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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries

R >> Richard Hakluyt >> The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries




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Itinerarium fratris Willielmi de Rubruquis de ordine fratrum Minorum,
Galli, Anno gratia 1253. ad partes Orientales.

Excellentissimo Domino & Christianissimo, Lodouico Dei gratia Regi
Francorum illustri, frater Willielmus de Rubruquis in ordine fratrum
Minorum minimus salutem, & semper triumphare in Christo. Scriptum est in
Ecclesiastico de sapiente [Marginal note: Ecclus 39. ver 4.], In terram
alienarum gentium transibit, bona & mala in omnibus tentabit. Hoc opus,
Domine mi Rex, feci: sed vltinam vt sapiens et non stultus. Multi enim
faciunt quod facit sapiens, sed non sapienter, sed magis stultè; de quorum
numero timeo me esse. Tamen quocunque modo fecerim; quia dixistis mihi
quando recessi à vobis, vt omnia scriberem vobis, quæcunque viderem inter
Tartaros, & etiam monuistis vt non timerem vobis scribere longas literas,
facio quod iniunxistis: Cum timore tamen & verecundia, quia verba congrua
mihi non suppetunt, quæ debeam tantæ scribere Maiestati. Nouerit ergò
vestra sancta maiestas, quòd anno Domini millessimo ducentessimo,
quinquagessimo tertio, nonas Maij ingressi sumus mare Ponti, quod Bulgarici
vocant, Maius Mare: & habet mille octo milliaria in longum, vt didici à
mercatoribus, & distinguitur quasi in duas partes. Circa medium enim eius
sunt quæ prouinciæ terræ, vna ad Aquilonem, & alia ad meridiem. Illa quæ
est ad meridiem dicitur Synopolis; & est castrum & portus Soldani Turchiæ.
Quæ verò ad Aquilonem est, est Prouincia quædam, quæ nunc dicitur à Latinis
Gasaria, à Græcis verò qui inhabitant eam super littus maris dicitur
Cassaria, hoc est Cæsaria. Et sunt promontoria quædam extendentia se in
mare, & contra meridiem versus Synopolim. Et sunt trecenta milliaria inter
Synopolim & Cassariam. Ita quod sint septingenta milliaria ab istis punctis
versus Constantinopolim in longum et latum: et septingenta versus Orientem:
hoc est, Hiberiam, quæ est prouincia Georgiæ. Ad prouinciam Gasariæ siue
Casariæ applicuimus, quæ est quasi triangularis, ad Occidentem habens
ciuitatem, quæ dicitur Kersoua in qua fuit Sanctus Clemens marterizatus. Et
nauigantes coram ea vidimus insulam in qua est templum illud quod dicitur
Angelicis manibus præparatum. [Sidenote: Soldaia.] In medio verò quasi in
cuspide ad meridiem habet ciuitatem quæ dicitur Soldaia, quæ ex transuerso
respicit Synopolim: Et illuc applicant omnes Mercatores venientes de
Turchia volentes ire ad terras Aquilonares, et è contrario venientes de
Russia et terris Aquilonaribus, volentes transire in Turchiam. Illi portant
varium et grisiam, et alias pelles pretiosas. Alij portant telas de cottone
siue bombasio, et pannos sericos et species aromaticas. [Sidenote: Matriga
ciuitas.] Ad Orientem verò illius prouinciæ est ciuitas quæ dicitur
Matriga, vbi cadit fluuius Tanais in mare Ponti per orificium habens
