Russe Church vnder the Pope of Rome Wherein it may seeme that comming lately from Rome hee was set on by the Pope who hath attempted the same many times before though all in vaine and namely the time of the late Emperour Iuan Vasilowich by one Anthony his Legate But thought this belike a farre better meane to obtayne his purpose by treatie and mediation of their owne Patriarch But this not succeeding the Patriarch fell to a third point of treatie concerning the resignation of his Patriarchship and translation of the Sea from Constantinople or Scio to the Citie of Mosko Which was so well liked and entertayned by the Emperour as a matter of high Religion and policie that no other treatie specially of forraigne Ambassages could bee heard or regarded till that matter was concluded The reason wherewith the Patriarch perswaded the translating of his Sea to the Citie of Mosko were these in effect First for that the Sea of the Patriarch was vnder the Turke that is enemie to the Faith And therefore to bee remooued into some other Countrey of Christian profession Secondly because the Russe Church was the onely naturall daughter of the Greeke at this time and holdeth the same Doctrine and Ceremonies with it the rest being all subject to the Turke and fallen away from the right profession Wherein the subtill Greeke to make the better market of his broken ware aduanced the honour that would grow to the Emperour and his Countrey to haue the Patriarchs Seat translated into the chiefe Citie and seate of his Empire As for the right of translating the Sea and appointing his Successour hee made no doubt of it but that it pertayned wholly to himselfe So the Emperour and his Councell with the principall of his Clergie being assembled at the Mosko it was determined that the Metropolite of Mosko should become Patriarch of the whole Greeke Church and haue the same full Authoritie and Iurisdiction that pertayned before to the Patriarch of Constantinople or Sio And that it might bee done with more order and solemnitie the fiue and twentieth or Ianuarie 1588. the Greeke Patriarch accompanied with the Russe Clergie went to the great Church of Precheste or our Ladie within the Emperours Castle hauing first wandred thorow the whole Citie in manner of a Procession and blessing the people with his two fingers where hee made an Oration and deliuered his resignation in an Instrument of writing and so layed downe his Patriarchicall staffe Which was presently receiued by the Metropolite of Mosko and diuers other ceremonies vsed about the Inauguration of this new Patriarch The day was holden very solemne by the people of the Citie who were commanded to forbeare their workes and to attend this solemnitie The great Patriarch that day was honoured with rich Presents sent him from the Emperour and Empresse of Plate cloath of Gold Furres c. carryed with great pompe thorow the streets of Mosko and at his departing receiued many gifts more both from the Emperour Nobilitie and Clergie Thus the Patriarchship of Constantinople or Sio which hath continued since the Councell of Nice is now translated to Mosko or they made beleeue that they haue a Patriarch with the same right and Authoritie that the other had Wherein the subtill Greeke hath made good aduantage of their Superstition and is now gone away with a rich bootie into Poland whither their Patriarchship be currant or not The matter is not vnlike to make some Schisme betwixt the Greeke and Russe Church if the Russe hold his Patriarchship that hee hath so well payed for and the Greekes Elect another withall as likely they will whether this man were banished by the Turke or depriued by order of his owne Clergie Which might happen to giue aduantage to the Pope and to bring ouer the Russe Church to the Sea of Rome to which end peraduenture hee deuised this Stratagem and cast in this matter of Schisme among them but that the Emperours of Russia know well enough by the example of other Christian Princes what inconuenience would grow to their State and Countrey by subjecting themselues to the Romish Sea To which end the late Emperour Iuan Vasilowich was very inquisitiue of the Popes authoritie ouer the Princes of Christendome and sent one of very purpose to Rome to behold the order and behauiour of his Court. With this Patriarch Hieronymo was driuen out at the same time by the great Turke one Demetrio
liking Englands fertilitie better then that their own sterilitâ—e and rockie barrennesse 〈◊〉 by force of warres often to conquer that which would not be peaceably yeelded till King Edward a maintainer of peace with consent of the Kingdâ—me permitted them to dwell heere at pleasure as sworne brethren to the English Octher subiect and seruant to King Alfrâ—d aboue seuen hundred yeeres since related to his said Lord 〈◊〉 voyage from Heâ—golaâ—â— where he then dwelt to the North Cape and as probable circumstances argue along the coast to the Bay of Saint Nicolas Aedgar that famous founder of Monasteries is said by Ranulphuâ— Cestâ—ensis to haue in annuall vse foure thousand ships and by Flores Historiarum foure thousand eight hundred 〈◊〉 yeerely to compasse this Iland with his Nauie quadripartite twelue hundred in the East as many in the West and like proportions on the North and on the South coasts to secure the Seas and secure his subiects And in the Charter of the foundation of the Cathedrall Church of Worcester he vseth these words Mihi autem concessit propitia diuinitas 〈◊〉 Anglorum Imperio omnia Regnâ— Insularium Oceani cum suis fercissimis Regibus vsque Norwegiaâ—â— Maximamque partem Hyberniae cum sua nobilissima ciuitate Dubliâ—ia Anglorum Regno subiâ—gâ—re c. Hee also stiles himselfe King and Emperour of the Ocean and the Hands about Britaine beginning Ego Aedgâ—rus Anglorum Basileus omâ—iâ—mque Regum Insularum Oceaniâ—â—â— Britannium circumiacentis cunctarumque Nationum quae infra eam includuntur Imperator Dominus So potent was he first of the English Kings for Arthur was a Briton by his strong shipping and well manned and mannaged Nauie Florentius Wigorniensis stileth him â—los decâ—â—s antecessâ—rum Regum Pacificus Rex Aedgarus non minâ—â— memorabâ—lis Anglis quà m Romulâ—s Rowanis Cyrus Persis Alexander Macedonibus Arsaces Parthis Carolus Magnus Francis and addeth as before is notified 〈…〉 3600. 〈◊〉 sibi congregauerat naues ex quibus Paschali emensa 〈…〉 Anno 1200. In orientali 1200. in occidentalâ— 1200. in Sepâ—â—â—trionali insulae plaga coadunare ad occidentalâ—◠〈◊〉 orientali classe illa remissa ad borealem cum occidentali ipsaque remâ—ssa cum boreali ad orienâ—alem classem remigare eoque modo totam insulam omni aestate consueuerat cincumnauigare viriliter hoc agens ad defensionem contra exteros Regni sui suum sisorumque ad bellicos vsus exercitium Both Florentius and Malmesbury and Mat. Westminster record that hee sitting at the Sterne was rowed by eight Kings his Tributaries Kined King of Scots Macolm of Cumberland Macon of Man and many Ilands Dufnal of Dâ—metia Siferth and Howel Kings of Wales Iacob King of Galwales and Iukil of Westmar hauing the same day there met at his summons and sworne fealtie and assistance to him by Sea and Land These rowed him in the Riuer Dee to the Monastery from his Palace and thence after seruice backe againe So rightly did he instile himselfe in his Charter to Malmesbury Ego Aedgarus totius Albionis Basileus nec non 〈…〉 Regum circumhabitantium c. HONDIVS his Map of NORVVEGIA and SVETIA SVECIA ET Norwegia 〈◊〉 And such was the Danish tyranny that euery Dane was stiled Lord Dane and had at his commandement the wiues daughters and the whole houshold where hee became But after the death of Hardicanutus that title was turned into the reproachfull terme of Lurdane and the day of his death as the Roman Fugalia was celebrated with open pastime and feasting in the streets called Hocktide or Hucktide as if England then absolutely freed made a mocke or scorne of her enemies Canutus by treason of Eadrike Streona obtained the Kingdome first as partner with Edmund Ironside and after his death the whole by other perfidie slaying Eadwy brother of King Edmund and sending Edmunds two sonnes Edward and Edmund to the King of Sweden to be there made away But hee hating such crueltie sent them to Salomon King of Hâ—ngary to bring vp where Edmund dyed and Edward married Agatha daughter of Henry the Emperour by whom hee had Aedgar Athling and Margaret married to Malcolm King of Scots the mother of Maud wife to Henry the first and Christine a Nun. Canutus diuided the Kingdome into foure parts of which hee reserued West Saxonie to himselfe East England hee committed to Earle Turkill Mercia to Duke Edrike and Northumberland to Earle Erike Soone after he caused Duke Edrike which treacherously had aduanced him to the Crowne to bee slaine a iust reward of treason and then banished Earle Turkill and Earle Erike picking quarrell with them weary of any stalking horses the former of which was presently after his landing in Denmarke slain And now did Canutus seeke to win the fauour of the English by building and endowing Monasteries making good Lawes and marrying Emma the relict of King Ethelred Thus hauing Denmarke by inheritance and England by conquest treachery his ambition next aimed at Sweden where first he had the worse but after compelled Vlf and Eiglaf the Kings of that Countrie to composition with him Earle Godwin the Generall of the English prouoking and animating the English to recouer their pristine glory and by solid vertue to ouercome them who had ouercome their new Lord whose fortune had subiected the English Thus Canutus preuailed by Godwines policie and English valour they by night without the Kings knowledge or assistance of the Danish Armie assaulting and ouerthrowing the Swedens hee the next day missing the English and fearing they had turned to the Enemy till giuing the onset with his Danes vpon the forsaken Campe of the Enemy he found there nothing but carkasses and spoyle Anno 1027. hauing intelligence that the Norwegians contemned their King Olaue for his simplicitie he sent great summes of Gold and Siluer to the Grandes of Norway to corrupt them and caused them to reject Olaue and to choose him for their King For peruerted with gifts they sent him word to come to them whom he should find readie to entertayne him An. 1028. he went with a fleet of fifty sayle to Norway and expelled Olaue subjecting that Kingdome to himselfe Olaue which had beene the King Doctor Preacher and Apostle of the Norwegians as Florilegus stileth him the sonne of Harald King of Norway was slayne Anno 1030. and cruelly butchered by his treacherous Norwegians with an Axe or Hatchet for disanulling their Pagan superstitions and hee since is there superstitiously worshipped for a Saint whom then trayterously they permitted not to reigne or breathe The same yeere perished at Sea or as some say was slayne in one of the Orcades Earle Hacun whom Canutus fearing had banished in colour of sending him Embassadour His greatnesse hauing to wife his sisters daughter made him grow suspicious And according to the deuotion of that time Anno 1031. Canutus or Cunto went to Rome on Pilgrimage and there made magnificent
Peninsula so that when the Bassa of Capha or the Saniak dye he rules all the Signiories in the Peninsula vntill the Turke hath sent thither another Saniak or whom he will preferre ouer Capha The Chan hath a common Custome-house with the Turke at Perecopia Casslouia Capha and other Cities of Taurica or the Peninsula which are of the Turkish Empire Hee demands annually a contribution of the Tartars Armenians Iewes Cercasians Petigorens and Grecian Christians of whom he hath very few in his Dominion the Turkes are only excepted euery day are paid for a perpetuall stipend out of the Turkes Exchequer twentie fiue Dollers to the Chan twelue Dollers and a halfe to the Galga to the Soltan pledge two and a halfe and to the same Hostage Villages and ample Farmes neere Adrianople called Ianbolu are giuen by the Turke To the Dukes Caiaks Vlans and Murzies and many others which take pay are giuen constant wages according to each of their estates Notwithstanding the Chan alwayes payes euery yeere to the Turkish Emperour Captiues taken in warre of both sexes the most excellent and precious Furs and also baser Butter and Salt wherewith Taurica or the Peninsula abounds And into whatsoeuer warre he shall bee sent or called he may refuse neither may hee wage warre with any but the Duke of Moscho without the Emperour of the Turkes leaue or knowledge The Chan exacts annuall pecuniarie Rents from the better sort of Captiues taken in warre three pieces of Gold of the raskalitie one Doller and a tenth of them but from each of the Fountaines which are many in his Dominions in the Plaines of Taurica or the Peninsula one Horse of the Tartars but any necessitie enforcing the Chan all the Tartars decree a certaine contribution to him The Tartars Nobles alwayes at home and in warre also yeeld him sustenance of diuers sorts for hee neither tills nor sowes Hee hath alwayes proper Herds of Horses Camels Oxen and infinite Flockes of Sheepe Hee hath a peculiar money of base Copper which is coyned in Crimum a Towne of his Dominion round money whereof tenne are esteemed at a Turkish Siluer Aspeâ— which makes one Polonian Groat or lesse But I being present there were stamped greater Copper money siluered ouer which was valued at fiue Aspers In coyning it he hath a great and plentifull gaine for in three or foure yeeres of the same money which is carried by all the Tartars or Strangers into the Mint new inuented money is alway stamped For in all Taurica or the Peninsula it is lawfull for none Tartar or stranger euen in the Cities of the Turkes Dominion vnder a capitoll punishment and confiscation of goods of what estate soeuer hee bee to exchange Turkish pieces of Gold or the Doller of Strangers or the Turkes Siluer Asper into Tartar coyne of the other value Neither is it lawfull to buy with Gold or Siluer coyne but Tartarian which all strangers none excepted perpetually receiue by the Chans Edict When the Chan is about to go to any war he first signifies to all the Tartars of his Dominions by the Seruitors of his Court and commands them that they prepare themselues for war within three or at the most in foure weekes and that they prouide for themselues victualls for three or foure moneths That sustenance is carried in Leather-bags and those Bags among the Gentlemen are carried on Horses And they carrie with them food of Millet parched in the fire or stamped or ground for they haue Mills and thereof steeped in water the most make meate or drinke They carry Cheese and Flesh and Mares-flesh dried in the Sun they cut them in pieces boyled or drie and taking out the bones put them in Sackes They liue with Mares-milke and Cheese and sowre milke which they tempering with a certaine Art hold an excellent food The Chan hath only one Chariot with him for any danger of sicknesse also a few Camels wheron is carried for his owne person Aquauitae or some other prouision wherewith he is easily satisfied But the Tartars seuerally set meat before him and his Courtiers the gentlemen yet very few of them not seldome carry a little drie bread and a little Aquauitae on Camels or in lighter Carts But after the Chan hath determined any warlike Expedition he prepares very speedily some exercised men in an indifferent number and chooseth them sometimes Tartars but more frequently Cercesians Petigorens and those which are accounted spies of Regions and Prouinces of other Princes and expert Way-leaders they verie well know each particular passage of Places and Borders and Fords of Riuers And when they come into the Marches they goe into the neere confining circuits and each in sundrie places view all things and diligently seeke for Captiues which when they haue intercepted they returne with them speedily to the Chan of whom vsing interrogatories the Chan quickly is acquainted with the estate of those Prouinces where his skouts haue beene Forthwith therefore hee assignes the day of progression to the Tartars wherein hee stirres alone and premiseth speedily some seruants of his Court through all that Hord or Prouince They constraine and inforce to goe to warre and follow the Chan all Tartars and Christians of his gouernment men and youth if they can but sit on horses besides impotent old men and children who although they want Armes and Horses yet are accommodated by the welthier in hope of spoyle But in eight or at the vtmost in ten dayes after the Chans departure al of them follow him into certain new defined places which are beyond Perecopia toward Boristhenes the Galga Soltans Dukes Murzies the most approued valiant and chiefe Warriours and Souldiers being gathered and conuocated together and they being called to his Councell first the later Captiues and priuie Searchers also are examined at length they suddenly consult of the seasonablenesse of time places occasion of well ordering the matter and whether the warre be then commodiously to be prosecuted And mutuall consent and counsell being made and determined yet none of these things is confusedly diuulged to the multitude From the same place therefore the Ministers of the Court of the Chan Galga and Soltans going before the companies of the Dukes Murzons and other Tartarian Nobles which they lead and rule according to the ancient claime of their kindred and call them by various appellations in their Language â—he Chan moues the Armie vnder the Ensignes following in a meane order after the ancient custome of the Nation but after they haue set foot in their enemies Land againe he sends before a certaine number of the most experienced and skilfullest Espials They goe before the Armie and send backe to the Chan whatsoeuer Countreymen or others they shall take and meet with from whom hee may bee certified of the condition and armie of the enemies But when the Chan is certainly informed that no armie of enemies comes out against him he againe makes a Campe-councell
