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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.

Of their lawes and customes. Chap. 6.

[Sidenote: Punishments of adultery.] Moreouer, they haue this law or
custome, that whatsoeuer manor woman be manifestly taken in adultery, they
are punished with death. A virgine likewise that hath committed
fornication, they slay together with her mate. [Sidenote: Of theft. Of
secretes disclosed.] Whosoeuer be taken in robberie or theft, is put to
death without all pitie. Also, if any man disclose their secrets,
especially in time of warre, he receiueth an hundreth blowes on the backe
with a bastinado, layd on by a tall fellow. In like sort when any
inferiours offend in ought, they finde no fauour at their superiours
handes, but are punished with grieuous stripes. [Sidenote: Lawes of
matrimonie.] They are ioyned in matrimony to all in generall, yea, euen to
their neare kinsfolkes except their mother, daughter and sister by the
mothers side. For they vse to marrie their sister by the fathers side
onely, and also the wife of their father after his decease. The yonger
brother also, or some other of his kindred, is bound to marry the wife of
his elder brother deceased. [Sidenote: Andreas duke of Russia.] For, at the
time of our aboad in the countrey, a certaine duke of Russia named Andreas,
was accused before duke Baty for conueying the Tartars horses out of the
land, and for selling them to others: and although it could not be prooued,
yet was he put to death. His yonger brother and the wife of the party
deceased hearing this, came and made their supplication vnto the forenamed
duke, that the dukedome of Russia might not be taken from them. But he
commanded the youth to marrie his deceased brothers wife, and the woman
also to take him vnto her husband, according to the custome of the Tartars.
She answered, that she had rather die, than so haynously transgresse the
law. Howbeit, hee deliuered her vnto him, although they both refused as
much as they could. Wherefore carying them to bed, they constrained the
youth, lamenting and weeping, to lie down and commit incest with his
brothers wife. To be short, after the death of their husbands, the Tartars
wiues vse very seldome to marrie the second time, vnlesse perhaps some man
takes his brothers wife or his stepmother in marriage. They make no
difference betweene the sonne of their wife and of their concubine, but the
father giues what he pleaseth vnto each one: [Sidenote: Melich and Dauid
two brothers.] For of late the king of Georgia hauing two sonnes, one
lawfully begotten call Melich; but the other Dauid, borne in adulterie, at
his death left part of his lande vnto his base sonne. Hereupon Melich (vnto
whome the kingdome fell by right of his mother, because it was gouerned
before time by women) went vnto the Emperour of the Tartars, Dauid also
hauing taken his iourney vnto him. Nowe bothe of them commmg to the court
and proffering large giftes, the sonne of the harlot made suite, that he
might haue iustice, according to the custome of the Tartars. Well, sentence
passed against Melich, that Dauid being his elder brother should haue
superioritie ouer him, and should quietly and peaceably possesse the
portion of land granted vnto him by his father. Whensoeuer a Tartar hath
many wiues, each one of them hath her family and dwelling place by her
selfe. And sometime the Tartar eateth, drinketh and lieth with one, and
sometime with another. One is accompted chiefe among the rest, with whom
hee is oftener conuersant, then with the other. And notwithstanding (as it
hath bin said) they are many, yet do they seldome fal out among themselues.


De superstitiosis traditionibus ipsorum. Cap. 7.