latitudinem duodecem milliarium. Ille enim fluuius antequam ingrediatur
mare Ponti, facit quoddam mare versus Aquilonem, habens in latitudine et
longitudine septinginta, milliaria, nusquam habens profunditatem vltra sex
passus, vnde magna vasa non ingrediuntur illud. Sed mercatores de
Constantinopoli applicantes ad prædictam ciuitatem Matertam, mittunt barcas
suas vsque ad flumen Tanaim, vt emant pisces siccatos, sturiones, thosas,
borbatos, et alios pisces infinitæ multitudinis. Prædicta verò prouincia
Cassaria cingitur mari in tribus lateribus: ad Occidentem scilicet, vbi est
Kersoua ciuitas Clementis, ad meridiem vbi est ciuitas Soldaia, ad quam
applicuimus, quæ est cuspis prouinciæ, et ad Orientem Maricandis, vbi est
ciuitas Materta, et orificium Tanais. [Sidenote: Zikia.] Vltra illud
orificium est Zikia, quæ non obedit Tartaris: Et Sueui et Hiberi ad
Orientem, qui non obediunt Tartaris. Posteà versus meridiem est Trapesunda
quæ habet proprium Dominum nomine Guidonem, qui est de genere imperatorum
Constantinopolitanorum, qui obedit Tartaris: posteà Synopolis quæ est
Soldani Turchiæ qui similiter obedit: posteà terra Vastacij cuius filius
dicitur Astar ab auo materno, qui non obedit. Ab orificio Tanaius versus
Occidentem vsque ad Danubium totum est subditum. Etiam vltra Danubium
versus Constantinopolim, Valakia, quæ est terra Assani, et minor Bulgaria
vsque in Solonomam omnes soluunt eis tributum. Et etiam vltra tributum
condictum sumpserunt annis nuper transactis de qualibet domo securim vnam,
et totum frumentum quod inuenerunt in massa. Applicuimus ergò Soldaiæ in
12. Kalendas Iunij: Et præuenerant nos quidam mercatores de
Constantinopoli, qui dixerunt venturos illuc nuncios de terra sancta
volentes ire ad Sartach. Ego tamen prædicaueram publicè in Ramis Palmarum
apud Sanctam Sophiam, quod non essem nuncius, nec vester, nec alicuius, sed
ibam apud illos incredulos secundùm regulam nostram. Tunc cùm applicuissem,
monebant me dicti mercatores vt cautè loquerer, quia dixerunt me esse
nuncium, et si non dicerem me esse nuncium, quod non præberetur mihi
transitus. Tunc loquutus sum hoc modo ad capitaneos ciuitatis, imò ad
vicarios capitaneorum, quia capitanei iuerant ad Baatu portantes tributum,
et non fuerant adhuc reuersi. Nos audiuimus, dixi, de Domino vestro Sartach
in Terra Sancta quod esset Christianus: et gauisi sunt inde vehementer
Christiani, et præcipuè Dominus Rex Francorum Christianissimus, qui ibi
peregrinatur, et pugnat contra Saracenos, vt eripiat loca sancta de manibus
eorum: vnde volo ire ad Sartach, et portare ei literas Domini Regis, in
quibus monet eum de vtilitate totius Christianitatis. Et ipsi receperunt
nos gratanter, et dederunt nobis hospitium in ecclesia Episcopali. Et
Episcopus ipsius ecclesiæ fuerat ad Sartach, qui multa bona dixit mihi de
Sartach, quæ ego postea non inueni. Tunc dederunt nobis optionem vtrum
vellemus habere bigas cum bobus ad portandum res nostras vel equos pro
summarijs. Et mercatores Constantinopolitani consuluerunt mihi quod non
