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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries

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





The same in English

How they were giuen in charge to goe vnto Baatu the Father of Sartach.
Chap. 18.

The next morning betimes came vnto vs a certaine Priest who was brother
vnto Coiat, requesting to haue our box of Chrisme, because Sartach (as he
said) was desirous to see it: and so we gaue it him. About euentide Coiat
sent for vs, saying: My lord your king wrote good words vnto my lord and
master Sartach. Howbeit there are certaine matters of difficulty in them
concerning which he dare not determine ought, without the aduise and
counsell of his father. And therfore of necessitie you must depart vnto his
father, leauing behind you the two carts, which you brought hither
yesterday with vestiments and bookes, in my custodie because my lorde is
desirous to take more diligent view thereof. I presently suspecting what
mischiefe might ensue by his couetousnes, said vnto him: Sir, we will not
onely leaue those with you, but the two other carts also, which we haue in
our posession, will we commit vnto your custodie. You shall not (quoth he)
leaue those behinde you, but for the other two carts first named, we will
satisfie your request. I saide that this could not conueniently be done:
but needes we must leaue all with him. Then he asked, whether we meant to
tarie in the land? I answered: If you throughly vnderstand the letters of
my lorde the king, you know that we are euen so determined. Then he
replied, that we ought to be patient and lowly: and so we departed from him
that euening. On the morrowe after he sent a Nestorian Priest for the
carts, and we caused all the foure carts to be deliuered. Then came the
foresaid brother of Coiat to meet vs, and separated all those things, which
we had brought the day before vnto the Court, from the rest, namely the
bookes and vestiments, and tooke them away with him. Howbeit Coiat had
commanded, that we should carie those vestiments with vs, which wee ware in
the presence of Sartach, that wee might put them on before Baatu, if neede
should require: but the said Priest tooke them from vs by violence, saying:
thou hast brought them vnto Sartach, and wouldest thou carie them vnto
Baatu? And when I would haue rendred a reason, he answered: be not too
talkatiue, but goe your wayes. Then I sawe that there was no remedie but
patience: for wee could haue no accesse vnto Sartach himselfe, neither was
there any other, that would doe vs iustice. I was afraide also in regard of
the interpreter, least he had spoken other things then I saide vnto him:
for his will was good that we should haue giuen away all that we had. There
was yet one comfort remaining vnto me: for when I once perceiued their
couetous intent, I conueyed from among our bookes the Bible, and the
sentences, and certaine other bookes which I made speciall account of.
Howbeit I durst not take away the Psalter of my soueraigne Lady the Queene,
because it was too wel known, by reason of the golden pictures therein. And
so we returned with the two other carts vnto our lodging. Then came he that
was appointed to be our guide vnto the court of Baatu, willing vs to take
our iourney in all posthaste: vnto whom I said, that I would in no case
haue the carts to goe with me. Which thing he declared vnto Coiat. Then
Coiat commaunded that we should leaue them and our seruant with him: And we
did as he commanded. [Sidenote: They are come as farre as Volga.] And so
traueling directly Eastward towards Baatu, the third day we came to Etilia
or Volga: the streams whereof when I beheld, I wondered from what regions
of the North such huge and mighty waters should descend. Before we were
departed from Sartach, the foresaid Coiat, with many other Scribes of the
court said vnto vs: doe not make report that our Lord is a Christian, but a
Moal. [Sidenote: The Tartars will be called Moal.] Because the name of a
Christian seemeth vnto them to be the name of some nation. So great is
their pride, that albeit they beleeue perhaps some things concerning
Christ, yet will they not bee called Christians, being desirous that their
owne name, that is to say, Moal should be exalted aboue all other names.
Neither wil they be called by the name of Tartars. For the Tartars were
another nation, as I was informed by them.


Qualiter Sartach, et Mangucham et Kencham faciunt reuerentiam Christianis.
Cap. 19.