with his Nobles and Peeres how farre and wide he ought to endamage his enemies Dominions Then at length he goeth slowly forward in a perfect order with all his Hoast and commands vpon penaltie of their heads to kill all the obuious Rustickes lest after they should be taken by the Tartars they should peraduenture make an escape and certifie his enemies of his bands to the hurt of his men Moreouer they kill not women nor children nor lay hold on them nor dare lay hands of any of the prey lest his armie should be surcharged with it and cause some stay in his proceeding But when the Chan comes with his armie to the Castles Townes Villages Hamlets and manured places he elects ten or at the most fifteene thousand Souldiers with their Dukes Murzons and chiefe of his Court and most notable best tryed and principall men of Armes of all his Hoast and leaues them in his owne jurisdiction in his standing Campes or in the siege of some Fortresse then he makes ready the Galga other Soltans Dukes Murzons and the rest of the Armie which then is mustred some thousands And that Armie being spread abroad in diuers bands ouer each of which the best esteemed and ablest men are made Captaynes is extended in longitude more then ten miles and in latitude as much And as they assemble among themselues at the farthest in seuen or eight dayes but at the soonest in three or foure running about in troupes through diuers places and leading straying preyes and wasting with fire and Sword whatsoeuer they meet with returne to the Campe but if they come not backe at the prefixed day to the fortified Campe they waite not for them but all the Armie with wonderfull celeritie moue in their arrayes out of the standing Campe. And when as then also the Chan is truly signified that no Armie pursues him he prouides for places not medled with by his troupes an Armie of some thousands of selected Horsemen and as yet vnwearied He employes as many more also in ambushes in diuers places neere the Townes and Castles obuious to the Tartars lest that Armie might without delay fall into the lying in waite on any of their companies But if he bee certified by his Scouts of any numerous hoast of Enemies he neuer commits the matter to an vniuersall fight but goes forward slowly and cautelously with his bands but if the Chan be certainly assured that the Troups of his Aduersaries are many and valiant he retires a little and seekes for the better husbanded and peaceabler places and with wonderfull agilitie in his precipitious flight spoyles them with fire and sword and intends to returne home with the bootie that hee had hastily driuen away But if then hee hopes his enemies cannot ouertake him he marcheth with his Armie yet not too securely almost in the order to his confines But assoone as the Chan is entred into his Borders he takes the tenth of the principall Captiues throughout all the Armie But the Captaynes of companies and they which haue brought a greater number of captiues cull out of each Band the principall for themselues The other Tartars of the promiscuous multitude diuide the Prisoners among their troupes Notwithstanding before they come to that partition they first satisfie all those which running about by Bands haue lost Horses Garments or any thing else They sell to the Tartars both Noble and Ignoble captiues if they shall appoint no price whereby they may free themselues because the Chan being vitiated with the Merchants gifts hath set a great value on them The condition of captiues is very miserable among the Tartars for they are grieuously oppressed by them with hunger and nakednesse and the Husbandmen with stripes so that they rather desire to dye then to liue Many of them moued with the present calamitie and follie tell the Tartars that they are Gentlemen and haue wealthy and rich parents and friends They promise of their owne accord a great and almost inestimable ransome which the barbarous impious couetous hungry and cruell Nation seekes almost daily to increase with all kind of subtilties and Examinations tyes them in fetters vseth them therefore more hardly But when they vnderstand that an Agent of their people is come to the Chan they meete him with their captiues of whom sometimes they require the price falsly nominated by themselues or sometimes promised by the Prisoners but the Agent who wel knowes the craft and deceitfulnesse of the Tartars finds fault with the captiues foolishnesse and tell the Tartars that they are neither noble nor rich and that they knew not nor will euer be able to pay the price and as though they were neither moued with Pietie nor Religion reject them Yet the Agent is diligent that they be inscribed in the Catalogue and if they haue a purpose to ransome any with their own mony they hold it expedient to suborne Iewes or Tartars and other Merchants being corrupted with mony by whom being as it were neglected and rejected by the Agent they are released at a far easier rate Nothing therefore is more frequent to the captiues then to promise and offer to the Tartars this price for which they are sold to the Turkes Iewes and stranger Merchants and others beyond the Sea or a little more or twice so much if they bee able to performe it but if they cannot learne of the Rustickes or others what they are as the Tartars are for the most part went often to enquire of their captiues they are content with little Neither doe they sell them to strangers but rather to the Agent of their Nation but if they are not redeemed by the Agent they command them to write to their Parents or Kinsfolke Also many captiues are deliuered with the exchange of Tartar captiues in prouiding for and freeing of whom the Tartars exhibite and shew farre greater pietie friendlinesse and care then our Christians For disrepecting all price they first demand their Tartar captiues in exchange of ours which often promising the same and not able to performe it vse to bring vpon themselues a farre greater discommoditie For they aske of them almost an vnualuable summe wherewith they prize their Tartars which when they are not able to pay they sell them to barbarous Nations ouer the Sea for perpetuall slaues for as great a price as they can and very often at an excessiue rate or if the Tartars are wealthy they condemne them to perpetuall slauery The Chan hath all his Tartar Armie gathered of Horsemen except some hundred Gunners Ianizaries Footmen which are either Turkish Auxiliaries or some of his owne which he maintaynes He is accustomed to carrie with him some smaller Ordnance to warre From Taurica or the Peninsula the Perecopens and Crims Ossouiens Nogariens Cercessians are Tributaries and Souldiers for aide the Duke of the Cercessians Petigorens are Stipendaries and Mercenaries and are wont to goe voluntaries to the Chans warres The Oczacouiens
and Bialogrodens also they who by the continuall couenants which they haue with the Turkish Emperour sometimes also the Dobruâ—en Tartars and Inhabitants of Danubius by the command of the Emperour of the Turkes follow him to warre All that Hoast collected out of those Tartars is wont to make the number of a hundred and twentie thousand sometimes also thirtie thousand more but not seldome to exceed that Summe I haue bin truly informed by many credible Christians which often follow the Chans warres and by some captiued Gentlemen of our Nation who haue many times seene his Armie All haue according to their vse Tartarian Horses neat excellent stomackfull swift and indifferent good and commodious to vndergoe great labours The Chan most of the Soltans and Tartar Nobles vse in warre Turkish Caramanian Arabian and other Asian Tartarian and the best Out-landish Horses The swiftest Horses are accounted among them at a great and almost inestimable price They alwayes feed them Summer and Winter in the Plaines of Taurica or the Peninsula but very often as farre as the Riuers Boristhenes and Tanais the Gentlemen nourish at home very few Horses only for their vrgent occasions not for any arrogancie or luxurie They seldome put their Iades and vnprofitable Horses for riding in the Waggon for they doe all their businesse with Camels and Oxen. The Tartars vse their ancient weapons a two-edged Sword or Tartarian Cymiter somewhat long and a Turkish Dart or a Persian shorter and broader of the best Iron and well wrought a peculiar Tartarian Bow along Arrow and swift a Quiuer sometimes a short Speare after the old guize of their people They goe with Brest-plates and Helmets and in Persian or Moscouian Armes wherewith they abound being enriched by the spoyle of Christians They haue ancient Saddles and Bridles after the custome of the Nation very fitting not for pride or superfluitie the Nobles haue them prepared very elegantly strongly and compendiously for their vse But most in the Tartar Armie are altogether vnarmed and cowards and they carrie with them to warre by reason of their great Hoast almost an infinite number of Horses For a Tartar euen of the basest condition will scarcely be content with one or two Horses but three foure and more which he may haue alwayes readie with him at his hand Therefore the Armie of the Tartars is made so numerous great and terrible which when it is seene afarre off is deemed by our men almost an infinite and innumerable Hoast Now when the Tartarian Armie is come into their enemies Country the Tartars ranke not themselues in bands or troupes but all set forward and proceed leisurely They dispose many Watchmen in all parts throughout their companies which they make greater or lesser for their supply but after that the foremost of them haue descryed their enemy they counterfeit a flight that they may more easily allure them into those troupes which they haue laid in ambushments and so ouer-charge him But when they espie a great Armie of enemies they make a retraite quickly and speedily to their Armie Rankes and Banners There is great celeritie in constituting and gouerning their troupes seeing that they are not ruled onely by the aduertizements of the Generals and Praefects of their Regiments but also by the shew of Whips as is the long continued practice of the Nation and they are subject so to a becke that they are very easily brought into their Ranges whensoeuer it is necessary The Chan is alwayes fortified in warre with a band of some thousands of noble and couragious Tartars in number some hundreds of Ianizaries Footmen and some small Ordnance In the Chans Regiment a very great white Mares tayle and a piece of Greene and Red Silke of the Turkish Emperour is carryed before on a great Pike for the Standard There appeare in the troupes of the other Tartars many Ancients and Ensignes of various colours The more famous Souldiers and they which are notable in reputation dexteritie and war-like Prowes and haue atchieued in warre some Noble Seruice and Enterprize are greatly honoured by the Chan Soldans Kiniazons and Murzons And that respect is had to them that the Chan doth not only reward them with certayne great benefits and such liberalitie as he can shew them but also is so mindfull of their deserts and 〈◊〉 that he assignes them and their successors in the Assembly and as the fashion is at his Table a perpetuall place of honour among his more noble Murzons That dignitie among the Tartars is the greatest and Hereditary for they going to warre able and experienced men which possesse that place are dignified by the Chan with the glorie of leading the Troupes The Chan also frees some Tartar captiues with the permutation of captiues and in ransoming others he largely powres out his owne Treasure and willingly comforts them as he is able CHAP. XXII DITHMAR BLEFKENS his Voyages and Historie of Island and Groenland IN the yeere 1563. two Hamburg Merchants ships determined to sayle to Island the Mariners by an ancient custome desirous to haue a Minister of Gods Word with them commend this care to the Ministers of the Church of Hamburg and intreat them to prouide them a Minister One Doctor Paulus ab Etzen was then Superintendent of the Church of Hamburg While therefore I stayd at Hamburg expecting my Library from Rostoch I entred into some familiaritie with Paulus and the rest of the Ministers This Office was bestowed vpon me which I vndertooke the more willingly because I had a longing desire to know strange things and diuers Countries yeelding to their perswasion Taking ship therefore the tenth of Aprill wee sayled vpon the Coast of England and Scotland and passing beyond the Ilands Orcades in number fifteene whereof the most part lye vnmanured for the barrenesse Ferow and Hitland are inhabited Here wee saw a very high Rocke which in the top representeth the head of a cooled Monke where also there is a safe Harbour against all winds and this Monke deliuereth many from present dangers The fourteenth of Iune we descryed Island which seemes afarre off like winter clouds The next day we attayned the Land and Hauen of Haffenefordt toward the South Iseland is a rough hilly and snowie Land which is supposed to bee twice bigger then Sicilia it is thought to be a hundred leagues in length which also Olaus Magnus testifieth in his eleuenth Booke It hath the name of the perpetuall Ice and coldnesse of the Ayre which is there most sharpe for eight whole moneths it is troubled with Ice It burneth notwithstanding with heat and inward fire in many places The extremitie of cold increaseth this heate in the bowels of the earth which cold continueth the greater part of the yeere a few Summer moneths excepted and so bindeth the pores in the vpper part of the Earth that it can haue no free vent And this Iland hath so great a Latitude from the
husbands bosomes to serue their lusts neither did Demetrius as they say punish them one onely being sentenced and hee violently rescued from execution by the Poles They say also that Demetrius his body was plucked out of the graue and burnt the ashes throwne into the aire the seeds as the sequele seemed to shew of many Demetrij after Suiskey is also by some reported to haue beene chosen by lot in this manner The Nobles cast lots foure times to receiue a Successor as it were by diuine sentence in lot-oracle in euery of which times the lot fell vpon Suiskey for as some say there were three or foure neerer then hee he modestly refusing and enforced by constancy of the various lot to accept that Scepter whereof others thinke him as ambitious as was modest Boris before him Howeuer he hath left his name and memorie written in as blacke inke as either Boris or Demetrius if Reports bee true which say that he proued a wicked Prince partly by poison partly by the Tartars making away all whose bloud might by Nobilitie threaten a probabilitie of their prouing his Corriuals Yea he is said to haue sent for Witches and Sorcerers Laps Samoeds Tartars or whatsoeuer other Nation yeelded such Hell-hags incarnate Fiends the Deuils blacke guard to consult about his Empire and succession and the Deuill is a murtherer to haue sealed their predictions with bloud Thus being told that one Michalowich should succeed he is said presently to haue plotted the death of three Grandes of that name his best seruants yet the superstitious people obserue after much chopping and changing that in little time the State was settled on one of that Name which still swaieth the Scepter Who then being a youth of no State-terror was his attendant in Court and bare an Axe after their custome before him One of his first Acts was to send into Poland an Embassage which could not bee admitted audience till Ianuarie Hee thereby complayned of Sandomerskos artes which obtruded that Changeling on Russia whereby aboue two hundred of principall Nobilitie had lost their liues demanding restitution of the moneys which that Impostor had caused to bee transported into Poland and restitution of goods otherwise hee would with Charles of Sweden Duke of Suderman enter Poland with an Armie to bee reuenged for the league which they had sworne broken c. Sigismund answered modestly with excuse of their helping the right Heire in their conceits and that his desire was that peace should continue being loth in times then tumultuous at home to prouoke a forreine enemie so neere in dwelling so remote in affection Sandomersko still remayned prisoner in Russia But things being better setled in Poland and growing worse in Russia by the dislike conceiued against Suiskey a double danger grew to him both from another reuiued Demetrius yea many pretending that Name and Title did after arise as out of his dispersed ashes within Russia and from the Poles without willing both to assist him vnder colour of Reuenge and with hope of Conquest also to inuade and fish for themselues in troubled waters As for that Demetrius new risen from the dead not to mention the others of inferiour note I shall relate Captaine Gilberts reports which knew him and was by him entertayned as I receiued them of a iudicious friend of mine which had them from his owne mouth Hee being at Coluga as before is said receiued a Letter from this new Demetrius so written that it appeared to bee of the former Demetrius his owne hand and thus also he vsed to doe to others being able to counterfeit his writing and to relate such other particulars as seemed impossible to any but Demetrius to doe Hereupon Captaine Gilbert went with his Guard of Souldiers to meete him and the Polake Generall which came with him And whiles he was yet a good distance off Ah this Demetrius called to him my true seruant where were you and my Guard when the villaines hurt me but if I had followed the counsell which you gaue me such a time in such a place relating the particulars I had preuented them This circumstance had moued him to beleeue this to be the former Demetrius had not he differed from this in person as night from day Thus also he said he affirmed to the Pole Generall asking him how he liked this Demetrius that This and That were as like as Night and Day for the former was of goodly personage and this a very deformed wretch The Pole replyed It is no matter Captaine this Demetrius shall serue our turne to bee reuenged of the perfidious and bloudie Russe And this Demetrius acted the other so neerly and could so cunningly and confidently relate particular passages of past occurrents that the Lady of Demetrius was by him bedded Thus was miserable Russia ground betwixt these two Mill-stones the pretending Demetrius and the super-intending Pole Suiskey is helped not a little by the English which brought him strangely and aduenturously powder and munition to his Castle to Mosco which yet at last by reuolt of the Citizens deliuers vp it selfe and him to the Poles And as for that pretending Demetrius he was afterwards murthered in his Campe by a Tartar But it is meet to take hereof larger view Sigismund King of Poland layeth claime to Sweden as sonne to King Iohn who is said to haue vniustly depriued Ericus of his life and Kingdome whose yonger brother Duke Charles first receiued his Nephew King Sigismund then also elected and still continuing King of Poland but vpon warres which after arose betwixt them the issue was that the Pole holds the Title but Charles obtayned both Regall Title and Power wherein his Sonne hath succeeded Suiskey takes hold of this difference and Charles assists him with an Armie sent vnder the command of Pontus de la Gard a French Coronell consisting of English French and Scots These march to Mosco which the new Demetrius and Poles held besieged and put Demetrius into such feare that not trusting the Pole and fearing his Aduersaries on both sides he stole away by night with a small retinue and the Poles obtayned Articles of composition and departed But miserable were the distresses by famine fire sword rapes and other outrages in other parts of Russia caused by other Poles and yet these but as a beginning and prelude to other following For the King of Poland entred with a huge Armie some say of an hundred thousand men inuaded the Muscouite and especially laid siege to Smolensko He is reported thence to haue sent twentie thousand to besiege Mosco Suiskey had sent to King Charles for more aide which he procured out of England and other Countries of which I had rather let you heare an eye-witnesse speake of this as elsewhere other English men haue related their owne voyages This indeed deserueth relation as a tragedie of meaner persons with manifold vicissitudes of miseries attending voluntarie Souldiers as