acciperem bigas, imò quod emerem proprias bigas coopertas, in quibus
apportant Ruteni pelles suas, et in illis includerem res nostras quas
vellem quotidie deponere, quia si acciperem equos, oporteret me in qualibet
Herbergia deponere et reponere super alios, et prætereà equitarem lentiori
gressu iuxta boues. Et tunc acquieui consilio eorum malo, tum quia fui in
itinere vsque Sartach duobus mensibus, quod potuissem vno mense fecisse, si
iuissem equis. Attuleram mecum de Constantinopoli fructus et vinum
muscatum, et biscoctum delicatum de consilio mercatorum ad præsentandum
capitaneis primis, vt facilius pateret mihi transitus; quia nullus apud eos
respicitur rectis oculis, qui venit vacua manu. Quæ omnia posui in vna
biga, quando non inueni ibi capitaneos ciuitatis, quia dicebant mihi, quod
grattissima forent Sartach, si possem deferre ea vsque ad eum. Arripuimus
ergo iter tunc circa Kalend. Iunij cum bigis nostris quatuor coopertis et
cum alijis duabus quas accepimus ab eis, in quibus portabantur lectisternia
ad dormiendum de nocte, et quinque equos dabant nobis ad equitandum. Eramus
enim quinque personæ. Ego et socius meus frater Bartholomeus de Cremona, et
Goset later præsentium, et homo dei Turgemannus, et puer Nicolaus, quam
emeram Constantinopoli de nostra eleemosyna. Dederunt etiam duos homines
qui ducebant bigas et custodiebant boues et equos. Sunt autem alta
promontoria super Mare à Kersoua vsque ad orificium Tanais: Et sunt
quadraginta castella inter Kersouam et Soldaiam, quorum quodlibet fere
habet proprium idioma: inter quos erant multi Goti, quorum idioma est
Teutonicum. Post illa montana versus Aquilonem est pulcherrima sylua in
planicie, plena fontibus et riuulis: Et post illam syluam est planicies
maxima, quæ durat per quinque dietas vsque ad extremitatem illius prouinciæ
ad aquilonem, quæ coarctatur habens Mare ad Orientem et Occidentem. Ita
quod est vnum fossatum magnum ab vno Mari vsque ad aliud. In illa planicie
solebant esse Comani antequam venirent Tartari, et cogebant ciuitates
prædictas et castra vt darent eis tributum. Et cum venerunt Tartari, tanta
multitudo Comanorum intrauit prouinciam illam, qui omnes fugerunt vsque ad
ripam Maris, quod comedebant se mutuo viui morientes: secundum quod
narrauit mihi quidam mercator, qui hoc vidit: Quod viui deuorabant et
lacerabant dentibus carnes crudas mortuorum, sicut canes cadauera. Versus
extremitatem illius prouinciæ sunt lacus multi et magni: in quorum ripis
sunt fontes salmastri, quorum aqua, qàam cito intrat lacum, efficit salem
durum ad modum glaciei. Et de illis salinis habent Baatu et Sartach magnos
reditus: quia de toto Russia veniunt illuc pro sale: et de qualibet biga
onusta dant duas telas de cottone valentes dimidiam Ipperperam. Veniunt, et
per Mare multæ naues pro sale, quæ omnes dant tributum secundum sui
quantitatem. Postquam ergo recessimus de Soldaia, tertia die inuenimus
Tartaros: inter quos cùm intraueram, visum fuit mihi recte quod ingrederer
quoddam aliud sæculum. Quorum vitam et mores vobis describam prout possum.