Tempore quo Franci ceperunt Antiochiam tenebat monarchiam in illis
lateribus Aquilonis quidam qui vocabatur Concan. [Sidenote: Con can.] Con
est proprium nomen: Can nomen dignitatis quod idem est qui diuinator. Omnes
diuinatores vocant Can. Vnde principes dicuntur Can, quia penes eos spectat
regimen populi per diuinationem. Vnde legitur in historia Antiochæ, quod
Turci miserunt propter succursum contra Francos ad regnum Con can. De illis
enim partibus venerunt omnes Turci. [Sidenote: Vnde venerunt Turci.
Caractay. Oceanus.] Iste Con erat Cara-Catay. Cara idem est quod nigrum.
Catai nomen gentis. Vnde Cara-Catay idem est quod nigri Catay. Et hoc
dicitur ad differentiam ipsorum Catay qui erant in Oriente super Oceanum de
quibus postea dicam vobis. Isti Catay erant in quibusdam alpibus per quas
transiui. Et in quadam planicie inter illas Alpes erat quidam Nestorinus
pastor potens et dominus super populum, qui dicebatur Vayman [Marginal
note: Vel Nayman.], qui erant Christiani Nestorini. [Sidenote: Presbyter
Iohannes.] Mortuo Con can eleuauit se ille Nestorius in regem, et vocabant
eum Nestoriani Regem Iohannem: et plus dicebant de ipso in decuplo quam
veritas esset. Ita enim faciunt Nestoriani venientes de partibus illis. De
nihilo enim faciunt magnos rumores. Vnde disseminauerunt de Sartach quod
esset Christianus, et de Mangu Can et Ken can: quia faciunt maiorem
reuerentiam Christianis, quàm alijs populis, et tamen in veritate
Christiani non sunt. Sic ergo exiuit magna fama de illo Rege Iohanne. Et
quando ego transiui per pascua eius, nullus aliquid sciebat de eo nisi
Nestoriani pauci. [Sidenote: Kencham vbi habitauit Frater Andreas in Curia
Kencham. Vut can, vel Vne. Caracarum Villula. Crit, et Merkit.] In pascuis
eis habitat Kencam, apud cuius curiam fuit frater Andreas: et ego etiam
transiui per eam in reditu. Huic Iohanni erat frater quidam potens, pastor
similiter, nomine Vut: et ipse erat vltra Alpes ipsorum Caracatay, distans
à fratre suo spacium trium hebdomadarum et erat dominus cuiusdam Villulæ
quæ dicitur Caracarum, populum habens sub se, qui dicebantur Crit, Merkit,
qui erant Christiani Nestorini. Sed ipse dominus eorum dimisso cultu
Christi, sectabatur idola; habens sacerdotes idolorum, qui omnes sunt
inuocatores dæmonum et sortilegi. [Sidenote: Moal pauperimi homines.] Vltra
pascua istius ad decem vel quindecem dictas erant pascua Moal: qui erant
paupernmi homines sine capitaneo et sine lege, exceptis sortilegijs et
diuinationibus, quibus omnes in partibus illis intendunt. [Sidenote:
Tartarorum sedes.] Et iuxta Moal erant alij pauperes, qui dicebantur
Tartari. Rex Iohannes mortuus fuit sine hærede, et ditatus est frater eius
Vnc: et faciebat se vocari Can: et mittebantur armenta greges eius vsque ad
terminos Moal. [Sidenote: Cyngis.] Tunc temporis Chingis faber quidam erat
in populo Moal, et furabatur de animalibus Vnc can quod poterat: In tantum
quod conquesti sunt pastores Vut domino suo. Tunc congregauit exercitum et
equitauit in terram Moal, quarens ipsum Cyngis. Et ille fugit inter
Tartaros et latuit ibi. Tunc ipse Vut accepta præda Moal et à Tartaris
reuersus est. Tunc ipse Cyngis allocutus est Tartaros et ipsos Moal dicens,
Quia sine duce sumus opprimunt nos vicini nostri et fecerunt ipsum ducem et
capitaneum Tartari et Moal. Tunc latenter congregato exercitu irruit super
ipsum Vut, et vicit ipsum et ipse fugit in Cathaiam. Ibi capta fuit filia
eius, quam Cyngis dedit vni ex filijs in vxorem, ex quo ipsa suscepit istum
qui nunc regnat Mangu. [Sidenote: Mangu-can.] Tunc ipse Cyngis permittebat
vbique ipsos Tartaros: et inde exiuit nomen eorum, quia vbique clamabatur,
Ecce Tartari veniunt. Sed per crebra bella modo omnes fere deleti sunt.
Vnde isti Moal modo volunt extinguere illud nomen et suum eleuare.
[Sidenote: Mancherule] Terra illa in qua primo fuerunt, et vbi est adhuc
curia Cyngiscan, vocatur Mancherule. Sed quia Tartari est regio circa quam
fuit acquisitio corum, illam ciuitatem habent pro regali, et ibi prope
eligunt suum Can.