compelled to digge vp Snow and with stones redde hot to melt in tubbes and then to drinke it This affection continued about twelue or foureteene dayes till we came into Russia Vpon our very first entrance into which Kingdome we marched ouer an arme of the Sea that was eight leagues ouer many of vs staruing to death in that passage by the cold freezing windes that blew the same day In which frosty iourney I saw so much bread as a man might buy for twelue pence sold away in little bits for the value of fortie shillings But this misery ended the next day at our setting foot into Russia where we found plenty both of corne and cattle onely the people of the Countrey ranne away leauing all their goods behinde them but so cunningly hidden that the best pollicie of ours could hardly finde them out By this meanes of the peoples running away we were glad to play the Millers and to grinde all our corne our selues to bake our bread and to dresse our owne victuals Then marched wee vp to Nouogrod a chiefe Citie in Russia where wee were to receiue all our meanes that rested behinde vnpayed but our Captaines beguiled vs and kept it for themselues yet to stoppe our mouthes they told vs wee should goe into Muscouy and there all reckonings should be made euen Wee had scarce marched aboue three dayes towards Muscouy but that newes came how a certaine number of our enemies lay in a sconce by the way the strength of them was not perfectly knowne but it was thought they were not aboue seuen hundred and that we must vse some stratagem to expell them from thence vpon which relation our Captaines drew forth to the number of three hundred English horsemen and two hundred French horsemen so that in all we were about fiue hundred that were appointed to set vpon the supposed seuen hundred Polanders our enemies that so lay insconsed vpon whom we went Our chiefe Commander in that seruice was Monsier la Veite a French man who so valiantly led vs on that the enemy hearing of our comming fled ouer a water that was by the sconce yet not with such speede but that wee slue to the number of foure hundred of their side and lost onely three men of our owne but we tooke the sconce About the sconce stood a faire Towne called Arioua with a riuer called the Volga running through the middle but no bridge ouer it onely a few Boates and Sloates made and cut out of trees were there to carry the people ouer from the one halfe of the Towne to the other This sconce furnished vs not onely with great store of riches but also with a number of Polish Horses and as many armes as serued to arme fiue hundred men our want of that commoditie being as much as of any thing besides for of those fiue hundred men that went vpon the seruice there were not three hundred fixed armes yet through the hand of him that deales victories or ouerthrowes as it pleaseth him best the day was ours Ouer this riuer Volga the enemies were neuer driuen before either by the Emperor of Russia or by the King of Swethland for which cause as afterward wee heard the next day when they departed from the other side of the Riuer they burnt that halfe of the Towne on which side they were themselues and in most bloudy barbarous and cruell manner made hauocke both of men women and children albeit not aboue halfe a yeare before the Inhabitants on that side had reuolted from their owne Emperour and turned to them In which tyrannicall vprore their custome was to fill a house full of people and then the doores being locked vpon them that none might issue forth the house was fired about their eares and oftentimes were yong children taken by the heeles and cast into the middest of the flames This inhumane tyrannie being practised not onely by the Poles that were our enemies but euen by those Russes that were traitors to their owne Emperour and serued vnder the Poles and were called Cossakes whose cruelty farre exceeded the Polish The Towne being thus burnt to the earth all the sixe thousand which as I said before fled ouer the Riuer out of the sconce and were by vs supposed to be but seuen hundred came downe in full battalion to the Riuers side with such fiercenesse as if presently they and their horses would haue swom ouer to fight with vs which being perceiued our poore fiue hundred stood ready to resist them But whether they feared our numbers to be greater then they were and that wee had some other secret forces I know not but away they marched the selfe same day in which they came downe in that braueâ—y not doing any thing of which wee for our parts were not much sorry because if the battailes had ioyned wee knew our selues farre vnable to withstand them And this was the seruice of the most noate that wee went vpon HONDIVS his Map of Muscouia MOSCOVIA Our Generall whose name was Euerâ—orâ—e was a Fynlander and with a company of Fynland blades as they tearme them well appointed on Horsebacke was by the King of Sweueland sent after vs as our Conuoy vntill wee should come to Pontus le Guard who was chiefe Generall ouer the whole armie of strangers that came into the Land so that according as he was sent and charged by the King hee ouertooke vs before we came to Arioâ—a By the intreatie therefore of this Fynlander and the flattering promises of our owne Captaines we were contented to goe vpon this seruice and to deliuer the Russes or to dye our selues in the action Yet with condition that as they promised to vs we should by the way meete our chiefe Generall Pontus le Guard who with certaine numbers of English French and Dutch which the yeare before were come into the Land was vpon a march out of Muscouy not onely to meete vs but to ioyne with vs and pay vs all our money which remained good to vs prouided likewise that so soone as euer wee should release the seuen thousand Russes our money should be payed downe On these conditions I say wee yeelded to goe vpon the businesse At length Pontus le Guard met vs according to the promise and with him was money brought to pay vs and his word giuen that presently wee should receiue it But the lamentable estate in which the poore besiedged Russes were within the sconce being at the point of death for want of foode required rather speedy execution then deliberation so that the necessities of their hard fortunes crauing haste on wee went hauing about ninteene or twenty thousand Russes that were people of the same Countrey ioyned to our Armie to aide them in this enterprize But as we all were vpon a march the enemy hauing receiued Intelligence of our approaching set forward to the number of eight thousand Lanciers and more to intercept vs
by the way and being within one dayes march of the place to which wee were likewise going they set fire vpon three or foure Villages hard by the place where we lay at Grasse with our Horses for a token that they were comming And â—his was done vpon Midsummer day last in the morning by breake of day Then came they thundring wich shouts and cries to set vpon vs but no sooner was the Alarum giuen when the greatest part of those nineteene or twenty thousand Russes that were ioyned to vs as our aide fled most basely before any blow was giuen This sudden cowardize of theirs somewhat amazed vs but the houre being now come wherein we were not to talke of dangers but to goe meete them with our sixe companies of English horse we brauely resisted the Polanders and with great hurt to them but with little losse vpon our part charged them three seuerall times At last Pontus le Guard our chiefe Generall tooke his heeles and fled too leauing vs vtterly destitute of all direction which much astonished vs as not well vnderstanding what to doe for our greatest strength being by their slight taken from vs none but wee strangers were left in the field and of vs there was not in all aboue two thousand and of that number there were aboue six hundred French horsemen who seeing both the Generall gone and the Russes fled turned their backs vpon vs and ranne away too most valiantly yet not out of the field but to the enemy Then were wee not aboue twelue or foureteene hundred at the most left to resist eight thousand at the least vpon whom notwithstanding our six companies of English horsemen charged three seuerall times without any great loâ—se but with much honor And at the fourth time for want of powers to second them which the French should haue done all our six companies were scattered and ouerthrowne with the losse of few of our colours The Captaines ouer these sixe Companies of Horse were these Captaine Crale of whose company I was Captaine Kendricke Captaine Benson Captaine Carre Captaine Colbron Captaine Creyton Which six Captaines had not in all their companies aboue fiue hundred men In this battaile Captaine Creyton was slaine in the field Captaine Crale was shot in the knee and within a short time after dyed of that wound not aboue twelue of his companie escaping Captaine Kendrick was wounded in diuers places of the head and dyed Captaine Benson was shot in the hand and wounded in the head and yet escaped and liued onely Captaine Carre and his Cornet escaped but all his companie scattered and lost Diuers other Officers were slaine whose names I cannot remember Thus were all our English horse-men dispersed and ouerthrowne to the number of fiue hundred and vpwards Ouâ— Generall Euerhorne with his companies of Finland or Finscâ— blades were also put to retrait so that there was not left in the field aboue sixe or seuen hundred which were foot-men And of these one halfe was English one halfe Dutch who kept onely a certaine place by a wood side barricadoed about with wagons hauing with them foure field pieces with which they did great spoile to the Enemie But their number being but few neither durst they venture on the Enemie nor durst the Enemie enter vpon them but kept them still as it were besieged in that place onely because they could no wayes escape The inconuenience of which cooping vp in so narrow a roome being looked into and the dangers on euery side well considered it was held fittest for safetie to summon the Enemie to a parley In which parley the Enemie offered that if they would yeeld and fall to their sides they should haue good quarter kept And if any man had desire to goe for his owne Countrie hee should haue libertie to goe with a Pasporâ— from the King of Poland Or if any would serue the King of Poland hee should haue the allowance of very good meanes duly paid him Vpon these compositions they all yeelded and went to the Enemie onely Captaine Yorke and his Officers with some few of their Souldiers went backe into the Countrie and came not to the Enemie as the rest had done who from thence marched vp to the Polish Leaguer being ten miles distant from the place and there they continued But such as desired to trauell to their owne Countries were sent to the King of Polands Leaguer which lay at that time at a place called Smolensko and there accordingly had their Passe to the number of one hundred of which number I my selfe was one What became of the rest I know not but I with fiue more held together in trauell vntill we came to Dantzicke a great Towne in Prussia being distant from Smolensko one hundred leagues To make an end of this Storie of the Foxe and the Beare the pretending Demetrius and contending Suiskey it is reported that Demetrius seeing these perplexities of Suiskey raysed a great Armie of such Russes as voluntarily fell to him the Pole hauing now reiected him except some Voluntaries and againe laid siege to Mosco Zolkiewsky for Sigismund beleagred another part thereof with fortie thousand men whereof one thousand and fiue hundred were English Scottish and French Suiskey seeing no hope to withstand them his Empire renouncing him hee would seeme to renounce the Empire first betaking himselfe to a Monasterie But not the sanctitie of the place nor sacred name of an Emperour might protect or secure him The Muscouites yeelded vp their Citie and his Person to the Pole and the Castle was manned for Sigismund All ioyne against Demetrius who betaketh him to his heeles and by a Tartar as before is said was slaine in his campe Charles King of Sweden dyed Octob. 30. 1611. and Gustanus his sonne succeeded Sigismund obtayneth Smolensko also after two yeeres siege and more in which time the Defendants had held out so resolutely that the Polish Peeres and States which in that Kingdom beare great sway had called the King to their Parliament the rather in regard of the King of Denmarke warring vpon Sweden in which warre diuers thousands of our English voluntaries assisted the Dane but he first desiring to trie his fortune carried the Citie with two hundred pieces of Ordnance and other rich spoile Many were slaine and diuers great persons taken of which was the Archbishop Many were blowne vp as was thought by their owne voluntarie act by fire cast into the store-house in which is said to haue beene if our Author mistake not fifteene thousand vessels of poulder whereupon seemed to returne the very Chaos or in stead thereof a Hell into the World It is accounted one of the strongest Forts in Christendome the walls able to beare two Carts meeting in the breadth It was taken the twelfth of Iuly 1610. Suiskey was carried into Poland and there imprisoned in Waringborough Castle and after the lâ—sse of libertie and his Empire
gouernment shall I say or confusion Neither were Hydras heads monstrously multiplying two for each cut off like this for besides so many Wor's after the first and second Demetrius which might make vp that comparison each limbe nay almost each haire of this Hydra not the Nobles alone but the basest which had nothing but themselues and were nothing but Numbers became so many prodigious Heads they also like Pharaohs leane kine deuouring the fat and vpon light pretences beheading themselues in cutting off the heads and nobler Persons amongst them When they had thus made away almost all the Grandes and left the South parts to the spoile of the Poles which once againe were drawing neere to Mosco to besiege it the Poles also suffered some disaster their Souldiers mutinying for want of pay and banding themselues to returne into Poland there inuaded the Mints and Custome-houses and some gouernments detayning them for their pay sending also threatning Letters to diuers Cities and Townes forced diuers Nobles and Plebeians to composition The Turkes and Tartars brake likewise into Walachia Moldauia and Polonia so that Zolkiewsky or Sulcosky the Generall was forced to goe against them of whom he made so great a slaughter that the Great Turke committed the Polake Embassadour at Constantinople to Ward and threatned the Poles with inuasion These mutinous Souldiers continued meane while that and the next yeere to spoile Poland doing much damage to the King and the Bishops challenging many millions due as they said for pay Yea they passed further into Prussia and made spoile in euery place on the eight of Nouember 1613. passing with a great prey to Thorn being parted into three Bands the Sapians the Sborouians and Smolenskians Another companie of them terrified Silesia The Tartars likewise made impression and committed great spoile in Podolia Thus an Armie diuided could not conquer nor so vtterly exterminate Russia as otherwise opportunity was offered the Pole Souldiers being herein like angry Elephants which sometime recoyle vpon their owne troupes and doe more spoyle then the enemy could either haue effected or expected But whiles the Inuaders were thus inuaded the Russes were forward to worke those executions on themselues which their enemies could haue wished to them till at last awakened with the horrour of their owne euils some began to thinke of a better course In the North about the Dwina a bold fellow a Butcher rayling at the Nobilities basenesse and the Officers corruptions said if they would choose a good Treasurer and pay Souldiers well they might haue those which would fight and expell the Poles their Enemies prouided that they would first choose a worthy Generall for which place he recommended to them a poore maymed Gentleman called Pozarsky who had done good seruice but being neglected now had retyred himselfe not farre off The multitude approued the Butchers counsell and chose Pozarsky for their Leader and that Butcher for a Treasurer deliuering into his hands what money they had which he so faithfully disbursed Pozarsky also discharging so well the trust reposed that a great Army was gathered and the siege of Musco thereby raysed And joyning with Knes Demetry Mastroukswich a kind of Tartar which commanded an Army of Cossaks in seruice of the Russe they â—ell in consultation with Boris Liciu the third Great Souldier of that Countrey vpon choice of an Emperour Their mindes herein disagreeing some naming one some another some named Mastroukswich himselfe other for further securitie against the Poles and to recompence the sufferings and imprisonment of the Russian Chancellor in Poland named his young Sonne Micallowich vnder whose Empire hauing a good Councell appointed they might liue happily This was first approued by the Cossaks and then by the other Armies the Butcher also was taken to become a Counsellor and those three Leaders aforesaid were made Militarie Commanders for the present Emperour against the Poles Embassadours also were sent to diuers Princes to mediate betwixt them and the Pole and betwixt them and the Sweden and by his Majestie of Great Brittaine whom God long preserue to reigne ouer vs his countenance and intercession there hath beene some agreement and the young Emperour hath setled his Dommâ—ons in peace making at last a truce for fourteene yeeres with the Poles obtayning also in that Treatie his Father the Chancellour his libertie and returne out of Poland who since is consecrated Patriarke of Russia His Embassadour to the Emperour came to Lintz in December 1613. and thence was conueighed by the Emperours Officers to the Court where hee had solemne audience where after rich presents of Furres and his Letters he deliuered his speech that Michael Phedorowich was now by vnanimous consent aduanced to the Russian Empire and willing to entertayne and continue the ancient confederacie betwixt both Empires desiring the Imperiall Majestie to dehort the Pole from his vniust attempts to deliuer the Russe Captiues and not againe to infest the recouered Musco but to enter into peace and abstayne from Christian bloudshed Likewise to send an Embassadour to his Court c. This mediation Caesar promised and gaue the Embassadour liberall entertainment and gentle dispatch Not long after in May 1614. the Russian Embassadour had audience with the States of the Vnited Prouinces at Hage and before that in England I was present both at his arriuall at Grauesend and his honourable entertaynment into London and saw him also presently after the running at Tilt and White-hall the foure and twentieth of March admitted to his Maiesties presence performing that Russian Rite of bowing with his face downe to or neere the ground c. Anno 1615. The Turkish Embassador treated with the Caesarean Majestie about the mediation betwixt the Pole and the Muscouite who employed to that purpose Erasmus Heidel and the Baron of Dohn The Pole notwithstanding sent an Army in his Sonnes challenge who was shortly to follow to Smolensko into Muscouia Pontus Tellagard the Sweden Commander infesting also the Russians at the same time But the next yeere 1616. Sir Iohn Merike Knight a man of great experience in those Northerne parts was employed his Majesties Embassadour to negotiate betwixt those two Great Princes the Moscouite and the Sweden the Articles of whose composition I obtayned by the mediation of Sir Thomas Smith my ancient Benefactor in this kind and haue here communicated to thee but in another Chapiter as being now past our Tragicke Thunders as also the following Russe-China Newes that you may see not only the face of Russia washed from her bloudy pollutions but her hands further then euer extended fortunate in treaty of Commerce as far as China likewise the Russe Patent to the English Sweet is the name of Peace and the thing it selfe a Heauen vpon Earth BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS His Maiesties word else-where here his deed for they shall be called said the only begotten Son the Children of God euen the God of peace will
