speedily to succour and defend the faithfull For we know for certayne that about the Octaues of Easter the Tartarian Nation will inuade cruelly and forcibly the Lands of the Bohemians and if not preuented will there perpetrate vnheard-of slaughter And because our next neighbours house is now on fire and the next Countrey â—ieth open to waste and some are alreadie wasted we earnestly and pitifully entreat the ayde and counsell of God and of our neighbour-brethren for the vniuersall Church And because delay is full of danger with all our hearts we beseech you that you make all possible speed to arme as well for your as our deliuerance making strong preparations of store of Souldiers diligently exciting the noble mightie and couragious with the people subiect to them that yee may haue them in readinesse when we shall next direct our Messengers to you And we by the ministerie of our Prelates Preachers and Minors cause the Crosse because the businesse belongs to him which was crucified to be generally preached fastâ— and prayers to be appointed and our Lands in common to be called to the warre of Iesus Christ. Hereto wee adde that a great part of that detestable Nation with an other Armie adioyned to them wasteth Hungaria with vnheard-of tyrannie insomuch that the King is said to haue retayned but a small part to himselfe And to speake much in few words the Church and People of the North is so oppressed and brought to such Straits as it neuer was so scourged since the World began Dated the yeere of grace 1241. on the day on which is sung Laetare Ierusalem And this was the Letters sent to the Bishop of Paris by the Duke of Brabant The like was written by the Arch-bishop of Cullen to the King of England Therefore for this grieuous tribulation and for the discord betwixt the Pope and the Emperour so hurtfull to the Church there are appointed fasts and prayers with larger Almes in diuers Regions that our Lord being pacified with his people who as a magnificent triumpher is as strong in a few as in many may destroy the pride of the Tartars The French Kings mother Queene Blanch with deepe sighs and plentifull teares spake hereof to her sonne What shall we doe my dearest sonne about this lamentable euent the terrible rumour whereof is comne to our Confines generall destruction of vs all and of holy Church hangs ouer our times by the impetuous inuasion of the Tartars The King with mournfull voice not without the Spirit of God answered The heauenly comfort Mother exalt vs and if they come on vs either we shall send againe those Tartarians to their Tartarean places whence they came or they shall exalt vs to Heauen THe Emperour certified hereof wrote to the Princes and especially to the King of England in this forme Frederike Emperour c. to the King of England greeting Wee cannot conceale though it somwhat lately came to our eares but giue you notice of a thing which concerneth the Roman Empire as prepared to the preaching of the Gospell all zealous Christian Kingdomâ— in the World threatning generall destruction to all Christendom A barbarous Nation hath lately come from the Southerne Region which had long layne hid vnder the torrid Zone and after towards the North by force possessing Regions long remayning is multiplied as the Canker worme called Tartars wee know not of what place or originall not without the fore-seene iudgement of God is reserued to these last times to the correction and chastisement of his people God grant not losse of all Christendom A publike destruction hath therefore followed the common desolation of Kingdomes and spoile of the fertile Land which that wicked people hath passed thorow not sparing sexe age or dignitie hoping to extinguish the rest of mankind whiles it alone goeth about to domineere and reigne euery where by their immense and incomparable power and number Now all things which they haue beene able to set eye on being put to death and spoyle leauing vniuersall desolation behind them these Tartarians yea Tartareans when they had come to the well peopled Colonie of the Cumani prodigall of their liues hauing Bowes their most familiar Armes with Darts and Arrowes which they continually vse and are stronger in the armes then other men they vtterly ouerthrew them and with bloudy sword killed all which escaped not by flight Whose neighbourhood scarcely warned the Rutheni not farre distant to take heed to themselues For they suddenly flie thither to prey and spoile as the wrath of God and lightning hurles it selfe and by their sudden assault and barbarous inuasion take Cleua the chiefe Citie of the Kingdome and all that noble Kingdome was wasted to desolation the Inhabitants being slayne Which yet the neighbouring Kingdome of the Hungarians who should haue taken warning neglected whose sluggish King too secure being required by the Tartars messengers and letters that if he desired that he and his should liue he should hasten their fauour by yeelding himselfe and his Kingdom yet was not hereby terrified and taught to fortify against their irruptions but they ignorant or insolent contemners of their enemies secure in their enemies approach trusting in the natiue fortification of the place vnexpectedly compassed and oppressed at vnawares by them entring like a whirlewind opposed their Tents against them And when the Tartars Tents were fiue miles from the Hungarian the Tartarian fore-runners in the dawning of the morning rushed suddenly and compassed the Hungarians and first slaying the Prelates and chiefe men killed an infinite number with such vnheard-of slaughter as scarcely is recorded euer to haue hapned in one battell The King hardly escaped by flight on a swift Horse which fled with a small companie to the brotherly portion of the Hyllirian Kingdome there to be protected the Enemie possessing the Tents and spoyles And now wasting the nobler and greater part of Hungarie beyond Danubius consuming all with fire and sword they threaten to confâ—und the rest as by the venerable Bishop Vâ—tienâ—is the Anbassadour of the said Hungarian King notâ—ce is giuen to our Court first as he passed being destined to the Roman Court Wee are also hereof fully certified by the Letters of our deare sonne Conrade elect King of Romans alway Augustus and heire of the Kingdome of Ierusalem and of the King of Bohemia the Dukes of Austria and Bauaria by the Messengers words also instructed experimentally of the Enemies neerenesse Nor could wee learne these things without great griefe Truly as the report goeth their vndetermined damnable Armie by our Lords sufferance hath proceeded diuided purposely in three parts For one being sent by the Pructeni and entring Poland the Prince and Duke of that Land were slayne by them and after that all the Region spoyled The second hath entred the bounds of Bohemia and being entred hath made stay the King manly opposing himselfe The third hath runne thorow Hungaria bounded by Austria
some part to this solace with their Friends or with Women in the Lake or else by Chariots riding thorow the Citie which is also another of the Quinsay pleasures For all the streets are paued with stone as also are all the high Wayes in the Prouince of Mangi onely for the Postes is left on the side a space vnpaued The principall street of Quinsay is paued ten paces on each hand and in the midst it is full of Grauell with passages for the Water which keepe it alway cleane On this street are alway innumerable long close Chariots accommodated with Clothes and Cushions of silke for six persons which solace themselues in the street or goe to Gardens and there passe the time in places made by the Gardeners for that purpose and returne at night in the said Chariots When one is borne the Father sets downe the print of Time and with that note goes to the Astrologer to consult of his future fortunes Of these Astrologers are a great number in euery Market place They will not celebrate a marriage without such consultation When one dies that is of note his Kindred clothe themselues in Canuasse and so both Men and Women accompanie him to the burning place playing on Instruments and singing all the way prayers to their Idols and being comne to the place cast into the fire many Papers of Cotton whereon are painted Slaues Horses Camels Clothes of gold and silke Monies which they thinke hee shall really possesse in another World and make such minstrelsie in conceit of the ioy wherewith the Idols there receiue his Soule where hee beginneth they say to liue anew In euery street are Towres of stone whither in danger of fire they vse to carrie their goods their timber houses being much subiect to such casualtie The Can hath ordayned that on the most part of the Bridges day and night there stand vnder a couert ten Guardians fiue by day and fiue by night and in euery Guard is a Tabernacle of Wood with a great Bason whereby they know the houres of the day and night which at euery houres end the Warders strike to notifie what houre one two c. beginning at the Sunne rising and then againe at the beginning of the night They walke vp and downe and if any haue a light or fire after the deputed time they cause him to answer it before the Iustices or Gouernors aforesaid or if any walke later If any be not able to worke they carrie him to Hospitals of which are exceeding many founded by the Kings of old with great reuenues thorow the Citie When they are well againe they are compelled to worke If a fire happen these from diuers places come to quench it and to carrie the goods into Boats or the Ilands or those Towres for in the night the Citizens dare not come out but those who are in danger The Can alway keepeth here store of his best and faithfullest Souldierie as being the best and richest place in the World Within a mile of each other are builded Rampiers of wood where a sound is made to be heard further off for like purposes When the Can had reduced all Mangi to his obedience hee diuided it being before but one Kingdome into nine parts and set a King ouer each which there administers iustice Euery yeere they giue account to the Cans Officers of the reuenues and other accidents and euery third yeere are charged as all other Officers are One of these Deputie-Kings is resident at Quinsay who is Gouernour of aboue one hundred and fortie Cities all rich and great Nor may this be a wonder seeing in Mangi there are twelue thousand Cities all inhabited with rich and industrious people In euery of which the Can maintayneth a Garrison proportionable to the greatnesse and occasions one thousand ten or twentie thousand not all Tartars but Catayans for the Tartars are Horse-men and keepe where they may exercise their Horses Into Cathay he sends those of Mangi and Cathayans hither such as are fit for Armes of which he makes choise euery third yeere and sends for foure or fiue yeeres together into places twentie dayes iourney from their Countrey and then suffers them to returne home others succeeding And most part of the Cans Receits are this way expended and if any Citie rebell he suddenly from the next Garrisons rayseth an Armie to reduce or destroy them This Citie of Quinsai hath in continuall Garrison thirtie thousand Souldiers and that which hath least hath one thousand in Horse and Foote To speake now of the Palace of King Fanfur his Predecessors caused to enclose a place of ten miles circuit with high walls and diuided it into three parts That in the midst was entred by one Gate on the one side and the other were great and large Galleries the Roofe sustayned by Pillars painted and wrought with gold and fine azure these were smaller at the entrie and the further the greater the fairest at the end the Roofe fairely adorned with gold and on all the Walls were painted the stories of the former Kings artificially There euery yeere on certaine Idoll holy-holy-dayes Fanfur kept his Court and feasted his principall Lords the great Masters and rich Artificers of Quinsai ten thousand at a time vnder those Terraces This dured ten or twelue dayes with incredible magnificence euery guest indeuouring to present himselfe in greatest pompe Behinde this middle-most building was a wall and going out which diuided the Palace in which was as it were a Cloyster with Pillars sustayning the Porch or Terrace round about the Cloyster wherein were Chambers for the King and Queene curiously wrought From this Cloyster was entrance into a Gallerie six paces wide in length extending to the Lake all couered On each side of this Gallerie were ten Courts answering one another fashioned like Cloysters each Court hauing fiftie Chambers with their Gardens and in them one thousand Lasses abode which the King kept for his seruice who sometimes with the Queene sometimes with them went in his Barge on the Lake for solace or to visit his Idoll Temples The other two parts of the Serraile were diuided into Groues Lakes Gardens planted with Trees in which were inclosed all sorts of beasts Roes Bucks Stags Hares Conies and there the King solaced himselfe with his Damsels in Charets or on Horse-backe no man entring there There did he cause These to hunt with his Dogs wearie whereof they went into those Groues which answered one another ouer the Lakes and there leauing their garments came forth naked and set themselues a swimming in the Kings presence Sometimes hee would take his repast in those Groues being serued by those Damsels without once thinking of Armes which sweet meat cost him the soure sawce yee haue heard All this was told mee by a rich old Merchant of Quinsai whiles I was there one which had beene an inward familiar of King Fanfur
desired him to thinke of deliuering the Holy Land out of the hands of the Pagans wherein he promised all his best endeauour and wished the King to send messengers to the Pope and to other Princes of Christendome for their assistance So Abaga hauing ordered the affaires of Turkie returned to the Kingdome of Corazen where hee had left his familie Bendecar the Soldan of Egypt after he had receiued such damage by the Tartars was poisoned died in Damascus whereof the Christians of those parts were very glad And the Saracens very sorrowfull for they had not his like after as they themselues commonly reported For his sonne called Melechahic succeeded him who was soone driuen out of his Dominion by one called Elsi who violently vsurping made himselfe Soldan 36. The time appointed being come when Abaga was to begin his warre against the Soldan of Egypt hee appointed his brother Mangodanior to goe to the Kingdome of Syria with thirtie thousand men being Tartars and couragiously to ouercome the Soldan if he came in battell against him or otherwise to take in the Castles and Holds of the Countrey and deliuer them to the Christians if the Soldan should shun the fight When Mangodanior with his Armie setting forward was come neere the Confines of Armenia hee sent for the King of Armenia who came presently vnto him with a goodly companie of Horse so that they entred the Kingdome of Syria and went spoyling and forraging till they came to the Citie Aman now called Camella which is seated in the midst of Syria Before this Citie lieth a faire great Playne where the Soldan of Egypt had assembled his Power intending to fight with the Tartarians And there the Saracen on the one side with the Christians and Tartars on the other side fought a great battell The King of Armenia with the Christians ruled and commanded the right wing of the Armie which inuaded the Soldans left wing manfully and put them to flight and pursued them three dayes iourney euen to the Citie Aman. Another part of the Soldans Armie was also routed by Amalech a Tartarian Captaine who pursued them also three dayes iourney to a Citie called Turara When they thought the Soldans Power vtterly ouerthrowne Mangodanior who neuer had seene the conflicts of warre before being afraid without any reasonable cause of certaine Saracens called Beduini withdrew himselfe out of the field hauing the better forsaking the King of Armenia and his Captaine which had preuayled against his enemies When the Soldan which thought he had lost all saw the field cleere and all abandoned he got vpon a little hill with foure armed men and stood there The King of Armenia returning from the pursuit and missing Mangodanior in the field was much astonied and imagining which way hee should be gone followed after him But Amalech returning from the enemies whom he had pursued abode two dayes expecting his Lord supposing that he had followed after him as he ought for the further subduing of his enemies and the Countrey which they had ouercome till at last hauing heard of his retrait leauing his victorie hee made speed after him whom hee found on the banke of the Riuer Euphrates staying for him And then the Tartars returned to their owne Prouince But the King of Armenia sustained much losse and hard aduenture in his returne for the Horses of the Christians of the Kingdome of Armenia were so wearied and spent with the length of the way and want of Fodder that they were not able to trauell so that the Christians going scatteringly by vnvsuall wayes were often found out and slayne without mercy by the Saracens inhabiting those parts Insomuch that the greatest part of the Armie was lost and in a manner all the Nobility And this misaduenture of Mangodanior happened in the yeere of our Lord 1282. When Abaga vnderstood the successe hereof he assembled all his people and when hee was readie to set forward with all his power against the Saracens a certaine Saracen the sonne of the Deuill came to the Kingdome of Persia and preuayled by giuing great gifts to sâ—me that serued neere about Abaga in such sort that both he and his brother Mangodanior were poysoned both in one day and died both within eight dayes after The trueth whereof was afterwards disclosed by the mischieuous Malefactors themselues And so died Abaga Can in the yeere of our Lord 1282. 37. After the death of Abaga Can the Tartars assembled themselues and ordayned ouer them a brother of his called Tangodor who had ouergone the rest of his brethren In his youth he had receiued the Sacrament of Baptisme and was baptised by the name of Nicholas But being come to riper yeeres and keeping companie with Saracens whom hee loued hee became a wicked Saracen and renouncing Christian Religion would be called Mahomet Can and laboured by all meanes to turne all the Tartarians to that irreligious Sect of Mahomet the sonne of Iniquitie in such sort that those that hee could not compell by violence hee aâ—lured by preferments and rewards insomuch that in his time many of the Tartarians became professed Saracens as at this day appeareth This Child of perdition commanded the Churches of the Christians to be destroyed and forbade them to vse any of their religious Rites or Ceremonies Hee caused the doctrine of Mahomet to bee publikely preached the Christians to bee banished and their Churches in the Citie of Tauris vtterly to bee destroyed Hee sent Messengers also to the Soldan of Egypt and concluded a Peace and a League with him promising that all the Christians within his Dominion should become Saracens or else lose their heads which gaue the Saracens cause of much reioycing and made the Christians very sad Hee sent moreouer to the King of Armenia in Georgia and to the other Christian Princes of those parts to come vnto him without delay But they resolued rather to die in battell then to obey his commandement for other remedie they could finde none And the Christians being now in such anguish and bitternesse of heart that they rather desired to die then to liue euen God which neuer refuseth them that put their trust in him sent consolation to them all For a Brother of this Mahomet with a Nephew of his also called Argon opposing themselues and rebelling against him for his euill deeds did signifie to Cobila Can the great Emperour of the Tartarians how he had forsaken the steps of his Ancestors and was become a wicked Saracen labouring with all his might to bring the rest of Tartars to be Saracens also Which when Cobila Can vnderstood he was much displeased thereat insomuch that he sent and required Mahomet to reforme his euill wayes for otherwise he would proceed against him Which message replenished him with wrath and indignation insomuch that he being perswaded there was none that durst gainsay his proceedings but his Brother and his Nephew
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
most slaine by Panians men Coia Acem which before was not knowne seeing his Moores ready to try the waters courtesie to escape those fiery enemies armed in Buffe with Plates fringed with Gold cryed out aloud that he might be heard La â—lah illâ—llah Muhamed roçolalah what shall you Muslemans and iust men of the Law of Mahomet suffer your selues to be conquered of so fâ—eble a Nation as are these Dogges which haue no more heart then white Hens and bearded women to them to them the Booke of Flowres hath giuen promise from our Prophet to you and me to bathe our selues in the bloud of these Cafres without Law With these cursed words the Deuill so animated them that it was fearefull to see how they ranne on our Swords Faria on the other side heartned his in the name of Christ crucified and with a zealous feruour reached Coia Acem such a blow with a two hand Sword on his Head-piece of Maile that he sunke to the ground and with another blow cut off his legges Whereupon his men with such furie assayled Faria not caring for thirtie Portugals which stood about him that they gaue him two wounds which put such spirit into our men that in little space eight and fortie of the Enemies lay dead vpon Coia Acem and the rest they slue all but fiue whom they tooke and bound the Boyes cutting the others in quarters and throwing them into the water with Coia Acem and the King of Bintans chiefe Caciz or Priest the shedder and the drinker of Portugall bloud as he stiled himselfe in the beginning of his Writings for which hee was of that cursed Sect much honoured Of the Enemies were slaine three hundred and eightie of ours fortie two eight of which were Portugals Faria searched the Iland and found a Village therein of fortie or fiftie houses which Coia Acem had sacked slaying some of the Inhabitants Not farre off was a great house seeming a Temple full of sicke and wounded men ninetie sixe in number which the Pyrat had there in cure whom he burned setting the house on fire in diuers places those that sought to escape being receiued on Pikes and Launces The Iunke which they had taken from the Portugals sixe and twentie dayes before Faria gaue to Mem Taborda and Antonio Anriquez in Almes for remission of his sinnes taking their Oath to take no more but their owne He tooke speciall care of the wounded and caused the slaues to be set free After all this there remayned of cleere gaines one hundred and thirtie thousand Taeis in Siluer of Iapan and other goods which that Pyrat had taken along that Coast from Sumbor to Fucheo §. II. ANTONIO FARIA his taking of Nouda a Citie in China triumph at Liampoo strange Voyage to Calempluy miserable shipwracke FAria hauing recouered his sicke men set sayle for Liampoo and beeing comne to the point of Micuy in sixe and twentie degrees by a storme he was driuen vpon a Rock in the darke night and was forced to cast out all the goods and cut all their Masts ouer-board and with much adoe we escaped with their helpe two and twentie drowned by ouer-hastinesse to the Iunke of Mem Taborda The second day after came two Portugals from Quiay Panians Iunke and plained to vs their almost like misfortune one gust hauing taken away three men and cast them a stones cast into the Sea and the losse of the small Iunke with fiftie persons most of which were Christians and seuen Portugals One of the Lanteas came and told of their disaduenture the other Lantea lost only thirteene men escaping which the Countrey people carryed Captiues to Nouday so that two Iunkes and a Lantea with aboue one hundred persons were lost and in Munition and other goods aboue two hundred thousand Cruzados the Captayne and Souldiers hauing nothing left but that on their backes The Coast of China is subiect to these strokes more then other Countries so that none can sayle thereon one yeare without disasters except at the full and change they betake them to their Ports which are many and good without barred entries except Laman and Sumbor Faria went and anchored before Nouday and sent some to sound and to take some of the people to enquire of his men who brought a Barke with eight men and two women one of whom hauing first sworne by the Sea that it below and the winds aboue should pursue him if heâ— brake his Faith and the beautie of the starres whose eyes beheld all wrong as the Chinese requested told him that he taking them to be Sea Rouers and Robbers had taken them and cast them in Irons Faria writ to the Mandarin by two of those Chinois with a Present worth two hundred Duckets to returne his men which returned the next day with an Answere written that himselfe should come and demand Iustice at his feet and he would doe as hee saw cause Hee wrote againe offering two thousand Taeis for their Redemption signifying that hee was a Portugall Merchant which came to trade at Liampoo and payd Customes without any Robbery and that the King of Portugall his Lord was in true amitie with his Brother the King of China and in Malaca his subjects vsed the Chinois justly This calling the King of Portugall the King of Chinas Brother he tooke so hainously that he caused the China Messengers to be whipped and their eares cut and sent them backe with a railing Answere written to Faria which had so proudly blasphemed calling his King the Brother of the Sonne of the Sunne the Lion crowned with incredible power in the Throne of the Vniuerse vnder whose feet all Crownes of all that gouerne the Earth are placed with all their Seniories as all Writers affirme in their Histories For this Heresie he burned his Writing with his Picture as he would doe to himselfe charging him presently to set sayle and be gone Faria enraged resolued to assault the Towne hauing three hundred men seuentie of them Portugals with the company of Quiay Panian for that feat Hauing therefore taken foure Barkes the next morning betimes with them three Iunkes and a Lorcha or Lantea he went vp the Riuer and had sixe fathomes water and an halfe anchoring by the wals And striking sayle without salutation of Artillery we put off our Flagge of contract after the China custome to fulfill all complements of peace sending new offers of loue and further satisfaction for the Prisoners But the Mandarine full of indignation hardly vsed the Messengers on the wall in sight of the Armada whereupon Faria desperate of doing any good that way leauing order with the Iunkes continually to shoot at the Enemie where they were thickest he with his company landed without contradiction and marched to the Towne When we were comne within little more then a Calieuer shot of the Ditch without the wall there issued by two gates one thousand or twelue hundred about one hundred of
by her meanes enioyed that grace and respect in the Armie The King was about fortie yeeres old tall not fleshy well set his beard short with Mostachos like the Turks his eyes somewhat small his countenance seuere clothed in a shining reddish vesture set with Pearles on his feet certaine Slippers greene wrought with Gold and Pearles and on his head a kind of Sallet with a border of Diamonds and Rubies Before we came at him by ten or twelue paces we made our courtesie three times kissing the ground with other ceremonies which wee were taught The King commanded the Musike to cease and bid Mitaquer aske this Nation of the end of the world iâ— they haue a King and how their Land is called and how farre it is from China One of vs answered for the rest that our Land was called Portugall our King was great and mightie and from thence to Pequin was about three yeeres Voyage whereat he much maruelled as not thinking the World so great and sâ—riking on his thigh said aloud with eyes to Heauen O Creator of all things which of vs poore Pismires on the Earth may be able to comprehend the maruels of thy greatnesse And signing with his hand he made vs come neerer to the steps of the Throne where the fourteene Kings were placed and demanded vs againe how faire and when we said three yeeres he asked why we came rather by Sea then by Land wee answered that the diuersitie of States and Kings in the way hindred He asked What doe you seeke with so farre trauels and great troubles wee gaue as good reason as we could whereat he shaking his head said to the King of Benan an old man thâ—t it seemed that our Countrey had much Couetousnesse and little Iustice so said the other it appeares for those men which flie on the top of all waters by wit and industrie to get that which God hath not giuen them either pouerty forceth to forsake their Countrey or vanitie and blindnesse caused by couetousnesse makes them forget God and their Fathers After this the women began againe to play and the King retired himselfe into a house alone with his women which played and the Damsell that fanned One of the twelue Scepter-boyes told Mitaquer from his Sister that the King commanded hee should not goe away which he tooke for a great grace and wee returned to our Tents Fortie and three dâ—yes after we came to the Campe Royall in which space were many fights betwixt the besiegers and besieged two assaults by scaling with the Tartars losse the Tartarian called a Councell where were assembled seuen and twentie Kings and many great men and Captaines which agreed that seeing Winter was now comming and the waters of both Riuers had risen and filled the Trenches and many were sicke foure or fiue thousand dying daily that it was best to rayse the siege The King therefore embarked the Foot-men with the munitions fired the Tents and went away with 300000. Horse by land and 20000. Badas 450000. men being found by accounts to haue dyed in this expedition most of sicknesse 300000. Horses and 60000. Badas for want of prouisions the two last moneths and a halfe of this Siege which endured sixe moneths and a halfe Besides 300000. had runne to the Chinois wonne by their great pay Hee lodged the first night of his departure at a Riuer called Quaytragum the next day he came to Guijampee which hee found wholly forsaken thence to Liampew and after seuenteene dayes eight leagues a day he came to Guauxitim and forced it committing therein cruell slaughters to prouide his Armie of necessaries by the spoyle thereof The next day hee came to Caixilo which he medled not with being great and strong hauing therein 50000. men of which 10000. were Mogores Cauchims and Champaas better Souldiers then the Chinois Thence hee passed to the walls of Singrachirou and the next day to Xipator and then sent away most of his Souldiers spending seuen dayes in the pay and execution of Iustice on Prisoners Thence discontent hee went to Lançame by water with onely one hundred and twentie Laulees in which were some ten or twelue thousand men where sixe dayes after hee arriued in the night without any pompe There he stayed sixe and twentie dayes till all his companie were come both of horse and foot after which hee went to a greater Citie called Tuymican where he was personally visited by confining Princes and Ambassadours from remoter Kings Xatamas of Persia Siammom Emperour of the Gueos which within the Countrey confine with Brama of Tangu the Calaminhan Lord of the brute force of Elephants the Sornau of Odiaa intituled King of Siam whose Segniorie comprehendeth seuen hundred leagues of coast from Tanauçarim to Champaa containing seuenteen Kingdomes the King of the Mogores whose Kingdome lyes within land betwixt Corazan neere Persia and the Kingdome of Dely and Chitor and an Emperour called Caran whose Segniorie confineth within the Mountaines of Goncalidan with a Nation which the Naturals call Moscoby of whom wee saw some in this Citie ruddie of bigge stature with shooes and furred cloathes hauing some latine words but seeming rather for ought wee obserued Idolaters then Christians and much giuen to vnnaturall lust To the Ambassadour of that Prince Caran better entertainment was giuen then to all the rest Hee brought with him one hundred and twentie men of his guard with Arrowes and gilded quiuers all cloathed in Shamois skinnes murrie and greene and twelue Porters on horsebacke with Maces of Siluer leading twelue Horses in their right hands with rich embroidered Furnitures After whom followed twelue men of high and Giant-like stature cloathed Sauage-like in Tygers skinnes leading great Grey-hounds in chaynes and collers of Siluer muzled Then came twelue Boyes faire and well proportioned of equall stature in gallant array next them Leixigau the Ambassador himselfe in a Chariot they call it a Pirange with three wheeles on a side garnished with Siluer and a Chayre of the same attended with fortie Foot-men in murrie and greene yeelding a goodly sight all things manifesting the greatnesse of his Lord. Wee were one day in his lodging with Mitaquer who was sent to visit him where amongst other strange things we saw fiue roomes hanged with Tapestrie of Frogges very rich like that vsed amongst vs as if they had come from one place the Canopies Siluer-tables Furniture and State all rich This Ambassadour came not only to welcome home the Tartar but to treate also of a Marriage for his Lord with one of the Tartars Sisters named Meica Vidau a woman of thirtie yeeres very charitable to the poore whom wee haue often seene in their Festiuall dayes Mitaquer at our request mentioned vs to the King who sayd he would send vs with his Ambassador shortly to Cauchenchina and caused vs to be brought againe to his presence with great ceremonie of State and Maiestie as before at
preferred the Father some suspected that hee had liued some Ages which they vse to affirme of Strangers differing in countenance from them and would not let it be knowne The Chinois haue one day solemne to Confutius the Prince of the Learned in which they make a kind of Sacrifice to him not as to their God but their Master They call it a Sacrifice but in larger extent of the word Musike was prepared against that day at the triall whereof Father Ricius was present The Priests of the Learned called Tansu ordered the Musike and in the Kings Hall or Temple rather dedicated to the Lord of Heauen this triall was made The Priests came forth in precious vestures as if they would sacrifice who after their wonted rites to the President fell to their Musike in which were small brasse Bells Basons other as it were Tabors others of stone stringed Instruments Pipes Organs blowed with the mouth not with Bellowes others resembled Beasts out of the hollow bellie yeelding a sound all these sounded together with such discording discord as you may imagine the Chinois themselues confessing the concord and harmoniacall consent to bee lost onely the Instruments remayning from their Ancestors That Temple was great and magnificent built neere the Citie in a Pine-groue compassed with walls twelue miles about The wall of the Temple was of bricke the other parts of timber it is diuided into fiue Iles the Pillars were round of huge timbers as great as two men could fathome the heigth proportionable to that thicknesse the roofe is excellently carued and all gilded and although it be two hundred yeeres since it was built and the King resides not at Nanquin nor sacrificeth there yet is it little decayed from the first splendour In the midst of the Temple is a more eminent place of most precious marble in which is a double Throne both of marble the one for the King when he sitteth to sacrifice the other is left for him to â—it by to whom the sacrifice is made The Cloisters without are beautified with most elegant windings and lest the Birds should defile all the windowes are all netted with Iron wyers which is vsuall thorow all the Palace all the gates of the Temple are couered with Brasse plates gilded and wrought with neat Visages of the same metall Without the Temple were many Altars of red marble which represented the Sunne Moone Starres and Hills of China Lakes and Seas intimating that that God which is there worshipped made the rest which are placed without lest they might be worshipped for Deities It is prohibited by grieuous penalties to cut the trees of that Groue or any bough thereof whence they are great and old In the circuit of the Temple are many Cells which are said to haue beene Baths for the Kings to wash in when they were to sacrifice The Father vsed the Habit of the Learned as is said of those especially which professe themselues Preachers of the Law the Habit modest and the Cap not vnlike ours in Crosse fashion also He confuted both the Sects of Idolaters and commended that of the Learned praysing Confutius which was rather silent then would deuise any thing touching the next life and taught good Rules for the Life Family and Republike A great man flourished at Nanquin then which had some thousands of Disciples in opinion of Vertue and Learning and had set dayes in which to heare and to be heard euery moneth Chiutaiso brought the Father and this Father together and in some reasoning Ricius wrung from him that some corruptions were in the Idoll Sects which he followed not holding that only he sayd which was good It being a fashion that Learned men met in their Societies to conferre of Morall Vertues in one of those meetings this man learnedly confuted Confutius which another Magistrate tooke haynously and cryed out it was intolerable that the Sect of Idols brought out of other Countreyes should bee preferred before Confutius whom the Learned Ricius also admireth refelling the Idol-follies He answered he had spoken with the man but he was not yet well acquainted with China businesse and he would instruct him better Soone after he inuited him to a Feast for the Chinois vsually in such meetings determine Controuersies and there hee met Sanhoi a famous Idol-Priest a Learned Philosopher Orator Poet and well skilled in others Sects also When they were set this Priest and the Father together the Priest began shewing his desire to conferre of Religion Ricius first asked what he thought of the first beginning of Heauen and Earth and the Creatour of things whom we call the Lord of Heauen I deny not sayd he that there is such an one but he hath no Majesty nor Deity but I am equall to him and so are all others Canst thou saith Ricius make those things which he hath done he granted Make then such a Chasing-dish one stood before him this sayd the other was an vnworthy demand Thou sayth he art an Astronomer and makest new Sunnes in thy minde when thou reasonest thereof That sayth Ricius is but an Image or likenesse which the minde from things seene conceiueth as in reflexion of a Glasse whereon the Sunne shineth yet doth not the Glasse create a Sunne The Hoast for feare of further quarrell parted them At Dinner the Chinois disputed of a Question of humane nature how it came bad they want Logicke and cannot well distinguish betwixt morall and naturall good and neuer heard of originall sinne they discoursed thereof a whole houre after which Ricius repeating what had beene sayd entred into dispute with Sanhoi who laughed at his and their Reasons and answered all with a Tale of I know not what Floud according to his Sect but he straitned him with Arguments so that he and this Disputation grew famous They conceiue that God and the Creatures are all of one substance and that God is as a great Soule of the Vniuerse which opinion from the Idol-sects hath infected the Learned Ricius writ a summary of that point which gaue men good satisfaction and his Law seemed not so barbarous as they imagined The Kings Treasure was exhaust by the Corayan Warre whereupon contrary to the Lawes he caused the ancient Mines which were sayd to be stopped to bee sought and opened and imposed new Tributes that in all Prouinces Merchandizes should pay two of a hundreth which had beene tolerable if gathered by Magistrates but his Eunuches sent to euery Prouince without shame or mercie exacted on the people and raysed a worse combustion then that of Coray So many Impostors Counterfeits Theeues were euery-where if a man dwelt in a good House they would digge it vp to search for a Myne to force composition from the owner Some whole Cities and Prouinces compounded with these Caterpillers to free themselues from their vexations the money so gotten they gaue the King as taken out of their Mynes This caused Dearth
as it was they carryed it away It was not after such figure and manner as your Worship hath knowne mee but with a Beard an handfull long and a garment of a Learned honourable Chinois though downe to the foote and very modest but from the head to the foot farre differing from our fashion After the Eunuches had beene instructed three dayes the King in haste sent for the Clockes which they carryed and set in order before him whereat hee tooke such pleasure that he increased their Dignitie aduancing those foure which had learned this skill to a greater place of their Order The King asked them many questions of vs what wee did eate and how much and many other trifles Whereunto the Eunuches answered as they told vs afterward as wee could desire They gaue vs all the welcomes of humanitie which the King did shew vs appointing vs all to bee Mandarins which is the reward and felicitie of the Chinois which wee alwayes refused saying that we came not for that purpose but onely to dilate the Law of God neither could wee take that office vpon vs But we were so neere to bee made Mandarins that they told vs the King would bestow Dignitie vpon vs that wee were enforced to beseech the Eunuches that when occasion was offered that his Majestie did aske them any thing they would tell him plainely that we sought no kinde of Dignitie nor could become Mandarins who told him so much whereby our Lord God deliuered vs out of much trouble which wee should haue endured in refusing the same if the King had bestowed it vpon vs. Wee continued in these demands questions and answers goings and commings to the Kings Court for now we had liued a whole moneth abroad in which time euery day I at least was there when wee could not goe both because Father Matthew Riccio was occupied with other Ghests and visitations They enquired and asked vs what we would demand of the King Wee told them that we sought no profit at all but if the King would giue vs vnder his hand some certayne place and a House to dwell in we would bee very glad because wee had none other intent but to stay in some certayne place and to seeke to dilate the Law of God For though it bee true that our purpose did stretch it selfe further as I haue sayd in the beginnning yet wee found things in so different a disposition from that which we imagined that it seemed an exceeding great errour to make any motion to giue an entrance for more companie and Fathers for it was certayne that we should doe no good nor should finde any which by any meanes durst presume to mooue it to the King and assuredly should lose all that we had done and at last should cast our selues wholly out of the Kingdome and therefore it was not conuenient that we should bee knowne that we had any companions And many of our friends gaue vs counsell that wee should not seeme to seeke to dwell heere for in that very point they would haue vs in suspition Yet neuerthelesse we went as farre as we could and as we thought might bee brought to passe which was that we might haue the Kings license that no Mandarin might if hee would cast vs out The Mandarin to whom the King at the first had referred our businesse seeing the Eunuch had wholly medled in the same without him being much offended therewith did frowne altogether vpon vs and made a warrant out to take vs wheresoeuer they found vs vttering certayne grieuous words against vs because that being Strangers and remayning in the Court wee presented not our selues vnto him to whom of right belonged all the businesse of Strangers They were at the lodging where wee lay and they shut vp our Boyes for they neuer durst offer any discourtesie to Father Matthew Riccio which at that time was there At that time I was at the Kings Court whither they sought to send me word to speake with the Eunuches and that they if they could should aduertise the King thereof that they had apprehended vs. But they hindred with exceeding great care and diligence the going foorth of any bodie and they stayed for me till I came home which came home thinking no harme at all and when I was come in they shut the doore without Wee rode the next day very honourably on Horsebacke to the audience of the Mandarin and signified vnto him that in that we did not present our selues was not our fault hee vsed vs wâ—ll and honourably but they put vs in an house with a Guard where wee continued some three moneths yet so that certayne Mandarins came to see vs. This Mandarin gaue the King a remembrance that hee held vs there But that as our purpose was good to serue him with that present it was reason to giue vs some reward setting downe that it would doe well to giue vs the Ensignes of the Mandarins and to pay vs for that which wee had giuen him Royally but that it was fit to send vs away speedily into our Countrey or to Canton where vntill then wee had dwelt for it seemed not well that Strangers should dwell and that in the Kings Court entring into the Palace of the King euerie day being a thing so vnusuall And in very deed hee had reason for to suffer vs to enter into the Palace or to stay and lye there they did vs such a fauour that of long time the King of China hath neuer done to any Stranger Wee feared some trouble by this Petition But our Lord which had giuen vs this bitter morsell afterwards made it sweet to vs againe because the King made none account of it And albeit diuers times afterward the said Mandarin deliuered foure Petitions concerning this point hee made as small account of the last as of the first And diuers times the Eunuches told vs that the Kings meaning was of all likelihood that wee should stay heere For feare lest wee should returne into our Countrey to giue newes and knowledge of his Kingdome as they delt with a Turke which hath beene heere aboue fortie yeeres True it is that hee answered as little in performing nothing that was in the Petition But wee tooke it for good satisfaction that hee did not yeeld to that that we might not lose the other thing which was the principall When three moneths almost were spent seeing the businesse would bee prolonged if wee attended the Kings answer and being shut vp we could doe nothing nor negotiate any thing that we intended nor deale in Gods matters as we desired wee sought to get out of this place and to get a license to take a House and there to stay wayting till the King would giue some order and wee handled the matter so well by meanes of certaine Mandarins which fauoured vs and principally by the grace of our Lord that wee obtained our whole desire And we