The same in English.

The iournal of frier William de Rubruquis a French man of the order of the
minorite friers, vnto the East parts of the worlde. An. Dom. 1253.

To his most Soueraigne, & most Christian Lord Lewis, by Gods grace the
renowned king of France, frier William de Rubruk, the meanest of the
Minorites order, wisheth health and continual triumph in CHRIST.

It is written in the booke of Ecclesiasticus concerning the wise man:
[Sidenote: Ecclus. 39, ver. 4] He shall trauell into forren countries, and
good and euill shall he trie in all things. The very same action (my lord
and kinge) haue I atchieued: howbeit I wish that I haue done it like a wise
man, and not like a foole. For many there be, that performe the same action
which a wise man doth, not wisely but more vndiscreetly: of which number I
feare myselfe to be one. Notwithstanding howsoeuer I haue done it, because
you commanded mee, when I departed from your highnes, to write all things
vnto you, which I should see among the Tartars, and you wished me also that
I should not feare to write long letters, I haue done as your maiestie
inioined me: yet with feare and reuerence, because I want wordes and
eloquence sufficient to write vnto so great a maiestie. Be it knowen
therefore vnto your sacred Maiestie, that in the yere of our Lord 1253,
about the Nones of May, we entered into the sea of Pontus, which the
Bulgarians call the great sea. It containeth in length (as I learned of
certaine merchants) 1008 miles, and is in a maner, diuided into two parts.
About the midst thereof are two prouinces, one towards the North, and
another towards the South. The South prouince is called Synopolis, and it
is the castle and porte of the Soldan of Turkie; but the North prouince is
called of the Latines, Gasaria: of the Greeks, which inhabite vpon the sea
shore thereof, it is called Cassaria, that is to say Cæsaria. And there are
certaine head lands stretching foorth into the sea towards Synopolis. Also,
there are 300. miles of distance betweene Synopolis and Cassaria. Insomuch
that the distance from those points or places to Constantinople, in length
and breadth is about 700. miles: and 700. miles also from thence to the
East, namely to the countrey of Hiberia which is a prouince of Georgia.
[Sidenote: Gasaria.] At the prouince of Gasaria or Cassaria we arriued,
which prouince is, in a maner, three square, hauing a citie on the West
part thereof called Kersoua, [Footnote: Kertch.] wherein S. Clement
suffered martyrdome. And sayling before the said citie, we sawe an island,
in which a Church is sayd to be built by the hands of angels. [Sidenote:
Soldaia.] But about the midst of the said prouince toward the South, as it
were, vpon a sharpe angle or point, standeth a citie called Soldaia
[Footnote: Simferopol, I presume.] directly ouer against Synopolis. And
there doe all the Turkie merchants, which traffique into the north
countries, in their iourney outward, arriue, and as they retume homeward
also from Russia, and the said Northerne regions, into Turkie. The foresaid
merchants transport thither ermines and gray furres, with other rich and
costly skinnes. Others carrie cloathes made of cotton or bombast, and
silke, and diuers kindes of spices. [Sidenote: The citie of Matriga.] But
vpon the East part of the said prouince standeth a Citie called Matriga
[Footnote: Azou.], where the riuer Tanais [Footnote: The Don.] dischargeth
his streames into the sea of Pontus, the mouth whereof is twelue miles in
breadth. For this riuer, before it entreth into the sea of Pontus, maketh a
little sea, which hath in breadth and length seuen hundreth miles,
[Footnote: The Sea of Azou is 210 miles long, and its breadth varies from
10 to 100 miles.] and it is no place there of aboue sixe-paces deepe,
whereupon great vessels cannot sayle ouer it. Howbeit the merchants of
Constantinople, arriuing at the foresayd citie of Materta [Marginal note:
Matriga.], send their barkes vnto the riuer of Tanais to buy dried fishes,
Sturgeons, Thosses, Barbils, and an infinite number of other fishes. The
foresayd prouince of Cassaria is compassed in with the sea on three sides
thereof: namely on the West side, where Kersoua the citie of Saint Clement
is situate: on the South side the citie of Soldaia whereat we arriued: on
the East side Maricandis, and there stands the citie of Matriga vpon the
mouth of the riuer Tanais. [Sidenote: Zikia.] Beyond the sayd mouth
standeth Zikia, which is not in subiection vnto the Tartars: also the
people called Sueui and Hiberi towards the East, who likewise are not vnder
the Tartars dominion. Moreouer towards the South, standeth the citie of
Trapesunda, [Footnote: Trebizond.] which hath a gouernour proper to it
selfe, named Guydo being of the Image of the Emperours of Constantinople,
and is subiect vnto the Tartars. Next vnto that is Synopolis the citie of
the Soldan of Turkie, who likewise is in subiection vnto them. Next vnto
these lyeth the countrey of Vastacius, whose sonne is called Astar, of his
grandfather by the mothers side, who is not in subiection. All the land
from the mouth of Tanais Westward as farre as Danubius is vnder their
subiection. Yea beyond Danubius also, towards Constantinople, Valakia,
which is the land of Assanus, and Bulgaria minor as farre as Solonia, doe
all pay tribute vnto them. And besides the tribute imposed, they haue also
of late yeares, exacted of euery houshold an axe, and all such corne as
they found lying on heapes. We arriued therefore at Soldaia the twelfth of
the Kalends of Iune. And diuers merchants of Constantinople, which were