they did wheresoeuer they came was to build a House or Tabernacle for their false god which they set alwayes in the middest of their Campe and there placed the Arke vpon an Altar in the same manner as they haue vsed in the holy Christian Church This done they sowed their land for bread and pulses which they vsed and they were so addicted to the obedience of their god that if he commanded them to gather they gathered but if he commanded them to raise their Campe all was left there for the nourishment of the aged sicke and wearie which they left purposely from place to place that they might people it pretending by this meanes that all the Land should remaine inhabited by their Nation We may well iudge what this Vitzliputzli was for that there was neuer seene nor heard speake of customes more superstitious nor sacrifices more cruell and inhumane then those which hee taught them To conclude they were inuented by the enemie of mankinde The Chiefe and Captaine whom they followed was called Mexi whence came the name of Mexico and of the Mexican Nation This people marching thus at leisure as the other sixe Nations had done peopling and tilling the Land in diuers parts whereof there is yet some shewes and ruines and after they had endured many trauels and dangers in the end they came to the Prouince of Mechouacan which is as much to say as a land of fish for there is great abundance in goodly great Lakes where contenting themselues with the situation and temperature of the ground they resolued to stay there Yet hauing consulted with their Idoll vpon this point and finding him vnwilling they demanded license to leaue some of their men to people so good a Land the which he granted teaching them the meanes how to doe it which was that when the Men and Women should be entred into a goodly Lake called Pascuaro to bathe themselues those which remayned on Land should steale away all their clothes and then secretly raise their Campe and depart without any bruit the which was effected and the rest which dreamt not of this deceit for the pleasure they tooke in bathing comming forth and finding themselues spoyled of their garments and thus mocked and left by their Companions they remayned discontented and vexed therewith so as to make shew of the hatred they had conceiued against them they say that they changed their manner of life and their language At the least it is most certaine that the Mechouacans haue beene alwayes enemies to the Mexicans and therefore they came to congratulate the Marquesse De Valle after his victorie obtayned when he had conquered Mexico From Mechouacan to Mexico are aboue fiftie leagues and vpon the way is Malinalco where it happened that complayning to their Idoll of a woman that was a notable witch which came in their company carrying the name of their sister to their god for that with her wicked artes shee did them much harme pretending by certaine meanes to bee worshipped of them as their goddesse the Idoll spake in a dreame to one of those old men that carried the Arke commanding him to comfort the people making them new and great promises and that they should leaue this his sister with her family being cruell and bad raysing their Campe at mid-night in great silence leauing no shew what way they passed So they did and the Witch remayning alone with her family in this sort peopled a Towne which they call Malinalco the Inhabitants whereof are held for great Sorcerers being issued from such a mother The Mexicans for that they were greatly diminished by these diuisions and by the number of sicke and wearied persons which they had left behinde meant to repayre themselues and to stay in a place called Tula which signifies a place of Reedes There their Idoll commanded them to stop a great Riuer that it might couer a great Playne and by the meanes he taught them they did inuiron a little Hill called Coatepec making a great Lake the which they did plant round about with Willowes Elmes Sapines and other Trees There began to breede much fish and many birds came thither so as it became a very pleasant place The situation of this place seeming pleasant vnto them and being wearied with trauell many talked of peopling there and to passe no farther wherewith the Deuill was much displeased threatning the Priests with death commanding them to returne the Riuer to her course saying that hee would that night chastise those which had beene disobedient as they had deserued And as to doe ill is proper to the Deuill and that the diuine Iustice doth often suffer such to be deliuered into the hands of such a Tormentor that choose him for their god It chanced that about mid-night they heard a great noyse in one part of the Campe and in the morning going thither they found those dead that had talked of staying there The manner of their death was that their stomacks were opened and their hearts pulled out And by that meanes this good god taught these poore miserable Creatures the kindes of sacrifices that pleased him which was in opening the stomacke to pull out the heart as they haue since practised in their horrible sacrifices Seeing this punishment and that the Playne was dryed the Lake being emptied they asked counsell of their god what to doe who commanded them to passe on the which they did by little and little vntill they came to Chapultepec a league from Mexico famous for the pleasantnesse thereof They did fortifie themselues in these Mountaines fearing the Nations which inhabited that Country the which were opposite vnto them especially for that one named Copil sonne to this Sorceresse left in Malinalco had blamed and spoken ill of the Mexicans for this Copil by the commandement of his mother awhile after followed the Mexicans course labouring to incense the Tapanecas and other neighbours against them euen vnto the Chalcas so as they came with a strong Armie to destroy the Mexicans Copil in the meane space stood vpon a little Hill in the middest of a Lake called Acopilco attending the destruction of his Enemies and they by the aduice of their Idoll went against him tooke him suddenly and slue him carrying his heart to their god who commanded them to cast it into the Lake fayning that thereof did grow a plant called Tunal where since Mexico was built They came to fight with the Chalcas and other Nations hauing chosen for their Captaine a valiant man called Vitzilonilti who in an encounter was taken and slaine by the Enemies But for all this they were not discouraged but fought valiantly and in despight of their Enemies they brake the squadrons and carrying their Aged their Women and young Children in the midst of their battaile they passed on to Atlacuyauaya a Towne of the Culhuans whom they found solemnising of a Feast in which place they fortified
Armes with an intent to reuenge their Kings death As they ranne vp and downe full of furie and disorder one of their chiefest Knights stept forth labouring to appease them with a graue admonition Whither goe yee said he O yee Mexicans quiet your selues consider that things done without consideration are not well guided nor come to good end suppresse your griefe considering that although your King be dead the Noble bloud of the Mexicans is not extinct in him Wee haue children of our Kings deceased by whose conduct succeeding to the Realme you shall the better execute what you pretend hauing a Leader to guide your enterprise goe not blindly surcease and choose a King first to guide and encourage you against your enemies In the meane time dissemble discreetly pâ—rforming the Funerals of your deceased King whose bodie you set heere present for hereafter you shall find better meanes to take reuenge By this meanes the Mexicans passed no farther but stayed to make the Obsequies of their King whereunto they inuited the Lords of Tescuco and Culhuacan reporting vnto them this foule and cruell fact which the Tapanecans had committed moouing them to haue pittie on them and incensing them against their enemies concluding that their resolution was to die or to bee reuenged of so great an indignitie intreating them not to fauour so vnjust a fact of their enemies and that for their part they desired not their aide of armes or men but onely to be lookers on of what should passe and that for their maintenance they would not stop nor hinder the commerce as the Tapanecans had done At these speeches they of Tescuco and Culhuacan made them great shewes of good will and that they were well satisfied offering them their Cities and all the Commerce they desired that they desired that they might prouide victuall and Munition at their pleasure both by land and water After this the Mexicans intreated them to stay with them and assist at the election of their King the which they likewise granted to giue them contentment The Electors being assembled an old man that was held for a great Orator rose vp who as the Histories report spake in this manner The light of your eyes O Mexicans is darkened but not of your hearts for although you haue lost him that was the light and guide of the Mexican Common-weale yet that of the heart remaines to consider that although they haue slaine one man yet there are others that may supply with aduantage the want we haue of him the Mexican Nobilitie is not extinguished thereby nor the bloud Royall decayed Turne your eyes and looke about you you shall see the Nobilitie of Mexico set in order not one or two but many and excellent Princes Sons to Acamapixtli our true and lawfull King and Lord. Here you may choose at your pleasure saying I will this man and not that If you haue lost a Father heere you may find both Father and Mother make account O Mexicans that the Sunne is eclipsed and darkened for a time and will returne suddenly If Mexico hath beene darkened by the death of your King the Sunne will soone shew in choosing another King Looke to whom and vpon whom you shall cast your eyes and towards whom your heart is inclined and this is he whom your God Vitzliputzli hath chosen And continuing awhile this discourse he ended to the satisfaction of all men In the end by the consent of this Counsell Izcoalt was chosen King which signifies a Snake of Rasors who was Sonne to the first King Acamapixtli by a slaue of his and although he were not legitimate yet they made choice of him for that hee exceeded the rest in behauiour valour and magnanimitie of courage All seemed very well satisfied and aboue all these of Tescuco for their King was married to a sister of Iscoalts After the King had beene crowned and set in his Royall Seat another Orator stept vp discoursing how the King was bound to his Common-weale and of the courage he ought to shew in trauell speaking thus Behold this day we depend on thee it may be thou wilt let fall the burthen that lies vpon thy Souldiers and suffer the old man and woman the Orphlin and the widdow to perish Take pittie of the Infants that goe creeping in the Ayre who must perish if our enemies surmount vs vnfold then and stretch forth thy Cloake my Lord to beare these Infants vpon thy shoulders which bee the poore and the common people who liue assured vnder the shadow of thy wings and of thy bountie Vttering many other words vpon this subiect the which as I haue said they learne by heart for the exercise of their children and after did teach them as a Lesson to those that began to learne the facultie of Orators In the meane time the Tapanecans were resolute to destroy the Mexicans and to this end they had made great preparations And therefore the new King tooke counsell for the proclaming of Warre and to fight with those that had so much wronged them But the common people seeing their Aduersaries to exceed them farre in numbers and munition for the warre they came amazed to their King pressing him not to vndertake so dangerous a warre which would destroy their poore Citie and Nation whereupon being demanded what aduice were fittest to take they made answere that the King of Azcapuzalco was very pittifull that they should demand peace and offer to serue him drawing theâ—r forth those Marshes and that hee should giue them houses and lands among his subjects that by this meanes they might depend all vpon one Lord. And for the obtaining hereof they should carrie their God in his Litter for an Intercessor The cries of the people were of such force hauing some Nobles that approoued their opinion as presently they called for the Priests preparing the Litter and their God to performe the Voyage As this was preparing and euery one yeelded to this treatie of peace and to subject themselues to the Tapanecans a gallant young man and of good sort stept out among the people who with a resolute countenance spake thus vnto them What meanes this O yee Mexicans are yee mad How hath so great cowardise crept in among vs Shall wee goe and yeeld our selues thus to the Azcapuzalcans Then turning to the King he said How now my Lord will you endure this Speake to the people that they may suffer vs to find out some meanes for our honour and defence and not yeeld our selues so simply and shamefully into the hands of our enemies This young man was called Tlacaellec Nephew to the King he was the most valiant Captaine and greatest Counsellor that euer the Mexicans had as you shall see hereafter Izcoalt encouraged by that his Nephew had so wisely spoken retained the people saying they should first suffer him to try another better meanes Then turning towards his Nobilitie he said vnto them You are all heere my Kinsmen and the
Mexico Although the chiefe Citie of the Tapanecanes was that of Azcapuzalco yet had they others with their priuate Lords as Tucuba and Cuyoacan These seeing the storme passed would gladly that they of Azcapuzalco had renewed the warre against the Mexicans and seeing them danted as a Nation wholly broken and defeated they of Cuyoacan resolued to make warre by themselues to the which they laboured to draw the other neighbour Nations who would not stirre nor quarrell with the Mexicans In the meane time the hatred and malice increasing they of Cuyoacan began to ill intreate the women that went to their Markets mocking at them and doing the like to the men ouer whom they had power for which cause the King of Mexico defended that none of his should goe to Cuyoacan and that they should receiue none of them into Mexico the which made them of Cuyoacan resolue wholly to warre but first they would prouoke them by some shamefull scorne which was that hauing inuited them to one of their solemne Feasts after they had made them a goodly Banquet and feasted them with a great daunce after their manner then sent them for their fruite womens apparell forcing them to put it on and so to returne home like women to their Citie reproaching them that they were cowards and effeminate and that they durst not take armes being sufficiently prouoked Those of Mexico say that for reuenge they did vnto them a foule scorne laying at the gates of their Citie of Cuyoacan certaine things which smoaked by meanes whereof many women were deliuered before their time and many fell sicke In the end all came to open war and there was a battaile fought wherein they imploied all their forces in the which Tlacaellec by his courage and policie in warre obtained the victorie For hauing left King Izcoalt in fight with them of Cuyoacan he put himselfe in ambush with some of the most valiant Souldiers and so turning about charged them behinde and forced them to retire into their Citie But seeing their intent was to flie into a Temple which was very strong he with three other valiant Souldiors pursued them eagarly and got before them seising on the Temple and firing it so as he forced them to flie to the fields where he made a great slaughter of the vanquished pursuing them two leagues into the Countrie vnto a little hill where the vanquished casting away their weapons and their armes a crosse yeelded to the Mexicans and with many teares craued pardon of their ouerweening folly in vsing them like women offering to be their slaues so as in the end the Mexicanes did pardon them Of this victory the Mexicans did carry away very rich spoiles of Garments Armes Gold Siluer Iewels and rich feathers with a great number of Captiues In this Battaile there were three of the principals of Culhuacan that came to aide the Mexicans to win honour the which were remarkeable aboue all And since being knowne to Tlacaellec and hauing made proofe of their fidelity he gaue them Mexican deuises and had them alwayes by his side where they fought in all places very valiantly It was apparant that the whole victory was due to the Generall and to these three for among so many captiues taken two third parts were wonne by these foure which was easily knowne by a policie they vsed for taking a Captiue they presently cut off a little of his haire and gaue it to others so as it appeared that those which had their haire cut amonnted to that number whereby they wonne great reputation and fame of valiant men They were honoured as Conquerours giuing them good portions of the spoiles and Lands as the Mexicans haue alwaies vsed to doe which gaue occasion to those that did fight to become famous and to win reputation by Armes The Nation of the Tapanecans being subdued the Mexicans had occasion to doe the like to the Suchimilcos who as it hath beene said were the first of the seuen Caues or linages that peopled this Land The Mexicans sought not the occasion although they might presume as Conquerours to extend their limits but the Suchimilcos did moue them to their owne ruine as it happens to men of small iudgement that haue no foresight who not preuenting the mischiefe they imagined fall into it The Suchimilcos held opinion that the Mexicans by reason of their victories past should attempt to subdue them and consulted hereon among themselues Some among them thought it good to acknowledge them for superiours and to applaud their good fortune but the contrary was allowed and they went out to giue them battaile which Izcoalt the King of Mexico vnderstanding he sent his Generall Tlacaellec against them with his armie the battaile was fought in the same field that diuides their limits which two Armies were equall in men and armes but very diuers in their order and manner of fighting for that the Suchimilcos charged all together on a heape confusedly and Tlacaellec diuided his men into squadrons with a goodly order so as he presently brake his enemies forcing them to retire into their Citie into the which they entred following them to the Temple whither they fled which they fired and forcing them to flye to the Mountaines in the end they brought them to this point that they yeelded with their arme acrosse The Generall Tlacaellec returning in great triumph the Priests went forth to receiue him with their musicke of Flutes and giuing incense The chiefe Captaines vsed other Ceremonies and shewes of ioy as they had beene accustomed to doe and the King with all the troupe went to the Temple to giue thankes to their false god The day following the King Izcoalt went vnto the Citie of Suchimilco causing himselfe to be sworne King of the Suchimilcos and for their comfort he promised to doe them good In token whereof he commanded them to make a great Cawsey stretching from Mezico to Suchimilco which is foure leagues to the end there might be more commerce and trafficke among them Which the Suchimilcos performed and in short time the Mexican gouernment seemed so good vnto them as they held themselues happy to haue changed their King and Common-weale Some neighbours pricked forward by enuie or feare to their ruines were not yet made wise by others miseries Cuitlauaca was a Citie within the Lake which though the name and dwelling be changed continueth yet They were actiue to swim in the Lake and therefore they thought they might much indomage and annoy the Mexicans by water which the King vnderstanding he resolued to send his Armie presently to fight against them But Tlacaellec little esteeming this warre holding it dishonorable to lead an Armie against them made offer to conquer them with the children onely which he performed in this manner he went vnto the Temple and drew out of the Couent such children as he thought fittest for the action from tenne to eighteene yeares of age who knew how to