from the North-west that wee were forced back againe to seek Harbour and came to an anchor the nineteenth of Iune in Crosse-road Here we stayed two dayes much wind blowing at the North North-east till the one and twentieth of Iune and then in the after-noone the wind came to the East and by South and the weather was faire therefore at a North North-west Sunne we weighed and set sayle againe and so did the Thomas Bonauenture that came to an anchor by vs this morning beeing also bound for Faire Hauen This next day in the afternoone we were thwart of Maudlen Sound and the weather being faire and calme we sent a shallop to the Northward to see what alteration there was amongst the Ice and to seeke out some good Harbour for a ship and also to set vp the Kings Armes at Hackluyts Head-land or some other conuenient place When Master Baffin was gone from the ship in the foresaid shallop I went presently into the other shallop into Maudlen Sound there to set vp the Kings Armes and also to see if there were any Morses come ashoare when I was within the Sound I found no Beeches bare for Morses to come vpon for Ice and snow lay yet vndissolued from the shoare side but I went to the Harbour and there caused a Crosse to be set vp and the Kings Armes to bee nayled thereon vnder which also I nayled a piece of sheet Lead whereon I set the Moscouie Companies Marke with the day of the moneth and yeere of our Lord. Then cutting vp a piece of Earth which afterward I carried aboard our ship I tooke it into my hand and said in the hearing of the men there present to this effect I take this piece of Earth as a signe of lawfull possession of this Countrey of King Iames his New-land and of this particular place which I name Trinitie Harbour taken on the behalfe of the Company of Merchants called the Merchants of New Trades and Discoueries for the vse of our Souereigne Lord Iames by the grace of God King of great Brittaine France and Ireland whose Royall Armes are here set vp to the end that all people who shall here arriue may take notice of his Maiesties Right and Title to this Countrey and to euery part thereof God saue King Iames. This is a good safe harbour and is vnder the latitude of 79 degrees 34. minutes as I haue found by good obseruation and haue of Westerly variation 25. degrees When I had here set vp the Kings armes I returned toward our ship which was come to an anchor at the entrance of Faire hauen staying till the floud came because that at the Tide of Ebbe there runnes a great current out of the Sound so at the next floud we came into Faire hauen and anchored by the Gamaliel and the Thomas Bonauenture the three and twentieth day of Iune Then Iohn Mason Master of the Gamaliel came aboord of our ship and I asked him if he had any worke for our men for I would cause them to come a shore he told me that hitherto he had not seene a Whale come in but his Furnaces and Coppers were already set vp and therefore as yet he had no neede of helpe but when occasion serued he would imploy them This day about eleauen a clocke Master Baffin returned in the Shallop from the Northwards he said that he had beene at Cape Barren which is the point of an Iland three or foure leagues from Hackluits headland but further then that he could not passe for Ice which lay close to the shore and he had not set vp the Kings armes in any place On Munday the seuen and twentieth day of Iune I went forth againe in the Shallop to the Northward partly to see what alteration there might be in the Ice with the Easterly windes which had blowne hard since the Shallop last returned but chiefely to set vp the Kings armes in some place conuenient because there was none set vp to the Northwards of Maudlen sound We rowed to Cape Barren where formerly Master Baffin had bin and finding the Ice there gone from the shore we proceeded further to an Iland which now we call the Saddle in respect of the forme thereof more then a league distant from Cape Barren In our way thither it began to snow and grew to be a great and vehement storme from the West North-west therefore we hasted and got to the lee side of the aforesaid Iland and there made fast our Shallop with a grapnell laid vpon the Icie shore vsing the best meanes we could with our shallops saile to keepe vs from the extremitie of so cold an harbour we staid here eight houres and the storme continued driuing the Ice still Eastward in great abundance and with wonderfull swiftnesse when the weather began to cleere I caused the men to rowe to Leewards to another Iland a league distant which seemed then to be a Cape of the maine land purposing there to set vp the Kings armes but afterwards wee found it to be an Iland and to the maine wee could not come for broken Ice This stormie weather continued from Munday night till Friday morning during which time we had beene but eleauen leagues at the furthest from our ship yet went we so farre as we could haue gone had the weather beene neuer so faire for at foure leagues distance from Cape Barren the Ice lay firme and vnbroken two or three miles from the shore and close againe to it lay the shattered Ice thronged together with this present storme On Friday morning we came backe againe to Hackluits headland and there I set the Kings armes in the like manner as at Trinitie Harbour from thence we rowed towards our ship and as we entred into Faire-hauen there came a Whale that accompanied vs into the harbour leaping and aduancing himselfe almost quite out of the water falling headlong downe againe with great noise we hasted aboord our ship and I sent forth both our Shallops to strike this Whale if they could and told Master Mason of her comming in who also went forth in his Shallop but it seemes the Whale past vnder the Ice which lay yet vnbroken betwixt the North harbour and the South harbour for they could not see her againe The next day there came more Whales in and Robert Hambleton our Masters mate strucke two which vnluckily escaped the first for want of helpe the Gamaliels Shallop being in chase of another Whale and our owne little Shallop not able to row against a head-sea to assist the other so that at length the Whale hauing towed the Shallop forth to Sea the harping iron came out the second was also strucken within the sound and ranne vnder the Ice which lay yet vnbroken at the East end of the Sound and drew the Shallop vpon it cleare out of the water by which meanes the Harpingiron came forth Here we
and I haue sent to you Ichkmen Kichenga to do obeysance vnto your Maiesty and see your Princely eyes whâ—n your Maiestie vouchsafed to doe their obeysance and see your Princely eyes And to me you sent of your Grace three Cups of Siluer a Bow a Sword two Gunâ—es and two Garment Clothes all which your Princely fauours I haue receiued and what shall bee behouâ—â—full for your Majesty from hence I will furnish you withall As also I am to request your 〈◊〉 in respect the Ambassadours doe passe betweene vs very miserably and poore by reasonâ— hâ—re are now some small warres betwixt vs and the blacke Kâ—lâ—â—acks and there are but small 〈◊〉 Tobolsko Castle and in the Castles of Tomin Darkâ— and from the Barban people Now if so be your Majestie will fauour me and defend me with these people from Karakula and will bee pleaâ—ed to 〈◊〉 on warre on your owne side and I on mine that matter will bee done betweene vs and all good matters continue betwixt vs. And so by your Princely fauour Ambassadors may continually passe betweene vs. Iuan Tarchan Varchies and Andrei Tarchan Varchies did conduct two of your Maiesties Messengers into the Dominions of Catay according to your Majesties commandement and they are returned to me againe out of Catay Also Lord there is come vnto me the Tarchan of Labaia and I haue sent vnto you with my Presents the said Tarchan Labar and Riâ—ibacshy Anâ—haij and with them ten men and two men of Sirgos in their Letter is written that there is sent vnto your Maiestie three Leopards with their clawes an Irbish with his clawes three Lizernes with their clawes a red and a yellow Damaske vpon a gold ground a piece of Veluet and an ambling Horse And I am humbly to request your Majestie if it bee your Majesties fauour to grace mee for your owne honour with a garment of cloth of Gold and of diuers colours fiue Garments of fine Cloth a Head-piece a shirt of Male a Sword a Bow twentie Gunnes a Flaggon of Gold a Kettle of Siluer and fiue sorts of Precious Stones of each one a Tennet a Dwarfe and Workmen to make Guns and Powder and two thousand pence Your Maiesties name is growne renowmed and famous euery where therefore I doe reuerence vnto your Majestie because many Kings of many Countreyes haue spread abroad the fame of your Majesties name euery where And I request that Ambassadours may speedily passe betwixt vs and now if it be your Maiesties fauour I desire you to dispatch these my Ambassadours with speed to me backe againe Anno 7128. the three and twentieth of September in the Emperours Dominions at Soldota a Cazacke of Siberia called Euashko Pettlin did report beeing examined of his Trauels The last yeere past 7127. hee said that the Boiaren and Voyauod Knez Euan Simonowich Koorockin sent him from the Castle of Tomo and his fâ—llowâ— Andrashko to conduct the Kings Altines Ambassadours as also to inquire or search the Kingdomes of Catay They went from the Castle of Tomo about the ninth of May and trauelled from Tomo to Kirgis with much expedition tenne dayes and in Kirgis is a Duke subiect to the Emperours Maiestie his name is Nemi who gaue them victuals and post Through this Land of Kirgis they werre halfe a day and came to the Dominion of Mutalla to the Altine King who gaue them prouisions and post and dispatched them thence so they passed through his Land fiue weekes to the Country of Sheremugaly where raigneth a Queene called Manchika who caused to haue prouision and post giuen them In this Countrey of Sheromogula they trauelled foure dayes and came into the Dominions of Catay called Crim where is a wall made of stone fifteene fathomes high alongst the side of which wall they went ten dayes where they saw pettie Townes and Villages belonging to 〈◊〉 Queene Manchika but in those ten dayes they saw no people vpon the wall at all At the end of these ten dayes they came to the gate wherein lye very great Peeces of Ordnance shooting shot as bigge as a mans head and in the said gate standeth in watch three thousand men and they come with their Merchandizes to traffique at the gate The Altine men also come to the gate with their Horses to sell to the Catay men but are not permitted to come within the walls except very few at once Thus their whole trauell from Tomo Castle to this gate was twelue weekes besides some dayes that they stood still and from the gate to the great Empire of Catay tenne dayes and came to the Citie or Castle of Catay about the beginning of September and were lodged in the great Embassadors house and hauing beene there in Catay foure dayes there vsed to come vnto them a Secretary with two hundred men vpon Asses very well apparelled and did entertayne and feast them with Sacke and other Drinkes made of Grapes and told them that the Emperour or King Tambur had sent him to aske them wherefore they were come into the Dominions of Catay Whereupon they answered that our great Lord and Emperour had sent them to discouer the Dominions of Catay and see the King thereof but hee answered them againe that without presents they could not see the King and withall gaue them a Letter which Letter they brought with them to Tolbosko and from thence is sent to the Emperours Maiestie by them Out of Catay they went about the twelfth of October and came to the Castle of Tobolsko about Whitsontyde the same yeere 1619. A Description of the Empires of Catay and Labin and other Dominions aswell inhabited as places of Pasture called Vlusses and Hords and of the great Riuer Ob And other Riuers and Land passages FRom Kirgis to the Riuer Bakanna is sixe dayes trauell and from Bakanna to Kinchike is nine dayes trauell from Kinchike to the great Lake in which Lake Rubies or Saphires grow is three dayes trauell and the compasse of that Lake is twelue dayes trauell on horsebacke There falleth also into the said Lake foure Riuers to wit from the East South West and North yet the water doth not increase in the Lake nor decrease There falleth yet another Riuer into the said Lake which commeth from betweene the East and the North and is called Kitta vpon which we went fifteen dayes to the head of it where we found the King Altine in progresse the way is very stony And from the King Altine to an Vlusses fiue dayes trauell the Vlusses is called Algunat and the Duke in it is called Tâ—rmâ—shine from him to another Vlusses fiue dayes the Vlusses is called Chikursha and the Duke in it is called Carakula from thence to an Vlusses fiue dayes called Suldussa wherein is a King called Chaksaâ—a from him to an Vlusses called Bâ—suâ— fiue dayes the Dukes name is Chichim from him to an Vlusses called Iglethin fiue dayes the Duke is Taschils Cherekta from him
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
his abiding place euery one of which serueth him daily with the Caracosmos of an hundred Mares milke and so all of them together euery day with the Milke of three thousand Mares besides white Milke which other of his Subiects bring For euen as the Husbandmen of Syria bestow the third part of their fruits and carrie it vnto the Courts of their Lords euen so doe they their Mares milke euery third day Out of their Cowes milke they first churne Butter boyling the which Butter vnto a perfect decoction they put it into Rams skins which they reserue for the same purpose Neither doe they salt their Butter and yet by reason of the long seething it putrifieth not and they keepe it in store for Winter The churnmilke which remayneth of the Butter they let alone till it be as sowre as possibly it may be then they boyle it and in boyling it is turned all into Curds which Curds they drie in the Sun making them as hard as the drosse of Iron and this kind of food also they store vp in Sachels against Winter In the Winter season when Milke fayleth them they put the foresaid Curds which they all Gry-vt into a bladder and powring hot water thereinto they beat it lustily till they haue resolued it into the said Water which is thereby made exceedingly sowre and that they drinke in stead of Milke They are very scrupulous and take diligent heed that they drinke not faire Water by it selfe GReat Lords haue Cottages or Granges towards the South from whence their Tenants bring them Millet and Meale against Winter The poorer sort prouide themselues of such necessaries for the exchange of Rams and of other beasts skins The Tartars slaues fill their bellies with thicke water and are therewithall contented They will neither eate Mise with long tayles nor any kind of Mise with short tayles They haue also certaine little beasts called by them Sogur which he in a Caue twentie or thirtie of them together all the whole Winter sleeping there for the space of sixe moneths and these they take in great abundance There are also a kind of Conies hauing long tayles like vnto Cats and on the outside of their tayles grow blacke and white haires They haue many other small beasts good to eat which they know and discerne right well I saw no Deere there and but a few Hares but a great number of Roes I saw wild Asses in great abundance which be like vnto Mules Also I saw another kind of beast called Artak hauing in all resemblance the bodie of a Ram and crooked hornes which are of such bignesse that I could scarce lift vp a paire of them with one hand and of these hornes they make great drinking cups They haue Faulcons Girfaulcons and other Hawkes in great plentie all which they carrie vpon their right hands and they put alwaies about their Faulcons neckes a string of Leather which hangeth downe to the midst of their gorges by the which string when they cast them off the fist at the game with their left hand they bow downe the heads and breasts of the said Hawkes lest they should be tossed vp and downe and beaten with the wind or lest they should soare too high Wherefore they get a great part of their victuals by hunting and hawking Concerning their garments and attire be it knowne vnto your Maiestie that out of Cataya and other Regions of the East out of Persia also and other Countries of to South there are brought vnto them Stuffes of silke Cloth of gold and Cotton cloth which they weare in time of Summer But out of Russia Moxell Bulgaria the greater and Pascatir that is Hungaria the greater and out of Kersis all which are Northerne Regions and full of Woods and also out of many other Countries of the North which are subiect vnto them the Inhabitants bring them rich and costly skins of diuers sorts which I neuer saw in our Countries wherewithall they are clad in Winter And alwaies against Winter they make themselues two Gownes one with the furre inward to their skinne and another with the furre outward to defend them from wind and snow which for the most part are made of Wolues skins or Foxe skins or else of Papions And when they sit within the house they haue a finer Gowne to weare The poorer sort make their vpper Gowne of Dogs or of Goats skins When they goe to hunt for wild beasts there meets a great companie of them together and enuironing the place round about where they are sure to find some game by little and little they approach on all sides till they haue gotten the wild beasts into the midst as it were into a circle and then they discharge their Arrowes at them Also they make themselues Breeches of skins The rich Tartars sometimes furre their Gownes with pelluce or silke shag which is exceeding soft light and warme The poorer sort doe line their clothes with Cotton cloth which is made of the finest wooll they can picke out and of the courser part of the said wooll they make Felt to couer their houses and their chists and for their bedding also Of the same wooll being mixed with one third part of Horse haire they make all their cordage They make also of the said Felt couerings for their stooles and caps to defend their heads from the weather for all which purposes they spend a great quantitie of their wooll And thus much concerning the attire of the men THe men shaue a plot foure square vpon the crownes of their heads and from the two formost corners they shaue as it were two seames downe to their temples they shaue also their temples and the hinder part of their head euen vnto the nape of the necke likewise they shaue the fore-part of their scalpe downe to their foreheads and vpon their foreheads they leaue a locke of haire reaching downe vnto their eye-browes vpon the two hindermost corners of their heads they haue two lockes also which they twine and braid into knots and so bind and knit them vnder each eare one Moreouer their womens garments differ not from their mens sauing that they are somewhat longer But on the morrow after one of their women is married shee shaues her scalpe from the middest of her head downe to her forehead and weares a wide garment like vnto the hood of a Nunne yea larger and longer in all parts then a Nunnes hood beeing open before and girt vnto them vnder the right side For heerein doe the Tartars differ from the Turkes because the Turkes fasten their garments to their bodies on the left side but the Tartars alwaies on the right side They haue also an ornament for their heads which they call Botta beeing made of the barke of a Tree or of some such other lighter matter as they can finde which by reason of the thicknesse and roundnesse thereof cannot be holden but in both hands together and it hath
it and aske of God that he do that for you which is contained in this written Prayer because with his owne mouth he taught it his friends and I hope he will saue you I could not doe any thing else because it was very dangerous to speake the words of doctrine by such an Interpreter nay almost impossible because he was ignorant AFter this wee entred into that plaine where the Court of Ken-Cham was which was wont to be the Countrey of the Naymans who were the peculiar Subiects of Presbyter Iohn but at that time I saw not that Court but in my returne Yet heere I declare vnto you what befell his Ancestry his Soone and Wiues Ken-Cham being dead Baatu desired that Mangu should be Chan. But I could vnderstand in certaintie of the death of Ken. Frier Andrew said that he dyed by a certaine medicine giuen him and it was suspected that Baatu caused it to be made Yet I heard otherwise for he summoned Baatu to come and doe him homage And Baatu tooke his iourney speedily with great preparation but he and his Seruants were much afraid and sent one of his Brothers before called Stichin who when he came to Ken and should waite vpon his Cup contention arising betweene them they slue one another The Widow of Stichin kept vs a whole day to goe into her house and blesse her that is pray for her Therefore Ken being dead Mangu was chosen by the consent of Baatu And was then chosen when Frier Andrew was there Ken had a certaine Brother called Siremon who by the counsell of Kens Wife and her Vassals went with great preparation towards Mangu as if he meant to doe him homage and yet in truth he purposed to kill him and destroy his whole Court. And when he was neere Mangu within one or two daies iourney one of his Wagons remained broken in the way While the Wagoner laboured to mend it in the meane space came one of the Seruants of Mangu who helped him he was so inquisitiue of their iourney that the Wagoner reuealed vnto him what Siremon purposed to doe Then turning out of the way as if hee little regarding it went vnto the herd of Horses and tooke the best Horse hee could choose and posting night and day came speedily to the Court of Mangu reporting vnto him what he had heard Then Mangu quickly assembling all his subiects caused foure rings of Armed men to compasse his Court that none might goe in or out the rest he sent against Siremon who tooke him not suspecting his purpose had beene discouered and brought him to the Court with all his followers Who when Mangu lay the matter to his charge strait-way confessed it Then he and his eldest Sonne Ken Chan were slaine and three hundred of the Nobilitie of the Tartars with them The Noble Women also were sent for who were all beaten with burning fire-brands to make them confesse and hauing confessed were put to death His youngest sonne Ken who could not be capable or guiltie of the conspiracy was left aliue And his Fathers Palace was left vnto him with all belonging vnto it as well Men as Chattels and we passed by it in our returne Nor durst my Guides turne in vnto it neither going nor comming For the Lady of the Nations sate there in heauinesse and there was none to comfort her THen went wee vp againe into the high Countries going alwaies towards the North. At length on Saint Stephens day we entred into a great Plaine like the Sea where there was not so much as a Mole-hill And the next day on the feast of S. Iohn the Euangelist we came vnto the Palace of that great Lord. But when we were neere it within fiue daies iourney our Host where we lay would haue directed vs a way farre about so that wee should yet trauaile more then fifteene daies And this was the reason as I vnderstood that wee might goe by Onam Kerule their proper Countrey where the Court of Chingis-Chan is Others said that he did it for this purpose that he might make the way longer and might shew his power the more For so they are wont to deale with men comming from Countries not subiect to them And our Guide obtained with great difficultie that we might go the right way For they held vs vpon this from the morning till three of the clocke In that way also the Secretarie whom we expected at Cailac told me that it was contained in the Letters which Baatu sent to Mangu-Chan that wee required an Army and ayde of Sartach against the Saracens Then I began to wonder much and to be greatly troubled for I knew the Tenor of the Letters and that no mention therof was made therein saue that yee aduised him to be a friend to all Christians and should exalt the Crosse and be an enemy to all the enemies of the Crosse and because also the Interpreters were Armenians of the greater Armenia who greatly hated the Saracens lest perhaps they had interpreted any thing in euill part to make the Saracens more odious and hatefull at their pleasure I therefore held my peace not speaking a word with them or against them for I feared to gainsay the words of Baatu least I should incurre some false accusation without reasonable cause We came therefore the foresaid day vnto the said Court. Our Guide had a great house appointed him and we three a little Cottage wherein wee could scarse lay our stuffe make our beds and haue a little fire Many came to visit our Guide and brought him drinke made of Rice in long strait mouthed bottles in the which I could discerne no difference from the best Antissiodorensian Wine saue that it had not the sent of Wine We were called and straightly examined vpon what businesse we came I answered that we heard of Sartach that he was a Christian we came therefore vnto him the French King sent him a Packet by vs he sent vs to Baatu his Father his Father hath sent vs hither hee should haue written the cause wherevpon they demanded whether we would make peace with them I answered he hath sent Letters vnto Sarâ—ach as a Christian and if he had knowne he were not a Christian hee would neuer haue sent him Letters to treate of peace I say he hath done you no wrong if he had done any why should you warre vpon him or his people he willingly as a iust man would reforme himselfe and desire peace If yee without cause will make warre with him or his Nation we hope that God who is iust will helpe them And they wondred alwayes repeating why came yee seeing yee came not to make peace For they are now so puffed vp with pride that they thinke the whole World should desire to make peace with them And truly if I might bee suffered I would preach Warre against them to the vttermost of my power throughout the whole World But I would
therefore went into the Court which was sufficiently ordered And in the Summer Riuers are conueyed into euery place whereby it is watered After this we entred into the Palace full of men and women and stood before Chan hauing the foresaid Tree at our backs which with the Vessels thereof tooke vp a great part of the Palace The Priests brought two little Loaues and fruit in a Platter which they presented vnto him blessing them And the Butler brought them vnto him sitting aloft in a very high place much raised And hee presently began to eate one of the Loaues and sent another to his Sonne and to a certayne yonger Brother of his who was brought vp by a certayne Nestorian and knew the Gospell who also sent for my Bible that he might see it After the Priests the Monke said his Prayer and I after the Monke Then he promised that the next day he would come vnto the Church which is great enough and faire and all the â—eeling aboue was couered with silke wrought with Gold The next day he went his way willing the Priests to excuse him that he durst not come to the Church because he vnderstood the dead were carried thither But we and the Monke remayned at Caracarum and other Priests of the Court that they might celebrate Easter there MAundie Thursday drew neere and Easter and I had not our Vestments and I considered the manner how the Nestorians made the Sacramentall Bread and I was much troubled what I should doe whether I should receiue the Sacrament of them or should celebrate it in their Vestments and Chalice and vpon their Altar or should altogether abstayne from the Sacrament Then there were a great multitude of Christians Hungarians Alanians Rutenians Georgians and Armenians all which had not seene the Sacrament since they were taken because the Nestorians would not admit them to their Church vnlesse they were baptized of them as they said yet they made no mention of this to vs. And they offered their Sacrament freely to vs and made me stand in the doore of the Quire that I might see their manner of Consecration And also on the Vigill or Eeuen before Easter by the Font that I might see their manner of baptizing They say they haue of that Oyntment wherewith Mary Magdalene anoynted the feet of our Lord and they power in as much of that Oyle with that which they lay aside and kneade their bread therewith For all those people of the East put fat in their bread in stead of Leuen or Butter or Suet of a sheepes tayle or Oyle They say also that they haue of the flowre whereof the bread was made which the Lord consecrated and alwayes powre out so much Oyle with it as the flowre they lay aside And they haue a Chamber hard by their Quire and an Ouen where they bake the bread which they must consecrate with great reuerence They therefore make one Loafe of an hand breadth with the foresaid Oyle which they first breake into twelue pieces according to the number of the Apostles and after diuide those pieces according to the multitude of the people and the Priest giues the bodie of Christ to euery one in his hand And then euery man taketh it out of the Palme of his hand with reuerence and stretcheth his hand to the top of his head The foresaid Christians and the Monke himselfe were very earnest intreating vs for Gods sake that wee would celebrate Then I made them bee confessed by an Interpreter as I could reckoning vp the tenne Commandements and the seuen deadly Sinnes and other things for the which a man ought to bee grieued and confessed All of them publikely excused themselues concerning Theft saying that without Theft they could not liue because their Masters prouided them neither food nor rayment Then considering that they had taken away the persons and their substance without iust cause I said vnto them that they might lawfully take necessaries of the goods of their Masters and I was readie to maintayne it to the face of Mangu Chan. Some of them also were Souldiers who excused themselues that they must needs goe to the Warres or else they should bee slaine I firmely forbad them to goe against the Christians and that they should not hurt them they should rather suffer themselues to bee slaine for so they should become Martyrs And I said that if any would accuse mee of this Doctrine before Mangu Chan I would bee readie to preach the same in his hearing For the Nestorians themselues of the Court were present when I taught this of whom I was suspitious least they should report ill of vs. Then Master William caused an Iron to bee made for vs to make Hosts and hee had certayne Vestments which hee had made for himselfe for he had some knowledge in Learning and behaued himselfe as a Clerke Hee caused the Image of the blessed Virgin Marie to bee grauen after the French fashion and ingraued the History of the Gospell in the Casements very faire and made a certayne siluer Boxe to lay vp the bodie of Christ therein and the Relikes in certayne little holes cunningly made in the sides of the Boxe Hee made also a certayne Oratorie vpon a Chariot very fairely painted with holy Histories I therefore tooke his Vestments and blessed them and wee made Hosts after our manner very faire and the Nestorians assigned mee their Font for Baptisme wherein there was an Altar And their Patriarch sent them from Baldach a square Hide like a portable Altar made with Chrisme which they vse in stead of consecrated Stone Therefore I celebrated on the Day of the Lords Supper in their siluer Chalice and Dish which were very great Vessels I did the like also on Easter day And wee communicated the people with the blessing of God as I hope But they baptized in the Vigill of Easter more then threescore persons very orderly There was great ioy generally among all Christians THen it hapned that Master William was grieuously sicke and when hee was vpon recouerie the Monke visiting him gaue him Rubarbe to drinke so that hee had almost killed him Then visiting him when I found him so ill at ease I asked him what hee had eaten or drunke And hee told mee the Monke had giuen him the foresaid Potion and hee drunke two little Dishes full thinking it had beene Holy Water Then I went to the Monke and said vnto him Either goe as an Apostle doing Miracles indeed by vertue of Prayer and the Holy Ghost or doe as a Physician according to the arte of Medicine You giue a strong Potion of Physicke to drinke to men not prepared as if it were a certayne hollow thing for the which you will incurre a foule scandall if it come to the knowledge of men From that time he began to feare and to beware of him It hapneth at that time that that Priest was sicke who was as it were the
I said vnto him I haue nothing to speake on the behalfe of any man vnlesse I should speake the words of God vnto him if he would heare them for he should best know what Baatu hath written to him They stucke vpon this word demanding what words of God I would speake vnto him thinking I would prophesie vnto him some prosperous thing as many vse to doe To whom I answered if yee will that I speake the words of God vnto him get me an Interpreter Who said we haue sent for him yet speake by this Interpreter as you may wee shall vnderstand you well And they vrged mee much to speake Then I said This is the word of God To whom more is committed more is required at his hands another also to whom more is forgiuen hee ought to loue more out of these true words of God I said to Mangu himselfe that God hath giuen him much For the power and riches which hee hath the Idols of the Tuinians haue not giuen him but the Omnipotent God who hath made Heauen and Earth in whose hands all Kingdomes are and hee translateth them from Nation to Nation for the sinnes of men Wherefore if he loue him it shall goe well with him if otherwise let him know that God will require all these things at his hands euen to the vttermost farthing Then said one of the Saracens Is there any man that loueth not God I answered God saith if any man loue me he will keepe my Commandements and he that loueth me not keepeth not my Commandements Therefore hee that keepeth not the Commandements of God loueth not God Then said hee haue yee bin in Heauen that yee might know the Commandements of God No said I but he hath giuen them from Heauen to holy men and at the last himselfe descended from Heauen teaching vs and wee haue those things in the Scriptures and we see by the workes of men whether they keepe them or no. Whereto hee replyed will yee then say that Mangu Chan keepes not the Commandements of God To whom I said Your Interpreter wil come as yee say then before Mangu Chan if it please him I wil recite the Commandements of God and he shall be his owne Iudge whether hee keepe them or not So they departed and told him that I said hee was an Idolater or a Tuine and kept not the Commandements of God The next day he sent his Secretaries vnto mee saying Our Lord sends vs vnto you saying Yee are heere Christians Saracens and Tuines and euery of you saith his Law is better and his Letters to wit Bookes are truer Wherefore hee would that yee all come together and make comparison that euery one write his words that he might know the truth Then I said Blessed be God who hath put this in the heart of Chan but our Scriptures said the Seruant of God must not bee contentious but meeke vnto all wherefore I am readie without strife and contention to render an account of the faith and hope of Christians to euery one that shall require it Then they wrote my words and brought them to him Then the Nestorians were commanded to prouide themselues and write what they would speake and the Saracens likewise and the Tuinians also On the morrow hee sent the Secretaries againe sayng Mangu Chan would know wherefore yee came to these parts to whom I said That hee shall know by the Letters of Baatu Then said they Baatues Letters are lost and hee hath forgotten what Baatu wrote vnto him wherefore he would know of you Then somewhat imboldned I said vnto them The dutie or office of our Religion is to preach the Gospell to all whereupon when I heard of the fame of the people of Moal I had a desire to come vnto them and while I was thus purposed we heard of Sartach that he was a Christian. Then I directed my Iourney vnto him And my Souereigne Lord the King of the Frankes sent him Letters contayning good words and other words besides testifie of vs vnto him what men wee are when hee made request that hee would suffer vs to continue with the people of Moal Then he sent vs to Baatu and Baatu to Mangu Chan. Whereupon we intreated and yet intreat him to suffer vs to stay But they wrote all and made relation thereof vnto him On the morrow he sent to me againe saying Chan knowes well enough that yee haue no message vnto him but yee came to pray for him as many other Priests doe But hee demandeth whether euer any of your Embassadours were with him or ours with you Then I declared all vnto them concerning Dauid and Frier Andrew so they putting all in writâ—ng reported the same vnto him Then he sent againe vnto me saying Our Lord Chan saiâ—h yee haue stayed long here his pleasure is that yee returne vnto your Countrey withall hee demandeth whether yee would conduct his Embassadours with you To whom I made answere that I durst not carrie his Embassadours beyond his owne Countrey because there is a Warlike Nation betweene vs and you and the Sea and Mountaynes and I am a poore Monke and therefore dare not take vpon mee to bee his Guide So they hauing set downe all in writing returned Whitson Eeuen came The Nestorians writ Chronicles from the Creation of the World to the Passion of Christ and passing ouer the Passion they spake of the Resurrection of the dead and of the Ascension and of the comming to Iudgement Wherein somewhat was to be reprehended which I told them and wee likewise wrote the Symbole of the Masse Credo in vnum Deum Then I demanded of them how they would proceed They said they would first dispute with the Saracens I shewed them this was no good course for the Saracens in this agree with vs who affirme there is but one God Wherefore yee shall haue them to helpe you against the Tuines so they were contented Then I asked tâ—em if they knew how Idolatry had his first originall in the World and they could not tell Then I told them and they said yee shall declare these things vnto them and then let vs speake for it is hard to speake by an Interpreter To whom I said make tryall how yee will behaue your selues against them I will take the Tuinians part and yee the Christians Suppose I am of that Sect that say there is no God Proue yee there is a God For there is a certayne Sect there which saith That euery soule and euery vertue in what thing soeuer is the God thereof and that otherwise there is no God Then the Nestorians knew not how to prooue any thing but only that which their Writing declareth I said they beleeue not the Scriptures if yee shew one they will shew another Then I counselled them to let me first talke with them because if I should be ouercome they might yet haue libertie of speech if they should be ouerthrowne I should
very artificially wrought Among these some are so great that they contayne ten paces in length fastned to the earth as if they lay vpright neere vnto the which little Idols are placed which seeme to giue reuerence to the greater and both are much reuerenced The Religious men seeme to liue more honestly then other Idolaters abstayning from certaine things as Lecherie and other things although Lecherie seemes no grieuous sinne for they say if a woman seekes for loue to a man he may vse her without sinne but not if he seekes first to her They reckon the whole circuit of the yeere by Moones In these Moones they obserue fiue or foure or three dayes wherein they kill no Beast or Bird nor eat Flesh as is the vse with vs on Friday Saturday and Vigils The Lay-men marrie twentie or thirtie wiues as they are able to maintayne yet the first is accounted the more worthie and more legitimate The husband receiueth no dowrie from the wife but hee himselfe assigneth conuenient dowrie in Cattell seruants or money according to his abilitie If the wife become hatefull to the husband it is lawfull for him to diuorce her from him as he pleaseth They take for wiues their Kins-women or Mothers in law Marco together with his Father and Vncle remayned a yeeres space in this Citie for the dispatch of certaine affaires From the Citie Campion you goe twelue dayes iourney to the Citie Ezina bordering vpon a sandy Desart towards the North contayned in the Prouince of Tanguth Many Camels are there and many other beasts and Hawkes of diuers kinds The Inhabitants are Idolaters liuing of the fruits of the Earth forbearing merchandise §. IIII. Of Carchoran the Originall proceedings and exploits of the Tartars of Priest IOHN and his discendants Customes of the Tartars Of Bargu Erginul Xandu the Cans Citie and Palace of Muske of strange Sorcerers and austere Monkes ALl the Prouinces and Cities aforesaid Sachion Chemul Chinchitalas Succuir Campion and Ezina pertayne to Tanguth Hauing passed ouer the foresaid Desart you come vnto the Citie Carchoram which is in circuit three miles strongly rampierd with earth for they want stone Neere it is a great Castle and in it the Gouernors faire Palace This was the first place neere which in old times the Tartars assembled themselues And now we will declare how they began to raigne They dwelt in the North parts to wit in Ciorza and Bargu where are many and great Playnes without Cities and Townes but goodly Pastures Riuers and waters They had not a Prince of their Nation but payed tribute to a certayne great King named as I haue heard in their language Vmcan which in some mens opinion in our tongue signifieth Presbyter or Priest Iohn To him the Tartars gaue yeerely the tenths of all their beasts In processe of time the Tartars so encreased in multitudes that Vmcan was afraid of them and thought to disperse them into seuerall parts of the world And therefore when any rebelled he sent three or foure of an hundred of the Tartars into those parts so diminishing their power and the like he did in his other occasions deputing some of their principals to that purpose They seeing their ruine intended and loth to be separated one from another went from the places where they dwelt to the Desart towards the North where by remotenesse they might be safe and denyed to Vmcan their wonted Tribute It hapned that about An. 1162. the Tartars hauing continued some time in those parts chose a King among themselues a wise and valiant man named Cingis Can. He began to reigne with such iustice that he was beloued and feared of all as a God rather then a Prince insomuch that his fame brought all the Tartars in all parts to his subiection And hee seeing himselfe Lord of so valiant men would needs leaue those Desarts and commanding them to prouide Bowes and other weapons began to subdue Cities and Prouinces in which Conquests hee placed such iust Gouernours that the people were not offended The chiefe of them hee carried alongst with him with great prouisions and gifts Seeing therefore that he was aduanced to so great glorie and power he sent Embassadors politikly to Vmcan to intreate that he would bestow his daughter vpon him to be his wife Which he taking in very euill part answered with indignation and reiecting the Embassadors of Cingis said doth my seruant demand my daughter Get ye out of my sight and tell your Master if he euer make such demand againe I will make him die a miserable death But King Cingis leuying a great Armie went forth with an hostile minde and incamped in a certaine great Plaine named Tanduc sending vnto the King and signifying vnto him that he should defend himselfe But he comming with a mightie Armie descended to the Playnes and pitched his Tents within ten miles of the Campe of the Tartars Then Cingis commanded his Astrologers to shew him what euent and successe the battell should haue They cutting a Reed lengthwise in two parts set the pieces themselues into the ground and wrote vpon the one Cingis and on the other Vmcan and said vnto the King In the meane space while we reade the Coniurations it shall come to passe by the Idols power that these two parts of the Reed shall fight together And whose part shall ascend vpon the other that King shall obtayne victorie in the battell The multitude therefore running together to behold that spectacle the Astrologers beganne to mumble their prayers and reade their inchantments when presently the parts of the Reed being moued fought together vntill at length the part of Cingis ascended vpon the part of Vmcan Which being seene the Tartars assured of the future victorie were encouraged to the battell and Vmcan being slayne the Victorie and Kingdome and Vmcans daughter remayned to Cingis Cingis raigned sixe yeeres aâ—ter this in the which hee got many Prouinces and lastly when he endeuoured to winne a certaine Castle called Thaigin and came somewhat neere being shot in the knee with an Arrow he died and was buried in the Mountaine Altai The first King of the Tartars was called Cingis the second Cyn Can the third Bathyn Can the fourth Esu Can the fifth Mangu Can the sixth Cublai Can whose power is greater then all his Predecessors hauing inherited theirs and adding by Conquest in manner the rest of the World For he liued neere sixtie yeeres in his Gouernment The name Can signifieth Emperor All the great Cans and Princes of that bloud of Cingis are carried to the Mountaine of Altai to be buried wheresoeuer they die although one hundred dayes iourney from it And they which carrie the Corpse to the buriall kill all those that they meet in the way saying goe and serue our Lord the King in another life They kill also the better Horses When the bodie of great Cham Mongu the Predecessor of Cham Cublai was brought vnto
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