[Sidenote: [Greek: ethelothræskeia].] Quibusdam verò traditionibus
indifferentia quædam esse peccata dicunt, quas vel ipsi vel antecessores
eorum confinxerunt. Vnum est, cultellum in ignem figere, vel quocunque modo
ignem cultello tangere, vel etiam de caldaria cum cultello carnes
extrahere, vel cum securi iuxta ignem incidere. Credunt enim, quòd sic
auferri debeat caput igni. Aliud est appodiare se ad flagellum, quo
percutitur equus: ipsi enim non vtuntur calcaribus. Item flagello sagittas
tangere, iuuenes aues capere vel occidere, cum fræno equum peroutere, os
cum osse alio frangere. Itémque lac, vel aliquem potum aut cibum super
terram effundere, in statione mingere. Quod si voluntariè facit, occiditur,
si autem aliter, oportet quòd pecuniam multam incantatori soluat, à quo
purificetur. Qui etiam faciat, vt statio cum omnibus, quæ in ipsa sunt,
inter duos ignes transeat. Antequam sic purificetur, nullus audet intrare,
nec aliquid de illa exportare. Præterea si alicui morsellus imponitur, quem
deglutire non possit, et ilium de ore suo eijcit, foramen sub statione fit,
per quod extrahitur, ac sine vlla miseratione occiditur. [Sidenote: [Greek:
atheotaes].] Iterum si quis caleat super limen stationis Ducis alicuius,
interficitur. Multa etiam habent his similia, quæ reputant peccata. At
homines occidere, aliorum terras inuadere, ac res illorum diripere, et
contra Dei præcepta vel prohibitiones facere, nullum apud eos est peccatum.
De vita æterna et damnatione perpetua nihil sciunt. Credunt tamen, quòd
post mortem in alio seculo viuant, gregesque multiplicent, comedant et
bibant, et pætera faciant, quæ hic à viuentibus fiunt. [Sidenote: Cultus
lunæ.] In principio lunationis vel in plenilunio incipiunt, quicquid noui
agere volunt, ipsamque Lunam Imperatorem magnum apellant, eàmque
deprecantes genua flectunt. Omnes, qui morantur in stationibus suis,
oportet per ignem purificari. [Sidenote: Lustrationis ritus.] Quæ scilicet
purificatio fit hoc modo. Duos quidem ignes faciunt, et duas hastas iuxta
eos, vnamque cordam in summitate hastarum ponunt. Ligantque super cordam
illam quasdam de Bucaramo scissiones, sub qua scilicet corda et ligaturis
inter illos ignes transeunt homines, ac bestiæ ac stationes. Sunt etiam duæ
mulieres, vna hinc, et alia inde aquam proijcientes, ac quædam carmina
recitantes. Cæterum si aliquis à fulgure occiditur, oportet prædicto modo
per ignes transire omnes illos, qui in illis stationibus morantur. Statio
siquidem ac lectus et currus, filtra et vestes, et quicquid talium habent,
à nullo tanguntur, sed ab hominibus tanquam immunda respuuntur. [Sidenote:
Ignis super stitiosa efficacitas.] Et vt breuiter dicam, omnia purificari
credunt per ignem. Vnde quando veniunt ad eos nuncij, vel Principes, aut
qualescunque personæ, oportet ipsos et munera sua per duos ignes, vt
purificentur, transire, ne fortè veneficia fecerint, aut venenum seu
aliquid mali attulerint.


The same in English.

Of their superstitious traditions. Chap. 7.

[Sidenote: Ridiculous traditions. ] But by reason of traditions, which
either they or their predecessors haue deuised, they accompt some things
indifferent to be faults. One is to thrust a knife into the fire, or any
way to touch the fire with a knife, or with their knife to take flesh out
of the cauldron, or to hewe with an hatchet neare vnto the fire. For they
think by that means to take away the head or force from the fire. Another
is to leane vpon the whip, wherewith they beate their horses: for they ride
not with spurs. Also, to touch arrowes with a whip, to take or kill yong
birds, to strike an horse with the raine of their bridle, and to breake one
bone against another. Also, to powre out milke, meate, or any kinde of
drinke vpon the ground or to make water within their tabernacle: which
whosoeuer doth willingly, he is slaine, but otherwise he must pay a great
summe of money to the inchanter to be purified. Who likewise must cause the
tabernacle with all things therein, to passe betweene two fiers. Before it
be on this wise purified, no man dare once enter into it, nor conueigh any
thing thereout. Besides, if any man hath a morsell giuen him, which he is
not able to swallow, and for that cause casteth it out of his mouth, there
is an hole made vnder his tabernacle, by which hee is drawen forth and
slaine without all compassion. Likewise, whosoeuer treads vpon the
threshold of any of their dukes tabernacles, he is put to death. Many other
things there be, like vnto these, which they take for heinous offences. But
to slay men, to inuade the dominions of other people, and to rifle their
goods, to transgresse the commaundements and prohibitions of God, are with
them no offences at all. They know nothing concerning eternall life, and
euerlasting damnation, and yet they thinke, that after death they shall
liue in another world, that they shall multiply their cattell, that they
shal eate and drinke and doe other things which liuing men performe here
vpon earth. [Sidenote: The Tartars worship the moone.] At a new moone, or a
full moone, they begin all enterprises that they take in hand, and they
call the moone the Great Emperour, and worship it vpon their knees. All men
that abide in their tabernacles must be purified with fire: Which
purification is on this wise. [Sidenote: Their custome of purifying.] They
kindle two fires, and pitch two Iauelines into the ground neere vnto the
said fires, binding a corde to the tops of the Iauelines. And about the
corde they tye certaine iagges of buckram, vnder which corde, and betweene
which fires, men, beastes, and tabernacles do passe. There stand two women
also, one on the right side, and another on the left casting water, and
repeating certaine charmes. If any man be slaine by lightning, all that
dwell in the same tabernacle with him must passe by fire in maner
aforesaid. For their tabernacles, beds, and cartes, their feltes and
garments, and whatsoeuer such things they haue, are touched by no man, yea,
and are abandoned by all men as things vncleane. And to bee short, they
think that all things are to be purged by fire. Therefore, when any
ambassadours, princes, or other personages whatsoeuer come vnto them, they
and their giftes must passe betweene two fires to be purified, lest
peraduenture they haue practised some witchcraft, or haue brought some
poyson or other mischiefe with them.