guide their Boates or Canoes teaching them certaine pollicies The order they held in this warre was that he went to Cuitlauaca with his children where by his pollicie he pressed the enemy in such sort that he made them to flye and as he followed them the Lord of Cuitlauaca met him and yeelded vnto him himselfe his Citie and his people and by this meanes he stayed the pursuite The children returned with much spoyle and many Captiues for their Sacrifices being solemnely receiued with a great Procession Musicke and Perfumes and they went to worship their gods in taking of the earth which they did eate and drawing bloud from the forepart of their legs with the Priests Lancets with other superstitions which they were accustomed to vse in the like solemnities The children were much honored and encouraged and the King imbraced and kissed them and his kinsmen and allies accompanied them The bruite of this victory ranne throughout all the Countrie how that Tlacaellec had subdued the Citie of Cuitlauaca with children the news and consideration whereof opened the eyes of those of Tescuco a chiefe and very cunning Nation for their manner of life So as the King of Tescuco was first of opinion that they should subiect themselues to the King of Mexico and inuite him thereunto with his Citie Therefore by the aduise of this Counsell they sent Ambassadours good Orators with honorable presents to offer themselues vnto the Mexicans as their Subiects desiring peace and amity which was graciously accepted but by the aduise of Tlacaellec he vsed a Ceremony for the effecting thereof which was that those of Tescuco should come forth armed against the Mexicans where they should fight and presently yeelde which was an act and ceremony of warre without any effusion of bloud on either side Thus the King of Mexico became soueraigne Lord of Tescuco but he tooke not their King from them but made him of his Priuie Counsell so as they haue alwaies maintained themselues in this manner vntill the time of Moteçuma the second during whose raigne the Spaniards entred Hauing subdued the Land and Citie of Tescuco Mexico remained Lady and Mistris of all the Lands and Cities about the Lake where it is built Izcoalt hauing enioyed this prosperitie and raigned twelue yeares dyed leauing the Realme which had beene giuen him much augmented by the valour and counsell of his Nephew Tlacaellec Forasmuch as the election of the new King belonged to foure chiefe Electors and to the King of Tescuco and the King of Tacubu by especiall priuiledge Tlacaellec assembled these six personages as he that had the soueraigne authority and hauing propounded the matter vnto them they made choise of Moteçuma the first of that name Nephew to the same Tlacaellec His election was very pleasing vnto them all by reason whereof they made most solemne feasts and more stately then the former Presently after his election they conducted him to the Temple with a great traine where before the diuine harth as they call it where there is continuall fiâ—e they set him in his royall throane putting vpon him his royall ornaments Being there the King drew bloud from his eares and legs with a Griffons talons which was the Sacrifice wherein the diuell delâ—ghted to be honoured The Priests Ancients and Captaines made their Orations all congratuling his election They were accustomed in their elections to make great Feasts and Dances where they wasted many lights In this Kings time the custome was brought in that the King should goe in person to make warre in some Prouince and bring Captiues to solemnize the feast of his Coronation and for the solemne Sacrifices of that day For this cause King Moteçuma went into the Prouince of Chalco who had declared themselues his enemies from whence hauing fought valiantly he brought a great number of Captiues whereof he did make a notable Sacrifice the day of his Coronation although at that time he did not subdue all the Prouince of Chalco being a verie warlike Nation Manie came to this Coronation from diuers Prouinces as wâ—â—l neere as farre off to see the feast at the which all commers were verie bountifully enâ—ertained and clad especially the poore to whom they gaue new garments For this cause they â—rougâ—t that day into the Citie the Kings tributes with a goodly order which consâ—sted in Sâ—uffes to make Garments of all sorts in Cacao Gold Siluer rich Feathers great burthens of Cotton Cucumbers sundrie sorts of Pâ—â—sâ—s many kindes of Sea fish and of the fresh water great store of Fruits and Venison without number not reckoning an infinite number of Presents which other Kings and Lords sent to the new King All this Tribute marched in order according to the Prouinces and before them the Stewards and receiuers with diuers markes and Ensignes in very goodly order so as it was one of the goodliest things of the feast to see the entrie of the Tribute The King being crowned he imploied himselfe in the conquest of many Prouinces and for that he was both valiant and vertuous he still increased more and more vsing in all his affaires the counsell and industrie of his Generall Tlacaellec whom he did alwaies loue and esteeme very much as he had good reason The warre wherein he was most troubled and of greatest difficultie was that of the Prouince of Chalco wherein there happened great matters whereof one was very remarkeable which was that they of Chalcas had taken a brother of Moteçumaes in the warres whom they resolued to choose for their King asking him verie curteously if he would accept of this charge He answered after much importunitie still persisting therein that if they ment plainely to choose him for their King they should plant in the Market-place a Tree or very high stake on the top whereof they should make a little scaffold and meanes to mount vnto it The Chalcas supposing it had beene some ceremonie to make himselfe more apparant presently effected it then assembling all his Mexicans about the stake he went to the top with a garland of flowers in his hand speaking to his men in this manner O valiant Mexicans these men will choose me for their King but the gods will not permit that to be a King I should commit any treason against my Countrie but contrariwise I will that you learne by me that it behooueth vs rather to indure death then to aide our enemies Saying these words he cast himselfe downe and was broken in a thousand peeces at which spectacle the Chalcas had so great horror and despite that presently they fell vpon the Mexicans and slew them all with their Lances as men whom they held too proud and inexorable saying they had diuellish hearts It chanced the night following they heard two Owles making a mournfull cry which they did interpret as an vnfortunate signe and a presage of their neere destruction as it succeeded for King Moteçuma went against them in person
with all his power where he vanquished them and ruined all their kingdome and passing beyond the Mountaine Menade he conquered still euen vnto the North Sea Then returning towards the South Sea he subdued many Prouinces so as he became a mighty King all by the helpe and counsell of Tlacaellec who in a manner conquered all the Mexican Nation Yet he held an opinion the which was confirmed that it was not behoouefull to conquer the Prouince of Tlascalla that the Mexicans might haue a frontier enemy to keepe the youth of Mexico in exercise and allarme and that they might haue numbers of Captiues to Sacrifice to their Idols wherein they did waste as hath beene said infinite numbers of men which should be taken by force in the wars The honor must be giuen to Moteçuma or to speak truly to Tlacaellec his Generall for the good order and pollicy setled in the Realme of Mexico as also for the Counsels and goodly enterprises which they did execute and likewise for the number of Iudges and Magistrates being as well ordered there as in any Common-weale yea were it in the most flourishing of Europe This King did also greatly increase the Kings house giuing it great authoritie and appointing many and sundry Officers which serued him with great pompe and ceremony He was no lesse remarkable touching the deuotion and seruice of his Idols increasing the number of his Ministers and instituting new ceremonies whereunto he carried a great respect He built that great Temple dedicated to their god Vitziliputzli whereof is spoken in the other Booke He did Sacrifice at the dedication of this Temple a great number of men taken in sundry victories finally inioying his Empire in great prosperitie he fell sicke and died hauing raigned twentie eight yeares vnlike to his successor Ticocic who did not resemble him neither in valour nor in good fortune The foure Deputies assembled in counsell with the Lords of Tescuco and Tacuba where Tlacaellec was President in the election where by all their voices Tlacaellec was chosen as deseruing this charge better then any other Yet he refused it perswading them by pertinent reasons that they should choose another saying that it was better and more expedient to haue another King and he to be his instrument and assistant as he had beene till then and not to lay the whole burthen vpon him for that he held himselfe no lesse bound for the Common-weale then if he were King seeming to him though he were not King yet in a manner that he commanded Kings suffering him to carry certaine markes as a Tiara or ornament for the head which belonged onely to themselues as in a Comedie he deserues most commendation that represents the personage that imports most In recompence of his modesty and for the respect which the Mexican Electors bare him they demanded of Tlacaellec that seeing he would not raigne whom hee thought most fit Whereupon he gaue his voyce to a Sonne of the deceased King who was then very young called Ticocic but they replied that his shoulders were very weake to beare so heauie a burthen Tlacaellec answered that his was there to helpe him to beare the burthen as he had done to the deceased by meanes whereof they tooke their resolution and Ticocic was chosen to whom were done all the accustomed ceremonies They pierced his nosthrils and for an ornament put an Emerald therein and for this reason in the Mexican Bookes this King is noted by his nosthrils pierced Hee differed much from his Father and Predecessor being noted for a coward and not valiant He went to make warre for his Coronation in a Prouince that had rebelled where hee lost more of his owne men then hee tooke captiues yet he returned saying that he brought the number of captiues required for the Sacrifice of his Coronation and so hee was crowned with great solemnitie But the Mexicans discontented to haue a King so little disposed to warre practised to hasten his death by poison For this cause he continued not aboue foure yeeres in the Kingdome But this losse was well repaired by a Brother of the deceased who was also sonne to great Moteçuma called Axayaca who was likewise chosen by the aduice of Tlacaellec wherein hee happened better then before Now was Tlacaellec very old who by reason of his age was carried in a chaire vpon mens shoulders to assist in counsell when businesse required In the end he fell sicke when as the King who was not yet crowned did visit him often shedding many teares seeming to loose in him his Father and the Father of his Countrey Tlacaellec did most affectionately recommend his children vnto him especially the eldest who had shewed himselfe valiant in the former warres The King promised to haue regard vnto him and the more to comfort the old man in his presence hee gaue him the charge and ensignes of Captaine Generall with all the preheminences of his Father wherewith the old man remained so well satisfied as with this content he ended his dayes The Mexicans made his Funerall as the Founder of that Empire more sumptuous and stately then they had done to any of their former Kings And presently after Axayaca to appease the sorrow which all the people of Mexico shewed for the death of their Captaine resolued to make the voyage necessary for his Coronation He therefore led his Armie with great expedition into the Prouince of Tequantepec two hundred leagues from Mexico where he gaue battell to a mighty Army and an infinite number of men assembled together as well out of that Prouince as from their Neighbours to oppose themselues against the Mexicans The first of his Campe that aduanced himselfe to the combate was the King himselfe defying his enemies from whom he made shew to flye when they charged him vntill hee had drawne them into an Ambuscadoe where many Souldiers lay hidden vnder straw who suddenly issued forth and they which fled turned head so as they of Tiquantepec remayned in the midst of them whom they charged furiously making a great slaughter of them and following their victorie they razed their Citie and Temple punishing all their Neighbours rigorously Then went they on farther and without any stay conquered to Guatulco the which is a Port at this day well knowne in the South Sea Axayaca returned to Mezico with great and rich spoiles where he was honourably crowned with sumptuous and stately preparation of Sacrifices Tributes and other things whither many came to see his Coronation The Kings of Mexico receiued the Crowne from the hands of the King of Tescuco who had the preheminence Hee made many other Enterprises where he obtained great victories being alwayes the first to leade the Armie and to charge the enemie by the which he purchased the name of a most valiant Captaine and not content to subdue strangers he also suppressed his Subjects which had rebelled which neuer any of his Predecessors
whatsoeuer was done in the world They called this Glasse or Chaston of gold Irâ—â—ichâ—aya which signifies his Glasse for to looke in In his right hand be held foure darts which signified the chastisement he gaue to the wicked for their sinnes And therefore they feared this Idoll most least he should discouer their faults and offences At his feast they had pardon of their sinnes which was made euery foure yeares as shall be declared hereafter They held this Idoll Tescatlipuca for the god of drought of famine barrennesse and pestilence And therefore they painted him in another forme being set in great maiesty vpon a stoole compassed in with a red Curtin painted and wrought with the heads and bones of dead men In the left hand it had a Target with fiue Pines like vnto pine Apples of Cotton and in the right a little dare with a threatning countenance and the arme stretcht out as if he would cast it and from the Target came foure darts It had the countenance of an angry man and in choller the body all painted blacke and the head full of Quailes feathers They vsed great superstition to this Idoll for the feare they had of it In Choluâ—a which is a Commonwealth of Mexico they worshipt a famous Idoll which was the god of Merchandise being to this day greatly giuen to trafficke They called it Quetzaalcoalt This Idoll was in a great place in a Temple very high it had about it Gold Siluer Iewels very rich Feathers and habits of diuers colours It had the forme of a man but the visage of a little Bird with a red bill and aboue a combe full of warts hauing rankes of teeth and the tongue hanging out It carried vpon the head a pointed myter of painted paper a sithe in the hand and many toyes of gold on the legges with a thousand other foolish inuentions whereof all had their significations and they worshipt it for that he enriched whom he pleased as Memnon and Plutus In truth this name which the Choâ—uanos gaue to their god was very fit although they vnderstood it not they called it Quetzaalcoalt signifying colour of a rich Feather for such is the deuill of couetousnesse These barbarous people contented not themselues to haue gods onely but they had goddesses also as the Fables of Poets haue brought in and the blinde gentility of the Greekes and Romans worshipt them The chiefe goddesse they worshipt was called Tozi which is to say our Grandmother who as the Histories of Mexico report was daughter to the King of Culhuacan who was the first they stayed by the commandement of Vitzliputzli whom they sacrificed in this sort being his sister and then they began to stay men in their sacrifices and to clothe the liuing with the skins of the sacrificed hauing learned that their gods were pleased therwithas also to pul the hearts out of them they sacrificed which they learned of their god who pulled out the hearts of such as he punished in Tulla as shall be said in his place One of these goddesses they worshipt had a son who was a great hunter whom they of Tlascalla afterwards tooke for a god and those were enemies to the Mexicans by whose aide the Spaniards won Mexico The Prouince of Tlascalla is very fit for hunting and the people are much giuen therunto They therfore made a great feast vnto this Idoll whom they painted of such a forme as it is not now needfull to loose any time in the description thereof The feast they made was pleasant and in this sort They sounded a Trumpet at the breake of day at the sound whereof they all assembled with their Bowes Arrows Nets and other instruments for hunting then they went in procession with their Idoll being followed by a great number of people to a high Mountaine vpon the top whereof they had made a bower of leaues and in the middest thereof an Altar richly deckt where-vpon they placed the Idoll They marched with a great bruit of Trumpets Cornets Flutes Drums and being come vnto the place they inuironed this Mountain on all sides putting fire to it on all parts by meanes whereof many beasts flew forth as Stags Conies Hares Foxes and Woolues which went to the top flying from the fire These hunters followed after with great cries and noise of diuers instruments hunting them to the top before the Idoll whither fled such a number of beasts in so great a presse that they leaped one vpon another vpon the people and vpon the Altar wherein they tooke great delight Then tooke they a great number of these beasts and sacrificed them before the Idoll as Stagges and other great beasts pulling out their hearts as they vse in the sacrifice of men and with the like ceremony which done they tooke all their prey vpon their shoulders and retired with their Idoll in the same manner as they came and entered the City laden with all these things very ioyfull with great store of musick Trumpets and Drums vntill they came to the Temple where they placed their Idoll with great reuerence and solemnity They presently went to prepare their venison wherewith they made a banquet to all the people and after dinner they made their playes representations and dances before the Idoll They had a grâ—at number of other Idols of gods and goddesses but the chiefe were of the Mexican Nation and the neighbour people as is said AS we haue said that the Kings Inguas of Peru caused Images to be made to their likenesse which they called their Guacos or brothers causing them for to be honored like themselues euen so the Mexicans haue done of their gods which was in this sort They tooke a captiue such as they thought good afore they did sacrifice vnto him their Idols they gaue him the name of the Idoll to whom he should be sacrificed and apparelled him with the same ornaments like their Idoll saying that he did represent the same Idoll And during the time that this representation lasted which was for a yeare in some Feasts in others six moneths and in others lesse they reuerenced and worshipped him in the same manner as the proper Idoll and in the meane time he did eate drinke and was merry When he went through the streetes the people came forth to worship him and euery one brought him an almes with children and sicke folkes that he might cure them and blesse them suffering him to doe all things at his pleasure onely he was accompanied with ten or twelue men lest he should flye And he to the end he might be reuerenced as he passed sometimes sounded vpon a small Flute that the people might prepare to worship him The feast being come and he growne fat they killed him opened him and eate him making a solemne sacrifice of him It followes that we treatâ— of their Religion or rather Superstition which they vse in their Sacrifices Temples Ceremonies and the rest That