The same in English.

Howe Sartach, and Mangu Can, and Ken Can doe reuerence vnto Christians.
Chap. 19.

At the same time when the French men tooke Antioch, a certaine man named
Con Can had dominion ouer the Northren regions, lying thereabouts. Con is a
proper name: Can is a name of authority or dignitie, which signifieth a
diuiner or soothsayer All diuiners are called Can amongst them. Whereupon
their princes are called Can, because that vnto them belongeth the
gouernment of the people by diuination. Wee doe reade also in the historie
of Antiochia, that the Turkes sent for aide against the French-men, vnto
the kingdome of Con Can. For out of those parts the whole nation of the
Turkes first came. The said Con was of the nation of Kara-Catay, Kara
signifieth blacke, and Katay is the name of a countrey. So that Kara-Catay
signifieth the blacke Catay. [Sidenote: An Ocean sea.] This name was giuen
to make a difference between the foresaid people, and the people of Catay,
inhabiting Eastward ouer against the Ocean sea: concerning whom your
maiesty shall vnderstand more hereafter. These Catayans dwelt vpon certaine
Alpes, by the which I trauailed. [Sidenote: Nayman. Presbiter Iohn.] And in
a certaine plane countrey within those Alpes, there inhabited a Nestorian
shepheard, being a mighty gouernour ouer the people called Yayman, which
were Christians, following the sect of Nestorius. After the death of Con
Can, the said Nestorian exalted himselfe to the kingdome, and they called
him King Iohn, [Marginal note: This history of Presbiter Iohn in the
North-east, is alledged at large by Gerardus Mercator in his generall
mappe. From whence the Turkes first sprang.] reporting ten times more of
him then was true. For so the Nestorians which come out of those parts, vse
to doe. For they blaze abroade great rumors, and reports vpon iust nothing.
Whereupon they gaue out concerning Sartach, that he was become a Christian,
and the like also they reported concerning Mangu Can, and Ken Can namely
because these Tartars make more account of Christians, then they doe of
other people, and yet in very deede, themselues are no Christians. So
likewise there went foorth a great report concerning the said king Iohn.
Howbeit, when I trauailed along by his territories, there was no man that
knew any thing of him, but onely a fewe Nestorians. [Sidenote: The place of
Ken Can his abode. Vut Can, or Vnc Can. The village of Cara Carum. Crit and
Merkit.] In his pastures or territories dwelleth Ken Can, at whose Court
Frier Andrew was. And I my selfe passed by it at my returne. This Iohn had
a brother, being a mightie man also, and a shepheard like himselfe, called
Vut, and be inhabited beyond the Alpes of Cara Catay, being distant from
his brother Iohn, the space of three weekes iourney. He was lord ouer a
certain village, called Cara Carum, hauing people also for his subiects,
named Crit, or Merkit, who were Christians of the sect of Nestorius. But
their Lorde abandoning the the worship of Christ followed after idoles,
reteining with him Priests of the saide idoles, who all of them are
worshippers of deuils and and sorcerers. [Moal in olde time a beggerly
people.] Beyond his pastures, some tenne or fifteene dayes iourney, were
the pasture of Moal, who were a poore and beggerly nation, without
gouernour, and without Lawe, except their soothsayings, and their
diuinations, vnto the which detestable studies, all in those partes doe
apply their mindes. [Sidenote: The place of the Tartars.] Neere vnto Moal
were other poore people called Tartars. The foresaid king Iohn died without
issue male, and thereupon his brother Vut was greatly inriched, and caused
himselfe to be named Can; and his droues and flockes raunged euen vnto the
borders of Moal. [Sidenote: Cyngis] About the same time there was one
Cyngis, a blacke smith among the people of Moal. This Cyngis stole as many
cattel from Vut Can as he could possibly get: insomuche that the shepherds
of Vut complained vnto their Lord. Then prouided he an armie and marched vp
into the countrey of Moal to seeke for the saide Cyngis. But Cyngis fledde
among the Tartars and hidde himselfe amongest them. And Vut hauing taken
some spoils both from Moal and also from the Tartars, returned home. Then
spake Cyngis vnto the Tartars and vnto the people of Moal, saying: Sirs
because we are destitute of a gouernonr and Captaine, you see howe our
neighbours do oppresses vs. And the Tartars and Moals appointed him to be
their Chieftaine. Then hauing secretly gathered together an armie, he brake
in suddenly vpon Vut, and ouercame him, and Vut fledde into Cataua.
[Sidenote: Magnu-can.] At the same time was the daughter of Vut taken,
which Cyngis married vnto one of his sonnes, by whome she conceiued, and
brought forth the great Can, Which now reigneth called Mangu-Can. Then
Cyngis sent the Tartars before him in al places where he came: and
thereupon was their name published and spread abroade for in all places the
people woulde crie out: Loe, the Tartars come, the Tartars come. Howbeit
through continuall warres, they are nowe all of them in a maner consumed
and brought to nought. Whereupon the Moals endeuour what they can, to
extinguish the name, of the Tartars that they may exalt their owne name.
The countrey wherein they first inhabited and where the Court of Cyngis Can
[Sidenote: Mancherule] as yet remaineth, is called Macherule. But because
Tartaria is the region about which they haue obtained their conquests, they
esteeme that as their royall and chiefe citie and there for the most part
doe they elect their great Can.