De initio imperij siue Principatus eorum. Cap. 8.

[Sidenote: Tartariæ populi.] Terra quidem ilia Orientalis, de qua dictum
est suprà, quæ Mongal nominatur, quatuor quondam habuisse populos
memoratur. Vnus eorum Yeka Mongal, id est, magni Mongali vocabantur.
Secundus Sumongal, id est, aquatici Mongali, qui seipsos appellabant
Tartaros, à quodam fluuio per eorem terram currente, qui Tartar nominatur.
Tertius appellabatur Merkat. Quartus verò Metrit. Omnes vnam personarum
formam et vnam linguam habebant hi populi, quamuis inter se per Principes
ac prouincias essent diuisi. [Sidenote: Chingis ortus et res gestæ.] In
terra Yeka Mongal quidam fuit, qui vocabatur Chingis. Iste coepit robustus
venator esse: didicit enim homines furari, et prædam capere. Ad alias
terras ibat, et quoscunque poterat, captiuabat, sibíque associabat. Homines
quoque suæ gentis inclinauit ad se, qui tanquam Ducem sequebantur ipsum ad
malè agendum. Coepit autem pugnare cum Sumongal, siue cum Tartaris, et
Ducem eorem interfecit, multòque bello sibi Tartaros omnes subiecit, et in
seruitutem redigit. Post hæc cum istis omnibus contra Merkatas, iuxta tenam
positos Tartarorum pugnauit, quos etiam bello sibi subiecit. [Sidenote:
Naymani. Infra cap. 25.] Inde procedens contra Metritas pugnam exercuit, et
illos etiam obtinuit. Audientes Naymani, quòd Chingis taliter eleuatus
esset, indignati sunt. Ipsi enim habuerant Imperatorem strenuum valdè, cui
dabant tributum cunctæ nationes prædictæ. [Sidenote: Fratres discordantes
oppressi.] Qui cùm esset mortuus, filij eius successerunt loco ipsius. Sed
quia iuuenes ac stulti erant, populum tenere nesciebant, sed ad inuicem
diuisi ac scissi erant. Vnde Chingi prædicto modo iam exaltato, nihilominus
in terras prædictas faciebant insultum, et habitatores occidebant, ac
diripiebant prædam eorum. Quod audiens Chingis, omnes sibi subiectos
congregauit. Naymani et Karakytay ex aduerso similiter in quandam vallem
strictam conuenerunt, et commissum est prælium, in quo Naymani et Karakytay
à Mongalis deuicti sunt. Qui etiam pro maiori parte occisi fuerunt, et
alij, qui euadere non potuerunt, in seruitutem redacti sunt. [Sidenote:
Occoday Cham.] In terra prædictorum Karakytaorum Occoday Cham, filius
Chingischam, postquam imperator fuit positus, quandam ciuitatem ædificauit,
quam Chanyl appellauit. [Sidenote: Homines syluestres.] Prope quam ad
Meridiem est quoddam desertum magnum, in quo pro certo syluestres homines
habitare dicuntur, qui nullatenus loquuntur, nec iuncturas in cruribus
habent, et si quando cadunt, per se surgere non valent. Sed tamen
discretionem tantam habent, quod filtra de lana Camelorum quibus
vestiuntur, faciunt et contra ventum ponunt. Et si quando Tartari pergentes
ad eos vulnerant eos sagittis, gramina in vulneribus ponunt, et fortiter
ante ipsios fugiunt.


The same in English.

Of the beginning of their empire or gouernment. Chap. 8.