feast with him in that Hall There are not Tables for all to sit but the greatest part of the Souldiers and Barons eate on Carpets At all the doores stand two giantly fellowes with Cudgels to see that none touch the Threshold which if hee doe they take his garments away which he must redeeme with so many blowes as shall be appointed or else lose them They which serue the King sitting at the table all of them couer their mouthes with Silke least their breathing should by any meanes touch the Kings meat or drinke And when he hath minde to drinke the Damosell which giues it goeth back three paces and kneeles downe and then the Barons and all the people kneele and the Musicians sound their Instruments There is no cause why I should write any thing concerning the meats which are brought to the Table how daintie and delicate they are and with what magnificence and pompe they are serued in All the Tartars obserue this custome to celebrate the Birth day of their Lord most honourably The Festiuall birth day of Cublai is kept the twentie eight of September and this day hee accounteth more solemne then any of the whole yeare except the first of February wherein they begin their yeare The King therefore in his Birth day is cloathed with a most precious garment of Gold and about two thousand Barons and Souldiers are cloathed of the same colour of gold though of Silke stuffe and a girdle wrought with gold and siluer which is giuen them with a payre of shooes some weare Pearles and Gemmes of great price namely the Quiecitarie which are next to the Can and these garments are not worne but on their thirteene solemne Feasts according to the thirreene Moones of the yeare all then cloathed like Kings This custome is also obserued with the Tartars that on the birth day of great Cham all the Kings Princes and Nobles which are subiect to his Dominion should send presents vnto him as to their Emperour And they who desire to obtaine any place of Dignitie or office of him offer their requests vnto twelue Barons appointed for this purpose and what they decree is all one as if the Emperour himselfe had answered them All people also of what Faith or sect soeuer whether Christians or Iewes Saracens or Tartars and other Pagans are bound solemnly to call vpon their Gods for the life safetie and prosperitie of Great Can. On the day of the Kalends of February which is the beginning of the Tartars yeare great Can and all the Tartars wheresoeuer they are celebrate a very great and solemne Feast and all aswell men as women desire to bee cloathed in white Garments For they beleeue that the white garment is a token of good lucke Therefore that fortune might fauour them all the yeare they weare white in the beginning of the yeare Moreouer the Rulers of Cities and Gouernours of Prouinces mindfull of their dutie send vnto their Emperour on this day presents of Gold and Siluer Pearles and Precious stones many white Cloathes and other white things and many Horses of a white colour the rest of the Tartars at the beginning of the yeare send white presents one to another It is the custome of those which bring presents if they can of each to present nine times nine as if they send Horses to present nine nines that is eâ—ghtie one and so of Gold of Cloaths other things that somtimes he hath by this reckoning one hundred thousand Horses Also at this good lucke all the Elephants which the Emperour hath fiue thousand in number are brought vnto the Court couered with Tapistrie wherein the similitudes of diuers Beasts and Fowles are portrayed carrying vpon their shoulders two Chests full of golden and Siluer vessell Many Camels also are brought couered with faire Silken clothes which bring other things necessarie for the Court. And this day in the morning all the Kings Captaines Barons Souldiers Physicians Astrologers Falconers and the Gouernours of Prouinces and Armies and other Officers of the Emperour assemble in the great Hall before the King and they who happen to haue no place there for the multitude of men stand in another place where he may see them All being placed in their order and degree one ariseth as it were some Prelate and crieth out with a loude voyce Bow downe and adore And presently all doe reuerence bending downe their foreheads to the earth Then he sayth God preserue our Lord with long life and ioy and all answere God grant Then he sayth God encrease and aduance his Empire and preserue his Subiects in peace good-will and prosperitie and all answere God grant And this they doe foure times The adoration finished the said Prelate goeth to an Altar richly adorned on which is a red Table wherein is written the name of the Can and taking a Censer and putting odoriferous Spices therein they perfume the Table and the Altar with great reuerence in honour of great Can and so returne to their places After which are offered the gifts whereof we haue spoken and then the Tables are prepared and a most solemne Dinner held eating and drinking with great ioy with their wiues in manner before described And lastly a domesticall Lion is brought vnto the King which lying at his feet like a gentle Whelpe acknowledgeth his Lord. In those three moneths in which as we said before the Emperour remayneth in the Citie of Cambalu to wit in December Ianuarie and Februarie all the Hunters which the Emperour hath in all Prouinces round about the Prouince of Cathai apply themselues to hunting and offer all the greater wilde-beasts to wit Stags Beares Roe-buckes wilde Boares Deere and such like vnto their Gouernours who if they be distant from the Emperours Court lesse then thirtie dayes Iourney send such beasts taken by Waynes and Ships vnto the Emperour hauing first bowelled them But such as are fortie dayes iourney distant from his Court send onely the skinnes which are necessarie for the making of Armour Hee hath many Leopards and Wolues for hunting and many Lions also greater then those which are in Babylon in the haire whereof certaine little beames appeare of diuers colours to wit white blacke and red and they are accommodated to catch Boares Beares Stags Roe-buckâ—s wilde Asses and wilde Oxen and it is maruellous to see the Lions fiercenesse and dexteritie in the act Two Lions vse to bee carried in one Wagon when they goe to hunt and with them a Dog with which they are tamed and they carrie them on this fashion because of their furie and vnrulinesse and they must carrie them contrary to the wind for else the beasts would sent them and flee Hee hath many tame Eagles which are so fierce that they take Hares Roe-buckes Deere and Foxes among which some of them feare not with great violence â—o seize vpon Wolues and vexe them so sore that without labour and danger they
and knew all his life and had seene that Palace flourishing into which he would needs bring me The Viceroy now resides there and the first Galleries remayne as they were wont but the Damsells Chambers are ruined the wall also which encompassed the Woods and Gardens is fallen to the ground the Beasts and Trees being gone Twentie fiue miles from Quinsai is the Ocean betwixt the East and North-east neere to which is a Citie called Gampu a goodly Port where arriue the Indian ships of merchandise Whiles M. Marco was in Quinsai account being giuen to the Grand Can of the Reuenues and the number of the Inhabitants he hath seene that there haue beene enrolled one hundred and sixtie Toman of fires reckoning for a fire the Familie dwelling in one house euery Toman contayneth ten thousand which makes sixteene hundred thousand Families of all which there is but one Church of Christians and those Nestorians Euery house-holder is bound to haue written ouer his doore the names of the whole house-hold Males and Females also the number of Horses the names added or blotted out as the Familie increaseth or decreaseth And this is obserued in Mangi and Catay Those also that keepe Innes write in a Booke the names of their Guests and the day and houre of their departure which Booke they send daily to the Lords or Magistrates which reside at the Market-places In Mangi the poore which are not able to bring vp their children sell them to the rich The Reuenues which accrew to the Can from Quinsai and the others pertayning thereto being the ninth part of the Kingdome of Mangi are first of Salt euery yeere eightie Toman of gold euery Toman is eightie thousand Sazzi of gold and euery Sazzo is more then one Florin of gold which will amount to six Millions and foure hundred thousand Duckats The cause is that that Prouince being nigh the Sea there are many Lakes where the water in Summer is coagulated into Salt wherewith fiue other Kingdomes of that Prouince are serued There is store of Sugar growing which payeth as all other Spices doe three parts and a third in the hundred The like of Rice-wine Also those twelue mysteries which we said had twelue thousand shops and the Merchants which bring goods hither or carrie any hence by Sea pay the same price They which coâ—e from farre Countries and Regions as from the Indies pay ten per cento Likewise all things there breeding as Beasts and growing out of the Earth and Silke pay tithe to the King And the computation being made in the presence of M. Marco besides Salt before mentioned yeerely amounts to two hundred and ten Toman which will bee sixteene millions of gold and eight hundred thousand FRom Quinsai one dayes iourney to the South-east are all the way Houses Villages faire Gardens plentifull of Victuals at the end whereof is Tapinzu a faire and great Citie in the iurisdiction of Quinsai Three dayes thence South-east is Vgaiu and two dayes further may you ride that way all the way finding Castles Cities and cultiuated Places in such Neighbour-hood that they seeme to Trauellers all one Citie all in the same iurisdiction of Quinsai There are great Canes fifteene paces long and foure palmes thicke Two dayes iourney further is the Citie Gengui faire and great and trauelling further South-east are inhabited places full of People and Trades And in this part of Mangi are no Muttons but Beeues Buffals Goates and Swine in great plentie At the end of foure dayes iourney is found the Citie Zengian built on a Hill in the midst of a Riuer which with her parted Armes embraceth and encompasseth it and then runne one to the South-east the other to the North-west They are in the iurisdiction of Quinsai are Merchants Idolaters haue store of Game Three dayes iourney thence thorow a goodly Countrey exceedingly inhabited stands Gieza a great Citie the last of Quinsai Kingdome after which you enter into another Kingdome of Mangi called Concha The principall Citie thereof is Fugiu by the which you trauell six dayes iourney South-east thorow Hills and Dales alway finding places inhabited and store of Game of Beasts and Fowle They are Idolaters Merchants subiect to the Can. There are stout Lions there growes Ginger and Galingale plentie with other sorts of Spices eightie pounds of Ginger for a Venetian groat There is an herbe whose fruit hath the effect and giues the colour and smell of Saffron but is not Saâ—â—ron vsed in their meates They voluntarily eate mans flesh if they die not of sicknesse as daintier then others When they goe to Warres they shaue to the eares and paint their faces with azure they are all Foot saue the Captaine which rideth and vse Swords and Launces are very cruell and when they kill an Enemie presently drinke his bloud and after eate his flesh After those six dayes trauell is Quelinfu a great Citie with three Bridges each eight paces broad and aboue one hundred long the Women faire delicate and they haue store of Silke and Cotton are great Merchants haue store of Ginger and Galingale I was told but saw them not that they haue Hennes without feathers hayrie like Cats which yet lay Egges and are good to eate Store of Lions make the way dangerous After three dayes in a populous Countrey which are Idolaters and haue store of Silke is the Citie Vnguem where is great plentie of Sugar sent thence to Cambalu which they knew not to make good till they became subiect to the Can in whose Court were Babylonians which taught them to refine it with ashes of certayne Trees they before onely boyling it into a blacke paste Fifteene miles further is Cangiu still in the Realme of Concha and here the Can keepeth an Armie in readinesse for guard of the Countrey Thorow this Citie passeth a Riuer a mile broad fairely built on both sides and stored with Ships of Sugar and other lading This Riuer disembokes from hence fiue dayes iourney South-east at Zaitum a Sea Port from whence the rich Ships of India come to this pleasant and fertile Citie as is the way betwixt in which are Trees or Shrubs of Camfire Zaitum is a famous Port where many Ships arriue with merchandise thence dispersed thorow all India There is such store of Pepper that the quantitie which comes to Alexandria to the West is little to it and as it were one of a hundreth the concourse of Merchants is incredible it being one of the most commodious Ports of the World exceeding profitable to the Can which Custometh ten of the hundreth of all merchandise They pay so much for hire of ships also that there is not aboue one halfe of their merchandise remayning entire to themselues and yet is that moitie very gainfull to them The Citie is Idolatrous giuen to pleasure in it is much embroiderie and Arras worke The Riuer is great
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
Argon he caused his Brother to be slayne and intending the like to his Nephew he went against him with a mightie Armie Argon being not of strength to withstand his forces betooke himselfe to a strong Hold among the Mountaines which that Sonne of Iniquitie besieged with his deuillish Armie Argon finally yeelded himselfe with condition that he might still enioy his Dignitie and Dominion But Mahomet deliuered him to the Constable and others of the Nobilitie to bee kept in Prison And departing towards the Citie of Tauris where he left his wiues and children he gaue direction that his Armie should come softly after him but appointed the Constable and such as he trusted most to put his Nephew to death secretly and to bring him his head These things thus hastily ordered and directed there was amongst those that had receiued the command of that bloudy execution a man of some Place and Authoritie brought vp vnder Abaga the Father of Argon who hauing compassion of his distresse tooke Armes and in the night time slue the Constable of Mahomet and all his followers and deliuering Argon made him Lord and Ruler of all some for feare and others for loue being obedient to his will and commandement Argon being thus established accompanied with his faithfull followers pursued presently after Mahomet whom he ouertooke and seized on before he came to Tauris and caused him after their manner to be cut asunder in the midst And such was the end of that cursed Caitiffe Mahomet before he had sate two yeeres in his seat §. IIII. Of ARGON the Sonne of ABAGA and REGAITO his Brother of BAIDO and of the exploits of CASAN against the Soldan of Egypt and others IN the yeere of our Lord 1285. after the death of Mahumet Argon the sonne of Abaga Can would not take on him the title of Can vntill he had receiued commandement from the great Can Soueraigne Lord and Emperour to whom he dispatched Messengers which were honourably receiued and entertayned by the great Can who reioyced much of his successe against Mahomet and sent some of his great Officers to confirme Argon in his Dominion who was thenceforth called Can and much respected of all For he was of a goodly aspect and presence couragious and wise in his proceedings much regarding and honouring the Christians The Churches ouer-throwne by Mahomet he repayred The Kings of Armenia and Georgia with the other Christian Princes of the East came vnto him desiring his best counsaile and helpe that the holy Land might be freed from the Pagans Argon very graciously answered That he would gladly doe any thing that might tend to the honour of God and the aduancement of Christian Religion and that he intended to make peace with his Neighbours that hee might the more freely and securely follow that enterprise But Argon before the execution of these good designments dyed in the fourth yeere of his raigne And a Brother of his called Regaito succeeded him who was a man of small valour as shall be after declared 39. In the yeere of our Lord 1289. after the death of Argon Can his brother Regaito was his Successor being a man of no Religion in Armes he was of no valour but was altogether giuen ouer to beastly luxurie and satiating his insatiable appetite with superfluous meates and drinkes and did nothing else by the space of six yeeres which he raigned insomuch that being hated of his subiects and contemned of strangers he was finally strangled by his Peeres After whose death Baydo a Kinsman of his succeeded him who was vpright and constant in Religion and did many fauours to the Christians but he soone ended his dayes as shall be declared 40. In the yeere of our Lord 1295. after the death of Regaito his Kinsman Baydo ruled ouer the Tartars He being a good Christian builded the Christian Churches and commanded that none should Preach or publish the Doctrine of Mahomet amongst the Tartarians But because those of the Sect of Mahomet were many they could hardly be induced to bee obedient to that commandement of Baydo and therefore sent Messengers secretly to Casan the sonne of Argono promising to giue him the Dominion which Baydo held and to make him their Lord and Ruler if he would renounce the Christian Religion Casan caring little for Religion but greatly affecting Dominion promised to doe whatsoeuer they would and so began an open rebellion wherevpon Baydo assembled his people thinking to haue taken Casan not knowing of the Treason which his people had wrought against him But when they came to the Field all the Mahometists leauing Baydo fled vnto Casan so that Baydo being forsaken thought to haue escaped by flight yet was pursued and slaine by his Enemies 41. After the death of Baydo Casan being made Ruler ouer the Tartars at the beginning of his raigne durst not gainsay what hee had promised the Mahometists that had promoted him thereto and therefore shewed himselfe for a while very austere to the Christians But when hee found himselfe well and firmely settled in his Dominion hee began to honour and cherish the Christians doing them many fauours as shall be declared First therefore hee destroyed many great Ones who had beene perswaders with him to become a Saracen and to persecute the Christians Then hee commanded all the Tartars within his Dominion to bee readie with their Armour and all necessarie furniture to attend him for a Conquest of the Kingdome of Egypt and ouer-throw of the Soldan and sent to the King of Armenia and the King of Georgia and other Christian Princes of the East in that behalfe At the beginning of the Spring Casan gathered his forces and first set forward towards Baldach and at length turned towards the Land of Egypt The Soldan called Melechnaser who had long before some intelligence of the comming of the Tartars assembled all his power and came before the Citie of Aman which is seated in the middest of the Kingdome of Syria Casan vnderstanding that the Soldan meant to giue him battaile forbore to besiege any Citie or Castle but hasted speedily to the place where the Soldan was and pitched his Tents but one dayes iourney from him in certaine Meadowes where was plentie of forrage and feeding where he rested his Followers and their Horses which were wearied with their trauell Amongst whom was a Saracen called Calphack or Capchick who had serued the Soldan and was fled from him to Casan for feare of imprisonment and punishments for his misse-demerits This Calphack had receiued sundrie fauours and rewards of Casan who reposed great confidence in him yet like a wicked Traytor he disclosed the counsaile and purpose of Casan to the Soldan and Saracens acquainting them by Letters how Casan meant to abide in those Meadowes vntill they had sufficiently rested their Horses which were wondrously wearied and therefore counsailed the Soldan to set vpon him before his Horses were refreshed
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
season of the yeere for hee perceiueth that our Armie which is there is not sufficient for offence but onely for defence You shall receiue double pay the better to furnish you against the iniurie of cold and as wee shall bee clothed with double garments I hope wee shall bee also apparelled with double glorie Let vs march on merrily I my selfe will goe with you and bee companion of your glorie After hee had thus spoken vnto his Souldiers they all cryed One God in Heauen and one Emperour on the Earth and bowing downe all their heads in token of humilitie they shewed how agreeable they were to obey that which he commanded Thus euery one returned into his Tent where they abode yet eight dayes more The Prince sent back againe Zamai vnto Sachetay with some fiue and twentie thousand Horse and fiftie thousand Foot-men for the safetie of his estate in those parts Thus after prayers were said all the Armie being assembled together in the presence of the Prince according to the custome of our Emperours our Armie began to march forward Hee forgat not likewise to dispatch one vnto the Emperour his Vncle to giue him vnderstanding of all this resolution the which hee very well liked of The Prince by the same Messenger did beseech him to send vnto him in the Spring of the yeere some fiftie thousand men to repayre his Armie and certayne money also for the payment of his men of Warre which hee granted him Moreouer the conducting of good store of warlike munition and plentie of victuals for to renew ours for this warre was principally enterprised for the profit and greatnesse of the Tartarians and for the importance which the losse of the Lordships of Paguin and Quifu was vnto them whereby the King of China had greatly strengthened and assured his estate in so much as hee might at his pleasure enter vpon the Tartarians and the Tartarians could not enterprise against him without great forces for that hee had caused a wall to bee made betweene the spaces of the Mountaynes which was fortie leagues long so as they were defended hereby from the ordinarie incursions the which continually did greatly enrich them because they brought much Cattell through the same wherein the Countrey of China doth greatly abound by reason it is situated in a temperate ayre being neither too hot nor cold This was the cause that made the Emperour his Vncle to desire this warre whom our Prince according to his dutie would to the vttermost of his power gratifie as also his new Subiects So wee began to march and in thirtie eight dayes wee arriued at Cipribit the Armie hauing found great discommodities there had wee newes of Calibes who was very glad to vnderstand how the affaires had passed hee came to visit the Prince who shewed vnto him a very good countenance and gaue him particular vnderstanding of his determination and vnderstood at large of Calibes all that had passed within the Kingdome of China The next day the Prince mounted on horse-back and came vnto Pazanfou where the forces commanded by Calibes were aâ— that present the which had often fought with and tryed the forces of the Chinois but found them much interiour vnto their owne The Emperour caused a generall reuiew to bee made of all the forces which were vnder Calibes and after he beheld the countenances of these Souldiers throughout all their rankes he caused them to muster and to receiue money euery one crying God saue the victorious and inuincible Emperour according to their custome The Prince of Thanais who commanded the Armie in Calibes absence going to meet Tamerlan with great diligence had marked the Wall and the places by the which hee might enter by force and sent many Spyes into the Country of China by certayne little wayes that were within the Mountaynes who aduertised him of all Hee had also gayned through his courtesie a Lord of the same Mountaynes called the Lord of Vauchefu who ruled a great Countrey with whom he had so well profited that he made him desirous of a new Master and to submit himselfe vnto the Emperour receiuing daily great discommoditie by the warres which the Tartarians and Chinois made so as he comming to visit the Prince of Thanais hee assured him of his desire to doe the Prince seruice and to helpe him in the warre against the Chinois the which the Prince of Thanais had wisely concealed from Calibes But as soone as the Prince was arriued he imparted the same vnto him the which made Tamerlan desirous to haue some speech with him so that as soone as the Prince had receiued commandement from the Emperour hee sent vnto Vauchefu to aduertise him of the Princes arriuall and of the commandement which hee had receiued whereof the other was very glad and hauing appointed a day the Prince tooke his iourney without stirring of the Armie into the campe of the Prince of Thanais which was neere vnto the Riuer of Languenne whither hee had caused this foresaid Lord to come who met him there Then the Prince after he had heaped vpon him gifts of faire Horses rich Furres and other rare things he willed him to vtter that which he had to say vnto him This Lord spake then in this manner Know my Lord that it is but losse of time to thinke that with your Armes you should bee able to force the Wall which the Chinois haue built against the incursions of your subiects the Defendants haue too much aduantage therein I doubt not of your Souldiers stoutnesse and of their courage I know you haue conquered many Nations with them and that whatsoeuer you command them they will die or doe the same I know you haue great and wise Captaines with you that your Person is onely of all the World worthy to command them but all this will bee but in vaine against the Wall of the Chinois where I assure you there are fiftie thousand men to keepe it and you cannot stay there so short a time but there will come thither fiftie thousand more led by the Xianxi who hath such a commandement The King of China will himselfe march forward also who will giue you battell with two hundred thousand Horse and as many Footmen After you haue fought I beleeue that the fortune and valour of your men may obtayne the victorie the which will cost you deare but for to shew vnto you how much the reputation and mildnesse of your men hath bound mee vnto them I will shew you a meanes by the which you may cause fiftie thousand men to enter into the Kingdome of China whom I my selfe will conduct and they shall bee on them which keepe the Wall in a manner as soone as they shall perceiue it In the meane time you shall cause your men to goe vnto a place that I will tell you which will bee very discommodious vnto the Chinois by reason of a Mountayne ouer against them which you must cause
them to winne for I assure my selfe that when they shall perceiue your Souldiers to bee passed they will lose their courage and you may easily winne the passage for to fauour those men of yours which shall bee passed ouer with mee And for to shew vnto you the affection and fidelitie of that I speake I will deliuer into your hands an onely Sonne I haue and two little Daughters with my Wife I haue also one Brother who I am assured will follow mee to doe you seruice The Prince hauing heard this Lord speake receiued great ioy thereof hoping that his affaires should happily succeede and this hee kept very secret for euen the Prince of Thanais knew not the meanes that this Lord had seeing there was onely present the Prince and an Interpreter and the Prince after hee had thus spoken vnto him gratifying him with all hee could possibly this Lord retyred himselfe accompanyed with the Prince of Thanais who conducted him backe againe with all the honour that might bee So the Emperour returned from thence into his quarter and the next day after hee had imparted the whole vnto Odmar and heard Calibes concerning that which hee had learned of the departing of the King of China and of his preparation which was great This enterprise seeming hard vnto him after due reuerence yeelded vnto the Prince hee spake vnto him in this manner Know my Lord that I am your Slaue for to obey you but seeing you require mee to giue you an account of all that I know of the estate of the Kingdome of China for that I haue remayned these six moneths vpon the borders by your commandement to hinder them from passing the same whereby they might hurt your enterprises I can affirme vnto you that the King of China who raigneth at this present is of great reputation and hath increased the limits of his Kingdome more then any of his Predecessors His strength consisteth in this Wall opposed against vs the which hee hath caused to bee made by reason of the ordinarie roades of our Nation I am of opinion that there bee betweene fiftie and threescore thousand men at the guard of that Wall men for the most part trayned vp in the Garrisons of the King of China and his best Souldiers and I know no good meanes to force this Wall without great hazard and much losse of your men I haue vnderstood that towards the Lake Hogeen you may finde more easie entrance into the Kingdome after euery one had declared his opinion hee said that hee hoped the great God the Vnitie of whom hee would maintayne against such Idolaters and his iust right should answere the reasons which doe contradict his purpose and the valiant arme of his Souldiers shall quite ouerthrow whatsoeuer opposeth it selfe against the same and concealed from his Souldiers that which hee held as assured to execute it to the end the honour of a happy conducting might be ascribed vnto him onely Now our Prince hauing satisfied euery one of the Kings and Lords that did accompany him hee appointed the meeting place for his Armie to bee at a certayne place where hee meant to choose fiftie thousand fighting men and deliuer them vnto the commandement of the Prince of Thanais vnto whom he ioyned the Lord Axalla a Genuois for that hee knew him to bee discreete for to accompanie him commanding him to giue credite vnto him for his experience and fidelitie The day appointed being come the Lord with his brother came to the Emperor hauing viewed the place againe and found it to bee forceable and fit to passe assuring the Prince once againe of the happy successe of their enterprise and the Prince beeing assembled with them to conferre together resolued in the end that his person with all the army should approach vnto the walles directly ouer against Quaguifou in which meane space the fiftie thousand men should march forwards vnto the place appointed and where they were assured to passe conducted by the Chinois Lord vnder the charge of the Prince of Thanais and Axalla The Emperour hauing not failed to deliuer vnto them the best souldiers of his armie and hauing set downe the order by them to bee obserued hee willed that the Lord Axalla should leade twentie thousand of them and should march the first the rest led by the Prince of Thanais and that euery one should haue one of those Lords to guide them that by their meanes the enterprise might bee more safely directed So hauing marched ten leagues they arriued at the passage the which was won not finding any man there to resist them and hauing taken a light repast they beganne to march forward other ten leagues which yet remained where the Chinois were who suspected no such thing hauing onely an eye vnto them which marched for to force their walles assuring themselues to haue the mastry considering their aduantage But it fell out much otherwise for euen at the very same time the Chinois did perceiue the Princes armie to approach vnto their wall as soone did they discry Axalla with twenty thousand men who aduanced forward being followed by the Prince of Thanais with thirtie thousand souldiers chosen out of the whole army who without any communication set vpon the Chinois which came presently vnto them hauing left a certaine number of their Campe for the guard of the wall but they were presently won by the footmen led this day by Odmar who passed ouer so as the Chinois were cut off betweene our Armies When Axalla began the battaile he ouerthrew them in a manner all the Prince of Thanais not hazarding himself therein there was great riches gotten this day the King of China his Cousin whom he called King was taken prisoner There was a great quantity of gold amongst them as well on their armes as on their horse and furniture they shewed no great stoutnesse The newes heereof being come vnto the King of China who at that present time was at Quantou brought vnto him great astonishment for that hee iudged it a thing that could not possibly come to passe you might haue seene euery one filled with fright teares and cries bewailing the losse of their friends The King gathering together souldiers from all parts as the custome is of these people caused all the Priestes and such as had the charge of holy things to come vnto him and after exhortations vsed he as their head commanded them to offer sacrifice vnto their Gods of whom the Sunne is the principall commanding in heauen whom they hold opinion to bee the chiefest cause of their being accounting it immortall and impassible mouing it selfe onely for the benefit of liuing creatures this did hee command to bee obserued through out all his Cities and the second thing was that euery one able to beare armes should mount on horsebacke and come vnto the King at Paguinfou whither hee doubted that we would go because it was one of the
the Campe of the Battayle for to stay the slaughter and to ioyne together againe his men to the end the accustomed watch might bee kept whereof hee gaue the charge vnto Axalla to whom he gaue likewise commandement to keepe the King of China within the middest of his Souldiers hauing bin already dressed of a wound he had receiued in his right arme It was a strange thing to behold the Enemies Weapons and the diuersitie of streamers wherewith they were decked the which seemed vnto vs afar off as beautifull as the diuersity of colours plentifull But to say the truth the multitude was great which this King had notwithstanding there was much difference betweene their valour and ours and it is reported that hee had ranged in Battayle this very day three hundred and fifty thousand men whereof there were an hundred and fiftie thousand Horse-men the rest on foot the greatest part of them were rude and barbarous people which suffered themselues to bee slaine one vpon another not marking their aduantage nor hauing any Warlike knowledge as our men haue there were slaine of the Enemies some threescore thousand Now the next day after the buriall of the dead the Prince hauing giuen thankes vnto God for his victorie caused the wounded to bee cured and amongst the others Calibes who by reason of the vntemperatenesse of the Ayre rather then by the blow of the wound he had receiued found himselfe very ill yet would he not omit his dutie to command alwayes his Auant-gard the which was a great pleasure vnto the Prince for he alone had Commandement ouer the Emperours Forces beeing a Scythian and greatly beloued of his Nation The Prince dispatched away thirty thousand Horse in the pursuit of one of the King of Chinas Brothers who was fled away hauing ioyned together againe some twelue or fifteene thousand Horse The Prince sent to summon Pannihu the which did yeeld it selfe vnto him wherevpon our Army approached neere vnto it for to aduance our selues the further into the Countrey Now I forget to declare how the Prince hauing the next day caused his Tents to bee pitched most stately and his Guards ordered according to his greatnesse the principall of his Army being also neere his person for all the night hee had remayned continually on Horse-backe vntill about two of the clocke when as they brought him a Tart and his water for hee neuer dranke Wine and lay downe on a Carpet where hee passed the rest of the night I was neere vnto him and neuer left him but I neuer heard any vaunting or boasting to proceed out of his mouth Then hee sent a commandement vnto Axalla to bring vnto him the imprisoned King who beeing come the Emperour issued out of his Tents and went to receiue him This King of China came with a very proud and haughtie countenance and like a couragious man approaching neere vnto the Emperour hee demanded of Axalla by an Interpreter which was the Emperour and being shewed him hee spake fiercely vnto him after this manner The Gods whom I worship being prouoked against my Nation and people and conspired against my good fortune haue made mee at this day thy Prisoner but forasmuch as it is reported ouer all the World that Tamerlan maketh warre for the honour of his Nation thou shouldest be contented that thou hast wonne it this glory that the Lord of the World the Child of the Sunne is in thy power to receiue such Law as it shall please thee to prescribe him This hee said in a braue manner and without any other humbling of himselfe The Emperour on the other-side hauing saluted him very courteously led him into his Tent. He is surely a great Prince and which hath had two hundred famous Cities within his Kingdome There be many Mynes of Gold and Siluer much Muske and also of an Herbe which the Christians call Rhubarbe There bee in like manner within the Kingdome of China fifteene very large Prouinces the which haue Gouernours It is reported that hee hath threescore and tenne Kings wearing Crownes Tributaries vnto him We call this Region China the which they in their Language name Tame and the people Tangis the which we call Chinois This Kingdome doth abound in fish and in great numbers of wild-fowle by reason of the great abundance of running waters which doe ouerflow the Countrey the which is reasonable temperate they a-abound greatly in Silkes and the meanest are apparelled therewith hauing small quantitie of Wooll and not vsing the same they haue much Cotton and Linnen in stead thereof The men doe weare their haire long the women combe them they haue as many Wiues as they are able to maintayne Next vnto the King there is a Gouernour Generall whom they call Tutan the which was the Brother vnto the imprisoned King The Prince hauing assembled his counsell to to the end he might be aduised how he should vse his Prisoners and the rest of the Victory hee receiued newes by Odmar how that the Kings Brother was arriued at Quantou the which hee had fortified and that great store of forces did ioyne themselues vnto him This was the cause that the Prince hauing somewhat rested his forces commanded two thousand Parthian Horse to conuey the Prisoners vnto Paguinfou and from thence after they had made abode there to passe ouer the Mountaynes and to remayne at Burda a Citie of olde time faithfull vnto the Emperours of Schytia and there to keepe them faithfully The purpose and resolution of the Prince was that it behooued to assault Quantou and to shut vp if it were possible the Kings Brother within the same being one of the principall seates belonging vnto the King of China and a Citie greatly peopled and strong it was forty leagues from the place where the battayle was fought But Odmar being aduanced thither would not retyre before he had expresse Commandement from the Prince who hauing sent thither pitched his Tents round about the said Citie hauing summoned many small Cities the which yeelded themselues wholly vnto the Princes mercy making great lamentation for their King taken Notwithstanding the gentlenesse vsed by the Conquerour made them to take all their losses with patience and because it was also reported that he had vsed the King most friendly and all the Prisoners the Kings Brother had sent Embassadours to obtayne leaue for to know of the Kings health and for to see him the which the Prince did willingly suffer to the end this other should not declare himselfe King who would haue brought him more trouble then the other He attended for the euent of Quantou and had his eye vpon the successe of this siege Now the Kings Brother hauing receiued newes of the Affaires of the besieged he determined eyther to succour it or to fight a Battle and came straight vnto Porchio and made a bridge of Boats whereof there be great store in these same Countreyes Now being enformed when the
please the Emperour to cause his Sonne to bee brought vp amongst them there the which he did grant vnto them in fauour of the said Prince Axalla establishing him for to command in the absence of the Prince his Sonne whom hee made Gouernour of Quinzai from Cambalu euen vnto the Sea This Countrey was replenished with some three hundred Cities and was in largenesse more then foure hundred leagues besides an finite number of Villages To make short it was that the Emperour his Vncle gouerned where this Prince Axalla was his Lieutenant generall vnder the authoritie of the young Prince his sonne vnto whom he deliuered him in charge for to be his Gouernour authorising him vnto the gouernement generall of all his Kingdomes for the great wisedome that was in this Knight made him beloued in all the Countreys vnder the Emperours obedience the seruices also and great victories the which he had caused the Emperour to obtayne by his stout courage and good conduct who for these occasions put his principall trust in him and after himselfe hee thought him onely worthie to preserue for his children his Kingdome and Empresse The King of China came to visit him at his Court according vnto the couenants offered vnto him the which he accepted he did sweare once againe obedience vnto the Emperour who caused him to see all his greatest Cities for to make himselfe the more to be feared of this Barbarian who kept no more promise then pleased himselfe Hee was astonished to behold so many Souldiers and the Countrey so well replenished with people and aboue all that they vsed so little curiositie of riches in their apparell and garments wondring that the Emperour was apparelled in meane Cloth of one colour without any other fashion but to counteruaile that he had about him men which seemed to bee Kings At the same time when the King of China was at the Court the Emperour receiued newes of the victorie against the Soldan for the which the Emperour reioyced making feasts and turneys in his Court in token of mirth and this reioycing continued for the space of eight dayes After the Emperour had giuen order for the double paying of his Armie that came into Persia vnder the conduct of the great Chamberlaine and Synopes Colonell generall in the Imperiall Armie the Emperour went vnto Quinsay for to see his sonne and visit the people of this Countrey The Emperour arriuing neere vnto Quinsay Prince Axalla comming to meet him two dayes iourney off with all the chiefe Lords of the Countrey together with the principall Citizens who were preparing for the Emperour the most magnificent receiuing that might bee as well by water as by land As this Citie is one of the richest in the world so is it one of the greatest and of the most wonderfull situation being all wholly diuided and ouerthwarted with channels vpon the which are framed wonderfull and stately buildings accompanied with an infinite number of Bridges vpon the which they passe ouer channels this Citie aboundeth with all kinde of spices and in great quantitie likewise with all manner of merchandises The Emperour as soone as he was arriued receiued presents of the Citizens the which were esteemed to be worth aboue two millions of Gold with a wonderfull variety of all rare and singular things the which they presented vnto him for to testifie the loue and obedience they did owe vnto him The Emperour was desirous to see his sonne whom they brought vp with the accustomed greatnesse of Princes and hauing caused the child to be brought before him being of the age of seuen yeeres he forbad from hence forward they should suffer him to weare any thing vpon his head and himselfe did hang a Bowe about his necke saying aloud that they which from their birth were called vnto soueraignties should bee vsed both vnto cold and heate and should bee exercised in Armes betimes and not brought vp delicately and easily reprehending them which had the bringing of him vp demanding of them if they meant to make a woman of him And they answering that he was tender If he be not borne said he for to be strong in Armes he will not be worthy to succeed mee for he must not be an effeminate Prince that shall preserue the Parthian Empire Now he had sent the Empresse vnto Samarcand to be deliuered where shee was honourably receiued hauing neuer beene there since shee was married Hee receiued newes that shee was there deliuered of another goodly sonne a thing which hee caused to be published ouer all and himselfe in token of ioy made feasts fifteene dayes with all kindes of magnificent turneys this he did for to shew his agilitie vnto this people to the end that as he excelled all his Court in vertues that they should also iudge him worthie to gouerne them aboue all other men After he continued there a moneth and hauing visited all the Sea-townes neere vnto Quinsay hunting all kindes of chases neglecting nothing notwithstanding which belonged to his charge saying often that the recreations hee did take were helpes for to ease him in the paines of his publike affaires whereunto God had called him Hauing vpon his returne called together all the people he published his lawes which were all reuerenced of this people as though they had proceeded from the Diuinitie so much admiration had euery one of the greatnesse of this Prince The which I will truely declare vnto you that so long as the Emperour was there this people did almost nothing being for the most part busied in beholding of him not finding any greater contentation then that Some of his Courtiers and amongst the rest Prince Axalla said one day vnto him that this was a Citie fit for his abode O my friend it is not so if they should see mee daily they would make no more account of mee It is a maxime that the Lord of this great Citie must not goe thither but once in ten yeeres and when he is there it behooueth him to temper his actions as if he were vpon a Scaffold readie for to play some Comedie where grauitie and good grace is necessary for to content the beholders for the people doe easily receiue an euill impression of their Prince as they also doe a good if you performe it well vnto them Now I 〈◊〉 forgotten to tell you how the Emperour sent Prince Axalla in his name from Quinsay 〈◊〉 China and his Imperiall Maiestie did not depart out of the Prouince before he returned he went thither with great diligence for to establish peace there Prince Axalla went forward towards Paguin where he was receiued of the Gouernour with all possible honour Anâ— hauing assembled all the Emperours forces hee set forward towards the borders of China â—â—ue an enteruiew at Pochio where the meeting place was agreed vpon He passed by Quantou went forward vnto Pochio whither the King came also to meet with him and hee entred