De Rutenis et Hungaris, et Manis, et de mari Caspio. Cap. 20.

De Sartach autem vtrum credit in Christum vel non nescio. Hoc scio quod
Christianus non vult dici. Immò magis videtur mihi deridere Christianos.
Ipse enim est in itinere Christianorum, scilicet Rutenorum, Blacorum,
Bulgarorum minoris Bulgariæ Soldainorum, Kerkisorum, Alanorum: qui omnes
transeunt per cum quum vidunt ad curiam patris sui deferre ei munera, vnde
magis amplectitur eos. Tamen si Saraceni veniant, et maius afferint cuius
expediuntur. Habet etiam circa se Nestorinos sacerdotes qui pulsant
tabulam, et cantant officium suum.

[Sidenote: Berta vel Berca.] Est alius qui dicitur Berta super Baatu, qui
pascit versus Portam ferream, vbi est iter Saracenorum omnium qui veniunt
de Perside et de Turchia, qui euntes ad Baatu, et transeuntes per eum,
deferunt ei munera. Et ille facit se Saracenum, et non permitit in terra
sua comedi carnes porcinas. Baatu in reditu nostro præceperat ei, quod
transferret se de illo loco vltra Etiliam ad Orientem, nolens nuncios
Saracenorum transire per eum, quia videbatur sibi damnosum.