[Sidenote: The people of Tartarie. ]

The East countrie, whereof wee haue entreated, which is called Mongal, is
reported to haue had of olde time foure sortes of people. One of their
companions was called Yeka Mongal, that is the great Mongals. The second
company was called Sumongal, that is, the Water-Mongals, who called
themselues Tartars of a certaine riuer running through their countrey named
Tartar. The third was called Merkat, and the fourth Metrit. All these
people had one and the same person, attire of body and language, albeit
they were diuided by princes and prouinces. [Sidenote: The original and the
exploits of Chingis.] In the prouince of Yeka Mongol, there was a certaine
man called Chingis. This man became a mighty hunter. For he learned to
steale men, and take them for a pray. He ranged into other countries taking
as many captiues as he could, and ioining them vnto himselfe. Also hee
allured the men of his owne countrey vnto him, who followed him as their
captaine and ringleader to doe mischiefe. Then began he to make warre vpon
the Sumongals or Tartars, and slewe their captaine, and after many
conflicts, subdued them vnto himselfe, and brought them all into bondage.
Afterwards he vsed their helpe to fight against the Merkats, dwelling by
the Tartars, whom also hee vanquished in battell. Proceeding from thence,
he fought against the Metrites, and conquered them also. [Sidenote: The
Naimani.] The Naimani hearing that Chingis was thus exalted, greatly
disdeined thereat. For they had a mighty and puissant Emperour, vnto whom
all the foresaid nations payed tribute. Whose sonnes, when he was dead,
succeeded him in his Empire. [Sidenote: The discord of brethren.] Howbeit,
being young and foolish, they knew not howe to gouerne the people, but were
diuided, and fell at variance among themselues. Now Chingis being exalted,
as is aforesaid, they neuerthelesse inuaded the forenamed countries, put
the inhabitants to the sword, and carried away their goods for a pray.
Which Chingis hauing intelligence of, gathered all his subiects together.
The Naimani also, and the people called Karakitay assembled and banded
themselues at a certaine straight valley, where, after a battell foughten
they were vanquished by the Mongals. And being thus vanquished, they were,
the greater part of them, slaine; and others, which could not escape, were
carried into captiuitie. [Sidenote: Occoday Cham.] In the land of the
foresayd Karakytayans, Occoday Cham, the sonne of Chingis Cham, after he
was created Emperour, built a certaine citie, which he called Chanyl. Neare
vnto which citie, on the South side, there is an huge desert, wherein wilde
men are certainely reported to inhabite, which cannot speake at all, and
are destitute of ioynts in their legges, so that if they fall, they cannot
rise alone by themselues. Howbeit, they are of discretion to make feltes of
Camels haire, wherewith they clothe themselues, and which they holde
against the winde. And if at any time, the Tartars pursuing them, chance to
wound them with their arrowes, they put herbes into their wounds and flye
strongly before them.


De mutua victoria ipsorum et Kythaorum. Cap. 9.