sense and did their seruice and so by that time that they had done the water was holy which being sanctified the Metropolitan tooke a little thereof in his hands and cast it on the Emperour likewise vpon certaine of the Dukes and then they returned againe to the Church with the Priests that sate about the water but that prease that there was about the water when the Emperour was gone was wonderfull to behold for there came aboue fiue thousand Pots to be filled of that water for that Moscouite which hath no part of that water thinks himselfe vnhappy And very many went naked into the water both Men and Women and Children after the prease was a little gone the Emperours Iennets and Horses were brought to drinke of the same water and likewise many other men brought their Horses thither to drinke and by that meanes they make their Horses as holy as themselues All these ceremonies being ended we went to the Emperour to dinner where we were serued in vessels of siluer and in all other points as we had beene beforetime The Russes begin their Lent alwayes eight weeks before Easter the first weeke they eate Egs Milke Cheese and Butter and make great cheare with Pan-cakes and such other things one friend visiting another and from the same Sunday vntill our Shroue-sunday there are but few Russes sober but they are drunke day by day and it is accounted for no reproach or shame among them The next weeke being our first weeke in Lent or our cleansing weeke beginning our Shroue-sunday they make and keepe a great Fast. It is reported and the people doe verily beleeue that the Metropolitan neither eateth nor drinketh any manner of thing for the space of seuen dayes and they say that there are many Religious men which doe the like The Emperours Maiestie eateth but one morsell of bread and drinketh but one draught of drinke once in the day during that weeke and all men that are of any reputation come not out of their houses during that time so that the streets are almost voide of companie sauing a few poore folkes which wander to and fro The other sixe weekes they keepe as we doe ours but not one of them will eate either Butter Cheese Egs or Milke On Palme-sunday they haue a very solemne Procession in this manner following First they haue a Tree of a good bignesse which is made fast vpon two Sleds as though it were growing there and it is hanged with Apples Raisins Figs and Dates and with many other fruits abundantly In the midst of the same Tree stand fiue Boyes in white vestures which sing in the Tree before the Procession after this there followed certaine young men with Wax Tapers in their hands burning and a great Lanthorne that all the light should not goe out after them followed two with long Banners and sixe with round plates set vpon long staues the plates were of Copper very full of holes and thinne then followed sixe carrying painted Images vpon their shoulders after the Images followed certaine Priests to the number of one hundred or more with goodly vestures whereof ten or twelue are of white Damaske set and embroidered round about with faire and orient Pearles as great as Pease and among them certaine Saphires and other stones After them followed the one halfe of the Emperours Noblemen then commeth the Emperours Maiestie and the Metropolitan after this manner First there is a Horse couered with white linnen cloth downe to the ground his eares being made long with the same cloth like to an Asses eares Vpon this Horse the Metropolitan sitteth side-long like a woman in his lappe lieth a faire Booke with a Crucifixe of Gold-smiths worke vpon the couer which he holdeth fast with his left hand and in his right hand he hath a Crosse of Gold with which Crosse he ceaseth not to blesse the people as hee rideth There are to the number of thirtie men which spread abroad their garments before the Horse and as soone as the Horse is past ouer any of them they take them vp againe and runne before and spread them againe so that the Horse doth alway goe on some of them They which spread the garments are all Priests sonnes and for their labours the Emperour giueth vnto them new garments One of the Emperours Noblemen leadeth the Horse by the head but the Emperour himselfe going on foot leadeth the Horse by the end of the reyne of his Bridle with one of his hands and in the other of his hands hee had a branch of a Palme tree after this followed the rest of the Emperours Noblemen and Gentlemen with a great number of other people In this order they went from one Church to another within the Castle about the distance of two flight shot and so returned againe to the Emperours Church where they made an end of their seruice Which being done the Emperours Maiestie and certaine of his Noblemen went to the Metropolitan his house to dinner where of delicate fishes and good drinkes there was no lacke The rest of this weeke vntill Easter day they kept very solemnely continuing in their houses for the most part and vpon Munday or Thursday the Emperour doth alwaies vse to receiue the Sacrament and so doe most of his Nobles Vpon Good-friday they continue all the day in contemplation and prayers and they vse euery yeere on Good-friday to let loose a Prisoner in the stead of Barrabas The night following they goe to the Church where they sleepe vntill the next morning and at Easter they haue the Resurrection and after euery of the Lents they eate flesh the next weeke following Friday Saturday and all They haue an order at Easter which they alwaies obserue and that is this euery yeere against Easter to dye or colour red with Brazell a great number of Egges of which euery man and woman giueth one vnto the Priest of their Parish vpon Easter day in the morning And moreouer the common people vse to carrie in their hands one of their red Egges not onely vpon Easter day but also three or foure dayes after and Gentlemen and Gentlewomen haue Egges gilded which they carrie in like manner They vse it as they say for a great loue and in token of the Resurrection whereof they reioyce For when two friends meet during the Easter holy dayes they come and take one another by the hand the one of them saith the Lord or Christ is risen the other answereth it is so of a truth and then they kisse and exchange their Egges both men and women continuing in kissing foure dayes together His Majestie heareth all Complaints himselfe and with his owne mouth giueth sentence and judgement of all matters and that with expedition but Religious matters hee medleth not withall but referreth them wholly vnto the Metropolitane His Majestie retayneth and well rewardeth all strangers that come to serue him and especially men of Warre He delighteth not greatly in
then in the Countrey of Preste Iohn to deliuer a letter to Aurique Barbosa the Factor of Antonio Sylueira sent three yeeres before by Nuno de Cunha who with fortie others escaped from the rebellion Xael in which Dom Manoel de Meneses with one hundred and sixtie Portugals were taken foure hundred thousand Duckets and sixe Portugall Ships which were those that Solyman Bassa A. 1538. brought with prouision for his Armada to the siege of Diu the King of Xael hauing sent them with sixtie Portugals for a Cairo present the rest hee bestowed as almes on Mahomets house at Mecca I with three others were sent some dayes iourneys into the Countrey to Barbosa then in the Fort of Geleytor in guard of the Queene mother of the Preste Iohn who welcommed them as the nightly dew to the flowerie Garden and as Helena to Ierusalem so were they said she to her eyes But to leaue those things he went thence to Ormus and then to Goa there offered his seruice to Pero de Faria Captaine of Malaca which entertained him The occurrences of Bata Achem Aaru in Samatra Queda in the continent and his imployments in those parts as also of Siaca Paon Patane I omit He saith that hee was wracked at Sea comming from Aaru of eight and twentie fiue onely escaping two of which the Crocodiles deuoured Hee was taken and sold to a Moore which carried him to Malaca Thence Pero de Faria sent him to Patane in trade from thence againe imployed by Antonio de Faria to Lugor Coia Acem a Guzarate Pirate set vpon them tooke and killed all Burall and Pinto only escaping which leaping into the Sea were reserued by a Barke and sent to Patane Faria afraid to return to Malaca where he was so indebted for those goods vowed to be reuenged of the Pirat And by helpe of his friends armed a Iunke with fiue fifty Souldiers of which I and Borall extreamely both indebted and wounded were From Patane we set forth in May 1540. and to a Hauen called Bralapisaon some sixe leagues off the firme Land where we found a Iunke of the Lequios bound for Siam with an Embassadour of Nautaquim de Lindau Prince of the I le of Tosa situate in six thirty degrees which seeing vs come hasted away with all speed Faria sent a Chinese Pilot to them with faire offers of loue and courtesie who returned with a present a rich Sword and sixe and twentie Pearles in a Boxe of Gold with this answer That the time would come when they should communicate with vs in the Law of the true God of infinite mercy who by his death had giuen life to all men with a perpetuall inheritance in the house of the good and hee beleeued that this should bee after the halfe of the halfe of time were past Neither could Antonie de Faria returne any thing in recompence they being gotten farre into the Sea Heere wee watered and after coasted to search the Riuer of Pulo Cambim which diuides the Kingdome of Champaa from the Seniorie of Camboia in the height of nine degrees Thither we came in the end of May and the Pilot went vp the Riuer three leagues to a great Towne called Catimparù where we stayed to take in prouision twelue dayes Faria being curious desired to know whence that Riuer came the originall thereof they told him was a Lake called Pinator Eastward from that Sea two hundred and sixtie leagues in the Kingdome of Quitirvan which Lake was compassed with high Hills at the bottome of which alongst the waters side were eight and thirtie Townes thirteene great the rest small One of these Great ones was named Xincaleu where was a great Gold Mine whence euery day was taken a Barre and a halfe of Gold which in our money amounteth by the yeere to two and twentie millions of Gold Foure Lords are sharers and are still at warres for a singular proprietie They said that one of these called Raiabitau in the Court of his house in iarres had set vp to the necke in earth six hundred Bars of Gold in poulder as good as that of Menancabo in Samatra and that if three hundred of our men were sent thither with one hundred Caliuers they would without doubt become masters thereof They said also that in Buaquirim another of those Townes was a Rocke of Diamonds better then those of Laue and of Taniampura in the I le of Iaua Proceeding along the Coast of Champaa from Pullo Cambim we came to a shelfe called Saleyiacuu and the next day to the Riuer Toobasoy in the mouth whereof a Iunke passed by to which we offered the courtesie of the Sea and they in scorne made shew of a Negroes Buttockes with many trumpets and other iollitie Hence grew displeasure in the night three Barks came to assaile vs which we tooke with the Captain two Acheners a Turke the Negro This Negro confessed himselfe a Christian slaue to Gasper de Mello a Portugall whom that dogge he pointed to the bound Captaine slew two yeeres since in Liampoo with sixe and twentie Portugals besides with him in the Ship What said Faria is this Similau Yea said he and he had thought in so small a Barke there had not beene aboue sixe or seuen and hee would haue bound your hands and feet and impaled you as hee serued my master Faria hauing serued him and his with the same sauce tooke the Iunke in which was thirtie six thousand Taeis of Iapon Siluer which make fiftie foure thousand Cruzados or Duckets besides much good merchandize Faria proceeded alongst the Coast of Champaa and came to the Riuer Tinacoru by our men called Varella into which enter the Ships of Siam and the Malaya Coast which goe for China and Truck for Gold Calamba and Iuory whereof that Kingdome hath store Many Paraos or small Barkes came aboord vs and wondred to see white men with beards They told him that if he would goe vp the Riuer to the Citie Pilaucacem where the King resides hee might in fiue dayes sell his goods for great Merchants resorted thither from the Lauhos and Pafuaas and Gueos That Riuer they said came from the Hill Moncalor eightie leagues from that place and beyond that Hill it is much larger but shallower in some places making shallow fields where bred infinite store of Fowles which couer the ground in such innumerable numbers that two and fortie yeeres before they caused the Kingdome of Chintaleuhos which is eight dayes iourney to be dispeopled Beyond that Country of Birds is another wilde and mountainous where abide many creatures much worse then those Birds Elephants Rhinocerotes Lions Wilde-swine Buffals and Wilde-kine In the midst of that Land or Kingdome so it had beene in old time is a great Lake which the Natiues call Cunebetee others Chiammay from which proceeds this riuer with other three in great quantitie washing that land That
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
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
their dead fiue hundred being ouerwhelmed and fifteene or twenty Temples called on their Amida and some ranne to Fuscimo Taicos new Citie for him and his Nobles whereof the best part was ruined and much harme happened in many other places Taicos Palace at Fuscimo fell downe and oppressed seuenty women himselfe escaped into the Kitchin vntouched and the relations of that Earth-quake would yeeld a booke alone Taico yet would seeme to dominere ouer Nature and leuell a very huge Hill with the Valley to erect new Palaces And because hee could not entertayne at Fuscimo the China Embassadours he receiued them at Ozaca The solemne state and pompe I omit They had audience the twentieth of October The Kings Letter was written in a plate of Gold very great and ponderous inclosed in a golden Coffer wherein also was the Vest and royall Crowne for Taico and in another was a Crown for Mandocorasama his Wife with title of Queene Hee sent also twenty Vests of Quingui with title and dignity of China for twenty Lords the first of which was Augustine by him named and as many for those whom Taico should name In the Epistle of the King were these words Futatabi cioscen vocasu cotonacare that is Thou shalt not returne againe into Corai and if thou returnest thy dignitie shall no longer aduantage thee words importing their vassallage to the Chinois The Embassadour and Taico were equall in sitting on the Tatamis the chiefe Lords of Iapon were present and after the taste of their Chia Taico receiued the Epistle or golden plate and layd it on his head and the Vests going in to put them on At his returne the Chinois adored him and a feast followed with pompous plenty which was continued other dayes But when the Legates moued him to pull downe his Forts in Corai and to pardon the Coraians hee brake into exceeding furie and commanded them backe to Corai and extruded them in great haste out of the Countrey with inhumane vsage About this time Peter Martines first Bishop of Iapon came thither Taico died Sept. 16. 1598. hauing taken politike order for the State and as foolish for himselfe to be made a God prescribing the forme of his Temple One was crucified for speaking of his death Word was sent by the Gouernours which Taico had appointed as protectors for his Sonne to the Iaponian Lords in Corai to returne and so after seuen yeeres that warre had end What euents followed after in Iapon you may see in my Pilgrimage and somewhat also before in Captayne Saris and Master Cocks relations Taicosamas posteritie rooted out and Ogasha Sama seizing the Soueraigntie to himselfe So much harder is it to be a Man then a God and easier to bequeaâ—h a Temple and tytle of Camus and diuine worship as to a new Faciman or Mars all which his Exâ—cutors performed and caused to be effected his body not burned after the wont but as he had prescribed put in a Câ—est and translated to that sumptuous Temple where he is worshâ—pped as the principall of all the Cami with an Image erected to him seene by Cap. Saris then to bequeath long life to himselfe accomplishment to his Coraian designes or sure succession to his posteritie in all which hee fayled But we will with our persecuted Iesuites leaue Iapon and ship our selues for China §. III. RVGGERIVS enters againe into China with RICIVS and is forced backe to Amacao thence sent for againe by the Vice-roy Sande and Almeida are sent to them and enter the Countrey as farre as Cequion and returne to Sciauchin IT is a custome in China that of all Charters granted by the Magistrates a copie is kept in the Registrie and the execution or what hath therein beene done subscribed at the end The succeeding Vice-roy finding the copie of that Charter granted to the Iesuites at their departure without such subscription because nothing had beene done therein wrote to Canton to the Aitao he which then was absent to the Ansam or Hiam-xan the Gouernour of the Citie and he being ignorant thereof to the Port-gouernours at Amacao They went to the Bishop and by him were sent to our Colledge where they were shewed the sealed Charter but there being then Melchior Carnerus Patriarch of Ethiopia which expedition was dissolued Capralis Gomez Pasius and other principall Iesuites it was thought fit that it should not be deliuered to the Souldiers but carried by two Iesuites to the Aitao and Ruggerius with Ricius were therein employed the China Captaines also consenting that they should goe to Ansan thence by the Ci-hien or Gouernour to be sent to Canton This Ci-hien when they came thither would haue sent it and not them which they refused whereupon he grew angry cast it on the ground and commanded them to returne backe saying that a deposed Vice-royes grant could no way benefit them They went to their Inne and there consulted to goe without his leaue deceiuing a Ship-master with sight of the said Charter who tooke them into his ship but terrified by others cast them out againe with their goods At this time came a message to the Ci-hien of his Fathers death whereupon according to the China Custome he lost his office and returned home during his three yeereâ— mourning They by this occasion and a weightier cause money giuen to the Successour and the Notaries subtiltie in a seeming seruice to the Common-wealth were sent in manner as prisoners to Canton as strangers found there The Aitao notwithstanding gaue them kinde entertaynment They petitioned shewing that they were Religious men which had passed so many Seas allured by the fame of China there to spend their dayes and desired nothing but a small piece of ground to raise thereon a little house to the Lord of Heauen and they would be further burthensome to none but procure liuelihood of their owne mens beneuolence They mentioned nothing of Christian Religion lest it might cause suspicion and bee a let to them the Chinois thinking too well of themselues that strangers should teach them any thing which they haue not already more complete in their owne Bookes Rebellions haue also begunne vnder colour of new Sects The Aitao or high Admirall commended their desires but said it belonged to higher Magistrates and could onely bee granted by the Ciai-yuen the Visitour of the Prouince or the Vice-roy They desired that hee would at least let them stay there in the Palace of the King of Siams Legates till the Portugals Mart came and in meane time they would trye what they could doe with the Visitour or Vice-roy This hee granted but the same day repeated professing that he feared the Visitor if out of Mart-time he should finde stâ—angers there whose censure is dreadfull to euery Magistrate He therefore commanded them presently to packe for Amacao They were comne backe to Ansan and found things in worse case then before For at the gates of the Citie they found an
were which certaine moneths past they had told him had brought him certaine Images and certaine small Bells which strike of themselues for so they call Clocks and wherefore they brought him not those things and that they should fetch them quickly and he gaue the charge of dispatching our businesse to a great Mandarin of Paquin to whom it belongeth to deale with Strangers These newes were brought to the Eunuch and vs who for the executing of the Kings commandement whose Letter they obey without reply sent vs word that wee must goe to Paquin because the King sent for vs and sent vs eft-soones all the Pieces which hee had in his possession and the most part of those things which he had taken from vs that wee our selues should put them in order that they should receiue no hurt by the way and gaue vs many men to carrie all our stuffe on their shoulders and Horses for all our companie and a Mandarin to accompanie vs. Wee were lodged all the way in the Palaces of the Mandarins very honourably Hauing trauelled foure dayes we came to the walls of Paquin and they lodged vs in an house without the walls And because the King had referred the businesse to the Mandarin which I spoke of the Eunuch feared that hee should lose the thankes which he thought to receiue of the King for that present if another Mandarin should meddle with it That day hee caused all things to be made readie of the Petition and remembrance which therewithall he was to giue vnto the King and earely in the morning with other things and much Siluer of the reuenues which he presented being all guarded with many Horse-men and Foot-men hee carryed it to the Kings Palaces Who hauing the memoriall deliuered vnto him commanded his men to receiue all things They receiued the same and when hee had seene all those strange things the like whereof or of so great excellencie he had neuer seene before they say that he rejoyced greatly considering and viewing all things a very long while with great shew of admiration especially of the Pictures and Clockes Hee commanded them to bring vs to his Palaces and to enquire of vs what kinde of thing those Clockes were and what thing was needfull for to haue them to goe well Wee answered to the point And from the place where we were on horsebacke by poste on two Horses which we mounted and with the like speed we came to the Court. At the same of our comming and for to see vs an infinite multitude of people assembled because Strangers are no ordinarie thing in China and when wee came to the Court those which had the charge of vs were enforced to make roome with staues When we were come to a certayne place a great Eunuch accompanied with aboue two hundred small ones came downe to demand of vs what the King commanded him and to see how wee did handle those Clockes They saw how we vsed them but wee answered to the question that it was needfull to appoint some bodie of good capacitie to learne which in two or three dayes would learne how to vse them When they had returned the answer the King appointed foure Eunuches of his principall Mathematicians to learne it and command them to receiue vs in the meane while in his house withâ—n his owne Palace They receiued vs with much respect and good enteâ—taynment A great multitude of Eunuches came to see vs and euery one to enquire what came in his minde But the King which all those dayes was occupied in rejoycing for those new things commanded the Images to bee placed in a principall Hall whether as the Eunuches told vs the chiefe Queene went to doe them reuerence and they told vs of the King that hee durst not keepe them neere him being afrayd because they seemed vnto him to bee aliue Often times he sent Eunuches vnto vs to enquire diuers things concerning our Countrey whether it had any King what manner of Apparell he wore and what kinde of Hat for in China they make great difference of the apparell of the King from the foot to the head and of other men and if wee had any Picture of him that we should shew it We had a picture wherein was the Pope with his triple Crowne and the Emperour and the King with their Ensignes kneeling before the name of God and we gaue them it for a show declaring that those were three kinde of Kings and that all of them did worship the true God which made Heauen and Earth whose Image we had giuen him They carryed it vnto him and because it seemed to bee small he commanded them to draw another greater in colours by it Afterward hee sent another to demand questions of the things of our Countrey particularly of the Kings Houses Wee had a Map of the Escuriall newly cut in Copper and a picture of the Place of Saint Marke in Venice both which wee gaue them Though we suspect that they deliuered but the second saying that they durst not giue the other because straight in haste hee would command them to paint them great and there was none that durst take it vpon him though wee know not whither they deliuered it afterward Hee willed them further to enquire after what manner wee buryed our Kings because in the matter of Burials and Sepulchers the Chinois are great South-sayers and put a great part of their felicitie in a good manner and place of their Burials At that time wee receiued a Map of the Death of his Majestie who liueth with God in glorie and of the manner of his Funerall and so we answered him as it was in the Map to wit that they made him a Coffin within of Lead which continueth long and without of excellent Wood and put these coffins in a Sepulcher of stone and for this purpose there was a Church builded of purpose They enquired many things of vs of this kinde these few dayes where vnto wee answered aduancing the things that belonged to the seruice of our Lord God as much as we might and concerned our Europe as farre as the truth would permit vs because that we deemed it to bee conuenient for the seruice of our Lord. They told the King so many things that it seemed hee greatly desired to see vs But on the other part he thought it would bee too great a courtesie and much beyond his custome who neuer suffereth himselfe to be seene of his owne people but of his Eunuchs and Wiues that serue him and somtime very seldome of some one of the greatest Mandarins yet though he would not suffer himselfe altogether to bee ouercome of this temptation yet he suffered himselfe in part and hee sent to take our Pictures which two Painters did each of them by themselues as well as they could Yet in truth I neither knew my selfe nor my companion in that picture but
more may bee knowne then They knew And oftentimes they haue asked vs whether wee had not these Bookes in our Countrey What other Bookes might we haue that might compare with them And as these Philosophers as Gentiles spake nothing of the other life but onely of good Gouernment and Morall vertues they thought they might attayne so farre without beleeuing that there could bee another life By reason hereof and of the common vices which Paganisme draweth with it which in this Countrey increase exceedingly by reason of the fatnesse abundance and fruitfullnesse thereof they feele great difficulties to vndergoe the yoke of Christ though it be so sweet so contrarie to their appetite which taketh from them the libertie which they haue in keeping as many Wiues as they are able and in a thousand other things These later yeeres in the residencies of Canton Nanquin and heere in Paquin were made some true Christians which ouercame all these difficulties and goe on forward with great integritie constancie and feruour In the Prouince of Canton in a residencie which wee haue in Xaucheo a principall Citie haue beene Baptised within this two yeeres about three hundred persons which according to the Letters which euen now wee receiued doe all continue with great example and zeale And the Mandarins and grauer sort of people mooued by the good example which they giue doe fauour them much and especially our Lord hath shewed many tokens of his fauour in hauing shewed great plagues vpon such men as persecuted them for becomming Christians And aboue all God hath shewed his ayde vpon the Women who besides the men are very hard to bee wonne to receiue our holy Law which is the great priuatenesse which they vse because it is not lawfull to see them no not for their kinsfolkes But as I say herein the grace of our Lord God shewed it selfe very mightie seeing it ouercame this difficultie and so many of them were Baptised after they had beene very well Catechised by the Fathers On Sundayes and Holy-dayes because they cannot come to Masse with the Men yet at least in this beginning they meete in places appointed for that purpose and there they Pray and reason and intreat of Diuine matters The men for the exhortations that they make vnto them haue dayes appointed of themselues and with their owne consent to conferre and repeate that which they haue told them which going home they repeate to their Wiues and Daughters Euery day some bee Conuerted in Nanquin graue and learned men doe enter Heere in Pâ—quin while wee haue beene heere we haue Baptised some and some great Mandarins come to heare If our Lord doe helpe them and shed his bloud vpon these Chinois as hee hath done in Iapon and in other places there will bee setled one of the most famous and learned foundations of Christianitie that is in all the world For the greatnesse of this Kingdome their Lawes and Gouernment conformable to reason their being so studious as they are and giuen to Learning and to know so much as they know of Morall vertues and their good capacities gentle docile and ingenious and the great peace and quietnesse which they enioy without hauing any bodie to trouble them with warre promise much and giue great hope that the vâ—ntage which they haue ouer other Nations lately discouered in the gifts of Nature being assisted by the grace of God will helpe them in Gods matters And I assure your Worship that if the doore were opened to Preach freely and to Baptise I say not that the Fathers and Brethren of our Companie which might bee spared but without any amplification at all halfe the Religious men of all Europe were needfull to attend so many Cities Townes and places and so infinite numbers of people as there are albeit when Christianitie is once begun indeed there is such abundance of graue people and of much estimation that many of them might bee made Priests Preachers and Bishops without feeling any want of those of Europe since as now they bee Gentiles and their hope goeth no further then to this life there be many very great Mandarins â—hose chiefe delight is to discourse of things concerning Vertue and oftentimes they meete together as it were in Fraternities to treate thereof And the grauer sort doe make Orations and Conferences together perswading one another and deliuering the meanes to gouerne well and to follow vertue And without doubt the more wee see of this and the more zeale in these Christians so much the more our heart is readie to burst to see them so destitute and to haue so few meanes to obtayne necessarie remedie and helpe §. III. The description of the Kingdome of China of Catay and Musk the diuision into Prouinces Cities and Townes described Riuers Shipping Commodities Diet and feeding NOw by the helpe of our Lord I will say somewhat that I remember touching the Customes Policie and Gouernment of this Kingdome but not in such order as were requisite because I haue no leasure and therefore I will onely write as things come vnto my minde though things bee not lincked well together because I cannot first write one Copie and afterward dispose it in order with such distinction as were needfull reseruing that as I sayd in the beginning vntill our Lord grant me a better opportunitie This great Kingdome of China is almost foure square as the Chinois themselues describe the same it runneth North and South from the Prouince of Canton which is the most Southerly part of it beginning seuenteene or eighteene degrees vnder the burnt Zone vnto fotrie two degrees which is the most Northerly part of it it contayneth from Canton by water aboue sixe hundred leagues but in a right line it is foure hundred and fiftie on the East it confineth with Corea which ioyneth with the same and with Iapon and with the Ocean Sea by which they come from Peru and Nucua Espana to Manilla On the West with certayne small Kingdomes which lye betweene Bengala the Lands of Mogor and Persian On the South with the Iles called Philippinas and the Malucaâ— and others and more South-westerly it hath Sion Pegu and other Kingdomes On the North part it hath those people which in our Countries wee commonly call Tartars with whom they haue alwayes had Warre and once they wanne all the Kingdome from the Chinois For the Readers better satisfaction I haue here presented him Hondius his Map of China not to shew it but the erroneous-conceits which all European Geographers haue had of it A more complete Map of China I shall present after as by comparison will appeare HONDIVS his Map of China CHINA This Kingdome standeth in an excellent climate and situation for besides the things which it hath in it selfe it standeth very neere vnto India and other Kingdomes from whence commeth with great facilitie that which it desireth and wanteth And before I passe any further because I haue
pretended by him was charged by a woman that was familiar with him beeing then fallen out that he halted but in the day time and could leape merrily when hee came home at night And that he had intended this matter sixe yeeres before Now hee is put into a Monastery and there rayleth vpon the Friers that hired him to haue this counterfeit Miracle practised vpon him Besides this disgrace a little before my comming from thence there were eight slaine with in his Church by fire in a Thunder Which caused his Bels that were tingling before all day and night long as in triumph of the Miracles wrought by Basileo their Saint to ring somewhat softlier and hath wrought no little discredit to this Miracle-worker There was another of great account at Plesko called Nichola of Plesko that did much good when this Emperours Father came to sacke the Towne vpon suspition of their reuolting and Rebellion against him The Emperour after he had saluted the Eremite at his lodging sent him a reward And the Holy man to requite the Emperour sent him a piece of raw Flesh being then their Lent time Which the Emperour seeing bid one to tell him that he maruelled that the Holy man would offer him flesh to eate in the Lent when it was forbidden by order of holy Church And doth Euasko which is as much to say as Iacke thinke quoth Nicola that it is vnlawfull to eate a piece of beasts flesh in Lent and not to eate vp so much mans flesh as he hath done already So threatning the Emperour with a prophecy of some hard aduenture to come vpon him except he left murdring of his people and departed the Towne he saued a great many mens liues at that time This maketh the people to like very well of them because they are as Pasquils to note their great mens faults that no man else dare speake of Yet it falleth out sometime that for this rude libertie which they take vpon them after a counterfeit manner by imiâ—ation of Prophets they are made away in secret as was one or two of them in the last Emperours time for being ouer-bold in speaking against his gouernment THeir morning Seruice they call Zautrana that is Mattins It is done in this order The Priest entreth into the Church with his Deacon following him And when he is come to the middle of the Church he beginneth to say with a loude voyce Blaslauey Vladika that is Blesse vs heauenly Pastor meaning of Christ. Then hee addeth In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost one very God in Trinitie and Aspody pomelui or Lord haue mercy vpon vs Lord haue mercy vpon vs Lord haue mercy vpon vs repeated three times This done he marcheth on towards the Chancell or Sanctum Sanctorum as they vse to call it and so entreth into the Scharsuey Dwere or the Heauenly Doore which no man may enter into but the Priest onely Where standing at the Altar or Table set neere to the vpper wall of the Chancell he sayeth the Lords Prayer and then againe Aspody pomelui or Lord haue mercy vpon vs Lord haue mercy vpon vs c. pronounced twelue times Then praised be the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost for euer and euer Whereto the Deacons and People say Amen Next after the Priest addeth the Psalmes for that day and beginneth with O come let vs worship and fall downe before the Lord c. and therewithall himselfe with the Deacons and People all turne themselues towards their Idols or Images that hang on the wall and crossing themselues bow downe three times knocking their heads to the very ground After this he readeth the Ten Commandements and Athanasius Creed out of the Seruice Booke This being done the Deacon that standeth without the Heauenly Doore or Chancell readeth a piece of a Legend out of a written Booke for they haue it not in Print of some Saints life miracles c. This is diuided into many parts for euery day in the yeere and is read by them with a plaine singing note not vnlike to the Popish tune when they sung their Gospels After all this which reacheth to an houre and an halfe or two houres of length he addeth certaine set Collects or Prayers vpon that which he hath read out of the Legend before and so endeth his Seruice All this while stand burning before their Idols a great many of Waxe candles whereof some are of the bignesse of a mans waste vowed or enioyned by penance vpon the people of the Parish About nine of the clocke in the morning they haue another Seruice called Obeidna or Compline much after the order of the Popish Seruice that bare that name If it be some High or Festiuall day they furnish their Seruice beside with Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel c. and Wee praise thee O God c. sung with a more solemne and curious note Their euening Seruice is called Vecherna where the Priest beginneth with Blaslauey Vladika as he did in the morning and with the Psalmes appointed for the Vecherna Which being read he singeth My soule doeth magnifie the Lord c. And then the Priest Deacons and People all with one voice sing Aspody pomelui or Lord haue mercy vpon vs thirty times together Whereunto the Boyes that are in the Church answere all with one voice rolling it vp so fast as their lips can goe Verij Verij Verij Verij or Praise Praise Praise c. thirty times together with a very strange noise Then is read by the Priest and vpon the Holidayes sung the first Psalme Blessed is the man c. And in the end of it is added Alleluia repeated ten times The next in order is some part of the Gospell ready by the Priest which hee endeth with Alleluia repeated three times And so hauing said a Collect in remembrance of the Saint of that day hee endeth his euening Seruice All this while the Priest standeth aboue at the Altar or high Table within the Chancell or Sanctum Sanctorum whence hee neuer moueth all the Seruice time The Deacon or Deacons which are many in their Cathedrall Churches stand without the Chancell by the Scharsuey Dwere or Heauenly Doore for within they may not be seene all the Seruice time though otherwise their Office is to sweepe and keepe it and to set vp the Waxe candles before their Idols The people stand together the whole Seruice time in the body of the Church and some in the Church Porch for Piew or Seat they haue none within their Churches The Sacrament of Baptisme they administer after this manner The child is brought vnto the Church and this is done within eight dayes after it is borne if it bee the child of some Nobleman it is brought with great pompe in a rich Sled or Wagon with Chaires and Cushions of cloth of Gold and such like sumptuous shew of their best
furniture When they are come to the Church the Priest standeth ready to receiue the child within the Church Porch with his Tub of water by him And then beginneth to declare vnto them that they haue brought a little Infidell to be made a Christian c. This ended he teacheth the Witnesses that are two or three in a certaine set forme out of his Booke what their dutie is in bringing vp the child after he is baptised vz. That he must be taught to know God and Christ the Sauiour And because God is of great maiestie and wee must not presume to come vnto him without Mediators as the manner is when we make any suit to an Emperour or great Prince therefore they must teach him what Saints are the best and chiefe Mediators c. This done he commandeth the Deuill in the name of God after a coniuring manner to come out of the water and so after certaine Prayers he plungeth the child thrise ouer head and eares For this they hold to bee a point necessary that no part of the child be vndipped in the water The words that beare with them the forme of Baptisme vttered by the Priest when he dippeth in the child are the very same that are prescribed in the Gospell and vsed by vs vz. In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost For that they should alter the forme of the words and say by the holy Ghost as I haue heard that they did following certaine Heretikes of the Greeke Church I round to be vntrue as well by report of them that haue beene often at their Baptismes as by their Booke of Lyturgie it selfe wherein the order of Baptisme is precisely set downe When the childe is baptised the Priest layeth Oyle and Salt tempered together vpon the forehead and both sides of his face and then vpon his mouth drawing it along with his finger ouer the childs lips as did the Popish Priests saying withall certaine Prayers to this effect that God will make him a good Christian c. all this is done in the Church Porch Then is the child as being now made a Christian and meet to be receiued within the Church Doore carried into the Church the Priest going before and there he is presented to the chiefe Idoll of the Church being layd on a Cushion before the feet of the Image by it as by the Mediator to be commended vnto God If the child be sicke or weake specially in the Winter they vse to make the water luke warme After Baptisme the manner is to cut off the haire from the childs head and hauing wrapped it within a piece of Waxe to lay it vp as a Relique or Monument in a secret place of the Church This is the manner of their Baptisme which they account to be the best and perfectest forme As they doe all other parts of their Religion receiued as they say by tradition from the best Church meaning the Greeke And therefore they will take great paines to make a Proselyte or Conuert either of an Infidell or of a forreine Christian by rebaptising him after the Russe manner When they take any Tartar prisoner commonly they will offer him life with condition to be baptised And yet they perswade very few of them to redeeme their life so because of the naturall hatred the Tartar beareth to the Russe and the opinion he hath of his fashood and iniustice The yeere after Mosko was fired by the Chrim Tartar there was taken a Diuoymorsey one of the chiefe in that exploit with three hundred Tartars more who had all their liues offered them if they would be baptised after the Russe manner Which they refused all to doe with many reproches against those that perswaded them And so being carried to the Riuer Mosko that runneth through the Citie they were all baptised after a violent manner being thrust downe with a knock on the head into the water through an hole made in the Ice for that purpose Of Lieflanders that are captiues there are many that take on them this second Russe Baptisme to get more libertie and somewhat besides towards their liuing which the Emperour ordinarily vseth to giue them Of Englishmen since they frequented the Countrey there was neuer any found that so much forgot God his Faith and Countrey as that he would be content to be baptised Russe for any respect of feare preferment or other meanes whatsoeuer saue onely Richard Relph that following before an vngodly trade by keeping a Caback against the order of the Countrey and being put off from that trade and spoiled by the Emperours Officers of that which he had entred himselfe this last yeere into the Russe Profession and so was rebaptised liuing now asmuch an Idolater as before he was a Rioter and vnthrifty person Such as thus receiue the Russe Baptisme are first carried into some Monasterie to bee instructed there in the doctrine and ceremonies of the Church Where they vse these ceremonies First they put him into a new and fresh sute of apparell made after the Russe fashion and set a Coronet or in Summer a Garland vpon his head Then they anoint his head with Oyle and put a Waxe candle light into his hand and so pray ouer him foure times a day the space of seuen dayes All this while he is to abstaine from flesh and white meats The seuen dayes being ended he is purified and washed in a Bath-stoue and so the eight day hee is brought into the Church where he is taught by the Friers how to behaue himselfe in presence of their Idols by ducking downe knocking of the head crossing himselfe and such like gestures which are the greatest part of the Russe Religion The Sacrament of the Lords Supper they receiue but once a yeere in their great Lent time a little before Easter Three at the most are admitted at one time and neuer aboue The manner of their communicating is thus First they confesse themselues of all their sinnes to the Priest whom they call their ghostly Father Then they come to the Church and are called vp to the Communion Table that standeth like an Altar a little remoued from the vpper end of the Church after the Dutch manner Heere first they are asked of the Priest whether they bee cleane or no that is whether they haue neuer a sinne behind that they left vnconfessed If they answer No they are taken to the Table Where the Priest beginneth with certayne vsuall Prayers the Communicants standing in the meane while with their armes folded one within another like Penitentiaries or Mourners When these prayers are ended the Priest taketh a Spoone and filleth it full of claret Wine Then hee putteth into it a small piece of Bread and tempereth them both together and so deliuereth them in the spoone to the Communicants that stand in order speaking the vsuall words of the Sacrament Eate this c. Drinke this