with heauie burthens that shewing their courage therein they might more easily be admitted into the company of Souldiers By this meanes it happened that many went laden to the Armie and returned Captaines with markes of honour Some of them were so desirous to be noted as they were either taken or slaine and they held it lesse honourable to remaine a prisoner And therefore they sought rather to be cut in peeces then to fall captiues into their enemies hands See how Noblemens children that were inclined to the warres were imployed The others that had their inclination to matters of the Temple and to speake after our manner to be Ecclesiasticall men hauing attained to sufficient yeares they were drawne out of the colledge and placed in the Temple in the lodging appointed for religious men and then they gaue them the order of Ecclesiasticall men There had they Prelates and Masters to teach them that which concerned their profession where they should remaine being destined thereunto These Mexicans tooke great care to bring vp their children if at this day they would follow this order in building of houses colledges for the instruction of youth without doubt Christianitie should flourish much amongst the Indians Some godly persons haue begunne and the King with his Counsell haue fauoured it but for that it is a matter of no profit they aduance little and proceede coldly We haue not discouered any Nation at the Indians that liue in comminalties which haue not their recreations in plaies dances and exercises of pleasure At Peru I haue seene plaies in manner of combats where the men of both sides were sometimes so chafed that often their Paella which was the name of this exercise fell out dangerous I haue also seene diuers sorts of dances wherein they did counterfait and represent certaine trades and offices as shepheards labourers fishers and hunters and commonly they made all those dances with a very graue sound and pale there were other dances and maskes which they called Guacones whose actions were pure representations of the deuill There were also men that dance on the shoulders one of another as they doe in Portugall the which they call Paellas The greatest pars of these dances were superstitions and kindes of Idolatries for that they honoured their Idols and Guacas in that manner For this reason the Prelates haue laboured to take from them these dances all they could but yet they suffer them for that part of them are but sports of recreation for alwayes they dance after their manner In these dances they vse sundry sorts of instruments whereof some are like Flutes or little Canons others like Drums and others like Cornets but commonly they sing all with the voyce and first one or two sing the song then all the rest answer them Some of these songs were very wittily composed containing Histories and others were full of superstitions and some were meere follies Our men that haue conuersed among them haue laboured to reduce matters of our holy faith to their tunes the which hath profited well for that they employ whole dayes to rehearse and sing them for the great pleasure and content they take in their tunes They haue likewise put our compositions of Musicke into their Language as Octaues Songs and Rondels the which they haue very aptly turned and in truth it is a goodly and very necessary meanes to instruct the people In Peru they commonly call Dances Tagui in other Prouinces Areittos and in Mexico Mittottes There hath not beene in any other place any such curiositie of Playes and Dances as in New Spaine where at this day we see Indians so excellent Dancers as it is admirable Some dance vpon a Cord some vpon a long and streight stake in a thousand sundry sorts others with the soles of their feet and their hammes do handle cast vp and receiue againe a very heauy blocke which seemes incredible but in seeing it They doe make many other shewes of their great agilitie in leaping vaulting and tumbling sometimes bearing a great and heauy burthen sometimes enduring blowes able to breake a barre of Iron But the most vsuall exercise of recreation among the Mexicans is the solemne Mittotte and that is a kind of dance they held so braue and so honourable that the King himselfe danced but not ordinarily as the King Don Pedro of Arragon with the Barber of Valencia This Dance or Mittotte was commonly made in the Courts of the Temple and in those of the Kings houses which were more spacious They did place in the midst of the Court two Instruments one like to a Drumme and the other like a Barrell made of one piece and hollow within which they set vpon the forme of a man a beast or vpon a Pillar These two Instruments were so well accorded together that they made a good harmony and with these Instruments they made many kinds of Ayres and Songs They did all sing and dance to the sound and measure of these Instruments with so goodly an order and accord both of their feet and voyces as it was a pleasant thing to behold In these Dances they made two Circles or Wheeles the one was in the middest neere to the Instruments wherein the Ancients and Noblemen did sing and dance with a soft and slow motion and the other was of the rest of the people round about them but a good distance from the first wherein they danced two and two more lightly making diuers kinds of paces with certayne leaps to the measure All which together made a very great Circle They attyred themselues for these Dances with their most precious apparell and Iewels euery one according to his abilitie holding it for a very honourable thing for this cause they learned these Dances from their infancie And although the greatest part of them were done in honour of their Idols yet was it not so instituted as hath beene said hut only as a recreation and pastime for the people Therefore it is not conuenient to take them quite from the Indians but they must take good heed they mingle not their superstitions amongst them I haue seene this Mittotte in the Court of the Church of Topetzotlan a Village seuen leagues from Mexico and in my opinion it was a good thing to busie the Indians vpon Festiuall dayes seeing they haue need of some recreation and because it is publike and without the preiudice of any other there is lesse inconuenience then in others which may be done priuately by themselues if they tooke away these To the Reader REader I here present vnto thee the choisest of my Iewels My trauelling fancis hath inuited many Readers to many my labours in strange births already Qâ—ae regio in terris nostri non plena laboris Iaponian and China rarities so remote from our world are neere to our worke and their characters communicated here to the Reader not their arts alone Thou hast here also Indostan Arabike Persian
and towne are condemned to be destroyed And so the Executioners by the commandement of the Lords of Mexico are giuing him to vnderstand of the said condemnation in token whereof they marke him with the signes that â—hey set on his head and the Target that they present him with because he should not be ignorant of 〈◊〉 â—â—struction And the pictures of men with mortall wounds doe signifie that they were Merchants and Occupiers of Mexico which came with things to the Countrie and Towne of the said Casique and the seruants of the Casique assaulted them on the high-way killing them and taking away the merchandise they carried which was the occasion of the destruction of the Towne 3 In the third partition The foure Officers or Ambassadors of the Lords of Mexico doe signifie that they haue warned the said Casique contayned in the second partition before this as is abouesaid at the returning of the Executioners towards Mexico there came out to the high-way certaine seruants of the said Casique to misse-vse them shooting arrowes at them in token of war A Huiznahuatlan officer and executioner as a Sergeant B Executioner C Casique D Executioner E The wife of the Casique imprisoned with a yoke of Iron about her necke F The sonne of the Casique taken prisoner with a yoke of Iron G The seruant of the Casique H The merchant I a bundell of merchandise K The merchant L The seruant of the Casique M Executioner N Executioner O Casique P An Executioner or Ambassador of the Lord of Mexico Q An Executioner or Ambassador of the Lord of Mexico R a seruant of the Casique S An Executioner or Ambassador of the Lord of Mexico T An Executioner or Ambassador of the Lord of Mexico V a seruant of the Casique W a seruant of the Casique which shooteth at the Ambassadors of the Lords of Mexico for more occasion of warre 1 THe Tequichna signifieth Spies sent to the Towne of the Casique by the Lord of Mexico that in the night time they might goe and walke it secretly vnknowne to their enemies to aduertise and giue warning vnto the Souldiers where they should enter with the battaile And so the Tequichna goe round about the Towne Houses Market place and Church at the time that they of the Towne are asleepe and at rest for to finde a place where they may giue the onset with the lesse trouble and resistance 2 A deâ—lâ—ration of the pictures in the second partition The Mexican that is pictured and at his shouâ—d â—s a Target and Darts doth signifie the Mexicans being mooued to destroy a certaine Towne by warres because they had rebelled against the Lordship of Mexico And the other three that are pictured and set ouer against the Mexicans are seruants of the Casique which doe signifie that the whole Towne of the Casique being afraid of the warres and destruction that the Mexicans would bring vpon them they come to Mexico to entreat a peace submitting themselues for seruants of Mexico and protesting to acknowledge the Lordship by meanes whereof they receiue them in friendship and for their seruants laying aside that which was determined by their counsell The foure valiant men pictured and intituled with their Speares in their hands and made readie for the warres and the deuices of Armour that they haue on doe signifie that they are Captaines of the Mexicans armies A Tequihna B Tequihna C Tianguas a Marquet place Dâ—equihna â—equihna FE houses F Tequihna G a Temple H Tequihna I Tequihna K Tâ—quihna L Tequihna â— This parâ—ition 〈…〉 is the towne of the Casique afore-contayned MNO these three are seruaâ—â—s of the Casique P Mexicans Q a Target and Darts R Captaine Tlacatecatl S Captaine Tlacochcalcatl T Captaine 〈◊〉 V Captaine Ticocyahudcatl 1 HE that is set and at his backe a woman spinning signifieth that it is his wife new married and because he had taken the state of matrimonie vpon him hauing been a Messenger with the rest that are pictured before him which are fiue named Tetpuchtly which are Messengers likewise The married man giueth them a reason why hee leaueth the charge of a Messenger by reason of his marriage and that hee will rest and leaue off his seruice past And to please them more and that they should grant his request hee maketh them a banquet in giuing them well to eate and drinke and moreouer the present that bee giueth them is a handfull of perfumes a copper Hatchet and two Mantels as by the pictures of these things are intituled And by this solemnitie the married man is free from the said Office 2 In the second partition Hee that is set downe and intituled doth signifie the Lord of Mexico that when any Messenger Telpuchtly pictured in the partition before this had giuen a good account of his office and hauing taken vpon them the state of marriage the Lords of Mexico from that they were but Messengers did promote them to a beâ—ter title and degree in so much that he made them Tequihna which is signified by the pictures and titles of Tequihna with their Speares and Fannes giuing them authoritie to bee his Ambassadors and Officers in the warres which they held for an office of great honour 3 The Alcaldes doe signifie Iustices appointed by the Lords of Mexico that they should heare matters aswell Ciuill as Criminall And the pictures of men and women which are before them are Pleaders and Suitors which doe aske iustice And the foure pictures that are intituled Teeth that are behinde the Alcaldes are principall young men that ioyne with the Alcaldes in their audience to learne and instruct themselues in matters of iudgement and afterwards to succeede in the Offices of the Alcaldes From these Alcaldes there was an appellation before the counsell Chamber of Moteçuma as hereafter is pictured AAAAA The Telpuchtly or yong men which are officers or messengers B Two mantels C a handful of perfumes D Tamales or bread E a copper hatchet F a boyled hen G Xicara with Cacao to drinke H Telpuchtly maried I The wife of the maried Telpuchtly K The Lord of Mexico L Tequihna N Tequibna OOO Tectly P Tectly Mixcoatlaylotlac a Iustice like an Alcalde Q Ezguagacatl Alcalde R Acatlyacapanecatl Alcalde S Tequixquinahuacatl Alcalde T These sixe pictures three of men and three of women are pleaders and suitors which aske Iustice of the Alcaldes THe fashion of the Counsell Chambers of the Lord or King of Mexico and of his Royall Houses and Courts and the steps where they entred in and the Throne and Seate of Moteçuma and in the spaces of euery thing is declared and intituled what they signifie and so in this declaration it is not repeated But that in one Counsell Chamber when that by way of offence they were agrieued and hauing a iust cause not being sentenced and determined by the Alcaldes then by degree of appellation they appealed from the Alcaldes before the Counsell And if it were
Spaine is your naturall Lord whom yee haue expected hee is the onely heire from whence your Linage doth proceed and as touching the offer of your Highnesse treasure I do most heartily thanke you After all this communication Mutezuma demanded whether the bearded men which came with him were either his vassals or his slaues because hee would entertayne each one according to his estate Cortes answered that they were all his brethren friends and fellowes except some that were his seruants Then he departed and went home to his Palace and there informed himselfe particularly who were Gentlemen and who were not and according thereunto sent euery one particular gift or present To the Gentlemen he sent his reward by his Comptroller and to the Mariners and other Seruitors by a Page of his houshold Mutezuma was a man of a small stature and leane his colour tawnie as all the Indians are Hee had long haire on his head sixe little haires vpon him as though they had beene put in with a Bodkin His thinne beard was blacke Hee was a man of a faire condition and a doer of Iustice well spoken graue and wise beloued and feared among his subjects Mutezuma doth signifie Sadnesse To the proper names of Kings and Lords they doe adde this syllable Cin which is for courtesie and dignitie as we vse Lord. The Turke vseth Zultan The Moore or Barbarian calleth his Lord Mulley and so the Indians say Mutezumazin His people had him in such reuerence that hee permitted none to sit in his sight nor yet in his presence to weare shooes nor looke him in the face except very few Princes Hee was glad of the conuersation of the Spaniards and would not suffer them to stand on foote for the great estimation hee had of them and if hee liked any of the Spaniards garments hee would exchange his apparell for theirs He changed his owne apparell foure times euery day and hee neuer clothed himselfe againe with the Garments which hee had once worne but all such were kept in his Guardrobe for to giue in Presents to his Seruants and Ambassadours and vnto valiant Souldiers which had taken any enemy Prisoner and that was esteemed a great reward and a title of priuiledge The costly Mantles whereof had beene diuers sent to Cortes were of the same Guardrobe Mutezuma went alwayes very neate and fine in his attyre Hee bathed him in his Hot-house foure times euery day Hee went seldome out of his Chamber but when hee went to his meate Hee eate alwayes alone but solemnely and with great abundance His Table was a Pillow or else a couple of coloured Skinnes His Chaire was a foure-footed stoole made of one piece and hollow in the middest well wrought and painted His Table-clothes Napkins and Towels were made of Cotton-wooll very white and new for hee was neuer serued but once with that Naperie Foure hundred Pages brought in his meate all sonnes of great Lords and placed it vpon a Table in his great Hall The meate being brought in then came Mutezuma to behold the Dishes and appointed those Dishes that liked him best and Chafing-dishes were prepared to keepe that meate warme and seldome would he eate of any other Dish except the Lord Steward or Comptroller should highly commend any other Dish Before hee sate downe came twentie of his Wiues of the fairest and best esteemed or else those that serued weekly by turne brought in the Bason and Ewre with great humblenesse This done hee sate him downe and then came the Lord Steward and drew a woodden Nette before him because none should come nigh his Table And this Noble man alone placed the Dishes and also tooke them away for the Pages who brought in the meate came not neere the Table nor yet spake any worde nor no man else While the Lord Mutezuma was at his meate except some Ieaster they all serued him bare-footed There assisted alwayes somewhat a farre off sixe ancient and Noblemen vnto whom he vsed to giue of the Dish that best liked him who receiued the same at his hand with great reuerence and eate it incontinent without looking in his face which was the greatest humilitie that they could vse before him Hee had musicke of Fiddle Flute and of a Snaile-shell and a Cauldron couered with a skinne and such other strange Instruments They had very euill voyces to sing Alwayes at dinner time he had Dwarfes crooke-backes and other deformed counterfeits all for maiestie and to laugh at who had their meate in the Hall among the Iesters and Idiots which were fed with part of the meate that came from Mutezuma his table all the rest of the meate was giuen to three thousand of the guard who attended ordinarily in the yard or Court and therefore they say that there was brought for his Table three thousand dishes and as many pots of wine such as they vse and that continually the Buttrey and Pantrey stood open which was a wonder to see what was in them The platters dishes and cups were all of earth whereof the King was serued but once and so from meale to meale new He had likewise his seruice of Gold and Plate very rich but hee vsed not to bee serued with it they say because hee would not bee serued twice therewith the which hee thought a base thing Some affirme that young children were slaine and dressed in diuers kinde of dishes for Mutezuma his table but it was not so onely of mans flesh sacrificed he fed now and then The table being taken vp then came againe the Gentlewomen to bring water for his hands with the like reuerence as they vsed at the first and then went they to dinner with the other wiues so that then the Gentlemen and Pages waited as their course fell When his table was taken vp and his Seruitors gone to meate Mutezuma sate still then came in the suiters that had any affaires to deale with him bare-footed for all the persons did vse that reuerence except some Princes his Kinsmen as the Lords of Tescuco and Tlacopan and a few others and beeing cold weather they vsed to weare olde ragged clothes vpon their rich garments All suiters vsed to make three or foure courtesies not looking toward his face and speaking vnto him their heads dowwards and in that order retyred backe againe Mutezuma answered his suiters very grauely with low voyce and in few words and not to all suiters for others his Secretaries or Counsellers that stood by answered for him and hauing their answere they returned backwards not turning their tailes to the Prince After these businesses done he vsed some recreation hearing Iesters or Songs wherein he delighted much or else to looke vpon the Players who play with their feet as we doe with our hands These haue a cudgell like vnto a Pastlers rowler which they tosse high and low as it were a ball in the Ayre strange