Quatuor autem diebus quibus fuimus in curia Sartach, nunquam prouisum fuit
nobis de cibo, nisi semel de modico cosmos. In via verò inter ipsum et
patrem suum habuimus magnum timorem. Ruteni enim et Hungari, et Alani serui
eorum, quorum est magna multitudo inter eos, associant se viginti vel
triginta simul, et fugiant de nocte, habentes pharetras et arcus, et
quemcunque inuenuint de nocte interficiunt, de die latitantes. Et quando
sunt equi eorum fatigati veniunt de nocte ad multitudinem equorum in
pascuis, et mutant equos, et vnum vel duos ducunt secum, vt comedant quum
indiguerint. Occursum ergo talium timebat multum Dux noster. In illa via
fuissemus mortui fame, si non portauissemus nobiscum modicum de biscocto.

[Sidenote: Exacta Maris Caspij descripto.] Venimus tandem ad Etiliam
maximum flumen. Est enim in quadruplo maius quàm Sequana, et
profundissimum: Veniens de maiori Bulgaria, quæ est ad Aquilonem, tendens
in quendam lacum, siue quoddam mare, quod modò vocat illud mare Sircan, à
quadam ciuitate, quæ est iuxta ripam eius in Perside. Sed Isidorus vocat
illud mare Caspium. Habet enim montes Caspios, et Persidem à meridie:
montes vero Musihet, hoc est, Assassinorum ad Orientem, qui contiguantur
cum montibus Caspijs. Ad Aquilonem verò habet illam solitudinem, in qua
modo sunt Tartari. [Sidenote: Cangla populi, vel Cangitta.] Prius verò
erant ibi quidam qui dicebantur Canglæ: Et ex illo latere recipit Etiliam,
qui crescit in æstate sicut Nilus Ægypti. Ad Occidentem verò habet montes
Alanorum et Lesgi; et Portam ferream, et montes Georgianorum. Habet igitur
illud mare tria latera inter montes, Aquilonare verò habet ad planiciem.
[Sidenote: Frater Andreas.] Frater Andreas ipse circumdedit duo latera
eius, meridionale scilicet et Orientale. [Sidenote: Reprehenditur Isidori
error de mari Caspio.] Ego verò alia duo; Aquilonare scilicet in eundo à
Baatu ad Mangu cham, Occidentale verò in reuertendo de Baatu in Syriam.
Quatuor mensibus potest circundari. Et non est verum quod dicit Isidorus.
quod sit sinus exiens, ab Oceano: nusquan enim tangit Oceanum, sed vndique
circundatur terra.


The same in English.

Of the Russians, Hungarians, and Alanians: and of the Caspian Sea. Chap.
20.