c. both at one time without any pause After that hee deliuereth them againe Bread by it selfe and then Wine carded together with a little warme water to represent Bloud more rightly as they thinke and the water withall that flowed out of the side of Christ. Whiles this is in doing the Communicants vnfold their armes And then folding them againe follow the Priest thrice round about the Communion table and so returne to their places againe Where hauing sayd certayne other prayers hee dismisseth the Communicants with charge to bee merrie and to cheere vp themselues for the seuen dayes next following Which being ended hee enioyneth them to fast for it as long time after Which they vse to obserue with very great deuotion eating nothing else but Bread and Salt except a little Cabbage and some other Herbe or Root with water or quasse Mead for their drinke This is their manner of administring the Sacraments Wherein what they differ from the institution of Christ and what Ceremonies they haue added of their owne or rather borrowed of the Greekes may easily bee noted THeir chiefest errours in matter of Faith I finde to bee these First concerning the Word of God it selfe they will not read publikely certayne Bookes of the Canonicall Scripture as the bookes of Moses specially the foure last Exodus Leuiticus Numeri and Deuteronomie which they say are all made disauthentique and put out of vse by the comming of Christ as not able to discerne the difference betwixt the Morall and the Ceremoniall Law The bookes of the Prophets they allow of but reade them not publikely in their Churches for the same reason because they were but directers vnto Christ and proper as they say to the Nation of the Iewes Onely the Booke of Psalmes they haue in great estimation and sing and say them daily in their Churches Of the New Testament they allow and reade all except the Reuelation which therefore they reade not though they allow it because they vnderstand it not neither haue the like occasion to know the fulfilling of the Prophecies contayned within it concerning especially the Apostacie of the Antichristian Church as haue the Westerne Churches Notwithstanding they haue had their Antichrists of the Greeke Church and may finde their owne falling off and the punishments for it by the Turkish inuasion in the Prophecies of the Booke Secondly which is the fountayne of the rest of all their corruptions both in Doctrine and Ceremonies they hold with the Papists that their Church Traditions are of equall authoritie with the written Word of God Wherein they preferre themselues before other Churches affirming that they haue the true and right Traditions deliuered by the Apostles to the Greeke Church and so vnto them Thirdly that the Church meaning the Greeke and specially the Patriarch and his Synod as the head of the rest hauing a soueraigne Authoritie to interpret the Scriptures and that all are bound to hold that Interpretation as sound and authentique Fourthly concerning the Diuine nature and the three Persons in the one substance of God that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father onely and not from the Sonne Fiftly about the office of Christ they hold many foule errours and the same almost as doth the Popish Church namely that hee is the sole Mediatour of redemption but not of intercession Their chiefe reason if they bee talked withall for defence of this errour is that vnapt and foolish comparison betwixt God and a Monarch or Prince of this world that must bee sued vnto by Mediatours about him wherein they giue speciall preferment to some aboue others as to the blessed Virgin whom they call Procheste or vndefiled and Saint Nicolas whom they call Scora pomosnick or the Speedy helper and say that hee hath three hundred Angels of the chiefest appointed by God to attend vpon him This hath brought them to an horrible excesse of Idolatrie after the grossest and prophanest manner giuing vnto their Images all religious worship of Prayer Thankesgiuing Offerings and Adoration with prostrating and knocking their heads to the ground before them as to God himselfe Which because they doe to the Picture not to the portraiture of the Saint they say they worship not an Idoll but the Saint in his Image and so offend not God forgetting the Commandement of God that forbiddeth to make the Image or likenesse of any thing for any Religious worship or vse whatsoeuer Their Church walls are verie full of them richly hanged and set foorth with Pearle and Stone vpon the smooth Table Though some also they haue embossed that sticke from the board almost an inch outwards They call them Chudouodites or their Miracle workers and when they prouide them to set vp in their Churches in no case they may say that they haue bought the Image but Exchanged money for it Sixtly for the meanes of Iustification they agree with the Papists that it is not by Faith onely apprehending Christ but by their Workes also And that Opus operatum or the worke for the worke sake must needs please God And therefore they are all in their numbers of Prayers Fasts Vowes and Offerings to Saints Almes deeds Crossings and such like and carrie their numbring Beads about with them continually as well the Emperour and his Nobilitie as the common people not onely in the Church but in all other publike places specially at any set or solemne meeting as in their Fasts law Courts common Consultations entertaynment of Ambassadours and such like Seuenthly they say with the Papists that no man can bee assured of his saluation till the sentence be passed at the day of Iudgement Eightly they vse auricular Confession and thinke they are purged by the very action from so many sinnes as they confesse by name and in particular to the Priest Ninthly they hold three Sacraments of Baptisme the Lords Supper and the last Anoiling or Vnction Yet concerning their Sacrament of extreame Vnction they hold it not so necessarie to saluation as they doe Baptisme but thinke it a great curse and punishment of God if any dye without it Tenthly they thinke there is a necessitie of Baptisme and that all are condemned that dye without it Eleuenth they rebaptise as many Christians not being of the Greeke Church as they conuert to their Russe profession because they are diuided from the true Church which is the Greeke as they say Twelfth they make a difference of Meates and Drinkes accounting the vse of one to be more holy then of another And therefore in their set Fasts they forbeare to eate flesh and white meates as wee call them after the manner of the Popish superstition which they obserue so strictly and with such blinde deuotion as that they will rather die then eate one bit of Flesh Egges or such like for the health of their bodies in their extreame sicknesse Thirteenth they hold Marriage to bee
Snow wee cast into the Caldron and when wee thought it was boyled wee eate it Nor could wee satisfie our selues therewith and thus wee liued for thirteene dayes together with small charitie amongst vs by reason of the great scarcitie of all thinges and extreame famine leading rather a brutish life then the life of men Continuing in this rude and homely kinde of life it happened that through the intollerable wants foure of our companions of the greater retiring place failed euen where the afflicted Master was with those remedies and slender comforts for their soules and bodies so that you may thinke their bodies remayning neere vnto vs who being very weake had lost all our strength wee were not able to remooue them two yardes out of sight and yet I will say more that wee had no sooner taken the frozen or warme water in our mouthes but presently Nature of it selfe cast it vp againe wee not beeing able to abstaine from it nor almost to stand on our feete The cold season of the yeere had brought vs to such necessitie that to warme vs wee stood close thronged in such sort that wee seemed as it were to bee sewed together Wherefore I entred vnder the sayles which couered both our Cottages round about downe to the ground the smoake not being able to issue foorth which proceeded as I thinke from the Pitch which was within certaine peeces of the Pinnasse which we burned so that our eyes were swolne that wee could not see neuerthelesse wee indured all that wee might bee warme And our garments which wee neuer put off were full of vermine and the Lice swarmed in such number that taking them from our backes wee cast them by whole handfuls into the fire and they had entred into the flesh in such manner through the skinne euen to the bones that finally they brought a young man of our company that was a Notarie euen vnto death so that hee was neuer able to defend himselfe from so loathsome a litle vermine A thing of most manifest example to abase and abate our pride and haughtinesse of minde Now concord sayling among vs euery one vsed his owne proper aduise whereupon part of our companie wandring through the Sauage and vn-inhabited place came to the knowledge of a solitarie and ancient retiring place made by the Shepherds heretofore for the time of their abode and it was seated on the highest part of the Coast of the sayd Iland towards the West distant from ours about a mile and a halfe Vnto the which sixe of the companie of the number of those eight which were found in that first and greater retiring place determined to remooue themselues to that new-found solitarie habitation for their lesse inconuenience leauing the other two their other companions alone in an abandoned and forsaken place as well because they were not able to trauell as also for that wee were altogether vnable to conduct them It came to passe that those sixe through the gracious goodnesse and gift of God found an exceeding great Fish to the which I know not what name to giue whether Whale or Por pisse of the Sea which wee are to thinke was sent from the Diuine and excellent bountie to feed vs. And considering that wee saw it cast vp by the Sea vpon the shoare dead fresh good and great and at the time of our so great necessitie wee rendred thankes vnto our most gracious Lord God who at that time would sustayne our so weake and diseased bodies with that foode appeased peraduenture through the prayers of some vigilant and deuout soule With this Fish wee fedde our selues for nine dayes sufficiently And as it happened those very nine dayes were so tempestuous with windes rayne and snow that by no meanes the cruell storme would haue suffered vs to goe one pace out of our Cottage The miraculous Fish being spent the furious tempest was somewhat asswaged wherefore not hauing wherewith to maintayne life like Wolues that oppressed with famine goe to seeke out other places of abode wee arose out of the Cottage and went wandring through the desert Rockes to finde any succour to sustayne our life with Perewinckles of the Sea and Barnacles with the which wee were of necessitie to bee contented although they were very little thinges and so wee maintayned our selues vntill the last of Ianuary 1431. and therefore wee were leane pale afflicted and but halfe aliue In which time finding certayne dung of Oxen scorched and dryed with the cold and winde whereof wee gathered euery day to make a fire wee certainely knew that place to bee frequented by Oxen which thing gaue vs assured hope of some good end and through this perswasion wee indured part of our grieuous cares and sorrowes In the end the houre came wherein our benigne Creator and most gracious Lord purposed to conduct his little flocke so much afflicted into the Hauen of their safetie and it was in this manner Two young Heifers of a Fisher-man neere vnto this Iland within fiue miles beeing strayed the former yeere from the place where hee vsed to dwell and neuer vnderstanding any newes of them within the yeere nor hauing any hope to finde them againe on the very first day of February 1431. at night one of the Sonnes of the said Fisher-man of Rustene for so the said Iland was called being of the age of sixteene yeeres dreamed that certainly the two Heifers were escaped and gone vp to the Iland of Saints distant from them where wee were lodged at the point of the West part vpon the which no man durst euer goe at the low water Whereupon the Sonne who had such a vision or dreame prayed the Father and an elder Brother of his that they would accompany him to goe to seeke them And so all three in a Fisher-boate tooke their way towards the sayd Iland and came to the point where wee were and the sayd young men landing there left their Father to looke to the Boate and hauing ascended a little vpon the Cliffe they saw a smoake arise in the ayre from their retiring place which they had formerly vsed Whereupon through feare and astonishment they maruelled and that not a little how whence and by what meanes it might come to passe Wherefore they stood a long time much amazed And desiring to know the cause they began to talke one with another And although wee perceiued the noyse and heard the voyce yet wee could not conceiue whence it should bee but rather iudged it to bee the crying of Crowes then the voyce of men And wee were the rather induced thereunto because some few dayes before wee had seene vpon the miserable Carkasses of our eight companions cast to the winde multitudes of Crowes that rent the ayre with their croking feeding themselues vpon them whereupon wee thought it could bee no other But continuing from good to better the voyces of the children of God sent to saue vs wee cleerely perceiued
that they were the voyces of Men and not the crying of Fowles And at that instant Christophorâ— Fiorauanti arose out of the Cottage and seeing the two young striplings crying with a loude voyce came towards vs saying Reioyce behold two come to seeke vs. Whereupon inflamed with an earnest desire wee raysed our selues on our feete going rather with the heart then with the feete and drawing neere vnto them wee perceiued that through the sudden and extreame strangenesse of the matter they were afraid and their countenances began to waxe pale But contrarily wee cheered our selues and being comforted with an assured hope shewed with actions and gestures of humilitie that wee came not to offend them in any wise Diuers thoughts came in our mindes whether wee should detaine one of them or both or whether one or two of vs should goe with them The first determination was against vs because wee knew not with whom nor with how many wee had to doe for that wee vnderstood not them nor they vs. But being aduised by the holy Ghost wee went downe to their Boate in the best and most amiable manner that wee could where the Father was who expected them and when he saw vs hee also remayned astonished and amazed In this meane space wee looked whether there were any thing in their Boate to succour our necessities to maintayne life but wee found nothing there So they moued through pitie seeing vs affamished by signes and actions which wee made vnto them were contented to carrie with them Ghirardo da Lione a Sewer and Cola di Otranto a Marriner who had some knowledge and were able to speake the French and the high Dutch leauing vs in great hope of present safetie and helpe Their Boate comming to Rustene with our two companions all the people flocked together and seeing the countenance and habite of our companions astonished at so great and strange a matter they demanded among themselues whence how such like fellowes as these appeared or from what place they landed and that they might be the better aduertised they attempted to speake vnto them in diuers Languages but in the end an Almaine Priest of the Order of the Preachers spake with one of the said companions in the high Dutch and by that meanes they were certified what wee were from whence and how wee had arriued there The which matter the morning following which was the second day of Februarie dedicated to the glorious Mother of Christ the said Priest published to all the people of Rustene exhorting them that through our misfortune they would bee mooued to pitie and to helpe vs according to their abilitie In this meane space through the Catholike remembrance of the Almaine Priest on the third day of February 1431. at the very instant of the day of Saint Biagio the curteous and pittifull Inhabitants of Rustene came vnto vs with great plentie of all sustenance which they vse for their prouision to feed vs and preserue vs being desirous to conduct vs to their kinde habitations to refresh our weake bodies And so wee were guided and receiued into Rustene vpon the sayd day where wee had great restoratiues which were rather hurtfull for vs through the exceeding abundance thereof because wee could neuer satisfie our selues with eating and our weake stomackes not being able to indure it it made our hearts to grieue so that wee thought wee should haue dyed There were remayning in the first and greater of our two retiring places two of the companie which were impotent and weake who knew nothing of this our so miraculous succour Wherefore giuing these Catholike Countrey people notice of them and likewise of the other eight that were dead and vnburied assembling themselues together they went with the Priest singing Psalmes and Hymnes as well to burie those eight that were dead as to conduct to the Hauen of safetie the two that were remayning behinde and arriuing at the Iland of Saints they performed a worke of mercy to the eight that were dead to the which number one of the two remayning was added whom they found dead Now imagine how the other could continue being depriued of companie and all humaine sustenance and yet hee was brought to Rustene with some little shew of life where at the end of two dayes hee departed this transitorie life Eleuen of vs being come to Rustene wee landed and went into the house of our Guide Host and Lord as hee and the rest desired whereinto our most prudent Master Master Piero Quirini entring vsing his wisedome and discretion performed an action of exceeding great humilitie as soone as hee saw the companion of our Conductor and Sergeant Maior declaring by semblance that hee would acknowledge her to bee the Mistresse of the house hee cast himselfe downe at her feet but shee refused and lifted him vp from the ground embracing him and bringing him to the fire and with her owne hand gaue him somewhat to eate In this Iland there are twelue little Houses with about one hundred and twentie persons for the most part Fishermen and they are by nature indued with vnderstanding to know how to make Boates Buckets Tunnes Baskets Nets of all sorts and euery other thing necessarie for their vse and trade And they are very curteous one toward another and seruiceable desirous to please rather for loue then for hope of any gift or good turne to bee done them againe Fishes called Stock-fish in all their payments and bartering are vsed in stead of coyned money and they are all as it were of one bignesse and measure of the which euery yeere they drie an infinite number in the winde and in the time of May fraight themselues with them carrying them through the Realmes of Denmarke that is to say Sweden Denmarke and Norway being all Subiect to the King of Dacia where they barter and exchange the said Fish for Leather Cloathes Iron Pulse and other things whereof they haue scarcitie Few other things for maintenance of life are found there except Fish yet at certaine times they haue some small quantitie of Beefe and Milke of Kine of the which with Rice and I know not what other mixture they make Bread of a naughtie taste Their Drinke is sowre Milke displeasing vnto them who haue not beene accustomed thereunto They vse also Ale that is to say Wine drawne out of Rie Wee eate of the Plaice or Halibut fish which are exceeding great so that you would not beleeue it Wee saw some of them somewhat longer then sixe feete of the common Venetian measure aboue two foote broad vpon the Chine and more then three quarters of a foote in thicknesse a wonderfull thing to bee spoken They cloath the men with redde Hides and likewise blacke able to defend them from the water and they vse cloathes very course of azure redde and ash-colour brought from Denmarke of small price and estimation These Countrey people vse much to frequent the Church
intended to the present Prince and therefore was forced to coniure vp his best wits to worke him into better reputation He did hereof either take occasion or make occasion by diuers fires in diuers Cities of the Kingdome the Houses being of wood and easily consumed which losse made as some deliuer by his own incendiaries he seemed much to commiserate and by affected bountie repaired those ruines out of the publique Treasure others say out of his priuate purse thus not onely raising so many Phoenixes out of those ashes but making deuouring fire become fuell to his magnificence and raking reputation out of the flames and cinders thence erecting a Theatricall scene whereon to acte in popular spectacles his many parts of câ—re industry alacrity wisedome power bounty and whatsoeuer might fether his nest in the peoples hearts thus easily stoln and entertained in affection to him whiles Theodore liued which was not long he dying in the yeare 1598. on twelfe day hauing liued thirty sixe yeares and reigned neere foureteene His impotency of body and minde you haue read before in part Thuanus affirmeth that Iuan Vasilowich his Father said he was fitter to ring Bels in Churches then to gouerne an Empire aluding therein to his superexceeding deuotion and most deuout superstition His death caused a new aspersion on Boris as procured in some mens conceits and reports by poyson His dead body was buried with his ancestors in Saint Michaels Temple in the Castle and Souldiours were presently sent to the borders to prohibite ingresse or egresse Theodores will was read and therein Gernia or Irenia his wife and the Patriarch entrusted with the administration of the State Hereupon a generall State assembly was assembled at Mosco and their oathes giuen to the Empresse After this the Empresse went into a Nunnery to passe there the fortie dayes destined to publique sorrow in which time whether of her owne or with her brothers accord making shew of vnspeakable sorrow for her deceased Lord she renounced the world and transferred the Imperiall gouernment vpon the Knazeys and Boiarens which her Husband had bequeathed to her that they according to their wisdome and loue to their Countrie might take care thereof This was done by her brothers counsell to try what the people would doe who were so moued therewith that they came thronging to the Nunnerie gates lamentably imploring her care in so perillous a time whom onely they were bound to serue And when she bad them goe to the Knazeys and Boiarens they protested against them saying they had sworne to her and would be ordered by L. Boris her brother Hereupon Boris Pheodorowich goeth out to appease their tumult and vndertaketh for the fortie dayes of mourning together with the Knazeys and Boiarens to administer the Empire In which time the Empresse renounced secular cares and profâ—ssed her selfe a Nunne changing her name from Gernia to Alexandrina The time of mourning being past the people were called into the Castle and the Chancellour made an Oration perswading them to sweare obedience to the Knazeys and Boiarens which they with out-cryes disclaymed offering to doe it to the Queene and L. Boris The Councell sitting to consider hereof the Chancellor came forth againe and commanded them to sweare to the Knazeys and Boiarens the Queene hauing now become a Nunne Whereupon they all named Boris her Brother as one worthy of the State to whom they were readie to sweare Hee being present rose vp and modestly excused himselfe protesting his vnwillingnesse and vnworthinesse and bidding them chuse some other more worthy And going withall into the Church they laid in manner forceable hands on him with loud cryes and lamentations beseeching him not to forsake them Whereat he wept and still refused alleaging his insufficiencie and to kindle greater desire in the people and Nobles absented and hid himselfe with his Sister in the Nunnerie the space of a moneth In which space the people fearing his flight besieged the place and with continuall clamours vrged the Queene to perswade her Brother to accept of the Empire which she had refused Shee againe sends them to the Knazeys and Boiarens the mention of whose names seemed to cast them into a fit of mutinie and sedition Boris then commeth forth and tels them if they were no quieter he also would take Sack-cloth and as his Sister had done enter into a Monasterie They made so much greater stirres casting out some desperate threats of looking to themselues where the Common-wealth was desperately neglected The Queene then wonne by their importunitie perswadeth her brother no longer to resist Gods will which had put this constancie into the peoples mindes and to accept that which thus God seemed to command praying for his blessing therein Boris after new excuses at last seeming ouercome by his Sisters intreaties and to haue held out sufficiently to remoue enuie assenteth to her and shee signifieth as much to the people to whom she presents him praying them to be as loyall to him as they had beene earnest for him Boris also spake vnto them Forasmuch as it seemeth good to the Diuine Grace and Prouidence whereby all things are gouerned that by common consent and continuall Prayers intreated I take on mee the Principalitie ouer you and all the Prouinces of Russia I will no longer resist how heauie soeuer I conceiue this burthen to my shoulders but haue determined to vndertake your protection with greatest fidelitie being readie to sway the Russian Scepter and Gouernment as farre as Gods grace shall enable mee On the other side bee you faithfull to mee and to my command as God may you helpe I am your most gentle King Ioyfull acclamations followed with all protestation of their fidelitie and future obedience He entring into the Monasterie after Prayers receiued the first Benediction The people returned full of joy and the Bels of which are numbred in Mosco three thousand resounded the publike Festiuitie All the Magistrates and Officers such as receiued Salarie of the King go presently to the Monasterie and carrie Gold Siluer Precious Stones Pearles Bread and Salt after the solemne custome with wishes of long life al happines and desiring to accept in good worth their Presents He with thankes rendred accepts only the Bread and Salt saying these were his the rest they should take to themselues Then doth hee bid them to a Feast and presently with Mary his Wife Theodore his Sonne of ten yeeres old and Arsenica his Daughter being sixteene he goeth out of the Monasterie with pompeous Procession to the Castle Like Presents were offered to his Wife and Children which accepted only the Bread and Salt remitting the rest to the Presenters When he was comne to the Castle he chose his Sisters Lodging for that of the Prince deceased as offensiue by his death was destroyed and after new built After Festiuall entertaynment of innumerable people solemne Oath was taken of all the
number of three hundred men of which I the Relator of this was one were put into one ship belonging to Sweden and came from thence for vs. We were assaulted with a great tempest and were tossed so long that all our victuals were almost spent the miserie of which threw vs into more desperate feares now were wee assaulted by double deaths Famine and Shipwrack what course to take for our reliefe no man presently knew Continue without foode it was impossible and as impossible was iâ— for vs to recouer the Land in any short time without the assured destruction of vs all At this season our Commanders were these Lieutenant Benson Lieutenant Walton who was Prouost Martiall of the field and an Ancient of the Colonels companie The common Souldiers vowed and resolued to compell the Mariners seeing the present miseries and no hopes promising better to set vs all on shoare vpon the first Land that could be discouered Our Commanders did what they could by disâ—wasion to alter this generall resolution because they feared it would bee the losse of the greatest part of our Companies if they came once to bee scattered and besides they knew that it would redound to their dishonour and shame if they should not discharge the trust imposed vpon them by our Captaines which trust was to conduct vs and land vs before whilest our Chieftaines remayned a while behinde in England to take vp the rest of our Companies Yet all this notwithstanding Land being discouered there was no eloquence in the world able to keep vs aboord our ship but euery man swore if the Master of the ship would not set vs on the shoare the sailes should be taken into our owne hands and what was resolued vpon touching present landing should in despite of danger be effected Vpon this the Master of the ship and the Mariners told vs that if we put to land in that place we should all either perish for want of victuals which were not to bee had in that Countrie or else should haue our throats cut by the people Wee resolued rather to trie our bad fortunes on the land and to famish there if that kind of death must needes attend vpon vs then to perish on the Seas which we knew could affoord vs no such mercy and on shoare wee went as fast as possibly we could When our Officers saw that there was no remedie nor force to detayne vs aboord they then disheartned vs no longer but to our great comforts told it that the Master of the ship which thing hee himselfe likewise openly confessed knew both the Land and Gouernour thereof as indeed we proued afterwards he did and therefore desired they all our companies not to misse-behaue themselues toward the people for that it was an Iland called Iuthland vnder the Dominion of the King of Denmarke but subiect to the command of a Lord who vnder the King as his Substitute was the Gouernour And that we might be the better drawne to a ciuill behauiour towards the Inhabitants our Officers further told vs that they would repaire to the Lord Gouernour of the Countrie and acquaint him with the cause of our vnexpected landing there vpon which we all promised to offer no violence to the people neither was that promise violated because we found the Inhabitants tractable and as quiet towards vs as we to them yet the greater numbers of them ran away with feare at the first sight of vs because as afterward they reported it could not bee remembred by any of them that they euer either beheld themselues or euer heard any of their ancestors report that any strange people had landed in those places and parts of the Iland for they thought it impossible as they told vs that any ship should ride so neâ—ee the shoare as ours did by reason of the dangerous Sands Our Officers so soone as they were at land went to the Gouernour of the Iland whilest the Souldiers who stayed behind them ran to the houses of the Ilanders of purpose to talke with the people and at their hands to buy victuals for a present reliefe but when wee came among them they could neither vnderstand vs nor we them so that the Market was spoiled and wee could get nothing for our money yet by such signes as wee could make they vnderstood our wants pitied them and bestowed vpon vs freely a little of such things as they had In the end a happy meanes of our reliefe was found out by a Souldier amongst vs who was a Dane by birth but his education hauiâ—g beene in England no man knew him to be other then an English man This Dane made vse of 〈◊〉 owne natiue language to the good both of himselfe and vs certifying the people who the rather beleeued him because he spake in their knowne tongue of the cause that compelled vs to land vpon their Coast and that we intended no mischiefe violence or money to which report of his they giuing credit stood in lesse feare of vs then before and thereupon furnished vs with all such necessaries as the Countrie affoorded to sustaine our wants The foode which wee bought of them was onely fish and a kinde of course bread exceeding cheape Of which foode there was such plentie that for the value of three pence wee had as much fish as twentie men could eate at a meale and yet none of the worst sorts of fish but euen of the very best and daintiest as Mackrels and Lobsters and such like In which our trading with the poore simple people we found them so ignorant that many yea most of them regarded not whether you gaue them a Counter or a Shilling for the bigger the piece was the more fish they would giue for it but besides fish wee could get no other sustenance from them or at least could not vnderstand that they had any other But obserue what happened in the meane time that we were thus in traffique with the Ilanders for victuals our Officers as before is said being gone to the Lord Gouernour who lay about twelue English miles from the Sea side the Master of our ship on a sudden hoysed vp sailes and away he went leauing one of his owne men at shoare who accompanied our Officers as their guide through the Iland The cause of the ships departure did so much the more amaze vs by reason it was so vnexpected and the reason thereof vnknowne to vs But wee imagined the Master of the ship and Mariners feaâ—ed to receiue vs into the Vessell againe because some of our men at their being at Sea threatned the Saylers and offered them abuses before they could be brought to set vs on land On the next day following the Lord Gouernour of the Iland came to vs bringing our Officers along with him yet not being so confident of vs but that for auoyding of any dangers that might happen he came strongly guarded with a troupe of Horse-men well armed And vpon his
by the common people was as narrowly performed for they did not onely watch vs as the Gouernor commanded but amongst themselues a secret conspiracie was made that in the dead of night when wee should be fast asleepe they should come and take vs in our beds and there to binde vs with cords it being an easie thing to doe so when our company were diuided one from another ouer the whole Iland At the houre agreed vpon the plot was put in force for they entred our Chambers and bound euery Souldier as he lay making them all ready like so many sheepe marked out for the slaughter For mine owne part I had fiue men and three women to binde me who so cunningly tyed me fast with cords whilst I slept and felt nothing nor deampt of any such matter that with a twitch onely I was plucked starke naked out of my bed and laid vpon the cold earth vnderneath a Table with my armes bound behinde me so extreamely hard as foure men could draw them together my feete tyed to the foote of the Table and my necke bound to the vpper part or bord of the Table In these miserable tortures lay I and all the rest in seuerall houses all that night and the most part of the next day our armes and legges being pinched and wrung together in such pittilesse manner that the very bloud gushed out at the fingers ends of many The enduring of which torments was so much the more grieuous because none knew what we had done that could incense them to this so strange and spitefull cruelty neither could we albeit we inquired learne of our tormenters the cause because we vnderstood not their language Whilest thus the whole Iland was full of the cries of wretched men and that euery house seemed a shambles ready to haue Innocents there butchered the next day and that euery Ilander had the office of a common cut-throate or executioner Gods wonderfull working turned the streame of all their cruelty For the two ships that came out of the low Countries and whose arriuall draue so many miserable soules almost vpon the rocks of destruction hauing in that dolefull and ruinous night gotten some prouision aboord weighed Anchor and departed towards Swethland Which happy newes being serued vp at breakfast to the Lord Gouernour betimes in the morning and that the Shippes had offerd no violence to the Countrey but had paid for what they tooke About eleauen of the clocke the very same day at noone wee were all like vnto so many dead men cut downe and bidden to stand vpon our legges although very few had scarce legges that could stand Of one accident more that befell I thinke it not amisse to take note which began merrily but ended tragically and in bloud and that was this Foure of our company being lodged in one Village and they being bound to the peace as you may perceiue the rest were it happened that an Hoast where one of them lay had â—â—pled hard and gotten a Horses disease called the Staggers In comes he stumbling to the roome where the poore Englishman was bound to the Table hand and foote which thing the drunken Sot beholding drew his Hatchet which he wore at his girdle according to the fashion of the Country and because hee would be sure his prisoner should not escape with his Hatchet he cleft his head And thinking in that drunken murderous humour he had done a glorious act away he reâ—les out of his owne house to that house where the other three Souldiours lay bound where beating at the doores and windowes and the Hoast asking what he meant to make such a damnable noyse he told him so well as he could sâ—ammeâ— it out that the Lord Gouernour had sent him thither to put the three English-men to death Vpon this the diuell and he hand in hand were let in the one standing so close at the others elbow that he neuer left him till he had cleft two of their heads that lay bound and being then weary it should seeme with playing the butcher he neuer ceased swearing and staring and flourishing with his bloudy Axe about their heads till the people of the house had hung the third man vpon a beame in the roome But they hauing lesse cunning in the Hang-mans trade then will to practise it eyed not the halter so fast about his necke as to strangle him so that after hee had hung an houre hee was cut downe reuiued againe was well and afterwards was slaine in Russia This bloudy feast being thus ended and all stormes as we well hoped being now blowne ouer to our freedome and sitting at liberty from our tormentors on the necke of these former miseries fell a mischiefe more dangerous to vs then all the rest for tidings were brought to the Gouernour that our Auncient who trauailed with the Gouernours two men to the King had trayterously murdered those his guides and then ranne away himselfe vpon this rumour nothing but thundring and lightning flew from the common peoples mouthes there was no way now with vs but one and that one was to haue all our throats cut or our heads cleft with their Axes But the Gouernor pittying our misfortunes laboured both by his authority by faire speeches to keepe that many-headed dogge the multitude from barking And in the end when he saw nothing but the bloud of vs poore Englishmen would satisfie their thirst because they still held vs in suspition and feare he most nobly and like a vertuous Magistrate pawned to the inhumane Rascals to my knowledge his honour all that euer he was worth yea his very life vnto them that within three dayes the messengers sent to the King should returne home and that during those three dayes we should be of good behauiour to the Ilanders and besides that if they did not returne in such a time that then he would deliuer vs vp into their hands Our Auncient with the Gouernours two men came home vpon the third day to the Gouernours house and brought from the King of Denmarke his licence to carry vs not onely through the Country but commanding that we should be allowed shipping also at conuenient place to carry vs to Sweueland whither we were to goe And according to this Licence the Gouernour caused vs to be called all together the very next day at which time Thomas Griffin the Welch Iâ—das who had all this while lyen feasting in the house of the Lord Gouernour began to tremble and repent him of his villanie begging most base forgiuenesse on his knees both from the Gouernour and vs his Countrimen and fellow Souldiours protesting that what he did came out of his feare to saue his owne life But our Officers vpon hearing him speake thus had much adoe to keepe the companies from pulling downe the house where Griffin lay because they would in that rage haue hewed the villaine in peeces But leauing him and all such betrayers of mens
neerer the Land so that wee iudged our selues three leagues off Here we sounded againe and had but eightie fathoms The variation of the Compasse we found to be 22. degrees and 10. minutes Westward At fiue of the clocke there sprung vp a fine gale of winde at East South-east and being so neere night wee stood to the Southward thinking the next day to seeke some harbour But it pleased God the next day being the twelfth to send vs a storme of foule weather the winde being at East and by South with fogge so that we could by no meanes get the shoare Thus wee were forced to beate vp and downe at Sea vntill it should please God to send vs better weather The foureteenth I thought good to stand to the Westward to search an Inlet in the latitude of 56. degrees I haue good hope of a passage that way by many great and probable reasons The fifteenth the winde continued at the South with exceeding faire weather and our course was West We were this day at noone in the latitude of 55. degrees and 31. 〈…〉 I found the variation to be 17. degrees and 1â— minutes to the Westward And about seuen of the clocke at night we descried the Land againe being tenne leagues to the Eastward of this Inlet This Land did beare from vs South-west some eight leagues off and about nine of the clocke the same night the winde came to the West which blew right against vs for our entring into this Inlet The sixteenth the winde was at West North-west and was very faire weather and our course South-west about nine of the clocke in the forenoone we came by a great Iland of Ice and by this Iland we found some peeces of Ice broken off from the said Iland And being in great want of fresh water wee hoysed out our Boates of both Shippes and loaded them twice with Ice which made vs very good fresh water This day at noone wee found our selues to be in the latitude of 55. degrees and twentie minutes when we had taken in our Ice and Boates the weather being very faire and cleare and the winde at West North-west we bent our course for the Land and about three of the clocke in the afternoone we were within three leagues of the shoare It is a very pleasant low Land but all Ilands and goodly sounds going betweene them toward the South-west This Land doth stand in the latitude of 55. degrees and I found the variation to be to the West â—8 degrees and 12. minutes This coast is voide of Ice vnlesse it be some great Ilands of Ice that come from the North and so by windes may be â—riuen vpon this chast Also we did finde the ayre in this place to be very temperite Truely there is in three seuerall places great hope of a passage betweene the latitude of 62. and 54. degrees if the fogge doe not hinder it which is all the feare I haue At sixe of the clocke wee being becalmed by the shoare there appeared vnto vs a great ledge of roâ—kes betweene vs and the shoare as though the Sea did flye ouer it with a great height As we all beheld it within one houre vpon a sudden it vanished cleanâ— away which seemed very strange vnto vs all And to the Eastward of vs some two leagues we saw a great Rocke lying some three leagues off the Land we then supposing it to be shoald water by this broken ground sounded but could get no ground in one hundred and sixtie fathoms About seuen of the clocke there sprung vp a gale of windâ— by the South South-east which was a very good winde to coast this Land But the seuenteenth in the morning the winde being at the South it began to blow so extreamely that we durst not stay by the shoare for it was like to be a great storme then our course was East North-east to get vs Sea roome This storme still increasing our slye-boates did receiue in much water for they wanted a Sparre-decke which wee found very dangerous for the Sea About twelue of the clocke at noone this day there rose vp a great showre in the West and presently the winde came out of this quarter with a whirle and taking vp the Sea into the ayre and blew so extreamely that we were forced alwayes to runne before the Sea howsoeuer the winde did blow And within twelue houres after this storme beganne the Sea was so much growen that we thought our flye Boates would not haue beene able to haue endured it The eighteenth the winde was at North-west and the storme increased more extreame and lasted vntill eight of the clocke in the morning of the nineteenth day so furious that to my remembrance I neuer felt a greater yet when we were in our greatest extremities the Lord deliuered vs his vnworthy seruants And if the winde with so great a storme had bin either Northerly or Southerly or Easterly but one day we had all perished against the Rocks or the Ice for wee were entred thirty leagues within a Head-land of an Inlet in the latitude of 56. degrees But it pleased God to send vs the winde so faire as we could desire both to cleare our selues of the Land and Ice Which opportunitie caused vs for this time to take our leaues of the coast of America and to shape our course for England The fourth in the morning wee descried the Iland of Silly North-east and by East some foure leagues off vs. Then wee directed our course East and by North and at tenne of the clocke in the forenoone wee descried the Lands end and next day were forced to put into Dartmouth CHAP. XIV IAMES HALL his Voyage forth of Denmarke for the discouery of Greeneland in the yeare 1605. abbreuiated IN the name of God Amen we set sayle from Copeman-hauen in Denmarke the second day of May in the yeare of our redemption 1605. with two Shippes and a Pinnace The Admirall called the Frâ—st a shippe of the burthen of thirty or fortie lasts wherein was Captaine and chiefe commander of the whole Fleet Captaine Iohn Cunningham a Scottish Gentleman seruant vnto the Kings Maiestie of Denmarke my selfe being principall Pilot. The Lyon Viceadmirall being about the foresaid burthen wherein was Captaine one Godscâ—â—â— Lindenose a Danish Gentleman and Steereman of the same one Peter Kilsâ—n of Copeman-hauen The Pinnace a Barke of the burthen of twelue Lasts or thereabouts wherein was Steereman or commander one Iohn Knight my Countrie-man So setting sayle from Copeman-hauen with a faire gale of winde Easterly wee came vnto Elsonure where we anchored to take in our water The third day we tooke in our water at which time the Captaines my selfe with the Lieutenants and the other Steeremen did thinke it conuenient to set downe certaine Articles for the better keeping of company one with another to which Articles or couenants wee were all seuerally sworne setting thereunto our