arriued there before vs, reported that certaine messengers were comming
thither from the holy land, who were desirous to trauell vnto Sartach.
Notwithstanding I my self had publickely giuen out vpon Palme Sunday within
the Church of Sancta Sophia, that I was not your nor any other mans
messenger, but that I trauailed vnto those infidels according to the rule
of our order. And being arriued, the said merchants admonished me to take
diligent heede what I spake: because they hauing reported me to be a
messenger, if I should say the contrary, that I were no messenger, I could
not haue free passage granted vnto me. Then I spake after this maner vnto
the gouernors of the citie, or rather vnto their Lieutenants, because the
gouernors themselues were gone to pay tribute vnto Baatu, and were not as
yet returned. We heard of your lord Sartach (quoth I) in the holy land,
that he was become a Christian: and the Christians were exceeding glad
thereof, and especially the most Christian king of France, who is there now
in pilgrimage, and fighteth against the Saracens to redeeme the holy places
out of their handes: wherfore I am determined to go vnto Sartach, and to
deliuer vnto him the letters of my lord the king, wherein he admonisheth
him concerning the good and commoditie of all Christendome. And they
receiued vs with gladnes, and gaue vs enterteinement in the cathedrall
Church. The bishop of which Church was with Sartach, who told me many good
things concerning the saide Sartach, which after I found to be nothing so.
Then put they vs to our choyce, whither we woulde haue cartes and oxen, or
packehorses to transport our cariages. And the marchants of Constantinople
aduised me, not to take cartes of the citizens of Soldaia, but to buy
couered cartes of mine owne, (such as the Russians carrie their skins in),
and to put all our cariages, which I would daylie take out, into them:
because, if I should vse horses, I must be constrained at euery baite to
take downe my cariages, and to lift them vp againe on sundry horses backs:
and besides, that I should ride a more gentle pace by the oxen drawing the
cartes. Wherefore contenting my selfe with their euil counsel, I was
trauelling vnto Sartach 2 moneths which I could haue done in one, if I had
gone by horse. I brought with me from Constantinople (being by the
marchants aduised so to doe) pleasant fruits, muscadel wine, and delicate
bisket bread to present vnto the gouernours of Soldaia, to the end I might
obtain free passage: because they looke fauorablie vpon no man which
commeth with an emptie hand. All of which things I bestowed in one of my
cartes, (not finding the gouernours of the citie at home) for they told me,
if I could carry them to Sartach, that they would be most acceptable vnto
him. Wee tooke oure iourney therefore about the kalends of Iune, with fower
couered cartes of our owne and with two other which wee borrowed of them,
wherein we carried our bedding to rest vpon in the night, and they allowed
vs fiue horses to ride vpon. [Sidenote: Frier Bartholomeus de Cremona.] For
there were iust fiue persons in our companie: namely, I my selfe and mine
associate frier Batholomew of Cremona, and Goset the bearer of these
presents, the man of God Turgemannus, and Nicolas, my seruant, whome I
bought at Constantinople with some part of the almes bestowed vpon me.
Moreouer, they allowed vs two men, which draue our carts and gaue
attendance vnto our oxen and horses. There be high promontories on the sea
shore from Kersoua vnto the mouth of Tanais. Also there are fortie castles
betweene Kersoua and Soldaia, euery one of which almost haue their proper
languages: amongst whome there were many Gothes, who spake the Dutch
tongue. Beyond the said mountaines towards the North there is a most
beautifull wood growing on a plaine ful of fountaines and freshets.
[Sidenote: The necke of Taurica Chersonesus.] And beyond the wood there is
a mightie plaine champion, continuing fiue days iourney vnto the very
extremitie and borders of the said prouince northward, and there it is a
narrow Isthmus or neck land, [Footnote: The Isthmus of Perekop.] hauing sea
on the East and West sides therof, insomuch that there is a ditch made from
one sea vnto the other. In the same plaine (before the Tartars sprang vp)
were the Comanians wont to inhabite, who compelled the foresayd cities and
castles to pay tribute vnto them. But when the Tartars came vpon them, the
multitude of the Comanians entred into the foresaid prouince, and fled all
of them, euen vnto the sea shore, being in such extreame famine, that they
which were aliue, were constrained to eate vp those which were dead; and
(as a marchant reported vnto me who sawe it with his owne eyes) that the
liuing men deuoured and tore with their teeth, the raw flesh of the dead,
as dogges would knawe vpon carrion. Towards the border of the sayd prouince
there be many great lakes: vpon the bankes whereof are salt pits or
fountaines, the water of which so soon as it entereth into the lake,
becommeth hard salte like vnto ice. And out of those salte pittes Baatu and
Sartach haue great reuenues: for they repayre thither out of all Russia for
salte: and for each carte loade they giue two webbes of cotton amounting to
the value of half an Yperpera. There come by sea also many ships for salt,
which pay tribute euery one of them according to their burden. The third
day after wee were departed out of the precincts of Soldaia, we found the
Tartars. [Sidenote: The Tartars.] Amongst whome being entered, me thought I
was come into a new world. Whose life and maners I will describe vnto your
Hignes as well as I can.