Mongali autem in terram suam reuertentes, se contra [Marginal note:
Haythono et Paulo Veneto sunt Cathay.] Kythaos ad prælium parauerunt, et
castra mouentes, eorum terram intrauerunt. [Sidenote: Tartarorum Cathayna
clades.] Quod audiens eorum Imperator, vnit cum exercitu suo contra illos,
et commissum est prælium durum, in quo Mongali sunt deuicti, omnésque
nobiles eorum, qui erant in exercitu, præter septem occisi sunt. Vnde cùm
illis volentibus aliquam impugnare regionem, minatur aliquis stragem, adhuc
respondent: Olim etiam occisi non nisi septem remansimus, et tamen modò
creuimus in multitudinem magnam, ideóque non terremur de talibus. Chingis
autem et alij, qui remanserunt, in terram suam fugerunt. Cúmque quieuisset
aliquantulum, præparauit se rursus ad prælium, et processit contra terram
Huyrorum. Isti sunt homines Christiani de secta Nestorianorum. [Sidenote:
Nouæ victoriæ. Literæ.] Et hos etiam Mongali deuicerunt, eorumque literam
acceperunt; prius enim scripturam non habebant, nunc autem eandem
Mongalorem literam appellant. Inde contra terram Saruyur, et contra terram
Karanitarum, et contra terram Hudirat processit, quos omnes bello deuicit.
Inde in terram suam redijt, et aliquantulum quieuit. Deinde conuocatis
omnibus hominibus suis, contra Kythaos pariter processerunt, diúque contra
illos pugnantes, magnam partem terræ illorum vicerunt, eorumque Imperatorem
in ciuitatem suam maiorem concluserunt. Quam et tam longo tempore
obsederunt, quod exercitus expensæ omninò, defecerunt. Cúmque iam quod
manducarent, penitus non haberent, præcipit Chingischam suis, vt de decem
hominibus vnum ad manducandum darent. [Sidenote: Argentum loco lapidum in
hostem proiectum.] Illi verò de ciuitate machinis et sagittis viriliter
contra istos pugnabant et cum deficerent lapides, argentum et maximè
liquefactum proijciebant. Ciuitas siquidem illa multis erat diuitijs plena.
Cúmque diu Mongali pugnassent, et eam bello vincere non possent, vnam
magnam sub terra viam ab exercitu vsque ad medium ciuitatis fecerunt, et
prosilientes in medium eius, contra ciues pugnauerunt. Illi quoque qui
extra remanserant, eodem modo contra illos pugnabant. Denique concidentes
portas ciuitatis intrauerunt, et imperatorem cum pluribus occidentes vrbem
possederunt, aurumque et argentum, et omnes eius diuitias abstulerunt.
[Sidenote: Chingis salutatur Imperator.] Et cùm aliquos terræ suos homines
nuntios præficissent, in terram propriam reuersi sunt. Tunc primum
Imperatore Kythaorum deuncto, factus est Chingischam imperator Quandam
tamen partem illius terræ, quia posita erat in mari nullatenus deuicerunt
vsque hodie. [Sidenote: Cathaynorum literæ et religio.] Sunt autem Kitai
homines pagani, habentes literam specialem, et etiam vt dicitur, veteris et
noui Testamenti scripturam. Habent etiam vitas patrum et eremitas et domes,
in quibus orant temporibus suis, ad modum Ecclesiarum facias. Quosdam etiam
sanctos habere se dicunt, et vnum Deum colunt. Christum IESVM Dominum
venerantur, et credunt vitam æternam, sed non baptizantur. Scripturam
nostram honorant ac reuerentur. Christianos diligunt, et eleemosynas plures
faciunt, homines benigni satis et humani videntur. Barbam non habent, et in
dispositione faciei cum Mongalis in parte concordant. [Sidenote:
Opificiorum [Greek: exochae].] Meliores artifices in mundo non inueniuntur
in omnibus operibus, in quibus homines exercentur. Terra eonira est
opulenta numis in frumento et vino, auro et serico ac rebus cæteris.


The same in English

Of the mutuall victories betweene them, and the pepole of Kythay. Chap. 9.