this resolution we put within the Ice the wind being at East North-east this first entrance I liked not very well scarce finding any place to put in our ships head and being neere thirtie leagues from the shoare towards Euening wee were fast amongst the Ice But sometimes each day the Ice would a little open we making what way we could towards the North-west in for the shoare till the two and twentieth day hauing had the wind all Southerly Yet we plainly saw that we set to the Southwards for all that wee could doe The two and twentieth day the wind came vp at North North-west then our Master determined to stand forth againe For if the wind should haue come to the North-east it would be vnpossible for vs to fetch any part of the Channell seeing wee droue so fast to the Southwards with Southerly winds and hauing so farre into the shoare not hauing seene the Land Our Master was also determined to spend some twentie or foure and twentie dayes in Fretum Dauis to see what hopes would be that wayes supposing there would be little good to be done in Hudsons Streights for this time limited then we plying to get to Sea-ward and so by eight a clock at night the three and twentieth day we were cleere of the thick Ice againe the Lord make vs thankfull the wind at North-west and by North faire weather but no sooner were we forth of the Ice but that our Master changed his opinion and beeing cleere of this thicke Ice wee stood to the Northward as much as the Ice and winde would giue vs leaue running some thirteene leagues true North-east by North being in the latitude of 61. degrees 50. minutes The foure and twentieth day faire weather the fiue and twentieth day also faire weather the wind at North and by West till sixe a clocke we hauing made a North-east by North way about twelue leagues and an halfe our latitude at noone 62. degrees 20. minutes at sixe a clocke the wind was at the North North-east The sixe and twentieth day all the forenoone faire weather and cold but in the afternoone it blew very hard being close hasie weather that about two a clocke this afternoone wee tooke in our sailes and hulled with our ship till the next morning at foure a clocke all the time that we sayled this day we past through many ledges of Ice hauing great quantitie to the Northward of vs and hauing runne about twentie one leagues true vpon a West course And note where I put this word true I meane the true course the variation of the Compasse and other accidents allowed The seuen and twentieth day close foggy weather with much snow freezing on our shrowds and tackling the like we had not all this yeare before but towards foure a clocke in the afternoone it began to cleere vp and about fiue a clocke we saw Land being the Iland of Resolution and bearing West from vs about thirteene or fourteene leagues This morning we set sayle and stood to and fro as the Ice would suffer vs and at ten at night wee moored our ship to a piece of Ice the wind being at West The eight and twentieth day being Whitsunday it was faire weather but the winde was at the West and West by North al this day we were fast to the piece of Ice Yet we plainly perceiued that we set a great deale more into the Streights with the floud Then we set forth with the ebbe the nine and twentieth day the wind was variable and faire weather about eleuen a clock we set saile and tacked to and fro along by the Iland And about two a clocke the next morning the wind came to the South South-east but we had so much Ice that we could doe but little good with a faire wind the wind continued all this day and night a stiffe gale this night or rather Euening because it was not darke at all we were set within the point of the Iland so that now we were within the Streights The one thirtieth day also faire weather the wind for the most part at North North-west the afternoone being cleere wee saw the point of the South shoare called Buttons Iles to beare from vs due South by the Compasse which is indeed South South-east somewhat Eastward because here the Compasse is varied to the Westwards twentie foure degrees The first of Iune wee had some snow in the forenoone but very faire weather in the afternoone the wind at West North-west We perceiuing the Ice to be more open close aboord the shoare made the best way we could to get in and to come to Anchor if the place were conuenient and by seuen a clocke we were in a good Harbour on the North-west side of the Iland of Resolution where an East South-east Moone maketh full Sea or halfe an houre past seuen on the change day as Sea-men account the water doth rise and fall neere foure fathomes the Compasse doth vary to the West 24. degrees 6. minutes and is in longitude West from London 66. degrees 35. minutes The breadth of the South Channell or the distance betweene the Iland and the South shoare is sixteene leagues and the North Channell is eight miles wide in the narrowest place Vpon this Iland we went on shoare but found no certaine signe of Inhabitants but the tract of Beares and Foxes Rockes and stonie ground hardly any thing growing thereon it is indifferent high Land to the Northward hauing one high Hill or Hummocke on the North-east side but to the Southward it falleth away very low The second of Iune in the morning the wind came vp at East South-east with much snow and fowle weather about noone wee weighed Anchor and stood vp along by the Iland so well as the Ice would giue vs leaue to get to the North shoare Wee continuing our courses so neere the North shoare as conueniently we could with much variable weather and windes but stedfast in continuance among Ice till the eight day hauing the wind full contrary to vs and being somewhat neere a point of Land or rather a company of Ilands which after wee called Sauage Iles hauing a great Sound or In-draught betweene the North shoare and them At sixe a clocke we came to Anchor neere one of them being the Eastermost sauing one But whiles wee were furling our sailes we heard and saw a great company of Dogges running vp and downe with such howling and barking that it seemed very strange Shortly after we had moored our ship we sent our Boat somewhat neerer the shoare to see if they could perceiue any people who returning told vs that there were Tents and Boats or Canowes with a great many Dogges but people they saw none After Prayer when our men had supt wee fitted our Boate and our selues with things conuenient then my selfe with seuen others landed and went to their Tents where finding no people we marched vp to the top of a Hill
their Canoas brought vs Salmon Peale and such like which was a great refreshment to our men the next day following the same six came againe but after that we saw them no more vntill the sixt day when we had wayed anchor and were almost cleere of the harbour then the same six and one more brought vs of the like commodities for which we gaue them Glasse Beads Counters and small peeces of Iron which they doe as much esteeme as we Christians doe Gold and Siluer In this Sound we saw such great Scales of Salmon swimming to and fro that it is much to be admired here it floweth about eighteene foote water and is at the highest on the change day at seuen a clocke it is a very good harbour and easie to be knowne hauing three high round hils like Piramides close adioyning to the mouth of it and that in the middest is lowest and along all this coast are many good harbours to be found by reason that so many Ilands lye off from the maine The sixt of August by three a clocke in the afternoone wee were cleere of this place hauing a North North North-west winde and faire weather and the Lord sent vs a speedy and good passage homeward as could be wished for in nineteene dayes after wee saw Land on the coast of Ireland it being on the fiue and twentieth day the seuen and twentieth at noone we were two leagues from Sâ—lly and the thirtieth day in the morning wee anchored at Douer in the roade for the which and all other his blessings the Lord make vs thankfull CHAP. XX. A briefe Discourse of the probabilitie of a passage to the Westerne or South Sea illustrated with testimonies and a briefe Treatise and Mappe by Master BRIGGES I Thought good to adde somewhat to this Relation of Master Baffin that learned-vnlearned Mariner and Mathematician who wanting art of words so really employed himselfe to those industries whereof here you see so euident fruits His Mappes and Tables would haue much illustrated his Voyages if trouble and cost and his owne despaire of passage that way had not made vs willing to content our selues with that Mappe following of that thrice learned and in this argument three times thrice industrious Mathematician Master Brigges famous for his readings in both Vniuersities and this honourable Citie that I make no further Voyage of Discouery to finde and follow the remote Passage and extent of his name Master Baffin told mee that they supposed the tyde from the North-west about Digges Iland was misreported by mistaking the houre eight for eleuen and that hee would if hee might get employment search the passage from Iapan by the coast of Asia or qua data porta any way hee could But in the Indies he dyed in the late Ormus businesse slaine in fight with a shot as hee was trying his Mathematicall proiects and conclusions Now for that discouery of Sir Thomas Button I haue solicited him for his Noates and receiued of him gentle entertainment and kinde promises but being then forced to stay in the Citie vpon necessary and vrgent affaires he would at his returne home seeke and impart them Since I heare that weightie occasions haue detained him out of England and I cannot communicate that which I could not receiue which if I doe receiue I purpose rather to giue thee out of due place then not at all Once he was very confident in conference with me of a passage that way and said that he had therein satisfied his Maiestie who from his discourse in priuate inferred the necessitie thereof And the maine argument was the course of the tyde for wintering in Port Nelson see the following Mappe hee found the tyde rising euery twelue houres fifteene foote whereas in the bottome of Hudsons Bay it was but two foote and in the bottome of Fretum Dauis discouered by Baffin but one yea and a West winde equalled the nep tydes to the spring tydes plainely arguing the neighbourhood of the Sea which is on the West side of America The Summer following he found about the latitude of 60. degrees a strong race of a tide running sometimes Eastward sometimes Westward whereupon Iosias Hubbard in his plat called that place Hubbarts Hope as in the Map appeareth Now if any make scruple because this discouery was not pursued by Sir Thomas Button let him consider that being Prince Henries Seruant and partly by him employed whence I thinke he named the Country New Wales the vntimely death of that Prince put all out of ioint nor was hee so open that others should haue the glory of his discouerie And if any man thinke that the passage is so farre as the Maps vse to expresse America running out into the West it is easily answered that either of negligence or ouer-busie diligence Maps by Portugals in the East and Spaniards in the West haue beene falsely proiected Hence that fabulous strait of Anian as before by Francis Gaules testimonie and nauigation is euident And hence the Portugals to bring in the Moluccas to that moity of the world agreed vpon betwixt the Spaniards and them are thought to haue much curtalled Asia and the longitude of those Ilands giuing fewer degrees to them then in iust longitude is requisite So the older Maps of America make the Land from the Magelane Straits to the South Sea runne much West when as they rather are contracted somewhat Easterly from the North. The like is iustly supposed of their false placing Quiuira and I know not nor they neither what Countries they make in America to run so farre North-westward which Sir Francis Drakes Voyage in that Sea his Noua Albion being little further Westward then Aquatulco plainely euince to be otherwise Yea the late Map of California found to be an Iland the Sauages discourses in all the Countries Northwards and Westwards from Virginia fame whereof filled my friend Master Dermer with so much confidence that hearing of strange Ships which came thither for a kinde of Vre or earth the men vsing forkes in their diet with Caldrons to dresse their meate c. things nothing sutable to any parts of America hee supposed them to come from the East neere to China or Iapan and therefore he made a Voyage purposely to discouer but crossed with diuers disasters hee returned to Virginia frustrate of accomplishment that yeare but fuller of confidence as in a Letter from Virginia he signified to me where death ended that his designe soone after But how often are the vsuall Charts reiected by experience in these Nauigations in this worke recorded Painters and Poets are not alwayes the best Oracles For further proofes of a passage about those parts into the West Sea or South as it is called from the first discouery thereof to the South from the parts of New Spaine whence it was first descried by the Spaniards there is mention of a Portugall and taken in a Carricke in Queene Elizabeths dayes of
was sent to doe and that hee not being armed to resist the force of the Saluage people that might happen hee therefore set sayle and returned homewards againe towards Noua Spania where hee arriued at Acapulco Anno 1592. hoping to be rewarded greatly of the Viceroy for this seruice done in this said Voyage Also he said that after his comming to Mexico hee was greatly welcommed by the Viceroy and had great promises of great reward but that hauing sued there two yeares time and obtained nothing to his content the Viceroy told him that he should be rewarded in Spaine of the King himselfe very greatly and willed him therefore to goe into Spaine which Voyage hee did performe Also he said that when he was come into Spaine he was greatly welcommed there at the Kings Court in wordes after the Spanish manner but after long time of suite there also hee could not get any reward there neither to his content And that therefore at the length he stole away out of Spaine and came into Italie to goe home againe and liue among his owne Kindred and Countrimen he being very old Also he said that hee thought the cause of his ill reward had of the Spaniards to bee for that they did vnderstand very well that the English Nation had now giuen ouer all their voyages for discouerie of the North-west passage wherefore they need not feare them any more to come that way into the South Sea and therefore they needed not his seruice therein any more Also he said that in regard of this ill reward had of the Spaniards and vnderstanding of the noble minde of the Queene of England and of her warres maintayned so valiantly against the Spaniards and hoping that her Maiestie would doe him iustice for his goods lost by Captaine Candish he would bee content to goe into England and serue her Maiestie in that voyage for the discouerie perfectly of the North-west passage into the South Sea and would put his life into her Maiesties hands to performe the same if shee would furnish him with onely one ship of fortie 〈◊〉 burden and a Pinnasse and that he would performe it in thirtie dayes time from one end to the other of the Streights And he willed me so to write into England And vpon this conference had twise with the said Greeke Pilot I did write thereof accordingly into England vnto the right honourable the old Lord Treasurer Cecill and to Sir Walter Raleigh and to Master Richard Hakluyt that famous Cosmographer certifying them hereof by my Letters And in the behalfe of the said Greeke Pilot I prayed them to disburse one hundred pounds of money to bring him into England with my selfe for that my owne purse would not stretch so wide at that time And I had answere hereof by Letters of friends that this action was very well liked and greatly desired in England to bee effected but the money was not readie and therefore this action dyed at that time though the said Greeke Pilot perchance liueth still this day at home in his owne Countrie in Cefalonia towards the which place he went from me within a fortnight after this conference had at Venice And in the meane time while I followed my owne businesse in Venice being in Law suit against the Companie of Merchants of Turkie and Sir Iohn Spencer their Gouernour in London to recouer my pension due for my office of being their Consull at Aleppo in Turkie which they held from me wrongfully And when I was as I thought in a readinesse to returne home into England for that it pleased the Lords of her Maiesties honourable Priuie Counsell in England to looke into this Cause of my Law suit for my reliefe I thought that I should be able of my owne puâ—se to take with me into England the said Greeke Pilot. And therefore I wrote vnto him from Venice a Letter dated in Iuly 1596. which is copied here-vnder Al Mag co Sig or Capitan IVAN DE FVCA Piloto de Indias amigo mio char mo en Zefalonia MVy honrado Sennor fiendo yo para bueluerme en Inglatierra dentre de pocas mezes y accuerdandome de lo trattado entre my y V. M. en Venesia sobre el viagio de las Indias me ha parescido bien de scriuir esta carta à V. M. paraque si tengais animo de andar con migo puedais escribirme presto en que maniera quereis consertaros Y puedais embiarmi vuestra carta con esta nao Ingles que sta al Zante sino hallais otra coientura meier con el sobrescritto que diga en casa del Sennor Eleazar Hycman Mercader Ingles al tragetto de San Thomas en Venisia Y Dios guarde la persona de V. M. Fecha en Venesia al primer dia de Iulio 1596. annos Amigo de V. M. Michael Lok Ingles And I sent the said Letter from Venice to Zante in the ship Cherubin And shortly after I sent a copie thereof in the ship Mynyon And also a third copie thereof by Manea Orlando Patron de Naue Venetian And vnto my said Letters he wrote mee answere to Venice by one Letter which came not to my hands And also by another Letter which came to my hands which is copied here-vnder Al Ill mo Sig or MICHAL LOCH Ingles in casa del Sig or LASARO Merca. der Ingles al tragetto de San THOMAS en Venesia MVy Illustre Seg or la carta de V. M. receui à 20. dias del Mese di Settembre por loqual veo Loche V. M. me manda io tengho animo de complir Loche tengo promettido à V. M. y no solo yo mas tengo vinte hombres para lieuar con migo porche son hombres vaglientes y assi estoi esperando por otra carta che auise à V. M. parache me embiais los dinieros che tengo escritto à V. M. Porche bien saue V. M. como io vine pouer porche me glieuo Capitan Candis mas de sessanta mille ducados come V. M. bien sane embiandome lo dicho ire à seruir à V. M. con todos mis compagneros I no spero otra cossa mas de la voluntad è carta de V. M. I con tanto nostro Sig or Dios guarda la Illustre persona de V. M. muchos annos De Ceffalonia à 24. de Settembre del 1596. Amigo seruitor de V. M. Iuan Fuca. And the said Letter came to my hands in Venice the 16. day of Nouember 1596. but my Law suite with the Companie of Turkie was not yet ended by reason of Sir Iohn Spencers suite made in England at the Queenes Court to the contrarie seeking onely to haue his money discharged which I had attached in Venice for my said pension and thereby my owne purse was not yet readie for the Greeke Pilot. And neuerthelesse hoping that my said suite would haue shortly a good end I wrote another Letter to this Greeke
seedes The President Belalcazar inhabited this village and here hee beheaded the Marshall George Robledo It stands sixteene leagues from Ancerma the people of the countrie are so butcherly that the quicke are the sepulchre of the dead for it hath beene seene the husband to eate the wife the brother the brother or sister the sonne the father and hauing fatned any captiue the day that they are to eate him they bring him forth with many songs and the Lord commandeth that an Indian doe goe cutting off euery member and so aliue they goe eating him and after the inhabiting of Arma they haue eaten more then eight thousand Indians and some Spaniards haue also suffered this martyrdome The village of Saint Anne of Ancerma is fiftie leagues from Popayan to the North-east in the border of Cauca of the Councell of the new Kingdome gouernment and Bishopricke of Popayan without Cattell or Wheat very much annoyed with thunder-bolts the Captaine George Robledo built it by order of Laurence of Aldana Likewise the men of this countrie are eaters of humane flesh they goe naked they haue no Idols nor any thing to worship there are in this iurisdiction good Mynes of gold the climate is hot and many thunder-bolts doe fall The citie of Cartago fiue and twentie leagues from Popayan about the North-east is of the Councell of the New Realme Gouernment and Bishoprick of Popayan without Wheat or any seedes of Castile it is a temperate and wholesome countrie of little gold it rayneth much they breede no other cattell but Kine and Mares they haue many Mountaines in the which breede many Lions Tigres Beares and Dantas and wilde Boares they haue a Monasterie of Franciscan Friars the Captaine George Robledo inhabited it and it was called Cartaga because all the inhabiters were of Cartagena The village of Timana is fortie leagues from Popayan to the South-east and sixtie from Santa Fe of Bogota and thirtie from the Prouinces of Dorado here is a Lieftenant of the Gouernour which also hath at his charge Saint Sebastian de la Plata the Indians of their borders doe decay for they are so inhumane that in many places they haue publike shambles of men which they take captiue They haue their seate in the beginning of the Valley of Neyua the temper is most hot in their bounds is a Mountaine where they digge the Load-stone and the Indian Paezes are neere and the Pixaos which also are Caribes The Citie of Guadalaiara of Buga is fifteene leagues from Popayan to the North-east is of the bounds of the Councell of Quito and Diocesse of Popayan The Citie of Saint Sebastian of the Plate in the confines of this Gouernment is thirtie fiue leagues from Popayan and thirtie to the South-west from Santa Fe Diocesse of Popayan where are many Mynes of siluer and in her borders twentie foure repartitions it is three leagues from the Port of Onda in the great Riuer of Magdalen where those that come vp from Cartagena doe land it is built in a Plaine neere to the Riuer Guala there are many Earthqâ—akes and in Winter it is more hot then cold The Country-men goe to decay because the Caribes which they call del Rincon do eate them and haue publike shambles of them without any remedie for it and the President Belalcazar built this Citie The Citie of Almaguer is twentie leagues from Popayan to the South-east it is plentifull of Wheate and Millet and other seeds and cattle and it hath Gold the Captaine Alonso of Fuenmayor by order of the Licentiate Brizenyo Gouernour and Iudge of Accounts of Popazan peopled it being seated in a Hill of Zabana and the climate is fresh and the people doe weare Cotton-cloth S. Iohn of Truxillo and by another name Yscauce is thirtie leagues from Popayan to the South-east The Citie of Madrigall or Chapâ—nchica thirtie fiue from Popayan about the South a rough Countrey where they neither reape Wheate nor breed cattell though they gather Millet twice a yeere in their jurisdiction and for the roughnesse of the Countrey the men are euill to pacifie and in this Citie and in the Citie of Agreda and Almaguer are Mynes of Gold Agreda and by another name Malga stands fortie fiue leagues from Popayan to the South-west The Citie of Saint Iohn of the Pasture so called because it is a Countrey of many Pastures it stands fiftie leagues from Popayan about the South-west and as many from Quito about the North-east and in one degree from the Equinoctiall Diocesse of Quito in a good soyle of a good climâ—te and plentifull of Millet and other prouisions with Mynes of Gold In her borders are 24000. Indians of fee which are not Caniballs but of euill visages filthy and simple they had no Idols in the time of their Paganisme they beleeued that after death they should goe to liue in more ioyfull places The Riuer which they call Whoate is betweene Pasta and Popayan it is of a very delicate water and passed this Riuer is the Mountayne whither Gonçalo Piçarro did follow the Vice-roy Blasco Nunyez Vela and vnto the Riuer Augasmayo which is in this Prouince came the King Guaynacapa Beyond the Riuer Caliente or hoâ— Riuer in a Mountayne is a firie mouth that casteth store of smoake and it brake forth in ancient times as the Countreymen doe say The Philosophers being willing to declare what these firie mouthes or Aetnaes are doe say that as in the Earth are places that haue vertue to attract a vaporie substance and to conuert it into water whereof the continuall springs are made there are also places that doe attract to themselues dry and hote exhalations which are conuerted into fire and smoake and with the force of them they cast also another grosse substance which is dissolued into ashes or into stones and these are the fierie mouthes Saint Iohn de Pasto hath Monasteries of Dominicke Franciscan and Mercenarie Friers it is a cold Countrey with abundance of victuals it hath Sugar Mils and many Fruites of the Countrey and of Castile when the Captaine Lawrence of Aldona built it hee called it Villa viciosa de Pasto it stands fortie leagues from the South Sea towards the Iland Gorgoua There hath beene disinhabited or diminished in this Prouince the Citie of Antiochia the Village of Neyua in the Valley of Neyua twentie leagues from Tumana and it was through the rigour of the Indian Paezes and Pixaos and for the Manipos in the Valley of Saldauya and the Citie of Saint Vincent of the Paezes sixtie leagues from Saint Iohn of the Plaines in the confines of Popayan which Domingos Lozano built and the Citie of los Angeles twentie two leagues from Tocayma and nine from Neyua There is in the Coast which this gouernment extendeth on the South Sea from the Cape of Corrientes that stands in fiue degrees Septentrionall from
supreme Councell the King Don Philip the third our Lord in imitation of his Catholike and Godly Predecessors for the greater good of his subiects hath instituted a Priuie Councell where all the businesses of spirituall and temporall warrants fauours and rewards may bee conferred and dispatched and besides this there are two Halls instituted where on dayes appointed they may intreat of matters of warre with the President and three Counsellors of the Indies and two or three of the Counsell of warre and other dayes of the matters of the goods by the President and Counsellors of Indies and two of the Counsell of the goods Atturney and Secretarie of the Counsell of the Indies the President naming those that he shall thinke best for it And as these Catholike Kings doe alwayes looke to the benefit of the people of that Orbe considering that the propagation of the holy Gospell in no part of it could goe more prosperously by any other hands then his nor bee attended for his preseruation and to haue the Conquerours and Inhabiters of those parts more satisfied seeing all were his Subiects and borne in these Kingdomes declared by their Royall warrants dated the yeere 1520. in Valladolid and in the yeere 1523. in Pamplona that their Maiesties nor any of their Heires in no time shall alienate from the Crowne Royall of Castile and Lion the Ilands and Prouinces of the Indies Towne or any part of them and so they promised it and gaue their Royall word The Presidents Counsellors Secretaries and Atturneys which vnto this present day haue serued and doe serue in the Supreme Councell of the Indies from their first Discouerie PRESIDENTS IOhn Rodriguez of Fonseca brother to the Lord of Coca and Alaejos Archbishop of Rosano and Bishop of Burgos being Deane of Siuil gouerned that which appertayned to the dispatching of the Fleets and Armies of the Indies till the Catholike King Don Fernando V. called him to the end that in his Court hee might take charge of the Indian affaires and he did it till the Emperor came to reigne which commanded that the Doctor Mercurino Gatinara his great Chancellor should be Superintendent of all the Councels and all the dispatches passed through his hands and intermedled in all the Assemblies that were made Friar Garcia of Loaysa Generall of the Order of Saint Dominicke the Emperours Confessor Bishop of Osma which was Archbishop of Siuil and Cardinall Don Garcia Manrique Earle of Osâ—rno which being Assistant of Siuil did gouerne till the Cardinall came from Rome Don Lewis Hurtado of Mendoça Marques of Mondejar which after was President of the Royall and supreme Councell of Castile The Licenciate Don Franciscus Tello of Sandoual which hauing beene of the Councell of the Indies went for President of the Royall Chancerie of Granada and from thence came to gouerne in the Councell of Indies The Licenciate Don Iohn Sarmiento was also of the Councell of the Indies and after went to gouerne in the Royal Chancerie of Granada from whence he returned to be President of the Royall and supreme Councell of the Indies Lewis Quixada Lord of Villagarcia and of the Councell of Warre The Licenciate Iohn of Obando of the supreme Councell of the holy Inquisition did preside in the Councell of the Indies and of the goods Royall The Licenciate Don Antonio de Padilla of the Royal and supreme Counsell of Castile passed to be President of the Councell of the Orders and after to the supreme Councell of the Indies The Licenciate Hernando of Vega and Fonseca of the supreme Councell of the holy and generall Inquisition passed to the Councell of the goods Royall and from it to the Royall and supreme Councell of the Indies The Licenciate Don Pedro de Moya of Contreras the first Inquisitor that went to Mexico for to seate the holy Office in that Citie Hee was Archbishop of that Citie and President of the supreme Councell of the Indies The Licenciate Paul of Laguna of the Royall and supreme Councell of Castile and of the holy and generall Inquisition passed to gouerne in the Councell of the goods Royall and Tribunals of it and was after President of the supreme Councell of the Indies and in his time began the Royall Councell of the House-hold COVNSELLORS HErnando of Vega Lord of Grajal which was chiefe Knight of Lion and President of the Councell of Orders Licenciate Lewis Zapata Licenciate Moxica Doctor S. Iames. Doctor Palacios Penbios Doctor Gonçalo Maldonado which was Bishop of the citie Rodrigo Master Lewis Vaca Bishop of Canarie Doctor Aguirre Doctor Mota Bishop of Badajoz Doctor Sosa Doctor Peter Martyr of Angleria Abbot of Iamayca Mosiur of Lassao of the Emperours Chamber and of the Councell of Estate Licenciate Garcia of Padilla of the habit of Calatrana Doctor Beltran Doctor Galindez of Caruajal Doctor Bernal Licenciate Peter Manuel Licenciate Rodrick of the Court. Licenciate Montoya Licenciate Mercado Licenciate Antonie of Aguilera Licenciate Don Hernando of Salas. Licenciate Iohn Thomas Doctor Villafanye Licenciate Bottelbâ— Maldonado Licenciate Otalora Licenciate Iames Gasâ—a of Salazar Licenciate Gamboa Doctor Gomez of Santillana Licenciate Espadero Licenciate Don Iames of Zunnigo Licenciate Lopez of Sarria Licenciate Enao Doctor Lope of Bayllo Licenciate Gedeon of Ynojosa of the habit of Saint Iames. Licenciate Villafanne Doctor Antonie Gonçalez Licenciate Franciscus Balcazar Licenciate Medina of Sarauz Licenciate Don Lewis of Mercado Doctor Peter Gutierrez Flores Licenciate Peter Dayes of Tudança Licenciate Benitte Rodriguez Valtodano Licenciate Austine Aluarez of Toledo and of the Chamber Doctor Don Roderick Zapata Licenciate Pâ—â—er Brano of Sotomayor Licenciate Molina of Medrano of the habit of Saint Iames of the Chamber Commissioner of this Historie Licenciate Iames of Armenteros Licenciate Alonso Perez of Salazar Licenciate Gonçalo of Aponte and of the Chamber Licenciate Don Iohn of Ocon of the habit of Calatrana Licenciate Hernando of Saanedra Licenciate Don Thomas Ximenez Ortiz Licenciate Eugenius of Salazar Licenciate Don Franciscus Arias Maldonado Licenciate Andrew of Ayala Licenciate Benauente of Benauides Licenciate Roocke of Villagutierre Chumazero SECRETARIES IOhan Colona Michael Perez of Almazan Gaspar of Gricio The Knight Lope of Conchillos Franciscus of the Cobos chiefe Commander of Leon. Iohn of Samano The Commander Franciscus of Eraso Antonie of Eraso The Commander Iohn of Ybarra ATTVRNEYS or SOLLICITORS THe Licenciate Franciscus of Vargas Licenciate Prado Licenciate Martin Ruyz of Agreda Doctor Franciscus Hernandez of Liebana Licenciate Ierome of Vlloa Licenciate Gamboa Licenciate Lopez of Sarria Licenciate Seipion Antolâ—â—ez Licenciate Negroâ— Doctor Valençuela Doctor Marcus Caro. Licenciate Bennet Rodriguez of Valtodano Licenciate Alonso Perez of Salazar Licenciate Roâ—cke of Villagutierre Chumazero The Gouernours and Vice-royes which haue gouerned vntill this time the Kingdomes of New Spaine and of Piru In New Spaine DOn Fernando Cortes Marques of the Valley Gouernour chiefe Iustice and Captaine generall The Licenciate Lewis Pance of the House of the Duke of Arcos Iudge of
doth likewise returne into smoake to be resolued againe into quick-siluer Quick-siluer is found in a kinde of stone which doth likewise yeeld Vermillion which the Ancients called Minium and at this day they call the Images of crystall Miniades which are painted with quick-siluer The Ancients made great account of this Minium or Vermillion holding it for a sacred colour as Plinie reports saying That the Romans were accustomed to paint the face of Iupiter and the bodies of those that triumphed in Ethiopia yea their Idols and their Gouernours likewise had their faces coloured with this Minium And this Vermillion was so esteemed at Rome which they brought onely from Spaine where they had many pits and mynes of quick-siluer which continue there to this day that the Romans suffered it not to be refined in Spaine lest they should steale some of it but they carried it to Rome sealed vp in a masse as they drew it out of the myne and after refined it They did yeerly bring from Spaine especially from Andalusie about ten thousand pound weight which the Romans valued as an infinite treasure I haue reported all this out of that Author to the end that those which doe see what passeth at this day in Peru may haue the content to know what chanced in former ages among the mightiest Lords of the world I speake for the Inguas Kings of Peru and for the naturall Indians thereof which haue laboured and digged long in these Mines of Quick-siluer not knowing what Quick-siluer was seeking onely for Cinabrium or Vermillion which they call Limpi the which they esteeme much for that same effect that Plinie reports of the Romans and Ethiopians that is to paint the face and bodies of themselues and their Idols the like hath beene much practised by the Indians especially when they went to the warres and vse it at this day in their feasts and dancing which they call slubbering supposing that their faces and visages so slubbered did much terrifie and at this day they hold it for an ornament and beautifying for this cause there were strange workes of Mines in the Mountaines of Guancauilca which are in Peru neere to the Citie of Guamangua out of the which they drew this Mettall it is of such a manner that if at this day they enter by the caues or Soccabones which the Indians made in those dayes they loose themselues finding no passage out but they regarded not Quick-siluer which naturally is in the same substance or mettall of Vermillion neither had they knowledge of any such matter The Indians were not alone for so long a time without the knowledge of this treasure but likewise the Spaniards who vntill the yeare 1566. and 1567. at such time as the licentiate Castro gouerned in Peru discouered not the Mines of Quick-siluer which happened in this manner A man of iudgement called Henrique Guarces a Portugall borne hauing a piece of this coloured Mettall as I haue said which the Indians call Limpi with which they paint their faces as he beheld it well found it to be the same which they call Vermillion in Castile and for that hee knew well that Vermillion was drawne out of the same mettall that Quick-siluer was he coniectured these Mines to be of Quick-siluer went to the place whence they drew this Mettall to make triall thereof The which he found true and in this sort the Mines of Palcas in the territorie of Guamangua being discouered great numbers of men went thither to draw out Quick-siluer and so to carry it to Mexico where they refine Siluer by the meanes of Quick-siluer wherewith many are inriched This Countrie of Mines which they call Guancauilca was then peopled with Spaniards and Indians that came thither and come still to worke in these Mines of Quick-siluer which are in great numbers and very plentifull but of all these Mines that which they call d' Amador de Cabrera or of Saints is goodly and notable It is a Rocke of most hard Stone interlaced all with Quick-siluer and of that greatnesse that it extends aboue fourescore Vares or yards in length and fortie in breadth in which Mine they haue many pits and ditches of threescore and tenne stades deepe so as three hundred men may well worke together such is the capacitie thereof This Mine was discouered by an Indian of Amador of Cabrera called Nauincopa of the Village of Acoria the which Amador of Cabrera caused to be registred in his name He was in suite against the Procurer fiscall but the vsufruite was adiudged to him by sentence as the discouerer Since he sold his interest to another for two hundred and fiftie thousand Ducates and afterwards thinking he had bin deceiued in the sale he commenced an action against the buyer being worth as they say aboue fiue hundred thousand Ducates yea some hold it to be worth a Million of Gold a rare thing to see a Mine of that wealth When as Don Francisco of Toledo gouerned in Peru there was one which had bin in Mexico and obserued how they refined Siluer with Mercury called Pero Fernandes de Valesco who offred to refine Siluer at Potozi with Mercury and hauing made triall thereof in the yeare 1571. performed it with credit then began they to refine Siluer at Potozi with Quick-siluer which they transported from Guancauelicqua which was a goodly helpe for the Mines for by the meanes of Quick-siluer they drew an infinite quantitie of mettall from these Mines whereof they made no accompt the which they called Scrapings For as it hath beene said the Quick-siluer purifies the Siluer although it be drie poore and of base alloy which cannot be done by melting in the fire The Catholike King drawes from it Quick-siluer mines without any charge or hazard almost foure hundred thousand pieces of a Mine the which are foureteene rials a peecâ— or little lesse besides the rights that rise in Potozi where it is imployed the which is a great riches They doe yearely one with another draw from these Mines of Guancauilca eight thousand quintals of Quick-siluer yea and more Let vs now speake how they draw out Quick-siluer and how they refine Siluer therewith They take the stone or mettall where they finde the Quick-siluer the which they put into the fire in pots of earth well luted being well beaten so as this mettall or stone comming to melt by the heate of the fire the Quick-siluer separates it selfe and goes forth in exhalation and sometimes euen with the smoake of the fire vntill it incounters some body where it staies and congeales and if it passe vp higher without meeting of any hard substance it mounts vp vntill it be cold and then congealed it fals downe againe When the melting is finished they vnstop the pots and draw forth the mettall sometimes staying vntill it be very cold for if there remained any fume or vapour which should incounter them that should vnstop the pots they were in danger of death or to
while vnder the water he riseth vp and commeth swimming to the Boat entring into the same and leauing there all the Oysters which he hath taken and brought with him for in these are the Pearles found and when he hath there rested himselfe a while and eaten part of the Oysters he returneth againe to the water where hee remayneth as long as hee can endure and then riseth againe and swimmeth to the Boat with his prey where hee resteth him as before and thus continueth course by course as doe all the other in like manner being all most expert Swimmers and Diuers and when the night draweth neere they returne to the Iland to their houses and present all the Oysters to the Master or Steward of the house of their Lord who hath the charge of the said Indians and when he hath giuen them somewhat to eate he layeth vp the Oysters in safe custodie vntill he haue a great quantitie thereof then he causeth the same Fishermen to open them and they find in euery of them Pearles other great or small two or three or foure and sometimes fiue or sixe and many small graines according to the liberalitie of nature They saue the Pearles both small and great which they haue found and either eate the Oysters if they will or cast them away hauing so great a quantitie thereof that they in manner abhorre them These Oysters are of hard flesh and not so pleasant in eating as are ours of Spaine This Iland of Cubagua where this manner of fishing is exercised is in the North Coast and is no bigger then the Iland of Zeland Oftentimes the Sea increaseth greatly and much more then the Fishers for Pearles would because whereas the place is very deepe a man cannot naturally rest at the bottom by reason of the abundance of airie substance which is in him as I haue oftentimes proued For although he may by violence and force descend to the bottome yet are his feet lifted vp againe so that hee can continue no time there and therefore where the Sea is very deepe these Indian Fishers vse to tye two great stones about them with a coard on each side one by the weight whereof they descend to the bottome and remayne there vntill them listeth to rise againe at which time they vnlose the stones and rise vp at their pleasure But this their aptnesse and agilitie in swimming is not the thing that causeth men most to maruell but rather to consider how many of them can stand in the bottome of the water for the space of one whole houre and some more or lesse according as one is more apt hereunto then an other An other thing there is which seemeth to me very strange and this is that whereas I haue oftentimes demanded of some of these Lords of the Indians if the place where they are accustomed to fish for Pearles being but little and narrow will not in short time be vtterly without Oysters if they consume them so fast They all answered mee that although they be consumed in one part yet if they goe a fishing in an other part or an other Coast of the Iland or at an other contrary wind and continue fishing there also vntill the Oysters bee likewise consumed and then returne againe to the first place or any other place where they fished before and emptied the same in like manner they find them againe as full of Oysters as though they had neuer beene fished Whereby we may iudge that these Oysters either remoue from one place to an other as doe other fishes or else that they are ingendred and increase in certaine ordinarie places This Iland of Cumana and Cubagua where they fish for these Pearles is in the twelfth degree of the part of the said Coast which inclineth toward the North. Likewise Pearles are found and gathered in the South Sea called Mare del Sur and the Pearles of this Sea are very bigge yet not so bigge as they of the Iland of Pearles called de las Perlas or Margarita which the Indians call Terarequi lying in the Gulfe of Saint Michael where greater Pearles are found and of greater price then in any other Coast of the North Sea in Cumana or any other part I speake this as a true testimonie of sight hauing beene long in that South Sea and making curious inquisition to be certainly informed of all that pertayneth to the fishing of Pearles From this Iland of Terarequi there was brought a Pearle of the fashion of a Peare weighing thirtie and one Caracts which Petrus Arias had among a thousand and so many pounds weight of other Pearles which he had when Captaine Gaspar Morales before Petrus Arias pâ—ssed to the said Iland in the yeare 1515. which Pearle was of great price From the said Iland also came a great and very round Pearle which I brought out of the Sea this was as bigge as a small pellet of a Stone-bow and of the weight of twentie and sixe Caracts I bought it in the Citie of Panama in the Sea of Sur and paid for it sixe hundred and fiftie times the weight thereof of good Gold and had it three yeeres in my custodie and after my returne into Spaine sold it to the Earle of Nansaâ— Marquesse of Zenetâ—â— great Chamberlaine to your Maiestie who gaue it to the Marquesse his Wife the Ladie Mentia of Mendoza I thinke verily that this Pearle was the greatest fairest and roundest that hath beene seene in those parts For your Maiestie ought to vnderstand that in the Coast of the Sea of Sur there are found a hundred great Pearles round after the fashion of a Peare to one that is perfectly round and great Of the familiaritie which certayne of the Indians haue with the Deuill and how they receiue answere of him of things to come and other Superstitions WHen the Indians beginne their battaile or goe to any combate or attempt any other great mater they haue certaine elect men whom they reuerently esteeme and call them Tequinas which in their tongue is as much to say as Masters notwithstanding that they call euery man that is cunning in any Science by the same name as Fishers Fowlers Hunters or makers of Nets These Tequinas therefore they call the Masters of their Answeres because they speake with Tuyra that is the Deuill and bring them answere what he saith either as touching such things as they haue to doe or shall chance to them the day following or many dayes to come For the Deuill being so ancient an Astronomer knoweth the times of things and seeth how they are naturally directed and inclined and maketh them beleeue that they come so to passe by his ordinance as though he were the Lord and moouer of all that is and shall be and that he giueth the day light and raine causeth teâ—pest and ruleth the stations of times giuing life or taking away life at his pleasure By reason whereof the