Fowle his fighting for Pâ—lchards 979.50 Coffins for buriall the Chinois curiositie about them 368.30.40 Coffin of Camphire preserues the Corpes 181. Cogno is Iconium in Armenia 69.40 Cohilouzaa a Citie in China ouerthrowne with an Earthquake for Martyring a Christian 269.50.60 270.1 Coia Acem the Pirat his Story 257 Coiat the Tartarian word for their Master of the Ceremonies 12.60 Coiganzan the Citie 96.20 Coilac a Citie of Merchants in Catay 20.50 Coyne of Russia with a Horseman and his Whip the occasion of it 419,10 Colla in Lapland 556.40 Colan the Tartarian name for an Asse 19.50 Colchis the extent Wâ—â—ddy and Mountainous called the Petigoren Prouince 636. Idolaters their Customes ibid. Cold extreame in the vttermost of the Torride Zone where it should be hoâ—e or temperate 896.40 Cold vnder some places of the Torride Zone 920.60 In the middle Region the cause 921.20 Cold neere the North Pole not so vehement as in 73. degrees 702.20 Cold extreame in Tartarie 27.1 Cold thickning the breath 415.1 And freezing men dead and cutting off their Noses Toes c. ibid. Cold raises blisters on mens faces 497.1 Cold inuincible where 497.60 When it began to relent in Noua Zembla 499. And increases againe ibid. 503.50 Cold of Russia the experiments of it 415.1 Cold stronger then Fire 496.20.498 It remedies stiflings ibid. Cold freezing the Cloathes on mens backes ibid. Cold stopping the breath 221.2 Cold preserues from Putrifaction 926.30 Cold in Noua Zembla makes the Beares and Foxes and Deere Snow-white Colgoiene Iland the latitude 533.50 Described 536.10 Colima the Prouince and Village in the West Indies the Latitude and distance from the Choacan 874.60 The Commodities 875.1 Collars worne in stead of Bands 459.40 Colledge in China 386.1 389.20 398. The credite of the Doctors therein ibid. Collins Cape in Greenland 571.10 Colmacke the Countrey 235.20 Colmans Point 592.30 Colmogro in Russia 214.10 223.50 Colours aboundance in Iapon and China 354.10 Coola the Towne 517.50 And Riuer 566.40 Colti what 102.10 Columbus his Proposition to our Henry the seuenth 807.20 c. Comanians are the Cumani 53.40 Whence they haue their name 114.30 Comanians where antiently seated 310. 12.50 Ouerrunne by the Tartars ibid. 114.30 Called Valanos and their Countrey Valania by the Dutch 11.1 Combats for tryall still in Muscouie 216.60 The Combatants sweare vpon the Crucifixe 722 Combustions about the Succession in Russia 420.30 Comedies of the Mexicans 1049.40 Birds Flyes Toades c. Personated in them 1049.50 Comedies in China 181.10 Comet seene by Day in Mexico 1020.60 Comet seen in Iapon Anno 15â—5 326.30 Comet 1577. seene seuen dayes sooner in Peru then in Spaine and why 925.10 It s motion Comhay a Port 256.40 Commencements in China 200.385.40.50 Their Commencement House 386.1 The manner of their Examination ibid. Common all is amongst Tartars 443.1 Common-wealth first to bee respected 443.1 Commodities of Pechora Siberia Permia Ougoria and among the Tingussies 522.40 Commodities exported out of China 365.10 Communion receiued but once a yeere in the Russian Church 452.1 Confession before it the Order first to giue both in a Spoone and then both kindes seuerally 452.10 Their mirth and fasting after it ibid. Comolen Ilandâ— 259.30 Comoron beautifull Women 242.50 Compasse made to goe false by Iron Nayles 514 Compasse the vse of it 241.50 Compasse varies not in Shotland Iles 567. Nor in Lofoote 581.50 See Variation Complements in China 391.20 373.20 Complement in Aethiopia 253.10 Composition betwixt Spaine and Portugall 330.10 Concha in China 100.10 Concombres aâ— Indian fruit the sorts and conditions 955.10 Concubines freely kept in Poland 629 Confession how extorted in Tartarie 25.30 Confession Sacramentall not known to the Nestorians or Armenians 38.20 Confession auricular imitated by the Deuill in his Idoll Ceremonies 1041.50 See Auricular Confession alowed vsed in Iapon a horrible Story of that 1042.30 Confutius the Prince of the Learned in China 347.40 Honoured with a Holiday Sacrifices Temple and Musicke ibid 397.30 His Age workes and Authoritie 384.50 385 Coniunction of the Moâ—â—e obserued in China 306.40 The superstitioâ—s vsed then ibid. 307 Conquerours are to prouoke the Enemy to fight suddenly but the Defendant is to protract time 148.60 Constellations 24. numbred in China 346.40 Contagion in Summer occasioned by milde Winters 637.1 Contomanni a people in Cataye 20.60 Contrarie causes producing the like effects 919.10 Controuersies ended by kissing the Crosse 434.10 The Order when both sweare ibid. Couersions of the Indians by the Spaniards what 1025.20 in Marg. Conuicted by Law are fined to the Emperour of Russia 429.30 How much 434.20 How afterwards vsed 434.30 Cookerie in Cathay 30.10 Copies of Patents kept in China 327.30 Copper Mines very hard in the West Indies 875.10 Copper workes 269.10 Copper vsed by the Indians for to make their Armour of 942.50 disused now Copper mixt with Gold in the Mine 943 Coquimbo Riuer in Chile the Latitude 899 Corai the Kingdome 324.20 Entred in hâ—stile manner by the Iaponians 325.30 They wanted Artillerie ibid. Coraâ—nie the Citie and Kingdome 109.30 Without Learning or Religion ibid. Corchu the Iland 308.1 Cardage of Reedes 97.20 Cordage of a Weede very strong it saweâ— Iron in peeces 9â—6 30 9951 10 Cordage of Wooll and Horse-haire in Tartarie 6.40 Cordi the Mountainous people of seuerall Religions 70.10 Coreâ— vnder the Chinois 309.60.377.10 Inuaded by the Iaponians ibid. Releiued by the Chinois against Iapon ibid. Quited by the China King ibid. Corela in Russia granted to the Sweden 795. c. Corelia the Countrey 443.40 Cormorant Fishing 363.60 411.30 The Fishermen pay a tribute for it 364.1 Cormorant Fishing in China 179.30 209 Corne flung on the new Married the meaning 454.50 Corne now growes in the cold parts of Russia 214 Corne buryed with the Indians to sowe in the next World 974.30 Corne and Wine why nâ—â—e in Noua Hispania 86.30 Corne on the ground the Indian Ceremonies for the growing of it 1045.40 Coronation of the Emperour of Russia the forme â—20 741. c. The exceeding Stâ—te of it ibid. Coronation of the Kings of Mexico 1006.10 His Charge ibid. 1009.20 His Oath fashion of his Crowne and Ensignes 1006.10 His Annoynting 1009.30 His Throne and Ensignes of Warre then giuen him ibid. 60. Orations made to him of his Charge 1006.1.1009.20.1011.20 Foure chiefe Electors 1014.40 He is led to the Temple to the continuall Fire before his Coronation ibid. The Feast and other Ceremonies ibid. They must goe to Warre before their Coronation to fetch in Prisoners to sacrifice to their God at the Inauguration 1006.1009.1017 20. The King offers Incense and drawes Blood of himselfe with a Griffâ—ns talon 1014. 1018.40 His Robes and Emerald hung in his Nostrils ibid. 1016.1 Maskes c. at their Coronation 1019.40 Coronation of the Inguas of Peru the Ceremonies 1055.1.10 Corpo Santo what oft seene at Sea 728.20 Corpus Christi Feast of the Papists imitated
of Brabants Stile in the yeare 1241. Dukes in Russia of the fourth degree of Nobilitie their descent from younger Brothers 425.30 They haue no inheritance glad to bee Seruing-men ibid. Dâ—ng a good Commoditie in China 189 40 Dung Bread baked in it 34.20 Dung bought by sound of Taber 270.40 Dung of Birds a strange report of it 266 Dutch disturbe the English at Greenland 466. See Netherlanders And againe 467.1 ibid. 20. The English take some of their Fiâ—h from them ibid. At difference with the English there ibid. 60. They Fish perforce braues and threatens the English and is surprized 468.1.10 They returne to Greenland to driue away the English ibid. 40. They assault the English ibid. Beate and rifle them and ouerthrow their Voyage 569.1.10 So doe they the next two or three yeares after they spoyled the Greenland Discoueries 472.60 Some Discoueries of theirs towards Noua Zembla 473. c. Their hard Voyages thither ibid. 474. c. They are forced to Winter and build a House thereabouts 490. c. Their often and dangerous Fights with the Beares ibid. The Eleuation vnder which they Wintred 497.10 They liue vpon Foxes 495. c. They get to Sea againe 508.1 Their dangerous Voyage into Russia 509. Their admirable returne into Holland 518 Dutch men in Tartarie set to digge Gold and make Armour 20.30 Dutch Knights their Acts in Prussia 626.627 Dutch Fish at Greenland 716.30 Forbidden ibid. Withstand the English 719.1 Dutch men pull downe our Kings Armes in Greenland 727.1 Their intollerable insolencies 734.10 Dwellings all vnderground in Iseland 649 E EAgle found by the Mexicans by Oracle and worshipped the Storie of it 1004.40 Strange storie of another Eagle there 1021 Earthquakes in Island 649.1 Earth in China shining like Gold 265. Marg. Earth thought to be square 329.40 Earth why it moues not about with the Primum Mobile 924.50 Earthquake in China 269.60 Earthquakes a Philosophicall discourse of them 940. c. Affinitie betwixt burning Mountaines and them they happen nearest to the Sea and why some runne a hundred leagues ibid. Their effects noyse they make before when they mostly happen 941 Earthquakes in China 198.10.20 c. Earthquakes frequent in Peru whence they proceed 895.20 Earthquake a prodigious one in the West Indies 868. â—0 Earings generally worne by the Russe Women 460 East winde raignes within the burning Zone 923.50 Healthfull called the Brise ibid. Cause of the Brises 924 Easter the Russes haue a Festiuall greater then it 762.50 This is about the fourteenth or sixteenth of May. Conferre the places page 762. with page 764. Easter in Russia how kept 227.60 They salute and kisse one another 228.1 On the Eue they sleepe in the Church 227.50 Easterne people generally haue little Eyes 23.50 Eating neere a Tartarian Honour 378.30 Eating of Men sacrificed in Mexico 1032 Ebbe and flowe much or little what Seas doe and what do not 989.30 40 50 Ebbing and flowing of seueral Seas A great secret 929.930 Opinions of it Ebone wood whence brought 938 10 Eclipses the Chinois opinion of them 345.40.346.1 Eclipses the Chinois opinion of them 385.10 Bels beaten then ibid. Edges Hand discouered 732.10 Edenborow in Scotland more Northerly then Mosco and yet not so cold and why 472.40 Edeffa the Citie or Robais 110.50 Eddie winds 925.40 Egges at Easter giuen to the Priests 227.50 Died red or gilded and carried in the hand then ibid. Exchanging them with their friends 228.1 Egtegaia the Prouince 80.10 Elements worshipped by the Mexicans 1027 Elements fiue in China 345.50 Elephants carrying woodden Castles 93.20 Elkes or Loshes men ride vpon them 523.60 Elbing the English trade for Flaxe there 627 Elsenore in Denmarke how bigge 625 50 Emanuel Sina his mischance 318 18 Ember-weekes of the Heathen Mexicans 1035.40 Embassie of the Russian Lords to the King of Poland the points of it 788 Emeralds a Myne of them where 884.40 885.30 How they grow 889.20 Emeralds haue the third place amongst Precious Stones his value now A prettie story of them where in the Indies is the greatest store and how vsed by the Indians the Myâ—es and manner of growing greatnesse of some moderne and ancient â—52 Enchanted sleepe 45.10 Sleepe inchanted of three dayes long 45 10 Enchantments of the Islanders how they hinder ships from sayling 646.20 Engines of battery 97.1 Engines of wood to two ships 341.1 Englâ—sh aydes sent into Sweden 772.1 The conditions of their entertainment 771.1 10. In distresse at Sea and landed in Iuitland ibid. Relieued by a Dane the ship that brought them sayles away They are billetted in seuerall Houses in danger of the people 773. Falsly accused by Griffin a Welchman 774.1 Bound in their beds vnbound 774.40 c. Foure of them slaine all in danger againe relieued by the King of Denmarke enforced to pawne their Lieutenant arriue in Sweden 775. Fall foule with the Burgers of Stockholme for meate ibid. Relieued by the King shipt into Finland and distrest there at Sea dye of cold in Finland Their miserable march into Russia 776. They defeat sixe thousand Poles 777. They meete the Russian Army being engaged vpon an Enemy their owne Army and Generall forsakes them their valour their Horse defeated the foot receiue quarter 779 English right to the North-west passages 806.40 Their Discoueries that way 807 English conquests in Sweden 621 40. And Norway 623. Two other places 624.50 English finde America before Columbus his Voyage thither 808 20 English flagge aduanced in the Caspian Sea 241 English houses in Russia 755.10 English Merchants slaine in a tumult at Mosco 763.30 An Englishman his strange Aduentures amongst the Tartars 63 40. His relation of them ibid. Sent as the Tartars Messenger and Interpretâ—r to Hungarie 64 10. His trauels 64.10 20. c. English Voyages to the Riuer Obi 530.40 English Voyage to the West Indieâ— 999.40 English ships on the Coast of China 309.40 Suspected by the Chinois ibid. The Spaniards would punish them as Enemies 310.40 English suffer shipwracke in Media 246.40 Ensigne of the Tartars 643.1 Entertainments in China the fashion 373.20 A particular garment for it ibid. Entertainments in China 392.1 Epethites of the seueral Europaean Nations 63.1 Episcopia a Monastery in Cyprus 125.50 Era reckoned by in Iapon 323.40 Ergâ—â—ul the Kingdome in Tangut 79.50 Estotiland the Ile Latine spoken there 610. Their Language Mynes of Gold trade c. 611.1 Estridges in Peru terrifie the sheepe 964 Ethicks the Philosophy of China 359.2 Ethicks and Politicks are the learning of China 343 Ethicks the learning of China 384 50 Etilia or Volga diuides it selfe and where 48.10 Frozen ouer 48.10 Etilia or Edel is Volga 54 Etilia is the Riuer Volga 12.40 Euerlasting punishments not belieued by the Indians 1047.10 Eunuches in China and why 183 30 Eunuches great men in China 346 saepe Eunuches are bed-chamber men to the Tartarian Emperours 310 60 Eunuches serue the Kings of China how made c. Their numbers and choice ibid. Eunuches
Peter Basman sent against Demetrius reuolteth Tumult of the Commons Demetrius his Letter * Thus heâ— but others ascribe this murther to Demetrius his command and this selfe-murther was pretended to auoid enuy of the fact Death of Mother Sonne Emperor Boris his Mosco Patent translated whiles Sir Th. Smith was there Lot Law Thu. li. 135. The Iesuites first authors or fâ—utâ—rs at least of this Demetrius Sigismunds fatheâ— Iohn was impriâ—oned by King Ericus 1564. Cossaks Zerniga Putinna yeelded The Palatine defeated Cistercians and Ieâ—uits Demetrius his confiâ—ent Prayer Demetrius his victorie Bialogrod Leptina Seueria yeelds Boris dyeth Some say that hee had vsed with Aqua vitae to poyson others Neque enim lex iustioâ— vlla est quam necis artifices arte perire sua * Some say of 60000. men Basman yeeldeth Demetrius commeth to Mosco his pompous entrance Poles aduanced Clemencie to Suiskey Respect to his Mother Iesuits Embâ—ssage â—o Poland Promise of Romish Religion Demetrius his Marriage Both crowned Conspiracie * I suppose this should bee Gilbert for one Captayne Gilbert I haue often heâ—rd of in that place of seruice which writ also commentaries oâ— these affaires which I haue much sought to little purpose in our Merchants hands Bloudie day P. Basman slain Demetrius taken and slaine Conâ—umelious vsage Poles slaine The Queene Merchants spoyled Russes slaine Suiskeys speech He is chosen Emperour The Deuill is often slandered and by ill willers bad is made worse And so perhaps by Suiskeys faction was this Demetrius The former part of this intelligence I found in Master Hackluyts Papers the later by conference c. Son oâ— Gregory Peupoloy See Suiskeys Letter following Occasion of ambition Boris ill gouernment Demetrius Emperour He is slaine Suiskey Emperour * This might be rumoured Others say hee was not of that but of very noble bloud See sup in Fletcher and Thuanus Demetrius his person described Some say that he was not like Demetrius and that he seemed a dozen yeeres elder but perhaps they mistake this for an other after Pretender calling himselfe the same Demetrius c. as after shall appeare a deformed man Captayne Gilbert Buchenskoy Stones rare about Mosco Captaine Gilberts report of a Vision Another manner of his death reported Coluga I find him called Shoskey Suiskey Ziska c. the iust translation and pronunciaâ—ion being hard League with the Pole He taxeth the King of Poland Allegations against the pretending Demetrius A Frier A Clearke Magician Greeke Church Flight to Letto m George Demetry of Owglits His murther Buriall Letters to Poland Polish aides Smeernoy sent Crim Tartar Another Messenger Mutation of Religion Romish Religion and Iesuites Large Empire of Russia See before Popes Letter Slaine burnt Election of Swisky Miracles Sir Iohn Merricke New Parent 1606. Thu. l. 135. Polish insolencies Choosing by lot Suiskeys vices The like is told of K. Edward the fourth that vpon prediction of one to succeed whose name began with G he put to death George Duke of Clarence his brother and yet Gloster succeeded A printed book 1614. tels of a great man named Tragus which betraied by one Glasco was arrayned and to preuent the furie of Suiskey stabbed himselfe c. Cap. Gilbert * Thuan tels that fourteene horses were missing in the Kings stable on the massacre day and hence was occasioned a suspicion of escape c. A strange Iuggler English aide Sweden Title Forraine aides to the Russes 1200. Souldiers shipped from England Colonel Caluine A tempest Another tempest of the mutinous vulgar They land in Pâ—tland Fish cheape Ignorant Bores Iealousie of thâ— people Griffin a base coward and traitor to his fellowes A wise Gouernour Two Ships Hard vsage Effects of drunkennesse Cruell cowardise and base iealousie King of Denmarks bounty Elzinore Stockholme Misery after misery Captaines cozenage Finland Dispersing Distresse by Frost Their miserable march into Russia Want of meate and of Water Russians runne away Nouogrod Polake enemies They fled Sconce taken with store of Armes Poles cruelties most execrablâ— Pontus le Guard They meet An. 1610. Base Russe flight P. le Guard fleeth French flee English honour * Some say he had 100000. which is scaâ—sly credible Mosco yeelded Second Demetrius slaine * Vnder the Lord Willâ—ughby Gen. Sir Iohn Poole c. A. Iansonius quindecies mâ—lle vasorum pul sul Suiskeys imprisonment and death Poâ—ish crueltie Their reward Eaters of mans flesh forced to eate mans flâ—sh * The Polish Vaâ—uâ—d whose daughter married Demetrie that was slaine who now had recouered libertie Russia â—poyled by Tartars * The Polish Vaiuâ—d whose daughter married Demetrie that was slaine who now had recouered libertie Russia â—poyled by Tartars a Generall of the forces of Suiskey in the field A Dane borne see Doct. Halls Epistles Euan Vasilowiâ—h Suiskey now raigning Thoâ—e of the Citie â—nâ—ly c Lieâ—â—â—nders that inhabit there * The second Demetrius which was soone after slaine by a Tartar * 161â— in English account The Poles in Moscoâ—esieged â—esieged by the Russes English house burnt Master Sâ— Southeby Dan. 2. 7. 8 Ap. 12.3 13.1 2. 17.1 Iud. 17.6 18.1 19.1 21.25 Iud. 9. Popular gouâ—â—nment in Russia Demetrius supposititius secundus Demetrij primi 〈…〉 Palaâ—â—â—filia De Baptismo repetendo Ruâ—eck Pheodor Euanowich Boris Godonoue Gregorij Eutropio Rostrige Demetrij Euanowich Primates Lord Palatin of Sandomire Vasili Euanowich Suiskey The Wor. Coluga Other Wors or pretenders Iuan Peter Pheodor The King of Poland The Lord of Praemislaue Michael Salticoue The Articles are before in Latin Vasili Galichin Galechin Halusia a Wor or Pretender Lepun Saruski The King assents Klutzinsky a Wor or Pretender acknowledged Emperour Astracan Laplandâ— Russian inconstancy Many-headed body Ianson A. 1612. Gods prouidence permits not the vtter ruine of Russia Strange alteration of affaires by a Butcher Pozarsky chosen Generall and a Butcher Treasurer Boris Liciu Micalowich Son to the Chancellor chosen Our Kings mediation His Fathers returne and Patriarkship Ianson Sir I. Merikes negotiation Sir Dudley Digs was also sent Embassador in a troublesome time when he could not with safetie passe vp to Mosco for the enemie in the first times of Micalowich Obliuion of former quarrels Michaelo Pheodorowich Emperor of Russia Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden Great Nouogrod c. returned to the Russe Churches restored with their goods c. Sir I. Merike Ambassador Libertie of persons Time of deliuerie Odow to remayne cautionary Charles Philip Prince of Sweden not to lay clayme Zar or Czar is a Title of the great Duke Places yeelded by the Muâ—coâ—ite to the Sweden Money to be giuen to the Sweden Ordnance and Munition to remaine The coÌ„tract of V E. for Coreliu and the Territories confirmed to Sweden Commissioners oâ— both sides to meet The title of Leifland resigned by V.E. at Wiburgh Anno 7117. now confirmed Title to be giuen Commerce of Trade Merchants of both Kingdoms to haue houses and Churches in each