De Tartaris and domibus eorum. Cap. 2.

Nusquam habent manentem ciuitatem, sed futuram ignorant. Inter se
diuiserunt Scythiam, quæ durat à Danubio vsque ad ortum solis. Et quilibet
Capitaneus, secundum quod habet plures vel pauciores homines sub se, scit
terminos pascuorum suorum, et vbi debet pascere hyeme et æstate, vere et
autumno. In hyeme enim descendunt ad calidiores regiones versus meridiem.
In æstate ascendunt ad frigidiores versus aquilonem. Loca pascuosa sine
aquis pascunt in hyeme quando est ibi nix, quia niuem habent pro aqua.
Domum in qua dormiunt fundant super rotam de virgis cancellatis, cuius
tigna sunt de virgis, and [Transcriber's note: sic.] conueniunt in vnam
paruulam rotam superius, de qua ascendit collum sursum tanquam
fumigatorium, quam cooperiunt filtro albo: et frequentius imbuunt etiam
filtrum calce vel terra alba et puluere ossium, vt albens splendeat, et
aliquando nigro. Et filtrum illud circa collum superius decorant pulchra
varietate picturæ. Ante ostium similiter suspendunt filtrum opere
polimitario variatum. Consumunt enim filtrum coloratum in faciendo vites et
arbores, aues et bestias. Et faciunt tales domos ita magnas, quod habent
triginta pedes in latitudine. Ego enim mensuraui semel latitudinem inter
vestigia rotarum vnius bigæ viginti pedum: et quando domus erat super bigam
excedebat extra rotas in vtroque latere quinque pedibus ad minus. Ego
numeraui in vna biga viginti duos boues trahentes vnam domum: Vndecem in
vno ordine secundum latitudinem bigæ, et alios vndecem ante illos: Axis
bigæ erat magnus ad modum arboris nauis: Et vnus homo stabat in ostio domus
super bigam minans boues. Insuper faciunt quadrangulos de virgulis fissis
attenuatis ad quantitatem vnius arcæ magnæ: et postea de vna extremitate ad
aliam eleuant testudinem de similibus virgis, et ostiolum faciunt in
anteriori extremitate: et postea cooperiunt illam cistam siue domunculam
filtro nigro inbuto seuo siue lacte ouino, ne possit penetrari pluuia; quod
similiter decorant opere polimitario vel plumario. Et in talibus arcis
ponunt totam suppellectilem suam et thesarum: quas ligant fortiter super
bigas alteras quas trahunt cameli, vt possint transuadare flumina. Tales
arcas nunquam deponunt de bigis. Quando deponunt domas suas mansionarias,
semper vertunt portam ad meridiem; et consequenter collocant bigas cum
arcis hinc et inde prope domum ad dimidium iactum lapidis: ita quod domus
stat inter duos ordines bigarum quasi inter duos muros. Matronæ faciunt
sibi pulcherrimas bigas, quas nescirem vobis describere nisi per picturam.
[Marginal note: Nota.] Imo omnia depinxissem vobis si sciuissem pingere.
Vnus diues Moal siue Tartar habet bene tales bigas cum arcis ducentas vel
centum. Baatu habet sexdecem vxores: quælibet habet vnam magnam domum,
exceptis alijs paruis, quas collocant post magnam, quæ sunt quasi cameræ;
in quibus habitant puellæ. Ad quamlibet istarum domorum appendent ducentæ
bigæ. Et quando deponunt domus, prima vxor deponit suam curiam in capite
occidentali, et postea aliæ secundum ordinem suum; ita quod vltima vxor
erit in capite Orientali: et erit spacium inter curiam vnius dominæ et
alterius, iactus vnius lapidis. Vnde curia vnius diuitis Moal apparebit
quasi vna magna Villa: tunc paucissimi viri erunt in ea. Vna muliercula
ducet 20. bigas vel 30. Terra enim plana est. Et ligant bigas cum bobus vel
camelis vnam post aliam: et sedebit muliercula in anteriori minans bouem,
et omnes aliæ pari gressu sequentur. Si contingat venire ad aliquem malum
passum, soluunt eas et transducunt sigillatim: Vadunt enim lento gressu
sicut agnus vel bos potest ambulare.