their Neighbours Stone Timber Lime in exchange of Fish Frogs and young Kids and for Ducks Water-hens Courlieus and diuers other kindes of Sea fowles All which things they did fish and hunt for in this Lake whereof there is great abundance They went with these things to the Markets of the Townes and Cities of the Tapanecans and of them of Tescuco their neighbours and with policy they gathered together by little and little what was necessarie for the building of their Citie so as they built a better Chappell for their Idoll of lime and stone and laboured to fill vp a great part of the Lake with rubbish This done the Idoll spake one night to one of his Priests in these termes Say vnto the Mexicans that the Noblemen diuide themselues euery one with their Kinsfolks and Friends and that they diuide themselues into foure principall quarters about the house which you haue built for my rest and let euery quarter build in his quarter at his pleasure The which was put in execution and those be the foure principall quarters of Mexico which are called at this day Saint Iean Saint Mary the round Saint Paul and Saint Sebastian After this the Mexicans being thus diuided into these foure quarters their god commanded them to diuide amongst them the gods he should name to them and that they should giue notice to euery quarter principall of the other foure particall quarters where their gods should bee worshipped So as vnder euery one of these foure principall quarters there vvere many lesse comprehended according to the number of the Idols which their god commanded them to worship which they called Calpultetco which is as much to say as God of the quarters In this manner the Citie of Mexico Tenoxtiltan was founded and grew great This diuision being made as aforesaid some old Men and Ancients held opinion that in the diuision they had not respected them as they deserued for this cause they and their Kinsfolke did mutinie and went to seeke another residence and as they went through the Lake they found a small piece of Ground or Terrasse which they call Tloteloli where they inhabited calling it Tlatellulco which signifies Place of a Terrasse This was the third diuision of the Mexicans since they left their Country That of Mechonacan being the first and that of Malinalco the second Those which separated themselues and went to Tlatellulco were famous men but of bad disposition and therefore they practised against the Mexicans their neighbours all the ill neighbourhood they could They had alwayes quarrels against them and to this day continues their hatred and old leagues They of Tenoxtiltan seeing them of Tlatellulco thus opposite vnto them and that they multiplyed feared that in time they might surmount them hereupon they assembled in counsell where they thought it good to choose a King whom they should obey and strike terrour into their Enemies that by this meanes they should bee more vnited and stronger among themselues and their Enemies not presume too much against them Being thus resolued to choose a King they tooke another aduice very profitable and assured to choose none among themselues for the auoyding of dissentions and to gayne by their new King some other neighbour Nations by whom they were inuironed being destitute of all succours All well considered both to pacifie the King of Culhuacan whom they had greatly offended hauing slaine and slayed the daughter of his predecessor and done him so great a scorne as also to haue a King of the Mexican blood of which generation there were many in Culhuacan which continued there since the time they liued in peace amongst them they resolued to choose for their King a young man called Acamapixtli sonne to a great Mexican Prince and of a Lady daughter to the King of Calhuacan Presently they sent Ambassadors with a great Present to demand this man who deliuered their Ambassage in these termes Great Lord wee your Vassals and Seruants placed and shut vp in the Weedes and Reedes of the Lake alone and abandoned of an the Nations of the World led onely and guided by our god to the place where wee are which falls in the iurisdiction of your limits of Ascapusalco and of Tescuco Although you haue suffered vs to liue and remayne there yet will wee not neither is it reason to liue without a Head and Lord to command correct and gouerne vs instructing vs in the course of our life and defending vs from our Enemies Therefore wee come to you knowing that in your Court and House there are Children of our generation linckt and allied with yours issued from our entrailes and yours of our bloud and yours among the which wee haue knowledge of a Grand-child of yours and ours called Acamapixth Wee beseech you therefore to giue him vs for Lord wee will esteeme him as hee deserues seeing hee is of the Linage of the Lords of Mexico and the Kings of Culhuacan The King hauing consulted vpon this point and finding it nothing inconuenient to bee allied to the Mexicans who were valiant men made them answere That they should take his grand-child in good time adding thereunto that if he had beene a woman hee would not haue giuen her noting the foule fact before spoken of ending his discourse with these wordes Let my grand-child goe to serue your god and be his Lieutenant to rule and gouerne his Creatures by whom we liue who is the Lord of Night Day and Windes Let him goe and be Lord of the Water and Land and possesse the Mexican Nation take him in good time and vse him as my sonne and grand-child The Mexicans gaue him thankes all ioyntly desiring him to marry him with his owne hand so as hee gaue him to wife one of the noblest Ladies amongst them They conducted the new King and Queene with all honor possible and made him a solemne reception going all in generall forth to see the King whom they led into Palaces which were then but meane and hauing seated them in Royall Thrones presently one of the Ancients and an Orator much esteemed amongst them did rise vp speaking in this manner My sonne our Lord and King thou art welcome to this poore House and Citie amongst these weeds and mud where thy poore fathers Grand-fathers and Kinsfolks endure what it pleaseth the Lord of things created Remember Lord thou commest hither to be the defence and support of the Mexican Nation and to be the resemblance of our god Vitzliputzli whereupon the charge and gouernment is giuen thee Thou knowest wee are not is our Country seeing the Land we possesse at this day is anothers neither know we what shall become of vs to morrow or another day Consider therefore that thou commest not to rest or recreate thy selfe but rather to indure a new charge vnder so heauy a burden wherein thou must continually labour being slaue to this multitude which is fallen to thy lot and to all this
be knowne as we shall see hereafter It chanced thâ—t Motâ—çuma hauing reigned many yeeres in great prosperitie and so puft vp in his conceit as he caused himselfe to be serued and feared yea to be worshipped as a God that the Almighty Lord began to chastice him and also to admonish him suffering euen the very Deuils whom he worshipped to tell him these heauy tydings of the ruine of his Kingdome and to torment him by Visions which had neuer beene seene wherewith hee remayned so melancholy and troubled as he was void of judgement The Idoll of those of Châ—lolâ— which they called Quetzacoalt declared that a strange people came to possesse his Kingdomes The King of Tescuco who was a great Magitian and had conference with the Deuill came one day at an extraordinary houre to visit Moteçuma assuring him that his Gods had told him that there were great losses preparing for him and for his whole Realme many Witches and Sorcerers went and declared as much amongst which there was one did very particulary foretell him what should happen and as hee was with him hee told him that the pulses of his feete and hands failed him Moteçuma troubled with these newes commanded all those Sorcerers to be apprehended but they vanished presently in the Prison wherewith he grew into such a rage that he might not kill them as hee put their wiues and children to death destroying their Houses and Families Seeing himselfe importuned and troubled with these aduertisements hee sought to appease the anger of his Gods and for that cause hee laboured to bring a huge stone thereon to make great Sacrifices For the effecting whereof hee sent a great number of people with Engins and Instruments to bring it which they could by no meanes mooue although being obstinate they had broken many Instruments But as they stroue still to raise it they heard a voyce joyning to the stone which said they laboured in vaine and that they should not raise it for that the Lord of things created would no more suffer those things to be done there Moteçuma vnderstanding this commanded the Sacrifice to be performed in that place and they say the voyce spake againe Haue I not told you that it is not the pleasure of the Lord of things created that it should bee done and that you may well know that it is so I will suffer my selfe to bee transported a little then after you shall not mooue mee Which happened so indeed for presently they carried it a small distance with great facilitie then afterwards they could not mooue it till that after many Prayers it suffered it selfe to bee transported to the entry of the Citie of Mexico where suddenly it fell into the Lake where seeking for it they could not find it but it was afterwards found in the same place from whence they had remooued it wherewith they remayned amazed and confounded At the same time there appeared in the Element a great flame of fire very bright in the forme of a Pyramide which beganne to appeare at midnight and went still mounting vntill the Sunne rising in the morning where it stayed at the South and then vanished away It shewed it selfe in this sort the space of a whole yeere and euer as it appeared the people cast forth great cryes as they were accustomed beleeuing it was a presage of great misfortune It happened also that fire tooke the Temple when as no body was within it nor neere vnto it neyther did there fall any lightning or thunder whereupon the Guards crying out a number of people ranne with water but nothing could helpe so as it was all consumed and they say the fire seemed to come forth of pieces of timber which kindled more by the water that was cast vpon it There was a Comet seene in the day time running from the West to the East casting an infinite number of sparkles and they say the forme was like to a long tayle hauing three heads The great Lake betwixt Mexico and Tescuco without any winde earthquake or any other apparant signe began sudainly to swell and the waues grew in such sort as all the buildings neere vnto it fell downe to the ground They say at that time they heard many voices as of a woman in paine which said sometimes O my children the time of your destruction is come and otherwhiles it said O my children whither shall I carry you that you perish not vtterly There appeared likewise many Monsters with two heads which being carried before the King sudainly vanished There were two that exceeded all other Monsters being very strange the one was the Fishers of the Lake tooke a Bird as bigge as a Crane and of the same colour but of a strange and vnseene forme They carried it to Moteçuma who at that time was in the pallace of teares and mourning which was all hanged with blacke for as he had many Pallaces for his recreation so had he also others for times of affliction wherewith he was then heauily charged and tormented by reason of the threatnings his gods had giuen him by these sorrowfull aduertisements The Fishers came about noone setting this Bird before him which had on the top of his head a thing bright and transparent in forme of a Looking-glasse wherein he did behold a warlike Nation comming from the East armed fighting and killing He called his Diuines and Astronomers whereof there was a great number who hauing seene these things and not able to yeelde any reason of what was demanded of them the Bird vanished away so as it was neuer more seene whereupon Moteçuma remained very heauy and sorrowfull The other which happened was a Laborer who had the report of a very honest man he came vnto him telling him that being the day before at his worke a great Eagle flew towards him and tooke him vp in his talents without hurting him carrying him into a certaine Caue where it left him The Eagle pronouncing these words Most mighty Lord I haue brought him whom thou hast commanded me This Indian Laborer looked aboue on euery side to whom he spake but he saw no man Then he heard a voyce which said vnto him Doost thou not know this man whom thou seest lying vpon the ground and looking thereon he perceiued a man to lye very heauy asleepe with royall ensignes flowers in his hand and a staffe of perfumes burning as they are accustomed to vse in that Country whom the Labourer beholding knew it was the great King Moteçuma and answered presently Great Lord this resembles our King Motezuma The voice said againe Thou sayest true behold what he is and how hee lies asleepe carelesse of the great miseries and afflictions prepared for him It is now time that he pay the great number of offences he hath done to God and that he receiue the punishment of his tyrannies and great pride and yet thou seest how carelesse he lyes blinde in his owne miseries and without any
resolued to punish the Mexicans seuerely causing a great number of the Nobilitie to be slaine at a maske which they made in the Palace the which did so farre exceed as all the people mutined and in a furious rage tooke Armes to be reuenged and to kill the Spaniards They therefore besieged them in the Palace pressing them so neere that all the hurt the Spaniards could doe them with their Artillerie and Crosse-bowes might not terrifie them not force them to retyre from their enterprise where they continued many dayes stopping their victuals not suffering any one to enter or issue forth They did fight with stones and cast Darts after their manner with a kind of Lances like vnto Arrowes in the which there are foure or sixe very sharpe Rasors the which are such as the Histories report that in these warres an Indian with one blow of these Rasors almost cut off the necke of a Horse and as they did one day fight with this resolution and furie the Spaniards to make them cease shewed forth Moteçuma with an other of the chiefe Lords of Mexico vpon the top of a plat-forme of the house couered with the Targets of two Souldiers that were with them The Mexicans seeing their Lord Moteçuma stayed with great silence Then Moteçuma caused the Lord to aduise them to pacifie themselues and not to warre against the Spaniards seeing that he being a prisoner it could little profit him The which being vnderstood by a yong man called Quicuxtemoc whom they now resolued to make their King hee spake with a loud voyce to Moteçuma willing him to retyre like a Villaine that seeing he had beene such a Coward as to suffer himselfe to bee taken they were no more bound to obey him but rather should punish him as he deserued calling him Woman for the more reproach and then he began to draw his Bowe and to shoot at him and the people began to cast stones at him and to continue their combate Many say that Moteçuma was then hurt with a stone whereof hee dyed The Indians of Mexico affirme the contrarie and that hee dyed as I will shew hereafter Aluaro and the rest of the Spaniards seeing themselues thus pressed gaue intelligence to Captaine Cortes of the great danger they were in who hauing with an admirable dexteritie and valour giuen order to Naruaes affaires and assembled the greatest part of his men hee returned with all speed to succour them of Mexico where obseruing the time the Indians rest for it was their custome in warre to rest euery fourth day Hee one day aduanced with great policy and courage so as both he and his men entred the Palace where as the Spaniards had fortified themselues they then shewed great signes of ioy in discharging their Artillerie But as the Mexicans fury increased being out of hope to defend themselues Cortes resolued to passe away secretly in the night without bruit Hauing therefore made Bridges to passe two great and dangerous passages about mid-night they issued forth as secretly as they could the greatest part of his people hauing passed the first bridge they were discouered by an Indian woman before they could passe the second who cryed out their enemies fled at the which voyce all the people ranne together with a horrible furie so as in passing the second bridge they were so charged and pursued as there remayned aboue three hundred men slaine and hurt in one place where at this day there is a small Hermitage which they vnproperly call of Martyrs Many Spaniards to preserue the gold and jewels which they had gotten perished and others staying to carry it away were taken by the Mexicans and cruelly sacrificed to their Idols The Mexicans found King Moteçuma dead and wounded as they say with Poniards and they hold opinion that that night the Spaniards slue him with other Noblemen The Marquesse in his Relation sent to the Emperor writes the contrary and that the Mexicans killed him that night with a sonne of Moteçuma which he led with him amongst other Noblemen saying that all the treasure of gold stones and siluer fell into the Lake and was neuer more seene But how soeuer Moteçuma dyed miserably and payed his deserts to the iust iudgement of our Lord of Heauen for his pride and tyrannie his body falling into the Indians power they would make him no Obsequies of a King no not of an ordinarie person but cast it away in great disdaine and rage A seruant of his hauing pitie of this Kings miserie who before had beene feared and worshipped as a God made a fire thereof and put the ashes in a contemptible place Returning to the Spaniards that escaped they were greatly tyred and turmoyled the Indians following them two or three dayes very resolutely giuing them no time of rest being so distressed for victuals as a few graines of Mays were diuided amongst them for their meate The Relations both of the Spaniards and Indians agree that God deliuered them here miraculously the Virgin Mary defending them on a little Hill whereat this day three leagues from Mexico there is a Church built in remembrance thereof called our Lady of succour They retyred to their ancient friends of Tlascalla whence by their aide and the valour and policy of Cortes they returned afterwards to make war against Mexico by Water and Land with an inuention of Brigantines which they put into the Lake where after many combats and aboue threescore dangerous battailes they conquered Mexico on Saint Hippolitus day the 13. of August 1521. The last King of the Mexicans hauing obstinately maintayned the warres was in the end taken in a great Canoe whereinto hee fled who being brought with some other of the chiefest Noblemen before Fernando Cortes this petie King with a strange resolution and courage drawing his dagger came neere to Cortes and said vnto him Vntill this day I haue done my best indeuour for the defence of my people now am I no farther bound but to giue thee this dagger to kill me therewith Cortes answered that he would not kill him neither was it his intention to hurt them but their obstinate folly was guiltie of all the miserie and afflictions they had suffered neither were they ignorant how often he had required peace and amitie at their hands Hee the commanded them to be intreated curteously Many strange and admirable things chanced in this Conquest of Mexico for I neither hold it for an vntruth nor an addition which many write that God fauoured the Spaniards by many miracles It is most certaine by the Relations of many and by the Histories which are written that in diuers battailes which the Spaniards had as well in New Spaine as in Peru the Indians their enemies did see a Horseman in the ayre mounted on a white horse with a Sword in his hand fighting for the Spaniards whence comes the great reuerence they beare at the Indies to the glorious Apostle Saint Iames. Otherwhiles they
did see in some battailes the Image of our Lady from whom the Christians haue receiued in those parts incomparable fauours and benefits c. And therefore we ought not to condemne all these things of the first Conquerors of the Indies as some religious and learned men haue done doubtlesse with a good zeale but too much affected For although for the most part they were couetous men cruell and very ignorant in the course that was to be obserued with the Infidels who had neuer offended the Christians yet can we not denie but on their part there was much malice against God and our Men which forced them to vse rigour and chastisement Euery one may vnderstand by the Relation and Discourse I haue written in these Bookes as well at Peru as in New Spaine when as the Christians first set footing that these Kingdomes and Monarchies were come to the height and period of their power The Inguas of Peru possessing from the Realme of Chille beyond Quitto which are a thousand leagues being most abundant in gold siluer sumptuous seruices and other things as also in Mexico Moteçuma commanded from the North Ocean Sea vnto the South being feared and worshipped not as a man but rather as a god Then was it that the most high Lord had determined that that stone of Daniel which dissolued the Realmes and Kingdomes of the World should also dissolue those of this new World And as the Law of Christ came when as the Roman Monarchie was at her greatnesse so did it happen at the West Indies wherein wee see the iust prouidence of our Lord For being then in the World I meane in Europe but one head and temporall Lord as the holy Doctors doe note whereby the Gospell might more easily bee imparted to so many People and Nations Euen so hath it happened at the Indies where hauing giuen the knowledge of Christ to the Monarchs of so many Kingdomes it was a meanes that afterwards the knowledge of the Gospell was imparted to all the people yea there is herein a speciall thing to be obserued that as the Lords of Cusco and Mexico conquered new Lands so they brought in their owne language for although there were as at this day great diuersitie of tongues yet the Courtly speech of Cusco did and doth at this day runne aboue a thousand leagues and that of Mexico did not extend farre lesse which hath not beene of small importance but hath much profited in making the preaching easie at such a time when as the Preachers had not the gift of many tongues as in old times He that would know what a helpe it hath beene for the conuersion of this people in these two great Empires and the great difficultie they haue found to reduce those Indians to Chrisâ— which acknowledge no Soueraigne Lord let him goe to Florida Bresil the Andes and many other places where they haue not preuayled so much by their preaching in fiftie yeeres as they haue done in Peru and new Spaine in lesse then fiue If they will impute the cause to the riches of the Country I will not altogether denie it Yet were it impossible to haue so great wealth and to be able to preserue it if there had not beene a Monarchie This is also a worke of God in this age when as the Preachers of the Gospell are so cold and without zeale and Merchants with the heat of couetousnesse and desire of command search and discouer new people whither we passe with our commodities for as Saint Augusâ—â—ne saith the prophesie of Esay is fulfilled in that the Church of Christ is extended not onely to the right hand but also to the left which is as hee declareth by humane and earthly meanes which they seeke more commonly then Iesus Christ. It was also a great prouidence of our Lord that when as the first Spaniards arriued there they found aide from the Indians themselues by reason of their partialities and great diuisions This is well knowne in Peru that the diuision betwixt the two brothers Atahualpa and Guasca the great King Guanacapa their father being newly dead gaue entrie to the Marquesse Don Francis Pizarre and to the Spaniards for that either of them desired his alliance being busied in warre one against the other The like experience hath beene in new Spaine that the aide of those of the Prouince of Tlascalla by reason of their continuall hatred against the Mexicans gaue the victorie and siegniorie of Mexico to the Mâ—rquesse Fernando Cortes and his men and without them it had beene impossible to haue wonne it yea to haue maintayned themselues within the Country They are much deceiued that so little esteeme the Indians and iudge that by the aduantage the Spaniards haue ouer them in their Persons Horses and Armes both offensiue and defensiue they might easily conquer any Land or Nation of the Indies Chille stands yet or to say better Arauco and Tuecapel which are two Cities where our Spaniards could not yet win one foot of ground although they haue made warre there aboue fiue and twentie yeeres without sparing of any cost For this barbarous Nation hauing once lost the apprehension of horse and shot and knowing that the Spaniards fall as well as other men with the blow of a stone or of a dart they hazard themselues desperately entring the Pikes vpon any enterprise How many yeeres haue they leuied men in new Spaine to send against the Chychymequos which are a small number of naked Indians armed only with bowes and arrowes yet to this day they could not be vâ—â—quished but contrariwise from day to day they grow more desperate and resolute But what shall we say of the Chucos of the Chiraguanas of the Piscocones and all the other people of the Andes Hath not all the flower of Peru beene there bringing with them so great prouision of Armes and Men as we haue seene What did they With what victories returned they Surely they returned very happy in sauing of their liues hauing lost their baggage and almost all their horses Let no man thinke speaking of the Indians that they are men of nothing but if they thinke so let them goe and make triall Wee must then attribute the glorie to whom it appertaynes that is principally to God and to his admirable disposition for if Moteçuma in Mexico and the Ingua in Peru had beene resolute to resist the Spaniards and to stop their entrie Cortes and Pizarre had preuayled little in their landing although they were excellent Captaines It hath also beene a great helpe to induce the Indians to receiue the Law of Christ the subiection they were in to their Kings and Lords and also the seruitude and slauerie they were held in by the Deuils tyrannies and insupportable yoke This was an excellent disposition of the diuine Wisedome the which drawes profit from ill to a good end and receiues his good from an others ill which it hath not sowen It is most certaine
that no people of the West Indies haue beene more apt to receiue the Gospell then those which were most subiect to their Lords and which haue beene charged with the heauiest burthens as well of Tributes and Seruices as of Customes and bloudie Practises All that which the Mexican Kings and those of Peru did possesse is at this day most planted with Christian Religion and where there is least difficultie in the Gouernment and Ecclesiasticall Discipline The Indians were so wearied with the heauy and insupportable yoke of Satans lawes his sacrifices and ceremonies whereof wee haue formerly spoken that they consulted among themselues to seeke out a new Law and an other God to serue And therefore the Law of Christ seemed vnto them and doth at this day seeme iust sweet cleane good and full of happinesse And that which is difficult in our Law to beleeue so high and soueraigne Mysteries hath beene easie among them for that the Deuill had made them comprehend things of greater difficultie and the selfe-same things which hee had stolen from our Euangelicall Law as their manner of Communion and Confession their adoration of Three in One and such other like the which against the will of the Enemie haue holpen for the easie receiuing of the Truth by those who before had embraced Lyes God is wise and admirable in all his workes vanquishing the Aduersarie euen with his owne weapon hee takes him in his owne snare and kills him with his owne sword Finally our God who had created this People and who seemed to haue thus long forgot them when the houre was come hee would haue the same Deuils enemies to mankinde whom they falsly held for gods should giue a testimonie against their will of the true Law the power of Christ and the triumph of the Crosse as it plainly appeares by the presages prophesies signes and prodigies here before mentioned with many others happened in diuers parts and that the same ministers of Satan Sorcerers Magicians and other Indians haue confessed it And wee cannot denie it being most euident and knowne to all the World that the Deuill dareth not hisse and that the Practises Oracles Answers and visible Apparitions which were so ordinarie throughout all this Infidelitie haue ceased whereas the Crosse of Christ hath beene planted where there are Churches and where the Name of Christ hath beene confessed And if there be at this day any cursed minister of his that doth participate thereof it is in Caues and on the tops of Mountaines and in secret places farre from the name and communion of Christians The Soueraigne Lord be blessed for his great mercies and for the glorie of his holy Name And in truth if they did gouerne this people temporally and spiritually in such sort as the Law of Iesus Christ hath set it downe with a milde yoke and light burthen and that they would impose no more vpon them then they can well beare as the Letters Patents of the good Emperour of happy memorie doe command and that they would imploy halfe the care they haue to make profit of these poore mens sweats and labours for the health of their soules it were the most peaceable and happy Christian part of all the World c. CHAP. V. Of the ancient superstitions of the Mexicans and Indians of America gathered out of the fifth Booke of IOSEPHVS ACOSTA FIrst although the darknesse of Infidelitie holdeth these Nations in blindnesse yet in many things the light of Truth and Reason workes somewhat in them And they commonly acknowledge a supreme Lord and Author of all things which they of Peru called Vnachocha and gaue him names of great excellence as Pachacamac or Pachayachachic which is the Creator of Heauen and Earth and Vsapu which is admirable and other like names Him they did worship as the chiefest of all whom they did honor in beholding the Heauen The like wee see amongst them of Mexico and China and all other Infidels Which accordeth well with that which is said of Saint Paul in the Acts of the Apostles where he did see the Inscription of an Altar Ignoto Deo to the vnknowne God Whereupon the Apostle tooke occasion to preach vnto them saying Hee whom you worship without knowing him doe I preach vnto you In like sort those which at this day doe preach the Gospell to the Indians finde no great difficultie to perswade them that there is a High God and Lord ouer all and that this is the Christians God and the true God And yet it hath caused great admiration in mee that although they had this knowledge yet had they no proper Name for God if wee shall seeke into the Indian tongue for a word to answere to this Name of God as in Latin Deâ—s in Greeke Theos in Hebrew El in Arabike Alla but we shall not finde any in the 〈◊〉 or Mexican tongues So as such as preach or write to the Indians vse our Spanish name Dios fitting it to the accent or pronunciation of the Indian tongues the which differ much whereby appeares the small knowledge they had of God seeing they cannot so much as name him if it be not by our very name yet in truth they had some little knowledge and therefore in Pâ—ru they made him a rich Temple which they called Pachacamac which was the principall Sanctuarie oâ— the Realme And as it hath beene said this word of Pachacamac is as much to say as the Creator yet in this Temple they vsed their Idolatries worshipping the Deuill and Figures They likewise made Sacrifices and Offerings to Viracocha which held the chiefe place amongst the worships which the Kiâ—gâ— Iuguâ—â— made Hereof they called the Spaniards Virâ—cochas for that they hold opinion they are the 〈◊〉 of Hâ—auen and diuiâ—e eâ—en as others did attribute a Deitie to Paul and 〈◊〉 calling the one Iupiter and the other Mercurie so would they offer sacrifices vnto them as vnto gods and as the Barbarians of Mâ—litâ— which is Maltè seeing that the Viper did not huâ—â— the Apostle they called him God NExt to Viracocha or their supreme God that which most commonly they haue and doe adore amongst the Infidels is the Sunne and after those things which are most remarkâ—able in the celestiall or â—lementarie nature as the Moâ—ne Starres Sea and Land The Guiâ—cas or Oratories which the Iâ—guas Lords of Peru had in greatest reuerence next to Viracocha and the Sunne was the Thunder which they called by three diuers names Châ—â—â—â—illa Catuillâ— and Iâ—tiillapa supposing it to be a man in heauen with a Sling and a Mace and that it is in his power to cause Raine Haile Thunder and all the rest that appertaines to the Region of the Aire where the Cloudes engender It was a Guacâ— for so they called their Oratories generall to all the Indians of Peru offering vnto him many sacrifices and in Câ—scâ— which is the Court and Metropolitan Citie they did sacrifice children vnto him
the Lands which we call Peru passing beyond Quitto vnto the riuer of Pasto towards the North stretching euen vnto Chille towards the South which is almost a thousand leagues in length It extended in breadth vnto the South Sea towards the West and vnto the great champains which are on the other side of the Andes where at this day is to be seene the Castell which is called the Pucara of the Ingua the which is a fortresse built for the defence of the frontire towards the East The Inguas aduanced no farther on that side for the abundance of water Marshes Lakes and Riuers which runne in those parts These Inguas passed all other Nations of America in pollicie and gouernment and much more in valour and armes although the Canaries which were their mortall enemies and fauoured the Spaniards would neuer confesse it nor yeelde them this aduantage so as euen at this day if they fall into any discourse or comparisons and that they be a little chased and incensed they kill one another by thousands vpon this quarrell which are the most valiant as it hath happened in Cusco The practise and meanes which the Iuguas had to make themselues Lords of all this Countrie was in faining that since the generall deluge whereof all the Indians haue knowledge the world had beene preserued restored and peopled by these Inguas and that seuen of them came forth of the Caue of Pacaricambo by reason whereof all other men ought them tribute and vassalage as their progenitors Besides they said and affirmed that they alone held the true religion and knew how God should be serued and honoured and for this cause they should instruct all men It is a strange thing the ground they giue to their customes and ceremonies There were in Cusco aboue foure hundred Oratories as in a holy land and all places were filled with their misteries As they continued in the conquests of Prouinces so they brought in the like ceremonies and customes In all this Realme the chiefe Idols they did worship were Viracocha Pachayachachic which signifies the Creator of the World and after him the Sunne And therefore they said that the Sunne receiued his vertue and being from the Creator as the other Idols doe and that they were intercessors to him THe first man which the Indians report to be the beginning and first of the Inguas was Mangocapa whom they imagine after the deluge to haue issued forth of the Caue of Tambo which is from Cusco about fiue or sixe leagues They say that hee gaue beginning to two principall Races or Families of the Inguas the one was called Hanancusco and the other Vrincusco of the first came the Lords which subdued and gouerned this Prouince and the first whom they make the Head and Stemme of this Familie was called Ingaroca who founded a Familie or Aâ—llo as they call them named Viçaquiquirao This although he were no great Lord was serued notwithstaâ—ding in vessell of gold and siluer And dying he appointed that all his treasure should be imployed for the seruice of his Body and for the feeding of his Familie His Successor did the like and this grâ—w to a generall custome as I haue said that no Ingua might inherit the goods and house oâ— his Predecessor but did build a new Palace In the time of this Inguaroca the Indians had Images of gold and to him succeeded Yaguarguaque a very old man they say hee was called by this name which signifies teares of bloud for that being once vanqâ—ished and taken by his Enemies for griefe and sorrow hee wept bloud Hee was buried in a Village called Paullo which is vpon the way to Omasugo he founded a Familie called Aocuillipanaca To him succeeded his sonne Viracocha Ingua who was very rich and made much vessell of gold and siluer he founded the Linage or Familie of Cocopanaca Gonçales Piçarre sought out his body for the report of the great treasure buried with him who after hee had cruelly tormented many Indians in the end he found it in Xaquixaquana whereas they said Piçarre was afterwards vanquished taken and executed by the President Guasca Gonçales Piçarre caused the body of Viracocha Ingua to be burnt the Indians did afterwards take the ashes the which they preserued in a small vessell making great sacrifices thereunto vntill Pollo did reforme it and other Idolatries which they committed vpon the bodies of their other Inguas the which hee suppressed with an admirable diligence and dexteritie drawing these bodies out of their hands being whole and much imbalmed whereby hee extinguished a great number of Idolatries which they committed The Indians tooke it ill that the Ingua did intitle himselfe Viracocha which is the name of their God and he to excuse himselfe gaue them to vnderstand that the same Viracocha appeared to him in his dreame commanding him to take this name To him succeeded Pachacuti Ingua Yupangui who raigned seuentie yeeres and conquered many Countries The beginning of his conquests was by meanes of his eldest brother who hauing held the gouernment in his fathers time and made warre by his consent was ouer-throwne in a battaile against the Changuas a Nation which inhabites the Valley of Andaguayllas thirtie or fortie leagues from Cusco vpon the way to Lima. This elder brother thus defeated retyred himselfe with few men The which Ingua Yupangui his younger brother seeing deuised and gaue forth that being one day alone and melancholy Viracocha the Creator spake to him complayning that though hee were vniuersall Lord and Creator of all things and that he had made the Heauen the Sunne the World and Men and that all was vnder his command yet did they not yeeld him the obedience they ought but contrariwise did equally honour and worship the Sunne Thunder Earth and other things which had no vertue but what he imparted vnto them giuing him to vnderstand that in heauen where hee was they called him Viracocha Pachayachachic which signifieth vniuersall Creator and to the end the Indians might beleeue it to be true he doubted not although hee were alone to raise men vnder this title which should giue him victorie against the Changuas although they were then victorious and in great numbers and make himselfe Lord of those Realmes for that hee would send him men to his aide inuisibly whereby he preuayled in such sort that vnder this colour and conceit he began to assemble a great number of people whereof he made a mightie Armie with the which he obtayned the victorie making himselfe Lord of the whole Realme taking the gouernment from his father and brother Then afterwards he conquered and ouer-threw the Changuas and from that time commanded that Viracocha should be held for vniuersall Lord and that the Images of the Sunne and Thunder should doe him reuerence and honor And from that time they began to set the Image of Viracocha aboue that of the Sunne and Thunder and the rest of the Guacas And
subtile and skilled generally in all artes aswell of warres as all other matters temporall And for his grauitie and estate he had of his Lordship the beginning of an Empire according as his seruants did reuerence him with great honor and power that in comparison of him not one of his predecessors came to halfe so much estate and Majestie The Statutes and Lawes of his Predecessors since the time of Gueguemoteçuma vntill his time he commanded to bee kept and wholly fulfilled with great zeale And because hee was a man so wise by his good nature he ordayned and made other Statutes and Lawes which he thought defectiue for the execution of the former not abrogating any all which were for the welfare and good gouernment of his Commonwealth and Subjects Hee was inclined to keepe many houses and women which were daughters of the Lords his Subjects and Confederates and by them he had many children and to haue so many wiues was for to set forth his Majestie the more for they hold it for a point of great estate Among which the daughâ—ers of the Lords of great authoritie he held for lawfull wiues according to their rights and ceremonies and them hee kept within his Palaces and dwelling houses and the children that came of them were had in reputation as more lawfull children then the others which hee had by the other women It were a large historie to tell the order he had in keeping of them and conuersation with them And because this present historie is but briefe it is left vnrehearsed The quantitie value and number of the tributes and kindes of things that his subjects did pay for tribute vnto him shall be seene and vnderstood hereafter as by the pictures and declarations is signified And he made a straight order that the tributes which they payed him should be fulfilled according as they were leuied by him for the fulfilling whereof he had in all his subject-townes his Calpixques and Factors which were as Gouernors that ruled commanded and gouerned them and hee was so much feared that none durst disobey nor transgresse his will and commandement but that they were kept and wholly fulfilled because he punished and corrected the rebels without remission And in the sixteenth yeere of the reigne of Motezuma the Mexicans had knowledge of certaine Spaniards which were discouerers of this New Spaine that at the end of twelue moneths there should come a fleet of Spaniardâ— to ouercome and conquer this Country and the Mexicans kept account thereof and they found it to bee true for at the end of the said twelue moneths was the arriuall of the said fleet at a Hauen of this New Spaine in the which fleet came Don Ferdinando Cortes Marques del Valle which was the seuenteenth yeere of the reign of Motezuma and in the eighteenth yeere he made an end of the continuance of his Lordship and Raigne in the which yeere he dyed and departed this present life At the time when Motezuma came to his gouernment he was fiue and thirtie yeeres old little more or lesse so that at his decease he was three and fiftie yeeres of age And straightway in the yeere after his death this Citie of Mexico and other Townes adjoyning were ouercome and pacified by the said Marques del Valle and his Confederates And so this New Spaine was conquered and pacified A The number of 19. yeeres 18. yeeres of his raigne and that other which followed in his Successor wherin Mexico was conquered as you may see in the next chapter B the fourth yeere of his raigne in which hee began his conquest C Motezuma D the instruments of warre by which hee conquered Achâ—otlan Zozolan Nochiztlan Tecutepec Zulan Tlaniztlan Huilotepec Yepatepoc Yztactlalocan Chichâ—â—ualtatacala Tecaxic Tlachinolticpac Xoconochco Ziâ—acantlan Huiztlan Piaztlan Molanco Zaquantepec Piptyoltepec Hucyapan Tecpatlan Amatlan Caltepec Pantepec Teoazinco Tecozauhtla Teochiapan Zacatepec Tlachquiyanhco Malinaltepâ—c Quimichtepec Yzquintepec Zenzontepec Quetzaltepec Cuezcomayxtlahuacan Huexolotlan Xalapan Xaltianhnizco Yoloxonecuila Atepec Mictlan Yztitlan Tliltepec Comaltâ—pec A B C D These townes were gouerned by the Casiques Principals of Mexico appointed by the Lords of Mexico for the good defence and gouernment of the naturall people and for the securitie of the Townes that they should not rebell as also for the charge they had to gather and command to be gathered the Rents and Tributes that they were bound to giue and pay to the Dominion of Mexico Citlalâ—epec Quanhtochco Mixcoatl Tlacatectli a Gouernour Zoâ—panâ—â— Xâ—ltocan Tlacatectli a Gouernour Acalhuacon Tlacochtectli a Gouernour Huaxac Yzteyocan Coatitlan Huixachtitlan Tlacatectlâ— a Gouernour Tlacochtectli a Gouernour Zozolan Poetepec Coatlayancham Acolnahuas Puputlan Yztacolco Chalcoatenco Tlacochtectly a Gouernour Tlacatecatl a Gouernour Oztoma Atzacan Atlan Omequuh Tezcacoacatl a Gouernour Tlilancalqui a Gouernour Xoconochco Tecapotitlan §. II. The second part of this Booke contayning the particular Tributes which euery Towne subdued paid vnto the Lords of Mexico HEre follow pictured and intituled the kinds of things that they of Tlatilulco which at this day is called by the Spaniards Saint Iames did pay in tribute to the Lords of Mexico and the said tribute summed here is that which followeth They were charged for tribute alwayes to repaire the Church called Huiznahuac Item fortie great Baskets of the bignesse of halfe a Bushell of Cacao ground with the Meale of Maiz which they called Chianpinoli and euery Basket had sixteene hundred Almonds of Cacao Item other fortie Baskets of Chianpinoli Item eight hundred burthens of great Mantels Item eightie pieces of Armour of slight Feathers and as many Targets of the same Feathers of the deuices colours as they are pictured All the which tribute except the said armes and targets they gaue euery 24. dayes and the said armes and targets they gaue for tribute but once in the whole yeere The said tribute had his beginning since the time of Quaâ—htlatoa and Moquihuix which were Lords of Tlatilulco The Lords of Mexico which first enioyned to those of Tlatilulco to pay tribute and to acknowledge their subiection were Yzcoatçi and Axiacaçi A the Temple of Huiznahuac B 20. baskets of Cacao meale the Eare and Meale figured C 20. more of the same C 20. D 20. E 20. baskets of Chiaupinoli F 40. peeces of Armes of this deuice G 40. of this deuice like the former but that is white with blacke streakes this yellow H I are each 400. burthens the â—are signed 400. of Mantles K These foure like vnto flowres doe signifie foure dayes euery flowre 20. dayes as they of Tlatilulco did tribute the things pictured and intituled by taxation of the Lords of Mexico I. 40 Targets of this deuice to expresse the difference of colours in each particular were too tedious N Tlatilulco The names of Quauhtlatoa and Moquihuix Lords of Tlatilulco are added because in their times it began as also of Tenuxtitlan Izcoaci and Apayacan to intimate that these two Lords of Mexico or Tenuxtitlan subdued them