Now, as concerneth Sartach, whether he beleeues in Christ, or no, I knowe
not. This I am sure of, that he will not be called a Christian. Yea rather
he seemeth vnto mee to deride and skoffe at Christians. He lieth in the way
of the Christians, as namely of the Russians, the Valachians, the
Bulgarians of Bulgaria the lesser, the Soldaianes, the Kerkis, and the
Alanians: who all of them passe by him, as they are going to the Court of
his father Baatu, to carie gifts: whereupon he is more in league with them.
How best, if the Saracens come, and bring greater gifts than they, they are
dispatched sooner. He hath about him certaine Nestorian Priestes, who pray
vpon their beades, and sing their deuotions. Also, there is another vnder
Baatu called Berta [Sidenote: Or, Berca.], who feedeth his cattell toward
Porta ferrea, or Derbent, where lieth the passage of all those Saracens,
which come out of Persia, and out of Turkie to goe vnto Baatu, and passing
by they giue rewards vnto him. And he professeth himselfe to be a Saracene,
and will not permit swines flesh to be eaten in his dominions. Howbeit, at
the time of our return, Baatu commanded him to remoue himselfe from that
place, and to inhabite vpon the East side of Volga: for hee was vnwilling
that the Saracens messengers should passe by the saide Berrta, because he
sawe it was not for his profite. For the space of foure dayes while we
remained in the court of Sartach, we had not any victuals at all allowed
vs, but once onely a little Cosmos. And in our iourney betweene him and his
father, wee trauelled in great feare. For certaine Russians, Hungarians,
and Alanians being seruants vnto the Tartars (of whom they haue great
multitudes among them) assemble themselues twentie or thirtie in a
companie, and so secretly in the night conueying themselues from home they
take bowes and arrowes with them, and whomsoeuer they finde in the night
season, they put him to death, hiding themselues in the day time. And
hauing tired their horses, they goe in the night vnto a company of other
horses feeding in some pasture, and change them for newe, taking with them
also one or two horses besides, to eate them when they stand in neede. Our
guide therefore was sore afraide, least we should haue met with such
companions. In this iourney wee had died for famine, had we not caried some
of our bisket with vs. At length we came vnto the mighty riuer of Etilia,
or Volga. For it is foure times greater then the riuer of Sein, and of a
wonderfull depth: and issuing forth of Bulgaria the greater, it runneth
into a certain lake or sea, which of late they call the Hircan sea,
according to the name of a certain citie in Persia, standmg vpon the shore
thereof. Howbeit Isidore calleth it the Caspian Sea. For it hath the
Caspian mountaines and the land of Persia situate on the south side
thereof: and the mountaines of Musihet, that is to say, of the people
called Assassini [Footnote: A tribe who murdered all strangers: hence our
word _assassin_.] towards the East, which mountaines are coioyned vnto the
Caspian mountaines, but on the North side thereof lieth the same desert,
wherein the Tartars doe now inhabite. [Sidenote: Changlæ.] Howbeit
heretofore there dwelt certaine people called Changlæ. And on that side it
receiueth the streams of Etilia: which riuer increaseth in Sommer time,
like vnto the riuer Nilus in Ægypt. Vpon the West part thereof, it hath the
mountaines of Alani, and Lesgi, and Porta ferrea, or Derbent, and the
mountaines of Georgia. This Sea therefore is compassed in on three sides
with the mountaines, but on the North side by plaine grounde. [Sidenote:
Frier Andrew.] Frier Andrew, in his iourney traueiled round about two sides
therof, namely the South and the East sides: and I my selfe about other
two, that is to say, the North side in going from Baatu to Mangu-Can, and
in returning likewise; and the West side in comming home from Baatu into
Syria. A man may trauel round about it in foure moneths. And it is not true
what Isidore reporteth, namely that this Sea is a bay or gulfe comming
forth of the Ocean: for it doeth, in no part thereof, ioyne with the Ocean,
but is enuironed on all sides with lande.


De curia Baatu, et qualiter recepti fuerunt ab eo. Cap. 21.