Calibes with the Scythians were in the Auantguard and had the commandement of thirtie thousand horse who should receiue him at such time as he did draw on the Enemie as he was commanded It was diuided into three troupes each one consisting of ten thousand Odmar had also thirtie thousand horse who should assist him The Prince remayned in the Arier-ward at the one of the wings of his footmen which held one of his principall forces his purpose was to suffer the threescore and six thousand horse to maintayne the fight against the Barbarians being led by two good Captaines and if any of them remayned the Emperor hoped after of them to haue a good market by causing his footmen to march forward and himselfe with whom there abode twentie thousand of the best horse which were sufficient without hazarding his Person for to giue a new battaile if so be that any disfauour should happen vnto them for hee had vnderstood that this was the custome of the Kings of China to enclose themselues within the middest of their Chariots with their footmen and not to hazard themselues but vpon the extremitie So the Enemie fayled nothing at all to march directly vnto Calibes and all the Armie marched after following of him and setting vpon him and hee euen as the Scythians are alwayes accustomed to doe with his six thousand horse in retyring gaue many charges killing some of them and they likewise killing some of his men It was a beautifull sight to see this great Armie march for it seemed to bee twise as great as ours therein being an infinite number of armed Chariots wherein he put his principall trust against the furie of our Souldiers so many gildings of gold and siluer as well in the trappings of their Horses as on their Armour that it glittered and was of vs all much admired The Prince who with a troupe of horse did see the Armie march after Calibes commended greatly the manner of casting their men out of the rankes for to compell this troupe vnto fight and did see this Armie come in good order and he tryed with his eye to note the place where the Kings Person was hauing neere him the Chinois Lord to instruct him who knew well their manner of fighting Now they had neither Auantguard nor battaile but onely an Arier-ward commanded by the King and inclosed as I haue said with his Chariots the which being shewed vnto him by this Lord the Prince turned himselfe vnto vs and in our language said Yet must wee this day disperse this cloud here so gilded and the King of China and my selfe must make a partition thereof Now hauing seene the Enemie sufficiently aduanced and iudging that he had had seene them march a good league he thought it not conuenient to suffer them for to take breath nor for to put themselues againe into their order he sent vnto Calibes for to will him to set forward the fight and that if those whom he had led with him should be weary they should come vnto him but it was not in Calibes power to haue this commandement ouer them For as soone as they heard this word of fighting vttered they required the first charge with a young Lord who commanded ouer them called Zioctabanes who made appeare vnto the Chinois to what end their flight was charging very stiffely vpon the foremost of the Enemies the which was an occasion to begin the first fight And I assure you there could not be seene a more furious thing nor any for to fight with more desire to manifest the valour of his Nation and for to procure honour vnto his Prince Now this endured a long houre before the Chinois had ouerthrowne Calibes The Prince did see all patiently saying alwayes that the great multitude how confused soeuer it were would carry it away from the order and valour of his Souldiers you could not yet perceiue any alteration in the Princes countenance Aduersitie and Prosperitie were so indifferent vnto him His thirty thousand Horse were all Scythians who obserue not the same order the Parthians doe Now before the Prince retyred with his men hee did see the first charge giuen Calibes being wounded retyred himselfe neere vnto the Prince hauing with him two thousand horse ioyned together againe and many more ioyning themselues together neere vnto the Prince who commanded that they should cure Calibes viewing the place of his wound hee caused him to bee conducted behind his footmen and the other which were hurt with him also Now Calibes was not able to pierce through this Armie being beaten back but Odmar with almost all the Parthian horse-men did handle them more roughly for hee ranne cleane thorow them and returned by one of the right wings of the Armie where hee fought most valiantly and hauing beaten them back euen within the Kings Chariots he thought that he should not doe wisely to goe about to breake such forces The King of China comming forward and the horse-men which had beene broken by Odmar ioyning themselues together for his ayde Odmar onely remayning in the battaile sent vnto the Prince for the footmen and for to set forward the Artillerie and that hee should assure himselfe of the victorie The Prince who had already set forward kept aloofe off and sent vnto him fiftie thousand footmen with a part of the Artillery giuing charge thereof vnto Axalla who forthwith set forward hauing commandement to set vpon the Chariots and to make an entrance he set forward the Artillery before him the which did greatly astonish the enemies for the Gouernours of the horses belonging to the Kings Chariots could not hold them it made also a great spoyle As soone as he perceiued this disorder hee set forward and came to hand-blowes there were a hundred and fiftie thousand men as yet about the Kings person Axalla full of courage fought so valiantly that they neuer beheld any doe more brauely Odmar during this fight charged againe the Horsemen who were retyred vnto the Kings ayde whom he put to flight Then the Prince aduanced forward with the rest of his Foot-men gaue ayde vnto Axalla and came euen vnto the person of the King of China who was as yet enclosed within a second ranke of Chariots with thirty or forty thousand men and after hee had fought two or three houres the Horse-men assisting the Foot-men and they principally whom the Prince had reserued the King remayned wounded within the power of the Prince the battaile being wonne and all the Enemies Campe forced the fight endured eight houres and it was euen night which saued the liues of many of the Enemies There were slaine two Kings the Allyes of the King of China and one taken Prisoner there was inestimable riches gotten as well in golden Vessell as precious stones and the most rich and faire Chariots that could be seene The Prince would not see the captiued King vntill the next day beeing mounted on Horse-backe and passing through
nor Siluer And therefore I besought the King that he would punish this deceiuer Tioneg that the good iustice that is vsed in China might be knowne In the time of the former Vice-roy and Capado Tioneg and his companion Yanlion deliuered this vntruth I afterward besought the King that hee would cause all the Papers of the cause of Tioneg to be coppied out and that he would send for the said Tioneg with his processes before himselfe And I my selfe saw the said Papers and caused it to appeare that all was but lyes which the said Tioneg had said I wrote vnto the King saying That by reason of the lyes which Tioneg had made the Castillians suspected that wee sought to make warre vpon them and that therefore they had slayne aboue thirtie thousand Chineses in Luzon The King did that which I besought him And so he chastised the said Yanlion commanding him to bee put to death And hee commanded Tionegs head to be cut off and to be put in a Cage The people of China which were slayne in Luzon were in no fault And I with others negotiated this businesse with the King that I might know his pleasure in this affaire and in another matter which was this That there came two English ships to these coasts of Chincheo a thing very dangerous for China That the King might consider what was to bee done in these two matters of so great importance Likewise wee wrote vnto the King that he would command the two Sangleys to be punished which shewed the Hauen to the Englishmen And after wee had written these things aforesaid to the King he answered vs thâ—t wee should learne wherefore the English ships came vnto China whether they came to robbe or no That they should dispatch from thence a Messenger immediatly to Luzon and that they should signifie to them of Luzon that they should not giue credite to the base and lying people of China And that forthwith they should put to death those two Sangleyes which shewed the Hauen to the Englishmen And touching the rest that wee wrote vnto him wee should doe as wee thought best After wee had receiued this order the Vice-roy the Capado and I sent this message to the Gouernour of Luzon That his Lordship might know the greatnesse of the King of China Seeing hee is so mightie that hee gouerneth all that the Moone and Sunne doe shine vpon And also that the Gouernour of Luzon may know the great wisedome wherewith this mighty Kingdome is gouerned Which Kingdome this long while none durst attempt to offend And albeit the Iaponians haue pretended to disquiet Corea which is vnder the Gouernment of China yet they could not obtayne their purpose but they were driuen out of it And Corea hath remayned in great peace and safety as at this day they of Luzon doe well vnderstand The Answer of Don PEDRO DE ACANNA Gouernour of the Philippinas to the Visitour of Chincheo in China THe Gouernour answered these Letters by the same Messengers that brought them vsing termes full of courtesie and authoritie Hee rehearsed the rebellion of the Sangleyes from the beginning Hee iustified the defense of the Spaniards and the punishment that was executed vpon the Offenders Hee said that no Common-wealth can be gouerned without chastising the bad nor without rewarding the good And therefore that he did not repent him of that execution because it was done for repressing of them that thought to destroy vs. That the Visitour should bee Iudge what hee would doe if the like case should happen in China That the griefe that he had was that he could not saue certaine Sangleyes Merchants Anhayes which died among the offenders But that this was vnpossible to be remedied because the furie of warre doth not giue leaue to kill some and to saue others especially being not knowne of the Souldiers in the heate of battell That vsing mercy to those that remayned aliue condemned them to rowe in the Galleyes which is the punishment which is ordayned among the Castillians for those that haue deserued death Yet if it seeme in China that it ought to be moderated hee would grant them libertie But let it be considered said Don Pedro that this may be a cause that in not chastising so great an offence they may hereafter fall againe into the same A thing that would shut vp all accesse vnto fauour That the goods of the Chineses that were slayne are in safe custodie And that it may be seene that no other affection moueth mee then that of iustice I will shortly send them to be deliuered to the right Heires or vnto such persons as of right they belong vnto None other respect moueth mee to any of these things but that of reason Whereas you tell mee That if I will not set at libertie those prisoners licence will be granted in China to the kinsfolke of those which died in the Rebellion to come with an Armie to Manila it breedeth no feare in mee For I hold the Chineses to be so wise that they will not be moued to such things vpon so weake a ground especially none occasion thereof being giuen them on our part And in case they should be of another minde wee Spaniards are a People which know very well how to defend our Right Religion and Territories And let not the Chineses thinke that they are Lords of all the World as they would haue vs thinke For wee Castillians which haue measured the World with spannes know perfectly the Countreyes of China Wherefore they shall doe well to take knowledge that the King of Spaine hath continuall warres with as mighty Kings as theirs is and doth suppresse them and putteth them to great troubles And it is no new case that when our enemies thinke that they haue vanquished vs they finde vs marching and destroying the Confines of their Land and not to cease vntill wee haue cast them out of their Thrones and taken their Scepters from them I would be much grieued with the change of the commerce But I beleeue also that the Chineses would not willingly lose it since that thereby they obtayne so great profit carrying to their Kingdome our Siluer which neuer faileth in trucke of their merchandise which are slight things and soone worne out The ships of the Englishmen which arriued on the coast of China it was determined not to receiue because they be no Spaniards but rather their enemies and Pirats Wherefore if they come to Manila they shall be punished Finally bâ—causâ— wee Spaniards doe alwaies iustifie our causes and doe boast our selues that it cannot bee said in the world that wee vsurpe other mens possessions nor inuade our friends that shall be fulfilled which is here promised And from hence forward let them know in China that wee neuer doe any thing for feare nor for threats of our enemies Don Pedro concludeth offering continuance of amitie by new bonds of peace with the Kingdomes of
China and that he will set at libertie in due time the Prisoners which he held in the Galleyes albeit he thought to vse them as he did in the voyage of Maluco which he put in execution with speed And all this he precisely performed CHAP. IIII. The report of a Mahometan Merchant which had beene in Cambalu and the troublesome trauell of BENEDICTVS GOES a Portugall Iesuite from Lahor to China by land thorow the Tartars Countreyes IErome Xauere a Iesuite in a Letter from Lahor in India subiect to the Mogoll dated August 1598. relateth that an old man there knowne to haue distributed 100000. Peeces of Gold at Mecca affirmed to the Prince that he had liued in Xatai thirteene yeeres in Xambalu the chiefe Citie that the King thereof was mighty and had in his Empire one thousand and fiftie Cities some very populous that he had often seene the King with whom no man speakes but by a Supplication nor is answered but by an Eunuch And asked how hee had accesse thither he said he being a Merchant sustayned also the person of the Embassadour of the King of Caygar and being detained in the first Citie by the Magistrate he shewed his Commission and Poste was presently sent to the King who returned in a moneth riding ninety or an hundred courses a day with change of Horses bringing him Letters of admission Hee said that they punish theeues seuerely that these Xaitaians are white long bearded personable and comely therein to be preferred before the Rumes or Turkes in Religion Isauites Christians so called of Iesus some Musauites or Iewes and many Mahumetans insomuch that they hoped to bring the Christian King to that Sect. They had he said to the Iesuite in another conference many Temples and Images painted and grauen and Crucifixes which they with great deuotion worshipped many Priests much reuerenced each hauing his owne Church to whom they offer their gifts they liued single and kept Schooles one supereminent at the Kings charge were the Churches built and repaired they ware blacke clothes and on holidayes red with Caps like the Iesuites but greater many Monasteries of both Sexes and some in their owne houses obseruing a single life the Countrey rich hauing many siluer Mines and that the King had foure hundred Elephants which they said were brought from Malaca and that Merchants resorted thither the Voyage sixe moneths Xauerius addeth that in Caximir he heard of many Christians in Rebat a Kingdome adioyning to Catai with Churches Priests and Bishops These reports sayth Trigantius the Saracens made either of purpose to deceiue after their wont or were deceiued by like shew of Holies in Images Lamps Altars Priests vestments Processions Singings and the like which the Deuill hath imitated among the Chinois like to our Romish Rites These reports caused the Iesuites in India to thinke of sending one of their Society into those parts Pimenta the Father Visitour sent notice thereof to the Pope and to the King of Spaine who tooke Order with the Vice-roy to be aduised herein by Pimenta Benedictus Goez a brother of that Society and Coadjutor to Xauerius was thought fit for that designe hauing the Persian tongue And hauing come from Echebar father of the present Mogol who had lately taken Brampor with his Legat to Goa hee was sent backe to Lahor to accompanie the Merchants which euery fifth yeere as that Saracen related with title of Legats of the King of Persia and other Easterne Kings not otherwise admitted went thither In the yeere therefore 1602. he went to Agra where Echebar applauded his purpose and gaue him foure hundred Crownes for his iourney besides a thousand Rupias hee had already spent He changed his habite and disguised himselfe like an Armenian Merchant and so went to Lahor calling himselfe Branda Abedula whither he came on the eight of December He went to the house of Iohn Galisco a Venetian and there prouided himselfe of necessaries wearing his haire and beard long and Leo Grimone a Greeke well skilled in Turkish and Persian vndertaking to be his companion with Demetrius another Greeke and Isaac an Armenian Furnished with diuers writings and a Catalogue of moueable Feasts till An. 1610. he set forth An. 1603. the sixth of Ianuarie from his Superiour and in Lent after from Lahor with the companie of Merchants which goe from the Mogols to Cascar almost fiue hundred men with many Camels and carriages In a moneths iourney they came to a Citie called Athec in the Prouince of Lahor and after fifteene dayes passed a Riuer a flight shot broad where they stayed fiue dayes being told of theeues in great number at hand Two moneths after they came to another Citie called Passaur where they rested twentie dayes Thence they going to another small Towne met with a certaine Anchorite a stranger by whom they vnderstood that thirtie dayes off was a Citie named Capherstam into which the Saracens are not permitted entrance and if they enter are put to death But Ethnike Merchants are admitted their Citie yet not their Temples Hee said that the Inhabitants of that Region goe to Church all of them in blacke their Countrey fertile and plentifull of Grapes Hereby Goes supposed that they were Christians In the place where they found this stranger they stayed other twentie dayes And because the way was infested with Theeues they receiued of the Lord of the place a Conuoy of foure hundred Souldiers In fiue and twentie dayes they came from hence to a place called Ghideli all which way their carriages went at the foot of a Hill The Merchants with Armes on the tops of the Hill made search for Theeues which vse to throw stones from thence on the Passengers except thus preuented In this place the Merchants pay Tribute Being assaulted by Theeues many were wounded and they had much adoe to saue their liues and goods Benedict escaped by flight into the Woods At night they came againe together and auoyded the Theeues After other twentie dayes iourney they came to Cabul a Citie and Mart frequent not yet hauing passed the Mogols Dominions Here they stayed eight dayes for some of the Merchants would goe no further and others durst not being so few In this Mart the Sister of the King of Cascar by whose Dominion they were to passe to Catay happened on the Carauan The Kings name was Maffamet Can this his Sister was Mother to the King of Cotan and called Agehanem Age is a title giuen by the Saracens to those which haue beene on Pilgrimage at Mecca whence she now returned Being destitute of prouision for her iourney shee demanded aide of the Merchants promising to restore all faithfully with encrease when they were comne to her Kingdome Goes thought it a fit occasion to procure the friendship of another King his Mogoll Patents now wearing out Hee lent her therefore on sale of some goods sixe hundred Crownes refusing any contract of interest which