a matter of importance they appealed from the Counsell Chamber before Moteçuma the King himselfe where the matter was concluded In the Chamber that is intituled The Counsell Chamber of warre were prouided Captaines and Armies for the warres as was appointed by Moteçuma A The Throne and Maiestie of Moteçuma where he sate on Court-dayes and on iudgement B Moteçuma C a house where the Lords of Tâ—nayâ—ca Chienauhtla and Colhuacan were lodged that were friends and confederates of Moteçuma D a house where the chiefe Lords of Tezcucoytacuba were lodged that were Moteçuma his friends EFG The Court of the royall houses of Moteçuma HK These lines that goe vpward are the steps to the Courts of the royall houses of Moteçuma I The counsell chamber of warre K The counsell chamber of Moteçuma L These foure are as Auditors of the counsell of Moteçuma wise men M Pleaders and Sutors that in the degree and appellation from the Alcaldes doe present themselues and appeare before the Auditors of the counsell of Moteçuma THe father and the sonne that sit against each other face to face signifie that the father giueth his sonne good counsell that he be not vicious laying before him for example that those which come to vertue come afterwards in credit with the Lords and Casiques In that they giue them honest offices and doe vse them to be their Messengers and they doe admit Musicians and Singers vnto their feasts and weddings for the credit they beare 2 The pictured in the house where they meane to talke and prouide for publike affaires and the Steward that sitteth therein doth signifie that there are before him weeping because it hath happened vnto them to be occupied in bodily labour that the Coas and Guacales doe represent And the Steward is giuing them good counsell and exhorting them to flee idlenesse is the cause that they come to be Theeues and players at the Ball and players at Patol after the manner of Dice from which Games doe spring theft for to satisfie and fulfill such vices 3 The Carpenter Lapidane Painter Gold-smith and garnisher of feathers signifie that those Artificers teach their sonnes their occupation from their childhood that when they are men they might follow their Trade and spend their time in things of vertue giuing them counsell that of idlenesse commeth euill vices and so euill tongues tale-bearing drunkennesse and theeuerie and many other euill vices A a Messenger BCD The father counselleth his sonne to apply himselfe to all vertue E One hauing a ghest entertayneth a Musician FGI a house where they meâ—t for publike affaires H The Petlacalcatl KM Coa and Guacal LN Touthes O a vagabond P a player at the ball Q a Thiefe R a player at Patol or Dice after their manner S a Carpenter T The Carpenters sonne V a Lapidarie W The Lapidaries sonne X a Painter Y The Painters sonne Z a Gold-smith The Gold-smiths sonne Aa An ill tongued man and tale-bearer Bb An artificer that garnisheth with feathers Cc The artificers sonne Dd a drunkard Ee a drunkard and thiefe the last worke like a halter seemes to signifie the euill ends which such come to The particular punishments follow in the next picture A These two Pictures signifie that the young men that were drunke with Wine dyed for that according to the Law B A young man that was drunke C A young woman if shee were drunke with Wine was killed heere according to the Lawes of Mexico D A Thiefe they stoned him to death according to the Lawes of the Lords of Mexico E These two Pictures layed and couered with clothes doe shew that if any man had carnall dealing with a married woman they stoned them both to death according to the Lawes of the Lords of Mexico F An old man of threescore and tenne yeeres hath licence to drinke Wine and to bee drunke aswell publikely as secretly because he is so old and hath Sonnes and Nephewes at which yeeres Wine and drunkennesse was not forbidden them G An old woman wife to the old man aboue pistured had priuiledge to bee drunke as well as her Husband because shee had children and childrens children and to all those of the like age drunkennesse was not forbidden them CHAP. VIII Conquest of Mexico and New Spaine by HERNANDO CORTES HErnando Cortes was borne at Medellin in Andulozia a Prouince of Spaine Anno 1485. When he was nineteene yeeres old he sayled to the Iland of Saint Domingo where Ouando the Gouernour kindly entertayned him He went to the conquest of Cuba in the yeere 1511. as Clerke to the Treasurer vnder the conduct of Iames Velasques who gaue vnto him the Indians of Manicorao where hee was the first that brought vp Kine Sheepe and Mares and had heards and flockes of them and with his Indians he gathered great quantitie of Gold so that in short time he was able to put in two thousand Castlins for his stocke with Andres de Duero a Merchant At this time Christopher Morante had sent Anno 1517. Francis Hernandes de Cordoua who first discouered Xucatan whence he brought nothing except the relation of the Country but stripes whereupon Iames Velasques in the yeere 1518. sent his Kinsman Iohn de Grijalua with two hundred Spaniards in foure ships he traded in the Riuer of Tauasco and for trifles returned much Gold and curious workes of feathers Idols of Gold a whole harnesse or furniture for an armed man of Gold thin beaten Eagles Lions and other pourtratures found in Gold c. But while Grijalua deferred his returne Velasques agreed with Cortes to bee his partner in the Discouery which he gladly accepted and procured licence from the Gouernours in Domingo and prepared for the Voyage Velasques afterward vsed all meanes to breake off in so much that Cortes was forced to engage all his owne stocke and credit with his friends in the Expedition and with fiue hundred and fiftie Spaniards in eleuen ships set saile the tenth of February 1519. and arriued at the Iland of Acusamil The Inhabitants at first fled but by the kind entertainment of some that were taken they returned and receiued him and his with all kind offices They told him of certayne bearded men in Yucatan whither Cortes sent and one of them Geronimo de Aguilar came vnto him who told him that by shipwracke at Iamaica their Caruell being lost twentie of them wandred in the Boat without sayle water or bread thirteene or fourteene dayes in which space the violence of the current had cast them on shoare in a Prouince called Maija where as they trauelled seuen dyed with famine and their Captayne Valdinia and other foure were sacrificed to be Idols by the Cacike or Lord of the Counâ—rey and eaten in a solemne Banquet and he with sixe other were put into a Coope or Cage to bee fatned for another Sacrifice But breaking Prison they escaped to another Cacike enemy to the former where all the rest dyed but himselfe and Gonsalo
Guâ—rrer a Mariner Hee had transformed himselfe into the Indian cut boring his nose full of holes his eares jagged his face and hands painted married a Wife and became a Captaine of name amongst the Indians and would not returne with this Aguilar Cortes with this new Interpreter passed vp the Riuer Tauasco called of the former Discouerer Grijalua where the Towne that stood thereon refusing to victuall him was taken and sacked The Indians herewith inraged assembled an Armie of fortie thousand but Cortes by his Horse and Ordnance preuayled the Indians thinking the Horse and Rider had beene but one creature whose gaping and swiftnesse was terrible vnto them whereupon they submitted themselues When they heard the Horses ney they had thought the Horses could speake and demanded what they said the Spaniards answered These Horses are sore offended with you for fighting with them and would haue you corrected the simple Indians presented Roses and Hens to the beasts desiring them to eate and to pardon them Cortes purposed to discouer further Westward because hee heard that there were Mines of Gold hauing first receiued their Vassallage to the King his Master to whom he said the Monarchie of the Vniuersall did appertayne These were the first Vassals the Emperour had in New Spaine They named the towne where these things were done Victorie before called Potonchan contayning neere fiue and twentie thousand houses which are great made of Lime and Stone and Bricke and some of mud-wals and rafters couered with straw their dwelling is in the vpper part of the house for the moystnesse of the soyle They did eate mans flesh sacrificed The Spaniards sayled Westward and came to Saint Iohn de Vlhua where Tendilli the Gouernour of the Countrey came to him with foure thousand Indians Hee did his reuerence to the Captayne burning Frankincense after their custome and little strawes touched in the bloud of his owne bodie and then presented vnto him victuals and Iewels of Gold and other curious workes of feathers which Cortes requited with a Collar of Glasse and other things of small value A woman-slaue giuen him at Potonchan vnderstood their language and shee with Aguilar were his Interpreters Cortes professed himselfe the seruant of a great Emperour which had sent him thither whose power he so highly extolled that Teudilli maruelled thinking there had beene no such Prince in the World as his Master and Soueraigne the King of Mexico whose Vassall he was named Mutezuma To him he sent the representations of these bearded men and their Horses Apparell Weapons Ordnance and other Rarities painted in Cotton-clothes their ships and numbers These painted Cottons he sent by Posts which deliuered them from one to another with such celeritie that in a day and night the message came to Mexico which was two hundred and ten miles distant Cortes had demanded whether Mutezuma had Gold Teudilli affirmed and Cortes replyed That he and his fellowes had a disease of the heart whereunto Gold was the best remedie Mutezuma sent him many Cotton-clothes of diuers colours many tuffes of Feathers two Wheeles the one of Siluer with the signe of the Moone and the other of Gold made like the Sunne which they hold for Gods and giue vnto them the colours of the Metals most like them Each Wheele was two yards and a halfe broad These with other parts of the Present were esteemed worth twentie thousand Duckets Mutezuma also professed ioy to heare of so great a Prince so strange people promised prouision of all necessaries but was very vnwilling that Cortes should come to see him as he pretended Yet Cortes persisted in that his desire of seeing Mutezuma that he might further acquaint himselfe with the knowledge of those parts The silly Indians hauing neuer seene such strange sights came daily to the Campe to see them and when they heard the Ordnance discharged they fell downe flat thinking the Heauens had falne the ships they thought were the God of the Ayre called Quezalcouolt which came with the Temples on his backe for they daily looked for him Amongst the rest or rather aloofe off from the rest were certayne Indians of differing habit higher then the other and had the gristles of their Noses slit hanging ouer their mouthes and Rings of Iet and Amber hanging thereat their neather lips also bored and in the holes Rings of Gold and Turkesse-stones which weighed so much that their lips hung ouer their chinnes leauing their teeth bare This vglinesse they accounted gallantry and such vncouth deformitie to be the only brauery And thou Gallant that readest and deridest this madnesse of Fashion if thine eyes were not dazeled with lightnesse light I cannot call it of selfe-reflected Vanitie mightest see as Monster-like fashions at home and a more fashionly Monster of thy selfe thy clothes and oathes thy gestures and vestures make thy naked Deformitie worse then their thus deformed nakednesse both in deed seeme to haue receiued some hellish Character if there may bee bodily representation of that olde Serpent in these new fashions striuing who shall shape himselfe neerest to that misse-shapen vglinesse wherein the Indian-jagges himselfe out of humane lineaments the other swaggers himselfe further out of all Ciuill and Christian ornaments But these Fashion-mongers haue made mee almost out of my fashion and to forget my selfe in remembring their forgetfulnesse These Indians of this New-cut Cortes caused to come to him and learned that they were of Zempoallan a Citie distant thence a dayes journey whom their Lord had sent to see what Gods were come in those Teucallis that is Temples so it seemeth they called the ships which held no conuersation with the other Indians as being not subject to Mutezuma but onely as they were holden in by force He gaue them certaine toyes and was glad to heare that the Indians of Zempoallan and other their Neighbours were not well affected to Mutezuma but readie as farre as they durst to entertayne all occasions of warre with him Hee sayled from thence to Panuco and passed the Riuer farther till he came to a little Towne where was a Temple with a little Towre and a Chappell on the top ascended by twenty steps in which they found some Idols many bloudy Papers and much mans bloud of those which had beene sacrificed the blocke also whereon they cut open those Sacrifices and the Razors made of flint wherewith they opened their brests which strucke the Spaniards with some horrour and feare They passed a little further and there hauing taken possession in the Emperours name of the whole Countrey they founded the Towne De la vera Crux Cortes resigning his authoritie and Officers being elected and lastly all with generall consent appointing Cortes their Captaine Cortes went forward to Zempoallan where hee was solemnely receiued and lodged in a great house of lime and stone whited with playster that shined in the Sunne as if it had beene Siluer so did the Siluer-conceits
but kindle a greater flame the ashes whereof came to Huexozinco Quelaxcopon Tepiacac Chololla and Tlazcallan and other places ten or as some say fifteene leagues distant and burned their hearbs in their Gardens their fields of Corne Trees and cloathes that they laid a drying The Vulcan Crater or mouth whence the fire issued is about halfe a league in compasse The Indians kissed their garments an honour done vnto their gods which had aduentured themselues to this dreadfull spectacle Cortes drawing neere to Mexico Mutezuma feared saying These are the people which our gods said should come and inherit this Land He went to his Oratory and there shut vp himselfe alone abiding eight daies in praier and fasting with sacrifice of many men to aslake the fury of his offended deities The Deuill bids him not to feare and that he should continue those bloudy Rites assuring him that he should haue the gods Vitziliputzli and Tescaâ—lipuca to preserue him saying That Quezalcouatl permitted the destruction at Chololla for want of that bloudy sacrifice Cortes passed a Hill six miles in height where by the difficulty of the passage and of the cold being alway couered with Snow the Mexicans might easily haue preuented his passing further Hence he espied the Lake whereon Mexico and many other great Townes did stand Ixtacpallapan a Towne of 10000. housholds Coyocan of six thousand Vizilopuchtli of fiue thousand These Towns are adorned with many Temples and Towres that beautifie the Lake From Iztacpalapan to Mexico is two Leagues all on a faire causey with many draw-bridges thorow which the water passeth Mutezuma receiued Cortes with all solemnity on the eight of Nouember 1519. into this great Citie excusing himselfe of former vnkindnesses the best he could Of his house and Maiestie and the diuine conceit the people had of him we shall speake after more fully as also of the Temples Priests Sacrifices and other remarkeable things of Mexico Mutezuma prouided all things necessary for the Spaniards and Indians that attended them euen beds of flowers were made in place of litter for their Horses But Cortes disquieted with those thoughts which commonly attend Ambition discontent in the present hopes and feares of the future vsed the matter so that he tooke Mutezuma prisoner and detained him in the place appointed for the Spaniards lodging with a Spanish Guard about him permitting him otherwise to deale in all priuate or publike affaires as before Hereupon Cacama Lord of Texcuco Nephew to Mutezuma rebelled but by treachery of his owne people was presented prisoner to Mutezuma He after this summond a Parliament where hee made an Oration vnto his Subiects saying That He and his Predecessours were not Naturals of the Countrey but his Fore-fathers came from a farre Country and their King returned againe and said he would send such as should rule them And he hath now sent these Spaniards saith he Hereupon he counselled them to yeelde themselues Vassals to the Emperour which they did at his command though with many teares on his part and theirs at this farewell of their liberty Mutezuma presently gaue to Cortes in the name of tribute a great quantity of Gold and other Iewels which amounted to sixteene hundred thousand Castlins of Gold besides Siluer Cortes had hitherto a continuall victory in Mexico without any fight but news was brought him of Pamphilo de Naruaes who was sent with eighty Horse and some hundreths of Spaniards by Velasques to interrupt the proceedings of Cortes who leauing two hundred men in Mexico with two hundred and fifty other came suddenly in the night and tooke Naruaes prisoner and returned to Mexico with Naruaes his Company now his followers also where he found his men exceedingly distressed by the Citizens for a murther committed in the great Temple at a solemne Feast wherein a religious dance they were slaine for the rich garments and Iewels they ware by the Spaniards Cortes came in good time for the reliefe of his men and Mutezuma caused the Mexicans to bridle their rage which presently was renewed and when Mutezuma was againe by his Guardians the Spaniards caused to speake to the people a blow of a stone on his Temples wounded him whereof three daies after he died Cortes had some thousands of the Tlaxoltecas to helpe him but was driuen to flye from Mexico with all his Spaniards and Indians which he did closely in the night but yet an alarme was raised and the Bridges being broken much slaughter of his people was made by the Mexicans and all his treasure in manner lost They pursued after him also and had two hundred thousand in the field when it was Cortes his good hap to slay the Sandardbearer whereupon the Indians forsooke the field This battell was fought at Otumpan At Tlazcallan he and his were kindely entertained they had prepared before 50000. men to goe to Mexico for his helpe and now they promised him all offices of loyalty and seruice With their helpe he subdued Tepeacac and built certaine Brigandines or Frigats which were carried many leagues on the backes of those Indians and there fastned and finished without which he could neuer haue won Mexico In Tezcuco certaine Spaniards had beene taken sacrificed and eaten which Cortes now reuenged on them Eight thousand men had carried the loose peeces and timber of this Nauie guarded with twenty thousand Tlaxcallans and a thousand Tamemez or Porters which carried victuals attending They calked them with Towe and for want of Tallow and Oyle they vsed Mans Grease of such as had beene slaine in the Warres For so the Indians vsed to take out the Grease of their Sacrifices Cortes had here nine hundred Spaniards of which fourescore and six were Horse-men three cast peeces of Iron fifteene small peeces of Brasse and a thousand weight of Powder and 100000. Indian Souldiers on his side He made a sluce or trench aboue twelue foot broad and two fathome deepe halfe a league long in which 40000. men wrought fifty dayes He lanched his Vessels and soone ouercame all the Canoas of the Lake of which were reckoned in all fiue thousand The Spaniards brake the Conduits of sweet water wherewith the City was wont to be serued Quabutimoc now the new King of Mexico receiuing incouragement from the Deuillish Oracle caused to breake downe the Bridges and to exercise whatsoeuer wit or strength could doe in defence of his Citie sometimes conquering sometimes as is doubtfull chance of warre conquered Cortes had in Tezcuco ordained a new King a Christian Indian of the royall bloud who much assisted him in this siege The Spaniards being Lords of the Lake and of the Causeyes by helpe of their Galliots and Ordinance they fired a great part of the Citie One day the Mexicans had gotten some aduantage and thereupon celebrated a Feast of Victory The Priests went vp into the Towers of Tlatelulco their chiefe Temple and made there perfumes of sweet Gums in token of victory and sacrificed forty Spaniards
with wildernesse for euerie sort To these places the Lords of Mexico vsed to goe and sport themselues such and so many were the houses of Mutezuma wherein few Kings were equall with him He had daily attending vpon him in his priuate Guard sixe hundred Noblemen and Gentlemen and each of them three or foure seruants and some had twentie seruants or moe according to his estate and in this manner he had three thousand men attendant in his Court and some affirme more all the which were fed in his house of the meate that came from his table The seruing men alwaies abode below in the Court all the day and went not from thence till after Supper It is to be thought that his Guard was the greater because the strangers were there although in effect of truth it is most certaine that all the Lords that are vnder the Mexicall Empire as they say are thirtie persons of high estate who are able to make each of them a hundred thousand men There are three thousand Lords of Townes who haue many vassals These Noblemen did abide in Mexico certaine times of the yeare in the Court of Mutezuma and could not depart from thence without especiall licence of the Emperour leauing each of them a sonne or brother behinde them for securitie of rebellion and for this cause they had generally houses in the Citie such and so great was the Court of Mutezuma There is not in all the Dominions of Mutezuma any subiect that paieth not tribute vnto him The Noblemen pay their tribute in personall seruice The Husbandmen called Maceualtin with body and goods In this sort they are either Tenants or else heires to their possessions Those which are heires doe pay one third part of all their fruite and commoditie that they doe reape or bring vp as Dogges Hennes Foule Conies Gold Siluer Stones Salt Waxe Honie Mantels Feathers Cotten and a certaine fruite called Cacao that serueth for money and also to eate Also all kinde of Graine and Garden Hearbes and Fruites whereof they doe maintaine themselues The Tenants doe pay monethly or yearely as they can agree and because their tribute is great they are called slaues for when they may haue licence to eate Egges they thinke it a great fauour It was reported that they were taxed what they should eate and all the residue was taken from them They went verie poorely cloathed yea and the most of their treasure was an earthen Pot wherein they boiled their Hearbes a couple of Milstones to grinde their Corne and a Mat to lye vpon They did not onely paie this Rent and Tribute but also serued with their bodies at all times when the great King should command They were in such great subiection to their Prince that they durst not speake one word although their daughters should be taken from them to be vsed at pleasure All the aforesaid rents they brought to Mexico vpon their backes and in Boates I meane so much as was necessarie for the prouision of the House and Court of Mutezuma all the rest was spent among Souldiers and bartred for Gold Plate Precious stones and other rich Iewels esteemed of Princes all the which was brought to the Treasurie In Mexico was large and great Barnes and Houses to receiue and keepe the Corne for prouision of the Citie with Officers and vnderofficers who did receiue the same and kept account thereof in Bookes of painted figures And in euery Towne was a Receiuer who bare in his hand a rod or a bush of Feathers and those gaue vp their accounts in Mexico If any such had beene taken with deceit and falshood death was his reward yea and his kinred punished with penalties as of a linage of a traitour to his Prince The Husbandmen if they paid not well their Tribute were apprehended for the same and if they were found to be poore through sicknesse and infirmitie then they were borne withall but if they were found to be lazie and sloathfull they should be vsed accordingly but in conclusion if they paied it not at a day appointed then they should be sold for slaues to pay their debt or else be sacrificed There were many other Prouinces which paid a certaine portion and reknowledged seruice but this Tribute was more of honour then profit In this sort Mutezuma had more then suffitient to prouide his house and wars and to heape vp great store in his Treasury Moreouer he spent nothing in the building of his houses for of long time he had certaine Townes that paid no other Tribute but onely to worke and repaire continually his Houses at their owne proper cost and paid all kinde of workemen carrying vpon their backes or drawing in sleds Stone Lime Timber Water and all other necessaries for the worke Likewise they were bound to prouide all the firewood that should be spent in the Court which was a great thing and did amount to two hundred and thirty weight a day which was fiue hundred mens burdens and some dayes in the winter much more And for the Kings Chimneys they brought the barke of Oake trees which wes best esteemed for the light thereof for they were great Sorcerers Mutezuma had one hundred Cities with their Prouinces of whom he receiued Rents Tributes and Vâ—ssalage where he maintained Garrison of Souldiers and had Treasurers in each of them His dominion did extend from the North sea to the South sea and six hundred miles in longitude within the maine Land although in very deede there were some Townes as Tlaxcallon Mechuacan Panuco and Teocantepec which were his enemies and paid him neither Tribute nor Seruice but yet the Ransome was much when any of them was taken Also there were oâ—her Kings and Noblemen as of Texcuto and Tlacopan which were not in subiection vnto him but onely in homage and obedience for they were of his owne linage vnto whom Mutezuma married his Daughters Description of Mexico as it flourished in those times MExico at the time when Cortes entred was a Citie of sixtie thousand houses The Kings house and oâ—her Noblemens houses were great large and beautifull the other were small and meane without either doores or windowes and although they were small yet there dwelleth in some of them two three yea and ten persons by reason whereof the Citie was wonderfully replenished with people This Citie is built vpon the water euen in the same order as Venice is All the body of the Citie standeth in a great large Lake of water There are three sorts of streetes very broad and faire the one sort are onely water with many Bridges another sort of onely earth and the third of earth and water that is to say the one halfe earth to walke vpon and the other halfe for Boates to bring prouision of all sorts These streetes are kept alwayes cleane and the most part of the houses haue two doores the one towards the Cawsey and the other
next moneth and the third moneth he counteth to be the third day and so orderly doth the other sixe letters These Mexicans had another order to reckon their yeeres which exceeded not aboue foure in number as one two three foure wherewith they account a hundred fiue hundred a thousand and as many moe as they list Those foure figures or names are Tochtli Acatlh Tecpatlh Calli and doe signifie a Cony a Caue a Knife and a House saying Ce Totchtli One yeere Ome Acatlth Two yeeres Ei Tecpatlh Three yeeres Naui Calli Foure yeeres Macuil Tochtli Fiue yeeres Chioacen Acatlh Sixe yeeres Cicome Tecpatlh Seuen yeeres Chicuei Calh Eight yeeres Chiconaui Tochtli Nine yeeres Matlactli Acatlh Ten yeeres Matlactlioce Tecpatlh Eleuen yeeres Matlactliome Calli Twelue yeeres Matlactliomei Tochtli Thirteene yeeres So that the reckoning passeth not aboue thirteene which is one weeke of the yeere and endeth where he began The second weeke Ce Acatlh one yeere Ome Tlepatlh two yeeres Ei Calli three yeeres Naui Tochtli foure yeeres Macuil Acatlh fiue yeeres Chioacen Tecpatlh sixe yeeres Chicome Calli seuen yeeres Chicuei Tochtli eight yeeres Chiconaui Acatlh nine yeeres Matlactli Tecpatlh ten yeeres Matlactlioce Calli eleuen yeeres Matlactliome Tochtli twelue yeeres Matlactliomei Acatlh thirteene yeeres The third weeke of yeeres Ce Tecpatlh one yeere Ome Calli two yeeres Ei Tochtli three yeeres Naui Acatlh foure yeeres Macuil Tecpatlh fiue yeeres Chioacan Calli sixe yeeres Chicome Tochtli seuen yeeres Chicuei Acatlh eight yeeres Chiconaui Tecpatlh nine yeeres Matlactli Calli ten yeeres Matlactliome Tochtli eleuen yeeres Matlactliome Acatlh twelue yeeres Matlactliomei Tecpatlh thirteene yeeres The fourth weeke Ce Calli one yeere Ome Tochtli two yeares Ei Acatlh three yeares Naui Tecpatlh foure yeares Macuil Calli fiue yeares Chioacen Tochtli six yeares Chicome Acatch seuen yeares Chieuei Tecpatlh eight yeares Chiconaui Calli nine yeares Matlactli Tochtli ten yeares Matlactlioce Acatlh eleuen yeares Matlactliome Tecpatlh twelue yeares Matlactliomei Calli thirteene yeares Each of these weekes which our men call Indition doth containe thirteene yeares so that all the foure weekes make two and fiftie yeares which is a perfect number in their reckoning and is called the yeare of grace for from fiftie two yeares to fiftie two yeares they vsed to make solemne feasts with strange Ceremonies as hereafter shall be declared And when fiftie two yeares are ended then they begin againe by the same order before declared vntill they come to as many moe beginning at Ce Tochtli and so forward But alwayes they begin at the Conie figure So that in the forme of reckoning they keepe and haue in memory things of eight hundred and fiftie yeares and by this Chronicle they know in what yeare euery thing hapned and how long euery King reigned how many children they had and all things else that importeth to the estate of the gouernment of the Land The Indians of Culhua did beleeue that the Gods had made the World but they knew not how yet they beleeued that since the creation of the world foure Sunnes were past and that the fift and last is the Sunne that now giueth light to the World They held opinion that the first Sunne perished by water and at the same time all liuing creatures perished likewise The second Sunne say they fell from the heauens with whose fall all liuing creatures were slaine and then said they were many Giants in that Countrey and certaine monstrous Bones which our men found in opening of graues by proportion whereof some should seeme to be men of twenty spans high The third Sunne was consumed by fire which burned day and night so that then all liuing creatures were burned The fourth Sunne finished by tempest of Ayre or Winde which blow downe Houses Trees yea and the Mountaines and Rockes were blowen a sunder but the linage of Mankinde perished not sauing that they were conuerted into Apes And touching the fift Sunne which now raigneth they know not how it shall consume But they say that when the fourth Sunne perished all the world fell into darkenesse and so remained for the space of fiue and twenty yeares continually and at the fifteenth yeare of that fearefull darkenesse the Gods did forme one man and woman who brought forth children and at the end of the other ten yeares appeared the Sunne which was newly borne vpon the figure of the Conie day and therefore they begin their account of yeares at that day and reckoning from the yeare of our Lord 1552. their age or Sunne is 858. so that it appearreth that they haue vsed many yeares their writing in figures and they had not onely this vse from Cetochli which is the beginning of their yeare moneth and day of their fifth Sunne but also they had the same order and vse in the other foure Sunnes which were past but they let many things slip out of memory saying that with the new Sunne all other things should be likewise new They held also opinion that three dayes after this last Sun appeared all the gods did dye and that in processe of time the gods which now they haue and worship were borne Although one brother was heire to another among the Mexicans and after their decease did inherit the Sonne of the eldest Brother yet they tooke no possession of the state or name of King vntill they were annointed and crowned openly As soone as any King of Mexico deceased and his Funerals ended then were called to Parliament the Lord of Tezcuco and the Lord of Tlacopan who were the chiefest estates and then in order all other Noblemen who owed any seruice to the Mexican Empire And being come together if any doubt of the inheritance of the Crowne happened then the matter was decided with all haste then the new King being knowne he was stripped starke naked except a cloath to couer his priuie parts and in this sort was carried among them to the great Temple of Vitzilopuchtli with great silence and without any ioy or pleasure Two Gentlemen of the Citie whose office it was led him vp the staires of the Temple by the armes and before him went the Princes of Tezcuco and Tlacopan who that day did weare their roabes of Coronation whereupon was painted their armes and title Verie few of the Laitie went vp into the Chappels but onely those that were appointed to attire the new King and to serue in other Ceremonies for all the residue stood vpon the steps and below to behold the Coronation These Magistrates being aboue in the Chappell came with great humility and reuerence kneeling downe vpon their knees before the Idoll of Vitzilopuchtli and touched the earth with one finger and then kissed the same Then came the high Priest cloathed in his pontificall vestments with many others in his company who did weare Surplices and without speaking any word they painted or coloured the Kings person with Inke made for the purpose as blacke as any coale After this Ceremonie done
for another Friar The answer of Mangu Chan not wel vnderstood and deliuered by a drunken Interpreter Caracarum ten daies iourney from the Court of Mangu Chan toward the North as appeareth Ch. 36. Chap. 31. Of Pascha of Mentz in Lotharingia and William Bouchier the Goldsmith a Parisian Building in request They also reckon by Moones in East India Crac is a strong fortresse of the Templâ— is in the holy Land Chap. 32. Of Theodolus the Clerke of Acon how hee deceiued Mangu Chan and was imprisoned of 〈◊〉 Frier Andrew went from Cyprus by Persia. Blasphemous flattery The Golden Tablet of the Emperor of the Tartars Vastacius King of Pontus Or Erserum Sergius an Armenian Monke Chap. 33. Oâ— Mangu Chans holyday and how his principall wiâ—e and his eldest sonne came to the Diuine ceremonies of the Nestorians and oâ— their filthy â—â—wsingâ— The cold much preuayleth The 13. of Ian. Cotota Caten the principall Wife of Mangu Chan. Baltu the Son of Mangu Chan. * Vnum bucâ—eranum * Cosmos of Mares Milke Vid. sup Ianuary 20 Of the Fast of the Nestorians and Armenians and of their Processions vnto the Court of Mangu Chan his eldest Son and Wiues Saint Sâ—rkis Lent Mangu Chans Court visited with Processions How they diuine by the sholder blades of Rommes burnt blacke In M. Ienkinsons Voyage among the Tartars ye may reade of such a Diuination Threshold-Superstition They doe the like in Florida Baltues Court who was eldest Son of Mangu Chan. The Court of the third Lady The Armenians and Nestorians are ashamed to shew Christ fastned to the Crosse. Mangu built a Church The Court of the fourth Lady Drunkennesse not reproueable among the Tartars Chap. 35. How Lady Cota was cured of Sergius the counterfeit Monke Liâ—ence is granted him to carrie the Crosse aloft Rubarbe and the Crosse Miracle-workers with credulous Superstition Holy water not knowne in the East Sergius the Armenians Lye Sorcerie of foure swords The Crosse carried aloft Chap. 36. A description of the Countries about the Court of Mangu Chan and of their manner of writing and their money Chap. 3. Al Riuers bending towards the South and North runne towards the West Chap. 15. Su-Moal the Water Tartars to the East liuing vpon fish Kerkis Orangai Pascatir on the West Chap. 19. Mutezuma commanded the like in Noua Hispania * A description of Apes or else an embleme or Apish fable and perhaps by the Chinois inuented to sell their wares the dearer Most precious Purple Cataia vpon the Ocean Taute and Manse who dwell in Ilands whose Sea freezeth in the Winter Cataia paper money The manner of writing in Cataia like that of China The people of Thebet· Their manner of writing in Tangut and Iugur The money of the Rutenians Chap. 37. Of the second fast of the people of the East in Lent The Monke is reproued for the multitude of those that came vnto him Monkes Manichaean blasphemie of the Creation Snow-water or water of Ice exceeding naught No fish eaten in Lent Hypocriticall feast-fast Chap. 38. A Description of the worke of William Bouchier and of the Palace of Mangu Chan at Caracaâ—um into which Citie they entred on Palm-sunday Two moneths iourney The Description of a most artificiall siuer Tree The description of the Palace The Sunday in the Passion he goeth towards Caracarum They enter Caracarum on Palme Sunday Mangu Chan departeth from Caracarum Chap. 39. The manner how the Nestorians make the Sacramentall Bread The Christians confesse themselues and receiue the Sacrament of Frier William in the dayes of the Lords Supper and Easter The Christians desire the Sacrament Confession Theft excluded the ten Commandements perhaps these fellowes were of those Borderers minde which thought K. Henry had put it in the Decalogue The Patriarch of the Nestorians remayneth at Baldach Chap. 40. William Bouchier is sicke the Monke giueth him Rubarbe the Priest Ionas is sicke Frier William administreth the Lords Supper vnto him and anionteth him beeing readie to dye Hee reproueth the Monke for his Sorceries The Priest Ionas is sicke and dyeâ—h The Nestorians know not Extreme Vnction nor Confession He that is presenâ— with one that dyeth cannot come into the presence of the Prince for the space of an wholâ— yeare Bold blindnes The Monke vseth Diuinations Chap. 41. The description of the Citie of Caracarum they are examined Mangu Chan sendeth hâ—s brethren against diuers Kingdomes the Monke biddeth the Saracens farewell The Wife of Mangu Chan dyeth The Countrey of the Hassasines or Mulibet Chap. 16. Some of Cataia rebell Ascension day Arabucha the yonger brother of Mangu Chan. Ignorant zeale a betrayer of the Faith a cause perhaps of Tartarian Saracenisme One of the Wiues of Chan dyeth The Tartars do more by deceit then by force Chap. 42. They are often examined wherfore they came Mangu desireth to make comparison of Diuine things The most learned speech of Frier William with the Idolaters The Saracens acknowledge the truth of the Gospel The godly conference of Frier William with the Seruants of Mangu Chan. Mangu Chan desireth to haue a comparison made concerning diuine things betweene the Christians Saracens and Idolaterâ— His Answere Mangu Chan wil haue them returne Whitsunday Eeuen How Idolatry began first in the World The Proclamation of Mangu Chan. The murmuring of the Idolâ—ters agâ—inst Chan· The beginning of the disputation concerning the Christian Religion with an Idolater We ought first to speake of God The heresie of the Manichees in Cataia as a sprout from the Magi infecting all the Easterne Philosophie and Religions A Pythagorean child God is Omnipotent God knowes all things God perfectly good The Saracens answer that the Gospell is true The Sect of the Iugurs Chap 43. The day of Pentecost he is called before Mangu Chan who confesseth the faith of the Tartars he speaketh of his returne by Baatu he craueth leaue to stay there whiâ—h is not graunted A token of fauour The faith of the Tartars He speâ—keth of the Fryers returne Baatus greatnesse Hee craueth leaue againe to stay in the Tartars Countrey but it is not granted He departeth from the presence of Mangu Can. Chap. 44. A description of the Tartarian Sorcerers and of their diuers and vnlawfull behauiour Chiefe Priest of the Tartars Some of them know Astronomy Eclipses They fore-tell lucky and vnfortunat daiâ—s for the performance of all buâ—inesse whatsoeuer They cause all things senâ— to the Court passe betweene fires Friar Andrew and his fellows The ninth day of the Moone of May solemnly kept euery yeâ—re They are called to the birth of children and fore-tell their destinies and are also â—ent for when any are sicke The false accusations of the Sorcerers The Bishop of the Nestorians in Cataia A lyer and a murtherer from the beginning The Reuenge of Mangu Chan vpon his Wife being a murtherer The Sorcerers trouble the Ayre with their Charmes The Sorcerers raise vp deuils Chap. 45. Great Solemnity Mangu Chans Letters to
was lame and that he was therefore so called Tamerlan his first warre against the Moscouite The Armie of the Moscouite The Armie of Tamerlan The order of Tamerlans Battell Quauicay if not Quinsay The Tartarian Exercises Tamerlan his Marriage with the great ChaÌ„s Daughter The scituation of the Citie of Samercand This may bee praysed in a Pagan and Infidell but not in a Christâ—â—n Prince Qui vb que est nusquam est He which is of all Religions is of none Hordas are the moueable populations of the Tartars A wall builded by the King of China This was as the Chinois report built before and perhaps now by age ruined which may be a câ—use Pole mentions them not and by this King repayred 100. yeares after Polos time In which space also the Chinois if this story be true had râ—couered part of their Empire conquâ—red before by Cublai A kind parting betweene the Father and the Sonne Samay made Gouernour of Sachetay in Tamerlans absence Tamerlan his Armie marching against the King of China The conspiracie of Calix against Tamerlan in his absence Good directions from Tamerlan Brore Axalla Many Christians Calix taken prisoner by Axalla Calix beheaded The ordinarie Garrison at Cambalu of 30000. Souldiers Tamerlan welcommed vnto his Armie with new and strange acclamation Tamerlan his Otation vnto his Souldiers vpon his going forward against the King of China The crie of the Souldiers vpon the Emperours Oration A wall builded by the King of China fortie leagues long Perhaps this was not the ancient wall of which the Chinois write but some other betwixt Cathay and those parts of Mangi which the Tartars hauing gotten in Pâ—los dayes might soone after lose and the Chinois recouâ—r the Tartarians stil holding Quinsay some other parts of Mangi or China as this storie iâ— wholly truâ— seemes to import The Prince of Thanais gayneth a Lord of the Mountains to doe the Emperor seruice Vauchefu The speech of the Mountaine Lord vnto Tamerlan Calibes Oration vnto Prince Tamerlan The Lake Hogeen Quaguifou Fiftie thousand men sent into China by a secret passage vnder the leading of the Prince of Thanais and Axalla A secret way found into China by the conduct of the mountaine Lord. Axalla ouerthrew the Chinois that kept the wall of partition Quantiou The custome of the Chinois in religion The Emperour wonne the wals of China The mountain Lord rewarded with great gouernment A good aduertiâ—â—ment for Generalâ— Axalla made Captaine generall of all the foot-men Paguinfou besieged Note these changes of state betwixt the Tartars and Chinois A great Suburbe wonne by Axalla in the night The situation of the Citie of Paguinfou The siege of Paguinfou The Citie of Paguinfou yeelded vnto Tamerlan vpon the death of their Gouernour Axallas choise Tamerlan his kind of godlinesse The King of China his magnificence The custome of the Chinois Tunicheuoy Pannihu Tiaucheuoy The order of the Princes battaile against the King of China The beautie and richnesse of the King of Chinas Armie Tamerlan his speech of the King of China The battaile betweene the King of China and Tamerlan The King of China wounded and taken Prisoner Tamerlans victory ouer the King of China Pannihu Tam. dranke no Wine The comming of the King of China prisoner vnto the Emperour Tamerlan 200. Cities A description of China Rhubarbe Tame or Tamin and Tamegius Quantou Burda Porchio Odmar set vpon the Kings Brother at the passing of a Riuer and slue fifty thousand of his men A stratagem An Embassage from the King of Chinas Brother vnto Tamerlan to treat for peace and the Kings deliuerance Conditions agreed vpon betweene Tamerlan and the Chinois Odmar lefâ— Gouernour of China for Tamerlan Tamerlan turned his fauouâ— vnto Axalla 200000. crowne of yeerley tent giuen vnto Axalla by Tamerlan The meeting betweene the great Cam and Tamerlan at the Citie of Cambalu in Cataio Axalla rewarded by the great Cam for his good seruice and faithfulnesse A message sent by Tamerlan vnto Baiazet The proud answer of Baiazet Heauy parting A notable saying of Tamerlan Tamerlan his dreame Tamerlan iourney against the Turke Tamerlan returneth from the conquest of China vnto Samercand Consultation about the way the Armie should take to the Turkes Empire Tamerlan his chiefest trust Bachu Tamerlan hunted by the way towards the Turke Baiazet marched vnto the siege of Constantinople The gouernmâ—nt Axalla did chuâ—e Notable iustice amongst the Tartarians The causes of Tamerlans warre against the Turkes A stratagem How Tamerlans Armie passed the night before the battell fought against the Turke Tamerlan his custome before a battell The manner of the march of the Turkish Foot-men The order of Tamerlan his battell What the Turks Ianizaries be Mamalukes Tamerlan his principall maxime of warre The battaile betweene Tamerlan and Baiazet Tamerlan his notable victorie obtayned against Baiazet wherein hee was taken prisoner Tamerlan his wisedome the cause of the victorie and wherein performed Baiazet brought before Tamarlan with his pride Tamerlan his saying of Baiazet The despairâ— of Baiazet after he was taken prisoner Baiazet Tamarlans foot-stoole to mount on horâ—eback Tamarlan his pollicie for â—o encrease his Citie Samarcand Axalla cruell against the Ottomans for the deliuery of Greece Presents sent by Tamerlan vnto the great Cham his Vncle. Tamerlan his vow vnto God Articles of a new agreemenâ— betweene Tamerlan and the King of China The magnificent Funerall of the great Cham of Tartaria Tamerlan his vertuous and chaste loue vnto his good Wife The young Prince made Couernour of Quinzai and ouer all the Countrey which seemeth to bee the North parts of China and perhaps in these times Nanquin was the Seat of the K. of China and Quinzai of the Tartar Can. Axalla appointed the young Princes Gouernour and authorised ouer all the Kingdomes of Tamerlan as Gouernour generall The King of China came vnto the Emperour Tamerlans Court and did sweare vnto him once againe obedience The meane apparell of Tamerlan * This battell for breuitie is omitted as is also the most part of the Booke The description of the Citie of Quinzay with the wonderfull situation thereof Tamerlan receiued with great magnificence into Quinsay with rich and rare presents The order hee tooke for his sonnes education Tamerlan his notable saying of succession in his Empire The Empresse deliuered of an other sonne at Samarcand in Parthia Tamerlan his recreations and notable saying thereof The admiration and exceeding loue the people of Quinzay did beare vnto their Emperor The nature of the people of Quinzay toward their Emperour Prince Axalla sent into China for to establish a peace there The meeting of Prince Axalla with the King of China at Pochio The resolution of the meeting betweene Axalla and King of China King of Chinaâ— brother succeeds The iustice of Tamerlan Tamerlan his great liberalitie Tamerlan his core of his reuenue The death of the Emperour Tamerlan Prince Sautochie proclaymed Emperor and signed dispatches Prince Sautochio nineteene