[Sidenote: Oceanus Aquilonaris Isisdorus.] Tota ilia regio à latere
Occidentali istius maris, vbi sunt Porta ferrea Alexandri, et montes
Alanorum, vsque ad Occanum Aquilonarem et paludes Mæotidis vbi mergitur
Tanais, solebat dici Albania: de qua dicit Isisdorus quòd habet canes ita
magnos, tantæque feritatis, vt tauros premant, leones perimant. Quod verum
est, prout intellexi à narrantibus, quod ibi versus Oceanum Aquilonarem
faciunt canes trahere in bigis sicut boues propter magnitudinem et
fortitudinem eorum. In illo ergo loco vbi nos aplicuimus super Etiliam est
casale nouum, quod fecerunt Tartari de Rutenis mixtim, qui transponunt
nuncios euntes, et redeuntes ad curiam Baatu: quia Baatu est in vlteriori
ripa versus Orientem nec transit illum locum vbi nos applicuimus ascendendo
in æstate, sed iam incipiebat descendere. [Sidenote: Descendit naui per
flumen Volga. Nota] De Ianuario enim vsque ad Augustum ascendit ipsi, et
omnes alij versus frigidas regiones, et in Augusto incipiunt redire.
Descendimus ergo in naui ab illo casali vsque ad curiam eius. Et ab illo
vsque ad villas maioris Bulgariæ versus Aquilonem, sunt quinque dictæ. Et
miror quis Diabolus portauit illuc legem Machometi. [Sidenote: 30 dietæ à
Porta ferrea. Astracan.] A Porta enim ferrea, quæ est exitus Persidis, sunt
plusquam triginta dietæ per transuersum, solitudinem ascendendo iuxta
Etiliam vsque in illam Bulgariam, vbi nulla est ciuitas, nisi quædam
casalia propè vbi cadit Etilia in mare. Et illi Bulgari sunt pessimi
Saraceni, fortius tenentes legem Machometi, quàm aliqui alij. [Sidenote:
Descriptio curiæ Baatu.] Quum ergo vidi curiam Baatu, expaui, quia
videbantur propè domus eius, quasi quædam magna ciuitas protensa in longum,
et populus vndique circumfusus, vsque ad tres vel quatuor leueas. Et sicut
populus Israel sciebat vnusquisque ad quam regionem tabernaculi deberet
figere tentoria: ita ipsi sciunt ad quod latus curiæ debeant se collocare,
quando ipsi deponunt domus. [Sidenote: Horda sonat medium.] Vnde dicitur
curia Orda lingua corum, quod sonat medium, quia semper est in media
hominum suorum: hoc excepto quod rectè ad meridiem nullus se collocat, quia
ad pattem illam aperiuntur portæ Curiæ: Sed à dextris et à sinistris
extendunt se quantum volunt secundum exigentiam locorum: dummodo rectè ante
curiam, vel ex opposito curiæ non descendunt. Fuimus ergo ducti ad quondam
Saracenum, qui non prouidebat nobis de aliquo cibo sequenti die fuimus ad
curiam, et fecerat extendi magnum tentorium, quia domus non potuisset
capere tot homines et mulieres, quot conuenerant. Monuit nos ductor noster
vt non loqueremur, donec Baatu præciperet: et tunc loqueremur breuiter.
[Sidenote: Misit rex Francia ad Kencham nuncios.] Quæsiuit etiam vtrum
misissetis nuncios ad eos. Dixi qualiter miseratis ad Kencham, et quod nec
ad ipsum misissetis nuncios, nec ad Sartach literas, nisi credidissetis eos
fuisse Christianos: quia non pro timore aliquo, sed ex congratulatione,
quia audiueratis eos esse Christianos misistis. Tunc duxit nos ad
papilionem: et monebamur, ne tangeremus cordas tentorij, quas ipsi reputant
loco liminis domus. Stetimus ibi nudis pedibus in habitti nostro
discoopertis capitibus, et eramus spectaculum magnum in oculis eorum.
[Sidenote: Iohannes de Plano carpini.] Fuerat enim ibi frater Iohannes de
Plano Carpini, sed ipse mutauerat habitum ne contemneretur; quia erat
nuncius Domini Papæ. Tunc inducti fuimus vsque ad medium tentorij, nec
requisiuerunt vt faceremus aliquam reuerentiam genua flectendo, sicut
solent facere nuncij. Stetimus ergo coram eo quantum possit dici, Miserere
mei Deus: et omnes erant in summo silentio. Ipse verò super solium longum
sedebat et latum sicut lectus, totum deauratum, ad quod ascendebatur tribus