But the Mongals returning home into their owne countrey prepared themselues
to battell against the Kythayans: [Marginal note: Haython [1] and Paulus
Venetus [2] call them Cathayans. [Footnote 1: Bishop of Basle, was sent by
Charlemagne as ambassador to Nicephorus Emperor of Constantinople, in 811.
He published an account of his journey which he called his _Itinerarium_.
There is a curious capitulary of his, inserted in Lucas of Acheri's
_Spicilegium_.] [Footnote 2: Better known as Fra Paolo, or Paul Sarpi, the
citizen monk of Venice who has been said to have been "a Catholic in
general, but a Protestant in particular". His attempted assassination on
the Piazza of St Mark at Venice by order of Paul V, the Pope is still one
of the fauourite legends of the City of Gondolas. He is said to have
discouered the circulation of the blood. He died in 1623. (See _Native
Races of America_, in Goldsmid's _Bibliothica Curiosa_, p 17).]] Which
their Emperour hearing, set forward against them with his armie, and they
fought a cruell battell, wherein the Mongals were ouercome, and all their
nobles in the armie, except seuen, were slaine. And for this cause, when
they, purposing to inuade anie region, are threatned by the inhabitants
thereof to be slaine, they doe, to this day, answere: in old time also our
whole number besides being slaine, we remayned but seuen of vs aliue, and
yet notwithstanding we are now growen vnto a great multitude, thinke not
therefore to daunt vs with such brags. [Sidenote: New victories.] But
Chingis and the residue that remained aliue, fled home into their countrey:
And hauing breathed him a little, he prepared himselfe to warre, and went
forth against the people called Huyri: These men were Christians of the
sect of Nestorius. [Sidenote: Letters.] And these also the Mongals
ouercame, and receiued letters or learning from them: for before that time
they had not the arte of writing, and nowe they call it the hand or letters
of the Mongals. Immediately after, hee marched against the countrey of
Saruyur, and of the Karanites, and against the land of Hudirat; all which
he vanquished. Then returned he home into his owne countrey, and breathed
himselfe. Afterward, assembling his warlike troupes, they marched with one
accord against the Kythayans, and waging warre with them a long time, they
conquered, a great part of their land, and shut vp their Emperour into his
greatest citie: which citie they had so long time besieged, that they began
to want necessary prouision for their armie. And when they had no victuals
to feede vpon, Chingis Cham commaunded his souldiers that they should eate
euery tenth man of the companie. [Sidenote: Siluer cast at the enemie
instead of stones.] But they of the citie fought manfully against them,
with engines, dartes, and arrowes, and when stones wanted they threw
siluer, and especially melted siluer: for the same citie abounded with
great riches. Also, when the Mongals had fought a long time and could not
preuale by warre, they made a great trench vnderneath the ground from the
armie vnto the middest of the citie, and there issuing foorth they fought
against the citizens, and the remnant also without the walles fought in
like manner. At last, breaking open the gates of the citie, they entred,
and putting the Emperour, with many other to the sworde, they tooke
possession thereof and conueighed away the golde, siluer, and all the
riches therein. And hauing appointed certaine deputies ouer the countrey,
they returned home into their owne lande. [Sidenote: Chigis Cham proclaimed
Emperour.] This is the first time, when the Emperour of the Kythayans being
vanquished, Chingis Cham obtayned the Empire. [Sidenote: Part of Cathay in
the sea.] But some parte of the countrey, because it lyeth within the sea,
they could by no meanes conquere vnto this day. [Sidenote: The letters and
the religion of the Cathayans.] The men of Kytay are Pagans, hauing a
speciall kinde of writing by themselues, and (as it is reported) the
Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament. They haue also recorded in
hystories the liues of their forefathers and they haue Eremites, and
certaine houses made after the manner of our Churches. which in those dayes
they greatly resorted vnto. They say that they haue diuers Saints also, and
they worship one God. They adore and reuerence CHRIST IESUS our Lorde, and
beleeue the article of eternall life, but are not baptized. They doe also
honourably esteeme and reuerence our Scriptures. They loue Christians, and
bestowe much almes, and are a very courteous and gentle people. They haue
no beardes, and they agree partly with the Mongals in the disposition of
their countenance. [Sidenote: Their excelent workmanship.] In all
occupations which men practise, there are not better artificers in the
whole worlde. Their countrey is exceeding rich, in corne, wine, golde,
silke, and other commodities.


De pugna ipsorum contra Indiam minorem et maiorem. Cap. 10.

Cum autem Mongali cum Imperatore suo Chingischam post præfatam victoriam
aliquantulum quieuissent, exercitus suos diuiserunt. [Sidenote: Thossut
Can, Chingis F.] Imperator siquidem vnum de filijs suis nomine Thosut, quem
etiam Can, id est, Imperatorem, appellabant, cum exercitu contra Comanos
misit, quos ille multo bello deuicit, et postmodum in terram suam redijt.
[Sidenote: India minor debellata.] Alium verò filium cum exercitu contra
Indos misit, qui et minorem Indiam subiecit. Hi sunt nigri Sarraceni, qui
Æthiopes sunt vocati. Hic autem excercitus ad pugnam contra Christianos,
qui sunt in India maiori, processit. [Sidenote: Regis maioris Indiæ
stratagema.] Quod audiens Rex illus terræ, qui vulgò [Marginal note: Vide
scolion in lib 1. cap. 51. M. Pauli Veneti.] Presbyter Iohannes appellatur,
contra illos venit exercitu congregato. Et faciens imagines cupreas
hominum, vnamquanque posuit in sella super equum. Posuit et interius ignem,
et hominem cum folle super equum post imaginem. Itàque cum multis equis et
imaginibus, taliter præparatis, ad pugnam contra Mongalos seu Tartaros
processerunt. Et cùm ad locum prælij peruenissent equos istos vnum iuxta
alium præmiserunt. Viri autem qui erant retrò, nescio quid super ignem, qui
erat intra imagines, posuerunt, et cum follibus fortiter sufflauerunt. Vnde
factum est, vt ex Græco igne homines et equi comburerentur, et etiam aër ex
fumo denigrantur. [Sidenote: Victoria.] Tùmque super Tartaros sagittas
iecerunt Indi, ex quibus multi vulnerati fuerunt et interfecti. Sícque
eiecerunt illos cum magna confusione de suis finibus, nec vnquam, quod ad
ipsos vltra redierint audiuimus.

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