The same in English.

Of the Tartars, and of their houses. Chap. 2.

They haue in no place any setled citie to abide in, neither knowe they of
the celestiall citie to come. They haue diuided all Scythia among
themselues, which stretcheth from the riuer Danubius euen vnto the rising
of the sunne. And euery of their captaines, according to the great or small
number of his people, knoweth the bound of his pastures, and where he ought
to feed his cattel winter and summer, Spring and autumne. For in the winter
they descend vnto the warme regions southward. And in the summer they
ascend vnto the colde regions northward. In winter when snowe lyeth vpon
the ground, they feede their cattell vpon pastures without water, because
then they vse snow in stead of water. Their houses wherein they sleepe,
they ground vpon a round foundation of wickers artificially wrought and
compacted together: the roofe whereof consisteth (in like sorte) of
wickers, meeting aboue into one little roundell, out of which roundell
ascendeth a necke like vnto a chimney, which they couer with white felte,
and oftentimes they lay mortar or white earth vpon the sayd felt, with the
powder of bones, that it may shine white. And sometimes also they couer it
with blacke felte. The sayd felte on the necke of their house, they doe
garnish ouer with beautifull varietie of pictures. Before the doore
likewise they hang a felt curiously painted ouer. For they spend all their
coloured felte in painting vines, trees, birds, and beastes thereupon. The
sayd houses they make so large, that they conteine thirtie foote in
breadth. For measuring once the breadth betweene the wheele-ruts of one of
their cartes, I found it to be 20 feete ouer: and when the house was vpon
the carte, it stretched ouer the wheeles on each side fiue feete at the
least. I told 22. oxen in one teame, drawing an house vpon a cart, eleuen
in one order according to the breadth of the carte, and eleuen more before
them: the axeltree of the carte was of an huge bignes like vnto the mast of
a ship. And a fellow stood in the doore of the house, vpon the forestall of
the carte driuing forth the oxen. Moreouer, they make certaine fouresquare
baskets of small slender wickers as big as great chestes: and afterward,
from one side to another, they frame an hollow lidde or couer of such like
wickers, and make a doore in the fore side thereof. And then they couer the
sayd chest or little house with black fell rubbed ouer with tallow or
sheeps milke to keepe the raine from soaking through, which they decke
likewise with painting or with feathers. And in such chests they put their
whole houshold stuffe and treasure. Also the same chests they do strongly
binde vpon other carts, which are drawen with camels, to the end they may
wade through riuers. Neither do they at any time take down the sayd chests
from off their carts. When they take down their dwelling houses, they turne
the doores alwayes to the South: and next of all they place the carts laden
with their chests, here and there, within half a stones cast of the house:
insomuch that the house standeth between two ranks of carts, as it were,
between two wals. [Footnote: Something in the style of the laagers of South
Africa at the present day.] [Sidenote: The benefite of a painter in strange
countries.] The matrons make for themselues most beautiful carts, which I
am not able to describe vnto your maiestie but by pictures onlie: for I
would right willingly haue painted all things for you, had my skill bin
ought in that art. One rich Moal or Tartar hath 200. or 100. such cartes
with chests. Duke Baatu hath sixteene wiues, euery one of which hath one
great house, besides other little houses, which they place behind the great
one, being as it were chambers for their maidens to dwel in. And vnto euery
of the said houses do belong 200. cartes. When they take their houses from
off the cartes, the principal wife placeth her court on the West frontier,
and so all the rest in their order: so that the last wife dwelleth vpon the
East frontier: and one of the said ladies courts is distant from another
about a stones cast. Whereupon the court of one rich Moal or Tartar will
appeare like vnto a great village, very few men abiding in the same. One
woman will guide 20. or 30. cartes at once, for their countries are very
plaine, and they binde the cartes with camels or oxen, one behind another.
And there sittes a wench in the foremost carte driuing the oxen, and al the
residue follow on a like pace. When they chance to come at any bad passage,
they let them loose, and guide them ouer one by one: for they goe a slowe
pace, as fast as a lambe or an oxe can walke.

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