gradibus, et vna domina iuxta eum. Viri vero diffusi sedebant à dextris
dominæ et à sinistris quod non implebant mulieres ex parte vna quia erant
ibi solæ vxores Baatu, implebant viri. Bancus vero cum cosmos et ciphis
maximis aureis et argenteis, ornatis lapidibus prætiosis erat in introitu
tentorij. Respexit ergo nos diligentius, et nos eum: et videbatur mihi
similis in statura Domino Iohanni de Bello monte cuius anima rcquiescit in
pace. Erat etiam vultus eius tunc perfusus gutta rosea. Tandem præcepit vt
loqueremur. Tunc ductor noster præcepit vtflecteremus genua, et loqueremur.
Flext vnum genu tanquam homini: tunc innuit quod ambo flecterem, quod et
feci, nolens contendere super hoc. Tunc præcepit quod loquerer. Et ego
cogitans quod orarem Dominum, quia flexeram ambo genua, Incepi verba
oratione, dicens: Domine, nos oramus Dominum, à quo bona cuncta procedunt,
qui dedit vobis ista terrena, vt det vobis post hæc cælestia: quia hæc sine
illis vana sunt. Et ipse diligenter auscultauit, et subiunxit: Noueritis
pro certo quòd coelestia non habebitis, nisi fueritis Christianus. Dicit
enim Deus, Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, saluus erit: qui vero non
crediderit, condemnabitur. Ad illud verbum ipse modestè subrisit, et alij
Moal inceperunt plaudere manus deridendo nos. Et obstupuit interpres meus,
quem oportuit me confortare ne timeret. [Sidenote Literæ Regis Francorum.]
Tunc facto silentio, dixi: Ego veni ad filium vestrum, quia audiuimus quod
esset Christianus, et attuli et literas ex parte Domini Regis Francorum
ipse misit me huc ad vos. Vos debetis scire qua de causa. Tunc fecit me
surgere. Et quæsiuit nomem vestrum, et meum, et socij mei, et interpretis,
et fecti omnia scribi. Quæsiuit etiam quia intellexerat quod exieratis
terram vestram cum exercitu vt haberetis bellum. Respondi, Contra Saracenos
violantes domum Dei Hierusalam. Quæsiuit etiam si vnquam misissetis nuncios
ad eum. Ad vos dixi nuquam. Tunc fecit nos vedere et dari de lacte, suo ad
bibendum, quod ipsi valdè magnum reputant, quando aliquis bibit cosmos eum
eo in domo sua. Et dum sedens respicerem terram, præcepit vt cleuarem
vultum volens adhuc nos amplius respicere, vel fortè pro sortilegio: quia
habent pro malo omine vel signo, vel pro mala Prognostica, quando aliquis
sedet coram eis inclinata facie quasi tristis, maximè quum appodiat
maxillam vel mentum super manum. Tunc exiuimus, et post pauca, venit Ductor
noster ad nos, et ducens nos ad hospitium, dixit mihi, Dominus Rex rogat,
quod retinearis in terra ista: et hoc non potest Baatu facere sine
conscientia Mangu cham. Vnde oportet quod tu et interpres tuus eatis ad
Mangu cham. Socius verò tuus et alius homo reuertentur ad curiam Sartach
ibi expectantes donec reuertatis. Tunc incepit homo DEI Interpres lugere
reputans se perditum: Socius etiam meus contestari, quod citius amputarent
ei caput quam quod diuideretur à me. Et ego dixi, quod sine socio non
possem ire: Et etiam quod benè indigebamus duobus famulis, quia si
contingeret vnum infirmari, non possem solus romanere. Tunc ipse reuersus
ad curiam dixit verba Baatu. Tunc præcepit, vadant duo sacerdotes et
interpres: et Clericus reuertatur ad Sartach. Ille reuersus dixit nobis
summam. Et quando volebam loqui pro Clerico, quod iret nobiscum, dixit, Non
loquamini amplius qua Baatu definiuit, et eo amplius non audeo redire ad
curiam. De eleemosyna habebat Goset clericus viginti sex ipperpera et non
plus: quoram decem retinuit sibi et puero: et sexdecem dedit homini Dei pro
nobis. Et sic diuisi sumus cum lachrimis ab inuicem: Illo redeunte ad
curiam Sartach, et nobis ibi remanentibus.

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